Purpose Japanese encephalitis is a reproductive disorder caused by Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) in swine. Recent genotype (G) shift phenomenon (G3 to G1) in the Asia-wide has posed a challenge for proper prevention by the current vaccine strain. Thus, new kinds of JEV G1 vaccines with enhanced immunogenicity have been required for pigs. Materials and Methods Recombinant porcine granulocyte monocyte-colony stimulating factor (reporGM-CSF) protein was expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf-9) cells using baculovirus expression system. Two kinds of trials with inactivated JEV vaccines containing IMS1313 adjuvant (Seppic, France) were prepared with or without reporGM-CSF protein. Safety and immunogenicity of the pigs inoculated with the JEV vaccines via intramuscular route was evaluated for 28 days after inoculation. Results Mice, guinea pigs, and fattening pigs inoculated with the inactivated vaccine showed no signs for 14 and 21 days. Both hemagglutination inhibition and plaque reduction neutralizing antibody titers were significantly higher in pigs immunized with the vaccine containing reporGM-CSF protein after boosting. However, on the side of vaccine efficacy, most mice (87%) immunized with the inactivated JEV vaccine survived after virulent JEV challenge. Whereas the group with the vaccine containing reporGM-CSF protein showed lower protective effects than the vaccine alone for the biological activity of the GM-CSF depending on species specific. Conclusion Our data indicate that animals inoculated with the JEV vaccines was safe and pigs inoculated with inactivated JEV vaccine containing reporGM-CSF protein showed higher humoral immune responses than that of inactivated JEV vaccine without reporGM-CSF protein.


Background School closures are a widely implemented strategy for limiting infection spread in the current COVID-19 pandemic. The negative impact of school closures on children and young people is increasingly apparent, however. Objective We aim to evaluate the feasibility of an infection monitoring program in schools to enable targeted quarantining to replace school closures. The program is currently being implemented in two model schools in Magdeburg, Germany, within the framework of the Study of Coronavirus Outbreak Prevention in Magdeburg Schools (Studie zur Ausbruchsvermeidung von Corona an Magdeburger Schulen [STACAMA]). Methods Five pupils per class are pseudorandomly selected twice a week and asked to provide a gargle sample over a 16-week evaluation period. RNA is extracted from each sample individually in a laboratory and pooled according to school class for real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (rRT-PCR) analysis. Immediate individual sample testing will be carried out in the case of a positive pool test. Individual RNA extraction prior to pooling and application of rRT-PCR result in high test sensitivity. Testing will be performed in strict adherence to data protection standards. All participating pupils will receive a 16-digit study code, which they will be able to use to access their test Results When the study commenced on December 2, 2020, 520 (52%) pupils and their families or guardians had consented to study participation. The study was suspended after four test rounds due to renewed school closures resulting from rising regional infection incidence. Testing resumed when schools reopened on March 8, 2021, at which time consent to participation was provided for 54% of pupils. We will quantitatively and qualitatively evaluate the logistics and acceptability of the program. Conclusions The findings from this study should inform the design of infection surveillance programs in schools based on gargle samples and a PCR-based pool testing procedure, enabling the identification of aspects that may require adaptation before large-scale implementation. Our focus on each step of the logistics and on the experiences of families should enable a robust assessment of the feasibility of such an approach. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/28673


Analysis of the policies for the elderly people from both an International and Spanish scope. With particular attention to the development of Legislation, Plans and Administrative structures, as well as the available Social Services.


The association between respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in infancy and respiratory abnormalities later in life has been attributed both to a direct effect of the infection itself and to an inherent susceptibility. Observational studies do not allow a rigorous test of these hypotheses. Respiratory syncytial virus infection is universal in the first years of life and no uninfected control group exists. Randomized, controlled trials using new prophylactic agents such as vaccines or specific therapeutic agents will provide a powerful test of the relationship between RSV infection and long-term respiratory sequelae.


In this paper we have tried to compare the various face recognition models against their classical problems. We look at the methods followed by these approaches and evaluate to what extent they are able to solve the problems. All methods proposed have some drawbacks under certain conditions. To overcome these drawbacks we propose a multi-model approach


Future space missions require high-performance on-board processing capabilities and a high degree of flexibility. State of the art radiation tolerant SRAM-based FPGAs with large gate count provide an attractive solution for in-flight dynamic reconfigurability. With these devices an advanced System-on-Chip (SoC) can be implemented, but also the system reliability and qualification has to be guaranteed for the harsh space environment. Therefore single modules have to be isolated from the system physically and logically by qualified communication architecture, presented in this paper: The SpaceWire based System-on-Chip Wire (SoCWire) communication network. SoCWire provides a safe way to dynamically reconfigure parts of the FPGA during flight. First verification results of a dynamic reconfigurable SoC based on SoCWire are presented. Developed around SoCWire, the basic architecture for an advanced Dynamic Reconfigurable Processing Module (DRPM) is proposed.


Ultraprecise fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) microstructures comes up to be one of the most important issues in two-photon induced photopolymerization. To date, it has been difficult to fabricate 3D microstructures without any deformation due to the surface tension between a rinsing material and solidified microstructures during the developing process: In general, the surface tension significantly affects the precision of the resulting 3D microstructures. To overcome this problem, the authors propose a simple and effective laser scanning method to reinforce the strength of 3D microstructures without loss of precision. Overall, a complex 3D artistic sculpture such as "The Thinker" was reproduced in the controlled ultraprecise form, which shows that the proposed method enables the fabrication of 3D patterns with dramatically improved precision and stability.


B1-Leu peptide is a structural optimization compound derived from the lysine- and phenylalanine-rich antimicrobial peptide Cathelicidin-BF. It has shown promising antibacterial and antitumor biological activity. However, linear peptides are not the best choice for novel drug development due to their poor pharmacokinetic properties. In this study, various all-hydrocarbon stapled B1-Leu derivatives were designed and synthesized. Their secondary structure, protease stability, and antitumor and hemolytic activities were also investigated to evaluate their clinical value for cancer therapy. Among them, B1-L-3 and B1-L-6 showed both damaging the tumor cell membrane stability and antitumor activity, showing that they are promising lead compounds for the development of novel cancer therapeutics.


This paper aims to emphasize the importance of applying international consensus guidelines to detect qualitative and quantitative abnormalities of megakaryocytes on smears of bone marrow aspirates (BMA) for a shared and harmonized diagnostic path between different laboratories. Careful evaluation of megakaryocytes on BMA smears represents a cornerstone in the diagnosis of most clonal and nonclonal hematological diseases. Images associated with the detailed morphologic description of normal, reactive, abnormal, and dysplastic megakaryocytes are also reported together with examples of similar cells that, if not promptly identified, can lead to a morphological misdiagnosis.


To reach the goal of sustainable agriculture, smart farming is taking advantage of the Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm. These smart farms are designed to be run by interconnected devices and vehicles. Some enormous potentials can be achieved by the integration of different IoT technologies to achieve automated operations with minimum supervision. This paper outlines some major applications of IoT and UAV in smart farming, explores the communication technologies, network functionalities and connectivity requirements for Smart farming. The connectivity limitations of smart agriculture and it's solutions are analysed with two case studies. In case study-1, we propose and evaluate meshed Long Range Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) gateways to address connectivity limitations of Smart Farming. While in case study-2, we explore satellite communication systems to provide connectivity to smart farms in remote areas of Australia. Finally, we conclude the paper by identifying future research challenges on this topic and outlining directions to address those challenges.


This paper examined the trend in Asian rice production, role of rice in human nutrition and documents structure of rice market in major Asian Countries, by analyzing supply demand and trade scenarios for the fast five decades. Country wise data from FAOSTAT and WTO were collected for the past five decades, to analyze key issues related to rice sector with special focus on rice markets in Asia. Rice Area and production has been increased significantly at higher rate than the population growth rate in Asia over the past fifty years. This resulted in increase of per capita availability of rice and contributed significantly to nutrition security. However, there are wide imbalances in supply-demand across Asian countries. Thus rice trade has become a major global economic activity in the recent past. The structural changes in global rice markets are discussed in detail in the paper.


OPEN ACCESS As per report of WHO [1] (World Health Organization), air pollution (ambient/outdoor and household/indoor air pollution) kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year largely as a result of increased mortality from stroke, heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer and acute respiratory infections. Data of WHO shows that 9 out of 10 people breathe air containing high levels of pollutants. World Health Organization is working with countries to monitor air pollution and improve air quality. From smog hanging over cities to smoke inside the home, air pollution poses a major threat to health and climate. More than 80% of people living in urban areas and around 91% of the world's population live in places where air quality levels exceed WHO limits, with developing and under-developed countries suffering from the highest exposures, both indoors and outdoors [1]. While outdoor air pollution comes from the motor vehicles, burning of fossil fuels and other industrialization activities, indoor air pollution is the result of tobacco smoke and burning fuel for cooking & heating. Furniture and construction materials also emit such pollutants. Both outdoor and indoor air pollution are harmful to the human health


Abstract People with intellectual disabilities are living longer, which in turn leads to a higher probability that they will experience significant loss due to the death of someone they know. This paper describes a systemic therapeutic model, ROC, which combines bereavement therapy with training and support for staff. On reporting the effects of the ROC model, it is noted that changes over time in the type and nature of referrals has shown the ther apeutic value of the program. The author makes a case that the best way to detect and possibly prevent serious emotional problems in this population is to provide training and support in dealing with death and related issues for the service network surrounding these individuals.


Internet of Things(IoT) is an important part of the new generation of information technology and an important stage of development in the era of informatization. As a next generation network, Information Centric Network (ICN) has been introduced into the IoT, leading to the content independence of IC-IoT. To manage the changing network conditions and diagnose the cause of anomalies within it, network operators must obtain and analyze network status information from monitoring tools. However, traditional network supervision method will not be applicable to IC-IoT centerd on content rather than IP. Moreover, the surge in information volume will also bring about insufficient information distribution, and the data location in the traditional management information base is fixed and cannot be added or deleted. To overcome these problems, we propose a name-based smart tracking system to store network state information in the IC-IoT. Firstly, we design a new structure of management information base that records various network state information and changes its naming format. Secondly, we use a tracking method to obtain the required network status information. When the manager issues a status request, each data block has a defined data tracking table to record past requests, the location of the status data required can be located according to it. Thirdly, we put forward an adaptive network data location replacement strategy based on the importance of stored data blocks, so that the information with higher importance will be closer to the management center for more efficient acquisition. Simulation results indicate the feasibility of the proposed scheme.


An intelligent building can be defined as a dynamic and responsive infrastructure that integrates disparate building systems to effectively manage resources, provide benefits and optimise processes. The need for better knowledge management and development of research requires that intelligent buildings and their systems be classified. This paper develops an ontology of intelligent buildings based on a hierarchical framework, a formal definition of building intelligence and highlights their Key Performance Factors (KPF). A systematic qualitative review approach was used to investigate the current state of knowledge in the field of evolution of intelligent buildings, types of intelligent building technologies (IBT), methods to develop an ontology and the components of an ontology. Then the ontology was created by segregating the various elements of an intelligent building as "objects" and "classes", along with their defining attributes and the relations between them. Some significant examples of coordination among the intelligent building systems were reported. It was deduced that every current building can be considered intelligent, though the degree of intelligence would vary according to the systems used and their attributes. KPFs were identified, which impart intelligent properties to building technologies and thus help decide the level of building intelligence. Subsequently this research was validated by an on-site study of the BRE Innovation Park, UK. Observing seven state-of-art demo buildings equipped with the latest innovations in intelligent building technologies helped assess, if all the necessary features of intelligent buildings were part of the ontology and whether the established hierarchy was consistent with operations observed on-site.


PURPOSE
The ultrastructure of tight junctions in the corneal endothelium has been studied extensively, yet little is known about their molecular composition. Junctional adhesion molecule-A (JAM-A) is a tight junction-associated adhesion protein previously implicated in tight junction assembly and regulation of barrier function. In this study, we sought to investigate the expression and function of JAM-A in the corneal endothelium.

METHODS
Immunofluorescence confocal microscopy was used to investigate expression of JAM-A and the related proteins JAM-C, CAR, and AF-6 in the rabbit corneal endothelium. Corneal endothelial perfusion specular microscopy was then used to test the effects of antibodies to JAM-A on corneal swelling.

RESULTS
The expression of JAM-A was observed in the tight junctions of rabbit corneal endothelium in a localization pattern identical with that of ZO-1, a known marker of the tight junction and binding partner of JAM-A. Expression of related proteins JAM-C and CAR (Coxsackie and adenovirus receptor) was also observed in the corneal endothelium, but their distribution was diffuse and not limited to the tight junction. Expression of AF-6, a known binding partner of JAM-A, was also observed in the tight junction in a pattern similar to ZO-1. Last, functional experiments were performed in which a monoclonal antibody to JAM-A was shown to increase rabbit corneal swelling by 63% compared with the control.

CONCLUSIONS
The results provide new evidence that JAM-A and its binding partner AF-6 are expressed in tight junctions of the corneal endothelium and that JAM-A has a major role in maintaining the corneal endothelial barrier function.


The authors address parallel developments in Family Healthcare Units (USF) in Portugal (since 2006) and in primary care Family Clinics (CF) in Rio de Janeiro (since 2009). In this essay, they highlight the meeting that took place in Portugal with Brazilian Health Ministry and Rio de Janeiro Department of Health members in October 2009. Being directly involved (since May 2016) in the development of USF in the Lisbon Region, and having visited, in November 2016, several CF in Rio de Janeiro, they analyze aspects such as: organization in permanent structural multi-professional teams; main common characteristics of the teams; teambuilding processes; organization and technical autonomy; instruments to regulate autonomy; responsibility and accountability - contracting processes; monitoring and evaluation; leadership system; motivational factors for professionals and for the team as a whole; learning organizations. All these aspects converge to a "3P" framework: "purposes" - organizing and orienting multi-professional teams towards health gains and the wellbeing of the individuals and the population; "people" - both those who are beneficiaries of health care services, as well as the health care professionals; "processes" - that must be permanently questioned, evaluated and enhanced.


Cervical cancer screening with Pap cytology has effectively reduced the incidence of morbidity and mortality from invasive cervical cancer. However, Pap cytology has important limitation and is not completely protective. Invasive cervical cancers are still diagnosed and main reasons are an insufficient coverage rate and presence of false-negative results. HPV testing has greater sensitivity than Pap cytology for detecting high-grade lesions and cancer and is clearly one of the most promising new screening tools. It has the potential to improve cervical cancer screening effectiveness. The aim of our study was to discuss the current situation of cervical cancer screening in Switzerland, limitations of Pap cytology as well as the benefice expected with HPV testing and vaccienes.


Aims: To compare the effects of 3 months' tibolone treatment with the effects of placebo on sexual function (in particular, vaginal blood flow, and sexual desire and arousability) and climacteric symptoms in postmenopausal women. Methods: A randomized, double-blind, cross-over study was conducted in 38 postmenopausal women who received tibolone 2.5 mg/day and placebo. Vaginal blood flow during erotic stimulation by fantasy and film was measured using a vaginal photoplethysmograph and subjects completed sexual function questionnaires and daily diaries. Results: Tibolone significantly increased baseline vaginal pulse amplitude (VPA) levels compared with placebo. There were significant treatment differences in VPA in favor of tibolone during fantasy periods but not during erotic film stimulation. Tibolone was associated with significant increases in sexual desire, and the frequency of arousability and of sexual fantasies compared with those with placebo. Vaginal lubrication was significantly improved on tibolone. Twenty-five of 38 (66%) subjects correctly guessed when they were on active treatment. Tibolone was well tolerated. Conclusions: Tibolone was associated with significant improvements in sexual function in postmenopausal women, reflecting both its estrogenic and androgenic properties. There were significantly greater increases in vaginal blood flow with tibolone in response to erotic fantasy but not film, suggesting two possible pathways of female sexual response.


Commercial and residential buildings are responsible for a substantial portion of total global energy consumption and as a result make a significant contribution to global carbon emissions. Hence, energy-saving goals that target buildings can have a major impact in reducing environmental damage. During building operation, a significant amount of energy is wasted due to equipment and human-related faults. To reduce waste, today's smart buildings monitor energy usage with the aim of identifying abnormal consumption behaviour and notifying the building manager to implement appropriate energy-saving procedures. To this end, this research proposes the ensemble anomaly detection (EAD) framework. The EAD is a generic framework that combines several anomaly detection classifiers using majority voting. This anomaly detection classifiers are formed using existing machine learning algorithm. It is assumed that each anomaly classifier has equal weight. More importantly, to ensure diversity of anomaly classifiers, the EAD is implemented by combining pattern-based and predictionbased anomaly classifiers. For this reason, this research also proposes a new pattern-based anomaly classifier, the collective contextual anomaly detection using sliding window (CCADSW) framework. The CCAD-SW, which is also a machine leaning-based framework that identifies anomalous consumption patterns using overlapping sliding windows. The EAD framework combines the CCAD-SW, which is implemented using autoencoder, with two predictionbased anomaly classifiers that are implemented using the support vector regression and random forest machine-learning algorithms. In addition, it determines an ensemble threshold that yields an anomaly classifier with optimal anomaly detection capability and false positive minimization. Results show that the EAD performs better than the individual anomaly detection classifiers. In the EAD framework, the optimal ensemble anomaly classifier is not attained by combining the individual learners at their respective optimal performance levels. Instead, an ensemble threshold combination that yields the optimal anomaly classifier was identified by searching through the ensemble threshold space. The research was evaluated using real-world data provided by Powersmiths, located in Brampton, Ontario, Canada.


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A Short-wave ultra-wideband balanced amplifier with high linearity and lower noise based on balanced structure is presented. The amplifier is realized by Equilibrium structure, Balun broadband matching, Coupler feedback and Power backoff technology. Equilibrium structure is used to greatly improve the second order distortion and Lossless coupler feedback to reduce the noise. The RF frequency is 1.5∼100MHz. The test results show that the gain is 13 dB, the gain flatness is 0.1 dB, the maximum of noise figure is 3.1 dB, the referred 1-dB compression point (P1dB) is above 30dBm the second order output intercept point (OIP2) is above 90dBm, and the third order output intercept point (OIP3) is above 49dBm.


The corn earworm (Helicoverpa armigera) and the native budworm (H. punctigera) are major pests of irrigated soybean in southern New South Wales and northern Victoria. Information on the within-plant distribution of eggs is required to assist in the development of appropriate sampling techniques for these pests and to determine possible effects on the control achieved by insecticides. Field-cage experiments were conducted to determine the within-plant distribution of the eggs of both species throughout the development of a soybean crop. The distribution of eggs in the field was also recorded from commercial crops of soybean. The results indicate that the majority of eggs of both species are laid on fully expanded leaves in the top 20 cm of the crop canopy at all growth stages, except pod fill. This distribution resulted from a preference for leaves and the top of the canopy, combined with the dominance of leaves as potential oviposition sites. There was a strong preference for the lower surfaces of the leaves, with the upper surface rarely preferred. During the reproductive development of the crop, H. armigera exhibited a strong preference for the developing flowers and pods, while H. punctigera showed a preference only for fully developed pods. The preference for flowers and pods, combined with the increase in the proportional area of leaves in the lower regions of the canopy, led to a decrease in the proportion of eggs laid in the top 20 cm of the canopy as the crop developed. Although the two species tended to lay eggs on different plant structures, the vertical distribution of eggs within the canopy was similar. The results are discussed in terms of the development of appropriate sampling techniques and possible effects on insecticidal control.


Aim Presentation of two cases of superficial epigastric vein aneurysm simulating inguinal hernia. To our knowledge, only one other case is reported in the literature. Case presentation. The first case was a 34-year-old female with left inguinal pain and swelling which was clinically diagnosed as inguinal hernia. The second case was a 28-year-old female with inguinal pain and swelling, depicted with triplex ultrasonography and computed tomography, and was suspected to have inguinal hernia or enlarged inguinal lymph node. During the surgical exploration, both patients were found to have thrombosed aneurysm of the superficial epigastric vein. During the surgical exploration, both patients were found to have thrombosed aneurysm of the superficial epigastric vein. The superficial epigastric vein was ligated, and the venous aneurysms (6 × 4 × 3 and 2 × 3 × 2.5 cm, respectively) were excised. Histological examination of the thrombosed aneurysm showed complete replacement of the vascular wall by fibrous tissue, thrombosis, and an inflammatory reaction. There were no postoperative complications, and both patients were discharged on the second postoperative day. The 3-month and 1-year follow-up examination, respectively, was uneventful. Conclusion Although venous aneurysms in the inguinal area are rare, they should be included in the differential diagnosis of a groin swelling.


Has the Juncker Commission delivered a "new start" for EU Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) policies? This book examines the question in relation to the performance of the European Commission's intra-institutional setting while taking stock of the most relevant legislative developments and acts in the EU Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (AFSJ) from 2014 up to the end of 2018. These developments are critically assessed in view of the rule of law and fundamental rights standards enshrined in the Treaties and the EU's Better Regulation commitments. The book argues that this has been the Commission of crisis and that the 'politics of crisis' have not benefited the Juncker Commission overall. They have allowed for greater intergovernmentalism, rule of law backsliding, informalisation and exceptionalism in EU AFSJ policies. The book puts forward a set of policy priorities for the next Commission term from mid-2019. It recommends unequivocally placing EU founding principles first – rule of law, fundamental rights and democracy – as these reinforce each other and work together in safeguarding the constitutional core of the EU and its member states. They are also key ingredients for ensuring the legitimation and credibility of European integration and maintaining social trust.


Credit and debit cards, rather than actual money, have become the universal payment means. With these cards, it has become possible to buy expensive items easily without an additional complex authentication procedure being conducted. However, card transaction features are targeted by criminals seeking to use a lost or stolen card and looking for a chance to replicate it. Accidents, whether caused by the negligence of users or not, that lead to a transaction being performed by a criminal rather than the authorized card user should be prevented. Therefore, card companies are providing their clients with a variety of policies and standards to cover this eventuality. Card companies must therefore be able to distinguish between the rightful user and illegal users according to these standards in order to minimize damage resulting from unauthorized transactions.
However, there is a limit to applying the same fixed standards to all card users, since the transaction patterns of people differ and even individuals' transaction patterns may change frequently due to changes income and consumption preference. Therefore, when only a specific threshold is applied, it is difficult to distinguish a fraudulent card transaction from a legitimate one.
In this paper, we present methods for learning the individual patterns of a card user's transaction amount and the region in which he or she uses the card, for a given period, and for determining whether the specified transaction is allowable in accordance with these learned user transaction patterns. Then, we classify legitimate transactions and fraudulent transactions by setting thresholds based on the learned individual patterns.


One of the major challenges in molecular biology is to understand the precise mechanism by which gene expression is regulated. Reconstruction of transcription networks is essential to modelling this mechanism. We describe a novel approach for building transcription networks from transcription modules by combining expression profile correlations with probabilistic element assessment. To demonstrate its performance, we systematically tested it on 27 transcription modules and reconstructed the transcription network for 6 transcription factors and 15 genes involved in the yeast cell cycle. The experimental results show that our combinatorial approach can better filter false positives to increase the selectivity in prediction of target genes. The regulatory control relationships described by the network reconstructed also mostly agree with those in earlier studies.


In this paper we look into the lead-lag relationships between different stock markets. For this we investigate the effect that the lagged excess returns of one country has on the excess returns of another country using different model specifications. First we follow Rapach et al. (2013) and we find similar results, namely that Sweden shows a leading role in-sample, whereas the U.S. shows a leading role both in-sample and out-of-sample. Furthermore, we extend this research by looking more in-depth into Europe. For this we add seven European countries into the analysis. We find that the lagged excess returns of the U.S. have a predictive ability in the Pairwise Granger causality tests, where we only include the lagged excess returns of the country itself. However, U.S.' lagged excess returns have no predictive ability in the general model specification, where we include the lagged excess returns of all countries. So it seems that the U.S. lost its leading role. Besides that, we find that Finland shows a leading role both in-sample in all the specifications and out-of-sample. However, we find that the U.S. has better out-of-sample predictive performance than Finland. This, in combination with the result that the U.S. does show a predictive ability in the Pairwise Granger tests, indicates that the U.S. still has a leading role in the international stock market.


The infiltration and distribution of water through unsaturated soil determine its mechanical and hydrological properties. However, there are few methods that can accurately capture the spatial distribution of moisture inside soil. This study aims to demonstrate the use of actively heated fiber optic (AHFO) and Brillouin optical time domain analysis (BOTDA) technologies for monitoring soil moisture distribution as well as strain distribution. In addition to a laboratory model test, finite element analyses were conducted to interpret the measurements. During the experiment, the fine particle migration was also measured to understand its influence on soil hydraulic conductivity. The results of the experiment indicate that (i) for a soil that has never experienced a watering-dewatering cycle, water infiltration can be accurately calculated using the Richards' equation; (ii) migration of fine soil particles caused by the watering-dewatering cycle significantly increases the hydraulic conductivity; and (iii) two critical zones (drainage and erosion) play significant roles in determining the overall hydraulic conductivity of the entire soil. This study provides a new method for monitoring the changes in soil moisture, soil strain, and hydraulic conductivity. The observations suggest that the effect of fine particles migration should be considered while evaluating soil moisture distribution and water movement.


This article investigates the relationship between globalization and primary energy consumption in twelve Latin America and Caribbean countries from 1991 to 2012 using the auto-regressive distributive lag (ARDL) methodology. The elasticities results showed that increase of 1% on index globalization exerts a positive impact of 0.4449 % above the primary energy consumption. The variables gross domestic product (GDP) and dioxide carbon emissions (CO2) exert a positive impact in short and long-run, as well as the variable capital account openness has a negative effect in long-run.


We highlight a rare presentation of Legionella infection in a 77-year-old woman with a clinical diagnosis of giant cell arteritis 2 months prior to presentation. She was started on 60 mg prednisone that was tapered to 10 mg after 4 weeks following her diagnosis. She presented with a 1-month progressive dyspnoea in the absence of any other symptoms. Her exposure history was significant only for a recent trip to Florida where she stayed at a hotel. Initial laboratory workup was significant for hyponatraemia (127 mmol/L). Workup including bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and induced sputum for gram stain, acid fast stain and bacterial culture were negative for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia and other opportunistic infectious agents. However, BAL was positive for Legionella pneumophila via PCR that was confirmed by a positive urinary Legionella antigen. The patient received treatment with levofloxacin that led to full resolution of her symptoms.


Current research on physical education teacher education (PETE) has shown that pre-service teachers' beliefs concerning the scope of physical education (PE) remain highly influential during their studies. However, undergraduate programmes seem to have a limited effect on pre-service teachers' teaching priorities, and this situation is left unchallenged. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the impact of two PE teaching methods modules, which included school placement experiences, over one academic year, on pre-service PE teachers' belief systems towards four important curricular outcomes. A total of 373 undergraduate pre-service teachers (238 males, 135 females; mean = 21.02, standard deviation = 2.33 years) from three major Greek faculties of PE and sport science twice completed a previously validated four-factor instrument. The results indicated that pre-service teachers shared some similar beliefs about the outcome goals of PE, as they all classified physical activity and fitness as the most important one. The teaching methods modules had a positive impact on their beliefs, which were reinforced; however, their classification did not change over time. Both teaching- and coaching-oriented pre-service teachers classified the curricular outcomes in an identical way. Data suggested that PETE recruits prioritized the fitness learning outcomes, and this was in alignment with utilitarian approaches proposed recently in PE, which forward measurable PE learning outcomes. Also, participants preferred to hold and reinforce their personal belief structures and were not willing to change them, complying with faculty staff dispositions. Implications of these findings and recommendations for more effective school placement experiences are discussed.


This paper proposes a new method for computing the grasping forces of object grasped by multiple cooperating manipulators or a multifingered robot hand. The intention is to find grasping forces that ensure safe grasp on the object during arbitrary manipulation. The grasp should be with minimal internal loading of the object. The finger/object contacts are treated as the surface contacts with Coulomb friction. Consequently, the contact friction moments are not being ignored. This method predicts the magnitude of the inwardly directed normal components of the grasping forces. These components and the tangential (friction) components of the grasping forces and grasping friction moments that act normally to the object at each finger/object interface hold the object. To solve the problem the limitations of the grasping force and moment components were defined. Force components were divided into active and passive components. The influences of the friction force components on the force and on the moment equilibrium were considered separately. The iterative algorithm for predicting grasping force and moment components, satisfying their limitations and condition of the minimal internal loading, is proposed.


Haemangiopericytoma (HPC) is a rare vascular tumor arising from the pericytes of Zimmermann and is characterized by its unpredictable and variable biological behavior. These tumors are common in the trunk and the extremities and less than 16% of the cases occur in the head & neck region. Its occurrence in the oral cavity and pharynx is uncommon. We report an extremely rare case of haemangiopericytoma of the oropharynx arising from the tonsillo-lingual sulcus as a pedunculated mass, which was successfully excised perorally after a preliminary tracheostomy. No recurrence has been noted on a follow-up of more than six years.


A novel thermophilic marine bacterium, designated strain T1T, was isolated from a deep-sea hydrothermal vent chimney sample collected from the Suiyo Seamount in the Izu-Bonin Arc, Japan, at a depth of 1,385 m. Cells of strain T1T were rod-shaped, occurring in pairs or filamentous, and stained Gram-negative. Growth was observed between 50.0 and 72.5 degrees C (optimum 67.5 degrees C; 30 min doubling time) and at pH 6.25-7.75 (optimum pH 7.00). The isolate absolutely required NaCl, at a concentration of 0.5-4.5% (optimum 30%). It was a strictly aerobic heterotroph capable of growing solely on complex organic substrates such as yeast extract, tryptone and Casamino acids, utilizing glutamate, proline, serine, cellobiose, trehalose, sucrose, acetate and pyruvate as complementary substrates. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 68.6 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of the isolate was most similar to those from members of the genus Thermus, but the isolate was distantly related to them at the genus level (<90%). In addition, phylogenetic analysis indicated that the isolate was on a novel lineage, deeply branched prior to divergence of the genus Thermus. On the basis of phylogenetic analysis and physiological traits of the isolate, it should be described as a member of a novel genus distinct from the previously described genus Thermus. The name Marinithermus gen. nov. is proposed, with Marinithermus hydrothermalis gen. nov., sp. nov. as the type species. The type strain of M. hydrothermalis gen. nov., sp. nov. is strain T1T (=JCM 11576T =DSM 14884T).


In the interests of time, I'll just thank everybody. Not just my students, mentors, and family, but the entire field of petrology. Thanks for encouraging me to think and work for 30 years and counting. I don't know why petrology raises my pulse whilst somebody else obsesses over climate or embryology or astrophysics. Can it be genetic? Surely it's more than the topic; it's also your collective personality. Maybe it's because I like a good argument. Mind you, I do wish we could actually settle some of our debates. You know, like the physicists—a question is fought over, someone makes a definitive measurement, and everybody moves on to a new challenge. But even if petrology cannot stop chasing its tail, it is also an elastic domain that invites us to ask ever-larger questions. Petrology started as "the origin of rocks" but it expands and colonizes—from nanophases to magma oceans, from carbon sequestration to super-Earths. Everything is a petrologic object, from the core to the clouds, from cement to comets. Yes, they all can be understood with phase diagrams. I'm grateful to contribute a little to this contentious widening adventure and thankful to have all of you as colleagues, adversaries, and friends.


Cloud computing has emerged as a cost-effiective way for delivering metered computing resources. It supports a Pay-as-you-go model of computation in which users pay only for the resources used, when used. Within this context managing resource elasticity has become an active research topic for the research community. A major focus of such research has been on investigating various approaches to support dynamic scaling of the resources used so as to match the users computational demands while minimising the cost of using such resources. However, little or no work has investigated the concept of supporting algorithm elasticity itself, i.e. organizing the users computation to adapt dynamically to resource availability and cost. In this paper we introduce the concept of an elastic algorithm (EA), and algorithm that structures the computation to make use of the Pay-as-you-go paradigm. In contrast to conventional algorithms, where a computation is typically regarded as a deterministic process that only produces an all-or-nothing result, an EA is organized to generate a sequence of approximate results corresponding to its resource consumption. On a tight resource budget the algorithm guarantees producing an approximate useful result. However, if the user has more budget, and accordingly can use more resources, an EA guarantees producing better results. In this sense, the quality of the algorithm output becomes elastic to its resource consumption. In this paper, we formalize the properties of algorithm elasticity and also formalize the key features of an EA. We illustrate the key concepts by designing an elastic kNN classification algorithm and discussing its key elastic features. We also describe a number of key challenges that need to be addressed when designing EAs in general and set them as a research agenda for the community.


Electron configurations close to the tetrahedral hybridization are found in pure amorphous carbon at a concentration which depends on preparation conditions. Tetrahedral bonding at levels of approximately 80% is found in amorphous carbons formed from beams of carbon ions with energies in a `window' between 20 eV and approximately 500 eV. Suitable techniques for its formation include cathodic arc deposition, ion beam deposition and laser ablation. Similar material appears to be formed by pressure treatment of fullerene precursors and by displacement damage in diamond. Highly tetrahedral forms of amorphous carbon (ta-C) show electronic, optical and mechanical properties which approach those of diamond and are quite different from amorphous carbons with low content. Useful techniques for determining the content include electron energy loss spectroscopy, electron and neutron diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Considerable progress has been made in the understanding of this material by simulating its structure in the computer with a range of techniques from empirical potentials to ab initio quantum mechanics. The structure shows departures from an idealized glassy state of diamond which would have a random tetrahedral network structure as used to describe amorphous silicon and germanium. A surprising feature of the structure simulated using ab initio methods is the presence of small rings containing three or four carbon atoms. The electronic and optical properties are strongly influenced by the residual of carbon. Applications to electronic devices are at an early stage with the demonstration of photoconductivity and some simple junction devices. Applications as a wear resistant coating are promising, since the theoretically predicted high values of elastic constants, comparable to but less than those of diamond, are achieved experimentally, together with low friction coefficients.


This paper introduces recent activities associated with the development of a new long duration solar powered autonomous surface vehicle (ASV) known as the Ocean Atmosphere Sensor Integration System (OASIS). A brief discussion of ASV applications, platform research and development, and challenges is presented. Platform development objectives and the relationship to resulting systems, hull and deck design, and deployment and recovery are highlighted. The paper discusses the development approach, technology, and architecture for the onboard and off-board control systems. A brief chronology of the hardware integration and on water checkout is also provided. A synopsis of current and future collision avoidance considerations is presented


Seasonal patterns of tree growth are often related to rainfall, temperature, and relative moisture regimes. We asked whether diameter growth of mangrove trees in Micronesia, where seasonal changes are minimal, is continuous throughout a year or conforms to an annual cycle. We installed dendrometer bands on Sonneratia alba and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza trees growing naturally within mangrove swamps on the islands of Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), Pohnpei, FSM, and Butaritari, Republic of Kiribati, in the eastern Caroline Islands of the western Pacific Ocean. Trees were remeasured monthly or quarterly for as long as 6 yr. Annual mean individual tree basal area increments ranged from 7.0 to 79.6 cm2/yr for all S. alba trees and from 4.8 to 27.4 cm2/yr for all B. gymnorrhiza trees from Micronesian high islands. Diameter increment for S. alba on Butaritari Atoll was lower at 7.8 cm2/yr for the one year measured. Growth rates differed significantly by hydrogeomorphic zone. Riverine and interior zones maintained up to seven times the annual diameter growth rate of fringe forests, though not on Pohnpei, where basal area increments for both S. alba and B. gymnorrhiza were approximately 1.5 times greater in the fringe zone than in the interior zone. Time‐series modeling indicated that there were no consistent and statistically significant annual diameter growth patterns. Although rainfall has some seasonality in some years on Kosrae and Pohnpei and overall growth of mangroves was sometimes related positively to quarterly rainfall depths, seasonal diameter growth patterns were not distinctive. A reduced chance of moisture‐related stress in high‐rainfall, wetland environments may serve to buffer growth of Micronesian mangroves from climatic extremes.


Motivation: Over the past few years, experimental evidence has highlighted the role of microRNAs to human diseases. miRNAs are critical for the regulation of cellular processes, and, therefore, their aberration can be among the triggering causes of pathological phenomena. They are just one member of the large class of non-coding RNAs, which include transcribed ultra-conserved regions (T-UCRs), small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs), PIWI-interacting RNAs (piRNAs), large intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs) and, the heterogeneous group of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Their associations with diseases are few in number, and their reliability is questionable. In literature, there is only one recent method proposed by Yang et al. (2014) to predict lncRNA-disease associations. This technique, however, lacks in prediction quality. All these elements entail the need to investigate new bioinformatics tools for the prediction of high quality ncRNA-disease associations. Here, we propose a method called ncPred for the inference of novel ncRNA-disease association based on recommendation technique. We represent our knowledge through a tripartite network, whose nodes are ncRNAs, targets, or diseases. Interactions in such a network associate each ncRNA with a disease through its targets. Our algorithm, starting from such a network, computes weights between each ncRNA-disease pair using a multi-level resource transfer technique that at each step takes into account the resource transferred in the previous one. Results: The results of our experimental analysis show that our approach is able to predict more biologically significant associations with respect to those obtained by Yang et al. (2014), yielding an improvement in terms of the average area under the ROC curve (AUC). These results prove the ability of our approach to predict biologically significant associations, which could lead to a better understanding of the molecular processes involved in complex diseases. Availability: All the ncPred predictions together with the datasets used for the analysis are available at the following url: http://alpha.dmi.unict.it/ncPred/


An important topic, which most statisticians fully understand, is that in order for many statistical inference procedures to be valid, the data must come from a random sample. However, the consequences of not meeting this assumption are seldom demonstrated. In this paper, we discuss how heart rate data collected by students may be used to demonstrate this concept. When asked to collect data from a sample of five people, the students will never follow true random selection. The resulting data then gives the instructor a large number of samples of size n=5, ready-made to estimate the coverage probability of confidence intervals for the mean heart rate. This coverage probability has never failed to be far below the stated confidence level. We then pool the data and divide the observations randomly into samples of size n=5. Once confidence intervals are constructed on each of these random samples, the coverage probability is correct.


The first amputees were undoubtedly survivors of accidental amputations . Similarly, the first adaptive device was probably a forked stick used as a crutch to substitute for the lost function of an amputated leg . The eventual invention of a padded peg leg was a major technical breakthrough and became common practice for several centuries . There are historical accounts of armor manufacturers designing marvelously ingenious artificial joints as early as the 15th and 16th centuries (1) . It was not until the 20th century, however, that any significant technological gains were made in prosthetic devices . Today, a wide variety of technically sophisticated prosthetic appliances are available, many of which exhibit amazingly lifelike function and appearance. As advanced as the new devices are, however, their use by amputees is still severely hampered by problems at the interface between the appliance and the residual limb, which is the same problem that faced the wearer of the peg leg centuries ago. Perhaps the most troublesome problem today is pain associated with the tissues of the stump that must bear the weight of the


A two-layered model is proposed in this study to describe the error generating process of each component link in a concatenated digital transmission system. The first layer models the arrivals of physical impairments as a continuous time Poisson process. Each occurrence of a physical impairment yields a cluster of errors. The second layer describes the statistics of the intra-structure of each error cluster in discrete time. According to the nature of physical impairments, the length of an error cluster has a general probability distribution and is independent and identically distributed variable. Within an error cluster, the bit errors are generated according to a sequence of Bernoulli trials, This mixed-type description facilitates the evaluation of both global and local information regarding the error performance of the overall concatenated transmission system. >


Abstract Mutations in SOX10 cause neurocristopathies which display varying degrees of hypopigmentation. Using a sensitized mutagenesis screen, we identified Smarca4 as a modifier gene that exacerbates the phenotypic severity of Sox10 haplo-insufficient mice. Conditional deletion of Smarca4 in SOX10 expressing cells resulted in reduced numbers of cranial and ventral trunk melanoblasts. To define the requirement for the Smarca4 -encoded BRG1 subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, we employed in vitro models of melanocyte differentiation in which induction of melanocyte-specific gene expression is closely linked to chromatin alterations. We found that BRG1 was required for expression of Dct, Tyrp1 and Tyr, genes that are regulated by SOX10 and MITF and for chromatin remodeling at distal and proximal regulatory sites. SOX10 was found to physically interact with BRG1 in differentiating melanocytes and binding of SOX10 to the Tyrp1 distal enhancer temporally coincided with recruitment of BRG1. Our data show that SOX10 cooperates with MITF to facilitate BRG1 binding to distal enhancers of melanocyte-specific genes. Thus, BRG1 is a SOX10 co-activator, required to establish the melanocyte lineage and promote expression of genes important for melanocyte function.


Collagenous micronodules (CMs) are microscopic stromal nodular eosinophilic fibrillar collagen deposition of uncertain histogenesis seen in prostatic adenocarcinoma. Per the 2005 International Society of Urologic Pathology (ISUP) consensus conference, they are categorized as Gleason pattern 3. This study analyzes morphological and clinical features of CMs from a large series of radical prostatectomies. Hematoxylin and eosin stained slides for 129 radical prostatectomies for adenocarcinoma of prostate with CMs and for 93 prostatic adenocarcinoma cases without CMs as comparison were examined out of a total of 667 cases performed from January 2010 to December 2011 at Houston Methodist Hospital. CMs were identified in 19% of all radical prostatectomies (129/667 cases). Almost all tumors with CMs were located in the peripheral zone (98%) as single or multiple foci of prostatic cancer glands. The vast majority of cases (96%) were identified in association with mucinous secretion. A cribriform Gleason pattern 4 was associated in 86 cases (67%). The CMs were associated with glomerulation (42%) and amphophilic luminal secretion (59%). 88 cases (68%) showed tumor foci with Gleason pattern ≥ 4 in close association with CMs. Multivariate analysis revealed CMs of the prostatic adenocarcinoma are closely related to mucinous secretion, cribriform growth pattern, and Gleason pattern 4. This study suggests that CMs are more frequently associated with Gleason pattern 4 cancer warranting morphologic reappraisal of CMs, rather than the consensus assignment of Gleason pattern 3.


This study focuses on the application of multimedia technology in foreign language teaching and learning in China's colleges. It shows that multi-media technology has posed challenges in such aspects as teachers, students, teaching and learning environment, and teaching evaluation and management. And it points out that the existing problems in it mainly include the lack of the integration of multimedia technology into the classroom teaching, the gap between the potentials of multimedia technology and teachers and students' understanding and proficiency, the insufficiency of students' awareness and ability of autonomous learning, and the outdated system of teaching evaluation and management. At last, it explains its implications, namely, strengthening teachers' education and development, provoking students' learning potentials and initiatives, perfecting the integration of multimedia teaching and traditional classroom teaching, and working out a practical and effective system of teaching evaluation and management.


The aim of the study is to describe and analyze design of mobile teaching for students collaborative learning in distance higher education with a focus on mobile technologies as online webinars (web-based seminars or conferencing) by using laptops, smart phones, or tablets. These multimedia tools can provide face-toface interactions, recorded flipped classroom videos and parallel chat communications. The data collection consists of interviews with 22 students and observations of online face-to-face webinars, as well two surveys. Theoretically, the study joins the research tradition of Computer Supported Collaborative learning, CSCL, as well as Computer Self-Efficacy, CSE concerned with individuals' media and information literacy. Important conclusions from the study demonstrated mobile interactions increased student centered learning. As the students were appreciating the working methods, they became more engaged and motivated. The mobile technology using among student also contributes to increased flexibility between space and place, as well as media and information literacy. Keywords—Computer self-efficacy, computer supported collaborative learning, distance and open learning, educational design and technologies, media and information literacy, mobile learning.


To study the role of ABA in development and ripening of strawberry fruit, two ABA key synthetase genes FaNCED1, FaNCED2 and one ABA key degradation enzyme gene FaCYP707A1 were cloned from strawberry cultivar 'Ablion'. The three genes and putative amino acid sequences, respectively, had high similarities with their homologues in other plants. In strawberry pulp, expression of FaNCED2 rose in two stages that corresponded with increases in ABA levels. The expression of FaNCED1 was much lower and increased continually. The expression of FaCYP707A1 increased as fruit changed from bright green to white, then decreased as it ripened. Auxin reduced expression of these three genes. Analysis of expression of these genes in different organs and tissues showed that FaNCED2 was abundant in mature achenes and the pulp (receptacle) had high expression of FaNCED1 and FaCYP707A1. ABA may play a regulation role in strawberry fruit development and ripening. The content of ABA was regulated by its key synthetase gene NCED2 and degradation gene CYP707A1.


Stroke is one of cerebrovascular diseases caused by the obstruction of blood flow to the brain. Stroke becomes the leading cause of death in Indonesia and the second in the world. Stroke also causes of the disability. Ischemic stroke accounts for most of all stroke cases. Obstruction of blood flow can cause tissue damage which results the electrical changes in the brain that can be observed through the electroencephalogram (EEG). In this study, we presented the results of automatic detection of ischemic stroke and normal subjects based on the scaling exponent EEG obtained through detrended fluctuation analysis (DFA) using extreme learning machine (ELM) as the classifier. The signal processing was performed with 18 channels of EEG in the range of 0-30 Hz. Scaling exponents of the subjects were used as the input for ELM to classify the ischemic stroke. The performance of detection was observed by the value of accuracy, sensitivity and specificity. The result showed, performance of the proposed method to classify the ischemic stroke was 84 % for accuracy, 82 % for sensitivity and 87 % for specificity with 120 hidden neurons and sine as the activation function of ELM.


Variation in soil properties can influence plant composition and distribution in river floodplains of semi-arid regions. Soil data were collected alongside tree species data on and off the Tana River floodplain in South-eastern Kenya from plots that were organized along transects. A t-test was used to compare soil properties and canonical correspondence analysis to relate the soil properties to the tree species distribution. Moisture (t = 5.92), pH (t = 2.03), P (t = 5.91), Mg (t = 3.25) and Ca (t = 2.04) were significantly higher inside the floodplain (P < 0.05), and bulk density outside the floodplain (t = -8.76, P < 0.05). The influence of soil properties on tree species distribution was higher inside the floodplain with a higher fitted variation of 43% for the first two axes. Bulk density, Ca, Mg, K and CEC significantly influenced the distribution of tree species inside and outside the floodplain. The influence of moisture, P, N and C outside, and pH inside was also significant. The results show that soil properties and flood regime disturbances are important drivers of the vegetation composition. This information is useful in management of tree populations in the light of climate variability and mega dam constructions.


PS assessment plays a major role in determining the investigations and treatments offered to patients with suspected or confirmed lung cancer.1 The National Lung Cancer Audit (NLCA) advices that 65% of patients with PS 0-1 and advanced (Stage 3B/4) Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) should receive Systemic Anti-Cancer Treatment (SACT). Aim: To assess the consistency of PS assessment of patients attending the lung cancer clinics between doctors, clinical nurse specialists (CNS') and the self-assessment of the patients themselves and hence to validate the use of PS assessment in Lung cancer MDTs in making treatment decisions. Method: Prospective survey of patients, doctors and lung cancer nurses scoring of the PS (WHO scale) at the first lung cancer clinic assessment and assessing concordance between the three groups. 49 consecutive patients attending lung cancer clinic in a UK District General Hospital. Results: see table 1: Conclusion: Though there is a degree of variation in PS assessment between the clinicians (doctors & CNS') and patients' self-assessment, there seemed to be concordance between the doctors and nurses. This observational study emphasises the importance of uniformity in PS assessment to deliver a patient centred care. Reference: 1. JAMA Oncol. 2015;1(7):998. doi:10.1001/jamaoncol.2015.3113


The early stage of the postseismic phase is characterized by a large deformation rate. Its analysis is thus key to decipher the role played by different mechanisms (afterslip and viscoelasticity) at various time scales. Here, we process GPS data to obtain 30‐s kinematic position time series recording the surface deformation following the Mw 9.0 Tohoku‐Oki megathrust earthquake (2011), and combine them with static solutions over 9 years. We analyze the temporal evolution of the time series and use these observations to image the postseismic slip. We find that the first month of deformation following Tohoku‐Oki can be explained by an afterslip mechanism, that exhibits an "Omori‐like" decay, with a p‐value around 0.75 almost everywhere with the exception of a small region around Ibaraki prefecture where p ∼ 1 is observed. This p < 1 indicates that the postseismic displacements do not increase logarithmically with time as predicted by rate‐and‐state rheology. Instead, we argue that early afterslip is associated with a transient brittle creep mechanism. We use numerical simulations to show that an exponent of p < 1 can be explained by a combination of thermal activation of local slips and elastic interactions. Over longer time scales, an additional mechanism is required to explain the observed deformation signal, and the transient brittle creep mechanism is combined with viscoelastic relaxation modeled by a Newtonian flow. The spatial analysis reveals two distinct afterslip regions, a major one on the North, associated with a p‐value around 0.75, and a smaller one close to the Ibaraki aftershock, associated with p ∼ 1.


Most gas fueled power generation units presently operate on natural gas and many of them would need to tackle the challenges due to a fuel switch towards syngas in the near future. Operating regime of a gas turbine combustor is sensitive to the changes in the fuel composition. Behavior of a premixed enclosed methane-hydrogen flame is studied with regard to thermo-acoustic instability induced flame flashback, emissions, flammability limits and acoustics over a wide range of operating conditions. Hydrogen addition extends the lean flammability limits and enables lower NOx emissions levels to be achieved. However increased RMS pressure fluctuation levels and higher susceptibility to flashback is observed with increasing hydrogen volume fraction. This is associated with higher burning speeds of hydrogen in comparison to methane. Furthermore flashback in the experimental facility is triggered by thermo-acoustic oscillations. Therefore, an analytical model has been developed to capture the flame holding and thermo-acoustically induced flashback dynamics for a pre-mixed gas turbine combustor. A simple linearized acoustic model is derived from the basic conservation laws, and a front-tracking algorithm based on the Markstein's G-equation is coupled to combustor acoustics it in order to track the flame-front which yields in an understanding of dynamic flame holding and flashback behavior. Due to the non-linear nature of the coupling between acoustic velocity and heat release a limit cycle behavior in the flame front movement is observed during simulations. Sets of experiments including phase locked CH radical imaging have been performed in order to time resolve the flame initiation front behavior. Numerical simulations are performed to study flashback and combustor acoustics together and it is found that these are in good qualitative agreement with the experiments.


Water exchange reactions around ionic solutes are ubiquitous in aqueous solution-phase chemistry. However, the extreme sensitivity of exchange rates to perturbations in the chemistry of an ionic solute is not well understood. We examine water exchange around model ions within the language of dynamic facilitation theory, typically used to describe glassy and other systems with collective, facilitated dynamics. Through the development of a coarse-grained, kinetically constrained lattice model of water exchange, we show that the time scale for water exchange scales exponentially with the strength of the solute-solvent interactions.


The most feared complication for the ENT specialists in the adenotonsillectomy is the immediate or mediate haemorrhage after surgery. We revise the literature and contrast experiencies with other colleage. We have found an astringent substance (bismuth subgallate), which helps us give an exact intraoperative diagnosis of the bleeding spot by the colour contrast it shows, and serves us also as a hemostatic, since it activates the XII factor in coagulation. We revise this product regarding its origen, prentation, applications and toxic effects.


Authoring support consists of (semi)automated aids to be used at different stages during the writing process. Language information, however, tends to be restricted to areas such as spelling and grammar checking or term banks, and text construction difficulties that writers face concerning the structure of particular genres, associated sentence formulations or genre-specific vocabulary have not received proper attention. An additional gap in the research is that this support is generally addressed to English language users. This paper addresses these concerns focusing on a particular genre: the company's directors' report, and on Spanish language writers writing in English. A custom-made monolingual corpus has been analyzed using Bhatia (1993, 2004) and Swales (1990, 2004) definitions of genre and move combined with theme characterization. Recurrent strings for each move/step, which are conventionally associated with each rhetorical unit, were identified and formulated as "meta-strings." The bilingual glossary includes domain-specific items as well as move/step or genre-specific lexical and phraseological options, i.e., elements used irrespective of the business, places or people involved. The results are valuable by themselves, as an analysis of the genre, but also as the empirical basis for the authoring support tool that we present here, and as language training materials.


Large-scale structure formation is arguably one of the most important problems of modern cosmology. The standard treatment is based on a point-particle picture and the corresponding Vlasov equation. Here, we take a field-theoretic approach to this problem and identify how field correlators in curved-space time are related to classical particle distributions in phase-space. We obtain the Vlasov equation in a well-defined limit together with field-theoretic corrections which can be studied in a controlled way. We also take a fresh look at the initial conditions for the cosmic microwave background and large-scale structure formation by presenting a two-field inflationary model in which the inflaton couples bi-quadratically to a light spectator field. The spectator induces a rapid production of entropy which significantly alters the initial conditions for the cosmological evolution at the end of inflation by providing large, stochastically independent momentum fluctuations of the gauge invariant curvature perturbation.


Groundwater is an important source of drinking water especially in rural areas of Pakistan. Therefore, it is very important to assess the quality of drinking water. The present study presents the geostatistical analysis of groundwater quality of tehsil sheikhupura where majority of people reside in rural areas. Groundwater is the only source of water for drinking purpose. The aim of the study is to present the data in GIS environment for better understanding the spatial distribution of each chemical parameter and mapping of the current situation of groundwater quality of tehsil sheikhupura. The most important chemical parameters of groundwater like Sulphate (SO4), Nitrate (NO3), Sodium (Na), Potassium (K), Calcium (Ca), Chloride (Cl), Magnesiurm (Mg), pH, Flouride (F), Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Hardness, Iron (Fe), Arsenic (As) and Lead (Pb), are selected and compared to the guideline values presented by world health organization (WHO). The geostatistical analysis of these parameters was performed and spatial distribution maps are prepared for each groundwater parameter by ordinary kriging. The semivariogram values are tested and best fitted model for each parameter was selected on the basis of root mean square error (RMSE), average standard error (ASE), root mean square standard error (RMSSE) and mean square error (MSE). The water quality index was developed in order to present the overall water quality of the study area.


This article aims to help psychoanalytically oriented clinicians address and manage the needs of patients in Alcoholics Anonymous and other 12-step programs, who represent an understudied population in our field. Drawing upon clinical experiences, it focuses on four challenges that arise for psychoanalytic clinicians, including conflicts between psychoanalytic considerations and the disease model, transference/countertransference dynamics that may emerge when a patient addresses a major problem of living in a separate context that is inaccessible to the analyst; considerations impacting the appropriate stance and level of neutrality clinicians might adopt in regards to AA participation; and factors that may prevent useful exploration of the spiritual components of AA. For each challenge, implications are discussed and considerations are offered for addressing these dynamics in treatment.


Cosmetic physiological activities of extract which extracted with Sasa borealis root hot water and 95% ethanol results were as follows: DPPH electron donating ability against hot water is 13.82±0.73% and ethanol extracts is 65.87±0.20%. The tyrosinase inhibitory effects against ethanol extract (91.11±0.13%) showed higher than that of hot water (61.33±0.12%). In the case cytotoxic activity against NIH3T3 cell lines, hot water extract showed higher than that of ethanol extract. Therefore, the results also indicated that ethanol extract of Sasa borealis root can be useful as a natural ingredient with whitening effects and cell growth factor in cosmetics.


The volume presents recent results in the field of Information Structure based on research on Italian and Italian dialects, and on further studies on several typologically different languages. The central idea is that Information Structure is not an exclusive matter of syntax but an interface issue which involves the interplay of at least the phonological, morpho-syntactic and semantic-pragmatic levels of analysis. In addition, the volume is based on the study of actual language use and it adopts a cross-linguistic point of view.


In recent years, MIR research has continued to focus more and more on user feedback, human subjects data, and other forms of personal information. Concurrently, the European Union has adopted new, stringent regulations to take effect in the coming years regarding how such information can be collected, stored and manipulated, with equally strict penalties for being found in viola-tion of the law. Here, we provide a summary of these changes, consider how they relate to our data sources and research practices, and identify promising methodologies that may serve researchers well, both in order to be in compliance with the law and conduct more subject-friendly research. We additionally provide a case study of how such changes might affect a recent human subjects project on the topic of style, and conclude with a few recommendations for the near future.This paper is not intended to be legal advice: our personal legal interpretations are strictly mentioned for illustration purpose, and reader should seek proper legal counsel.


1.1 Propellants and ignition systems A propellant is an energetic compound or a mixture in gas, liquid or solid state, which undergoes a rapid and predictable combustion resulting in a large volume of hot gas used to thrust a projectile (rocket, missile, launcher). Liquid propellants are subdivided into monopropellants and bipropellants. Monopropellants are liquids which decompose in the absence of external oxygen. They have comparatively low energy content and display lower performance by comparison with bipropellants. They need an ignition system and are used in small missiles and engines which require low thrust. Hydrazine is currently the most widely used monopropellant for orbit and attitude control of satellites or for roll control of launcher (Schmidt, 2001). Bipropellants consist of two components, a fuel (or reducer) and an oxidizer, which are stored in separate tanks and are injected simultaneously into a combustion chamber where they come into contact and burn. They display higher energetic content and higher thrust and are used on the most demanding missions. Current fuels include hydrogen, methanol, kerosene, hydrazine, monomethylhydrazine (MMH), unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH). Common oxidizers are nitric acid and dinitrogen tetroxide (NTO). The ignition systems can be sorted into three types: Spontaneous reaction between oxidizer and fuel as it is the case for the MMH-NTO mixture (CH3N2H3 N2O4); such mixtures are called hypergolic. The reaction can be restarted several times and enable launcher upper stage to reach precisely the expected satellite orbit. Energy supply using thermal, electrical or photochemical procedures. It is applied to non-hypergolic bipropellants (i.e. hydrogen–oxygen) and to monopropellants. The main drawback is the ability to enable restarts which depend on the ignition mode. Catalytic ignition of bipropellant or catalytic decomposition of monopropellant, using an adequate catalyst. This is a very simple and convenient ignition system, which enables numerous restarts. The major hurdle is the long term stability of the catalyst which suffers very severe conditions: high pressure and temperature increases in very short time.


A quantitative method is reported for the determination of n-hexane, 2-hexanone and 2,5-hexanedione in biological tissues by stable isotope dilution using gas chromatography mass spectrometry. n-[2H14]Hexane, 2-[2H5]hexanone and 2,5-[2H10]hexanedione are used as the isotopic diluents. After tissue homogenization and extraction of the three compounds in the presence of the deuterated internal standards, analysis is carried out in a single gas chromatographic injection by selected ion monitoring. Principal advantages of the technique are the ease of sample handling, rapidity of analysis and low limits of detection. The methodology is used to determine the organ distribution, pharmacokinetics and metabolism of n-hexane to 2-hexanone and 2,5-hexanedione in rats following inhalation exposure.


Nutritional vitamin D deficiency rickets was established in 41 Sudanese children aged from 3 months to 7 years by clinical, radiological and therapeutic response supported by biochemical investigations. There were 25 boys and 16 girls, of whom 42% were infants of less than 1 year. Forty-seven per cent of rachitic children were underweight. Six infants had early rickets with no bony swellings but had other clinical features and radiological evidence of rickets. One of them, aged 3 months, presented with hypocalcaemic convulsions. Three children had icthyosis. Serum alkaline phosphatase was raised in 75%, hypophosphataemia occurred in 68% and hypocalcaemia in 54% of patients. Anaemia, mostly hypochromic, was detected in 79%. Possible causes were poor socio-economic background, inadequate dietary intake in both mothers and children, prolonged breastfeeding, prematurity, limited sun exposure and type of residence. Nutritional vitamin D deficiency rickets should be looked for in Sudanese children, especially in preterms and in those living in flats.


The effects of injection of unrelated antigens on the sedimentation velocity and buoyant density characteristics of specific "virgin" or "memory" adoptive transfer AFC-progenitors in unprimed or long-term hapten-primed adult mouse spleen were examined to determine if the physical properties of these B cells could be altered by nonspecific stimulation. Spleen cells from normal unprimed adult CBA mice (as a source of virgin B cells) or from long-term hapten-primed CBA (as a source of memory B cells) were separated and the fractions were tested for NIP-specific AFC-progenitor activity with an adoptive immune assay system that gave a direct linear measure of B cell activity. If the donor mice were injected 1 day previously with POL or HRC, the NIP-specific virgin IgM AFC-progenitor activity shifted from medium sized, medium-light density lymphocytes to larger, much lighter cells. The same 1-day nonspecific stimulation had little effect on the physical properties of either IgM or IgG memory AFC-progenitors, although a small increase in the size of such cells was observed 2 days post immunization with unrelated antigens. Nonspecific stimulation caused identical physical changes in the virgin AFC-progenitors of athymic nude mice, but only partially altered the physical properties of virgin AFC-progenitors in neonatal mice. In the latter case, a normal transformation occurred if adult, radioresistant macrophages were injected with the stimulating antigens. These results indicate that a particular subset of virgin B cells responds nonspecifically to antigenic injections, becoming larger cells of lighter density. The mechanism of this effect appears to involve mature macrophages, but not functional T lymphocytes. Memory B cells do not readily respond in this way.


A large substrate manipulator allowing temperature variation between 80 and 870 K while providing 2D translation and tilt capabilities is outlined.


In Western Europe, ecosystems have been shaped to maximise the supply of one specific biomass provisioning ecosystem service (ES), such as food or timber, with detrimental impacts on other ES. The ES approach has therefore been established to better understand the multiple interactions between human society and ecosystems. A variety of methods have been developed to assess ES and their relationships, for instance the ES matrix model based on land cover classes. This popular, flexible and simple method allows combining different data sources and easily comparing ES. However, in general, this method poorly takes into account landscape heterogeneity while abiotic factors and human activities seem to play an important role in ES supply. The objective of this paper is twofold: (1) to extent the methodology based on the ES matrix model by including abiotic factors and human activities and (2) to test the impacts of these two types of factors on ES supply and their relationships.
 The assessment focused on the capacity of the forest to supply six ES depending on six types of soil ranging from productive soils to more constraining or less productive soils (i.e. abiotic factors) and two contrasting forest management strategies (i.e. human activities). This amended ES matrix was applied on one hand, to map the supply of ES and their relationships in four municipalities in the Ardenne ecoregion (Southern Belgium) and on the other hand, to investigate the impacts of three scenarios (i.e. three different management strategies) on ES supply and their relationships.
 The amended ES matrix shows large differences in ES supply between the two forest management strategies on the more constraining and less productive soils, creating differences in the spatial pattern of ES. The changes in ES supply amongst the three scenarios and the current supply were quantified to identify the best management options.
 In conclusion, one particular forest is not like another in terms of ES supply and their relationships. To capture this heterogeneity, we propose an amended ES matrix including abiotic factors and human activities. The maps, based on this matrix, allow identifying the hotspots (i.e. high capacity to supply different ES) and coldspots (i.e. low capacity to supply different ES or strong trade-offs between provisioning ES and regulating/cultural ES). Forest management should be adapted to the abiotic conditions, in particular in the coldspots, to ensure a more balanced supply of ES.


In several Brazilian acid soils, the extractable aluminum with the solution of 1.0 mol L-1 KCl (Al-KCl) may exceed 10 cmolc kg-1, but in some soils the presence of this element seems to exert little or no interference in the productivity of the plants. The study aimed to evaluate in which conditions the high levels of Al-KCl are related to the toxicity in soybean and maize plants cultivated in greenhouse, and their possible interference in the dry matter production of the same. Also, it aimed at assessing the soil chemical attributes that best identified a probable Al toxicity and the responses of the cultivated plants to liming. Al-KCl is not related to the manifestation of toxicity by the plants, nor did it interfere in the productivity of the plants cultivated in the AC9 and RS soils. On the other hand, the high levels of Al-KCl interfered in the productivity of these plants cultivated in the PE, BR and CB soils, manly in the treatments without limestone. Aluminum saturation, sum and base saturation were the best soil chemical attributes for the identification of Al toxicity and plant response to liming.


Objectives: Serotonin (5-HT)7 receptors in lymphocytes play a relevant role as modulators of T cell functions and might be modified by stress protocols. The aims of this work were to evaluate: (i) the presence of 5-HT7 receptors in specific lymphocyte populations, (ii) the probable modifications of them by inflammatory stress with mitogen and (iii) the effects of physical and pharmacological stress. Methods: Blood lymphocytes were isolated by density gradients and differential adhesion to plastic. Concanavalin A (Con A) was systemically administered (500 μg/kg) or added to lymphocyte cultures (2.5 μg/ml, final volume 200 μl). Physical restraint was performed in Plexiglass boxes for 5 h per day for 5 days. Reserpine administration was 2.5 mg/kg for 3 days. Immunocytochemical labeling of CD4+, CD8+ and 5-HT7 receptors, and also tryptophan hydroxylase cells was performed. mRNA of 5-HT7 receptors was evaluated by RT-PCR. Controls were included for each protocol. Results: Con A treatment or culture exposure increased the number of lymphocytes expressing 5-HT7 receptors or tryptophan hydroxylase, as compared to absence of the mitogen. Receptors were present in 12-16% of total rat lymphocytes, in ∼10% of CD4+ and in ∼5% of CD8+ cells from control rats. CD4+ decreased, and CD8+ and 5-HT7 cells increased after physical restraint. Reserpine treatment elevated CD8+ and 5-HT7 cells. Con A and physical restraint, but not reserpine treatment, significantly augmented 5-HT7 receptor mRNA in lymphocytes. Conclusions: Rat lymphocytes, expressing tryptophan hydroxylase, could synthesize 5-HT, functioning as a direct autocrine modulator. The modifications of CD4+, CD8+ and 5-HT7 receptors in lymphocytes by three stress protocols could have an impact on immune responses. In addition, the differential distribution of 5-HT7 receptors indicates potential specific physiopathological roles.


INTRODUCTION
The authors carried out the analysis of the causes for re-operations after percutaneous osteosynthesis of supracondylar fractures of the humerus in children.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
The authors evaluated the complications of osteosynthesis of supracondylar fractures in children hospitalized at the Clinic of Pediatric Surgery, University Hospital in Bratislava, for a 5-year period between 2007 and 2011. From the total number (395) of supracondylar fractures, 372 were treated as closed reduction and percutaneous transfixation.

RESULTS
32 (8.6%) of supracondylar fractures that were treated as closed reduction and osteosynthesis were indicated for re-operation - 8 times for signs of lesion n. ulnaris, 7 times for migration of Kirschner wires, 17 times for non-anatomical status or osteosynthesis failure. In case of lesions of nervus ulnaris, Kirschner wires were eliminated from the ulnar side and replaced either with intramedullary descendently introduced Kirschner wire to the ulnar condyle (the first option) or with three divergent Kirschner wires from radial side (the second option). In case of failed osteosynthesis, reosteosynthesis was performed using three Kirschner wires (two parallel or divergent from the radial side and one through the medial epicondyle).

CONCLUSION
During the period monitored, the introduction of a differentiated approach in the treatment of supracondylar fractures of the humerus in children according to the type of fracture and the degree of displacement has significantly reduced the number of reoperations. Subsequently, it is important to notice that the decreased number of reosteosynthesis can be also assigned to the fact that the initial operation is not necessarily carried out as an urgent one (e.g. by a surgical team on night duty), but can be postponed and performed by an experienced traumatological team next day.


Xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) and aldehyde oxidase (AO) in Drosophila melanogaster require for their activity the action of another unlinked locus, maroon-like (mal). While the XDH and AO loci are on chromosome 3, mal maps to the X chromosome. Although functional mal gene product is required for XDH and AO activity, it is possible to examine the effects of mutant mal alleles in those cases when pairs of mutants complement to produce a partial restoration of activity. To test whether mal mediates a post-translational modification of the XDH and AO proteins, we constructed several mal heteroallelic complementing stocks of Drosophila in which the third chromosomes were co-isogenic. Since all lines were co-isogenic for the XDH and AO structural genes, any variation in these enzymes seen when comparing these stocks must have been produced by post-translational modification by mal. We examined the XDH and AO proteins in these stocks by gel-sieving electrophoresis, a procedure that permits independent characterization of a protein's charge and shape, and is capable of discriminating many variants not detected in routine electrophoresis. In every mal heteroallelic combination, there is a significant alteration in protein shape, when compared to wild type. The magnitude of differences in shape of XDH and AO is correlated both with differences in their enzyme activities and with differences in their thermal stabilities. As the body of this variation appears heritable, any functional differences resulting from these variants are of real genetic and evolutionary interest. A similar post-translational modification of XDH and AO by yet another locus, lxd, was subsequently documented in an analogous manner. The pattern of electrophoretic differences produced by mal and lxd modification is similar to that reported for electrophoretic "alleles" of XDH in natural populations. The implication is that heritable variation in electrophoretic mobility at these two enzyme loci, and potentially at other loci, is not necessarily allelic to the structural gene loci.


In a high-speed lightwave system, chirping of transmitters as well as dispersion and nonlinearity of the fiber distort the transmitted pulse. Moreover, the frequency characteristics of receivers have an important impact on the intersymbol interference at the input of the decision circuit. Therefore, it is necessary to use appropriate model of chirping of transmitters and frequency characteristics of receivers in order to estimate transmission performance accurately. Chirping of Mach-Zehnder type LiNbO/sub 3/ based transmitters can be modeled by two methods. The receiver sensitivity made a difference of at least 1-2 dB by the receiver filter model and shape of chirping. The measured receiver filter provided closer results to the experimental results and BER characteristics provided more accurate system performances, especially by using chirping model 1 for negative chirp and chirping model 2 for positive chirp.


In this article, we examine the ways 17 Latina/o bilingual teacher candidates (TCs) employed spatial rationales to make meaning of why they mostly leverage English within their bilingual teacher education classes at their Hispanic-Serving Institution. We asked: (1) How do TCs interpret the predominance of English on campus and the bilingual teacher education program? (2) What do TCs' understandings reveal about the nature of the structures sustaining the hegemony of English? To answer these questions, we drew upon the raciolinguistic perspective and critical notions of space and place. Findings reveal that despite the University's mission to serve Latina/o students, TCs still experience English as connected to the United States and the predominantly white community where campus is located, and Spanish as belonging in Mexico and the heavily Mexican and Mexican American neighborhoods south of the city. Our analysis suggests that this mapping of language and race ideologies onto particular spaces/places—or what we have termed raciolinguistic landscapes—reflects and reproduces boundaries that uphold institutionalized systems of exclusion. Findings have implications for bilingual teacher education, with regards to ways to help TCs critically engage raciolinguistic landscapes.


Author(s): Gui, Weihsin | Abstract: Literature in Singapore is written in the country's four official languages: Chinese, English, Malay, and Tamil. The various literatures flourished in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with the rise of print culture in the British colony, but after independence in 1965, English became emphasized in both the education system and society at large as part of the new government's attempts to modernize the country. Chinese, Malay, and Tamil were seen as mother tongue languages to provide Singaporeans with cultural ballast while English was regarded as a language for administration, business, and scientific and technological development. Correspondingly, literatures in other languages than English reached a plateau in terms of writerly output and readership during the 1970s and 1980s. However, since 1999, with the state's implementation of the Renaissance City Plan to revitalize arts and culture in Singapore, there have been various initiatives to increase the visibility of contemporary Singaporean writing both within the country itself and on an international scale. Translation plays a key role in bridging the linguistic and literary divides wrought by the state's mother tongue policies, with several works by Cultural Medallion winners in different languages translated into English, which remains at present the shared language in Singapore. Literary anthologies are also invaluable forms through which the concepts of a national literature and national identity are expressed and negotiated. A number of anthologies involving Singaporean authors and those from other countries also highlight the growing international presence of and interest in Singaporean literature. Several anthologies also focus on the topic of urban space, city life, and the rapid transformation of Singapore's physical environment. Writings about gender and sexuality have also become more prominent in single-author collections or edited anthologies, with writers exploring various inventive and experimental narrative forms. A number of poets and writers are also established playwrights, and theater has historically been and continues to be an extremely vital form of creative expression and cultural production. Graphic novels, crime and noir fiction, and speculative and science fiction publications are also on the rise, with the awarding of the Singapore Literature Prize to Sonny Liew's The Art of Charlie Chan Hock Chye signaling that these genres merit serious literary consideration. A number of literary publications and materials related to Singaporean literature can be found on the Internet, such as the journal Quarterly Literary Review Singapore, the website Singapore Poetry, and the database Poetry.sg. Various nonprofit organizations are also working toward increasing public awareness about literature through events such as Singapore Poetry Writing Month, the Migrant Worker Poetry Competition, the Singapore Writers Festival and National Poetry Festival, and also through projects that exhibit poetry in train stations and on public thoroughfares.


FOXO transcription factors are considered bona fide tumor suppressors, however recent studies showed FOXOs are also required for tumor survival. Here we identify FOXOs as transcriptional regulators of IDH1. FOXOs regulate IDH1 expression and thereby maintain the cytosolic levels of α-ketoglutarate and NADPH. In cancer cells carrying mutant IDH1, FOXOs likewise regulate mutant IDH1 expression and maintain the levels of the oncometabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate, which stimulates cancer cell proliferation likely by repressing differentiation. Combined, our data provide a new paradigm for the paradoxical role of FOXOs in both tumor suppression and promotion. Furthermore these data suggest a role for FOXOs in maintaining the de-differentiated state by regulating α-ketoglutarate and/or 2-hydroxyglutarate levels. Indeed, in models of differentiation (e.g. 3T3-L1 differentiation towards adipocytes) loss of FOXO, as well as loss of IDH1 expression repress differentiation and we are currently further exploring the molecular underpinnings. Note: This abstract was not presented at the conference. Citation Format: Paraskevi Charitou, Maria Rodriguez-Colman, Johan Gerrits, Nanda Verhoeven-Duif, Boudewijn Burgering. FOXOs support the metabolic requirements of normal and tumor cells by regulating IDH1 expression. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Metabolism and Cancer; Jun 7-10, 2015; Bellevue, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(1_Suppl):Abstract nr B32.


Abstract Visualizing very large matrices involves many formidable problems. Various popular solutions to these problems involve sampling, clustering, projection, or feature selection to reduce the size and complexity of the original task. An important aspect of these methods is how to preserve relative distances between points in the higher-dimensional space after reducing rows and columns to fit in a lower dimensional space. This aspect is important because conclusions based on faulty visual reasoning can be harmful. Judging dissimilar points as similar or similar points as dissimilar on the basis of a visualization can lead to false conclusions. To ameliorate this bias and to make visualizations of very large datasets feasible, we introduce two new algorithms that, respectively, select a subset of rows and columns of a rectangular matrix. This selection is designed to preserve relative distances as closely as possible. We compare our matrix sketch to more traditional alternatives on a variety of artificial and real datasets. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.