The leadershipteachers of Islamic Religious Education during the Covid-19 pandemic has an effect in every area of Indonesian people's life, one of the sectors is the world of education. Education in Indonesia seems to get a shock that creates a new order in the learning process. The implication is that the learning process becomes distance learning, inevitably it must be applied considering the Ministry of Education and Culture's instructions to continue learning in the midst of the Covid-19 outbreak. Teachers at all levels of education are required to make new learning plans related to Distance Learning, which has never been implemented before. From the limitations of Islamic Religious Education teachers at the junior high school level who in fact are accustomed to face-to-face learning, they must turn learning into distance learning. Teachers of Islamic Religious Education at the primary school, primary school and and tertiary levels have a significant impact on the aspects of distance / online / online learning, as a respondent the author turned out to have an advantage in preparing for the learning process during the Covid-19 period. In distance learning they are able to continue working by optimizing all the potential that exists through electronic media. difficulty and also ease in implementing distance learning cannot be avoided, considering that the distance and access of students in following the learning process does not go as desired. This is also an attraction for research related to the distance learning process in schools.


We present a novel approach to study the sustainability of ancient Mediterranean agriculture that combines the measurement of carbon isotope discrimination (Delta(13)C) and nitrogen isotope composition (delta(15)N) along with the assessment of quality traits in fossil cereal grains. Charred grains of naked wheat and barley were recovered in Los Castillejos, an archaeological site in SE Spain, with a continuous occupation of ca. 1500 years starting soon after the origin of agriculture (ca. 4000 BCE) in the region. Crop water status and yield were estimated from Delta(13)C and soil fertility and management practices were assessed from the delta(15)N and N content of grains. The original grain weight was inferred from grain dimensions and grain N content was assessed after correcting N concentration for the effect of carbonisation. Estimated water conditions (i.e. rainfall) during crop growth remained constant for the entire period. However, the grain size and grain yield decreased progressively during the first millennium after the onset of agriculture, regardless of the species, with only a slight recovery afterwards. Minimum delta(15)N values and grain N content were also recorded in the later periods of site occupation. Our results indicate a progressive loss of soil fertility, even when the amount of precipitation remained steady, thereby indicating the unsustainable nature of early agriculture at this site in the Western Mediterranean Basin. In addition, several findings suggest that barley and wheat were cultivated separately, the former being restricted to marginal areas, coinciding with an increased focus on wheat cultivation.


The subject of the presentation is Green Power Marketing for Waste To Energy Facilities. Many WTE projects signed long term energy contracts under the rules of PURPA. Several projects signed short term agreements. In other cases, power contacts were sold or assigned by the original purchaser or the project voluntarily agreed to a buy out. In any case, power markets have changed and are continuing to change. One of the most significant changes is the deregulation of the electricity market. WTE projects are no longer required to sell power to a captive utility. While electricity continues to flow through the same transmission lines, those lines may be owned by a different entity than the power purchaser, and will certainly end up as a transaction cleared by the regional power grid. In addition to "energy" and "capacity", power can be sold as "green" or "renewable" for additional revenues. WTE power can be sold to wholesale purchasers for resale. Some WTE owners are becoming licensed to sell retail power, or arranging to wheel power to the local government which owns the WTE facility. WTE owners and operators depend on energy revenues to offset capital and operating costs. It is critical to understand how power marketing works. Most importantly, it is incumbent on each WTE owner/operator to make sure that Renewable Portfolio Standards established on the State and Federal level include WTE as a defined and eligible source of power. In the absence of Federal legislation, each State may set its own rules and requirements. Furthermore, States can set a renewable energy requirement for its purchases of energy. The panelists will present clear examples of the above from three points of view: Mr. Larry Plitch is an attorney who spent many years with Wheelabrator, and now markets power for Wheelabrator and other WTE owners. Ms. Robin Davidov is the Executive Director of the Northeast Maryland Waste Disposal Authority in Baltimore, Maryland. The Authority developed and financed three WTE facilities in Maryland, and owns two of the facilities. Ms. Davidov has been managing power sales for ten years, and most recently negotiated an electricity sales agreement with Mirant Americas Energy Marketing, L.P. Mr. Chris Pollatos is a Director with Mirant, and will speak about his experience in purchasing power from WTE and other renewable sources as well as wholesale power sales, including the sale of Renewable Energy Credits.Copyright © 2003 by ASME


A patient developed a typical, painful, and debilitating reaction on the thighs following injection of ostensibly medical grade "silicone" to achieve alteration of body contours. The refractory silicone granuloma responded dramatically to treatment with etanercept.


The authors obtain two new classes of solutions of the d=11 supergravity equations, in which the internal space is a U(1) bundle over a six-dimensional Kahler manifold. The 4-index field strength is non-zero both in spacetime and in the internal space.


Although the introduction of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have greatly increased the number of genes associated with common diseases, only a small proportion of the predicted genetic contribution has so far been elucidated. Studying the cumulative variation of polymorphisms in multiple genes acting in functional pathways may provide a complementary approach to the more common single SNP association approach in understanding genetic determinants of common disease. We developed a novel pathway-based method to assess the combined contribution of multiple genetic variants acting within canonical biological pathways and applied it to data from 14,000 UK individuals with 7 common diseases. We tested inflammatory pathways for association with Crohn's disease (CD), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and type 1 diabetes (T1D) with 4 non-inflammatory diseases as controls. Using a variable selection algorithm, we identified variants responsible for the pathway association and evaluated their use for disease prediction using a 10 fold cross-validation framework in order to calculate out-of-sample area under the Receiver Operating Curve (AUC). The generalisability of these predictive models was tested on an independent birth cohort from Northern Finland. Multiple canonical inflammatory pathways showed highly significant associations (p 10−3–10−20) with CD, T1D and RA. Variable selection identified on average a set of 205 SNPs (149 genes) for T1D, 350 SNPs (189 genes) for RA and 493 SNPs (277 genes) for CD. The pattern of polymorphisms at these SNPS were found to be highly predictive of T1D (91% AUC) and RA (85% AUC), and weakly predictive of CD (60% AUC). The predictive ability of the T1D model (without any parameter refitting) had good predictive ability (79% AUC) in the Finnish cohort. Our analysis suggests that genetic contribution to common inflammatory diseases operates through multiple genes interacting in functional pathways.


Two sets of studies were conducted on alcohol-induced increases in aggression. In the first, the effects of alcohol on target biting and resident-intruder attack were assessed in mice fed a standard diet or one supplemented with 0.5% L-tryptophan. Mice attacked an inanimate target at a high rate following tail shock, an intermediate rate during the intershock interval and a low rate during a tone that preceded the shock. Alcohol increased target biting following shock and during the intershock interval, an effect partially blocked by tryptophan. Resident mice attacked intruders 27.2 +/- 5.3 times per 10-minute session with an average latency of 155 +/- 42 seconds. Alcohol increased the number of attacks and lowered the latency to the first attack. Again, tryptophan partially blocked these effects. Finally, in a second set of mice, the same tryptophan diet was found to potentiate the aggression-reducing effects of fluoxetine and fenfluramine without disrupting motor performance. In the second study, the effects of alcohol administered alone or in combination with tyramine were assessed in the resident-intruder paradigm. Again, it was observed that low doses of alcohol increased the resident attack of intruders. Although this effect was heightened by the co-administration of tyramine, the effect failed to reach statistical significance. These observations are discussed in reference to alcohol-induced increases in offensive and defensive aggression and the possible modulation of this effect by brain monoamines.


THE APPLICATION OF ROLE THEORY TO THE SEXUAL HARASSMENT PARADIGM: A POLICY CAPTURING APPROACH Lora L. Jacobi Old Dominion University, 1999 Director: Dr. Glynn D. Coates This research utilized policy capturing techniques to analyze the different factors individuals use when determining sexual harassment. The importance of level of power, verbal behavior, and invasiveness of touch were examined. Additionally, role theory was applied to the sexual harassment paradigm in order to understand how context factors within an organization affect the perceptio of sexual harassment. Profile analysis was used to determine how the perception of what constitutes harassing behavior is mitigated by one's role in the organization. Participants were one hundred and five males and one hundred and fifteen females who were either currently employed or employed within the last six months. Participants were asked to complete take-home packets that contained a series of questionnaires that were designed to measure the perception of and response to sexual harassment Thirty-two sexual harassment scenarios that were a full manipulation of three levels of power, verbal behavior, and touch were also included in the packet. Participants were asked to read each scenario and indicate how appropriate they felt the described behavior was in the workplace, how likely they were to respond to the situation, and to choose R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission. the response type that best described how they would react to the situation. In order to establish the level of realism of these scenarios, participants were asked to indicate how easy it was for them to imagine the situation and to assess how likely the behavior was to occur in the workplace. Additionally, in order to assess the context within which the participants worked, a series of questionnaires that contained measures of organizational factors, attributes of the person, and interpersonal factors were included. The findings revealed that the perception of and response to sexual harassment were affected by the level of invasiveness of touch, the level of verbal behavior, and the relative power of the perpetrator. Different organizational factors, personal attributes, and interpersonal factors were found to affect the perception of sexually harassing role expectations and anticipated role behaviors. Role perceptions and behaviors were influenced by the genderratio of one's occupation; the organization's policies and. culture regarding its tolerance for sexual harassment; the rater's gender, age, race, and relationship status; one's tolerance for sexual harassment; and one's previous experience with certain types of interpersonal harassment. Although all a priori hypotheses regarding the context factors were not confirmed, it is still believed that role theory provides a viable model for understanding the perception of sexual harassment. R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without perm ission.


The liver is affected in many systemic diseases, with important examples being cardiovascular diseases—raised venous pressure can lead to hepatic congestion. Hepatomegaly is frequent in moderately severe heart failure. Cardiac cirrhosis is a rare complication. Pulmonary diseases—conditions that involve the liver as well as the lungs include cystic fibrosis, sarcoidosis, and α1-antitrypsin deficiency. Gastrointestinal diseases—inflammatory bowel disease is associated with a range of hepatic pathology including fatty change, pericholangitis, sclerosing cholangitis, autoimmune hepatitis, cirrhosis, and (rarely) amyloidosis. Hepatobiliary disease associated with total parenteral nutrition varies from a mild, asymptomatic disease to jaundice, cirrhosis, and liver failure. Coeliac disease may rarely present with abnormal liver tests. Obesity, especially in association with the metabolic syndrome, may be associated with nonalcoholic hepatitis and steatohepatitis. Endocrine diseases—autoimmune hepatitis and primary biliary cholangitis may be associated with autoimmune endocrine disorders. Both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism can cause abnormalities of liver function, which are usually mild. Haematological diseases—conditions associated with abnormal blood clotting, such as protein C or S deficiency and paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria, may lead to Budd–Chiari syndrome (hepatic vein thrombosis). The liver may be involved in both non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and leukaemia. Infectious diseases—agents that particularly affect the liver (e.g. viral hepatitis) are discussed elsewhere although many systemic infections also infect the liver. Abnormal liver function may occur during many systemic infections, but it is rare for patients with sepsis to present primarily with liver symptoms, although jaundice, abnormal liver function tests, or (very rarely) fulminant hepatic failure may be the principal presenting feature. Rheumatological diseases—hepatic disease may either be a consequence of treatment or occur in association with other autoimmune diseases.


We compute the cosmic microwave background bispectrum arising from the cross-correlation of primordial, lensing and Rees-Sciama signals. The amplitude of the bispectrum signal is sensitive to gthe matter density parameter, Ω0, and the equation of state of the dark energy, which we parameterize by wQ. We conclude that the dataset of the Atacama Cosmology Telescope, combined with MAP 2-year data or the Planck data set alone will allow us to break the degeneracy between Ω0 and wQ that arises from the analysis of CMB power spectrum. In particular a joint measurement of Ω0 and wQ with 10% and 30% error on the two parameters respectively, at the 90% confidence level can realistically be achieved.


Steven Berkoff is probably the most theatrical artist working in theatre today. This second collection of his plays is now available in the contemporary classics series.


To develop an animal model of rosacea-like skin lesions caused by Demodex mites, a suspension of Demodex mites was injected into the skin of Japanese rabbits. The pathology of the skin lesion was assessed using H&E staining after 4 weeks of modeling. The skin lesions observed after 4 weeks were further treated with the recombinant bovine basic fibroblast growth factor (rbFGF) gel. Untreated lesions in the same rabbit were considered as the blank control. Erythema papules were observed in the model rabbit skin and could be observed most clearly in the 2nd week. Lumpy foreign bodies, telangiectasia and granuloma-like structure were observed in the model rabbit in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd weeks, respectively. An organized granuloma-like structure was observed in the 4th week. The color of the skin lesions became lighter than that of the self-control after 4 weeks of rbFGF treatment. In conclusion, the model of Demodex-induced rosacea-like skin lesions can be developed through intradermal injection of suspension of Demodex mites into Japanese rabbits. The model can mimic the phenotype of skin lesions and histopathological manifestations in the Demodex mite-positive patient with rosacea.


Abstract:As music institutions strive to embody the nature of entrepreneurship in greater capacities, both a lack of understanding and a lack of pedagogical knowledge serve as detriments to this end. The purpose of this exploratory study is to equip classical brass performance professors, whose goal it is to incorporate entrepreneurship in their studios, with practical suggestions on how to do so. Information from a survey of brass players was combined with literature regarding entrepreneurship education teaching practices, as well as practices from content areas generated from the survey in order to devise a set of suggestions for brass professors. The survey found that most brass players thought entrepreneurship should be taught in the private studio and that hard work, perseverance, and learning from failure were viewed as the most valuable content areas for a career in music. The suggestions are broken down into four themes: attitude; experiential learning; moving outside the studio; and character development. Subthemes are acting as a mentor, assisting in students' pursuit of individual goals, diverging from a didactic teaching approach, learning by doing, learning through failure, reflection, interacting with the community, social engagement, interaction with entrepreneurs, and grit.


There can be no doubt that the addition of ultrasound to regional anaesthesia has enabled anaesthetists to directly visualise key anatomy and monitor local anaesthetic spread [1]. A recent meta-analysis of 42 studies has shown an increase in the proportion of patients receiving good quality nerve block without need for rescue analgesia to be 93% for ultrasoundguided regional anaesthesia (UGRA), compared to only 83% for peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS), risk ratio 1.09 (95% CI 1.05-1.13). The rate of conversion to general anaesthesia was found to be 4% lower for UGRA than PNS [2], emphasising the advantages of ultrasound, particularly in expert hands [3]. However, inadvertent intraneural injection and possible neurological impairment remains a significant clinical problem, with an observational study reporting an incidence of 1 in 6 UGRA patients and demonstrating no reduction in nerve damage using UGRA [4]. Although it is now recognised that nerve damage is secondary to inadvertent intra-fascicular injection, good clinical practice should still aim for extraneural injection at all times [4]. Reasons for intraneural injection may be in part due to user experience and patient characteristics but the technical limitations of B-Mode ultrasound must also be considered. The small differences in acoustic impedance (product of tissue density and acoustic wave velocity) between soft tissue structures and use of an 8-bit grayscale result in B-Mode images of limited contrast [5] which is perceived by the operator as anatomical ambiguity. Attempts to improve B-Mode image quality such as compound imaging, tissue harmonic imaging [6] and image optimization [7] have achieved increased contrast resolution [6], but clear delineation of intraneural and extraneural tissue remains suboptimal [8]. Furthermore, there is little literature on the quantitative assessment of image quality despite its significance in importance successful image interpretation [9]. Similarly qualitative measures such as brightness scores and greyscale histograms are rarely considered in the clinical environment; suggesting a general lack of awareness of the value of image quality assessment and perhaps even an acceptance of technically inadequate images. Ultrasonic quantification of basic tissue characteristics such as elasticity has been used for cancer detection in breast, thyroid and prostate due to the ability to differentiate between "soft" normal tissue and "hard" carcinoma [10]: the imaging equivalent of clinical palpation [11]. Elasticity refers to the ability of a material to return to its resting form after application of force and is quantified as Young's elastic modulus (ratio of stress, force per unit area, to strain) [11]. Elastography is the ultrasonic characterisation of tissue elasticity presented as a colour map elastogram and is subdivided into two forms: strain and shear wave. Strain elastography measures the response of tissue to application of force, whereas shear wave elastography provides a true quantitative, as opposed to indirect, measure of Young's modulus (E) based on tissue density and shear wave velocity [11]. Shear wave elastography may be used in the practice of UGRA to delineate key anatomy in colour (Figure 1) and most importantly differentiate between intraneural and extraneural tissue [8]. We have shown that differences in tissue elasticity allow clear identification of anatomical structures in both Thiel embalmed human cadavers and living volunteers (E=11.1kPa for neural tissue compared to 2.8-4.2kPa for the anterior and medial scalene muscles) [8]. Moreover, shear wave elastography has been validated with B-Mode ultrasound by demonstration of


African cities, including Cotonou and Porto-Novo, have experienced an increase in their populations over the past four decades due to migration on the one hand and the services offered by the latter on the other. This requires mass transport for the mobility of urban populations and those on the outskirts of these cities. This research contributes to a better understanding of the risks to which the passengers of public transport provided by minibuses between Cotonou and Porto-Novo are exposed. The methodological approach used is based on documentary research, data collection in the field, data processing and analysis of results. The collection tools used are the observation grid, the questionnaire and the interview guide with 148 people and 21 municipal authorities. SPSS 2.1 was used for statistical data processing. The Excel 2013 spreadsheet, Word 2013 and QGIS software were respectively used for word processing, the creation of graphs and tables and then various maps. The analysis of the results shows that the socio-professional class of minibus public transport passengers between Cotonou and Porto-Novo is made up of workers 33% of the respondents; sellers and resellers of finished products, food (43%); students/pupils (11%) and others (13%) of those questioned. The purchasing power of this target remains weak, which does not allow it to use other means of public transport, which cost more than three times the minibus fare according to this one. Public transport by minibus is, therefore, the preferred method for low-class passengers. In addition, the results of this research reveal four main risks, which are: contamination of communicable diseases, including COVID-19, according to 23% of those questioned; the fall of apprentices or even users/passengers/customers for 24% of respondents; road traffic accidents (47%) and injuries related to discomfort in the seats of minibuses to which 6% of the passengers surveyed referred. Taking into account these risks and the weaknesses identified by this research will improve mass transport services by minibus between Cotonou and Porto-Novo.


Introduction. Celiac disease, an autoimmune enteropathy, occurs in susceptible individuals and is treatable with a gluten-free diet. These may not be supplemented with vitamins. Objective. To assess the nutritional health of children who have biopsy-proven celiac disease. Methods. Charts were reviewed between July 1, 2007, and June 30, 2017. Results. A total of 252 children ages 0 to 21 years had biopsy-proven celiac disease, mean age 11 ± 4.1 years. Body mass index Z-score was 0.2 ± 1.2 at diagnosis. Except for vitamin D, few had deficiencies at diagnosis. At 1-year follow-up, there was no significant change in anthropomorphics or vitamin status. Adherence to follow-up was poor; at 5 years after diagnosis, 39% adhered to follow-up. Conclusion. Despite a rigorous, proactive protocol for contacting and following children with celiac disease, adherence to follow-up was poor. New strategies, such as follow-up through the primary care provider, are needed.


Adaptive filtering techniques are one of the important techniques used for noise cancellation in speech and biomedical signals. The Least Mean Squares (LMS) algorithm is one of the widely used algorithms in many adaptive signal processing environments. The adaptive filtering algorithm with averaging (AFA) algorithm is an improvement over the widely used Least Mean Squares (LMS) algorithm and has an improved performance. In this paper, we propose a modification in the AFA algorithm with improved performance for speech signal processing. The proposed modification was implemented in Matlab and was tested for noise cancellation in speech signals. The simulation results showed that modification has improved performance in terms of signal-to-noise ratio compared to the original adaptive filtering algorithm. Ill. 6, bibl. 8 (in English; summaries in English, Russian and Lithuanian).


In dependence of kind of realized mission, sensitivity on risk, which is a result of decision about liquid assets investment level and liquid assets financing. The kind of organization influence the best strategy choice. If an exposition on risk is greater, the higher level of inventories, accounts receivable and operating cash should be. If the exposition on that risk is smaller, the more aggressive will be the net liquid assets strategy and smaller level of inventories. The organization choosing between various solutions in liquid assets needs to decide what level of risk is acceptable for her owners and capital suppliers. That choice results with financing consequences, especially in cost level. It is a basis for considerations about relations between risk and expected benefits from the liquid assets decision and its results on financing costs for both nonprofit or for profit organizations. The paper shows how in authors opinion decisions about liquid assets management strategy and choice between kind of taxed or non-taxed form inflow the risk of the organizations and its economical results during realization of main mission. Comparing the theoretical model with empirical data for 1000 Polish nonprofit organization results, suggest that nonprofit organization managing teams choose higher risky aggressive liquid assets solutions than for-profit organizations.


The upcoming new radio access allows ultra-high data rate using millimeter-wave (mm-Wave) frequencies, while it normally suffers from large path loss. To compensate for path loss, phased arrays for both the transmitter and receiver are used. The 5G new radio (NR) three beam management process proceeds as follows: The transmitted beam is first swept in the downlink direction from the remote radio unit (RRU) to the user equipment (UE), and then the uplink beam is aligned to determine which beam direction has the best reception quality, and vice versa. However, this sequential beam management requires that the RX must be able to perform both beam detection and steering across all the reception angles. Moreover, due to the narrow beamwidth of the phased array operation, a "quantum leap" performance improvement of the receiver operating at mm-Wave is required. In this article, a self-steering array beamformer (SSA-BF) receiving system is proposed, which is composed of a home-designed IC package with zero DC power consumption and a 4-element antenna array. We first conduct the measurement without the antenna, and the SSA-BF receiver shows a significant array factor enhancement with negligible SNR degradation over full field-of-view (FoV) (incidence angle = ±90°), <3 ms fast beam alignment time, and it can support enhanced mobile data-rate up to 10 and 7.8 Gb/s with 20x100 MHz carrier aggregation OFDM in back-to-back and over 25-km fiber transmission, respectively. Moreover, a broadside 3-dB beamwidth ±80° and broadband 17-36 GHz antenna is designed for the proposed SSA-BF receiver in a 5G fiber-wireless access. The SSA-BF receiving system with the 1 × 4 antenna array is designed at 28 GHz, and it shows the normalized array gain better than 3- and 6-dB degradation over broad FoV incidence = ± 68° and ± 85°, respectively. Without any external tuning controls, the proposed SSA-BF achieves the state-of-the-art autonomous beamforming for 6 Gb/s 64-QAM signal over 50-cm wireless distance, achieving a substantial array factor improvement. To the best of authors' knowledge, this is the first demonstration of a high-speed switching SSA-BF receiver in a fiber-wireless integrated radio access as a true enabler for mm-Wave mobile fronthaul applications


The transport stream processing apparatus is disclosed. Including this apparatus, parts using encodes the detector, the detected data bit for detecting data bits from the stream encoder to generate a two-encoded value for each bit of each data and the generated encoded value configuration stream constituting the transport stream do. Accordingly, it is possible to encode a transport stream having a 1/3 coding rate.


We study how several collective operations like broadcast, reduction, scan, etc. can be composed efficiently in complex parallel programs. Our specific contributions are: (1) a formal framework for reasoning about collective operations; (2) a set of optimization rules which save communications by fusing several collective operations into one; (3) performance estimates, which guide the application of optimization rules depending on the machine characteristics; (4) a simple case study with machine experiments.


Nanocrystalline PrCo3 powder has been synthesized by high-energy milling and was subsequently annealed from 873 to 1273 K for 30 min to optimize the extrinsic properties. The structure and magnetic properties of the nanocrystalline PrCo3 have been investigated by means of x-ray and neutron diffraction as well as magnetization measurements. All compounds crystallize in the same PuNi3 type structure, with grain sizes between 28 and 47 nm. As the annealing temperature increases, a maximum coercive field of 12 kOe at 300 K (55 kOe at 10 K) was obtained by annealing at 1023 K for a grain size of 35 nm. The refinement of the neutron powder diffraction patterns (NPD) of PrCo3 from 1.8 to 300 K shows an expansion of the parameter a and a contraction of the parameter c, leading to a decrease of the ratio c/a. The evolution of the Co and Pr magnetic sublattices measured by NPD indicates that this compound is a highly anisotropic uniaxial ferromagnet with the easy magnetization axis parallel to c → ?> . This experimental study has been completed by a theoretical investigation of the electronic structure of the PrCox (x = 2, 3 and 5) compounds. Band structure calculations with collinear spin polarization were performed by using the local approximation of the density functional theory scheme implemented in the projector-augmented wave method. The electronic structure of PrCo3 compound in both directions of spin shows that the majority of occupied states are dominated by the 3d states of Co, with a strong electronic charge transfer from Pr to Co. The PrCo3 electronic structure can be explained by a superimposition of those of PrCo2 and PrCo5, as expected from its crystal structure. The magnetic anisotropy has been confirmed for PrCo3, as a non-collinear spin calculation with the polarization along the c axis is shown to be more stable than with the polarization in the ( a → , b → ?> ) plane.


Meson target manipulators are used to remotely plunge targets anywhere within a 32 in. x 60 in. x 3 in. targeting volume inside the circulating beam chamber of the Argonne Zero Gradient Synchrotron. The mesons produced are of different momentum and enter three separate beam tubes from a single crossover point. Two meson target manipulators normally position the targets for multitargeting of a single synchrotron beam pulse. The speed of targeting permits the rf to move the beam pulse to extract two meson beams of different momentum. Using a shaped two-step command function, a single target is moved swiftly into two distinct positions, again extracting two me son beams of diffe rent momentum. Targets, target angles, target positions, and the target manipulators are changed without losing beam chamber vacuum. Fixed point meson targeting mechanisms are used for extended experiments that require only single presurveyed positions. Unique electrical linear actuators drive energy loss targets vertically for fast or slow proton extraction. Such fast drive modules are easily removed without interruption of the beam chamber vacuum. Numerous economical drive units with presurveyed targets are heldon standby for quick change into the accelerator. A periscope television apparatus permits remote observation of all targetry for accuracy of position under vacuum.


ABSTRACT Objectives An advancing atherosclerotic plaque is a risk factor for stroke. We conducted this study to assess the relationship between risk factors of stroke with changing in the thickness of carotid plaques thickness evident on sonography. Methods We carried out a secondary analysis of data from a study on carotid bifurcation plaques. Data were collected in the sonography laboratories of two university hospitals. In total, 564 (240; 42.6% men) patients with atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid bifurcation and internal carotid artery with stenosis ≥ 30% evident on duplex sonography were included. We developed machine learning models using an extreme gradient boosting algorithm with Shapley additive explanation method to find important risk factors and their interactions. The outcome was a change in the carotid plaque thickness after 36 months, and the predictors were initial plaque thickness and the risk factors of stroke. Results Two regression models were developed for left and right carotid arteries. The R-squared values were 0.964 for the left, and 0.993 for the right model. Overall, the three top features were BMI, age, and initial plaque thickness for both left and right plaques. However, the risk factors of stroke showed stronger interaction in predicting plaque thickening of the left carotid more than the right carotid artery. Discussion The effect of each predictor on plaque thickness is complicated by interactions with other risk factors, particularly for the left carotid artery. The side of carotid artery involvement should be considered for stroke prevention.


Thermally stimulated exoelectron emission (TSEE) from a alumina single crystals is studied. Polished as well as stamped surfaces present almost identical TSEE effects. Nevertheless a special peak at 440°C appears in the glow curve of stamped samples only. Microscopical observations provide evidence of a relation between the appearance of this peak and fragmentation or crack propagation around the marks made on the surface.


In physics we often encounter high-dimensional data, in the form of multivariate measurements or of models with multiple free parameters. The information encoded is increasingly explored using machine learning, but is not typically explored visually. The barrier tends to be visualising beyond 3D, but systematic approaches for this exist in the statistics literature. I use examples from particle and astrophysics to show how we can use the "grand tour" for such multidimensional visualisations, for example to explore grouping in high dimension and for visual identification of multivariate outliers. I then discuss the idea of projection pursuit, i.e. searching the high-dimensional space for "interesting" low dimensional projections, and illustrate how we can detect complex associations between multiple parameters.


Background: Blood pressure (BP) variability is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events. Recent evidence supports a role for the gut microbiota in BP regulation. However, whether the gut microbiome is associated with BP variability is yet to be determined. Here, we aimed to investigate the interplay between the gut microbiome and their metabolites in relation to BP variability. Methods: Ambulatory BP monitoring was performed in 69 participants from Australia (55.1% women; mean±SD, 59.8±7.26 years; body mass index, 25.2±2.83 kg/m2). These data were used to determine nighttime dipping, morning BP surge (MBPS) and BP variability as SD. The gut microbiome was determined by 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing and metabolite levels by gas chromatography. Results: We identified specific taxa associated with systolic BP variability, nighttime dipping, and MBPS. Notably, Alistipesfinegoldii and Lactobacillus spp. were only present in participants within the normal ranges of BP variability, MBPS and dipping, while Prevotella spp. and Clostridium spp., were found to be present in extreme dippers and the highest quartiles of BP SD and MBPS. There was a negative association between MBPS and microbial α-diversity (r=−0.244, P=0.046). MBPS was also negatively associated with plasma levels of microbial metabolites called short-chain fatty acids (r=−0.305, P=0.020), particularly acetate (r=−0.311, P=0.017). Conclusions: Gut microbiome diversity, levels of microbial metabolites, and the bacteria Alistipesfinegoldii and Lactobacillus were associated with lower BP variability and Clostridium and Prevotella with higher BP variability. Thus, our findings suggest the gut microbiome and metabolites may be involved in the regulation of BP variability.


An attempt has been made to improve the paste stabilities both in viscosity of a hot starch paste and in phase of a starch-polyvinyl alcohol blend paste for warp sizing. The phase stability was evaluated in terms of the initial demixing time, and the volume percentage of polyvinyl alcohol separated. It was found that starch cross-linking is harmful to the phase stability of a starch-polyvinyl alcohol blend paste no matter what a type of polyvinyl alcohol is used,although the cross-linking is an effective technique for stabilizing the viscosity of a hot starch paste. The separation rate and extent all increase with the increase in the cross-linking degree of starch. However, this defect can be eliminated through introducing quaternary ammonium groups into crosslinked starch molecules. Evident effect can be achieved when the degree of substitution is as less as0.021. Generally, increase in the DS reduces the separation rate and extent, and thereby raising the phase stability.Moreover, the effects of both starch content and PVA type on the separation are also considered. Cationization after starch cross-linking shows improved stabilities both in viscosity and phase.


Classical swine fever (CSF) is a highly contagious and economically significant viral disease of pigs. The severity of this disease varies with the strain of the virus, the age of the pig, and the immune status of the herd. Acute infections, which are caused by highly virulent isolates and have a high mortality rate, are likely to be diagnosed rapidly. However, infections with less virulent isolates can be more difficult to recognize, particularly in older pigs. These infections may be relatively mild, and can resemble septicemias caused by other agents, as well as other diseases. In some herds, the only symptom may be poor reproductive performance or the failure of some pigs to thrive. The wide range of clinical signs and similarity to other diseases can make classical swine fever challenging to diagnose. Although classical swine fever was once widespread, many countries have eradicated this disease from domesticated swine. Reintroduction of the virus can be devastating. In 1997-1998, an outbreak in the Netherlands spread to involve more than 400 herds and cost $2.3 billion to eradicate. Approximately 12 million pigs were killed, some in eradication efforts but most for welfare reasons associated with the epidemic. The United Kingdom experienced an outbreak in 2000, and minor outbreaks were reported in Romania, Slovakia, Spain and Germany in 2001. North America is also at risk for the introduction of this disease, which is still endemic in much of South and Central America.


Abstract High-definition (HD) technology is powering a paradigm change within the digital domain. This article is an attempt to reveal and explore the aesthetics, the technologies and theoretical issues that are at stake through the embracing of this new medium, whilst trying to be mindful of the effects of remediation. As such, this is a report of the enquiry undertaken on a practical level over the first year of a creative fellowship. This is fundamentally concerned with whether increased resolution creates deeper engagement and interaction for an audience and how that engagement functions through audience response. HD is only the first of many levels or quanta of resolution that is now available to us and is the first sign of a change in the use of these powerful and intelligent technologies and their implied meanings, as yet un-described within contemporary media theory.


1. Genetic variation in the chicken MC1R gene was analysed through bioinformatic methods after polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and sequencing of the coding region of MC1R gene from 5 different populations with 4 plumage colours (black, grey plumage with black spots, yellow plumage with black spots, red). 2. A total of 11 novel variations were detected in Hebei chickens, of which 8 were non-synonymous. Allele distribution analysis showed that the wild-type e + (Brown Leghorn) allele was mainly found in Hy-Line Brown and Lohmann Brown, the dominant Extended black E(AY220304) allele was mainly found in Hebei chicken with black plumage, whereas the Buttercup (e bc) allele was rare. 3. Nucleotide diversity (π) within each colour strain of Hebei chickens (0·0047–0·0052) was significantly greater than that of Hy-Line Brown (0·0024) or Lohmann Brown (0·0043). 4. The results indicate that there is abundant polymorphism in the MC1R gene, especially in Hebei chicken, which was associated with its rich plumage colour diversity.


Within a very short heating period, fine mullite powder with practicle size below 1µm was obtained in a novel synthesis system, a self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) chemical furnace, from which the tremendous heating derived. The combustion reactants consisting of Ni, Al and TiC were chosen as a chemical furnace in this system to supply the heat, calcining temperature was increased at a heating rate of 1350K/min in the heating process, till the maximum temperature (1350°C). The rapid mullitization process was performed within 1 min, microstructure analysis indicated that small mullite grains (<50nm) were crystallized, fine mullite particles (<1µm) with narrow particle size distribution, favorable activity for sintering were derived. And significant grain growth was observed in mullite powder, when the combustion reactants consisting of Ni, Al and <30 mol.% TiC.


Abstract In this study, we assessed the extent to which 2000-m rowing ergometer performance predicted final rankings at the World Junior Rowing Championship in a sample of 398 junior rowers competing in 13 events. The rowers' ergometer performance times were examined using a questionnaire, and in all 13 events they correlated (P ≤ 0.039) with the final rankings at the Championship. The strongest correlations were observed for ergometer performance times in junior women's single sculls (r = 0.92; P < 0.001), followed by junior men's single sculls (r = 0.80; P < 0.001) and junior women's double sculls (r = 0.79; P < 0.001). The observed correlations were higher for smaller boats – singles, doubles, and pairs (r = 0.64–0.92; P ≤ 0.025) – than for larger boats – quads, fours, and eights (r = 0.31–0.70; P ≤ 0.039). Linear regression analyses were used to construct regression equations to predict final rankings based on 2000-m rowing ergometer performance times for each event. Although correlations in 10 of the 13 events were above r = 0.5, the large standard errors of the estimate impaired the prediction of rankings in all of the studied events. Using these equations, the most probable rowing ergometer performance times required for a particular ranking in a given rowing event might easily be calculated.


The effects of EDTA on the expression and topologic localization of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases (ERK, JNK, and p38), along with nitric oxide synthase (NOS), I-KappaB, and p53 were examined to elucidate the host response provoked by the intravaginal application of a female controlled drug delivery system (FcDDS) containing a spermicidal/microbicidal agent and EDTA. Immunohistochemical and immunoblotting studies were conducted to identify and quantitate the EDTA-inducible proteins in vaginal mucosa. The content of nitrite, which is one of the primary stable breakdown products of nitric oxide (NO), was determined to correlate the expression of NOS with NO formation in HeLa cervical carcinoma cell line. The immunohistochemical study demonstrated that the modulation of the calcium gradient by EDTA activated MAP kinases (ERK and JNK) in the rabbit vaginal mucosa. The results of Western immunoblot study demonstrated differential expression of MAP kinases (ERK and JNK) with EDTA treatment, whereas the expression of NOS and NF-KappaB was not affected by EDTA. There was no significant difference in nitrite production in the HeLa cell line upon exposure to EDTA compared with the control, which was consistent with the results of the Western blot study. The results of this work support that the regulation of MAP kinase was affected by calcium, which is controlled by chelation activity of EDTA. The specific tissue responses exerted by the loading components of a biomaterial-based system should be fully taken into consideration for its intravaginal application.


The risk of immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) worsening during pregnancy and neonatal ITP (NITP) have never been prospectively studied. We included 180 pregnant and 168 non-pregnant ITP women in a prospective, multicenter, observational cohort study. 131 pregnant ITP women were matched to 131 non-pregnant ITP women by history of splenectomy, ITP status (no response, response, complete response) and duration. Groups were followed for 15 months. The primary outcome was the first occurrence of ITP worsening defined by a composite endpoint including bleeding events and/or severe thrombocytopenia (<30x109/L) and/or ITP treatment modification. We also studied the recurrence of ITP worsening and incidence of NITP and risk factors. The first occurrence of ITP worsening did not differ between pregnant and non-pregnant ITP women (53.4 per 100 person-years [95%CI, 40.8-69.9] vs. 37.1 [27.5-50.0]; hazard ratio [HR], 1.35 [95%CI, 0.89-2.03], p=0.16). Pregnant ITP women were more likely to have recurrence of severe thrombocytopenia and treatment modification (HR, 2.71 [95%CI, 1.41-5.23], p=0.003; HR, 2.01 [95%CI, 1.14-3.57], p=0.017, respectively). However, recurrence of severe bleeding events was not different between groups (p=0.4). Nineteen (14%) neonates showed NITP <50´109/L. By multivariable analysis, NITP was associated with a previous offspring with NITP and maternal platelet count <50´109/L within 3 months before delivery (adjusted odds ratio, 5.55 [95%CI, 1.72-17.89], p=0.004 and 4.07 [1.41-11.73], p=0.009). To conclude, ITP women do not increase their risk of severe bleeding during pregnancy. NITP is associated with NITP history and the severity of maternal ITP during pregnancy. These results will be useful for counseling ITP women.


Revisions of U.S. macroeconomic data are persistent, correlated with real-time data, and with high variability (around 80% of U.S. real-time data volatility). This paper adapts a DSGE-style model to accommodate both real-time and revised data from the U.S. economy. The results show a lesser role of both habit formation and price indexation than in the standard model. In the simulations, revision shocks to both output and inflation are expansionary because the Fed reacts by cutting interest rates. Consumption revisions, in contrast, are countercyclical, consumption mirrors the observed reduction in real-time consumption. In the variance decomposition, data revisions explain 9.3% of output changes.


Histochemical muscle fibre composition of human costal and crural diaphragm was determined in biopsies sampled during surgical procedures. Two groups were studied: 10 subjects with normal lung function and 8 patients with chronic obstructive respiratory disease. Muscle fibres were classified as type I (slow twitch) or type II (fast twitch) on the basis of their myofibrillar ATPase pH lability. There was no significant difference in fibre proportions between costal diaphragm (COD) and crural diaphragm (CRD) for both groups of subjects. Yet, in the normal group, the diameters of both types of fibres were larger in COD than in CRD. The diameters of both types of fibres of the obstructive patients were significantly decreased in COD as compared to the normals. Moreover, linear correlations between type I and II fibre diameters and VC, FEV1, FEV1/VC, and body weight were found in COD and not in CRD. The differences found in muscle fibre size support the idea that the mechanical respiratory load is different for COD and CRD, COD being the more important force generator. Chronic obstructive respiratory disease causes a significant decrease in COD fibre size but does not affect CRD.


OBJECTIVE
To describe the treatment of a group of polyneuropathies of different aetiologies, characterized by acute onset.

DEVELOPMENT
We review the treatment of the Guillain-Barré syndrome, whose mortality has been significantly reduced by the use of intensive care units. Plasmapheresis and immunoglobulin have been shown to be effective and speed clinical recovery of these patients. The use of corticosteroids is controversial, since clinical studies have not shown them to be effective in treating this disease. In this article we also describe the treatment of other neuropathies such as neuropathies secondary to vasculitis, vasculitis limited to the peripheral nervous system and vasculitis associated with infections such as HIV and hepatitis B.


A unique case of primary local tumor-forming amyloidosis in the ovary associated with endometriosis is reported. The substance is identified as immunamyloid. Pathogenic concepts are discussed.


Background: In the Phase I/II PALOMA-1 trial, a study in women with estrogen receptor (ER) positive advanced breast cancer (ABC) receiving initial therapy for their metastatic disease, combination of the CDK4/6 inhibitor palbociclib with letrozole improved progression free survival compared to letrozole. The aim of this open-label, single-arm EAP was to provide appropriate patients (pts) with ABC access to palbociclib pending marketing approval in the United States. Methods: In the EAP, a total of 242 pts with HR+/HER2- ABC were treated at 42 sites in the US. Pts received palbociclib 125 mg/d (3 weeks on, 1 week off) in combination with letrozole 2.5 mg/d (continuous daily dosing) until disease progression, intolerable adverse event (AE), or commercial availability. AEs and serious AEs (SAEs) were assessed every cycle. Complete blood counts were assessed on day 1 and day 14 of the first two cycles and then at the beginning of each cycle thereafter. Tumor assessments were collected by investigators as per routine clinical practice. Results: In this early analysis, we describe an initial cohort of 97 pts, with data collected during the first 3 months of study. Median duration of therapy was 31 days. Mean age was 62 yr (range 29-89). Baseline ECOG PS was 0, 1 or 2 in 36%, 49%, and 14% of pts, respectively. Common prior treatments (≥40% in any setting) included fulvestrant (59%), anastrozole (50%), paclitaxel (50%), exemestane (48%), cyclophosphamide (46%), tamoxifen (45%), doxorubicin (44%), and capecitabine (40%). Treatment-emergent AEs (TEAE; all grades) that occurred in greater than 10% of patients included neutropenia (28%), fatigue (19%), neutrophil count decreased (12%). Other hematologic TEAE rates included: anemia 9%, white blood cell count decreased 9% and thrombocytopenia 5%. All causality SAEs occurred in 6% of pts at the rate of 1 patient each for ankle fracture, constipation, disease progression, febrile neutropenia, lung infection, and pancytopenia. The rate of palbociclib dose reduction due to a TEAE was 4%. The rate of temporary delay of palbociclib due to TEAE was 36%. TEAEs leading to permanent discontinuation occurred in 1% of pts (Grade 3 nausea & vomiting). Grade 3 or 4 TEAEs were reported in 42% of pts, including neutropenia (Grade 3: 24%, Grade 4: 2%). There were no fatal outcomes due to TEAEs. This early data will be updated for final conference presentation to include the complete patient cohort and updated duration of therapy on study drug. Conclusions: In this population of pts with HR+/HER2- ABC, palbociclib in combination with letrozole was well tolerated. Analysis of this early cohort indicates that the safety profile was consistent with that seen in the PALOMA-1 trial. Clinical trial information: NCT02142868 Funding Source: Pfizer. Citation Format: Stearns V, Smith II JW, Patel R, Lu D, Perkins JJ, Cotter MJ, Brufsky AM. Safety results of the US expanded access program (EAP) of palbociclib in combination with letrozole as treatment of post-menopausal women with hormone-receptor-positive (HR+), HER2-negative (HER2-) advanced breast cancer (ABC) for whom letrozole therapy is deemed appropriate. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-13-05.


It is required to amend the manuals and textbooks that have contents related an ocean. There are 4 manuals covered about an ocean from all of 12 manuals for the course of the kindergarten education. And there are also 47 textbooks related an ocean among 145 books for an elementary course of study. It is necessary to analyze educational goal, contents, and other concerns. Here is the amendment against present manuals and textbooks. The objective for teaching the kindergarten is involved in the manuals properly. But, It is required to revise 'the oceanic artificial environment and facilities', and 'marine pollution' in contents of the manual. Some contents don't mention about an ocean, so it is necessary to add photos and maps covered with marine parts. Plus, there are no mentions about the value and attitude for an educational goal in the elementary textbooks. And it is required to add the solutions to conserve the sea and ethics about oceanic preservation. Also, it is needed to utilize cartoons and maps which give students interest.


ABSTRACT The paper examines the effects of axisymmetric, corrosion-induced, wall thinning on load bearing (buckling, collapse, plastic instability) of domed closures. It is assumed that the wall is corroded on inside only. Details are provided for torispherical closures with additional results for ellipsoidal heads. For torispherical domes, the ratio of corroded wall thickness, tc, to non-corroded thickness, t, is varied between 0.10 ≤ tc/t ≤ 1.0. Three modelling scenarios are considered: (1) corrosion confined to the knuckle, (2) corrosion spanning evenly the knuckle and spherical parts and (3) patch-type area positioned at the apex. The factors influencing load bearing capacity were found to be (1) meridional position of corroded area, (2) depth of corrosion itself and (3) meridional span of corroded wall. The largest drop of load bearing capacity is found when corroded wall is at the knuckle/crown junction ("buckling zone"). It is shown that assessment of load carrying capacity based on collapse mechanism is not only wrong but dangerous. Sensitivity of buckling strength to the amount of corrosion shows similar trends under internal or external pressure. Load bearing capabilities are also assessed for prolate and oblate ellipsoidal heads. Performance of the latter is compared with performance of Korbbogen dome – frequently found in industry.


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

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) comprises about 85% of all lung cancers, accounting for over 1.5 million new cases annually. Despite advances in therapy, the 5-year survival rate is as low as 15%. The limitations in efficacy and safety associated with available treatments for NSCLC highlight the need for new treatments. As found recently, triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells (TREM-1) plays a role in NSCLC progression. Inhibition of TREM-1 by short hairpin RNA (shRNA) in macrophages suppresses cancer cell invasion in vitro. In clinical setting, high level of TREM-1 expression in tumor-associated macrophages is associated with cancer recurrence and poor survival of patients with NSCLC. However, the precise function of TREM-1 and the nature of its ligand are not yet known. Here we show that TREM-1 can be specifically silenced in vitro and in vivo using a novel ligand-independent peptide inhibitor, which was designed using a new model of immune signaling, the signaling chain homooligomerization (SCHOOL) model. Blockade of TREM-1 function using non-toxic and non-immunogenic SCHOOL peptide inhibitors: 1) delays tumor growth in xenograft models of human NSCLC and 2) substantially decreases cytokine production in vitro and in vivo. In addition, macrophage-targeted delivery of SCHOOL peptides utilizing lipoprotein-mimicking nanoparticles significantly increased peptide half-life and dosage efficacy. Together, the results suggest that ligand-independent modulation of TREM-1 function using small synthetic peptides might be a suitable treatment for NSCLC and possibly other types of inflammation-associated cancers.

Citation Format: Alexander B. Sigalov. A novel ligand-independent peptide inhibitor of TREM-1 attenuates inflammation and suppresses tumor growth in mice. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 2673. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-2673


Abstract Background: Inflammatory response plays a crucial role in the occurrence and development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Drugs that carry anti-inflammatory effects have the potential to treat diabetic nephropathy. It's reported that alantolactone (ALA), a natural product, has a variety of pharmacological effects against inflammation and oxidation. However, the specific effects of alantolactone on DN and the mechanisms underlying alantolactone remain elusive. Therefore, the present study aimed to probe whether ALA could mitigate inflammation as mediated by high glucose (HG) in NRK-52E cells and reduce renal injury caused by diabetic nephropathy. Materials and methods: The anti-inflammatory effect of ALA was evaluated in the present study using ELISA and RT-qPCR. Western blot and macrophage adhesion assay were then performed to confirm anti-macrophage adhesion and the protein expression of cell adhesion molecules. Finally, the effect of ALA and its underlying mechanism was evaluated in vivo. Results: Results showed that ALA curbed HG-stimulated expression of macrophage adhesion and pro-inflammatory cytokines in renal NRK-52E cells. In addition, both pro-inflammatory cytokines and NF-kappa B witnessed reduced expression or activity in oral administration with ALA in vivo, thus inhibiting the increase of serum creatinine and urea nitrogen (BUN) levels. This in consequence ameliorated fibrosis and stemmed pathological worsening of diabetic renal tissues. Conclusions: These findings suggest that ALA may hold promise in the treatment of DN, and importantly, the anti-inflammatory system may prove to be a new strategy to treat human DN.


The study of HIV-1 transmission networks inferred from viral genetic data can be used to clarify important factors about the dynamics of HIV-1 transmission, such as network growth rate and demographic composition. In Brazil, HIV transmission has been stable since the early 2000s and the study of transmission clusters can provide valuable data to understand the drivers of virus spread. In this work, we analyzed a nation-wide database of approximately 53,000 HIV-1 nucleotide pol sequences sampled from genotyped patients from 2008–2017. Phylogenetic trees were reconstructed for the HIV-1 subtypes B, C and F1 in Brazil and transmission clusters were inferred by applying genetic distances thresholds of 1.5%, 3.0% and 4.5%, as well as high (>0.9) cluster statistical support. An odds ratio test revealed that young men (15–24 years) and individuals with more years of education presented higher odds to cluster. The assortativity coefficient revealed that individuals with similar demographic features tended to cluster together, with emphasis on features, such as place of residence and age. We also observed that assortativity weakens as the genetic distance threshold increases. Our results indicate that the phylogenetic clusters identified here are likely representative of the contact networks that shape HIV transmission, and this is a valuable tool even in sites with low sampling density, such as Brazil.


Hyaluronan-collagen composites have been employed in numerous biomedical applications. Understanding the interactions between hyaluronan and collagen is particularly important in the context of joint cartilage function and the treatment of joint diseases. Many factors affect the affinity of collagen for hyaluronan. One of the important factors is the ratio of 3- or 4-hydroxy proline to proline residues. This article presents the results from molecular dynamics calculations of HA-collagen type II interactions with hyaluronan. The applied protocol employed docking and geometry optimization of complexes built using collagen structures with different numbers of hydroxyl groups attached to proline moieties. It was established that the hydroxyproline/proline ratio affects both structural and energetic features of the collagen-hyaluronan complex. Proline hydroxylation was found to significantly influence the number of all identified types of molecular forces, hydrophobic interactions, water bridges and hydrogen bonds, which can be formed between collagen and hyaluronan. Importantly, an increase in the hydroxyproline/proline ratio in the collagen chain increases the binding affinity for hyaluronan. This is illustrated by the linear correlation between the binding free energy and the hydroxylation degree. A comparison of the results obtained for 3 and 4 hydroxylation of proline indicates that the hydroxyl group attachment position plays a minor role in complex stabilization. However, a slightly stronger affinity was observed for 4 hydroxylation. In order to evaluate the effect of the aqueous environment on the collagen-hyaluronan complex stability, the enthalpic and entropic contributions to the free energy of solvation were analyzed.


Aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) and bilateral adrenal hyperplasia are the two characteristic types of primary aldosteronism. Dysregulation of adrenal cortical cell proliferation contributes to both diseases. We previously demonstrated that APA expressed less dopamine D2 receptor than the respective non-tumor tissue and might contribute to the overproduction of aldosterone. As activation of D2 receptor inhibits the proliferation of various cells, downregulation of D2 receptor in APA may play a role in the tumorigenesis of APA. In this study, we demonstrate that D2 receptor plays a role in angiotensin II (AII)-stimulated adrenal cortical cell proliferation. The D2 receptor agonist, bromocriptine, inhibited AII-stimulated cell proliferation in primary cultures of the normal human adrenal cortex and APA through attenuating AII-induced phosphorylation of PK-stimulated cyclin D1 protein expression and cell proliferation. D2 receptor also inhibited AII-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Our results demonstrate that, in addition to inhibiting aldosterone synthesis/production, D2 receptor exerts an anti-proliferative effect in adrenal cortical and APA cells by attenuating PKCμ and ERK phosphorylation. The lower level of expression of D2 receptor in APA may augment cell proliferation and plays a crucial role in the tumorigenesis of APA. Our novel finding suggests a new therapeutic target for primary aldosteronism.


Introduction: The SERVQUAL model is one of the most common models used for assessing the quality of educational services. The purpose of this study was to investigate the quality of educational services based on SERVQUAL model in viewpoint of medical students of Alborz University of Medical Sciences in three stages: basic sciences, externship and internship.
Methods: The present study was a cross-sectional descriptive analytical study in which 332 medical students were enrolled in three stages: basic sciences, externship and internship randomly. The data gathered using a questionnaire of 25 questions which was designed based on the standardized SERVQUAL questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired t-test, independent t-test and one way ANOVA with Spss V.24.0.
Result: The results showed that there was a significant difference between the expectations and perceptions of medic al students in all aspects and in total score and their expectations had not been met. The maximum gap was related to the assurance dimension and the lowest gap was related to the reliability dimension. The overall gap was also 1.50. In addition, students' expectations at different stages were different in all aspects except "tangible dimensions" and "total quality of services". But their perception was different in two dimensions of tangible and reliable.
Conclusion: According to the results of this study, the students are dissatisfied with the current condition in the university and there is a long way to accomplish the desired status and satisfaction of the students as the main customers of the university's educational services, and in many cases there is a need to evaluate and improve the conditions.


It was isolated and diagnosis of 109 isolates (C. tropicalis) and 85 isolates (C. glabrata) , isolated from water and soil Basra/ Iraq . These isolates have shown its ability to get rid of the bioremediation of environmental pollutants such as hydrocarbons oil Aromatic compounds (indole , 2- methyl naphthalene, 1- methyl naphthalene, biphenyl and dibenzofuran) , as they have the ability to removal or bio – accumulation rates different from those compounds. And during the current study proved that the time has an important role increasing the bioremediation any rate the greater the bosom of microbiology period including yeasts in rural contaminated increased disposal of environmental pollutants and vice versa ratio. It excelled as isolates removing compound indole final 100% lap within 24 h. and removed three compounds final during 48 h. incubation


This report on the political misuse of psychiatry in China today and in the past, based primarily on the indefatigable research of Robin Munro, combines human rights concerns with the insights of forensic psychiatry. Munro has adopted the research methodology of Soviet psychiatrist Semyon Gluzman, who proposed three approaches to the study of political psychiatry in any one country: personal examination of victims; the systematic study of the different schools of psychiatric theory; and the examination of a range of psychiatric publications. Although only the third method is available to researchers of the situation in China – a fact that reveals China's lack of transparency in this area – Munro has made good use of it. The result is a searching examination that throws light on the complex interrelationship between political dissent and mental illness in China and on the tendency of its officials, and even its forensic psychiatrists, to conflate or confuse the two. A comparative global context to the study is provided in several sections: a review by psychiatrist Robert Van Doren of the Soviet experience in political psychiatry; a discussion of international standards in ethical psychiatry; a guide to political psychosis; and a historical overview of law and psychiatry in China before and after 1949. Fourteen major documents are included in the appendices, of which the most interesting and disturbing are debates between Chinese psychiatrists during the Cultural Revolution, and a survey of the current situation in China's mental hospitals, or ankang.


The natural history of ischaemic myocardium and numerous revascularisation studies have proved that it is clinically important to distinguish viable but dysfunctional myocardium from irreversibly injured muscle in patients with coronary disease. A large variety of invasive and non-invasive methodologies are available for the detection of myocardial viability. This review focuses on the value and limitations of the current diagnostic approach to the recognition of stunned and hibernating myocardium in the light of the current understanding of their pathophysiological mechanisms.


Shepard is peculiarly powerful in his symbolic family problem plays: True West, Buried Child and Curse of the Starving Class . He allegorizes the American experience and undermines the myth of America as the New Eden. The present study seeks to critically explore Sam Shepard's Buried Child in terms of Foucauldian conception of identity construction. Shepard is depicting a dystopian world with its bewildered characters; however he has still got a romantic view of individuals trying to grapple with the society in order to get unity and order. This Shephardian attitude towards human beings is seemingly a free agent that overlaps the Foucauldian view which establishes a philosophy focusing on the relationship between the self and the society. The present essay attempts to demonstrate the complicated relationship between the self and the opposing forces.


As a part of the Norwegian Antarctic Research Expedition 1984/85, geological mapping was performed in Gjelsvikfjella and western Muhlig-Hofmannfjella, Dronning Maud Land. The northern part of Gjelsvikfjella is dominated by the Jutulsessen metasupracrustals which have been intruded by a major gabbroic body and several generations of dykes. To the south the metasupracrustals gradually transform into the Risemedet migmatites. In western Muhlig-Hofmannfjella the bedrock is dominated by the large Svarthamaren Charnockite batholith. The batholith is bordered by the Snotoa metamorphic complex outcropping to the south and west in Muhlig-Hofmannfjella and it is characterized by a high content of partly assimilated country rock inclusions. Mineral paragenesis and geothermometry/geobarometry suggest a two-stage tectonothermal-igneous history with an initial intermediate pressure, upper amphibolite to granulite facies metamorphism followed by high temperature transformations related to the charnockite intrusion. The age of the initial tectonothermal event is probably about 1,100 Ma. Geochronological work in the present study (Rb/Sr whole rock) gave an age of 500 ± 24 Ma for the Svarthamaren Charnockite, interpreted to record the age of crystallization. Late brittle faulting and undeformed dolerite dykes outcropping in Jutulsessen are believed to be related to Mesozoic crustal stretching in the Jutulstraumen-Pencksokket Rift Zone to the west.


The aim of this study was to evaluate expression of receptor for IL-1 on tumor-derived cells. The in vivo acquisition of an expression of a receptor for Fc ç immunoglobulin on polyoma virus transformed cells has been established by us. We investigated whether a receptor for the IL-1 cytokine, like that for Fc gamma immunoglobulin, could also contribute to the heterogeneity of tumor cell population, as well as to its tumorigenic phenotype. Various clones of polyoma virus transformed 3T3 cells were passaged once in syngeneic mice and resulting tumors explanted and recultured. The expression of receptor for IL-1 was tested on in vitro maintained clones (designated C for culture) and on tumor derived clones (designated CTC - culture-tumor-culture). Expression was determined using a 125I radiolabeled ligand and confirmed by flow cytometry with anti-mouse IL-1 receptor (IL-1R) antibodies. Some CTC clones expressed a higher level of IL-1 receptor than others. A positive correlation between the level of IL-1R and a metastatic phenotype was established with some tumor derived cells. A high IL-1R expressing tumor cell population, sorted by flow cytometry, was considerably more metastatic than the sorted low IL-1 expressing cells. IL-1R expression by tumor derived cells may, contribute to the metastatic phenotype of a tumor cell population.


Aluminum (Al) toxicity is one of the major factors that limit crop productivityin acid soils. Soil acidification enhances the release of Al 3+, which enters into root tip and prevents root growth. The improvement of Al resistance is important for increasing crop productivity. In this study, we determined that Al levels were decreased during cold acclimation. According to neutron activation analysis, the levels of 24Na, 38Cl, 42K, 49 Ca, and 56Mn were temporally decreased, and the levels were restored during cold acclimation. In contrast, 28Al levels were decreased despite acclimation to cold stress. Furthermore, enhancement of cold tolerance by overexpression of ICE1 in Arabidopsis and tomatoes improved Al resistance. These results suggest a relationship between cold tolerance and Al resistance.


Mumps is an acute viral illness occurring in children and young adults transmitted via droplets. It is a vaccine-preventable illness caused by the mumps virus, an RNA (ribonucleic acid) virus belonging to theParamyxoviridaefamily. It typically presents with fever, parotitis, epididymo-orchitis, oophoritis, meningitis, encephalitis, pancreatitis and arthritis. Although viremia with multiorgan involvement is known to be commonly seen in mumps, there have been no reported cases of splenic abscess in a case of mumps. Here we present the case of a 16-year-old girl with unknown vaccination history who presented with fever, rash, bilateral parotid swelling, myocarditis, pneumonitis with pleural effusion and shock. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for mumps Immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibody was positive (ratio: 7.26, reference: 1.10). She was managed conservatively with parenteral antibiotics, oxygen, inotropic support and bronchodilators. As she complained of abdominal pain in the left hypochondrium on the 13th day since onset of symptoms, ultrasound scan of abdomen was done which showed a hypoechoic lesion with internal echoes in the inferior pole of spleen (2.9 cm x 2.2 cm) suggestive of splenic abscess. Computed tomography (CT) of abdomen confirmed similar findings. The splenic abscess completely regressed with parenteral antibiotics. Therefore, one must suspect splenic abscess in a case of mumps when the presentation includes abdominal pain and tenderness so that appropriate treatment may be provided for the best outcome for the patient.


Eighty eight surface soil samples were collected from the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) for determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), including dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and metabolites (DDXs) and hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs). The measured concentrations were 51.8 ± 38.5 ng g(-1), 0.329 ± 0.818 ng g(-1), and 0.467 ± 0.741 ng g(-1) as means and standard deviations of PAHs, DDXs, and HCHs, respectively, which were 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than those reported for eastern China. Significant differences were also revealed among four sub-areas within QTP. PAHs detected in the samples from the remote sub-areas of T'ang-ku-la/Hoh Xil Mountains and along the Qinghai-Tibet highway in the west and northwest of QTP were 1 order of magnitude lower than those from Lhasa and east Qinghai. The differences in soil OCPs among the sub-areas were 2-7 times. Soil PAHs were significantly correlated with emission density and soil organic carbon content (SOC), while OCPs were correlated significantly with the population density and SOC. Based on the calculated backward air mass trajectories and geographical distributions of emission and population, it was revealed that PAHs and OCPs accumulated in the soils in the west and northwest QTP were primarily from long-range transport and may represent the background levels of East Asia. This part of QTP can also serve as an important receptor area for regional or even global long-range transport study. The elevated concentrations of PAHs and OCPs in Lhasa and east Qinghai were mainly from local sources, while PAHs from adjacent Lanzhou area also contributed considerably to the accumulation of PAHs in east Qinghai.


Semantics is the bridge by which meaning can be studied and texts can be understood and, finally, the intentions and implications of divine revelations can be discovered. The present study makes use of a methodical approach to deal with two essential issues: firstly, the semantic analysis of " furqan " will be carried out in the context of the holy Quran's vers es by way of a semantic study based on the linguistic context and investigation of the paradigmatic and syntagmatic relationships. Secondly, semantics will be deployed in reply to the skepticisms regarding the conceptualization of the word furqan in the Holy Quran as stated in the book Letters for the Prophet Muhammad: A Research on the Roots of the Quran . In line with investigations, it can be said that furqan was syntagmatically used with some words like piety and guidance and it was interchangeably used with words such as scale, Quran and the book. As a final definition of furqan , we suggest that it is not of a lexical character and that it is by exercising the divine teachings that one might gain a "light" by means of which one can distinguish the right from the wrong and easily overcome the calamities and conspiracies of the time. Accordingly, the claim by the author of the book Letters for the Prophet Muhammad to the effect that the term " furqan " refers to a book other than the present Quran is rejected.


In this paper, we proposed a algorithm and an operation boundary for fault detection of a onboard GNSS receiver. After aircraft exchange corrections computed by an aircraft receiver, a faulty aircraft receiver is detected by checking consistency of correction. For this purpose, PRC residual is used as the test statistic for fault detection of the onboard GNSS receiver. And operation boundaries are set by using DGPS position error increase with respect to the distance from a reference station. If the fault detection is performed by using aircraft only in operation boundary, the more accurate fault detection can be possible.


Automatic speech quality assessment is essential for audio researchers, developers, speech and language pathologists, and system quality engineers. The current state-of-the-art systems are based on framewise speech features (hand-engineered or learnable) combined with time dependency modeling. This paper proposes an efficient system with results comparable to the best performing model in the ConferencingSpeech 2022 challenge. Our proposed system is characterized by a smaller number of parameters (40-60x), fewer FLOPS (100x), lower memory consumption (10-15x), and lower latency (30x). Speech quality practitioners can therefore iterate much faster, deploy the system on resource-limited hardware, and, overall, the proposed system contributes to sustainable machine learning. The paper also concludes that framewise embeddings outperform utterance-level embeddings and that multi-task training with acoustic conditions modeling does not degrade speech quality prediction while providing better interpretation.


Studying the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster has revealed mechanisms underlying circadian clock function. Rhythmic behavior could be assessed to the function of several clock genes that generate circadian oscillations in certain brain neurons, which finally modulate behavior in a circadian manner. This review outlines how individual circadian pacemaker neurons in the fruit fly's brain control rhythm in locomotor activity and eclosion.


The main objective of this study was to quantify the (compound-specific) antimicrobial consumption (AMC) in adult cattle in a convenience sample of Flemish dairy herds. Antimicrobial consumption data were obtained between 2012 and 2013 by "garbage can audits" and expressed as antimicrobial treatment incidence (ATI), with the unit of the ATI being the number of defined daily doses animal (DDDA) used per 1,000 cow-days. Herds were stratified by DDDA into low-, medium-, and high-consuming herds to study the AMC per route of administration, and associations with parameters reflecting udder health, milk quality, and production performances were examined. The average ATI in adult dairy cattle for all compounds was 20.78 DDDA (per 1,000 cow-days). Large variation existed between herds (ranging from 8.68 to 41.62 DDDA). Fourth-generation cephalosporins were used most (4.99 DDDA), followed by penicillins (3.70 DDDA) and third-generation cephalosporins (2.95 DDDA). The average ATI of the critically important antimicrobials for human health (i.e., third- and fourth-generation cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones according to the World Organisation for Animal Health classification) was somewhat lower than the average ATI of the other antimicrobials (8.59 and 12.18 DDDA, respectively). The average ATI for intramammary treatment of (sub)clinical mastitis, for dry-cow therapy, and for systemically administered antimicrobials was 6.30, 6.89, and 7.44 DDDA, respectively. In low-consuming herds, most antimicrobials were being used for dry-cow therapy, whereas in high-consuming herds, most antimicrobials were being used as injectable or intramammary mastitis therapy. The incidence rate of treated mastitis was positively associated with ATI. Herds that applied blanket dry-cow therapy tended to have a higher ATI than herds in which cows were selectively dried off with long-acting antimicrobials. The ATI decreased with an increasing prevalence of primiparous cows.


Recent analyses of CMB data combined with the measurement of BAO and H0 show that dark radiation — parametrized by the apparent number of additional neutrinos ΔNeff contributing to the cosmic expansion — is bounded from above by about ΔNeff≲1.6 at 95% CL. We consider the mixed axion/neutralino cold dark matter scenario which arises in R-parity conserving supersymmetric (SUSY) models wherein the strong CP problem is solved by hadronic axions with a concommitant axion(a)/saxion(s)/axino(ã) supermultiplet. Our new results include improved calculations of thermal axion and saxion production and include effects of saxion decay to axinos and axions. We show that the above bound on ΔNeff is easily satisfied if saxions are mainly thermally produced and mLSP < mã≲ms. However, if the dominant mechanism of saxion production is through coherent oscillations, the CMB data provides a strong bound on saxion production followed by saxion decays to axions. Furthermore we show that scenarios with mixed neutralino/axion dark matter are highly constrained by combined CMB, BBN and Xe-100 constraints. In particular, supersymmetric models with a standard overabundance of neutralino dark matter are excluded for all values of the Peccei-Quinn breaking scale. Next generation WIMP direct detection experiments may be able to discover or exclude mixed axion-neutralino CDM scenarios where s → aa is the dominant saxion decay mode.


Statement of the problem: Gender had a much wider influence on disease than is usually acknowledged. More so, relative contributions of social and biological factors had not been clearly delineated for many diseases. Higher mortality rates are usually observed in male infants with lower acute respiratory infections (ARIs) and pneumonia particularly during the first month of life than the female infants due to immature lungs in males. The rate declines between 6 and 12 months after birth. The study aims to determine the existence and pattern of relationship between risk of ARI and gender.
Methodology and theoretical orientation: The study was designed as a community based retrospective casecontrol study of 1,100 infants randomly selected from 12 communities out of 6 Local Government Areas of the 3 senatorial districts of Rivers State. A multistage random sampling technique was used in selecting the subjects up to the community level. Descriptive method was used to represent the characteristics of the subjects and the differences in ARI between male and female infants were tested in a bivariate logistics regression at 5% level of significance. Odds ratio (OR) were used to interpret the size effect measures of ARI on gender differences.
Findings: A total of 275 Cases of ARI and 825 controls were included in the study. The ARI cases were found to be slightly higher in Female infants (27.8%) than in the Male infants (22.4%). For the Female infants, the odds for ARI were 1.3 times significantly higher compared to those of their Male counterparts (OR=1.32, p=0.048, 95% CI=1.003-1.735).
Conclusion and significance: Understanding such differences between Male and Female infants will enhance the knowledge about the epidemiology, outcome and effectiveness in prevention and control of ARIs.
Recommendation: Awareness creation on gender differences in susceptibility to acute-respiratory infection among infants requires sustainable attention.


This research reports on the findings from a study which was conducted to explore the determinants of financial literacy gender gap in Mashonaland Central Province, Bindura. Therefore, the researcher sought to measure the financial literacy levels of women and men in Zimbabwe in a bid to reveal the factors affecting the gender gap. Women play a pivotal role in economic development and constitute the majority (55%) of the population (ZIMSTATS, 2012). A quantitative research method was used where data was collected among a randomly selected sample of 385 adults in Bindura, using a self-administered questionnaire. Data was analysed using Chi-square tests generated from SPSS version 20 and a financial knowledge index constructed using Microsoft Excel. Findings of the research revealed that age, marital status, education, occupation, income and socialisation explained the financial literacy gap. The study recommended instituting financial education programs targeting women especially those who have lower education, lower income levels, old aged, and unemployed, divorced and widowed to reduce the gender gap.


B126 Background Soy foods are a dietary staple in Asian countries and may play a role in this region's historically low rates of breast cancer incidence. Isoflavones found in soy have structural similarities to estrogens and could exert protective effects by interacting with estrogen receptors, binding proteins, or metabolic enzymes. In a sample of Asian-American women we test whether soy is associated with urinary concentrations of estrogens and estrogen metabolites (EM). Methods This analysis was conducted among controls from a population-based case-control study of breast cancer among women of Chinese, Japanese and Filipino ancestry, aged 20-55 years, and living in San Francisco-Oakland (CA), Los Angeles (CA) and Oahu (HI). Of 966 controls, we included the 571 (59%) women who donated a 12-hour urine and had not been pregnant or lactating or used exogenous hormones in the last 6 months. At urine collection, 168 women were postmenopausal, 233 were pre-menopausal in mid-luteal phase, and 170 were in other categories. Fifteen EM were measured simultaneously with a highly sensitive and reproducible liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. Participants had been queried about their usual adult frequency of intake of tofu and other selected soy foods. Robust regression was used to model the associations of soy intake (in tertiles) with EM measures. Models were adjusted for age, ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), and birthplace (Asia/West). Results No statistically significant associations were seen between soy intake and urinary concentrations of estrone, estradiol, estriol, or total EM in postmenopausal women or premenopausal women. In postmenopausal but not premenopausal women, we found significant trends across tertiles of soy intake for EM grouped by metabolic pathways. The 2- and 4-hydroxylated EM and the methylated catechols, each expressed as a percent of total EM, increased with soy intake, while relative levels of EM in the 16-hydroxylation pathway decreased. Models adjusted for age and ethnicity were similar. Factor analysis was used to confirm EM groupings. Among postmenopausal women, factor analysis identified four independent EM patterns, termed 'catechols', 'methylated catechols', '16-hydroxylation pathway EM', and 'parent estrogens' based on the predominant EM. Factors for premenopausal women were similar. Discussion Our findings do not support the hypothesis that soy intake influences endogenous production of estrogens but they do suggest that soy intake can modify estrogen metabolism in postmenopausal women. Increased ratios of 2-hydroxyestrone to 16α-hydroxyestrone have been associated with lower breast cancer risk in some epidemiologic studies. Methylation of catechol estrogens results in deactivation of these metabolites and prevents conversion into genotoxic quinones. Thus, the trends by soy intake represent variations in EM metabolism that could reduce breast cancer risk. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2008;1(7 Suppl):B126.


The effect of thrombin was tested in vitro on rings of bovine retinal small arteries (internal diameter approximately 200 microns). Cumulative addition of thrombin (0.001-10 units/ml) induced a variable concentration-dependent contraction of the retinal arteries. The contractions were slow in onset and reached a plateau after 5-8 minutes when thrombin was added cumulatively to the organ bath. Two vessels remained contracted greater than 1 hour after wash-out of thrombin. Maximum vessel contraction induced by thrombin was equal to 43% of the vessel Emax (1.36 N/m), with an effective concentration at the 50% level of 0.04 units/ml. Vessel contraction induced by 1 unit/ml of thrombin was, in contrast, transient, reaching a maximum within 2-4 minutes. Thereafter the vessel tension declined again almost back to baseline within the next 10-20 minutes. Contractions to thrombin could not be repeated nor could it be elicited with thrombin inactivated with heat or antithrombin-III. Treatment of vessels with 10(-6) M phenoxybenzamine had no effect on the thrombin-induced vessel response. These findings indicate that the contractile effect of thrombin depends on its catalytic activity. Indomethacin at a concentration of 10(-5) M did not affect the thrombin-induced vessel response. Methylene blue at a concentration of 3 X 10(-6) M potentiated the thrombin-induced response in the larger, greater than 200-microns diameter retinal arteries. The ensuing relaxation of the arteries, after maximal tone was reached, was slower than in the control.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


What was real socialism the term which originated in twentieth-century socialist societies for the purpose of distinguishing them from abstract, theoretical socialism? In this volume, Michael A. Lebowitz considers the nature, tendencies, and contradictions of those societies. Beginning with the constant presence of shortages within real socialism, Lebowitz searches for the inner relations which generate these patterns. He finds these, in particular, in what he calls vanguard relations of production, a relation which takes the apparent form of a social contract where workers obtain benefits not available to their counterparts in capitalism but lack the power to decide within the workplace and society. While these societies were able to claim major achievements in areas from health care to education to popular culture, the separation of thinking and doing prevented workers from developing their capacities as fully developed human beings. The relationship within real socialism between the vanguard as conductor and a conducted working class, however, did not only lead to the deformation of workers and those elements necessary for the building of socialism; it also created the conditions in which enterprise managers emerged as an incipient capitalist class, which was an immediate source of the crises of real socialism. As he argued in The Socialist Alternative: Real Human Development, Lebowitz stresses the necessity to go beyond the hierarchy inherent in the relation of conductor and conducted (and beyond the vanguard Marxism which supports this) to create the conditions in which people can transform themselves through their conscious cooperation and practice i.e., a society of free and associated producers."


Currently popular models for progenitors of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) are the mergers of compact objects and the explosions of massive stars. These two cases have distinctive environments for GRBs: compact object mergers occur in the interstellar medium (ISM) and the explosions of massive stars occur in the preburst stellar wind. We here discuss neutrino afterglows from reverse shocks as a result of the interaction of relativistic fireballs with their surrounding wind matter. After comparing with the analytical result of Waxman & Bahcall for the homogeneous ISM case, we find that the differential spectrum of neutrinos with energy from ~3 × 1015 to ~3 × 1017 eV in the wind case is softer by 1 power of the energy than in the ISM case. Furthermore, the expected flux of upward moving muons produced by neutrino interactions below a detector on the surface of the Earth in the wind case is ~5 events yr-1 km-2, which is about 1 order of magnitude larger than in the ISM case. In addition, these properties are independent of whether the fireballs are isotropic or beamed. Therefore, neutrino afterglows, if detected, may provide a way of distinguishing between GRB progenitor models based on the differential spectra of neutrinos and their event rates in a detector.


Background: Giant cell tumors (GCTs) of the distal ulna are rare. Despite being benign, they can be locally aggressive and may recur following conventional treatment by curettage and bone grafting. Salvage reconstructive options after failed conventional treatment include Darrach resection, Suave-Kapandji procedure, hemi-arthroplasty, or total joint arthroplasty. Methods: We discuss reconstruction options for the distal radio-ulnar joint following tumor resection, and present the outcomes of a constrained distal radio-ulnar prosthesis in a 29-year-old male following resection of a distal ulna GCT. Results: Reconstruction of the distal radio-ulnar joint by a constrained prothesis yielded excellent functional outcomes following resection of a GCT of the distal ulna. Conclusions: This case demonstrates that successful oncologic and functional outcomes can be achieved by radical resection of a recurrent GCT of the distal ulna and reconstruction with a constrained total joint arthroplasty.


The micro-sonde well logging system is a concept for obtaining along-well measurements of temperature, changes in fluid velocity and pressure while drilling. The micro-sondes are encapsulated, self-contained measurement devices designed to follow the flow from the bottom hole assembly to surface. Once retrieved at surface, the measurements can provide information about well conditions such as the presence of cuttings beds, washed out zones and gain/loss zones. Post-processing of the data requires knowledge of the forces acting on the micro-sonde and the resulting trajectories from the release point at the bottom hole assembly and to surface. The main objectives of the studies presented in this work are to understand the micro-sonde motion in the mud flow and to design and construct a demonstration device.
 We have performed a literature study, CFD-modelling and experiments to better understand the behavior of a micro-sonde in a typical annular flow domain. The trajectory of a single micro-sonde has been investigated as it passes tool-joints under the influence of inner string rotation. Further, the experiments investigated the likelihood of transporting the micro-sonde intact to surface for a drilling application. For the experimental studies, two annular flow loops, one vertical without rotation of the drill-string and one horizontal with a rotating drill-string, including tool-joints and a model bottom hole assembly have been constructed and utilized.