Direct determination of the gas-water contact (GWC) or the oil-water contact (OWC) in new wells from geophysical logs, core analysis data and/or whole core inspection is often difficult. Rapidly changing reservoir quality in the interval of interest or gradually changing saturation profiles in the vicinity of the contact can make the determination of the GWC or OWC difficult. This paper presents a model for the accurate placement of the GWC or OWC. The input data are water saturations at various well depths as interpreted from induction logs and the average residual oil saturation. When available, permeability and porosity values from core analysis may improve the result. Using a power-law equation or a Langmuir isotherm-type equation to represent the capillary pressure saturation relationship, the GWC or OWC is expressed as a function of water saturation and well depth. A nonlinear optimization technique is then used to determine the GWC or OWC. The applicability of this model is demonstrated with a field example. The calculated OWC values from all variations of the model fall within 4 feet of the actual OWC value. This model can only be applied in an oil or gas well where an equilibrium capillary curve and a hydrocarbon-watermore » contact occur.« less


In January 2008, a flock of 400 breeding pairs of pigeons associated with an integrated international pigeon breeding corporation experienced a 10% loss among a group of 200 young pigeons starting at 8 wk of age and spanning a 4-wk period. The losses were restricted to 1 pen of 200 birds on the farm. No losses were noted in the other 3 pens of young pigeons. The farm had experienced similar losses among 8- to 12-week-old pigeons in the summer of 2007. However, no postmortems were conducted and no diagnosis was obtained. Losses were not recorded in breeding pairs during either mortality event.

The farm had started raising pigeons in December 2006 and housed the flock in a former poultry (pullet) barn that had been depopulated, cleaned, and held empty for 2 y. The farm operated on a continuous flow system where 24-week-old pigeons were sold back to the corporation each month for distribution to new breeders. The young pigeons were held in 4 age groups in pens separated by permeable barriers (plastic snow fencing). The groups were not mixed on the farm. At the time of the event, the farm output was 300 birds per month, on average.

Normal flock management included continuous use of feed-based coccidiostats mixed in with a 21% protein chick feed and intermittent use of water based penicillin (Pot Pen, Vetoquinol Canada, Lavaltrie, Quebec) at a rate of 297 000 IU/L water for 3 to 5 consecutive days. Individual pens were cleaned when emptied, but not disinfected. The flock owner was the sole worker in the operation.

The attending veterinarian noted clinical signs of emaciation, depression, conjunctivitis, and respiratory distress in approximately 20% of the affected group. Three dead pigeons were submitted to the Veterinary Diagnostic Services Laboratory in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Necropsy and histopathology results were consistent with a systemic bacterial infection and Chlamydophila psittaci was confirmed by conventional polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of respiratory and ocular exudates. Other significant findings included an intestinal roundworm infestation (Ascaris columbae). Bacteriology of multiple tissues, fecal flotation, conventional PCR for Pigeon Paromyxovirus, and real-time PCR for Influenza A were all negative.

Prior to, and as a result of the diagnosis, the flock owner took the following precautions when working in the barn to prevent zoonotic transmission: use of a N95 half respirator, dedicated coveralls and boots, disposable gloves, and immediate shower after exiting the barn.

Treatment of the entire flock was initiated with water-based oxytetracycline at 200 mg/L for 14 d. The dose was calculated to give 15–20 mg of antibiotic per bird per day. However, consumption of the medicated water was not measured. A treatment for roundworms was initiated at the same time using piperazine dihydrochloride (Vetoquinol) at 75 mg/L water.

Due to the zoonotic nature of the disease and interprovincial movement of birds from the flock, a level of assurance was sought for effectiveness of treatment prior to recommencing trade. Two weeks post-treatment, 60 birds were selected at random from the treated group and conjunctival swabs were taken by the flock veterinarian. Polymerase chain reaction, with an estimated sensitivity and specificity of 85%, was performed on individual swabs. No test positive birds were detected. Analysis of the results (Survey Tool Box Version 1.0, Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, Canberra, Australia) revealed that there was a 99.9% confidence that the affected group had disease prevalence below 1%. Additionally, no clinical signs consistent with avian chlamydiophilosis were reported by either the owner or the flock veterinarian, in either the treated group or the rest of the flock.

Large-scale commercial pigeon breeding operations were a relatively new phenomenon in Manitoba; they had arisen with farm diversification away from traditional livestock and poultry. The challenge for producers and animal health professionals is to establish the diseases of significance and the methods of disease prevention, control, and treatment necessary for alternative agricultural species. In this particular case, a zoonotic agent was identified in a continuous flow production operation that moved large numbers of birds to many regions within Canada. The probability of disease spread from such a system could be significant, but is currently unknown. In Manitoba, avian chlamydiophilosis is reportable to the chief veterinarian under The Animal Diseases Act (Manitoba). Under the federal Health of Animals Act for the purpose of export certification, chlamydiophilosis is an immediately notifiable disease.

Avian chlamydiophilosis is an avian respiratory disease caused by C. psittaci, an obligate intracellular bacterium. There are several genotypes of which B and E are most commonly associated with pigeons. All genotypes have significant zoonotic potential. While all species of birds can become infected, pigeons are thought to have the highest infection rates (over 30%) (1,2). Avian chlamydiophilosis is common among captive psittacine birds, especially cockatiels and parakeets (3), is considered endemic in feral pigeon populations globally, and in commercial turkey operations in the United States and Europe (4).

Chlamydophila psittaci infection in humans is known as psittacosis and cases typically feature respiratory or conjuntival presentations with varying degrees of severity from inapparent illness to severe respiratory disease (3–6). Approximately 70% of psittacosis where the source of the infection was known resulted from human exposure to caged birds (3). The remainder occurred in individuals who had a high risk of exposure: zoo employees, poultry processing plant employees, farmers, veterinarians, laboratory technicians, and others who work in facilities that handle avian species in closed settings (3). Biosecurity precautions for individuals with high risk of exposure include the use of protective clothing, N95 rating or higher respirator, gloves, and head covering. Isolating new introductions for 30 to 45 d with follow-up testing and/or prophylactic treatment, creating solid separations between groups of birds, daily cleaning of waterers and feeders, and thorough disinfection of all cages or pens between groups of birds are also highly recommended procedures to prevent avian chlamydiophilosis.

Varying degrees of precautions were taken in the case described herein. The farm owner was diligent with personal biosecurity. Use of protective clothing, masks, and gloves was routine and a shower out procedure was implemented once the disease had been diagnosed. Additionally, access to the barn was restricted to only 1 individual. Biocontainment was poor; the continuous flow of birds through the barn and the lack of full separation between age groups created a risk of spread within the whole flock and ultimately required full treatment of the flock. Additionally, there was no specific quarantine protocol in the integrated system for the movement of pigeons between sites, creating considerable risk for disease spread.

This report highlights the need for veterinarians to be aware of potential disease implications, zoonotic and otherwise, of alternative livestock production systems. Additionally, veterinarians should be aware of both the reporting requirements and available investigation support for zoonotic diseases in their areas.


Myoglobin (Mb) from gastropod mollusc Aplysia limacina shows only 20% sequence homology to the 'prototype' sperm whale Mb but exhibits a typical Mb fold and can reversibly bind oxygen. An intriguing feature of aplysia Mb is that it lacks the distal histidine and displays a ligand stabilisation based on an arginine. Here we report the reaction of aplysia metMb with hydrogen peroxide studied by optical and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopies. Two electron oxidation of the protein by H2O2 results in formation of two intermediates typical for this class of reactions, the oxoferryl haem state and a globin-bound free radical. An unusual characteristic of the aplysia Mb reaction is formation, prior to haem oxidation, of an optically distinct compound with an EPR spectrum typical of the low spin Fe3+ haem state. This compound is interpreted as the complex between H2O2 and the ferric haem state (Compound), formed prior to cleavage of the dioxygen bond. We conclude that H2O2 is singly deprotonated in Compound which can thus be notated as [Fe3+--OOH]. A new low spin ferric haem state has been observed over the period of Compound decay, and hypotheses have been formulated as to its identity and role. The location of the protein bound radical observed in aplysia Mb is discussed in light of the fact that the protein does not have any tyrosine residues, the most common site of free radical formation in the haem protein/peroxide systems. All intermediates of the reaction are kinetically characterised.


This paper proposes a neural architecture search (NAS) method for split computing. Split computing is an emerging machine-learning inference technique that addresses the privacy and latency challenges of deploying deep learning in IoT systems. In split computing, neural network models are separated and cooperatively processed using edge servers and IoT devices via networks. Thus, the architecture of the neural network model significantly impacts the communication payload size, model accuracy, and computational load. In this paper, we address the challenge of optimizing neural network architecture for split computing. To this end, we proposed NASC (NAS for Split Computing), which jointly explores optimal model architecture and a split point to achieve higher accuracy while meeting latency requirements (i.e., smaller total latency of computation and communication than a certain threshold). NASC employs a one-shot NAS that does not require repeating model training for a computationally efficient architecture search. Our performance evaluation using hardware (HW)-NAS-Bench of benchmark data demonstrates that the proposed NASC can improve the "communication latency and model accuracy" trade-off, i.e., reduce the latency by approximately 40–60% from the baseline, with slight accuracy degradation.


The eastern Asian (EA)–eastern North American (ENA) floristic disjunction represents a major pattern of phytogeography of the Northern Hemisphere. Despite 20 years of studies dedicated to identification of taxa that display this disjunct pattern, its origin and evolution remain an open question, especially regarding post‐isolation evolution. The blue‐ or white‐fruited dogwoods (BW) are the most species‐rich among the four major clades of Cornus L., consisting of ~35 species divided into three subgenera (subg. Yinquania, subg. Mesomora, and subg. Kraniopsis). The BW group provides an excellent example of the EA–ENA floristic disjunction for biogeographic study due to its diversity distribution centered in eastern Asia and eastern North America, yet its species relationships and delineation have remained poorly understood. In this study, we combined genome‐wide markers from RAD‐seq, morphology, fossils, and climate data to understand species relationships, biogeographic history, and ecological niche and morphological evolution. Our phylogenomic analyses with RAxML and MrBayes recovered a strongly supported and well‐resolved phylogeny of the BW group with three intercontinental disjunct clades in EA and ENA or Eurasia and North America, of which two are newly identified within subg. Kraniopsis. These analyses also recovered a potential new species but failed to resolve relationships within the C. hemsleyi–C. schindleri complex. In an effort to develop an approach to reduce computation time, analysis of different nodal age settings in treePL suggests setting a node's minimum age constraint to the lower bound of a fossil's age range to obtain similar ages to that of BEAST. Divergence time analyses with BEAST and treePL dated the BW stem back to the very Late Cretaceous and the divergence of the three subgenera in the Paleogene. By integrating fossil ages and morphology, a total evidence‐based dating approach was used in conjunction with time‐slice probabilities of dispersal under a DEC model to resolve ancestral ranges of each disjunct in the Miocene: Eurasia and ENA (disjunct 1), EA and western North America (disjunct 2), and EA (disjunct 3). The dated biogeographic history supports dispersal via the North Atlantic Land Bridge in the late Paleogene in disjunct 1 and dispersal via the Bering Land Bridge in the Miocene for disjuncts 2 and 3. Character mapping with a stochastic model in phytools and comparison of ecological niche, morphospace, and rate of evolution indicated differential divergence patterns in morphology, ecological niche, and molecules between disjunct sisters. Although morphological stasis was observed in most of the characters, evolutionary changes in growth habit and some features of leaf, flower, and fruit morphology occurred in one or both sister clades. A significant differentiation of ecological habitats in temperature, precipitation, and elevation between disjunct sisters was observed, suggesting a role of niche divergence in morphological evolution post‐isolation. The patterns of evolutionary rate between morphology and molecules varied among disjunct clades and were not always congruent between morphology and molecules, suggesting cases of non‐neutral morphological evolution driven by ecological selection. Our phylogenetic evidence and comparisons of evolutionary rate among disjunct lineages lend new insights into the formation of the diversity anomaly between EA and ENA, with particular support of an early diversification in EA. These findings, in conjunction with previous studies, again suggest that the EA–ENA disjunct floras are an assembly of lineages descended from the Mesophytic Forests that evolved from the early Paleogene "boreotropical flora" through varied evolutionary pathways across lineages.


Background
Glycoprotein non-metastatic melanoma B (GPNMB) is a transmembrane glycoprotein with various roles in inflammation regulation, tissue remodeling and oncogenesis. Clinical situations implicating alterations in its expression include ischemic injury, cirrhosis and fatty liver disease amongst other. We examine its expression in hepatic and renal tissue following hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) in a rat model, with and without intravenous silibinin administration, as a silibinin-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin lyophilized complex (SLB-HP-β-CD).

Methods
Sixty-three Wistar rats were divided into 3 groups: sham group (virtual intervention; 7 animals), control (C) group (45 min of ischemia, followed by reperfusion and euthanasia at 60, 120, 180 and 240 min; 28 animals equally divided), and silibinin (Si) group (45 min of ischemia, intravenous administration of SLB-HP-β-CD, reperfusion and euthanasia at the same time points; 28 animals equally divided). GPNMB expression was examined in liver and kidney tissue.

Results
GPNMB expression was significantly increased following hepatic I/R in the control group, in kidney tissue, in a time dependent manner. In the silibinin group, GPNMB expression significantly decreased with time compared to the control group in both liver and kidney tissue (P<0.05).

Conclusions
Hepatic I/R causes increase of GPNMB levels both in liver and kidney tissues, which may reflect tissue injury. Silibinin seems to act protectively on both liver and kidney, and can be potentially used as a therapeutic approach against hepatic I/R injury.


This research aimed to evaluate different vegetable oils in the control of the citrus black fly, Aleurocanthus woglumi. The effect of vegetable oils of soybean (Glycine max), corn (Zea mays), sunflower (Helianthus annuus), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) and extract of neem (Nim® Rot) was evaluated using four concentrations (0 (control), 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 mL/L) for each extract, on the fourth-instar nymphs and egg masses of A. woglumi. The leaves containing insects were immersed in a 500 mL-beaker containing vegetable oils in their respective concentrations. Data were analyzed according to a randomized design in a factorial scheme (5 x 4) corresponding to vegetable oil and concentration, respectively, followed by means separation with Tukey's test at 5% probability, using the program ASSISTAT 7.5 beta. It was found that all vegetable oils were effective in causing mortality of the insects. The mortality rate of the fourth nymphal stage was above 90% for all vegetable oils used. For the ovicidal activity, cottonseed oil provided 100% egg mortality, whereas corn oil resulted in lower mortality (48.9%). After treatment with the oils, eggs turned to a dark color. The nymphs that hatched often dried out and were therefore not viable. These results indicate the high efficiency of oil applications on the mortality of the citrus black fly.


Cluster states are a new type of multiqubit entangled states with entanglement properties exceptionally well suited for quantum computation. In the present work, we experimentally demonstrate that correlations in a four-qubit linear cluster state cannot be described by local realism. This exploration is based on a recently derived Bell-type inequality [V. Scarani et al., Phys. Rev. A 71, 042325 (2005)] which is tailored, by using a combination of three- and four-particle correlations, to be maximally violated by cluster states but not violated at all by GHZ states. We observe a cluster-state Bell parameter of 2.59+/-0.08, which is more than 7sigma larger than the threshold of 2 imposed by local realism.


It is unclear if the use of a molecular transport medium (MTM) containing guanidine isothiocyanate (GITC) would be advantageous over the CDC recommended, commonly used viral transport medium (VTM). We retested 70 SARS- CoV2 cases by RT- PCR in varying stages of follow- up using MTM and VTM in parallel and found discrepant results of RNase P , E and N genes. Majority (81%) patients tested positive with MTM as compared with VTM (27.1%). Even patients who were sampled 3 weeks after diagnosis demonstrated a significant discrepancy in the positivity rates


Many alien invasive species are characterized by the accumulation of biologically active substances antioxidants, which are used in the prevention of diseases of the cardiovascular system and many cancers. The purpose of this study was to compare the antioxidant (antiradical) properties of Adenocaulon adhaerescens Maxim extracts obtained from plants growing in both natural and secondary distribution ranges. The literature data on the analysis of medicinal properties of closely related species of the genus Adenocaulon are summarized. The antioxidant activity was determined by the method using 2.2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil (DPPH) on spectrophotometer Genesis 20, the USA at the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra (Slovak Republic). Water and alcohol extracts (methanol and ethanol) were tested. The total antioxidant activity of extracts from leaves of juvenile plants was about 80% (alcoholic extracts) and 34% (water extracts). The total antioxidant activity of leaf extracts collected from flowering plants was 76% (methanol extracts), 59% (ethanol extracts), and 48% (water extracts). The total antioxidant activity of extracts from inflorescences was significantly higher and amounted to 83% (methanol extracts), 85% (ethanol extracts), and 49% (water extracts). Indicators of antioxidant activity of the aboveground part of plants collected in populations from the natural and secondary ranges do not have reliable differences. Methanol extracts from plants collected in the natural range have the antioxidant activity of 77–78%, ethanol extracts of 78–81%, and water extracts of 61–66%. In plants from invasive populations, the antioxidant activity of methanol extracts is 77–80%, ethanol extracts 76–79%, water extracts 32–67%. The studied species demonstrated a significant antioxidant activity comparable to many valuable medicinal plants, such as L., and others. Thus, alien ( A. adhaerescens ) which has successfully adapted to the Moscow climate and formed a stable invasive population, may become a potential source of antioxidants to improve the system of antioxidant protection of humans.


Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) technology and shows promise for large-scale renewable electric power generation. CSP is suitable for development in conjunction with other technologies, and this thesis examines the combination of CSP technology with natural gas turbines in order to boost operating temperatures and efficiencies in a resulting solar hybrid gas turbine (SHGT) power plant. Thermal energy storage and a bottoming cycle are included in the design to increase both performance and renewable energy share. A literature study has been carried out on solar hybrid gas turbine technology, including thermal energy storage and bottoming cycles. A site with suitable solar resources in Europe was located, and design criteria for a candidate utility-scale power plant were selected. A SHGT power plant was designed and modelled in the process simulation software EBSILON® Professional, along with reference power plants for comparison. Quasi-steady state process simulation of the process models was carried out to find annual performance for different operating scenarios. While the candidate SHGT power plant was found to have limited potential as a base load power plant, an operation strategy to maximize solar share resulted in significant fuel savings and moderate emission cuts. The SHGT plant shows promise for further study for dispatcheable power generation and load shifting.


Economic valuation of natural resources and the quality of the environment is gaining importance in environmental protection in the Western countries. A wide variety of non-market valuation methods has been developed for this purpose. The contingent valuation method, which is based on stated preferences, has a special position among the group of preference methods. Its validity has been tested many times with contradictory results. In the CR, there is hardly any experience with non-market valuation methods. Two case studies performed on representative samples of the Czech population, both of them dealing with ground water quality, are described. An averting behavior method based on bottled water purchases is used to disclose revealed preferences. The results are compared with ones of an older contigent valuation study. The revealed preferences for drinking water of high quality are found to be more than three times higher than stated preferences. Possible reasons of this difference and biases are discussed.


The popular use of response surface methodology (RSM) accelerates the solutions of parameter identification and response analysis issues. However, accurate RSM models subject to aleatory and epistemic uncertainties are still challenging to construct, especially for multidimensional inputs, which is widely existed in real-world problems. In this study, an adaptive interval response surface methodology (AIRSM) based on extended active subspaces is proposed for mixed random and interval uncertainties. Based on the idea of subspace dimension reduction, extended active subspaces are given for mixed uncertainties, and interval active variable representation is derived for the construction of AIRSM. A weighted response surface strategy is introduced and tested for predicting the accurate boundary. Moreover, an interval dynamic correlation index is defined, and significance check and cross validation are reformulated in active subspaces to evaluate the AIRSM. The effectiveness of AIRSM is demonstrated on two test examples: three-dimensional nonlinear function and speed reducer design. They both possess a dominant one-dimensional active subspace with small estimation error, and the accuracy of AIRSM is verified by comparing with full-dimensional Monte Carlo simulates, thus providing a potential template for tackling high-dimensional problems involving mixed aleatory and interval uncertainties.


Introduction: A variety of psychiatric manifestations can be seen in children and adolescents below the age of 19 years. This study aims to examine the socio-demographic, morbidity profiles, and clinical correlates of child and adolescent patients attending the psychiatry out-patient clinic of Lumbini Medical College and Teaching Hospital (LMCTH).
Methods: It was an observational, cross-section study involving case record analysis of all children and adolescent patients attending the psychiatry out-patient clinic between December 1, 2018 to November 30, 2019 in LMCTH, Nepal. Socio-demographic and clinical data were entered into computer software and analysed.
Results: One hundred and forty cases fulfilling inclusion criteria were included in the study. There were 96 (68.6%) females and 44 (31.4%) males. Majority of the patients were from 16-19 years age-group. Cases from urban areas predominated the picture. Most common psychiatric diagnosis was conversion disorder (29, 20.7%) followed by depressive disorder (25 or 17.9%) and anxiety disorder (14, 10%). Majority of females had conversion disorder (25 or 26%) followed by seizure disorder (23, 24%) and depressive disorder (15, 15.6%) whereas majority of males had equal count of depressive disorder and seizure disorder (10, 22.7%) followed by anxiety disorder (7, 15.9%).
Conclusions: Psychiatric illness was most common in children and adolescents in the age group 16-19 years, followed by 11-15 years age-group. They were more common in female sex, and slightly higher in those from urban background. Common psychiatric diagnoses were conversion disorder followed by depressive disorder and anxiety disorder.


A 21-year-old primigravida, at 32 weeks of gestation, presented with acute onset of respiratory failure and circulatory shock. Chest imaging showed findings suggestive of ruptured hydatid cyst, which was confirmed by histology post-thoracotomy. Tissue cultures from the removed cyst grew Mycobacterium tuberculosis also. She was successfully managed in the intensive care unit and was then discharged home on antituberculosis medications in addition to albendazole after prolonged hospitalization and a need for chest tube for bronchopleural fistula. Acute respiratory failure and anaphylactic shock secondary to ruptured pulmonary hydatid cyst and superimposed pulmonary tuberculosis in a pregnant lady should be considered in patients living in endemic areas.


BACKGROUND
 Breast cancer is the most common form of cancer in Japan; genetic background and hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC) are implicated. The key to HBOC diagnosis involves screening to identify high-risk individuals. However, genetic medicine is still developing; thus, many patients who may potentially benefit from genetic medicine have not yet been identified.

 OBJECTIVE
 This study's objective is to develop a chatbot system that uses augmented intelligence for HBOC screening to determine whether patients meet the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) BRCA1/2 testing criteria.

 METHODS
 The system was evaluated by a doctor specializing in genetic medicine and certified genetic counselors. We prepared 3 scenarios and created a conversation with the chatbot to reflect each one. Then we evaluated chatbot feasibility, the required time, the medical accuracy of conversations and family history, and the final result.

 RESULTS
 The times required for the conversation were 7 minutes for scenario 1, 15 minutes for scenario 2, and 16 minutes for scenario 3. Scenarios 1 and 2 met the BRCA1/2 testing criteria, but scenario 3 did not, and this result was consistent with the findings of 3 experts who retrospectively reviewed conversations with the chatbot according to the 3 scenarios. A family history comparison ascertained by the chatbot with the actual scenarios revealed that each result was consistent with each scenario. From a genetic medicine perspective, no errors were noted by the 3 experts.

 CONCLUSIONS
 This study demonstrated that chatbot systems could be applied to preliminary genetic medicine screening for HBOC.


Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common forms of cancer around the world. Sporadic CRCs are caused by accumulation of mutations in essential genes regulating normal proliferation and differentiation of cells. The proto-oncogene BRAF encoded by the BRAF gene is involved in the RAS/RAF/MAPK pathway of signal transduction during cell growth. Acquired mutations in BRAF have been found at high frequencies in adult patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma and sporadic CRC. One of the predominant hot spot point mutations is T1799A (V600E) mutation among a cohort of CRC patients from Ahvaz city, southwest Iran. The aim of this study was to estimate the frequency of V600E mutation in CRC patients from Ahvaz city, southwest Iran. We analyzed exon 15 of the BRAF gene in isolated DNA from 80 Formalin Fixed Paraffin-embedded (FFPE) CRC tumor tissues using PCR-RFLP method. Data were analyzed using SPSS statistical program. According to our results 37 out of 80 cases (46.25%) were heterozygous for the mutation while the remaining 43 cases (53.75%) had normal homozygous genotype. No homozygous mutant genotype was found. Based on our findings, the frequency of V600E mutation appears to be significantly increased among CRC patients of the studied population but there was no significant relationship between genotypes and age and sex. In conclusion, these findings might prove the effect of V600E mutation on CRC pathogenesis. However, the exact effect of the mutation in CRC progression requires further work.


Submountain and mountain areas of Romania have a wide variety of maize landraces that have not been characterized, and landraces varieties may be a good source of new allelic diversity for useful traits. There is possible due to studies and comprehensive measures which can lead to the maintenance of biodiversity and increase its efficiency. The paper presents the results of characterization and evaluation of a total of 61 local landraces with cold test index >84%, selected from a total of 300 studied local landraces. They were characterized in the field and laboratory from morphologic, agronomic and physiologic point of view, as a basis for use of this maize accessions in a breeding program for creating of extra earlier hybrids. Landraces maize accessions: SVGB-1790, SVGB-7754, SVGB-8012, SVGB-14453, SVGB- 5172 were identified with high yield components traits and extremely resistant to low temperatures (K>0,92). Utilization of these local landraces as starting material can lead to the identification of useful genes sources for improvement of important agronomic characters of maize (yield capacity, precocity, resistance to low temperatures and to Fusarium infection). This accessions have a good agronomic stability, could be potentials donors of genes to improve maize tolerance to low temperature in order to create hybrids for cold and wet areas.


Banks and intermediaries typically hold some of the loans they originate and sell others in the secondary market. This paper deals with the determinants of the decision of whether to hold or to sell loans. Secondary markets are often argued to suffer from adverse selection problems when originators of loans are better informed than potential purchasers regarding the quality of the loans. We analyze the role of reputation in mitigating such adverse selection problems. We argue that reputation can both be a blessing and curse, in the sense that reputational incentives lead to multiplicity of equilibria. In one of these equilibria, reputational forces help mitigate the adverse selection problem while in the other reputational forces actually worsen the adverse selection problem. We use a refinement adapted from the global games literature which leads to a unique equilibrium. This equilibrium is fragile in the sense that small fluctuations in fundamentals can lead to large changes in the volume of loans sold in the secondary market. Our model is consistent with the recent collapse in the volume of loans sold in the secondary market in the United States. We analyze a variety of policies that have been proposed to resolve adverse selection problems in the secondary loan market. We find that many such policies do not help resolve this problem and, indeed, worsen the allocative efficiency of the secondary loan market.


Neuropsin is a secreted-type serine protease involved in learning and memory. The type II splice form of neuropsin is abundantly expressed in the human brain but not in the mouse brain. We sequenced the type II-spliced region of neuropsin gene in humans and representative nonhuman primate species. Our comparative sequence analysis showed that only the hominoid species (humans and apes) have the intact open reading frame of the type II splice form, indicating that the type II neuropsin originated recently in the primate lineage about 18 MYA. Expression analysis using RT-PCR detected abundant expression of the type II form in the frontal lobe of the adult human brain, but no expression was detected in the brains of lesser apes and Old World monkeys, indicating that the type II form of neuropsin only became functional in recent time, and it might contribute to the progressive change of cognitive abilities during primate evolution.


In 1886, on continuously charging up the needle of Sir William Thomson's bifilar quadrant electrometer, No. 5, made by Messrs. White, of Glasgow, and in use at the laboratories at the Central Institution, it was noticed that the deflection of the needle, when the same P. D. (potential difference) was maintained between the quadrants, instead of steadily increasing, first increased and then diminished, so that both for a large charge on the needle as well as for a small, the sensibility of the instrument was small. A similar effect had been described by Dr. J. Hopkinson in the Proceedings of the Physical Society,' vol. 7, Part I., for the previous year, and the explanation he gives of this curious result is that if the aluminium needle be below the centre of the quadrants the downward attraction of the needle, which increases with the square of the needle's charge, increases the pull on the bifilar suspension, and so for high charges more than compensates for the increased deflecting couple due to electrical action. On raising, however, the needle of our electrometer much above the centre of the quadrants, the anomalous variation of sensibility of the instrument, with increase of charge in the needle, did not disappear, and even when the needle was raised so that it was very close to the top of the quadrants, and when, if Dr. Hopkinson's explanation were correct, the sensibility (or deflection corresponding with a given P. D. between the quadrants) ought to have been very great for a large charge on the needle, it was, on the contrary, found to be small. As the needle had been somewhat damaged while the instrument was in the possession of the late Mr. Cromwell Yarley, before it was so kindly made over to the Central Institution by his son, Mr. Cromwell Yarley, Junior, together with other apparatus belonging to his father, a new needle, platinum wire, and weight, were obtained from Messrs. White. On suspending the new needle with the fine platinum wire and weight, as received from Messrs. White, the needle was found to have two modes of vibration, one the ordinary slow one, when the platinum weight turned in the acid at the bottom of the Leyden jar, and the other a very quick one, due to the twisting of the wire itself without the weight moving. This quick vibration was removed by replacing the fine platinum wire supplied by Messrs. White with a somewhat thicker one. The quadrants were adjusted for symmetry, the silk fibres tightened so as to have equal tension, as shown by the sensibility for a given potential of the needle, being a minimum, and the electrometer again tried, but it was still found that when the quadrants were close to one another, and when, therefore, as the needle was best shielded from external action, the standard formula for the electrometer might be expected to be most nearly fulfilled, the sensibility as before, first increased as the charge in the needle was increased, and then steadily diminished for further increase of charge on the needle. It was now, however, observed that, if the distance separating the quadrants was increased to inch, the sensibility tended to a limit for a large charge instead of first increasing and then diminishing.


Abstract In central Spain three main weathering phases are found which can be put in a chronological sequence with tectonic and sedimentation phases. Weathering intensity, as recorded by micromorphological analysis, has plainly decreased during the course of the Tertiary reflecting the prevailing environmental conditions. During the Palaeogene intensive chemical activities produced, on the mineral grains of the deeply decomposed rocks, features typical of humid tropical climate. In the Miocene the Palaeogene regolith of the southern Tajo Basin was truncated and partly incorporated into sediments which comprise reworked weathering residua of this basin and of the adjoining Montes de Toledo. After sedimentation another weathering phase started. During this phase the feldspars were heavily corroded, but in contrast to the Palaeogene residues, the quartz shows hardly any features caused by etching. In the Pliocene the rañas were deposited during a second main transportation phase. Particularly in the SE of the Montes de Toledo, these sediments were subjected to intense weathering, but only where conditions were favourable. Due to sufficient soil humidity in intramontane basins, high temperatures, and presence of iron, quartz corrosion was locally possible once more during Pliocene times. The rañas of the Tajo Basin, however, were substantially less attacked.


Surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectra of pyridine at a copper(I) oxide hydrosol and at Cu2O-covered copper electrode produced by 'oscillating reaction roughening' are reported. It is shown that on such surfaces pyridine molecules adsorb as pyridinium cations. The 'oscillating reaction' pretreatment yields a passivated Cu surface which does not undergo any reduction during the cathodic scan, producing a SERS spectrum of pyridinium cations even after decreasing the electrode potential to strongly negative values. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Carpal tunnel syndrome is the most common form of entrapment neuropathies. It is characterised with numbness, paraesthesia, pain, along the median nerve distribution, and in advanced cases it will lead to wasting and finally loss of function of hand. It is diagnosed clinically and by electrophysiological studies like nerve conduction study. In Ayurveda the advanced stages of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be seen in viswachi (functional loss of hand) and khalli (viswachi associated with pain). Both are considered as dysfunction of vata in kandara (abnormal activity of vata in ligaments following abnornal motor innervation). Hence it should be understood as vyana vayu( neuronal conduction) dysfunction within the median nerve due to kupitavata( initiator of pathology by extraneously formed substances). Management depends upon the stage of the disease. Numbness and reduced sensation phase should be treated with swedana (formentation) and kapahavata samana( maintaining equilibrium by correcting metabolism), pain predominant phase should be treated with vata pitta samana( correcting metabolism) and snehana ( improving the structure by nourishment) wasting / functional loss phase should be treated with vata samana(correcting metabolism) and brmhana(nourishing the structure). Agnikarma(cauterisation), siravyadha(venesection) and sneha virechana( purgative by lipids) is ideal as vyadhi vipareeta chikitsa ( management aiming at reversing the pathophysiology) in numbness, pain and wasting phase respectively.


Tuberculosis (TB) is a great cause of morbidity and mortality around the world. The increasing incidence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) Mycobacterium tuberculosis and co-infection TB-AIDS led to the need to develop new TB drugs, and plants could be a source of them. The hexane extract of Citrus sinensis with anti-TB activity was analyzed by GC-MS. This analysis showed the presence of 40 volatile components, including monoterpenes (81.74%), sesquiterpenes (1.32%), fatty acids (1.15%), and some other oxygenated non-aromatic compounds (15.73%). Some identified compounds were tested against M. tuberculosis H37Rv, and one clinical isolated MDR M. tuberculosis strain. Results showed that palmitic acid, decanal, caryophyllene oxide, and cis-limonene oxide contributed to the anti-TB activity of hexane extract of C. sinensis peel.


As Japan′s domestic banking industry deregulates it is forced to confront marketing issues which it never had to deal with under the hothouse conditions that prevailed as recently as five years ago. Citibank, the American consumer banking giant, provided the initial stimulus which led large Japanese city banks to become more market responsive to their small depositors in both their products and promotional strategies. Everything from credit cards to electronic delivery systems, from cash machines to direct marketing have been affected by the retail bank strategy launched by Citibank Japan in 1985. In this situation Citibank, a foreign bank which owns a very small niche in the Japanese consumer banking marketplace, has turned out to be the "mouse" that shocked Japan′s giant "elephant" banks into changing their ways to the benefit of Japan′s bank customers. It has nudged these institutions closer to adopting the global marketing trends affecting consumer banking worldwide.


Background: Knowledge of the pathophysiological basis of laparoscopic procedures, in particular the impact of CO2pneumoperitoneum (PNP) on the body, can prevent onset of complications during laparoscopy. Design and Methods: Standard intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), which is used during laparoscopic surgery, is 12 to 15 mm Hg. The direct effect of CO2-pneumoperitoneum is a consequence of the mechanical action of the gas, and increased intra-abdominal pressure. The indirect effect of CO2-pneumoperitoneum caused by the absorption of gas from the abdomen. Analysis of articles that evaluated the effects of CO2-pneumoperitoneum on the body and intra-abdominal organs contributes to an even better use of the laparoscopic method. Results: The results of numerous experimental and clinical studies have confirmed that increased IAP and CO2-pneumoperi toneum intraoperatively causing reduction the portal venous blood flow, increasing venous stasis, reduced glomerular filtration, reduced Tiffeneau-index and pulmonary compliance what it can lead to hemodynamic and cardiac disorders. Consecutive intraoperative acidosis and hipercarbia impact the function of intra-abdominal organs and heart. Conclusion: To avoid the side effects of CO2-pneumoperitoneum, which is important in patients with ASA II and more often as necessary to be operate with low pressure (IAP: 6-8 mm Hg) or use gasless laparoscopy.


Introduction/Background BRCA-mutation carriers are offered risk-reducing bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (RRBSO) at age 35−40 years, leading to major life-quality and health-related issues associated with early menopause. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may significantly alleviate menopausal symptoms without increasing breast or ovarian cancer risk in those patients. We investigated attitudes of Israeli health-care providers to HRT post-RRBSO in BRCA-mutation carriers, before and after a brief educational intervention. Methodology In this pre−post survey of gynecologic departments in Israel, health-care providers were given questionnaires (based on scores of 1−4) assessing attitudes to prescribing HRT in different clinical scenarios, before and after an educational intervention on current knowledge about HRT in BRCA-mutation carriers. Higher scores indicated higher tendency to prescribe HRT. Mean score was calculated for each scenario and the association between scores and various health-care providers´ characteristics was assessed. The change in attitude pre- vs. post-intervention was evaluated. Results Of the 200 health care providers who were offered participation, 162 responded, 25.3% were obstetricians, 13.6% gynecologists, 5.55% gynecologic-oncologists, 8% oncologists, 38.9% Obstetrics-gynecology residents and 8.6% nurses. Median age was 44 (IQR 36−58); 42.6% were males. Higher score correlated weakly with older age, but did not correlate with gender or personal HRT/menopause experience. Significantly higher mean pre-intervention scores were obtained by gynecologists (3.33±0.93) and gynecologic-oncologists (3.6±0.78) than by oncologists, obstetricians, residents or nurses (2.59±1.06, 2.7±1.09, 2.48±0.99, and 2.2±0.92, respectively). Overall scores were higher post-intervention (p<0.001). The change in scores post intervention was most prominent among younger precipitants and nurses. Conclusion In Israel, it is acceptable to offer HRT post-RRBSO to healthy BRCA-mutation carriers. Younger health care workers and nurses tend to be more hesitant, yet they are more likely to adopt a pro- HRT attitude after an educational intervention. Such intervention is likely to improve overall care for BRCA-mutation carriers. Disclosure Nothing to disclose


Humans can perceive affordances both for themselves and for others, and affordance perception is a function of perceptual–motor experience involved in playing a sport. Two experiments investigated the enhanced affordance perception of athletes. In Experiment 1, basketball players and nonbasketball players provided perceptual reports for sports-relevant (maximum standing-reach and reach-with-jump heights) and non-sports-relevant (maximum sitting height) affordances for self and other. Basketball players were more accurate at perceiving maximum reach-with-jump for another person than were nonbasketball players, but were no better at perceiving maximum reach or sitting heights. Experiment 2 investigated the informational basis for this enhanced perceptual ability of basketball players by evaluating whether kinematics inform perceivers about action-scaled (e.g., force-production dependent), but not body-scaled (i.e., geometrically determined), affordances for others, and whether basketball experience enhances sensitivity to kinematic information. Only basketball players improved at perceiving an action-scaled affordance (maximum reach-with-jump), but not body-scaled affordances (maximum standing-reach and sit) with exposure to kinematic information, suggesting that action-scaled affordances may be specified by kinematic information to which athletes are already attuned by virtue of their sport experience.


We provide an extensive study of the differential properties of the functions $x\mapsto x^{2^t-1}$ over $\F$, for $2 \leq t \leq n-1$. We notably show that the differential spectra of these functions are determined by the number of roots of the linear polynomials $x^{2^t}+bx^2+(b+1)x$ where $b$ varies in $\F$.We prove a strong relationship between the differential spectra of $x\mapsto x^{2^t-1}$ and $x\mapsto x^{2^{s}-1}$ for $s= n-t+1$. As a direct consequence, this result enlightens a connection between the differential properties of the cube function and of the inverse function. We also determine the complete differential spectra of $x \mapsto x^7$ by means of the value of some Kloosterman sums, and of $x \mapsto x^{2^t-1}$ for $t \in \{\lfloor n/2\rfloor, \lceil n/2\rceil+1, n-2\}$.


A variety of real-world applications rely on far future information to make decisions, thus calling for efficient and accurate long sequence multivariate time series forecasting. While recent attention-based forecasting models show strong abilities in

capturing long-term dependencies, they still suffer from two key limitations. First, canonical self attention has a quadratic complexity w.r.t. the input time series length, thus falling short in efficiency. Second, different variables' time series often have

distinct temporal dynamics, which existing studies fail to capture, as they use the same model parameter space, e.g., projection matrices, for all variables' time series, thus falling short in accuracy. To ensure high efficiency and accuracy, we propose Triformer, a triangular, variable-specific attention. (i) Linear complexity: we introduce a novel patch attention with linear complexity. When stacking multiple layers of the patch attentions, a triangular structure is proposed such that the

layer sizes shrink exponentially, thus maintaining linear complexity. (ii) Variable-specific parameters: we propose a light-weight method to enable distinct sets of model parameters for different variables' time series to enhance accuracy

without compromising efficiency and memory usage. Strong empirical evidence on four datasets from multiple domains justifies our design choices, and it demonstrates that Triformer outperforms state-of-the-art methods w.r.t. both accuracy and

efficiency. Source code is publicly available at https://github.com/razvanc92/triformer.


Chick embryo trigeminal ganglia of nine days and hippocampus excised from fetal rats between the sixteenth and eighteenth day of gestation were cultivated in cell- and explantcultures in Maximow-chambers. The cultures were placed in a medium containing 2 mM, 1 mM, 0.2 mM or 0.02 mM cyclic N6-Monobutyryladenosin-3':5'-monophosphat (mb-cAMP). The cultures of the PNS, the trigeminal ganglai show after 48 h by 1 mM mb-cAMP longer nerve fibers and a increased nerve fiber index. Smaller concentration did not change significant nerve fiber growth. Cell- and explantcultures of the hippocampus show a stimulation of the nerve fiber growth and the nerve fiberindex by concentration of 0.02 mM mb-cAMP. After ten days in vitro the nerve cells degenerated by higher concentrations.


This article presents simulation data and measurements of a novel valve concept that features a soft landing concept. The purpose is to validate the design framework that has been applied to design the valve. The experimental results are obtained with a test rig manufactured specifically for this type of valve design. The validation includes studying the valves switching dynamics, cushion pressure dynamics, and movement-induced flow (MIF). The tests show that the tendencies are captured accurately although the exact magnitudes of forces do not match fully and a noticeable difference between simulated and measured plunger position is revealed. This amounts in a significant difference in the cushion pressure. Therefore, the pressure model is validated by using the measured lift and velocity derived hereof and this shows sufficient correspondence between the two pressures.


Dynamic Bayesian networks (DBN) are a popular framework for managing uncertainty in time-evolving systems. Their efficient learning has thus received many contributions in the literature. But, most often, those assume that the data to be modeled by a DBN are generated by a stationary process, i.e., neither the structure nor the parameters of the BNs evolve over time. Unfortunately, there exist real-world problems where such a hypothesis is highly unrealistic, e.g., in video event recognition, social networks or road traffic analysis. In this paper, we propose a principled approach to learn the structure and parameters of "non-stationary DBNs", that can cope with such situations. Our algorithm is specifically designed to work in situations where all input data are streamed. Unlike previous works on non-stationary DBN learning, we make no restrictive assumption about the way the structure evolves or over parameters' independence during this evolution. Yet, as highlighted in our experimentations, our algorithm scales very well. Its lack of restrictive assumptions makes it very effective to detect events (evolutions), which is confirmed by our experimentations.


More than one-third of patients on waiting lists for kidney transplant are sensitized. Most have previously formed donor-specific and non-donor-specific serum antibodies and/or positive crossmatch by complement-dependent cytotoxity and/or flow cytometry. Two categories of alloantibodies include antibodies against major histocompatibility complex human leukocyte antigen class 1 and class 2 and antibodies against minor histocompatibility complex. A current positive crossmatch is an absolute contraindication for transplant. Positive historical panel reactive antibody and/or donor-specific antibodies (human leukocyte antigen and minor histocompatibility complex), even in the absence of a historical positive crossmatch, are associated with an increased risk for allosensitization, antibodymediated rejection, and accelerated graft failure. Desensitization protocols are numerous, complex, and expensive. It is recommended to perform a systematic determination of historical and current panel reactive antibody, donor-specific antibodies (human leukocyte antigen and minor histocompatibility complex), and crossmatch by the most sensitive assays. The risk of sensitization may be estimated from the combined results of the crossmatch with the donor and those of the recipient's panel reactive antibody and donor-specific antibodies at baseline. The adoption of a scoring system for risk stratification may facilitate the task of organ allocation for sensitized patients. Recipients with an estimated sensitization risk ≥ high may be referred preferably to the national waiting priority list and informed about the financial and the medical risks that may incur with future transplant. Sensitized patients at high risk for antibody-mediated rejection may benefit from a structured monitoring process involving systematic and regular immunologic, histologic, and functional assessments of the graft after transplant. We recommend the adoption and regular updating of these approaches to ensure safe and appropriate therapeutic standards in these sensitized patients, in accordance with best clinical practice.


We determined the effects of evolocumab, a fully human monoclonal antibody targeting proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9, on carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and the factors associated with the change in carotid IMT in patients taking a statin. The change in carotid mean and maximum IMT before and after the initiation of evolocumab treatment was retrospectively analyzed in 229 statin-treated patients. The changes in clinical parameters, including serum lipid concentrations, were also evaluated. Evolocumab significantly reduced the increase in carotid mean and maximum IMT (0.09 ± 0.13 mm/year to −0.04 ± 0.16 mm/year, p < 0.001 and 0.17 ± 0.38 mm/year to 0.08 ± 0.47 mm/year, p = 0.02). Evolocumab reduced serum total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglyceride, and lipoprotein (a) concentrations (each p < 0.001), and increased serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol concentrations (p = 0.01). Multiple linear regression analysis revealed that the change in HDL-cholesterol (standard coefficient (β) = −0.120, p = 0.04) and carotid mean IMT (β = −0.467, p < 0.001) were independently correlated with the change in carotid mean IMT during the administration of evolocumab, whereas the change in HDL-cholesterol (β = −0.208, p = 0.002) and log-triglyceride (β = −0.167, p = 0.01) independently correlated with the change in carotid maximum IMT. Evolocumab reduced the increase in carotid IMT in patients taking a statin. These results suggest that evolocumab is protective against carotid atherosclerosis in patients undergoing statin therapy.


Background: Breast cancer is a major public health problem around the world, including Thailand and it has the highest ranking among female cancer. Currently, the diversity or polymorphism of ERCC1 gene (excision repair cross-complementary group 1 gene or ERCC1) was reported to associate with an increased risk of breast cancer. This study aims to investigate the relationship between ERCC1 polymorphism and the breast cancer risk in the lower northeastern region women of Thailand. Materials and Methods: One hundred fifty one samples from breast cancer patients and 120 samples from healthy control group were analysed. Genomic DNA was extracted from white blood cell of all samples. The real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to demonstrate genetic polymorphism of ERCC1. Results: The results showed that the ERCC1 rs11615 polymorphism variant AG was associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. This study demonstrated that the frequency of ERCC1 rs11615 in patients with breast cancer was higher than healthy control group. The ERCC1 polymorphism variant AG carrier presented 3.53-folds high risk of breast cancer [odds ratio (OR) = 3.53, 95% CI = 1.61-7.74, P = 0.001]. In addition, when age, menopause period, number of child, smoking and alcohol drinking were adjusted, the ERCC1 rs11615 variant AG carrier was associated with increased breast cancer risk to 3.97 folds, with OR = 3.79, 95% CI = 1.62-8.84, P = 0.002. Conclusions: This study showed that ERCC1 rs11615 genotype AG was associated with breast cancer risk in the lower northeastern region women of Thailand.


The increase in cyanobacterial blooms linked to climate change and the eutrophication of water bodies is a global concern. The harmful cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa is one of the most common bloom-forming species whose removal from fresh water and, in particular, from that used for water treatment processes, remains a crucial goal. Different biodegradable and environmentally friendly coagulants/flocculants have been assayed, with chitosan showing a very good performance. However, chitosan in its original form is of limited applicability since it is only soluble in acid solution. The objective of this work was therefore to test the coagulant/flocculant capacity of trimethylchitosan (TMC), a chitosan derivative produced from residues of the fishing industry. TMC has a constitutively net positive charge enabling it to remain in solution regardless of the pH. Results show that even at alkaline pHs, common during cyanobacterial blooms, TMC is effective in removing buoyant cyanobacteria from the water column, both in test tube and Jar-Test experiments. Cell integrity was confirmed by fluorescent stain and electron microscopy. Our findings lead us to conclude that the use of TMC to remove bloom cells early in the treatment of drinking water is both feasible and promising.


Unoccupied density of states (DOS) for the polar (0001) Zn, (000) O and non-polar (100) ZnO surfaces and for a MgO(001)-c(2 × 2) thin film were studied using total current spectroscopy (TCS). TC spectra of the ZnO surfaces reveal the Zn 4s-O 2p band (6.2 eV) and two DOS maxima in the Zn 4p-O 2p band which exhibited different energy positions on the Zn-terminated (8.1 eV) and O-terminated (11.0 eV) surfaces. In the TC spectra of the MgO thin film, the energy location of Mg-derived (8.0, 14.8 and 21.0 eV) and O-derived (11.6, 14.2 and 18.5 eV) maxima of DOS were determined. Previously reported data on DOS of these materials is discussed, and it is shown that additional detailed information on the energy structure of unoccupied DOS in ZnO and MgO in the 5-25 eV range above EF has been found.


This paper uses a case study of an e-government partnership of ten local authorities to consider how governance structures, financial arrangements and performance management systems may promote or inhibit successful collaborative working. The case is considered within the contexts of continuing new public management reforms including the balance between formal performance measurement indicators imposed by higher authorities and the scope for dialogue in the development of performance management systems. The case supports a view that collaborative working can benefit from a governance structure supporting a consistency of objectives of the partners operating within similar political and regulatory environments. Externally imposed performance indicators are significant to the partner authorities but their influence does not exclude the possibility of more dialogue-driven performance management systems being developed within the partnership. Sustainability of the partnership is never assured and tensions develop as a result of developing priorities of individual authorities, the possibility of local government reorganisation and changing national policy initiatives.


We compute the Stanley depth of irreducible monomial ideals and we show that the Stanley depth of a monomial complete intersection ideal is the same as the Stanley depth of it's radical. Also, we give some bounds for the Stanley depth of a monomial complete intersection ideal.


Toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) detects double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) known as a universal viral molecular pattern and activates the antiviral immune response. While TLR3 preferentially recognizes polyriboinosine-polyribocytidylic acid (poly (I:C)), a sequence-specific dsRNA has not yet been shown to activate TLR3. To determine whether TLR3 preferentially recognizes some specific sequence that acts on the signaling pathway of TLR3, in vitro selection against human TLR3 ectodomain (TLR3 ECD) was performed. After seventh selection cycle, two major classes, Family-I and -II, were emerged from 64 clones with binding constants of about 3 nM. Although these aptamers bound to TLR3 ECD with high affinity in vitro, they did not have agonist and antagonist effects on TLR3 signaling in TLR3-transfected HEK293 cells. Further analyses of the structure/function relationship of these aptamers will be carried out by mutagenesis, RNase mapping and competition assay using poly (I:C).


PURPOSE
To determine whether moxifloxacin can be used safely as an intraocular antibiotic, retinal safety of intravitreal moxifloxacin was studied with electroretinography (ERG) and histopathology in animal models.

METHODS
Moxifloxacin was injected into mouse eyes at intravitreal concentrations of 5 to 500 microg/mL and into rabbit eyes at 150 microg/mL. As the control, the vehicle was injected into the fellow eyes of each animal. Four weeks after injection, ERG recordings were performed, and animal eyes were processed for histologic examination.

RESULTS
ERG studies showed no significant difference between control and moxifloxacin-injected eyes at any dose in either the mouse or rabbit model. Histologic examination revealed no retinal abnormality in mice at 5 to 100 microg/mL or in rabbits at 150 microg/mL intravitreal moxifloxacin. In mice at 500 microg/mL, occasional focal retinal necroses were observed, suggesting isolated retinal toxicity at this concentration of moxifloxacin.

CONCLUSIONS
Intravitreal moxifloxacin, up to 100 microg/mL in mice or 150 microg/mL in rabbits, caused no ERG or retinal histologic abnormality. These results indicate that moxifloxacin is a safe intravitreal antibiotic in mouse and rabbit animal models. If proven safe and efficacious by further study in humans, intravitreal injection of moxifloxacin could be considered as an alternative to currently used antibiotics in selected patients with resistance or allergy to the more traditional antibiotics.


BACKGROUND
Subclinical hyperthyroidism is usually associated with Graves' disease or toxic nodular goiter. Here we report a family with hereditary subclinical hyperthyroidism caused by a constitutively activating germline mutation of the thyrotropin receptor (TSHR) gene.

METHODS
The proband was a 64-year-old Japanese woman who presented with a thyroid nodule and was found to be euthyroid with a suppressed serum TSH. The nodule was not hot. Although antibodies to thyroid peroxidase and thyroglobulin antibodies were present, TSHR antibodies were not detected by TSH-binding inhibition or by bioassay. Two of her middle-aged sons, but not her daughter, also had subclinical hyperthyroidism without TSHR antibodies. Without therapy, the clinical condition of the affected individuals remained unchanged over 3 years without development of overt hyperthyroidism.

RESULTS
A novel heterozygous TSHR point mutation causing a glutamic acid to lysine substitution at codon 575 (E575K) in the second extracellular loop was detected in the three family members with subclinical hyperthyroidism, but was absent in her one daughter with normal thyroid function. In vitro functional studies of the E575K TSHR mutation demonstrated a weak, but significant, increase in constitutive activation of the cAMP pathway.

CONCLUSION
Although hereditary nonautoimmune overt hyperthyroidism is very rare, TSHR activating mutations as a cause of subclinical hyperthyroidism may be more common and should be considered in the differential diagnosis, especially if familial.


BACKGROUND
Brain tumor segmentation is a challenging task for its variation in intensity. The phenomenon is caused by the inhomogeneous content of tumor tissue and the choice of imaging modality. In 2010 Zhang developed the Selective Binary Gaussian Filtering Regularizing Level Set (SBGFRLS) model that combined the merits of edge-based and region-based segmentation.

OBJECTIVE
To improve the SBGFRLS method by modifying the singed pressure force (SPF) term with multiple image information and demonstrate effectiveness of proposed method on clinical images.

METHODS
In original SBGFRLS model, the contour evolution direction mainly depends on the SPF. By introducing a directional term in SPF, the metric could control the evolution direction. The SPF is altered by statistic values enclosed by the contour. This concept can be extended to jointly incorporate multiple image information. The new SPF term is expected to bring a solution for blur edge problem in brain tumor segmentation. The proposed method is validated with clinical images including pre- and post-contrast magnetic resonance images. The accuracy and robustness is compared with sensitivity, specificity, DICE similarity coefficient and Jaccard similarity index.

RESULTS
Experimental results show improvement, in particular the increase of sensitivity at the same specificity, in segmenting all types of tumors except for the diffused tumor.

CONCLUSION
The novel brain tumor segmentation method is clinical-oriented with fast, robust and accurate implementation and a minimal user interaction. The method effectively segmented homogeneously enhanced, non-enhanced, heterogeneously-enhanced, and ring-enhanced tumor under MR imaging. Though the method is limited by identifying edema and diffuse tumor, several possible solutions are suggested to turn the curve evolution into a fully functional clinical diagnosis tool.


Objectives As an emerging middle-income country, Indonesia is grappling with the double burden of malnutrition across all age groups, including adolescents. Slow gains in reducing undernutrition are compounded by rapidly increasing overnutrition. This study aims to determine the patterns and determinants of this double burden, particularly stunting, thinness and overweight, among adolescent girls and boys aged 12–18 years in Indonesia. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2,160 girls and boys in the districts of Klaten and Lombok Barat in 2017. Data were collected on adolescents' nutritional status, sociodemographic characteristics, morbidity, dietary intake and physical activity and other relevant factors. Multivariable logistic regression models using generalized estimation equation were employed to determine risk factors for stunting, thinness and overweight. Results About a quarter of adolescent girls (25%) and boys (21%) were stunted. Approximately 5% of girls and 11% of boys were thin, whereas 11% girls and boys each were overweight. Living in a higher wealth household (OR = 0.67; 95% CI: 0.49–0.91), compared to a lower wealth household, and living in a district with higher socioeconomic status (OR = 0.63; 95% CI: 0.51–0.79) were associated with lower odds of being stunted. Adolescent education was also protective against stunting (OR = 0.52; 95% CI: 0.33–0.88). Older adolescents aged 15–18 years were more likely to be stunted (OR = 1.88; 95% CI: 1.42–2.46). Being a girl was associated with reduced odds of being thin (OR = 0.42; 95% CI: 0.30–0.58). Higher household wealth (OR = 1.93; 95% CI: 1.27–2.97) predicted being overweight, while maternal primary or some secondary education, compared to no or incomplete primary education, was protective against adolescent overweight (OR = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.40–0.90). Conclusion Indonesian adolescent girls and boys face both extreme spectrums of malnutrition. Addressing the dual burden of malnutrition requires a multi-pronged approach, and urgent shift is warranted in nutrition policy and programmes targeting adolescents to effectively address the associated underlying determinants.


The history of the systematics of isopod suborders is summarised. Several authors have suggested that the traditional suborder Flabellifera is paraphyletic and includes one or more of the suborders Gnathiidea, Epicaridea and Anthuridea. Two suborders, Cymothoida and Sphaeromatidea, have been proposed as replacement taxa for the Flabellifera, but it has not been possible on the basis of phylogenetic analyses to elucidate significant relationships between the suborders and families. Morphological characters are used to explore relationships between 35 genus-, family- and suborder-level taxa of flabelliferan Isopoda in a cladistic analysis (using Phreatoicidea and Asellota as outgroups) and to derive a new classification. The analysis did not find a synapomorphy for 'Flabellifera' sensu lato, but recognises two diverging clades of 'long-tailed' isopods. Members of the Oniscidea are not part of either clade. Nor is the Tainisopidea, a new suborder erected for members of the family Tainisopidae. The Tainisopidea has many synapomorphic and plesiomorphic features, but does not share characters with either clade. The first clade comprises Phoratopidea (for Phoratopus remex) and sister-taxa Cymothoida and Limnoriidea. Representatives of these suborders have uropodal rami ventral to the pleotelson and articulating from side-to-side inside the branchial space. The new suborder, Phoratopidea, is for one species with unique, broad articles of pereopods 3 and 4 with reduced dactyls. It lacks the synapomorphies of the following two suborders. In members of the suborder Cymothoida, the mandibular molar is either a flat triangular blade, reduced to a conical process, or absent, and the maxillipedal endite is rarely longer than palp article 1 (or is absent), distally tapering and has few setae. The suborder Limnoriidea is diagnosed as lacking the mandibular molar, and the non-tapering, slender (except in Keuphylia) maxillipedal endite reaches to at least the distal margin of palp article 4. Members of the second clade share a v aulted pleotelson enclosing a branchial chamber defined by ventrolateral ridges and uropods lateral to the pleotelson margin that fold down alongside the branchial space. It comprises two suborders. Members of the Sphaeromatidea have pleonite 1 much narrower than pleonite 2 and a reduced (or absent) right lacinia mobilis fused to the spine row. They lack operculiform uropods, which characterise Valvifera. The suborder Anthuridea is reduced to superfamily rank and Epicaridea is reduced to two superfamilies within Cymothoida. Unambiguous relationships between most families are resolved, but Sphaeromatidae is suspected to be paraphyletic, Paravireia is placed as the most plesiomorphic of the Sphaeromatoidea and a new family, Basserolidae, is proposed. The Tainisopidea includes freshwater taxa in a relictual environment. The sole species of Phoratopidea is marine, rare, and its ecology is unknown. The Cymothoida is most diverse in tropical regions. Members of the most plesiomorphic family, the Cirolanidae, are mobile predators or sca vengers and the more derived f amilies are ectoparasites on f ishes and other crustaceans. Members of the Limnoriidea are mainly tropical and at least one family is herbivorous. The Valvifera and Sphaeromatidea are benthic, with respiratory pleopods in a branchial chamber. They are most diverse in the temperate southern hemisphere, and most are detritivores.


Introduction Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection prevalence is believed to be elevated in Punjab, India; however, state-wide prevalence data are not available. An understanding of HCV prevalence, risk factors and genotype distribution can be used to plan control measures in Punjab. Methods A cross-sectional, state-wide, population-based serosurvey using a multi-stage stratified cluster sampling design was conducted October 2013 to April 2014. Children aged ≥5 years and adults were eligible to participate. Demographic and risk behavior data were collected, and serologic specimens were obtained and tested for anti-HCV antibody, HCV Ribonucleic acid (RNA) on anti-HCV positive samples, and HCV genotype. Prevalence estimates and adjusted odds ratios for risk factors were calculated from weighted data and stratified by urban/rural residence. Results 5,543 individuals participated in the study with an overall weighted anti-HCV prevalence of 3.6% (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 3.0%–4.2%) and chronic infection (HCV Ribonucleic acid test positive) of 2.6% (95% CI: 2.0%–3.1%). Anti-HCV was associated with being male (adjusted odds ratio 1.52; 95% CI: 1.08–2.14), living in a rural area (adjusted odds ratio 2.53; 95% CI: 1.62–3.95) and was most strongly associated with those aged 40–49 (adjusted odds ratio 40–49 vs. 19–29-year-olds 3.41; 95% CI: 1.90–6.11). Anti-HCV prevalence increased with each blood transfusion received (adjusted odds ratio 1.36; 95% CI: 1.10–1.68) and decreased with increasing education, (adjusted odds ratio 0.37 for graduate-level vs. primary school/no education; 95% CI: 0.16–0.82). Genotype 3 (58%) was most common among infected individuals. Discussion The study findings, including the overall prevalence of chronic HCV infection, associated risk factors and demographic characteristics, and genotype distribution can guide prevention and control efforts, including treatment provision. In addition to high-risk populations, efforts targeting rural areas and adults aged ≥40 would be the most effective for identifying infected individuals.


A great deal of palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic evidence suggests that a predominant temperature drop and an aridification occurred at ca. 4.0 ka BP. Palaeoclimate studies in China support this dedution. The collapse of ancient civilizations at ca. 4.0 ka BP in the Nile Valley and Mesopotamia has been attributed to climate-induced aridification. A widespread alternation of the ancient cultures was also found in China at ca. 4.0 ka BP in concert with the collapse of the civilizations in the Old World. Palaeoclimatic studies indicate that the abrupt climate change at 4.0 ka BP is one of the realizations of the cold phase in millennial scale climate oscillations, which may be related to the modulation of the Thermohaline Circulation (THC) over the Atlantic Ocean. Therefore, this study conducts a numerical experiment of a GCM with SST forcing to simulate the impact of the weakening of the THC. Results show a drop in temperature from North Europe, the northern middle East Asia, and northern East Asia and a significant reduction of precipitation in East Africa, the Middle East, the Indian Peninsula, and the Yellow River Valley. This seems to support the idea that coldness and aridification at ca. 4.0 ka BP was caused by the weakening of the THC.


Much research in music information retrieval has focused on query-by-humming systems, which search melodic databases using sung queries. The database retrieval aspect of such systems has received considerable attention, but query processing and the melodic representation have not been examined as carefully. Common methods for query processing are based on musical intuition and historical momentum rather than specific performance criteria; existing systems often employ rudimentary note segmentation or coarse quantization of note estimates. In this work, we examine several alternative query processing methods as well as quantized melodic representations. One common difficulty with designing query-by-humming systems is the coupling between system components. We address this issue by measuring the performance of the query processing system both in isolation and coupled with a retrieval system. We first measure the segmentation performance of several note estimators. We then compute the retrieval accuracy of an experimental query-by-humming system that uses the various note estimators along with varying degrees of pitch and duration quantization. The results show that more advanced query processing can improve both segmentation performance and retrieval performance, although the best segmentation performance does not necessarily yield the best retrieval performance. Further, coarsely quantizing the melodic representation generally degrades retrieval accuracy.


ABSTRACT Qiu, Y.; Chen, J.; Su, W.; Huang, J.; Yi, S., and Wu, J., 2020. An approach to determining lateral pressure considering the decay in permeability coefficient with depth and application to the subsea tunnel of Xiamen Metro Line 2. In: Liu, X. and Zhao, L. (eds.), Today's Modern Coastal Society: Technical and Sociological Aspects of Coastal Research. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 111, pp. 145–150. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The determination of lateral pressure on a tunnel face is a paramount concern during the process of replacing cutting tools for a subsea shield tunnel. In conventional methods for the calculation of lateral pressure, the influence of soil permeability has seldom been considered, and the decay in permeability coefficient with depth has been ignored. In this article, an approach for determining the lateral pressure considering the decay in permeability coefficient with depth is put forward. Based on the previous method considering constant permeability coefficient, two different types of decay mode are considered in the proposed approach. For the linear type, the explicit expressions of the resultant thrust are then derived and set up. For the negative exponential type, a numerical method is needed to calculate the lateral pressure. Then the proposed approach is applied to the Subsea Tunnel of Xiamen Metro Line 2. Based on the results of the application, the linear type is recommended for use in considering the decay in soil permeability coefficient with depth, and the corresponding explicit expressions are recommended for calculation of the lateral pressure in engineering practice.


Systematic studies on carbon-based materials and coatings in our laboratory over the past 15 years have led to the discovery of an amorphous carbon film that can provide friction coefficients as low as 0.001 and wear rates of less than 10−10 mm3 /N.m when tested in inert or vacuum test environments. This paper provides an overview of the recent progress made in the synthesis and characterization of such films and of the importance of near-surface chemistry and chemical interactions on friction and wear. Based on extensive surface analytical and tribological studies, a mechanistic model is proposed to explain the superlubricity and near-wearless sliding behavior of these carbon films.Copyright © 2005 by ASME


Reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) has demonstrated success in restoring active elevation for patients with rotator cuff dysfunction (with or without arthritis). However, recovery of active external rotation after reverse TSA has demonstrated variable success. Transfer of the latissimus dorsi has shown promise in restoring active external rotation in those patients with profound external rotation deficits. The combined latissimus transfer and reverse TSA procedure is intra-operatively challenging and fraught with post-operative complications. Technical details and precise indications are necessary to produce the best chance of success with this operation.


The electromyographic interference pattern (EMG-IP) contains information about the number, firing rate, and recruitment characteristics of motor units, and information regarding the waveforms of the recruited motor units. Muscle and nerve diseases produce characteristic changes in the IP that can be distinguished by IP analysis. This analysis complements analysis of the motor unit potentials. The electromyographer usually assesses the IP signals subjectively by their appearance on the oscilloscope screen and by their sound on the audio monitor. Techniques have been developed to automate IP analysis with and without force monitoring. These techniques give objective information, quantitate the degree of abnormality, and permit electromyographers-in-training to compare their subjective analysis of the IP with more objective findings.


Many connections were considered between bound and free tryptophan and albumins, NEFA and other aminoacids in 18 proofs in ten subjects of paediatric age affected by nephrotic syndrome. A decrease of total tryptophan and a tendency to increase of free tryptophan were showed in our experience. NEFA, at normal concentrations, should not be responsible for this; and this could suggest that the binding sites on albumins for NEFA and tryptophan are different. Besides there is appearance of a positive correlation between albumins and bound tryptophan and a negative correlation between albumins and free tryptophan. These results can suggest that the reduction of the total tryptophan is due to the loss of the fractions bound to albumins, but urinary tryptophan is not increased in our studies. As the albumins get fewer, there is a lost in linked tryptophan and an increase of free tryptophan. A total reduction of other aromatic aminoacids can also explain, through a reduced intestinal absorption, the decrease of the tryptophan in the nephrotic syndrome.


A self-help schema is presented which delineates the minimal factors that should be considered in the development or maintenance of any self-help effort. The schema is simply a skeleton which is to be filled out by the specific needs of a given effort within a given context. Its importance lies in the hope that it may serve as a catalyst for the creation of useful and usable self-help models which are also evaluatable.


Abstract Testicular anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) production is inhibited by androgens around pubertal onset, as observed under normal physiological conditions and in patients with precocious puberty. In agreement, AMH downregulation is absent in patients with androgen insensitivity. The molecular mechanisms underlying the negative regulation of AMH by androgens remain unknown. Our aim was to elucidate the mechanisms through which androgens downregulate AMH expression in the testis. A direct negative effect of androgens on the transcriptional activity of the AMH promoter was found using luciferase reporter assays in the mouse prepubertal Sertoli cell line SMAT1. A strong inhibition of AMH promoter activity was seen in the presence of both testosterone and DHT and of the androgen receptor. By site-directed mutagenesis and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, we showed that androgen-mediated inhibition involved the binding sites for steroidogenic factor 1 (SF1) present in the proximal promoter of the AMH gene. In this study, we describe for the first time the mechanism behind AMH inhibition by androgens, as seen in physiological and pathological conditions in males. Inhibition of AMH promoter activity by androgens could be due to protein–protein interactions between the ligand-bound androgen receptor and SF1 or by blockage of SF1 binding to its sites on the AMH promoter. Summary Sentence Androgens act directly on prepubertal Sertoli cells to inhibit AMH promoter activity in the presence of the androgen receptor and intact SF1 sites.


When internationalization changed from experiencing the growth of outward mobility in the 1980s and 1990s to implementing particular practices on campus, Taiwan became an interesting case study for the critical examination of the key question about whose interests are served during the process of internationalization of higher education. This study aimed to explore the views of faculty and students about the internationalization of higher education in Taiwan to fill the gap between the policy rhetoric and realties. Providing empirical evidence to identify the perceptual gap between what is being said and what is actually happening is a promising step forward for higher education stakeholders as they consider what internationalization is for and for whom it is intended. The study began by interviewing 52 academics from various disciplines. Secondly, 14 focus groups with 122 students were undertaken. The results revealed that faculty critically questioned the idea of internationalization and students felt disengaged with internationalization. These views challenge the taken-for-granted assumption that institutional practices of internationalization benefit students' learning. Based on the results, conclusions and suggestions are proposed.


Abstract. A field measurement campaign was carried out over a Dutch heathland to investigate the effect of gas-to-particle conversion and ammonium aerosol evaporation on surface/atmosphere fluxes of ammonia and related species. Continuous micrometeorological measurements of the surface exchange of NH3, SO2, HNO3 and HCl were made and are analyzed here with regard to average fluxes, deposition velocities (Vd), canopy resistances (Rc) and canopy compensation point for NH3. Gradients of SO2, HNO3 and HCl were measured with a novel wet-denuder system with online anion chromatography. Measurements of HNO3 and HCl indicate an Rc of 100 to 200 s m-1 during warm daytime periods, probably at least partly due to non-zero acid partial pressures above NH4NO3 and NH4Cl on the leaf surfaces. Although it is likely that this observation is exacerbated by the effect of the evaporation of airborne NH4+ on the gradient measurements, the findings nevertheless add to the growing evidence that HNO3 and HCl are not always deposited at the maximum rate. Ammonia (NH3) fluxes show mainly deposition, with some periods of significant daytime emission. The net exchange could be reproduced both with an Rc model (deposition fluxes only) using resistance parameterizations from former measurements, as well as with the canopy compensation point model, using parameterizations derived from the measurements. The apoplastic ratio of ammonium and hydrogen concentration (Γs=[NH4+]/[H+]) of 1200 estimated from the measurements is large for semi-natural vegetation, but smaller than indicated by previous measurements at this site.


A mechanical analogue, consisting of a Bingham element (friction element and amper arranged in parallel) and elastic spring in series, is used to capture the measured amplitude dependences of the storage and loss moduli of an MRF in oscillatory shear. Model predictions for the time-dependent shear stress and resulting moduli at agitation frequency for various amplitudes are discussed. The application to plate-plate geometry, imposing a linear radial shear strain profile, is addressed.


Aperiodicity can arise both in the setting of sequences over a finite alphabet, and that of geodesics on a compact Riemannian surface. In both cases, aperiodicity itself provides no means to measure and compare different aperiodic objects one to another. For sequences the notion of -aperiodicity, by the function , provides a means for this. The aim of this thesis was to find an analogon in the setting of geodesics. This was done by defining f-aperiodicity of geodesics. The existence of f-aperiodic geodesics was proven for a very specific setting, namely that of a quotient of the hyperbolic surface of H. This quotient was chosen in a specific way, such that a -aperiodic sequence could be chosen as the origin in the construction of the geodesic. Furthermore, this led to an easy way to define a flow-invariant subset of the unit tangent bundle of the compact Riemannian surface.


Abstract Quality Protein Maize (Zea mays L.) (QPM) varieties have been developed by scientists at the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training in Nigeria. For these varieties to have significant impact, they must possess traits acceptable to farmers. A study was carried out to evaluate the agronomic and sensory traits of two Quality Protein Maize - ART-98-SW-6-OB (QPM1) and ILE-1-OB (QPM2), in comparison with ART-96-SW-1 (High Protein Maize) and SUWAN-1-SR (a popularly grown improved variety) in three maize growing communities of South West, Nigeria. Sixty (60) farmers comprising males and females were evaluated for six sensory parameters. The parameters tested were appearance, colour, flavour, texture, taste and overall acceptability. The results of the agronomic evaluation showed that there were no significant differences in the height of QPM varieties and HPM at harvest. QPM varieties gave the highest grain yield of 2.38t/ha for ART-98-SW-6OB and 2.36t/ha for ILE-1-OB. Sensory evaluation showed that when the maize varieties were processed into corn-soy milk, QPM corn-soy milk had the highest sensory scores for all sensory parameters tested. Quality Protein Maize varieties had high grain yield and were most preferred for maize pudding and corn - soy milk. The QPM varieties, if formulated into foods for household or commercial purposes, should have good chance of being accepted by farmers with continuous promotional campaigns.


Underground coal gasification has received renewed interest in both Western and Eastern Europe because of the vast amounts of otherwise unminable coal deposits that occur on the European continent. A field test is currently being held in Spain, and other countries have also shown intereat in this method of utilizing coal resources. In this study we have developed a model to combine reactive heat and mass transport together with thermomechanical failure behavior. In the model, we use multigrid methods to solve the flow equations in the entire domain. This is combined with thermo-mechanical failure properties of both coal and rock overlying the cord formation. With this approach, a 3D picture of the development of an underground coal gasifier is obtained, and the influence of well-layout and the sensitivity of the process to other model parameters can be investigated in detail, with high computational efficiency. The model consists of two modules: The first module soives the fiow equations in the entire tiow domain. The second module selects a 'block of coal for gasification and a block of coal and/or rock for thermo-mechanically induced spalling. Other featurea such as ash content, the possibility of including heterogeneities, and natural convection-driven cavity gasification are. aim incQrpQrated in the model.


Abstract: Food safety outbreaks world-wide has increased consumers' concerns over the safety of food they consume. Food traceability system and traceability certification has been introduced in Taiwan to reduce risks in food purchase and consumption. However, the effect of traceability certification has not yet been explored in conjunction with brand image, a well-established quality cue. This research investigates the effects of brand image and traceability certification on consumer's perception of quality, risk and value, as well as willingness to pay premium for black pork sausage. A paper-based survey was conducted during the period of April, 2011, in the Metro Taipei region. 800 respondents were sampled. 623 valid samples were collected. Results indicate that a favorable brand image as well as traceability certification had positive impacts on consumer's perceived quality and perceived value of black pork sausage, while consumer's risk perceptions were reduced in the presence of brand image and traceability certification. Willingness to pay premium was found to be influenced by brand image, traceability certification and perceived value. Results also indicate that consumers are generally willing to pay premium for traceability certification. This willingness to pay premium margin is statistically different between high/low brand image. Conclusions and managerial implications are discussed and presented.


Cobalt (Co) is an essential trace element for mammals required for the synthesis of vitamin B 12 . When cobalt was applied chronically it tends to accumulate in different organs and tissues that can induce pathological alterations. We focused our present study on the comparative effects of chronic exposure to cobalt chloride (CoCl 2 ·6H 2 O) or cobalt EDTA (Co-EDTA) on testis and sperm count in mice of different ages. Both compounds were given in drinking water water with doses per day of 75 mg/ kg or 125 mg/ kg, respectively. Treated animals were sacrificed at different time intervals (on days 18, 25, 45 and 60). The most obvious changes in testis morphology - depletion and retardations in germ cell development, disorganization of seminiferous epithelium and SCO (Sertoli-cell-only) tubules were observed on the studies of 45 and 60 days respectively. In early puberty, testis weight was reduced in similar extend (with 25%) after high doses of both Co compounds whereas in early maturity and adulthood this parameter was reduced significantly and more severe after exposure to high dose CoCl 2 as compared to Co-EDTA, probably due to the stability of the complex Co-EDTA and its weaker absorption. Concerning gonado-somatic index and sperm count in mature animals we found similar tendency of more adverse effects with high dose of CoCl 2 . As a result of our work and data in literature we can conclude that the effects of chronic exposure to cobalt depend of the type of the compound used, dose, level, time duration as well as on the age of the animals under experiment. Cobalt could be considered as a possible risk factor for male fertility and health.


This is the first of three consecutive articles in Nursing Standard dealing with the issues affecting women in nursing. Articles two and three will focus on the specific problems faced by black and ethnic minority women, and on the future of nurse education in relation to recruitment and retention of nurses. This week, the general issues linking women, caring and nursing are examined, and some possible explanations of why so many women are found in nursing are offered.


The effects of both wood chips addition and contact time on phenolic content, volatile composition, color parameters, and organoleptic character of red wine made by a native Greek variety (Agiorgitiko) were evaluated. For this purpose, chips from American, French, Slavonia oak, and Acacia were added in the wine after fermentation. A mixture consisting of 50% French and 50% Americal oak chips was also evaluated. In an attempt to categorize wine samples, various chemical parameters of wines and sensory parameters were studied after 1, 2, and 3 mo of contact time with chips. The results showed that regardless of the type of wood chips added in the wines, it was possible to differentiate the samples according to the contact time based on their phenolic composition and color parameters. In addition, wood-extracted volatile compounds seem to be the critical parameter that could separate the samples according to the wood type. The wines that were in contact with Acacia and Slavonia chips could be separated from the rest mainly due to their distinct sensory characters.


Two patients with unusual findings of renal angiomyolipoma (AML) were reported. One had intratumoral giant pseudoaneurysm with mural thrombus and hemorrhage, the other had intrarenal and perirenal hemorrhage, due to vascular malformation, rupture of small aneurysms and pseudoaneurysms within the tumor. Since imaging techniques such as CT, ultrasonography, MRI are being so commonly used, the detectability of renal AML is increased. Understanding of the various composition of renal AML and their accompanied pathology is most helpful in improving the accuracy of imaging diagnoses.


This paper presents a digital watermarking technology for guaranteeing the database integrity. The proposed scheme based on the fragile watermarking technique, exploits trained support vector regression (SVR) predicting function to distribute the digital watermark over the particular numeric attributes to achieve embedding and detecting watermark by the same SVR predicting function. If the absolute value of the difference between predicted value and attribute value is more than the designed fixed value, like one, then the database content will be tampered with.


The present article, written for the VII CINVEXIS – International Congress of Existential Inversion, seeks to contribute to the self-lucidity of the interested person, especially the existential inverters, men or women, in reference to the effects of personal manifestations on other consciousnesses. Based on selfreflection, personal experiences and associations of ideas issued forth from several concepts (leading-edge relative truths) of Conscientiology, the author offers means to broaden the theorice of Cosmoethics and enhance the interassistantial practices as well as the performance of the existential program in the current or preparatory evolutionary moment and in the more executive future phase. Resumen: