Ischaemia–reperfusion (I–R) injury, initiated via bursts of reactive oxygen species produced during the reoxygenation phase following hypoxia, is well known in a variety of acute circumstances. We argue here that I–R injury also underpins elements of the pathology of a variety of chronic, inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, ME/CFS and, our chief focus and most proximally, Long COVID. Ischaemia may be initiated via fibrin amyloid microclot blockage of capillaries, for instance as exercise is started; reperfusion is a necessary corollary when it finishes. We rehearse the mechanistic evidence for these occurrences here, in terms of their manifestation as oxidative stress, hyperinflammation, mast cell activation, the production of marker metabolites and related activities. Such microclot-based phenomena can explain both the breathlessness/fatigue and the post-exertional malaise that may be observed in these conditions, as well as many other observables. The recognition of these processes implies, mechanistically, that therapeutic benefit is potentially to be had from antioxidants, from anti-inflammatories, from iron chelators, and via suitable, safe fibrinolytics, and/or anti-clotting agents. We review the considerable existing evidence that is consistent with this, and with the biochemical mechanisms involved.


>> This review examines female offender reentry within the context of the Transition from Prison to Community Initiative (TPCI). Specifically, we consider each stage of the TPCI, noting the extent to which current reentry policies and practices can be informed by gender responsiveness. To illustrate further, we compare reentry approaches and correctional outcomes in two states. Directions for further research on female offender reentry and TPCI evaluations are discussed.


The purpose of this study was to evaluate Virginia's maintenance management system and to recommend modifications directed at improving it. The study revealed that (1) the current system of allocating maintenance monies is based upon centerline mileage rather than the quantities of maintainable items, (2) the area superintendents' desired level-of-service is higher than that recommended in the guidelines issued by the Maintenance Division, and (3) the accomplishments of field crews for an 8-hour day including travel, preparation, safety and productive time often fall to two thirds of the current state productivity standards. The implementation and evaluation of a pilot program employing an "assessed needs" approach to maintenance management are recommended. The basic input to the assessed needs approach would originate from the maintenance area headquarters and would include: (1) A graphic log inventory of maintainable items, (2) a roadway needs inventory, (3) a long-range work plan and budget, (4) a short-range work plan, (5) an evaluation of productivity standards based on local constraints, (6) an ongoing evaluation of the maintenance activity standards, and (7) an evaluation of the assessed needs approach.


The facile synthesis of branched polymers in high yields without gelation is a current challenge in polymer chemistry. The "Strathclyde route" by Sherrington et al. successfully used a divinyl crosslinker during free radical polymerisation in presence of a chain transfer agent and was the inspiration to use the same approach in anionic polymerisation. In this work soluble polybutadienes with a branched architecture were synthesised by anionic copolymerisation of butadiene with divinylbenzene. Potassium tert-butoxide served as an additive to alter the copolymerisation behaviour and to induce chain transfer to toluene in order to avoid gelation. The highest fraction of branched polymer was derived for a sample of a molecular weight of Mn = 23,000 g·mol-1, a polydispersity of PDI = 8.5, an estimated content of linear (noncrosslinked) chains of less than 23 wt-% in a high yield of 92 % with deliberate termination of the reaction after 20 min. The reaction was carried out as a one-pot batch reaction at 60 ◦C with toluene as the solvent. Lower molecular weight branched polybutadienes (Mn≈ 10,000 g·mol-1) were derived with apparently more linear (non-crosslinked) chains in batch reactions. Lower molecular weight branched polybutadienes were also prepared in a controlled feed reactor. Analysis with triple detection (with refractive index, viscosity and light scattering detectors) size exclusion chromatography strongly indicated a branched structured of the samples prepared in presence of the crosslinker compared to a sample prepared in absence of the crosslinker. The vinyl content (1,2-enchainment of polybutadiene backbone) was up to 37 % for the most promising reactions and was in good agreement with literature regarding polar additives (potassium tert-butoxide in this work).


It is demonstrated that the heart-rate can be sensed capacitively on a touch screen panel (TSP) together with touch signals. The existing heart-rate sensing systems measure blood pulses by tracing the amount of light reflected from blood vessels during a number of cardiac cycles. This type of sensing system requires a considerable amount of power and space to be implemented in multi-functional mobile devices such as smart phones. It is found that the variation of the effective dielectric constant of finger stemming from the difference of systolic and diastolic blood flows can be measured with laterally interspaced top electrodes of TSP. The spacing between a pair of non-adjacent top electrodes turns out to be wide enough to distinguish heart-rate signals from noises. With the aid of fast Fourier transform, the heart-rate can be extracted reliably, which matches with the one obtained by actually counting heart beats on the wrist.


In May 1999, France launched a plan to implement a range of tobacco control measures focusing on reducing tobacco use. This study evaluated two professional assistance measures for smoking cessation included in the plan: the over-the-counter sale of nicotine substitutes and replacement therapies and pharmacist training. The article describes the role of pharmacies in smoking cessation and analyses the impact of training on professional practices. The survey was conducted in the year 2000 through a mail poll sent to a random representative sample of 290 pharmacies in the French region of Alsace selected from the Ministry of Health's FINESS database. The cross-sectional survey requested data on the pharmacy and its staff, as well as its role in tobacco prevention and its practices regarding individual smoking cessation interventions (capacity to provide assistance once information is obtained on the patient's smoking status, assessment of the patient's tobacco dependence and their will to quit smoking, initial prescription of a nicotine substitute, and provision of practical advice on maintaining smoking cessation and medical care recourse). Among a total of 82 respondents, 85% proclaimed having provided smoking cessation activities and 37% had undergone training. All of the pharmacies had been declared as tobacco prevention areas. For the pharmacies offering smoking cessation assistance, the methods and activities were in accordance with best practice standards. A comparison between the group of trained pharmacists and those who were untrained did not show any significant difference for the items concerning professional practice. In spite of certain barriers linked to pharmaceutical practice, improvements in the quality of smoking cessation assistance activities provided by pharmacists are possible, such as providing confidential space to advise the client, knowing when referral to a doctor is necessary, and organising personalized follow-up according to the customer's needs.


Subsidiaries of a firm can use their reporting discretion for several goals, such as reporting earnings comparable to other subsidiaries or reporting earnings that are smooth over time. Prior theoretical work on reporting discretion recognizes the tension among these goals (Holmstrom, 1982; Demski and Sappington, 1974), but empirical work has not sufficiently examined it. This study exploits the bank holding company setting to investigate how subsidiaries use reporting discretion to navigate these competing objectives. I find that while subsidiaries use reporting discretion to smooth their own earnings, they also use reporting discretion to herd around the earnings of internal peers. Through a number of cross-sectional analyses, I find that this herding behavior appears consistent with relative performance evaluation motivations. These results provide new insight into prior mixed findings on the reporting choices of bank holding companies.


A practical parallel resonant circuit has a resistor in series with an inductor, and that combination is in parallel with a capacitor. For such a circuit, it is well known that there are two possible definitions for the resonant frequency: (i) the resonant frequency , p f which is the frequency at which the phase of the total impedance is zero, and (ii) the resonant frequency m f , which is the frequency that achieves maximum magnitude of the total impedance. To find the latter traditionally requires calculus. However, in this paper, the authors show how m f can be found exactly without using calculus. By modifying a formula that is given as an approximation to m f in a popular technology textbook, an improvement in the accuracy of the approximation was achieved. Furthermore, a novel expression for the exact maximum impedance, as a function of / / . Q L C R = was derived. This has been approximated by previous authors as 2 RQ for 10. Q ≥ However, in this report, the authors show that this approximation has a percentage error less than 2% for 5, Q ≥ and less than −10% for 2. Q ≥ Furthermore, it can be shown that the maximum impedance is also accurately approximated by ( ) 2 2 1 R Q Q + , which has an excellent percentage error performance, even for 1, Q = with a percentage error of only −4% for this value, and less than −0.6% for 1.5. Q ≥ Finally, the authors used PSpice simulations to verify their results.


The role of Internet and information and communication technology (ICT) in the economy has been growing increasingly over the recent years. Meanwhile, a significant part (93%) of Finnish enterprises outside agriculture, forestry and fishing industries are microenterprises and these firms employ 26% of the workforce and make up for 18% of the private sector turnover in Finland if aforementioned industries are excluded. Additionally, it has been predicted that small firms will have an increasing role in creating new jobs in the Finnish economy. This makes online microenterprises an extremely interesting and important subject of study. However, this group of firms is little researched, even more so from viewpoint of value creation. This thesis sheds light on the phenomenon of online-based microenterprises that sell digital goods by examining their value creation processes. The study was conducted as multiple cases study, where five Finnish mobile gaming firms' representatives were interviewed in order to identify the value activities, relevant value chain actors and value distribution in the chain. Due to the lack of niche-specific previous research, the literature forming the basis for the study is drawn from ecommerce and value creation literature at large. The findings suggest that the main activities in creating a mobile game are sound and audio production, graphic design, game design and development, marketing through various channels, and distribution. The main actors are various freelancers in the upstream of the value chain, inhouse operators in terms of game design, development, graphic design, business development and marketing, and downstream actors in the form of publishers, Apple or Google and finally the end customer. It is also important to note the role of various media such as game review websites and blogs in the value formation process. Also revenue models of mobile games were identified. These are in-app purchases, advertising, and premium game sales. The value is captured in following proportions. Apple or Google captures 30% of a game's retail price and in-app purchases, whereas a potential publisher captures approximately 30% 50% of the revenue that is left after the distributor, which translates to 21% 35% of the total revenue. The rest is captured by the mobile game development firm, which has to subtract salaries and other operating expenses from their revenue.


Integrating Agile development processes and User Centred Design (UCD) gained increased interest arguably due to three reasons: first, the reported advantages of UCD in enabling developers to understand the users needs, and how the software can support their goals. Second, the deficiency of Agile methods in: providing guidance for developing usable software; and discussing usability, user requirements elicitation and usability evaluation methods. Third, differences between Agile methods and UCD that can make their integration challenging. Agile and User Centred Design Integration (AUCDI) research did not exploit Usability Maturity Models (UMMs) potential. Organizations aspiring to achieve AUCDI can utilize UMMs in assessing its UCD capability, identifying organization's UCD weaknesses and strengths, and planning for improvement. This thesis aims to investigate the suitability of utilizing UMMs in the context of Agile processes. In order to achieve this aim, this thesis conducted: first, a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) that identified and classified AUCDI challenges and explored the proposed practices to deal with them. Second, an interview study of industrial AUCDI attempts that identified the AUCDI difficulties and integration methods. Third, an interview study that evaluated the suitability of two UMMs; Nielsen model and Usability Maturity Model-Human Centrdness Scale (UMM-HCS) for utilization in assessing usability maturity levels in the context of Agile projects. The results of these studies revealed that both models are deficient in their theoretical maturation foundations and scoring scheme and in addressing the activities and challenges associated with AUCDI. As a result of these deficiencies we utilized the results of the SLR and the empirical studies in developing a set of dimensions that represent fundamental elements that affect the AUCDI process. These dimensions were utilized in the development of a descriptive AUCDI Maturity Model that addresses the activities, success factors, and challenges identified within the AUCDI domain.


The invention discloses a pipe fitting sealing property testing device and aims at achieving the effects that the pipe fitting sealing property testing device is convenient to operate, high in testing result accuracy and capable of guaranteeing that the two pipe ends of a pipe fitting are not prone to being damaged due to clamping. The device comprises an air feed pump, a baroceptor, a main rack, two push plate air cylinders, two side racks, a main end cover and a subsidiary end cover, the two push plate air cylinders are arranged on the two side racks respectively, a piston rod of one of the push plate air cylinders is connected with the main end cover, a piston rod of the other push plate air cylinder is connected with the subsidiary end cover, a main elastic sealing ring pad is arranged on the main end cover, a subsidiary elastic sealing ring plate is arranged on the subsidiary end cover, and a main cover air hole is formed in the main end cover. The pipe fitting sealing property testing device has the advantages that the pipe fitting can be positioned to the right position, the sealing property can be guaranteed, and the pipe fitting is not damaged due to clamping; the device is provided with a sealing structure which can be adjusted in a self-adaptation mode, and the sealing effect in the high pressure testing process can be intensified; the device is provided with an assistant positioning structure, the end covers can be prevented from moving backward, the push plate air cylinders can be protected, the sealing effect can be improved, and stability in the testing process can be maintained.


The arrangement of the motoneurons innervating the supramandibular and suprahyoid muscles was studied in Wistar albino rats using two fluorescent tracers: nuclear yellow and true blue. All supramandibular motoneurons were found within the trigeminal motor nucleus; they appeared to be somatotopically arranged. The suprahyoid motoneurons were located in an accessory trigeminal-facial motor complex. No overlap of the motoneuron pools of the supramandibular and suprahyoid muscle group was observed. Only motoneurons ipsilateral to the treated muscles were labeled. It was shown that a one-to-one relationship always exists between motoneuron and muscle.


Gravitomagnetism [1] consist of Newtonian gravity and gyrotation, which is totally analogous to magnetism. I showed the effect of the attraction and the repulsion of spinning objects. Like-spinning objects engender their mutual repel, and consequently the inflation of heavenly bodies that was suggested by the Expanding Earth Theory. Here, I show that only the heavenly bodies that possess a compression-free inner core can expand. Besides that, the Solar Protuberance Hypothesis for the formation of planets is herewith sustained.


BACKGROUND
Aortocaval compression (ACC) can result in haemodynamic disturbances and uteroplacental hypoperfusion in parturients. Its detection is difficult because in most patients, sympathetic compensation results in no signs or symptoms. However, profound hypotension may develop after sympathectomy during regional anaesthesia. In this prospective observational study, we aimed to detect ACC by analysing haemodynamic changes in term parturients who were positioned sequentially at different angles of lateral tilt.

METHODS
We studied haemodynamic changes in 157 non-labouring term parturients who were positioned in random order at 0°, 7.5°, 15°, and full left lateral tilt. Cardiac output (CO), stroke volume, and systemic vascular resistance were derived using suprasternal Doppler. Non-invasive arterial pressure (AP) measured in the upper and lower limbs was analysed to detect aortic compression.

RESULTS
CO was on average 5% higher when patients were tilted at ≥15° compared with <15°. In a subgroup of patients (n=11), CO decreased by more than 20%, without changes in systolic AP, when they were tilted to <15° which was considered attributable to severe inferior vena caval compression. Only one patient in the supine position had aortic compression with the systolic AP in the upper limb 25 mm Hg higher than the lower limb.

CONCLUSIONS
Patients with ACC can be identified by the CO changes from serial measurements between supine, 15°, or full lateral tilt. Our findings suggest that in non-labouring parturients, ACC is asymptomatic and can be effectively minimized by the use of a left lateral tilt of 15° or greater.


The development of atherosclerosis is a multifactorial process, but oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) has been recognized as a critical player in the pathogenesis of the disease. The lectin-like oxLDL receptor-1 (LOX-1) has recently been identified as the primary scavenger receptor of oxLDL, which mediates their detrimental biological effects in endothelial cells. Subsequent studies have revealed that LOX-1 is also expressed by other cells highly implicated in atherosclerosis, such as monocytes/macrophages, vascular smooth muscle cells, cardiomyocytes and platelets. On one hand interaction of oxLDL with LOX-1 promotes oxidative stress and transcription of pro-inflammatory molecules, and on the other hand increases the expression of LOX-1 as a result of the vicious cycle, activated by the atherogens. Thus, LOX-1 has been suggested as a key molecule in vascular inflammation and in atherosclerotic plaque formation, destabilization, erosion and rupture.


Summary (Oligo)phenothiazinyl thioacetates, synthesized by a one-pot sequence, are electrochemically oxidizable and highly fluorescent. SAMs can be readily formed from thiols prepared by in situ deprotection of the thioacetates in the presence of a gold-coated silicon wafer. Monolayer formation is confirmed by ellipsometry and the results compared to those obtained by force field and DFT calculations.


Impoliteness as a natural phenomenon is observed in many face-to-face encounters. It is employed to cause offense and attack the face of the hearer and sometimes over-hearers. One of the researchers who was working at the University of Jordan Hospital noticed that patients and/or their relatives use verbal and nonverbal impolite behaviour when addressing the hospital staff and doctors. In order to investigate the various strategies utilised by Arabic speaking patients and/or their relatives to express impoliteness towards the Emergency Room (ER) staff at a Jordanian hospital, observation and note-taking were used to collect the impolite instances for a period of 30 days during April 2014. A total of 100 face-to-face interactions, which included impolite expressions were collected. The results of the study showed that the patients and their relatives used 208 impoliteness instances while interacting with the admin staff, nurses and doctors. The most used strategy of impoliteness was 'bald on record impoliteness' followed by 'negative impoliteness,' 'positive impoliteness,' 'sarcasm or mock politeness' and 'withhold politeness.' The study concludes that the various types and strategies of impoliteness used by the patients and/or their relatives were aiming at offending and threatening the face of the hospital staff and doctors, and this behaviour, as observed in the various interactions that took place, could be attributed to their dissatisfaction of the health care services provided.


UNLABELLED
To clarify the involvement of the Stk11/Lkb1 gene in the development of hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs), its alteration in rat HCCs induced by exogenous and endogenous liver carcinogenesis models was investigated.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Fifteen HCCs induced by N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN) and 12 HCCs induced by a choline-deficient L-amino acid-defined (CDAA) diet were obtained. To assess mutations and aberrant transcriptions of the Stk11 gene, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-single strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) and reverse transcription (RT)-PCR analyses were performed, respectively.

RESULTS
A mutation was detected in only 1 out of 15 HCCs by DEN, but no mutations in 12 HCCs by the CDAA diet. Aberrant transcripts were found in 4 out of 15 HCCs by DEN and in 3 out of 12 HCCs by the CDAA diet.

CONCLUSION
These results suggest that alterations of the Stk11 gene may play a limited role in both exogenous and endogenous rat liver carcinogenesis.


The average length of bulbs measured echometrically was 23.4 mm out of 60 pairs of bulbs measured, four showed differences of more than 2 mm.


It is often said that the private sector is in a good position to manage project costs and meet deadlines, but not, generally, to fund or finance projects. The underlying argument runs as follows: because the interest rate on government borrowings (the government's financing cost) is lower than what is available to the private sector, the cost of goods or services will necessarily be lower if it is funded by government. However, there is confusion between the cost of financing and the cost of capital (or discount rate) that stems from an analytical error in assessing the true cost of public funds. This is a subtle but important error that is widespread in both the public and private sectors as well as in academia. This analytical illusion is due to the fact that a significant portion of the government's cost of capital is unaccounted for or not recognized. This portion is the implicit option granted by taxpayers to their government to require additional funds in order to meet the commitments made to the lenders when a project does not meet the expected level of profitability. Discounting at an essentially risk-free rate is often justified by "the virtually unlimited taxing power of the Crown" – the project appears risk-free to lenders, but is obviously not risk-free for taxpaying citizens. The authors identify the implications for the evaluation of public investments and relevant public policies such as direct subsidies to businesses, government endorsements of corporate borrowings, the comparison of public sector versus private sector delivery of public projects and holding a portfolio of risky investments dedicated to the future repayment of the debt. It goes without saying that other evaluations of government policies and interventions could be similarly challenged.


An ophthalmic suspension of polymyxin B and dexametasone with 13 different preservative systems was evaluated by a linear regression method for rapid screening, using D-values. The products were challenged against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Burkholderia cepacia, Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. Since linear regression showed correlation coefficients higher than 0.84 the decimal reduction time (D-value) was then calculated. The comparison of D-values obtained for each microorganism and each product led to the selection of the formula 9 = 10, which was selected to be submitted to the efficacy of antimicrobial preservation according to the European Pharmacopoeia.


In this paper, it is proven that when both randomization and interaction are allowed, the proofs that can be verified in polynomial time are exactly those proofs that can be generated with polynomial space.


The use of machine learning rapidly increases in high-risk scenarios where decisions are required, for example in healthcare or industrial monitoring equipment. In crucial situations, a model that can offer meaningful explanations of its decision-making is essential. In industrial facilities, the equipment's well-timed maintenance is vital to ensure continuous operation to prevent money loss. Using machine learning, predictive and prescriptive maintenance attempt to anticipate and prevent eventual system failures. This paper introduces a visualisation tool incorporating interpretations to display information derived from predictive maintenance models, trained on time-series data.


CONTENTS I. Introduction 477 II. Investigation of structure 477 III. Preparation and properties 479 IV. π-Allyl complexes in organic syntheses 491


Background Data on birth outcome and offspring health after the appearance of breast cancer are limited. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of adverse birth outcomes in women previously treated for invasive breast cancer compared with the general population of mothers. Methods and Findings Of all 2,870,932 singleton births registered in the Swedish Medical Birth Registry during 1973–2002, 331 first births following breast cancer surgery—with a mean time to pregnancy of 37 mo (range 7–163)—were identified using linkage with the Swedish Cancer Registry. Logistic regression analysis was used. The estimates were adjusted for maternal age, parity, and year of delivery. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate infant health and mortality, delivery complications, the risk of preterm birth, and the rates of instrumental delivery and cesarean section. The large majority of births from women previously treated for breast cancer had no adverse events. However, births by women exposed to breast cancer were associated with an increased risk of delivery complications (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2–1.9), cesarean section (OR 1.3, 95% CI 1.0–1.7), very preterm birth (<32 wk) (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.7–6.0), and low birth weight (<1500 g) (OR 2.9, 95% CI 1.4–5.8). A tendency towards an increased risk of malformations among the infants was seen especially in the later time period (1988–2002) (OR 2.1, 95% CI 1.2–3.7). Conclusions It is reassuring that births overall were without adverse events, but our findings indicate that pregnancies in previously treated breast cancer patients should possibly be regarded as higher risk pregnancies, with consequences for their surveillance and management.


Theoretical models predict that a variety of self-assembled structures of closely packed spherical particles may result when they are confined in a cylindrical domain. In the present work we demonstrate for the first time that the polymer-coated nanoparticles confined in the self-assembled cylindrical domains of a block copolymer pack in helical morphology, where we can isolate individual fibers filled with helically arranged nanoparticles. This finding provides unique possibilities for fundamental as well as application-oriented research in similar directions.


In deep open pit mines, slope stability is very important. Particularly, increasing the depths increase the risks in mines having weak rock mass. Blasting operations in this type of open pits may have a negative impact on slope stability. Several or combination of methods can be used in order to enable better analysis in this type of deep open-pit mines. Numerical modeling is one of these options. Many complex problems can be integrated into numerical methods at the same time and analysis, solutions can be performed on a single model. Rock failure criterions and rock models are used in numerical modeling. Hoek-Brown and Mohr-Coulomb terms are the two most commonly used rock failure conditions. In this study, mine planning and discontinuity conditions of a lignite mine facing two big landslides previously, has been investigated. Moreover, the presence of some damage before starting the study was identified in surrounding structures. The primary research of this study is on slope study. In slope stability analysis, numerical modeling methods with Hoek-Brown and Mohr-Coulomb failure criterions were used separately. Preparing the input data to the numerical model, the outcomes of patented-blast vibration minimization method, developed by co-author was used. The analysis showed that, the model prepared by applying Hoek-Brown failure criterion, failed in the stage of 10. However, the model prepared by using Mohr-Coulomb failure criterion did not fail even in the stage 17. Examining the full research field, there has been ongoing production in this mine without any failure and damage to surface structures.


Abstract We evaluated the risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission among serodiscordant couples with low adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Data of heterosexual couples/partners in 2010 were extracted from an Internet-based system. Participants were then followed over the course of a year with 6- and 12-month assessments. Prevalence and density of HIV seroconversion were calculated for spouses/partners who did not have a positive HIV test results at baseline. We calculated the transmission odds ratio (OR) value stratified by personal characteristics and behavioral correlates at 6- and 12-month follow-up, as well as seroconversion in spouses/partners over the year. A total of 5544 HIV/AIDS patients and their spouses/partners were recruited in this cohort. Incidence of HIV seroconversion among HIV-negative spouse/partner was 63.7/100 person years (PYs) (430/674.9) at the 6-month follow-up and 33.2/100PYs (567/1707.1PYs) at 12 months. The OR value of transmission from female to male was 2.1 times higher than from male to females at 6 months and 2.3 times higher at 12 months (P < .001). The 55- to 64-year age group was most likely to transmit HIV to their spouses/partners, 2.2 times greater than the participants who were 65 years and older. Married participants were 2.4 times higher at 6 months and 2.5 times higher at 12 months to transmit HIV than divorced/widowed participants. Lastly, transmission among illiterate participants was 6.7 times higher at 6 months and 2.3 times higher at 12 months than those with an educational attainment of community college or above. High HIV seroconversion was observed in this cohort. Spouses/partners who were male had the highest risk of HIV acquisition; those aged 55 to 64 years, having married status, and are HIV-positive with less education were more likely to transmit HIV.


Accurate quantitative data pertinent to the structure of solid materials at the micro size level, which are difficult or prohibitive to obtain by traditional manual measurements, are now obtained directly by a digital computer which uses a photomicrograph as the information input. The history of picture interpretation experiments at the National Bureau of Standards is reviewed. The fundamental computer operations are illustrated, together with a description of 24 image processing routines now functional at a practical level. A micrograph of a specimen of Nb-Sn superconductor wire is exhaustively analyzed. This specimen is found to contain approximately 70 percent Nb3Sn, nearly all of which is mutually interconnected. It is also found that in this specimen the mean free path in the Nb3Sn superconducting phase is only 26.5 microns. This small value results from the spongy structure of the material and numerous interruptions caused by voids and by particles of four other solid phases. The comparative importance of the several types of interruptions is measured. It is determined that small voids are the most important single cause of the short mean free path, and deduced that these voids appear to have formed mainly from the reaction during heat treatment.


STUDY OBJECTIVES
Sleep is a behavior with the potential to affect cardiovascular health. Given the fact that adiposity and physical activity seem to be related to cardiovascular risk factors during growth, it is still unclear whether sleep quality could affect arterial thickness among adolescents. Thus, the objective of the current study was to analyze the effect of sleep quality on arterial thickness and identify the possible mediation role of physical activity and trunk fat in adolescents.

METHODS
This was a longitudinal study (12-month follow-up) composed of 71 adolescents with ages ranging from 11 to 14 years at baseline (absence of any known chronic diseases, and no regular medicine use). All variables were assessed twice (baseline and 12-month follow-up): (1) sleep quality was reported using the Mini Sleep Questionnaire (MSQ); (2) physical activity was estimated using pedometers; (3) trunk fat was assessed using a densitometry scanner; and (4) carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and femoral intima-media thickness (FIMT) were assessed using ultrasonography.

RESULTS
Adolescents who presented poor sleep quality demonstrated significantly increased FIMT (r = .299, 95% confidence interval .071 to .498) and for every point increase in the MSQ score from baseline to follow-up there was a 1.12% (95% confidence interval 0.26 to 1.98) increase in FIMT over time. Moreover, trunk fat and physical activity did not mediate the association between sleep quality and arterial thickness, but FIMT had a positive and independent relationship only with trunk fat.

CONCLUSIONS
Sleep quality was positively associated with FIMT among adolescents, whereas physical activity and adiposity did not mediate this process.


Oncogenic RAS signaling reprograms gene expression through both transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms. While transcriptional regulation downstream of RAS is relatively well characterized, how RAS post-transcriptionally modulates gene expression to promote malignancy is largely unclear. Using quantitative RNA Interactome Capture analysis, we reveal that oncogenic RAS signaling reshapes the RNA-bound proteomic landscape of cancer cells, with a network of nuclear proteins centered around Nucleolin displaying enhanced RNA-binding activity. We show that Nucleolin is phosphorylated downstream of RAS, which increases its binding to pre-ribosomal-RNA (rRNA), boosts rRNA production, and promotes ribosome biogenesis. This Nucleolin-dependent enhancement of ribosome biogenesis is crucial for RAS-induced cancer cell proliferation, and can be targeted therapeutically to inhibit tumor growth. Our results reveal that oncogenic RAS signaling drives ribosome biogenesis by regulating the RNA-binding activity of Nucleolin, and highlight the crucial role of this process in RAS-mediated tumorigenesis.


Data collected from six monitoring wells at waste disposal sites in Illi nois were used to evaluate procedures for the collection of "representative" water samples from monitoring wells. The effects of four types of pumping mechanisms, the extent of well flushing, the rate and time of pumping, and storage and preservation techniques on chemical composition of water samples were studied. Pump tests and multiple sample experiments provided data on which recommended sampling protocols and sample preservation, preparation, and storage procedures are based. The selection of the type of sampling device; sample preparation, preser vation and storage; and sampling procedures all must be tailored to the size and accessibility of the individual well, its hydrologic and chemical charac ter, the chemical constituents of interest, and the purpose for monitoring the site. Generally recommended sampling procedures include: 1) using peristal tic or submersible diaphragm type pumps when possible; 2) conducting pump tests prior to sampling to determine sampling frequency and time and rate of pumping; 3) flushing the well by pumping four to six well volumes; 4) measur ing key parameters such as pH, specific conductance, oxidation-reduction po tential, and alkalinity at the time of sample collection; and 5) filtering samples immediately on site through a 0.45 μm pore size filter and then pre serving the samples immediately after filtration, according to U.S. EPA (1979) recommended procedures.


The difficulty of ensuring adequate statistical coverage of whole fleets is a challenge for the implementation of observer programmes and may reduce the usefulness of the data they obtain for management purposes. This makes it necessary to find cost-effective alternatives. Electronic monitoring (EM) systems are being used in some fisheries as an alternative or a complement to human observers. The objective of this study was to test the use and reliability of EM on the tropical tuna purse-seine fishery. To achieve this objective, seven trips of tuna purse seiners operating in the three Oceans were closely monitored to compare the information provided by EM and on-board observers to determine if EM can reliably document fishing effort, set type, tuna catch, and bycatch. Total tuna catch per set was not significantly different between EM and observer datasets; however, regarding species composition, only main species matched between EM and observers. Success on set-type identification using EM varied between 98.3 and 56.3%, depending on the camera placement. Overall, bycatch species were underestimated by EM, but large bodied species, such as billfishes, were well documented. The analyses in this study showed that EM can be used to determine the fishing effort (number of sets) and total tuna catch as reliably as observers can. Set-type identification also had very promising results, but indicated that refinement of the methods is still needed. To be fully comparable with observer data, improvements for accurately estimating the bycatch will need to be developed in the application and use of the EM system. Operational aspects that need to be improved for an EM programme to be implemented include standardizing installation and on-board catch handling methodology as well as improvements in video technology deployment.


In this study we assess the effects of teaching fundamental programming concepts through a virtual reality (VR) block-based programming application and its impact on engagement. As a comparison study, participants played an existing desktop-based game (LightBot) and the developed VR game (LogiBot) covering similar gameplay mechanics and block-based programming. Initial results indicate that traditional desktop applications are currently more engaging than VR for teaching programming. We thus identify the need for careful design of interaction methods to support ease of use and reward factors to promote engagement in VR-based learning applications beyond the initial wow-factor.


This paper considers that the mechanism of input current-ripple on pulse-link DC-AC converter for fuel cells. And the reduction methods are shown. In general, fuel cells are weak about current ripple. The current-ripple damages to the fuel capacity and life span because the chemical reaction time when generates electricity is much slower than commercial frequency. Therefore, the input current-ripple reduction is essential factor in the DC-AC converter for fuel cells applications. In the conventional DC-AC converter topology, large smoothing capacitor is worked as the input current-ripple reduction. However, this large capacitor makes it difficult to reduce the size of DC-AC converter unit. Authors have proposed a novel topology called as pulse-link DC-AC converter. In this topology, a large capacitor for the smoothed DC power source is not needed because the first-stage boost converter provides boosted voltage pulse directly to PWM inverter. Instead, a series-connected LC circuit is inserted to reduce the input current-ripple. Furthermore, when duty ratio is controlled by sensing input current, input current-ripple is reduced less than 1 Amp.


An ultra-low voltage customized DC-DC booster circuit was developed using a LTC3108 converter, and used continuously on a flat-plate microbial fuel cell (FPM) system. The boost converter successfully stepped up the microbial fuel cell (MFC) voltage from ~0.5 V to 3.3 and 5.0 V of outputs. The designed circuit and system displayed the dynamic variations of the source FPM as well as the output voltage through the designed three connection points within the booster circuit. The source MFC voltage was interrelated with the booster circuit and its performance, and it adapted to the set points of the booster dynamically. The maximum output power density of the MFC with the DC-DC booster circuit was 8.16 W/m3 compared to the maximum source FPM input power of 14.27 W/m3 at 100 Ω, showing a conversion efficiency of 26–57%, but with a 10-fold higher output than that of the source voltage. The combined LTC3108 with FPM supplied power for electronic devices using synthetic and real domestic wastewater. This report presents a promising strategy for utilizing the electrical energy produced from MFCs, and expands the applicability of bioelectrochemical systems with an improved energy efficiency of the present wastewater treatment system.


Traditional breast conservative therapy (BCT) is lumpectomy, sentinel lymph node biopsy and possible axillary dissection, and radiation therapy. BCT is, as known and considered all over the world, is oncologically equivalent to mastectomy with regard to overall long-term survival rates. BCT is the recommended treatment of choice for women with early stages breast cancer. The main philosophy of BCT is optimizing cosmetic goals and minimizing the psychological morbidity of a mastectomy while ensuring low rates of local recurrence. Achieving an oncologically safe resection is maintained by tumor margin clearance. Ensuring an oncologic clearance with increasing tumor size requires extensive breast parenchyma resection. And this results in large volume resection and this requires volume replacement techniques. Depending on the amount of breast volume resected, an autologous tissue transfer may be required to achieve requirement of breast restoration. Latissimus dorsi flap and TRAM flap are two autologous tissues mostly used to fulfill this restoration. This chapter focuses on the TRAM flap, one of the most commonly used autologous tissue in volume replacement reconstruction of the mastectomy defect.


This study aimed to investigate the disruptive effect of Zinc nanoparticles and Zinc sulfate on the hematological indices of Capoeta capoeta gracilis and comparing the severity of two forms of this metal. For this purpose, 70 species of C. capoeta gracilis with 15±3.5 gr mean weight, were exposed for 14 days to sublethal toxicity of 5, 20 and 200 ppm toxicant concentration and one control group (no toxicant), both for zinc sulfate and zinc nanoparticles treatments with three replicate. There were no significant differences between aquariums in water quality and the following were constant: pH: 7.56 ± 0.45 (TS1); temperature: 19 ± 1°C; hardness: 293 ± 2.35 ppm and dissolved oxygen: 7.80 ± 1 mg L-1. Blood samples were taken after 14 days exposure for both nano and sulfate group. At the end of the experiment, a slight decrease trend in hematocrit, RBC, MCHC and hemoglobin observed when toxicant concentration increased in treatment tanks. In addition, Along with the decline of these parameters, MCV and MCH both increased in blood samples. Differences between nano and sulfate group was significant in 5 and 20 ppm concentration for hematocrit and RBC, and all concentrations for hemoglobin and MCHC. Furthermore, analysis of WBC showed that this parameter increased by concentration both in nano and sulfate group. Changes in WBC were significantly different between groups and zinc sulfate caused more tissue damage than nano zinc. In conclusion, this study showed that the severity of destructive effect on hematological indices were less in nano group. However, the mechanism of these changes in destructive effect is not recognized and needs further studies.


Payments to healthcare providers are often based on the number of patients they treat according to their particular health condition with well-known limitations. Payment based on health outcomes, a form of pay-for-performance, has long been advocated as a possible solution. This study adopts a contract theory approach and illustrates how it can inform practical implementation of pay-for-performance schemes that reward health outcomes. We first provide a simple but general model on the design of an incentive scheme that rewards providers for improved health, as a function of key parameters related to patient health benefits and provider costs. We then calibrate the model using data from two elective procedures, hip and knee replacement, using patient reported outcome measures. The pricing rule suggests that the bonus should be set to reflect the difference between the provider's marginal cost of a health improvement before the policy intervention and the provider's marginal cost evaluated at the target health set by the purchaser. We provide estimates of the optimal bonus for hip and knee replacement under a range of assumptions about provider cost functions and the value of health improvements. JEL: I11, I14, L13


Liquid-chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) is currently the method of choice for untargeted metabolomic analysis. The availability of established protocols to achieve a high confidence identification of metabolites is crucial. The aim of this work is to describe the workflow that we have applied to build an Accurate Mass Retention Time (AMRT) database using a commercial metabolite library of standards. LC-HRMS analysis was carried out using a Vanquish Horizon UHPLC system coupled to a Q-Exactive Plus Hybrid Quadrupole-Orbitrap Mass Spectrometer (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Milan, Italy). The fragmentation spectra, obtained with 12 collision energies, were acquired for each metabolite, in both polarities, through flow injection analysis. Several chromatographic conditions were tested to obtain a protocol that yielded stable retention times. The adopted chromatographic protocol included a gradient separation using a reversed phase (Waters Acquity BEH C18) and a HILIC (Waters Acquity BEH Amide) column. An AMRT database of 518 compounds was obtained and tested on real plasma and urine samples analyzed in data-dependent acquisition mode. Our AMRT library allowed a level 1 identification, according to the Metabolomics Standards Initiative, of 132 and 124 metabolites in human pediatric plasma and urine samples, respectively. This library represents a starting point for future metabolomic studies in pediatric settings.


Abstract Corticosteroids play an important role in the therapeutic approach to vitreoretinal disease. The Ozurdex® implant (DEX Implant 0.7 mg, Ozurdex®, Allergan Inc., Irvine, CA, USA) offers sustained release of dexamethasone in the vitreous cavity, and this novel drug delivery system has proven useful both in improving clinical outcomes and in reducing injection burden. While the Food and Drug Administration approves the use of the DEX implant in retinal vein occlusions and non-infectious posterior uveitis, its utilization continues to expand in its breadth of diversity across myriad vitreoretinal conditions. Additionally, modified injection techniques are evolving to improve the safety profile of the DEX implant in eyes that are often considered to have relative contraindications to its use, further extending its application. This review aims to evaluate the evidence supporting the expanding indications and injection techniques of the DEX sustained-release implant in vitreoretinal disease, and explores potential future indications for its use. Arenas for future research are also identified to further elucidate the precise role of the DEX implant in our current treatment model. Increased awareness of effective and safe uses of the DEX implant can refine our therapeutic approach to vitreoretinal disease and ultimately improve patient outcomes.


The gene and haplotype frequencies of the HLA-A and -B locus antigens were determined in 502 unrelated individuals from Cantabria (middle North Spain). Our results were compared with those reported for other European and Spanish populations. The haplotypes with significant linkage disequilibrium were also analyzed in various Spanish population samples in order to establish possible relationships with geographic situation and historical events.


Committee on Practice Bulletins—Gynecology. This Practice Bulletin was developed by the Committee on Practice Bulletins—Gynecology with the assistance of Alison Edelman, MD and Elizabeth Micks, MD. The information is designed to aid practitioners in making decisions about appropriate obstet-ric and gynecologic care. These guidelines should not be construed as dictating an exclusive course of treatment or procedure. Variations in practice may be warranted based on the needs of the individual patient, resources, and limitations unique to the institution or type of practice.


One hundred and sixty‐five patients presented in a 4‐year period; 68 (41·2 per cent) had had previous anorectal sepsis and in 56 of these patients (82·3 per cent) the presenting sepsis was at the site of the previous abscess. The abscesses were drained and pus was sent for culture; any fistula, if found, was laid open. A second examination under anaesthesia was performed within 7–10 days if no fistula had been found. The pus from 114 patients grew bowel‐derived organisms; 62 (54·4 per cent) fistulas were found. The pus from 34 patients grew skin‐derived organisms but no fistula was demonstrated in this group. It is suggested that a second examination need only be performed if culture of the pus grows bowel‐derived organisms; anorectal abscesses which grow skin‐derived organisms are not associated with a fistula.


Continuous hemodiafiltration (CHDF) has recently been used for treatment of severe acute pancreatitis. CHDF is capable of eliminating small molecules from blood, but whether trypsin can be eliminated by CHDF is not clear. In this study, elimination of trypsin-like enzyme activity (TLE) and cationic trypsin-like immunoreactivity (TLI) using low-volume CHDF was examined at the first CHDF session in eight patients with severe acute pancreatitis. CHDF was performed with a polysulfone hemofilter (membrane area, 0.7 m2) and nafamostat mesilate, a protease inhibitor and anticoagulant, at a blood flow rate of 100 ml/min and a filtration and dialysis flow rate of 10 ml/min each. Before beginning CHDF, plasma TLE was 3.41 ± 2.86 nmol/(ml·min), and TLI was 5,900 ± 9,008 ng/ml. The average plasma clearances of TLE and TLI achieved by the circuit during the 12-hour therapy were 56.7 ± 4.9 ml/min and 8.0 ± 7.2 ml/min, respectively. The average plasma clearance of TLI into the waste fluid was 2.4 ± 1.6 ml/min whereas TLE was below the measurable sensitivity. The plasma concentration of TLE and TLI remained unchanged. These results indicate that low-volume CHDF using nafamostat mesilate as an anticoagulant can increase trypsin plasma clearance. However, low-volume CHDF is not effective to eliminate the plasma trypsin concentration.


Abstract Conclusion: Nerve-muscle pedicle (NMP) implantation was effective in the recovery of atrophic changes in the denervated thyroarytenoid (TA) muscle in aged rats. Objectives: To evaluate the effects of NMP implantation on the denervated TA muscle in aged rats. Methods: Wistar rats aged 20 months and 8 weeks were respectively divided into two groups in which the left recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) was transected without (aged/young DNV group) or with (aged/young NMP group) NMP implantation. The aged DNV and NMP groups were further divided into two subgroups, based on the period after RLN transection (10 or 20 weeks). In the DNV groups, we assessed the area of muscle and the number of neuromuscular junctions (NMJs) histologically. In the NMP groups, we performed electromyography and histological assessments. For electromyography, we stimulated the transferred nerve and evaluated the muscle action potentials (MAPs) of the TA muscle. Results: The muscle areas in the aged NMP groups were significantly larger than those in the aged DNV groups. More NMJs were found in aged NMP groups compared with aged DNV groups. MAPs were seen in all NMP animals. No significant differences were observed between the aged and young NMP groups in histological and physiological assessments.


Large-scale, big-variant, and high-quality data are crucial for developing robust and successful deep-learning models for medical applications since they potentially enable better generalization performance and avoid overfitting. However, the scarcity of high-quality labeled data always presents significant challenges. This paper proposes a novel approach to address this challenge by developing controllable diffusion models for medical image synthesis, called EMIT-Diff. We leverage recent diffusion probabilistic models to generate realistic and diverse synthetic medical image data that preserve the essential characteristics of the original medical images by incorporating edge information of objects to guide the synthesis process. In our approach, we ensure that the synthesized samples adhere to medically relevant constraints and preserve the underlying structure of imaging data. Due to the random sampling process by the diffusion model, we can generate an arbitrary number of synthetic images with diverse appearances. To validate the effectiveness of our proposed method, we conduct an extensive set of medical image segmentation experiments on multiple datasets, including Ultrasound breast (+13.87%), CT spleen (+0.38%), and MRI prostate (+7.78%), achieving significant improvements over the baseline segmentation methods. For the first time, to our best knowledge, the promising results demonstrate the effectiveness of our EMIT-Diff for medical image segmentation tasks and show the feasibility of introducing a first-ever text-guided diffusion model for general medical image segmentation tasks. With carefully designed ablation experiments, we investigate the influence of various data augmentation ratios, hyper-parameter settings, patch size for generating random merging mask settings, and combined influence with different network architectures.


This paper proposes an active soft-switching circuit for bridge converters aiming to improve the power conversion efficiency. The proposed circuit achieves loss-less switching for both main and auxiliary switches without increasing the main switch current/voltage rating. A winding coupled to the primary of power transformer ensures ZCS for the auxiliary switches during their turn-off. A 350 W, 100 kHz phase shifted full bridge (PSFB) converter is built to validate the analysis and design. Theoretical loss calculations for proposed circuit is presented. The proposed circuit is compared with passive soft switched PSFB in terms of efficiency and loss in duty cycle. Keywords—Active soft switching, passive soft switching, ZVS, ZCS, PSFB.


Ergonomic interventions must be a local process that responds to the particular needs of local people. In view of the many constraints, a special attention is drawn to participatory ergonomics as an effective means of finding locally workable solutions. Recent experiences show that the best way to utilize its practical advantage is to focus on solutions. The practical steps in providing necessary support for participatory ergonomics should include (1) a good starting point for group discussion and subsequent participatory action based on locally achieved examples; (2) prioritizing different elements of the workplace by means of checklists of available solutions; and (3) making small improvements with a view to learning-by-doing through small wins. Good local examples that have been achieved in the given local conditions can show how improvements can be done in the local conditions and thus motivate people in making improvements. The next important step is to help the participants determine priority solutions by means of "action checklists" that list the available solutions. It is necessary to concentrate on those aspects in which both better working conditions and higher productivity are accessible simultaneously. They include operational, cognitive and organizational aspects. Through learning-by-doing, the participants must be able to base their judgement on the results of relative assessment of locally available solutions and to implement the chosen solutions. To sustain active initiatives of the participants, support and advice must be provided which are suitable for working in small groups, sharing experiences and identifying workable solutions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


REASONS FOR PERFORMING STUDY
Equine motor neuron disease (EMND) was diagnosed in 3 horses maintained on lush, grass-based pasture. This contrasted with North American studies which identified limited or no access to green herbage as an important risk factor for EMND.

HYPOTHESIS
Grazing horses that have an apparently adequate intake of pasture herbage to meet normal equine vitamin E requirements can develop EMND.

METHODS
Owners of 32 European horses diagnosed with EMND completed a questionnaire regarding intrinsic, managemental, nutritional and environmental factors that could potentially be risk factors for EMND, and also regarding clinical signs, treatments and case outcome. Plasma/serum vitamin E data for these horses were supplied by the veterinarians. No control population was studied.

RESULTS
Thirteen of 32 horses (termed the 'grazing' group) had part- or full-time access to grass-based pasture at the onset of EMND (median duration at pasture 12 h/day, range 3-24 h). Five of these horses were at pasture for at least 235 h/day at the onset of EMND, 2 of which were at pasture for at least 23.5 h/day throughout the year. Despite grazing, all these horses had a low vitamin E status. The remaining 19 horses resembled those cases reported from North America, in that they had no or limited access to pasture.

CONCLUSIONS AND POTENTIAL RELEVANCE
A diagnosis of EMND should not be discounted on the basis that a horse has access, even full-time, to lush grass-based pasture. Inadequate vitamin E intake was probably not the sole cause of either the EMND or the low vitamin E status in the grazing horses; the latter was probably the result of abnormal bioavailability or excessive utilisation of vitamin E.


In recent years, the widespread use of container technologies has significantly altered the interactions between cloud service providers and their customers when developing and offering services. The shift away from Virtual Private Server scenarios in Infrastructure-as-a-Service environments requires drastically changing the deployment strategies adopted by service providers. This also opens many questions on what information must be supplied by customers and how to improve the performance of user applications, especially in the case of communication-intensive applications. In this work, the authors propose the adoption of a new framework for Mesos Clusters that aims to improve the deployment strategies of communication intensive applications. Coope4M is based on the partitioning of the user application graph via the Isolation Index parameter obtained through user-knowledge on the degree of the communication between its components.


BACKGROUND
As new gene-related treatment options for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) are being developed, precise information about the patients' genetic diagnosis and knowledge about the diversities of natural history in DMD is vital.

OBJECTIVE
To obtain detailed insight into the genetic and clinical characteristics of paediatric DMD in Norway.

METHODS
94 boys with DMD, aged 0-18 years, were identified over a period of 3.5 years, yielding a national prevalence of 13.5×10-5 boys. 73 boys (78% ) were recruited to full genetic and clinical or limited (genetic only) evaluation.

RESULTS
Molecular analysis disclosed 64% deletions, 18% duplications and 18% point mutations. The mean age of diagnosis was 3.9±2.0 years. 78% were treated with glucocorticoids from age 5.8±1.5 years. 23 boys (35%) had lost ambulation at an age of 10.7±2.0 years. 17% were treated for left ventricular dysfunction from age 12.1±3.0 years and 12% had received night-time non-invasive positive pressure ventilation from age 13.0±2.5 years.

CONCLUSIONS
The distribution of mutation types and sites was similar to previous studies but with more duplications and fewer point mutations. Any genotype-phenotype correlations were not uncovered. The boys were diagnosed early but there is still diagnostic delay among boys presenting with late motor development. Glucocorticoid treatment was widespread, especially among the younger boys. The clinical results of this comprehensive nationwide study highlight the large variability of disease progression in DMD.


Our early work shows the reduction of feasible sampling period when sample and hold inputs (SHI) are used to convert a continuous-time non-minimum phase (NMP) system to a discrete-time minimum phase (MP) system, comparing to conventional zero-order hold. Consequently, high-gain discrete-time controllers can be designed and used to improve continuous-time NMP system performance since the resulting discrete-time system is MP. This paper demonstrates the performance improvements of a mini Segway robot through experiments utilizing a dual-loop control architecture. An inner-loop continuous-time controller stabilizes the mini Segway robot and the outer-loop discrete-time controller, designed based on the discrete-time MP system, is used to improve the overall system performance. Experimental results show that the mini Segway cart oscillation magnitudes are significantly reduced and its stability is also improved. This study also confirms the feasibility of implementing the SHI into a low cost microcontroller such as Arduino. That is, the additional computational load of SHIs is minimal.


A case of subclinical rubella reinfection during pregnancy with serologic findings in the offspring initially led to an erroneous diagnosis of fetal infection. Laboratory diagnosis of congenital rubella infection, based on finding hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) activity in immunoglobulin M (IgM) fractions of newborn's serum after sucrose gradient fractionation, was questioned when apparent IgM-HI activity was to be probably due to nonspecific inhibitors, which resulted from bacterial action on the beta-lipoprotein in the serum. These findings emphasize some pitfalls encountered in arriving at a diagnosis based soley on serologic data. This case also illustrates the importance of keeping serum samples sterile when performing serologic tests.


ABSTRACT Naidu, V.S., 2013. Estimation of near-field and far-field dilutions for site selection of effluent outfall in a coastal region—a case study. Site selection for release of industrial effluents is of prime concern for maintaining the quality of the marine environment. In this study, an attempt has been made to establish the prevailing ecological conditions and to suggest the suitable location for discharge of the effluents into the sea by using near-field and far-field models. Near-field dilutions were calculated using a buoyant jet model, whereas far-field dilutions were estimated using a two-dimensional numerical model. As a case study, the location of outfall is to be suggested to Vapi Waste and Effluent Management Company Ltd. (VWEMCL) for the release of treated effluents. At present, VWEMCL is discharging effluents upstream of the Damanganga estuary. As a result, the entire Damanganga estuary has poor water quality. Field studies conducted in 2009 suggested that the Damanganga estuarine segment is more polluted than coastal waters. Near-field model studies show that the effluent would attain 35–70 times dilution depending on the height of the water column if the release is made at the offshore location. A far-field model study revealed that the effluent would be diluted effectively with ambient currents, and the near ambient conditions would prevail at around 100 m distance. The effluent would move along the coast, and chances of reaching to the estuary are remote. Rise of the biological oxygen demand concentration to 2.9 mg/L above ambient is predicted at the release site. The water quality of Damanganga estuary would be restored to the preindustrial period once the outfall is commissioned.


Partitioned Bremer support examination of combined cladistic analyses indicates nodes at which the support from the partitions differs, and also identifies the location of character disagreement generated by the combination of data matrices. Significant character incongruence was found between mtDNA sequence data and adult morphological characters from three tribes of bee flies (Diptera : Bombyliidae : Anthracinae : Villini, Anthracini, Exoprosopini). Partitioned Bremer support quantitatively reveals the location of significant conflict between characters from the different partitions. Examination of several partitioned support measures show which characters contributed to the disagreement at that node. A very high value of increased support at another node occurred upon combination of the data partitions and was also examined using these support measures.


A first order algorithm for optimal control is used to solve optimal trajectories associated with aircraft applications including pursuit-evasion problems. To overcome the stability problems which occur in the algorithm, a convergence control technique is described in which a set of convergence control parameters is introduced. The effect of these parameters and how to choose them are discussed and demonstrated on optimal climb and pursuit-evasion problems. A fixed terminal time is assumed, although this is not a requirement. Numerical results are presented which illustrate the features of the algorithm, especially the ability to select different optimal solutions in the case of a nonunique solution.


Abstract.  This paper describes the use of model‐based geostatistics for choosing the set of sampling locations, collectively called the design, to be used in a geostatistical analysis. Two types of design situation are considered. These are retrospective design, which concerns the addition of sampling locations to, or deletion of locations from, an existing design, and prospective design, which consists of choosing positions for a new set of sampling locations. We propose a Bayesian design criterion which focuses on the goal of efficient spatial prediction whilst allowing for the fact that model parameter values are unknown. The results show that in this situation a wide range of inter‐point distances should be included in the design, and the widely used regular design is often not the best choice.


At 90% ulcerations of the lower legs are venously conditioned. Prerequisite for the development are a pronounced varicosis or thromboses of the deep veins which finally lead to the varicose symptom complex (edema, pigmentations, dermatosclerosis, congestive eczema and ulcus cruris). Prerequisite for healing is the removal of the varicose veins by operations or varicosclerosation and tight dressing for the prevention of edemas. The treatment of congestive dermatosis has to be performed according to the principles of the treatment of eczemas, in which case here and also in the therapy of ulcus cruris should be proceeded possibly bland, in order to avoid sensibilisations. These appear above all after the application of externa which contain sulfonamides, antibiotics, Peruvian balsam as well as preservation remedies. A strong dispensarisation helps to prevent recidivations.


This paper is the study for the directional solidification of the ingot through the thermal analysis simulation and structural change of casting furnace. With the results of thermal analysis simulation, the silicon as a whole has reached the melting temperature as the retention time 80 min. The best cooling conditions showed at the upper cooling temperature 1,400℃ and cooling time 60min. The fabricated wafers showed the superior etching result at the grain boundary than that of existing commercial wafers. The FTIR measurements of oxygen and carbon impurities were not in the critical value for solar conversion efficiency. The NAA analysis of metal impurities were also detected the total number of 18 different metals, but the concentration distribution showed no significant positional deviations in the same position from the top to the bottom.


. The purpose of this research is to examine the influence of implementation of International Financial Reporting (IFRS) on Financial Performance. This research test to compare before and after uses IFRS on Financial statement. This study purposes hypothesis that IFRS have positive influence financial ratio and firm size The population of this research is manufacturing of listed firms in Indonesia Stock Exchange in year 2007 and 2012. Sampling method used is purposive sampling. Binary Logistic regression used to be analysis technique. The final amounts of sample are 61 Result of this study show that IFRS have significant influenced on Operating profit margin, Market Value Book Value and Return of Shareholder Capital. IFRS have no significance on Leverage and Liquidity but have difference influence on firm size.


Biogenic lipids and polymers are surveyed for their ability to adsorb at the water–air interfaces associated with bubbles, marine microlayers and particles in the overlying boundary layer. Representative ocean biogeochemical regimes are defined in order to estimate local concentrations for the major macromolecular classes. Surfactant equilibria and maximum excess are then derived based on a network of model compounds. Relative local coverage and upward mass transport follow directly, and specific chemical structures can be placed into regional rank order. Lipids and denatured protein-like polymers dominate at the selected locations. The assigned monolayer phase states are variable, whether assessed along bubbles or at the atmospheric spray droplet perimeter. Since oceanic film compositions prove to be irregular, effects on gas and organic transfer are expected to exhibit geographic dependence as well. Moreover, the core arguments extend across the sea–air interface into aerosol–cloud systems. Fundamental nascent chemical properties including mass to carbon ratio and density depend strongly on the geochemical state of source waters. High surface pressures may suppress the Kelvin effect, and marine organic hygroscopicities are almost entirely unconstrained. While bubble adsorption provides a well-known means for transporting lipidic or proteinaceous material into sea spray, the same cannot be said of polysaccharides. Carbohydrates tend to be strongly hydrophilic so that their excess carbon mass is low despite stacked polymeric geometries. Since sugars are abundant in the marine aerosol, gel-based mechanisms may be required to achieve uplift. Uncertainties distill to a global scale dearth of information regarding two dimensional kinetics and equilibria. Nonetheless simulations are recommended, to initiate the process of systems level quantification.


We study numerically collisions between protons and H2+ molecular ions at intermediate impact energies by using the Classical Trajectory Monte Carlo method (CTMC). Total and differential cross sections are computed. The results are compared with: a) the standard one electron–two nucleon scattering, and b) the quantum mechanical treatment of the H+–H2+ scattering.


The innate immunity plays a critical role in host protection against pathogens and the pattern recognition receptors such as the Toll-like receptors (TLRs), are key mediators of the activation and regulation of this immune response. The function of TLRs in several human diseases has been investigated by comparing the incidence of disease among persons with different polymorphisms in the genes of TLRs suggesting that some of these polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to a spectrum of diseases. In this review we summarize studies of TLRs polymorphisms in human infectious and non-infectious diseases, allograft rejection and graft versus host disease because these findings have resulted in new opportunities to study the pathogenesis of disease, the events implicated in the allograft rejection, graft versus host disease and the development of novel therapeutic products specifically tailored to individuals.


Water availability is the main constraint limiting durum wheat production in many parts of the world. Knowledge of the phenotypic and genotypic relationship between grain yield and its various components is an important step in developing selection criteria under water stress environment. To assess the usefulness of some of the agronomic traits as indicators of grain yield, eighteen durum wheat genotypes were evaluated under water stress treatments induced at three growth stage together with a well-watered control in plastic pots during 2006/07 growing season. The water stress treatments used were continuous stress from tillering to physiological maturity (M1), stress from anthesis to physiological maturity (M2) and stress from grain-filling stage to physiological maturity (M3). The water levels were maintained in the range of 35-50% field capacity in the stress treatments while above 75% in the control treatment. Harvest index and grain-filling rate were positively associated with grain yield under all water regimes while number of kernels per spike and aboveground biomass yield were correlated with grain yield under water stress conditions only. Path analysis revealed that grain-filling rate and grain-filling period had high positive direct effect on grain yield under continuous stress from tillering to crop maturity and well-watered conditions. Aboveground biomass and harvest index had positive direct effect on grain yield under stress treatment from flowering through crop maturity. Similarly, grain filling rate and harvest index had positive direct effect on yield while biomass yield and kernel number per spike had high indirect positive effect on grain yield through grain filling rate and harvest index under water stress from grain filling to crop maturity. Therefore, selection for higher grain filling rate and longer grain filling period under optimal moisture supply to severe stress environment whereas higher biomass yield, harvest index and kernels per spike are expected to improve the yield of durum wheat under moderate water stressed environments.


CDS is a process used in many CCD readout systems to cancel the reset noise component that would otherwise dominate. CDS processing typically consists of subtracting the integrated video signal during a "signal" period from that during a "reset" period. The response of this processing depends therefore on the shape of the video signal with respect to the integration bounds. In particular, the amount of noise appearing in the final image and the linearity of the pixel value with signal charge are affected by the choice of the CDS timing intervals. In this paper, we use a digital CDS readout system which highly oversamples the video signal (as compared with the pixel rate) to reconstruct pixel values for different CDS timings using identical raw video signal data. We use this technique to develop insights into optimal strategy for selecting CDS timings both in the digital case (where the raw video signal may be available), and in the general case where it is not. In particular, we show that the linearity of the CDS operation allows subtraction of the raw video signals of pixels in bias images from those in illuminated images to directly show the effects of CDS processing on the final (subtracted) pixel values.


All cartoon illustrations differ in frames and individuals' understanding of their messages. This study examined three Nigerian daily newspapers: Daily sun, Vanguard and the Nation to ascertain the frames of Ebola cartoon, the perception of the cartoon by the audience, and the interpretation of the cartoon messages. The researcher situates his work on the "play theory" which asserts that we use the media for our satisfaction, and that media contents bring changes in our lives. Qualitative content analysis and focus group discussion methods were used as methodology of the study. The study covered a period of one month from August 1st, 2014 to August 31st, 2014. The findings of the study revealed that most cartoons on Ebola virus had the fear frames. Also, most of the audience couldn't interpret the cartoon messages due to lack of understanding of the drawings. It was recommended among others, that cartoonists should make their drawings less technical but simple for easy understanding by the audience.


This special issue highlights new developments in theory and coarse-graining in biological and synthetic macromolecules and membranes. Such approaches give unique insights into the principles and design of the structures, dynamics, and assembly processes of these complex fluids and soft materials, where the length and time scales are often prohibitively long for fully atomistic modeling.


It is conspicuous that the mainstream financial system in the EU is transforming into a sustainable financial system by a supra/national policy and institutional framework for meeting the goals of SDGs and the targets of the Paris Agreement for climate change together with Nationally Determined Contribution. However, Botswana or Sri Lanka has no such framework. Hence, a need of the hour has arisen to evaluate the sustainable finance policies in Botswana, Sri Lanka, together with the EU seeking insights from the EU's policy framework. Since sustainable finance is not a well-grown branch of the conventional mainstream financial system, the nature of the knowledge is produced by social constructivism based on the grounded theory and the theory is inductively developed for achieving the purpose of the research. The study found, among other things, that incorporating existing policies into the multiple ministries and affiliated institutions together with the current industry-led policy initiatives to manage ESG risks are not adequate. Hence it is recommended various insights to be taken into consideration by the policymakers to formulate a national framework for mobilizing public and private capital to meet the goals of sustainability.


The democratization of data access and the adoption of OLAP in scenarios requiring hand-free interfaces push towards the creation of smart OLAP interfaces. In this paper, we describe COOL, a framework devised for COnversational OLap applications. COOL interprets and translates a natural language dialog into an OLAP session that starts with a GPSJ (Generalized Projection, Selection, and Join) query and continues with the application of OLAP operators. The interpretation relies on a formal grammar and on a repository storing metadata and values from a multidimensional cube. In case of ambiguous text description, COOL can obtain the correct query either through automatic inference or user interactions to disambiguate the text.


We study the performance of quantum annealing for systems with ground-state degeneracy by directly solving the Schr?dinger equation for small systems and quantum Monte Carlo simulations for larger systems. The results indicate that quantum annealing may not be well suited to identify all degenerate ground-state configurations, although the value of the ground-state energy is often effciently estimated. The strengths and weaknesses of quantum annealing for problems with degenerate ground states are discussed in comparison with classical simulated annealing.


After reviewing major dualistic trends in Christianity, in another work, Satan: The Early Christian Tradition (Cornell University Press, Ithaca and London, 1991), Jeffrey Burton Russell concludes: "Christianity cannot be flatly defined as a nondualist religion, for several reasons. (1) The differentiation between monism and dualism is seldom clear in any religious tradition. Monist religions are often polytheist and often allow for manifestations of both good and evil in their gods. Sometimes this moral ambivalence is expressed in a struggle between "good" and "evil" gods, both of which proceed from the one divine principle; sometimes it is expressed in the two natures of one deity, such as the Hindu Kali, who is both destroyer and creator. At the opposite end of the spectrum, even an extreme dualist religion such as Mazdaism has some monist elements, the Mazdaists always assumed a predetermined victory of the good spirit over the evil one, and they frequently postulated behind the two principles of good and evil a single ambivalent principle that generated both. Few if any religions are purely monist or purely dualist. (2) Even when terms are redefined so that "dualism means a modified, mitigated dualism, Christianity is not simply a monist religion. Though Christianity has insisted historically upon the unity and omnipotence of God, it has granted great power to the Devil, God's opponent, a power not enormously less in degree than that granted by the Mazdaists to the evil Ahriman; it has held beliefs very similar to the Mazdaist idea that the cosmos was wracked by a struggle between a good spirit and an evil spirit. (3) Anthropological dualism has to be distinguished from cosmic dualism. Anthropological dualism is largely Greek in origin and was most sharply expressed in the Orphic belief in a tension between soul and body. Christianity drew upon this belief. (4) The struggle between Gnostic and less dualist factions in the first two-and-a-half centuries of Christianity cannot be read historically as a struggle between heresy and orthodoxy, since orthodoxy had not yet been defined. To image a struggle between church and antichurch at that time is to impose later theological ideas upon the period—and to take the polemics of some early writers too seriously. Both sides—or to be more accurate, the variety of sides— viewed themselves as Christian. Only gradually did one set of opinions win out over the others and become the accepted, orthodox, "Catholic" position. Early Christianity thus understood included views that were strongly dualist, and many early Christians who were not Gnostic


Summary. The study involved 115 pregnant women aged from 18 to 42 years in gestation 36-38 weeks of pregnancy. There have been evaluated the lipid profile, lipid peroxidation (LPO), nitrite levels in the blood and the degree of endogenous intoxication in pregnant women, depending on the severity of preeclampsia. It has been revealed that the physiological hyperlipidemia in pregnancy in preeclampsia becomes pathological and contributes to the accumulation of toxic products of lipid peroxidation. Increasing the concentration of lipid peroxidation products has a close relationship with the level of middle molecules and leukocyte index of intoxication, depending on the severity of preeclampsia. The results confirm the importance of these indicators for the diagnosis of endogenous intoxication, allow to think of the possible joining of inflammatory complications and reasonable approach to the selection of tactics of the treatment of these patients, ie, to conduct detoxification. Key words:


Nature has been an inspiration source to develop artificial hydrophobic surfaces. During the latest years the development of hydrophobic surfaces has been widely researched due to their numerous ranges of industrial applications. Industrially the use of hydrophobic surfaces is being highly demanded. This is why many companies develop hydrophobic products to repel water, in order to be used as coatings. Moreover, these coating should have the appropriated mechanical properties and wear resistance. In this work wear study of a hydrophobic coating on glass is carried out. Hydrophobic product used was Sika Crystal Dry by Sika S.A.U. (Alcobendas, Spain). This product is currently used on car windshield. To calculate wear resistance, pin-on-disk tests were carried out in dry and water conditions. The test parameters were rate, load and sliding distance, which were fixed to 60 rpm, 5 N and 1000 m respectively. A chamois was used as pin. It allows to simulate a real use. The friction coefficient and loss weight were compared to determinate coating resistance


propositional logic—both as a Boolean algebra and with the axiom system of Principia mathematica (without the associativity axiom)—, and the lower-order functional calculus. He outlines the methods of a consistency and completeness proof for the propositional cal culus and presents the basic concepts of the logic of relations, the theory of identity, and the theory of descriptions. He also includes a treatment of definitions by abstraction, and of other logical systems, and an historical sketch of symbolic logic, as well as a discussion of objections which have been raised by philosophical authors against symbolic logic. The whole is presented in a clear form, presupposing no knowledge beyond that of an acquaintance with the methods of elementary algebra.


Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths in the United States. A critical component of CRC care is post-surgical monitoring for cancer recurrence. Carcinogenicembryonic antigen (CEA) is a tumor marker for the clinical management of CRC which has the specific utility of monitoring post-operative disease recurrence. After surgery to remove cancerous tissue, the level of CEA in blood can be periodically monitored using an immunoassay. If the levels begin to rise above 6.0 ng/mL there is a high correlation with recurrence of the cancer. CEA, like many tumor markers is a glycoprotein and there is a significant body of work showing protein glycosylation is greatly affected by diseases such as cancer. We are investigating the CEA protein microheterogeneity in effort to improve its performance as a CRC biomarker. This poster presentation outlines our methods for glycoprotein characterization and includes qualitative and quantitative CEA glycoform data. CEA immuno-purified from cancerous liver was purchased from AbCam and processed without further purification. The purified protein was processed by SDS-PAGE on a 4-12% Bis-Tris NuPage gel (Invitrogen) in the MOPS buffer system. A second instance of the purified protein was deglycosylated with PNGaseF (New England Biolabs) and processed using the same SDS-PAGE conditions. The windows corresponding to the modified and unmodified proteins were excised and processed by in-gel digestion using a robot (ProGest, DigiLab) and Promega sequencing grade trypsin. The digested sample was analyzed by nano LC/MS/MS with a Waters NanoAcquity HPLC system interfaced to a ThermoFisher Orbitrap Velos Pro. Peptides were loaded on a trapping column and eluted over a 75µm analytical column at 350nL/min; both columns were packed with Jupiter Proteo resin (Phenomenex). The mass spectrometer was operated in data-dependent mode, with MS performed in the Orbitrap at 60,000 FWHM resolution and MS/MS performed in the dual linear ion traps. The fifteen most abundant ions were selected for MS/MS. Data were processed using bioinformatics tools and manually to identify and validate N-glycosylation sites and associated N-linked glycans. Glycoform quantitation was performed using High Resolution Accurate Mass (HRAM) and when necessary glycosites were confirmed using MS3 analysis. This presentation summarizes a workflow for the identification and quantification of protein glycoforms and shows the combination of immuno-purification, a targeted multiple enzyme approach and high resolution accurate mass data enables the accurate identification of N-glycosites and their glycoforms. The data from these experiments highlight the complexity of CEA glycoforms, for example a single N-linked glycosite on the peptide LQLSNGNR has over 30 associated glycoforms of varying abundance.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1267. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-1267


Ten, one year old male cattles with initial body weight of 150±10 kg were randomly divided into 2 groups and received concentrate at 14% CP (T1) and Yeast-Malate Fermented Cassava Chip (YMFCC) (T2). The cows were offered the treatment concentrate at 1 %BW and urea-treated rice straw was fed ad libitum. Means were compared using t-test. All animals were kept in individual pens and received free access to water. The results have revealed that replacement of YMFCC on feed intake was non-significantly different, while Average Daily Gain (ADG) and digestibility of nutrients were higher (p<0.05) in cattle fed YMFCC (T2) treatments than received concentrate at 14% CP (T1) (235 and 203 g/d). In addition, the ruminal pH, ammonia-nitrogen and blood urea nitrogen concentration were significantly different (p<0.05). The concentration of volatile fatty acid was significantly different especially the concentration of propionic acid was slightly higher in cattle receiving T2 than T1 (23.9 and 17.8 mol/100 mol). Supplementation of YMFCC (T2) could improve population of bacteria and fungal zoospore, but decreased populations of Holotrich and Entodiniomorph protozoa in rumen (p<0.05). The results indicate that supplementation of Yeast-Malat e Fermented Cassava Chip (YMFCC) as a replacement concentrate at 14% CP could improve rumen fermentation efficiency and digestibility of nutrients in cattle.


As per the World Population prospects (19th revision), in 2019 every 11th person (11% of the population) was aged 65 or older and by 2050 every 6th person (16% of the world population) will be aged 65 or older. This rapid growth in people aged 65 and above has and will continue to pose some health management concerns, especially in the elderly with chronic ailments. The need for care provision for the elderly has provoked an exploration of various solutions to address elderly care management. Non-pharmacological interventions that utilize technology, such as robotics, are solutions that have proven to prolong independence and delay the admission of elderly into assisted care facilities. This paper will explore the various types of robotic solutions that are currently available to offer elderly care. This study will look at robotic solutions that are humanoid, animal-like, and robots that do not resemble humans or animals and their applications in elderly care. The various applications of robotics and the respective types of robots utilized in the provision of care in elderly care will be discussed as well.


Hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B is difficult to treat and there is little long-term data for lamivudine treatment of severe acute exacerbation. We report a prospective, consecutive cohort of severe acute exacerbation of HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients treated by lamivudine between 1999 and 2004. All patients had respectively increased alanine aminotransferase and serum bilirubin to at least 10 and 2 times the upper limit of laboratory normal. Thirty-two patients were treated with lamivudine for 130 ±58 (range 48–217) weeks. Five patients had evidence of virological breakthrough (HBV DNA >10,000 copies/ml) during lamivudine treatment. The cumulative probability of maintained response without any virological breakthrough was 94% (95% confidence interval [CI], 86–100%) at year 1, 94% (95% CI, 82–100%) at year 2 and 71% (95% CI, 41–100%) at year 3. At the last follow-up visit, 31 (97%) lamivudine patients had HBV DNA <10,000 copies/ml. The prevalence of lamivudine resistance mutation was 1 in 32 patients (3%; 95% CI, 0–9%) at year 1, 1 in 17 patients (6%; 95% CI, 0–17%) at year 2, 1 in 9 patients (11%, 95% CI, 0–32%) at year 3 and 1 in 4 patients (25%; 95% CI, 0–67%) at year 4 of lamivudine treatment. In conclusion, extended lamivudine treatment is associated with a high maintained virological response and a low rate of drug resistance in severe acute exacerbation of HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B.


Abstract The sea surface microlayer (SML) is the uppermost layer of the water column that links the ocean and atmosphere. It accumulates a variety of biogenic surface-active and buoyant substances, including gelatinous material, such as transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) and Coomassie stainable particles (CSP), potentially affecting air–sea exchange processes. Here, we studied the influence of the annual cycle of phytoplankton production on organic matter (OM) accumulation in the SML relative to the subsurface water (SSW). Sampling was performed monthly from April 2012 to November 2013 at the Boknis Eck Time Series Station (Baltic Sea). For SML sampling, we used the Garrett screen, while SSW samples were collected by Niskin bottles at 1 m depth. Samples were analyzed for carbohydrates, amino acids, TEP, CSP, chlorophyll a (SSW only) and bacterial abundance. Our data showed that the SML reflected the SSW during most parts of the year, with changes mainly responding to bloom formation and decay. OM composition during phytoplankton blooms clearly differed from periods of higher bacterial abundance. Of all components investigated, only the enrichment of total carbohydrates in the SML was inversely related to the wind speed indicating that wind-driven mixing also affected the accumulation of OM in the SML during our study.


Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006

4732

Heterocyclic hydrazone derivatives reported hereby are structurally derives from alpha-(N)-heteroaromatic thiosemicarbazones (TSC). This new class of experimental antitumor agent was proven to be potent cytotoxic agents against murine and human tumor cell lines. In the present study, we have investigated 13 analogues from three series of HCHs (EPH52, EPH116, EPH135, EPH136, EPH278, EPH279, EPH280, EPH286, EPH289, EPH349, EPH350, EPH351, EPH369) by measuring in vitro anti-proliferative activity and in vivo antitumor efficacies. In vitro, these compounds showed excellent activity against a panel of murine and human tumor cell lines, including H460 human lung carcinoma, HT29 human colon carcinoma, and L1210 murine leukemia. The IC50 values of these compounds were less than 1.0 μM. These compounds also significantly inhibited the growth of H460, HT29, C8161 human melanoma, DLD-human colon carcinoma, and B16-F10 murine melanoma implanted in mice. The inhibitory effects on the growth of solid tumors varied from compound to compound, ranging from 40% to 80% over doses of 10 mg/kg to 60 mg/kg. In order to understand the mechanisms of action, three compounds (EPH278, EPH349, and EPH369) selected from three series were investigated more extensively with cellular and biochemical assays. Although the target has not been fully identified, it is possible that EPH278, EPH349, and EPH369 inhibit cell proliferation by blocking cell growth in the G0/G1 growth phase and leading to cell death by apoptosis. Our results also show that HCH compounds cause a reduction in CDK4 expression, leading to a G1 arrest in cell-cycle progression.


A static magnetic field (SMF) or the bioactive compounds that are found in foods are potential agents that can be used to support cancer therapy. Therefore, the aim of our study was to assess the impact of the SMF that are induced by neodymium magnets on the culture growth and antioxidant status of melanoma cells that had been treated with chlorogenic acid (CGA). The melanoma cells, the control and those that had been treated with CGA, were put in special magnetic test chambers that generated a 0.7 T magnetic field. The mRNA levels of the antioxidant enzymes were analyzed using RT-qPCR. The activity of SOD, GPx, and CAT was measured in the cell lysates. While the expression and activity of the antioxidant enzymes was inhibited relative to the untreated cells as a result of the CGA treatment (1 mmol/L), it was not after the CGA treatment in combination with an SMF. The demonstrated cytotoxicity of CGA (1 mmol/L) and its inhibition of the antioxidant enzymes suggests the usefulness of phenolic compounds as a supporting pharmacological treatment for melanoma. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Phenolic acids and their derivatives, which are the bioactive components of the human diet, are signal molecules that transfer information from the external environment that affects the level of gene expression in cells. This study suggests the usefulness of phenolic compounds as a supporting pharmacological treatment for melanoma and seems to be important for the development of experimental oncology.