In this paper the relationships between of middle- and long-latency acoustical evoked potentials on model of selective attention are estimated. Topographical brain mapping in this situation is model for approximation of direct and back influences in neural networks at processing the acoustic information. The mechanisms of perception of target and non-target acoustic signals in the brain on various epoch of the analysis are estimated.


Abstract The study examined socio-economic factors influencing loan repayment among small scale farmers in Ogbomoso agricultural zone of Oyo State of Nigeria. Data collected from 100 farmers from 10 villages in 2 Local Government Areas from the zone through a multistage random sampling techniques were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Ordinary Least Square multiple regression analysis. Results revealed that farmers were on the average 47 years with fewer years of farming experience with credit use (average of 4 years). The average farm size of 3 hectares cultivated by the respondents indicate the small scale nature of their farming business. Results of multiple regression analysis showed that amount of loan obtained by farmers, years of farming experience with credit use and level of education were the major factors that positively and significantly influenced loan repayment. However, age of farmers influenced loan repayment negatively but significantly. The study recommends that for effective farm management and increase in agricultural production, further disbursement of loans should be targeted at young and better educated farmers who are more likely to adopt new innovations in agricultural production than their older counterparts.


Backgroud :To investigate the clinical prediction factors of non chronic total occlusion lesions progression in patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI) for chronic total occlusion lesions.Methods: A total of 450 unstable angina patients (57.1 ± 9.2 years) underwent PCI from January 2016 to December 2018 in Beijing Anzhen Hospital were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent PCI as treatment for chronic total occlusion lesions. Clinical and angiographic follow-up were performed in 12 months. All patients were divided into non chronic total occlusion lesions(NCTOL) progression group (205 cases) and the control group (275 cases) according to angiographic follow-up outcome in 12 months. The clinical and angiographic features were analyzed.Results: levels of adenosine diphosphate (ADP) induced platelet aggregation rate(ADP-IPA) (51.89 ± 14.81 vs 39.63 ± 17.12,P <0.01), lipoprotein(a)(Lp(a))(0.22 ± 0.26 vs 0.14 ± 0.18,P < 0.05) in NCTOL progression group were significantly higher than those in the control group. Logistic regression showed that ADP induced PAR (odds ratio =1.047, 95% confidence interval:1.014-1.082, P = 0.005), Lp(a) (odds ratio =11.972, 95% confidence interval: 1.230 -116.570, P = 0.033) were independent predictors of NCTOL progression. Partial correlation analysis showed that ADP-IPA was positively correlated with NCTOL progression( r = 0. 351,P < 0. 001) .Receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve showed that the boundary point of ADP-IPA to predict NCTOL progression was 30%, the sensitivity was 86.2% and the specificity was 68.9%.Conclusions: ADP-IPA may be an valuable predictor for NCTOL progression .in unstable angina patients underwent percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI) for chronic total occlusion lesions.


We report a surface-normal optically controlled waveguide switch made of a p-i-n diode that utilizes optically induced voltage screening to turn on and diffusive conduction to turn off. We examine theoretically diffusive conduction in these switches and show that this mechanism offers the possibility of creating optical switches operating at several tens of GHz. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, we present experimental results of wavelength-converting, optical switching at frequencies up to 2.5 GHz in a multiple-quantum-well, GaAs-based waveguide device using milliwatt-level switching powers. Optimized arrays of these devices can be used for high-speed, multichannel wavelength conversion and optical regeneration in wavelength-division-multiplexed systems.


Travel time and speed estimation are part of many intelligent transportation applications. Existing estimation approaches rely on either function fitting or data aggregation and represent different tradeoffs between generalizability and accuracy. Function-fitting approaches learn functions that map feature vectors of, e.g., routes to travel time or speed estimates, which enables generalization to unseen routes. However, mapping functions are imperfect and offer poor accuracy in practice. Aggregation-based approaches instead form estimates by aggregating historical data, e.g., traversal data for routes. This enables very high accuracy given sufficient data. However, they rely on simplistic heuristics when insufficient data is available, yielding poor generalizability. We present a Unifying approach to Travel time and speed Estimation (UniTE) that combines function-fitting and aggregation-based approaches into a unified framework that aims to achieve the generalizability of function-fitting approaches and the accuracy of aggregation-based approaches when data is available. We demonstrate empirically that an instance of UniTE can improve the accuracies of travel speed and travel time estimation by 40–64% and 3–23%, respectively, compared to using only function fitting or data aggregation.


The problems involved in measuring noise on video signals are described. A brief review of several methods that have been used for video signal noise measurement is followed by a detailed explanation of the comparison technique. This technique is based on the principle that noise sources with different spectral content, but gaussian amplitude distributions, when matched for equivalent displacement on an oscilloscope screen will have equal r.m,s, values. A brief cir-


A new technique to enhance the impedance bandwidth visibly to be about twice as large as that of a probe-fed annular-ring microstrip antenna in the TM/sub 12/ mode by using a two-notch sector in the annular-ring patch is proposed. The obtained bandwidth is improved to be about 6%, and this modified structure makes it possible to use a 50 /spl Omega/ microstrip line as a feed line.


Objectives
Although research has identified age-by-emotion interactions in memory performance and in neural recruitment during retrieval, it remains unclear which retrieval processes are affected. The temporal resolution of event-related potentials (ERPs) provides a way to examine different component processes that operate during retrieval.

Methods
In the present study, younger and older adults encoded neutral and emotional images paired with neutral titles. ERPs were assessed during a recognition memory task in which participants viewed neutral titles and indicated whether each had been presented during encoding.

Results
An age-related posterior-to-anterior shift began in a time window typically associated with recollection-related processes (500-800 ms) while an age-by-emotion interaction occurred only during a later measurement window (800-1,200 ms).

Discussion
These findings suggest an effect of age on mechanisms supporting retrieval of episodic content, prior to post-retrieval processing. The potential relations to different types of detail retrieval are discussed. Further, the later age-by-emotion interactions suggest that age influences the effect of emotion on post-retrieval processes, specifically.


The main purpose of this study is biomechanical analysis of dunks technology, mainly through basketball players bounce force biomechanical analysis and endurance to dunk a basketball biomechanical analysis of two aspects to carry on the research, which can provide the basis for the future basketball teaching and training. Research methods are: access to the data method, the technology of spot statistics, analysis and data processing method. This paper takes the young men's basketball team of Heilongjiang province and the Harbin Institute of Physical Education men's basketball team as the research object, the method of combining Nonn Cybex with multi joint velocity measurement and motion video recording that is adopted, biomechanical analysis on athletes standing vertical jump, step jump and isokinetic strength characteristics of the spring force. By quoting Richard C. Nelson American sports biomechanics expert results, watching the 18 th Championship Men's basketball video and statistics of CBA13-14 season games, according to the analysis and research of air volleyball technology, we can study the mechanics of the basketball movement endurance to dunk a basketball analysis.


A study was performed to assess: (1) the feasibility to acidify the separated solid fraction of raw and co-digested pig slurry by using a powdery sulfur-based product; and (2) the effect of this acidification method on greenhouse gases and ammonia emissions during manure storage. Samples of raw and co-digested pig slurry were collected at two commercial farms and mechanically separated by a laboratory-scale screw press device. The sulfur powder (80% concentration) was added to the obtained separated solid fractions at three application rates: 0.5%, 1% and 2% (w/w). Carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and ammonia emissions were afterwards measured during storage of the acidified samples and compared with those measured from untreated samples (Control). Gaseous emissions were determined with dynamic chamber method by Infrared Photoacoustic Detection. Gaseous losses were monitored along 30 and 60 days of storage time for raw solid fraction and digested solid fraction, respectively. The addition of the tested sulfur powder to solid fractions showed to be a reliable and effective method to acidify raw and co-digested solid fractions. Results showed a significant reduction of both greenhouse gases and ammonia emission regardless of the separated solid fraction type. The highest sulfur application rate (2% w/w) led to a reduction of up to 78% of greenhouse gas emission and 65% of ammonia losses from raw separated solid fraction when compared with the Control. Similar results were achieved from the co-digested solid fraction, with emission reduction of up to 67% for ammonia and 61% for greenhouse gas.


Many areas of the southern Appalachian Mountains contain large amounts of dead and/or ericaceous fuel. Fuel information critical in modeling fire behavior and its effects is not available to forest managers in the southern Appalachian Mountains, and direct measurement is often impractical due to steep, remote topography. An existing landscape ecosystem classification (LEC) model was used as the basis for a characterization of fuel complexes in the Chauga Ridges region in South Carolina. We hypothesized that LEC site units have distinct fuel assemblages. Fuels were characterized using discriminant analysis, which yielded an overall 54 percent success rate of 275 randomly located plots. Rhododendron maximum L. biomass, R. minus Michx. ground cover, Vaccinium L. spp. ground cover, duff depth, and 1,000-hour fuel loading were discriminating fuel characteristics of xeric, intermediate, submesic, and mesic site units. Disturbance was not addressed in this analysis, but future work will address its effect on fuel complexes of LEC site units.


Primal problem of vegetable growing is constant supply of the population with all types of vegetables, including green cultures. Green cultures are vegetables that have high nutritional value and precocity. However they often are infected by phytopathogenic microorganisms already at initial stages of ontogenesis at cultivation in closed soil conditions. It leads to emergence of disjointed shoots, deterioration of growth and development of plants and loss of quality. Now in the Republic of Belarus a number of biological substances on the basis of bacteria Bacillus was developed. They are used against diseases of plants of mushroom and bacterial etiology. However there is not information about influence of bacteria on quality of products of green cultures. The aim of the work was studying of influence of two strains of bacteria Bacillus that were introduced in peat substrate on efficiency and quality of lettuce. Two strains of bacteria Bacillus were used in the work. They were selected from the soil. The strains are Bacillus subtilis M9/6 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens 23TM that have high antagonistic activity to a wide range of phytopathogens. Cultivation of plants carried out in containers of 250 ml under light installations with illuminating intensity 13-15 thousand luxury and lasting irradiating of 14 hours before technical ripeness of lettuce. It was established that the application of strain Bacillus subtilis M9/6 (in concentration 106 cells/ml, 10 ml/l of substrate) and the strain Bacillus amyloliquefaciens 23TM (5 ml/l of substrate) in substrate before sowing increased nutrition value of lettuce. Dry matter content, water-soluble carbohydrates (mono - and disaccharides) content and vitamin C content increased. The bacterial strain B. amyloliquefaciens 23TM also promoted accumulation of vitamin B2. The content of nitrates in lettuce leaves decreased on 50,3% and 39,1%, respectively. It was shown that the application of bacteria in substrate before sowing of crop has a greater influence on quality of lettuce, than watering of shoots.


Objective Misoprostol of different measures applied to the effectiveness of induced abortions in late pregnancy.Methods Induction of 90 cases have indications of late pregnancy pregnant women were randomly divided into three groups,25 μg group,50 μg group and 75 μg group,after routine vaginal genital disinfection after dome Add to the corresponding dose of misoprostol,to fetal heart rate monitoring,Jingwo one hour,four hours after the contractions did not launch with the law once again into the previous dose of misoprostol,place up to three times a day.Result Three doses are effective labor,but as the dose increases,their safety is in the reduced.Conclusion Small dose of misoprostol for induction in late pregnancy to be effective and safe.


The aim of the present study was to evaluate bone loss at implants connected to abutments coated with a soda-lime glass containing silver nanoparticles, subjected to experimental peri-implantitis. Also the aging and erosion of the coating in mouth was studied. Five beagle dogs were used in the experiments. Three implants were placed in each mandible quadrant: in 2 of them, Glass/n-Ag coated abutments were connected to implant platform, 1 was covered with a Ti-mechanized abutment. Experimental peri-implantitis was induced in all implants after the submarginal placement of cotton ligatures, and three months after animals were euthanatized. Thickness and morphology of coating was studied in abutment cross-sections by SEM. Histology and histo-morphometric studies were carried on in undecalfied ground slides. After the induced peri-implantitis: 1.The abutment coating shown losing of thickness and cracking. 2. The histometry showed a significant less bone loss in the implants with glass/n-Ag coated abutments. A more symmetric cone of bone resorption was observed in the coated group. There were no significant differences in the peri-implantitis histological characteristics between both groups of implants. Within the limits of this in-vivo study, it could be affirmed that abutments coated with biocide soda-lime-glass-silver nanoparticles can reduce bone loss in experimental peri-implantitis. This achievement makes this coating a suggestive material to control peri-implantitis development and progression.


Detecting targets embedded in a noisy environment is an important topic in adaptive array processing. In the traditional statistical framework, this problem is addressed through a binary hypothesis test, which usually requires the estimation of side parameters from secondary data. The latter are assumed to be homogeneous and target-free, which is in practice questionable. Indeed, secondary data are usually corrupted by radar clutters and/or jammers which can be non-stationary and locally low rank. Fortunately, the latter behaviors can be well acknowledged by a union-of-subspaces model. In this work, we propose a modified subspace clustering model which can be solved using convex optimization algorithms. In the context of multiple sparse target detection and localization, a comparison is performed with various robust detection methods exhibiting advantages and drawbacks of the proposed one.


B lymphocytes are key players in host defence, but also autoimmune diseases. Their survival depends upon tonic signals transduced by surface immunoglobulin (BCR) and the process leading to antibody secretion is initiated by interaction of BCR with a cognate antigen. CD22 limits signalling of the BCR to strike a balance between tonic signalling, reactivity to pathogens and prevention of autoimmunity. In this issue, Gasparrini et al (2016) combined super‐resolution imaging approaches with single‐particle tracking and simulations to show how CD22 controls the signalling state of the BCR. They demonstrated that small CD22 nanoclusters run rings around the BCR in confined steady state to maintain low tonic signals, but releasing BCR from these corrals allows BCR cluster growth, which overcomes the harrying inhibition from highly mobile CD22.


The aim of local path planning for unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) is to avoid unknown dynamic or static obstacles. However, current relative studies have not fully considered the impact of ocean environmental factors which significantly increase the control difficulty and collision risk of USVs. Therefore, this work studies two ocean environmental factors, namely, wave and current, given that they both have a significant impact on USVs. Furthermore, we redesign a kinematic model of an USV and the evaluation function of a classical and practical local path planning method based on the dynamic window approach (DWA). As shown by the results of the simulations, the path length was impacted mainly by the intensity of the environmental load and slightly by the direction of the environmental load, but the navigation time was significantly influenced by both. Taking the situation in still water as a benchmark in terms of the intensity and direction of the environmental factors, the maximum change rates of the path length were 8.6% and 0.6%, respectively, but the maximum change rates of the navigating time were 17.9% and 25.6%, separately. In addition, the average calculation time of each cycle was only 0.0418 s, and the longest time did not exceed the simulation time corresponding to a single cycle of 0.1 s. This method has proven to be a good candidate for real-time local path planning of USVs since it systematically considers the impact of waves and currents on the navigation of USVs, and thus ensures that USVs can adjust to the planned path in time and avoid obstacles when navigating in the real ocean environment.


Sterigmatocystin (STG), a biosynthesis precursor of aflatoxin B1, is well known for its toxic and carcinogenic effects in humans and animals. STG derivatives and protein conjugates are needed for generation of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). This work describes a reliable and fast synthesis of novel STG derivatives, based on which novel STG bovine serum albumin conjugates were prepared. With the novel STG bovine serum albumin conjugates, three sensitive and specific mAbs against STG, named VerA 3, VerA 4, and VerA 6, were prepared by semi-solid hypoxanthine/aminopterin/thymidine (HAT) medium using a modified two-step screening procedure. They exhibited high affinity for STG and no cross-reactivity (CR) with aflatoxins B1, B2, G1, G2, and M1. Based on the most sensitive antibody VerA 3, an ultra-sensitive competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was developed for STG in wheat, maize, and peanuts. Assays were performed in the STG-GA-BSA-coated (0.5 µg·mL−1) ELISA format, in which the antibody was diluted to 1∶80,000. Several physicochemical factors influencing assay performance, such as pH, ionic strength, blocking solution, and diluting solution, were optimized. The final results showed that the assays had the detection limits of 0.08 ng·g−1 for wheat, 0.06 ng·g−1 for maize, and 0.1 ng·g−1 for peanuts, inter-assay and intra-assay variations of less than 10%, and recoveries ranging from 83% to 110%. These recoveries were in good agreement with those obtained by using HPLC-MS/MS method (90–104%), indicating the importance of the mAb VerA 3 in the study of STG in crude agricultural products.


Objective. Our study describes sick leave during 3 years before and 3 years after diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in relation to referents and identifies predictors for sick leave during the third year after diagnosis of RA. Methods. One hundred twenty patients (76% women) from the Swedish early RA study TIRA were included. Disease activity and disability were registered regularly during 3 years in TIRA. Referents were matched for sex, age, and home town. Sick leave data were obtained for patients 3 years before and 3 years after diagnosis and for the referents for the corresponding 6 years. Results. No differences were seen between patients and referents regarding sick leave during the first 2 years, whereas sick leave increased in patients 6 months before diagnosis, from 30% to 53%. During the 3 years after diagnosis, sick leave among patients was rather stable, varying between 50% and 60%, even though disability pension increased and sickness benefit decreased. Sick leave before diagnosis, disability 1 year after diagnosis, and type of work were identified as predictors for sick leave during the third year after diagnosis. Conclusion. Not surprisingly, sick leave in patients increased the year before diagnosis. Although disease activity and disability diminished after diagnosis, the patients' sick leave remained essentially unchanged. Sick leave 3 years after diagnosis was foremost predicted by earlier sick leave, disability, and type of work.


Changes of scientific paradigms happen with the emergence of new theories, like the cell theory in the 19th century. These new conceptions are the result of a collective work occurring over decades or centuries. Scientists who participate in these important mutations are fully in tune with their time, even when they are considered precursors, and it is always difficult to judge how far they were right and how far they were wrong.


This paper presents a high payload watermarking scheme for High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC). HEVC is an emerging video compression standard that provides better compression performance as compared to its predecessor, i.e. H.264/AVC. Considering that HEVC may will be used in a variety of applications in the future, the proposed algorithm has a high potential of utilization in applications involving broadcast and hiding of metadata. The watermark is embedded into the Quantized Transform Coefficients (QTCs) during the encoding process. Later, during the decoding process, the embedded message can be detected and extracted completely. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm does not significantly affect the video quality, nor does it escalate the bitrate.


Valosin-containing protein (VCP) is a highly conserved mechanoenzyme that helps maintain protein homeostasis in all cells and serves specialized functions in distinct cell types. In skeletal muscle, it is critical for myofibrillogenesis and atrophy. However, little is known about VCP's role(s) in the heart. Its functional diversity is determined by differential binding of distinct cofactors/adapters, which is likely disrupted during disease. VCP mutations cause multisystem proteinopathy (MSP), a pleiotropic degenerative disorder that involves inclusion body myopathy. MSP patients display progressive muscle weakness. They also exhibit cardiomyopathy and die from cardiac and respiratory failure, which are consistent with critical myocardial roles for the enzyme. Nonetheless, efficient models to interrogate VCP in cardiac muscle remain underdeveloped and poorly studied. Here, we investigated the significance of VCP and mutant VCP in the Drosophila heart. Cardiac-restricted RNAi-mediated knockdown of TER94, the Drosophila VCP homolog, severely perturbed myofibrillar organization and heart function in adult flies. Furthermore, expression of MSP disease-causing alleles engendered cardiomyopathy in adults and structural defects in embryonic hearts. Drosophila may therefore serve as a valuable model for examining role(s) of VCP in cardiogenesis and for identifying novel heart-specific VCP interactions, which when disrupted via mutation, contribute to or elicit cardiac pathology.


The policies toward countries aspiring to acquire nuclear weapons continue to be heavily contested, differing even among countries that consider nuclear proliferation as one of the main threats to international security. This article maps the actual policies of liberal democracies toward Iran and North Korea along a continuum from confrontation to accommodation. Using data from an expert survey, the authors outline four main findings. First, policies toward both Iran and North Korea have become increasingly confrontational over time. Second, no policy convergence was observed among the states studied; that is, notwithstanding the adoption of joint sanctions, differences remained between states preferring confrontation and those opting for accommodation. Third, states maintained remarkably stable policy profiles over time. Finally, despite obvious differences between the norm violations of North Korea and Iran, states generally followed remarkably similar policies toward both countries. The authors' findings indicate that states exhibit stable preferences for either confrontation or accommodation toward nuclear aspirants. Although a comprehensive examination of the causes of these policy differences is beyond the scope of this article, the authors present evidence that a major cleavage exists between members and non-members of the Non-Aligned Movement, indicating that the degree to which nuclear aspirants' sovereignty should be respected is a main issue of contention.


winner (p. 76). Consequently, because of the age group of this population, it would be difficult to fill the fatherhood role demands. Although many of these fathers reported that they felt trapped in an unwanted relationship, thus posing communication and adjustment problems within the family structure, they were adamantly opposed to abortion and adoption. Dr. Paschal addressed some of the particular stressors associated with being an African American adolescent father in today's society. They included poverty, living in disadvantaged neighborhoods, racism, and trying to fill roles reserved for men (p. 145). Likewise, many felt that being a father interrupted their social and personal lives, thus imposing on their freedom. They also feared that their inability to provide financially would affect their ability to spend time with their children and the childrearing decision-making process. Dr. Paschal provided excellent insight into the plight of African American young males who chose to become fathers at a very early age. She emphasized the impact of racism and poverty as contributing factors that shaped values, attitudes, and behaviors in relation to teen pregnancy and responsible parenting. Much research has been conducted in an attempt to examine and/or explain Black adolescent behavior; however, Voices of African-American Teen Fathers: "I'm Doing What I Got To Do" brings to light the detrimental need for additional research among this population. Dr. Paschal's work is timely, well researched, excellently outlined, and easy to read. This book is an excellent resource for counselors, teachers, and other helping professionals who seek to understand the dynamics of African American adolescent fathers.


The radiative semi-Auger decays in inner shell vacancies in atoms are decribed usinhg many-body perturbation theory. In the first order of inter-electron interaction, the expressions for amplitudes are presented. The formulae obtained are compared with those derived using other approaches, such as the "shake-off" model of configuration interaction method. The numerical calculations are performed for 1s(Ne) and 2p(Ar) vacancies. For several considered decay channels, it is found that the "shake-off" mechanism is not the most important decay pathway.


Previous reports have shown that safflower-seed extract and its major antioxidant constituents, serotonin hydroxycinnamic amides, attenuated atherosclerotic lesion formation in apoE-deficient mice, as well as inflammation and aortic stiffness in human subjects. In the present report, we examined a still unknown cell-based mechanism of serotonin derivatives against the development of atherosclerosis, focusing our attention on their action against the increase of adhesion molecules and the release of chemotactic factors on human aortic endothelial cells, phenomena that represent the key events in the early stages of atherosclerogenesis. Serotonin derivatives N-(p-coumaroyl)serotonin and N-feruloylserotonin exerted an inhibitory effect on short-term high glucose-induced up-regulation of mRNA and protein of adhesion and migration factors, and the consequent adhesion and migration of monocytes to endothelial cells; they inhibited the activation of transcription factors such as NF-κB, and the overproduction of the mitochondrial superoxide by acting as scavengers of the superoxide radical. In addition, serotonin derivative concentration inside the cells and inside the mitochondria was increased in a time-dependent manner. These results identify a mechanism of action of serotonin derivatives against endothelial damage at a cellular level, and underline their benefits against the disorders and complications related to reactive oxygen species.


Summary: The administration of parcnteral fat emulsion—Intralipid, a preparation rich in the essential fatty acid (EFA), linoleic acid, is widely used as an integral part of therapy for sick infants along with total parenteral nutrition (TPN). EFAs serve as precursors for prostaglandin (PGs). We measured tissue lipid composition and the excretion of the major urinary metabolite of prostaglandins E1 and E2, 7α-hydroxy-5, 11 diketotetranor-prostane-1, 16 dioic acid (PGE-M) in three infants who received TPN with Intralipid for prolonged periods and compared these values with control infants. Linoleic acid is incorporated into the major lipid classes of the plasma, RBC, and tissues in the infants receiving Intralipid. Concomitantly with the increase in the relative concentration of linoleate, a decrease in the higher polyunsaturated fatty acid homologue, arachidonate is apparent. However, the sum of the two EFAs, linoleate and arachidonate, is similar in red blood cells (RBC) and tissue phospholipids of control infants and in infants who received Intralipid. A significant difference between the PGE-M excretion in the group of infants before and after the administration of Intralipid also is apparent (P < 0.05). Differences in the urinary excretion of PGE-M are seen between the control group and the infants receiving Intralipid (P < 0.05). PGE-M excretion after the administration of Intralipid is similar to that obtained from infants with EFA-deficiency.Speculation: The increase in the relative concentration of linoleic acid in plasma, RBC, and major tissue lipid classes and a concomitant decrease in the level of the higher EFA homologue arachidonate after the administration of Intralipid may indicate a competition between these EFAs for esterification and storage in tissue lipids, a balanced content of the intake of the linoleic and linolenic acids, a rapid turnover of the long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids or a combination of these factors. The decrease in PGE-M excretion in patients receiving high content of linoleic acid is most likely related to a decrease in the precursor EFA, arachidonate, although an inhibiting effect of linoleic acid on prostaglandin synthesis is possible. Further investigation is needed into the pathophysiologic consequences of increased linoleic acid consumption as well as decreased PG biosynthesis and turnover in sick infants.


Pete O'Neal describes the Black Panther Party's various community support programs in Kansas City, Missouri. They include a pre-school breakfast program for inner-city children, as well as clothing, food, medical support, and job and family counseling for people in need. O'Neal explains how these programs were supported by local churches and businesses. O'Neal describes ways the Panthers joined forces with other civil rights organizations such as Soul Inc., the Black Youth of America, and Students for a Democratic Society to protest city policies they deemed to be unfair to inner-city residents and to expose persons who took advantage of these same people. O'Neal also describes the Panthers' confrontation with a "white" inner-city church (Linwood United Methodist Church) and the resulting reconciliation between the church and the Black Panther Party.


Liver involvement is an unusual manifestation of Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. Cases of cholestatic hepatitis without pulmonary involvement have been described in children with M. pneumoniae infection but only two cases of cytolytic hepatitis have been reported in adults. We report here the case of an 18-year-old woman who presented with febrile epigastric pain of short duration associated with an elevation of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase and alkaline phosphatase levels and with a mononuclear syndrome. Serological tests for M. pneumoniae were positive for IgG and IgM. Clinical symptoms and blood test perturbations completely resolved after treatment with macrolide.


Through improving the existed PIV system, this paper did not only design the Online Adjustable Digital Pulse Synchronizer and combine with the image intensifier but also program the frame capture software using image card based on PCI bus. The low cost PIV system was built and applied into ship model experiment, and the preferable result was obtained.


Periprosthetic fracture and infection are dreaded complications after total hip arthroplasty. We present the case of a 50-year-old man who suffered an early postoperative Vancouver B1 periprosthetic fracture, which was further complicated by concurrent infection after open reduction and internal fixation. We report the novel use of an antibiotic-impregnated cement coated locking plate during the staged treatment of concomitant periprosthetic fracture and chronic total hip arthroplasty infection. At 1-year follow-up, the patient is pain free and ambulating independently with full range of motion.


Presynaptic release of glutamate into the extracellular compartment and activation of receptor-operated calcium channels may contribute to ischemic neuronal damage. We evaluated the effect of baclofen, a selective inhibitor of presynaptic glutamate release, on mortality, working memory, and light microscopic hippocampal and cortical damage in the four-vessel occlusion model of cerebral ischemia using 64 male Wistar rats. Baclofen (10 mg/kg i.p.) given 1 hour before and 30-60 minutes after 20 minutes of global ischemia did not lessen mortality, prevent ischemic cellular damage, or significantly improve working memory compared with no treatment. We conclude that preischemic and postischemic administration of baclofen does not protect neurons from ischemic injury.


The principles upon which famine policies are based have changed less than might be expected over the last century. This paper examines the origins of the Indian Famine Codes of the 1880s, which set the administrative and, it is argued, paradigmatic precedent for famine relief in 'developing' countries, managed by 'developed' ones. In particular, the still-current questions of avoiding the creation of dependency through over-generous aid and of relying on free-market solutions to the problems of food distribution are re-examined. Although both of these issues are difficult, it is suggested that strong emphasis on their importance has historically been based on wilful misinterpretation of complex situations. The result has been famine relief programmes which served the interests of 'relievers' (in this case the colonial state) more than the relieved. The nature of famine policy-making is thus reconsidered, with a call for greater appreciation of the role of influential individuals and hidden state agendas. These are as significant today as ever.


We introduced a new class of a partially coherent source that can generate a field with a hollow rectangular profile, named the hollow rectangular multi-Gaussian Schell-mode source. The dependence of distribution of far-zone spectral density on the properties of the proposed source was analyzed. The results show that one can control the distribution properties of the far-zone intensity profile, including the thickness of the hollow edge, the shape of the hollow, the size of the hollow, and the orientation of the hollow, by adjusting the corresponding structural parameters of the source.


Objectives: Amputation is a devastating but preventable complication of diabetes and peripheral arterial disease. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether diabetes mellitus is an important isolated cause of toe amputation. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving the records of 108 patients with minor lower limb amputations and 80 with major lower limb amputations. Association between diabetes/chronic arterial insufficiency and level of amputation was tested. Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher's exact test. Results: The prevalence of diabetes was 87.5% among patients submitted to minor amputations and 52.5% among those submitted to major amputations with or without chronic arterial disease. This difference was statistically significant (p<0.0001, Fisher's exact test). A total of 44.44% of the patients submitted to minor amputations had diabetes alone (no chronic arterial insufficiency), whereas only 14.81% of the patients submitted to major amputations did not have chronic arterial insufficiency. Thus, diabetes was significantly associated with minor lower limb amputations (p<0.0004, Fisher's exact test). Conclusion: Based on the present findings, patients with diabetes are at greater risk of toe amputation compared to those with chronic arterial disease.


The objective of this study was to describe a case of a granulosa cell tumour (GCT) of incipient formation and to characterize it by its immunohistochemical pattern and hormonal profile. The case presented corresponds to a 7‐year‐old Holstein cow without reproductive disorders. No alterations were observed at rectal palpation, neither in the ultrasonography nor in the hormonal profile. A GCT concomitant with normal follicular development was diagnosed. Through a panel of immunohistochemical markers, a highly differentiated pattern could be determined in the GCT, which preserves the expression of steroid receptors (ESR1, ESR2 and PR) typical of granulosa cells, but does not express the enzymes for the synthesis of androgens (CYP17A1) and oestrogens (CYP19A1). In addition, the expression of co‐regulators of steroid hormone receptors and neuroendocrine markers was described for the first time in a GCT in cattle. These results increase the information about GCTs in cattle before the ovarian function is compromised.


It is proved that for a compact simply-connected effective homogeneous space of a connected compact Lie group by a closed subgroup the following conditions are equivalent: (1) Every -invariant distribution on is integrable. (2) The space is of normal type in the sense of Bergery. (3) Every -invariant Riemannian metric on has positive scalar curvature. (4) The space is isomorphic to a direct product of compact simplyconnected strongly isotropy-irreducible homogeneous spaces.


A research to find antifungal activity of galanga rhizome (Alpinia galanga L.) on Sclerotium rolfsii as the causal agent of white mold and stem rot disease on eggplant has been done. The galanga extract was obtained by extracting the rhizome using ethanol solvent. The experiment design was Completely Randomized Design (CRD) in a factorial pattern, involving two factors, i.e. the rhizome extract concentration (E) with six levels of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25%; and application time (W) with two levels of three days interval and seven days interval. The result showed that the best extract concentration was 20% that was applied in three days


This study explored the experiences of couples therapists" marital relationship during the couples therapist training using phenomenological research method. The research questions involved the marital relationship experiences and their meanings, and how their marital relationship experiences affect the development of couples therapists during couples therapist training. Five couples therapists identified their personal, relational, and professional growth experiences by half-structured in-depth interview. Giorgi analysis guidelines were used, and five major themes and 20 subthemes were derived. The essence of their marital relationship experiences was "to establish a marital relationship as partners for growth and healing, and provide resources to become a wounded healer.". Five major themes included the motivation to become a couples therapist, the experiencing of personal growth, the experiencing of differentiated connection, the experiencing of professional growth, and resources for the development of couples therapist. Exploration of the meanings of marital relationship experiences during couples therapist training shows the reciprocal relationship among personal, relational, and professional growth experiences. The integration of these experiences leads to holistic development of couples therapists. Implications for practice and future research are also discussed.


Technological development, energy source diversification, environment concerns, financial incentives have driven the increasing interest on the interconnection of small scale distributed generators (SSDG) into low voltage (LV) distribution networks. This practice allows homeowners and others to contribute to the energetic matrix without having to implement expensive modifications to the grid. In this context, this paper presents a review of the requirements adopted by distribution companies worldwide to facilitate the connection of SSDG units while maintaining the integrity of the public low voltage distribution network, both in terms of safety and supply quality. Issues like disconnect switch, protection, metering, and power quality are examined.


the aims of this study were to determine imazapyr efficacy for floating macrophyte control and ecotoxicology for non-target organisms. For the floating macrophyte control efficacy tests were used the doses of 0,5; 1,0; 2,0; 2,5; 3,0; 3,5 and 4,0 L ha-1 and a control with 10 replicates. The acute toxicology for non-target organisms was estimated by lethal concentration 50% (LC50 and EC50). The floating macrophyte control efficacy was over 90%. Imazapyr was classified as moderately toxic for the following biomarkers: L. minor, H. eques, B. rerio, P. caudimaculatus, P. canaliculata, and P. mesopotamicus and lightly toxic for A. caroliniana. Thus, imazapyr herbicide is a tool with great potential to be used on floating macrophyte control (E. crassipes, P. stratiotes e S. molesta) in Brazil and this practice can be evaluated by the use of application biomarkers.


This article first summarises approaches to military and security education at tertiary levels for officers and senior security officials, identifying some institutional and conceptual issues, before moving on to a fairly detailed case study of the Southern African Defence and Security Management Network (SADSEM). In its institutional form, from 2000 to 2010, SADSEM was a unique experiment in building a regional network of universities providing training and education in security studies, promoting regional security co-operation and integration and working closely with security forces and governments in the Southern African region. Although it mostly worked in English, it also carried out education and research in French and Portuguese, established an institutional base in ten Southern African Development Community (SADC) nations and delivered programmes in all the then 15 of them. Its activities included providing training and education for defence and security management, civil-military relations, peacekeeping and peacebuilding, policy support and the building of scholarly capacity though regional co-operation. Today SADSEM activities are restricted mainly to an annual security review conference, but its real legacy is in the institutions and capacities it built within several Southern African countries, although not all survive. SADSEM kept a low profile because of extreme sensitivities in Southern Africa around security issues, and this is the first attempt to examine its experience in the context of higher-level security education and training.


Background After conventional treatments, keloid scars show varying degrees of recurrence. The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of platelet-rich plasma in the treatment of postoperative keloid scars refractory to conventional treatments. Methods This pilot prospective study was conducted in 17 patients with keloid scars who did not respond to 4 injections of cortisone or radiotherapy after extralesional resection of keloid. Platelet-rich plasma was injected intraoperatively and then 3 times with a 1-month interval. The primary end point was the complete remission of keloid scars 2 years posttreatment. Scar pruritus severity was scored before and after treatment. The study protocol was approved by the ethics committee and authorized by the French National Agency. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT02922972. Results Nine keloid scars (53%) were completely resolved at 2 years, and 5 (29%) completely relapsed after treatment. Pruritus severity score was significantly lower at 2 years compared with baseline (1.33 ± 0.97 before treatment and 0.40 ± 0.63 at 2 years, P < 0.003). The mean Vancouver Scar Scale score significantly improved (8.18 ± 2.38 before treatment and 3.82 ± 1.98 at 2 years, P < 0.001). Conclusions Injecting platelet-rich plasma is an effective and safe method as adjunctive therapy to resection for treating keloid scars refractory to conventional therapy.


This work reports for the first time the synthesis of γ-(Al_1-xFe_x)_2O_3 solid solutions with a high specific surface area (200-230 m^2/g) by the decomposition of metal oxinate [(Al_1-xFe_x)(C_9H_6ON)_3] and investigated the potential of these materials as catalysts for the synthesis of carbon nanotubes by catalytic chemical vapor deposition using methane or ethylene as carbon the source. The nanocomposite powders prepared by reduction in H_2-CH_4 contain carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which are mostly double-walled but also contain a fair amount of undesirable carbon nanofibers, hollow carbon particles, and metal particles covered by carbon layers. Moreover, abundant metallic particles are observed to cover the surfaces of the matrix grains. By contrast, the nanocomposite powders prepared by reduction in N_2-C_2H_4 are not fully reduced, and the CNTs are much more abundant and homogeneous. However, they are multiwalled CNTs with a significant proportion of defects. The powders were studied by several techniques including Mössbauer spectroscopy and electron microscopy.


This work presents results of the investigtion of the optical parameters of regolith powder, returned by Luna 10 (albedo, variation of intensity with phase angle, spectrum of diffuse reflectance). It is found that mean values of albedo between 260 and 400 nm, between 400 and 750 nm and between 750 and 1800 nm are equal to 0.086, 0.107 and 0.130 respectively. This result is in agreement with results of earth-based telescopic albedo measurements of the landing site of Luna 16 in Mare Foecunditatis. By measuring the variation of intensity of the specular reflectance with phase angle it was found that the optical properties of regolith differ from those of the earth rocks. There are differences between the spectra of diffuse reflectance and specular reflectance: in the latter the intensity between 500 and 600 nm is somewhat lower, and between 600 and 900 nm it increases more steeply. This difference between the spectra is a possible explanation for the observed variation of lunar surface colour from brown to green with phase angle.


The concept of guardianship, its associated principles, distinctions, and articulation of the legal needs of the elderly are introduced via a review of well-canvassed criticisms of Canadian guardianship legislation. Claims that the reformed legislation of Alberta, Quebec, and British Columbia represent models of adequate adult guardianship compared with traditional (archaic lunacy) law are examined. This paper argues that these renovated models exhibit a dubious normative advance over traditional legislation. Specifically, the normative presuppositions of the reformed legislation, such as, restriction to an autonomy-paternalism framework, and the norms of the liberal individual and state, obscure important issues in at least two key areas which challenge the models' assumptions; namely, assessment and legal competence and assessment and need. The development of guardianship laws and of social arrangements that are more responsive to the life experiences of the elderly requires critical re-articulation of the nature of individuals and their communities.


The object of this paper is to put Hume's criticism of the �fashionable theory� of the original contract within its proper contexts. This will enable us to show the inner coherence of Hume's arguments, but also their pronounced difference from those characteristically modern versions of contract theory which, like Rawls's, appeal to the notion of a hypothetical contract. We begin, however, with a few observations on the history of contract theories.


Biodiesel was produced from neem seed oil via a two-step process of esterification and transesterififcation reactions. The transesterification was carried out using CH3ONa as catalyst with ethanol as the alcohol. The reaction temperature was varied between 30, 40, 50, 60, and 700C, while all other process parameters were kept constant. From the results obtained, a significant change in biodiesel yield (73-79%) from 30-50oC temperatures was observed. At a temperature of 60oC, a good yield of 94% was obtained which was observed at a temperature below the boiling point of the alcohol used. At 70oC biodiesel yield of 67% was obtained; this indicates a drop in biodiesel yield. Further flash point of 149.60C indicated that the biodiesel produced is within the specification of ASTM D6751. Also, the high value of flash point indicated that the fuel is safe for handling as it exceeds the minimun ASTM requirement (130min). It is worthy to mention that other properties such as viscosity, pour point and cloud point etc investigated also presented good values which were within ASTM D6751. The formation of biodiesel was confirmed by FT-IR analysis. The conversion of the ester functional group into methyl esters in biodiesel verified the success of the reaction.


Arrays of 6.6 nm iron oxide nanocrystals coated with fatty acid molecules were produced using the Langmuir-Blodgett technique. The arrays had a varying number of layers stacked together, going from two dimensional to three dimensional and two different in-plane interparticle separations. While temperature-dependent ac susceptibility measurements of the isolated nanocrystals obeyed the Neel-Brown relaxation law, the array relaxation deviated significantly from this simple law. This deviation together with the observed dc field influence on the susceptibility-temperature curves, the large shifts in blocking temperatures and reduction in susceptibility-temperature curve widths on going from isolated particles to the arrays indicated collective magnetization dynamics during magnetization freezing. A scaling law analysis of this freezing dynamics yielded different powers for the two different interparticle separations with no dependence on dimensionality. In spite of the spin-glass-like behavior, it is possible that small, magnetically ordered domains of nanocrystals form at low temperature.


Image segmentation plays an important role for underwater object recognition. A new approach, called WA-SFT, which incorporates the watershed analysis and a synchronous feature-tuning (SFT) algorithm to perform fast underwater image segmentation, is presented. Currently, most watershed-based segmentation methods merge regions one by one to alleviate the over-segmentation problem. However, sequential merging would inevitably incur lengthy computation time. SFT simultaneously tunes features of regions by referring to adjacent regions. Due to the use of synchronous strategy, SFT achieves fast merging and provides great potentiality for a fully parallel hardware implementation. The iterative operation of WA-SFT converges when the numbers of merged regions in two successive iterations are identical. Empirical results show that WA-SFT outperforms other methods in terms of computation efficiency and segmentation accuracy.


A "services sciences, management, and engineering (SSME)" initiative has been started to study the movement to service economies involving computer science, operations research, industrial engineering, business strategy, management sciences, social and cognitive sciences, and legal sciences, and to develop the skills required in a services-led economy. Manufacturing industries show high interest in SSME, compared to services industries, since beyond follow-up sales of product-based services, the business strategies of manufacturing companies are changing to focus on services as key differentiators in their new business models. Those shifts to focus on the services businesses of manufacturing industries affect their internal business processes, which include research organizations. In this paper, first, we look into value chains for services comparing with product-based value chains, which are quite different. Some level of services, such as maintenance services for products, can be delivered using the as-is product- based value chains, where research organizations could contribute to businesses in the same way as when companies delivered products. However, a shifting to services focused business models requires changes of value flows. We discuss the difference between product-based value chains and the value chains for services. Since research organizations roles in value chains for services could be transforming, we look at some examples where these transformation have started.


The treatment of HER2 positive breast cancer radically changed in 2005; at ASCO that year adjuvant trials reported that the addition of trastuzumab consistently showed a major improvement in progression free survival in the treatment of early breast cancer that was HER2 positive. A benefit was seen when trastuzumab was given either concurrently with chemotherapy or sequentially. The trials generally studied one year of trastuzumab although data from Finland showed a benefit for 3 months of treatment. Additional, yet to be reported studies, have explored durations of 6 months and 2 years. Initially there was concern about cardio toxicity and the potential for significant long-term harm, but the rate of cardio toxicity remains low and usually is seen early in the treatment. To further improve outcomes, new agents have been studied in the neo and adjuvant settings. The large ALTTO study randomized patients to either chemotherapy with either a year of trastuzumab, a year of lapatinib (the TKI inhibitor with efficacy in the metastatic arena), the combination of both agents or sequential use of each agent. The lapatinib monotherapy arm was shown to be inferior in an interim analysis and discontinued. Final data is pending although extrapolating from the NEOALTTO study, one may expect heightened activity from dual blockade. The BETH study added bevacizumab to trastuzumab in a 2-arm study trying to combat angiogenesis with HER2 blockade; this study has not reported. Although the same combination studied in the AVEREL study in the advanced setting did not show a benefit, this may not be the case in earlier disease and we need to wait for data. Dual blockade with two antiHER2 agents has been beneficial in the advanced setting and this has led to the APHINITY study, which is comparing chemotherapy with standard trastuzumab or trastuzumab with another antiHER2 antibody, pertuzumab. This study is accruing well and will provide evidence for whether dual blockade with two antibodies is of benefit. It will also provide some clinical trial data for small tumors, as these are eligible for enrollment in this trial. Other new agents, including TDM 1, are being taken into the neoadjuvant setting and will be in adjuvant trials soon. Subcutaneous trastuzumab may provide easier treatment for women over their year of adjuvant therapy. A big question is whether all HER2 tumors are the same or whether we can begin tailoring treatment according to molecular features. Are there some cancers that will be cured with a short course of chemotherapy and trastuzumab while others may need multiple antiHER2 agents combined to acquire the same result? With the collection of tumor samples we can hopefully begin to further understand this. Tailored treatment has the potential to decrease toxicity and improve quality of life issues, provide more rational use of costly resources, and finally develop more intensive therapy for resistant tumors thus improving outcomes overall. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2012;72(24 Suppl):Abstract nr ES9-1.


The vast Amazon region has considerable territorial peculiarities and plant species diversity, sometimes from the same botanical family, which can exhibit significant differences in physicochemical properties. From this diversity, two species stand out – Amazonas tucuma (Astrocaryum aculeatum Meyer) and Para tucuma (Astrocaryum vulgare Mart.). The research focus is to analyze, comparatively, these oleaginous fruits, their similarities, particularities and potentials regarding the oil quality extracted from two tucuma varieties from the states of Amazonas and Para, obtained using supercritical carbon dioxide, under different extraction parameters. The results demonstrate the biometric particularities of each species, highlighting the Amazon fruit, which also showed higher oil yield using supercritical CO2 extraction. The fatty acid quality and profile aspects of the oils show their unsaturated predominance, considering carotenoid content and how the extraction temperature can influence the nutritional quality of the oils. The statistical analyses indicated that the Amazon tucuma oil is superior to the Para tucuma oil. However, in terms of added value both oils have potential applications in various industrial segments.


Scholars and policymakers currently lack systematic criteria for determining the credibility of China's foreign policy signals, which has produced widely divergent conclusions about its likely intentions. 'China optimists' view China's cooperative signals as credible, while dismissing its noncooperative behaviors as unrepresentative of its broader preferences. Conversely, 'China pessimists' see China's cooperative signals as non-credible misrepresentation and focus on China's recent 'assertive' behavior. Drawing on theoretical scholarship on signaling and credibility in international relations, this article introduces general deductive criteria for assigning credibility to a rising state's foreign policy signals. It then applies these criteria to evaluate the specific Chinese signals that optimists and pessimists have cited in support of their respective positions. The analysis finds that both optimists and pessimists have overlooked multiple conditions that have reduced the credibility of China's cooperative and noncooperative foreign policy signals alike. This implies that far more uncertainty about China's intentions is warranted than has been acknowledged on either side of the current debate.


Software Heritage is the largest existing public archive of software source code and accompanying development history. It spans more than five billion unique source code files and one billion unique commits, coming from more than 80 million software projects. These software artifacts were retrieved from major collaborative development platforms (e.g., GitHub, GitLab) and package repositories (e.g., PyPI, Debian, NPM), and stored in a uniform representation linking together source code files, directories, commits, and full snapshots of version control systems (VCS) repositories as observed by Software Heritage during periodic crawls. This dataset is unique in terms of accessibility and scale, and allows to explore a number of research questions on the long tail of public software development, instead of solely focusing on "most starred" repositories as it often happens.


Biological networks are constructed of repeated simplified patterns, or modules, called network motifs. Network motifs can be found in a variety of organisms including bacteria, plants, and animals, as well as intracellular transcription networks for gene expression and signal transduction processes in neuronal circuits. Standard models of signal transduction events for synaptic plasticity and learning often fail to capture the complexity and cooperativity of the molecular interactions underlying these processes. Here, we apply network motifs to a model for signal transduction during an in vitro form of eyeblink classical conditioning that reveals an underlying organization of these molecular pathways. Experimental evidence suggests there are two stages of synaptic AMPA receptor (AMPAR) trafficking during conditioning. Synaptic incorporation of GluR1-containing AMPARs occurs early to activate silent synapses conveying the auditory conditioned stimulus and this initial step is followed by delivery of GluR4 subunits that supports acquisition of learned conditioned responses (CRs). Overall, the network design of the two stages of synaptic AMPAR delivery during conditioning describes a coherent feed-forward loop (C1-FFL) with AND logic. The combined inputs of GluR1 synaptic delivery AND the sustained activation of 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein-kinase-1 (PDK-1) results in synaptic incorporation of GluR4-containing AMPARs and the gradual acquisition of CRs. The network architecture described here for conditioning is postulated to act generally as a sign-sensitive delay element that is consistent with the non-linearity of the conditioning process. Interestingly, this FFL structure also performs coincidence detection. A motif-based approach to modeling signal transduction can be used as a new tool for understanding molecular mechanisms underlying synaptic plasticity and learning and for comparing findings across forms of learning and model systems.


The performance of turbocharging systems on vehicle diesel engines has improved substantially in recent years but pressure continues for further developments to improve efficiency, boost at low speeds, flow range at high pressure ratio and response, with different emphasis for different engine applications. The performance of a range of system options is reviewed, including resonant intake, sequential turbocharging, variable geometry, two-stage (series) turbocharging, compounding (with or without engine insulation), Hyperbar, improved engine to turbine energy transfer, charge air cooling, electronic control as well as conventional turbomachine development.


ABSTRACT The word dukhovnost', which is now mostly translated as 'spirituality', has been increasingly used in Russian discourse for almost twenty years. This exploratory article shows that it is a notion, fraught with tensions, which retains pre-Soviet and Soviet legacies alongside post-Soviet influences. Dukhovnost' is deemed to be a creative force conveying civilisation and guaranteeing the union and harmony of the Soviet and now Russian population, transcending divisive confessional beliefs. It elevates the 'nation' above its multiethnic and multifaith specificities and facilitates a distinction between 'them' and 'us'. It is a key element in the development of Russian patriotism. As presented by the political elite, dukhovnost' is a system of rather vague values that may be used to form the political community. In the 2000s it has become an amorphous concept, not entirely secular, and not entirely religious.


This paper reports micromachined piezoelectric-on-silicon bulk acoustic wave resonators operating at a nominal frequency of approximately 3.15 MHz in fluidic media. Electrical measurements of the open-loop response of the resonators when one of the resonator surfaces is submerged in water indicate high quality factors in the range of 110-190. These values of quality factor are at least an order of magnitude higher than the flexural mode counterparts. The resonators are further exposed to Glycerol-Water mixtures of varying viscosity-density resulting in characteristic negative resonant frequency shifts. Experimental values are compared with a simplified liquid loading model and an agreement of up to 13% for highest and within 3-4% for lowest glycerol concentrations is established. These devices due to the relative ease of operation in liquid environments, scalability, high quality-factors and high mass-sensitivity have the potential for integration with microfluidics and electronics in order to realize an integrated platform for biochemical sensing and analysis.


Edward Chamberlin, who initiated classroom market experiences, used the results of his experiments to argue that competitive equilibrium performs poorly in explaining the outcomes of real markets. Vernon Smith altered the design of Chamberlin's experiment so as to increase the amount of price information available to traders and in classroom experiments with this design found that trading outcomes were close to those predicted by competitive theory. This paper examines results of classroom trading experiments using the design found in Experiments with Economic Principles, an introductory economics text by Ted Bergstrom and John Miller. The procedure in this experiment is intermediate between that of Chamberlin and that of Smith. We have collected data on transaction prices and quantities from a large number of classroom experiments using this design. We compare the experimental outcomes with the predictions made by competitive equilibrium theory and by a simple profit-splitting theory. Evidence suggests that neither theory is entirely successful, though in the first rounds of trading there seems to be a significant amount of profit-splitting and as traders become more experienced, outcomes are closer to those predicted by competitive theory.


We show that the topology of the Fermi sea of a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) is reflected in the ballistic Landauer transport along a long and narrow Josephson π junction that proximitizes the 2DEG. The low-energy Andreev states bound to the junction are shown to exhibit a dispersion that is sensitive to the Euler characteristic of the Fermi sea (χ_{F}). We highlight two important relations: one connects the electron or hole nature of Andreev states to the convex or concave nature of Fermi surface critical points, and one relates these critical points to χ_{F}. We then argue that the transport of Andreev states leads to a quantized conductance that probes χ_{F}. An experiment is proposed to measure this effect, from which we predict an I-V characteristic that not only captures the topology of the Fermi sea in metals, but also resembles the rectification effect in diodes. Finally, we evaluate the feasibility of measuring this quantized response in graphene, InAs and HgTe 2DEGs.


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Purpose - – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of network-based individual social capital on the access of rural households to services. Design/methodology/approach - – In the context of development economics, an innovative data collection approach is used to determine network-based social capital. The approach originates from the field of sociology and entails a personal network survey. The authors define four social capital variables according to tie strength and social distance between the respondent and his/her network member. Findings - – Social network ties are not homogeneous. The econometric results suggest that social capital with weaker ties in combination with socially distant ties can potentially improve households' access to rural services. Research limitations/implications - – The empirical survey focusses on a single province in Northern Vietnam. Thus, the main limitation of the micro-study is its regional focus. A more representative sample of the whole country would be desirable to backup the policy recommendation. Originality/value - – The results indicate that access to services in rural Vietnam it still too personalized and subjective. Thus, a thorough review of the access procedures and making them more objective would be better choice. This would also root out a potential alley for corruption and nepotism.


When an increase in bank loans does not immediately lead to a hike in non-performing loans, bank loan officers (and/or bank managers) whose compensation is based on the value/amount of loans granted have incentives to grant more loans to (potentially lower credit quality) borrowers, which should increase the banks' profits (and their personal compensation) in the short run. Using a sample of publicly listed banks in 18 countries in Asia during the period 1990-2014, I show that banks' loan growth rate has a negative short-run effect on their nonperforming loans and a positive short-run effect on their profitability. While the loan growth rate does not increase non-performing loans in the short run, there is some evidence to suggest that it increases non-performing loans in the long run. The results further indicate that banks' profitability is not affected by the level of loans but by the loan growth rate.


An extended inversion boundary separating two large 180°; domains of a flux-grown KTP crystal is studied by nematic liquid-crystal (NLC) surface decoration and by X-ray projection and section topography using Mo-K α radiation. Although a non-polar (100) cleavage plate was used for NLC decoration, the domains appeared by bright optical contrast. The boundary exhibits a mainly irregular zigzag course with an—on average—charged orientation and is clearly visualized by both methods. It appears by strong contrast in X-ray reflection 004 (normal to the polar axis) and is completely invisible in reflection 040. A large uncharged planar boundary segment parallel to the polar axis and inclined by ca. 40° to the normal of the specimen surface shows in reflection 004 dynamical fringe contrast of the stacking fault type. A section topograph of this segment exhibits an ideal 'hour–glass' contrast pattern, proving the absence of long-range strain and of any tilt of the reflecting (001) planes across the inversion boundary.


Objective: To determine how C reactive protein (CRP), a sensitive marker of inflammation, is related to coronary endothelial function. Design: Changes in quantitative coronary angiographic findings and Doppler flow velocity measurements in response to locally infused acetylcholine were assessed. Setting: Tertiary cardiology centre. Patients: 46 patients with angiographically normal coronary arteries were divided into groups with normal (⩽ 3 mg/l) or increased (> 3 mg/l) CRP concentrations. Interventions: Acetylcholine (3 and 30 μg/min) was infused into the left coronary ostium for two minutes. Main outcome measures: Percentage change in diameter of epicardial coronary arteries and coronary blood flow (CBF) in response to acetylcholine; and correlations between these parameters and serum CRP concentrations. Results: 15 patients had increased CRP concentrations. The change in coronary artery diameter induced by acetylcholine infusion was similar between the groups but the increase in CBF induced by acetylcholine was smaller in patients with increased CRP concentrations (54.9% v 139.4% with acetylcholine 30 μg/min, p  =  0.0030). Multivariate analysis identified increased CRP concentration as independently associated with attenuated CBF response to acetylcholine at 30 μg/min (p  =  0.0078, R2  =  0.434). Conclusions: These findings suggest that inflammation appears to be associated with impaired coronary endothelial function in resistance but not conduit vessels. The data suggest a close relation between chronic vascular inflammation and endothelial dysfunction in atherosclerosis.


OBJECTIVE
To explore and better understand clinic pathological details of breast cancer patients and analyse their survival rate among different treatment groups.

Methods
The prospective cohort, multi-centric study was conducted from September, 2014, to February, 2018, at five hospitals in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Pakistan, and comprised histo-pathologically confirmed breast cancer cases. Patient characteristics and medical history were collected using a detailed questionnaire. All the subjects were followed up, and information regarding their current health and treatment status was collected. Data was analysed using SPSS 24.

RESULTS
There were 347 subjects with a mean age of 44.3±12.2 years and body mass index of 27.9±4.0 kg/m2. Younger age, increased body mass index, consanguinity and family history were major contributing factors in breast cancer development (p<0.05). Overall, 267(77%) had invasive ductal carcinoma and Grade II tumour 234(67%) was more frequent. A total of 221(64%) cases had positive lymph nodes and 97(28%) had metastasis to different body organs. Overall survival analysis showed statistically significant role (p<0.0001) of all treatment options.

CONCLUSIONS
Combination of different treatments can provide more promising health outcomes in breast cancer cases.


This paper discusses an amplifier circuit with high input impedance which permits push-pull operation from an unbalanced source. A voltage, proportional to the total circulating current of the push-pull system, is obtained from a transformer connected in the cathode circuits of the output valves. Over-all performance similar to usual push-pull operation may be obtained. The possibility of a single- or two-mode oscillator is also discussed. Because of the simplicity, and general application of this circuit, some of the more useful formulas are developed in detail.


SIRS, We read the article by Riezzo et al. with great interest. This randomised clinical trial evaluated the effects of probiotic-enriched artichokes on functional constipation, when compared to normal artichokes. In their double-blind, controlled, crossover study, the authors reported 16 of 20 participants preferred the probiotic-enriched artichoke treatment to ordinary artichokes, implying the enriched artichoke should be the treatment of choice. However, this appears to be in disagreement with data presented using the visual analogue scale (Table 1), where only 10 participants scored the enriched artichoke treatment higher than the normal artichoke treatment, in terms of satisfactory symptom relief. In addition, the authors used a modified intention-totreat analysis, excluding the five participants that were lost to follow-up. True intention-to-treat analysis would remove any possibility of bias, and the proportion of particpants preferring enriched artichokes would be 16 of 25 (64%), meaning that no treatment preference was demonstrated. Finally, the authors reported 'a small but clinically relevant change' in the Bristol stool score, as the enriched artichoke group's score was 0.4 higher than the normal artichoke group (3.3 ± 1.2 and 2.9 ± 1.3 respectively). However, the clinical significance of this is likely to be limited. Therefore, whilst these preliminary data are interesting, we do not feel they provide sufficient evidence to recommend the routine use of Lactobacillus paracasei-enriched artichokes in the treatment of functional constipation.


In this paper, we apply a forging simulator to automatic simulation of a connecting-rod forging process and compare its results with others found in the literature. The process information comes from the distributed examples of DEFORM3D. The process is fully automatically simulated using the tetrahedral element capability of AFDEX3D, developed by the authors. Our results are compared with the results found from the related literature, already simulated using DEFORM3D by other researchers. The comparison shows that our results are relatively excellent especially in terms of mesh quality on which the solution accuracy depends mainly.


Using the example of the 1987 legislative elections in Zaire, the author illustrates how it was possible to manipulate population data for the various districts in order to increase representation for those regions that supported the party in power.


Drawing embeds time within itself, notating changes in space and duration. For Babak Bryan and Henry Grosman, founding partners of BanG studio in Long Island City, New York: 'The drawing is a result of process, but it also describes process.' It is only through this temporal practice that an essential connection is developed between drawing and building. With the widespread adoption of building information modelling (BIM), linear graphic representation finds itself in crisis, challenged by the static inertia of the model. As Bryan and Grosman describe, the well-crafted drawing remains essential to their studio's approach informing the method of 'making and remaking'.


Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC

Proteases such as the matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) family of proteases have emerged as being important to cancer aetiology and progression. Differences in gene and protein expression have been reported to be associated with many cancers and increased MMP expression is frequently reported to be associated with poor prognostic features. Although no MMP SNPs have been identified to be associated with cancer in all genome-wide association studies published to date, this is not be surprising given the extremely poor coverage of these gene families (1-38% for individual genes), and the knowledge that virtually all study designs to date have been underpowered to detect the small effect sizes expected for common SNPs. We have embarked on a study to assess the relevance of MMP expression and their SNPs in predisposition and prognosis of endometrial cancer, a largely hormonally driven cancer. An extensive literature review revealed that 62/69 studies reported overexpression of MMPs to be associated with poor prognostic features (grade, stage or survival) of hormone-related cancers, including endometrial cancer. Analysis of endometrial tumour MMP gene expression data from 18 different publications was undertaken to identify differentially expressed MMPs (>2-fold) associated with tumour predisposition and/or prognosis, based preferably on raw expression data but otherwise on reported gene lists. Although coverage of the MMP gene family was incomplete for the different expression platforms, this exercise prioritized 14 MMPs for further study in relation to risk and/or prognosis of endometrial cancer. We then mined the stage 1 results for the genome-wide association study we are undertaking to identify novel genetic variants associated with endometrial cancer risk, which involves comparison of 1285 Australian and British endometrial cancer cases of endometrioid subtype reporting Caucasian ethnicity scanned with the Illumina 610K BeadChip, and existing genome-wide scan control data available from the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium. A SNP falling in a prioritized MMP with only 19% coverage was found to be significant at P=0.002 (trend test). This SNP has been selected for confirmation in replication sample sets from 9 studies for association with endometrial cancer predisposition, and will be analyzed with SNPs from other prioritized MMP genes for association with prognostic indicators such as grade.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2842.


Open Access. Proceedings of the conference held 8-12 December 2008, at National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA), TIFR, Pune, India. Edited by D. J. Saikia, D. A. Green, Y. Gupta, and T. Venturi. San Francisco: Astronomical Society of the Pacific.


Recent researches on unsupervised person re-identification~(reID) have demonstrated that pre-training on unlabeled person images achieves superior performance on downstream reID tasks than pre-training on ImageNet. However, those pre-trained methods are specifically designed for reID and suffer flexible adaption to other pedestrian analysis tasks. In this paper, we propose VAL-PAT, a novel framework that learns transferable representations to enhance various pedestrian analysis tasks with multimodal information. To train our framework, we introduce three learning objectives, \emph{i.e.,} self-supervised contrastive learning, image-text contrastive learning and multi-attribute classification. The self-supervised contrastive learning facilitates the learning of the intrinsic pedestrian properties, while the image-text contrastive learning guides the model to focus on the appearance information of pedestrians.Meanwhile, multi-attribute classification encourages the model to recognize attributes to excavate fine-grained pedestrian information. We first perform pre-training on LUPerson-TA dataset, where each image contains text and attribute annotations, and then transfer the learned representations to various downstream tasks, including person reID, person attribute recognition and text-based person search. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our framework facilitates the learning of general pedestrian representations and thus leads to promising results on various pedestrian analysis tasks.


ONE facet of a-c generator protection that has not received sufficient study is that of detecting grounds in the field windings. There are many schemes available and in use for detecting field grounds, but all of them have some weakness or shortcoming.


In 1938, Fraser Darling put forward the concept of "social stimulation" This hypothesis postulated that colonial-nesting birds received stimulation from their neighbours which resulted in earlier breeding, a shorter spread of the nesting period in the colony and greater breeding success.

Darling's hypothesis has been criticized from a number of points of view. His original data were not sufficient to show significant differences between the behaviour of large and small colonies of the Herring Gull Larus argentatus and of the Lesser Blackbacked Gull L. fuscus. Furthermore, the present authors have shown that large colonies of the Kittiwake Rissa tridactyla have a longer nesting period than small colonies. While these and other facts cast doubt on the importance of the "Fraser Darling effect" they do not disprove the possibility that neighbouring birds in a colony may stimulate each other. Studies have therefore been undertaken on colonies of the Kittiwake on the Durham, Northumberland and East Lothian coasts to test as thoroughly as possible whether or not social stimulation is of importance to colonial-nesting birds.

The colonies studied in greatest detail were close together and it is possible to exclude the possible effects of the physical environment affecting the colonies in a different manner. Differences of up to 21 days were observed between the mean time of breeding of nine colonies, and since the differences were greatest in the youngest colonies, the effect of differences in the age composition of the colonies was considered. A study of colourringed Kittiwakes showed that females which were breeding for at least the fourth time bred 9.8 days earlier than females which were breeding for the first time. When, however, the age composition of the colonies was determined, it was always found that less than 20% of the observed differences in the time of breeding could be accounted for by differences in the age composition.

A study of the nest densities within individual colonies showed that the time of breeding was related to the density of nests. Thus, at an average density of nine nests within a radius of 5 ft. of each nest, the time of breeding was about 18 days earlier than on sites where the equivalent density was about two nests.

It was observed that the colonies with the highest density also had the greatest range of nest densities. The colonies differed from each other in the mean density and also the maximum density attained, but were similar in that they all had some nests which had no other nests within a 5 ft. radius. Since breeding is earlier at higher densities, these observations can explain the earlier onset of breeding and greater spread of breeding in the denser colonies and also that the last birds to breed in each colony do so at the same time.

Observations show that the time of return to the colonies is also related to nest-density and, together with other evidence, suggest that the effect on the birds of the density of their breeding neighhours is carried over from one year to the next.

It follows from these studies that social stimulation has a distinct effect on the breeding condition of birds within Kittiwake colonies.


Abstract. Potential evaporation (Ep) is a crucial variable for
hydrological forecasting and drought monitoring. However, multiple
interpretations of Ep exist, which reflect a diverse range of methods to
calculate it. A comparison of the performance of these methods against field
observations in different global ecosystems is urgently needed. In this
study, potential evaporation was defined as the rate of terrestrial
evaporation (or evapotranspiration) that the actual ecosystem would attain if it were to evaporate at
maximal rate for the given atmospheric conditions. We use eddy-covariance
measurements from the FLUXNET2015 database, covering 11 different
biomes, to parameterise and inter-compare the most widely used
Ep methods and to uncover their relative performance. For each of the 107 sites, we isolate
days for which ecosystems can be considered unstressed, based on both an
energy balance and a soil water content approach. Evaporation measurements
during these days are used as reference to calibrate and validate the
different methods to estimate Ep. Our results indicate that a simple
radiation-driven method, calibrated per biome, consistently performs best
against in situ measurements (mean correlation of 0.93; unbiased RMSE of
0.56 mm day−1; and bias of −0.02 mm day−1). A Priestley and Taylor method,
calibrated per biome, performed just slightly worse, yet substantially and
consistently better than more complex Penman-based, Penman–Monteith-based or
temperature-driven approaches. We show that the poor performance of
Penman–Monteith-based approaches largely relates to the fact that the
unstressed stomatal conductance cannot be assumed to be constant in time at
the ecosystem scale. On the contrary, the biome-specific parameters required
by simpler radiation-driven methods are relatively constant in time and per
biome type. This makes these methods a robust way to estimate Ep and a
suitable tool to investigate the impact of water use and demand, drought
severity and biome productivity.


TbCo films were prepared by simultaneous magnetron Co-sputtering. The influences of the sputtering conditions on the density and magneto-optical properties were studied. Sputtering conditions such as substrate rotating speed, substrate bias voltage, Ar pressure, and film deposition rate were studied. Increasing the bias voltage or Ar pressure decreased the density of the TbCo film. This indicates that the incident energy and/or density of Ar ions and/or atoms affect the porosity of the film. This could be closely related to the magneto-optical properties of the film.


This article discusses the setup and use of thermoreflectance imaging, a thermal mapping technique with a spatial resolution in the submicron range and a time resolution down to tens of nanoseconds. It describes the basic physics of thermoreflectance measurements and the advantages and limitations of the approach. It also provides examples showing how thermoreflectance imaging is used for thermal characterization, design optimization, and reliability analysis of high-power transistors, electrostatic discharge devices, and copper vias.


HTREM images of naturally deformed, mylonitized biotite crystals were examined to determine where deformation-related defects occur in the structure. Dislocations were found to be associated with the plane of oxygen atoms that constitutes the base of the octahedral sheet and the apical plane of the tetrahedral sheet, rather than in the interlayer as has been generally assumed. Consistent with previous investigations, this region was also confirmed as the position at which stacking faults occur. The location of these defects was determined by comparing sub-unit-cell scale fringes in experimental images to simulated images with dislocation cores and stacking faults. Previous investigations have generally relied on indirect techniques and have yielded ambiguous results.


Tiny machine learning (TinyML) is a rapidly growing field aiming to democratize machine learning (ML) for resource-constrained microcontrollers (MCUs). Given the pervasiveness of these tiny devices, it is inherent to ask whether TinyML applications can benefit from aggregating their knowledge. Federated learning (FL) enables decentralized agents to jointly learn a global model without sharing sensitive local data. However, a common global model may not work for all devices due to the complexity of the actual deployment environment and the heterogeneity of the data available on each device. In addition, the deployment of TinyML hardware has significant computational and communication constraints, which traditional ML fails to address. Considering these challenges, we propose TinyReptile, a simple but efficient algorithm inspired by meta-learning and online learning, to collaboratively learn a solid initialization for a neural network (NN) across tiny devices that can be quickly adapted to a new device with respect to its data. We demonstrate TinyReptile on Raspberry Pi 4 and Cortex-M4 MCU with only 256-KB RAM. The evaluations on various TinyML use cases confirm a resource reduction and training time saving by at least two factors compared with baseline algorithms with comparable performance.


This work presented the possibility of producing carrot–celery mixture powder with two-fluid atomizer spray dryer and process optimization. Carrot and celery juice were mixed in a ratio of 2:1 (w/w) and was sprayed. The operation variables included were inlet air temperature of 120–170C, maltodextrin concentration of 0.7–0.9 (dry matter) and feed flow rate of 36–53 mL/min. Response surface methodology (RSM) was employed to investigate the effect of process variables on some product properties such as moisture content, water activity, hygroscopicity, dissolution time, color change, particle size, β-carotene and bulk density. These responses were optimized by RSM models and face-centered central composite design. The optimum temperature, feed flow rate and percentage of maltodextrin were 130C, 36 mL/min and 0.87 (w/w dry matter), respectively.

Practical Applications

Carrot and celery are widely consumed in the world. Both products have many potential health benefits, but they have limited shelf life and are seasonal crops. Drying is an alternative for preservation and spray drying is a suitable method for carrot–celery mixed juice in the form of dried powder. Carrot–celery mixed powder has a longer shelf life and may be a suitable source of β-carotene and fiber. This powder has an ability to contribute special characteristics, such as color and water-binding properties of the final product, and can be used as instant beverages, ingredients for bakery or extruded cereal products, snacks, ice cream, yogurt, salad, as well as pharmaceutical tablets and diet drinks.


Summary. One of the most important problems of increase of production efficiency is complex use of material resources by improvement of technological processes, introductions of waste-free technology, expansion of processing of secondary resources and recycling. The fullest use of waste allows to save full-fledged raw materials, it is better to organize environment protection. Now sharp ecological and, therefore, an economic problem in spirit branch is utilization of the formed waste and by-products by production of ethyl alcohol from grain raw materials. Carbonic acid, the fulfilled yeast, efiroaldegidny fraction and fusel oils concern to them, mainly, postspirit grain the bard. If by-products, such as efiroaldegidny fraction and fusel oils, find the application in various branches of the industry and make a small share in overall balance of waste, utilization postspirit grain bards creates certain difficulties in view of its considerable volumes (13 parts bards are the share of one part of alcohol) and the low content of solids - 7...12 %, depending on raw materials and the technological scheme of production. The most rational and economic way of processing postspirit grain bards at which it turns into a product with high nutritional value (fodder value dry bards in comparison with the native increases by 10 times), transportable and remaining within several years is drying. Technological, structural, hydrodynamic and heatphysical indicators were studied. Technical and hydrodynamic characteristics allowed to determine regime parameters of process of drying in real drying installations. Character and intensity of course the teplomassoobmennykh of processes thus caused heatphysical and structural characteristics bards.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and main pathogenic bacteria, and outcomes of neonatal purulent meningitis.

METHODS
A prospective epidemiological study was conducted in neonates with purulent meningitis admitted to 23 cooperating hospitals between 2013 and 2014. Clinical data were collected and clinical characteristics and outcomes were analyzed.

RESULTS
A total of 301 neonates with purulent meningitis from the 23 cooperating hospitals were included. Neonatal pneumonia was the most common primary disease (167 cases, 55.5%). Fever was the most common manifestation (214 cases, 71.1%). Blood culture findings were positive in 72 patients (23.9%), with Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Staphylococcus epidermidis as the most common bacteria. Positive cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) culture was found in 36 patients (36/264, 13.6%) , with Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis as the most common bacteria. The median of CSF WBC counts was 80/mm(3) (range: 0-9 2500/mm(3)), and 11 cases (3.7%) had CSF WBC counts of <20/mm(3) and 154 cases (51.2%) had CSF WBC counts of >100/mm(3). There were 258 patients (85.7%) who were cured or improved at discharge and 15 deaths (15/298, 5.0%).

CONCLUSIONS
The most common primary disease of neonatal purulent meningitis is neonatal pneumonia in this area. The patients with neonatal purulent meningitis most often present with fever. Escherichia coli is the leading pathogenic bacteria causing neonatal purulent meningitis. A normal CSF WBC count can barely be used to exclude the possibility of this diosorder.


The antineoplastic ether phospholipid 1-O-octadecyl-2-O-methyl-sn-glycero-3-phophocholine (ET-18-OCH3) was incorporated into dimyristoylglycerophosphocholine (Myr2Gro-PCho)/dimyristoylglycerophosphoserine (Myr2Gro-PSer) (4 : 1 molar ratio) mixtures. Electron microscopy showed that the addition of ET-18-OCH3 reduced the size of the vesicles. Small vesicles could be detected even at 60 mol% ET-18-OCH3. Sedimentation studies showed the increasing presence of phospholipids in the supernatant, while turbidity measurements indicated a decrease in absorbance as the ET-18-OCH3 concentration was increased. These findings may be explained by the formation of small vesicles and/or mixed micelles. Infrared spectroscopy showed that at 60 mol% the fluidity of the membrane was considerably increased at temperatures below the phase transition, with only a small increase in the proportion of gauche isomers after the gel-to-fluid phase transition of this sample. On the other hand, protein kinase Calpha (PKCalpha) activity progressively decreased when ET-18-OCH3 was incorporated into multilamellar vesicles, reaching a minimum value at 20 mol%, this inhibition being attributed to the modification of the membrane produced by a cone-shaped molecule. At higher concentrations, however, ET-18-OCH3 activated the enzyme with a maximum being attained at 50 mol%. This activation being attributed to the formation of small vesicles and/or micelles. At still higher concentrations of ET-18-OCH3 the enzyme was once again inhibited, inhibition being almost complete at 80 mol%. When PKC was assayed using large unilamellar vesicles a slight activation was observed at very low ET-18-OCH3 concentrations.