1376 www.anesthesia-analgesia.org ANesthesiA & ANALGesiA 6 orthopedic trauma ORs concurrently during the weekday and 2 ORs on the weekends. This push is, in part, the result of improved patient outcomes for daytime operative cases,3 decreased staffing costs, and the judicious use of multiple rooms staffed by a single attending (provided appropriate supervision of residents and fellows given case complexity). It helps prevent physician burnout by minimizing after-hours surgery, optimizes the sunk cost of OR staffing, and capitalizes on the flexibility of daily per-diem staffing when necessary.4,5 Also, many Level 1 trauma centers find it imperative to dedicate weekend OR time to orthopedic trauma in an effort to minimize the backlog of cases at the beginning of the next week and provide more expeditious patient care. These tactical and operational decisions decrease length of stay and increase patient satisfaction.5 Moreover, this paradigm allows for the opportunity to match the case complexity with the provider's expertise and experience. For orthopedic trauma, the hospital seemingly should have better outcomes by matching the specialty-specific fracture patterns to those surgeons best trained to handle the case complexity (ie, acetabular fractures, complex articular fractures, and polytraumas). Dexter et al 1 convincingly showed that weekend elective surgery is not a common practice in the United States. However, creating elective or unscheduled weekend block time can be beneficial for particular surgical services such as orthopedic trauma. We reject the thought that because weekend elective surgery is uncommon, it should not be implemented. Anesthesiologists, surgeons, and hospital administrators need to work in concert to determine whether elective or unscheduled weekend block time at their particular institution is appropriate to optimize patient care.


To obtain an approximate solution for the fields in a coaxial line with a helical inner conductor, the helix is replaced by a fictitious surface that is conducting only in the helix direction, an approximation used in the early work on traveling-wave tubes. Maxwell's equations are solved for the lowest "mode" (all fields independent of angle) when the medium inside the helix has permittivity and permeability different from that of the medium surrounding the helix. Equations for the velocity along the axis, characteristic impedance, attenuation constant, and Q are given. The significant parameter is (2πNa) (2πa/λ). N=number of turns per unit length, α = helix radius, and λ = wavelength. When this parameter is considerably less than 1, the velocity and characteristic impedance depend only on the dimensions. The dielectric inside the helix has only a second-order effect, while the dielectric outside the helix has a first-order effect. The wave appears to propagate along the helix wire with the velocity of light only when the outer conductor is very close to the helix; as the outer-conductor diameter is increased, the apparent velocity along the wire gradually increases and reaches a limiting value when the outer conductor is infinitely large. For the shapes generally used, the apparent velocity along the wire is rarely more than 30 per cent greater than the velocity of light, but with an infinitely large outer conductor this velocity can be 2 or 3 times the velocity of light.


An application of the gas-liquid two-phase flow for the flux enhancement during the microfiltration of aqueous titanium dioxide dispersions on aluminium oxide tubular membrane has been studied. This study focused on the influence of the liquid and gas flow velocities and feed concentration on the flux and on the development of a mathematical model for the flux prediction. The results of experiments showed a positive effect of the constant gas-liquid two-phase flow on the flux. It might be concluded from the analysis of experimental results based on dead-end filtration model that two-phase flow seemed to expand the particle cake as it increased both the cake porosity and thickness, thus allowing higher fluxes. For the periodical gas flow, the flux enhancement was not so significant and strongly depended on the periodical gas flow mode as well as on the concentration of dispersion used. On the other hand, an air injection influenced the permeate flux for any concentration studied. A mathematical model for the flux prediction during the two-phase gas-liquid microfiltration has been developed. The results showed a good agreement between experimental data and model prediction.


While the relationship between abiotic drivers of sap flux are well established, the role of biotic disturbances on sap flux remain understudied. The invasion of the emerald ash borer (Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire, EAB) into North America in the 1990s represents a significant threat to ash trees (Fraxinus spp.), which are a substantial component of temperate forests. Serpentine feeding galleries excavated by EAB larvae in the cambial and phloem tissue are linked to rapid tree mortality. To assess how varying levels of EAB infestation impact the plant water status and stress levels of mature green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marshall) trees, we combined tree-level sap flux measurements with leaf-level gas exchange, isotopes, morphology and labile carbohydrate measurements. Results show sap flux and whole tree water use are reduced by as much as 80% as EAB damage increases. Heavily EAB impacted trees exhibited reduced leaf area and leaf mass, but maintained constant levels of specific leaf area relative to lightly EAB-impacted trees. Altered foliar gas exchange (reduced light saturated assimilation, internal CO2 concentrations) paired with depleted foliar δ13C values of heavily EAB impacted trees point to chronic water stress at the canopy level, indicative of xylem damage. Reduced photosynthetic rates in trees more impacted by EAB likely contributed to the lack of nonstructural carbohydrate (soluble sugars and starch) accumulation in leaf tissue, further supporting the notion that EAB damages not only phloem, but xylem tissue as well, resulting in reduced water availability. These findings can be incorporated into modeling efforts to untangle post disturbance shifts in ecosystem hydrology.


This research includes practical results of study the behavior of the reinforced concrete beams strengthening by carbon fiber strips using near surface mounting (NSM) technique. The study is carried out on (8) concrete beams, the variables which considered are (the length of CFRP strips, no. of CFRP layers), this established by dividing the practical program into two groups, the first one includes (3) beams strengthened with variable carbon fiber strips length and one strip, Second group of this study includes (3) beams which strengthened with variable carbon fiber strips length and two strips, as well as two control beams . The results indicated that the carbon fibers had a noticeable effect in increasing the bearing capacity of the near surface mounting (NSM) strengthened technique reinforced beams, , the results indicated that strengthening the beams with carbon fibers and not along the length of the beam and in one layer did not contribute to increasing the beams strength, but when the number of layers was increased for the same length of fibers an increase in beam strength was noticed at a rate range (34%-55%).


Understanding how the brain captures transient experience and converts it into long lasting changes in neural circuits requires the identification and investigation of the specific ensembles of neurons that are responsible for the encoding of each experience. We have developed a Robust Activity Marking (RAM) system that allows for the identification and interrogation of ensembles of neurons. The RAM system provides unprecedented high sensitivity and selectivity through the use of an optimized synthetic activity-regulated promoter that is strongly induced by neuronal activity and a modified Tet-Off system that achieves improved temporal control. Due to its compact design, RAM can be packaged into a single adeno-associated virus (AAV), providing great versatility and ease of use, including application to mice, rats, flies, and potentially many other species. Cre-dependent RAM, CRAM, allows for the study of active ensembles of a specific cell type and anatomical connectivity, further expanding the RAM system's versatility. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.13918.001


Many industrial instruments use rubber; NBR(Nitrile Butadiene Rubber) is especially used for the packing attached to pneumatic equipment. Recently, with the spread of dry pneumatic pumps, the deterioration of NBR by ozone has become a serious problem. However, the process of the ozone degradation of NBR has not been sufficiently clarified. When examining the ozone degradation of NBR, it is very important to control the ozone concentration. In general, it is difficult to get a low ozone concentration using an ozonizer with an ultraviolet ray lamp. Therefore, we attempted the optimum control of the ozone concentration with dilution by adjusting the air flow rate through the ozonizer using the flow proportional valve. As a result, the ozone concentration in the testing chamber is controlled with greater accuracy than the method based on supplying voltage to the ozonizer.


Since high bone turnover is associated with decreased bone mass, biochemical markers of bone remodeling, such as serum osteocalcin, may be used to assess osteoporosis and to predict fractures in elderly women, particulary those involving trabecular bone, and use of a combination of bone mineral density (BMD) and biochemical markers may improve fracture prediction. The serum levels of osteocalcin constitute a specific biochemical parameter of bone formation. Compared to imaging techniques, assays for osteocalcin are safe, noninvasive and easily performed. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship of serum osteocalcin and BMD in postmenopausal women. A cross sectional study was performed on 53 postmenopausal women in South Jakarta from February to April 2010. The subjects were assessed for anthropometric characteristics, serum osteocalcin levels and BMD. BMD was measured at the lumbar spine, right femoral neck and at the left distal radius by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Mean serum osteocalcin was 28.99 ± 10.02 ng/ml. The Pearson correlation test on all subjects indicated a significant inverse correlation between serum osteocalcin and femoral neck BMD (r = - 0.29; p=0.034). By arranging the data into tertiles, a significant association was found in non-obese subjects between mean femoral neck BMD and serum osteocalcin (p=0.036). The Tukey posthoc multiple comparison test showed a significant mean difference in femoral neck BMD between the lowest and the highest tertiles of osteocalcin serum concentrations (p=0.028). Maintenance of body weight is important for maintaining BMD in postmenopausal women.


The paper discusses the translation of Winnie-the-Pooh into Upper-Sorbian (Winij Pu). Its aim is to present and assess the translation of proper names in the Upper-Sorbian version by Edward Wornar. The author compares the strategies and techniques used by the translator with those deployed in the Polish and Czech translations of the book. The examination of Wornar's version demonstrates that the translator used many a domestication technique. The translation under scrutiny is positively evaluated as it wisely utilizes various available strategies and techniques to render the original text accessible and acceptable to the target language and culture.


The number of eggs ovulated varies within and between species and is influenced by many variables. However, the regulatory mechanisms remain poorly understood. We previously demonstrated a key role for the oocyte because mice generating oocytes deficient in core 1‐derived O‐glycans ovulate ~40‐50% more eggs than Controls. Here we analyze the basis of this phenotype using Mutant [core 1 β1, 3‐galactosyltransferase 1 (C1galt1)FF: zona pellucida glycoprotein 3 Cre (ZP3Cre)] and Control (C1galt1FF) female mice. In culture, Mutant follicles exhibited delayed antrum formation [indicative of follicle stimulant hormone (FSH) dependence] and increased sensitivity to FSH. Although the Mutant estrous cycle was extended, comprehensive endocrine changes were not observed; rather FSH, LH, inhibin B, and anti‐Mullerian hormone were temporally altered, revealing estrous cycle stage‐specific modifications to the hypothalamic‐pituitarygonadal axis. At proestrus, when FSH levels were decreased in Mutants, ovaries contained more, smaller, preantral follicles. Mutant follicles exhibited reduced levels of apoptosis, and both B‐cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl‐2) and BCL‐2‐associated X protein (Bax) were altered compared with Controls. Mutant ovaries also had an increase in the expression ratio of growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9): bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) at diestrus. On the basis of these data, we propose that modified oocyte glycoproteins alter GDF9:BMP15 expression modifying follicle development resulting in the generation of more follicles. Thus, the oocyte is a key regulator of follicle development and has a crucial role in determining ovulation rate.—Grasa, P., Ploutarchou, P., Williams, S. A. Oocytes lacking O‐glycans alter follicle development and increase fertility by increasing follicle FSH sensitivity, decreasing apoptosis, and modifying GDF9:BMP15 expression. FASEB J. 29, 525‐539 (2015). www.fasebj.org


To screen the possibility of forming self-assembled hydrogels under physiological pH, various molar ratios of the hydrogelators based on pentafluorobenzyl-phenylalanine (PFB-F) and pentafluorobenzyldiphenylalanine (PFB-FF) were studied. The equimolar ratio of PFB-F and PFB-FF formed coassembled nanofibers and a self-supporting hydrogel at the physiological pH of 7.4. The spectroscopic characterization of the blend gel indicates that p–p interactions and hydrogen-bonding interactions are the major driving forces behind the coassembly. In addition, we also prove that the blend hydrogel is biocompatible, thus making it a scaffolding material for biomedical applications. In this work, the utility of two distinct hydrogelators to promote coassembly under physiological condition expands the repertoire of noncovalent interactions that can be used in the development of sophisticated noncovalent biomaterials.


This paper discusses some aspects of the controversies regarding the operation of the agent intellect on sensory images. I selectively consider views developed between the 13th century and the beginning of the 17th century, focusing on positions which question the need for a (distinct) agent intellect or argue for its essential "inactivity" with respect to phantasms. My aim is to reveal limitations of the Peripatetical framework for analyzing and explaining the mechanisms involved in conceptual abstraction. The first section surveys developments of Aristotelian noetics and abstraction in Ancient and Arabic philosophy. The second section presents a discussion of some "positive" accounts on abstraction and the agent intellect, and some "negative" accounts.


Abstract Human rights discourse has become central to the global debates about treatment of and solutions for refugees and displaced persons. Following the expansion of rights-oriented terminology generally, advocates for displacees have increasingly framed their arguments in human rights terms. Many believe that human rights discourse can help mobilize humanitarian solutions for people fleeing violence and persecution. However, we argue that the backlash against human rights institutions and organizations within some communities may render this strategy ineffective and even reinforce exclusionary attitudes among host communities. Based on socio-legal analysis of the refugee label and human rights discourse within Israeli society, we demonstrate how the strategic use of this terminology by pro-refugee NGOs portrays displacees as a security and identity threat to local communities. We suggest alternative framings that might better achieve advocates' goal of protection.


Abstract In this thesis I explore the ontological proposal of food sovereignty and I discuss the possibilities offered by studies like this one to the attempts of the social sciences to explain – in a symmetrical fashion - that develop between humans and other entities at the time of production, processing and consumption of food. In this effort I combine ethnography and history. I argue that in countries like Ecuador, food networks such as that of the lupine, Lupino mutabilis Sweet, since they do not establish ontological differences between nature and culture, promote the implementation of food sovereignty in practice, as long as agricultural and science and technology (S&T) policies enable the autonomous development of such networks. More specifically, food networks in the Andean highlands have functioned in a rhizomatic way, without establishing hierarchies between entities of different ontology: foods as goods or foods as gifts, society and nature, and have spread without discontinuities between town and country. This analysis enables me to show that these networks can promote food sovereignty, because in them is condensed an ontology distinct from that of modernity with regard to the cultivation, processing and consumption of food. Considering these findings I analyse the rationality of S&T policies and the current policies of the Ecuadorian State. I argue that such policies go against the logic of food networks. Food sovereignty is an achievable goal if Ecuadorian government policies contribute to the strengthening of food networks, creating new links so that they can sidestep the agribusiness model. The organisation of this thesis is unusual, as the object of study is a food network. This forced me to research and structure this dissertation in a particular way. So, I start with the ethnographic explanation of a food network. Here I analyse its operation, relationships and the paths it establishes. From this analysis it is possible to understand why S&T policies, specifically those related to plant breeding, created new social relations that affected the food networks of the highlands. I show here how the modern rationality on which agricultural policies are based inhibits the growth of food networks and works against food sovereignty. Then, from the analysis of the formation of the food sovereignty network, I examine the introduction of the food sovereignty proposal into the Ecuadorian Constitution and the changes made to the original proposal. I show how the translation of the Via Campesina proposal present in the constitution and the subsequent law is possible due to the intervention of actors linked with the big businesses of the food trade. All this enables me, finally, to discuss my contribution: the analysis of the ontological promise present in the food sovereignty proposal.


Daily household mobility in France is characterised by the supremacy of the automobile. The main objective of this paper is to explain the modal choice of French households for their daily trips and to predict potential shifts from personal car to shared car. A multinomial logit model is estimated and reveals the particular importance of motorisation on modal choices. A conditional logit model is also estimated and shows no particular importance of the costs in the shared car deployment. Moreover, the increase in distances between 2010 and 2020 makes motorised modes more necessary. Simulations show that personal car should remain the main mode of transportation by 2020 except if households have no car. In that case, public transport would become the main transport mode and the shift to shared car would be at a maximum. Thus, personal car and public transport should remain the main modes of transportation by 2020.


In this paper, two unsupervised color image segmentation methods based on color clustering are explored: k-means (KM) and mixture of principal components (MPC). KM and MPC use respectively the Euclidean distance and the vector angle as color similarly measures. It is shown that the vector angle is an intensity-invariant measure in RGB based on the dichromatic reflectance model. Results are given for various color spaces: RGB, XYZ, rgb (normalized RGB), CIELAB, CIELUV, h/sub 1/h/sub 2/h/sub 3/ (a new space), and l/sub 1/l/sub 2/l/sub 3/. Quantitative and qualitative results show the effectiveness of the MPC algorithm on the RGB, rgb, and XYZ color spaces whereas the KM combination seems most effective in the CIELAB, h/sub 1/h/sub 2/h/sub 3/, and l/sub 1/l/sub 2/l/sub 3/ color spaces. Finally, poor color clustering results with MPC in h/sub 1/h/sub 2/h/sub 3/ and with KM in rgb suggest that some assumptions in deriving a simplified version of Shafer's model for matte surfaces might have been violated.


Extraskeletal osteosarcoma (ESOS) of the spleen and jejunum was diagnosed in 2 dogs. As an extremely uncommon type of tumor that has proven difficult to treat, ESOS is associated with high rate of local recurrence and metastatic disease. Extraskeletal osteosarcoma principally affects older dogs, has no apparent breed predilection, and may develop more frequently in males. The cause of ESOS is unknown, but may involve malignant metaplasia of pluripotential mesenchymal cells into osteoblasts. Macroscopically, ESOS usually is observed as a hard mass and may appear similar to calcified hematoma or myositis ossificans. The classic radiographic appearance of ESOS is a soft tissue mass with focal mineralization and without adjacent bone involvement.


1 Given the rapid and reversible impact of the environment on plant ecophysiological traits, it has been speculated that such traits may have low heritabilities, high phenotypic plasticity and experience selection which is highly variable. 2 We estimated heritabilities, phenotypic plasticity and natural selection on five ecophysiological traits (carbon : nitrogen (C : N) ratio, leaf water content, specific leaf area (SLA), trichome density and water use efficiency (WUE)) of swamp milkweed Asclepias incarnata. In a 2‐year field experiment, we studied 49 full‐sibling families in a common garden and assessed phenotypic and genotypic selection. 3 Consistent evidence indicated selection for increased leaf trichome density and reduced WUE. Less strong evidence suggested selection for reduced SLA and leaf water content, and there was no selection on C : N of leaves. 4 Although the ecophysiological traits showed many phenotypic and genetic correlations, we found little evidence that these correlations would constrain adaptive evolution. 5 To evaluate the phenotypic plasticity of the same traits, we conducted a separate growth chamber experiment and found evidence that leaf water content, SLA and C : N responded to environmental conditions (herbivory, water stress, nutrient addition). 6 Synthesis. We have demonstrated natural selection on ecophysiological traits and their probable response to selection with a genotypic selection analysis. We cautiously reject the notion that these traits lack heritable variation and that genetic correlations among them constrain their response to selection. Thus, plants such as A. incarnata appear capable of adaptive responses in their ecophysiological traits.


Summary
L. ballum apparently was eradicated from a large colony of Swiss albino mice by feeding pelleted feed containing 1,000 gm chlortetracycline hydrochloride/ton for 10 days. After 7 days of such therapy, mice were transferred to clean containers equipped with clean water bottles, both of which had been sterilized by stream. Traps and DDT in runways were used to destroy mice that escaped while treatment was in progress and also to prevent reintroduction of L. ballum by the common house mouse.


We have recently demonstrated in a previous work an appreciable photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) behavior towards hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) of a MoS2/Ag2S/Ag nanocomposite electrochemically deposited on a commercial writable Digital Versatile Disc (DVD), consisting therefore on an interesting strategy to convert a common waster product in an added-value material. Herein, we present the conjugation of this MoS2/Ag2S/Ag-DVD nanocomposite with thiol-terminated tetraphenylporphyrins, taking advantage of the grafting of thiol groups through covalent S-S bridges, for integrating the well-known porphyrins photoactivity into the nanocomposite. Moreover, we employ two thiol-terminated porphyrins with different hydrophilicity, demonstrating that they either suppress or improve the PEC-HER performance of the overall hybrid, as a function of the molecule polarity, sustaining the concept of a local proton relay. Actually, the active polar porphyrin—MoS2/Ag2S/Ag-DVD hybrid material presented, when illuminated, a better HER performance, compared to the pristine nanocomposite, since the porphyrin may inject photoelectrons in the conduction band of the semiconductors at the formed heterojunction, presenting also a stable operational behavior during overnight chopped light chronoamperometric measurement, thanks to the robust bond created.


Background Mental disorder is the single largest source of burden of disease in the UK.1 Recent surveys have revealed the prevalence of mental disorders in general hospital inpatients to be greater than 40%.2 Common 'physical' Illnesses have profound psychological consequences. The recent five year forward view of the NHS highlights the importance of integrating mental and physical healthcare.3 Despite this, training remains distinctly separate, despite the government's mandate to Health Education England4, which specifically highlights the need for better training for healthcare professionals managing mental-physical comorbidity – which this intervention provides. Methodology An exciting and innovative study involving the design, implementation and evaluation of a series of one-day interprofessional and cross-disciplinary simulation based training programmes throughout south London. Initially focus groups5 were held with different sets of healthcare professionals, on the difficulties around managing mental-physical comorbidity. The salient themes arising then guided the development of simulation scenarios. The second phase of the study consisted of one day interprofessional simulation programmes, using actors and high fidelity mannequins. Participants were Drs and nurses from general hospital, community and mental health settings concerned with the management of mental-physical comorbidity. The third phase was a 'pre' and 'post' intervention evaluation consisting of measurement of participants' confidence at managing patients with comorbidity, their knowledge and attitudes to mental health. Results n = 78. There were statistically significant, positive changes to the confidence of participants managing patients with physical and mental health comorbidity, and similar, positive changes across the domains of knowledge and attitudes to mental disorder. Participants also felt the intervention greatly improved team-working, patient safety and communication skills. Conclusions This study demonstrates that integrative training which is innovative, interprofessional and simulation based is a power fulmodality to improve the levels of confidence and knowledge in healthcare professionals managing patients with mental-physical comorbidity, whilst improving attitudes to mental disorder, team-working and patient safety. References World Health Organization (2008) Global Burden of Disease Report. WHO (http://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/estimates_country/en/index.html) Rothenhäusler HB. Mental disorders in general hospital patients. Psychiatr Danub. 2006;18(3-4):183–92 NHS England. Five year Forward View, 2014 Delivering high quality, effective, compassion ate care: Developing the right people with the right skills and the right values: A mandate from the government to Health Education England. 2014. https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/310170/DH_HEE_Mandate.pdf Barbour RS. Making sense of focus groups. Med Educ. 2005;39:742–750


This experiment was designed to assess the capacity of dietary genistein (GEN), to attenuate bone loss in ovariectomized (OVX) and ovary-intact VCD-treated mice. Pretreatment of mice with 4-vinylcyclohexene diepoxide (VCD) gradually and selectively destroys ovarian follicles whilst leaving ovarian androgen-producing cells largely intact. VCD induces a perimenopause-like condition prior to the onset of reproductive acyclicity. Sixteen-week-old C57BL/6J mice were randomized to five treatment groups: sham(SHM), OVX, SHM + VCD, OVX + GEN, and SHM + VCD + GEN. In vivo, blood samples were drawn for hormone and isoflavone analyses, estrous cycles were monitored, and X-ray imaging was performed to assess changes in bone parameters. Following sacrifice, ovaries were assessed histologically, bone microarchitecture was evaluated via microcomputed tomography, and bone mechanical properties were measured. Some effects of GEN were observed in OVX mice, but GEN effects were not able to be evaluated in VCD-treated mice due to the subtle diminution of bone during the 4 months of this experiment.


We systematically analyze optimization dynamics in deep neural networks (DNNs) trained with stochastic gradient descent (SGD) and study the effect of learning rate $\eta$, depth $d$, and width $w$ of the neural network. By analyzing the maximum eigenvalue $\lambda^H_t$ of the Hessian of the loss, which is a measure of sharpness of the loss landscape, we find that the dynamics can show four distinct regimes: (i) an early time transient regime, (ii) an intermediate saturation regime, (iii) a progressive sharpening regime, and (iv) a late time ``edge of stability"regime. The early and intermediate regimes (i) and (ii) exhibit a rich phase diagram depending on $\eta \equiv c / \lambda_0^H $, $d$, and $w$. We identify several critical values of $c$, which separate qualitatively distinct phenomena in the early time dynamics of training loss and sharpness. Notably, we discover the opening up of a ``sharpness reduction"phase, where sharpness decreases at early times, as $d$ and $1/w$ are increased.


We reported that DNA- dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) is critical for the expression of NF-κB-dependent genes in TNF-α -treated glioblastoma cells including VCAM-1. Here we show that DNA-PK protein level and function are critical for VCAM-1 expression in TNF-α-treated human endothelial and mouse lung smooth muscle cells and are required for monocytes adhesion. Interestingly, DNA-PK activation and subsequent VCAM-1 expression in presence of TNF occurred independently of DNA breaks/repair. Administration of the DNA-PK inhibitor, NU7441, and DNA-PK heterozygosity reduced airway eosinophilia, mucus hypersecretion, airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR), and OVA-specific IgE production in asthma model of mice. Such effects correlated with a marked reduction in lung VCAM-1 expression and production of several inflammatory cytokines. Remarkably, such protection occurred without causing SCID. These results were confirmed in a chronic model of asthma using house dust mite. DNA-PK inhibition reduced Th2 cytokines production without affecting Th1 cytokines production and cell proliferation in CD3/CD28-stimulated human CD4+T cells potentially by blocking gata-3 expression. In mouse CD4+T cells, DNA-PK inhibition, in vitro, severely blocked CD3/CD28-induced gata-3 and t-bet expression and prevented differentiation of Th1 and Th2 cells. Thus, our results suggest DNA-PK as a novel determinant of asthma and a potential target for the treatment of the disease.


In the engineering field, sloshing in rolling vessel is a hot issue because of the connection with ship stability problem. The sloshing phenomena also can be utilized in the field of structure or facility vibration damper. This paper explores the possibility which sloshing of multi-particles can be used to dissipate energy in a rolling container. This energy dissipation can be utilized to the application of rotating damper. Some of the parameters expected to dissipates energy, such as vessel size, particle size, mass fraction and ramp height, have been experimentally and theoretically studied.


Lifestyle related health problems are increasing rapidly. Many of them could be prevented or alleviated by sufficient physical activity, enough sleep, and a balanced diet. Individual citizens have the main responsibility for their own health and wellness management in their daily lives. Motivational tools based on modern technologies can support people in this task. Vivago Personal Wellness Manager (PWM) is a concept for personal wellness management, based on continuous activity monitoring with a wrist-worn device combined with immediate feedback on daily activity, e.g., sleep and physical activity. The concept allows long-term monitoring of activity patterns and includes PC software for detailed analysis of long-term data. We studied the ability of PWM to detect different levels of activity and to estimate energy expenditure. The classification accuracy of our method was 85.4% (SD: 6.3, range: 71.8-94.4%). The mean absolute error of the energy expenditure estimate was 8.7% (SD: 8.0, range: 1.2-32.1%).


To the Editor.— As difficult as it may be for some to accept, it has not been unequivocally demonstrated that total (simple) mastectomy is a procedure that should or should not supplant radical mastectomy. 1 From the total clinical evidence available, there is no more justification for condemning total (simple) mastectomy than there is for recommending its use to the exclusion of other procedures. It is a simple fact that there has never been a comparison made of the two operations by randomly performing one or the other on a single, well-defined population of patients. Halsted indeed demonstrated that radical mastectomy reduced the incidence of local recurrence in his patients as compared to that observed by other surgeons of that era, but to the best of my knowledge, he never presented information to indicate that the operation actually enhanced survival. Biological considerations are even more compelling than clinical ones (which


This book presents two important results in p-adic Hodge theory following the approach initiated by Faltings, namely (i) his main p-adic comparison theorem, and (ii) the Hodge-Tate spectral sequence. We establish for each of these results two versions, an absolute one and a relative one. While the absolute statements can reasonably be considered as well understood, particularly after their extension to rigid varieties by Scholze, Faltings' initial approach for the relative variants has remained much less studied. Although we follow the same strategy as that used by Faltings to establish his main p-adic comparison theorem, part of our proofs is based on new results. The relative Hodge-Tate spectral sequence is new in this approach.


T his paper addressed the control of a Dubin's vehicle. The Dubin's vehicle control design, using the Pontryagin Maximum Principle. The application of this principle, bring the matter to the Hamiltonian system with some partial equations excess conditions, while others do not have any conditions. The difference approach, which used  in this paper to design of the control. This paper solve the problem by transforming the problem into the initial values problem, by finding the best approach to obtain the initial condition equations for some equations that do not have any conditions.


In the article directions of use of intellectual capital components within a company and its activities are being analyzed. To perform such analysis, we should first go into details of intellectual capital structure. At this time the concept of intellectual capital in clear definition is not used in any international convention, statute or in any common legal document. Very important but intangible part of any company resource (employee knowledge, competence and experience, company image, infrastructure, customer loyalty, etc.) is not recorded in the financial statements. However, very often these resources strongly influence the business expansion, development, competitive advantage and creation of value enhancement. Consequently these resources and factors that are not put into companies' financial statements but can significantly influence the value of a business were combined into a new concept of intellectual capital. It could be a challenge to determine all elements of intellectual capital that give the business it's competitive advantages. Going further in this direction new problems arise, one of them is very contradictory. The indicator showing the presence or absence of intellectual capital can be observed when the market value of the company is higher than the book value. The difference in value results from not being able to put all company's assets involved in creating value into balance sheets (for example, knowledge of leading specialists, know-how of the management, important business contacts of the employees, etc.). These things are considered when a business is being sold or when a buyer is looking to obtain a certain commercial organization. The above mentioned differences between valuations (it could be also called capitalization/book value ratio) often become important factors focusing on the company's non tangible activities. Various methods of valuation of intellectual capital and its components exist. Larger part of these methods allow to determine the size (value) of intellectual capital using various elements and factors. However, according to their results the most interesting are the methods that use human value based ways to determine the cost of intellectual capital. An important factor in raising the value of a business becomes its social responsibility. An organization that is socially responsible takes care of its employees first, it invests into its intellectual capital, into improving of its employees health, ensuring safe working environment, etc.. It also adheres to principals of conservation even while expanding (Smaliukiene, 2007). A business that operates based on such principles can be sure that its competitive advantage will increase. SRB (Socially responsible business) principles are at work at big and small businesses and they are also tied to effective use of resources and variations. Summarizing results of the research, it can be said that exclusion of intangible company assets and intellectual capital is totally unacceptable because the products manufactured by employees not only increase the wealth of the company but of the whole country as well. Intellectual capital, intellectual assets and the whole image of the business consists of different elements. Similar traits can be noticed. Therefore when analyzing intellectual capital, intangible assets, intellectual property assets, business image, intellectual capital and its elements have to be observed. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.em.17.2.2199


The effects of the influence of the magnetic field on the luminescence intensity of methoxypolyphenylene vinylene (MEH-PPV) films at various air pressures above the samples are investigated. An inversion of the sign of the magnetic field effect was detected with a smooth change in the oxygen concentration in the system. Based on the balance equations, a theoretical model of processes is proposed that takes into account the formation of populations of triplet (T) excitons of MEH-PPV and singlet oxygen during the reactions of triplet-triplet annihilation, T-{3}^Sigma_g(O_2)-quenching and T-{1}^Delta_g(O_2)-cross-annihilation of electronic excitations. According to the proposed theoretical model, the magnetic field effects of delayed fluorescence at different concentrations of O_2 molecules in MEH-PPV films are calculated, consistent with the experimental results.


It is shown that the widely used method for calculating the SBS threshold in optical fibres yields erroneous results in a number of practically important cases. In particular, not all acoustic-antiwaveguide optical fibres demonstrate an increase in the SBS threshold. For the SBS threshold to increase, it is necessary to provide fast disruption of the acoustic wavefront due to refraction.


A central principle in our understanding of cerebral cortical organization is that homotopic left and right areas are functionally linked to each other, and also connected with structures that share similar functions within each cerebral cortical hemisphere. Here we refer to this concept as interhemispheric functional symmetry (IHFS). While multiple studies have described the distribution and variations of IHFS in the cerebral cortex, descriptions of IHFS in the subcortex are largely absent in the neuroscientific literature. Further, the proposed anatomical basis of IHFS is centered on callosal and other commissural tracts. These commissural fibers are present in virtually all cerebral cortical areas, but almost absent in the subcortex. There is thus an important knowledge gap in our understanding of subcortical IHFS. What is the distribution and variations of subcortical IHFS, and what are the anatomical correlates and physiological implications of this important property in the subcortex? Using fMRI functional gradient analyses in a large dataset (Human Connectome Project, n=1003), here we explored IHFS in human thalamus, lenticular nucleus, cerebellar cortex, and caudate nucleus. Our detailed descriptions provide an empirical foundation upon which to build hypotheses for the anatomical and physiological basis of subcortical IHFS. Our results indicate that direct or driver cerebral cortical afferent connectivity, as opposed to indirect or modulatory cerebral cortical afferent connectivity, is associated with stronger subcortical IHFS in thalamus and lenticular nucleus. In cerebellar cortex and caudate, where there is no variability in terms of either direct vs. indirect or driver vs. modulatory cerebral cortical afferent connections, connectivity to cerebral cortical areas with stronger cerebral cortical IHFS is associated with stronger IHFS in the subcortex. These two observations support a close relationship between subcortical IHFS and connectivity between subcortex and cortex, and generate new testable hypotheses that advance our understanding of subcortical organization.


Deregulation of the DNA damage response (DDR) is a main feature of cancer progression and a common finding in breast cancer. While a clear correlation between mutations of BRCA1/2 and ATM in cancer development has been found in hereditary breast cancers, the molecular basis of DDR deregulation of sporadic breast cancers is still unclear. Triple-negative (TNBC) and basal-like (BLBC) breast cancers are very aggressive sporadic tumors that relapse very frequently. Only 2% of sporadic tumors bear detectable BRCA1/2 and ATM mutations. Interestingly, TNBCs and BLBCs present a histoclinical phenotype comparable to that observed in patients with hereditary germline BRCA1/2 mutations ("BRCAness" phenotype). However, while BRCA1 mutated breast cancers are sensitive to PARP inhibitors, both TNBCs and BLBCs are poorly responsive to anticancer treatments. Recent evidence has shown that the altered expression of microRNA genes can be associated with diverse types of cancers. microRNAs are small non-coding RNA molecules that negatively regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. They bind through partial sequence homology to the 3′-untranslated region of target mRNAs and cause translational inhibition and/or mRNA degradation. In the June 1, 2013 issue of Cell Cycle, Del Sal's group surveyed public breast cancer data sets for miR-181a/b expression.1 They found that increased expression of miR-181a/b correlated with shorter disease-free survival and early onset of metastatic disease. The expression of miR-181a/b was also assessed on more than 100 primary breast cancer samples and was found upregulated in tumor specimens when compared with normal tissues. This also correlated with tumor aggressiveness. miR-181a/b have been shown to promote migration and invasion of breast cancer cells as well as the expansion of breast cancer stem-like cells.2 miR181a/b expression is regulated by transforming growth factor-b,3-5 whose pathway is aberrantly activated in breast cancer transformation.6,7 At the molecular level, Del Sal group showed that miR-181a/b targeted ATM mRNA, thereby impinging severely on DDR response of breast cancer cells. BRAC1 phosphorylation was reduced in miR181a/b-overexpressing cells, suggesting that miR-181a/b increased expression may dampen DDR and DNA double-strand breaks repair, leading to the accumulation of unfixed DNA lesions in breast cancer cells. This might unveil the oncogenic value of miR-181a/b overexpression and lead to the development of potential therapeutic strategies aimed at overcoming its pro-tumorigenic effects in breast cancers. It is becoming increasingly clear that a detailed molecular cancer portrait of a single patient is required to design the most effective cancer treatment. This is ineludible, as the development of resistance to target therapy for diverse types of tumors, including breast cancer, significantly increases. Indeed, chemoresistance remains a major clinical obstacle to successful treatment of breast cancer and a source of poor prognosis. The power of cancer patient response prediction to given treatments needs to be strongly improved. It is reasonable to think that the more molecular variables we can include in the prediction model the better prediction we may expect. Notably, in this issue of Cell Cycle, Bisso and colleagues reported that miR-181a/b overexpressing cells are sensitive to pharmacological inhibition of PARP. miR-181a/b overexpression sensitized breast cancer cells to PARP inhibition, as for Olaparib (AstraZeneca). This raises the intriguing possibility that overexpression of miR-181a/b could be regarded as a potential biomarker that allows the identification of a subgroup of TNBC and BLBC patients who may benefit from the treatment with PARPi. The miR-181a/b overexpression Del Sal's group observed in diverse tumors types could also have major implications for other types of human cancers. In light of these findings, additional work attempting the functional validation of novel miR-181a/b mRNA targets might provide novel insight into the molecular characterization of aggressive cancer subtypes and hold important therapeutic potential. (Fig 1)

Figure 1. Hereditary breast cancers and sporadic breast cancers presenting BRCA1 mutations account for the 12% of the total breast tumors. Basal-like and triple-negative breast cancers among the sporadic breast tumors (88%) that present "BRCAness" ...


The n-alkane marker (dosed marker, dotriacontane, C32, herbage markers C31, C33 and C35) technique was evaluated for use in feed intake and digestibility studies with horses. The mean retention time of digesta in the digestive tract was determined in horses following a single dose of C32. The n-alkane technique was then employed to estimate dry matter intake and digestibility in horses fed fresh perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), fresh Kikuyu grass (Pennisetum clandestinum, Hochst) and Kikuyu hay. The mean retention time of the C32 marker in the horses was estimated to be 27.9 h. On average the C32 had a slightly greater faecal recovery of 0.89 than the odd-chain alkanes (0.80-0.85), though the differences were not significant. The alkane technique, using the n-alkane markers, gave good estimates of dry matter intake, e.g. for fresh ryegrass the measured intake was 8.86?0.23 kg and the estimated intakes from the C31:C32 ratio, 7.9?1.9 kg and from the C32:C33 ratio, 8.3?1.4 kg. However, the effect of the higher recovery of the dosed marker needs further investigation. The estimates of apparent dry matter digestibility corresponded well with measured values, provided the factor for the incomplete faecal recovery of the internal alkanes was included in the calculation. It was concluded that the alkane technique is suitable to estimate feed intake under grazing conditions. However, the proportion of dietary alkanes recovered in the faeces has to be known to obtain an accurate estimate of apparent digestibility. This would be a problem under grazing conditions when faecal grab samples are taken for measuring faecal alkane concentrations. South African Journal of Animal Science Vol.32(1) 2002: 50-56


A boundary value problem for a periodic array of initially spherical voids in a power law creeping solid is analyzed. An axisymmetric cell model relevant for simulating grain boundary void growth is used. The rate boundary value problem is solved by means of a finite element method. Void growth histories accounting for void shape changes and, within the cell model context, void interaction effects are computed for various remote stress triaxiality states. An automatic remeshing algorithm permits computations for large changes in void size and shape. The computed void growth rates are compared with predictions from available analytical formulas that neglect shape change effects.


The third-order nonlinear optical susceptibilities, chi(3), of composite films consisting of nanocrystalline Au and ZnO particles were investigated by use of a degenerate four-wave mixing scheme. The maximum value of chi(3), measured at a laser wavelength of 532 nm and a pulse duration of 70 ps, was approximately 2 x 10(-6) esu. Also, this chi(3) value was achieved with small absorption (the surface-plasmon peak was at the 615-nm wavelength). Our composite materials showed no discernible degradation after they were subjected to irradiation for a total of 3 x 10(7) high-intensity pulses (24 Mw/cm2, 70-ps pulse duration at 500 Hz) during 16 h of testing.


The 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP) selects IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) to provide multimedia services for various access networks. Work in this paper is to extend the supported access networks, such as 3GPP and wireless local area network, to worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) on quality of service (QoS) Management. Basing on description of tight-coupled interworking network architecture of WiMAX and IMS, we put forward an end-to-end QoS management architecture called QMFA to perform QoS negotiation and policy control. The frame solves the problem of QoS connectivity and interoperability between WiMAX and IMS networks by introducing a new WiMAX bearer service management architecture (WBSMA), a Policy-based token mechanism called PQNST, and a method of mapping among WiMAX QoS, universal mobile telecommunication system (UMTS) QoS and IP QoS. At last, a simulation system is introduced to show how the frame works to guarantee the QoS management for multimedia service throughout the whole network. It proves the proposed frame can effectively reduce the jitter for real-time video-conference application.


THESIS: Inside Groove: A Historical Descriptive Analysis of NASCAR and IndyCar's Standing within Sports Media STUDENT: Torey Fox DEGREE: Master of Arts COLLEGE: Communication, Information, and Media DATE: May 2017 PAGES: 165 The distribution of sports content is changing in the United States and around the world. As television evolves and new distribution channels are created, sports organizations like the NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL are being forced to share content amongst linear and digital platforms to maintain audience growth. For non-mainstream organizations like NASCAR (stock car racing) and IndyCar (open-wheel racing), the need to modernize distribution in the 21 century is even more critical for survival in a very crowded, cluttered sports landscape. This thesis project is a historical descriptive analysis of the past, present, and future distribution methods of NASCAR and IndyCar content. Using medium theory as a guiding principle, the contents of this project primarily focus on two areas 3⁄4 television distribution and web, digital, and social media distribution. An extensive look at NASCAR and IndyCar's historical position on network and cable television is included in this thesis as well as a comprehensive overview of both organizations' use of new media in reaching newer, predominately younger audiences. Lastly, this research project takes a critical look at postings from official NASCAR and IndyCar social media accounts during the weeks of the 2016 Daytona 500 and Indianapolis 500 to determine techniques of both sanctioning bodies in modernizing and leveraging content. The collective goal of this historical analysis is to determine which motorsports organization is best positioned within this transitional state of sports media as well to explain why NASCAR and IndyCar are currently positioned where they are in terms of American sports culture.


Objective: To determine the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors in adolescents from public and private schools of a Brazilian state capital. Design and method: Cross-sectional study with a representative sample of adolescents aged 14 to 18 years, enrolled in public and private schools in Goiânia, Goiás state, Brazil. The data collection included a standard questionnaire (gender, age, ethnicity, smoking, alcohol consumption in the last 30 days, socioeconomic status, and family history of cardiovascular disease); the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ); and a physical assessment (weight, height, waist circumference, and blood pressure). The prevalence ratio was used as the measure of association, estimated by Poisson regression. Results: The sample was composed of 862 adolescents with a mean age of 15.4 ± 1.1 years and with a predominance of females (52.8%). Alcohol consumption in the last 30 days (72.2%) and physical inactivity (66.8%) were the most prevalent cardiovascular risk factors. The most prevalent variables in female adolescents were socioeconomic class C (53.6%; p = 0.022), alcohol consumption in the last 30 days (75.4%; p = 0.025) and physical inactivity (66.8%, p = 0.000). In male adolescents, the most prevalent variables were abnormal blood pressure (24.3%; p = 0.000), abnormal waist circumference (17.2%; p = 0.011), and overweight (24.6%; p = 0.001). The prevalence of a family history of cardiovascular disease was 39.5%. Most adolescents (60.3%) had three or more risk factors, and only 1.1% did not present any cardiovascular risk factor. Conclusions: The prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors, particularly the occurrence of multiple risk factors, was high in the population studied.


We have purified 3500-fold from rabbit skeletal muscle a 12,020-Da mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)-enhancing factor (MEF) that stimulates both mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) autophosphorylation and the rate (24-fold) at which the enzyme is phosphorylated by MEK in vitro. This was manifest by the finding that in the presence of MEF, molar equivalents of MEK to MAPK were sufficient to produce fully phosphorylated (2.1 ± 0.4 mol/mol; S.D., n = 3) and activated MAPK. This contrasted with the 40:1 molar excess ratio of MEK to MAPK required to produce fully phosphorylated and activated MAPK in the absence of MEF. Phosphoamino acid analysis revealed that in the presence of MEF, phosphorylation of MAPK by MEK was ordered, with Tyr-185 phosphorylation preceding Thr-183 phosphorylation. However, the rate at which Thr-183 was phosphorylated relative to Tyr-185 was greatly increased. The finding that MEF stimulated MAPK autophosphorylation and increased its ability to be phosphorylated by MEK suggests a mechanism of action in which MEF interacts with MAPK to alter its conformation.


We describe a charged-particle diffusion in unbounded plasma, which is controlled by the temperature gradients of the charged particles. The obtained diffusion coefficient can be negative if the temperature of the electrons is greater than the temperature of the ions. We show that this charged-particle diffusion can cause plasma self-constriction, presented by a bell soliton.


SummaryThirty patients with aortic valve incompetence and 21 control subjects were examined by M-mode echocardiography at rest and radionuclide ventriculography during submaximal handgrip exercise. The patients had greater left ventricular dimensions and end-systolic wall stress values but peak systolic wall stress values did not differ. During exercise the controls' ejection fraction increased by 3±4%, 95% confidence interval (CI) from +1% to +5%, while the aortic incompetence patients showed no change −1%±5%, CI from −3 to +1%. The 15 symptomatic aortic incompetence patients had a different ejection fraction response from the controls (-2±4%, p < 0.01), CI from 4% to +1%, but the 15 asymptomatic patients had not (0±6%, not significant, CI from −3% to +3%). Three symptomatic and two asymptomatic patients with a decrease in ejection fraction below 5% during handgrip were not identified by left ventricular size and function or systolic loading conditions at rest. Neither echocardiographic or radionuclide parameters of left ventricular size and function at rest correlated with the individual ejection fraction changes during handgrip. Thus, in aortic valve incompetence, the radionuclide angiography assessed functional response to handgrip cannot be predicted by left ventricular size and function or systolic loading conditions at rest.


Consumer sentiment surveys are regularly conducted in at least forty-five countries. The surveys are based on the premise that data on consumer expectations represent a leading indicator of future changes in the macro economy. A series of Granger causality tests indicated that measures of consumer sentiment both predict and are predicted by a wide range of economic variables, although the data exhibit substantial differences across countries and across variables. The predictive performance was not found to be directly related to differences in sampling, question wording, or index construction. Several recommendations are given to enhance the predictive performance of consumer sentiment. First, a new conceptualization of consumer sentiment is now warranted based on changes in the knowledge and sophistication of consumers, the increased availability of economic information, shifts in the composition of demand, and changes due to an aging population. New survey measurement techniques are needed as well. Preliminary data on numeric probability scales indicate that there are advantages and disadvantages to a shift away from the now commonly used verbal likelihood scales. Second, new analysis models are proposed that would disaggregate consumer spending into its components as well as disaggregate the consumer data into separate demographic and economic subgroups. Third, changes in the survey administration are proposed. The shift away from telephone surveys will be due to falling response rates, especially among younger adults; the shift toward internet surveys will be due to their greater capacity to handle much more complex measurement strategies. Finally, the very notion of worldwide harmonization must also evolve; shifting its main focus from the input questions to the output indices so as to encompass a greater range of diversity in measurement methodologies. The basic premise of the consumer sentiment surveys has been affirmed by past measurements, and with appropriate developments, the consumer sentiment surveys can provide even more robust and timely forecasts of trends in the macro economy in the future.


Background Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is a common inflammatory disorder associated with asthma. This association is well described in patients with CRSwNP undergoing endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS); however, some patients are never referred for surgery, and the frequency of asthma in this group is largely unknown. Objective To determine the frequency of asthma in patients with CRSwNP treated in a primary care (PC) setting who have never been referred for surgery and to compare this with ESS patients. Methods Fifty-seven patients with CRSwNP who had never undergone ESS were prospectively recruited from nine PC ear, nose, and throat clinics in the Copenhagen area. CRSwNP was diagnosed according to the European Position Paper on Chronic Rhinosinusitis and Nasal Polyps; severity was assessed by using a visual analog scale. Allergy, lung function, and asthma tests (reversibility to β2-agonist, peak expiratory flow variability, and mannitol challenge) were performed. Findings were compared with our previously published data from patients with CRSwNP referred for surgery. Results Asthma was diagnosed in 25 patients (44%) based on respiratory symptoms and a positive asthma test; of these, 12 (48%) had undiagnosed asthma prior to study onset. Furthermore, when using the same methods, we found a lower frequency of asthma in PC patients compared with ESS patients (44% versus 65%, p = 0.04). Conclusion A high prevalence of asthma in PC patients with CRSwNP was found. Frequently, asthma was undiagnosed. However, asthma was significantly less prevalent in PC patients compared with patients referred for ESS. The frequent concomitance of asthma, i.e., united airways disease, in PC patients calls for closer collaboration between ear, nose, and throat specialists, and asthma specialists.


Despite substantial advances in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) over the past two decades, with 13 drugs approved by regulatory agencies worldwide, the responses to medical therapy are often incomplete or unsatisfactory [1]. As with other conditions with complex pathogenesis, PAH is probably the result of multiple stimuli, both genetic and epigenetic, whose interplay over the course of the disease is poorly understood. Combination therapy trials in cancer, heart failure and HIV infection have demonstrated the value of targeting multiple pathogenic pathways in complex diseases, and this strategy has become the therapeutic mainstay for these chronic conditions. Unlike these common diseases, however, PAH is considered an "orphan" disease, making large-scale clinical trials of multiple therapies more challenging, both logistically and practically [2, 3]. Two articles in this issue of the European Respiratory Journal provide new information regarding the effects of adding a second approved oral medication to PAH patients who are not achieving a satisfactory clinical response to initial oral monotherapy [4, 5]. Two studies in this month's ERJ report results of combination therapy for PAH http://ow.ly/OlgID


The popularity of service learning is increasing, especially at a time when college students want to make a greater impact in their communities. However, service learning has not been extensively assessed in courses based in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. This article provides a case study of how incorporating service learning through a community outreach project can increase student engagement, enhance the depth of understanding of a given topic, build communication and teamwork skills, and contribute meaningfully to the students' community. This article shares how the instructor of a natural hazards, vulnerability, and risk course implements service-learning through a community outreach project and provides evidence for how such outreach can enhance student learning and address the common problem of student apathy and disengagement. Through this case study, the authors design, implement, and test a new model for community outreach-based service learning and discuss the transferability of this model to other science, technology, engineering, and mathematics and social science courses.


In Eukaryotes, organelle interactions occur at specialised contact sites between organelle membranes. Contact sites are regulated by specialised tethering proteins, which bring organelle membranes into close proximity, and facilitate functional crosstalk between compartments. While contact site proteins are well characterised in mammals and yeast, the regulators of plant contact site formation are only now beginning to emerge. Having unique subcellular structures, plants must also utilise unique mechanisms of organelle interaction to regulate plant‐specific functions. The recently characterised NETWORKED proteins are the first dedicated family of plant‐specific contact site proteins. Research into the NET proteins and their interacting partners continues to uncover plant‐specific mechanisms of organelle interaction and the importance of these organelle contacts to plant life. Moreover, it is becoming increasingly apparent that organelle interactions are fundamental to autophagy in plants. Here, we will present recent developments in our understanding of the mechanisms of plant organelle interactions, their functions, and emerging roles in autophagy.


Various products could be prepared by using fruits as raw materials. In Hungary, the most popular fruit products are spirit, jams, preserves, juices and dried fruits. Jams are made from different fruits, with different fruit content, technology and additives. They can be used for different products or they can be consumed by themselves. These products and their related production processes have great traditions in Hungary. In addition, they are widely used.
The aim of our study was to determine the element content of jams and to compare these samples based on their micro- and macroelement content.
In this study, 26 fruit jams with different botanical origins were examined. 10 samples were commercial, and 16 samples were homemade products. The determination of micro- and macroelements was carried out by using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer and Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer. Different element contents were measured [B (249.7), Ca (422.6), Fe (259.9), K (769.8), Mg (280.2), Na (589.5), P (185.9), S (182.0), Al (27), Mn (55), Cu (65), Zn (66), Sr (88), Ba (137)]. Based on element contents, the jams showed statistical differences.


Group transfer polymerization was employed for the preparation of six amphiphilic terpolymer networks comprising the hydrophilic, pH-responsive 2-(dime- thylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA), the neutral hydrophilic methoxy hexa (ethylene glycol) methacrylate (HEGMA), and the hydrophobic n-butyl methacrylate (BuMA). 1,4-Bis(methoxytrimethylsiloxymethylene)cyclohexane was used as a bifunc- tional initiator, whereas ethylene glycol dimethacrylate served as the crosslinker to interconnect the linear terpolymer precursors to three-dimensional terpolymer net- work structures. Five of the terpolymer networks were model, with linear chains between crosslinks of precise length. Four of the five model networks were based on ABCBA pentablock terpolymers with theoretical structure DMAEMA5-b-BuMAn/2-b- HEGMA10-b-BuMAn/2-b-DMAEMA5 with n values equal to 5, 10, 20, and 30. The model network based on the equimolar statistical terpolymer and the nonmodel ran- domly crosslinked terpolymer network were also prepared. The molecular weights and compositions of the linear pentablock terpolymer precursors to the networks were found to be close to the theoretically expected, while the network sol fractions were found to be relatively low. The degrees of swelling of the networks in water were found to decrease with increasing the hydrophobic content, whereas those in THF exhibited the opposite trend. Small-angle neutron scattering in deuterium oxide indicated structural organization in the most hydrophobic pentablock terpolymer net- works. V C 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 4420-4432, 2008


An algorithm for nonintrusive speech quality estimation based on Gaussian mixture models (GMMs) is presented. GMMs are used to form an artificial reference model of the behavior of features of undegraded speech. Consistency measures between the degraded speech signal and the reference model serve as indicators of speech quality. Consistency values are mapped to an objective speech quality score using a multivariate adaptive regression splines function. When tested on unseen data, the proposed algorithm generally outperforms ITU-T standard P.563, which is the current "state-of-the-art" algorithm. The algorithm computes objective quality scores roughly twice as fast as P.563.


Dead (dormant) flower buds of pear are an important phenomenon in pear production in the Netherlands. Vigourous or unbalanced tree growth and Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae (P.s.s.) are mentioned as likely causes of dead flower buds. Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae was occasionally isolated from diseased flower buds. However, Alternaria alternata was nearly always isolated from diseased buds and also often in symptomless flower buds. By identifying the causal agent of dead flower buds disease, an effective control strategy can be developed. In field trials it was proven that fungicide treatments can reduce disease incidences significantly.


A number of recombination-based and physical mapping methods have been developed in order to study and understand the genomic organization of plant species. Of these methods, physical mapping methods provide the best correlation between position on a map and actual physical location on the chromosome. In this review, we discuss differences between maps developed on the basis of recombination and those developed independent of recombination. In the latter method, termed commonly as physical mapping, we discuss methods that have been employed in a number of agriculturally important plant species including rice, the legume model Medicago, tomato, soybean, barley and wheat, and then focus on the radiation hybrid method of physical mapping. After a brief overview of the radiation hybrid methods employed in mammalian species, we discuss radiation hybrid mapping for maize, barley, cotton and wheat in detail.


Objective NIPT for fetal aneuploidy by digital PCR has been hampered by the large number of PCR reactions needed to meet statistical requirements, preventing clinical application. Here, we designed an octoplex droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assay which allows increasing the number of available targets and thus overcomes statistical obstacles. Method After technical optimization of the multiplex PCR on mixtures of trisomic and euploid DNA, we performed a validation study on samples of plasma DNA from 213 pregnant women. Molecular counting of circulating cell-free DNA was performed using a mix of hydrolysis probes targeting chromosome 21 and a reference chromosome. Results The results of our validation experiments showed that ddPCR detected trisomy 21 even when the sample's trisomic DNA content is as low as 5%. In a validation study of plasma samples from 213 pregnant women, ddPCR discriminated clearly between the trisomy 21 and the euploidy groups. Conclusion Our results demonstrate that digital PCR can meet the requirements for non-invasive prenatal testing of trisomy 21. This approach is technically simple, relatively cheap, easy to implement in a diagnostic setting and compatible with ethical concerns regarding access to nucleotide sequence information. These advantages make it a potential technique of choice for population-wide screening for trisomy 21 in pregnant women.


One of the last great arctic explorers of the era of boats, dogs, and sledges, Vilhjalmur Stefansson was also a highly articulate and innovative spokesman for the North. He is best known for his field work in anthropology and for his outspoken defence of the North as a rich and habitable land. ... He ... spent eighteen months with the Eskimos of the Mackenzie River delta, learning their language and folkways. From 1908 to 1912, under the auspices of the American Museum of Natural History and the Canadian Government, he explored the area from the Colville River in Alaska to Cape Parry, Coronation Gulf, and Victoria Island in Canada's western Arctic, where he observed "blond" types among the Copper Eskimos. His finale as an active arctic explorer was leadership of the Canadian Government expedition of 1913-18 to the Alaskan and Canadian Arctic. It was marred by eleven fatalities when ice crushed its base ship, Karluk. Stefansson and others, who had gone ashore to hunt, were unable to help the twenty-five people left on board. ... Having completed his last arctic journey at age 39, Stefansson entered the second half of his life, that of a researcher and writer, preaching the gospel of the North - its livability and potentialities. ...


ATLSS Connections are a family of beam-to-column connections which utilize the self-aligning feature of a specially designed connector and are developed for possible use in an automated construction process. Work previously reported describes the design, erection, and structural characteristics of the connector acting as a shear attachment. The work has now been expanded to develop connections, using the ATLSS connector, to achieve moment capacity. Three different connection configurations, involving the use of shop welded and field bolted details and having varying degrees of restraint, were studied experimentally and analytically. Five tests were conducted on exterior connections, scaled from a prototype frame which had been designed based on the current practice. Erection of the test connections in the laboratory was performed with ease. Loading programs were both monotonic and cyclic, thus allowing for the assessment of static strength and stiffness as well as energy dissipation of the connections. Two types of finite element analyses were performed to predict the behavior of the test connections. The ATLSS Connector aided fully restrained connection achieved 1.11 M p (plastic moment of the beam) in negative bending and 1.12 M p in positive bending. The partially restrained connection aided by an ATLSS Connector achieved 0.97 M p in negative bending and 0.59 M p in positive bending. While acting as a mid-web shear attachment, the ATLSS Connector contributed up to 16% of the moment capacity. Comparison between the experimental results and the finite element analyses showed that the analytical models with detailed connection representations offer reasonable predictions of the yield load, yield deflection, and initial stiffness of the connections.


PURPOSE
To evaluate the accuracy of 3-D printed models of the femoral head based on preoperative computed tomography (CT) images. Other goals were to compare the cartilage thickness of bony specimen to the printed models and calculate the standard deviation between 3-D printed models based on CT images and laser scan models.

METHODS
This retrospective study analyzed 10 patients who underwent preoperative CT imaging and hip replacement. Preoperative femoral head 3-D printed models were produced from CT images. Bony specimens were collected from surgical operations and scanned using CT and 3-D laser scanning, and cartilage thickness subsequently was measured by histological analysis. Comparisons of printed models based on CT images and printed models based on 3-D laser scanning were performed by overlapping their external surfaces using dedicated software and the standard deviation was calculated.

RESULTS
The average standard deviation between the bony specimen 3-D models and preoperative 3-D printed CT femoral head models was 0.651 mm. The cartilage was approximately 1.487 mm thick.

DISCUSSION
The comparison between preoperative CT image-based 3-D models and the postoperative bony specimen-based models permitted evaluation of the accuracy of preoperative CT image-based 3-D printed models. Cartilage thickness was estimated indirectly by comparing models obtained by CT and laser scanning, and it was related to the calculated standard deviation to overcome the cartilage detection limit of CT. This study shows how each step can generate accuracy errors on the final 3-D printed model. A repeatable and sustainable workflow for creating accurate and reproducible 3-D printed models could overcome this issue. Moreover, orthopedic surgeons should be aware of 3-D printed model precision in clinical practice.

CONCLUSIONS
This study provides encouraging results on the accuracy of 3-D printed models for surgical planning.


BACKGROUND:

To explore the relationship between early allograft dysfunction (EAD) and post-reperfusion liver appearance, and to develop image-based models which predict EAD and short-term mortality.
METHODS:

A total of 351 recipients of liver transplant were enrolled and divided into training set and testing set. Liver images of post-reperfusion donors and clinical information were collected. All the images were preprocessed. Support vector machines (SVM) and convolution neural network (CNN) models based on the texture analysis of post-reperfusion liver RGB images were constructed to predict EAD. Then, the model with a better performance was selected to construct further predictive models with additional inputs of clinical information. In addition, a score, namely image score, was assigned to each liver image based on the prediction probability from the CNN model. Further, the comparisons of outcomes among different image scores were performed.
RESULTS:

Out of the 351 enrolled recipients, 229 were in the training set while 122 in the testing set. CNN model achieved an AUC of 0.709 in testing set, outperforming the SVM model which has an AUC of 0.661. Further predictive model was based on the framework of the CNN model, where an AUC of 0.727 was obtained. Moreover, the lager image score was found to be relative to more postoperative infusion, more postoperative complication, the longer length of ICU and hospital stay.
CONCLUSION:

The post-reperfusion appearance of donor liver was associated with the occurrence of EAD. Moreover, it was feasible to predict EAD and patient outcomes through the texture analysis of post-reperfusion liver RGB images.


The spirochete Leptospira interrogans causes leptospirosis, a zoonosis. There are numerous clinical symptoms of leptospirosis. Clinical manifestations might range from a subclinical infection with a mild fever to severe clinical symptoms with jaundice and renal failure. Here, a case of leptospirosis with acute renal failure, thrombocytopenia, and hyperbilirubinemia is presented. A 51-year-old man presented with fever, body aches, muscle aches, colored urine, and jaundice for 2 days. On serology report, L. interrogans AB IGM-CARD was weekly positive. In the Renal function test, urea and creatinine values were high as well as the liver function test was abnormal. The patient was given 1 g of ceftriaxone intravenously and 100 mg of doxycycline orally. Hepatorenal treatment was supportive and the outcome was positive. It may have been overlooked when the diagnosis of leptospirosis was confirmed.


In this paper, we identify that the classic Gaussian mechanism and its variants for differential privacy all suffer from \textbf{the curse of full-rank covariance matrices}, and hence the expected accuracy losses of these mechanisms applied to high dimensional query results, e.g., in $\mathbb{R}^M$, all increase linearly with $M$. To lift this curse, we design a Rank-1 Singular Multivariate Gaussian Mechanism (R1SMG). It achieves $(\epsilon,\delta)$-DP on query results in $\mathbb{R}^M$ by perturbing the results with noise following a singular multivariate Gaussian distribution, whose covariance matrix is a \textbf{randomly} generated rank-1 positive semi-definite matrix. In contrast, the classic Gaussian mechanism and its variants all consider \textbf{deterministic} full-rank covariance matrices. Our idea is motivated by a clue from Dwork et al.'s work on Gaussian mechanism that has been ignored in the literature: when projecting multivariate Gaussian noise with a full-rank covariance matrix onto a set of orthonormal basis in $\mathbb{R}^M$, only the coefficient of a single basis can contribute to the privacy guarantee. This paper makes the following technical contributions. (i) R1SMG achieves $(\epsilon,\delta)$-DP guarantee on query results in $\mathbb{R}^M$, while the magnitude of the additive noise decreases with $M$. Therefore, \textbf{less is more}, i.e., less amount of noise is able to sanitize higher dimensional query results. When $M\rightarrow \infty$, the expected accuracy loss converges to ${2(\Delta_2f)^2}/{\epsilon}$, where $\Delta_2f$ is the $l_2$ sensitivity of the query function $f$. (ii) Compared with other mechanisms, R1SMG is less likely to generate noise with large magnitude that overwhelms the query results, because the kurtosis and skewness of the nondeterministic accuracy loss introduced by R1SMG is larger than that introduced by other mechanisms.


This paper addresses a surveillance problem in which the goal is to achieve a circular motion around a target by a non-holonomic agent. The agent only knows its own position with respect to its initial frame, and the bearing angle of the target in that frame. It is assumed that the position of the target is unknown. An estimator and a controller are proposed to estimate the position of the target and make the agent move on a circular trajectory with a desired radius around it. The performance of the proposed algorithm is verified both through simulations and experiments. Robustness is also established in the face of noise and target motion.


Protein complexes are functional units in the cell whose formation is regulated by a number of mechanisms. Previous studies have suggested that transcriptional co-regulation of protein components play a minor role in assembly of individual complexes. Recent developments in experimental approaches and bioinformatic analyses offer an opportunity to investigate the cell at a global or systems level with better quality. Here we show that, using genome/proteome-wide yeast data of protein complexes and protein-DNA interactions in normal growth conditions, a contribution of transcriptional co-regulation to global formation of protein complexes is statistically significant at a systems level. A significant fraction of proteins that form complexes shares common transcription factors on a global scale. We provide evidence for the significant contribution by quantifying transcriptional co-regulation of complexes as a global topological pattern of an integrated network. Biological relevance is examined by functional analysis of highly co-regulated complexes such as transport complexes. Our finding indicates that there exists linear causality at a systems level between transcriptional co-regulation of genes and formation of multi-protein complexes in the unicellular organism.


STUDY QUESTION
Is there an association between pubertal onset and subsequent reproductive health in young men?

SUMMARY ANSWER
Self-reported later onset of puberty was associated with reduced semen quality and altered serum levels of reproductive hormones among 1068 healthy, young Danish men.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY
The long-term effects of variations in the onset of male puberty on subsequent reproduction remain largely unstudied.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION
In a cross-sectional study, young healthy Danish men were approached when they attended a compulsory medical examination to determine their fitness for military service from 2008 to 2012.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTINGS, METHODS
A total of 1068 healthy, young Danish men (mean age 19 years) participated. They were asked to assess whether onset of penile and testicular growth, development of pubic hair and voice break occurred earlier, at the same time as or later than their peers. Their semen quality (semen volume, sperm concentration, total sperm count and percentages of motile and morphologically normal spermatozoa) and serum concentrations of sex hormones (LH, FSH, total testosterone, SHBG, inhibin B) and testicular size were determined.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE
The response rate was 29%. Of the 1068 men who then participated, 652 answered the questions about penile growth and pubic hair development and were therefore included in the analysis. Self-reported later onset of puberty was associated with a 25% reduction in sperm concentration (95% CI -41%; -4%), a 40% reduction in total sperm count (-55%; -21%), a 1.6% age point reduction in morphological normal spermatozoa (-2.9; -0.3) and a 1.6 ml reduction in testicular size (-2.4 and -0.8 ml), after adjustment for confounders. Self-reported later onset of puberty was also associated with a 9% (3%; 15%) reduction in free testosterone and a 16% (2%; 31%) increase in FSH, after adjustment for confounders.

LIMITATIONS, REASON FOR CAUTION
Our study was cross-sectional and reverse causality cannot be ruled out. In addition, we cannot rule out the possibility that the men with late puberty onset had not yet fully matured although most were in Tanner stage 5.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS
Approximately 15% of young Danish men have self-reported later onset of puberty than their peers. We found poorer testicular function in young men with a history of later pubertal development, suggesting that timing of pubertal onset may be a fundamental marker of male reproductive health. However, we cannot exclude the possibility that these men had not fully matured at the time of examination and therefore their semen quality may yet improve, which makes follow-up important.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTS
This work was supported by the Danish Council for Strategic Research, Program Commission on Health, Food and Welfare (project number 2101-08-0058), Rigshospitalet (grants 961506336 and R42-A1326), European Union, DEER (grant agreement no 212844), the Danish Ministry of Health and the Danish Environmental Protection Agency and Kirsten and Freddy Johansens Foundation (grant 95-103-72087). There are no competing interests.


This study evaluates impacts of land use changes due to human settlement on regional summer climate over the central and western United States by performing 30-day simulations during normal, drought, and flood years. Under current land use the simulated evapotranspiration increased noticeably over the central United States where grassland has been replaced by crops. Simulated evapotranspiration decreased slightly in the western United States. These changes produced wetter and cooler surface air over the central United States and slightly drier and warmer air over the western United States. Responses of surface fluxes and thus screen height variables to land use changes were consistent from year to year, whereas rainfall showed strong interannual variations because of the combination of various dynamic processes involved in precipitation. For normal year conditions, average evapotranspiration and rainfall under current land use increased by 18% and 8%, respectively, over the central United States, whereas they slightly decreased in the western United States. In both flood and drought years, current land use exhibited a rainfall increase in the western United States and a decrease over the central United States. The decrease of rainfall with increased evapotranspiration in the central United States was likely associated with weakening of the dynamic forcing needed to produce precipitation.


Dendrobium nobile is an orchid species highly popular for its therapeutic properties and is often used as a medicinal herb. Documenting miRNA-target associations in D. nobile is an important step to facilitate functional genomics studies in this species. Therefore, it is of interest to identify miRNA sequences from EST data available in public databases using known techniques and tools. We report 14 potential miRNAs from three ESTs of D. nobile. They belong to 3 miRNA families (miR390, miR528 and miR414) linking to transcription factor regulation, signal transduction, DNA and protein binding, and various cellular processes covering 34 different metabolic networks in KEGG. These results help in the understanding of miRNA-mRNAs functional networks in Dendrobium nobile.


Dental amalgam is the major source of inorganic mercury (Hg) exposure in the general population. The objective of the present study was to obtain data on changes in Hg levels in blood, plasma, and urine following removal of all amalgam fillings during one dental session in 12 healthy subjects. The mean number of amalgam surfaces was 18 (range, 13 to 34). Frequent blood sampling and 24-hour urine collections were performed up to 115 days after amalgam removal, and in eight subjects additional samples of plasma and urine were collected up to three years after amalgam removal. A transient increase of Hg concentrations in blood and plasma was observed within 48 hours after amalgam removal. In plasma, the peak concentrations significantly exceeded the pre-removal plasma Hg levels by, on average, 32% (1.3 nmol/L; range, 0.1 to 4.2). No increase in the urinary Hg excretion rate was apparent after amalgam removal. An exponential decline of Hg was seen in all media. Sixty days after the amalgam removal, the Hg levels in blood, plasma, and urine had declined to approximately 60% of the pre-removal levels. In seven subjects, who were followed for up to three years, the half-lives of Hg in plasma and urine were calculated. In plasma, a bi-exponential model was applied, and the half-life was estimated at median 88 days (range, 21 to 121). The kinetics of Hg in urine (nmol/24 hrs) fit a mono-exponential model with a median half-life of 46 days (range, 35 to 67). It is concluded that the process of removing amalgam fillings can have a considerable impact on Hg levels in biological fluids. After removal, there was a considerable decline in the Hg levels of blood, plasma, and urine, which slowly approached those of subjects without any history of amalgam fillings.


As a country with a vast natural forest, Indonesia has a big potential production of honey. Honey is nutritious food produced by bees that mostly inhabit in the forest. Bengkulu is one of such place produced honey. Honey is considered as healthy supplement by consumer. Therefore, in this research, it has been studied the segmentation of consumers of honey and identification of honey attributes. This research was conducted in JuneJuly 2015. There were 96 responsents gathered from eight (8) outlets selling honey products in Kota Bengkulu. Results showed that the consumers were young adults (67%), women (62%), married (82%), S1 education (56%), Kota Bengkulu domicile (88%) with income range of Rp 2,100,000-5,000,000/month (62%). While the preference testing of honey products based on taste, aroma, and color had the score around 3.53.7. This meant that respondents like the honey product.


Background: Nowadays, suicidal attempts of adolescents, which are done with different methods, have caused a great concern in communities. Thus, this study aimed at surveying the reasons of suicidal attempts leading to hospitalization. Methods: This was a case-control study conducted on 300 adolescents during 1 year. In this study, 150 adolescents younger than 18 years, who were hospitalized due to suicidal attempt and referred to Nemazi hospital, were selected. After the primary measures were done and the patients gained consciousness, they were asked to fill out a questionnaire on the factors affecting suicidal attempt. Another questionnaire containing similar questions was filled out by 150 age-matched adolescents, as the control group, who referred to Nemazi hospital for problems other than suicide. The patients with chronic or advanced disease were excluded. Data were analyzed in SPSS, Version 17, using t test, chi-square, and logistic regression tests. In this study, the role of religion and beliefs in suicidal attempts was investigated. Results: Comparison of the 2 groups revealed a significant relationship between suicidal attempt and factors such as sex (P value < 0.001), educational level (P value < 0.001), fathers' addiction (P value < 0.001), and history of imprisonment (P value < 0.001), history of suicide in the friends and relatives (P value < 0.001), maternal marital status (P value < 0.02), religious beliefs (P value < 0.001), depression in parents (P value < 0.01) and in adolescents (< 0.001), place of living (P value < 0.001), and neonatal diseases (P value < 0.017). Odds ratio of factors with significant P values were as follows: Male gender: 4.7, history of imprisonment of the father: 2.86, history of addiction in the father and mother: 1.27 and 1.26, history of neonatal disease: 1.99, remarriage of the father and mother: 2.7 and 4.35, history of depression: 2.52, place of living: 2.02, and lack of belief in Islam decree about suicide: 1.85, and lack of religious belief: 3. 18. Conclusions: According to the results, special attention should be paid to family grounds. In this respect, the role of parents and instructors is highly important. Moreover, the preventive role of religion, especially Islam, in preventing suicide is essential.


Abstract : Space considerations onboard naval surface ships frequently preclude adequate separation between high frequency (HF) transmit antennas and HF receive only antennas. As a result, high power shipboard emanations (for example Link-11), interfere with low power signals of interest operating within the same frequency band. Symmetrical Number System (SNS) digital antennas provide high resolution direct digitization of wideband signals with excellent in band signal rejection characteristics, which makes them ideal for operating within high RF environments. This thesis describes the design, construction, testing and analysis of the optical electronics at the front end of a prototype optimum SNS digital antenna with a desired accuracy of 14 bits and a bandwidth of 2.5 MHz. The digital antenna utilizes pulsed laser sampling in conjunction with a parallel configuration of Mach-Zehnder interferometers which provide superior bandwidth and isolation performance over electronic sampling mechanisms. The interferometer folded output signal is in accordance with the optimum Symmetrical Number System (SNS) which yields the maximum amount of information from a folding waveform. The theory and experimental performance of the optical subsystem and the analog electronics subsystem is presented, and the total system performance is evaluated. A summary of results and a conclusion with recommendations for improvements to follow-on systems is also discussed.


Aim: To study the effect of chronic exposure of tartarzine at ADI doses on some biochemical parameters of male albino rats.
Study Design: The design involved chronic study. In the study, the experiment was divided into phase 1, 2, and 3 which lasted for 30, 60 and 90 days respectively. In each phase, 40 rats were used and were divided into treatment and control groups. The treated groups were given 7.5 mg/kg of tartrazine orally on daily basis over the stipulated periods while the control groups were not treated with tartrazine.
Place and Duration of Study: The study was carried out in the Department of Medical Laboratory Science, Rivers State University, Port Harcourt, Nigeria within a period of 12 months (December 2017 – December 2018).
Methodology: At the end of the chronic study, 5mls of whole blood specimens was collected by means of cardiac puncture into Lithium Heparin bottles and fluoride oxalate bottles (for glucose only). The collected specimens were spun, plasma collected and analyzed for glucose, Lipase, AST, ALT, ALP, total protein, albumin and globulin. Renal, hepatic, and pancreatic tissues collected were fixed in 10% formol saline and later examined histologically using H&E stain. Statistical analysis was performed using GraphPad Prism version 5.03 (San Diego, California, USA).
Results: In the chronic treatment, glucose indicated significant increases after 30, 60, and 90 days of chronic treatment at ADI doses. Urea, AST, and ALT showed significantly higher values after 60 of treatment while creatinine, ALP, total protein, albumin and globulin indicated significantly higher values after 90 days of treatment. However, lipase did not show any significant difference after 30, 60, and 90 days of treatment. Histologically, hepatic distortions such as fatty degeneration, vacuolation, pcynosis, and compression of central vein were seen in the liver section. In the renal section, hyaline cast in proximal tubules, hypercellularity of messengial cells, and inflammation of the glomerulus were observed in the treated rats while the histology of the pancreas indicated mild vacuolation of the islet region. However, the pancreatic ducts and acinar cells were not distorted.
Conclusion: The administration of tartrazine over a period of 30 days at ADI dose did not indicate hepatocellullar and renal derangements as well histological distortions in liver, pancreas and kidneys.  However, after 60 and 90 days, mild hepatocellular, pancreatic, and renal derangements were seen.


Being able to fingerprint devices and services, i.e., remotely identify running code, is a powerful service for both security assessment and inventory management. This paper describes two novel fingerprinting techniques supported by isomorphic based distances which are adapted for measuring the similarity between two syntactic trees. The first method leverages the support vector machines paradigm and requires a learning stage. The second method operates in an unsupervised manner thanks to a new classification algorithm derived from the ROCK and QROCK algorithms. It provides an efficient and accurate classification. We highlight the use of such classification techniques for identifying the remote running applications. The approaches are validated through extensive experimentations on SIP (Session Initiation Protocol) for evaluating the impact of the different parameters and identifying the best configuration before applying the techniques to network traces collected by a real operator.


A cadastre of opisthorchiasis foci with places under study and specious fish invasion with larvae of this helminthiasis has been first drawn up. Opisthorchis larvae have been found to be recorded in 23 species and 2 subspecies of the Cyprinidae family and 1 species of the Cobitidae family. The cadastre permits the areas epidemiologically hazardous due to opisthorchiasis to be determined. The data on fish species-specific infection in different river basins may render a great deal of aid to sanitary-and-epidemiological surveillance workers in implementing preventive measures in specific regions.


THE BIG Care Debate ( http://careandsupport.direct.gov.uk ) offers everyone the chance to have their say on the green paper Shaping the Future of Care Together ( Department of Health 2009 ). It is intended to stimulate all of us - professionals and the wider population - to consider the critical issues facing adult care and support in England now and in the future so that a white paper can be prepared that may lead to new legislation.