To investigate the principal metabolites of 1-(1-(6-methoxyl-2-naphthyl) ethyl)-2-(4-nitrobenzyl)-6,7-dimethoxyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline hydrobromide (code designation: P91024) in rats after ig administration by LC-MS/MS, the phase I metabolites were discovered by comparing the fullscan and SIM chromatograms of the test samples with the corresponding blanks. The structures of phase I metabolites were identified by ESI-MS spectra and the product spectra of the corresponding adduct ions. The phase II metabolites were identified in the test samples after the phase I metabolites were completely removed with solvent extraction and then treated with glucuronidase for enzymolysis of phase II glucuronide conjugates and the hydrolysates. Two phase I metabolites of P91024 were identified in rat feces, one phase I and five phase II in bile, one phase I and three phase II in urine, and four phase I and one phase II in plasma. Their structures were elucidated, separately. P91024 was extensively metabolized in rat. The metabolites can be easily screened and identified by LC-MS/MS method.


Forests and land in the catchment area of Lake Toba, showed a decrease for  quality and quantity of the land. This study aims to determinethe public perception of breadfruit (Artocarpus communis Forst). Research carried out in the catchment area of Lake Toba, Simalungun. Analysing public perception using a questionnaire. Data from the questionnaire were analyzed by descriptive quantitative.  Perceptionis influencedby factors of age, education, livelihood and long lived. Research shows that there is a breadfruit distribution point in Haranggaol. Public perception of the breadfruit (Artocarpus communis Forst) is good. Where 58.41% of the people know and understand the benefits of breadfruit. Keywords: Breadfruit (Artocarpus communis Forst), Distribution of Breadfruit, Community Perception, Forest, Catchment Area


Purpose: To determine the extent of and reasons for hesitancy toward vaccination among adults at high-risk for pneumococcal disease. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Online survey in March-April 2019 via QuestionPro. Subjects: Tennessee adults (18-64 years) at high-risk of pneumococcal disease (n = 1,002). Measures: Modified version of the validated Vaccine Hesitancy Scale assessed vaccine-related beliefs, reasons for hesitancy, external influences on vaccination, and prior vaccination Analysis: Descriptive and inferential statistics provided an overview of the responses and comparisons among subgroups. Logistic regression determined the odds of being hesitant using the listed beliefs and influencers as predictors. Thematic analysis was performed on the qualitative data gathered from free response questions throughout the survey. Results: Analysis included 1,002 complete responses (12% response rate [total viewed = 8,331]) with 34.3% indicating hesitancy toward one or more recommended vaccinations, with 53% of which indicating hesitancy to the pneumococcal vaccine despite it being recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) for all respondents. The odds of vaccine hesitancy or resistance were higher in minorities (OR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.19-2.11), those not believing others like them get vaccinated (OR: 1.82; 95% CI: 1.262-2.613), and respondents recalling negative media about vaccines (OR: 2.56; 95% CI: 1.797-3.643). Conclusions: Patients at high-risk of pneumococcal disease lack awareness of the need for the recommended vaccine, and provider education may need improving to increase vaccination in this population.


The magnetic properties of color centers were studied to obtain information regarding electron traps in insulators. Experiments designed to determine the equation governing the recovery of resonance after saturation were carried out. Relatively large samples were prepared by the method of additive coloration. KCl and RbCl crystals were used. Resonance saturation as a function of concentration was investigated and no significant dependence found. Measurements of the unsaturated susceptibility were made at liquid nitrogen and liquid helium temperatures. The bleaching of the F-center to form the B-band produced a different resonance. The equipment for observing the saturation and recovery of a portion of the resonance at 4 deg K is described. A theoretical examination was made of the interaction between the vibration of the ions around a negative-ion vacancy in an alkali halide and an electron trapped at that site. (M.C.G.)


The authors report the first case in the literature of a post-infarction left ventricular (LV) aneurysm operated in a black African man of 31 years. The episode of infarction had been ignored, and the patient presented a posterior LV aneurysm with moderate mitral insufficiency and heart failure. The diagnosis was made by a cineangiogram in the LV and a coronary angiogram showing a total obliteration of the right coronary. The patient underwent a resection of the aneurysm with closure of the LV-aneurysm communication. Six months after surgery, the patient was asymptomatic and the size of the heart had decreased. With regard to this unique case, the authors discuss the literature on LV aneurysms in African, and on coronary atherosclerosis in Africa. They discuss also the surgical indication in case of post-infarction LV aneurysm.


Embryonal tumors with abundant neuropil and true rosettes (ETANTR) are rare pediatric embryonal neoplasms that combine features of neuroblastoma and ependymoblastoma. We report a distinct immunohistochemical-staining pattern of ETANTR in a 12-month-old baby who presented with a supratentorial mass. The tumor exhibited a characteristic biphasic pattern of neuropil-rich areas and patchy cellular neuropil-poor areas. The neoplastic cells in neuropil-rich areas are diffusely immunoreactive to chromogranin A, synaptophysin, neurofilament, and CD56, but show no immunoreactivity to nestin, SOX2, WT-1, &bgr;-catenin, and vimentin. While the cells in neuropil-poor areas, including ependymoblastic and Flexner-Wintersteiner rosettes, are diffusely immunoreactive to nestin, SOX2, WT-1, &bgr;-catenin, and vimentin but show no immunoreactivity to chromogranin A, synaptophysin, neurofilament, and CD56. Ependymoblastic rosettes show luminal membranous immunoreactivity to EMA. We believe that ETANTR has a distinct histologic and immunohistochemical pattern supporting the embryonal origin of this tumor with divergent neuroblastic and primitive glial differentiation.


Introduction Patients experience of discomfort with Air insufflation during flexible sigmoidoscopy (FS) limits compliance and thus success of the procedure. There has been only one study1 which has shown that CO2 insufflation reduces discomfort as compared to Air in FS. Recently, we have been using CO2 insufflation for routine FS. We therefore conducted a prospective audit comparing the two modalities and to assess whether the use of CO2 during FS reduces discomfort both during and after the procedure using a standardised scoring system. Methods 200 consecutive patients undergoing FS, commonly for rectal bleeding, altered bowel habit and abdominal pain were selected to either Air or CO2 insufflation. There were 100 patients (42 males) in the CO2 group and 100 patients (5l males) in the Air group. The ages ranged from 19 to 92 years in both the groups. Any history of previous abdominal surgery was also noted. Patients were asked to grade discomfort during the procedure, post procedure in the recovery room and on discharge. We used the standardised comfort score of Wong and Baker (0==no discomfort and 10=extreme discomfort). Abdominal bloating was also assessed verbally after the procedure. Statistical analysis was done using Prism software. Results The mean comfort scores for CO2 compared to Air during the procedure was 1.02 vs 1.93 (p=0.0006), postprocedure 0.54 vs 1.12 (p=0.002) and on discharge 0.32 vs 0.8 (p=0.0008) respectively. Abdominal bloating appeared to be less with CO2 as compared to Air on verbal questioning. No differences in comfort scores were observed with a history of previous abdominal surgery. Conclusion This study has shown that CO2 insufflation reduces discomfort as compared to Air during FS, both during and after the procedure. Abdominal bloating was also significantly reduced. The use of CO2 will contribute to better public acceptance for FS, in particular for FS screening in colorectal cancer. Competing interests None declared. Reference 1. Bretthauer M, Hoff G, Thiis-Evensen, et al. CO2 insufflation reduces discomfort due to flexible sigmoidoscopy. Scan J Gastroenterol 2002;37:1103–7.


The actor model is a popular paradigm for programming scalable cloud applications. Building elastic and scalable cloud applications requires application developers to carefully adjust the application scale (the required resources) and the placement of actors at the runtime. Unfortunately, there is no efficient solution which could manage application elasticity automatically during runtime without disrupting ongoing requests. This paper proposes the idea of programmable elasticity approach, which allows application developers to define a set of elasticity rules for different actors. The runtime service endeavors to apply the elasticity rules while relieving the application programmer from dealing with the management of distributed state and efficient utilization of cloud resources. CCS Concepts • Computing methodologies → Distributed programming languages;


An overhaul was conducted to the automatic system of the radiators installed in the existing 60 MW HYUNDAI electric generator at Felton, establishing their control through the variable [temperature]. In this work, WinCC will be used as SCADA because of its proven efficiency in various technological systems, quoting all the plants of this kind located around the country as an example With this system, it is possible to observe the temperature variations, behavior and control the electric motor inlet and outlet to the radiators from the control room, creating a loop between sensors and the computer drivers through a SIEMENS automat of the S7-300 type. A parameter control was incorporated to record the system temperature, thereby coordinating the temperature with the operation of the electric motors.


The aim of study was to determine how the excess of certain (key) metabolites of folate-methionine cycle (folic acid, methionine, betaine) in the diet affects Drosophila melanogaster radius incompletus trait expressivity. Folate metabolism is a supplier of one-carbon chemical groups to the number of vital cell processes (purine nucleotides biosynthesis, methionine regeneration, DNA, RNA and proteins methylation) and, therefore, it is directly related to the gene activity regulation. This prompted the supplements choice for study. For the experiment we used D. melanogaster stock with radius incompletus (ri) gene mutation. The expressivity of radius incompletus trait appeared to be a convenient model with well-studied genetic control to evaluate the effect of various factors. It has been established that an excess of folic acid, betaine or methionine in culture medium affects D. melanogaster radius incompletus trait expressivity. The direction and strength of effect depend on the sex of individual developed in the medium with one of mentioned supplements. Females appeared to be more sensitive. Each of the dietary supplements used was characterized by a specific effect on studied trait expressivity: under betaine influence we observed a significant decrease in the trait expression in females but not in males; under folic acid action sex-specific differences stayed stable; development in the medium with methionine excess resulted in a decrease of the studied index mean values with an increase of the individuals' variability. Evaluation in terms of fluctuating asymmetry proved more stable development of males in changing conditions, as compared to females.


At today's time more and more companies and organizations are launching their products and services on the Internet in order to gain an edge over their competitors. However, this business plan carries a lot of risks and dangers if not done carefully and with the right security procedures for transitioning on the Internet. In the tech world, cyber-attacks are a daily occurrence for system administrators. Malicious users attempt to steal legitimate users' data, other sensitive system data and even disrupt their smooth operation by causing the company to lose reputation, money and at the same time reduce its customers. These attacks are called denial of service attacks and one of them will concern us in this master thesis. System administrators are required to properly configure the technologies used to provide the company's services, by respecting the three main pillars of information systems security, confidentiality, integrity and availability (CIA triad).
This master thesis aims to create an analytical step-by-step guide for enhancing the security of the CentOS operating system and the Apache web server program, and also ways to deal with the DoS Slowloris attack, which targets Apache web servers. In addition to the guide, there will be the practical part of the thesis which is the creation of a script which will execute appropriate commands to automate the process of system security hardening. The script will be executed and then various security auditing and vulnerability scanning tools will be used to check the overall security of the system. The harden system will be compared with the 'vanilla' system as provided by the official CentOS website. Finally, we will run a Slowloris attack on the system before and after activating the Apache security modules so that we can check in real scenario how our security mechanism for the attack is working.


In this study, differential stability is introduced for non-linear systems, and this concept is further exploited in reduced-order observer design for non-linear systems with non-linearities of unmeasured state variables, a more general class of non-linear systems than the systems with linear observer errors. It has been shown that if the dynamics of unmeasured state variables under a state transformation is differentially stable, a reduced-order observer can be designed to produce asymptotically convergent estimates of the unmeasured state variables. A systematic design method is then introduced for a class of multi-output non-linear systems. For such a system, a non-linear term of the unmeasured state variables enter the system through a coupling matrix. It is found that a reduced-order observer can be designed if the linear part with the coupling matrix as the input matrix has no unstable invariant zeros. A further exploitation is presented for a class of single-output non-linear systems with non-linearity of unmeasured state variables. In this case, the coupling vector is allowed to be a vector field which depends on the system output.


Treatment of subtrochanteric fractures is challenging due to anatomical and biomechanical factors. Many
methods have been suggested to achieve and maintain fracture reduction during operative fixation for
subtrochanteric fractures. Open reduction and intramedullary fixation, clamp assisted reduction without
cerclage wires and fracture reduction cables are suggested methods. We conducted a retrospective study
to look for the results of subtrochanteric fractures managed by intramedullary fixation with or without
cerclage wires. We reviewed all cases of subtrochanteric fractures operated with intramedullary fixation with
long proximal femoral nail with or without cerclage wire fixation. All available data from patient's records
available in medical records department were retrieved and evaluated. Statistical analysis were performed
using SPSS software (v16). There were 86 cases of subtrochanteric fractures operated with intramedullary
fixation at our Hospitals over a period of 5 years. Quality of fracture reduction of fractures are assessed good
reduction was seen more often in cerclage group 64%. Cerclage wiring was done in 14 cases. Nonunion was
seen in 8 cases overall, 3 in cerclage group and 5 in non Cerclage group. Implant failure was seen in 3 cases
in no cerclage group and 2 cases of cerclage group. We conclude that anatomical reduction is the key factor
for successful outcomes. Closed reduction with good to acceptable reduction had better results. Cerclage
wiring should be considered in selected cases where reduction is poor after open reduction.


This article discusses Herring v. United States in which the Court held, 5-4, that evidence found after the defendant was arrested due to faulty information provided by a police from another county would not be excluded. The holding was narrow: "When police mistakes leading to an unlawful search are the result of isolated negligence attenuated from the search, rather than systemic error or reckless disregard of constitutional requirements, the exclusionary rule should not apply." However, the opinion contains much language suggesting that the Court is prepared to abandon the rule, which has been the foundation of criminal procedure since 1961. This article discusses just what Herring held, and what its implications may be.


Various conceptual models to describe the plant immune system have been presented. The most recent paradigm to gain wide acceptance in the field is often referred to as the zigzag model, which reconciles the previously formulated gene-for-gene hypothesis with the recognition of general elicitors in a single model. This review focuses on the limitations of the current paradigm of molecular plant-microbe interactions and how it too narrowly defines the plant immune system. As such, we discuss an alternative view of plant innate immunity as a system that evolves to detect invasion. This view accommodates the range from mutualistic to parasitic symbioses that plants form with diverse organisms, as well as the spectrum of ligands that the plant immune system perceives. Finally, how this view can contribute to the current practice of resistance breeding is discussed.


CD4+ T cells are thought to be necessary for MS neuroinflammation, coordinating the destructive immune response following recognition of central nervous system (CNS) antigens in the context of MHC class II molecules on professional antigen presenting cells (APC). Recognition of CNS antigens within the CNS is required to drive CD4 re-activation and subsequent production of cytokines and chemokines crucial to the recruitment of secondary immune effector cells. This CD4+ T cell driven recruitment in turn results in induction of immune pathology while also priming APC to enhance future T cell-APC interactions. Recent studies in cancer immunotherapy have defined protocols for inducing expression of chimeric antigen-specific T cell receptors (CAR) in mature CD8 T cells for the purpose of inducing destruction of antigen bearing cells, apparently without modulating the underlying effector profile of the transduced T cell (i.e., CD8 cells are still cytotoxic through perforin and granzymes). Here we detail the use of defined MHC class II/peptide restricted T cell receptor expression in mature CD8 T cells in an effort to target for destruction MHC class II expressing professional antigen presenting cells containing CNS antigen while sparing MHC II negative neurons and oligodendrocytes. Crucially, an effective antigen elimination strategy would not only modulate the cognate antigen recognized by the transgenic TCR but, given the propensity of APC to present multiple antigens derived from the same phagocytized material, should also impact uncharacterized CNS antigen epitopes.
 This study examines a novel potential therapeutic modality for its efficacy in neuroinflammation. Supported by NMSS pilot grant PP3361.


Both lake-specific (e.g. pH) and regional (e.g. precipitation) factors affect DOC concentration and pattern. Using annual DOC concentration in nine boreal lakes in the ice-free season, the potential influences of five regional factors, air temperature, precipitation, SO 4 deposition, solar radiation (photosynthetically active radiation, or PAR) and the southern oscillation index (SOI) have been explored through multiple regression. Mean solar radiation, winter precipitation and summer precipitation explained 59% of the variation in the mean DOC concentration (F 3,17 = 8.29, p = 0.0013). Solar radiation and winter precipitation were correlated, negatively, while summer precipitation was correlated, positively, with DOC concentration. Because these relationships were based on only 21 years of data (1978 to 1998), the significance of the parameters in the regression model was evaluated with a randomisation test. This re-analysis indicated that summer precipitation did not contribute significantly to the regression model ( p rand = 0.183). The final multiple regression explained 50% of the variation in DOC (F 2,18 = 9.33, p rand = 0.002) based on solar radiation and winter precipitation. These results suggest that solar radiation and winter precipitation have a significant role in determining long-term DOC concentration in boreal lakes. Keywords: dissolved-organic-carbon, lakes, climate, solar-radiation, precipitation, acid-precipitation, Precambrian-Shield-Ontario


In order to evaluate the clinical utility of neuro-physiological tests in distinguishing between depression and dementia, we compared quantified EEG and event-related potentials (ERP) in 13 depressed and 12 demented patients. Their cognitive functions were clinically assessed by the ERFC test. When scored with a discriminant function, EEG misclassified one patient and all were well classified with ERP. Nevertheless this exam could be clearly obtained in only 7 demented and 5 depressed patients. Although a therapeutic effect could not be absolutely discarded, these results show that these tests, when practicable, can be helpful when clinical diagnosis is uncertain.


A search for new members of the mammalian interspersed repeat (MIR) family has been done over the coding regions of human genome from GenBank-116. Only 254 nucleotide sequences contained MIRs in coding regions, of which 45 MIR copies were unknown before, including 17 that occurred in translated gene regions. The program developed by the authors has been demonstrated to surpass the CENSOR program in the search power. The evolution of the MIR copies located in translated regions of human genome is discussed.


This paper examines alternative approaches to wage subsidy programmes. It does this in the context of a recent active labour market reform for the young unemployed in Britain. This "New Deal" reform and the characteristics of the target group are examined in detail. We discuss theoretical considerations, the existing empirical evidence and propose two strategies for evaluation. The first suggests an ex-post 'trend adjusted difference in difference' estimator. The second, relates to a model based ex-ante evaluation. We present the conditions for each to provide a reliable evaluation and fit some of the crucial parameters using data from the British Labour Force Survey. We stress that the success of this type of labour market programmes hinge on dynamic aspects of the youth labour market, in particular the pay-off to experience and training.


Social network information is now being used in ways for which it may have not been originally intended. In particular, increased use of smartphones capable ofrunning applications which access social network information enable applications to be aware of a user's location and preferences. However, current models forexchange of this information require users to compromise their privacy and security. We present several of these privacy and security issues, along withour design and implementation of solutions for these issues. Our work allows location-based services to query local mobile devices for users' social network information, without disclosing user identity or compromising users' privacy and security. We contend that it is important that such solutions be acceptedas mobile social networks continue to grow exponentially.


This paper proposes a new and effective approach for the quantitative analysis of sulpiride, a significant antipsychotic drug, in human urine samples by the incorporation of excitation-emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence and second-order calibration methodologies based on the alternating fitting residue (AFR) and self-weighted alternating trilinear decomposition (SWATLD) algorithms. With the application of a second-order advantage, the proposed strategy could be utilized for a direct concentration determination of sulpiride with a simple pretreatment step, even in the presence of serious natural fluorescent interferences. The average recoveries of sulpiride in complex urine samples by using AFR and SWATLD with an estimated component number of three were 101.2 ± 2.1 and 94.4 ± 0.7%, respectively. Moreover, the accuracy of the two algorithms was also evaluated through elliptical joint confidence region (EJCR) tests as well as the figures of merit, such as sensitivity (SEN), selectivity (SEL) and limit of detection (LOD). The experimental results demonstrated that both algorithms, as promising quantitative alternatives, have been satisfactorily applied to the determination of sulpiride in human urine, but the performance of AFR was slightly better than that of SWATLD.


We call isomonodromic deformation any family of logarithmic flat connections over a punctured sphere having the same monodromy representation up to global conjugacy. These objects are parametrised by the solutions of a particular family of partial differential equations called Garnier systems, which are equivalent to the Painleve VI equations in the four punctured case. The purpose of this thesis is to construct new algebraic solutions of these systems in the five punctured case. First, we give a classification of algebraic isomonodromic deformations obtained by restricting to lines some logarithmic flat connection over the complex projective plane whose singular locus is a quintic curve. We obtain two new families of algebraic solutions of the associated Garnier system. In a second part, we use the fact that any algebraic isomonodromic deformation corresponds to a finite orbit under the mapping class group action on the character variety of the five punctured sphere to obtain new examples of such orbits. We do this by using Katz's middle convolution on representations of free groups. Finally, we give a partial generalisation of this procedure in the case of a twice punctured complex torus.


The theoretical approaches on adaptation of organization-and-production structure to market conditions are considered. The practical recommendations to enhance the competitiveness of railway transport in the market environment are developed.


We estimated forest Above Ground Biomass (AGB) of tropical peat swamp forests in the Indonesian province of Central Kalimantan through correlating airborne Light Detection And Ranging (LiDAR) data to forest inventory data. Two LiDAR point cloud metrics, the Quadratic Mean Canopy profile Height (QMCH) and the Centroid Height (CH), were correlated to the field derived AGB estimates. The regression models could be improved through the use of the LiDAR point densities as input. The highest coefficient of determination was achieved for CH (R2= 0.88; n= 52). Surveying with a LiDAR point density between 2-4 points per square meter (pt/m2) resulted in the best cost-benefit ratio. It was also shown that impact from logging and the associated AGB losses dating back more than 10 years could still be assessed by LiDAR but not by multispectral satellite imagery. Comparison with a Landsat based AGB estimate showed an overestimation of 60.8% in a 3.0 million ha study area.


Lysyl hydroxylase 2 (LH2) catalyzes the formation of highly stable hydroxylysine aldehyde-derived collagen cross-links (HLCCs), thus promoting lung cancer metastasis through its capacity to modulate specific types of collagen cross-links within the tumor stroma. Using 1 and 2 from our previous high-throughput screening (HTS) as lead probes, we prepared a series of 1,3-diketone analogues, 1-18, and identified 12 and 13 that inhibit LH2 with IC50's of approximately 300 and 500 nM, respectively. Compounds 12 and 13 demonstrate selectivity for LH2 over LH1 and LH3. Quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) modeling indicates that the selectivity of 12 and 13 may stem from noncovalent interactions like hydrogen bonding between the morpholine/piperazine rings with the LH2-specific Arg661. Treatment of 344SQ WT cells with 13 resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in their migration potential, whereas the compound did not impede the migration of the same cell line with an LH2 knockout (LH2KO).


Financial institutions all over the world are providing banking services via information systems, such as: automated teller machines (ATMs), Internet banking, and telephone banking, in an effort to remain competitive as well as enhancing customer service. However, the acceptance of such banking information systems (BIS) in developing countries remains open. The classical Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) has been well validated over hundreds of studies in the past two decades. This study contributed to the extensive body of research of technology acceptance by attempting to validate the integration of trust and computer self-efficacy (CSE) constructs into the classical TAM model. Moreover, the key uniqueness of this work is in the context of BIS in a developing country, namely Jamaica. Based on structural equations modeling using data of 374 customers from three banks in Jamaica, this study results indicated that the classic TAM provided a better fit than the extended TAM with Trust and CSE. However, the results also indicated that trust is indeed a significant construct impacting both perceived usefulness and perceived ease-of-use. Additionally, test for gender differences indicated that across all study participants, only trust was found to be significantly different between male and female bank customers. Conclusions and recommendations for future research are also provided.


The isoseismal maps for twelve earthquakes in different parts of Iran were analyzed to study the attenuation of intensities with distance. The attenuation is quite sensitive to the selection of epicentral intensities, I0, for the earthquakes considered. A graphical method presented in this paper provides a consistent basis for the estimation of epicentral intensities, for different earthquakes, from the intensity-distance plot. The attenuation relations were derived by using an iterative least squares fit procedure, wherein an initial approximate estimate of epicentral intensity for each earthquake is successively improved. The isoseismal maps for a number of earthquakes are elongated in the direction of local structural trend/causative faults. Therefore, three different attenuation relations were derived.
 I ( R ) = I 0 + 6.453 − 0.00121 R − 4.960 log  ( R + 20 ) R < 120 km average attenuation I ( R ) = I 0 + 4.824 − 0.00548 R − 3.708 log  ( R + 20 ) R < 160 km parallel to the isoseismals I ( R ) = I 0 + 8.729 − 0.01158 R − 6.709 log  ( R + 20 ) R < 110 km transverse to the isoseismals
 where I(R) is the intensity at a distance R (km) from the epicenter.
 The average attenuation of intensities in Iran is slightly more rapid than the San Andreas province attenuation.


The photoinactivation of the Escherichia coli bacteria with the pulsed dielectric barrier discharge excilamp krypton chorine (KrCl) emitted at 222 nm is presented. The Escherichia coli, with the initial density of 34.106 colony forming units (CFU)/¿L, has been irradiated in the aqueous and on the surface medias, respectively. A high reduction rate in the survival density of E. coli has been reached by the photoinactivation in both media during the first 30 s. The photoinactivation resulted in the logarithmic reduction factor of 5.6 log and 5.1 log within irradiation time of 30 s on the surface and in the aqueous medias, respectively. At the high dose of 2880 mJ/cm2 , the logarithmic reduction factor reached 6.1 log and 5.5 log on the surface and in the aqueous medias, respectively. The first tailing plateau was appeared on the surface and in the aqueous medias at 60 and 300 s of irradiation time, respectively.


Purpose - Argumentative practices are central to science education, and have recently been emphasised to promote students' reasoning skills and to develop student's understanding of scientific concepts. This study examines the mastery of scientific argumentation, based on the concept of neutralisation, among secondary level science students, when engaged in individual and group argumentations. Methodology - 356 form four science students were first randomly assigned to an argumentative condition, after their lesson on acids and bases, presented using the developed instructional materials. Each individual or group was then asked to answer an Open-ended Scientific Argumentation Test (OSAT). Discussions during group argumentations were observed and recorded. All the answers provided in the OSAT were then analysed based on their accuracy, the triplet relationship in chemistry and for the presence of argumentation elements. Observations from the group argumentations were transcribed and assessed. Findings - The results show that in both argumentative conditions, most of the arguments constructed tend to consist of the elements of claim and evidence. The results also show that students who work in groups outperform students who work individually. As individuals, most of the arguments presented tend to be simple with reasoning at a macro-level. As groups, the arguments presented are more complex, where justifications are provided at the sub-micro and symbolic levels, and with fewer misconceptions. That is because group argumentation participants have the opportunity to share ideas, detect and correct each other's mistakes, seek explanations and explain ideas. Significance - The study implies that group argumentation enhances students' argumentation and reasoning skills and improves their mastery of scientific concepts. In addition, this study also investigates students' performance from the Malaysian perspective.


In this study, the experimental and theoretical results on the molecular structures of some flavonoid derivatives (Baicalein and Naringenin) are presented. The FT-IR and FT-Raman spectra of the compounds have been recorded together for the first time between 4000–400 cm−1 and 3500–5 cm−1 regions, respectively. The molecular geometry and vibrational wavenumbers of the compounds have been also calculated in their ground states by using ab initio HF and DFT/B3LYP functional with 6-31G(d,p) basis set used in calculations. The calculations were utilized to the C1 symmetries of the molecules. All calculations were performed with Gaussian 98 software. The obtained vibrational wavenumbers and optimized geometric parameters were seen to be in good agreement with the experimental data. Scale factors have been used in order to compare how the calculated and experimental data are in agreement. Theoretical infrared intensities were also reported. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Crustal inheritance is often considered important in the tectonic evolution of the Wilson Cycle. However, the role of the mantle lithosphere is usually overlooked due to its difficulty to image and uncertainty in rheological makeup. Recently, increased resolution in lithosphere imaging has shown potential scarring in continental mantle lithosphere to be ubiquitous. In our study, we analyze intraplate deformation driven by mantle lithosphere heterogeneities from ancient Wilson Cycle processes and compare this to crustal inheritance deformation. We present 2‐D numerical experiments of continental convergence to generate intraplate deformation, exploring the limits of continental rheology to understand the dominant lithosphere layer across a broad range of geological settings. By implementing a "jelly sandwich" rheology, common in stable continental lithosphere, we find that during compression the strength of the mantle lithosphere is integral in generating deformation from a structural anomaly. We posit that if the continental mantle is the strongest layer within the lithosphere, then such inheritance may have important implications for the Wilson Cycle. Furthermore, our models show that deformation driven by mantle lithosphere scarring can produce tectonic patterns related to intraplate orogenesis originating from crustal sources, highlighting the need for a more formal discussion of the role of the mantle lithosphere in plate tectonics.


It is well-known that changes in the mechanical properties of tissues are correlated with the presence of disease. In the eye, for example, the vitreous body undergoes dramatic changes in mechanical properties during age-related degradation. These changes may play a significant role in the formation of retinal detachment or other vitreoretinal diseases. We previously presented a noninvasive method called kinetic acoustic vitreoretinal examination (KAVE), which may be used to detect these mechanical changes. KAVE uses acoustic radiation force as a means to produce small, localized displacements within the tissues. Returning echoes are processed using ultrasonic motion tracking so that the response of the tissue to the induced force can be evaluated. By repeating this process at a number of locations, images depicting viscoelastic properties of tissues can be formed. Through the combination of appropriate mechanical modeling and signal processing, we are able to generate images of parameters such as relative mass, relative elasticity, and relative viscosity. These parameters are called relative because they depend on the force applied, which is typically unknown. In this paper, we present new force-free images depicting the time constant /spl tau/, the damping ratio /spl xi/, and the natural frequency /spl omega/ of the phantom material. These images are significant in that they lack the artifacts common in the relative property images.


Abstract : Two laboratory experiments were conducted into the problem of optimizing the characteristics of self-luminous displays for legibility in turbid water typical of Navy diving operations. The turbidity characteristics of coastal oceanic and harbor waters were simulated by artificial materials whose concentrations and physical diameters matched the median values of suspensoids in the two natural waters. Optical properties of the two artificially turbid waters were measured several times during the period of the experiments, and the 'Harbor' samples were compared to properties of samples taken from the Chesapeake Bay. Experimental variations in the self-luminous digital display included size, luminance and wavelength; maximum legible viewing distance was used as the observer's response criterion. Both experiments used a repeated measures experimental design, each with ten observers recruited from diving elements of the U.S. Navy. Legibility of the display was significantly affected by the turbidity differences. Results suggest that displays, viewed through a facemask in turbid water by dark-adapted observers, need to be closer to the eyes, brighter, and larger than displays viewed in air; also the shorter wavelengths (blue/green) were more legible than the longer wavelengths (yellow/orange). (Author)


Purpose

Meetings are a necessary part of work. The purpose of this paper is to focus on how power distance in meetings affects emotional labor, including whether leader-member exchange (LMX) serves as a moderator for this relationship. It is hypothesized that power distance in meetings would lead to higher levels of emotional labor in meeting attendees, and that higher levels of LMX would make this relationship even stronger.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a panel sample of full-time working adults from a variety of industries who regularly attend meetings. Participants completed a survey with items related to power distance, emotional labor, and LMX. Hypotheses were tested using moderated regression.

Findings

Findings reveal that power distance between the meeting leader and attendees does relate positively to emotional labor, both surface and deep acting. In addition, LMX moderates this relationship for deep acting, but not for surface acting indicating that when high levels of both power distance and LMX exist, meeting attendees will engage in more deep acting.

Research limitations/implications

The results of this study suggest that meeting leaders influence the behavior of attendees through their perceived power and relationship with the attendees. The power distance measure and cross-sectional nature of the sampling strategy is a limitation that provides opportunities for future research.

Practical implications

The practical implications focus on meeting leaders, how they can help meeting attendees make meetings successful by expressing their true authentic emotions.

Originality/value

The current study is one of the first to focus on the power distance present in meetings related to emotional regulation through the social comparison theory. In addition, the current study investigates how LMX can serve as a moderator in this relationship.


In this paper we present the GOOD-SIM simulation program, which solves the generalized hydrodynamic equations (HDEs) in semiconductor devices, including non-parabolic band structure effects. GOOD-SIM simulates the electrical characteristics of arbitrary 2D structures, under user-specified conditions. The program is based on a novel device class library (DCL) and a 2D discretization scheme for the HDEs. which is fully compatible with the Scharfetter-Gummel (SG) difference approximation for the drift-diffusion model (DDM). The full compatibility of the discretization scheme permits the full use of available DDM solvers. The simulator is equipped with a visual device editor, a visual grid editor and a macro-compiler that enables the user to edit new physical models for the different device parameters (like carrier drift mobility, impact ionization rate and injection probability) in the run-time. The CPU time and memory required, though being relatively higher than those needed for the DDM, are still very small compared to the corresponding computer resources required for the direct solution of the Boltzmann transport equation (BTE). Because of its object-oriented nature, GOOD-SIM can be easily extended in 3D by the appropriate modification of the Cdiscreteization class, which incorporates the spatial distributions of main variables over discrete elements. New balance equations can also be added by the modification of the CEquation class, which incorporates the hydrodynamic transport model.


There is growing interest in the bio-based production of lipids from algae. These lipids have a range of uses including nutritional supplements and precursors to biodiesel. Single-cell thraustochytrids are especially attractive in this regard in that they can produce over 50% of their weight as triglycerides. Furthermore, the distribution of saturated and unsaturated triglycerides can be modulated by changes in strain variation and modulation of fermentation conditions. Nonetheless, there remains a need for versatile downstream processing to enrich these so-called "single cell oils" into classes based on degree of unsaturation. In this study, we report a novel strategy for enriching saturated triglycerides produced in thraustochytrids. The method features direct reaction of elemental sulfur with the algae oil extract. The sulfur copolymerizes with >90% of the unsaturated triglycerides, providing a new route to a class of materials previously used in environmental remediation, Li-S battery cathodes, slow-release fertilisers, and insulation. The unreacted oil is enriched in saturated triglycerides, which can be isolated by extraction for potential use in biodiesel production. In this way, a single batch of sustainably produced algae oil can be converted into multiple useful products in a single step.


ABSTRACT The staphylococcal superantigen-like proteins (SSLs) are a family of polymorphic paralogs encoded in the Staphylococcus aureus genome whose function is unknown. The crystal structure of SSL7 was determined and compared to that of SSL5 and that of a classical superantigen, streptococcal pyrogenic exotoxin. Although the overall architecture of the superantigen family is retained in both SSL7 and SSL5, there are significant differences in the structures which suggest that the characteristic major histocompatibility complex binding site of superantigens has been lost. To complement these data, the abilities of SSL7 and a closely related paralog, SSL9, to interact with cells of the immune system were investigated. In populations of human white blood cells, both SSLs interacted selectively with monocytes via specific saturable but separate binding sites, which led to rapid uptake of the SSLs. In addition, SSLs were rapidly taken up by dendritic cells, but not by macrophages, into the same endosomal compartment as dextran. The ability of these secreted proteins to target antigen-presenting cells may enhance a misplaced antibody response against the proteins, which may facilitate bacterial colonization rather than contribute to host protection. Like classical superantigens, therefore, SSLs may distract the host's immune system, but they may do so via entirely different molecular mechanisms.


Comprehension of the mechanisms by which ectotherms, such as fish, respond to thermal stress is paramount for understanding the threats that environmental changes may pose to wild populations. Heat shock proteins are molecular chaperones with an important role in several stress conditions such as high temperatures. In the Iberian Peninsula, particularly in Portugal, freshwater fish of the genus Squalius are subject to daily and seasonal temperature variations. To examine the extent to which different thermal regimes influence the expression patterns of hsp70 and hsc70 transcripts we exposed two species of Squalius (S. torgalensis and S. carolitertii) to different temperatures (20, 25, 30 and 35 °C). At 35 °C, there was a significant increase in the expression of hsp70 and hsc70 in the southern species, S. torgalensis, while the northern species, S. carolitertii, showed no increase in the expression of these genes; however, some individuals of the latter species died when exposed to 35 °C. These results suggest that S. torgalensis may cope better with harsher temperatures that are characteristic of this species natural environment; S. carolitertii, on the other hand, may be unable to deal with the extreme temperatures faced by the southern species.


The adult ventricular isoform of chicken myosin heavy chain (MHC-V) is transiently expressed in all skeletal muscle primordia analyzed and is completely repressed around embryonic days 10-12, when functional innervation is established. By ribonuclease protection assay, we demonstrated that denervation of the adult anterior latissimus dorsi muscle resulted in reexpression of MHC-V mRNA. In contrast, treatment of primary cultures of fetal breast or leg muscles with embryonic brain extract or conditioned media from glial or neuroblastoma cell lines, but not from a myogenic cell line or primary muscle cell cultures, led to inhibition of MHC-V expression. This inhibitory activity was abolished by heating and increased with protein concentration. The acquisition of both brain inhibitory activity and the competence of myogenic cells to downregulate MHC-V mRNA expression were age dependent. Furthermore, either paralysis of muscle in ovo by curare or contraction arrest of cultured myotubes resulted in persistent expression of MHC-V mRNA. Thus a putative soluble factor(s) of nerve origin as well as muscle activity are involved in the developmental downregulation of MHC-V expression in muscle primordia.


In shallow marine environments gravity-driven currents (e.g., hyperpycnal flows) often traverse surface wave fields, and the resulting complex flows are key mechanisms for offshore sediment transport. Our laboratory experiments illustrate how surface waves alter sediment transport in gravity-driven density currents. The addition of a wave field to a gravity-driven current resulted in a 7–8.5% increase in the downslope transport of the deposit volume. Additionally, oscillatory velocities recorded at downslope locations in surface-wave-altered turbidity currents were larger than wave-field velocities measured at the same location without a turbidity current. These observations indicate that surface waves alter turbidity currents in a longitudinally complex manner whereby the influence of oscillatory currents is transported downslope within the body of the turbidity current. These effects were observed in a conservative case: the maximum orbital velocities of the wave field were an order of magnitude less than the maximum unidirectional velocities of the current. We predict that if the velocities of the wave field and the current were sub-equal, a plausible scenario for hyperpycnal flows in near-shore, deltaic, and proximal shelf environments, these effects would be substantially more effective. This work has significant implications for modeling offshore sediment transport in shallow marine environments and for interpreting the deposits of such flows, most notably that the presence or absence of combined-flow ripples might not indicate whether the current was deposited above or beneath wave base.


Improving health standards must be related to efforts to improve the overall standard of living. Dana Sehat is in fact a framework within which the community, community leaders and health personnel can work together to develop a programme which suits the needs and capabilities of the community. The community can use the Dana Sehat to develop a prepaid health care scheme, which also aims to raise income, improve living conditions and increase the community's understanding about health and its relation to environment and nutrition. What distinguishes Dana Sehat from other health schemes is that within this framework, the community, community leaders and health personnel are encouraged to contribute each according to his interests and capabilities. Communities can tap their own resources to overcome their own problems without depending too much on outside aid. These principles are cornerstones for approaches to primary health care and rural development, as presently envisaged by W.H.O. and other international organizations.


The years 2007 and early 2008 have been an exciting time for Guillain‐Barré syndrome (GBS) research. Epidemiological studies have shown that the incidence of GBS remains stable at about 2/100,000 per year but that there have been changes in hospitalization use, likely due to the widespread availability of IVIg. Research into mechanisms has shown the importance of single amino acids in Campylobacter jejuni and the importance of ganglioside conformation. In a murine model of anti‐ganglioside antibody‐mediated neuropathy, Eculizumab was effective in reversing clinical disease and preventing pathology. This suggests trials of Eculizumab in GBS should be considered. Unfortunately, there are no new randomized controlled trials in GBS to report although the unmet need is great.


Polymeric nitrogen as a new class of high energy density materials has promising applications. We develop a new scheme of crystal structure searching in a confined space using external confining potentials fitted from first-principles calculations. As a showcase, this method is employed to systematically explore novel polymeric nitrogen structures confined in single-walled carbon nanotubes. Several quasi-one-dimensional single-bonded polymeric nitrogen structures are realized, two of them are composed of nanotubes instead of chains. These new polymeric nitrogen phases are mechanically stable at ambient pressure and temperature according to phonon calculations and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. It is revealed that the stabilization of zigzag and armchair chains confined in carbon nanotubes are mostly attributed to the charge transfer from carbon to nitrogen. However, for the novel nitrogen nanotube systems, electrons overlapping in the middle space provide strong Coulomb repulsive forces, which not only induce charge transfer from the middle to the sides but also stabilize the polymeric nitrogen. Our work provides a new strategy for designing novel high-energy-density polymeric nitrogen materials, as well as other new materials with the help of confined space inside porous systems, such as nanotubes, covalent organic frameworks, and zeolites.


Sensor networks are composed of a great number of sensor nodes. Since all sensor nodes are energy-restricted and hard to recharge, it is very important.However, the energy consumption may significantly increase if mobile sources or sinks exist in sensor networks. The reason is that the routing information for mobile sources and sinks needs to be update frequently for efficientdata delivery. The routing algorithm supporting mobile sinks should consider not only continuous data delivery but also the energy consumption of sensor nodes. However, most of the existing research focuses on even energy consumption while the mobility of sinks and sources is rarely consider. In this paper, we propose an efficient routing protocol with multiple virtual grids to reduce energy consumption and improve packets delivery efficiency. Then this paper considers the mobility. Simulation results show that our algorithm can guarantee high data delivery ratio and lower average delivery delay, while consuming lower energy than existing routing protocols in sensor networks.


ABSTRACT In this paper, we examine representations of masculinity in the English-language South African print media. Using both quantitative and qualitative techniques to interrogate a large corpus (18 million words) of English-language newspaper articles on masculinity that appeared in South Africa between 2008 and 2014, we investigate the ways in which different South African masculine types are positioned with respect to one another in the media and examine how these positionings draw on broader tropes of gender, race and social class that circulate in South African society. Ultimately, our goal is to provide a more nuanced picture of gender/sexual hegemony in South Africa that goes beyond a simple opposition between dominant versus subordinate forms of masculinity to explore the range of competing normativities in the region. In doing so, we also aim to contribute to debates about the role of norms and normativities in the theorizing of masculinity more broadly.


Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in developed countries. The liver is the most prevalent site of metastasis from CRC. Currently, the gold-standard treatment for colorectal liver metastases (CLMs) is surgical resection. However, depending on the pattern of the disease, a significant number of patients may require different approaches alone or in combination with surgery, including thermal ablation (radiofrequency (RFA) or microwave (MWA) ablation) or transarterial liver-directed therapies, although the latter is not yet part of the standard treatment for CRC liver metastases. Methods and Results: We present the case of a 63-yearold man with bilobar CLM who was treated with transarterial embolization (TAE) and RFA followed by chemotherapy. A post-RFA study of immune parameters revealed the downregulation of CD39 expression in the circulating CD4+ T cell population and a reduction of the serum levels of cytokines IL-10, TGF-β, IFN-gamma and IL-17, which positively correlated with the diminished serum level of gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) and the subdued inflammatory markers: the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR). Later, the patient underwent chemotherapy. Liver failure developed within two years and nine months following tumour ablation, leading to the death of the patient. Conclusions: However, the denial of adjuvant chemotherapy by the patient gave us the opportunity to assess the immunomodulatory changes following RFA in the absence of any other therapeutic modalities.


In the spring of 1993, photographer Linda MacCannell began to travel the Indian rodeo circuit, using a large-format view camera to photograph participants and their families. She also photographed the action in the arena and the incredible western landscape that surrounded the rodeo venues. Her photographs provide a striking record of an activity that remains a colorful and significant part of life for Native Americans from Alberta to Arizona.In his engaging and informative accompanying text, Peter Iverson provides historic background on Indian rodeo and explains how rodeo has helped to reinforce the importance of place, of competition and achievement, and of family. "Rodeo, " he writes, "is one of the activities in western North American life that provides time and opportunity for memory, for storytelling, for lessons. The innumerable hours spent in pickup trucks or at the arena are not spent alone. A competitor may be accompanied by a spouse, parents, relatives, friends, children. But there are always more stories to be told and to be heard, to be remembered, to be repeated."


This article deals with the effect of leading edge imperfections on the aerodynamic characteristics of a NACA 632-215 laminar aerofoil at low Reynolds numbers. Wind tunnel tests have been performed at different Reynolds numbers and angles of attack and global aerodynamic loads were measured. To perform these tests, a NACA 632-215 aerofoil was built up in two halves (corresponding to the upper side and to the lower side), the leading edge imperfection here considered being a slight displacement of half aerofoil with respect to the other. From experimental results, a quantitative measure of the influence of the leading edge displacement on the degradation of the aerofoil aerodynamic performances has been obtained. This allows the establishment of a criterion for an acceptance limit for this kind of imperfection.


Hornaday and Wheatley ( 4] compared the usefulness of the Rowe Decision Style Inventory (DSI) with the Rotter locus of control scale in differentiating student performance on a management simulation. They found that students with Conceptual decision styles scored significantly higher on a management simulation than other decision styles and that decision style seemed to be closely related to locus of control. This paper re- ports an effort that failed to replicate those findings with a different sample of students and a different simulation.


Correspondence: Dr Stüve, Department of Neurology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390-9036 (olaf .firstname.lastname@example.com). Author Contributions: Study concept and design: Stüve, Frohman, and Racke. Acquisition of data: Stüve, Cravens, Singh, Frohman, Phillips, Remington, Olek, Monson, and Racke. Analysis and interpretation of data: Stüve, Frohman, Hu, and Hemmer. Drafting of the manuscript: Stüve, Singh, Frohman, Phillips, Remington, Hu, and Hemmer. Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content: Stüve, Cravens, Frohman, Olek, Monson, and Racke. Statistical analysis: Stüve, Cravens, and Hemmer. Obtained funding: Stüve, Frohman, Monson, and Racke. Administrative, technical, and material support: Stüve, Singh, Frohman, Phillips, Remington, Olek, and Racke. Study supervision: Stüve, Frohman, Monson, and Racke. Financial Disclosure: None reported. Although the AFFIRM monotherapy trial and the SENTINEL add-on trial with interferon beta-1a (Avonex) were sponsored by Biogen Idec Inc and Elan Corp, the manufacturers of natalizumab, the work presented in this study was not. Funding/Support: This work was supported in part by a start-up grant from the Dallas VA Research Corporation, a New Investigator Award from VISN 17 in the Department of Veterans Affairs, grant RG3427A8/T from the National Multiple Sclerosis Society (NMSS), and a grant from the Viragh Foundation (O.S.). Support also came from grants NS37513 and NS44250 from the National Institutes of Health and grant RG2969-B-7 from the NMSS (M.K.R.). Additional support came from grants He2386/ 4-1 and He2386/4-2 of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (B.H.) and grant NS40993 from the National Institutes of Health (N.L.M.). Additional Contributions: We thank our patients for participating in this study. Brittney Fort, Jane Lee, Janey Phillips, Jill Fowler, Nancy Perna, and Subir Sinha assisted in data acquisition.


Rupture of the nerve is indication to perform reconstruction by direct neurorrhaphy or with autogenic nerve grafts. An alternative to using nerve grafts may be employ of an artificial conduits consisted of degradable or non-degradable polymers. In this study we presented the possibilities of using of non-degradable polymers in experimental studies and medical practice. The advantages of these materials were emphasized, but also limitations in its use were described. Directions in future progress and possibilities of enrichment nerve conduits by nerve regeneration facilitating factors such as: Schwann cells, mesenchymal stem cells, neurotrophic factors (NGF, GDNF, CNTF, VEGF, PDGF), extracellular matrix elements (collagen, laminin, fibronectin) and structural elements improving axon regeneration (filaments) were also described. In summary the properties of useful in medical practice neural tube were established. All indicate that future directions of experimental studies on using polymers in peripheral nerve reconstructions will be based on degradable materials. The role of non-degradable materials will be limited to using as control groups in experimental studies and in studies of following nerve regeneration improving factors.


In this high-tech era, the internet, globalization and multinational companies are causing increasingly rapid changes in the environment. They are also affecting the economic patterns of the global market, changing consumer purchasing behavior. Due to research and marketing process of a new product or new technology development, enterprises are no longer the focus of the single market strategy. Enterprises are considering information in global market as how to achieve multinational market diffusion quickly and effectively. This study adopts Bass models and KK models based on Bass (1969); Kumar and Krishna (2002) and application methods of nonlinear least squares (NLS) for LCD TV market to estimate the effects of diffusion parameters in the multinational models. This study expects to find these parameters between multinational influences and to compare Bass Models and KK models as explained in the multinational market for consumers to buy a new product of differences. The study also estimates the impacts on the multinational market of the rise of the internet to help enterprises develop more effective marketing strategies.


Yongchun county is used as a typical example for south Fujian region. Based on the principles of ecology and sustainable development strategy of the region, the area is divided into smaller eco agriculture construction zones. The resource characteristics of each zone are systematically analyzed. Four development models are established including sustainable and high quality three dimensional production of crop and animal products, high quality fruit and forest production as a key, animal husbandry of reducing grain consumption and establishment of production base for organic vegetables.


In this paper, a nonlinear Volterra-Fredholm integro-differential equation is solved by using He's variational iteration method. The approximate solution of this equation is calculated in the form of a sequence where its components are computed easily. The accuracy of the proposed numerical scheme is examined by comparing with the modified Adomian decomposition method. The existence and uniqueness of the solution and convergence of the proposed method are proved.


In this paper, we investigate the properties of cycles for node representation in the star graph. Cycles can be in any order. The position for each symbol in the ordinary cycle is fixed and the ordinary cycle can not be nested into any other cycle. However, cyclic shift operations on symbols in a none-ordinary cycle are allowed and none-ordinary cycle can be nested into any other cycle. The number of distinct paths for the star graph is determined using the combinatorial analysis.


ground improvement, prefacricated vertical drain, soft clay, stability, vacuum consolidation Ground improvement technique by Prefabricated Vertical Drain (PVD) in combination with vacuum preloading is widely used to facilitate the consolidation process and reduce residual settlement. However, this technique seems hardly to be estimated by both analytical method and numerical method because it has complex boundary conditions (such as vacuum pressure changing with time). Moreover, lateral displacements caused by this technique are also a significant problem. Numerical modeling may be an effective design tool to estimate the behavior of soft soil treated by this method, however, it needs to have a proper calibration of input parameters. This paper introduces a matching scheme for selection of soil/drain properties in analytical solution and numerical modeling (axisymmetric and plane strain conditions) of a ground improvement project by using Prefabricated Vertical Drains (PVD) in combination with vacuum and surcharge preloading. In-situ monitoring data from a case history of a road construction project in Vietnam was adopted in the back-analysis. Analytical solution and axisymmetric analysis can approximate well the field data meanwhile the horizontal permeability needs to be adjusted in-plane strain scenario to achieve good agreement. In addition, the influence zone of ground treatment was examined. The residual settlement was investigated to justify the long-term settlement in compliance with the design code. Moreover, the degree of consolidation of non-PVD sublayers was also studied by means of two different approaches.


The main aim of this paper was an attempt to describe the issue of co-existence in the context of the development of the bioeconomy. An additional aim was to identify categories of costs of coexistence and their size in the situation of parallel production ie. organic and conventional that takes place in farms certified as organic. The study was based on data collected for 2015 from 28 organic farms from Mazovia province. It was found that co-existence as an economic institution allows to ensure for individuals and social groups the freedom of choice and build confidence among them for the integrity and quality of products coming from different production and distribution systems. Thus, given the importance of standards for food safety and quality the coexistence plays a special role in the development of the agro-food chains and distribution of food and feed. In the studied organic farms parallel production can be carried out by implementing proper practices of coexistence, allowing to optimize the organization and economics of their activities. The coexistence costs were related mainly to isolation and segregation and amounted to ca. 4,66% of all costs.


Deep learning requires large datasets for training (convolutional) networks with millions of parameters. In neuroimaging, there are few open datasets with more than 100 subjects, which makes it difficult to, for example, train a classifier to discriminate controls from diseased persons. Generative adversarial networks (GANs) can be used to synthesize data, but virtually all research is focused on 2D images. In medical imaging, and especially in neuroimaging, most datasets are 3D or 4D. Here we therefore present preliminary results showing that a 3D progressive growing GAN can be used to synthesize MR brain volumes.


A XeF electric-discharge laser with a pulse repetition rate f of up to 4 kHz is developed. The laser electrode unit is based on plate electrodes with inductive—capacitive discharge stabilisation. He and Ne are used as buffer gases, and NF3 serves as a fluorine donor. A narrow (∼1 mm) discharge is achieved; the specific energy deposition per unit length of the active volume is as high as 2 J m-1. The maximum energy in a laser pulse is ∼3 mJ for NF3—Xe—He and NF3—Xe—Ne mixtures at total pressures of 0.8 and 1.2 atm, respectively, and the maximum lasing efficiency is ∼0.73%. The maximum gas velocity in the working gap is 19 m s-1. The laser-pulse energy at a high pulse repetition rate (4 kHz) virtually coincides with that obtained at a low repetition rate. The mean output pulse power at f = 4 kHz reaches 12 W, and the rms deviation of the laser-pulse energy is ∼2.5%.


Summary Meaningfulness is a fundamental aspect in the promotion of frail older adults' health and well-being. From a salutogenic point of view, meaningfulness is a vital component of a sense of coherence (SOC), since having a strong SOC aids toward assembling the resources needed to cope with stressors and manage tensions with success. In order to respond to the challenges of population aging and the need to enable frail older adults to live at home for as long as possible, it is important to explore their meaningfulness in the context of home-based care. A salutogenic framework was used to study meaningfulness. The aim was to explore what promotes meaningfulness among frail older adults. The study uses a hermeneutical approach and has a qualitative design. In total, 17 frail older adults were interviewed. The data were analyzed by content analysis. The results uncovered four themes that the respondents considered important in enhancing meaningfulness in daily life: home care personnel, outdoor activities and green spaces, cultural activities and spirituality. Our study revealed the important role of home care personnel as a resource in promoting meaningfulness in the context of home-based care. Hence, this group should be given sufficient resources, knowledge and competence for enabling meaningfulness and thus a SOC amongst frail older adults.


The purposes of the study are to explore the effects among brand awareness, perceived quality, brand loyalty and customer purchase intention and mediating effects of perceived quality and brand loyalty on brand awareness and purchase intention. The samples are collected from cellular phone users living in Chiyi, and the research adopts regression analysis and mediating test to examine the hypotheses. The results are: (a) the relations among the brand awareness, perceived quality and brand loyalty for purchase intention are significant and positive effect, (b) perceived quality has a positive effect on brand loyalty, (c) perceived quality will meditate the effects between brand awareness and purchase intention, and (d) brand loyalty will mediate the effects between brand awareness and purchase intention. The study suggests that cellular phone manufacturers ought to build a brand and promote its brand awareness through sales promotion, advertising, and other marketing activities. When brand awareness is high, its brand loyalty will also increase. Consumers will evaluate perceived quality of a product from their purchase experience. As a result, brand loyalty and brand preference will increase and also purchase intention.


In spite of many advances of IR imaging technology that have been achieved, the detection of dim point target from infrared clutter backgrounds still remains a key problem in real-time IR system. We present a new detection scheme based on a linear detector and an improved probabilistic neural network classifier for small SNR, moving point targets detection in strong infrared noise and clutter backgrounds. Computer simulation was conducted, and simulation results confirmed the validity of the detection scheme.<<ETX>>


This paper analyzes the 1977 Tamil-language Honeymoon Couple, written by Crazy Mohan for comedian Kathadi Ramamurthy, as a typical play that illustrates the basic content as well as structural and aesthetic characteristics of the sabha theatre genre. This work exhibits the major traits that in my analysis constitute the genre: patronage by sabhas, with their middle-class, usually Brahmin, audience base; a central theme concerning marriage alliances and/or married life; scripted witty dialogue with a thin plot and one-liner jokes, often including language jokes that code-switch between Tamil and English; a socially conservative message; and an "amateur aesthetic" that involves minimal sets, costumes, and lighting, and two-hour evening or weekend matinee performances. The reading of Kathadi Ramamurthy's Honeymoon Couple illustrates the flamboyant quotidian nature of the pure comedy plays that focus on fast-paced dialogue filled with jokes, puns, and allusions, and works from that humor to a deeper understanding of middle-class Tamil Brahmin culture.


Abstract:  Changes in population densities of the apple sawfly Hoplocampa testudinea (Klug) and its parasitoid Lathrolestes ensator (Brauns) were monitored in 15 apple orchards for a period of up to 4 years. The parasitoid species was found in all orchards except one, and was more numerous in plantings on sandier soils. Post‐bloom insecticide applications against other pests, and carbaryl for fruit thinning, often decimated both host and parasitoid in integrated pest management orchards. In organic orchards, where synthetic pesticides are banned, and Quassia is the only remedy against sawfly, the pest is more problematic. The low levels of parasitism in all organic orchards, except one, were possibly due to the application of wettable sulphur during the parasitoid flight period. The sawfly usually recovers more quickly than its parasitoid when chemical control is discontinued, because propagation of L. ensator is limited in various ways. The parasitoid is time limited, because suitable second instar host larvae are rarely available for more than a week on a single apple variety. Moreover, parasitism levels stay moderate because the parasitoid females do not avoid superparasitism. Finally, relatively more sawflies than parasitoids emerge after 10 months underground, because the incidence of prolonged diapause is more elevated in L. ensator than in the sawfly. It is suggested that both the high incidence of prolonged diapause and the inability to avoid superparasitism are useful in reducing the risk of local extinction. Elevated sawfly attack in a single early apple variety would reduce exploitation of suitable host larvae in other nearby varieties, in as far as the parasitoid is not able to distinguish fruitlets with accessible second instar host larvae from those with inaccessible older larvae. Although the former are available for a limited time, the latter may keep the parasitoids from moving to the less abundant second instar larvae in late(r) varieties. Reduction of elevated host density in such an early variety by a properly timed application of a short‐lived pesticide, such as Quassia, increases parasitism levels proportionally, and is expected to promote parasitoid movement to host larvae in other varieties nearby.


The sudden explosion of interest in genocide as a topic of academic study over the past decade or so has involved academics rushing to produce "big" general theories in their efforts to have their voices heard. But more often than not, their haste has produced books that are insufficiently researched and theses that strain to be profound. In Balkan Genocides: Holocaust and Ethnic Cleansing in the Twentieth Century, Paul Mojzes has attempted something more moderately ambitious: an overview of the Balkan genocides of the twentieth century, focusing principally on the territory of the former Yugoslavia but involving forays into other Balkan lands, including Bulgaria, Greece and Turkey. This is a project that needs to be undertaken, as the mass killings of the 1990s in the former Yugoslavia (the ones that, alongside the concurrent genocide in Rwanda, were responsible for the explosion in "genocide studies" in the first place) are too often analysed without a broader chronological framework. In other words, although scholars and journalists writing about the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s have frequently made reference to the prior episodes of mass killing in the region, particularly those that took place during World War II, their analytical frameworks have tended not to encompass those earlier episodes. Mojzes has attempted to break the mould, and his book analyses the mass killings of the 1940s and 1990s as well as those that occurred during the Balkan Wars of 1912–13. He therefore provides an analytical overview for the English language reader that is more accessible than elsewhere. Unfortunately, the book he has produced suffers from some of the same flaws that have marred the more general studies of genocide alluded to here.


On the French island La Reunion and in a French legal context, where emphasis lies more on 'land regulation' than on 'land security', an experiment combining research and development is undertaken, with the objective of coordinating political good-will and land control. This article deals with the pilot scheme of 'citizen land mediation' MEDIAC, which introduces the problems of 'land security' in conjunction with land regulation. In the commune of Cilaos, a tourist area where agriculture remains important for sustainable development, farmers are confronted with an unquestionable lack of land security. The latter is increased by phenomena such as speculation, erroneous character of the land registers, joint possession and a general attitude of mistrust towards the administration. The various institutions encounter many difficulties in implementing their tools for land regulation. Nevertheless confronted with the need to preserve agriculture those involved in land control support the idea of land mediation. Land mediation, with its social and territorial approach, which is necessary to mitigate land constraint, constitutes a step towards the creation or the renewal of' bonds between the various actors, private and institutional. It authorizes the actors to engage in a common reflection on the management of 'their' space, as experienced on a daily basis. The term 'citizen', which characterizes 'land 'mediation', points to the need for a participative strategy associated with an evaluation of environmental or land problems in order to transpose the principles and criteria of viable and sustainable development into the project planning of development or space management by integrating social concerns. The mediation process makes it possible to bring together the multiple perceptions and objectives of the various actors. It highlights the links between individual interests and more collective dimensions. The introduction of land mediation in Ilet a Cordes requires the identification of a framework of intervention adapted and accepted by all the actors involved in the management of the land of the islet. This framework must allow for a balance between the legitimacy of the intervention, its financing, and the respect for the spirit of the mediation - a balance that is always fragile and never finally acquired. Little by little, the mediator seems to emerge as a reliable interlocutor, both for the inhabitants and for the institutions. The intervention of the mediator in cases of conflict requires that certain rules are followed by the parties. It also excludes any legal procedure. Mediation seeks solutions that are accepted by all. Legitimate engagements most be accompanied by legal methods such as those related to the clarification of the status of the grounds, the construction of a projet de societe (vision of a shared future) or the consideration of individual interests and the role of institutions. Mediation can facilitate the exchanges aimed at clarifying the legal status of the grounds. It is the mediator's role to inform the population as to the legal provisions relating to the land transactions and to facilitate the meeting of the actors in view of a transfer of exploitation rights. A partnership with the SAFER thus seems to be relevant. The improvement of the land management system has to build on confidence in the future of agriculture and on the mobilization and the intervention of the farmers. Mediation must thus be involved in the construction of a common society project and in the development of collectives. Better social cohesion can anticipate recurring problems. An experiment is conducted in the use of computer-assisted role playing in water management. This should make a projection in the future possible through the interaction of the players and could contribute to the setting up of citizen control over water management and land use through greater responsibility and involvement of the inhabitants. Moreover, mediati


The burden of dental diseases is increasing in the Chinese population. However, the development of the dental industry falls behind the average development level of medical industry in China. The emergence of digital dental technologies has created significant opportunities for the development of the dental industry in China. This article explores the innovative development background of the Chinese dental industry, describes the current innovation status in Chinese medical colleges and enterprises, highlights key problems faced by the nation, enterprises, and hospitals, proposes solutions to these issues, and puts forwards a new concept of building an open and collaborative service system, a transformation path, and a whole-chain support system for innovations in dentistry.


Background Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) is widely used as a staging modality for gastric cancer. However, the results of studies on the use of EUS for N staging in gastric cancer vary. This study aimed at studying the overall diagnostic accuracy of EUS for N staging of gastric cancer. Methods Published studies were identified through searching the MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE, SpringerLink and ScienceDirect databases. A bivariate random effect model was used to estimate the sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR). A hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic curves (HSROC) based on the pooled data was also computed. Results Fifty studies (5223 patients) were included in this analysis. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR and DOR of EUS for N staging were 0.82 (95% CI 0.78 to 0.85), 0.68 (0.63 to 0.73), 2.6 (2.2 to 3.0), 0.27 (0.22 to 0.32), and 10 (8 to 12), respectively. The area under the HSROC was 0.83. Conclusion The EUS may provide a clinically useful tool to guide physicians in the N staging of gastric cancer. However, physicians must note that the EUS has a relatively low specificity.


Which manager should a firm promote to CEO? How do the attributes of a managerial workforce affect firms' placement decisions and wage offers, and managers' quit decisions? The existing literature offers trivial answers to this nuanced question. In one class of models, placement decisions are determined on an individual-by-individual basis, so that promotion of one worker does not crowd out another. In the other class — rank order tournaments — the answer is simply the manager who is believed to be most able. The real world is far more complicated, as the firm-wide distribution of all managerial attributes — including ability, age and complementarities — enters the placement/wage decisions by firms and the quit decisions by managers. This paper develops a rich dynamic model to get at these issues. Our OLG model features two division managers and a CEO, where each executive may be at a different point in his employment horizon. Taking into account the attributes of all executives, the firm decides which manager to promote to CEO, which manager(s) to lay off, and what wage offers to make to different executives; while managers who were not laid off decide whether to stay at the firm or to quit and take an outside employment offer. We analyze how the decisions of the firm and managers vary according to the age-skill profiles of the firm's executives. We provide sufficient conditions for the existence of a unique equilibrium, in which: (i) the firm has a bias toward promoting older managers to CEO, even in the absence of learn-bydoing; (ii) the firm's strategy is monotone on manager's own skill, so that if a manager of a given age/ability is promoted, then so are more able managers of the same age, but (iii) the firm's strategy is a complex, possible non-monotonic function of the attributes of other executives; (iv) a middleaged manager is more likely to stay at the firm when the other manager is older or sufficiently less talented, and when (v) the CEO is older. We then characterize how the firm trades off between wages and placement offers to align managerial incentives. In particular, the firm uses the flexibility in wage offers to "smooth" the discrete incentives generated by placement offers.


In 1934, while he was in New York, O. H., a man aged 41 at the time of writing, suffered his first attack of iritis. An extensive search for a focus of infection resulted in entirely negative findings. The treatment consisted of local therapy and intramuscular injections of milk, and was followed by gradual improvement and a return to normal but not until the end of three months. Approximately two years later, on April 18, 1936, he presented himself to Dr. Samuel Hirshfeld for examination. The night previous he had suddenly suffered intense pain in the left eye, which immediately became "bloodshot," with sudden marked lacrimation, pronounced photophobia and blurring of vision. He was referred to Dr. Maurice Beigelman, an ophthalmologist, who reported the left pupil to be contracted, with marked pericorneal congestion, cells within the aqueous and reduction in visual acuity to 20/50. The diagnosis was acute iritis. It


UNLABELLED
The aim of the study was to examine dynamics of the content of nitric oxide (NO) in gastric juice in Helicobacter-associated gastroduodenal diseases.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
105 patients were examined: 56 - with chronic non-atrophic (antral) gastritis (CNG) and 49 - duodenal ulcer (DU). 25 healthy individuals were studied as control.

RESULTS
It was found that NO concentration increases in gastric juice at the exacerbation of CNG and DU. Moreover, in patients with CNG with the elimination of Helicobacter pylori and inflammatory activity in the gastric mucosa, NO levels decrease to control values, and in DU patients in remission phase the level of it is markedly reducing, but remains higher than normal. The NO content changes, depending not only on a phase, but also character of a course of a disease, are observed at patients with Duodenal ulcer. At recurrent course UD index of NO in the gastric juice was significantly higher than in newly diagnosed destructive process in the mucosa.

CONCLUSION
The carried out research show that H. pylori infection stimulates the metabolism of NO in the gastric CO. The Increase in the levels of NO can be regarded as a protective reaction in response to the persistence of HP.


Knowing the electrical offset of the storage ring beam po sition monitors (BPM) to an adjacent quadrupole magnetic center is important in order to correct the orbit in the ring. We describe a simple, fast and reliable technique to mea sure the BPM electrical centers relative to the quadrupole magnetic centers. By varying individual quadrupole mag nets and observing the effects on the orbit we were able to measure the BPM offsets in half the horizontal and vertical BPMs (48) in the ALS. These offsets were measured to an accuracy of better than 50J.tm. The technique is completely automated and takes less than 3 hours for the whole ring.


2 017 likely marks the beginning of a new era for the hearing aid industry. Not only did over-thecounter (OTC) hearing aids become law of the land, but breakthroughs in artificial intelligence also offered hope in solving the hearing-in-noise problem. OTC hearing aids aim to provide a safe and effective means to help millions of mild-to-moderately hearingimpaired listeners who could benefit from amplification but do not use hearing aids due to cost, inaccessibility, or both. There is little to no doubt regarding the safety of OTC hearing aids, which are no more dangerous than commercially-available headphones, ear buds, and other personal amplification systems. There are diminishing concerns about the quality of OTC hearing aids because their key technologies—from microphones and speakers to digital signal processing chips and noise-canceling algorithms— are indistinguishable from that in stateof-the-art hearing aids. Scientific evidence is accumulating for the effectiveness of OTC-like hearing aids, for they have produced similar performance to that of high-end devices fitted by certified audiologists (Am J Audiol. 2017;26[1]:53). As discussed by the panel in this issue's cover story, important questions remain, such as how the FDA plans to regulate OTC devices and how audiologists can integrate these devices into their services. We shall see whether OTC hearing aids will be able to compete against the existing market or increase the market penetration in the next several years. A breakthrough in artificial intelligence has notably improved the speech-in-noise understanding of actual hearing aid users (IEEE Spectr. 2017;54[3]:32). Deep learning, which is rooted in brain circuitry, has been successfully used to test self-driving cars and beat the best human Go players. Using a single microphone in speech babble background noise, deep learning raised word recognition from 29 to 84 percent, a level of performance similar to that of normalhearing people listening in the same condition. Although the deep learning algorithm has not been implemented in any hearing aid due to power and realtime limitations, it offers realistic hope to solve the number one complaint of hearing-impaired people. Deep learning and other artificial intelligence technologies such as virtual and augmented reality can enhance and enrich the performance even of normalhearing people. An intelligent hearing aid will offer a personalized, immersive, and interactive hearing experience like sound scene analysis, sound protection and warning, simulation of the best seat in the Disney Hall, and even real-time language translation. A great outcome of the wide adoption of such an intelligent device is the elimination of the long-standing stigma associated with wearing hearing aids. Audiologists and hearing aid companies should embrace the changes, as they also represent opportunities in the new landscape. These opportunities are game changers, like the birth of electronic and digital hearing aids. We will see an expanded role for audiologists to care for both hearing-impaired and normal-hearing populations, and possibly the first $10-billion hearing aid company in the next decade.


This article presents an interdisciplinary effort to develop and share sustainable knowledge necessary to analyze, understand, and use published scientific results to advance reproducibility in multimessenger astrophysics. Specifically, we target the breakthrough work associated with generating the first image of a black hole, called M87. The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) Collaboration computed the image. Based on the artifacts made available by the EHT, we deliver documentation, code, and a computational environment to reproduce the first image of a black hole. Our deliverables support discovery in multimessenger astrophysics by providing all of the necessary tools for generalizing methods and findings from the EHT use case. Challenges encountered during the reproducibility of EHT results are reported. Our effort results in an open source, containerized software package that enables the public to reproduce the first image of a black hole in the galaxy M87.


The results of the studies devoted to defining the content of biogenic monoamines and their metabolites in different parts of cerebrum in rats of two inbred Vistar and Krushinsky--Molodkina lines are presented. It is proved that the intact rats of Krushinsky--Molodkina line differ from Vistar rats in the higher contents of adrenaline and dopamine of the hypothalamus and striatum, of serotonin in the hypothalamus. Also, the tendency to lowering noradrenaline in the hypothalamus and striatum, as well as the higher activity of the pathways of oxidative desamination and O-methylation in the hypothalamus was shown. The pronounced shift in the level of monoamines and its metabolism has been observed under the influence of immobilization in Vistar rats. At the same time, none of the neurochemical parameters are altered in the rats of Krushinsky--Molodkina line. The results obtained are regarded from the point of view of genetically determined balance of activating and inactivating influence differing in various lines.


This paper presented various international indices and how Tanzania is judged by them. The purpose was to reveal to different stakeholders and policy makers how this country is perceived by outsiders such as foreign donor countries, investors, tourist or international bodies. The methodology involved empirical review of literatures combined with regression analysis to capture the impact of the indices on economic aspects like Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). The findings indicated that Tanzania's performance in most of indices is low though improving. The related effects of this level of performance include persistence level of poverty, limited economic growth, reduced inflow of investments and diminishing trust of citizens to their government. The regression analysis indicated that the indices influence FDI both positively (political stability, government effectiveness, regulatory quality, rule of law and institutional quality) and negatively (control of corruption) in varying degrees. It was recommended that various stakeholders who are decision makers in relation to these indicators such as the government, parliaments, regulatory bodies, NGO's and individuals, take initiative accordingly, in order to reverse the situation where country's scores are low.


Finite element based first ply failure strength investigations of perforated laminates in the presence of residual ply stresses are presented. Unit cell models are applied, where interand intra-laminar failure as well as free edge effects is taken into account on the ply level. The critical stress states contain constant and variable stress parts, which mean that non-radial loading paths are considered. Failure envelopes are computed for different layups and residual stress levels. This way the strength evaluation of structures containing perforated laminates can be performed on the macroscopic, i.e. structural, level.


A new Lb. plantarum strain DY46 was isolated from a traditionally fermented non-alcoholic beverage called shalgam from the Southern region of Anatolia following incubation on MRS agar at 30°C for 5 days. DY46 is gram-positive, short rod and catalase-negative. This bacterium fermented 22 of the 49 substrates tested on API CH50 fermentation panels. Whole-genome sequencing was performed using the Illumina Miseq platform to learn more about the metabolic capabilities of DY46. The sequences were assembled into a 3.32 Mb draft genome using PATRIC 3.6.8. consisting of 153 contigs, and preliminary genome annotation was performed using the RAST algorithm. The DY46 genome consists of a single circular chromosome of 3,332,827 bp that is predicted to carry 3219 genes, including 61 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA operons. The genome has a GC content of 44.3% includes 98 predicted pseudogenes, 25 complete or partial transposases and 3 intact prophages. DY46 genome also predicted to carry genes of Plantaricin-E, Plantaricin-F and Plantaricin-K showing the antimicrobial potential of this bacterium which can be linked-to in vitro antagonism tests that DY46 can inhibit Salmonella Typimirium ATCC14028, Klebsiella pneumonie ATCC13883, and Proteus vulgaris ATCC8427. The acid and bile tolerance of DY46 revealed this strain could potentially pass through the stomach and reach into the gut to provide probiotic therapeutic affects on health.


Psychological autopsies have been suggested and used for clinical and forensic investigation, as well as for research purposes, in investigation surrounding a completed suicide. While accidental drug overdose death constitutes a major clinical and forensic challenge, psychological autopsy rarely has been mentioned as a potential tool in post mortem investigations of these causes of death. This is in contrast to the high number of established risk factors described in the literature on drug overdose deaths. Consequently, based on the vast literature on overdose risk factors, we here propose the use of psychological autopsies for the investigation of events and circumstances preceding cases of overdose death.


ABSTRACT This study evaluated yellow perch (Perca flavescens) diet in southern Lake Michigan to determine whether prey consumed fluctuated with abundance of zooplankton, benthic invertebrates, and fish species during the period 1984 to 2002. Some change in benthic community abundance was evident from samples collected in the region during the period, including the naturalization of the round goby and the zebra mussel between 1993 and 2002. In addition, changes in fish abundance were evident from 1984 to 2002, when spottail shiner (Notropis hudsonius) and alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) increased, while yellow perch, and rainbow smelt (Osmerus mordax) declined. Non-indigenous species eaten by yellow perch in 2002 included spiny water fleas (Bythotrephes longimanus), round gobies, and alewives with the latter two species dominating the diet by volume. Yellow perch did exhibit prey preferences, although they consumed a variety of different organisms over the period of study. This euryphagous characteristic of yellow perch is expected to promote its persistence in southern Lake Michigan, despite a changing prey base.


This volume is an introduction to Sturla Þorðarson (1214-1284), a leading figure in thirteenth-century Iceland. Sturla Þorðarson is one of only a handful of thirteenth-century Icelandic historians to be known by name, and he is certainly one of the most significant. In addition to his role as author and compiler, he was in his day one of the most powerful men in Iceland and served as court poet, liegeman and lawman over the course of his life.