Social media has tremendously impacted consumers and businesses in the last decade. This relatively new communication channel breaches boundaries year after year in what it can do for its users, no matter the side they are on. Certain benefits can be identified on the consumers` side, but on the business' side as well. Innovation in communicating product and service value using social media evolves very rapidly, with new ways of reaching and gaining the attention of potential consumers being of essential importance. In relation to this, it is valuable to constantly monitor new and emerging consumers` tastes and preferences, not only in products and services they use and buy but in the media and channels they receive information about them. Consumer attitude insights can help social media marketers in developing appropriate social media strategies when marketing their products and services. In this stance, consumers` current attitudes about media, especially social media like the ever-present social networks and advertising techniques that can be used on these networks, is valuable information that can vary across regions, countries, and continents. The aim of this paper was to investigate consumers` attitudes toward social media and targeted advertising in the Czech Republic. The research was conducted on youth and adult population groups regarding their exposure to social media, attitudes regarding the usefulness of social media advertising, buying behavior, irritation, and targeted advertising. The results show certain differences in age groups that can be useful in tailoring successful marketing strategies on social media.


Summary form only given. Experimental results obtained for the proposed qualitative theory prove the hypothesis on the two-photon nature of photoemission within range 550 to 950 nm. Note that observation of an enhancement in nonlinear optical processes by fractal nanostructures was so far reported concerning only nonlinear optical phenomena of a degenerate four-wave mixing type. However, manifestations of two photon photoeffect in such low-intensity optical fields have been observed.


Abstract Meltwater influxes may partly explain the low oxygen-isotope values measured in the Dye 3 and Camp Century ire cores. This has led to speculation that Greenland may not have cooled during the Younger Dryas and underlined the need for independent checks of the oxygen-isotope record. Using optimal control methods and heat-flow modeling, the author makes a valiant but ultimately futile attempt to distinguish the Younger Dryas event in the ice-sheet temperatures measured at Dye 3, south Greenland. The author discusses the prospects for attempting the same in the new Summit boreholes in central Greenland: how that will require more accurate temperature measurements, a coupled thermo-mechanical model and a refined uncertainty analysis. He concludes by discussing how borehole-temperature analysis may improve the climate histories determined from ire cores.


To assess the in vitro activity of five naturally occurring phenolic compounds (ferulic acid, apocynin, magnolol, honokiol, and thymol) on mycelial growth and type B trichothecene mycotoxin accumulation by Fusarium graminearum, three complementary approaches were adopted. First, a high-throughput photometric continuous reading array allowed a parallel quantification of F. graminearum hyphal growth and reporter TRI5 gene expression directly on solid medium. Second, RT-qPCR confirmed the regulation of TRI5 expression by the tested compounds. Third, liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry analysis allowed quantification of deoxynivalenol (DON) and its acetylated forms released upon treatment with the phenolic compounds. Altogether, the results confirmed the activity of thymol and an equimolar mixture of thymol–magnolol at 0.5 mM, respectively, in inhibiting DON production without affecting vegetative growth. The medium pH buffering capacity after 72–96 h of incubation is proposed as a further element to highlight compounds displaying trichothecene inhibitory capacity with no significant fungicidal effect.


This thesis consists in three essays that study the linkages between real and financial factors
from different perspectives. Chapter 1, co-authored with Ester Faia and Valeria Patella, introduces
a full set of ambiguity attitudes, which endogenously induces agents' optimism in booms
and pessimism in recessions, in a model where borrowers face occasionally binding collateral
constraints. We use GMM techniques with latent value functions to estimate the ambiguity
attitudes process, showing that agents update their belief over the credit cycle in a way coherent
with our preferences specification. By simulating a crisis scenario, we show that optimism
in booms is responsible for strong leverage build-up before the crises while pessimism in recessions
implies sharper de-leveraging and asset price bursts. Analytically and numerically, using
global non-linear methods, we show that our ambiguity attitudes coupled with the collateral
constraints help to explain relevant asset price and leverage cycle facts around the unfolding of
financial crises. Chapter 2, co-authored with Carmelo Salleo, studies the strategic interactions
between monetary and macroprudential authorities through the lens of an open-economy monetary
model featuring trade and financial
ows between two symmetric countries. Characterizing
a set of Within-Country Cooperative and Nash Equilibria for different degrees of trade and financial
integration, the analysis identifies large costs associated to the strategic interaction between
the domestic authorities. Moreover, the gains from cooperation are strongly affected by the degree
of cross-country integration and by the channel through which the integration is realized:
larger trade
ows reduce the gains, while higher financial globalization makes cooperation more
valuable. Then, moving to a Between-Countries Cooperative and Nash Equilibria analysis, we
confirm that cooperation is beneficial from both the country-specific and the global perspective.
Chapter 3, co-authored with Javier Ojea Ferreiro and Elena Rancoita proposes an innovative
methodology for the design of adverse scenarios for macroprudential policies calibration and
impact assessment. Our methodology allows building tailored scenarios characterized by two
main features. First, there is a stable and transparent mapping of the cyclical systemic risk level
into the path of the scenario's target variables, which are those variables that determine the
overall scenario's severity. Second, the path of the other complementary variables is calibrates
with a multivariate copula model estimated with macro and financial data (MacroFin Copula).
Simulating the model for Euro Area countries, we show that our methodology is able to calibrate
adverse scenarios that properly replicate the global financial crises dynamics in terms of
severity and co-movement between the key macroeconomic and financial variables.


Aerobiology concerns itself with the delivery of viruses, bacteria and organic and inorganic materials to the respiratory tract of test subjects. In this way, the effects of the test material, adverse or beneficial, can be judged in the test subject(s) following a reproducible and consistent delivery method. Most often used are nose-only or head-only exposures of the respiratory tract. This chapter provides a discussion of several generation methods for inhaled agents, most often viral or bacterial, to the breathing zone of an animal. A Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is outlined for the investigator to employ as a model for their use.


Abstract This is the case of a 57-year-old woman who underwent coronary-artery-bypass-grafting following a diagnosis of NSTEMI with triple-coronary-vessel-disease. During separation from cardiopulmonary-bypass she developed acute severe-right-ventricular-failure refractory to inotropic support and intra-aortic-balloon-pump-counterpulsation. Therefore VA-ECMO was established in order to separate the patient from cardiopulmonary-bypass. VA-ECMO was then transitioned to RVAD support which allowed complete recovery of RV-function and subsequent explantation. The patient was eventually discharged home.


Abstract: Years ago, many algorithms are published for fingerprint recognition and these algorithms has different accuracy rate. This paper deals with the study of the existing fingerprint recognition algorithms in order to improve the performance of the proposed fingerprint algorithm to develop an efficient novel system. The proposed fingerprint algorithm is concentrated on the improvement of the thinning process. Fingerprint enhancement and minutiae extraction based on optimal thinning. The output results indicate a significant improvement of the fingerprint recognition pattern.


Since 1986, percutaneous intradiscal laser nucleotomy (PILN) has been studied in the authors' laser laboratory. The purpose of this report is to develop PILN as an alternative to chemonucleolysis and percutaneous discectomy, which are currently applied, and to establish a safe, easy, accurate and short-time therapy method for lumbar disc herniation. After laser irradiation, intradiscal pressures (IDP) decreased and the nucleus pulposus was gradually replaced with cartilaginous fibrous tissue. The evaluation of heat distribution with thermocouples and thermography was done to determine safe optimum irradiating conditions and to develop a new double-lumen needle and a bare quartz fiber. Neodymium-yttrium-aluminum- garnet (Nd-YAG) laser devices have been improved for easy and safe use, and a new tip type pressure transducer has been made for improved therapeutic results using this new method.


: In 1987 100 dental hygienists, members of the Dutch Dental Hygiene Association have received a questionnaire (response: 73%) about administration of local anesthesia. Fifty-five respondents worked in a general practice setting. The results showed that the need for administration of local anesthesia is very limited.


The article analyzes Turkey's policy in the framework of the Syrian crisis. The Arab Spring brought dramatic changes to the region, and Syria has since become an area of never ending conflict. At the first stage of the war in Syria, Ankara demonstrated a moderate position in relation to the events in that country, but it soon turned to harsh criticism of the B.Assad regime. Special attention is paid to Turkish military operations in Syria. The interaction with Russia and the United States within the framework of the Syrian settlement is analyzed. The issue of Syrian refugees and their impact on Turkey EU relations are also discussed. It is concluded that in the context of the 2023 elections Ankara has moved to a more constructive position on the Syrian crisis.


BACKGROUND
Endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) is a minimally invasive procedure with a high yield for lymph node staging of lung cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the utility of sonographic features of lymph nodes during EBUS-TBNA for the prediction of metastasis in patients with lung cancer and to establish a standard endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) image classification system.

METHODS
Digital images of lymph nodes obtained during EBUS-TBNA in patients with lung cancer were categorized according to the following characteristics: (1) size (short axis) less or more than 1 cm, (2) shape (oval or round), (3) margin (indistinct or distinct), (4) echogenicity (homogeneous or heterogeneous), (5) presence or absence of central hilar structure, and (6) presence or absence of coagulation necrosis sign. The sonographic findings were compared with the final pathologic results.

RESULTS
A total of 1,061 lymph nodes were retrospectively evaluated in 487 patients. The accuracy of predicting metastatic property for each category was as high as 63.8% to 86.0%. A multivariate analysis revealed that round shape, distinct margin, heterogeneous echogenicity, and presence of coagulation necrosis sign were independent predictive factors for metastasis. Two hundred eighty-five of the 664 lymph nodes (42.9%) having at least one metastatic feature of the four categories were pathologically proven metastatic, and 96.0% of lymph nodes (381/397) were proven not metastatic when all four categories were determined as benign.

CONCLUSIONS
Sonographic features of lymph nodes based on the new EBUS imaging classification may be helpful in the prediction of metastatic lymph nodes during EBUS-TBNA.


Various secondary phases formed during alteration/dissolution of HLW (high-level nuclear waste) borosilicate glass represent a significant retention potential for radionuclides including divalent actinides. The trioctahedral smectite, hectorite, Na0.7[Li0.7Mg5.3Si8O20(OH)4], is one of the secondary phases identified within the alteration layer of corroded HLW glass. Numerous studies have clearly shown that many radionuclides are associated with clay minerals and the migration of radionuclides is strongly reduced by complexation. Due to the structural complexity and chemical variability of smectites, sorption of radionuclides involves several sorption mechanisms: (1) adsorption via inner-sphere and outer-sphere complexation; (2) cation exchange in the interlayer; and (3) incorporation into the smectite structure. Up to now, it was not known whether trivalent actinides such as Cm(III) and Am(III) become incorporated into the crystal structure of clay minerals like hectorite. We have used a new method, developed by Carrado et al. (1997b), to synthesize a Eu- and a Cm-containing hectorite, utilizing Cm(III) and chemically homologous Eu(III) coprecipitated with Mg(OH)2 as a precursor. X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy identified the reaction products unambiguously as hectorite. The sorption mechanisms of Eu associated with the synthesized hectorite were investigated by time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS). An unhydrated Eu species (fluorescence lifetime 930 µs) and a partly hydrated Eu species (fluorescence lifetime 381 µs) could be identified. The unhydrated Eu species can be interpreted as incorporating Eu(III) into the hectorite structure or a remaining X-ray amorphous silica phase. The spectra of Eu hectorite and the Eu silica complexation are too similar to permit differentiation between these species, but dialysis experiments demonstrated the close association of the unhydrated Eu species with the crystalline hectorite phase. Time-resolved laser fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS) measurements identified the same incorporated Eu species as long as the Eu hectorite was stable under acidic conditions. The stability of the Eu hectorite could be shown by the dialysis experiment over a time period of 160 h. Between 160 und 500 h, hectorite became unstable and a new silica phase was detected. In addition, TRLFS measurements of the Cm-containing hectorite confirmed the incorporation of actinides in the smectite structure. The Cm-hectorite and Cm-silica species can be differentiated unambiguously by TRLFS. In order to differentiate between coprecipitated and surface-sorbed Eu species, batch sorption studies were performed with synthetic Eu-free hectorite. For the surface-sorbed Eu species, a fluorescence lifetime of 284 µs (3.1 H2O molecules) was found, which clearly differs from the coprecipitated species with a fluorescence lifetime of 930 µs. The different lifetimes indicate a different chemical environment. Based on all observations it seems to be very likely that trace amounts of Cm/Eu occupy a distorted octahedral site in the hectorite.


The New Open Economy Macroeconomics has allowed economists to tackle classical problems with new tools, while also generating new ideas and questions. In their attempts to make the new models capture empirical regularities, researchers have entertained a variety of assumptions about the international pricing of goods, notably, models of pricing to market and destination-currency pricing of exports. Some of the resulting models imply that exchange-rate changes lack international expenditure-switching effects, and they thus appear to call for a radical rethinking of the role of exchange rates in international adjustment. This paper argues that the recent resurgence of exchange-rate pessimism stems from oversimplified modeling strategies rather than from evidence. Like earlier episodes starting with the extreme 'elasticity pessimism' of the early postwar era, it is based on a misinterpretation of the empirical record.


Growing summer season and increased anthropogenic activities pose a continual challenge to resident species. Ectotherms like insects are especially vulnerable to rapid climatic changes. High-altitude tropical insect populations have been rarely examined for their responses to high-temperature. We exposed a tropical out-bred highland population of Drosophila melanogaster from the Himalayas to growing summer conditions in outdoor mesocosm units. Population response to thermal changes was tracked over ninety days at both phenotypic and genotypic level. Whole genomic resequencing data suggested a clear seasonal shift in allele frequencies. Interestingly, the general heat responsive genes were missing in the summer due to monsoon allele shift; an atypical response noted for high-altitude tropical populations. Instead, candidates involved in kinases and phosphorylation emerged as key players. Heat-knockdown time decreased over time indicating a limited ability to handle increasing temperature. Merging data from both allelic shifts and heat-knockdown time indicated a limited capacity for high-altitude insects in coping with climate warming.


The implications of Moscow's military involvement in Chechnya for the Russian armed forces has, until very recently, been virtually ignored in Russian military literature. The experience of the war itself has rarely received a mention even in those articles which address the problems of local wars. Many of the 'lessons' of Chechnya which have been identified by Russian officers are really thinly‐disguised complaints about the government's failure to provide adequate financial and political support for the armed forces. During the past year, however, there has been a change in the tone and substance of discussions about the Chechen conflict. Russian military officers are becoming more willing to ask fundamental questions about the army's performance in that war and to consider radical solutions to the problems it encountered, including revisiting some of the key security concepts of the Gorbachev period.


Among assembling methods, welding is most widely used in various industries. During the welding operation, material is heated to a temperature above the melting point and melted material forms a weld pool. This leads to the formation of tensile residual stresses in the weld toe. In this paper, effect of burr grinding technique on fatigue strength of butt-welded joint has been evaluated. Burr grinding is one of the weld geometry modification methods that with removing small crack-like defects at the weld toe and increasing weld toe radius leads to reduction of stress concentration factor (SCF) and improvement of fatigue strength of weld. Also, the finite element simulation was performed by using ABAQUS software and stress concentration factor was chosen as a criterion. This factor was calculated using analytical and numerical methods for samples before and after grinding. Burr grinding procedure on welded samples was done using an electric grinder and different conical burrs. Burrs with different radii have been selected in order to provide a better comparison. Fatigue life of samples before and after grinding was determined by fatigue tests under constant amplitude loading. The results show 43.72 percent improvement in stress concentration factor and 50.61 percent improvement in fatigue life of samples. In experimental study, the best result belongs to grinding with a 3 mm tapered burr leading to an improvement of 50.61% in fatigue life while grinding with 1 mm tapered gives the worst result of 8.88% improvement in fatigue life.


Partial monitoring games are played sequentially between a learner and an environment. In each round, the learner performs an action and the environment selects an outcome. The result is manifested as a loss incurred upon the learner. In general, the learner may not be aware of his exact losses, but receives some form of limited feedback. In many cases, the learner may receive side information at the beginning of each round which he may use to further inform his actions. It turns out that certain settings lend themselves naturally to this model. Procurement, dynamic pricing and product testing are a few examples. We implement an instantiation of the CBP-SIDE algorithm that uses linear least squares estimators to determine the best possible action given the side information. We compare the performance CBP-SIDE on a variety of problem instances, using a leading contextual bandit algorithm as our baseline. Our settings include: contextual bandits with linear payoffs, several synthetic problem instances of varying levels of difficulty and an online procurement setting. In the latter, we introduce a novel consideration of worker utilities and evaluate the performance of CBP-SIDE across several loss models.


s are available on line at: http://ash.confex.com/ash/2010/webprogram/start.html Interestingly there wasn't a 'CML Educational Session' as such this year. CML was one third of the MPN educational a great talk by Jerry Radich from Seattle. Perhaps the ASH organisers think CML is all sorted out. There was no shortage of new data amongst the abstracts however. If I had to highlight three things of most relevance to practising clinicians they would be: 1. The 1 line 'TKI wars': the latest on nilotinib, dasatinib and now bosutinib. 2. First data with ponatinib (AP24534). 3. The increasing relevance of early molecular response in predicting longer term outcome. 1. The 1 line 'TKI wars': the latest on nilotinib (Novartis), dasatinib (BMS) and (new this year) bosutinib (Wyeth, now Pfizer). Here's my simplistic, statistically-completely-invalid, comparison of the first line study data. Health warning: a) it's early days, don't read too much into the data yet – we don't know about survival; b) these are four separate studies and you cannot compare across them. It's still very regrettable in this authors opinion that there are no studies comparing different companies 2 generation drugs an opportunity has been missed and regulators and health funders (NICE included) may well wish to see such comparative data in due course. These studies are all industry sponsored/funded although SWOG is investigator-led. It does bother me that rates of molecular response are quite a bit different across the control arms of studies: maybe PCR is not as standardised as we might like to think yet. By the way CMR is becoming a new currency: it equates to a BCR-ABL/ABL ratio of 0.0032% i.e. virtually undetectable. So I suppose dasatinib and nilotinib look (from early responses) better than imatinib but no different to each other. However look at the number of deaths at this early stage a simplistic presentation of 'natural frequencies' (as Ben Goldacre of 'Bad Science' fame might promote) but there's not much difference: if anything a few more deaths in one of the intervention arms. Although there is much hype and jostling for position to usurp


In this paper, hypopycnal and hyperpycnal particulate currents that are formed at river outflows in the sea are studied. The main aim is the use of CFD methods, in order to investigate the plunging mechanism in the case of hyperpycnal currents. Two series of numerical experiments are conducted. The first series, aims to validate the numerical model by checking its ability in capturing the critical suspended sediment concentration for plunging. The second series, aims to investigate the dependence of the plunge depth from the initial flow conditions, in the case of hyperpycnal currents. From the analysis of the results, an empirical equation is derived which relates the plunge depth with the initial conditions. It is also found that secondary hyperpycnal currents, can be generated indirectly, from hypopycnal currents, due to descending sediment fingers. The model predictions, in the present paper are in agreement with previous investigations.


The construction industry entails a wide range of activities, which expose workers to unfavourable ergonomic challenges. There is a high prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), which are associated with the following actions: frequent bending; bending and twisting of the body; working above shoulder height; working below knee level; lifting; manual handling of heavy and irregular-sized loads, and adopting awkward work postures. The exploratory phase of a Doctoral study included a questionnaire survey that investigated the perceptions of architectural technologists regarding various design, procurement, and construction management issues relative to construction ergonomics. Furthermore, a training intervention afforded the researchers the opportunity to investigate the impact thereof through the conducting of a pre-seminar and post-seminar survey. The findings provide documentary evidence of the need for and the value of improving knowledge and the raising of awareness relative to construction ergonomics among architectural technologists. Furthermore, the findings highlight the value of training. Keywords : work-related musculoskeletal disorders, construction, ergonomics


Abstract A field experiment was conducted to study the effects on yield and soil properties of the continuous application of rice straw compost to an alluvial soil in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Fourteen rice crops, two crops per year, were grown by direct seeding of the crop. There were seven treatments: F0C− (no fertilizer and compost), F0C+ (compost with no fertilizer), F20C+, F40C+, F60C+, F80C+ (20, 40, 60 and 80% of the fertilizer application rate with compost, respectively), F100C− (full strength fertilizer application as N:P2O5:K2O at 100:30:30 kg ha−1 in the dry season and 80:30:30 kg ha−1 in the wet season without compost). Compost prepared from the rice straw was applied at 6 Mg ha−1 (fresh weight) at the cultivation of each crop. The F0C+ treatment showed higher yield than the F0C− treatment by 0.68 Mg ha−1 on average in the wet season, but not in the dry season. The rice yield in F0C− declined at a rate of 0.163 Mg ha−1 year−1 in the wet season, but there was no decline in rice yield in F0C+. In treatments with compost, the yield reached its plateau at F40, suggesting that compost could replace part of the fertilizer. Although there were no significant differences in the total C concentrations in the soil among the treatments, even after 12 consecutive crops, soil penetration resistance appeared to be lower with compost than without compost. This long-term field trial showed that the continuous application of rice straw compost has some positive effects on rice yield as well as on soil physical properties.


The present thesis examines how the museum visitor's experience is being transformed by various developments and particularly by the advent of virtual reality technology. The research focused on identifying the problems of communicating the archaeological information to the museum audiences while highlighting best practices and proposing solutions. The immersive function of virtual reality was examined for its potentials to enhance the visitor's perception, learning process and overall museum experience, while an attempt to restore how immersion is being perceived in the cultural field has been made. At the same time, common misuses and traps were highlighted and followed by instructions for the best employment of virtual reality by the museums. The User Experience (UX) Design approach is proposed by this thesis as a potential standard methodology to be adopted by the museums for interpreting the results of the visitor studies into concrete design solutions. Finally, all the insights gained during this research were accumulated into a framework of principles, aims and guidelines for the optimal museum experience with the incorporation of virtual reality.


The EXTROVERT project builds resources to enable engineers to solve problems cutting across disciplines. The theme is to enable development of advanced concepts. The approach is to enable learners to gain confidence with the process of solving problems, starting with their own preferred learning styles and in their own home disciplines as far as possible. Ideas being implemented include a design-centered portal to aerospace engineering, vertical streams of technical content, learning assignments using case studies, a library of solved problems accessible from course content, and integrative concept modules. Experience from six areas is summarized. Case studies are used in class assignments for detailed analysis. Advanced concept development projects are used, involving students at all levels in classes and research, to provide guidance on how to proceed with innovation in the face of large uncertainty and skepticism. These include concepts for a hydrogen fueled supersonic transport architecture, power beaming for a Space-based exchange and retail power delivery, and testbeds for renewable energy systems. Finally, interdisciplinary courses at the senior undergraduate level mesh learning across several subdiscipline and disciplinary areas. Initial samples of formative assessment data reveal the learning style preferences and problem-solving approaches of current engineering students as they deal with the availability of diverse resources. Transferable lessons on the various issues in cross-disciplinary learning are distilled from these experiences.


Nowadays, information technologies are catching growing attention and their application to English language learning is also prospering. Using a Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale and College English Test Band 4, this study explored the different impacts of the e-collaborative learning via QQ group and the traditional multi-media learning on learning outcomes and anxiety among tertiary students. Around 70 participants were involved in different styles of learning and instruction and received both surveys and tests. The results showed that the QQ group-based e-collaborative learning could significantly decrease anxiety but no significant gain was found in learning outcomes compared with the traditional multi-media learning. Correlation between learning outcomes and variables of anxiety was also studied, which resulted in no significant findings. Both disadvantages and advantages of this study were discussed and future research and advice to practitioners were recommended as well.


How robust is public support for extended nuclear deterrence in patron and client states? Recent studies have improved scholarly understanding of US public opinion about nuclear weapon use against non-nuclear adversaries. Yet, there is limited knowledge of public attitudes regarding retaliation for nuclear strikes against US allies. We develop a theoretical typology of nuclear crises and investigate this phenomenon with a novel survey experiment (n = 6,623). Americans, Japanese, and South Koreans viewed realistic emergency alert messages about a most-likely case for nuclear retaliation: a North Korean missile attack on a US ally protected by the nuclear umbrella. Support for nuclear retaliation is low in all three countries, with important cross-national differences. Favorability increases with North Korean nuclear first-use, but it remains limited nonetheless. Surprisingly, US "tripwire" troop casualties do not increase Americans' demands for nuclear retaliation. These findings have important implications for the study of nuclear crises and practice of extended deterrence.


The review aims to assess the effectiveness and safety Pudilan Xiaoyan oral liquid in treating pediatric suppurative tonsillitis systematically through searching relevant electronic database and collecting relevant literature. Meta-analysis was performed with the RevMan 5.3 software. Eighteen RCTs of 1 883 patients of pediatric suppurative tonsillitis were included. Meta-analysis showed that: compared with the application of antibiotics alone, combined with Pudilan can effectively improve the treatment of pediatric suppurative tonsillitis in efficacy rate and shorten the time of recovering normal temperature, the time of tonsil purulent discharge and can also reduce the extinction time of sore throat, antiadoncus or congestion subsided and appetite recovery. There was no severe adverse reaction during the treatment. Compared with the application of antibiotics alone, combined with Pudilan may be more effective and safe in the treatment of pediatric suppurative tonsillitis, which can not be strongly proved at present for lack of studies with high quality.


The authors examined the records of 30 children with bacterial meningitis to review the role of computed tomography (CT) of the brain in acute management of the disease. CT was normal for 10 patients, six of whom had clinical evidence of raised ICP. CT identified an underlying surgical abnormality in two patients with progressive focal neurological signs. One patient had unsuspected gross hydrocephalus diagnosed by CT, which required neurosurgery. This study shows that the management of bacterial meningitis is influenced by CT in only a minority of cases; for patients with clinical signs of raised ICP, it was found to be insensitive in confirming the clinical diagnosis and establishing an underlying cause. However, CT remains valuable in the management of children with progressive neurological signs for whom neurosurgical intervention may be necessary.


The attachment of 2-aminobenzamide to carboxylated multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)-
COOH was achieved through the formation of amide bonds. Then, the functionalized
MWCNTs, MWCNT-amide, were treated by phosphoryl chloride to produce MWCNT-quin.
The products were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy,
scanning electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, derivative thermogravimetric,
steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy, and solubility testing. MWCNT-quin
showed photo-electronic properties, which is due to the attachment of the 4-hydroxyquinazoline
groups to them as proved by steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy. This suggests
intramolecular interactions between the tubes and the attached 4-hydroxyquinazoline. The
toxicity of the samples was evaluated in human embryonic kidney HEK293 and human
breast cancer SKBR3 cell lines, and the viable cell numbers were measured by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-
2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) after the cells were cultured
for 24 h. Cellular investigations showed that the modified MWCNTs, particularly MWCNT-
quin, have considerably significant toxic impact on SKBR3 as compared to HEK293
at the concentration of 5 μg/mL.


Net Curtains and Closed Doors: Intimacy, Family and Public Life in Dublin. Elizabeth A. Throop. Westport, CT: Bergin and Garvey, 1999. 168 pp.


We report on a photorefractive polymer composite that shows an initial rise time of 4 ms at a grating spacing of 3.1 μm. A systematic characterization of the ionization potential of a series of chromophores used in photorefractive applications is presented. No obvious correlation between material response time and ionization potential is found in PVK:ECZ:TNFDM composites doped with chromophores with an ionization potential higher or comparable to that of carbazole. All the chromophores under investigation are found to form a charge-transfer complex with the sensitizer TNFDM and a correlation between the spectral position of this band and the value of the ionization potential of the chromophore is demonstrated.


The BRAF serine/threonine kinase is mutated, typically at V600, to induce an active oncogenic state in a large fraction of melanoma, thyroid, hairy cell leukemia, and to a lesser extent, a wide spectrum of other cancers. BRAFV600E activates the kinases MEK1 and MEK2, which stimulate the MAPK pathway to promote cancer. ATP inhibitors of oncogenic BRAF and MEK1/2 provide a survival advantage in metastatic melanoma, an effect enhanced by co-administering two such inhibitors. Thus, combining multiple approaches to inhibit MAPK signaling is a promising strategy to treat BRAF mutation-positive cancers. We previously found that copper (Cu) influx enhances MEK1 phosphorylation of its substrates ERK1 and ERK2 through a Cu-MEK1 interaction. We now show here that genetic loss of the high affinity Cu transporter Ctr1 or mutations in MEK1 that disrupt Cu binding reduced MAPK signaling and oncogenic BRAFV600E-mediated tumorigenesis. Loss of tumor growth was rescued by expressing a MEK1/5 chimera that phosphorylates ERK1/2 independent of Cu or an activated ERK2. Importantly, Cu chelators used in the treatment of Wilson disease reduced tumor growth of not only BRAFV600E-transformed cells, but also cells resistant to BRAF inhibition. Taken together, these results suggest that Cu-chelation therapy could be repurposed to treat BRAFV600E mutation-positive cancers. Citation Format: Donita Brady, Matt Crowe, Michelle Turski, Aaron Hobbs, Xiaojie Yao, Apirat Chaikuad, Stefan Knapp, Kunhong Xiao, Sharon Campbell, Dennis Thiele, Chris Counter. Copper is required for oncogenic BRAF signaling and tumorigenesis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on RAS Oncogenes: From Biology to Therapy; Feb 24-27, 2014; Lake Buena Vista, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2014;12(12 Suppl):Abstract nr IA09. doi: 10.1158/1557-3125.RASONC14-IA09


Objective This study aimed to investigate sudapyridine (WX-081) antibacterial activity against Mycobacterium abscessus in vitro and its effect on in vivo bacterial growth and host survival using a zebrafish model of M. abscessus infection. Methods WX-081 in vitro antibacterial activity was assessed based on growth inhibition of M. abscessus standard strain ATCC19977 and 36 clinical isolates. Maximum tolerated concentrations (MTCs) of WX-081, bedaquiline, and azithromycin and inhibition of M. abscessus growth were assessed in vivo after fluorescently labelled bacilli and drugs were injected into zebrafish. Bacterial counts were analysed using one-way ANOVA and fluorescence intensities of zebrafish tissues were analysed and expressed as the mean ± SE. Moreover, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was conducted to assess intergroup differences in survival of M. abscessus-infected zebrafish treated with different drug concentrations using a log-rank test, with a p value <0.05 indicating a difference was statistically significant. Results Drug sensitivity testing of M. abscessus standard strain ATCC19977 and 36 clinical isolates revealed MICs ranging from 0.12-0.96 µg/mL and MIC50 and MIC90 values of 0.48 µg/mL and 0.96 µg/mL, respectively. Fluorescence intensities of M. abscessus-infected zebrafish tissues was lower after treatment with the WX-081 MTC (62.5 µg/mL) than after treatment with the azithromycin MTC (62.5 µg/mL) and the bedaquiline MTC (15.6 µg/mL). When the concentration of WX-081 increased from 1.95µg/mL to 1/8 MTC(7.81µg/mL), the survival rate of zebrafish at 4-9 dpf decreased from 90.00% to 81.67%. Conclusion WX-081 effectively inhibited M. abscessus growth in vitro and in vivo and prolonged survival of M. abscessus-infected zebrafish, thus indicating that WX-081 holds promise as a clinical treatment for M. abscessus infection.


This study describes a unique strategy designed to identify breast cancer antigens (TAA) that induce therapeutic immune responses in tumor-bearing mice. In a mouse model, the strategy led to the identification of growth factor receptor-bound protein 10 (Grb10) as a newly identified TAA. Grb10 is a signal transduction molecule associated with multiple transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptors. It was discovered by comparing microarrays of cellular breast cancer vaccines highly enriched for cells that induced breast cancer immunity with non-enriched vaccines. The vaccines were prepared by transferring a cDNA expression library derived from SB5b cells, a breast cancer cell line derived from a neoplasm that arose spontaneously in the mammary gland of a C3H/He mouse into LM cells, a mouse fibroblast cell line. As the transferred cDNA integrates spontaneously into the genome of the recipient cells, replicates as the cells divide, and is expressed, the vaccine could be prepared from a little as 10 micrograms of tumor tissue. Relatively few cells in the transfected cell population, however, incorporated cDNA fragments that included genes specifying TAA. (The vast majority specified normal cellular constituents.) A unique strategy was developed, therefore, to enrich the vaccine for immunotherapeutic cells. Comparative microarrays of enriched and non-enriched vaccines resulted in the identification of twenty overrepresented genes. One, the gene for Grb10, was approximately 100-fold overrepresented. To determine if Grb10 in the enriched vaccine was partly responsible for its therapeutic benefits, the gene was incorporated into an expression plasmid that was then transfected into the fibroblast cell line, which was then used as a vaccine. Mice with established breast cancer treated solely by immunization with the fibroblasts modified to express Grb10 developed robust immunity to the breast cancer cells, which, in some instances, was sufficient to result in tumor rejection. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1583. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-1583


This activity is carried out with the aim as a form of community service for the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Pancasila, while participants participating in this service are expected to be able to achieve (1) Maximize their potential, (2) increase their knowledge and ability in managing their businesses, (3) build confidence to succeed as an SME actor and (4) develop awareness of the potential of tourism villages with cultural diversity and traditional culinary. From the results of the mapping of these activities, the MSMEs Setu Babakan Srengseng Sawah Jagakarsa South Jakarta has the potential to be developed. Because Setu Babakan is a cultural attraction based on Betawi that continues to grow. The products produced by Setu Babakan MSMEs are products based on local culture both culinary (pletok beer, laksa, egg crust, crocodile bread, other Betawi special foods), processing and other services and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) are mostly businesses which was pioneered from generation to generation. This can be known by the business they started more than 10 or 20 years ago.


It is widely agreed that Aristotle's Prior Analytics, but not the Topics, marks the beginning of formal logic. There is less agreement as to why this is so. What are the distinctive features in virtue of which Aristotle's discussion of deductions (syllogismoi) qualifies as formal logic in the one treatise but not in the other? To answer this question, I argue that in the Prior Analytics—unlike in the Topics—Aristotle is concerned to make fully explicit all the premisses that are necessary to derive the conclusion in a given deduction.


A flow-system instrument is described in which the laser light scattered by a mammalian cell is sampled simultaneously at up to 32 angles between 0 degrees and 21 degrees from the laser beam axis as the cell passes through the beam. The scatter pattern for each cell is stored by a computer for later analysis. Various data-processing techniques are discussed. Results of preliminary application of the instrument to the analysis of normal and abnormal gynecologic specimens are presented.


Sulfur dioxide is emitted by volcanoes, produced by combustion of fossil fuels or smelting of ores, and is an intermediate product from organic sources in the ocean. It is rapidly oxidized to sulfuric acid, which causes acidic pollution of lakes and streams and forms an aerosol that is important in climate change. Volcanic sulfur dioxide is a useful marker for ash clouds that are a hazard to aircraft. Satellites offer the best platform to monitor SO2 sources and to track volcanic clouds. UV remote sensing instruments have measured eruption plume masses since 1978. Newer instruments are sensitive enough to also measure volcanic degassing, emissions from power plants, refineries, smelters, and heavy air pollution episodes. New retrieval algorithms have improved the data quality. The observations are used to constrain models of eruption processes and to monitor activity of all volcanoes in a consistent manner. The practical applications of the satellite data include aviation safety, air quality, environmental control, climate modeling, and atmospheric dynamics modeling.


Abstract We expand the notion of core to cl-core for Nakayama closures cl. In the characteristic p > 0 setting, when cl is the tight closure, denoted by *, we give some examples of ideals when the core and the *-core differ. We note that *-core(I) = core(I), if I is an ideal in a one-dimensional domain with infinite residue field or if I is an ideal generated by a system of parameters in any Noetherian ring. More generally, we show the same result in a Cohen–Macaulay normal local domain with infinite perfect residue field, if the analytic spread, ℓ, is equal to the *-spread and I is Gℓ and weakly-(ℓ − 1)-residually S2. This last is dependent on our result that generalizes the notion of general minimal reductions to general minimal *-reductions. We also determine that the *-core of a tightly closed ideal in certain one-dimensional semigroup rings is tightly closed and therefore integrally closed.


In this paper, data compression and decompression method for real-world haptics using discrete cosine transform (DCT) is proposed and applied to a motion copy system. Haptics recently has attracted much interests and been and studied by many researchers. The technology of real-world haptics based on bilateral control systems is expected to apply teleoperation for precise task, education system for human skill, etc. Various researches have been studied for the real-world haptic, haptic data compression for data storage has been not studied much yet. The haptic data is compressed using DCT to reduce the data size. The validity is shown by applying to motion copy system. The data size was reduced less than a quarter, and degradation of decompressed data was little.


This study investigates the basic factors responsible for human-mosquito interaction, attitudinal consequences of malaria treatment pattern and management strategies in an urban center. Questionnaires were issued to the volunteers whose age range between 15 and 40 years which constitute 44.5% males and 55.5% females. These include questions about knowledge of mosquito, prevention practices, treatment methods and illness management strategies. Focus group discussion was also used to interview the participants. Preventive measures adopted against mosquito bite include sleeping under net (treated and untreated) 17 (4.2%), door and window screening 37 (9.2%), cover cloth 55 (13.8%), mosquito repellant/insecticides spray 39 (9.8%), environmental hygiene 26 (6.5%), herbal decoction 26 (6.5%), and chemoprophylaxis 45 (11.3%). There was a significant difference between those that prevent malaria with chemoprophylaxis and other methods. Self treatment (medication) accounted for 267 (66.8%) as against hospital treatment 93 (23.3%). Most of the patients 55 (13.8%) demanded for injections as against 42 (10.5%) those who showed preference for oral medication. The hospitalized patients accounted for 40 (10.0%) while outpatients were 93 (23.3%). Late diagnosis, wrong medications, incomplete doses, lack of knowledge about malaria episode and anopheles mosquitoes as malaria vector are some of the factors militating against prevention and proper management of the illness.


In the LHC collider a significant rate of events with double parton scattering is expected. This will be the leading mechanism for production of two b ¯ b pairs. We estimate the probability of binding two b quarks into a diquark and the probability of dressing this diquark into a bb¯ u ¯ d (IS P = 01 +) tetraquark. Calculations shows that that this bound state of two B mesons is stable against the strong interaction and has a life time of the order of ps. We estimate that the production rate at luminosity L = 0.1 events per second will be about 6 tetraquarks per hour or more.


Abstract This paper provides an overview of some of the ways in which the output from the electrolaryngograph enables aspects of the vibrating vocal folds during singing and speech to be monitored non-invasively. This paper was presented at the British Voice Association Symposium in honour of the work of Adrian Fourcin on 9 May 2009 at University College London; Adrian developed the electrolaryngograph itself and researched and promoted its use as a practical device for use both clinically and in the speech sciences laboratory. Here, the application of the electrolaryngograph for voice source investigations relating to singing in a number of situations is considered, including: singing in different styles, tuning accuracy and vocal blend in unaccompanied (a capella) quartet singing, and longitudinal aspects of voice development in girl choristers.


Pinus armandii, a native pine species, has large (about 300 mg), wingless seeds, and distributes from central to western China at an altitude of 1000-3300 m. To determine how the seed size affects rodents caching behavior, tagged seed releasing and tracking experiments were conducted at 3 sites in Northwest Yunnan province in 2006 and 2007. Our data indicated that for all sites and both years, compared with the smaller seeds, the proportions of cached large seeds were significantly higher, whereas the consumed ones were significantly lower. Meanwhile, the mean and maximum values of caching distances were also significantly increased in large seeds. Seed fate was different between the two years and within the three sites as there have different rodent community compositions.


The simple mean-spherical-approximation solution of the Ornstein-Zernike equation in a hard-sphere Yukawa liquid containing an arbitrary-size sphere is presented. The surface density of liquid particles on the sphere is expressed in terms of a simple function of a set of parameters. On the basis of this density expression, the work of forming a cavity from the point cavity in the liquid is calculated, and expressions for the pressure, the surface tension and the Tolman length are obtained.


Knowledge of triplet state energies and triplet-triplet (T-T) interactions in aggregated organic molecules is essential for understanding photochemistry and dynamics of many natural and artificial systems. In this work, we combine direct phosphorescence measurements of triplet state energies, which are challenging due to the spin-forbidden nature of respective transitions and applicable to only a limited number of systems, with quantum chemical computational tools that can provide valuable qualitative and quantitative information about triplet states of interacting molecules. Using hexatriene, protoporphyrin, pheophorbide, and chlorophyll dimers as model systems, we demonstrate a complicated dependence of T-T coupling on a relative orientation of chromophores, governed by a nodal structure of overlapping electronic wave functions, that modulates interpigment interactions by orders of magnitude. It is also shown that geometrical relaxation of the triplet state is one of the critical factors for predictive modeling of T-T interactions in molecular aggregates.


Robotic spine surgery has a number of potential advantages, including more precise preoperative planning, a high degree of accuracy in pedicle screw placement, and significantly reduced radiation exposure to the surgical team. Despite the potential advantages, many surgeons feel that it is still too early for the widespread adoption of this technology, citing increased cost, increased operating room time, and lack of necessity. Most spine surgeons will agree, however, that robotic technology is still in its infancy and that there will be a significant role for this technology in the future. Amidst this debate, it is important to understand the evolution of this technology from its initial inception to the present day, with a critical appraisal of the technology in its current form. It is important to consider the probable next steps in the development of this technology so that we may develop and shape this technology to most benefit our patients. This article reviews the history and development of robotic technology in spine surgery, critically assesses the technology in its current form, and explores the future directions.


Concrete circular columns are among the most common vertical load-bearing members in structural engineering. Because of the change of service loads or environmental factors, the strengthening of deteriorated members is often demanded to restore and maintain their performance. In view of the limitations of the traditional strengthening methods and the superior mechanical properties of the new material, ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC), this study analyzed the stress–strain state of concrete circular columns confined by UHPC jackets under axial compression in the elastic stage. Since elastic analysis is the basis for the service limit state design, the elastic stress solution was derived through the theory of elasticity, and experimental verification of the effectiveness of the UHPC jackets in circular concrete columns was performed. Theoretical bases and references for practical strengthening works are provided.


Neonatal-type nonketotic hyperglycinemia treatment remains unsatisfactory, even if started early. A review of six patients who underwent treatment for neonatal-type nonketotic hyperglycinemia in our hospital is presented. All patients were treated with a standardized protocol. Medical histories were retrieved from case notes. All six patients had elevated cerebrospinal fluid plasma glycine levels initially. All but one had received sodium benzoate and dextromethorphan from 1 month of age. All suffered from intractable seizures and severe mental retardation, and only two patients remain alive. One patient died at 5 days of age. No resuscitation was attempted in accordance with the family's wish after genetic counseling. The prognosis of neonatal nonketotic hyperglycinemia remains poor with current treatment. Genetic counseling helps parents cope with this devastating genetic disease. (J Child Neurol 2004;19:39—42).


Introduction: Previous research has shown that traffic-related chronic air pollution exposure increases risk of death in patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFB). However the effect of acute air pollution exposure in patients with NCFB remains to be established. Aims: We aimed to establish the effect of acute air pollution fluctuations on NCFB pulmonary exacerbations. Methods: NCFB patients from the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, UK, suffering an exacerbation between July 2012 and October 2014 were included in the case-crossover analysis. An exacerbation was defined as the use for antibiotic treatment due to respiratory deterioration. We linked these data with concentrations of particulate matter with a diameter smaller than 2.5 mm (PM 2.5 ) and ozone on the day of the event and on the 2 days prior to the event near each patient9s home address. Results: Forty patients (median 68 year, IQR 57-74; 17 male) each had one exacerbation during the study period. Thirty patients had no identifiable cause of their NCFB, 5 had post-infectious NCFB with the remaining five suffering from an auto-immune disease. The mean FEV 1 was 81% (±SD 24%) and four patients had chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa colonization. An increase of 1 µg/m 3 of daily mean PM 2.5 concentrations was associated with a 10.2% increase in the risk of suffering an exacerbation in the next 24 hours (p=0.02; 95% CI 1.6%-19.7%). We found no evidence of an association between ozone levels and NCFB exacerbations. Conclusion: Ambient concentrations of PM 2.5 were associated with a higher risk of exacerbations, suggesting that ambient air pollution affects the health of patients with NCFB.


Abstract From 1882 to 1910 superphosphate was almost universally adopted by wheat farmers in South Australia. A supply chain perspective is used to link the mining of phosphate rock in distant Pacific islands to the final application of superphosphate in the fields of Australian wheat farmers. Farmers and private manufacturers led the adoption stage in the context of a liberal market regime and the role of the state at this stage was limited although strategic. After 1920, the role of the state in the industry sharply increased in all phases of the industry. A political economy perspective is used to analyse state-ownership of raw material supplies and protectionist policies to manufacturers that resulted in high prices in Australia by 1930. Numerous government reviews pitted the interests of farmers and manufacturers leading to a complex system of tariffs and subsidies in efforts to serve all interests. Overall, the adoption of superphosphate was a critical factor in developing productive and sustainable farming systems in Australia, although at the expense of Pacific Islanders who prior to WWII received token benefits and were ultimately left with a highly degraded landscape.


Abstract Gambling is an activity that will become increasingly known to the counselling profession as the problematic effects of gambling deregulation in the United Kingdom slowly take effect over the nextfive to ten years. The gambling literature and the phases of the pathological gambler's career are briefly examined. Counselling approaches that have been used in the treatment of pathological gambling include (i) psychotherapy, (ii) conjoint marital therapy, (iii) minimal interventions, (iv) behavioural counselling, and (v) practical approaches to the treatment of adolescent problem gamblers. It is concluded that, although a number of evaluation studies have been carried out, few are directly comparable with one another, and several have methodological problems which may undermine the value of the evidence produced.


This paper introduces the Cabinet Office's Civil Contingencies Secretariat (CCS). It explains how the National Risk Assessment, produced within the CCS, is created and used. As part of the recent Strategic Defence and Security Review, the Government made a commitment to improve the business continuity of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).This paper describes the CCS's approach to achieving this, and explains why the resilience of SMEs is important to both local communities, at a time of disruption or crisis, and the essential services sectors, such as energy, food and transport. It provides an outline of a strategic approach that will seek to simplify business continuity by making it accessible, achievable and affordable, and, in partnership with the organisations that SMEs turn to for advice, promotes the benefits of business continuity and encourages its use.


Abstract #6115 Rationale: Taxanes are considered as standard 2nd-line chemotherapy after anthracyclines in metastatic breast carcinoma (MBC). In one large randomized trial, Jones et al. (JCO 2005;23:5542) reported a mean objective remission rate (RR) of 32% with a median time to progression (TTP) of 24.6 weeks (wks) for 3-weekly docetaxel 100mg/m², while the corresponding figures for paclitaxel 175mg/m² were 25% and 15.6wks respectively. Nevertheless, excessive toxicity, especially myelosuppression, precludes their use in frail and/or elderly patients (pts). For the latter, weekly schemes were developed, which proved tolerable without losing efficacy. This randomized phase II trial investigated the efficacy and the tolerability of weekly docetaxel or paclitaxel in MBC pts considered unfit for a 3-weekly therapy. Eligibility criteria were age >70 years, particular risk for myelosuppression (febrile neutropenia during previous chemotherapy, extensive radiation therapy, proven bone marrow invasion) or impaired hepatic function.
 Study design: 70pts accrued from Jan. 2002 to Aug. 2005 were randomized between arm A (33pts) receiving paclitaxel 80mg/m² weekly x8, and arm B (37pts), receiving docetaxel 36mg/m² weekly x8 after which a clinical response evaluation including CT-scan was performed. Pts with objective remission or stable disease (SD) pursued treatment 3/4 or 2/3 wks untill progression or unacceptable toxicity. For all pts, this was the first exposure to taxanes, unless they had received it in an adjuvant scheme, or in a palliative scheme with at least a 4 months lasting response. Study-endpoints were RR, TTP, overall survival (OS) and tolerability.
 Results: With paclitaxel, we obtained a RR of 55.2%, SD in 27.6% and progressive disease (PD) in 17.2% of the pts; median TTP was 21.1wks (95% CI:14.9-29.0) and median survival 55.7wks (95% CI:28.6-79.0). Corresponding results for docetaxel were: a RR of 45.2%, SD in 19.4% and PD in 35.4%; median TTP was 12.7wks (95% CI:8.4-29.3) and median survival 32wks (95% CI:19.4-50.9). Docetaxel and paclitaxel are known to have a different toxicity profile in 3-weekly regimens, with more hematotoxicity for docetaxel. In our study, boths products had a similar toxicity profile with more anemia, neutropenia and febrile neutropenia in the paclitaxel arm.
 Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that in pts with MBC unfit for 3-weekly docetaxel or paclitaxel, weekly administration of either compound may certainly be considered after anthracycline failure. They display different, but acceptable toxicity profiles, with levels of antitumoral efficacy comparable to those previously reported for 3-weekly regimens. A true valid comparison would require extension into a phase III trial. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(2 Suppl):Abstract nr 6115.


A sacral perineural cyst is composed of an arachnoid membrane of the nerve root at the sacral region. We performed a wide posterior decompression and cystectomy in a patient who suffered from back pain with pain radiating in both lower extremities, and whose MRI findings coincided with those of a sacral perineural cyst. Clinical improvement was observed during the follow-up review. We report the surgical treatment with a review of the relevant literature.


Do the existing ways of providing user support apply to auditors or is there something that is unique or different with the auditors' need for user support? The auditing context has some special characteristics that may be analyzed to answer this question. The purpose of this paper is to present a theoretical model that illustrates how computerized decision aids affect user support services in modern auditing. Little is known about the auditors' perceived need for user support and the support services made available to them by the audit firms. Some previous studies on the use of software applications in auditing have suggested that the use will increase in the future, however, there has not been any evidence of that happening. Maybe this is an indication that the lack of efficient user support is hindering the spread of the use of decision aids in audit firms.


The aim of this work was to design and test a vaccine regimen focusing the immune response on targets associated with infection prevention. We demonstrated that priming with a DNA vaccine expressing only the HIV Env V1V2 region induces Ab responses targeting the critical region in V2 associated with protection. This work shows that V1V2 scaffold DNA priming immunization provides a method to focus immune responses to the desired target region, in the absence of immune interference by other epitopes. This induced immune responses with improved recognition of epitopes important for protective immunity, namely, V2-specific humoral immune responses inversely correlating with HIV risk of infection in the RV144 trial. ABSTRACT The RV144 vaccine trial revealed a correlation between reduced risk of HIV infection and the level of nonneutralizing-antibody (Ab) responses targeting specific epitopes in the second variable domain (V2) of the HIV gp120 envelope (Env) protein, suggesting this region as a target for vaccine development. To favor induction of V2-specific Abs, we developed a vaccine regimen that included priming with DNA expressing an HIV V1V2 trimeric scaffold immunogen followed by booster immunizations with a combination of DNA and protein in rhesus macaques. Priming vaccination with DNA expressing the HIV recombinant subtype CRF01_AE V1V2 scaffold induced higher and broader V2-specific Ab responses than vaccination with DNA expressing CRF01_AE gp145 Env. Abs recognizing the V2 peptide that was reported as a critical target in RV144 developed only after the priming immunization with V1V2 DNA. The V2-specific Abs showed several nonneutralizing Fc-mediated functions, including ADCP and C1q binding. Importantly, robust V2-specific Abs were maintained upon boosting with gp145 DNA and gp120 protein coimmunization. In conclusion, priming with DNA expressing the trimeric V1V2 scaffold alters the hierarchy of humoral immune responses to V2 region epitopes, providing a method for more efficient induction and maintenance of V2-specific Env Abs associated with reduced risk of HIV infection. IMPORTANCE The aim of this work was to design and test a vaccine regimen focusing the immune response on targets associated with infection prevention. We demonstrated that priming with a DNA vaccine expressing only the HIV Env V1V2 region induces Ab responses targeting the critical region in V2 associated with protection. This work shows that V1V2 scaffold DNA priming immunization provides a method to focus immune responses to the desired target region, in the absence of immune interference by other epitopes. This induced immune responses with improved recognition of epitopes important for protective immunity, namely, V2-specific humoral immune responses inversely correlating with HIV risk of infection in the RV144 trial.


Addressing sustainability issues requires a radical systemic change across multiple dimensions, including policy, culture, and civil society. This also implies that no blueprints for governing critical sustainability issues both at the local and global levels exist. As a result, rather than imposing decisions, policymakers should engage in a learning process. In this paper, we contend that appropriate policies should be developed and fine-tuned over time through a collective, social endeavour. To support this hypothesis, the study focuses on a shared methodology based on backcasting, a specific type of foresight, to facilitate policy learning (and thus policymaking) within a wide range of territories, regardless of their wealth, geographic characteristics and internal political organisation. This methodology was developed over a three-year period as part of the Territorial Strategies for Innovation (TSI) programme. The overall objective of our assignment was to build capacity and raise awareness within the EU's Overseas Countries and Territories about policymaking and implementation of innovative approaches to development. This innovative approach, which incorporates a systemic innovation perspective, highlights new options and opportunities for adopting and implementing adequate policies to positively impact sustainable development and long-term transformative change. Using empirical examples from Anguilla, Curaçao, and New Caledonia, the paper focuses on the learning processes required to deal with complexity and uncertainty in these remote territories. We conclude by discussing the potential implications of this foresight approach for the sustainable development and transformation of other less-favoured regions and territories.


We present a survey of shocks and outflows in the Chamaeleon I star-forming complex using Hα, [S II], and SDSS i′ images obtained from the ground, an i′ image obtained with the Hubble Space Telescope, and 4.5 μm images obtained with the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) on the Spitzer Space Telescope. We find new Herbig-Haro (HH) objects and extensions to the previously cataloged shocks that trace parts of at least 20 distinct outflows from young stars. Some HH objects mark the presence of giant outflows, the largest of which is powered by Cha-MMS1 and associated with HH 49/50 near the Ced 110 region. Other large flows are powered by Cha-MMS2 in the Ced 112 region and the IRN in the Ced 111 region. Although some shocks exhibit infrared emission in the IRAC bands, most notably HH 49/50 (the "tornado"), most outflows in the Cha I clouds are not detected in the Spitzer IRAC bands. This result is consistent with the general lack of extensive 2.12 μm H2 emission from Cha I.


ABSTRACT High-pressure tube hydroforming is a promising method to deform the tubes in various shapes by bulging the tube by applying high internal pressure. However, the challenges lie in the process itself, i.e., requires an expensive pump system and brings excessive thinning in the deformed part section. One option is to reduce the required pressure to solve these difficulties, and the other is to provide the axial feed to the tube in the deformation zone to reduce the thinning. However, due to the higher axial load, the tube buckles. This study is taking advantage of this buckling mechanic to convert it into a successful shaping option. This process is named as tube hydroforging. In this process, the tube was first bulged to a level using internal pressure in an open die without axial feed. Then a minimum pressure was applied, and dies were displaced to shape the tube. The paper studies the process for the microtube. The results noted that lower internal pressure is required to bulge the tube and either no internal or a minimum constant pressure to hydroforge the tube depending on the opening section and thickness of the tube.


In Krishnagiri area, Hosur town is chosen to discover the buyer inclination towards chose two wheelers. The most significant activity of advertisers is to "consider purchasers and to guide companies and nonprofit organization into developing offers that are meaningful and attractive to target consumers. To find the consumers factors which influence them to buy the particular brand of two wheeler and their level of satisfaction above the usage of two wheelers. The Indian two wheeler industry began a modest start in the 1950's and witnessed speculator growth over the last five years.


Rank-based policies represent a promising approach for designing message forwarding algorithms that meet the needs of opportunistic networks. In fact, they combine low computation and communication costs with good performance in terms of both latency and delivery rates. Nonetheless, they highly depend on the mobility scenario relevant to the user, and a forwarding policy with good performances in heterogeneous settings has yet to be designed. In this paper, we propose to provide each mobile device with novel autonomic observation and reasoning components according to the following objectives: enable the device (i) to achieve awareness about the behavior of the mobility scenario it is moving in, and (ii) to identify the role played by the device within the set of other moving devices. These components are combined into a self-configuring forwarding algorithm that uses them to locally install both the utility function and the relevant settings suitable for the sensed configuration. Through of extensive simulations, this paper shows that by properly discriminating between roles it is possible to derive a self-configuring forwarding mechanism that constantly performs well in different mobility settings.


The provenance of siliclastic sediment may be traced using a wide variety of chemical, mineralogical and isotopic proxies. These define three distinct data types: (1) compositional data such as chemical concentrations; (2) point-counting data such as heavy mineral compositions; and (3) distributional data such as zircon U-Pb age spectra. Each of these three data types requires separate statistical treatment. Central to any such treatment is the ability to quantify the `dissimilarity' between two samples. For compositional data, this is best done using a logratio distance. Point-counting data may be compared using the chi-square distance, which deals better with missing components (zero values) than the logratio distance does. Finally, distributional data can be compared using the Kolmogorov–Smirnov and related statistics. For small datasets using a single provenance proxy, data interpretation can sometimes be done by visual inspection of ternary diagrams or age spectra. However, this no longer works for larger and more complex datasets. This paper reviews a number of multivariate ordination techniques to aid the interpretation of such studies. Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) is a generally applicable method that displays the salient dissimilarities and differences between multiple samples as a configuration of points in which similar samples plot close together and dissimilar samples plot far apart. For compositional data, classical MDS analysis of logratio data is shown to be equivalent to Principal Component Analysis (PCA). The resulting MDS configurations can be augmented with compositional information as biplots. For point-counting data, classical MDS analysis of chi-square distances is shown to be equivalent to Correspondence Analysis (CA). This technique also produces biplots. Thus, MDS provides a common platform to visualise and interpret all types of provenance data. Generalising the method to three-way dissimilarity tables provides an opportunity to combine several datasets together and thereby facilitate the interpretation of `Big Data'. This paper presents a set of tutorials using the statistical programming language R. It illustrates the theoretical underpinnings of compositional data analysis, PCA, MDS and other concepts using toy examples, before applying these methods to real datasets with the provenance package.


Premature deaths due to chronic diseases fell significantly in Australia between 1997 and 2007, and reductions in smoking rates are being given part of the credit.

According to a new report, mortality from chronic conditions fell by 41%, from 417 deaths per 100 000 people in 1997 to 297 deaths per 100 000 people in 2007.

Over the same time, premature mortality—deaths occurring before 75 years of age—fell by 63%, from 153 to 94 deaths per 100 000 people.

"In 2007, a person was 17% less likely to die prematurely from a chronic disease than in 1997," says an Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report, Key indicators of progress for chronic disease and associated determinants .

It covers 42 indicators, with the aim of establishing a baseline for future report cards on progress against chronic …


The main work of this paper is to apply the fractional market theory and time series analysis for analyzing various industrial indices of the Chinese stock market by rescaling range analysis. Hurst index and the long-term memory of price change in Chinese stock market are studied.


Financial services have come to represent an increasingly important sector in the economies of developed nations. Although a substantial literature has accumulated on this topic, relatively little attention has been given to the locational aspects of financial services. An attempt is made here to examine the spatial structure of this sector in terms of the urban system, drawing on the principles of central-place theory, the limitations and applicability of which are considered. This is followed by a discussion of the salient features of financial services within the overall urban system. After describing the differentiation of financial services in frequency terms, the hierarchical structure of the UK urban system is outlined. These two aspects are then related, in order to demonstrate the ordered nature of the spatial structure of financial services. There follows a brief discussion of the findings and their implications for future work.


Fourier-Transform infrared and Fourier-Transform Raman spectra of 2-methoxy-4- nitroaniline(2M4NA) was recorded in the region 4000 – 400 cm-1 and 3500 – 100 cm-1 .Quantum chemical calculations of energies, geometrical structure and vibrational wavenumbers of 2M4NA were carried out by ab initio HF/6-311G(d,p) and DFT (B3LYP/6-311G(d,p) and B3PW91/6-311G(d,p)) levels of theory with complete relaxation in the potential energy surface.The vibrational frequencies are calculated and scaled values are compared with FT-IR and FT-Raman experimental values. The difference between the observed and scaled wavenumber values of most of the fundamentals is very small in DFT than HF. The calculated HOMO-LUMO energies show that charge transfer occurs in the molecule. The study is extended to the HOMO - LUMO analysis to calculate the energy gap, ionization potential, electron affinity, global hardness,chemical potential and global electrophilicity and thermodynamic properties of 2M4NA.. The experimental spectra also coincide satisfactorily with those of theoretically constructed simulated spectrograms.


The Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) is a combinatorial optimization problem tasked with finding the shortest tour for visiting a set of cities such that each city is visited exactly once, and the tour ends in the starting city. This problem has gained attention among researchers because it is easy to describe yet difficult to solve. TSP has numerous important real-life applications, but its NP-hardness makes it difficult to find an optimal solution even for relatively small problem sizes. The literature describes many heuristic algorithms that solve the problem approximately but only few exact algorithms. The TSP solver implemented in this study is a GPU-accelerated exact solver for small problem sizes. The goal is to exploit the computing capabilities of modern GPUs for finding an optimal solution using simple algorithms. The algorithms used are exhaustive search for up to 7 cities and branch and bound for problems up to 30 cities. The branch and bound algorithm performs an irregular traversal of the search tree, making it challenging to parallelize efficiently, especially for massively parallel GPUs. I implemented the algorithm in CUDA and tested it on GPUs with different compute capabilities. My solver is exact and very fast. It outperforms the CONCORDE and LKH solvers for problems with up to 15 cities. On a 13-city instance, my solver is 36 and 15 times faster than CONCORDE and LKH, respectively.


A novel ΔΣ analogue-to-digital (ADC) architecture is proposed for second-order noise shaping enhancement. The new architecture is less dependent on the opamp DC gain than the earlier ΔΣ ADC with second-order noise shaping enhancement. Also, the proposed architecture reduces the complexity of the clock generator and zero optimisation compared to the earlier one. A ΔΣ ADC using the new configuration was designed and simulated. The results verify the advantages of the proposed structure.


We have developed optoelectronic packages for on-board optical interconnections and demonstrated 10-Gb/s and up to 12-Gb/s optical transmissions. In this paper, we describe the structure of the optoelectronic packages and optical interconnect systems that we propose for low-cost chip-to-chip signal transmissions. The optoelectronic package is intended to be pluggable from an LGA socket and an optical connector in order to ease system maintenance. The optical connectors with a polymer optical waveguide are designed to be assembled between the packages and an LGA socket. The polymer optical waveguide is separated from a printed circuit board (PCB) in order to produce the PCB with a mature and low-cost fabrication process. Optical devices flip-chip-mounted on the packages are encapsulated with transparent resin material to enhance their reliability and bonding strength. Signal transmission characteristics and optical interchannel crosstalk are evaluated from a transmitter package (Tx) to a receiver package (Rx).


The agent responsible for the epidemic that first appeared in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 was detected to be the new coronavirus (2019-nCoV) Later, the virus that caused respiratory tract infection was discovered to be a member of the beta-coronavirus family, it was named as severe acute respiratory syndrome-CoV2 (SARS-CoV 2), and the disease it caused was called CoV infection disease-19 (COVID-19) The epidemic started in China, spread rapidly first to East Asian countries, then Europe and America, affected the whole world, and was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization This review presents an overview of SARS-CoV2 and aims to examine its intracellular pathogenesis and host immune responses


The major impacts of systems techniques on the planning process in the North Atlantic regional water resources study are described. The techniques discussed are an input-output-based demand projection model and a mathematical programing supply model. The impacts discussed relate to the coordination and control of the planning process, the consideration of multiple objectives, the assessment of uncertainty, the efficiency of planning, the scope for the exercise of judgment, and the opportunity for a planning process continued beyond the final report. The writer concludes that the impact of systems techniques has been positive and recommends that no major water resource planning efforts be undertaken in the future without a commitment to the use of systems techniques.


So far we've studied only the evolution of a single trait, e.g., height or weight. But organisms have many traits, and they evolve at the same time. How can we understand their simultaneous evolution? The basic framework of the quantitative genetic approach was first outlined by Russ Lande and Steve Arnold [2]. Let z1, z2, . . . , zn be the phenotype of each character that we are studying. We'll use z̄ to denote the vector of these characters before selection and z̄∗ to denote the vector after selection. The selection differential, s, is also a vector given by


The consistent description of resonant transition amplitudes within the framework of perturbative field theories necessitates the definition and resummation of off-shell Green's functions, which must respect several crucial physical requirements. In particular, the generalization of the usual Breit–Wigner formalism in a non-Abelian context constitutes a highly non-trivial problem, related to the fact that the conventionally defined Green's functions are unphysical. We briefly review the main field-theoretical difficulties arising when attempting to use such Green's functions outside the confines of a fixed-order perturbative calculation, and explain how this task has been successfully accomplished in the framework of the pinch technique.


Background and aims: Lack of thermal comfort in outdoor environments can cause disorders and diseases, negative impact on productivity and performance, and even can cause death. Therefore, it is important to evaluate it. Various indices and models have been used to assess the level of comfort of humans. In most evaluations has been tried to estimate the comfort level using meteorological data such as temperature, humidity, Wind speed, solar radiation or combinations. These indices provide climate data in a way that reflects individual's response to climate conditions and, in a numerical classification, range from very appropriate to very inappropriate. These indices facilitate interpreting the complex effects of atmospheric elements on human comfort and allow comparison of different places from climatic comfort point of view. Today, bioclimatic studies, from human comfort point of view, are the basis of many management plans, especially health and treatment. Therefore, in this study, Becker and neurotic pressure bio climate index were used to evaluate discomfort in three different climates of Iran. Methods: In this study, thermal comfort was assessed in three different climates of Iran based on the Koppen climate classification including the semi-arid and cold climate (Arak), the humid subtropical climate (Sari) and the hot desert climates (Bandar Abbas) were done using of Becker and neurotic pressure bio climate index. Becker index known as Cooling Power index (CP) originated in the inclusion of only two climate parameters in the bioclimatic analysis by air temperature and wind speed. Cooling Power index has the advantage of being computed very easily; they are easily understood not only by specialists, but also by the wide public and have a good temporal applicability and availability for the studied territory. The cooling power of the environment depends on the difference between human body temperature and air temperature and also on the wind speed. The Neurotic pressure index determines the physiological pressure to provide comfort between absorption and heat release. The purpose of this index is to describe the comfort level using temperature, humidity and wind speed. This index offers separate equations for temperatures below and greater than 20°C. Meteorological data between 2014-2000 was used from the Meteorological Organization, including temperature, relative humidity and wind speed, to calculate the indices. Then the mean of the mentioned parameters was calculated daily for 15 years. Excel software and SPSS 22, were used for data analysis, descriptive statistics and linear regression were used. Results: The highest and lowest air temperature monthly mean values in Sari were recorded for August (27.55±0.57°C) and January (7.9±0.68°C), respectively. The highest and lowest monthly mean relative humidity values were recorded forDecember (81 ± 2.6 ) and August (73.7±1.94), respectively. In Arak and during the surveyed years, the highest average temperature (28.1±0.65) was observed in July, and the lowest average temperature (-1.14±1.94) was observed in January. Also, the highest humidity rate (70.67±3.87) was observed in January and the lowest humidity rate (22.96±1.25) was observed in July. Also in Bandar Abbas, the highest average temperature (34.27±0.26) was observed in July and the lowest average temperature (17.44±0.62) was observed in January. The highest humidity (68.39±2.41) was recorded in August and the lowest humidity rate (57±4) was in December. The mean of Becker index in Arak, Sari and Bandar Abbas was respectively 15.76±6.3, 13.73±5.2 and 8.93±5.5μcal/cm2/s. According to the results of this index, the three climates covered cool to hot, warm and sultry. The mean of neurotic pressure index in months with temperatures below 20 ° C in Arak was 672±148, in the city of Sari, 605.115.6 and in Bandar Abbas, 567.66±46.76 kcal/hr/m2 and in months with a temperature above 20 ° C, respectively, was 3.37±2. 5.42±4.9 and 11.64±7 kcal/hr/m2. Interpretation of this index showed that the studied areas have cold conditions (Arak) to fully uncomfortable condition (Bandar Abbas). Also, there was a high correlation between the two indexes in three different climates (R2> 0.9). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the comfort indices reveal the comfort and discomfort periods in three different climates of the country, and despite some differences, show relatively similar manifestations of the comfort climate of under study cities. Results have shown that the studied areas are characterized by biochemical variation from hot to very cold conditions throughout the year. Regarding the advantageous of using these indices, it should be noted that the data measured by meteorological organizations can be used to forecast and timely announcement of heat and cold stresses as well as thermal comfort in different regions. It should be noted that thermal comfort varies with respect to the race, age, type of activity, clothing, metabolism rate, accommodation, etc. Evaluating the trend of thermal comfort indices can identify high-risk areas, which in this context presence of comprehensive and innovative policy making and planning, according to the climate changes and the ability to forecast and control the risks resulting from these changes, seems necessary for community members. © 2019 Iran University of Medical Sciences. All rights reserved.


Objective. To determine the degree of contribution and the contributing factors of ultrasound in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in daily clinical practice and the predictive differences depending on seropositivity. Methods. We included 122 patients who presented with the main complaint of finger and/or wrist joint pain but for whom no definite diagnosis was reached or treatment strategy was provided. Ultrasound was performed on at least 22 joints (both wrist joints, proximal interphalangeal joint, and metacarpophalangeal joints), and patients were followed for ≥6 months. Factors contributing to RA diagnosis were determined and compared between seropositive and seronegative RA patients. Results. RA was diagnosed in 52 of 122 patients, in whom the American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) classification criteria (odds ratio [OR] = 4.74, P = 0.01) and gray scale (GS) grade of 3 (OR = 3.64, P = 0.04) for ≥ 1 joint were the contributing factors. In seropositive RA, the ACR/EULAR criteria (OR = 15.53, P < 0.001) and power Doppler (PD) ≥ 2 for ≥ 1 joint (OR = 10.48, P = 0.0048) were the contributing factors. In seronegative RA, PD ≥ 1 for ≥ 1 joint contributed the most (OR = 20.00, P = 0.0044), but the ACR/EULAR criteria did not contribute to RA diagnosis (P = 0.57). Conclusion. Ultrasound findings contributed to RA diagnosis in clinical practice. The contributing factors are different in the presence or absence of seropositivity, and ultrasound complementation was particularly useful in seronegative RA patients.


For true exploration and validation of Ayurveda in all its aspects, scientific inputs should confirm to Ayurveda's basic principles and philosophy. Till date so many studies have been done for elaboration of fundamental principles like Tridosha, Dhatu, Strotas, Agni, Oja, Ama etc. No any rewarding work has been done on Panchamahabhuta Siddhanta and it is a still stalemate for us. In this perception, present attempt is enlightened on its basic concept and clinical application and its importance in Ayurveda. Ayurveda depends on the concept of Panchamahabhutas i.e. Aakaash, Vayu, Agni, Prithvi, Jala.[1] The Panchmahabhut revolves around the normal functioning of the body (physiological), occurrence of disease (pathological) and action of drug in various part of the body (pharmacokinetics).[2] According to Ayurveda this holistic approach comprises five elements of nature. The food, the planets and every living and non-living things are made up of these five elements. Tridoshas (Vata, Pita, Kapha) also comprises Panchmahabhuta. On the basis of thorough knowledge and understanding of Panchmahabhuta Siddhanta one can take an account of the causative factor of imbalance of Doshas and thereby discover the solution for the treatment.


The transparent luminescent thin films of doped terbium complex were obtained by sol-gel method. The result indicates that rare earth carboxylates with poor solubility can be homogeneously doped into sol matrix in situ. The fluorescence spectra show that the thin film material emits the characteristic narrow band emission of Tb3+ under the UV excitation.


Abstract : Partial Contents: A Microcomposite Test Procedure for Evaluating the Constituent Properties of Ceramic Matrix Composites; Design, Analysis and Application of an Improved Push-Through Test for the Measurement of Interface Properties in Composites; Fiber Bundle Push-Out: A Technique for the Measurement of Interfacial Sliding Properties; Mechanics of the Fiber Pushout Test; Effects of Fiber Roughness on Interface Sliding in Composites; Fiber Coating Concepts for Brittle Matrix Composites; Preliminary Assessment of Mica as High- Temperature Fiber Coating for SiC Composites; Models for Metal/Ceramic Interface Fracture; Mode II Fracture Toughness of a Brittle Adhesive Layer; and Cracking of Thin Bonded Films in Residual Tension


Background: This analysis aimed to evaluate the impact of rivaroxaban exposure and patient characteristics on efficacy and safety outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and to determine whether therapeutic drug monitoring might provide additional information regarding rivaroxaban dose, beyond what patient characteristics provide. Methods: A post hoc exposure–response analysis was conducted using data from the phase III ATLAS ACS 2 Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) 51 study, in which 15,526 randomized ACS patients received rivaroxaban (2.5 mg or 5 mg twice daily) or placebo for a mean of 13 months (maximum follow up: 31 months). A multivariate Cox model was used to correlate individual predicted rivaroxaban exposures and patient characteristics with time-to-event clinical outcomes. Results: For the incidence of myocardial infarction (MI), ischemic stroke, or nonhemorrhagic cardiovascular death, hazard ratios (HRs) for steady-state maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) in the 5th and 95th percentiles versus the median were statistically significant but close to 1 for both rivaroxaban doses. For TIMI major bleeding events, a statistically significant association was observed with Cmax [HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.06–1.11 (95th percentile versus median, 2.5 mg twice daily)], sex [HR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.38–0.84 (female versus male)], and previous revascularization [HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.44–0.87 (no versus yes)]. Conclusions: The shallow slopes of the exposure–response relationships and the lack of a clear therapeutic window render it unlikely that therapeutic drug monitoring in patients with ACS would provide additional information regarding rivaroxaban dose beyond that provided by patient characteristics.


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Transient coupled radiation and conduction in a two-layer isotropically scattering semitransparent nongray medium with thin opaque coatings is studied by the ray tracing method in combination with Hottel and Sarofim's zonal method and the control-volume method. The radiative energy transfer process in a semitransparent medium is divided into two subprocesses: without considering scattering and considering scattering. The radiative transfer coefficients of the composite are deduced under specular and diffuse reflection, respectively; internal multireflection, total reflection, and refraction are included. The method is extended to gain the radiative transfer coefficients of an isotropically scattering composite with combined specular and diffuse reflection. The radiative heat source term is calculated from the radiative transfer coefficients. The steady-state and transient temperature distributions and heat fluxes in the composite are obtained for the general boundary conditions of external radiation and convection. The present analysis includes the influences of emissivity, surface radiative properties, and spectral properties on the temperature distributions and the heat fluxes


The present study was designed to evaluate the possible effect of dietary Origanumvulgare extract as a non - specific immunostimulating agent in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchusmykiss). Six hundred (600) averages mean weight 13 ±0.05 g rainbow trout ( Oncorhynchusmy kiss ) were randomly allocated into two groups including placebo - treated group (control), and Origanumvulgare extract - treated group, each of three replicates. The fishes were hand - fed once a day with diet medicated placebo or Origanumvulgare extract (OE) at a rate of 1% of feed weight in the fir st feeding for 8 weeks. At the end of every two weeks 24 hrs after feeding, fish were bled from caudal vein and blood samples were analyzed for some of hematological and immunological parameters. The results showed that serum total protein, albumin and glo bulin, respiratory burst activity, phagocytic activity and serum lysozyme activity vary among the two treatment groups which were found to be higher in OE - treated group (P<0.05). It was concluded that supplementation of OE at a rate of 1% registered higher immunological responses. Therefore, dietary inclusion of OE could improve non - specific immune responses in rainbow trout. Future studies to determine optimal herb mixtures and dietary levels should be conducted.