Saltlicks are a keystone resource of wildlife. This study aimed to compare the characteristics among general soil, natural saltlicks and artificial saltlicks in the natural forest of Salakphra Wildlife Sanctuary (SWS) and restoration habitat for elephant (Elephas maximus) in Kui Buri National Park (KNP), western Thailand. Twenty general soils, 33 natural and 35 artificial saltlicks were analyzed. The chemical compositions in natural saltlicks were not consistent. The K, Mg, Fe and Cu in natural saltlicks were higher than artificial saltlicks in both areas. The Ca and Zn in artificial saltlicks in SES were higher than natural saltlicks of KNP. The salinity in artificial saltlicks was highest and higher than in natural saltlicks in both areas and can provide supplemental Na, thereby increasing salinity in both areas. The artificial saltlicks cannot provide Ca, K, Mg, Fe and Cu when compared to natural saltlicks that can provide a primary target for elephants at these sites. The findings have consequences for conservation of elephants and other large herbivores by supplementing essential macro- and micro-nutrients in artificial saltlicks. The key resources can provide information to help maintain the wildlife health and fecundity of the region.


Many contemporary Wiccans organize their narratives of oppression around the historical model of the Burning Times - the early-modern persecution of witches, i.e. women and marginalized persons, providing them a powerful set of symbols to organize their concerns. These narratives seek to transcend questions of victimization and provide Wiccans with a means of resisting totalizing pressures and also help create novel formations of the self and community. This remains a tenuous process, exacerbated by conflicting responses within Wicca to the needs of a growing religion. The creative aspects of the Burning Times mythology, however, do present an idealistic set of possibilities.


3D-TV plays an important revolution in consumer electronics. However, depth map generation is a critical technology for 2D to 3D conversion. In this paper, we propose a hybrid depth-perception algorithm for 2D-to-3D conversion in 3D display systems. The algorithm consists of three parts: moving object of border extraction, vanish line detection, and smoothing of the depth map. From the experimental results by using 3D active glasses, the quality of depth perception is good enough, hence the human eye can't find noticeable differences. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm is also suitable for VLSI design.


In agriculture, biocontrol agents have been emerged as safe alternative to chemical pesticides where Streptomyces spp. and their metabolites constitute a great potential for their exploration as potent agents for controlling various fungal phytopathogens. The present study reports an antifungal compound purified from Streptomyces hydrogenans strain DH16, a soil isolate, using silica gel chromatography and semi preparative HPLC. The compound was characterized using various spectroscopic techniques (IR, 1H and 13C NMR) and named 10-(2,2-dimethyl-cyclohexyl)-6,9-dihydroxy-4,9-dimethyl-dec-2-enoic acid methyl ester (SH2). Compound (SH2) showed significant inhibitory activity against fungal phytopathogens and resulted in severe morphological aberrations in their structure. Minimal inhibitory and minimal fungicidal concentrations of the compound ranged from 6.25 to 25 μg/ml and 25 to 50 μg/ml, respectively. In vivo evaluation of the compound showed strong control efficacy against Alternaria brassicicola, a seed borne pathogen, on radish seeds. In comparison to mancozeb and carbendazim, the compound was more effective in controlling damping off disease. Additionally, it promoted plant growth with increased rate of seed germination, and displayed no phytotoxicity. The compound retained its antifungal activity after its exposure to temperature of 100°C and sunlight for 1 h. Furthermore, the compound (SH2) when tested for its biosafety was found to be non-cytotoxic, and non-mutagenic against Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TA100 strains. This compound from S. hydrogenans strain DH16 has not been reported earlier, so this new compound can be developed as an ideal safe and superior biofungicide for the control of various fungal plant diseases.


The preferences of people depend on different contexts from location to current role. Therefore the context has to be taken into account when service is personalised. In this paper mobile electronic personality (ME) is enhanced so that the context is taken into account before personal information is sent to service


The name of the French tapestry maker, Jean Dermoyen, is connected with the purchase by the Emperor Charles V in 1544, of an artistically outstanding tapestry series, entitled The History of Joshua (Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna), made after the cartoons by Pieter Coecke van Aelst - the eminent painter, theoretician of architecture, sculptor and translator. The conditions of payment for the artwork were specified in Charles V's letter of 8 December 1544 to the officials of Chambre des Comptes in Lille. The artist's remuneration, in a total of 10 000 livres, was to be paid to the artist in installments over the period of three years, and the money was to derive from the income of the Treasury Office in Lille. One of the installments was paid on 28 March 1545 and Jean Dermoyen confirmed with his signature that the Treasury Office had hitherto paid him one half of the balance due. Signing the same invoice, the tapestry maker had put, beside his full signature, also his mark which can be read as ?IDG?. The importance of the document of 1545 consists in the fact that it allows to identify not only the artwork preserved in Vienna, but its maker as well.


Edward George Tandy Liddell, the second and younger son of Dr John Liddell, a physician of Harrogate, was born on 25 March 1895. 'In the first three winters of existence,' he wrote in his personal memoir, 'he had bouts of pneumonia which deprived him permanently of really robust health, but he limited his way of life and escaped further serious illnesses.' After attending two local 'dame schools' he was sent to Summer Fields, Oxford, in 1905; from there, in 1909, he won a scholarship at Shrewsbury but chose instead to go to Harrow , where he spent two years on the classical side before transferring to science. At the end of 1913 he left school and lived for 6 months with families in Germany, at Bonn and Frankfurt-on-the-Main; and in October 1914 he went up to a 'fast-emptying Oxford' to read medicine as a member of Trinity College. Having obtained a first class honours degree in Physiology in 1918, he became an assistant at the Serum Department of the Lister Institute at Elstree under A. T. MacConkey. He was elected to a Senior Demyship at Magdalen College. He began his clinical studies at St Thomas's Hospital in January 1919, qualifying B.M., B.Ch. Oxon. in July 1921. During those years of steady work he evidently learned to spend his energies to best advantage. Often he felt too tired to read in the evenings. It turned out that his heart had been damaged. Sir James Mackenzie gave him a Delphic prognosis: 'take care of your heart, and it will last you as long as you need it'. In old age he recalled that Lady Osier once said to him: 'you look like a lazy man to me'. But no one who was close to him, and knew how much work he got through, could have so misread his calm manner, his economy of movement, and his deliberate pace.


Preface Section 1: Sport Media Foundations 1. Sport and the Media: A Defining Relationship 2. The Evolution of the Nexus: Understanding the Game Section 2: Sport Media Landscapes 3. The Sport and Media Industries: Meeting the Global Players 4. Broadcast Rights and Revenue: Putting up Big Numbers 5. Sport Media Regulation: Making the Rules Section 3: Sport Media Professionals 6. Sport Journalists: Friend or Foe? 7. Sport Media Relations Practitioners: Inside the Team Section 4: Sport Media Strategies 8. Sport Media Planning and Promotion: The Foundations of Coverage 9. Sport Media Communications: Feeding the Media 10. Sport Media Interactions: Working with the Media 11. Sport and Social Media: Keeping up with the Tweets, Posts and Links 12. Major Sport Event Media Management: Controlling the Chaos 13. Managing Crises, Scandals and Reputations: Not All Publicity is Good


Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of oral d-penicillamine therapy in children with high blood lead concentrations. Design: A prospective, uncontrolled study. Methods and Patients: Seven children (2–16 y old; mean 8.7) with elevated blood lead concentrations but no symptoms of lead poisoning were treated with oral d-penicillamine. Lead-contaminated homemade flour as found to be the source of poisoning. Mean ± SD blood lead concentrations prior to therapy were 60.3 ± 12.9 μg/dL (range 47.8–83). Mean blood zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) was 337.86 ± 58.55 μmol/mol hemoglobin (Hb) (range 247–394). Results: Ninety days of treatment with d-penicillamine lowered the mean blood lead concentration by 31.7% to a mean of 40.7 ± 8.6 μg/dL (range 30–53) and lowered mean ZPP blood concentrations by 40% to a mean of 201.14 ± 14 μmol/mol Hb (range 150–278). Three patients with blood lead concentrations >45 μg/mL at the end of this therapy were subsequently treated with succimer, an alternative oral chelator; the blood lead concentrations were further reduced to <45 μg/mL. Conclusions: d-Penicillamine therapy significantly reduced blood lead concentrations but did not achieve acceptable lead and ZPP concentrations for young children. Therefore, we conclude that 90 days of d-penicillamine treatment is of limited effectiveness in young children who have high blood lead concentrations and also show symptoms of lead poisoning.


Abstract : The goal of this program is to expand our capabilities to make remote and unattended measurements of the upper ocean and air-sea interface using autonomous, in-situ instrumentation that can be deployed in a range of conditions and locations. Measurements of the upper ocean and air-sea interface present a difficult challenge for both remote sensing techniques and in-situ moored or shipboard instrumentation. While satellite-based remote-sensing techniques generally lose accuracy in high sea-states or near land due to a lack of understanding of the physics of the parameter that is measured or land contamination in the received signal (e.g. remotely sensed winds), fixed in-situ measurements are difficult to maintain due to the environmental loading placed on the instrumentation and survivability of moorings. Shipboard instrumentation in high sea-states is either too costly for long-term measurements or presents a danger to the personnel onboard the vessel. While moorings and surface buoys can be designed to withstand the rigors of the sea-surface during high sea states, the statistical nature of very high wind events such as hurricanes, typhoons, and large winter storms requires that moorings be deployed over long periods of time and in large spatial arrays in order to raise the probability of the instrumentation being in the right place and at the right time. The recent improvement of relocatable forecasting models of the ocean will now require rapid identification of initializing conditions for the model. Adaptive monitoring of the ocean anywhere on the globe will now be available through strategic placement of light-weight, low-cost instrumentation in regions of high interest. The objective of this program is to continue the development of a suite of sensors integrated into a class of low-cost instruments to enable these initializations as well as to develop a unique platform for scientific process studies.


BACKGROUND Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major cause of avoidable blindness in the developing and the developed countries. Diabetic patients have 25 times more chance of becoming blind than the non-diabetics.1 According to the WHO, the number of people in India affected with Diabetes Mellitus in the year 2000 was 31.7 million which is estimated to rise to 79.4 million by 2030, which would be higher than any other country in the world. 75 percent of all Type 2 diabetics and almost all Type 1 diabetics are expected to develop diabetic retinopathy (DR) over a period of time.2 Diabetic dermopathy or shin spots are the commonest dermatological manifestation in patients with Diabetes Mellitus. It is also known as pigmented pretibial patches, spotted leg syndrome or diabetic dermangiopathy.3 Both diabetic retinopathy and dermopathy are manifestations of diabetic microangiopathy. We wanted to study the association between diabetic retinopathy and diabetic dermopathy. METHODS 182 patients (between 40 - 70 years of age) having diabetes mellitus for at least five years were included in the study and were examined for retinal changes and skin changes. The study period was six months. RESULTS Of the 182 diabetic patients included in this study, 106 (58.2 %) had diabetic retinopathy. Shin spots were seen in 158 cases (86.8 %). 100 (94.3 %) cases with diabetic retinopathy had shin spots. The mean duration of diabetes mellitus in patients with diabetic retinopathy was 11.85 years and it was 8.16 years in those without diabetic retinopathy. The mean duration of diabetes mellitus in patients with shin spots was 14.88 years and it was 10.70 years in those without shin spots. CONCLUSIONS There is significant association between diabetic retinopathy and diabetic dermopathy. KEYWORDS Diabetic Retinopathy, Shin Spots, Diabetic Dermopathy


Women Power Line 1090 was a facility set up by the government of Uttar Pradesh, the most populous state of India, for eradicating the menace of harassment of women in the state. The case briefly presents the genesis of the 1090 project and traces the journey of the project from an idea to the creation of an innovative and agile organization within the normally bureaucratic police force. The case concludes by presenting the challenges faced by the protagonist while analyzing the first seven months performance of his brainchild. The first challenge discussed is how he can extend 1090 to address more severe problems of eve-teasing, domestic violence and cyber crimes related to women. The second challenge he is thinking about is scaling up the operations without losing quality. The third challenge he is looking at is to find ways to create awareness and mobilization in the rural areas, which are home to 77 per cent of the state's population.


Various numerical methods have been used to simulate the rock cutting process. Numerical simulation is a useful tool for estimating the performance of a cutting tool and for understanding the mechanism of rock cutting and interaction between a cutting tool and the rock. These methods supplement the rock cutting test, which is commonly referred to as the linear cutting machine (LCM) test. Mechanical excavators, such as roadheaders, longwall shearers, and trenchers, generally use pick cutters as the cutting tool. In this study, a rock cutting simulation with a pick cutter was developed using the smooth particle hydrodynamics (SPH) technique, which is a mesh-free Lagrangian method. The Drucker–Prager (DP) strength model was used to simulate the brittle behavior of rock. The cumulative damage (CD) model was used to simulate the degraded fragmentation process of rock and the distinctive behavior of rock in the compression and tensile stress regions. In this study, an attempt was made to simulate sequential cutting by multiple pick cutters. The results showed that the numerical simulation matched the experimental results closely in terms of cutter forces, specific energy, and the fragmentation phenomenon. These results confirmed the applicability of the SPH technique in simulating the rock cutting process.


We study the mass distribution in six nearby (z < 0.06) relaxed Abell clusters of galaxies A0262, A0496, A1060, A2199, A3158 and A3558. Given the dominance of dark matter in galaxy clusters, we approximate their total density distribution by the Navarro, Frenk & White (NFW) formula characterized by virial mass and concentration. We also assume that the anisotropy of galactic orbits is reasonably well described by a constant and that galaxy distribution traces that of the total density. Using the velocity and position data for 120‐420 galaxies per cluster we calculate, after removal of interlopers, the profiles of the lowest order even velocity moments, dispersion and kurtosis. We then reproduce the velocity moments by jointly fitting the moments to the solutions of the Jeans equations. Including the kurtosis in the analysis allows us to break the degeneracy between the mass distribution and anisotropy and constrain the anisotropy as well as the virial mass and concentration. The method is tested in detail on mock data extracted from the N-body simulations of dark matter haloes. We find that the best-fitting Galactic orbits are remarkably close to isotropic in most clusters. Using the fitted pairs of mass and concentration parameters for the six clusters, we conclude that the trend of decreasing concentration for higher masses found in the cosmological N-body simulations is consistent with the data. By scaling the individual cluster data by mass, we combine them to create a composite cluster with 1465 galaxies and perform a similar analysis on such sample. The estimated concentration parameter then lies in the range 1.5 < c < 14 and the anisotropy parameter in the range −1.1


Purpose We aimed to examine if past and more recent body mass index (BMI) changes are associated with eating behavior (EB) traits and whether these associations are due to non-genetic factors. Materials and Methods In 1321 Korean twins and family members, recent and past BMI change groups were defined using quartiles of BMI change between first and second visits over 2.4±0.9 years and BMI change between 20 years old and second visit, respectively. We applied linear mixed analysis for relationships of past or recent BMI change groups and each EB (restrained, external, and emotional EB using the Dutch Eating Behavior Questionnaire) assessed at second visit after adjusting for household effect and covariates (age, gender, education, medical history of diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, alcohol use, physical activity, smoking habit, and calorie intake). In monozygotic twin pairs, paired t-test for within-pair comparison and conditional logistic regression analysis were conducted regarding EB. Results Greater past BMI change was associated with higher restrained eating scores (P for trend=0.031), whereas greater recent BMI change was associated with higher external eating scores (P for trend=0.046). In co-twin-control analysis, twins with greater past BMI change were more likely to have higher restrained eating scores as compared with their co-twins with lower past BMI change (odds ratio 1.80; 95% confidence interval 1.13-2.87), whereas there were no associations between recent BMI change and external eating scores. Conclusion Greater BMI change since 20 years old is associated with higher dietary restraint, and non-genetic factors explain this relationship.


The development of Cloud Infra-Services has shifted over the past decade in the direction of a software code development process, also known as infrastructure as code (IaC). Contemporary continuous delivery settings in industry require fast feedback. As a consequence, companies need insight in time spent, especially in the development of such services. We examine a series of 28 Cloud Infra-Services within ING, and explore which factors affect their overall time to market and development time. An initial perception among several stakeholders in the Cloud Infra-Service development process, that Cloud Infra-Services within ING take longer than those in peer companies, is not confirmed by our benchmark. Development team members identified the time to internal market of services to be affected negatively by the portal where consumers can order a service and the Orchestration Workflows and by team dynamics. This perception is supported by additional metrics. We propose that promising ways to reduce lead time include reducing the complexity of the ING environment, by treating Cloud Infra-Services like regular software deliveries and by reducing the dependencies between teams in terms of tooling and collaboration.


The spherical mesoporous silica is synthesized and incorporated with CdSe/ZnS quantum dots(QDs) for preparing micro beads to detect toxic and bio-materials with high sensitivity. The spherical silica beads with the brunauer-emmett-telle(BET) average pore size of 15 nm were prepared with a ratio 1, 3, 5-trimethylbenzen, as a swelling agent, to the block-copolymer template surfactant of over 1 and under vigorous mixing condition. The surface of spherical mesoporous silica is modified using octadecylsilane for incorporating QDs. Based on photoluminescence(PL) spectra, the relative brightness of mesoporous silica beads incorporated with 10 nM of QDs is 79,000 times brighter than that of Rodamine 6 G.


The two-path tree search is a detection algorithm that improves the performance of standard decision-feedback equalizer detectors by examining two likely paths through the decision tree. The method achieves about 1-dB improvement over standard decision-feedback equalization for typical magnetic recording channels used in hard disk drives. The implementation complexity is modest and is compared with other improved decision-feedback structures.


In Restructuring the Soviet Economic Bureaucracy, Paul R. Gregory takes an inside look at how the system worked and why it has traditionally been so resistant to change. Gregory's findings shed light on a bureaucracy that was widely considered the greatest threat to Gorbachev's efforts at perestroika, or restructuring. Restructuring the Soviet Economic Bureaucracy is based on Soviet and Western published accounts as well as interviews with former members of the Soviet economic bureaucracy, mainly from the middle elite. These informants, with their expert knowledge of the system, tell how bureaucrats big and small made the routine and extraordinary decisions that determined Soviet resource allocation. The often-criticized irrationalities of the Soviet bureaucracy are revealed to contain their own internal logic and consistency.


We propose a framework for optimal $t$-matchings excluding the prescribed $t$-factors in bipartite graphs. The proposed framework is a generalization of the nonbipartite matching problem and includes several problems, such as the triangle-free $2$-matching, square-free $2$-matching, even factor, and arborescence problems. In this paper, we demonstrate a unified understanding of these problems by commonly extending previous important results. We solve our problem under a reasonable assumption, which is sufficiently broad to include the specific problems listed above. We first present a min-max theorem and a combinatorial algorithm for the unweighted version. We then provide a linear programming formulation with dual integrality and a primal-dual algorithm for the weighted version. A key ingredient of the proposed algorithm is a technique to shrink forbidden structures, which corresponds to the techniques of shrinking odd cycles, triangles, squares, and directed cycles in Edmonds' blossom algorithm, a triangle-free $2$-matching algorithm, a square-free $2$-matching algorithm, and an arborescence algorithm, respectively.


The use of plants as a higher eukaryotic model for translation has distinct advantages. The translation lysate from wheat germ has long been used to study protein synthesis. Moreover, because plants exhibit complex development, possess signaling pathways that are conserved in many instances with those of other eukaryotes, and have evolved complex pathogen resistance or stress responses, they are useful for the analysis of translation in differentiated cells types and in responses to internal cues and external conditions. Plants produce many seeds, are inexpensive and easy to grow, and provide a ready source of material for analysis. The genomes of Arabidopsis thaliana and rice have been sequenced and those of several other plant species are nearing completion, enabling cross-species comparisons. Mutations can be easily generated, and if the species is self-pollinated (e.g., Arabidopsis ), recessive mutations quickly become homozygous. Insertion mutants resulting in loss of function are available for most genes in Arabidopsis. Arabidopsis and other plant species can be readily transformed for purposes of complementation, introduction of mutant genes, or for RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated repression of gene expression. Because plants are essential to mankind in agriculture, understanding the regulation of translation has direct application to crop improvement. Finally, the study of translation in plants enables cross-kingdom comparisons to determine what features of the machinery and its regulation have been conserved during the evolution of higher eukaryotes and how these have been adapted during the evolution of the unique aspects of plants. TRANSLATION OF NUCLEUS-ENCODED MRNAs One significant change in the...


Chip Multiprocessors (CMPs) are flexible, high-frequency platforms on which to support Thread-Level Speculation (TLS). However, for TLS to deliver on its promise, CMPs must exploit multiple sources of speculative task-level parallelism, including any nesting levels of both subroutines and loop iterations. Unfortunately, these environments are hard to support in decentralized CMP hardware: since tasks are spawned out-of-order and unpredictably, maintaining key TLS basics such as task ordering and efficient resource allocation is challenging.While the concept of out-of-order spawning is not new, this paper is the first to propose a set of microarchitectural mechanisms that, altogether, fundamentally enable fast TLS with out-of-order spawn in a CMP. Moreover, we develop a fully-automated TLS compiler for aggressive out-of-order spawn. With our mechanisms, a TLS CMP with four 4-issue cores achieves an average speedup of 1.30 for full SPECint 2000 applications; the corresponding speedup for in-order only spawn is 1.04. Overall, our mechanisms unlock the potential of TLS for the toughest applications.


Brain G-protein coupled receptors have been hypothesized to be potential targets for maintaining or restoring cognitive function in normal aged individuals or in patients with neurodegenerative disease. A number of recent reports suggest that activation of melanocortin receptors (MCRs) in the brain can significantly improve cognitive functions of normal rodents and of different rodent models of the Alzheimer's disease. However, the potential impact of normative aging on the expression of MCRs and their potential roles for modulating cognitive function remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we first investigated the expression of these receptors in six different brain regions of young (6 months) and aged (23 months) rats following assessment of their cognitive status. Correlation analysis was further performed to reveal potential contributions of MCR subtypes to spatial learning and memory. Our results revealed statistically significant correlations between the expression of several MCR subtypes in the frontal cortex/hypothalamus and the hippocampus regions and the rats' performance in spatial learning and memory only in the aged rats. These findings support the hypothesis that aging has a direct impact on the expression and function of MCRs, establishing MCRs as potential drug targets to alleviate aging-induced decline of cognitive function.


Two new sesterterpenes, ophiobolin O (1) and 6-epi-ophiobolin O (2), together with the known ophiobolins G (3), H (4), and K (5), and 6-epi-ophiobolin K (6) were isolated from the marine derived fungus Aspergillus sp. The structures of these compounds were elucidated based on chemical and physicochemical evidence, including MS, UV, IR and NMR spectra. The stereochemistry of 1 was further confirmed by catalytic reaction of 5 with p-TsOH as a catalyst. Compounds 1 to 6 showed cytotoxicity against mouse leukemia cell line P388, with IC50 values of 4.7, 9.3, 24.6, 105.7, 13.3 and 24.9 μM, respectively.


The uptake and use of digital technologies in the classroom is studied in Unos Umeå, a joint One-to-One (1:1) project between Umeå University and the Municipality of Umeå in Sweden. This paper presents the results of a survey completed by upper secondary students (N=923), focus group interviews (N=7) and classroom observations (N=22). Students see possibilities in accessing information, text skills, and work variation, while the challenges they see are difficulties in focusing on the task at hand, technical problems, and the lack of alignment between students' and teachers' skills in Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Using the Ecology of Resources Model (Luckin 2010), these challenges can be interpreted as the manifestation of filters in the learning environment. How collaborative learning environments are created, the lack of alignment between teachers' and students' ICT skills and how everyday use of computers in the classroom develops will hold implications for Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) in the classroom.


The fixed point construction is a method for designing tile sets and cellular automata with highly nontrivial dynamical and computational properties. It produces an infinite hierarchy of systems where each layer simulates the next one. The simulations are implemented entirely by computations of Turing machines embedded in the tilings or spacetime diagrams. We present an overview of the construction and list its applications in the literature.


Objective: To compare efficacy and safety of corticosteroids and combined therapy with corticosteroids and vigabatrin in infantile spasm. Study Design: Randomized Controlled Trial. Setting: Department of Neurology, Children's Hospital and the Institute of Child Health Multan, Pakistan. Period: November 2020 to November 2022. Material & Methods: A total of 320 children of either gender aged 1-24 month with clinical diagnosis of infantile spasm were included. Infants were randomized into either receiving prednisolone (Group-A) or vigabatrin plus prednisolone (Group-B). Demographical information along with treatment outcomes and adverse effects were noted. Final outcomes were labeled at day-180. Results: In a total of 320 children, 170 (53.1%) were male. Overall, the mean age was 1.3±0.5 years while 166 (51.9%) children were aged between 1 to 2 years. A total of 166 (51.9%) children responded to allocated treatment. The response rate was significantly better in Group-B (n=118, 73.8%) versus Group-A (n=48, 30.0%), p<0.0001. Significantly more children in Group-A missed follow-ups in comparison to those in Group-B (11.8% vs. 1.9%, p=0.0006). Mortality was statistically similar in both study groups (2.5% vs. 1.9%, p=0.7023). The most treatment related adverse effect was noted to be increased appetite and/or weight, gastrointestinal symptoms and sleep disturbance in 253 (79.1%), 121 (37.8%) and 117 (36.6%) respectively. Increased appetite and/or weight gain was significantly more in Group-A (p<0.0001). Conclusion: The findings of this study are in support of using combination therapy of prednisolone and vigabatrin instead of monotherapy for patients with infantile spasm as reflected by higher number of responders to therapy.


Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the bactericidal and virucidal activity of food additive grade calcium hydroxide (FdCa(OH)2) under various concentrations, organic material conditions, and exposure duration including its stability. Materials and Methods: The FdCa(OH)2 powder as well as the 0.17% and 3% solutions were evaluated for bacteria and virus inactivating efficacies against Salmonella infantis (SI), Escherichia coli, Newcastle disease virus (NDV), and avian influenza virus (AIV), in the absence or presence of organic materials. In addition, the stability of FdCa(OH)2, was also examined using wet-dry conditions and under sunlight. Results: The FdCa(OH)2 powder could inactivate both NDV and AIV in the absence and presence of organic materials within a 3 min exposure period. The bactericidal efficacy using solution form revealed that 0.17% and 3% of FdCa(OH)2 could inactivate SI in the absence and presence of organic materials within 3 min of exposure. However, 3% of FdCa(OH)2 inactivated E. coli both with and without organic materials within 3min, while 0.17% required 5 min to be efficacious. The virucidal efficacy also showed that 0.17% FdCa(OH)2 could inactivate NDV in the absence and presence of organic materials within 10 min and 30 min, respectively. However, AIV inactivation was achieved within 30 sec under all conditions. In addition, under wet and dry conditions, FdCa(OH)2 powder demonstrated high efficacy when re-suspended at least 16 times for NDV and 7 times for AIV. Simultaneously, the FdCa(OH)2 powder retained its efficacy under the sunlight during up to 4 months for NDV and at least 6 months for AIV. Conclusion: The present study indicates that FdCa(OH)2 powder and solutions could inactivate SI, E. coli, NDV, and AIV while retaining good stability under challenging environmental conditions. Finally, the FdCa(OH)2 is safe for consumers because it is of food additive grade and can be useful as an alternative disinfectant, especially for biosecurity enhancement on and around poultry farms.


In practical applications, wireless sensor network (WSN) generate massive data streams with the spatial and sensor measurements information, and moreover, energy source of sensors is usually limited. Therefore, minimizing sensors energy expenditure and consequently extending the network lifetime is the major challenge in WSN. This paper presents an efficient distributed clustering algorithm based on FCM by incorporating the neighborhood sensor spatial information into the FCM algorithm (FCMS) to meet sensor data correlation increasing with decreasing spatial separation. FCMS can overcome the disadvantages of the known fuzzy c-means algorithms and at the same time enhances the clustering performance. The major characteristic of FCMS is the use of a fuzzy local ((both spatial and sensing measurements) similarity measure, aiming to partitions the sensor data into a set of spatial regions with similar sensing measurements. FCMS is initialized by Subtractive Clustering algorithm, in which the number of cluster and the cluster centers is taken to the FCMS Algorithm. The distributed FCMS (DFCMS) forms clusters of the sensor nodes sensing similar values and transmits features from the created local clusters as opposed to raw data per sensor node as in central clustering algorithm. Thus, DFCMS can significantly reduce the number of transmissions, which results in energy savings. Simulations reveal that DFCMS algorithm is effective and efficient with significantly less energy than that required by central FCM algorithm.


The composition, structure, and adsorption properties of natural saponites from the smectite deposit of the Khmelnytsky region have been studied. It is shown that saponites are "environmentally friendly" clays containing biologically active microelements as isomorphic impurities. It was established that acid activation increases the content of acid surface centers and the adsorption activity of saponites. Based on the study conducted by the authors, it is proposed to use natural saponites not only as adsorbents and fodder additives, but also in medicine. As a result of our studies it was established that the use of natural raw materials - saponites of the Khmelnitsky layer - allows their "ecological purity" and rich mineral composition. After acid activation, such saponites have a sufficiently high content of surface acid sites, which causes their cationic activity. In general, this gives universality to saponites from the smectite group and opens up broad prospects for their use in medicine - as a substance for the manufacture of efferent drugs; veterinary medicine as a mineral supplement for animal feed; in agriculture as a "fertility stone"; as well as for the protection of the environment - the development of technologies for cleaning and disinfecting water of various degrees of pollution.


The memory requirement makes cell state space based fuzzy logic controller (FLC) design approaches prohibitive for high order systems. The paper presents a specially modified k-d tree data structure to minimize memory requirements. Based on the k-d tree representation of the cell state space, an optimal control table (OCT) can be built and further be used to optimize a Takagi-Sugeno (TS) type FLC with least mean square (LMS) learning algorithm. However, for high order systems, due to physical memory limit and the complexity of system dynamics, even with k-d trees, an OCT may not have desirable resolution that is critical in FLC optimization. A method to overcome this problem is presented. The method involves interpolating the control actions in an OCT to obtain some optimal trajectories. A FLC will learn from the sampling data along the trajectories instead of learning from the OCT. A 4D inverted pendulum is studied in the paper. The performance of the FLC designed with the new approaches compares favorably with a linear quadratic regulator.


This paper addresses the problem of scaling interconnects to nanometric dimensions in future VLSI applications. Traditional copper interconnects are compared to innovative ones made by bundles of metallic carbon nanotubes. A new model is presented to describe propagation along CNT bundles, in the framework of the classical transmission line theory. A possible future scaled CNT bundle microstrip is analyzed and compared to a conventional microstrip.


Recent processing developments in Bi/sub 1.8/Pb/sub 0.4/Sr/sub 2/Ca/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub x/. (BSCCO-2223) bars have produced bulk BSCCO-2223 bars with properties advantageous for power applications. Cold isostatically pressed (CIP) and sinter-forged BSCCO-2223 both have low AC loss, which make them desirable for use in power devices. Thermal conductivity of the CIP bars is lower than that of the previously used sinter-forged samples by a factor of 2. CIP bars with cross-sectional areas of /spl ap/0.75 cm/sup 2/ and carrying 250 A RMS transport current have AC loss values of 30 /spl mu/J/cycle-cm at 50 Hz and 77 K. A pair of prototype downlinks were designed and built with sinter forged bars to deliver a continuous AC current of 1500 A over a temperature gradient of 77 to 4.2 K while delivering about /spl ap/200 mW of heat to the liquid-helium-cooled end. This paper discusses the design considerations and modeling of downlinks, which supply high AC currents over the 77 to 4.2 K temperature gradient with low thermal losses.


The haemodynamic action of I-V Cordarone have been studied in 20 subjects over a 15 minute period. Over the 15 minute period we studied variations in left pulmonary and ventricular pressures, in cardiac output, and in the paramaters of contraction VEC max, V max and Taylor's index. At a dose of 5 mg/kg there is a fall in peripheral resistance (1274 +/- 232 to 915 dynes/s/cm-5), and the measurements of contraction hardly vary. At a dose of 10 mg/kg, after an initial increase in output and a fall in peripheral resistance there occurs, after 4 minutes, an increase in left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (from 6 +/- 2 to 13 +/- 4 mmHg, P less than 0.01), and a lowering of contractility (VEC max reduced from 49.7 +/- 12.4 to 27.1 +/- 3.8, P less than 0.001). We have shown that the first phase of this response is due to the solvent (Tween 80), while the fall in contractility is due to the amiodarone. Doses above 10 mg/kg must be used with care, and only if there is no evidence of impaired cardiac function.


The operational transconductance amplifier-capacitor (OTA-C) filter is one of the best structures for implementing continuous-time filters. It is particularly important to design a universal OTA-C filter capable of generating the desired filter response via a single structure, thus reducing the filter circuit power consumption as well as noise and the occupied space on the electronic chip. In this study, an inverter-based universal OTA-C filter with very low power consumption and acceptable noise was designed with applications in bioelectric and biomedical equipment for recording biomedical signals. The very low power consumption of the proposed filter was achieved through introducing bias in subthreshold MOSFET transistors. The proposed filter is also capable of simultaneously receiving favorable low-, band-, and high-pass filter responses. The performance of the proposed filter was simulated and analyzed via HSPICE software (level 49) and 180 nm complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology. The rate of power consumption and noise obtained from simulations are 7.1 nW and 10.18 nA, respectively, so this filter has reduced noise as well as power consumption. The proposed universal OTA-C filter was designed based on the minimum number of transconductance blocks and an inverter circuit by three transconductance blocks (OTA).


The basic governing equations of geophysical fluid dynamics have been known for many years, but how meaningful these equations are to our understanding of coastal and open oceans depends crucially on the accuracy of constitutive equations that relate the internal and external forces acting on these bodies of water. Field measurements, whether Eulerian or Lagrangian, have played and continue to play a central role in two important aspects of geophysical fluid dynamics. First, the data collected often point to the presence of various stable and coherent structures, eddies, or streams, whose study naturally becomes the focus of analytical and computational efforts. Second, the availability of good data serves to calibrate how the response of bodies of water to forces should be modeled. This book provides a substantial collection of well- written articles on how Lagrangian data are collected, analyzed, and eventually assimilated into models.


AIMS
To develop an oncologically safe and aesthetically acceptable technique for mastectomy, using a muscle flap and tissue expander through one incision.

METHODS
Twelve consecutive patients (mean age 40) underwent an envelope mastectomy (skin and nipple sparing), with immediate reconstruction with a latissimus dorsi muscle flap and tissue expander. Assessment of cosmesis was by review of pre- and post-operative photographs by an independent observer.

RESULTS
During follow-up there have been no recurrences. Assessment of cosmesis gave a score of 44 out of 48 (92%). One prosthesis was removed due to erosion of the prosthesis through the skin.

CONCLUSIONS
In patients with large lesions, multi-focal lesions (both invasive and in situ) and recurrent phyllodes tumours may undergo an oncologically safe mastectomy with immediate reconstruction through a single incision that is inconspicuous being in the mid-axillary line. Although follow up is only 8.5 months, long-term studies are being undertaken.


Plasma treatment of polymer materials introduces chemical functionalities and modifies the material to make the native hydrophobic surface more hydrophilic. It is generally assumed that this process only affects the surface of the material. We used vibrationally resonant sum-frequency generation spectroscopy to observe changes in the orientation of phenyl groups in polystyrene (PS) thin films on various substrates before and after plasma treatment. VR-SFG selectively probes regions of broken symmetry, such as surfaces, but can also detect the emergence of anisotropy. On dielectric substrates, such as fused silica, the spectroscopic peak corresponding to the symmetric stretching (ν2) mode of the phenyl rings was undetectable after plasma treatment, showing that surface phenyl rings were altered. This peak also diminished on conducting substrates, but the intensity of another peak corresponding to the same mode in a bulklike environment increased significantly, suggesting that plasma treatment induces partial ordering of the bulk polymer. This ordering is seen on conducting substrates even when the polymer is not directly exposed to the plasma. Annealing reverses these effects on the polystyrene bulk; however, the surface phenyl rings do not return to the orientation observed for untreated films. These results call into question the assumption that the effects of plasma treatment are limited to the free surface and opens up other possibilities for material modification with low-temperature plasmas.


This thesis determines the level of competitive balance in English men's elite rugby union since the sport turned professional in 1995. Academic literature surrounding the concept of competitive balance is vast, and significantly differs dependent on geographical location, the sport analysed, and the measurements used. However, very few publications have looked at the sport of rugby union and the games unique make up of individual factors that aim to increase competition. The top three tiers of English men's rugby union have been analysed to understand competition at the elite level of the sport. Factors such as the salary cap, bonus points and playoffs have been scrutinised to determine their impact and contribution to the competitive nature of rugby union. The study utilises a mixed method approach to analyse these factors, among other variables, and reveals several findings. Firstly, calculations of the HICB index identifies all three leagues analysed have become more competitive since the professionalisation of the sport in 1995, yet there are still improvements required in the leagues to ensure fair and equal opportunities. Furthermore, the transition between the Premiership and Championship does not aid the competitiveness of the leagues. Instead, an externality is produced as an unintended consequence of promotion and relegation which has not yet been addressed by league organisers. Finally, quantitative analysis within this study concludes 93.3% of Premiership league places are unaffected by the inclusion of bonus points in the league, a percentage that increases to 99.4% in the Championship. It is therefore proposed that this system requires reconsideration to maximise the use of this competition strategy. The contribution to knowledge of this thesis is the addition of qualitative input in a predominantly quantitative field. The qualitative analysis provides real-life application of the quantitative findings. In addition, this thesis has extended our understanding of competitive balance in leagues below the topmost tier of English men's rugby union.


In recent years, a constant increase of oil prices and declining reserves of coventional crude oils have produced those deposits of lights to be considered economically unattractive to be produced as an alternative way to keep the world´s oil supply volume.
Heavy oil deposits are mainly characterized by having high resistance to flow (high viscosity), which makes them diffi-cult to produce. Since oil viscosity is a property that is reduced by increasing the temperature, thermal recovery techniques -such as steam injection or in-situ combustion- have become over the years the main tool for tertiary recovery of these oils.
Composite reservoirs can occur naturally or may be artificially created. Changes in reservoir width, facies or type of fluid (hydraulic contact) forming two different regions are examples of two-zone composite reservoirs occurring naturally. On the other hand, such enhanced oil recovery projects as waterflooding, polymer floods, gas injection, in-situ combustion, steamdrive,
and CO2 miscible artificially create conditions where the reservoir can be considered as a composite system. A reservoir
undergoing a thermal recovery process is typically idealized as a two-zone composite reservoir, in which, the inner region represents the swept region surrounding the injection well and the outer region represents the larger portion of the reservoir. Additionally, there is a great contrast between the mobilities of the two zones and the storativity ratio being different to one.
In this work, the models and techniques developed and implemented by other authors have been enhanced. Therefore, the interpretations of the well tests can be done in an easier way, without using type-curve matching. A methodology which utilizes a pressure and pressure derivative plot is developed for reservoirs subjected to thermal recovery so that mobilities, storativity ratio, distance to the radial discontinuity or thermal front and the drainage area can be estimated. The precedence of the heat source (in-situ combustion or hot injected fluids) does not really matter for the application of this methodology; however, this was successfully verified by its application to synthetic and field examples of in-situ combustion. The point of comparison was the input data used for simulation
for the synthetic case and the results from simulation matching and from previous studies for the field cases.


The way the atrium has been used in large commercial buildings has made a signiŽ cant impact on urban design during the last three decades. Sometimes it has brought innovative lighting design into architectural thinking, and vice versa. It has also introduced the need for new calculations. Predicting how daylight behaves in an atrium is a good research problem: Ž nite, interestingly difŽ cult but amenable to various approaches, applicable, and world-wide but with signiŽ cant dependence on climate. These factors probably explain why the literature on predicting atrium performance is so large, and also why new papers, such as this very professional study by Sharples and Lash, continue to enlarge our knowledge. But I think that the topic can be viewed more generally: it can be seen as part of a developing theory of how light behaves in complex enclosures. Not numerically, because standard radiosity/ray-tracing methods can give adequate predictions for almost any case in practice: but as conceptual understanding of the  ow of light, its dispersion and inter-re ection. The ability to look at a room, a courtyard or a street and to know almost intuitively the effect that would be the result of a lamp here or a window there is the real foundation of good design. It is a characteristic evident in the most innovative practitioners and it is what we as teachers hope to develop in those learning with us. There is a real scope now for a publication that sums up all that has been written about the distribution of light in spaces: not a catalogue or a typology that merely categorizes, but one that describes and analyses in pictures and words, and integrates these into theoretical concepts.


Background: GGPS1(geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase 1) is a member of the prenyltransferase family. Abnormal expression of GGPS1 can disrupt the balance between protein farnesylation and geranylgeranylation, thereby affecting a variety of cellular physiologic and pathological processes. However, it is still unknown how this gene could contribute to the prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). This study aimed to explore the prognostic role of GGPS1 in OSCC and its relationship with clinical features. Methods: The RNA-seq data and clinical data were obtained from TCGA. The survival analyses, Cox regression analyses, ROC curves, nomograms, calibration curves, and gene function enrichments were established by R software. Results: The results showed that the high expression of GGPS1 in OSCC is related to poor prognosis. At the same time, multivariate Cox regression analyses showed that GGPS1 could be an independent prognostic biomarker, and its gene expression level is closely related to the histological stage of cancer. GGPS1 may promote tumorigenesis because of its metabolic function. Conclusion: This study came to a conclusion that GGPS1, whose high expression has a significantly unfavorable meaning toward the prognosis of OSCC, can act as a novel independent biomarker for OSCC.


Azadirachta indica has been used medicinally throughout history by many different cultures. Many compounds have been found in the exudates of the, Azadirachta indica plant that have been used medically by humans. We have examined the pharmacological hypoglycemic action of Azadirachta indica in diabetic rats. After treatment for 24 hrs, Azadirachta indica 250mg/kg (single dose study) reduced glucose (18%), cholesterol (15%), triglycerides (32%), urea (13%), creatinine (23%), and lipids (15%). Multiple dose study for 15days also reduced creatinine, urea, lipids, triglycerides and glucose. In a glucose tolerance test in diabetic rats with neem extract 250 mg/kg demonstrated glucose levels were significantly less compared to the control group. , Azadirachta indica significantly reduce glucose levels at 15th day in diabetic rats. Azadirachta indica serves as an important alternative source in the management of diabetes mellitus involved in reducing increased blood glucose during diabetes which should be examined further by oral hypoglycemic therapy.


Bottom ash has been presented as a major problem of disposal throughout the world, since it is produced from the process of coal combustion in thermal power plants. However, its physical and chemical properties make the bottom ash an adequate potential construction material in variety of applications. The aim of the study was to investigate the possibility of utilization of bottom ash for production of ceramics compacts and to analyse the influence of the main process parameters and their interaction on the physical and mechanical properties of the final product. Consolidation of the powders was conducted on two bottom ash samples with particle size (S) -0.250+0.125 mm and -0.500+0.250 mm, pressing pressure (P) of 100 and 150 MPa and sintering temperature (T) of 1100 and 1150 oC. The density (r) and bending strength (s) of the dense bottom ash compacts were the response function. The optimization was performed through implementation of main effect plots, Pareto charts and 3D surface method using "Statgraphics Centurion" software package. The obtained model equations of the density and bending strength dependence from the main process parameters are solid basic data for modeling the process of ceramic production.


The FlexiBLE embedding method introduced in Paper I [Z. Shen and W. J. Glover, J. Chem. Phys. 155, 224112 (2021)] is applied to explore the structure and dynamics of the aqueous solvated electron at an all-electron density functional theory Quantum Mechanics/Molecular Mechanics level. Compared to a one-electron mixed quantum/classical description, we find the dynamics of the many-electron model of the hydrated electron exhibits enhanced coupling to water OH stretch modes. Natural bond orbital analysis reveals this coupling is due to significant population of water OH σ* orbitals, reaching 20%. Based on this, we develop a minimal frontier orbital picture of the hydrated electron involving a cavity orbital and important coupling to 4-5 coordinating OH σ* orbitals. Implications for the interpretation of the spectroscopy of this interesting species are discussed.


Consideration of newer more quantitative morphologic approaches to the study of aquatic pollutants can provide opportunity for collaborative/integrated studies with other subdisciplines in toxicology. Current commonly employed morphologic approaches result largely in subjective findings difficult to analyze statistically and often are directed at levels of structural organization inconsistent with biochemical and physiological approaches. We review some of the methods and approaches available for correlated structure/function studies and present examples from normal and altered skin, gill, and liver of teleosts. ImagesFIGURE 2.FIGURE 3.FIGURE 4.FIGURE 5.FIGURE 6.


HasPOU-III is expressed in multiple cell types during the first 3 days of development of the gastropod Haliotis asinina. HasPOU-III expression begins in two bilaterally symmetrical sets of cells on the ventral ectodermal surface of the trochophore larva; one set are putative foot mucous cells. After torsion, HasPOU-III transcripts transiently appear in the developing ganglia of the central nervous system. At the end of larval morphogenesis, HasPOU-III expression is initiated in dorsoposterior cells of the visceral mass, in the posterior cells of the statocyst and in the developing radular sac. These expression patterns in Haliotis, a spiralian lophotrochozoan, are similar to POU Class III genes in other bilaterians where expression occurs in secretory cells and the developing nervous system. q 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.


Background: It is known that chemotherapy for advanced non small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) improves the prognosis, however, with regard to 2-year survival rate of inoperable stage III/IV patients is up to 20%. The contribution of chemotherapies for survival is not fully satisfied yet. Purpose: The aim of this study is to evaluate the rate of long-term survival of more than 2 years in patients with advanced NSCLC and elucidate clinical factors that affect long-term survival in those patients. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 103 patients with inoperable, stage III/IV NSCLC treated with chemotherapy from January 2005 to December 2006 at Dohoku National Hospital. These included 69 adenocarcinomas, 22 squamous cell carcinomas, 9 large cell carcinomas and 3 others. These patients were divided into two groups: those who survived more than 2 years (long-term survivors; LTS) and the others (non long-term survivors; non LTS). We analyzed the prognostic factors that affect the survival in this setting. The difference of characteristics between two groups was tested with the Mann-Whitney U test, the chi-square test or Fisher9s exact test. Survival curves were calculated according to Kaplan-Meier method. The correlations of variables with survival were analyzed by multivariate analysis using a Cox proportional hazards model. Results: There were 27 (26.2%) patients who survived more than 2 years (LTS). All of them had performance status (PS) 0 or 1. These LTS included 13 females, 11 non-smoker, 21 adenocarcinomas and 17 stage IV disease. LTS showed significant correlation with gender, smoking status, intrapulmonary metastases, response of 1st-line chemotherapy (SD or better), and response of gefitinib (SD or better) (p=0.0008, p=0.0457, p=0.0317, p=0.0004 and p=0.0026, respectively). Patients who respond to initial chemotherapy (SD or better) as well as gefitinib showed favorable course. Univariate analyses showed that PS 0-1, intrapulmonary metastases, response of 1st-line chemotherapy (SD or better), response of gefitinib (SD or better) were significantly associated with better prognosis (p=0.0036, p=0.0203, p Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 903.


This study determined the vitality of the language of Manide and the practices they observe to preserve it. This study utilized the descriptive research method. A semi-structured interview was conducted using the Indicators of Ethnolinguistic Vitality Review and Score Sheet as a survey checklist for 20 elders, adults, and youth Manide respondents. The data gathered were transcribed and thematically analyzed through manual Vivo coding. Results revealed that although more tribe members comprised of youth, adults and elders are inclined to use their language in day-to-day conversation, there are factors that caused them to shift to Tagalog; thus, based on Indicators of Ethnolinguistic Vitality (IEV), there is a probable shift in process in their language. Further, maintaining the use of language and shifting only when the needs arise, Documenting songs in Manide with translations in Tagalog, Creating  Manide pieces for performances during events, and Teaching the Tradition to the young generation are four the disclosed practices they observe to maintain their language. Although these posited practices were found to help maintain the viability of the Manide language, there is still a need to create tangible support to preserve it against the identified threats. Consequently, out of the analysis of the current language status, an Educational material plan has been crafted with the concepts: Language exposure, Literary piece creation, Generational transmission of tradition, and Education continuum as its main components. These generated language preservation concepts are believed to be an initial step to protecting the Manide language of the tribe.


Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR) is common in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF).1 This characteristic crescendo-decrescendo pattern of breathing is often seen during sleep in patients with CHF and is a form of central sleep apnoea.2 Disordered nocturnal breathing leads to oxygen desaturation, poor sleep quality, and altered sleep architecture.3 These features may lead to complaints of daytime somnolence, fatigue, insomnia, and many of the symptoms typical of sleep disordered breathing.

It has been proposed that CSR during sleep in patients with heart failure is an indicator of a poor prognosis.4 5 The likely adverse effects of CSR on daytime performance and myocardial function have resulted in the introduction and evaluation of a range of treatments aimed at reducing CSR. These include low flow oxygen,6 theophylline,7 and nasal continuous positive airways pressure (nCPAP).8 In one controlled study nCPAP was shown to improve both sleep quality and daytime myocardial function.8 Other groups have found nCPAP to be ineffective in controlling CSR.9-11

Nocturnal nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation (nIPPV) is the accepted treatment for patients with chronic respiratory failure due to hypoventilation during sleep.12 13 We hypothesised that nIPPV may also effectively treat central sleep apnoea in heart failure by controlling ventilation and carbon dioxide in patients whose disordered breathing has been linked to fluctuating carbon dioxide levels, relative hyperventilation, and hypocapnia.14 15Nasal IPPV was administered in an attempt to mechanically ventilate the patient through the apnoeic portion of the Cheyne-Stokes cycle, thereby preventing fluctuations in carbon dioxide levels and consequently abolishing CSR.

This study describes the use of nocturnal nIPPV in a group of patients with heart failure and Cheyne-Stokes respiration during sleep. The effects of this therapy on respiratory disturbance and sleep quality following an in-hospital acclimatisation period are …


Three logs for each of nine southern hardwood species were obtained, and specimens were separated into heartwood and sapwood. Specimens were dried from the initial green condition to oven-dry and then resaturated and dried again to oven-dry. A simple linear regression analysis was performed to determine the relationship between volumetric shrinkage and moisture content of never-dried and previously-dried specimens. The average fiber saturation point was 33.3 (33.6 for sapwood and 32.9 for heartwood) for never-dried specimens and 29.4 (28.2 for sapwood and 30.6 for heartwood) for previously-dried specimens. An average of 86% of the variability in volumetric shrinkage of never-dried specimens can be attributed to moisture content, and 90.5% of the variability in volumetric shrinkage of previously-died specimens can be attributed to moisture content. Highly significant differences for the species factor were found to exist at an equilibrium moisture content of 90% relative humidity (RH) and 75% RH for both never-dried and previously-died specimens. Volumetric shrink-age differed significantly for species and wood-types at 90%, 75%, and 0% RH for previously-died wood and 75% and 0% RH for never-died wood. A t -test revealed significant differences between volumetric shrinkage of never-dried and that of previously-dried wood for both wood-types of two species and one wood-type of three others.


The article explores the private nature of subjectivity in programs of integration the phenomenology with naturalism. It is considered if their tools are relevant for the phenomenological, rather than naturalistic way of subjectivity's explaining. Justification of the key ideas is provided with the help of such concepts as "body image", "body scheme", (Sh. Gallagher), "ontological significance" (L. Baker), "experience", "cognitive niches" (F. Varela), "transparent body" (T. Fuchs). Based on the traditional phenomenology of E. Husserl, it is shown that a set of approaches that integrate phenomenology and naturalism within the framework of "first-person philosophy" can be characterized as a phenomenology without a phenomenological subject. It is shown that the phenomenological nature of the self-perspective in integrative programs is more likely to be understood as the qualification and privacy of subjectivity, while the transcendental aspect of the unobservable and biased consciousness is practically not taken into account. The article concludes that the logic of some projects of integration of phenomenology and naturalism overlook this transcendental peculiarity of consciousness, its fundamentally unobserved character. The classical phenomenological approach emphasizes on the extra-natural, biased, and non-empirical nature of consciousness. The role and significance of the phenomenological approach is not limited to the idea of "what-is-likeness" and privacy of subjective states. Phenomenology, which preserves the idea of the subject, means a radical break with the ontology of things and, in general, with the ontology of something objective at all.


Architectural morphology is an important factor for the prediction of soundscapes and noise propagation in urban areas. As in room acoustics, the sound field in a street is characterized by the building facades irregularities, in such a way that two similar streets (in size) can produce two different sound fields for two different building facades. However, most of the existing softwares and models take only the specular reflection into account implying a significant uncertainty in the sound prediction. The main purpose of this paper is, first, to investigate how the sound field and urban soundscape perception are influenced by building facades, and secondly, to characterize several urban facade by typical reflection laws. Then, a coupling morphological and acoustical database will be built up and introduced in an urban acoustics simulation software, in order to be used by town planners and architects in urban projects. This paper is a part of the national land transport research and innovation program (PREDIT) and is supported by the French ministry for ecology and sustainable development.


A decision feedback equalizer (DFE) utilizes the previous detector's assessment to get rid of the inter-symbol interference (ISI) on the received symbols. It is well analyzed in the literature that the DFE performs better than the linear equalizer when the ISI is sever because of its inherent nonlinear nature. Equalization of wireless multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) frequency-selective channels is a challenging task mainly due to the fact that the respective MIMO equalizers should cope with inter-symbol, as well as inter-stream interference. Different techniques have been proposed for MIMO DFE. In this paper we have developed a constrained MIMO DFE for CDMA system based on constrained optimization. This is achieved by minimizing the conventional mean-square-error criterion subject to the variance of the multiple-access interference (MAI) plus noise. The novelty of the work resides in the fact that such a constrained optimization has never been employed in the design of MIMO DFE. The proposed MIMO DFE algorithm is tested in different fading environments and its performance is compared with that of the conventional least mean-square (LMS) and normalized LMS (NLMS) algorithms. Simulation results show that the proposed constrained MIMO DFE outperforms the conventional MIMO DFEs based on LMS and NLMS algorithms.


Heart responds to pathological hemodynamic stress by increasing cardiac myocyte size, reprogramming gene expression and enhancing contractile protein synthesis. Neurohumoral factors mediate hypertrophic adaptation either directly via specific receptors or indirectly by increasing blood pressure and cardiac load. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of angiotensin II (Ang II) in the atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) gene expression during cardiac overload. Furthermore, the mechanisms of action of Ang II in regulating cardiac gene expression were studied. Hemodynamic stress was produced by Ang II or nitric oxide (NO) synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-Larginine methyl ester (L-NAME) administration in conscious rats. Despite hypertension and increased left ventricular ANP and BNP mRNA levels, L-NAME administration for 8 weeks did not induce left ventricular hypertrophy. Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1) antagonism decreased significantly L-NAME-induced hypertension and ventricular ANP gene expression. Ang II-induced cardiac overload produced significant increase in ventricular ANP and BNP mRNA levels at 12 and 72 h, respectively. To study whether the factors synthesized by adrenals modulate the response of Ang II, the effects of adrenalectomy were studied. In Ang II-treated rats, adrenalectomy either abolished or blunted the early activation of ANP and BNP gene expression, respectively. Ang II infusion for 2 weeks increased cardiac mass and blood pressure measured by telemetry, and produced changes in diastolic function detected by echocardiography. By using direct plasmid DNA injections into the rat myocardium, BNP promoter activity was observed to increase at 2 h and remain up-regulated up to 2 weeks of Ang II infusion, except at 12 h. BNP mRNA levels increased at 2 h but decreased to basal levels after 72 h. Mutation of GATA elements of the BNP promoter and DNA binding assays revealed that GATA4 mediates the Ang II-responsiveness of the BNP gene. These results indicate that Ang II plays an important role in regulating natriuretic peptide gene expression during cardiac overload. ANP and BNP gene expression in the rat heart is modulated by the adrenal factors during Ang II-stimulated hemodynamic stress and the AT1 receptor antagonism in NO-deficient hypertension. Moreover, ventricular BNP gene expression in Ang II-induced hypertension in vivo is controlled by posttranscriptional mechanisms and GATA elements.


As our global demographic shifts towards an increasingly aging population, we have an opportunity to transform how we experience and think about getting older and embrace the diversity and contribution that this population can bring to society. The International Handbook of Positive Aging showcases the latest research and theory into aging, examining the various challenges faced by older adults and the ways in which we can bring a much needed positive focus towards dealing with these.

The handbook brings together disparate research from medical, academic, economic and social community fields, with contributions from NHS partners, service users, universities across the UK and collaborations with international research leaders in the field of aging.

Divided into sections, the first part of the book focuses on introducing the concept of positive aging before going on to cover the body over the life course, well-being and care delivery. All contributors recognise the fact that we are living longer is providing us with a tremendous opportunity to enjoy and flourish in healthy and fulfilling later lives, and this focus on the importance of patient empowerment is integral to the book.

This is a valuable reference source for those working in developmental psychology, clinical psychology, mental health, health sciences, medicine, neuropsychological rehabilitation, sociology, anthropology, social policy and social work. It will help encourage researchers, professionals and policy makers to make the most of opportunities and innovations to promote a person's sense of independence, dignity, well-being, good health and society participation as they get older.


Ursolic acid, a naturally occurring 6-6-6-6-6 monohydroxytriterpenic acid, is extractable from the leaves of Plumeria rubra. In continuation of our ongoing efforts on the studies of the self-assembly properties of naturally occurring triterpenoids, herein, we report our detailed investigation on the self-assembly of this ursane type triterpenic acid in different liquids. The molecule self-assembles in most organic as well as aqueous organic liquids yielding nano-architectures such as vesicles, tubes, fibers and flowers affording supramolecular gels in many of the liquids studied. Characterization of the self-assemblies has been carried out using atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, optical microscopy, dynamic light scattering, FTIR and X-ray diffraction studies. The self-assemblies have been utilized for the entrapment of fluorophores including an anticancer drug, doxorubicin. Release of the entrapped fluorophores including doxorubicin has been demonstrated at physiological pH as well as lower pH values.


Studies of platelet aggregation are normally performed at 37 degrees C. However, in hypothermia during certain surgical procedures (for example, cardiopulmonary bypass) efficient aggregation may be needed at temperatures below 37 degrees C: therefore, assessment of platelet aggregation at temperatures below 37 degrees C may be relevant. This paper describes a sub-ambient aggregometry system developed for this purpose. The effect of temperature (range of 4.5 degrees-37.0 degrees C) upon ADP-induced and spontaneous aggregation of platelets from normal subjects was studied. Platelet aggregation was found to be maximal at room temperature, and may represent 'pure' aggregation. At higher temperatures platelet disaggregation becomes measurable, and at lower temperatures, cold-induced platelet shape-change predominates. These parameters are briefly discussed in terms of their relevance to future research into the physiology of platelet storage and clinical haemostasis.


With technology improvements, the main bottleneck in single chip systems in terms of performance, power consumption, and design reuse is proving to be generated by the on-chip communication architecture. Therefore, packet oriented on-chip interconnection schemes have been proposed as an alternative to traditional bus-based structures, which are inherently non scalable. However, such interconnection architectures have to be during the very early stages of the design flow. The objective of this work is to present an application independent stochastic framework for high level performance analysis of networks-on-chip based communication architectures. Such a template allows the designer the performance evaluation of various competing on-chip communication architectures early in the design flow.


N-Heterocyclic carbene stabilized dichlorosilaimine IPr·Cl2Si═N(Diip) (2) has been synthesized by the reaction of dichlorosilylene IPr·SiCl2 (1) with bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)carbodiimide (IPr = :C[N(2,6-i-Pr2-C6H3)CH]2, Diip = 2,6-i-Pr2-C6H3). Reaction of 1 with terphenyl azides also affords dichlorosilaimines IPr·Cl2Si═N(2,6-Diip2-C6H3) (3) and IPr·Cl2Si═N(2,6-Triip2-C6H3) (4) (Triip = 2,4,6-i-Pr3-C6H2). Compounds 2−4 are stable under an inert atmosphere and were characterized by elemental analysis and NMR spectroscopic studies. The molecular structures of 2−4 were determined by single-crystal X-ray analysis.


The inability of small-gaped animals to consume very large fruits may limit seed dispersal of the respective plants. This has often been shown for large-fruited plant species that remain poorly dispersed when large-gaped animal species are lost due to anthropogenic pressure. Little is known about whether gape-size limitations similarly influence seed dispersal of small-fruited plant species that can show a large variation in fruit size within species. In this study, fruit sizes of 15 plant species were compared with the gape sizes of their 41 animal dispersers in the temperate, old-growth Białowieża Forest, Poland. The effect of gape-size limitations on fruit consumption was assessed at the plant species level, and for a subset of nine plant species, also at the individual level, and subindividual level (i.e., fruits of the same plant individual). In addition, for the species subset, fruit-seed trait relationships were investigated to determine whether a restricted access of small-gaped animals to large fruits results in the dispersal of fewer or smaller seeds per fruit. Fruit sizes widely varied among plant species (74.2%), considerably at the subindividual level (17.1%), and to the smallest extent among plant individuals (8.7%). Key disperser species should be able to consume fruits of all plant species and all individuals (except those of the largest-fruited plant species), even if they are able to consume only 28-55% of available fruits. Fruit and seed traits were positively correlated in eight out of nine plant species, indicating that gape size limitations will result in 49% fewer (in one) or 16–21% smaller seeds (in three plant species) dispersed per fruit by small-gaped than by large-gaped main dispersers, respectively. Our results show that a large subindividual variation in fruit size is characteristic for small-fruited plant species, and increases their connectedness with frugivores at the level of plants species and individuals. Simultaneously, however, the large variation in fruit size leads to gape-size limitations that may induce selective pressures on fruit size if large-gaped dispersers become extinct. This study emphasizes the mechanisms by which gape-size limitation at the species, individual and subindividual level shape plant-frugivore interactions and the co-evolution of small-fruited plants.


Based on machine learning, the high-dimensional fitting of potential energy surfaces under the framework of first principles provides density-functional accuracy of atomic interaction potential for high-precision and large-scale simulation of alloy materials. In this paper, we obtained the high-dimensional neural network (NN) potential function of uranium metal by training a large amount of first-principles calculated data. The lattice constants of uranium metal with different crystal structures, the elastic constants, and the anisotropy of lattice expansion of alpha-uranium obtained based on this potential function are highly consistent with first-principles calculation or experimental data. In addition, the calculated formation energy of vacancies in alpha- and beta-uranium also matches the first-principles calculation. The calculated site of the most stable self-interstitial and its formation energy is in good agreement with the findings from density functional theory (DFT) calculations. These results show that our potential function can be used for further large-scale molecular dynamics simulation studies of uranium metal at low pressures, and provides the basis for further construction of potential model suitable for a wide range of pressures.


ABSTRACT In north-western Kenya, significant oil reserves have been discovered and the first oil trucks have left Turkana County in June 2018. On the east side of Lake Turkana, the largest wind power project on the African continent was completed in mid-2017. This article applies a local to global perspective to explore the benefits and externalities for the local communities living in close proximity to the oil and wind exploitation sites. A particular focus is placed on governance of energy resources, water and employment opportunities and its impacts on new and existing conflict dynamics. The article is based on extensive field research conducted between 2016 and 2018. Results suggest that similarities between oil and wind exploitation can be identified in terms of unmet promises of compensation for land and community expectations for employment which cause tensions and conflicts between the operating companies and the local communities. Differences exist with respect to externalities such as environmental pollution that are expected to be higher for the production of oil than for wind energy.


We develop a general equilibrium vintage capital model with embodied energy-saving technological progress and an explicit energy market to study the impact of investment subsidies on investment and output. Energy and capital are assumed to be complementary in the production process. New machines are less energy consuming and scrapping is endogenous. It is shown that the impact of investment subsidies heavily depends on the structure of the energy market, the mechanism explaining this outcome relying on the tight relationship between the lifetime of capital goods and energy prices via the scrapping conditions inherent to vintage models. In particular, under a free entry structure for the energy sector, investment subsidies boost investment, while the opposite result emerges under natural monopoly if increasing returns in the energy sector are not strong enough.


The present disclosure relates to in situ tissue engineering, more specifically in situ vascular tissue engineering with the aim of providing a tissue structure which can be used e.g. as a substitute blood vessel or as a blood vessel functioning as cannulation site in hemodialysis. In particular, the disclosure involves tissue structure formation around a subcutaneously implanted synthetic rod. In addition, the disclosure involves a method for producing said synthetic rod.


A modified version of the questionnaire used in research with survivors of the holocaust was used in research of their children. Twenty two persons were interviewed in order to answer the following questions: What national identity do the children of the holocaust survivors have, especially as they come from mixed marriages? What influence on their identity do family relationships have?


The matrix metalloproteinase stromelysin-3 (ST3) has long been implicated to play an important role in cell fate determination during normal and pathological processes. Using the thyroid hormone-dependent Xenopus laevis metamorphosis as a model, we have previously shown that ST3 is required for apoptosis during intestinal remodeling and that laminin receptor (LR) is an in vivo substrate of ST3 during this process. ST3 cleaves LR at two distinct sites that are conserved in mammalian LR. Human ST3 and LR are both associated with tumor development and cancer progression and human LR can also be cleaved by ST3, implicating a role of LR cleavage by ST3 in human cancers. Here, we carried out a series of mutational analyses on the two cleavage sites in LR. Our findings revealed that in addition to primary sequence at the cleavage site (positions P3-P3', with the cleavage occurring between P1-P1'), flanking sequences/conformation also influenced the cleavage of LR by ST3. Furthermore, alanine substitution studies led to a surprising finding that surrounding sequence and/or conformation dictated the site of cleavage in LR by ST3. These results thus have important implications in our understanding of substrate recognition and cleavage by ST3 and argue for the importance of studying ST3 cleavage in the context of full-length substrates. Furthermore, the LR cleavage mutants generated here will also be valuable tools for future studies on the role of LR cleavage by ST3 in vertebrate development and cancer progression.


Ovarian cancer is the most lethal gynecologic cancer in USA. Many efforts including gene expression profiling, SNP analysis, comparative genomic hybridization, and exome sequencing have revealed that ovarian cancer is extremely heterogeneous. This implies that therapeutic strategy should be specifically designed based on molecular characteristics. Previously, we focused on investigating the functional role of NF-κB pathway in ovarian cancer initiation, propagation, and dissemination, performing two independent shRNA screens in the context of NF-κB signaling. In this study, we have re-focused our efforts towards an unbiased loss-of-function screen across 4 ovarian cancer cell lines Caov3, Igrov1, Ovcar5, and A2780. Under the most stringent cut-off of 4 out of 4 cell lines with a p value of less than 0.05 and fold change less than 0.7, five genes including GUCY2F , MKNK2 , PDK3 , PIK3AP1 , and WEE1 were identified as essential for ovarian cancer cell viability. When the stringency of analysis was relaxed to allow 3 out of 4 cell lines affected, a total of 55 genes were included. The most significant networks among these 55 genes were those of cell cycle, and cancer cell death and survival, as determined by Ingenuity Pathway Analysis. In order to validate and prioritize candidate genes, we focused siRNA lethality screening to the 55 genes in an expanded set of 6 ovarian cancer cell lines additionally including Skov3 and Ovcar8. Two siRNAs per gene (Qiagen) were tested in 384-well format. Transient transfection protocols such as seeding cell numbers, lipid to siRNA ratio, and incubation time were optimized in each individual cell line using positive and negative siRNA controls. Based on cell viability, 9 genes including EPHB1 , FER , MAP3K7 , MAP3K8 , MGC42105 (NIM1) , PRKCA , PLK1 , ERBB2 , and WEE1 were confirmed as essential in the initial shRNA screened 4 ovarian cancer cell lines, while six genes ( EPHB1 , FER , MAP3K7 , PLK1 , ERBB2 , and WEE1 ) were identified in all 6 cell lines. To move these findings towards the clinic, we next investigated whether pharmacological inhibitors could recapitulate the siRNA effect. We tested 4 inhibitors: Oxozeaenol (for MAP3K7/TAK1), BI6727 (PLK1), MK1775 (WEE1), and Lapatinib (ERBB2). Using 2-fold serial dilutions in 6 cell lines, ranges of IC50 were determined based on cell proliferation and calculated by CompuSyn software. The ranges of IC50 were 1- 6 uM, 10 - 35 nM, and 0.2 - 0.6 uM for Oxozeaenol, BI6727, and MK1775, respectively. All 6 cell lines were resistant to Lapatinib at 10 uM, suggesting a kinase independent function of ERBB2 in ovarian cancer cells. Single agent therapies often result in resistance and relapse. As such, our future work will include identification of predictive biomarkers for selecting drugs and the efficacy of sequential versus simultaneous treatment with these drugs in different combinations. In summary, a loss-of-function screening followed by validation using clinically relevant inhibitors helps us to identify essential targets in ovarian cancer and to systematically refine therapeutic strategies in ovarian cancer. Citation Format: Marianne K. Kim, Sirisha Chakka, Natasha Caplen, Christina Annunziata. An unbiased functional screen identifies kinases essential to ovarian cancer cell survival. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Ovarian Cancer Research: From Concept to Clinic; Sep 18-21, 2013; Miami, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2013;19(19 Suppl):Abstract nr B25.


The characteristics of nitride-based blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with AlGaN composition-graded barriers are analyzed numerically. The carrier concentrations in the quantum wells (QWs), the energy band diagrams, the electrostatic fields, and the light output power are investigated by APSYS software. The simulation results show that the LED with AlGaN composition-graded barriers has a better performance than its AlGaN/InGaN counterpart owing to the increase of hole injection and the enhancement of electron confinement. The simulation results also suggest that the output power is enhanced significantly and the efficiency droop is markedly improved when the AlGaN barriers are replaced by AlGaN composition-graded barriers.


3823 Background: IDN5404 is a novel thiocolchicine dimer with microtubule activity similar to colchicine and topo-I inhibitory effect similar but not identical to that of camptothecin (Raspaglio 2005, Biochemical Pharmacology 69:113). In vivo, nab-5404 was active in HT-29 colon carcinoma xenograft (Desai 2005, AACR). Recent in vitro data suggested that an analog, IDN5676, may have equally potent antitumor activity (Raspaglio 2005). As part of clinical candidate selection, studies were performed to compare the invitro anti-angiogenic activity and in vivo antitumor activity of nab-5404 and nab-5676. Methods: Nanoparticle albumin bound forms nab-5404 and nab-5676 were prepared. Cytotoxicity was tested invitro on MX-1 breast, HT29 colon, HepG2 hepatic carcinoma, and primary rat hepatocytes. Anti-microtubule and anti-angiogenic activity were determined using a microtubule disintegration assay and a tube formation assay respectively, across a dose range of 0.01-100 ug/ml. In a HT29 xenograft model, a low dose schedule (1-4 mg/kg, q3dx4) from day 0-14 was used to evaluate possible anti-angiogenic activity invivo, followed with high dose schedule (20, 30, 40 mg/kg q3dx4) from day 15-30 to demonstrate cytotoxic anti-tumor activity, N=10 per group, with saline control. For comparison, a known vascular targeting agent, combretastatin 4-phosphate (CA4P), was also tested invitro for anti-angiogenic activity and in the HT29 tumor model at its reported MTD of 200 mg/kg, qdx4. Results: Nab-5404 and nab-5676 were cytotoxic against MX-1 and HT29 tumor lines; however, activity against HepG2 and primary rat hepatocytes was not observed for nab-5676, suggesting that IDN5676 may be deactivated by liver cells. Nab-5404 and nab-5676 caused disintegration of microtubules with IC50 of 0.06 ug/ml and 0.12 ug/ml, respectively. At 0.01 ug/ml, both nab-5404 and nab-5676 showed potent and complete inhibition of tube formation as did CA4P. Invivo, both nab-5404 and nab-5676 showed antitumor activity at low dose (1-4 mg/kg) suggesting antiangiogenic activity (p


Post-traumatic stress through indirect exposure to trauma can mimic the psychological experiences of direct victims. This is referred to as vicarious traumatization, an impairing condition that largely goes undetected in the general population. This study sought to describe this condition and predict those who may be at risk of developing this type of post-traumatic stress. One hundred and fifteen participants from south-east New South Wales (NSW) in Australia who had not experienced any direct exposure, loss or injury from the 2001–2002 NSW bushfires were interviewed using the Vicarious Traumatization Questionnaire, Impact of Events Scale and Coping Strategies Indicator. Results indicated that specific peri-event, post-event and pre-event characteristics were able to predict at least 75 per cent of those who experienced vicarious traumatization resulting from the 2001–2002 NSW bushfires. This study was able to identify and describe vicarious traumatization in a sample of the general population. The importance of these results and the issues for further research are discussed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Background Cancerous inhibitor of protein phosphatase 2A (CIP2A) is a recently identified oncoprotein that leads to cellular proliferation in cancer cells by stabilizing c-Myc protein. The effect of CIP2A in stabilizing c-Myc by inhibition of protein phosphatase 2A activity is a prerequisite step in tumor cell growth and in vivo tumor formation. We have previously shown that CIP2A is expressed in RA FLS and its expression is strongly associated with histopathological synovitis score and invasive function of RA FLS. However, the effect of CIP2A in association with c-Myc on the apoptosis of RA FLS is unknown. Objectives This study was undertaken to investigate the effect of CIP2A and c-myc on the apoptosis of RA FLS and to determine the signaling pathway through which dysfunctional apoptosis is facilitated. Methods Proliferation and apoptotic activity of RA FLS following treatment with CIP2A siRNA or control siRNA were analyzed using MTT assays and Cell Death Detection ELISA kit. c-Myc expression from RA FLS after treatment with CIP2A siRNA or control at 3, 6, 9 days interval was also determined using Western blot analysis. To evaluate which signal transduction pathways were engaged in apoptosis, caspase-3 activity and phosphorylation of the Akt kinase were also analyzed by Western blot. Results Survival of RA FLS as measured by MTT assay was significantly lower in CIP2A siRNA -treated group compared to control after 7 days (n=5, each, p=0.0221). Apoptosis of RA FLS as measured by DNA fragmentation was significantly higher in CIP2A siRNA treated group compared to control when incubated for 3, 6 and 9 days (p=0.029, p=0.021, p=0.043, respectively). C-Myc expression measured by Western blot did not change during the incubation period. Apoptosis of CIP2A siRNA-treated RA FLS was induced by activation of caspase-3 and dephosphorylation of Akt kinase, but these findings were not observed in the control siRNA-treated RA FLS. Conclusions Our data show that CIP2A expression in RA FLS is an important mediator of dysfunctional apoptosis that is independent of c-Myc stabilization. CIP2A may induce dysfunctional apoptosis of RA FLS by activation of Akt and deactivation of caspase-3. These results warrant further investigation of CIP2A as a potential pathogenetic factor and therapeutic target in RA. Disclosure of Interest None Declared


Catalytic decomposition of methane to pure hydrogen is a reaction of crucial importance for clean energy, if the problem of catalyst separation is solved and the carbon material has an increased commercial value. Unsupported nickel catalysts were synthesized by fusion method. The catalyst derived from nickel nitrate forms heterogeneous octahedral NiO, whereas the nickel hydroxide precursor results in catalyst containing sponge-like NiO with folding lamellar structure of high porosity. The catalysts reactivity test was conducted with a fixed bed system at 1073 K. The catalyst subjected to hydrogen prereduction proved to be inactive. However, the methane prereduction was found to produce some coke to disperse the Ni particles and thus activated the catalyst. It was found that the higher concentration of methane resulted in a better methane conversion, but a higher deactivation rate. Carbon growth models were formulated to explain the formation of different types of carbon over Ni catalyst. © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 60: 2907–2917, 2014


This document describes a mechanism for supporting multiple address
families (AFs) in OSPFv3 using multiple instances. It maps an AF to an
OSPFv3 instance using the Instance ID field in the OSPFv3 packet
header. This approach is fairly simple and minimizes extensions to
OSPFv3 for supporting multiple AFs. [STANDARDS-TRACK]


Background: Beetroot juice (BRJ) contains various bioactive compounds suggested to be effective in improving athlete recovery. However, the number of studies evaluating the effects of BRJ on recovery and muscle soreness (MS) indicators in female athletes is limited. Therefore, the present study aimed to determine the effects of BRJ consumption on the performance recovery indicators and MS after exercise-induced muscle damage (EIMD) in female volleyball players. Methods: Twelve young female volleyball players were evaluated in this study. We utilized a randomized, cross-over, and double-blind design during two phases with a 30-day interval (wash-out). During each phase, EIMD was performed first, followed by BRJ or placebo (PLA) supplementation for two days (eight servings of 50 mL). Recovery monitoring of performance indicators and MS was performed after EIMD. The results of wall-sit, V sit and reach (VSFT), vertical jump height (VJH), pressure pain threshold (PPT), and thigh swelling (Sw-T) tests were recorded 48 h after EIMD. Also, the Perceived Muscle Soreness was recorded using the visual analog scale (VAS) 12 (MS-12 h), 24 (MS-24 h), and 48 (MS-48 h) hours after EIMD. Results: The data were analyzed using two-way repeated measures of ANOVA at p < 0.05. Compared to PLA, BRJ supplementation improves wall-sit performance after EIMD (p < 0.05), while reducing Sw-T and perceived muscle soreness (p < 0.05). However, no significant difference was observed between PLA and BRJ in VJH and VSFT performance after EIMD (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the consumption of BRJ in female volleyball players can be useful for improving some recovery indicators, such as muscle endurance, perceived muscle soreness, and tissue edema, after EIMD.


This paper describes a novel method for reconstructing urban environments based on individual occupant experience. The method relies on a low-cost off-the-shelf 360o camera to capture video and audio data from a natural walk through the city. It then uses a custom workflow based on an open-source Structure from Motion (SfM) library to reconstruct a dense point cloud from images extracted from the 360o video. The point cloud and audio data are then represented within a virtual reality (VR) model, creating a multisensory environment that immerses the viewer into the subjective experience of the occupant. This work questions the role of precision and fidelity in our experience and representation of a "real" physical environment. On the one hand, the resulting VR environment is less complete and has lower fidelity than digital environments created through traditional modeling and rendering workflows. On the other hand, because each point in the point cloud is literally sampled from the actual environment, the resulting model also captures more of the noise and imprecision that characterizes our world. The result is an uncanny immersive experience that is less precise than traditional digital environments, yet represents many more of the unique physical characteristics that define our urban experiences.