Introduction: Cerclage wiring has been used in the past for osteosynthesis of femoral fractures. However, the technique went into disrepute as extensive soft tissue dissection, and periosteal stripping increased the risk of bone necrosis and delayed union. Advent of new instrumentation and minimally invasive technique has significantly reduced these complications. In spite of the limited indications for its application, reduction and stabilization with cerclage wiring can supplement osteosynthesis especially in spiral or oblique fracture morphology or those with a butterfly fragment instead of interfragmentary screw fixation. This series attempts to describe the feasibility and evaluate outcomes of cerclage wiring as an adjunct to osteosynthesis and reestablish its place in reduction and fixation of femur fractures. Case Report: This is a retrospective case series of patients (January 2011 to October 2015) in whom cerclage wiring was used as an adjunct to osteosynthesis of primary and periprosthetic fractures of femur. Patient demographics, number of wires used, implant used for osteosynthesis, number of days to union, union rate and complications were recorded and analyzed. The patients were followed up for a minimum of 6 months. 11 patients (7 female and 4 male) with a mean age of 67.10 ± 21.64 years were studied. The number of patients with intertrochanteric, subtrochanteric, diaphyseal, and periprosthetic fractures of the femur was two, five, one, and three, respectively. Internal fixation was done with plates in six and cephalomedullary nails in five patients. Mean total number of wires used was 2.10 ± 0.70. Mean duration of follow-up was 15.91 ± 10.03 months. Union was achieved in all cases with a mean duration of 86.63 ± 22.44 days. There were no complications in our study. Conclusion: Cerclage wiring technique helps to achieve stable reduction of femoral fractures which can then be supplemented with a nail or a plate. The minimally invasive technique and instrumentation offer the advantage of minimal soft tissue dissection, and the procedure is associated with excellent outcomes without any major complications.


The brachial plexus of the Japanese serow was macroscopically studied. It was composed of nerves derived from the sixth (C6), seventh (C7) and eighth (C8) cervical nerves and the first (T1) thoracic nerve (98.1%). Rarely, the second T2) thoracic nerve joined it (1.9%). C6 joined C7 and made up the cranial trunk. C8 and T1 (+T2) united to form the caudal trunk. Each trunk split into dorsal and ventral divisions. The dorsal divisions from C6-T1 formed the dorsal cord which gave off the thoracodorsal, axillary and radial nerves. The manner of union of ventral divisions and their divergence was classified into 4 types. Type I was that the ventral cord was formed by cranial and caudal ventral divisions and sprouted the musculocutaneous, median and ulnar nerves. It was found in 67.3%. Type II was that the proximal muscular ramus of the musculocutaneous nerve emerged from the median nerve and the ulnar nerve appeared from the caudal ventral division from C8-T1. It was observed in 19.2%. Type III was that the proximal muscular ramus and ulnar nerve were derived from the cranial and caudal ventral divisions, respectively. It was seen in 11.6%. Type IV was quite different from type I to III. The cranial ventral division from C6-C7 was not observed. The caudal ventral division from C8-T1 alone formed the ventral cord giving off the nerves. It was encountered in one case (1.9%) and probably represented rare variation. These findings indicate that the brachial plexus of the Japanese serow is chiefly similar to that of other ruminants.


Abstract A numerical model of the interplay between viscous sinking and erosion predicts that the ultimate fate of dense rock bodies in the crust is a sensitive function of erosion rate and of the body's radius, density, and initial depth of emplacement. If all of these variables save one are held constant, the trajectories taken by the body on a depth-time plot diverge widely about a critical value of the remaining variable. For example, if erosion rate, depth, and density are held constant, there is a critical value of the body's radius below which it will be carried to the Earth's surface by erosion and above which it will plummet to neutral buoyancy in the deep crust. This critical sensitivity may explain, for example, why dense plutons larger than a few kilometres in diameter are rare in plutonic terranes. The calculations indicate that exceptionally high erosion or tectonic denudation rates, on the order of 10 km Ma−1 or more, may be necessary to bring dense bodies to the surface before they sink through less dense crust.


This study seeks to reveal a waqf asset marketing strategy model through a program that is eaten with the Friends Program Promotion. The main target of this activity is community, that is, by referring to the hypothesis that waqf assets can develop if supported by human resources, one way is to use waqf assets to be owned by everyone, both as partners and ambassadors. The reason is that the waqf assets are not well known by the public so that many waqf assets are not managed. In addition, the waqf assets contain more certificate conflicts because they have not been properly recorded by the waqf institution. Therefore, this study wants to offer a strategy to promote the development of waqf assets. This research is qualitative with a descriptive approach. Data collection techniques are through observation, interviews, audio and visual media and literature review. The results of the research that have been carried out are as follows: (1) the Indonesian Waqf Movement institute in carrying out a promotion strategy for the waqf companions program, namely by informing and introducing this waqf companion program through printed media (brochures, pamphlets and magazines) and the internet (Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and WhatsApp), (2) in implementing the promotion strategy of the waqf companions program, the Indonesian Waqf Movement institute collaborated with various well-known campuses by holding seminars on endowment companions, (3) promotions that have been formulated and implemented are running quite well, although there are still some a factor that becomes a barrier but this can be a note for the Indonesian Waqf Movement institution in carrying out promotional strategies in the future.


Broadcasting and multicasting packets in a power efficient way is a critical task in wireless ad hoc networks. In a recent paper Li et al., (2004) study the minimum energy broadcast (MEB) routing problem in a wireless ad hoc network where every node has an omni-directional antenna and a fixed transmission power level. We extend their work to wireless networks with directional antennas in this paper. We formulate the minimum power multicasting/broadcasting using directional antennas (PMDA/PBDA) problems. For each problem, we present an approximation algorithm with worst- case approximation ratio O(log/sup 2/n), where n is the number of nodes in the network. We also present several effective heuristics to solve the problems, the shortest path tree (SPT) heuristic, the directed minimum spanning tree (DMST) heuristic and a greedy heuristic. Simulation results are presented to show the performance of our algorithms.


We examined the effects of in utero nicotine exposure on postnatal development of breathing pattern and ventilatory responses to hypoxia (7.4 % O2) using whole‐body plethysmography in mice at postnatal day 0 (P0), P3, P9, P19 and P42. Nicotine delayed early postnatal changes in breathing pattern. During normoxia, control and nicotine‐exposed P0 mice exhibited a high frequency of apnoea (fA) which declined by P3 in control animals (from 6.7 ± 0.7 to 2.2 ± 0.7 min−1) but persisted in P3 nicotine‐exposed animals (5.4 ± 1.3 min−1). Hypoxia induced a rapid and sustained reduction in fA except in P0 nicotine‐exposed animals where it fell initially and then increased throughout the hypoxic period. During recovery, fA increased above control levels in both groups at P0. By P3 this increase was reduced in control but persisted in nicotine‐exposed animals. To examine the origin of differences in respiratory behaviour, we compared the activity of hypoglossal (XII) nerves and motoneurons in medullary slice preparations. The frequency and variability of the respiratory rhythm and the envelope of inspiratory activity in XII nerves and motoneurons were indistinguishable between control and nicotine‐exposed animals. Activation of postsynaptic nicotine receptors caused an inward current in XII motoneurons that potentiated XII nerve burst amplitude by 25 ± 5 % in control but only 14 ± 3 % in nicotine‐exposed animals. Increased apnoea following nicotine exposure does not appear to reflect changes in basal activity of rhythm or pattern‐generating networks, but may result, in part, from reduced nicotinic modulation of XII motoneurons.


It is well known that the foremost environmental sustainability concern derives from the abundance of the plastic waste. The growing problem of the plastic waste originates from the presence of Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) from plastic bottles. Nevertheless, the versatile performance of PET in terms of its lightweight, strong, flexible, moisture-resistant, and cheap can make it a replacement substance for aggregates in green concrete. On the other hand, PET replacement has mostly been restricted to non-structural uses, generally due to its lower strength/stiffness, larger creep and shrinkage, poorer durability associated to natural aggregate concrete (NAC). This paper presents a comprehensive review of the published studies on waste recycled plastic by means of fine aggregate replacements. Parameters including fresh concrete properties (workability and density) and the hardened concrete properties (compressive strength and splitting strength) have been considered. After a detailed review it was found that most of the studies conducted in the area of using PET as a fine replacement outlined the adherence between concrete and PET.


Absorption of Se from the nasal passages, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, and skin was studied in Fischer-344 rats. Radiolabeled selenious acid and elemental Se particles were administered by inhalation, gavage, nasal instillation, and iv injection. Selenious acid was always absorbed into the general circulation more rapidly and to a greater extent than elemental Se. By 4 h after inhalation of selenious acid and elemental Se aerosols, 94% of the selenious acid and 57% of the elemental Se deposited in lungs was absorbed into blood. Of the selenious acid instilled into nasal passages, 18% was absorbed into blood; 16% of the elemental Se was absorbed. Gastrointestinal absorption was 87% for selenious acid and 50% for elemental Se. Selenious acid solutions were also painted onto the pelts of rats. From 10 to 30% of the selenious acid was absorbed through the skin. Following inhalation or injection of either Se compound, most of the Se was excreted in the urine. Significantly more Se appeared in feces of animals receiving elemental Se by gavage than animals receiving selenious acid. Results indicate that if people were to absorb inhaled Se from the upper respiratory tract in a manner similar to that of rats, one-third more selenious acid would be absorbed into the general circulation than elemental Se. All Se deposited in the lungs would be absorbed into blood. However, selenious acid would be absorbed more rapidly than elemental Se.


Ultrafiltration induced by (1) poly(sodium acrylate), (2) glucose, and (3) hydrostatic pressure was studied in a hollow fiber dialyzer. Poly(sodium acrylate) added to dialysate induced large amounts of ultrafiltration without crossing the dialyzer membrane. Sodium ions of the acrylate polymer were osmotically active but were held in dialysate by the impermeant anionic polymer. The hydrostatic pressure equivalent of osmotic pressure induced primarily by the sodium ions approximated that predicted for a completely impermeant molecule. The apparent (net) sieving coefficients for vitamin B12 observed during polymer and hydrostatic ultrafiltration studies were both significantly higher than that observed during glucose ultrafiltration but did not differ from each other. These studies suggest that sodium salts of polyanions can provide an osmotic driving force to yield large amounts of ultrafiltration in dialysis systems and yet not cross the membrane. The studies also suggest that relatively less efficient convective transport with glucose as compared to hydrostatic pressure is neither a membrane phenomenon nor a characteristic of all osmotic pressure induced ultrafiltration. Relatively low effective solute sieving appears to be associated with osmotic induced ultrafiltration with a permeant solute. Under such conditions it is proposed that molecular interaction within the membrane impairs convective transport.


OBJECTIVE
To explore the influence of semi-hepatectomy on levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), insulin growth factor (IGF), thyroxin (TT(3), TT(4)) and insulin (INS) in serum.

METHODS
Sixty healthy male rabbits were randomized into two groups: semi-hepatectomy group and control group, and the latter group received sham operation. Levels of serum IL-2, TNF, IGF, TT(3), TT(4) and INS were determined 1 day before operation and 24 hours, 1 week and 4 weeks after operation.

RESULTS
The IL-2 level in semi-hepatectomy group was elevated significantly at 24 hours after operation (P<0.01), then dropped to the level lower than that before the operation 1 week after operation, and then increased gradually to preoperative level 4 weeks later. The levels of TNF lowered 24 hours after operation (P<0.05), then began to rise, and became significantly higher than control group 4 weeks after operation (P<0.01). The levels of TT(3) and TT(4) significantly lowered 24 hours after operation and recovered gradually 1 week after operation (both P<0.01) until to the preoperative levels 4 weeks later. TT(3) recovered especially significantly. The level of INS and IGF elevated significantly 24 hours after operation and reached its peak level 1 week after operation (both P<0.01), then recovered to the preoperative level 4 weeks later. The various mediators showed no changes in control group.

CONCLUSION
Sick hypothyroid syndrome and hyperinsulinism appeared after semi-hepatectomy. Decrease in IL-2 level contributes to lowered immunity after operative trauma, and elevation of TNF level contributes to apoptosis of hepatocytes, necrosis and inflammation. An elevation of IGF level contributes to regeneration of liver cells.


The changing nature of industries associated with exposure to hazardous dusts in manufacture or in use, as well as better control methods, might be expected to be associated with a reduction in incidence of pneumoconiosis and other lung diseases. Data collected by the University of Manchester's ODIN/THOR network on work-related ill-health in the UK (as diagnosed by specialist physicians) can be used to estimate time trends in the lung diseases reported to the surveillance schemes. Reporters of work-related lung diseases in THOR (previously ODIN) mainly comprise two groups, namely clinical specialists in respiratory medicine and occupational physicians. These reporters return information on work-related cases of ill-health using postal reporting cards or an on-line web form. 'Report cards' are returned even if no new cases are seen, with responses recorded each month i.e. whether a card is returned and number of cases returned. Probabilities of a non response and, for returned cards, of a 'zero' return were modelled as a function of calendar time and/or membership time using 2-level logistic models. Annual change in disease incidence (all work-related respiratory disease and specific diagnoses) was estimated using 2-level Poisson models controlling for reporter characteristics, season, and whether or not a first report. The impact of membership time on reporting was also investigated. Case reports include information on patient demographics, diagnoses, industry, occupation, and suspected agents/exposures. These case details are coded and analysed using SPSS. Annual change in incidence of all work-related respiratory disease reported by specialist chest physicians (1999-2006) was -1.7% (95% CI: -3.1%, -0.2%). Specific diagnoses reported by chest physicians showed that the annual change in incidence for asthma was -3.1% (95% CI: -5.8%, -0.4%), for mesothelioma was -4.1% (95% CI: -6.7%, -1.5%), for benign pleural plaques was +1.1 (95% CI; -1.0%, +3.2%), and for pneumoconiosis was -2.6 (95% CI: -6.6, +1.5) over the same time period. Occupational physicians' reporting showed a change in incidence of -6.1% (95% CI: -11.6%, -0.4%) for all respiratory disease, and -8.4% (95% CI: -15.3%, -0.9%) for asthma. Given variation between reporter groups, and according to model assumptions, time trends from surveillance data need to be interpreted with caution, but may have some place in planning interventions aimed at improving the health of a workforce. Further work to investigate case details (such as suspected agent/exposures) should also add to this knowledge base.


Fresh cut tomato slices can deteriorate rapidly, with a correspondingly short shelf life. Almost all research to date has focused on fresh cut tomato preparation and storage, and little research has considered how postharvest handling of the whole fruit could affect the quality of the prepared fresh cut product. The quality and shelf life of slices prepared from ripe tomato fruit (hue angle 43) were evaluated in relation to initial ripening stage (breaker, 10% red, or turning, 30% red) ripening temperature (15, 20, or 25°C) and postharvest treatment with ethylene. Tomatoes ripened at a lower temperature (15°C) had higher fruit firmness, while tomatoes kept at 25°C had lower lycopene content and lower firmness. Juice loss increased during the storage of all slices, and was higher in slices from breaker stage fruit and from fruit treated with ethylene, but was not much affected by fruit ripening temperature. Lycopene content of the slices declined consistently during storage at 5°C. This study clearly showed that full red tomatoes can be a fresh cut product with good slice integrity and adequate shelf life (8 11 days at 5°C).The results also emphasize the need to assess postharvest handling protocols specific for fresh cut tomato processing.


To examine the levels of preservatives that occur naturally in food, wild plants used as commercial teas, rice cakes, or spices were studied according to the method of the Korean Food Code and analyzed with a gas chromatograph and HPLC. The levels of the natural preservatives (sodium dehydroacetate, sorbic acid, benzoic acid, methyl p-hydroxybenzoate, ethyl p-hydroxybenzoate, isopropyl p-hydroxybenzoate, propyl p-hydroxybenzoate, isobutyl p-hydroxybenzoate, butyl p-hydroxybenzoate, and propionic acid) in 21 cases were investigated against 15 kinds of wild plants. Six of 15 kinds of wild plants, such as pine needles, bamboo leaf, kudzu leaf, ramie leaf, mugwort, and nut pine leaf, were confirmed to have had sorbic acid, benzoic acid, and propionic acid. 8.201-21.839 mg/kg of benzoic acid was detected in the bamboo leaf, ramie leaf, pine needles, mugwort, kudzu leaf, and nut pine leaf. The sorbic acid contents of the bamboo leaf and the kudzu leaf were 5.630-24.995 mg/kg, respectively. The propionic acid content of the ramie leaf was 61.324-62.726 mg/kg. Nine kinds of wild plants, such as the Korean berchimia leaf, taro leaf, sasa borealis, lotus leaf, kuansh, chrysanthemum zawadskii, oak tree leaf, Chinese pepper leaf, and persimmon leaf, were not detected at the levels of the natural preservatives.


This study presents a zero-current-transition (ZCT) two-switch flyback pulse-width modulated (PWM) DC–DC converter with a simple auxiliary circuit. The auxiliary circuit consists of an active switch and a clamp capacitor. The clamping diodes on the primary side of the two-switch flyback topology clamp the peak voltage across each main switch to the DC input voltage VI. This feature of the two-switch flyback converter is combined with the ZCT feature provided by a simple auxiliary circuit connected on the secondary side of the transformer, which results in a soft-switching two-switch flyback converter. Circuit description, principle of operation, steady-state analysis and design procedure of the ZCT two-switch flyback converter are presented. Simulation and experimental results from a laboratory prototype are given to validate the theoretical analysis.


Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major public health problem, and cigarette smoke (CS) is the primary risk factor. The pathology is often observed in the lung, but COPD is also associated with intestinal barrier disruption, although the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. To address this, a CS‑exposed rat model was evaluated in the present study by analyzing small intestinal gene expression using reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction. CS exposure caused upregulation of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate‑oxidase subunits nox2 and p22phox in the small intestine, while the antioxidative enzyme superoxide dismutase was downregulated. CS exposure also increased bax expression and decreased bcl‑2 expression. This was associated with an elevation of hypoxia‑inducible factor (HIF)‑1α. Claudin‑1 was decreased and claudin‑2 increased, indicating a loosening of small intestinal tight junctions (TJs). These data suggest that during the development of COPD, HIF‑1α expression is altered in the small intestine, which may be associated with the increased oxidative stress and apoptosis, eventually resulting in disruption of the intestinal TJs.


Abstract Our ability to understand the geological evolution of Archean cratons is fundamentally dependent on stratigraphic reconstructions across greenstone belts. Here, we integrate published stratigraphic, geochemical and geochronological data to produce a revised stratigraphic model for the Agnew-Wiluna Greenstone Belt of the Yilgarn Craton. The Agnew-Wiluna Greenstone Belt records ca 130 m.y. of magmatism that occurred between ca 2820 and 2690 Ma and can be divided into three cycles. Cycle 1 is marked by ca 2820–2740 Ma mafic–ultramafic volcanic rock successions. Cycle 2 is associated with ca 2740–2720 Ma felsic volcanic rocks, associated fragmental deposits and contemporaneous mafic–ultramafic intrusions. Cycle 3 consists of ca 2720–2690 Ma mafic–ultramafic volcanic rock successions and co-magmatic intrusions. Exhumation and reworking of these continental rift basin successions after ca 2690 Ma resulted in two younger, additional, depositional cycles in the Agnew-Wiluna Greenstone Belt. Cycle 4 is associated with intermediate to felsic volcanoclastic rocks and epiclastic rocks erupted/deposited between ca 2690 and 2665 Ma. Cycle 5 is associated with the deposition of polymict conglomerates and sandstones in localised depocentres between ca 2665 and 2655 Ma. The stratigraphic scheme identified at the scale of the Agnew-Wiluna Greenstone Belt is the local expression of craton-wide tectono-thermal events. Our revised stratigraphic model for the Agnew-Wiluna Greenstone Belt and proposed correlations at the craton scale support a para-autochthonous model whereby crust from a proto-Yilgarn continental mass was extended/thinned, favouring the activation of translithospheric pathways associated with the ca 2720–2690 Ma Kalgoorlie Large Igneous Province. Inversion of this intra-cratonic rift basin after ca 2680 Ma led to the protracted activation of shear zones and multiple shifts in sedimentary depocentres. The widespread occurrence of previously unidentified fragments of ca 2820–2720 Ma substrate within the Kalgoorlie-Kurnalpi Rift has significant implications for craton-scale stratigraphic reconstructions and challenges existing terrane and domain boundaries. KEY POINTS We propose a revised, coherent and testable stratigraphic model for the Agnew-Wiluna Greenstone Belt of the Kalgoorlie Terrane. We compare our revised stratigraphic model for the Agnew-Wiluna Greenstone Belt with that of the Murchison and Southern Cross domains of the Youanmi Terrane in order to build a new space–time–integrated stratigraphic cross-section across the western half of the Yilgarn Craton. We demonstrate for the first time the existence of a magmatic continuum (i.e. no significant magmatic hiatus) between ca 2820 and 2690 Ma, providing the missing link between the geological record of the Youanmi Terrane and that of the Eastern Goldfields Superterrane.


Auxetic mechanical metamaterials, which expand transversally when axially stretched, are widely used in flexible electronics and aerospace. However, these chiral metamaterials suffer from three severe limitations as a typical auxetic metamaterials: narrow strain range, non‐tunable mechanical behaviors, and fixed properties after fabrication. In this work, 4D printing chiral metamaterials with tunable, programmable, and reconfigurable properties are developed. The deformation mode transforms from bending dominated to stretching dominated under large deformation, leading to the stress–deformation (σ–λ) behavior of the auxetic metamaterials similar to those of the biomaterials ("J"‐shaped), such as tissues or organs. The programmability and reconfigurability of the developed chiral metamaterials allow mechanical behavior to change between different biomaterials with high precision. Furthermore, scaffolds with personalized mechanical properties as well as configurations and metamaterials‐based light‐emitting diode integrated devices demonstrate potential applications in tissue engineering and programmable flexible electronics.


Xandra Ibarra is an Oakland-based performance artist from the El Paso/Juarez border who performs under the alias of La Chica Boom. She uses hyperbolized modes of racialization and sexualization to test the boundaries between her own body and coloniality, compulsory whiteness, and Mexicanidad. Her practice integrates performance, sex acts, and burlesque with video, photography, and objects. Her work has been featured at El Museo de Arte Contemporañeo (Bogotá, Colombia), Popa Gallery (Buenos Aires, Argentina), Joe's Pub (NYC), PPOW Gallery (NYC), Yerba Buena Center for the Arts (San Francisco), and The Burlesque Hall of Fame (Las Vegas), to name a few. She was awarded the Yerba Buena Center for the Arts Award, ReGen Artist Fund, Theater Bay Area Grant, and the Franklin Furnace Performance and Variable Media Award.


Recently, there has been a new appreciation of aluminum alloys as materials that are capable of reducing the environment load. This is because aluminum alloys are lightweight, easy to recycle, permit miniaturization, and have environmental friendly properties. In this study, we investigated the mechanical and electrochemical properties of 5083F aluminum alloys using slow strain rate test(SSRT) and potentiostatic tests under various potential conditions. In the potentiostatic tests, the current density in the potential range from ?0.7 to ?1.4 V after 1,200 s was low. After considering the results of the potentiostatic tests, maximum tensile strength, yield strength, elongation, time-to-fracture, observation of fractured specimen and fractography analysis, the optimum protection potential range was between ?1.3 and ?0.7 V (Ag/AgCl).


A novel biquad circuit is presented that allows the loop filter of a high-order continuous-time sigma-delta modulator to be implemented by cascading low-order biquad sections, considerably easing the design and implementation of the high-order continuous-time sigma-delta modulator. Experiment on a 4th-order bandpass continuous-time sigma- delta modulator is conducted successfully and the results are presented.


Guidelines for Mine Waste Dump and Stockpile Design is a comprehensive, practical guide to the investigation, design, operation and monitoring of mine waste dumps, dragline spoils and major stockpiles associated with large open pit mines. These facilities are some of the largest man-made structures on Earth, and while most have performed very well, there are cases where instabilities have occurred with severe consequences, including loss of life and extensive environmental and economic damage.

Developed and written by industry experts with extensive knowledge and experience, this book is an initiative of the Large Open Pit (LOP) Project. It comprises 16 chapters that follow the life cycle of a mine waste dump, dragline spoil or stockpile from site selection to closure and reclamation. It describes the investigation and design process, introduces a comprehensive stability rating and hazard classification system, provides guidance on acceptability criteria, and sets out the key elements of stability and runout analysis. Chapters on site and material characterisation, surface water and groundwater characterisation and management, risk assessment, operations and monitoring, management of ARD, emerging technologies and closure are included. A chapter is also dedicated to the analysis and design of dragline spoils.

Guidelines for Mine Waste Dump and Stockpile Design summarises the current state of practice and provides insight and guidance to mine operators, geotechnical engineers, mining engineers, hydrogeologists, geologists and other individuals that are responsible at the mine site level for ensuring the stability and performance of these structures.

Readership includes mining engineers, geotechnical engineers, civil engineers, engineering geologists, hydrogeologists, environmental scientists, and other professionals involved in the site selection, investigation, design, permitting, construction, operation, monitoring, closure and reclamation of mine waste dumps and stockpiles.


The article establishes stable codependencies between international financial markets and their underlying cause and effect mechanisms, as an object of a global transformation. We demonstrate an intense co-integration between the financial markets of Russia, Brazil and the other emerging markets of Latin America (through the lens of stock markets and national currencies). The cause and effect mechanisms of this dependency are examined. We characterize the countries as analogous substitutes for investors (abundant similarities include: models of collective behaviour, ideology, model and structure of the economy, model of the financial sector, highly speculative markets in shares and currencies). The article explains an extremely limited role of the internal (primarily retail) investors in determining dynamics of the financial market. The central role of non-resident actors (global financial institutions and institutional investors) in the dynamics of the markets of Russian and Brazil is established. We demonstrate that for Russia and Brazil sources of foreign portfolio investments coincide. This includes Anglo-Saxon centers, specifically the US and British offshore jurisdictions, and the global centers of secondary importance (the Netherlands and Luxembourg). The decision making models of global investors in Russian and Brazil are examined: stock prices are driven by the oil prices, and in part by the US stock market, and rouble and real exchange rates follows oil prices and the EUR-USD currency pair. Analysis and conclusions made in the article are supported by a significant volume of statistical modelling.


The dependence of polarization switching on thermal histories has been investigated for K1+-modified lead zirconate titanate (PZT) ceramics by Sawyer–Tower polarization methods. It was found that double-loop-like polarization characteristics in the aged condition could be reversed to normal single loop polarization characteristics by quenching specimens from above the ferroelectric phase transition temperature. However, the P–E curves reversed back to double-loop-like characteristics after reaging specimens at elevated temperatures. Excess oxygen vacancies in La3+-modified PZT were not found to result in double-loop-like polarization hysteresis, whereas excess oxygen vacancies in K1+-modified PZT did. These results provide evidence for role of K1+-oxygen vacancy complexes in polarization pinning.


This study is based on forty cases of osteochondroma observed at the Mayo Clinic from 1910 to 1943, inclusive. In each case, the diagnosis was verified by microseopic examination. A total of sixty-nine operations were performed on these patients. Nine of the patients are known to have died, and eight are known to have had one or more recurrences. In two cases, not all of the tumor was removed at the time of operation. In fifteen cases, there was no evidence of recurrence when the last follow-up data were obtained. No follow-up data were obtained in six cases.

In four of the forty patients, definite malignant changes were later found in the lesions. In sixteen patients (not included among the forty), microscopic examination revealed that the lesions were malignant at the time the patients were first operated upon at the Clinic.

From the foregoing review, the complexity of this problem is obvious. Chondromata of the pelvis must always be considered as serious surgical lesions. This is particularly true of those that are not well pedunculated, and of those in the more remote and inaccessible parts of the pelvis. When the tumor is purely cartilaginous in nature, the diagnosis may be extremely difficult. We have seen at least two cases in which the symptoms were referable to the hip, and, in spite of biopsies with negative findings, the symptoms continued and ultimately a chondroma was revealed. If the tumor is on the inner side of the innominate bone, particularly if it is within the true pelvis, its complete local removal is often difficult or impossible.

The idea is prevalent that these tumors may go from a benign to a malignant status, and in many cases this would seem to be true. However, in some of the cases described this change has not taken place, in spite of several recurrences and operations. In other instances, the presence of both benign and malignant regions in the same tumor may explain the apparent discrepancy.

The importance of complete surgical removal is evident to any one who has seen one or two of these patients in the late stage, when the tumor has reached a huge size, with a great deal of pain and discomfort, and there is little to offer in the way of relief. In those instances in which such removal cannot be accomplished by local excision, interinnomino-abdominal (hindquarter) amputations may be indicated.


BACKGROUND
This prospective study compared the acrosome reaction following ionophore challenge (ARIC) versus conventional sperm parameters and sperm velocities in predicting successful outcome following ovarian stimulation and intrauterine insemination.

METHODS
All patients were offered a maximum of three treatment cycles. Conventional semen analysis was performed and sperm velocities were measured using computer-aided sperm analysis. Acrosome-reacted sperm were stained using chlortetracycline after ionophore challenge. Multiple logistic regression analysis and the receiver-operator characteristic curve analysis were applied to determine the best predictive variables and their cut-off values.

RESULTS
ARIC score was the most significant variable in predicting pregnancy, followed by the percentage of induced acrosome-reacted sperm, serum estradiol levels on the day of hCG and sperm morphology by strict criteria. Higher spontaneous acrosome reaction had a negative relationship with pregnancy. ARIC score of 10% had a sensitivity of 85.3% and a specificity of 85.5%. The positive and negative predictive values were 64.2 and 96.6% respectively and the false positive and negative rates were 14.7 and 14.5% respectively.

CONCLUSION
ARIC score was a better predictor of pregnancy than conventional sperm parameters and sperm velocities.


Interest in artificial DNA mimetics has been triggered by the widespread applications of nucleic acids as they are useful tools for modulation of the biophysical and biological properties of oligonucleotides. In this article, we describe the synthesis and properties of a novel thymine derivative (T*) containing an extended linker between the thymine nucleobase and the 2′-deoxyribose moiety. The modified 2′-deoxyribosyl derivative was prepared via coupling of a functionalized nucleobase to the amino group of 1-aminomethyl-2-deoxyribose, which was synthesized starting from an easily accessible cyano sugar available on a large-scale. Corresponding phosphoramidite and succinyl derivatives have also been incorporated into oligonucleotides at predetermined sites and defined internucleotidic motifs using the solid-phase synthesis approach. This derivative pairs equally well with adenine and guanine and it can be safely introduced at the 3′-end of the siRNAs to generate potent inhibitors of gene expression by the RNA interference mechanism.


While bilingual journalism education in China aims at training students to be professionals with the ability of communicating in a foreign language, English, a similar kind of training in Nigeria purposes to train students to be professionals in the media with the ability of using an indigenous language, Yoruba. Acquiring a foreign language to reach a wider audience is not a problem in Nigeria; English is already dominant in the media of the country. The struggle is to ensure the survival of the indigenous language, and to make attractive its learning, especially at the University level. In China, the indigenous languages are dominant; the purpose of the BJE therefore is to reach an international audience. While BJE in China has been in existence for decades, it is just about ten years old in Nigeria. This paper examines the two BJE models in China and Nigeria, and draws out their similarities and differences as well as implications for journalism education. Keywords: Bilingual Journalism Education, Indigenous Language, Journalism Education, China, Nigeria


Type I interferon–driven CD8+ T cells suppress neutralizing antibody production during chronic LCMV infection. See related Research Articles by Fallet et al. and Sammicheli et al. and a Focus by Laidlaw et al. B cells hoisted by their own petard: IFN-I Certain pathogens, including HIV and hepatitis viruses, that lead to persistent infections are often associated with suboptimal antibody responses. Using LCMV infection in mice, Fallet et al., Moseman et al., and Sammicheli et al. report that up-regulation of type I interferon (IFN-I) in the early phase of infection is a key contributor to premature deletion of virus-specific B cells. Blockade of IFN-I prevents B cell deletion. Although the studies agree that IFN-I does not act directly on B cells, they found that distinct immune cells mediate IFN-I–dependent deletion of B cells, depending on the system examined. Targeting of the IFN-I pathway could be used to restore B cell responses during persistent viral infections in humans. Studies have established a role for T cells in resolving persistent viral infections, yet emerging evidence indicates that both T and B cells are required to control some viruses. During persistent infection, a marked lag or failure to generate neutralizing antibodies is commonly observed and likely contributes to an inability to control certain pathogens. Using lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) as a model, we have examined how a persistent viral infection can suppress neutralizing humoral immunity. By tracking the fate of virus-specific B cells in vivo, we report that LCMV-specific B cells were rapidly deleted within a few days of persistent infection, and this deletion was completely reversed by blockade of type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling. Early interference with IFN-I signaling promoted survival and differentiation of LCMV-specific B cells, which accelerated the generation of neutralizing antibodies. This marked improvement in antiviral humoral immunity did not rely on the cessation of IFN-I signaling in B cells but on alterations in the virus-specific CD8+ T cell response. Using two-photon microscopy and in vivo calcium imaging, we observed that cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) productively engaged and killed LCMV-specific B cells in a perforin-dependent manner within the first few days of infection. Blockade of IFN-I signaling protected LCMV-specific B cells by promoting CTL dysfunction. Therapeutic manipulation of this pathway may facilitate efforts to promote humoral immunity during persistent viral infection in humans. Our findings illustrate how events that occur early after infection can disturb the resultant adaptive response and contribute to viral persistence.


Fiscal discipline to safeguard the credibility of the single monetary authority and fiscal flexibility to respond to country-specific shocks are two core principles governing budgetary policy in EMU. The Stability and Growth Pact aims at ensuring the first objective. To comply with the requirements of the pact, EU members need to achieve a 'close to balance or surplus' position and change their budgetary behaviour in periods of cyclical upturns by refraining from spending the growth dividend.' Past experience shows that fiscal laxity does not buy more effective stabilization. Once EMU countries have achieved their medium-term target, their automatic stabilizers will be able to operate fully, thus helping in smoothing out cyclical fluctuations. The main potential problems in the implementation of the pact may arise in the early years of EMU, during the transition to a balanced budget, in the event of a slow-down in economic activity. Copyright 1998 by Oxford University Press.


Epidemic outbreak detection is an important problem in public health and the development of reliable methods for outbreak detection remains an active research area. In this paper we introduce a Bayesian method to detect outbreaks of influenza-like illness from surveillance data. The rationale is that, during the early phase of the outbreak, surveillance data changes from autoregressive dynamics to a regime of exponential growth. Our method uses Bayesian model selection and Bayesian regression to identify the breakpoint. No free parameters need to be tuned. However, historical information regarding influenza-like illnesses needs to be incorporated into the model. In order to show and discuss the performance of our method we analyze synthetic, seasonal, and pandemic outbreak data.


The impact of digitalization on the labour market is very complex and is manifested in different conditions for job creation and job protection, changed needs for occupations and skills, coping with skills mismatch and labour shortage etc. The aim of the research is to determine the possible implications of digitalization on the labour market in North Macedonia, by analyzing relevant labour market indicators and the results of employees' survey based on identified hypotheses. The analysis of the labour market indicators shows that despite the positive changes, the situation on the Macedonian labour market remains unfavorable i.e. low employment rates, growing skills mismatch and labour shortages in conditions of still high unemployment. The survey results indicate that the digitalization may not cause serious job losses, but it can lead to significant shifts in the employment structure (regarding sectors, occupations, skills, nature of jobs, pressure on the lower skill levels etc.). The influence of digitalization on the labour demand will depend on the employment sector and job profile, as well as on the investments in technology and relevant experience to use it. Also, digitalization could reduce the labour shortages caused by demographic ageing. The survey results show that digitalization will impose changes in the education and professional expertise, management style and organizational culture, as well as in trade union organizations. The findings of this research are meaningful for policy makers, state institutions, employers, trade unions and other stakeholders. The digitalization implies need for coherent approach of all involved parties in North Macedonia.


Positive face-to-face social encounters between strangers can strengthen the sense of community in modern urban environments. However, it is not always easy to initiate friendly encounters due to various inhibiting social norms. We present three inspirational design patterns for reducing inhibitions to interact with unfamiliar others. These abstractions are based on a broad design space review of concepts, encompassing examples across a range of scales, fields, media and forms. Each inspirational pattern is formulated as a response to a different challenge to initiating social interaction but all share an underlying similarity in offering varieties of barriers and filters that paradoxically also separate people. The patterns are "Closer Through Not Seeing"; "Closer Through Not Touching"; and "Minimize Encounter Duration". We believe these patterns can support designers, in understanding, articulating, and generating approaches to creating embodied interventions and systems that enable unacquainted people to interact.


Probably the most significant heat transfer in the cryogenic liquid hydrogen storage tank from the atmosphere may occur through its support system. In this paper the efficient support system for the cryogenic storage vessel was newly developed and analysed. The support system was composed of a spherical ball as a supporter to reduce the contact area. which is located between two supporting SUS tubes inserted SUS and PTFE blocks. Numerical analyses for temperature distribution, and the thermal stress and strain of the support system were performed by the commercial codes FLUENT and ANSYS. The heat transfer rate of the supporter was evaluated by the thermal boundary potential method which can consider the variation of thermal conductivity with temperature. The results showed that the heat transfer rate through the developed supporter compared with the common SUS tube supporter was significantly reduced. The thermal stress and strain were obtained well below the limited values. It was found that the developed supporter can be one of the most efficient support systems for cryogenic liquid storage vessel.


PURPOSE
To present a strategy to integrate the imaging database of a VERO unit with a treatment management system (TMS) to improve clinical workflow and consolidate image data to facilitate clinical quality control and documentation.

METHODS
A VERO unit is equipped with both kV and MV imaging capabilities for IGRT treatments. It has its own imaging database behind a firewall. It has been a challenge to transfer images on this unit to a TMS in a radiation therapy clinic so that registered images can be reviewed remotely with an approval or rejection record. In this study, a software system, iPump-VERO, was developed to connect VERO and a TMS in our clinic. The patient database folder on the VERO unit was mapped to a read-only folder on a file server outside VERO firewall. The application runs on a regular computer with the read access to the patient database folder. It finds the latest registered images and fuses them in one of six predefined patterns before sends them via DICOM connection to the TMS. The residual image registration errors will be overlaid on the fused image to facilitate image review.

RESULTS
The fused images of either registered kV planar images or CBCT images are fully DICOM compatible. A sentinel module is built to sense new registered images with negligible computing resources from the VERO ExacTrac imaging computer. It takes a few seconds to fuse registered images and send them to the TMS. The whole process is automated without any human intervention.

CONCLUSION
Transferring images in DICOM connection is the easiest way to consolidate images of various sources in your TMS. Technically the attending does not have to go to the VERO treatment console to review image registration prior delivery. It is a useful tool for a busy clinic with a VERO unit.


The paper looks at size nouns of the type grămadă 'heap / pile' in Romanian and classifies them into two categories: size nouns with a comparative interpretation (Doetjes and Rooryck 2003) and size nouns with a quantifying interpretation (Brems 2007; 2010), the latter reading being sometimes contextually extended to a third type of interpretation, the negative evaluation interpretation (Brems 2010). The two major types of readings that size nouns may have are read off a head-complement syntactic structure, typical for pseudopartitive constructions, which size nouns+de+N constitute a subcategory of (Tănase-Dogaru 2017). The comparative interpretation arises as a reflex of the semi-lexicality of the size noun, while the quantifying interpretation is a reflex of the size noun having lost its original lexical meaning, and therefore serving a functional role.


Angiomyolipoma (AML), the most common benign renal tumor, can result in severe morbidity from hemorrhage and renal failure. While mTORC1 activation is involved in its growth, mTORC1 inhibitors fail to eradicate AML, highlighting the need for new therapies. Moreover, the identity of the AML cell of origin is obscure. AML research, however, is hampered by the lack of in vivo models. Here, we establish a human AML‐xenograft (Xn) model in mice, recapitulating AML at the histological and molecular levels. Microarray analysis demonstrated tumor growth in vivo to involve robust PPARγ‐pathway activation. Similarly, immunostaining revealed strong PPARγ expression in human AML specimens. Accordingly, we demonstrate that while PPARγ agonism accelerates AML growth, PPARγ antagonism is inhibitory, strongly suppressing AML proliferation and tumor‐initiating capacity, via a TGFB‐mediated inhibition of PDGFB and CTGF. Finally, we show striking similarity between AML cell lines and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in terms of antigen and gene expression and differentiation potential. Altogether, we establish the first in vivo human AML model, which provides evidence that AML may originate in a PPARγ‐activated renal MSC lineage that is skewed toward adipocytes and smooth muscle and away from osteoblasts, and uncover PPARγ as a regulator of AML growth, which could serve as an attractive therapeutic target.


Athough its leaves are tough and would appear unsuitable fodder for caterpillars, it is host to at least five species of moth, including one species of emperor moth. However, it is unusual to see branches totally defoliated.


Energy transfer dynamics at the gas-liquid interface are investigated as a function of surface temperature both by experimental studies of CO2 + perfluorinated polyether (PFPE) and by molecular dynamics simulations of CO2 + fluorinated self-assembled monolayers (F-SAMs). Using a normal incident molecular beam, the experimental studies probe scattered CO2 internal-state and translational distributions with high resolution infrared spectroscopy. At low incident energies [Einc = 1.6(1) kcal/mol], CO2 J-state populations and transverse Doppler velocity distributions are characteristic of the surface temperature (Trot approximately Ttrans approximately TS) over the range from 232 to 323 K. In contrast, the rotational and translational distributions at high incident energies [Einc = 10.6(8) kcal/mol] show evidence for both trapping-desorption (TD) and impulsive scattering (IS) events. Specifically, the populations are surprisingly well-characterized by a sum of Boltzmann distributions where the two components include one (TD) that equilibrates with the surface (TTD approximately TS) and a second (IS) that is much hotter than the surface temperature (TIS > TS). Support for the superthermal, yet Boltzmann, nature of the IS channel is provided by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of CO2 + F-SAMs [Einc = 10.6 kcal/mol], which reveal two-temperature distributions, sticking probabilities, and angular distributions in near quantitative agreement with the experimental PFPE results. Finally, experiments as a function of surface temperature reveal an increase in both sticking probability and rotational/translational temperature of the IS component. Such a trend is consistent with increased surface roughness at higher surface temperature, which increases the overall probability of trapping, yet preferentially leads to impulsive scattering of more highly internally excited CO2 from the surface.


Approximately one-eighth of early school-aged children in the UK have speech and language difficulties. Many such children are now being educated in mainstream settings. However, there is a dearth of up-to-date and valid research that considers UK (student) teachers' attitudes towards such children. Two hundred and sixty-eight trainee teachers (PGCE students) from Manchester were given two questionnaires, containing both closed and open questions, to measure their attitudes towards and experiences with children with speech and language difficulties. A range of attitudes was expressed and most concern was around the issues of resources (both time and knowledge based). Most teachers were positive about their expectations of such children. Attitudes were not significantly related to teachers' gender, teaching type/subject, previous knowledge of someone with speech and language difficulties or experience of children with such difficulties. Views on the educational placement for children with a range of communication difficulties varied. The authors consider that two-pronged action is needed to facilitate an improvement: a greater focus on the inclusion debate (not specifically tied to this group of children) and also additional knowledge and resources.


In Africa, Ethiopia is the major chickpea producer, and within Ethiopia the regions of Shoa (39%). Gondar (27%). and Gojam (16%) take up largest shares of the production. The area around Adct, where an Agricultural Research Centre (ARC) was established in 1985, is considered representative of the Gojam region. According to data of the Central Statistics Authority of Ethiopia, the area covered by pulses in the Gojam region in 1986/87 was as shown in the following table.


Variation in physical landscape of the highlands gives rise to variations in agro-climatic and soil parent materials in Ethiopia. The aim of this research is to characterize the physio-chemical properties of soils in Kulfo watershed. For the study, primary data from transect walks, composite soil samples and GPS points and secondary data from satellite imaginaries, National Metrological Agency and Central Statistical Agency were used. 36 composite soil samples (0-30 cm depth) were collected from three agro-ecologies (upland, mid and lowland) and analyzed in soil laboratory. Accordingly, the watershed is characterized into four agro ecologies: Lowland (20.9%), midland (35.9%), highland (37.4%) and cold high mountain areas (5.8%). Soil analysis revealed that dominantly the watershed is characterized as textually clay loam to sandy loam and there are no significant textural differences among soils in all agro-ecologies. The soil reaction varies from moderately acidic (with pH 5.4) to neutral (pH 7.3). The watershed is dominated by medium organic matter, low total nitrogen, very low available phosphorus (3.83-6.65 ppm), high potassium and very low to low cation exchange capacity. Soil and water conservation measures in the upland and use of organic manure in the lowland areas could be the viable options for rehabilitation of soil productivity.

 Key words: GIS, remote sensing techniques, transect walk, composite soil sample.


In previous research, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted by various bacteria into the chemosphere were suggested to play a significant role in the antagonistic interactions between microorganisms occupying the same ecological niche and between bacteria and target eukaryotes. Moreover, a number of volatiles released by bacteria were reported to suppress quorum-sensing cell-to-cell communication in bacteria, and to stimulate plant growth. Here, volatiles produced by Pseudomonas and Serratia strains isolated mainly from the soil or rhizosphere exhibited bacteriostatic action on phytopathogenic Agrobacterium tumefaciens and fungi and demonstrated a killing effect on cyanobacteria, flies (Drosophila melanogaster), and nematodes (Caenorhabditis elegans). VOCs emitted by the rhizospheric Pseudomonas chlororaphis strain 449 and by Serratia proteamaculans strain 94 isolated from spoiled meat were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis, and the effects of the main headspace compounds—ketones (2-nonanone, 2-heptanone, 2-undecanone) and dimethyl disulfide—were inhibitory toward the tested microorganisms, nematodes, and flies. The data confirmed the role of bacterial volatiles as important compounds involved in interactions between organisms under natural ecological conditions.


Many human diseases are the result of abnormal expression or activation of protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). Not surprisingly, more than 30 tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) are currently in clinical use and provide unique treatment options for many patients. PTPs on the other hand have long been regarded as "undruggable" and only recently have gained increased attention in drug discovery. Striatal-enriched tyrosine phosphatase (STEP) is a neuron-specific PTP that is overactive in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric disorders, including Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and fragile X syndrome. An emergent model suggests that the increase in STEP activity interferes with synaptic function and contributes to the characteristic cognitive and behavioral deficits present in these diseases. Prior efforts to generate STEP inhibitors with properties that warrant clinical development have largely failed. To identify novel STEP inhibitor scaffolds, we developed a biophysical, label-free high-throughput screening (HTS) platform based on the protein thermal shift (PTS) technology. In contrast to conventional HTS using STEP enzymatic assays, we found the PTS platform highly robust and capable of identifying true hits with confirmed STEP inhibitory activity and selectivity. This new platform promises to greatly advance STEP drug discovery and should be applicable to other PTP targets.


Aims: To compare the accuracy and acceptability of capillary blood glucose testing from the forearm with finger prick testing in diabetic children. Methods: Blood glucose measurements from samples taken from the forearm and the finger were compared in an outpatient setting from 52 children and adolescents with diabetes mellitus aged 6–17 years. Opinions on forearm sampling were collected by questionnaire. Results: Blood glucose results obtained from forearm sampling correlated well with results from the finger measured by the Yellow Springs Instrument analyser. Error grid analysis showed that 100% of measurements were clinically acceptable; 61% of children reported that forearm testing was painless and 19% that it was less painful than finger prick testing. Conclusion: Forearm testing is an acceptable alternative to finger prick testing for blood glucose measurement in children and adolescents.


The importance of back-end operations in semiconductor manufacturing has been growing steadily in the face of higher customer expectations and stronger competition in the industry. In order to achieve low cycle times, high throughput and high utilization while improving due-date performance, more effective tools are needed to support machine setup and lot dispatching decisions. This paper presents a new model and solution methodology aimed at maximizing the weighted throughput of lots undergoing assembly and test, while ensuring that critical lots are given priority. The problem is formulated as a mixed-integer program and solved with a reactive greedy randomized adaptive search procedure (GRASP). In phase I of the GRASP, machine-tooling combinations are tentatively fixed and lot assignments are made iteratively to arrive at a feasible solution. This process is repeated many times. In phase II, a novel neighborhood search is performed on a subset of good solutions found in phase I. Using a linear programming-Monte Carlo simulation-based algorithm, new machine-tooling combinations are identified within the neighborhood of the solutions carried over, and improvements are sought by optimizing the corresponding lot assignments. The methodology was tested on data provided by a major semiconductor manufacturer. The results show that GRASP achieves high quality solutions comparable to those obtained with CPLEX in often half the time.


Recently, Deep Learning-based methods for inverse tone-mapping standard dynamic range (SDR) images to obtain high dynamic range (HDR) images have become very popular. These methods manage to fill over-exposed areas convincingly both in terms of details and dynamic range. Typically, these methods, to be effective, need to learn from large datasets and to transfer this knowledge to the network weights. In this work, we tackle this problem from a completely different perspective. What can we learn from a single SDR video? With the presented zero-shot approach, we show that, in many cases, a single SDR video is sufficient to be able to generate an HDR video of the same quality or better than other state-of-the-art methods.


Disentangling the structure of plant–animal mutualisms shed light on how species are organized, and allow us to infer about resilience, specificity, and ultimately the consequences of the loss of functions to the ecosystem. Here we gathered fruit–frugivore interactions for all the major vertebrate taxa interacting with plants in two conservation states in the Brazilian Atlantic forest: a small patch and a continuous forest. Using a network approach, we identified individual roles played by vertebrates and plants, as well as the most relevant functional traits determining the network structure. The most important vertebrates in the continuous forest were the frugivorous characterized by the ability to swallow fruits containing small to large seeds, but they also were the first to be vanished from the small patch decades ago. Animal gape/gullet size, but not body mass, together with the greatest degrees of frugivory contributed to structure the conserved community. In the forest patch, where specialization degrees (in terms of number of interactions performed) were lost, small generalist birds and the only still living primate, along with small lipid‐rich fruits, were central in maintaining community structure. This study brings insights on the potential of conserved forests to hold important species‐rich interactions, at the same time that small patches count on small birds and small fruits with increased energetic rewards to maintain structuring under human degradation threats. Our results reemphasize the importance of preserving large continuous forest remnants to support important mutualistic interactions subjected to functional traits already lost in small degraded patches.


We previously showed that two subpopulations of asialoglycoprotein receptors (ASGP-Rs), designated State 1 and State 2 ASGP-Rs, are present in intact cells and that State 2 ASGP-Rs can be inactivated in permeable rat hepatocytes in a temperature- and ATP-dependent manner. These inactivated ASGP-Rs can be quantitatively reactivated by the addition of palmitoyl-CoA (Weigel, P. H., and Oka, J. A.(1993) J. Biol. Chem. 268, 27186-27190). Here we show that 50% of purified rat ASGP-Rs are inactivated by treatment with hydroxylamine under mild conditions. The activity of affinitypurified ASGP-Rs was assessed by measuring the specific binding of I-asialo-orosomucoid (ASOR) in a dot-blot assay after immobilization onto nitrocellulose. Treatment of ASGP-Rs in solution with 0.0125-1.0 M NH2OH, pH 7.4, at 4°C for 4 h resulted in a progressive loss of ASOR binding activity. ASGP-R inactivation with NH2OH occurred more readily at basic pH or at room temperature. Similar treatment with Tris had no effect on ASGP-R activity. The kinetics of ASGP-R activity loss and the dose-response for this inactivation were both biphasic, indicating the presence of two equal populations of ASGP-Rs with different sensitivities to NH2OH. The more sensitive population of ASGP-Rs (50%) was inactivated by treatment with 0.2 M NH2OH (4°C, 4 h) or with 1.0 M NH2OH (4°C, 1 h) without detectable peptide cleavage as assessed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. State 1 ASGP-Rs, purified from chloroquine- or monensin-treated hepatocytes, showed significantly less sensitivity to NH2OH treatment (both in kinetics and dose dependence). Furthermore, under mild conditions NH2OH caused dissociation and inactivation of 50% of the total ASGP-Rs (State 1 and State 2) that were prebound to ASOR-Sepharose, whereas the same treatment caused dissociation of only <20% of State 1 ASGP-Rs from such preformed complexes. As shown in the accompanying paper (Zeng, F. Y., Kaphalia, B. S., Ansari, G. A. S., and Weigel, P. H.(1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270, 21382-21387) all three RHL subunits of active ASGP-Rs, in fact, contain covalently attached palmitate and stearate. In cultured cells, [3H]palmitic acid is metabolically incorporated into all three subunits. These radiolabeled fatty acids are completely released from purified ASGP-Rs by mild NH2OH treatment. We conclude that the NH2OH-sensitive subpopulation of ASGP-Rs corresponds to the previously described State 2 ASGP-Rs and that these receptors require fatty acylation for their ligand binding activity.


Nowadays, microwave assisted techniques are becoming popular ecofriendly
approaches in Green Chemistry. However, to date, no study has reported the microwave assisted
graft copolymerization of acrylamide on carboxymethyl xanthan gum backbone.

The objective of this study was to study the effect of microwave radiations on graft copolymerization
of acrylamide on carboxymethyl xanthan gum.

Carboxymethyl xanthan gum was grafted with acrylamide under microwave irradiation.
The grafting process is optimized by varying the amount of carboxymethyl xanthan gum, acrylamide,
ammonium persulphate, microwave power and exposure time. The graft copolymer was further characterized
and evaluated for its efficacy.

Grafting was successfully optimized for higher grafting efficiency (92.4 %) and grafting
(410.5 %) in a short reaction time of 150 s, at 40 times less concentration of ammonium persulphate.
The characterization study confirmed the grafting of acrylamide on the hydroxyl group of carboxymethyl
xanthan gum backbone.

Microwave radiations play a vital role in graft copolymerization of acrylamide on carboxymethyl
xanthan gum, in short reaction time, at 40 times less concentration of initiator. The synthesized
graft copolymers remain nontoxic and also showed more antimicrobial activity than carboxymethyl
xanthan gum.


The presence of a pacemaker or an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator was considered an absolute contraindication for a magnetic resonance imaging study until recently. The publication of numerous studies, albeit with small numbers of patients, has challenged this assumption. With no serious adverse effects detected, it is evident that more patients with these devices will undergo an MR study. While we feel that no patient with an implanted device should be denied a potentially beneficial exam, some caution is obviously prudent and planning the study will enhance the benefit that the patient will derive while minimizing the risks.


Objective: To investigate whether fused hirudin peptide has both antithrombin and antiplatelet functions. Methods: The core region of fused hirudin was the C-terminal tail of hirudin(hirudin_ 53-64),which could bind to the anion binding exosite (ABE) of thrombin.Arg-Pro-Pro-Gly-Phe(RPPGF) amino acid sequence,a metabolite of bradykinin,was added to the N-terminus of hirudin_ 53-64.It bound to the active site of thrombin.Additionally,Arg-Gly-Asp(RGD)amino acid sequence,an inibitor of glycoprotein Ⅱb/Ⅲa( GP Ⅱb/Ⅲa) receptor,was linked to C-terminus of hirudin_ 53-64.This 26-animo acid-fused hirudin peptide was artificially synthesized,purified and analysed. Results: Fused hirudin peptide significantly lengthened the activated partial thromboplastin time(APTT),thrombin time(TT)and prothrombin time(PT) and inhibited the amidolytic activity of thrombin.The ADP-induced platelet aggregation was markedly inhibited by fused hirudin peptide. Conclusion: Fused hirudin peptide has activity of antithrombin as well as antiplatelet.Therefore bifunctional anticoagulation peptide has capacity to target various components of haemostatic process and may become more powerful antithrombosis agent.


If you have taken a career sidetrack, realize that you are still marketable. You have skills, traits, and knowledge that are transferable to many new opportunities. Fortunately, many leaders today in health care and executive search are familiar with your plight, given that they all have their own version of initiatives that did not fly. They will not judge you unfairly because they understand all too well the complex pressures of today's health care environment, filled with risk, cost constraints, and unrealistic profit targets. If you're bouncing back from an unfortunate career move, these steps may keep you focused on your search for new opportunities: (1) recognize that you are not alone, (2) realize that the entity failed, not you, (3) discuss the former position in a positive light, (4) don't give in to cynicism or self-pity, (5) don't let it happen to you again, and (6) play an active role in structuring your next position.


The present Master Thesis examines the issues of Bioeconomy and Sustainable Development, which deals extensively with the literature on these concepts and then presents some of their dimensions and practices, as well as their application in the European Union and in individual States. Emphasis is placed on biomass and bioenergy, which is a particularly important resource for many states and can create significant development opportunities for a large number of areas of the world. In addition, Protected Areas are also extensively studied, as they are an important natural resource and also provide development opportunities.As for the methodology applied, this is a bibliographic searchon international scientific databases with emphasis on scientific journals dealing with bioeconomy and sustainable development issues. Relevant texts and material are also used by the internet, mainly from web sites of organizations dealing with sustainable and sustainable development issues.


SUMMARY A large swim tunnel respirometer was used to quantify the swimming energetics of the eastern Pacific bonito Sarda chiliensis (tribe Sardini) (45–50 cm fork length, FL) at speeds between 50 and 120 cm s-1 and at 18±2°C. The bonito rate of oxygen uptake (V̇O2)–speed function is U-shaped with a minimum V̇O2 at 60 cm s-1, an exponential increase in V̇O2 with increased speed, and an elevated increase in V̇O2 at 50 cm s-1 where bonito swimming is unstable. The onset of unstable swimming occurs at speeds predicted by calculation of the minimum speed for bonito hydrostatic equilibrium (1.2 FL s-1). The optimum swimming speed (Uopt) for the bonito at 18±2°C is approximately 70 cm s-1 (1.4 FL s-1) and the gross cost of transport at Uopt is 0.27 J N-1 m-1. The mean standard metabolic rate (SMR), determined by extrapolating swimming V̇O2 to zero speed, is 107±22 mg O2 kg-1 h-1. Plasma lactate determinations at different phases of the experiment showed that capture and handling increased anaerobic metabolism, but plasma lactate concentration returned to pre-experiment levels over the course of the swimming tests. When adjustments are made for differences in temperature, bonito net swimming costs are similar to those of similar-sized yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares (tribe Thunnini), but the bonito has a significantly lower SMR. Because bonitos are the sister group to tunas, this finding suggests that the elevated SMR of the tunas is an autapomorphic trait of the Thunnini.


The adsorption of energetic N2+ ions on nickel and molybdenum surfaces has been investigated. Comparison of the sticking probabilities of N2+ and Ar+ as a function of ion energy indicates that the binding mechanism for these two gases is different. The experimental evidence suggests that the mechanism causing adsorption of N2+ may be dissociation upon collision with the surface and the subsequent adsorption of the resulting atomic nitrogen.The total absolute dissociation cross section has also been measured in nitrogen for electron energies from 0 to 300 eV. The cross section has a maximum value of 2. 10−16 cm2 at an electron energy of about 90 eV.


Phosphatidylcholine is a product of the CDP-choline pathway and the pathway that methylates phosphatidylethanolamine. We have asked the question: are the two pathways functionally interchangeable? We addressed this question by investigating the expression of phosphatidylethanolamine N-methyltransferase-2 (PEMT2) of rat liver in mutant Chinese hamster ovary cells (MT-58) (Esko, J. D., Wermuth, M. M., and Raetz, C. R. H.(1981) J. Biol. Chem. 256, 7388-7393) defective in the CDP-choline pathway for phosphatidylcholine biosynthesis. Cell lines stably expressing different amounts of PEMT2 activity (up to 700 pmol/minmg protein) were isolated. A positive correlation between the amount of PEMT2 activity expressed and the incorporation of [3H]methionine into phosphatidylcholine at both the permissive and restrictive temperatures showed that PEMT2 was functional in the Chinese hamster ovary MT-58 cells. In contrast to mutant cell lines stably expressing transfected CTP:phosphocholine cytidylyltransferase, the cell lines stably expressing PEMT2 did not survive at the restrictive temperature. Determination of the phosphatidylcholine mass in wild type cells, mutant MT-58 cells, and cells with the highest level of PEMT2 expression showed that PEMT2 was functional and synthesized the same amount of phosphatidylcholine as did wild type cells at the restrictive temperature. Indirect immunofluorescence studiesshowed that localization of the over-expressed cytidylyltransferase in MT-58 cells was largely nuclear, whereas PEMT2 was predominantly located outside the nucleus. Our data show that methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine to phosphatidylcholine cannot substitute for the CDP-choline pathway.


The combination of log-likelihood ratio (LLR) quantization and network coding was previously shown to be a promising compress-and-forward strategy for the multiple access relay channel with two sources. In this paper, we generalize this approach to the case of more than two sources. Our proposed relay scheme consists of a scalar LLR quantizer for each source followed by a network coding (NC) step that suitably combines the quantizer outputs. We use the information bottleneck method to design the quantizers and the NC function. At the destination, an iterative message-passing decoder is used to jointly decode all source messages. Numerical simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed transmission strategy and its suitability for asymmetric source-relay channel conditions.


A total of 150,805 culicine female mosquitoes were captured by Mosquito Magnet, black light, and New Jersey light traps, and at resting collections in the Republic of Korea from 2008 to 2010 as part of the U.S. Forces Korea malaria and Japanese surveillance programs. Mosquitoes were identified and culicine mosquitoes placed in pools of up to 30 mosquitoes each, by species and date of collection, and screened for flaviviruses using a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay. A total of 98/6,845 (1.4%) pools were positive by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). A total of 92/2,031 (4.5%) pools of Culex tritaeniorhynchus were positive for JEV and accounted for 93.9% (92/98) of all JEV positive pools. A total of 4/804 (0.5%) and 2/175 (1.1%) pools of C. pipiens and C. bitaeniorhynchus, respectively, were positive for JEV. The JEV maximum likelihood estimations (estimated number of viral RNA positive mosquitoes per 1,000) for C. tritaeniorhynchus, C. bitaeniorhynchus, and C. pipiens were 1.71, 1.02, and 0.36 respectively. JEV is a severe health threat for local populations and of significant concern for nonimmune (unvaccinated) U.S. soldiers, civilians, and family members deployed to the Republic of Korea.


Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) has been reported to be involved in oocyte maturation in all animals so far examined. In the present study we investigate the expression and localisation of active phosphorylated MAPKs (p44ERK1/p42ERK2) during maturation of pig oocytes. In immunoblot analysis using anti-p44ERK1 antibody which recognised both active and inactive forms of p44ERK1 and p42ERK2, we confirmed that MAPKs were phosphorylatred around the time of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) and the active phosphorylated MAPKs (pMAKs) were maintained until metaphase II, as has been reported. On immunofluorescent confocal microscopy using anti-pMAPK antibody which recognised only phosphorylated forms of MAPKs, pMAPK was localised at the spindle poles in pig mitotic cells. On the other hand, in pig oocytes, no signal was detected during GV stage. After GVBD, the area around condensed chromosomes was preferentially stained at metaphase I although whole cytoplasm was faintly stained. At early anaphase I, the polar regions of the meiotic spindle were prominently stained. However, during the progression of anaphase I and telophase I pMAPK was detected at the mid-zone of the elongated spindle, gradually becoming concentrated at the centre. Finally, at the time of emission of the first polar body, pMAPK was detected as a ring-like structure between the condensed chromosomes and the first polar body, and the staining was maintained even after the metaphase II spindle was formed. The inhibition of MAPK activity with the MAPK kinase inhibitor U0126 during the meiosis I/meiosis II transition suppressed chromosome separation, first polar body emission and formation of the metaphase II spindle. From these results, we propose that the spindle-associated pMAPKs play an important role in the events occurring during the meiosis I/meiosis II transition, such as chromosome separation, spindle elongation and cleavage furrow formation in pig oocytes.


Purpose Thin Film Nitinol can be processed to produce a thin microporous sheet for vascular applications. As compared to current flow diverters constructed as braided tubes, the TFN device has a lower percent metal coverage ( 2 ). We present in vivo results from treatment of experimental rabbit aneurysms using a TFN device. Methods The TFN device was comprised of the TFN sheet supported by a self-expanding, laser-cut nitinol neuro-stent. 21 aneurysms in the rabbit elastase aneurysm model were treated with a single device; devices were also placed over 17 lumbar arteries to model peri-aneurysmal branch arteries of the cranial circulation. Angiography was performed at sacrifice to assess aneurysm occlusion and lumbar artery flow. Gross pathology and en face CD31 immunofluorescent staining was performed on a subset of devices to quantify neck endothelialization. Results One animal died from causes not device related, and in one animal the TFN flow diverter did not cover the aneurysm neck region. Markedly reduced intra-aneurysmal flow was observed on angiography immediately after device placement in all aneurysms. At 2-week follow-up 57% of aneurysms had complete or near complete occlusion ( n = 7 ), and at 4-week ( n = 8 ) and 12-week ( n = 4 ) follow-up 75% of aneurysms had complete or near complete occlusion. All 17 lumbar arteries were patent at follow-up. CD31 staining of aneurysms treated with the TFN flow diverter ( n = 6 , avg. implant duration 6.3 weeks, avg. neck area of 6.26 mm 2 ) showed that 75 ± 16% of the aneurysm neck region was endothelialized at the time of sacrifice. Conclusions Results from pre-clinical testing of a TFN flow-diverter are encouraging. Marked reductions in intra-aneurysmal flow were observed acutely in all aneurysms treated and there was a 75% rate of complete or near-complete occlusion at 4 and 12-week follow-up. All lumbar arteries treated with the device were patent acutely and at follow-up. Results from CD31 staining suggest that the TFN mesh serves not only as a physical barrier to reduce intra-aneurysmal flow, but also as a biological scaffold that may facilitate rapid tissue in-growth and aneurysm neck healing. Disclosures D. Kallmes: None. R. Kadirvel: None. Y. Ding: None. D. Dai: None. C. Kealey: 1; C; NeuroSigma, Inc., V. Gupta: 1; C; NeuroSigma, Inc., D. Johnson: 1; C; NeuroSigma.


AIM
To present our experience regarding the efficiency of treatment in patients with uterine-confined endometrial cancer.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
775 patients with uterine-confined endometrial cancer (UCEC) were treated between July 1985 and June 2000 in the Krakow Branch of Sklodowska Memorial Institute.

RESULTS
Among the 775 patients, 5-year disease-free survival was observed in 82.8% patients; 96% patients with low risk of disease recurrence, 93.6% patients with intermediate risk and 78.3% patients with high risk survived five years with no evidence of disease. In the group with a high-risk disease recurrence rate, 5-year disease-free survival was statistically higher among patients treated with adjuvant brachytherapy plus external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) in comparison to patients treated with adjuvant brachytherapy (BRT) alone (82.4% vs 72.1%).

CONCLUSIONS
The recommended treatment in patients with high and moderate differentiation of UCEC with FIGO Stage IA is surgery alone. Surgery with adjuvant EBRT in the group of patients with intermediate risk of cancer recurrence allows over 90% of patients to be cured. In the group of patients with a high risk of disease recurrence adjuvant BRT with EBRT is statistically more efficient in comparison to BRT alone.


The results of comparative study using three methods of ergometrine isolation from cadaveric material with respect to Vasiljeva, Kramarenko, Stas-Otto are presented. Vasileva's method appeared to be more effective.


SUMMARY This paper addresses the dimensional-synthesis-based kineto-elastostatic performance optimization of the delta parallel mechanism. For the manipulator studied here, the main consideration for the optimization criteria is to find the maximum regular workspace where the robot delta must posses high stiffness and dexterity. The dexterity is a kinetostatic quality measure that is related to joint's stiffness and control accuracy. In this study, we use the Castigliano's energetic theorem for modeling the elastostatic behavior of the delta parallel robot, which can be evaluated by the mechanism's response to external applied wrench under static equilibrium. In the proposed formulation of the design problem, global structure's stiffness and global dexterity are considered together for the simultaneous optimization. Therefore, we formulate the design problem as a multi-objective optimization one and, we use evolutionary genetic algorithms to find all possible trade-offs among multiple cost functions that conflict with each other. The proposed design procedure is developed through the implementation of the delta robot and, numerical results show the effectiveness of the proposed design method to enhancing kineto-elastostatic performance of the studied manipulator's structure.


The chimeric bcr-abl tyrosine kinase is of crucial pathogenic importance in chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). As shown, bcr-abl activates the ras pathway by phosphorylation of adapter proteins such as Grb-2 and Crkl. Functional inhibition of p21ras might partially inhibit the mitogenic signaling by bcr-abl. By depletion of cellular mevalonate pools, p21ras proteins can be rendered non-functional as a result of deficient post-translational protein farnesylation. We investigated the pharmacologic effect of mevalonate depletion by lovastatin in conjunction with interferon-alpha 2b (INF-alpha 2b) in bcr-abl positive K562 cells. At various concentrations, both drugs synergistically reduced cell proliferation of CML line K562 in a liquid culture system as well as clonal growth of colony forming units in a patient with newly diagnosed CML. Lovastatin and IFN-alpha 2b in combination led to cell cycle arrest and resulted in significant reduction of phosphorylation on tyrosine, serine, and threonine protein residues. IFN-alpha 2b alone showed little effect on protein phosphorylation but strongly enhanced lovastatin driven loss of phosphorylation. Subsequently, DNA fragmentation occurred in 50% of cells. In conclusion, exposure to IFN-alpha 2b and lovastatin synergistically inhibited proliferation of bcr-abl positive cells and resulted in loss of protein phosphorylation and subsequent apoptosis in K562 cells. Our in vitro model suggests further investigations are required of the potential value of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors as adjunct to therapy of CML with interferon.


Communication has become a necessity, not only between every point on the earth, but also on the globe. That includes hard topography, highlands, underwater areas, and also space- crafts on other planets. However, the classic wired internet cannot be implemented in such areas, hence, researchers have invented wireless networks. The big challenge for wireless networking nowadays, is maintaining nodes connected in some difficult conditions, such as intermittent connectivity, power failure, and lot of obstacles for the interplanetary networks. In these challenging circumstances, a new networking model arises; it is Delay Tolerant networking which is based on the Store-Carry-and-Forward mechanism. Thus, a node may keep a message in its buffer for long periods of time; until a delivery or forward chance arises then it transmit it to other nodes. One of the big issues that confront this mechanism is the congestion of nodes buffer due to the big number of messages and the limited buffer size. Here, researchers have proposed buffer management algorithms in order to deal with the buffer overload problem, and they called it Drop Policies. In our present work, we propose a new Drop policy which we have compared to other existing policies in different conditions and with different routing protocols, and it always shows good result in term of number of delivered messages, network overhead and also average of latency.


OBJECTIVE
To explore the application value of GeneXpert MTB/RIF for detection of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis and resistance to rifampin.

METHODS
A total of 150 samples were collected, including 33 needle aspirates from lymphoid tuberculosis, 23 needle aspirates from spinal tuberculosis, 49 from tuberculous pleural effusions, 24 from cerebrospinal fluid of tuberculous cephalomeningitis, and 21 urinary sediment samples from renal tuberculosis. Smear microscopy, mycobacterium tuberculosis culture and the MTB/RIF method were used to examine these samples and their positive rates were compared. Rifampin susceptibility tests was performed for culture-positive strains using proportion method, which was compared with the result from GeneXpert MTB/RIF method.

RESULTS
Of the 150 cases of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis, 17 samples were smear-positive, with a sensitivity of 11.3% (17/150); 30 were culture-positive with a sensitivity of 20.0% (30/150); and 96 were positive by MTB/RIF method with a sensitivity of 64.0% (96/150). There was a significant difference between MTB/RIF method and the culture method (χ(2)=59.61, P<0.01). The differences were also significant when the MTB/RIF method was compared with the smear method (χ(2)=88.60, P<0.01) or compared with culture plus smear methods (χ(2)=4.26, P<0.05). Separately, the differences were statistically significant between GeneXpert MTB/RIF method and other 2 methods for diagnosis of lymphoid tuberculosis (n=33, χ(2)=20.56, P<0.01 vs. culture method; χ(2)=27.13, P<0.01 vs. smear results) while no difference was found between culture and smear method (χ(2)=0.67, P>0.05), spinal tuberculosis (n=23, χ(2)=12.74, P<0.01 vs. culture method; χ(2)=14.81, P< 0.01 vs. smear method), tuberculous pleurisy (n=49, χ(2)=32.34, P<0.01 vs.culture method; χ(2)=49.69, P<0.01 vs. smear method) and renal tuberculosis (n=21, χ(2)=4.20, P<0.05 vs. culture method; χ(2) =8.40, P<0.01 vs. smear results). The sensitivity for tuberculous meningitis had no difference among these 3 methods (n=24, P>0.05). Rifampicin-resistance of the strains from the 30 culture-positive cases of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (20.0%, 6/30) exhibited agreement with GeneXpert MTB/RIF test.

CONCLUSION
The simplicity and high sensitivity of GeneXpert MTB/RIF technology make it a good diagnostic test for rapid detection of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis and resistance to rifampin.


We present an approach for vehicle classification in IR video sequences by integrating detection, tracking and recognition. The method has two steps. First, the moving target is automatically detected using a detection algorithm. Next, we perform simultaneous tracking and recognition using an appearance-model based particle filter. The tracking result is evaluated at each frame. Low confidence in tracking performance initiates a new cycle of detection, tracking and classification. We demonstrate the robustness of the proposed method using outdoor IR video sequences


We present a highly efficient approach for realizing a positive-real balanced truncation (PRBT) of symmetric systems. The solution of a pair of dual algebraic Riccati equations in conventional PRBT, whose cost constrains practical large-scale deployment, is reduced to the solution of one cross-Riccati equation (XRE). The cross-Riccatian nature of the solution then allows a simple construction of PRBT projection matrices, using a Schur decomposition, without actual balancing. An invariant subspace method and a modified quadratic alternating-direction-implicit iteration scheme are proposed to efficiently solve the XRE. A low-rank variant of the latter is shown to offer a remarkably fast PRBT speed over the conventional implementations. The XRE-based framework can be applied to a large class of linear passive networks, and its effectiveness is demonstrated through numerical examples.


The side effects of using estrogen treatments to relieve menopausal symptoms in women are presented. Estrogens are effective in relieving headaches vertigo palpitations and nervous symptoms such as depression as well as degeneration and atrophy of the genital organs. In Norway 2.5% of women over 45 as compared with 50% in the U.S. use estrogens to relieve menopausal symptoms. The incidence of endometrial cancer has risen from 9.2/100000 in 1955 to 15.4 in 1974. Increased susceptibility to endometrial cancer has been linked to long-term use of estrogens obesity hypertension diabetes and nulliparity. In American studies Premarin has been associated with increased risk of cancer related to the chemical equilinine which has a long half-life. After menopause the need for estrogen is met by the conversion of androstenedione which is produced by the adrenal gland. When estrogens are taken it may result in an overstimulation of the endometrium which could cause cancer. Estrogens have bene found useful and safe for short-term relief of menopausal symptoms and any patient using estrogens should be under routine observation to prevent development of cancer.


Therapeutic Area: The textdoes not focuson one therapeutic area, butratherintroduces overarching concepts of pharmaceutical care. Format: This book is dividedinto2 mainsections and has 10chapters. Each chapterends with self-assessment questionsand references. The bookcloses with2 appendices, theanswers to self-assessment questions,andan index. Audience:The authors acknowledge that" ... manyof thechanges in this edition are made with the studentin mind."Althoughwrittenprimarily for students, thisguidecouldbe useful to pharmacy residents and newor seasoned practitioners whowishto refme theirpractice skills. Purpose: As thetitleimples, thisclinical skills"primer" is intended to introducereaders to a varietyof topics withoutgoing into great depth abouteachone. Content: The first section (Chapters 1-6) is an overviewof skills necessary to provide effective pharmaceutical care.The firstchapterdefinespharmaceutical care and useskey literature to demonstrate its importance.Subsequentchaptersdescribethe steps integralto providing pharmaceutical care. Thesechaptersdiscuss the identification of drug therapy problems(Chapter2), collectionof patient data (Chapter 3), evaluation of patientdata (Chapter 4), development of patientcareplans (Chapter 5), anddocumentation of pharmaceutical careactivities (Chapter 6). The secondpart (Chapters 7-10) providespatientcases to illustratepharmaceutical care skills in the following clinicalsettings: community pharmacy (Chapter 7), hospital pharmacy (Chapter 8),long-term caresettings (Chapter 9), andambulatory caresettings (Chapter 10).The appendices are reprints of statements by professional pharmacyorganizations aboutpharmaceutical care. Usability: Chaptersare easilymaneuverable. Eachbeginsby listing conceptsthat will be discussed,and key excerptsfrom the text can be foundin thesidemargins. Chapters varydrastically in thenumberof referencesincluded, fromno references in somechapters to 78 in the first chapter. At $39.95,theguideappears to be appropriately priced. HigWights: The authors simplify pharmaceutical care intoa systematicprocess, which willbe especially appreciated by pharmacy students. The tablesandfigures areparticularly helpful in illustrating mainpoints. Also, the authors provideinsightful recommendations on communicating withphysicians by usingexamples to demonstrate howpharmacists cansometimes beperceived. Limitations: At times,the textovercomplicates somerelatively basic concepts. In addition, answers toself-assessment questions arenotalways supported by references. If we are to encourage our students to practice evidence-based medicine, it is important to model suchbehavior. Comparison with Previous Editions: The 3rdeditionhas beenexpandedto includecases from differentpracticesettings.Previouseditionshadfocused primarily on community practice. Comparison with Other Related Books:Thereare othertextsavailable with similarinformation. However, becauseof its straightforward approach and self-assessment questions, thisbook maybe moreappealingto students. Summary: This book providesan overviewof the steps neededto providepharmaceutical care in a varietyof settings.Facultymembers may consider requiring or recommending this book for introductory practice experiences or otherintroductory courses.


The thermal conductivity is studied at low temperatures and high magnetic fields on amorphous (Fe1-xNix)77Si10B13 alloys. The magnetic state of the samples is systematically altered by a change of the Ni concentration. In the spin glass regime (x = 0.9) phonon scattering from magnetic two-level systems is observed. The measurements on the strongly ferromagnetic alloy (x = 0) give evidence of energy transport via long-range nonlocalized magnons. This spin wave heat conductivity is limited by magnon-electron scattering.


Key physical concepts, relevant for the cross-fertilization between condensed matter physics and the physics of life seen as a collective phenomenon in a system out-of-equilibrium, are discussed. The onset of life can be driven by: (a) the critical fluctuations at the protonic percolation threshold in membrane transport; (b) the stochastic resonance in biological systems, a mechanism that can exploit external and self-generated noise in order to gain efficiency in signal processing; and (c) the shape resonance (or Fano resonance or Feshbach resonance) in the association and dissociation processes of bio-molecules (a quantum mechanism that could play a key role to establish a macroscopic quantum coherence in the cell).


One of the most common dual task challenges involves driving while speaking on a cellular telephone. Bilingualism provides performance advantages in dual task paradigms involving divided attention, compared to monolinguals. It was hypothesized that bilinguals should demonstrate performance advantages when driving and performing a variety of verbal tasks into a simulated hands-free cellular telephone compared to monolinguals. 82 university students participated in the study following assessment of their linguistic fluency. The driving task was performed on the driving simulation program Drivesim 4.00 and the experiment consisted of both single driving and speaking conditions, as well as dual conditions with both driving and speaking tasks. Bilinguals demonstrated significantly fewer decrements to their driving performance when speaking on a cellular telephone compared to monolinguals, providing a practical demonstration of the cognitive advantages of bilinguals in dual task paradigms.


There is a certain difficulty by grower to properly regulate the coffee harvester for a specific condition of each harvest. To know the vibratory motion of the harvester rods during harvesting is the first step to find the best machine settings. This study aimed to track the trajectory performed by the rods in terms of amplitude and vibration frequency using instrumentation and signal processing techniques. For this, a low cost system composed of an open-source electronic prototyping platform Arduino and an accelerometer was proposed. With the proposed system, vibration signals were collected and processed via MatLab. The results showed the complete two-dimensional trajectory performed by the rods in different settings. From the achieved trajectories it is possible to better understand the harvesting rods behavior and extract important features like the maximum displacement in both vertical and horizontal motion, which can be very useful to define the best harvesting settings.