When I was preparing this talk for TEDx Purdue in 2015, I had no idea it would be viewed over 2.8 million times . I firmly believe the reaction to this talk is an expression of people being fed up . Fed up with the status quo . Fed up with listening to the advice they were given only to get worse . Fed up with yet another prescription bringing another side effect and more costs . Fed up and looking for advice that is not only evidence-based ,1–11 but also doable. Fed up and searching for a way to escape the progressive cycle of type 2 diabetes . Here it is . A solution that goes back to the basics and remembers that we can and should use Food as Medicine .

I have the best job in the world. I'm a doctor… believe me that's not why. I am an obesity doctor. I have the honour to work with a group of people subject to the last accepted prejudice…being fat. These patients have suffered a lot by the time they come to see me - shame, guilt, blame and outright discrimination. The attitude most people take, including those in healthcare, is that these people are to blame for their situation. If they could just control themselves they would not be overweight. They are not motivated to change. Please let me tell you; that is not the case. The real blame, if we need to assign some, has been our advice and it's time to change that.

Obesity is a disease, not something created by lack of character. It is a hormonal disease. There are many hormones involved, and one of the main ones is a hormone called insulin. The vast majority of obese individuals are resistant to insulin and …


This paper discusses recent neuroeconomic evidence related to other-regarding behaviors and the decision to trust in other people's other-regarding behavior. This evidence supports the view that people derive nonpecuniary utility (i) from mutual cooperation in social dilemma (SD) games and (ii) from punishing unfair behavior. Thus, mutual cooperation and the punishment of free riders in SD games is not irrational, but better understood as rational behavior of people with corresponding social preferences. We also report the results of a recent study that examines the impact of the neuropeptide Oxytocin (OT) on trusting and trustworthy behavior in a sequential SD. Animal studies have identified Oxytocin as a hormone that induces prosocial approach behavior, suggesting that it may also affect prosocial behavior in humans. Indeed, the study shows that subjects given Oxytocin exhibit much more trusting behavior, suggesting that OT has a direct impact on certain aspects of subjects' social preferences. Interestingly, however, although Oxytocin affects trusting behavior, it has no effect on subjects' trustworthiness.


BackgroundTo investigate the effect of albumin infusion in cirrhotic patients admitted for acute gastrointestinal bleeding.MethodsMedical records of cirrhotic patients who admitted due to acute gastrointestinal bleeding through January 2009 to December 2018 were systemically reviewed. Clinical data and the total amount of albumin and red blood cell used during hospitalization were recorded. For patients with rebleeding, the amount of albumin and red blood cell used before rebleeding was also documented. The primary outcome was the occurrence of rebleeding and the second outcome was in-hospital mortality. Univariate and multivariate logistic analysis were performed to identify risk factors associated with rebleeding and in-hospital mortality.ResultsA total of 2239 cirrhotic patients were included in the analysis. There were 245 episodes of in-patient rebleeding occurred, while 135 patients died. Overall, more red blood cells and albumin were prescribed to patients who suffered rebleeding. In terms of the amount before rebleeding, the red blood cell was higher in patients with rebleeding, but the albumin infusion were similar. In the multivariate model, the albumin infusion was an independent risk factor associated with rebleeding (adjusted OR for ≤40g, 0.385 [0.252-0.588], p<0.001; OR for >40g, 0.295 [0.169-0.514], p<0.001). The use of albumin more than 40g during hospitalization reduces the risk of in-patient mortality (adjusted OR for ≤40g, 0.730 [0.375-1.423], p=0.356; OR for >40g, 0.389 [0.180-0.838], p=0.016).ConclusionsAlbumin infusion could reduce risk of in-hospital rebleeding. Moreover, more than 40g albumin infusion decrease numbers of mortality in cirrhosis admitted for acute gastrointestinal bleeding.


Fetal pig islet-like cell clusters (ICCs) have the potential to reverse diabetes 1–5 months after transplantation. In a fetal ICC, however, β-cells constitute only 6–8% of the cells, in contrast to 65% in an adult pig islet. Attempts to purify fetal β-cells from cell clusters and compare their function to that of ICCs have not been shown previously. β-Cells were purified from ICCs isolated from the fetal pig pancreas. These were then aggregated and maintained in culture for 3 days. ICCs were isolated from fetal pig pancreas and allowed to round up in culture for 3 days. Transplantation of aggregates and ICCs (10,000 and 12,600, respectively) into diabetic immunoincompetent mice resulted in normoglycemia at 18 ± 2 and 8 ± 1 weeks, respectively (p = 0.0006). Removal of grafts after normalization of blood glucose levels resulted in rapid return of hyperglycemia in both groups. In conclusion, a purified population of immature β-cells can be produced from the fetal pig pancreas. The reason these cells take longer than ICCs to reverse diabetes when transplanted is postulated to be because of the relative lack of precursor cells from which β-cells differentiate. This finding may have implications for stem cell therapy, as other cell types, other than purified β-cells, may be necessary for appropriate function in vivo.


These substances were tested for their accessory action by adding them in varying concentrations to Ashby's solution of pH 7.2. First 1 per cent sterile solutions of these substances were made and varying amounts added to sterile, double concentrated Ashby's solution, in volume equivalent to one-half the final volume. Finally the solution was made up to the desired volume by adding sterile water. The medium, after being


AIMS/BACKGROUND--Ocular cicatricial pemphigoid (OCP) can present with severe conjunctival inflammation that requires systemic immunosuppression to avoid serious ocular morbidity. This study aimed to assess the clinical response to cyclophosphamide and short term, high dose prednisolone in this group of patients. METHODS--A prospective, unmasked study assessed patients presenting with either 'severe' ocular inflammation (n = 4) or 'marked' or 'severe' ocular inflammation that had failed to respond to other systemic immunosuppression (n = 6). Nineteen inflamed eyes of 10 consecutive patients were enrolled. RESULTS--The ocular inflammation resolved in 15 eyes in a mean time of 2.4 months. Two eyes perforated despite treatment and one patient was unable to tolerate the medication. Progressive cicatrisation occurred in 21%. CONCLUSION--Cyclophosphamide and short term, high dose prednisolone are effective in severe inflammation caused by OCP but may not completely prevent cicatrisation.


The most common musculoskeletal disorder affecting the movement of legs is low back pain. Among the affected patients, 40% have ridiculer pain, and these cases can be classi ied under the umbrella of the sciatic syndrome. Low back pain is extraordinarily common, frequently resulting from degenerative arthritis of the lumbosacral spine. The annual prevalence of disc-related sciatica in the general population is estimated at 2.2%. Sciatica is characterised by constant aching pain which felt in the lumbar region may radiate to the buttock, thigh, calf and foot. Acharaya Charaka explained Gridhrasi in eighty types of nanatmaja Vata vikara. The present study is aimed at evaluating the effect of Gunja (Abrus precatorius Linn.) Beeja lepa in the management of Gridhrasi (Sciatica) and thereby assessing the changes in quality life. The present study is designed as a Non-randomized controlled clinical study, in which a minimum of 30 patients will be enrolled. Gunja beej lepa will be administered external application two times in a day with lukewarm water. Assessment will be recorded on the 3, 5, 7, 14 and 28 day. Changes will be observed in subjective parameters such as Ruk (pain) Toda (pin pricking sensation) Stambha (Stiffness), Spandana (Fasciculation) and objective parameters such as measuring the changes in the angle of elevation of the leg by SLR Test, Sciatica Bothersomeness Index and Sciatica Frequency Index before and after the treatment. Suitable conclusion will be drawn post completion of the trial.


A novel implementation of a high frequency divider using a synchronized quadrature LC oscillator is discussed in this paper. This presented approach solves the problem of I/Q signal generation with the aid of frequency division. Through simulation it was shown that this solution exhibits two different locking ranges each possessing a bandwidth of 20% of the given input frequency. When using a 6-bit variable capacitor the divider is capable of working within a 5 GHz frequency range, therefore making it suitable for ultra wideband systems. The proposed divider exhibits low power consumption, low sensitivity to input phase error, amplitude swing and DC level.


As of 2007 the world economy has been caught in the worst crisis since the 1930s. Yet after two years of only partly successful efforts to mobilize and coordinate global action of financial control and stimulus, ending with the G-20 meeting of March 2009, responsibility for corrective economic initiatives has essentially been left to individual countries, supported by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the European Union (EU). Moreover, such support has been usually conditional on countries following financial policies of tough austerity. The United States took some actions to stimulate its economy, but by many accounts these were insufficient. Most of Europe has not even attempted stimulus measures and has been in a period of economic stagnation, with falling real incomes among the poorest parts of the population. Although some signs of "recovery" have been heralded in 2013 and 2014, growth has mostly been measured from a lower base. There is little evidence of broad-based economic recovery, let alone improvements in the situation of the poor or even of the middle-income groups.


In neurons, the acquisition of a polarized morphology is achieved upon the outgrowth of a single axon from one of several neurites. Exosomes from diverse sources are known to promote the neurite outgrowth, however, the role of fibroblast-derived exosomes on axon elongation in neurons of the central nervous system under growth permissive conditions remains unclear. Here, we show that fibroblast-derived exosomes promote axon outgrowth and a polarized neuronal morphology in mouse primary embryonic cortical neurons. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that the exosome-induced increase in axon outgrowth requires endogenous Wnts and core PCP components including Prickle, Vangl, Frizzled and Dishevelled. We demonstrate that exosomes are internalized by neurons, colocalize with Wnt7b and induce relocalization of Vangl2 to the distal axon during axon outgrowth. In contrast, exosomes derived from neurons or astrocytes do not promote axon outgrowth, while exosomes from activated astrocytes inhibit elongation. Thus, our data reveals that fibroblast-derived exosomes promote axon elongation through the Wnt-PCP pathway in a manner that is dependent on endogenous Wnts.


Acts of appearance management include a range of activities to control the presentation of the body that one makes to self and to others. Appearance management behaviors (AMBs) can be divided into two categories: risky and non-risky. Risky AMBs can all be linked to some threat to health if engaged in for extended periods of time. We investigated body-related variables predicting engagement in three specific categories (i.e., cosmetic procedures, extreme dieting, use of diet aids) of risky AMBs with female undergraduates from the U.S. (n = 349) and from South Korea (n = 338). The predictor variables were objectified body consciousness (OBC) and body image investment (BII). Mediating variables investigated were body comparison (BC) and body satisfaction (BS). Across all risky AMBs investigated and with participants from both countries, as BC increased, BS decreased. Similarly, OBC and BII significantly predicted BC for both groups of women. For Korean women, OBC predicted engagement in cosmetic procedure and extreme dieting through BC. For U.S. women, OBC and BII predicted extreme dieting and use of diet pills through BS. Further, there was a difference between the two countries in terms of the specific risky AMBs engaged in. Korean participants engaged in cosmetic procedures followed by extreme dieting. U.S. participants engaged in the use of diet aids followed by extreme dieting.


Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is now curable in 60-80% of children. In adults, in spite of adopting treatment protocols based on therapy for childhood ALL, the disease is still curable in 30-40% of patients only. These worse results of therapy may be due to the induction of various cell defence mechanisms, such as activation of P-glycoprotein, which protects man against xenobiotics. Among a number of various multi-drug resistance mechanisms, differences between adults and children with ALL have been found only for higher P-glycoprotein expression and possibly more often p53 gene mutations in adults. Induction of expression of drug resistance proteins during chemotherapy and co-existence of various mechanisms are common phenomena in adult ALL. Differences in resistance to different drugs might contribute to the impact of age on the outcome of ALL. The underlying mechanisms for these differences are still largely unknown; however, knowledge about drug resistance mechanisms can lead to new therapeutic options.


The author reflects on the circumstances of his becoming a psychotherapist and meditates on their meaning. He notes the effect on his survival through childhood of his grandparents' emigration from Europe and the influence of his close-knit family on his personal needs and values. He then reflects on his early vocational interests; the transformational power of his education, as a student and faculty, at the University of Chicago; and the constructive force of his professional collaboration and personal friendship with Kenneth Howard. Finally, he considers why it is important to him not only to have become but to continue to be a psychotherapist.


AbstractIn an atomic force microscope (AFM), the cantilever probe, probe tip and sample surface form a micro system in which micro contact, elastic deformation, relative sliding and friction occur during scanning with the contact mode. In this paper, the energy conversion and dissipation during scanning process in the micro system is investigated based on the Mauges-Daules contact model. A dimensionless stick-slip number
$$\eta = \sqrt {{{8U_1 h^2 } \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{8U_1 h^2 } {\left( {k_\theta R_s^2 } \right)}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {\left( {k_\theta R_s^2 } \right)}}} $$
 is defined to describe the micro stick-slip behavior under AFM. Through numerical simulation of the dynamics of the probe tip, it is shown that AFM lateral force is dependent on the defined stick-slip number. If η<1, lateral force is weak and stick-slip phenomenon disappears. When η=1, the probe tip jumps between the asperities on sample surface, showing stick-slip behavior but without energy dissipation. In the case of η>1, the tip moves off the sticking points with an adhesion hysteresis, resulting in an energy dissipation. Therefore, the stick-slip number can serve as a characteristic parameter. Numerical simulation of AFM lateral force with different stick-slip numbers is in agreement with experimental results. Finally a method to extract frictional force from the AFM lateral force signal is proposed.


Chloro(diazo)acetate can be readily used in an intermolecular ring expansion catalyzed by a boron Lewis acid to construct -chlorinated medium-size cyclic ketones. This intermolecular Tiffeneau– Demjanov reaction proceeds in good yield from easily prepared or commercially available starting materials and allows the concomitant formation of a tetrasubstituted stereocenter.


Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in school‐age children. Attentional orientation is a potential clinical diagnostic marker to aid in the early diagnosis of ADHD. However, the underlying pathophysiological substrates of impaired attentional orienting in childhood ADHD remain unclear. Electroencephalography (EEG) was measured in 135 school‐age children (70 with childhood ADHD and 65 matched typically developing children) to directly investigate target localization during spatial selective attention through univariate ERP analysis and information‐based multivariate pattern machine learning analysis. Compared with children with typical development, a smaller N2pc was found in the ADHD group through univariate ERP analysis. Children with ADHD showed a lower parieto‐occipital multivariate decoding accuracy approximately 240–340 ms after visual search onset, which predicts a slower reaction time and larger standard deviation of reaction time. Furthermore, a significant correlation was found between N2pc and decoding accuracy in typically developing children but not in children with ADHD. These observations reveal that impaired attentional orienting in ADHD may be due to inefficient neural encoding responses. By using a personalized information‐based multivariate machine learning approach, we have advanced the understanding of cognitive deficits in neurodevelopmental disorders. Our study provides potential research directions for the early diagnosis and optimization of personalized intervention in children with ADHD.


Pelvic floor disorders are of interest to many surgeons who specialize in organ systems within this region. Colorectal surgeons are especially interested in disorders of the posterior compartment, which may broadly be divided into defecation disorders and fecal incontinence. These disorders distress patients socially and psychologically and greatly impair their quality of life. The underlying anatomical and pathophysiological changes are complex, are often incompletely understood, and cannot always be determined. However, over the past decades, advances in the understanding of these disorders, together with rational methods of evaluation in anorectal physiology laboratories, radiology studies, and new surgical techniques, have led to promising results. This review summarizes the evaluation and treatment strategies, as well as the recent updates on the clinical and the therapeutic aspects of pelvic floor disorders.


In recent years, the general public's confidence in the medical profession has been damaged by several serious incidents and the media fuelled storms that have followed. Notable among these are the murders committed by the general practitioner Harold Shipman, the inquiry into cervical screening at Kent and Canterbury, the activities of the gynaecologist Rodney Ledward, the Bristol Heart inquiry, and the inquiry into the retention of paediatric organs at the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital NHS Trust (the "Alder Hey inquiry"). Of these, the Alder Hey inquiry is notable in that it will continue to have serious ramifications for the practice of morbid anatomy and surgical pathology.

The Royal Liverpool Children's inquiry was announced in December 1999 to investigate the removal, retention, and disposal of human organs and tissues following postmortem examinations at the Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital NHS Trust. Published in January 2001, the report highlights a catalogue of failures within the NHS Trust, the University of Liverpool, and the Liverpool Coroner's Office, which allowed the systematic removal of organs between 1988 and 1995. In many cases, these organs were removed without informed consent, were not subsequently subjected to histological examination or used for educational or research purposes, and preliminary postmortem reports were left unfinished.1

In this article, it is not our intention to comment on the activities of Professor van Velzen, which have rightly shocked both the public and the profession. Equally, we would not wish, in any way, to belittle or add to the distress caused to the families involved in the Alder Hey inquiry. Rather, some months after its publication and, when to a large extent, the media furore has subsided, we reflect on the wider implications of the Alder Hey report for diagnostic histopathology.

Despite the best efforts of the senior officers of the Royal …


In recent years, there are increasing applications of Inertial Navigation System (INS) with different aiding sensors such as Global Positioning System (GPS), odometer, heading rate sensor and so on. The INS/GPS integration system with odometer is the most commonly used in the land vehicular navigation area. In this research, a novel method is proposed for assisting low-cost INS/GPS integration system with Visual Odometry (VO) system to replace above sensors. The VO can estimate the movement of vehicle. When GPS signal vanishes, VO can be applied as the backup for GPS. The VO provides velocity information and updates the estimated position of the vehicle to reduce the INS accumulation errors then to improve the positioning accuracy.

The tactical INS/GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) trajectory processed with RTS (Rauch-Tung-Striebel) smoother in the tightly coupled mode is used as the reference trajectory. The distances traveled (DT) by low-cost INS/GPS and VO modes are calculated. The trajectory comparison scenario is conducted in this research as well. In addition, this study investigates the accuracy variation in both monocular and stereo-vision VO system, respectively. The purpose is to verify the argument presented in related work.

The settings of our experiments include different image sampling rates, different scenes and driving dynamics. According to the preliminary results, the position errors in three directions are reduced when GPS outage period is over two minutes and the improvement of 3D position RMSE is more than 40% by using the assisted information including VO position and velocity. Based on the preliminary results shown in the research, the stereo VO performs well and the performance of the proposed system is good in the GPS-hostile environment.


This letter reports on the micro-patterning of the photosensitive protein of bacterioRhodopsin (bR) geared toward bioelectronics-based image sensors. bR proteins are denatured by existing micro-fabrication processes, including destructive high-temperature (>100°C) heating and organic solvent cleansing. In our process, the desired area of the electrode for immobilizing bR is defined by a hydrophobic polymer that repels bR. After micro-fabrication, bR is selectively formed on the defined areas using electrophoretic deposition. A 5-µ m patterning resolution was achieved. An 8 × 8 photosensor array was fabricated, and its output electric charge was detected.


We show that the following properties of a continuous function on the circle are equivalent: the sequence of the Fourier coefficients of the superposition belongs to the weak for every homeomorphism of the circle onto itself; is a function of bounded quadratic variation. We obtain similar results for spaces of functions whose sequence of Fourier coefficients belongs to the weak , , for spaces of functions with , for the Sobolev spaces , and for other spaces of functions on . Under rather general assumptions on a space of functions on the circle, we give a necessary condition for a given continuous function to stay in for every change of variable. We also consider the multidimensional case, which is essentially different from the one-dimensional case. In particular, we show that if and is a continuous function on the torus , , such that for every homeomorphism , then is constant.


BACKGROUND: Gut peptides are known to influence hormone release and growth of endocrine tumours of the pancreas. Although information on somatostatin receptors has been provided recently, little is known on the receptor status of other gastrointestinal hormones in such tumours. AIMS: To analyse the spectrum of gut hormone receptors on endocrine tumours of pancreas. SUBJECTS: Four types of endocrine tumours from eight patientS. METHODS: The receptors for bombesin, secretin, vasoactive intestinal peptide, cholecystokinin, and somatostatin have been visualised and quantified with storage phosphor autoradiography. RESULTS: Bombesin receptors were present in all five gastrinomas and two primary VIPomas. Secretin receptors were expressed in four primary gastrinomas and one primary VIPoma from pancreas. Vasoactive intestinal peptide receptors were identified in four primary gastrinomas and all VIPomas. Furthermore, all VIPomas expressed cholecystokinin-B (gastrin) receptors, whereas, gastrinomas did not contain cholecystokinin-B receptors. The receptors for somatostatin were detected in all gastrinomas and VIPomas. Both somatostatinoma and glucagonoma were negative for all five types of peptide receptors studied. CONCLUSIONS: Besides somatostatin receptors, most of gastrinomas and VIPomas also express receptors for bombesin, secretin, and vasoactive intestinal peptide.


OBJECTIVES
Reconstruction of the anterior skull base is a surgical stage as significant as tumor removal. The quality of the reconstruction is the primary determinant of postoperative mortality, morbidity. The aim of our work was to assess the results of a reconstruction process combining: 1) a pericranium graft held by biological glue to complete the dura mater; 2) an abdominal fat graft supported by a Silastic arch to maintain the neurological structures.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
This was a retrospective study. 55 patients (44 men and 11 women), 59 mean age (14 - 78), were analyzed. 45 had a malignant tumor and 10 a benign tumor. 35 patients were treated using a mixed approach and 18 using a trans frontal-sinus approach alone. Forty-three patients treated for a malignant tumor underwent postoperative radiotherapy. Results were analyzed according to 3 periods: 1) immediate postoperative period (<25 days); 2) early postoperative period (25 days - 3 months); 3) late postoperative period (> 3 months).

RESULTS
None of the patients were lost to follow-up. The average follow up was 84 months. All periods considered together, we had five (9.4%) graft infections, 6 (11.3%) CSF leaks and 1 (1.8%) cases of meningitis.

CONCLUSION
We use a simple technique for reconstruction. Postoperative complications were exceptional, even after postoperative radiotherapy. Medium and long-term results are good and similar to those obtained with other processes used for reconstruction of the anterior skull base reconstruction.


Background and aim: Despite several techniques are proposed, treatment of nasolabial folds is often challenging. During rejuvenation procedures, the SMAS could be redraped or partially resected during the procedure. The aim of this study is to investigate the use of obtained SMAS strip as autologous graft, because of its solid but pliable consistence and fatty composition, to correct nasolabial folds during procedures with SMAS resection. Methods Between 2015 and 2018, 23 patients underwent SMAS graft for nasolabial fold correction. All procedures were performed under local anesthesia and no other cosmetic treatments, including HA fillers, have been done in the past 12 months. Results: 22 patients were declared eligible for the study. 20 patients were female, accounting for 90,91%. Mean age was 53 years old. Ancillary procedures were performed in 17 patients, including upper blepharoplasty (3, 13,63%), upper and lower blepharoplasty (5, 22,73%) and submental neck lift with platysma plication (15, 68,18%). Mean follow-up was 9 months. No major complications have been recorded: only 1 case of minimal hematoma in the retroauricular region have been recorded and 1 patient required laser treatment for pathological scars. At follow-up, graft is completely integrated into the mid-fat compartment. As evinced from the FACE-Q analysis, the overall satisfaction rate is extremely high. These are very convincing data regarding the effectiveness of the technique and, despite a little bit longer downtime, is not invasive and led to natural long-lasting results event during motion. Conclusions: The use of SMAS graft during face-lift as nasolabial fold filler results in a satisfactory but natural filling of the folds, reducing the need for lateral tension and therefore assuring more natural results. Since its nature, SMAS, reduced in width to properly fit into the nasolabial fold, can be considered as an optimal autologous graft for replenish loss volumes of the face with aging. (www.actabiomedica.it)


The paper analyzes, from a perspective which is itself existential-ontological, the way in which in an early text of Martin Heidegger, Phanomenologische Interpretationen zu Aristoteles (Anzeige der hermeneutischen Situation) [1922] – which had already outlined some determinative elements of the ideas expounded in Being and Time –, the meditation on the always living and current conditions and hermeneutical situation of philosophizing expanded in fact into an inquiry about the origins, grounds, essence and sense of philosophy as such. Meditation in and through which philosophy identifies itself and is founded on the one hand exactly as a mode of existence of the mortal "human Dasein" (menschliches Dasein), that is a factic mode of existence of this, philosophy, on the other hand, itself originates from and in man's factic life exactly with the aim of being the modality through which this being – namely ourselves – returns towards the problematization of his existential possibilities even by taking upon himself the burden and "weight" of radical interrogation. Which therefore goes and must go itself and resolutely – because if this entirely "without God" and consequently a-theist – to the historical and ontological roots of a present con-temporarized (mitzeitigt) both with the past and the future existential horizons of the assumed factic possibilities.


Feed resources are inadequate both in quality and quantity in most developing countries, like Ethiopia. Natural pasture, crop residues and agro-industrial by-products constitute the major proportions of feeds available to most ruminants under smallholder production systems. The rumen has been recognized as an essential fermentation 'Chamber'. Up to 12% of gross energy, however, is lost in the form of methane from ruminants. Methane is also one of the major green house gasses. Methane is produced by bacteria species, collectively called methanogens. Reduction in methane production increases the efficiency of feed utilization in ruminant animals. Manipulation of ruminal fermentation processes for reducing methane production by ruminants to improve the production performance of ruminants is the current major target of many animal nutritionists. The methods to effectively reduce methane production in the reticulo-rumen include processing of feeds, altering the ration, supplementation of unsaturated fatty acids, defaunation, supplementation of organic acids, halogenated compounds, ionophores, microbial feed additives (probiotics), plant extracts and their secondary metabolites. All these have to be validated in vivo studies in specific dose(s) to make it economically viable. Keywords : Rumen, Fermentation, Methane, Plant Extracts, Ethiopia.


Purpose: This study investigated the effectiveness of simulation training with a hybrid model of student nurses' performance ability and reported self confidence. Methods: A nonequivalent control group with pre-posttest was designed. Data collection was done during the first semester in 2012 at a college of nursing in Seoul. Nursing performance ability and reported self confidence related to taking care of patients with urinary problems were evaluated. The treatment group (n=96) received simulation training of a catheterization procedure with a hybrid model involving standardized patients and a mannequin. Nursing students in the comparison group (n=84) did not receive the simulation training but would receive it prior to their next clinical practicum's. Results: The treatment group showed a significantly higher performance ability and reported self confidence than that of the comparison group. The perceived helpfulness and contentment of the simulation training in experimental group was high. Conclusion: The findings of this study demonstrated that simulation with a hybrid model was effective in teaching skills prior to the clinical experience which suggests that skill development is not dependent on the actual clinical situation. Nurse educators should consider simulation training as a tool beyond that of clinical practicum.


OBJECTIVE
The expression of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) in dental pulp-dentin complex of human premolar was studied to find out the relationship of distribution and function of VIP positive nerve fibers.

METHODS
Fresh health premolars were collected, fixed, decalcified, embedded in paraffin and cut into slices. The slices were treated by immunohistochemical reaction of VIP and quantitative image analysis was then carried out.

RESULTS
VIP positive nerve fibers in dental root were in bundle and branches of the nerve fibers were few. The nerve fibers extended in a radiative way from cervical line to the coronal pulp and branched a lot. A part of branches surrounded blood vessels, some terminated in the dental pulp matrix, the others passed odontoblast layer and ran into the predentin. In the coronal pulp the integral optical density was 12.7400 +/- 1.8070, the volume density was 0.0192 +/- 0.0127, the length density was 0.0046 +/- 0.0028; in predentin the integral optical density was 13.0700 +/- 1.9270, the line length was (19.6000 +/- 8.5970) microns.

CONCLUSIONS
VIP-immunoreactive nerve fibers exist in human dental pulp-dentin complex. Some fibers surround blood vessels, some terminate in dental pulp matrix and predentin, which suggest that in addition to relating the action of blood vessels, VIP-immunoreactive nerve fibers might also relate to sense.


Fibroblast growth factor-4 (FGF-4) has been shown to be preferentially produced in the inner cell mass (ICM) of mouse blastocysts, to stimulate the proliferation of mouse trophectoderm (TE) cells and to repress their transformation and differentiation into giant trophoblasts. Recent studies have shown that nuclear transfer (NT) bovine embryos have aberrant allocations of ICM and TE cells (Koo et al., 2002 Biol. Report. 67, 487–492) and aberrant expression of FGF-4 gene (Daniels et al., 2000 Biol. Reprod.63, 1034–1040). In this study, we examined whether recombinant human FGF-4 (rhFGF-4) stimulates development of nuclear transfer bovine embryos. As donor cells for NT, bovine ear skin fibroblast cells of passage 5 to 8 were used. Oocytes were enucleated after in vitro maturation in TCM 199 supplemented with 10% FBS, 1 μg mL-1 FSH and 1 μg mL-1 estradiol-17β for 20 h. Enucleated oocytes were fused with donor cells by a DC pulse of 25 V/150 μm for 10 μs in Zimmerman cell fusion medium. For activation, fused oocytes were exposed to 10 μM Ca-Ionophore for 5 min, followed by 2 mM 6-dimethylaminopurine for 3 h. NT embryos were subsequently cultured in CR2 medium (containing 0.5% BSA) without or with rhFGF-4 (1, 10 and 100 ng mL-1) at 39.0°C in 5% O2, 5% CO2 and 90% N2. After 7 days of culture, blastocyst formation was observed. Apoptotic cells in blastocysts were detected by a terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated d-UTP nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assay and total cell number was examined by propidium iodide (PI) counterstaining. Data were analyzed by chi-square test and Student's t-test. Supplementation of serum-free medium with rhFGF-4 increased the proportion of embryos developing to the blastocyst stage (18.4, 29.4 and 23.5% for 0, 1 and 10 ng mL-1 FGF-4, respectively) and total cell number of blastocysts (66.3 ± 11.4, 75.9 ± 25.5 and 74.4 ± 22.4 for 0, 1 and 10 ng mL-1 FGF-4). Particularly, 100 ng mL-1 FGF-4 significantly (P < 0.05) increased the proportion of blastocysts (40.4%) and total cell number of blastocysts (86.7 ± 26.5) when compared with TCM 199 medium alone. FGF-4 also decreased the mean proportion of apoptotic cells in blastocysts (10.6 ± 7.8, 7.4 ± 5.3, 8.6 ± 5.3 and 7.5 ± 4.1% for 0, 1, 10 and 100 ng mL-1 FGF-4). Our results suggest that FGF-4 may play a role in the early development of NT bovine embryos and might be a useful molecule for increasing development of NT bovine embryos in serum-free culture systems.


Abstract Knowledge of competition dynamics among Africa's large carnivores is important for conservation. However, investigating carnivore behaviour in the field can be challenging especially for species that are difficult to access. Methods that enable remote collection of data provide a means of recording natural behaviour and are therefore useful for studying elusive species such as leopards (Panthera pardus). Camera traps and Global Positioning System (GPS) collars are powerful tools often used independently to study animal behaviour but where their data are combined, the interpretation of a species' behaviours is improved. In this study we used data from baited camera trap stations to investigate the feeding habits of leopards at Malilangwe Wildlife Reserve, Zimbabwe. We investigated the influence of spotted hyenas, lions and other competing leopards on the feeding duration of leopards using Generalized Linear Mixed Effects Modelling. To test the influence of competing predators on resting distances from bait sites, eight leopards were fitted with GPS collars. Results showed that leopards spent the shortest time feeding on the baits in the presence of competing male leopards compared to other predators while lion presence caused animals to rest farthest from bait sites. Interaction analysis indicated that small‐bodied leopards spent significantly shorter durations feeding when spotted hyenas were present. Our findings demonstrate that competition from guild carnivores has negative impacts on the food intake of leopards, which may have implications for fitness and survival. This study provides a snapshot of the competition dynamics at bait sites which may give insight to ecosystem level interactions among large carnivores in savanna ecosystems.


Abstract Addressing the issue of underoccupation has been a prominent feature in English social housing policy since the Conservative-Liberal Democrat Coalition government was formed in 2010. A key move under the Coalition's welfare reform agenda was the implementation of the underoccupancy penalty—the so-called 'bedroom tax'—from April 2013. However, while this policy triggered high-profile protests, it does not represent a novel policy preoccupation. Variations on the theme have recurred in housing policy debates almost since the advent of council housing. This paper adopts a long-term perspective and presents a sociological institutionalist analysis which focuses on the mechanisms through which underoccupation has been governed. Drawing on a range of archival material, we argue that the government of underoccupation has undergone revealing transformations over the period since 1929. Not only does the broader policy context—understandings of the purpose of social housing and the role it fulfils in the housing market—differ over time, but, at the more detailed level of policy instruments, the mechanisms proposed to address underoccupation differ in ways that can be explained in terms of prevailing policy logics and institutional structures. Most significantly, the nature of the underoccupation problem has been framed differently: the rationales offered as justification for policy action draw on very different vocabularies, in ways that allow us to trace the influence of more fundamental shifts in policy discourse into the domain of housing policy.


Empirical testing is centred on p-values. These summary statistics are used to assess the plausibility of a null hypothesis, and therein lies a flaw in their interpretation.
Central to this research is accounting for the behaviour of p-values, through density functions, under the alternative hypothesis, H1. These densities are determined by a combination of the sample size and parametric specification of H1. Here, several new contributions are presented to reflect p-value behaviour. By considering the likelihood of both hypotheses in parallel, it is possible to optimise the decision-making process. A framework for simultaneously testing the null and alternative hypotheses is outlined for various testing scenarios. To facilitate efficient empirical conclusions, a new set of critical value tables is presented requiring only the conventional p-value, hence avoiding the need for additional computation in order to apply this joint testing in practice. Simple and composite forms of H1
are considered. Recognising the conflict between different schools of thought with respect to hypothesis testing, a unified approach at consolidating the advantages of each is
offered. Again, exploiting p-value distributions under various forms of H1, a revised conditioning statistic for conditional frequentist testing is developed from which
original p-value curves and surfaces are produced to further ease decision making. Finally, attention turns to multiple hypothesis testing. Estimation of multiple testing error rates is discussed and a new estimator for the proportion of true null hypotheses, when simultaneously testing several independent hypotheses, is presented. Under certain conditions it is shown that this estimator is superior to an
established estimator.


Are you excited about opening your Web store, but a little intimidated too? Relax! Web Stores Do-It-Yourself For Dummies is here to guide you step by step through the whole process. Youll find the easiest and best ways to choose a provider, sign up with payment processors, and open for business in no time. This make-it-happen guide for online entrepreneurs walks you through the process of opening an account, designing your store for easy shopping, creating a catalog that shoppers cant resist, processing orders and payments efficiently, and much more. Youll find the best ways to choose merchandise, establish store information, create a skype phone number, develop store policies, and reach the customers you want. Discover how to: Pick products that will really sell Find and evaluate storefront providers Establish payment options Accept credit card payments safely Lay out your design from the ground up Set up a catalog of goods Arrange for shipping Incorporate the best practices of super-selling sites Keep your store up to date Put your Web store at the hub of your sales Fine-tune before you open Take advantage of search engines and pay-per-click campaigns Complete with lists of the top ten things every Web store needs, tips for designing your store, and traps to avoid while building and running your store, Web Stores Do-It-Yourself For Dummies makes opening your Web store fast, fun, and simple!


A significant input wavelength dependent variation of the supercontinuum mutual spectral coherence is observed for the first time using the delayed pulse method, and conditions for generating a highly coherent and broadband supercontinuum are established


Photovoltaic (PV) systems are increasingly used to generate electrical energy from solar irradiance incident on PV modules. Each PV module is formed by placing a large amount of PV cells, typically 60, in series. The PV system is then formed by placing a number, typically 10-12, of PV modules in series in a string and sometimes by placing multiple strings of series-connected PV modules in parallel, depending on the desired output voltage and power range. In practical cases, differences will exist between output powers of the cells in the various PV modules, e.g. due to (part of) the modules being temporarily shaded, pollution on one or more PV cells, or even spread in cell behaviour. Due to the current-source-type behaviour of PV cells and their series connection these differences will lead to a relatively large drop in PV-system output power. This paper addresses this problem by adding DC/DC converters on PV-module level. The concept, named 'delta conversion', aims at averaging out differences in output power between groups of PV cells within modules and between modules inside the PV system. As a result, all these groups of PV cells can output their maximum available power, such that a drop in output power of the total system is prevented. This paper compares the delta-conversion concept with other state-of-the-art module-level power-conversion concepts and presents first measurement results obtained with a demonstrator system.


Abstract:With the advent of spiritualism in the early 1850s, tables and chairs in British households were making an array of unpredictable movements and noises. One of the most unsettling aspects of spiritualism was that it caused the animation of fabricated things. What did it mean that manufactured objects, produced by anonymous craftsmen or factory workers, could cast the middle-class home into disarray? In addition to fueling anxieties about the upheaval of the domestic sphere, accounts of animated furniture stirred up debates on productive labor and the line between efficient and wasted energy. Critics of spiritualism raised the possibility that the labor that went into the production of an object could in fact be experienced by the consumer, often in jarringly visceral ways.


Abstract : Recently emergence of cloud computing drastically brought a revolution in the field of Information technology as well as in the perception of user about software delivery, development and architecture of infrastructure. Cloud computing architecture consisted on the element of grid computing, autonomic computing and utility computing. The fast pace of cloud computing utilization indulge the user of these systems into critical issue like security of the data. For this purpose cloud computing environment required an efficient mechanism or technique because it contains different kinds of private data, business transaction and different resources as well. In this paper we have proposed a unique model to solve the security issues especially regarding the security of storage data. Actually this model consisted on four layers two types of agents (CSU agents , CSP agents ) and trust management layer have two modules (Security management module, trust management module) for checking the identification and trust of accessing user.


Peri-implant plastic surgery aims at improving the esthetic aspects of smile and masticatory function. Over the years, several techniques such as tissue punch technique, full thickness flaps, and scalloping adjustment of flaps around implants have been employed; it was very difficult to achieve a papilla like formation around implants. These added time and expense of the final results and led to undesirable complications. In order to overcome these difficulties, this case report describes a surgical technique where in papilla like formation and increase in width of attached gingiva around implants can be achieved with a single surgical procedure.


Introduction: The influence of photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) on drug penetration into the eye is not yet established, as this procedure may alter the barrier function of the cornea as well as the blood ocular barrier. Pupillary response to topical tropicamide depends on its penetration into the anterior chamber. The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of PRK on pupillary response to topical tropicamide, and hence to evaluate whether PRK alters drug penetration into the eye. Methods: Pupillary diameter was measured using infrared pupillometer at 0, 15 and 30 min after instillation of 0.1% tropicamide to both eyes of 28 patients 4 weeks after PRK in one eye. The untreated eye served as control. Results: Pupillary diameter before and 30 min after dilation was 7.4 ± 1.2 and 8.0 ± 1.0 mm in the treated eyes and 7.5 ± 1.2 and 8.1 ± 1.0 mm in the untreated eyes, respectively (p = 0.45). Percentage of pupillary dilation (Δ pupillary diameter/pupillary diameter at 0 min ×100) was also similar in treated and untreated eyes for the entire study group (12.5 and 10.5%, respectively, p = 0.17). A trend for greater dilation was seen in patients with myopia above 6 diopters (13.7 and 10.5% in treated and untreated eyes, respectively, p = 0.11) and cornea thinner than 540 µm (14.2 and 10.1% in treated and untreated eyes, respectively, p = 0.1). Discussion: Our results confirm animal and human studies that found restoration of the ocular drug barrier at 4 weeks following PRK. The trend for greater penetration in patients with high myopia and thin corneas warrants further study on a larger cohort of this subgroup.


In accordance with the theory of threatened egotism and aggression, the relationships among narcissism, trait anger, job constraints and counterproductive work behavior (CWB) were explored in a questionnaire study. The results were supportive of the hypotheses that narcissism would relate to trait anger, job constraints, and CWB and that the relationship between narcissism and CWB would be mediated by anger. In addition, narcissism was found to moderate the relationship between job constraints and CWB, such that individuals high in narcissism reported more CWB when constraints were high, than individuals low in narcissism.


Rabbi Moshe ben Maimon (Maimonides) in the Second part of his main philosophical treatise The Guide for Perplexed analyzes geocentric cosmology which was for his epoch as paradigm. Also there he considers peripatetic ideas on Pre-eternity of the Universe and concept of multitude of worlds. He challenges and queries Post-Ptolemaic concept of epicycles what is so indistinctive for 12th century. Also two Medieval Jewish mysterious doctrines named Ma'ase Bereshit (Action of Creation) and Ma'ase Merqava (Action of Charriot) are analyzed by him in light of popular for Jewish High Middle Age interpretation as Physics and Metaphysics respectively. Mystical Talmudic teaching on Kise ha-Kavod (the Throne of [Divine] Glory) is interpreted as Peripatetic view on superlunary world. In The Epistle to the Sages of Marseille Maimonides sets some criteria up for rational faith and regards fundamental arguments against astrology by dividing pre-scientific cosmology and superstitions. He considers concept of rea'ya brura (pure viewing or clear proof) in epistemological and ontological sense. To rabbi Moshe logic of mathematical proof (and Pre-Scientific Knowledge at all) and sensual perception have got more weight than Biblical prophets literary words.


OBJECTIVE
Pre-clinical Psychiatric Emergency Situations (PES) gain more scientific interest. First investigations revealed them to be the third major cause for emergency physician (EP) calls. However, there is still very little data concerning prevalence, diagnosis and therapy.

METHODS
A retrospective analysis of all anonymised EP protocols of the year 1995 in the city of Hamburg was performed. Data of each multiple-choice category was evaluated as well as handwritten and personal notes to determine prevalence, diagnoses and therapy of PES.

RESULTS
2550 out of 26,347 protocols (9.7%) revealed to have a psychiatric disturbance as a major cause for the call. The most frequent diagnoses in the overall young (average age: 43.1 +/- 17.6 years) and male (60.3%) population were found to be alcoholic intoxication (34%), state of agitation (23%) and suicide attempts (22%). In 55% the emergencies could be considered as purely psychiatric; in 35% as a combined somatic-psychiatric emergency. A specific psychopharmacological treatment was not performed.

CONCLUSIONS
Psychiatric patients are a considerable group in pre-clinical emergency medicine, however, disturbances are much too rarely documented, diagnosed and treated. Training programs are necessary. Psychiatry has to play a more active role in planning and performing these programs.


Notoungulates represent the most taxonomically diverse and temporally and geographically widespread group among South American native ungulates. Here, we analyze anatomical and systematic aspects of proximal tarsal bones recovered from the Lower and Upper Lumbrera formations (middle and late middle Eocene) in northwestern Argentina. We provide detailed descriptions, comparisons, and infer foot stances and range of movements for the taxa implicated. Material studied includes astragali belonging to the oldfieldthomasiid Colbertia lumbrerense (Lower Lumbrera Formation), a set of proximal tarsals referred as Typotheria indet. (Lower Lumbrera Formation), and tarsals (also including navicular and cuboid) of the informal taxon "Campanorco inauguralis" (Upper Lumbrera Formation). The comparison of the tarsals of Colbertia lumbrerense (middle Eocene of Argentina) with Colbertia magellanica (early Eocene of Brazil) reveals several differences including variations on the development and arrangement of articular facets, and the size of the dorsal astragalar foramen in the Argentinean species. The specimen of Typotheria indet. shows morphological affinities with basal interatheriid taxa. However, its larger size contrasting with the overall small body sizes of Eocene interatheriids precludes an indisputable taxonomic assignment. Concerning "Campanorco inauguralis", our observations indicate that there is no morphological evidence for a close phylogenetic relationship with Mesotheriidae. It presents a "reversed alternating tarsus" condition, which is also observed in Leontiniidae, "Notohippidae", Toxodontidae, and some typotherians. However, the spectrum of singularities exhibited by this form precludes the assessment of its relationships in the context of the Paleogene radiation of Typotheria and it is necessary to extend the comparison to Eocene notoungulates. Finally, in a morphofunctional context a plantigrade foot posture is inferred for the specimens here reported. These observations have the potential to provide functional proxies for paleoecological reconstructions to be applied to the study of the early radiation of these notoungulate faunas.


Ischemic heart disease is the leading cause of cardiovascular mortality, which is related to cardiac myocyte apoptosis. Butorphanol is an opioid receptor agonist with potential cardioprotective function. The purpose of this work is to explore the function and mechanism of butorphanol in oxygen and glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R)‐induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis. The overlapping targets of ischemic heart disease and butorphanol were analyzed according to GeneCards, ParmMapper, Cytoscape, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. Human cardiomyocyte AC16 cells were incubated with butorphanol and then stimulated with OGD/R. Cell injury was investigated by Cell Counting Kit‐8, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay kit, TUNEL staining, caspase‐3 activity assay kit, and Western blotting. The proteins in signaling pathways were measured using Western blotting. A total of 93 overlapping targets of ischemic heart disease and butorphanol were obtained. Pathway analysis exhibited that these targets might be involved in multiple signaling pathways. Butorphanol alone showed little cytotoxicity to cardiomyocytes, and it protected against OGD/R‐induced viability inhibition, LDH release, cell apoptosis, and increase of caspase‐3 activity and expression levels of cleaved caspase‐3 and Bim. Butorphanol promoted the activation of the phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/forkhead box O (FoxO) and hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathways and attenuated the activation of the mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling in OGD/R‐treated cardiomyocytes. In conclusion, butorphanol prevents OGD/R‐induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis through activating the PI3K/Akt/FoxO and HIF‐1α/VEGF pathways and inactivating the MAPK pathway.


Sufficient amino acid (AA) transport is essential to ensure the normal physiological function and growth of growing animals. The processes of AA sensing and transport in humans and murine animals, but rarely in goats, have been arousing great interest recently. This study was conducted to investigate the messenger RNA expression patterns of lysophosphatidic acid receptor 5 (LPAR5), guanine nucleotide-binding protein α-transducing 3 (GNAT3) and important partial AA transporters in digestive tracts, metabolic organs and muscles of growing goats. The results showed that these genes were widely expressed in goats, and had different expression patterns. LPAR5, GNAT3, solute carrier (SLC38A2), SLC7A7, SLC7A1 and SLC3A1 were rarely expressed in the rumen, but were highly expressed in the abomasum and intestine which are the main sites of AA absorption. GNAT3, SLC38A1, SLC38A2, SLC6A19, SLC7A7 and SLC7A1 showed comparatively high expression in the pancreas and the vital digestive glands, and the relatively high expression of these nine genes were noted in the tibialis posterior, the active muscle in energy metabolism. The correlation analysis showed that there were certain positive correlation among most genes. The current results indicate that the AA sensing and transport occur extensively in the abomasum and small intestine, metabolic organs and muscle tissues of ruminants, and that related genes have tissue specificity.


The extremely low frequency propagation associated with Schumann resonance phenomena are calculated numerically by the frequency-domain finite difference method, and distribution of source lightnings is identified by solving an inverse problem using the computed spectra as a set of basis functions. The finite difference equations are formulated in terms of discretized magnetic fields in the Cartesian coordinates adopting a cylindrical shell cavity for simplicity. The most reliable electron and neutral density models in the atmosphere and the ionosphere can be used to take into consideration propagation losses. The inverse problem already developed is applied to the measured data to reconstruct lightning activity distribution as a function of distance from the observation point. The reconstructed data successfully show the lightning active season, time, and distance, which are reasonable in comparison with the earlier reports.


A new model-position-sensing method for the levitation of models with a low fineness ratio (ratio of the longitudinal length to the diameter) in a magnetic suspension and balance system (MSBS) is proposed. MSBS is an ideal model-support device for wind-tunnel testing, which enables the study of flow fields around blunt bodies without flow disturbances introduced by mechanical support devices, with the aerodynamic forces determined from the magnetic forces using a pre-calibrated relationship. The new method allows wind tunnel experiments without mechanical supports with a low fineness ratio model. This method adopts two line sensors placed parallel to the central axis of the model image and measures the position with a resolution finer than 0.06 mm or deg even for thin model geometries. In addition, measurement errors were reduced by correcting a second-order term in the depth direction of the camera. A low fineness ratio circular cylinder model was levitated following sensor calibration. The model was supported in conditions with and without freestream flow. This position measurement method was also applied to a reentry capsule model. The model was levitated while keeping its position and attitude stabilized near the origin.


The lack of a definitive explanation for the causes of autism in children is an enigma that creates significant suffering among parents and difficulties for health professionals. This study is a critical review of the possible causes of autism, currently known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), spanning the period from the first description of the syndrome in 1943 until 2015. The objective of this article is to outline the current scenario of studies about this type of disorder in order to emphasize the points of convergence and the differences between the positions taken by the researchers who have dedicated themselves to this topic. The analysis suggests four main paradigms that attempt to encompass the etiology of autism: 1) the Biological-Genetic Paradigm; 2) the Relational Paradigm; 3) the Environmental Paradigm; and 4) the Neurodiversity Paradigm. By questioning these paradigms, we hope to deepen comprehension of this disorder in the current scientific context.


Enveloped particles of herpes simplex virus produced in human cells in culture contained spermidine and spermine, in a molar ratio of 1.6 +/- 0.2. The spermine present within the nucleocapsid is sufficient to neutralize at least 40% of the viral DNA. Disruption of the envelope with nonionic detergent and urea resulted in the selective loss of spermidine. Exogenous ornithine can function as a precursor to host and viral polyamines only before infection.


An experiment was conducted to improve the nutritive value of palm oil sludge (POS) by fermentation process. Aspergillus niger BPT and NRRL 337 were used into fermenting POS for three days and followed by anaerobic enzymatic process. The experiment was arranged in 2x3 factorial design i.e., enzymatic incubation time (2, 3, and 4 days) and environmental temperature during enzymatic process (room temperature and 40°C). Changes on chemical compositions (crude protein, true protein, ADF and NDF), in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) and protein digestibility (IVPD) were measured. The results showed that both A. niger BPT and NRRL 337 grew well on POS media with the best result at 3 days. The fermentation process by both strains increased crude protein and true protein of POS. The A. niger NRRL reduced the fiber content (ADF and NDF) more than A. niger BPT the IVDMD and IVPD were not significantly affected by fermentation process without enzymatic process. The IVDMD increased significantly when the fermentation followed by enzymatic process. Overall results showed that the best fermentation of POS was obtained by using A. niger NRRL followed by enzymatic process in room temperature for two days. Key words : Palm oil sludge, fermentation, nutritive value


This paper models the outcomes of South Australian state lower house elections from 1997 to 2010 under five different ordinal vote counting methods. The results of the model confirm the findings of Rae (1971) that AV behaves in much the same manner as plurality voting. However, our data show that AV is unique among ordinal voting methods in this regard. In all other ordinal systems modelled, a greater number of parties gain representation in the lower house and in most years no party would win a majority of seats. Additionally, non-AV ordinal methods display a greater sensitivity to subtle changes in voters' preference orders. The paper then considers the wider ramifications of the AV system on political culture in Australia, which at present is characterised by a highly partisan and adversarial tenor. We conclude that the use of a non-AV ordinal voting method would either produce multiparty lower houses (if voters' preference orders are assumed to be sincere) or provide an incentive for major party voters not to preference each other last (if voters' preferences are assumed to be strategic). In either case, a non-AV ordinal voting system would provide a basis from which a more constructive and less antagonistic political culture could develop.


Microbial aerosol whose species and concentrations are closely related to human health is ubiquitous. The effect of microbes on human and animal health and production performance is, in many cases, caused by the spreading of air. Samples in this experiment were from a live poultry market (LPM) in Tai'an, China, collected three times a day (8 am, 14 pm, and 20 pm) over three consecutive days each month for 11 months (Original sampling plan was a year, the government due to the environmental protection, the was LPM closed). The main indicators of the test were concentrations of cultural airborne bacteria, airborne fungi, and Gram-negative bacteria. At the same time the species of Gram-negative bacteria and the concentration of endotoxin were tested. Temperature and humidity were recorded in the process of each sampling. The results showed that the diurnal variation of the concentration of bacteria, fungi, and Gram-negative bacteria is higher in the morning and evening, but lower at noon. The concentrations of airborne bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria increased in earlier months and decreased in later months, with the peak appearing in the autumn. The concentration of fungi showed a decrease first and then tended to stabilize, with the peak occurring in the spring. The concentration peak of endotoxin occurred in the summer. Endotoxin levels were significantly correlated with humidity (r = 0.90, p < 0.01). Most bacteria were distributed at the third and fourth stages (2.1–4.7 μm) in the ANDERSEN-6 sampler. The dominant species of Gram-negative bacteria during the four seasons were Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Salmonella. In China, people have a habit of eating fresh poultry, LPM distribution is widespread, stream of people and traffic flow are large, easily caused the spread of bacteria and viruses, so the LPM microbial aerosol research have significant public health implications.


ABSTRACT.
 The morphology of several "low-mantle" species of Aulacoseira found in Western North America is studied. A new taxon, Aulacoseira pardata sp. nov., is described. Aulacoseira pardata is similar to Aulacoseira distans and Aulacoseira lirata and has been confused in the past with these two taxa. Aulacoseira distans var. nivalis and Aulacoseira distans var. nivaloides bear significant morphological differences from Aulacoseira distans. These two varieties are therefore elevated to species status: Aulacoseira nivalis comb. nov. and Aulacoseira nivaloides comb. et stat. nov., respectively. New taxa: Aulacoseira pardata English and Potapova New combinations: Aulacoseira nivalis, Aulacoseira nivaloides.


We propose the first polarization splitter based on antiresonant optical waveguides (ARROW's). The three air core structure is built up of two moveable outer cladding layers and two fixed inner cladding layers. The moveability of both outer cladding layers makes micromechanical switching of the polarized light between two output channels possible. The polarization discrimination is realized through thin metal films deposited on the outermost surfaces of the outer cladding layers. The extinction ratios of channels 1 and 3 as a function of the thickness of all cladding layers are calculated. We found that for extinction ratios below -20 dB thickness fluctuations smaller than /spl plusmn/15 mm are allowed. >


1996 and 1997 years were very prolific years for cometary studies. In March 1996, C/1996 B2 (Hyakutake), a medium-bright comet, passed at only 0.10 astronomical units (AU) from the Earth. On 1st April, 1997, C/1995 O1 (Hale–Bopp) passed at perihelion. This comet was 10 to 100 times brighter than comet Halley when compared at the same distance. It could be studied and monitored from its discovery in July 1995 as far as 7 AU from the Sun until its perihelion at 0.9 AU, where it was the object of extensive observations. It was thus possible to study these two exceptional comets with modern instrumentation covering the electromagnetic spectrum from radio to X-ray domains. Our knowledge of the composition and nature of comets has been transformed. New cometary molecules were observed, as well as isotopic species. New physical processes could be studied, owing to the large amounts of matter escaping from these objects, to the proximity of Earth allowing a detailed investigation of the region close to the nucleus (comet Hyakutake), or to the unusual physical conditions far from the Sun (comet Hale–Bopp). Selected results of these observations, relevant to the chemistry and physics of molecules and grains, are discussed. It is shown that whereas some old problems are now solved, new ones have emerged. The needs for laboratory data and theoretical work are pointed out.


The present work aims to study a new NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase (cb5r) from Mucor racemosus PTCC 5305. A cDNA coding for cb5r was isolated from a Mucor racemosus PTCC 5305 cDNA library. The nucleotide sequence of the cDNA including coding and sequences flanking regions was determined. The open reading frame starting from ATG and ending with TAG stop codon encoded 228 amino acids and displayed the closest similarity (73%) with Mortierella alpina cb5r. Lack of hydrophobic residues in the N-terminal sequence was apparent, suggesting that the enzyme is a soluble isoform. The coding sequence was then cloned in the pET16b transcription vector carrying an N-terminal-linked His-Tag sequence and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The enzyme was then homogeneously purified by a metal affinity column. The recombinant Mucor enzyme was shown to have its optimal activity at pH and temperature of about 7.5 and 40 degrees C, respectively. The apparent K(m) value was calculated to be 13 microM for ferricyanide. To our knowledge, this is the first report on cloning and expression of a native fungal soluble isoform of NADH-cytochrome b5 reductase in E. coli.


Effects of thyroid hormone deficiency on 5-HT1A receptors, 5-HT2A receptors and serotonin transporter in the brain were studied in thyroidectomised Wistar rats receiving an iodine-free diet and receiving 15 micrograms/kg of thyroxine for 21 days. Binding of 3H-8-OH-DPAT to 5-HT1A receptors and 3H-cytalopram to serotonin transporter were unchanged in hypothyroid rats as compared to the control. 3H-ketanserin binding to 5-HT2A receptors was significantly decreased in the frontal cortex in hypothyroid rats. The cortical 3H-ketanserin binding in thyroidectomised rats was normalised after thyroxine replacement. The data suggest that the decrease in the cortical 5-HT2A receptors is the main consequence of impairing effect of hypothyroidism on serotonin neurotransmission.


The extraction of 135Cs from high-activity liquid waste, arising from reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel, can be achieved by using calix[4]arene crown-6 compounds. The radiolytic degradation of di(n-octyloxy)calix[4]arene crown-6 (octMC6), in aliphatic or aromatic solvent in contact with 3 M nitric acid, was studied by high-performance liquid chromatography directly coupled to electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS). More than 50 distinct degradation products were observed, and about 30 of these were identified. These compounds can be assigned to three categories, namely, products of reactions involving radical cleavage or addition, of oxidation reactions, or of aromatic substitution reactions. The major product, corresponding to substitution by an NO2 group, was quantified by external standard calibration using a purified synthetic sample. Despite the observation of all these degradation compounds, octMC6 appears to be remarkably stable under these drastic conditions, combining hydrolysis (HNO(3) 3 M) and an extreme exposure to radiolysis (10(6) Gy). Less than 35% degradation of octMC6 was observed in aromatic solvent under these conditions.


We have numerically and experimentally observed the soliton pulsation with obvious breathing behavior in the anomalous fiber laser mode-locked by a nonlinear polarization rotation technique. The numerical study of the soliton pulsation with breathing behavior was analyzed through the split-step Fourier method at first, and it was found that the phase difference caused by the polarization controller would affect the breathing characteristics. Then, taking advantage of the dispersive Fourier transform technique, we confirmed the breathing characteristic of soliton pulsation in the same fiber laser as the simulation model experimentally. These results complement the research on the breathing characteristic of soliton pulsation.


A typical shopping scenario nowadays is that shoppers browse and try the products offline and then buy them online from a competing retailer. This phenomenon commonly described as "showrooming" occurs because of the ubiquity of mobile devices and the ease of switching between multiple retail channels. The presence of these mobile-assisted shoppers in a multichannel retailing environment is a serious challenge confronting all retailers. This study first identifies these cross-channel shoppers' reasons for and against showrooming and then uses the behavioral reasoning theory (BRT) to predict their showrooming intention. Next, we identify two factors, namely online-offline price difference and employee knowledge competency that can further impact showrooming intention and subsequently develop a 3x2 scenario-based experiment to examine the effectiveness of these two measures to influence showrooming. We provide theoretical and managerial implications arising from our research.


Glycogen storage disease type II (GSD II) is an autosomal recessive inherited disorder due to the deficiency of the enzyme acid α-glucosidase, which causes an accumulation of glycogen in lysosomes. The deletion of exon 18 (Δ18) is a frequent mutation associated with a severe phenotype. We analyzed 25 Italian patients, 5 of whom were found to be Δ18 carriers. All these 5 patients came from Catania, a town in Sicily. We report on the analysis of 5 intragenic single-point polymorphic markers in the Δ18 patients and on the subsequent characterization of a Δ18-associated haplotype. The frequency of this haplotype in GSD II patients and normal individuals was 1 and 0.196, respectively (χ2 = 20.9; p < 0.001). The high frequency of the Δ18 allele in this Italian subpopulation is likely to be due to a founder effect.


The aspects of quality are that it is unquantifiable trait- it can be discussed, felt and judged, but can not be weighted or measured. To validate software systems early in the development lifecycle is becoming crucial. Early validation of functional requirements is supported by well known approaches, while the validation of non-functional requirements, such as complexity or reliability, is not. Early assessment of non-functional requirements can be facilitated by automated transformation of software models into (mathematical) notations suitable for validation. These types of validation approaches are usually as -transparent to the developers as possible. The widely acceptance of quality services will only be accepted by users if their quality is of the most acceptable level. UML is rapidly becoming a standard (both in development and in research environments) for software development. The work here in this paper is extension of Quality with UML (QWUML, IDIMT-2004, and SEN-2005), quality of the system measurements with modelling (UML). This paper discusses some important issues regarding system design modelling in association with quality, complexity, and design aspects using UML heuristics.


Strong pattern formation occurs on polished miscut surfaces of sodium chlorate (NaClO3) single crystals that are uniaxially stressed perpendicular to the step edge direction and placed in a saturated aqueous solution. The wavelength lambda of the stress-induced surface instability increased continuously in experiments up to 9 days after placed in the solution. There were three successive regimes of coarsening: (i) one-dimensional step bunching with lambda approximately t(1/4) until an undulation transition was reached, (ii) a two-dimensional coarsening mechanism with lambda approximately t(1/2), and a gradual transition to (iii) Ostwald ripening-like coarsening with lambda approximately t(1/3). The coarsening of the surface patterns towards a stable, flat surface implies the spontaneous formation of a stress-free skin on the surface of the stressed solid.


Conflict of Interest Disclosures: The authors have completed and submitted the ICMJE Form for Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interest. Dr Jain reported receiving a grant from the National Institutes of Health. Dr Garshick reported receiving grants from the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Education, and the National Institutes of Health; and receiving royalties for writing UpToDate sections on spinal cord injury management. No other disclosures were reported.


Study objectives were to evaluate the 1-hour decision point for discharge or admission for acute asthma; to compare this decision point to the admission recommendations of the Expert Panel Report 2 (EPR-2) guidelines; to develop a model for predicting need for admission in acute asthma. The design used was a prospective preinterventional and postinterventional comparison. The setting was a university hospital emergency department. Participants included 50 patients seeking care for acute asthma. Patients received standard therapy and were randomized to receive albuterol by nebulizer or metered-dose inhaler with spacer every 20 minutes up to 2 hours. Symptoms, physical examination, spirometry, pulsus paradoxus, medication use, and outcome were evaluated. Based on clinical judgment, the attending physician decided to admit or discharge after 1 hour of therapy. Outcome was compared to the EPR-2 guidelines. Post hoc statistical analyses examined predictors of the need for admission from which a prediction model was developed. Maximal accuracy of the admit versus discharge decision occurred at 1 hour of therapy. Using FEV 1 alone as an outcome predictor yielded suboptimal performance. FEV 1 at 1 hour plus ability to lie flat without dyspnea were the best indicators of response and outcome. A model predictive of the need for admission was developed. It performed better ( P = .0054) than the admission algorithm of the EPR-2 guidelines. The decision to admit or discharge acute asthmatics from the ED can be made at 1 hour of therapy. No absolute value of peak flow or FEV 1 reliably predicts need for hospital admission. The EPR-2 guideline thresholds for admission are barely adequate as outcome predictors. A clinical model is proposed that may allow more accurate outcome prediction.


: Estrogen receptors (ER) are hormone regulated transcription factors which mediate the cellular estrogen response. So far two types of ER could be identified, ERalpha and ERbeta. ERalpha plays an important role as a predictive factor for the effectiveness of endocrine agents in the treatment of breast cancer. Patients with ERalpha positive tumors receive adjuvant endocrine therapy. Recent findings indicate a crucial role of ERbeta and its isoforms for the prognosis of breast cancer. This paper reviews the current knowledge on the functions of ERbeta and its splice variants.


Background Nicotine is primarily rsponsible for the highly addictive properties of cigarettes. Similar to other substances, nicotine dependence is related to many important brain regions, particular in mesolimbic reward circuit. This study was to further reveal the alteration of brain function activity during resting state in chronic smokers by fractional amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (fALFF) based on functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), in order to provide the evidence of neurobiological mechanism of smoking. Methods This case control study involved twenty healthy smokers and nineteen healthy nonsmokers recruited by advertisement. Sociodemographic, smoking related characteristics and fMRI images were collected and the data analyzed. Results Compared with nonsmokers, smokers showed fALFF increased significantly in the left middle occipital gyrus, left limbic lobe and left cerebellum posterior lobe but decreases in the right middle frontal gyrus, right superior temporal gyrus, right extra nuclear, left postcentral gyrus and left cerebellum anterior lobe (cluster size >100 voxels). Compared with light smokers (pack years ≤20), heavy smokers (pack years >20) showed fALFF increased significantly in the right superior temporal gyrus, right precentral gyrus, and right occipital lobe/cuneus but decreased in the right/left limbic lobe/cingulate gyrus, right/left frontal lobe/sub gyral, right/left cerebellum posterior lobe (cluster size >50 voxels). Compared with nonsevere nicotine dependent smokers (Fagerström test for nicotine dependence, score ≤6), severe nicotine dependent smokers (score >6) showed fALFF increased significantly in the right/left middle frontal gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus and left inferior parietal lobule but decreased in the left limbic lobe/cingulate gyrus (cluster size >25 voxels). Conclusions In smokers during rest, the activity of addiction related regions were increased and the activity of smoking feeling, memory, related regions were also changed. The resting state activity changes in many regions were associated with the cumulative amount of nicotine intake and the severity of nicotine dependence.


Over the period 2009 - 2010, Clinics has published a relatively large number of original studies dealing with the cardiovascular and pulmonary system. Twenty of these have attracted significant numbers of citations within this relatively short time span. This short review covers these aspects of recent research with direct interest to cardiologists. Articles were grouped under three headings: Cardiology, Pneumology and Multidisciplinary.


Technology innovation has made life easy for human beings. Technology is being used everywhere. This also extends to the healthcare sector. The healthcare sector produces a large amount of data each minute. Because of privacy issues, much of the data generated is not used and is not publicly accessible. Healthcare data comes from diverse sources hence it will be always varied in nature. Keeping track of such data has become much easier these days. Predictive analysis in healthcare is an emerging technology that identifies the person with poor health where the risks of developing chronic conditions are more likely and provide better solutions in the field of healthcare. Statistical methods and algorithms can be used to predict the disease before the actual symptoms are revealed in humans. By using data analytics algorithms one can easily predict chronic diseases such as obesity, high/low Blood Pressure, diabetes, asthma, cardiopulmonary disorders. Because of an unhealthy diet, lack of proper exercise, stress, consumption of tobacco, alcohol, etc. chronic diseases are most common these days. If the symptoms of chronic diseases are detected in the early stages, there will be less risk of hospitalization by cost-effectively maintaining better health. Big data analysis and health care can be mixed to produce accurate results. The application of predictive analytics in healthcare is highlighted in this paper. It provides a broader analysis in the prevention of different chronic diseases by using predictive analytics. The paper also includes various issues that arise when handling health care data. For each chronic disease, diverse models, techniques, and algorithms are used for predicting and analyzing. The paper comprises a conceptual model that integrates the prediction of the most common chronic diseases.


Developing actuators to drive high-frequency jetting dispensers in the dispensing technology for electronic assembly applications has become a concern in recent years. This study proposed a new jetting dispenser without a displacement amplification mechanism directly actuated by a moving magnet actuator (MMA) to jet small fluid droplets. In this article, the main geometric dimensions of the dispensing cluster including the needle, chamber, and seat-nozzle follow those of previous studies and existing dispensers to reduce design time. The necessary root-mean-square force applied to the dispenser needle, which is the key value for the MMA design, is calculated in detail. An ANSYS Maxwell finite element analysis (FEA) is used to simulate the MMA thrust force and modify geometric dimensions. The droplet size produced by the proposed dispenser is empirically investigated under various backpressure, operating frequency, needle displacement, and fluid temperature conditions. The experimental results indicated that the jet dispenser driven by the moving magnet actuator stably operated at the maximal operating frequency of 80 Hz. Some errors, such as losing droplets and generating small satellite dots around the main dots, did not occur during the operating process. In addition, the size of the proposal dispenser without the displacement-magnifying mechanism was also significantly reduced. To conclude, the jetting dispenser driven by the proposal moving magnet actuator can operate well at a medium frequency and shows great potential for dispensing technologies.


Dwarf galaxies are the numerically dominating population in the dense regions of the universe. Although they seem to be simple systems at first view, the stellar populations of dwarf elliptical galaxies (dEs) might be fairly complex. Nucleated dEs are of particular interest, since a number of objects exhibit different stellar populations in their nuclei and host galaxy. We present stellar population parameters obtained from integrated optical spectra using a Lick index analysis of seven nucleated dwarf elliptical galaxies and their nuclei. After subtracting the scaled galaxy spectra from the nucleus spectra, we compared them with one another and explore their stellar populations. As a preliminary result, we find that the luminosity weighted ages of the nuclei slightly lower than those of galaxies, however, we do not see any significant difference in metallicity of the host galaxies and their nuclei (© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)


ABSTRACT The article explores five Maulid Syaraf al-Anām ('The birth of the best of mankind') manuscripts produced in the Indonesian-Malay world. The five manuscripts all include the Arabic text of this well known and highly popular panegyric recited on the anniversary of the Prophet's birthday as well as on other auspicious occasions, with the Arabic translation into either Malay or Javanese written between the lines. Each manuscript was inscribed at a different site between the late 18th and late 19th centuries: one is from Aceh, another from the so-called 'Malay' diaspora in colonial Ceylon (present-day Sri Lanka), a third from Patani, in today's southern Thailand, while a fourth was copied in Mecca. These four include interlinear translations of the Arabic into Malay. The fifth manuscript, from Java, has a Javanese translation. Through a close reading of one narrative section of the Arabic Maulid and its translations, and their comparison with a vernacular telling, the article engages in a preliminary manner with questions of standardisation, creativity and cultural particularity within the wide, yet little-studied realm of interlinear translations from the region.


Purpose of this development is to fulfil the needs of learning material especially in the Islamic Elementary School. In fact, thematic learning separated from religion; therefore continuity of learning model that will be applied is needed. This day, general subject different with religion subject,therefore in this research, researcher integrated between general subjects with religion subject. This development of teaching material is using Dick and Lou Carey model. The result of this development is Thematic Book for student 4th grade of Islamic Elementary School. Product of this development is tested in a series such as: (1) validation of contents, learning design, and learning, (2) Tested on small group and tested on class.


Kinematic redundancy of robotic manipulators has been known to be useful in accomplishing additional performance on top of the main task of tracking desired end effector trajectories. Robustness has been a major concern in manipulator control where exact physical properties of manipulators are unobtainable. In this paper, we review a method of analyzing robustness of joint space controllers for manipulators, and extend the analysis to end effector space control for the first time. We then generalize the approach to the case of kinematically redundant manipulators by introducing the redundancy as part of the manipulator states, and show that kinematic redundancy is useful in making manipulator controllers more robust. The final result of this paper is an optimization problem whose solution determines the self-motion which optimizes the system robustness. >


Perivascular spaces (PVS) are fluid-filled spaces surrounding the brain vasculature. Literature suggests that PVS may play a significant role in aging and neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cortisol, a stress hormone, has been implicated in the development and progression of AD. Hypertension, a common condition in older adults, has been found to be a risk factor for AD. Hypertension may contribute to PVS enlargement, impairing the clearance of waste products from the brain and promoting neuroinflammation. This study aims to understand the potential interactions between PVS, cortisol, hypertension, and inflammation in the context of cognitive impairment. Using MRI scans acquired at 1.5T, PVS were quantified in a cohort of 465 individuals with cognitive impairment. PVS was calculated in the basal ganglia and centrum semiovale using an automated segmentation approach. Levels of cortisol and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) (an indicator of hypertension) were measured from plasma. Inflammatory biomarkers, such as cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases, were analyzed using advanced laboratory techniques. Main effect and interaction analyses were performed to examine the associations between PVS severity, cortisol levels, hypertension, and inflammatory biomarkers. In the centrum semiovale, higher levels of inflammation reduced cortisol associations with PVS volume fraction. For ACE, an inverse association with PVS was seen only when interacting with TNFr2 (a transmembrane receptor of TNF). There was also a significant inverse main effect of TNFr2. In the PVS basal ganglia, a significant positive association was found with TRAIL (a TNF receptor inducing apoptosis). These findings show for the first time the intricate relationships between PVS structure and the levels of stress-related, hypertension, and inflammatory biomarkers. This research could potentially guide future studies regarding the underlying mechanisms of AD pathogenesis and the potential development of novel therapeutic strategies targeting these inflammation factors.


In recent years there has been considerable progress in the study of certain linear maps of C*-algebras which preserve the natural partial ordering. The most tractable such maps, the completely positive ones, have proved to be of great importance in the structure theory of C*-algebras(4). However general positive (order-preserving) linear maps are (at present) very intractable. For example, there is no algebraic formula which enables one to construct a general positive map, even on the algebra of 3 3 complex matrices. It is therefore of interest to study conditions stronger than positivity, but weaker than complete positivity.


Astrocytes are a subtype of non-neuronal glial cell that reside in the central nervous system. Astrocytes have extensive peripheral astrocytic processes that ensheathe synapses to form the tripartite synapse. Through a multitude of pathways, astrocytes can influence synaptic development and structural maturation, respond to neuronal signals, and modulate synaptic transmission. Over the last decade, strong evidence has emerged demonstrating that astrocytes can influence behavioral outcomes in various animal models of cognition. However, the full extent of how astrocytes influence brain function is still being revealed. Astrocyte calcium (Ca2+) signaling has emerged as an important driver of astrocyte-neuronal communication allowing intricate crosstalk through mechanisms that are still not fully understood. Here we will review the field's current understanding of astrocyte Ca2+ signaling and discuss the sophisticated state-of-the-art tools and approaches used to continue unraveling astrocytes' interesting role in brain function. Using the field of pre-clinical ethanol (EtOH) studies in the context of alcohol use disorder (AUD), we focus on how these novel approaches have helped to reveal an important role for astrocyte Ca2+ function in regulating EtOH consumption and how astrocyte Ca2+ dysfunction contributes to the cognitive deficits that emerge after EtOH exposure in a rodent model.


Torque production capability of permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs) depends on the magnetization state of the permanent magnets (PMs). Electrical stress, thermal stress, or the combined effect of both can produce demagnetization of the PMs, which eventually can result in several adverse effects including decrease in the motor torque and efficiency and increase of the torque ripple and vibration, eventually degrading the performance and reliability of the motor and drive system. A number of approaches have been proposed for detecting PM demagnetization using model-based flux estimation, signal injection, and spectrum analysis of current/back electromotive force; however, all these methods show limitations in terms of invasiveness, implementation cost, and/or reliability of the diagnosis. In this paper, accurate PM demagnetization detection based on measurements from Hall-effect sensors is proposed. Such sensors are often mounted in commercial PMSMs; the proposed method can, therefore, be implemented at practically no cost.


What are the relations engaging labour and liberty, when the former is no longer essentially experienced as the social mark of the alienation of liberty in the economic order ? It was Marx who firstformulated these questions consistently and rigorously. He did so by formulating the theory of the two orders, necessity and liberty, in the framework of the communist utopia. For all this, Marx's formulation of the issue failed to dissipate a whole series of ambiguities concerning the relation between these two orders. Drawing on Andre Gorz's critical reworking of the Marxian framework of the project of social transformation, our aim is to show that a project of emancipation requires a philosophy of liberty, one which recognises a degree of irreducible density in all human collective groups. Or, to put things differently, which acknowledges a certain ineluctable heteronomy of the human condition.


Nucleosides, especially pyrimidines modified in the C5-position, can act as radiosensitizers via a mechanism that involves their enzymatic triphosphorylation, incorporation into DNA, and a subsequent dissociative electron attachment (DEA) process. In this paper, we report 5-iodo-4-thio-2′-deoxyuridine (ISdU) as a compound that can effectively lead to ionizing radiation (IR)-induced cellular death, which is proven by a clonogenic assay. The test revealed that the survival of cells, pre-treated with 10 or 100 µM solution of ISdU and exposed to 0.5 Gy of IR, was reduced from 78.4% (for non-treated culture) to 67.7% and to 59.8%, respectively. For a somewhat higher dose of 1 Gy, the surviving fraction was reduced from 68.2% to 54.9% and to 40.8% for incubation with 10 or 100 µM ISdU, respectively. The cytometric analysis of histone H2A.X phosphorylation showed that the radiosensitizing effect of ISdU was associated, at least in part, with the formation of double-strand breaks. Moreover, the cytotoxic test against the MCF-7 breast cancer cell line and human dermal fibroblasts (HDFa line) confirmed low cytotoxic activity of ISdU. Based on the results of steady state radiolysis of ISdU with a dose of 140 Gy and quantum chemical calculations explaining the origin of the MS detected radioproducts, the molecular mechanism of sensitization by ISdU was proposed. In conclusion, we found ISdU to be a potential radiosensitizer that could improve anticancer radiotherapy.


Spleens were removed from Swiss Webster mice, and cultures of spleen cells were prepared. Gamma (ty pe II immune) interferon (IFN) production was induced in these cells by addition of the purified protein form of phytohemagglutinin (PHA-P) to the cultures. When 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA) was added to the cultures either before or after addition of PHA-P, the production of gamma IFN was inhibited. The degree of inhibition was greater when the cells were treated with DMBA before addition of PHA-P. In experiments to determine the effects of DMBA on the antivirus activity of previously prepared gamma IFN preparations, DMBA was either added to target cells before the addition of exogenous gamma IFN or mixed together with exogenous gamma IFN. In both cases. the antivirus activity of this exogenous gamma IFN was not affected. These data suggest that DMBA treatment can inhibit the production but not the antivirus activity of murine gamma IFN.


In this paper, we present the annotation pipeline and the guidelines we wrote as part of an effort to create a large manually annotated Arabic author profiling dataset from various social media sources covering 16 Arabic countries and 11 dialectal regions. The target size of the annotated ARAP-Tweet corpus is more than 2.4 million words. We illustrate and summarize our general and dialect-specific guidelines for each of the dialectal regions selected. We also present the annotation framework and logistics. We control the annotation quality frequently by computing the inter-annotator agreement during the annotation process. Finally, we describe the issues encountered during the annotation phase, especially those related to the peculiarities of Arabic dialectal varieties as used in social media.