Vorinostat (VOR), a potent HDAC inhibitor, suffers from low solubility and poor absorption, which hinders its successful application in therapy, especially in the treatment of solid tumors. In this study, an effort to improve the physicochemical characteristics of VOR was made by encapsulating it in PEG-PLGA copolymeric micelles. VOR-loaded PEG-PLGA micelles (VOR-PEG-PLGA) were produced by thin-film hydration and physicochemically characterized. The PEG-PLGA micelles had an average size of 124.06 ± 2.6 nm, polydispersity index of 0.27 ± 0.1, and entrapment efficiency of 90 ± 2.1%. Micelles were characterized by TEM, DSC, and drug release studies. The drug release occurred in a sustained manner up to 72 h from PEG-PLGA micelles. In the in vitro cell-based studies using human breast cancer (MDA MB 231) and murine melanoma (B16F10) cell lines, VOR-PEG-PLGA micelles exhibited superior cellular internalization, enhanced cytotoxic activity, and greater apoptosis compared to free drug. Percent cell killing of 54.9% for VOR-PEG-PLGA-treated cells was observed after 24 h compared to 36% for free VOR in MDA MB 231 cell line. Further, significant tumor suppression was witnessed in B16F10 tumor-bearing mice treated with VOR-PEG-PLGA micelles with a 1.78-fold reduction in tumor volume compared to free VOR-treated animals. Overall, the VOR-PEG-PLGA micelles improved the biopharmaceutical properties of VOR, which resulted in enhanced anti-tumor efficacy. Therefore, the newly developed nano-formulation of VOR could be considered as an effective treatment option in solid tumors.


This book describes the remarkable life of Paul Rusch, a Kentuckian who went to Japan after the Great Kanto Earthquake. Rusch embarked on an unlikely journey from a YMCA worker to college instructor, missionary, prisoner of war, and military intelligence officer, ultimately founding Seisen-Ryo lodge and the Kiyosato Educational Experiment Project (KEEP) in Kiyosato, Japan. Through KEEP, Rusch introduced new agricultural methods and technology to highland Japan, endeavoring to help feed an impoverished region in the postwar era. Credited with introducing American-style football to Japan, Rusch was also instrumental in recruiting Japanese Americans (Nisei) for military service during World War II. As an army intelligence officer during the Allied Occupation of Japan, Rusch gathered evidence employed to absolve Emperor Hirohito of responsibility for the Pacific War. Rusch used his vast social network in Japan to acquire evidence of a Communist espionage ring in Japan led by the spymaster Richard Sorge, a development that affected the anti-Communist policies of Occupied Japan and McCarthy-era politics in the United States. Rusch's dreams of evangelizing Japan did not come to fruition, but, despite some failures, Paul Rusch's memory has endured into the twenty-first century, inspiring Japanese and Americans to foster cultural exchange, environmental sustainability, and international peace.


It was found that series-parallel-connected Josephson junctions exhibit synchronized switching. The structure used makes possible a Josephson device with an output voltage equal to a multiple of the gap voltage. As a result one of the structures becomes almost the same as a direct-coupled-logic gate. However, multiple junctions are required and circuit parameters in the gate must be optimized for synchronized switching. In experiments, the synchronized switching of all junctions connected in series and parallel were demonstrated. A high-voltage gate was constructed using synchronized switching and was applied to a cell driver in a Josephson memory circuit. The output voltage was four times the gap voltage, and a fast access of 590 ps was obtained. Experimental results are described for three applications: a memory cell driver, a regulator, and an interface circuit. >


Migration phenomenon has long been attributed to the root cause for compressor dry seizures. In this report, the migration test results on two automotive A/C systems are presented to better understand this phenomenon. The focus of this investigation was on migration phenomenon, not a specific method to solve it. It is shown that migration effect can be reduced by improving frictional characteristics of the compressor components, changing the mounting and orientation of system components and adding oil to A!C systems. Therefore, migration failure mode is not only related to temperature changes, but also a result of interactions of many variables.


The h-index has quickly become the standard method by which medical schools judge the impact of medical researchers. Rob Horne, Keith Petrie, and Simon Wessely describe a cluster of potentially pathological behaviours associated with the index.


This paper's subject is the inquiry of the impact of ivory consumption on elephant populations and their habitat in the course of the trading routes, in the late XVIII century and in the beginning of the XIX century (1790 – 1810) Angola. The information and the analyses for this paper was gathered and established, while doing research for a presentation in the Faculty of letters of the University of Lisbon; for an international conference where it was brought a study related to the Ivory trade from the port of Benguela to Lisbon in the mentioned period. Where, while undergoing the research, the author understood that it could be provided a quantitative universe related to the elephant population hunted in that region due Ivory demand. To undertake this article, the author consulted information available in several Portuguese archives, where he collected several documents that permitted him, based in quantitative sources, to establish an interpretation of the population of pachyderms hunted during the mentioned period. Another base of this essay, beside the quantitative data, is the references collected in XVI – XVIII century Chronicles about Angola, to establish in consonance with the archivist call sources, correlation between the hunting of the elephants with the impact, that caused in their habitat through that period. Keeping its interest in the interconnection of fields, the author investigates the notion of conservation in this period. In this case, the author tries to identify how many elephants were killed, and in what ages correspond to the most killing.


Gas hydrates are ice–like compounds found in marine sediments and permafrosts. A significant fraction of all known hydrocarbons in nature is in the form of hydrate. Gas hydrates are a potential energy resource, with possible roles in seafloor slope stability and climate change. As such, improved geophysical methods are needed to identify and quantify in situ natural hydrates to better study their potential impacts. Current estimates of the distribution and volume of gas hydrates vary widely, by orders of magnitude, largely because of uncertainties in geophysical inversion results. The presence of hydrate affects the geophysical properties of the host sediment, creating anomalies that can be detected by seismic or electrical methods measurements. However, the precise relationships between measured geophysical properties and hydrate content (and distribution) are not fully understood, leading to uncertainties in hydrate estimates. Previous studies have shown that both the hydrate saturation (content) and its distribution (morphology or habit) affect the geophysical properties of the host sediment, and separating these effects presents a challenge to geophysical data interpretation. As this knowledge is generally required to interpret field data, this thesis instead seeks to gain this understanding from controlled laboratory experimental studies. I studied laboratory hydrate formation and dissociation in Berea sandstone and Leighton Buzzard sand to understand their effect on P- and S-wave velocities and attenuations, and on electrical resistivity. I used high resolution synchrotron radiation X-ray tomography (SRXCT) to visualize the pore-scale evolution of hydrate morphology with saturation. These observations could be important for seismic data interpretation in terms of hydrate content and sediment strength, which are needed for natural resource and geohazard assessments (also for joint seismic and electromagnetic survey data interpretation). Hence, I was able to observe how hydrate distribution within the pores (morphology or habit) changes with hydrate formation and dissociation, and how these changes affect the P- and S-wave velocities and attenuations. I calculated hydrate saturation continuously from changes in pressure and temperature and independently from electrical resistivity during hydrate formation and dissociation. I applied a new rock physics model to relate P- and S-wave velocities and attenuations with changes in hydrate saturation and morphology. I found that not all the gas formed hydrate, even when the system was under hydrate stability conditions with excess water. The synchrotron CT results suggest that the dominant mechanism for co-existing gas is the formation of hydrate films on gas bubbles; these bubbles either rupture, releasing trapped gas, or remain trapped within an aggregate of hydrate grains. From a geophysical remote sensing perspective, such co-existing gas could cause errors in hydrate saturation estimates from electrical resistivity as both gas and hydrate are resistive compared to saline pore fluid. I saw that hydrate starts forming in the pore-floating morphology (where hydrate grains are surrounded by brine) and evolves into the pore-bridging morphology (where hydrate connects mineral grains). Eventually, hydrate from adjacent pores joins and forms a pore hydrate framework, interlocking with the sand grain framework and separated by thin water films. I was able to relate these changes in morphology to our elastic wave measurements using the HBES (Hydrate Bearing Effective Sediment) rock physics model. For low hydrate saturations, both P and S wave velocity follows the pore-floating model curve. As hydrate formation continues, the P-wave velocity follows the pore-bridging model curve, similar to other studies. In contrast, the S-wave velocity was lower than the pore-bridging model but higher than the pore-floating model curves. I think that the presence of water films between hydrate and the rock frame inhibited the ability of pore-bridging hydrate to increase the frame shear modulus. The higher S-wave velocity than the pore-floating model predictions is likely due to interlocking rock and pore-bridging hydrate frameworks. The magnitude of relative changes in attenuation is much higher than that of velocity due to changes in hydrate content and distribution. Elastic wave attenuation frequency spectra between 448 and 782 kHz show systematic and repeatable changes during hydrate formation and dissociation. In our experiments, the dominant mechanism of attenuation and velocity changes with an increase in hydrate saturation is (i) a decrease in methane gas bubble radius and (ii) an increase in secondary porosity with hydrate formation. The accurate measurement of both velocity and attenuation at multiple frequencies in the pulse-echo system allow us to constrain the dominant attenuation mechanisms using the HBES rock physics model. Overall, I conclude that hydrate-sediment systems are complex with interlocking solid hydrate aggregate and host grain frameworks separated by water films, with isolated pockets of gas within the hydrate. Such an interlocking pore hydrate framework and co-existing gas, if widespread in nature, should be considered in hydrate quantification from elastic wave velocities. For more reliable estimates of in situ hydrate, multiple geophysical parameter measurements are required (e.g., P and S wave velocities and attenuation, electrical resistivity, and at multiple frequencies), and hydrate estimates from seismic velocities alone could lead to significant errors at low hydrate saturations (< 40%).


Rice caryopses show different patterns of grain filling depending on position within a panicle. Caryopses located on the upper primary rachis branches generally accumulate larger amounts of starch at maturity than caryopses located on the secondary rachis branches of the lower primary rachis. In this study, the former and latter types of caryopses were defined as superior and inferior caryopses, respectively. Superior caryopses elongated soon after flowering, whereas inferior caryopses hardly elongated and were morphologically stagnant until the first 4 d after flowering (DAF). However, once inferior caryopses began elongation, their morphological development was the same as superior caryopses until the middle stage of grain filling. Cell division of the inner integument ceased before endosperm cellularization, pericarp functioned as a transient starch storage tissue until endosperm accumulated starch, and endosperm cell number was determined concomitantly with nucellus disintegration. These results implied the coordinated development of the endosperm with maternal tissues. In addition, differences of inner-integument cell number and endosperm cell number were related to a difference of endosperm size between superior and inferior caryopses.


Coreless filament winding is an emerging fabrication technology in the field of building construction with the potential to significantly decrease construction material consumption, while being fully automatable. Therefore, this technology could offer a solution to the increasing worldwide demand for building floor space in the next decades by optimizing and reducing the material usage. Current research focuses mainly on the design and engineering aspects while using carbon and glass fibers with epoxy resin; however, in order to move towards more sustainable structures, other fiber and resin material systems should also be assessed. This study integrates a selection of potential alternative fibers into the coreless filament winding process by adapting the fabrication equipment and process. A bio-based epoxy resin was introduced and compared to a conventional petroleum-based one. Generic coreless wound components were created for evaluating the fabrication suitability of selected alternative fibers. Four-point bending tests were performed for assessing the structural performance in relation to the sustainability of twelve alternative fibers and two resins. In this study, embodied energy and global warming potential from the literature were used as life-cycle assessment indexes to compare the material systems. Among the investigated fibers, flax showed the highest potential while bio-based resins are advisable at low fiber volume ratios.


Patterns of hydrophobic and hydrophilic residues (binary patterns) play an important role in protein architecture and can be roughly categorized into two classes regarding their preferential participation in α‐helices or β‐strands. However, a single binary pattern can be embedded into different longer patterns carrying opposite structural information and thus cannot be as much informative as expected. Here, we consider conditional binary patterns, or hydrophobic clusters, whose existence is conditioned by the presence of a minimum number of nonhydrophobic residues, called the connectivity distance, that separate two hydrophobic amino acids assumed to belong to two distinct patterns. Conditional binary patterns are distinct from simple ones in that they are not intertwined, i.e., they can not include or be included in other conditional patterns and therefore carry a much more differentiated information, in particular being dramatically better correlated with regular secondary structures (especially β ones). The distribution of these nonintertwined binary patterns in natural proteins was assessed relative to randomness, evidencing the structural bricks that are favored and disfavored by evolutionary selection. Several connectivity distances as well as several hydrophobic alphabets were tested, evidencing the clear superiority of a connectivity distance of 4, which mimics the minimum current length of loops in globular domains, and of the VILFMYW alphabet, selected from structural data (secondary structure propension and Voronoï tesselation), in highlighting fundamental properties of protein folds. Proteins 2003;51:236–244. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Ptilophora leliaertii Tronchin et De Clerck sp. nov. and Ptilophora coppejansii Tronchin et De Clerck sp. nov. are described from Protea Banks reef situated off the southern coast of the KwaZulu-Natal Province in South Africa. They have thus far been collected only on this reef system. Ptilophora leliaertii is distinguishable by its compound pinnate branching and the concave nature of its flattened branches. Ptilophora coppejansii is distinguishable by short, closely spaced pinnae in its distal parts, arising from irregularly arranged indeterminate branches with broad flexuous alae and a distinct midrib. Analyses of rbcL and LSU gene sequences resolve both species as distinct, well-supported taxa, with P. coppejansii sister to Ptilophora diversifolia (Suhr) Papenfuss, and P. leliaertii sister to Ptilophora helenae (Dickinson) R. Norris. The reinstatement of P. helenae, a species recently placed in synonymy with Ptilophora pectinata (A. Gepp & E. Gepp) R. Norris from Australia, is proposed here based on molecular, morphological and biogeographical evidence.


The aim of this paper is to prove the existence and uniqueness of mild solutions for a semilinear differential equation of fractional order with nonlocal conditions in a Banach space. We also give an application for integro-partial differential equations of fractional order.


Purpose
All areas in England are expected by National Health Service (NHS) England to develop integrated care systems (ICSs) by April 2021. ICSs bring together primary, secondary and community health services, and involve local authorities and the voluntary sector. ICSs build on previous pilots, including the Integrated Care Pioneers in 25 areas from November 2013 to March 2018. This analysis tracks the Pioneers' self-reported progress, and the facilitators and barriers to improve service coordination over three years, longer than previous evaluations in England. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach
Annual online key informant (KI) surveys, 2016–2018, are used for this study.

Findings
By the fourth year of the programme (2017), KIs had shifted from reporting plans to implementation of a wide range of initiatives. In 2018, informants reported fewer "significant" barriers to change than previously. While some progress in achieving local integration objectives was evident, it was also clear that progress can take considerable time. In parallel, there appears to have been a move away from aspects of personalised care associated with user control, perhaps in part because the emphasis of national objectives has shifted towards establishing large-scale ICSs with a particular focus on organisational fragmentation within the NHS.

Research limitations/implications
Because these are self-reports of changes, they cannot be objectively verified. Later stages of the evaluation will look at changes in outcomes and user experiences.

Originality/value
The current study shows clearly that the benefits of integrating health and social care are unlikely to be apparent for several years, and expectations of policy makers to see rapid improvements in care and outcomes are likely to be unrealistic.


This manuscript reviews historical and recent studies that focus on supplementary sensory feedback for use in upper limb prostheses. It shows that the inability of many studies to speak to the issue of meaningful performance improvements in real-life scenarios is caused by the complexity of the interactions of supplementary sensory feedback with other types of feedback along with other portions of the motor control process. To do this, the present manuscript frames the question of supplementary feedback from the perspective of computational motor control, providing a brief review of the main advances in that field over the last 20 years. It then separates the studies on the closed-loop prosthesis control into distinct categories, which are defined by relating the impact of feedback to the relevant components of the motor control framework, and reviews the work that has been done over the last 50+ years in each of those categories. It ends with a discussion of the studies, along with suggestions for experimental construction and connections with other areas of research, such as machine learning.


Advances in medicine offer unprecedented opportunities to improve health. New diagnostic, care, and treatment approaches are having a tremendous impact; yet, the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States are intimately linked to preventable factors such as smoking, improper nutrition, alcohol misuse, lack of exercise, and maladaptive behaviors. Compelling evidence indicates that reducing risk factors yields substantial overall health benefits and saves lives. Prevention efforts can be applied effectively at many points in a disease process, and clinical medicine has a significant role. Nonetheless, a number of barriers may interfere. These include physician education and attitudes; patient education, expectations, and motivations; and aspects of the health care delivery system itself, such as access and reimbursement. The situation has been complicated by the apparent lack of consensus on the appropriate frequency and scope of such activities.


It is an accident of literary history that we know anything about Kobayashi Yagobei. His death, on the twentieth day of the 5th month of 1801 (Kyōwa 1) in Kashiwabara village, Shinano Province, was important to his family. But Yagobei was not John F. Kennedy, Matsuo Bashō, or even Woman Wang. Yagobei's death was the quotidian demise of someone of no historical importance. However his eldest son, Yatarō, became Kobayashi Issa. In the years following his father's death, Issa became one of the two or three most famous haikai (haiku) poets of his generation and his renown has not diminished


Social distancing is an effective population-level mitigation strategy to prevent COVID19 propagation but it does not reduce the number of susceptible individuals and bears severe economic and psychological consequences. A vaccine has recently been developed but its deployment will be limited and not immediate. Designing an optimal combination of these two intervention strategies is a priority, but a mechanistic understanding of the interplay between these strategies is missing. To tackle this challenge we developed an age-structured deterministic model in which vaccines are deployed during the pandemic to individuals who, in the eye of public health, are susceptible (do not show symptoms). The model allows for flexible and dynamic prioritization strategies with shifts between target groups. We find that social distancing applied uniformly to all ages and with vaccination targeted towards adults (20-59) or elderly (60+) work in synergism but up to a threshold beyond which vaccination is not efficient. The inefficiency threshold can be eliminated by targeting social distancing at the age groups that are not vaccinated and the optimal strategy is to prioritize vaccines to elderly. Nevertheless, while vaccination reduces hospitalizations, it does not affect the time it takes to eliminate the virus from the population, which is affected only by social distancing. Finally, the same reduction in hospitalization can be achieved via different combination of strategies, giving decision makers flexibility in choosing public health policies. Our study provides insights into the factors that affect vaccination success and provides methodology to test different intervention strategies in a way that will align with ethical guidelines.


Watch the VIDEO of the presentation. Robert Pirsig's book, Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, which is an exploration of the metaphysics of quality, is a Guinness world record holder. No best-seller has been rejected by more publishers – 121 in all. That numerical anomaly, mentioned at the top of the Wikipedia entry for the book (because of our obsession with quantity and rank), reminds us that identifying quality is hard. It requires expertise, but also the imagination to anticipate the future consequences of any new work – whether it be a book or a research paper. Time and again in academia, we get such judgments wrong. And yet, our systems of incentive and reward are increasingly tightly geared to the moment and place of publication. The evaluation of the work itself, or of the idea that it is a living thing that reaches out into the world, is being undermined as busy researchers strive to please busy masters who turn too often to numbers to make their assessment. Quantity is the pernicious proxy that trumps quality. But we must rediscover quality, in all its dimensions, if we are to maintain the reputation of the academy for unflinching interrogation. And one of the most important of those dimensions is openness, which can serve not only as a buttress for quality, but also as a reminder to the academy that freedom of inquiry brings responsibilities to society that can also be enriching.


Electric field-induced magnetization characteristics are demonstrated in (100−x)NaNbO3–xNiFe2O4(x = 15, 25, 35, 45), synthesized by the solid-state sintering method. The composites show well-defined ferroelectric behaviors and magnetic characteristics. The CME effect characteristics with driving frequency in a range 10 k–15 kHz were investigated at room temperature. The CME couplings increase initially with increasing the driving frequencies and then decrease with the further increase in the frequency. Large CME coefficients are obtained at electromechanical resonance frequency of 12.8 kHz. These lead-free multiferroic composites exhibiting electrostatically induced ME resonance provide great opportunities for electric field-tunable microwave devices.


The evaluation of patients with a palpable breast lump includes physical examination, mammography, and fine needle aspiration cytology. Combined use of these diagnostic procedures (triple diagnostic) gives nearly the same degree of accuracy as excisional biopsy with a sensitivity of 97-99% in patients with palpable breast carcinomas. Ultrasonography is a valuable adjunct when mammography is normal or nonconclusive and should be the primary imaging modality in patients under 35 years of age with benign findings on physical examination. Ongoing quality assessment of mammography and ultrasonography is mandatory, since the imaging modalities play a central role in the evaluation of patients with lumps in the breast. There are considerable practical problems associated with the medical audit of the triple diagnostic procedure. Aspects of the evaluation of breast lumps and organization of breast imaging centres are discussed in the light of our own experiences.


—The Rio Grande rift is a Cenozoic continental rift zone that trends south from central Colorado through New Mexico and merges with a broader extensional zone in west Texas and Chihuahua, Mexico. The net upper crustal extension increases southward along the rift, accompanied by a southward-widening of the rift from a narrow zone encompassing a single basin in the north to a wide zone of multiple, laterally adjacent basins to the south. In this study we model the isostatic responses of the lithosphere to extension along the Rio Grande rift, and compare and contrast this response in the San Luis and Albuquerque basins in the narrow part of rift and the Tularosa basin in the wider region of the rift. Our flexural isostatic models are based on a joint-inversion of gravity and deflection data along the footwalls of major basin-bounding faults. The main difficulty in constraining isostatic response to extension in the Rio Grande rift is a lack of constraints on footwall deflection. Our approach is to use topography as a proxy for flexural deflection, and then to compare the estimated end-loads required for plate flexure in the footwall with the end-loads estimated from hanging wall and basin geometry. Using this approach we determine the extent to which flexural isostasy could have generated elevated rift-flanks, and how this process might change along strike. Our results indicate that flexural responses to extension are consistent with rock and surface uplift in the footwalls of the Albuquerque and the Tularosa basins in the central and southern Rio Grande rift. In the San Luis basin, however, although a flexural curve may adequately fit footwall topography, the plate-end loads required for flexure are inconsistent with those inferred from the hanging wall and basin geometries. Additionally, flexure-based estimates of crustal extension agree with geologic estimates in the Albuquerque and Tularosa basins, but not in the San Luis basin. We infer therefore, that rift-flank uplift due to flexure is likely only in the central and southern parts of the Rio Grande rift; to the north, we infer an additional (perhaps pre-rift) contribution to rift-flank topography.


Spin-crossover coordination nanoparticles of the cyanide-bridged three-dimensional network Fe(pyrazine){Pt(CN) 4} were prepared at three different sizes using a microemulsion. The 14 nm particles present a transition centered around 265 K with a hysteresis of 6 K.


During his career, he engaged in a number of specialized engineering activities (including reliability) and held increasingly more important executive positions. He was the principal General Radio representative to several trade associations and technical societies including EIA, IRE, AIEE, IEEE and ANSI. In the IRE, he was Secretary-Treasurer of the Boston Section and later served as Treasurer and the General Chair of NEREM. He was a chair of the IEEE reliability group and the IEEE Parts, Hybrids and Packaging Group. In AIEE, he was Vice-Chair of the Technical Activities Board and Chair of the Fellow Committee.


The paper seeks to uncover the conundrum of why the Zika virus, though first identified in 1947 in Uganda, apparently had no links to microcephaly, thus raising the question of whether infections by mosquito caused those defects.


Seventeen varieties of cowpeas grown in Arkansas were analyzed for their phenolic constituents using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Protocatechuic acid was identified as the major phenolic acid present in esterified forms. The amount of protocatechuic acid increased from trace-3.6 to 9.3-92.7 mg/100 g of flour in the 17 varieties of cowpeas after hydrolysis. Six other phenolic acids, including, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid, 2,4-dimethoxybenzoic acid, and cinnamic acid, were also identified. These phenolic acids were evenly distributed mainly in free acid forms at <7 mg/100 g of flour. Total phenolic contents determined using Folin-Ciocalteu's reagent were largely different among the 17 varieties, ranging from 34.6 to 376.6 mg/100 g of flour. A comparison of the HPLC chromatograms of the 17 cowpea phenolics before and after alkali hydrolysis indicated the conversion of a pattern with evenly distributed peaks to one with a single major peak for protocatechuic acid, suggesting that the chromatograms before hydrolysis better represent the identities of the cowpea varieties.


All-optical wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) networks using wavelength routing technology are considered to be a potential and practical solution to the next generation of wide area backbone networks. The ever-increasing demand for bandwidth further enhances the application of WDM optical networking technology. The main problem involved in design and optimization of wavelength-routed optical network is lightpath routing and wavelength assignment, namely, R&WA. In previous work on the R&WA problem, the project function has been analyzed by mathematic tools, such as integrate linear programming (ILP), heuristic algorithms or probability model, under the assumption of an ideal physical layer over which transmission impairments are ignored. In practical application, however, such impairments and their influence over traffic performance should be considered seriously, and the lightpath selection should be adjusted accordingly. In this paper, we propose an integrated approach for lightpath routing, which considers both the limitations of network topology and resource and the restrictions resulted from transmission impairments through the path computed by our heuristic algorithm when performing lightpath routing. The selected paths resulted from our proposed R&WA algorithm will be evaluated in a coarse-to-fine mechanism. By analyzing the impact of the optical devices (OXC, EDFA etc.) deployed through the lightpath, an optimal path is finally determined. This paper is composed mainly in three parts. For the first part, as to a given network topology, we present the ligthpath routing result, which investigate the influence of different network parameters, based on the proposed heuristic algorithm combining graph theory. For the second part, we studied the impact of various transmission impairments over BER performance, including crosstalk and noise caused by the optical devices. For the third part we combine the results obtained from the former two parts, and evaluate the selected path in a coarse-to-fine mechanism to make an optimal selection. The problem of load balancing is also briefly discussed in our paper.


Ni-xNiO-NiFe_2O_4 cermets with different NiO contents were prepared and the corrosion behaviour in Na_3AlF_6-Al_2O_3 melts was investigated in laboratory electrolysis tests. The results indicate that adding NiO is (un-)(favorable) to the densification of NiFe_2O_4-xNiO ceramics, while small Ni doping can greatly improve the sintering property. The electrolysis tests show that excess NiO is beneficial to the reduction of Fe while has little effects on that of Ni in the bath; the steady-state concentrations of Ni, Fe are below the corresponding solubilities of NiFe_2O_4-xNiO, implying that corrosion mechanism changes while electrifying. Post-electrolysis examination of anodes shows that Ni metal leaches at the anode surface, yet the substrate ceramic prevents the penetration of bath and the further loss of metal phase.


Purpose. To study epidemiology of chronic osteomyelitic processes by the Omsk Region exemplifying, to substantiate the effectiveness of the proposed organ-saving surgical treatment on the basis of using reinforcing local extended carrier.
Materials and Methods. The case histories of 178 adult patients with different etiologic forms of chronic osteomyelitis of long tubular bones analyzed. The spectrum of pathogenic microflora studied, the details of the disease process demonstrated for each etiologic group. The variants of traditional treatment presented depending on the degree of bone structure involvement and the pyogenic process prevalence, a new algorithm of organ-saving surgical treatment proposed on the basis of using reinforcing local extended antibacterial carrier.
Results. While analyzing the long-term functional results of treatment the use of the proposed new technology of surgical treatment of patients with osteomyelitis revealed to result in complete relief of the disease symptoms in 67.2% of cases, in solution of orthopedic problems and, as a consequence, in significant improvement of patients' quality of life and social adaptation.
Conclusion. The use of local antibacterial carriers in combination with surgical treatment of patients with osteomyelitis one-third increases the number of good long-term functional results in comparison with traditional treatment variants, and in this case unsatisfactory results almost six-fold decrease, thereby evidencing the effectiveness and promises of the developed trend.


This thesis proposed a novel embedded system framework (ESF) for data collection of semiconductor and optoelectronic manufacturing equipment. Most present equipment engineering data collection systems acquire engineering data from equipment to remote data collection and analysis servers. In this work, devices implemented ESFs are embedded in the equipment for data collection and some data analysis and monitor functions which require large number of equipment data are plugged in the ESF to reduce huge data transmission in the Internet and resolve factory network burden. The ESF possesses three transmission interfaces, pluggable communication interface (PCI), pluggable application interface (PAI), and equipment driver interface (EDI), to fit various applications. The purpose of PCI is to easily plug in various communication agents. Thus developers of the equipment engineering system (EES) will be able to focus on the EES functions design and disregard the communication issues. PCI provides the interface of messages transmission between embedded pluggable application modules (PAM) and remote computers or mobile devices such as personal digital assistant (PDA) to enhance real-time and prompt equipment monitor and trouble shooting. PAI supplies the standard interface for dynamically plugging in PAM and EDI serves as an interface between equipment and the related driver. The ESF has the ability of serving multiple different application functions and the communication modules, application modules, and equipment drivers are easily replaced according to the requirements. The ESF plays the role of equipment data collection and analysis in EES and transmits the analysis results or alert messages to remote EES servers or PDA.


Rapid technological advances to meet increasing demand for optimal, economical and environmentally friendly solutions has lead to the challenge of increased discontinuities of some service parts by manufacturers. These discontinuities had resulted in increased abandonment of some machines after a few years. Electronic and control modules often receive great share of this abandonment. Hence, the Selective Compliant Assembly Robot Arm (SR-600 SCARA Robot) had been cut-up by these discontinuities. Retrofitting enables existing machines access to new technologies and opportunities. In this study, SR-600 SCARA Robot was reviewed for this purpose. The forward and inverse kinematics equations were solved. An insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT)-based power amplifier design was developed. Results of the amplifier Simulation, closed-loop control implementation and the PID (proportional integral derivative) tuning of the axes servos were presented. The results does not only offer cheap, compact and power efficient control solution, but also an improved multimode motion control using PID controls with velocity and acceleration feed-forward and high speed Ethernet communication between the Robot and the host computer. In this retrofit, results indicate an excellent angular resolution of 0.001o for the three revolute joints, a translational resolution of 2.223µm and an overall motion accuracy of 0.038o for the PID tune configuration of Ki = 1, Kp =50, and Kd =100.


The stationarity and local Gaussianity of ambient shipping noise recorded during an experiment conducted in the San Diego port area is investigated. First through fourth order moments are used to identify time periods of nonstationarity in the noise. Comparison of the shipping data with colored Gaussian noise indicates that the third order moments deviatefrom Gaussianity more than the fourth order moments. The local Gaussianity is quantified using the KolmogorovSmimov test. While the shipping noise at the deeper depth appears somewhat nonGaussian during certain time periods, the shallower depth data appears Gaussian.


Objective: The aim of this study was to obtain protein isolate from quinoa using alkaline pH at different pHs of precipitation and to analyze protein isolate with electrophoresis. Methods: Quinoa protein isolates were obtained using isoelectric precipitation method at different pHs. Proteins were analyzed using electrophoresis native-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) and sodium dodecyl sulfate PAGE. Results: A yield of 6.29% of protein isolate of defatted quinoa at pH 4.0 was obtained. The content of protein isolate was higher than 64% in all pH assays. Globulins and albumins in protein isolate at different pHs were observed. One band near 130 kDa was found. A band with MW 60 kDa corresponding to 7S globulin was found. The bands, MW 33-36 kDa and MW 20-22 kDa, correspond to 11S globulin. Bands less to 15.4 kDa correspond to albumins. Conclusions: Quinoa is a good source of proteins. Globulins and albumins were identified in the quinoa protein isolate.


It is known that a polynomial local diffeomorphism

 $(f,\, g): {\mathbb {R}}^{2} \to {\mathbb {R}}^{2}$

 is a global diffeomorphism provided the higher homogeneous terms of

 $f f_x+g g_x$

 and

 $f f_y+g g_y$

 do not have real linear factors in common. Here, we give a weight-homogeneous framework of this result. Our approach uses qualitative theory of differential equations. In our reasoning, we obtain a result on polynomial Hamiltonian vector fields in the plane, generalization of a known fact.


The investigated control problem of nonlinear time-delay discrete-time systems is addressed using Takagi-Sugeno model. Parametric uncertainty and time-delay terms are employed in building the Takagi-Sugeno model for the controlled plant for the purpose of close representation of the original plant system. The integrity and robustness are guaranteed for the closed-loop fuzzy system in sense of Lyapunov stability method via fuzzy state observers. Sufficient conditions for the fuzzy system to possess integrity against actuator failures and sensor failures in the closed-loop are derived in terms of linear matrix inequalities under assumption of known bounds on uncertainties. The results for trailer-truck example are used to illustrate the effectiveness of the method.


"Canadian Raising" (CR) is a phonological process typical of Canadian English, defined as the production of /aj, aw/ with raised nuclei before voiceless codas, e.g. in about. This dissertation investigates the relationship between CR and another process which abbreviates vowels in the same phonological context in most English dialects: prevoiceless vowel abbreviation (PVVA). This study sampled three North American dialects: Canada, and the American West and North. Comparisons of vowel duration and formant trajectories revealed common patterns and specific differences between these dialects related to both CR and PVVA. Comparisons of vowel formant trajectories were conducted using statistical techniques for comparing curvilinear datasets, employed in novel methodology which utilizes multiple models of time-scaling. Results indicate that the allophonic production of /aw/ differs in Canadian English in relation to the other dialects, while /aj/ follows a common pattern in all three. I argue that PVVA is achieved through the gestural reorganization of vowels preceding voiceless coda, with the dynamic nature of diphthongs making possible several patterns of abbreviation, two of which are attested in these data: truncation of the onset i.e. the diphthongal nucleus, and compression of the overall trajectory; truncation of the offset is also attested for some monophthongs. Differences in selection of which of these abbrevatory patterns applies to /aw/ in Canadian English versus other dialects accounts for the observed differences in phonetic output. These results indicate that it is worth reconsidering several aspects of the current conception of CR, as follows. First, diphthong-raising processes can be directly linked to the more common process of vowel abbreviation, with consideration of how diphthongal gestures are organized, and reorganized in relation to post-vocalic voicing gestures. Second, that /aw/-raising appears to be distinctly Canadian. And third, that /aj/-raising is not specifically Canadian, suggesting that the two terms be described and named distinctly. This dissertation contributes to the literature on sociophonetics in two major ways: by indicating how CR is directly connected to PVVA in contemporary speech, beyond their surmised historical connections; and, by developing novel methodology for the analysis of dynamic formant trajectories, involving comparison of different time-scaling methods.


In trust-based network computing environment, in order to establish a harmonious network environment, and enhance the network resources sharing utilization, resources scheduling research faces more problems than ever before. A resource scheduling algorithm, using cooperative particle optimization and putting task completion price and overall system trust benefits as optimized object, is proposed based on the trust model proposed by Internet-based Virtual Computing Environment (iVCE). Simulation results indicate that the algorithm has obvious performance advantage in the aspects of whole system credibility and resource utilization rate than other classic scheduling algorithms. The algorithm can realize rational scheduling of network resources, and optimize the system performance in trusted computing environment.


This paper describes and analyzes population size management, which can be used to enhance the efficiency of the extended compact genetic algorithm (ECGA). The ECGA is a selectorecombinative algorithm that requires an adequate sampling to generate a high-quality model of the problem. Population size management decreases the overall running time of the optimization process by splitting the algorithm into two phases: first, it builds a high-quality model of the problem using a large population; second, it generates a smaller population, sampled using the high-quality model, and performs the remaining of the optimization with a reduced population size. The paper shows that for decomposable optimization problems, population size management leads to a significant optimization speedup that decreases the number of evaluations for convergence in ECGA by a factor of 30% to 70% keeping the same accuracy and reliability. Furthermore, the ECGA using PSM presents the same scalability model as the ECGA.


© 2019 - IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved. BACKGROUND: Disorders associated with the rotator cuff are regarded as the most common shoulder pain presentation. The range of diagnostic terms used to explain this problem reflect uncertainty in relation to causative mechanisms, diagnosis, prognosis, and the most effective treatments. The aim of this consensus exercise was to facilitate a shared understanding as a means of reducing mixed messages, informing clinical practice and providing a foundation for future research. METHODS: Nine physiotherapists with clinical and academic expertise in shoulder pain participated in an online and face-to-face consensus exercise. RESULTS: This consensus exercise suggests specific factors in the history and physical examination that might raise the index of suspicion of Rotator Cuff Related Shoulder Pain. The suggestions for non-surgical management include a minimal number of exercises prescribed to challenge the functional deficit of the patient over a minimum 12-week period. Apart from aiding exclusion of red flag pathology, imaging is not regarded as useful unless the patient does not respond as expected. Steroid injections wouldn't be considered a first-line intervention unless pain was severe and preventing engagement with exercise. CONCLUSION: This consensus exercise provides a benchmark for clinical reflection while highlighting areas of uncertainty that still exist and require further research.


Based on Theory of Reasoned Action, this study examines the effects of perceived risk on consumers' intention to purchase food in two situations: standard purchasing situation and a hypothetical food scare. Data were collected through a consumer survey conducted in Ho Chi Minh City (245 participants) and structural equation model approach is used to test hypotheses. Results indicate that attitudes have a positive effect on intention in two situations, perceived risk have a negative effect on intention in the case of a food scare. There are three risk-reducing strategies to reduce consumer perceived risk: "brand", "certificate", "and reference source". In addition, subjective norms have a positive effect on intention in the case of a food scare and subjective norms have a positive indirect effect via attitudes on intention in standard purchasing situation. The results provide an implication to the manager regarding the role of perceived risk and risk-reducing strategies in explaining the consumer' intention.


Smart world has been an important research issue of distributed computing and communication in the future. Since the smart applications are implemented on cyberspace, how to control smart objects and to increase the degree of self awareness has been a challenging issue. This paper was addressed in a vision-based surveillance smart application. An Extended Petri Net was proposed for modeling the vision-based surveillance smart application. This proposed system not only provided the hyperspace facilities but also gave the certainly smart/intelligent fusion for receiver's needs. Our testbed were focused on the swing and slide those were very common facilities in the park field or playground. We constructed several surveillance cameras with the different specified position and view angle. To obtain the moving objects which were grabbed video and it could be analyzed the potential dangers in real time. We believe that the more smart applications can be developed the more smart real world will be come true in near future.


Background: Adiponectin, an adipokine with anti‐inflammatory and insulin‐sensitizing properties, is inversely associated with adiposity. Our group previously showed that high circulating levels of adiponectin were inversely associated with prostate cancer (PCa) risk and progression. Moreover, four polymorphisms in ADIPOQ, a gene encoding adiponectin, were significantly associated with overall PCa risk, two of which were also associated with plasma adiponectin levels. However, the role of genetic variation in ADIPOQ and the adiponectin receptor genes ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2 in PCa progression remains unknown. We related polymorphisms in ADIPOQ, ADIPOR1, and ADIPOR2 to PCa survival, ADIPOR2 expression, and a biomarker of proliferation. Methods: Using genotype data from 1286 cases from the Physicians9 Health Study, we evaluated 29 common SNPs in ADIPOQ, ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2 with the development of lethal PCa, defined as progression to bony metastases or PCa‐specific death, during 25 years of follow‐up. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). We assumed a codominant genotype model and assessed the association between each genotype and PCa survival by a p‐value from a likelihood ratio test comparing models with and without the heterozygote and rare homozygote indicator variables. Using ANOVA, we also evaluated each genotype with tumor expression of ki67 (n=203), a marker of cellular proliferation, and ADIPOR2 (n=180) for a subset of cases. Results: Two polymorphisms, one in ADIPOR1 and one in ADIPOR2, were significantly associated with time to lethal PCa. Compared to wildtype homozygotes for ADIPOR1 SNP rs16850799, the HRs for lethal PCa were 1.1 (95% CI: 0.8, 1.6) for heterozygotes and 2.5 (95% CI: 1.4, 4.4) for rare homozygotes (p=0.02). The variant allele for rs16850799 was also associated with increased cellular proliferation in prostate tumors (p=0.004). For ADIPOR2 rs1044471, the HRs compared to wildtype homozygotes were 0.6 (95% CI: 0.4, 0.9) for heterozygotes and 0.9 (95% CI: 0.6, 1.3) for rare homozygotes (p=0.03). The variant allele for rs1044471 was associated with lower expression levels of ADIPOR2 (p=0.03). Conclusions: Of 29 SNPs evaluated in ADIPOQ, ADIPOR1 and ADIPOR2, we found two polymorphic loci (ADIPOR1 rs16850799 and ADIPOR2 rs1044471) to be associated with PCa progression and death. Variant allele carriers of the rs16850799 polymorphism in ADIPOR1 were more likely to develop lethal PCa and exhibited phenotypic changes consistent with disease aggressiveness in their tumors. Variant allele status in ADIPOR2 rs1044471 predicted ADIPOR2 expression levels. None of the four SNPs in ADIPOQ that we previously found to be associated with PCa risk were associated with time to lethal PCa. Our work suggests a potential role of adiponectin and its receptors in mediating the association between obesity and aggressive PCa. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2010;3(1 Suppl):A123.


The flow of a shear-thinning food product in a tube-in-tube-in-tube (TnTnT) heat exchanger (HE ) is modeled with a CFD (computational fluid dynamics) commercial code, FLUENT 6.1. Results are compared with in-line industrial measurements. The heating medium was pressurized hot water in counter current flow and constant wall temperature. The equipment was modeled in five meshed sections: three TnTnT heat exchange domains and two 180° bends that connect them. Good agreement was obtained between measured and predicted values of the product outlet temperature at the end of the process. Agreement on temperature profiles in the different sections of the heater, in the center of the flow, was generally poor. Modeled temperature was higher at the outlet of the bend compared with the inlet indicating that mixing took place. Path lines of massless particles that follow the flow show a racetrack effect; with the closer the stream to the inner wall, the sooner it reaches the outlet. Predicted values of shear stress show higher levels on the internal wall, which may have an impact on potential product damage, especially for heat sensitive products.

Understanding of the flow regime and temperature distribution profile in a complicated geometry such as a TnTnT HE, with the use of CFD, can lead to more efficient processes and more confidence in validating them.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

This work describes the difficulties of validation of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models based on in-line measurements. It also indicates the importance of accurate monitoring methods in the food processing in order to ensure efficiency. CFD can contribute in understanding food flows and processes such as heat transfer in an enclosed domain and determine a better equipment design and selection of control points. Product and process quality can be improved with minimum cost and time investment. Physical and engineering phenomena that take place can be identified and used in favor of the process and the factory.


The solid state complexes, solvatochromic and acidochromic behaviour of four merocyanine-type dyes derived from barbituric and thiobarbituric acid and their use as solvatochromic probe molecules for coloured surfaces are described. The dyes were obtained by condensation reaction of barbituric, N-methylbarbituric, N,N′-dimethylbarbituric and thiobarbituric acid with 4-N,N-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde. The dyes were characterised by means of liquid and solid state NMR techniques (1H MAS NMR, 1H–1H DQ MAS NMR, 13C CPMAS NMR), single-crystal X-ray analysis, UV/vis and IR measurements. The solvatochromism has been investigated in 43 solvents and interpreted in terms of Kamlet–Taft parameters α, β, and π*. Altogether, the solvatochromic properties of these four dyes were determined mainly by the hydrogen bond donating (HBD) ability and the polarisability/dipolarity of a solvent. The interactions of the dyes with oxidic and metal surfaces were studied. Their perichromic behaviour was compared with that of established solvatochromic dyes for the determination of α, β, and π*, namely dicyano-bis-(1,10-phenanthroline)-iron(II)-complex (1), 3-(4-amino-3-methylphenyl)-7-phenyl-benzo-[1,2-b:4,5-b′]-difuran-2,6-dione (2) and 4-tert-butyl-2-(dicyanomethylene)-5-[4-(diethylamino)benzylidene]-Δ3-thiazoline (3). The barbituric acid dyes were used to probe the surface polarity of coloured oxides like tungsten(VI) oxide and iron(III) oxide. The interactions between the dyes and metals like zinc and aluminium were also investigated.


Malunion of the distal radius is a common complication following a distal radius fracture. The surgical treatment of a symptomatic distal radius malunion is a corrective osteotomy (CO) procedure aimed at the restoration of the anatomical alignment of the distal radius articular surface in the wrist joint. Traditional two-dimensional imaging techniques in the management of malunion have demonstrated to be limited in pre-, intra-, and postoperative imaging and visualization of the bone architecture. Over the past decades, with the advent of three-dimensional (3-D) imaging techniques, innovations have emerged in the field of preoperative planning, navigation, and 3-D printing. The aim of this paper is to review the existing literature and inform clinicians and biomedical engineers approaching the field about advantages, disadvantages, and future perspectives of existing computer-assisted technology for CO. Collected studies agree on showing the efficacy of the computed-tomography-based 3-D virtual planning. Currently, patient-specific 3-D printed guides and implants are the most promising technology to transfer the preoperative plan to the patient. However, further biomechanical studies, larger clinical trials, and a major exposure of clinicians to 3-D planning are needed to augment the feasibility of using these technologies in standard practice.


The mycelial growth of ten Diaporthe citri isolates was studied comparing six culture media (oatmeal-agar, malt-peptone-agar, potato-dextrose-agar, orange leaf-dextrose-agar, lemon leaf-dextrose-agar, corn-agar) under 22 ± 2 °C and 12 h light/12 h dark. The evaluation of the mycelial growth of the fungi was also compared under five different temperatures (10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 °C) and three different luminosity conditions (12 h light/12 h dark, continuous light and continuous dark) on potato-dextrose-agar media (PDA). Variations in pycnidial and mycelial mass production were observed in the different media, temperature and luminosity conditions tested. For most isolates, oatmeal-agar, 20-25 °C and continuous light promoted best sporulation. The pycnidial production was greater under continuous light. The pathogenicity test was made by inoculating mycelial discs of 5 mm on sores made in twigs and stem of citrus (Citrus spp.) cultivars. After seven days, gum exudation was observed in plants that were inoculated with the isolates, but not on control. All isolates were pathogenic, but PC2 and PC5 caused bigger lesions in plants.


Abstract Introduction: Most studies to date confirm that any increase in the needle insertion force increases the damage to the tissue. When it comes to brain tissue, even minor damage can cause a long-lasting traumatic brain injury. Thus there is a great demand for innovative minimally invasive needles among the medical community. In our previous studies a novel bioinspired needle design with specially designed barbs was used to perform insertion tests into Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tissue-mimicking gels, in which it decreased the insertion force by as much as 25%. Material and methods: In this work, bioinspired needles were designed using a CAD software, and were then manufactured using a 3 D printer. The insertion tests into bovine brain and liver were then performed to further investigate the performance of our bioinspired needles in real tissues. Results: Our results show that there was a 10-25% decrease in the insertion force for insertions into bovine brain, and a 35-45% reduction in the insertion force for insertions into bovine liver using the proposed bioinspired needles. Conclusion: The reduction in the insertion force is due to the decrease in the friction force of the bioinspired needle with the bovine tissues, and its results are consistent with our previous results. Graphical Abstract


A growing body of evidence shows that poor vitamin D status has been associated with an increased susceptibility to viral and bacterial respiratory infections. In this study, we aimed to examine the association between vitamin D and COVID-19 risk and outcomes, and to explore potential causal effects. We used logistic regression to identify associations between different vitamin D variables (25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration (25-OHD), ambient UVB and genetically-predicted 25-OHD concentrations) and COVID-19 (risk of infection, hospitalisation and death) in 495,780 participants from UK Biobank. We subsequently performed a Mendelian Randomisation (MR) study to test if there was any causal effect. In total, 1,746 COVID-19 cases and 399 COVID-19 deaths occurred between March and June 2020. We found significant inverse associations between COVID-19 infection and 25-OHD in univariable models, but these associations were non-significant after adjustment for confounders. Ambient UVB was strongly and inversely associated with hospitalization and death. Although the main MR analysis showed that genetically-predicted vitamin D levels were not causally associated with COVID-19 risk, MR sensitivity analysis using weighted mode method indicated a potential causal effect (OR=0.72, 95% CI:0.53-0.98; P=0.041). In conclusion, our study found suggestive evidence of association between vitamin D and the risk or severity of COVID-19 but further studies are needed.


The cyclic guanine tetramer (G-quartet) formation was theoretically studied. Total hydrogen bond energy in a G-quartet was large (-70.89 kcal/mol). though the hydrogen bond energy in Hoogsteen type guanine dimer was small (-11.26 kcal/mol). A large attractive interaction (-57.84 kcal/mol) was observed for stacking interaction. The hydration effect should be considered to explain the selectivity of metal incorporation into the G-quartet.


Structural and functional neuroimaging studies have indicated that the cortico-striato -thalamo-cortical (CSTC) circuit contributes to the pathophysiology of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). As an essential component of CSTC circuit, the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) plays an important role for its advanced function in cognition and emotion control. A comprehensive understanding of the dACC disruption in OCD pathological mechanism is desired. In this study, we performed a combined diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) study in 15 OCD patients and 15 healthy controls to investigate the association between structural abnormality and metabolic alterations within the dACC area. We found a positive correlation between the dACC fractional anisotropy (FA) value and choline concentration in patients. Moreover, the FA was positively associated with OCD clinical symptom, especially the compulsive behavior, which showed the clinical relevance of dACC white matter integrity in OCD. To our knowledge, the present work is the first combined DTI-MRS study of OCD. Our findings demonstrated the co-occurrence of structural and metabolic changes within dACC in OCD patients. It was suggested that the disrupted white matter integrity might be accompanied with degraded cellular membrane turnover.


Globalization has resulted in pollution, carbon emissions, climate change, and an insufficient supply of natural resources. As a result, research is required to increase the thermal performance of buildings. In this regard, using a courtyard as a building component is one of the most sustainable ways to improve the building's thermal performance and microclimate. While utilizing the Envi-met program on the configurations chosen for the fully enclosed courtyard, this study investigated the effect of orientation on the fully enclosed courtyard's thermal performance. 1:1:1 and 1:2:1 are examples of this setup. The orientations considered in this example were N-S, E-W, NE-SW, and NW-SE. The air temperature, mean radiant temperature and physiological equivalent temperature were measured during simulations of two configurations of the fully enclosed courtyard. According to the research, the air temperature, mean radiant temperature and physiological equivalent temperature rises as the size of the courtyard grows. As a result, the air temperature in the 1:1:1 courtyard arrangement is lower than in the 1:2:1 courtyard design.


A number of e-voting systems have been proposed in the last decades, attracting the interest of the research community. The challenge is far from being fully addressed, especially for remote systems. In this work, we propose DiverSEC, a distributed, remote e-voting system based on Shamir secret sharing, operations in Galois field and mixnets, which enables end-to-end vote verification. Parties participate as nodes in the network, protecting their interests and ensuring process integrity due to the conflicting interests. The threat model is very conservative, not letting even the most privileged actors to compromise votes privacy or integrity. Security in depth is implemented, overlapping different mechanisms to offer guarantees even in the most adverse operating conditions. The main contributions of the resulting system are our proposal for secret-sharing among the political parties, which guarantees that no party can compromise the integrity of the ballot without being detected and identified in real time, and the computational and architectural scalability of the proposal, which make it easy to implement.


Using HPLC, it was demonstrated that the major free phenolic compound in the pericarp and seed coat of red rice was cyanidin, which belong to anthocyanidin glucoside, exist only in the episperm of red rice as content of 1.64±0.10 mg/g. Anthocyanidin glucoside play a significant role in eliminating free radicals and reacting oxygen species (ROS) to prevent cellular oxidative stress. However, the chemical stability of anthocyanidin glucoside has been one of the major drawbacks for health applications. For longer storage, our results showed that red rice anthocyanidin glucoside could be stored with 0.3 % Vitamin C or 0.5 % NaHSO 3 , and be protected from light, high temperature, high pH and metal ions in environment. Antioxidant activity verified that anthocyanidin glucoside performed better than Vitamin C in ferrous ions chelating activity, scavenging activities for hydroxyl and DPPH radicals. Overall, the red rice might be used as a natural antioxidant supplement applying medical treatments in future days.


ABSTRACT Decentralization has actively engaged various fields of sociology, economy, and governance in the development of urban regions and territories. As a multifaceted strategy, decentralization contributes to enrich our understanding of national and international forces, power struggles, economic factors, and their impacts on the built environment. To frame the discourse of decentralization on urban development, three institutions of ENSAG Université Grenoble Alpes, Politecnico di Milano, and the Delft University of Technology closely collaborated to organize three conferences in Grenoble, Milan, and Delft, respectively. They called scholarly attention re-thinking of urban and regional planning of the twentieth century through the lens of decentralization's values and ideologies. These three conferences laid out how decentralization and its evolution engaged with the field of planning, and in turn, affected urban transformation and regional development worldwide. Focusing on the role of decentralization in urban and regional planning, these scholarly events offered an innovative perspective on research on planning history. This report, therefore, reflects upon the discussions took place at these three conferences to outline the diversity of perspectives on decentralization and its role in urban and regional planning in the past, present, and future.


We consider generalizations of the Radon-Schmid transform on coherent DG/H-Modules, with the intention of obtaining the equivalence between geometric objects (vector bundles) and algebraic objects (D-Modules) characterizing conformal classes in the space-time that determine a space moduli [1] on coherent sheaves for the securing solutions in field theory [2]. In a major context, elements of derived categories like D-branes and heterotic strings are considered, and using the geometric Langlands program, a moduli space is obtained of equivalence between certain geometrical pictures (non-conformal world sheets [3]) and physical stacks (derived sheaves), that establishes equivalence between certain theories of super symmetries of field of a Penrose transform that generalizes the implications given by the Langlands program. With it we obtain extensions of a cohomology of integrals for a major class of field equations to corresponding Hecke category.


Abstract : Problem solving is an essential function of human cognition. To build intelligent systems that are capable of assisting engineers and tutoring students, we need to develop an information processing model that captures the skills used in engineering problem solving. This thesis describes the Integrated Problem Solving Architecture (IPSA) that combines qualitative, quantitative and diagrammatic reasoning skills to produce annotated solutions to engineering problems. We focus on representing expert knowledge, and examine how control knowledge provides the structure for using domain knowledge. To demonstrate our architecture for engineering problem solving, we present a Thermodynamics Problem Solver (TPS) that uses the IPSA architecture. TPS solves over 150 thermodynamics problems taken from the first four chapters of a common thermodynamics textbook and produces expert-like solutions.


Speeding in work zones is one of the most common traffic violations observed by road builders and road maintenance crews. It creates an unsafe environment for road workers and all types of road users. This synthesis is intended to help address this situation by reviewing work zone speed management efforts in Canada and the United States. The report provides an overview of technologies and methods for managing speed in work zones, with topics ranging from posted speed limit reductions and narrowing lanes to portable variable message signs and enforcement. In addition, the report discusses other methods for speed management, including merge control, driver and worker education, and real-time traffic information systems. The report also provides a number of conclusions and recommendations based on the synthesis, which identify some of the key problems and solutions.


Religion is important to study in social studies because many religious iReligion is important to study in social studies because many religious individuals, groups, and movements engage with public issues and because countries are increasingly religiously diverse. In response, scholars are promoting education about religion in citizenship education. However, there remain few programs about religion in Canadian public schools and even less research about them. This article begins to address the gap by proposing three priorities for teacher professional learning and the study of religion for social studies teachers. The priorities are drawn from interviews with Alberta teachers, whose beliefs about religion in the classroom can be divided into three categories identified by the authors as nominal, attentive, and integrated. If many teachers fall into one of these categories, then the professional learning priorities suggested here have wide-ranging application.


A mouse lymphokine stimulating eosinophil differentiation has been identified and characterized. This factor was found to be identical to B cell growth factor II, and is now called interleukin-5 (IL5). Although this murine factor stimulated human eosinophil differentiation and activation, it had no detectable activity on human B cells. Following the cloning of the mouse factor, the human gene was cloned and expressed. Like the mouse factor human IL5 stimulates the production and activation of human eosinophils. However, unlike mouse IL5 which has a readily detectable activity on murine B cells, the human factor was negative when tested in a variety of assays on human B cells.


Living on this earth always commits activity what is called economic activity in everyday life. Transaction (contract) to run a life, without realizing that in life always do the contract of al-
Ariyah (borrowing and lending). The borrowing is done by some ways, whether in the form of goods, money, or other things. Moreover, there are many eventsat present, disputes, or chaos in
the community due to lending and borrowing problems. No wonder this problem arises in every society and ends in court. This happens because of his lack of understanding of rights and obligations to the issue of lending and borrowing. The study of loans (al-Ariyah), the author is interested in discussing about: Consequences of contract al-Ariyah in Muamalah Fiqh Maliyah Ulama Madzahibul Arba'ah Perspective which the authors examine from various aspects, understanding, law, consequences, and others about borrowing(al -Ariyah) so that there is no misunderstanding and misunderstanding of the al-Ariyah contract (lending and borrowing). Property is a basic component in human life, where wealth is an element of ad-dharuri which cannot be abandoned. With human assets, they can fulfill their daily needs, both primary and secondary needs in daily life. In the link of social interaction and to fulfill their needs, there is a horizontal relationship between humans, which is related to Muamalah Maliyah, because basically human beings are not perfect, and need each other, because humans also have a desire to fulfill their needs, which are endless, except with gratitude and sincerity to the AlmightyAllah, contextually this matter also needs to introduce the existence of Allah Almighty. who gives favors and blessings to humans so they can feel happiness in him.

Keywords : Ariyah contract, Maliyah Muamalah Fiqh, Madzahibul Arba'ah


Delays stem from institutional factors and negotiating challenges, some of which appear amenable to reform Many academic researchers who use preexisting data to conduct research describe a common experience: waiting for university officials to finalize and sign contracts necessary to transfer the data. These data use agreements (DUAs) detail the terms under which data will be disclosed, transferred, stored, and used, specifying rights and obligations for both the data supplier and the recipient (1). Faculty members often struggle to understand why DUAs for transfers of seemingly low-risk data take so long to conclude. To understand reasons for delays and explore what might be done to streamline the process, we interviewed a sample of university officials responsible for negotiating DUAs. This first empirical investigation of the DUA process found that procedural inefficiencies, incomplete information, data suppliers' lack of incentives and familiarity with academic practices, and faculty unresponsiveness may be more important contributors to delays than the lawyers being at loggerheads over their respective positions. Although researchers may view DUAs as another symptom that research has become "overlawyered," our study suggests that they may underappreciate the importance of these contracts and the complexity of negotiating them.


The mixture gas composed of hydrocarbon compounds and air/O2 exposed to discharge was analysed by FTIR. The emission spectroscopy of combustion in the enriched condition of O2 and O3 was not very different because it was assumed that the consumption of O atoms required for combustion was consistent. The spectrum around 1750 cm-1 of the mixture gas, which did not appear before discharge, was detected by FTIR. The generation rate of the by-product around 1750 cm-1 strongly relates with O3 concentration. It was suggested that O3 is the major molecule reacting with vaporised hydrocarbon compounds. A candidate for the by-product was supposed to be C8H16O or/and C8H16O2 from the reference absorption spectra of FTIR. The by-product was produced with thin O3 concentration, which was 0.62 g/m3 in the test, although O3 was emitted as extra when injected O3 was more than approximately 2 g/m3.


The principal purpose of McDonald's classic text is to describe the theory and mathematics of the pulsatile flow and pressure generated by the cardiovascular system. The third edition updates the previous two issues by the sensible addition of chapters on Doppler ultrasound and the application of haemodynamic theory in the clinical setting. Several additional contributors have been employed to write some of these sections. Its strong mathematical base makes the book particularly suited to physiologists and bioengineers wishing to gain an overview of pulsatile haemodynamics. Copiously illustrated, it tackles a difficult subject in an understandable


The purpose of the Chaucer Library series is to present "the classical and medieval works that . . . Chaucer . . . knew, translated, or made use of in his writings in versions that are as close as possible to those that were in existence, circulating, and being read by him and his contemporaries." The ideal manuscript would be one of a text annotated by Chaucer or annotated by a contemporary and one which could be designated with assurance as the version Chaucer knew. To date this ideal has not been possible. Although it is clear that this Summa of the virtues could well be the source for the remedia section of Chaucer's Parson's Tale, no single manuscript can be said to represent Chaucer's source. Perhaps in light of the controversy over the first volume in the series, criticized on the grounds that it was neither the text Chaucer read nor a reconstruction of the original text but rather a "typical" text, and because no printed edition of this Summa virtutum exists, Wenzel chose to present this "fully critical edition." He attempts "to present a text which approaches the form of the archetype for all extant [nine] manuscripts in as much as the careful selection of a base text and analysis of all variant readings will allow." Wenzel explains his choice of base text clearly and meticulously and gives a careful elaboration of editorial principles. The text itself is presented with the English translation and variant readings on the facing page.


Current genomic microarray technology has become an advanced testing procedure for many different fields related with or supported by Functional Genomics, Microarray technology usage has experienced a certain explosion in the past years, well defined as a gold rush in a parallel metaphor. This technology, conceived initially as a parallel implementation of well known techniques as Northern and Southern Blotting, has become an available and easy-to-use standard procedure for the estimation of gene expression levels. Nevertheless important challenges have still to be faced to provide it with the desirable reliability levels required for its proper use. Many are the factors which result in unreliable estimates of expression levels, which are to be solved more by the microarray engineer or statistician than by the expert in Genomics. These are known as microarray data processing challenges. The importance of side fields of knowledge as Signal and Image Processing, Pattern Recognition, Statistical Data Analysis based on Independent Component Analysis in relation with microarray data processing challenges have not completely yielded their enormous potential in solving problems as microarray image enhancement, segmentation, correction, gridding, data analysis, reliable expression estimation in relation with hybridization dynamics, etc.
The thesis will concentrate on determining genes showing differences in their expression levels, differences considered to be the effect of underlying processes affecting the hybridization on its dynamic evolution. Independent Component Analysis applied to these genes may be the tool which could give a solution to this issue together with hybridization modelling.


A prospective longitudinal analytic study assessing the efficacy of NETDC (New England Trophoblastic Disease Center) prognostic index score in predicting malignancy after hydatidiform mole had been performed. Of the parameter evaluated; age of patients, type of hydatidiform mole, uterine enlargement, serum hCG level, lutein cyst, and presence of complicating factors were significant risk factors for malignancy after hydatidiform mole were evacuated (p<0.032). The study were done on 50 women diagnosed with hydatidiform mole with 1 year observation (January 2001-December 2002) at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mohammad Hoesin Hospital, Palembang. The results showed that the NETDC prognostic index score predicted malignancy in 50% of high risk group and 10% in low risk group (p<0.05). This showed a higher number than that found by the WHO (19%-30%). The risk for incidence of  malignancy after hydatidiform mole in the high risk group is 9.0 times higher compared to that of the low risk group (CI: 1.769-45.786). (Med J Indones 2004; 13: 40-6) Keywords: New England Trophoblastic Disease Center (NETDC), gestational trophoblastic tumor, hydatidiform mole, high and low risk


ABSTRACT: The pathological changes that occur in Alzheimer disease (AD) brain lead to a large loss of various classes of neurons and the production of novel proteinaceous elements such as neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. For the neuronal loss to occur and these elements to arise, there must be a disturbance in the expression or regulation of genes that code for proteins required for normal cell maintenance, or perhaps even for the expression of genes unique to AD. We describe the construction of a cDNA library from the human substantia innominata and strategies for isolating genes that are expressed differentially between brain regions and which may be affected by AD. Some of the results obtained using these strategies and a preliminary description of a novel brain specific mRNA of 15.5kb, whose expression is increased in AD affected temporal cortex, are presented.


For esophageal reconstruction in newborns with esophageal atresia, esophageal reunion with an end-to-end anastomosis is the ideal procedure, although it may result in leaks and strictures due to tension on the suture line, mainly in cases with a wide gap between the ends. Circular myotomy (Livaditis' procedure) is the best method to elongate the proximal esophageal pouch and reduce anastomotic tension. This experimental investigation in dogs was undertaken to attempt to verify that circular myotomy decreases the anastomotic leak rate in newborns with wide gap esophageal atresia, and to analyze whether the technique promotes morphologic changes in the anastomotic scar. A pilot study demonstrated that it is necessary to resect more than 8 cm (40% of the total esophageal length) in order to obtain high leak rates. In the experimental project, such resection was performed in dogs divided into two groups (control group, anastomosis only, and experimental group, anastomosis plus circular myotomy in the proximal esophageal segment). The animals were killed in the 14th postoperative day, submitted to autopsy, and were evaluated as to the presence of leaks and strictures, as well as to the features (macroscopic and microscopic aspects) of the anastomosis. Leak rates were the same in both groups. Morphometric analysis revealed that in animals in the experimental group, the anastomotic scar was thinner than the control animals, and the isolated muscular manchette distal to the site of myotomy was replaced by fibrous tissue. Correspondingly, a decreased number of newly formed small vessels were noted in the experimental animals, compared to control animals. We concluded that circular myotomy does not decrease the incidence of anastomotic leaks, and it also promotes deleterious changes in anastomotic healing.


A wet-etched phononic crystal waveguide in GaAs with approximately two micron deep inclusions is studied both numerically and experimentally for controlled surface acoustic wave propagation. Numerically, the phononic crystal was modelled using the finite element method (FEM) with COMSOL Multiphysics, and the surface displacement of the acoustic waves was measured using optical interferometry. The computed filter response of the phononic crystal confirmed that the phononic crystal was an effective stop band filter in the interval of 400 MHz and 450 MHz. An L1 linear defect waveguide with a stepped funnel entrance design is shown to perform well at a surface acoustic wave frequency of 410.344 MHz and in agreement to simulated results. The phononic crystal waveguide system shows promise for use in acoustic control of GaAs-based quantum nanostructures.


Ubiquitination is a eukaryotic post-translational modification that modulates a host of cellular processes1. Modification is mediated by an E1 activating enzyme (E1), an E2 conjugating enzyme (E2) and an E3 ligase (E3). The E1 catalyses formation of a highly reactive thioester linked conjugate between ubiquitin and E2 (E2~Ub)2. The largest class of ubiquitin E3 ligases, which is represented by RING E3s, bind both substrate and E2~Ub and facilitate transfer of ubiquitin from the E2 to substrate. Based on extensive structural analysis3–5 it has been proposed that RING E3s prime the E2~Ub conjugate for catalysis by locking it into a "closed" conformation where ubiquitin is folded back onto the E2 exposing the restrained thioester bond to attack by a substrate nucleophile. However the proposal that the RING dependent closed conformation of E2~Ub represents the active form that mediates ubiquitin transfer is a model that has yet to be experimentally tested. Here we use single molecule Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (smFRET) to test this hypothesis and demonstrate that ubiquitin is transferred from the closed conformation during an E3 catalysed reaction. Using Ubc13 as an E2, we designed a FRET labelled E2~Ub conjugate, which distinguishes between closed and alternative conformations. Firstly, we defined the high FRET state as the closed conformation using a stable isopeptide linked E2~Ub conjugate, while the low FRET state represents more open conformations. Secondly, we developed a real-time smFRET assay to monitor RING E3 catalysed ubiquitination with a thioester linked E2~Ub conjugate and determined the catalytically active conformation. Our results demonstrate that the reaction proceeds from the high FRET or closed conformation and confirm the hypothesis that the closed conformation is the active form of the conjugate. These findings are not only relevant to RING E3 catalysed ubiquitination but are also broadly applicable to E3 mediated ligation of other ubiquitin-like proteins (Ubls) to substrates.


Introduction: Molecular techniques play a critical role in identifying breast cancer patients with overexpressed human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2). New bright field techniques such as chromogenic in-situ hybridization (CISH) and silver in-situ hybridization (SISH) have emerged to overcome some of the challenges associated with the reference standard, fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH). We conducted a literature review and synthesis to characterize the accuracy of HER2 tests, and inform decisions about test selection. Methods: We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE databases using these eligibility criteria: studies evaluating invasive breast cancer samples which examined agreement between CISH or SISH, and FISH, and reported sensitivity, specificity, or concordance. We performed a bivariate meta-analysis of sensitivity and specificity using a generalized linear mixed model in Stata. We used likelihood ratio tests from meta-regression to compare accuracy between HER2 tests. Results: The search identified 4,475 articles, of which thirty-one were included. A total of thirteen studies (43%) evaluated dual-color SISH, twelve single-color CISH, and six dual-color CISH. The summary estimates for sensitivity and specificity were, respectively, 0.97 (95%CI 0.83–0.99) and 0.99 (95%CI 0.96–1.00) for single-color CISH, 0.98 (95%CI 0.92–0.99) and 0.98 (95%CI 0.91–0.99) for dual-color CISH; 0.92 (95%CI 0.86–0.95), and 0.96 (95%CI 0.91–0.98) for SISH. Significantly higher specificity was reported for single-color CISH than SISH (chi-square 4.12; p = 0.04), while dual-CISH had higher sensitivity than SISH (chi-square: 4.63; p = 0.03). These differences were not maintained when studies with cohorts enriched with equivocal samples were excluded. Conclusions: The agreement between new bright field tests (SISH and CISH) and FISH is high (>92 percent). Indirect comparison of HER2 tests indicated that overall CISH performance exceeds that of SISH. However, low agreement between SISH and FISH in equivocal cases affects these comparative estimates. The pooled estimates from this meta-analysis can help inform future HER2 test selection decisions.


ABSTRACT Objectives: The association between sleep disturbances and cognitive decline in the elderly has been putative and controversial. We evaluated the relation between subjective sleep quality and cognitive function in the Korean elderly. Method: Among 459 community-dwelling subjects, 352 subjects without depression or neurologic disorders (mean age 68.2 ± 6.1) were analyzed in this study. All the participants completed the Korean version of the consortium to establish a registry for Alzheimer's disease neuropsychological battery (CERAD-KN) as an objective cognitive measure and subjective memory complaints questionnaire (SMCQ). Based on the Pittsburgh sleep quality index, two types of sleepers were defined: 'good sleepers' and 'poor sleepers'. Results: There were 192 good sleepers (92 men) and 160 poor sleepers (51 men). Poor sleepers reported more depressive symptoms and more use of sleep medication, and showed higher SMCQ scores than good sleepers, but there was no difference in any assessments of CERAD-KN. In the regression analysis, depressive symptoms and subjective sleep quality were associated with subjective memory complaints (β = 0.312, p < 0.001; β = 0.163, p = 0.005). Conclusion: In the elderly without depression, poor sleep quality was associated with subjective memory complaints, but not with objective cognitive measures. As subjective memory complaints might develop into cognitive disorders, poor sleep quality in the elderly needs to be adequately controlled.


Context. As the millimeter wavelength range remains a largely unexplored spectral region for galaxies, the IMEGIN large program aims to map the millimeter continuum emission of 22 nearby galaxies at 1.15 and 2mm. Aims. Using the high-resolution maps produced by the NIKA2 camera, we explore the existence of very cold dust and take possible contamination by free–free and synchrotron emission into account. We study the IR-to-radio emission coming from di ff erent regions along the galactic plane and at large vertical distances. Methods. New observations of NGC 891, using the NIKA2 camera on the IRAM 30m telescope, along with a suite of observations at other wavelengths were used to perform a multiwavelength study of the spectral energy distribution in the interstellar medium in this galaxy. This analysis was performed globally and locally, using the advanced hierarchical Bayesian fitting code, HerBIE , coupled with the THEMIS dust model. Results. Our dust modeling is able to reproduce the near-IR to millimeter emission of NGC 891, with the exception of an excess at a level of 25% obtained by the NIKA2 observations in the outermost parts of the disk. The radio continuum and thermal dust emission are distributed di ff erently in the disk and galaxy halo. Di ff erent dusty environments are also revealed by a multiwavelength investigation of the emission features. Our detailed decomposition at millimeter and centimeter wavelengths shows that emission at 1mm is purely originated by dust. Radio components become progressively important with increasing wavelengths. Finally, we find that emission arising from small dust grains accounts for ∼ 9 . 5% of the total dust mass, reaching up to 20% at large galactic latitudes. Shock waves in the outflows that shatter the dust grains might explain this higher fraction of small grains in the halo. Conclusions. NIKA2 observations have proven essential for a complete characterization of the interstellar medium in NGC 891. They have been critical to separate the dust, free–free, and synchrotron emission in the various emitting regions within the galaxy.


Objective : For investigating correlation among diagnostic types, MMPI results and Sasang constitutions, in out-patients of Oriental Neuropsychiatry. Method: We got the following result by comparing the out-patients' MMPI and QSCCII from 2000/12/1 to 2001/12/30 at Sanbon Hospital of Oriental Medicine, Wonkwang University. Result and Conclusion: 1. A specific character of population for study's objects was that female (128, 68.4%) was twice bigger that the male(59, 31.6%). And their education levels were 52 of college graduate (27.8%), 40 of high school graduate (21.4%), and 14 of middle school graduate (14 %). A distribution of the occupation, there are 62 of labors (33.2%), 62 of white collars (33.2%), 30 of sales (16%), 16 of students (8.6%). Their marrige statuses were 144 of married (77%), 31 of single (16.6%), 4 of divorced (2.1%), and 1 of bereavement (0.5%). 2. In the physical constitutions there were 70 of Soeumin(37.4%), 56 of Soyangin(29.9%) 55 of Taeumin (29.4%), 6 of others (3.2%). A differentiation with their diagnosis, there were 55 of palpitations (29.4%), 45 of depression (24.1%), 18 of women's diseases (9.6%), 14 of insomnia (7.5%), 13 of headache (7%), 8 of pain (4.3%), 8 of hwabyung (4.3%), 7 of psychosis (3.7%), 4 of dizziness (2.1%), and 15 of others(8%). 3. A result of groupling MMPI, we could classify into 4 different groups. Group 1 is a profile of trasition in a neurosis. Group 2 is a proflie of a mental disease. Group 3 is a proflie of type neurosis. And group 4 has normal profile. 4. Regarding each group with physical constitution and a distribution of diagnosis, Group 1 is found out 36.4 % of Soeumin, 34.10 % of palpitations. And group 2 showed 43.6% of Soyangin, 25.6% of depression. Group 3 showed 46.4% of Soyangin, 31.90% of palpitations. Group 4 showed the most in 34.3% of Soyangin, and 31.40% of palpitations 5. A result of the study using Chi-square test is that there is no correlation between the 4 different groups and the Sasang physical constitution.


Introduction : The aim of this study was to investigate some of the demographic and clinical features related to brain and neck injuries in patients with maxillofacial fractures in educational hospitals of Rasht in 2016. Methods and Materials : The present study was a retrospective analytical study. A total of 361 patients who were diagnosed with maxillofacial fractures in Rasht city were entered into this study. The data were collected through a questionnaire and by examining the existing files from patients referring to the emergency department of Pursina and Velayat Hospitals who had maxillofacial fractures. A variety of brain and cervical spine injuries were investigated on them. The diagnosis of the type of fracture and the type of brain and neck injury were separately written in the patient file by the relevant specialists based on clinical examinations, age, sex and plain radiography and CT scan. The measurments were analyzed after data collection. Data were analyzed using SPSS and an independent sample T-test. Results : The results showed that men (286) had more maxillofacial fractures than women (75). The fractures in the maxillofacial area occur more often in the third period of life (21-30). Mandible was the most common fracture site in the patients (185). Men were more injuredthan women in both cervical spine and brain, and this difference wassignificant (p = 0.001). Finally, the highest percentage of brain (45.16%) (p = 0.0001) and cervical spine (55.56%) (p = 0.264) injuries were observed in the age range of 21-30 years old. Conclusion : The men had more maxillofacial fractures with brain and cervical spine injuries in third decayed of their lives. Key words : Brain Injury, Neck Injury, Maxillofacial fractures, Demographic features.


Objectives To assess the safety and efficacy of percutaneous closure of perimembranous ventricular septal defect (PmVSD) using patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) occluders. Background Widespread use of conventional PmVSD closure devices has been limited by unacceptable high rate of complete heart block (CHB). The elegant design of PDA occluders is supposed to ease implantation, increase closure rate and minimize damage to adjacent structures. Thus, PDA occluders may reduce complications, especially the CHB, and offer a good alternative for PmVSD closure. Method From September 2008 to October 2015, patients who underwent attempted percutaneous VSD closure using PDA occluders were included in the study. Patient demographics, echocardiography measurements, procedure details and follow-up data until October 2017 were collected. Results In total, 321 patients with a mean age of 15.5±12.6 years and mean a weight of 33.3±20.5 kg were included in this study. The mean defect size was 4.8±2.1 mm. Implantation was successful in 307 (95.6%) patients. The median follow-up time was 63 months (24 to 108 months). The closure rates were 89.5%, 91.5%, and 99.3% after the procedure 24 hours, 6 months and 2 years, respectively. Major complications occurred in 5 (1.7%) patients during the procedure and follow-up, including persistent CHB in 2 (0.7%) patients and device embolization in 3 (1.0%) patients. No death, disability, or other major complication was detected. Conclusion Percutaneous closure of PmVSD using PDA occluders is feasible, safe and efficacious in selected patients.