Purpose - – The purpose of this paper is to introduce a conceptual model that integrates multi-disciplinary research in relation to crisis management, and to consider its application for international human resource managers in preventing and managing the evacuation of expatriate staff during crises. Design/methodology/approach - – The paper critically reviews and distils research into crisis and evacuation management, and examines its relevance to a generic framework of international human resource roles. The paper evaluates this body of literature and suggests potential research avenues from an international human resource perspective. Findings - – The review reveals a dearth of research on emergency evacuation of expatriates from a human resources perspective. The paper articulates a framework that delineates what role human resource managers could, or should, play during crisis preparation and response. This framework aims to establish a basic "roadmap" for use by practitioners and researchers. Originality/value - – Focusing on the human (rather than business) implications of crises, the paper links crisis management literature to the role of international human resource managers in supporting the health, safety, and security of international assignees during crises. A framework is presented which enables managers to map their current (and potential) contributions to preventing and managing expatriate evacuation. From this, several avenues of future research are drawn.


Cross-species comparison and prediction of gene expression profiles are important to understand regulatory changes during evolution and to transfer knowledge learned from model organisms to humans. Single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) profiles enable us to capture gene expression profiles with respect to variations among individual cells; however, cross-species comparison of scRNA-seq profiles is challenging because of data sparsity, batch effects, and the lack of one-to-one cell matching across species. Moreover, single-cell profiles are challenging to obtain in certain biological contexts, limiting the scope of hypothesis generation. Here we developed Icebear, a neural network framework that decomposes single-cell measurements into factors representing cell identity, species, and batch factors. Icebear enables accurate prediction of single-cell gene expression profiles across species, thereby providing high-resolution cell type and disease profiles in under-characterized contexts. Icebear also facilitates direct cross-species comparison of single-cell expression profiles for conserved genes that are located on the X chromosome in eutherian mammals but on autosomes in chicken. This comparison, for the first time, revealed evolutionary and diverse adaptations of X-chromosome upregulation in mammals.


Ice-rafted debris in sediment cores from the North Atlantic suggests that the Laurentide ice sheet (LIS) periodically disgorged icebergs in brief but violent episodes which occurred approximately every 7,000 years. Here, I propose that Heinrich events (i.e., what these episodes are called) were caused by free oscillations in the flow of the Laurentide ice sheet which arose because the floor of Hudson Bay and Hudson Strait is covered with soft, unconsolidated sediment that forms a slippery lubricant when thawed. The proposed Heinrich event cycle has two phases. The growth phase occurs when the sediment is frozen and the LIS is stranded (immobile) on a rigid bed. The volume of the LIS slowly grows during this phase at a rate dictated by snow accumulation. The purge phase occurs when the basal sediment thaws and a basally lubricated discharge pathway (i.e., an ice stream such as those which occur in West Antarctica today) developes through Hudson Strait. The volume of the LIS rapidly equilibrates to the reduced basal friction during this phase by dumping icebergs into the Labrador Sea. The periodicity T=π/κ(−kθsl2G∼)2≈7000 years of the proposed Heinrich event cycle is a function of the thermal conductivity and diffusivity of ice, k and κ, respectively, the atmospheric sea level temperature θsl (in degrees Celsius), and the excess geothermal heat flux defined by G∼=G−kΓ where Γ is the atmospheric lapse rate, and G is the geothermal heat flux. Agreement between the predicted T and the apparent periodicity implied by the marine record is the main virtue of the free oscillation mechanism I propose. An alternative mechanism in which Heinrich events are forced by periodic variations in external climate is implausible, because periodic atmospheric temperature perturbations are strongly attenuated with depth in an ice sheet.


Abstract The performances of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn hybrids and permethrin-treated isolines were evaluated in South Dakota from 1997 to 1999. The corn hybrids were exposed to natural seasonal fluctuations of a bivoltine ecotype European corn borer population. Larval injury parameters, grain yields, and gross incomes were quantified during the 3-yr study. The use of either Bt hybrids or whorl-applied permethrin granules resulted in significant yield advantages in only 1 out of 3 yr of performance testing. Under high corn borer pressure in 1997, the performances of the Bt corn hybrids and permethrin-treated isolines were similar, and significantly better than the untreated isolines. However, injury-free corn did not necessarily translate into higher yields in some of the hybrid groups. Grain moisture at harvest, which can result in moisture penalty or dockage, was significantly higher in some Bt corn hybrids. Neither the Bt hybrids nor the permethrin-treated isolines produced significant advantages in yields in 1998 and 1999 when infestations of first-generation corn borer were almost nonexistent and infestations of second-generation European corn borers were moderate.


Background Hypertension is a silent killer that requires long term management to avoid complications. It is one of major public health problem in developing counties like Ethiopia. Hypertension increases the risk of morbidity and mortality and has negative consequences on the cognitive and physical fitness of productivity in adults. Objective To assess fasting blood glucose, serum electrolyte, albumin, creatinine, urea, and lipid profile among hypertensive patients and non-hypertensive participants at wolaita sodo teaching and referral hospital. Methods A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted from December 2019 to February 2020. On the study a total of 156 study participants (78 cases and 78 controls) were involved. Each study participant, after signing informed consent, interviewed about the socio-demographic and anthropometric characteristic features. Then 5ml of the blood sample was collected from each 78 patients with hypertension and each 78 samples from apparently healthy subjects from WSUTRH during the period. Fasting blood glucose, serum electrolyte, albumin, creatinine, urea, and lipid profile level were measured in each group. The Data were analyzed by using Epi data version 3.1 and SPSS version 21.0 software (IBM Corporation, USA) and results were summarized using means and percentages and presented by using figures and tables. P-value < 0.05 was considered to be significant at 95% confidence level. Any abnormal laboratory results of study subjects dispatched and communicated with physicians for better management. Results The mean age of hypertensives and control study groups were 50 ± 10.0 and 51 ±11.3 years respectively. The body mass index of hypertensives and control study groups were 53.4% and 34.2% overweighed respectively. The mean ± SD of fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, LDL-C, TG, RFT were significantly increases while serum sodium, calcium, albumin, and HDL-Cholesterol significantly decreased in hypertensives when compared with non-hypertensives and serum potassium was no statistical significance among case and control groups. Conclusion In present study, we observed that the hypertensive group was at risk for developing biochemical alteration in creatinine, urea, fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, electrolytes, and albumin test parameters with an increased period of time. Recommendation Regular measurements of biochemical parameters strongly needed for hypertensive patients.


A new method is presented to learn object categories from unlabeled and unsegmented images for generic object recognition. We assume that each object can be characterized by a set of typical regions, and use a new segmentation method - "similarity-measure segmentation" - to split the images into regions of interest. This approach may also deliver segments, which are split into several disconnected parts, which turn out to be a powerful description of local similarities. Several textural features are calculated for each region, which are used to learn object categories with boosting. We demonstrate the flexibility and power of our method by excellent results on various datasets. In comparison, our recognition results are significantly higher than the results published in related work.


Testicular heating suppresses spermatogenesis which is marked by germ cell loss via apoptotic pathways. Recently, it is reported that autophagy also can be induced by heat treatment in somatic cells. In this study, the status of autophagy in germ cells after heat treatment, as well as the partnership between autophagy and apoptosis in these cells was investigated. The results demonstrated that besides initiating apoptotic pathways, heat also induced autophagic pathways in germ cells. Exposure of germ cells to hyperthermia resulted in several specific features of the autophagic process, including autophagosome formation and the conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II. Furthermore, the ubiquitin-like protein conjugation system was implicated as being likely responsible for heat-induced autophagy in germ cells since all genes involving this system were found to be expressed in the testes. In addition, the upstream protein in this system, Atg7 (Autophagy-related gene 7), was found to be expressed in all types of spermatogenic cells, and its expression level was positively correlated with the level of autophagy in germ cells. As a result, Atg7 was selected as the investigative target to further analyze the role of autophagy in heat-induced germ cell death. It was shown that down expression of Atg7 protein resulted in the notable decrease in the level of autophagy in heat-treated germ cells, and this down-regulation of autophagy caused by Atg7 knockdown further reduced the apoptotic rate of germ cells. These results suggest that autophagy plays a positive role in the process of germ cell apoptosis after heat treatment. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that heat triggers autophagy and apoptosis in germ cells. These two mechanisms might act as partners, not antagonist, to induce cell death and lead to eventual destruction of spermatogenesis.


Private regulation often entails competition among multiple rule-makers, but private rules and regulators do not always compete. For substantial parts of the global economy, a single private body (per issue) is recognized as the focal point for global rule-making. The selection of the institutional setting here effectively takes place prior to drawing up the specific rules, with important consequences for the politics of regulating global markets. In this paper, I develop a theoretical explanation for how a private transnational organization may attain such preeminencehow it can become the focal point for rule-makingin its area of expertise. I emphasize the transnational body's capacity to pursue its organizational self-interest, as well as timing and sequence. I then examine empirically a particularly important body of this kind, which today is essentially uncontested as the focal point for private regulation in its area, even though its standards often have substantial distributive implications: the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). I analyze the persistence and changes in the IEC's formal rules or procedures and informal norms, as well as the broadening scope of its regulatory authority and membership over more than a century.


PURPOSE
This out-of-hours primary and community care services (more recently called unscheduled care) literature review sets out to build on the foundations set by earlier publications by examining old and fresh issues after the new General Medical Service contract was implemented in 2004.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH
Almost 140 publications were located, including a range of theoretical and empirical publications.

FINDINGS
A total of seven themes emerge--varying from the most frequently discussed (service nature and value) to the least examined (information management and technology).

ORIGINALITY/VALUE
Analysis not only underlines service problems and tensions noted previously but also generates new insights, which cannot be ignored if services are to be developed. Consequently, several recommendations are made.


Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire (CCMQ) is widely used as a self-administered health instrument. It was used as the guiding tool for prognosis, prevention and treatment of various diseases. This study aims to validate an English version of the Constitution in Chinese Medicine Questionnaire (CCMQ) in Malaysia, which is comprised of nine domains with a total of 67 questions. The survey was conducted in three phases. Phase one involved translation and adaption where the Chinese version of the survey instrument was translated into the English version. In phase two, a Delphi was used to review, amend and validate the translated English version; and in phase three, 114 subjects (aged 18 to 30 years old) were included in the confirmatory factor analysis to determine its psychometric properties. The construct validity analysis of CCMQ showed a good fit for the hypothesised models. Composite reliability (CR) values ranging from 0.869 to 0.908, and average variance extracted (AVE) values ranged from 0.647 to 0.764, indicating good internal consistency reliability and convergent validity, respectively. The heterotrait-monotrait ratio of correlations (HTMT) values obtained for all the domains ranging from 0.151 to 0.652, which fulfilled the criteria of discriminant validity. The English version of the CCMQ was the first statistically validated instrument in Malaysia. It is a reliable and valid instrument for traditional Chinese medicine body constitution (TCMBC) study. Future research is needed to validate the CCMQ as a predicting tool in health-related outcome studies.


Abstract 343 Introduction. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) from a HLA-haploidentical relative is a suitable option for patients (pts) lacking a compatible donor, either related or unrelated. The two main approaches for overcoming the obstacles of HLA barriers are based either on the infusion of large numbers of T-cell-depleted HSC or on intensive pharmacological prevention of graft-versus-host disease (GVHD). While for many years T-cell depletion (TCD) of the graft has been based on either immunomagnetic positive selection of CD34 + cells or on physical removal of all subsets of T cells by virtue of mAb, we and other groups have recently developed a novel method of ex vivo TCD based on the selective elimination of αβ + T cells through labeling with a biotinylated anti-TCRαβ Ab, followed by incubation with an anti-biotin Ab conjugated to paramagnetic beads (Miltenyi Biotec, Germany). This approach also allows the removal of B cells to prevent post-transplant EBV-associated lymphoproliferative disease (PTLD). Here, we report the results of graft manipulation using this approach. Methods. Twenty-two children entered the study, 15 with hematological malignancies and 7 with non-malignant disorders. No post-transplant GvHD prophylaxis was employed. HLA-haploidentical family donors received G-CSF (12–16 μg/kg of body weight) to mobilize HSC prior to large-volume leukapheresis, which was commenced when circulating CD34 + HSC were >20 cells/μl. Cell therapy products containing up to 60×10 9 white blood cells (WBC) were processed according to the manufacturer9s protocol. In some cases, leukapheresis bags were stored overnight at 4°C in appropriate media at a WBC concentration 6 /ml. Aliquots of the graft were used to enumerate residual αβ T cells and B cells, as well as other immune effector cells, including type 1 and 2 dendritic cell (DC) precursors, invariant NKT cells, classical CD14 + CD16 − and non-classical CD14 + CD16 + monocytes. All TCR αβ + /CD19 + cell-depleted grafts were re-infused within 2 hours from the end of processing. Results. Median recovery of CD34 + HSC and median number of infused CD34 + HSC were 99.3% (range 55.4–100) and 14.7×10 6 /kg (range 7.9–37), respectively. The graft contained 3.9×10 6 CD3 + T cells/kg (range 0.9–30.9) and 0.08×10 6 B cells/kg (range 0.002–0.32). The log-depletion of αβ + T cells was 4.5 (range 3.2–6.1), with a median number of transplanted αβ + T cells equal to 36×10 3 /kg (range 1–139.9). Patients received 36×10 6 CD56 + NK cells/kg (range 1.6–80.3) and 4.1×10 6 γδ + T cells/kg (range 0.9–30.8). A median of 40.8% NK cells (range 30.3–60.2) co-expressed Tim-3, an activating co-receptor promoting IFN-γ production and being scarcely expressed on NK cells that reconstitute after allogeneic HSCT. The αβ/CD19-depleted grafts also contained DC1 and DC2 precursors, which were identified based on BDCA-1 (0.23% of all nucleated cells, range 0.02–2.4), BDCA-3 (0.93%, range 0.57–9.4) and BDCA-2 (0.66%, range 0.49–1.28) or BDCA-4 expression (0.69%, range 0.02–1.5), respectively. Invariant NKT cells were enumerated using mAb reacting against the TCR Vα24-Jα18 chain and were detected in minute percentages ( + CD16 + monocytes (13.7% of all CD14 + cells, range 9.3–29.4), which have been reported to predict a reduced incidence of GVHD after allogeneic HSCT. All patients rapidly engrafted, the median time to reach 500 neutrophils and 50,000 platelets per μl of blood being 12 days (range 10–16) and 13 days (range 12–18), respectively. Only 2 pts developed skin grade I/II acute GVHD, while no pt had visceral acute GVHD. With a median follow-up of 6 months (range 2–8), no pt experienced EBV-related PTLD or died of transplant-related complications. Conclusions. The immunomagnetic removal of αβ + T cells and B cells was effective and gave reproducible results. In all cases, a remarkable depletion of unwanted T and B cells was attained. The depleted graft contained high numbers of CD34 + HSC, as well as of immune effector cells implicated in the control of leukemia growth and GVHD, such as γδ + T cells, NK cells, DC1, DC2 and non-classical CD14 + CD16 + monocytes. From a clinical standpoint, the infusion of αβ/CD19-depleted grafts from HLA-haploidentical family donors was safe, resulting into sustained donor engraftment without life-threatening complications. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Some aspects of the uncertain relationship between mental abnormality and criminality are considered. Comments are offered on the contextual framework for such a relationship, studies of penal and other populations and the relationship between some specific mental abnormalities and criminal behaviour. Some implications for management are identified.


The article presents the software architecture and implementation of the problem-solving environment (PSE) PELLPACK for modeling physical objects described by partial differential equations (PDEs). The scope of this PSE is broad, as PELLPACK incorporates many PDE solving systems, and some of these, in turn, include several specific PDE solving methods. Its coverage for 1D, 2D. and 3D elliptic or parabolic problems is quite broad, and it handles some hyperbolic problems, Since a PSE should provided complete support for the problem-solving process, PELLPACK also contains a large amount of code to support graphical user interfaces, analystic tools, user help, domain or mesh partitioning, machine and data selection, visualization, and various other tasks. Its total size is well over 1 million lines code. Its open-ended software architecture consists of several software layers. The top layer is an interactive graphical interface for specifying the PDE model and its solution framework This interface saves that results of the user specification in the form of a very high level PDE language which is an alternative interface to the PELLPACK system. This language also allows a user to specify the PDE problem and its solution framework textually in a natural form. The PELLPACK language preprocessor generates a Fortran control program with the interfaces, calls to specified components and libraries of the PDE solution framework, and functions defining the PDE problem. The PELLPACK program execution is supported by a hign-level tool where the virtual parallel system is defined, where the compilation, loading, and execution are controlled. Finally, the PELLPACK PSE integrates several PDE libraries and PDE systems based on the decomposition of discrete geometric data to map sparse PDE computations to parallel machines. An instance of the system is available as a Web server (WebPELLPACK) for public use at http://pellpack.cs.purdue.edu.


Aeschylos' tragedy The Suppliantsis in this article related to an opposition between clan and state—and more specifically with the development in ancient Greece from barbarism to civilization, from a lawless, uncultivated and disorganised world, to a clan-based social order and from there to a state-based organisation, which in many ways would set the pattern for the development in Europe for centuries to come.In the play, fifty sisters are fleeing from Egypt to Argos, persecuted by their fifty male cousins. The women seek protection and therefore refer to their shared origins with the population of Argos. The fact that Danaus has fifty daughters but no son, implies that if the daughters marry their cousins the legacy will stay within the clan. What the daughters' uncle Aegyptus and his sons demand is that Danaus and his daughters should act in accordance with the regulatory framework of the clan system. This stipulates that in cases where fathers in patrilineal systems only have daughters, these daughters must marry endogamically (that is inwards) instead of exogamic ally (outwardly, and in the corresponding way for sons in matrilineal systems). The article shows how Argos, governed by King Pelasgus, is depicted in the play in contrast to the claustrophobic catatonia of incestuous relations, the latter illustrated by an imagery that stems from archaic Greek mythology. The claustrophobic feeling that links the family and kin in The Suppliants, through events such as incestuous marriages and family-related cannibalism, gives a picture of the individual's room for manoeuvre being strictly regulated—in fact almost non-existent—in the extended family. It is such a claustrophobic world that the women in The Suppliants (like Orestes in Oresteia) are fleeing from. Instead they seek out a city state based on fundamentally different ideas than the family, kinship and www.scholink.org/ojs/index.php/assc Advances in Social Science and Culture Vol. 3, No. 2, 2021 2 Published by SCHOLINK INC. clan-related organisation principles of the Egyptians. The Greek city state thereby appears to aim to liberate the archaic human from a claustrophobic captivity.


Abstract
Background: In 2009, in Hadiya zone reported that establishment of Urban Health Extension Program (UHEP) which is subsequent declaration of after the country of Ethiopia. Major contribution of the declared UHEP is to provide accessible service to the potentially vulnerable groups of <5children pregnant women. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the utilization and associated factors of the urban health extension program services in Hossana Town, Hadiya Zone, southern Ethiopia, 2018
Methods: we conducted community based cross-sectional study in Hossana town, Hadiya Zone southern Ethiopia. Households were recruited by using systematic random sampling technique and study participants also by using random sampling techniques. A total of 403 study participants were participated in this study. Strength of measure of association between explanatory variables with outcome variable reported using the Odds Ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval. Bivariate and multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was performed to identify predictors. P-value < 0.05 used to identify factors significantly associated with outcome variable.
Results: Out of 403 households, 397(98.5%) of response rate obtained. The mean score of community knowledge about the utilization of urban health extension program service (UHEP) was 2.352 (SD ±1.156. Regarding knowledge towards UHEP, of 166 (42%) of the respondents had good knowledge towards UHEP service while 231 (58%) had poor knowledge towards UHEP service utilization. The total number of households which graduated as a model family was 79 (19.9%). In the adjusted multivariate model, those respondents in the age group of 36-45 year were 3.73 times(AOR = 3.73; 95% CI:1.04-3.37) more likely to be utilized health extension program services as compared with those respondents in the age group of 18-24year. Those households which graduated as a model family were 2.2 times (AOR = 2.18; 95% CI: 1.36- 3.51) higher odds of utilized health extension program service as compared with those households which didn't graduated as a model family.
Conclusions: The coverage of utilization of urban health extension program service was low in the study setting compared with previous study. There were also identified predictors that were associated with utilization of urban health extension program service.


Practically, we are often in the dilemma that the labeled data at hand are inadequate to train a reliable classifier, and more seriously, some of these labeled data may be mistakenly labeled due to the various human factors. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel semi-supervised learning paradigm that can handle both label insufficiency and label inaccuracy. To address label insufficiency, we use a graph to bridge the data points so that the label information can be propagated from the scarce labeled examples to unlabeled examples along the graph edges. To address label inaccuracy, Graph Trend Filtering (GTF) and Smooth Eigenbase Pursuit (SEP) are adopted to filter out the initial noisy labels. GTF penalizes the l_0 norm of label difference between connected examples in the graph and exhibits better local adaptivity than the traditional l_2 norm-based Laplacian smoother. SEP reconstructs the correct labels by emphasizing the leading eigenvectors of Laplacian matrix associated with small eigenvalues, as these eigenvectors reflect real label smoothness and carry rich class separation cues. We term our algorithm as "Semi-supervised learning under Inadequate and Incorrect Supervision" (SIIS). Thorough experimental results on image classification, text categorization, and speech recognition demonstrate that our SIIS is effective in label error correction, leading to superior performance to the state-of-the-art methods in the presence of label noise and label scarcity.


: Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the changes in the microstructure of the enamel and its chemical composition in the area of the wedge-shaped defect with the use of minimally invasive technologies in experiments. Materials and methods: The materials of the assessment were 45 thin sections of the teeth which had been extracted with orthodontic indications and had the wedge-shaped defect within the enamel. The changes in the enamel microstructure with the use of minimally invasive technologies - enamel infiltration Icon (DMG) and closure of the defect with the composite Estelite Asteria (Tokuyama Dental) were studied with the help of the scanning electronic microscope Quanta 200 i 3D FEI (USA) with the energy-dispersive microanalysis system with resolution capability 2,9 nm at 30 kV in dynamics Results. The structural changes in the enamel depend on the nature of the pathological process, its depth and microstructural changes. A developing pathological process is characterized by the presence of pores, deep cracks in the enamel rods, demineralization areas, linear chaotic defects with clear borders. The changes in the chemical composition of the enamel in the wedge-shaped defect is characterized by the increase in oxygenation by 1.2 combined with the decrease in carbon compounds by 1.4, the decrease in fluorine by 1.2 and the emergence of sulfur, thus most likely confirming the changes in the crystal structure of hydroxyapatite. With the help of the optical microscopy we were able to visualize the structural changes of the enamel within the defect in the samples with infiltration treatment by Icon (DMG) and closure of the defect with restoration. The conclusions concerning the necessity to continue the scientific research of the treatment of the wedge-shaped defect within the enamel were made.


This study was done to evaluate the breastfeeding practices of mothers, in regards to the time of initiation of breastfeeding and duration of exclusive breastfeeding in postnatal mothers and reasons if it was discontinued before 6 months. Regarding developmental milestones of the babies, it was significantly achieved in exclusive breast feeding babies compared to nonexclusive breast feeding babies at 6 months (P<0.05). Incidence of ARI and diarrhea was high in non EBF compared to EBF (P<0.05). 90% EBF babies achieved adequate weight gain compared to 68 % in Non EBF. Set up counselling services / medical counselling camps especially targeting rural and remote areas. Such an effort also helps  to alleviate the ignorance among illiterate mothers


Treacher Collins syndrome (TCS) is a rare, serious congenital malformation that mainly affects craniofacial structures, and the incidence of this syndrome is one in every 50 000 births. Craniofacial rehabilitation in patients with TCS generally includes zygomatic-orbital and maxillomandibular reconstruction. This article describes a case of TCS in which zygomatic-orbital reconstruction was performed with a third-generation, biphasic, micro–macro porous bioceramic composed of hydroxyapatite and beta-tricalcium phosphate. This method proved to be a viable alternative to autogenous grafts and led to a satisfactory aesthetic outcome.


In "Some Techniques for Solving Recurrences" [LUEKB0], one of the suggested approaches is to use generating functions. Generating functions are properly considered as f o rmal power series, so convergence considerations need usually not apply. Indeed, Lueker's principal reference for asymptotics [BEND74] discusses methods for the manipulation of generating functions with a zero radius of convergence. Such manipulation is possible since the set of formal power series forms an integral domain; Lueker's checks for convergence are unnecessary, and his "caution" [LuEKB0, p. 431] is invalid. There are very simple algori thms, employing generating functions, which can be used to solve inhomogeneous linear difference equations, thus avoiding the guessing technique or heuristic manipulations suggested in LUEKB0. We give one example. In


In vitro and in vivo studies suggest that selected Bifidobacterium bifidum strains sustain intestinal homeostasis. This study aimed to examine whether the administration of B. bifidum MIMBb75 (BB75) attenuates Citrobacter rodentium infection, a murine model for enteric infection and inflammatory bowel disease in humans. C57Bl6/J mice were randomized to receive BB75 daily starting before or after C. rodentium infection. BB75 load and infection kinetics were monitored. On day 10 post-infection (p.i.), histological parameters of the large intestine were assessed. Barrier integrity was evaluated by pathogen translocation to secondary organs and in vivo permeability test. Fecal C. rodentium load peaked at 1010 CFU/g at day 10 p.i., with clearance at day 24 p.i., regardless of probiotic treatment. BB75 administration resulted in 107 cells/g of feces with no effect of timing of administration. BB75 treatment did not attenuate C. rodentium-induced crypt hyperplasia nor inflammation. C. rodentium and BB75 can co-exist in the gut with no mutual displacement. However, BB75 cannot counteract C. rodentium pathology. Our findings provide insight for the understanding of probiotics behavior and their clinical relevance in intestinal inflammation.


We have molecularly cloned a calcium sensing receptor (CaSR) from a rat striatal cDNA library. Rat CaSR displays 92% overall homology to its bovine counterpart with seven putative transmembrane domains characteristic of the superfamily of guanine nucleotide-binding proteins and significant homology with the metabotropic glutamate receptors. Northern blot analysis reveals two transcripts in thyroid, kidney, lung, ileum, and pituitary. In brain highest regional expression of the RNA occurs in the hypothalamus and the corpus striatum. Immunohistochemistry reveals discrete punctate localizations throughout the brain that appear to be associated with nerve terminals. No staining is evident in cell bodies of neurons or glia. Cerebral arteries display an intense network of CaSR immunoreactive fibers associated with vessel innervation. CaSR on nerve terminal membranes may regulate neurotransmitter disposition in response to Ca2+ levels in the synaptic space.


UNLABELLED
Artifacts related to metallic implants are an established limitation of CT-based attenuation correction (CT-AC) in PET/CT. However, the impact of metallic components of pacemaker leads and implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) leads on the accuracy of cardiac PET has not been evaluated. The goal of this study was to investigate the magnitude of artifacts related to pacing and defibrillation leads in both phantom and patient studies.

METHODS
Images were acquired on a PET/CT scanner using CT-AC and were compared with those obtained on a dedicated PET scanner using transmission source-based attenuation correction. Phantoms consisting of pacemaker leads and ICD leads submerged in uniform background activity solution were imaged, and regions were analyzed to measure radionuclide concentrations at known lead locations relative to background. In addition, 15 cardiac 18F-FDG patients (having either pacing leads, defibrillation leads, or both) were imaged on both PET/CT and PET scanners. Images were visually and quantitatively assessed to determine whether artifact related to the implanted leads was present and, if so, its severity relative to surrounding myocardium.

RESULTS
In phantom studies, artifacts caused by pacing lead electrodes were barely noticeable, but artifacts arising from highly radioopaque ICD shock coil electrodes were clearly apparent. In the patient studies, no artifacts from pacing leads were identified. However, significant artifact was observed in 50% of the patient studies with ICD leads. In the affected areas, local myocardial uptake in PET/CT images using CT-AC was, on average, 30% higher than that in the corresponding PET images.

CONCLUSION
Although pacemaker leads do not appear to cause artifact in cardiac PET/CT images, ICD leads frequently do result in artifacts of sufficient magnitude to impact clinical image interpretation. Accordingly, software-based corrections in CT-AC algorithms appear necessary for accurate cardiac imaging with PET/CT.


Automatic restart of irrigation systems under load management has the potential to maximize pumping time during off-peak hours. Existing automation technology ranges from time delay relays to more sophisticated control using computers together with weather data to optimize irrigation practices. Centrifugal pumps and water hammer concerns prevent automatic restart of common but often complex irrigation systems in South Dakota. The irrigator must manually prime the pump and control water hammer during pipeline pressurization. Methods to prime centrifugal pumps and control water hammer facilitate automatic restart after load management is released. Seven priming methods and three water hammer control methods were investigated. A sump pump and small vacuum pump were used to test two automatic prime and restart systems in the laboratory. A variable frequency phase converter was also used to automatically control water hammer during pipeline pressurization. Economical methods to safely prime and restart centrifugal pumps were discussed. The water hammer control methods safely pressurize the pipeline but require a higher initial investment. The automatic restart systems can be used to safely restart centrifugal pumps and control water hammer after load management is released. Based upon laboratory research and a technical review of available restart components, a computer software programmore » was developed. The program assists customers in evaluating various restart options for automatic restarting of electric irrigation pumps. For further information on the software program, contact the South Dakota State University, Department of Agricultural Engineering.« less


One requirement of realizing the aims of Turkish National Education is educating individuals that adopt the values of Turkish Nation. Families, educational institutions, and teaching materials have important roles to raise individuals who adopt social values and put them into practice. One of the important materials is written children books. In this context, the aim of the study is to determine the personal and social values dealt with in primary grade children's books. One of the qualitative methods, document analysis method was used in the study. Universe of the study was consisted of written children's books of elementary grades. Sample was consisted of children books that are sold in the city center of Kirsehir. The sample a total of 210 children from domestic and foreign authors who were selected by random sampling among the children's books belonging to different publishing house offered for sale in book stories in the city center of Kirsehir were created from the book. To collect data, "Values Control List" was developed and used by the researcher. Study findings showed that the children's books commonly include individual values are "responsibility, love, goodness, diligence, animal love and trust" and social values are "friendship, helpfulness and unity of family". The least mentioned individual values are "cleanliness, being patient, frugality, loyalty, being tactful and morality" and social values are "patriotism, peace, empathy, love of nature and freedom".


BACKGROUND
Current evidence suggests that immunological mechanisms are involved in oral lichen planus (OLP) pathogenesis. The events implicate activated epithelia that comprise antigen-presenting Langerhans cells, immunocompetent keratinocytes and subepithelial inflammatory infiltrate. Also, the presence of a high density of leucocyte cells may occur for the expression of a variety of adhesion molecules. The aim of this study was to analyse the immunoexpression of some adhesion molecules as well as lymphocytic markers in order to determine the disease pathogenesis in a Venezuelan population.

METHODS
The 18 OLP and 10 normal oral mucosa biopsies were immunostained for CD4, CD8, CD1a, LFA-1, VCAM-1 and ICAM-1.

RESULTS
The results showed an increased number of CD4+, CD8+, CD1a+ cells in OLP. Serial sections showed CD4+ and CD8+ cells also expressed LFA-1. The expression of ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 were significantly higher in OLP.

CONCLUSIONS
The immunological reaction begins with Langerhans cells activation, which presents an antigen to CD4+ lymphocytes. Those cells through ICAM-1 and LFA-1 promote epithelial destruction. Afterwards, cytokine production, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 expression can activate CD8+ lymphocytes leading to the chronic form of the disease.


Under controlled conditions, infant rats emit ultrasonic vocalizations during extreme cold exposure and after administration of the alpha(2) adrenoceptor agonist, clonidine. Previous investigations have determined that, in response to clonidine, ultrasound production increases through the 2nd-week postpartum and decreases thereafter. Given that sympathetic neural dominance exhibits a similar developmental pattern, and given that clonidine induces sympathetic withdrawal and bradycardia, we hypothesized that clonidine's developmental effects on cardiac rate and ultrasound production would mirror each other. Therefore, in the present experiment, the effects of clonidine administration (0.5 mg/kg) on cardiac rate and ultrasound production were examined in 2-, 8-, 15-, and 20-day-old rats. Age-related changes in ultrasound production corresponded with changes in cardiovascular variables, including baseline cardiac rate and clonidine-induced bradycardia. This experiment is discussed with regard to the hypothesis that ultrasound production is the acoustic by-product of a physiological maneuver that compensates for clonidine's detrimental effects on cardiovascular function.


In this paper we discuss `early afterglow' studies on elementary kinetics in a pulsed rf discharge in N2 and N2-O2 mixtures. In particular we review the following topics: (a) LIF measurements of N2(A 3u+) density and v = 0-9 vibrational distribution; (b) measurement of N2(A 3u+, v = 2-7) quenching rate constants by O2, O and NO; (c) study of the NO(A 2+) excitation; (d) N2(B 3g) vibrational distribution measurement and analysis of its excitation processes by means of a kinetic model. New results are moreover presented and discussed: (e) two-photon LIF (TALIF) measurements of O-atom density and loss rate; (f) LIF measurements of NO density.


The Advanced CANDU Reactor™ (ACR™) is a Generation III+ pressure tube type reactor using light water coolant and heavy water moderator. The ACR-1000 reactor design is an evolutionary extension of the proven CANDU reactor design. The ACR-1000 incorporates multiple and diverse passive systems for accident mitigation. Where necessary, one or more features that are passive in nature have been included for mitigation of any postulated accident event. This paper describes how the use of passive design elements complements active features enhances reliability and improves safety margins.Copyright © 2006 by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited


STUDY OBJECTIVES
To evaluate the prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in a large cohort of children with Down syndrome (DS), and to investigate which patient- related factors correlate with disease severity.

METHODS
We performed a retrospective, cross-sectional study in children with DS referred for full overnight polysomnography in a tertiary care center.

RESULTS
Polysomnographic data are available for 122 children (70 boys), age 5.0 y (2.8-10.5), and body mass index (BMI) z-score 0.7 (-0.3 to 1.7). The overall prevalence of OSA was 66.4%. In almost half of these children severe OSA was diagnosed (obstructive AHI [oAHI] ≥ 10/h). In children with parental reports of snoring or witnessed apneas (group A), OSA was significantly more common (75.7%) than in those without these symptoms (group B) 53.8% (P = 0.019). Children in group A had more severe OSA, oAHI 5.7/h (1.7-13.8) compared to those in group B 2.2/h (0.8-8.0) (P = 0.018). A significant inverse correlation between age and oAHI (P = 0.028) was found. Sex and BMI z-score were not significantly correlated to oAHI.

CONCLUSIONS
Based upon full night polysomnography, an overall 66.4% prevalence of OSA was found in children with Down syndrome. Even in those with a negative history for OSA, the prevalence was 53.8%. Younger age was associated with more severe disease.


BACKGROUND
Anal atresia is one of the more common birth defects affecting the gastrointestinal tract. This study examined the relationship between anal atresia and selected demographic and clinical factors in Hawaii.

METHODS
Data were obtained from a population-based birth defects registry and included all cases of anal atresia identified in Hawaii among 1986-1999 deliveries.

RESULTS
There were 124 cases of anal atresia, resulting in a rate of 4.38 per 10,000 live births and fetal deaths (95% confidence interval (CI) 3.65-5.23). Cases consisted of 115 (92.7%) live births, 6 (4.8%) fetal deaths, and 3 (2.4%) elective terminations. Chromosomal abnormalities were reported for 10 (8.1%) of the cases, 7 of which were trisomy 21. Family history of anal atresia was reported for 3 (2.4%) of the cases. No secular trend in anal atresia rates was identified (p=0.617). Risk of anal atresia was highest for the 25-29-year maternal age group and lower among younger and older maternal age groups. Risk for anal atresia was lower for females (relative risk (RR) 0.69 95% CI 0.51-0.91) and higher for live births with a birth weight less than 3,000 grams (RR 2.75, 95% CI 2.08-3.56) or less than 38 weeks' gestation (RR 3.90, 95% CI 2.88-5.15) and for multiple births (RR 3.34, 95% CI 1.44-6.57). Anal atresia rates did not vary significantly by maternal race/ethnicity, residence at delivery, gravidity, or prenatal care.

CONCLUSIONS
Anal atresia risk was associated with maternal age, infant/fetus sex, birth weight, gestational age, and plurality but not maternal race/ethnicity, residence at delivery, gravidity, or prenatal care. Except for maternal age, these findings are consistent with the literature.


How DOES THIS DIFFER from other commentar ies on Job? This commentary includes: (1) An incredible fifty-three page bibliography, "an orientation to books about Job , " ranging from commentar ies to art forms (literature, art, music, dance, and film); (2) a wide-ranging and masterly use of secondary literature in the presentat ion of the c o m m e n t ( though some items might better have been left in oblivion) ; (3) an original and sensitive interpretat ion of the text, especially in the sixty-six pages given over to chapters 1—2; and (4) a spritely literary style which prevents any tediousness. T h e customary introduct ion (outline, a rgument , etc.) repeats word for word this author ' s general article on J o b in B. W.Anderson ' s Books ofthe Bible (1989). The format of this series is now well known, thanks to the success of its volumes. Some of the interpretat ions offered by Clines: (1) the issue of disinterested piety illustrated in J o b 1:9, and the "conceptual dynamic" (?) that requires God (who is no t "infinitely omniscient" here) to agree to the Satan's approval; (2) the go'êl of J o b 19:25 is not the Lord but ra ther Job ' s own "cry" that speaks for him (cf. 16:18-21). He personifies his own protestation of innocence. Yet the irony, which chapter 42 will show, is that God will become his vindicator. "Writing a commentary on J o b is nearly as dangerous as composing a ninth symphony" (p. xi). It is to be hoped that Clines will complete his attractive symphony as soon as possible.


The pharmacokinetic characteristics of amoxycillin (AMX) were observed on healthy ducks. Each animal was administered intravenously (i.v.), intramuscularly (i.m.), subcutaneously (s.c.) and orally (p.o.) at a single dose level of 20 mg/kg body weight. The amoxycillin in plasma was detected up to 5 hours (h) after i.v. and i.m. administration but it was found up to 10 h and 6 h after s.c. and p.o. administration, respectively. However, the drug could be absorbed at the peak plasma level within 30 min after i.m and s.c. administration while it was detected at 60 min after p.o. administration. The pharmacokinetic parameters after i.v. administration were as follows; the elimination half-life (t 1/2β) = 42.0 ± 3.5 min, the elimination rate constant (Kel) = 2.87 ± 0.31 h -1 , the apparent volume of distribution (V d(area)) = 0.75 ± 0.21 l/Kg, the total body clearance (ClB) = 1.59 ± 0.52 l/Kg/h and bioavailability following i.m., s.c. and p.o. administration were 93.33 ± 5.23 %, 91.11 ± 7.41 % and 34.67 ± 5.06 %, respectively. Finally these available data could be used for establishing the dosage regimen as well as to allow the preslaughter withdrawal times and maximum residue limits for ducks.


Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) after cardiac surgery contributes to adverse outcomes. We aimed to assess the incidence and identify the predictors for persistent AKI after total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) surgery. Methods: A retrospective study, including 465 children undergoing TCPC surgery from 2010 to 2019, was conducted. We used pRIFLE criteria to define AKI and defined persistent AKI as AKIs occurring between post-operative day1 (POD1) and POD3 and sustaining at least on POD7. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were applied to analyze the predictors for persistent AKI. Results: A total of 35.3% patients developed AKI between POD1 to POD3 and 15.5% patents had persistent AKI after TCPC. Patients with persistent AKI had prolonged mechanical ventilation and ICU stay, and had higher rates of renal replacement treatment and reintubation, which was associated with higher hospitalization costs and in-hospital mortality. The independent predictors for persistent AKI were peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO2) upon admission, intraoperative fluid balance, POD0 maximal lactic acid, renal perfusion pressure (RPP), POD0 estimated glomerular filtration rate and POD0 total bilirubin. The areas under receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) in the total cohort and the subgroup undergoing TCPC surgery after 2017 were 0.75 (95% CI, 0.66–0.82) and 0.87 (95% CI, 0.77–0.97), respectively. The acceptable AUCs (nearly 0.7) were achieved in other 5 subgroups and good calibration ability (p ≥ 0.05) were achieved in the total cohort and all six subgroups. Conclusions: Persistent AKI after TCPC was common and strongly associated with poorer in-hospital outcomes in Chinese pediatric patients. Six perioperative variables, including SpO2, intraoperative fluid balance, POD0 maximal lactic acid, RPP, POD0 moderate-to-severe kidney injury and POD0 total bilirubin, were identified as independent predictors for persistent AKI. Our findings may help to perform an early risk stratification for these vulnerable patients and improve their outcomes.


Vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal (VAM) fungi symbiosis confers benefits directly to the host plant's growth and yield through acquisition of phosphorus and other macro- and micronutrients, especially from phosphorus (P)–deficient acidic soils. The inoculation of three VAM cultures [viz., local culture (Glomus mosseae), VAM culture from Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi (Glomus mosseae), and a culture from the Centre for Mycorrhizal Research, Energy Research Institute (TERI), New Delhi (Glomus intraradices)] along with P fertilization in wheat in a P-deficient acidic alfisol improved the root colonization by 16–24% while grain and straw yields increased by 12.6–15.7% and 13.4–15.4%, respectively, over the control. Uptake of nitrogen (N), P, potassium (K), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) was also improved with VAM inoculation over control, but the magnitude of uptake was significantly greater only in the cases of P, Fe, Zn, and Cu. Inoculation of wheat with three VAM cultures in combination with increasing inorganic P application from 50% to 75% of the recommended P2O5 dose to wheat through the targeted yield concept following the soil-test crop response (STCR) precision model resulted in consistent and significant improvement in grain and straw yield, macronutrient (NPK) uptake, and micronutrient (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu) uptake in wheat though root colonization did not improve at P2O5 doses beyond 50% of the recommended dose. The VAM cultures alone or in combination with increasing P levels from 50% to 75% P2O5 dose resulted in reduction of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA)–extractable micronutrient (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu) contents in P-deficient acidic soil over the control and initial fertility status, although micronutrient contents were relatively greater in VAM-supplied plots alone or in combination with 50% to 75% P2O5 dose over sole application of 100% P2O5 dose, thereby indicating the positive role of VAM in nutrient mobilization and nutrient dynamics in the soil–plant system. There was significant improvement in available N and P status in soil with VAM inoculation coupled with increasing P levels upto 75% P2O5 dose, although the greatest P buildup was obtained with sole application of 100% P2O5 dose. The TERI VAM culture (Glomus intraradices) showed its superiority over the other two cultures (Glomus mosseae) in terms of crop yield and nutrient uptake in wheat though the differences were nonsignificant among the VAM cultures alone or at each P level. Overall, it was inferred that use of VA-mycorrhizal fungi is beneficial under low soil P or in low input (nutrient)–intensive agroecosystems.


Over the last years, environmental issues have gained remarkable significance as a result of the high level of environmental awareness in society and also due to the widening of the scope of the environmental legislation and regulation. One of the major concerns within this context is the high rate of packaging waste generation. Nowadays there is a variety of technologies to deal with waste treatment among which recycling is one of the most preferable. Recycling allows waste to be converted in resources and thus its economic value is prevented to be buried in landfill. Back in 2000, the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) proposed improving recyclability as a critical aspect for a sustainable development in business since this end-of-life treatment was foreseen as one of the most sustainable. Furthermore, international legislation regarding end-of-life of waste is pushing stakeholders to adopt more sustainable strategies in the long run. For instance, the European Union Directive 2008/98/EC establishes the five-step waste hierarchy, in which the most sustainable step is the waste avoidance, followed by reusing and recycling. Up until now, waste is taken into account as a product since it is possible to obtain economic benefit from it. After those treatments, recovery (including waste-to-energy) and landfill are considered as the last steps. The day when waste can no longer be avoided and we reach the maximum reuse rate possible, recycling will be the most preferable strategy. This approach is influenced not only by the point of view of the potential economic value of waste, but also by its eco-efficiency.


We propose a novel method to control a lot of microorganisms by using visual feedback for micro-robotic application. Our goal is to control a cluster of microorganisms as microscale smart robots for various applications, since microorganisms have efficient actuators and accurate sensors. Compared with single-cell level actuation methods proposed before, this method has the following advantages: (1) a cluster of microorganisms can cancel stochastic perturbations of behavior by taking the average; (2) a cluster of microorganisms can be more powerful than a single microorganism, and thus it can perform a variety of tasks. A visual feedback system is constructed to control cells using galvanotaxis (response to the electric field). Experimental results show the feasibility of visual feedback control of a paramecium cell cluster. In addition, micro-manipulation of small objects by the cell cluster is also demonstrated


Basic Health Research Result (Hasil Riset Kesehatan Dasar/Riskesdas) in 2007  reported that the prevalence of the Indonesian population has dental health problem at 23,4%. Bangli Regency has the lowest proportion in term of handling treatment, dental fillings and dental extraction and is recorded to be the second top in the prevalence of dental and oral health as well as known to have  61,8% of the population with caries experience  (Depkes RI., 2008). The optimal community dental health status  kesehatan gigi masyarakat can be achieved by improving the promotive and preventive efforts early until elderly age (Depkes RI, 1999). The efforts in improving children's dental and oral hygiene is by the involvement of parents in dental health education which can be done by: 1) motivating through tooth brushing; 2) determining the frequency id tooth brushing which is twice a day; 3) encouraging better cooperation between children and the mothers as the coaches in tooth brushing; 4) motivating children to behave positively towards tooth brushing efforts; 5) chidren are given motivation to be diligent in brushing teeth under the coach of the mothers (Howard, 1969 dalam Budiharto, 2009).The objective of this study is to know the monitoring pattern of tooth brushing towards the improvement of dental and oral hygiene among school students of SDN 2 SelatKecamatan Susut Kabupaten Bangli  in 2016.The design of this study is pretest-postest control group disign, which is conducted in SDN 2 Selat Kecmatan Susut Kabupaten Bangli in 2016. The population of this study is all students of sekolah dasar negeri (SDN) 2 Selat Kecamatan Susut Kabupaten Bangli and the samples of the study are taken randomly (randoom sampling) The finding of this study is that the monitoring pattern of brushing teeth significantly influences the dental and oral hygiene of students of sekolah dasar negeri 2 Selat, Kecamatan Susut, Kabupaten Bangli in 2016.


The present study was aimed at investigating the effect of Amitriptyline on the pharmacokinetic of Divalproex in rabbits. Divalproex and Amitriptyline are used for long duration and indicated for CNS disorder like depressive disorder, personality disorder and migraine, respectively. The pharmacokinetic parameters of Divalproex sodium (6 mg/kg, p.o.) was compared with concomitant administration of Divalproex sodium (6 mg/kg, p.o.) and Amitriptyline (10 mg/kg, p.o.). The blood samples were collected at different time interval of 30 min, 1st, 2nd, 4th, 8th, and 16th hour. Divalproex dissociates to release valproate and valproic acid in the gastrointestinal tract. The concentration of Valproic acid (VPA) in serum was then estimated by HPLC coupled with Mass Spectroscpoy (LC-MS/MS). The serum concentration of VPA was significantly increased after Amitriptyline treatment for 7 days. Pharmacokietic parameters like AUC, AUMC, T1/2 and Cmax of VPA showed significant change after Amitriptyline treatment in healthy albino rabbits. Divalproex and Amitriptyline both are metabolized by the same enzyme; CYP2C9. Amitriptyline inhibits UDP-glucuronosyltransferases (UTG), where Divalproex is substrate of UTG metabolism. Both reasons may lead to increase in serum VPA concentration. Change in the time and frequency of administration of Divalproex sodium is suggested when both drugs are administered concomitantly. Therapeutic drug monitoring should be performed as combination may lead to remarkable increase in valproic acid serum level.


Previous studies indicate that operators of heavy construction equipment are af icted by musculoskeletal injuries of the arms, shoulders, neck, and lower back. These injuries appear to be due to excessive periods of sitting (static posture), work intensity, whole-body vibration, high resistance levers, repetitive motions, and awkward postures.2 5) Although numerous studies have shown an association between operation of heavy construction equipment and symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders, very little research has been performed that systematically characterizes operating engineers' exposure to ergonomic hazards. The objective of this study was to systematically characterize the ergonomic hazards associated with excavating operations. As such, the following were performed: (1)vibrations were measured at the operator/seat interface (X, Y, and Z axes), and at the  oor of the cab (Z axis); (2) psychophysical ratings of whole-body vibration (WBV) level and overall seat design were obtained; and (3) postural assessments of the job were made.


Phase-comparison monolulse was adopted in CWradar system,In the presence of sea-surface multi-path CWradar measure a low elevation target is difficulty, and its precision can't satisfy the requirement of ballistic trajectory measurement in shooting range. The bias compensation algorithm of Amplitude-comparison monolulse had been calculated the elevation of low-altitude after measurement from the deposited video frequency signal by the CWradar system. The results indicate this method is effective and feasible in the off-line elevation extraction and it can improve the precision of elevation measurement.


Previous studies from this laboratory have established the presence of estrogen receptors in the human anterior cruciate ligament. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of 17 beta-estradiol on cell proliferation and procollagen levels, as an indicator of collagen synthesis, in the human anterior cruciate ligament fibroblasts. Fibroblast proliferation and procollagen synthesis in response to near log concentrations of 17 beta-estradiol (at 0.0029 ng/mL, 0.025 ng/mL, 0.25 ng/mL, 2.5 ng/mL, and 25 ng/mL) were assessed with the measurement of 3H-thymidine incorporation and Types 1 and 3 procollagen specific equilibrium radioimmunoassays. On Days 1 and 3, there was a dose dependent decrease in the proliferation of anterior cruciate ligament fibroblasts with increasing estradiol concentrations. This dose dependent effect of decreased fibroblast proliferation with increasing estradiol concentrations became less apparent at 7, 10, and 14 days. On Days 1 and 3, procollagen synthesis decreased in a dose dependent manner with increasing estradiol concentrations. On Days 7, 10, and 14, this dose dependent effect was attenuated. No significant differences in Type 3 procollagen synthesis by anterior cruciate ligament fibroblasts were observed with varying estradiol concentrations at any of the designated points. These early physiologic changes in fibroblast proliferation and Type I procollagen synthesis may provide a biologic explanation for the increased anterior cruciate ligament injury rate observed in female athletes, suggesting that it is the acute cyclic variations in the female athlete who is menstruating that predisposes her to ligamentous injury.


We have investigated the nucleation, growth and structure of Al on an inert graphite surface at room temperature (RT) using in situ scanning tunneling microscopy. It was observed that Al initially nucleates at step edges and defect sites of graphite surfaces, due to the inertness of the substrate and weak interfacial interaction. From a diffusion and capture model, the mean adatom diffusion length before desorption was derived to be 170 ± 80 nm, correspondingly giving a lower bound of the adatom–substrate binding energy of 0.39 ± 0.03 eV. With successive Al deposition of ∼0.5 nm, the growth and coarsening of small clusters results in flat-top crystalline islands with (111)-oriented facets located at step edges as well as on defect-free terraces. The crystalline islands have essential translational and rotational mobility, which leads to the formation of craters on islands after Al deposition of ∼6 nm. A simple island-coalescence model based on fast edge diffusion and suppressed detachment from step edges was proposed for rationalizing the crater formation. It was also observed that isolated islands of Al can be stabilized by two-dimensional structures of Sb surrounding Al islands after Sb deposition at RT.


Chronic allergic conjunctivitis (CAC) or perennial allergic conjunctivitis (PAC) is the most frequent form of allergy of the conjunctiva that is encountered in Northern Europe, particularly in city areas. Itching, redness of the mucosa, swelling of the lids and tearing are the main symptoms. Seasonal factors and associated rhinitis are often noted. Symptoms may respond to antiallergic drugs. In contrast, there are generally no specific signs of the disease on slitlamp examination. Most of the time the mucosal aspect (papillary, follicular or atrophic type) is common to other forms of conjunctival allergy. Non-specific factors may predispose to the appearance of CAC, such as an intolerance to a contact lens, a local infection, or a trauma of the eye. Astigmatism, heterophoria and photosensitization may also be triggering agents for the appearance of symptoms of an authentic CAC in an atopic patient. The close association between allergic and non-specific factors may explain the possibility of unilateral forms of CAC and, most of all, the frequent association of CAC to other forms of chronic conjunctivitis. The diagnosis relies on good clinical evaluation of both symptoms and signs. Serum IgE levels are elevated in no more than 30% of cases while tear levels of IgE are more often pathological (over 50% of cases); skin-testing remains the best method for confirming the diagnosis. In most cases it indicates an allergy to house dust and/or mites. Elimination of the offending allergen is the first treatment in CAC. Antiallergic drugs are also effective, such as antihistamines and mast cell stabilizers, nedocromil sodium being very efficient in this respect. In cases where this kind of treatment cannot be pursued indefinitely, specific desensitization to house dust or mites is effective and induces a prompt resolution of symptoms, whereas signs will persist a long time. All non-specific factors associated with the allergy should also be carefully considered and treated, although results are better in pure rather than associated clinical forms of CAC.


Resampling‐based multiple testing methods that control the Familywise Error Rate in the strong sense are presented. It is shown that no assumptions whatsoever on the data‐generating process are required to obtain a reasonably powerful and flexible class of multiple testing procedures. Improvements are obtained with mild assumptions. The methods are applicable to gene expression data in particular, but more generally to any multivariate, multiple group data that may be character or numeric. The role of the disputed "subset pivotality" condition is clarified. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)


Metallic sandwich panels based on a truss core structure have been developed for a wide range of potential applications with their lightweight and multi-functionality. Structural performance of sandwich panels can be predicted from the studies on mechanical behavior of a unit cell of truss core structures. Analytical investigations on the unit cell provide approximated guidelines for the design of overall core structures for a specific application in short time. In this study, the effects of geometrical parameters on mechanical behavior of a pyramidal shape of unit cell were investigated with analytical models. The unit cell with truss member angle of 45 degree was considered as reference model and other models were designed to have the same weight and projected area but different truss member angle. All truss members were assumed to be connected with pin joint in analytical models. Under the assumptions, the equivalent strength and stiffness of the unit cell under compressive and shear loads were predicted and compared. And finally, the optimum core member angle to have maximum mechanical property could be calculated and verified with FE analysis results.


Background: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most frequent and most aggressive form of primary malignant brain tumors in adults. The dismal prognosis of GBM patients stems from the highly angiogenic and invasive behavior of GBM tumor cells. O 6 -methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT), a DNA repair protein ubiquitously expressed in normal tissues has been extensively characterized for its role in resistance to alkylating agents used in GBM treatment. We reported for the first time an inverse relationship between expression of MGMT and the angiogenic and invasive profile of GBM cell lines. The mechanisms by which MGMT affects angiogenesis and invasion are unknown. We hypothesized that interactions of MGMT with binding proteins (BPs) may account for additional functions beyond its known role as a DNA repair protein. Methods: As a first screening to identify MGMT-BPs with a functional relevance for invasion and angiogenesis, we performed affinity purification of MGMT-BPs following overexpression of FLAG-tagged MGMT and mass spectrometry analysis using 293T-Flag/MGMT and control Flag-tagged empty vector (293T-Flag/EV). Lysates were subjected to affinity purification using an anti-Flag monoclonal antibody covalently attached to agarose resin. The affinity bound FLAG fusion proteins were eluted and separated on SDS-PAGE. Coomassie Blue staining enabled the identification of 6 bands including Flag-MGMT in 293T-Flag/MGMT but not the Flag/EV control. The bands were excised from the gel, subjected to trypsin digestion and identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The resultant MS/MS spectra were searched against a proteome database for peptide matching and protein identification. Proteins were identified with high confidence using Scaffold software. Results: Our analysis provided evidence for binding of MGMT to 120 BPs. Using gene ontology (GO) database to search for functional categories, we identified proteins involved in DNA repair, ubiquitin pathway, DNA replication and transcription, RNA metabolism and processing, cell cycle and division, response to stress and cell death. Importantly, we identified proteins involved in cell motility and/or angiogenesis, cytoskeletal-related proteins (15 proteins), small GTPases family and their regulators (10 proteins, such as Rho guanine nucleotide exchange factor 2) and two proteins involved in angiogenesis (Endoribonuclease Dicer and Ribonuclease inhibitor). We also used T98G a human GBM cell line with constitutive expression of MGMT to perform immunoprecipitation of endogenous MGMT (anti-MGMT antibody or the IgG1 isotype control). Mass spectrometry and proteomic analysis of MGMT-BPs in T98G is underway. Conclusion: Our data provide new structural aspects of MGMT and shed light into the multifaceted role of MGMT, which may lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets in GBM. Citation Format: Siham Sabri, Yaoxian Xu, Nicolas Stifani, Bassam S. Abdulkarim. Identification of MGMT-binding proteins involved in the negative regulation of angiogenesis and invasion. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2493. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2493


Buildings are increasingly moving from being not just energy consumers but also energy producers through the installation of various renewable technologies. To fully realize energy neutral buildings and the decentralization of electricity generation, efforts are needed to support the development of various technologies such as building-integrated solar systems (both photovoltaic and thermal) which can be easily implemented in an aesthetically pleasing manner. To this end, a cooperation known as SolarBEAT has been established between the Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) and the Solar Energy Application Centre (SEAC), an independent research organization. On the TU/e campus, an installation for the pilot scale testing of building-integrated photovoltaic/thermal (BIPVT) solar collectors is being constructed on the roof of the Vertigo building, home of the Department of the Built Environment at TU/e. The pilot scale testing includes prototype products from a variety of solar system manufacturers. The main objective of this thesis is the development of a virtual computational testbed for assessing the full scale performance potential of the technologies involved in the SolarBeat project in addition to the possibility of calibrating the testbed according to the experimental results from the testing facility. More specifically, this work concentrates on BIPVT solar collectors for a typical detached single family Dutch house. The model is developed using the Modelica modeling language and the Dymola simulation environment. The complete model includes BIPVT solar panels, thermal storage, heating system and a complete model of the subject building's thermal and electrical loads. It is developed using the Buildings library and the Districts library issued by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory of the United States Department of Energy. This report presents multiple building related and renewable energy related Modelica libraries. Then, it describes how the model was developed and results are presented to demonstrate how this testbed can be used. Moreover, an assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of Dymola and Modelica for this case is performed including a comparison with other tools. The results show the importance of this testbed in assessing the technologies used and its contribution in the decision making process regarding low/zero energy building designs. It also shows that Dymola/Modelica provides a lot of flexibility, ease of use and multi-domain simulation capabilities. However, the use of the buildings library provided some limitations in the simulation time and control domains.


The systematic position and generic limits of Rossimyiops Mesnil, 1953 (type species: R. whiteheadi Mesnil, 1953) are critically redefined. Examination of the male terminalia allowed us to demonstrate the unjustified placement of Rossimyiops within the subfamily Dexiinae, tribe Dufouriini and its probable affiliation with the subfamily Tachininae, tribe Minthoini. The following generic names are synonymised with Rossimyiops Mesnil, 1953: Mesnilomyia Kugler, 1972 (type species: M. magnifica Kugler, 1972) syn. nov., and Persedea Richter, 2001 (type species: P. exquisita Richter, 2001) syn. nov. The following new combinations are proposed: Rossimyiops achilleae (Kugler, 1972) comb. nov., R. exquisitus (Richter, 2001) comb. nov., R. longicornis (Kugler, 1972) comb. nov., R. magnificus (Kugler, 1972) comb. nov., and R. subapertus (Herting, 1983) comb. nov. Mesnilomyia rufipes Zeegers, 2007 is established as a synonym of Persedea exquisita Richter, 2001, syn. nov. Rossimyiops austrinus Cerretti sp. nov. from Namibia and Rossimyiops djerbaensis Cerretti sp. nov. from Tunisia are described, illustrated and compared with the other known species of the genus. Male terminalia and female external morphology of R. subapertus and R. whiteheadi are described for the first time. Finally, Mesnilomyia calyptrata Zeegers, 2007 is removed from this genus and placed as Tachinidae incertae sedis.


Growth of traffic in the city of Yogyakarta is dominated by private vehicle, while the urban public transport service is not satisfactory for consumer. In November 2015 the transport service based application called Go-Jek began operation in Yogyakarta. This service offers a transportation service that is safe, convenient, fast, cheap and more attractive the interest of consumers to use. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the operating system Go-Jek services, the public interest to this service, the feasibility of Go-Jek services as a mode of transportation in Yogyakarta. This research was conducted in the city of Yogyakarta and Sleman. The research method is done by using a questionnaire to the respondents: the driver and the consumer of Go-Jek. The analysis was conducted to assess the level of satisfaction and expectations of respondents using Importance-Performance analysis methods. Operating system Go-Jek is currently quite good, but needs to be further improved. Ranges of Income from 843.300 3.243.300 Indonesian Rupiah per month be perceived by the driver is good enough, while minimum income of workers on average in 2017 amounted 1.337.645 Indonesian rupiah per month in Yogyakarta Special District. Recommendations to the Go-Jek company in order to implement transparency in setting policies and systems to avoids the problems to the driver Go-Jek


Sustainable tourism management policies should aim at maximising economic benefits from tourist arrivals while minimizing associated adverse impacts on the environment. This study assesses the short-run and long-run relationships between tourist arrivals, per capita economic output, emissions, energy consumption and capital formation, citing Nepal as a specific case study. We developed four hypotheses and tested them using time-series econometrics based on the autoregressive distributed lag model and Granger causality tests. The results provide strong evidence of an economy driven tourism sector where expansion in economic output leads to expansion in tourist arrivals. More tourist arrivals, in turn, generate positive impacts on gross capital formation. Energy consumption negatively affects tourist arrivals, calling for increased attention towards improving energy efficiency and energy diversity. We conclude that national policies to increase tourist arrivals should be integrated with national energy and environmental policies in order to facilitate the transition towards a sustainable tourism sector.


The leadership is an important phenomenon that is widely recognized and researched in the context of educational institutions. However, this role is more critical in higher educational context due to its imperative role in the developmental process in both developed as well as developing countries. The leadership through different traits has been researched to have its significant influence of various individuals and organizational issues. In this connection, this study aimed at investigating the impact of leadership styles on employees' commitment in higher educational institutions context. From the faculty members, data was gathered and analyzed through statistical procedures to examine research hypothesis emerged from the theoretical framework about the association and impact between employees' commitment and leadership styles. Results offer valuable information that which style is more effective in determining and inspiring the employees' commitment. Some recommendations have been offered as emerged from the results of the study.


A realistic pseudopotential complex-band-structure approach to the calculation of bound states in semiconductor quantum wells is described. The method is applied to the determination of bound-state energies and charge densities in the valence band of (100) AlAs/GaAs/AlAs and Al0.3Ga0.7As/GaAs/Al0.3Ga0.7As isolated quantum wells as functions of well width. The results suggest the existence of additional structure in the optical spectra of quantum wells at widths corresponding to regions in which there is substantial hybridisation of light- and heavy-hole bound states.


Motion information scalability is an important requirement for a fully scalable video codec, especially for decoding scenarios of low bit rate or small image size. So far, several scalable coding techniques on motion information have been proposed, including progressive motion vector precision coding and motion vector field layered coding. However, due to the interactive compatibility issue with other scalabilities, i.e. spatial, temporal, and quality, a complete solution that integrates most of the desirable features of motion scalability is not yet seen. In order to solve the problem, we have recently proposed a fully scalable motion model which offers full functionalities for motion scalability with no compatibility issues. In this paper, we further investigate some coding algorithms for proposed scalable motion model. The purpose is to minimize the coding overhead introduced by motion scalability. Simulation results will be presented to verify the significant improvements using proposed coding and optimization algorithms.


Introduction: Inflammatory fibroid polyps are benign submucosal polyps of the gastrointestinal tract. They are found mainly in the stomach but also in the small bowel where they can cause small bowel obstruction and intussusception. The treatment is surgical resection of the polyp. Few cases have been reported in Crohn's disease patients. We describe two cases of newly-diagnosed ileal Crohn's disease with concomitant inflammatory fibroid polyp presenting in an unusual way. Case report: Two female patients aged 38 and 54 years respectively presented with abdominal pain without bowel obstruction. Colonoscopy and CT demonstrated a mass in the ileum. Surgical resection of the terminal ileum and cecum were performed. Pathological examination showed an inflammatory fibroid polyp in each case. Both patients had Crohn's disease recurrence and required immunomodulator treatment on follow-up. Conclusion: Inflammatory fibroid polyps of the terminal ileum can occur in Crohn's disease patients with nonobstructive clinical presentation.


A probabilistic formulation is proposed to assess the performance of the support structure of offshore wind turbines based on their probability and expected time of exceeding specified drift thresholds. To this end, novel probabilistic models are developed to predict the mean and standard deviation of the drift ratio response of wind turbine support structures operating under day-to-day loads as a function of the wind turbine geometry and material properties, and loading conditions. The proposed models are assessed using a database of virtual experiments generated using detailed three-dimensional (3D) nonlinear finite element (FE) models of a set of representative wind turbine configurations. The developed models are then used in a random vibration formulation to estimate the probability and expected time of exceeding specified drift thresholds. As an example, the probability and expected time of exceeding specified drift thresholds are estimated for a typical offshore wind turbine at different wind speeds. A comparison is made between the results obtained based on the proposed models, those obtained using simulators commonly used in practice and detailed 3D nonlinear FE analyses.


. The main ways of intensification of melting processes in the modern high-capacity electric arc furnaces of alternating current are examined, their advantages in the field of application are shown.


During much of the sixteenth century, Rome was the artistic centre of the known world, and Cardinal Alessandro Farnese, the wealthy and powerful grandson of Pope Paul III, was the city's most important individual patron of the visual arts. For over fifty years Farnese commissioned buildings and paintings of the highest quality from the major artists active in the city. Using a wealth of hitherto unpublished material, Clare Robertson provides the first thorough reconstruction of Farnese's development and influence as a patron, at the same time, raising important questions about the attitudes and motives of Renaissance patrons and challenging a number of current art-historical assumptions about patronage. She shows how Farnese began his patronage with costly works of decorative art and thus embarked on an extensive campaign of secular commissions from artists such as Titian, Vasari, and Taddeo Zuccaro. His secular patronage culminated with his magnificent villa at Caprarola, designed by Vignola. Only in the 1560s, after some thirty years as a Cardinal, did he turn to commissions for religious works, mainly in response to Counter Reformation pressures and because of his fervent desire to become Pope. The emphasis of his patronage then changed dramatically as he embarked on building an impressive number of new churches, including the Gesu, the most influential church of the late sixteenth century. This handsomely illustrated study of a major artistic figure will be indispensable to students and scholars of sixteenth-century Italy and its art.


Boundary integral methods for the solution of boundary value PDEs are an alternative to 'interior' methods, such as finite difference and finite element methods. They are attractive on domains with corners, particularly when the solution has singularities at these corners. In these cases, interior methods can become excessively expensive, as they require a finely discretised 2D mesh in the vicinity of corners, whilst boundary integral methods typically require a mesh discretised in only one dimension, that of arc length. Consider the Dirichlet problem. Traditional boundary integral methods applied to problems with corner singularities involve a (real) boundary integral equation with a kernel containing a logarithmic singularity. This is both tedious to code and computationally inefficient. The CBIEM is different in that it involves a complex boundary integral equation with a smooth kernel. The boundary integral equation is approximated using a collocation technique, and the interior solution is then approximated using a discretisation of Cauchy's integral formula, combined with singularity subtraction. A high order quadrature rule is required for the solution of the integral equation. Typical corner singularities are of square root type, and a 'geometrically graded h-p' composite quadrature rule is used. This yields efficient, high order solution of the integral equation, and thence the Dirichlet problem. Implementation and experimental results in matlab code are presented.


PURPOSE
In order to understand and update the prevalence of myopia in Taiwan, a nationwide survey was performed in 1995.

METHODS
We stratified the cluster sampling by developmental grading of the city, using a size proportional to the population. Two cities were randomly selected from each city grading. The total number of students enrolled was 11,178, including 5,676 boys and 5,502 girls. The refractive status and corneal radius of each student were measured with an autorefractometer under cycloplegia and checked with retinoscopy. Axial length was measured with biometric ultrasound.

RESULTS
The myopic rate was from 12% at the age of 6, it increased to 56% at the age of 12, and then to 76% at the age of 15. A myopic rate of 84% was found for the age range of 16 to 18. The prevalence of high myopia (over -6.0 D) at the age of 18 was 20% in girls and 12% in boys. The mean refractive status became myopic at the age of 9, then increased to -3.92 D in girls and -2.71 D in boys at the age of 18. The increase of axial length is correspondent with the progression of myopia. The anterior chamber depth (ACD) was deeper with age and the severity of myopia, whereas the corneal curvature remained unchanged. The lens thickness became thinner from age 7 to 13, then it became thicker with age and the severity of myopia after age 15. The prevalence and degree of myopia in girls was more severe than in boys.

CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of myopia in Taiwan increased year by year. The increase in severity and prevalence of high myopia may be due to earlier onset.


We propose a novel discrete solver for optimizing functional map‐based energies, including descriptor preservation and promoting structural properties such as area‐preservation, bijectivity and Laplacian commutativity among others. Unlike the commonly‐used continuous optimization methods, our approach enforces the functional map to be associated with a pointwise correspondence as a hard constraint, which provides a stronger link between optimized properties of functional and point‐to‐point maps. Under this hard constraint, our solver obtains functional maps with lower energy values compared to the standard continuous strategies. Perhaps more importantly, the recovered pointwise maps from our discrete solver preserve the optimized for functional properties and are thus of higher overall quality. We demonstrate the advantages of our discrete solver on a range of energies and shape categories, compared to existing techniques for promoting pointwise maps within the functional map framework. Finally, with this solver in hand, we introduce a novel Effective Functional Map Refinement (EFMR) method which achieves the state‐of‐the‐art accuracy on the SHREC'19 benchmark.


A study of 128 specimens of Dolichopus plumipes from 9 geographical regions was conducted to evaluate the interpopulation variation in wing shape. The wing shape was described by 7 morphometric characters. The shape variation was examined using principal component analysis and t-test. The wing length and related characters were found to differ in shape between the western, eastern, northern and southern specimens. Correlation and regression analysis showed that geographic variation in wing length was strongly associated with longitude; and a significant linear component was revealed.


In this paper, a novel programmable voltage divider circuit is proposed for converting digital signals to differential (analog) signals which can be used to evaluate differential sense amplifies in the absence of SRAM cells for the first time. The differentials can be programmable and switchable to reverse polarity. A circuit utilizing this scheme is also proposed to test variety of differential circuits having small signal inputs. The digital input is used to generate analog signals to drive the differential circuits; results are then validated digitally to alleviate more complicated testing problems. The novel circuit technique is implemented in hardware and test results are corroborated with simulations. The circuit functions both in bulk and silicon on insulator (SOI) technologies.


The aim of the article is to demonstrate the relevance of the usage of sociological knowledge for the development of aviation safety culture through the safety and security, Sociology of Safety and Sociology of Transport as an integral part of applying a systematic approach for strengthening the aviation safety. In the situation of globalization of the world, the structure of sociological knowledge in the XXI century is very branched. However, Ukraine has its own popular list of special and branch sociologies, which meets the specific challenges of the time of modernization of Ukrainian society. The goals of the industrial stage of its development stimulated the formation of Sociology of Labor, changing the focus of the goals of the economy from the basics of planning to market. That gave a powerful impact on the formation of Sociology of the Economics, the market, the individual, and so on. There were not identified the conditions, circumstances that should determine the application of the potential of sociology to comprehend any direction of human activity. Sociologists strive not to lose the integrity of reflection, as social science always gains more power, accumulating both empirical material and theoretical generalizations on significantly different aspects of social life, which can be taken into account in the development of each sociological industry. Therefore, security contains resistance to the Sociology of Safety, Sociology of Technology, Sociology of Transport, etc. Accumulation of such knowledge with necessity leads to synergistic effect and the growth of a culture of safety in aviation.


The present study entitled "Ethno-veterinary knowledge and practices amongst indigenous pastoralists in the Menoua division, West region of Cameroon" was conducted from January to June 2019. It was aimed at assessing and analyzing more specifically; pastoralists' perceptions regarding ethno-veterinary practices, major ethno-veterinary practices in the study area, major challenges faced by pastoralists in the field of ethno-veterinary, and pastoralists' conservation measures for proper management of these knowledge/practices. A descriptive method of statistics was employed where survey questionnaires, FGDs, and field observations were used for data collection. A sample size of 200 respondents was targeted through both purposive and stratified sampling methods. The major findings indicate that, there is disease prevalence in the study area with over 93.0% of responses. A large majority of respondents (62.0%) use both ethno-veterinary and modern means of treatments while over 26.5% depends only on ethno-veterinary medicines. Pastoralists in the study area proved to have positive attitude and concern for ethno-veterinary medicines and over 58.0% of them judged it to be 'very effective and fruitful'. Documentation of major ethno-veterinary practices was realized for the following cattle diseases plaguing the study area; Brucellosis, FMD, Cowdriosis, Streptothricosis, Babesiosis, Diarrhoea, Ringworm, Infertility, Epheral fever, Bloat, Wound, Poisoning, Fracture, Lumpy skin, Lice, Ticks, and Flies. The major challenges encountered by pastoralists in ethno-veterinary practices were; difficulties in obtaining medicinal plants due to recent physico-demographic challenges, difficulties in preparation and/or usage of dosage, and challenges in storage/preservation, accounting for 93.0%, 89.5% and 82.5% of responses respectively. Despite these challenges, pastoralists in the study area pass down ethno-veterinary knowledge/practices to the younger generation and some of them still conserve medicinal plants in home gardens as effective means to preserve and promote this very important resource pool necessary for man and his society. Nevertheless, according to the respondents, the most important workable solution for the preservation and promotion of ethno-veterinary practices include; documentation of the knowledge/practices, full integration of this system of medicine into the educational milieu, protection of areas containing ethno-medicinal plants, and the promotion of home gardening of medicinal plants.


This article is the outcome of the systematic use of the application of the ethnographic method, supported in the participative observation and the interview to determine the current status of the relation between the official policies of the Cuban State and science in Cuba, demonstrating a substantial divorce between both institutions, which attempts against creativity, generates dissatisfactions in scientists, creates incongruity between the academic qualifications or scientific grades granted with the scientific quality results, allowing a proliferation of the opinion science which does not generate knowledge. On the other hand, some actions are proposed to contribute to the necessary approach between science and politics.


We examine the behavior of an anisotropic brane-world in the presence of inflationary scalar fields. We show that, contrary to naive expectations, a large anisotropy does not adversely affect inflation. On the contrary, a large initial anisotropy introduces more damping into the scalar field equation of motion, resulting in greater inflation. The rapid decay of anisotropy in the brane-world significantly increases the class of initial conditions from which the observed universe could have originated. This generalizes a similar result in general relativity. A unique feature of Bianchi I brane-world cosmology appears to be that for scalar fields with a large kinetic term the initial expansion of the universe is quasi-isotropic. The universe grows more anisotropic during an intermediate transient regime until anisotropy finally disappears during inflationary expansion.


The specific heats and temperature dependence of the x-ray powder diffractions for the D-valine and the L-valine single crystal samples have been studied. It is found that there is a specific heat jump at 272.0 K for the D-valine samples but no jump at the same temperature for the L-valine sample. The lambda like transition means that the co-operative effect is involved in this transition. There is no crystal structure transition in the temperature range of 123-293 K for the D-valine sample. The transition of the D-valine sample might be the possible D-L transition which is proposed by Abdus Salam.


To confirm the claims that the procarbazines (PCZ) effect on stem spermatogonia can be overcome by gonadal steroid hormones,mature,LBNF1 male rats were implanted with silastic capsules containing testosterone (T 200 mm) + estradiol (E 50 mm). The silastic capsules of control and TE groups were removed 24 hours after the PCZ injection and the rats were sacrificed 9 weeks later. The functional status of the testis and the hormonal parameters at the time of the injection of PCZ were measured and correlated with the degree of protection ,as measured by the recovery of sperm counts. The results indicated that testosterone and estradiol does protect spermatogenesis from PCZ intoxification. To determine whether the protection is specific for stem spermatogonia, we also measured body weight loss 3-4 days, lymphocyte counts 1 day, and spermatocyte count 9 days after PCZ treatment. There were no differences in the dose response curves of these three assays between the hormone and sham treated rats. The lack of protection indicates that the hormonal protection of stem spermatogonia was not due to the alterations in either systemic or testicular pharmacokinetics of spermatocyte. We conclude that A3 spermatogonia and preleptotene spermatocyte are sensitive to PCZ and there is no evidence of hormonal protection for the differentiated spermatogonia and preleptotene spermatocyte.


This case report describes the torsion of two lung lobes in a dog. The animal was first presented for a torsion of the right middle lung lobe. Following the surgical resection of that lobe, the dog suffered another torsion of the left cranial lung lobe (cranial and caudal segments).


Ionospheric scintillation is a phenomenon that occurs after sunset, especially in the low‐latitude region, affecting radio signals that propagate through the ionosphere. Depending on geophysical conditions, ionospheric scintillation may cause availability and precision problems to Global Navigation Satellite System users. The present work is concerned with the development of an extended model for describing the effects of the amplitude ionospheric scintillation on GPS receivers. Using the α‐μ probabilistic model, introduced by previous authors in different contexts, the variance of GPS receiver tracking loop error may be estimated more realistically. The proposed model is developed with basis on the α‐μ parameters and also considering correlation between amplitude and phase scintillation. Its results are interpreted to explain how a receiver may experience different error values under the influence of ionospheric conditions leading to a fixed scintillation level S4. The model is applied to a large experimental data set obtained at São José dos Campos, Brazil, near the peak of the equatorial anomaly during high solar flux conditions, between December 2001 and January 2002. The results from the proposed model show that depending on the α‐μ pair, moderate scintillation (0.5 ≤ S4 ≤ 0.7) may be an issue for the receiver performance. When S4 > 0.7, the results indicate that the effects of scintillation are serious, leading to a reduction in the receiver availability for providing positioning solutions in approximately 50% of the cases.