Inspired by accomplishments of graphene in nanoelectronics, several carbon allotropes were proposed recently. Computational and experimental studies have been performed to describe their fundamental features toward improvement in applications regarding energy conversion and storage. However, investigations about crucial aspects behind the material's performance, such as the formation and dynamics of charge carriers, are missing for several of those allotropes so far. Here, we numerically investigate the stability and transport properties of polarons and bipolarons in coronene-based graphene nanoribbons (CNRs), which were recently synthesized. A 2D tight-binding Hamiltonian endowed with lattice relaxation effects is developed to describe the formation of these quasiparticle species. A semi-classical transport approach is used to study the stationary and dynamical properties of charge carriers in the presence of an external electric field. Remarkably, the results reveal that polaron and bipolaron formation takes place in both armchair and zigzag CNRs but, only in the former, these quasiparticles are mobile. The mobility of polarons is considerably higher than that of bipolarons, once the latter have larger effective mass. In contrast, bipolarons are more stable and support electrical field strengths of higher intensity than polarons.


Methionine-dependence of cancer cells may be due to excessive methylation reactions in cancer cells. Deprivation of methionine α,γ lyase (methioninase or METase) selectively arrests cancer cells during late S-phase, where they are highly sensitive to DNA-damaging chemotherapy. Fluorescent ubiquitination-based cell cycle indicator (FUCCI)), was used to monitor the onset of the S/G2-phase block due to methionine deprivation effected by METase. The S-phase-blocked cancer cells fluoresced yellow or green, in contrast to cancer cells in G 1 which fluoresced red. Cancer cells, synchronously blocked in S-phase by METase and identified by their yellow-green fluorescence, were administered DNA-damaging chemotherapy drugs such as doxorubicin, cisplatin, or 5-fluorouracil. Treatment of cancer cells with drugs only without methioninase-effected S-phase synchrony, led to the majority of the cancer cell population being blocked in G 0 /G 1 phase (red fluorescent) where they were resistant to the drugs. In contrast, METase treatment, followed by chemotherapy when FUCCI indicated the S/G2 block was highly effective for killing cancer cells. Color-coded chemotherapy, whereby the cell cycle of cancer cells is selectively and synchronously blocked in S-phase as identified by fluorescent reporters, may be a general approach to effective cancer treatment. Citation Format: Shuya Yano, Yasunori Tome, Michelle Digman, Masashi Momiyama, Atsushi Suetsugu, Enrico Gratton, Robert M. Hoffman. Imaging of methioninase-induced S/G 2 -phase-trapping for subsequent effective chemotherapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3412. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-3412


A new methodology for the preparation of addressed DNA matrices is described. The process includes an electrochemically directed copolymerization of pyrrole and oligonucleotides bearing on their 5' end a pyrrole moiety introduced by phosphoramidite chemistry. The electro-controlled synthesis of the copolymer (poly-pyrrole) gives, in one step, a solid conducting film deposited on the surface of an electrode. The resulting polymer consists of pyrrole chains bearing covalently linked oligonucleotide. The polymer growth is limited to the electrode surface, so that it is possible to prepare a DNA matrix on a multiple electrode device by successive copolymerizations. A support bearing four oligonucleotides was used to detect three ras mutations on a synthetic DNA fragment.


T-cell lymphoma is a rare hematologic malignancy with an incidence rate between 10% and 20% of that of non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) generally have a poor prognosis when treated with cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisolone (CHOP)/CHOP-like chemotherapy; once relapse occurs, it is mostly regarded as an incurable disease. To overcome the chemorefractoriness of PTCL, several novel agents have been developed. Since the first approval of pralatrexate, a dihydrofolate reductase inhibitor, for relapsed/refractory PTCL by the US Food and Drug Administration, several new agents, such as romidepsin (histone deacetylase inhibitor), brentuximab vedotin (antibody–drug conjugate targeting CD30), chidamide (histone deacetylase inhibitor), and mogamulizumab (anti-CC chemokine receptor 4 monoclonal antibody), have been approved as a therapeutic option for relapsed/refractory PTCL in several countries, including the US, Europe, China, and Japan. Forodesine is a novel, potent purine nucleoside phosphorylase inhibitor that is effective against T-cell malignancies. Although the clinical development of forodesine was discontinued in the US and Europe, a multicenter Phase I/II study of oral forodesine for relapsed PTCL was recently completed in Japan. The overall response rate was 24% (10 of 41 patients), which included four patients with complete response. In general, the toxicity of forodesine is manageable. As the study met the primary end point, forodesine was approved for the treatment of relapsed/refractory PTCL in Japan in March 2017, which was the first approval of forodesine in the world. As forodesine is an oral formulation, it is more convenient than other novel intravenous agents approved for PTCL. However, it is necessary to appropriately manage opportunistic infections and secondary lymphomas possibly associated with long-lasting lymphocytopenia caused by forodesine. In this manuscript, we have summarized the currently available evidence for forodesine and discussed the clinical implications for PTCL treatment.


Identification of the 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus requires emergency use authorized (EUA) molecular reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Laboratories lacking molecular capabilities outsource testing, which is costly and may delay result reporting. A fluorescent antibody (FA; D(3) Ultra 2009 H1N1 influenza A virus ID Kit, Diagnostic Hybrids, Athens, OH) recently received Food and Drug Administration EUA status for 2009 H1N1 virus identification. The performance of this FA reagent was evaluated in this study. Influenza A-positive nasopharyngeal specimens (seasonal H1, H3, and 2009 H1N1) were prepared for culture and FA testing and were stained using influenza A antibodies and the 2009 H1N1 reagent. Other respiratory viruses were also evaluated. The FA reagent demonstrated 100% sensitivity and specificity. Bright, apple-green fluorescence was effortlessly identified in culture-positive cells, particularly around cell membrane perimeters. Laboratory-prepared slides were preferred over bedside-prepared specimens because background fluorescence obscured identification in the latter. The new FA reagent provides an accurate, rapid, and inexpensive assay for identifying the 2009 H1N1 virus in nonmolecular diagnostic laboratories.


FeAl intermetallics matrix composites reinforced by ceramics particles such as titanium carbide have attracted much attention in recent years. In this study, shrouded plasma spraying with nitrogen as a protective gas was employed to deposit TiC particles dispersed FeAl/TiC composite coatings. Fe-35Al powder and Fe-35Al/TiC composite powders containing 35 vol.% and 45 vol.% TiC prepared by mechanical alloying were used as feedstock powders. The microstructure of the ball-milled powders and the as-sprayed coatings was characterized by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The mean coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of FeAl and FeAl/TiC was measured. The results showed that dense FeAl and FeAl/TiC coatings with low oxide inclusions were deposited by shrouded plasma spraying. The mean CTEs calculated based on the Reuss formula are reasonably consistent with those measured in the present study. As a result, the CTE of FeAl-based composite coating can be properly controlled by adjusting TiC content in the composite coating to match with that of the substrate.


In recent years, functional magnetic resonance technology has discovered that abnormal connections in different brain regions of the brain may serve as the pathophysiological mechanism of mental illness. Exploring the mechanism of information flow and integration between different brain regions is of great significance for understanding the pathophysiological mechanism of mental illness. This article aims to analyze the mechanism of depression by comparing human brain images of normal people and patients with depression and conduct research. Fluoxetine, a selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) widely used in clinical practice, can selectively inhibit 5-HT transporter and block the reuptake of 5-HT by the presynaptic membrane. The effect of 5-HT is prolonged and increased, thereby producing antidepressant effects. It has low affinity for adrenergic, histaminergic, and cholinergic receptors and has a weaker effect, resulting in fewer adverse reactions. This paper uses the comparative experiment method and the Welch method and uses the average shortest path length L to describe the average value of the shortest path length between two nodes in the network. Attention refers to the ability of a person's mental activity to point and to concentrate on something. Sustained attention means that attention is kept on a certain cognitive object or activity for a certain period of time, which is also called the stability of attention. The research on attention of depression patients generally focuses on continuous attention, and the results obtained show inconsistencies. Most studies have shown that the sustained attention of the depression group is significantly worse than that of the healthy control group. An overview of magnetic resonance imaging technology and an analysis of depression based on resting state were carried out. The key brain areas of the sample core network were scanned, and the ALFF results were analyzed. The data showed that the severity of depression in the depression group was negatively correlated with the ReHo value in the posterior left cerebellum (P=0.010). The sense of despair was negatively correlated with the ReHo value in the posterior right cerebellum (P=0.013). The diurnal variation was negatively correlated with the ReHo value of the left ring (P=0.014). It was positively correlated with the ReHo value of the left ventricle (P=0.048). This experiment has better completed the research on the mechanism of depression by analyzing the functional images of patients with depression and normal human brain.


COSMICS is a package of fortran programs useful for computing transfer functions and microwave background anisotropy for cosmological models, and for generating gaussian random initial conditions for nonlinear structure formation simulations of such models. Four programs are provided: {\bf linger\_con} and {\bf linger\_syn} integrate the linearized equations of general relativity, matter, and radiation in conformal Newtonian and synchronous gauge, respectively; {\bf deltat} integrates the photon transfer functions computed by the linger codes to produce photon anisotropy power spectra; and {\bf grafic} tabulates normalized matter power spectra and produces constrained or unconstrained samples of the matter density field.
Version 1.0 of COSMICS is available at this http URL . The current release gives fortran-77 programs that run on workstations and vectorized supercomputers. Unix makefiles are included that make it simple to build and test the package. A future release will include portable parallel versions of the linger codes using standard message-passing libraries.


Background

The secondary injury plays a vital role in the development of Spinal cord injury (SCI), which characterized by the occurrence of oxidative stress, neuronal apoptosis, and inflammatory response. Notoginsenoside R1 (NGR1) has been involved in the modulation of anti-oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory response. However, its roles in SCI-induced injury are still unknown.
Methods

Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to SCI through a weight-drop method. the therapeutic effect of NGR1 and its underlying mechanism after SCI were explored by using behavioral, biochemical, and immunohistochemical techniques.
Results

The administration of NGR1 after SCI enhanced the neurological function, mitigated tissue damage, and motor neuron loss than those in SCI + vehicle group. Meanwhile, significantly increased expression of Nrf2 protein and HO-1 protein was found in the SCI + NGR1 group compared with those in the SCI + vehicle group. In addition, the inhibitory effects of oxidative stress, apoptotic neuron ratio, and neuronal inflammation in the SCI + NGR1 group can be partially reversed when the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway was inhibited by ML385.
Conclusions

The administration of NGR1 after SCI can attenuate oxidative stress, neuronal apoptosis, and inflammation by activating the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway after SCI, thereby improving neurological function.


Elastography is a noninvasive imaging technique that provides information on soft tissue stiffness. Young's modulus is typically used to characterize soft tissues' response to the applied force, as soft tissues are often considered linear elastic, isotropic, and quasi-incompressible materials. This approximation is reasonable for small strains, but soft tissues undergo large deformations also for small values of force and exhibit nonlinear elastic behavior. Outside the linear regime, the elastic modulus is dependent on the strain level and is different for any kind of tissue. The aim of this study was to characterize, ex vivo, the mechanical response of two different mice muscles to an external force. A system for transverse force-controlled uniaxial compression enabled obtaining the stress-strain (σ-ε) curve of the samples. The strain-dependent Young's modulus (SYM) model was adopted to reproduce muscle compression behavior and to predict the elastic modulus for large deformations. After that, a recursive linear model was employed to identify the initial linear region of the σ-ε curve. Results showed that both muscle types exhibited a strain hardening effect and that the SYM model provided good fitting of the entire σ-ε curves. The application of the recursive linear model allowed capturing the initial linear region in which the approximation of these tissues as linear elastic materials is reasonable. The residual analysis displayed that even if the SYM model better summarizes the muscle behavior on the entire region, the linear model is more precise when considering only the initial part of the σ-ε curve.


Abstract In this paper our focus is on analyzing register variation within fiction, rather than between fiction and other registers. By working with subcorpora that separate text within and outside of quotation marks, we appromixate fictional speech and narration. This enables us to identify and compare linguistic features with regard to different situational contexts in the fictional world. We focus in particular on the novels of Charles Dickens and a reference corpus of other 19th-century fiction. Our main method for the register analysis is Multi-dimensional Analysis (MDA) for which we draw on altogether four dimensions from two previous MDAs. The linguistic distinctions we identify highlight similarities between fictional speech and involved registers such as face-to-face communication, and between narration and more informational and narrative prose. In addition to the detailed information on register features that characterize speech and narration, the paper raises more general questions about the ability of register studies to deal with situational contexts within fiction.


The global spread of colistin or carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) has been a pressing threat to public health. Members of Enterobacteriaceae, especially Proteus mirabilis and Escherichia coli, have been prevalent foodborne pathogens and such pathogens from fresh vegetables have triggered foodborne illness in China. However, reports about CRE, especially P. mirabilis from fresh vegetables, are still lacking. In this study, we identified five blaNDM-positive P. mirabilis and five blaNDM-positive generic E. coli concurrently from five fresh vegetables in two markets from China, and four of the five E. coli also carried mcr-1. The 10 isolates were characterized with methods including antimicrobial susceptibility testing, conjugation, whole-genome sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. All 10 isolates were multidrug-resistant (MDR). blaNDM-5 in five E. coli isolates and one P. mirabilis carrying blaNDM-5 was located on similarly transferable IncX3 plasmids, while transferably untypable plasmids were the carriers of blaNDM-1 in four P. mirabilis isolates from different types of vegetables/markets. mcr-1 in the four blaNDM-5-positive E. coli was located on similarly non-conjugative IncHI2 MDR plasmids lacking transfer region. Notably, ISCR1 complex class 1 integron capable of capturing blaNDM-1 was found on all untypable plasmids from P. mirabilis, and five copies of ISCR1 complex class 1 integron containing blaNDM-1 even occurred in one P. mirabilis, which showed high-level carbapenem resistance. Plasmid and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the blaNDM-positive P. mirabilis and E. coli from fresh vegetables might be derived from animals and transmitted to humans via the food chain. The concurrence of blaNDM-positive P. mirabilis and E. coli carrying both mcr-1 and blaNDM in different types of fresh vegetables eaten raw is alarming and threatens food safety. Sustained surveillance of these foodborne pathogens among fresh vegetables is urgent to ensure the health of food consumers. We report for the first time the concurrence of blaNDM-positive P. mirabilis and mcr-1-bearing E. coli carrying blaNDM from the same fresh vegetables.


Majorana bound states appearing in 1-D $p$-wave superconductor ($\cal{PWS}$) are found to result in exotic quantum holonomy of both eigenvalues and the eigenstates. Induced by a degeneracy hidden in complex Bloch vector space, Majorana states are identified with a pair of exceptional point ($\cal{EP}$) singularities. Characterized by a collapse of the vector space, these singularities are defects in Hilbert space that lead to M$\ddot{\rm o}$bius strip-like structure of the eigenspace and singular quantum metric. The topological phase transition in the language of $\cal{EP}$ is marked by one of the two exception point singularity degenerating to a degeneracy point with non singular quantum metric. This may provide an elegant and useful framework to characterize the topological aspect of Majorana fermions and the topological phase transition.


The human-made pollution of surface and ground waters is becoming an inevitable and persistently urgent problem for humankind and life in general, as these pollutants are also distributed by their natural circulation. For example, from mining activities and metallurgy, toxic heavy metals pollute the environment and present material risk for human health and the environment. Bioadsorbers are an intriguing way to efficiently capture and eliminate these hazards, as they are environmentally friendly, cheap, abundant, and efficient. In this study, we present brewers' spent grain (BSG) as an efficient adsorber for toxic heavy metal ions, based on the examples of iron, manganese, cadmium, and nickel ions. We uncover the adsorption properties of two different BSGs and investigate thoroughly their chemical and physical properties as well as their efficiency as adsorbers for simulated and real surface waters. As a result, we found that the adsorption behavior of BSG types differs despite almost identical chemistry. Elemental mapping reveals that all components of BSG contribute to the adsorption. Further, both types are not only able to purify water to reach acceptable levels of cleanness, but also yield outstanding adsorption performance for iron ions of 0.2 mmol/g and for manganese, cadmium, and nickel ions of 0.1 mmol/g.


The iron in the hemoglobin molecule is in ferrous state (Fe ++ ). The oxidation of iron from ferrous to ferric (Fe +++ ) state causes methemoglobinemia. This reaction decreases the oxygen-carrying capacity of hemoglobin leading to hypoxemia of the peripheral tissues and even to death in severe cases. Methemoglobinemia is frequently related to chemical substances. However, hereditary or idiopathic cases have also been described. Methemoglobinemia due to local anesthetic drugs may occur especially in newborn infants. Here, we presented an adult case in which methemoglobinemia developed after the administration of prilocaine prior to an epilation procedure. OZET ++ +++


Kimura's disease is a rare, benign, slow-growing chronic inflammatory swelling with a predilection for the head and neck region and is almost always with peripheral blood eosinophilia and elevated serum IgE levels. It is endemic in Asian males and rare in Western people. Surgical excision of the lesion is the first line therapy. Drug and radiation therapy have to be considered for the refractory lesions.


In this paper, alkali silica reactivity of chert and siliceous slate was investigated, and petrographic examination of these rocks was carried out. Petrological characteristics, JIS A1145 chemical method and mortar-bar method were examined on chert rock and siliceous slate which were included in the ASR damaged concrete structure in Aichi Prefecture. In the expansive test method of mortar and concrete, storage environment was changed in various types of conditions. The results of the chemical method became innocuousness, when the crystallinity index measured with X-ray diffraction exceeded 7.5. And in the JIS A1146 mortar bar method, the expansion of mortar made with chert and siliceous slate exceeded 0.1% in 2 months, and in comparison with both rock, the expansion of mortar using siliceous slate was higher than that of mortar using chert. Furthermore, the expansion of the mortar bar of the mixing use of siliceous slate and chert was higher than that of the single use.


Glioblastoma (GBM) is an aggressive brain tumor that is poorly controlled with the currently available treatment options. Key features of GBMs include rapid proliferation and pervasive invasion into the normal brain. Recurrence is thought to result from the presence of radio- and chemo-resistant brain tumor stem cells (BTSCs) that invade away from the initial cancerous mass and, thus, evade surgical resection. Hence, therapies that target BTSCs and their invasive abilities may improve the otherwise poor prognosis of this disease. Our group and others have successfully established and characterized BTSC cultures from GBM patient samples. These BTSC cultures demonstrate fundamental cancer stem cell properties such as clonogenic self-renewal, multi-lineage differentiation, and tumor initiation in immune-deficient mice. In order to improve on the current therapeutic approaches for GBM, a better understanding of the mechanisms of BTSC migration and invasion is necessary. In GBM, the study of migration and invasion is restricted, in part, due to the limitations of existing techniques which do not fully account for the in vitro growth characteristics of BTSCs grown as neurospheres. Here, we describe rapid and quantitative live-cell imaging assays to study both the migration and invasion properties of BTSCs. The first method described is the BTSC migration assay which measures the migration toward a chemoattractant gradient. The second method described is the BTSC invasion assay which images and quantifies a cellular invasion from neurospheres into a matrix. The assays described here are used for the quantification of BTSC migration and invasion over time and under different treatment conditions.


Complexity is an inherent property of all systems and a result of interconnections. In projects various systems come together to deliver the required outcome(s). The most common type of project complexity mentioned / considered in practice is the technical complexity and this has always been considered a main factor which affects project performance. Despite that, projects are delivered by people who interface ontinuously and therefore are effected by complexity, and in particular that caused by socio-organo interfaces and the boundaries between the various teams and parties. This has not been investigated. ocio-organo complexity leads to reduction in performance if interconnections are not managed. Research has been carried out to understand the effects of complexity through project management processes on project schedule and performance, aiming towards the development of a tool and identification of actions that will enable the management of these effects. The author presents results of five case studies, which demonstrate that socio-organo complexity affects performance and these results have similarities with the behaviour of underdamped control systems. The results have significant implications on the way socioorganisational complexity can be managed, how processes are implemented, but also enable parallels to be drawn between the fields of project management and control systems. Considering control systems theory proposals are made in this paper for actions to be taken which will contribute towards the management of the effects of socio-organo complexity on projects.


This paper offers some insights into the anxieties graduate students bring into the classroom about academic or technical writing. In this qualitative study, a focus group of graduate students was utilized to describe the specific negative feelings, attitudes and experiences held about writing. Findings suggest that students were able to identify three main reasons or causes of writing anxiety: (1) lack of confidence in writing ability (2) lack of time to devote to writing activities and (3) lack of skills in utilizing scholarly resources. Participants also suggest that colleges and universities take more proactive steps in implementing strategies early in the matriculation process to support graduate students in acquiring writing competency. This exploration suggests that there is still much to be learned from graduate students about what colleges and universities can do to improve writing literacy, help graduate students acquire writing self-efficacy and create a culture of writing expectations.


For a large class of distributions and large samples, it is shown that estimates of the variance s 2 and of the standard deviation s are more often Pitman closer to their target than the corresponding shrinkage estimates which improve the mean squared error. Our results indicate that Pitman closeness criterion, despite its controversial nature, should be regarded as a useful and complementary tool for the evaluation of estimates of s 2 and of s .


The wavelet transform has a powerful time-frequency analysis and signal-coding tool suitable for use in the manipulation of complex nonstationary signals. This article provides an overview of the emerging role of wavelet-transform analysis in biomedical signal processing and analysis. It also provides a brief overview of the theory of the transform in its two distinct and very different forms: continuous and discrete. In conclusion, it has been shown that the wavelet transform is a flexible time-frequency decomposition tool that can form the basis of useful signal analysis, and coding schemes. It is envisaged that the future will see further application of the wavelet transform to biomedical signal analysis, as the emerging technologies based on them are honed for practical purposes.


Terazosin is an FDA-approved medicine that has been used primarily for men and data for women are missing. For the first time, the target engagement of Terazosin in neurodegenerative diseases was assessed for both sexes. We chose the βATP/Pi ratio as a biomarker to study the brain energy metabolism and found strong correlations between the in vivo brain ATP levels to whole blood ATP levels. We observed clear sex differences in response to different TZ doses in both mice and humans. Our data suggest that the optimal dose for females may need to be lower as compared to males.


A combined injection of 50 mg medroxyprogesterone acetate and 10 mg oestradiol cypionate (Cyclo-Provera; Upjohn) was administered monthly for periods ranging from 1 to 18 months, to 120 Black women of reproductive age. No major side-effects were noted, no pregnancies occurred in the 575 cycles studies, and the pattern of regular menstrual bleeding was acceptable. Amenorrhoea occurred in 15,8% of patients but only 2,5% requested a change of treatment. The incidence of amenorrhoea diminished with continued use. This contraceptive regimen appears to be a useful addition to the methods presently available. Certain aspects merit further study.


drastically worldwide; companies are recognizing the importance of market preoccupancy and have made an effort to capture a large market to gain the upper hand. To this end, a focus on patents can be used to determine the properties of a technology, as well as to capture advantages in technical skills, in comparison with the firm's competitors. However, technology-based services largely depend not only on their technological value but also their economic value, due to the recognized worth that is passed to a plurality of users. Thus, it is important to determine whether there are any competitors in the target areas and what services they provide in any field. Despite this importance, little effort has been made to systematically benchmark competitors in order to identify business opportunities. Thus, this study aims to not only identify each position of technology-centered service companies in complex market dynamics, but also to discover new business opportunities. For this, we try to consider both technology and market environments simultaneously by utilizing patent data as a representative proxy for technology and trademark dates as an index for a firm's target goods and services. Theoretically, this is one of the earliest attempts to combine patent data and trademark data to analyze corporate strategies. In practice, the research results are expected to be used as a decision criterion to diagnose the economic value that companies can obtain by entering the market, as well as the technological value to be passed onto their customers. Thus, the proposed approach can be useful to support effective technology and business strategies in a firm.


Heteroatom-centered free radicals are able to transform cis unsaturated fatty acids to the thermodynamically more stable, but unnatural, trans configuration. The "geometrical" radical stress can be estimated in biological samples using trans fatty acid isomers as lipid markers. Regioselectivity is an important feature of the "geometrical" radical stress, because the supramolecular organization of the polyunsaturated fatty acid moieties of phospholipids can lead to preferential monotrans isomer formation. The regioisomer recognition is a crucial step, which is helped by appropriate molecular libraries available through radical-based synthetic methodologies. Cholesteryl linoleate and arachidonate esters are interesting targets for their biochemical connection with membrane phospholipid turnover and their well-known roles in cardiovascular health. The synthesis of monotrans isomers of PUFA cholesteryl esters was achieved by a thiyl radical-catalyzed cis-trans isomerization. Valuable NMR, IR, and Raman spectroscopic data have been collected for promising application in metabolomics and lipidomics. The identification of monotrans cholesteryl ester isomers was carried out in human plasma by GC, Raman, and IR analyses, demonstrating for the first time the presence of specific regiosiomers connected to free radical stress. This work helps to highlight the chemical biology approach for the access to molecular libraries applicable to biomarker development, and the cis-trans isomerization as a relevant process to be integrated in the puzzling scenario of free radical-mediated lipid modifications.


Summary Partial replacement of original igneous augite crystals by omphacite during blueschist metamorphism of a dolerite from the Mihalliççik area of north-west Turkey has been studied by transmission electron microscopy. The replacement occurred topotactically, apparently by ion exchange with a fluid phase, which left the basic pyroxene structure unchanged. Cation ordering in the omphacite caused a symmetry change from C-face centred to primitive with the formation of fine-scale antiphase domains. Selected-area diffraction provides evidence for P2 and P2/c space groups for the ordered omphacite though the best ordered areas show a tendency towards P2/n (reflections violating the n-glide are very weak) and also contain fine, wavy, disordered precipitates approximately parallel to (too). It is suggested that the replacement temperature was below the cation-ordering temperature and that the omphacite grew in a metastable, disordered state. Subsequent ordering occurred under irreversible conditions via a series of intermediate structures. The ordering sequence may illustrate the relationship between different ordering schemes in other blueschist pyroxenes.


Microalbuminuria is a strong and independent indicator of increased cardiovascular risk among individuals with and without diabetes and hypertension. The pathophysiologic mechanism underlying the association between albumin excretion and cardiovascular disease (CVD) is that microalbuminuria can be a predictor of CVD risk as it reflects the vascular damage in kidneys. It also shows endothelial damage predicting CV disease risk. Based on this theory, periodic screening for microalbuminuria could allow early identification of vascular disease and help stratify overall cardiovascular risk, especially in patients with risk factors such as hypertension or diabetes. Therefore microalbuminuria can be used for stratification of risk for cardiovascular disease. Once microalbuminuria is present, cardiovascular risk factor reduction should be aggressive. Objectives: The objective of the study was to determine the role of microalbuminuria as an atherosclerotic risk factor and its association with coronary artery disease. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Duration of Study: Duration of study was 6 months with first patient enrolled on 16-03-2007 and last patient enrolled on 15-09-2007. Setting: Medical Unit-III and CCU Allied Hospital, Faisalabad. Subjects: 300 patients with acute coronary syndrome, admitted in Allied hospital Faisalabad were enrolled. Methods: 300 patients diagnosed as having acute coronary syndrome admitted in Allied hospital Faisalabad, were included in the study. Early morning urine as well as 24 hour urine had been collected in sterilized urine bags and microalbuminuria was tested. Results: In this study 300 patients having acute coronary syndrome were enrolled. Microalbuminuria was positive in 66 (22%) patients and 234 (78%) patients had no microalbuminuria. There was significant association between microalbuminuria and atherosclerotic coronary artery disease. Conclusion: It is concluded that microalbuminuria is an atherosclerotic risk factor and it is strongly associated with coronary artery disease.


Abstract Mini-watersheds called Nongin Thai are geographical components of rainfed lowland rice culture in Northeast Thailand, and constitute distinct units in understanding environmental constraints for low and unstable rainfed rice production there. The toposequential variation of soil fertility and its relation to rice productivity within mini-watersheds, was examined by phytometry of sampled soils and field measurements of rice growth and yield. The phytometry experiment with irrigated potted rice using soils sampled from various rice fields within each mini-watershed, revealed that soil fertility as evaluated by rice dry matter production showed a 5 times difference among the fields at most. The difference in the soil fertility was ascribed primarily to that in nitrogen (N) supply capacity, which itself had a strong correlation with soil organic carbon (SOC) content. Accordingly, the biomass production of pot-grown rice was proportional to SOC. content, which suggested the usefulness of SOC as an index for soil fertility evaluation. The effect of clay on the soil fertility was much less than that of SOC. The actual rice yield in each field also showed quite large field-to-field variation, most of which was explained by the SOC content, rice growth duration and fertilizer application rate even though water availability also affected the yield. The yield positively correlated with growth duration and hence with earlier transplanting. Both SOC and clay contents of fields showed steep gradients with ascending field elevation within mini-watersheds, resulting in a marked toposequential distribution of rice yield. The toposequential distributions of SOC and clay contents imply that rice culture after deforestation accelerated soil erosion from upper to lower fields. The large toposequential gradient in soil fertility requires different resource and crop management for each toposequential position, in order to improve rice productivity of the mini-watershed as a whole.


The global COVID-19 pandemic has oversaturated many intensive care units to the point of collapse, leading to enormous spikes in death counts. Before critical care becomes a necessity, identifying patients who are likely to become critically ill and providing prompt treatment is a strategy to avoid ICU oversaturation. There is a consensus that a hyperinflammatory syndrome or a "cytokine storm" is responsible for poor outcomes in COVID-19. Measuring cytokine levels at the point of care is required in order to better understand this process. In this Perspective, we summarize the main events behind the cytokine storm in COVID-19 as well as current experimental treatments. We advocate for a new biosensor-enabled paradigm to personalize the management of COVID-19 and stratify patients. Biosensor-guided dosing and timing of immunomodulatory therapies could maximize the benefits of these anti-inflammatory treatments while minimizing deleterious effects. Biosensors will also be essential in order to detect complications such as coinfections and sepsis, which are common in immunosuppressed patients. Finally, we propose the ideal features of these biosensors using some prototypes from the recent literature as examples. Multisensors, lateral flow tests, mobile biosensors, and wearable biosensors are seen as key players for precision medicine in COVID-19.


The technical development of electric vehicles has been actively proceeding because of the reduction of oil resources and need for eco-friendly vehicle technology. In particular, an electronic control unit is an important element in the technology of electric vehicles due to the motor drive system. This paper concerns an experimental study on the thermal analysis of the steering control ECU structure for an electric vehicle. The ECU unit is designed for eight heat sinks for the thermal analysis of the ECU structure. The thermal analysis characteristics of the ECU structure are evaluated by the temperature distribution, heat flow, von Mises stress, total translation, and external surface temperature measurement of the ECU unit.


Brown syndrome fits the group of restrictive strabismus and is caused by a movement limitation of the superior oblique tendon through the trochlea. It is characterized by parallelism in the primary gaze position, limitation or absence of elevation in adduction, frequent depression of the eye in adduction with anisotropy in V-pattern and positive passive duction in the elevation in adduction. It is called inflammatory Brown syndrome, a secondary disorder, which main causes are local inflammation in the orbit and inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and tenosynovitis. A case of a 44 year-old patient, male, complaining of binocular vertical diplopia due to recurring dextroversion is reported. It was diagnosed as inflammatory Brown syndrome of uncertain etiology, confirmed by magnetic nuclear resonance, and with spontaneous resolution.


Background:There are many agents in clinical use that manipulate central nervous system levels of epinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin. However, development of pharmacological options to manipulate central acetylcholine systems has lagged behind because of poor penetration of the blood–brain barrier and significant peripheral nervous system side effects. Newer agents have demonstrated some efficacy in the management of behavioral and cognitive side effects in Alzheimer's disease, and preliminary data in traumatic brain injury suggest acetylcholine esterase inhibitors may play a significant role in the treatment of this patient population as well. Conclusions:In this article, the basic neuroanatomy and pharmacology of the central acetylcholine system are reviewed, along with agents currently available for clinical use.


Algorithms always terminate. We explain the distinction between existing algorithms (i.e. algorithms whose existence is provable in ZFC) and known algorithms (i.e. algorithms whose definition is constructive and currently known). Assuming that the infiniteness of a set X ⊆ N is false or unproven, we define which elements of X are classified as known. No known set X ⊆ N satisfies Conditions (1) (4) and is widely known in number theory or naturally defined, where this term has only informal meaning. (1) A known algorithm with no input returns an integer n satisfying card(X) < ω⇒ X ⊆ (−∞, n]. (2) A known algorithm for every k ∈ N decides whether or not k ∈ X. (3) No known algorithm with no input returns the logical value of the statement card(X) = ω. (4) There are many elements of X and it is conjectured, though so far unproven, that X is infinite. (5) X is naturally defined. The infiniteness of X is false or unproven. X has the simplest definition among known sets Y ⊆ N with the same set of known elements. Let Pn2+1 denote the set of primes of the form n2 + 1. Conditions (2) (5) hold for X = Pn2+1. We discuss a conjecture which implies the conjunction of Conditions (1) (5) for X = Pn2+1. No set X ⊆ N will satisfy Conditions (1) (4) forever, if for every algorithm with no input, at some future day, a computer will be able to execute this algorithm in 1 second or less. The physical limits of computation disprove this assumption. We present a table that shows satisfiable conjunctions consisting of Conditions (1) (5) and their negations. 2020 Mathematics Subject Classification: 03D20.


Oil and gas (O&G) companies are facing increasing pressure to transform their businesses in order to contribute effectively to the transition from an economy based on fossil fuels to one driven by clean energy technologies. Understanding how O&G companies can define actions to comply with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and, specifically, how they can generate a positive impact in terms of sustainability through technology innovation becomes relevant in order to guarantee the success of such transformation. To explore this issue, this article analyzes, using a case study research methodology, the sustainability strategy of an O&G company in the Basque Country region (Spain) that is undergoing a profound transformation of its overall business strategy. In particular, the analysis focuses on how the company's innovation and research and development (R&D) activities and projects related to clean technologies contribute to fulfilling the energy- and non-energy-related SDGs. The main result of the analysis is the identification and characterization of an emerging complex public–private multi-stakeholder business and innovation ecosystem surrounding the O&G company under scrutiny with a clear focus on low-carbon technologies. This ecosystem channels knowledge and innovation synergies and spillovers at the local and regional levels, encouraging green industrial growth in different value chains, and provides insights about how O&G companies can contribute effectively to the SDGs and, at the same time, increase the sustainability of their businesses.


In this paper, we will propose a novel spatiotemporal filter that utilizes consecutive frames in order to remove noise. The consecutive frames include: current, previous and next noisy frames. The filter proposed in this paper is based upon the weighted averaging pixels intensity in image sequences. The weights are determined by a well-defined mathematical criterion, which is adaptive to the feature of spatiotemporal pixels of the consecutive frames. It is experimentally shown that the proposed filter can preserve image structures and edges under motion while suppressing noise, and thus can be effectively used in image sequences filtering. Most importantly, our proposed filter is independent of noise variance and only utilizes the intensity of pixels to suppress noise.


Flame retardants, such as inorganic fillers or halogenated resins, are incorporated into composites either as additives or reactive materials. In order to improve processability and mechanical properties, as well as reduce smoke toxicity, a method is being developed to introduce highly effective, inexpensive flame retardant materials into thermoset resins. Superabsorbent polymers (SAP) can be loaded with inexpensive inorganic phosphates as the flame retardant component in composite systems. The resulting SAP flame retardants dramatically improved fire resistance when blended with common matrix resins (epoxy, unsaturated polyester, urethane hybrid, and vinyl ester resins) at relatively low levels with very minimal off-gassing of toxic compounds during combustion.


Narcolepsy is a lifelong disorder generally appearing in adolescence and typically exhibiting the tetrad of excessive sleepiness, cataplexy, sleep paralysis, and hypnagogic and hypnopompic hallucinations. Not all patients develop the full symptomatology. The etiology remains unknown and treatment is symptomatic. Narcolepsy was described a little over 100 years ago and remained a rather esoteric diagnosis until the advent of clinically accessible sleep laboratories. Today, narcolepsy is diagnosed more frequently than multiple sclerosis and constitutes a socially incapacitating disorder when fully developed.


The performances of the employees are formed by an expression of their attitudes towards their work and reactions to the work. Satisfaction and dissatisfaction lie behind the positive and negative attitudes. Whether individuals are private or public employee, they can exhibit voluntary behaviors when they are satisfied with their work such extra role behaviors, called organizational citizenship behaviors, can affect the performance of employees. In this study, the relationship between job satisfaction, organizational citizenship behavior and employee performance, and whether these three variables differed by demographic characteristics were tested on public employees. According to the results of the study, job satisfaction affects organizational citizenship behavior; organizational citizenship behavior affects employee performance and job satisfaction affects employee performance positively. Moreover, there were differences in job satisfaction in terms of gender, age and total service years as the demographic factors, but any difference was not observed in organizational citizenship behaviors and employee performances.


ABSTRACT HIV-1 transmission and viral evolution in the first year of infection were studied in 11 individuals representing four transmitter-recipient pairs and three independent seroconverters. Nine of these individuals were enrolled during acute infection; all were men who have sex with men (MSM) infected with HIV-1 subtype B. A total of 475 nearly full-length HIV-1 genome sequences were generated, representing on average 10 genomes per specimen at 2 to 12 visits over the first year of infection. Single founding variants with nearly homogeneous viral populations were detected in eight of the nine individuals who were enrolled during acute HIV-1 infection. Restriction to a single founder variant was not due to a lack of diversity in the transmitter as homogeneous populations were found in recipients from transmitters with chronic infection. Mutational patterns indicative of rapid viral population growth dominated during the first 5 weeks of infection and included a slight contraction of viral genetic diversity over the first 20 to 40 days. Subsequently, selection dominated, most markedly in env and nef. Mutants were detected in the first week and became consensus as early as day 21 after the onset of symptoms of primary HIV infection. We found multiple indications of cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) escape mutations while reversions appeared limited. Putative escape mutations were often rapidly replaced with mutually exclusive mutations nearby, indicating the existence of a maturational escape process, possibly in adaptation to viral fitness constraints or to immune responses against new variants. We showed that establishment of HIV-1 infection is likely due to a biological mechanism that restricts transmission rather than to early adaptive evolution during acute infection. Furthermore, the diversity of HIV strains coupled with complex and individual-specific patterns of CTL escape did not reveal shared sequence characteristics of acute infection that could be harnessed for vaccine design.


Objectives: We aimed the relationship between with selected prognostic factors of MM, 1) C-KIT (CD117), which related to MM pathogenesis, 2) Ki-67, which is the determinant of cell kinetics, 3) MMP-2, which degradation of the basement membrane and extracellular matrix required for cell migration, invasion and metastasis in melanogenesis, 4) bcl-2, which reduces the apoptotic response to cytotoxic chemotherapy and 5) MT's whose overexpression shows resistance to anticancer drugs and radiotherapy and thus poor prognosis.Material and Methods: In this study, 30 skin and 15 non-skin MMM cases diagnosed between January 01, 2000 and June 01, 2011 in SCU-TF Medical Pathology Department were examined. C-Kit, MMP-2, Ki-67, bcl-2 and MT markers were applied to these cases.Results: When comparing the skin and non-skin groups, the difference between Ki-67 and MMP-2 expressions was found to be statistically significant, but no significant difference was found in staining with c-Kit, MT and bcl-2. It was thought that high MMP-2, C-KIT, bcl-2 expressions and high Ki-67 index as well as loss of MT expression might be associated with poor prognosis. Despite the high level of KIT immunostaining in melanomas, this parameter does not appear to be a good predictor of the presence of molecular mutations. Mutations that activate KIT should be considered a rare event in this tumor.


Occupational therapists working with children with handwriting issues lack a standard framework for selecting treatment activities. This study investigated the utility of a decision-making guide, the Tool for Optimising Written Productivity (TOW-P). In the study, 14 occupational therapists used the TOW-P to guide the selection of interventions for 60 children with handwriting issues. The therapists completed two questionnaires about the usefulness of the tool. Feedback was used to modify the structure and format of the tool. The results indicated that the TOW-P provides a clinically useful framework to assist therapists in the selection of appropriate intervention strategies for children with written productivity issues.


The purpose of the present study was to explore the effect of Entrepreneurial Self-efficacy and Entrepreneurial Attitude on the performance of Small Medium enterprises through the usage of Facebook. It was hypothesized that Facebook usage is likely to mediate the relationship between Entrepreneurial Self-efficacy and Entrepreneurial Attitude on the performance of Small Medium Enterprise. A cross-sectional research design was used in this study. A sample of N=333 admins, social media managers or digital marketing executives, was collected by using a clustered sampling technique. The data processed by using AMOS software. Structural Equation Modeling was used to analyze the model. Results showed that Entrepreneurial Self-efficacy & Entrepreneurial Attitude have a significant association with SME performance through Facebook usage. In the light of results, it is being recommended that Small and Medium Size Enterprise must have their Facebook activities to promulgate their performance.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the quality of bone marrow stem cells from aplastic anemia patients and their in vitro responses to hemopoietic growth factors(HGF).

METHODS
CD34 positive bone marrow cells from 10 chronic aplastic anemia(CAA), 5 severe aplastic anemia(SAA) patients and 5 healthy subjects were detected with immunoflurescence assay, enriched by Panning way, and then cultured in vitro for CFU-GM, BFU-E and CFU-E in the presence of recombinant HGFs.

RESULTS
CD34 positive rates of the bone marrow mononuclear cells(MNC) of CAA, SAA and control groups were (1.05 +/- 0.51)%, (0.70 +/- 0.37)% and (1.27 +/- 0.45)%, respectively, and there was no difference among them (P > 0.05). After being enriched, CD34 positive cells in MNC of CAA, SAA and control groups increased to a similar level(P > 0.05). In the presence of G-CSF or GM-CSF, the enriched CD34 positive MNC of CAA and SAA patients formed similar CFU-GM number to those of normal controls. The numbers of BFU-E and CFU-E formed from the enriched CD34 positive MNC of CAA and SAA patients were also the same as that of normal control groups under the stimulation of erythropoietin and interleukin-3. Stem cell factor could cooperate with G-CSF, GM-CSF, and erythropoietin significantly increasing the numbers of CFU-GM, BFU-E and CFU-E of CAA, SAA and normal control's enriched CD34 positive MNC.

CONCLUSION
The bone marrow CD34 positive cells from aplastic anemia patients appears to be normal in percentages and in in vitro proliferation/differentiation capacities.


The spectrum of doubly ionized sodium, Na III, has been studied in the 2 500-1 300 A range and the analysis revised and extended as regards the 2p44s, 3p, and 3d configurations. The number of classified lines is now 177, out of which 110 are newly observed and classified. Some of the older classifications have been altered and about 80 lines rejected as spurious. The following terms and levels are new: (3P) 4s4P, 2P, (1D)4s2D1½, (1S)4s2S, (1D)3p 2F, 2D, 2P, (1S)3p 2P, (3P)3d 4F (some levels now ascribed to 3d4F were known but with other designations), (3P)3d 4P, 2F2½, and (1D)2G, 2F, 2D1½. The 2p43s, 3p, 3d, and 4s configurations are now complete. Newly observed and interpreted intercombination lines lead to accurate relative positions of level groups with different multiplicities or different parents. The new level values derived are estimated to be internally consistent to about 0.1-0.15 cm-1 for (3P)3s, 3p, and 3d and also for (1D)3s, 3p, 3d. The accuracy of the (3P)4s levels in relation to (3P)3s, 3p, 3d and that of (1D)4s in relation to (1D)3s, 3p, 3d should be about ± 0.2 cm-1. The coupling conditions have been analyzed using Condon-Slater theory. The 2p43s, 3p, 3d, and 4s configurations are best described with LS symbols; deviations occur for some 3p levels, and some 3d levels are heavily mixed.


Cutting forces in the process of conventional and trochoidal milling of aluminum 2017 alloy were determined and analyzed. A machining strategy, testing guidelines and the possibility of using a measuring platform based on resistance tensometry elements were developed. The paper also presents an analysis of the results concerning the distribution of the cutting forces in the processes of conventional and trochoidal milling, carried out with the same cutting parameters and tools. An attempt was made to interpret the results.


A large empirical literature has documented differences in Schumpeterian profits, both among firms in single industries and between firms in different industries. Theorists have proposed various institutional and strategic factors to account for such differences but have had relatively little to say about the manner in which technology affects entry and profits. In this paper I present a model in which persistent intraindustry differences in firm profitability arise as the outcomes of learning and imitation, and interindustry differences in the persistence of above normal profits arise solely from production being more technologically complex in some industries than in others.


An analytical solution of the velocity field in a microbearing of finite length is derived based on a slip-flow model. Flow characteristics, such as velocity and friction torque for different slip coefficients are investigated in detail. The results show that the flow and load characteristics inside the microbearing depend on not only the magnitude of the slip coefficient but also the boundary conditions at both ends of the microbearing. It is found that when the slip coefficient decreases from 0.4 to 0.01, the friction torque exerted on the rotating shaft increases, and the effect of bearing ends becomes larger and larger. At = 0.01, the torque near the ends of the bearing rises to four times that in the middle of the rotating shaft. As the slip coefficient continues to decrease from 0.01, the friction torque in the middle of the shaft remains unchanged, while the distribution characteristic of the torque near the shaft ends approaches that in a macrobearing.


Abstract. PT. Jababeka Infrastruktur is a subsidiary company of PT. Jababeka Tbk., as estate manager. One of the PT. Jababeka Infrastruktur duty is manage Wastewater Treatment Plant 2 (WWTP2). The most of incoming wastewater in WWTP2 PT. Jababeka Infrastruktur is came from food industries, whereas has potential degradable to fatty acid and caused the pH tend to be low and fluctuates. pH is one of the important parameters, especially in biological wastewater treatment system as applied in WWTP2. pH value can affect the microorganism performance in decompose the pollutant compound in wastewater. pH control action is needed to make the treatment run better. Objectives: To know the primary settling tank (PST) with   ̴3 hours detention time performance in equalizing wastewater pH. To develop the new equalization tank, it was provide an analysis the pH inlet performance by measuring pH of wastewater. Method and results: Statistical analysis of secondary data by comparing standard deviation value of wastewater before and after accommodated in PST also paired sample t-Test to see the performance of PST in equalizing of pH. Besides that, taken and measuring inlet wastewater pH in every one hour also adding to the previous wastewater inlet sample to determine the optimum wastewater detention time in terms of pH. Conclusion: PST was significant unit process that can be equalize the pH value. The observation of pH characteristic pattern by time showed that the optimum equalization time was 1-2 hours. This result can be as reference to more utilize of the existing PST.


Spin dynamics of polarized deuteron beams near depolarization resonances, including a new polarization preservation concept based on specially-designed multiple resonance crossings, has been tested in a series of experiments in the COSY synchrotron. Intricate spin dynamics with sophisticated pre-programmed patterns as well as effects of multiple crossings of a resonance were studied both theoretically and experimentally with excellent agreement. Possible applications of these results to preserve, manipulate and spin-flip polarized beams in synchrotrons and storage rings are discussed.


Solvent evaporation from a suspension of cellulose nanocrystals and l-(+)-tartaric acid leads to periodic ring-type patterns. Chemical organization in reaction-diffusion systems offers a strategy for the generation of materials with ordered morphologies and structural hierarchy. Periodic structures are formed by either molecules or nanoparticles. On the premise of new directing factors and materials, an emerging frontier is the design of systems in which the precipitation partners are nanoparticles and molecules. We show that solvent evaporation from a suspension of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and l-(+)-tartaric acid [l-(+)-TA] causes phase separation and precipitation, which, being coupled with a reaction/diffusion, results in rhythmic alternation of CNC-rich and l-(+)-TA–rich rings. The CNC-rich regions have a cholesteric structure, while the l-(+)-TA–rich bands are formed by radially aligned elongated bundles. The moving edge of the pattern propagates with a finite constant velocity, which enables control of periodicity by varying film preparation conditions. This work expands knowledge about self-organizing reaction-diffusion systems and offers a strategy for the design of self-organizing materials.


The Plain Forestation Project is an important measure designed to alleviate air pollution in Beijing, the capital of China. Ten commonly cultivated forest types of the Plain Forestation Project were studied at three growth stages of leaves. The particulate matter (PM)2.5 concentrations and forest structures were surveyed to analyze the PM2.5 concentration differences between different forest types, and establish a linear relationship between forest structures and PM2.5 concentration differences. The results suggested that forest ecosystems can block and capture PM2.5 from the air. Forests with luxuriant foliage are most effective in removing PM2.5 from the air. The average PM2.5 mass concentration in the Leaf-on Period (LOP) was the lowest when compared with other periods. The PM2.5 concentrations in the forest usually were higher than the control. Correspondingly, PM2.5 concentration indexes were negative values during daytime, but this results were reversed at night. Forests can reduce the diffusion rate of PM2.5 leading to PM2.5 were detained in the forest during daytime, and play an important role in the adsorption or deposition of particulate matter at night. Forest structure was primary reason of the PM2.5 concentration difference between different forests. The PM2.5 concentration index was positively correlated to canopy density, leaf area index (LAI), and mean diameter at breast height (DBH), and negatively correlated to the average tree height (height), forestland area, grass coverage and height.


DOP ellipsoid can be used as PMD monitoring signal for automatic PMD compensation. We introduced the particle swarm optimization algorithm into obtaining real-time DOP ellipsoid with high precision only by 100 sampling SOP data.


Background The oriental river prawn (Macrobrachium nipponense) is the most prevalent aquaculture species in China. The sexual precocity in this species has received considerable attention in recent years because more and more individuals matured at a small size, which devalues the commercial production. In this study, we developed deep-coverage transcriptomic sequencing data for the ovaries of sexually precocious and normal sexually mature M. nipponense using next-generation RNA sequencing technology and attempted to provide the first insight into the molecular regulatory mechanism of sexual precocity in this species. Results A total of 63,336 unigenes were produced from the ovarian cDNA libraries of sexually precocious and normal sexually mature M. nipponense using Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform. Through BLASTX searches against the NR, STRING, Pfam, Swissprot and KEGG databases, 15,134 unigenes were annotated, accounting for 23.89% of the total unigenes. 5,195 and 3,227 matched unigenes were categorized by GO and COG analysis respectively. 15,908 unigenes were consequently mapped into 332 KEGG pathways, and many reproduction-related pathways and genes were identified. Moreover, 26,008 SSRs were identified from 18,133 unigenes. 80,529 and 80,516 SNPs were yielded from ovarian libraries of sexually precocious and normal sexually mature prawn, respectively, and 29,851 potential SNPs between these two groups were also predicted. After comparing the ovarian libraries of sexually precocious and normal sexually mature prawn, 549 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 9 key DEGs that may be related to sexual precocity of M. nipponense were identified. 20 DEGs were selected for validation by quantitative real-time PCR (QPCR) and 19 DEGs show consistent expression between QPCR and RNAseq-based differential expression analysis datasets. Conclusion This is the first report on the large-scale RNA sequencing of ovaries of sexually precocious and normal sexually mature M. nipponense. The annotated transcriptome data will provide fundamental support for future research into the reproduction biology of M. nipponense. The large number of candidate SNPs and SSRs detected in this study could be used as genetic markers for population genetics and functional genomics in this species. More importantly, many DEGs, especially nine key DEGs between sexually precocious and normal sexually mature prawns were identified, which will dramatically improve understanding of molecular regulatory mechanism of sexual precocity of this species.


New frameworks operating at the international level have led to the need for a broader and more complex involvement of companies in international economic flows. In such circumstances, focus on the international and global markets becomes inevitable. Each segment companies must adapt and evolve in accordance with such conditions. Marketing as an important activity of the company in selling products or services is also changing and expanding its activities in line with international market. This leads to the creation of an international marketing concept and system as a specific approach to the processing of international economic relations. An important segment of implementation of the marketing concept is the marketing communication, which in terms of the limited number of international barriers. It is certainly possible to overcome with a well-defined marketing strategy. Clearly defined marketing strategy and well-prepared marketing mix remove barriers, to meet the set goals and lead to positive results for the company.


The pathogenesis of angina pectoris in patients with aortic stenosis and normal coronary arteries remains uncertain. Using a specially designed Doppler probe, we measured the maximal velocity of coronary blood flow in the left-anterior descending coronary artery at the time of elective open-heart surgery in 14 patients with aortic stenosis and left ventricular hypertrophy (13 had angina) and in 8 controls without left ventricular hypertrophy. The ratio peak velocity of coronary blood flow, after a 20-second occlusion, to resting velocity was decreased by more than 50 per cent (P less than 0.05) in the patients with aortic stenosis. In 7 of the patients this ratio was decreased by more than 75 per cent. Studies of the velocity of coronary blood flow in vessels perfusing the right ventricle in these patients showed only mild abnormalities. These data demonstrate a selective and marked decrease in coronary reserve to the hypertrophied left ventricle in patients with severe aortic stenosis. The impairment in coronary reserve is probably an important contributor to the pathogenesis of angina pectoris in these patients.


ABSTRACT In this study, hydroxyapatite powder Ca10(PO4)6(OH)2 (HAp) doped with gadolinium (Gd3+) (HAp:Gd3+) in different mole percentage of between 0.1 and 1.6 was synthesized by sol−gel method at 900°C. The reaction was carried out by hydrolysis of Ca(OH)2 and DCPD (CaHPO4.2H2O) in aqueous solution and then analyzed through XRD, SEM, FTIR, TGA and Four-Point Probe method (custom-made). The results show that Gd3+ has been successfully doped into the hydroxyapatite structure. Then, the photoluminescence, thermal and electrical properties of pure and Gd3+ doped hydroxyapatite were studied and compared with the pure hydroxyapatite. In conclusion, the emission band of Ca10-xGdx(PO4)6(OH)2 was observed at 263, 278, 294, 312 nm) under excitation with 185 nm. The Stokes shift of HAp:Gd3+ was calculated to be 16.031 cm−1. On the other hand, the electrical and thermal conductivity of HAp increased with the increase in Gd3+ concentration due to Ca2+ cation vacancies caused by Gd3+doping.


Hurst, John and White, SallyA,Ethicsand tbe Auslralhm News Me4Ja, Macmillatl. 1994, ISBN 0 7329 1939. $34.95 pb This is a book with rwo great strengths, lr takes a broad view of what is normally meant by 'ethics' and as such it is close to being a good general textbook on journalistic practice. Second, it uses realistic examples from the rich field of Australian journalism in the last ten to fifteen years to discuss ethical issues which journalists face every day. It begins with a potted account of key philosophical terms such as value, rights, obligations, and duties, and then discusses what is meant by the public interest. It goes on to give a useful overview of existing trade union, government, and private selfregulation schemes in Australia. The breadth of study is reflected in its choice of topics; trurh telling and objectivity; issues of gender. race and minorities in reporting: crime reporting; taste; privacy versus secrecy: confidentiality of sources; undercover methods of news gathering; chequebook journalism; and business and advertising pressures. The great strength of this book is its derailed empirical approach to the issues it raises. In a field where much writing is high flown, and 'facts' are wheeled out to support some theoretical schema or other, this book takes a refreshingly practical approach. For example, the chapter on the protection of journalists' sources sets out the circumstances of several cases in which journalists were imprisoned for refusing to break confidences given to sources. It also provides very useful references from a wide variety of government inquiries, COUrt cases and Press Council rulings which bear on source protection. The book tackles its subject rnatter from a point of view which places the journalist as a central, conscious player in the news media, rather than as a mere cipher for


gland was thought to be a cause of madness, interest waned when it was thought instead to be inactive in adult life. It was the discovery of its major product, melatonin, which rekindled interest in the gland among biologists —¿ and also that it had a pronounced circadian rhythm and governed seasonal breeding. The more recent finding that there are receptors for melatonin all over the hypothalamus has demon strated its role in controlling other neuroendocrine parameters. Since the beginning of the modern era of pineal research Josephine Arendt has been a towering figure in the field. She is therefore the perfect author for an authoritative text such as this and she has done an excellent job. This volume deals with all aspects of pineal function both basic and applied. Starting from the anatomy and biochemistry of the gland it moves on to the light/dark control of its function, one of the key features of the system. This leads naturally into its role in photoperi odic functions, those which vary with the seasons. The precise daily timing of the gland's function and its close relationship with the endogenous circadian clock is examined in detail and the complexities of chrono biology are translated into understandable language for the uninitiated. Then we move on to the human gland, its control and function. Much remains to be understood and the excitement of the quest is felt in this chapter, followed as it is by another on the therapeutic potential and significance of melatonin. Now that we can buy mela tonin (and soon melatonin antagonists) we will no doubt be seeing more of this. The pineal is of course the interest of a minority in psychiatry but any research institute dealing with psychobiology should have a copy of this book in their library. It is not only the best text avail able on melatonin and the pineal, it also tells the story of successful science —¿ the step by step eluci dation of highly complex relationships between changing physiological functions and the temporal environment.


Flavius Josephus since he published his writings, never fallen like so many author of antiquity oblivion. The Testimonia Veterum, the Heinz Schreckenberg has so completely collected with great care, and the many manuscripts and translations of ancient and medieval times indicated in his book, give them an eloquent testimony. Already Eusebius Josephus in his "Ecclesiastical History" honorably mentioned, he calls him the most famous man among his countrymen also among the Romans, who was honored by a statue in Rome, and whose works of inclusion in the library were deemed worthy. Qumran had many linguistic and exegetical problems; the Jewish historian but wrote a clear Greek without many difficulties. And yet can wonder whether we really have detected what Josephus gave his contemporaries to understand its addressee. The author explains with some examples, how much is to be done in this regard yet. Keywords: Flavius Josephus; Heinz Schreckenberg; Romans; Qumran


The effect of sprouting of onions on total phenolic content, antioxidant activity, and anthocyanin profile of freeze dried powders produced from Indian onion cultivars was examined. Sprouting was carried out at an average light intensity of 64 Lumen, average relative humidity of 80.2%, and average temperature of 15.22 °C for three weeks. Two way analyses of data revealed significant (P<0.05) effect of sprouting and cultivar on functional composition of freeze dried powders. In all sprouted powder samples, there were significant (P<0.05) enhancements in total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, vitamin C content, antioxidant activity, and colour due to increase in anthocyanin contents. The anthocyanin profile depicted an increase in total anthocyanin concentration in powders developed from all four cultivars with the highest increase in powder from PRO-6 (23.87–27.15 mg kg−1), followed by Punjab Naroya (9.97–12.92 mg kg−1), commercial (7.15–8.43 mg kg−1), and Punjab White cultivar (3.45–4.09 mg kg−1).


In this study, we demonstrated that miR-640 is significantly downregulated in breast cancer (BC) tissues and cell lines. Overexpression of miR-640 inhibited the proliferation and migration of BC in vitro and in vivo, while depletion of miR-640 exhibited the opposite effect. Importantly, miR-640 could directly target Wnt7b, thereby regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in BC. In conclusion, miR-640/Wnt7b suppresses BC cells tumorigenesis via Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, which might be novel targets for BC targeted therapy.


Recent studies show that ion channels/transporters play important roles in fundamental cellular functions. Several reports indicating the important roles of Cl(-) channels/transporters on cell proliferation suggest that the intracellular chloride concentration ([Cl(-)](i)) regulated by them would be one of critical messengers. We investigated whether the [Cl(-)](i) controls cell proliferation and cell cycle progression in human gastric cancer cells. Our studies indicated that furosemide, a blocker of Na(+)/K(+)/2Cl(-) cotransporter (NKCC), diminished cell growth by delaying the G(1)-S phase progression in gastric cancer cells with high expression and activity of NKCC. Furthermore, we found that the culture in the low Cl(-) medium (replacement of Cl(-) by NO(3) (-)) decreased the [Cl(-)](i) and inhibited cell growth of gastric cancer cells and that this inhibition of cell growth was due to cell cycle arrest at the G(0)/G(1) phase caused by diminution of CDK2 and phosphorylated Rb. The culture of cells in the low Cl(-) medium significantly increased expressions of p21 mRNA and protein. In addition, the low Cl(-) medium induced phosphorylation of mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Treatment with an inhibitor of p38 or JNK significantly suppressed p21 upregulation caused by culture in a low Cl(-) medium and rescued gastric cancer cells from the low Cl(-)-induced G(1) cell cycle arrest. These findings revealed that the [Cl(-)](i) affects the cell proliferation via activation of MAPKs through upregulation of p21 in gastric cancer cells. Our results suggest that the [Cl(-)](i) regulates important cellular functions in gastric cancer cells, leading to the development of novel therapeutic strategies.


While empirical evaluation of the outcome of patient care has come to the fore in recent years due to political initiatives, there has always been a professional interest by nurses in the end result of their care. A review of the literature shows that outcome evaluation was advocated for nursing as early as the 1860s by Florence Nightingale. This article explores the evolvement of outcome evaluation within nursing in Australia, discussing its origins during the 1960s and 1970s. The measurement of patient outcomes is more relevant than ever before, with the recent drive for an evidence-based approach to nursing care.


Erythromelalgia is a rare pain syndrome caused by gain-of-function mutations of the SCN9A gene. The gene encodes Nav1.7 channels, preferentially located in the sympathetic ganglia and nociceptive sensory neurons of the dorsal root ganglia (DRG),1 that play a key role in pain modulation.2 DRG hyperexcitability leads to decreased pain threshold and increased firing frequency of pain signaling neurons.3 Clinically, this presents as recurrent, severe burning pain, redness, warmth, and often swelling of the distal extremities. Exposure to cold may provide relief but can lead to skin ulcerations.4 There is anecdotal evidence of partial relief from NSAIDS, antihistamines, and sodium channel blockers.5,6 Carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine inactivate sodium channels but have been ineffective in most patients. Only 1 family with erythromelalgia and V400M mutation in the SCN9A gene that responded to carbamazepine was reported so far.3


Starting in 2011, when new regulations capped the interchange fees paid to banks for debit card transactions, some news reports predicted banks might increase checking account fees. The cap reduced many banks' revenue and the concern was that they might offset their losses by charging more for checking accounts. Sullivan examines data from broad samples of banks and finds that many large banks raised fees—but among the thousands of smaller banks that had been exempted from the regulations, some raised fees while others lowered them. On net, consumer access to free checking actually increased. The author also explores data on factors that may have driven banks' decisionmaking, including banks' financial characteristics; aspects of the regional market in which they operate; and the degree of competition they face.


This article presents the first study on post-conviction polygraphy in the Netherlands. Importantly, it exclusively focuses on cybercrime offenders. The study is designed to systematically address the different child sexual behaviours exhibited by 25 participants who are in treatment for possessing child abuse images. The results indicate that post-conviction polygraphy can provide additional data to inform the development of theory in this area and contribute to the treatment, supervision, and more effective containment of offending behaviour and the reduction of future victimization.


We previously established a model to study human tumor spontaneous metastasis in immunosuppressed newborn rats. Different observations suggested that the development of pulmonary metastases of human melanoma cells in this animal might reflect, at least partially, an organ specificity phenomenon. We thus examined the "soil" property of the rat lung in terms of growth stimulating activity and specific interactions between tumor cells and pulmonary cells. We could not demonstrate any melanoma cell growth-promoting activity in lung conditioned medium. On the other hand, tumor cell adhesion was drastically enhanced when measured on pulmonary fibroblast monolayers or derived extracellular matrix. Adsorption of lysates of 7GP122 highly metastatic melanoma variant on viable total lung cells enabled us to detect at least 10 proteins or protein subunits which could specifically interact with pulmonary cell membranes, while only one of these proteins was detectable when the same experiment was performed with control liver cells. Conversely, we could show that there exist several corresponding structures on pulmonary cells which could adsorb on tumor cells. Thus, specific cell surface adhesion molecules, leading to specific adhesion between melanoma cells and pulmonary cells, may lead to preferential metastatic development in rat lung.


The purpose of this study was to measure the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on patients who had undergone thoracotomies, using the objective physiological measurement of forced vital capacity. Twenty-one patients were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 11) or a control group (n = 10). Each group performed three trials of forced vital capacity testing over a 20-minute period. In addition, the experimental group was given a 10-minute treatment of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation at the sites of greatest pain. The data indicated a statistically significant increase in forced vital capacity during the stimulation (p less than .01), suggesting that transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation during application improves chest expansion and mobility in patients who have had thoracotomies.


Poisoning mortality rates have increased considerably in Denmark and Sweden, slightly in Norway, and remained essentially the same in Finland, during the period 1961 to 1973. In the present study, fatal poisoning included cases of intoxication by solid or liquid substances classified as suicidal, accidental (alcohol poisonings excepted) or of undetermined intent. From 1961 to 1973 poisoning mortality rates increased in Sweden by about 200%, in Denmark by about 100%, and in Norway by about 50%. In males, the age-standardized mortality rates were: in Denmark and Sweden, about 130; in Finland, about 70, and in Norway, about 30 cases per one million of population in 1972. The corresponding figures for females were 125, 75, 40 and 20. Despite this overall rise, rates of suicidal poisoning mortality and mortality from accidental poisoning have decreased in Sweden since 1969. From this year onwards, the classification category 'undetermined poisoning' has been used and the decreases in other categories are compensated by an increase in this group. On the basis of the scanty data available, the substances most frequently responsible for fatal poisoning are drugs (in particular barbiturates), other soporifics, and tranquillizers. There is some evidence that poisoning mortality is correlated with the prevalence of drug use and could consequently be reduced by drug control.


Conventional monopulse radar processors are used to track a target that appears in the look direction beam width. The distortion produced when additional targets appear in the look direction beam width can cause severe erroneous outcomes from the monopulse processor. This leads to errors in the target tracking angles that may cause the target tracker to fail. A new signal processing algorithm is presented in this paper that is based on the use of optimal Fractional Fourier Transform (FrFT) filtering to solve this problem. The relative performance of the new filtering method over traditional based methods is assessed using standard deviation angle estimation error (STDAE) for a range of simulated environments. The proposed system configurations with the optimum FrFT filters succeeds in effectively cancelling additional target signals appearing in the look direction beam width.


This collection of fourteen essays explores Joyce's work in relation to the theme of liminality, the tendency of Joyce's writing to straddle borders and explore the margins of sexuality, genre, nationality, and language. The four sections of the book consider, in turn, the unusual power of peripheral or marginal elements in Joyce's writing; Joyce's liminal identity as an Irish writer, working from a position of exile and in uncertain relation to the English literary tradition; his engagement with developments that define the transition to modernity and modernism; and the special importance in Joyce studies of questions traditionally regarded as marginal in relation to the critic's main task. The collective emphasis on liminality captures an important aspect of Joyce's artistic signature, the dialectic between the center and the margins that is either explored by or embodied in Joyce's writing, while the methodology of individual essays is diverse, drawing upon such theorists as Bakhtin, Foucault, de Certeau, and Benjamin and bringing critical tools like "transtextuality" and the "pendant-text" to Joyce studies for the first time. The collection is particularly strong in its use of historical and other contextual material to challenge established points of view.


An epidemiological study was conducted to investigate the scope, the mode of transmission, and the likely risk factors of an outbreak of bacillary dysentery in Kuanmiao elementary school, Tainan County. A total of 28 students met the case definition of bacillary dysentery, giving an overall attack rate of 3.3%. The results of analysis of risk factors, inspection of school water supply, kitchen sanitary, and process of lunch food preparation showed that both contaminated water and school lunch were not associated with the outbreak of bacillary dysentery in Kuanmiao elementary school. Since all 28 cases could be linked in terms of person (schoolmates, relatives), time (sequences of dates of onset), and place (location of classrooms, residences), the route of transmission of the outbreak was believed to be the person-to-person contact.


Azurins, a wild type and a genetically mutant K27 altered one, were immobilized on annealed gold surface and investigated by means of atomic force microscopy. It was found that the surface coverage and height distribution of the adsorbed protein molecules are different from each other, which is possibly the result of the different orientation on the surface. It is believed that the wild type azurin is connected to gold surface by the disulphide bridge; while the mutant, K27C, might be through the thiol groups of the cysteine residues on their surface.


ABSTRACT We have previously found that epidermal growth factor (EGF) mediates growth through the Jun N-terminal kinase/stress-activated kinase (JNK/SAPK) pathway in A549 human lung carcinoma cells. As observed here, EGF treatment also greatly enhances the tumorigenicity of A549 cells, suggesting an important role for JNK in cancer cell growth (F. Bost, R. McKay, N. Dean, and D. Mercola, J. Biol. Chem. 272:33422–33429, 1997). Several isoforms families of JNK, JNK1, JNK2, and JNK3, have been isolated; they arise from alternative splicing of three different genes and have distinct substrate binding properties. Here we have used specific phosphorothioate oligonucleotides targeted against the two major isoforms, JNK1 and JNK2, to discriminate their roles in EGF-induced transformation. Multiple antisense sequences have been screened, and two high-affinity and specific candidates have been identified. Antisense JNK1 eliminated steady-state mRNA and JNK1 protein expression with a 50% effective concentration (EC50) of <0.1 μM but did not alter JNK2 mRNA or protein levels. Conversely, antisense JNK2 specifically eliminated JNK2 steady-state mRNA and protein expression with an EC50 of 0.1 μM. Antisense JNK1 and antisense JNK2 inhibited by 40 and 70%, respectively, EGF-induced total JNK activity, whereas sense and scrambled-sequence control oligonucleotides had no effect. The elimination of mRNA, protein, and JNK activities lasted 48 and 72 h following a single Lipofectin treatment with antisense JNK1 and JNK2, respectively, indicating sufficient duration for examining the impact of specific elimination on the phenotype. Direct proliferation assays demonstrated that antisense JNK2 inhibited EGF-induced doubling of growth as well as the combination of active antisense oligonucleotides did. EGF treatment also induced colony formation in soft agar. This effect was completely inhibited by antisense JNK2 and combined-antisense treatment but not altered by antisense JNK1 alone. These results show that EGF doubles the proliferation (growth in soft agar as well as tumorigenicity in athymic mice) of A549 lung carcinoma cells and that the JNK2 isoform but not JNK1 is utilized for mediating the effects of EGF. This study represents the first demonstration of a cellular phenotype regulated by a JNK isoform family, JNK2.


The effects of crowding on dopamineB -hydroxylase (DBH) activity were studied in locus coeruleus, anterior and posterior hypothalamus of rats and compared them with those of cold exposure in our previous report. In the case of 24 hour crowding, DBH activity changed the same as in the case of repeated cold exposure we reported previously. However in the case of 3 to 14 days of crowding, DBH activities did not differ from the control in any of the three brain regions. These results suggest that temporally different alteration could be brought on the regulation of brain DBH activities by different kinds of stress manipulation.


happened between 12.30 and 1.30 p.m. or between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. I think that hypoglycaemia must be a factor in the "accident prone." It will be most helpful to drivers and to doctors if some observations could be made and published on the complete physiology of the drivers in accidents. It is pertinent to remind your readers that the question of alcoholism cannot have influenced my observations on the times of accidents, as there are no licensing hours in Wales on Sundays, and we live twenty miles from the border. -I am, etc.,


We present a novel approach to automatic metaphor identification in unrestricted text. Starting from a small seed set of manually annotated metaphorical expressions, the system is capable of harvesting a large number of metaphors of similar syntactic structure from a corpus. Our method is distinguished from previous work in that it does not employ any hand-crafted knowledge, other than the initial seed set, but, in contrast, captures metaphoricity by means of verb and noun clustering. Being the first to employ unsupervised methods for metaphor identification, our system operates with the precision of 0.79.


The author describes the use of experimentation and finite element modeling to investigate the thermal performance of a copper-polyimide thin-film-on-silicon technology. A thermal test module having a large number of internal and external temperature sensors was used to assess temperature gradients across the die, solder bumps, polyimide, and silicon substrate. Issues related to solder bump and via geometry solder bump arrangement, heat spreading in the silicon substrate and heat transfer to the next packaging level are considered to provide an understanding of heat transfer limitations from the active side of flip-chip devices in thin-film-on-silicon multi-chip modules.<<ETX>>


This paper describes the establishment of a test setup for measurement of passive inter-modulation (PIM) products generated by various device(s) under test (DUT(s)) (filters, coaxial cables etc.) at ultra high frequency (UHF) band. The paper begins with a brief discussion of an ideal PIM test setup using a quiet load. It then discusses the establishment of the setup in the absence of quiet load and demonstrates a PIM level of −192 dBc of the test setup. Finally it shows the PIM performance of a band-stop filter, a flexible cable, cascade of band-stop filter, and flexible cable, measured using the established test setup. These components are required for UHF payload of a communication satellite.


In recent years, Deep Learning (DL) showed new top performances in almost all computer vision tasks that are important for automotive and robotic applications. In these applications both space and power are limited resources. Therefore, there is a need to apply DL approaches on a small and power ecient device, like the NVIDIA Jetson TX1 with a powerful GPU onboard. In this paper, we analyze the Jetson's suitability by benchmarking the run-time of DL operations in comparison to a high performance GPU. Exemplary, we port a topperforming DL-based person detector to this platform. We explain the steps necessary to signicantly speed up this approach on the device.


Optical fibres are widely used in communications. They also permit sensitive optical measurement techniques such as interferometry to be applied outside the confines of the laboratory. Types of fibre are briefly discussed and two examples are outlined of optical fibre sensors for displacement measurement.


The purpose of this study was to observe, collect, and analyze hymns that are sung by a "lining-out" method in selected black churches of Piedmont North and South Carolina. Seventy-five Baptist and Methodist churches were randomly selected to serve as the primary sample. A letter was mailed to the ministers of each of the churches explaining the purpose of the study and requesting permission to visit worship services for the collection of data. Each minister was requested to complete and return to the investigator a printed information card indicating whether lined hymns were sung and granting permission to visit. From the twenty-eight affirmative cards that were returned, fifteen churches were randomly selected. These churches which included thirteen Baptist and two Methodist, were visited by the investigator. Hymn performances were recorded on cassette tapes and interviews were conducted with song leaders to obtain data relative to performance practices. Melodies for each of twenty-six recorded hymns were transcribed and analyzed showing the following: hymn type, scale and mode, melodic range, meter, structure, description of melodic line and description of performance.


In real-life applications, no-reference metrics are more useful than full-reference metrics. To design such metrics, we apply data analysis methods to objectively measurable features and to data originating from subjective testing. Unfortunately, the information about temporal variation of quality is often lost due to the temporal pooling over all frames. Instead of using temporal pooling, we have recently designed a H.264/AVC bitstream no-reference video quality metric employing multiway Partial Least Squares Regression (PLSR), which leads to an improved prediction performance. In this contribution we will utilize multiway PLSR to design a hybrid metric that combines both bitstream-based features with pixel-based features. Our results show that the additional inclusion of the pixel-based features improves the quality prediction even further.


Manner of articulation detection using deep neural networks require a priori knowledge of the attribute discriminative features or the decent phoneme alignments. However generating an appropriate phoneme alignment is complex and its performance depends on the choice of optimal number of senones, Gaussians, etc. In the first part of our work, we exploit the manner of articulation detection using connectionist temporal classification (CTC) which doesn't need any phoneme alignment. Later we modify the state-of-the-art character based posteriors generated by CTC using the manner of articulation CTC detector. Beam search decoding is performed on the modified posteriors and it's impact on open source datasets such as AN4 and LibriSpeech is observed.


Planning is one from the most important elements in Islam. In addition, good wealth management is well encouraged in Islam and it cannot be achieved without proper planning and action. Therefore, retirement planning as a degree for future wealth protection, should being a part of top priority in financial planning. However according to Manulife Investor Sentiment Index 2013, less than half of Malaysians have started planning for their retirement, while fewer than one in five consider such planning as their first or second financial priority. The result from that survey was contradicted from what should be practiced by Muslims. Therefore, this study investigates the psychological predictors of retirement saving behavior (RSB) among Muslims staff in Melaka. The questionnaire was designed into two sections; demographic and psychological predictors of retirement saving behavior. The results identified goal clarity and social interaction influence RSB, while self control did not has significant influence on RSB. Goal clarity was found to be the most influence predictor, as having goal clarity in specific areas will lead individual with powerful focus and a mission to drives towards results. The findings from this study give benefit to policy maker as well as to Malaysian wealth advisor. Besides, this research gives significant implications for working individuals to do early planning for their retirement.


We have combined the proteomic analysis of Xenopus laevis in vitro–assembled chromosomes with RNA interference and live cell imaging in HeLa cells to identify novel factors required for proper chromosome segregation. The first of these is Bod1, a protein conserved throughout metazoans that associates with a large macromolecular complex and localizes with kinetochores and spindle poles during mitosis. Small interfering RNA depletion of Bod1 in HeLa cells produces elongated mitotic spindles with severe biorientation defects. Bod1-depleted cells form syntelic attachments that can oscillate and generate enough force to separate sister kinetochores, suggesting that microtubule–kinetochore interactions were intact. Releasing Bod1-depleted cells from a monastrol block increases the frequency of syntelic attachments and the number of cells displaying biorientation defects. Bod1 depletion does not affect the activity or localization of Aurora B but does cause mislocalization of the microtubule depolymerase mitotic centromere- associated kinesin and prevents its efficient phosphorylation by Aurora B. Therefore, Bod1 is a novel kinetochore protein that is required for the detection or resolution of syntelic attachments in mitotic spindles.