Background: The effectiveness of surveillance to identify extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBLE) carriers is controversial during a non-outbreak situation. We performed additional stool cultures for ESBL-E among intensive care unit (ICU) patients already under active surveillance by means of sputum and urine cultures. We aimed to assess the efficacy of stool cultures for screening for ESBL-E in a non-outbreak situation. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study in an ICU. Sputum and urine samples were cultured for ESBL-E surveillance purposes from January to September 2013 (phase 1). Stool cultures were routinely performed in addition from January to September 2014 (phase 2). Antimicrobial use density values and clinical outcomes were investigated and compared between phase 1 and 2. Results: We identified 512 and 478 patients in phase 1 and phase 2, respectively. ESBL-E were found in the feces of 65 (13.6%) patients in phase 2. The antimicrobial use density values (expressed as defined daily doses per 1,000 bed-days) were not significantly different between the two phases for fluoroquinolones (7 vs. 10, p = 0.376), third-generation cephalosporins (24.2 vs. 29.5, p = 0.724), tazobactam/piperacillin (44.6 vs. 57.3, p = 0.489), and carbapenems (73 vs. 55.5, p = 0.222). Moreover, there were no significant differences in ICU mortality and length of stay (11.5% vs. 9.8%, p = 0.412, and 9 vs. 10 days, p = 0.28, respectively). Conclusions: Stool culture seemed ineffective in improving the antimicrobial use density of broad-spectrum antimicrobials, clinical outcomes, and ICU length of stay, and is not recommended for surveillance of ESBL-E in a non-outbreak situation.


In a language like Smalltalk in which objects communicate only via message passing, message passing control is a fundamental tool for the analysis of object behavior (trace, spying) or for the definition of new semantics (asynchronous messages, proxy,...). Different techniques exist, from the well known approach based on the specialization of the doesNotUnderstand: method to the exploitation the method lookup algorithm done by the virtual machine. Until now no comparison between these techniques has been made. In this article we compare the different techniques taking into account the reflective aspects used, the scope, the limit and the cost of the control.


The biogeography of plant species and population genetic structure within species is principally governed by climate. The association between climate change and plant distributions has been well documented since the last ice age, and recent studies have shown contemporary climate changes can create landscape-scale die-offs or movement of plant taxa. Terrestrial ecosystem conservation and restoration success hinges on understanding the vulnerabilities imposed by climate on plant taxa.


Swarms of mobile robots recently attracted the focus of the Distributed Computing community. One of the fundamental problems in this context is that of exploration: the robots must coordinate to visit all locations that are reachable from their initial positions. Despite its apparent simplicity, this problem proved quite hard to characterise fully, due to many model variants, leading to informal error-prone reasoning. Over the past few years, a significant effort permitted to set up a formal framework, relying on the Coq proof assistant, which was used to provide certified results when robots evolve in a continuous bi-dimensional Euclidean space. However, the most challenging issues with exploration arise in the discrete setting (a.k.a. graph), where locations are modeled as vertices and where edges between vertices denote the ability for a robot to move from one location to the next. We present a formal model to tackle problems and reason about robot algorithms arising in the discrete setting. Our approach extends and generalises previous research efforts focusing on the continuous model. As case studies, we consider fundamental impossibility results for exploration with stop in the discrete model. To our knowledge, those are the first certified results in this context. This framework paves the way for a general certification workflow dedicated to mobile robots on graphs.


Radiofrequency ablation (rfa) is a standard treatment for small, unresectable hepatocellular carcinomas (hccs). However, rfa for larger tumours is less successful, and intravenous lyso-thermosensitive liposomal doxorubicin during rfa is one technique postulated to potentially address that limitation. This drug-plus-device combination therapy was used to completely treat a hcc in a patient who underwent liver transplantation 79 days later.


The South African avocado industry is export-oriented, with approximately 3.0 % of international market share and with a five-year mean annual production of 118 000 t from 17 500 ha. Feeding by thrips results in fruit scarring and corky tissue development, making the fruit unsuitable for export. The study aimed to identify the spectrum of thrips in avocado flowers and more importantly, to confirm the identity of the thrips species responsible for damaging fruit. Thrips were collected from flowering panicles and identified using taxonomic keys. Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande), Scirtothrips aurantii (Faure), Thrips gowdeyi (Bagnall), Thrips pusillus (Bagnall), Thrips tenellus (Trybom), Haplothrips gowdeyi (Franklin), Haplothrips bedfordi (Jacot-Guillarmod) and Megalurothrips sjostedti (Trybom) were consistently collected from May to September 2018. The minute size of thrips warranted a pre-season trial to determine the best netting material to contain thrips. Insect screen (149 µm), nylon netting (250 µm), chiffon (210 µm), voile (250 µm), organza (500 µm), tea filter paper (74 µm) and coffee filter paper (53 µm) were evaluated. The experiment was laid out as a randomised complete block design with six replications and the trials repeated twice. Only coffee filter paper and tea filter paper contained at least 85 % of the thrips and were therefore chosen for thrips exclusion trials. Surveillance by fruit sampling was undertaken to determine the natural host status of avocado to thrips. Avocado fruitlets were randomly sampled and incubated under laboratory conditions. Scirtothrips aurantii (Faure) (the South African citrus thrips) emerged from fruitlets and was sustained on that fruit to adulthood. This is the first study to demonstrate that avocado is a natural host to this pest in South Africa.


This article states that a successful implementation of social dialogue requires competent actors to negotiate and build consensus. A suitable legal framework and actors' willingness are necessary though not sufficient for an effective social dialogue. It is crucial to develop the skills and competencies to make it possible. Based on a series of definitions of social dialogue, the article focuses on its essential role in the democratic construction and on the importance of associating social dialogue with the different citizen participation processes that consolidate and foster democracy. In this sense, a comparison is made with the notion of policy dialogue, in which actors become direct agents in public policies' definition processes, through a bottom-up approach. Following the analysis of the notion of social dialogue, there is a brief reference to the development of the concept of competence as an ability to act efficiently, effectively and satisfactorily in any aspect of life. The article then focuses on the way the concept has been used in the labor context: basically it has referred to job training-related issues. The article goes on and explores how the notion of competence has evolved in the field of education in which it has been taught of the need of a "basic instruction" that should reach all public policies' intervening actors. That basic instruction comprises the development of a number of competencies by all citizens. Among these competencies there is the conflict management one.


Despite a long history of research on political budget cycles, their existence and magnitude are still in question. By conducting a systematic analysis of the existing literature we intend to clarify the debate. Based on data collected from over 1,700 regressions and 58 studies, our meta-analysis suggests that leaders do manipulate fiscal tools in order to be re-elected but to an extent that is significantly exaggerated by scholars. However, we show the incumbents' strategy differ depending on which tools they leverage. Finally, we discuss in further details how authors' methodological choices and country institutions affect political budget cycles.


The purpose of this paper is to highlight problems encountered by red meat processors at farm level in the Free State and also to make a contribution to extension, policy making and ultimately to increased economic growth through enhanced value adding in the red meat processing industry. A personal survey was carried out. Analyses were based on data of 36 enterprises and consisted of ranking of problems as well as contingency table analyses. Results indicated that deregulation had a marked effect on business opportunities and that the survey population exerts an important influence on employment and economic activity. The five most critical problem areas were: marketing, labour, tax, economic climate and competition. Contingency table analyses revealed the existence of relationships between certain business characteristics and problems.


Abstract : The primary contingency engineering capability within the United States Air Force is provided by Rapid Engineer Deployable, Heavy Operations Readiness Squadron, Engineer (RED HORSE). This thesis examines the macroscopic organizational structure of RED HORSE; that is, the manner in which RED HORSE resources (personnel and equipment) are organized collectively, above the unit (squadron or flight) level. It builds on the findings of the Air Combat Command - sponsored RED HORSE 2010 Strategic Study, and focuses on issues of geographic location and chain of command above the unit level, as the study found these two topics were found to be vital to the accomplishment of the RED HORSE mission. Working in direct cooperation with ACC, this research uses value focused thinking and multi-attribute preference theory to create a hierarchical structure depicting the goals and objectives of a qualified decision maker (ACC/CEX). The research effort generated and evaluated 20 alternatives. The decision analysis model recommends an optimal macroscopic organizational structure whereby RED HORSE units are assigned to different theater commands as the most preferred alternative. Extensive sensitivity analysis showed that the model is very reactive to changes in objective and evaluation measure weights, indicating that further research is required.


The detection of Fukushima-derived radionuclides in Pacific bluefin tuna (PBFT) that crossed the Pacific Ocean to the California Current Large Marine Ecosystem (CCLME) in 2011 presented the potential to use radiocesium as a tracer in highly migratory species. This tracer requires that all western Pacific Ocean emigrants acquire the (134)Cs signal, a radioisotope undetectable in Pacific biota prior to the Fukushima accident in 2011. We tested the efficacy of the radiocesium tracer by measuring (134)Cs and (137)Cs in PBFT (n = 50) caught in the CCLME in 2012, more than a year after the Fukushima accident. All small PBFT (n = 28; recent migrants from Japan) had (134)Cs (0.7 ± 0.2 Bq kg(-1)) and elevated (137)Cs (2.0 ± 0.5 Bq kg(-1)) in their white muscle tissue. Most larger, older fish (n = 22) had no (134)Cs and only background levels of (137)Cs, showing that one year in the CCLME is sufficient for (134)Cs and (137)Cs values in PBFT to reach pre-Fukushima levels. Radiocesium concentrations in 2012 PBFT were less than half those from 2011 and well below safety guidelines for public health. Detection of (134)Cs in all recent migrant PBFT supports the use of radiocesium as a tracer in migratory animals in 2012.


This paper investigates a tradeoff that may exist between the quantity and quality of innovation outcomes in divesting firms, as moderated by their organization designs. On one hand, divesting firms would be expected to produce fewer inventions after undertaking divestitures due to the knowledge loss that these transactions may entail. On the other hand, divesting firms would be expected to produce more original inventions and to progress a greater proportion of those inventions into development after undertaking divestitures due to the knowledge recombination and resource reallocation benefits of these transactions. These two innovation benefits of divestitures should be lower for firms with decentralized rather than centralized Research and Development (R&D) units. We find support for these arguments in the context of the global pharmaceutical industry.


In this paper, we investigated the effect of different channel propagation characteristics on the performance of 4G systems from high altitude platforms (HAPs). The use of High-Altitude Platforms for communication purpose in the past focused mostly on the assumption that the platform is quasi stationary. The technical limitation of the assumption was that of ensuring stability in the positioning of the platform in space. The use of antenna steering and other approaches were proposed as a solution to the said problem. In this paper, we proposed a channel model which account for the motion of the platform. This was done by investigating the effect of Doppler shift on the carrier frequency as the signals propagate between the transmitter and receiver while the High-Altitude Platform is in motion. The basic free space model was used and subjected to the frequency variation caused by the continuous random shift due to the motion of the HAPs. The trajectory path greatly affects the system performance. A trajectory of 30km, 100km and 500km radii were simulated. An acute elevation angle was used in the simulation. The proposed model was also compared to two other channel models to illustrate its performance. The results show that the proposed model behave similar to the existing models except at base station ID 35 and 45 where the highest deviation of 20dBm was observed. Other stations that deviated were less than 2dBm.


The mylohyoid is one of the suprahyoid muscles, along with the geniohyoid, digastric, and stylohyoid muscles. It lies between the anterior belly of the digastric muscle inferiorly and the geniohyoid superiorly. In Part I, the anatomy and embryology of the mylohyoid muscle will be reviewed in preparation for the clinical discussion in Part II.


Abstract Rational: The inhibition of renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS) is a major strategy for slowing the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The utility of anti-RAAS agents in patients with congenital or acquired solitary kidney is still controversial. Objective: A systematic literature review was conducted. Main findings: The conclusions of the few available studies on the topic are homogeneously in agreement with a long-term reno-protective activity of anti-RAAS drugs in patients with solitary kidney, especially if patients are hypertensive or proteinuric. However, angiotensin 2 (ANG2) levels permit a functional adaptation to a reduced renal mass in adults and is crucial for sustaining complete kidney development and maturation in children. A hormonal interference on ANG2 levels has been supposed in women. Consequently, at least in children and women, the use of ARBs appears more appropriate. Principle conclusions: Available data on this topic are limited; however, by their overall assessment, it would appear that anti-RAAS drugs might also be reno-protective in patients with solitary kidney. The use of ARBs, especially in children and in women, seems to be more appropriate. However, more experimental data would be strictly necessary to confirm this hypothesis.


We introduce a new method for determining earthquake focal mecha- nisms from P-wave first-motion polarities. Our technique differs from previous meth- ods in that it accounts for possible errors in the assumed earthquake location and seismic-velocity model, as well as in the polarity observations. The set of acceptable focal mechanisms, allowing for the expected errors in polarities and takeoff angles, is found for each event. Multiple trials are performed with different source locations and velocity models, and mechanisms with up to a specified fraction of misfit po- larities are included in the set of acceptable mechanisms. The average of the set is returned as the preferred mechanism, and the uncertainty is represented by the dis- tribution of acceptable mechanisms. The solution is considered adequately stable only if the set of acceptable mechanisms is tightly clustered around the preferred mechanism. We validate the method by demonstrating that the well-constrained mechanisms found for clusters of closely spaced events with similar waveforms are indeed very similar. Tests on noisy synthetic data, which mimic the event and station coverage of real data, show that the method accurately recovers the mechanisms and that the uncertainty estimates are reasonable. We also investigate the sensitivity of focal mechanisms to changes in polarities, event depth, and seismic-velocity model, and we find that mechanisms are most sensitive to changes in the vertical velocity gradient.


The pharmacokinetics of oral propranolol were studied during chronic treatment in six patients when thyrotoxic and again when euthyroid. The mean total plasma propranolol steady-state concentration was 42% lower when the patients were thyrotoxic. After treatment of thyrotoxicosis there was a fall (P less than 0.05) in the oral clearance of both total (4.2 +/- 0.6 to 2.7 +/- 0.4 L/min, mean +/- SEM) and free (30.5 +/- 4.7 to 25.5 +/- 4.1 L/min) propranolol although the half-life of propranolol did not change significantly. The free fraction of propranolol was higher (p less than 0.05) in the thyrotoxic (14.2% +/- 1.3%) than in the euthyroid (11.4% +/- 0.8%) state. These results suggest that the pharmacokinetics of propranolol are significantly altered in thyrotoxicosis.


We report a case of late-onset postpartum sepsis from endometritis due to group A streptococci (GAS) in a 37-year-old white woman. The patient developed septic shock, with mitral regurgitation and cardiac dysfunction. Early treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics and hemodynamic support was essential for a favorable outcome. Because of the resurgence of virulent strains of GAS that can cause fatal infections, these pathogens should be included in the differential diagnosis of postpartum infections in the mother. Although cardiac dysfunction is rare in association with GAS infection, it should be ruled out by echocardiography when the condition of a patient with sepsis does not improve.


This school of thought finds depressingly few ad.. heret1ts~ except perhaps in IBNL Far more seductive, in these Godless days, is the Pygmalion paradigm, according to which the computer is a type of perfection to which mere bundles of neurons and amino acids can never hope to aspire. This is of course merely the inverse of the Frankenstein view of the case, in which the wretched machine is everything that humanity is not, and its ultimate triumph a denial of every human aspiration. Like the present book, this one would have an enviable unassailability. As a panoramic record of the various sorts of nonsense people might use to denude themselves, its objectivity will be unimpeachable and its descriptive validity self-evident. Wheth-


We investigated whether relative rates of divergence were correlated between the mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes as expected under lineage effects or were genome specific as expected with locus-specific effects. Five mitochondrial noncoding regions (nad1B_C, nad4exon1_2, nad7exon2_3, nad7exon3_4, and rps14-cob) for 21 samples from Lecythidaceae were sequenced. Three chloroplast regions (rpl20-5'rps12, trnS-trnG, and psbA-trnH) were sequenced to expand the taxa in an existing data set. Absolute rates of nucleotide and insertion and deletion (indel) changes were 13 times faster in the chloroplast genome than in the mitochondrial genome. Similar indel length frequency distributions for both organelles suggested that common mechanisms were responsible for generating indels. Molecular clock tests applied to phylogenetic trees estimated from mitochondrial and chloroplast sequences revealed global rate heterogeneity of nucleotide substitution. Maximum likelihood and Tajima's 1D relative rate tests show that Lecythis zabucajo exhibited a rate acceleration for both the mitochondrial and chloroplast sequences. Whereas Eschweilera romeu-cardosoi showed a significant rate slowdown for chloroplast sequences, the mitochondrial sequences for 3 Eschweilera taxa showed evidence for a rate slowdown only when compared with L. zabucajo. Significant rate heterogeneity was also observed for indel changes in the mitochondrial genome but not for the chloroplast. The lack of mitochondrial nucleotide changes for some taxa as well as chloroplast indel homoplasy may have limited the power of relative rate tests to detect rate variation. Relative ratio tests consistently indicated rate proportionality among branch lengths between the mitochondrial and chloroplast phylogenetic trees. The relative ratio tests showed that taxa possessing rate heterogeneity had parallel relative divergence rates in both mitochondrial and chloroplast sequences as expected under lineage effects. A neutral replication-dependent model of rate heterogeneity for both nucleotide and indel changes provides a simple explanation for common patterns of rate heterogeneity across the 2 organelle genomes in Lecythidaceae. The lineage effects observed here were uncoupled from annual/perennial habit because all the species from this study are perennial.


Research dissertation/ research paper presented for the approval of Senate in fulfillment of part of the requirements for the <qualification for which the student is registered> in approved courses and a minor dissertation/ research paper. The other part of the requirement for this qualification was the completion of a programme of courses. I hereby declare that I have read and understood the regulations governing the submission of <qualification for which the student is registered> dissertations/ research papers, including those relating to length and plagiarism, as contained in the rules of this University, and that this dissertation/ research paper conforms to those regulations.


The EU grants rights to third‐country nationals (TCNs) and strives to approximate their rights to those of Union citizens. Up to now, the approximation has extended to social and economic matters. This article investigates whether political rights, notably voting rights for the European Parliament (EP), should also be approximated. To this end, the analysis applies Dahl's democratic principles of 'coercion' and 'all affected interests' as well as Baubock's principle of 'stakeholding' to the position of TCNs in the EU. Against that background, it explores the relevance of arguments for and against granting TCNs the right to vote in European elections and submits that voting rights should be granted to long‐term resident TCNs. The author then proposes including TCN voting rights in the legal framework for EP elections and concludes by suggesting the use of the concept of civic citizenship to express political approximation of TCNs to EU citizens.


The olivocerebellar projection has been studied in the rat using the horseradish peroxidase (HRP) retrograde tracing technique. All regions of the cerebellum, except for the flocculonodular lobe, were injected with small volumes of HRP. The overall organization of the rat olivocerebellar projection is similar in all major respects to that found in other mammals. For example, in the rat Crus 1 and Crus 2 receive afferents from the principal olive, medial part of the rostral dorsal olive, the rostral medial olive, the dorsal cap and the ventrolateral outgrowth which agrees with studies in the cat. The most notable difference between the present study and studies in other mammals is the finding of a projection in the rat from the dorsomedial cell column to all regions of the cerebellar hemispheres, except for the paraflocculus.


We studied the possibility of constructing a mechanical persistent current switch using a pair of bulk YBCO superconductors with resin-impregnation. Supercurrents could not be passed between two YBCO bulks when the currents were passed along the c axis. In contrast, supercurrents as large as 13.5 A could be successfully passed between two YBCO cubes 8 mm in side length at the compression force of 500 N when the currents were passed along the ab axis.


The vaccinia virus/bacteriophage T7 hybrid transient expression system employs a recombinant vaccinia virus that encodes the T7 RNA polymerase gene, a plasmid vector with a gene of interest regulated by a T7 promoter, and any cell line suitable for infection and transfection. Although high expression in a majority of cells is achieved, the severe cytopathic effects of vaccinia virus and the safety precautions required for use of infectious agents are undesirable features of the system. Here, we report the construction of a highly attenuated and avian host-restricted vaccinia virus recombinant that encodes the T7 RNA polymerase gene (MVA/T7 pol) and demonstrate the use of the virus for transient expression in mammalian cells. MVA/T7 pol has reduced cytopathic effects compared to the previously used replication-competent vaccinia virus, while providing a high level of gene expression in multiple mammalian cell lines.


Background and Objective: It has previously been reported that hypertension induced by the chronic blockade of NO (nitric oxide) production is characterized by increased blood pressure and impairment of endothelial-dependent vasorelaxation. Asiatic acid is widely found in dietary fruits and vegetables, and is a major component of various medicinal plants used in Asian countries. Thus, this study was to examine the effect of asiatic acid on the development of blood pressure in chronic nitric oxide-deficient rats. Method: Male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered with N ω -nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) (40 mg/kg/day) in drinking water for five weeks. Asiatic acid (20 mg/kg/day) or vehicle was orally administered in last two weeks. Then hemodynamic parameters and vascular reactivity were measured. Results: Daily administration of L-NAME for five weeks showed significant increases in blood pressure, heart rate, hindlimb vascular resistance, a decrease in hindlimb blood flow and impairment of vascular function (p<0.05). However, the supplementation of asiatic acid significantly alleviated the impairment of hemodynamic status and improved vascular function in L-NAME treated rats (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study suggests that asiatic acid exhibit an anti-hypertensive effects in rats treated with L-NAME and its effect is likely to be linked with the restoration of endothelial function. Key words : Asiatic acid, Hypertension, Vascular function


Income distribution is a confusing term. What scope is it to be given? Is it to be treated in a purely economic sense, bringing in social and political factors only when they are found to be useful for or obstacles to changing the income differentials in an economy? Is the argument for changing the distribution of income to be grounded in essentially instrumental reasoning changing the structure of demand so as to reduce balance of payments burdens, creating an internal market for national industry, reducing incentives to invest in capital intensive projects which yield little employment and enhance political instability or is it to find its basis in arguments about the virtues of equality as such?


ABSTRACT The relationship between language development and the development of non-verbal representation was studied longitudinally in six children. Language development is evaluated interactionally by considering not only the form and usage of a child's sounds but also the way a familiar person allows those sounds to function as instances of words belonging to the frequently revised language proper to the child–adult pair. Non-verbal representation, studied in a symbolic play situation, presents different behavioural levels, showing close synchrony with a large increase observed in language development. The results are taken as suggestive of an inter-relational hypothesis between language and non-verbal representation, and an interpretation in terms of reciprocal interaction is proposed.


Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) continue to penetrate the global market; their pervasiveness clearly being felt in such diverse fields as technological, socio-economic and commercial interests. The multi-billion dollar LED market is shared by various segments, including office and household lighting, street lighting, the automobile industry, traffic signals, backlighting for hand-held devices, indoor and outdoor signs and indicators, medicine, communication systems, crop cultivation using artificial light and many more. The technological development of LEDs has undergone many phases in different parts of the world. From the early discovery of luminescence to the invention of highly efficient organic LEDs, researchers have worked with the prime purpose of improving the performance of luminaires. The need to infuse the market with more efficient and cheaper products has been prevalent from the start. LEDs are a result of this uncontrolled desire of researchers to develop superior products that would displace existing products in the market. To understand what led to the current prominence of LEDs, we give a brief historical overview of the field followed by a thorough discussion of the positive features of LEDs. This work includes the basic requirements, advantages and disadvantages of LEDs in a variety of applications. A brief description of the diverse applications of LED in fields such as lighting, indicators and displays, farming, medicine and communication is given. Considerable importance is placed on discussing the possible difficulties that must be overcome before using LEDs in commercial applications.


Vertical transmission accounts for the majority of pediatric cases of hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection. In contrast to the adult population who develop persistent viremia in ∼80% of cases following exposure, the rate of mother-to-child transmission (2–6%) is strikingly low. Protection from vertical transmission likely requires the coordination of multiple components of the immune system. Placenta and decidua provide a direct connection between mother and infant. We hypothesized that innate immune responses would differ across the three compartments (decidua, placenta and cord blood) and that hepatitis C exposure would modify innate immunity in these tissues. The study was comprised of HCV-infected and healthy control mother and infant pairs from whom cord blood, placenta and decidua were collected with isolation of mononuclear cells. Multiparameter flow cytometry was performed to assess the phenotype, intracellular cytokine production and cytotoxicity of the cells. In keeping with a model where the maternal-fetal interface provides antiviral protection, we found a gradient in proportional frequencies of NKT and γδ-T cells being higher in placenta than cord blood. Cytotoxicity of NK and NKT cells was enhanced in placenta and placental NKT cytotoxicity was further increased by HCV infection. HCV exposure had multiple effects on innate cells including a decrease in activation markers (CD69, TRAIL and NKp44) on NK cells and a decrease in plasmacytoid dendritic cells in both placenta and cord blood of exposed infants. In summary, the placenta represents an active innate immunological organ that provides antiviral protection against HCV transmission in the majority of cases; the increased incidence in preterm labor previously described in HCV-seropositive mothers may be related to enhanced cytotoxicity of NKT cells.


The purpose of this study was to investigate the developmental experiences of high-school-aged 4-H youth volunteering as counselors at Louisiana 4-H summer camps. A total of 288 counselors from 10 different camping sessions participated in the study. The Youth Experiences Survey 2.0 and the Developmental Experience Survey measured the personal characteristics and developmental experiences of 4-H camp counselors. The results showed that Louisiana 4-H summer camp counselors are active 4-H club participants. Counselors indicated that the highest level of experiences occurred in the areas of Teamwork and Social Skills, Positive Relationships, and Initiative Experiences. Black counselors had higher-level experiences in all aspects of the camping experience. Participation in perceived 4-H leadership and life skill activities had a positive association with Positive Relationships. Multiple regression analyses showed that gender explained a small amount of the variance; females had higher-level experiences in Positive Relationship and Teamwork and Social Skills and males had higher-level experiences in Negative Experiences. The results of this study show that serving as a 4-H camp counselor leads to significant positive experiences. These experiences may enhance counselors' ability to develop positive leadership and life skills that should be valuable tools in their future.


The presence and distribution of antigens recognised by the antibodies submitted to the Second International Workshop on Small Cell Lung Cancer Antigens has been mapped on human foetal lung and kidney using a streptavidin immunoperoxidase technique on frozen tissue sections. Thirteen of the antibodies showed no staining at all on these tissues and five showed staining of all structures in all tissues of equal intensity. The staining patterns of the remaining antibodies could be divided into several groups. All the cluster 1 antibodies recognising the neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) gave a distinctive staining pattern in both tissues. The cluster 2 antibodies and several groups of unclustered antibodies gave varying pure epithelial patterns of staining. The cluster w4 and 5 antibodies gave an interesting staining pattern which included some of the distinctive features of the cluster 1 pattern plus some epithelial expression. Various less distinctive patterns were also observed. Serial sections of foetal lung which had been stained with NCC-LU-246 (cluster 1), anti-desmin, and anti-neurofilament antibodies were also studied to attempt to determine the nature of the cells expressing NCAM in the foetal lung.


Received: Revised: Accepted: December 31, 2012 June 19, 2013 August 07, 2013 In the present study, effects of stress-free and stressful seasons on certain physical and biochemical attributes of semen of Cholistani AI bulls were investigated. A total of 382 ejaculates from six bulls were collected at weekly intervals during four seasons viz. stress-free autumn (October-November), stressful winter (DecemberJanuary), stressful dry summer (May-June) and stressful wet summer (July-August). These ejaculates were evaluated for various physical and biochemical attributes. Overall mean values (±SEM) for ejaculatory volume, number of ejaculates per bull, mass motility, individual sperm motility, sperm concentration, number of doses of semen frozen per bull, percentages of live, morphologically normal sperm and those with intact acrosome were 4.92±0.14 mL, 1.89±0.02, 2.26±0.06, 63.51±1.03%, 989.73±27.4 million/mL, 208.26±8.42, 86.74±0.55%, 86.34±0.51% and 86.64±0.48%, respectively. In general, all the parameters revealed significantly (P<0.05) better results in stressful seasons as compared to stress-free season. Overall mean values for Na, K, cholesterol and glucose in the seminal plasma were 102.79±3.95 & 36.65±0.99 mEq/L, 152.02±3.17 & 127.22±3.65 mg/dL, respectively. Amongst these, Na was higher (P<0.05) during dry summer, whereas K was higher in dry summer and winter. Cholesterol and glucose were elevated (P<0.05) during dry summer season. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive correlations between mass and individual sperm motility, morphologically normal and live sperm and sperm acrosome integrity and live sperm (P<0.01). Among biochemical attributes of seminal plasma, Na and K, cholesterol and K and glucose and Na were correlated (P<0.01). Considering seminal plasma biochemical constituents and physical attributes, only seminal plasma cholesterol was positively correlated with ejaculatory volume (P<0.01). In conclusion, various physical and biochemical attributes of Cholistani bull semen were better in stressful seasons as compared to stress free season. ©2013 PVJ. All rights reserved


Replication is known to offer high availability in the presence of failures. This paper considers the case of a client making invocations on a group of replicated servers. It identifies attributes that typically characterise group invocation and replica management, and the options generally available for each attribute. A combination of options on these attributes constitutes a policy. The paper proposes an implementation framework which, by its group-oriented nature, simplifies the task of supporting these policies. It then considers a client (in UCL, London) making invocations on a replica group (in Newcastle, UK) over the Internet. It evaluates the response latencies for four policies that seem appropriate for this set-up. The evaluation takes into account the timing of server crashes with respect to client invocations; both real and virtual failures are considered, the latter being not uncommon in the Internet environment. The experiments are carried out using a CORBA compliant system called NewTop.


Trifoliate yam was used to produce flour which was enriched with soybean flour at varying substitution levels and used to produce cookies. The cookies were analysed for their proximate content, nutritional content and sensory evaluation were carried out on them. The flour was analyzed for its physicochemical, properties. The results showed that enriching trifoliate yam flour with soybean flour increased the protein content. There was also an increase in the fat content with increase in the substitution level. The sensory evaluation showed that the cookie made at 20% substitution level had the highest overall acceptability score. Enrichment of trifoliate yam flour with soy flour at levels of 10% to 30% resulted in a notable increase in the protein content, which is nutritionally advantageous where many cannot afford foods that are rich in protein because of its cost.
Keywords: Trifoliate yam; flour; soybean; cookies


Convex combination of two adaptive filters is an efficient method to improve adaptive filter performances. In this paper, a subband convex combination method of two adaptive filters for fast convergence rate in the transient state and low steady state error is presented. The cost function of mixing parameter for a subband convex combination is defined, and from this, the coefficient update equation is derived. Steady state analysis is used to prove the stability of the subband convex combination. Some simulation examples in system identification scenario show the validity of the subband convex combination schemes.


To predict deep excavation wall movements is important in the urban areas considering the cost and the safety in construction. Failing to estimate deep excavation wall movements in advance causes too many problems in the projects. The purpose of this study is to propose the forecast model of deep excavation wall movements using artificial neural networks. The data of the Deep Excavation Wall Movements which were done form Long research is used of Artificial neural networks training and apply the real construction work measured data to the Artificial neural networks model. Applying the artificial neural networks to forecast the deep excavation wall movements can significantly contribute to identifying and preventing the accident in the overall construction work.


Slow rock slope deformations are widespread in alpine environments. They affect giant volumes and evolve over thousands of years by progressive failure, resulting in long-term slow movements threatening infrastructures and potential evolution into massive collapses. In the alpine sector of Lombardia (Italian Central Alps), 208 mapped slow rock slope deformations affect a total area exceeding 580 km2 and interact with a variety of elements at risk including settlements, hydroelectric facilities and lifelines characterized by different vulnerability to both slow and progressive deformations. In this context, a systematic, reliable and cost-effective approach is required to classify slow rock slope deformations on the regional scale for landplanning, prioritization and analysis of interactions with elements at risk, depending on their style of activity, including not only mean deformation rate, but also their kinematics and spatial complexity. In this work, we implemented a toolbox that integrates different approaches to classify a large dataset of slow rock slope deformations in discrete groups, according to the deformation style and morpho-structural expression of individuals, mapped on regional scale and characterized through remote sensing techniques. The landslide dataset used in this study was obtained by a “semi-detail” geomorphological and morpho-structural mapping on aerial imagery and DEM, performed on regional scale yet including local-scale information (e.g. tectonic lineaments, morpho-structures, landforms, nested deep-seated landslides) and a full set of geological and morphometric attributes. To characterize landslide activity, we use Persistent-Scatterer Interferometry (PSI) data, including PS-InSARTM and SqueeSARTM acquired by different sensors (ERS, Radarsat, Sentinel 1A/B) over different time periods from 1992 to 2017. Since Line-of-Sight velocity of point like data can hamper a correct evaluation of both landslide kinematics and deformation rates, for each phenomenon we automatically selected the most complete PSI datasets. From these, through a 2DSAR decomposition procedure, we derived 2D velocity components and computed the magnitude and orientation of the 2D total displacement vector T.  We then applied a supervised machine learning procedure to automatically classify the kinematics of each landslide (i.e. translational, roto-translational, rotational) depending on the statistical distribution of the T vector orientation. As the evaluation of a representative landslide mean deformation rate is strongly affected by spatial heterogeneity and landslide mass segmentation, we implemented an original peak analysis of the velocity distribution in each landslide to calculate a modal velocity of the main body and automatically outline nested sectors with differential displacement rates. Finally, we classified landslides in types, representative of different styles of activity and potential interaction with elements at risk, by combining PSI analysis results with geological, morpho-structural and morphometric variables in a multivariate statistical analysis framework including sequential Principal Component and K-medoids Cluster Analysis. The entire analysis workflow runs in a semi-automated way through a set of GIS and MatlabTM tools. Our procedure can be applied to different large landslide datasets, providing a fast and cost-effective support to landslide classification, risk analysis, landplanning and prioritization of local-scale studies aimed at granting safety and infrastructure integrity.


Background
Stigma is widely recognized as a significant barrier to the prevention, management and treatment of sexually transmitted and blood-borne infections (STBBIs) in Canada. Despite major advances in STBBI prevention and treatment, and global efforts to reduce stigma, people living with or affected by STBBIs continue to experience stigma within health and social service settings in Canada.

Objective
To describe the development, content and evaluation of knowledge translation resources and training workshops designed to equip health and social service professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to provide more respectful and inclusive sexual health, harm reduction and STBBI services.

Methods
After conducting a literature review, environmental scan and key informant interviews, and developing a conceptual framework, the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA) developed four knowledge translation resources and three training workshops in partnership with a number of community-based organizations and experts. The resources were drafted and reviewed by both service providers and individuals affected by STBBIs. The workshops were developed, piloted and then evaluated using post-workshop questionnaires.

Results
The four resources developed were a self-assessment tool related to STBBIs and stigma; a service provider discussion guide to facilitate respectful and inclusive discussions on issues related to sexuality, substance use and STBBIs; a toolkit focused on stigma reduction, privacy, confidentiality and the criminalization of HIV non-disclosure; and an organizational assessment tool related to STBBIs and stigma for health and social service settings. These knowledge translation resources were subsequently integrated into the content of three face-to-face trainings that were piloted and evaluated across the country. Post-workshop evaluation had an overall 85% response rate; 88% of participants noted increased awareness of various forms of stigma, 87% noted increased comfort discussing sexuality, substance use and harm reduction with their clients/patients, 90% reported increased awareness of organizational strategies to reduce stigma, and 93% reported being able to integrate workshop learnings into practice. In addition, there was strong support for professional development on issues related to STBBI stigma reduction.

Conclusion
These knowledge translation resources and training workshops represent a comprehensive set of tools developed in Canada that service providers can use to help reduce stigma when caring for clients/patients with STBBIs and related conditions. Evaluation indicates there is a strong willingness among health and social service providers to engage in educational opportunities in this area and that participation in the training workshops led to increased awareness and a willingness to adopt best practices.


South Norfolk Council has once again joined the campaign to put more trees and hedgerows into the district as part of National Tree Week.


We consider the problem of executing distributed applications using the shared memory paradigm on dynamic and large scale distributed systems, such as structured peer-to-peer systems. The shared memory is private to an application, volatile, and components of the application transparently access shared memory objects via their usual address space. The peer-to-peer system tolerates up to f simultaneous reconfiguration events (node failure, disconnection, or join) and an infinite number of reconfigurations. We give a coherence protocol similar to K. Li's protocols for cached copies of memory objects. The protocol uses the peer-to-peer architecture to handle up to f simultaneous reconfiguration events and an infinite number of reconfigurations with a fail-stop/recovery model. Failures are tolerated using backward error recovery and replicated automata to avoid restarts of applications when possible. We prove that the protocol ensures coherence of cached copies of memory objects despite reconfiguration events, and ensures liveness if communications are reliable.


In previous work, a low M(r) component from human blood which converts serum-sensitive gonococci to resistance was shown to be indistinguishable from cytidine 5'-monophospho-N-acetyl neuraminic acid (CMP-NANA) by seven criteria. However, the presence of CMP-NANA was not proved by physicochemical methods. Purified, high M(r) fractions from human blood cells, which confer serum resistance on gonococci and enhance the transfer of sialyl groups from CMP-NANA to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) by a sialyltransferase in gonococcal extracts, were rechromatographed on DEAE Sepharose CL-6B. Both activities co-eluted from the column but on dialysis were found in the diffusate. After desalting the diffusate with Sephadex G10, the presence of CMP-NANA was proved by mass spectrometry. This confirmed previous work and is the first unequivocal demonstration of CMP-NANA in constituents of human blood cells.


The study of 'non-visible' tephra layers (cryptotephra) can provide insight into the volcanic history of the Taupō Volcanic Zone (TVZ). The tephrochronological record of the TVZ has typically relied on macroscopic terrestrial or marine tephra deposits, which leaves big gaps in the record. This thesis uses non-destructive detection methods to identify cryptotephra deposits in the upper 500 m of core U1520D from the northern Hikurangi Trough as part of International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 375 in order to develop a more comprehensive record of TVZ volcanic activity for the past ~1.2 Myrs. First, the methodology used to incorporate magnetic susceptibility, density, and x-ray fluorescence data through the use of statistics and coding to identify potential cryptotephra deposits is presented. Then, the methods used to correlate and interpret cryptotephra deposits are presented with key characteristics being the major element geochemistry, glass shard morphology, shape of the shard concentration profile, and proximity to macroscopic tephra deposits. Finally, the results from these cryptotephra deposits are presented, showing the non-destructive detection technique to have a success rate of 85% for position identification and confidence levels applied to interpretations made. Within the upper 500 m of core U1520D, a total of five primary cryptotephra deposits and seven reworked cryptotephra deposits were identified within tephra barren regions of core. These results show is it possible to detect cryptotephra deposits in long core section using non-destructive detection, and that it is possible to make interpretations regarding method of emplacement from key characteristics.


Nancy Harmon has fled the heartbreak of her first marriage, the macabre deaths of her two little children, the hostile front-page newspaper stories and the shocking charges against her. She has changed her name, dyed her hair and moved house. Now, enjoying a new life with a wonderful husband and two beautiful children, Nancy feels she can at last forget her tragic history and start believing in second chances...Until the morning she looks outside for her little boy and girl, finds only one red mitten and knows the nightmare is beginning again...


Modeling turbulent diesel spray combustion which combines complex flow and transport phenomena with combustion event including a vast amount of species and reactions is a major challenge. The Flamelet Generated Manifold (FGM) method is a promising technique to model reacting flows using tabulated chemistry approach. The method is adopted for diesel spray combustion by tabulating chemistry as a function of the mixture fraction (Z) and a reaction progress variable (Y ). In previous work, the method has been successfully applied to simulate Spray H cases as defined by the engine combustion network (ECN). Two different tabulation approaches (igniting counterflow diffusion flames (ICDF) and homogeneous reactors (HR)) were investigated and compared to the available experimental data of the ECN. In this paper, the FGM method is applied to simulate Spray A conditions of the ECN. First, the sensitivity of the spray sub-models (atomization and breakup models) is studied for the non-reacting case of the Spray A setup. Later, the FGM approach is applied on the reacting case for FGM's generated with two different n-Dodecane reaction mechanisms, using two tabulation approaches, and with and without inclusion of a turbulent closure (PDF approach based on variance of Z). The 3D-RANS (Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes) simulations are performed with the commercial CFD code STAR-CD. The combustion results are analyzed by comparing the simulated and measured ignition delays and lift-off lengths. One mechanism results in ignition for all simulations, whereas the other mechanism does not. It was found that this can be attributed to the different sensitivity of the mechanisms to the strain rate. In general, HR tabulation predicts shorter ignition delay and lift-off length (LOL) than the ICDF in line with the observations from previous work. The atomization model does not show major effect on ignition delay however it affects the LOL significantly in both tabulation approaches. Inclusion of the turbulent closure does not affect ignition delay or LOL predictions. In general compared to the experiments, the ICDFs slightly over predict whereas the HRs systematically under-predicts.


ABSTRACT On 30.10.2020, a Mw = 6.6 magnitude earthquake occurred at the offshore Aegean Sea, hitting the western coast of Turkey and Samos Island of Greece, causing loss of lives and properties. In the scope of this study, a site investigation was conducted at the earthquake-hit area of İzmir (Turkey), where 17 buildings (7 partially, 10 totally) were collapsed and many of them were heavily damaged. The impact of the Aegean Sea Earthquake on structures in the İzmir region, as observed during this site investigation is presented in this paper. The seismic vulnerabilities of structures, by referring to the observed typical damages caused by the earthquake, are discussed and preliminary analyses were also conducted in two reinforced concrete buildings to investigate the causes of seismic damages. The damage mechanisms are explained to highlight the causes and defects that led to failure of structures and recommendations are made for preventing such failures and life losses in the future. In additional to the structural damages, widespread non-structural damages which can make buildings non-functional are investigated. This paper also outlines seismological aspects of the region and characteristics of the recorded strong ground motion.


Recent advances in laser technology have expanded the surgeon's possibilities to treat various cutaneous lesions, as well as proposing a new tool for skin rejuvenation. Review of the basic physical principles of laser energy then overview of the different lasers used in plastic surgery as well as some of their clinical applications.


Abstract:The Raheen Formation at Newtown Head in Waterford Harbour is a small isolated section of Ordovician rocks, dominated by volcanics of the Duncannon Group, but with interbedded fossiliferous shales. Although a brachiopod and trilobite dominated fauna has been known since the mid-nineteenth century, only the trilobites and cystoids have been assessed in modern terms. This paper describes the brachiopod fauna for the first time. The assemblage from Raheen is overwhelmingly dominated by the dalmanelloid Onniella, with the small plectambonitoid Sericoidea comprising the second most numerous species; both are represented by new species. This revision has also identified a wide range of other genera, but all in very small numbers. These include an obolid, a paterulid, Paracraniops and Orthisocrania divaricata (M'Coy) amongst the non-articulated brachiopods. Articulated genera present include the orthoids Nicolella, Ptychopleurella, Sulevorthis, Skenidioides and the plectambonitoid Leptestiina. Very rare forms include Idiospira? and Palaeostrophomena, together with possibly Biscuspina and Sowerbyella. The brachiopod revision supports the late Caradoc (early Katian) age indicated by the trilobite fauna. The trilobite fauna generally indicates a probable deeper-water environment and the brachiopod assemblage confirms an outer-shelf environment. Although elements of the assemblage indicate affinity with the well-defined Late Ordovician Foliomena fauna, it probably occupied a more shoreward position.


A seven-year-old girl with fascioliasis was treated with rafanoxide which is used for therapy of fascioliasis in sheep and cattle. This is the first report in the literature concerning the usage of rafanoxide in children according to our knowledge. Rafanoxide was given in a single dose of 7.5 mg per kg body weight orally.


The current study examined the moderating effect of age on the relationship between cerebrovascular risk factors (CVRF's) and depressive symptoms. Consistent with the broader vascular depression model, it was hypothesized that CVRF's would demonstrate a stronger link to depressive symptoms in the older age groups than among the younger age groups. Data from 2916 adults from the Resources, Stress, and Older Persons Panel Study were utilized. Path analysis was used to estimate direct and indirect effects (via health related symptoms and limitations) of CVRF's on depressive symptoms. Path analyses were estimated separately on four age groups: 50–64 years old, 65–74 years old, 75–84 years old, and 85 years and older. CVRF's and other comorbid medical conditions were highly predictive of health related symptoms and limitations across the four age groups. Health related symptoms and limitations were strongly linked to depressive symptoms and mediated the influence of medical illnesses (both vascular and nonvascular) on depressive symptoms. However, CVRF's exerted a unique effect on depressive symptoms in the oldest-old group (i.e., 85+). Among those over the age of 85, a greater number of CVRF's was associated with more severe depressive symptoms independent of health related symptoms/limitations and other comorbid medical conditions. Health related symptoms and limitations mediated the relationship between CVRF's and depression in individuals under 85. That is, the influence of vascular burden on depression is predominately indirect via health related limitations. But among those over the age of 85, vascular disease had a unique contribution on depression, even after controlling for other comorbid medical illness and health related limitations. This finding supports the vascular depression hypothesis and is consistent with prior work suggesting vascular disease may exert its greatest effect on depression in the context of increasing frailty.


The author presents a second-order model for large-angle electron capture which is closely related to the CIS approximation. Application to the H+-Ne system and comparison with previous first-order calculations show that second-order effects are essential to describe large-angle processes. The performance of a peaking approximation which leads to the PIA model is also studied.


Strain AUS118T was isolated from an Argas lagenoplastis tick collected from the nest of a Petrochelidon ariel (fairy martin) in Australia in 2013. Microscopic observation of infected cell cultures indicated this strain had a morphology and intracellular location typical of Rickettsiaspecies. Phylogenetic analysis of this strain based firstly on multi-locus sequence analysis and subsequently on whole genome analysis demonstrated that AUS118T was most closely related to, but divergent from Rickettsia japonica and Rickettsia heilongjiangensis. We therefore propose the creation of a novel species, Rickettsia fournieri sp. nov, with the type strain AUS118T (DSM 28985 and CSUR R501).


Consider the semi-flow given by the continuous time shift $\Theta_t:\mathcal{D} \to \mathcal{D} $, $t \geq 0$, acting on the Skorokhod space $\mathcal{D} $, of paths $w: [0,\infty) \to S^1$, where $S^1$ is the unitary circle We show that the semi-flow is expanding. We consider a stochastic semi-group $e^{t\, L}$, $t \geq 0,$ where $L$ (the infinitesimal generator) This stochastic semi-group and an initial vector of probability $\pi$ defines an associated stationary shift-invariant probability $\mathbb{P}$. This probability $\mathbb{P}$ will play the role of an {\it a priori} probability. Given such $\mathbb{P}$ and a H\"older potential $V:S^1 \to \mathbb{R}$, we define a continuous time Ruelle operator: a family of linear operators $ \mathbb{L}^t_V$, $t\geq 0,$ acting on continuous functions $\varphi: S^1 \to \mathbb{R}$, defined by $\varphi \,\to \psi(y) = \mathbb{L}^t_V(\varphi)(y)= \int_{w(t)=y} e^{ \int_0^t V(w(s)) \, ds} \, \varphi (w(0)) \,d \mathbb{P}(w).\,$ We show the existence of an eigenvalue $\lambda_V$ and an associated H\"older eigenfunction $\varphi_V>0$ for the semi-group $\mathbb{L}_V^t$, $t\geq 0.$ After a coboundary procedure we obtain another stochastic semi-group, with infinitesimal generator $L_V$, and this will define a new probability $\mathbb{P}_V$ on $\mathcal{D}$, which we call the Gibbs (or, equilibrium) probability for the potential $V$. We define entropy, for some shift-invariant probabilities on $\mathcal{D}$, and we consider a variational problem of pressure. Finally, we define entropy production and we analyze its relation with time-reversal and symmetry of $L$. We wonder if the point of view described here provides a sketch (as an alternative for the Anosov one) for the chaotic hypothesis for a particle system held in a nonequilibrium stationary state, as delineated by Ruelle, Gallavotti, and Cohen.


SUMMARY: Antisera were prepared to several strains of influenza virus (grown in the chick embryo), to purified Vibrio cholerae neuraminidase and to partially purified neuraminidase from chick chorioallantois. The ability of the antisera to inhibit the action of each enzyme on substrates of different molecular weight was tested. The substrates used and their molecular weights were sialyl lactose (640), fetuin (48,000) and ovine submaxillary gland mucin, OSM (1 x 106). Antiserum to V. cholerae and avian neuraminidase inhibited strongly the action of the homologous enzyme on each substrate. Antiserum to viral neuraminidase inhibited almost completely homologous action on fetuin and OSM but only partially the action on sialyl lactose. LEE influenza virus was grown in embryonated eggs and in cultures of calf kidney cells and from each preparation a soluble neuraminidase was isolated. Antiserum to the egg-grown virus inhibited the enzyme of both viruses not only in the intact virus particle, but also after separation in the form of a soluble, low molecular weight product. There was little or no serological cross-reaction between any enzyme and heterologous antisera, with one exception. Antiserum to avian neuraminidase partially inhibited (fetuin, but not sialyl lactose, as substrate) the soluble enzyme derived from egg-grown LEE virus, but not from virus grown in cultures of calf kidney cells. It was concluded that the soluble enzyme prepared from LEE virus is a virus specific product but also carries some antigenic determinants characteristic of host specificity.


Jaramillo-López, P. F., M. A. Powell, and D. B. Hayden. 2011. The influence of soil amendments (fly ash and stabilized biosolids) on Meloidogyne hapla in microplots planted with tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). Nematropica 41:141149. The use of amendments composed of fly ash and stabilized biosolids were evaluated for managing Meloidogyne hapla on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum P. Mill.). Amendment ratios of biosolids and fly ash were established based on international guidelines and previous studies for the use of biosolids and fly ash in soils. The field trial included amendments of 3%, 6%, 9%, 12%, and 15% (w/w) of biosolids and 3%, 6%, 9%, 12%, and 15% w/w) of a 50:50 mixture of fly ash and biosolids. Changes in parameters that might affect nematode viability were monitored including electrical conductivity, pH, biocontrol agents (bacterial and fungal colony forming units), and plant yield. Tomato plants grown with amendments showed improved yields relative to controls in the presence of nematode infestation. None of the amendments altered EC, pH or CFU enough to impact nematode populations.


Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the concept of global "strategic sustainability", represented by a conceptual framework, the "spheres of strategic sustainability". The paper examines routes, solutions and a vision for corporate strategic sustainability in the macro context of the global physical environment and the planet. This builds on previous research identifying key drivers and strategies for corporate sustainability. Design/methodology/approach – The paper is conceptual in nature and underpinned by Gaia theory, ecosystems theory and the laws of thermodynamics. These three offer specific foci for sustainability research including holism, integration and synthesis: without which, sustainability research would be difficult to achieve. Findings – The paper identifies two major domains – "corporate" and "consumer" strategic sustainability. It examines the corporate domain in which routes are identified through responses to existing globalisation, corporate strategy and corporate culture. Research limitations/implications – The paper provides insight and preliminary conceptual development towards a full theoretical model of corporate and consumer strategic sustainability. The framework will guide future conceptual and empirical investigations and broaden and deepen our understanding of how firm's can construct strategic business models that incorporate sustainability. Originality/value – The paper offers a conceptual framework that develops the concept of "corporate strategic sustainability" and provides positive, practical solutions to incorporating sustainability into business models. It also challenges the current dominant socio-economic paradigm and sets the scene for a more positive eco-paradigm that serves the present and future needs of the planet, environment, businesses and human society.


Standard wavelet shrinkage procedures for nonparametric regression are restricted to equispaced samples. There, data are transformed into empirical wavelet coefficients and threshold rules are applied to the coefficients. The estimators are obtained via the inverse transform of the denoised wavelet coefficients. In many applications, however, the samples are nonequispaced. It can be shown that these procedures would produce suboptimal estimators if they were applied directly to nonequispaced samples. We propose a wavelet shrinkage procedure for nonequispaced samples. We show that the estimate is adaptive and near optimal. For global estimation, the estimate is within a logarithmic factor of the minimax risk over a wide range of piecewise Holder classes, indeed with a number of discontinuities that grows polynomially fast with the sample size. For estimating a target function at a point, the estimate is optimally adaptive to unknown degree of smoothness within a constant. In addition, the estimate enjoys a smoothness property: if the target function is the zero function, then with probability tending to 1 the estimate is also the zero function.


Orthosiphon stamineus Benth. (Lamiaceae) is an important plant in traditional folk medicine that is used to treat hypertension and kidney stones. In humans, this plant has been tested as an addition regiment for antihypertensive treatment. Among the treatments for hypertension, O. stamineus had been to have diuretic and vasorelaxant effects in animal models. There is still very little information regarding the vasorelaxant effect of O. stamineus. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the vasorelaxant activity and mechanism of action of the fractions of O. stamineus. The vasorelaxant activity and the underlying mechanisms of the chloroform fraction of the 50% methanolic extract of O. stamineus (CF) was evaluated on thoracic aortic rings isolated from Sprague Dawley rats. CF caused relaxation of the aortic ring pre-contracted with phenylephrine in the presence and absence of endothelium, and pre-contracted with potassium chloride in endothelium-intact aortic ring. In the presence of endothelium, both indomethacin (a nonselective cyclooxygenase inhibitor) and [Formula: see text]-[1,2,4]Oxadiazolo[4,3-[Formula: see text]]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ, selective soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor) had a small effect on the vasorelaxation response. On the other hand, in the presence of Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, nitric oxide synthase inhibitor), methylene blue (cyclic guanosine monophosphate lowering agent), tetraethylammonium ([Formula: see text], nonselective calcium activator [Formula: see text] channel blocker), 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, voltage-dependent [Formula: see text] channel blocker), barium chloride ([Formula: see text], inwardly rectifying [Formula: see text] channel blocker), glibenclamide (nonspecific ATP-sensitive [Formula: see text] channel blocker), atropine (muscarinic receptor blocker) and propranolol (β-adrenergic receptor blocker), the vasorelaxant effect significantly reduced the relaxation stimulated by CF. CF was also found to be active in reducing [Formula: see text] release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and blocking calcium channels.


The corrosion inhibition of mild steel in 5.0M sulphuric acid solutions by crude extracts of Spondias cytherea leaves (S.C) were studied using gravimetric and gasometric techniques. The results showed that S.C. can serve as a corrosion inhibitor in acid medium. Inhibition efficiencies (%I) of the S.C extract were found to reach 67.72 % and 72.00% for gravimetric and gasometric analyses respectively. The corrosion inhibition efficiency increased with increase in the concentration of the extracts and decreased with the increase in time and temperature. The corrosion inhibition efficiency exhibited by the S.C leaves extract is attributed to the stronger adsorption of the phytochemicals present in the plant extracts unto the mild steel. The mechanism of adsorption proposed for the S.C extract is physical adsorption. The corrosion inhibition of the leaves' extracts followed Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm.


Our previous studies have shown that infection with the gp120 V3 loop can cause human immunodeficiency virus-1 associated neurocognitive disorders. Curcumin has been shown to improve these effects to some degree, but the precise mechanisms remain unknown. The present study analyzed the neuroprotective effect and mechanism of curcumin in relation to hippocampal neurons. Results showed that 1 nmol/L gp120 V3 loop suppressed the growth of synapses. After administration of 1 μmol/L curcumin, synaptic growth improved. Curcumin is neuroprotective against gp120 V3 loop-induced neuronal damage by inhibiting the activation of L-type calcium currents, relieving intracellular Ca2+ overload, promoting Bcl-2 expression, and inhibiting Bax activation. The effect of curcumin was identical to nimodipine, suggesting that curcumin has the same neuroprotective effects against gp120 V3 loop-induced neuronal damage.


Abstract. The WPL (Webb, Pearman, and Leuning) correction is fully accepted to correct trace gas fluxes like CO2 for density fluctuations due to water vapor and temperature fluctuations for open-path gas analysers. It is known that this additive correction can be in the order of magnitude of the actual flux. However, this is hardly ever included in the analysis of data quality. An example from the Arctic shows the problems, because the size of the correction is a multiple of the actual flux. As a general result, we examined and tabulated the magnitude of the WPL correction for carbon dioxide flux as a function of sensible and latent heat flux. Furthermore, we propose a parameter to better estimate possible deficits in data quality and recommend integrating the quality flag derived with this parameter into the general study of small carbon dioxide fluxes.


To evaluate yeast as a high-throughput cell-based system for screening chemicals that may lead to drug development, 10,302 full-length human cDNAs (~50% of the total cDNAs) were introduced into yeast. Approximately 5.6% (583 clones) of the cDNAs repressed the growth of yeast. Notably, ~25% of the repressive cDNAs encoded uncharacterized proteins. Small chemicals can be readily surveyed by monitoring their restorative effects on the growth of yeast. The authors focused on protein kinases because protein kinases are involved in various diseases. Among 263 protein kinase cDNAs (~50% of the total) expressed in yeast, 60 cDNAs (~23%), including c-Yes, a member of the Src tyrosine kinase family, inhibited the growth of yeast. Known inhibitors for protein kinases were examined for whether they reversed the c-Yes-induced inhibition of the yeast growth. Among 85 inhibitors tested, 6 compounds (PP2, PP1, SU6656, purvalanol, radicicol, and geldanamycin) reversed the inhibition, indicating a high specificity sufficient for validating this screening system. Human c-Yes was found to interact with Hsc82, one of the yeast chaperones. Radicicol and geldanamycin probably exerted their actions through interactions with Hsc82. These results indicate that when human proteins requiring molecular chaperones for their activities are subjected to the yeast screening system, 2 groups of chemicals may be found. The actions of one group are exerted through direct interactions with the human proteins, whereas those of the other group are mediated through interactions with chaperones.


In a letter to Karl Marx, Friedrich Engels confessed that he learned more from Honore de Balzac about the French society than from all the books of all the historians, economists and statisticians of the time put together. Literary art has always presenteditself as a social mirror, exposing the reflection of the society in which the writer was inserted, but to what actual extent can Literature reveal and interpret human behavior and society? To what extent can it expose, condemn, and be the engine of its transformation?As Bakhtin's conception argues, the social function of literature as a space for critical reflection, makes, particularly the works that bring the tendency of realistic theory, raise the analysis and weighting of the subject in relation to the society in which they areinserted. This, alongside with the obvious fact that literature is part of the culture of a given society and, therefore, it reveals social patterns that have been considered relevant, and which will help to decipher its mutations, progress and ways of manifesting culture, reveals the value of Literature as an instrument of the social sciences since it allows us to understand what the primary factors of a society are and how they affect it. In this paper I will explain in more detail how literature does then reflect the environment the author lives in and, therefore, its society, to the point where you can identify political, social, economic and several other factors, and use it as a tool to expose and protest many injustices, both if narrating the present or the past, as it is never too late to give a voice to the wronged.


Objective: To describe the epidemiological aspects, complications and hospitalizations related to ostomies. Methods: Quantitative descriptive cross-sectional study of the variables sex, age, age group, race/skin color, ostomy duration, ostomy type, etiology, complications and hospitalizations associated with colostomy in 123 patients seen at the nursing outpatient center for ostomy patients of a teaching hospital in Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil. After arranging the data in tables, the Epi Info 7 was used to describe the results, the prevalence analysis and the association of variables. Results: 51.2% (n=63) of the patients were men and there was a predominance of terminal colostomies (n=68; 57.6%), while 24.5% (n=29) were loop colostomies and 17% (n=20) were double-barrel colostomy. Regarding the etiology of the ostomy, 40.5% (n=49) were due to neoplasms, 17.3% (n=21) were due to inflammatory bowel disease and 9% (n=11) were due to trauma. The development of complications was present in 38 patients (30.89%), with peristomal dermatitis being the main complication, and 9 (7%) patients required hospitalization associated with ostomy. Conclusion: There was a predominance of men, mean age 61.5 years, pardos, terminal colostomy and neoplastic etiology, with most patients having a colostomy for about 5 years. Descriptors: Ostomy; Colostomy; Health Profile; Therapeutic Uses; Postoperative Complications.


In 2006, Shinya Yamanaka and colleagues discovered how to reprogram terminally differentiated somatic cells to a pluripotent stem cell state. The resulting induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) made a paradigm shift in the field, further nailing down the disproval of the long-held dogma that differentiation is unidirectional. The prospect of using iPSCs for patient-specific cell-based therapies has been enticing. This promise, however, has been questioned in the last two years as several studies demonstrated intrinsic epigenetic and genomic anomalies in these cells. Here, we not only review the recent critical studies addressing the genome integrity during the reprogramming process, but speculate about the underlying mechanisms that could create de novo genome damage in iPSCs. Finally, we discuss how much an elevated mutation load really matters considering the safety of future therapies with cells heavily cultured in vitro.


Abstract A 'pulsar timing array' (PTA), in which observations of a large sample of pulsars spread across the celestial sphere are combined, allows investigation of 'global' phenomena such as a background of gravitational waves or instabilities in atomic timescales that produce correlated timing residuals in the pulsars of the array. The Parkes Pulsar Timing Array (PPTA) is an implementation of the PTA concept based on observations with the Parkes 64-m radio telescope. A sample of 20 ms pulsars is being observed at three radio-frequency bands, 50 cm (~700 MHz), 20 cm (~1400 MHz), and 10 cm (~3100 MHz), with observations at intervals of two to three weeks. Regular observations commenced in early 2005. This paper describes the systems used for the PPTA observations and data processing, including calibration and timing analysis. The strategy behind the choice of pulsars, observing parameters, and analysis methods is discussed. Results are presented for PPTA data in the three bands taken between 2005 March and 2011 March. For 10 of the 20 pulsars, rms timing residuals are less than 1 μs for the best band after fitting for pulse frequency and its first time derivative. Significant 'red' timing noise is detected in about half of the sample. We discuss the implications of these results on future projects including the International Pulsar Timing Array and a PTA based on the Square Kilometre Array. We also present an 'extended PPTA' data set that combines PPTA data with earlier Parkes timing data for these pulsars.


Approximately one third of American youth consume candy on a given day. Consuming excess candy contributes to added sugar intake and may lead to tooth decay and other health concerns. Diet-tracking apps may inform and help regulate candy consumption but depend on the availability of annotated candy image data and predictive models. A recent review documented differences in daily intakes of calories and macronutrients between app predictions and ground truths ranging from 1.4%–10.4%. Transfer learning-based deep neural networks could outperform those benchmarks and reduce the error margin. We built a dataset of 1,008 images comprising nine common candy types and developed four neural network models to detect candy pieces. The best-performing model achieved a mean average precision of 0.8736 for localizing candy pieces of different types in the validation dataset and an accuracy of 99.8% for predicting the quantity and types of multiple candy pieces in the test dataset. By combining candy type-specific nutritional information obtained from the nutrition facts label, the model accurately estimated (within an error margin of 0.5%) the aggregate nutrient portfolios, including total calories, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, total sugars, and added sugars, of all candy pieces shown in an image. This study demonstrates the feasibility of automating candy calorie/nutrition counting using photos, which may facilitate the development of diet-tracking apps to provide real-time, accurate nutritional information to inform candy consumption.


Liposarcomas are separated into clinicopathological entities with a characteristic morphological spectrum and mutually exclusive genetic alterations. Therefore, the rare occurrence of cases with combined patterns of well‐differentiated liposarcoma and myxoid liposarcoma designated as mixed‐type liposarcoma pose a conceptual problem. Moreover, this feature may have consequences for treatment choice and prognosis. Here, we have dissected the molecular relation of tumor components in cases of mixed‐type liposarcoma. On the basis of heterogeneous preoperative magnetic resonance image (MRI) features, eight cases of mixed‐type liposarcoma were selected. Preoperative biopsy samples and resection specimens were analyzed including molecular and immunohistochemical analysis on all components. As controls, cases with homogeneous MRI features and uniform aspects of myxoid liposarcoma (n = 5), round cell liposarcoma (n = 5) and well‐differentiated liposarcoma (n = 5) were studied. All patients with heterogeneous MRI features showed morphological components of myxoid liposarcoma and well‐differentiated liposarcoma. Real‐time polymerase chain reaction showed FUS‐DDIT3 fusion in both components in five of eight cases in the absence (zero of five) of MDM2 and CDK4 amplification. In three of eight patients, MDM2 and/or CDK4 were overexpressed, and amplification was shown by multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification (MLPA) in the absence of myxoid liposarcoma translocations. All control patients showed a molecular pattern consistent with their morphological features. Therefore, mixed‐type liposarcomas should not be regarded as collision tumors, but as an extreme variant of the morphological spectrum within a single biological entity, explaining the biological contradiction of mixed‐type liposarcoma. For treatment stratification, detailed classification including molecular support should be performed in tumors with heterogeneous MRI features.


With single-electron tunneling (SET) technology it is possible to build electronic circuits with extreme low power properties. These SET circuits must therefore operate in the single electronics (current) regime. To simulate SET circuits in this regime, a SPICE model has been written. In contrast to the prescriptions in the so-called orthodox theory of single-electronics, the SPICE model explores the discrete character of the tunnel current and the tunnel condition. In this paper, a brief description of this SPICE model is given. Several known SET circuits are simulated using this SPICE model and are verified with a well known SET device simulator called SIMON, which is based on the orthodox theory of single-electronics.


The role of pelvic sentinel lymph node dissection (SLND) is increasing in oncological pelvic surgery, especially in the management of cervical and endometrial cancer. SLND using indocyanine green (ICG) is safe and effective, and its sensitivity is higher than with other detection methods. The advantages of ICG are its low toxicity, its confinement within the vascular compartment, its rapid excretion, and the rarity of allergic reaction. These advantages confer to this fluorescent dye a superiority over blue, which can cause anaphylactic reactions. Using ICG does not require advance planning involving nuclear protection and delayed surgery, as are mandatory when using 99Tc detection. ICG allows the surgeon to visualize the lymph nodes through the peritoneum and thus avoid wide dissection. According to European guidelines,1 the indications for SLND in cervical cancer are for patients with FIGO (International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics) IA1–IA2 disease, lymphovascular space involvement - positive status, without systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy – and patients with FIGO IB1–IIA1 disease, prior to systematic pelvic lymphadenectomy. Guidelines1 2 for endometrial cancer management state that SLND is indicated in cases of low-risk endometrial cancer (FIGO IA, grade 1–2), without systematic lymphadenectomy in cases of non-detection, with the technique being preferable to systematic lymphadenectomy in cases of intermediate-risk endometrial cancer (FIGO IB, grade 1–2, or FIGO IA, grade 3).2 Our objective is to review the technique of ICG injection and the real-time detection of pelvic SLNs using near-infrared imaging by means of a step-by-step explanation of the procedure using an instructional Video 1.


For a long time, I have been writing about the importance of privatizing highways, mainly because of the carnage that occurs on our socialist roads. People die like flies on these statist vehicular thoroughfares, some 40,000 per year in the U.S. alone. My first publication on this topic appeared in 1979, my most recent was published in 2009, and I have written on this horrid subject many times during the intervening thirty year period.Until Tullock (1996) my writing on road privatization was pretty much ignored. Some of it was cited by other scholars in this field, but until Gordon Tullock had the kindness to subject my views on this topic to intensive and critical scrutiny, they were not made the subject of any extensive and critical scrutiny. Tullock (1996) singled out for his critique my paper Block (1979) and Block and Block (1996); I replied to it in Block (1998c).Then Carnis appeared on the scene with a series of magnificent and insightful articles on this topic (Carnis, 2001, 2003, 2006). These were splendid contributions to the free market side of this debate, strongly making the case for, and defending against objections to, conversion of our present socialist roadway network to a private enterprise institution. Carnis's pedigree in this regard is not as long as mine, but what he lacks in years (he is a far younger man), he more than makes up in terms of insight, logic and verve.Carnis (2009), the subject of this present essay, is somewhat of a different matter, in my view. In this case, while I acknowledge that he has continued to build onto the road privatization edifice, for the first time in his contribution to this literature, I must part company from him. I thank him for his kind words about my previous publications, but shall devote this rejoinder to what I consider problematic statements of Carnis (2009).


The Nelson Boulder Bank, a 13 km long gravel barrier, is located in a relatively low energy environment on the southeast side of Tasman Bay, New Zealand. The barrier, composed of well rounded clasts of a single lithology, has two distinct gravel units: 1) a gravel ridge which consists of actively moving and well-sorted pebbles and cobbles, and 2) a gravel platform which is exposed only at low tide and contains poorly sorted cobbles and boulders. Ridge gravels are actively transported by waves, but boulders on the platform surface are immobile and occur as a thin erosional lag overlying smaller, clast -supported polymictic gravels. This erosional surface, the immobility of the boulders, and the extent of the platform gravels cannot be explained by longshore drift. An in situ-transgressive barrier model suggests that platform gravels of the Boulder Bank derive from a buried ridge of granodiorite that lies seaward of the Boulder Bank. As sea level rose prior to 6.5 ka, former beach gravels buried the ridge and transgressed over estuarine muds which were accumulating in the valley behind the ridge. This has resulted in a long, shore-parallel gravel barrier that has previously been interpreted as a spit formed by longshore drift.


BACKGROUND
Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting large and medium arteries. CD4+ T cells are known to play a role in the progression of the disease. CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ natural Treg (nTreg) cells seem to have a protective role in the disease and their reduction in acute coronary syndrome is recently shown.

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the frequency of nTreg subsets in the peripheral blood of patients with atherosclerosis.

METHODS
Confirmation of atherosclerosis was done by angiography and 15 ml heparinized blood was obtained from each of the 13 non-diabetic patients and 13 non-diabetic, non-smoker individuals with normal/insignificant coronary artery disease confirmed by angiography. Lipid profiles of the patients and controls were measured at the time of sampling. Mononuclear cells were used for both RNA extraction and immunophenotyping by real-time PCR and flowcytometry techniques, respectively.

RESULTS
In natural Treg subsets, the frequency of CD4+CD45RO-CD25+Foxp3lo T-cells (resting nTregs) was greater in controls than patients (p=0.02). The frequency of CD4+CD45RO+CD25hiFoxp3hi T-cells (activated nTregs) was significantly higher in controls compared with patients (p=0.02). However, the frequency of CD4+CD25+CD45RO+Foxp3- T-cells (effector/memory T-cell) increased in patients compared with controls (p=0.01). Both the MFI and gene expression of Foxp3 were higher in control group than in patients (p=0.015 and p=0.017, respectively). Moreover, the TGF-β gene expression showed a decrease in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients compared with controls (p=0.03).

CONCLUSION
Decrease in both subsets of resting and activated nTregs along with a decrease in the expression of Foxp3 and TGF-β genes in patients with atherosclerosis suggests phenotypic changes in these subsets, which may as well be correlated with a more inflammatory profile in their lymphocytes.


Abstract— Hematoporphyrin derivative (HpD) is widely used in photoradiation therapy of tumors and other diseases, and has been shown to affect the viability of gram positive bacteria. This investigation assessed the efficiency of binding of HpD to Bacillus subtilis and Streptococcus faecalis when HpD‐treated organisms were exposed to red light. Kinetic studies indicated that the amount of HpD bound increased with increasing external concentration of HpD until saturation of binding sites was reached. S. faecalis had a higher affinity for HpD and was more susceptible to photoinactivation than B. subtilis. The data from this study suggest that differences in susceptibility of microorganisms to photoinactivation are directly related to the affinity of each strain for HpD.


Purpose: To determine the impact of the Institute of Medicine recommendations regarding patient safety on medical education resources in the United States. Methods: Medical textbooks representing major disciplines of medicine in the United States were surveyed for patient safety-related keywords, and content presented was quantified. Allopathic medical school curricula in the United States were reviewed for required or elective patient safety coursework using an on-line database, and specific curricula details were described. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Residency Review Committee program requirements for accreditation were reviewed, and patient safety content was quantified. Results: Fifteen (54%) of the most recently published textbook editions reviewed contained patient safety information, and 11 of those (73%) specifically cited the Institute of Medicine report. Of the latest edition textbooks with safety keywords present, 67% dedicated entire chapters to patient safety or quality improvement. In 2007 and 2008, 10.4% of the 125 U.S. medical schools reported patient safety content in elective or required courses. All of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Residency Review Committee program requirements contained patient safety content confined to systems-based practice and work-hour restrictions. Conclusions: Popular medical textbook content and core medical school and graduate medical education curricula do not adequately reflect the directive to increase patient safety education and reduce medical error.


Introduction Chronic subdural hematoma (cSDH) is one of the most common neurological diseases, often causing significant morbidity especially in the elderly population. Recently, middle meningeal artery (MMA) embolization has emerged as a potentially safe and effective method of treating cSDH. Pertinent literature, however, remains limited. The current study reports our center's experience with MMA embolization and examines the type of embolic material used, the extent of penetration, and MMA branches embolized. Methods A prospectively maintained endovascular treatment database was retrospectively analyzed for all patients whom underwent MMA embolization from January 1st, 2018 to December 31st, 2019. Six patients without at least 30 days of follow-up were excluded. A failed outcome was defined as either surgical rescue and/or >10 mm of residual or reaccumulation after MMA embolization. Secondary outcomes included: complete and near-complete ( 2 on follow-up, and worse mRS on follow-up. Results The 34 patients that met the inclusion criteria had an average age of 68±12 years. Twenty-four patients were male (71%). Twenty-three had suffered a preceding trauma (68%), and 13 were on antiplatelet or anticoagulant (38%) medications. Headache (N=14, 41%), focal neurological deficit (N=15, 44%), and altered mental status (N=11, 32%) were the most common presenting symptoms. Nine (26%) had failed surgery and 6 (18%) had failed conservative treatment. Transradial access was utilized for 20 patients (59%). One ischemic complication (3%) occurred in a patient with a type 3 arch who underwent transfemoral embolization. Average preoperative mRS was 2.0±1.4 and follow-up mRS was 1.8 ±1.4 with an average follow-up days of 110±72. Ten patients (29%) had a mRS >2 and 1 patient (3%) had a worse mRS on follow-up. A total of 40 MMA embolizations were performed (6 patients with bilateral cSDH had bilateral MMA embolization). Embolic agents included Onyx (N=27, 68%), particles (N=9, 20%), and NBCA (N=4, 10%). Both the anterior and posterior MMA branches were embolized in 27 (68%) and distal penetration of these branches was achieved in 23 (58%) patients. Twenty-two cSDHs (55%) completely resolved while 33 (83%) had either complete or near-complete resolution. Failed embolization occurred in only 3 cSDHs (8%), none in patients in whom both anterior and posterior MMA branches embolized (p=0.029). Conclusion In our series, our procedure has evolved to transradial access for Onyx embolization which is both safe and efficacious. Furthermore, embolization of both the anterior and posterior MMA branches may be associated with a decrease risk of failed treatment. Future randomized control trials and/or large prospective studies are warranted, with attention to optimizing the procedural technique. Disclosures J. Catapano: None. C. Nguyen: None. M. Pacault: None. T. Cole: None. J. Baranoski: None. D. Wilkinson: None. N. Majmundar: None. A. Ducruet: None. F. Albuquerque: None.


The first phased-array antenna in the Soviet Union was developed under the supervision of Professor Yuri Yurov, at Leningrad Electrical Engineering Institute (Technical University), in 1955. It was a four-element array of dielectric-rod radiators, fed through reciprocal ferrite phase shifters. The array was intended for use in radar, for automatic aiming at the target. In Yurov's group, the theory of phased-array antennas was developed. In 1960, a 61-element array, in the form of a lens filled with ferrite phase shifters, was designed, manufactured, and investigated. Later, the investigations were moved from the university to industrial research centers.


Purpose: Given the clinical relevance of ESR1 mutations as potential drivers of resistance to endocrine therapy, this study used sensitive detection methods to determine the frequency of ESR1 mutations in primary and metastatic breast cancer, and in cell-free DNA (cfDNA). Experimental Design: Six ESR1 mutations (K303R, S463P, Y537C, Y537N, Y537S, D538G) were assessed by digital droplet PCR (ddPCR), with lower limits of detection of 0.05% to 0.16%, in primary tumors (n = 43), bone (n = 12) and brain metastases (n = 38), and cfDNA (n = 29). Correlations between ESR1 mutations in metastatic lesions and single (1 patient) or serial blood draws (4 patients) were assessed. Results: ESR1 mutations were detected for D538G (n = 13), Y537S (n = 3), and Y537C (n = 1), and not for K303R, S463P, or Y537N. Mutation rates were 7.0% (3/43 primary tumors), 9.1% (1/11 bone metastases), 12.5% (3/24 brain metastases), and 24.1% (7/29 cfDNA). Two patients showed polyclonal disease with more than one ESR1 mutation. Mutation allele frequencies were 0.07% to 0.2% in primary tumors, 1.4% in bone metastases, 34.3% to 44.9% in brain metastases, and 0.2% to 13.7% in cfDNA. In cases with both cfDNA and metastatic samples (n = 5), mutations were detected in both (n = 3) or in cfDNA only (n = 2). Treatment was associated with changes in ESR1 mutation detection and allele frequency. Conclusions: ESR1 mutations were detected at very low allele frequencies in some primary breast cancers, and at high allele frequency in metastases, suggesting that in some tumors rare ESR1-mutant clones are enriched by endocrine therapy. Further studies should address whether sensitive detection of ESR1 mutations in primary breast cancer and in serial blood draws may be predictive for development of resistant disease. Clin Cancer Res; 22(5); 1130–7. ©2015 AACR. See related commentary by Gu and Fuqua, p. 1034


The twin-arginine (Tat) protein translocase is a highly unusual protein transport machine that is dedicated to the movement of folded proteins across the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane. Proteins are targeted to the Tat pathway by means of N-terminal signal peptides harbouring a distinctive twin-arginine motif. In this minireview, we describe our current knowledge of the Tat system, paying particular attention to the function of the TatA protein and to the often overlooked step of signal peptide cleavage.


This article is based on the author's Homer Jones Memorial Lecture delivered at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, April 2, 2014.


This paper analyses the critique ramón grosfoguel does to the approach advanced by Michel Foucault to the notions of racism and colonialism in his course Defending Society (1975-1976). The author analyses the theoretical assumptions and the methodological criteria supporting grosfoguel's hermeneutics, based on a number of assumptions from Michel Foucault's power and governmentality genealogy. The author suggests this exercise helps establish the place Michel Foucault gives to colonial devices in shaping modern governmental technologies.