INTRODUCTION Stroke in neonates and children is a rare but serious condition with an annual incidence of 1–13 per 100 000 at risk (Schoenberg et al . 1978; Broderick et al . 1993; Fullerton et al . 1979–98; Kothari et al . 1995). There are few acute management protocols in the literature, and even fewer randomised trials in the paediatric age group. This is in contrast with adult stroke where numerous trials have been undertaken, culminating in the FDA approval of tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) for ischaemic stroke up to 3 h from symptom onset. Given the contribution of genetic and congenital factors, the causes of stroke in paediatric patients only partially overlap with those of adult stroke. Among children, one would anticipate that certain cerebral responses might be affected differently depending on, for example, whether the fontanelles were open or closed, in the latter case strokes perhaps more resembling the pathophysiological


The overexpression of P-glycoprotein (P-Gp), encoded by the human multidrug resistant gene (MDRA), decreases lipophilic drug accumulation in multidrug resistant cells in vitro. It is still not clear whether P-Gp contribute to the problem of multidrug resistance (MDR) in osteogenic sarcoma (OS). We examined the MDR1 expression of 20 OS specimens (11 primary tumors, 10 xenografts, 1 overlapping), by Northern blotting and by the reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and evaluated by the relationship between MDR1 expression and patient prognosis. RT-PCR revealed MDR1 expression in 9/20 OS; 5/11 primary tumors and 5/10 OS-xenografts; northern blotting revealed MDR1 expression in only 5/20 OS. One primary OS specimen and its corresponding xenograft had similar levels of MDR1 expression. All 20 patients with OS were treated with chemotherapeutic protocols including doxorubicin, cisplatin, methotrexate and ifosfamide. Eight of 9 OS-patients expressing MDR1 were resistant to chemotherapy and had a poor prognosis. The relationship between MDR1 expression and poor prognosis in the 20 OS-patients was significant (p < 0.01). The results support the assumption that MDR1 expression is related to MDR in human OS.


Randolph Caldecott (1846-1886) was a pioneer in the way he charmed his young readers with an innovative and engaging aesthetic approach to the picture book genre. In celebration of this remarkable achievement, Desmarais offers a convincing account of how Caldecott established a new standard of taste in children's picture books. The featured books are from the author's personal collection.


Solution of a stress condition of stochastic heterogeneous plate problem was obtained on the basis of statistic linearization of determinative creep equation and by using a method of spectral representation of random functions. Stochasticity is introduced into determinative creep equation by random function of two variables. It was proved, that stochastic nonhomogeneities of material can lead to significant fluctuations of stress fields.


This dissertation considers the problem of learning the underlying statistical structure of complex data sets for fitting a generative model, and for both supervised and unsupervised data-driven decision making purposes. Using properties of exponential family distributions, a new unified theoretical model called Generalized Linear Statistics is established. The complexity of data is generally a consequence of the existence of a large number of components and the fact that the components are often of mixed data types (i.e., some components might be continuous, with different underlying distributions, while other components might be discrete, such as categorical, count or Boolean). Such complex data sets are typical in drug discovery, health care, or fraud detection. The proposed statistical modeling approach is a generalization and amalgamation of techniques from classical linear statistics placed into a unified framework referred to as Generalized Linear Statistics (GLS). This framework includes techniques drawn from latent variable analysis as well as from the theory of Generalized Linear Models (GLMs), and is based on the use of exponential family distributions to model the various mixed types (continuous and discrete) of complex data sets. The methodology exploits the connection between data space and parameter space present in exponential family distributions and solves a nonlinear problem by using classical linear statistical tools applied to data that have been mapped into parameter space. One key aspect of the GLS framework is that often the natural parameter of the exponential family distributions is assumed to be constrained to a lower dimensional latent variable subspace, modeling the belief that the intrinsic dimensionality of the data is smaller than the dimensionality of the observation space. The framework is equivalent to a computationally tractable, mixed data-type hierarchical Bayes graphical model assumption with latent variables constrained to a low- dimensional parameter subspace. We demonstrate that exponential family Principal Component Analysis, Semi- Parametric exponential family Principal Component Analysis, and Bregman soft clustering are not separate unrelated algorithms, but different manifestations of model assumptions and parameter choices taken within this common GLS framework. Because of this insight, these algorithms are readily extended to deal with the important mixed data -type case. This framework has the critical advantage of allowing one to transfer high-dimensional mixed-type data components to low-dimensional common-type latent variables, which are then, in turn, used to perform regression or classification in a much simpler manner using well-known continuous-parameter classical linear techniques. Classification results on synthetic data and data sets from the University of California, Irvine machine learning repository are presented


What is the impact of the threat of migration for tax purposes on the optimum redistributive policy of a country which aims at preventing emigration of highly skilled individuals? We use the theory of optimum income taxation a la Mirrlees [1971] to answer this question. The world consists of two countries, a redistributive country A and a laissez-faire country B. The agents living in A emigrate to B if they obtain in the latter a greater utility level, taking migration costs into account. We assume that there is no income-effect on labour supply. After having extended Diamond's [1998] formula, we present simulation results concerning the optimal income tax schedule in France when agents vote with their feet. The optimum allocation is characterised by a curse of the middle-skilled workers and an upper bound on the average tax rate which depends on gross income.


Translation is the transfer of a message from one language which can be referred to as the source language into another language, designated as the target language. Whether translators are born or can be trained is an open-ended question. However, by observing and being aware of certain facts, one can go beyond the glaring erroneous translations that result from a lack of experience or sometimes even from a lack of time. Avoiding cultural bias and paraphrasing are important tools for a translator. However, linguistic differences between both languages make it important and necessary to be prudent and diligent while translating. A range of differences between the two languages – seemingly simple aspects like the use of punctuation, capitalization or more prevalent aspects like semantics all pose a challenge to translators. This paper treats the challenges that translators could face in their activity due to certain linguistic elements. Keywords— source language, target language, translator, linguistic elements.


Purpose: To evaluate the prescribing pattern of clinicians in the general outpatient unit of the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano (AKTH),. Methods: This was a descriptive retrospective study conducted using 500 prescriptions made at the general outpatient unit of AKTH between April and July 2009. Results: A total of 497 prescriptions were successfully analyzed. The average number of drugs per encounter in the facility was 3.04. Generic prescribing was low at 42.7 % while antibiotic prescription was high at 34.4 %. Injections were prescribed in 4 % of encounters while 36.2, 19.1, 25.8 and 1 % of encounters had analgesics, antimalarials, antihypertensives and anxiolytics prescribed, respectively. Vitamins were prescribed in 9.7 % of encounters. Conclusion: Polypharmacy, low rate of generic prescriptions and overuse of antibiotics still remain a problem in health care facilities in Nigeria.. This calls for sustained interventional strategies and periodic audit at all levels of health care to avoid the negative consequences of inappropriate prescriptions.


The three-route South-to-North Water Diversion Project (SNWDP), transferring water from the water-rich Yangtze River and its tributaries to the much drier area of North China for irrigation, industrial and domestic use, has been implemented in China since 2002. Thus, water quality in the Danjiangkou Reservoir, the water source area of the SNWDP's Middle Route, is of great concern. We investigate its water quality from 2004 to 2006 by monitoring some important physical (T, turbidity and SPM) and chemical (DO, pH, alkalinity, TDS, SpCond, ORP, CODMn and BOD) parameters and nutrient (nitrogen and phosphorus) contents. Consequently, their spatial and temporal patterns in the reservoir were examined. The results indicate that the water of the reservoir is of a Ca and HCO3 type, and the major pollutants are nitrogen and CODMn. Comparisons among the sampling sites show that water quality increases downstream, implying the self-purification capacity of the reservoir. The reservoir in general has better water quality in the dry season than in the wet season. Integrated basin management would be critical of the water quality in the Danjingkou Reservoir for the interbasin water transfer project.


Under the auspices of the Kwaliteitsinstituut voor de Gezondheidszorg CBO [Dutch Institute for Healthcare Improvement] a standard code of practice was developed as a template for local institutional codes to implement the Law on Foetal Tissue. It is a useful model code, but arguments should have been outlined more explicitly, notably in instances where the code adopts a somewhat stricter position than the Law. The following remarks pertain to the model code: 1. It may be argued that the inclusion or exclusion of 12-15-year-old pregnant girls should be relative to the privacy-related sensitivity of the use of foetal tissue. 2. Transplantation requires additional tests for the safety of the recipient, including testing for HIV/AIDS. A pregnant woman's permission for such testing should not be taken for granted. 3. The abortion technique may be modified in view of the subsequent use of foetal tissue if the woman consents to the modification, with the prerequisites that the modification does not harm the woman and that any potential sensation of pain by the foetus must be minimised.


their interests and attitudes were what they were and followed the course they did. The chapter on Treitschke is especially well done. The man, his work, and his time receive judicious appraisal that illuminates a whole period of history. A biographical index provides the reader with useful sketches of most of the historians mentioned in the text; the bibliographical essay is a model of its kind.


Background: Sexually transmitted diseases such as Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) which causes or induces incurable fatal infections have been transmitted through Assisted Reproduction Technology and from infected mothers to the fetus or new born. Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of this chronic viral agent among infertile women recruited for Assisted Reproduction Technique programme in Benin City, Nigeria. Materials and Method: Sera (serum) from Five hundred and Ninety infertile women attending Human Reproduction Research Programme/In-vitro fertilization Center at University of Benin Teaching Hospital were screened for the presence of Human Immunodeficiency Virus antibody using three algorithm or techniques of Determine, Unigold and Stat Pack kits. The age range of the infertile women was 20-49 years. Result: 28 (4.7%) out of Five Hundred and fifty infertile women recruited for Assisted Reproduction Technique and screened for Human Immunodeficiency Virus antibody were seropositive with increase in prevalence of 10. 0%, 8.5% and 7.5% among infertile women in age groups of (20 – 24), (25 – 29)yrs and (30 – 34)yrs. Chi-square statistical analysis of data shows insignificance in seroprevalence rate in relation to the number of infertile women screened (P > 0.0001) but the screening of these infertile women for the presence Human Immunodeficiency Virus should continue due to the attendant effects. Conclusion: Infertile women who are Human Immunodeficiency Virus carriers give a new dimension to assisted reproductive techniques. This will no doubt help to prevent further spread and adverse pregnancy outcome.


Acrylamide is a heat-generated food toxicant, which exists in various foodstuffs such as potato chips, biscuits, and coffee. It has been demonstrated that acrylamide possesses some neurotoxic and carcinogenic effects and is classified in Group 2A as a probable carcinogen to humans by International Agency for Research on Cancer. The aim of this study was to develop a rapid, robust, and sensitive high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method and indicate acrylamide levels of some traditional and nontraditional foods consumed in Turkey. Acrylamide content of samples was determined using HPLC coupled to photodiode array detection. Acrylamide and methacrylamide (internal standard) were separated using an ODS-3 reversed phase column in isocratic elution mode. The mobile phase (acetonitrile: water, 2:98, v/v) was pumped at 0.5 mL/min flow rate and the analytes were detected at 200 nm wavelength within 15 min. Samples were prepared by utilizing Oasis HLB (Waters) solid phase extraction cartridges for clean-up and analyzed with no further preconcentration steps. As a result, it was observed that the amount of acrylamide in traditional Turkish foods was found to be relatively low in many of the samples, especially in desserts although they are exposed to heat in their preparation.


Three patients out of 99 benefited with a complete remission following chemotherapy with Cisplatinum and Vindesine. The initial characteristics of these patients were studied, they recall a characteristic type of tumour already described and for which a hypothesis of a germ origin has been raised. In spite of their rarity the existence of complete remissions should encourage the use of chemotherapy in such patients who have a "broncho-pulmonary" cancer with a tropism for the mediastinum and without a specified primary tumour.


We purified calactin from the roots of the Chinese herb Asclepias curassavica L. and analyzed its biologic effects in human leukemia cells. Our results showed that calactin treatment caused DNA damage and resulted in apoptosis. Increased phosphorylation levels of Chk2 and H2AX were observed and were reversed by the DNA damage inhibitor caffeine in calactin-treated cells. In addition, calactin treatment showed that a decrease in the expression of cell cycle regulatory proteins Cyclin B1, Cdk1, and Cdc25C was consistent with a G2/M phase arrest. Furthermore, calactin induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation, activation of caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9, and PARP cleavage. Pretreatment with the ERK inhibitor PD98059 significantly blocked the loss of viability in calactin-treated cells. It is indicated that calactin-induced apoptosis may occur through an ERK signaling pathway. Our data suggest that calactin is a potential anticancer compound.


Using UV light to expose a homogeneous cell containing liquid crystal (LC)/monomer mixture through a patterned photomask, we prepared a polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC) microlens array. In each microlens, the formed polymer network presents a central-symmetrical inhomogeneous morphology and LC exhibits a gradient refractive index distribution. By applying an external voltage to the cell, the gradient of the LC refractive index is changed. As a result, the focal length of the microlens can be tuned. Our PNLC microlens array has the advantages of low operating voltage, easy fabrication, and good stability. This kind of microlens array has potential applications in image processing, optical communications, and switchable 2D/3D displays.


. Melts of linear polymers di(cid:11)ering in the lengths of the chains have been studied by coarse graining simulations. Each polymer is represented by a branched string of soft blobs, and uncrossability constraints are added to prevent chain crossings. Their dynamical and rhelogical properties are discussed by comparisons to assess the impact of the chain length on the bulk properties without using extrapolation techniques. A satisfactory quantitative agreement with experiments is observed for the di(cid:11)usion coe(cid:14)cients and zero-shear viscosities of the linear polymers. The power-law relation between viscosity and molecular mass is indicative of the transition regime between Rouse and reptation dynamics.


This study of plurilingual students in a language exchange explores how English and French language learners transition to university in Canada. The study gives voice to diverse international students, framing their experiences and perspectives in the context of the internationalization of higher education. By examining the links between learners' linguistic and cultural affiliations, language learning and use, and their sense of agency, identity and belonging, I identify unique challenges, resources and potential for language and intercultural learning in creating community. Ethnographic description and thematic analysis drawn from interviews and group discussion combine to describe how learners experience the language exchange and the linguistic and cultural landscape of Montreal, and how they adapt their language use to navigate their transition. Despite experiencing the constraints of linguistic hierarchies in place at the university and in the wider community, these learners are reflexive agents who reorient to their languages flexibly. They engage in multiple autonomous language-learning practices and connect with other students within and across traditional boundaries of culture and language. Although they recognize formal differences of linguistic proficiency and cultural background, in practice, the students often reframe these potential barriers to move across them fluidly. Through their home languages, using English as a lingua franca, and by engaging in informal language learning, they develop and maintain social relationships and explore intercultural learning opportunities. These shared experiences offer new insights into international students' agency in transition, identity in transformation and sense of belonging. The study ends with recommendations for how programs can include international students in the university community by promoting a multilingual habitus within intercultural and language-learning activities.


abstract:This article examines the short stories of South Carolina author Julia Peterkin published in Richmond literary magazine The Reviewer between 1921 and 1925. Placing these peculiar stories of postbellum plantation life into their publication context, this article concerns itself with how the stories unsettle the ambitions for the Southern magazine set out by H. L. Mencken and The Reviewer's editor, Emily Tapscott Clark. Following the publication of Mencken's controversial article "The Sahara of the Bozart," the focus of the Southern literary magazine was to present a progressive yet identifiable image of Southernness. Peterkin's Reviewer stories are violently grotesque and, through the recurrence of disability and mutilation, disrupt the methods of reading dialect bound up in local color fiction, both fulfilling and defying the model for Southern writing. This article focuses on how the stories alter the relationship between the Northern reader and the Southern story, while examining the complex dynamics of Peterkin as a white writer using the lives of African American plantation workers as her subject.


Models of human motor behavior are well known as an aid in the design of user interfaces (UIs). Most current models apply primarily to desktop interaction, but with the development of non-desktop UIs, new types of motor behaviors need to be modeled. Direct Pointing at a Distance is such a motor behavior. A model of direct pointing at a distance would be particularly useful in the comparison of different interaction techniques, because the performance of such techniques is highly dependent on user strategy, making controlled studies difficult to perform. Inspired by Fitts' law, we studied four possible models and concluded that movement time for a direct pointing task is best described as a function of the angular amplitude of movement and the angular size of the target. Contrary to Fitts' law, our model shows that the angular size has a much larger effect on movement time than the angular amplitude and that the growth in the difficulty of the tasks is quadratic, rather then linear. We estimated the model's parameters experimentally with a correlation coefficient of 96%.


This book chapter reviews signal detection and parameter estimation techniques for multiuser multiple-antenna wireless systems with a very large number of antennas, known as massive multi-input multi-output (MIMO) systems. We consider both centralized antenna systems (CAS) and distributed antenna systems (DAS) architectures in which a large number of antenna elements are employed and focus on the uplink of a mobile cellular system. In particular, we focus on receive processing techniques that include signal detection and parameter estimation problems and discuss the specific needs of massive MIMO systems. Simulation results illustrate the performance of detection and estimation algorithms under several scenarios of interest. Key problems are discussed and future trends in massive MIMO systems are pointed out.


Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) is suitable for high rate data transmission because it can combat delay dispersion and multipath fading. Aiming at its very high peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR), theory analysis and simulation of companding technique are processed. Simulation results indicate that companding technique can reduce the PAPR of OFDM system greatly, but bit error rate of OFDM system is high. An improved scheme is proposed to improve bit error rate performance. Simulation results indicate that scheme proposed can improve error probability effectively.


The main goal of this study is to examine the influence of the geographic environment on the performance of Islamic banks present in four regions: Africa, Asia, Europe and North America. To achieve this goal, we have used daily data from 113 Islamic banks between 2010 and 2019. We applied different methodological approaches, such as principal component analysis and quantile regression with fixed effects for panel data. As a result, we found that the analysis of the main components shows that the performance of Islamic banks varies between regions. The regression of the linear panel highlights that the geographic environment positively and significantly affects the Islamic banking system, suggesting the importance of this aspect's effects. Finally, the environmental effect seems to vary with the quantiles, bringing positive effect to the lower quantile and negative effect to the highest quantile. This quantile specification points to the environment-performance nonlinear relationship of the Islamic bank, reflecting a discipline variable in the time imposed by the Council of Shariah or Islamic Law. This discovery helps to better explain the main difference between Islamic banks in the East and those in the West, and also allows investors to adjust their portfolio options when considering the products of Islamic banks according to regional specificities.


The contact of human fingers with solid surfaces and their subsequent separation have been studied microscopically. Scanning electron microscopy and contact angle measurements have been applied to examine the deposit film. When a finger touches a surface, a film of liquid present on the finger spreads to produce apparent contact over much of the fingerprint ridge area. Lifting of the finger causes the film to recede and leave a deposit which may be either a distribution of droplets on a thin contaminating layer of adsorbed molecules, or a continuous film: which type is dependent on both the composition of the fingerprint and the nature of the substrate.


Background: Although the symptoms of oral phlegmon have been described before Hippocrates and Galen, there have been discrepancies in the diagnosis and treatment plan appreciation in patients with phlegmon of the mouth floor until now. Ludwig's angina accounts for less than 1% of all pathologies of maxillofacial surgery. In the pre-antibiotic era, 50% of patients died. At the moment, the mortality rate is below 10%. If the pathology is not treated, patients die in 100% of cases. Data sources: This study was conducted on specialty literature analysis. We analyzed 45 books and 8 articles. The aim of the study is to compare different sources in which the phlegmon of the oral floor is described. Discussion: The phlegmon of the mouth floor can involve only the unilateral spaces of the mouth floor, and the diffuse phlegmon of the mouth floor, also called Ludwig's angina, compulsory involves bilateral spaces of the mouth floor. Two bilateral incisions in the submandibular regions and one in the submental region is the most practiced surgical treatment. The infection is poly microbial, with a mixed flora: aerobic alpha and beta hemolytic streptococci, staphylococci and gram-negative bacilli, anaerobic bacteroides and peptostreptococcus. Usually, the flora is from the oral cavity and pharynx. Conclusions: Patient intubation is the method of choice when it is possible. Aggressive antibiotic treatment needs to be taken as early as possible. Surgical treatment is required to be performed as early as possible. The number of incisions and their location are chosen depending on the situation.


The idea of diffractive processes with a hard scale involved, to resolve the underlying parton dynamics, was presented at the first Blois conference in 1985 and experimentally verified a few years later. Today hard diffraction is an active research field with high-quality data and new theoretical models. The trend from Regge-based pomeron models to QCD-based parton level models has given insights on QCD dynamics involving perturbative gluon exchange mechanisms, including the predicted BFKL-dynamics, as well as novel ideas on non-perturbative colour fields and their interactions.


The climate drift of various quantities associated with deep, planetary-scale, equilibrated, transient Rossby waves are estimated for the Southern Hemisphere extratropical summer as revealed by the DERF II (Dynamical Extended Range Forecasting) dataset. It is found that the vertical structures of these waves systematically become too baroclinic during the course of integration. There are two time scales associated with this climate drift. There is one very short time scale, estimated to be of the order of one day, when the waves become more barotropic. It is followed by a period when the wave baroclinicity monotonically increases, and after roughly 10 days the model structures appear to have reached their statistically equilibrated state. In the meantime, the kinetic energy of the transient waves decreases substantially to roughly half the observed value. After this initial drop, however, the transient kinetic energy increases again, and it is not clear if an equilibrium value has been reached after 30 days, which is the limit of the DERF II dataset. This third time scale is not found in the quantities directly associated with the vertical structures per se, but it is hypothesized to be a consequence of these errors. A theory is utilized that inmore » a simplified way takes into account the processes that determine the vertical structure of baroclinic waves as well as their robustness as a means of understanding the processes leading to these errors. The implications from this theory are that the formulation and magnitude of the dissipative and diffusive processes in the model are the most likely problem, but there are other possibilities. 37 refs., 10 figs.« less


Background Chondral lesions are often documented at the time of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. They are usually asymptomatic. It is not known if these lesions change the outcome of current ACL treatments. Hypothesis Untreated deep cartilage lesions incidentally found during anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction do not affect clinical and radiological results. Study Design Case control study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods From 1991 to 1995, 586 anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions were performed; 51 of these were in patients with a concomitant single focal chondral lesion of Outerbridge grade 3 or 4. The mean defect size was 2.1 cm2 (range, 0.5-4.0 cm2). The control group (anterior cruciate ligament injury only) was matched for sex, age, and operation time. Outcomes were reported at 10- and 15-year follow-up using International Knee Documentation Committee criteria, Lysholm score, and Tegner activity scale. Results Forty-two patients were evaluated at 10-year follow-up and 36 at 15-year follow-up. At 10-year follow-up according to Lysholm, Tegner, and International Knee Documentation Committee objective scores, no statistical differences were noted between the groups. The mean total International Knee Documentation Committee subjective score was significantly lower in the defect group than in the control group (mean, 79.6 points vs 83.7; P = .031). At 15 years, there were no statistical differences according to Lysholm, Tegner, and either objective or subjective International Knee Documentation Committee scores. Conclusion Deep cartilage lesions found during anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, left with no treatment, do not appear to affect clinical outcome at 10- and 15-year follow-up.


Department of Agricultural Production, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CAES), Makerere University, P. O. Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda. email@example.com mailto:email@example.com (Corresponding Author) National Livestock Resources Research Institute (NaLIRRI), National Agricultural Research Organisation, P.O. Box 96, Tororo, Uganda. Iowa State University –Uganda Program (ISU-UP) P .O. Box 218, Kamuli, Uganda. Department of Animal Production and Range Management, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Gulu University, P .O. Box 166, Gulu, Uganda.


Uniform 3D flower-like hierarchical-structured CoAl–LDH spheres were prepared via a simple one-pot surfactant-free solvothermal method. Monodispersed tiny Pd nanoclusters (about 2 nm) were loaded on the CoAl–LDH support through a facile in situ reduction between the oxidative Pd precursors and the reductive Co(II) in the support. The resultant CoAl–LDH/Pd composite catalyst showed excellent activities in cross-coupling reactions. In addition, the abundant Co(II) sites in the support can efficiently capture and regenerate leached Pd species during the reaction process, leading to excellent stability of the composite. These two features are desirable in organic synthesis, and may be used on a large scale for cross-coupling reactions with lower cost and easier operation.


In this correspondence, we prove that the class of binary self-dual doubly even 2-quasi-cyclic transitive codes is asymptotically good. This improves a recent result of Bazzi and Mitter (IEEE Trans. Inf. Theory, vol. 52, pp. 3210-3219, 2006). The proof is based on the study of a particular class of codes invariant under dihedral groups using a blend of representation theory and probabilistic arguments. The methods are closely related to those used in Bazzi and Mitter. In order to complete the proof a number theoretical result of Hasse is needed.


This paper proposes a new method of using foreground silhouette images for human pose estimation. Labels are introduced to the silhouette images, providing an extra layer of information that can be used in the model fitting process. The pixels in the silhouettes are labelled according to the corresponding body part in the model of the current fit, with the labels propagated into the silhouette of the next frame to be used in the fitting for the next frame. Both single and multi-view implementations are detailed, with results showing performance improvements over only using standard unlabelled silhouettes.


A retrospective study of the results of operative treatment of 60 long bones secondaries in 46 patients was carried out. The mean period of follow-up was 10 months. The most common primary in this study was carcinoma of the breast (28.2%), followed by carcinoma of the lung (21.7%) and unknown primary (10.9%). Three groups of patients were studied--pathological fracture group, prophylactic fixation group and a mixed group. In the pathological fracture group, 70% of patients achieved good to excellent pain relief and 60.9% was able to walk with or without walking aids. In the prophylactic group, all the patients achieved good to excellent pain relief and 60% were able to ambulate with or without walking aids. In the mixed group, all the patients achieved good to excellent pain relief and 66.6% of the patients were able to walk with aids. The operative mortality in both the pathological fracture group and prophylactic fixation group was 10% and 33.3% in the mixed group. Multiple internal fixation performed at one operative session was associated with high operative mortality (50%).


Effective training methods are key to successful crisis management in close protection. This paper discusses the outcomes of a project on the development of a serious game, a virtual training environment for close protection. The aims of the game are to improve situational awareness and communications skills at the individual and team level. Two game designs, developed with two different game engines, are presented and discussed in relation to the project's objectives. Comparison of the two designs shows that several trade-offs are encountered when developing a training game with the available technology. Technological features of the game engines, and differences in time invested in the development of different aspects of the games, make that the two designs meet different project objectives. Simultaneously reaching all project objectives in a single design seems impossible with the two game engines. This paper discusses the different trade-offs that were encountered in the project and presents the major challenges that lie ahead.


Advances towards the realization of an absolute frequency standard in the submillimetre region are reported. The 3P1 ↔ 3P0, Δmj = 0 fine-structure transition in the metastable triplet of 24Mg has been observed in an atomic beam with a Ramsey-type interrogation technique. Its frequency, measured with an accuracy of ± 3 × 10-11 with respect to a Cs standard, turned out to be ν0 = (601 277 157 860 ± 20) Hz.


Plate tectonic models succeed at predicting observations at scales of 100–1000 km, but tend to fail for observations at outcrop scales. Such predictions become nebulous when considering small-scale heterogeneous structure originally generated in the lower crust or upper mantle, whether the observations are made from outcrop, from boreholes, or remotely by seismic methods. Earth scientists have classically dealt with the problem of small-scale heterogeneity by treating it as "noise" from both an observational and modeling standpoint; however, the increased comprehension of the scale invariance of many geologic processes has spurred investigators to attempt to characterize observations at all available scales. Modelers have responded by adopting more of a statistical characterization approach for spatial variability.


The optical properties of InN are investigated theoretically by employing the projector augmented wave (PAW) method within Green's function and the screened Coulomb interaction approximation (GWo). The calculated results are compared to previously reported calculations which use local density approximation combined with the scissors-operator approximation. The results of the present calculation are compared with reported values of the InN bandgap and with low temperature near infrared luminescence measurements of InN films deposited by a modified Ion Beam Assisted Deposition technique. (© 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)


Comments left by participants in the margins of a survey are commonly ignored during data analysis. Rather than overlook these marginalia, we describe a qualitative analysis of the notes, underlines, and cross-outs left by participants in the margins of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI; Rosen et al., 2000). Participants who were diagnosed with late stage breast cancer had taken the FSFI as part of a larger multimethod quality of life study. In our analysis, we identify 3 categories to analyze the 136 instances of marginalia left next to FSFI items: clarifications, corrections, and noting items as "not applicable." Using these marginalia as guidance, we developed a modified scoring procedure for the FSFI that accounted for those participants who marked items as "not applicable" in their marginalia but would have been dropped from analysis due to missing data. We offer guidelines for researchers interested in analyzing marginalia as a means to incorporate and amplify participant feedback in survey research design. This is especially important when even well-validated instruments are used to make, for example, clinical diagnoses and treatment decisions, but do not adequately account for participants' lives. Studies of marginalia enable qualitatively derived insights to be effectively incorporated into survey methodology, enabling us to better attend to the ways participants communicate and share their lives with us over the course of any study.


Mental health counselors regularly use active listening skills to be present with each client; however, active listening may cause burnout due to high emotional labor, inadequate staffing, excessive workload, and many other issues, each of which contributes to career exits. COVID-19 exacerbated all of these factors, and—adding to already stressful conditions—most mental health professionals were forced to conduct therapy sessions via telehealth. For this study, twenty licensed mental health counselors at various stages of their careers were interviewed during the height of the pandemic to understand their experiences with the technology and other factors related to their workload during that time. Thematic qualitative analysis was used to explore effects of active listening—including requisite adjustments made for virtual therapy sessions—on counselors' emotional exhaustion and burnout levels. Results show how back-to-back, daily therapy sessions increased listening exhaustion levels and that counselors experienced both long-term and short-term listening exhaustion when utilizing telehealth due to lack of nonverbal cues and other related factors pertaining to online delivery. Implications for counselors, social workers, and other mental health professionals are discussed.


In this paper, we propose a task-generic learning-based model for the control of a powered ankle exoskeleton. In contrast to the traditional state machine-based control approaches that hard codes the transition heuristics for the different states and motion conditions during gait, we propose to learn the finer constraints of gait from multiple demonstrations of human gait. We validate our proposed approach on a dataset of ten subjects walking on various inclines and at multiple speeds. We deploy our model on an ankle exoskeleton, and conduct user studies on able-bodied subjects who perform gait scenarios across varying speeds and inclines. We conduct multiple online experiments to validate our learning-based approach for different motion conditions, e.g., normal walking, walking at different speeds and inclines, turns, cross-overs with variable speed and cadence, walking on a treadmill as well as on level ground. We find that our proposed learning-based model has the capability to extrapolate its learned decision rules to support untrained gait conditions, for, e.g., walking at higher speeds and inclines not seen during training. The subjects were able to adapt to the different gait scenarios comfortably without loss of stability.


The beginning of the twentieth century saw the emergence in the West of new and revolutionary movements in both literature and religion. Viewing themselves as the harbingers of a new age, these movements frequently found expression in terms of a radical break with the past as well as a resurgence of dormant powers and traditions. Their paths frequently intersected: sometimes in well-publicized confrontations or much-discussed collaborations, just as often through fleeting personal contacts that were little noted by most of the world. This paper examines an example of the latter type of contact, albeit one that has extensive and fascinating ramifications. The event in question is the meeting between Ezra Pound, the famous American modernist poet, and 'Abdu'l-Baha. Investigation of the contact 'Abdu'l-Baha had with Pound reveals links between the Baha'i Faith and a number of important avant-garde circles in the West, and thereby sheds light on hitherto unexplored areas of religious and literary history.


Recent entertainment robots created by Sar-cos Research Corporation and the Center for Engineering Design at the University of Utah are presented. Categories include humanoid and non-humanoid display robots that replay programmed motions, interactive robots that are teleoperated, and humanoid robots for research .


Objectives: The objective was to review the progress made in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism over the past decade and the future direction of diagnostic modalities. Methods: Research studies, review articles and scientific meeting abstracts published were reviewed. Results: Significant progress has been made in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. Strategies have been developed to increase the sensitivity and specificity of the diagnostic tools. Conclusion: With the advances of the technology and better understanding of patho-physiology, offer the hope of improving the medical management of common and potentially life threatening condition like pulmonary embolism. Key words: Pulmonary embolism; diagnostic modalities; progress DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jafmc.v7i1.8625 JAFMC Bangladesh. Vol 7, No 1 (June) 2011; 34-40


There is a vast literature on numerical valuation of exotic options using Monte Carlo (MC), binomial and trinomial trees, and finite difference methods. When transition density of the underlying asset or its moments are known in closed form, it can be convenient and more efficient to utilize direct integration methods to calculate the required option price expectations in a backward time-stepping algorithm. This paper presents a simple, robust and efficient algorithm that can be applied for pricing many exotic options by computing the expectations using Gauss–Hermite integration quadrature applied on a cubic spline interpolation. The algorithm is fully explicit but does not suffer the inherent instability of the explicit finite difference counterpart. A "free" bonus of the algorithm is that it already contains the function for fast and accurate interpolation of multiple solutions required by many discretely monitored path dependent options. For illustrations, we present examples of pricing a series of American options with either Bermudan or continuous exercise features, and a series of exotic path-dependent options of target accumulation redemption note (TARN). Results of the new method are compared with MC and finite difference methods, including some of the most advanced or best known finite difference algorithms in the literature. The comparison shows that, despite its simplicity, the new method can rival with some of the best finite difference algorithms in accuracy and at the same time it is significantly faster. Virtually the same algorithm can be applied to price other path-dependent financial contracts such as Asian options and variable annuities.


The orthurethran land snail Lauria cylindracea is ovoviviparous. We examined its life history in Israel, where it lives in litter of the riparian forest floor, in a cool, humid habitat, that has a very stable and predictable temperature. Activity of snails started in winter and continued well into summer with gametogenesis commencing in early winter, after the beginning of the rainy season. In mid winter, all animals showed advanced spermatogenesis, early oogenesis, vitellogenic eggs and a few of the adults contained embryos. By spring and early summer, the gonads were larger, with both mature sperm and up to seven vitellogenic eggs; and up to 100% of the adults contained embryos, usually four per individual. A reproductive adult weighed about 4.5 mg, of which 17–25% was embryo weight. In later summer and autumn, we observed no feeding or reproductive activity, no gametogenesis, and very few embryos.

We distinguished three age groups: juveniles, subadults and adults. Juveniles were born in summer by adults having enough moisture to be active, whereas adults on dry leaves appeared to retain their embryos. The number of juveniles was therefore never as high as could be expected from the number of embryos inside the animals, and never exceeded 26% of the population. The juveniles grew until spring and then, as subadults, stopped growth until the following winter. It took a snail two winters to reach reproductive maturity, and the lifespan was about five years. About 30% of the adult snails died in late summer. All individuals throughout the year were euphallic, which is in contrast to the high frequency of aphally in other pupilloideans.

In discussing the adaptive significance of ovoviviparity in Lauria, we note that it is a minute snail, and therefore constrained to low fecundity—it can produce only few ova per unit time. Under such conditions, ovoviviparity may be advantageous in that the (few) hatchlings can immediately feed and grow, fight off fungi, cope with brief periods of desiccation and avoid drowning or flooding. In environments subject to frequent flooding, eggs may be retained within the adult until full embryonic development of the kidney. In such an environment of excess water, ovoviviparity may be advantageous.


The paper justifies the following theses: The totality can found time if the latteris axiomatically represented by its "arrow" as a well-ordering. Time can found choice andthus information in turn. Quantum information and its units, the quantum bits, can beinterpreted as their generalization as to infinity and underlying the physical world as wellas the ultimate substance of the world both subjective and objective. Thus a pathway ofinterpretation between the totality via time, order, choice, and information to the substance ofthe world is constructed. The article is based only on the well-known facts and definitions andis with no premises in this sense. Nevertheless it is naturally situated among works and ideasof Husserl and Heidegger, linked to the foundation of mathematics by the axiom of choice, tothe philosophy of quantum mechanics and information.


Brooks' FinGame Online 4.0 is a comprehensive multiple period finance case/simulation. In the game, students control a hypothetical company over numerous periods of operation. Students have control of major financial and operating decisions of their company. Students develop and enhance skills in financial management, financial accounting statement analysis, and general decision making. Internet access by the instructor and student is required. Students use the FinGame Participant's Manual for instructions to operate their company on the McGraw-Hill/Irwin website. The Participant's Manual includes a password in order to access the website. The Instructor's Manual is very important and imperative to teaching from FinGame Online 4.0. FinGame Online can be found at www.mhhe.com/fingame.


Following the outbreak of the SARS-CoV2 virus worldwide in 2019, the rapid widespread overtime of variants suggests today an undergoing positive selection of variants which could potentially provide advantageous genetic property of the virus. Numerous variants have already been described across different countries including N501Y, E484K or L452R mutations on gene coding to spike protein. Most recently, 2 new Indian variants with N440K and E484Q and L452R mutations associated with impaired antibody response and immune reactions were identified in India. The potential consequences of emerging variants are increased transmissibility, increased pathogenicity and the ability to escape natural or vaccine-induced immunity. We described for the first time in France both variants: the N440K immune escape variant within a new strain detected in France in a couple of patients who did not have any history of travel abroad and the new E484Q and L452R Indian variant from a patient travelling from Indian to Marseille to embark on a ship as a crew member. Such study of the circulating viral strains and their variants within the increasing number of infected people worldwide will provide further insights into the viral dissemination. Hence, real time close monitoring variant could help the scientific community to prevent fast-spreading and raise alarms towards potentially harmful variants.


Reliable transmission of video over wireless networks must address the limited bandwidth and the possibility of loss. When the bandwidth is insufficient on a single channel, the video can be partitioned over multiple channels with possibly unequal characteristics at the expense of more complex channel coding (error correction). This paper addresses the problem of efficiently partitioning forward error protected, pre-encoded video data for transmission over multiple channels. The assumption of pre-encoding precludes adjustment of source rates to the channels, since it is assumed that channel characteristics are not known until immediately prior to the start of transmission. The proposed partitioning exploits the structure of MPEG video, and frames in each group-of-picture are reordered based on their decoding dependence. To be spectrally efficient, the frames of different types are unequally error protected taking different channel reliabilities into account. A pruned tree search algorithm is implemented to efficiently solve the problem. Simulation results are presented.


Content management system is a kind of tool or the combination of a set of tools which can support content management. Network content management system is not only a kind of tool which can construct Web sites and manage network resources but also a kind of efficient information issuing system. Combining with project requirements, this paper gives the function design, structure framework design and detailed design of a content management system. This system is mainly composed of six modules, such as class management module, business information management module and news management module, etc.


We study the effect of a mandatory improvement in public disclosure due to the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) on the stock return predictability of shorting activity. To assess the impact of the disclosure shock, we measure monthly changes in the demand for and supply of stocks for shorting and whether those changes predict negative returns in the following month. We provide international evidence that the ability of increases in shorting demand and supply to predict negative returns declines after the shock. The predictive ability of shorting in the month before a negative earnings surprise and news of a firm's questionable M&A transaction also declines after the shock. These findings imply that the shock of the mandatory accounting change crowds out some of short-sellers' value-relevant information in the equity lending market. Thus, while the democratization of information from a structured accounting change may make sophisticated investors worse off by reducing their ability to predict future returns, this change may also benefit all investors through timely stock price discovery.


Background and Objective : Men having sex with men (MSM) remains to be the largest high-risk group involved in on-going transmission of sexually transmitted infections (STI). Asymptomatic MSM with anal infection of HPV, HSV and EBV could substantiate the importance of transmission between partners and also has been associated with anal cancer. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of HPV, HSV and EBV infection and co-infection of them in anus of asymptomatic MSM in KhonKaen, Thailand. Methods: The anal swabs were collected from 200 MSM. DNA was extracted and quantitated by detecting GAPDH gene using real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). HPV, HSV and EBV DNA were investigated by real-time PCR using specific primers. HPV positive samples were genotyped by reverse line blot hybridization. Results: The prevalence of HPV infection in asymptomatic MSM showed the highest (51%) and followed by EBV (39%) and HSV (4%). High-risk and low-risk HPV types were found in 83.3% and 23%, respectively, and 20.6% of cases were infected with both of high-risk and low-risk HPV types. In high-risk HPV group, HPV 16, was the most common followed by HPV 58 and HPV 18. Multiple HPV type infections were found in 52% of HPV positive cases. The co-infection with these three viruses was also detected especially HPV and EBV was the most common (17%). Conclusion: The anal infection of HPV and herpesviruses was commonly found in asymptomatic MSM. The asymptomatic MSM can spread these viruses to other persons. Co-infection of high-risk HPV with herpesviruses in anus may be an important risk factor to promote anal cancer development.


The paper deals with a vibratory-impact system with pneumatic suspension element and a movable stop. The experimental investigation of the model of a similar system (with a rigid stop) which had been carried out formerly by the author, proved an important feature of the system, namely the possibility of continuous control of impact frequency during the work of the system. The model considered in this paper consists of two masses, one of which represents the mass of a drived pile and the vibrating part of surrounding soil (the system investigated is to be applied to pile driving). Equations of motion are formulated and solved under the assumption of negligibility of energy dissipation in pneumatic suspension element. The main parameters of motion are calculated. The case of system with no energy dissipation received a special treatment. For that case the main parameters of motion were calculated. The structural stability conditions were formulated. The non-stationary motion caused by suddenly applied external force was considered as an analogy of the behaviour of a real system, while the drived pile passes the contact surface of two layers of soil. Some results of the analysis is presented by graphs. The formulae derived in the paper might be applied in the vibratory-impact pile drivers design.


Water carries political, cultural, religious, social, economic and environmental significance in our lives. Access to safe drinking water and sanitation has farreaching consequences for achieving equality and creating an inclusive society. When government policies and programmes focus upon the well-being of the socially excluded and vulnerable—especially women and children—they become instrumental in bringing about necessary changes and addressing the most formidable challenges. Combined with thoughtfully designed regulatory and environmental frameworks, policies and programmes are the key drivers for engaging people, which allows them to understand problems and be part of the solution. People then become the force to holistically contribute to improving their own circumstances. Civil society organizations and the private sector—when keeping sight of the principles of participation, equity and transparency— become the most capable facilitators in the improved and sustainable management of water—a resource so vital to human life.


This paper reports two new milestones in the development of miniaturized Coriolis Vibratory Gyroscopes (CVG) with beyond navigation grade performance. Firstly, a small size and low parts count milli-Hemispherical Resonator Gyroscope (mHRG) based on a drastically simplified production unit is demonstrated with measured 0.00025 deg/rt-hr ARW and 0.005 deg/hr bias. Secondly, real-time self-calibration is validated using a dual mHRG system achieving strategic grade stability of 0.001 deg/hr over days of time and over temperature. We believe results of this work provide a valuable state of the art reference to both the inertial and MEMS communities pursuing next generation CVG architectures, designs, and self-calibration.


The subject of meteorites is immense and McSween makes the sensible decision to describe the two main types, namely chondrites and achondrites, in separate chapters followed, in turn, by separate chapters on the origin of each of these. The author broadens the reader's knowlede with a well-balanced mix of the chemical, crystallographical and radiological aspects of the subject. I was impressed by his description of the chance discovery of a meteorite from the Moon in the Allan Hills of Antartica in 1982 and the scientific analysis which subsequently confirmed its lunar origin. Here McSween satisfies any doubting Thomas with a bonus account of the meteorological and geological conditions which may be responsible for concentrating meteorites at certain locations in the Antarctic. Perhaps the strongest part of McSween's presentation is his approach in placing meteorites within their true context as members of the solar system. He includes a brief discussion of the chemical condensation process which accompanied the formation of the planets and asteroids and the role of a supernova in accounting for isotopic anomalies within certain carbonaceous chondrites. This astronomical background then provides a natural platform for drawing out the associations which exist between the different compositional classes of meteorites (enstatite, ordinary, and carbonaceous) and their place of formation within the solar system. It was interesting to see how well the reflectance spectra of some meteorites match up with those of known planetary bodies and to learn, for example, that the eucrite meteorites come from the asteroid 4 Vesta, whilst the shergottites possibly came from Mars. McSween also includes an easy-to-follow discussion of complex processes of geological alteration — such as shocks and igneous events —which may be responsible for the huge variety of mineralogical features observed inside meteorites.


Multiwall carbon nanotubes MWCNTs were synthesized then decorated with ZnO. The decorated ZnO was grow n on the surface of MWCNTs via simple wet chemical ro ute. The prepared MWCNTs/ZnO composite was characterized by X-ray diffraction, EDS, HRTEM, FTI R as well as thermal analysis. Zinc oxide with abo ut 30 nm as confirmed by HRTEM and XRD could be described as wurtzite hexagonal crystalline structure. The HRTE M results showed that the MWCNTs were uniformly decor ated with ZnO nanoparticles with nearly no agglomer ation. The co-operative behavior between MWCNTs and ZnO gi ves rise to the production of advanced functional m aterials with a wide range of applications.


Introduction/Purpose Catheterization of brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) can be challenging when small arterial feeders arise with sharp angles. We report the use of the Comaneci device to catheterize a small feeder with hyperacute angle, along with 3-D in-vitro model reconstruction and experimentation of balloon vs Comaneci stent micro-catheterization. We also developed a 3-D model of the arterial anatomy to compare Comaneci vs balloon assisted catheterization of small feeders. Methods and Methods Patient is a 37-year-old man who presented with sudden onset of severe headache and left sided weakness. Initial CT head and MRA showed left basal ganglia hemorrhage associated with left thalamic AVM. Using a 3D model of the AVM, 30 iterations of micro-catheterization was performed with balloon (Hyperform 4x7mm), Comaneci Petit (24mm length) stent, and without any device assistance (10 each). Results During the embolization procedure, Comaneci stent provided adequate support distal to the origin of the arterial feeder to the AVM, and the microcatheter was successfully navigated into the small sharply angled feeder (figure 1A). Experimental model showed similar effectiveness of balloon and Comaneci stent with 3/10 first-attempt success rate for micro-catheterization, and 0/10 without any device (figure 1B). Patient tolerated the procedure well with no ischemic or hemorrhagic complications. Conclusion Comaneci stent showed similar efficacy compared to a balloon for distal micro catherization without distal flow-arrest. Our technical report along with the 3-D model experiments provide insights into the utility of Comaneci vs balloon assisted micro-catherization of the small sharply angled feeders in AVM embolization. Disclosures H. Saber: None. N. Kaneko: None. S. Tateshima: 2; C; Medtronic, Stryker, Cerenovus. G. Colby: 2; C; Stryker, MicroVention, Medtronic. V. Szeder: None. M. Nour: None. G. Duckwiler: 2; C; Medtronic. R. Jahan: 2; C; Medtronic, Balt.


The wave of globalization had started winding since the late 1980's in many countries of the world. This led to a structural change in different sectors of economy in different parts of the world. One of such sectors is external sector which was kept closed for many years. It is now open in the globalized economy. Many countries have adopted export as engine for economic growth, and, import as to acquire technological know-how and capital goods for promoting export sector. India's economy which was under the License Raj for almost four decades, however, by the turn of 1990s, India started to adopt the new wave of globalization. As a part of project globalization, India adopted "Look East Policy" to open up its economy to those neighboring South East Asian countries. Under this policy, India signed the Indo-Myanmar Border Trade agreement on 21st January, 1994 with Myanmar in view of the needs and demand of the people of the North East India. However, border trade along the Indo-Myanmar border has been being witnessed trading of both formal and informal goods simultaneously. Therefore, this paper examines exclusively the items under informal trade; the institutional factors behind this informal trade; and also to study commodity wise dumping potential which induce such tendency for informal trade and dumping intensity.


BACKGROUND
Diaphragm electrical activation (EAdi) and the ratio of tidal volume to EAdi (VT/EAdi) may provide clinical information on neuroventilatory efficiency (NVE) in patients being weaned from mechanical ventilation. We tested the hypothesis that residual sedation could interfere with respiratory recovery, by assessing the effects of flumazenil on EAdi and VT/EAdi ratio.

METHODS
This observational study included 13 patients breathing with pressure-support ventilation (PSV) after a long period of controlled mechanical ventilation (i.e. >4 days) plus midazolam-based sedation for acute respiratory distress syndrome. EAdi and respiratory patterns were compared before and after a bolus of flumazenil, which was given because neurological status needed to be evaluated.

RESULTS
Flumazenil induced a significant increase in EAdi [+71 (41-123)%, P=0.0002] and VT [+17 (8-32)%, P=0.0005], resulting in significantly decreased NVE [-34 (15-43)%]. The increased VT was significantly correlated with the increased EAdi (ρ=0.70, P=0.009).

CONCLUSIONS
During weaning from mechanical ventilation, the diaphragmatic contribution to the breathing process may be reduced by residual midazolam-induced ventilatory depression. The increased EAdi with reversal of residual sedation was associated with a proportional increase in VT. These findings should be considered by the attending physician when interpreting daily EAdi and VT changes during weaning from mechanical ventilation.


Developmental growth is an intricate process involving the coordinated regulation of the expression of various genes, and microRNAs (miRNAs) play crucial roles in diverse processes throughout animal development. The mid-blastula transition (MBT) is a developmental milestone when maternal RNAs are cleared and the zygotic genome programmed asynchronous cell division begins to drive embryogenesis. While mechanisms underlying MBT have been intensively revealed, factors regulating cell proliferation at the transition remain largely unknown. We report here a microRNA, miR-202-3p to be a key factor that determines embryonic fate during MBT in zebrafish. A miR-202-3p antagomir specifically terminated embryo development at the mid-blastula stage. In vivo deletion of the miR-202 locus recapitulated the fatal phenotypes, which were rescued only by miR-202-3p or its precursor. Transcriptome comparison revealed >250 RNAs including both maternal and zygotic origins were dysregulated at MBT in the miR-202−/− embryos, corresponding with arrays of homeostatic disorders leading to massive apoptosis. A trio of genes: nfkbiaa, perp and mgll, known to be intimately involved with cell proliferation and survival, were identified as direct targets of miR-202-3p. Importantly, over- or under-expression of any of the trio led to developmental delay or termination at the blastula or gastrula stages. Furthermore, nfkbiaa and perp were shown to inter-regulate each other. Thus, miR-202-3p mediates a regulatory network whose components interact closely during MBT to determine embryonic viability and development.


Bacterial co-metabolism in composting process has been widely used to remove hydrocarbons, aided by in-situ production of bio-based surfactants, in terms of compost humic acid-like substances and biosurfactants. The properties of compost humic acid-like substances have been shown in previous studies as potential surface tension reducers and emulsifiers for hydrocarbons. The current study aimed to analyze the properties of biosurfactant of surface tension decrease, emulsification activity, and hydrocarbon solubilization ability. Four indigenous bacteria consortia were isolated from composted materials of yard waste, rumen residue, crude oil-polluted soil, and the mixture of polluted soil with organic waste (1:1, w/w) at day 0th, 20th, 40th, and 60th. Organic waste consists of yard waste and rumen residue in the ratio of 1:1. The isolated indigenous bacteria consortia were incubated for 7 days in different media, i.e., organic waste extract, 6.00% of crude oil, and a mixture of organic waste extract with 6.00% crude oil. The results indicated that the surface tension decrease and emulsification activity of biosurfactants were 8.35–52.90 mN m-1 and 0.00–12.00%, respectively, which showed the potential as surface tension reducers with low emulsification activity. The higher hydrocarbon solubility was shown by the biosurfactant from the rumen residue (13 620 μg g-1) and the mixture (10 998 μg g-1) at day 40th, which was comparable to 1.50% of Tween 80. The biosurfactants in the current research were produced with the same materials, process, and time as compost humic acid-like substances which acts as in-situ bio-based surfactants. The respective ability to solubilize hydrocarbon might be combined and estimated to be higher than Tween 80 of 24 329 μg g-1 and 21 619 μg g-1 for rumen residue and the mixture, respectively. Therefore, it was concluded that the best composition for in-situ bio-based surfactant production to assist the degradation of hydrocarbon through composting process is polluted soil with organic waste (1:1, w/w). The solubility of hydrocarbons can be increased without synthetic surfactants addition, but through providing nutrients to maintain in-situ bio-based surfactant production with intermittent addition of organic waste every 40 days. This method is expected to be an appropriate approach in composting development as a cost-effective sustainable bioremediation technique for polluted soil.


Presented case report demonstrates the efficacy and safety of hospital use of thrombolytic agent Fortelizin in pharmaco-invasive strategy for the treatment of a patient with acute myocardial infarction and with a long history of ischemic heart disease and long-term dynamics of the verified angiographic progression of coronary atherosclerosis. Hospital thrombolytic therapy with Fortelizin was vital alternative in case of a substantial time delay in mechanical reperfusion of the myocardium.


The level of expression of dlk, an EGF-like protein possessing six EGF-like repeats in its extracellular region, is critical for 3T3-L1 fibroblasts to differentiate into adipocytes in response to IGF1. The mechanism of action of dlk is not well understood, but its localization on the cell membrane suggests that dlk may function as a receptor, as a ligand or as a regulatory protein modulating the binding, the signaling, or the expression of other molecules involved in cell differentiation and growth. In this work, we demonstrate, by using the Yeast Two-Hybrid system, that dlk interacts with itself through specific regions of its extracellular domain. The strongest interactions were observed between specific EGF-like repeats and between a non EFG-like region where unknown proteases act to generate soluble forms of dlk. These observations suggest that the interaction between two membrane dlk molecules belonging to the same or to different cells, or the interaction between soluble and membrane dlk variants, may be important to regulate dlk function.


Children with perinatal human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection can present early or late clinical disease. HIV-associated lymphoma is a later manifestation that is associated with advanced immunosuppression (acquired immunodeficiency syndrome -AIDS). This is a case of a 9-year-old boy with recent diagnosis of HIV with Burkitt's lymphoma as first clinical manifestation. In children, the frequency of this association is very low and there are few cases reported.


We have recently found a novel fatty acid, 11-keto-9(E),12(E)-octadecadienoic acid (KOD), that enhances fibrinolytic activity of endothelial cells. The mechanism of action of KOD has been investigated. KOD increased 2-fold the plasmin activity of bovine aortic endothelial cells at 250 microM. The stimulation was dependent on plasminogen and was inhibited by anti-urokinase, whereas KOD did not enhance the urokinase-catalyzed plasminogen activation and the resulting plasmin activity in a cell-free system. Neither the production of urokinase nor the conversion of pro-urokinase to the active, two-chain form was elevated by KOD, but it decreased plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) activity of cells and inactivated PAI-1 irreversibly in a purified system. These results demonstrated that the KOD enhancement of endothelial fibrinolytic activity was mediated, at least in part, by inactivation of PAI-1.


We report on an asthmatic patient who accidentally inhaled the small metal backing ("butterfly") of a nose stud, which she wore daily. Despite administration of nebulized salbutamol, postural drainage, and the use of rigid and fibreoptic bronchoscopes, attempted removal of the butterfly remained unsuccessful. Spontaneous expulsion of the butterfly occurred two months following inhalation. We suggest that consideration should be given by nose stud jewelry manufacturers to a more secure fixing device.


Contingency planning for the possible deliberate reintroduction of smallpox has become a priority for many national public health organizations in recent years. We used an individual-based spatial model of smallpox transmission in Great Britain and census-derived journey-to-work data to accurately describe the spatiotemporal dynamics of an outbreak of smallpox in the community. A Markov chain Monte-Carlo algorithm was developed to generate sociospatial contact networks that were consistent with demographic and commuting data. We tested the sensitivity of model predictions to key epidemiological parameters before choosing three representative scenarios from within the range explored. We examined the spatiotemporal dynamics for these illustrative scenarios and assessed the efficacy of symptomatic case isolation, contact tracing with vaccination, and reactive regional mass vaccination as policy options for control. We conclude that case isolation and contact tracing with vaccination would be sufficient to halt ongoing transmission rapidly, unless policy effectiveness was compromised by resource or other constraints. A slight reduction in the expected size and duration of an outbreak could be achieved with regional mass vaccination, but these benefits are small and do not justify the high numbers of vaccine doses required and their associated negative side effects.


ABSTRACT This study explored how boundaries in relationship to community and identity were created and negotiated among lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer (LGBQ) people within the framework of picturing LGBQ-specific elderly housing as a housing alternative in older age, by applying focus group methodology. "An island as a sparkling sanctuary" was identified as a metaphor for how symbolic resources defining the LGBQ community can be manifested in LGBQ-specific qualities of elderly housing. The boundary work underlying this manifestation included elaborations on the dilemma between exclusiveness and normality. The findings illustrate further how symbolic resources and collective identities were developed through dialectic interplay between internal and external definitions. Further, the findings show how boundary work generated shared feelings of similarity and group membership. The associated symbolic and social resources not only served to deal with difficult situations but also to manifest LGBQ identity and sense of community as a "gold medal."


Heat stress proteins are important factors in protecting cells against environmental stress. The HSP70.1 gene is one of the most important members of the heat stress protein family, which is essential for life, production and reproduction. In this study, partial regions of HSP70.1 (3ꞌ and 5ꞌ untranslated regions (UTRs)) were sequenced in six cattle breeds. Blood samples of five native breeds, namely Yerli Kara (YK), Boz irk (BI), Yerli Guney Sarisi (YGS), Guney Dogu Anadolu Kirmizisi (GAK) and Dogu Anadolu Kirmizisi (DAK) were collected from their native regions and blood samples of the Holstein Friesian (Siyah Alaca (SA)) breed were collected from each of these regions. Totals of 249 and 206 animals were analysed for the HSP70.1 - 3ꞌ and 5ꞌ UTR regions, respectively. In the 3ꞌ UTR region, 13 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and one indel were found, whereas this region was found to be monomorphic among animals of the Holstein Friesian breed. In the 5ꞌ UTR region, 43 SNPs and three indels were revealed in all of the investigated breeds. On the other hand, a new C983T nucleotide substitution was identified in this region, and is thought to disrupt the Sp1-hsp70 promoter binding site. The 5ꞌ UTR region was also more variable in the Turkish native breeds than in the Holstein Friesian. This study is the first to investigate the 3ꞌ and 5ꞌ UTRs of the HSP70.1 gene in Turkish native breeds. The genetic structure of these gene regions in Turkish native cattle breeds was found to be quite different from those of other cattle breeds that had been studied in the past. Keywords: Bovine, heat shock genes, heat stress, polymorphism


Four new coordination polymers, {[Zn(3-PBI)(H2O)]·2DMF}n (1), [Cd(3-PBI)(DMF)]n (2), {[Zn4(μ4-O)(4-PBI)3]·3DMF}n (3), {[Cd4(4-PBI)4(H2O)6]·13H2O}n (4), have been constructed from two isomeric flexible multi-carboxylate ligands, 3-H2PBI = 5-(3-(pyridin-3-yl)benzamido)isophthalic acid and 4-H2PBI = 5-(3-(pyridin-4-yl)benzamido)isophthalic acid. Structural analysis reveals that compound 1 is a one-dimensional (1D) ladder-like chain assembled by Zn(ii) ions and 3-PBI2− ligands, which further extend into a 3D supramolecular structure through π⋯π stacking and interlayer (O–H⋯O) hydrogen bonding interactions. In compound 2, Cd2+ metal ions are connected by carboxylate groups to form [Cd2(COO)4] secondary building units (SBUs). The whole framework possesses a quadrilateral channel and constitutes a unique 3D (3,6)-connected rutile net with the Schläfli symbol of (42·610·83)(4·62)2. As for 3, Zn(ii) ions are bridged by one μ4-O and six carboxylate groups to form a tetranuclear [Zn4(μ4-O)(COO)6] cluster, resulting in a rare (3,9)-connected 3D network. Compound 4 has an appealing 2D layered architecture involving two distinct topologies in the crystal structure, stacking in an unusual ABBABB mode (where A represents (4·82) topology and B denotes kgd topology). Moreover, compound 2 is prepared as a support for active selenium through a melt-diffusion method. The obtained Cd-CP/Se electrode can be tested for lithium–selenium batteries and shows an initial capacity of 514 mA h g−1 and a reversible capacity of 200 mA h g−1 at 1C after 500 cycles. The good storage performance of Cd-CP/Se demonstrates it to be a prospective cathode material for lithium–selenium batteries.


Gracilis muscle flap was used to treat a seven year old boy with a one year history of recurrent rectal prolapse. Initial perineal surgery in form of Thiersch stitch resulted into failure to control rectal prolapse and damage to anal sphincter. Graciloplasty corrected both problems.


Cancer stem cells (CSCs) or in another term, tumor intimation cells (TICs), represent a small distinct subpopulations cells within cancer cells which have capability for potential self-regeneration and cell proliferation. During division, TICs or CSCs produced two deferent cell types; one cell is progenitor cell and anther is tumor cell that drive tumor initiation and tumor progression. Previous studies on cancer stem cell markers in solid tumor types that including breast cancer, colon cancer and thyroid cancer have using specific markers to detect cancer stem cells, but it is remain not fully clear as the stem cell stairway these markers collapse. In this study we compounded moreover by the existence of multiple cancer stem cell subtypes withinsolid tumors, making realization depending on the use of different markers. This mini review paper concentrate on the recent information in cancer stem cell markers including aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH1A1), CD44 , ATP binding protein G2(ABCG2) or breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP) and OCT3/4 highlight their used and validity in Iraqi patients with solid tumors.


Typical parity-time (PT) symmetric structures switch from the unbroken to the broken phase when gain increases through an exceptional point. In contrast, we report on systems with the unusual, reverse behavior, where the symmetric phase is recovered after a broken phase. We study this phenomenon analytically and numerically in the simplest possible system, consisting of four coupled modes, and we present potential dielectric and plasmonic implementations. The complex mode merging scheme, with two distinct unbroken PT phases encompassing a broken one, appears for a specific proportion range of the coupling constants. This regime with "inverse" exceptional points is interesting for the design of novel PT devices.


We study in this paper an unpublished piece proceeding from a private collection in Barcelona. The object in question consists in a votive sculpture offered up by a soldier, representing the roman god Silvanus, although the name of this god does not appear named in the Greek inscription situated at the base, where it is indicated that the offering is aimed to Zeus Dalbenos / Dalbenus . This epithet is a hapax. We offer here a reading of the text and we try to respond to the "inconsistencies" existing between the god's image and the inscribed accompanying text.


Solutions to the Schr¨odinger equation can be used to predict the electronic structure of molecules and materials and therefore infer their complex physical and chemical properties. One area of application is the design of semiconductors for computer chips. Variational Quantum Monte Carlo (VMC) is a technique that can be used to solve the weak form of the Schr¨odinger equation. Applying VMC to systems with N electrons involves evaluating the determinant of an N by N matrix. The evaluation of this determinant scales as O ( N 3 ) and is the main computational cost in the VMC process. In this work we propose an alternative VMC technique based on the Vandermonde determinant. The Vandermonde determinant is a product of pairwise differences and so evaluating it scales as O ( N 2 ). Therefore, our approach reduces the computational cost by a factor of N . We implemented VMC using the new low cost approach in PyTorch and compared its use in approximating the ground state energy of various quantum systems against existing techniques, starting with the one-dimensional particle in a box and moving on to more complicated atomic systems with multiple particles. We also use the Vandermonde determinant as a part of PauliNet, a deep-learning architecture for VMC. While the new method obtains a reasonable approximation for wavefunctions of atomic systems, it does not reach the accuracy of the Hartree-Fock method that relies on the standard determinant. We observed that while the use of neural networks in VMC can result in highly accurate solutions, further new approaches are needed to best balance computational cost with accuracy.


The movement of adult muskellunge, Esox masquinongy Mitchill, has been investigated in a variety of systems, but temperature selection by muskellunge has not been examined where well-oxygenated waters were available over a range of temperatures for much of the year. Thirty subadult and adult muskellunge tagged internally with temperature-sensing radio tags were tracked from March 2010 to March 2011 in a Tennessee reservoir. Mean tag temperatures were 18.9 °C in spring (March to May), 22.1 °C in summer (June to August), 16.5 °C in autumn and 9.8 °C in winter (December to February). When the greatest range in water temperatures was available (7.1-33.3 °C; May to early August 2010), their realised thermal niche (mean � 1 SD) was 22.3 °C � 1.8; the realised thermal niche was affected by fish size (smaller fish selected slightly warmer temperatures) but not sex. An electric generating steam plant discharging warm water resumed operation in January 2011, and most (86%) tagged fish occupied the plume where temperatures were � 10 °C warmer than ambient water temperatures. No mortalities were observed 15 days later when plant operations ceased. Their affinity for the heated plume prompted concerns that muskellunge will be too easily exploited when the plant operates during winter.


This paper incorporates a temporal dimension to nested relations. It combines research in temporal databases and nested relations for managing the temporal data in nontraditional database applications. A temporal data value is represented as a temporal atom; a temporal atom consists of two parts: a temporal set and a value. The temporal atom asserts that the value is valid over the time duration represented by its temporal set. The data model allows relations with arbitrary levels of nesting and can represent the histories of objects and their relationships. Temporal relational algebra and calculus languages are formulated and their equivalence is proved. Temporal relational algebra includes operations to manipulate temporal data and to restructure nested temporal relations. Additionally, we define operations to generate a power set of a relation, a set membership test, and a set inclusion test, which are all derived from the other operations of temporal relational algebra. To obtain a concise representation of temporal data (temporal reduction), collapsed versions of the set-theoretic operations are defined. Procedures to express collapsed operations by the regular operations of temporal relational algebra are included. The paper also develops procedures to completely flatten a nested temporal relation into an equivalent 1 NF relation and back to its original form, thus providing a basis for the semantics of the collapsed operations by the traditional operations on 1 NF relations.


Complex Event Processing often comes with an enormous amount of event data that needs to be processed. Hence, parallelization plays a significant role in handling high workload situations. The cost of an application however is often defined by the amount of used resources, like in Cloud computing, where the pay-as-you-go model applies. Still, one wants to have a working system that can handle traffic peaks within a given latency bound, so the resources-to-latency-proportion needs to be optimized. Previous work mostly focused on studying complex operator types in specific environments. In this thesis however, we want to get a general view, how parallelization degrees and types influence our CEP system, to be able to estimate what costs could arise. Therefore, a CEP application was created that simulates different system conditions with respect to workload, operator processing time and others, in order to test and analyze the latency properties of a wait operator. This work provides an overview over latency behavior of operators in an example Complex Event Processing application, which can provide a basis for future work in creating an optimized system, that not only keeps a certain latency threshold but also minimizes the costs and resources needed to achieve this goal.


In order to search for an economical, rapid, and highly efficient nitrogen removal process for sewage, a sulfur/pyrite packed column reactor was fed with low C/N municipal sewage. The effects of temperature, the sulfur-to-pyrite volume ratio, and hydraulic retention time (HRT) on nitrogen removal were studied. The results showed that with an influent total nitrogen (TN) of 40 mg·L-1, the optimal HRT of the No.1 reactor was 2.5 h, and the removal rate and effluent concentration of TN were stable at 72.2% and 10.55 mg·L-1, respectively. The optimal HRT of the No.2 reactor was 3.5 h, and the removal rate and effluent concentration of TN were stable at 67.8% and 12.90 mg·L-1, respectively. The optimal HRT of the No.3 reactor was 3.5 h, and the removal rate and effluent concentration of TN were stable at 60.6% and 15.00 mg·L-1, respectively. The sulfur/pyrite autotrophic denitrification system starts faster than the pyrite autotrophic denitrification system. Its nitrogen removal rate decreased with decreasing sulfur-to-pyrite volume ratio. The nitrogen removal performance of the system is not sensitive to temperature, and the denitrification performance is better than that of the system with pyrite alone as the sulfur source. The main functional bacteria in the system are Sulfurimonas and Thiobacillus, and the proportion of the sum of these two bacteria in the three reactors decreased from No.1 to No.3.


A distributed database management system (DDBMS) manages a collection of data stored at various processing nodes of a computer network. Global queries are processed by DDBMS, and tasks (join operations in these queries) are assigned to various nodes in the network. Optimal allocation of these tasks are discussed, with reliability as the objective function and communication-cost as the constraint function. A model for reliability-based task allocation is developed. It is converted into a state-space search-tree and is implemented using a branch-and-bound algorithm. The query is considered as a multiple join problem (MJP). Reliable task-allocations for all permutations of MJP are found. The permutation which has minimum cost of data transmission is calculated. A method is suggested for calculating the reliability of the path that a DDBMS network follows to deliver a message to the receiver, given the number of spoolers.


Abstract Skin conditions associated with Tenacibaculum spp. constitute a significant threat to the health and welfare of sea‐farmed Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) in Norway. Fifteen presumptive tenacibaculosis outbreaks distributed along the Norwegian coast during the late winter and spring of 2018 were investigated. Bacteriological culture confirmed the presence of Tenacibaculum spp. Seventy‐six isolates cultured from individual fish were selected and subjected to whole‐genome sequencing and MALDI‐TOF MS analysis. Average nucleotide identity and MALDI‐TOF analyses confirmed the presence of T. finnmarkense and T. dicentrarchi, with further division of T. finnmarkense into genomovars (gv.) finnmarkense and ulcerans. Core genome multilocus sequence typing (cgMLST) and single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analyses identified the presence of a genetically conserved cluster of gv. finnmarkense isolates against a background of relatively genetically diverse gv. finnmarkense and gv. ulcerans isolates in 13 of the 15 studied cases. This clustering strongly suggests a link between T. finnmarkense gv. finnmarkense and development of clinical tenacibaculosis in sea‐farmed Norwegian salmon in the late winter and spring. Analysis of 25 Tenacibaculum isolates collected during the spring of 2019 from similar cases identified a similar distribution of genotypes. Low water temperatures were common to all cases, and most incidences involved relatively small fish shortly after sea transfer, suggesting that these fish are particularly predisposed to Tenacibaculum infection.


ABSTRACT The investment requirements to achieve the United Nations' universal electricity access goal by 2030 are estimated at 640 billion USD. The assumption underlying this goal is that electrification contributes to poverty alleviation in many regards. In recent years, a body of literature has emerged that widely confirms this positive poverty impact assumption. Most of these studies, however, are based on data from Asia and Latin America. This paper challenges the transferability of impact findings in the literature to the African context. Using a unique data set collected in various African countries, the paper suggests that impact expectations on income, education and health should be discounted considerably for Africa. In many cases, the low levels of electricity consumption can also be served by low-cost solar alternatives. To ensure cost-effective usage of public investments in rural electrification, we call for careful cost-benefit comparisons of on-grid and off-grid solutions.


.sg Abstract This paper presents an analysis of ultra-wideband (UWB) printed planar quasi-monopole antennas using the theory of characteristic modes. It is shown that the modal voltage-standing -wave ratio, mode current distribution, and modal significance provide deeper physical insight into the operating mechanisms of these popular types of antennas. Using the printed planar bevel-shaped quasi-monopole antenna as an example, we characterize the antenna's performance. It is found that there are only a few significant modes excited. The dominant mode controls the antenna's behavior over the lower band, while the higher-order modes control the behavior over the upper band. The ground-plane size affects the mode properties. The ground-plane height should be taller than a quarter and shorter-()r equal to a half-guided-wave length. The width should be equal to a half-guided-wave length at the lower-frequency edge. We also examine the notched-frequenc y characteristics of the antenna by embedding a slot in the monopole. We point out the potential self-interferenc e for the first time. Furthermore, we investigate the miniaturization of the antenna by simply chopping off half of the antenna's structure. We explain why the miniaturized antenna exhibits a wider impedance bandwidth and higher cross-polar radiation at higher frequencies.


Violence-related firearm deaths remain an important public health concern in the United States. During 2006--2007, a total of 25,423 firearm homicides and 34,235 firearm suicides occurred among U.S. residents. These national totals include 4,166 firearm homicides and 1,446 firearm suicides among youths aged 10--19 years; the rate of firearm homicides among youths slightly exceeded the rate among persons of all ages. This report presents statistics on firearm homicides and firearm suicides for major metropolitan areas and cities, with an emphasis on youths aged 10--19 years in recognition of the importance of early prevention efforts. It integrates analyses conducted by CDC in response to requests for detailed information, arising from a heightened focus on urban violence by the media, the public, and policymakers over the past year. Firearm homicides and suicides and annual rates were tabulated for the 50 largest U.S. metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) and their central cities for 2006--2007, using data from the National Vital Statistics System and the U.S. Census Bureau. Firearm homicide rates in approximately two thirds of the MSAs exceeded the national rate, and 86% of cities had rates higher than those of their MSAs. The youth firearm homicide rate exceeded the all-ages rate in 80% of the MSAs and in 88% of the cities. Firearm suicide rates in just over half of the MSAs were below the national rate, and 55% of cities had rates below those of their MSAs. Youth firearm suicide rates in the MSAs and cities were collectively low compared with all-ages rates. Such variations in firearm homicide and firearm suicide rates, with respect to both urbanization and age, should be considered in the continuing development of prevention programs directed at reducing firearm violence.


In order to register data on costs for episodes of acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in adults, the medical records from 70 adults with acute HBV infection seen at Roslagstull's Hospital in Stockholm, Sweden, were reviewed. All cost-consuming events due to medical treatment, absence from work, and secondary prophylaxis were registered. The average cost was 1,230 pounds for medical treatment, 570 pounds for work loss and 290 pounds for secondary cases and prophylaxis, a total of 2,090 pounds in 1992 prices. This figure is considerably lower than that reported in 3 previous European studies. Accurate estimates of the costs for a case of HBV, as well as those of different vaccination strategies, are essential when economic aspects of HBV vaccination programmes are discussed.


We present a correlation-driven molecular dynamics (CDMD) method for automated refinement of atomistic models into cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) maps at resolutions ranging from near-atomic to subnanometer. It utilizes a chemically accurate force field and thermodynamic sampling to improve the real-space correlation between the modeled structure and the cryo-EM map. Our framework employs a gradual increase in resolution and map-model agreement as well as simulated annealing, and allows fully automated refinement without manual intervention or any additional rotamer- and backbone-specific restraints. Using multiple challenging systems covering a wide range of map resolutions, system sizes, starting model geometries and distances from the target state, we assess the quality of generated models in terms of both model accuracy and potential of overfitting. To provide an objective comparison, we apply several well-established methods across all examples and demonstrate that CDMD performs best in most cases.


Viewed as an imbalance between production and clearance of toxic Aβ peptides, Alzheimer's disease is a candidate for therapies to augment brain waste removal. Prior work has shown that Aβ accumulates in meninges with aging as a byproduct of normal brain activity, in parallel with build-up of Aβ oligomers in neurons, blood vessels, and interstitial fluid. Using the TgF344-AD rat model of Alzheimer's disease, we now report that dural lymphatic vessels specifically accumulate neurotoxic pyroglutamate amyloid beta (pE3-Aβ) with aging. Notably, accelerated amyloidosis is observed in meninges after ligation of cervical lymphatics, together with significantly increased pE3-Aβ and Aβ42 deposition in upstream brain regions implicated in Alzheimer's disease. Blockade of lymphatic clearance is not sufficiently compensated by other efflux pathways, suggesting a necessary role of Aβ clearance at the level of lymphatics. We further report that dural lymphatic cells actively clear Aβ via energy-dependent mechanisms, and lymphatic Aβ transport is significantly impaired both in normal aging and in Alzheimer's disease. Dural lymphatic cells isolated from the TgF344-AD rat show ultrastructural abnormalities in mitochondria and abnormal cytoplasmic inclusions, with a distinct transcriptional profile implicating failure of energy-dependent transport. Finally, using human meninges treated with FocusDeep tissue clearing, we demonstrate using whole mount panoramic imaging that dural lymphatic vessels comprise a structurally diverse intracranial vascular network that accumulates pE3-Aβ with aging, similar to the rat model. We conclude that intracranial meningeal and extracranial cervical lymphatic vessels are targets for Alzheimer's disease therapies focused on improving amyloid clearance. One Sentence Summary: Lymphatic vessels remove Aβ from the brain via energy-dependent active transport mechanisms, and blockage of extracranial lymphatic drainage is sufficient to cause significant acceleration of intracranial Alzheimer's Aβ pathology in both meninges and brain.