In the USA and other western nations, respiratory syncytial virus is one of the most commonly encountered respiratory viruses among patients who have been diagnosed with a hematologic malignancy or who have undergone a stem cell transplant. Multiple studies have been performed to evaluate the complications associated with respiratory syncytial virus infections. Other studies have evaluated therapeutic agents and strategies in which these agents can be used. There have also been numerous reports of outbreaks in bone marrow transplant units and oncology wards, where infection control measures have been invaluable in controlling the spread of disease. However, despite these novel approaches, respiratory syncytial virus continues to be potentially fatal in immunocompromised populations. In this review, we discuss the incidence of respiratory syncytial viral infections, risk factors associated with progression from upper respiratory tract infection to lower respiratory tract infection, other complications and outcomes (including mortality), management strategies, and prevention strategies in patients with a hematologic malignancy and in hematopoietic cell transplant recipients.


We shall discuss kinetic processes relevant to the chemistry and the mechanics of polymers in which the internal evolution of heat (due to exothermic reactions or to dissipative deformation) exceeds the ability of the system to transfer heat to its surroundings, so that the chemical reaction or the mechanical process occurs under non-isothermal conditions at a rate which is dependent on temperature. Processes of this type include: non-isothermal polymerisation (in a batch or a flow reactor), thermal phenomena during the cyclic deformation, extension, and external friction of polymers, and flow under conditions of dissipative heating. We shall describe the common features of all these phenomena, their characteristics, and their most important consequences from the standpoint of research and technology. 164 references.


Fossil data provide a detailed view of how food webs changed across the Permian-Triassic mass extinction [Also see Report by Roopnarine and Angielczyk] As we confront the reality of the ongoing human-driven mass extinction (1), attention often focuses on the response of individual species to environmental change. However, species survival also depends on other species in the food web: Changing population numbers or extinction of one species can propagate through the food web to cause further perturbation or extinction. Although this has long been appreciated (2), it is hard to test predictions of how food webs of living ecosystems will be affected by disturbance. The fossil record provides a window into how past food webs have responded to mass extinction. On page 90 of this issue, Roopnarine and Angielczyk (3) assess food web stability of the remarkably well-preserved terrestrial communities of the Karoo Basin in South Africa across the largest past mass extinction, the Permian-Triassic event (∼252 million years ago).


Most health visitors working in Britain today will have a number of children in their workload who are asthmatic. Parents and sufferers are often anxious to obtain more information to help their understanding and management of the condition. Doreen Deaves describes the results of a study which indicate that health visitors are ideally placed to provide health education and support for parents and families of children with asthma.


Due to different functional demands and vascularity, the mandibular and craniofacial complex require bone regenerating materials with physical and chemical properties that are different from long bone. However, certain common requirements to both locales must be addressed. Furthermore, reasons why the autograft and allogeneic bank bones are successful in regenerating bone need to be understood if the researcher is to develop satisfactory alternatives. The purpose of this paper is to review some of the requirements needed for bone regenerating materials for mandibular and craniofacial bone repair. In that effort, we have briefly described the autograft and allogeneic bank bones, animal wound models, quantitative assays, certain bone regenerating factors (growth factors and bone inductive proteins), and requirements of delivery systems for presenting bone regenerating factors to the osseous host bed.


Abstract In 2003, the Hadrian's Wall National Trail was opened, providing a 135 km (84 mile) public footpath along the length of the Roman frontier from Wallsend to Bowness-on-Solway. Each year, thousands of visitors walk the Trail from end-to-end and many more make day trips to visit specific locations within the wider World Heritage Site. In the second of two related papers (see Witcher, 2010), consideration turns from professional and popular visual representations of Hadrian's Wall to the ways in which visitors physically experience the monument and its landscape. The paper explores how embodied and sensory encounters produce and reproduce understandings which are charged with cultural and political meaning. Specifically, the elision of visitors and Roman soldiers through a process of embodied empathy/sympathy is outlined. It is argued that the way in which Western society assumes familiarity with an ancestral Roman Empire actively reduces the interrogative potential of encounters with the monument and limits visitors' ability to reflect on the significance of the Wall. The paper goes on to consider alternative modes of visual and physical engagement, drawing inspiration from virtual communities including geocachers who have used Information Technology such as Global Positioning Systems and Web 2.0 functionality to develop innovative modes of representation and encounter.


Despite recent advances in treatment, melanoma remains the deadliest form of skin cancer, due to its highly metastatic nature. Many melanomas with oncogenic BRAFV600E lose the tumor suppressor PTEN, leading to unconstrained PI3K/AKT signaling and a drastic increase in melanoma invasiveness, but the contribution of AKT to melanoma metastasis has not been fully explored. Differential roles for AKT1 and AKT3 have been suggested in many cancers, but a requirement for AKT2 has not been described in melanoma. We report here that shRNA-mediated, conditional knockdown of AKTs in a variety of human melanoma cell lines reveals that selective AKT2 depletion inhibits migratory and invasive phenotypes in vitro, and prevents metastasis in vivo. Our results support a critical role for AKT2 in stimulating melanoma cell migration and invasion and in supporting growth of metastatic lesions. As AKT inhibitors advance in clinical trials for melanoma, our findings could inform therapeutic strategies to improve treatment options and outcome for this devastating disease. Citation Format: Siobhan K. McRee, Jodie R. Pietruska, Philip N. Tsichlis, Phil W. Hinds. AKT2 loss impairs BRAF mutant melanoma metastasis [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1112.


Abstract Lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS) may be beneficial for malnourished HIV-infected patients starting antiretroviral therapy (ART). We assessed the effect of adding vitamins and minerals to LNS on body composition and handgrip strength during ART initiation. ART-eligible HIV-infected patients with BMI <18·5 kg/m2 were randomised to LNS or LNS with added high-dose vitamins and minerals (LNS-VM) from referral for ART to 6 weeks post-ART and followed up until 12 weeks. Body composition by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), deuterium (2H) diluted water (D2O) and air displacement plethysmography (ADP), and handgrip strength were determined at baseline and at 6 and 12 weeks post-ART, and effects of LNS-VM v. LNS at 6 and 12 weeks investigated. BIA data were available for 1461, D2O data for 479, ADP data for 498 and handgrip strength data for 1752 patients. Fat mass tended to be lower, and fat-free mass correspondingly higher, by BIA than by ADP or D2O. At 6 weeks post-ART, LNS-VM led to a higher regain of BIA-assessed fat mass (0·4 (95 % CI 0·05, 0·8) kg), but not fat-free mass, and a borderline significant increase in handgrip strength (0·72 (95 % CI −0·03, 1·5) kg). These effects were not sustained at 12 weeks. Similar effects as for BIA were seen using ADP or D2O but no differences reached statistical significance. In conclusion, LNS-VM led to a higher regain of fat mass at 6 weeks and to a borderline significant beneficial effect on handgrip strength. Further research is needed to determine appropriate timing and supplement composition to optimise nutritional interventions in malnourished HIV patients.


Hyperimmunized subjects are a particularly high-risk and rapidly growing group in the patient population awaiting renal transplantation. In a search for methods designed to ameliorate the prognosis in such cases, dogs of defined DLA genotype were sensitized with DLA incompatible skin allografts and injections of buffy coat. Each recipient was challenged with a renal allograft bearing the same DLA incompatibilities. Five dogs received kidney transplants, without any other treatment, and rejected their transplants at 2.5, 4, 5, 6, and 6.5 days, respectively. Another four dogs were given a 9–11-week course (1760 ± 35 cGy) of total-lymphoid irradiation (TLI), followed by rabbit antithymocyte globulin (ATG); these animals rejected their renal allografts at 7, 8, 14, and 17 days, respectively. Five other dogs were treated with TLI and received cyclosporine (CsA) and methylprednisolone (MPd) daily until graft rejection. Their renal allografts survived for 7.5, 8.5, 20, 62, and 227 days, respectively. Renal allografts placed in normal recipients under the same conditions of donor-recipient DLA incompatibility had a mean survival time of 12.4 days (range: 10–18 days). At the time of transplantation, the specific anti-DLA antibody titers in the recipients were 81 to 243 in the untreated dogs; 27 to 81 in the TLI-ATG-treated group, and 3 to 243 in the TLI-CsA/MPd-treated group. The titers fell within 24–48 hr after renal transplantation, to 3 to 81 in the untreated sensitized dogs; they were 3 to 9 in the TLI-ATG-treated group, and were 9 to 243 in the TLI-CsA/MPd treated group. The cytotoxic antibody titers reached postoperative peaks of 6500 to 200,000 in the untreated dogs; 729 to 6500 in the TLI-ATG-treated dogs, and 243 to 6500 in the TLI-CsA/MPd-treated recipients. The combined use of TLI and CsA/MPd can significantly inhibit the capacity of immunized recipients to muster a secondary humoral response to the DLA antigen(s) used in the sensitization process; such treatment also abrogates the ability of the recipients to reject renal allografts bearing the same DLA specificities in accelerated fashion. This effect of TLI and cyclosporine may be of relevance to current severe problems in high-risk hyperimmunized human renal transplant candidates.


Resource misallocation can lower aggregate total factor productivity (TFP), and industrial policy can affect the extent of misallocation as it intervenes in the allocation of resources across firms. I study a common instrument of industrial policy, that of capital subsidies to firms, within a framework in which the model economy exhibits resource misallocation: heterogeneous firms face distortions in capital and labor markets that drive wedges between the marginal products of capital and labor across firms. A subsidy is an additional distortion in the capital market. Capital subsidies can decrease TFP by exacerbating existing misallocation, but welldesigned subsidies can increase TFP. I adopt this framework to analyze a capital subsidy policy in Greece using a firm-level panel dataset that includes information on firm-specific capital subsidies allocated in a discretionary fashion. I find that the existing policy decreases the manufacturing TFP by 0.15%. A counterfactual optimal (TFP-maximizing) implementation that reallocates policy resources among all firms increases TFP by 2.2%. An optimal reallocation of policy resources only among firms that applied for a subsidy increases TFP by 1%. My results also show that the optimal policy does not favor firms of a particular size or age but favors the most productive ones because of the empirical fact that these firms are the most constrained in the dataset. Interestingly, the textbook recommendation for industrial policy, subsidizing all firms in an industry at a uniform rate, can decrease industry TFP if the least-constrained firms absorb more policy resources than the most-constrained ones. JEL classification codes: E23, O25, O11, D24, L50, H25.


Computer technology development and internet generalization yielded commercial game invigoration. Recently, interface of internet FPS games became realized similar to reality to attract users toward a higher level of immersion. This paper discusses aesthetic contemplation of the interface of rapidly developed FPS games and the users' behavior in the virtual space thereof. Game and art do not seem to be related each other, but it can be seen from users' behaviors that the user is appreciating an aspect of art in the internet game interfaces. The behavior of a user as an appreciator in the virtual space, contrary to the game developer's expectation, is studied in this paper.


Capsaicin is a neurotoxin known for its ability to cause degeneration of small unmyelinated primary sensory neurons in both spinal and cranial nerves. Although lower motor neurons do not degenerate following capsaicin treatment, the extent to which capsaicin may damage neurons in the brain has not been thoroughly evaluated. This study examines the effects of systemic capsaicin (50–150 mg/kg) on the central nervous system of 10‐day‐old rats. Rat pups were injected with capsaicin or the injection vehicle and sacrificed 6 hours–10 days later. Brains, spinal cords, and retinas ware stained with cupric silver to label degenerating neurons. As previously reported for capsiaicin‐treated rats, degenerating nerve terminals were present in areas receiving primary afferent input: the spinal cord dorsal horn, spinal trigeminal nucleus, nucleus of the solitary tract, and area postrema. However, degenerating terminals were also present in areas not known to receive primary sensory innervation: the inferior olivary nucleus, sphenoid nucleus, medial and olivary pretectal nuclei, interpeduncular nucleus, interfascicular nucleus, caudal linear, dorsal, median, and paramedian raphe nuclei, supramammillary area, lateral habenula, ventrolateral geniculate nucleus, ventral reuniens nucleus, ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus, lateral hypothalamic and preoptic areas, suprachiasmatic nucleus, septohypothalamic nucleus, bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, lateral septal nucleus, accumbens shell, olfactory bulb, and retina. Some areas where capsaicin caused degeneration in rat pups do not appear to be capsaicin‐sensitive in adult rats. Results indicate that (1) capsaicin's neurotoxicity is not limited to primary sensory neurons and (2) developmental factors may alter the capsaicin sensitivity of some neuronal projections within the brain.


The interaction between alpha-actinin and titin, two modular muscle proteins, is essential for sarcomere assembly. We have solved the solution structure of a complex between the calcium-insensitive C-terminal EF-hand domain of alpha-actinin-2 and the seventh Z-repeat of titin. The structure of the complex is in a semi-open conformation and closely resembles that of myosin light chains in their complexes with heavy chain IQ motifs. However, no IQ motif is present in the Z-repeat, suggesting that the semi-open conformation is a general structural solution for calcium-independent recognition of EF-hand domains.


Of 131 patients with pulmonary infections due to Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare, 124 had excisional surgery plus chemotherapy. Seven had definitive thoracoplasties. Postoperative complications of various degrees developed in 24% of those who had surgery. Bronchopleural fistulae requiring thoracoplasties occurred in seven patients. Nine patients died in the postoperative period. The sputum of 93% of the patients became negative for M. avium-intracellulare, and 5% of the patients had bacteriologic relapse. Only two of the 122 patients who survived surgery died from progressive pulmonary infection due to M. avium-intracellulare.


Ultrasonic, capacitive, and infrared (IR) occupant position sensors were tested to determine their compatibility with crash test dummies. In this phase of testing, the sensors' responses to a Hybrid III 50th percentile male crash test dummy were compared to those of a human male of similar size. After the data were compared, crash test dummy modifications were developed so that sensor responses to the dummies more closely resembled their responses to humans. Ultrasonic sensors detected little difference between the dummy and the human. However, testing of capacitive and IR sensors revealed differences in their responses to a crash test dummy and a human subject.


The cultivation of macroalgae to supply the biofuel, pharmaceutical or food industries generates a considerable amount of organic residue, which represents a potential substrate for biomethanation. Its use optimizes the total resource exploitation by the simultaneous disposal of waste biomaterials. In this study, we explored the biochemical methane potential (BMP) and biomethane recovery of industrial Laminaria japonica waste (LJW) in batch, continuous laboratory and pilot-scale trials. Thermo-acidic pretreatment with industry-grade HCl or industrial flue gas condensate (FGC), as well as a co-digestion approach with maize silage (MS) did not improve the biomethane recovery. BMPs between 172 mL and 214 mL g−1 volatile solids (VS) were recorded. We proved the feasibility of long-term continuous anaerobic digestion with LJW as sole feedstock showing a steady biomethane production rate of 173 mL g−1 VS. The quality of fermentation residue was sufficient to serve as biofertilizer, with enriched amounts of potassium, sulfur and iron. We further demonstrated the upscaling feasibility of the process in a pilot-scale system where a CH4 recovery of 189 L kg−1 VS was achieved and a biogas composition of 55% CH4 and 38% CO2 was recorded.


We present an interactive algorithm for continuous collision detection between deformable models. We introduce multiple techniques to improve the culling efficiency and the overall performance of continuous collision detection. First, we present a novel formulation for continuous normal cones and use these normal cones to efficiently cull large regions of the mesh as part of self-collision tests. Second, we introduce the concept of ldquoprocedural representative trianglesrdquo to remove all redundant elementary tests between nonadjacent triangles. Finally, we exploit the mesh connectivity and introduce the concept of ldquoorphan setsrdquo to eliminate redundant elementary tests between adjacent triangle primitives. In practice, we can reduce the number of elementary tests by two orders of magnitude. These culling techniques have been combined with bounding volume hierarchies and can result in one order of magnitude performance improvement as compared to prior collision detection algorithms for deformable models. We highlight the performance of our algorithm on several benchmarks, including cloth simulations, N-body simulations, and breaking objects.


It is shown that the kinematic wave theory develops in parallel with the "materials mechanics" but in terms of frequency and material wave vector instead of time and material coordinates. A conservation law of material wave momentum involving a material wave Eshelby stress is thus deduced together with the conservation of wave action. This formalism and the Whitham-Newell averaging method are then used in an illustration to the case of nonlinear dispersive bulk waves in elastic crystals. A nonlinear "dispersive" dispersion relation is thus constructed by means of asymptotics, which allows one to obtain slowly varying small amplitude modulated dynamical solutions such as envelope solitons.


might be possible to make plans in such a way that the erection of what we call really temporary buildings and the securing of equipment would be spread over three or four years as students who had started the course advanced in it, this would not be possible with all subjects. For example, a pathology department, with its specimens, macroscopic -and microscopic, could not be built up overnight. A professor who was required to teach students in, let us say, three years' time, would need to be appointed almost at once, so that he would be ready for students to the stage of the course dealing with pathology. As a matter of fact, from the time of his appointment, a


Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to analyze how drivers and barriers of corporate social responsibility (CSR) vary with regard to stages in the transformation process from a small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) to a multinational enterprise (MNE). Design/methodology/approach - The main method used is a literature survey. The survey covers 47 journal articles. A limited survey of managers in the Norwegian clothing business is used to validate the findings in the literature survey. Findings - Eight main drivers and barriers of CSR are identified in the literature survey and are also supported by a regression analysis based on Norwegian survey data. By relating the drivers and barriers to more general social science models, it is shown how they are affected by different business contexts and vary with regard to stages in the transformation process from a SME to a MNE. Practical implications - The paper suggests that public policies for CSR should be adapted to four main contexts, referring to stages in the growth and internationalization of the firm, and overcoming barriers and boosting drivers for CSR. Originality/value - The paper contributes to a better understanding of how and why drivers and barriers of CSR differ with respect to the size and internationalization of firms.


A study is carried out for characterizing two-phase systems of molten polymers by their viscous and elastic properties. The two-phase systems chosen for study are blends of polystyrene and polypropylene, and blends of polystyrene and high-density polyethylene. For the study, measurements of wall normal stresses are made by use of a capillary melt rheometer described in part I of this series. The concept of the "exit pressure" is used to determine the elastic properties of the two-phase polymer systems. The present study shows anomalous viscous and elastic properties of two-phase systems, which are difficult to predict from knowing the viscous and elastic properties of their individual components. A detailed discussion is given on the state of dispersion of two incompatible polymer systems in the molten state, by presenting pictures of the microstructure of the extrudate samples. The state of dispersion appears to vary depending on the blending ratio, extrusion temperature, melt viscosities of individual components, and blending method.


Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) is a potent proinflammatory signature of viral infection. Long cytosolic dsRNA is recognized by MDA5. The cooperative assembly of MDA5 into helical filaments on dsRNA nucleates the assembly of a multiprotein type-I-interferon signaling platform. Here, we determined cryoEM structures of MDA5-dsRNA filaments with different helical twists and bound nucleotide analogs, at resolutions sufficient to build and refine atomic models. The structures identify the filament forming interfaces, which encode the dsRNA binding cooperativity and length specificity of MDA5. The predominantly hydrophobic interface contacts confer flexibility, reflected in the variable helical twist within filaments. Mutation of filament-forming residues can result in loss or gain of signaling activity. Each MDA5 molecule spans 14 or 15 RNA base pairs, depending on the twist. Variations in twist also correlate with variations in the occupancy and type of nucleotide in the active site, providing insights on how ATP hydrolysis contributes to MDA5-dsRNA recognition. eTOC Structures of MDA5 bound to double-stranded RNA reveal a flexible, predominantly hydrophobic filament forming interface. The filaments have variable helical twist. Structures determined with ATP and transition state analogs show how the ATPase cycle is coupled to changes in helical twist, the mode of RNA binding and the length of the RNA footprint of MDA5. Highlights CryoEM structures of MDA5-dsRNA filaments determined for three catalytic states Filament forming interfaces are flexible and predominantly hydrophobic Mutation of filament-forming residues can cause loss or gain of IFN-β signaling ATPase cycle is coupled to changes in filament twist and size of the RNA footprint


The histogenetic process of experimental ovarian tumors induced by a chemically carcinogenic substance, 9, 10-dimethyl-1, 2-benzanthracene (DMBA) in rats was studied. Morphologically, the induced tumors can be classified into two groups : Adenocarcinoma and sarcoma. A particular pattern of histogenetic process in these tumors was evidenced by killing and following these animals at staged intervals from the initiation of the experiment. When treated with DMBA, an inflammatory change occurred around the region of a silk thread insertion; and subsequently, connective tissues proliferated. In the following stages, a layer of epithelial cells which constitutes glandular cysts of various sizes, on one hand and interstitial connective tissue on the other, proliferated around them, presenting the findings of fibroadenoma. This fibroadenoma provided a basic type from which two different histogenetic processes bifurcated. In one direction, cystic components dominated and proceeded toward adenocarcinoma, and in the other connective tissue proliferation prevailed to form a sarcoma type. Between the two of them, the process toward adenocarcinoma is of much interest because of its incidence clinically; and it was found that inclusion cysts appeared to play an important role in the developmental process, which should be of special interest when compared with various reports on the histogenesis of human adenocarcinoma.


The first purpose of the section on methodology and procedures, which is included in Chapter I, is to demonstrate your familiarity with the particular research methodology you intend to use. (Note that this discussion uses the term methodology, singular, though your research may draw on one or more specific research methodologies.) The second purpose of this section is to describe, at least tentatively, specific procedures that you anticipate adopting for your thesis. In other words, this section succinctly articulates specific procedures for addressing your research problem and what you intend to do to answer your research question. The methodology and procedures sections include a concise discussion of your methodology, participants, materials, and procedures. Research Methodology The criteria for the thesis in the Counseling Psychology program were stated previously (see pp. 33-34) as follows: Within the context of the Institute's guiding vision, students are encouraged to select a particular topic that they wish to explore in depth. Towards this end, the student is asked to  pursue an area of individual interest relevant to the issues of counseling and depth psychology (e.g., therapeutic issues, psychological motifs, clinical procedures);  ground this particular area of interest in a conceptual framework (e.g., background information, findings, concluding evaluation);  demonstrate competency in researching a specific area and in expressing ideas with clarity and precision; and  submit a thesis that meets all criteria for the completion of the thesis and is worthy of submission to ProQuest for publication as determined by the Research Coordinator. In order to satisfy these criteria and to assist future researchers, the student will select a methodology or methodologies suitable for the research problem and research question and write a statement regarding research methodology in the thesis proposal for CP 620-Research in Psychology, in the thesis outline for CP 650-Directed Research I, and in both the Abstract and Chapter I of the thesis itself. In Chapter I, in addition to naming the research methodology utilized, the statement will include information about participants, materials, procedures, and the limitations of the chosen research methodology. Additionally, if the data gathering process has included the use of human participants or co-researchers, the final, approved ethics application will be included as an appendix in the thesis. Quantitative Methodology Though the use of quantitative methodology is rare in Counseling Psychology theses, you are and will be consumers of quantitative research and therefore need to be familiar …


Email networks in contemporary organizations are fairly representative of the underlying communications networks. We show that changes in communication networks have implications for studying organization disintegration. In this paper, we analyzed the changing communication network structure at Enron Corporation during the period of its disintegration (2000-2001). Our goal was to understand how communication patterns and structure were affected by organizational disintegration. Drawing on (social) network disintegration theory, we tested several propositions using the Enron email corpus: (1) Number of cliques increases (2) Communication network becomes increasingly centralized, and (3) Connectedness among the top management executives increases, as organizations move towards disintegration. The results of the tests and their implications are discussed.


Ozone is often used in the treatment of drinking water. This may cause problems if the water to be treated contains bromide as its reaction with ozone leads to the formation of bromate, which is considered to be carcinogenic. Bromate formation is a multistep process resulting from the reaction of ozone with bromite. Although this process seemed to be established, it has been shown that ozone reacts with bromite not by the previously assumed mechanism via O transfer but via electron transfer. Besides bromate, the electron-transfer reaction also yields O3(•-), the precursor of OH radicals. The experiments were set up in such a way that OH radicals are not produced from ozone self-decomposition but solely by the electron-transfer reaction. This study shows that hydroxyl radicals are indeed generated by using tBuOH as the OH radical scavenger and measuring its product, formaldehyde. HOBr and bromate yields were measured in systems with and without tBuOH. As OH radicals contribute to bromate formation, higher bromate and HOBr yields were observed in the absence of tBuOH than in its presence, where all OH radicals are scavenged. On the basis of the results presented here, a pathway from bromide to bromate, revised in the last step, was suggested.


Population aging and its economic impact have been receiving increasing attention in many countries around the world. This study offers an analysis of the impact of aging on the housing prices in Singapore relative to the U.S. as the benchmark. The study uses semiannual series over the period of 1998 to 2019 with the age subgroups organized in 5-year intervals. The literature contains conflicting arguments on the impacts of aging on housing prices. Based on observations made for Singapore and the U.S., this study supports the arguments that the elderly part of a population has a damping effect on housing prices. A novel behavioral divergence between Singapore and the U.S. emerges when the analysis focuses on the impact of the finer age subgroups on housing prices in the two countries. The "turning age", which is defined as the approximate cut-off age when the impact of aging on housing prices turns from positive to negative, is approximately 55 years old in Singapore and 60 years old in the U.S.


We perform kinematic and dynamic inversion of the 24 July 2008 ( M w 6.8) Northern Iwate intermediate depth earthquake in Japan using strong‐motion records from the K‐NET and KiK‐net networks. The rupture of this moderate magnitude earthquake is modeled as a simple elliptical patch. The optimal solutions are found comparing observed and synthetic records using an L 2 norm and the neighborhood algorithm to search for the best solution, followed by an exploration of solution space with a Monte Carlo technique. The geometry of the rupture, rupture velocity, and slip distribution are estimated by kinematic inversion. The rupture geometry, stress, and friction parameters are obtained by dynamic inversion. Both approaches converge to very similar source models with semiminor axes of 4 km, maximum slip of about 4 m, and large stress drops in the 30–45 MPa range. Rupture duration was less than 3 s because of very high sub‐Rayleigh rupture propagation speeds. Energy release rate for the best models was in the range 23–36  MJ/m2, a rather large value for events of this size. For both kinematic and dynamic inversion we found families of solutions that fit the strong‐motion data within a certain error, confirming the strong trade‐off among inverted parameters. Finally, we demonstrate that dynamic inversion solutions are controlled by the dynamic similarity parameter κ and by seismic moment M . These two parameters define a region of model space where dynamically similar models fit the observations with approximately the same misfit.

Online Material: Figures that compare observed and synthetic waveforms for all available stations and comparison of Fourier spectrum of observed and synthetic seismograms.


This paper introduces, illustrates, and discusses the possibility of a new way of organizing data in reversal theory research. In reversal theory, questionnaire items are often situations taken to represent motivational states, e.g. working on taxes may be supposed a priori to occur in the telic state and used to indicate the presence of this state. An alternative more open approach would be to present situations to the respondent and ask them to indicate which motivational state(s) they might experience in those situations. This would involve what we might call free coding. Instead of inferring dominance profiles (say) from frequency judgements of different states, each state prevalence of a respondent would be judged from the number of different situations seen by that respondent to relate to each motivational state. Among other things this allows us to measure some new kinds of personality variables: we have called these focus, generativity, and flexibility. Situations as well as people can also have distinct characteristics or motivational profiles. This is a discussion paper that introduces this new approach and explores it with a preliminary empirical demonstration in the form of a State Pattern Investigation (SPIN).


Orally administered acetazolamide has a limited use in glaucoma due to the systemic side effects associated with its use. No topical formulation of acetazolamide is available, mainly because of it having a limited aqueous solubility and poor corneal permeation. To enhance the bioavailability of acetazolamide by the topical route and to improve the corneal permeability of the drug, niosomes of acetazolamide were prepared (employing span 60 and cholesterol) by different methods. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of the selected formulation was carried out to study the morphology. Niosomes were also prepared in the presence of dicetyl phosphate and stearylamine to obtain negatively and positively charged vesicles, respectively. It was found that the reverse‐phase evaporation method (REV) gave the maximum drug entrapment efficiency (43.75%) as compared with ether injection (39.62%) and film hydration (31.43%) techniques. Drug entrapment efficiency varied with the charge and the percent entrapment efficiency for the REV method was 43.75, 51.23 and 36.26% for neutral, positively charged and negatively charged niosomes, respectively. Corneal permeability studies, however, showed that the percent permeation and the apparent permeability coefficient for the charged niosomes were less than for the neutral ones. A bioadhesive niosomal formulation of acetazolamide was also prepared and compared with the positively charged formulation, considering that both of them would have a prolonged stay in the cul‐de‐sac because of their expected interactions with mucin. The formulations were also compared based on their intraocular pressure (IOP)‐lowering capacity. The positively charged niosomes (REV2), although showing good corneal permeability and pharmacodynamics, were however found to be inappropriate in terms of the corneal cell toxicity. The bioadhesive coated formulation (REV1bio) compared well with REV2 and also showed a much lesser toxicity. Further, the IOP‐lowering effect of the developed formulations was compared with that of a marketed formulation of dorzolamide 2%, a topical carbonic anhydrase inhibitor. The developed niosomal formulations of acetazolamide showed a comparable physiological effect (33% reduction of IOP in REV***1bio and 37% reduction in dorzolamide) with a duration of up to 6 h (the duration being 3 h for dorzolamide). Results of the study indicate that it is possible to develop a safe (as indicated by corneal toxicity studies) and physiologically active topical niosomal formulation of acetazolamide relative in efficiency to the newer local carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, dorzolamide. The developed formulations can form a cost effective treatment plan, which is especially important in the treatment of glaucoma, a chronic ailment affecting middle‐aged to old patients.


Medical secretaries may have several separate electronic nursing information systems in use, but regardless of the systems, their task is to make sure that the patient information is correct and usable.
The purpose of this study is to describe the support provided by the hospital information systems for the work of medical secretaries in patient administration tasks in different phases of the care process. The data were collected in a central hospital where medical secretaries had long been using partly electronic information systems. The data were collected using an abridged version of the Hospital Information System Monitor (HIS-monitor).
The majority of the secretaries (N=60) gave a positive assessment for the support provided by the information system for their work at patient admission, when ordering diagnostic or therapeutic examinations or procedures, and at patient discharge. In the planning and organization of care, most thought that the systems provided poor support for informing all those involved in patient care. At patient admission, nearly half considered that the support for ensuring data protection (46%) and the systems' compliance with legal obligations (44%) was poor. In connection with ordering diagnostic and therapeutic examinations and procedures, nearly half (43%) thought that information on the availability in ancillary units was not readily and easily available. At patient discharge, 40% considered that the systems did not support the identification of missing or incorrect information.
The hospital information system provides partial support for medical secretaries' work. The implementation of fully electronic systems and their functions may improve the support.


Serum and brain cytosol contains pyroglutamyl aminopeptidase activity that converts TRH to His-ProNH2 (TRH PAPase). Whereas serum TRH PAPase has specificity for TRH, this is not the case for brain cytosol PAPase. Recent reports indicate that a brain membrane fraction contains TRH PAPase that is specific for TRH and has a remarkable similarity to serum TRH PAPase. In the present studies, a method for measuring serum TRH PAPase activity and the activities of the membrane and cytosol brain TRH PAPase enzymes are described. The effect of thyroid status on these different TRH PAPase activities was determined. In hypothyroid rats serum TRH PAPase activity was decreased, whereas in rats treated with supraphysiological doses of T4 it was increased. In contrast, the cytosolic and the membrane TRH PAPase enzymes in brain were not affected by thyroid status. It is concluded that the membrane-associated brain TRH PAPase differs from the serum TRH PAPase in terms of its response to thyroid hormone. In addition, the previously reported effects of thyroid status on rat serum TRH degrading activity are explained by the finding that thyroid hormone increases serum TRH PAPase activity.


Phosphodiesterase 4D (PDE4D), part of the complex cAMP-specific PDE4 family, plays a pivotal role in the regulation of airway smooth muscle relaxation by catalyzing the hydolysis of cAMP. Its gene on chromosome 5q12 encodes 5 splice variants, which show tissue-dependent expression and regulation. The genomic arrangement of PDE4D was determined usingin silico methods, and a putative promoter of one of the protein kinase A-activated, long isoforms, PDE4D5 was identified. Promoter-luciferase constructs, transiently transfected into a β2 adrenoreceptor-expressing CHO-K1 cell line, were used to demonstrate that the PDE4D5 promoter up-regulated reporter gene expression in response to increased cell cAMP. Site-directed mutagenesis of the cAMP-response element (CRE) at position −201 identified this as the principal component of the mechanism underlying this cAMP responsiveness. In the second part of this study, cAMP-dependent induction of PDE4D5 transcript in primary cultured human airway smooth muscle cells (hASMs) was demonstrated using both qualitative reverse-transcriptase PCR and quantitative real-time PCR. Isolated PDE4D5 isoenzyme activity, measured after selective immunoprecipitation from hASMs, confirmed that this increase in expression led to an up-regulation of functional activity. We present evidence for cAMP-driven PDE4D5 up-regulation in hASMs and suggest a CRE-containing, isoform-specific promoter as the primary mechanism.


With the purpose of studying the impact of ecological health hazard conditions on the juvenile organism, a total of 192 pupils of upper grades from schools in Donetsk, Makeyevka, Mariupol (conventionally a "dirty" zone) and 126 schoolchildren from Artemovsk and Krasnyĭ Liman (conventionally a "clean" zone) were evaluated for the immunological status. Children from the polluted zone demonstrated decreased levels of lysozyme in saliva as well as of glycogen and acid phosphatase in leucocytes, there were also deviations from the norm in the peripheral blood picture. Young residents of Mariupol appeared to have the worst findings.


In June 2016, with the aim of ensuring a global improvement in the performance of the Italian System of the Environmental Agencies (SNPA) and its homogeneity on the national territory, an intercomparison circuit (IC) was planned and conducted concerning the measurements of electromagnetic fields associated with Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile communications, which were very recently introduced at that time. The intercomparison circuit, designed and built according to the criteria of ISO 17043, was organized as part of a consolidated collaboration between the Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) and the Piedmont Regional Agency for Environmental Protection (Arpa Piemonte). The results obtained, preceded by a brief description of the entire process of organization and analysis, are the subject of this work. The IC covered in particular: the narrow band measurement procedures used in the field; the choice of decoding, measurement and extrapolation of the synthesis result; the response of the instrumentation, limited to the models in the field. The site chosen by the organizers, primarily characterized through measurements and theoretical evaluation of the field, is the roof of the Lingotto Building in Turin. A total of 27 groups participated in the circuit: 25 SNPA departments (including the organizers Arpa Piemonte and ISPRA) and 2 private labs. All participants provided the results. The outcome of the comparison was decidedly positive: only 2 participants, for whom a joint assessment of possible causes will also be illustrated (according to ISO 5725:2), achieved significantly different results.


Abstract 1900 Haploidentical HCT is feasible without ex vivo T cell depletion after conditioning with reduced-dose busulfan, fludarabine, and ATG ( Lee K-H, Blood 2011 ). Furthermore, infusion of donor-derived NK cells (DNKI) after haploidentical HCT has been shown to suppress leukemia recurrence without GVHD in a murine model. Clinically, DNKI up to 2.5×10 7 /kg have been given to patients after haploidentical HCT without obvious increase in GVHD ( Yoon SR, BMT 2010 ). Clinical effect of higher dose of DNKI, however, remains to be studied. Between February 2009 and February 2012, 37 patients with hematologic malignancies (AML, 28; ALL, 7; MDS, 1; DLBCL, 1) underwent haploidentical HCT and received NK cells derived from the same HCT donors twice at 2 (DNKI#1) and 3 weeks (DNKI#2) after HCT. The donors (median age 29 years, range 7–62; offspring 22, siblings 8, and parents 7) underwent 3 to 4 daily leukapheresis after receiving G-CSF. Donated cells during the initial 2 to 3 days were transplanted without further manipulation. Cells collected on the last day were CD3 depleted and differentiated into NK cells ex vivo . In the initial study phase, as per the protocol design, three-patient cohorts each received 0.2×10 8 /kg, 0.5×10 8 /kg, and 1.0×10 8 /kg donor NK cells twice. Among these initial 9 patients, only one patient who received 1.0×10 8 cells/kg experienced grade-3 acute GVHD. Thereafter, 3 additional patients received 1.0×10 8 cells/kg twice and none experienced °Agrade-3 acute side effect or acute GVHD. For patients enrolled subsequently, donor NK cell doses were based on the quantity of cells generated. The mean viability of final donor NK cell products for DNKIs #1 and #2 were 85% and 71%, respectively; mean CD56+CD122+, 87% and 94%, respectively; and mean CD3+CD56-, 0.4% and 0.3%, respectively, excluding one case with 16% and 7%. The final cell products exhibited additional NK cell features, such as granzyme/perforin gene expression, NK cell receptor expression, TNF-α/IFN-γ production, and cell cytotoxicity against K562 cells. All 37 patients in the study received at least one DNKI. Four patients did not receive the DNKI#2 (3 due to rapid clinical deterioration and 1 due to cell expansion failure). The median cell doses were 1×10 8 /kg (range, 0.2–2.0 ×10 8 /kg) and 1×10 8 /kg (range, 0.2–4.0 ×10 8 /kg) for DNKIs #1 and #2, respectively. In all patients, DNKI was tolerated well without acute toxicities such as fever or hypotension. After HCT, neutrophil engraftment (cumulative incidence, 87%), grade 2–4 acute GVHD (19%), chronic GVHD (27%), and TRM (29%) were observed. The median follow-up period of survivors was 20.0 months (range, 6.2–41.5). Of 33 patients with refractory leukemia (AML, 25; ALL, 7) or lymphoma (n=1), 7 of 25 with AML and 6 of 8 with ALL/lymphoma experienced progression/recurrence of their underlying malignancies (cumulative incidences, 29% vs. 75%; P=0.0325). When considered together with 31 historical patients with refractory acute leukemia (AML 22; ALL 9) treated with haploidentical HCT without high-dose DNKI, univariate analysis showed that the diagnosis (AML vs ALL/lymphoma, P =0.0048), disease status at HCT (primary refractory vs relapse then refractory, P =0.0410), and patient cohort (study vs historical, P =0.0420) were the significant variable predicting less diseases progression/recurrence. Upon multivariate analysis, the diagnosis (AML vs ALL/lymphoma, P =0.005; odd ratio, 0.356; 95% CI, 0.174–0.729) and patient cohort (study vs historical, P =0.033; odd ratio, 0.471; 95% CI, 0.236–0.941) were independent variables predicting less disease progression/recurrence. Kaplan-Meier event-free and overall survival rates for study AML patients, study ALL/lymphoma patients, historical AML patients, and historical ALL patients were 39% and 36%, 0% and 0%, 7% and 0%, and 0% and 0%, respectively. Our study showed that DNKI with median total dose 2×10 8 /kg given over 2–3 weeks after haploidentical HCT was tolerated well without obvious increase in GVHD or TRM. Furthermore, DNKI after haploidentical HCT may decrease leukemia progression especially in patients with refractory AML. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Summary To investigate the number of correct responses, the reaction time and the event-related brain potentials, effects of positive and negative verbal reinforcement on the visuo-spatial recognition of simple geometric figures, in condition of backward masking, were studied in healthy subjects and patients with chronic alcoholism. It was found that in performing the mental construction of geometrical figures from pairs of fragments, the number of correct responses by alcoholics, unlike the control group, was greater and the reaction time was lesser in the tests after positive verbal reinforcement than after negative verbal reinforcement. The latter in healthy subjects produce reduction of the latency and increase in the amplitude of N200-P300 potentials, particularly in the right parietal lobe. These changes were not observed in alcoholics. Moreover, negative verbal reinforcement, unlike positive, produced an emotional reaction, which underlay the worsening in recognition by alcoholics. The patients' lesser ability to perform the visuo-spatial tasks could be explained by the general reduction in the event-related potentials and the disappearance of the brain asymmetry. The verbal feedback mechanisms of reinforcement play an important role in the dynamic changes in the hemispheric lateralization of the human brain.


The complete, comprehensive reference for all segments of hospitality VNR's Encyclopedia of Hospitality and Tourism is the essential reference for anyone in the industry. Covering the full range of topics including recipe standardization, tourism law, maintenance and engineering, psychographic segmentation, security management, guest services, and so much more, this book provides comprehensive guidance toward all aspects of the job. Each entry includes the basic tenets, latest methodologies, and issues, written by an expert in the topic. Although segmented for food service, lodging, and tourism, this complete reference covers the vast spectrum of hospitality to provide a one-stop reference for anyone working in the field.


The goal of this thesis is to produce a generic database system for an IT-company calledNinetech. In this context generic means the database system can accept any input, withinreason, without one having to create a specific database schema beforehand. The prototypewill consist of a database, web service and a dynamic-link library. The three aforementionedcomponent's design and function will be explained in chapter 2, alongside with the difficul-ties surrounding manipulating arbitrary data. The prototype's performance is evaluated inchapter 3 and conclusions are drawn in chapter 4.


Non-coding small RNAs (sRNAs) have been identified in the wide range of bacteria (also pathogenic species) and found to play an important role in the regulation of many processes, including toxin gene expression. The best characterized prokaryotic sRNAs regulate gene expression by base pairing with mRNA targets and fall into two broad classes: cis-encoded sRNAs (also called antisense RNA) and trans-acting sRNAs. Molecules from the second class are frequently considered as the most related to eukaryotic microRNAs. Interestingly, typical microRNA-size RNA molecules have also been reported in prokaryotic cells, although they have received little attention up to now. In this work we have collected information about all three types of small prokaryotic RNAs in the context of the regulation of toxin gene expression.


Background: In Alzheimer's disease (AD), brain butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) co-localizes with β-amyloid (Aβ) fibrils. Aims: In vitro testing of the significance of this phenomenon to AD progress. Methods: A thioflavine T (ThT) fluorogenic assay, photo-induced cross-linking and quantifiable electron microscopy served to compare the effect on Aβ fibril formation induced by highly purified recombinant human BChE (rBChE) produced in the milk of transgenic goats with that of serum-derived human BChE. Results: Both proteins at 1:50 and 1:25 ratios to Aβ dose-dependently prolonged the ThT lag time and reduced the apparent rate of Aβ fibril formation compared to Aβ alone. Photo-induced cross-linking tests showed that rBChE prolonged the persistence of amyloid dimers, trimers and tetramers in solution, whereas Aβ alone facilitated precipitation of such multimers from solution. Transmission electron microscopy showed that rBChE at 1:100 to Aβ prevented the formation of larger, over 150-nm-long, Aβ fibrils and reduced fibril branching compared to Aβ alone as quantified by macro programming of Image Pro® Plus software. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate that rBChE interacts with Aβ fibrils and can attenuate their formation, extension and branching, suggesting further tests of rBChE, with unlimited supply and no associated health risks, as a therapeutic agent for delaying the formation of amyloid toxic oligomers in AD patients.


The casting roll design is one of the most imprtant requirements in twin roll strip casting process Coupled analyses of heat transfer and deformation for the cast roll are carried out by use of the finite element program MARC to examine the thermal stress and deformation. The effects of several factors on thermal stress and deformation are also investigated. The amount of thermal stress increases when the ni thickness increases and when the casting speed and the copper sleeve thickness decrease.


Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients (pts) are at increased risk of herpes zoster (HZ). The most recent ACR guidelines of 2015 recommend vaccination in pts aged ≥50 years prior to starting biologic DMARDs or tofacitinib,1 an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of RA. Live zoster vaccine (LZV) has shown 70% efficacy in immunocompetent adults aged 50–59 years and 51% efficacy in those aged ≥60 years.2 We previously reported that pts with RA on background methotrexate who started 3 months of treatment with tofacitinib after LZV had similar varicella zoster virus (VZV)-specific immunity to placebo (PBO) pts, and their VZV immunity at Week 6 post-vaccination was comparable with healthy individuals aged ≥50 years.3 Objectives To evaluate the long-term effectiveness of LZV in pts with RA via the incidence of HZ after treatment with tofacitinib for up to 27 months. Methods Data were analysed from a prior cohort of pts (n=100) given LZV and then randomised 2–3 weeks later to tofacitinib 5 mg twice daily (BID) or PBO for 12 weeks (A3921237 [NCT02147587]). At 14 weeks post-vaccination, pts joining the long-term extension (LTE) study ORAL Sequel (NCT00413699; study ongoing; database not locked) initiated open-label treatment with tofacitinib 5 or 10 mg BID. The incidence of HZ post-vaccination after tofacitinib exposure up to 27 months (based on an extended follow-up beyond January 2016 data snapshot) was evaluated. Among HZ cases, we analysed measures of VZV-specific immunity with average immunity after LZV. Results 112 pts were randomised to PBO (n=57) or tofacitinib 5 mg BID (n=55). 100 pts continued to receive tofacitinib in ORAL Sequel. Five cases (not adjudicated) of HZ occurred (#1: 202 days [219 days post-LZV], #2: 267 days [281 days post-LZV], #3: 702 days [748 days post-LZV], #4: 699 days [741 days post-LZV], #5: 446 days [544 days post-LZV] after initiation of tofacitinib. Cases #1, #2, #3 and #4 were monodermatomal; #5 involved 5 dermatomes. All cases resolved with treatment. Cases #1, #4 and #5 had undetectable ELISPOT measures at baseline and Week 6 post-vaccination, indicating a lack of VZV-specific immunity. Cases #2 and #3 responded adequately to vaccination by both immunoglobulin G (IgG) and ELISPOT measures, but had lower than average VZV IgG levels, both at baseline and at Week 6. (Table). Conclusions LZV prior to treatment with tofacitinib is effective at boosting IgG levels and cell-mediated immunity towards VZV. No pts who developed both strong cell-mediated and humoral immunity against VZV developed HZ. Of the 5 pts who developed HZ, 3 did not have any cell-mediated response and 2 had a low humoral response. References Singh JA et al. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken) 2016; 68: 1–25. Hales CM et al. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2014; 63: 729–731. Winthrop K et al. Arthritis Rheumatol 2015; 67: Abstract 12L. Acknowledgements This study was sponsored by Pfizer Inc. The authors would like to acknowledge Lisa McNeil. Editorial support was provided by K Haines and C Evans of CMC and was funded by Pfizer Inc. Disclosure of Interest K. Winthrop Grant/research support from: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Pfizer Inc, Consultant for: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Pfizer Inc, UCB, A. Wouters Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, E. Choy Grant/research support from: Pfizer Inc, Consultant for: Pfizer Inc, Speakers bureau: Pfizer Inc, C. Nduaka Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, P. Biswas Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, L. Wang Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, J. Hodge Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, I. Lazariciu Consultant for: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Quintiles, K. Soma Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, C. Mojcik Shareholder of: Pfizer Inc, Employee of: Pfizer Inc, W. F. Rigby Grant/research support from: Amgen, Pfizer Inc, Roche, Consultant for: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Pfizer Inc, Roche


The performance of devices an circuits is advancing at a rapid pace with the advent of submicron design ground rules and switching times under 50 ps. The requirements for probing the internal nodes of these ultra-fast, -small, and -dense circuits give rise to great challenges for high-speed electron-beam testing. In this paper, we review the steps which have allowed electron-beam testing to achieve simultaneously 5-ps temporal resolution, 0.1-µm spot size, and 3 mV/√Hz voltage sensitivity. The resulting newly developed instrument, called the picosecond photoelectron scanning electron microscope (PPSEM), is capable of measuring the state-of-the-art bipolar and FET circuits and also VLSI passive interconnects.


Astronomy & Astrophysics Hydroxyacetonitrile (HOCH 2 CN) as a precursor for formylcyanide (CHOCN), ketenimine (CH 2 CNH), and cyanogen (NCCN) in astrophysical conditions ABSTRACT Context. The reactivity in astrophysical environments can be investigated in the laboratory through experimental simulations, which provide understanding of the formation of specific molecules detected in the solid phase or in the gas phase of these environments. In this context, the most complex molecules are generally suggested to form at the surface of interstellar grains and to be released into the gas phase through thermal or non-thermal desorption, where they can be detected through rotational spectroscopy. Here, we focus our experiments on the photochemistry of hydroxyacetonitrile (HOCH 2 CN), whose formation has been shown to compete with aminomethanol (NH 2 CH 2 OH), a glycine precursor, through the Strecker synthesis. Aims. We present the first experimental investigation of the ultraviolet (UV) photochemistry of hydroxyacetonitrile (HOCH 2 CN) as a pure solid or diluted in water ice. Methods. We used Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy to characterize photoproducts of hydroxyacetonitrile (HOCH 2 CN) and to determine the different photodegradation pathways of this compound. To improve the photoproduct identifications, irradiations of hydroxyacetonitrile 14 N and 15 N isotopologues were performed, coupled with theoretical calculations. Results. We demonstrate that the photochemistry of pure hydroxyacetonitrile (HOCH 2 CN) (σ photo = 5.7 ± 1.0 × 10 −20 photon s −1 cm 2) under the influence of UV photons, or diluted in water ice (σ photo = 8.6 ± 1.0 × 10 −20 photon s −1 cm 2), leads to the formation of formylcyanide (CHOCN), ketenimine (CH 2 CNH), formaldehyde (CH 2 O), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), carbon monoxyde (CO), and carbon dioxyde (CO 2); the presence of water increases its photodegradation rate. Furthermore, because hydroxyacetonitrile is more highly refractory than water, our results suggest that in astrophysical environments, hydroxyacetonitrile can be formed on icy grains from formaldehyde and hydrogen cyanide, and can be subsequently photodegradated in the water ice, or irradiated as a pure solid at the surface of dry grains after water desorption. As some of the hydroxyacetonitrile photochemistry products are detected in protostellar cores (e.g. formylcyanide or ketenimine), this compound maybe considered as one of the possible sources of these molecules at the grain surface in fairly cold regions. These photoproducts can then be released in the gas phase in a warmer region.


The vertebrate brain emerged more than ∼500 million years ago in common evolutionary ancestors. To systematically trace its cellular and molecular origins, we established a spatially resolved cell type atlas of the entire brain of the sea lamprey – a jawless species whose phylogenetic position affords the reconstruction of ancestral vertebrate traits – based on extensive single-cell RNA-seq and in situ sequencing data. Comparisons of this atlas to neural data from the mouse and other jawed vertebrates unveiled various shared features that enabled the reconstruction of the core cell type composition, tissue structures, and gene expression programs of the ancestral brain. However, our analyses also revealed key tissues and cell types that arose later in evolution. For example, the ancestral vertebrate brain was likely devoid of cerebellar cell types and oligodendrocytes (myelinating cells); our data suggest that the latter emerged from astrocyte-like evolutionary precursors on the jawed vertebrate lineage. Our work illuminates the cellular and molecular architecture of the ancestral vertebrate brain and provides a foundation for exploring its diversification during evolution.


The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of 177Lu-prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-617 (177Lu-PSMA) and selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT) for the treatment of liver metastases of castration-resistant prostate cancer. Methods: Safety and survival of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and liver metastases assigned to 177Lu-PSMA alone (n = 31) or in combination with SIRT (n = 5) were retrospectively analyzed. Additionally, a subgroup (n = 10) was analyzed using morphologic and molecular response criteria. Results: Median estimated survival was 5.7 mo for 177Lu-PSMA alone and 8.4 mo for combined sequential 177Lu-PSMA and SIRT. 177Lu-PSMA achieved discordant therapy responses with both regressive and progressive liver metastases in the same patient (best vs. worst responding metastases per patient: −35% vs. +63% diameter change; P < 0.05). SIRT was superior to 177Lu-PSMA for the treatment of liver metastases (0% vs. 56% progression). Conclusion: The combination of 177Lu-PSMA and SIRT is efficient and feasible for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. 177Lu-PSMA alone seems to have limited response rates in the treatment of liver metastases.


Since being first described by Leonardo da Vinci in 1513 it has remained an enigma why the endocardial surfaces of the adult heart retain a complex network of muscular trabeculae – with their persistence thought to be a vestige of embryonic development. For causative physiological inference we harness population genomics, image-based intermediate phenotyping and in silico modelling to determine the effect of this complex cardiovascular trait on function. Using deep learning-based image analysis we identified genetic associations with trabecular complexity in 18,097 UK Biobank participants which were replicated in an independently measured cohort of 1,129 healthy adults. Genes in these associated regions are enriched for expression in the fetal heart or vasculature and implicate loci associated with haemodynamic phenotypes and developmental pathways. A causal relationship between increasing trabecular complexity and both ventricular performance and electrical activity are supported by complementary biomechanical simulations and Mendelian randomisation studies. These findings show that myocardial trabeculae are a previously-unrecognised determinant of cardiovascular physiology in adult humans.


The relative concentrations of IgA, IgG, IgM, and B1C were determined for the human cornea and related ocular structures. IgG and IgA were demonstrated in both the central and peripheral cornea; IgG concentration was approximately six to seven times greater than that of IgA. IgM and B1C were not measurably present. Ocular diffusion patterns of these molecules were also evaluated.


William D. Nordhaus: In a democracy, one might suppose, the decisions of elected politicians are to some extent influenced by public opinion. This is the motivation for the question, which Alan Blinder and Alan Krueger address in this paper, of how public opinion and, specifically, public opinion about economic affairs is determined. Blinder and Krueger investigate the state of economic knowledge and preferences among the general public by tracking down a random sample and asking them a battery of fact questions (to determine their knowledge), personal questions (to determine their self-interest), and economic policy questions (to see where they stand on the issues of the day). No one should be surprised to learn that the authors have gone about this task in a thoughtful manner and have produced many interesting findings. The survey has been carefully administered, and the response rate is high. My comments will raise a number of questions about their questions, which leave me thinking that survey research is even harder than I originally imagined. To begin with, one might ask whether the respondents behave like the textbook homo economicus classicus. Somewhere, someone probably believes that economic policy opinions are formed by continuous-time maximization of a consistent preference function maximizing the present value of the utility of consumption using Bayesian updating in light of the constant inflow of data from the Internet, several televisions tuned to the financial channels, and a live feed from the Brookings Panel. But anyone who still entertains that notion will quickly discard it after reading this paper. What do we learn about the public's economic opinions? In reality, public opinions about the economy in a democracy are the outcome of a very complex process in which people try to sort through conflicting accounts and theories, often provided by unreliable narrators. The news contains much factual reporting (including the Dow Jones average to seven significant digits), but very little analytical reporting. Analyses are often shaded by political motives (if by public figures), by profit motives (if by companies), or by desire for publicity (if by private individuals). Even a good news source such as PBS's Jim Lehrer NewsHour feels it has to present a balanced point of view, where "balanced" means someone is there to defend supply-side economics. Americans report that, of all professions, they trust nurses most and car salesmen and HMO managers least. (1) Canadians report that they trust pharmacists most and national politicians least (only 9 percent of Canadians trust the latter). (2) Yet people get much of their economic knowledge from national politicians and little from nurses and pharmacists. I suspect that most people view getting economic information somewhat akin to extracting a referral from their HMO. Given the difficulties of knowing whom to trust and the contentiousness of most policy discussions, it would not be surprising if the public is confused at best and ill informed at worst. How do Blinder and Krueger attack this issue? They administer a battery of nine fact questions to see how their respondents have sorted through the varieties of conflicting opinions. I admit that I found some of the questions vaguely unsatisfying, partly because recall of numerical facts is not identical with sound economic analysis. In addition, I found myself constantly worrying about the questions. For example, on taxes the question was "About what percentage of the typical American family's income do you think goes to paying taxes--including all levels of government?" This is actually a very hard question. Does "typical" mean median or average or what the respondent thinks is a typical nuclear family? Should I be economically sophisticated and include production taxes and business taxes in the numerator, as a good public finance theorist would recommend and a good Chicago economist would predict? …


This edition of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regional economic update shows that recovery in the region is below historical trends. Its economic prospects depend on global developments and continued strengths in emerging-market demand and oil price trends. Growth in the region is expected to average 4% in 2010, an increase of slightly less than 2 percentage points (pp) over growth in 2009 and weak compared to increases of 5.6pp in advanced economies and 4.5pp in developing nations. Only by 2011 and 2012 is MENA's growth expected to return to the average rates achieved prior to the economic and financial crisis. Recovery has been driven by the global economic rebound and, to varying degrees, by domestic stimulus. Industrial production, which in MENA is dominated by oil, has nearly reached its pre-crisis peak, largely due to the strong recovery in emerging markets, especially Asia. However, the upturn has weakened in recent months because the global slowdown has arrived sooner and is occurring faster than previously anticipated, and there are serious concerns about the sustainability of the global recovery. In response, MENA governments have continued to stimulate their economies in 2010, and even those that did not use any type of fiscal stimulus in 2009 have started implementing fiscal measures in 2010. The economic recovery in MENA has been much less vigorous than the recovery in countries that suffered sharp output contractions. The sustainability of the recovery in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) economies depends on developments in the rest of the world, and on the extent to which they affect oil markets. The outlook for the global economy and oil markets in the second half of 2010 remains uncertain, and a decline in oil prices cannot be ruled out.


A 66-year-old male underwent left hemicolectomy for rectal adenocarcinoma in 2008. Five years later he was admitted to hospital with abdominal pain. A computed tomography scan revealed notable thickening of the middle of the ascending colon wall, and colonoscopy revealed an ulcerofungating mass of 3×3 cm in the cecum and extending to the ascending colon. Under the consideration of cancer recurrence, laparoscopic right hemicolectomy was performed directly. Surgical specimens revealed sheets of large pleomorphic lymphoid cells with nuclei of different sizes, nucleoli and mitotic phases visible in most cells. These tested positive for CD45, CD20 and CD79a diffusely, but negative for CD3, CD5, Bcl-2, Bcl-6 and ALK. The Ki-67 proliferation index was 40%. Epstein-Barr virus in situ hybridization did not reveal any positive signals in any of the tumor cells. Based on these findings, the recurrent tumor was diagnosed as diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. The patient could have avoided surgery and received chemotherapy only; however, the case was confounded by the patient's prior history of colorectal cancer due to the rarity of colon lymphoma following rectal cancer in the same patient. It is therefore essential to investigate carefully and differentiate between potential lesions during routine postoperative colonoscopy following colorectal cancer surgery, as patients may present with rare colon lymphoma, which may be confused with a recurrence of colorectal cancer.


As the step of development of superconducting tokamak toroidal magnet system, a Cluster Test system is being constructed. The test facility has two coils, called cluster test coil (CTC), in a sector position, which provides back-ground field to a test module coil (TMC). The oval-shaped TMC has a mean width of 1.5 m and a mean height of 2.0 m. And it is designed to operate at a peak field of 8 T and an average current density of 3 KA/cm2on the winding space when CTC, operated with rated current, has 7 T as a peak field with current density of 3 KA/cm2. Experience on the Cluster Test will provide fabrication techniques and verifications of computer codes for future toroidal coil design principles.


Evaluation skills are central to effective development work. Evaluation captures real results, leads to feedback and learning, and identifies areas where more capacity is needed. It is also an essential tool for making mid-course corrections in ongoing programs, developing appropriate indicators, tracking an individual's or organization's capacity to deliver on its mandate, and guiding the design of future programming. Donors now expect countries to be full partners in the development process, which means that they need to have the capacity to evaluate their own progress and to use the findings to continuously improve their performance. The evidence suggests that these changes can potentially have a transformative effect on governance and make poverty reduction efforts dramatically more effective. The World Bank, in partnership with Carleton University in Ottawa, is currently providing evaluation capacity development through its International Program for Development Evaluation Training (IPDET), which has already trained more than 850 practitioners from 100 countries.


This paper introduces an annotation language and a compiler that together can customize a library implementation for specific application needs. Our approach is distinguished by its ability to exploit high level, domain-specific information in the customization process. In particular, the annotations provide semantic information that enables our compiler to analyze and optimize library operations as if they were primitives of a domain-specific language. Thus, our approach yields many of the performance benefits of domain-specific languages, without the effort of developing a new compiler for each domain.
This paper presents the annotation language, describes its role in optimization, and illustrates the benefits of the overall approach. Using a partially implemented compiler, we show how our system can significantly improve the performance of two applications written using the PLAPACK parallel linear algebra library.


Background Aerobic exercise is a critical component of cardiac rehabilitation following cardiac surgery. Aerobic exercise is traditionally commenced 2–6 weeks following hospital discharge and most commonly includes stationary cycling or treadmill walking. The initiation of aerobic exercise within this early postoperative period not only introduces the benefits associated with aerobic activity sooner, but also ameliorates the negative effects of immobilization associated with the early postoperative period. Methods A systematic review identified all studies reporting safety and efficacy outcomes of aerobic exercise commenced within two weeks of cardiac surgery. A meta-analysis was performed comparing functional, aerobic and safety outcomes in patients receiving early postoperative aerobic exercise compared with usual postoperative care. Results Six-minute walk test distance at hospital discharge was 419 ± 88 m in early aerobic exercise patients versus 341 ± 81 m in those receiving usual care (mean difference 69.5 m, 95% confidence interval (CI) 39.2–99.7 m, p < 0.00001). Peak aerobic power was 18.6 ± 3.8 ml·kg–1·min–1 in those receiving early exercise versus 15.0 ± 2.1 ml·kg–1·min–1 in usual care (mean difference 3.20 ml·kg–1·min–1, 95% CI 1.45–4.95, p = 0.0003). There was no significant difference in adverse events rates between the two groups (odds ratio 0.41, 95% CI 0.12–1.42, p = 0.16). Conclusion Aerobic exercise commenced early after cardiac surgery significantly improves functional and aerobic capacity following cardiac surgery. While adverse event rates did not differ significantly, patients included were very low risk. Further studies are required to adequately assess safety outcomes of aerobic exercise commenced early after cardiac surgery.


Background Temporal visual processing is strongly deteriorated in patients with schizophrenia. For example, the interval required between a visual stimulus and a subsequent mask has to be much longer in schizophrenic patients than in healthy controls. We investigated whether this deficit in temporal resolution is accompanied by prolonged visual persistence and/or deficient temporal precision (temporal asynchrony perception). Methodology/Principal Findings We investigated visual persistence in three experiments. In the first, measuring temporal processing by so-called backward masking, prolonged visible persistence is supposed to decrease performance. In the second experiment, requiring temporal integration, prolonged persistence is supposed to improve performance. In the third experiment, we investigated asynchrony detection, as another measure of temporal resolution. Eighteen patients with schizophrenia and 15 healthy controls participated. Asynchrony detection was intact in the patients. However, patients' performance was inferior compared to healthy controls in the first two experiments. Hence, temporal processing in schizophrenic patients is indeed significantly impaired but this impairment is not caused by prolonged temporal integration. Conclusions/Significance Our results argue against a generally prolonged visual persistence in patients with schizophrenia. Together with the preserved ability of patients, to detect temporal asynchronies in permanently presented stimuli, the results indicate a more specific deficit in temporal processing of schizophrenic patients.


Wilmot, T. J. (1972).Brit. J. industr. Med.,29, 125-133. The meaning of modern audiological tests in relation to noise-induced deafness: a review. If noise-induced deafness becomes a prescribed disease, it is inevitable that a very large number of workers with hearing difficulties will be discovered and will pose serious problems for both industrial medical officers and otologists working in the National Health Service. The two main problems are detection of deafness and a decision whether the hearing loss is attributable to noise damage. This paper is concerned largely with the second problem, and outlines in general terms the procedures likely to be required. After a short discussion of the initial screening procedure the paper concentrates upon those who fail to pass the requisite standard, and describes how modern hearing tests help to differentiate between various types of hearing loss. The traditional belief that conductive deafness and sensorineural deafness are easily differentiated holds true only in classical examples. In practice, in many cases, there are often mixed elements of both. In these individuals the acoustic impedance meter may give important objective evidence on the functions of the Eustachian tube, the tympanic membrane and ossicular chain, and the small but important intratympanic muscles. Even a pure sensorineural deafness may be present without being caused by noise, and the uses of speech tests and tests for `recruitment' are invaluable in the differential diagnosis of this type of hearing loss. Whereas noise-induced deafness is usually bilateral, unilateral deafness can be caused or aggravated by noise, and our problems are increased in these cases as efficient `masking' of the good ear is essential before we can obtain any true information about the impaired hearing ear. One of the other problems is malingering. This may be deliberate, or a person with good hearing may believe it to be impaired; both varieties are now usually known as non-organic hearing loss. Usually the simplest differentiating factor is the ability of someone with non-organic hearing loss to hear the spoken word much more easily than pure tones, and this sign should always make one suspicious of this type of disorder. Modern auditory analysis should enable the otologist who is equipped with suitable apparatus to diagnose with some precision the site and extent of most auditory disorders and to evaluate the proportion of noise-induced hearing loss in each individual affected.


A few recent contributions have claimed that in high-tech industries—where innovation is often cumulative and products include many components which are protected by patents in the hands of many different patent holders—the cost of obtaining all necessary licenses is too high. Some have even requested sweeping policy reforms to deal with the so-called royalty stacking problem. In this Essay we find that the empirical evidence—including new evidence for the 3G telecom industry—does not corroborate the gloomy predictions of the proponents of the royalty stacking hypothesis. A careful look at the theoretical underpinnings of this hypothesis explains the lack of empirical support. First, three necessary conditions must be satisfied for a royalty stacking problem to exist: (a) innovation must be cumulative, so that the patents are complementary; (b) there must be many patents for a given product; and (c) the many patents must be held by numerous, distinct rights holders. Second, royalty stacking may not be a problem even if the three necessary conditions are met; i.e., the three necessary conditions are not sufficient. And, third, several market mechanisms, such as cross licensing or voluntary patent pools, can be used to mitigate the costs of multiple concurrent patent negotiations. We conclude that the so-called royalty stacking problem is more myth than reality and that there is no reason to adopt the dramatic reforms in antitrust and patent law that have been recently proposed by, inter alia, Lemley and Shapiro (2006).


Climate research requires monitoring a large range of spatial and temporal scales to understand the climate system and potential future impacts. Climate simulations are now run with very high resolution (1–10 km gridcells) ocean, sea ice, and atmosphere components, and can easily produce petabytes of output. This overloads storage systems and hinders visualization and analysis. Image databases can decrease storage sizes from petabytes of simulation output down to several hundred gigabytes of images. In this paper, we introduce video compression as a method to further decrease database sizes by 2-4 orders of magnitude. We compare compression and access speeds, compressed sizes, and compression quality over a range of settings. Quality is assessed through image quality metrics and expert feedback. Overall, we were able to show that video compression techniques provide an efficient means of storing image databases at a shareable size, while preserving image quality. This enables the wise use of available disk space, so scientists can more easily study the physical features of interest.


We propose a new method for matching two 3D point sets of identical cardinality with global similarity but locally nonrigid distribution. This problem arises from marker-based optical motion capture systems. The point-sets are extracted from similar design poses of two subjects with underlying nonrigidity and possible distribution discrepancies, one being a model set (manually identified) and the other representing observation of another subject, to be matched to the model set. There exists neither a single global scale, nor an affine transformation between the point-sets. To establish the goal of a one-to-one for identification, we introduce a k-dimensional tree based method, which is well adapted and robust to such data, typically with distribution errors due to underlying subject nonrigidity. First, we construct a k-d tree for the model set. Then a similarity k-d tree of the data set is constructed following the structure information embedded in the model tree. Matching sequences of the two point sets are generated by traversing the identically structured trees. Experimental results confirm that this method is applicable for robust spatial matching of sparse point sets under nonrigid distortion.


Introduction: Breastfeeding is one of the most natural and best forms of preventive medicine for the newborns. Lack of optimal breastfeeding contributes to about over million preventable child deaths every year. Despite numerous benefits of breastfeeding and continuous efforts to improve breastfeeding practices, breastfeeding rates are far from optimal. Problems faced by lactating mothers while breastfeeding are main reason leading to non-exclusive breastfeeding or early termination of breastfeeding. This descriptive study is aimed at examining breastfeeding problems among women visiting Lactation Management Unit [LMU] at Bhutan's national referral hospital in Thimphu.
 Methods: Data of all 2751 women-infant pair visiting Lactation management unit of Jigme Dorji Wangchuck National Referral Hospital with breastfeeding problems were double entered into Epi Data (version 3.1). Using STATA, descriptive statistical analyses were carried to examine common breastfeeding problems among the lactating mothers. Exclusive breastfeeding rates were also examined among the group.
Results: The commonest types of breastfeeding problem were nipple sore (60.8%), incorrect breastfeeding techniques (12.9%), and nipple problems (8.2%). Teenage, first timers, caesarean delivery, preterm infants, underweight infants, and mothers with full time paid job were more likely to suffer from breastfeeding problems.
Conclusion: Breastfeeding interventions for timely correction of breastfeeding techniques early in postnatal units could warrant prevention of up to 73.7% breastfeeding problems and thus, promoting exclusive breastfeeding and preventing early termination of breastfeeding.


ABSTRACT Although the blockade of the programmed cell death protein 1/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) pathway has become a promising treatment strategy for several types of cancers, the constitutive activation of c-Met in tumors may cause a low overall response rate to PD-1 inhibitors. Increasing evidence indicates that the dual inhibition of c-Met and PD-1 could improve the efficacy of anti-PD-1/PD-L1 monoclonal antibodies for tumor immunotherapy. In this study, we developed two bispecific single-chain diabodies targeting c-Met and PD-1 for the treatment of solid tumors based on protein homology modeling, and we identified that the binding affinity of diabody-mp to c-Met was 50-folds higher than that of diabody-pm. The results of in vitro studies revealed that both diabodies suppressed HGF-induced proliferation, migration, and invasion of tumor cells, inhibiting the activation of c-Met signaling by antagonizing HGF binding to c-Met. Moreover, they promoted T cell activation by blocking the PD-1 pathway, mediating tumor cellular cytotoxicity through T cell engagement. In vivo studies with mice models demonstrated that diabody-mp exhibited higher therapeutic efficacy than other structural antibodies, greatly enhancing the survival of c-Met-positive tumor-bearing mice compared to single or combined c-Met and PD-1 blockade therapy. Furthermore, diabody-mp, which had a higher c-Met binding affinity, showed better anti-tumoral activity than diabody-pm, which had a lower c-Met binding affinity. In conclusion, bispecific anti-PD-1/c-Met diabody-mp, with high c-Met-associated affinity, inhibited tumor growth by activating T cells, suggesting its therapeutic potential for c-Met-positive solid tumors.


Background Health promotion interventions that are developed and evaluated by researchers and other external providers are at risk of not being sustained beyond the initial implementation period. When delivered by a lay school health worker, the SEHER study of a whole-school health promotion intervention in Bihar, India was found to be feasible, acceptable and effective in improving school climate and student health behaviors. The objective of this case study is to describe the decision-making processes, barriers, and enablers to continuing the SEHER intervention following its official closure. Methods For this exploratory qualitative case study, data were collected from four government-run secondary schools, two of which continued SEHER and two of which discontinued it after official closure. Thirteen school staff were interviewed, and 100 girls and boys (aged 15–18  years old) participated in eight focus groups discussing their experiences of the process of continuing the intervention (or discontinuing) following its official closure. Thematic analysis was conducted in NVivo 12 using grounded theory. Results No school sustained the intervention as originally delivered in the research trial. In two schools, the intervention was adapted by selecting sustainable components, whereas in two others it was discontinued altogether. We identified four interrelated themes that explained the complex decision-making process, barriers, and enablers related to program continuation: (1) understanding of the intervention philosophy among school staff; (2) school capabilities to continue with intervention activities; (3) school attitudes and motivation about implementing the intervention, and; (4) the education policy environment and governance structures. Suggestions for overcoming barriers included adequate resource allocation; training, supervision, and support from external providers and the Ministry of Education; and formal government approval to continue the intervention. Conclusion Sustaining this whole-school health promotion intervention in low-resource school settings in India depended on individual, school and government factors as well as external support. These findings suggest that health interventions will not necessarily become embedded in a school's operations merely because they are designed as a whole-school approach or because they are effective. Research should identify the resources and processes required to balance planning for future sustainability while awaiting trial results about an intervention's effectiveness.


This study estimates the relationship between production and salary structure in Major League Soccer (MLS), the highest level of professional soccer (association football) in North America. Soccer production, measured as league points per game, is modeled as a function of a team's total wage bill, the distribution of the team's wage bill, and goals per game. Both the Gini coefficient and the coefficient of variation are utilized to measure salary inequality. The results indicate that production in MLS is negatively responsive to increases in the salary inequality; the estimation model with the best fit uses the coefficient of variation to measure dispersion. Furthermore, MLS teams appear to be constrained in their choices of salary inequality by the salary cap and other regulations.


Drawing from an environmental gerontology perspective that highlights the proactivity of older adults, this study regards relocation from home to home predominantly as an active and goaldirected process of person-environment regulation. The main objectives of the study were to explore: (1) what kind of relocation motivations are prevalent, (2) what objective environmental changes are associated with relocation, and (3) what relations exist between motivations and environmental change. With respect to relocation motivations, the study differentiates between content (person, physical environment, social environment, other external or societal) and level of need (basic needs, anticipated basic needs, higher-order needs). Furthermore, four domains of objective change (household amenities, stimulation, availability of resources, social network) are addressed. Data collected by a phone interview procedure was drawn from a sample of 217 older adults (mean age = 70.7; range 60-89; 37.8% male and 62.2% female) who moved from home to home within a 3-year period (M = 1.9 years, SD = 0.9) before assessment. Results indicate that subjects had multiple reasons for moving, a considerable portion of which addressed higher-order needs. Subjects generally improved all domains of the sociophysical setting as a consequence of the move. The relationship between objective environmental change and subjective motivation could only be partially confirmed. However, links were found between basic needs and barrier reduction, as well as between social motives and proximity of family after the move. Trouble in Paradise? Reasons to Relocate and Objective Environmental Changes 3


9-beta-D-Arabinofuranosyladenine 5'-triphosphate (ara-ATP) is an inhibitor both of DNA polymerase-alpha and -beta from noninfected rabbit kidney cells and of the DNA-dependent DNA polymerase induced by herpes simplex virus Type 1 (strain IES). The studies were performed with partially purified enzymes, and each of the different polymerase preparations contained only one DNA-dependent DNA polymerase species. These enzymes were inhibited in a competitive manner. The HSV-induced DNA-dependent DNA polymerase was 39-fold more sensitive to ara-ATP than was cellular DNA polymerase-beta and 116-fold more sensitive than cellular DNA polymerase-alpha. The affinity of the HSV-induced enzyme for ara-ATP was only slightly influenced by the use of different template/initiators in the enzyme assays. In intact cell systems DNA synthesis was affected by 9-beta-D-arabinofuranosyladenine (ara-A) as indicated by the reduced incorporation of deoxythymidine. In herpesvirus-(strain Lennette)-infected cells, however, ara-A shows no influence on the incorporation on deoxythymidine into cellular DNA, but it substantially reduces the incorporation into viral DNA. Ara-A itself is incorporated into both cellular and herpesviral (strain Lennette, D-316 and IES) DNA during DNA synthesis.


This is the project report for CSCI-GA.2271-001. We target human pose estimation in artistic images. For this goal, we design an end-to-end system that uses neural style transfer for pose regression. We collect a 277-style set for arbitrary style transfer and build an artistic 281-image test set. We directly run pose regression on the test set and show promising results. For pose regression, we propose a 2d-induced bone map from which pose is lifted. To help such a lifting, we additionally annotate the pseudo 3d labels of the full in-the-wild MPII dataset. Further, we append another style transfer as self supervision to improve 2d. We perform extensive ablation studies to analyze the introduced features. We also compare end-to-end with per-style training and allude to the tradeoff between style transfer and pose regression. Lastly, we generalize our model to the real-world human dataset and show its potentiality as a generic pose model. We explain the theoretical foundation in Appendix. We release code at this https URL, data, and video.


The mass fragmentation of twelve new 2- and 4-alkylthio substituted derivatives of uracils is discussed and fragmentation pathways, elucidation of which was assisted by accurate mass measurements and metastable transitions, are proposed. It has been found that the position of uracil ring thiation may be deduced on the basis of mass spectral fragmentation patterns.


This paper deals with mechanical fault diagnosis in induction machines from stator current measurements. Mechanical faults lead to amplitude or phase modulations on stator currents that induce different time-frequency signatures. However, the time-frequency representations apply on complex signals for a univocal phase and modulus definition. When modulation frequencies are lower than the carrier frequency, this complex signal is the analytic signal obtained through the Hilbert transform of the real measured signal. However, bearing faults, for instance, may produce high frequency modulations. An alternative is to obtain the complex signal through the Concordia transform that takes advantage of the additional information available using two of the three phases of an electrical machine. However, Concordia Transform requires the previous validation of a particular stator current model in three phase machine in case of mechanical faults. This paper uses the argument of the Fourier Transform for the validation of the model. Using the Hilbert and Concordia transforms of the proposed model, the Wigner-Ville distribution of narrow-band and wide-band frequency modulated signal is expressed. Finally, this paper applies the two transforms on simulated and experimental signals and provides a diagnosis of amplitude or phase modulation in various conditions.