Control Systems Alarms on offshore rigs are inarguably poorly designed. Drilling Control Alarms Systems (DCAS) in particular, are notorious and the pack leaving much to be desired. Excessive alarm volumes on these Integrated Control Systems (ICS) lead to Driller alarm blindness and exceed all industry recognized standards. The problem is exacerbated by the general lack of a Human Machine Interface (HMI) console dedicated to the maintenance crews or other roles to leverage for equipment insight and preventative maintenance.
 Because of these conditions, Drillers are inundated, and critical alarms are often ignored. Maintenance crews are reactive, resulting in missed preventative maintenance opportunities and equipment failure or non-productive time (NPT). The result is a general opinion that these DCAS are poorly designed, and the alarms themselves are not useful.
 This paper will work to alter that perception through illustrating that the DCAS do indeed contain useful information if examined with the correct lens. Additionally, this paper shows that Drilling Contractors have the tools at their disposal to leverage this lens on any ICS. It will illustrate how that can be done, as well as discuss some of the best practices that Drilling Contractors ought to adopt to improve the capabilities of their DCAS.


Paraffin-embedded tissues from a variety of sources and treated with different fixatives were tested for beta-globin and HPV amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). In tests of tissues collected in the previous 2 to 3 yr, excellent rates (87% to 93%) for beta-globin amplification were obtained for specimens fixed in buffered formalin, Bouin's, and Hartmann's solutions. In contrast, the rate of beta-globin amplification was low for tissues fixed in Hollande's solution (7%) and in Hartmann's solution with eosin (33%). The results of beta-globin amplification from archival tissues stored for variable time periods showed no decrease in the amplification rate with longer periods of storage. Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) were identified in 17% of globin negative and in 43% of globin positive tissues. HPV-16 amplification was more efficient when the targeted DNA sequence was small. Variability in amplification depends not only on the type of fixative used, but also on other ill-defined factors. Therefore, conditions for optimal amplification should be determined before undertaking studies of archival material.


This paper studies the fluctuations of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of minimum variance distorsionless response (MVDR) filters implementing diagonal loading in the estimation of the covariance matrix. Previous results in the signal processing literature are generalized and extended by considering both spatially as well as temporarily correlated samples. Specifically, a central limit theorem (CLT) is established for the fluctuations of the SNR of the diagonally loaded MVDR filter, under both supervised and unsupervised training settings in adaptive filtering applications. Our second-order analysis is based on the Nash-Poincare inequality and the integration by parts formula for Gaussian functionals, as well as classical tools from statistical asymptotic theory. Numerical evaluations validating the accuracy of the CLT confirm the asymptotic Gaussianity of the fluctuations of the SNR of the MVDR filter.


The precise estimation of extracellular DNA, long enough to encode a gene, is valuable for determining its potential involvement in genetic transformation. Here, the applicability of real-time long PCR was examined by using target DNA of different lengths and transformation with competent cells to monitor the fate of plasmid DNA released into rivers. Detection limits of the PCR were 7 and 30 copies reaction for a plasmid (4.1 kbp), and 30 and 3×10 copies reaction for lambda DNA (8.6 kbp and 15.5 kbp). The copy numbers of the plasmid obtained by the real-time long PCR were highly correlated with those determined by the transformation metod (R=0.98). Real-time PCRs targeting a short fragment and full-length plasmid DNA were carried out to monitor fragmentation during 506 h of incubation. After 75 h, more than 100-fold larger amounts of the short fragments persisted compared to the full-length plasmid and the values remained constant in the following days. Real-time long PCR revealed that long DNA persisted in river water for prolonged periods of incubation and is thus useful to assess the fate of target DNA in natural water systems.


Purpose of the research. Research is related to the selection and scientific ground of component structure of performing abilities of musician-wind instrument players. Methodology of the work consists in the analysis of psychological, pedagogical, literature of musicologist, and application of empiric methods of research. Due to these methods the essence and structure of performing abilities of a musician wind instrument player was considered, as well as their component structure was determined and scientifically grounded. Scientific novelty consists in a specification of the essence of performing abilities, that are the property of personality to own the system of the purposeful and interrelated mental and practical actions, formed on the basis of application of the systematized knowledge, which allow successfully perform pieces of music. The article identifies and analyzes the component structure of the performing abilities of a musician-wind instrument player (motivationally strong willed, cognitive, value and creatively-emotional components), aimed at the perfection of the performance level of a musician-wind instrument player. Conclusions. Performing training of a musician-wind instrument player is a creative process based on the defined component structure of the performing abilities, which allows to obtain versatile and substantial knowledge in the process of working on a piece of music; to understand the objective laws of musical art; to develop general, musical and creative skills ; to expand the artistic competence, to form his own aesthetic and value judgments and to be capable of self-realization in the creative process of interpreting music.


Supercritical octane flows that undergo thermal cracking in a heated circular tube were numerically investigated using our numerical methods based on the preconditioning method solving the compressible Navier–Stokes equations with the thermophyical properties from the Reference Fluid Thermodynamic and Transport Properties Database (REFPROP). The simple thermal-cracking model for octane was developed from the results calculated by KUCRS and Cantera software, assuming mild cracking condition and single-fluid flow. Supercritical octane flows were simulated under wall temperatures that would and would not encourage thermal cracking. Slight temperature differences affected the velocity distribution in the heated pipe because of the change in density. In low-wall-temperature conditions without thermal cracking, the simulated outlet temperatures were in good agreement with experimental results. Octane near the heated wall was decomposed by thermal cracking in the high wall temperature conditions. The wall temperature and the residual time affected the conversion rate of the thermal-cracking conversion rate. The present numerical methods underestimated the experimentally measured conversion rate, though the rough trends of the conversion rates were captured.


Abstract. The influence of aerosols on cloud properties over North India which includes the Indo-Gangetic Plain has been investigated for the years 2000 to 2010. During the years 2004, 2009 and 2010 there has been an abrupt increase in fine mode aerosol optical depth (AOD) inducing a sharp decline in cloud effective radius (CER) in the month of January. The following monsoon during these years was a failure in the region considered for the study. In the year 2010, a highest AOD value of 0.35 was recorded in the month of January. In accordance with the aerosol indirect effect, this large increase in AOD resulted in a significant reduction in CER. The monsoon season in that year was deficient in the study region even though the rest of the country received above normal rainfall. For the years when CER diminished below 12 microns in the month of May, a delay in the advancement of monsoon towards North India is noted even after a normal or early onset in southern peninsula. Meanwhile, a rapid progression took place when it was 12 microns or above. During non-monsoon months an inverse relationship existed between cloud effective radius and liquid water path and a strong positive association occurred in the monsoon months. Present analysis suggests that the excessive aerosol loading and the associated aerosol indirect effects in the months prior to the monsoon season has an effect on the propagation and onset of the south west monsoon over the region.


Exposure to excessive noise can cause auditory impairment in people as well as in animals, which can be aggravated by many different ototoxic substances, such as aminoglycosides. In the present study, the gerbil was selected as the experimental animal because the gerbil has low-frequency auditory sensitivity that is similar to human beings. Auditory function in gerbils upon exposure to noise and/or gentamicin was evaluated from non-invasive records of brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs). Fifty mature male Mongolian gerbils were divided randomly into four groups. The control group was exposed neither to noise nor to gentamicin. The noise group was exposed to 100dBA noise ten hours a day for four weeks. The gentamicin group was treated with one dose of gentamicin, 75 mg/Kg i.m., daily for four weeks. The noise + gentamicin group was exposed concurrently to both noise and gentamicin treatment. BAEPs were recorded from all gerbils 24 hours before any experimental treatment, then every week for eight consecutive weeks. Long-term exposure to noise and/or gentamicin treatment was found to reduce gerbil's body weight. The increase in auditory threshold upon concurrent exposure to both noise and gentamicin treatment (evaluated from BAEPs) exceeded the sum of effects caused by exposure to noise alone and to gentamicin alone. Although differences of peak or interpeak latencies among the four groups were not statistically significant, large standard deviations were noted in the noise+gentamicin group. Thus the apparent threshold shifts in gerbils indicated a major noise and/or gentamicin induced auditory impairment to the cochlea, and the slight latency variations probably suggested a minor injury to the auditory pathways. We emphasize that noise and aminoglycoside antibiotic gentamicin can cause damage to the hearing ability at the frequency range vital to human speech recognition, and their effects are synergetic.


Texture is of vital importance when rendering realistic infrared images. Traditional attempts to simulate infrared textures often suffer from insufficient realism seen in actual infrared images. This paper presents a synthesis model for generating infrared texture of aeolian sand ripples. By integration of physical radiation model and texture structure model, sources of variability that causes IR texture are modeled. The physical radiation model takes into account geometrical, thermodynamic and meteorological parameters and calculates the thermal radiation distribution of different surface slopes. The texture structure model is introduced based on natural landscape features to simulate spatial distribution patterns of aeolian sand ripples. Simulation results are indicative of good performance of the proposed method to simulate radiometrically-correct yet visually-appealing infrared textures.


This research aimed to develop a high accuracy machine learning algorithm that can diagnose cardiovascular diseases from the stream of data from multiple body surface potential mapping devices equipped with 102 textile electrodes. The algorithm is based on the 1D convolutional neural network, trained on the comparable real-life data gathered from the FLUKE ECG simulator connected to the resistance-based human phantom. The developed neural network achieved an accuracy of 99.91% on the test data. Additionally, an additional algorithm was developed that can use the neural network to analyse the data streamed from the medical device and notice the medical staff about dangerous heart rhythms detected by the system.


Algorithms for measuring semantic similarity between Gene Ontology (GO) terms has become a popular area of research in bioinformatics as it can help to detect functional associations between genes and potential impact to the health and well-being of humans, animals, and plants. While the focus of the research is on the design and improvement of GO semantic similarity algorithms, there is still a need for implementation of such algorithms before they can be used to solve actual biological problems. This can be challenging given that the potential users usually come from a biology background and they are not programmers. A number of implementations exist for some well-established algorithms but these implementations are not generic enough to support any algorithm other than the ones they are designed for. The aim of this paper is to shift the focus away from implementation, allowing researchers to focus on algorithm's design and execution rather than implementation. This is achieved by an implementation approach capable of understanding and executing user defined GO semantic similarity algorithms. Questions and answers were used for the definition of the user defined algorithm. Additionally, this approach understands any direct acyclic digraph in an Open Biomedical Ontologies (OBO)-like format and its annotations. On the other hand, software developers of similar applications can also benefit by using this as a template for their applications.


Local order in liquid tellurium has been investigated in both liquid and supercooled state. The nearest-neighbours number has been determined, and its variation vs. temperature is discussed in terms of theoretical predictions. The semiconductor-to-metal transition is shown to occur in a narrow temperature range, mainly in the supercooled-state region.


In education, a school serves as a learning centre where teachers are anticipated to be in command of their classrooms so as to improve pupils' effectual learning concerning classroom activities and presentation; however teacher's classroom organization of learners learning activities has recently been an issue of concern to many educational stakeholders regarding early childhood development and education. The purpose of the study was to determine the influence of teachers' supervision of pupils activities affect learning in preschools in Marigat Sub County, Baringo County, Kenya. The study adopted descriptive survey research design. The population of the study comprised 367 pre-school teachers from 196 pre-schools and 93 head teachers in Marigat Sub County while their sample size constituted 110 preschool teachers and 27 head teachers which was 30% of the target population. The study sample was drawn from the entire population using simple random sampling technique for the teachers and purposive sampling for the head teachers. Data was collected using questionnaires for the quantitative descriptive data for the head teachers and interview guide for the qualitative data for the teachers. Instrument validity was ascertained with the help of the supervisors based on their expert opinion. The reliability of the questionnaire was done by piloting it and a reliable Cronbach coefficients Alpha of 0.73 was obtained. However, the instrument was slightly revised based on the pilot study results. The researcher personally administered the instruments to all the respondents. The quantitative data was analyzed by the use of Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) and the findings presented on frequency tables and percentages alongside the qualitative description of data from the interview guide. The major findings of the study indicated that good classroom organization by teachers corresponded with smooth learning activities among the preschool learners. The study further found out that there was laxity by the preschool teachers in delegation of his or her duties and responsibilities a classroom administrator thus affecting the pupils' performance. Though coordination, evaluation, supervision and monitoring of pupils learning activities, the study found preschool teachers should embrace good classroom organization practices while handling preschool learners so as on improve on their intellectual


The 1985 Transport Act deregulated the bus industry in Great Britain. The provisions of the Act included various measures aimed at encouraging small companies to run bus services and enabling bus companies to compete with each other. TRRL carried out a comprehensive programme of work to monitor the effects of the Act including case studies of the local effects of changes in services. This report focusses on competition in the Stockton-on-Tees area between two established operators, Cleveland Transit and United Automobile Services, and three independent operators: Trimdon Motor Services, Delta Taxis and G J Robson who had little or no experience of running regular town services before deregulation. Monitoring in the area began in October 1986 shortly before deregulation and continued for just over a year. The report describes the progress of competition including changes in services, patronage, service quality and passenger attitudes. A year after deregulation the level of service had almost doubled. Patronage had increased by slightly more than expected at one site in the town and slightly less than expected at the other site, given the change in services. In May 1988, when monitoring by TRRL ended, all five companies continued to operate. (Author/TRRL)


Introduction Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common form of non-Hodgkin9s lymphoma (NHL) representing more than 30% of new cases diagnosed in the United States. DLBCL comprises multiple biologically and clinically distinct subtypes including germinal center B-cell-like (GCB) and activated B-cell like (ABC) DLBCL. Despite improvement in current therapies, nearly 40% of patients die from the disease. Recent studies of the epigenome and the methylome in particular, have revealed widespread epigenetic changes in DLBCL. Aberrant methylation of core histone tails occur with deregulation of methylase enzymes such as Ezh2 in DLBCL. In contrast, the role of JMJD3 and UTX, H3K27(me)3 demethylases in DLBCL remains unknown. In this study, we have evaluated the activity of the selective JMJD3 inhibitor GSK-J4 in DLBCL and investigated the mechanism of its action. Methods Panel of DLBCL cell lines: DB, KARPAS 422, Pfeiffer, Toledo, Sudhl2, Sudhl6, Sudhl8, TMD8, OCI-Ly1, OCI-Ly3, OCI-Ly7, OCI-Ly8, OCI-Ly4, OCI-Ly10, and primary DLBCL cells were analyzed for the expression of lysine demethylases (KDMs) using RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Sub-G1 analysis was performed to analyze drug-induced apoptosis. Chemical inhibitor GSK-J4 and siRNAs were used for specific inhibition of the JMJD3. Results JMJD3 inhibitor, GSK-J4 induced the killing of DLBCL cell lines of both GC and ABC subtypes. Cell sensitivity to GSK-J4 could not be predicted from the expression of prognostic markers in DLBCL such as Bcl6, IRF4 and Ezh2. For further studies, we selected a cell line Sudhl6 (Bcl6 dependent), sensitive to the killing effect of GSK-J4. Treatment with GSK-J4 reduced the Bcl6 levels along with concomitant increase in IRF4 and FBXO11, negative regulators of Bcl6. Knockdown of JMJD3 by siRNAs also reduced the levels of Bcl6, implicating Bcl6 in the mechanism of action of GSK-J4. Additionally, GSK-J4 synergized in killing with vincristine, doxorubicin as well as proteasome inhibitors bortezomib and carfilzomib. Conclusion We demonstrate the potent effects of inhibition of H3K27(me)3 demethylase JMJD3 by GSK-J4 on proliferation and apoptosis of DLBCL cells. Our results clearly show synergistic effects of inhibition of demethylase with standard drugs in elimination of DLBCL cells. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Rohit Mathur, Lalit Sehgal, Zuzana Berkova, Sattva S. Neelapu, Felipe Samaniego. Inhibition of demethylase, JMJD3 sensitizes diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) to chemotherapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 108. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-108


Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the use of steel slag as a soil acidity corrective and of mycorrhizal fungi associated with phosphate fertilization on corn plants. The study was performed in a greenhouse, using 3-kg pots with a Typic Haplorthox, in a 4x5x2 factorial arrangement, with four acidity correction treatments (C1, correction with dolomitic limestone at a dose of 4 Mg ha-1; C2, correction with steel slag at a dose of 4 Mg ha-1; C3, correction with a 1:1 mixture of 2 Mg ha-1 dolomitic limestone and 2 Mg ha-1 steel slag; and C4, control, without pH correction), five phosphorus doses (0, 42, 95, 213, and 480 mg dm-3), and the presence or absence of two arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (Rhizophagus clarus and Gigaspora margarita), with five replicates. Steel slag was efficient in correcting soil pH and providing Ca and Mg for the plants; therefore, it could replace limestone. The inoculation with R. clarus and G. margarita, associated with P doses of 42, 95, and 213 mg dm-3, improved the development of corn plants after 45 days, resulting in greater plant height, stem diameter, leaf area, and shoot and root dry matter.


Background: Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) refers to the care and education of children from birth to age four. There is a scarcity of research on inclusion in this marginalised sector in many developing countries, including South Africa. Aim: This article reports on a virtual learning participatory workshop on understanding inclusion with six ECCE teachers and two ECD practitioner trainers. Setting: Due to the social distancing necessitated by the Corona Virus pandemic, all interactions were facilitated through the WhatsApp platform. Methods: The study employed a participatory action learning and action research (PALAR) design that focuses on collaborative and contextually relevant learning and research. Data were generated in two iterative cycles using a baseline questionnaire, photovoice, reflective journals and purposeful conversations. Results: Cycle one found that some of the participants' understanding of inclusion needed to be challenged. Their understandings of inclusion centred on discourses of disability with a narrow view of inclusion. This action learning set (ALS) mainly regarded inclusion to be a product rather than a process and claimed that segregation had some advantages. Some of the members of the ALS also misconstrued inclusion for micro-exclusive practices of assimilation and integration. Cycle two was planned to address these misunderstandings. Cycle two revealed that becoming inclusive means revisiting dominant ideologies about inclusion and a critical awareness of micro-exclusive practices. Conclusion: This research serves to challenge dominant beliefs of what inclusion is. The knowledge presented here could be cascaded to other ECCE centres in the South African context. With a scarcity of research on inclusion in ECCE, this study may provide a point of departure for future research.


This paper uses a heterogeneous agent model of housing default to study how the effectiveness of macroprudential policies changes under different income and house price specifications. When calibrated to match the observed default choices of households during the financial crisis, the model has clear implications for the kind of macroprudential policies that will be more effective in different circumstances. When income shocks are large, restrictions on the loan-to-value ratio are more effective in reducing defaults, while when house price shocks are large, the default rate is more responsive to changes in payment-to-income limits. These results are an implication, filtered through the model, of the well-known double trigger fact: In the Great Recession, defaulting households tended to be those who were both seriously underwater and had experienced a substantial shock to income. JEL Codes: C61, D15, E21, E58, R28


In this paper, we describe a technique for the computation of augmented surface patches from stereo images. The stereo vision data is represented as patchlets, which are planar surface elements that have a position, surface normal, size, and confidence measures on the position and normal direction. To estimate the patchlet parameters, we use probabilistic image alignment. Whereas the patchlet generation method by Murray assumes the error on the disparity values to be equal for all pixels, we take the individual intensity patterns into account as well. This way, we obtain better estimates of the confidence measures in the patchlets. We describe the patchlet formation from the disparity and intensity values. To evaluate the quality of the results, we use real and synthetic images as they might be encountered in a typical mobile robot application. For a direct comparison, the images are processed both using Murray's and our approach.


Recent evidence shows that the North Pacific subtropical gyre, the Kuroshio Extension (KE) and Oyashio Extension (OE) fronts have moved poleward in the past few decades. However, changes of the North Pacific Subtropical Fronts (STFs), anchored by the North Pacific subtropical countercurrent in the southern subtropical gyre, remain to be quantified. By synthesizing observations, reanalysis, and eddy-resolving ocean hindcasts, we show that the STFs, especially their eastern part, weakened (20%±5%) and moved poleward (1.6°±0.4°) from 1980 to 2018. Changes of the STFs are modified by mode waters to the north. We find that the central mode water (CMW) (180°-160°W) shows most significant weakening (18%±7%) and poleward shifting (2.4°±0.9°) trends, while the eastern part of the subtropical mode water (STMW) (160°E-180°) has similar but moderate changes (10% ± 8%; 0.9°±0.4°). Trends of the western part of the STMW (140°E-160°E) are not evident. The weakening and poleward shifting of mode waters and STFs are enhanced to the east and are mainly associated with changes of the northern deep mixed layers and outcrop lines—which have a growing northward shift as they elongate to the east. The eastern deep mixed layer shows the largest shallowing trend, where the subduction rate also decreases the most. The mixed layer and outcrop line changes are strongly coupled with the northward migration of the North Pacific subtropical gyre and the KE/OE jets as a result of the poleward expanded Hadley cell, indicating that the KE/OE fronts, mode waters, and STFs change as a whole system.


Planned efforts to relocate human populations often entail protracted struggles over the terms on which local populations may be compensated for the loss of land, assets and livelihoods. In many instances, compensation has been established on the basis of historical market value, which in effect excludes stakeholders (e.g., encroachers, landless laborers, sharecroppers, etc. ) whose livelihoods are adversely affected by land acquisition. Establishing ways of recognizing and compensating the loss of informal land and livelihood is therefore a pressing policy priority. This paper explores the challenge of compensating losses incurred as a result of rapid urban land acquisition in the Indian State of West Bengal. Drawing upon 6 months of empirical field research, it explores (1) the ways in which national and local development authorities have structured processes of land acquisition in areas surrounding Kolkata; (2) the rights and entitlements that have been used in compensating losses incurred as a result of land acquisition; (3) the degree to which local populations have been incorporated into this process; and (4) the extent to which public policy may be used in strengthening the rights of vulnerable populations to basic forms of entitlement, such as housing, employment, and social assistance.


Probabilistic CSP extends the language of CSP with an operator for probabilis-tic choice. However reasoning about an intricate combination of nondeterminism, communication and probabilistic behaviour can be complicated. In standard CSP such complication is overcome (when possible) by use of hierarchical reasoning. In this paper we provide a foundation for lifting such reasoning to the probabilistic setting. First we formalise the common observation that the standard models of CSP (traces, refusals and refusals/divergences) form a hierarchy, by showing that they are linked by embedding-projection pairs. Such structure underlies hierarchical reasoning in which complex process behaviour is reasoned about in terms of its simpler projections. Then we show how that hierarchy can be extended to a corresponding hierarchy between the probabilistic models, by using each of those three models of standard CSP as a basis for a probabilistic extension. Finally we show that there is a projection from the probabilistic models onto the standard models, which can be used to reason about non-probabilistic properties of probabilistic processes.


The complex structure of water and its interactions with solid surfaces require the development of multiple vibrational spectroscopic measurements to study the molecular structure of interfacial water and bulk water near the solid surface. In this study, a newly developed compatible multiple nonlinear vibrational spectroscopy system has been applied to investigate the molecular structure of water in the interfacial region of an ionic solid (CaF(2) substrate) and bulk isotopic D(2)O-HOD-H(2)O mixtures. Using this compatible system, the sum frequency generation (SFG) vibrational spectra and infrared-infrared-visible three-pump-field four-wave-mixing (IIV-TPF-FWM) spectra of the same water molecules can be collected at the same experimental geometry. It is found that SFG and IIV-TPF-FWM can be used to characterize the molecular structures of interfacial water and bulk water molecules at an interfacial distance below 42 nm, respectively. SFG and IIV-TPF-FWM results both suggest an intramolecular vibrational coupling dominates the spectra. The results achieved by this method are helpful to clarify the origination of the vibrational coupling of the interfacial water as well as the bulk water near the solid surface.


where t· x denotes the action of t on x. The set Xw is known to be a locally-closed c* -stable algebraic subvariety of X isomorphic to an affine space. The pieces Xw form a cell decomposition X = UWEW XW ' W E W, the socalled Bialynicki-Birula decomposition. We assume this decomposition to be an algebraic stratification of X (the closure of a cell may not be a union of cells, in general). Let .cw be the intersection cohomology complex on the closure of a cell Xw extended by 0 to the whole of X. The hypercohomology H·.cw has a natural structure of a graded H' (X, C)-module. Further, for any x, YEW, there is a natural morphism of graded spaces:


This paper is concerned with the (2+1)-dimensional Burgers' and heat types of equations. All of the geometic vector fields of the equations are obtained, an optimal system of the equation is presented. Especially, the Bäcklund transformations (BTs) for the Burgers' equations are constructed based on the symmetry. Then, all of the symmetry reductions are provided in terms of the optimal system method, and the exact explicit solutions are investigated by the symmetry reductions and Bäcklund transformations.


Platelet aggregation activity is the cornerstone of the pathogenesis of atherothrombosis and plays a main role in the appearance of major adverse cardiac events (MACE). This aspect has become even more important nowadays due to the use of drug-eluting stents (DES), where a proper platelet inhibition is required. Dual antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has widely demonstrated its beneficial effect in reducing MACE compared with aspirin alone. These benefits had also been established in short and long term treatment in patients with coronary artery disease managed with a conservative strategy. However, despite dual antiplatelet therapy an important number of patients experience new MACE related to an incomplete platelet inhibition that can be caused by the interaction of different mechanisms, not fully known at the moment. Several clinical studies suggested the significant variability in individual patient response to antiplatelet drugs to be due to the use of different laboratory tests. Moreover, other studies associated the low responsiveness status with an increased risk of recurrent cardiovascular events. Notably, resistance or reduced response to antiplatelet therapy with aspirin and clopidogrel is a clinically relevant entity that needs to be taken into account in order to perform a proper and individualized treatment strategy. Recent antiplatelet drugs such as prasugrel and ticagrelor have appeared to be an attractive option for patients with resistance or low response to traditional therapy. In this article we review aspirin and clopidogrel resistance as a clinical entity, the different mechanisms that could be linked to treatment failure, its relation with special situations and future perspectives in this area.


1. Methadone is a synthetic narcotic that relieves the craving for heroin. Methadone enables the former heroin addict to feel well and unimpaired by side effects, and be free of heroin hunger. 2. Methadone Anonymous (MA) is a 12-step program (similar to Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous) for individuals with addictions who are in methadone treatment programs. 3. The MA program at our facility in New York has been extremely successful. Patients carry the message to new sites and leave information for potential groups. Requests for information are received weekly, both from neighboring states and even abroad.


Quail translocations are becoming increasingly popular in regions of suitable habitat where local quail populations have declined. In northeastern Texas, USA, northern bobwhite ( Colinus virginianus ) populations have drastically declined for over a century and have reached undetectable levels in many areas. As a result, the number of quail hunters and quail conservation funding have also declined. California valley quail ( Callipepla californica ; hereafter, valley quail) have increased across their range and have been translocated to many states and countries. Thus, the goal of this study was to determine whether translocating wild valley quail to Texas was feasible, and evaluate their survival, dispersal, roost location preference, and potential predator impacts. We translocated 748 wild valley quail from Idaho, USA to northeastern Texas in 2019 and 2020. We collected quail location data from very high frequency (VHF) and digital transmitters. Motion-triggered cameras, scent stations, simulated nests, and raptor transects were used to record predator presence and potential predator impacts. Survival of birds with tracking devices was 63% (VHF) in 2019, and 38.8% (VHF) and 92.5% (digital tag) in 2020. Survival was greater for quail with digital transmitters. Median dispersal distance was 633.5 m in 2019 and 246.6 m in 2020 for valley quail with VHF transmitters, and 310.4 m for quail with digital transmitters. Minimum convex polygon area medians were 4.3 ha in 2019 and 3.1 ha in 2020 for quail with VHF transmitters, and 16.1 ha in 2020 for quail with digital transmitters. Roost sites were primarily in young stands of oak trees. Median simulated nest survival was 2 days (minimum [min] = 1, interquartile range [IQR] = 2–5.4, maximum [max] = 23) in 2019, and 7.5 days (min = 2, IQR = 4.5–15.2, max = 23) in 2020. The most frequent mammalian predators observed were raccoons ( Procyon lotor ), feral hogs ( Sus scrofa ), and white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ). Red-tailed hawks ( Buteo jamaicensis ) were the most frequent aerial predator. We completed the first documented translocation of wild California valley quail to Texas, demonstrating it is feasible. Future translocation may benefit from translocating more birds over a longer period of time, with more consistent methodology. The establishment of a sustainable population may require ≥7 years of translocation at a rate of 500 birds per year with >2,000 ha of suitable habitat.


ABSTRACT Purpose: To determine the association of selected social determinants of health (SDH) assessed by the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) among adults with visual difficulty. Methods: Data from adults 18 years of age and older relevant to self-reported visual difficulty were extracted from the 2016 NHIS dataset. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to determine associations between self-reported visual difficulty and key social determinants of health identified by the Kaiser Family Foundation and American College of Physicians. Outcomes were reported as odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Results: Self-reported visual difficulty was significantly associated with lower educational attainment (OR 1.54; 95% CI, 1.30–1.81), having healthcare coverage through Medicaid (OR 1.44; 95% CI, 1.23–1.67), food insecurity (OR 1.75; 95% CI, 1.54–1.99), problems with paying medical bills (OR 1.60; 95% CI, 1.40–1.83), trouble finding a doctor (OR 1.49; 95% CI, 1.19–1.86), cost-related medication underuse (OR 1.72; 95% CI, 1.54–1.93), and identification as a non-heterosexual male (OR 1.82; 95% CI, 1.21–2.73). Those who were employed were at lower risk of visual difficulty compared to those who were looking for work or not working (OR 0.79; 95% CI, 0.71–0.89). Conclusion: A subset of SDH as evaluated by the NHIS are positively associated with self-reported visual difficulty. If validated, these results could inform future public health interventions that may reduce the incidence and burden of visual difficulty.


I have read the article by Dr Holmboe and Dr Kongsrud with great interest (Anaesthesia 1982; 37: 60-2). I would like to report the occurrence of a cerebral convulsion which occurred in a clinically healthy female patient after epidural analgesia with 0.75% bupivacaine which we attributed to possible intravascular injection and to the high concentration of local analgesic. There appears to be no significant correlation between speed of injection or the injection pressure and the rate of spread of the analgesia' but more concentrated solutions have a greater potential to cause toxic reactions if they are injected intravascularly. Increased toxicity after epidural injection with bupivacaine 0.75% has not so far been observed up to a maximum of 128 mg2 and this is less than the dose of bupivacaine to which minor systemic reactions have been attributed in the adult. Toxic reactions usually occur in two phases-an excitatory central nervous system (CNS) phase followed by depression of the CNS and the cardiovascular system (CVS). If the drug is injected intravascularly the phase of excitation may not occur and there is primary depression of the CNS and CVS.J-5 Absorbtion of the bupivacaine solution may be slow. We have observed the development of hypotension 90 to I 0 0 minutes after the epidural injection of 0.75% bupivacaine despite adequate intravenous loading with crystalloid solutions. Patients who have received 0.75% bupivacaine epidurally need very close supervision. We believe that the 0.75% concentration should be reserved for intraabdominal surgery in which more rapid onset, longer action and better muscular relaxation are an advantage.


Certainly data integration for land-cover classification requires a non-linear system to associate satellite imagery with exogenous imagery. In this study we present some results of a Neural Network based methodology to provide land-cover classifications. Two approaches are investigated: a) The Monolithic integration: all required registred images are the inputs of only one Back-Error Propagation (BEP) network. The network is trained on purpose to get the final classification. b) The class-distributed integration: for each class a specific network learns from all sattelite imageries its class characteristics. In both approachs, topographic mapping is taken into account as exogenous data.


Background: Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and lifelong learning are essential for nurses to keep up to date with innovations, technological enhancements, and development in the healthcare sector to improve patient outcomes and safety.
Objective: The study aimed to identify platforms, awareness, and barriers to CPD and lifelong learning of nursing professionals at Cancer Hospital (Apeksha), Maharagama, Sri Lanka.
Methods: A quantitative survey was conducted, and a self-administered questionnaire was used to collect samples from April 2022 to February 2023. Random sampling techniques were used to select the samples from the population of nurses. The study sample size was 235, and only 200 nurses responded.
Results: Descriptive statistics were calculated, and cross-tabulations were also employed. The nursing professionals in the study setting are characterized by a significant gender imbalance, with most nurses being female (86.5%) and males comprising a minority (13.5%). Most nurses have one to five years of experience, with just over a third (37.5%) having between one to ten years of experience. Family responsibilities, poor physical health, and financial constraints were identified as the most common barriers to engaging in CPD. Workplace stress, lack of financial aid, lack of opportunities, leave issues, inflexible work hours, and workload at the ward/unit were the most commonly agreed-upon organizational barriers in CPD. Despite various channels for accessing CPD activities, including colleagues and the workplace, a significant proportion of respondents were not aware of opportunities and platforms through these channels, highlighting the need for increased awareness and accessibility of CPD opportunities.
Conclusion: CPD is crucial for nurses to grow their careers and improve their knowledge and abilities. Main obstacles such as family obligations, financial restraints, and occupational stress must be overcome to motivate nurses to engage in CPD activities and foster professional progress. There should be a proper mechanism to increase the awareness of CPD among nurses.


Abstract:The end of cult activity in the Sanctuary of Demeter and Kore on Acrocorinth has previously been dated to the third or fourth quarter of the 4th century. Because some scholars have suggested that the latest lamps from the sanctuary date to ca. 425 or 450, the author reexamined the context pottery in search of 5th-century material. This article supplements the catalogue in Corinth XVIII.2, reviews the coins and fine wares on which the dates were based, and reconsiders the amphoras, coarse wares, and lamps. The new material is largely datable to the late 5th and 6th centuries and seems to be associated with robbing trenches or the late cemetery rather than with the pagan cult.


Abstract— The rocks exposed in the rim of the 2.5‐km‐wide and 3.7‐Ma‐old Roter Kamm crater in southwest Namibia are cut by breccia veins that macroscopically resemble, and were originally described as, pseudotachylytes. The veins were later shown to be cataclasites with no evidence for melting. 40Ar/39Ar data for vein and host rock samples indicate a low‐grade metamorphic event at around 300 Ma, but provide no evidence for an impact age. The samples have suffered 5–7% Ar loss, which we associate with the impact event. All the samples record similar ranges of possible time‐temperature conditions and there are no resolvable differences between the results for the vein and the host rock samples, as would be expected if frictional heating played an important role in breccia formation. Modeling the 40Ar/39Ar data, assuming instantaneous impact heating followed by extended cooling, and coupling these results to published data on fluid inclusions, quartz precipitation, shock effects, and crater degradation, suggest that the veins reached maximum temperatures of 230–290 °C during impact and never approached melting temperatures of the precursor rocks.


The aim of this thesis is to investigate the effect of genetic mutations on the pathophysiology of two human disorders: Diamond-Blackfan Anemia (DBA) and isolated congenital nail dysplasia. The first part of this thesis (Paper I-III) investigates the mechanism associated with DBA. DBA is a rare bone marrow failure syndrome characterized by the absence or decrease of erythroid precursor cells. The disease is further associated with growth retardation, malformations, predisposition to malignant disease and heterozygous mutations in ribosomal protein (RP) genes. The second part of this thesis (Paper IV) investigates the genetic basis of isolated autosomal recessive nail dysplasia characterized by pachyonychia and onycholysis of both finger- and toenails. It further dissects the molecular mechanisms regulating nail development. In the first study, we investigated the previously reported RPS19/PIM-1 interaction by generating a combined Rps19/Pim-1 knockout mouse model. We found that allelic Rps19 insufficiency and Pim-1 deficiency have a cooperative effect on murine hematopoiesis resulting in increased myeloid cellularity associated with cell cycle alterations and reduced apoptosis. In the second study, we analyzed primary fibroblasts from DBA patients with truncating mutations in RPS19 or RPS24 and observed a marked delay in cellular growth associated with specific cell cycle defects. In the third study, we discovered that recombinant RPS19 binds its own mRNA and that the binding is altered when two DBA-associated RPS19 mutations are introduced. In the fourth study, we identified mutations in the WNT signaling receptor Frizzled 6 (FZD6). We observed that the nonsense mutant fails to interact with the first downstream effector Dishevelled. Fzd6 mutant mice displayed claw malformations and we detected a transient Fzd6 expression in the distal digits at the embryonic time point for nail development. In summary, this thesis elucidates several mechanisms in the etiology of DBA and congenital nail dysplasia and mechanisms regulating nail development.


Membrane distillation (MD), which can utilize low-grade thermal energy, has been extensively studied for desalination. By incorporating solar thermal energy, the solar membrane distillation desalination system (SMDDS) is a potential technology for resolving energy and water resource problems. Small-scale SMDDS (s-SMDDS) is an attractive and viable option for the production of fresh water for small communities in remote arid areas. The minimum cost design and operation of s-SMDDS are determined by a systematic method, which involves a pseudo-steady-state approach for equipment sizing and dynamic optimization using overall system mathematical models. Two s-SMDDS employing an air gap membrane distillation module with membrane areas of 11.5 m2 and 23 m2 are analyzed. The lowest water production costs are $5.92/m3 and $5.16/m3 for water production rates of 500 kg/day and 1000 kg/day, respectively. For these two optimal cases, the performance ratios are 0.85 and 0.91; the recovery ratios are 4.07% and 4.57%. The effect of membrane characteristics on the production cost is investigated. For the commercial membrane employed in this study, the increase of the membrane mass transfer coefficient up to two times is beneficial for cost reduction.


The Ordovician strata belonging to the North Kara Basin are well exposed in the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago. They are dominated by shallow marine sedimentation. Based on faunal evidence, the North Kara Terrane was located at tropical latitudes. Macro- and microfossil assemblages from Severnaya Zemlya contain elements typical of both Siberian and Baltic biotic provinces. An increasing number of taxa common to Laurentia is consistent with the closure of the Iapetus and the convergence between Baltica, Siberia, Laurentia and the North Kara Terrane positioned between them. Short descriptions of the main lithological, faunal features and ages of each stratigraphic unit are given.


A hardware failure analysis technique adapted to software yielded three rules for generating test cases sensitive to code errors. These rules, and a procedure for generating these cases, are given with examples. Areas for further study are recommended.


Abstract Germline stem and progenitor cells can be extracted from the adult mouse testis and maintained long-term in vitro. Yet, the optimal culture conditions for preserving stem cell activity are unknown. Recently, multiple members of the Eph receptor family were detected in murine spermatogonia, but their roles remain obscure. One such gene, Ephb2, is crucial for maintenance of somatic stem cells and was previously found enriched at the level of mRNA in murine spermatogonia. We detected Ephb2 mRNA and protein in primary adult spermatogonial cultures and hypothesized that Ephb2 plays a role in maintenance of stem cells in vitro. We employed CRISPR-Cas9 targeting and generated stable mutant SSC lines with complete loss of Ephb2. The characteristics of Ephb2-KO cells were interrogated using phenotypic and functional assays. Ephb2-KO SSCs exhibited reduced proliferation compared to wild-type cells, while apoptosis was unaffected. Therefore, we examined whether Ephb2 loss correlates with activity of canonical pathways involved in stem cell self-renewal and proliferation. Ephb2-KO cells had reduced ERK MAPK signaling. Using a lentiviral transgene, Ephb2 expression was rescued in Ephb2-KO cells, which partially restored signaling and proliferation. Transplantation analysis revealed that Ephb2-KO SSCs cultures formed significantly fewer colonies than WT, indicating a role for Ephb2 in preserving stem cell activity of cultured cells. Transcriptome analysis of wild-type and Ephb2-KO SSCs identified Dppa4 and Bnc1 as differentially expressed, Ephb2-dependent genes that are potentially involved in stem cell function. These data uncover for the first time a crucial role for Ephb2 signaling in cultured SSCs. Summary sentence The tyrosine kinase receptor Ephb2 is required for normal proliferation and stem cell activity of adult mouse spermatogonia in long-term culture.


A comparative study has been made of the ability of three plant tissues to incorporate (14)C into ethylene from (14)C-labelled methionine and derivatives and from (14)C-labelled linolenic acid. Incorporation of label occurs readily from methionine and its derivative 4-methylmercapto-2-oxobutyric acid with apple, tomato or cauliflower floret tissue. No incorporation of label occurred, however, from uniformly (14)C-labelled linolenate.


The article is devoted to the analysis of complicated and interesting aspects of conducting collective negotiationson concluding tariff contracts and production agreements in the Federal Republic of Germany.The author scrutinizes the principle of freedom of association and the principle of tariff autonomy whichserve as a basis for the legal regulation of collective negotiations. The author does not reduce to theGerman legislation regulating collective negotiations but compares them to the international standardsof labour law and EU law, with an emphasis on Council Directive 94/45 On the Establishment of a EuropeanWorks Council. The paper touches upon specific features of the special status of the members ofthe employers' association. Many German associations have stipulated in their constituent documentsthat their members are entitled to a special status and the tariff contracts made by the employers' associationdo not spread to it but the employers' association provides the same services as to its membersand the organization with a special status is to pay member fees. The author does not reveal the featuresof the special status of the member of the employers' associations but points to the opinion of theFederal Labour Code which studied the case as to the legality of including new similar provisions to thecharters of employers' associations. The author studies the trends and perspectives in the developmentof the system of the regulation of labour relations in regulating labour relations in Germany and accompanyingdisputes. On the one hand, the decentralization of collective contracts result in the issueshaving been regulated by tariff agreements have become the subject matter of industrial agreementsconcluded at the lever of a company. However, as EU law increases its influence on the German legalsystem and a large number of transnational corporations emerge, industrial agreements are concludedregulating the working conditions in both Germany and other EU countries. The article may be of interestfor specialists an a wide range of readers interested in social partnership and German labour law.


The 5S ribosomal RNA nucleotide sequences of five basidiomycetous fungi, Coleosporium tussilaginis , Gymnosporangium clavariaeforme , Puccinia poarum , Endophyllum sempervivi and Microstroma juglandis were determined. Despite high differentiation in their host spectra the four rust species are highly conserved with respect to their 5S rRna sequences, which fit with the basidiomycete cluster 5 described by Walker and Doolittle (1). The sequences obtained from the first three rust fungi were proven to be identical while the sequence from Endophyllum sempervivi showed two base substitutions compared with the other rust fungi. The Microstroma juglandis 5S rRNA sequence differs from all other basidiomycete 5S rRNA sequences published so far in respect to its secondary structure which shows an atypical 'CCA' loop in helix D, but it reveals typical basidiomycetous signature nucleotides. Therefore Microstroma juglandis represents a cluster of its own within the Basidiomycetes. A dendrogram was constructed based on Kimura's "Neutral Theory of Molecular Evolution".


Corresponding author: firstname.lastname@example.com , N. G. HĂDĂRUGĂ,L. CORPAŞ, I. GROZESCU, F. PETER "Politehnica" University of Timisoara, Faculty of Industrial Chemistry and Environmental Engineering, Applied Chemistry and Organic-Natural Compounds Engineering Department, 300006-Timisoara, Victory Sq. 2, Romania, Banat's University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Food Processing Technology, Food Quality Department, 300645-Timisoara, C. Aradului 119, Romania National Institute for Research & Development in Electrochemistry and Condensed Matter, 300224-Timisoara, Plautius Andronescu 1, Romania These authors contributed equally to the article (they are principal authors)


Although the impact of child sexual abuse (CSA) is well documented in the international literature, little is known about the critical points of recovery across the life course for survivors of institutional CSA. The aim of this study was to identify critical points, or events across the life course that may increase, or decrease, a survivor's vulnerability to the complex traumatization of institutional CSA (ICSA). The sample consisted of two hundred and forty-eight witness statements extracted from the 56 publicly available case studies presented to the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse during 2013–2016 (Commonwealth of Australia, 2017). A content analysis and thematic coding of the statements identified seven main themes in the witness statements (Gender, Organization, Triggers, Trauma, Mental Health, Intervention and Compensation), that appeared to be critical events across the life course. The themes were transformed into variables for further analysis using SPSS. Significant Likelihood Ratios were found between associations with the organization where the abuse occurred and between triggers and breastfeeding/sensory, breast feeding/childcare, emotional and physical distress, and mental health (p < 0.01). Significant associations were also found between receiving compensation for the CSA and triggers, trauma, breast feeding-sensory and childcare (p < 0.05) and gender and breast feeding (p < 0.05). Overall, the findings showed that triggers can be random across the life course occurring mainly through indirect association, or in situations that evoke memories of the CSA, and that receiving compensation can assist survivors in their recovery journey. The findings also indicate the need for health care professionals to be aware of the critical points in a CSA survivor's recovery and how triggers may impact on their mental welling throughout the life course.


In a double-blind randomized study, the dose response to captopril was studied in 12 severely hypertensive patients whose blood pressure had been previously controlled by this converting enzyme inhibitor, either in association with a diuretic (seven patients), or with a diuretic and a β-blocker (five patients). All patients received in random sequence 32.5, 75, and 150 mg/day of captopril in three divided doses. Significant correlations were revealed between the dose administered and the levels of arterial blood pressure, plasma renin, plasma aldosterone and plasma potassium. Under the conditions of this study, dose-response curves were obtained for concentrations of captopril between 0.5 and 4 mg/day/kg body weight.


The Korosh is an outlying Baloch group associated with the Qashqai tribal confederation of the Fārs province in southwestern Iran. Entirely isolated from Balochistan, the dialect of the Korosh, Koroshi, distinguishes itself in grammar and lexicon among Balochi language varieties. The phonology of Koroshi demonstrates a solid Balochi pedigree but not without major mu¬tations. Likewise, the nominal case-number system of Koroshi shows significant deviation from most other Balochi dialects. In verb morphosyntax a salient peculiarity is the coexist¬ence of two parallel systems of the imperfective, which appear to be stabilizing in an evolu¬tionary process of Koroshi aspect system. Borrowing from the neighboring languages is salient in the lexical domain, where Persian, the Fārs dialects, and Qashqai Turkic each play a part as the source language.


Fifty normal subjects (20 men, 30 women) were tested for maximal isometric contraction of the right knee extensor muscles while their hips were at angles of 100, 110, 120, and 130 degrees to the horizontal. The tested knee was positioned in 60 degrees of flexion. Knee-extensor force attained with the hip at 110, 120, and 130 degrees differed significantly greater than the knee force attained with the hip at 100 degrees. No significant difference in knee-extensor force was found when the hip angles varied between 110, 120, and 130 degrees. The findings were similar for both men and women. The results indicate a need for changes in the design of exercise units. Exercise units should provide for back stabilization with the hip positioned at varying angles and should be narrow enough to permit short subjects to grasp the sides of the unit.


Purpose of reviewThe present article reviews the literature on new methods for administering specific immunotherapy for the treatment of immunoglobulin E-mediated hypersensitivity to airborne and food allergens. The discussion will focus on allergen modifications, and new routes for delivering proteins to allergen-presenting cells. Recent findingsModified allergens address the issues of supply and standardization, but also have the potential to enhance the allergenicity of the protein, while decreasing the risk of producing severe reactions. The use of immunostimulatory adjuvants and recombinant proteins has increased, whereas new technologies, such as the encapsulation of allergens into nanoparticles, have also gained much attention. New delivery routes for specific immunotherapy continue to be explored, often in combination with allergen modification strategies, in order to shorten the duration of therapy, limit adverse events, and optimize patient adherence. Safety and long-term efficacy have been demonstrated for many of these new methods, and it is clear that there are multiple ways to stimulate the immune system for the purpose of allergen desensitization. SummaryDevelopments in the field of specific immunotherapy for allergic disease are accelerating rapidly because of advances in technology, but also because of the recognition that this disease-modifying therapy is a well tolerated, efficacious, and cost-effective option for individuals, which can improved their quality of life in a long-term fashion. Video abstracthttp://links.lww.com/COOH/A21


OBJECTIVE:Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is usually acquired in early childhood. Noninvasive methods for detection of H. pylori infection are required to study its incidence, transmission, and clearance. They should be easy to perform, inexpensive, and have a high diagnostic accuracy, especially in infants and toddlers. Both serology and the 13C-urea breath test (13C-UBT) do not fulfill all these requirements. The aim of this study was to evaluate a new enzyme immunoassay for detection of H. pylori antigen in stool (Premier Platinum HpSA, Meridian Diagnostics, Cincinnati, OH) in a large cohort of children and to compare it to invasive techniques and the 13C-UBT.METHODS:HpSA was performed in 310 stool samples of 274 children divided into three groups. Group A consisted of 145 children and adolescents (0.5–19.8 yr, 66/145 <6 yr) who underwent upper endoscopy for various gastrointestinal symptoms. H. pylori status was defined by histology, culture, and rapid urease test from biopsies of the antrum and corpus. A 13C-UBT was performed in 133 of 145 children. Group B consisted of 22 patients (5.7–16.1 yr) who were retested with both noninvasive tests 8 wk after anti-H. pylori triple therapy. Group C consisted of 129 healthy infants and toddlers (0.9–3.1 yr) who were tested with the 13C-UBT. Children with discrepant or positive test results were retested after 2 and 12 months. Results of the HpSA were read at 450/620 nm by spectrophotometry. An optical density <0.100 was defined as negative, >0.120 as positive, and values between 0.100 and 0.120 were considered as equivocal.RESULTS:In Group A, the HpSA gave false–negative results in five of 45 infected children and false–positive results in four of 100 noninfected children, whereas four patients (2.8%) showed equivocal results. In both infected and noninfected children, no relation between the optical density values and age was found. The 13C-UBT was correct in 132 of 133 children tested. In Group B, there was complete concordance between the HpSA and 13C-UBT: 19 children tested negative and three positive. In Group C, concordant results between the two noninvasive methods were found in 124 of 129 (96%) toddlers (122 negative and two positive). Retesting of five children with discrepant results revealed that, on initial testing, the HpSA was incorrect in two (one false–positive, one false–negative), and the 13C-UBT was incorrect in three (always false–positive).CONCLUSIONS:In symptomatic children, the HpSA revealed a sensitivity of 88.9% (95% CI 77.3–96.3) and a specificity of 94.0% (88.1–97.7) compared to the 13C-UBT, 100% (94.0–100) and 98.9% (94.7–100), respectively. However, in healthy toddlers, the HpSA performed as well as the 13C-UBT with excellent concordance between the two noninvasive tests. There was no age dependency of the stool test results, and changing the cutoff would not have improved accuracy. Thus, the HpSA test seems suitable to monitor the success of anti-H. pylori therapy.


The dynamics of the multiplication of gonococci and the parameters of their growth have been studied in the process of batch cultivation in liquid culture media with different content of bovine blood serum. The protective and stimulating action of the serum on the growth of gonococci has been shown. The optimization of the process of cultivation has been carried out; as a result, the growth of test strains in a culture medium containing no serum has been achieved. Phasic changes in the ultrastructure of gonococci in the process of their cultivation in liquid media have been followed. 9- to 12-hour cultures of gonococci grown in liquid culture media have been found the most valuable and physiologically active.


Marketing is a major force in business and society that began and ended the needs of consumers. The concept of marketing is a whole system of business activities to plan, determine pricing, promoting and distributing goods or services that can satisfy consumer needs, analysis of the results of the implementation of the strategy is important for the Promotion Mix done to see how far the influence of these promotion strategies in increasing the value company's sales. The results of this analysis will be useful as guidelines for the management of companies, especially companies Ciroyom market developers to take steps appropriate policies and targeted.
The data analysis process to organize and sort the data into patterns, categories and units so that the basic outline can be found in the theme and can be formulated as a working hypothesis based on the data, the authors analyzed the data using the method of calculating the average (mean), mode, and median             Implementation of the Promotion Mix PT.Anugrah Parahyangan Plaza is on the radio ads, billboard installation in strategic places, distributed brochures places crowded with ads consumers are expected to know more about PT.Anugrah Parahyangan Jaya so that companies can reap the results of purpose of the advertising that is increasing demand for early, developing the options on the company and the last to convince buyers of the products offered by PT.Anugrah Parahyangan Jaya can be enjoyed by consumers             Sales promotions conducted in PT.Anugrah Parahyangan Jaya using time rebate form discount if consumers buy a kiosk or shop at a specific time and is proven effective to stimulate sales in a short time and in the long term the company can attract new customers, sales personnel in PT . Anugrah Jaya Parahyangan by direct communication between the SPG to the consumer, usually PT.Anugrah Parahyangan Jaya following property trade show organized by Event Orgazer resulting in direct contacts between the SPG PT.Anugrah Parahyangan Jaya with consumers and this usually occurs when the consumer transaction fits with the bid offered by the company


Air Traffic Management (ATM) will be more complex in the coming decades due to the growth and increased complexity of aviation and has to be improved in order to maintain aviation safety. It is agreed that without significant improvement in this domain, the safety objectives defined by international organisations cannot be achieved and a risk of more incidents/accidents is envisaged. Nowadays, computer science plays a major role in data management and decisions made in ATM. Nonetheless, despite this, Artificial Intelligence (AI), which is one of the most researched topics in computer science, has not quite reached end users in ATM domain. In this paper, we analyse the state of the art with regards to usefulness of AI within aviation/ATM domain. It includes research work of the last decade of AI in ATM, the extraction of relevant trends and features, and the extraction of representative dimensions. We analysed how the general and ATM eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) works, analysing where and why XAI is needed, how it is currently provided, and the limitations, then synthesise the findings into a conceptual framework, named the DPP (Descriptive, Predictive, Prescriptive) model, and provide an example of its application in a scenario in 2030. It concludes that AI systems within ATM need further research for their acceptance by end-users. The development of appropriate XAI methods including the validation by appropriate authorities and end-users are key issues that needs to be addressed.


Despite advances in restoration of degraded lands around the world, native plants are still underutilized. Selection of appropriate plant materials is a critical factor in determining plant establishment and persistence. To better inform decision‐making, we examined cold‐hardiness dynamics, flowering phenology, and survival among five geographically distinct sulfur‐flower buckwheat (Polygonaceae: Eriogonum umbellatum Torr.) populations in a common garden. LT50 (a measure of freezing injury) was determined every 6 weeks across a complete year; one population was also evaluated at the source. Cold‐hardiness dynamics were similar across populations, with annual fluctuations in mean LT50 exceeding 40°C. Rate of deacclimation (i.e. loss of cold tolerance) in spring varied across populations and was not related to the elevation from which a population came. Plants were less cold hardy in October 2014 compared to October 2013, likely reflecting a response to colder local conditions in 2013. Although the range of LT50 was similar for a single comparison of common garden versus wild‐grown plants, wild‐grown plants acclimated and deacclimated earlier than common garden‐grown plants. Plants derived from a low‐elevation population showed delayed flowering phenology, while high‐elevation populations showed earlier flowering phenology, with one high‐elevation population having the lowest survival rate in the common garden. These results suggest that while considerable plasticity in seasonal cold‐hardiness dynamics occur, population variability in deacclimation and flowering phenology have implications for selection and movement of sulfur‐flower buckwheat for ecological restoration.


Mean-based thresholding methods are among the most popular techniques that are used for images segmentation. Thresholding is a fundamental process for many applications since it provides a good degree of intensity separation of given images. Minimum cross-entropy thresholding (MCET) is one of the widely used mean-based methods for images segmentation; it is based on a classical mean that remains steady and limited value. In this paper, to improve the efficiency of MCET, dedicated mean estimation approaches are proposed to be used with MCET, instead of using the classical mean. The proposed mean estimation approaches, for example, alpha trim, harmonic, contraharmonic, and geometric, tend to exclude the negative impact of the undesired parts from the mean computation process, such as noises, local outliers, and gray intensity levels, and then provide an improvement for the thresholding process that can reflect good segmentation results. The proposed technique adds a profound impact on accurate images segmentation. It can be extended to other applications in object detection. Three data sets of medical images were applied for segmentation in this paper, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Alzheimer's, MRI brain tumor, and skin lesion. The unsupervised and supervised evaluations were used to conduct the efficiency of the proposed method.


A 3D hierarchical meso- and macroporous Na3V2(PO4)3-based hybrid cathode with connected Na ion/electron pathways is developed for ultra-fast charge and discharge sodium-ion batteries. It delivers an excellent rate capability (e.g., 86 mA h g(-1) at 100 C) and outstanding cycling stability (e.g., 64% retention after 10,000 cycles at 100 C), indicating its superiority in practical applications.


The purpose of this study is to present emergency rehabilitation, cause and the countermeasure of reinforcement about reinforced retaining wall and the slope collapse of the phyllite ground. The study area is broken easily because this area has rock mass discontinuity such as stratification, foliation, joint and fold. And this area consists of the ground where it happens easily to the failure of structure like reinforced retaining wall because of the phyllite ground sensitive to weathering. Counterweight fill in front of reinforced retaining wall was performed as emergency rehabilitation about displacement of reinforced retaining wall and the failure at the rear of slope on phyllite ground. After that, additional displacement didn't occur. Boring and geophysical exploration were launched to present emergency rehabilitation and develop the long-term method of reinforcement. This could grasp anticipated range of the failure section and identify internal and external factors of the cause of the slope collapse. Several methods of reinforcement were suggested by conducting the numerical analysis. When conducting design and construction of major structures at the ground which has complex discontinuities, the precise site investigation should be conducted. During construction, immediate action for over-displacement should be taken by performing the periodic measurement.


Optical technology is poised to revolutionise short reach interconnects. The leading candidate technology is silicon photonics, and the workhorse of such interconnect is the optical modulator. Although silicon does not have a linear electrooptical effect and modulators in silicon use free carrier modulation, there has been a dramatic improvement of their performance in recent years. Most notably the bandwidth has increased from the MHz to the multi GHz regime in less than a decade. Minimising metrics such as the energy per bit, and device footprint, whilst maximising bandwidth and modulation depth are non trivial demands. All of this must be achieved with acceptable thermal tolerance and optical spectral width, using CMOS compatible fabrication processes. Here we discuss the techniques that have, and will, be used to implement silicon optical modulators, as well as the outlook for these devices, and the candidate solutions of the future.


In January 2011, the idea of Millennium Consumption Goals (MCGs) was first proposed at the United Nations, because unsustainable patterns of consumption and production have led to multiple problems threatening the future of humanity. The global economy driven by consumption already uses natural resources equivalent to almost 1.5 planets earth, with the world's richest 1.4 billion consuming almost 85% of global output, which is over 60 fold the consumption of the poorest 1.4 billion. The consumption of the rich is not only ecologically unsustainable, but also "crowding out" the prospects of the poor and exacerbating inequalities that increase the risk of conflict and global unrest. The MCGs provide an innovative future vision and complement the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) that aim to help the world's poor. First, the MCGs seek to address the issues of global poverty and inequality by ensuring that the basic consumption needs of over 2 billion poor people are met. Next, the MCGs will provide benchmarks for the consumption of the rich, which will reduce the burden on the world's natural resource base. Instead of viewing the affluent as a problem, the novel approach of the MCGs would persuade them to contribute to the solution without having to reduce their quality of life. The MCGs apply even‐handedly to the rich in all countries. The concept enjoys broad support worldwide and is being promoted by a global coalition called the MCG Initiative (MCGI). A bottom‐up approach has already been started by many pioneering individuals, communities, organizations, firms, cities, regions and nations. They prefer not to wait for broad multilateral agreements and are acting now, to voluntarily pursue their own specific MCGs. A parallel top‐down path is being pursued through mandatory agreements at the United Nations/international level, starting with the Rio+20 Earth Summit and beyond. The MCGs fit in with other major UN initiatives like Agenda 21, the MDGs, green economy, SCP and the Sustainable Development Goals.


Deposits of Markada and Kurrachine Dolomite Formations were studied in more detailsin the area of INA's Concession, Hayan Block in central Palmyrides, Syria. Database comprises logs, cores, cuttings and reports from the surrounding wells. Palmyrides are considered as atype example of an intracontinental transpressive mountain belt, 400 km long and 100 km wide, striking N45o ; E from the Anti-Lebanon Mountains and the Dead Sea fault system. Markada formation, Carboniferous, predominantly consist of shale/sandstone intercalations with minor siltstone and limestone. Sandstones were grouped into four (A, B, C and D) genetic packages for correlation purposes. The depositional environment was a near shore marine setting. The major sanstone layers were deposited as small delta distributora mouth bars and/or meandering tidal channel sands that merged and pinched out laterally. Minor sandstone and siltstone were deposited as over bank depositsand crevasse-splay deposits from the main distributora channels. Intertidal clays and occasional limestone, are evidence of period of low clastic sedimentation rates (low energy) and flooding of the shallow marine platform that allowed the deposition of thin carbonate beds. Petrographic analyses indicate that sandstones southern of the study area is classified as sub arkoses, moderately sorted with angular to subangular quartz grains and K-feldspars (microcline) and plagioclase feldspars as subordinate components. Subarcose sandstones are of granite provenance, usually deposited proximal to the source area. On the other side, sandstones from the northeast are quartz arenites, containing sub rounded to sub angular grains of monocrystalline quartz and rare chert. Dandstones are fine grained and well sorted. Quartz arenite sanstones seem to more distal that subarcose sandstones from the south. Porosity=12-14%, permeability h=26-75 md, v015-46 md. It may be concluded thata the source area for clastics was from southern provinces (Arabian shield) from where was via deltaic/river system transported to the shallow shelfs and epeiric seas on Gondwana land which was to the NE during Carboniferous surrounded by the Palaeo-Tethys ocean. According to the wire line logs motives interpretation and "depositional energy modelling" it is evident that higher energy is always connected with better reservoir properties. Kurrachine Dolomite Formation, Middle-Upper Triassic, consists predominantly of various carbonate types, dolomite and limestone, evaporites, shale/claystoneand represents the major Mesozoic reservoir for gas (predominantly), condensate and oil in Palmyrides. Formation is subdivided according to its reservoir properties into subunits C2, D1, D2 (from the top to the bottom). c2-Secondary reservoir-interbedded dolomite, limestone, anhydrite, shale and claystone. The more evaporitic carbonate phases and anhydrite in the C2 are interpreted as chemical sediments of lacustrine (saline-lake) origin. These cycles were driven by cyclical variations in rainfall, aridity, influx of clay-silt fines into the basin, repeated isolation of the basin and repeated phases of evaporation of gypsum precipitation. Each of the sedimentary cycles is capped by decimetre to metre scale unit of bedde anhydrite. The plaeogeographic model for C" is a basin which many times "went lacustrine" trough repeated interludes of evaporation to gypsum precipitation, and isolation from Tethys, Average porosity 5-8. D1-Primary reservoir-it is generally shoaling-upward, cyclical carbonate sequence devoid of terrigenous sediments. Terminates upward at an irregular, sharp contac where it is overlain by a sequnce of mostly dark gray to dark greenish-gray shale. Long cycle of the D1 was accumulated an a dominantly muddy, middle/lower to inner/shallow shelf that shoaled briefly to tidal-flat conditions. D1 is divided into 3 informal subzones: Lower Dolomite: has the best reservoir properties ; represents lower partof the long marine cycle. Consists of poorly stratified, fine-to-coarse crastalline dolomite. Original grains and textures are obscured to some extend because of fabric "coarsening" by dolomitisation, but Lower Dolomite appears to have been bioclastic carbonate sand. Pore system are varied and include intercrystal, occasional, moldic and interparticle pores and a abundance of rather small, mm-cm scale vugs of irregular shapes. Middle Limestone: upper part of the long marine cycle. Represent a regime of lime-mud accumulation on a shallow shelf that ended with brief shoaling to intertidal conditions. Upper carbonate: includes Upper Dolomite interval and minor evaporites at the top. Shoaling upwared evaporite-capped cycle. Average porosity 8-9%. D2-reservoir-sequence of interbedded shale, dolomite and lime mudstone. Upper part of D2 represents a shoaling-upward succession from basinal or distal ramp/slope to lower shelf/ramp sediments. The upper D2 contains no evaporites and unlike the overlying D1 and C2shows no evidence of deposition in either shallow-marine, peritidal or non-marine environments. Average porosity 2-7%.


Transmission laser welding of thermoplastic polymers offers innovative solutions to overcome limitations of conventional joining technologies. Different process strategies provide to flexibility, short process time and high quality weld seams. However, even if laser beam welding of thermoplastics becomes widely used in industry, important developments are necessary with regard to the assembly process and the development of specific polymers. Generally, the assembly is done by contour welding or quasi-simultaneous welding (using scanning heads). Simultaneous welding can be another interesting alternative as well the possibility to achieve direct simultaneous welding while using an arrangement of compact and modular set up of power diode laser. This process shows important advantages as the short process time, no dynamic motion system and increased gap bridging capability. Main constraints are the control of the beam intensity distribution and the lack of flexibility concerning the seam geometry. A specific optical system to allow simultaneous welding using a conventional fibre coupled laser was developed. This beam shaping optic assures an homogeneous intensity distribution and can easily be exchanged when changing the geometry of the seam.An example of electronic packaging using this innovative process is presented in this article.Transmission laser welding of thermoplastic polymers offers innovative solutions to overcome limitations of conventional joining technologies. Different process strategies provide to flexibility, short process time and high quality weld seams. However, even if laser beam welding of thermoplastics becomes widely used in industry, important developments are necessary with regard to the assembly process and the development of specific polymers. Generally, the assembly is done by contour welding or quasi-simultaneous welding (using scanning heads). Simultaneous welding can be another interesting alternative as well the possibility to achieve direct simultaneous welding while using an arrangement of compact and modular set up of power diode laser. This process shows important advantages as the short process time, no dynamic motion system and increased gap bridging capability. Main constraints are the control of the beam intensity distribution and the lack of flexibility concerning the seam geometry. A specific...


To explore how heparan sulfate (HS) controls the responsiveness of the breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 to fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), we have exposed them to HS preparations known to have specificity for FGF-1 (HS glycosaminoglycan (HSGAG A)) or FGF-2 (HSGAGB). Proliferation assays confirmed that MCF-7 cells were highly responsive to FGF-2 complexed with GAGB, whereas migration assays indicated that FGF-1/HSGAGA combinations were stimulatory for the highly invasive MDA-MB-231 cells. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction for the levels of FGF receptor (FGFR) isoforms revealed that MCF-7 cells have greater levels of FGFR1 and that MDA-MB-231 cells have greater relative levels of FGFR2. Cross-linking demonstrated that FGF-2/HSGAGB primarily activated FGFR1, which in turn up-regulated the activity of mitogen-activated protein kinase; in contrast, FGF-1/HSGAGA led to the phosphorylation of equal proportions of both FGFR1 and FGFR2, which in turn led to the up-regulation of Src and p125FAK. MDA-MB-231 cells were particularly responsive to vitronectin substrates in the presence of FGF-1/HSGAGA, and blocking antibodies established that they used the αvβ3 integrin to bind to it. These results suggest that the clustering of particular FGFR configurations on breast cancer cells induced by different HS chains leads to distinct phenotypic behaviors.


In this paper, we improved the classical Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) by choosing a group of sparse orthonormal basis to be the discriminative vectors. Unlike the traditional null space LDA which merely focus on a group of orthonormal basis, we constrain the discriminative vectors to be sparse. In this case, each of the vectors merely contains part of information of the original feature of observations so that the projection of observation on the LDA space can be better classified by finding the most similar discriminative vectors.


This article argues that courts should allow defendants, held liable for contributing to the state common law public nuisance of global warming, to comply with a judicial abatement order with the use of emissions offset credits purchased or otherwise obtained from third parties. Such an option would be in contrast to the usual remedy in a public nuisance suit: changes, by the defendant, to its own operations in order to abate its contribution to the public nuisance. In addition to the benefit of cost-effectiveness, I argue that this option could trigger a greenhouse gas emissions trading market. Such a market could function until such time as a federal regulatory program is enacted. Given that the federal program is likely to allow emissions trading, the market would enhance the success of the subsequent regulatory program.


For the last two decades, performance management theories and practices have focused on outcome-oriented management but have paid little attention to the role of public communication. Using multiple large data sets from Kansas City, Missouri, for 2009–14, this research suggests that the perceived effectiveness of public communication has a more substantial impact on public satisfaction with police protection and crime prevention than neighborhood crime rates and broken windows factors and that perceived effectiveness moderates the negative impact of crime rates. After controlling for residents' demographic characteristics, the authors find that the perceived effectiveness of communication is associated with public satisfaction with the content and quality of the city website and the government television channel. The implications for public safety management and police–citizen relations as well as directions for future research on public communication strategies and public performance management are presented.


Currently there is great interest in using organic semiconductors to develop novel flexible electronic applications. An emerging strategy in organic semiconductor materials research involves development of composite or layered materials in which electronic and ionic conductivity is combined to create enhanced functionality in devices. For example, we and other groups have employed ionic motion to modulate electronic transport in organic field‐effect transistors using solid electrolytes. Not only do these transistors operate at low voltages as a result of greatly enhanced capacitive coupling, but they also display intriguing transport phenomena such as negative differential transconductance. Here, we discuss differences in operation between traditional (e.g., SiO2) and electrolyte‐based dielectrics, suggest further improvements to currently used electrolyte materials, and propose several possibilities for exploiting electrolytes in future applications with both organic and inorganic semiconductors.


Aim To evaluate the distinct contribution of obesity and diabetes (DM) to the skin modification in metabolic diseases. Methods We analysed all patients admitted for bariatric surgery in our hospital with BMI between 38 and 47 kg/m2, with (Group 1) or without (Group 2) DM and compared them with a group of nonobese diabetic patients (Group 3) and healthy volunteers (Group 4). The following features were evaluated: hardness, temperature, hydration and thickness alongside with anthropometric measures of foot and leg. Results For the general characteristics, patients differed in age and body mass index. As predictable all circumferences (dorsal foot, sovramalleolar and under the knee) were significantly higher in obese with no differences depending on DM (all parameters: p<0.01 in Group 1 and Group 2 vs Group 3 and Group 4). Skin temperature was significantly higher in all obese, irrespectively from the presence of DM (1st metatarsal head: p=0.02 Group 1 and Group 2 vs Group 3 and Group 4; 5th metatarsal head: p<0.01 in Group 1 and Group 2 vs Group 3 and Group 4). Skin hydration score showed increased anhydrosis in both diabetics and severe obesity (p<0.01 in Group 1 and Group 3 vs Group 2 and Group 4). Increase in thickness of skin and subcutaneous tissues was observed (at heel: p<0.01 in Group 1 and Group 2 vs Group 3 and Group 4 and under the scaphoid p=0.03 Group 1 and Group 2 vs Group 3 and Group 4) and plantar fascia (in both regions p=0.02 Group 1 and Group 2 vs Group 3 and Group 4) in all obese patients, with or without DM. Conclusion Severe obesity significantly affects both shape and structure of the foot, possibly exposing these patients to a higher risk of biomechanical stress. On such a background DM, modifying skin hydration and protective mechanisms exerts a synergistic role further increasing the risk of trauma and ulcers.


Adult rats were fed diets containing 0, 25, 50, 100, 200, or 400 g lactalbumin/kg diet for 10 days, and the activities of six cecal microbial enzymes were determined. Total activity per cecum of azoreductase, beta-glucosidase, and urease increased significantly with increasing dietary protein, whereas the activities of beta-glucuronidase and nitroreductase were not significantly affected. Nitrate reductase activity decreased significantly. Total numbers of cecal bacteria were not significantly altered by the treatment.


Dab2 is a multifunctional adapter protein which is frequently under-expressed in a variety of cancers. It is implicated in many critical functions, including several signaling pathways, cell arrangement, differentiation of stem cells, and receptor endocytosis. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) is a secreted multifunctional protein that controls several developmental processes and pathogenesis of many diseases. It has been documented that Dab2 played an important role in TGF-β receptors endocytosis. Here, we present evidence that re-expression of Dab2 in SK-BR-3 cell partially restored its ability to deplete TGF-β in surrounding medium by normalizing the trafficking of TGF-β receptors. We also demonstrate that the difference in TGF-β depletions produced by Dab2 expression was sufficient to impact on the conversion of naive CD4+ T cells to regulatory T cells (Tregs), and thus inhibited the proliferation of T cells. This work revealed a critical result that breast cancer cell was deficient in Dab2 expression and related receptor endocytosis-mediated TGF-β depletion, which may contribute to the accumulation of TGF-β in tumor microenvironment and the induction of immune tolerance.


Effects of partial drawdowns, drawdown timing, and tilling on vegetation and seed production for waterfowl were tested in ponds at the Lewisville Aquatic Ecosystem Research Facility in north-central Texas. Vegetation lists, percent cover (PC), and above-ground biomass (AGB) revealed partial drawdowns produced a typical zonation of wetland plants: submergent macrophytes in deep-flooded zones; cattail (7ypha sp.), black willow (Salix nigra), and sedges in shallow-flooded zones; forbs in moist zones adjacent to water; and, grasses in upper, drier zones. Seed production of grasses, sedges, and forbs generally reflected vegetation present in each soil-moisture zone. Taxon richness of emergent plants was highest in dewatered zones. Drawdown timing did not affect taxon richness of emergent plants within dewatered zones, but forb and sedge PC and AGB, and grass AGB, were highest during 1993 spring drawdown. The majority of grasses and forbs had higher seed production during 1992 late-summer/early-fall drawdown, whereas sedges produced more seeds during spring drawdown. Black willow occurred most frequently and cattail was first recorded during spring drawdown. Most submergent macrophytes were unaffected by drawdown timing. Soil disturbance with rototilling created diversity in ponds by increasing taxon richness of emergent plants, encouraging annuals, and discouraging perennials. PC, AGB, and seed production of forbs and grasses generally increased and decreased, respectively, with tilling, whereas sedges were not affected. Cattail and black willow occurred most frequently in tilled areas. Most submergent macrophytes were not affected by tilling, except southern naiad (Najas guadalupensis), with higher PC in tilled plots. Waterfowl visiting ponds utilized regions according to water depth and plant communities. Gadwall (Anas strepera) and American wigeon (A. americans) were most often observed within deep zones supporting submergent vegetation. Although data were not statistically significant, blue-winged teal (A. discors) and green-winged teal (A. crecca) occurred most often in shallow zones supporting emergent vegetation and seeds. Therefore, partial drawdowns, variations in drawdown timing, and soil disturbance, were effective in providing a variety of vegetation and seeds for a diversity of migrant and wintering waterfowl.


Author(s): Krupansky, Cassandra Jung-Yun | Advisor(s): Featherstone, John DB; Zhan, Ling | Abstract: Abstract Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of xylitol-containing wipes on reducing maternal and non-maternal transmission of mutans streptococci (MS) in infants aged 6-35 months. Methods: Forty-four mother-infant pairs participated in a double-blinded randomized controlled clinical trial, and were assigned to xylitol-wipe or placebo-wipe groups. Mothers were instructed to use 2 wipes 3 times daily for their infants. Saliva samples were collected from mothers and infants at baseline, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year for MS enumeration and colonies of 21 mother-infant pairs were genotyped by arbitrarily primed polymerase chain reaction. Results: All mothers assessed had MS infection. MS colonization was found in 12 infants, with maternal transmission only in 4 infants. There was no significant difference in MS colonization rates of infants in the xylitol (56%) and placebo wipe groups (76%) at 1 year, but more diverse and less retained MS genotypes were noted in xylitol wipe group. Maternal MS strains only accounted for 9% of total genotypes in these infants. Most non-maternal MS genotypes were transient (92%), whereas most maternal transmitted MS genotypes were retained (80%). Conclusions: Non-maternal MS transmission is an important source for MS colonization in infants. Daily xylitol wipe use may affect the sustainability of MS in infant.


Connecting molecular interactions to emergent properties is a goal of physical chemistry, self-assembly, and soft matter science. We show that for fatty acid bilayers, vesicle rupture tension, and permeability to water and ions are coupled to pH via alterations to lipid packing. A change in pH of one, for example, can halve the rupture tension of oleic acid membranes, an effect that is comparable to increasing lipid unsaturation in phospholipid systems. We use both experiments and molecular dynamics simulations to reveal that a subtle increase in pH can lead to increased water penetration, ion permeability, pore formation rates, and membrane disorder. For changes in membrane water content, oleic acid membranes appear to be more than a million times more sensitive to protons than to sodium ions. The work has implications for systems in which fatty acids are likely to be found, for example in the primitive cells on early Earth, biological membranes especially during digestion, and other biomaterials.


Araruama lagoon is one of the largest permanent hypersaline lagoons in the world and has been impacted for twenty years by sewage dumping. In early 2005, a Prasinophyceae (Pseudoscourfieldia sp) phytoplankton bloom occurred, leading to fish mortality during subsequent summers (2006 and 2007). In this context, the aim of the present study was to accompany this historical period through the use of biochemical biomarkers in mullet (Mugil liza) during and after the algal bloom. Mullet were collected from Araruama Lagoon in June and July 2005 and August 2007, as well as from a reference lagoon with no algal blooms, Saquarema Lagoon. Several enzymatic activities in liver were analyzed, namely glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT), total glutathione S-transferase (GSTt), specific GSTπ (pi) and GSTμ (mi) classes and ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD), as well as muscle acetylcholinesterase activity (AChE). In 2005, only EROD activity was significantly increased at Araruama Lagoon, indicating induction of the biotransformation enzyme system (CYP 1A1). GSTπ, on the other hand, was lower in the Araruama Lagoon, especially in 2005, when compared to mullet from Saquarema lagoon (reference area). These results highlight the importance of developing actions that go beyond the physical-chemical monitoring of these environments, since the study of ecological relationships and the physiology of organisms affected by algal blooms also include biochemical parameters to evaluate new approaches to icthyotoxicity.


ABSTRACT Graphene exhibits both excellent stretch and specific surface area. As a consequence, graphene has attracted immense attention for its applications lately. It worked well when bonded with copper composites. Unfortunately, however, there are little of such composites. To facilitate researchers to work better in the future, this article reviews its synthesis. There are two routes, including direct synthesis and indirect synthesis, which could be used to prepare copper/graphene. Simultaneously, the development and prospects of copper/graphene composite material have been discussed.