Little is known about the effect of environmental heterogeneity on the spatial expansion of epidemics. In this work, to focus on the question of how the extent of epidemic damage depends on the spatial distribution of susceptible units, we develop a mathematical model with a simple stochastic process, and analyze it. We assume that the unit of infection is immobile, as town, plant, etc. and classify the units into three classes: susceptible, infective and recovered. We consider the range expanded by infected units, the infected rangeR, assuming a certain generalized relation between R and the total number of infected units k, making use of an index, a sort of fractal dimension, to characterize the spatial distribution of infected units. From the results of our modeling analysis, we show that the expected velocity of spatial expansion of infected range is significantly affected by the fractal nature of spatial distribution of immobile susceptible units, and is temporally variable. When the infection finally terminates at a moment, the infected range at the moment is closely related to the nature of spatial distribution of immobile susceptible units, which is explicitly demonstrated in our analysis.


Our purpose was to determine the factors that correlate with healthy older adults' intention to get tested for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) under 3 different hypothetical conditions: (1) if they noticed they were having memory problems; (2) if a family member suggested that they are having memory problems; or (3) as part of a regular medical examination. Older adults were recruited from the waiting rooms of 2 geriatrics outpatient clinics for face-to-face interviews regarding their interest in being screened for MCI. A short description of MCI adapted from The Alzheimer's Association's "Fact Sheet" was presented before asking about MCI testing. Multivariable ordinal regression was used to account for heavily skewed outcome data showing very high levels of interest in screening for MCI. The strongest, most consistent correlate across all of the intention measures was the desire to know as early as possible if one has Alzheimer disease. Another robust correlate was having had normal memory testing in the past. Older adults appear to have psychologically connected MCI to Alzheimer disease, but how well they understand this connection is not known and requires further study.


Since Pd–Ag alloys constitute a well known prototype binary alloy system, phase separation at the surface was not expected. However, we have shown direct evidence of surface-induced phase separation in Pd–Ag alloys using photoemission spectroscopy. This phenomenon is just the opposite of surface alloying between two miscible elements. The miscibility gap in this alloy near the surface is clearly observed in our core level spectra. The characteristics of this surface-induced phase separation have been probed over various composition ranges using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.


A photovoltaic system is highly susceptible to partial shading. Based on the functionality of a photovoltaic system that relies on solar irradiance to generate electrical power, it is tacitly assumed that the maximum power of a partially shaded photovoltaic system always decreases as the shading heaviness increases. However, the literature has reported that this might not be the case. The maximum power of a partially shaded photovoltaic system under a fixed configuration and partial shading pattern can be highly insusceptible to shading heaviness when a certain critical point is met. This paper presents an investigation of the impact of partial shading and the critical point that reduce the susceptibility of shading heaviness. Photovoltaic string formed by series-connected photovoltaic modules is used in this research. The investigation of the P-V characteristic curve under different numbers of shaded modules and shading heaviness suggests that the photovoltaic string becomes insusceptible to shading heaviness when the shaded modules irradiance reaches a certain critical point. The critical point can vary based on the number of the shaded modules. The formulated equation in this research contributes to determining the critical point for different photovoltaic string sizes and numbers of shaded modules in the photovoltaic string.


Lithopedion is a retained abdominal pregnancy that evolves to fetal death and calcification. Its management remains uncodified. Indeed, some authors recommend surgical treatment, while others recommend to wait. We report the case of a 46-year old woman presenting with a pelvic mass revealing a calcified abdominal pregnancy that had been evolving for 8 years.


Objective. The concept of skeletal muscle homeostasis—often viewed as the net balance between two separate processes, namely protein degradation and protein synthesis—are not occurring independently of each other, but are finely co-ordinated by a web of intricate signalling networks. Materials and methods. Using rodent muscle cell lines we have investigated TNF-α/IGF-I interactions, in an attempt to mimic and understand mechanisms underlying the wasting process. Results and conclusion. When myoblast cells are incubated with TNF-α (10 ng ml− 1) maximal damage (∼21% ± 0.7 myoblast death, p < 0.05) was induced. Co-incubation of TNF-α (10 ng ml− 1) with IGF-I resulted in cell survival (∼50% reduction in myoblast death, p < 0.05), however, myotube formation was not evident. In contrast, a novel role of IGF-I has been identified whereby co-incubation of muscle cells with IGF-I (1.5 ng ml− 1) and a non-apoptotic dose of TNF-α (1.25 ng ml− 1; sufficient to block differentiation) unexpectedly were shown not to rescue a block on differentiation but to facilitate significant myoblast death (p < 0.05). Interestingly, pre-administration of PD98059, a MAPK signal-blocking agent followed by co-incubation of 1.25 ng ml− 1 TNF-α and 1.5 ng ml− 1 IGF-I, reduced death to baseline levels (p < 0.05). We show for the first time that IGF-I can be apoptotic in the absence of TNF-α-induced cell death.


In the cathode ray tube (CRT), beam landing shifts on the phosphor screen mainly result from the thermal deformation of the mask frame assembly and deteriorate the color purity. The thermal deformation of the mask frame assembly is analyzed by using the finite element method (FEM) and the beam landing shifts are predicted. For a realistic analysis, the apparent thermal conductivity and the apparent elastic modulus are calculated and the shadow mask is modeled as a shell without apertures. All the parts inside the CRT are modeled and the each radiative effect is considered. Then finite element analysis is performed for transient thermo-elastic deformation of the mask frame assembly and the beam landing shifts are calculated. Experiments are performed for a 17" CRT to validate the FEM analysis. The temperatures of all parts inside the CRT and the beam landing shift on the panel are measured and the results are discussed in comparison with the results of the FEM analysis. From the study, we show that this analysis method can be applicable for designing a mask frame assembly of a CRT that results in a landing shift of the order of a few micro-meters.


We consider the problem of streaming packetized media over the Internet through an intermediate proxy server to a client, in a rate-distortion optimized way. The proxy employs a hybrid receiver/sender driven transmission scheme to communicate with both the media server and the client. Computing the optimal transmission policy for the proxy involves estimation of the probability that a single packet may be communicated to the client in error as a function of the expected redundancy (or cost) used to communicate the packet. We show how to compute this error-cost function, and thereby optimize the proxy's transmission policy.


This review summarizes our recent works concerned on the analysis of glycoprotein glycans. Glycoprotein glycans are highly complicated and have variations that number into the thousands. Therefore the method for their analyses should be carefully chosen according to the complexity and quantity of glycans in samples. To shorten the time for the preparation of labeled glycans from glycoprotein, we proposed two methods: PNGase F/NBD-F method enables the preparation of fluorescently labeled glycans from glycoproteins about 2 hr. A combination of a neutrally coated capillary and borate buffer eliminates the purification steps for the removal of excess reagents from the glycan samples for capillary electrophoresis. Partial filling affinity capillary electrophoresis using glycan-recognizing proteins such as lectins, glycosidases and immunoglobulins, was used for the structural analysis of glycans. The method was applied to the specific detection of NeuGc and α-Gal containing glycans known as the heterogenic antigens. Sensitivity of the detection of glycoprotein glycans separated by microchip-based electrophoresis was enhanced by in situ fabricated sufonate-type polyacrylamide gel. This method enhances the sensitivity by a factor of 10. In situ fabrication of lectin impregnated gels enables specific entrapment and analysis of glycans. Conversion reaction from fluorescently labeled glycans (1-amino-1-alditols) to free oligosaccharides will be helpful for the functional analysis of glycans.


Alternative land uses make different contributions to the conservation of biodiversity and have different implementation and management costs. Conservation planning analyses to date have generally assumed that land is either protected or unprotected, and that the unprotected portion does not contribute to conservation goals. We develop and apply a new planning approach that explicitly accounts for the contribution of a diverse range of land uses to achieving conservation goals. Using East Kalimantan (Indonesian Borneo) as a case study, we prioritize investments in alternative conservation strategies and account for the relative contribution of land uses ranging from production forest to well-managed protected areas. We employ data on the distribution of mammals and assign species-specific conservation targets to achieve equitable protection by accounting for life history characteristics and home range sizes. The relative sensitivity of each species to forest degradation determines the contribution of each land use to achieving targets. We compare the cost effectiveness of our approach to a plan that considers only the contribution of protected areas to biodiversity conservation, and to a plan that assumes that the cost of conservation is represented by only the opportunity costs of conservation to the timber industry. Our preliminary results will require further development and substantial stakeholder engagement prior to implementation; nonetheless we reveal that, by accounting for the contribution of unprotected land, we can obtain more refined estimates of the costs of conservation. Using traditional planning approaches would overestimate the cost of achieving the conservation targets by an order of magnitude. Our approach reveals not only where to invest, but which strategies to invest in, in order to effectively and efficiently conserve biodiversity.


Introduction: Baby-friendly hospital practices and family support are recognised to improve the chances of successful breastfeeding. The associations between support and maternal psychological state and breastfeeding problems are less explored. This study aimed to assess the influence of professional and family support on breastfeeding adverse events and postpartum depression at 2 weeks and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) status at 12 weeks postpartum, and to identify predictors of positive outcomes. Methods: 64 primiparous Malaysian mothers were interviewed face-to-face, at 2, 6 and 12 weeks post-delivery, to collect data regarding family support, hospital and infant feeding practices, breastfeeding problems and pain, maternal perceptions and depression. Logistic regression and correlation were used to ascertain associations between support and EBF, adverse events and postpartum depression. Results: Neither professional nor family support predicted EBF at 12 weeks. Eighty-five percent of the mothers received high family support, which was associated with lower depression scores (r=-0.36, p=0.005); higher depression scores were associated with more breastfeeding problems. EBF discontinuation before 12 weeks was predicted by maternal perception of insufficient milk supply (OR=8.96, CI=1.78, 45.18). Earlier breastfeeding initiation (r=0.26, p=0.04) and skin-to-skin contact (r=0.25, p=0.048) were associated with lower breastfeeding pain. EBF in hospital was correlated with fewer breastfeeding problems (r=0.31, p=0.01). Conclusion: Mothers with greater family support suffered from less depressive symptoms, which could lower the incidence of breastfeeding problems and prolong EBF duration. Skin-to-skin contact, early breastfeeding initiation and EBF in hospital were associated with less adverse events, thus better compliance with these Baby-Friendly practices is recommended.


Academics and practitioners have long worked to reduce negative mentoring experiences. Drawing on social cognitive theory and expectancy–value theory, we examined the link between mentors' perceived organizational support and protégés' negative mentoring experiences, shedding light on the mediating effect of mentoring self‐efficacy and the moderating effect of mentors' self‐enhancement motives. Results based on data from 260 protégés and 214 mentors in Chinese organizations supported our proposed hypotheses. Mentoring self‐efficacy mediated the negative relationship between mentors' perceived organizational support and protégés' negative mentoring experiences. In addition, mentors' self‐enhancement motives intensified both the negative relationship between mentoring self‐efficacy and negative mentoring experiences and the indirect impact of mentors' perceived organizational support on protégés' negative mentoring experiences via mentoring self‐efficacy. A discussion of the theoretical and managerial implications of these findings is included.


In our previous study, the level of parasitemia of the diminazene aceturate (DA)-resistant B. gibsoni isolate was continuously lower than that of the wild-type, indicating the possible alteration of energy metabolism in that isolate. Therefore, in the present study, the concentrations of ATP, glucose, lactate, and pyruvate, and the activities of lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase in the wild-type and DA-resistant isolate of B. gibsoni were measured and compared to investigate the amount of energy generation and the activity of the glycolysis pathway. As a result, the intracellular ATP and glucose concentrations in the DA-resistant B. gibsoni isolate were significantly higher than those in the wild-type. Meanwhile, the concentrations of lactate and pyruvate and the activities of lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase in the DA-resistant B. gibsoni isolate were not different from those in the wild-type. These results indicated that the DA-resistant B. gibsoni isolate contained a higher ATP concentration than the wild-type, but the activity of the glycolysis pathway was not altered in the DA-resistant B. gibsoni isolate. However, we could not determine the mechanism of the high energy production of the DA-resistant B. gibsoni isolate. Further studies on the energy metabolism of B. gibsoni are necessary to clarify the mechanism of the high energy production in the DA-resistant B. gibsoni isolate.


This paper proposes a semantic content analysis framework for reliable video event detection. In this work, we target to improve the concept detection results by feeding the learnt results from individual shallow learning models into a generic model to dig out of the similarities in deeper layers. Compared to the deep learning models, the shallow learning models are memorizing rather than understanding the features. The proposed framework tackles the issue in shallow learning by integrating the strength of Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) neural network. The low-level features are taken as the initial inputs for MCAbased models to abstract higher-level feature values. The output values further involve interaction in the neural network for better understanding. It earns the ability to put forward the arguments. The framework provides final decisions of video classifications by analyzing the decisions of every single frame from the network outputs. Keywords-Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA); Neural Network (NN); disaster information system; video concept detection


The right way to reveal the anthropogenic heavymetal accumulation in sediments is the most important issue in understanding the inorganic pollution in aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, the determination of anthropogenic sourced metal input in sediment and the toxic effect to all the ecosystems is extremely important. To determine these entries and effect, many methods have been developed and lots of limit values have been determined. This study performed aims to demonstrate the toxic effect and risk values of human-induced inorganic pollution more accurately, precision and detailed by collecting many different methods together. Thus, the most commonly used methods are grouped according to the similarities in the study. Therefore, it was provided to reveal the current situation of the study area the most truest and easily way by the researchers to select the most appropriate method. In addition,new studies to be carried out, it can be envisaged the time and financial loses to be perevented while providing to plan according to the classifications used here.


Background: Cdkal1 is a type 2 diabetes (T2D) susceptibility gene responsible for tRNALys modification. Results: CDKAL1 is a tail-anchored protein inserted in the ER via the TRC40/Get3 pathway. Its down-regulation affects the expression of some insulin granule proteins and the ER stress marker CHOP10. Conclusion: CDKAL1 participates in translation of insulin granule proteins and ER stress. Significance: Characterizing CDKAL1 contributes to T2D research. Genome-wide association studies have led to the identification of numerous susceptibility genes for type 2 diabetes. Among them is Cdkal1, which is associated with reduced β-cell function and insulin release. Recently, CDKAL1 has been shown to be a methylthiotransferase that modifies tRNALys to enhance translational fidelity of transcripts, including the one encoding proinsulin. Here, we report that out of several CDKAL1 isoforms deposited in public databases, only isoform 1, which migrates as a 61-kDa protein by SDS-PAGE, is expressed in human islets and pancreatic insulinoma INS-1 and MIN6 cells. We show that CDKAL1 is a novel member of the tail-anchored protein family and exploits the TCR40/Get3-assisted pathway for insertion of its C-terminal transmembrane domain into the endoplasmic reticulum. Using endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase H and peptide:N-glycosidase F sensitivity assays on CDKAL1 constructs carrying an N-glycosylation site within the luminal domain, we further established that CDKAL1 is an endoplasmic reticulum-resident protein. Moreover, we observed that silencing CDKAL1 in INS-1 cells reduces the expression of secretory granule proteins prochromogranin A and proICA512/ICA512-TMF, in addition to proinsulin and insulin. This correlated with reduced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Taken together, our findings provide new insight into the role of CDKAL1 in insulin-producing cells and help to understand its involvement in the pathogenesis of diabetes.


Arterial and venous thrombotic complications have being increasingly recognized as a major cause of mortality and morbidity in polycythemia vera. The risk can be increased with the treatment. Actually, we can not precisely evaluate the risk of previous venous and arterial lesions, however we have non invasive techniques that permit an accurate evaluation of the vascular bed in patients without recent thrombotic events. The ratio cost-efficacy of the vascular explorations has to be discussed according to the risk factors. In patients with a recent arterial thrombotic event, extensive vascular investigations are mandatory.


The aim of the present study was to examine to what extent classroom factors (i.e., classroom antibullying attitudes and behavioral norms) contributed to individual bullying, after controlling for individual difference characteristics. Participants were 2,547 early adolescents (M = 13.4 years, SD = .63) from 109 middle school classes. Self- and peer reports were used to answer the research questions. It was found that adolescents in classrooms that held permissive attitudes toward bullying were more likely to bully themselves, even after controlling for individual attitude, gender, social preference, and number of reciprocal friends. However, the association of classroom attitudes with individual bullying decreased substantially when classroom bullying behavior was taken into account. Our study suggests that the effects of classroom antibullying attitudes might be partly mediated by classroom behaviors. It implies that research that has not included classroom behavior might have overestimated the effects of classroom attitudes on bullying.


Why are firms often slow to adopt new profitable opportunities, even in the absence of informational frictions, fixed costs, or misaligned incentives? We explore three potential mechanisms: present bias, memory, and trust in other firms. In partnership with a financial technology (FinTech) payments provider in Mexico, we randomly offer businesses that already use the payments technology the opportunity to be charged a lower merchant fee for each payment they receive from customers. The median value of the fee reduction is 3% of profits. We randomly vary the size of the fee reduction, whether the firms face a deadline to accept the offer, whether they receive a reminder, and whether we tell them in advance that they will receive a reminder. While deadlines do not affect take-up, reminders increase take-up of the lower fee by 18%, and anticipated reminders by an additional 7%. The results point to limited memory in firms, but not present bias. Additional survey data suggests trust as the mechanism behind the significant additional effect of the anticipated reminder. Upon receiving an anticipated reminder from the FinTech company, firms value the offer more and accept it even if they generally distrust advertised offers. ∗Gertler: UC Berkeley, Haas School of Business; email@example.com. Higgins: Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Management; email@example.com. Malmendier: UC Berkeley, Department of Economics and Haas School of Business; email@example.com. Ojeda: Baruch College, CUNY, Zicklin School of Business; firstname.lastname@example.com. We thank Noah Forougi, Miguel Angel Jimenez, César Landı́n, Alexandra Wall, and Tiange Ye for research assistance. We are grateful for funding from the CEGA-Visa Financial Inclusion Lab and the Lab for Inclusive FinTech (LIFT) at UC Berkeley. IRB approvals: UC Berkeley IRB 2018-02-10796 and 2020-03-13091. AEA RCT Registry: AEARCTR-0006540.


The study addresses the influence of bumpers as reduction measures at the bridge decks. The considered devices are steel spring, steel spring with additional viscous damper or steel spring with additional friction element. Gap between bridge decks remains. The reduction measure is placed at one end of the neighbouring girders. The considered earthquakes are the 1994 Northridge earthquake and the 1995 Kobe earthquake. For the nonlinear analysis a finite element method is used. The investigation shows that compared to the other measures the best reduction of the pounding force can be achieved with a friction device.


Grizzly bears in the Yellowstone Ecosystem have met recovery goals, are recovered, and should be delisted.  Successful delisting under requirements of the Endangered Species Act requires meeting recovery goals and requires that adequate regulatory mechanisms be in place post-delisting so that the species will remain recovered. Acceptable mortality management including some level of sport hunting could be possible if science-based mortality limits to stabilize the population are carefully applied within the core management area post-delisting. Unfortunately, some agency administrators have removed necessary regulatory details about mortality management and wish to limit to limit the time period for application of the regulatory mechanisms that would be used to demonstrate recovery.  The same administrators have pushed for managed population decline inside core recovery area after delisting. Managed population decline in the core recovery area is scientifically indefensible for a species like the grizzly with such a low reproductive rate.  State administrators also removed any reference in the post-delisting management plan to the important fact that grizzly bears are a conservation-reliant species (Scott et al. 2010; Goble et al. 2012) and will require careful management in perpetuity. Ideologically based erosion of science and necessary regulatory mechanisms puts successful delisting at risk.  Such an approach does not serve: 1) the needs of the public who have been partners with the agencies in the achievement of recovery and who desire successful delisting to obtain increased management flexibility outside core areas; or 2) the conservation of grizzly bears who need public support to remain recovered.


It has long been known that exposure to a stressor may initiate progressive and long-lasting (or even permanent) functional changes in the central nervous system. They are manifested by an altered, decreased or increased responsiveness of the body not only to the generating stressor, but also to other unrelated stressors. Numerous experimental studies have shown that the sensitivity of the body to chemical stressors may be influenced by a prior exposure to nonchemical stressors, e.g., physical or psychological, and vice versa. The purpose of this work is to point out the implications of this observation for epidemiological and experimental studies on health effects of chemical exposure and for establishing the hygiene standards of exposure.


Applications of remote sensing are important in improving potato production through the broader adoption of precision agriculture. This technology could be useful in decreasing the potential contamination of soil and water due to the over-fertilization of agriculture crops. The objective of this study was to assess the utility of active sensors (Crop Circle™, Holland Scientific, Inc., Lincoln, NE, USA and GreenSeeker™, Trimble Navigation Limited, Sunnyvale, CA, USA) and passive sensors (multispectral imaging with Unmanned Arial Vehicles (UAVs)) to predict total potato yield and phosphorus (P) uptake. The experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications and six P treatments, ranging from 0 to 280 kg P ha−1, as triple superphosphate (46% P2O5). Vegetation indices (VIs) and plant pigment levels were calculated at various time points during the potato growth cycle, correlated with total potato yields and P uptake by the stepwise fitting of multiple linear regression models. Data generated by Crop Circle™ and GreenSeeker™ had a low predictive value of potato yields, especially early in the season. Crop Circle™ performed better than GreenSeeker™ in predicting plant P uptake. In contrast, the passive sensor data provided good estimates of total yields early in the season but had a poor correlation with P uptake. The combined use of active and passive sensors presents an opportunity for better P management in potatoes.


In this study we present the synthesis of Cu2ZnSnSe4 (CZTSe) nanoparticles by microwaveassisted chemical synthesis employing organic solvents. The effect of reaction time, reactant concentration, solvent and additives (inorganic material) was studied on the structural and optical properties of the nanomaterials. The powder samples were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results show that the synthesis performed with triethanolamine and deionized water is better than others solvents, producing nanocrystals of quaternary phase (CZTSe) with stoichiometric relations similar to the reported research in the literature, which falls in the range of Cu/(Zn+Sn): 0.8 1.0, Zn/Sn: 1.0 1.20. The nanoparticles of CZTSe synthesized in this study present desirable properties in order to use them in solar cell and photoelectrochemical cell applications.


Purpose of review Alzheimer's disease is most likely universal in older individuals with Down syndrome, due to having three copies of the amyloid precursor protein gene, resulting in amyloid-beta plaque deposition. Down syndrome is an important population in which to consider clinical trials of treatments to prevent or delay the development of dementia. However, assessment of subtler cognitive changes is challenging due to the presence of intellectual disability. Recent findings Recent research confirmed that older adults with Down syndrome often present with cognitive decline: more than 80% may experience dementia by age 65 years. Efforts have been made to improve and validate neuropsychological assessment and to describe the relationship with comorbidities such as epilepsy and haemorrhagic stroke. There have also been advances in biomarkers such as neuroimaging using amyloid PET. Summary Clinical trials of treatments, particularly in the presymptomatic phase of Alzheimer's disease, are important to consider in individuals with Down syndrome given their high dementia burden, and may also serve as proof of concept for other forms of Alzheimer's disease. However, further work is required to improve outcome measures and better understand the biomarkers of progression of disorder and their relationship with symptom development during the presymptomatic period.


Retinal vein occlusion (RVO) is a prevalent retinal vascular disease, second only to diabetic retinopathy. Previously there was no treatment for central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) and patients were simply observed for the development of severe complications, generally resulting in poor visual outcomes. The only treatment for branch vein occlusion (BRVO) was grid laser photocoagulation, which reduces edema very slowly and provides benefit in some, but not all patients. Within the past year, clinical trials have demonstrated the effects of three new pharmacologic treatments, ranibizumab, triamcinolone acetonide, and dexamethasone implants. The benefit/risk ratio is best for intraocular injections of ranibizumab, making this first-line therapy for most patients with CRVO or BRVO, while intraocular steroids are likely to play adjunctive roles. Standard care for patients with RVO has changed and will continue to evolve as results with other new agents are revealed.


This thesis presents a study of the importance of topoi for Science. It is argued that whenever the concept of space enters the practice of Science then formal (mathematical) theories should be interpreted in a topos of spaces. It is claimed that these topoi encode knowledge of space arising directly out of the needs of Science, in that the constitutive questions of the Sciences can be traced back to their leading knowledge interests and these determine the role of mathematics as a methodical device. In the Natural Sciences the constitutive questions involve the study of non-intentional objects, in terms of a causal nexus to be explained geometrically, and this facilitates the introduction of geometric objects as the methodical device for posing questions to Nature. Although the study of intentional subjects in the Human Sciences requires ordinary language, not mathematics, to pose questions to each other, secondary methodological objectifications permit a conception of geometric objects analogous to that of the Natural Sciences. Lawvere*s axioms for the gros and petit topoi illustrate attempts to formalise the idea of topoi of spaces, as a rational reconstruction of categories in which geometric objects satisfying the formal theories of Science can be found. The catalysing function of this knowledge of topoi of spaces can lead to a diagnosis of mathematical difficulties caused by a failure to align mathematical conceptions with these topoi. This is illustrated through Varela's use of self-reference in Biology and Atkin's use of algebraic topology in Social Studies.


The thesis takes a novel approach to the design and evaluation of technologies for archaeological fieldwork. As digital technologies are often developed or appropriated by archaeologists for the purpose of acquiring or improving the management of archaeological data, the thesis instead explores how digital technologies can benefit fieldwork teams by supporting communication and awareness. The thesis begins by demonstrating how the development of archaeological computing has resulted in a focus on developing or appropriating digital technologies that support the acquisition and management of archaeological data. Following this, the results of ethnographic field studies conducted at four excavation sites are discussed. These studies explored how archaeologists communicated on-site, their awareness of one another's activities, and their work practices around existing and novel technologies. The results of the ethnography are followed up with a technology probe conducted at a field school at Itchen Abbas, UK. The findings from these studies were subsequently used to derive design implications for a novel technology aimed at improving archaeologists' awareness and communication when working in the field. A prototype technology was then built, deployed in the field, evaluated and iterated upon, with a final evaluation conducted in the field. The first deployment promoted conversation, however some archaeologists found the visualisations complicated and difficult to interpret. A second deployment was therefore designed to address this. When re-deployed, archaeologists spent a large amount of time discussing the intervention, and also re-appropriated it for playful interaction.


Well-known portrait photographer Maria von Matthiessen (1944-2001) took this picture of Dr. DeBakey as part of a series she
 did in 1984-1985 titled "Great Texas Faces." Besides DeBakey, her subjects included notable Texans such as Lady Bird
 Johnson, then-Vice President George H. W. Bush, H. Ross Perot, and Dallas Cowboys coach Tom Landry. The photos were also published
 as a book with the same title in 1985.


Multiple data types naturally co-occur when describing real-world phenomena and learning from them is a long-standing goal in machine learning research. However, existing self-supervised generative models approximating an ELBO are not able to fulfill all desired requirements of multimodal models: their posterior approximation functions lead to a trade-off between the semantic coherence and the ability to learn the joint data distribution. We propose a new, generalized ELBO formulation for multimodal data that overcomes these limitations. The new objective encompasses two previous methods as special cases and combines their benefits without compromises. In extensive experiments, we demonstrate the advantage of the proposed method compared to state-of-the-art models in self-supervised, generative learning tasks.


Chaotic transport in Hamiltonian systems is often restricted due to the presence of partial barriers, leading to a limited flux between different regions in phase space. Typically, the most restrictive partial barrier in a 2D symplectic map is based on a cantorus, the Cantor set remnants of a broken 1D torus. For a 4D symplectic map, we establish a partial barrier based on what we call a cantorus-NHIM-a normally hyperbolic invariant manifold with the structure of a cantorus. Using a flux formula, we determine the global 4D flux across a partial barrier based on a cantorus-NHIM by approximating it with high-order periodic NHIMs. In addition, we introduce a local 3D flux depending on the position along a resonance channel, which is relevant in the presence of slow Arnold diffusion. Moreover, for a partial barrier composed of stable and unstable manifolds of a NHIM, we utilize periodic NHIMs to quantify the corresponding flux.


Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore the lived experiences of young women with type 1 diabetes and the ways in which their self-management of their illness may influence their perceived sense of self. Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 7 women aged 18 to 22 years who had been formally given a diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim, and subsequent member checks were completed. Returned member checks and transcriptions were then analyzed using a form of thematic analysis. Results: Three main themes emerged from the data including (1) "I just want to be more free, I guess"; (2) "It's just, like another part of me"; and (3) "I just kind of want to be normal, like I don't even have diabetes." A number of subthemes within each theme were also identified. Discussion: Findings indicated that many aspects of the young women's day-to-day illness management routine impacted the way in which they viewed themselves. Key aspects that were identified by these women included issues with wanting to feel more free in terms of how they self-manage, trying to stay positive, and wanting to be normal, yet feeling as though they are still different from their peers.


Background: Down syndrome (DS) is a disorder which has conditions that may contribute to the developmental defects of enamel (DDE) etiologies. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of DDE among children with DS. Methods: This study cross-sectional observational study examined a total of 88 children with DS and 87 healthy children. A modified DDE index for screening surveys was employed in this regard. Demarcated opacities, diffuse opacities, dysplasia, and combinations between types were recorded, and finally, data were analyzed by chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests using SPSS software. Results: The prevalence of enamel defects in DS and control groups was obtained as 45% and 34%, respectively, with no statistically significant differences between the groups (P=0.139). The mean number of teeth with DDE was 2.48±3.79 and 1.09±2.11 in the DS and control groups, respectively. Based on the results, statistically significant differences were found between DDE means (P=0.009). Demarcated opacities were the most frequent type of enamel defects in both groups. Eventually, a statistically significant relationship was observed between diffuse opacities and DS (P=0.000). Conclusions: In general, DS had no influence on DDE prevalence; however, it increases affected dental units. Diffuse opacities are more frequent among children with DS compared to healthy children. Further studies are required on the DDE prevalence in Syria.


The histology is one of the most important disciplines for studying of organic tissues such as the placenta, umbilical cord and related structures which has been poorly studied in mammals, mainly in domestic animals. The umbilical cord, connection between fetus and mother, is one of the most important anatomical structures related to the development of the animal during their stage of formation due to its participation as responsible of the exchange of nutrients and protection of the structural vessels. There are several researches which have described anatomic, histological, immunohistochemical characteristics of the main constituents of the umbilical cord in wild and domestic animals due to its importance in the maintaining of the fetus during their development. The present chapter recompiles and describes the majority of researches about histological characteristics of the constituents of the umbilical cord included images and graphics that improve the understanding about the histological main differences found among mammals and also, this review aims to be a great helpful for the pathologist, surgeons and staff dedicated to reproduction and research about stem cells, this last considered one of the fields of special interest since some years ago in veterinary medicine.


Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have been considered as a novel material because their electronic and optoelectronic properties can be tuned by controlling the size and the functional groups of GQDs. Here we report the synthesis of reduction-controlled GQDs and their application to bulk heterojunction (BHJ) solar cells with enhanced power conversion efficiency (PCE). Three different types of GQDs--graphene oxide quantum dots (GOQDs), 5 h reduced GQDs, and 10 h reduced GQDs--were tested in BHJ solar cells, and the results indicate that GQDs play an important role in increasing optical absorptivity and charge carrier extraction of the BHJ solar cells. The enhanced optical absorptivity by rich functional groups in GOQDs increases short-circuit current, while the improved conductivity of reduced GQDs leads to the increase of fill factors. Thus, the reduction level of GQDs needs to be intermediate to balance the absorptivity and conductivity. Indeed, the partially reduced GQDs yielded the outstandingly improved PCE of 7.60% in BHJ devices compared to a reference device without GQDs (6.70%).


Two patients aged 47 and 48 years respectively were found to have associated immunity disorders: myasthenia and DLE in the first case, and erythroblastic anemia, myasthenia, a lupus syndrome, and a thymoma in the second case. The association of myasthenia and DLE has been reported 39 times in the published literature (20 times only if stricter biological criteria are applied). The association does not increase the severity of the patient's condition and a thymoma is not present more frequently. Studies on the major histocompatibility complex and lymphocyte levels are still insufficient in this context: the haplotype was HLA A1 B8 in three cases out of seven. The physiopathological data available cannot confirm the possibility of a common pathogenesis in which the thymus and lymphocytes could play a determining role.


The thenar and hypothenar muscles as well as their supplying nerves were analyzed with an improved dissecting method. Among the four thenar muscles, the m. abductor pollicis brevis (AbPB) has a separate muscle belly, whereas the m. opponens pollicis (OP), the superficial and deep heads of the flexor pollicis brevis (sFPB and dFPB), and the adductor pollicis (AdP) are fused with each other to make a single mass (deep thenar muscle group). These muscles are innervated by branches of the recurrent nerve and the accessory recurrent nerve from the median nerve as well as by terminal branches of the deep branch (ramus profundus) of the ulnar nerve. These three nerves frequently form a loop within the deep thenar muscle group (thenar loop), and a branch to the OP and one to deep parts of the sFPB often make a smaller loop (intrathenar loop), whereas the AbPB receives a separate nerve branch. Among the hypothenar muscle, the m. abductor digiti minimi and the m. flexor digiti minimi brevis are fused with each other, and their supplying nerves frequently form a loop in these muscles (intrahypothenar loop), whereas the m. opponens digiti minimi is separated from the others and receives a separate nerve branch. In the distribution pattern of supplying nerves to the thenar and hypothenar muscles, we find regularities in that they branch off in a regular manner from the ulnar and the median nerve, and that nerve branches to those muscles with fused bellies frequently communicate with each other to make loops.


Whistler-mode chorus emissions are frequently observed in the inner magnetosphere during geomagnetically disturbed periods on the dawn and noon side magnetosphere. The waves have been considered as an important driver of the dynamics of inner magnetosphere. Resonant interactions of energetic electrons with chorus emissions result in flux enhancement of relativistic electrons in the outer radiation belt. On the other hand, the waves responsible for pitch angle scattering of electrons in the wide energy range from keV up to MeV range via pitch angle scattering. Previous studies show that chorus wave activities are correlated well with amount of energetic electron precipitations at low altitudes [Lam et al., 2010], and derive global intensity distributions of chorus waves during some events [Li et al., 2014; Chen et al., 2014]. It is possible that chorus wave intensity is constructed in global sense from the global map of precipitating electron fluxes. In this study we statistically investigate global distributions of > 30 keV precipitating electron fluxes observed by low-altitude POES satellites as a function of L, MLT, and Kp index. The distributions are compared with those of chorus wave intensity derived from the THEMIS satellites, and relationship between chorus wave intensity is parameterized as a function of L, MLT, and Kp index. Based on the parameterization, we successively construct global distributions of chorus wave intensity, and prediction of global chorus wave intensity variations is possible in cooperation with forecast of Kp index. In this presentation, we show the methodology of our analysis, obtained results, their performance to construct global distributions of chorus wave intensity, and its application to future research in the inner magnetosphere.


We present first-principles calculation for the behavior of antimony telluride under stress. We focus on the calculation of transport properties for pure Sb2Te3 and the investigation of stress-induced defects. Our transport calculations were done within first-principles using the linearized-augmented plane-wave method, where we first calculated the transport distribution for several stress conditions. Next, using these stress dependent transport distributions, we derived the stress dependence of the electrical conductivity, the Seebeck coefficient, and the power factor. Our calculations for the stress-induced defects were done utilizing a pseu-dopotential method and confining ourselves to the antisite defect. In all cases, our results are in good agreement with experimentally obtained data. Furthermore, we found that hydrostatic pressure does not improve the power factor, while, on the other hand, a large increase under uniaxial stress can be observed. Also, both hydrostatic pressure and uniaxial stress are found to lower the formation energies of the antisite defects, suggesting a structural transition at high pressures.


Trisomy 21 (Ts21) is the most common live-born human aneuploidy; it results in a constellation of features known as Down's syndrome (DS). Ts21 is the most frequent cause of congenital heart defects and the leading genetic cause of mental retardation. To investigate the gene dosage effects of an extra copy of human chromosome 21 (Chr 21) on various phenotypes, we used microcell-mediated chromosome transfer to create embryonic stem (ES) cells containing Chr 21. ES cell lines retaining Chr 21 as an independent chromosome were used to produce chimeric mice with a substantial contribution from Chr 21-containing cells. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and PCR-based DNA analysis revealed that Chr 21 was substationally intact but had sustained a small deletion. The freely segregating Chr 21 was lost during development in some tissues, resulting in a panel of chimeric mice with various mosaicism as regards retention of the Chr 21. These chimeric mice showed a high correlation between retention of Chr 21 in the brain and impairment in learning or emotional behavior by open-field, contextual fear conditioning and forced swim tests. Hypoplastic thymus and cardiac defects, i.e. double outlet right ventricle and riding aorta, were observed in a considerable number of chimeric mouse fetuses with a high contribution of Chr 21. These chimeric mice mimic a wide variety of phenotypic traits of DS, revealing the utility of mice containing Chr 21 as unique models for DS and for the identification of genes responsible for DS.


Wireless spoofing attacks are occurs easily and reduce the networks performance. The node identity is verified by cryptographic authentication, due to requirements overhead conventional security approaches are not always suitable. In my paper, I propose to use spatial information, as the basis for detecting spoofing attacks, determining the number of attackers when multiple enemies masquerading as the same node identity and localizing more than one enemies. I propose to use the spatial correlation of received signal strength to detect the spoofing attacks. I then determine the number of attackers. I used Cluster-based mechanisms determine the number of attackers. The Support Vector Machines method used to increase the accuracy of determining the number of attackers. Integrated detection and localization system is used to localize the more than one attackers. I evaluated my techniques using the both an 802.11 network and an 802.15.4 network. When determining the number of attackers by using my method the result attain more than ninety percent hit rate. My localization results using algorithms provide high accuracy of localizing more than one enemies.


Nonlinear absorption of the organic material Zn-tetrabenzoporphin-crotonicacid-phenoxy resin (ZnTBP-CA-PhR) in the donor-acceptor energy-transfer (DA-ET) system is investigated by the irradiation of Ar+ laser on its solid film. A reverse saturable absorption and an enhanced second reverse saturable absorption called the rereverse saturable absorption are observed in a visible wavelength range. The high performance of optical limiting of the sample possessing low input threshold and an over 95% linear transmission ratio are observed. The physical mechanism of rereverse saturable absorption is analysed by a five-level rate-equation simulating. According to the Huygens wave diffraction principle and the combination of Kerr effect, thermo-optic effect and optical absorption variation, a mathematical model for the optical limiting of ZnTBP-CA-PhR film limiter is established and the theoretical simulating gives a good agreement with the experimental results.


Three novel ivabradine hydrochloride (IH) selective electrodes were investigated with dioctylphthalate (DOP) as a plasticizer in a polymeric matrix of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Sensor 1 was fabricated using tetrakis(4-chlorophenyl)borate (TpClPB) as an anionic exchanger without incorporation of an ionophore. Sensors 2 and 3 were constructed using 4-tertary butyl sulfocalix-8-arene and 2-hydroxypropyl β-cyclodextrin as an ionophore. Linear responses of IH within the concentration ranges of 10−5 to 10−2 mol L−1 were obtained using sensors 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Near Nernstian slopes of 56.39, 56.1.50 and 57.7 mV/decade over the pH range of 4–8 were observed. The selectivity coefficients of the developed sensors indicated excellent selectivity for IH. The proposed sensors displayed useful analytical characteristics for the determination of IH in bulk powder, pharmaceutical formulation and biological fluids (plasma, homogenized rat heart tissue).


As a discipline, "Islamic studies" has attracted serious attention by a number of institutions of higher learning in predominantly nonMuslim societies. While southern Africa's communities witnessed the inclusion of "Islam" as a subject in the faculties of theology at various regional universities as well as Christian seminaries, Muslim communities have clamored for the appointment of Muslim staff at universities to teach courses on Islam. On the whole, these educational developments bode well for the teaching and studying of Islam regionally, even though the purpose and objectives for doing so differ radically from one institution to the other. This essay first seeks to offer a brief insight into the teaching of "Islam" as a subject in theological/oriental/religious studies programs; it thereafter reflects upon "Islamic studies" as a social science discipline that has been included in the social science and humanities syllabus. It focuses on the BA Honors program to show the themes chosen for these programs and how scholars redesigned and changed these programs to meet modern needs. Apart from using "social change" as its theoretical framework, it also brings en passantinto view the insider/outsider binary that further frames the debates regarding the teaching and studying of Islam at these institutions in southern Africa generally and South Africa in particular.


Objectives Universally offered child health reviews form the backbone of the UK child health programme. The reviews assess children's health, development and well-being and facilitate access to additional support as required. The number of reviews offered per child has been reduced over recent years to allow more flexible provision of support to families in need: equitable coverage of the remaining reviews is therefore particularly important. This study assessed the coverage of universal child health reviews, with an emphasis on trends over time and inequalities in coverage by deprivation. Design Assessment of the coverage of child health reviews by area-based deprivation using routinely available data. Supplementary audit of the quality of the routine data source used. Setting Scotland. Participants Two cohorts of around 40 000 children each. The cohorts were born in 1998/1999 and 2007/2008 and eligible for the previous programme of five and the current programme of two preschool reviews, respectively. Outcome measures Coverage of the specified child health reviews for the whole cohorts and by deprivation. Results Coverage of the 10 day review is high (99%), but it progressively declines for reviews at older ages (86% for the 39–42 month review). Coverage is lower in children living in the most deprived areas for all reviews, and the discrepancy progressively increases for reviews at older ages (78% and 92% coverage for the 39–42 month review in most and least deprived groups). Coverage has been stable over time: it has not increased for the remaining reviews after reduction in the number of reviews provided. Conclusions The inverse care law continues to operate in relation to 'universal' child health reviews. Equitable uptake of reviews is important to ensure maximum likely impact on inequalities in children's outcomes.


Integration of noble metal nanoparticles with proteins offers promising potential to create a wide variety of biosensors that possess both improved selectivity and versatility. The multitude of functionalities that proteins offer coupled with the unique optical properties of noble metal nanoparticles can allow for the realization of simple, colorimetric sensors for a significantly larger range of targets. Herein, we integrate the structural protein collagen with 10 nm gold nanoparticles to develop a protein-nanoparticle conjugate which possess the functionality of the protein with the desired colorimetric properties of the nanoparticles. Applying the many interactions that collagen undergoes in the extracellular matrix, we are able to selectively detect both glucose and heparin with the same collagen-nanoparticle conjugate. Glucose is directly detected through the cross-linking of the collagen fibrils, which brings the attached nanoparticles into closer proximity, leading to a red-shift in the LSPR frequency. Conversely, heparin is detected through a competition assay in which heparin-gold nanoparticles are added to solution and compete with heparin in the solution for the binding sites on the collagen fibrils. The collagen-nanoparticle conjugates are shown to detect both glucose and heparin in the physiological range. Lastly, glucose is selectively detected in 50% mouse serum with the collagen-nanoparticle devices possessing a linear range of 3–25 mM, which is also within the physiologically relevant range.


The paper provides the first detailed account on the taxonomic richness of the subterranean freshwater triclads from Sardinia, including the description of four new species for the genera Dendrocoelum and Phagocata. New records for Dugesia benazzii, Dugesia sp., Crenobia alpina, and Phagocata sp. are also reported. The three new species of Dendrocoelum are the first reported for the island of Sardinia. These species display a bursal canal sphincter and a large adenodactyl with a characteristic anatomy with a zone of fine circular muscle fibers running through the mesenchyme of its papilla. A detailed analysis of the structure of the penial flagellum in the genus Dendrocoelum highlighted six main conditions, some of which have not been previously reported, in regard to the histology of the tip of the penis papilla and the extent of its inversion. The new species of Phagocata represents the first species recorded from Italy and the first anophtalmous species reported from Europe.


Herbert A. Simon and Alan Newell won the Turing Award jointly in Computer Science for foundational work on Artificial Intelligence. Simon also won the Nobel Prize in Economics for the concept of "bounded rationality." In both cases, the same heuristic was deemed fundamental: "Search till a satisfactory solution is found." We argue that behavioral strategy can learn a great deal from the Theory of Computational Complexity and Artificial Intelligence. These fields can provide a sounder theoretical grounding for bounded rationality and for the necessity and usefulness of heuristics. Finally, a concept of "organizational intractability" based roughly on the metaphor provided by the Theory of Computational Complexity may be useful in determining what analytical decision technologies are actually intractable in real organizations with constraints on time and managerial attention.


One of the largest causes of mortality worldwide is cancer. Increasing interest and research on herbal medicine have revealed its importance in treating many diseases including cancer. The present study was carried out to evaluate the antitumor activity of methanol extract of Cucurbita maxima Duchesne aerial parts (MECM) on Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) model in mice. After inoculation of EAC cells into mice, treatment with MECM (200 and 400 mg/kg) and standard drug 5-Fluorouracil (20 mg/kg) were continued for 9 days. Evaluation of the effect of drug response was made by the study of tumor growth response including increase in life span, study of hematological parameters, biochemical estimations, antioxidant assay of liver tissue and in vitro cytotoxicity. Experimental results revealed that C.maxima possesses significant anticancer activity which may be due to its cytotoxicity and antioxidant properties. Further research is going on to find out the active principle(s) of MECM for its anticancer activity.


In a developing country like India, with limited resources and access to healthcare facilities, dealing with massive hemorrhage is a major challenge. This challenge gets compounded by pre-existing anemia, hemostatic disorders, and logistic issues of timely transfer of such patients from peripheral hospitals to centers with adequate resources and management expertise. Despite the awareness amongst healthcare providers regarding management modalities of bleeding patients, no uniform Patient Blood Management (PBM) or perioperative bleeding management protocols have been implemented in India, yet. In light of this, an interdisciplinary expert group came together, comprising of experts working in transfusion medicine, hematology, obstetrics, anesthesiology and intensive care, to review current practices in management of bleeding in Indian healthcare institutions and evaluating the feasibility of implementing uniform PBM guidelines. The specific intent was to perform a gap analysis between the ideal and the current status in terms of practices and resources. The expert group identified interdisciplinary education in PBM and bleeding management, bleeding history, viscoelastic and platelet function testing, and the implementation of validated, setting-specific bleeding management protocols (algorithms) as important tools in PBM and perioperative bleeding management. Here, trauma, major surgery, postpartum hemorrhage, cardiac and liver surgery are the most common clinical settings associated with massive blood loss. Accordingly, PBM should be implemented as a multidisciplinary and practically applicable concept in India in a timely manner in order to optimize the use the precious resource blood and to increase patients' safety.


The study examined the effect of board diligence on financial performance of deposit money banks (DMBs) listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange. Data of the 10 selected DBMs were obtained from their annual financial statements from 2012 to Wasiu Abiodun Sanyaolu, Babatunde Titus Adejumo, Idris Kadiri 146 2018 using an ex post facto research design and purposive sampling technique. The data were analysed using inferential statistics and the hypothesis was tested using Generalised Method of Moment (GMM). It was found that board diligence has significant negative effect on financial performance of Nigerian listed DBMs. As regards the controlled variables, only capital adequacy and firm size were found to positively and significantly influence financial performance. Liquidity ratio was found to have direct but no significant effect on financial performance while nonperforming loan negatively and insignificantly affect financial performance. The study concludes that board diligence reduces financial performance. It is therefore recommended that preference should be given to the quality of board meetings and not the frequency of such meetings; and that issues that have implications on performance should be given utmost attention at board meetings.


A novel halovirus, VOLN27B, was isolated from a drill core sample taken at a depth of approximately 430 m, from a layer formed during the Cretaceous period (Anhui, China). VOLN27B infects the halophilic archaeon Halorubrum sp. LN27 and has a head-tailed morphotype with a contractile tail, typical of myoviruses. The average head diameter is 64 ± 2.0 nm, and uncontracted tails are 15 ± 1.0 × 65 ± 2.0 nm. The latent period is about 10 h. The maturing time of VOLN27B in cells of Halorubrum sp. LN27 was nearly 8 h. The adsorption time of VOLN27B on cells of Halorubrum sp. LN27 was less than 1 min. Virus particles are unstable at pH values less than 5 or when the NaCl concentration is below 12% (w/v). VOLN27B and Halorubrum sp. LN27 were recovered from the same hypersaline environment and provide a new virus-host system in haloarchaea.


A seismic sequence that affected the Durrës region in late 2019 to early 2020 sheds new light on the structural architecture and active tectonic setting of the northern outer Albanides. Stress inversion analysis using focal mechanisms confirms that the area is dominated by ENE-trending horizontal maximum compression. The seismogenic sources consist mainly of ENE-dipping thrust faults roughly parallel to the coastline. The hypocentre distribution indicates that most of the earthquakes, including the Mw 6.4 main shock, nucleated within the basement, with only some of the shallow aftershocks tending to cluster around the deeper portion of previously identified seismogenic structures within the sedimentary cover. Our results, unravelling for the first time the fundamental role of deeply rooted, crustal ramp-dominated thrusting in seismogenesis, imply a profound reconsideration of the seismotectonic setting of the region in terms of a correct assessment of seismic hazard in this densely populated area of Albania.


This paper applies two recent stated choice survey datasets of Japan to investigate the difference between the latent class model (LCM) and the mixed logit model (MLM) for transport mode choice. A detailed comparison is carried out, focusing on comparing values of time savings, direct choice elasticities, predicted choice probabilities and prediction success indices. Furthermore, a test on non-nested model is also utilized to help determine which model is superior to another one. The results suggest that the LCM performs better than the MLM in both datasets.


Abstract The coherence and systemic strength of the collaborative process among thematic route stakeholders are key factors to economic success for individual businesses and regional economic development. The objective of this article is to identify the economic action set to rejuvenate the Cider Route and the Wine Route of the Montérégie region (Quebec, Canada). Group concept mapping is used to estimate the conceptualization and perceptions of stakeholders (cideries, wineries, tourism professionals, visitors) regarding the articulation of the action set. The contribution is threefold. Methodologically, the approach taken supports both the estimation of the concept map and associated perception measures. Empirically, eight action clusters are identified to articulate stakeholders' "organizational" and "selling" dimensions of the routes. Practically, action priorities identified and feasibility constraints are helpful to target the capability development support needed by route stakeholders to collaborate. (JEL Classifications: D02, L23, L26, L66, Q18)


To obtain insight into the immunoregulatory mechanisms in patients with different rheumatic diseases, the occurrence and the subclass distribution of IgA and IgG antibodies against Clq (anti‐ClqAb) was determined. In patients with systemic lupus erythaematosus (SLE) the highest frequency of increased serum levels of IgG anti‐ClqAb were found, whereas IgA anti‐ClqAb were predominantly present in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and patients with rheumatoid arthritis complicated by vasculitis (RV). In all the IgA anti‐ClqAb positive AS and RV patients the antibody reactivity involved the IgAl subclass while the IgA2 subclass was found in 47% of the patients. Further characterization of the IgA anti‐Clq binding activity in sera of AS patients revealed that both subclasses of IgA anti‐ClqAb were predominantly polymeric; the binding of both IgA subclasses with solid phase CI q was inhibitable by aggregated fluid phase Clq; we found no delectable interference of rheumatoid factor in the test system for the measurement of IgA anti‐ClqAb. In patients with SLE the IgG anti‐ClqAb reactivity was mainly of the IgG2 and IgG3 subclass, whereas in the same patients the IgG anti‐tetanus toxoid response was not restricted to these subclasses.


One of the biggest disadvantages in high- superconducting ceramics is the difficulty of forming into a desired shape. This paper shows a new route for fabrication of ceramic superconductors with complex shapes such as pipes, hollow coils, and honeycombs. The melts of Bi - Sr - Ca - Cu - O (BSCCO) were cast and quenched into metallic copper pipes (outer diameter of 5 mm with 0.6 mm thickness) and subsequently the rodlike specimens filled with BSCCO were heat-treated in ordinary air atmosphere at temperatures around for 50 h. This treatment results in the fabrication of superconducting hollow cylinders, of which the outer surface is covered with superconducting and the adjacent inner layer consists of copper oxide pipes. It is found that the metallic copper pipe is oxidized during the heat-treatment and the BSCCO melt in the pipe is spontaneously transported throughout the pipe, so that superconducting layer forms on the resulting copper oxide pipe. By this fabrication method, we can produce a desirable shape of superconductors such as curved pipes and honeycombs.


High Dynamic Range (HDR) imaging techniques are frequently used in lighting research for measuring luminance. The main objective of this work was to determine to what extent they can also be used for measuring colours. Three professional digital single-lens reflex cameras fitted with fisheye lenses were used for taking HDR pictures. The scene, containing a Macbeth chart and additional Munsell samples, was lit by a LED equi-energy spectrum source. The set of colour samples had first been characterized using a spectrophotometer. This article presents and compares two calibration methods, a conventional and an alternative one. It was demonstrated that the second method is necessary to achieve an acceptable colorimetric accuracy for lighting design of interior environments, and that it improves the luminance accuracy. The study also shows that one of the studied devices has higher accuracy performances.


Late blight of potato caused by Phytophthora infestans is one of the most destructive disease in organic farming as well as in the conventional cultivation in Korea. Incidence and progress of the disease largely depend on climatic conditions around the fields. However, the disease completely destroys whole leaves of the plant within two weeks in organic farming fields. While, potato leaves in conventional farming fields remain healthy for 5 weeks after the first symptom appearance, because fungicides were applied four times in average to control the disease. Area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) of organic farming fields ranged from 2314 to 2421 and quickly expanded compare to that of conventional farming fields. The tuber yield in the organic farming fields ranged from 0.96 ton per 10a to 1.5 ton per 10a, while it was 2.7 ton per 10a in conventional farming fields. Tuber yields were reduced to 42~63% by the infection of late blight and the reduction rate was closely related with the time of first occurrence of the disease in organic farming fields. Physiological races of the pathogen were diversified with R0,1,3,4,5,7,10,11 in organic farming fields at Hongchun area. Pathogen races were distributed with similar pattern at different areas of organic farming fields.


This paper presents a partially adaptive fault-tolerant routing algorithm for hypercube multicomputers. The algorithm is tolerant to n-1 link and/or node faults for an n-cube. It makes routing decisions adaptively based on local failure information only. It is simple to implement and needs a very small message overhead. A comparison between the algorithm and a popular previous work is given.


Anagrelide is an oral imidazoquinazoline agent with an anti-cyclic AMP phosphodiesterase activity and inhibits platelet aggregation in both humans and animals. In addition, it has in humans a species-specific platelet-lowering activity observed at dose levels lower than those required to inhibit platelet aggregation. Because of this, the drug has been tested in patients with clonal thrombocytosis and has been shown to have potent platelet-reducing activity in essential thrombocythemia (ET) and related disorders. The mechanism of action may involve the drug's interference with megakaryocyte maturation. More than 90% of patients with ET respond to anagrelide regardless of the presence or absence of previous therapy. The responses are durable with a median maintenance dose of approximately 2 to 2.5 mg/day. Side effects are related mostly to the drug's direct vasodilating and positive inotropic effects and include headache, fluid retention, tachycardia, and arryhthmias. The place of anagrelide therapy in the current management of patients with ET is discussed.


In this case study, we validate a personalized approach to gut microbiome (GM) analysis and interpretation based on published association studies. We apply our ASAR data annotation and clustering package to a series of 10 sequenced GM's from individuals of different ethnical and geographical backgrounds, age and health groups. The differentially presented and detectable taxonomic and functional signatures in each GM metagenome are used to predict the hosts' characteristics via correlations established in published studies, and the predictions are being validated by available individual-associated metadata. We also test sensitivity of the routine annotation and data clustering pipeline to an individual and family-linked signatures in GM structure and functionalities, when applied to a limited number of varying samples. The number of samples was sufficient to demonstrate 2 main types of GM composition, based on Bacteroides or Prevotella as main abundant genera, limitation of a variety of taxa as a result of antibiotics application, clustering of family members' GM metagenomes both in taxonomic and in functional space, individual signatures related to chronic diseases and pharmacological interventions, and elements of ethnicityrelated characteristics in the metagenomes. The method and logical algorithms of the analysis applied here may be utilized in rather computational pipeline for a personalized microbiome analyses, and their potential useful outputs and limitations are being discussed. A Study on the Analysis of Personal Gut Microbiomes


Numerous metal-insulator-metal systems demonstrate electrically induced resistive switching effects and have therefore been proposed as the basis for future nonvolatile memories. They combine the advantages of flash memories and dynamic random access memories while avoiding their drawbacks, such as operation speed, power consumption and device integration and scalable issues. The RRAM devices primarily operate at different resistance values to store the digital data and can keep the resistance state without any power supply. Recent advances in the understanding of the resistive switching mechanism are explained by a thermal or electrochemical redox reaction near the interface between the oxide and the top active metal electrode. Here we review the ongoing research and development activities on the perovskite based resistive switching memory devices. The possible switching mechanisms for the resistive switching are described. The effects of crystal structure, dopants, doping concentrations, annealing temperature, device structures and thickness of the active oxide layer on the resistive switching characteristics and consequently the memory performances are also discussed. From this insight, we take a brief look into different effect on the switching of the perovskite material systems.


Abstract Previous research has shown that in a minority–majority language context, the quantity of language input at home is more important for the development of the minority language than for the development of the majority language. In the current study, we examined whether the same holds true for the frequency of specific language activities at home. In a group of five- and six-year-old Frisian–Dutch bilingual children (n = 120), we investigated to what extent vocabulary and morphology knowledge were predicted by reading activities, watching TV, and story-telling activities in both languages. The results showed that reading in Frisian predicted both Frisian vocabulary and morphology, while reading in Dutch only predicted Dutch vocabulary. This shows that reading at home is most important for the development of the minority language. This especially holds true for the acquisition of Frisian morphology, a domain that is known to be vulnerable in language acquisition.


The aim of this triangulated (multi-method, multi-setting, multi-staged) study was to identify the consequences of an electronic ordering system on the functioning and organisational dynamics of a hospital pathology service. The study was carried out in five pathology departments during the period August 2005 to April 2006. It included five focus groups involving 21 participants and 67 interviews with 38 participants, along with a total of 21 hours of observation. The findings revealed three key themes with implications for the functioning and organisational dynamics of the pathology service. These included: a) work process changes that affect the output of the pathology laboratories; b) temporal considerations, particularly as they related to efficiency of laboratory processes; and c) communication channels and the resulting changes in the mode of information exchange and communication. These themes emerged from a close analysis of the contextual setting of each department. Successful CPOE implementation should be premised on a solid understanding of the organisational, communication, information and temporal circumstances in which the system will operate.


Dividend policy has been puzzling for researchers for decades. The level of dividend varies not only across industries, but also across countries. This research analyzes the dividend policy of Indonesian public companies, in particular it examines the partial effect of cash ratio, debt ratio, company size, profitability, and asset growth on cash dividend policy in Indonesia Stock Exchange from 2008 to 2015. A total of 102 companies was used as a sample. The samples are divided into four groups: (1) a group of companies paying changeable dividends (Change group), (2) a group of companies paying continuous dividends, but then stop paying dividend (Omission group), (3) a group of companies that initially do not pay the dividends, but then continuously paying dividend (Initiation group); and (4) a group of companies paying constant dividends (Constant group). Results of hypotheses testing using multiple regression analysis show that profitability and asset growth affect dividend policy in all company groups. Company size affects dividend policy in the Change, Initiation, and Constant groups. Debt ratio influences dividend policy only in the Change group.


Background: The genetic background of the antidepressant response to pharmacological treatment in bipolar disorder (BD) remains elusive. This issue is of primary relevance in that the depressive phases of BD are difficult to treat and they are associated with suicide. Aim: We investigated the role of a set of genetic variations (single-nucleotide polymorphisms) harbored by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) as predictors of response to treatment in depressed BD patients. Methods: 654 BD patients from the publicly available Systematic Treatment Enhancement Program for Bipolar Disorder study were investigated. The outcome was the number of depressive events corrected by the number of times patients were assessed. Clinical and sociodemographic variables were tested as possible stratification factors and included in the analysis if necessary. Genetic predictors were 43 SNPs harbored by 17 MMPs. Imputation, quality check and pruning were conducted according to standards. Results were corrected for multitesting. Results: rs486055 (MMP-10) was associated with the outcome. TT homozygotes had 5.08 ± 3.51 events, CT had 3.47 ± 3.18 and CC had 2.57 ± 2.96 depressive events corrected for the times they had been assessed. The time during which BD patients were observed was not significantly different between the rs486055 genotypes. We found evidence that MMP-10 may be a mediator of the number of depressive phases during BD. Due to the limits of the study including the small-to-medium sample size, the naturalistic design and the possible occurrence of false-positive findings, independent analyses are warranted.


Adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction is recognized as a distinct clinical entity; however, the choice of surgical approaches is controversial. To analyze the results of surgery among patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagus (type I) and the cardia (type II) based on Siewert's classification in Japan, surgical procedures, histopathologic characteristics, and outcome were re-evaluated according to the TNM classification in 1263 patients with adenocarcinoma of the esophagus (type I) and the cardia (type II) through a questionnaire sent to the members of the Japanese Society of Esophageal Diseases. One hundred and thirty-four (10.6%) patients had type I tumors and 1129 (89.4%) patients had type II tumors. There were significant differences in sex distribution and associated intestinal metaplasia in the esophagus between patients with type I and type II tumors. Although different surgical approaches were performed, the overall 5-year survival rate was 53% without any difference between the two groups. The significant prognostic factors in general linear models were R category, pN category, and differentiation, but not pT category. There was no difference in survival between patients with stage IIB and III disease. The survival rate of the patients who underwent a transhiatal approach was similar to that of those undergoing a transthoracic approach. The results suggest that Siewert's classification (type I and type II) is useful in planning treatment strategy for adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction. Lymph node metastasis was the most important prognostic factor, and staging based on the number of lymph node metastases or the extent of lymph node metastasis is necessary.


Pneumocephalus is the presence of air in the cranial vault. The common etiologies of pneumocephalus are brain trauma and cranial surgery. We report a case of a 26-year-old man with brain trauma who developed diffuse pneumocephalus after sneezing. CT scan was performed on arrival, and the image showed subarachnoid hemorrhage without pneumocephalus. On the seventh day after a big sneeze brain CT scan was re-performed, which showed pneumocephalus. After another ten days of treatment, the patient was discharged without any symptoms.


The aim of this study was to identify factors influencing high-risk illness behaviour in patients with bronchial asthma. High-risk illness behaviour was defined as 1. non-compliance with antiasthmatic medication and 2. delaying or avoiding medical help when facing airways deterioration or severe attacks. 150 patients with bronchial asthma were investigated; 60 of them had participated in the structured Asthma Treatment and Teaching Programme (ATTP), 90 had not taken part in such a programme by then. Using structural equation models, lack of emotional support by a key figure, poor doctor-patient relationship, and a negative cortisone image were identified as predictors of high-risk illness behaviour in patients who had attended ATTP, while in patients without participation in a treatment and teaching programme, only a negative cortisone image was predictive of this criterion.


Abstract The present article offers a critical reading of the Old English Exodus, a poem that is an Old English versified adaptation of an episode from the biblical story of Exodus that narrates Israelites' passage across the Red Sea and the destruction of Pharaoh's army. The aim of this article is to analyse the poem's urban and exilic imagery that strongly relies on the metaphorical representation of the Israelites as a city, as they are actually in exile and on the way to Canaan, and of the metaphorical representation of the walls of the Red Sea as the walls of a hall that is destroyed along with the Egyptian army. The argument of the present article is that in Exodus the poet uses the imagery of a hall and exile, derived from heroic and secular verse, as a hermeneutic key to read the biblical exodus typologically, tropologically, and anagogically. The metaphor of the key that opens the Scripture, which the poet uses in Exodus, encourages the reader to unveil the hidden meaning of the narrative. The poet inverts the conventional imagery of the hall and exile in the poem to emphasise narrative moments that require the reader to explore the letter of the poem for additional layers or signification.


Friends is a very popular sitcom in America and even in China for its great humor, especially for its verbal humor. In order to understand the American humor better, the author tries to find out and appreciate the verbal humor in the framework of Grice's Cooperative Principle and John Austin's Speech Act Theory. By this, the paper helps to grasp the wise humor in Friends and convince people of the strength and operability of Cooperative Principle as well as Speech Act Theory.


Calcinosis cutis is a rare disorder characterized by deposition of insoluble calcium salts in skin and subcutaneous tissue. Depending upon the aetiology, there are five subtypes of calcinosis cutis described in the literature; dystrophic, metastatic, idiopathic, iatrogenic, and calciphylaxis. Idiopathic calcinosis cutis is rarely described in the literature. We herein report a 52-year-old female presented with calcinosis cutis in both hands. After ruling out metabolic and systemic causes of abnormal calcium deposition, the patient was diagnosed with idiopathic calcinosis cutis. The patient was prescribed oral diltiazem (1 mg/kg). Despite limited treatment success in idiopathic calcinosis cutis, it is imperative to differentiate it from other disorders of calcium metabolism which can be managed by treating the underlying condition.


Gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST) are the most common mesenchymal tumours of the digestive tract. Most gastrointestinal soft tissue neoplasms, previously classified as leiomyomas, schwannomas, leiomyoblastomas or leiomyosarcomas, are today classified as GIST on the basis of molecular and immunohistological features. They originate from gastrointestinal pacemaker cells and are characterised by over-expression of the tyrosine kinase receptor KIT. Overall 5-year survival after surgical resection of GIST is approximately 60%. However, these tumours span a wide clinical spectrum from benign to highly malignant. Prognostic factors have recently been identified for GIST and include tumour size, mitotic rate and other minor factors. At present, surgery is the standard treatment for primary resectable GIST. Benign GIST have an excellent prognosis after primary surgical treatment, with over 90% 5-year survival. While recurrent or malignant GIST, which are resistant to radiotherapy and chemotherapy, had until recently an extremely poor prognosis even after surgical resection, with median survival of 12 months. The development of a tyrosine kinase inhibitor has changed the management of unresectable malignant cases. This new tyrosine kinase inhibitor, imatinib mesylate, which inhibits the c-kit receptor, has proved highly effective against GIST and has improved survival in metastatic GIST. This paper reviews the literature and our experience of GIST, including: diagnosis, pathology, treatment and prognosis.


On a basis of research and literature review, Smith, in 2001, suggested a model for the development of preparedness of learners and their workplaces to support the flexible delivery of training in enterprises. Using the model as a framework, he then developed a detailed set of strategies that may be used in operating workplaces to develop learners and workplaces for effective flexible delivery. The research reported here was designed to test that strategy set in 12 different enterprises to assess the feasibility of their implementation in operating workplaces. The research shows that a majority of suggested strategies are feasible for implementation; some are feasible with qualification; and a minority were not seen as feasible.


The radiation angular pattern of antennas is completely determined by the transverse component F ⊥ = ˆ θ θ θF θ + ˆ φ φ φF φ of the radiation vector F, which in turn is determined by the current density J. Here, we consider some examples of current densities describing various antenna types, such as linear antennas, loop antennas, and linear arrays. For linear antennas, we may choose the z-axis to be along the direction of the antenna. Assuming an infinitely thin antenna, the current density will have the form: J(r)= ˆ z I(z)δ(x)δ(y) (thin linear antenna) (17.1.1) where I(z) is the current distribution along the antenna element. It is shown in Sec. 22.4 that I(z) satisfies approximately the Helmholtz equation along the antenna:


In this paper, we propose a hardware design for an effective real time indoor localization system for staff working in high-risk manufacturing areas. Because of the special requirements of our system, the chirp spread spectrum (CSS) is the most suitable indoor localization technology. The details of the new localization system are described. The system involves several anchors, tags, and a gateway, all of which use the nanoLOC TRX transceiver (NA5TR1) RF chip (Nanotron Co., Germany), which is based on the CSS technology. To validate the effectiveness of our system, both ranging and localization tests were carried out. The difference between the ranging accuracy indoors and outdoors was small. The localization system can position indoor mobile staff precisely, enabling the establishment of an emergency rescue mechanism.


A series of 6,7-dichloro-1,4-dihydro-(1H, 4H)-quinoxaline-2,3-diones (1-17) were prepared in which the 5-position substituent was a heterocyclylmethyl or 1-(heterocyclyl)-1-propyl group. Structure-activity relationships were evaluated where binding affinity for the glycine site of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor was measured using the specific radioligand [3H]-L-689,560, and functional antagonism was demonstrated by inhibition of NMDA-induced depolarizations of rat cortical wedges. The ability to prevent NMDA-induced hyperlocomotion in mice in vivo was measured for selected compounds. Binding affinity increased significantly if the heterocyclic group, e.g. 1,2,3-triazol-1-yl could participate in accepting a hydrogen bond from the receptor. It was difficult to obtain compounds with adequate aqueous solubility and strategies to improve it were investigated. The most potent compound in this series, 6,7-dichloro-5-[1-(1,2,4-triazol-4-yl)propyl]-1,4-dihydro-(1H, 4H)-quinoxaline-2,3-dione (17) (binding IC50 = 2.6 nM; cortical wedge EC50 = 90 nM), inhibited NMDA-induced hyperlocomotion in mice (6/9 protected at 20 mg/kg iv). Pharmacokinetic parameters, including extent of brain penetration, for 11 and 17 are reported.


Ship vibration tends to become a great concern with the increase of ship size and speed in the ship industry. Ship main engine vibration causes particularly ship operating performance, fuel consumption and loses of capital costs. This paper deals with bond graph modeling to obtain of a ship main engine system, and to decrease of vibration oscillations on ship main engine system. The mathematic model of system was composed by Bond Graph modeling method. The effect of dynamics forces which are consisted of main engine stresses and the hydrodynamic forces which come from water effect were also taken into consideration. So as to investigate behavior of the vibration, nonlinear equations of system dynamics in state-space form were obtained among analytical and graphical techniques. During the analysis the factor has assumed as the coupled torsional and axial vibration. The developed approach has enhanced by controllers, and responses of the models with controllers were compared and discussed. We conclude that Bond Graph modeling with PID controller may be a preferred alternative approach instead of conventional methods to prevent of the ship main engine vibrations.


OBJECTIVE
To study the clinical effects of the adjustable external fixation combined with the limited internal fixation such as ordinary screws, Kirschner wire fixation for the treatment of complex calcaneal fractures (Sanders III, IV).

METHODS
From January 2003 to June 2008, 27 patients 36 feet (19 feet in the left and 17 feet in the right) with calcaneal fractures of Sanders III and IV (the age ranged from 17 to 65 years, mean 37 years)were treated with external fixator combined with ordinary screws and Kirschner wire fixation. All the patients were undergone X-ray and CT examinations and classified by Crosby-Fitzgibbons-Sanders. The changes of the Böhler and Gissane angles were analyzed by X-ray. The functional of the feet was assessed by ZHANG Tie-liang calcaneal fractures scoring system.

RESULTS
Thirty-two feet were followed up for 11 to 24 months, with an average of 13 months. The Böhler and Gissane angles changed from average (8.0 +/- 7.3) degree and (130.5 +/- 10.5) degree, back to postoperative (29.6 +/- 7.4) degree and (122.5 +/- 8.6) degree. According to ZHANG Tie-liang scoring system, the result was excellent in 17 feet, good in 8 feet,fair in 5 feet and not satisfied with 2 feet. Three feet with wound infection or skin flap necrosis were healed after vacuum sealing drainage or wound dressing.

CONCLUSION
The combination of external fixator and limited internal fixation is an effective treatment for complex calcaneal fractures with few complications and good functional recovery.


The hot Electron Light Emission and Lasing in Semiconductor Heterostructures devices (HELLISH-1) is novel surface emitter consisting of a GaAs quantum well, within the depletion region, on the n side of Ga1-xAlxAs p- n junction. It utilizes hot electron transport parallel to the layers and injection of hot electron hole pairs into the quantum well through a combination of mechanisms including tunnelling, thermionic emission and diffusion of `lucky' carriers. Super Radiant HELLISH-1 is an advanced structure incorporating a lower distributed Bragg reflector (DBR). Combined with the finite reflectivity of the upper semiconductor-air interface reflectivity it defines a quasi- resonant cavity enabling emission output from the top surface with a higher spectral purity. The output power has increased by two orders of magnitude and reduced the full width at half maximum (FWHM) to 20 nm. An upper DBR added to the structure defines HELLISH-VCSEL which is currently the first operational hot electron surface emitting laser and lases at room temperature with a 1.5 nm FWHM. In this work we demonstrate and compare the operation of UB-HELLISH-1 and HELLISH-VCSEL using experimental and theoretical reflectivity spectra over an extensive temperature range.


For over 85 years, the stratigraphic determination of the Tabir Formation of Sumatra has been confused by a single fossil identification. Professor Fritz Frech recognized a specimen collected at the Batoe Kidjing locality by August Tobler to be an indeterminate, diminutive, ribbed oyster. Subsequently, this formation has been considered Upper Jurassic, perhaps Kimmeridgian, by several authors on the basis of this scant and inconclusive evidence; indeed, at least one author referred this sample to the genus Ostrea. However, these specimens are neither ribbed nor can they be demonstrated to be oysters; rather, this rock fragment contains a number of indeterminate mouldic fragments of fossils, too poorly preserved for confident identification. Modern determinations of the Tabir Formation as of Late Permian age are not contested by the evidence of this specimen. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Collagenous gastritis is a rare disorder, with only 8 cases reported in the literature, 2 in children and 6 in adults. We report an additional case of collagenous gastritis in a 42-year-old man with celiac disease. A thickened (>10 microm) subepithelial collagen band with entrapped capillaries, fibroblasts, and inflammatory cells was seen in the stomach, associated with lymphocytic gastritis. The duodenal mucosa showed severe villous atrophy but no subepithelial collagen deposition. No evidence of lymphocytic or collagenous colitis was found in the colon. The patient became symptom-free on a gluten exclusion diet and showed partial improvement of histopathologic findings after 3 months. Collagenous gastritis is a rare disease, but a wider recognition of its histopathologic features and clinical associations may bring more cases to light and provide additional clues in determining its etiology and pathogenesis.


Background GOLD 2013 guidelines classify patients with COPD in terms of risk and symptoms (A: low risk, less symptoms; B: low risk, more symptoms; C: high risk, less symptoms and D: high risk, more symptoms). Long-acting muscarinic antagonists such as aclidinium are now recommended as first-choice option for Group B–D patients and as an alternative choice for Group A patients. Aim To assess the efficacy of aclidinium 400 µg twice daily (BID) in patients with COPD according to GOLD 2013 criteria. Methods Data were pooled from the placebo and aclidinium 400 µg BID arms of three, 6-month, placebo-controlled studies evaluating aclidinium mono- or combination-therapy in patients with moderate-to-severe COPD, stratified to GOLD group using SGRQ total score (surrogate for CAT). Results In total, 1787 patients were included (mean±SD: age 63.3±8.4 years, 63.0% male, 54.25±13.13 % predicted). At baseline, mean FEV 1 ranged from 1.103 L (Group C) to 1.695 L (Group A); 7.9% of patients were Group A, 48.4% Group B, 3.1% Group C and 41.4% Group D. At Week 24, aclidinium was associated with improved trough and peak FEV 1 in all GOLD groups compared with placebo (see Table). Numerically the largest differences in trough FEV 1 between aclidinium and placebo were in Group A. Conclusions Aclidinium improved lung function in all patients regardless of GOLD group; the numerically largest improvements were in Group A.


The induction of chromosome aberrations was studied in human peripheral blood lymphocytes irradiated in vitro with synchrotron-produced monochromatic soft X-rays of quantum energy in a range between 4.8 and 14.6 keV. These X-rays were more effective in producing chromosome aberrations (dicentrics and rings) than 60Co gamma-rays. The efficiency increased with increasing LET of the photoelectrons and their associated Auger electrons, reaching a maximum at a track average LET (L delta = 100, T) of around 4 keV/microns, and tended to decrease or become rather refractory with further increase of LET. This unique LET dependency was consistent with the dual nature of chromosome aberration formation, and interpreted as a reflection of a limited range of photoelectrons as compared with the size and intranuclear geometry of the elemental chromatin fibres as vehicles of damage interaction.


This paper continues other scientific research (� tefanic and Oprea G., 2010, 2011) aimed to rectify the Waksman and Karunacker method for determining the soil capacity to fix (asymbiotically) atmospheric dinitrogen. Their method ignored that Nt, determined by the Kjeldahl digestion, did not include nitrates, because these volatilized during boiling with concentrated H2SO4. That error, repeated by all specialists until the present, made Feher (1954), and RippelBaldes (1955) and others conclude that atmospheric dinitrogen fixation is insignificant in comparison with the symbiotical one. In this paper we present some results concerning the negative influence of soil acidity, crop-rotation and any monocultures on the microbiological process.