The article deals with the little examined period in the life and work of Thomas and Henry Mann, when, from 1895 up to 1896, Henry was editor-in-chief, and Thomas  one of the authors, of the blatantly anti-Semitic journalThe Twentieth Century. For the first time in the Russian studies of the writers, the article reveals a compendium of their articles that appeared in that journal. They make it clear that, during the time the two authors worked for the journal, they were under a powerful influence of the nationalistic 'voelkisch' ideology, a precursor to National Socialism. The researcher points out the specifics of the brothers' attitude towards the Jewish world. While Thomas' articles are not infused with the kind of aggressive anti-Semitism of his brother's works, they still make a noticeable use of anti-Semitic stereotypes, evidence of his negative perception of Jews. The paper also follows the evolution of the two brothers' views of the 'Jewish problem'. Whereas Henry gave up his aggressive anti-Semitism rather easily and moved on to a sympathetic depiction of Jews in the early 1900s, Thomas' works show little change as far as the Jewish theme is concerned. Thomas Mann, on the other hand, believed that literature and politics were dimensionally separated; but what proved advantageous in terms of artistic quality resulted in a flawed interpretation of the Jewish theme.


The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of cornel iridoid glycoside (CIG) on the activity of cholinesterases in vitro, and to investigate the mechanism of CIG's treating Alzheimer's disease (AD). The sources of cholinesterases were prepared from human blood cells, rat brain homogenate and human blood plasma, respectively. The biochemical methods were used to detect the activity of acetylcholine esterase (AChE) and butyryl cholinesterase (BuChE) to investigate the influence of CIG on cholinesterases. The results showed that CIG inhibited the activity of AChE of human blood cells and rat brain homogenate, with the 50% inhibition rate (IC50) of 1.6 g . L-1 and 3.3 g . L-1, respectively; and the inhibition of AChE of CIG is reversible. CIG also inhibited the activity of BuChE of human blood plasma, with the IC50 of 2.9 g . L-1. In conclusion, CIG can inhibit the activity of AChE and BuChE in vitro, which may be one of the mechanisms of CIG to treat AD.


The compounds 3‐oxofriedelane (1), 3β‐hydroxyfriedelane (2), 3,11‐dioxofriedelane (3), 3,16‐dioxofrie delane (4) and 3‐oxo‐12α‐hydroxyfriedelane (5) were isolated from the hexane extract of Maytenus gonoclada Mart. (Celastraceae) leaves. Structural formula and the stereochemistry of the new pentacyclic triterpene 3‐oxo‐12α‐hydroxyfriedelane (5) were established through 1H and 13C NMR and DEPT 135 spectral data including 2D experiments (HMBC, HMQC, COSY, and NOESY) and mass spectrometry (GC‐MS). Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Objectives: To present and analyse the literature sources regarding the management of Behçet disease (BD) identified during the systematic literature research, which formed the basis for the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) evidence-based recommendations for the management of BD. Methods: Problem areas and related keywords regarding the management of BD were determined by the multidisciplinary expert committee commissioned by EULAR for developing the recommendations. A systematic literature research was performed using MedLine and Cochrane Library resources through to December 2006. Meta-analyses, systematic reviews, randomised controlled trials (RCTs), open studies, observational studies, case control studies and case series' involving ⩾5 patients were included. For each intervention the effect size and number needed to treat were calculated for efficacy. Odds ratios and numbers needed to harm were calculated for safety issues of different treatment modalities where possible. Results: The literature research yielded 137 articles that met the inclusion criteria; 20 of these were RCTs. There was good evidence supporting the use of azathioprine and ciclosporin A in eye involvement and interferon (IFN)α in mucocutaneous involvement. There were no RCTs with IFNα or tumour necrosis factor (TNF)α antagonists in eye involvement. Similarly controlled data for the management of vascular, gastrointestinal and neurological involvement is lacking. Conclusion: Properly designed, controlled studies (new and confirmatory) are still needed to guide us in managing BD.


Abstract Background: As WHO expresses, COVID-19 is the infectious disease caused by the most recently discovered coronavirus. This new virus and disease were unknown before the outbreak began in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. COVID-19 is now a pandemic affecting many countries globally. Antiviral agents play fundamental role in Covid-19 treatment. Favipiravir is one of the favored agents and it still draws attention of generic drug industry which is constitutional for drug accessibility. Objective: The aim of this study is to demonstrate the bioequivalence of a new Favipiravir tablet formulation as compared to the reference tablet formulation in healthy male subjects under fasting conditions.To prove the bioequivalence, a randomised, single oral dose, cross-over, two-period study was carried out in 30 healthy subjects under fasting conditions. Plasma Favipiravir levels were quantified by using an in-house-developed high performance Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. Results: The 90% CIs for the test/reference geometric mean ratios of the Cmax and AUC0-tlast were 92.92 – 119.89% and 94.00 – 99.77%, respectively. Conclusions: This single-dose study has shown that the test and reference Favipiravir products met the required bioequivalence criteria. Besides, both products were well tolerated and safe. *The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request. Some data may not be made available because of privacy or ethical restrictions.


Cool astrophysical objects, such as (exo)planets, brown dwarfs, or asymptotic giant branch stars, can be strongly affected by condensation. Condensation does not only directly affect the chemical composition of the gas phase by removing elements but the condensed material also influences other chemical and physical processes in these object. This includes, for example, the formation of clouds in planetary atmospheres and brown dwarfs or the dust-driven winds of evolved stars. In this study we introduce FastChem Cond, a new version of the FastChem equilibrium chemistry code that adds a treatment of equilibrium condensation. Determining the equilibrium composition under the impact of condensation is complicated by the fact that the number of condensates that can exist in equilibrium with the gas phase is limited by a phase rule. However, this phase rule does not directly provide information on which condensates are stable. As a major advantage of FastChem Cond is able to automatically select the set stable condensates satisfying the phase rule. Besides the normal equilibrium condensation, FastChem Cond can also be used with the rainout approximation that is commonly employed in atmospheres of brown dwarfs or (exo)planets. FastChem Cond is available as open-source code, released under the GPLv3 licence. In addition to the C++ code, FastChem Cond also offers a Python interface. Together with the code update we also add about 290 liquid and solid condensate species to FastChem.


Two patients with sphenoethmoid mucoceles developed visual field defects consistent with optic chiasm dysfunction. The presence of chiasmal field defects associated with the clinical syndrome of compressive optic neuropaty should not rule out the diagnosis of sphenoethmoid mucocele since definitive treatment can be carried out via transnasal drainage.


We demonstrate an efficiency of 70% with 5.1 GW microwave power for a diode voltage of 770 kV and a current modulation coefficient of 1.67 in a klystron-like relativistic backward wave oscillator. The device combines the advantages of reducing electron beam radius, adopting dual-cavity extractor, and introducing two pre-modulation cavities. A large dc space charge field is present due to the conversion of considerable potential energy to kinetic energy at the end of beam-wave interaction region. A nonlinear theory is developed to show that the dc space charge field can increase the current modulation coefficient and microwave conversion efficiency significantly.


This paper presents a mean frequency estimation method for narrowband lowpass signals. The fundamental idea of this method is that the single frequency approximation for a narrowband lowpass signal embedded in white noise using Pisarenko harmonic decomposition (PHD) algorithm is approximately the power-weighted mean frequency of the signal. In this method, Fourier transform as an indispensable processing link in the conventional power spectrum estimation is given up as well as the convolution effects between the real frequency spectrum and the frequency spectrum of data intercepting window function caused by limited data length are excluded. Experimental results show that the PHD method outperforms the commonly used mean frequency estimation method based on Fourier transform


We study the semi-empirical b − ϵ model for the evolution of turbulent bursts by applying the classical Lie group method of symmetry transformations. We discuss how the admitted symmetry groups depend on three undetermined parameters appearing in the model, and we prove the existence of decaying bounded travelling wave solutions for values of the parameters which are in agreement with the numerical suggestions.


Amino acid thermal heterocomplex molecules are primitive macromolecules synthesized by thermally polymer-izing amino acids. Amino acid thermal heterocomplex molecules microspheres form capsules in response to changes in the surrounding environment, but the mechanism has not been clarified. In this study, we hypothesized that the auto catalytic properties of amino acid thermal heterocomplex molecules is a main factor in capsule formation and integrated a self- catalytic cluster formation mechanism into Brownian dynamics and tried to verify it. It was clarified that when cluster formation was incorporated, high-density regions were formed. this result suggests that the clusters in the high-density region grow further to form a capsule-like structure. From this result, amino acid thermal heterocomplex molecules, which is primitive macromolecules, has the function of the formation of physical compartment that is thought to have contributed to the origin of life, which is derived from the autocatalytic association process of the amino acid thermal heterocomplex molecules.


Introduction: Family planning can avert nearly one-third of maternal deaths and 10% of child mortality when couples space their pregnancies more than two years apart. With increased institutional deliveries, Postpartum Intrauterine Contraceptive Devices (PPIUCD) can play an important role in addressing the unmet needs of spacing methods in India. Moreover, in this digital age, generalised awareness of the female population about contraception has increased considerably, so the acceptance and continuation rate might be high. Aim: To evaluate expulsion and continuation rate of immediate PPIUCDs at a tertiary care hospital in Haryana, India. Materials and Methods: The prospective, hospital-based study was conducted from October 2020 to September 2021 in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College, Karnal, Haryana, India. Ninety women who underwent IUCD insertion within 10 minutes of delivery of the placenta were enrolled, irrespective of the mode of delivery. Patients were followed-up at six weeks, three months, and six months. The expulsion and continuation rate of immediate PPIUCD and reasons for removal were studied. Descriptive variables were expressed in percentages. The Chi-square test was used to determine the continuation rate and expulsion/ removal rates in vaginal versus cesarean deliveries and a p-value less than 0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Results: A continuation rate of 84.4% was observed at six months. A statistically significant difference was observed in the continuation rate of participants of vaginal delivery versus caesarean section (82.67% vs 93.33%, p-value <0.01). Overall, the expulsion rate was 6.66%. Conclusion: Immediate PPIUCD insertion has high continuation rates and can play an important role in family planning.


In this work, we consider two fast nearest-neighbor search methods based on the projections of Voronoi regions, namely, the box-search method and the cell-partition search method. We provide their comprehensive study in the contest of vector quantization encoding. We show that the use of principal component transformation reduces the complexity of Voronoi-projection based search significantly for data with high degree of correlation across their components.


EMD Performance Materials provides a broad material portfolio for photolithography, Chemical Shrink and EUV Rinse materials are two categories of aqueous materials enabling advanced patterning.

Chemical Shrink materials generate an additional layer on the surface of photoresist pattern through chemical/physical interactions, resulting in finer trench or hole structures. The technique helps IC manufacturers improve process margin and reduce cost of ownership by relaxing the requirements for lithography. EMD has been engaged in development of the technology for over two decades, and introduced materials for multiple generations of lithography. The first generation Chemical Shrink material, AZ® R200 was commercialized for i-line and KrF applications around 2000. From then on, several commercial platforms were released targeting for ArF, ArF-immersion, and ArF NTD (Negative Tone Development) photoresists. Shrink amount depends on the material platforms and photoresists, it can be controlled from several nm to 100 nm with the process conditions, mainly shrink bake temperature. Well-controlled through-pitch proximity is one of the key advantages of the technique as well. Chemical shrink process is a straightforward and well-established in-track process. Not only smaller pattern sizes are achieved, effective DOF (Depth of Focus) is improved, but also surface smoothing of photoresist is expected.

Rinse materials are a unique offering from EMD to alleviate capillary force hence mitigate pattern collapse in very fine photoresist pattern through reducing surface tension with novel surfactants. Based on the knowledge and know-hows learned during the development of rinse materials for ArF and ArF immersion lithography processes in the past decades, new material platforms have been developed to extend the technique to meet the ever more critical requirements in EUV lithography. AZ® Extreme 10 was commercialized as the world first rinse material dedicated for EUV lithography, designed for L/S (Line and Space) pattern of 22nm hp patterning. To further improve the compatibility with the latest EUV photoresists for finer pattern, 18nm hp and beyond, AZ® SPC-708 is newly commercialized in 2018. It is expected that AZ® SPC-708 helps reduce photoresist residues during development process in addition to its function of collapse mitigation.

EMD Performance Materials is committed to providing novel solutions to confront the increasing technical challenges in advanced patterning.


Objective: To assess the effect of serial growth scans and optimised fetal weight limits on the risk of stillbirth in low and high-risk maternity populations. Design: Retrospective cohort study Setting: United Kingdom 2015-2020 Population: 1,572,817 singleton pregnancies cared for in maternity units that have implemented the Growth Assessment Protocol (GAP). Methods: Analysis of fully anonymised, prospectively recorded core data from 132 National Health Service institutions. Stillbirth rate and relative risk was assessed according to risk status assigned at booking. We constructed receiver operator curves (ROC) and determined area under the curve (AUC) and optimal centile points using Youden's Index. Main Outcome: Rate of stillbirth from 24 weeks gestation. Results: The overall cohort included 6569 stillbirths (rate per thousand: 4.18). The rate was higher in pregnancies that had been designated high risk (6.23) than low risk (3.61; RR 1.7, CI 1.6-1.8). High risk pregnancies that did not receive monitoring by serial ultrasound had a stillbirth rate that was more than twice as high than those that did get serial scans as per protocol (11.94 vs 5.64). The optimal centile point for predicting stillbirth was 11.3 for the overall cohort (sensitivity 36.8, specificity 84.1 and AUC 62.3%), 15.2 for low risk pregnancies (sensitivity 35.1, specificity 84.6, AUC 61.3%) and 2.7 for high risk pregnancies (sensitivity 34.2, specificity 88.9, AUC 61.2% ). Conclusions: Serial third trimester growth scans can halve stillbirth risk in pregnancies designated high risk. Optimal fetal size limits for antenatal surveillance are specific to the risk status of pregnancy.


The role of MS in the study of protein‐protein interactions in solution is described from a proteomics perspective, in terms of high‐throughput analyses of protein complexes in vivo, through to chemical and biochemical treatments ahead of MS analysis in the context of complementary experimental approaches in structural biology. The use of MS to characterise protein‐protein interactions is described following the single and tandem affinity purification of protein complexes and assemblies of expressed proteins in host cells, the isolation and preservation of protein complexes on surfaces and microarrays, and their prior treatment with chemical and biochemical probes by hydrogen exchange, radical probe, chemical cross‐linking, and limited proteolysis. The advantages and disadvantages of each of the approaches are presented. These new and emerging applications, which further demonstrate the power of MS, continue to ensure that the mass spectrometer will remain at the heart of discoveries in proteomics in the foreseeable future.


It is well known that when wood and other vegetable substances are submitted to destructive distillation, there is produced, among other matters, a black dense fluid resembling molasses or common tar. My connection' with the Ordnance powder-mills having compelled me to examine some of the properties of this substance, which is obtained in large quantities in the process of making charcoal, I was induced to extend my enquiries, in consequence of finding that the nature of the compound has not hitherto been understood.

As it is commonly called tar by the workmen, I shall use this term for want of a better.

This tar is very inflammable, and so liquid that it may be burnt in a lamp.

Although it appears to be an uniform fluid, it contains a great quantity of acetic acid, in a state of loose combination or mixture. For, by washing with water, a great part of this is separated; the water at the same time acquiring a colour from a portion of the tar which is retained in solution by the acid. Boiling water takes up a larger portion, and the tar acquires from this operation a thicker and more pitchy consistence.

Lime and the carbonated alkalies separate the acid with ease, carrying away also a portion of the tar which continues united to the solution. With subcarbonate of potash it thus forms in the first instance an uniform solution of a brown colour, but a continuance of trituration or boiling renders it pitchy and


Saikosaponin A (SSA) is a major triterpenoid saponin isolated from Radix bupleuri (RB), a widely used Chinese traditional medicine to treat various inflammation-related diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory activity, as well as the molecular mechanism of SSA in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. In this study, we demonstrated that SSA markedly inhibits the expression of certain immune-related cytotoxic factors, including cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric-oxide synthase (iNOS), as well as pro-inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6. It also significantly upregulates the expression of IL-10, an important anti-inflammatory cytokine, suggesting its anti-inflammatory activity in LPS-stimulated macrophages. We further demonstrated that SSA inhibits the activation of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway by suppressing the phosphorylation of inhibitory NF-κB inhibitor α (IκBα) and thus holding p65 NF-κB in the cytoplasm to prevent its translocation to the nucleus. In addition, SSA also inhibits the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway by downregulating the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (c-JNK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), the three key components of the MAPK family. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that SSA has an anti-inflammatory effect by regulating inflammatory mediators and suppressing the MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells.


Immune cells can be genetically engineered with a synthetic chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) to eliminate cancer cells, but clinical efficacy in solid tumors has been disappointing due in part to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). Additionally, the cost and logistical issues of personalized medicine necessitate the creation of an off-the-shelf CAR therapy. Synthetic biology tools were implemented in addressing these problems: an anti-mesothelin CAR, membrane-bound IL-15/IL-15R α complex, and inducible caspase 9 "kill switch" were expressed in natural killer cells for tumor-targeting capabilities, immunostimulatory effects, and safety in treating a preclinical model of ovarian cancer with a renewable, allogenic cell therapy.


The production of ethanol from food such as corn, cassava etc. is the most predominate way of producing ethanol. This has led to a shortage in food, inbalance in food chain, increased food price and indirect land use. This thesis thus explores using another feed for the production of ethanolhence ethanol from cellulose. Sawdust was used to carry out the experiment from the production of ethanol and two methods were considered: SHF (Separate Hydrolysis and Fermentation) and SSF (Simultaneous Saccharication and Fermentation). The SHF proved more hazardous than SSF and also had waste products that are hazardous to the environment. However, it is less costly. On the other hand SSF produced more yield and the process took a longer duration compared to the SHF. The overall process was compared to previous work done on ethanol from an equal mass of corn and it was noted that more yield was experienced with corn (starch) and it was less costly. In conclusion, cellulose ethanol will only thrive well if strict bans are implemented on starch ethanol because evidently there is more yields from starch ethanol, safer and it is less expensive. However, a breakthrough in genetically engineering a microbe to directly convert cellulose to ethanol will be profitable.


We establish first a theoretical foundation for the use of Gromov-Hausdorff (GH) distance for point set registration with homeomorphic deformation maps perturbed by Gaussian noise. We then present a probabilistic, deformable registration framework. At the core of the framework is a highly efficient iterative algorithm with guaranteed convergence to a local minimum of the GH-based objective function. The framework has two other key components – a multi-scale stochastic shape descriptor and a data compression scheme. We also present an experimental comparison between our method and two existing influential methods on non-rigid motion between digital anthropomorphic phantoms extracted from physical data of multiple individuals.


Primers were designed for RT-nested PCR amplification of the highly variable 293-nt fragment from the 5¢ terminal part of the Grapevine virus A (GVA) replicase gene, specific to South African variants of molecular groups I and II. This new technique, along with RT-PCR for simultaneous amplification of variants of groups I, II and III, as well as cloning of amplicons, single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) analysis of clones and sequencing, were used to investigate the populations of variants infecting 16 local Shiraz grapevines with different Shiraz disease (SD) status. The techniques were also used to study variants in GVA-infected grapevines from Australia an dt he USA. The Australian grapevines included seven plants of cvs Shiraz and Merlot affected by Australian Shiraz disease (AuSD), and one plant of cv. Crimson Seedless with unknown AuSD status. Grapevines from the USA included plants of cvs Chardonnay, Thompson Seedless and an unknown cultivar. The results confirmed the association of certain genetic variants of group II with SD and showed the common presence of these variants in AuSD-affected grapevines from Australia. Interestingly, a variant of this group was also detected in grapevine cv. Chardonnay from the USA, although the disease has not yet been reported from that country. The study also supports an earlier observation that members of group II, closely related to variant GTR1-2, are not associated with the disease. The variants were found only in SD-free grapevines. Results show that variants of the most divergent group III, which are common in South Africa, are also present in Australia and the USA. These variants are not associated with SD, but frequently occur in mixed infections with members of group II in plants affected by this disease in South Africa.


An event I experienced a few years ago tore down my perception of success and failure. It forced me to go through strong and stressful dilemmas, and I had to reconnect to my set of personal values and ethics to redefine success and recover. By sharing this event with you, just the way I experienced it, I hope you will understand how I felt and that it will help you understand how peoples' opinions around us can influence our views of what failure or success is.


ABSTRACT Several butterflies of family Nymphalidae perform long-distance migration. Extensive studies of migration in the iconic monarch butterfly Danaus plexippus have revealed that vision plays a crucial role in migratory orientation. Differences in the migratory patterns of butterflies suggest that not all species are exposed to the same visual conditions and yet, little is known about how the visual system varies across migratory species. Here, we used intracellular electrophysiology, dye injection and electron microscopy to assess the spectral and polarization properties of the photoreceptors of a migrating nymphalid, Parantica sita. Our findings reveal three spectral classes of photoreceptors including ultraviolet, blue and green receptors. The green receptor class contains three subclasses, which are broad, narrow and double-peaking green receptors. Ultraviolet and blue receptors are sensitive to polarized light parallel to the dorso-ventral axis of the animal, while the variety of green receptors are sensitive to light polarized at 45 deg, 90 deg and 135 deg away from the dorso-ventral axis. The polarization sensitivity ratio is constant across spectral receptor classes at around 1.8. Although P. sita has a typical nymphalid eye with three classes of spectral receptors, subtle differences exist among the eyes of migratory nymphalids, which may be genus specific. Summary: Eyes of chestnut tiger butterflies have UV-, blue- and green-sensitive cells and they are also polarization sensitive, which may be useful for visual orientation during migration.


There are two types of Muslim thinkers / leaders, namely the traditional Muslim thinkers and rational Muslim thinker. Traditional Muslim thinkers are thinkers who are bound by Ahad Hadith and opinions of previous scholars (salafi). Ulema scholars who place the rational mind is in a very high so that ruled out on Sunday and the hadith are not bound by the opinions of ulama salaf. All religious dogma and what rules would be rejected if it does not make sense. In a set of values and Islamic law, they use three methods of approach, namely metaphorical interpretation, interpretation hermeneutics and social historical methods. In the field, often a very sharp clash of ideas between traditional Muslim thinkers with rational Muslim thinker often happens. In the next development, rational figure is increasingly free to use their minds and seemed to underestimate the words of the Apostle and the text of the Koran so that they are called liberal Muslim leaders.


REPORT OF A CASE A 62-year-old man had thyroid goiter (Fig 1) of approximately ten years' duration. There were no signs or symptoms of hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. In addition, multiple facial lesions had developed slowly over a 15-year period. The patient was in good health except for symptoms of prostatism. Family history was not contributory. Physical examination disclosed the following abnormalities: a large head, bilateral conjunctival pterygia, buccal papillomas, fissured tongue, large thyroid goiter without nodules, enlarged prostate, and dull intelligence. Cutaneous examination revealed multiple papules and nodules, particularly in the centrofacial area (Fig 2). Some of the lesions contained a central keratotic plug or horn. On the hands and distal forearms, keratotic wartlike lesions were present (Fig 3). On the left heel a much larger keratotic lesion was noted. A large, soft, pedunculated molluscum fibrosum was present in the left side of the groin. Examination of a skin biopsy specimen from


Understanding space use patterns of wildlife may be useful to spatially plan habitat management options and understand how species use resources on a landscape. Spatial fidelity can be defined as the tendency of an animal to maintain similar space use patterns among periods of interest and can be described in terms of differences in dis- persion of points and shift in central tendency. However, little information is available concerning spatial fidelity in wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo). Therefore, we inves- tigated seasonal spatial fidelity of male and female eastern wild turkeys (M. g. silvestris) on the Tallahala Wildlife Management Area (TWMA) in central Mississippi during 1984-1996. We estimated dispersion between seasons as the mean distance between each location and the bivariate median. We estimated shifts in space use patterns as the distance between bivariate median centers for consecutive seasons. We also used habi- tat data to determine if habitat needs influenced observed fidelity patterns of males. Both sexes displayed spatial shift, dispersional differences, both shift and dispersion, or neither between consecutive seasons. Spatial shift may have been related to habitat preferences. Males had similar dispersion across seasons indicating consistent space use patterns. Decreased dispersion of locations during preincubation by females may have been related to concentrated searches for nest sites. Spatial shift between spring and summer for males may have been related to movements associated with spring breeding. Spatial shifts observed in a turkey population may be indicative of individuals seeking preferred habitat and may identify absent habitat type(s) or habitat associa- tion(s) in a given area.


OBJECTIVE For the treatment of elderly patients with asymptomatic meningiomas, it is important to determine their natural history. Based on results of follow up examinations, the natural history of such patients was clarified and prognostic factors concerning the potential of tumour growth in the aged were identified. METHODS The clinical records and imaging studies of 40 elderly (over 70 years) patients with asymptomatic meningiomas were analysed. The patients were followed up with repeated imaging studies, and changes in tumour size, clinical signs, and outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS There were 32 women and eight men with a mean age of 76.1 years. The mean follow up period was 38.4 months, ranging from 6 to 97 months. Six patients died during the follow up period from disorders other than the tumours, and one patient died as a result of the tumour. Twenty six patients (mean follow up period 41.8 months, range 10–97 months) showed no tumour growth. Fourteen patients showed tumour growth (mean follow up period 32.1 months, range 6–88 months). Five (four men and one woman) of these patients became symptomatic. Based on imaging analysis (1) calcification of the tumour was associated with no tumour growth (p=0.036), and (2) the tumour size at the initial diagnosis was related to subsequent tumour growth (p=0.016). Other possible factors related to tumour growth included sex and hyperintensity on MRI T2 weighted images. CONCLUSION In elderly patients with asymptomatic meningiomas, careful clinical follow up with imaging studies is important. The imaging features mentioned may contribute to prediction of tumour growth.


Two and a half thousand years ago, long before Lakshman Sena ruled Bengal, there was a monster who came out of its cave every night and ate people. The people could not kill him because they feared him so much. They finally put a plan together and made a mirror. When the monster came out that night and saw his reflection, he was so startled to see another creature as big and powerful as himself that he lashed out at the mirror, shattering the glass. But, each broken piece reflected himself back at him. As he turned, these creatures seemed to surround him. He felt they had multiplied. So in his fear and rage, he hit his head and wept himself to death. The people came back the next morning and saw the splintered glass and the dead monster. Now, how to tell all the other villages the news that they could live without fear? So, the same man who had come up with the scheme to kill the monster was asked to devise a second plan. A big leaf was used to paint the picture of the monster. This image was circulated from village to village, and the man was packed off to tell the story. Wherever he told the tale, they gave him rice and, of course, food to eat. Soon it transformed his livelihood. He no longer cultivated land. Then they wanted new stories, so he went to the Ramayana and Mahabharata and added songs to storytelling and pictures on cloth.


We conduct an extensive numerical study to single out the best performing rectangular array of evanescently coupled waveguides (discrete beam combiner) that can be used as an integrated optic beam combiner for 6-telescopes at once. We found that the performance of a discrete beam combiner only depends on the conditioning of the Visibility to Pixel Matrix (V2PM) describing it. However, we found that the condition number of V2PM pertaining to different beam combiner architectures cannot be compared. We further report on the possible input waveguide configuration of an 8-telescope discrete beam combiner featuring 8x8 or 9x9 waveguides.


Maximum mean discrepancy (MMD) is a particularly useful distance metric for differentially private data generation: when used with finite-dimensional features it allows us to summarize and privatize the data distribution once, which we can repeatedly use during generator training without further privacy loss. An important question in this framework is, then, what features are useful to distinguish between real and synthetic data distributions, and whether those enable us to generate quality synthetic data. This work considers the using the features of $\textit{neural tangent kernels (NTKs)}$, more precisely $\textit{empirical}$ NTKs (e-NTKs). We find that, perhaps surprisingly, the expressiveness of the untrained e-NTK features is comparable to that of the features taken from pre-trained perceptual features using public data. As a result, our method improves the privacy-accuracy trade-off compared to other state-of-the-art methods, without relying on any public data, as demonstrated on several tabular and image benchmark datasets.


Context/Objectivep16 is a widely used immunohistochemical marker in gynecologic pathology. Strong and diffuse cytoplasmic and nuclear expression of p16 in squamous cell carcinomas (SCC) of the female genital tract is strongly associated with high-risk human papilloma virus infection and neoplasms of cervical origin. However, p16 can be expressed in other neoplasms and in several normal human tissues. Occasionally, SCCs may involve both uterine cervix and urinary bladder. Accurate identification of the site of origin in such cases has therapeutic and prognostic implications. We investigate the potential value of p16 expression in this distinction. DesignWe reviewed 74 SCCs, 38 (51%) from urinary bladder and 36 (49%) from uterine cervix obtained between 2003 and 2008. Of the 38 cases of bladder carcinoma, 21 occurred in females and 17 in males. Immunohistochemical analysis for p16 (DAKO M7247, clone 484, dilution of 1:50) expression was done in all cases using the labeled streptavidin-biotin method. ResultStrong and diffuse nuclear and cytoplasmic p16 positivity was observed in 45 cases (61%). Of the 38 SCCs of urinary bladder, 14 (37%) expressed p16 (8 males, 6 females). Of the 36 SCCs of uterine cervix, 31 (86%) were positive for p16. Conclusions(1) The majority of SCCs of uterine cervix express p16. (2) More than a third of urinary bladder SCCs express p16. (3) SCCs of urinary bladder express p16 independent of gender. (4) p16 immunohistochemical expression alone cannot be used to discriminate between SCCs arising from uterine cervix versus urinary bladder.


Reporting Islam argues for innovative approaches to media coverage of Muslims and their faith. The book examines the ethical dilemmas faced by Western journalists when reporting on this topic and offers a range of alternative journalistic techniques that will help news media practitioners move away from dominant news values and conventions when reporting on Islam.

The book is based on an extensive review of international literature and interviews with news media editors, copy-editors, senior reporters, social media editors, in-house journalism trainers and journalism educators, conducted for the Reporting Islam Project. In addition, the use of an original model – the Transformative Journalism Model – provides further insight into the nature of news reports about Muslims and Islam. The findings collated here help to identify the best and worst reporting practices adopted by different news outlets, as well as the factors which have influenced them. Building on this, the authors outline a new strategy for more accurate, fair and informed reporting of stories relating to Muslims and Islam.

By combining an overview of different journalistic approaches with real-world accounts from professionals and advice on best practice, journalists, journalism educators and students will find this book a useful guide to contemporary news coverage of Islam.


This paper studies the effects of fructose diet on plasma isoflavonoids and floral enzyme activities in adult mice. Male 6-week-old mice were fed a fructose-isoflavone (FI) diet or a starch-isoflavone (SI) diet for four weeks. Plasma daidzein and equol were analyzed by HPLC, and cecal bacterial β-glucosidase and β-glucuronidase activities were also measured. The plasma equol concentration was significantly higher in the FI diet group as compared to the SI diet group. No significant difference was observed in the plasma daidzein concentration between the two dietary groups. There were no significant differences in cecal β-glucosidase activities between the FI diet group and the SI diet group. However, the ratio of cecal β-glucuronidase activity to β-glucosidase activity was significantly higher in the FI diet group. The present study suggests that a high content of fructose in the diet may affect the biological activity of dietary isoflavones on the host.


The most vital characteristic of cinema is probably its persuasive force, to withdraw its viewers from their everyday experience and envelop them in an audiovisual stream. Ever since the rise of early cinema, about a century ago, technological evolutions and developments in the visual language of cinema focuses on finding new ways to submerge the experienced audience in a new cinematographic experience, through which a different world of living images, space, light, words, music or movement reveals itself. But if immersion is the thriving force behind the cinematographic experience, what are the new immersive challenges in our contemporary postcinema era? This paper explores three contemporary immersive strategies in terms of postmediality, cybertribalism and hypericonography.


ABSTRACT RNA interference is one of the common methods of studying protein functions. In recent years critical reports have emerged indicating that off-target effects may have a much greater impact on RNAi-based analysis than previously assumed. We studied the influence of Adam10 and Adam17 silencing on MC38CEA cell response to proinflammatory stimuli. Eight lentiviral vector-encoded shRNAs that reduced ADAM10 expression, including two that are specific towards ADAM17, caused inhibition of cytokine-induced Nos2 expression presumably via off-target effects. ADAM10 silencing was not responsible for this effect because: (i) CRISPR/Cas9 knockdown of ADAM10 did not affect Nos2 levels; (ii) ADAM10 inhibitor increased rather than decreased Nos2 expression; (iii) overexpression of ADAM10 in the cells with shRNA-silenced Adam10 did not reverse the effect induced by shRNA; (iv) shRNA targeting ADAM10 resulted in decrease of Nos2 expression even in ADAM10-deficient cells. The studied shRNAs influenced transcription of Nos2 rather than stability of Nos2 mRNA. They also affected stimulation of Ccl2 and Ccl7 expression. Additionally, we used vectors with doxycycline-inducible expression of chosen shRNAs and observed reduced activation of NF-κB and, to a lesser extent, AP-1 transcription factors. We discuss the requirements of strict controls and verification of results with complementary methods for reliable conclusions of shRNA-based experiments.


When transient conditions (water hammer) exist, the life expectancy of the system can be adversely impacted, resulting in pump and valve failures and catastrophic pipe rupture. Hence, transient control has become an essential requirement for ensuring safe operation of water pipeline systems. To protect the pipeline systems from transient effects, an accurate analysis and suitable protection devices should be used. This paper presents the problem of modeling and simulation of transient phenomena in hydraulic systems based on the characteristics method. Also, it provides the influence of using the protection devices to control the adverse effects due to excessive and low pressure occuring in the transient. We applied this model for two main pipeline systems: Valve and pump combined with a simple surge tank connected to reservoir. The results obtained by using this model indicate that the model is an efficient tool for water hammer analysis. Moreover, using a simple surge tank reduces the unfavorable effects of transients by reducing pressure fluctuations.


PURPOSE
To analyze the prevalence of dental anxiety in outpatients and to discuss the possible correlative factors.

METHODS
A questionaire survey was conducted among a total of 1266 adult outpatients in our department from Jan. 2010 to Jun. 2012. All patients were asked to complete the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale to evaluate the level of dental anxiety and the related factors. The data was analyzed by SPSS 13.0 software package.

RESULTS
The prevalence rate of dental anxiety in outpatients was 61.37%, Dental anxiety was more likely to occur in female patients, patients of lower education level, and patients who re-visit or visit for oral surgery (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence rate of dental anxiety of adult outpatients is high. Dental anxiety is positively correlated with gender, education level, main complaints, first visit or re-visit.


We present a dynamic labour demand model where we evaluate the impact of employment regulations on permanent and temporary employment. We consider three different kinds of regulations, namely firing costs, hiring costs and a constraint on temporary contracts. These regulations differently affect the size and composition of employment. The theoretical results are interpreted and questioned on the basis of empirical evidence on the employment effects of the regulation reforms that occurred in the major European countries in the period 1983–1999. The empirical analysis is based on a new set of time-varying indicators on permanent employment protection, fixed-term contracts and temporary agency work regulations. We find evidence in support of the hypothesis that fixed-term contracts have been effective stepping-stones to permanent jobs during the period under observation. On the contrary, flexible temporary agency work regulations seem to induce a substitution of permanent with temporary contracts.


Background: Although amniocentesis is a common obstetric procedure, it is usually accompanied with higher level of anxiety related to anticipated pain, possible harm to pregnancy and testing results. Aim: The aim of the study was to examine the impact of a structured prenatal counseling on anxiety level among women undergoing amniocentesis. Design: Non-equivalent pre-post test Quasi experimental research design was utilized. Sample: A convenient sample of 32 pregnant women undergoing amniocentesis was recruited through a period of one year (24 in study group) and (8 in control group). Setting: The study was conducted in two settings; Fetal Medicine Unit at El-Manial University Hospital and Fetal Medicine and Diagnosis Unit at the National Research Center, in Cairo, Egypt. Tools: Maternal assessment interviewing schedule, state/trait anxiety inventory (STAI), Miller Behavioral Style Scale (MBSS), pre/post comprehension questionnaire and counseling satisfaction scale (CSS) were used for data collection. Results: The results showed that anxiety scores were decreased significantly immediately after application of counseling in the study group (t=19.88, p= 0.000) while anxiety scores did not show significant decrease two weeks after application of counseling (t= 0.353, p= 0. 727). As regards difference between study and control group there were significant difference in anxiety scores immediately after counseling (t= 8.84, p= 0.000) while no significant difference was found two weeks after counseling (t= 1.257, p= 0.218). Conclusion: The study concluded that application of pre-amniocentesis counseling decreased anxiety levels immediately before undergoing the procedure and has a little effect on the anxiety scores in the waiting period for the testing results. Recommendation: The study recommended that informative counseling should be included in the routine nursing care for women undergoing amniocentesis


We provide the power spectrum of small scalar perturbations propagating in an inflationary scenario within loop quantum cosmology. We consider the hybrid quantization approach applied to a Friedmann-Robertson-Walker spacetime with flat spatial sections coupled to a massive scalar field. We study the quantum dynamics of scalar perturbations on an effective background within this hybrid approach. We consider in our study adiabatic states of different orders. For them, we find that the hybrid quantization is in good agreement with the predictions of the dressed metric approach. We also propose an initial vacuum state for the perturbations, and compute the primordial and the anisotropy power spectrum in order to qualitatively compare with the current observations of Planck mission. We find that our vacuum state is in good agreement with them, showing a suppression of the power spectrum for large scale anisotropies. We compare with other choices already studied in the literature.


Neural abstractive summarizationmethods often require large quantities of labeled training data. However, labeling large amounts of summarization data is often prohibitive due to time, financial, and expertise constraints, which has limited the usefulness of summarization systems to practical applications. In this paper, we argue that this limitation can be overcome by a semi-supervised approach: consistency training which is to leverage large amounts of unlabeled data to improve the performance of supervised learning over a small corpus. The consistency regularization semi-supervised learning can regularize model predictions to be invariant to small noise applied to input articles. By adding noised unlabeled corpus to help regularize consistency training, this framework obtains comparative performance without using the full dataset. In particular, we have verified that leveraging large amounts of unlabeled data decently improves the performance of supervised learning over an insufficient labeled dataset.


Purpose
This paper aims to explore gender disparities in the production of tourism knowledge with particular reference to academic journals.

Design/methodology/approach
Authorship and co-authorship analyses were conducted of data extracted from articles and research notes published between 1965 and 2016 in 25 hospitality and tourism journals.

Findings
Gender imbalances are evident in the production of knowledge, though the disparities appear to be decreasing. While heterophilic research collaborations (those between men and women) show some evidence of higher productivity, homophilic collaborations (between males) have greater impact. The findings highlight gender imbalances in international collaborations, in SSCI listed journals, in first authoring and by country. There is evidence of higher collaborative levels among male authors and the differences have increased over time. The positioning of men and women within tourism scholarly networks shows no marked differences.

Practical implications
This data-driven analysis provides decision makers and policymakers with evidence to support well-targeted programs that advance female contributions in hospitality and tourism research collaborations. For example, senior academics and University administrators might offer support for female researchers to become more actively involved in hospitality and tourism research groups and projects. Universities or schools might also seek to encourage collaborations between male and female researchers in their performance indicators.

Originality/value
This study is one of the first to examine gender disparities and positioning in collaborative hospitality and tourism research.


Objective − To investigate the epidemiological, clinical and laboratory features of children and adolescents with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) treated at the Clinical Hospital Centre, Rijeka. Methods − The medical records of 83 hospitalized children were analysed retrospectively by gender and age subgroups. Results − The mean age of children at diagnosis was 8.40±4.82 years. At T1DM onset, the number of children ≤5, between 6-10 and ≥11 years old was 31 (37.3%), 23 (27.7%) and 29 (34.9%), respectively. The patients were mostly diagnosed at ages 2-4 years (18.1%), followed by the 12-14 years age group (15.7%). Mean duration of symptoms was 21.96±27.92 days. The symptoms lasted significantly longer (P=0.0116) and mean glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was significantly higher (P=0.0039) in the ≥11 years subgroup. Polyuria and polydipsia were the most common symptoms (90.36%). 25.3% of patients had diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). Conclusion − The age at T1DM onset has been decreasing. The symptoms lasted significantly longer and mean HbA1c levels were significantly higher in older children. The incidence of DKA in children with newly diagnosed T1DM is still high and includes one quarter of all patients.


We present experimental results for what is to our knowledge the first spectral-hole-burning based rf spectrum analyzer to cover 10 GHz of rf analysis bandwidth. The rf signal of interest is modulated onto an optical carrier, and the resultant optical sidebands are burned into the inhomogeneously broadened absorption band of a Tm3+:YAG crystal. At the same time a second, frequency-swept laser reads out the absorption profile, which is a double-sideband replica of the rf spectrum, and thus the rf spectrum can be deduced after spectral calibration of the nonlinear readout chirp. This initial demonstration shows spectral analysis covering 10 GHz of bandwidth with >5500 spectral channels and provides 43 dB of dynamic range.


The effects of a monoclonal antibody (MoAb DB-1), which neutralized rat interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), on the induction and progression of adjuvant arthritis in Lewis rats induced by intraplantar injection of Freund's complete adjuvant was studied. The animals were treated intraperitoneally with MoAb DB-1 (0.3-5 mg) for various times. Prophylactic treatment with MoAb DB-1, starting 2 days prior to arthritis induction, inhibited oedema in both the injected and non-injected hind paws and delayed joint destruction as shown by radiography. However, despite continued MoAb treatment, the disease progressed. High doses of MoAb DB-1 exacerbated the disease. A control MoAb of the same isotype did not have significant effects on adjuvant arthritis. Therapeutic treatment with the MoAb DB-1 starting 8 days after arthritis induction caused only slight and short-lived inhibitory effects. IFN-gamma appears to be a critical lymphokine for the development of adjuvant arthritis.


We investigate the structural disturbances underlying the business cycle in Lithuania in the bivariate time series framework. In the structural VAR model constructed productivity, hours of work and output fluctuations over the business cycle are composed of technology and non-technology shocks. We find that a technology shock has a persistent positive effect on all three variables. Non-technology disturbance has a long-term impact on working hours and output, but it has a negligible short-run effect on productivity. Differently from Gali (1999), the study has revealed no significant correlation between productivity and working hours under the effects of technology shocks on Lithuanian data. In contrast with the results of developed countries, non-technology shocks result in a significant negative correlation between the working hours and labour productivity in Lithuania. Historical decomposition of output, productivity and working hours series allows distinguishing four different episodes of Lithuanian economy during the analysed timeline. In 1999, negative technology shocks played the biggest role in pushing the output down. During the period 2001–2004, the real GDP growth was supported by productivity increase due to technology shocks; in 2005–2008, non-technology shocks and the higher working hours were fuelling output growth together with a positive impact of the technology shock on productivity growth. Finally, 2008–2011 is the period of negative technology and non-technology shocks.


Background
Remote-access thyroidectomy and its cosmetic merit have been widely accepted, but remote-access parathyroidectomy has not become common. There are few reports about the risks and effectiveness of a remote-access endoscopic parathyroidectomy. Herein, we evaluated the risks and benefits of total endoscopic parathyroidectomy (TEP) for patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT). We retrospectively compared the surgical outcomes of TEP and open minimally invasive parathyroidectomy (MIP).

Methods
We analyzed the cases of 28 patients with PHPT who were scheduled to undergo a MIP at Mita Hospital (Tokyo) during the period from April 2015 to March 2019, all of whom were presumed preoperatively to have a single adenoma.

Results
Eleven of the patients underwent a TEP (10 females, one male; mean age 54.2 years). The other 17 patients underwent an open MIP (11 females, 6 males; mean age 63.5 years). The younger patients and the females tended to select endoscopic surgery as their treatment. The operation time was significantly longer in the TEP group compared to the open MIP group (106 vs. 50 min; P<0.001). Common postoperative complications (such as recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis and seroma) did not occur in this series. For the TEP patients who did not undergo a partial thyroidectomy, the mean amount of drainage on the first postoperative day was only 19±10 mL. The operative cure rate of the minimally invasive parathyroidectomies was 96.4%.

Conclusions
TEP is a good surgical procedure for hyperparathyroidism caused by a single adenoma, and it achieves superior cosmetic results without increasing the rate of complications.


Vol. 12, p. 257, 1949. Last sentence under Methods beginning "The difference in latency …" should read "The distance between the points of stimulation divided by the difference in latency yields the speed of travel of the impulse in the most rapidly conducting fibers in the motor nerve trunk." Citation for Reference 12 on p. 266: Arch. Neurol. Psychiat., Chicago, 1948, 60: 340–365 .


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of school entrance age on cognition and behaviors in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) using mathematical event-related potential (ERP), behavioral test, and Conners Parent Symptom Questionnaire (PSQ).

METHODS
Fifty-eight ADHD children aged 7-12 years were enrolled and classified into older age and younger age groups according to the school entrance age (n=29 each). The children in the older age group were admitted at an age of 6 years and 6 months to 6 years and 11 months, and those in the younger age group were admitted at an age of 6 years to 6 years and 5 months. The ERP with a mathematical task was used to detect the difference in brain electrical activity between the two groups, and the behavioral test results were compared. The children's parents were asked to complete the PSQ, and the scores on each subscale were compared.

RESULTS
The ERP detection showed that the older age group had a significantly higher P2 amplitude for wrong answers than the younger age group (10.9±5.0 μv vs 8.5±3.6 μv; P<0.05). The younger age group had a significantly shorter time of response to wrong answers than the older age group (619±340 ms vs 870±418 ms; P<0.05). The scores on the subscales of learning problems and impulse-hyperactivity of PSQ were significantly higher in the younger age group than in the older age group (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS
School entrance age can affect cognition and behaviors in children with ADHD, and the ADHD children with a younger school entrance age have an obvious defect in executive function, especially the function of error detection, which leads to the prominent problems in impulse-hyperactivity and learning.


ABSTRACT It is the author's intention that this book be an introduction to medical librarianship, surveying medical libraries, their contents and procedures. With this in mind he states that the libraries in the US which he discusses are "selected for mention because of their reputations, or because information regarding them was readily available." This haphazard methodology in approaching the subject matter characterizes the entire volume.The content of the volume is divided into six main categories: medical libraries, hospital libraries, materials, classification and cataloging, bibliography and bibliographers, reference work. Under these categories, subclassifications are listed, with the frequent omission of important principles, aspects, and institutions. For example, the Index to Nursing Literature is mentioned, but not the Index to Hospital Literature. The role of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals in elevating standards of hospital libraries is central to the development of these libraries, but reference to it is entirely


Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy with an estimated 43,800 new cases to be diagnosed in 2022 and representing the 7th most common cancer in women. While thyroid nodules are very common, being identified in over 60% of randomly selected adults, only 5-15% of thyroid nodules harbor thyroid malignancy. Therefore, it is incumbent upon physicians to detect and treat thyroid malignancies as is clinically appropriate and avoid unnecessary invasive procedures in patients with benign asymptomatic lesions. Over the last 15-20 years, rapid advances have been made in cytomolecular testing to aid in thyroid nodule management. Initially, indeterminate thyroid nodules, those with Bethesda III or IV cytology and approximately a 10-40% risk of malignancy, were studied to assess benignity or malignancy. More recently, next generation sequencing and micro-RNA technology platforms have refined the diagnostic capacity of thyroid nodule molecular testing and have introduced opportunities to glean prognostic information from both cytologically indeterminate and malignant thyroid nodules. Therefore, clinicians can move beyond determination of malignancy, and utilize contemporary molecular information to aid in decisions such as extent of surgery and post-therapy monitoring plans. Future opportunities include molecularly derived information about tumor behavior, neo-adjuvant treatment opportunities and response to thyroid cancer therapies.


A gorilla shrewdly sells back a missing key chain to the highest bidder. An orangutan picks a lock to let himself out of his zoo enclosure and two elephants adopt a tag-team strategy to keep their handlers from putting them back into theirs. In The Parrot's Lament, noted environmentalist Eugene Linden offers more than one hundred true anecdotes about animal acts of cooperation, heroism, escape--even tales of deception or manipulation of human beings. Drawing on the first-person experiences of veterinarians, field biologists, researchers, and trainers, Linden has compiled a warmly entertaining and powerfully persuasive argument for animal consciousness that, while not human, far exceeds what humans usually grant animals. Scientifically sound and emotionally compelling, The Parrot's Lament contains remarkable stories that are sure to resonate with animal lovers, turning skeptics everywhere into believers.


Impaired processing of facial information is one of the broad ranges of cognitive deficits seen in patients with schizophrenia. This study aimed to elucidate the differences in brain activities involved in the process of facial working memory (images of neutral faces as mnemonic content) between schizophrenic patients and healthy comparison subjects using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Group comparison analysis revealed aberrant activities from the patient group in several cortical areas, including the left fusiform gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus, bilateral middle frontal gyri/insula, and left middle temporal gyrus. A decreased level of activity in the left fusiform gyrus, along with performance reduction, implicates abnormal processing of facial information in schizophrenia.


Introduction: The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy and safety of expectant management with surgical management of first trimester miscarriage. Methods: This randomized prospective study was conducted in the gynecology department at Prince Ali Bin Al-Hussein hospital, Jordan between February 2016 and April 2017. A total of 234 women were recruited following diagnosis of first trimester incomplete or missed miscarriage and randomised into two groups: 109 women were randomised to expectant management (group І), and 125 women to surgical management (groupІІ). All women were examined clinically and sonographically during the follow-up appointments at weekly intervals for up to four weeks as appropriate. The outcome measures were: efficacy, short term complications and duration of vaginal bleeding and pain. Results: Of 234 eligible women, 17 were lost to follow-up, and the remaining 217 women were analysed. The base line characteristics were similar in both groups. The total success rate at four weeks was lower for expectant than for surgical management (81.4% vs 95.7%; P=0.0029).The type of miscarriage was a significant factor affecting the success rate. For missed miscarriage, the success rates for expectant versus surgical management were (75%) and (93.8%) respectively. For women with incomplete miscarriage, the rates were (90.5%) and (98%). No differences were found in the number of emergency curettages between the two study groups. The duration of bleeding was significantly more in the expectant than the surgical management (mean 11 days vs 7 days; P˂0.0001). The duration of pain was also more in the expectant than the surgical group (mean 8.1 days vs 5.5 days; P˂0.0001).The total complication rates were similar in both groups( expectant 5.9% vs surgical group 6.1 %; P=0.2479). However, the pelvic infection was significantly lower in the expectant than the surgical group (1.9% vs 3.5% respectively; P=0.0146). Conclusion: Expectant management of clinically stable women with first trimester miscarriage is safe and effective and avoids the need for surgery and the subsequent risk of anaesthesia in about 81.4% of cases, and has lower pelvic infection rate than surgical curettage.


Through this study, we aim to identify the relationships between self-determination factors and skills-based learning, as well as the impact of these relationships on increasing the quality of skills-based learning in lower secondary education. The methodology of this paper is the use of quantitative methods of descriptive and inferential statistics in order to study the principle of self-determination through statistical estimation of the RAI (Relative Autonomy Index) coefficient. The data for the conduct of the empirical study were made possible by the questionnaires of the academic self-regulation type. The study includes two samples of students divided by the learning difficulty level. The novelty of this study is precisely the inclusion of the students with learning difficulties and the comparison of their outcomes with those of progressive students. There are many studies on the latter, some of which have guided the idea of this study. The Relative Autonomy Index was built by assessing the motivation sublevels dependent on their position in the self-determination process. Consequently, the data were collected by the standard academic self-regulation questionnaire, for the students with learning difficulties (45 students) and progressive students (45 students). The content of the questions is mainly about the reasons that make students do their works at school. The study of the RAI variable was conducted by treating the data according to their classification in terms of students' level of learning difficulties. To conclude on the relation of controlled motivation to relative autonomous motivation, the results of cross-quartile and descriptive distribution of RAI variable were studied. According to the selected sample, the analysis of this empirical study does not give us a good picture of the implementation of the skills-based curriculum, a process, which should enable each student to master the key skills for lifelong learning.

Received: 20 April 2021 / Accepted: 16 June 2021 / Published: 8 July 2021


Abstract The Vulnerable snow leopard Panthera uncia experiences persecution across its habitat in Central Asia, particularly from herders because of livestock losses. Given the popularity of snow leopards worldwide, transferring some of the value attributed by the international community to these predators may secure funds and support for their conservation. We administered contingent valuation surveys to 406 international visitors to the Annapurna Conservation Area, Nepal, between May and June 2014, to determine their willingness to pay a fee to support the implementation of a Snow Leopard Conservation Action Plan. Of the 49% of visitors who stated they would pay a snow leopard conservation fee in addition to the existing entry fee, the mean amount that they were willing to pay was USD 59 per trip. The logit regression model showed that the bid amount, the level of support for implementing the Action Plan, and the number of days spent in the Conservation Area were significant predictors of visitors' willingness to pay. The main reasons stated by visitors for their willingness to pay were a desire to protect the environment and an affordable fee. A major reason for visitors' unwillingness to pay was that the proposed conservation fee was too expensive for them. This study represents the first application of economic valuation to snow leopards, and is relevant to the conservation of threatened species in the Annapurna Conservation Area and elsewhere.


The role of the sarco-endoplasmic reticulum calcium (Ca(2+)) adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) 3 (SERCA3) in platelet physiology remains poorly understood. Here, we show that SERCA3 knockout (SERCA3(-/-)) mice exhibit prolonged tail bleeding time and rebleeding. Thrombus formation was delayed both in arteries and venules in an in vivo ferric chloride-induced thrombosis model. Defective platelet adhesion and thrombus growth over collagen was confirmed in vitro. Adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP) removal by apyrase diminished adhesion and thrombus growth of control platelets to the level of SERCA3(-/-) platelets. Aggregation, dense granule secretion, and Ca(2+) mobilization of SERCA3(-/-) platelets induced by low collagen or low thrombin concentration were weaker than controls. Accordingly, SERCA3(-/-) platelets exhibited a partial defect in total stored Ca(2+) and in Ca(2+) store reuptake following thrombin stimulation. Importantly ADP, but not serotonin, rescued aggregation, secretion, and Ca(2+) mobilization in SERCA3(-/-) platelets, suggesting specificity. Dense granules appeared normal upon electron microscopy, mepacrine staining, and total serotonin content, ruling out a dense granule defect. ADP induced normal platelet aggregation, excluding a defect in ADP activation pathways. The SERCA3-specific inhibitor 2,5-di-(tert-butyl)-1,4-benzohydroquinone diminished both Ca(2+) mobilization and secretion of control platelets, as opposed to the SERCA2b inhibitor thapsigargin. This confirmed the specific role of catalytically active SERCA3 in ADP secretion. Accordingly, SERCA3-dependent Ca(2+) stores appeared depleted in SERCA3(-/-) platelets. Finally, αIIbβ3 integrin blockade did not affect SERCA3-dependent secretion, therefore proving independent of αIIbβ3 engagement. Altogether, these results show that SERCA3-dependent Ca(2+) stores control a specific ADP secretion pathway required for full platelet secretion induced by agonists at low concentration and independent of αIIbβ3.


Bound states in the continuum (BICs) garnered significant research interest in the field of sensors due to their exceptionally high-quality factors. However, the wide-band continuum in BICs are noise to the bound states, and it is difficult to control and filter. Therefore, we constructed a top-bottom symmetric cavity containing three high permittivity rectangular columns. The cavity supports a symmetry-protected (SP) superbound state (SBS) mode and an accidental (AC) SBS mode within the bandgap. With a period size of 5 × 15, the bandgap effectively filters out the continuum, allowing only the bound states to exist. This configuration enabled us to achieve a high signal-to-noise ratio and a wide free-spectral-range. The AC SBS and the SP SBS can be converted into quasi-SBS by adjusting different parameters. Consequently, the cavity can function as a single-band sensor or a dual-band sensor. The achieved bulk sensitivity was 38 µm/RIU in terahertz wave band, and a record-high FOM reached 2.8 × 108 RIU−1. The effect of fabrication error on the performance for sensor application was also discussed, showing that the application was feasible. Moreover, for experimental realization, a 3D schematic was presented. These achievements pave the way for compact, high-sensitivity biosensing, multi-wavelength sensing, and other promising applications.


The efficiency of the sulphate reducing bacteria-based in-situ treatment of acid mine drainages is often limited by the low degradability of the current carbon sources, typically complex plant-derived materials. In such non sulphate-reducing conditions, field and laboratory experiences have shown that mechanisms other than sulphide precipitation should be considered in the metal removal, i.e. metal (oxy)hydroxides precipitation, co-precipitation onto these precipitates, and sorption onto the organic matter. The focus of the present paper was to present some laboratory data highlighting the Zn and Cu sorption on vegetal compost and to develop a general and simple model for the prediction of their distribution in organic-based passive remediation systems. The model considers two kinds of sorption sites (fSO2H2) and the existence of monodentate and bidentate metal-binding reactions, and it assumes that only free M species can sorb onto the compost surface. The acid base properties of the compost were studied by means of potentiometric titrations in order to identify the nature of the involved surface functional groups and their density. The distribution coefficient (KD) for both Zn and Cu were determined from batch experiments as a function of pH and metal concentration. The model yielded the predominant surface complexes at the experimental conditions, being fSO2Zn for Zn and fSO2HCu and ( f SO2H)2Cu for Cu, with logKM values of -2.10, 3.36 and 4.65 respectively. The results presented in this study has demonstrated that the proposed model provides a good description of the sorption process of Zn and Cu onto the vegetal compost used in these experiments.


To know the precise mechanisms underlying the life or death and the regeneration or differentiation of cells would be relevant and useful for the development of a regenerative therapy for organ failure. Liver‐specific gene expression is controlled primarily at a transcriptional level. Studies on the transcriptional regulatory elements of genes expressed in hepatocytes have identified several liver‐enriched transcriptional factors, including hepatocyte nuclear factor (HNF)‐1, HNF‐3, HNF‐4, HNF‐6 and CCAAT/enhancer binding protein families, which are key components of the differentiation process for the fully functional liver. The transcriptional regulation by these HNFs, which form a hierarchical and cooperative network, is both essential for hepatocyte differentiation during mammalian liver development and also crucial for metabolic regulation and liver function. Among these liver‐enriched transcription factors, HNF‐4 is likely to act the furthest upstream as a master gene in transcriptional cascade and interacts with other liver‐enriched transcriptional factors to stimulate hepatocyte‐specific gene transcription. A link between the extracellular matrix, changes in cytoskeletal filament assembly and hepatocyte differentiation via HNF‐4 has been shown to be involved in the transcriptional regulation of liver‐specific gene expression. This review provides an overview of the roles of liver‐enriched transcription factors in liver function.


Carboxylated poly(styrene-b-ethylene-co-butylene-b-styrene) (CSEBS) with different car- boxylation extents (-COOH) were prepared. The (-COOH) dependence of the self-assembly of CSEBS in water was investigated by a combination of static and dynamic laser light scattering. The addition of a dilute CSEBS tetrahydrofuran solution dropwise into water leads to a microphase inversion, resulting in surfactant-free polymeric nanoparticles stable in water. As (-COOH) increases, the particle size first decreases and then slightly increases; namely, there exists a minimum in particle size when (-COOH) 21 mol %. On the other hand, the decrease of the average particle density 〈F〉 and the increase of the ratio of the average radius of gyration to the average hydrodynamic radius (〈Rg〉/〈Rh〉 )a s (-COOH) increases reveal that the CSEBS nanoparticle gradually changes from a uniform and compact globule to a hyperbranched and loose cluster. The cluster can be broken by a simple dilution of the dispersion, indicating that there exists a delicate balance between hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions in the self-assembly.


The present-day society depends heavily on digital technology where it is used in many applications such as banking and e-commerce transactions, computer passwords, etc. Therefore, it is important to protect information when storing and sharing them. Cryptography is the study of secret writing which applies complex math rules to convert the original message into an incomprehensible form.  Graph theory is applied in the field of cryptography as graphs can be simply converted into matrices There are two approaches of cryptography; symmetric cryptography and asymmetric cryptography. This paper proposes a new connection between graph theory and symmetric cryptography to protect the information from the unauthorized parties. This proposed methodology uses a matrix as the secret key which adds more security to the cryptosystem. It converts the plaintext into several graphs and represents these graphs in their matrix form. Also, this generates several ciphertexts. The size of the resulting ciphertexts are larger than the plaintext size.


Sera from patients with Lyme disease (LD) originating in the United States and Europe were examined by western blot analysis for antibodies to LD spirochete components. Whereas some components reacted with antibodies from the majority of patients, other components, notably an abundant cellular protein with an apparent molecular weight of 34,000 were less commonly bound. This latter proteinaceous component was in a region of the polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis profile which demonstrated variability between different LD spirochete isolates. Thus, there may be more than one serotype of LD spirochete, and the 34,000-range proteins may be a basis for such a distinction. ImagesFIG. 2FIG. 3FIG. 4


An investigator conducted study to assess the effectiveness of Planned Teaching Programme regarding pre conception care among adolescents of selected colleges of Ahmadabad. Objective of the study were to assess the knowledge of adolescent before and after administration of Planned Teaching Programme. The investigator has choosen the quasi experimental research design.  120 adolescents of selected colleges were selected as a sample by non probability convenient sampling technique. The data were analysed using pre test and post test knowledge score and standard deviation. The various finding of the study shows that the planned teaching programme developed by the researcher was found to be effective in enhancing the knowledge of Adolescents.


The light guide plate has become the major component for the backlight module in general information technology products (e.g. mobile phones, monitors, etc.). High speed injection molding has been adopted for thin walled LGP giving advantages such as weight, shape, size, and reduction in production costs. In the current study, the rheological characteristics of high liquidity plastic resin PC(HL8000) were measured using a capillary rheometer to improve the reliability of the numerical analysis for high speed injection molding. With the measured viscosity and PVT of PC(HL8000), numerical analysis of injection molding was conducted using the simulation software(Moldflow). Filling time and deflection were predicted and compared with those of traditional PC resins(H3000, H4000). The results show that PC(HL8000) has significantly different rheological characteristics during high speed injection molding. Hence proper properties of the resin should be used to improve the accuracy of numerical predictions.


The Kutubiyya Mosque of Marrakesh, built under the Almohad Caliph cAbd al-Mu'min from 1158 to 1163, was fitted with a mechanical system for raising and lowering the maqṣūra screen, plentifully described in the chronicles of the time. Excavations in 1947 shed some light on the mechanisms of this system; this paper looks at how it might have worked based on the description provided by the documents and the material remains.


Stepwise laser excitation and monitoring of cascade fluorescence were used to measure lifetimes of some Tm I excited states. Seven new lifetimes are reported.


Coral reef ecosystems are experiencing increased rates of carbonate dissolution due to losses in live coral cover coupled with the impacts of ocean acidification (OA) on coral reef calcifiers and bioeroders. While the stimulating effect of OA on bioerosion has been demonstrated experimentally, predominantly in the Pacific, the underlying physiological and molecular mechanisms behind the response are still poorly understood.To address this, we subjected common zooxanthellate (Cliona varians) and azooxanthellate (Pione lampa) Caribbean sponges to pre-industrial (8.15 pH), present-day (8.05 pH), and two future OA scenarios (moderate OA, 7.85 pH; extreme OA, 7.75 pH) and evaluated their physiological and transcriptomic responses.The influence of OA on sponge bioerosion was nonlinear for both species, with the greatest total bioerosion and chemical dissolution rates found in the 7.85 pH treatment, then not increasing further under the more extreme 7.75 pH conditions. A trend towards reduced bioerosion rates in the 7.75 pH treatment occurred regardless of the presence of algal symbionts and suggests that the sponges may become physiologically impaired under prolonged OA exposure, resulting in diminished bioerosion potential. These findings were supported by the RNA-seq analysis, which revealed differentially expressed genes involved in a stress response to OA, in particular, suppressed metabolism.This may indicate that the sponges had reallocated energy resources towards more critical physiological needs in response to OA as a survival mechanism under stressful conditions. These data reveal that while the bioerosion rates of excavating sponges in Caribbean reef ecosystems may increase under moderate OA scenarios, this OA-stimulation may plateau or be lost at extreme end-of-century pH conditions, with implications for the dissolution and long-term persistence of reef habitat structures.


The number of circulating platelet aggregates was assessed using a modification of the method of Wu and Hoak. The index for the number of circulating aggregates was 1.04 +/- 0.12 for 35 healthy probands aged 35 +/- 11 years and was different from the index of 25 patients with vasomotor headache aged 37 +/- 14 years of 1.1 +/- 0.14 (P less than 0.1). The number of circulating platelet aggregates with an index of 1.38 +/- 0.24 was significantly higher (P less than 0.001) in 48 migraine patients aged 36 +/- 12 years.


The ab-plane optical properties of a cleaved single crystal of La2-xBaxCuO4 for x=1/8 (Tc approximately =2.4 K) have been measured over a wide frequency and temperature range. The low-frequency conductivity is Drude-like and shows a metallic response with decreasing temperature. However, below approximately =60 K, corresponding to the onset of charge-stripe order, there is a rapid loss of spectral weight below about 40 meV. The behavior is quite different from that typically associated with the pseudogap in the normal state of the cuprates. Instead, the gapping of the normal-state single-particle excitations looks surprisingly similar to that observed in superconducting La2-xSrxCuO4, including the presence of a residual Drude peak with reduced weight.


ABSTRACT Serratia marcescens is an important nosocomial agent known for causing various infections in immunocompromised individuals. Resistance of this organism to a broad spectrum of antibiotics makes the treatment of infections very difficult. This study was undertaken to identify multidrug resistance efflux pumps in S. marcescens. Three mutant strains of S. marcescens were isolated in vitro by the serial passaging of a wild-type strain in culture medium supplemented with ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, or ofloxacin. Fluoroquinolone accumulation assays were performed to detect the presence of a proton gradient-dependent efflux mechanism. Two of the mutant strains were found to be effluxing norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and ofloxacin, while the third was found to efflux only ofloxacin. A genomic library of S. marcescens wild-type strain UOC-67 was constructed and screened for RND pump-encoding genes by using DNA probes for two putative RND pump-encoding genes. Two different loci were identified: sdeAB, encoding an MFP and an RND pump, and sdeCDE, encoding an MFP and two different RND pumps. Northern blot analysis revealed overexpression of sdeB in two mutant strains effluxing fluoroquinolones. Analysis of the sdeAB and sdeCDE loci in Escherichia coli strain AG102MB, deficient in the RND pump (AcrB), revealed that gene products of sdeAB are responsible for the efflux of a diverse range of substrates that includes ciprofloxacin, norfloxacin, ofloxacin, chloramphenicol, sodium dodecyl sulfate, ethidium bromide, and n-hexane, while those of sdeCDE did not result in any change in susceptibilities to any of these agents.


Power transformers are critical, capital-intensive assets for utilities and industry. Transformers are extremely reliable; however, many of the transformers in use today have already exceeded their design life. Today transformers are not automatically replaced, if they have reached the end of their life span, but left in service as long as possible. In contradiction to the past power transformers are operated now-a-days at or above rated power. This accelerates the ageing process of the inner insulation, particularly of the insulation paper, which cannot be easily replaced. Investments of new transformers have to be planned in advance because big transformers cannot be bought ready made from the factory. For a systematic replacement and to avoid unexpected breakdowns diagnostic too Is are more and more important.


The moshav (village smallholder cooperative) emerged in the early 1 920s. In the next three decades, its cooperative structure and rules underwent some changes, in response to developments in its environment. During Israel's first statehood decade, the moshav became the country's most prevalent form of agricultural settlement. Then, for almost thirty years, structure and rules were "frozen", despite the transformations which swept Israel's social, political and economic landscape. This "freezing", it is claimed, was allowed by insulation: the Zionist Movement and the State of Israel set up barriers, partly separating the moshav from the economy of the country in each of the four markets of classical economics (commodities, labor, capital, and land). Stabilization also occurred through recurrent government bail-outs, often channeled through powerful regional organizations which were linked to the moshavim through unlimited mutual financial guarantees. These bail( Juts softened the "budget constraints" of the moshavim. In \985-86, almost all regional moshav organizations became insolvent, in the wake of stringent antiinflationary measures enacted by the government. An unprecedented financial crisis befell the moshavim, whose "budget constraints" were hardened as the government no longer provided them with unlimited (albeit unwritten) financial guarantees. The moshav "unfroze". Slow processes - decooperativization, the decline of agriculture, occupational change, suburbanization, loss of municipal autonomy and legal change - were considerably speeded up. We suggest that the acceleration of these processes was due to the hardening of the budget constraints of the moshavim as well as to the lowering of the barriers which had insulated them from other sectors of the country's society and economy.


After a 2-week run-in period 23 atopics and non-atopics with perennial rhinitis were treated with intranasally nebulized aqueous flunisolide or aqueous beclomethasone dipropionate in a randomized, double-blind cross-over study, each treatment period being 4 weeks. Before and after each treatment period daily rhinitis symptoms were recorded, and additional determination of nasal airway resistance was performed by posterior rhinomanometry. No statistically significant difference between drugs was observed for any effect parameter recorded, and furthermore no difference in patient preference for either drug was found. It is concluded that both steroids are effective for the improvement of nasal airway in patients with perennial, atopic and non-atopic rhinitis.


Abstract. an optimal imaging plan, plays a key role in coordinating multiple satellites to monitor the disaster area. In the paper, to generate imaging plan dynamically according to the disaster relief, we propose a dynamic satellite task scheduling method for large area disaster response. First, an initial robust scheduling scheme is generated by a robust satellite scheduling model in which both the profit and the robustness of the schedule are simultaneously maximized. Then, we use a multi-objective optimization model to obtain a series of decomposing schemes. Based on the initial imaging plan, we propose a mixed optimizing algorithm named HA_NSGA-II to allocate the decomposing results thus to obtain an adjusted imaging schedule. A real disaster scenario, i.e., 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, is revisited in terms of rapid response using satellite resources and used to evaluate the performance of the proposed method with state-of-the-art approaches. We conclude that our satellite scheduling model can optimize the usage of satellite resources so as to obtain images in disaster response in a more timely and efficient manner.


This article explores the relational power and responsibilities to migrant workers on physical infrastructure projects in Qatar connected to the sovereign state hosting the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) World Cup 2022. Currently, these construction workers operate under the Kafala system, which is upheld in Qatar. However, large numbers of Qatar's visiting migrant construction workers were recorded as injured or killed through incidents that were related to their work. Further still, many other migrant workers reported poor, unsanitary living conditions and being 'trapped' by their Kafil with passports withheld or wages not forthcoming, prompting criticism from international non-governmental organizations. This article adopts a relational sociological approach to discuss how 'responsibilities' for deaths, injuries and illnesses are passed between key actors that include the State of Qatar, FIFA, World Cup sponsors, building contractors and sub-contractors, and the recruitment agencies that find workers in other countries to work on the construction sites. As such, it makes three scholarly contributions: it leads in unpacking and discussing the treatment of migrant construction workers in World Cup 2022 infrastructure projects in Qatar; it follows work by Timms in adding to the literature on the passing of responsibilities for migrant workers between states and corporations in globalized societies; and it uses the case to further critically unpack Castells' notions of relational power in networks.


A wide body of research has documented the relationship between social norms and individual behaviors. There is growing evidence that academic behaviors in early adolescence—when most children begin middle school—may be subject to normative influence as well. However, the structure and composition of peer relationships within middle schools have yet to be fully incorporated into current conceptualizations of academic norms. A social network approach that considers the structure of students' friendship networks can be a useful framework for informing understanding of middle school academic norms. This article integrates research and theory on social norms and social networks to introduce a model to improve understanding of academic norms in middle schools. Implications for future research are discussed.


In their recent report Woods and Chiu 111 set out to use in vivo 'H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to study alterations in brain lactate produced by electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Instead, the authors concluded that ECT treatments produce alterations in "brain lipids" based on difference spectra obtained before and after ECT therapy. It is surprising that no lactate resonance was demonstrated anywhere in the paper. Several authors have successfully obtained lactate measurements from human brain using 'H MRS 12-41; however, doing so requires sufficient spatial localization to exclude contamination from subcutaneous and cranial fat. Figure 2 in the article by Woods and Chiu shows two spectra obtained before and after ECT (B and C). Both contain broad lipid resonances which appear 90 degrees out of phase with the NAA resonance. Since it is widely accepted that, at least in normal brain, little or no fat resonance is detected using 'H MRS, it is likely that the observed lipid signal is due to contamination from outside the VOI. This lipid signal obscures the underlying lactate resonance. Some mention is made in the paper of lactate editing experiments, but these results are not shown. The authors attempt to demonstrate an increase in lactate by subtracting spectra obtained before and after ECT. While difference spectroscopy is a commonly used technique, it is valid only when both spectra are obtained under identical conditions, generally in immediate succession. Since it would be impossible to perform ECT inside a high-field magnet, these conditions clearly cannot be met. Small variations in coil tuning, loading, or magnetic field homogeneity could easily account for the differences in fat contamination observed. The authors exclude fat contamination by stating that the lipid signal increased in 5 successive patients. Although this may have been the case, in Figures 2, 3, and 4 "difference" spectra are shown with random phasing of the NAA resonance, making it difficult to determine whether the difference was, in fact, positive or negative. Since the NAA resonance was used for phasing the spectra, it is hard to understand why the phase should not be the same in all spectra. Furthermore, the areas under the lipid peaks in the difference spectra appear to be an order of magnitude greater than the NAA, suggesting a "brain lipid" concentration of 100 mM, several orders of magnitude greater than free fatty acid concentrations measured in mammalian brain after bicuculline-induced seizures 153. While in vivo 'H MRS offers a potentially powerful window into human brain metabolism, it is technically demanding and susceptible to artifact. The data presented by Woods and Chiu fail to address their original question and do not clearly support their conclusions.


Evaporating salty droplets are ubiquitous in nature, in our home and in the laboratory. Interestingly, the transport processes in such apparently simple systems differ strongly from evaporating "freshwater" droplets since convection is partly inverted due to Marangoni stresses. Such an effect has crucial consequences to the salt crystallization process and to the deposits left behind. In this work we show unprecedented measurements that, not only confirm clearly the flow inversion, but also elucidate their impact on the distribution of nonvolatile solutes. Contrary to what has been often reported in the literature, such a flow reversal does not prevent the formation of ring-shaped stains: particles accumulate at the contact line driven solely by the interfacial flow. We can therefore conclude that the classical "coffee-stain effect" is not the only mechanism that can generate ring-shaped stains in evaporating droplets.


Cervical cancer (CC) is classified as the fourth most common type of cancer in women worldwide and remains a serious public health problem in many underdeveloped countries. Human papillomavirus (HPV), mainly types 16 and 18, has been established as a precursory etiologic agent for this type of cancer. Several therapeutic attempts have been studied and applied, aiming at its control. However, not only do classical treatments such as chemotherapies and radiotherapies target tumor cells, but also they cause damage to several healthy cells. For these reasons, the search for new biologically active chemotherapeutic components is of great importance. In this study, we investigated the effect of Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom (TsV) on CC lines. There are very few studies exploring venom of scorpions, and, to our knowledge, no study has been conducted using the venom of the scorpion TsV for treatment of cervical cancer lines. After challenge with TsV, the MTT assay demonstrated cytotoxic effect on HeLa line. Similarly, the cell death process in HeLa analyzed by flow cytometry suggests death via caspase, since the pan-caspase inhibitor z-VAD-fmk significantly reduced the apoptotic response to the treatment. These results suggest that venom of TsV can be a potential source for the isolation of effective antiproliferative and apoptotic molecules in the treatment of CC.


Intralipid is a well-known emulsion used as a tissue-simulating phantom in developing optical imaging and diagnostic techniques for medical applications. The optical coherence tomography (OCT), pulsed photoacoustic (PA), and time-of-flight (TOF) techniques were used to detect glucose-induced changes in the optical properties of Intralipid. A comparison of the applicability of these techniques to register changes in the scattering properties of Intralipid samples showed that OCT is the most effective method, whereas the sensitivity of the PA technique was less pronounced. Photon migration studies with the TOF technique showed changes in pulse amplitude, pulse width, and arrival time of the pulse maximum as a function of changes in Intralipid concentration. Also the measured signal parameters showed changes when measuring high glucose concentrations.


[reaction: see text] A new straightforward and inexpensive one-pot procedure is described for the preparation of enantiopure five-membered cyclic nitrones starting from the corresponding lactols. Its efficiency relies on the condensation of unprotected hydroxylamine with readily available lactols and on the chemoselectivity of the subsequent esterification with methanesulfonyl chloride. The targeted enantiomerically pure pyrroline N-oxides are versatile synthetic intermediates: one of the nitrones so-obtained has been converted into new polyhydroxypyrrolizidines, analogues of the alkaloids rosmarinecine and crotanecine, which were assayed for their inhibitory activities toward 22 commercially available glycosidase enzymes. One of them ((-)-7a-epi-crotanecine) is a potent and selective inhibitor of alpha-mannosidases from jack beans and almonds.