The aim of the study was to investigate adaptogenic and anxiolytic activities of methanol extract of Piper longum fruits at different dose levels (100, 250 and 500 mg/kg) using different experimental animal models. In the present research work antistress activity was assessed by swimming endurance and immobilization stress models, and anxiolytic activity were assessed by elevated plus maze behavior of mice, light dark exploration test in mice and open field apparatus test in rats. In swimming endurance test, the mean time of swimming performance and swimming stress induced biochemical parameters such as serum cortisol, the weights of adrenal glands, ascorbic acid and cortisol levels were recorded in the adrenal gland. There was dose dependent significant increase in swimming performance time observed in mice pretreated with graded doses of the test extracts. Animals pretreated with test extracts at different dose levels showed significant and dose dependent fall in all the biochemical parameters, as compared to the stress control animals. Treatment with standard and test extracts significantly reversed the stress induced altered hematological parameters, biochemical parameters, organs weight, GSH and LPO levels and neurotransmitters such as dopamine, nor adrenaline and serotonin levels in rat brain In immobilization stress. The test extracts demonstrated the significant increase in time spent and number of entries into open arm in elevated plus maze apparatus test and also increase in time spent and number of entries into lit box was observed in light box exploration test and reduction in time spent and number crossing into the dark compartment observed in animals pretreated with test extract. Pretreatment with test extracts demonstrated dose dependent significant increase in ambulation, rearing and self-grooming and significant decrease in fecal dropping in case of open field test.


IEEE 1599 is a new XML-based format to describe heterogeneous music contents comprehensively. In a single file, music symbols, printed scores, audio tracks, computer-driven performances, catalogue metadata, text and graphic contents related to a single music piece are linked and mutually synchronized within the same framework. Heterogeneous contents are organized in a multilayered structure that supports different encoding formats and a number of digital objects for each layer. The article aims at describing this approach for the description of heterogeneous music-related contents, and providing guidelines to understand key concepts of IEEE 1599 standard. Index Terms—IEEE 1559, XML, music, multi-layer representation, synchronization, music standards.


OBJECTIVE: The objective was to analyze the functional capacity and quality of life of elderly individuals with ischemic stroke comparing these with and without dysphagia. METHOD: Cross sectional study was realized in 60 elderly individuals after ischemic stroke, 30 with dysphagia and 30 without. Their cognitive state was evaluated with the Mini-Mental test. The scales used were: KATZ, Lawton, Barthel and SF-36. RESULTS: The functional capacity was similar in both groups studied. In the SF-36, the group without dysphagia presented more pain and a better general health. Functional capacity, physical limitations those due to emotional aspects, general state of health , social vitality, mental health limitation were similar in both groups. Among men, for all scales used, functional capacity was similar. Among women, functional capacity was similar in both groups; however, in the quality of life, the domain "vitality" was higher in the group without dysphagia. The income bracket did not influence the functional capacity or the quality of life. There was no difference between groups whether they had or not a care provider. CONCLUSIONS: 1) functional capacity was similar in both groups studied. 2) the group without dysphagia presented better general health.


Memory latency has always been a major issue in embedded systems that execute memory-intensive applications. This is even more true as the gap between processor and memory speed continues to grow. Hardware and software prefetching have been shown to be effective in tolerating the large memory latencies inherit in large off-chip memories; however, both types of prefetching have their shortcomings. Hardware schemes are more complex and require extra circuitry to compute data access strides, while software schemes generate prefetch instructions, which if not computed carefully may hamper performance. On the other hand, some applications domains (such as multimedia) have a uniform and known a priori memory access pattern, that if exploited, could yield significant application performance improvement. With this characteristic in mind, we present our findings on hiding memory latency using the direct memory access (DMA) mode, which is present in all modern systems, combined with a software prefetch mechanism, and a customized on-chip memory hierarchy mapping. Compared to previous approaches, we are able to estimate the performance and power metrics, without actually implementing the embedded system. Experimental results on nine well known multimedia and imaging applications prove the efficiency of our technique. Finally, we verify the performance estimations by implementing and simulating the algorithms on the TI C6201 processor.


Has another commonly held concept been destroyed? A myth been exploded? Many physicians and laypersons alike believe that an alcoholic can be recognized by the cutaneous changes wrought by his or her dependence. A study of 101 alcoholics reported in this issue of the /ournal* failed to reveal any of the alleged stigmata of alcoholism, either acute or chronic. Although a few skin diseases occurred more commonly than in nonalcoholics, there was no evidence that alcohol ingestion adversely affected skin diseases. Cutaneous changes associated with alcoholism have been classified into those sequellae of acute alcoholism, chronic alcoholism, and dermatoses associated with addiction.' The early manifestations are those caused by physical injury and infection occurring during the inebriated state. The disorders associated with chronic alcoholism are those due to change in life-style, neglect, and symptom complexes resulting from hepatic, pancreatic, and nutritional diseases. The last category i s self-explanatory and includes the skin diseases purportedly occurring more frequently in alcoholism or made worse by addiction. Eighty-two percent of the subjects had some skin disease. This ranged from ac-anthosis nigricans to xerosis. Of particular interest i s the finding that 26% of the persons had acne, 31O?n had tinea pedis, 7% had folliculitis, 1 10/0 had seborrheic dermatitis, and 6% had xerosis. The higher incidence of infectious processes may be related to the altered leukocyte response and cell-mediated immune deficiency asso(-iated with alcoholism. The etiology of the other c-onditions remains unexplained. Why was the incidence of rosacea so low? Why were there no stigmata of chronic alcoholism? Sixty percent of the respondents were black. Depending


Address to the American People," Rachel Carson's "The Obligation to Endure," and Margaret Mead's "Hunger in America." With respect to the responses, the selections include I. F. Stone's "Nixon's Iron Curtain on the Cost of the War" and Roy Alexander's "The Marketer in the Ghetto." The final part, "Future Directions," presents fifteen selections dealing primarily with future possibilities. Included are "Can U.S. Go Fascist?" by Nancy L. Ross, "The Economics of the Coming Spaceship Earth" by Kenneth Boulding, "How to Control the Military" by John Kenneth Galbraith, and "Outwitting the Developed Countries" by Ivan Illich. The editors have successfully integrated the diverse Journal of Marketing, April, 1973


ABSTRACT There is a paucity of literature which explores students' subjective meanings of inclusion in higher education (HE). Much of the focus is on the social exclusion debate, where HE is seen as a mechanism for the promotion of social equality. There is some research which explores students' experiences, but this mostly involves those students who have acquired a label. Contemporary research in teaching and learning suggests that effective pedagogy should benefit all learners and should not require additional practices for separate groups. Based on this premise, this research seeks to begin an exploration of the meaning of inclusion to students participating in higher education. 251 students from a UK health and social science faculty participated in the research and responded to statements which elicited their subjective meanings of inclusion. Student understandings of inclusion are discussed through the emergent themes of 'the imperative of relationship' and 'flexible practice enables participation' and understood through the lens of socio-cultural theory.


Summary

Canopy photosynthesis models combined with optimization theory have been an important tool to understand environmental responses and interspecific variations in vegetation structure and functioning, but their predictions are often quantitatively incorrect. Although evolutionary game theory and the dynamic modelling of leaf turnover have been suggested useful to solve this problem, there is no model that combines these features.

Here, we present such a model of leaf area dynamics that incorporates game theory.

Leaf area index (LAI; leaf area per unit ground area) was predicted to increase with an increasing degree of interaction between genetically distinct neighbour plants in light interception. This implies that stands of clonal plants that consist of genetically identical daughter ramets have different LAI from other plants. LAI was also sensitive to the assumed vertical pattern of leaf shedding: LAI was predicted to increase with the degree to which leaves were assumed to be shed from higher positions in the canopy. Our model provides more realistic predictions of LAI than previous static optimization, dynamic optimization or static game theoretical models.

We suggest that both leaf dynamics and game theoretical considerations of plant competition are indispensable to scale from individual leaf traits to the structure and functioning of vegetation stands, especially in herbaceous species.


Passive immunization against ACTH was used to test the hypothesis that growth in female rats is constrained by physiological concentrations of glucocorticoids. When animals were stressed by 15-min exposure to ether before blood sampling by cardiac puncture, serum concentrations of corticosterone were lower (P less than .05) in immunized rats than in stressed controls. The maximum effect was apparent 2 h after injection of ACTH antiserum, and no effect was apparent 6 h after injection. To examine the effects of ACTH immunization on growth, rats received daily injections of either saline, sheep immunoglobulin G, or ACTH antiserum, 2 h before the afternoon peak in plasma concentrations of corticosterone. After 7 d of treatment, rats treated with ACTH antiserum had gained 37% more body weight than saline-injected controls, and this effect was accompanied by a 59% reduction in peak plasma concentrations of corticosterone. Immunoglobulin G purified from normal sheep serum had no effect on weight gain. It is concluded that growth rate in normal female rats can be stimulated through the suppression of adrenal activity.


We have previously reported that LAM-PCR libraries derived from non-vector transduced NSG repopulating cells, even those proven negative by high-resolution gel analysis, subsequently prepared following standard Illumina library preparation and sequencing protocol, yielded thousands of reads that contained full length LTR (30nt) fragments, met all quality control filters, were mappable to loci within the human genome, and were thus indistinguishable from true reads. We observed 430,385 of these reads in two mocks, with one having 106 identified vector insertion sites (VIS) and the other 27. To determine the source of this mock positivity, we modified our LAM biochemistry to include a 6nt barcode sequence in the linker fragment that could provide a second identity verification in addition to the Illumina adaptor index (double-indexing). Now when we performed LAM-NGS we were able to filter out any read where the linker barcode did not match with the identified Illumina index, which resulted in the elimination of all but 2 reads, neither of which could be mapped. As the sequencing libraries generated from the vector treated NSG repopulating cell LAM-PCR products were also double-indexed, we could identify any read that had been assigned to the incorrect source (mis-indexing). This occurred at a rate of approximately 0.1-1% in polyclonally reconstituted animals, but could be as high as 100% in mice with one or two identified VIS. This risk of mis-indexing appears constant, such that reads derived from vector insertion sites with the highest read counts are most likely to result in mock positivity, therefore the simple subtraction of the VIS found in mock will result in the loss of true signal and cannot be recommended.

For any assay to be successfully translated to the clinic, one must have an understanding of its performance characteristics, so we sought to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the LAM-NGS assay. To this end, we developed a set of controls consisting of genomic DNA purified from mixtures of Jurkat cell clones that contained known VIS to derive LAM-NGS libraries of predictable complexity (a 15 VIS and a 32 VIS library). Using these controls with standard LAM-PCR/ Illumina biochemistry followed by standard bioinformatic analysis, even with the incorporation of the double indexing strategy to remove all mis-indexed reads, numerous predicted VIS still remain as false positive calls. Our 15 VIS control had a sensitivity of 100% but a specificity 21% (55 false positive of 70 total VIS identified), and our 32 VIS control performed even worse with a sensitivity/specificity of 53%/13% (119 false positive of 136 total VIS identified). Several factors were common to the non mis-indexed false positive reads: 1. False positive VIS usually arise from shorter reads (<90nt) which, due to the highly repetitive nature of the human genome, can be mapped to multiple locations or map better to different locations depending on how long the read is and 2. False positive VIS are more prevalent in reads with lower read counts (<100, with many of them =1) where a read is likely a synthesis artifact where regions of low complexity such as a run of poly-T will result in indels or other PCR induced artifacts such as chimera formation that alter the best mapping location. Neither of these criteria was sufficient as filters and many true VIS became undetectable when arbitrary limits were placed on read length or total read count. Using different mapping algorithms (we tested BLAT, BWA, BFast, and GSNAP), while altering the absolute number and where many of these false positive reads mapped, none could eliminate this problem and all showed some degree of both success and failure.

By using a set of defined controls and double indexing biochemistry, we have been able to assess the sensitivity and specificity of the LAM-NGS assay and to elucidate the mechanism underlying much of the assay's false positivity. By using this double indexing strategy, we have eliminated mis-indexed reads, but false positivity from real reads mapped to incorrect locations as well as low numbers of reads arising from still unclear sources are present in the LAM-NGS assay. As much of these false positive reads are due to PCR artifact we are currently testing low PCR cycle approaches and as read length is also an issue, controlling LAM fragment size using sonication instead of restriction endonucleases is also being evaluated.

Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Despite of their importance, the symplectic groups are not so popular like orthogonal ones as they deserve. The only explanation of this fact seems to be that their algebras can not be described so simply. While in the case of the orthogonal groups they are just the anti-symmetric matrices, those of the symplectic ones should be split in four blocks that have to be specified separately. It turns out however that in some sense they can be presented by the even dimensional symmetric matrices. Here, we present such a scheme and illustrate it in the lowest possible dimension via the Cayley map. Besides, it is proved that by means of the exponential map all such matrices generate genuine symplectic matrices.


Farewell to the Working Class: an apposite text to review in election week 1983? The erosion of traditional Labour loyalties-first through the relative or even absolute decline in the staple industries and occupations in which Labourism was rooted, second through a switch from political support and identity as an inbuilt reflex to more calculative and volatile electoral behaviour-has been a topic of analysis and debate for a quarter of a century. Three successive defeats for Labour in the 1950s provoked influential assertions that the party's working-class identification had become a fatal handicap, as well as pleas for a dilution of the state socialist objectives enshrined in the 1918 party constitution. Though apparent electoral recovery under Wilson largely stilled such controversies, mass unemployment and the rise of Thatcherism have brought renewed attention to the political implications of the changing composition and structure of the working class.


Today, energy shortage and carbon emission are the major challenges faced by many countries. There are many ways to save energy in every sector thereby reducing the carbon emission and global warming. Qatar, in the Middle East has shown growing demand for electricity consumption. In Qatar, the energy consumption by 2020 is expected to reach 80,648GWh and the energy consumption for lighting alone is expected to be 15,323GWh. Lighting is used in many applications and it is one of the areas that offer many opportunities for improving the energy efficiency thereby reducing the energy consumption. This paper presents a case study on energy efficient street lighting system design for the roadways in Energy City Qatar. Simulation software DIALux4.9 is used to investigate the efficient street lighting scheme through the use of different types of lamps and highlights how the concepts can be visually compared, its cost effectiveness can be studied during the design phase in order for the decisions to be made prior to its implementation. The study has concluded that forty percent reduction in the energy consumption can be achieved with the proposed street lighting system design.


This guide provides a listing of places to get updates on social media marketing trends as well as some free social media analytic tools available.


NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory includes a Flight Contamination Monitor (FCM), a system of 16 radioactive calibration sources mounted on the inside of the Observatory's forward contamination cover. The purpose of the FCM is to verify the ground-to-orbit transfer of the Chandra flux scale, through comparison of data acquired during the ground calibration with those obtained in orbit, immediately prior to opening the Observatory's sun-shade door. Here we report results of these measurements, which limit the absolute value of the change in mirror-detector system response to less than 2% at Ag Lα (3 keV) and Mn Kα (6 keV). This limit is consistent with the prelaunch estimate of less than 10 Å accumulation of molecular contamination between ground calibration and initial on-orbit operations.


Shakashaka is a pencil-and-paper puzzle proposed by Guten and popularized by the Japanese publisher Nikoli (like Sudoku). We determine the computational complexity by proving that Shakashaka is NP-complete, and furthermore that counting the number of solutions if #P-complete. Next we formulate Shakashaka as an integer programming (IP) problem, and show that an IP solver can solve every instance from Nikoli's website within a second.


Host defense consists of two main aspects, namely, immune response to invading pathogens and suppression of tumor development. A family of transcription factors, IFN regulatory factors (IRFs), has recently gained much attention in terms of its critical role in linking these two aspects of host defense, wherein IRF5 was previously shown to play a critical role in the induction of proinflammatory cytokines by activation of Toll-like receptors. In the present study, using IRF5 gene-targeted mice (Irf5−/− mice), we demonstrate another facet of the IRF5 function in the regulation of immune response and tumor suppression. We show that IRF5 is critical for antiviral immunity by showing that Irf5−/− mice are highly vulnerable to viral infections, accompanied by a decrease in type I IFN induction in the sera. Furthermore, we show that Irf5−/− fibroblasts are resistant to apoptosis upon viral infection, resulting in an enhanced viral propagation. Finally, we provide evidence that IRF5 is critical for the induction of apoptosis, but not in cell cycle arrest, in response to DNA damage and that IRF5 functions as a tumor suppressor by acting on a pathway that may be distinct from that for p53. These results, together with the dual regulation of IRF5 gene expression by IFN signaling and p53, may provide a new link in the transcriptional network underlying antiviral immunity and tumor suppression.


One of the most pertinent applications of the principle primum non nocere (first do no harm) is in the optimization of neurosurgical procedures for patients with resectable lesions. The gold standard for identifying eloquent areas of the brain to be avoided in resections is direct cortical stimulation and somatosensory evoked potential monitoring, which is itself an invasive, cumbersome and difficult technique for mapping these areas. Functional magnetic resonance imaging shows great promise as a viable noninvasive alternative to invasive mapping as well as significant current clinical utility in cases in which it cannot yet fully supplant cortical stimulation methods. Ongoing work is directed toward overcoming technical limitations, improved mapping of complex functions such as language and memory, and mapping of white matter tracts.


We have applied two of our recently developed methods for calculating accurate Kohn–Sham potentials, namely direct optimization of non-interacting kinetic energy of a known electron density and the asymptotic correction of approximate exchange-correlation potentials, to the calculation of excitation energies within time-dependent density functional theory. Our asymptotic correction method is found not to be adequate in improving Rydberg state results, probably because the potential is still affected by the approximate energy functional due to the variational nature of the method. However, Kohn–Sham potentials calculated from coupled cluster singles and doubles densities give excellent results for the He and Be atoms, and consistently much improved results for molecules.


Nanoparticles for photothermal therapy: Real-time temperature monitoring is critical to reduce the nonspecific damage during photothermal therapy (PTT); however, PTT agents that can emit temperature-related signals are rare and limited to few inorganic nanoparticles. We herein synthesize a semiconducting polymer nanococktail (SPNCT ) that can not only convert photo-energy to heat but also emit temperature-correlated luminescence after cessation of light excitation. Such an afterglow luminescence of the SPNCT detects tumors more sensitively than fluorescence as a result of the elimination of tissue autofluorescence, while its temperature-dependent nature allows tumor temperature to be optically monitored under near-infrared (NIR) laser irradiation. Thus, SPNCT represents the first organic optical nanosystem that enables optical-imaging guided PTT without real-time light excitation.


Summary: The interaction between valproic acid (VPA) and free fatty acids (FFA) was investigated at a systemic level in eight rhesus monkeys. Intralipid* emulsion (I.L.) was infused to increase plasma FFA levels. During I.L. treatment, plasma FFA levels were elevated in all cases (12 cases) with increases ranging from 38 to 525% (median, 102%). Valproate free fraction (fp) was elevated in 11 of 12 cases, with increases ranging between 7 and 100% (median, 18%). A positive correlation between the relative increase in FFA and the corresponding increase in fp of VPA was obtained. Intralipid infusion was associated with changes in the systemic clearance of VPA (an increase in five cases and a decrease in seven cases). The intrinsic clearance (Clint) of VPA was decreased in 9 of 12 cases with decreases ranging from 13 to 78% (median, 22%). Urinary excretion of valproate glucuronide was decreased in three of four monkeys during I.L. treatment. A significant positive correlation (p < 0.05) between the relative increase in FFA levels and the decrease in Clini of VPA were also observed. The mechanism of interaction between VPA and FFA in rhesus monkey is more complex than a simple protein binding displacement and involves at least one metabolic inhibition component such as glucuronidation.


A spatial analysis of data for French départements assembled in the 1830s by André‐Michel Guerry and Adolphe d'Angeville examines the impacts of modernization and resistance to governmental "Frenchification" policies on measures of violence and its direction. In the context of Unnithan et al.'s integrated model of suicide and homicide, high suicide rates in the northern core and a predilection for violence against others in the southern periphery may be consistently interpreted in terms of theories of the civilizing process and internal colonialism. Alternative explanations of southern violence in 19th‐century France are explored and rejected, and additional theoretical applications are suggested.


Abstract The authors assessed the incidence, management, and risk factors for postoperative complications after right lobe (RL) live donor hepatectomy in a high-volume center in North America. All donors undergoing an RL live donor hepatectomy between 2000 and 2017 at our institution were included. The primary outcome was the development of complications (both medical and surgical). Predictors of postoperative complications were determined by logistic regression. A total of 587 patients underwent RL live donor hepatectomy. Among those, 187 postoperative complications were diagnosed in 141 (24%) patients. One patient had >90-day morbidity, and there were no donor deaths. Overall complications were significantly higher in the first era, 2000 to 2008 (81 [57.4%]) versus the second era, 2009 to 2017 (60 [42.6%]) (p = 0.01). On multivariate analysis, the only predictor of postoperative complications was the center volume of RL live donor hepatectomy in the previous 12 months with an odds ratio of 0.97 (95% confidence interval: 0.95–0.99). In conclusion, increasing center volume is associated with lower rates of postoperative complications after RL living liver donation.


The concentration of polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in surface soil and atmosphere of e-waste dismantling sites in Taizhou city, Zhejiang Province was determined. The concentration ranges of ∑12PBDEs in surface soil of e-waste dismantling site, farmland, and resident areas in Fengjiang Town (FJ) and Binhai Town (BH) were 21.8-1310 ng ·g-1 and 6.19-220 ng ·g-1, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the distribution of PBDEs between the FJ and BH soil. The concentration range of ∑12PBDEs in the atmosphere of FJ and BH were 262-3240 pg ·m-3 and 840-2990 pg ·m-3, respectively. The median levels of PBDEs in the atmosphere of FJ and BH were 1410 pg ·m-3 and 840 pg ·m-3 in winter and 1590 pg ·m-3 and 1960 pg ·m-3 in summer, respectively. However, a significant difference was observed in the distribution of 11 PBDE congeners, except BDE-209, during winter and summer seasons. The migration trend analysis showed the differences between the soil and air of FJ and BH. The main migration trend of 3-5-BDEs was the volatilization from soil to atmosphere, and the increase in temperature promoted the volatilization of these PBDEs from soil to atmosphere in FJ. This indicated that the PBDEs in soil had become a major source of pollution emission and suggested that soil remediation should be carried out at the e-waste dismantling site and parts of farmland in FJ. Contrary to FJ, atmospheric deposition was the major migration trend of PBDEs and the soil was the main sink of PBDEs in BH. This indicated that e-waste dismantling site in BH could be a new source of PBDEs emission in this area.


This article offers a review of some of the major issues of bilingualism in education in Malta. It starts by contextualising the current situation in a historical perspective. From the macro-perspective it then moves to a micro-perspective to illustrate how, in practice, Maltese and English are used as a bilingual medium of instruction across levels and subjects. It overviews some of the significant dimensions in which these two languages share roles in the teaching–learning process, and gives examples of how code choice fulfils pedagogical, discourse and management functions, paying particular attention to the variety and range of translation switches. It concludes by returning to a number of issues that fuel the continuing national debate about the medium of instruction in local education.


When two non-interacting plane impulsive gravitational waves undergo a head-on collision, the vacuum interaction region between the waves after the collision contains backscattered gravitational radiation from both waves. The two systems of backscattered waves each have a family of rays (null geodesics) associated with them. We demonstrate that if it is assumed that a parameter exists along each of these families of rays such that the modulus of the complex shear of each is equal, then Einstein's vacuum field equations, with the appropriate boundary conditions, can be integrated systematically to reveal the well-known solutions in the interaction region. In so doing, we solve the mystery behind the origin of such solutions. With the use of the field equations, it is suggested that the assumption leading to their integration may be interpreted physically as implying that the energy densities of the two backscattered radiation fields are equal. With the use of different boundary conditions this approach can lead to new collision solutions.


Health disparities research encompasses a complex web of areas of cross-disciplinary expertise from fields such as health policy, public health, economics, sociology, psychology, anthropology, communications, genetics, biology, environmental science, ethics, and law. Dissemination of health disparities research is paramount to educating and training professionals, academics, community leaders, students and others about the subject area, and providing them with the necessary tools to affect change and eliminate health disparities. This paper chronicles the development of a unique health disparities and social justice research educational program held annually by The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Center for Research on Minority Health. The program is composed of a college semester course and summer workshop, which in the past five years, has become a preeminent program in the United States. The program's impetus, premise, evaluation, and future directions are discussed.


An increasing number of C-type lectin receptors are being discovered on dendritic cells, but their signaling abilities and underlying mechanisms require further definition. Among these, dendritic cell immunoreceptor (DCIR) induces negative signals through an inhibitory immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motif (ITIM) in its cytoplasmic tail. Here we identify a novel C-type lectin receptor, dendritic cell immunoactivating receptor (DCAR), whose extracellular lectin domain is highly homologous to that of DCIR. DCAR is expressed similarly in tissues to DCIR, but its short cytoplasmic portion lacks signaling motifs like ITIM. However, a positively charged arginine residue is present in the transmembrane region of the DCAR, which may explain its association with Fc receptor γ chain and its stable expression on the cell surface. Furthermore, cross-linking of DCAR in the presence of γ chain activates calcium mobilization and tyrosine phosphorylation of cellular proteins. These signals are mediated by the immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activating motif (ITAM) of the γ chain. Thus, DCAR is closely related to DCIR, but it introduces activating signals into antigen-presenting cells through its physical and functional association with ITAM-bearing γ chain. The identification of this activating immunoreceptor provides an example of signaling via a dendritic cell-expressed C-type lectin receptor.


Probiotic foods are functional foods which have wide range comercial interest, growing market and positive effects on human health in recent years. Probiotic organisms become active in the human body, these organisms must be reach to the gastrointestinal system via a vehicle. This vehicle is a food which contains probiotic bacteria. Probiotic foods should have a long shelf life and contains at least 106 cfu / g live micro-organisms. The most commonly used probiotic microorganisms are Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and Streptococcus species of genus. Meat is an excellent tool for probiotics. Maintain viability of probiotics in fermented products associated with pH, acidity, molecular oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, bacteriocins, microbial competition and the presence of different additives


In this paper, we describe our method for skin lesion classification. The goal is to classify skin lesions based on dermoscopic images to several diagnoses' classes presented in the HAM (Human Against Machine) dataset: melanoma (MEL), melanocytic nevus (NV), basal cell carcinoma (BCC), actinic keratosis (AK), benign keratosis (BKL), dermatofibroma (DF), and vascular lesion (VASC). We propose a simplified solution which has a better accuracy than previous methods, but only predicted on a single model that is practical for a real-world scenario. Our results show that using a network with additional metadata as input achieves a better classification performance. This metadata includes both the patient information and the extra information during the data augmentation process. On the international skin imaging collaboration (ISIC) 2018 skin lesion classification challenge test set, our algorithm yields a balanced multiclass accuracy of 88.7% on a single model and 89.5% for the embedding solution, which makes it the currently first ranked algorithm on the live leaderboard. To improve the inference accuracy. Test time augmentation (TTA) is applied. We also demonstrate how Grad-CAM is applied in TTA. Therefore, TTA and Grad-CAM can be integrated in heat map generation, which can be very helpful to assist the clinician for diagnosis.


The general aspects of methodology and image processing used in some of the nuclear pneumology techniques developed by our group are briefly described in this presentation. Three main subjects are considered: 1--Studies on pulmonary circulation, 2--Studies on pulmonary ventilation and perfusion and 3--Studies on alveolar-capillary barrier permeability. This is a multidisciplinary work that is the joint effort of three department: Biophysics Service (Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra), Department of Electronics and Telecommunications (University of Aveiro) and Pneumology Center (University of Coimbra).


In this article, we propose a new EEG signal classification method based on Relevance Vector Machine (RVM) and AR model. It can well separate the ictal EEG signals from the inter-ictal ones, this is very important in the diagnosis of epilepsy. Our studies can be divided into three parts: firstly, EEG features were extracted from the signals based on AR models, and then the performance of these features was evaluated; secondly, according to the performance of the features, feature selection was introduced between feature extraction and classifiers; finally, RVM was implemented with different AR models, different kernel widths, and different subsets of the features in order to get an overview of the method. The results indicate that: (1) features extracted based on AR models can well represent the EEG signals in the task of EEG signal classification for epilepsy diagnosis; (2) feature selection is needed between feature extraction and classifiers; (3) the method based on RVM and AR model can well differentiate the two types of EEG signals.


Nine distinct mouse monoclonal antibodies were produced in two fusions using holo-human very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) as antigen. On immunoblotting first with human VLDL and then with isolated human apoC-I, seven of the antibodies, representing three isotypes, manifested specificity for apoC-I. Two antibodies were directed against apoB. To assess whether the seven anti-apoC-I antibodies were directed against the same or distinctively different epitopes, cross-competition assays were performed wherein 125I-labeled monoclonal antibodies were made to compete with unlabeled antibodies for occupancy on immobilized VLDL-associated apoC-I. All antibodies cross-competed to varying extents implying that they were directed against closely spaced epitopes, but based on these experiments three different epitopes were defined. On immunoblotting with CNBr fragments, all of the epitopes were assigned to the CNBr I fragment of human apoC-I (amino acids 1-38) suggesting that the NH2-terminal region of apoC-I is more immunogenic in mice than other parts of the molecule when apoC-I is associated with VLDL. A competitive solid-phase radioimmunoassay (RIA) was developed employing one of the anti-apoC-I antibodies (A3-4). VLDL was adsorbed to plastic microtiter wells, and a limiting amount of the antibody was reacted with the adsorbed VLDL. The amount of monoclonal antibody that bound to the immobilized VLDL-apoC-I was determined with a 125I-labeled goat anti-mouse IgG antibody. The addition of competitor apoC-I complexed with lipids resulted in reduced binding of the anti-apoC-I antibody to the immobilized VLDL-apoC-I. Competitor complexes consisted of an artificial lipid emulsion (Intralipid) incubated with apoC-I at phospholipid/apoC-I ratios of 1:1 to 60:1 (w/w). As the lipid/protein ratios were increased, the competitive displacement curves produced by the complexes become progressively steeper, while isolated lipid-free apoC-I produced curves with very shallow slopes, suggesting that a conformation-dependent epitope was being probed. Other apoproteins (C-II, C-III, A-I, A-II, and E) whether lipid-free or complexed with lipids did not compete. Fractionation of the 30:1 apoC-I-Intralipid complex by gel permeation chromatography suggested that apoC-I bound to phospholipids was the most effective competitor. This was confirmed by testing of apoC-I-DMPC complexes, which yielded curves that paralleled those produced by apoC-I-Intralipid.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


Background: Glutathione (GSH) and thioredoxin (Trx) play a major role in cellular redox balance and prevent oxidative damage in cells and tissues. In tumors the level of GSH and Trx can be elevated and prevent cell death or apoptosis following chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Hydroxyethyl-disulfide (HEDS) and lipoate (LA) are disulfides that are primarily bioreduced by the GSH and Trx pathways respectively, and can be used to selectively downregulate these redox systems. Quercetin (Qct), an abundant bioflavonoid has been extensively studied because of its redox modulating activity, as well as its ability to inhibit the activity of enzymes involved in signal transduction. Although known as an antioxidant, we have recently shown that high concentrations of quercetin can interfere with disulfide metabolism and can generate ROS. Here we specifically deplete the major bioreduction pathways of different cancer cell lines and demonstrate that intracellular signaling mechanisms can be manipulated to induce cell death via p53-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Methods: A549 lung cancer and U87 glioma cells were treated with HEDS and/or LA in the presence or absence Quercetin (75 µM). Protein phosphorylation was determined by Western blot analysis and densitometry. Cell death and ROS was determined by Annexin V-FITC and DCFH-DA staining, respectively. Results: A549 cells demonstrated a greater capacity to bioreduce LA, whereas U87 cells showed a greater capacity to bioreduce HEDS. Correspondingly, increased levels of ROS, cell detachment and apoptosis were observed by the combination of Qct plus LA in A549 cells and by Qct plus HEDS in U87 cells. Cell death in both cells lines was associated with reduced levels of phospho-Src and phospho-FAK and inhibition of phosphorylation was greater in the presence of Qct, which has been shown to inhibit protein kinase activities. In U87 cells, phospho-FAK suppressed p53 phosphorylation but depletion of GSH by treatment with HEDS inhibited FAK and induced phosphorylation of p53. Apoptosis was induced in both cell lines and was mediated by p53-dependent (caspase-9) and p53-independent (caspase-8) pathways in the U87 and A549 cells, respectively. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that redox levels can be specifically manipulated in the presence of kinase inhibitors to affect the phosphorylation or activation of proteins and enhance cell death. Additionally, knowledge of the cross-talk between cell redox systems and cell signaling or survival pathways will aid in the rational design of small molecule inhibitors. Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 5521.


Economic derivatives markets offer new risk diversification opportunities for individual investors, covering factors such as inflation, real estate, hurricane damage or gas at the pump. Because these contracts tend to be written on unhedgeable underlying assets or variables, valuation and pricing are not straightforward. This article provides an overview of valuation approaches and shows that most contracts in these nascent markets are efficiently priced.


The digestive gland tubule epithelium of Helix aspersa is made up of 4 cell-types: thin cells, digestive cells, calcium cells, and excretory cells. Thin cells are narrow and undifferentiated. They divide by mitosis and are believed to develop into other celltypes. Digestive cells are highly vacuolated phagocytic and absorptive cells. Food materials are taken in by phagocytosis and are concentrated and digested in the vacuoles in the cell. When digestion is complete, the residual indigestible material in the vacuoles, and excretory material in the form of small granules of lipofuscin, are cast out of the cell surrounded by a portion of cytoplasm. Calcium cells are secretory, with a prominent Golgi apparatus and a high concentration of RNA in the cytoplasm. Most of the cell is occupied by spherules which contain calcium; apically there are protein granules which contain a high concentration of tryptophane. Both these types of inclusion are extruded from the cell. Protein granules may be zymogen granules, but the function of the calcium spherules is not known. Excretory cells are degenerate, and probably derived from calcium cells. They consist chiefly of a large vacuole, surrounded by a little cytoplasm. The vacuole contains one or more granules of lipofuscin. Similar granules can be found in the faeces, and thus they are excretory material.


Based on the results of baseline data for the year 2016 in the Sumbersekar village of the District Dau Malang undertaken by students of level 3 diploma courses majoring in nutrition at Malang Health Polytechnic show that the percentage of Posyandu cadre knowledge about Posyandu was 43%, growth and development of infants 39%, Supplementary Feeding (PMT) 47.8%, iodine deficiency disorders (GAKI) 17%, Family Nutrition Improvement Efforts (UPGK) 48%, all were included in the category of less. This is evidenced from the scores obtained in the questionnaire about knowledge posyandu less than 60. The general purpose of this research is to analyze the effect of media outreach with leaflets, booklets and posters on the level of knowledge about Posyandu of Posyandu cadres in the village Sumbersekar Dau District of Malang. This research was conducted in the village of Sumbersekar the District Dau Malang on 16 January 2017 until 18 February 2017. The research is a Quasi-experimental study the design of the study was one group pretest posttest. The research instrument used is a personal data questionnaire, cadre knowledge by pretest-posttest, pretest-posttest matter for the posters, leaflets and booklets, stationery, Posters, Leaflets and Handbook. The sample used is 23 cadres posyandu in Sumbersekar Village. The results showed that there were differences before and after community education with the media leaflets, booklets and posters to the knowledge level of Posyandu cadre about posyandu, development and growth of children, supplementary feeding (PMT), disorders due to iodine deficiency (GAKI), Efforts to Repair Family Nutrition (UPGK). There is influence of giving media (leaflet, pocket book and poster) to knowledge about posyandu cadres about posyandu, and the most influential media in changing knowledge of posyandu cadres of toddler is pocket book. It is suggested that posyandu cadres should increase the use of media leaflet, pocket book and poster in order to give education to the community.


The paper discusses Lithuanian printing houses, an important field of American Lithuanian press (newspapers and books) history. The main focus of the article are printing house workers and other people related to the activities of printing houses and their work, mode of life, and other issues. Most of the information was found in the periodicals of the discussed period. Data and other important statements were also found in the works of the history of American Lithuanians. Those works were published later on. These sources are not about the history of the printing houses, but their chapters and sections contain factographic data related to the topic. The data were collected from bibliographic works. These works allow identifying various facts from a particular period: the number of printing houses, their place of activity, their owners, publishers, editors, printed material, etc. This paper takes into consideration the works of other scientists and authors and uses them. However, in the author's opinion, there is no point in repeating what has already been done in covering the history of American Lithuanian printing houses (especially before the year 1904). The paper tries to raise and cover new issues and aspects. The article describes the printing houses of the further period (1904– 1919). Most of the information is about printing house workers, their working conditions, demands, professional unions, etc. Some of the issues of this topic are also reflected in the historiographic part which also includes some more distinct articles. The addendum "List of American Lithuanian Pressmen (1874–1919)" attached to the article is based on the periodicals, bibliographic publications, encyclopaedias (especially The Boston Encyclopaedia), and other sources. This list should be considered as an attempt which contains gaps, inaccuracies, etc.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the physiological variables and the sleep-wake pattern presented by preterm in nesting and hammock positions after diaper change.

METHOD
This is a crossover randomized controlled trial. It was conducted with 20 preterm infants who, after diaper change, were placed in nests or hammocks. These preterm infants were evaluated for physiological variables (heart rate and oxygen saturation) and behavioral variables (sleep and wakefulness).

RESULTS
There was no statistically significant difference in the studied variables between nesting and hammock positions. However, regarding the categorical variable sleep, the comparison between the research phases for the hammock position showed differences between the baseline phase and the immediate recovery (p=0.00), baseline and late recovery (p=0.00), response and immediate recovery (p=0.00), response and late recovery (p=0.00).

CONCLUSION
No differences were identified between the nest and the hammock; however, the use of the hammock favored the sleep of preterm infants compared to its non-use.


Engineering today requires that structures are strong and durable; the latter concept is a decisive factor in their design and construction. The scientific community continues developing new cementitious materials and improving traditional concrete's properties, specifically reducing permeability by incorporating materials such as pozzolans. This paper analyses the effect of fly ash (FA) added to concrete on mechanical strength regarding compression, capillary absorption and chloride permeability and their behaviour compared to concrete containing silica fume (SF). An optimum 10% mechanical strength was found for fly ash; however, this increased with addition, resulting in positive effects on durability. Fly ash had lower performance for all properties evaluated when compared to silica fume.


Although a remarkably large number of organizations exist which are devoted to research in polar regions and/or to the collection and dissemination of knowledge about them, very few of them are "polar" institutions, or even "arctic" institutions in the sense of being interested in everything polar, or arctic. ... The major exceptions are the Arctic Institute of North America, the Scott Polar Research Institute in England and, to some extent, the Arctic and Antarctic Scientific Research Institute of Leningrad, with their large diversified libraries. Many of the existing polar and arctic institutions ... perform their teaching roles, if any, principally through the involvement of their staffs in the academic departments of the universities with which they are most closely associated. As institutions, they appear to stimulate teaching rather than act as centres of it. This situation is illustrated in the case of Canada where a report by Kupsch and Caillol shows that virtually all teaching about the Arctic is being carried on within specialist academic departments - of history, anthropology, biology, geography, geology, etc. ... Some polar institutions seem to have stimulated more teaching than have others over the years. In Canada, again, the relatively recent upsurge of courses dealing with aspects of the Arctic at the Universities of Saskatchewan and Alberta, including very successful extension courses conducted at locations in the Arctic, are a reflection of the efforts of the Institute for Northern Studies, Saskatoon, and the Boreal Institute, Edmonton, respectively. Similarly, it would appear that the Centre d'Etudes Nordiques has greatly stimulated teaching about the Arctic at Universite Laval, Quebec. In the United States, Dartmouth College at Hanover, New Hampshire, with its Steffansson Collection has been a focus for teaching about the Arctic; and the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research of the University of Colorado, Boulder, and the Ohio State Institute of Polar Studies are other centres which are currently active in the field. The development of universities at high latitudes has, of course, provided a fine opportunity for students to pursue their studies within normal academic disciplines while gaining real experience of the Arctic. Developments in the U.S.S.R. (Syktyvkar and Yakutsk), Sweden (Lulea), Norway (Tromso) and Finland (Oulu) are clearly of great significance in this regard. In the English-speaking world, the University of Alaska is still the only institution of university status located in the Arctic. ... It would appear, ... that the first formal programme leading to a postgraduate qualification in polar studies - outside the U.S.S.R. at least - will be inaugurated in October 1975 by the Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI) of Cambridge, England. ... A new development will be the commencement in October 1975 of a one-year postgraduate course, for graduates of any discipline, leading to a Diploma in Polar Studies of the University of Cambridge. The objects of this course are to provide a broad background of polar knowledge and to offer to each candidate a topic of his or her choice to investigate in depth. Lectures and seminars will cover the following subjects in their relation to both the Arctic and Antarctic: natural environment, peoples, history, resources and problems of development, government and social relations. As no such course is given elsewhere in the world, this is an experiment which will be observed with much interest.


Objective: To characterize the Ejido agricultural producers relating to their environment and socioeconomic structure in Ejido San Luis Huexotla, Texcoco, state of México, Mexico.
Design / Methodology / Approach: This research joined qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Also, a survey was used and applied to Ejido producers (ejidatarios) of Ejido San Luis Huexotla. To obtain the sample size, total universe of 181 ejidatarios was used; and survey was applied to 50 of them, representing 30% of the population.
Results: The main problems were identified that have changed land uses and ownership in the Ejido. Variables were found, as aging and primary economic activities that are decisive in order to know the current status of the Ejido area; its spatial transformation, and general conditions of Ejido San Luis Huexotla.
Limitations of the study: Although we are referring to an agricultural area with irrigation systems, diverse causes and socioeconomic factors or even external factors have conditioned the agricultural activity of the Ejido system.
Findings / Conclusions: Applying a survey to ejidatarios was decisive to observe the conditions in which the Ejido is being managed; and to assess vulnerability to external events that have transformed the actions at the Ejido; as well as their socioeconomic relationships facing the inevitable de-peasant process (less owners are rural farmers by the day) in current Mexican agricultural lands.


The phrase "martial arts studies" is increasingly circulating as a term to describe a new field of interest. But many academic fields including history, philosophy, anthropology, and Area studies already engage with martial arts in their own particular way. Therefore, is there really such a thing as a unique field of martial arts studies? Martial Arts Studies is the first book to engage directly with these questions. It assesses the multiplicity and heterogeneity of possible approaches to martial arts studies, exploring orientations and limitations of existing approaches. It makes a case for constructing the field of martial arts studies in terms of key coordinates from post-structuralism, cultural studies, media studies, and post-colonialism. By using these anti-disciplinary approaches to disrupt the approaches of other disciplines, Martial Arts Studies proposes a field that both emerges out of and differs from its many disciplinary locations.


This study aims to identify the relationship between case manager competency and nurse burnout in Indonesia. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 235 nurses in three hospitals located in Jakarta and Tangerang. The questionnaire used in this study comprise of: demographic data; General Self Efficacy Scale; Nurse Manager Competency Scale; and Oldenburg Burnout Inventory. Most respondents experienced emotional exhaustion and disengagement. The case manager's competence reported low. Analysis showed that the case manager's competence in actuating, communication, and problem-solving associated with nurse burnout. Direction, communication competency, and problem-solving competency of the case manager may reduce the burnout of nurse executor. Improving the competence of nurse manager is very important in order to reduce nurse burnout.


SUMMARY Ultrasonic hearing is widespread among moths, but very few moth species have been reported to produce ultrasounds for sexual communication. In those that do, the signals are intense and thus well matched for long distance communication. By contrast, males of the Asian corn borer moth (Crambidae) were recently shown to whisper extremely low-intensity ultrasonic courtship songs close to females. Since low sound levels will prevent eavesdropping by predators, parasites and conspecific rivals, we predicted low intensity ultrasound communication to be widespread among moths. Here we tested 13 species of moths including members of the Noctuidae, Arctiidae, Geometridae and Crambidae. Males of nine species, 70%, produced broadband ultrasound close to females. Peak frequencies ranged from 38 to above 100 kHz. All sounds were of low intensity, 43-76 dB SPL at 1 cm [64±10 dB peSPL (mean ± s.d.), N=9 species]. These quiet and/or hyper-frequency ultrasounds are audible to nearby mates, but inaudible to unintended receivers. Although largely unknown because it is so inconspicuous, acoustic communication using low intensity ultrasound appears to be widespread among hearing moths. Thus, acoustic communication may be the norm rather than the exception.


Loiasis treatment by diethylcarbamazine (DEC) may be complicated by a meningoencephalitis that is often fatal. Following one case, four others have been reviewed in the literature and the therapeutic approach in resuscitation departments discussed. Until the discovery of other less-dangerous microfilaricidal or macrofilaricidal drugs, we raise the question of the opportunity to treat loiasis by DEC, while many authors consider it as a simple nuisance.


This paper deals with the design and implementation of a multi-purpose wireless surveillance robot which is operated with the help of Graphical User Interface (GUI) of MATLAB. Surveillance robots find many applications in a variety of fields such as military surveillance, fault detection in large pipelines like penstock pipes and surveillance of areas hostile to humans, like areas vulnerable to nuclear radiations. The robot uses Open Source Arduino microcontroller for the control of various dynamic parts of the machine. It is one of the latest and simplest microcontrollers for development of robotic projects. The mobility is imparted to the machine via geared DC motors which are driven by motor controllers. The night vision camera which is made dynamic with the help of controlled servomotors enables the users to get a detailed view of the area in which the robot is sent. The air quality sensor in the robot enables us to detect whether the environment is feasible to humans. Wireless operation is made possible with the help of ZigBee pair, programmed with AT commands which can give a range up to 300m. The mechanical design is also tuned by imparting belt driven wheels which provides a wide area of contact for greater grip and angle of ascend. Humidity and temperature sensors provide an exact idea about the surroundings being observed. The MATLAB interface will provide greater flexibility to the system and thus makes it easier to install for a handful of operations. It is sure that the paper will prove to be a breakthrough in surveillance vehicles and thereby a great scope of future development due to the flexibility of the system.


Rationale: In the thorax, Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) most frequently involves the anterior mediastinal and paratracheal regions and tends to spread to contiguous nodal groups. Enlarged lymph nodes typically have homogeneous soft tissue attenuation similar to that of muscle tissue on computed tomography (CT). Patient concerns: A contrast-enhanced CT examination of a 19-year-old man with right-sided chest pain showed an intense, heterogeneously enhancing mass with organization of serpentine and dilated blood vessels in the right anterior mediastinum that had invaded the upper lobe of the right lung. Diagnoses: Following a wedge resection, histopathological examination showed Reed-Sternberg cells that were positive for CD-15 and CD-30, which is typical of HL. Interventions: The patient was started treatment with 6 cycles of doxorubicin, bleomycin, vincristine, and dacarbazine (ABVD) regimen. Outcomes: After chemotherapy, the patient had shown a partial response to the treatment. Lessons: This presentation of HL as an extremely hypervascular anterior mediastinal mass on CT imaging has not been previously reported in the literature. This case suggests that HL should be included in the differential diagnosis of a hypervascular anterior mediastinal mass, especially if the patient is a young adult.


Background Choriogonadotropin (CG) beta (FE 999302), a novel recombinant human (h)CG produced by a human cell line, has a longer half-life and higher potency than CG alfa produced by a Chinese hamster ovary cell line. hCG augments steroid production, but the extent of which CG beta treatment during ovarian stimulation (OS) increases steroidogenesis is unknown. Objective To explore how increasing doses of CG beta during OS augment follicular steroidogenesis and change gene expression in cumulus cells. Study design This study is part of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of CG beta plus recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (rFSH) in women undergoing OS during a long gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist protocol. The study primary endpoint was intrafollicular steroid concentrations after CG beta administration. Secondary outcomes were gene expression of FSHR , LHR, CYP19a1, and androgen receptor (AR). Participants/methods 619 women with anti-Müllerian hormone levels 5–35 pmol/L were randomized to receive placebo or 1, 2, 4, 8, or 12 µg/day CG beta from Day 1 of OS plus rFSH. Follicular fluid (FF) (n=558), granulosa (n=498) and cumulus cells (n=368) were collected at oocyte retrieval. Steroid FF hormones were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, gene expression was analyzed in cumulus cells by quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis was performed in granulosa cells. Results 17-OH-progesterone, androstenedione, testosterone, and estradiol concentrations significantly increased in a CG-beta dose-dependent manner during OS (p<0.0001), reaching up to 10 times higher values in the highest dose group versus placebo. There was no difference between CG beta dose groups and placebo for progesterone. Expression levels of CYP19a1 increased significantly in the highest dose group of CG beta (p=0.0325) but levels of FSHR , LHR and AR were not affected by CG beta administration. There were no differences between the FSHR (307) or LHR(312) SNP genotypes for dose-dependent effects of CG beta in relation to number of oocytes, intrafollicular steroid hormone levels, or gene expression levels. Conclusions These results reflect the importance of the combined effect of FSH and hCG/LH during OS on granulosa cell activity, follicle health and potentially oocyte quality. Trial Registration number 2017-003810-13 (EudraCT Number). Trial Registration date 21 May 2018. Date of first patient's enrolment 13 June 2018. Presented at the 38th Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, P-567, 2022.


Floorplanning is a very crucial step in modern VLSI design. It dominates the top level spatial structure of a chip and initially optimizes the interconnections. Thus a good floorplan solution among circuit modules definitely has a positive impact on the placement, Routing and even manufacturing. In this paper the classical floorplanning that usually handles only block packing to minimize silicon rate, so modern floorplanning could be formulated as a fixed outline floorplanning. It uses some algorithms such as B-TREE representation, simulated annealing and adaptive fast simulated annealing, comparing above three algorithms the better efficient solution came from adaptive fast simulated annealing, it's leads to faster and more stable convergence to the desired floorplan solutions, but the results are not an optimal solution, to get an optimal solution it's necessary to choose effective algorithm. Combining global and local search is a strategy used by many optimization approaches. Memetic algorithm is an evolutionary algorithm that includes one or more local search phases within its evolutionary cycle. The algorithm combines a hierarchical design technique, genetic algorithms, constructive techniques and advanced local search to solve VLSI floorplanning problem.


This paper analyzes abnormal returns, wealth effects and transfers generated in Mexican Joint Ventures and Merges with U.S. partners. Following NAFTA (the North American Free Trade Agreement) Mexican and U.S. firms have increased their deals both in numbers as well as in size of the deal. We conduct an Event Study to measure the stock price response associated with the announcement of a Merger or a Joint Venture. In addition, we analyze the aggregate wealth effects and transfer between the pairs of firms involved. Finally we make a cross-sectional analysis in order to examine the existence of investment opportunities, differences in abnormal returns due to the type of deal, size of the firms or country of origin. We find that the Mexican firms involved in Joint Ventures have larger abnormal returns even more than previous studies. In addition, Mexican firm acquirers have positive and significant abnormal returns. Moreover divestitures of U.S. companies generate a notable dollar wealth transfer to the Mexican acquirers. Another important result is that in the Mexican case, the data shows a diagonal response to news generated, and much stronger for the event study period. This may be a signal of less efficient markets. We detect an average of $130 million dollars of wealth created in each pair of our sample. The more remarkable happened when a U.S. mega firm is involved. We attribute the abnormal returns with reference to NAFTA. The Mexican investors have a favorable perception of the possible outcomes, i.e., investors' perception that operating synergies and strategic realignment of firms will generate positive net present value. On the other hand, U.S. investors seem quite skeptical of Mexican prospects. Their attitude may be qualified as one of caution.


The market for copyrights is characterized by a highly skewed distribution of profits: very few movies, books, and songs generate huge profits, whereas the great bulk barely manages to recover production cost. At the moment when the owner of intellectual property grants a license (ex ante), neither party knows the true value of the traded commodity. A seemingly odd provision from German copyright law, the so‐called bestseller paragraph, stipulates that the seller of a license has a legally enforceable right to a bonus in case the work (ex post) turns out a blockbuster. We experimentally explore the effect of the provision on market prices, on the number of deals struck, and on perceived fairness. Our results show that the provision leads to lower prices for copyrights. More copyrights trade. The buyers express less ex post discontent.


FIELD: construction. SUBSTANCE: invention is intended for technological processes of construction and mining industries. Conical crusher with improved attachment of the crushing armor includes housing (1), external crushing armor (2) and internal crushing cone (3) with crushing chamber between them. Housing is based on foundation (9) through elastic shock-absorbers (10). External armor is made in the form of a cone, rolling in the upper part in vertically oriented cylinder. External armor is fixed in the adjusting ring by an attachment system. Internal cone is arranged inside external armor on spherical support (4). Internal cone is driven by transmission from the engine. Circular hydro fixator of the external armor attachment system is based on an adapter ring. At least, one circular mounting slot (29) is made on the outer surface of the external armor cylindrical part. At least, two identical blocks (24) are inserted in the mounting slot from two opposite sides. Blocks are made in the form of the ring segment with complicated profile with angular size of the segment equal to 180° max. EFFECT: invention provides rigid fixation of the crushing armor in the adjusting ring due to full contact of armor surfaces and adjusting ring with each other. 20 cl, 12 dwg


OBJECTIVE
The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the cervical adaptation of metal crowns under several conditions, namely (1) variations in the cervical finish line of the preparation, (2) application of internal relief inside the crowns, and (3) cementation using different luting materials.

METHOD AND MATERIALS
One hundred eighty stainless-steel master dies were prepared simulating full crown preparations: 60 in chamfer (CH), 60 in 135-degree shoulder (OB), and 60 in rounded shoulder (OR). The finish lines were machined at approximate dimensions of a molar tooth preparation (height: 5.5 mm; cervical diameter: 8 mm; occlusal diameter: 6.4 mm; taper degree: 6; and cervical finish line width: 0.8 mm). One hundred eighty corresponding copings with the same finish lines were fabricated. A 30-Microm internal relief was machined 0.5 mm above the cervical finish line in 90 of these copings. The fit of the die and the coping was measured from all specimens (L0) prior to cementation using an optical microscope. After manipulation of the 3 types of cements (zinc phosphate, glass-ionomer, and resin cement), the coping was luted on the corresponding standard master die under 5-kgf loading for 4 minutes. Vertical discrepancy was again measured (L1), and the difference between L1 and L0 indicated the cervical adaptation.

RESULTS
Significant influence of the finish line, cement type, and internal relief was observed on the cervical adaptation (P <.001). The CH type of cervical finish line resulted in the best cervical adaptation of the metal crowns regardless of the cement type either with or without internal relief (36.6 +/- 3 to 100.8 +/- 4 Microm) (3-way analysis of variance and Tukey's test, a = .05). The use of glass-ionomer cement resulted in the least cervical discrepancy (36.6 +/- 3 to 115 +/- 4 Microm) than those of other cements (45.2 +/- 4 to 130.3 +/- 2 Microm) in all conditions.

CONCLUSION
The best cervical adaptation was achieved with the chamfer type of finish line. The internal relief improved the marginal adaptation significantly, and the glass-ionomer cement led to the best cervical adaptation, followed by zinc phosphate and resin cement.


Machine transliteration, as defined in this paper, is a process of automatically transforming written script of words from a source alphabet into words of another target alphabet within the same language, while preserving their meaning, as well as pronunciation. The main goal of this paper is to present a machine transliteration tool between three common scripts used in low-resource Uzbek language: the old Cyrillic, currently official Latin, and newly announced New Latin alphabets. The tool has been created using a combination of rule-based and fine-tuning approaches. The created tool is available as an open-source Python package, as well as a web-based application including a public API. To our knowledge, this is the first machine transliteration tool that supports the newly announced Latin alphabet of the Uzbek language.


By using of an ensemble method,the tests of rainfall for the predictions of the seasonal,interseasonal and annual scales in China during 1982—1995 have been made by the atmosphericGCM/mixed layer ocean and ice model(OSU/NCC).Contrasts between forecasts by the OSU/NCC and the observations show that the model has a certain ability in the prediction ofprecipitation for summer over China in all of the three different time scales.And it indicates thatthe interseasonal prediction is the best among the forecasts of three scales.It is also indicated thatthe prediction is especially acceptable in certain areas.


The nature of trapped air on submersed ultra-water-repellent interfaces has been investigated. These gaseous layers (plastrons) can last from hours to, in some examples such as the Salvinia molesta fern, months. The interface of submerged superhydrophobic surfaces with carefully controlled micropatterned surface roughness has been probed using synchrotron-based high-resolution X-ray phase tomography. This technique looks in situ, through the aqueous/gas interface in three dimensions. Long-term plastron stability appears to correlate with the appearance of scattered microdroplets <20 μm in diameter that are sandwiched within the 30 μm thick gaseous interfacial layer. These microdroplets are centered on defects or damaged sections within the substrate surface approximately 20-50 μm apart. Such irregularities represent heterogeneous micro/nano-hierarchical structures with varying surface structures and chemistry. The stability of microdroplets is governed by a combination of electrostatic repulsion, contact angle limitations, and a saturated vapor pressure, the latter of which reduces the rate of diffusion of gas out of the air layer, thus increasing underwater longevity. Homogenous surfaces exhibiting purely nano- or micro-regularity do not support such microdroplets, and, as a consequence, plastrons can disappear in <20 h compared with >160 h for surfaces with scattered microdroplets. Such behavior may be a requirement for long-term nonwetting in any system.


Validating knowledge for sensor fusion systems is intrinsically problematic. Knowledge evaluation in this context is viewed as an unsupervised credit assignment problem. An approach to dynamic knowledge evaluation based on a credit assignment algorithm called the bucket brigade is explored. The performance of individual elements of knowledge in rule-based systems is incrementally assessed (credit is assigned) in the conflict resolution phase of the system's operation. A formulation is developed that avoids the requirement for supervision, leading to dynamic knowledge evaluation that is not dependent on externally derived system critiques. Finally, the mechanism is extended to apportion credit to input sources as well as elements in the system's knowledge base. >


Abstract The aim of this article is to present the history and the current state of Bryjarka hill, situated in Szczawnica (the Beskid Sądecki range in southern Poland) in relation to its environmental and cultural values. Another aim of this article is to show that Bryjarka hill plays an important role in the biological, geological and cultural aspects of the region. It represents cultural significance where the traces of human activities date back to medieval times.


In three recent articles, Slater (1972, 1973, 1975) has made certain claims concerning the nature of science, especially as it applies to psychiatry. Most recently (Slater, 1975), he has applied his criteria for assessing science to psychoanalysis, and has found it seriously lacking. In this article Slater's criticisms of psychoanalysis are used as a foil to attack his criteria for science. It is argued that his methodological criteria are extremely conservative and would be likely to cause the demise of scientific activity if at all seriously applied. Further, it is argued that psychoanalysis is a science on any reasonable application of Slater's criteria.


African American gospel music forms an important part of the community's aesthetic expression and is a synthesis of music, dance, poetry, and drama distilled into a unified whole. Gospel music also represents a strong link to African roots in both subtle and sometimes obvious ways. While gospel music is strongly entrenched in the African American "folk church" tradition, it also attracts many who identify as much with its expression of African American values, aesthetics, and life experiences as with its expression of religion. Participants in the tradition, with varying degrees of expertise and from a wide range of ages, denominational affiliations, and geographic locales, readily articulate its significance in the African American community. The factors involved in making gospel music what it is are numerous and complex, and only by considering all of them can we begin to approach satisfactory explanations of its changing nature. In this study I wish to suggest that it might be more profitable for researchers to undertake more comparisons involving cultural, societal, and historical processes that influenced the development of gospel music rather than to consider musical structures alone. Although comparisons of musical structures are important, it is probable that further research into processes will result in the discovery of more regularities in musical behavior. Conducting regional comparative studies of gospel music that utilize quantitative musical analysis would certainly be a phenomenal venture, and probably a very revealing one. For instance, E. Dwight Franklin, an extraordinarily talented full-time minister of music for various churches in New Orleans, has observed that in Los Angeles the organ is an accompanying instrument to the piano - here the piano leads - whereas the piano is not the lead instrument in New Orleans. When you hear choirs from the West Coast, their voices are higher for some reason.... Tenors have no problem singing A flats and B flats on the West Coast. Take for example the gospel compositions of Margaret Dureaux. (Interview) Of course, this type of comparative study could also be misleading, because there is a tremendous amount of overlap between the various regions. In the early history of gospel music this type of study could have been done more easily; however, today, due to the influence of gospel composers/arrangers and technological advances in media (commercial recordings, radio broadcasts, music videos, and television), it would be much more difficult. The evolutionary history and analysis of gospel music is complex, and researchers, practitioners, and aficionados have encountered many problems in attempting to delineate different styles and genres of the tradition, since it has such a changing nature. Some sources discuss gospel within various sub-categories, such as country or folk-styled gospel and jazz-styled gospel. The most popular designations are traditional, contemporary, urban contemporary, and inspirational - categories used on the popular awards shows such as the Grammy, Stellar, and Dove Awards. For Al Hobbs, chairman of the Announcers' Guild of the Gospel Music Workshop of America, traditional gospel is used to set the mood for a morning worship service; contemporary gospel can be used in a worship service, but is primarily heard at a concert; and urban contemporary goes out to people who may never hear the gospel message unless they hear it in a song played on a soul station or through a gospel music video on television. (Haynes 80) Gospel music has also been classified chronologically, historically, and categorically by designated years - often without explanation as to why these years were chosen. Because we end up with too many categories, several of which overlap, this process of classification tends to confuse rather than clarify. In addition, while the battle rages over whether traditional or contemporary is the "real" gospel, problems arise on another front: studies that rely primarily on description and analysis of musical practices. …


Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess knowledge of and barriers to osteopathic medicine in Korean communities in New York City.
Design: A cross-sectional study was designed in which a culturally appropriate survey in Korean and English versions was administered anonymously to measure community perceptions and knowledge of osteopathic medicine.
Setting: Data collection occurred in the municipal delineations for the Bayside neighborhood within the New York, New York borough of Queens.
Participants: Community members were selected using convenience sampling from high-density areas to participate. The survey included demographics, education level, health care habits and knowledge of the osteopathic profession.
Results: 105 surveys were conducted with 47 males and 58 females, with an average age = 66. Only 14% (n=15) indicated knowledge about osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) and 9% (n=9) indicated knowledge of osteopathic physicians (DOs), with the primary language spoken at home (Korean) as the sole statistically significant factor in recognition of OMM and DOs among the study variables.
Conclusion: Compared to research on the general U.S. population, a general lack of knowledge of osteopathic medicine exists within New York City's Korean community. Although this difference may be ascribed to linguistics and ethnosociological factors, greater outreach and education is needed in urban minority communities to make immigrants aware of all health care resources available during the current shortage of primary care physicians in the U.S.


BACKGROUND
A randomized, masked, 2-arm parallel trial was conducted to assess the efficacy of a Moraxella bovis (M. bovis) autogenous vaccine to prevent naturally occurring infectious bovine keratoconjunctivis (IBK) in beef calves.

HYPOTHESIS
The null hypothesis was that treatment group was not associated with either risk of IBK or last observed weight.

ANIMALS
The trial was conducted between May and November 2009 and 2010 on a university-owned farm in Iowa. The vaccine contained 2 randomly selected M. bovis from IBK cases that occurred at the farm in 2008. Calves born between January and May 2009 and 2010 without visible corneal lesions were randomly allocated to receive vaccine (n = 191) or placebo (n = 178).

METHODS
Two s.c. doses were administered 21-28 days apart. Allocation to treatment was concealed using bottles marked A or B. Staff observing the animals for IBK could not determine the treatment grouping. The herd met the "at-risk" criteria (ie, >15% IBK in unvaccinated calves and M. bovis detection in IBK cases). Analysis was "per-protocol".

RESULTS
The risk of IBK was 58/185 (31%) in vaccinated calves and 66/173 (38%) in unvaccinated calves (adjusted risk ratio = 0.78; 95% CI, 0.49-1.24). Average weight before sale did not differ between the vaccinated calves (196.6 kg, SD ± 39.9) and unvaccinated calves (198.1 kg, SD ± 42.7) (P value = .19). No adverse effects were noted.

CONCLUSION AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE
Combination of the study results with previous studies suggests that autogenous M. bovis vaccines often are ineffective in controlling naturally occurring IBK.


© Cambridge University Press 2010. Renewable energy - portable energy sources The increasing need for portable energy storage density due to the growing number of miniaturized and thin devices is driving the current development of energy storage in phones and other portable devices [1]. Figure 3.1 shows the development from the mobile phones of the 1990s to the multimedia centers of two decades later, and the evident development of the devices to thinner and more flexible forms. The total power consumption will become even more important when more electronic devices are embedded in the environment. Also with standalone devices designed to operate without mains power supply for long periods, like years, there are new requirements. Energy storage and power management are among the top three issues for customers and developers in current and future mobile multimedia portable devices. Improvements in conventional battery at the current yearly level are not expected to provide enough energy density to meet all the requirements of future multimedia portables. Even though the use of cellular radio frequency (RF) engine power is expected to reduce with integrated circuit (IC) process and intelligent circuit development, the increasing number of radios and integration of new digital radio, video, and multimedia broadcasting (DAB, DVB-H, DMB) and channel decoders represents a significant challenge both in terms of energy consumption and component costs. Adding wireless local area network (WLAN) and local radio capabilities increases the overall power consumption of smartphones that are already suffering from high energy drain due to the high power consumption of 2.5G/3G wireless modules.


With the advent of nanotechnology, the rational design of core–shell nanoparticle catalysts has attracted enormous attention. This Minireview describes recent progress in designs of state‐of‐the‐art core–shell nanostructured catalysts with active species in the core for efficient organic transformations. These core–shell catalysts demonstrate high potential for excellent durability against aggregation due to the encapsulation process as well as unique functionalities for different purposes such as magnetic properties for easy separation, porous shell adjustability for shape selectivity, stimuli responsiveness and strong metal–support interaction for high chemoselectivity, and site isolation for the development of one‐pot catalysts.


In this paper I discuss some semantic properties that characterise the Futuro Simples (Simple Future) in European Portuguese. Departing from examples gathered in the CETEMPublico corpus, I claim that the Futuro Simples conveys an important range of modal meanings, particularly noticeable in contexts where a covert conditional sentence is assumed, where shared knowledge plays a particular role or where a hypothetical or conjectural reading, overlapping with the speech time, is carried out. Nevertheless, as I demonstrate, temporal information constitutes also a central feature in the semantics of this verbal form, since the Futuro Simples is perfectly compatible with contexts expressing certainty, predictable facts and accurate located future situations. Moreover, aspectual factors seem to restrict some modal interpretations ascribed to the structure under analysis. In view of its two-dimensional nature, I claim that the best analysis for the semantics of the Futuro Simples must involve temporal and modal features interacting dynamically.


In situ diagnostic measurements and reactor modelling are used to study the N2O dissociation by radio frequency (RF) discharges. Measurements are undertaken at 0.5 and 1 Torr gas pressure with a RF power density varying from 4.2 to 35.7 mW cm-2. The reactor modelling involves an electrical discharge model coupled to hydrodynamic and mass transfer models. Only an electrical discharge model accounting for the negative ion conversion from O- to NO- and the subsequent electron detachment allow a good coherence between the measured and predicted power densities. The electron-N2O dissociation cross sections are first fitted in the present work and then the corresponding dissociation rates, obtained from the electrical model, are used in the mass transfer model which includes eight species (N2O, N2, O2, NO, NO2, N, O(3P) and O(1D)). The corresponding results are in good agreement with the experimental ones related to the production of N2 and O2 and the consumption of N2O. Furthermore, the reactor model results show that N2 and O2 are the most abundant products (>1014 molecules/cm3) at 1 Torr.


The envelope and stalk of Colacium mucronatum Bourr. & Chad, were examined in living cells with light microscopy and in fixed preparations with scanning electron microscopy using critically point dried (CPD) and freeze dried (FD) preparations. The envelope of palmelloid cells is formed over the entire cell surface by many individual strands attached at right angles to areas of articulation of the pellicular strips. Strands were observed to anastomose on the posterior tip of otherwise naked cells. Stalks of living cells in India ink preparations had an optically dark inner core with a lighter outer sheath. In FD stalks a definite inner core was not evident, whereas CPD stalks had an outer surface composed of thick strands which may be the collapsed and aggregated strands of the FD stalks. In both there was also an amorphous matrix. The stalk forms from the aggregation of many strands from the anterior cell tip back to a point encompassing the cell surface anterior to a cross section of the tip 9 μm diam. The outer surface of the stalk comes from the pellicular surface joining that area and the core from the cell tip in the area of the canal opening. Any possible participation of the inner canal surface in stalk formation could not be determined because of the great density of the mucilage at the cell‐tip/stalk junction.


Although existing family preservation program research has focused on identifying the components of effective treatment, we remain far from fully developing empirically supported interventions (Barth, Chamberlain, Reid, Rolls, Hurlburt, Farmer, James, McCabe, & Kohl, 2005; Dufour, Chamberland, & Trocme, 2003). The current longitudinal study expands existing efforts to understand the active ingredients of effective interventions by learning from parents who experienced a family preservation intervention themselves. The current study reports on the reflections of 35 parents who child protection social workers referred to family preservation programs. In contrast to a focus on intervention components, parents related the helpful interventions they received to the effectiveness of intervention processes -- namely, to the quality of the relationships they had with their individual family preservation workers and with service teams at the programs they attended. Parents identified that workers in effective programs used specific relational skills to recreate a nurturing family environment that fostered parent engagement and change throughout the process of intervention.


This paper contains a brief review of muon studies of organic conductors with emphasis on polymers. The species created by implanted muons in both semiconducting polymers and polymers doped to metallic values of conductivity are described. Both diamagnetic centres and paramagnetic radicals are formed in the semiconducting materials. The mechanisms of interaction of the muon with the polymers and the longitudinal relaxation of the muon species are discussed. In highly conducting polymers the muons are primarily present in diamagnetic states. Implanted muons have also been used to study both organic chargetransfer salts and Rb3C60 in the superconducting state.


There are observations of 37 pregnant women with cholestasis. The study of the level of bile acids, b2-microglobuline, ferritin and ultrasound echography was shown to be the most valuable diagnostic test. Absolute and relative contraindications to the maintenance of pregnancy are suggested for this group of patients. It was proved that the long-term cholemia considerably aggravates the course of the disease. The problem of the maintenance of pregnancy in each case must be solved on an individual basis and with the use of adequate therapy.


Epitaxial layers of p-type indium phosphide (InP) have been grown by low pressure, metal organic chemical vapour deposition (LP-MOCVD) using diethylzinc (DEZn) as the p-dopant source. Proposed zinc-associated InP point defects and experimental DEZn doping data were used to formulate a point-defect equilibrium model of the Zn doping process of MOCVD InP. The model equation is contrasted with the experimental data and this comparison provides insight into the DEZn doping mechanism of InP on the atomic level.


The purpose of this study is to investigate the availability of waste glass as alternative materials in sustainable constructions. Collected waste glass was ground into waste glass powder (WGP) with similar particle size distribution as Portland cement (PC) and waste glass sand (WGS) with similar grade as sand. The compressive strength was investigated through the Taguchi test to evaluate the effect of different parameters on WGP-blended mortar, which include WG-replacement rate (G/B, 0, 10%, 20%, 30%), water/binder ratio (w/b, 0.35. 0.40, 0.50, 0.60), cementitious material dosage (Cpaste, 420, 450, 480, 500 kg/m3), and color of powder (green (G) and colorless (C)). The alkali–silica reaction (ASR) expansion risk of WGS-blended mortar was assessed. The experimental results indicated that WGP after 0.5 h grinding could be used as substituted cement in mortar and help to release potential ASR expansion. The replacement rate played a dominant role on strength at both the early or long-term age. The water/binder ratio of 0.35 was beneficial to the compressive strength at three days and 0.50 was better for strength at 60 and 90 days. An optimal value of cementitious material dosage (450 Kg/m3) exited in view of its strength, while the effect of the color of WG was minor. WGS could be graded as standard construction sand and no ASR expansion risk was found even for 100% replacement of regular sand in mortar. Through the comprehensive reuse of waste glass, this study could provide basic knowledge and a concept for the sustainable development of building materials.


Fieldwork involves imagination, social encounters and a recognition of feelings, emotions, in observer and observed. As with ' the field' itself, emotions and encounters are dynamically temporal, whether they are observed, or felt by the investigator, or described by interlocutors. If we want to develop anthropological work on emotions and their significance, we must be aware of the layers of interpretation that mediate between a fieldwork event and its often manifold recensions. 'Writing up' therefore requires consideration of how to (re-) present persuasive accounts and analyses: examples are discussed of such modes in different media and the role of mediators in academic descriptions of emotion.


In previous work, we developed a novel relevance feedback (RF) framework that learns one-class support vector machines (ISVM) from retrieval experience to represent the set memberships of users' high level semantics. By doing a fuzzy classification of a query into the regions of support represented by the ISVMs, past experience is merged with short-term (i.e., intra-query) learning. However, this led to the representation of long-term (i.e., inter-query) learning with a constantly growing number of ISVMs in the feature space. We present an improved version of our earlier work that uses an incremental k-means algorithm to cluster ISVMs. The main advantage of the improved approach is that it is scalable and can accelerate query processing by considering only a small number of cluster representatives, rather than the entire set of accumulated ISVMs. Experimental results against real data sets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.


Background Response to rituximab in patients with RA is followed by relapse after a variable interval. Previous studies have associated initial response to rituximab with lower numbers of CD79a+ B cells at baseline and CD138+ plasma cells at 16 weeks. We recently demonstrated that numbers of plasmablasts, rheumatoid factor titre, and DAS28 at 6 months predicted subsequent outcome [1]. Synovial predictors of duration of response have not previously been described. Objectives To identify synovial predictors of response and relapse after rituximab Methods 25 patients received 2×1000 mg rituximab in combination with 2×100 mg methylprednisolone and oral methotrexate. Synovial biopsy was performed before, and either 16 (n=16) or 26 (n=9) weeks after rituximab. Sections were stained to identify Plasma cells (CD138), B cells (CD19, CD20cy), T cells (CD3) and macrophages (CD68) and analysed by digital image analysis. Clinical response was categorised by EULAR response criteria at 6 months. Patients with EULAR moderate or good response at 6 months were categorised at 12 months as relapse (EULAR non-response) or non-relapse (EULAR moderate or good response). Non-parametric statistical tests were used. Results At 6 months, EULAR non, moderate and good responses were achieved by 7 (28%), 9 (36%)and 9 (36%) patients respectively. Of the 18 patients with EULAR good or moderate response at 6 months, 6 (33%) had relapse at 12 months. In synovium, following rituximab there was a significant reduction in CD19/CD20cy (p=0.001) and CD3 (p=0.004), and no significant change in CD138 (p=0.506). Follow up biopsies collected at 16 or 26 weeks were compared. No significant differences in DAS28 or synovial markers were identified between these time points. Post rituximab histology and response at 6 months: No marker was significantly associated with EULAR response, other than a trend to higher CD68 in non-responders after treatment Post rituximab histology and relapse at 12 months: Comparing relapse and non-relapse groups, there was no difference in CD138 scores at baseline. In the no relapse group there was a trend to reduction in CD138 (p=0.060), whereas in the relapse group there was a trend to increase in CD138 (p=0.180), resulting in significantly higher post-rituximab CD138 scores in patients with relapse (p=0.047). CD138 after rituximab did not correlate with DAS28, but did correlate with RF titre (R=0.637). Patients with RF >108 IU/mL (the level most predictive of relapse in our previous study) had significantly higher synovial CD138 after rituximab (p=0.010), despite no difference in DAS28 at 6 months (p=0.324). Conclusions After rituximab, synovial B cells are generally depleted efficiently. In contrast, synovial plasma cells were only partially reduced in a subset of patients, with high post-rituximab numbers predicting relapse The ability of the synovium to support and retain plasma cells is a determinant of clinical outcome of rituximab therapy. References Vital EM et al. Arthritis and Rheumatism 2011: 63(10):1643 Disclosure of Interest E. Vital Grant/Research support from: Roche, Speakers Bureau: Roche, Y. El-Sherbiny: None Declared, K. Henshaw: None Declared, S. Dass Speakers Bureau: Roche, S. Das: None Declared, M. Buch Speakers Bureau: Roche, F. Ponchel: None Declared, P. Emery Grant/Research support from: Roche, Speakers Bureau: Roche