This study focuses on the processes through which the rules and regulations that govern European electricity markets - and inherently, their integration process - are established. So far, European policy makers have largely followed a 'trial-and-error' approach to finding an appropriate regulatory mode (process) for dealing effectively with market integration issues. This unstructured approach to regulatory mode selection leads to several problems: - Today's trial-and-error strategy of shifting from one regulatory mode to another is time-consuming. - In the regulatory mode selection process, certain key principles of good governance are insufficiently considered. - European regulatory processes are experienced as vague, intransparent, and illegitimate by 'outside' stakeholders. This study develops a 'structured approach to regulatory mode decision-making' (STARMODE) based on the theory of decision modelling in policy management and a case study exploring three key market integration issues in the field of electricity markets: interconnector investment, congestion management and market transparency. The main objective is to present a systematic and comprehensive framework for analysing and improving regulatory mode decision-making in the context of the European Union, focusing on electricity market integration. The STARMODE approach is generally applicable to (and relevant for) European market integration issues in industries characterized by a natural monopoly and/or an essential service. The approach may also contribute to national regulatory mode decision-making and multi-state decision-making in other continents


The shooting of a Vancouver gynaecologist who performs abortions has caused shock and dismay among Canadian physicians, family planning associations, and the public. Dr Garson Romalis, who has practised in Vancouver for almost 30 years, was shot by an unknown assailant as he ate breakfast in his home on 8 November.

The bullets, thought to have come from an AK-47 assault rifle in the street, passed through a glass patio door. Dr Romalis was struck once in the upper left thigh; he lost a lot of blood and underwent eight hours of emergency surgery. He is now recovering.

The attack is being interpreted as an escalation of American-style harassment of those involved in providing abortion services. Vancouver police moved immediately to expand …


People supported by AI-powered decision support tools frequently overrely on the AI: they accept an AI's suggestion even when that suggestion is wrong. Adding explanations to the AI decisions does not appear to reduce the overreliance and some studies suggest that it might even increase it. Informed by the dual-process theory of cognition, we posit that people rarely engage analytically with each individual AI recommendation and explanation, and instead develop general heuristics about whether and when to follow the AI suggestions. Building on prior research on medical decision-making, we designed three cognitive forcing interventions to compel people to engage more thoughtfully with the AI-generated explanations. We conducted an experiment (N=199), in which we compared our three cognitive forcing designs to two simple explainable AI approaches and to a no-AI baseline. The results demonstrate that cognitive forcing significantly reduced overreliance compared to the simple explainable AI approaches. However, there was a trade-off: people assigned the least favorable subjective ratings to the designs that reduced the overreliance the most. To audit our work for intervention-generated inequalities, we investigated whether our interventions benefited equally people with different levels of Need for Cognition (i.e., motivation to engage in effortful mental activities). Our results show that, on average, cognitive forcing interventions benefited participants higher in Need for Cognition more. Our research suggests that human cognitive motivation moderates the effectiveness of explainable AI solutions.


Recreational specialization has generally been treated by leisure researchers as a measure of intensity of involvement and has been used to explore variation among activity participants in terms of their preferences, motivations, attitudes, and the like. A close look at Bryan's (1977, 1979) original writings, however, reveals that he regarded specialization foremost as a developmental process that entails a progression in behavior, attitudes, and preferences. In this paper, we examine how researchers might go about examining recreational specialization as a developmental process. We envisage specialization as a progression in behaviors, skills, and commitment. We also describe progression in terms of stages of involvement, career changes, and turning points. Findings from various studies, however, suggest that progression is not a typical career path pursued by recreation participants. Indeed, progression may well be the least common trajectory among recreation participants. To better understand the dynamics of progression, we examine a variety of individual and socio-cultural factors and events that are likely to facilitate or impede people's movement along the specialization continuum over time. We conclude the paper with suggestions for future research.


Experiments are described that have increased understanding of the transport and stability physics that set the H-mode edge pedestal width and height, determine the onset of Type-I edge localized modes (ELMs), and produce the nonlinear dynamics of the ELM perturbation in the pedestal and scrape-off layer (SOL). Predictive models now exist for the ne pedestal profile and the pe height at the onset of Type-I ELMs, and progress has been made toward predictive models of the Te pedestal width and nonlinear ELM evolution. Similarity experiments between DIII-D and JET suggested that neutral penetration physics dominates in the relationship between the width and height of the ne pedestal while plasma physics dominates in setting the Te pedestal width. Measured pedestal conditions including edge current at ELM onset agree with intermediate-n peeling-ballooning (P-B) stability predictions. Midplane ELM dynamics data show the predicted (P-B) structure at ELM onset, large rapid variations of the SOL parameters, and fast radial propagation in later phases, similar to features in nonlinear ELM simulations.


ABSTRACT Hydrogel material is considered to be one of the effective adsorbents widely used to remove organic pollutants. However, the poor mechanical properties of some hydrogels limit their applications. Herein, we prepared composite hydrogels, for which acrylic acid (AA) and acrylamide (AM) were cross-linked and polymerised as the main substrate with adsorption function, while CdS nanoparticles were mainly used as reinforced material. Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), two-dimensional infrared vibrational echo spectroscopy (2D-IR), and thermal gravimetric analyzer (TGA) were used to determine the physical and chemical structures of the hydrogels. The effects of the composition of AA, AM, and CdS on the mechanical properties and adsorption behaviours of the hydrogels were investigated. Besides, based on the great potential photocatalytic application value for wastewater remediation under the sunlight of CdS, the influence of the CdS doping amount on the photocatalytic property was also studied. As a result, when the mass ratio of AA to AM was 5:5, the hydrogel showed the best mechanical properties, and along with increasing the amount of CdS, the mechanical strength of the hydrogel was significantly enhanced from 0.445 MPa to 1.014 MPa. Besides, the composite hydrogels showed high adsorption and photocatalytic degradation synergistic clearance effect on methylene blue. Thus, the introduction of CdS photocatalytic nanoparticles may be an efficient and economical approach towards bifunctional hydrogel materials with enhanced mechanical property and photocatalytic degradation for wastewater remediation. GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT


Objective This study aimed to explore older peoples' attitudes towards, and understanding of, psychotherapy and their willingness to seek out psychological services for themselves. Method A total of 14 older adults, 10 women and 4 men, aged from 65 to 89 years, participated in semi‐structured interviews which were guided by a set of open‐ended questions. Results Thematic analysis identified three themes: the GP as the primary but problematic access point; unfamiliar terminology/familiar concept; and changing attitudes/lingering stigma. The General Practitioner was identified as the primary contact for accessing mental health services. Most participants were reluctant to disclose emotional concerns to their doctor and GPs were seen as responsible for initiating discussions about mental health. Lack of enquiry by GPs, short consultation times and unfamiliarity with psychological terminology were considered barriers for accessing treatment. Participants mostly held positive and accepting views of psychotherapy but a lingering stigma, based on historical values of stoicism and self‐reliance, was evident. Reductions in societal stigma were attributed to increased exposure to mental health information via the media, however, participants appeared to confuse psychological services with counselling as this was a term that most were familiar with. Conclusions Health professionals need to be mindful of the terminology they use when communicating with older adults about mental health to avoid confusion. Media initiatives do lead to improved mental health literacy and a reduction of the stigma around mental illness but they also need to distinguish between available services, for example, counselling and psychological services.


Background: Antrodia cinnamomea (AC) mycelia have been traditionally used by majority of the indigenous populace in Taiwan for symptoms including treating alcohol intoxication. Other beneficial effects have been studied at some point. The present study evaluated the hepato-protection effects in Sprague-Dawley rats.
Methods: The model used carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) to induce a chronic liver injury in male rats. Animals were treated with silymarin 200 mg/kg and AC mycelia at doses of 206, 619 and 1,032 mg/kg. The effects of AC on hepatic enzyme markers alanine and aspartate aminotransferase (ALT and AST) and other biochemical parameters were measured in the CCl4 -induced rats.
Results: AC demonstrated a hepato-protective effect by decreasing ALT and AST levels and increasing albumin levels in CCl4 treated rats. The effects of AC on the activity of antioxidant enzymes were evaluated. AC administration restored the activities of catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GrD). The degree of liver fibrosis was significantly reduced by AC administration in CCl4 -treated rats.
Conclusion: These results suggest that AC could protect the hepatocytes from CCl4 -induced liver injury likely via an antioxidant mechanism.


IR difference spectra between the oxidized and the reduced state of horse heart cytochrome c were obtained for different temperature and pH conditions at various surface-modified electrodes using an optically transparent thin-layer electrochemical cell. These difference spectra reflect changes in protein conformation, side-chain geometries, and protonation upon the redox transition. The IR difference spectra recorded in the 10-40 degrees C temperature range showed thermally induced changes mainly in the amide-I (1700-1600 cm-1) and in the amide-II (ca. 1550 cm-1) spectral regions. Although the position of most of the signals remains unshifted, large differences in their relative amplitude were observed, leading in some cases to the masking and/or the disappearance of some IR signals. In the range 6.8-9.8, increasing pH of the samples led to a decrease in the reduction rate and to spectral changes which closely resemble those obtained by increasing the temperature. Both the thermal and the pH dependence of the reduced-minus-oxidized IR difference spectra reflect the transition of ferricytochrome c from the native to the alkaline form. An analysis of the IR difference spectra shows that the redox transition at neutral pH involves mainly beta-turns and beta-sheet segments of the cytochrome c molecule. However, once the ferricytochrome c alkaline transition is performed, the redox process is coupled to conformational changes involving alpha-helical segments. The shifts in tyrosine vibrational modes observed in the difference spectra obtained at neutral and slightly alkaline pH at high temperatures suggest an intermediate state of the ferricytochrome c in which the heme crevice is more accessible to the solvent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


The degree to which immunosuppression and/or rejection influences recurrent hepatitis C (HCV) after liver transplantation (LT) for end-stage HCV cirrhosis remains poorly defined. We quantified serum HCV-RNA in 84 serum samples from 28 anti-HCV-positive patients taken 223 days prior to and up to 1719 days after liver transplantation to determine if cumulative immunosuppression, rejection, or histologic recurrence correlated with HCV-RNA levels. Histologic, serum chemistry, cumulative steroid, and OKT3 and alpha-interferon (INF) dose data were collected at the time of HCV-RNA sampling. Eighteen of 24 evaluable patients (75%) had HCV-RNA detected in their sera after transplant. Eight patients had 14 rejection episodes, 9 patients received OKT3, and 5 were given INF for histologically moderate hepatitis. Five patients died - two of recurrent hepatitis C - and no retransplants were performed for recurrent hepatitis. Of the 23 survivors, 7 have histologic hepatitis - 2 with persistent ascites, and 2 with mild fibrosis. We could show no correlation between HCV-RNA levels and any of the variables examined although a trend toward increasing HCV-RNA levels with increasing numbers of rejection episodes was observed. In addition, histologic recurrence occurred more frequently for patients treated with OKT3. We conclude that the quantity of circulating viral genome is not influenced by immunosuppressive load and does not correlate with laboratory or histologic signs of recurrence. The roles that rejection, and possibly OKT3, play in the recurrence of HCV after liver transplant need further study.


Selecting routine points on related meridians is widely accepted as the foundational principle of acupuncture. When the body is suffering disease or injury, corresponding acupoints are thought to be activated and manifest in several sensitized forms. Sensitized acupoints hold high clinical value as a reflection of disease activity on the body surface. Mast cells have been implicated in the process of acupoint sensitization but the underlying regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we evaluated ST36 as a sensitized acupoint in the monosodium iodoacetate-induced knee osteoarthritis rat model. We first confirmed sensitization at the ST36 acupoint through decreases in the acupoint mechanical pain threshold and instructively found an accompanying increase in skin mast cell degranulation. Thereafter, we used highthroughput RNA sequencing to reveal potential molecular mechanisms of acupoint sensitization. We showed that rno-miR-199a-3p was highly expressed in the sensitized ST36 acupoint and its expression was associated with mast cells. Functional experiments revealed that overexpression of rno-miR-199a-3p increased mast cell histamine release whereas inhibition of rno-miR-199a-3p decreased histamine release. Mechanistically, we established rno-miR-199a-3p acted to inhibit neural precursor cell expressed developmentally down-regulated 4 (Nedd4) protein expression through miRNA-mediated targeting of the 3'-UTR of Nedd4 mRNA. Moreover, we found ectopic expression of Nedd4 antagonized histamine release in mast cells and blocked the actions of rno-miR-199a-3p overexpression. Thus, our study establishes that mast cells participate in the process of acupoint sensitization, and further reveals a novel miRNA-based mechanism which is crucial for further understanding of acupoint sensitization and acupuncture applications.


discernable waves, which Brozgal draws into a cohesive narrative about the ebb and flow of national memory. Absent the Archive, however, is not a work of historiography per se. It is a book "about the value and function of literature and cultural production, about how they make the silences of history speak, and to what ends" (6). The book's central intervention is to bring together a transhistorical and trans-medium collection of primary creative sources on the October massacre, "to articulate its internal divisions and to speculate on its synergies," and to "make the anarchive visible" (24). Drawing upon—and moving beyond—work by Derrida in Archive Fever and Brian Massumi's dispatches from his "Sense Lab," Brozgal's concept of the anarchive is situated oppositionally to the archive as an (often state-) institutionalized, orderly site, and opens onto a more chaotic assemblage, lacking authority or common origin. Many elements of the October 17 anarchive, in particular, emerged in the shadow of aggressive censorship, their recovery necessitating a "rogue form of historiography" (313). The guardian of the anarchive is the literary scholar, who gathers, interprets, and works to unravel and "make signify" (26) its composite elements. In Chapter One, Brozgal periodizes cultural responses to the events of October 17 across three "waves": immediate (and largely state-censored) impressions from 1961 to 1963, the "beginning to the end of forgetting" (40); from 1983 to 1999, a period marked by the trial of Maurice Papon; and a "Post-Papon" anarchive emerging from 1999 and continuing through to the present. Chapter Two focuses on the police archives: the story of their eventual declassification, Brozgal's own experience in the archive, and the archives' prominent role as indices of reality in "October 17 Fictions" (91). Chapters Three and Four consider October 17's representation in terms of the urban space in which it unfolded. Of particular interest is Brozgal's attention to the role of the Seine itself as a "witness" within the October 17 anarchive. Chapters Five and Six critically examine issues of race (and "race talk") and the cultural memory of Vichy and the Holocaust as they intermingle with retellings of the October 17 massacre. In a brief epilogue, Brozgal points to the absence of the October 17 massacre in discourse following the November 13, 2015, terrorist attacks in Paris, the latter quickly named the "bloodiest day in France since World War II" (311). She then closes with a series of reflections on the future of the anarchive as an oppositional concept, as access to information about the massacre continues to proliferate, suggesting its potential, eventual inclusion within the French roman national. Impressive in scope and meticulous in detail, Absent the Archive will no doubt set the bar for future critical studies of the cultural afterlives of October 17. PATRICK LYONS University of California, Berkeley


The Sino-Russian Joint Mars-Phobos Exploration program provides unique opportunity to investigate the global structure of the solar wind/Mars interaction region. The Mars orbiter YH-1 will carry a plasma package consisting of two identical ion detectors, and one electron detector, which is aimed at monitoring the plasma with energy up to a few keV in the environment of the planet, provides a mass analysis of the ions in the mass range form I to 44 au. Together with the magnetic field experiment on board YH-1, the plasma package will be the first to give full insight into the local plasma characteristics near the planet, as well as to determine the possible the total ion escape (particles/s) for the major ion species.


The Problem of Obligation is the problem of how to explain the features of moral obligations that distinguish them from other normative phenomena. Two recent accounts, the Second-Personal Account and the Relational Account, propose superficially similar solutions to this problem. Both regard obligations as based on the legitimate claims or demands that persons as such have on one another. However, unlike the Second-Personal Account, the Relational Account does not regard these claims or demands as based on persons' authority to address them. Advocates of the Relational Account accuse the Second-Personal Account of falling prey to the Problem of Antecedence. According to this objection, the Second-Personal Account is committed to the implausible claim that we have an obligation to ϕ only if, and because, others demand that we ϕ. Since the Relational Account's proposed solution to the Problem of Obligation does not face the Problem of Antecedence, its advocates argue that it is dialectically superior to the Second-Personal Account. In this paper, I defend the Second-Personal Account by arguing that, first, the Relational Account does not actually solve the Problem of Obligation and, second, the Second-Personal Account does not fall prey to the Problem of Antecedence.


We consider a controlled M/M/1 queueing system where customers may be subject to two potential rejections. The first occurs upon arrival and is dependent on the number of customers in the queue and the service rate of the customer currently in service. The second, which may or may not occur, occurs immediately prior to the customer receiving service. That is, after each service completion the customer in the front of the queue is assessed and the service rate of that customer is revealed. If the second decision-maker recommends rejection, the customer is denied service with a fixed probability. We show the existence of long-run average optimal monotone switching-curve policies. Further, we show that the average reward is increasing in the probability that the second decision-maker's recommendation of rejection is honored. Applications include call centers with delayed classifications and manufacturing systems when the server is responsible for multiple tasks.


Bacckground: Swine flu is a viral disease affecting upper as well as lower respiratory tracts. Due to limited resources in a developing country like Pakistan, medical students (the future medical practitioners) should be familiar with the basic knowledge, attitude and practice regarding this infectious disease so that they can help the community during its outbreaks.
Objective: To determine the basic knowledge and awareness of swine flu among the medical students of Shaikh Zayed Medical College, Rahim Yar Khan.
Methodology: This cross sectional observational study was carried out among the medical students of Shaikh Zayed Medical College, Rahim Yar Khan during April – May 2019 through a pre-designed pro-forma. A total of three hundred pro-forma were distributed in all classes of MBBS from first year to final year, among which 211 were returned, completely filled by the respondents. The responses of 45 students were disregarded as they hadn't heard about swine flu. Remaining 166 questionnaires were included in the study and further analyzed for results. Data was then analyzed with SPSS version 22.0.
Results: Majority of respondents (n=151, 91%) correctly replied "virus as its causative agent". Majority of respondents (n=138, 83.1%) responded "respiratory droplet as mode of transmission". One hundred and sixty six questionnaires were further analyzed for results. Regarding treatment and prevention of swine flu, 123 (74.1%) replied it as treatable disease and a significant number of students (n=154, 92.8%) deemed it as preventable. About half (45.8%) of participants did not know about vaccine availability in Pakistan and only 42 (25.3%) students correctly answered that vaccination was the best measure to prevent swine flu.
Conclusion: Satisfactory results were seen about knowledge and awareness regarding epidemiology, etiology and mode of transmission. However, deficiencies were seen in awareness about vaccination and prevention of swine flu. So there is a need for health education awareness programs in medical and dental schools on regular basis.


In recent years, an unhealthy phenomenon characterized as the massive spread of fake news or unverified information (i.e., rumors) has become increasingly a daunting issue in human society. The rumors commonly originate from social media outlets, primarily microblogging platforms, being viral afterwards by the wild, willful propagation via a large number of participants. It is observed that rumorous posts often trigger versatile, mostly controversial stances among participating users. Thus, determining the stances on the posts in question can be pertinent to the successful detection of rumors, and vice versa. Existing studies, however, mainly regard rumor detection and stance classification as separate tasks. In this paper, we argue that they should be treated as a joint, collaborative effort, considering the strong connections between the veracity of claim and the stances expressed in responsive posts. Enlightened by the multi-task learning scheme, we propose a joint framework that unifies the two highly pertinent tasks, i.e., rumor detection and stance classification. Based on deep neural networks, we train both tasks jointly using weight sharing to extract the common and task-invariant features while each task can still learn its task-specific features. Extensive experiments on real-world datasets gathered from Twitter and news portals demonstrate that our proposed framework improves both rumor detection and stance classification tasks consistently with the help of the strong inter-task connections, achieving much better performance than state-of-the-art methods.


(1) Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in the exacerbation of various chronic diseases. Due to the potential impact of SARS-CoV-2 on mast cells, we aimed to analyze the relevance of COVID-19 disease on chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) clinical presentation and biological profile. (2) Methods: This study is a retrospective case series of patients with CSU diagnosed and treated in the Allergy Department of the Professor Doctor Octavian Fodor RIGH, (Cluj-Napoca, Romania). Patients were assessed for disease activity and level of control with the weekly urticaria activity score and the visual analogue scale. Results were correlated with COVID-19 severity and with nonspecific markers of inflammation during and after the SARS-CoV-2 infection. (3) Results: SARS-CoV-2 impacted a significant proportion (33%) of the CSU patients, of which 71% developed a moderate-severe form of COVID-19. Most of the patients (68%) had moderate-severe forms of CSU and 65% took AH1 treatment (one dose, two-fold dose or four-fold dose). The rest of them (35%) received the second-line treatment (40.3% Omalizumab, 53% Prednisolone and 4.8% Cyclosporine). In Omalizumab treated group of UCS patients we observed that COVID-19 disease was not severe. We established a positive correlation between the severity of the infection and that of the CSU clinical presentation, with most bothersome symptoms of urticaria being experienced by moderate to severe COVID-19 CSU patients (47%). Inflammatory markers were positively correlated (p = 0.01) with a more severe clinical profile of CSU, in accordance with our hypothesis that the level of inflammation triggered by COVID-19 disease has a role in CSU exacerbation. The non-specific inflammatory markers, such as CRP, were positively associated with the UAS7 score (R2 = 0.363; p = 0.001). An increased rate of exacerbation of CSU was observed in moderate-severe COVID-19 infection. (4) Conclusions: COVID-19 disease can result in the exacerbation of chronic spontaneous urticaria, more likely in moderate to severe forms of infection.


The author has performed a review of the literature pertinent to wave scattering from rough surfaces. The early techniques developed for this problem are discussed, including the perturbation technique and the Kirchhoff approximation. The limitations of such models are highlighted. The developments in the theory, since the introduction of these models, are also given. These include: the effects of shadowing; multiple scattering effects; integral equation techniques and variational methods. Results from experimental investigations of rough surface scattering are also reviewed. These results are compared with the theoretical predictions. A brief review is also given of the methods by which the profiles of rough surfaces are measured and the problems inherent in making these measurements. A comparison is made between the assumed profiles, used in the theory, and the measured profiles.


Doxorubicin (DOX) as a chemotherapeutic agent can cause mitochondrial dysfunction and heart failure. COX5A has been described as an important regulator of mitochondrial energy metabolism. We investigate the roles of COX5A in DOX-induced cardiomyopathy and explore the underlying mechanisms. C57BL/6J mice and H9c2 cardiomyoblasts were treated with DOX, and the COX5A expression was assessed. An adeno-associated virus serum type 9 (AAV9) and lenti-virus system were used to upregulate COX5A expression. Echocardiographic parameters, morphological and histological analyses, transmission electron microscope and immunofluorescence assays were used to assess cardiac and mitochondrial function. In a human study, we found that cardiac COX5A expression was dramatically decreased in patients with end-stage dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) compared to the control group. COX5A was significantly downregulated following DOX stimulation in the heart of mice and H9c2 cells. Reduced cardiac function, decreased myocardium glucose uptake, mitochondrial morphology disturbance, reduced activity of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase (COX) and lowered ATP content were detected after DOX stimulation in mice, which could be significantly improved by overexpression of COX5A. Overexpression of COX5A effectively protected against DOX-induced oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction and cardiomyocyte apoptosis in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistically, the phosphorylation of Akt (Thr308) and Akt (Ser473) were also decreased following DOX treatment, which could be reserved by the upregulation of COX5A. Furthermore, PI3K inhibitors abrogated the protection effects of COX5A against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in H9c2 cells. Thus, we identified that PI3K/Akt signaling was responsible for the COX5A-mediated protective role in DOX-induced cardiomyopathy. These results demonstrated the protective effect of COX5A in mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and cardiomyocyte apoptosis, providing a potential therapeutic target in DOX-induced cardiomyopathy.


Background Bilateral biliary drainage decreases the risk of cholangitis, but bilateral endoscopic metallic stenting is technically challenging. Aim We retrospectively evaluated the factors associated with successful bilateral self-expanding metal stent (SEMS) placement using the partial stent-in-stent (PSIS) method for malignant hilar biliary obstruction and also assessed the safety and efficacy of this technique. Methods From April 2010 to February 2016, 47 consecutive patients (mean age, 73.0 ± 8.6 years; 32 males and 15 females) underwent PSIS placement for malignant hilar biliary obstruction in our hospital. The technical success of PSIS, clinical response, and complications were investigated. Factors associated with the technical success of PSIS were assessed. Using a propensity score-matched analysis, we compared the procedure time, clinical response, complications, stent patency, and survival time in 17 matched patients treated with bilateral SEMS placement using a SEMS delivery system of <6.0 or ≥6.0 Fr. Results The technical success rate was 77%. The clinical response rate was 91%, and the complication rate was 26%. Regarding complications, pancreatitis occurred in 5 patients (11%), cholangitis in 6 (13%), and cholecystitis in 1 (2%). A multiple logistic regression analysis identified the use of a SEMS with a delivery system < 6.0 Fr as a factor associated with technical success (P = 0.033; odds ratio, 10.769; 95% confidence interval, 1.205-96.212). In the 17 matched patients assigned according to the SEMS delivery system size, the procedure time was significantly shorter in those with a delivery system size < 6.0 Fr than in those with ≥6.0 Fr (P < 0.01). There were no significant differences in the clinical response, complication rate, stent patency, or survival time between the two groups. Conclusion Using a delivery system < 6.0 Fr in size helped improve the technical success and reduced the procedure time for the placement of a SEMS by the PSIS method.


Mei symmetry and Mei conserved quantity for a non-holonomic system of non-Chetaev's type with unilateral constraints in the Nielsen style are studied. The differential equations of motion for the system above are established. The definition and the criteria of Mei symmetry, conditions, and expressions of Mei conserved quantity deduced directly from the Mei symmetry are given. An example is given to illustrate the application of the results.


Thirty-six patients with active rheumatoid arthritis were treated in a double-blind cross-over study of phase-release aspirin tablets and aspirin B. P. tablest. Twenty-nine patients completed the study. The phase-release preparation given twice daily proved as effective as aspirin B.P. given four times daily. Better results were produced by the phase-release aspirin in respect of the degree and duration of morning stiffness, grip strength and joint size, although the differences did not reach the level of statistical significance. The E.S.R. was significantly reduced by the B. P. preparation but this result was thought to be due to an order effect in the weeks of therapy.


Abstract: The Balassa-Samuelson (BS) effect is usually considered as the prime explanation of the continuous real exchange rate appreciation of the central and east European (CEE) transition countries against their western European counterparts. This paper tries to explain relative price differentials observed over the past decade between four CEE economies - Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland - and Euro area in terms of productivity growth differentials. Using panel estimation techniques, we find strong empirical evidence in favour of the BS hypothesis. Furthermore, relaxing some of the assumptions (i.e. PPP holds for tradable goods) results in little support of BS hypothesis. Our estimates of the BS term suggest that the Balassa-Samuelson effect in these 4 CEE countries does not have to be as sizeable as other studies propose.;


Abstract Introduction: Within the field of otorhinolaryngology, interest in facial plastic surgery has grown significantly in recent years. There is a lack of evidence in the literature documenting this interest in the British Isles. Materials and methods: 572 questionnaires were mailed to all members of the British Association of Otolaryngologists, Head and Neck Surgeons and to members of the Irish Otolaryngological Society. Results: Our response rate was 68 per cent. One-third of respondents were performing facial plastic procedures regularly, most commonly otoplasty (80 per cent), rhinoplasty (74 per cent) and facial flaps (28 per cent). Two-thirds of respondents had attended supplementary courses in facial plastic surgery, and 65 per cent would like facial plastic surgery to compose one-third of their daily practice. Discussion: Facial plastic surgery has become a significant part of the otorhinolaryngologists' practice. They are now offering a wider variety of procedures in the area. This is the first paper to document this interest in the United Kingdom and Ireland.


In this paper, we present an alternative implementation of the NANOS OpenMP runtime library (NthLib) that targets portability and efficient support of multiple levels of parallelism. We have implemented the runtime libraries of available opensource OpenMP compilers on top of NthLib, reducing thus their overheads and providing them with inherent support for nested parallelism. In addition, we present an experimental implementation of the workqueuing model and the parallelization of a data clustering algorithm using OpenMP directives. The asymmetry and non-determinism of this algorithm necessitate the exploitation of its nested loop-level parallelism. The experimental results on a SMP server with four processors demonstrate our efficient OpenMP runtime


Genome size variation is of fundamental biological importance and has been a longstanding puzzle in evolutionary biology. Several hypotheses for genome size evolution including neutral, maladaptive, and adaptive models have been proposed, but the relative importance of these models remains controversial. Primulina is a genus that is highly diversified in the Karst region of southern China, where genome size variation and the underlying evolutionary mechanisms are poorly understood. We reconstructed the phylogeny of Primulina using DNA sequences for 104 species and determined the genome sizes of 101 species. We examined the phylogenetic signal in genome size variation, and tested the fit to different evolutionary models and for correlations with variation in latitude and specific leaf area (SLA). The results showed that genome size, SLA and latitudinal variation all displayed strong phylogenetic signals, but were best explained by different evolutionary models. Furthermore, significant positive relationships were detected between genome size and SLA and between genome size and latitude. Our study is the first to investigate genome size evolution on such a comprehensive scale and in the Karst region flora. We conclude that genome size in Primulina is phylogenetically conserved but its variation among species is a combined outcome of both neutral and adaptive evolution.


SMAD4 regulates gene expression in response to BMP and TGFβ signal transduction and is required for diverse morphogenetic processes, but its target genes have remained largely elusive. Here, we use an epitope-tagged Smad4 allele for ChIP-seq analysis together with transcriptome analysis of wild-type and mouse forelimb buds lacking Smad4 in the mesenchyme. This analysis identifies the SMAD4 target genes during establishment of the feedback signaling system and establishes that SMAD4 predominantly mediates BMP signal-transduction during early limb bud development. Unexpectedly, the initial analysis reveals that the expression of cholesterol biosynthesis enzymes is precociously down-regulated and intracellular cholesterol levels reduced in Smad4-deficient limb bud mesenchymal progenitors. The SMAD4 target GRNs includes genes, whose expression in the anterior limb bud is up-regulated by interactions of SMAD4 complexes with enhancers active in the anterior mesenchyme. This reveals a predominant function of SMAD4 in up-regulating target gene expression in the anterior limb bud mesenchyme. Analysis of differentially expressed genes that are shared between Smad4- and Shh-deficient limb buds corroborates the positive role of SMAD4 in transcriptional regulation of anterior genes and reveals a repressive effect on posterior genes that are positively regulated by SHH signaling. This analysis uncovers the overall opposing effects of SMAD4-mediated BMP and SHH signalling on transcriptional regulation during early limb bud development. In summary, this analysis indicates that during early digit patterning and limb bud outgrowth, the anterior/proximal and proximo/distal expression dynamics of co-regulated genes are controlled by distinct and contrasting trans-regulatory inputs from SHH and SMAD4-mediated BMP signal transduction.


Persuasion is one of the main types of dialogs encountered in everyday life. The basic idea behind a persuasion is that two (or more) agents disagree on a state of affairs, and each one tries to persuade the other to change his mind. For that purpose, agents exchange arguments of different strengths.

Several systems, grounded on argumentation theory, have been proposed in the literature for modeling persuasion dialogs. These systems have studied more or less deeply the different protocols required for this kind of dialogs, and have investigated different termination criteria. However, nothing is said about the properties of the generated dialogs, nor on the behavior of the interacting agents. Besides, analyzing dialogs is a usual task in everyday life. For instance, political debates are generally deeply dissected.

In this paper we define measures for analyzing dialogs from the point of view of an external agent. In particular, three kinds of measures are proposed: i) measures of the quality of the exchanged arguments in terms of their strengths, ii) measures of the behavior of each participating agent in terms of its coherence, its aggressiveness in the dialog, and finally in terms of the novelty of its arguments, iii) measures of the quality of the dialog itself in terms of the relevance and usefulness of its moves.


This article will analyse the many challenges that creating, storing and using digital heritage has brought to the memory institutions and their professionals. We look at the interrelationship between the potential users of the museum collections, the collections themselves and information and communication technologies as intermediaries to these relations. By analysing survey data, we look at the average Internet user in order to find out who could be the current and future users of the online collections. In addition that, we analyse interviews conducted with 12 members of different Estonian memory institutions in order to understand their perspective on online cultural heritage. Third empirical pillar of the article comes from the two focus group interviews to understand what are users percieved needs for the digital cultural heritage. The data will be analysed through three key functions of the memory institutions in order to understand how digitisation helps with preservation, opening access to the collections and inviting audiences to become active participants and increasing their involvement with cultural heritage.


The presence of residues of antimicrobial substances in milk may have serious toxicological and technical consequences. To date, few studies have been done to evaluate the effect of heat treatments on β-lactam residues in milk. However, the few studies that have been conducted estimate losses of antimicrobial activity under different combinations of temperature and time using microbiological methods. The aims of this study were to calculate the kinetic parameters for the degradation of β-lactam antibiotics in milk and to develop prediction models to estimate the concentration losses of these compounds in conventional dairy heat treatments. To do so, we employed a quantitative HPLC method to calculate losses in concentrations of 10 β-lactam antibiotics in milk with different combinations of temperature and time. Increasing the temperature from 60°C to 100°C decreased the half-life of amoxicillin (372 to 50 min), ampicillin (741 to 26 min), cloxacillin (367 to 46 min), and penicillin G (382 to 43 min). These increases in temperature caused further degradation in cephalosporins, which was accompanied by a decrease in half-life times to reach very low values; for instance, 4, 5, and 6 min for cefoperazone, cephurexime, and cephapirin, respectively. Kinetic equations were applied to different heat treatments used in dairy processing. Heat treatments at high temperatures and long times (e.g., 120°C for 20 min) led to a further degradation of β-lactam antibiotics with percentages close to 100% for cefoperazone and cefuroxime. In contrast, when milk was subjected to heat treatments at lower temperatures and times (e.g., 72°C for 15s), the degradation of β-lactam in milk did not exceed 1% for the 10 antibiotics tested.


This chapter presents a detailed analysis of properties of double-scale pulses (also called noise-like pulses and femtosecond clusters) generated in fibre lasers and gives an indepth discussion of promising applications of such pulses.


Tuberculosis (TB) still remains a global public health problem of enormous dimension. This study was carried out between March 2007 and June 2008 to determine the prevalence of TB and TB/HIV co-infections amongst patients with bronchopulmonary disorders in Lagos State, Nigeria. 1280 patients were screened for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) by microscopy and culture at the TB reference laboratory of the Nigerian institute of medical research Lagos. Information on HIV status of each patient was obtained from medical records. Of the 1,280 patients, 318 (24.8%) were diagnosed positive for AFB while 236 patients (18.4%) were co-infected with TB and HIV. Amongst the co-infected patients, TB was diagnosed in 45 (14%) by microscopy alone, in 145 (46%) by culture alone and in 46 (15%) by both microscopy and culture. The higher yield of TB cases by culture alone compared to microscopy alone further confirms the higher sensitivity of culture for TB case detection amongst TB/HIV co-infected patients. In addition, the high burden (24.8%) of TB amongst the screened patients calls for differential diagnosis of this infection amongst cases with bronchopulmonary disorders seen in health facilities. Key words:


Tofacitinib Citrate for Refractory Cutaneous Dermatomyositis: An Alternative Treatment Dermatomyositis is an uncommon autoimmune disorder with distinctive cutaneous manifestations that are frequently challenging to manage. Although a number of therapies including hydroxychloroquine, methotrexate, mycophenolate mofetil, and intravenous immunoglobulin have demonstrated efficacy, few alternative treatments are available when these agents fail. Recently, tofacitinib, an oral Janus kinase (JAK)-1/3 inhibitor, was approved for use in rheumatoid arthritis and has demonstrated efficacy for treating inflammatory skin diseases including psoriasis, alopecia areata, vitiligo, and atopic dermatitis.1,2 Studies suggest that tofacitinib suppresses interferon signaling,3 a pathway that has been found to be abnormally upregulated in dermatomyositis.4 With this context in mind, we sought to evaluate the utility of tofacitinib for treating cutaneous dermatomyositis.


toms. She brought in a long list of non-specific complaints. Most notably, her constipation alternating with diarrhea had become more diarrheal-predominant, associated with right lower abdominal pain and a twelve pound weight loss over the last year. Her last screening colonoscopy was normal to the cecum three years ago. Her other medical history includes anxiety, and sigmoid colectomy for recurrent diverticulitis in 1998. She denied use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medications. She has a son with ulcerative colitis. Colonoscopy to the terminal ileum showed prior end-end sigmoid anastomosis, an 8 mm polyp 10 cm from the ileocecal valve, and multiple 1-3 mm ulcers in the terminal ileum up to 20 cm from the ileocecal valve. Biopsy showed active ileitis with ulceration, no granulomas or dysplasia. Biopsy of the 8 mm polyp showed well differentiated neuroendocrine neoplasm suggestive of carcinoid tumor. CT enterography revealed no masses or liver lesions. Video capsule endoscopy showed few 1 mm jejunal ulcers, and many 2 mm ulcers throughout the ileum, consistent with small bowel CD. Subsequent ileocectomy confirmed pathologic diagnoses of Crohn's ileitis and carcinoid tumor (stage IIIB, Ki67 <1%). Coexistence of CD and carcinoid tumor was once thought to be rare. A recent study noted that carcinoid tumors are 15 times more common in patients with CD. The pathogenesis of the two disease association is unclear, but inflammation, pro-inflammatory cytokines, or hyperplasia may play a role in the development of carcinoid tumors, which can even be found in areas with no Crohn's involvement. Given the similarity in clinical presentation, it is important to be aware of their association, so that carcinoid tumor could be detected and resected prior to metastasis. Optimal management of CD after a diagnosis of malignancy such as carcinoid tumor can also be a challenge. Given the rare coexistence of the two conditions, there are currently no reports to our knowledge on the risk of recurrence with immunomodulators or anti-TNF use in CD after carcinoid tumor resection. Future research on the use of these agents in Crohn's management after a recent diagnosis of malignancy would be of interest.


Objectives We assessed whether the presence and character of a cardiac murmur in adolescents were associated with structural heart disease that confers risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of 15 141 adolescents age 12–19 who underwent a heart screen with history, physical examination and ECG. Participants with any screening abnormality underwent an echocardiogram for the assessment of structural heart disease. Murmurs were classified as physiological or pathological according to standard clinical criteria, and participants with murmurs were compared with a comparison group without murmurs. The primary outcome was echocardiogram-detected structural heart disease associated with SCD. Results 905 participants with a cardiac murmur (mean age 15.8; 58% male) and 4333 participants without a murmur (comparison group; mean age 15.8; 55% male) had an echocardiogram to detect structural heart disease. 743 (82%) murmurs were described as physiological and 162 (18%) as pathological. Twenty-five (2.8%) participants with murmurs and 61 (1.4%) participants without murmurs had structural heart disease. Three (0.3%) participants in the murmur group were diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) which was the only identified condition associated with SCD. Two participants with HCM had physiological murmurs, one had a pathological murmur, and all three had an abnormal ECG. The most common minor structural heart disease was bicuspid aortic valve in both the murmur (7; 0.8%) and comparison (20; 0.5%) groups. The positive predictive value of physiological versus pathological murmurs for identifying any structural heart disease was 2.4% versus 4.3% (p=0.21), respectively. The positive predictive value of having any murmur versus no murmur for identifying structural heart disease was 2.8% versus 1.4% (p=0.003), respectively. Conclusions In adolescents, the traditional classification of cardiac murmurs as 'physiologic' or 'pathologic' does not differentiate for structural heart disease that puts individuals at risk for SCD. We recommend ECG evaluation in all patients with a cardiac murmur found during preparticipation screening to increase detection of HCM.


ABSTRACT
 Studies that consider both biotic and abiotic determinants of organisms are rare, but critical to delineate underlying determinants of community richness (number of taxa) and abundance (number of larvae per water body). In this study, we consider the importance of disturbance (salinity) and predator and competitor variables on mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in small ephemeral water bodies across the Wheatbelt of Western Australia. Similar to mosquitoes, and contrary to general perceptions, nonculicid aquatic fauna (aquatic fauna) had a common occurrence (number or percentage of water bodies occupied) and were abundant (average density) in ephemeral water bodies, albeit with a simplified trophic structure. The occurrence and density (number per unit area) of aquatic fauna between water bodies were highly variable, but general relationships of aquatic fauna with rainfall, water body surface area, salinity, and mosquitoes were apparent. In contrast to mosquitoes, the density of aquatic fauna declined with recent rainfall, implying mosquitoes may colonize newly created water bodies more quickly than aquatic fauna. Assemblages (richness and density of taxa) of aquatic fauna changed along a salinity gradient, as did mosquitoes, and this was pronounced for predator groups. Densities of mosquitoes were not limited by any single taxonomic group, by a negative relationship. However, the density and richness of mosquitoes generally declined in association with increased richness of predators and density of all other taxa (taxa not specifically classified as predators or competitors of mosquitoes). These relationships may account for higher densities of mosquitoes in smaller water bodies, where richness of predators is reduced and the density of other taxa does not differ from larger water bodies. Our results also suggest salinity in the Western Australia Wheatbelt may facilitate greater abundance of halotolerant mosquitoes, Aedes alboannulatus Macquart and Aedes camptorhynchus Thomson (a vector of Ross River virus [Togoviridae: Alphavirus]), by releasing them from biotic regulation.


Mycophenolic acid (MPA) is a fermentation product of a penicillium mould which has shown anti‐tumour activity in certain animal models. It blocks nucleic acid synthesis by interfering with the interconversions of inosine monophosphate (IMP), xanthine monophosphate (XMP) and guanine monophosphate (GMP) thereby inhibiting growth and/or replication of tumour cells. In vivo activity depends on the presence of a β‐glucuronidase which is abundant in the cell wall of epithelial tissues. Encouraged by results obtained in earlier clinical trials, we have studied 28 patients with psoriasis, 21 in double‐blind fashion. A comparison of disease severity in patients before and after receiving MPA versus patients receiving placebo clearly showed the superiority of drug over placebo. The mean severity score of patients receiving MPA as an initial course of therapy improved by 56% versus 9% in patients receiving placebo. Patients receiving MPA after an initial course of placebo therapy showed improvement in their mean severity score averaging 86%. Those patients receiving placebo after an initial course of MPA showed worsening of their mean severity score averaging 70%. Overall, about 75% of MPA treated patients have shown good to excellent responses, and toxicity appears low. Evidence suggests that MPA may be very useful in treating severe psoriasis.


Abstract This study examines the structure and related stability of the hurricane eyewall at the mature stage. By treating the hurricane eyewall as a rotating fluid annulus, it is shown that axisymmetric steady-state solutions for the hurricane wind field can be explicitly obtained in the eyewall region. Using the energy method, we show that this class of the steady-state solutions is nonlinearly stable, thus explaining the resilience of the hurricane eyewall structure and intensity at the mature stage as established from previous observational and modelling studies.


The Walden memorial at the Technical University in Riga is pictured in the frontispiece to mark the recent centennial of the Walden inversion. This is a rare public monument to key events from the first era of exploration in stereocontrolled synthesis, and may be the only such monument to use the language of organic chemistry expressed at the molecular level. The reaction of racemic substrates with chiral nucleophiles is one of many methods currently known to achieve kinetic resolution, a phenomenon that ranks as the oldest and most general approach for the synthesis of highly enantioenriched substances. The first nonenzymatic kinetic resolutions as well as the original forms of the Walden inversion were studied in the 1890s. All of these investigations were conducted within the first generation following the demonstration that carbon is tetrahedral, and provided abundant evidence that the principles and importance of enantiocontrolled syntheses were understood. However, a reliable, rapid technique to quantify results and guide the optimization process was still lacking. Many decades passed before this problem was solved by the advent of HPLC and GLPC assays on chiral supports, which stimulated explosive growth in the synthesis of nonracemic substances by kinetic resolution. The Walden monument is accessible to passers-by for hands-on inspection as well as for contemplation and learning. In a similar way, kinetic resolution is experimentally accessible and can be thought-provoking at several levels. We follow the story of kinetic resolution from the early discoveries through fascinating historical milestones and conceptual developments, and close with a focus on modern techniques that maximize efficiency.


We examined the microwave properties of YBa/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub x/ films with different microstructures at 5.7 GHz using a microstrip resonator technique. The films were prepared with several types of substrate temperature profiles. Films with small grains (/spl sim/100 nm) and larger critical current density show fairly small rf magnetic field dependence of surface resistance and resonance frequency up to about 50 Oe. On the other hand, films with large grains (/spl sim/200 nm) and smaller critical current density show significant changes in these properties. These results suggest that the coupling strength at the grain boundaries mainly dominates the power handling capability, according to a qualitative explanation based on the coupled-grain model.<<ETX>>


Wound healing is a complex process that can be even more challenging in neonatal and pediatric patients. Infants and children have special characteristics such as skin immaturity, a high body surface to weight ratio, sensitivity to pain, increased potential for percutaneous absorption of medication, and an immature immune system that adds to the complexity of treating their wounds. The use of controlled topical negative pressure across a wound surface has been used in adults and children since 1995. Recently, the use of this device has been reported in neonates. This article discusses the normal process of wound healing and describes the use of this device in an infant with a giant omphalocele.


PURPOSE
To investigate the extent to which indeterminate lesions of the breast can be differentiated in the early and late phase after bolus injection of the ultrasound contrast medium Optison.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Fifty female patients (mean age: 49 years) with a altogether 53 preoperatively impalpable indeterminate breast tumors, 20 fibroadenomas and 33 carcinomas, were examined by B-mode imaging and contrast medium-enhanced ultrasound with power Doppler (three patients had multifocal carcinomas). The tumors had a diameter of 5-15 mm (mean diameter: 9 mm). Histological confirmation was performed in all lesions by vacuum biopsies and/or surgical preparation. All examinations were performed with a multifrequency linear array probe (5-10 MHz, Logiq9 and Logiq 7, GE). Power Doppler (PD) and B-mode imaging as well as tissue harmonic imaging (THI) were employed. A bolus of 0.5 ml Optison was injected intravenously and spreading of the contrast enhancement and washout in the tumors were followed for at least 20 minutes. A low mechanical index was chosen to avoid early destruction of the microbubbles. Maximum tumor size was measured and tumors vessels were evaluated in digital cine ultrasound sequences.

RESULTS
Without CM administration, 14 of 19 tumor lesions smaller than 10 mm could be distinguished better from the surrounding tissue with THI compared to fundamental B-mode imaging. Both benign (17/20) and malignant (30/33) tumors exhibited increased tumor marginal vessels or intratumoral vessels in the early phase after CM injection. A diffuse contrast medium accumulation was observed in the late phase (8-18 min, mean: 12 min) in 30 of 33 malignant tumors, but in none of the benign tumors. The diagnostic confirmation for this late enhancement was there with 90% for the malignant tumors.

CONCLUSION
After intravenous bolus administration of Optison, breast carcinomas appear to have a prolonged diffuse enhancement of central tumor vasularity in the late phase compared to an earlier marginal vascularity of fibroadenomas.


A cross sectional study was conducted on randomly selected 161 apparently healthy immigrant workers in Dammam City, with ages ranged between 21 to 40 years. A required data were taken via a designed questionnaire and stool samples were collected and examined microscopically by direct wet mount (saline and iodine stained smears) and by formalin ether concentration sedimentation technique. The results showed 99/161 (55.3%) suffered parasitosis. These were in a descending order they were E. histolytica (50.5%), Giardia lamblia (38.8%), Enterobius. vermicularis (12.1%), Entamaeba coli (12.1%), Trichuris trichiura (11.1%), Hymenolepis. nana (11.1%), Schisto-soma haematobiumn (10.1%), A.scaris lumbricoides (9.09%), S. mansosoni (7.07%), Dicrocelium dendriticum (5.05%), and Fasciola species (3.03%). On the other hand, 72 (44.7%) of the immigrant workers were Toxoplasma gondii ELISA-IgG positive. The intervention programs including health education, strict supervision of health authorities on immigrant workers as well as environmental sanitation are required.


Remote sensing of life detection or a non-contact monitor of vital signals is an important application for Ultra-wideband (UWB) radar, such as health monitoring of a vehicle driver. Using the UWB radar to detect physiological signals of a dynamic human, three kind movement features (body motion, breathing, and heartbeat) must be considered generally to be extracted from echo pulses. Usually, moving body echo signal is much larger than other twos, which will cause signal interference and interaction problems. Meanwhile, since moving body causes breathing and heartbeat to act in dynamic spatial position, conventional fixed feature with maximum spectrum or local peak spectrum detection methods are not likely to find those movable physiological active features. Thus, how to reduce physiological feature bias from body motion, and efficiently obtain valuable physiological information are problems. To solve these problems, a novel multi-feature alignment (MFA) two-layer EEMD method is proposed. The proposed method simultaneously detects breathing and heartbeat information from a slightly swinging human (driver). The simulation and experiment results show the proposed method can effectively and reliably evaluate breathing and heart rates in static or/and dynamic body situation, both in laboratory and car.


The iconography of Bronze Age Crete has long been noted for the abundance of
animal imagery. The excavator of Knossos, Sir Arthur Evans, explained these
depictions in terms of 'nature-loving Minoans': as part of the reassessment of
long-held concepts in 'Minoan' archaeology this thesis offers a different
framework for considering animals in Bronze Age Cretan material culture.
Drawing on the interdisciplinary field of 'animal studies' it provides a perspective
which foregrounds human-animal relationships, rather than the prevailing onesided
view in which humans impose meanings on animals. The affordance
concept, in which meanings arise from interaction, offers a balanced way to
consider the relations between humans, animals and material culture. Sealstones,
frescoes, zoomorphic figures, ceramic decoration, animal bones and written
documents are all regarded as material traces of human-animal relations, each
medium potentially implicated in different types of human-animal relationships or
'animal practices'. Iconographic and statistical analysis are used to establish the
potential significance of these traces: different types of animals are depicted in
different ways and occur in varying frequencies in each medium. This
demonstrates that they were used actively to convey information about animals
rather than reflecting a passive interest in the natural world. The implications of
this approach for an understanding of Bronze Age Cretan society are considered.


During micropropagation of Helleborus ×nigercors, plantlets were observed to be bacterially contaminated. To determine the identity of contaminants, bacteria resistant to surface sterilization were isolated and Gram stained. Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and 16S rRNA sequencing were used to identify bacterial isolates H7G and H7S as belonging to the Paenibacillus and Luteibacteri genera, respectively. Strain H7R had highest sequence similarity to the Pseudomonas, Stenotrophomonas, and Lysobacter genera. Strains H7R and H7S were unable to grow in the absence of plant tissue and other bacterial species. Paenibacillus sp. H7G was screened using combinations of antibiotics including streptomycin sulfate, gentamicin sulfate, and cefotaxime, and was only eradicated by concentrations of gentamicin sulfate above phytotoxic levels. This is the first documented exploration of bacterial endophytes associated with Helleborus species.


The medial side of the knee is comprised of ligaments, myotendinous and meniscal structures that work as a unit to stabilize the joint. The superficial medial collateral ligament is its core structure. Still, all elements of the medial side have load-sharing relationships, leading to a cascade of events in the scenario of insufficiency of any of them. Understanding the medial soft tissue structures as part of a unit is of utmost importance because the most common ligaments damaged in knee injuries belong to it. Surprisingly, there is a lack of high-level evidence published around the issue, and most studies focus on the superficial medial collateral ligament, overlooking the complexity of these injuries. Acknowledging the consequences for joint biomechanics and treatment outcomes, interest in this area is growing between researchers. Emerging evidence may become a game-changer in the future management of these injuries. Based on a thorough research of published literature, this review provides a current biomechanical concepts and clinical guidance to treat these injuries.


Purpose
This article aims to highlight the results of a Global Innovation Survey from 407 organizations representing 33 countries. This was the third of three surveys conducted by the researchers since 2011. Ten key insights were formulated to gauge the progress of innovation in organizations as well as the practice and success of nine innovation methods (data analytics, design thinking, innovation metrics, etc.) used to support innovation execution.

Design/methodology/approach
The survey data was bifurcated into two groups, high and low innovators, by analyzing their innovation scores using a K-means cluster analysis. This was followed by correlational analysis with the innovation practices by these groups. Qualitative survey data was also collected and used to interpret the results.

Findings
Overall innovation scores have improved over the decade. Organizations are still struggling with process drivers such as idea management and innovation measures. High innovators are pervasively using innovative methods to advance innovation execution much more than low innovators. The two methods that showed the highest correlation to an innovative culture were design thinking and open innovation.

Originality/value
Comparing the Global Innovation Survey to two other surveys, 2011 Canadian Executives (n = 605) and 2013 US Fortune 1000 (n = 1,203) that use the same innovation measurement scale, provides a unique longitudinal perspective. The nine innovation methods investigated in the Global Innovation Survey provide original insight into how high and low innovative organizations are using methods to advance innovation execution.


The perfect portable reference for anyone who needs Spanish legal terms at their fingertips, this book is designed to help communicate in real-life situations where it is vital to quickly find a legal term or phrase in another language.


This article discusses the challenges facing the Catalan press in a context marked by the digitization and by a political process that demands independence. The media landscape in Catalonia is populated by media produced at Spanish level and at Catalan level, and this applies to the press, radio and television. Mainstream paid-for newspapers, available to the citizens of Catalonia produced at a national, regional, local or state level, whether written in Catalan or Spanish merit discussion. This kind of press is the most influential in the shaping of Catalonian public opinion and therefore plays a central role in the political debate on independence. In this context, newspapers in Catalonia are facing the crisis of the print-only business model and falling revenues from a declining readership base and the subsequent fall of advertising revenue. To face this problem, newspaper publishers are throwing themselves into digital strategies (web, tablet, mobile phones).


ABSTRACT Wu, G.; Zheng, X., and Wang, Y., 2020. The impact of tourists' environmental and climate satisfaction on environmental restoring awareness in seashore tourist resort. In: Bai, X. and Zhou, H. (eds.), Advances in Water Resources, Environmental Protection, and Sustainable Development. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 115, pp. 208-210. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. With the change of global environmental climate and the development of low-carbon economy, the development of low-carbon tourism has also been put on the agenda. In recent years, China's large-scale haze weather has had a certain negative impact on tourists' travel willingness and travel experience, thus reducing the level of tourists' travel satisfaction. Tourists are the real implementers of low-carbon tourism. Therefore, understanding tourists' perception and intention of low-carbon tourism is the key to developing low-carbon tourism and creating low-carbon scenic spots. Air quality has become one of the key elements of tourism demand. Therefore, it is of great theoretical and practical significance for the healthy development of tourism industry to scientifically evaluate the air value of tourism cities. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of environmental satisfaction and climate satisfaction on the perception of environmental restoration in seaside resort, and to provide a new direction for exploring how the environment and climate affect the physical and mental health and restoration of tourists.


Birsa Munda, Adivasi leader (Indigenous people) led a rebellion at the end of the 19th century against the dikus (outsiders) popularly known as Birsa Ulgulan (tumult, rebellion). The movement targeted British officials, zamindars, and missionaries. One of the immediate effects of the movement emerged in the form of protectionary legislation (Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act) and later played an influential role in the making of Jharkhand. In the contemporary social and political landscape, the presence of Birsa Munda in the form of the built environment such as statue is indelible and offers an exciting opportunity to understand the new aesthetic turn. In particular, the author investigates two statues in Jharkhand. These statues that function as "sites of memory" play a significant role in political mobilisation and vote-bank politics. It also offers a possibility to understand the relationship between the state, elites and subalterns. The paper builds upon ethnographic materials collected during the fieldwork and devices a conceptual tool of "material-memory" to offer the specific role of Birsa's memory as medium of doing memory politics.


The way an improviser practices is a vital and significant aspect to a musician's means and capacities of expression. Expert music performers utilize extensive self-regulatory processes involving planning, strategic development, and systemized approaches to learning and reflective practice. Scholars posit that these processes are constructivist and socioculturally explained and manifest in individual, jointly negotiated, and shared learning. This qualitative study explores the regulatory processes of four prominent Australian improvising musician-educators and four tertiary improvisation students. Expert and developing musicians' processes in learning and teaching improvised music-making were investigated through observations of self-regulation, co-regulation, and shared regulation strategies. I identified and analyzed regulatory learning strategies located from practice, training, and experience using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Findings suggest insights of evolving self-regulative behavior that are dynamic, task-specific, personalised, and contextually contingent across individual and collaborative tasks and activity. An integrative regulatory model of learning offers guidance and reflection of metacognitive flow within a social constructed view of learning. Implications for researchers and educators are drawn for meaningful educational practice by knowing and understanding expert improvisers' complex concepts of self-regulation, critical thinking, problem solving, and the evolution and evaluation of creative processes in improvisers.


The latitudinally diachronous appearance of angiosperm pollen during the Cretaceous is well documented, but the subsequent diversification and accompanying significant changes in floristic dominance have not been assessed quantitatively for a wide range of paleolatitudes. Trend surfaces fitted to within-palynoflora diversity data from 1125 pollen and spore assemblages show that angiosperms first become floristically prominent in low paleolatitude areas(∼20�N to 20�S). Non-magnoliid dicotyledons show a similar but slightly delayed pattern of increase and are the principal component of angiosperm diversity from all areas sampled. Monocotyledons and magnoliid dicotyledons are significant primarily in low to middle paleolatitude palynofloras(∼50�N to 20�S) during the latest Cretaceous. As angiosperms become increasingly prevalent the importance of most non-angiosperm taxa either decreases or remains unchanged. The only apparent exception is a striking increase in gnetalean diversity concurrent with the initial angiosperm diversification at low paleolatitudes.


Trans-ocean liner shipping companies adopt slow steaming during periods when the market is characterized by low demand, high fuel prices, low freight rates and over capacity. The latest instance this has occurred is in the period following the 2008/2009 global financial crises and the speeds have not yet rebound to the pre-crisis levels. Most of the existing research regarding slow steaming is from environmental, economical and maritime engineering perspective, meaning that the phenomenon is studied from the ship owners' perspective. The purpose of this paper is to explore the effects of slow steaming from the shippers' perspective. A structural literature review on the main subject has been performed and the same resulted in a matrix of different effects of slow steaming on the shippers already identified and studied in the existing literature. Furthermore, six global companies positioned in Sweden have been studied and the data from the case companies has been collected through face-to-face interviews. The findings of the interviews have been summarized, presented and discussed at a workshop with all case companies' representatives. The results of the study show that the shippers were firstly affected by slow steaming in 2008 and 2009 simply through increased sailing times that affected their supply chains. Reliability has been regarded as more important than the sailing time itself but the improvement on the same has not been observed so far. Furthermore, the interviewees believe that if the sea transport option is unreliable, air and rail are considered as substitute supply chains and the same also affects the last mile mode choice. Remarkably only one shipper acknowledged the importance and existence of environmental benefits; however increased reliability or cost reduction, as the benefits, have not been recognized by the interviewees.


This paper explores the question of when and how morphological families are
 formed in one's mental lexicon, by analyzing age-of-acquisition norms to
 morphological families (e.g., booking, bookshelf, check book) and their
 shared morphemes (book). We demonstrate that the speed of growth and the size
 of the family depend on how early the shared morpheme is acquired and how
 many connections the family has at the time a new concept is incorporated in
 the family. These findings dovetail perfectly with the Semantic Growth model
 of connectivity in semantic networks by Steyvers and Tenenbaum (2005). We
 discuss implications of our findings for theories of vocabulary acquisition.


The potential of developing and fostering the entrepreneurial spirit of the young generation in RW 11 Sukarami Palembang urban village was enormous, but the fostering of entrepreneurship spirit  had not been optimal yet because the education level of most target audiences was high school graduates who lacked knowledge in entrepreneurship. As a result, many potential creative ideas in starting a business had not been explored optimally. The aim of this business planning training was expected to instill the entrepreneurial spirit into this young generation. It is hoped that  they were motivated to start their own businesses that suit their own talents or hobbies and they were able to utilize existing resources and capital to create economic value goods. Several different methods were used in the training such as lecture, game, discussion, question and answer, and business planning practice. During the training, the participants were invited to present their business plans. The results of the evaluation of 22 trainees, in general, show that there was an increase of knowledge and understanding after the participants had been exposed to the materials of entrepreneurship and business planning.


Abstract In this article, we argue that to capture the liveliness of how visual public debates like the climate controversy unfold online, we must replace snapshot and single-platform approaches with a method that can capture their temporal and cross-platform dynamics. We suggest that such a methodology could be assembled by combining image recognition, visual network analysis, and a quali-quantitative approach within a digital methods framework. We demonstrate the potential application of the methodology in a two-fold case study of 1) how the human–nature relation is visually depicted on Instagram and Twitter, and 2) how visual genres in the climate debate on Twitter change from 2015 to 2017. Through these experiments, we analyse more than a quarter million social media images to produce novel insights about the climate debate, while showcasing how the computational and visual capabilities of social science can be bridged to open up opportunities for mapping complex visual debates across platforms and time.


Transmission (TEM) and scanning (SEM) electron microscopic studies were performed on the human sperm heads extracted with (a) 1% Triton X-100, 1% mercaptoethanol (ME) and (b) 8 M urea, 1% ME together with increasing concentrations of NaCl ranging from 0.2 to 0.6 M. In the TEM study, the extraction of the nuclear material was first observed when the heads were treated with 8 M urea and 1% ME, with the majority of the chromatin remaining as 400-550 A thick interconnecting cords and oval bodies. At 0.2 M NaCl the cords and bodies were further separated but linked together by extremely thin 20-50 A fibers. Between 0.3 and 0.5 M NaCl the chromatin bodies within the sperm heads began to be extracted, first at the central part and progressively towards the periphery. Finally, at 0.6 M NaCl only the chromatin cords forming the periphery of the heads remained. In the SEM study, the sperm heads remained unbroken up to the treatment with 8 M urea, 1% ME and 0.2 M NaCl. Between 0.3 M and 0.5 M NaCl the majority of heads were disrupted to form interlacing chromatin cords of 400-550 A thick while the unbroken heads exhibited surface with cross-weaving cords. At 0.6 M NaCl all heads were disrupted and the remaining chromatin existed mostly as exoskeleton of former sperm heads. Protein gel electrophoresis showed that histones and nonhistones were removed from the chromatin when the treatment reached 0.2 M NaCl, whereas protamines started to be removed at 0.3 M, and totally removed at 0.6 M NaCl; HP1 was the first protamine fraction to be extracted.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


The 45 °monochromatic one-way wave equation, along with the thin-lens term, is used, and a depth-migration algorithm is developed in the frequency–space (ω, x) domain. Using this approach, an unmigrated stack section is directly transformed into a depth-migrated section taking into account both vertical and lateral velocity variations. In practice, the algorithm can accommodate steep events with dips of the order of 60–65°. The use of the frequency–space domain offers several advantages over the conventional time–space and frequency–wave-number domains. Time derivatives are evaluated exactly by a simple multiplication, while the use of the space (x, z) domain facilitates the handling of lateral velocity inhomogeneities. The performance of the depth-migration algorithm is tested with synthetic data from complicated models and real data from the Foothills area of western Canada.


In this paper, a numerical solution to the elastohydrodynamic lubrication (EHL) problem is presented for a cylindrical roller with axially profiled ends, rolling over a flat plane. Convergence was obtained for moderate load and material parameters (glass, steel, and a mineral oil). Isobars, contours, and section graphs, show pressure variation and film shape. Predictions of film thickness compare favorably with experiments which use the optical interference method, as well as with other theoretical results for an infinite line contact, or an ellipse having a long slender aspect ratio. The maximum EHL pressure occurs near the start of the profiling and can exceed pressure concentrations there predicted by elastostatic theory.


The oculo-cerebral-renal syndrome was first described by Lowe et al1in 1952. Since that time there have been 23 published cases. The syndrome is characterized by involvement of the central nervous system, the eye, and the kidneys. In addition, our series shows bilateral cryptorchidism in seven of eight patients. Serious congenital metabolic defects add further complications. Neurological examination of these patients reveals marked mental retardation and hypotonia. Renal defects are manifested by proteinuria, acidosis, and hyperamino aciduria. The metabolic abnormalities are associated with osteoporosis. The disabilities are so severe that probably no patient will reach maturity (Fig 1). Eight cases2are now reviewed to emphasize the ophthalmological findings. The results of the ocular examinations of the patients, parents, and siblings will be considered to evaluate the genetics of the disease. All of these patients had serious eye disease. Each had bilateral congenital cataracts, five had congenital glaucoma (one


The paper presents fuzzy navigation system for a mobile robot. This navigation is based on fuzzy inference machine that performs path planning and obstacle avoidance in arbitrary complex environments. The system is built as two-level hierarchical system. On the higher level there is a controlling PC that is connected with robot control unit through duplex, wireless communication channel. A sensor system comprising four subsystems: tactile, ultrasonic, odometer, and visual is cared for collection of environment information. The inference machine consists of two mutual connected fuzzy rule bases responsible for path planning and obstacle avoidance. The fuzzy navigation strategy is obtained as a combined compromise decision between them.


A fragment of decorated brass was found on the site of the fort. A border of heart-shaped motifs and a Triton design executed by punching and incision have been enhanced by partial tinning of the surface. The piece has parallels amongst fine military metalwork and may be part of a shield-centre used as parade equipment in the late 1st century AD. AR See also abstract 74/2743.


Data valuation, a critical aspect of data-centric ML research, aims to quantify the usefulness of individual data sources in training machine learning (ML) models. However, data valuation faces significant yet frequently overlooked privacy challenges despite its importance. This paper studies these challenges with a focus on KNN-Shapley, one of the most practical data valuation methods nowadays. We first emphasize the inherent privacy risks of KNN-Shapley, and demonstrate the significant technical difficulties in adapting KNN-Shapley to accommodate differential privacy (DP). To overcome these challenges, we introduce TKNN-Shapley, a refined variant of KNN-Shapley that is privacy-friendly, allowing for straightforward modifications to incorporate DP guarantee (DP-TKNN-Shapley). We show that DP-TKNN-Shapley has several advantages and offers a superior privacy-utility tradeoff compared to naively privatized KNN-Shapley in discerning data quality. Moreover, even non-private TKNN-Shapley achieves comparable performance as KNN-Shapley. Overall, our findings suggest that TKNN-Shapley is a promising alternative to KNN-Shapley, particularly for real-world applications involving sensitive data.


Objective This study investigated the factors that can affect the comfort of patients who underwent diagnostic fiberoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) and diagnostic endobronchial ultrasonography (EBUS) for the first time and the effect of the patients' anxiety level on their comfort during the procedure. Materials and methods We recorded the demographics of the patients, the medications they used previously, the anesthesia applied during the procedure, the experience of the operator, the insertion technique of the bronchoscope, the types of the bronchoscopic interventions during the procedure, the duration of the procedure, and the anxiety levels of the patients before the session. Patients' discomfort level before and after the procedure and anxiety levels before the procedure were evaluated using a visual analog scale (VAS), and willingness for repeating FOB and EBUS was assessed using a questionnaire. Results We found that longer examination time, higher anxiety level before the procedure, the nasal insertion of bronchoscope, and higher number of interventions are related to the increased discomfort during FOB and EBUS. Patients' willingness for repeating FOB and EBUS increased as the level of discomfort decreased during the procedure. Conclusion The patient's anxiety level should be determined using a questionnaire before the FOB and EBUS procedures, and the operator should adjust their procedure according to the patients' anxiety level.


We studied the success of natural regeneration eight years after seed tree cutting on four drained peatland Scots pine stands in central and northern Finland (Parkano, Sievi, Vaala, Simo) when retaining ca. 50 Scots pine stems ha-1 followed by site preparation. The total number and the number of crop seedlings and their mean height were investigated by species and methods of site preparation (control, scalping, mounding). The results showed that the total seedling numbers were very high (9,100 – 51,000 ha-1) in all sites and treatments. The share of downy birch seedlings was 64 –76 %. The total number of crop seedlings varied from 1,450 to 2,000 ha-1 (2,000 maximum density accepted), with number of Scots pine seedlings varying from 600 in Parkano to 1,950 ha-1 in Sievi. Site preparation increased the number of pine crop seedlings on two of the four sites: at Parkano by 900 – 1,100 seedlings ha-1 and at Vaala by 600 – 800 seedlings ha-1. On average, the number of pine crop seedlings was slightly higher and that for all birch seedlings clearly higher when site preparation was applied. About 22 – 81% of crop seedlings were grown in a prepared surface in scalped plots and 75-91% on mounded plots. The mean height of the crop seedlings was not significantly affected by the site preparation treatment. With respect to the minimum requirements set for the regeneration result required by forest legislation, seed tree cutting appeared to provide sufficient regeneration in eight years in terms of the total seedling density and the number of crop seedlings when downy birches were included. The beneficial effect of soil preparation was seen in the increased share of Scots pine crop seedlings.


Previous work has shown that amylose (AM) can cross-link hydrophobically modified polymers by inclusion complexation, whereby thermoreversible cold-setting gels are formed. This work investigates, mainly by rheology, the competition effect of seven different anionic, cationic, and nonionic surfactants when mixed at room temperature into preformed gels of AM and hydrophobically modified hydroxyethyl celluose (HMHEC). The aqueous mixtures of AM, HMHEC, and surfactant are compared with reference mixtures of AM-HMHEC, AM-surfactant, and HMHEC-surfactant, respectively. All the added surfactants interact with HMHEC, giving rise to the well-known increase in shear storage modulus compared to pure HMHEC solution. In addition, all added surfactants, except Triton X-100, form inclusion complexes with AM. The mechanical spectra of the AM/HMHEC/surfactant mixtures are closely similar to those containing only HMHEC and surfactant but quite distinct from that of the AM-HMHEC gel, demonstrating that all surfactants can compete with the AM-HMHEC complexation. Heat treatment of the mixtures produced no significant changes. A detailed analysis of the competition by two surfactants, sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and sodium octyl sulfate (SOS), showed that much larger amounts of added SOS were required for an efficient competition. The rheological characteristics indicate that the HMHEC hydrophobes are simultaneously engaged i both mixed micelles with the added surfactant and inclusion complexes with AM over a large concentration range of added surfactant. (Less)


ABSTRACT Introduction: Cellular senescence is a stable form of cell cycle exit. Though they no longer divide, senescent cells remain metabolically active and secrete a plethora of proteins collectively termed the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Although senescence-associated cell cycle exit likely evolved as an anti-tumor mechanism, the SASP contains both anti- and pro-tumorigenic potential. Areas covered: In this review, we briefly discuss the discovery of senescent cells and its relationship to cancer and aging. We also describe the initiation and regulation of the SASP upon senescence stimulus onset. We focus on both the pro- and anti-tumorigenic properties of the SASP. Finally, we speculate on the potential benefits of therapy-induced senescence combined with selective SASP inhibition for the treatment of cancer. Expert opinion: Further identification and characterization of the SASP factors that are pro-tumorigenic and those that are anti-tumorigenic in specific contexts will be crucial in order to develop personalized therapeutics for the successful treatment of cancer.


A novel semianalytical methodology is used to analyze a periodic array of printed metallic closed ring elements in a multilayered dielectric structure. This approach is unique in that it is the first methodology capable in modeling structures with resonant implants and interelement dimensions well beyond the effective medium theory. In addition, it yields computational efficiency by 2 orders of magnitude over standard computational methods in computing the scattering parameters for proximity equilibration cell (PEC) closed ring multilayered (electromagnetic band gap and photonic band gap (PBG)) structures. Moreover, it provides physical insight in the implementation of metallic implants for practical applications. This methodology satisfies the Kramers‐Kronig relations and causality, and therefore it allows for the development of semianalytical expressions for the composite's wave impedance, index of refraction, as well as the permittivity and permeability parameters accounting for full dispersion. For general artificial multilayered structures (PBG metamaterials) with centrosymmetric scattering matrices, the composite may be replaced by an equivalent homogeneous dispersive magneto‐dielectric material and may be used for the design of integrated circuits, filters, and antennas using standard methods. Otherwise, use of the scattering matrix approach to obtain the effective parameters is valid only for semi‐infinite structures. The upper band edge is determined by the host material uniquely and the bandwidth is determined by the shunt susceptance for different PEC ring inclusions.


We report the observation of an even-denominator fractional quantum Hall state at nu = 1/4 in a high quality, wide GaAs quantum well. The sample has a quantum well width of 50 nm and an electron density of n(e) = 2.55 x 10(11) cm(-2). We have performed transport measurements at T - 35 mK in magnetic fields up to 45 T. When the sample is perpendicular to the applied magnetic field, the diagonal resistance displays a kink at nu = 1/4. Upon tilting the sample to an angle of theta = 20.3 degrees a clear fractional quantum Hall state emerges at nu = 1/4 with a plateau in the Hall resistance and a strong minimum in the diagonal resistance.


N-RAS is one member of a family of oncoproteins that are commonly mutated in cancer. Activating mutations in NRAS occur in a subset of colorectal cancers, but little is known about how the mutant protein contributes to the onset and progression of the disease. Using genetically engineered mice, we find that mutant N-RAS strongly promotes tumorigenesis in the context of inflammation. The protumorigenic nature of mutant N-RAS is related to its antiapoptotic function, which is mediated by activation of a noncanonical mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway that signals through STAT3. As a result, inhibition of MAP-ERK kinase selectively induces apoptosis in autochthonous colonic tumors expressing mutant N-RAS. The translational significance of this finding is highlighted by our observation that NRAS mutation correlates with a less favorable clinical outcome for patients with colorectal cancer. These data show for the first time the important role that N-RAS plays in colorectal cancer.


[structure: see text] Isoadenosine (IsoA), a structural isomer of adenosine, was shown to possess interesting biological activity but was inherently unstable. In an effort to overcome this, we have designed a series of carbocyclic IsoA analogues, combining the unique connectivity of IsoA with the structural features of some biologically significant Neplanocin A analogues. Their design, synthesis, and structural elucidation is reported.


Brandon Hamber is an independent consultant. Dineo Nageng is a former researcher at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. Gabriel O'Malley is a former intern at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. Executive Summary Abstract: The article focuses on survivors' perspectives of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). It probes their feelings, thoughts and views both before and after interacting with the Commission. Their feelings and opinions about issues such as justice, punishment and amnesty are explored. This information, which forms the backbone of this article, was obtained from interviews with twenty survivors of political violence committed under the apartheid government. The article shows that healing, truth, justice and reconciliation are interrelated. For survivors the relationships between the concepts is not linear, that is truth does not automatically lead to reconciliation. The article demonstrates that those who interacted with the TRC held a range of largely legitimate expectations; most expected, at the very least, that they would get some truth about their case. Many are currently feeling let down by the TRC process, despite its successes at publicising the atrocities of the past and fostering national reconciliation.


Why don't ducks get wet? Ducks dip and dive, but they stay dry because they spread oil over their feathers to make them waterproof. Learn more inside and get to know different kinda of ducks.Have you ever wondered how ducks spend the whole day in the water and never get wet? Did you know that they can dive 100 feet deep, and still come up dry? Meet ten different kinds of ducks in this classic text featuring stunning new watercolor illustrations and a new "Find Out More" page.


ABSTRACT In an effort to increase sustainability and reduce CO2 emissions in the automotive sector, the use of renewable wood-based materials for structural elements in vehicles is gaining attention. Less durable, but locally available, wood species can be modified chemically or physically to increase their stability against degradation and make them a viable alternative to less sustainable materials even in outdoor applications. One common wood modification process is acetylation. With regard to using modified veneers in the outer layers of plywood for vehicle components, this study investigates the resistance of acetylated radiata pine veneers to automotive chemicals (distilled water, acetone, biodiesel, gasoline, anti-freeze). The specimens were exposed to the chemicals through two methods, the (1) immersion and (2) blotting paper test. Then, tensile tests were conducted to explore the influence of those chemicals on the mechanical behavior of the veneers. While in the immersion test, the highest mass increase was observed for distilled water (126 wt%), in the blotting paper test, it was found for the anti-freeze (81 wt%). In general, the acetylated veneers showed a good chemical resistance. No statistically significant influence of the chemicals on the tensile strength was observed.


The interfacial microstructure and joining strength of GH2907-interlayre, interlayer-Cf/SiC of GH2907 and 3D-Cf/SiC ceramic matrix composite brazed by Nickel-based high temperature brazing filler were researched in this paper. The result indicated that the interlayer thickness of tungsten alloy has great influence on joining strength. According to the experiment condition, the optimum thickness of interlayer is 1.5mm, and the four-point bending strength of joint reaches to 109MPa, meeting the strength requirement of brazing. The joint structure after brazing is: GH2907-(compound of Ni-B and Nickel-based solid solution containing niobium/Tungsten alloy/solid solution of Au-Ni/compound of Ni -Si/layer of Cr3C2 and other carbide)-Cf/SiC. Additionally, the interface between filler metals and Cf/SiC is very tight and the microstructure of tungsten alloy does not change abnormally.