This paper shares experiences from action research carried out by the author in an SME business setting where collaboration is becoming a strategic necessity. Many industry participants are interested in entering a collaboration, but are concerned about issues of trust, particularly where a new collaboration must be rapidly established to pursue a market opportunity and there is little time for the partners to learn about each other. The paper draws on a number of contributions from the literature that trust building can be described as a process; that there are a number of dimensions to inter‐organizational trust; and that there are levels of trust that may be assigned. On the basis that "trust is a risky business" it is suggested that a particular view of risk assessment and risk management can be used as an initiating alternative to a focus on trust. It is observed that there is an interaction between trust and management actions that is related to the level of perceived risk, and a real world example is given. It is suggested that the risk management approach presented can be useful in the joint design of a collaboration by the participants, and that following such a process can, of itself build trust.


Delay in publication has caused this book to appear as a posthumous work of the muchregretted Henri Frankfort, although his preface is dated in 1951. The cylinder-seals here reproduced and described (the description conveniently facing each Plate) are those discovered by the Iraq Expedition of the University of Chicago at four sites, Khafajah, Tell Asmar, Tell Agrab, and Ischchali, in the neighbourhood of the Diyala River, east of Baghdad. Their dates range from the later of the prehistoric periods (Jamdat Nasr) down to the Old Babylonian. The distinctive feature of this catalogue is that all of the seals are presented in strict order as found, both by depth and by position, 'in the sequence in which they were buried', as expressed on p. 6, where a neat summary of the method is given. There are five introductory chapters, the last (on the inscriptions) by Dr. T . Jacobsen. If the results do not appear to be anything novel, this is because the evidence was already used by the author for establishing the many new features and subdivisions of style revealed in his Cylinder Seals (1939), now a classic in its field. The present collection includes few notable artistic pieces; the most curious are those of what the author has named the 'brocade style', the oddest in subject those numerous pictures of goats outside 'houses', often beside a stream, the 'temple-and-flock' motif. These are all of the Jamdat Nasr period, and we hear (p. 17) that perhaps they were not employed as seals at all. It is tempting, but doubtless not very profitable, to speculate upon this design, as also certain others more formal in character, e.g. no. 384 (birds on the banks of a river?). One less uncertain and very interesting is no. 21, not, surely, a 'lizard' but a gharial, a kind of crocodile; this creature, devouring the 'fish' (as a writing-sign), is found on two seals from Mohenjo-Daro. Possibly then no. 21 (Khafajah) is a companion-piece to no. 642, the well-known 'Indus' cylinder from Tell Asmar.


To be the son of a famous and brilliant father is truly a fearful thing. Jonathan Edwards The Younger, knew such an awesome existence. Robert L. Ferm, Professor of Religion at Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont, has produced a work long needed in American religious studies. He examines the life and thought of Jonathan Edwards, Jr., the son of the New England divine and the proponent of the New Divinity theology.


This paper presents a 60GHz power amplifier using a capacitive cross-coupling neutralization. The capacitive cross-coupling neutralization contributes to improve power gain and reverse isolation. Moreover, the transmission line for matching networks is optimized to achieve highly power-efficient amplifier. The 3-stage differential power amplifier is fabricated in a 65nm CMOS process and evaluated with 1.2V power supply. The power amplifier achieves power gain of 23.2 dB, output power of 10dBm at 1 dB compression point, saturated output power of 14.6 dBm, peak PAE of 16.3%, and power consumption of 135 mW.


We demonstrate atomic layer processing for P and B doping and for SiGe:C epitaxy using LP(RT)CVD between room temperature and 400°C. In the case of P doping, the process is self-limiting. P doses below one monolayer were deposited by separating adsorption of PH 3 and deposition of SiGe. Below 400 °C the dominant process is dissociative adsorption of PH 3 with an activation energy of 0.3 eV. At higher temperatures, desorption of P decreases the incorporated P concentration. The P dose incorporated into SiGe may be controlled by the partial pressures of phosphine and hydrogen. For B atomic layer doping, we find no self-limitation of diborane adsorption. At low diborane partial pressures it is possible to prepare B peaks with a concentration below one monolayer. In this case the doping is dominated by the dissociative adsorption of diborane at Si and Ge surface sites. Using high partial pressures of diborane, several monolayers of B can be deposited. The diborane is adsorbed at B occupied surface sites. The SiGe:C atomic layer epitaxy was found to be controlled by the dissociative adsorption of methylsilane at temperatures below 400°C. At these temperatures the process is self-limiting. An effective activation energy of (0.36±0.4) eV was determined for the dissociative adsorption of methylsilane.


Data of histological study of pathomorphological changes in liver of white mice with experimental plague are represented in the article. An important element in evaluation and prediction of the pathological process in the liver is the analysis of hepatocyte karyokinesis, the mitotic index calculation, the counting number of atypical mitosis and the degree of organ regeneration ability. Dynamics of these liver changes at infection process in experimental animals caused by Yersinia pestis plasmid variants was investigated in this work. The variability of liver injuries was shown depending on plasmid-associated virulence of the infection agent. It was proved that the Y. pestis strain carrying three basic pYP (6 mDa), pYV (45 mDa), pYT (61 mDa) plasmids caused the most severe systemic disease with lethal outcome as a rule. Lack of species-specific plasmids and especially virulence and pathogenicity plasmids reduced the rate of infection process generalization and the ability of the pathogen to initiate pathological changes incompatible with the microorganism life. Therefore, all morphological liver changes in experimental plague infection are directly dependent on plasmid profile of the pathogen. The mechanism of toxicity included the damaging effect of the toxin to the cellular structures and failure of the metabolic processes in the organism. Acuity of intoxication and the development of pathological process can be estimated by exploring changes in liver morphology.


• Hepatotoxicity, including fatalities, usually during the first 6 months of treatment. Children under the age of two years and patients with mitochondrial disorders are at higher risk. Monitor patients closely, and perform serum liver testing prior to therapy and at frequent intervals thereafter (5.1) • Fetal Risk, particularly neural tube defects, other major malformations, and decreased IQ (5.2, 5.3, 5.4) • Pancreatitis, including fatal hemorrhagic cases (5.5)


We give the Thom polynomials for the singularities I2,2, and A3 associated with maps (C•, 0) → (C, 0) with parameter k ≥ 0. We give the Schur function expansions of these Thom polynomials. Moreover, for the singularities Ai (with any parameter k ≥ 0) we analyze the "first approximation" F (i) to the Thom polynomial. Our computations combine the characterization of Thom polynomials via the "method of restriction equations" of Rimanyi et al. with the techniques of (super) Schur functions.


In this study, the gas–particle distribution characteristics and emission sources of phthalate esters (PAEs) and volatile methyl siloxanes (VMSs) were evaluated for indoor air samples collected from different micro-environments such as homes, offices, kindergartens, hair salons, laboratories, and cars in 4 cities and provinces of Hanoi, Bac Ninh, Thai Binh, and Tuyen Quang, northern Vietnam. In general, total concentrations of PAEs and VMSs were higher in gas phase as compared to particle phase; however, phase distribution profiles of individual compounds were strongly related to their structures and physicochemical properties. For examples, low-molecularweight compounds such as dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, D3, D4, L4, and L5 were more abundant in gas phase, while heavier compounds like di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate and L8 were preferentially associated with particle phase. Assessment of PAE emission sources is relatively difficult because they have been applied in different consumer products and materials. Significant correlation between cyclic VMSs (e.g., D4, D5, and D6) was observed, suggesting their applications in cosmetics and personal care products.


This study investigates the relationship between industrial indicators and scientific productivity of Iranian provinces. As an applied research, some scientometrics as well as statistical methods have been utilized. The data were gathered from IRANDOC, SCI and Iranian Annual Fact Book. Descriptive analysis as well as Pierson's correlation showed that during 2004-2008, Fars, Golestan, Mazandaran, Isfahan and Tehran provinces proved to have more local research indexed in the mentioned databases. Regarding all industrial and mining indicators Isfahan, Khorasan Razavi, Yazd, Kerman and Tehran provinces stood on top. Small correlation was noticed between the industrial situation of Iranian provinces and their scientific productivity.


The effectiveness of treatments for the mother exposed to adverse events in pregnancy is not always interpreted in the light of possible effects on the child. The follow-up of infants is an important component of obstetric and perinatal audit not only in randomised clinical trials but as part of routine health care. The results of the 18 month's follow-up of children born from women recruited in the Italian Study of Aspirin in Pregnancy and in the Italian Trial on Nifedipine in Pregnancy are discussed. No significant differences emerged between treatment and no-treatment groups with respect to indicators of development and health status. Malformations, diseases, and other health problems showed no specific patterns and were much the same in the groups. Our findings suggest that the use of low-dose aspirin and calcium channel blocker nifedipine in pregnancy is safe with respect to the risks of malformation and of major impairment in development at 18 months of age.


After ten years in the making, in 2022, the European Union adopted an International Procurement Instrument (IPI). This article examines how the 2022 IPI seeks to regulate the access of third-country economic operators, goods and services to the Union's public procurement markets, as well as how it intends to support negotiations on access of Union economic operators, goods and services to the public procurement markets of third countries. After setting out the background to the IPI proposal, the article identifies the main features in terms of its' scope and coverage, procedures and obligations. The article then highlights key changes in design since the IPI was originally proposed in 2012 and again in the 2016 Amended Proposal. The article assesses the potential of the IPI to meet its' objectives without provoking retaliation or challenges from its' trading partners or placing an undue burden on the EU procurement process and businesses. It concludes that the 2022 IPI is better suited as a political tool for encouraging negotiations than as an effective economic instrument to create a level playing field in government procurement markets.
EU International Procurement Instrument (IPI), government procurement, EU trade policy, reciprocity, WTO Government Procurement Agreement (WTO GPA), WTO Article III.8 (a), protectionism


Introduction: Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), a malignant tumor related to defective skeletal muscle differentiation, is the most common soft tissue neoplasm of children, and metastatic RMS continues to have a poor prognosis. The canonical form of transcription factor NF-κB, a p50/p65 heterodimer, regulates normal myogenic differentiation, and is dysregulated in RMS tumorigenesis. NF-κB is active in myoblasts and blocks myogenic differentiation; for myogenic differentiation to occur, NF-κB must be down-regulated, which leads to down-regulation of YY1 and de-repression of miR-29, a microRNA that promotes myogenic differentiation. Conversely, NF-κB is up-regulated in RMS, leading to activation of YY1, down-regulation of miR-29, and suppression of myogenic differentiation. The mechanisms of NF-κB regulation in these contexts are incompletely understood. FEM1A is a gene most highly expressed in cardiac and skeletal muscle. We have shown that FEM1A is up-regulated early during skeletal muscle differentiation, and is consistently down-regulated in RMS, both in human RMS and in mouse RMS genetic models. However, whether down-regulation of FEM1A plays a role in RMS tumorigenesis, or is just a marker of defective myogenic differentiation, is unknown. In macrophages, FEM1A has been shown to inhibit canonical NF-κB, both by directly binding p50, and by binding and preventing the degradation of p105, the precursor of p50 that also acts as a cytoplasmic inhibitor of NF-κB activation. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that over-expression of FEM1A in RMS cells decreases NF-κB activation, which in turn results in decreased expression of YY1, leading to increased expression of miR-29, promoting RMS myogenic differentiation. Methods: Cultured RMS13 rhabdomyosarcoma cells were used. To determine if FEM1A regulates NF-κB/YY1/miR-29 circuitry, resulting in RMS13 differentiation, we transfected RMS13 cells with HA-FEM1A using X-treme Gene HP (Roche). Results: Using immunoblotting, we observed that FEM1A overexpression decreases p50 and p65 translocation to the nucleus, decreases YY1 protein levels, and increases myosin heavy chain expression, a marker of skeletal muscle differentiation, in RMS13 cells. Using qPCR, we observed that FEM1A overexpression increases miR-29 gene expression in RMS13 cells. Conclusion: These data demonstrate that FEM1A negatively modulates NF-κB and YY1, and promotes miR-29 expression and myogenic differentiation, in RMS cells. This indicates that FEM1A down-regulation may play a role in RMS tumorigenesis, rather than just being a marker of defective differentiation. Results from our study have the potential to improve understanding of RMS tumor biology, and could allow the FEM1A/NF-κB/YY1/miR-29 circuitry to become a target for molecular-based therapy of RMS. Citation Format: Samira C. Grifoni, Joseph F. Maher. FEM1A regulation of the NF-κB/YY1/miR-29 circuitry in rhabdomyosarcoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2440.


Recounting her own field experiences in Japanese-American relocation centers during World War II and later in American Indian communities, Rosalie H. Wax offers advice to help the beginning field worker anticipate and confront the exigencies and accidents of fieldwork with good nature, fortitude, and common sense." Doing Fieldwork" is a useful book in many respects: as a guide to participant observation and ethnographic fieldwork; as an analysis of the theoretical presuppositions and history of fieldwork; as a discussion of contemporary issues in social science research; and simply as an entertaining and dramatic story.


INTRODUCTION
Many Air Traffic Control Specialists (ATCSs) in the United States work shift schedules that involve counterclockwise rapid rotations. Researchers have reported negative health effects associated with shiftwork, suggesting that workers on rotating shift schedules suffer the greatest consequences. The purpose of this study was to assess the extent of health, sleep, and shiftwork adaptation problems experienced by ATCSs.

HYPOTHESIS
It was hypothesized that shiftwork-related problems would be identified.

METHODS
A total of 210 ATCSs completed a modified version of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) General Health and Adjustment Questionnaire (25). The questionnaire included a broad range of health, sleep, job, and lifestyle questions. Health and sleep pattern index scores were computed for this paper. Comparisons were conducted based on the following shift characteristics: length of shift (8- vs. 9-h), number of early morning shifts, number of midnight shifts, and schedule preference.

RESULTS
Over half of the sample in this study reported periods of severe fatigue or exhaustion and symptoms of gastrointestinal disturbance typically found among shift workers. Better health and sleep pattern index scores were reported by those who preferred rotating schedules and by those who did not work night shifts.

DISCUSSION
The ATCSs in this sample were relatively young and are required to pass a yearly physical to maintain employment. Thus, this may have resulted in low frequencies of reported medical problems. However, reports of sleepiness, fatigue, and falling asleep seem to indicate that countermeasures for sleepiness at work and on the drive home could benefit ATCSs.


This paper presents a study of numerical methods for the simulation of continuous systems described by n— order differential equations. The methods are applied to a wide spectrum of problems with the emphasis being on the practical rather than the theoretical results. The paper is directed toward the reader who is interested in comparative results of the application of various methods rather than derivations which can be found in a number of available texts. The methods considered are Euler, modified Euler, classical Runge-Kutta, Milne's fourth-order predictor-corrector, Hamming's fourth-order predictor-corrector, a second-order predictorcorrector, Adams-Moulton, state variable, 2 trans form, and 2 form. The methods are compared with respect to accuracy, computational efficiency, con venience of application and ease of programming. The results of this case study should be helpful to the practicing engineer in selecting an appropriate digital simulation technique for his particular application.


Wired systems are complex, heavy, less secure and expensive. Hence, in today's 21 century wireless technology has been gradually adopted by automobile manufacturers. A vehicle has various control units which were connected using traditional point-to-point wiring architecture in olden days. These were replaced by a CAN bus later. This paper uses Wireless CAN (WCAN) to interconnect various control units. This has several important advantages such as system flexibility, message routing, filtering, multicast, together with data consistency. This paper proposes a drive-bywireless technique for vehicle control and monitor functions using Wireless Controller Area Network. Traditional hydraulic or mechanical methods of steering, braking and accelerating of a vehicle will be replaced by Drive by Wireless Technique. Also, traditional vehicle monitoring methods are done in a wireless manner. The algorithm includes Unique Identification Codes which is sent with all the transactions involving wireless communication packets to reduce interference from adjacent drive-by-wireless system. KeywordsDrive-by-wireless; WCAN; Vehicle Control and Monitor; Unique Identification Codes


New optical methods of studying the infant brain have been developed over the last 20 years. These techniques make use of a window of transparency of biological tissue to near infrared light. Using spectrophotometry new insights have been gained into mechanisms of brain damage in newborn infants undergoing intensive care, and non-invasive functional activation studies have been pioneered in awake infants. Recently topographic mapping of activated cortex has become possible, and preliminary tomographic images of regional oxygenation in infants have been constructed. This is a rapidly changing field which offers exciting possibilities for studying both normal and abnormal child development.


This volume, of greatest interest to those looking for a summary of the experimentalist's approach to stuttering, is carefully written and presents a critical and concise discussion of relevant problems and studies. To the psychiatrist looking for a psychodynamic or psychoanalytic (the "notional" contributions) discussion of this phenomenon, other references should be consulted. The initial two chapters on "The Background to Stuttering" and "Definition, Diagnosis and Measurement of Stuttering" provide a good orientation to the problem. The authors make an important point regarding intellectually obstructive assumptions "made in advance of the experimental evidence. Perhaps the most obvious of these, and one which is undoubtedly easiest to make, is that stuttering is a unitary disorder and that stutterers belong to a particular class of individuals in a more fundamental sense than that they are all prone to experience difficulty in speaking." The introductory


Tomography is an image reconstruction task that may be viewed as a linear inverse problem akin to deconvolution. Recent progresses in optimization methods have made it possible to formulate this task so that fewer projections and higher amounts of noise can be dealt with, making use of a-priori information and domain constraints. In this article, we investigate 3MG, a new optimization method that is highly flexible and effective. In particular, we propose and compare convex and non-convex regularization potentials on both synthetic and real images. We further investigate the possibility to deal with continuous angular integration, i.e. where projections rays are no longer straight lines, but cones. This is encountered in a variety of real-life situations, but is difficult or impossible to deal with exactly using traditional reconstruction algorithms. We show that in this situation it may be beneficial to acquire fewer projections than would be required using classical methods.


Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to examine the question of parents' rights to make choices regarding the education and upbringing of their children.

Article 26(3) of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: 'Parents have a prior right to choose the kind of education that shall be given to their children'. However, authors including Joel Feinberg also argue children have a right to an 'open future', implying parents and the state have obligations to ensure certain elements are present in a child's care and education. Commodifying education and early childhood care where it occurs in many developed societies, ostensibly provides parents with greater choice regarding the education and upbringing of their children. However, following the work of Brenda Almond, I argue that parents do have some rights to make choices about the care and education of their children. But just having the freedom to choose from alternative schooling or caring options may be insufficient to provide a choice in any significant sense, if one is only choosing between service providers all offering essentially the same service.

It would seem then, that responsible leadership and ethical decision-making by the state and by service providers requires them to engage in consultation with parents and facilitate their participation in determining the nature and content of educational and developmental programmes for children.

Leaders in these roles will also need to have a strong sense of the competing demands on content coming from this array of ethical requirements.


, environmental factors and intrinsic etiologic agents such as gastro esophageal reflux. The immediate treatment must be directed for the resolution of sensibility and from pain; however, the investigation of the cause is essential. Objective: The objective of this work is, through the literature review; help the many medical specialties to identify correctly the etiologic factors of not carious lesions.


The intervention of the professionals of mental health in the sphere of the oncology goes hand in hand with the advance that has been generated in the treatment of the oncological illnesses. This way patient's life is prolonged. This development gives place to a whole set of new problems for the patient, his family and the team of health professionals that have been caring him until the moment. 68 percent of the patients suffering cancer has dysfunctions of adaptation in some moment in the course of its illness. Between a 25 and 40 percent, depending on the characteristics of the sample, present a depressive disorder according to the criteria of the DSM-IV. Finally, the presence of delirium is very likely in around the 15 percent of the patients in general, in 25 percent of the aging and in 75 percent of the patients that are in the last stages of their illness.


Gaseous nitric acid removal by surfaces in experimental systems and in the atmospheric boundary layer is rapid. However, neither the form of HNO3 on surfaces nor its impact on the properties of the thin surface film are known. We report here studies of surfaces that have been exposed at room temperature (295 ± 2 K) to gaseous mixtures of water vapor with HNO3 at concentrations from 46 ppb to 4 × 103 ppm. The surfaces were probed using a combination of Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR), non-contact atomic force microscopy (AFM), time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Exposure of borosilicate glass, quartz, and thin Teflon films to mixtures of gaseous HNO3 and water vapor leads to the subsequent uptake of much larger amounts of water than occurs on the corresponding unexposed surfaces. Infrared spectra show evidence for the formation of nitric acid–water complexes on the surface that leads to this enhanced water uptake. On borosilicate glass, exposure to the nitric acid–water vapor mixture results in surface segregation of the trace metal oxides and their nitrates formed from reaction with HNO3. The majority of these oxides can be removed by rinsing with water; however, smaller, segregated regions of ZnO remain on the surface. The implications for heterogeneous reactions in thin films on surfaces in laboratory systems and in the atmosphere are discussed.


Objective: To evaluate the safety of computerized physician order entry (CPOE) and associated clinical decision support (CDS) systems in electronic health record (EHR) systems at pediatric inpatient facilities in the US using the Leapfrog Group's pediatric CPOE evaluation tool. Methods: The Leapfrog pediatric CPOE evaluation tool, a previously validated tool to assess the ability of a CPOE system to identify orders that could potentially lead to patient harm, was used to evaluate 41 pediatric hospitals over a 2-year period. Evaluation of the last available test for each institution was performed, assessing performance overall as well as by decision support category (eg, drug-drug, dosing limits). Longitudinal analysis of test performance was also carried out to assess the impact of testing and the overall trend of CPOE performance in pediatric hospitals. Results: Pediatric CPOE systems were able to identify 62% of potential medication errors in the test scenarios, but ranged widely from 23–91% in the institutions tested. The highest scoring categories included drug-allergy interactions, dosing limits (both daily and cumulative), and inappropriate routes of administration. We found that hospitals with longer periods since their CPOE implementation did not have better scores upon initial testing, but after initial testing there was a consistent improvement in testing scores of 4 percentage points per year. Conclusions: Pediatric computerized physician order entry (CPOE) systems on average are able to intercept a majority of potential medication errors, but vary widely among implementations. Prospective and repeated testing using the Leapfrog Group's evaluation tool is associated with improved ability to intercept potential medication errors.


Philosophy of current knowledge distinguishes facts from values. It maintains that facts are objective, indisputable, universally verifiable and do not require to persuade. Since rhetoric is persuasion it is assumed to be deceptive and overlook reality. Therefore, statistics in its current form disregards rhetoric and emphasizes only numbers. It ignores meanings and interpretation of numbers that involve subjectivity and value judgements. In real world, numbers and values are entangled in a way that it becomes impossible to avoid subjectivity. So, it is used with an appearance of objectivity. We illustrate how apparently objective statistics conceal subjective choices. Most of real-world experiences cannot be reduced to numbers, but scientific approach compels us to measure everything. In the attempt to measure the unmeasurables like trust, intelligence and wealth etc.it is inevitable make subjective choices. There is no objective way to reduce multiple measures into one. In the field of economics values are involved even in seemingly indisputable numbers like GDP. It is value laden for the choice of factors, weights and their signs. Making comparisons on such measures without awareness have harmful implications for policy development. Moreover, it is also desirable to understand hidden values to avoid deception.


The effect of magnetic stimulation on reciprocal Ia inhibition of the human leg was investigated. Stimulation of the common peroneal nerve at the fibula head at the threshold of the alpha motoneuron axons resulted in inhibition of the soleus (SOL) H reflex at a conditioning-test interval of 2 ms. Magnetic stimulation over the contralateral motor cortex resulted in complex modulations of the SOL H reflex, including a short latency facilitation followed by inhibition. This inhibition may have been conveyed by Ia inhibitory interneurons projecting to SOL motoneurons. To test for convergence, whether or not the magnetic stimulation was capable of facilitating disynaptic reciprocal Ia inhibition of the SOL H reflex induced by stimulation of the peroneal nerve, the two stimuli were given together or separately. We observed the inhibition significantly increased when the two stimuli were given together than separately. These results suggest that the Ia inhibitory interneurons projecting to SOL motoneurons in humans might receive convergent input from the motor area of the brain and from Ia afferents of the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle in humans as well as in other animals.


Abstract Due to several factors including textile waste accumulation and the use of environmentally harsh chemicals, the textile industry has become the second worst polluting industry worldwide. Therefore, significant effort is currently underway to find solutions to reduce this impact. In this study, coloured waste cotton fabrics were regenerated through a wet spinning process into new coloured fibres, hence recycling not only the fibre materials but also the colour. The impact of pretreatments on the colour retention and degree of polymerization of waste cotton-based fabrics was investigated in terms of the degree of polymerization of the waste cotton, the rheological properties of the spinning dope and the ability to maintain the original colour of the waste fabric. The spun fibres showed mechanical strength similar to commercial viscose fibre. The colour from the original fabric was retained under selected acid pretreatment conditions.


Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) along with other resistant bacteria have become a significant social and clinical problem. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop bioactive compounds from natural products as alternatives to the very few antibiotics that remain effective. Recently, the efflux mechanism has been identified as the main contributor to antibiotic resistance in bacteria. This study therefore aimed to evaluate tetrandrine (TET), an efflux pump inhibitor (EPI), as a potential antibiotic against MRSA. We investigated the antimicrobial activity of TET against 17 MRSA strains, of which 3 selected strains were studied in further detail using a time-kill assay. When these bacterial strains (1 × 10(6) colony-forming units (cfu)/ml) were incubated with TET in a time-kill assay, log-scale bactericidal activity was observed, which lasted for 24 hr. In addition, TET exhibits a synergistic effect when combined with the multi-drug resistance (MDR)-efflux pump substrate ethidium bromide (EtBr). Structure-function studies of the antibiotic activity of TET in combination with EtBr may lead to the discovery of more effective efflux pump inhibitors.


Muscle aging ultimately leads to the deterioration of human physiological functioning, including declining muscle strength, loss of muscle mass, and decreased quality of life in advanced age. Eccentric exercise is a key intervention that has the potential to ameliorate this problem. Recent studies have focused on evidence-based exercise interventions to prevent declines in muscle strength and physical function in older adults. This paper reviewed relevant literature on the use of eccentric exercise to improve muscle and mobility function in older adults. We explained not only the changes in mobility that occur with aging but also the rationale for and positive effects of eccentric intervention in older adults. We also explored several proposed mechanisms for the intramuscular changes caused by eccentric muscle contraction and considered the safety and side effects accompanying eccentric training. We concluded by suggesting that eccentric exercise is an exercise modality that can potentially improve muscle strength and enhance mobility in older adults.


The introduction of agriculture revolutionized ancient man's social, economic, and cultural potential. This was the first great step in the evolution of civilization. The more recent industrial revolution, which vastly increased man's productive capabilities, was the next great step and brought forth our present highly mechanized economic and interdependent social civilization. We are now on the threshold of still another kind of revolution, based on machines that greatly increase man's "thinking" capabilities of planning, analyzing, computing, and controlling. In speaking of the potentialities of computers in our civilization, Julian Huxley has noted that "greater realization of possibilities rather than higher productivity, fulfillment rather than efficiency, will become the overriding aim." 1 Computers promise to make readily available to the medical practitioner all the current results of medical research, all the current statistics on disease-symptom relationships, all the current techniques of medical testing and evaluation. In this sense, the computer can


As a part of the Department of Energy Tritium Readiness Program, the Tritium Extraction Facility (TEF) at the Savannah River Site (SRS) is preparing to receive the first shipment of irradiated Tritium Producing Burnable Absorber Rods (TPBARs) from the Tennessee Valley Authority's Watts Bar Nuclear Plant. Tritium will be extracted from the TPBARs at the TEF. The spent TPBARs will be transported and disposed on site using the TEF Waste Container, designed and fabricated by Packaging Technology, Inc. This paper describes the TPBAR waste form, the TEF Waste Container to be used to store the waste, the operational sequence associated with management of the TBPAR waste form and the disposal facility at the SRS.


The researchers aim to design psychological exercises in order to improve this psychological aspect and enhance the players' health condition altogether with their physical, technical and strategical state. This forms the main concern of specialists in order to create players with a sense of responsibility within a team, able to fulfill their duties as favorable as possible. The research population consists of the sport clubs that participated with the Iraqi Handball Championship for Youth 2016, including the clubs of Al Nasiriyah, Al Nasr, Balad, Al Qasim, Al Najaf, Al Simawa, and others. The samples are selected randomly by means of draw, resulting in the two sport clubs Al Najaf and Al Qasim. The total number of players is twelve from each club. Al Qasim represented the experimental group which adopted these psychological exercises as part of their training. Al Najaf, on the other hand, represented the control group which followed a preset training program assigned by their trainer. The researchers used the Biometer, designed by the researcher SuhadAbdAlkam (2007), to measure the activity of sweat glands and the decrease of the temperature of fingertips, as well as the Balace in order to measure the average of the heart rate and the blood pressure. The researchers applied certain psychological exercises on the research sample (the experimental group) for 8 week with 2 training units each, according to the method preset by trainer of the sport club itself. These exercises include physical relaxation and breathing techniques, and continue for 10 to 15 minutes, giving rests according to its difficulty level. The exercises are arranged from the easy to the less easy ones. The researchers presented the results of this experiment and analyzed and discussed them, and made their conclusions depending on these results


Student retention has become an increasing concern in higher education over the last decade, particularly in those institutions committed to widening access and participation. Prompted by an increased focus on retention outlined in the White Paper `The Future of Higher Education' (DfES, 2003), institutions responded by introducing specific measures to address attrition. This study examines an evidence-based approach to improving student retention taken by one post '92 university in the UK, through its retention strategy. It explores the origins of evidence-based practice and debates around educational research and the policy/practice nexus as a means of understanding the context within which the retention strategy was introduced in 2003. The evaluation examines the management and implementation of a number of initiatives, located both centrally and within faculties and departments. The evidence demonstrating implementation and impact is identified and judgement made in relation to the reliability and validity. In addition, how the evidence is used or otherwise by the institution to review and reflect on the impact of its retention strategy is analysed. The focus of the study is summarised by the research questions,
1. What constitutes evidence within the university and the nature of available evidence in terms of its reliability and validity?
2. How is evidence utilised at local and institutional levels to inform future strategic development?
3. How does evidence demonstrate an impact on student retention?

The study draws from research on student retention and engagement in both the UK and US particularly that of Kuh et al. (2005), Tinto (1975) and Yorke (1999) to develop a theoretical framework within which to evaluate the strategy. The work of Berger (2002) and Bush (1995) is influential in expanding existing models on student retention, to examine the relationships between organisational structures and behaviours and the impact on the introduction of retention initiatives.

This study applies a realist evaluation methodology (Pawson and Tilley, 1997) to a sub-group of initiatives introduced as part of the retention strategy. The argument that evaluation can be undertaken as educational research is presented, and that realistic evaluation has relevance in acknowledging the complex nature of evidence and the importance of context. This is corroborated by the outcomes of the research, summarised within a realistic framework, identifying explanatory mechanisms, which contribute to theory on organisational development, education management and leadership, student retention and engagement.

The research findings identify the nature of evidence, both quantitative and qualitative, the latter including significant evidence, much of which was incidental and informal. The recognition and use of evidence at institutional levels is analysed. In addition, this study examines the role of complexity in relation to academic management and organisational change. The role of academic managers in supporting and facilitating change is considered alongside the role of individual practitioners engaged to introduce and embed initiatives. The findings identify organisational behaviours, management models conducive or otherwise, and present recommendations for future practice.


Over the last decade, technological advancements, especially artificial intelligence (AI), have significantly transformed educational practices. Recently, the development and adoption of Generative Pre-trained Transformers (GPT), particularly OpenAI's ChatGPT, has sparked considerable interest. The unprecedented capabilities of these models, such as generating humanlike text and facilitating automated conversations, have broad implications in various sectors, including education and health. Despite their immense potential, concerns regarding their widespread use and opacity have been raised within the scientific community. ChatGPT, the latest version of the GPT series, has displayed remarkable proficiency, passed the US bar law exam, and amassed over a million subscribers shortly after its launch. However, its impact on the education sector has elicited mixed reactions, with some educators heralding it as a progressive step and others raising alarms over its potential to reduce analytical skills and promote misconduct. This paper aims to delve into these discussions, exploring the potential and problems associated with applying advanced AI models in education. It builds on extant literature and contributes to understanding how these technologies reshape educational norms in the "new AI gold rush" era.


In modern conditions, when more and more countries build their national policies in the field of socio-economic long-term development on the principles of sustainable development, the problem of evidence-based assessment of natural resource potential of regional is extremely important. Methodological support to the processes of calculation and evaluation of all components of the natural-resource potential is a prerequisite for the development of effective management decisions made at both national and regional levels. The purpose of this study was to substantiate the list of criteria that will help to be used both for assessing the natural resource potential of territorial ecosystems of regions and for evaluating their effectiveness, as well as defining a set of promising measures to improve the natural resource potential of regional territorial ecosystems. For the study, the methods of content analysis, factor analysis, data systematization, method of expert assessment, the method of expert assessment coordination, SWOT analysis, and other scientific approaches were used, allowing to comprehensively consider the problem under study. As a result of the study, scientific approaches to the definition of the concepts of "natural resource potential" and "ecosystem" were clarified, as well as to determine the main groups of factors influencing the natural resource potential of territorial ecosystems of the region. "Natural resource potential" and "ecosystem". In addition, based on a study of existing research in this area, the main groups of factors that influence the natural resource potential of the region's territorial ecosystems were identified. The materials of the article can be used in the development of an environmental-oriented strategy for the development of regions, as well as a set of environmental measures to preserve territorial ecosystems.


Among the seven known isozymes of carbonic anhydrase in higher vertebrates, isozyme III is the least efficient in catalytic hydration of CO2 and the least susceptible to inhibition by sulfonamides. We have investigated the role of two basic residues near the active site of human carbonic anhydrase III (HCA III), lysine 64 and arginine 67, to determine whether they can account for some of the unique properties of this isozyme. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to replace these residues with histidine 64 and asparagine 67, the amino acids present at the corresponding positions of HCA II, the most efficient of the carbonic anhydrase isozymes. Catalysis by wild-type HCA III and mutants was determined from the initial velocity of hydration of CO2 at steady state by stopped-flow spectrophotometry and from the exchange of 18O between CO2 and water at chemical equilibrium by mass spectrometry. We have shown that histidine 64 functions as a proton shuttle in carbonic anhydrase by substituting histidine for lysine 64 in HCA III. The enhanced CO2 hydration activity and pH profile of the resulting mutant support this role for histidine 64 in the catalytic mechanism and suggest an approach that may be useful in investigating the mechanistic roles of active-site residues in other isozyme groups. Replacing arginine 67 in HCA III by asparagine enhanced catalysis of CO2 hydration 3-fold compared with that of wild-type HCA III, and the pH profile of the resulting mutant was consistent with a proton transfer role for lysine 64. Neither replacement enhanced the weak inhibition of HCA III by acetazolamide or the catalytic hydrolysis of 4-nitrophenyl acetate.


The Social Support Apgar (SSA), developed as a user-friendly tool for screening for perceptions of adequacy of social support among perinatal women, provides a profile of perceived satisfaction with five types of support from five different sources. The results of psychometric analyses from three separate studies involving the SSA are reported. Cronbach's alphas of.88 to .93 were obtained. A positive relationship between SSA scores and favorable pregnancy outcomes and a negative relationship between SSA scores and life stress proved some evidence of validity. The SSA's clinical utility is suggested by its ease of completion and the finding of no relationship between client and nurse ratings. These results suggest that the tool holds promise for use as a screening instrument with prenatal clients in busy clinical settings.


Wetland ecosystems are known for their carbon storage potential due to slow decomposition rates and high carbon fixation rates. However, nutrient addition from human activities affects this carbon storage capacity as the balance of fixed and respired carbon shifts due to plant and microbial communities. Ongoing atmospheric deposition of nutrients could be changing wetland plant-microbe interactions in ways that tip the balance from carbon storage to loss. Therefore, examining microbial community patterns in response to nutrient enrichment is important to understanding nutrient effects on carbon storage potential. In this study, we hypothesized that fertilization of a low nutrient ecosystem leads to increased organic carbon input from plant biomass into the soil and results in increased soil bacterial diversity and modifications to soil bacterial community composition. As such, increased soil nutrients and carbon resources provide more energy to support increased microbial growth rates, which can result in wetland carbon losses. To test this hypothesis, we used bacterial community-level and soil chemical data from the long-term wetland ecology experiment at East Carolina University's West Research Campus (established in 2003). Specifically, we examined the extent that long-term effects of nutrient enrichment affect wetland microbial communities and plant biomass, which are factors that can affect carbon storage. We collected soil cores from fertilized and unfertilized test plots. We extracted genomic DNA from soil samples and conducted 16S rRNA targeted amplicon sequencing to characterize the bacterial community composition. In addition, we measured plant above and belowground biomass and soil carbon content. Results revealed an increase in aboveground plant biomass, soil carbon, and bacterial diversity. In contrast, belowground plant biomass and microbial biomass were similar in fertilized and unfertilized plots. To further examine bacterial community changes to nutrient enrichment, we compared the relative abundance of fast growing copiotrophic and slow growing oligotrophic bacteria of a subset of taxa putatively identified as belonging to either life history strategy. These taxa-level results revealed a decrease in oligotroph relative abundance and little to no change in copiotroph relative abundance of a subset of bacterial taxa. If there is a community-wide shift in the proportion of oligotroph to copiotroph life history strategies, this would have a negative impact on organic carbon storage since oligotrophic bacteria respire less carbon than copiotrophic bacteria over the same amount of time. Taken together, this study provided evidence that long-term nutrient enrichment influences wetland soils in ways that decrease their carbon storage potential of important carbon sinks.


The main function of exocrine Meibomian glands (MGs) is to produce a lipid-rich secretion called meibum which plays a critical role in maintaining the ocular surface homeostasis of humans and most mammals. The chemical composition of meibum, and its quantity produced by MGs, largely determine whether it can fulfill its role successfully. Aging was frequently associated with the onset of various MG-related pathologies. The goal of this study was to determine how aging affects the chemical composition and quantity of meibum in mice, and identify possible molecular markers of aging. Unbiased, untargeted and targeted lipidomic evaluation of mouse MG lipids was conducted using liquid chromatography—high-resolution mass spectrometry, and the results were analyzed using Principal Component, Orthogonal Projections to Latent Structures Discriminant, and Partial Least Square Discriminant Analyses. We found that aging leads to dysregulation of lipid metabolism in MGs, changing the ratios of major classes of MG lipids (such as wax esters, triacylglycerols, and phospholipids) in a progressive manner. Several lipid species that belong to these groups of MG lipids are proposed as clear markers of aging in a mouse model.


tain all of the FDA certification requirements rewritten in USP style, plus normal additional USP standards for dosage forms ~hat F?A regulations do not require for certification (e.g., tests for dissolution and content uniformity of capsules and tablets). From 1985 on it was the intention of the USP to bring the full force of the Committee of Revision into a mainstream effort to modernize antibiotic standards and methods of analysis. But the FDA has not yet acted. Despite assurances that the FDA regulations would be changed to clearly commit the FDA to enforcing the USP antibiotic standards, it has not been done. The USP Committee of Revision is attempting to improve antibiotic standards, but it is being hamstrung because manufacturers understandably are wary of double standards and are hesitant to cooperate to improve USP monographs while the Code of Federal Regulations monographs remain unchanged. How out of ~ate are they? Well, for example, I am informed that chloramphenicol has been produced by complete chemical synthesis for over 30 years, but it is still assayed microbiologically with all the inherent imprecision and necessarily wide potency limits for such an in vivo assay. Me~n while, it seems that the clinical use of antibiotics suffers by the existence of poor standards.


Purpose: The aims of this study were to analyze the frequency of standard nursing statements used in the Electronic Nursing Record (ENR) and to evaluate the degree of satisfaction by users of the ENR system. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the ENR of 1914 patients who were admitted to our center between 1 May 2011 and 31 May 2011. Additionally, we collected questionnaires from 100 doctors and 300 nurses to evaluate the satisfaction of the users. Results: The frequency of use for the following standard nursing statements was investigated: standard nursing assessment statements (43.6%), standard nursing diagnosis statements (61.8%), standard nursing plan statements (46.7%), standard nursing intervention statements (56.9%), and standard nursing evaluation statements (41.7%). The mean satisfaction score was 3.03 out of 5 in the nurse's group, and 3.11 in the doctor's group. The nurses said the advantages of the ENR system were as follows: easy to access, informative, and standardized terms. However 75.7% of the nurse answered that they cannot express actual nursing situations exactly with the currently limited standard nursing statements. Conclusion: Development of various standard nursing statements is needed to meet the demands of the users. As a result, the use of the ENR system would become easier and more efficient for its users.


This paper describes a preliminary series of observations of the Sun made at a frequency of 80 MHz with the 3 km radioheliograph of the Culgoora Observatory. The instrument records, at one-second intervals, pictures of the solar image in the form of 60 (E-W) × 48 (N-S) points, each separated in angle by half the Rayleigh limit (2' arc in the zenith). At the time of the present observations the instrument was incomplete in three main respects : (a) the facilities for recording opposite senses of circular polarization were not available; (b) the automatic image compensation for zenith-angle foreshortening was not available—hence the optical disk of the Sun appears elliptical; and (c) the phase and amplitude calibration procedures had not been fully established, resulting in a higher sidelobe level than that specified in the design—the effects are sometimes evident in the pictures as spoke-like brightenings.


Congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) may affect all ocular structures in general, either in isolation or in combination. Typical ocular complications in CRS include cataracts, microcornea, microphthalmia, glaucoma, nystagmus, and retinopathy. We report a case of a four-year-old girl who presented with bilateral total cataracts with sensory nystagmus, a poorly dilating pupil, iris hypoplasia, high axial myopia in the right eye (RE), and a retinal detachment in the left eye (LE). The systemic evaluation revealed microcephaly with an associated patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) and mild pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Based on these findings, the child was diagnosed with clinically confirmed CRS. The child was taken up for right-eye cataract surgery. Intra-operatively, a lens coloboma involving the temporal equator of the lens along with a highly tessellated fundus was noted. Two weeks post-cataract surgery, the child had a best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) of 6/24. However, four weeks after the surgery, the child developed total rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in the right eye, for which pars plana vitrectomy with endolaser and silicon oil tamponade was done. Four weeks later, the child's BCVA in the right eye was 6/36, which was maintained until the last follow-up of four months. Lens coloboma may be isolated or may occur in association with chorioretinal coloboma. Ours is the first case of unilateral atypical lens coloboma associated with high myopia and bilateral cataracts in a patient with congenital rubella syndrome. Lens colobomas with high myopia have not been reported previously as ocular associations of CRS. Our case highlights that in children with CRS presenting with unilateral or bilateral congenital cataracts, the possibility of lenticular coloboma as a coexistent association should be kept in mind while taking these cases for cataract surgery.


Present study was conducted to assess good hygiene practices in retail meat shops for safe and wholesome meat production as well to understand different roles performed by delegated institutions in ensuring quality meat production. A descriptive survey design was used to answer questions concerning the current status of meat hygiene and sanitation practices in the retail meat shops in Butwal municipality. Meat handlers from the meat shops were interviewed through a structured questionnaire. A total of 190 retail meat shops were analyzed randomly to assess their meat hygiene knowledge. It was found that 93.68% of the meat handlers had no regular health check up, 38.42% of the butchers didn't use protective clothes, 95.26% of meat shops had no evisceration facility, 77.37% of meat shops disposed their waste materials in open space nearby, 96.84% lack lariage facilities and 99.47% did not follow ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection. There was a knowledge gap about Slaughterhouse and Meat Inspection Act 1999 within 96.32% of the meat handlers. The study recommends implementation of Slaughterhouse and Meat Inspection Act 1999 which has been approved in 1999 by the GoN to promote hygiene practices and animal welfare thereby improving the quality standard of meat shops and finally the quality of meat.


An on-farm field study utilizing 231 sows was conducted to determine the effects of added niacin during a 21-day lactation on sow and litter performance. At farrowing, sows were assigned to one of two dietary treatments that provided either 200 or 1000 mg niacin/day. All Iitters were equalized within dietary treatment by 24 hours following farrowing. All sows had a similar number of pigs born alive, pigs equalized per litter, and average pig and litter birth weights. Feeding sows a diet providing 1000 mg additional niacin did not significantly affect the number of pigs weaned, pig survival, or average pig and litter weaning weights. Furthermore, added niacin did not affect sow feed intake as measured on a daily basis or for the overall lactation. However, those sows fed 1000 mg additional niacin lost slightly more weight (P<.15) during lactation than those fed the control diet.; Swine Day, Manhattan, KS, November 19, 1987


Acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTF) have been investigated as a potential basis for multiwavelength cross-connects in optical networks. In this paper, we discuss crosstalk issues, some of which are common to other cross-connect technologies, and some of which are unique to the AOTF, which will determine the suitability of the AOTF technology for this application. In particular we show how the interactions between wavelength channels make the AOTF sensitive to switch architectures, we conclude that significant performance improvements will be required to diminish crosstalk if the AOTF is to be useful in any but small-size cross-connects, even when spare and wavelength dilation are used.


Abstract The expression and localization of GATA-4 and GATA-6 mRNAs and proteins were assessed in porcine ovaries at different stages of the estrous cycle. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses revealed that GATA-4 and GATA-6 transcripts and proteins were strongly expressed in granulosa cells isolated from antral follicles, intact antral follicles, corpora hemorrhagica (CH), and midluteal phase corpora lutea (CL). Immunoblot analyses showed two predominant proteins with molecular masses of approximately 53 and 55 kDa for GATA-4 and one 55-kDa protein for GATA-6. Immunohistochemical studies revealed GATA-4 and GATA-6 nuclear staining in granulosa cells of healthy primordial and primary antral follicles and antral follicle of various sizes. The percentage of immunopositive thecal cell nuclei increased with follicular development. In CH and CL, luteal cells displayed nuclear immunoreactivity for both transcription factors. Regressing CL showed a decrease in GATA-immunopositive cells. Immunoreactivity for GATA-4 and GATA-6 was present in most blood vessels. In electrophoretic mobility shift assays, nuclear protein extracts isolated from granulosa cells and CL exhibited both GATA-4 and GATA-6 binding to a GATA consensus oligonucleotide, with GATA-4 the predominant binding protein. GATA-4 and GATA-6 DNA binding was elevated in granulosa cell nuclear extracts from preovulatory (8–10 mm) follicles. Cotransfection of primary cultures of luteinizing granulosa cells with GATA-4 or GATA-6 expression vectors increased the activity of the porcine steroidogenic acute regulatory protein gene promoter significantly but did not significantly activate the inhibin α gene promoter. The detection of GATA-4 and GATA-6 mRNAs and proteins in porcine ovaries and the identification of at least one possible target gene may help to establish roles for these GATA factors in follicular development and luteal function.


Prostate cancer (PCa) is a slow-growing, organ-confined tumor usually accompanied with a favorable overall prognosis. Current standard-of-care chemotherapy, and recently immunotherapies, for patients suffering from this disease may prolong overall survival and improve quality of life, but they do not prevent tumor recurrence and thus are not curative. Underlying reasons are not completely understood. Recent investigations support a possible carcinogenic activity of the human BK polyomavirus (BKPyV) in the prostate. In this commentary, we envisage the development of BKPyV-related therapeutic strategies to be beneficial for individuals at risk of developing PCa.


Currently High Concentration Photovoltaic (HCPV) terrestrial modules are based on the combination of optic elements that concentrate the sunlight into much smaller GaAs space cells to produce electricity. GaAs cell technology has been well developed for space applications during the last two decades, but the use of GaAs cells under concentrated sunlight in terrestrial applications leaves unanswered questions about performance, durability and reliability. The work to be performed under this CRADA will set the basis for the design of high-performance, durable and reliable HCPV terrestrial modules that will bring down electricity production costs in the next five years.


Neonatal rat cardiac myocytes were treated with cytokines, with or without the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors N-monomethyl-L-arginine (LNMMA) and N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (LNAME), and systolic and diastolic calcium levels were measured by fluorescence spectrophotometry and confocal microscopy. Time-dependent changes following interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) treatment revealed a continuing increase in intracellular calcium, which was reduced with LNMMA, but not with LNAME. Increases in calcium also occurred with interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), but not to the extent seen with IFN-gamma. Increased cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) was involved in the results described with short-term (2 hr) TNF-alpha and long-term (18 hr) IFN-gamma treatments. Short-term exposure to IFN-gamma produced an increase in cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and also an initial increase in the myocyte-bearing rate, with calcium levels either (i) subsequently returning to control levels while maintaining a fast beating rate or (ii), retaining a high systolic calcium level, but beating at control rates. Treatment with both IL-1beta and IFN-gamma stabilized the beating rate of the cells on some occasions. Shortening of myocytes increased with isoproterenol and following treatment with IFN-gamma, while isoproterenol stimulation of IFN-gamma-treated cells revealed increased contractile activity after short, but not long, treatment. LNMMA, but not reduced the increased contractile response with short-term IFN-gamma treatment. Our findings suggest that TNF-alpha acts via a cGMP-dependent pathway, whereas the actions of IFN-gamma involve adenylate cyclase, and possibly a NO-forming mechanism and cGMP pathway as well. It is also apparent that the two NO inhibitors function via different mechanisms or that LNMMA has a direct effect on the calcium-signaling pathway.


In this paper, we investigate the application of multidimensional IIR digital filters for video signal processing. The problems of sampling structure conversion and deinterlacing are addressed. A multistage filter structure is then proposed to perform the general conversions among different types of sampling structures. Some simple IIR digital filters are proposed and simulated particularly for the above applications. Some simulation results are also given.


Correlations of detection events in two photodetectors placed at the opposite sides of a beam splitter are studied in the frame of classical probability theory. It is assumed that there is always only one photon present in the measuring apparatus during one elementary experiment (one measurement act). Due to the conservation of energy, there is always a strict anticorrelation in one elementary experiment, because the photon cannot excite both of the detectors at the same time. It is explicitely shown in several examples that the "bunching" and "anti‐bunching" of the counts in serieses of elementary single‐photon experiments is governed by the statistical properties of grouping the sequences of the elementary measurements.


The laboratory diagnostics of trichomoniasis is strongly recommended for the diagnosis confirmation. The current review summarizes information concerning diagnostic methods directed to identification of this protozoa by morphology, to detection of antigens of T. vaginalis as well as specific antibodies and pathogen DNA. The existing problems in the interpretation of results and information about the efficacy of each method in the patient's testing algorithm are discussed in the article. (Infekc. immun., 2011, vol. 1, N 3, p. 243-248)


Sera from 329 hemodialysis patients, 46 of whom had experienced a hypersensitivity-type reaction during hemodialysis, were screened by an enzyme-allergosorbent test (EAST) for IgE antibodies specific for ethylene oxide (ETO). In seven of nine patients who had experienced a severe hypersensitivity reaction (type II or type III), high titers of IgE antibodies against ETO (greater than 3.0 PRU/mL) were found. However, plasma levels of IgE specific for ETO were in the normal range (less than 0.35 PRU/mL) in most (30/37) patients who had experienced a mild (type I) reaction. Selected sera from patients who had experienced severe reactions were further examined for IgE directed against isopropyl myristate (IPM), 2-chloroethanol, and extracts from unsterilized dialyzers. Importantly elevated serum levels of specific IgE against these substances could not be documented. Extracts of an ETO-sterilized, hollow-fiber dialyzer were positive, whereas extracts of an ETO-sterilized dialyzer containing a flat membrane were negative in the EAST. This difference can be explained by the different amounts of ETO present in the dialyzers. We conclude that ETO causes most severe hypersensitivity reactions by an IgE-mediated mechanism. On the other hand, the pathogenesis of mild (type I) reactions is less clearly associated with ETO allergy. Our results also suggest that other potentially allergenic substances in dialyzers (e.g., IPM, 2-chloroethanol) rarely induce specific IgE antibodies in dialysis patients.


Ansín Agís J., Vervoort W. & Ramil F. 2009. — Hydroids of the family Halopterididae (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) collected in the western pacific by various French expeditions. Zoosystema 31 (1): 33-61. ABSTRACT This paper is the second result of the study of large collections of Plumularioidea (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa, Leptolida), collected in the seas surrounding New Caledonia, in the Philippines and in Indonesian waters by French expeditions. A total of 13 species belonging to the genera Antennella (five species), Cladoplumaria (one species), Halopteris (four species), Monostaechas (two species) and Corhiza (one species) are described or mentioned in the present report; most of which are illustrated. Three new species, Antennella sinuosa n. sp., Antennella megatheca n. sp. and Corhiza pauciarmata n. sp. are described and another, Halopteris concava (Billard, 1911) is recorded for the first time since the original description. Two species, Antennella sp. and Monostaechas sp. are only identified to the genus level.


Stress is encountered by every individual on a daily basis. Such encounters can be of a negative (distress) or a positive (eustress) nature. Excessive and chronic distress exposure is associated with numerous health problems affecting both physiological and psychological components of a person's well-being. One mediating aspect of these occurrences is the responses of the neuroendocrine system with the body. Physical activity (i.e., exercise) produces large and dramatic changes in the neuroendocrine system as it serves as a "stressor" to the system. To this end, though, chronic engagement in physical activity leads to exercise training-induced adaptations within the neuroendocrine system that potentiate an individual's ability to deal with distressful experiences and exposures. Therefore, becoming more physically fit and exercise trained is one potential adjunctive therapy available for clinicians to recommend in the treatment of health problems associated with chronic exposure to distress.


Abstract Background The "diagnose-and-leave-in" policy has been established to reduce the risks and costs related to unnecessary polypectomies in the average-risk population. In individuals with Lynch syndrome, owing to accelerated carcinogenesis, the general recommendation is to remove all polyps, irrespective of size, location, and appearance. We evaluated the feasibility and safety of the diagnose-and-leave-in strategy in individuals with Lynch syndrome. Methods We performed a post hoc analysis based on per-polyp data from a randomized, clinical trial conducted by 24 dedicated colonoscopists at 14 academic centers, in which 256 patients with confirmed Lynch syndrome underwent surveillance colonoscopy from July 2016 to January 2018. In vivo optical diagnosis with confidence level for all detected lesions was obtained before polypectomy using virtual chromoendoscopy alone or with dye-based chromoendoscopy. Primary outcome was the negative predictive value (NPV) for neoplasia of high-confidence optical diagnosis among diminutive (≤ 5 mm) rectosigmoid lesions. Histology was the reference standard. Results Of 147 rectosigmoid lesions, 128 were diminutive. In 103 of the 128 lesions (81 %), the optical diagnostic confidence was high and showed an NPV of 96.0 % (95 % confidence interval [CI] 88.9 %–98.6 %) and accuracy of 89.3 % (95 %CI 81.9 %–93.9 %). By following the diagnose-and-leave-in policy, we would have avoided 59 % (75/128) of polypectomies at the expense of two diminutive low grade dysplastic adenomas and one diminutive sessile serrated lesion that would have been left in situ. Conclusion In patients with Lynch syndrome, the diagnose-and-leave-in strategy for diminutive rectosigmoid polyps would be feasible and safe.


The authors have developed a Payload State of Health (PSOH) application that monitors the State of Health (SOH) of a non-homogeneous set of payloads in a satellite constellation. This application is part of a satellite ground station that processes sensor data from payloads and monitors the SOH of the ground station itself. The first payload of the constellation was launched in 2001. The PSOH application was used successfully for Early Orbit Turn-on (EOT) testing, and it is currently processing data autonomously. The PSOH application was developed with three types of users in mind. It accommodates the needs of payload designers who predominately use it during EOT. It uses a highly intuitive graphical Human Computer Interface (HCI) that allows a non-expert ground station operator to monitor all payloads of the constellation with a minimal chance of human error. It generates messages that provide a persistent record of any anomalies for use by the sensor data analyst. This paper shows how early development of the ground station PSOH application can benefit the three main users the sensor designer, the operator, and the data analyst.


Martland (1) has reported the presence of malignancy in a number of radio-active persons whom he has examined. Sabin (2) and coworkers have produced tumors in rabbits experimentally by repeated injections of radio-active salts. Thus it is established definitely that radio-active material deposited in the body can be placed in the list of agents causing malignancy. The mode of action, however, is as yet undetermined. The suggestion has been made that it may be due to stimulation causing an activated growth of mesenchyme or speeding up of the somatic cell. It was to determine whether or not radio-active materials have a direct stimulating action on embryonic tissue in vitro that the work described in this paper was undertaken.

Radio-active salts, whether ingested, as in the famous watch-dial cases, inhaled in the form of dust, or injected intravenously or subcutaneously, are finally deposited in the skeleton because of their chemical relationship to the alkaline earths, though small amounts may be found, also, in other tissues. For this reason one looks for the action of the salts in the osseous structures. The bone cells are gradually destroyed, and at some period during the destructive process a condition arises which is apparently conducive to the production of osteogenic sarcoma in a certain percentage of the cases.


Thirty-one different examples of commercially available blood grouping antisera specific for the S, s, K, k, Fya, Fyb, Jka, and Jkb antigens and anti-human globulin sera were serologically evaluated with red cells and in absorption-elution tests to determine their applicability to bloodstain antigen determinations. Nineteen examples of commercially available antisera specific for various Gm and Km antigens and their corresponding anti-D reagents were likewise evaluated in inhibition tests with sera and bloodstains. Elution tests with the blood grouping antisera and inhibition tests with the Gm/Km antisera on a series of aging bloodstains on cotton cloth, and on bloodstains on a number of different substrata, demonstrated that properly evaluated commercial antisera are useful reagents for bloodstain grouping in forensic serology.


Multiple Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) films of arachidic acid were deposited on germanium (Ge) substrates from subphase solutions of 10(-4) M CdCl2 at different pH values and at different deposition speeds. Attenuated total reflectance infrared (ATR-IR) spectroscopy was used to obtain information on the molecular order and structure of these multilayer LB films. At pHs higher than the pKa of the fatty acid/cation system, transfers took place only during the downstroke, indicating X-type deposition. At pH = pKa and large deposition speeds, deposition partially failed during the downstroke, resulting in Z-type depositions. Analysis of the infrared spectra indicates that multiple LB films deposited only during the upstroke (Z-type) or during downstrokes (X-type) have a centrosymmetric structure typical of films deposited during the upstroke and downstroke, except for a slight decrease in molecular order and tilt angle as the pH increases (X-type). The centrosymmetric structure indicates that rearrangement of layers takes place between cycles. Experimental evidence of such rearrangement occurring in a fatty acid/divalent cation salt subphase is shown here, and rearrangement alternatives are discussed.


SUMMARY Objective. This article reviews the effects of ethanol on cytokine level studied in vivo and in vitro. Review. The effects of ethanol on the immune system have long been known. Ethanol abuse leads to reduced immunity and increased susceptibility to infections. However, new aspects of the immuno-modulating effects of ethanol are now being discovered in already understood complications due to abuse. Many studies focus on the effects of ethanol on the cytokines. These low-corpuscular proteins may act as mediators of immunological and inflammatory reactions. Thanks to them, competent immunological cells may operate within one system to effectively incapacitate foreign bodies. The role of cytokines in alcoholic liver disease is emphasised. Several studies also suggest that ethanol may affect CNS cytokines. Conclusions. Ethanol may have a modulating effect on cytokines and this may be reflected in alcoholic liver disease, altered cytokine action in the CNS or body resistance. Further research should help us to gain a better understanding of the effects of alcohol on the immunological system.


The two-dimensional guiding centre plasma and a system of interacting line vortices in an ideal fluid are examples of Hamiltonian systems with bounded phase space. The statistical mechanics of such systems is investigated. An interesting feature is that they can exist in negative temperature states which show observable intrinsic characteristics, such as the formation of clusters of particles.


Acousto-optic (AO) is an emerging hybrid technique for measuring optical contrast in turbid media using coherent light and ultrasound (US). A turbid object is illuminated with a coherent light source leading to speckle formation in the remitted light. With the use of US, a small volume is selected,which is commonly referred to as the "tagging" volume. This volume acts as a source of modulated light, where modulation might involve phase and intensity change. The tagging volume is created by focusing ultrasound for good lateral resolution; the axial resolution is accomplished by making either the US frequency, amplitude, or phase time-dependent. Typical resolutions are in the order of 1 mm. We will concentrate on the progress in the field since 2003. Different schemes will be discussed to detect the modulated photons based on speckle detection, heterodyne detection, photorefractive crystal (PRC) assisted detection, and spectral hole burning (SHB) as well as Fabry-Perot interferometers. The SHB and Fabry-Perot interferometer techniques are insensitive to speckle decorrelation and therefore suitable for in vivo imaging. However, heterodyne and PRC methods also have potential for in vivo measurements. Besides measuring optical properties such as scattering and absorption, AO can be applied in fluorescence and elastography applications.


Digital receiver frontends have emerged as a possible solution for the next-generation serial I/O receiver design in advanced CMOS technologies. The challenge is to achieve low power dissipation so that the I/O links can be integrated in large ASICs. With a power budget of <; 20 mW/Gb/s, the feasibility of an ADC-based receiver is limited by the high-speed analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and complex digital processing in current fabrication technologies. In this paper, various designs and architectures for each component of an ADC-based receiver and their performance trade-offs are discussed. The design requirement of an ADC and digital processing can be relaxed with the aid of simple mixed-mode circuitry. More complex digital processing techniques are becoming feasible with the scaling of CMOS technology. However, the improvement from scaling is limited by the substantial leakage current, and the rate of improvement is slowing beyond 32 nm technology node.


Voltage regulators were originally implemented as a cost effective means of improving power quality on network spurs where embedded generation was not considered economically or technically feasible. Their main function in maintaining local network stability is achieved by way of increasing voltage during periods of short-time over-loading and reducing voltage during periods of load shedding. This paper gives a brief introduction to the mode of operation and network installation configuration of voltage regulators. This paper also gives an insight into modern regulator controls which enable voltage regulators to perform a variety of new tasks and functions such as local operation and data storage alongside real-time communication with utility operation centres. One of the latest features of voltage regulation control is voltage reduction mode, which enables utilities to tap down regulators to reduce the local voltage by up to 3% to increase the current available in the network. Voltage regulators are tailor-made for individual utility's requirements and manufacturers must examine the key internal components of the regulator when designing a regulator for a specific utility. A review of some of the factors utilities must examine when procuring regulators is contained in this paper. New directives which apply to all oil-immersed transformers imported into the EU have come into effect that restrict and regulate the substances contained in transformer mineral oil and the amount of which can be imported into the EU. Certain substances which have been deemed carcinogenic have been subject to heavy restrictions on import into the EU and manufacturers of transformers have introduced new products that not only comply with EU legislation but are also environmentally sound. This paper examines a number of aspects of voltage regulators from the development of new control features, new environmentally-friendly oils and, communication and control design and test criteria.


Abstract The relationship between soil properties and environmental covariates is mostly nonlinear for human impacted areas. Herein, we proposed a nonlinear model for mapping soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (TN) in a typical human impacted area (a small watershed of Poyang Lake, China), namely radial basis function neural network combined with agricultural land use (RBFNN_ALU). The results showed that the RBFNN_ALU performs better than the ordinary kriging (OK), the OK combined with agricultural land use (OK_ALU), the geographically weighted regression (GWR), the multiple linear regression (MLR), the MLR combined with agricultural land use (MLR_ALU) and the RBFNN. In addition, RBFNN_ALU provided a more detailed and accurate description of the spatial SOC and TN patterns. The results indicate that when predicting spatial distribution of SOC and TN for human impacted areas, non-linear models are critical for predicting the spatial distribution of soil properties.


In 1997 in Washington, DC, the Christian men's group Promise Keepers organized a large rally that drew attention from mainstream newspapers, religious publications, and political opinion journals. Scholarship of this news coverage has downplayed differences across media and suggested, instead, that nearly all favored Promise Keepers. This study attempts to correct that oversight by contrasting the news stories in The Washington Post, Christianity Today, and several political opinion journals. Based on this analysis, I argue that The Washington Post produced the most positive coverage of Promise Keepers, while Christianity Today published more skeptical reports, and political opinion journals provided the fairest coverage. I suggest the writing practices associated with each type of journalism help to account for the differences in reporting. In the end, this study reveals the impact of journalistic formats on news coverage and reminds us that all news reflects a particular perspective.


Service assurance for the telecom cloud is a challenging task and is continuously being addressed by academics and industry. One promising approach is to utilize machine learning to predict service quality in order to take early mitigation actions. In previous work we have shown how to predict service-level metrics, such as frame rate for a video application on the client side, from operational data gathered at the server side. This gives the service provider early indications on whether the platform can support the current load demand. This paper extends previous work by addressing scalability issues for cluster-based services. Operational data being generated in large volumes, from several sources, and at high velocity puts strain on computational and communication resources. We propose and evaluate a distributed machine learning system based on the Winnow algorithm to tackle scalability issues, and then compare the new distributed solution with the previously proposed centralized solution. We show that network overhead and computational execution time is substantially reduced while maintaining high prediction accuracy making it possible to achieve real-time service quality predictions in large systems.


We quantitatively measured regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in 37 patients with dementia of Alzheimer type (DAT) to investigate the clinical utilities of the N-isopropyl-p-[123I]iodoamphetamine autoradiographic method (IMP ARG method) that is a quantitative method more simplified and less invasive for IMP-SPECT developed by Iida et al. A given standard input function and a given value of distribution volume (Vd) used for the rCBF measurement of this method were calculated from the dynamic study by six normal volunteers. Mean values [SD] of rCBF (ml/ 100 g/min) in the Cerebral Cortex were 49.0 [6.0] in the controls (n = 20), 42.6 [5.9] in mild DAT group (n = 14), 36.7 [5.5] in moderate DAT group (n = 12), and 26.4 [7.5] in severe DAT group (n = 11), respectively. These values were significantly different between each neighboring group. Moreover, the correlations between the score by the Hasegawa dementia scale (HDS-R) and each rCBF were significant in the temporal, parietal, and frontal cortex. These findings suggest that the rCBF measurement in IMP-SPECT using this method is useful for the diagnosis of the clinical severity in patients with DAT.


Considering the wide use of Serious Games in application fields like cognitive learning, health education and rehabilitation and the recent developments of sensor and interface technology it is surprising that applications to motor learning in sport are rare. The aim of this study is to examine whether a specific learning effect can be elicited by training with a commercial exergame Nintendo Wii Sports Resort. A sample of 23 young club basketball players attended either a virtual training VT or a real training RT of basketball throws. Training consisted of 750 throws distributed to 10 training units. As a result, VT and RT groups improved in virtual and real performance, but only the RT group transferred training to the virtual condition. Furthermore, the RT group enjoyed training more than the VT group. As a conclusion, added values of Serious Games in sport skill learning may take effect only under certain conditions.


Variations in the tissue elemental concentration in stem cuttings of sage (Salvia officinalis) and the effects of IBA on the variation of plant nutrients and rooting were studied during the initiation and development of adventitious roots. In the study, three different treatments, 100 ppm, 200 ppm IBA application and no IBA application (control) were used on S. officinalis L. cuttings and on the 15th and 30th days their rooting ability was investigated. In addition, macro and micro element concentrations of cuttings were determined on the 1st day, 15th day (root initiation) and 30th day (end of the root development) of cuttings. IBA affected root initiation and rooting considerably. There was no root initiation on the 15th day in the control treatment (no IBA) and the 100 ppm IBA treatment had the highest root initiation ratio with 35 %. The 100 ppm IBA treatment also had the highest rooting ratio (78.75 %), number of roots (22.35) and the longest roots (10.66 cm). Changes in selected macro and micro element concentrations coincided with root initiation and development of sage cuttings. The N, P and Mn concentrations declined while the Ca and Zn concentrations increased. The K concentration decreased during root initiation and development while the Mg concentration increased. The Fe concentration increased up to root initiation then declined with the root development. There were no changes in Cu concentration during rooting. Except the N and Mg concentrations, IBA did not affect the concentrations of selected macro and micro elements, but during root initiation accumulation of Fe increased with IBA concentrations.


Wireless Body Area Sensor Networks (WBASNs) have gained significant attention as they are related to human health. Path loss is the major problem in sensors communication and it produces attenuation which reduces the signal strength. In this paper, a new transposition Sensor Transposition for Energy Efficient Routing (STEER) scheme of wireless medical sensors was introduced to minimize path loss and also achieve maximum battery life of a wireless sensor. A simulation of WBASN designed in Matlab with eight sensors and one sink. Initially, the sensors were placed randomly on different far and close positions to sink to obtain the best placement positions on a human body to achieve minimum path loss. In additions, the sink position has been changed to the different coordinates to check its effect on path loss. Finally, the simulation results of new STEER were compared with existing transposition schemes available in the literature.


The entrance of the market into scholarly publishing has resulted in the emergence of research incentives that approach, in the production model, the traditional business activities. In particular, the norm of the publish or perish that should ensure the production of knowledge, intersects with today commercial strategies that alter the choices of researchers, and, in a sense, the same goals of the research. This paper describes the new forces in play, the changes that have already occurred and the future ones, trying to assess the risks of the new market of academic production for the development of scientific research.


Cybernetics is a discipline of change and flow. Since the field coalesced and was given a name in the 1940s, it has been focused on the processes by which things move and adapt. So it is remarkable that one of the field's major publishing outlets has been extremely stable in its editorship, with just two editors in its forty years of existence, and the same editor for twenty-five years. But as with everything, this journal cannot remain stable, and as you may have seen, the previous issue, 41(10), was the final issue under the editorship of Brian Rudall.
This is the first issue under the new editorial team of Kybernetes, and as such we wanted to give thanks to the outgoing editor, to introduce ourselves, and to provide readers with a sense of our editorial policy as we move forward into the next decade (or even the next 40 years) of the journal. We are very honoured to have been offered the role, and mindful of the need to retain the journal's reputation for quality and breadth, while taking it into various new areas as we will discuss later in this editorial.


Allen Carr's hundred-cigarettes-a-day addiction drove him to despair until he discovered how to shake off the dependency. His company now owns a series of clinics, and his other books include THE ONLY WAY TO STOP SMOKING. This third revised edition includes comments and additional tips from Carr, together with a directory of his clinics.


In a recent paper [5], we introduced a classes of derived equivalences called almost ν-stable derived equivalences. The most important property is that an almost ν-stable derived equivalence always induces a stable equivalence of Morita type, which generalizes a well-known result of Rickard: derived-equivalent self-injective algebras are stably equivalent of Morita type. In this paper, we shall consider the compositions of almost ν-stable derived equivalences and their quasi-inverses, which is called iterated almost ν-stable derived equivalences. We give a sufficient and necessary condition for a derived equivalence to be an iterated almost ν-stable derived equivalence. As a consequence, we get a new sufficient condition for a derived equivalence between general finite-dimensional algebras to induce a stable equivalence of Morita type.


Compared the validity and reliability of 2 value measurement techniques. 296 Ss (161 females and 135 males) in introductory psychology filled out the 2 measurement techniques and an attitude survey. The Rokeach Value Survey instructed Ss to separately rank 2 sets of 18 values in order of importance. A rating version of the Value Survey instructed Ss to rate the same 36 values from 1 to 99. 236 Sreturned 6 weeks later and again filled out both measurement techniques. Results of the multimethod factor analysis indicate very good convergent validity among the 4 measures of a given value (2 techniques × 2 sessions) and very good discriminant validity between measures of different values. Probably due to the ipsative nature of the ranking procedure, the test-retest reliabilities were higher for the ranked measurements than for the rated measurements. The construct validity of both measurement techniques, as determined by multiple regression and analysis of variance, were similar. Despite criticisms of ranking procedures, both the ranked and the rated versions were of equal reliability and validity.


Due to scarce data regarding "Middle Eastern Syndrome" or the Sanjad–Sakati syndrome, this case report aims to elaborate the significance of this rare autosomal recessive syndrome and the considerations to provide anesthesia to such patients. The patient discussed in this report is a diagnosed case of Sanjad– Sakati syndrome, indicated for surgical insertion of gastrostomy tube by laparotomy. The anesthetic concerns encountered included a difficult airway anatomy due to facial dysmorphic features and short stature, along with increased sensitivity to muscle relaxants. The case was further complicated by the presence of chest infection and electrolyte imbalance, particularly hypocalcemia, with the risk of seizures, cardiovascular collapse, and arrhythmias. A thorough preoperative assessment and multidisciplinary approach, including correction of electrolytes and optimization of the chest condition, followed by a cautious and vigilant intraoperative anesthetic management and close postoperative monitoring led to a smooth recovery and positive outcome with the avoidance of any morbidity or mortality.


BACKGROUND
Hypercholesterolemia is considered a major risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis. Enhanced lipid peroxidation and persistent platelet activation can be observed in vivo in hypercholesterolemic patients and may have pathophysiological implications in the occurrence of cardiovascular events. P-selectin may play an important role in the pathogenesis of multicellular events, including atherosclerosis. We studied the impact of hypercholesterolemia and oxidative stress on plasma levels of P-selectin.

METHODS AND RESULTS
Plasma levels of P-selectin were measured by means of an enzyme immunoassay in 20 hypercholesterolemic patients with no clinical evidence of cardiovascular disease and in 20 sex- and age-matched normocholesterolemic subjects. Hypercholesterolemic patients had higher levels of P-selectin compared with that of control subjects (98+/-61 versus 56+/-14 ng/mL; P=.001). They also displayed increased von Willebrand Factor (vWF) levels (176+/-22 versus 119+/-12%; P=.0001). A direct correlation was observed between P-selectin and LDL cholesterol levels (p=.453). Administration of vitamin E (600 mg/d for 2 weeks) to hypercholesterolemic patients significantly reduced plasma P-selectin (40%), and an inverse correlation was observed between vitamin E and P-selectin plasma levels (p=-.446).

CONCLUSIONS
Hypercholesterolemia is associated with elevated plasmatic P-selectin. Altered oxidative processes leading to endothelial dysfunction and persistent platelet activation may contribute to increased soluble P-selectin levels. P-selectin may be proposed as a marker of endothelial dysfunction in hypercholesterolemic patients.


Background The microRNAs(miRNA)-derived secondary phased small interfering RNAs (phasiRNAs) participate in post-transcriptional gene silencing and play important roles in various bio-processes in plants. In rice, two miRNAs, miR2118 and miR2275, were mainly responsible for triggering of 21-nt and 24-nt phasiRNAs biogenesis, respectively. However, relative fewer phasiRNA biogenesis pathways have been discovered in rice compared to other plant species, which limits the comprehensive understanding of phasiRNA biogenesis and the miRNA-derived regulatory network. Results In this study, we performed a systematical searching for phasiRNA biogenesis pathways in rice. As a result, five novel 21-nt phasiRNA biogenesis pathways and five novel 24-nt phasiRNA biogenesis pathways were identified. Further investigation of their regulatory function revealed that eleven novel phasiRNAs in 21-nt length recognized forty-one target genes. Most of these genes were involved in the growth and development of rice. In addition, five novel 24-nt phasiRNAs targeted to the promoter of an OsCKI1 gene and thereafter resulted in higher level of methylation in panicle, which implied their regulatory function in transcription of OsCKI1 ,which acted as a regulator of rice development. Conclusions These results substantially extended the information of phasiRNA biogenesis pathways and their regulatory function in rice.