Magnetic hydrogels (ferrogels) are soft materials with a wide range of applications, especially in biomedicine because (i) they can be provided with the required biocompatibility; (ii) their heterogeneous structure allows their use as scaffolds for tissue engineering; (iii) their mechanical properties can be modified by changing different design parameters or by the action of magnetic fields. These characteristics confer them unique properties for acting as patterns that mimic the architecture of biological systems. In addition, and (iv) given their high porosity and aqueous content, ferrogels can be loaded with drugs and guided towards specific targets for local (non-systemic) pharmaceutical treatments. The ferrogels prepared in this work contain magnetic particles obtained by precipitation of magnetite nanoparticles onto the porous surface of bentonite platelets. Then, the particles were functionalized by adsorption of alginate molecules and dispersed in an aqueous solution of sodium alginate. Finally, the gelation was promoted by cross-linking the alginate molecules with Ca2+ ions. The viscoelastic properties of the ferrogels were measured in the absence/presence of external magnetic fields, showing that these ferrogels exhibited a strong enough magnetorheological effect. This behaviour is explained considering the field-induced strengthening of the heterogeneous (particle–polymer) network generated inside the ferrogel. This article is part of the theme issue 'Patterns in soft and biological matters'.


Background: Aspirin use, especially at high dosage and long duration, decreases colon cancer risk but widespread aspirin use for preventing colon cancer is not recommended for individuals at average risk of colon cancer due to its associated side effects. However, particular subgroups at higher risk of colon cancer may benefit more from aspirin use. Limited epidemiological studies have investigated the aspirin-colon cancer association within these subgroups to date. Objective: We investigated prospectively whether the aspirin-colon cancer association was stronger among three groups at increased risk of colon cancer: obese participants; physically inactive participants; or participants with higher levels of plasma C-peptide. We examined the aspirin association by these risk factors because they may affect colon cancer risk via similar underlying pathways. Design: We evaluated the aspirin-colon cancer association according to body mass index (BMI) and physical activity in 1,701 incident colon cancer cases diagnosed during follow-up of 139,350 participants for up to 26 years in 2 prospective cohort studies. We estimated multivariable study-specific relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using a Cox proportional hazards model and pooled the results using a random effects model. We used a logistic regression model to analyze whether plasma C-peptide level modified the aspirin-colon cancer association using a nested case-control design (n=384 cases, 749 controls). We tested for multiplicative interactions by including a cross-product term for aspirin use and the potential effect modifier to evaluate whether the relative benefit of aspirin use on colon cancer risk was the same across lower and higher risk groups. We conducted additive interaction analyses by calculating the synergy index to evaluate whether the absolute reduction in colon cancer risk differed across lower and higher risk subgroups. Results: Regular aspirin use was significantly associated with a 28% (95% CI: 20%-35%) lower risk of colon cancer compared to non-regular use. A dose-response relation was observed for both higher dosage and longer duration of use (tests for trend, P-value Conclusions: Reductions in colon cancer risk associated with aspirin use were not significantly modified by BMI, physical activity or plasma C-peptide level in this study. More studies are warranted to confirm these findings and to continue identifying subgroups of individuals who may benefit more from aspirin use. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2010;3(12 Suppl):B75.


Individual yeast cells can be successfully isolated and recultured on plates with a new isolation method making use of optical trapping with infrared laser light. The cells can be selected on morphological criteria by high resolution microscopy. The isolation device is constructed from two coverslips separated by spacers, in which selected cells are transferred to a plastic capillary, using the optical trap. To test the procedure, selection experiments were done with a mixture of two Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, distinguishable both in fluorescence microscopy and on agar plates. These experiments showed that only selected cells were isolated, and close to 100% of the isolated stationary‐phase cells formed colonies on agar plates, indicating a high recovery. A lower recovery was obtained with exponential‐phase cells, possibly because of a higher sensitivity to laser irradiation. Applications for this method may include the isolation of mutants with altered morphology and the isolation of subpopulations of yeast cultures, for their separate investigation or for the initiation of pure cultures.


Decarbonization represent one of the main challenges of the maritime transport sector for the near future. As recent international environmental regulations have set more stringent emission limits, the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) as alternative ship fuel has proven to be a viable and less-polluting solution, compared to conventional oil-based fuels. However, LNG is a highly flammable substance and safety aspects need to be assessed thoroughly, especially for its use on board passenger ships.Two different gas engine concepts are typically used for ship propulsion: Low-Pressure Dual Fuel (LPDF) and High-Pressure Dual Fuel (HPDF) engines. Regardless of the gas engine technology, the fuel gas supply system process equipment is located inside a specific enclosed space, the fuel preparation room (FPR), that can be sited below deck. Given this background, this study aims to investigate the consequences of LNG pool fires occurring inside a confined space, assessing the influence of different operating conditions. Credible loss of containment events were identified to define the characteristics of LNG pools. Furthermore, LNG pool fires were simulated using the fire dynamic simulator (FDS) to estimate the radiation heat flux received by the process equipment installed inside the FPR and to assess the possibility of experiencing accident escalation on board. To evaluate the effect of forced mechanical ventilation of the FPR, two different cases were modelled: one assuming the standard functioning of the ventilation system, while the other one considered a halted air supply inside the FPR with a working exhaust system only. The outcomes of this study provide useful data for the consequence estimation of small-scale LNG pool fires occurring inside enclosed spaces, also addressing the possibility of accident escalation on board LNG-fuelled ships.


In this study, a new type of fluorescent lamp is proposed, and it is demonstrated that the fluorescent lamp with a well-designed filter can provide higher illuminance and air cleaning function without consuming extra electricity power. The filter with high reflectance is used to cover the vents of the lampshade and the heat from the lamp is utilized to drive the air up and through the filter such that the air can be filtered and cleaned. The results show that the fluorescent lamp indeed provides higher illuminance and the increased rate of the illuminance due to the filters is far much higher than that of the power consumption of the fluorescent lamp due to the filters. Meanwhile, after the 14-week test on the filter, the light transmittance of the filters reduces below 50% but the illuminance just decreases 3.2%. Therefore, the filter can indeed capture the contaminants in the air but does not diminish the entire illuminance for the long time use. Furthermore, this concept can also be applied to design the new types of luminaire for all kinds of light sources or modify the existing luminaire to meet the energy saving and ecoproduct requirements.


Population demographics and reproductive performance of Thoroughbred populations have been described, but the most recent assessment of the South African Thoroughbred population was reported two decades ago. Objectives of this study were to report demographic data for selected Thoroughbred breeding populations and to analyse selected mare-level variables in association with foaling outcomes, as predictors of reproductive performance. The National Horseracing Authority of Southern Africa's stud health scheme requires annual screening of Thoroughbred stallions, maiden and barren mares for venereal pathogens prior to breeding. In 2018 and 2019, 1 065 and 1 207 horses were sampled, respectively. Demographic data were sourced from laboratory sample submission forms that accompanied samples and supplemented by data gathered from the annual Thoroughbred foal identification programme. Univariate analysis of candidate predictors of successful foaling outcomes was performed followed by assessment in a multivariable model.Median ages of mares and stallions tested in 2018 and 2019 were nine and 11 years, respectively. Nearly twice the number of barren compared to maiden mares were tested in each year, and failure to conceive was the most common reported reason for classification as barren. Of mares tested in 2018 and 2019, 68.1% (95% CI 65.1, 70.9) and 63.3% (95% CI 60.4, 66.1), respectively, subsequently produced foals that were presented for identification. Mare age, rather than reproductive status, was a significant predictor of having a foal presented for identification. In conclusion, novel demographic data were described for South African Thoroughbred populations. Seasonal foaling rate as the selected measure of reproductive performance for sampled mares ranged from 63.3% to 68.1% and declined with increasing mare age.


Abstract Objective The interaction between thyroid status and brown adipose tissue (BAT) activation is complex. We assessed the effect of autoimmune hypothyroidism (ATD) in female children on BAT activation, measured using infrared thermography. Design Twenty-six female participants (14 with ATD and 12 healthy controls) between 5 and 17 years of age attended a single study session. Thermal images were taken of the supraclavicular region before, and after, the introduction of a cool stimulus. Results Participants with ATD had lower resting (hypothyroid, 34.9 ± 0.7°C; control, 35.4 ± 0.5°C; P = 0.03) and stimulated (hypothyroid, 35.0 ± 0.6°C; control, 35.5 ± 0.5°C; P = 0.04) supraclavicular temperatures compared with controls, but there was no difference between groups in the temperature increase with stimulation. BAT activation, calculated as the relative temperature change comparing the supraclavicular temperature to a sternal reference region, was reduced in participants with ATD (hypothyroid, 0.1 ± 0.1°C; control, 0.2 ± 0.2°C; P = 0.04). Children with ATD were frequently biochemically euthyroid due to replacement therapy, but, despite this, increased relative supraclavicular temperature was closely associated with increased TSH (r = 0.7, P = 0.01) concentrations. Conclusions Girls with ATD had an attenuated thermogenic response to cold stimulation compared with healthy controls, but, contrary to expectation, those with suboptimal biochemical control (with higher TSH) showed increased BAT activation. This suggests that the underlying disease process may have a negative effect on BAT response, but high levels of TSH can mitigate, and even stimulate, BAT activity. In summary, thyroid status is a complex determinant of BAT activity in girls with ATD.


We have investigated the electronic and magnetic properties of Co-doped Pr0.8Ca0.2MnO3 thin films using various spectroscopic techniques. X-ray absorption and hard x-ray photoemission spectroscopy revealed that the substituted Co ions are in the divalent state, resulting in hole doping on the Mn atoms. Studies of element-selective magnetic properties by x-ray magnetic circular dichroism found a large orbital magnetic moment for the Co ions. These spectroscopic studies reveal that the substituted Co ions play several roles of hole doping for Mn, ferromagnetic superexchange coupling between the Co2+ and Mn4+ ions, and orbital magnetism of the Co2+ ions. Competition among these complex interactions produces the unique electronic and magnetic behaviors including enhanced coercivity of the Co-doped Pr0.8Ca0.2MnO3.


Obesity is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and cardiovascular disease. Dissection of the molecular mechanisms underlying obesity and its relationship to insulin resistance and the metabolic syndrome are essential for developing new strategies for prevention and treatment of these disorders. Both excess adipose tissue and lack of adipose tissue cause insulin resistance and dyslipidemia, suggesting that normal fat is required for the maintenance of systemic glucose and lipid homeostasis. Recent advances in obesity research have led to the recognition that adipose tissue is an active endocrine organ that secretes multiple bioactive factors termed adipokines. Secretion of adipokines provides a link between adipose tissue lipid accumulation and the metabolic function of other tissues such as liver and muscle. Dysregulation of adipokines is emerging as an important mechanism by which adipose tissue contributes to systemic insulin resistance and metabolic disease.


Brine soaking is one of the most important steps in the production of Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, since it determines the amount of salt in the final product. Reduction in salt in Parmigiano Reggiano cheese might be important for improving its nutritional profile, but it could affect the manufacturing processes by altering proteolysis and consequently the product quality. In this study, for the first time, salt reduction was explored at the industrial level on real cheese samples manufactured in a local dairy. In particular, 20 wheels were produced with conventional (18 days, 10 wheels) and shorter (12 days, 10 wheels) brining steps. In every group, wheels were studied at two different ripening times, 15 and 30 months. A shorter brining time resulted in an average 12% decrease in salt content. A full characterization of free amino acids and peptides was performed by LC-MS on all samples. Free amino acids and peptides, as expected, increased with ripening, due to proteolysis, with samples having low salt content showing a slightly faster increase when compared to standard ones, hinting to a slightly accelerated proteolytic process. Nonetheless, low-salt and conventional cheeses shared similar sensory profiles at both ripening times.


Abstract Analysis of the interaction energy of N-1-alkylitaconamic acids to explain the miscibility behavior of polymers containing this moiety is performed. In order to calculate the interaction energy, many conformations of the N-1-alkylitaconamic acid fragments containing ethyl, propyl, butyl, hexyl, octyl, decyl, and dodecyl were selected randomly from molecular dynamic simulations. It was assumed that miscibility and other properties are determined by the enthalpy of mixing, ΔHmix, that ΔHmix is dominated by the local interactions between segments of the polymer chains, and, furthermore, that PΔVmix contribution can be ignored. The polymer miscibility is discussed by using interaction energies calculated from molecular mechanics studies on pairs of small polymer fragments. By this method and by using the Blend package (Accelrys), good correlations between the interaction energy and the Gordon Taylor constant (KGT) values for blends of poly(N-1-alkylitaconamic acids) and poly(4-vinylpyridine) previously reported are obtained. The analysis of the energies shows that Coulombic energies decay rapidly being almost "zero" as the side-chain lengths reach near eight carbon atoms. On the contrary, the van der Waals interaction (VDW) energies decay in a linear way as the length of the side chain increases. The slope of the VDW energies is an estimation of the energetic contribution per methylene unit to the blending process. The slope in this case is 570 cal/mol, which is a value very close to that experimentally reported in the literature for related systems. The blend energy was calculated, and good correlation with the experimental results is obtained.


Flow regulation, which has largely eliminated flooding along the Rio Grande in central New Mexico, has substantially changed the riparian ecosystem. We investigated managed flooding as a means of restoring ecosystem function. After collecting baseline data during 1991 and 1992 in two riparian forest sites that had not flooded for about 50 years, we flooded an experimental site for 27–32 days during late spring of 1993, 1994, and 1995, leaving the reference site unflooded. During the final year of the study we compared these sites to two additional sites located within the riverside levee, one of which has been flooding naturally while the second remained largely unflooded. Three years of experimental flooding did not change the total biomass of either woody debris or forest‐floor litter at the experimental flood site. Both woody debris and forest‐floor litter, however, were significantly lower at the natural flood site than at the experimental flood site and two unflooded sites. Leaf and wood decomposition rates increased with flooding. The decay rate for cottonwood logs at the unflooded site (0.010 per year) predicted a half‐life of 69.3 years, while the decay rate of 0.065 per year after 3 years of experimental flooding predicted a half‐life of 10.6 years. This suggests that a decade of annual flooding may be used to restore the organic debris to pre‐regulation levels. Flooding may also have caused an increase in litter production. These results suggest that experimental flooding has initiated a process of restoring ecosystem function within the riparian forest.


Based on clinical cases, the author shows the advantage of free sensory flaps for covering defects in the region of the planta. As compared with other types of flaps, these are more resistant and tolerate the normal load.


Abstract Mixed epithelial-stromal tumours (MESTs) are a rare biphasic tumour that frequently arise in women from the renal and urogenital tract. They are also seen in men but are exceptionally uncommon with only few cases reported to originate from the seminal vesicles. Malignant transformation of its epithelial or stromal components is possible; however, by in large, these tumours are benign in nature. We report the case of a 48-year-old man with no remarkable medical or surgical history who presented with a huge expanding pelvic and intra-abdominal mass that required extensive surgical management including a pelvic exenteration. Histopathological analysis concluded the diagnosis of benign MEST originating from the seminal vesicles with no malignant features. No further systemic therapy was recommended for our patient. Given the technical intricacy in the operative resection of this tumour, we aim to present our findings and surgical management of this complex MEST.


The clinical course of 104 patients with ulcerative colitis who underwent primary surgery at ≥70 years was retrospectively examined. Pre- and postoperative patient conditions determined the choice of surgical procedure. Approximately half of the patients underwent restorative proctocolectomy, resulting in relatively good defecation function. In addition, the long-term outcomes of patients who underwent permanent ileostomy were favorable. However, the postoperative complication and mortality rates were high in all patients, including those with low preoperative performance status due to long-term hospitalization. In this patient population, surgery should be conducted before decreased performance status due to long-term hospitalization.


After completing this article, readers should be able to:

1. Delineate features of a medical history that should raise suspicion for an inborn error of metabolism.

2. Describe common ocular findings associated with inborn errors of metabolism.

3. List the primary clinical findings of inborn errors of metabolism associated with encephalopathy without metabolic acidosis.

4. Delineate the categories of inborn errors of metabolism associated with encephalopathy and metabolic acidosis.

The rapid deterioration of a previously healthy-appearing neonate is one of the most stressful scenarios in medicine. Unless appropriate therapy is initiated without delay, there is a high risk of morbidity or mortality, regardless of the etiology of the acute illness. Any infant who presents with feeding difficulties, vomiting, jaundice, failure to thrive, apnea or tachypnea, hypotonia or hypertonia, seizures, lethargy, or coma should be considered as suffering from diseases in one of two broad categories: 1) disorders resulting from causes such as infection, cardiopulmonary dysfunction or other causes of hypoxemia, toxins, trauma, or congenital structural brain abnormalities or 2) disorders caused by an inborn error of metabolism. Because metabolic diseases are individually rare, there is a tendency to consider them only after excluding more common causes of neonatal distress. However, the aggregate incidence of inborn errors of metabolism is relatively high, with as many as one child in every 1,000 births being affected. The clinician must consider these disorders in all neonates who have nonspecific features of distress upon initial presentation. In many cases, only rapid diagnosis and management can prevent death or significant morbidity. Appropriate laboratory investigations should be obtained immediately. Even simple tests such as measurement of blood gases, glucose, electrolytes, lactate, and ammonia and the evaluation of urine for ketones may provide valuable clues to the underlying diagnosis.

Most inborn errors of metabolism are inherited as autosomal recessive traits or, as …


Citronellol, an oxygenated monoterpene, is found naturally in the essential oils of several aromatic plants and has been reported to exhibit growth inhibitory and pesticidal activities. However, its mechanism of action is largely unexplored. We investigated the effect of citronellol, which is lipophilic in nature on membrane integrity in terms of lipid peroxidation, conjugated dienes content, membrane permeability, cell death, and activity of the enzyme lipoxygenase in roots of hydroponically grown wheat. Citronellol (50 - 250 μM) caused a significant inhibition of root and shoot growth. Furthermore, exposure to citronellol enhanced the solute leakage, increased the malondialdehyde content and lipoxygenase activity, and decreased the conjugated diene content. This indicates that citronellol induces generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) resulting in lipid peroxidation and membrane damage. This was confirmed by in situ histochemical studies indicating cell death and disruption of membrane integrity. We conclude from this study that citronellol inhibits the root growth by ROS-mediated membrane disruption.


The purpose of this study was to investigate the pattern, mean and differences of measurements between men and women on vertical dentocraniofacial cephalometric values of open bite subjects with anterior tongue thrust. There were 27 subjects between ages of 12-28 years, 6 men and 21 women of which thirteen vertical dentocraniofacial variables were obtained from measurements taken from lateral cephalometrics; ANS-Me, N-Me, S-Go, CC-Go, SN-MP, N-ANS, PP-MP, Y-axis, UPDH, LPDH, ANS-UI, LI-MP and overbite. The means of values of ANS-Me, N-Me S-Go and CC-Go were compared with the norms based on Deuteromalay population and SN-MP, PP-MP, Y-axis UPDH, LPDH, ANS-UI, LI-MP with the norms based on Caucasian population. The obstacle of this study was the unavailable norms of vertical dentocraniofacial cephalometric for Deuteromalay population. Generally the pattern of vertical dentocraniofacial of open bite subjects with anterior tongue thrust shows the long face syndrome.


1. The addition of manganese in a concentration as low as 1.8 x 10–5 M stimulates both respiration and germination markedly and eliminates the need for heat activation of spores respiring in inorganic salts-glucose. 2. Rapid germination and respiration of B. megatherium spores require a proper balance of ions in the nutrient medium. The repressive effect of a high phosphate concentration can be eliminated or balanced by chloride, or by other monovalent anions. Adenosine can relieve the necessity for chloride in such a system.


We report on the performance of antenna-coupled submicron thin-film Ni-NiO-Ni diodes used as detectors for 10 μm CO2-laser radiation. The fabrication process of the diodes and the antenna design have been described elsewhere1,2. We investigated the laser-induced signal by varying the angle between the antenna axis and the linearly polarized electric field vector of the incident laser radiation for different temperatures between T=77 K and T=335 K. As reported previously1,2 the recorded voltage consists of a polarisation dependent and a polarisation independent part. The period between the two maxima in the curve is 180 degree. The difference between a voltage peak and a voltage valley is found to be half of the maximum total signal. Experiments performed in the past1 with MOM diodes of different contact sizes (1 μm2 and 0.12 μm2) demostrated that the polarisation dependence is strongly related to the size of the contact area and was therefore attributed to antenna coupling. For the experiments described in this abstract the MOM diodes were heated to 335 K and cooled to T=77 K. The part of the response of the diode not affected by the polarisation decreases up to 55% whilst the polarisation dependent part exhibits no change with temperature or slightly increases for some diodes. These experiments confirm definitely that the polarisation dependent part of the signal is due to antenna coupling whereas the polarisation independent part is mainly caused by thermal effects.


Monocytes, defined by staining with the Mo-2 and Leu-M3 monoclonal antibodies which both detect the CD14 antigen, were studied in peripheral blood of control subjects and patients with rheumatoid arthritis as well as in rheumatoid synovial fluid of the latter for expression of activation/differentiation markers. The monocytes in the rheumatoid synovial fluids showed increased expression of class II major histocompatibility antigens (HLA-DR and -DQ) and decreased positivity for the peanut agglutinin receptor as compared with those from patient and control peripheral blood. There were no differences in phenotype between the control and patient peripheral blood monocytes. These findings are consistent with the hypothesis that monocytes are activated and differentiate into more mature macrophage-like cells after entry into the rheumatoid joint.


Antimicrobial activity of hydroperoxides and cyclic peroxides has been studied. 2,4-Dihydroperoxy-2,4-dimethylpentane (1) and 2,5-dihydroperoxy-2,5-dimethylhexane (2) were active against microorganism, but 1 showed a large specially against C. albicans, M. luteus and B. subtilis with a MIC value of 31.5 mcg/ml.


Three patients with hepatic abscess were treated by percutaneous drainage ultrasonographically or tomographically guided. The treatment was effective in two out of three patients. The low morbidity and the high success rate obtained suggest that this therapeutic modality should be used before considering any surgical approach.


Ex vivo culture of human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) under either low O2 tension or Notch signal activation driven by Delta1 ligand (Delta1) have been independently shown to primarily expand short-term HSPCs. In contrast, we have previously demonstrated a significant (5-fold) expansion of long-term repopulating HSPCs upon combination of these two strategies, suggesting synergy between Notch and hypoxia signaling pathways. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying this synergy in HSPCs could provide new insights to further enhance expansion by combined activation of these pathways. Given the stoichiometric relationship between the number of Notch receptors (Notch 1-4) and Notch signaling intensity, we assessed whether hypoxia regulated Notch receptor expression. G-CSF mobilized human CD34+ cells from 3 healthy subjects were cultured for 0, 4, 24, or 48hrs in the presence of cytokines (SCF, FLT3L, TPO), under hypoxic (1.5-2.0% O2) or normoxic (21% O2) conditions. Using flow cytometry, Notch 3 expression was not detected in CD34+ cells and no differences in the expression level of any of the other Notch receptor isoforms (Notch 1, 2 and 4) were observed regardless of O2 tension. Another unique aspect of Notch signaling is that the receptor must undergo enzymatic cleavage to initiate signal transduction. These cleavage events culminate in the nuclear translocation of the intracellular domain of notch (ICDN) where it binds to Notch promoter regions, leading to the expression of Notch regulated genes. It has been suggested that a shift in energy metabolism from aerobic to glycolytic may lead to an enhancement of these cleavage events. To directly measure the differences in Notch cleavage events, CD34+ cells from 2 healthy donors were cultured for 24 hours under hypoxic or normoxic conditions, followed by a 1-hour exposure to Delta1. Cells were then collected, processed and stained with antibodies specific to the cleaved ICDN of Notch 1, 2, and 4. Using ImageStream analysis, preliminary data suggest that hypoxia accelerates the rate of Notch 2 receptor intracellular signaling by as much as 2-fold at this early time point. Another potential mechanism by which hypoxia may modulate Notch signaling is via protein-protein interaction of the ICDN and HIF1α, a master transcriptional regulator of cellular response to hypoxia. To assess this possible interaction, CD34+ cells were cultured in chamber slides as described above. After exposure to Delta1, cells were fixed, permeabilized, and labeled with antibodies specific for cleaved ICDN and HIF1α. Ten cells per condition (i.e. normoxia or hypoxia, +/- Delta1) were imaged with a Zeiss 780 inverted confocal microscope. Using Imaris and Interactive Data Language (IDL) software, all high resolution images were analyzed to determine the subcellular localization of each protein. As expected, exposure to Delta1 increased the levels of cleaved ICDN, and hypoxia increased the levels of HIF1α detected. Interestingly, the combination of hypoxia and Delta1 exposure resulted in a significant increase in the ICDN-HIF1α Pearson's coefficient of colocalization (PCC = 0.51) compared to control groups without Delta1 (PCC [normoxia] = 0.17, p<0.0001; PCC [hypoxia] = 0.26, p<0.05). Finally, to assess whether the observed ICDN-HIF1α interaction led to a recruitment of HIF1α to Notch promoter regions and thereby upregulate Notch-driven genes, ChIP-qPCR was performed on cells cultured under the same conditions described above. Samples were fixed, lysed, and immunoprecipitated through an anti-HIF1α column. Selected protein/DNA conjugates were then eluted and qPCR was performed on the captured DNA fragments. In cultures exposed to hypoxia and Delta1, ChiP-qPCR results indicated a significant enhancement of HIF1α /promoter interaction at the Hey-2 gene, a major downstream target of HIF1α. No DNA from this region was detected in the normoxia+Delta1 control sample (0.02% of input vs. below the level of background, p<0.05). Taken together, these data suggest that the synergy between hypoxia and Notch in human HSPCs may be driven by an enhancement of Notch signaling events, a protein-protein interaction between ICDN and HIF1α, and a recruitment of HIF1α to the promoter region of Hey-2, a gene traditionally thought to be regulated by Notch alone. Experiments are ongoing to further understand these mechanisms and their relationship to HSPC expansion.

 No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Objective According to the increase of older people, the need for effective methods to maintain or improve cognitive functions in the elderly has increased. These cognitive enhancing methods may contribute to the prevention of elderly cognitive decline by aging and dementing illness as well. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of multistrategic memory training with the metamemory concept on cognitive functions in the normal health elderly in Korea. Methods The program used in this study was developed by psychiatrists and psychologists in accordance with Korean situations. We applied the training program to the community-dwelling elderly with subjective memory complaints. Twenty participants were randomly received the intervention with 20 non-treatment controls. This program consisted of 10 sessions and was administered once a week. We examined the effects of this memory training for verbal memory, visuospatial memory, working memory, and verbal fluency ability by repeated ANOVA. Results There were significant improvements in Word List Short-term Delayed Free and Cued Recall, Word list Long-term Delayed Free and Cued Recall and visuospatial recognition memory. Performance improvements in visuospatial span forwards and the Categorical Fluency Test were also significant. These improvements were still significant after adjusting for depression improvement exact categorical fluency. Conclusion This study shows that multistrategic memory training with the metamemory concept may improve memory ability and other cognitive functions which are not trained and that these improvements may be achieved by pure cognitive training effects.


The problem of sound source localization is to determine the position of sound sources using the measurement of the acoustic signals received by microphones. To develop a good sound source localization system which is applicable to a mobile platform such as robots, a time delay estimator with low computational complexity and robustness to background noise or reverberations is necessary. In this paper, an explicit adaptive time delay estimation method for a sound source localization system is proposed. Proposed explicit adaptive time estimation algorithm employs direct adaptation of the delay parameter using a transform-based optimization technique, rather than a gradient-search-based optimization. This new adaptation method shows less computational burden, fast tracking performance for non-stationary signals, more robustness to reverberant environment. Performance of the proposed method is shown through computer simulations.


Synthesis, characterization, and use of an amidoalane precursor for the deposition of high-quality and low-impurity aluminum nitride films by atomic layer deposition. This study highlights the importance of smart precursor design in order to deposit high-quality thin films at low cost and high efficiency.


The entire history of the Partito della Rifondazione Comunitsta (PRC) was marked by the long standing dilemma faced by all sizeable parties of the radical left, whether to be a party of govenrnment or a party of protest. This tension was aggravated by the heterogeneous nature of the forces that created it in 1991, an amalgam of leftists but governmentally-orientated currents from the Partito Comunista Italiano with far left activists linked to the Italian protest movements of the 1960s and 1970s. All the PRC's major splits were caused by disagreements over whether to support, even join, govenrments backed by the more moderate left or to act as the parliamentary voice of protest movements. The PRC survived splits in 1995 and 1998 over whether to give external support to Berlusconi's more moderate opponents but ultimately its entry into the Prodi government of 2006-8 destroyed it as a serious electoral force.


Purpose. When a patient is diagnosed with lung cancer, members of his/her social network may be more likely to engage in smoking cessation efforts. Proactive telephone counseling combined with a tailored self-directed intervention may be more effective at promoting smoking cessation than a tailored self-directed intervention alone. Design. Randomized controlled trial. Setting. Four clinical sites. Subjects. Current smokers who are family members and close friends of patients with lung cancer. Intervention. Six counselor-initiated counseling calls using motivational interviewing techniques and focusing on teaching adaptive coping skills based on the transactional model of stress and coping along with tailored self-directed materials (including nicotine patches, if not contraindicated) (n = 245) vs. tailored self-directed materials (including nicotine patches, if not contraindicated) (n = 251). Measures. Participants were surveyed at baseline and at 2 weeks, 6 months, and 12 months postintervention. The outcome was 7-day point prevalent abstinence. Analysis. The objective of this study was to test for arm differences in smoking cessation rates at 2 weeks and 6 months postintervention (primary) and at 12 months postintervention (secondary). Results. We found no overall effect of the proactive intervention on cessation rates. Among younger participants (age <50), the cessation rate in the intervention group was higher than in the control group at 2 weeks postintervention (16% vs. 4%, p = .046). For older participants (age >50), there were no group differences. Conclusion. Proactive telephone counseling focusing on adaptive coping skills was difficult to implement among smokers in lung cancer patients' social network. Although this study did not demonstrate any added benefit to cessation rates, this null finding may be a result of an intervention that was weaker than intended, owing to difficulties in completing the counseling phone calls. We discuss lessons learned and areas for future research in this special population.


Earth's history shows a steady stream of extreme climatic change, spanning everything from planet-engulfing glaciers to tropical conditions near high latitudes. These large climate shifts are often attributed to permanent changes: the opening of a new waterway, the evolution of photosynthesizing plants, or massive bouts of erosion. Punctuating each long stretch of roughly steady climate are smaller transient shifts in environmental conditions commonly associated with changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration. Yet the initial change in the climate system that led to the shift in carbon dioxide concentration for each period often remains unknown.


Thomas Mann (1875-1955) wrote his «novel of the epoch» «Doctor Faustus» (1947) living in USA during the Second World War while inevitable approaching of the «German catastrophe» and soon after it. The conference reports consider this text in various socio-cultural contexts and interdisciplinary perspectives including musicological. The philosophical, aesthetic, thematic and theoretical-literary relevance of this literary text today was reliably demonstrated.


Large glenoid defects after revision surgery for total arthroplasty of the shoulder impose a surgical challenge. The use of a tricortical bone graft from the iliac crest has been advocated to restore osseous integrity between the scapular bone and the glenoid baseplate. However, in the absence of osseous landmarks correct base plate implantation regarding inclination and version is extremely difficult. A new technique for a staged exchange of a chronically infected shoulder prosthesis is described. After removal of all implants, 3-dimensional (3D) computed tomographies of the scapula and of the ipsilateral pelvis were obtained. A 3D model of the glenoid defect was generated and "transposed" to the 3D model of the iliac crest. Implantation of the baseplate into the pelvic bone and resection of the pelvic bone block were both guided by patient-specific instruments (PSI). The glenoid base plate and the pelvic bone block were transferred to the native glenoid. Press fit was immediately achieved and fixation screws were placed with the PSI-drill guides. Postoperative radiologic assessment showed accurate implantation of the glenoid baseplate within 5 degrees of the preoperatively planned position for inclination and version. Combined preoperative 3D planning and the use of PSI allow precise bony reconstruction and implantation of glenoid baseplate even in difficult revision cases.


We add a phase variable and its corresponding operator to the description of the hydrogen atom. With the help of these additions, we device operators that act as ladder operators for the radial system. The algebra defined by the commutation relations between those operators has a Casimir operator coincident with the radial Hamiltonian of the problem. The algebra happens to be the well-known su(1,1) Lie algebra, hence the phase-dependent eigenfunctions calculated within our scheme belong in a representation of that algebra, a fact that may be useful in certain applications. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem 107: 1608 -1613, 2007


The performance of Multilayer Feed Forward Artificial Neural Network in image compression using Conjugate Gradient algorithm is examined in this paper. One of the essential factors that affect the performance of Artificial Neural Networks is the learning algorithm. In this paper we presented the algorithm for implementation of digital image compression using MFFANN with 64 input neurons, 13 or 64 neurons in hidden layer that are determining compression rate and 64 output neurons. Based on Conjugate Gradient algorithm compressed for TIF, JPEG, PNG and BMP images. Compression of image in any form is an active field and big business. Image compression is a subset of this huge field of data compression, where we undertake the compression of image data specifically. The performance of compression is evaluated using some standard images. It is shown that the development of architecture and training algorithm provide high compression ratio. The results of simulation are shown and compared different quality parameter of it's by applying on various images.


We have measured optically detected cyclotron resonance using far-infrared radiation on an exceptionally pure sample of GaAs in fields up to 15.5 T. This relatively new experimental technique is shown to offer high resolution of free and donor impurity-bound electron transitions without the reproducibility problems of photoconductivity. The data confirm the existence of metastable donor states and provide a detailed picture of chemical shifts. The optically detected cyclotron resonance signal represents an interaction between the donor bound electron states which are influenced by the far-infrared radiation and the donor bound exciton states which are responsible for the photoluminescence. Attenuation of the luminescence intensity under far-infrared illumination is primarily the result of a photothermal effect. At high fields, there is indication of an interaction between the electron and excitonic energy levels.


Cell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) is a versatile technique gaining popularity because it allows researchers access to on-demand production of proteins. This Commentary by Zachary Russ and John Dueber discusses the latest research article by Rui Gan and Michael Jewett, which reports a convenient and cost-effective methodology for the preparation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae-based CFPS reactions.


Effort invested in computer measurement and evaluation is clearly increasing, but the results of this increasing investment may be unfortunate. The undeniable value of the results and the enthusiasm of participants may be leading to unrealizable expectations. The present artistry needs to be converted into a science for achieving a solid future; the most fruitful direction may be the synthesis of individual, empirical discoveries combined with testing hypotheses about performance relationships.


The goal of an algorithm substitution attack (ASA), also called a subversion attack (SA), is to replace an honest implementation of a cryptographic tool by a subverted one which allows to leak private information while generating output indistinguishable from the honest output. Bellare, Paterson, and Rogaway provided at CRYPTO '14 a formal security model to capture this kind of attacks and constructed practically implementable ASAs against a large class of symmetric encryption schemes. At CCS'15, Ateniese, Magri, and Venturi extended this model to allow the attackers to work in a fully-adaptive and continuous fashion and proposed subversion attacks against digital signature schemes. Both papers also showed the impossibility of ASAs in caseswhere the cryptographic tools are deterministic. Also at CCS'15, Bellare, Jaeger, and Kane strengthened the original model and proposed a universal ASA against sufficiently random encryption schemes. In this paper we analyze ASAs from the perspective of steganography – the well known concept of hiding the presence of secret messages in legal communications. While a close connection between ASAs and steganography is known, this lacks a rigorous treatment. We consider the common computational model for secret-key steganography and prove that successful ASAs correspond to secure stegosystems on certain channels and vice versa. This formal proof allows us to conclude that ASAs are stegosystems and to "rediscover" several results concerning ASAs known in the steganographic literature.


The article presents the application of the PIvot Pairwise RElative Criteria Importance Assessment (PIRECIA) method for ranking alternatives. The PIPRECIA method is primarily intended for determining the significance (weight) of criteria, but it can also be used for completely solving decision-making problems. So far, this method has not been used for completely solving multiple criteria decision-making problems, which is why this article presents the application of the PIPRECIA method for the evaluation and ranking alternatives. The process of evaluating alternatives using the PIPRECIA method is shown on an example of evaluating the websites of some hotels located in Southern and Eastern Serbia.


Two-dimensional steady surface waves on a shearing flow are computed for the special case where the flow has uniform vorticity, i.e. in the absence of waves the velocity varies linearly with height. A boundary-integral method is used in the computation which is similar to that of Simmen & Saffman (1985) who describe such waves on deep water. Particular attention is given to the effects of finite depth with descriptions of waves of limiting steepness, waves with eddies beneath their crests and extremely high waves on high-speed flows. Many qualitative features of these waves are relevant to steep waves propagating in shallow water, or on a strong wind-induced drift current. An important practical point in the interpretation of wave measurements of wind driven waves is that mean kinetic energy and potential energy densities are unequal even for infinitesimal waves. This may mean that wave energy spectra deduced from surface-elevation measurements in the conventional way may sometimes be misleading.


The neutron star low-mass X-ray binary EXO 0748−676 started a transition from outburst to quiescence in August 2008, after more than 24 years of continuous accretion. The return of the source to quiescence has been monitored extensively by several X-ray observatories. Here, we report on four XMM-Newton observations elapsing a period of more than 19 months that started in November 2008. The X-ray spectra contain a soft thermal component that we fit with a neutron-star atmosphere model. In only the first observation do we find a significant second component above ∼3 keV accounting for ∼7% of the total flux, which might be indicative of residual accretion. The thermal bolometric flux and the temperature of the neutron star crust decrease steadily by 40% and 10%, respectively, between the first and the fourth observations. At the time of the last observation in June 2010, we obtain a thermal bolometric luminosity of 5.6 × 10 33 (d/7.1 kpc) 2 erg s −1 and a temperature of the neutron star crust of 109 eV. The cooling curve is consistent with a relatively hot medium-mass neutron star cooling by standard mechanisms. From the spectral fits to a neutron-star atmosphere model, we infer limits to the mass and the radius of the neutron star. We find that to achieve self-consistency between the neutron-star masses derived using the different methods, the value of the distance is constrained to be <6 kpc. For this value of the distance, the derived


Obesity is a major human health problem associated with various diseases, including cardiac injury and type 2 diabetes. Trapa japonica Flerov (TJF) has been used in traditional oriental medicine to treat diabetes. In this study, we evaluated the inhibitory effect of and the mechanism underlying the effect of TJF extract on adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 cells. The effects of TJF extract on cell viability were analyzed using a 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, and the anti-adipogenic effect was measured by oil red O staining. The expression of peroxisomal proliferator activated receptor (PPAR)γ, CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein-α (C/EBP)α, adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), adiponectin, and fatty acid binding protein (FABP)4 involved in adipogenesis was determined by western blot analysis. TJF extract effectively inhibited lipid accumulation and the expression of PPARγ and C/EBPα in 3T3-L1 cells. TJF also increased the phosphorylation of AMPK and ACC, and decreased the expression of adiponectin and FABP4. These results indicate that TJF extract exerts its anti-obesity effect through the downregulation of adipogenic transcription factors and adipogenic marker genes.


Quantification of evapotranspiration (ET) continues to be challenging especially when attempting to evaluate ET at basin scales. Extending approaches to whole basins or larger regions is difficult due to issues related to landscape heterogeneity and scale. Reliable areal estimates of ET are essential for accurate modelling of the hydrological cycle and for assessing water-use of different ecosystems. A riparian corridor along the Rio Grande (USA) dominated by Tamarisk (salt cedar) is being studied to determine daily and total seasonal water-use. Local estimates of ET in the Tamarisk were made using eddy covariance instrumentation mounted on two towers. Radiometric temperature at the top of the canopy was also measured using a fixed-head infrared thermometer. The combination of these data will be used to evaluate evapotranspiration estimates along the corridor using data remotely sensed from an aircraft platform that have been acquired periodically for a large extent of the riparian zone.


The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has caused Indonesia to take several actions and strategies in controlling the spread of infection. Padang is one of the cities in West Sumatera, Indonesia that has the highest number of COVID-19 cases. The usage of technology as a tool to minimize contact with infection in dental health care has been proven effective. However, teledentistry as an implementation of this technology is often hampered by legal issues, especially in data security.

 The purpose of this study is to determine dental practitioners' understanding of legal elements of teledentistry in Padang, West Sumatera, Indonesia.

 An electronic questionnaire survey with 10 questions was developed by Google Forms, validated, and distributed electronically by zoom to 168 dental practitioners before and after the intervention.

 Collected data were analyzed for statistical significance by using SPSS software (Version 16.0). .

 There is a lack of prior knowledge of teledentistry in legal aspects among dental practitioners. A significant level of percentage of participants' knowledge regarding the teledentistry legal aspects has increased after the intervention.

 The majority of the respondents in this survey lacked adequate information and understanding of the legal aspects of teledentistry. Seminars and training are needed to increase dental practitioners' knowledge of the legal issue in teledentistry.


Water policies in Utah and Nevada have created a sense of entitlement when it comes to fresh water. The result of that attitude is catching up to them both in the form of a worsening water shortage. Southern Nevada stands in a particularly difficult spot, as its population has grown nearly as rapidly as its water sources have depleted. Consequently, southern Nevada has looked eastward for new sources of fresh water, specifically in the Snake Valley region between Nevada and Utah. A majority of the available water, how ever, lies underneath Utah, creating a political and geographical debate that has raged for over 20 years. Many questions in the debate have focused on which side deserves what, but the true question is whether anyone besides the Snake Valley itself deserves the water in the first place. This article will seek to answer that question, specifically by looking at water policies in each state and determining the actual roots of the problem. The Snake Valley dispute could, ideally, be an indication that water policies must change. Suggestions will be given as to how both states' policies could change, which would solve not only the Snake Valley dispute, but those which will inevitably follow it if current policies remain.


Continuous wave Doppler ultrasound was used in vitro to assess the pressure differences across four different cardiac bioprosthetic valves in a pulsatile flow test apparatus. Valves were tested under four different flow conditions. Pressure differences were calculated from the maximum flow velocity measured by Doppler ultrasound and correlated well with the pressure differences measured directly in the flow model (r = 0.98). Thus Doppler ultrasound can accurately measure pressure differences across bioprosthetic valves in vitro.


Heat shock protein 90 (HSP90) is a ubiquitously expressed molecular chaperone that controls the folding, assembly and activity of proteins, many of which are involved in signal transduction. Recent work has shown that HSP90 is present extracellularly, indicating a heretofore under-appreciated requirement for extracellular chaperoning, particularly among migratory cells. We applied immunological and surgical techniques to document the differential expression of HSP90 during ascidian development. Relative to other cell types during development, test cells and trunk lateral cells (TLCs), two migratory cell types in the ascidian Boltenia villosa, express elevated levels of HSP90. Late in embryogenesis, test cells deposit HSP90 onto the tunic, the second report of extracellular HSP90 during animal development. The pyurid ascidian Halocynthia igaboja and the styelids Cnemidocarpa finmarkiensis and Botrylloides violaceus all express HSP90 at elevated levels in larval mesenchyme, suggesting that this pattern of expression is widespread in the Ascidiaceae. We show that HSP90 expression in TLCs and test cells is coincident with the presence of HNK-1. Whereas in B. violaceous, cell populations expressing elevated levels of HSP90 are distinct from those expressing HNK-1, in B. villosa both these antigens are present in the TLCs. We evaluate existing hypotheses about test cell function and, in reference to the similarities between test cells and some of the descendants of TLCs, hypothesize that test cells are TLC descendants. Implications for the proposed evolutionary relationship between TLCs and neural crest are briefly discussed.


In this opinion piece, I offer an alternative vision to the TEF that positions universities at the heart of communities and society through greater collaboration among higher education institutions and involving the public. I argue that this approach is a rewarding way for academic staff to develop their teaching capabilities and innovate, to improve the student taught experience at universities. Using measures such engagement in professional development and innovations in teaching as a result of it that have an impact on student learning, is my alternative to the TEF.


The tyrosine kinase receptor EphB4 and its ligand ephrin-B2 interact through cell-to-cell contacts. Upon interaction, EphB4 transmits bidirectional signals. A forward signal inside EphB4-expressing cells is believed to suppress tumor growth, while inside the ephrin-expressing cells, an oncogenic reverse signal arises. In breast cancer cells with a high EphB4 receptor expression the forward signal is low, in part due to the low expression of the ligand ephrin-B2. Therefore, we hypothesized that by re-introducing the ligand in EphB4-positive cells, tumor suppression could be induced by the stimulation of the forward signal. This question was addressed in vitro by the stable lentiviral infection of breast cancer cells with either wild-type EFNB2 or with a mutant EFNB2-5F, unable to transmit reverse signaling. Furthermore, we investigated ephrin-B and EphB4 protein expression in 216 paraffin-embedded tumors using immunohistochemistry. The in vitro results indicated that ephrin-B2 expression was associated with a lower cell proliferation, migration and motility compared with the control cells. These effects were more pronounced when the cells lacked the ability to transmit the reverse signal (B2-5F). In clinical material, ephrin-B protein expression was associated with a positive estrogen receptor (ER) status, a low HER-2 expression and was negatively associated with Nottingham histologic grade (NHG) III. Ephrin-B expression indicated a good prognosis, whereas EphB4 expression was associated with a shorter metastasis-free survival in univariate and multivariate analysis. Furthermore, the prognostic value of EFNB2 and EPHB4 was confirmed at the gene expression level in public datasets. Thus, on the whole, the findings of this study suggest that ephrin-B2 expression is associated with less proliferation and lower motility of breast cancer cells and with a longer patient survival in breast cancer.


Advice to stay active is the primary management strategy for sciatica. Other conservative treatments such as neural management techniques may also contribute to sciatica recovery, but currently, the effects have not been robustly assessed. Thus, the aim of this study is to compare the effects of adding neural management to advice to stay active versus advice to stay active alone in improving pain intensity and functional limitation. Secondarily, to compare the effects of the experimental intervention in the sciatic neurodynamic, pain modulation, and psychosocial factors. A parallel-group, controlled, examiner-blinded superiority clinical trial randomised at a 1:1 allocation will be conducted in 210 participants with chronic sciatica. Patients will be recruited from outpatient physiotherapy clinics and community advertisements. The experimental group will receive neural mobilisation techniques and soft tissue mobilisation techniques for 30 minutes per session, 10 weekly sessions, plus advice to stay active on their activities of daily living, information on physical activity, imaging tests, and sciatica for 5 biweekly sessions lasting 25–30 minutes. The control group will receive advice to stay active only. The re-evaluation will be performed out after 5 weeks, 10 weeks, and 26 weeks after randomisation and primary endpoints will be pain intensity and functional limitation at 10 weeks. Secondary outcomes will include neuropathic symptoms, sciatic neurodynamic, pain modulation, and psychosocial factors. Adverse events and patient satisfaction will be assessed. Ethical approval has been granted from an Institutional Human Research Ethics Committee. Trial registration: Trial was prospectively registered in the Brazilian Registry of Clinical Trials (number: RBR-3db643c).


This study focuses on the decomposition of pentachlorophenol(PCP) by an electron beam (E-beam) process. To attain this objective, we investigated the reactive species generated from E-beam process during irradiation (reaction time 0.6 s) and G-values of PCP decomposition and effects of pH and H2O2 as an additive. The effect of pH values was independent on the decomposition of PCP. However, during E-beam irradiation a scavenging effect of added H₂O₂ (> 1mM) for the decomposition of PCP was shown, which was supported by the decreased amounts of Cl? produced by the decomposition of PCP. Meanwhile, oxalic acid and unidentified organic chlorine compounds as by-products were increased by the addition of H₂O₂. Thus, in order to enhance the efficiency of PCP decomposition, the E-beam process has to consider a proper concentration of H₂O₂ as a well-known source of strong oxidant hydroxyl radical.


Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text Aims Practice guidelines recommend sacubitril/valsartan for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. The aim of our study was to describe the use of sacubitril/valsartan in real-world clinical practice to help identify patients best able to tolerate titration to higher doses. Methods We retrospectively analyzed clinical data for 201 patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction prescribed sacubitril/valsartan at our heart failure clinic (Centro Cardiologico Monzino) between September 2016/December 2018. Patients had a mean age of 67.2 years, mean left ventricular ejection fraction of 30.1%, New York Heart Association class II (65%), class III (35%), and poor cardiopulmonary exercise capacity. Median 2-year risk of death/urgent cardiac transplantation was 8.9% [Metabolic Exercise Cardiac Kidney Index (MECKI) score]. Results After a median follow-up of 230 (interquartile interval: 105–366) days, 57 patients achieved higher-dose sacubitril/valsartan, 103 tolerated medium/low doses, nine died, and 20 interrupted treatment. The highest dose of sacubitril/valsartan was reached by younger patients with better hemoglobin (Hb) levels, renal function, and blood pressure (BP). Patients continuing on sacubitril/valsartan had significantly higher serum Hb and sodium, better BP, and lower MECKI scores than patients who discontinued treatment or died during follow-up. Our patients were older and frailer than those in the pivotal PARADIGM-HF trial. Conclusion In our experience, more than one-third of the patients were able to tolerate the higher dose of sacubitril/valsartan, and these patients were younger, had higher Hb, and better BP and renal function. MECKI score stratification was useful to discriminate patients who continued treatment from those who did not. Future prospective studies should test if these clinical variables can guide the up-titration of sacubitril/valsartan.


Peer review has become commonplace in composition courses and is increasingly employed in the context of telecommunication technology. The purpose of this experiment was to compare the effects of anonymous and identifiable electronic peer (e-peer) review on college student writing performance and the extent of critical peer feedback. Participants were 92 undergraduate freshmen in four English composition classes enrolled in the fall semesters of 2003 and 2004. The same instructor taught all four classes, and in each semester, one class was assigned to the anonymous e-peer review group and the other to the identifiable e-peer review group. All other elements—course content, assignments, demands, and classroom instruction— were held constant. The results from both semesters showed that students participating in anonymous e-peer review performed better on the writing performance task and provided more critical feedback to their peers than did students participating in the identifiable e-peer review.


We find that corporate giving represents a private benefit of control that distorts corporate investment and financing activity, consistent with free cash flow agency theory. Corporate giving discourages managers from pursuing external financing, especially debt issuance, to minimize outside monitoring. It creates preferences for internally financed cash acquisitions for the same reason. These distortions reduce shareholder wealth. Following the 2003 dividend tax cut or hedge fund activism, corporate charitable contributions fall, while investment rises, suggesting suboptimal investment caused by managerial private benefit extraction. Merger announcements show negative stock market reactions that are more pronounced for acquirers with poor corporate governance.


Compacted fills in earthworks are in an unsaturated state, with suctions (negative pore-water pressures) usually ranging from several kPa to several MPa. Characterizing the variation of pore-water pressure is a major concern in the estimation of embankment stability and, at the same time, a big challenge when its value falls below –80 kPa. This technical note presents an improved triaxial system based on the standard triaxial cell, equipped with a tensiometer, a thermocouple psychrometer, and local strain gauges. The main objective of these improvements is to measure the pore-water pressure and local volume changes during isotropic loading. In this study, three compacted specimens were tested under undrained conditions. Pore-water pressure was continuously measured by means of the psychrometric probe in the range of –3,000 to –100 kPa and by the tensiometer in the range of –80 to 1,100 kPa. Volume change was measured by the local strain gauges. Analysis and development of the results from both this study and the literature lead to the conclusions that i) specimens with occluded air bubbles (e.g., at the standard Proctor optimum) behave like a saturated soil, as Bw is close to unity when pore-water pressure becomes positive, and ii) a pore-water pressure coefficient Bw close to 1 is not necessarily a sign of saturation, as soil in an unsaturated state may also have a pore-pressure coefficient close to unity, especially at the beginning of the mechanical loading.


Corporate Human Resource Development (HRD) has broadened its scope from a training provider to a business partner, change agent or specialized expert. However, a global study of Lawler III and Boudreau (2012) emphasizes that "the kind of game-changing change" (p. 163) in Human Resources has not happened yet. Although researchers (e.g. Poell 2012, p. 2 f.; Garavan, 2007, p. 16 ff.) point out that HRD should develop from a "tool-of-management" to a facilitator of all learning and development activities, the progress of implementing a coherent, vertically and horizontally integrated system of learning and development differs across companies and often requires improvement.
Therefore, HRD professionals should shape organizations actively by pressing ahead with projects that emphasize a holistic approach of HRD. To act holistically, HRD professionals have to pro-actively integrate the strategic and normative dimensions of the company as well as take over leadership for all activities of learning and development in the company.
In order to advance the professionalization of HRD professionals by developing a didactic design on the basis of a thorough understanding of their preconditions and pre-knowledge, the research project firstly aims to describe and understand the subjective concepts that guide the actions of HRD professionals. On the basis of a case study approach the empirical analysis focusses on the reconstruction of these subjective concepts in around 15 problem-centred interviews with HRD professionals by using a specific cognitive mapping technique (flow chart technique) from June until August 2013. This results in a classification of action patterns across cases and the construction of an intersubjective theory that displays the (implicit) pre-knowledge of the target group and develops HRD theory further. By a comparison of the status quo in theory and practice, recommendations for professionals and a target group specific competence development can be given.


The Wavelength-shifting Optical Module (WOM) is a novel optical sensor that uses wavelength shifting and light guiding to substantially enhance the photosensitive area of UV optical modules. It has been designed for the IceCube Upgrade, a seven-string extension of the IceCube detector planned for the 2022/2023 South Pole deployment season. The WOM consists of a hollow quartz cylinder coated in wavelength shifting paint which serves as detection area and has two photomultipliers (PMTs) attached to the end faces. The light-collecting tube increases the effective photocathode area of the PMTs without producing additional dark current, making it suitable for low-signal, low-noise applications. We report on the design and performance of the WOM with a focus on the 12 modules in production for deployment in the IceCube Upgrade. While the WOM will be deployed in IceCube, its design is applicable to any large-volume particle detector based on the detection of Cherenkov light.


ABSTRACT We previously identified three noncontiguous regions on Bacillus anthracis plasmid pXO1 that comprise a system for accurate plasmid partitioning and maintenance. However, deletion of these regions did not decrease retention of certain shortened pXO1 plasmids during vegetative growth. Using two genetic tools developed for DNA manipulation in B. anthracis (the Cre-loxP and Flp-FRT systems), we found two other noncontiguous pXO1 regions that together are sufficient for plasmid stability. This second pXO1 maintenance system includes the tubZ and tubR genes, characteristic of a type III partitioning system, and the IntXO recombinase gene (GBAA_RS29165), encoding a tyrosine recombinase, along with its adjacent 37-bp perfect stem-loop (PSL) target. Insertion of either the tubZ and tubR genes or the IntXO-PSL system into an unstable mini-pXO1 plasmid did not restore plasmid stability. The need for the two components of the second pXO1 maintenance system follows from the sequential roles of IntXO-PSL in generating monomeric circular daughter pXO1 molecules (thereby presumably preventing dimer catastrophe) and of TubZ/TubR in partitioning the monomers during cell division. We show that the IntXO recombinase deletes DNA regions located between two PSL sites in a manner similar to the actions of the Cre-loxP and Flp-FRT systems. IMPORTANCE Tyrosine recombinases catalyze cutting and joining reactions between short specific DNA sequences. Three types of reactions occur: integration and excision of DNA segments, inversion of DNA segments, and separation of monomeric forms from replicating circular DNA molecules. Here we show that the newly discovered site-specific IntXO-PSL recombinase system that contributes to the maintenance of the B. anthracis plasmid pXO1 can be used for genome engineering in a manner similar to that of the Cre-loxP or Flp-FRT system.


Background: Pulmonary disease due to M. avium complex [MAC], and M. xenopi [Mx]) is a growing health problem in industrialized countries and the optimal antibiotic treatment is still debated. We conducted a in vitro study to evaluate the activity of the main antibiotics on MAC and Mx. Methods: For MAC strain 101 and Mx ATCC strain 700898, minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs), of clarithromycin (CLA), moxifloxacin (MXF), rifampin (RIF), rifapentine (RPT), ethambutol (EMB) were determined on 7H11 media. Inoculum was 2.7 log10 CFU of Mx and 4.5 log10 CFU of MAC. Plates were read after 28 days of incubation at 37°C (MAC) or 42°C (Mx). MIC was defined as the lowest drug concentration that inhibits ≥99% of colonies compared to control. Combinations of EMB-RIF, EMB-RPT, MXF-CLA and EMB-MXF for Mx and MAC were tested using the checkerboard method. Results: For MAC, MIC was >4 for CLA, 2 for MXF, >16 for RIF, >4 for RPT, 16 for EMB. For Mx, MIC was >4 for CLA, 2 for MXF, >16 for RIF, 4 for RPT, 16 for EMB. For both Mx and MAC, MIC was 1 for CLA when we used Mueller Hinton media (pH=7.3 for Mueller Hinton media vs pH=6.6 for 7H11). Synergy was observed for EMB-RIF, EMB-MXF, MXF-CLA against Mx, and for EMB-RPT against both Mx and MAC. An additive effect was found for CLA-MXF, EMB-RIF, EMB-MXF against MAC. Conclusion: The addition of EMB decreased the MIC of RPT against both MAC and Mx and decreased MIC of MXF and RIF against Mx. So, EMB could increase the in vivo activity of these antibiotics against these mycobacterial opportunistic pathogens. No antagonism between MXF and CLA was found.


Sediment delivery ratio(SDR)is the important indicator to represent the basin soil erosion and sediment:one of the sediment transport characteristics.Based on the measured data of runoff plots,small watersheds and hydrological stations of loess hill-gully region,using the methods of runoff plots measured data and unit watershed erosion modulus,the SDR of 4spatial scales were analyzed.The results showed that:(1)The SDR of watersheds between area of 10and 100km2 was approximated by two methods estimated.It was feasible to use unit watershed materials to calculate SDR,while there was no runoff plots data.(2)For the hydrological station controlled watershed,it could take the watersheds between 1and 100km2 as the unit watershed to calculate SDR while there was no material of watershed below 1km2.However,it has too large error for tributary of different erosion types.(3)Watershed management measures have obvious effect for reducing SDR,but its effect has a degree of lags.


The research and development of small-invasive sampling machine (SISM), which can be used to take out small dimensional samples from in-service equipment and to provide experimental materials for hydraulic bulging test and small punch test, has important application value in Engineering practice. This paper proposed a SISM and its design considerations. The sampling trajectory plan and small dimensional sample arrangement for improving sampling material utilization have been described. A unique semispherical machine tool was designed and the preparation method and performance characterization of the tool blade coating was studied. The tool rotary cutting motion and rotary feed motion were planned. A swing-level-type centering mechanism was designed as feeding mechanism. Samples of form of spherical crown with diameter 35mm and thickness 4mm can be take down from in-service equipment.


The purpose of this study was to compare the surface pH level of four different type sealers after mixing at various time intervals in vitro. After cleaning and shaping root canals in 50 recently extracted, single-rooted human teeth, they were divided into six groups. Each of four groups was obturated with Apexit, N2, Sealapex, and Grossman sealers. The remaining groups served as controls. In group 1 nothing was added to the vial of saline solution. In group 2 canals had been instrumented but not obturated with sealer. The pH level of saline solutions was determined at intervals of 1 hour, 4 hours, 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 1 week, and 4 weeks after teeth were placed in them. The pH levels of the five solutions were compared to each other and to that of saline solution only.


This paper analyses the roles of per capita real public and private investment growths in influencing per capita real GDP growth in Bangladesh spanning over 1972-2012. Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) procedure is applied for co-integration and Vector Error-Correction Model (VECM) is implemented for long-run and short-run dynamics. All three variables are found co-integrated. The findings from the estimates of VECM reveal long-run convergence with very slow speed of adjustment. The short-run dynamic interactive feedbacks among the variables are weak. Apparently, private investment plays a greater role than public investment in improving per capita real GDP growth in Bangladesh. The paper contributes to the existing body of literature in terms of applying improved econometric methodology and for a country (Bangladesh) for which no such rigorous study on this issue has yet been undertaken, to our knowledge.


The aim of this paper is to investigate the flexibility of the skew- normal distribution to classify the pixels of a remotely sensed satellite image. In the most of remote sensing packages, for example ENVI and ERDAS, it is assumed that populations are distributed as a multivariate normal. Then linear discriminant function (LDF) or quadratic discriminant function (QDF) is used to classify the pixels, when the covariance matrix of popu- lations are assumed equal or unequal, respectively. However, the data was obtained from the satellite or airplane images suffer from non-normality. In this case, skew-normal discriminant function (SDF) is one of techniques to obtain more accurate image. In this study, we compare the SDF with LDF and QDF using simulation for different scenarios. The results show that ignoring the skewness of the data increases the misclassification probability and consequently we get wrong image. An application is provided to identify the effect of wrong assumptions on the image accuracy.


According to conventional wisdom, monopoly increases price and reduces output; it transfers money from consumers to producers, but consumers lose more than what producers gain; the difference is a welfare loss to society, known as deadweight loss. However, this is a partial-equilibrium story, applicable to a single product or industry; it does not account for spillovers to the rest of the economy. In a general-equilibrium setting with full employment of resources the effects of monopoly pricing are as follows. Nominal prices go up but real prices do not; output reductions in the industry are compensated by output increases in the other industries; transfers from consumers to producers depend on who the beneficiaries are of the monetary expansion necessary to keep resources fully employed and, finally, there is indeed a welfare loss, but only to the extent that monopoly pricing departs from average levels. If monopoly pricing is economy-wide and flat, there is no loss at all. It is not monopoly pricing by itself that causes the welfare loss; it is the disparity in monopoly pricing.


Thin components, such as baffles, extended inlet/outlet tubes, and internal connecting tubes, are commonly used in reactive mufflers for cancelation of sound at particular frequency peaks. To provide additional absorption effects at higher frequencies, porous sound absorbing materials may be used on the muffler interior wall surface or on any internal thin components. If the sound absorbing material is backed by a rigid surface, it is usually modeled by the local normal impedance approach. The local impedance modeling on the interior wall surface is straightforward and has been extensively used in the boundary element method, in which the boundary surface is just moved forward to the contact surface between the lining and air. On the other hand, the local impedance modeling on any internal thin components is relatively rare. This paper first presents a direct mixed-body boundary element formulation for a thin body covered by local impedance on either side or both sides of the thin body. The local impedance can be from the lining material itself, or from the lining material plus a protective perforated metal cover. Several test cases with experimental comparison are presented in this paper.


Develops a general five‐axle vehicle model to study the dynamic interactions between the moving mass and the bridge structural components. Two‐axle, three‐axle, or four‐axle sprung loads, and the limiting load conditions such as a moving constant force, a moving alternating force, a moving unsprung mass, and combinations thereof, can be treated as special cases of the more general case presented. Further, its integration with the versatile finite element modelling has enhanced the practical applicability of such a theoretical development. The physical characteristics of the bridge and the vehicle, such as the bridge geometry, mechanical properties, profile of the road surface, the vehicle parameters including the distance between axles, leaf springs suspension and the total weight, are considered explicitly in the present model. The dynamic equations of equilibrium in time are integrated using the Newmark integration scheme. Verifies the accuracy of the algorithm by comparing the numerical results obtained from the present formulation with the experimental results.


The interface is constructed between the mine dump trucks performance simulation software and the genetic algorithm, aiming at the very complex relationship between the mine dump truck engine and its dynamic performance and fuel economy. The optimization of the objective function, optimization variables and constraints are designed. Genetic algorithm is used to design type 3303B mine dump trucks. The optimization of the design results are compared and analyzed on before and after and the results show that the fuel economy of the optimization of genetic algorithm is better than the original car, fuel consumption reduced 0.51 every km.


Abstract In a chromatographic method modification intended to preserve protease activity in Bothrops erythromelas venom, 2 mM CaCl2 was added to the gel filtration buffer [50 mM Tris/HCl/150 mM NaCl (pH 8.0)], in lieu of an equimolar portion of NaCl. This minor compositional change induced significant differences in the venom elution profile on Superdex 200. For this reason, the influence of buffer composition on chromatographic behavior was investigated using an analytical Superdex 75 HR 10/30 column. Phospholipase (PLA) was used as a marker because Naja atra PLA had previously been observed to interact hydrophobically with this resin. PLA elution volumes generally increased as buffer pH decreased. Addition of 20% acetonitrile to the Tris buffer with CaCl2, reduced hydrophobic interaction of the PLA so significantly that its elution was non‐overlapping in the two buffers. Other venom constituents, including bradykinin‐potentiating peptides and probable hemorrhagic metalloproteases, were similarly affected. Buffer calcium, bound by vicinal dextran hydroxyl groups, appears to retard elution of this acidic PLA.


The present article examines what influence various domestic constituents exert on the negotiating positions member states adopt in WTO trade rounds based on a survey of national delegations to the WTO. The findings show that in both developed and developing countries, a broad array of governmental and non-governmental actors substantially shape trade policy-making. At the cost of those ministries traditionally in charge of trade policy-making, many domestic constituents have increased their influence since the conclusion of the Uruguay Round. This leads to a discussion of the problematic implications of these developments towards more participatory trade policy-making for WTO negotiations.


In this article we consider the decontamination problem in a hypercube network of size n. The nodes of the network are assumed to be contaminated and they have to be decontaminated by a sufficient number of agents. An agent is a mobile entity that asynchronously moves along the network links and decontaminates all the nodes it touches. A decontaminated node that is not occupied by an agent is re‐contaminated if it has a contaminated neighbor. We consider some variations of the model based on the capabilities of mobile agents: locality, where the agents can only access local information; visibility, where they can "see" the state of their neighbors; and cloning, where they can create copies of themselves. We also consider synchronicity as an alternative system requirement. For each model, we design a decontamination strategy and we make several observations. For agents with locality, our strategy is based on the use of a coordinator that leads the other agents. Our strategy results in an optimal number of agents, $\Theta ({n \over \sqrt{\log n}})$, and requires O(n log n) moves and O(n log n) time steps. For agents with visibility, we assume that the agents can move autonomously. In this setting, our decontamination strategy achieves an optimal time complexity (log n time steps), but the number of agents increases to $ {n \over 2}$. Finally, we show that when the agents have the capability to clone combined with either visibility or synchronicity, we can reduce the move complexity—which becomes optimal—at the expense of an increase in the number of agents. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, 2008


Highlights of linear and nonlinear optics studies are presented from various accelerators. At the LHC, optics correction is of critical importance to guarantee safe beam operation. Preparation for LHC opticsmeasurements and corrections has been a major activity during the last decade. In particular, SPS and RHIC have served as excellent research and development machines to test new techniques and instrumentation, such as the measurement of resonance driving terms with and without AC dipoles. Together with a meticulous field quality specification, a careful installation strategy and an elaborate magnet model, these efforts have paid off in the LHC, where a record low beta-beating for hadron colliders below 10% has been achieved. Looking further into the future, the performance of the Final Focus System (FFS) is of critical importance for a future linear collider like CLIC, since it determines the IP beam spot sizes. The large chromatic aberrations required the development of novel non-linear optimization methods. Such techniques have successfully increased the CLIC design luminosity by 70% and an experimental test has been proposed for ATF2 to halve the design IP beam spot sizes.


Abstract The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic is considered one of the most critical global health emergencies in the last century. The diagnostic approach to the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and its possible complications through a point-of-care-ultrasound (POCUS) evaluation could represent a good solution in the primary care setting. POCUS is a non-invasive technique that can be used outside hospitals to screen COVID-19 patients and their complications safely. Moreover, it offers several applications of diagnostic evaluation not only on lung parenchyma but also to search disease complications, such as the cardiovascular system, even at the patients' home. This narrative review aims to analyse the literature and provide data to primary care physicians engaged in monitoring and treating patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection. Key Messages POCUS is an important tool for the diagnostic approach in the primary care setting already before the start of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Portable devices are useful in monitoring the clinical evolution of patients with infection from SARS-CoV-2 at home. The ultrasonographic features can help the general practice physicians to evaluate the presence of lung involvement and to diagnose complications from the SARS-CoV-2 infection involving districts such as the cardiovascular system.


Computerized image processing is crucial for the large arrays of radio telescopes that are advancing astronomy. A new project will help relieve the computational bottleneck that hinders this field. The National Science Foundation (NSF) has funded a 5-year Grand Challenge High-Performance Computing and Communications project to (a) allow astronomers to use upgraded NSF supercomputers; (b) develop network links to widely-used observatories; and (c) develop digital data archives over national high-speed networks. We plan to prototype the next generation of astronomical telescope systems. These will be remotely located telescopes connected by high-speed networks to very high performance, scalable-architecture computers and online data archives. Astronomers will access these systems via gigabit-per-second networks, and use advanced visualization tools to comprehend and analyze the very large multidimensional images being generated.<<ETX>>


Distributed scheduling systems have used a variety of mechanisms to maximize the quality of the global solution. Techniques include negotiation frameworks based on market economies [Kis et al. 1996], game theoretic algorithms, and global or shared evaluation functions [Modi et al. 2005]. Our position is that these techniques do not adequately address the situation where self-interested cooperative agents maintain schedules on behalf of users operating in unbounded environments. Here, satisfaction is more important than optimality [Palen 1999], and personalized preferences are paramount to users [Berry et al. 2005a; Faulring and Myers 2005]. In our approach, global utility is secondary; the agent aims to maximize the utility of its user, but folds the positive utility of cooperating with others into that utility. Thus, we treat the utility of others as a single component of a personalized and context-dependent multi-criteria evaluation function, which the agent learns through interactions with its user.


MAP kinase‐activated protein kinases (MKs), protein serine/threonine kinases downstream of the MAPKs, regulate a number of biological functions. MK5 was initially identified as a substrate for p38 MAPK but subsequent studies revealed that MK5 activity is regulated by atypical MAPKs ERK3 and ERK4. However, the roles of these MAPKs in activating MK5 remain controversial. The interactome and physiological function of MK5 are just beginning to be understood. Here, we provide an overview of the structure‐function of MK5 including recent progress in determining its role in cardiac structure and function. The cardiac phenotype of MK5 haplodeficient mice, and the effect of reduced MK5 expression on cardiac remodeling, is also discussed. © 2017 IUBMB Life, 69(10):785–794, 2017


Background Early identification of vulnerable plaques is important for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) to reduce acute coronary events and improve their prognosis. We sought to examine the relationship between adipsin, an adipokine secreted from adipocytes, and plaque vulnerability in CAD patients. Methods A total of 103 plaques from 99 consecutive patients who underwent coronary angiography were assessed by optical coherence tomography. The serum level of adipsin was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The accuracy of adipsin for detecting thin-cap fibroatheroma (TCFA) was determined by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results Of the 99 patients, 49 were classified into the low adipsin group and 50 into the high adipsin group according to the median level of serum adipsin (2.43 µg/mL). The plaques from the high adipsin group exhibited a greater lipid index (2,700.0 vs. 1,975.9° × mm, P=0.015) and an increased proportion of TCFAs (41.2% vs. 21.2%, P=0.028) compared with the low adipsin group. Serum adipsin was found to be negatively correlated with fibrous cap thickness (ρ=−0.322, P=0.002), while it was positively correlated with average lipid arc (ρ=0.253, P=0.015), maximum lipid arc (ρ=0.211, P=0.044), lipid core length (ρ=0.241, P=0.021), lipid index (ρ=0.335, P=0.001), and vulnerability score (ρ=0.254, P=0.014). Furthermore, adipsin had a significant association with TCFAs (OR: 1.290, 95% CI: 1.048–1.589, P=0.016) in the multivariate analysis, while having a moderate diagnostic accuracy for TCFAs (AUC: 0.710, 95% CI: 0.602–0.817, P<0.001). Conclusions Our findings suggest that serum adipsin is significantly and positively correlated with the incidence of TCFAs. The application of adipsin as a biomarker may offer improvement in the diagnosis of vulnerable plaques and clinical benefits for CAD patients.


Gliosarcoma is a rare central nervous system (CNS) neoplasm with biphasic glial and non-glial malignant components. Here we describe the radiologic and histopathologic features observed in five cases of primary gliosarcoma. The mean age at diagnosis in the studied patients was 54.2 years; these patients were predominantly males (male: female ratio = 4:1). At diagnosis all patients had several clinical deterioration. The most common symptoms of presentation were: headache (5/5 cases), seizures (4/5 cases) and hemiparesis (1/5 cases). All the tumors were large (mean major diameter = 4.12±1.64 cm) at diagnosis as evidenced in computer tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance images (MRIs), with preferential involvement of the temporal lobe and frequent associated deviation of the midline structures. Other common characteristics identified on CT scans and MRIs were partial contrast medium uptake with annular pattern (5/5 cases), peripheral edema (5/5 cases), and central calcification (3/5 cases). In additional a peak of dye uptake was observed (4/5 cases) on MRI spectrometry. In the histopathology, the glial component showed malignant astrocytes, with high Ki67 (>60%) and p53 positivity; the sarcomatous components displayed pleomorphic spindle cells similarly with p53 positivity and high Ki67 (75–90%) in all cases. Dedifferentiation to pleomorphic sarcoma (two cases), fibrosarcoma (one case), leiomyosarcoma (one case) and MPNST (one case) were documented. All patients received radiotherapy/chemotherapy and had a median overall survival of ten months. The study of radiologic and histopathologic features in primary gliosarcomas of the brain is a priority to achieve early diagnosis that can be translated to better outcomes. Here we describe the radiologic and histopathologic features observed in a group of gliosarcoma patients with variable histopathologic dedifferentiation.


The impact of chip self-heating induced temperature non-uniformity within the VLSI chip and its influence on the performance of the designs are described in this paper. To accurately model chip performance, both electrical and thermal analysis including chip packaging should be examined together. This paper describes a methodology that allows more accurate temperature calculation of the chip based on circuit power analysis, together with thermal analysis that studies the on chip temperature distribution in order to improve the accuracy of existing methods to account for on chip temperature gradients and perform an overall performance prediction and adjustment. A computational fluid dynamics analysis is used in this study to address non-uniform power distribution temperature calculation for high power integrated circuits. Examples are given and results discussed with highlighted conclusions.


Social organisation of colonies was examined in the ant Formica cinerea by estimating the coefficient of genetic relatedness among worker nest mates. The estimates based on microsatellite genotypes at three loci ranged from values close to zero to 0.61 across the populations studied in Finland. These results showed that a fundamental feature of colonies, the number of reproductive queens, varied greatly among the populations. Colonies in some populations had a single queen, whereas the nests could have a high number number of queens in other populations. There was a weak but non-significant correlation between the genetic and metric distance of nests within two populations with intermediate level of relatedness. Differentiation among nearby populations (within the dispersal distance of individuals) in one locality indicated limited dispersal or founder effects. This could occur when females are philopatric and stay in the natal polygynous colony which expands by building a network of nest galleries within a single habitat patch.


In the context of the mechanisms of climatic change mitigation, constant forest monitoring is important because forests provide crucial information. The estimation of forest stand attributes based on satellite imagery data combined with forest inventory data allows producing accurate information on forest structure, at a relative and accessible cost. However, there is still a need to use models that enable the construction of a valid relationship between remote sensing and field data. Therefore, this study aims to estimate forest attributes such as basal area (AB), volume (V) and aboveground biomass (B) by analyzing and using the relationship between spectral information, from Landsat ETM+ imagery, and tree measurements. Data from plots collected in 2010 by the National Forest and Soils Inventory (INFyS) were used as primary source of information. Results suggest that the best models to estimate AB, V and B were those that used the near infrared band (band 5) as the independent variable. Results also indicated that adjusted regression models shown statistical bases to estimate AB, V and B in a precise manner. All regression models were highly significant (5 %) with determination coefficients (R2 adj) higher than 0.47.