This guide has been revised and brought up-to-date in this second edition. Specially written by experienced teachers for self-study or class use, the course offers you a step by step approach to written and spoken Croatian and Serbian. No prior knowledge of the language is required. The text includes numerous exercises for regular pracitice; concise grammar notes; practical - useful vocabulary and pronunciation guide; and answer key and special reference section. By the end of the course students should be able to communicate confidently and effectively in Croatian and Serbian in a broad range of everyday situations. Two 60-minute cassettes are available to accompany Croatian and Serbian. Recorded by native speakers, these cassettes can be used on any audio system and complement the book, helping you with pronunciation and listening skills.


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

Neuroendocrine tumors are rare forms of cancers originating from hormone-producing cells that are scattered throughout the body. Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) develops from calcitonin-secreting, C cells, in the thyroid gland. Surgical removal of the thyroid is the best treatment currently available for early stage cancer patients but advanced forms of MTC are often incurable and fatal. Thus, better therapies are needed. A lack of relevant animal models for this disease has slowed the development of new treatments. We have recently reported a novel conditional mouse model for MTC. In these mice, overexpression of the cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk 5), activator, p25 in C cells induces MTC tumors. Furthermore, interruption of p25 overexpression results in growth arrest of these tumors. Here we take advantage of our conditional mouse model to investigate the molecular pathways underlying MTC tumorigenesis. We used Illumina Mouse WG-6 v2.0 Expression BeadChip to compare the gene expression profile of proliferating versus arrested mouse MTC tumors. We found that a total of 920 genes encoding transcription factors, cell cycle proteins, motor proteins and angiogenesis factors were differentially regulated in growing versus arrested tumors. Particularly the genes encoding cell cycle proteins that are involved in the regulation of Rb pathway were significantly up-regulated in the proliferating tumors. Selected genes with higher degrees of change were evaluated by quantitative PCR and immunoblotting analyses. Taken together these findings suggests that the Rb signaling pathways is involved in MTC tumorigenesis and that Cdk5 may act as a critical regulator of the Rb signaling pathway in this cancer. Thus, targeting Cdk5 and/or the Rb pathway may be a valid strategy to stop the progression of neuroendocrine thyroid cancer.

Citation Format: Karine Pozo, Antje Hillmann, Alexander Augustyn, Tanvir Singh, Florian Plattner, John Minna, Herbert Chen, Gilbert J. Cote, James A. Bibb, Fiemu E. Nwariaku. Molecular characterization of an animal model for neuroendocrine thyroid cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 3923. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-3923


This study designed to prepare ultrafine apixaban (APX) o/w nanoemulsion (NE) based gel with droplet size below 50 nm as a good method for transdermal APX delivery without using permeation enhancer, alternatively, the formulation components itself act as permeation enhancer. APX, a potent oral anticoagulant drug that selectively and directly inhibit coagulation factor Xa, was selected as a good candidate for transdermal delivery as it displays poor water solubility (0.028 mg/mL) and low bioavailability (50%). APX-NE gel was prepared using triacetin, triton-x-100 and carbitol as oil phase, surfactant and cosurfactant respectively, while Carbopol 940 used as a gelling agent. Ex vivo permeation of APX-NE gel through human stratum corneum reveal


A systematic literature review of international empirical research was conducted to understand the impact of international family transitions on families' experiences, wellbeing and facilitating/inhibiting factors of successful international transitions. The review covered the period 2000–‒2021. Using the EPPI-Centre approach, authors included 26 studies in the review that met the inclusion criteria. Synthesis of the findings suggested that, children and parents experienced international transitions differently. While children were primarily concerned with social issues, parents worried about managing family and work commitments. The findings relating to wellbeing outcomes were mixed, and we cannot say with confidence whether family wellbeing was impacted by international transitions. There was a dearth of literature examining what constitutes a successful international transition experience. The review demonstrated the challenge of viewing international transitions in a linear manner and suggests international transitions should be conceptualised as complex, multi-dimensional, dynamic and ongoing in nature. This review is the first to bring together children and parents' experiences, wellbeing outcomes and facilitating/inhibiting factors using the Multiple and Multi-dimensional Transitions (MMT) theory. As a result, it provides some unique insights and makes an original contribution.


Abstract The diurnal variability of Aureoumbra lagunensis, dissolved metals (Cd, Pb, Mn, Cr, Cu, Zn, Ni, Se, and Fe), and environmental parameters (salinity, temperature, turbidity, pH, and dissolved oxygen) were studied to understand the role of metals in the occurrence of the Texas "brown tide." The A. lagunensis densities were high in the afternoon; suggesting the influence of light on the growth of A. lagunensis. The results indicate that metals, Cd, Pb, Mn, Cr, and Se may not be influencing the growth of A. lagunensis. The dissolved Cu, Zn, and Ni concentrations were inversely related with A. lagunensis densities while Fe had positive relationship with A. lagunensis. The spectroscopic characterization of the surfaces of A. lagunensis suggests that these metals might be playing a role in the occurrence of Texas "brown tide" through involvement of ‐OH and ‐CH functional groups on the surfaces of A. lagunensis.


A computer model for systems analysis of heavy ion drivers based on induction linac technology has been used to evaluate driver designs for inertial fusion energy (IFE). Design parameters and estimated costs have been determined for drivers with various ions, different charge states, different front-end designs, with and without beam merging, and various pulse compression and acceleration schedules. We have examined the sensitivity of the results to variations in component cost assumptions, design constraints, and selected design parameters


Considerable recent work has explored the queueing impact of different properties of the input process to a buffer. The authors confine their attention to the effects of variation in service time distribution; the motivation for this being the need to calculate accurate delay bounds in the presence of variable length IP packets, and specifically to assess the impact of a small proportion of large packets on the delay performance. An analytical result is developed into which any distribution of packet size can be substituted easily, and in the process the value of better queueing models for arbitrary packet length distributions is shown.


Iron deficiency (ID) is the most common micronutrient deficiency in children. Due to insufficient iron storage at birth and rapid catch-up growth after birth, preterm infants tend to have a high incidence rate of ID. During the critical period of brain development, ID alters iron-dependent neurometabolism, neurochemistry, neuroanatomy, and gene/protein profiles. This affects the central nervous system and causes the change in neurocognitive and behavioral development. Iron supplementation in infancy cannot reverse neurodevelopmental impairment caused by perinatal ID. The influence of ID on neurodevelopment is time- and region-specific, and in the high-risk population, early diagnosis and optimal iron treatment may help with the recovery of brain function and improve quality of life and long-term prognosis in preterm infants.


In this paper, we will discuss shortly a nonlinear cosmology model inspired by analogy between cosmology phenomena and low temperature physics, especially superfluid vortices dynamics. We described: (a) a nonlinear cosmology model based on Navier-Stokes turbulence equations, which then they are connected to superfluid turbulence, and (b) the superfluid turbulence can lead to superfluid quantized vortices, which can be viewed as large scale version of Bohr's quantization rule, and (c) this superfluid quantized vortice interpretation of Bohr's rule allow us to predict quantization of planetary orbits in solar system including new possible orbits beyond Pluto. This paper is intended as a retrospect of what happened after the publication of earlier papers, and also some related ideas we developed since that time. In the second section we also discuss a recent development in matter-creation hypothesis, by virtue of unmatter concept and its extension. It is our hope that the new proposed view will inspire younger physicists and cosmologists to develop more realistic nonlinear cosmology models. And although some of our predictions since 2004 have come to observed data, we also hope the ideas presented here can be further verified with observation data.


M-learning continues and extends the learning paradigms and styles derived from a classroom lecture-and-seminar model, now made accessible through Web-based delivery and mobile devices. In an environment, in which circumstances make using a laptop inappropriate, a handheld device offers a convenient alternative. Communicating with anything and everything via wireless can open new opportunities for individuals looking for easy electronic access, navigation, mobility to access the education information anywhere and anytime. However, managing security for m-learning users is one of the more challenging aspects. The paper discusses a multi-agent high-level architecture for the security service. The proposed model is based on ontologies and a mediator for security service agents. Ensuring security of communication and privacy via a cooperative set of services is important for both consumer and m-learning environment. The proposed model for security service architecture is supporting the intelligent security management in the sense that can more accurately work at the human conceptual level.


The scope of this article is to analyze the accreditation criteria of the studies that evaluated actions of health promotion and risk factor prevention of Health Promoting Schools (HPS). A systematic review was conducted based on the recommendations proposed in the "Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (Prisma)" protocol of articles that assessed HPS in the following databases: SciELO, Lilacs, Medline, PubMed and Portal Capes. From the analysis of the three pillars for accreditation of HPS, three of the studies analyzed did not include all the criteria for certification as HPS on the "Planning Process" and "Health Promotion Activities Developed" pillars. The schools cited in these studies perform health education, prevention and/or health promotion activities, however, it is misleading to refer to themselves as HPS. The main challenges for implementation, development and continuity of HPS were identified as being intersectionality and insufficient financial and qualified human resources. HPS need to be certified and submitted to an ongoing evaluation process. It is also suggested the topic of health promotion be included in the syllabuses of training courses of health education teachers and other health education professionals.


Background: Maxillary Alveolar carcinoma is a relatively uncommon entity with occurrence reported between 3.5 to 10% of all oral cancers. Recurrence when occurs locally are particularly difficult to treat due to the close proximity of this region to the infratemporal fossa and the base of skull. There is also a debate when to perform elective neck dissection in these patients. Objectives: The aim of this study was to identify cases with recurrence and correlate its association with various prognostic factors and disease free survival in these patients. Methodology: Overall, 15 cases were identified with maxillary alveolar carcinomas that were treated between 2011 to 2015. Eight of these cases were Squamous cell carcinomas, 5 Adeno carcinomas and 2 Adenocystic carcinomas. T stages, N stage, grade of tumor, surgical margin involvement by the tumor, presence of perineural and lymphovascular invasion were identified as prognostic indicators. The chi-square and Pearson correlation tests were applied to analyze the association between recurrence and these prognostic factors. Results: Recurrence developed in 3 SCC (37.5%) and 1 ADC (20%) patient during the three years period following the treatment. Among the SCC patients, 2 recurrences were local and 1 regional. Recurrence was found to have a strong positive correlation with T stage (r=0.330, p=0.271), surgical margin involvement (r=0.575, p=0.566) and three years disease free survival (r=0.959, p=0.000). A weak positive correlation was also established with tumor grade (r=0.155, p=0.0613) and perineural invasion (r=0.149, p =0.725).


We propose a novel multimedia orchestra system named MusiKalScope-2. From our past experiences with multimedia art creation systems, we are aware of two issues: cognitive overload due to the simultaneous creation of music and graphics by a single performer, and finding a way to provide expert knowledge to a system. To address these issues, we propose two approaches: (1) use attribute based role allotment; and (2) the direct use of expert knowledge. We describe the construction of MusiKalScope-2 and illustrate the realization of the proposed methods.


As a basis of dealing with various constraints arising in IC layout problems we present efficient algorithms for planar embedding of graphs with constraints on vertices in placing them on face boundaries (=meshes, or windows). The constraints considered are: (1) the specified vertices must be placed on a single face boundary, and (2) the specified vertices must be placed on distinct face boundaries. Our algorithms are based on the vertex addition algorithm and implemented using PQ-trees to achieve linear time and space complexities. Basically, the vertex addition algorithm tests all possible planar embeddings, and thus our algorithms can be modified or extended to deal with wide varieties of constraints.


Introduction: In patients admitted with acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis, the presence of colonization by microorganisms is an important risk factor for morbidity and mortality.

Purpose: Evaluation of bacterial colonization in patients hospitalized with acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis.

Methods: Were retrospectively analyzed patients admitted between 31/03/2010 and 31/03/2013, diagnosed with acute exacerbation of bronchiectasis (non-cystic fibrosis). The data collected included sociodemographic variables, smoking history, comorbidities, functional respiratory study, bronchiectasis characteristics, microbiological isolation in sputum and the presence of bacterial colonization of patients.

Results: Were evaluated 253 admissions, a total of 78 patients (75.5 % male), mean age 66 years. The mean duration of hospitalization was 11.6 days. 64.4% had smoking history, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 72.3% and 50.2% cardiovascular risk factors. The mean FEV1 was 39.4%. The bronchiectasis were: cylindrical in 43.8%, cystic in 16.2%, varicose in 8.7% and in 31.2% coexisted various types. 81.8% had bilateral distribution. Was microbiological isolation in sputum culture in 41.5% of patients (57.1% P. aeruginosa, 14.3% A. baumannii, 14.3% H. influenzae and 14.3% other). 17.4% of patients were colonized (63.6% Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 22.7% Acinetobacter baumannii, 13.7% others).

Conclusion: P. aeruginosa is the most common pathogenic microorganism in acute exacerbations of bronchiectasis. Bronchiectasis patients had a high percentage of colonization, being P. aeruginosa the most frequent colonizer. The treatment, either of infection or colonization with P. aeruginosa assume a priority to improve the prognosis of these patients.


The final phase of the Fermilab upgrade proposal calls for a new ring of superconducting magnets to be placed in the existing main accelerator tunnel. The goal of this design study is to specify a high field dipole (HFD) that is capable of supporting fixed target operation (ramping, resonant extraction) at a field of 6.6 T (1.5 TeV) and colliding beam physics at 8.0 T (1.8 TeV). The magnetic field quality at high field is set by the large amplitude orbits associated with resonant extraction. The fixed quality must therefore be at least as good as the existing Tevatron magnets which fulfil these criteria. The high fields and large aperture of this magnet result in large forces on the coil and collar assemblies. Therefore, the cold mass design must be able to sustain these forces while providing sufficient cooling to the coils during 4.2-K fixed target operation, and a minimum heat load during 1.8-K collider operation.<<ETX>>


Plasma levels of sulfoconjugated (sc) catecholamines (CA) have been shown to be increased with activation of the sympathoadrenal system in a number of clinical settings. We evaluated the relation between scCA and clinical or hemodynamic parameters of patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC) at rest and during incremental exercise testing. Eleven healthy subjects, nine patients in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class I (IDC-A group) and 11 in NYHA functional class II and III (IDC-B group) performed a symptom-limited, graded bicycle exercise test. Resting, peak and various postexercise levels of plasma free and scCA were determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Resting CA levels obtained in the supine position were remarkable for elevations of free norepinephrine (NE) in IDC-B patients (355 +/- 157 ng/l) as compared to IDC-A patients (177 +/- 54, p = 0.006) or healthy controls (193 +/- 74, p = 0.007). Similarly, scNE was highest in IDC-B patients with 1856 +/- 1089 ng/l, followed by IDC-A (1028 +/- 187, p = 0.025) and control subjects (1109 +/- 440, p = 0.025). There was a highly significant correlation between free and scNE (r = 0.76, p < 0.0005). Whereas resting free dopamine (DA) levels were comparable in all three groups, scDA was found to be elevated clearly in IDC-B patients (8772 +/- 2097 ng/l) and significantly different to IDC-A (5786 +/- 2481, p = 0.01) or control subjects (4892 +/- 1575, p = 0.0005). The NYHA functional class and maximum exercise performance correlated best with resting scDA (r = 0.68, p = 0.001 and r = 0.56, p = 0.005, respectively). At peak exercise, IDC-B patients exhibited a significant decrease in scNE and sc epinephrine (E) (from 1856 +/- 1089 to 1495 +/- 932 ng/l, p < 0.005 and from 491 +/- 173 to 282 +/- 143 ng/l, p < 0.01) compared to controls (from 1109 +/- 444 to 1094 +/- 548 ng/l and from 379 +/- 200 to 329 +/- 134 ng/l). In IDC-B patients this decrease in scNE and scE at peak exercise was related inversely to the rise in free NE and E (r = -0.81, p < 0.005 and r = -0.68, p < 0.05). Resting hemodynamic indices generally were reflected better by some free CA rather than by conjugated forms or by parameters of clinical performance. These findings suggest that in addition to free or scNE levels, resting scDA is elevated in symptomatic patients with IDC.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


PURPOSE
Patients with high-risk prostate cancer have historically been treated with multimodal therapy and considered poor candidates for minimally invasive surgery. We reviewed our experiences with robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) in patients with high-risk clinical features.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Clinical database review identified high-risk patients undergoing RARP by two high-volume robotic surgeons. D'Amico's criteria for high-risk prostate cancer were utilized: prostate-specific antigen ≥ 20 ng/mL, clinical stage ≥ T2c, or preoperative Gleason grade ≥ 8. About 148 patients were identified in the study group. Mean age at surgery was 60.9 years, and mean body mass index was 27.9. Mean estimated blood loss was 150 cc and the transfusion rate was 2.7%. Median hospital stay was 1 day and the rate of major complications (Clavien grade ≥ 3) was 3.4%.

RESULTS
Bilateral nerve preservation was feasible in 28.4%, and the rate of positive surgical margins was 20.9%. Final pathology demonstrated extra-capsular disease in 54.1% of patients and 12.3% had lymph node involvement. At 2 years of follow-up, 21.3% of patients had experienced biochemical recurrence or had persistent disease after treatment. Continence was 91.2% (1 pad or less) and total impotence (inability to masturbate) was 48.3%.

CONCLUSIONS
RARP does not compromise oncologic or functional outcomes in patients with high-risk prostate cancer. Although long-term study is necessary to validate oncologic and functional outcomes, our data suggest that the presence of high-risk disease is not a contraindication to a minimally invasive approach for radical prostatectomy at experienced centers.


The Ekofisk Field, a giant North Sea oil field, has produced more than 1.2 billion barrels of oil since the start of production in 1971. Sea floor subsidence, which was discovered late in 1984, has occurred at approximately a constant rate of about 38 cm/year since then. Full field water flooding began in 1987. Over the past decade numerous, long term laboratory studies of reservoir chalks were undertaken to understand the effects of water flooding on chalk strength and to provide input data for reservoir simulators and geomechanics codes used to predict reservoir compaction and sea floor subsidence. Recent laboratory analyses suggest that some protective mechanism, possibly oxidized, polar hydrocarbons adhering to portions of the chalk matrix, may protect the calcite matrix from intimate chemical interaction with formation brines. This observation has led to a new constitutive model of Ekofisk rock mass behavior consisting of two sets of 'end member' stress strain curves. The first set represents the reservoir rock prior to water flood invasion, when the rock mass behaves as an assemblage of dominantly elastic, low compressibility matrix blocks capable of moving independently of neighboring blocks. The second set represents fully water-contacted, fully water-weakened chalk that has undergone the transition from elastic to plastic behavior. In its fully water-weakened state the chalk is highly compressible and displays the high strain rates and large strains observed in water flooded intervals of the Ekofisk reservoir. The two sets of stress/strain curves are related by water saturation.


A big challenge of designing and implementing a monitoring system for distributed systems such as the computational grid is how to quickly and dynamically deploy and manage a large collection of monitoring sensors. Currently available monitoring systems often use the static sensor deployment mechanism, which makes the sensor deployment quite difficult and inefficient. We have developed an agent-based grid monitoring system that enables fast, dynamic, and on- demand sensor deployment and management. The monitoring system perfectly solves the problem of fast and dynamic sensor deployment using dynamic sensor loading mechanism. In addition, the monitoring system uses software agent technology to solve the problem of dynamic and on-demand sensor management.


In this work we present a potential solution for forming ultra-shallow junctions with extremely low contact resistivities in which dopants are implanted into silicides and diffused to the semiconductor interface using low temperature anneals. Conventional silicide process requires a fine tuning of silicide thickness and deep source/drain doping profile to achieve low contact resistance and low source/drain diffusion sheet resistance. With the silicide implantation approach, we show that they can be engineered independently, providing a larger design space for the reduction of total external resistance. We demonstrate that contact resistance for NiPt silicide can be significantly reduced down to 7×10−9 Ω-cm2 for p+ Si and 6×10−9 Ω-cm2 for n+ Si by using Schottky Barrier Height (SBH) tuning through the implantation of B/As into pre-formed NiPtSi followed by low-temperature drive-in annealing (see Fig. 1 for the process flow). Moreover, we find that the same low contact resistance can be achieved for both heavily and moderately doped junctions, which grants an additional degree of freedom in junction design to reduce series resistance. With this technology, the ultra-shallow junction process can be simplified to the formation of ultra-thin silicide followed by shallow implantation and low temperature RTA (<600C) without any demand of ultra-high thermal budget for the S/D doping. Implantation into silicides, as an alternative to surface implantation prior to silicidation, prevents silicide morphology degradation (encroachment, roughness, or inverted pyramids) induced by extra defects from the surface implantation.


Thin-layer chromatography revealed that 4-nitroquinoline N-oxide interacts with native DNA, but not with denatured DNA's or the followingt macromolecules and nucleic acid derivatives: soluble RNA from Escherichia coli and from yeast, polyguanylate-cytidylate, and precursors of DNA and RNA. Polydeoxyadenylate-thymidylate, polyadenylate, and histone interacted to a lesser degree than native DNA's did. That magnesium ion, sodium ion, and proflavine did not interfere with interaction of carcinogen and DNA suggests that this interaction is not an intercalation. Interaction of 4-nitroquinoline N-oxide with DNA may be related to its carcinogenicity


The authors present a case of delayed rupture of the spleen in a polytraumatised patient. This entity was defined as a late occurrence of signs and symptoms attributed to splenic injury not detected by diagnostic computed tomographic scanning during the initial examination. The mechanisms in which the delayed rupture of the spleen occurs are discussed and the conclusion is that the delayed rupture of the spleen represent a real clinical entity.


Sb layers on chemically etched n-CdTe provide noise-free electrical contacts suitable for various electronic devices. These interfaces produce Schottky barriers of approximately 0.94 eV with excellent rectification properties. In this work we have studied the stability of these contacts in detail under normal laboratory conditions. The results reveal that a gradual reduction of their rectification property is due to an increase in series resistance and a large contribution from recombination and generation current, We have also carried out Auger depth profiling through these interfaces to study their compositional structure after aging. In-diffusion of Sb and out-diffusion of both Cd and Te is observed for these interfaces. We consider the implications of these microscopic interactions on the macroscopic electrical properties of the Sb/n-CdTe interfaces.


Background: This comparative study was conducted to compare the effectiveness of 25 µg of intravaginal misoprostol with intracervical cerviprime gel in terms of efficacy of drug, foeto-maternal outcome, side effects and complications of drugs. Methods: 100 primigravida at term; who were admitted for induction of labour were included in this study. They were randomly selected to receive either intravaginal misoprostol or intracervical cerviprime gel. 50 women received intravaginal 25 µg Misoprostol (Group A) every 6 hours for maximum of 5 doses and 50 women received 0.5 mg (2.5 ml) of intracervical cerviprime gel (Group B) till maximum of 3 doses. Comparison was done in terms of time taken for induction to delivery, mean time taken for onset of labour, APGAR score at 1 and 5 minutes and the neonatal outcome in either of the groups. Results: The mean time taken for onset of labour was less in the misoprostol group than in the cerviprime group (6.5 hours v/s 8 hours, P = 0.49). Similarly duration from induction to delivery was less (20.08 ± 8.24 hours v/s 23.19 ± 9.59 hours, P >0.05) for misoprostol than cerviprime gel. Need for Oxytocin augmentation was less (16%) in misoprostol group as compared to cerviprime group (46%), P = 0.001. Cesarean section rate was slightly higher in misoprostol group (8% v/s 6%). Maternal complications were minimal in either group & the neonatal outcome was good in both the groups. The induction cost was much less in the misoprostol group. Conclusions: Compared to cerviprime gel; misoprostol is safe, efficacious, cheap, well tolerated drug by mother and fetus. It was found to be a better inducing agent, has short induction to delivery interval thus short duration of labour with similar maternal and fetal safety profile.


combination of seismic data and petrophysical logs from five wells acquired in 'J' Field, Niger Delta, Nigeria, have been analyzed to assess the carbon dioxide (CO2) storage potential of some saline aquifers in 'J' field. The study aims to evaluate the volume of CO2 that can be potentially stored in the aquifers and the risk of CO2 leakages in the storage. The sand aquifers were correlated across the five wells to evaluate their thicknesses and lateral extent. Porosity, permeability, formation water resistivity, and net sand thickness were estimated in the different wells. The Horizons corresponding to the top of the aquifers was mapped, and time and depth structured maps were generated for structural analysis and volumetric estimations. The risk of CO2 leakages through sealing layers (cap rocks) was evaluated in terms of caprock integrity and pore pressure sealing mechanism. Results of the study showed that four aquifers, namely, L20, N30, M40, and P50, are laterally extensive across the five wells and have thicknesses that range from 14 to 352 m. The individual CO2 storage capacity of L20, M30, N40, and P50 was estimated to be 6.97×1010, 1.48×1010, 7.78×109 and 1.49×1010 tons, respectively. The combined aquifer storage capacity was estimated to be 1.07×1011 tons. The sealing layers have low risk of CO2 leakages. The study concluded that the aquifers have good potential for CO2 storage and low risk of leakages. The study ranked L20 as the best among the four aquifers.


Understanding public perceptions on the health impacts of climate change will help to better address planetary health challenges. This study aimed to assess differences in perceptions in the Cypriot population regarding climate-related health risks, information sources used, and self-assessed health status over a three-year period, along with the relationship between sociodemographics and perceptions on climate-related health risks. Two cross-sectional surveys on environmental health risks and climate change, information sources, and self-assessed health were conducted in July–December 2018 (n = 185) and August–September 2021 (n = 202) among adults living in Cyprus. A descriptive analysis of the survey responses was conducted. Between-survey and within-survey associations were examined among environmental and health risk perceptions and stratified by sociodemographics (age, sex, educational level) using chi-square tests. The perceived views on most questions about environmental health risks and climate change were not different between the two surveys (p > 0.05). With environmental factors in mind, such as climate change, pollution, and toxic waste, most respondents (>72%) considered that health issues such as asthma, cancer, obesity, type II diabetes, and high blood pressure would occur much more often or somewhat more often in the next 10 years. In both surveys, the most popular sources of information about environmental health risks were social media/the internet, followed by TV news and TV films and documentaries. Notable differences in several perceptions on climate-related health risks were observed between females and males, while age and educational level did not influence most perceptions. Women were more likely than men to report that environmental factors such as temperature rise, extreme weather events, and air pollution will be extremely influenced by climate change (p < 0.05). The study survey populations recognized the important linkages between climate change and human health, including their drivers. Sex was an important factor for differentiated perceptions on environmental health risks and climate change. Such survey results on perceptions about climate change and their impact on population health can be used to inform public awareness and risk communication campaigns.


Written contracts are a fundamental framework for economic and cooperative transactions in society. Little work has been reported on the application of natural language processing or corpus linguistics to contracts. In this paper we report the design, profiling and initial analysis of a corpus of Australian contract language. This corpus enables a quantitative and qualitative characterisation of Australian contract language as an input to the development of contract drafting tools. Profiling of the corpus is consistent with its suitability for use in language engineering applications. We provide descriptive statistics for the corpus and show that document length and document vocabulary size approximate to log normal distributions. The corpus conforms to Zipf's law and comparative type to token ratios are consistent with lower term sparsity (an expectation for legal language). We highlight distinctive term usage in Australian contract language. Results derived from the corpus indicate a longer prepositional phrase depth in sentences in contract rules extracted from the corpus, as compared to other corpora.


The purpose of this study was to explore whether mental toughness varies across a 30-day training block and whether such variability is associated with specific antecedents. This exploratory case study research investigated mental toughness variability using the Mental Toughness Index (MTI) with thirteen elite master runners across a series of self-selected training sessions, followed by interviews and follow-up questionnaires, to identify primary influencers of variability. There were significant differences in the MTI scores between baseline (before the training period), and the minimum and the maximum reported score over five self-selected training sessions (p's < 0.004). The proceeding follow-up interviews and questionnaires then provided insights into factors influencing this intra-individual variability. These higher-level themes included foundational wellbeing, specific preparation, and actions utilized in the moment. This study is the first to demonstrate within-person MTI variability across specific training sessions and provides initial insights for both athletes and practitioners into potential influencers of mental toughness.


The kinetics of alkaline degradation of lignin, xylan and cellulose in relation to pulp yield were studied for hemp woody core to support development and optimization of a non-polluting alkaline pulping process. Shavings of hemp woody core were impregnated at room temperature with various sodium hydroxide concentration (0.25-2 M NaOH) and delignified isothermally at various reaction temperatures (150-180°C) in a flow-through reactor. Extraction and degradation of xylan from hemp woody core was strongly depending on the NaOH concentration used. Consequently, to attain a certain lignin content, lower NaOH concentrations result in higher pulp yields. Extended pulping diminished the differences in pulp yields, due to further xylan degradation. The kinetics of lignin, xylan and cellulose degradation were modelled as a function of reaction time, temperature and NaOH concentration. The combined models resulted in a pulp yield model for hemp woody core, suitable for process optimization purposes. Degradation kinetics of perennial wood can be modelled similarly, which was illustrated using literature data on spruce and poplar.


Music can feel like it is communicating powerfully. "Music as language" considers whether music is actually a kind of language and, if so, what it means and how it conveys these meanings. As communicative systems, music and language both feature some universal components and much cultural variation. Both consist of complex auditory signals that can be visually represented in notation. Both can involve interpersonal coordination. Both combine discrete sound units into rich structures—sentences and paragraphs in the case of language, phrases and sections in the case of music. Musical grammar and musical expressivity are discussed along with learning in music and language, musical meaning, and music-language interactions.


A liquid chromatography method was developed for the determination of arsanilic acid in livestock feeds. A variety of livestock feeds typical of those used in commercial practice were obtained from a local feed mill. The samples included complete swine and poultry feeds, swine and poultry concentrates (high in protein), and a swine premix (high in vitamins and minerals). The feeds were spiked with various levels of arsanilic acid. The first step in determining arsanilic acid content was to extract the arsanilic acid from the feed. Ground complete feeds and concentrates were extracted with 25 mmol/L sodium hydroxide in a water bath at 50°C. For the vitamin-mineral premix, extraction was conducted at ambient temperature since contamination by organic matter was lower for these samples. The analysis of arsanilic acid was performed by means of high performance liquid chromatography using an anion exchange column and ultraviolet detection at 244 nm. The mobile phase consisted of 40 mmol/L sodium dihydrogen phosphate-methanol (960 + 40, v/v) and the running time for an analysis was about 12 minutes. Average spike recoveries for samples prepared at spike levels of 10, 50, 100, 150, 300, and 1250 mg/kg were 92.8, 92.4, 96.1, 94.7, 98.3, and 99.6%, respectively. The limits of detection and quantification were 0.05 and 0.4 mg/kg, respectively. One advantage of the method is that it determines the arsanilic acid content of feeds directly, without conversion to arsenic.


The analysis of currents flowing through a substation earth electrode and through earth wires of overhead lines, connected to the substation for ground faults within the substation, is performed, including the proximity effects between the substation and the earth electrodes of the lines towers. Comparison of the results obtained using the complete model suggested in the paper with the results obtained ignoring the proximity effects, for typical cases, has shown that the proximity of the earth electrodes might considerably affect the ground current distribution and therefore it must be taken into account in certain circumstances. Relatively simple expressions are derived for evaluation of currents flowing through different parts of earthing systems that cover the proximity effects.


Customers with positive demand lead times place orders in advance of their needs. A portfolio of customers with different demand lead times gives rise to what we call advance demand information. We develop effective inventory policies for a distribution system to account for this information. In particular, we study a centralized system with one warehouse serving multiple retailers under advance demand information. The inventory manager replenishes the warehouse from an outside supplier. Units arriving to the warehouse are allocated to the retailers. To control this system, we develop a lower bound and proposed a close-to-optimal heuristic for which the optimality gap is on average 1 92%. We also provide a closed-form solution to approximate the system-wide inventory level. Using this explicit solution, the model and the heuristic, we investigate (1) the benefit of advance demand information, and its impact on allocation decisions, (2) the joint role of risk pooling and advance demand information, and (3) the system performance with respect to supplier and retailer lead times. We illustrate how advance demand information can be a substitute for lead times and inventory, and how it enhances the outcome of delayed differentiation. (Stochastic Inventory Systems; Advance Demand Information; Multi-Echelon; Distribution Systems; Supply Chain Management)


To evaluate the suitability for panel testing of heat-fixed unstained sputum AFB smears stored for up to 10 months, panels of slides were prepared at the national laboratory and stored under ambient conditions. Every month, three slides were utilised for panel testing in each of 12 microscopy centres; 70 smears were checked in a blinded fashion after 10 months. Reading errors occurred in 15/360 slides used in panel testing and in 4/70 slides used in blinded checking. The quality and grading of heat-fixed unstained smears were unaffected for up to 10 months and were found suitable for panel testing.


Cloned genomic DNA sequences corresponding to various regions of the human type II procollagen gene were used to analyze the DNA from 78 normal volunteers. Southern hybridization experiments detected polymorphic HindIII, BamHI, and EcoRI sites. The presence of the polymorphic HindIII site results in a 7.0-kilobase (kb) band, and the absence of this site results in a 14.0-kb band. When present, the BamH1 polymorphic site yields a 4.8-kb band, and when absent, yields a 7.2-kb band. The presence of the EcoRI polymorphic site results in a 3.7-kb band, and its absence results in a 7.0-kb band. Each polymorphic site was mapped. Analyses of the data demonstrated that the sites are present in overall gene frequencies of .39 for HindIII, .04 for BamHI, and .02 for EcoRI. Gene frequencies of the polymorphic sites were also studied with respect to race. The polymorphic sites are present in a Hardy-Weinberg distribution in the study population. Study of an extended family demonstrated that the segregation of the HindIII polymorphic site is consistent with Mendelian inheritance.


Low molecular weight nucleoside gelators hold great promise in drug delivery and particularly for the delivery of biologics because of their excellent biocompatibility. However, the influence of these gelators on protein aggregation inhibition has not yet been studied. Protein aggregation is the most significant cause of protein instability and can severely impact the biological activity of the protein, impairing the quality and safety of the formulation. Herein, we report the ability of a nucleoside-based gelator, N4-octanoyl-2'-deoxycytidine, to inhibit protein aggregation. Using turbidimetric, spectroscopic, and microscopic methods, we demonstrate that protein aggregation inhibition is dependent on gelator concentration. Moreover, we have found that the protein is still functionally active in the hydrogel.


Adverse reactions to foods and food additives are common problems. True food allergy involving an immunological mechanism is less common; these allergies affect approximately 10% of the United States population. Most food allergies are immunoglobulin E-mediated; systemic anaphylaxis is the most serious complication. Diagnosis is based on history and physical examination. In vivo diagnostic studies involve skin testing and food challenges (blinded and unblinded). In vitro testing (most commonly radioallergosorbent test [RAST]) is widely used. Treatment is best accomplished by identifying and avoiding the offending allergen.


In Nietzsche's last book philosophy is proposed as a pragmatic and violent form of self-practice. Part sardonic autobiography, part nutritional, hygienic and climatic askēsis , Ecce Homo: How One Becomes What One is presents to its readers ('my friends (…) you philosophers of the future!') a strict regime for the free spirit; a call for attention to all those small things which the author, by his own admittance, only late in life discovered to be of the utmost importance. [1] Deeply inspired by Greek thought, Nietzsche's eccentric form of Diaite (defined as a whole way of life; a care of the self in the broadest sense) brings the body and its condition to the forefront of philosophical endeavours. Thinking, in fact, is itself a physical act of great care and courage [2] . A philosophy of dynamism (which to Nietzsche is the only worthy philosophy) must above all strive to be active; lived and hence understood as a material practice which should ultimately be defined in terms of vigour. For Nietzsche, there is therefore no difference between a bad meal and a bad book of academia; both causes indigestion and inertia on all levels and are to be avoided by all means. This video-essay will explore Nietzsche's paradoxical combination of pedagogy and antagonism in his attempt to turn philosophy into a matter of lived, bodily experience; a style of life. As a dramatisation of the traditional mode of academic presentation, the video, by example, proposes a merging of film and philosophy as a performative practice of concept-making. Rather than understanding the two domains as creating different types of knowledge and affect, art (film) and philosophy can be understood to be one and the same strategic activity:Following Nietzsche, the artist or the philosopher (which is one and the same) is 'he who creates the new', that is, The Thinker of the Future. [1] 'These small things – nutrition, place, climate, recreation, the whole casuistry of selfishness – are inconceivably more important than everything one has taken to be important so far. Precisely here one must begin to  relearn (…) My experiences in regard to these matters have been as bad as they possibly could be; I am surprised that I set myself this question so late in life and that it took me so long to draw "rational" conclusions from these experiences' ( Ecce Homo ; Why I am So Clever ) [2] Likewise: 'The tempo of the body's functions is closely bound up with the agility or the clumsiness of the spirit; spirit itself is indeed only a form of these organic functions' (Ibid)


Purpose: PATH was established by a German breast cancer advocacy group in 2002. While there are other tumor banks around the world, the immediate benefit for the donating patient is not always clear. With PATH, we set out to prove that patients, physicians and researchers can join forces to operate a tumor bank at the highest ethical standards while collecting tumor specimen at highest and standardized quality. In addition, PATH has developed data acquisition and management methods for disease and therapy process and follow-up.Design: PATH Foundation is a non-profit organization.Seven certified German "breast centers" are currently our partners. PATH is presented to patients in pre-OP discussion in these centers and they are given the opportunity to take part, by agreeing to an informed consent. The informational documents and consent form we give to patients were developed in collaboration with Prof. Taupitz of Germany9s National Board of Ethics. The whole PATH procedure causes no additional cost for the patient.PATH tissuebank contains tumor-, normal tissue- and blood serum-specimen in fresh frozen quality stored in -152°C freezers or liquid nitrogen tanks. The first aliquot of each specimen is stored exclusively for the patient, the rest of the material is donated to PATH for research purposes. All cooperation partners (OB/Gyns and pathologists) commit to working strictly according to PATH9s SOPs. There are 4 SOPs (extraction of blood serum und tissue aliquots, labeling of the specimen and quality-check with RIN assay).Cooperation partners9 compliance and the implementation of the SOPs is monitored in biannual visits and meetings.All important data regarding tumor biology and therapy as well as sample processing are collected in PATH9s own centrally managed MySQL database. The process was approved by the Bavarian Commission of Data Protection.Furthermore, PATH collects necessary follow-up data directly from the patient as well as from local tumor registries.Results: We began the collection of specimen in 2004.Data acquisition and implementation of the data base started in 2005. Follow-up began in late 2008. As of 04/2009, we have 3255 sufficiently documented patient data sets correlating with patients taking part in the PATH procedure (median age is 56). The available PATH collection contains 2732 tumor research specimen from 1251 patients (according to the last analysis of a collective of 2020 patients in 12/2008). Other quantities of collected specimen incl. patients9 aliquot (ps9) tumor = 1578; ps9 normal tissue = 1591; ps9 serum = 1876; resarch aliquots (ra) normal tissue = 2667; ra serum = 6068. This means that in 78,1% it was possible to collect a patient9s tumor aliquot and in 61,9% at least one research specimen, varying with tumor stage.Conclusion: Over the last 5 years, PATH has gained broad experience in tumorbanking that is allowing it to operate a biobank at the highest ethical and qualitative standards. With its follow-up efforts, PATH will be able to provide a great variety of research specimen with at least a mean follow-up time of 5 years in 2011! Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 3074.


Background: In March 2012, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved Sientra's application for premarket approval of its portfolio of round and shaped silicone gel breast implants based on data from the largest silicone gel breast implant study to date. This article presents the results of Sientra's Core Study at the conclusion of 10 years. Methods: The Sientra Core Study was a 10-year, open-label, prospective, multicenter clinical study designed to assess the safety and effectiveness of Sientra's breast implants in augmentation and reconstruction. A total of 1,788 patients (3,506 implants) were enrolled, including 1,116 primary augmentation, 363 revision-augmentation, 225 primary reconstruction, and 84 revision-reconstruction. Results: Across all cohorts, the rate of rupture by patient was 8.6%, the rate of Baker grade III/IV capsular contracture was 13.5%, and the rate of reoperation was 31.5%. The rate of capsular contracture was statistically significantly lower for textured devices [9.0%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 7.0–11.5%] compared with smooth devices (17.5%; 95% CI, 14.9–20.4%). There were no cases of breast implant–associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Primary reasons for reoperations included capsular contracture (18.8%), and style/size change (19.3%), with over 50% of the reoperations due to cosmetic reasons. Conclusion: The 10-year results of Sientra's Core Study support a comprehensive safety and effectiveness profile of Sientra's portfolio of round and shaped breast implants.


The Vaiphei people belonged to the Kuki-Chin-Mizo group of the Tibeto-Burman and were scattered throughout Northeast India. Before the advent of Christianity in this region, they practiced an animistic religion. The Vaiphei community remained almost segregated. There was little scope for mixing together with other people of the country. They were left alone to lead a life according to their own ways of life. The paper examines the process of transformation and changes taking place among the Vaiphei community with the advent of Christianity. The Vaiphei are also one of the recognized Scheduled Tribes of India.


Nineteen children and adolescents in long-term complete remission from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) were studied for hormonal and growth status after cessation of therapy. Cranial irradiation of 600-2,400 cGy was given for C.N.S. prophylaxis in 18 out of 19 patients, and additional irradiation of 2,000 cGy was given to both testes of a prepubertal boy because of testicular infiltration. The time ranges after cranial irradiation and cessation of therapy at the time of study were 61-137 months and 5-127 months respectively. Thyroid hormone, cortisol and peak cortisol response after ACTH stimulation were normal in every tested children. Basal serum gonadotropin and sex steroid values were appropriate in the majority of patients. A child who received testicular irradiation, had elevated levels of gonadotropins. Glucagon stimulation test (GST) and/or L-Dopa propranolol test (DP test) were used to study growth hormone (GH) response. None had peak GH value less than 7 ng/ml. Ten patients had peak GH values of over 15 ng/ml. Nine female patients had normal puberty and regular menstruation. Eight out of ten male children also had normal puberty. All except two male patients had normal linear growth within 2 standard deviations of the mean. The mean attained final height of 11 children was not significantly different when compared to the mean predicted heights obtained from Bayley-Pinneau and Tanner methods. Excessive weight gain during and after cessation of chemotherapy was observed in the majority of children. Continuing long-term review of these children is essential.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Valve seat inserts are one of the vital part of the valve train in internal combustion
engines, as they are the interface between the valve and the cylinder head. Valve and
valve seat embeds together serve to seal off the combustion chamber regulating the
inlet and exhaust gases. The valve seat insert avoids immediate contact of the valve
with the cylinder head and absorbs part of the combustion heat which is transfered to
the valve by passing it on to the cylinder head. Therefore, misalignment of the valve
seat during manufacturing could result in engine failure. This project proposes a
valve seat insert misalignment measurement using the concept of eddy current
inspection method. Eddy current inspection method permit flaw detection in a large
variety of conductive materials, either ferromagnetic or non-ferromagnetic.
Simulation to study the change in induced current density and magnetic density
around the valve seat and cylinder head due to the magnetic field generated by an
exciting coil was conduct using COMSOL Multiphysics 4.4. Based on the simulation
result, it is observed that the change in gap width between valve seat and cylinder
head will interfere the eddy current path which caused in the change of induced
current density and magnetic flux density.


Abstract : The main goals in the previous grant period have been to develop new, more effective methods for performing accurate ab initio electronic structure calculations and to use these methods for the prediction of molecular structure, bonding and reactivity, especially for main group species and reactions of interest to the Air Force. From the theoretical point of view, the principle accomplishments have been extensive development of approaches and codes for performing electronic structure calculations in parallel, continued development of methods for interfacing electronic structure calculations with dynamics, initial studies of the possibility of splicing together different levels of electronic structure theory, and the development of a new model for treating solvation. Applications have ranged from the development of very accurate and extensive potential energy surfaces for A +HB reactions (to interface with the experiments) to the role of catalysts in the hydrosilation reaction to extensive studies of reactions involved in both main group and transition metal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to broad-based studies of cage molecules (using our new parallel capabilities) that are potential precursors for new materials electronic and optical devices and catalysts. A new area that we have entered into is a series of systematic calculations on transition metal (TM) -main group (MG) compounds and their roles and catalysts and in such important area as CVD.


Sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) is an important modulator of cardiovascular functions in health and diseases. However, the exact role of SIRT6 in heart disease is poorly defined. We hypothesized that SIRT6 is a negative regulator of angiotensin II (Ang II)-mediated myocardial remodeling, fibrosis and injury. The male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized to Ang II (200 ng/kg/min) infusion with an osmotic minipump and pretreated with recombinant plasmids adeno-associated viral vector (AAV)-SIRT6 (pAAV-SIRT6) or pAAV-GFP for 4 weeks. Ang II triggered downregulated levels of SIRT6 and angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and upregulated expression of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and proinflammatory chemokine fractalkine (FKN), contributing to enhanced cardiac fibrosis and ultrastructural injury. Reduced levels of phosphorylated pAMPK-α, increased myocardial hypertrophy and impaired heart dysfunction were observed in both Ang II-induced hypertensive rats and ACE2 knockout rats, characterized with increases in heart weight and left ventricular (LV) posterior wall thickness and decreases in LV ejection fraction and LV fractional shortening. More importantly, pAAV-SIRT6 treatment strikingly potentiated cardiac levels of pAMPKα and ACE2 as well as decreased levels of CTGF, FKN, TGFβ1, collagen I and collagen III, resulting in alleviation of Ang II-induced pathological hypertrophy, myocardial fibrosis, cardiac dysfunction and ultrastructural injury in hypertensive rats. In conclusion, our findings confirmed cardioprotective effects of SIRT6 on pathological remodeling, fibrosis and myocardial injury through activation of AMPK-ACE2 signaling and suppression of CTGF-FKN pathway, indicating that SIRT6 functions as a partial agonist of ACE2 and targeting SIRT6 has potential therapeutic importance for cardiac fibrosis and heart disease.


The D0 Detector at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory is a large multi-purpose detector facility designed for the study of proton-antiproton collision products at the center-of-mass energy of 2 TeV. It consists of an inner tracking volume, hermetic uranium/liquid argon sampling calorimetry, and an outer 4{pi} muon detector. In preparation for our first collider run, the collaboration organized a Cosmic Ray Commissioning Run, which took place from February - May of 1991. This thesis is a detailed study of the response of the central calorimeter to cosmic ray muons as extracted from data collected during this run.


In this study, the dynamic of guided ionization wave (IW) generated by an atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) device operating in helium is experimentally investigated. The present work focuses on the properties of the intense electric field (EF) driving the IW. Taking advantages of APPJs to produce guided and reproducible IWs, the induced EF vector is characterized spatially and temporally along the direction of propagation. With this approach, EF vector mapping of guided IWs have been measured and documented for the first time. In the first part, the propagation within a glass tube of the first IW is investigated. Under the present conditions, a second guided IW is observed and propagates, leading to the formation of a guided streamer. The EF due to transient charge deposited on the wall surface is observed, particularly at the end of the tube. In the second part, one reports on the EF vector mapping under a dielectric substrate in contact with guided IWs. EF strength up to 55kVcm−1 has been measured and corroborates prior results from predictive numerical simulations. Intriguing configurations of the EF lines will be of significant interest to validate theoretical models in order to refine the non-equilibrium plasma chemistry kinetics. Furthermore, this preliminary work provides important insights into various applications involving IW driven discharges such as liquid activation, environmental treatments, plasma medicine, active flow control and plasma agriculture.


The insertion of foreign DNA into mammalian genomes can alter their methylation and transcription patterns at remote sites from the locus of foreign DNA integration. The mechanisms leading to these fundamental changes and their frequencies are unknown. Sites and extent of changes in the recipient cells might depend on the location of foreign DNA integration. In the second part of this review, it will be hypothesized that the insertion event itself, for example, of tumor viral DNA via its epigenetic genome-wide consequences, plays an important role in oncogenesis. During evolution, the impact of ancient retrotransposon or retroviral genomes and the ensuing epigenetic alterations in the recipient genomes might have generated cells with completely different transcriptional profiles. Due to the continued presence of the transgenomes these alterations were genetically stable and were selected for or against by the environmental conditions prevalent at the time. These evolutionary effects are very different from those postulated for insertional mutagenesis, added genetic information or regulatory elements placed into the vicinity of cellular functions.


Obesity has become a major life-threatening disorder as it is associated with many risk factors such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, type II diabetes and certain forms of cancer. Pancreatic lipase inhibition is one of the alternate strategies to treat obesity. In our previous study, phenacyl ester of N-sulphonyl beta alanine was obtained as a hit molecule when pharmacophore- based virtual screening was carried out using reported pancreatic lipase inhibitors.In search of novel pancreatic lipase inhibitors, three series of phenacyl esters of Nsubstituted amino acids were synthesized and evaluated for their pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity.N-aroylation of amino acids and subsequent esterification with different phenacyl bromides in the presence of N,N-Dimethylformamide (DMF) afforded the corresponding phenacyl esters in quantitative yields.The synthesized compounds were found to have good pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity and showed IC50 in the range of 0.036 and 84 μg/ml.All the synthesized compounds showed better pancreatic lipase inhibitory activity and it indicates that the N-aroylated phenacyl esters could be considered as lead moiety for further studies to develop novel anti-obesity potentials.


This paper focuses on agency in language policy change. The object of the analysis is the processes of bilingualization of signage in three European towns. Located in the Czech Republic, Hungary and Wales, the towns differ in various respects, including the extent to which signage language policies have faced opposition and threatened social cohesion. Two theoretical frameworks are combined to analyse what facilitated or hindered language policy changes at the three sites. Language management framework provides a model of behaviour through which language and communication evolve in response to deviations from communicative expectations. Advocacy coalition framework, developed in political science, is used to gain an understanding of how such behaviour by coordinated social actors influences macro-level processes such as policy change.


The incidence and case fatality of stroke from 1983 to 1985 from the community-based stroke register of the FINMONICA study in Finland were compared with the corresponding rates in the hospital-based register of Akita in Japan collected during 1984-1986. The comparability of the two registers was assessed, and case fatality was compared only in hospitalized cases. In Akita, the age-standardized incidence of cerebral haemorrhage in people aged 25-74 was twice that in FINMONICA, while the reverse was true for incidence of cerebral infarction. Case fatality from stroke within 48 h of onset was higher in FINMONICA than in Akita in each stroke subtype. The incidence and mortality of subarachnoid haemorrhage were similar in the two populations. The differences in early case fatality are probably due to dissimilarities in the severity of the stroke attacks rather than discrepancies in early treatment. Coding practices and also a more unlikely selection bias due to the differential use of computerized brain tomography in the two countries may play a role in differences in incidence and case fatality between these two countries.


We have performed measurements of the Hall coefficient (RH) on Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 single crystals and attributed an effective carrier density (neff) to RH. The oxygen content was successively reduced by annealing and the superconducting transition temperature (Tc) found to shift from 85 K down to 40 K. We have found a linear relationship between Tc and the hole concentration as in other high-Tc families.


Data mining technique has attracted attention in the information industry and society as a whole, because of the big amount of data and the imminent need to transform that data into useful information and knowledge. Recently conducted studies with successfully demarcated results using this technique, to estimate several parameters in a variety of domains. However, the effective use of data in some areas is still developing, as is the case of sports, which has shown moderate growth. In this context, the objective of this article is to present a systematic review of the literature about research involving sports data mining. As systematic searches were made out in five databases, resulting in 21 articles that answered a question that grounded this article.


Background. Good postoperative analgesic management improves maternal satisfaction and care of the neonate. Postoperative pain management is a challenge in Mulago Hospital, yet ketamine is accessible and has proven benefit. We determined ketamine's postoperative analgesic effects. Materials and Methods. We did an RCT among consenting parturients that were randomized to receive either intravenous ketamine (0.25 mg/kg) or placebo after spinal anesthetic. Pain was assessed every 30 mins up to 24 hours postoperatively using the numerical rating scale. The first complaint of pain requiring treatment was noted as "time to first breakthrough pain." Results. We screened 100 patients and recruited 88 that were randomized into two arms of 44 patients that received either ketamine or placebo. Ketamine group had 30-minute longer time to first breakthrough pain and lower 24-hour pain scores. Postoperative diclofenac consumption was lesser in the ketamine group compared to placebo and Kaplan-Meier graphs showed a higher probability of experiencing breakthrough pain earlier in the placebo group. Conclusion. Preincision intravenous ketamine (0.25 mg/kg) offered 30-minute prolongation to postoperative analgesia requirement with reduced 24-hour pain scores. We recommend larger studies to explore this benefit. This trial is registered with Pan African Clinical Trial Registry number PACTR201404000807178.


IEC 61850 is the new standard for communications in substations that defines process bus and substation bus communications allowing the development of new distributed applications for protection, control and automation. The paper describes the different communications related to the implementation of the new standard. It also discusses performance requirements for the various substation functions


Hurricane Gustav made landfall on September 1, 2008, Southwest of New Orleans, LA. Several transmission lines were outaged and an electrical island was formed in an area including the metropolitan New Orleans, LA. The island was sustained for several hours before the system was restored. This paper discusses the issues associated with maintaining an island, results of the dynamic simulations performed to replicate the island, and issues associated with restoring the island.


Copper phthalocyanine can assemble along PPE backbones into molecular arrays and 2D assemblies with structural parameters different from its intrinsic 2D crystal. The template effect depends on the match between the size of phthalocyanine and the repeating period of the PPE backbone.


This study aims to analyze the effect of service quality on trust, satisfaction and loyalty by adopting two models, namely, conventional service quality model from Parasuraman and information systems (IS) success model from Delone and McLean.,Respondents of this study were users of shared-motorcycle services who filled out a complete questionnaire totaling 507. This research used a second-order structural equation model. All question items had quite high reliability and validity based on the result of confirmatory factor analysis with a value of average variance extracted and composite reliability which was higher than 0.70. The goodness of fit was quite good with the values x2/df = 2.493, incremental fit index = 0.921, Tucker-Lewis index = 0.917, comparative fit index = 0.921 and root-mean-square error of approximation = 0.054.,Online and offline ride-sharing services reveal a strong and positive influence on trust and satisfaction. Trust reveals a strong and positive influence on satisfaction and loyalty. Finally, satisfaction reveals a strong and positive influence on loyalty. The research in general shows that the quality of offline service is more influential than the quality of online service in the case of ride-sharing service provided by two companies in Indonesia.,The sampling frame of the research was diverse, including students of various collages and junior high schools, various private company workers and government employees. So, the results cannot be generalized to all populations especially to all Indonesian customers. It is recommended to increase the number of samples by focusing on the community groups of customers of public motorbikes, so that these groups can be compared. Next, the research finds that both service quality based on IS and service quality models reveal a strong and positive influence on loyalty both directly and indirectly.,The research uses respondents who use motorcycle services both online and offline. The findings of the research are important for online and offline ride-sharing motorbike service providers. They have to maintain their excellent services to the customers.


Acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis is a disease of unknown etiology characterized by fever, tender skin lesions, and arthritis. Histopathologic examination shows a perivasculitis of the skin with lack of inflammation of vessels. It occurs in a female: male ratio of 4:1 with middle age females affected most frequently. We report a 17-year-old male with acute febrile neutrophilic dermatosis in whom the relationship between the arthritis, skin eruptions, white blood cell count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate are presented. The young man was treated with prednisone for only 5 days with complete resolution of the signs and symptoms and without relapse for 11 months.


Abstract Results from randomized controlled trials of learning strategies instruction with 375 adult basic education participants are reported. Reading outcomes from whole group strategic instruction in 1 of 4 learning strategies were compared to outcomes of reading instruction delivered in the context of typical adult education units on social studies, history, and science. Both experimental and control conditions experienced high attrition and low attendance, resulting in only 105 control and 100 experimental participants' data in outcome analyses for the trials of the 4 learning strategies. Reading outcomes for these completers were not significantly different between experimental and control conditions, and each group achieved minimal gains. We discuss possible reasons for the nonsignificant effect from the intervention, including insufficient instructional dosage.


Thermography is used to detect corrosion on a aluminum specimen. Two identical aluminum plates are extracted from the same base material. One of them is machined on one side, in such a way to simulate a material loss. Both the sound and damaged plate are heated on the undamaged side by a sine modulated heating source. A thermographic camera records a sequence of images of the temperature surface of both the sound and damaged sample on the heated (undamaged) sides. Several sequences are recorded with different modulation periods. By a suitable data reduction procedure, the thermographic sequence is reduced to a couple of images representing amplitude and phase of the oscillating temperature field. A perturbative method is used to solve iteratively the direct problem in the corroded domain that is confronted with the experimental data until an optimum matching is reached.


INTRODUCTION:
Post operative sore throat is the most common complaint after endotracheal intubation and is seen in upto 90% of the patients. It maybe considered along with endotracheal tube emergence phenomenon with laryngeal edema and ischemia. Chemical and mechanical irritation of the tracheal mucosa influences the incidence of cough at emergence from general anesthesia, potentially leading to significant postoperative complications.
Sore throat during emergence in a lighter plane of anaesthesia can result in detrimental hemodynamic changes. These changes are particularly undesirable in patients undergoing neurosurgical and, ophthalmic or those who have an increased
risk of adverse cardiovascular event. Both in-vivo and in-vitro studies have been conducted on endotracheal tube cuffs filled with lignocaine. Past studies using high
doses of lignocaine are associated with complications in the event of rupture of cuff. Sodium bicarbonate is hence added to increase the diffusion of lignocaine low doses of through the cuff thereby preventing complications like sore throat, restlessness, nausea, vomiting, dysphonia and hoarseness of voice.
So in this study we compared the effect of intracuff alkalinized lignocaine and air in minimizing the incidence of post operative sore throat and cough after endotracheal intubation in general anaesthesia.
AIM OF THE STUDY:
1.To compare the incidence of post operative sore throat after general anaesthesia
while using air and alkalinized lignocaine as the cuff inflation media of the endotracheal tube.
2. To study the incidence of cough, vomiting, hoarseness of voice and aspiration after extubation while inflating the cuff of the endotracheal tube with alkalinized lignocaine.
MATERIALS AND METHODS:
This study was done in patients undergoing elective surgical procedures lasting for more than two hours under general anesthesia in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology and Department of General Surgery, Stanley Medical College, Chennai. This was a randomized, prospective comparative study conducted on 150 patients over a period of six months. Patients were explained about the procedure in detail and informed written consent was obtained. The approval of the Institutional Ethical Committee was obtained.
STUDY DESIGN:
Prospective, randomized, comparative, single blinded study was conducted.
INCLUSION CRITERIA:
All patients assessed under ASA physical status classification I and II aged 18-60 yrs scheduled to undergo surgery under general anaesthesia lasting for more than 2 hours.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
1. Patients with difficult airway i.e. Modified Mallampatti grade III/IV,
2. Patients with history suggestive of Gastro esophageal reflux,
3. Patients with history of laryngeal or tracheal surgery and history of asthma, cardiovascular disease, smoking.
4. Recent respiratory infection,
5. Requirement of more than one attempt for endotracheal intubation.
6. Patients who need nasogastric tube intraoperatively.
7. Surgery lasting less than 40 min.
8. No consent for study.
FINDINGS:
A prospective observational study on the effect of intracuff alkalinized lignocaine on the incidence of post operative sore throat and cough after general anaesthesia in a tertiary care center revealed the following findings. All patients assessed under ASA physical status classification I and II aged 18- 60 yrs scheduled to undergo surgery lasting for more than 2 hours were included in the study.
CONCLUSION:
In our study we conclude that inflating the cuff of the endotracheal tube with alkalinized lidocaine avoids the cuff overinflation due to rapid trans-cuff N2O diffusion during general anesthesia with nitrous-oxygen mixture. Hence, inflating the endotracheal tube cuff with alkalinized lignocaine is an alternative method to prevent post operative sore throat and other potential complications of extubation including post operative cough and hoarseness of voice which results from cuff overinflation in patients undergoing general anaesthesia.


Production is one of the issues that are continuously being monitored. Thus, a case study is being done on the productivity of the production end of a factory that produces sieved sugar as its final product. This research is mainly to study the level of productivity in the
production end of Kilang Gula FELDA Perlis. Since there was no previous study done, partial and multifactor productivity are used in determining a suitable index for
measuring productivity level on the production end of KGFP. Multifactor productivity has been determined as a suitable measuring index for productivity level at KGFP. Shift productivity and work group are also being analyzed using three-month worth of data that begins on January 2002 and ends on March 2002. This study has shown that
workers on the afternoon shift from 3.00pm to 11.OOpm have the highest productivity yield. However, the difference in productivity value between the three shifts is very small. As for shift groups, group A has shown the highest productivity level followed by group C and B respectively. Next, regression analysis is done to determine the factor
that relates to the productivity. Result from this analysis has shown that raw material and salary gives a significant value towards the output.


Background: Phenotypic and morphological characteristics distinguishing from bloodstream form (BSF) and central nervous system (CNS) of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense (Tbr) are poorly understood. Method: To identify these distinguishing characteristics, we separately infected four donor mice with each of five Tbr isolates (KETRI 2537/3537/2656/3459 and EATRO 2291). At 21 days post infection (DPI), donor mice were euthanized, BSF or CNS derived trypanosomes recovered and used for the following studies: 1) determination of morphological characteristics 2) pathogenicity studies using groups of 10 mice per isolate form. We then assessed differences in their lengths and morphology) and other characteristics including pre-patent period (PP), parasitaemia progression, packed cell volume (PCV), body weight, survival times, gross pathology, and histopathology. All analyses of data were conducted using GenStat, UK where p ⩽ 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Differences between and within the means were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. General Linear Model was used to analyze data on the length of the trypanosome. Survival data analysis was carried out employing the Kaplan–Meier method. Results: Morphologically, the CNS forms were predominantly long slender (LS) while BSF forms consisted of a mixture of short stumpy and intermediate forms. The mean length of CNS trypanosomes was 0.6 micrometer longer than their counterpart BSF derived trypanosomes. The PP was significantly (p<0.05) shorter and progression to peak parasitaemia faster (7 vs 9 days) in CNS than BSF derived trypanosomes. PCV declined by 21.6% and 26.9% in BSF and CNS infected mice respectively whereas non-infected control increased by 3.8% at 14 DPI. Body weight changes in BSF and CNS infected mice were (12.7% and 9.2% respectively) and significantly (p <0.05) lower than in non-infected control (27.6%) at 14 DPI. Gross pathology changes (splenomegaly and hepatomegaly) and histopathology changes were pronounced in mice infected with CNS relative to BSF trypanosome forms. Changes in histopathology included congestion, infiltration with inflammatory cells, hemolysis and necrosis, all indicators of differential virulence of the forms. Conclusion: Our study identified higher pathogenicity in CNS relative to BFS derived trypanosome forms in the mouse model. We also identified KETRI 2656 as a suitable isolate for acute menigo- encephalitic studies.


ABSTRACT Dillenburg, S.R.; Barboza, E.G.; Rosa, M.L.C.C.; Caron, F., and Bitencourt, V.B., 2020. Changes in the littoral drift of the Uruguayan coast during the Holocene and its influence in the continuing erosion in southern Brazil. In: Malvárez, G. and Navas, F. (eds.), Global Coastal Issues of 2020. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 95, pp. 453–457. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. In northern Uruguay and southern Brazil, a littoral drift system dominates from southwest to northeast. This littoral drift is a consequence of higher wave-energy, generated in southern latitudes and that has been operating on a long-term scale, playing an important role not only in the evolution of coastal barriers of this region during the Holocene but also in coastal erosion that presently occurs in some parts of this coast. From La Coronilla to Cabo Santa Marta, which is a coastal sector 750 km - along the coast is gently undulating, showing gentle projections located to the south of gentle reentrances, that are dominated by transgressive/stationary and regressive barriers, respectively. In general, the regressive barriers have been developed by sediments brought into the reentrances by long-shore currents. The main source of these sediments had been the transgressive/stationary barriers that occur along the coastal projections. This differentiation of barrier behavior started at around 6-5 ka, at the end of the Postglacial Marine Transgression (PMT), when all rivers were drowned, finishing the delivery of new coarse sediments to the coast. Also, at this time the large rock promontories of the Uruguayan coast were formed and started to retain sediments of the littoral drift system, triggering a long-term coastal erosion in the southernmost coastal projection. Regarding erosion that is occurring in this stretch of coast the important issue to be considered in future coastal planning is that erosion will continue to operate in the long-term but will also be (and certainly has been already) amplified by sea-level rise in the next centuries as projected by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).


This qualitative interview study investigated the types of parental racial-ethnic socialization messages received by Multiracial American youth over the course of their development. The Multiracial population in America is the largest demographic group among individuals under the age of 18 (Saulny, 2011), but there is a dearth of research about the development of this rapidly growing population. Multiracial youth are members of multiple racial-ethnic groups. Thus, racial-ethnic socialization is particularly complex for Multiracial families because parents typically have different racial backgrounds and experiences compared to their children. Interviews were conducted with 20 Multiracial emerging adult college students (Mage = 20.55; 10 male, 10 female) of diverse racial backgrounds to identify the types of parental racial-ethnic socialization messages they received growing up. Using thematic analysis (Braun & Clarke, 2006), nine themes of racial-ethnic socialization content emerged: Cultural socialization, racial identity socialization, preparation for bias socialization, colorblind socialization, race-conscious socialization, diversity appreciation socialization, negative socialization, exposure to diversity socialization, and silent socialization. This research advances the literature by (a) identifying domains of racial-ethnic socialization messages for Multiracial American families, (b) examining a diverse sample of male and female Multiracial youth, (c) differentiating monoracial versus Multiracial socialization messages, and (d) distinguishing the unique connotations of egalitarian socialization messages (e.g., colorblind, race-conscious, diversity appreciation). The findings have important implications for understanding the development of Multiracial American individuals and families. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).


Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) are one of the most dramatic manifestations of atherothrombosis and several efforts have been made in recent years to improve their prognosis. Morbidity and mortality of high-to-medium risk ACS have significantly reduced in the real world setting during the last few years, due to a very aggressive antithrombotic therapy, which always involves a combination of an anticoagulant and different antiplatelet agents, and an extensive indication to revascularization. However, it has become increasingly important for clinicians to identify the correct treatment between the several different combination of antithrombotic and antiplatelet agents. The selection and intensity of these combinations are based in the first instance on the ischemic risk profile of the patient and the treatment strategy (early invasive, delayed invasive or conservative) selected. However, the use of such an aggressive antithrombotic therapy coupled with coronary angioplasty exposes the patients to a significant risk of bleeding. Unfortunately, these bleeding complications have a negative prognostic significance and force clinicians to suspend (or decrease) the antithrombotic treatments to control bleeding.


The formation of various carbohydrate-derived beta-carbolines was observed when model reactions of tryptophan with glucose were studied by means of HPLC with diode array detection, as well as by means of HPLC-MS. Isolation of these compounds and subsequent characterization by tandem mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy led to the identification of diastereomeric 1-(1,3,4,5-tetrahydroxypent-1-yl)-9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indoles (1a/b), 1-(1,4,5-trihydroxypent-1-yl)-9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indoles (2a/b), and E/Z isomers of 1-(1,5-dihydroxypent-3-en-1-yl)-9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole (3a/b). HPLC-MS was used to prove the presence of these novel beta-carboline alkaloids in various food samples. In addition, quantitative determination of beta-carbolines 1a, 1b, and 2a/b in numerous products was achieved by means of HPLC with fluorometric detection. Concentrations ranged from 12 to 1922 microg/L for 1a and 1b and from 3 to 644 microg/L for 2a/b. The highest concentrations of all carbohydrate-derived beta-carbolines under study were found in ketchup, soy sauce, and fish sauce.


The geographical literature on the politics tied to formal commemorations of the past is a burgeoning one. Yet, there has been less attention paid to similar practices undertaken by nonstate agents seeking to ensure that what is written out of official history is not forgotten. This paper explores how and why the story of Sybil Kathigasu, a woman who played a salient role in the resistance movement against the Japanese during the Second World War in Perak, Malaysia, has been peripheralized within formal memory making even as it has been informally revived elsewhere. It specifically suggests that, while the sidelining of her story may be the product of the tendency of the state of Perak to downplay its war past, Sybil's gender, race and political ideologies have also made it more difficult for her to be embraced as a 'national' heroine. Drawing on a private museum that was set up in her honor in Papan, the paper also reveals how factors impeding her formal remembrance also have implications for alternative efforts to recover her story. More broadly, the paper offers insights into women's absences in Malaysian public memory, and argues the need for more emphasis on memoryscapes 'from below' as a means of nuancing local remembrance politics.


While the postulation that a noun phrase is headed by a determiner is a widely accepted approach to the analysis of languages across the world, linguists struggle to ascertain the exact elements which stand as functional categories. This is because languages (especially those in the Bantu family) display individual idiosyncrasies in this area of enquiry. This paper, therefore, examines the Structure of the Determiner Phrase in Kɨbhwanɉi using the Minimalist Approach. Specifically, the paper sought to establish the functional categories that head the DP and to examine the order of modifiers in the Kɨbhwanɉi DP. Data were obtained from Makete District in Njombe Region, Tanzania. They were collected through acceptability judgement, document review and focus group discussion (FGD). The findings of the study show that the functional categories that head the DP in Kɨbhwanɉi are: augments, the prenominal possessive formative –nya, and prenominal demonstratives. An augment and the formative –nya occur pre-nominally with their nouns where they function as determiners. The prenominal demonstrative is raised from its original (base generated) position below D. It has also been found that modifiers may range from one to six. This yields the order (DEM)/(AUG)/(DISTR)/(POSS) > N > POSS > QUANT > DEM > NUM > ADJ > REL. The order of these modifiers is not rigid. For the purpose of encoding emphasis or focus, the order may change, thus making the order neutral.


This report describes the Bayesian approach to probability theory with emphasis on the application to the evaluation of experimental data. A brief summary of Bayesian principles is given, with a discussion of concepts, terminology and pitfalls. The step from Bayesian principles to data processing involves major numerical efforts. We address the presently employed procedures of numerical integration, which are mainly based on the Monte Carlo method. The case studies include examples from electron spectroscopies, plasma physics, ion beam analysis and mass spectrometry. Bayesian solutions to the ubiquitous problem of spectrum restoration are presented and advantages and limitations are discussed. Parameter estimation within the Bayesian framework is shown to allow for the incorporation of expert knowledge which in turn allows the treatment of under-determined problems which are inaccessible by the traditional maximum likelihood method. A unique and extremely valuable feature of Bayesian theory is the model comparison option. Bayesian model comparison rests on Ockham's razor which limits the complexity of a model to the amount necessary to explain the data without fitting noise. Finally we deal with the treatment of inconsistent data. They arise frequently in experimental work either from incorrect estimation of the errors associated with a measurement or alternatively from distortions of the measurement signal by some unrecognized spurious source. Bayesian data analysis sometimes meets with spectacular success. However, the approach cannot do wonders, but it does result in optimal robust inferences on the basis of all available and explicitly declared information.


Geophysical data acquired in the southeastern Caribbean marine area (CARAMBA survey of the French O/V Atalante) provide new information about the deformation processes occurring in this subduction-to-strike-slip transitions zone. The 65 000 km2 of multibeam data and 5600 km of seismic reflection and 3.5 kHz profiles which have been collected evidence that the connection between the Barbados accretionary prism and the south Caribbean transform system is partitioned between a wide variety of recently active tectonic superficial features (complex folding, diffuse faulting, and mud volcanism), which accommodate the relative displacement between the Caribbean and the South America plates. The active deformation within the sedimentary pile is mostly aseismic (creeping) and this deformation is relatively diffuse over a large diffuse plate boundary. There is no direct fault connection between the front of the Barbados prism and the strike-slip system of northern Venezuela. The toe thrust system at the southern edge of the Barbados prism, exhibits clear en-echelon geometry. The geometry of the syntectonic deposits evidence the diachronism of the deformation processes. Notably, it is well evidenced that early folds have been sealed by the recent turbidite deposits, whereas, some of the fold and thrust structures were active recently. Within this active compressional region, extension growth faults develop on the platform and on the slope of the Orinoco delta along a WNW-ESE trending en-echelon fault system that we called the Orinoco Delta Fault Zone (ODFZ). This fault system is clearly oblique with respect to the present-day Orinoco delta slope. These faults are not simply related to a passive gravitary collapse of the sediments accumulated on the Orinoco platform. Though there a decoupling between the shallow deformation processes in the sediments and the deep deformation characterized by earthquake activity, the ODFZ is inferred to be partly controlled by deep structures associated the shearing of the lithosphere at depth (probably at the Continent-Ocean Boundary).


Background The Oxford-Family Planning Association (Oxford-FPA) contraceptive study has provided information on many serious diseases of the female reproductive tract. No information has been published about a number of common minor conditions. This report fills the gap with regard to uterine polyp, cervicitis, cervical erosion, and vaginitis and vulvitis. Methods The Oxford-FPA study includes 17 032 married women recruited at ages 25–39 years between 1968 and 1974 from clinics in England and Scotland. These women were followed up until mid-1994. Information collected during follow-up included details of contraceptive use, cervical smears taken at the clinic, pregnancies and hospital referrals. Results Oral contraceptive (OC) use was associated with a reduction in first hospital referral for uterine polyp and for vaginitis and vulvitis, which became more marked with increasing duration of use. There was a slightly increased rate of hospital referral for cervicitis in OC users. Referral for cervical erosion was markedly increased in current and recent OC users (rate ratio 2.1, 95% confidence interval 1.8–2.4). This increase in risk steadily declined after OC use was discontinued. First hospital referral for both uterine polyp and cervical erosion showed a highly significant negative association with numbers of cigarettes smoked per day. The explanation for these observations is unknown. Conclusions It should be remembered that the OCs studied were mainly those used in the 1970s and 1980s and mostly contained 50 μg estrogen. On balance, the overall effect of OC use on the conditions considered was neutral or beneficial. The apparent protective effect of cigarette smoking against uterine polyp and cervical erosion, even if valid, counts as nothing against the overwhelming adverse effects of smoking on health.


Introduction. The direct link between systemic hypertension (AHT) and OSAS (Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome) is well documented. 30% of AHT patients presented an OSAS associated and this prevalence is higher, about 80% for resistant AHT patients. However the interest of systematic sleep exploration of all hypertensive patients is not established.

Objective / Methods.The objective of the study was to determine the prevalence of OSAS in a cohort of patients hospitalized between 2003 and 2012 for AHT exploration in a specialized unit, in Toulouse (France). All these patients, with or whithout suspected symptoms of OSAS, have been explored by a polygraphy ventilation.The diagnosis of OSAS was based on an apnea / hypopnea index (IAH) < 5 by hour.

Results: 1112 hypertensive patients were evaluated, including 311 (28%) with resistant AHT. In this cohort, 679 patients (61%) presented an OSAS. 165 patients (14.8%) had a severe OSAS with an AHI > 30 / h. All patients with severe OSAS (165/165) presented a resistant AHT.

Conclusion. Severe OSAS represents nearly 15% of cases in this population and have to be treated by Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. This result underlines the interest of a systematic search for sleep disordered breathing in AHT patients hospitalized in a specialized unit.


Designing interactive technology entails several objectives, one of which is identifying and selecting appropriate functionality. Given candidate functionalities such as "print," "bookmark," and "share," a designer has to choose which functionalities to include and which to leave out. Such choices critically affect the acceptability, productivity, usability, and experience of the design. However, designers may overlook reasonable designs because there is an exponential number of functionality sets and multiple factors to consider. This article is the first to formally define this problem and propose an algorithmic method to support designers to explore alternative functionality sets in early stage design. Based on interviews of professional designers, we mathematically define the task of identifying functionality sets that strike the best balance among four objectives: usefulness, satisfaction, ease of use, and profitability. We develop an integer linear programming solution that can efficiently solve very large instances (set size over 1,300) on a regular computer. Further, we build on techniques of robust optimization to search for diverse and surprising functionality designs. Empirical results from a controlled study and field deployment are encouraging. Most designers rated computationally created sets to be of the comparable or superior quality than their own. Designers reported gaining better understanding of available functionalities and the design space.


Antifungal lock therapy has received significant interest in the last few years because the frequently usage of intravascular devices is associated with an increasing number of catheter‐related bloodstream infections caused by Candida species. Antifungal combinations with synergistic interaction can be a good choice for antifungal lock therapy; therefore, interactions were examined between two echinocandins (caspofungin and micafungin) and the chitin synthesis inhibitor nikkomycin Z against Candida albicans and C. parapsilosis biofilms. Susceptibility was evaluated using the XTT‐based checkerboard microdilution method, while the nature of interactions was assessed by calculating fractional inhibitory concentration indices and using the Bliss independence model. Mathematic‐based evaluations were supplemented with fluorescent LIVE/DEAD viability assay. The results obtained by statistical interaction analyses correlated well with the viability assay. The tested echinocandins with nikkomycin Z caused an extended cell death and the structure of the biofilm was sparse compared to the control, especially for C. albicans. The findings support the simultaneous usage of nikkomycin Z and caspofungin or micafungin in alternative therapies such as the antifungal lock therapy.