Physical activity and a healthy, balanced diet are remaining unresolved issues among young people. According to the World Health Organization, young people do not get enough exercise during the week, and physical education classes are the best way to promote healthy habits. This study aims to analyze how the role of the teacher influences the frustration of psychological needs, coping strategies, motivation, and the adoption of healthy eating habits through the Mediterranean diet and the regular practice of physical activity. The study involved 1031 boys and 910 girls between the ages of 13 and 18. To explain the relationships between the different variables included in this study, a model of structural equations has been developed. The results showed that autonomy support negatively predicted the frustration of four psychological needs. The failure to meet four psychological needs negatively predicted resilience. Likewise, resilience positively predicted autonomous motivation, and this positively predicted the Mediterranean diet and the practice of physical activity. Thus, the results obtained in the present study are in line with those of various studies wherein physical education classes were seen to help consolidate healthy living habits.


In South Africa, the integration of Non-Motorised Transport (NMT) facilities into spatial development and the streetscape has not yet received sufficient attention by the different spheres of government and their implementation agencies. Therefore, urban development and structure has significant deficiency with regard to the provision and quality of NMT infrastructure, facilities and services. As a further consequence, NMT users are at risk using the road network and pedestrian and cyclist fatalities, leading to a major proportion of the road casualties in South African cities, towns and villages. The authors' point of view is that the 'rhetorical' paradigm shift in the planning, implementation and operation of NMTrelevant infrastructure needs to be revolutionised. This is necessary to effect rapid change of the status quo in South Africa by practicably mobilise the proverbial "walk the talk". Various international examples of good practice exist where conceptual thinking and renewed focus on the needs of NMT users have led to a paradigm shift in major cities with regard to NMT policy formation and infrastructure provision; and in the process creating more friendly NMT environments. This includes design concepts that can assist in NMT and public transport implementation opportunities such as 'Universal Design", 'Complete Streets', 'Road Diets", 'Modal Hierarchy', 'Last Mile', 'Liveable Communities', 'Walkability Indices and Greenways, amongst others. The paper covers the various concepts; and show how they may assist in reshaping planning and implementation strategies, policies and operational frameworks in South Africa over the short-, medium- and long term. NMT is formally recognised as an independent and primary transport mode in transport planning circles, but it also serves as feeder system to public transport services. The paper highlights the different opportunities that currently exist in South Africa to include and integrate NMT conceptual thinking into transport planning practice. Firstly, this includes the current process of implementing BRT systems and optimally linking the surrounding communities to these routes. Secondly, the need exist to provide much needed and welldesigned NMT feeder systems from communities to other existing public transport operations including municipal bus, rail, Gautrain, BRT, future light rail and minibus taxi operations. Thirdly, the Strategic Land Transport Frameworks, e.g. Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network and Integrated Development Plans are to be updated on a five yearly cycle. Fourthly, NMT infrastructure still needs to be provided in many instances where NMT serves as a primary transport mode between destinations. The paper concludes that the above-mentioned transport planning processes and planning documents must reflect and support the NMT-relevant conceptual thinking that will embrace Universal Design and Complete Streets principles to its fullest practicable extent with particular reference to integration with IRPTN 2030 planning. In addition, the institutional and financial means to implement, monitor and evaluate the implementation of these concepts are considered as an essential and integral component of the process.


In this study, a laboratory activity that is based on constructivist learning approach was prepared for teaching pH meter, Electrode Calibration and Gran Functions to undergraduate and graduate students. The activity that is consist of demonstration, guided inquiry, generate concept and application phases was carried out to twenty-two students randomly selected from grade 4 in Gazi University, Faculty of Gazi Education, Department of Chemistry Education and qualitatively evaluated with observation and informal interview. It observed that the activity is effective for increasing interest, attitude and curiosity, for expanding skills of creative thinking, problem solving, conceptual understanding and application.


The generalized asymptotic regulation problem is considered with an observer-based controller. Two different sets of LMI conditions are derived for the optimization of the transient behavior. These conditions are potentially conservative, as would usually be the case for restricted-structure controllers. Nevertheless, it is illustrated by a design example that the performance of the observer-based controller can be quite close to the controller with a general structure.


Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) rupture is a common sporting injury that frequently affects young, athletic patients. Apart from the functional problems of instability, patients with ACL deficient knees also develop osteoarthritis. Although this is frequently cited as an indication for ACL reconstruction, the relationship between ACL rupture, reconstruction and the instigation and progression of articular cartilage degenerative change is controversial. The purpose of this paper is to review the published literature with regards ACL rupture and the multifactorial causes for osteoarthritis progression, and whether or not this is slowed or stopped by ACL reconstruction. There is no evidence in the published literature to support the view that ACL reconstruction prevents osteoarthritis, although it may prevent further meniscal damage. It must be recognised that this conclusion is based on the current literature which has substantial methodological limitations.


The bis(enolate) of diester 1 undergoes a double intramolecular alkylation reaction with 3-chloro-2-chloromethylprop-1-ene 2 to form the tricyclic product 3 in 75% yield. This conversion represents the first high-yielding route to derivatives of tricyclo[22.214.171.124,9]dodecane, an alicyclic ring system of considerable theoretical and structural interest. Diol derivatives 5, 7, 10, 16 and 17 are prepared to investigate further the crystal engineering requirements for obtaining new helical tubuland hosts. The X-ray structures of 5, 10 and 7 reveal one-, two- and three-dimensional hydrogen bonded lattice structures, respectively, despite their remarkable molecular similarity. Solid 5 comprises chains assembled through intermolecular · · · H–O · · · H–O · · · H–O · · · and novel intramolecular alkene · · · H–O hydrogen bonds; while diol 10 forms double layers of diols constructed from recurved spiral chains (four molecules per repeat unit) of intermolecular · · · H–O · · · H–O · · · H–O · · · hydrogen bonds. When crystallised from diethyl ether, the hydroxy groups of 7 are linked · · · H–O · · · H–O · · · H–O · · · around threefold screw axes to give a further example of the helical tubuland lattice. This is a microporous solid with empty tubes of cross-sectional area 17.8 A2 parallel to z. Appropriately functionalised tricyclo[184.108.40.206,9]dodecanes undergo efficient intramolecular cyclisation providing compounds 18, 20, 22 and 24 which are the first reported derivatives of 8-oxatetracyclo[126.96.36.199,10.05,9]tridecane.


Background/Aims: The impact of alcohol on health depends on both the total amount ingested per week and the drinking pattern. Our goal was to assess the relationship between drinking occasions and anthropometric indicators of adiposity. Methods: For this cross-sectional study, 7,855 men aged 50–59 years were recruited between 1991 and 1993 in France. Clinical and anthropometric data were obtained in a standardized clinical examination by trained staff. Alcohol intake was assessed by a questionnaire recording daily consumption of each type of alcohol during a typical week. Results: 75% of the participants drank alcohol daily (264.7 ml per week). For a given total alcohol intake and after adjustment of confounders, the number of drinking episodes was inversely correlated with body mass index (p < 0.0001) and waist circumference (p < 0.0001). The odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for obesity was 1.8 (1.3–2.4) for occasional (1–2 days/week) and 1.6 (1.2–2.1) for frequent drinkers (3–5 days/week) compared with daily drinkers. This correlation was less pronounced in moderate (<140 ml/week) than intermediate consumers (140–280 ml/week). In heavy consumers (>280 ml/week), the intake was almost always daily. The results were similar for wine and beer consumption. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that drinking occasion is a risk indicator of obesity independent of total alcohol intake.


Accumulating evidence from mainly uncontrolled and unblinded clinical studies with various types of ablation catheters have shown that renal denervation (RDN) can be applied safely and is effective in lowering blood pressure (BP) in most patients with treatment resistant hypertension. Sustained BP lowering has been documented up to 3 years at this stage. Furthermore, RDN has been associated with regression of target organ damage, such as left ventricular hypertrophy, arterial stiffness and others. Several studies indicate potential benefit in other common clinical conditions associated with increased sympathetic tone including chronic kidney disease and heart failure. However, the recently published Symplicity HTN-3 trial, the largest and most rigorously designed clinical trial including a sham procedure, while confirming the safety of the procedure, failed to demonstrate a BP lowering effect beyond that of a sham procedure in a cohort of patients with resistant hypertension.Efforts to unravel the reasons for the discrepant results from Symplicity HTN-3 have focused on a range of potential confounders including anatomical and procedural aspects. Indeed, data form post-hoc analyses indicate that sufficient renal deneravtion may not have been achieved in the majority of patients in Symplicity HTN-3. Furthermore, recent evidence from human post-mortem and functional animal studies revealed new insights into the anatomical distribution of renal nerves and their accessibility by intravascular therapeutic approaches. Integrating these important findings into newly designed clinical trials will be key to determine the true potential of renal denervation in the treatment of hypertension and other clinical conditions characterized by increased sympathetic drive.


AIM
To estimate the clinical value of adjusted blood requirement index (ABRI) in relation to other criteria for failure of variceal bleeding control proposed at Baveno consensus workshops and to evaluate ABRI as an early predictor of occurrence of other Baveno criteria and identification of possible predictors of unfavorable ABRI.

METHODS
We retrospectively analyzed the data on 60 patients admitted to the hospital due to acute variceal bleeding. Number of treatment failures according to Baveno II-III and Baveno IV definitions and criteria was compared. We tested the ABRI's predictability of other Baveno IV and Baveno II-III criteria. Logistic regression analysis was performed to ascertain independent variables that predict ABRI> or =0.75.

RESULTS
Failure to control variceal bleeding occurred in 40 of 60 patients according to Baveno II-III criteria, and in 35 of 60 patients according to Baveno IV criteria. Excluding the criterion of "transfusion of 2 units of blood or more (over and above the previous transfusions)" and ABRI criterion, failure to control variceal bleeding was observed in 17 and 14 of 60 patients, respectively. Congruence of ABRI with other criteria was present in about two-thirds of the cases. ABRI> or =0.75 was associated with increased risk of positive other Baveno criteria, particularly modified Baveno II-III (odds ratio [OR] 4.10; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-15.05) and Baveno IV without ABRI (OR 4.37; 95% CI, 1.04-18.28). Independent predictors of ABRI> or =0.75 identified in logistic regression analysis were male sex (P<0.001) and higher hematocrit values (P=0.004).

CONCLUSION
We found low congruence between ABRI and other Baveno criteria and the incidence of treatment failure in our study was higher than the previously reported frequencies of early rebleeding. It seems that criteria related to the quantity of blood transfusions are not reliable indicators of treatment failure.


The recent advancements in technology and the availability of the Internet make it possible to connect various devices that can communicate with each other and share data. The Internet of Things (IoT) is a new concept that allows users to connect various sensors and smart devices to collect real-time data from the environment. However, it has been observed that a comprehensive platform is still missing in the e-Health and m-Health architectures to use smartphone sensors to sense and transmit important data related to a patient's health. In this paper, our contribution is twofold. Firstly, we critically evaluate the existing literature, which discusses the effective ways to deploy IoT in the field of medical and smart health care. Secondly, we propose a new semantic model for patients' e-Health. The proposed model named as 'k-Healthcare' makes use of 4 layers; the sensor layer, the network layer, the Internet layer and the services layer. All layers cooperate with each other effectively and efficiently to provide a platform for accessing patients' health data using smart phones.


Abstract. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a widespread clinical condition, the cause of which is compression of the median nerve in the tunnel. For a large proportion of patients, the surgical release of the median nerve in the carpal tunnel is sufficient treatment.  In some cases, the cause of this condition may be due to a mass along the median nerve path. These could be lipomas, ganglia, rarely tendon sheath origin fibromas. In such conditions, the symptoms are not alleviated by a simple release of the transverse carpal ligament; an excision of the mass may be required. Fibromas originating from the tendon sheath are rare benign tumors. When this causes compression of the median nerve, the presentation is similar to carpal tunnel syndrome. In our study, a patient developing median nerve compression due to a fibroma stemming from the tendon sheath has been presented and mass-presenting cases in literature have been reviewed. Key words: Fibroma stemming from tendon sheath, carpal tunnel syndrome, median nerve


Low‐temperature specific heat and magnetization measurements with Ni–Cu solid solutions indicate the presence of magnetic clusters in these alloys between 47% and 62% Cu. Up to 57% Cu the interaction between clusters is sufficient for the alloys to become ferromagnetic at low temperatures.1 The paramagnetic susceptibility of the alloys with higher Cu content is essentially independent of temperature above 200°K; in this temperature range the susceptibility depends on the Cu content. At low temperatures the susceptibility becomes temperature dependent and its value is strongly influenced by impurities, e.g., Fe and Co. The decrease of the ferromagnetic moment with increasing Cu content is not a result of the filling of the d band. Rather, it can be accounted for on the basis of the dependence of the moment associated with Ni atoms on their local atomic environment.2


Significance A strategy to overcome therapeutic obstacles of mKRAS and mBRAF cancers is devised based on the finding, here, that the RAF/MEK/ERK cascade is by-passed by an autocrine signal loop established by interaction of CRAF with GSTP1. The interaction evokes stabilization of CRAF from proteosomal degradation and facilitation of RAF-dimer formation. Thus, blocking CRAF/GSTP1 interactions should generate additive antiproliferative effects. The Ras/RAF/MEK/ERK pathway is an essential signaling cascade for various refractory cancers, such as those with mutant KRAS (mKRAS) and BRAF (mBRAF). However, there are unsolved ambiguities underlying mechanisms for this growth signaling thereby creating therapeutic complications. This study shows that a vital component of the pathway CRAF is directly impacted by an end product of the cascade, glutathione transferases (GST) P1 (GSTP1), driving a previously unrecognized autocrine cycle that sustains proliferation of mKRAS and mBRAF cancer cells, independent of oncogenic stimuli. The CRAF interaction with GSTP1 occurs at its N-terminal regulatory domain, CR1 motif, resulting in its stabilization, enhanced dimerization, and augmented catalytic activity. Consistent with the autocrine cycle scheme, silencing GSTP1 brought about significant suppression of proliferation of mKRAS and mBRAF cells in vitro and suppressed tumorigenesis of the xenografted mKRAS tumor in vivo. GSTP1 knockout mice showed significantly impaired carcinogenesis of mKRAS colon cancer. Consequently, hindering the autocrine loop by targeting CRAF/GSTP1 interactions should provide innovative therapeutic modalities for these cancers.


Fas ligand (FasL) can be either membrane bound, or cleaved by metalloproteinases (MMP) to produce a soluble protein. The two different forms of FasL are reported to have opposite functions-membrane-bound FasL (mFasL) is proinflammatory and soluble FasL (sFasL) is antiinflammatory. We previously showed that, within the immune-privileged eye, tumors expressing high levels of mFasL overcame the suppressive ocular environment, triggered an inflammatory response, and were subsequently rejected. By contrast, eye tumors expressing low levels of mFasL grew progressively. To evaluate the effect of sFasL on the tumor growth and metastatic potential of ocular FasL-expressing tumors, we compared tumor cell clones that expressed equal amounts of (low) mFasL in the presence or absence of sFasL. Tumor cells transfected with a modified FasL gene expressed only mFasL (noncleavable), grew progressively within the eye, and induced systemic protective immunity that prevented metastatic spread of tumor cells to the liver. Unexpectedly, tumors transfected with wild-type FasL (wtFasL; cleavable), which could produce both sFasL and mFasL, elicited considerably more inflammation and grew more slowly within the eye. However, the cleavable wtFasL eye tumors failed to trigger protective immunity and gave rise to liver metastases. Interestingly, exposure to the ocular environment was required for the wtFasL tumors to gain metastatic potential. We conclude that the fate of FasL-expressing tumors is determined by a combination of the following: (a) the relative proportion of membrane and sFasL, and (b) the local environment that determines the extent of FasL cleavage.


Pulp testing is mandatory before any operative procedures, invaluable in the diagnosis of pain and is an essential adjunct in the interpretation of radiolucent areas. Methods of pulp testing are reviewed and the use of dry ice for this purpose is discussed in detail. Limitations of pulp testing are considered. Vitality tests are of only limited use in traumatized teeth. The results are only qualitative and not quantitative.


In the previous study, a shooting trajectory assuming that the purse seine shooting trajectory is a circle was proposed based on the speed and direction of the movement of the fish school. However, in practice, a trajectory that is closer to an elliptical shape than a circular one is often formed. In this study, the existing circular trajectory and the elliptical trajectory methods were compared under the same conditions to confirm the effectiveness of elliptical shooting trajectory. In addition, changes in the eccentricity of ellipses were derived to assess which type of ellipse was appropriate as a shooting trajectory. When a high-speed fish school moves in a straight line, an elliptical shooting trajectory with the eccentricity of 0.7 to 0.9 will be reasonable, and for middle-low speed fish school, an elliptical shooting trajectory with the eccentricity of 0.4 to 0.6 will be more useful than a circle shooting trajectory.


A mathematical model for research of the system of automatic voltage control of low-voltage circuits of electric locomotive with the generator power source supply is offered.


The bioactive (B) and immunoreactive (I) pituitary contents/concentrations of FSH, together with the plasma concentrations of B-FSH, I-FSH and I-inhibin were determined in ovine fetuses at days 55, 75, 90 and 135 of gestation (day 145 = term). The pituitary contents and concentrations of B-FSH and I-FSH increased in both sexes with gestational age. The female fetuses had significantly (P < 0.01) higher pituitary contents/concentrations of B-FSH and I-FSH than the male fetuses at days 75 and 135. The pituitary B/I ratios of FSH were not significantly different with age or sex. The plasma concentrations of B-FSH remained relatively constant from days 75 to 135, with no significant differences between sexes or with age. In contrast, the plasma concentrations of I-FSH reached a peak at day 90 and then declined towards term in both sexes. At all gestational ages except day 55, the female fetuses had significantly (P < 0.05) higher plasma concentrations of I-FSH than the males. In both sexes, the plasma B/I ratios of FSH were lowest at day 90 and had increased again by day 135, with the male fetuses having significantly (P < 0.05) higher B/I ratios compared with the female group at days 75 and 135 but not at day 90. At all gestational ages, the plasma concentrations of I-inhibin declined throughout gestation in the female fetuses, whereas in the males they reached a nadir at day 75 and then increased towards term. The concentrations of I-inhibin were significantly (P < 0.01) higher in the male fetuses compared with the females.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


The role of natural enemies in promoting coexistence of competing species has generated substantial debate. Modern coexistence theory provides a detailed framework to investigate this topic, but there have been remarkably few empirical applications to the impact of natural enemies. We tested experimentally the capacity for a generalist enemy to promote coexistence of competing insect species, and the extent to which any impact can be predicted by trade-offs between reproductive rate and susceptibility to natural enemies. We used experimental mesocosms to conduct a fully-factorial pairwise competition experiment for six rainforest Drosophila species, with and without a generalist pupal parasitoid. We then parameterised models of competition and examined the coexistence of each pair of Drosophila species within the framework of modern coexistence theory. We found idiosyncratic impacts of parasitism on pairwise coexistence, mediated through changes in fitness differences, not niche differences. There was no evidence of an overall reproductive rate - susceptibility trade-off. Pairwise reproductive rate - susceptibility relationships were not useful shortcuts for predicting the impact of parasitism on coexistence. Our results exemplify the value of modern coexistence theory in multi-trophic contexts and the importance of contextualising the impact of generalist natural enemies to determine their impact. In the set of species investigated, competition was affected by the higher trophic level, but the overall impact on coexistence cannot be easily predicted just from knowledge of relative susceptibility. Methodologically, our Bayesian approach highlights issues with the separability of model parameters within modern coexistence theory and shows how using the full posterior parameter distribution improves inferences. This method should be widely applicable for understanding species coexistence in a range of systems.


In the 1930s, the Co-operative Commonwealth Youth Movement attempted to rally young people to the cause of socialism and the ccf . In doing so, they revealed much about the emerging political and social culture of youth coming of age during the Great Depression and their relationship to "adult" socialists whose ideas had been formulated before and during the labour revolt of 1919. Perhaps most importantly, they wrestled with the challenges of political action and the new perceptions of class reflected in New Deal liberalism and particularly the Popular Front of the latter half of the decade. While diverse in their social backgrounds and in their attitude toward the ccf  leadership and the lure of the Communist-identified mass movements like the Canadian Youth Congress, they reflected a youth-oriented desire for a more active, extra-parliamentary strategy but were also drawn toward statist social reform that would be a hallmark of the ccf  they would inherit after the Second World War.


In recent years, many sparse estimation methods, also known as compressed sensing, have been developed. However, most of these methods presume that the measurement matrix is completely known. We develop a new blind maximum likelihood method — the expectation-sparse-maximization (ESpaM) algorithm — for models where the measurement matrix is the product of one unknown and one known matrix. This method is a variant of the expectation-maximization algorithm to deal with the resulting problem that the maximization step is no longer unique. The ESpaM algorithm is justified theoretically. We present as well numerical results for two concrete examples of blind channel identification in digital communications, a doubly-selective channel model and linear time invariant sparse channel model.


During the COVID-19 pandemic, adolescents' routines were deeply affected, which negatively impacted their level of PA. Knowing the barriers to PA in adolescence is relevant, because the perception of more barriers is one of the most consistent negative correlates of PA participation. The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare the barriers perceived by adolescents during the COVID-19 pandemic by sex, education level, PA level, and BMI. A total of 1369 students (621 boys and 748 girls; mean age: 14.4 years; SD: 1.74) participated in the study. The chi-square test was used to analyze the differences between groups. Only 3.1% of the adolescents complied with the international guidelines for PA. In general, the barriers with the highest prevalence were the COVID-19 pandemic, lack of time, and taking time away from study. The number of perceived barriers to PA was higher among girls, younger, and inactive participants. Boys selected more the barriers due to COVID-19 than girls, and students with normal weight chose more barriers than those with overweight. This study provides information on adolescents' PA barriers during the COVID-19 pandemic and draws attention to the negative effects that restrictive measures have had on adolescents' PA levels.


Listeria monocytogenes (Lm) is a food-borne pathogen that causes severe bacterial gastroenteritis, with high rates of hospitalization and mortality. Lm is ubiquitous in soil, water and livestock, and can survive and proliferate at low temperatures. Following oral ingestion of contaminated food, Lm crosses the epithelial through intestinal goblet cells in a mechanism depending on Lm InlA and host E-cadherin. Importantly, human infections typically occur with Lm growing at or below room temperature, which are flagellated and motile. Even though many important human bacterial pathogens are flagellated, little is known regarding the effect of bacterial motility on invasion and immune evasion. Here, we used complementary imaging and computer modeling approaches to test the hypothesis that bacterial motility helps Lm locate and engage target cells permissive for invasion. Imaging explanted mouse and human intestine, we confirmed that Lm grown at room temperature uses motility to scan the epithelial surface and preferentially attach to target cells. Furthermore, we integrated quantitative parameters from our imaging experiments to construct a versatile "layered" cellular Potts model (L-CPM) that simulates host-pathogen dynamics. Simulated data are consistent with the hypothesis that bacterial motility enhances invasion by allowing bacteria to search the epithelial surface for their preferred invasion targets. Indeed, our model consistently predicts that motile bacteria have invaded ∼2-fold more at the 1-hour mark. This invasion advantage persists even in the presence of host phagocytes, with the balance between invasion and phagocytosis governed almost entirely by bacterial motility. In conclusion, our simulations provide insight into host pathogen interactions and challenge fundamental assumptions regarding how phagocytes might limit bacterial invasion early during infection.


The thermochemical water splitting cycle is an environmentally attractive way to produce hydrogen without using fossil fuels. Among a hundreds possible cycles, the sulfur – iodine (IS) is a promising one, expected to become a major source of hydrogen production from nuclear or solar energy.
The IS process cycle is divided into three sections; namely: (1) the Bunsen section whose purpose is to produce the two immiscible liquid acid phases: one containing mainly sulfuric acid and the other hydrogen iodide and iodine (2) sulfuric acid concentration and decomposition section and (3) Hydrogen iodide concentration and decomposition section, known by HIx section.
The thermodynamics of aqueous sulfuric acid system has already been described by chemical engineers and the challenge actually remains in describing the thermodynamics of the HIx system (H2O – HI – I2) which is a strong electrolyte system, extremely complex because of various phase behavior that occurs (vapor – liquid – liquid – solid) over the large range of pressure and temperature spanned in the process.
A review of existing models shows that two approaches can be adopted to deal with phases equilibrium ; (1) homogeneous one in which the same equation of state is applied to different phases in equilibrium and (2) combined approach where the vapor phase is described by an equation of state and the liquid one by a coefficient activity model.
The homogeneous approach would be effective for the high pressure HIx system but cannot capture alone the strong non ideality of the liquid phase. That may explain why the current HIx model written by Neumann has been done based on an activity coefficient model coupled with a solvatation formalism proposed by Engels . Unfortunately, activity coefficient models fail for critical compounds in mixtures as is the case for HI under temperature conditions expected in the process.
Based on this analysis, we propose a novel modeling of the HIx system that matches all the constraints enounced.


Summary The two-fold stratigraphical division of the Skiddaw Group and the simple outcrop pattern proposed by earlier workers are both shown to be oversimplifications. Three formations are recognized each of which has a rather complicated outcrop. The sequence of pelite, silty pelite and minor amounts of greywacke, accumulated in the Caledonian geosyncline during Arenig or Llanvirn times. The Skiddaw Group appears to be unconformably overlain by the Borrowdale Volcanic Group. The basal rocks of the volcanic sequence are essentially sub-aerial. The pre-Carboniferous rocks have been subjected to multiple deformation. Six groups of minor structures have been recognized in the Skiddaw Group, namely, D 1 , D 2 , D 3 , D 4 , D 5 and D 6 ; only the D 1 , D 2 and D 4 minor structures, however, are persistently developed. Larger-scale folds may have been produced during the D 1 and D 2 movements. Evidence presented suggests that following the D 2 deformation, during late-Llanvirn or early-Llandeilo times or both, the rocks of the Skiddaw Group were uplifted and eroded. After the deposition of the Borrowdale Volcanic Group D 4 movements produced the north-easterly trending, end-Silurian anticline in the volcanic sequence and brought the Skiddaw Group to its present structural level.


This paper describes a combined arithmetic unit and language support system which allows user specifications of the arithmetic. Limited extensions to a high-level language, in connection with a generalized underlying arithmetic unit, allow a single skeletal unified numeric operand type to be refined into a variety of data types. The interpretation of operands by the operators is based on type descriptors, allowing one set of polymorphic arithmetic operators to be defined across all combinations of user-defined operand types. The arithmetic unit is realized in microcode to achieve efficiency.


Abstract : British military historian Sir Michael Howard once stated that whatever strategy a military adopts in times of peace will be to some degree wrong. Still, Howard says that a military organization must strive to select a course during an age of peace that is "not too wrong." According to many airpower proponents, Desert Storm represents a revolution in warfare and serves as a beacon to safely guide the American military through the current fog of peace. They therefore advocate pressing ahead with a strategy that mirrors the air-dominant Desert Storm model. This article, while acknowledging Desert Storm as a praiseworthy event, discredits the logic of labeling it a revolution. At this point, calling Desert Storm a revolution in warfare is an emotional reaction that advances a tentative hypothesis to the force of theorem without the proper verification provided by rigorous testing. Die-hard air enthusiasts will likely dismiss this argument, declaring that it is necessary to act now on the assumption that Desert Storm was a revolution. They will argue that change occurs so rapidly in today's information-based society that the United States must be proactive in incorporating the lessons of Desert Storm into its future defense plans. Actually, this view is dangerously myopic. Abundant evidence exists to suggest that the twenty-first century could be dominated by culturally based conflict. The strategy of paralysis is ineffective against such an amorphous threat. Therefore, creating a US military force that is overly dependent on a high-technology alr arm would be, to use Howard's words, too wrong.


The ability of Ca2+ or inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate [Ins(1,4,5)P3] to release Ca2+ from cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) was investigated using saponin-skinned ventricular trabeculae from rats. To overcome diffusion delays, rapid increases in the concentrations of Ca2+ and Ins(1,4,5)P3 were produced by laser photolysis of "caged Ca2+" (Nitr-5) and "caged Ins(1,4,5)P3". Photolysis of Nitr-5 to produce a small jump in [Ca2+] from pCa 6.8 to 6.4 induced a large and rapid force response (t1/2 = 0.89 s at 12 degrees C); the source of the Ca2+ that activated the myofibrils was judged to be the SR, since it was blocked by 0.1 mM ryanodine or 5 mM caffeine. A smaller, slower, and less consistent release of SR Ca2+ was produced by photorelease of Ins(1,4,5)P3. The results demonstrate that these caged compounds can be used to study excitation-contraction coupling in skinned multicellular preparations of cardiac muscle. The data are consistent with a major role for Ca2(+)-induced Ca2+ release in cardiac activation, whereas the role for Ins(1,4,5)P3 may be to modulate, rather than directly stimulate, SR Ca2+ release.


A disintegrin and metalloprotease (ADAM) 17 cleaves and releases membrane-tethered pro-forms of several signalling molecules from the plasma membrane, including the inflammatory cytokine tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and ligands of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Due to the important functions of its substrates, ADAM17 activity has to be tightly controlled, and its misregulation has implications for inflammation and cancer. The multi-pass membrane proteins iRhom1 and iRhom2 are members of the conserved rhomboid-like superfamily and control ADAM17 activity by several mechanisms throughout the secretory pathway. First, iRhoms facilitate trafficking of the catalytically inactive proenzyme form of ADAM17 from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the Golgi apparatus, where the inhibitory pro-domain of ADAM17 is removed. Subsequently, iRhoms exert a different form of control of ADAM17 at the plasma membrane, this time on stimulus-induced ADAM17 activity, its substrate specificity, and its stability. iRhoms ultimately regulate the release of ADAM17 substrates, and are consequently key players in TNFα and EGFR signalling. However, it remains unclear how iRhom function itself is regulated posttranslationally, and whether iRhoms require co-factors to exert their roles as ADAM17 regulators. The goal of my project was to shed light into these questions by identifying new iRhom interaction partners. I developed a mass spectrometry-based screen to identify new binding partners of human iRhoms using co-immunoprecipitation. The top hit of the screen was the poorly characterised FERM domain-containing protein 8 (FRMD8), which binds to both iRhom1 and iRhom2. FRMD8 was found to play a crucial role in the iRhom/ADAM17 pathway because FRMD8 knockdown and knockout in HEK293T cells significantly reduced the levels of mature ADAM17 and the release of ADAM17 substrates. The closely related metalloprotease ADAM10 was not affected by the loss of FRMD8, implying that FRMD8 is not a general regulator of ADAM metalloproteases. Interaction studies revealed that FRMD8 binds to the cytosolic N-terminus of iRhom2 throughout the entire secretory pathway. FRMD8 loss does not affect the ER-to-Golgi trafficking of iRhom2 but plays a role in stabilising iRhom2 at the plasma membrane by preventing the lysosomal degradation of both iRhom2 and mature ADAM17. Using human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived macrophages, I showed that FRMD8 regulates mature ADAM17 levels and the ADAM17-dependent release of TNFα in human macrophages. Studies in FRMD8 knockout (KO) mice confirmed the reduced mature ADAM17 levels in all mouse tissues tested, further supporting the conclusion that FRMD8 is a novel regulator of the iRhom/ADAM17 pathway with physiological relevance in mammals. Finally, I showed that the interaction of FRMD8 and iRhom, which are both conserved from Drosophila to human, is also conserved. Furthermore, loss of the FRMD8 orthologue in flies, Bili, leads to motility defects and shows similarity to the loss of iRhom in flies. These results suggest that FRMD8 is a novel regulator of iRhom function in mammals and Drosophila .


Cytological evaluation of breast diseases can lead to false diagnosis if benign lesions show epithelial atypia or if carcinomas are orthoplasic and well differentiated. In order to determine the potential usefulness of image cytometry for discrimination between benign and malignant breast lesions, we studied 120 Feulgen-stained imprints, half from benign lesions with epithelial atypia and half from well-differentiated carcinomas and determined values of parameters expressing DNA content, morphometry and chromatin texture. Twenty-five out of the 60 carcinoma imprints were found to be DNA-aneuploid and could thus be easily distinguished from benign imprints, as, in our and other authors' experiences, aneuploidy very rarely occurs in benign breast lesions. When the remaining 35 carcinoma imprints were compared with 38 benign lesion imprints, randomly selected from the 60 cases studied, only four cases were misclassified after a linear discriminant analysis; the most discriminant parameters were those expressing the heterogeneity of DNA content and the chromatin texture. Thus, in cases where cytological diagnosis is difficult, image analysis of Feulgen-stained imprints may be a very useful tool for correctly discriminating benign from malignant cases.


Objective: Prediction of delayed brain edema after spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage by magnetic resonance spectroscopy combined with diffusion weighted imaging, and to explore the causes and treatment of delayed brain edema after intracerebral hemorrhage. Methods: The patients with spontaneous cerebral hemorrhage diagnosed by CT from January 2015 to June 2018 in our hospital were analyzed. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy and diffusion weighted imaging examinations were performed on the third day after hemorrhage. It was diagnosed as delayed brain edema that the edema range enlarged more than 1 cm in CT scan on the 14th day Compare with the 7th Day. The patients were divided into the delayed brain edema group and the control group(n=27 for each). The NAA/Cr value and rADC value of the edema area in the two groups were analyzed by T test. Results: The NAA/Cr value (1.67±0.38) in the edema area of patients with delayed brain edema was significantly decreased Compare with the control group(1.92±0.42), and the rADC value (2.59±0.42) reduced significantly Compare with the control group (2.93±0.51), the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: MRS and DWI were susceptive in showing delayed brain edema lesions at hyper-early phase. Combination of MRS and DWI can provide a basis for clinical individual treatment programs selection and prognostic evaluation.


Long‐term primary cultures of hepatocytes are essential for bioartificial liver (BAL) devices and to reduce and replace animal tests in lead candidate optimization in drug discovery and toxicology tests. The aim of this work was to improve bioreactor cultures of hepatocyte spheroids by adding a more physiological perfusion feeding regime to these bioreactor systems. A continuous perfusion feeding was compared with 50% medium replacement (routinely used for in vitro tests) at the same dilution rate, 0.125 day−1, for three operative weeks. Perfusion feeding led to a 10‐fold improvement in albumin synthesis in bioreactors containing non‐encapsulated hepatocyte spheroids; no significant improvement was observed in phase I drug metabolizing activity. When ultra high viscous alginate encapsulated spheroids were cultured in perfusion, urea synthesis, phase I drug metabolizing activity and oxygen consumption had a threefold improvement over the 50% medium replacement regime; albumin production was the same for both feeding regimes. The effective diffusion of albumin in the alginate capsules was 7.75.10−9 cm2 s−1 and no diffusion limitation for this protein was observed using these alginate capsules under our operational conditions. In conclusion, perfusion feeding coupled with alginate encapsulation of hepatocyte spheroids showed a synergistic effect with a threefold improvement in three independent liver‐specific functions of long‐term hepatocyte spheroid cultures. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2011; 108:41–49. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


In order to contribute to spread silvopastoral systems (SSP) in cattle areas of San Pedro River Basin in Camaguey, Cuba, an environmental impact assessment (EIA) was developed to evaluate and compare the impact that livestock cause on the environment at present and that wolud occur once the SSP be established and managed in the basin deforested areas. The EIA showed that with the establishment of SSP in these areas, the negative impact that the economical activities have produced can be compensated, moving the impact from -710 up to 1290, which means a very favourable result concerning to the environmental quality. It is hoped that successive improvement with the adoption of SSP tribute in first place to the nature, in second place to the people living in these areas, and finally to the sustainability of better productive results.


Cross sections and rate coefficients for the formation of BeH+ and BeD+ molecules in Be+ + H/D collisions through radiative association are calculated using quantum mechanical perturbation theory and Breit-Wigner theory. The local thermodynamic equilibrium limit of the molecule formation is also studied, since the process is also relevant in environments with high-density and/or strong radiation fields. The obtained rate coefficients may facilitate the kinetic modelling of BeH+/BeD+ production in astrochemical environments as well as the corrosion chemistry of thermonuclear fusion reactors.


Temperature programmed reduction and desorption techniques have been used to investigate the reduction process of CuY. The reduction of Cu^2+ ions in zeolite with H_2 occurs via a two-step mechanism in which Cu^+ is first formed and then reduced to metal. In the first step of reduction NH_3 was used as the reducing agent instead of H_2. Cu particles in the reduced CuY with NH_3 pretreatment were uniformly dispersed compared with those of CuY without one. The average particle size of Cu metal was estimated to be 8.4 nm for the former and 18.5 nm for the latter. The detailed mechanism of reduction process of CuY has been discussed by the physico-chemical measurements, such as mass spectrometry, transmission electron microscope, infrared spectroscopy and electron spin resonance.


An optimization model of human motor control in a laterally constrained self-paced path control task (e. g., driving) is proposed. The model structures the task as intermittent control with Begg's relationship used to describe the growth of lateral error with distance traveled during the sampling interval. Rewards and penalties are explicitly present in the objective function to be optimized. The path geometry is used with nonlinear optimization to solve the model and show that it has the expected reactions to payoff changes. Tests of the model against existing data in the literature and directly against the data from laboratory subjects showed a very close correspondence in form and numerical values between the model's prediction and human subject's performance.


This special issue of Journal of Physics A: Mathematical and Theoretical collects papers by speakers and participants of the conference `Viewing the World through Spin Glasses', held in Oxford (UK) on 31 August and 1 September 2007 in honour of Professor David Sherrington. It also includes contributions by many other active researchers in the field of spin glasses and related problems. The theory of spin glasses has a history of more than 30 years and continues to develop within itself as well as into an unexpectedly vast range of interdisciplinary subjects, including neural networks, error-correcting codes, optimization problems and social problems. Most of these amazing developments have their formal basis in the ground-breaking work of David Sherrington with Scott Kirkpatrick, centred on the SK model and the techniques devised to analyse it via the replica method. In this 'classic-of-classics' paper, a theoretical paradigm was suddenly established which became the common tool of analysis for thousands of papers in the following decades. It also led to deep developments in probability theory, through the efforts to understand the enigmatic Parisi solution of the SK model. The work of Professor Sherrington will continue to be an infinite source of our inspiration in many years to come. The purpose of the conference `Viewing the World through Spin Glasses' was to provide an overview of the present status of the fields which Professor Sherrington initiated, on the occasion of his 65th birthday, organized by John Cardy, Juan P Garrahan and the present Guest Editors. The first contribution in this special issue, by Professor Paul Goldbart, reflects his salute delivered at the conference dinner, and conveys its atmosphere very well. The papers that follow, ordered by the date of acceptance, represent the current activities of leading researchers in spin glasses and related fields, and we expect these to serve as milestones for future developments. We thank all the authors of this special issue and the participants of the conference for their valuable contributions.


There are many Evolutionary Algorithms which main features are: population, evolutionary operations (crossover, mate, mutation and others). Most of them are based on randomness and follow a criteria using fitness like selector. The proposal uses probability density function according to best of initial population to sample new population and save better individuals iteratively. Then using centroid criteria sample for every dimension and get better individuals. It had good results with benchmark functions. A real application was performed with experiments in protein folding and it showed good results.


The propriate management of acute infarction stroke will be able to reduce the morbidity and mortality of the disease. In diagnosing and managing the diseases, for the detection of the risk or prognostic factors information's such as the history physical findings, confirmation and other supporting tests are needed. One of the supporting test is the laboratory examination i.e. platelet aggregation test. Platelet aggregation is suggested having an important role in haemostasis especially to prevent excessive bleeding by forming platelet plug. Finally, further hyperactivity of platelet in terms of platelet hyper aggregation can create a thrombus and moreover lead to obstruct the vessels. The occlusion will give a negative outcome of an acute infarction stroke. The aim of this study is to know whether platelet hyper aggregation has a contribution in the outcome of the disease or not by certain testing. A prospective cohort study was carried out, to compare between two groups of exposed and non-exposed group in Sardjito hospital Yogyakarta during the period of March up to early July 2007. Eighty four subjects who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were involved in this study. The exposed group was a group of acute infarction stroke patient who were exposed to platelet hyper aggregation 48 (57%), on the other hand, patients who did not have platelet hyper aggregation was separated as non-exposed group is 36 (43%). Inception of cohort was applied when the patient was admitted to the emergency unit during 72 hours of the onset, before receiving antithrombotic drugs and had no previous history of stroke. The patients were followed after 7 days hospitalization in the stroke unit and neurology unit and the outcome was measured by evaluating the score using Gadjah Mada stroke scale. The characteristics of the subjects were grouped by baseline data X2 test. Unvaried analysis and multivariate analysis were taken to get the relative risk of having acute infarction stroke. In this case logistic regression analysis was used to know the relative risk (RR) measurement. Prognostic factors had influenced the outcome of acute infarction stroke in patients who had a history of cardiovascular disease and aggregation status. The outcome of the platelet hyper aggregation group had a RR=2.15 (95% CI: 2.01–4.07) and the history of cardiovascular disease had a RR=1.78 (95% CI: 1.18–13.28).


The numerical computation of the exponentiation of a real matrix has been intensively studied. The main objective of a good numerical method is to deal with round-off errors and computational cost. The situation is more complicated when dealing with interval matrices exponentiation: Indeed, the main problem will now be the dependency loss of the different occurrences of the variables due to interval evaluation, which may lead to so wide enclosures that they are useless. In this paper, the problem of computing a sharp enclosure of the interval matrix exponential is proved to be NP-hard. Then the scaling and squaring method is adapted to interval matrices and shown to drastically reduce the dependency loss w.r.t. the interval evaluation of the Taylor series.


In the research literature, aggressive behavior has traditionally been classified into two distinct subtypes, impulsive or premeditated. Impulsive aggression is defined as a hair-trigger aggressive response to provocation with loss of behavioral control. Premeditated aggression is defined as a planned or conscious aggressive act, not spontaneous or related to an agitated state. The present study outlines the development of a clinically useful self-report instrument, the Impulsive/Premeditated Aggression Scales (IPAS), designed to characterize aggressive behavior as predominately impulsive or predominately premeditated in nature. The IPAS showed strong reliability and validity. Analysis of the IPAS scores demonstrated the presence of two types of aggressive behavior, impulsive and premeditated, in men referred for anger problems. The aggression of most individuals in the present sample was characterized as predominately impulsive in nature (90%).


Accidents are a common occurrence in the fishing industry. Despite this observation, there has been limited research on the factors contributing to this high rate of accidents and no research on the experience of disability among fish harvesters. This paper reports a narrative analysis of the accounts of fish harvesters who became disabled as a result of their work, and could no longer work in the industry. Four primary narrative structures were identified in their accounts: disability as devastation, disability as challenge, disability as phenomenon and disability as opportunity. These narratives represent different temporal orientations to the disability. The findings are discussed with reference to other narrative work on adjustment to illness and the implications for disability rehabilitation for fish harvesters and other workers.


IN THIS PAPER WE PROPOSE TO CONTINUE IN THE SAME RESEARCH LINE INITIATED BY PRONZATO AND THIERRY (PRONZATO ET AL, 2000A), (PRONZATO ET AL, 2000B), (PRONZATO ET AL, 2001), RECENT WORKS INSPIRED IN THE MINIMUM-ENTROPY ESTIMATION HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED BY DE LA ROSA AND FLEURY (DE LA ROSA ET AL, 2002), (DE LA ROSA ET AL, 2003) IN THE INSTRUMENTATION FRAMEWORK. AN STATISTICAL MODEL HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED TO REPRESENT SOME INSTRUMENTAL SIGNALS, SIMILARLY, SOME LIMITED HYPOTHESIS OVER SUCH A MODEL HAVE BEEN MADE. IN FACT, WE ASSUME LIMITED KNOWLEDGE OF THE NOISE OR EXTERNAL PERTURBATIONS DISTRIBUTION THAT INTERACT INTO THE SYSTEM. THE USE OF ROBUST ESTIMATORS IN SUCH SITUATIONS IS VERY HELPFUL, SINCE THE REAL SYSTEMS ARE ALWAYS EXPOSED TO CONTINUOUS PERTURBATIONS OF UNKNOWN NATURE. SOME APPLICATIONS WHERE THE LAST IS TRUE ARE: MEDICAL INSTRUMENTATION, INDUSTRIAL PROCESSES, IN TELECOMMUNICATIONS AMONG OTHERS. SOME RESULTS OF NEW MINIMUM-ENTROPY ESTIMATORS FOR LINEAR AND NONLINEAR MODELS ARE PRESENTED, SUCH RESULTS COMPLEMENT THOSE PRESENTED BY PRONZATO AND THIERRY.


The research entitled: "Emotional intelligence and autonomous learning in cyberbullying of students of the Educational Institution" Francisco Bolognesi ", 2020", aimed to determine the incidence of emotional intelligence and autonomous learning in cyberbullying, and responds to the problem institutional educational. The study is explanatory, obeys a quantitative approach and a non-experimental, causal correlational, cross-sectional design; with a sample comprised of 99 students, to whom questionnaires were applied to collect data on each of the variables. After the analysis and interpretation of the results, the following conclusion was reached: Emotional intelligence and autonomous learning had a significant impact on cyberbullying of the students of the "Francisco Bolognesi" Educational Institution in Villa el Salvador; having obtained a result in the linear logistic regression test p-value = 0.000.


The author critically evaluates the impact and potential of a community currency—or local money system—known as the 'local exchange trading scheme' (LETS), to contribute to sustainable local development (SLD). Two distinct and contrasting models for sustainable development are described: a mainstream approach, focused on local regeneration [termed here the 'local economic development' (LED) approach]; and a radical 'green' or 'new economics' strategy (referred to as 'sustainable local development' or SLD). In the elaboration of these models the functions of community currencies within each perspective are outlined, and the basis for an evaluate framework is provided. Most previous analysis of LETS has used a broadly LED perspective; this paper focuses on an evaluation for SLD, as this has not previously been comprehensively done. For SLD, community currencies should enable people to: meet local needs through informal employment; revalue and redefine 'work'; promote localisation and self-reliance; shift consumption patterns towards sharing, recycling, reuse, and reducing resource use; and build green social networks. Findings from a case-study LETS indicate that this community currency is successful in allowing participants to make small changes in their lifestyles, consumption, and employment patterns towards SLD, but there are limitations of size, scope, funding and management to be overcome before this could be achieved more effectively with LETS. However, following the LED-relevant prescriptions for upscaling and mainstreaming would undermine the qualities which align LETS with SLD perspective, and this highlights the importance of choosing appropriate evaluative frameworks, particularly when appraising sustainable-development initiatives.


Major forces are at work within the health care system that drive the development of clinical standards or guidelines. This process must be tied in a "feedback-loop" system to a more accurate assessment of patient outcomes. There is a major controversy at the foundation of the process that is pitting the opinions from consensus panels of experts against the inability of individual physicians to accurately estimate the outcomes of different options through implicit systems. In many instances, the quality of medical evidence is poor. Many groups within organized medicine are attempting to write guidelines, and at least four major challenges must be confronted before guidelines are widely adopted by clinicians. A new federal agency may provide the necessary resources to focus the debate on guidelines. Guidelines may eventually enhance the quality of medical care.


Ufmylation is a relatively newly discovered type of post-translational modification when the ubiquitin-fold modifier 1 (UFM1) protein is covalently attached to its target proteins in a three-step enzymatic reaction involving an E1 activating enzyme (UBA5), E2 conjugating enzyme (UFC1), and E3 ligase enzyme (UFL1). The process of ufmylation is essential for normal brain development and function in humans. Mutations in the UFM1 gene are associated with Hypomyelinating leukodystrophy type 14, presenting with global developmental delay, failure to thrive, progressive microcephaly, refractive epilepsy, and hypomyelination, with atrophy of the basal ganglia and cerebellum phenotypes. The c.-155_-153delTCA deletion in the promoter region of UFM1 is considered to be a founding mutation in the Roma population. Here we present four index patients with homozygous UFM1:c.-155_-153delTCA mutation detected by next-generation sequencing (whole genome/exome sequencing) or Sanger sequencing. This mutation may be more common in the Roma population than previously estimated, and the targeted testing of the UFM1:c.-155_-153delTCA mutation may have an indication in cases of hypomyelination and neurodegenerative clinical course in pediatric patients of Roma descent.


Four experiments were carried out to examine phonological priming effects on bisyllabic target words. In Experiments 1a and 1b, auditorily presented monosyllabic word and pseudoword primes facilitated lexical decisions to auditorily presented bisyllabic words. This facilitation was found for primes overlapping the targets' initial syllable (e.g., "ver" [worm in French] primed "VERTIGE" [VERTIGO]) and for primes overlapping the targets' final syllable (e.g., ''tige'' [stem] primed "VERTIGE"). Experiment 2 replicated the initial-overlap effect for monosyllabic word primes using a crossmodal (auditory-visual) method; however no facilitation was observed for final-overlap nor for bisyllabic primes (e.g., "verger" [orchard] did not facilitate VERTIGE). In Experiment 3, the initial overlap facilitation effect was replicated in a naming task. These results are interpreted in terms of activation and deactivation of candidates.


1. Membranes prepared from chicken skin provide a suitable medium through which Aëdes aegypti females may be induced to gorge. 2. Under suitable conditions the proportion of female A. aegypti which will gorge through membranes, though more variable than when a living chick is offered, is great enough for experimental purposes. 3. It is shown that the gorging reaction in A. aegypti is provoked by a heat gradient between the environment and the food-limiting membrane. 4. The feeding reactions of A. aegypti towards whole blood, fractions of blood, and other sub-stances have been studied. It was found that (a) whole blood, and red corpuscles in saline when ingested through membranes go directly into the stomach which becomes fully distended; (b) haemoglobin in plasma or distilled water is ingested to a lesser degree than whole blood or red corpuscles in saline, and plasma alone is rarely ingested, but all these pass to the stomach; (c) sweet solutions containing glucose or honey are seldom imbibed through membranes and pass to the stomach or diverticula, but only the diverticula are fully distended. When offered as open drops (a) blood is seldom ingested, but if ingested passes to the stomach; (b) haemoglobin in plasma or water, or plasma alone, are very rarely ingested, but pass mainly to the stomach; (c) sweet solutions containing honey or glucose, or mixtures of blood and honey are readily ingested and pass mainly to the diverticula which become fully distended, though traces may be found in the stomach. 5. Aëdes aegypti may be infected with Plasmodium gallinaceum by allowing them to gorge on drawn infected chicken blood through a membrane. Infection rates comparable to those obtained when the mosquitoes are fed directly on living chickens may be obtained by this method. 6. If infected mosquitoes are allowed to gorge upon uninfected blood through membranes they eject viable sporozoites into the blood. When young chicks are injected intravenously with blood so infected, infections are produced which in period of incubation and intensity are comparable with those resulting from the bites of infected mosquitoes. 7. The ejection of sporozoites through membranes in this manner provides a ready means of obtaining sporozoites free from glandular tissue. 8. Sporozoites collected by this method will be suitable for in vitro experiments upon the action of drugs on sporozoites, and also as a source of material for studying in tissue cultures the developmental stages of the malaria parasite arising directly from the sporozoite. We wish to thank Prof. D. Keilin, F.R.S., and Dr P. Tate for helpful criticism and advice during the course of the work.


The bidirectional broadcast channel with random states known at the encoder denotes a broadcast channel with two receivers where each receiver knows the message intended for the other and the transmitter knows the channel state. For such a channel we derive an Arimoto-Blahut-like algorithm to compute the weighted-rate sum maxima. To this end we provide an equivalent characterization of the achievable rate region using Shannon's method of transmit strategies, which we use to show that the optimal coding does not gain from time-sharing. Finally, the trade-off of the input distribution and the impact of the random state is discussed in two examples.


BACKGROUND
Infusion or inhalation of prostaglandins PGE1 and PGI2 is used to reduce vascular resistance. PGE1 and PGI2 are dissolved in ethanol and glycine buffer, respectively. Each vehicle may cause dose-dependent haemodynamic and respiratory side effects. This study was performed to examine the role of low-dose ethanol and glycine buffer as used for the infusion and inhalation of PGE1 and PGI2.

METHODS
Two groups of pigs (ethanol and glycine group, n = 9 each) were anaesthetised and ventilated mechanically. Ethanol was given at 0.14 mg/kg/min by infusion and 0.12 mg/kg/min as aerosol, glycine buffer was infused at 3.8 microg/kg/min and inhaled at 3.1 microg/kg/min, respectively. Haemodynamic and respiratory data were recorded before and after application.

RESULTS
Neither infusion nor inhalation of ethanol or glycine buffer caused significant changes in systemic and pulmonary haemodynamics, right heart function, oxygenation or ventilation.

CONCLUSIONS
The effect of inhaled or intravenously infused PGE1 and PGI2 is not influenced by their preparations containing ethanol or glycine buffer.


BACKGROUND
The aim of the study was to compare the local and systemic markers of inflammatory processes in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) and in those with pneumonia coexisting with lung cancer.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Seventeen patients with community-acquired pneumonia (group I), 14 patients with pneumonia and lung cancer (group II), and 24 patients with lung cancer (group III) were enrolled into the study. Sixteen healthy smokers served as a control group (group IV). Concentration of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were measured in exhaled breath condensate (EBC). The levels of VEGF and TNF-α were also measured in serum.

RESULTS
The concentrations of VEGF (317.83 ± 77.78) and TNF-α (1.98 ± 0.13) in EBC were significantly higher in patients with pneumonia and lung cancer as compared to patients with community-acquired pneumonia (VEGF 30.20 ± 6.56; TNF-α 0.31 ± 0.05). Also the level of H(2)O(2) (0.96 ± 0.16) in EBC in patients with pneumonia and lung cancer was elevated in comparison to patients with CAP (0.66 ± 0.09), however the difference was not statistically significant (p 〉 0.05). The serum concentrations of both studied cytokines were significantly higher in patients with pneumonia (VEGF 1112.62 ± ± 244.38 and TNF-α 2.6 ± 0.48) than in those with pneumonia and lung cancer (VEGF 392.9 ± 78.2; TNF-α 1.6 ± 0.2).

CONCLUSIONS
Patients with pneumonia and lung cancer exhibited higher levels of oxidative stress and local inflammatory reactions than those with pneumonia. However, inflammatory markers in serum were significantly lower in patients with pneumonia and lung cancer as compared to those with CAP.


INTRODUCTION:
Diabetes mellitus, the metabolic disease characterized by hyperglycemia results from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action or both. The chronic hyperglycemia of diabetes is associated with long term damage, dysfunction and failure of various organs like eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and blood vessels.
Majority of cases of diabetes fall into two broad categories, Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes mellitus. Type 2 Diabetes accounts for approximately 90 to 95 percentage of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. Long term complications of diabetes are include retinopathy, nephropathy and peripheral neuropathy and foot ulcers. Patients with diabetes have an increased risk of atherosclerotic, cardiovascular diseases. Hypertension and abnormalities of lipid metabolism are often found in diabetes.
There are several pathogenic processes involved in the development of either form of diabetes and long term complications .The basis of the abnormalities in carbohydrate, fat, protein metabolism in diabetes is deficient action of insulin on target tissues. Defective insulin action results from inadequate insulin secretion and or reduced tissue response to insulin action. Defect in insulin secretion or action on target organ frequently coexist in the same patient. Several vitamins and minerals act as cofactors in the enzyme reaction regulated by insulin. Deficiency of several vitamins and minerals such as vitamin E, potassium, magnesium, zinc and chromium may worse the carbohydrate intolerance. Of these the need for potassium or magnesium replacement is relatively easy to detect based on low serum levels.
Magnesium is the fourth most abundant cation in the human body and the second most abundant intracellular cation. Magnesium plays an essential role in carbohydrate metabolism and in the insulin action. Magnesium acts as a cofactor in glucose transport mechanism of the cell membranes and various intra cellular enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism. The concentrations of serum magnesium in healthy people are remarkably constant where as 30 to 35% of diabetes have low serum magnesium concentration. Magnesium deficiency has a negative impact on glucose homeostasis and insulin sensitivity in patients with type 2 diabetes as well as the evaluation of the complications like retinopathy11 cardiovascular diseases, nephropathy and neuropathy. Moreover, low serum magnesium is a strong, independent predictor of development of type 2 diabetes. The present study was undertaken with an aim to estimate prevalence of
hypomagnesemia in patients with type 2 diabetes and correlate serum magnesium concentrations with micro and macro vascular complications of diabetes.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:
1. Estimating fasting serum magnesium concentration in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
2. Correlating serum magnesium concentrations with micro and macro vascular complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus-retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, hypertension and ischemic heart diseases.
METHODOLOGY:
Study Population:
Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus admitted in general medical ward in Government Stanley medical college hospital.
Methods:
100 patients with type 2 DM who were admitted in general medical ward in Stanley Medical College Hospital were randomly selected for this study. From all patients detailed history, thorough clinical examination and relevant biochemical investigations were obtained.
Inclusion Criteria:
All case of type 2 DM admitted in Stanley medical hospital in general medical wards.
Exclusion Criteria:
• Chronic Diarrhea,
• Malabsorption,
• Patients with Renal Failure,
• Patients on Diuretics,
• Acute Myocardial Infarction in Last 6 Months,
• Patient Having Alcohol Abuse,
• Patients Receiving Mg Supplements or Mg containing Antacid.
Statistical method:
Statistical method analysis was done using chi square test and sample variable t test to compare proportions. Results were considered significant at p value <0.05.
RESULTS:
This study was composed of 100 patients of type 2 DM of which 54 were men and 46 were women. These patients were further grouped according to their age, duration of diabetes, mode of treatment, glycemic control, presence or absence of co morbidities (ischemic heart disease and hypertension) and presence /absence of diabetic complications (retinopathy, neuropathy and nephropathy).
SUMMARY:
In our study done in hundred patients admitted in general medical ward in Stanley Medical College Hospital following conclusions were obtained. Summarizing our study :
• 42 patients had hypomagnesemia (42 %).
• Youngest patient in our study was 45 years of age ; mean age of patients in our study was 57.73 years.
• All patients who were > 70 years were hypomagnesemic
• As the age increased prevalence of hypomagnesemia increased ; this concurred with studies done before.
• As the duration of diabetes increased the prevalence of hypomagnesemia increased ; this was similar to the study result of Sharma et al ;
• Those who had a higher FBS and HbA1c% had higher prevalence of hypomagnesemia. This concurred with studies done before.
• Hypomagnesemic patients had a higher incidence of complications like neuropathy, retinopathy, and nephropathy.
• Hypomagnesemia correlated with higher incidence of ischemic heart disease and hypertensive heart disease.
CONCLUSION:
Low serum magnesium levels are commonly seen in diabetic patients.
Hypomagnesemia is more common in diabetic patients with poor glycemic control.
Hypomagnesemia in diabetic patients correlates well with duration of illness, glycemic control and complications of diabetes mellitus - both macro vascular and micro vascular.


Binding unity in EU legal order: An Introduction I. OBSERVATIONS FROM LEGAL PRACTICE 1. Experiences from Professional Practice - some steps towards empirical research 2. Translation at the European Court of Justice II. RIGHTS 3. Rights in the European Landscape. A Historical and Comparative Profile 4. Rights in European Union Law 5. EU Rights and Discretion as reflected in Spanish Public Law 6. Protection of Rights: How Far? III. DISCRETION 7. On Discretion 8. Discretion, Divergence and Unity 9. Divergence and the Francovich remedy in German and English courts 10. ability and Flexibility in Administrative Decision Making - The Community Law Influence on Discretion with Respect to Administrative Decisions in German Law 11. Democracy and Direct Effect - EU and National Perceptions of Discretion 12. Discretion and Public Policy: Timing the Unity and Divergence of Legal Orders 13. Laws At Cross Purposes: Conceptual Confusion and Political Divergence IV. POLICY AREAS 14. Binding unity and divergence while Creating a Common European culture of energy regulation 15. Conceptual Convergence and Judicial Cooperation in Sex Equality Law 16. On the Unity of European Labour Law 17. A case of multidirectional constitutional transplant in the EU: Infra-state Law and Regionalism V. OUTLOOKS 18. Back to the Begriffshimmel? - A plea for an analytical perspective in European law 19. Conceptual divergence, functionalism and the economics of convergence 20. Towards an Internally Consistent Doctrine on Invoking Norms of EU Law


Here at last is an authoritative, full-scale history of that most ambivalent of American political relationships: the interaction between the White House and the news media. From George Washington to Ronald Reagan, the authors explore the shifting and often dangerous currents in press-president relations, showing how these currents merged at today's critical juncture. Combining fascinating detail with trenchant commentary, Tebbel and Watts illuminate the influence of the press on presidential conduct and explain how presidents have come to manipulate the media, especially television, in ways never envisioned by the framers of the First Amendment. Seeing government control as a genuine threat to a free press, they warn of the growth of an "imperialistic" presidency that "may well be capable of nullifying the First Amendment, in a relatively short time and with public support." The authors are not biased toward either the Democrats of the Republicans, and they show that the media owners themselves bear much of the blame for placing their own freedom in peril. In addition to offering a vigorous point of view, The Press and the Presidency is richly rewarding as narrative history. It unveils a dramatic pageant of American politics, replete with biographical and anecdotal nuggets. The authors are as vivid in discussing the press vilification that plagued Jefferson and Lincoln, as they are in describing the media manipulations of modern administrations. About the Authors: John Tebbel, Professor Emeritus of Journalism at New York University, has had a long and distinguished career as a journalist and educator. Among his many works is a four-volume history of book publishing in the United States.Sarah Miles Watts is a journalist with nearly thirty years of experience, Professor of Journalism at the State University of New York, and founder and former editor of The Journalist's World, a worldwide review of journalistic events and opinions.


Terahertz (THz)-band communications have been one of the promising technologies for future wireless networks that integrate a wide range of data-demanding applications. To compensate for the large channel attenuation in THz band and avoid high hardware cost, a lens-based beamspace massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system is considered. However, the beam squint effect appeared in wideband THz systems, making channel estimation very challenging, especially when the receiver is equipped with a limited number of radio-frequency (RF) chains. Furthermore, the real channel data cannot be obtained before the THz system is used in a new environment, which makes it impossible to train a deep learning (DL)-based channel estimator using real data set beforehand. To solve the problem, we propose a model-driven unsupervised learning network, named learned denoising-based generalized expectation consistent (LDGEC) signal recovery network. By utilizing the Steins unbiased risk estimator loss, the LDGEC network can be trained only with limited measurements corresponding to the pilot symbols, instead of the real channel data. Even if designed for unsupervised learning, the LDGEC network can be supervisingly trained with the real channel via the denoiser-by-denoiser way. The numerical results demonstrate that the LDGEC-based channel estimator significantly outperforms state-of-the-art compressive sensing-based algorithms when the receiver is equipped with a small number of RF chains and low-resolution ADCs.


The ATA is a 50-MeV, 10-kA, 70-ns pulsed electron beam accelerator that generates an extremely harsh environment for diagnostic measurements. Diagnostic targets placed in the beamline are subject to damage, frequently being destroyed by a single pulse. High radiation (x-ray, gamma, and neutron) and electromagnetic interference levels preclude placing components near the beamline that are susceptible to radiation damage. Examples of such components are integrated circuit elements, hydrocarbons such as Teflon insulation, and optical components that darken, resulting in transmission loss. Optical diagnostics play an important part in measuring experimental parameters such as the beam current density profile. A large number of optical lines of sight (LOS) are routinely deployed along the experimental beamlines that use the AlA beam. Gated TV cameras are located outside the accelerator tunnel, because the tunnel is inaccessible during operations. We will describe and discuss the difficulties, problems, and solutions encountered in making optical measurements in the ATA environment.


Spoken text differs from written one in its features of context dependency, turn-taking organization, and dynamic structure. EFL learners; however, sometime find it difficult to produce typical characteristics of spoken language, particularly in casual talk. When they are asked to conduct a conversation, some of them tend to be script-based which is considered unnatural. Using the theory of Thornburry (2005), this paper aims to analyze characteristics of spoken language in casual conversation which cover spontaneity, interactivity, interpersonality, and coherence. This study used discourse analysis to reveal four features in turns and moves of three casual conversations. The findings indicate that not all sub-features used in the conversation. In this case, the spontaneity features were used 132 times; the interactivity features were used 1081 times; the interpersonality features were used 257 times; while the coherence features (negotiation features) were used 526 times. Besides, the results also present that some participants seem to dominantly produce some sub-features naturally and vice versa. Therefore, this finding is expected to be beneficial to provide a model of how spoken interaction should be carried out. More importantly, it could raise English teachers or lecturers' awareness in teaching features of spoken language, so that, the students could develop their communicative competence as the native speakers of English do.


A novel method for the quantitative determination of chlorinated paraffins (CPs) was developed using bromide-anion attachment atmospheric-pressure chemical ionization mass spectrometry (APCI-MS). Bromoform was used to enhance ionization of CPs. Near exclusive formation of stable bromide adduct ions ([M + Br]−) enabled accurate detection of individual CP congener groups (CnClm) with only a moderate-resolution quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Furthermore, the method was free from interference commonly observed with chloride-anion attachment methods (e.g., decomposition ions [M + Cl – HCl]−) that require deconvolution. Together with a CnClm-response-factor algorithm for quantifying short-chain CPs and a CnClm-pattern-reconstruction algorithm for quantifying medium- and long-chain CPs, method applicability was demonstrated on biota and sediment samples. These data were generated significantly faster and with improved selectivity and sensitivity versus those of conventional measurements by chloride...


We study the quantum phase transition in the two-dimensional random Ising model in a transverse field by Monte Carlo simulations. We find results similar to those known analytically in one-dimension. At the critical point, the dynamical exponent is infinite and the typical correlation function decays with a stretched exponential dependence on distance. Away from the critical point there are Griffiths-McCoy singularities, characterized by a single, continuously varying exponent, z', which diverges at the critical point, as in one-dimension. Consequently, the zero temperature susceptibility diverges for a RANGE of parameters about the transition.


Summary form only given. Sasol, the world leader in coal to fuels, is embarking on a major growth program integrating new and existing technologies into its current facilities. This program will increase production capacity, improve energy efficiency, and enable compliance to expected future environmental and fuel specifications. The program will affect the entire production site and is of a very complex nature. This presentation discusses examples where the impact on the integrated refinery and propylene value chain operations are tested by means of a discrete-event simulation model to determine infrastructure and capacity constraints. Interactions between units and across value chains are taken into consideration. The presentation further discusses the use of the decision making tool for determining advantages and concerns of possible technologies for debottlenecking options for the current operating units.


In digital systems, the Residue Number System (RNS) represents an interesting alternative to the traditional two's complement representation. Its performance and low-power properties have attracted significant research interest over the years. In this paper, RNS is used to estimate the angular position of a multi-trace electrical encoder (EE), an electro-mechanical device to measure angles at high precision widely used, for example, in antennas on-board satellites. The model of this system presents cyclic characteristics and, consequently, allows efficient use of modular arithmetic for its description. The RNS is applied to EEs equipped with more than two plates, and the absolute angle reconstruction is performed by using the Chinese Remainder Theorem (CRT). Furthermore, the use of RNS allows detection and mitigation solutions for errors due to encoders' non-idealities and electrical noise. In this noisy context, we provide a detailed analysis of the performance of the system and propose a more robust, flexible, and easy-to-implement solution compared with the traditional methods. The results show that the RNS-based system can attenuate the noise, measure accurately the angles, and improve the overall performance.


Like many other rhythmic movements, respiratory behaviors arise from a central pattern generator (CPG). Modulation of the respiratory CPG function is requisite to generate the air pressures and flows essential for speech production. The emergence of voluntary respiratory system control and the coordination of respiratory and laryngeal structures likely parallels and contributes to the development of speech. Perturbation experiments have proven to be fruitful in exploring neural control of many CPG-modulated behaviors. Little is known about the development of respiratory control and the coordination between respiratory and laryngeal systems, especially for complex behaviors such as speech production. The purpose of this study was to investigate the interaction between laryngeal and respiratory responses to mechanical respiratory perturbation in children.


Parallel text-to-speech (TTS) models have recently enabled fast and highly-natural speech synthesis. However, such models typically require external alignment models, which are not nec-essarily optimized for the decoder as they are not jointly trained. In this paper, we propose a differentiable duration method for learning monotonic alignments between input and output sequences. Our method is based on a soft-duration mechanism that optimizes a stochastic process in expectation. Using this differentiable duration method, a direct text to waveform TTS model is introduced to produce raw audio as output instead of performing neural vocoding. Our model learns to perform high-fidelity speech synthesis through a combination of adversarial training and matching the total ground-truth duration. Experimental results show that our model obtains competitive results while enjoying a much simpler training pipeline. Audio samples are available online 1 .


The purpose of the paper is to compare national acc ounting standards of Macedonia and Albania with International Accounting Standards of the Internati onal Financial Reporting Standards (IAS/IFRS). It looks at approaches of these two coun tries regarding the aspects of financial reporting and analyses differences and similarities . The paper also analyzes the characteristics of both accounting systems, and it examines the mai n changes that have been made in recent years. It presents the main differences and similar ities in accounting practices with the particular emphasis on tangible and intangible asse ts, inventories and money. The adoption of IFRS is supported in many countries inside and outs ide the European Union, including Macedonia and Albania. There have been made many ch anges in IFRS implementation in both accountings systems. As a result of economic i ntegration, the harmonization of financial reporting has become important for both countries.


Pentoxifylline is a new hemorrheologic agent which decreases platelet aggregation and reduces fibrinogen levels. Its ability to affect the coagulation cascade was studied in rats with and without the coadministration of warfarin. There was no significant difference between the prothrombin time ratio (PTR) of the warfarin group (1.51 +/- 0.38) and the combination drug group (1.47 +/- 0.30) at 6 hours. Likewise, there was no significant difference between the PTR of the control group (1.09 +/- 0.07) and the group administered pentoxifylline alone (1.05 +/- 0.06). Although the mechanisms of action of the two drugs may overlap, the pharmacodynamic activity of warfarin was not significantly altered when pentoxifylline was coadministered.


Bone metastases are a frequent cause of morbidity in cancer patients. The present palliative therapeutic options are chemotherapy, hormone therapy, and the administration of bisphosphonates. The affinity between bisphosphonates and the apatite structure of bone metastases is strong. Thus, we designed two low-molecular-weight and water-soluble prodrugs which incorporate a bisphosphonate group as a bone targeting ligand, doxorubicin as the anticancer agent, and either an acid-sensitive bond (1) or a cathepsin B cleavable bond (3) for ensuring an effective release of doxorubicin at the site of action. Cleavage studies of both prodrugs showed a fast release of doxorubicin but sufficient stability over several hours in human plasma. Effective binding of prodrug 1 and 3 was demonstrated with hydroxyapatite and with native bone. In orientating toxicity studies in nude mice, the MTD of 1 was 3-fold higher compared to conventional doxorubicin, whereas 3 showed essentially the same MTD as doxorubicin.


A study was conducted on the effects of carbon, tungsten, and vanadium on the wear properties and surface roughness of four High Speed Steel (HSS) rolls manufactured by the centrifugal casting method. Hot-rolling simulation tests were carried out using a high-temperature wear tester capable of controlling speed, load, and temperature. HSS rolls contained a large amount (up to 25 vol.%) of carbides such as MC, M2C, M7C3, and M6C carbides formed in the tempered martensite matrix. The matrix consisted mainly of lath tempered martensite when the carbon content in the matrix was small, and contained a considerable amount of plate tempered martensite when the carbon content increased. The high-temperature wear test results indicated that the wear properties and surface roughness of the rolls improved when the amount of hard MC carbides formed inside solidification cells increased. The rolls distribution was also homogeneous. The best wear properties and surface roughness were obtained from a roll where a large amount of MC carbides was homogeneously distributed in the lath tempered martensite matrix. The proper contents of carbon equivalent, tungsten equivalent, and vanadium were 2.0~2.3%, 9~10%, and 5~6%, respectively.


Background: About 20-40% of preschool children experience wheezing. One in three wheezers will have persistent symptoms after the age of six and develop asthma. It is unknown which gene variants contribute to wheezing.

Aim: To explore the relation between asthma associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and preschool recurrent wheezers.

Methods: We selected 202 recurrent wheezers (ISAAC questionnaire ≥2 wheezing episodes) and 50 controls aged 2-4 years. Saliva and buccal swaps were used for DNA extraction. Chi square tests were performed on 23 SNPs in 15 genes. Results were expressed in unadjusted odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval. Multiple testing was corrected by the Benjamini and Hochberg False Discovery Rate.

Results: In total 134 boys and 116 girls participated with an average age of 3.3 years. All SNPs had a high call rate (94.0-99.2%). The frequencies of a genetic variant in ADAM33 (rs511898) differed statistically significantly between cases and controls leading to OR=2.4 (1.2-4.9) for CT genotype and OR=1.0 (0.4-2.5) for TT genotype compared to CC genotype (p=0.03). The frequencies of a genetic variant in ORMLD3 (rs7216389) differed statistically significant between cases and controls leading to OR=3.7 (1.7-8.2) for CT genotype and OR=2.7 (1.2-6.3) for TT genotype compared to CC genotype (p<0.01). Neither remained statistically significant after multiple testing correction (rs511898 p=0.36, rs7216389 p=0.07).

Conclusions: We observed some evidence for the association of the ORMDL3 SNP rs7216389 and recurrent wheeze. The T-allele was more frequent in recurrent wheezers, which is consistent with previous studies in asthma.


Transformative research and evaluation both aim to foster social change as part of the inquiry process, often leveraging participatory and tactile methods with an advocacy objective. One such approach is participatory photography which engages marginalized individuals in image creation and includes activities such as photovoice and photo-elicitation. This article considers opportunities to strengthen the transformative potential of participatory photography activities within the water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) sector. The research comprised two components: 1) a systematic literature review of participatory photography activities in the WASH sector (n = 32) and 2) an empirical case of a photovoice evaluation of a staff-focused gender mainstreaming intervention in Cambodia (n = 20), including a structured survey, structured observations of the evaluation process, and three participatory reflection workshops with program leadership. Drawing on the two components, we reflect on the extent to which photography-based approaches in the WASH-sector have been transformative. Our findings indicate that transformative potential can arise from participatory photography's process and outcomes. The research identified opportunities for the WASH-sector to strengthen participatory photography by 1) purposefully recruiting participants, 2) creating engaging orientation opportunities, 3) supporting participants in ethical image creation, 4) facilitating image interpretation, and 5) progressing photo-stories into advocacy. The study also considers how participatory photography can address gender inequalities inherent in photography, hence seeking gender-transformation. While these insights were derived for participatory photography activities in the WASH sector, the findings and implications have relevance in other sectors that seek to investigate complex change and foster transformations.


We study the vacuum behavior of an extended Higgs sector with two doublets in a scenario with a softly broken U(1) global symmetry. The soft-violation term is introduced to avoid masslessaxion particles arising when the global symmetry becomes spontaneously broken. This model has metastable states through the possible presence of multiple non-degenerate minima, which is unwanted from the phenomenological point of view if the metastable state is not long-lived enough. The analysis of this fact leads to find possible exclusion limits over parameter space of quartic couplings. Results improve the individual behavior of initial conditions for renormalization group equations; also determining unstable zones for the effective Higgs potential at one loop level. Besides vacuum stability analyses, the influence of absence of charge violation minima is considered as a limiting case excluding zones in the parameter space. Extremal cases for the model as well as criticality phenomena are discussed with the aid of relation among Higgs masses or splittings among them. From vacuum behavior and LHC results, phenomenological aspects in the searching of charged and heavier Higgs bosons are considered to evaluate the scalar alignment regimen of the two Higgs doublet model.


We demonstrate the fabrication of a long-period fiber grating (LPFG) in a boron-doped single-mode fiber with a high-diffractive-order cladding mode (HDCM) near the turning point (TP). The simulations show that an LPFG with less than 0.2 duty cycles can couple light to the HDCM. An LPFG with a period of more than 400 μm can achieve strong mode coupling between the fundamental mode and the HDCM near the TP. The effect of the external refractive index on the transmission spectrum of a LPFG with different grating periods is investigated by simulations and experiments. With an increase in grating period, the spectral dip corresponding to the HDCM travels faster than the conventional dip, and overlapped dips appear in the transmission spectrum. High sensitivities of up to 13,497.7  nm/RIU and 0.77  nm/°C of, respectively, RI and temperature sensing can be achieved. Such LPFGs could be potentially used as optical filters and high-sensitivity sensors.


Background: Goldberg Shprintzen syndrome is a very rare autosomal recessive mental-growth retardation syndrome associated with characteristic facial dysmorphism, Hirschsprung disease, and a variety of neurological abnormalities, and abnormalities on brain imaging studies. However, the association of the syndrome with congenital unilateral absence of the testis (monorchism) has not been reported before. We have previously reported the thirty fourth and thirty fifth cases of the syndrome which occurred in Iraq, and described a novel therapeutic approach which was used to treat the younger boy. This paper reports the novel association of Goldberg Shprintzen syndrome with congenital right monorchism. Patients and methods: T.A.S, the younger of two boys with Goldberg Shprintzen syndrome was first seen at the age of four years and 10 months at the pediatric neuro-psychiatric clinic on the 29th of August, 2019. He had spastic right hemiparesis and was unable to walk alone, and was not saying any word and had characteristic facial features including hypertelorism, narrow palpebral fissures, open mouth, and laterally lifted ear. He also had neonatal intestinal obstruction which was attributed to Hirschsprung disease, and was treated surgically with resection and colostomy. The boy was treated successfully with novel therapeutic approach and experienced improvement in cognitive abilities, speech, and motor function, and after treatment was able to walk alone. Results: During July, 2021, the family reminded us that the child had single testis in the scrotum, and during early infancy an MRI study failed to find any second testis anywhere. An ultrasound was performed and showed normal left testis. However, the right testis could not found in the right hemi-scrotal sac nor with the right inguinal canal or within the abdomen. Thus, the ultrasound confirmed the earlier MRI findings which suggested congenital absence of the right testis (monorchism). Conclusion: This paper reported the novel association of Goldberg Shprintzen syndrome with monorchism, and this case represented the third case of congenital syndromic monorchism in the world


The importance of education has been emphasized repeatedly in the Qur'an and hadith. The hadith of the Prophet Muhammad also emphasise the value of knowledge. In the Qur'an and hadith, the importance of education is explicit; in Islam seeking education is obligatory, and that knowledge is considered to be the path towards greater closeness to Allah. In the hadith term of education or tarbiyah can be found as Ta'līm, from the root 'alima (to know, to be aware, to perceive, to learn), Tarbiyah, from the root raba (to increase, to grow, to rear), Ta'dīb, from the root addaba (to be cultured, refined, well-mannered). The hadith also affirms that there are two important elements that are necessary ingredients in the formulation of a philosophy of Islamic education namely, the goal of education and educational factors.