The aim of the present study was to delineate the therapeutic effect of a Helicobacter pylori vaccine with chitosan as an adjuvant, as well as to identify the potential mechanism against H. pylori infection when compared with an H. pylori vaccine, with cholera toxin (CT) as an adjuvant. Mice were first infected with H. pylori and, following the establishment of an effective infection model, were vaccinated using an H. pylori protein vaccine with chitosan as an adjuvant. Levels of H. pylori colonization, H. pylori-specific antibodies and cytokines were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The TLR4 and Foxp3 mRNA and protein levels were determined by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry, respectively. It was identified that the H. pylori elimination rate of the therapeutic vaccine with chitosan as an adjuvant (58.33%) was greater than the therapeutic vaccine with CT as an adjuvant (45.45%). The therapeutic H. pylori vaccine with chitosan as an adjuvant induced significantly greater antibody and cytokine levels when compared with the control groups. Notably, the IL-10 and IL-4 levels in the groups with chitosan as an adjuvant to the H. pylori vaccine were significantly greater than those in the groups with CT as an adjuvant. The mRNA expression levels of TLR4 and Foxp3 were significantly elevated in the mice that were vaccinated with chitosan as an adjuvant to the H. pylori vaccine, particularly in mice where the H. pylori infection had been eradicated. The H. pylori vaccine with chitosan as an adjuvant effectively increased the H. pylori elimination rate, the humoral immune response and the Th1/Th2 cell immune reaction; in addition, the therapeutic H. pylori vaccine regulated the Th1 and Th2 response. The significantly increased TLR4 expression and decreased CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Treg cell number contributed to the immune clearance of the H. pylori infection. Thus, the present findings demonstrate that in mice the H. pylori vaccine with chitosan as an adjuvant exerts an equivalent immunotherapeutic effect on H. pylori infection when compared with the H. pylori vaccine with CT as an adjuvant.


Background: Impaired exercise capacity is one of the hallmarks of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), but the clinical and hemodynamic correlates and prognostic value of exercise testing in patients with HFpEF is unknown. Methods: Patients with HFpEF (left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF] ≥45%) and pulmonary hypertension underwent cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPX) to measure maximal (peak VO2) and submaximal (ventilatory equivalent for carbon dioxide [VE/VCO2] slope) exercise capacity. In addition, right heart catheterization was performed. Patients were grouped in tertiles based on the VE/VCO2 slope. Univariate and multivariate regression analyses were performed. A Cox regression analysis was performed to determine the mortality during follow-up. Results: We studied 88 patients: mean age 73 ± 9 years, 67% female, mean LVEF 58%, median N-terminal pro–B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) 840 (interquartile range 411–1938) ng/L. Patients in the highest VE/VCO2 tertile had the most severe HF, as reflected in higher New York Heart Association functional class and higher NT-proBNP plasma levels (all P < .05 for trend), whereas LVEF was similar between the groups. Multivariable regression analysis with backward elimination on invasive hemodynamic measurements showed that VE/VCO2 slope was independently associated with pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). Cox regression analysis showed that increased VE/VCO2 slope (but not peak VO2) was independently associated with increased mortality. Conclusion: Increased VE/VCO2 slope was associated with more severe disease and higher PVR and was independently associated with increased mortality in patients with HFpEF. (J Cardiac Fail 2017;23:777–782)


Modeling human activities such as human robotic, and human behavior is an active research involving multidisciplinary field including biomedical engineering, biomechanics, mathematics etc. Thus is due to the fact that a number of human activities are directly related human behavior such as cognitive, emotion, and movement. The modeling of human activities and behaviors became more challenging when human is subject to emotional stress. This is because emotional stress will affect human behavioral, physical and mental activities. In this paper, we review the protocols adopted to induce and study human emotions. The review covers the methodology used and provides critical evaluation of those methods. We also proposed the most optimum emotional induction method so that it can be a standard in studying human emotion.


Background: Opportunistic human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination for men who have sex with men (MSM) was piloted in sexual health clinics (SHC) in England between 2016 and 2018. Aim: to evaluate the pilot's first year (April 2016–March 2017) in terms of feasibility, acceptability, uptake, impact and equity and interpret the outcome in the context of wide HPV vaccination policy. Methods: Attendance and uptake data from routine SHC surveillance datasets and a cross-sectional survey administered to individuals receiving the vaccine were analysed. Results: Among 18,875 eligible MSM, 8,580 (45.5%) were recorded as having received one HPV vaccine dose, decreasing slightly with increasing age, and uptake was higher in rural than urban areas. Survey results suggested that of those receiving the first dose of HPV vaccine, 8% were new attendees and that among those, less than 11% attended just to receive the vaccine. Of those having their first HPV vaccination, 95% indicated they would like to receive the next vaccine doses at the same clinic and 85% of patients reported accessing other services when visiting SHC for the first dose of vaccine. Conclusion: An opportunistic HPV vaccination programme for MSM can be delivered in an acceptable and, as far as can be evaluated, equitable manner, without major disruption to SHC and HIV clinics.


Introduction: ASHAs play an important role in the rollout of government health programmes such as the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), a conditional cash transfer scheme to incentivise women to give birth in a health facility. The ASHAs work closely with other frontline workers like Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) and Anganawadi Workers (AWWs) to conduct community-level activities. ASHAs also act as health activists in the community who will create awareness on health and its determinants, counsel mothers on key healthy behaviours and mobilise the community towards local health planning and increased utilisation and accountability of the existing health services.
Objectives: To evaluate the Role perception and Job Performance of ASHAs.
Materials and Methods: A cross sectional study was done on 617 ASHAs. A pre-designed, semi- structured schedule was prepared in accordance with the study objectives. The questionnaire was prepared in English and the interview was conducted in Kannada language by explaining them questions one by one. Data collection was done by interview technique.
Results: 603 (97.7%) of ASHAs had positive attitude towards mobilising the community for accessing health services such as ANC, 602 (97.5%) for ANC, 599(97.08%) for institutional delivery, 597 (96.7%) for birth preparedness, 601(97.4%) for new born care, 600(97.2%) towards exclusive breast feeding. 405 (65.6%) ASHAs told that they are actively involved in distributing Iron and Folic acid tablets to pregnant women. 597 (96.7%) ASHAs informed that they educate mothers about exclusive breast feeding, while 471(76.3%) told that they encourage mothers to continue breast feeding when the child is suffering from diarrhoea.
It was found that job performance of ASHAs was significantly associated with Age, Days of Training and Duration of service of ASHAs.
Conclusion: In order to orient the ASHAs on their job profile and responsibility, there is a need to assess the knowledge and skills of Accredited Soc


&NA; Using a nationally representative sample, this study examines the disease‐specific impairments of DSM‐IV generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) by comparing them to the impairments associated with major depressive disorder (MDD). Results are based on 4181 respondents between the ages of 18‐65 years who were interviewed with the 12‐month version of the Munich‐Composite International Diagnostic Interview as part of the German National Health Interview and Examination Survey—Mental Health Supplement (GHS). After controlling for age, gender, and other psychopathology, 'pure' current GAD without MDD (n = 33), pure MDD (n = 344) and comorbid GAD and MDD (n = 40) were each associated with high impairment as defined by poor self‐perceived health, at least 3 days limited or impaired in the past month, and low quality of life scores [from the Short Form‐36 Health Survey (SF‐36)]. Quality of life scores on several of the SF‐36 scales were significantly lower for respondents with pure GAD as compared to respondents with pure MDD. Overall, the results show that DSM‐IV GAD is associated with high impairment even after controlling for other psychopathology. The impairment outcomes for GAD were comparable in size to those for MDD. These findings underline the significance of this disorder from a clinical and social perspective and provide support for the independent diagnostic status of GAD. Int Clin Psychopharmacol 15:319‐328 © 2000 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins


A modified Hough transform based on a likelihood principle of connectivity and thickness is proposed for line detection. It makes short as well as thick line segments easier to detect in a noisy image. Certain desirable properties of the new method are justified by theory and simulations.


Social interaction forms the basis for social structure and is a building block of any society. The social scoring based on social interaction can become the absolute basis for the person's societal standing. Social scoring systems used for the calibration of human beings can rightly be called Human Social Scoring Systems. The core idea of the Human Social Scoring System (HSSS) is an inspiration taken from a science fiction anthology series named "Black Mirror". Various studies reveal that people check the reviews and scoring by other people before making purchasing decisions, getting services, or downloading various apps. However, in this study, we have used the notion of scoring on human beings instead of products, services, or apps. Such a Social Scoring System can help in opinion formation about others, based upon their social ranking. A good social profile i.e. with high social scoring can depict the credibility and reliability of that person. Our research work is comprised of two hypotheses. The First hypothesis asserts the reliability of HSSS. Whereas the second hypothesis reveals that the opinion-formation of an individual is biased due to numerous social and psychological factors. Different statistical techniques are used for the evaluation of the hypothesis. This entire research was constricted from general human to specific student level. Henceforth, we have designed a high-fidelity wireframe to evaluate the students and getting them ranked based on their personal, professional, and academic behavior.


In 2010, the Ontario Ministry of Education began phasing in a new full-day kindergarten program for 4- and 5-year olds across the province. In this article, I reflect on my participation as an elementary school principal in Professional Learning in Early Learning during our school's transition to this new program, which incorporates a play-based and inquiry approach. First, I discuss the learning conditions that were in place at our school, which helped in our successful implementation of the new program. Next, I share the different types of professional learning that guided our journey. This professional development not only transformed my view of children, but also of teaching and learning for both children and adults in our quest for lifelong learning. It is my hope that this information will help readers see the importance of professional learning and that early years educators (classroom teachers, early childhood educators, and support staff) are an integral part of any school-wide initiative.


The design of EBIS for nanoprocess using HCI is presented. The EBIS uses commercial super-conducting magnet cooled by a closed-cycle refrigerator. We have made trajectory simulation of electron beam in 100 mA range to determine the configuration of electrodes and magnet coils appropriate to obtain high current density beam at the drift tube region.


Written by two pillars of the American black women's tradition, Their Eyes
Were Watching God and The Color Purple trace the lives of two coloured women in a
typically racist and sexist American society of the early 20th century. The
protagonists in the two books are women who progress physically and emotionally
through a shower of social paradigms. During their quest for self-knowledge and
spiritual fulfilment, they clash with the belittling values that their daily circumstances
impose upon them. Both novels are a kind of "Portrait of the Artist as a Young Black
Woman". They depict the process of a woman's coming to consciousness, finding her
voice and developing the power to lead a life on her own. This fresh and muchneeded
perspective was met with incomprehension by the male literary establishment
in the case of Hurston. However, Walker's experiences decades later were very
successful in a literary climate that changes with the tick of the second; despite
controversies about the image of black culture and the reviving of old stereotypes.
Thematically and technically Walker and Hurston reclaim two territories: the
experience of uneducated rural southern women and the language of black folk
culture.
Our purpose in this study is to show essentially how black women writers use
their literary productions to tell the stories of black women who try to find out the
truth about themselves and the world they live in through different circumstances and
in different cultures. To achieve this goal, we found it necessary to employ textual
and thematic criticism.


A total of 100 water samples, 95% of which were taken from hospital potable water fixtures, were cultured on three different media used for the isolation of Legionella pneumophila. The media used were buffered charcoal-yeast extract medium (BCYE alpha medium), BCYE alpha medium with antimicrobial agents (BMPA alpha medium), and BCYE alpha medium with antimicrobial agents, glycine, and differential dyes (MWY medium). An acid wash procedure was also used for specimens plated on BCYE alpha and BMPA alpha media. A total of 24 samples were culture positive for L. pneumophila by one or more techniques. MWY medium detected 92% of positive cultures, BCYE alpha medium with the acid wash detected 83% of positive cultures, BMPA alpha medium detected 79% of positive cultures. BCYE alpha medium detected 71% of positive cultures, and BMPA alpha medium with the acid wash detected 62% of positive cultures. MWY medium was the best medium for isolating L. pneumophila from potable water specimens and can probably be depended upon as the sole medium for this type of testing.


International humanitarian law (IHL) is not the sole body of international law that applies in armed conflicts. Among the different legal bodies that may be subject to the simultaneous application during armed conflicts is refugee law. The questions considered in this article are the protection of refugees under IHL, including the right of non-refoulement during armed conflicts. The cumulative application of IHL and refugee law is another focus of analysis. This article deals with inter alia the reinforced extension of alien rights to refugees during armed conflict, the possibility to grant refugee status to new actors which appear during armed conflict, the obligation to disarm and separate armed elements, the forced transfer of refugees for military or humanitarian reasons, and the right of ex-combatants to be treated as civilian refugees once they have disarmed and their legal status can be determined.


Nicolau syndrome, also known as embolia cutis medicamentosa or livedoid dermatitis, emerges as a rare complication following intramuscular, subcutaneous, or intraarticular injections. This condition may result in severe pain, erythematous lesions, livedoid and hemorrhagic plaques, as well as necrosis affecting the skin, fat, and muscle layers post-injection. Notable causative agents encompass non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), etanercept, and antibacterial agents. While there›s no definitive cure for Nicolau syndrome, available treatment options range from wound care, bed rest, and pain management to antibiotics for secondary infections, topical, intralesional, and systemic corticosteroids. Moreover, vasoactive agents like alprostadil and pentoxifylline, anticoagulants, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy can be utilized. In severe cases marked by necrosis, surgical interventions become imperative. This report presents a case where a female patient developed Nicolau syndrome following a diclofenac sodium injectio.


A large number of CD16(-) natural killer (NK) cells appear in the human endometrium after ovulation. One possible explanation for this phenomenon is recruitment from peripheral blood (PB) CD16(-) NK cells. In this study, we examined whether IL-15 is involved in postovulatory recruitment from PB CD16(-) NK cells. The IL-15 receptor alpha chain was expressed on PB CD16(-) NK cells but not on CD16(+) NK cells. In an in vitro migration assay, recombinant human IL-15 enriched PB CD16(-) NK cells. Endometrial soluble protein fraction in the secretory phase, but not in the proliferative phase, also enriched these NK cells. Neutralization of IL-15 in the secretory phase endometrium with anti-IL-15 monoclonal antibody significantly lowered the enrichment of PB CD16(-) NK cells. In contrast, neutralization of other potential chemokines, including stromal cell-derived factor-1 or macrophage inflammatory protein-1alpha, had no significant effect. The IL-15 concentration in the endometrial soluble protein fraction was higher in the secretory phase than in the proliferative phase, with a peak in the midsecretory phase. These results support the idea that endogenous IL-15 in secretory phase endometrium plays a central role in postovulatory recruitment of PB CD16(-) NK cells into the human endometrium.


Studies on the ability of various species of Streptomyces to utilize certain carbohydrates individually, as a sole source of carbon in a synthetic medium, were first undertaken by Waksman (1919). Subsequently, Pridham and Gottlieb (1948) tested 27 cultures of Streptomyces, Nocardia, and Micromonospora for their ability to utilize 33 different carbon sources in a chemically defined medium. All of the cultures utilized D-glucose, D-mannose, starch, dextrin, and glycerol, but none used erythritol, phenol, o-cresol, m-cresol, p-cresol, Na-formate, Na-oxalate, or Na-tartrate. The remaining substances were attacked by some species but could not be utilized as carbon sources by others. In rechecking a few of the strains four years later, Pridham, Hall, and Shekleton (1951) found that the carbohydrate assimilation patterns had not significantly changed. Certain Japanese investigators, including Kurosawa (1951) and Okami (1952), have utilized the technique of carbohydrate assimilation as an aid in the identification of various antibiotic-producing Streptomyces. Dulaney (1949) tested a strain of Streptomyces griseus for its ability to initiate growth on 49 different carbohydrates, sugar alcohols and salts of organic acids. The purpose of the present investigation was to test a larger number of strains and also some carbon sources not previously used by Pridham and Gottlieb (1948). Approximately 75 different species (147 cultures) of Streptomyces were used for the purpose, and the number of strains of each species varied from eight down to one. In the latter category, 52 cultures, representing a like number of species, were included in the tests.


This investigation was conducted to evaluate the performance of fly ash cement concrete specimens made by cement replacement levels of 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40% with Specification for Coal Fly Ash and Raw or Calcined Natural Pozzolan for Use as a Mineral Admixture in Concrete (ASTM C 618) Class F fly ash. Compressive strength, pulse velocity, porosity, and water permeability were determined after 28, 90, 180, and 360 days of water curing. Reinforced concrete specimens were used to assess the corrosion-resistance of plain and fly ash cement concretes in chloride environments. The corrosion potentials on steel were measured at periodic intervals to determine the time-to-initiation of reinforcement corrosion. The data generated was statistically analyzed to ascertain the relationship between the various properties of plain and fly ash cement concretes. Results indicated a better performance by the 20% fly ash cement concrete than plain cement concrete and those made with other cement replacement levels. A good correlation between porosity, compressive strength, permeability, and porosity was observed.


This article analyses the Caio Prado Jr.'s position inside the marxist tendence of the Brazilian historiography. It presents his heterodox position inside PCB, vision of the Brazilian revolutionary forces, evaluation of the past and expectations about the Brazilian future, conception and reconstruction of the singular Brazilian historical temporality. The work that was selected to be analysed is "A Revolucao Brasileira" (1966) ("The Brazilian Revolution"), passionately written and received in the ambience of the left's defeat after the 1964's putsh. In this book he exposes clearly and vigorously his thesis about Brazil and against the PCB's democratical-bourgeoise revolution model, representing the autocritical Brazilian left thought during the sixties.


This paper develops a model predictive flocking control scheme for the Cucker-Smale multi-agent model. A decentralized controller is designed based only on neighboring measurements. Connectivity conditions are established for guaranteeing the convergence to a rigid flock. Finally, numerical simulation demonstrates the effectiveness of the control scheme.


Summary

Currently, traditional Mediterranean trawls are generally made with non-selective netting and the fishing boats are involved in multi-species fisheries. As a result, most near-shore stocks are over-exploited. Weather permitting, the demersal trawl fleet tends to fish in relatively deeper, international waters of the Aegean Sea, where the catch is usually higher. Therefore, the need for evaluation of the codends used in this fishery and the potential improvements to their selectivity are of prime importance. In the present study, selectivity data were collected for hake (Merluccius merluccius), blue whiting (Micromesistius poutassou), greater forkbeard (Phycis blennoides), blackbelly rosefish (Helicolenus dactylopterus dactylopterus) and fourspotted megrim (Lepidorhombus boscii) in commercial (300 MC) and square mesh top panel (SMTPC) codends. Trawling was carried out at depths of 274–426 m onboard a commercial vessel chartered for a 15-day sea trial in August 2004. Selection parameters were obtained by fitting a logistic equation using a maximum likelihood method. Results of the selectivity analysis indicated that the commercially used 40 mm nominal mesh size PE codend was rather unselective for the species investigated in this study. In general, the square mesh top panel codend has relatively higher L50 values than the commercial codend. However, except for blue whiting, even this codend is rather unselective when 50% maturity lengths (LM50) are considered.


Redundant basis (RB) is one of the appealing representation systems for finite field arithmetic due to its specific features in providing cost-free squaring operation in hardware implementation and because it eliminates the need for modular reduction. In this brief, a new architecture for digit-level finite field multiplication in  $\mathbb {F}_{2^{m}}$  using redundant representation is proposed. Contrary to previously presented redundant basis multipliers, in the proposed architecture one digit of each operand is concurrently fed into the multiplier at each clock cycle which, in turn, reduces the total number of the clock cycles required in the multiplication process. To draw an accurate comparison, the proposed multiplier together with several existing digit-level RB multipliers were fully implemented in 65-nm CMOS technology.


Purpose To determine the role of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) and vascular renal lesions on renal prognosis, in terms of time to achieve remission, number of renal flares and development of chronic renal damage in patients with lupus nephritis (LN). Methods 91 consecutive LN patients have been evaluated and the follow-up data have been collected at the baseline and at 6, 12, 24 months and at the last follow-up visit. Histopathological data of 41 patients were evaluated according to the 2016 revision of ISN/RPS classification. Results Among the 91 LN patients, 31(34.1%) were aPL positive (aPL+), 10(32.2%) of them were affected by Antiphospholipid Antibodies Syndrome (APS), 53.3% showed a single aPL positivity, 23.1% double aPL positivity and 15.4% triple aPL positivity. At the last follow up visit a significant higher number of aPL+ patients showed a persistent complement consumption than aPL negative (aPL-) patients (p=0.001). We observed that aPL- patients showed a remission achievement time slightly earlier than aPL+ patients (13.6±1.0 months vs 16.5±1.5 months; log-rank test: p=0.06, Breslow test: p=0.08) and as expected, patients with a persistent complement consumption achieve remission later (18.2 ±1.5 months vs 13.0±1 months; log-rank test: p=0.002, Breslow test: p=0.003). Furthermore at the last follow up, a significant higher percentage of aPL+ patients developed persistent proteinuria (p=0.02) and chronic renal failure (p=0.04). Considering histolopathologic features we didn't observe significant differences between aPL+ and aPL- patients but we found two typical vascular lesions (mesangiolysis and vascular thrombi) only in aPL+ patients. Conclusion Apl positivity is a predictor of worse renal outcome but in our cohort we didn't find an association between aPL positivity and vascular renal lesions at renal biopsy. The worse renal outcome and the late time to achieve remission in aPL+ group can be related to a cumulative vascular damage over time.


This paper examines the problem of estimating surface shape from texture in situations in which there are multiple textures present due to texture discontinuities, occlusion, and pseudo-transparency (for example looking through a picket fence at a textured surface). Previous shape-from-texture methods that use changes in the spatial frequency representation of neighboring image patches assume that only a single texture is present in each of the patches. The authors extend these approaches to situations in which multiple textures may be present. The authors provide a theoretical analysis of the multiple texture problem and the effect of the texture discontinuities, occlusion, etc. on the spatial frequency representation. The authors also present an algorithm, using robust mixture models, for recovering multiple surface shapes from occluded textures. The method performs well on real and synthetic images with results which are comparable to that of shape from texture with only one texture.


Although there is an extensive literature on the genetic attributes of allopolyploids, very little information is available regarding the genetic consequences of autopolyploidy in natural populations. We therefore addressed the major predicted genetic consequences of autopolyploidy using diploid and tetraploid populations of Tolmiea menziesii. Individual autotetraploid plants frequently maintain three or four alleles at single loci: 39% of the 678 tetraploid plants exhibited three or four alleles for at least one locus. Heterozygosity was also significantly higher in autotetraploid populations than in diploid populations: H° = 0.070 and 0.237 in diploid and tetraploid Tolmiea, respectively. Most of the genetic diversity in T. menziesii is maintained within populations (ratio of gene diversity within populations to mean total genetic diversity = 0.636). The total genetic diversity due to differentiation between the two cytotypes is only 0.055. Such a low degree of differentiation between cytotypes would be expected between a diploid and its autotetraploid derivative. Most diploid and all tetraploid populations examined are in genetic equilibrium. Diploid and tetraploid Tolmiea share three or four alleles at six of eight polymorphic loci. This suggests that either autotetraploid Tolmiea was formed via crossing of genetically different diploids (perhaps via a triploid intermediate) or autopolyploidy occurred more than once in separate individual plants, followed by later crossing of autotetraploids.


A series of 3-aroyl indazoles was synthesized. Modification of the C-7 position resulted in a significant structure-activity relationship (SAR) with acetylene modifications conferring unusual potency in a tumor cell cytotoxicity assay. The most potent compounds exceeded the activity of combretastatin A4 (CA-4), showing single digit nM IC50 values against all cell lines tested including those with known efflux resistance pumps. The inhibition of in vitro tubulin polymerization was comparable to CA-4, consistent with tubulin being the target for these compounds. Competition binding experiments employing [3H]colchicine and purified tubulins demonstrated that the compound specifically binds to the colchicine site.


Tintin is a cultural icon whose popularity has led to critical assessments accusing the comic of perpetuating orientalist and racist images. This article presents a different reading of Tintin by asking a more fundamental question: what understanding of the political is manifested in Tintin's Adventures? I argue that Tintin creates a political sphere that fosters an image of peace which does not eradicate conflicts, but facilitates them. Bildung, spatio-temporal conditionality of knowledge, spheres of elasticity, and power ensure that they do not turn into violence. All these are characteristics of the comic and create a powerful visualisation of the human condition of politics.


To deal with demands in advanced engineering applications that focus on improved mechanical properties of metal composites, aluminium metal matrix composites are recommended. This paper deals with mechanical characteristics of aluminium (Al8011) fortified with silicon carbide (SiC) and Chicken Bone Ash (CBA).Varying percentages of silicon carbide starting from 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10% with percentages of chicken bone ash starting from 10%, 8%, 6%, 4%, 2% and 0% respectively for the purpose of testing and reinforcement. Stir casting method is employed to manufacture the components. In this paper, fatigue test, impact test and hardness test is carried out to obtain results about the mechanical characteristics of the components. The mechanical characteristics observed in the resultant composites as per ASTM standards and microstructural study is used to characterize the distribution of reinforcements. Ultimately as the weight percentage of reinforcement materials increases, elevation in mechanical characteristics of material is discerned.


A Fissile Material Cut-Off Treaty banning the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons or other nuclear explosive devices is a natural next step on the multinational nuclear arms control agenda. Despite interest among key states and excessive stockpiles of fissile material, a formalized cut-off has yet to materialize. A new pragmatic approach for negotiating an FMCT patterned after the recent Mine Ban Treaty is presented as a potential model. Sweden, together with the other countries of the New Agenda Coalition, is identified as a possible candidate to take the lead and host an alternative FMCT negotiation process.


Biostimulation of microbial degradation of crude oil polluted soil using cocoa pod husk and plantain peels were studied in Calabar, Nigeria. Top soil (0-15cm depth) was randomly collected from four points, bulk to form composite sample, sieved and two kilogrammes each were weighed into thirty six plastic buckets, which were then polluted with 250ml of crude oil. The plastic buckets were labeled in single form (COC1, 400CPH, 500CPH, COC2, 400PP, 500PP), and in combined forms (COC3, 200CPH + 200PP, 250CPH + 250PP), with the control as PC1, PC2, PC3 (0g) without crude oil. After treatment, sampling was done 30, 60 and 90 days for microbial analysis. The results shows that combined form of cocoa pod husk + plantain peels presented a high crude oil utilizing bacteria (CUB) counts of 3.21±2.73x106cfug-1 followed by 2.85±2.42x106cfug-1, 2.78±2.14x106cfug-1 for cocoa pod husk and plantain peels respectively, while the crude oil utilizing fungi also shows that combined form of cocoa pod husk + plantain peels presented a high fungi count of 2.87±2.85x106cfug-1 followed by 2.46±2.11x106cfug-1 and 2.37±1.74x106cfug-1 for cocoa pod husk and plantain peels respectively. Sixteen microorganisms were isolated comprising of twelve bacteria species which include: Pseudomonas spp, Micrococcus spp, Bacillus spp, Corynebacterium spp, Proteus spp, Klebsiella spp, Acinetobacter spp, E. coli spp, Streptococcus spp, Staphylococcus spp, Clostridium spp Achromobacter spp and six fungi species Aspergillus spp, Penicillium spp, Chrysosporium spp, Mucor spp and Trichoderma spp. The result of this study indicates that cocoa pod husk + plantain peels (1:1) possess a more bio-utilizing potentials than other amendments and thus suggest that the combined form of these wastes should be considered as one of the best options in the degradation of total petroleum hydrocarbon in the soil.


To prevent distraction and varus deformity between the humeral head and shaft, tension band sutures placed between the head of the interlocking screw and the rotator cuff, and we recommend using nonabsorbable sutures. We describe our simple procedure to overcome these difficulties in tension band suturing after reducing a proximal humerus fracture to maintain the reduction.


The crystal structure of the title compound, tetrachloro[micro-1,1,4,7,7-pentakis(1H-benzimidazol-2-ylmethyl)-1,4,7-triazaheptane]dimanganese(II) methanol pentasolvate tetrahydrate, [Mn(2)Cl(4)(C(44)H(43)N(13))].5CH(4)O.4H(2)O, contains an asymmetric dinuclear Mn(II)-DTPB [DTPB is 1,1,4,7,7-pentakis(1H-benzimidazol-2-ylmethyl)-1,4,7-triazaheptane] complex with an intra-ligand bridging group (-NCH(2)CH(2)N-), as well as several solvate molecules (methanol and water). Both Mn(II) cations have similar distorted octahedral coordination geometries. One Mn(II) cation is coordinated by a Cl(-) anion and five N atoms from the ligand, and the other is coordinated by three Cl(-) anions and three N atoms of the same ligand. The Mn.Mn distance is 7.94 A. A Cl.H-O.H-O.H-N hydrogen-bond chain is also observed, connecting the two parts of the complex.


Young stellar clusters are believed to inherit the spatial distribution like hierarchical structures of their natal molecular cloud during their formation. However, the change of the structures between the cloud and the young clusters is not well constrained observationally. We select the W40 - Serpens South region (~ 7 $\times$ 9 pc$^{2}$) of the Aquila Rift as a testbed and investigate hierarchical properties of spatial distribution of young stellar objects (YSOs) in this region. We develop a minimum spanning tree (MST)-based method to group stars into several levels by successively cutting down edges longer than an algorithmically determined critical value. A total of 832 YSOs are divided into 5 levels with 23 groups. For describing the hierarchical properties in a controlled way, we construct a set of synthetic source distributions at various fractal dimensions, and apply the same method to explore their group characters. By comparing the $Q$ parameter and the surface density profiles of the observed and the synthetic data, we find that the YSO observation matches spatial patterns from multi-fractal dimensions. In the periphery region where the molecular clouds are more diffuse, the YSO structure is close to a fractal dimension of 2.0, while in the core regions the fractal dimensions are close to 1.6 and 1.4 for the W40 and the Serpens South regions, respectively. Therefore, the YSOs may inherit the fractal pattern of the dense part of the molecular clouds, but such pattern dissipates slowly in several Myr.


A collection of metabolic disorders and neurodegenerative diseases linked to oxidative stress and neuroinflammation frequently affect postmenopausal women or estrogen deprivation. Recent research has focused on alternative therapies that can enhance these women's quality of life. This study set out to investigate the effects of physical exercise (EX) and intermittent fasting (IF) on oxidants/antioxidants, inflammatory cytokines, neurotransmitters, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the cortex of rats. Additionally, it sought to assess the response to oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in the brains of rats following ovariectomy (OVX) and the potential mechanisms of these interventions. Fifty female rats were divided into one of the following groups 30 days after bilateral OVX: Control, OVX, OVX + EX, OVX + IF, and OVX + EX + IF groups. The rats in the Control and OVX groups continued their normal activities and had unrestricted access to food and water, but the rats in the OVX + EX and OVX + EX + IF groups had a 4-week treadmill training program, and the rats in the OXV + IF and OVX + EX + IF groups fasted for 13 h each day. The rats were killed, the cerebral cortex was taken, tissue homogenates were created, and various parameters were estimated using these homogenates. The results show that ovariectomized rats had decreased levels of neurotransmitters (DA, NE, and SE), acetylcholinesterase, brain GSH (glutathione), SOD (superoxide dismutase), catalase, GPx (glutathione peroxidase), and TAC (total antioxidant capacity), as well as elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines and mediators (TNF-α, IL-1β, Cox-2). While ovariectomy-induced declines in neurotransmitters, enzymatic and nonenzymatic molecules, neuroinflammation, and oxidative brain damage were considerably mitigated and prevented by treadmill exercise and intermittent fasting, BDNF was significantly increased. These results suggest that ovariectomy can impair rat neuronal function and regular treadmill exercise and intermittent fasting seem to protect against ovariectomy-induced neuronal impairment through the inhibition of oxidative stress and neuroinflammation and increased BDNF levels in the brain cortex. However, combining regular exercise and intermittent fasting did not provide additional benefits compared to either treatment alone.


clinical onset of systemic lupus erythematosus. N Engl J Med 2003;349:1526–33. 18. Lingampalli N, Sokolove J, Lahey LJ, Edison JD, Gilliland WR, Holers VM, et al. Combination of anticitrullinated protein antibodies and rheumatoid factor is associated with increased systemic inflammatory mediators and more rapid progression from preclinical to clinical rheumatoid arthritis. Clin Immunol 2018;195:119–26. 19. Stathatos N, Daniels GH. Autoimmune thyroid disease. Curr Opin Rheumatol 2012;24:70–5. 20. Tektonidou MG, Anapliotou M, Vlachoyiannopoulos P, Moutsopoulos HM. Presence of systemic autoimmune disorders in patients with autoimmune thyroid diseases. Ann Rheum Dis 2004;63:1159–61. 21. Tedeschi SK, Barbhaiya M, Malspeis S, Lu B, Sparks JA, Karlson EW, et al. Obesity and the risk of systemic lupus erythematosus among women in the Nurses' Health Studies. Semin Arthritis Rheum 2017;47:376–83. 22. Tedeschi SK, Cui J, Arkema EV, Robinson WH, Sokolove J, Lingampalli N, et al. Elevated BMI and antibodies to citrullinated proteins interact to increase rheumatoid arthritis risk and shorten time to diagnosis: a nested casecontrol study of women in the Nurses' Health Studies. Semin Arthritis Rheum 2017;46:692–8. 23. Perricone C, Versini M, Ben-Ami D, Gertel S, Watad A, Segel MJ, et al. Smoke and autoimmunity: the fire behind the disease. Autoimmun Rev 2016;15:354–74. 24. Cozier YC, Barbhaiya M, Castro-Webb N, Conte C, Tedeschi SK, Leatherwood C, et al. Relationship of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption to incidence of systemic lupus erythematosus in a prospective cohort study of black women. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2019;71:671–7. 25. Barbhaiya M, Lu B, Sparks JA, Malspeis S, Chang SC, Karlson EW, et al. Influence of alcohol consumption on the risk of systemic lupus erythematosus among women in the Nurses' Health Study cohorts. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2017;69:384–92. 26. Argentieri MC, Pilla D, Vanzati A, Lonardi S, Facchetti F, Doglioni C, et al. Antibodies are forever: a study using 1226yearold expired antibodies. Histopathology 2013;63:869–76. 27. Pisetsky DS, Spencer DM, Lipsky PE, Rovin BH. Assay variation in the detection of antinuclear antibodies in the sera of patients with established SLE. Ann Rheum Dis 2018;77:911–3. 28. Mariz HA, Sato EI, Barbosa SH, Rodrigues SH, Dellavance A, Andrade LE. Pattern on the antinuclear antibody–HEp2 test is a critical parameter for discriminating antinuclear antibody– positive healthy individuals and patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Arthritis Rheum 2011;63:191–200. 29. Mahler M, Andrade LE, Casiano CA, Malyavantham K, Fritzler MJ. Implications for redefining the dense fine speckled and related indirect immunofluorescence patterns [letter]. Expert Rev Clin Immunol 2019;15:447–8. 30. Chan EK, Damoiseaux J, Carballo OG, Conrad K, de Melo Cruvinel W, Francescantonio PL, et al. Report of the first international consensus on standardized nomenclature of antinuclear antibody HEp2 cell patterns 2014–2015. Front Immunol 2015;6:412. 31. Weyand CM, Goronzy JJ. Aging of the immune system: mechanisms and therapeutic targets. Ann Am Thorac Soc 2016;13 Suppl 5:S422–8. 32. Sperotto F, Cuffaro G, Brachi S, Seguso M, Zulian F. Prevalence of antinuclear antibodies in schoolchildren during puberty and possible relationship with musculoskeletal pain: a longitudinal study. J Rheumatol 2014;41:1405–8. 33. Hilário MO, Len CA, Roja SC, Terreri MT, Almeida G, Andrade LE. Frequency of antinuclear antibodies in healthy children and adolescents. Clin Pediatr (Phila) 2004;43:637–42.


Although blood plasma has been used to diagnose diseases and to evaluate physiological conditions, it is not easy to establish a global normal concentration range for the targeting components in the plasma due to the inherent metabolic diversity. We show here that NMR spectroscopy coupled with principal component analysis (PCA) may provide a useful method for quantitatively characterizing the metabolic diversity of human blood plasma. We analyzed 70 human blood plasma samples with and without addition of ibuprofen. By defining the PC score values as diversity index (I(div)) and the drug-induced PC score value change as interaction index (I(dist)), we find that the two indexes are highly correlated (P < 0.0001). Triglycerides, choline-containing phospholipids, lactate, and pyruvate are associated with both indexes (P < 0.0001), respectively. In addition, a significant amount of lactate and pyruvate are in the NMR "invisible" bound forms and can be replaced by ibuprofen. The diffusion and transverse relaxation time weighted NMR approaches gave rise to a better characterization of the diversity and the interaction than that of the one acquired using NOESYPR1D with 100 ms mixing time. These results might be useful for understanding the blood plasma-drug interaction and personalized therapy.


OBJECTIVES
Cannabis concentrate products contain more of the intoxicating cannabinoid, tetrahydrocannabidiol, than flower products, and thus, may produce greater harm. Indeed, concentrate use is associated with greater cannabis dependence and problems (e.g., anxiety) than flower use. Given this, continued examination of concentrate versus flower use differences on associations with various cannabis measures may be useful, including behavioral economic demand for cannabis (i.e., its subjective reinforcing value), use frequency, and dependence.

METHOD
The present study compared frequent concentrate users (N=176) to predominantly flower users (N=304) on the relationship of two latent drug demand metrics assessed by the Marijuana Purchase Task to cannabis use frequency (i.e., days of cannabis use) and cannabis dependence (i.e., Marijuana Dependence Scale scores).

RESULTS
Two previously observed latent factors emerged based on confirmatory factor analysis: Amplitude, reflecting maximum consumption, and Persistence, reflecting cost insensitivity. Group comparisons showed that Amplitude was greater among the concentrate versus flower group, but no difference was found for Persistence. Further, using structural path invariance testing, the factors were differentially associated with cannabis use frequency across groups. Amplitude was positively associated with frequency for both groups while Persistence was negatively associated with frequency for the flower group. Neither factor was associated with dependence for either group.

CONCLUSION
Findings continue to indicate that the demand metrics, while distinct, can be parsimoniously condensed into two factors. Additionally, method of administration (i.e., concentrate versus flower use) may impact how demand for cannabis relates to frequency of use. Associations were notably stronger with frequency relative to dependence.


The authors present a new technique for calculating accurate eigenvalues of quantum mechanical Hamiltonians which are polynomials in p and q. The technique is independent of representation and uses only the commutation relation of the p and q operators. The technique is tested by numerical computations for the anharmonic oscillator which show that ten digit accuracy is easily obtained.


Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is a malignant disorder common among children. Apoptosis is a morphological process that leads to controlled cellular self-destruction and defective apoptotic pathways are greatly involved in tumor formation, progression, and metastasis. Apoptosis is the primary mechanism through which most chemotherapeutic agents induce tumor cell death. The purpose of this study was to monitor the expression of pro- and anti-apoptotic proteins CD95 and Bcl-2 as well as copper and zinc levels in the peripheral blood of children with acute lymphocytic leukemia prior to, and six months after starting chemotherapy. The study was performed on twenty five children attending the outpatient clinic of the National Cancer Institute – Cairo University. Ten normal children were included in the study and considered as control group. Results showed that Total Leukocyte Count (TLC) and bone marrow blast count were significantly higher in ALL children than controls while after treatment TLC was normalized whereas bone marrow blast count was significantly decreased, hemoglobin and platelet count were significantly decreased when compared to controls while significantly increased after treatment. CD95% was significantly decreased before treatment relative to controls while it was significantly increased after treatment whereas Bcl-2 concentration showed significant increase before treatment compared to controls while it was significantly decreased after treatment. Serum Cu level showed significant increase in ALL cases at presentation compared to controls while it was not significantly changed after treatment. Serum Zn level was significantly decreased before treatment compared to controls while it was normalized after treatment. Cu/Zn was significantly higher in newly diagnosed ALL children than controls while it showed significant decrease after treatment. Negative significant correlation was found between CD95% and Bcl-2 on one hand and between serum Cu and Zn levels on the other hand. It could be concluded that CD95% and Bcl-2 might be useful diagnostic markers not only in the diagnosis but also in the follow up of ALL cases.


Wound management is the burning problem of modern medicine, significantly burdening developed countries' healthcare systems. In recent years, it has become clear that the achievements of nanotechnology have introduced a new quality in wound healing. The application of nanomaterials in wound dressing significantly improves their properties and promotes the healing of injuries. Therefore, this review paper presents the subjectively selected nanomaterials used in wound dressings, including the metallic nanoparticles (NPs), and refers to the aspects of their application as antimicrobial factors. The literature review was supplemented with the results of our team's research on the elements of multifunctional new-generation dressings containing nanoparticles. The wound healing multiple molecular pathways, mediating cell types, and affecting agents are discussed herein. Moreover, the categorization of wound dressings is presented. Additionally, some materials and membrane constructs applied in wound dressings are described. Finally, bacterial participation in wound healing and the mechanism of the antibacterial function of nanoparticles are considered. Membranes involving NPs as the bacteriostatic factors for improving wound healing of skin and bones, including our experimental findings, are discussed in the paper. In addition, some studies of our team concerning the selected bacterial strains' interaction with material involving different metallic NPs, such as AuNPs, AgNPs, Fe3O4NPs, and CuNPs, are presented. Furthermore, nanoparticles' influence on selected eukaryotic cells is mentioned. The ideal, universal wound dressing still has not been obtained; thus, a new generation of products have been developed, represented by the nanocomposite materials with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory properties that can influence the wound-healing process.


The dioxomolybdenum(VI) complexes [MoO2Cl2] (1), [MoO2(acac)2] (2), [MoO2(S2CNEt2)2] (3), [CpMoO2Cl] (4), [MoO2(mes)2] (5) and the polymeric organotin-oxomolybdates [(R3Sn)2MoO4] [R = n-Bu (6), t-Bu (7), Me (8)] were examined as catalysts for the hydrosilylation of aldehydes and ketones with dimethylphenylsilane. Of these, [MoO2Cl2] (1) was the most efficient catalyst, affording quantitative yields of the corresponding silylated ethers at room temperature in acetonitrile. Complexes 2, 4-8 also catalyzed the same reaction but required heating at 80 degrees C and longer reaction times compared with 1. Compound 3 is inactive. The wide scope of molybdenum oxide-mediated hydrosilylation was established with a variety of aldehydes and ketones. Counter intuitively, the activity of is 1 highest in NCMe. In the absence of a carbonyl substrate, [MoO2Cl2(NCBu(t))] (10) reacts with HSiMe2Ph affording [MoO(OSiMe2Ph)Cl2]2 (11) which has been fully characterized by NMR and IR spectroscopy, elemental analyses and mass spectrometry. Addition of radical scavengers strongly slows down the [MoO2Cl2]-based hydrosilylation suggesting the intermediacy of oxygen-centered radicals.


Meeting the United Nation' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) calls for an integrative scientific approach, combining expertise, data, models and tools across many disciplines towards addressing sustainability challenges at various spatial and temporal scales. This holistic approach, while necessary, exacerbates the big data and computational challenges already faced by researchers. Many challenges in sustainability research can be tackled by harnessing the power of advanced cyberinfrastructure (CI). The objective of this paper is to highlight the key components and technologies of CI necessary for meeting the data and computational needs of the SDG research community. An overview of the CI ecosystem in the United States is provided with a specific focus on the investments made by academic institutions, government agencies and industry at national, regional, and local levels. Despite these investments, this paper identifies barriers to the adoption of CI in sustainability research that include, but are not limited to access to support structures; recruitment, retention and nurturing of an agile workforce; and lack of local infrastructure. Relevant CI components such as data, software, computational resources, and human-centered advances are discussed to explore how to resolve the barriers. The paper highlights multiple challenges in pursuing SDGs based on the outcomes of several expert meetings. These include multi-scale integration of data and domain-specific models, availability and usability of data, uncertainty quantification, mismatch between spatiotemporal scales at which decisions are made and the information generated from scientific analysis, and scientific reproducibility. We discuss ongoing and future research for bridging CI and SDGs to address these challenges.


This paper outlines an approach for updating baseline land cover datasets. Knowledge about land cover, as used during manual mapping, is combined with simple remote sensing analyses to determine land cover change direction. The philosophy is to treat reflectance data as one source of information about land cover features. Applying expert knowledge with reflectance and biogeographical data allows generic solutions to the problem. The approach is demonstrated in areas of semi-natural vegetation and shown to differentiate ecologically subtle but spectrally similar land cover classes. Further, the advantages of manual mapping techniques and of high resolution remotely sensed imagery are combined. This approach is suitable for incorporation into automated approaches: it makes no assumption about the distribution of land cover features, can be applied to different remotely sensed data and is not classification specific. It has been incorporated into SYMOLAC, an expert system for monitoring land cover change.


Hard iron ore on the Marquette Range consists of nearly pure masses of specularite, magnetite, or martite and occurs near the unconformable contact of the Negaunee Iron-Formation with the overlying Goodrich Quartzite. Most ore is in an upper jaspilite unit of the Negaunee, but some orebodies are entirely within the basal part of the Good-rich Quartzite or span the contact of the two formations.In the past, hard ore has been considered a single ore class having a single mode of origin. It is argued here, however, that it is three distinct types of ore, each having a different mode of origin.Specularite ore varies from virtually pure specularite to ore containing as much as about 10 percent magnetite. It was formed by the leaching of silica from the Negaunee Iron-Formation and the precipitation of iron oxide in its place during the period of erosion immediately after deposition of the iron-formation, and it was later deformed and metamorphosed to its present hard specular form.Magnetite ore is nearly pure magnetite, containing in places as much as 10 percent specularite. It was formed during regional metamorphism and localized in the upper jaspilite unit of the Negaunee because of oxidation by the jaspilite of iron-bearing metamorphic fluids generated in lower parts of the iron-formation. Flow of the fluids was concentrated along structurally or stratigraphically controlled channelways, and magnetite was precipitated as iron solubility was lowered by oxidation of the fluid.Clastic ore contains specularite and lesser amounts of magnetite. It is a placer concentrate of iron oxides in the basal Goodrich Quartzite. The iron oxides in the ore were derived from the Negaunee Iron-Formation and were concentrated during the transgression marked by the onset of Goodrich deposition.Hard ore accounted for about 20 percent of high-grade ore production from the Marquette Range; about 67 million tons were produced. It is no longer mined, except incidentally at the Republic open pit where hard-ore bodies are within the taconite presently being mined as concentrating-grade ore.


The highly active family of Mutator (Mu) DNA transposons has been widely used for forward and reverse genetics in maize. There are examples of Mu-suppressible alleles which result in conditional phenotypic effects based on the activity of Mu. Phenotypes from these Mu- suppressible mutations are observed in Mu-active genetic backgrounds, but absent when Mu activity is lost. For some Mu-suppressible alleles, phenotypic suppression likely results from an outward-reading promoter within Mu that is only active when the autonomous Mu element is silenced or lost. We isolated 35 Mu alleles from the UniformMu population that represent insertions in 24 different genes. Most of these mutant alleles are due to insertions within gene coding sequences, but several 5' UTR and intron insertions were included. RNA-seq and de novo transcript assembly were utilized to document the transcripts produced from 33 of these Mu insertion alleles. For 20 of the 33 alleles, there was evidence of transcripts initiating within the Mu sequence reading through the gene. This outward-reading promoter activity was detected in multiple types of Mu elements and doesn't depend on the orientation of Mu. Expression analyses of Mu-initiated transcripts revealed the Mu promoter often provides gene expression levels and patterns that are similar to the wild-type gene. These results suggest the Mu promoter may represent a minimal promoter that can respond to gene cis-regulatory elements. Findings from this study have implications for maize researchers using the UniformMu population, and more broadly highlights a strategy for transposons to co-exist with their host. Article Summary Mutator (Mu) transposable elements are a widely used tool for insertional mutagenesis in maize and often insert in the 5' regions of genes. The characterization of transcripts for Mu insertion alleles reveals complex transcripts. These often result in one transcript that covers the first portion of the gene terminating in Mu and a second transcript initiating within Mu covering the latter portion of the gene. This may reflect a strategy for Mu to minimize the consequences of insertions within genes.


Abstract Objective: Our aims were to compare the vitamin D status of children with and without cancer and to examine the possible correlation between vitamin D levels in children with cancer before initiating treatment and prognosis. Method: We compared the data of 173 children with cancer with those of 569 children without cancer. Results: We measured a significant difference (p = 1.34E–08) between the vitamin D levels of children with cancer before treatment and children without cancer. There was a significant correlation between the initial vitamin D levels of children with cancer and the prognosis (p = 0.016, odds ratio = 51.33) at 5% significance. Conclusions: The average vitamin D level was 19.76% lower in the population with cancer compared with the average of the control group, and we found a correlation between the lower vitamin D levels in children with cancer and the adverse prognosis. We suggest that supplying vitamin D is reasonable and a prospective study of vitamin D in pediatric patients with cancer is recommended.


Chronic cough is a common problem that can be refractory to medical treatment. Nonpharmaceutical management of chronic cough has an important role in well selected patients. This review article outlines the history of chronic cough management, current approaches to speech pathology management of the condition and new modalities of nonpharmaceutical treatment. There is a need for further research into nonpharmaceutical options with well described randomised control trials.


Uncertainty in climate sensitivity is a fundamental problem for projections of the future climate. Climate sensitivity is defined as the equilibrium response of global-mean surface air temperature to a doubling of the atmospheric CO2 concentration from the preindustrial level (. 280 ppm). In spite of various efforts to estimate its value, climate sensitivity is still not well constrained (IPCC, 2007, pp.718-727 and pp.798-799; Gerard and Baker, 2007), posing a difficulty to informing climate change policy. Here we show that the climate sensitivity is in fact even more uncertain than has been found by earlier studies (Andronova and Schlesinger, 2001; Gregory et al., 2002; Knutti et al., 2002; Forest et al., 2006; Hegerl et al., 2006). Our results suggest that uncertainty in historical radiative forcing has not been sufficiently considered and that including a carbon cycle feedback, which in principle offers an additional constraint on climate sensitivity, does not reduce the uncertainty in climate sensitivity due to the poor knowledge of the global carbon budget before the year 1850.


In pulmonary arterial hypertension, the blood vessels that carry blood between the heart and lungs are constricted, making it difficult for the heart to pump blood through the lungs. Prostacyclin, a prostanoid metabolized from endogenous arachidonic acid through the cyclooxygenase (COX) pathway, is a potent vasodilator that has been identified as one of the most effective drugs for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Currently, prostacyclin and its analogues are widely used in the clinical management of pulmonary arterial hypertension patients. However, the mortality rate associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension has not been significantly reduced within the past 5 years. More powerful therapeutic approaches are needed. This article briefly reviews the current management of pulmonary arterial hypertension to identify the problems associated with present therapies; then it focuses on the emerging technology of prostacyclin synthase gene therapy and cell-based therapy using native stem cells and engineered stem cells with enhanced prostacyclin production capacity. By using the recent advances in technology and the molecular understanding of prostacyclin synthesis, researchers are prepared to make significant advances in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension.


Eighty-six femoropopliteal bypass operations were performed for ischemic ulceration, gangrene or rest pain in 77 patients whose mean preoperative ABI was 0.35. In this homogeneous patient sample, we compared prospectively a trial of saphenous vein versus PTFE grafts. During the follow-up period amputations were required in 30 per cent of the patients with a vein graft and in 31 per cent of patients with a PTFE graft. However, the presence of gangrene significantly decreased the interval to first occlusion (p less than 0.001). Over-all, autogenous saphenous vein grafts had longer patency than PTFE grafts in both the femoropopliteal and distal bypass positions. This advantage prevailed when 45 of the patients were randomized, although not at statistically significant levels. In patients without gangrene who underwent limb salvage, bypassing the diseased femoropopliteal segment with either of the graft materials increased graft patency and limb salvage compared with patients who had ischemic tissue necrosis.


In direct metal laser sintering process (DMLS), the nonuniform heat transfer and resulting temperature gradient across the part result in thermal residual stress within the part which introduces local deformation. This overall effect ultimately leads to part distortion and affects the mechanical properties of the part. As far as temperature gradient and thermal residual stress are concerned, the crucial process parameter that can be tailored to alleviate the thermal anisotropic effect from the laser heat source is the scanning pattern. In this study, an in-house transient three-dimensional computational model has been developed to analyze thermal behavior in the DMLS process for different scanning patterns. The governing equations for heat transfer are discretized using a finite volume method. An implicit scheme is used for time integration. The thermo-physical properties, thermal conductivity of the metal powder, convection heat transfer coefficient, and specific heat of the metal powder are updated for every time step. The model considers convective and radiative Neumann boundary conditions for the lateral and top surfaces and a constant temperature boundary condition for the bottom surface of rectangular geometries. The laser power is implemented as a moving radiative Neumann boundary condition that follows any given scanning pattern. In this study, two contour parallel (spiral) scanning patterns, center to edge and edge to center, and their corresponding thermal effects have been analyzed. The results show that rectangular spiral pattern with a center to edge scanning direction has the lowest thermal gradient which results in the lowest residual stresses.


This research tests the notion that attitudes after a failed attempt to counterargue may be stronger than attitudes after undirected thinking. Specifically, failed counterarguing may be accompanied by unique metacognitions that serve to strengthen the attitude. The present research examines this issue by giving participants a very strong message and instructing them to counterargue or simply think about the message. Across several experiments, attitudes were as favorable when individuals were trying to counterargue as when they were simply thinking, indicating that counterarguing failed to instill any extra resistance. However, attitudes were held with greater certainty following failed counterarguing compared with following undirected thinking. Furthermore, attitudes following failed counterarguing were more predictive of subsequent behavioral intentions. The metacognitions that follow failed counterarguing are addressed.


A novel method for fabricating an athermal AWG is proposed, using a unique apparatus for ITU-T center wavelength adjustment and optical coupling of two cut-parts. UV adhesive or sticky gel is applied into the gap between the cut-elements and the alignment base substrate by capillary infiltration. The spectrum profiles are almost the same as those of the original chip state, and no deterioration is observed resulting from athermalization. Flat-top athermal AWG modules of 100 GHz × 40 ch are fabricated. Over a temperature range of −40 to 85 °C, the center wavelength shift is ±22 pm, and the insertion loss change is less than ±0.11 dB.


It is necessary to evaluate the efficiency of reduction for cyanide and cyanoglycosides during the manufacturing process from raw material beans to sweetened bean paste in a food hygiene control system from the viewpoint of food safety. Analytical methods for cyanide and cyanoglycoside determination in sweetened bean paste by HPLC with fluorescence detection were developed. In analysis of collection time of free cyanide in the free cyanide assay, the recovery was improved by extending the collection time, the recovery rate was >80% by 2 h. The accuracy, repeatability and intra-laboratory precision of the free cyanide assay were 82.3, 2.0, and 2.4%, respectively. The method for cyanoglycoside analysis was evaluated by 5 repeated spiked recovery experiments at a concentration of 10 ppm. The accuracy, repeatability and intra-laboratory precision of the cyanoglycoside method were 82.2, 1.9, and 3.4%, respectively. These analytical methods will enable the analysis of cyanide and cyanoglycosides in sweetened bean paste without using steam distillation method in the pretreatment.


Abstract Low spatial resolution imagery from a polar orbiting meteorological satellite was utilized to detect short-term drought effects on native plant communities in southeastern New Mexico, U.S.A. rangelands. A spectrally derived Vegetation Index was compared to the Palmer Drought Severity Index, Crop Moisture Index, and monthly precipitation departures for a wet year (1988) and a dry year (1989). Differences between years as well as between plant communities were assessed. Plant communities consisting primarily of grass species were the most spectrally responsive to variation in precipitation, while forested areas were least affected.


Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) is a rate-limiting enzyme in mammalian nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)+ biosynthesis. Through its NAD+-biosynthetic activity, NAMPT influences the activity of NAD+-dependent enzymes, such as sirtuins. NAMPT is able to modulate processes involved in the pathogenesis of non-alcohol induced fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but the roles NAMPT plays in development of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) still remain unknown. Here, we show that ethanol treatment suppresses the expression of Nampt in hepatocytes. Consistently, chronic ethanol administration also reduces Nampt expression in the mouse liver. We next demonstrate that hepatocytes infected with Ad-NAMPT adenovirus exhibit significantly elevated intracellular NAD+ levels and decreased ethanol-induced triglyceride (TG) accumulation. Similarly, adenovirus-mediated overexpression of NAMPT in mice ameliorates ethanol induced hepatic steatosis. Moreover, we demonstrate that SIRT1 is required to mediate the effects of NAMPT on reduction of hepatic TG accumulation and serum ALT, AST levels in ethanol-fed mice. Our results provide important insights in targeting NAMPT for treating alcoholic fatty liver disease.


REPORT OF A CASE A 69-year-old woman presented with recurrent urticarial dermatosis of 20 years' duration. The cutaneous lesions appeared in crops, particularly during winter, with a frequency of 7 to 14 days. Occasionally, the urticarial attacks were associated with fever and arthralgias. Multiple treatments with different antihistamines and oral corticosteroids did not control the rash. The cutaneous lesions appeared as multiple asymptomatic erythematous urticarial papules, 1 to 2 cm in diameter, mainly located on the lower limbs and abdomen. Each lesion lasted from a few hours to a few days and healed with a palpable purpuric residual macule ( Figure 1 ). The rest of the physical examination showed only moderate hepatomegaly and splenomegaly. No lymph node enlargement was observed. Hemogram, electrolytes, serum creatinine, liver function tests, and urinalysis showed normal findings. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate was 72 mm/h. Immunoelectrophoresis identified a serum monoclonal IgM-K (light-chain isotype) (


The aim of this study was to carry out a cytological and microbiological comparative investigation of vaginal microflora in pregnant ewes. The subjects for the study comprised of 39 healthy curly fleeced breed ewes (n=39), approximately 3 years old, at 2-4 months of pregnancy. Two vaginal samples were taken for cytological and microbiological examinations from each ewe in a sterile manner. Hemacolor® was used in cytological examination, while microbiological analysis were completed by conventional techniques. In cytological examination, slides were evaluated to detect lactobacilli, other bacteria, "clue cell" formation and presence of neutrophils. Microbiological investigation was carried out to detect possible pathogens. Cytological results compatible with bacterial vaginosis were obtained in 10 cases. Microbiologically, single type bacteria in 27 cases and more than one bacterium in 12 cases were isolated. The most common isolated pathogen was Escherichia coli. Comparing the cytological and microbiological results, 7 out of 27 cases were compatible with the bacterial vaginosis. In 3 cases of bacterial vaginosis non-pathogenic agents were revealed. In conclusion, it was proven that utilising the cytological examination provides more reliable results for detection of normal vaginal microflora of pregnant ewes.


Kenji Suetsugu , Rikuo Sato, Satoshi Kakishima, Yudai Okuyama, and Masahiro Sueyoshi © 2020 The Authors. The Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of the Ecological Society of America. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.


This article seeks to co-articulate a sociological and a linguistic-discourse analytical concept of style. In both fields there has been some renewed interest in the notion of lifestyle as commentators have noted that, with the decline of traditional types of social groupings such as class and age, lifestyle has become the dominant source of social identity. Both therefore centre on style as the expression of identity and values. The authors use this approach to understand the language of a global women's magazine, Cosmopolitan. Cosmopolitan style is a hybrid of different styles, chosen for the connotations they bring, for the way they help express the magazine's identity and values. Although local versions adopt it in their own specific ways, overall it is a global style. The local languages may differ, but the identities and values conveyed by the style do not.


The paper presents the results of a study project of 60+ well block of the large (> 1,000 wells) mature (30 year old) oilfield in Western Siberia with objective to localise and characterize residual recoverable reserves and propose the optimal economic scenario for further depletion.
 Low permeability, heterogeneous reserve structure along the cross-section, numerous induced hydraulic fractures in producing wells and numerous spontaneous fractures in injecting wells with dynamic behavior, aggravated by numerous behind-the-casing crossflows in almost every well have resulted in a very complex conditions of remaining reserves.
 The conventional methods of production analysis and surveillance (well testing and production logging) do not provide a consistent picture of the current distribution and conditions of the remaining reserves and required a deeper and more complex analysis.
 Development Opportunities Management workflow was chosen for this particular holistic study, which includes a set of interconnected studies, field surveillance, geological and flow modelling and culminated in field development planning based on the digital asset twin. (Ganiev, B., 2021)
 Digital asset twin was constructed based on results of this workflow with a full-range economical model, flow simulation over the thoroughly calibrated fine-grid 3D dynamic model and production complication model (dynamic behavior of the fractures and behind-casing channeling).
 The 3D model has been calibrated on results of the cross-well pressure-pulse surveillance, reservoir-oriented production logging and was validated by the results of the drilling of the transition wells.
 The digital asset twin was used to find the optimal investment scenario based on multivariate calculations with the help of digital assistants.
 Due to simplicity of the user interface and client-server design, the digital twin was made available for various corporate engineers and managers without any modelling skills to play around with their own ideas on possible production/investment scenarios which gave another level of validation of the ultimate field development plan.
 All activities carried out within the digital twin automatically generate a complete package of investment metrics (NPV, PI, IRR, MIRR, Cash Flow and many correlation graphs) to assess the economic efficiency of each package and select the most appropriate solution for further ultimate choice.
 The approved scenario was based around drilling 6 producing side-tracks in specific locations/trajectories, performing workovers on specific offset injectors and re-scheduling of the production/injection rates in all block wells.
 The results of the field development's activities implementation will be the subject of a future publication.


The function and structure of the City Major Hazard Management System is analyzed. Aiming at the current limitation in technology application to this system, a solution is presented based on the hybrid mode of C/S (client/server) and B/S (browser/server). Key techniques are studies on database system, network architecture and security, compatibility and model system. And then, City Major Hazard Management System based on C/S+B/S hybrid mode is developed. This system is very significant in realizing the dynamic supervision of major hazards and the intelligent emergency management of major accidents, and in raising the efficiency of emergency rescue.


Background: Spinal cord contusion (SCC) results in a series of pathophysiologic consequences such as edema, apoptosis, and inflammation. However, inflammation may also be beneficial for the recovery of motor function after SCC, but the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely elucidated. Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) is a pro-inflammatory factor that has synergistic effects with other inflammatory factors to aggravate spinal cord injury. Inflammatory factors have been found to activate the serine/threonine-specific protein kinase, protein kinase B (AKT) and to inhibit cell survival, but it is not clear whether inflammation upregulates the expression of IL-1β in the rat model of SCC and subsequently interferes in the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT signaling pathway. Therefore, this study explored whether IL-1β affects the recovery of motor function in spinal cord injury by interfering with the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Method: SCC rats were established by the Allen method. The Basso Beattie Bresnahan (BBB) scoring was used to assess motor function in the spinal cord of injured rats. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot were used to determine the expression of genes and proteins of IL-1β, PI3K, and AKT1. Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence were used to locate and detect IL-1β and AKT1 proteins in spinal cord tissue. To further explore the underlying mechanism of IL-1β, lentivirus was constructed by RNA interfering (RNAi) technique to inhibit the expression of IL-1β, and bioinformatics was applied to show the relationship between IL-1β and AKT1. Results: BBB scores decreased after SCC, and IL-1β and AKT1 was located in the cytoplasm of spinal cord anterior horn neurons. In the early stage of SCC, the expression level of IL-1β gene and protein in the experimental group was higher than that in the sham operated group. At the same time, expression of the AKT1 gene decreased. After expression of IL-1β mediated by lentivirus was inhibited, BBB scores increased significantly, and spinal cord motor function improved. Bioinformatic analysis revealed a relationship between IL-1β and AKT1. In addition, AKT1 gene expression was upregulated and PI3K expression was unchanged in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Conclusion IL-1β not only exacerbates the inflammatory response after SCC, but also interferes with motor function. Inhibition of IL-1β may promote recovery of spinal cord injury by upregulating AKT1 in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, which provides a new perspective for future clinical practice in treating spinal cord injury


A high-rise building constructed in downtown Chicago was monitored for ground movements. The below-grade excavation consisted of two parts: the installation of drilled caissons through the underlying soft clay to hardpan,or in most cases to the limestone bedrock at a depth of 110 ft; and the excavation for a double-level basement to a depth of approximately 25 ft below grade. The monitoring of ground movements was considered essential at this site because it is located in downtown Chicago with adjacent buildings, utilities located in the streets and alleys, and an elevated transit system along the western boundary which is supported on shallow foundations. Monitoring was accomplished by two separate means. Ground surface elevations and lateral movements were taken at many points, including the foundations of the elevated structure and the streets, by surveying methods. Two inclinometer stations were installed and read on a periodic basis to measure the variation in horizontal movement with depth below grade. A correlation was established between the lateral survey readings and the inclinometer readings. The monitoring system was sufficiently accurate to record the observed settlement as a function of the construction activity. This paper is limited to a description of the instrumentation, the soil conditions, and the observed readings related to the various phases of construction.


CONTEXT
Combination therapy with somatostatin receptor ligand (SRL) plus pegvisomant for acromegaly patients is recommended after maximizing dose on monotherapy. Lower-dose combination regimens are not well-studied.

OBJECTIVE
To compare cost-effectiveness and efficacy of three lower-dose combination regimens in controlled and uncontrolled acromegaly.

DESIGN AND SETTING
Prospective, randomized, open-label, parallel arm study at a tertiary referral pituitary center.

PATIENTS
Adults with acromegaly regardless of response to prior SRL and biochemical control status at baseline, stratified by SRL dose required for IGF-I normalization during any 3-month period within 12 months preceding enrollment.

INTERVENTION
Combination therapy for 24-32 weeks on Arm A, high-dose SRL (lanreotide 120 mg/octreotide LAR 30 mg) plus weekly pegvisomant (40-160 mg/week); Arm B, low-dose SRL (lanreotide 60 mg/octreotide LAR 10 mg) plus weekly pegvisomant; or Arm C, low-dose SRL plus daily pegvisomant (15-60 mg/day).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE
Monthly treatment cost in each Arm in subjects completing ≥24 weeks of therapy.

RESULTS
Sixty patients were enrolled and 52 evaluable. Fifty of 52 (96%) demonstrated IGF-I control regardless of prior SRL responsiveness (Arm A, 14/15 [93.3%]; Arm B, 22/23 [95.7%]; Arm C, 14/14 [100%]). Arm B was least costly (mean, $9,837±1,375 per month); Arm C was most expensive (mean, $22,543±11,158 per month) and Arm A had an intermediate cost (mean, $14,261±1,645 per month). Approximately 30% required pegvisomant dose uptitration. Rates of adverse events were all <10%.

CONCLUSIONS
Low-dose SRL plus weekly pegvisomant represents a novel dosing option for achieving cost-effective, optimal biochemical control in patients with uncontrolled acromegaly requiring combination therapy.


Sprains and strains are common injuries with which patients present in the pharmacy. They may be caused by repetitive activities or by a single event.


Introduction Acute H pylori infection is associated with transient hypochlorhydria of variable duration. Hypochlorhydria in H pylori-associated atrophy has a role in iron deficiency (ID) through changes in the physiology of iron absorption. The role of hypochlorhydria in H pylori-associated ID in childhood has not been investigated. The aims were to evaluate the association between H pylori-associated hypochlorhydria and ID in children. Methods A total of 123 children were prospectively enrolled in the study. Any child with peptic ulceration, or who received antacids, PPIs, H2 antagonists, and antibiotics in the previous 4 weeks was excluded. Blood was taken for complete blood count and iron profile. Gastric biopsies were taken for H. pylori determination by histology and rapid urease test. H pylori status was defined as +ve if either test was positive. Gastric juice was obtained at the beginning of the endoscopy avoiding water insufflation. Duodenal biopsies were taken for exclusion of coeliac disease (CD). Stool samples were collected for parasitology/microbiology. Of the 123 children, 2 with CD, 8 with non-specific duodenal inflammation (DI), 5 with lost blood analysis and 9 with parasitic infections (2 with DI) were excluded. Results Of the remaining 101 children 31 were H pylori +ve and 10 were hypochlorhydric (pH>4). There were no differences in demographic characteristics with regard to infection status, or gastric pH. In H pylori +ve children with pH >4 (n=6) serum iron (median (IQR): 60.2 (45–66) μg/dl) and transferrin saturation levels percentage (16.6 (15–19)) were significantly lower (p<0.01) than H pylori positive children (n=25) with pH≤4 (iron 113.2 (91–132); transferrin saturation 32.6 (24–38)). No differences in ferritin or TIBC were observed. In H pylori negative children with pH>4 (n=4) both iron (119 (101–137)), and transferrin saturation (36.4 (31–41)), were not significantly different from children with pH≤4 (n=66) (iron 98.7 (80–122); transferrin saturation 32.2 (25–40)). Conclusion Low serum iron and transferrin in childhood H pylori infection is associated with hypochlorhydria. In uninfected children, hypochlorhydria was not associated with altered serum iron parameters, indicating a combination of H pylori infection and/or inflammation and hypochlorhydria has a role in the aetiology of iron deficiency. Even though H pylori-associated hypochlorhydria may reflect a transient period during acute gastritis, it alters iron homeostasis with clinical impact in developing countries with a high H pylori prevalence. Funded by EU CONTENT Project (INCO-CT-2006-032136) and CONICYT/BM (RUE #29).


Seed oil contents, fatty acid compositions and mineral contents of twenty
 Onobrychis viciifolia genotypes (sainfoin) were investigated in this study.
 The fatty acid composition of O. viciifolia genotypes had different
 saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. For saturated fatty acids, O.
 viciifolia genotypes contained palmitic and stearic acids as the major
 component and contained small amount of myristic and arachidic acids. The
 major unsaturated fatty acids were identified as oleic, linoleic and
 linolenic acids. Total saturated fatty acids contents varied between 10.50
 and 14.28% and total unsaturated fatty acid contents varied between 85.72
 and 89.50%. Co, Mn, Fe, Cu, Ni and Zn were detected in crop seeds in
 different amounts. The proximate analysis indicated that seed Co contents
 varied between 13.53 and 114.83 ppm, Mn contents between 28.14 and 97.20
 ppm, Fe contents between 113.7 and 277.7 ppm, Cu contents between 7.19 and
 12.24 ppm, Ni contents between 1.14 and 19.73 ppm and Zn contents between
 26.03 and 52.39 ppm, respectively. The result of this study suggest that
 further studies are obligatory to invigorate in terms of animal nutrition
 and phytochemicals of O. viciifolia.


Yu Min The Second A liated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University Yang Feng The Second A liated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University Ke Xiang The Second A liated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University Hang Chen The Second A liated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University Xing Wang The Second A liated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University Guobing Yin (  firstname.lastname@example.com ) The Second A liated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University https://orcid.org/0000-0002-70319063


To meet the execution requirements of delay-sensitive services in vehicular edge computing (VEC) networks, vehicular services need to be offloaded to edge computing nodes. For complex, large-scale services, the services need to be migrated if the services are not completed before the vehicles leave the coverage of edge computing nodes. Trust and resource matching between areas thus become major problems. This paper studies the decision model of vehicular service offloading and migration. First, software-defined network (SDN) technology is introduced into the traditional network architecture, and a two-layer distributed SDN-controlled VEC network architecture is designed, which is divided into a domain control layer and an area control layer. In this framework, we use the consortium blockchain as a carrier to share network topology information between SDN controllers to prevent information leakage. We then established a service offloading and migration optimization problem model to minimize service execution delay, reduce energy consumption and maximize the throughput of the blockchain system. We describe the problem model as a Markov Decision Process (MDP), introduce a deep reinforcement learning (DRL) algorithm named asynchronous advantage actor-critic (A3C) and design a dynamic service offloading and migration algorithm (DSOMA) based on A3C to solve the problem. Simulation results show that DSOMA can increase the throughput of the blockchain system, and DSOMA is superior to the deep Q-learning (DQN) algorithm and greedy offloading algorithm in reducing service execution delay and system energy consumption.


Social function and organization are predicated on effective coordination and cooperation; these in turn require honest communication among the participants in a social group. But in order to facilitate any sort of social structure and interaction, there has to be some way to deal with the threat of deception. We see this not only at the level of complex animal societies such as baboon troops or cooperatively nesting birds or social insects, but also in the complex social organization within the body of any single multicellular organism. The problem of avoiding deception to allow social organization can be broken down into at least two categories: 1) the legitimate members of the social institution have some overlap in interests, but they also have individual incentives for deception, and 2) non-members of the social organization attempt to parasitize and exploit the system but subversion and other forms of trickery. We see the former category in the evolution of mate-choice signals; we see the latter in the evolution of immune strategies to deal with pathogens. At a previous Squaw Valley conference I talked about the biological mechanisms for manufacturing trust among the legitimate participants in a social institution, and described the basic results from signaling theory, the well-established game theoretic framework for addressing such questions. This year, I will look at the second part of the problem: how biological systems deter exploitation and subversion by rogue outsiders. Using the vertebrate adaptive immune system as a case study, I will discuss a number of the principles involved in making a system not only robust against accidental noise or component failure, but also strategically robust against deliberate and devious efforts at subversion. In striking contrast to signaling theory, here we have no general game theoretic framework for addressing these problems. I'll discuss some of the challenges that have hindered progress in developing a theory of this sort, and offer a few modest suggestions about how we might use attempt to move in this direction.


Let A be an n by n matrix which may be singular with a one-dimensional null space, and consider the LU-factorization of A. When A is exactly singular, we show conditions under which a pivoting strategy will produce a zero nth pivot. When A is not singular, we show conditions under which a pivoting strategy will produce an nth pivot that is O(sigma/sub n/) or O(kappa/sup -1/(A)), where sigma/sub n/ is the smallest singular value of A and kappa(A) is the condition number of A. These conditions are expressed in terms of the elements of A/sup -1/ in general but reduce to conditions on the elements of the singular vectors corresponding to sigma/sub n/ when A is nearly or exactly singular. They can be used to build a 2-pass factorization algorithm which is guaranteed to produce a small nth pivot for nearly singular matrices. As an example, we exhibit an LU-factorization of the n by n upper triangular matrix.


This article examines the intersection between the processes of filmmaking and research. The goal is to explore how documentary filmmakers can contribute to how we do our research on organizations and how organizational researchers can contribute to documentary filmmaking. The article draws from the author's work as an organizational researcher and the author's work in producing educational and documentary films about work during the past 12 years. After delineating some similarities and differences between the processes, specific suggestions are presented on how organizational researchers can learn from filmmakers and vice versa.


On 31 July 2018, eighteen representatives of religious minority groups in Turkey, including the Armenians, Greeks, and Syriacs, issued a joint declaration saying: "As religious representatives and directors of different faiths and beliefs who have been residing in our country for centuries, we live out our faiths freely and practice our worship freely according to our traditions." This state-orchestrated declaration contradicts a long history of discrimination suffered by minorities under different late Ottoman and Turkish political regimes. In the last two decades of the Ottoman Empire's rule, Ottoman Armenian, Greek, and Syriac subjects/citizens, among others, suffered extreme depredations and persecutions culminating in ethnic cleansing, genocide, and population exchange. The books under review deal with a grim phase in Ottoman and Turkish history: the Armenian Genocide during World War I and its repercussions during the subsequent republican period.


We describe a concept for a new imaging spectrometer operating in the mid-wave and long-wave infrared. The instrument would be proposed as an upgrade to The Aerospace Corporation's Broadband Array Spectrometer System (BASS), a 2.9-14 micron sensor currently in use on the Advanced Electro-Optical System (AEOS) 3.67 meter telescope. The primary tasks of the instrument would be to generate precise spectrophotometry of stars, and to characterize resident space objects. The core of the design features two ultra compact spectrographic modules, each utilizing a concentric Dyson lens and concave diffraction grating. We will describe the considerable advantages that result from the design as well as the implementation of the instrument on the AEOS telescope and similar facilities.


PURPOSE
To determine the minimum number of events (training or matches) for producing valid acceleration-speed (AS) profiles from global navigation satellite system (GNSS) data.

METHODS
Nine elite female soccer players participated in a 4-week training camp consisting of 19 events. AS profile metrics calculated from different combinations of athlete events were compared to force-velocity (FV) profile metrics from 2 × 40-m stand-alone sprint effort trials, using the same GNSS 10-Hz technology. Force-velocity profiles were calculated, from which AS profiles were obtained. AS profiles from training and matches were generated by plotting acceleration and speed points and performing a regression through the maximal points to obtain the AS metrics (theoretical maximal speed, x-intercept [in meters per second], theoretical maximal acceleration, y-intercept [in meters per second squared], and the slope per second). A linear mixed model was performed with the AS metrics as the outcome variables, the number of events as a fixed effect, and the participant identifier as a mixed effect. Dunnett post hoc multiple comparisons were used to compare the means of each number of event grouping (1-19 events) to those estimated from the dedicated sprint test.

RESULTS
Theoretical maximal speed and theoretical maximal acceleration means were no longer significantly different from the isolated sprint reference with 9 to 19 (small to trivial differences = -0.31 to -0.04 m·s-1, P = .12-.99) and 6 to 19 (small differences = -0.4 to -0.28 m·s-2, P = .06-.79) events, and the slopes were no longer different with 1 to 19 events (trivial differences = 0.06-0.03 s-1, P = .35-.99).

CONCLUSIONS
AS profiles can be estimated from a minimum of 9 days of tracking data. Future research should investigate methodology resulting in AS profiles estimated from fewer events.


The detailed term accounting (DTA) approximation for the line absorption and the average atom (AA) model for bound-free and free-free absorption are used to calculate the radiative opacity of high-power laser-produced plasmas in local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). The spectral resolved opacities of Al plasmas are calculated at the temperatures and densities of 40 eV and 0.0135 g/cm3, and 58 eV and 0.02 g/cm3. Rosseland and Planck mean opacities are obtained by integrating the spectral resolved opacities with Rosseland and Planck weighting functions. The results show that the Rosseland mean opacity is very sensitive to the detailed profile. Radiative opacities under the same plasma conditions are also obtained by using a completely pure AA model. The results from the DTA and pure AA models are then compared.


Sparkling wine made by the traditional method (Méthode Traditionelle) develops a distinct and desirable flavour and aroma profile attributed to proteolytic processes during prolonged ageing on lees. Microwave, ultrasound and addition of β-glucanase enzymes were applied to accelerate the disruption of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and added to the tirage solution for secondary fermentation in traditional sparkling winemaking. Scanning electron microscopy and flow cytometry analyses were used to observe and describe yeast whole-cell anatomy, and cell integrity and structure via propidium iodide (PI) permeability after 6-, 12- and 18-months post-tirage. Treatments applied produced features on lees that were distinct from that of the untreated control yeast. Whilst control yeast displayed budding cells (growth features) with smooth, cavitated and flat external cell appearances; microwave treated yeast cells exhibited modifications like 'doughnut' shapes immediately after treatment (time 0). Similar 'doughnut'-shaped and 'pitted/porous' cell features were observed on progressively older lees from the control. Flow cytometry was used to discriminate yeast populations; features consistent with cell disruption were observed in the microwave, ultrasound and enzyme treatments, as evidenced by up to 4-fold increase in PI signal in the microwave treatment. Forward and side scatter signals reflected changes in size and structure of yeast cells, in all treatments applied. When flow cytometry was interpreted alongside the scanning electron microscopy images, bimodal populations of yeast cells with low and high PI intensities were revealed and distinctive 'doughnut'-shaped cell features observed in association with the microwave treatment only at tirage, that were not observed until 12 months wine ageing in older lees from the control. This work offers both a rapid approach to visualise alterations to yeast cell surfaces and a better understanding of the mechanisms of yeast lysis. Microwave, ultrasound or β-glucanase enzymes are tools that could potentially initiate the release of yeast cell compounds into wine. Further investigation into the impact of such treatments on the flavour and aroma profiles of the wines through sensory evaluation is warranted.