This book explores the relationship between law and creative practice, or more particularly, how creative practices can be shaped by law.

Not a 'law book' in the usual sense, Creative Practice and the Law has been written with a non-legal audience in mind. Drawing on key principles of the law to provide 'basics' that can be used to guide creators in their use of content, the book shows why the law may affect their practice, rather than describing or instructing on the law itself. It includes an overview of the legal landscape - legal method, approach and system – to provide a background as to why the law affects creators as it does.


Online configurators are basically everywhere. From physical goods (cars, clothes) to services (cloud solutions, insurances, etc.) such configurators have pervaded many areas of everyday life, in order to provide the customers products tailored to their needs. Being sometimes the only interfaces between product suppliers and consumers, much care has been devoted to the HCI aspects of configurators, aiming at offering an enjoyable buying experience. However, at the backend, the management of numerous and complex configuration options results from ad-hoc process rather than a systematic variability-aware engineering approach. We present our experience in analysing web configurators and formalising configuration options in terms of feature models or product configuration matrices. We also consider behavioural issues and perspectives on their architectural design.


The purpose of this study is to find the relationships among advanced manufacturing technology (AMT), innovation, export and firm performance by using data obtained from 310 Turkish manufacturing firms.,A survey study was performed to obtain data from manufacturing firms. Multiple-item scales were adapted from the literature to conduct the survey in this study. Data were collected from five cities located in the Southeastern Anatolia Region in Turkey (Gaziantep, Adiyaman, Kilis, Diyarbakir and Sanliurfa). Structural equation modeling was utilized to investigate the relationships among AMT, innovation, export and firm performance in Turkish manufacturing firms operating in several industries. The direct and indirect relations between these variables are examined in the proposed conceptual model. In addition, the complex relations including in the proposed model are assessed in detail through the mediation analysis.,Six of the proposed ten hypotheses related to manufacturers are validated by the empirical evidence from manufacturing companies in Turkey. Significant findings obtained in this study include the following: there are strong positive associations between the use of AMT and innovation and between export and firm performance. In addition, innovation mediates the relationship between AMT and firm performance and between AMT and export. Finally, export mediates the relationship between AMT and firm performance and between innovation and firm performance. It is expected that the results obtained from this empirical analysis will help decision makers and managers to construct a good technology and production management strategy for manufacturing systems.,In this study, a novel conceptual model is proposed to examine the relationships among AMT, innovation, export and firm performance via the use of survey responses from 310 Turkish manufacturing firms. To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first study that proposes such a conceptual model in the literature.


In this article the authors use G. Morgan's (1986, 1997) metaphors to look at the changes to stakeholder attitudes and behavior during an information systems—led organizational change. They discuss the introduction of an organization-wide intranet system in a U.K. National Health Service organization and elicit metaphorical attitudes and infer behavior by using multiple research methods within a longitudinal case study. The findings show that various contextual factors shift the organization's overall stance from psychic prison (repression) to organism (flexible) metaphor. Furthermore, many stakeholders aspire to more than one metaphor at a given time, although a predominant metaphor can still be identified for most stakeholders. The authors present the metaphorical journey map as a tool for capturing attitude and behavioral changes of individuals during the change period. The authors advocate that use of metaphors in such a way can help management better understand the overall social orientation of their organizations and devise appropriate interventions to expedite the change process and increase its legitimacy.


* E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com ABSTRACT – The knowledge of sweet cherry resistance to deformation was important for a good choice of means and methods of packing, storage and transportation of fresh fruits for consumption, both on internal market and for exportation. In this paper, the authors have shown the results of some determinations on fruit deformation, carried out on seven sweet cherry varieties (Cetăţuia, Cătălina, Maria, Golia, Ştefan, Bucium and Tereza), harvested at three maturation stages: before ripening (10 days before ripening), almost ripe (five days before maturity) and at maturity. We have recorded the fruit resistance to deformation at a weight below 500 g, using an original device made by the Fruit Growing Research and Development Station of Iaşi. This mechanical device can be used for measuring the resistance to deformation of the fruit belonging to some fruit species or of grapes. The fruit deformation was determined for a certain weight (in our determinations, below the weight of 500 g). By comparing the varieties between them, we found that Maria and Bucium varieties were the most resistant to deformation, at all the three harvest stages, significant differences being found, compared to the other varieties. We have used these determinations for the statistical calculation by the analysis of variance for bifactorial trials, in order to establish the most resistant varieties to fruit deformation at different harvest stages.


In mammals, cellular identity is defined through strict regulation of chromatin modifications and DNA methylation that control gene expression. Methylation of cytosines at CpG sites in the genome is mainly associated with suppression; however, the reason for enhancer-specific methylation is not fully understood. We used sequential ChIP-bisulfite-sequencing for H3K4me1 and H3K27ac histone marks. By collecting data from the same genomic region, we identified enhancers differentially methylated between these two marks. We observed a global gain of CpG methylation primarily in H3K4me1-marked nucleosomes during mouse embryonic stem cell differentiation. This gain occurred largely in enhancer regions that regulate genes critical for differentiation. The higher levels of DNA methylation in H3K4me1-versus H3K27ac-marked enhancers, despite it being the same genomic region, indicates cellular heterogeneity of enhancer states. Analysis of single-cell RNA-seq profiles demonstrated that this heterogeneity correlates with gene expression during differentiation. Furthermore, heterogeneity of enhancer methylation correlates with transcription start site methylation. Our results provide insights into enhancer-based functional variation in complex biological systems. Author summary Cellular dynamics are underlined by numerous regulatory layers. The regulatory mechanism of interest in this work are enhancers. Enhancers are regulatory regions responsible, mainly, for increasing the possibility of transcription of a certain gene. Enhancers are marked by two distinct chemical groups-H3K4me1 and H3K27ac on the tail of histones. Histones are the proteins responsible for DNA packaging into condensed chromatin structure. In contrast, DNA methylation is a chemical modification often found on enhancers, and is traditionally associated with repression. A long debated question revolves around the functional relevance of DNA methylation in the context of enhancers. Here, we combined the two regulatory layers, histone marks and DNA methylation, to a single measurement that can highlight DNA methylation separately on each histone mark but at the same genomic region. When isolated with H3K4me1, enhancers showed higher levels of methylation compared to H3K27ac. As we measured the same genomic locations, we show that differences of DNA methylation between these marks can only be explained by cellular heterogeneity. We also demonstrated that these enhancers tend to play roles in stem cell differentiation and expression levels of the genes they control correlate with cell-to-cell variation.


Stab resistant body armour had been used throughout history, with examples ranging from animal hide construction to the moulded Polycarbonate units typically used by United Kingdom (UK) Police Officers. Such protective articles have historically, and continue to present a number of issues which have shown to impair the operational performance of its wearer including but not exclusive to poor thermal regulation, large masses, and reduced manoeuvrability.

A number of developments have been made in an attempt to minimise the effects of such issues. One potential solution yet to be fully explored is the utilisation of Additive Manufacturing (AM) technologies. In recent years the use of such manufacturing technologies, particularly Laser Sintering, has successfully demonstrated their suitability for a range of high performance applications ranging from Formula 1® to aerospace. Due to the fundamental additive nature of AM build processes, the utilisation of such technologies have facilitated the realisation of design concepts that are typically too expensive, difficult or impossible to create using traditional manufacturing processes. In order for AM technologies to be used for the generation of stab resistant body armour a number of historical issues and performance characteristics fundamental to ensure stab resistance is achieved must be satisfied.

This body of research firstly evaluated the stab resistive performance of two of the most common materials suitable for Laser Sintering as highlighted by an initial review of AM technologies. Once an appropriate material had been highlighted it was used as the basis for further experimental testing. Such tests focussed on minimising the material thickness required to maintain an appropriate level of stab resistance within United Kingdom Home Office Scientific Development Branch (HOSDB) KR1-E1 requirement of 24 Joules of stab impact energy. Test results demonstrated that specimens manufactured from Duraform EX® required a minimum single layer thickness of 11.00 mm, and a dual layer total thickness of 9.00 mm to provide an appropriate level of stab protection within the HOSDB KR1-E1 standard.

Coupled with the results generated from an investigation identifying the overlapping/imbricated assembly angle required to maintain an appropriate level of coverage across a scale structure, the stab resistant characteristics initially identified were used for the development of an imbricated scale-like assembly. Additional design features were also investigated to further minimise the total thickness of the final element design and corresponding assembled imbricated structure such features included angling strike surfaces and integrating a dual layered structure within individual elements.

When the finalised imbricated assemblies were stab tested, they successfully demonstrated levels of stab resistance to the UK HOSDB KR1-E1 impact energy of 24 Joules.


Accurate ground measurements of fractional vegetation cover (FVC) are key for characterizing ecosystem functions and evaluating remote sensing products. The increasing performance of cameras equipped in smartphones opens new opportunities for extensive FVC measurement through citizen
 science initiatives. However, the wide field of view (FOV) of smartphone cameras constitutes a key source of uncertainty in the estimation of vegetation parameters, which has been largely ignored. We designed a practical method to characterize the FOV of smartphones and improve the FVC estimation.
 The method was assessed in a mountainous forest based on the comparison with in situ fisheye photographs. After the FOV correction, the agreement of smart-phone and fisheye FVC estimates highly improved: root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 0.103 compared to 0.242 of the original smartphone FVC
 estimates without considering the FOV effect, mean difference of 0.074 versus 0.213, and coefficient of determination R2 of 0.719 versus 0.353. Smartphone cameras outperform traditional fisheye cameras: the overexposure and low vertical resolution of fisheye photographs introduced
 uncertainties in FVCestimation while the insensitivity to exposure and high spatial resolution of smartphone cameras make photograph acquisition and analysis more automatic and accurate. The smartphone FVCestimates highly agree with the GF-1 satellite product: RMSE = 0.066, bias = 0.007, and
 R2 = 0.745. This study opens new perspectives for the validation of satellite products.


Petroglyphs are images created by removing part of a rock surfaces by incising, pecking, carving, and abrading. The word comes from the Greek words petros meaning "stone" and glyphein meaning "to carve" (it was originally coined in French as petroglyphe). Carved, forged or engraved petroglyhps are tarnsforming the sights ,which is placed on the area, to the natural museums. According to experts, petroglyhps are qualifying "expression resource", "mass medium" even "writings" of the times which is created date. In the portraits which are showing the praise god and complete dedication ,generally, shamans, khans, comanders have placed on the top. Besides all religion themed and ritual petroglyhps , there are also  a very kind of petroglyhps which are treated everyday lifes, hunting, war scenes and ordinary events. There are several documentation techniques available in order to document of cultural heritage. These techniques are indispensable tools for the conservation of heritage monuments. These methods and equipments commonly are used for the documentation and surveying of buildings. Digital close range photogrammetry is one of the most important methods in documenting of cultural heritage.

 Key words: Petroglyphs, Mongolia, close range photogrammetry, documenting.


Three groups of factors which might affect the blood biochemistry of red deer ( Cervus elaphus ) were examined. These were the wounding site (head/neck versus chest), the stalker who collected the blood (coupled with the geographical area where each deer was shot), and the sex and nutritional status of the deer. The activities of muscle enzymes, creatine kinase, aspartate amino transferase, and lactate dehydrogenase, were markedly higher in the plasma of deer shot in the chest as compared with those shot in the head or neck; the plasma also looked different, being deep cherry red in colour in the chest-shot deer. Other biochemical measures were unaffected by the wounding site. Blood collected by one stalker from the chest cavity had higher activity of the liver enzyme, glutamate dehydrogenase, higher concentration of potassium and lower concentrations of sodium and chloride than blood collected by another stalker from a knife wound in the base of the neck. Otherwise the method of collecting blood had very little effect on blood biochemistry. Cortisol was unaffected by the wound site nor, probably, by the method of collecting blood, but was highest in the stags living in a more mountainous region and in those deer that had to be shot twice before they died. Stags, which were shot in the rutting season and were probably fasting, had significantly higher concentrations of free fatty acids than hinds. Lactating hinds had significantly less fat on their kidneys than non-lactating hinds and stags. All hinds, which were shot in winter, had lower concentrations of urea than stags, which were shot in the autumn.


In short, the success of their lower-limb amputation as a treatment to provide a comfortable existence had depended on the accuracy of the initial assessment of their capabilities and the effectiveness with which the deficiencies in those capabilities had been supplemented. Admission to a rehabilitation unit geared to individual needs, at the time of issue of the preliminary walking pylon, enables such an assessment to be made and a realistic decision to be reached on the manner in which optimal mobility for each patient can be obtained. The choice lies at present between wheel-chair life and the retention of the pylon (or a cosmetically acceptable development of the pylon) as the permanent prosthesis or the use of the pylon as a preliminary to the eventual use of a definitive limb. Not until this choice has been made by the combined decision of the medical and paramedical staff concerned in his care and its rationale has been demonstrated to the patient by his own performance can appropriate independence training and domestic reorganization be finalized. Such a decision, taken early in amputee life and subject to repeated review, would go a long way towards correcting the present concept of the geriatric amputee as an elderly patient to whom a prosthesis needs to be fitted and substituting that ofan elderly patient whose potentially serious disability may be mitigated by a judicious combination of method training, prosthetic fitting, and the supply of suitable equipment.


This report documents the chemical compatibility of waste types within tanks 241-C-106, 241-AY-101, and 241-AY-102. This information was compiled to facilitate the transfer of tank C-106 waste to tank AY-102 utilizing supernatant from AY-101 as the sluicing medium. This document justifies that no chemical compatibility safety issues currently understood, or theorized from thermodynamic modeling, will result from the intended sluice transfer operation.


As much as money has always seemed to rule world, in reality many other criteria have really determined human life providing meaning, guidance, and relevance, such as the quest for happiness. Happiness can be expressed in many different ways and finds expression in a myriad of ways, including through literature. Hence, we need to differentiate between spiritual and material happiness, and thus can establish significant concepts about the various layers of the meaning of life. Only a Humanities-based study program can offer relevant perspectives, as we need the teachings from the past in order to cope with the issues of today and tomorrow. This paper draws on a selection of major literary and philosophical contributions from late antiquity to the fifteenth century to illustrate this most important insight, which redirects our attention to the Humanities as one of the most central study areas in the academy today. As evanescent as the quest for happiness might be, ultimately there proves to be no other more important topic in all of human existence.


Density evolution analysis of low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes in memoryless channels is extended to the Gilbert-Elliott (GE) channel, which is a special case of a large class of channels with hidden Markov memory. In a procedure referred to as estimation decoding, the sum-product algorithm (SPA) is used to perform LDPC decoding jointly with channel-state detection. Density evolution results show (and simulation results confirm) that such decoders provide a significantly enlarged region of successful decoding within the GE parameter space, compared with decoders that do not exploit the channel memory. By considering a variety of ways in which a GE channel may be degraded, it is shown how knowledge of the decoding behavior at a single point of the GE parameter space may be extended to a larger region within the space, thereby mitigating the large complexity needed in using density evolution to explore the parameter space point-by-point. Using the GE channel as a straightforward example, we conclude that analysis of estimation decoding for LDPC codes is feasible in channels with memory, and that such analysis shows large potential gains.


This study examines youth-led decision making (YLDM) among groups of youth who are providers or recipients of community development grants. Focus groups, interviews, and participant observation with 14- to 20-year-olds and supporting adults showed youth have a preference for consensus-based decisions. Youth used due process to reach decisions while valuing differing viewpoints. Adults created appropriate spaces and guided without controlling. Youth directly involved in the YLDM process experienced the greatest and most immediate benefit though other youth, and the community as a whole also felt positive impacts over time. The study considers the type of supports required for young people to make meaningful decisions and points to the capacity of youth, and the potential of YLDM, for community development.


This essay, written as narrative nonfiction, is the portion of an oral history interview with Kalyani Ray Chowdhury, who was born in 1929 in Chittagong (present-day Bangladesh), on what she recalls of her homeland in East Bengal. A few months prior to India's 1947 Partition into India and Pakistan by the British, Ray Chowdhury's family had been vacationing in the city of Patna. They were unable to travel back home to Mymensingh due to rising communal and political turmoil. When the Partition line was finally declared, they found themselves living life as refugees in Calcutta in West Bengal, while their home remained abandoned across the newly formed border in East Bengal. During the course of the interview, Ray Chowdhury also makes note of the nuanced distinctions in the culture and language of people from both sides of the Bengal border, and how conscious efforts had to be made on the part of her family to feel any sense of integration to their newly adopted home.


All sciences characteristically adhere to fundamental standards of scholarship which set the scientific community apart from other areas of society . Every scientist is presumed to be objective, thorough, scholarly , nd willing to alter his or her point of view—even in fundamental questions—should the facts under investigation require. Religion, in contrast, requires faith in the truth of certain beliefs; a political ideology likewise relies on the commitment to advance a particular cause in a spirit of partisanship; in the realm of esthetics, individuals may well have fundamental dif ferences of opinion which cannot be adjudged scientifically as right or wrong. Since 1929, International Congresses of Genealogical and Heraldic Sciences have been held. But has heraldry indeed adhered to the fundamental principles of sci ence? It appears that important areas have been consistently neglected by heraldic scholarship. Analyzing why this may be so can only be hinted at, based on years of dealing with the points in question and without the rigorous documentation that a complete analysis requires. This essay must therefore be considered a preliminary statement for a work in progress—on the development of heraldry in the United States; the specific circumstances which have led to its diver gence from traditional European heraldic norms; the relationship between heraldry and flags in the United States; as well as the role which the study of both heraldry and vexillology have played in analyzing these characteristics. Coats of arms and flags are parts of a wider realm of graphic symbolism which characterizes the social and political or ganization of human societies around the world. Other forms of graphic symbols include seals, logos, medals, decorations, uniforms, and regalia. The focus here is exclusively on the use of seals and arms by states and other or ganized political entities (i.e., civic heraldry) and on flags. Important as family and individual arms have been historically , in the United States state symbolism always had primacy until the late 19th century when it was out ranked (but not displaced) by commercial symbols such as trademarks and logos. Even today personal heraldry is a very small part of social symbolism in the United States, so only a focus on state symbolism provides a realistic view to scholars seek ing to elucidate general principles of importance for American heraldry . Most who have studied of ficial symbols of the United States—the seals, coats of arms, and flags of the federal government and the governments of the American states, territories, counties, and municipalities—concede that these do not generally conform to traditional heraldic norms of design and, furthermore, that they exhibit


Purpose - – The purpose of this paper is to propose motivating language as a mediator to increase the positive effects of servant leadership on subordinates' outcomes. The authors propose that motivating language acts as a mediator to transmit servant leadership traits and enhances the positive impact that servant leadership verbal behavior has on employees' performance. Design/methodology/approach - – By developing a conceptual model, the authors propose a connection between servant leadership and motivating language. Findings - – In the proposed model, motivating language acts as a full and a partial mediator. The authors further categorize three distinct outcome sets that should be improved from this relationship. The first set includes improved worker performance, job satisfaction, absenteeism and worker innovation. The second set is composed of self-efficacy, organizational citizenship behavior and employee commitment. Finally, the third set includes trust, satisfaction with the leader and inspiration to become servant leaders. Research limitations/implications - – Empirical research needs to be conducted to test this model. Practical implications - – The positive effects of servant leadership through the use of motivating language could be operationalized in multiple ways. First, potential servant leaders could take the well-established, reliable and valid motivating language scale to diagnostically identify their leader-member communication strengths and weaknesses. Then, tailored motivating language trainings could be implemented which target motivating language weaknesses and key strategic outcomes in the proposed model. Furthermore, motivating language training would be a valuable instrument for transmission of a servant leadership culture. Social implications - – Servant leadership style responds to the demand for positive ethical behavior that is much needed during these times when emphasis is given to profitability and lack of concern for people is the norm rather than the exception. It is also synchronized with the current benefits of organizational citizenship behaviors that have recently emerged in the field of managerial research. Originality/value - – This paper aims at addressing a gap in the literature by developing a model of how leader strategic language, namely, motivating language, mediates between servant leadership and worker outcomes.


Based on a review of large-truck performance and safety literature, discussions with persons involved with manufacturing or using trucks, and computer analyses and limited testing of prototype and baseline vehicles, this study provides findings and recommendations aimed at the following objectives: 1) identify vehicle and/or component parameters and size and weight allowances (that is, "design attributes") that will mitigate the crash and injury risk and enhance the operational safety of Turner trucks; 2) identify the environment--traffic, roadway, and weather--within which Turner trucks can be safely operated; 3) assess crash and injury risks of Turner trucks in comparison with those of the trucks they would be expected to replace; and 4) establish minimum performance and handling standards for Turner trucks that seek to limit crash risk to tolerable levels while encouraging innovation in new truck and component design.


We consider dipolar bosons in two tubes of one-dimensional lattices, where the dipoles are aligned to be maximally repulsive and the particle filling fraction is the same in each tube. In the classical limit of zero intersite hopping, the particles arrange themselves into an ordered crystal for any rational filling fraction, forming a complete devil's staircase like in the single tube case. Turning on hopping within each tube then gives rise to a competition between the crystalline Mott phases and a liquid of defects or solitons. However, for the two-tube case, we find that solitons from different tubes can bind into pairs for certain topologies of the filling fraction. This provides an intriguing example of pairing that is purely driven by correlations close to a Mott insulator.


This article focuses on the Holocene tree line (Pinus sylvestris) and climate change in the Swedish Scandes. A composite of three previously independently published data sets of megafossil tree remains (trunks, stumps and roots) from sites above today's tree line is analysed. Calibration of ages, adjustment for glacio‐isostatic land uplift and a larger sample provide new and more conclusive insights. The tree‐line altitude peaked about 11 200 cal. yr BP, 425 m higher than the position about a century ago, when it was at its Holocene low. At the millennial‐centennial scale, tree‐line retraction has been a smooth process, following a linear trend, which largely conforms to the Milankovitch model of orbital forcing of summer temperature evolution. Shorter excursions from this trend cannot be ruled out, as these are beyond the resolution of the analytical approach. During the earliest Holocene, summers may have been about 2.58C warmer than by the late‐19th century. Projection of the 20th‐century maximum tree‐line rise by 150–190 m upon the entire Holocene tree‐line chronology indicates that present‐day tree lines may be higher than ever during the past 5000 or even 7000 years. Indirectly, this might reflect an anomalous modern climatic regime for which there is supporting evidence from retreating mountain glaciers and recent evolution of the alpine plant cover and its zonation patterns. With this background, the evolution of the tree‐line ecotone in the case of continued warming is considered. Pine is likely to regain the dominant position held in the early Holocene. Its tree line may shift at least 400 m above its present position. Small outlier stands of mountain birch will establish in sheltered, moderately snow‐rich habitats high above the new pine tree line, but an overall alpine character of the landscape will prevail above the tree line of pine. Exotic tree species, mainly belonging to the genus Pinus may profit from a new climatic regime and establish in the tree‐line ecotone.


clesiae dunelmensis. Tacitus. See 1585. Terence. See 4536, 5908. Tertullien. 4236. Schneider, Andr6 (Neuch&tel). Recherches sur V Ad nationes et V Apologetique. D Thomas a Kempis. 4237. Moore, John A. (William and Mary C). The Imitation of Christ and Fray Luis de Granada, a broaden ing of perspective. D (North Carolina) Valerius ad Ruflnum. 4238. Pratt, Robert A. (North Carolina). Valerius ad Ruflnum. Virgil. See 5712, 1458, 1810. Vives. See 890. Walahfrid Strabo. See 4231. Wireker, N. See 835.


In order to assess the responses of coronary stenosis to an elevation of myocardial metabolic demand, the effects of pacing induced tachycardia on systemic and coronary haemodynamics were examined during four grades of compliant coronary stenosis which preserved stenosis vasomotility in eight open chest dogs. Grades of the coronary stenosis were defined as trifling, mild, moderate, and severe by pressure gradients of 12(0.5), 19(1.0), 28(1.4) and 37(1.6) mm Hg (mean [SEM]), respectively. Stepwise increases in heart rate (+30, +60 and +90 beats.min-1) decreased the resistance caused by trifling and mild coronary stenosis by 47(11.9) and 26(8.8)%, respectively, with an increase in coronary blood flow and a decrease in pressure gradient across the stenosis. By contrast, the resistance caused by moderate and severe stenosis increased by 96(24.2) and 148(63.2)%, respectively, with a decrease in coronary blood flow and an increase in pressure gradient. During lower grades of coronary stenosis, flow-dependent dilatation of large epicardial coronary arteries reduced the stenosis severity, whereas during higher grades of stenosis, passive narrowing of the stenosed arterial segment due to arteriolar vasodilatation outstripped the flow-dependent stenosis dilator effects and resulted in an intensification of the stenosis.


Background: Paediatric dysphagia is a common consequence of many structural and neurological problems after birth. In a Health care setting, Nurses can only screen out paediatric dysphagia if they had knowledge of swallowing difficulties Objective: To determine the impact of pediatric dysphagia awareness program among nurses. Study Design: A Quasi experimental study was conducted at Railway Hospital Rawalpindi Place and duration of study: Study was conducted at Railway hospital from January 2021till august 2021 Methods: The convenient sampling technique was used for data collection during the period of Feb 2021 till may 2021. The nurses having working experience of more than two years in paediatric ward. The total sample size was n= 19, out of which n= 14 were females and n= 5 were males. The study was conducted in two phases .In 1st phase, questionnaire was developed and the content validity for items & content validity for scale was tabulated. In 2nd phase webinar of one hour was conducted and self- developed questionnaire was used for pre and post analysis. Analysis was done through SPSS 20.Results: Results of the current study indicates that, "There was a significant improvement in awareness of nurses about paediatric dysphagia after attending the webinar (96.055 + 11.8593) (117.227 +5.377, p<0.05).Conclusion: Research study concluded that an awareness programme about paediatric dysphagia improved the knowledge of nurses working with paediatric population. Keywords: Awareness Programme, Nurses, SLP, Paediatric Dysphagia


Abstract Whilst frequently dismissed as "cliché, banal, derivative, portentous, repetitive, and manipulative" (Hodgkinson), offering little other than "fidget-spinner" distractions to appease the masses (Roberts), Instapoetry is a slippery, intricate mode. The simplicity of its aesthetic belies its complex political manoeuvrings, marked by an imperative towards a progressive ideology that contests the sexism and racism of dominant culture. Indeed, despite its "byte-sized" accessibility (Bresge), Instapoetry is deceptive, evoking discourses of 'outsiderness' that locate the genre within an often-problematic logic of rebellion. Examining black feminist Instapoets such as Aja Monet, Yrsa Daley-Ward, and Nayyirah Waheed, as well as 'superstars' of the genre, including Rupi Kaur, Atticus, and Nikita Gill, this paper argues that there is a persistent disjuncture between the extra-textual commentary surrounding Instapoetry, particularly by way of interviews and artistic statements, and the content of works which repeatedly reinscribe conservative, patriarchal, and heteronormative worldviews. Whilst the pithy convenience of new media poetries has undoubtedly helped magnify oppressed voices and perspectives, it has also, more cynically, fostered an insistence on universality that erases complexity and difference in the (largely aesthetic) interests of harmony, and the appeasement of both dominant and minority cultures.


Twenty-four patients who failed uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) had an adjustable oral (Herbst) appliance made to treat the persistent apnea. Six patients discontinued the device prior to sleep evaluation. Eighteen patients had polysomnographic evaluations at baseline, post-UPPP, and with the Herbst appliance in place. The apnea-hypopnea index baseline (AHI) and arterial oxygen saturation (SaO2) nadir were 42.3+/-6.1 and 83.6+/-1.8%, respectively. There was no significant change in either parameter with surgery. With the oral appliance, the AHI fell to 15.3+/-4.4 (p < or = 0.01) and the SaO2 nadir increased to 87.9+/-1.2% (p < or = 0.05). Ten of the patients had control of the OSA with the Herbst appliance with a fall in the AHI to < 10. There were, in addition, two partial responders as defined by an AHI of <20 and a >50% fall in AHI compared with baseline and post-UPPP values. All but one of the responders and partial responders had complete resolution of subjective symptoms of daytime sleepiness with the appliance. An adjustable oral appliance appears to be an effective mode of therapy to control OSA after an unsuccessful UPPP.


This paper presents design, implementation and experimental results of active vibration control of Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) Space Truss using a piezoelectric ceramic stack actuator. The NPS space truss represents a flexible spacecraft structure which may support interferometer, antenna, and other vibration-sensitive instrumentation. To simulate the effects of a spacecraft disturbance on the truss, a proof mass actuator is incorporated on the structure to excite the truss. To reduce the vibrations caused by the proof mass actuator, an active strut member is installed along a diagonal of the base bay of the truss. The active strut element consists of a piezoelectric ceramic actuator stack, a force transducer, and mechanical interfaces. An integral plus double-integral force controller is designed to suppress vibration of the truss. Experimental results demonstrate that the active piezoceramic strut actuator can effective reduce truss vibration.


The purpose of this study was to examine the temporal plasma glucose, lactate, insulin, and somatostatin responses of 10-day-old (10 d) and 28-day-old (28 d) rats to the effects of an LD90 dose of endotoxin for a 4 h period. Salmonella enteritidis endotoxin was administered to 10 d and 28 d rats at .2 and 30.0 mg/kg, respectively. Hyperglycemia was the initial response to endotoxin, followed by hypoglycemia; this was similar for 10 d and 28 d rats. Lactate levels were significantly elevated in 10 d rats, but only mild hyperlactacidemia was observed in 28 d rats. Hyperinsulinemia was observed in both 10 d and 28 d rats in response to elevated glucose levels; in 10 d rats, decreased insulin levels preceded the hyperinsulinemia. Plasma somatostatin levels were elevated in both 10 d and 28 d rats in response to endotoxin, but the endotoxin-induced somatostatin levels were greater and occurred earlier in 28 d rats than in 10 d rats. The magnitude of the somatostatin response to endotoxin in the developing rats was markedly less than that previously reported in adult rats. Since previous reports indicated that somatostatin supported the glucoregulatory adaptive response to endotoxin in adult rats, the present results suggested that the diminished somatostatin response to endotoxin in developing rats may partially underlie their increased sensitivity to endotoxin and the profound glucose dyshomeostasis that results subsequently.


Abstract Seagrass conservation and management requires scientific understanding of spatial and temporal variability, information that is currently limited for the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP). Here, we analysed seagrass presence based on previous reports, herbarium collections and stakeholder knowledge, combined with field characterization in Golfo Dulce, southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Seagrasses were found at multiple locations along a narrow border close to shore and in up to 6 m depth within Golfo Dulce, dating back to 1969. Two seagrass species were found, Halophila baillonii and Halodule beaudettei. Seagrass biomass values for Golfo Dulce (12.0 ± 8.5 g DW m−2) were lower and water nutrient concentrations were higher than previously reported in the gulf. Shoot density (1513 ± 767 shoots m−2) was similar to previous reports. Stable isotope values in seagrass were −11.3 ± 1.0‰ δ13C and 1.2 ± 0.9‰ δ15N; while those in sediments were −26.1 ± 1.3 and 2.5 ± 0.9‰. In Golfo Dulce, isotopic values of both seagrass species do not overlap with other known primary producers. Management strategies should aim to minimize known seagrass stressors, protect potential seagrass habitat, and take into account the dynamic life strategies of the two seagrass species found.


A previous paper described the development of the prototype of a semi-automated, sensitive and accurate version of the McCormick Toy Discrimination Test. In this report we describe a further development of the hardware, and demonstrate that results obtained from the automated test provide a basis for estimating the mean elevation of pure-tone threshold in the child's better ear. The correlation between speech and pure-tone results is high. The average of the better ear pure-tone thresholds at 0.5, 1 and 4 kHz can be predicted from the word-discrimination threshold obtained with the toy test, with a 95% confidence interval of +/- 11 dB.


This thesis presents a theoretical analysis of the properties of the Higgs bosons in the Standard Model (SM) and the minimal supersymmetric extension (MSSM), which can be investigated at the LHC and $e^+e^-$ linear colliders. The final goal is the reconstruction of the Higgs potential and thus the verification of the Higgs mechanism. MSSM Higgs boson production processes at future $\gamma\gamma$ colliders are calculated in several decay channels. Heavy scalar and pseudoscalar Higgs bosons can be discovered in the $b\bar{b}$ final state in the investigated mass range 200 to 800 GeV for moderate and large values of $\tan\beta$. The $\tau^+\tau^-$ channel provides a heavy Higgs boson discovery potential for large values of $\tan\beta$. Several mechanisms that can be exploited at $e^+e^-$ linear colliders for the measurement of the lifetime of a SM Higgs boson in the intermediate mass range are analysed. In the $WW$ mode, the lifetime of Higgs scalars with masses below $\sim 160$ GeV can be determined with an error less than 10%. The reconstruction of the Higgs potential requires the measurement of the Higgs self-couplings. The SM and MSSM trilinear Higgs self-couplings are accessible in double and triple Higgs production. A theoretical analysis is presented in the relevant channels at the LHC and $e^+e^-$ linear colliders. For high luminosities, the SM trilinear Higgs self-coupling can be measured with an accuracy of 20% at a 500 GeV $e^+e^-$ linear collider. The MSSM coupling among three light Higgs bosons has to be extracted from continuum production. The other trilinear Higgs couplings are measurable in a restricted range of the MSSM parameter space. At the LHC, the $Hhh$ coupling can be probed in resonant decays.


Mecillinam (FL 1060) is a new beta-lactam antibiotic particularly active against gram-negative organisms. When given intravenously, very high serum levels were maintained for a short period of time. Lower peak levels but comparable bioavailability were obtained after intramuscular administration. Gastrointestinal absorption of mecillinam is poor, and for effective oral therapy the drug must be given in the form of its pivaloyl-oxymethyl ester pivmecillinam (FL 1039) which is well absorbed and rapidly transformed to mecillinam by enzymatic hydrolysis in the body. Urinary recovery of mecillinam after orally administered pivmecillinam was 45% in the first 6 h compared with 55 and 59% after mecillinam given by the intravenous and intramuscular routes, respectively. By increasing the dose the orally active ester produced proportionally higher levels of mecillinam, and the area under the serum curve was doubled with the dose. Higher peak levels and prolonged maintenance of high serum concentrations were seen after administration of pivmecillinam with probenecid. The presence of food in the stomach did not influence the absorption of pivmecillinam to any great extent.


The brain-inspired spiking neural networks (SNNs) hold the advantages of lower power consumption and powerful computing capability. However, the lack of effective learning algorithms has obstructed the theoretical advance and applications of SNNs. The majority of the existing learning algorithms for SNNs are based on the synaptic weight adjustment. However, neuroscience findings confirm that synaptic delays can also be modulated to play an important role in the learning process. Here, we propose a gradient descent-based learning algorithm for synaptic delays to enhance the sequential learning performance of single spiking neuron. Moreover, we extend the proposed method to multilayer SNNs with spike temporal-based error backpropagation. In the proposed multilayer learning algorithm, information is encoded in the relative timing of individual neuronal spikes, and learning is performed based on the exact derivatives of the postsynaptic spike times with respect to presynaptic spike times. Experimental results on both synthetic and realistic datasets show significant improvements in learning efficiency and accuracy over the existing spike temporal-based learning algorithms. We also evaluate the proposed learning method in an SNN-based multimodal computational model for audiovisual pattern recognition, and it achieves better performance compared with its counterparts.


This study investigates the possible effects of solar and geomagnetic activity on climatic parameters in Nigeria. Data of sunspot number and geomagnetic aa index from 1950 – 2012 and 1950 – 2010 were used as solar indices respectively. Monthly mean daily rainfall, minimum and maximum temperature data from 1950 – 2012 for 15 stations were used as climatic parameters. Descriptive and bivariate analyses as well as Mann-Kendall trend test were employed in analyzing the data, while power spectral density (PSD) analysis was performed using XLSTAT. The results reveal significant upward trends in the variability of minimum and maximum temperature, whereas no significant trends were observed in the variation trend of rainfall for the period under study. This was ascertained from the Mann-Kendall trend test. The variability in rainfall and temperature could be evidence of climate change. The correlation between solar indices and climatic parameters were statistically insignificant at 0.05 level of significant. Similar periodicities were observed in the spectrum of solar and geomagnetic activity indices, as well as the climatic parameters. There were indications of Schwabe, Hale and Gleissberg cycles on rainfall and temperature spectral. These depict signatures of solar and geomagnetic activities. Hence, we infer that, apart from human activities, solar and geomagnetic activities could play important roles in climate change observed in Nigeria.

 Key words: Solar activity, periodicities, climate change, Nigeria.


A program that implements a Markov inhomogeneous monotonous random search algorithm of an extremum with normal distributions is presented. This program allows to solve a fairly wide class of problems of finding the global extremum of an objective function with a high accuracy.


Since its invention in the fifties, cultural policy has been subject of analysis and reflection by Social Sciences. However, Spain, due to Franco period, has a number of distinguishing features as compared to Western European democracies. With the restoration of democracy, Spain acquires the dominant paradigm of a democratic cultural policy based on freedom, pluralism and the right to culture. However, after decades of democratic governments, diagnosis of cultural policy in Spain shows signs of systemic crisis, added to the impact of the global financial crisis at the beginning of the XXI century. In this context, scholars, using the Delphi method along with secondary sources, identify a set of social discourses and narratives that seem to function as solving cognitive resources in the artistic and cultural sphere and which, because of their empirical contrast, are not free of contradictions and aporiae.


In the previous paper [1], an improved dopant incorporation model was presented. Three parameters were found to define the model. In the present paper, the experimental procedure for determining these parameters and the numerical implementation of the model are described. Evidence for identifying autodoping as an initial transient profile is presented. With properly determined parameters, the model is capable of simulating autodoping profiles obtained from the literature, covering a variety of reactor geometries, silicon sources, and deposition conditions.


The literature in the field of economic sciences analyzes the role of military base (unit) on socio-economic development in many perspectives and scales but the local perspective is especially important as the location of military units has significant social, economic and spatial impacts and favors establishing relations between army and local entities, in particular self-government authorities, educational institutions, non-governmental organizations and residents. That is why also military base closures and realignments have prompted some of the most vocal public concerns in surrounding communities. The actual magnitude of local effects connected with closures is usually difficult to estimate, and is based primarily on case studies with some attempts to use statistical analysis in limited range (like employment).
The other issue described in the literature is connect- ed with the process of revitalization (recovery) of local communes. One of the instruments of programming the process of so-called mitigation of crisis in the degraded areas has been the local revitalization programs in Poland in recent years. Literature and empirical evidence proves that the closure and alignment of a military unit results in some socioeconomic distress for community and it may be a decisive factor for the emergence of situations in certain areas characterized by the concentration of negative social problems and the occurrence of other negative phenomena (in the economic, environmental, spatio-functional or technical sphere) what is a prerequisite for marking the revitalization area according to Polish law. The EU-financed projects designed in the pro- gram should provide an assist to aid community revitalization efforts.
This article analyzes examples of local revitalization pro- grams in communities where the military unit was closed. The aim of the case studies will be not only to learn about the actual impacts in the community and the proposals for minimizing those impacts, but also the assessment of the usefulness of the analysis of these planning documents to determine the socio-economic and spatial impacts of military dislocation on the local scale.


There are a number of systems and devices for spacial measurement which can be used to measure bodily motion. However, these systems are usually large or fixed with the environment. In this study, we propose a novel modular device that allows users to create geometric shapes in the real world and also a flexible sensing space within the created shape. Users can freely put devices and rotate them so that a geometrical shape could appear on the floor. As the modular devices and the emitted laser beam represent the corners and sides of the shape, respectively, the device therefore does not interrupt figures or textures on the ground. The developed system provides an interactive visual/audio environment as if children could make a hand drawing on the ground or floor and play with the created shapes.


Purpose To report choroidal thickness (CT) changes using a SS OCT prototype following intravitreal bevacizumab injections.

Methods Seventeen patients were treated by one single intravitreal 1.25 mg injection of bevacizumab (IVB). The macular area was examined using an SS-OCT prototype system based on swept-source OCT and was used to image the full-thickness choroid and sclera. A CT profile of the macula was created by manually measuring CT (from the posterior edge of retinal pigment epithelium to the choroid/sclera junction) subfoveally, and three further determinations were performed every 750 μm temporal and nasal to the fovea. CT was determined immediately before and 24 hours after performing 1.25 mg IVB.

Results Seventeen eyes from 17 patients (11 eyes with exudative age related macular degeneration, 4 eyes with retinal vein occlusion, 1 eye with myopic choroidal neovascularization, and 1 eye with diabetic macular edema) were examined. Nine patients were male and 8 were female. Mean age was 73 ± 11years range 53 to 88. Pearson correlation coefficient among observers averaged 0.90 (range 0.54 to 0.99). Changes in choroidal thickness were not significant for any of the determinations (Student t test for paired data). Changes in central foveal thickness were almost statistically significant (Student t test for paired data).

Conclusion Our findings suggest that one single IVB does not seem to induce acute choroidal thinning.


Ecological Developments of the Recent Decades Generating Social Conflicts in the Life of the Lake Balaton – Brown Discoloration of Water

The largest quantities of brown coloured dissolved organic substances get into Lake Balaton in the Keszthely-basin through the River Zala and on the south shore from Nagyberek (peat bog) through pumping. Tourists avoid the beaches with brown water despite the fact that it does not pose any danger. Even though the humic substances causing the brown colour are not harmful for bathers, these compounds, however, do influence ecological processes. Humic substances are natural substances which are the decomposition products of dead plants. Their water-soluble fractions are fulvic acids and humic acids, while their third fraction (humin) is not water soluble. Humic sub-stances play multiple ecological roles in surface waters: they serve as a carbon source for bacteria; change the underwater light climate through the increased attenuation of the short-wavelength ultraviolet (UV) radiation of the Sun; their photodegradation produces toxic free radicals containing oxygen (which is transformed to hydrogen peroxide); and they change the behaviour of other substances through their complex-forming property. A significant increase in the chromophoric dissolved organic matter load of the Lake can be anticipated because of the planned extension of the currently flooding area (16 km2) by the lower Kis-Balaton reservoir up to 52 km2.

Keywords: chromophoric dissolved organic matter • fulvic acids • humic acids • water quality of beaches


Over the past several years, the science of cancer communication has been recognized as integral to the dissemination of cancer prevention and control strategies in both the general population as well as higher-risk groups. In this article we draw upon current literature and small group discussion in the 2008 Society for Behavioral Medicine Cancer Special Interest Group Pre-Conference Workshop on Cancer Communication to identify current findings, critical challenges, and future opportunities regarding personal communication of primary and secondary prevention of cancer. We organize our article with six critical questions: (1) What are the most important directions of research in this area? (2) Does personal cancer communication work through rational processes, or are affective and nonrational processes also involved? (3) Are our efforts adequate to reach underserved populations? (4) Are naturalistic communicative contexts given adequate consideration? (5) Has the field been adequately informed by social psychological and communication theories? (6) What are the best outcomes to document communication effectiveness? Our goals are to initiate thought and collaborative efforts among communication, public health, and behavioral science experts, as well as to establish research priorities at the interface of communication and cancer prevention and control sciences.


Frequency-hopping is considered to be an effective method for combating active jamming in military radio systems. To further improve the performance, so-called adaptive frequency-hopping (AFH), which uses an adaptively selected pool of the "best" hopping-frequencies for the communication, has been proposed. In this paper, we extend the adaptivity of the AFH scheme by adjusting the transmitted power on each channel individually. We investigate two novel power control algorithms; one that minimizes the initial bit error probability for every data frame, and one that aims at good LPI (low probability of intercept) properties by distributing the power so that all channels obtain the same signal-to-interference ratio (SSIR) at the receiver. Our analysis shows that the two power control algorithms give approximately equivalent communication performance. The resulting bit errors are mostly due to fast changes of the interfering signals which we cannot counteract with our relatively slow power control. Furthermore, the simulation results demonstrate the very good LPI capability of the SSIR algorithm.


ABSTRACT This essay uses the notion of multilingual style: stylistic games that emerge at the intersection of several languages and blur the distinctions between them, as an aesthetic and critical heuristic. Through a series of examples from some vastly different languages and geographies, we highlight this concept's usefulness to describing otherwise un-noted aesthetic phenomena that occur in a post-colonial, post-national, globalising literary and cultural sphere. We read texts that reject the native speaker as a linguistic and stylistic gold standard. We argue that to write as a multilingual stylist is to confront one's identity at its most creative, but also at its most vulnerable; it is to come up against the limits of national languages as sites of expression and creativity; it is also to come up against the limits of a human body as the site where different languages and cultures encounter each other, a site that such an encounter often demolishes both through the political violence that undergirds it and in the strain that it puts on our presuppositions of cultural self-knowledge and transparency to others. Finally, we ask what kind of audiences multilingual works presume and call for, and how we can be part of this audience as multilingual critics and readers.


Background Previous data suggest that women who have sex with women and men (WSWM) have the highest STI risk compared to other female sexual behaviour groups. We compared risk behaviours and STI rates among women who have sex with women (WSW), WSWM, women with a single male partner (WSM), and women with multiple male partners. We hypothesised a continuum of STI risk with WSW having the lowest risk, followed by WSM with one partner, WSM with multiple partners, and WSWM. Methods A secondary analysis of data from two studies of African American women evaluated at a Birmingham, Alabama STD clinic was performed. One study included exclusive WSW (n = 78) and WSWM (n = 85) during the preceding year while the other evaluated WSM (n = 91 with one male partner and n = 78 with multiple male partners) during this timeframe. All participants completed a questionnaire and were tested for STIs. Results Groups did not differ by education, employment status, or recent alcohol/drug use. WSWM and WSM with multiple partners were more likely to report prior incarceration, transactional sex, and new/casual partner (s) within the past month. Rates of chlamydia and gonorrhoea were significantly different across groups with WSM more likely to have chlamydia and WSWM and WSM more likely to have gonorrhoea. In contrast, WSW and WSWM were more likely to have trichomoniasis than WSM. With the exception of WSW (25%), HSV-2 seroprevalence was high (>50%) among all groups. WSWM and WSM with multiple partners were more likely to report condom use at their last sexual encounter than WSM with single male partners and WSW. Conclusion Among women attending an STD clinic, STIs were common in all groups however prevalence appears to vary in association with partner gender and number. Even in STD clinics, partner gender and number are important factors to consider in sexual health counselling. Disclosure of interest statement Funding for original research was received from a Development Award from the American Sexually Transmitted Disease Association. No pharmaceutical grants were received in the development of this study.


Native Spanish early and late acquirers of English as well as native Vietnamese early and child acquirers of English made grammaticality judgments of sentences in their second language. Native Spanish early acquirers were not distinguishable from native English speakers, whereas native Spanish late acquirers had difficulty with all aspects of the grammar tested except word order. Native Vietnamese early acquirers had difficulty with those aspects of English that differ markedly from Vietnamese. Native Vietnamese child acquirers had more generalized problems, similar to those of native Spanish late acquirers. Thus, native language appeared to make a difference for early acquirers, whereas a later age of acquisition caused a more general problem. A processing-based model focusing on the difficulty non-native language learners have in rapidly decoding surface form is offered as a possible explanation for both effects.


In this research, the settlement prediction method under ramp loading based on settlement monitoring data was developed. Large consolidation tests for ideally controlled one dimensional consolidation under ramp loading condition were performed and the settlement behavior predicted based on the monitoring data. in addition, predicted result was compared with the result of the hyperbolic method and Monden method. Based on comparison result with the existing prediction method, suggested method can predict settlement behavior with great accuracy during ramp loading while the existing methods can predict only after the completion of ramp loading. As a result, new prediction method is expected to have great applicability and practicability for the prediction of settlement behavior.


In this paper, we examine the logic and methodology of engineering design from the perspective of the philosophy of science. The fundamental characteristics of design problems and design processes are discussed and analyzed. These characteristics establish the framework within which different design paradigms are examined. Following the discussions on descriptive properties of design, and the prescriptive role of design paradigms, we advocate the plausible hypothesis that there is a direct resemblance between the structure of design processes and the problem solving of scientific communities. The scientific community metaphor has been useful in guiding the development of general purpose highly effective design process meta-tools.


Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the brain areas in which reductions of regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) were correlated with decline of general mental function, measured by Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Materials and Methods: Tc-99m HMPAO brain SPECT was performed in 9 probable AD patients at the initial and follow-up periods of 1.8 years (average) after the first study. MMSE scores were also measured in both occasions. The mean MMSE score of the initial study 16.4 (range: 5 - 24) and the mean MMSE score of the follow-up was 8.1 (range: 0 - 17). Each SPECT image was nomalized to the cerebellar activity and a correlation analysis was performed between the level of rCBF in AD patients and the MMSE scores by voxel-based analysis using SPM99 software. Results: Significant correlation was found between the blood-flow decrease in left inferior prefrontal region (BA 47) and left middle temporal region (BA 21) and the MMSE score changes. Additional areas such as anterior and posterior cingulate cortices, precuneus, and bilateral superior and middle prefrontal regions showed the similar trends. Conclusions: A relationship was found between reduction of regional cerebral blood flow in left prefrontal and temporal areas and decline of cognitive function in Alzheimer`s disease(AD) patients. This voxel-based analysis is useful in evaluating the progress of cognitive function in Alzheimer`s disease. (Korean J Nucl Med 2002;36;91-101)


EI-1941-1 and -2 isolated from the culture broths of Farrowia sp. selectively inhibited the human recombinant ICE activity with IC50 values of 0.086 and 0.006 microM, respectively, without inhibiting elastase and cathepsin B. EI-1941-1 and -2 also inhibited mature interleukin-1beta secretion from THP-1 cells induced by LPS with IC50 values of 5.0 and 10.3 microM, respectively. Biochemical characterizations of EI-1941-1 and -2 are described in this article.


The Michelson fiber-optic interferometric sensor has been employed to detect the vibration signal of a flexible beam. An active control technique is also implemented to suppress the vibration signal generated from a piezoelectric transducer. The first four vibration modes and random vibration of a flexible beam have been stabilized successfully.


Mualaf is the term to represent people who just moves to Islam from other religion. Mualaf Center is an important place for mualaf to get information about Islam. There are some reasons and factors that make a not-Moslem hesitates about their religion and decides to move to Islam.  These circumstances make them need a psychological and economical guidance as the effects after they become mualaf . There are 6.3% from total citizen becomes mualaf in Malaysia. This number is in the not-Moslem society, so the effect of becoming mualaf can be perceived especially the psychological and economical effects. Therefore, mualaf center can be a good place for mualaf to get a guidance and consultation. This paper discusses mualaf center design based on the issues and problems about mualaf in Malaysia. The aim of this study is to find a recommendation design for mualaf center based on the issue in Malaysia. The discussion uses literature study method which will be analyzed descriptively. So the result of the discussion is a summary of design criteria that proper with the issue. This design criterion will be integrated using relevant design theme approach, i.e. sustainable architecture. The design criteria that is already integrated is the availability of guidance and consultation facilities, also entrepreneur practice facility toward psychological and economical effects. With by the guidance in this mualaf center, the mualaf will be capable of adapting to the social environment around them and also can rebuild their economic life as before in islamic ways .


The creep damage experienced under the actual operating conditions, in many cases, occurs and progresses without observable strain. In order to reproduce such creep damage experienced in actual components of power plants a creep damage simulation test was developed. In this creep damage simulation test, large diameter and thick walled 21/4Cr-1Mo steel pipe was tightly fitted and constrained by the austenitic 18Cr-8Ni steel pipes with greater thermal expansion at the outside and inside diameter of tested 21/4Cr-1Mo steel pipe and subjected to thermal cycles of heating at 600°C and cooling down to 20°C.Resultantly, progress of creep damage such as generation of creep voids, their linking and occurrence of cracks were observed with the increase of cycles in the tempered martensite structure of heat affected zone but not in the ferrite and peartite structure of base metal. These observation results clarified the relationship between the progresses of creep damage and the creep life consumption rate and suggested that it was needed to distinguish between the heat affected zone of creep-brittle material and base metal of creep-ductile material in the creep damage analysis and life assessment of CrMo steel such as 21/4Cr-1Mo steel. Finally a creep life assessment system based on those findings was proposed and operating procedures of the system were indicated with its practical applicability.


Oral rehydration therapy: Guidelines for the treatment of diarrhoea endorsed the use of ORT for the treatment of mild to moderate dehydration secondary to diarrhoea. Despite these recommendations, surveys demonstrate that many physicians do not comply with them. It took nearly 20 years after the successful use of ORT in developing countries for physicians in other countries to accept and use this treatment.


The expression of the germ‐line gene Vγ1.1‐Cγ4 of the T cell receptor (TcR) γ chain depends on interleukin (IL)‐3 induction in hematopoietic cells, while in T cells, the rearranged gene is expressed constitutively. To understand the mechanism that controls TcRγ gene expression, we cloned and characterized the structure and function of the Vγ1.1‐Cγ4TcR promoter. IL‐3‐dependent cell lines and T cell lines utilized the same transcriptional start sites. In chloramphenicol acetyltransferase (CAT) assays, the minimal 70‐bp promoter confers strong transcriptional activity which is 50–60% of the Moloney long terminal repeat promoter activity. The 500‐bp promoter region linked to the CAT gene exhibits IL‐3 dependency similar to the endogenous TcRγ gene. The immediate 3′ and 5′ flanking sequences inhibit the promoter activity two‐ to fourfold. The promoter lacks an obvious TATA box or CAAT box sequences, but contains a GC box in the untranslated region 3′ to the promoter. The GC box is the core sequence of the element which binds Sp1‐like proteins. Cloning of this Sp1 binding element in front of the thymidine kinase (TK) promoter and mutations generated in this site demonstrate its function as a silencer. Ultraviolet cross‐linking analysis with the Sp1 binding site from the TcRγ promoter revealed binding of a 90–100‐kDa protein in a T cell line (EL‐4) and 40–50 and 90–100‐kDa proteins in FDC‐P1 cells. The possible function of the Sp1‐like protein in silencing the minimal promoter activity is discussed.


In mobile ad hoc networks, synchronous communication mechanisms appear to be not suitable, since these assume that the involved entities are present at the same time during the interactions. On the other hand, asynchronous mechanisms seem to be better suited for mobile environments characterised with frequently intermittent connectivity. Therefore, message oriented middleware based on the asynchronous communication paradigm seems a reasonable choice in these environments.
 This paper outlines the expected research contribution of my PhD work in the area of the message oriented middleware for mobile ad hoc environments. The key aspect of my approach is the exploitation of context information to enable communication also in extreme scenarios, where topology reconfigurations are frequent and network partitions are the norm rather than the exception, in an efficient way in terms of the use of the possibly scarce resources of mobile devices.


Background: Lesion sterilization and tissue repair (LSTR) 3Mix-MP are three broad-spectrum antibiotics, including metronidazole, ciprofloxacin and minocycline are mixed with propylene glycol or macrogol. There is the possibility ofthe healing process that marked proliferation ofnew blood vessels and proliferation offibroblasts in the treatment ofirreversible pulpitis by pulp capping LSTR 3MixMP because of  the principle of the method LSTR 3Mix-MP is to kill bacteria. Purpose: The purpose of this study to prove the effect of LSTR 3Mix-MP on chronic inflammation and the healing process in rat dental pulp tissue in vivo. Methods: Rattus norvegicus anaesthetized by using ketamine and xylazine dissolved in sterile isotonic saline solution (0.2 ml/50gr mm) on the upper right thigh. Cavity preparation class I to perforation by using a low speed tapered diamond round bur. In the treatment group, rats were treated 3Mix-MP at a dose of10 mg and then covered with glass ionomer cement for 7 days on the pulp that has been opened for 3 days. The control group treated with saline irrigation on the pulp that has been opened for 3 days. Rats were killed after seven days, and then made preparations pulp tissue to count the number oflymphocytes, macrophages, plasma cells, blood vessels, and fibroblasts Results: There is an increase in the average number ofmacrophage cells, plasma, and fibroblasts; and decreased lymphocytes and blood vessels in the treated group exposure LSTR 3Mix-MP. Conclusion: LSTR 3Mix-MP can reduce chronic inflammation process and enhance the healing process in rat dental pulp tissue.


Three greenhouse trials and one field trial were carried out on Brussels sprout cv. Icarus SG2004 in which the treatments consisted of different N amounts and application dates. DM and N accumulation in stems, apical buds and groups of leaf blades, petioles and sprouts were measured frequently throughout crop growth. Total amounts of accumulated DM and N were affected by amount of N applied and date of application, but the final harvest indexes for DM and N (0.10-0.35 and 0.20-0.55, respectively) were not significantly affected by treatments in most experiments. Nitrate N concentrations were only high (up to about 2%) shortly after planting. The total N concentration of leaf blades and petioles increased with increasing leaf number. This increase resulted from a decreasing N concentration during the leaf's life. The total N concentration in sprouts changed little with leaf number.


The de Bruijn diagram describing those decompositions of the neighborhoods of a one dimensional cellular automaton which conform to predetermined requirements of periodicity and translational symmetry shows how to construct extended configurations satisfying the same requirements. Similar diagrams, formed by stages, describe higher dimensional automata, although they become more laborious to compute with increasing neighborhood size. The procedure is illustrated by computing some still lifes for Conway's game of Life, a widely known two dimensional cellular automaton.1


We carry out a linear stability analysis for a free boundary between two (cid:13)uids in a Hele-Shaw cell, which is driven by the Darcy's law and an injection or suction at the center. In general, stability of an interface is determined by the well-known Saffman{Taylor instability condition. The linear growth rate of the perturbation depends on two parameters; the rate of the injection/suction and the viscosity contrast of the two (cid:13)uids. In this paper, we numerically (cid:12)nd a parameter region, in which the interface can be stable (resp. unstable) even though it has been considered to be unstable (resp. stable) due to the Saffman{Taylor instability. For the case of the injection, it is suggested that such parameter region vanishes as time increases to in(cid:12)nity. However, the destabilization can be retarded for a sufficiently long time, as one tunes the viscosity and the injection rate of the injecting (cid:13)uid.


Background Genotyping ofChlamydia trachomatis (C.) is an important technique to understand its epidemiology. Methods such as DNA sequencing of the ompA gene or multilocus sequence typing (MLST), either offer limited epidemiological resolution, or are laborious and expensive, or both. Here we present a microarray-based method for genotyping ofC trachomatis. Methods The database for our high-resolution MLST system (http://mlstdb.bmc.uu.se/) was used to design a multilocus typing (MLT) DNA microarray based on the ArrayStrip format (Alere Technologies, Jena, Germany). In total, the present MLT array version includes 210 different oligonucleotide probes covering the discriminatory variation in the highly variable, but stable, MLST target regions (hctB, CT058, CT144, CT172 and pbpB), as well as 61 probes for ompA. Validation of the array was done by examining 80 clinical C. trachomtis specimens from unselected adolescents and compare with results from MLST and ompA-based serotyping. Results Successful typing was achieved for 78 (97%) of the specimens. Processing of the obtained hybridisation patterns resulted in 17 different MLT array groups, whereas sequence-based examination led to 19 MLST genotypes and seven ompA genotypes. Thus, the MLT microarray assay provided 2.4 times higher resolution than ompA and separated the commonly predominating ompA E/Bour genotype into seven genotypes. The MLT array showed 100% specificity. Compared to MLST analysis, the equipment needed for the MLT array is about 75% cheaper, consumables are 50% cheaper, analysis can be completed within one working day, instead of 3–4 days, and data analysis is easily conducted in high troughput conditions using up to 96 wells, while the practical operations are easy-to-handle and do not require specially trained personnel. Conclusion This novel MLT array is a promising alternative for high resolution and high throughput typing of C. trachomatis and will facilitate molecular epidemiology studies of chlamydia infections.


*These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is connected with the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and prognosis. In addition, residual lymph node burden after NAC is likely important for prognosis. However, most studies have focused on the predictive value of NLR for NAC pathological complete response (pCR) rate. The relationship between NLR and post-operative residual lymph node ratio (LNR), and their prognostic values remain to be determined. Methods: We retrospectively studied 282 patients with breast cancer who underwent curative surgery after NAC from 2008 to 2018. We collected pretreatment NLR in peripheral blood, the response to NAC, and the amount of axillary lymph nodes (positive and total) from patients who received axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). We followed up all patients from 2 to 116 months, with an average of 63 months. We analyzed the predictive value of pretherapeutic NLR in peripheral blood on the response of NAC, including pCR rate and postoperative LNR. The prognostic value of NLR and LNR was also analyzed. Results: A pCR was achieved in 20 (27.0%) of 74 patients with low NLR, and 34 (16.3%) of 208 with high NLR (P = 0.045). In luminal A and luminal B tumors, patients with high NLR tended to have elevated LNR (LNR>0.5; P=0.041). In Kaplan–Meier analysis, overall survival of patients with low NLR (NLR < 1.8; P = 0.033) was longer than that of patients with high NLR (NLR ≥ 1.8). Moreover, by multivariable analysis, LNR was negatively correlated with overall survival (P < 0.05) and disease-free survival (DFS) (P < 0.05). Conclusion: pCR rate, post-operative remaining lymph node involvement and overall survival in all patients who received NAC may be predicted by NLR. Low NLR and LNR may suggest favorable outcomes.


A series of dye-sensitized solar cells based on ZnO-modified TiO2 nano-porous films have been prepared. The current–voltage characteristics of the cells show that the ZnO-modification can improve the open-circuit voltage and the fill factor but can decrease the short-circuit current. Dark current and transient photovoltage measurements are used to study the back reaction. It is indicated that the recombination process is suppressed by blocking the hole transporting from the nano-porous TiO2 since the surface of the semiconductor is almost fully covered with ZnO as a barrier layer.


Research is at the forefront of knowledge and, hence, wealth generation, so it is timely to consider a neglected category of the research workforce, the research assistant. The research assistant has traditionally been part of the fabric, if not the structure, of university research efforts but despite the extent of the contribution, the breadth of skills and the depth of qualifications often brought to the position of research assistant, there is no overt professional pathway articulated for these research workers. Equally, there is an implicit, if not overt lack of recognition of the research assistant role in processes of knowledge generation. This lack of recognition is reflected in the difficulty of defining the research assistant role and articulating how it differs across disciplines. This paper considers the research assistant in the current research landscape and culture of Australian universities, providing background to a wide‐ranging empirical study of the research assistant workforce exploring the experience of the research assistant and the significance of the research assistant role in knowledge generation.


English has been accepted as a global language. Users of English as a second language have outnumbered the native speakers. David Crystal gives the statistics which say that second/foreign language users of English are in the range of 1000 million, whereas the native speakers total not more than 400 million (Crystal, D 2004). As a result, teaching of English has acquired greater importance in the 21 st century. The goals of teaching English have acquired new dimensions. In this context many issues and questions arise in teaching English, especially in teaching spoken English because a major part of communication transpires through the spoken mode. Non-native speakers learning to speak English from native speaker teachers in the English environment get a lot of support. But non-native teachers teaching and testing spoken English to non-native learners in a second language context is very challenging. The teacher has to take several decisions like which model to adopt – RP or American or the non-native variety. If a non-native variety is adopted, which one? In the multi-lingual context the teacher should also be aware of the mother tongue in the learners' English. Besides this, the decision about the importance to be given to accuracy and fluency gains relevance in the context of communication in English. Other considerations are the availability of readymade materials and the teacher competence in filling the gaps if suitable materials are not available. Sometimes the problems include the learners' reluctance to accept the non-native teachers. The paper discusses the principles and issues involved in teaching spoken English. The paper argues that teaching spoken English by non-native teachers to non-native learners in multi-lingual context is more challenging than teaching other skills. The author's experience in teaching spoken English to undergraduates in Eritrea and Yemen and also students from various countries studying at the English and Foreign Languages University, and how the challenges are met would be discussed.


Gyrification of the cerebral cortex reflects complexity in cortical folding during development of the brain. In this paper, we evaluated whether chimpanzees show asymmetries in gyrification and if variation in gyrification asymmetries were associated with handedness. Magnetic resonance images were obtained in a sample of 76 chimpanzees, and gyrification measures were obtained from 10 equally spaced slices of the cortex. Asymmetry quotients (AQs) in gyrification were compared for 4 measures of handedness including reaching, coordinated bimanual actions, manual gestures, and throwing. Overall, the chimpanzees showed significant differences between the right and left hemispheres that were region specific. Significant differences in AQ's were found in right- and nonright-handed chimpanzees for throwing and, to a lesser degree, for manual gestures. Increasing age was associated with increasing gyrification in the prefrontal regions, particularly in female chimpanzees. The results indicate that variation in gyrification between hemispheres is associated with functional measures of laterality in chimpanzees.


The receding horizon tracking control for the discrete time invariant system is presented in this paper. This control law is derived by using the receding horizon concept from the standard tracking problems. Stability properties of this control law are analyzed and it is shown that there exists a finite horizon for which the closed loop systems are always asymptotically stable. It is also shown that the receding horizon tracking control with integral action provides zero offset for a constant command input.


Objective. To develop a simultaneous positron emission tomography-Optical (OPET) breast imaging dual-head PET subsystem, called DH-Mammo PET, for accurate, early diagnosis and efficacy assessment of breast cancer with high resolution and sensitivity. Approach. We developed a breast-dedicated PET based on LYSO crystal, silicon photomultiplier array and multi-voltage threshold sampling technique. It consists of two detector heads, each with a detection area of 216 mm × 145.5 mm. The distance between the detector heads is fixed at 120 mm. In order to extract coincidences and correct data, GPU-based software coincidence processing, random, scatter, normalization, gap-filling and attenuation corrections were applied in turn. The images were reconstructed using maximum likelihood expectation maximization with depth of interaction (DOI) modeling. The performance of DH-Mammo PET was evaluated referring to NEMA NU 4–2008, NU 2–2007 and Chinese industry recommended standard YY/T 1835–2022. Besides, several clinical patient images of DH-Mammo PET were compared with those of a whole-body PET/CT. Main results. The energy resolution was 14.5%, and time resolution was < 1.31 ns. Indicated by the 22Na point source imaging, its spatial resolution was 2.60 mm (5.40 mm), 1.00 mm (1.04 mm), and 0.96 mm (0.93 mm) in the X, Y and Z directions, respectively, using the system response matrix with (without) DOI modeling. Indicated by the Derenzo phantom imaging, the spatial resolution was ∼3.0 mm, <1.2 mm, and <1.2 mm in the X, Y and Z directions. The system sensitivity was 6.87%, 4.89% and 3.37% with an energy window of 100–800, 250–750 and 350–650 keV, respectively. The scatter fraction was 26.43%, and the peak NECR was 162.6 kcps at 24.1 MBq for the modified rat-like phantom. As for the recovery coefficients, they ranged from 0.15 to 1.04 for rods between 1 and 5 mm obtained with a NEMA image quality phantom. The spill-over ratio for the air-filled and water-filled chamber was 0.05 and 0.11, respectively. DH-Mammo PET can provide more image details in clinical experiments and fulfil a fast scan with 60–120 s acquisition time. Significance. Good spatial resolution and high sensitivity of DH-Mammo PET would enable fast and accurate PET imaging of the breast. Besides, combining the DH-Mammo PET with the diffuse optical tomography would make full use of tumor metabolic imaging and tissue endogenous optical imaging, which would improve the accuracy of early clinical diagnosis of small lesions of breast cancers.


The topic of article focuses on the examples of epic and fantastic genres interaction represented in the Yakut and Even folklore traditions. The author takes examples from the texts and describes some fragments of Yakut and Even epic texts in which there is an ornitomorphic feature connected with the name Yoksyokyu, and in the Evens texts – with the name Yugseki or Yevseki. This feature is present in various examples of epic texts of the Yakut traditional epic olonkho and in some folklore texts of the Dolgans; it can be seen in the epic legends of the southeast Evens, living in the Khabarovsky Krai, who have come there from the east of Yakutia and are presently living in the neighboring regions with the Yakut people. Apart from epic texts, the image of a bird of Yoksyokyu occurs in examples of Dolgan and Yakut fairy tales. In our research, the descriptive method was used providing a large scope of primary textual data analysis; as well as the categorizing method allowing to show specific features of each text and its details; the comparative method aimed at defining similarities and differences in the context of both – the Yakut and Tungus folklore traditions and texts, representing different genres – the epic olonkho and fairy tales. A text material was selected using the method of computer analysis of large scope of texts, allowing taking texts containing proper names, age and social signs of characters, living beings and subjects as well as these subjects' names. Occurrence of such a character as a predatory fighting bird Yugseki similar to an eagle – Yevseki in the Even legends – is an unequivocal cultural borrowing from the Yakut folklore tradition: the group of Evens where these legends have been written down, is native to the Ust-Maya ulus (administrative division) of Yakutia and their dialect is close to the Even dialects of eastern Yakutia. In all Yoksyokyu referred to in the texts – the ornitomorphic character with a number of heads ranging from 1 to 8, capable of turning into a well-built human being and of participating in epic hero duels. It is a typical example of a cultural borrowing: in folklore, separate motifs and the characters connected with such motifs are usually borrowed. The image of Yoksyokyu – the birdlike human represents such type of a hero as the mediatory force connecting the different worlds (in this case the world of people and birds as a category of characters and Middle (terrestrial) and Top (Upper) worlds as spheres of action and narrations. The given example of character borrowing from the Yakut folklore tradition by the Even epic tradition is a rather bright one and the attention of researchers is drawn to it, but it appears by far not the only thing in weight of examples displaying influence that the Yakut folklore had on that of the Evens.


is the This study aimed to explore the role of IL-6, IL-10, and PGE2 in the treatment of intervertebral disc herniation with dual-channel endoscopic lumbar discectomy. For this purpose, we selected 182 patients with intervertebral disc herniation in our hospital and randomly divided them into the control group and the study group according to the order of admission, of which 85 cases were in the control group, 97 cases in the study group, and control group was treated with conventional lumbar discectomy; the study group was treated with dual-channel spine endoscopic lumbar discectomy to observe and compare the operation-related indexes, lumbar function indexes, clinical effects, serum-related indexes and the evaluation value of the two groups of patients. Results showed that the operation time, incision length, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, and postoperative pain scores of the study group were lower than those of the control group (p<0.05); the ODI and RMQ scores of the study group after treatment were lower than those of the control group (P<0.05). The excellent and good rate of the study group was 89.69% higher than that of the control group 77.65% (p<0.05); the levels of IL-6 and PGE2 in the study group after treatment were lower than those of the control group, and the IL-10 level was higher than that of the control group. (P<0.05); Using the lumbar spine function score as the comparison standard: IL-6, IL-10, PGE2 for the evaluation value of dual-channel endoscopic lumbar discectomy for the treatment of intervertebral disc herniation: sensitivity 96.18%, specificity 96.27%, the accuracy of 97.06% was higher than the single diagnosis result (P<0.05. It is worthy of clinical promotion. IL-6, IL-10, PGE2 predict dual-channel spine Endoscopic lumbar discectomy for the treatment of intervertebral disc herniation has high prognostic sensitivity and accuracy, which can provide references for clinical treatment and prognostic medication.


SPACE SCIENCENAPLES, ITALY-- This spring, a meeting of government ministers from the 14 member states of the European Space Agency (ESA) voted to maintain a fixed rate of science funding that had been in place since 1995: Inflation, which has already eaten into the budget for 4 years, will continue to do so. Last week, both ESA's decision-making Science Program Committee and the Space Science Advisory Committee met here to discuss how to deal with their shrinking resources. They voted for flexibility: In future, several options will be developed in parallel, and the decision on when to fly them will be made at a later stage in the process.


INTRODUCTION
The high strength porcelain fused metal crowns have been extensively used in dentistry. However, the fit is the most encountered problems in porcelain fused metal crowns. This mainly depends on the fabrication technique.

AIM
The purpose was to compare the internal and marginal fit of laser sintered and conventionally casted Cobalt-Chromium copings.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Twenty stainless steel dies of dimension 15 x 10 mm with 1 mm finish margin were fabricated using CAD-CAM technology. Twenty dies were divided into two groups Group 1 and Group 2 containing 10 samples each. All 20 dies were scanned using LAVA 3M scanner and data were used to fabricate metal copings using Laser sintering technique (Group-1) and Conventional casting technique (Group-2). Copings were cemented onto respective dies and finished and standardized sectioning were made. The sectioned models were scanned under stereomicroscope at 50 x magnification for internal and marginal fit evaluation.

RESULTS
Mean and standard deviation of internal and marginal discrepancy of laser sintered copings/conventional cast metal copings was 107.6 ± 10.9μ and 102.1 ± 17.2μ/187.09 ± 11.47 μ and 176.57 ± 25.82 μ respectively. Statistical analysis showed the laser sintered copings have lesser internal and marginal discrepancy than conventional casted copings with p value < 0.001.

CONCLUSION
The laser sintered Co-Cr copings showed better internal and marginal fit when compared to that of conventional Co-Cr casted copings.


New records are listed. The following new species are described: Aleuropteryx cupressi (U.S.A.), A. longipennis (U.S.A. & Mexico), A. punctata (U.S.A. & Mexico), Neoconis bifurcata (U.S.A.), Coniopteryx (Coniopteryx) californica (U.S.A.), C. (C.) mexicana (Mexico), C. (C.) simplex (U.S.A.), Semidalis deserta (U.S.A.) and S. frommeri (U.S.A.). Several species are recorded for the first time from a country: Aleuropteryx unicolor Meinander, Coniopteryx minuta Meinander and Semidalis flinti Meinander from Mexico, Helicoconis similis Meinander and Coniopteryx palpalis Meinander from the U.S.A. and Helicoconis lutea Wallengren from Canada. The female of the Canadian H. lutea is brachypterous ; the specimens were collected from high altitude tundra. The genitalia of the following females are figured for the first time: Aleuropteryx cupressi sp. n., A. punctata sp. n. A. simillima Meinander, A. unicolor Meinander and Neoconis marginata Meinander.


Human breast milk contains full of bioactive components to support the healthy growth and development of newborn babies in their early stage of life. These bioactive components are consisted of essential microbes, human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs), immunoglobulins, lactoferrin, cytokines, and fatty acids. These factors harmonize with gut bacteria to establish the intestinal microbiome of babies. Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are the third most abundant solid components after lactose and lipids. The structural nature of HMOs are complex mixtures of unconjugated glycans with backbone of lactose linked with fucose, sialic acids and/or N-acetyl glucosamine. HMOs are known to have over 200 derivatives resulting from the combination of sugar moiety and linkages. There have been intensive studies on the utilization of HMOs by gut microbiota. Bifidobacterium species are actively involved in the digestion of major HMOs compounds. B. infantis, B. longum, B. breve, and B. bifidum are well known Bifidobacterium species equipped with the enzymes required for the digestion of complex glycans of mother's milk. There is a strong evidence that the establishment of a healthy microbiome in neonates are very crucial for the immune development and prevention of pathogen infections. HMOs are specific and selective prebiotics for Bifidobacterium and play major roles for the growth of B. infantis in the newborn babies' intestine. Potentials of HMOs as antivirals are being studied in several research groups. It is considered that HMOs may mimic structures of viral receptors and block adherence to target cells thus preventing infection. Some of recent review on the glycan binding studies for several viruses will be introduced briefly. Advanced Protein Technologies Corporation (APTech) is working on the development of series of major HMOs. APTech is operating HMO manufacturing plant in Hwasung city for the production of 2'-fucosyllactose (2'-FL). The company got FSSC22000 certificate in October, 2020. APTech is expecting the approval of 2'-FL as food ingredient in Korea and US FDA GRAS notification early next year. EU novel food application is also underway and will be finalized within 2021. References 1. Wicinski M., Sawicka E., Gebalski J., Kubiak K., and Malinowski B., Human Milk Oligosaccharides: Health Benefits, Potential Applications in Infant Formulas, and Pharmacology (2020), Nutrients 12(1):266 2. Sakanaka M., Gotoh A., Yoshida K., Odamaki T., Koguchi H., Xiao J., Kitaoka M. and Katayama T., Varied Pathways of Infant Gut-Associated Bifidobactirium to Assimilate Human Milk Oligosaccharides: Prevalence of the Gene Set and Its Correlation with Bifidobacteria-Rich Microbiota Formation (2020), Nutrients 12 (1):71 3. Morozov V., Hansman G., Hanisch F., Schroten H. and Kunz C., Human milk oligosaccharides as promising antivirals (2018), Mol Nutr Food Res 62(6): 1700679


The anticancer activity of genotoxic agents has been intensively studied, while the mechanisms of action of drugs destabilizing the epigenome are far less understood. We previously found that DNA hypomethylation in the absence of p53 leads to transcriptional desilencing of repetitive DNA elements, such as pericentromeric repeats and endogenous retroelements, which is associated with an interferon type I response, a phenomenon we named TRAIN (Transcription of Repeats Activates INterferon). Here, we report that curaxin, a small molecule anticancer drug candidate, which destabilizes nucleosomes via disruption of histone/DNA interactions, can induce TRAIN independently of the p53 status of a cell. Furthermore, curaxin inhibits oncogene-induced transformation in an interferon-dependent manner, suggesting that cancer prevention by curaxin, previously attributed to its p53-activating and NF-kappaB-inhibiting activities, may also involve the induction of the interferon response to epigenetic derepression of the cellular "repeatome." Moreover, we observed that another type of drugs decondensing chromatin, histone deacetylase inhibitor, also induces TRAIN. Thus, we proposed that TRAIN may be one of the mechanisms ensuring epigenetic integrity of cells via elimination of cells with desilenced chromatin.