wileyonlinelibrary.com/journal/jch J Clin Hypertens. 2018;20:496–498. ©2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Avoiding the devastating implications of the soaring global burden of hypertension has become the focus of a great deal of attention recently. Given these implications, significant effort has been paid to understand better the factors leading to this global public health crisis. Across the African continent, the prevalence of hypertension is on the rise, with reported rates as high as 46% in some populations in South Africa.1 This higher than average prevalence of hypertension has been reported across the African diaspora including populations within the United States, the United Kingdom, and the Caribbean.2-4 Thus, the increased prevalence of hypertension coupled with the enhanced sequelae of the target organ damage associated with an elevated blood pressure in persons of African ancestry calls into question the role that genetics might play in the preponderance of hypertension among African populations. The genetics governing the phenotypic state, that is, raised blood pressure and hypertension, is fascinating but equally complex and enigmatic with several advances having been made over the last 30 years. On the one hand are rare monogenetic hypertensive syndromes, which at best account for less than 5% of all cases of hypertension. These syndromes frequently demonstrate traditional Mendelian genetics with the inherence of autosomal and Xlinked dominant and recessive traits. Key examples of these inherited secondary causes of hypertension include familial hyperaldosteronism, familial pheochromocytoma, and Bartter and Gitelman syndrome, among others. On the other hand are the majority of cases of hypertension (frequently labeled primary or essential hypertension), for which no single culpable gene defect can be identified, but genetics still may play an underpinning role.5 In these cases, hypertension is thought to be the culmination of multiple inherited genes across the entire genome, which demonstrate varied levels of expression and interactions. However, teasing out and understanding these complex polygenetic inheritance patterns in essential hypertension is an elusive pursuit. Through advances in genetics, such as genomewide mapping, has come the identification of subtle genetic variations among individuals. Notably, in some instances, clustering of these variations has been seen across populations and might provide insight into the inheritance of common diseases, such as cardiovascular disease, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. One mechanism of genetic variation that has emerged is the common phenomenon of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) whose role in disease continues to be under examination. Single nucleotide polymorphisms are responsible for 90% of human genetic variation; SNP refers to changes (termed polymorphism) in specific nucleotides at fixed portions of the DNA sequence that occur approximately once in every 1000 nucleotide bases6 and are present in all individuals. These SNPs are passed on from generation to generation largely unaltered. Given their preponderance, the large majority of SNPs have no clinical significance, residing in noncoding parts of the genome, but with detailed analysis through populationbased studies, several key SNPs potentially involved in an elevation of blood pressure have emerged. These may both predispose individuals to hypertension and play important roles in how certain antihypertensive drugs, such as those that mediate the reninangiotensinaldosterone system (RAAS) system, lower blood pressure. However, in spite of our growing knowledge, the application of genetics to predicting persons at risk for hypertension has not lived up to expectations.7 To explore further the role that genetics may play in the development of hypertension, in this edition of the Journal, Yako, Balti, Matsha et al. present a timely and important article titled "Genetic Factors Contributing to Hypertension in African Based Populations: A Systematic Review and MetaAnalysis," which seeks to identify clinically significant SNPs in the development of hypertension among African populations. In this comprehensive review composed of 38 studies, the majority of which were casecontrolled trials, a number of SNPs were examined, with a varied impact on blood pressure in select African populations. For example, an initial observation of the article was that the AGTTI47M gene, a RAAS gene, was found DOI: 10.1111/jch.13249


Despite extensive animal and clinical experimentation, the mechanisms responsible for the normal regulation of arterial pressure and development of essential or primary hypertension remain unclear. One basic concept was championed by Guyton and other authors [1–4]: the long-term regulation of arterial pressure is intimately linked to the ability of the kidneys to excrete sufficient sodium chloride to maintain normal sodium balance, extracellular fluid volume, and blood volume at normotensive arterial pressures. Therefore, it is not surprising that renal disease is the most common cause of secondary hypertension. Furthermore, derangements in renal function from subtle to overt are probably involved in the pathogenesis of most if not all cases of essential hypertension [5]. Evidence of generalized microvascular disease may be causative of both hypertension and progressive renal insufficiency [5,6]. The interactions are complex because the kidneys are a major target for the detrimental consequences of uncontrolled hypertension. When hypertension is left untreated, positive feedback interactions may occur that lead progressively to greater hypertension and additional renal injury. These interactions culminate in malignant hypertension, stroke, other sequelae, and death [7]. In normal persons, an increased intake of sodium chloride leads to appropriate adjustments in the activity of various humoral, neural, and paracrine mechanisms. These mechanisms alter systemic and renal hemodynamics and increase sodium excretion without increasing arterial pressure [3,8]. Regardless of the initiating factor, decreases in sodium excretory capability in the face of normal or increased sodium intake lead to chronic increases in extracellular fluid volume and blood volume. These increases can result in hypertension. When the derangements also include increased levels of humoral or neural factors that directly cause vascular smooth muscle constriction, these effects increase peripheral vascular resistance or decrease vascular capacitance. Under these conditions the effects of subtle increases in blood volume are compounded because of increases in the blood volume relative to L. Gabriel Navar L. Lee Hamm


The article is devoted to the history of foundation of University in Voronezh. The idea of establishing a regional university appeared since the beginning of  the 19th century. This issue had already been discussed by Voronezh  society and the educational community. Nevertheless, the implementation of  this idea became possible only in 1918 when the Russian teaching staff of  former Yuriev (Derpt) University was evacuated from Estonia to Russia. This  relocation was not a random event since Voronezh was an administrative,  economic and cultural centre of Black Earth Region of Russia. In the early  XIX it had been planned that it would be one of the Russian cities where the  universities should be open. In 1879 the newspaper Novoe vremya published the article "Voronezh University" where the author raised the  question of establishing a University. In 1907–1908 the idea was  substantiated by an eminent geographer P. Semenov- Tyan-Shansky. And  only in spring 1918, when Yuriev was occupied by Germans and the  professors of Yuriev University were looking for a new location, the question  was settled at the governmental level. In autumn 1918 the first lecture was  delivered and the history of Voronezh University began.


Functional neurosurgery usually requires physiological corroboration of the target site, particularly by eliciting characteristic responses to stimulation, or else by microelectrode recording of single cell responses to appropriate stimuli. Understanding pain physiology with both strategies has proven elusive, particularly microelectrode recording in response to noxious or thermal stimuli. The limited experience with stimulation and recording in pain pathways of the brain will be reviewed as well as the apparently pathophysiological observations made in certain patients with neuropathic pain.


This paper investigates changes in the distribution of earnings across 87 metropolitan areas in Canada. It does so using micro data taken from the 20 per cent long-form sample of the census for the years 1996, 2001 and 2006. Results point to overall increases in urban inequality and to greater heterogeneity in inequality across the urban hierarchy, with larger cities growing particularly unequal over time. Cross-sectional and panel regression models suggest that city size, unemployment, deindustrialisation and the percentage of a city's population composed of visible minorities contribute to increased inequality. In contrast, a city's level of economic development has a mitigating effect on inequality, although this effect appears to fade away over time. The effects of changes in a city's age, education and gender profiles on inequality are mixed.


In this paper, we have reviewed the present status of the theory of equilibrium configurations of compact binary star systems in Newtonian gravity. Evolutionary processes of compact binary star systems due to gravitational wave emission can be divided into three stages according to the time scales and configurations. The evolution is quasi-stationary until a merging process starts, since the time scale of the orbital change due to gravitational wave emission is longer than the orbital period. In this stage, equilibrium sequences can be applied to evolution of compact binary star systems. Along the equilibrium sequences, there appear several critical states where some instability sets in or configuration changes drastically. We have discussed relations among these critical points and have stressed the importance of the mass overflow as well as the dynamical instability of orbital motions. Concerning the equilibrium sequences of binary star systems, we have summarized classical results of incompressible ellipsoidal configurations. Recent results of compressible binary star systems obtained by the ellipsoidal approximation and by numerical computations have been shown and discussed. It is important to note that numerical computational solutions to exact equations show that compressibility may lead realistic neutron star binary systems to mass overflows instead of dynamical disruptions for a wide range of parameters.


In Experiment 1, 12 pigeons (Columba livia) were trained on a simultaneous matching-to-sample task with 2 stimuli and then tested with 2 novel stimuli. Half of the birds were trained with a fixed ratio schedule requirement of 1 (FR1) or 20 (FR20) pecks on the sample stimulus. None of the birds showed any evidence of concept-mediated transfer. In Experiment 2, 12 pigeons were trained with 3 stimuli and then tested with the same novel stimuli used in Experiment 1. Half of the birds in each group were trained with either an FR1 or FR20 requirement on the sample stimulus. Two of the FR20 birds showed high levels of transfer to the novel stimuli similar to that of monkeys in a previous study.


Background: Recent advances in nanotechnology-based drug delivery system have been shown to improve either antibacterial efficacy or pharmacokinetics behavior.The aim of this study was to design a rifampin nanoparticle (RIF-NP) which has a high loading capacity with the slow release profile. Material and Methods: The designed chitosan/gelatin/lecithin (Chg/L) RIF-NPs were prepared by multilamellar vesicle. Thereafter, the particle size, zeta potential, morphology, and release rate were investigated. To optimize the loading capacity and release profiles, different concentrations of lecithin were used. Results: Our results showed a correlation of lecithin concentration with size, zeta potential, and loading capacity of RIF-NPs. Increases in lecithin concentration (0.2–2.0 g) could cause a significant size reduction in NPs (250–150 nm); the amount of zeta potential (from 14 to 49 mV;P < 0.05) and loading capacity increases from 8% to 20% (P < 0.05). Designed NPs had slow drug release profile which was influenced by pH and lecithin concentration. The cumulative percentage of RIF released at pH 7.4 was approximately 93% up to 12 h. In overall, release profile was better than standard drug, even in various pH conditions (pH = 1, 3.4, and 7.4). The Chg/L-RIF NPs may be considered as a promising drug nanocarrier. Conclusions: These NPs release RIF in slow and constant rate, which effectively might eliminate the bacilli and prevent the formation of RIF-resistant bacilli.


Surface topography modulates macrophage expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines through triggering of a number of different signaling pathways. In this article, we investigated the early activation of the NFκB pathway in RAW 264.7 macrophages in response to four surface topographies: mechanically polished (PO), coarse sand blasted (CB), acid etched (AE), and sandblasted and acid etched (SLA). We found that activation of the NFκB pathway was topography dependent. The PO and CB surfaces showed the highest level of activation, followed by the AE, then the SLA. Addition of suboptimal stimulatory concentrations of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) enhanced the response. Second, we determined that topography dependent cell signaling occurred in the absence of fetal bovine sera in the media. Third, we demonstrated that disruption of the lipid rafts by removal of cholesterol from cells in suspension using methyl β cyclodextrin (MβCD) affected signaling through the NFκB pathway and transcription of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1 β, but did not affect cell adhesion, spreading or morphology. The number of macrophages adhered to the surfaces after 30 min followed the order PO, CB, AE, and SLA. In conclusion, our study suggests that one mechanism by which surface topography modulates activation of the NFκB pathway is through cholesterol-enriched raft-associated adhesive/signaling structures.


The Vision and Actions on Jointly Building Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road policy document was issued by the Chinese government on 28 March 2015. How to implement the overall national strategy becomes a major topic of theoretical discussion with much practical significance, namely, to promote the international competitiveness and upgrading of Chinese industries, and achieve common prosperity among countries in the Belt and Road Initiative area through Chinese outward direct investment(ODI). Existing literature on ODI originated largely from developed countries, and thus cannot satisfactorily explain the booming ODI from emerging countries such as China. Moreover, the research on Chinese foreign direct investment focused more on the natural resources and market factors in analyzing motivations and driving forces, mainly based on historical data. There is little discussion on large scale, national demand-oriented Chinese ODI strategy,for example, in the Belt and Road Initiative area. Against this background, this article investigates the spatial strategy of Chinese outward direct investment(ODI) in the Belt and Road Initiative area, using statistical data and results from fieldwork and interviews. It first develops a theoretical framework to investigate Chinese outward direct investment in the Belt and Road Initiative area based on a review of existing research on foreign direct investment. It then analyzes the basic characteristics of Chinese ODI in this region with regard to its spatial distribution and choice of sectors. Third, the article explores difficulties and challenges that Chinese enterprises will face when they implement the"going global"strategy. Finally, it investigates the spatially differentiated investment guiding strategy for Chinese ODI in the Belt and Road Initiative area.


Although it has a relatively low profile, one method of increasing sustainability in buildings currently being considered is the provision of green roofs. Most importantly, green roofs have thermal benefits in reducing heat loss and reducing heat gain and also enhancing bio-diversity. Furthermore, green roofs can absorb some of the carbon emissions in the CBD. With the increasing emphasis placed on climate change and much of the emphasis placed on new buildings only, it is accepted that Australia needs to increase the adaptation of the existing commercial building stock (CSIRO, 2002 AECOM 2008). At the same time the city of Melbourne has launched the 1,200 building program which aims to refurbish 1,200 CBD properties before 2020 as part of their policy to become a carbon neutral city by 2020. This paper address the research question: what is the potential of existing buildings in the CBD to accommodate a retrofitted green roof? Furthermore how many buildings are suitable for green roofs? In the process of conducting the analysis this research examined 528 building surveyed in the Melbourne CBD in 2008 and 2009. The paper outlines the types of green roof which can be retrofitted to existing buildings. The outcomes of this research is applicable on a global basis and relevant to all urban centres where existing commercial buildings can become part of the solution to mitigate the impact climate change and enhance the city.


Simple Summary Cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwide. Predicting phenotype and understanding makers that define the phenotype are important tasks. We propose an interpretable deep learning model called T-GEM that can predict cancer-related phenotype prediction and reveal phenotype-related biological functions and marker genes. We demonstrated the capability of T-GEM on cancer type prediction using TGCA data and immune cell type identification using scRNA-seq data. The code and detailed documents are provided to facilitate easy implementation of the model in other studies. Abstract Deep learning has been applied in precision oncology to address a variety of gene expression-based phenotype predictions. However, gene expression data's unique characteristics challenge the computer vision-inspired design of popular Deep Learning (DL) models such as Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and ask for the need to develop interpretable DL models tailored for transcriptomics study. To address the current challenges in developing an interpretable DL model for modeling gene expression data, we propose a novel interpretable deep learning architecture called T-GEM, or Transformer for Gene Expression Modeling. We provided the detailed T-GEM model for modeling gene–gene interactions and demonstrated its utility for gene expression-based predictions of cancer-related phenotypes, including cancer type prediction and immune cell type classification. We carefully analyzed the learning mechanism of T-GEM and showed that the first layer has broader attention while higher layers focus more on phenotype-related genes. We also showed that T-GEM's self-attention could capture important biological functions associated with the predicted phenotypes. We further devised a method to extract the regulatory network that T-GEM learns by exploiting the attributions of self-attention weights for classifications and showed that the network hub genes were likely markers for the predicted phenotypes.


Madin-Darby canine kidney (MDCK) cells and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells were transfected with wild-type and cytoplasmic deletion mutants of mouse syndecan-1 to study the requirements for transport and polarized expression of this proteoglycan. Expression in MDCK cells revealed that wild-type syndecan-1 is directed to the basolateral surface via a brefeldin A-insensitive route. A deletion of the last 12 amino acids of the syndecan-1 cytoplasmic tail (CT22) was sufficient to result in the appearance of mutant proteoglycans at both the basolateral and apical cell surfaces. Treatment with brefeldin A was able to prevent apical transport of the mutants. We thus propose that the C-terminal part of the cytoplasmic tail is required for steady-state basolateral distribution of syndecan-1. In CHO cells a deletion of the last 25 or 33 amino acids of the 34-residue cytoplasmic domain (CT9 and CT1, respectively) resulted in partial retention of the mutants in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). A deletion mutant lacking the last 12 amino acids (CT22) was not retained. Interestingly, the unglycosylated core proteins of the CT9 and CT1 mutants showed a significantly lower apparent molecular weight when analyzed by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis than wild-type syndecan-1. However, when CHO transfectants expressing the CT1 mutant were incubated with brefeldin A, causing fusion of the ER and Golgi, CT1 ran with an almost equally high apparent molecular weight as the wild-type molecule. This would suggest that syndecan-1 undergoes extensive posttranslational modifications or forms an SDS-resistant dimer/complex after transit from the ER.


Preliminary studies have found that the epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) at proper concentration could promote development of pre‐implantation mouse embryos in vitro. However, the underlying mechanisms have not been well understood. In this study, we collected 1‐cell embryos from Kunming (KM) mice, cultured them in M16 medium or M16 medium supplemented with 10 μg/mL EGCG and investigated the effects of EGCG on mitochondrial activity and reactive oxygen species (ROS) level of 2‐cell embryos. Furthermore, we explored expression differences of genes related to p53 signalling pathway in 2‐cell embryos using a PCR array. The results showed that ROS level and mitochondrial membrane potential were significantly lower in embryos cultured in the EGCG group than in the M16 group (p < 0.05), while the adenosine triphosphate content was slightly lower than in the M16 group (p > 0.05). PCR array test results showed that 18 genes were differentially expressed, among which eight genes involving cell growth, cell cycle regulation and mRNA transcription were up‐regulated and 10 genes involving apoptosis, cell cycle arrest and DNA repair were down‐regulated in the EGCG groups. It is concluded that EGCG could promote the development of 1‐cell embryos in vitro possibly due to its ability to scavenge ROS and regulate mitochondrial activity. In addition, EGCG could influence expression of genes related to p53 signalling pathway in 2‐cell embryos and promote cell cycle progression.


Objective: The development of presentation-free teaching formats for practical exercises is a particular challenge. The objective of the presented project was the implementation of the practical course in otorhinolaryngology for learning examination techniques through digital distance learning. Methods: Disposable instruments for a comprehensive otorhinolaryngologic examination were purchased and made available to the students. The necessary light sources were everyday sports headlamps or flashlight constructions. The theoretical basics were taught using the learning platform CaseTrain, including photographic, audio and video material. Corresponding success controls in the sense of a digital short test were integrated here. In addition, video tutorials were used to present the examinations to be imitated in detail. In order to increase motivation, a creative photo competition was also announced, in which the practical tasks that were finally carried out independently were checked. Results: All students of the semester received a set of instruments for independent practical training. The entrance exam was passed by all students, and at least one photo was received from all students, many of which were particularly creative in the competition. Conclusion: The presented concept is a possibility to convert practical teaching formats into a digital presence-free concept. It included the teaching and testing of basic knowledge, instructions for practical exercises, the independent performance of subject-specific examination techniques and an increase in motivation and simultaneous control through gamification. We consider this teaching principle to be an attractive option for future "Flipped Classroom" concepts with a gradual resumption of face-to-face teaching.


Universal Basic Income (UBI) has been featured in political discussions over the last years.
Both people in favour and against its adoption, have provided numerous arguments to support
either its positive or negative impact. Empirical literature on the topic is scarce since,
with few exceptions, not many experiments have been conducted so far to empirically assess
its effects. I use the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend, a UBI-like programme, to assess the
implications of unconditional cash transfers on educational decisions. I use data from various
governmental sources, and predominantly Consumer Population Survey (CPS) data from the
Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS), to construct a panel dataset of 2,091 stateyear
observations. Using a synthetic control approach, I investigate how college enrolment
and bachelor completion have been affected since the implementation of the dividend. The
results show that college enrolments have no significant change with the implementation of
the dividend but there is a significantly negative effect on bachelor degree completion.


The total list of processing required to view a pixel includes antialiasing, offset sampling, color space projection, reconstruction filter compensation, compositing, gamma correction, and quantization and dithering. If we look at all these operations we can see a pattern: Almost all of them throw away information. When we filter out high frequencies, quantize intensities into bins, project a continuous color spectrum into three numbers, and represent geometric edges with a single transparency value we can see that an ordinary-hardware pixel, either refreshed on the screen or stored in a file, is simply a bad data compression technique. Any rendering algorithm or image processing operation that converts data to pixels generally loses information about the original data that it uses as input. A few polygons become thousands of pixels; a high-resolution image becomes a low-resolution image. Conversion to pixels for viewing purposes used to be a slow operation, but with faster processors we no longer need to do the image generation offline for speed purposes. We can recalculate the image whenever we need to look at it.


Today, the reality of the condition of Indonesian society shows that there are symptoms of deterioration caused by a shift in the noble values of the nation. Rampant juvenile delinquency and violation of norms, emotional intelligence is a basic condition for using intellectual intelligence effectively. Asmaul Husna's reading habit is one of the character education being pursued by the Surya Global Yogyakarta College of Health Sciences. Students are also trained and educated to develop their skills and mentality in a positive direction so that these educational institutions can produce superior and Islamic output, which is not only rely on theory in learning, but also experience in the field in facing the flow of globalization. The gap between the theory and practice of Asmaul's reading habits Husna with the level of students 'emotional intelligence, it is necessary to revisit considering the effect of Asmaul Husna's reading habit on students' emotional intelligence is not known. The research design is quantitative using the Emotional Intelligence Scale. The research was conducted at the College of Public Health Sciences. The research subjects were 65 adolescents, they were asked to fill in the pretest before Asmaul Husna dhikr intervention was carried out, and after going through the dhikr process for ten weeks the research subjects were asked to fill in the posttest. Pretest and posttest data were analyzed through the Wilcoxon test using SPSS 16. Based on the above results, it is known that the significance of 0.031 is smaller than 0.05, so it can be concluded that "Ha is accepted" This means that there is a difference in emotional intelligence between before and after Asmaul Husna's dhikr, so it can also be concluded that "There is an influence of Asmaul Husna's dhikr on adolescent emotional intelligence.


This paper presents a novel learning algorithm for fuzzy logic neuron based networks able to generate accurate and transparent models. The learning algorithm is based on ideas from Extreme Learning Machine, to achieve a low time complexity, and regularization theory, resulting in sparse and accurate models. A compact set of incomplete fuzzy rules can be extracted from the resulting network topology. Experiments considering pattern classification are detailed. Results suggest the proposed approach as a promising alternative for pattern recognition with a good accuracy and some level of interpretability.


Abstract Extract Hazards from the thermal decomposition of plastics are variable and depend on the particular plastic involved. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE, "Teflon") presents an unusual and unique thermal decomposition hazard which has been called Polymer-Fume Fever. D.K. Harris,(5) one of the first to call attention to this problem, reviewed several of the early case histories of workers exposed to PTFE decomposition fumes.


Condensate accumulated inside dryer cylinders will produce an increased power demand and eventually the inability of the dryer drive to accelerate the section. In a previous paper these authors presented an online estimation algorithm capable of detecting the presence of condensate during a section starting. In this paper a complete set of tests is run over two experimental cylinders covering up to 40% of cylinder volumes and the complete set of power curves are reported and analyzed. Specifically, the presence of a combined cascading - rimming region in the medium to high condensate loads is confirmed. This combined mode modifies the pattern followed by the maximum power in the low condensate region. Using this data, high-order and simplified correlations are proposed for the estimation of condensate in flooded dryer cylinders. These new correlations increase the capacity of the online estimation algorithm to give good estimations of the condensate load present inside the dryer cylinders up to 55 mm of rim thickness.


We investigated the role of K+ channels in the regulation of vascular tone in de-endothelialized porcine coronary artery. Isometric force and intracellular Ca2+ ([Ca2+]i) under resting conditions were increased by treatment with 4-aminopyridine (4-AP, 1 mM), an inhibitor of voltage-dependent K+ (Kv) channels, but not by tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA, 1 mM) or charybdotoxin (100 nM), both inhibitors of Ca2+-activated K+ (KCa) channels, or glibenclamide (10 μM), an inhibitor of ATP-sensitive K+ channels. Under stimulated conditions with 9,11-dideoxy-11α,9α-epoxymethano-prostaglandin F2α (U46619), 4-AP as well as TEA or charybdotoxin increased isometric force and [Ca2+]i, but not glibenclamide. 4-AP was the most potent in terms of depolarization of membrane potential compared with TEA or glibenclamide in the presence or absence of EGTA. In the presence of U46619, a high concentration of 4-AP (10 mM) caused a further contraction with oscillations. The force oscillations induced by 4-AP were inhibited by diltiazem (10 μM), an inhibitor of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels, or TEA (1 mM), but not by glibenclamide (10 μM). These force oscillations may be associated with the periodic activation of KCa channels. These findings suggested that 4-AP-sensitive Kv channels play an important role in the control of vascular tone in both resting and stimulated conditions. Moreover, under stimulated conditions, KCa channels also have an important role in the regulation of vascular tone. Dysfunction of these channels induces abnormal vasoconstriction and may be implicated in vascular diseases such as hypertension and vasospasm.


This paper investigates how mobile agents can securely collect information, protect the collected information against untrusted hosts, and how they can digitally sign transactions in an untrusted environment. We present an agent-based scenario for mobile commerce and discuss techniques using multiple agents that have been implemented to provide security in this scenario. The underlying techniques are based on existing theoretical schemes. These schemes generally have a significant overhead which is caused by the use of multiple agents. However, this overhead can be compensated by the functionality offered in our proposed scenario. The schemes require no interaction of the originator once the mobile agents are sent out. They are therefore particularly suited for situations in which a user cannot stay online for a long time. We also address some possible security threats which lead to new observations on using threshold signature schemes in the context of mobile agents.


Aim  To test how well species distributions and abundance can be predicted following invasion and climate change when using only species distribution and abundance data to estimate parameters.

Location  Models were developed for the species' native range in the Americas and applied to Australia.

Methods  We developed a predictive model for an invasive neotropical shrub (Parkinsonia aculeata) using a popular ecophysiological bioclimatic modelling technique (CLIMEX) fitted against distribution and abundance data in the Americas. The effect of uncertainty in model parameter estimates on predictions in Australia was tested. Alternative data sources were used when model predictions were sensitive to uncertainty in parameter estimates. The resulting best-fit model was run under two climate change scenarios.

Results  Of the 19 parameters used, 9 could not be fitted using data from the native range. However, only parameters that lowered temperature or increased moisture requirements for growth noticeably altered the model prediction in Australia. Differences in predictions were dramatic, and reflect climates in Australia that were not represented in the Americas (novel climates). However, these poorly fitted parameters could be fitted post hoc using alternative data sources prior to predicting responses to climate change.

Conclusions  Novel climates prevented the development of a predictive model which relied only on native-range distribution and abundance data because certain parameters could not be fitted. In fact, predictions were more sensitive to parameter uncertainty than to climate change scenarios. Where uncertainty in parameter estimates affected predictions, it could be addressed through the inclusion of alternative data sources. However, this may not always be possible, for example in the absence of post-invasion data.


Clan culture is an organizational culture that emphasizes collaboration, teamwork, and employee well-being. The study examined the relationship between clan culture and business performance in Nigeria. Clan culture is seen to be intertwined with ethnic groups and cultural heritage in Nigeria, and it is characterized by loyalty, trust, and solidarity. This culture fosters a shared sense of responsibility and collaboration, increasing employee satisfaction, engagement, productivity, and overall performance. However, clan culture can also present challenges, such as nepotism and favoritism within clans, which can hinder merit-based decisionmaking processes.. However, it can also lead to resistance against change and a reluctance to challenge prevailing norms. Organizations with a strong clan culture, such as Google, Zappos, and Pixar, consistently observe superior employee retention rates. However, the emphasis on maintaining harmony can hinder creative thinking and adaptability, especially in fast-paced, competitive markets. To capitalize on the benefits of clan culture while overcoming challenges, organizations should promote transparency, fairness, and meritocracy, fostering an inclusive environment that embraces diverse perspectives and fosters innovation. By adopting strategies that balance strong relationships with an open, adaptable, and diverse work environment, Nigerian businesses can capitalize on the benefits of clan culture while overcoming challenges Keywords: Hierarchy Clan Culture; Business Performance; Opportunities; Collaboration


Mice were orally given kanamycin (50 mg/day/ mouse) for 1 or 2 weeks. Almost all bacteria in the intestine were eliminated within a week. In parallel with this elimination, the level of granulocytes in the bone marrow decreased from 41 to 31%. Since the total number of bone marrow cells decreased as well (up to one-third), the decrease in the level of granulocyte generation in the bone marrow was substantial. Kanamycin is not absorbed from the intestine into the body; namely, it does not have a direct effect on the bone marrow. It is speculated that the interaction of granulocytes or epithelial cells with intestinal bacteria accelerates the production of free radicals and superoxids, some cytokines, or unknown factors and that such substances then stimulate the generation of granulocytes in the bone marrow. The present results suggest that intestinal flora and other resident bacteria are important for maintaining the level of myelopoiesis in the bone marrow.


We present thermal and electron micrographs of an incandescent lamp constructed from a multiwalled carbon nanotube, and correlate the subwavelength optical information with the underlying nanoscopic structure. Remarkably, the heat equation and Planck's law together give a precise, quantitative description of the light intensity as a function of input power, even though the nanotube's small size places it outside the thermodynamic limit.


Dry intrusions (DIs) are synoptic‐scale slantwise descending airstreams from the midlatitude upper troposphere toward the boundary layer at lower latitudes. Typically occurring behind cold fronts, such intrusions of dry air often reach the boundary layer and cause its deepening, thereby affecting boundary‐layer clouds. Although subsidence is generally an inherent feature of the subtropical marine boundary layer (MBL), it is unclear how the MBL reacts to the transient, dynamically distinct DI. In this study, reanalysis data were combined with observations from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Eastern North Atlantic (ENA) site (39.1°N,28.0°W) to characterize the impact of DIs on MBL characteristics and clouds. Specifically, an objective criterion is applied to the observations made during the winter months of 2016–2018 to identify the DI days from those before and following DIs, and reference periods without DIs. The analyses suggest substantial deepening of the well‐mixed boundary layer accompanied by changes in the cloud, precipitation and thermodynamic properties during the DI events. During the DI, the lower troposphere cooled and dried substantially thereby inducing strong surface sensible and latent heat fluxes. All while a strong inversion builds up at the elevated MBL top affecting cloud occurrence. The results show DIs to affect the boundary layer and cloud structure at the ENA site ∼21% of the time in winter months, with the response of the cloud fields to the DI‐fronts substantially different than that to the non‐DI fronts. Hence, the DI events should be considered while studying boundary layer and cloud processes in the region.


A 2 x 3 x 4 factorial field experiment was established to determine the interaction among a nematode, an insect, and three weed species on soybean in 1983-86. Low (nematicide treated) or high (untreated) population densities of the soybean cyst nematode (SCN), Heterodera glycines, and 0, 30, or 70% main stem girdling by the threecornered alfalfa hopper (TCAH), Spissistilus festinus, were combined with no weeds, one common cocklebur (CC), Xanthium strumarium, one sicklepod (SP), Cassia obtusifolia, or one pitted morningglory (PMG), Ipomoea lacunosa, per meter of row in all possible combinations. Most of the losses from the pests were significant (P </= 0.05) and additive. The high population density of SCN suppressed soybean seed yield by 14%. Girdling of 30 and 70% by TCAH suppressed yields by 10 and 25%, respectively. One CC, SP, or PMG per meter of row suppressed yield by 22, 14, and 12%, respectively. The addition of loss predictions for each pest was approximately the actual treatment losses recorded. The pests did not have an evident interactive effect on yield losses; however, the losses attributed to each pest were additive.


Contents: Introduction Part I Press Freedom and Freedom of Expression: Or of the press, Potter Stewart A preferred position for journalism?, Anthony Lewis The independent significance of the press clause under existing law, C. Edwin Baker Freedom of the press: ownership and editorial values, Thomas Gibbons. Part II Self-Regulation of the Press: Press councils: the answer to our 1st Amendment dilemma, John A. Ritter and Matthew Leibowitz Privacy jurisprudence of the Press Complaints Commission, Louis Blom-Cooper and Lisa R. Pruitt Self-censorship among journalists: a (moral) wrong or a violation of ECHR law?, HerdA-s ThorgeirsdA^3ttir. Part III Freedom of the Press and Libel Law: Libel and press self-censorship, David A. Anderson Freedom of speech and defamation: developments in the common law world, Adrienne Stone and George Williams Lange and Reynolds qualified privilege: Australian and English defamation law and practice, Andrew T. Kenyon. Part IV Freedom of the Press and Privacy: The right to speak from Times to Time: 1st Amendment theory applied to libel and misapplied to privacy, Melville B. Nimmer Privacy and the press, Eric Barendt Privacy and the reasonable paranoid: the protection of privacy in public places, Elizabeth Paton-Simpson Privacy and speech, Paul Gerwitz Is Von Hannover v. Germany a step backward for the substantive analysis of speech and privacy interests?, M.A. Sanderson Name index.


A model for the energy exchanges involved in OWC power-plants is proposed. The model is using data series generated by numerical codes developed on the basis of relative physical principles. The ocean wave field and the oscillating water column are modeled according to linear water wave theory as a waveguide excited at both ends. The thermodynamic process inside the chamber is modeled with a controlvolume approach. Then by applying identification techniques for linear and nonlinear systems, the corresponding operator representations are obtained in the frequency domain. A closed-loop is finally constructed which may find use in analysis and synthesis of OWC systems.


Ayurveda's Prayojana strives to protect the health of the healthy and cure issues caused by disease. Numerous factors might affect one's health and susceptibility to diseases. As the Acharyas had said, the Triupstambha (three sub pillars) of Ahara, Nidraand Brahmacarya support the body itself. In this case, Ahara is named first, showing how important it is to protect and sustain life. A healthy life requires adequate nutrition, yet one cannot benefit fully from the food they consume if they do not follow suitable dietary standards. Acharya Charak provided Aharavidhividhan (dietary recommendations), which can stop many diseases from developing purely as a result of poor dietary practises. Each factor's scientific basis is described. If the Aharavidhividhana is properly practised, it contributes to better health and a longer life. Additionally important are the Aahara intake's timing, location, volume, and mode. If taken properly, Aahara promotes healthy body development; however, if taken incorrectly, it can cause a number of problems. As a result, Aharavidhividhanais crucial for both the disease's cause and its treatment


The paper reports the preliminary experimental results of an hybridization between a classic ventilated facade and photo-voltaic panels powering a Peltier cells system to improve the inner summer comfort with an environmental friendly approach. The outer layer of the facade is made of photovoltaic panels while a pair of light alloy heat exchanger, coupled on the opposite sides of the Peltier cells, are fitted between the internal space and the air chimney of the facade. The Peltier cells are electrically wired directly with the solar cells: the more the sun affects the front, the more the solar cells produce power to feed the Peltier cells that work as a static heat pump, cooled by the air flowing through the interspace of the ventilated facade. This will result in an inside cooling effect and this effect shall be summed with the well-known passive good performance of the ventilated facade in summer sunny days. During the winter, a simple switch of the power polarity would result in a free inner heating effect, partially using the solar energy incident on the front: the risk of icing on the cold exchanger in the chimney would be reduced because of the heat transmitted by the rear side of the photo-voltaic cells. A small scale prototype has been tested during summer, showing an improvement of the inner air temperature of about 3-4 K during the sunniest hours, in comparison with the unequipped case. © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Peer-review under responsibility of the CENTRO CONGRESSI INTERNAZIONALE SRL.


We report a 54-year-old woman with an adenocarcinoma of an ileal neobladder arising upon a background of ileal mucosal dysplasia. We believe that no case study or report has previously documented neobladder ileal mucosal dysplasia adjacent to an ileal neobladder adenocarcinoma. This observation supports the current hypothesis that ileal neobladders are dynamic environments for potential malignancy, and moreover, suggests a sequence of morphologic and molecular derangements similar to that seen in colorectal carcinoma. Those patients status post ileal neobladder are at risk for glandular dysplasia and malignancy and should be followed closely.


The aims of this study; 1) to analyze the poverty levels of littoral communities in Makassar. 2) To reinforce the economic sector based on littoral potency by Moving Out of Poverty (MOP) model along with government programs. 3) To utilize the potential and empowerment of littoral communities. Seemingly, poverty as deficient conditions by individuals or communities. Conceptually, this study was conducted by a quantitative paradigm with a case study approach. The data obtained from observations, depth interviews, and questionnaires. The studies showed that: there was a significant effect in strengthening the quality of the human resources to empowerment. Subsequently, no significant effect between economic institutions to empowerment, There was a significant effect between fishing gear or production equipment to empowerment, There was not a significant effect in improving the quality of the human resources to Moving Out of Poverty (MOP) by empowerment, There was no effect between economic institutions and Moving Out of Poverty (MOP) by empowerment, There was no effect of fishing gear to Moving Out of Poverty (MOP) significantly, There was no significant effect between education to Moving Out of Poverty (MOP).


This paper deals with hairs and organelles present on the head and antennae of the German wasp, Paravespula germanica, and their possible role in sensing the physical and chemical ambience, as well as in intercommunicating both while in flight outside or in the nest. Via scanning electron microscope photography, we detected on the frons plate of the wasp's head, hairs that were about 300 μm long and comprised the longest hairs on the body of the wasps. Additionally, the two antennae bore along their entire length photoreceptors, placoids, campaniforms, trichoids, and agmons. These organelles are located at high but variable density along the antennal segments. The paper provides the dimensions of each of the mentioned organelles, and discusses the possible functions of the organelles as well as of the hairs on the frons. Photographs taken via atomic force microscope reveal that the epicuticle of the antenna is of two typical shapes; one, bearing both longitudinal stripes as well as transverse bands that are about 1 μm in width, and a second granulated form. Conceivably, the wasp uses the various organelles mentioned to communicate with its mates that are some distance away, somewhat like the use of radar by humans. Microsc. Res. Tech. 69:46–52, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


The existing theory of 'Bose-Einstein condensation' is compared with some results obtained from the theory of partition of numbers. Two models are examined, one in which the energy levels are all equally spaced, the other being the perfect gas model. It is concluded that orthodox theory can be relied upon at very high and at very low temperatures, also that the condensation phenomenon is a real one, but that it is not correctly described by orthodox theory, the position of the transition temperature and the form of the specific heat anomaly both being given wrongly.


Nitrosamines such as nitrosodimethylamine(NDMA) in drinking water have recently attracted great attention because of their high carcinogenicity and high detection rate. Nitrosamines have also been repeatedly detected in drinking water in our country, leading to a lot of concerns about our drinking water safety. However, China has not yet formulated the relevant drinking water safety standards. In order to evaluate the health risks caused by NDMA in drinking water and to provide recommendations for the development of drinking water safety standards, the method of disability-adjusted life years(DALYs) and the two-stage disease model were used to estimate the health risk of liver cancer caused by intake of NDMA in drinking water. The data of this study were collected from two large-scale water quality surveys conducted in 35 cities in China from November 2009 to May 2012, and the detection conducted by Chen Chao et al. in 23 cities in China from 2012 to 2014, with a total of 146 water plants data. The results showed that mean(8.97 ng·L-1) and median(2.90 ng·L-1) NDMA concentrations were both not very high except in some special areas. The incidence of life-long cancer was 5.69×10-6 and 5.69 times as high as the negligible risk value(1×10-6) specified by the US EPA. The total disease burden of NDMA was 844.15 person-years, of which the death loss was 818.31 person-years, accounting for 96.9%. The incapacity loss was 25.84 person-years, accounting for 3.1% in comparison. Death loss was greater than the loss of incapacity. The disease burden was highest in the age group of 55-60 years(129.40 person-years), followed by 45-50 years(120.44 person-years). The burden of disease was higher in middle-aged and elderly people. The averaged loss was 6.27×10-7 DALYs per person per year in our country. Only considering the health risk factors, NDMA concentration safety standards should be 6.12 ng·L-1. According to the specific national conditions, the NDMA safety standard in the range of 6-40 ng·L-1 was recommended. On one hand, we can control the concentration of NDMA in drinking water, to reduce health risks as far as possible, and on the other hand, we can also ensure the effectiveness of disinfection of drinking water treatments. China's economic and water treatment technological level and other factors should also be taken into consideration in the near future. In view of potential health risks of NDMA, it's necessary to adopt more effective, economical and also environmental water treatment techniques and develop reasonable safety standards to ensure the quality of drinking water and people's health.


Analytics and Realism in Contemporary Sociological Theory The most obvious and most often criticized fault in sociological functionalism is its weakness in the reconstruction of causal imputation connections that are compatible to the postulate of action as «meaningfully oriented behavior». Recent currents of analysis reject both the Parsonsian theory of interpenetration between personality and social structure and the appeal to hypersubjective options. They instead propose turning back to imputational use of foundational microstructures of social behavior, in an analytic sense, which pre-theoretic realism makes effective. For this reason, authors from overseas have linked to the so-called «post-philosophy» orientation. However, this path leads back to the appearance of the ontological specter of which the 20th century sociology had to work so hard to rid itself, and which contemporary sociology can not avoid taking into account.


Finding a safe, smooth, and efficient path to move an object through obstacles is necessary for object manipulation in robotics and automation. This thesis presents an approach to the two-dimensional as well as three-dimensional findpath problems that divide the problem into two steps. First, rough paths are found based only on topological information. This is accomplished by assigning to each obstacle an artificial potential similar to the electrostatic potential to prevent the moving object from colliding with the obstacles, and then locating minimum potential valleys. Second, the paths defined by the minimum potential valleys are modified to obtain an optimal collision-free path and orientations of the moving object along the path. Three algorithms are given to accomplish this second step. The first algorithm simply minimizes a weighted sum of the path length and the total potential experienced by the moving object along the path. This algorithm solves only "easy" problems where the free space between the obstacles is wide. The other two algorithms are developed to handle the problems in which intelligent maneuvering of the moving object among tightly packed obstacles is necessary. These three algorithms based on potential fields are nearly complete in scope, and solve a large variety of problems.


Reg4 is highly expressed in gastrointestinal malignancies and acts as a mitogenic and pro-invasive factor. Our recent works suggest that Reg4 binds with CD44 and induces its proteolytic cleavage to release intra-cytoplasmic domain of CD44 (CD44ICD). The goal of this study is to demonstrate clinical significance of the Reg4-CD44/CD44ICD pathway in stage II/III colon cancer and its association with clinical parameters of aggression. We constructed a tissue microarray (TMA) of 93 stage II/III matched colon adenocarcinoma patients, 23 with recurrent disease. The TMA was immunohistochemically stained for Reg4, CD44, and CD44ICD proteins and analyzed to identify associations with tumor characteristics, recurrence and overall survival. The TMA data analysis showed a significant correlation between Reg4 and CD44 (r2 = 0.23, P = 0.028), CD44 and CD44ICD (r2 = 0.36, p = 0.0004), and Reg4 and CD44ICD (r2 = 0.45, p ≤ 0.0001). Reg4 expression was associated with larger tumor size (r2 = 0.23, p = 0.026). Although, no association was observed between Reg4, CD44, or CD44ICD expression and disease recurrence, Reg4-positive patients had a median survival of 4 years vs. 7 years for Reg4-negative patients (p = 0.04) in patients who recurred. Inhibition of the Reg4-CD44/CD44ICD pathway may be a future therapeutic target for colon cancer patients.


A method involving the generation of charge carriers by nuclear particles (¿-particles or ¿-rays) and measuring the charge collection efficiency or counting rate while simultaneously exciting with monochromatic light has been used for the study of deep traps in CdTe intended for semiconductor detectors. The electric field distribution may be determined by looking at the shape of the pulse. A way of directly observing the electric field was to utilize the electrooptic effect of CdTe, which has the zincblende structure, by viewing the optical transmission between crossed polarizers as a function of applied bias and time. These techniques have been applied to CdTe but can be applied to other materials.


Land law contains social, economic, and political values that are obvious to legal and property theorists. Those values are usually known to judges, although the time-pressures of modern justice can limit judges' ability to explicate those values in their decisions. This can make it hard for practising lawyers to see the underlying social, economic, or political rationale in property case law and doctrine. Further, commercial clients do not pay their lawyers to dwell on finer points of property theory. They pay them for legal work to complete their developments or property sales. While some developers take pride in their communities, few are likely to be driven by a desire to safeguard the traditional values in property law. Finally, while parliamentarians work to create optimal laws for their constituents, property theory is unlikely to be within their area of expertise.

It might be tempting to think a lack of understanding of the underlying values of property law is a theoretical concern, but it has become a problem for countries that allowed developers and parliamentarians - two groups unlikely to understand the underlying values of property law - to create the law on which most modern development depends. That is, countries that rely on legislation, driven by developers and made by legislatures, to support their strata developments, rather than countries that rely on common law and equity, made by judges. Australia, and the many countries that copied Australia's original Conveyancing (Strata Titles Act) 1961 (NSW), fall into the former category, while the United States (U.S.), most notably, falls into the latter.

This chapter examines the underlying values of property law. It then considers whether those values are incorporated into strata legislation, in contrast to the common law. The final section of the chapter identifies real problems that residents and owners of legislatively-based strata buildings face as a result of an absence of the traditional values of property law in modern strata title Acts.


The results showed that some religious leaders in Taman Pondok Jati looked fi sabilillah with common meanings and wider, which includes all things that are in the common interest of the Muslims, a security guard holding a mandate as guardians of the security and comfort of the Muslims for 24 hours, so that from the sense of security that people can worship in peace and teachings of other religion can also be implemented. As for the meaning of fi sabilillah for security officers (guards) as mustahik zakat in Taman Pondok Jati in accordance with the meaning fi sabilillah into the general meaning, as explained by the scholars' contemporary, that all matters relating to the welfare of the Muslims who tend to be aimed at obtaining contentment of Allah SWT. In addition, the actual security guard can also be classified into poor, when viewed from the side of a relatively small income.


The purpose of the study to examine the factors causing the constrained activities of da'wah in the holy month of Ramadan in the Darussalam Mosque Kampung Pisang Sorong City west Papua. The da'wah activity in question is a routine lecture by the dai (preachers) conducted every night of ramadan that has been programmed by the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Sorong City. This research uses qualitative research type. As for data collection, researchers use interview methods to primary informants, namely the management of The Darussalam Mosque Kampung Pisang, the dai / mubaligh listed in the schedule of lectures, worshipers (mad'u) Darussalam Mosque Kampung Pisang, and the Ministry of Religious Affairs that compiled the schedule of the lecture. As for the observation method, the author directly observes the situation in the field both from BKM / the manager of The Darussalam Mosque Kampung Pisang, Jamaah (mad'u) Masjid Darussalam Kampung Pisang, the dais listed in the lecture schedule, and the Ministry of Religion. This research is expected to be a reference in overcoming the vacancy according to the causative factors in the holy month of Ramadan throughout the Mosque, especially in the Darussalam Mosque Kampung Pisang. Thus da'wah activities can run well without any obstacles.


ABSTRACT This article draws on data from an exploratory study involving an organized group of Mexican immigrant mothers engaged in community-based policy advocacy in the Pacific Northwest. Participants in the project lobbied state legislators on bills expanding the rights of undocumented immigrants—most notably, bills granting access to in-state tuition and driver's licenses. In-depth interviews (n=12) reveal that through this process, participants came to see themselves as political subjects, despite their unauthorized legal status. Findings reveal that participants' engagement in the policy process is centered on the idea of expressing needs and reflects their interest in improving individual, family, and community well-being. In this sense, their participation in politics flows from their roles as mothers and caregivers. By illuminating the experiences of a group—undocumented immigrant women—often overlooked in research on immigration policy and practice, this case offers a counter-narrative to the dominant portrayal of immigrant women and suggests ways to integrate community organizing and collective action into policy practice.


Introduction:  Doing research about routine patient care, so-called Routine to Research or R2R, can increase both the quantity of articles and quality of care. Objective:  To determine the number of R2R-related articles by anesthesia providers at the Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, and their utilization. Study Desizes : descriptive study Methods:  Questionnaires to the corresponding authors of papers published between 2002 and 2005.  We excluded case reports from the study and focused on basic data of researchers, number of articles that received funding, the number of R2R-related articles and their utilization. The data were analyzed and presented using descriptive statistics. Results:  All 40 questionnaires were returned, representing 22 anesthesiologists' articles (55%) and 18 nurse anesthetists' articles (45%). Eighteen articles (45%) received funding.  Thirty-six articles (90%) were classified as R2R-related articles:  12% have already been applied to routine patient care; 6 had potential for application provided they received suitable encouragement; 10% had less potential for application; and, 8% were non-applicable because of an unavailability of medications or equipment. Conclusion:  Based on articles published by anesthesia providers at the Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, between 2002 and 2005, R2R-related articles comprised 90%, but only one-third have been applied to routine patient care while another 16.7% (or 15% of all articles) have potential for applications were they to receive suitable encouragement.


Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune disease characterized by the selective destruction of insulin secreting beta cells present in the islets of Langerhans. A large body of evidence has implicated T cells as the predominant mediators of beta cell destruction leading to T1D development. The goal of our research is to develop a system for isolation and characterization of diabetogenic CD4+ T cells from the peripheral blood of early onset T1D patients. We were able to obtain a blood sample from a treatment-naïve T1D patient at the time of diagnosis. Through a novel multiplex-nest PCR protocol, we cloned corresponding alpha and beta TCR chains from individual islet antigen-specific T cells and tested them in vitro for antigenic specificity and HLA restriction. Utilizing a humanized TCR/HLA retrogenic mouse system, we are testing human islet antigen reactive TCRs for their in vivo functionality and diabetogenic potential.


Purpose of review Amidst an ongoing pandemic, the delineation of the pediatric consequence of infection from the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) virus is emerging. This review summarizes available pediatric data and covers the aspects of epidemiology, critical illness with acute infection [coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)], the discovered multi-inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), and management options. Recent findings The available data from the source of the initial viral transmission and then through Europe, Africa, and the Western Hemisphere identifies important aspects of the SARS-CoV2 pandemic: 1) Pediatric infection occurs commonly, is likely underestimated, and transmission patterns remain incompletely described, 2) Pediatric patients suffer multiple end-organ injuries but COVID-19 is not the same prevalence in terms of severity as in adults, 3) MIS-C is a novel and life-threatening manifestation of exposure to the virus, 4) Management using a combination of supportive care, standard practice intensive care management, and anti-inflammatory agents is associated with recovery, 5) Long-term sequelae of viral exposure is unknown at this time. Summary Emerging evidence suggests pediatric patients are at risk for severe and life-threatening effects of exposure to SARS-CoV2. As the pandemic continues, further research is warranted – particularly as a vaccine is not yet available for use in children.


Hasan Kafija Pruscak is, without any doubt, among our most prominent writers in oriental languages. As far as it is known by now, he left 17 smaller and larger works dealing with various scientific fields. He wrote on philology, Islamic faith, law, logics, sociology, stylistics, politics, and history. In addition to writing, Kafija was recognized as kadi, mufti, calligrapher, and founder of some significant religious and educational institutions in Prusac. This paper for the first time presents four fatwas by Hasan Kafija Pruscak. We know for sure that he issued two of them at the end of the first decade of 17th century in the capacity of the first mufti of Klis sanjak at the request of mutawalli of Kizlaraga's wakf in Vrcar Vakuf (Mrkonjic Grad). The fatwas deal with agrarian-legal relations and are written in Ottoman –Turkish language.


Inorganic membrane based techniques have been applied to various gas separation processes in the chemical process industries, especially in the separation of hydrogen fromhydrocarbons and carbon dioxide in synthesis gas. In the field of fusion energy research, the separation of hydrogen isotopes, especially deuterium and tritium from a helium stream is of great importance since helium is the inert carrier gas that will purge the tritium bred during fusion from the lithium-containing solid and liquid breeder materials. The efficiency of separation of tritium from helium is a major factor that governs the success of fusion energy systems. Membrane based processes have been studied quite extensively for this separation because of the very high selectivity for hydrogen isotopes that is obtained in this technique as compared to more conventional methods. This review summarises current information about the types of membranes studied for hydrogen separation, their synthesis and characterization methods, the desirable properties of these membranes and the technological difficulties associated with this separation method. Specifically, the suitability of different types ofmembranes for tritiumremoval fromheliumis ascertained in this work.


Domain terms are a useful mean for tuning both resources and NLP processors to domain specific tasks. This paper proposes an improved method for obtaining terms from potentially any domain using the Wikipedia graph structure as a knowledge source.


Purpose: Exercise could lower the risk of cancer recurrence and improve mortality, exercise capacity, physical and cardiovascular function, strength, and quality of life in patients with cancer. This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) aimed to determine the effects of exercise on mortality and recurrence in patients with cancer. Methods: We searched for articles published before May 2019 in MEDLINE, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library, Scopus, ProQuest, and PEDro. We included RCTs of exercise interventions, such as resistance exercise and aerobic exercise, in patients with cancer that evaluated the risk of mortality and recurrence. The standardized mean difference with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) was calculated for quantitative indices. The random-effect model was used as the pooling method. Results: Of 2868 retrieved articles, 8 RCTs were included in the meta-analysis, with a mean PEDro score of 4.50 (SD = 1.25). Exercise significantly reduced the risk of mortality in patients with cancer and in cancer survivors (risk ratio [RR] = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.40-0.93, I2 = 0%, P = .009). Exercise significantly reduced the risk of recurrence in cancer survivors (RR = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.29-0.92, I2 = 25%, P = .030). Conclusion: This study found that exercise has a favorable effect on mortality and recurrence in patients with cancer. However, the effect could not be fully determined due to data insufficiency.


This is a continuation of studies previously reported [1] with the primary focus of optimizing an inductor design. The potential benefits of hyperthermia for cancer therapy, particularly metastatic cancers of the prostate, may be realized by the use of targeted magnetic nanoparticles that are heated by alternating magnetic fields (AMF). To further explore the potential of this technology, a high-throughput cell culture treatment system is needed. The AMF requirements for this research present challenges to the design and manufacture of an induction system because a high flux density field at high frequency must be created in a relatively large volume. Additional challenges are presented by the requirement that the inductor must maintain an operating temperature between 35 °C and 39 °C with continuous duty operation for one hour or longer. Results of simulation and design of two devices for culture samples and for in-vitro tests of multiple samples in uniform field is described.


Flow control to avoid or delay rotorcraft retreating blade stall can be an enabling technology for future high performance rotorcraft. Aerodynamic experiments and computations have indicated that appropriate unsteady excitation can delay boundary layer separation and stall on airfoils. Work is in progress to determine the control requirements for helicopter rotor blades at full scale Mach numbers, Reynolds numbers, and with unsteady pitching motions. Compact, powerful, and efficient flow actuation and control systems will be needed. Three actuation concepts were favorably evaluated during initial studies: electromechanical directed synthetic jets (DSJ), periodic flow modulation, and plasma actuation. Electromechanical DSJ and plasma actuators are being developed further and will be evaluated in full scale pitching blade section experiments. These experiments will determine the required control authority, validate the actuator concepts, and study open and closed loop control approaches. Computational studies are being performed of the combined external and actuator flow fields to determine preferred actuation geometries and operating points. System analyses are being used to quantify the benefits for representative aircraft configurations and missions. Copyright ÿ2000 by United Technologies Corporation. Published by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., with Permission. Nomenclature A airfoil pitch rate, U c 2 / α&


Supporting heterogeneous services are mandatory for 3G and beyond wireless systems, using the data transmission protocol such as transmission control protocol (TCP) designed for wired systems might not be suitable for wireless systems. In this paper an adaptive timer based control algorithm is proposed to improve the TCP performance, the algorithm can dynamically change round trip time (RTT) estimation values and adapt to current bandwidth conditions. Because the correct retransmission time out (RTO) values are calculated from a new adaptive RTO estimation value spurious timeouts problems due to incorrect RTO values caused by bandwidth variations can be resolved and TCP performance over wireless can be improved.


Introduction B12019 is being developed as a biosimilar to Neulasta (INN pegfilgrastim), a pegylated, long-acting form of recombinant human granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) for the prevention of chemotherapy-induced neutropenia. A clinical development program, based on scientific advice from EMA, consisting of two clinical studies was conducted with B12019 to confirm the biosimilarity to EU-authorised Neulasta as established by analytical, functional and preclinical data. Pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) comparability between Neulasta and B12019 had been shown in a previous study (Blood 2016 128:5079). Here, the results of the second clinical study are presented. Methods Study B12019-102 investigated the immunogenicity and PD comparability of B12019 and Neulasta at a reduced dose (3 mg). This dose was selected because it is considered more sensitive to detect potential differences in PD between B12019 and Neulasta as compared to the clinical dose of 6 mg. The study was designed as a multiple-dose, randomized, double-blind, three-period, two-sequence cross-over study in 96 healthy volunteers. A hierarchical ADA test strategy with a highly sensitive screening assay followed by four parallel epitope-specific, confirmatory assays was established. Primary study endpoints were AUEC0-last of the absolute neutrophil count (ANC) for PD after cross-over and anti-drug antibody rate (ADA) for immunogenicity after repeat dosing. Results The number of ADA-positive subjects was very low for both, B12019 and Neulasta. No imbalance was observed between the study drugs after repeated dosing. Neither anti-filgrastim nor neutralising antibodies were detected for B12019 or Neulasta. 82 subjects were included in the model-based PD comparison. PD comparability was demonstrated, with the AUEC0-last geometric mean ratio with a 95% CI of 99.58; 103.63 being within the pre-specified acceptance range. No clinically meaningful differences in the safety profile for B12019 and Neulasta were observed. Conclusion Study B12019-102 confirmed the PD comparability of B12019 with Neulasta at a sensitive dose of 3 mg. The immunogenicity profile of B12019 did not show differences to Neulasta. The study confirmed the biosimilarity of B12019 and Neulasta in a sensitive study design for immunogenicity and PD. Disclosures Roth, Ne Meyer: Cinfa Biotech: Employment. Wessels: Cinfa Biotech: Employment. Hoefler: Staburo GmbH: Employment. Jankowsky: Cinfa Biotech: Employment.


The purpose of this article is to discuss professional education and training programs offered to teams of operators by the main company in the area of Bacia de Campos (Petrobras), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It also discusses the necessary skills to the new functions derived from the implementation of an organizational innovation, the polyvalence, and how such innovation has impacted operators' activity. By using elements of WEA and the device "Meetings on the Work" it was possible to gain a better understanding of both the distance between the dimensions of prescribed work and real work, and the articulation between outsourcing and the proposition of polyvalence, which have stimulated the creation of new functions, namely, the polyvalent operator and the operator-maintainer, this latter being in fact an evolvement of the first.


Background: Childhood diabetes mellitus (DM) has been described among children in developed world, with a very scant report among African children, especially those in rural areas. Aim: This study aimed to describe the prevalence, presentation, and outcome of DM among children seen in a rural tertiary hospital in North-West Nigeria. Materials and Methods: This was a 10-year retrospective study of children with DM seen in the Pediatric Department of Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu, Jigawa State, Nigeria. Relevant demographic data, clinical presentation, and outcome were extracted and analyzed. Results: Nine of the 6269 of the children admitted during the study period had Type 1 DM, giving a prevalence of 1.4/1000 admissions. The mean age was 12.7 years, with a slight female preponderance. The mean duration of symptoms prior to presentation was 13.7 days and all the patients presented with diabetes ketoacidosis (DKA). All the patients recovered fully and were discharged to endocrine clinic, but only three children are being followed up. Conclusion: DKA was the only mode of presentation among children with DM in this series, with surprisingly excellent outcome but a high default rate.


Background: In the era of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, many cases may be misdiagnosed based on their semiology, laboratory tests or chest computed tomography (CT) images and further evaluation might be helpful in appropriately selected cases. Methods:We are discussing usefulness of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography PET/CT scan in appropriately selected suspicious cases of COVID-19 infection. We are discussing two interesting cases on how18F-FDG PET/CT scan might be helpful to avoid COVID-19 infection diagnostic error. Both cases had clinical symptoms suggestive for COVID-19 infection with nonspecific chest CT scan findings including lung nodules, ground glass opacities (GGOs), consolidations, and mosaic perfusion patterns. This case series was approved by our institutional review board and informed consent obtained from both patients. Results: In one case,18F-FDG PET/CT images demonstrated hypermetabolic mostly peripheral GGOs and nodules in both lungs with subsequent evaluation confirming COVID-19 infection. The second case demonstrated right perihilar consolidation, not well appreciated on noncontrast chest CT images in addition to GGOs and further evaluation confirmed diagnosis of poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinoma of the lung. Conclusion: During COVID-19 pandemic, many cases might be misdiagnosed by either clinicians or radiologists. In appropriately selected cases, FDG PET/CT scan may be helpful during COVID-19 outbreak to avoid diagnostic errors.


Background:
Maternal and neonatal health is an important global public health priority. Outcomes remain poor, especially in rural, peri-urban or marginalised communities. Public health interventions and conventional health promotion programmes are often challenging to implement and can fail to lead to sustainable change. Research suggests that participation influences literacy; which in turn is more likely to lead to sustainable health-related changes especially in marginalised settings, but there are challenges to implementation.
Aim:
To assess whether an action research approach using a mix of participatory methods can improve the health literacy of women living in peri-urban and rural areas of Northern Nigeria
Methods:
Three communities were recruited into the project; one as comparison and two in which women's groups were established. The research project had three stages: designing, implementing and evaluating the complex (health promotion) intervention. A range of participatory approaches (Community-Based Participatory Research, Auto-diagnosis, Most Significant Change) were adopted. Qualitative methods including interviews, focus group discussions, storytelling, group discussions and visual methods were used during group development; and to explore mechanisms and factors that determine the development and impact of women's groups.

Findings:
The planned transition from facilitator-led to a peer-led women's group was achieved by women's group members during the project's duration. Evaluation of the complex process of co-designing and co-implementing this complex intervention showed that peer-led participatory learning sessions with participatory visual methods were feasible and were used effectively by groups in addressing maternal and neonatal danger signs and promotion of healthy nutrition.
Conclusion:
Action research approach and combination of participatory methods enabled the development of women's groups with the potential to empower women with knowledge and skills for local maternal health actions. Further work is needed to understand whether groups are sustainable and can have a direct impact on maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality over time.


The biochemical evidence showed that hemoglobin dehaloperoxidase (DHP B) from Amphitrite Ornata is a multifunctional hemoprotein that catalyzes both dehalogenation and hydroxylation of halophenols via the peroxidase and peroxygenase mechanism, respectively, which sets the basis for the degradation of halophenols. In the peroxygenase mechanism, the reaction was previously suggested to be triggered either by the hydrogen atom abstraction by the Fe═O center or by the proton abstraction by His55. To illuminate the peroxygenase mechanism of DHP B at the atomistic level, on the basis of the high-resolution crystal structure, computational models were constructed, and a series of quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical calculations have been performed. According to the calculation results, the pathway (Path a) initiated by the H-abstraction by the Fe═O center is feasible. In another pathway (Path b), His55 can abstract the proton from the hydroxyl group of the substrate (4-Cl-o-cresol) to initiate the reaction; however, its feasibility depends on the prior electron transfer from the substrate to the porphyrin group. The rate-limiting step of Path a is the OH-rebound, which corresponds to an energy barrier of 14.7 kcal/mol at the quartet state. His55 acts as an acid-base catalyst and directly involves in the catalysis. Our mutant study indicates that His55 can be replaced by other titratable residues. These findings may provide useful information for further understanding of the catalytic reaction of DHP B and for the design of enzymes in the degradation of pollutants, in particular, halophenols.


Background Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is associated with a myriad of extra-intestinal manifestations (EIMs). Musculoskeletal EIMs are the most common EIM in IBD. Previous studies of sacroiliitis (SI) in IBD have a broad prevalence range of 2%>45%1–3. In these patients, HLA-B27 positivity ranged anywhere from 0–50%1,2,4. Objectives To determine the prevalence of radiographic SI in a large IBD population, and identify risk factors associated with the development of SI. Methods 1,247 consecutive patients from our IBD clinic, 350 with ulcerative colitis (UC), and 897 with Crohn's disease (CD) were investigated as long as they had a pre-existing computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen and pelvis. These CTs were re-interpreted for evidence of SI. Each sacroiliac joint was graded based on the modified New York Criteria5. Each patient was classified as having no disease, suspected disease, or definite disease. Definite SI was defined as bilateral grade 2, or unilateral grade 3 or 4. Suspicious SI was defined as unilateral or bilateral grade 1 or unilateral grade 2. Gender, age, type of IBD, HLA-B27 status (by next generation sequencing), and IBD serologies (ASCA, antiCBir1, anti-OMPc, ANCA) were also analyzed. Results Prevalence of either definite or suspicious SI was found in 16.1% and 19.4% in CD and UC respectively. The prevalence of definite SI was 8.7% and 8.1% in CD and UC respectively. In patients with SI (definite and suspicious), 57% were male and 43% were female. When looking only at the definite group, there 68% males and 32% females (p=0.002). This is in contrast to the suspicious SI group, where there were 48% males and 52% females. Of significance, 16% of patients in the definite SI group were positive for HLA-B27, while only 6% of the patients in the negative group were positive for HLA-B27 (OR 4.36, p=0.006). In the suspicious group, 8% of patients were positive for HLAB27. Definite SI was associated with: anti-Cbir1 (p=0.002) in CD, and ASCA (p=0.05) in UC. Conclusions In this study, the largest of its kind, we observed an overall SI prevalence of 17% in our IBD cohort. The prevalence of SI seen on CT was similar between UC and CD. Historically, UC and CD occur evenly between genders. However, when gender and SI in IBD were compared, there were more males in the definite group, while in the suspicious group there was a greater predominance of females. It remains unclear if the suspicious group represents a subtle phenotype of SI that has not yet progressed. Significant associations with clinically relevant subsets of IBD defined by serological markers were observed. The observed HLAB27 positivity is at the lower end of what has previously been reported, and is not as strong as is seen in ankylosing spondylitis without IBD. This further suggests that SI and spondylitis in the IBD population are different pathologic entities, with unique genetic risks, compared with the pure AS population. References Palm O. et al, Rheumatology,2001 Turkcapar N. et al, Rheumatol Int,2006 Steer S. et al, J Rheumatol,2003 Peeters H. et al, Ann Rheum Dis,2004 van der Linden S. et al, Arthritis Rheum,1984 Disclosure of Interest A. Nangit: None declared, D. Scaramangas: None declared, G. Dejesus: None declared, D. Karayev: None declared, C. Williams: None declared, D. Li: None declared, X. Yan: None declared, S. Targan: None declared, T. Learch: None declared, D. McGovern: None declared, M. Weisman Grant/research support from: UCB, Human Genome Sciences, Sanofi, Eli Lilly and Co, Genentech, Inc., Santarus Inc., EMD Serono, ChemoCentryx, GSK, Immunomedics Inc., Consultant for: Boehringer Ingelheim/Proskauer, Ardea Biosciences, Epirus Biopharmaceuticals, Acerta Pharma


Oil foams are composed of gas bubbles dispersed in an oil phase. These systems are scarcely studied despite their great potential in diverse fields such as the food and cosmetic industries. Contrary to aqueous foams, the production of oil foams is difficult to achieve due to the inefficiency of surfactant adsorption at oil-air interfaces. Herein, we report a simple way to produce oil foams from oleogels, whose liquid phase is a mixture of sunflower oil and fatty alcohols. The temperature at which the oleogel formed was found to depend on both fatty alcohol chain length and concentration. The air bubbles in the oleogel foam were stabilized by fatty alcohol crystals. Below the melting temperature of the crystals, oleogel foams were stable for months. Upon heating, these ultrastable foams collapsed within a few minutes due to the melting of the crystal particles. The transition between crystal formation and melting was reversible, leading to thermoresponsive nonaqueous foams. The reversible switching between ultrastable and unstable foam depended solely on the temperature of the system. We demonstrate that these oleogel foams can be made to be photoresponsive by using internal heat sources such as carbon black particles, which can absorb UV light and dissipate the absorbed energy as heat. This simple approach for the formulation of responsive oil foams could be easily extended to other oleogel systems and could find a broad range of applications due to the availability of the components in large quantities and at low cost.


Polypoid basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is characterized by a stalk connecting the tumor and skin surfaces, with neoplastic cells restricted in the polypoid zone microscopically. A thorough review of polypoid BCC is still lacking. Thus, we performed this scoping review to investigate the clinical manifestations, dermoscopic features, histopathology, treatment, and prognosis of polypoid BCC. A literature search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases until December 23, 2021. Studies reporting at least one patient with polypoid BCC following the pathology and clinical criteria were included. A total of 47 studies with 54 patients with solitary polypoid BCC and 13 patients with multiple polypoid BCCs were included. Solitary polypoid BCC occurred at a relatively younger age, with an equal sex ratio. These tumors most commonly presented as red or flesh-colored pedunculated papules and were commonly distributed over nonsun-exposed areas. Most tumors were managed with excision, and recurrence or metastasis was seldom reported. Most patients with multiple polypoid BCCs had basal cell nevus syndrome and presented with generalized distributed, flesh-colored, or brown papules mimicking skin tags. Typical dermoscopic features of BCC could still be observed in these lesions, including arborizing vessels, blue-gray globules, and ovoid nests, which could aid in early diagnosis. In conclusion, polypoid BCC is a distinct variant of BCC with pedunculated morphology. Physicians should be aware of polypoid BCC and may use dermoscopy to aid in early diagnosis and treatment.


Sanguinicolids, or fish blood flukes, infect the vascular system of both marine and freshwater fishes, and some act as serious pathogens of hosts in aquaculture. Blood flukes typically possess a relatively benign relationship with wild fishes; however, cultured hosts near appropriate intermediate hosts (i.e., snail, bivalve, or polychaete) may accumulate heavy infections of the worms and their eggs. The resulting disease, sanguinicoliasis, has caused mass mortalities of fish reared in ponds and cages in North America, Europe, and Asia. In the life cycle, the cercaria emerges from the intermediate invertebrate host and penetrates into and matures in the definitive fish host, and the resulting adult releases eggs into the fish's vascular system. These eggs may be sequestered in gill, heart, kidney, liver, spleen, pancreas, or other organs, where they cause inflammation and decrease the physiological and mechanical efficiency of these organs. In some cases, they kill the host. Treatment of debilitated fishes is difficult, and the combination of stock destruction and facility disinfection is a realistic option for managing cases in freshwater systems. However, because this is usually not possible in marine systems, early detection and identification of the parasite, careful site selection and construction of culture facilities, and elimination of infected hosts (definitive or intermediate) are important. Much information needs to be acquired about each parasite's biology and geographic range, and imported fishes and fish products should be quarantined or examined fresh for infections prior to potential contamination of culture systems.


This paper presents the meta distribution analysis of the downlink two-user non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) in cellular networks. We propose a novel user ranking technique wherein the users from the cell center (CC) and cell edge (CE) regions are paired for the non-orthogonal transmission. Inspired by how users are partitioned in 3GPP cellular models, the CC and CE users are characterized based on the mean powers received from the serving and the dominant interfering BSs. We demonstrate that the proposed technique ranks users in an accurate order with distinct link qualities, which is imperative for the performance of NOMA system. The exact moments of the meta distributions for the CC and CE users under NOMA and orthogonal multiple access (OMA) are derived. In addition, we provide tight beta distribution approximations for the meta distributions and exact expressions of the mean local delays and the cell throughputs for the NOMA and OMA cases. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive analysis of NOMA using stochastic geometry with 3GPP-inspired user ranking scheme that depends upon both of the link qualities from the serving and dominant interfering BSs.


We investigate the planetary transit detectability in the presence of stellar rotational activity from light curves of young M dwarfs, and estimate the improvements in detection at near-infrared (NIR) wavelengths. By making maps of the transit signal detection efficiency over the orbital period and planetary radius with light curves of the members of four clusters observed by the K2 mission—Hyades, Praesepe, Pleiades, and Upper Scorpius—we evaluate the detectability of the rotation period and the modulation of the semi-amplitude. We find that the detection efficiency decreases remarkably, to about 20%, for rapid rotators with P rot ≤ 1 day, and that the lack of planets in Pleiades is likely due to the high fraction of rapidly rotating M dwarfs. We also evaluate the improvements in planet detection with NIR photometry via tests that use mock light curves, assuming that the signal amplitude of the stellar rotation decreases at NIR wavelengths. Our results suggest that NIR photometric monitoring will double the relative detection efficiency for transiting planetary candidates with P rot ≤ 1 day, and find planets around M dwarfs with approximately 100 Myr that are missing from previous transit surveys from space.


The syndrome non-familial acro-osteolysis features bone reabsorption of the digits in association with short stature. Osteoporosis is common in this disorder, but no successful treatment has been previously reported. We report a case of non-familial acro-osteolysis complicated by multiple fractures in which treatment with antiresorptive therapy improved both biochemical markers of bone turnover and bone mineral density but had no effect on the acro-osteolysis.


This prospective study was conducted to determine factors important in predicting which regularly attending adult patients would receive first, restorations or extractions for any reason (receiving treatment) and, second, restorations or extractions undertaken specifically for caries (receiving treatment related to caries). Baseline and incremental clinical data were obtained from 24 general dental practitioners on a group of their regularly attending, dentate adult patients over a 12-month period. The patients completed a postal questionnaire with questions relating to dental health behaviour, attitudes, knowledge, and social factors. Complete data were obtained from 2553 patients. Thirty-one variables were identified as potential predictors for the two dependent variables receiving treatment and receiving treatment related to caries, and logistic regression models were fitted. Receiving treatment was associated with having fewer sound teeth and more anterior fillings, posterior fillings and crowns (P < 0.001). The dentist's prediction of the need for treatment related to caries and the patient's own prediction of the need for a filling were also important in the model (P < 0.001). Some of these variables, together with having received recent medical treatment and taking sugar in tea or coffee were also found to predict treatment related to caries. The model for receiving treatment related to caries was more successful at predicting the patient's individual risk but the model for receiving treatment was slightly better at classifying patients into whether or not they received treatment. It is reassuring that the common assumptions made by the dental practitioners of their patient's risk have received statistical validation.


This paper deals with the design of an efficient object model for propagation phenomena. It is applied to the phenomenological model developed at the University of Corsica, within the context of simulation of vegetation fires. The objective is to simulate large-scale fire propagation, and on the longer term to develop a decision aid tool to guide forest firemen and managers. Based on both cellular automata and discrete event specification (DEVS) formalisms, a new kind of model, called active-DEVS, is specified. Modeling methods based on enhanced cellular automata facilitate both spatial dynamic expression of propagation phenomena, and parallel architectures exploitation. However, such environments usually lack the ability to integrate easy component modifications. The DEVS formalism makes it possible to exploit the cellular models efficiently whatever their dimensions, and to reduce simulation times considerably. A simulation framework is developed to implement and compare active-DEVS model and classical discrete time system specification (DTSS) models. This framework relies on designs patterns, and thus keeps a modular, elegant and adaptable design.


We investigate the performance of sentence embeddings models on several tasks for the Russian language. In our comparison, we include such tasks as multiple choice question answering, next sentence prediction, and paraphrase identification. We employ FastText embeddings as a baseline and compare it to ELMo and BERT embeddings. We conduct two series of experiments, using both unsupervised (i.e., based on similarity measure only) and supervised approaches for the tasks. Finally, we present datasets for multiple choice question answering and next sentence prediction in Russian.


Automatic detection of the pectoral muscle in mammograms is widely used in computer-aided diagnostic (CAD) systems for breast cancer. The pectoral muscle region has some prominent features such as the upper corner position, high density, and triangular shape. But, these features may be distorted due to the masses, artifacts, skin folds, and overlapping tissues, and other reasons. Despite recent developments in CAD technology, accurate detection of distorted pectoral muscle images remains a challenging task. In this study, we proposed an automatic method that uses a divided topographic representation to detect distorted pectoral muscle boundaries. After the preprocessing stage, firstly an isocontour map is generated and then divided into horizontal blocks. The contours of the pectoral muscle boundary in the blocks often reveal specific patterns in terms of location, geometric and topological features. We developed a new segmentation algorithm, rule-based contour detection (RBCD), to detect these specific patterned isocontours. The method applied to two datasets consisting of 84 and 201 mammogram images from MIAS and Inbreast databases respectively. Besides, some distorted pectoral muscle samples selected from these datasets were used to further analyze the performance of the proposed method. The mean False-Positive and the mean False-Negative rates of the proposed method for MIAS and Inbreast datasets were 0.92%, 1.26%, and 2.34%, 1.15%, respectively. The quantitative and qualitative results for the distorted pectoral muscle samples show that the proposed method outperformed the compared methods.