Norepinephrine (NE) induces a sigmoidal dose-response curve for perfusion pressure and a bell-shaped curve for oxygen consumption (VO2) in the constant-flow perfused hindlimb of Wistar rats. These effects are now described in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and age-matched Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). In SHR, the pressure curve was shifted left- and upward whereas the VO2 curve was shifted left- but downward, when compared with WKY. In the presence of 10 microM propranolol, prazosin (2.5 nM) shifted the pressure and VO2 curves much more than yohimbine (0.1 microM) to the right in both strains and its effects were greater in SHR, suggesting that these effects were mediated largely by alpha-1 receptors, particularly in SHR. In the presence of propranolol plus yohimbine, the pressure curve was markedly shifted to the right by both the selective alpha-1A-antagonist 5-methylurapidil (3.3 nM), and by the alpha-1D antagonist BMY 7378 (0.1 microM) or SK&F 105854 (2 microM) in SHR but not in WKY. With respect to the VO2 curve, 5-methylurapidil attenuated the descending limb without affecting the ascending limb. Similar effects were also obtained with another alpha-1A antagonist 1 nM KMD-3213 in both SHR and WKY. In contrast, BMY and SK&F markedly inhibited the ascending limb of the VO2 curve. These results indicate that both alpha-1A- and alpha-1D subtypes are functionally up-regulated in SHR muscle vascular bed where the ascending limb of VO2 is predominantly mediated by the alpha-1D at a much lower concentration for NE than the descending limb which is predominantly mediated by the alpha-1A subtype.


Miliband was an academic and public intellectual whose life and work were devoted to the attempt to define and apply an independent form of socialism. As a result of his published works, teaching, and role in political movements, he became the most influential socialist political theorist writing in English, and he was as well known in North America, where he held several visiting Professorships, as in Britain. His writings were also widely translated. The Socialist Register, which he founded (with John Saville) and edited for thirty years, brought him into contact with left-wing intellectuals throughout the world. This biography draws Miliband as an energetic letter writer, and his letters, many on issues of political importance with such figures as C.Wright Mills, E.P.Thompson, Leszek Kolakowski, John Saville, Marcel Liebman, Rossana Rossanda, K.S.Karol, Andre Gorz and Perry Anderson. Based on exclusive access to Miliband's extensive personal papers, and supplemented by interviews, this book analyses the ideas and contribution of a key figure in the British and international Left from the second world war until the collapse of communism. Miliband's life and work form the central focus, but the book also provides an interpretative history of the evolution, debates and dilemmas of socialists throughout the period, and of the problems they faced both at work defending academic freedom and in society at large.


A nonlinear iterative smoothing filter based on a second-order partial differential equation is introduced. It smooths out the image according to an anisotropic diffusion process. The approach is based on a smooth approximation of the total variation (TV) functional which overcomes the non-differentiability of the TV functional at the origin. In particular, the authors perform linear smoothing over smooth areas but selective smoothing over candidate edges. By relating the smoothing parameter to the time step, they arrive at a CFL condition which guarantees the causality of the discrete scheme. This allows the adoption of higher time discretisation steps, while ensuring the absence of artefacts deriving from the non-smooth behaviour of the TV functional at the origin. In particular, it is shown that the proposed approach avoids the typical staircase effects in smooth areas which occur in the standard time-marching TV scheme.


The sustainability of the Buffalo City Metropolitan Municipality (BCMM) in South Africa is being threatened by the reported cases of poor administration, weak management of resources, inappropriate job performance, and inappropriate job behaviour of some of its employees. Since the structural-functionalists assume that formal education is a solution to societal challenges, it therefore means that the BCMM should not be experiencing this threat since many of its workers have various levels of formal education. Consequently, this case study using the mixed method research approach set out to investigate the paradoxical co-existence of inappropriate job behaviour and performance with formal education at the BCMM. It moved from the premise that labour (ability to work) is a product of multifarious forms of capital and thus amalgamated four forms of capital - human, social, cultural, and reputation– into a theoretical framework in order to get a broader explanation of the employees' job behaviour and performance. This made it possible for job behaviour and performance to be investigated from multiple perspectives, as opposed to the dominant human capital model that predominantly uses schooling to explain the workers' performance. This drew attention to the view that the labour process does not take place in a vacuum, but in a particular context that is shaped by several imperatives and it involves humans with particular motives, will, attitudes, ethics, and values. Hence, this exploratory case study demonstrates how the sustainability of the BCMM is undermined by different factors that are human in nature.


The aim of the present study was to evaluate the use of winery byproduct extracts (grape pomace, seed and skin) and a mixture of inulin-type fructans (inulin and FOS) as suitable ingredients for the development of yogurts with antioxidant and antidiabetic properties. Their effect on the physicochemical, textural, microbiological and sensory parameters of yogurts was evaluated during 21 days of refrigerated storage. The incorporation of winery byproduct extracts in yogurt resulted in a significant increase (p < 0.05) in total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant and antidiabetic properties, compared to the controls. The grape skin yogurt showed the highest (p < 0.05) TPC (0.09 ± 0.00 mg GAE/g yogurt) and antioxidant capacity (7.69 ± 1.15 mmol TE/g yogurt). Moreover, the grape skin yogurt presented the highest (p < 0.05) inhibition of the activity of the enzyme α-glucosidase (56.46 ± 2.31%). The addition of inulin-type fructans did not significantly (p > 0.05) modify the overall antioxidant capacity or inhibition of the enzyme α-glucosidase of control and winery byproduct extract yogurts. Yogurts containing winery byproduct extracts and dietary fiber achieved high overall acceptance scores (6.33–6.67) and showed stable physicochemical, textural and microbiological characteristics during storage, assuring an optimal 21-day shelf life. According to their antioxidant and antidiabetic properties, we propose the yogurt containing grape skin extract, together with inulin and FOS, as a novel food product for the promotion of sustainable health.


Characterizing streambed morphology is crucial to better understand fluvial systems, since the streambed is an important control on stream dynamics, particle motion and bed stability. There is a lack of data characterizing bed roughness, especially for steep mountain streams. Measurement apparatus like terrestrial laser scanners or airborne Lidar systems are difficult to successfully apply in such envi- ronments, because they need free sight, elevated positions and good aerial or road access, which is gener- ally not the case in mountain streams. Moreover, such streams are typically complex in shape and have a wide grain size distribution which complicates measuring with a single method. We present recently available Range Imaging cameras as a novel tool to obtain three-dimensional coordinates of rough sur- faces. Mounted on a lightweight crane above the streambed, the cameras generate distance images with- out significant shadowing effects of large boulders. This experimental study evaluates the precision and the range of applicability of this method. We carried out laboratory and field measurements to get 3D data of artificial and natural surfaces. In the field we realized mean spatial resolution of ~1 cm with distance standard deviations of 7 mm (1σ). Measurement precision degrades with low reflective surfaces or strong illumination contrast at direct sunlight exposure. However, Range Imaging has the potential to generate high resolution data of streambed topography, which is suitable for developing roughness measures.


Algae are being explored as a sustainable energy feedstock, having potential to reduce dependence on petrofuels and offset greenhouse gas emissions. Economic considerations and principles of green design suggest that if algae-to-fuel technology is to be successful, biofuels must be produced simultaneously with value-added co-products. At present, the algae industry is centered around a limited number of products, such as low-volume/high-value speciality nutrients. New products for medium- and high-volume markets will be needed as biomass production increases in scale. This Perspective highlights non-fuel applications of algal biomass that have received relatively little attention to date but are promising for future development. It is our goal to draw attention to some of the unique opportunities that algae present with respect to biochemical composition as compared to lignocellulosic energy crops.


Recognition of intracellular bacteria by macrophages leads to secretion of type I IFNs. However, the role of type I IFN during bacterial infection is still poorly understood. Francisella tularensis, the causative agent of tularemia, is a pathogenic bacterium that replicates in the cytosol of macrophages leading to secretion of type I IFN. In this study, we investigated the role of type I IFNs in a mouse model of tularemia. Mice deficient for type I IFN receptor (IFNAR1−/−) are more resistant to intradermal infection with F. tularensis subspecies novicida (F. novicida). Increased resistance to infection was associated with a specific increase in IL-17A/F and a corresponding expansion of an IL-17A+ γδ T cell population, indicating that type I IFNs negatively regulate the number of IL-17A+ γδ T cells during infection. Furthermore, IL-17A–deficient mice contained fewer neutrophils compared with wild-type mice during infection, indicating that IL-17A contributes to neutrophil expansion during F. novicida infection. Accordingly, an increase in IL-17A in IFNAR1−/− mice correlated with an increase in splenic neutrophil numbers. Similar results were obtained in a mouse model of pneumonic tularemia using the highly virulent F. tularensis subspecies tularensis SchuS4 strain and in a mouse model of systemic Listeria monocytogenes infection. Our results indicate that the type I IFN-mediated negative regulation of IL-17A+ γδ T cell expansion is conserved during bacterial infections. We propose that this newly described activity of type I IFN signaling might participate in the resistance of the IFNAR1−/− mice to infection with F. novicida and other intracellular bacteria.


The classical Soxhlet method provides the fundamental basis for a modern-day solvent extraction system, the SoxtecTM. Using the Randall modification, sometimes called the submersion method, the Soxtec provides a faster approach to solvent extraction for the gravimetric quantitation of fat and oil. Typically, the Soxtec methods require only 20–25% of the time required for traditional Soxhlet extraction. Sample preparation, general extraction procedures, method considerations, and optimization are addressed. By definition, the procedure to determine "crude fat" is an empirical method in which the result is determined by the conditions of the procedure. Several aspects of the extraction process, such as solvent type, time, and temperature, are explored. Several standardized Soxtec methods are discussed, including the recently approved AOAC method for determining crude fat in feeds, cereal grains, and forages. Many Soxtec applications are routinely used in food, feed, industrial, and environmental laboratories for the measurement of fats, oils, semivolatiles, and other solvent "extractables." For the determination of crude fat, descriptions are given for various sample pretreatment and extraction procedures. Practical guidelines for handling challenging samples as well as general suggestions are presented.


A number of maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes were tested for their influence on induction and regeneration of haploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) embryos to improve further the efficiency of the wheat × maize system of haploid production. Fifteen maize genotypes were crossed to five diverse wheat F, hybrids in a line x tester fashion in three replications. Two efficiency parameters, caryopses formation frequency (CFF-number of caryopses/100 pollinated florets) and embryo formation frequency (EFF-number of embryo-carrying caryopses/100 pollinated florets), were estimated. Analysis of variance revealed that lines (wheat genotypes), testers (maize genotypes), and their interaction showed significant effects on both efficiency parameters, but the effect of maize genotypes was greater than that of wheat genotypes. The EFF of individual maize genotypes ranged from 1.1 to 23.4% and the EFF of individual wheat genotypes ranged from 8.4 to 10.2%. Maize genotypes also showed significant differences for general combining ability estimates. In addition to EFF, maize genotypes had a striking effect on haploid embryo regeneration as analyzed using one of the wheat genotypes. The values ranged from 0.0 to 87.8%. For maize genotypes producing the highest EFFs, the regeneration frequency was not necessarily higher. Hence, we suggest a new index, haploid formation efficiency (HFE-number of haploid plants formed /100 pollinated florets), be used for identification of efficient pollinators. The HFE ranged from 0.0 to 9.9%. In this study. a pop corn cultivar, Pearl Pop Corn, was identified as the best pollinator with an average EFF of 15.1% across five wheat genotypes and an HFE of 9.9% with the one wheat genotype tested.


. The deep learning technology has shown impressive performance in various vision tasks such as image classification and object detection. Recent advances of deep learning techniques bring encouraging performance to fine-grained image classification which aims to distinguish subordinate-level categories. This paper reviews the major deep learning concepts pertinent to fine-grained image analysis and summarizes to the field, briefly introduces the representative method of fine-grained image classification based on deep learning. At present, the field of fine classification has developed a variety of methods including multi-network learning, target part detection and visual attention. Each method is to obtain a distinguishing area in the image, which help the network learn more effective features to complete the classification and recognition of fine-grained images.


The presence of cell adhesion molecules on human oocytes, early embryos, and pre-hatched blastocysts was examined by indirect immunofluorescence and compared to the distribution found on first trimester villous placenta with the same antibodies. Six integrin subunits (alpha 3, alpha V, beta 1, beta 3, beta 4, beta 5) were observed consistently throughout preimplantation development. Evidence was also obtained for the presence of integrin subunits alpha 2, alpha 4, alpha L, beta 2, and beta 7 on a small number of oocytes. A more restricted developmental analysis of E-cadherin, ICAM-1, NCAM, and VCAM-1 demonstrated that these cell adhesion molecules are also present on oocytes and early embryos. L-selectin was detected on oocytes but was not found on 8-cell embryos. The oocyte and early blastomeres have complex surfaces in which the integrin and CAM families are represented.


In this work a magnetic field gradiometer device has been developed. This device is not composed by two sensors separated a certain distance but by a single–sensor device which measures the real gradient value just at the point where it is wanted to be measured. The experimental set-up consists of a sensor head (a membrane with a fixed permanent magnet on it) vibrating at its resonance frequency, due to an alternating magnetic field gradient. Detection is performed using an optoelectronic method. Two different measurement techniques have been used: frequency measurements (the resonance frequency is measured for every external magnetic field gradient value) and amplitude measurements (the signal amplitude is measured without changing the resonance frequency obtained without an external magnetic field gradient applied). The mechanical stresses of the membrane are related with the dependence of both magnitudes (frequency and amplitude) on the external magnetic field gradient. The minimum and maximum value of the resonance frequency and signal amplitude respectively, correspond with magnetic forces equal to the magnet weight of the sensor head. This prototype shows a noise-limited sensitivity of 2 Gauss/m/ √ Hz at


Children requiring home mechanical ventilation (HMV) represent a select group of technology‐dependent patients. We evaluated the prevalence of children using invasive HMV in Utah from 1996 to 2004. Residents of Utah, 16 years old and less ventilated via a tracheostomy between 1996 and 2004 were identified. Children ventilated in 1996 and 2004 were compared. Data including demographic information, diagnosis leading to HMV, and age at initiation were compared between the two groups. The prevalence of HMV in 1996 was 5.0/100,000 (95% CI: 4.4–8.1) and 6.3/100,000 (95% CI: 4.7–8.4) in 2004. Median age at initiation was 6.5 months (IQR: 1.3, 24.0). Sixty‐one percent (n = 47) were male, 84% (n = 65) lived in an urban county, and 86% (n = 66) had public insurance. The most frequent diagnostic category was abnormal ventilatory control (n = 36, 47%), followed by chronic lung disease (n = 19, 25%), airway abnormalities (n = 12, 16%), and neuromuscular weakness (n = 10, 13%). Thirteen patients died (17%). The median length of HMV was 39 months (IQR: 15, 102). Diagnostic categories, age at initiation of HMV, and sex did not differ significantly over the 8 years. The prevalence of children requiring HMV differed very little between 1996 and 2004. Moreover, the diagnoses for which children received this therapy remained constant. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2007; 42:231–236. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


The objective of this trial was to evaluate the morphophysiological traits and nutritive value of Brachiaria decumbens, during 2003 and 2004 rainy seasons, in a silvopastoral system, with grass alone (30 m width), alternated with grass plus trees (Acacia mangium, A. angustissima, Mimosa arthemisiana, Leucaena leucocephala x L. diversifolia, Eucalyptus grandis) strips (10 m width). The experimental design was a randomized block arranged in a split plot design (morphophysiological traits) or split-split plot (nutritive value traits), and replicated four times. The level of shading was 65% of incident radiation out of the wood in 2003, and 35% in 2004 after harvesting of some Eucalyptus trees. Under shade, tiller population leaf area and forage mass index were higher in the second year than in the first. Forage neutral detergent fiber value was higher at full sunlight than in the shade, while the crude protein content and in vitro dry matter digestibility were higher under the trees. Moderate shading increases crude protein and reduces neutral detergent fiber, therefore improving forage digestibility of grasses growing under trees.


We give conditions for the existence of average optimal policies for continuous-time controlled Markov chains with a denumerable state-space and Borel action sets. The transition rates are allowed to be unbounded, and the reward/cost rates may have neither upper nor lower bounds. In the spirit of the "drift and monotonicity" conditions for continuous-time Markov processes, we propose a new set of conditions on the controlled process' primitive data under which the existence of optimal (deterministic) stationary policies in the class of randomized Markov policies is proved using the extended generator approach instead of Kolmogorov's forward equation used in the previous literature, and under which the convergence of a policy iteration method is also shown. Moreover, we use a controlled queueing system to show that all of our conditions are satisfied, whereas those in the previous literature fail to hold.


Basic calculus skills that are prerequisites for advanced mathematical studies continue to be a problem for a significant proportion of higher education students. While there are many types of revision material that could be offered to students, in this paper we investigate whether short, narrated video recordings of mathematical explanations (screencasts) are a useful tool to enhance student learning when revisiting prerequisite topics. We report on the outcomes of a study that was designed to both measure change in student performance before and after watching screencasts, and to capture students' perception of the usefulness of screencasts in their learning. Volunteers were recruited from students enrolled on an entry module for the Mathematics Master of Science programme at the Open University to watch two screencasts sandwiched between two online calculus quizzes. A statistical analysis of student responses to the quizzes shows that screencasts can have a positive effect on student performance. Further analysis of student feedback shows that student confidence was increased by watching the screencasts. Student views on the value of screencasts for their learning indicated that they appreciated being able to watch a problem being solved and explained by an experienced mathematician; hear the motivation for a particular problem-solving approach; engage more readily with the material being presented, thereby retaining it more easily. The positive student views and impact on student scores indicate that short screencasts could play a useful role in revising prerequisite mathematics.


Cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) are required for cell cycle progression. Two potentially significant Cdk substrates in human cells are the human single-stranded binding protein (HSSB or RPA), which plays an essential role in DNA replication, repair, and recombination, and the tumor suppressor p107 which acts to negatively regulate cell growth. In this report we describe the in vitro phosphorylation of these two proteins by Cdks in an attempt to understand how cyclin-substrate interactions direct phosphorylation efficiencies. We show that cyclin A-Cdk2 efficiently phosphorylates the p34 subunit of HSSB (HSSB-p34) alone or as a part of the heterotrimeric complex. In contrast, cyclin E-Cdk2 that is active in phosphorylating histone H1, does not support the phosphorylation of the p34 subunit of HSSB. We provide evidence that this differential phosphorylation results from a specific interaction between HSSB-p34 and cyclin A, but not cyclin E. Thus the observed cell cycle-dependent phosphorylation of HSSB-p34 at the G1 to S transition is most likely catalyzed by cyclin A-Cdk2 initiated by the direct interaction between cyclin A and the HSSB-p34 subunit. These studies are consistent with our previous observation that p107, which directly binds cyclin A, is efficiently phosphorylated by cyclin A-Cdk2 but not cyclin B-associated kinases. Here we further demonstrate that cyclin A only complexes with p107 in its unphosphorylated form. These data suggest a catalytic mechanism by which Cdk acts: substrate targeting by a cyclin-substrate interaction followed by dissociation of the Cdk upon phosphate incorporation allowing the Cdk to become available for the next cycle of phosphorylation.


We introduce the GHk integral for functions defined on (possibly) unbounded subintervals of the extended real line and with values in metric semigroups. Basic properties and convergence theorems for this integral are deduced.


Open interaction systems play a crucial role in agreement technologies because they are software devised for enabling autonomous agents (software or human) to interact, negotiate, collaborate, and co- ordinate their activities in order to establish agreements. In our view those systems can be efficiently and effectively modeled as a set of phys- ical and institutional spaces of interaction. In a distributed open system, spaces are fundamental for modeling the fact that events, actions, and social concepts (like norms and institutional objects) should be perceiv- able only by the agents situated in the spaces where they happen or where they are situated. Spaces are also crucial for their functional role of keeping track of the state of the interaction, and for monitoring and enforcing norms. Given that it is fundamental to be able to create and destroy spaces of interaction at run-time in this paper we propose to create them using Artificial Institutions (AIs) specified at design time. This dynamic creation is a complex task that deserves to be studied in all details. For doing that, in this paper, we will first define the vari- ous components of AIs using Semantic Web Technologies. Then we will describe the mechanisms for concretely using AIs specification for con- cretely realizes spaces of interaction. We will exemplify this process by formalizing the components of the auction AI and of the spaces required for running concrete auctions.


Early studies of myocardial protection were designed to minimize ischemic injury. The next class and generation of investigations will most likely be designed to accelerate recovery following known myocardial injury. Such techniques will play an important role in allowing operations on acutely injured and ischemic myocardium and will be important in the treatment of postischemic injury when such injury occurs during the course of complex cardiac operations. Surgical aspects of myocardial metabolism are still rudimentary and many empiric observations require further exploration into the mechanisms by which such applications work.


Noise pollution may cause important physiological and/or psychological harm to human beings, as mentioned in part one of this work. As such, a versatile and user friendly program, named PADSA, was developed and used to analyze a single chamber muffler performance. In this part, PADSA is used to complete the analysis of reactive mufflers considering double chamber mufflers with both external and internal connection tubes. From these analyses it is observed that, just as in the case of single chamber mufflers, an increase in the relationship of area causes a rise in transmission losses, with no change in the frequency of occurrence of the maximum and minimum values; that the selection of the muffler lengths can be optimized in order to achieve maximum loss with minimum longitude; and a temperature increase produces a phase modification in the transmission loss curve, which affects the muffler performance. Additionally, it was determined that there are critical relationships between the tube connector length and the lengths of the chambers that can produce a significant reduction in transmission losses and that for mufflers with an internal connector, the optimal length is highly dependent on the spectrum to be attenuated. Finally, it is important to mention that mufflers with an internal connector are more effective than those with an external one.


OBJECTIVE
To review and critique the research literature on training pediatric residents to address tobacco.

METHODS
A Medline search was conducted to identify studies that specifically addressed pediatric residency training on tobacco, and Google Scholar was used to identify articles in which the referenced study was cited.

RESULTS
Eight studies that specifically addressed training pediatric residents to intervene on tobacco were identified. Most used active as well as passive approaches to training. Baseline data underscored the importance of training future pediatricians to address tobacco. Although the studies differed in size, scope and rigor, they showed that training pediatric residents to address tobacco enhanced residents' ability and likelihood to address tobacco.

CONCLUSION
The review documents the importance and value of training pediatric residents to address tobacco, provides suggestions for future research and underscores the need to incorporate training on tobacco into pediatric residency training curriculum.


population, whereas a pHa i 7.15 corresponds to the 10th centile. In their study there was only one case with cord artery pH < 7.05. If the results are interpreted using this lower cut-of then 2 2 of the 23 cases that were identified as "abnormal" were not acidotic. Similarly the authors have used an unacceptable value for Base Excess (BE < -8) which should more appropriately be BE < 12 to indicate significant metabolic acidosis. Any study which relies on an assessment of perinatal outcome must include both cord artery and vein pH and Base Deficit (or excess) of the extracellular fluid (not blood) and must also include Apgar scores, as well as any relevant clinical factors such as need for resuscitation neonatal hypoglycaemia and abnormal neonatal behaviour. The classification criteria used to identify an abnormal CTG are poorly refined. Are the authors really suggesting that any tachycardia > 160 or bradycardia < 110 or the presence of five late decelerations in the entire course of labour constitutes an abnormal CTG predictive of acidosis? There are also some serious problems with the signal processing employed. The system filters the beat to beat heart rate and then samples the filtered signal at 10 second intervals, providing six points per minute. This smooths the signal as Figure 1 shows and makes it impossible to assess heart rate variability, which is key to any assessment of the CTG. They justify this approach in terms of a need to reduce the amount of data. However, if the fetal heart rate were as high as 200 bpm then there would be just 3.33 samples per second of raw data to process. This is trivial for modern computers the compact disc player processes over 44000 samples per second. We do not believe (and the authors have not shown) that their simple algorithm can predict a significant level of acidosis and we find it extraordinary that this paper was published with such a title. We believe that the CTG requires sophisticated interpretation in the context of clinical information. We have recently shown that when this complete clinical picture is provided, experts can agree and be consistent in their management of labour. Furthermore, a computer system which also considers this complete information can achieve a performance indistinguishable from experts6.


Translating Poetic Discourse argues in favor of a critical model that bridges between translation and women's studies on theoretical and practical levels. It proposes key-elements to be integrated into the problem of interpretation of contemporary poetry by women, and discusses the links between gender markers and the speech situation in feminist discourse as a systematic problem. This book will be of interest to scholars of Translation Studies, Women's Studies, Poetry, Comparative Literature and Discourse.


To build secure software, developers often work together during software development and maintenance to find, fix, and prevent security vulnerabilities. Examining the nature of developer interactions in security development can provide valuable insights for improving current practices. In this work, we first conduct a large-scale empirical study to mine developer interactions in security development regarding their security introducing and fixing activities on a benchmark dataset, which involves more 1.8M commits from nine largescale open-source software projects. We then build software developer networks with the identified developer interactions and conduct network analysis to characterize and understand security development. For our analysis, we first study the interaction patterns between developers. Second, we characterize the nature of developer interaction in security development in comparison to developer interaction in non-security development. Then, we explore the relation between developer interaction and the quality of projects regarding security. Among our findings we identify that: the dominating interaction patterns among developers in the security and non-security development are different, which may suggest the needs of differing social and communication support for security and non-security development; the distribution of interaction patterns has a correlation with the quality of software projects; different from general software development, most of the projects are non hero-centric regarding security development. We believe the findings from this study can help developers understand how vulnerabilities originate and evolve under the interaction of developers and further improve software maintenance.


A harmonious facial appearance is determined by a balanced relationship among all tissues of the face. With advancing age, balance is lost among the bone, muscle, fat, and skin as progressive changes occur m their volume, shape, position, and consistency. Study of clinical cases and fresh cadaver dissections has led to better understanding of the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) and its relationship with the facial muscles and their bony insertions. From these anatomic studies we have developed an improved concept of rhytidectomy with the subperiosteal detachment of all soft tissues from the orbit, upper maxilla, malar bone, and nose. Following this detachment, the soft tissues of the cheek, forehead, jowls, nasolabial folds, lateral canthus, and eyebrows can be lifted to reestablish their youthful relationship with the underlying skeleton. Our 4-year experience includes 105 patients. Sixty percent of these patients were admitted to the hospital and had their procedure under general anesthesia; forty percent, however, had their procedure in an outpatient setting requiring only local anesthesia (lidocaine hydrochloride 1% plus epinephrine) and intravenous sedation (midazolam, ketamine). Complications have been minimal except for temporary paralysis of the frontal nerve in seven patients; guidelines for prevention have subsequently been developed. The subperiosteal rhytidectomy is excellent and appears more natural for rejuvenation of the upper and central face, eyebrows, periorbita, external canthus, cheeks, and nasolabial fold.


Electrochemical sensing performance of two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride (2D h-BN) has traditionally been suppressed by their intrinsic electrical insulation and deficient electron transportation mechanism. However, the excellent electrocatalytic activity, high specific surface area, N- and B- active edges, structural defects, adjustable band gap through interaction with other nanomaterials, and chemical functionalization, makes 2D h-BN ideal for many sensing applications. Therefore, finding a pathway to modulate the electronic properties of 2D h-BN while the intrinsic characteristics are well preserved, will evolve a new generation of highly sensitive and selective electrochemical (bio)sensors. That is why extensive research has recently focused on the challenge to functionalize 2D h-BN by controlling the surface chemical reactions with external species, particularly metal nanoparticles. This review summarizes the most recent progress in the application of 2D h-BN nanosheets in electrochemical (bio)sensing. We will explore the fabrication techniques of 2D h-BN for electrochemical applications followed by thorough discussion on their advantages, shortcomings, and promising possibilities as (bio)sensing platforms in near future.


BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: X-linked α-thalassemia/mental retardation syndrome (Mendelian Inheritance in Man, 301040) is one of the X-linked intellectual disability syndromes caused by mutations of the ATRX gene and characterized by male predominance, central hypotonic facies, severe cognitive dysfunction, hemoglobin H disease (α-thalassemia), genital and skeletal abnormalities, and autistic and peculiar behavior. More than 200 patients in the world, including >70 Japanese patients, have been diagnosed with ATR-X syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the brain MRI and/or CT findings of 27 Japanese patients with ATR-X with ATRX mutations retrospectively. RESULTS: The findings were categorized into 5 types: 1) nonspecific brain atrophy (17/27); 2) white matter abnormalities, especially around the trigones (11/27); 3) widespread and scattered white matter abnormalities (1/27); 4) delayed myelination (4/27); and 5) severe and rapidly progressive cortical brain atrophy (1/27). CONCLUSIONS: This is the first report on a comprehensive study of brain MRI/CT findings of ATR-X syndrome. Our findings suggest that the ATRX protein seems to be involved in normal myelination. The classification will require revisions in the near future, but it will be helpful in establishing the relationship between ATRX mutation and brain development and understanding the ATRX protein function in the brain.


Social networking websites provide a suitable environment for interaction and topic discussion. With the growing popularity of online communities, estimulated by the easiness with which content can be created and consumed, some of this content became strategical for companies interested in obtaining population feedback for products, personalities, etc. One of the most important of such websites is Twitter: recent statistics report 50 million of new tweets each day. However, processing this amount of data is very costly and a big part of it is simply not useful for strategic analysis. In this paper, we propose a new technique for ranking the most influential users in Twitter based on a combination of the user position in the network topology, the polarity of her opinions and the textual quality of her tweets. In addition, we develop and compare two methods for calculating the network influence. We also performed experiments with a real dataset containing one month of posts regarding soda brands. Our experimental evaluation shows that our approach can successfully identify some of the most influential users and that interactions between users are the best evidence to determine user influence.


Study Design. Prospective clinical study. Objective. To investigate the effect of depressive symptoms on the surgery outcome on 2-year follow-up among lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) patients. Summary of Background Data. Previous research has suggested an association between preoperative depressive symptoms and a poorer surgery outcome among LSS patients. There have been no previous studies on the effect of depressive symptoms on the surgery outcome at the 2-year postoperative phase. Methods. A total of 96 patients (mean age, 62 years) with symptomatic LSS underwent decompressive surgery. They completed the same set of questionnaires before surgery and 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and 2 years after surgery. Depression was assessed with the 21-item Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Physical functioning and pain were assessed with the Oswestry Disability Index, the Stucki Questionnaire, self-reported walking ability, he visual analogue scale, and pain drawing. Comparisons were made according to depression status. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the factors associated with a poorer surgery outcome on 2-year follow-up. Results. After surgery, the patients with continuous depression showed poorer improvement in symptom severity, the disability score, and walking capacity than the patients who did not have depression in any phase. In those patients who recovered from depression, the postoperative improvement resembled that of the constant normal mood group. In regression analyses, an independent association was detected between high preoperative BDI scores and 2-year disability and symptom severity. Strong independent associations were seen between depression burden (the sum of preoperative, 3-month and 6-month BDI scores) and 2-year disability, symptom severity, and poor walking capacity. Conclusion. The patients with a normal mood and those who recovered from depressive symptoms enjoyed the most favorable outcome. Depressive symptoms interfere strongly with the ability of patients to obtain an optimal surgery outcome. Treatment models including the assessment and treatment of depression are encouraged.


Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is a retrovirus that is endemic in certain regions of the world, and may account for significant morbidity and mortality among hospitalised patients. Sixty six HTLV-1 seropositive patients admitted to hospital with HTLV-1 associated diseases from 1995–99 were studied. HTLV-1 screening was done with ELISA and confirmed on western blot testing. There were 32 females (48.5%) and 34 males (51.5%). The mean age was 56 years and the age range was 9–89 years. The main associated diseases were tropical spastic paraparesis or HTLV-1 associated myelopathy in 18.2% of cases, acute form of adult T-cell leukaemia/lymphoma 7.6%, lymphomas 15.2%, and ectoparasites/endoparasites in 40.9%. HTLV-1 is associated with diseases in Dominica and association with severe forms of strongyloidiasis and scabies is particularly noted.


The study reports the investigation of the effect of Note Taking strategy on reading comprehension at one of Public Vocational High Schools in Banten. The study employs true experimental design with pretest and post test control group design. The findings of the data analysis show that experimental group performed better on reading comprehension than control class. It is proven by the value of the mean of experimental class is 8.00. Meanwhile; the mean of control class is 6.95. The value of the group sig is 0.00 0.05 means that the null hypothesis is accepted. This means that there is not different of male and female who were taught by using Note Taking Strategy and those who were not taught by using Note Taking Strategy on their reading comprehension achievement.


We examine LDPC codes decoded using linear programming (LP). Four contributions to the LP framework are presented. First, a new method of tightening the LP relaxation, and thus improving the LP decoder, is proposed. Second, we present an algorithm which calculates a lower bound on the minimum distance of a specific code. This algorithm exhibits complexity which scales quadratically with the block length. Third, we propose a method to obtain a tight lower bound on the fractional distance, also with quadratic complexity, and thus less than previously-existing methods. Finally, we show how the fundamental LP polytope for generalized LDPC codes and nonbinary LDPC codes can be obtained.


About the book:
The thought provoking papers in this volume address some of the key aspects of the literacy debate from the perspective of a language based theory of learning. The contributions range from the theoretical to the practical and from everyday development of language at home to the workplace. Featured here are papers which interpret literacy demands on students across the secondary curriculum, by authors who are working in and around Martin's 'genre-based' movement, as well as those which present alternative perspectives. Contributors include Geoff Williams, Ruqaiya Hasan, Theo van Leeuwen, Sally Humphrey, Clare Painter, Joan Rothery, J.R. Martin, Anne Cranny-Francis, Robert Veel, Caroline Coffin, Mary Rose Macken, Allan Luke and M.A.K. Halliday. The unifying theme throughout this volume is placed on the relevance of language in understanding literacy education as a significant social practice.


Rice is harvested in the Mid-South at moisture contents (MCs) typically ranging from 13% to 22% (wet basis). Because these MCs are greater than those safe for long-term storage, rice is dried within a fairly short period after harvest to 12% to 13% MC before being placed in storage. Once dried, "processing" of rough rice into milled rice takes place throughout the year and consists of several operations.


The national census data during 1995 and 2000 and during 2005 and 2010 are selected in this paper to make an analysis of the spatio-temporal characteristics of the inter-provincial population migration in China. In addition, the general regression model, the extension regression model considering the historical dependent variable and the spatial lag model are established based on the gravity model to make the regression model on China's inter-provincial population migration over two periods of time. The results show that: (1) the inter-provincial population migration increases rapidly in size with strong geographical proximity; (2) China's inter-provincial population migration is still in the primary stage of the general process of population migration. In other words, the inter-provincial population emigration and immigration levels have increased greatly with the economic development; (3) Statistically, the inter-provincial population migration is negatively correlated with the level of economic development in the emigrant place and the migration distance and positively correlated with the level of economic development in the immigrant place and the population scale in the emigrant and immigrant places; and (4) The spatio-temporal factor is an important explanatory variable of population migration. The introduction of the historical dependent variable and the spatial lag factor can improve the regression effect of the gravity model greatly, and the historical variable and the spatial factor have strong explanatory power for the inter-provincial population migration.


In recent years, natural disasters - such as floods, hurricanes, mudslides, and fires - have caused massive and catastrophic damage to residential property, precipitating homeowners to bring thousands of damage claims against their property insurers. Without insurance proceeds, many homeowners are unable to repair the damage to their homes, preventing the homeowners from moving forward with their lives. A quick resolution of these insurance claims serves homeowners and the regions as a whole by avoiding economic disaster in the affected areas. In response to these high volumes of claims, state departments of insurance have promulgated emergency rules to help resolve disputes arising from these claims. Mediation, a dispute resolution process designed to provide a non-adversarial, effective, fair, and timely method of resolving disputes, is the process of choice for many of these programs. This article discusses the inherent difficulties that homeowners, especially minority homeowners, face when trying to settle post-disaster insurance claims through the mediation process. Additionally, the article explains emergency mediation programs, pointing out their benefits and weaknesses, and proposes that any emergency mediation program designed to place a homeowner on a level playing field with the insurer should also strive to place the minority groups on that same level. To achieve this end, the author suggests that designers of emergency mediation programs should (1) educate minorities regarding post-disaster mediation, (2) encourage the presence of legal representation on behalf of homeowners during the mediations, (3) allow homeowners to use public adjusters during settlement negotiations, and (4) train mediators to be culturally competent regarding minority participants in the mediations.


Food-avoidance conditioning in the mollusk Pleurobranchaea results in suppression of the feeding response to food stimuli. In conditioned animals, identified interneurons of the central pattern generator (CPG) for feeding behavior, the Int-2s, respond to a food stimulus with greater and more long-lasting excitation than controls. Enhanced Int-2 responsiveness to food stimuli is associated with markedly heightened Int-2 excitability. Sustained activity in the Int-2s arrests motor output of the oscillatory CPG in the protraction/retraction movement cycle of feeding through tonic excitation of a population of retractor interneurons and inhibition of protractors. The CPG locus of the learning mechanism is permissive of sensory excitation of alternative behavior and leaves the possibility open for release of the suppressed behavior in a fully aroused state.


Criminology is an area that focuses the scientific study of crime and criminal behavior and is a process that aims to identify crime characteristics. It is one of the most important fields where the application of data mining techniques can produce important results. A broad analysis of unlawful activity reveals that all criminal behavior shares a common set of universal principles. A micro simulation model can be drawn out by interlinking the universal principles with the attributes of the individuals for profiling the criminal behavior. These principles remain constant; however, they manifest differently for each individual depending on personality, criminal activity, extrinsic factors and the attributes of individuals. This paper elaborates the criminal behavior analysis of the offenders by using data mining techniques.


Abstract Corruption is a global problem. Despite the importance of this theme, a shortage of theoretical models in both psychology and related areas that favor its understanding and investigation is noted. Due to this scarcity of theoretical models, in addition to the need to systematize studies on the topic, this theoretical article aims to describe the Analytical Model of Corruption (AMC) as an interdisciplinary and multilevel proposal aimed at corruption analysis. To achieve this goal, the concept of corruption was analyzed using related phenomena as reference. Similarities and differences in corruption have been identified with dishonest behavior and unethical behavior. Subsequently, theoretical models on corruption identified in the literature were presented, and their main characteristics and limitations were pointed out. After describing the models, the AMC was presented and its advantages over the previous models were discussed. Finally, it was concluded that the AMC could be configured as a theoretical model that guides interdisciplinary studies on corruption, allowing for a more complete analysis compared to previous theoretical models identified in the literature.


ABSTRACT With the advances made in the past decade, catalytic incineration of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has become the technology of choice in a wide range of pollution abatement strategies. In this study, a test was undertaken for the catalytic incineration, over a chromium oxide (Cr2O3) catalyst, of n-hexane, benzene, and an emission air/vapor mixture collected from an oil/water separator of a refinery. Reactions were carried out by controlling the feed stream to constant VOC concentrations and temperatures, in the ranges of 1300–14,700 mg/m3 and 240–400 ° C, respectively. The destruction efficiency for each of the three VOCs as a function of influent gas temperature and empty bed gas residence time was obtained. Results indicate that n-hexane and the oil vapor with a composition of straight- and branch-chain aliphatic hydrocarbons exhibited similar catalytic incineration effects, while benzene required a higher incineration temperature or longer gas retention time to achieve comparable results. In the range of the VOC concentrations studied, at a given gas residence time, increasing the operating temperature of the catalyst bed increased the destruction efficiency. However, the much higher temperatures required for a destruction efficiency of over 99% may be not cost-effective and are not suggested. A first-order kinetics with respect to VOC concentration and an Arrhenius temperature dependence of the kinetic constant appeared to be an adequate representation for the catalytic oxidation of these volatile organics. Activation energy and kinetic constants were estimated for each of the VOCs. Low-temperature destruction of the target volatile organics could be achieved by using the Cr2O3 catalyst.


This paper presents the design of a multi-degree-of-freedom, anthropomorphic hand for transradial amputees, and also presents experimental data characterizing its performance. Unlike state-of-the-art commercially available prosthetic hands, the hand described herein is capable of providing eight canonical postures (and movement between these postures). The experimental characterization includes its capability to provide eight canonical grasp postures; the frequency response of finger motion; and its grasping force capability (as a function of finger position). Other performance specifications, such as total mass and audible noise, are also provided.


Vehicular Networks enable a vast number of innovative applications, which rely on the efficient exchange of information between vehicles. However, efficient and reliable data dissemination is a particularly challenging task in the context of vehicular networks due to the underlying properties of these networks, limited availability of network infrastructure and variable penetration rates for distinct communication technologies. This paper presents a novel system and mechanism for information dissemination based on virtual infrastructure selection in combination with multiple communication technologies. The system has been evaluated using a simulation framework, involving network simulation in conjugation with realistic vehicular mobility traces. The presented simulation results show the feasibility of the proposed mechanism to achieve maximum message penetration with reduced overhead. Compared with a cellular-based only solution, our mechanism shows that the judicious vehicle selection can lead to improved network utilization through the offload of traffic to the short-range communication network.


AIM
To explore the mechanism of asthma, by evaluating the changes of CCR3 and EOS expression in the lung tissues and bone marrow of Guinea pig asthmatic models at different times.

METHODS
Guinea pigs (GPs) were sensitized and challenged by OVA to establish the asthmatic model (A, B, C, D, E) . The GPs in control (N) were sensitized and exposed to sterile saline. The sensitized GPs in the models were killed at 30 min, 6 h, 12 h, 24 h and 48 h after challenged by OVA; while the GPs in control were killed at 12 h after saline challenge. The slides were prepared from peripheral blood and bone marrow and then stained with Wright's staining .The total number and percentage of EOS were counted and the expression of CCR3 and CD34 in bone marrow was detected by immunohistochemistry. The pathologic samples of lung tissues were stained with HE. The expression of CCR3 and CD34 of lung tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS
(1)The expression of CCR3, CD34 and EOS in the bone marrow and peripheral tissue with allergic asthma was significantly higher than that in the controls. (2)After challenged by OVA , the expression of CCR3, CD34 and EOS was as fallows: it was at normal level in 30 min except the rise of CD34 rise in lung tissues, it rose and reached the peak from 6 h to 12 h, except the descent of CD34 in lungs; then it decreased in 24 h and reached normal level after 48 h. (3)The changes of bone marrow were earlier than peripheral tissue; The expression of CCR3 was earlier than the expression of CD34 and the recruitment of EOS.CCR3 and CD34 had linearity correlation with EOS except in lung tissues.

CONCLUSION
There is a passage between bone marrow and lung tissue, through which CD34(+) stem cells and EOS passes The expression of CCR3 makes the quick recruitment of CD34(+) cells and EOS from bone marrow to lung tissue possible.


Abstract This study aimed to determine the values of the half‐effective dose (ED50) and 95% effective dose (ED95) of remimazolam besylate used in the procedural sedation of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). Sixty patients who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria of this study were selected. Sufentanil was administered intravenously and remimazolam besylate was administered 2 min later. ERCP treatment was feasible when the modified alertness/sedation (MOAA/S) score was ≤2. If choking or movement occurred during duodenoscope placement, it was considered as a positive reaction. The dose was increased in the next patient; otherwise, it was considered as a negative reaction, and the dose was reduced in the next patient. The ED50 and ED95 values and 95% confidence interval (CI) of remimazolam besylate were calculated by Probit regression analysis. All 60 patients completed the trial. The ED50 and ED95 values of remimazolam besylate were 0.196 and 0.239 mg/kg, respectively, for the procedural sedation of ERCP. The time of MOAA/S score ≤ 2 was (82.58 ± 21.70) s, and the mean time of awakening was (9.03 ± 5.64) min. Transient hypotension was observed in two patients without medical intervention. The ED50 and ED95 values of remimazolam besylate used in the procedural sedation of ERCP were 0.196 and 0.239 mg/kg, and the dose of the medications has definite efficacy and good safety.


Abstract Problem, research strategy, and findings Despite recent interest in the experiences of planners working in the private sector, much research does not distinguish between different organizational contexts. A key change in the consultancy market is the rise of global, publicly traded firms that provide planning services. This research draws on interviews with planners working in publicly traded firms to understand the opportunities and constraints from this model of practice. Though some planners noted opportunities in publicly traded firms, participants identified more constraints or limitations related to this model of practice. Scaling up of firm size offered benefits, such as opportunities for collaboration, but these were limited by organizational structures that promoted competition and cost-cutting strategies. Financial pressures and market demands can affect professional practice, such as through increased time spent on financial reporting and capacity issues from frequent turnover in staff. As a small, low-value component of traded firms, planners experienced issues with reduced resources, difficulties with staffing, and a lack of understanding the role of planning. A limitation of the research is that relying on self-reported data may not fully reflect ethical or professional breaches. Takeaway for practice Increased collaboration across disciplines and geographies may improve project outcomes, though planners' concerns about lack of capacity and oversight point to concerns for the clients of consultants, as well as professional associations. There is a need for commissioning agencies, particularly in the public sector, to pay close attention to issues of procurement and develop strategies to evaluate project work. In firms where planning is a small business line and subordinate to more profitable services, there may be emerging ethical and practice issues that have not received sufficient attention in professional codes.


In recent years, there has been a growing demand for online. University of Porto (U.Porto), established an unit of Educational Technologies 20 years ago and after an accumulated experience in providing an Learning Management Systems (LMS) to support face-to-face teaching and learning (T&L), in 2016, the U.Porto developed AcademiaUP, a portal and a LMS platform for the delivery of elearning and blended learning courses. Based on LMS Moodle, AcademiaUP considers the specificities of deployment and creation of distance education contents and materials, as well as the target audience characteristics. Moodle was chosen because our acquired experience but also for its maturity, for being open source and fully customizable and for a large support community. AcademiaUP, has an extensively customized interface and technical infrastructure. It integrates with external tools, BigBlueButton to better respond to synchronous online communication and Panopto for lecture capture and video production. AcademiaUP uses new plugins and a new theme to improve usability and enable a more suitable navigation for formal and non-formal T&L environments sequential content delivery and contextual presentation of activities and resources. When designing the new LMS for AcademiaUP we were inspired in Coursera Massive Open Online Courses (MOOC) approach for the marketing of the courses and in Open2Study for the delivering of the courses. All changes, however, avoided altering Moodle's core code, allowing for easier upgrades whenever newer Moodle versions are available. For the future, we intend to integrate AcademiaUP with the University information system to improve consistency of courses and users essential to accreditation procedures and quality assurance.


The development of A–D–A type heteroacenes for bulk-heterojunction solar cells has gained immense interest in the last 5–6 years due to their synthetic accessibility via new molecular design, facile functionalization, tunable optoelectronic properties, cost-effective device fabrication and high efficiencies. Specifically, they have reached power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) up to 18% as electron acceptors, demonstrating their effectiveness in replacing fullerene derivatives in OSCs. This review explores the important aspects of the structural modifications of A–D–A-type heteroacenes and their application in high performance binary, ternary and tandem OSCs. The modulation of functional groups and their influence on the frontier orbital tuning, blend morphology, and charge transport properties have been comprehensively discussed as a tool for correlating molecular structures and properties with device performance beneficial for new material design. Finally, their applications and prospects in semitransparent OSCs are discussed as potential for future technology.


Several studies in recent years have addressed the accuracy of the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, most large studies have been done in university centers specializing in dementia. The purpose of this study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of dementia in a community-based brain bank program, using data from the Central Florida component of the State of Florida's Brain Bank Program. Since 1987, 261 cases of dementia have been assessed at autopsy, and the clinical and pathologic diagnoses were compared. Of 234 patients with a clinical diagnosis of AD, 181 (77%) had a pathologic diagnosis of AD, with or without other contributing disorders. Of 27 patients with a clinical diagnosis of non-AD dementia, 14 (52%) had a pathologic diagnosis of AD, with or without other contributing diagnoses. These findings are similar to those previously reported and emphasize the importance of autopsy for the accurate diagnosis of dementia for genetic counseling, assessment of diagnostic techniques or drug therapy, and epidemiologic studies.


Supramolecular polymers or fibers are non-covalent assemblies of unimeric building blocks connected by secondary interactions such as hydrogen bonds or π–π interactions. Such structures hold enormous potential in the development of future materials, as their non-covalent nature makes them highly modular and adaptive. Within this review we aim to provide a broad overview over the area of linear supramolecular polymers including the different mechanisms of their polymerization as well as methods essential for their characterization. The different non-covalent interactions able to form supramolecular polymers are discussed, and key examples for each species are shown. Particular emphasis is laid on the development of living supramolecular polymerization able to produce fibers with a controlled length and low length dispersity, and even enable the production of supramolecular block copolymers. Another important and very recent field is the development of out-of-equilibrium supramolecular polymers, where the polymerization process can be temporally controlled enabling access to highly adaptive materials.


It has recently been understood that the hydrodynamic series generated by the M\"uller-Israel-Stewart theory is divergent, and that this large order behaviour is consistent with the theory of resurgence. Furthermore, it was observed, that the physical origin of this is the presence of a purely damped nonhydrodynamic mode. It is very interesting to ask whether this picture persists in cases where the spectrum of nonhydrodynamic modes is richer. We take the first step in this direction by considering the simplest hydrodynamic theory which, instead of the purely damped mode, contains a pair of nonhydrodynamic modes of complex conjugate frequencies. This mimics the pattern of black brane quasinormal modes which appear on the gravity side of the AdS/CFT description of \symm\ plasma. We find that the resulting hydrodynamic series is divergent in a way consistent with resurgence and precisely encodes information about the nonhydrodynamic modes of the theory.


The standardization of the descriptive style of the bibliographic references is essential to the normal style in arranging the academic journal.As a nucleus periodical of information and knowledge transportation,Editors Journal has been making profound research and practice on this issue for many years,which has aroused editors' attention.Through investigation,the author finds out that Editors Journal has made nine kinds of improvements in the normalization of the descriptive style of the bibliographic references since 2001.All the above can be used for reference in the standard arrangements of the academic journals.


The effects of human amniotic fluid stem cells (hAFSCs) transplantation on bladder dysfunction after pelvic nerve transection (PNT) remain to be clarified. Five groups of female Sprague-Dawley rats were studied including sham operation, unilateral PNT alone or plus hAFSCs transplantation, and bilateral PNT alone or plus hAFSCs transplantation. hAFSCs were injected at the site of PNT. Cystometries, neurofilament density within bladder nerves, and the expressions of bladder protein gene-product 9.5 (PGP9.5), growth-associated protein 43 (GAP-43), nerve growth factor (NGF), p75 (NGF receptor), CXCL12, CCL7, and enkephalin were studied. Compared to sham-operation group, bladder weight increased and neurofilament density decreased at 10 and 28 days after unilateral and bilateral PNT, but all improved after hAFSCs transplantation. Unilateral PNT could increase bladder capacity, residual volume, and number of nonvoiding contractions but decrease peak voiding pressure and leak point pressure. Bilateral PNT caused overflow incontinence and increased the number of nonvoiding contractions. These cystometric parameters improved after hAFSCs transplantation. After PNT, bladder PGP9.5 mRNA and immunoreactivities decreased at 10 and 28 days, GAP-43 mRNA and immunoreactivities increased at 10 days and decreased at 28 days, both NGF and p75 mRNAs and immunoreactivities increased at 10 and/or 28 days, and enkephalin immunoreactivities decreased at 10 and 28 days, but these were all improved after hAFSCs transplantation. Our results showed that bladder dysfunction induced by PNT could be improved by hAFSCs transplantation, and PGP9.5, GAP-43, and neurotrophins could be involved in the mechanisms of nerve regeneration after hAFSCs transplantation.


The dose equivalent per unit fluence in various organs is calculated for mono-directional incident radiation. From this the fluence which will produce the maximum permissible annual organ dose recommended by ICRP is determined. By using the simple parameters of number and energy of quanta, which can describe all radiations, the proposed method avoids the difficulties of present practice which relies on various units for different radiations. Practical applications of the method are given, and it is shown that it is simple to relate the calibration of instruments based on the method to existing radiological standards.


summary To analyse the Issuable Stock Index (days worth of stock) and wastage in relation to data continuously collected by the Blood Stocks Management Scheme (BSMS) with aspects of blood inventory management practice determined by the 2006 hospital inventory practice survey (IPS). The BSMS collects blood inventory data from hospitals and blood services in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Data sets were constructed from information obtained from the 2006 IPS, which included questions on the crossmatch reservation period, methods for calculating the blood order and stock share relationships between hospitals. Two of the Scheme's measures that can indicate a hospital's blood inventory management performance were used to present blood stock and wastage data in a comparable format. Data were analysed using the Student's t‐test. The results showed significantly lower inventory and wastage in hospitals which used a 24‐h reservation period compared with 48 h (P = 0·02 and P = 0·04, respectively), and for hospitals that used their computer for calculating the blood order compared with those that used a 'visual review' (P = 0·02 and P ≤ 0·001, respectively). A strong correlation co‐efficient (0·61) was found for a relationship between a hospital's stock level and wastage. The study showed that differences in stock management practice between hospitals are associated with significant differences in stock levels and wastage of blood. The paper identifies examples of best practice.


A discussion of "Some Communicative Properties of the Bipersonal Field" by Robert Langs, M.D. In response to Dr. Langs' delineation of the bipersonal field concept and his clinical elaboration of a triad of disorders which are graded into classifications of descending analyzability: Types A,B, and C fields. I confirm his thesis and endeavor to demonstrate some underlying foundations of his categorical assumptions, namely the conceptions of projective identification, of the intactness of the background object of primary identification, the conception of a dual-track theory of infantile development in order to delineate the parallel between the separated self and the continuation of primary identification, and the postulation of manic and schizoid types of narcissistic character disorders (Types B and C respectively). All of these conceptions are vicissitudes of the varying ways in which patients confront the depressive position of separation-individuation with rapprochement and, thereby, conform to a gradient in which symbolization interpretations can be utilized in analytic treatment.


The present study investigates the influence of alpha(1)-adrenoreceptors in GnRH release in vitro and determines whether oestradiol modulates alpha(1)-adrenoreceptor-GnRH interaction. Within 10 min after ewe sacrifice, saggital midline hypothalamic slices were dissected, placed in oxygenated Minimum Essential Media-alpha (MEM-alpha) at 4 degrees C and within 2 h were singly perifused at 37 degrees C with oxygenated MEM-alpha (pH 7.4; flow rate 0.15 ml/min), either with or without oestradiol (24 pg/ml). After 4-h equilibration, 10-min fractions were collected for 4 h interposed with a 10-min exposure at 60 min to specific alpha(1)-adrenoreceptor agonist (methoxamine) or antagonist (thymoxamine) at various doses (0.1-10 mm). The alpha(1)-adrenoreceptor agonist (10 mm) increased (p < 0.05) GnRH release at 90 min both in presence and absence of oestradiol. However, in presence of oestradiol, alpha(1)-adrenoreceptor agonist (10 mm)-induced GnRH release remained elevated (p < 0.05) for at least 60 min. The bioactivity of the released GnRH was studied using a hypothalamus-pituitary sequential double-chamber perifusion. Only after exposure of hypothalamic slices to alpha(1)-adrenoreceptor agonist (10 mm), did the hypothalamic eluate stimulate LH release from pituitary fragments (n = 9, 7.8 +/- 12.3-36.2 +/- 21.6 ng/ml) confirming that the alpha(1)-adrenoreceptor agonist stimulated release of biologically active GnRH. In summary, GnRH release from the hypothalamus is under stimulatory noradrenergic control and this is potentiated in the presence of oestradiol.


A clear understanding of the heat transfer processes in a gas turbine engine bearing chamber at the design stage makes it possible to properly design the lubrication and sealing systems and ensure the future bearing safe operation. The heat transfer coefficient (HTC) calculated based on the classical Newton-Richman equation is widely used to represent the heat transfer data and useful for the thermal resistance analysis. However, this approach is only formally applicable in the case of a two-phase medium. While there is a need to model a two-phase medium, setting the flow core temperature correctly in the Newton-Richman equation is an issue that is analyzed in this study.
 The heat from the flow core is transferred to the boundary of the oil film on the bearing chamber walls by an adjacent air and precipitating droplets. The analysis showed that droplet deposition plays a decisive role in this process and significantly intensifies the heat transfer. The main contribution to the thermal resistance of internal heat transfer is provided by the oil film. In this regard, the study considers the issues of the bearing chamber workflow modeling allowing to determine the hydrodynamic parameters of the oil film taking into account air and oil flow rates and shaft revolutions. The study also considers a possibility to apply the thermohydraulic analogy methods for the oil film thermal resistance determination. The study presents practical recommendations for process modeling in the bearing chamber.


"Technology Bacillus thuringiensis Crystal Proteins: Recent Advancements in Understanding Its Insecticidal Activity, Takashi Yamamoto and Gary K. Powell Genetic Improvement of Bacillus thuringiensis for Bioinsecticide Development, Bruce C. Carlton and Cynthia Gawron-Burke The Bacillus thuringiensis Family Tree, Jerald S. Feitelson CellCap: An Encapsulation System for Insecticidal Biotoxin Proteins, Frank H. Gaertner, Thomas C. Quick, and Mark A. Thompson Endophytic Microorganisms for Delivery of Genetically Engineered Microbial Pesticides in Plants, Michael Dimock, John Turner, and Jay Lampel Viral Approaches for Insect Control, Robert D. Possee Biological Control of Plant Frost Injury: The Ice Story, Steven E. Lindow Agrobacterium: Biological Plant Disease Control, Bruce G. Clare Biological Control of Weeds: Potential for Genetically Modified Strains, David O. TeBeest Genetic Engineering for Plant Disease Resistance, Sophien Kamoun and Clarence I. Kado Insect-Resistant Cotton: From the Laboratory to the Marketplace, Frederick J. Perlack and David A. Fischhoff Development Insect Resistance to Bacillus thuringiensis, Mark E. Whalon and William H. McGaughey Engineered Plants and Microbes in Integrated Pest Management Systems, Pamela G. Marrone Factors Influencing Acceptance and Development of Biopesticides, Larry J. Stowell Environmental and Commercial Evaluations of Genetically Engineered Baculovirus Pesticides, H. Alan Wood and Patrick R. Hughes The Development of Bacillus thuringiensis in Japan, Hiroshi Noguchi The Development of Genetically Engineered Plants, James G. Timmins Regulatory Biological Pesticides and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Sharlene R. Matten, William R. Schneider, Bernice I. Slutsky, and Elizabeth A. Milewski Pest-Resistant Plants Developed Through Biotechnology: Regulatory Considerations, Catherine M. Joyce and John H. Payne Regulation of Biotechnology: A European Perspective, Keith A. Cook and N. J. Poole Field Testing of Genetically Engineered Endophytes, James H. Davis Engineered Microbes: The CellCap System, Joseph D. Panetta Regulatory Considerations for Pesticidal Plants: Insect Resistant Cotton as a Case Study, Roy L. Fuchs, Sharon A. Berberich, and Frank S. Serdy Regulatory Considerations: The FLAVR SAVR Tomato and the Regulatory Process, Donald L. Emlay "


Flagella of living early human and rat spermatids show slight differences in duration of motion as revealed by phasecontrast microscopy and videotechnique. Wave-like motion of these 9+2-axonema becomes restricted to bending at later stages in the rat, whereas spermatozoa were found immotile in both species. Additional results were obtained from freely swimming spermatids of the rat and from the inner surface of rat seminiferous tubules, rinsed free of spermatozoa prior to scanning electron microscopy. Obviously, spermatids from some kind of flagellated cell layer that could be involved in liberating mature stages and in facilitating spermatozoa to glide more easily along seminiferous tubules.


Maize streak virus (MSV) appears as an increasing major threat for maize production in Africa especially in the areas where the disease is endemie and can cause heavy grainyie1d losses. Very few resistance sources have been found in the world. Completely resistant lines can be selected from la Reunion germplasm and used as a donor in backcrossing schemes. In order to understand the genetic control of this resistance a cross between the D2 II completely resistant line and the B73 susceptible line has been used to produce generations segregating for MSV-resistance. The study of the genetic determinism was carried out by generation mean analysis method from these generations. The F2 population was mapped using RFLP markers, and Q'IL for MSV-resistance were identified. The analysis of the-genetic determinism revealed that this complete resistance is quantitatively inherited. It is oligogenic and has a partial positive dominance. The quite high value of the additive component of genetic variation and the high values of heritability indicate that a simple mass selectionscheme can be very efficient to improve this characteristic. The estimation of two or three genetic factors according to the results of Mather & Jinks formula is confinned by the RFLP detection of three Q'IL, one major on chromosome 1 explaining 53 % of the phenotypic variance, and two others on chromosome 10 with minor effects. The durability of this resistance cannot be easily predicted because it depends both on the variability of the pathogen, and on the efficiency of the genes controlling this resistance. However, the oligogenic system from la Reunion should be more durable than the other sources of resistance which were found elsewhere to be rather monogenic. (Texte integral)


Odor produced by breakpoint chlorination in a drinking water purification process was researched. Ammonia and six amino acids (glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, arginine, proline) were chlorinated and production of odor and its change were investigated. An intense odor which was different to the odor of residual free chlorine was detected after the chlorination of ammonia. The production of the odor was affected by pH and chlorine dose rate. While the intense odor was not produced in the breakpoint chlorination at pH 8.3, a weak odor before the breakpoint and the intense odor after the breakpoint were produced at pH 6.5. At pH 3.0, the intense odor was detected even in a sample of low chlorine dose rate. An identification of the intense odor substance was done using a gas chromatograph-mass spectrometer and trichloramine or a dimer of dichloramine was suspected as the odor causing substance. In chlorination of the six amino acids, the intense odor and its change were different according to each amino acid. Production of chlorinated intermediate and final products which had a different odor were suspected as one of the reasons.


The recent development of per oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has been a game changer in the management of patients with achalasia. However, approximately 1 in 10 patients will not experience clinical success. The aim of this mini-review is to describe the current state of knowledge about the risk factors associated with POEM failure for the treatment of achalasia. Suspected risk factors are detailed into pre-, intra-, and post-procedural factors and put into perspective. Pre-procedural factors have been described, such as pre-treatment Eckardt score, previous treatments for achalasia, sigmoid type esophagus, significant esophageal dilatation, non-type II achalasia, young age and long duration of symptoms. An intra-procedural factor, mucosal injury during POEM, has also been associated with POEM failure. The occurrence of post-POEM GERD was identified as a controversial post-procedural factor associated with failure. The presumed mechanisms of POEM failure are incomplete myotomy or ineffective LES disruption, as confirmed by high-resolution manometry. However, when manometry confirms a significant decrease in LES pressure, it is likely that either impaired peristalsis or a morphologic abnormality such as extreme esophageal dilatation or severe tortuosity, which are not treated by POEM, should be suspected. Notably, a recently described adverse effect of POEM is the formation of a pseudo-diverticulum at the site of the myotomy (blown out myotomy). We finally stress the importance of performing a complete workup in case of POEM failure as different mechanisms of POEM failure should lead to different management.


Explanations of the boom / bust economic cycle characteristic of emerging markets have emphasized the role of institutional weaknesses in the financial sector in creating macroeconomic instability. Testing this proposition using aggregate data is complicated by the difficulty of identifying banks' credit supply decisions independently of credit demand by the domestic non-financial private sector. In this paper, a panel of Argentine bank balance sheet data is used to investigate the cross-sectional variation in bank lending decisions in response to macroeconomic shocks. The emergence of systematic cross-sectional patterns suggests bank characteristics – and thus bank behavior – play an important role in transmitting macroeconomic shocks to emerging market economies. JEL classification: E44, F34, G21


The boundary layer over a infinite rotating disc is 3D and of finite depth. The breakdown and eventual transition of flow over the surface is preceded by the emergence of crossflow vortices that are stationary with respect to the disc. These result from an inviscid instability mechanism associated with an inflexion point within the boundary layer's velocity profile or a mechanism induced by the balance between viscous and Coriolis forces. It has been seen in past studies that compliance can substantially postpone the onset of transition, therefore the aim of this research is to investigate whether compliance can be used as a useful tool to do so here. We use numerical and asymptotic methods to predict possible behaviour by calculating growth rates and producing neutral solutions for the wave number and orientation of both inviscid and viscous modes. The results obtained suggest that the inviscid mode of instability will be stabilized by compliance but the viscous mode will be greatly destabilized.


It is generally recognized that pantothenic acid in living tissues is not in the form of the free vitamin. In addition to Williams' early work, which indicated that pantothenic acid exists in bound form, Wright (1943) noted that the vitamin was combined to protein in the blood. The work of Neal and Strong (1943) indicated a residual activity of pantothenic acid remaining in liver after alkaline treatment. Lipmann and his co-workers (1947) found that coenzyme A was a pantothenic acid derivative, and Nielands, Higgins, and Strong have provided evidence for two forms of this coenzyme in liver cyclophorase (Nielands, Higgins, and Strong, 1949; Strong, 1949). In this laboratory a nondialyzable pantothenic acid conjugate (PAC) has been reported (King, Locher, and Cheldelin, 1948; King, Fels, and Cheldelin, 1949). Among these four bound forms of the vitamin, only coenzyme A and PAC have been obtained in relatively pure form. Coenzyme A has been shown to be a metabolically active form of pantothenic acid, both in the acetylation of sulfanilamide or choline (Lipmann and Kaplan, 1946) and in the formation of citrate from acetate and oxalacetate (Stern and Ochoa, 1949). Similar functions for PAC have not been demonstrated, although the latter conjugate would appear to be a functional form of the vitamin on the basis of its ability to produce a greater and more rapid response than the free vitamin in the growth of Acetobacter suboxydans. The present study was designed to determine whether PAC might function in microorganisms in a manner similar to that of pantothenic acid, i.e., by promoting growth in pantothenic-acid-free media, and by counteracting antimetabolites that are also affected by the free vitamin. In the organisms investigated, PAC has been found generally similar to pantothenic acid, and the evidence indicates that PAC is a functional derivative of the vitamin in these systems, rather than merely a storage form.


A new method for the computation of the dynamics of structure-varying kinematic chains is proposed. This is based on the complete redefinition of the system connectivity deriving from a given structural change. The derived computational efficiency is then described with examples of typical motion planning tasks and structure changes for free-flying robots. These include open branched chains and closed loops, in free and grappled conditions. The method may then contribute to the efficiency of motion planning for robots which may require different kinematic structures for a given task.


Diffusion tensor image (DTI) is a powerful tool for quantitatively assessing the integrity of anatomical connectivity in white matter in clinical populations. The prevalent methods for group-level analysis of DTI are statistical analyses of invariant measures (e.g., fractional anisotropy) and principal directions across groups. The invariant measures and principal directions, however, do not capture all information in full diffusion tensor, which can decrease the statistical power of DTI in detecting subtle changes of white matters. Thus, it is very desirable to develop new statistical methods for analyzing full diffusion tensors. In this paper, we develop a set of toolbox, called RADTI, for the analysis of the full diffusion tensors as responses and establish their association with a set of covariates. The key idea is to use the recent development of log-Euclidean metric and then transform diffusion tensors in a nonlinear space into their matrix logarithms in a Euclidean space. Our regression model is a semiparametric model, which avoids any specific parametric assumptions. We develop an estimation procedure and a test procedure based on score statistics and a resampling method to simultaneously assess the statistical significance of linear hypotheses across a large region of interest. Monte Carlo simulations are used to examine the finite sample performance of the test procedure for controlling the family-wise error rate. We apply our methods to the detection of statistical significance of diagnostic and age effects on the integrity of white matter in a diffusion tensor study of human immunodeficiency virus.


We present a framework for generating appropriate facial responses from a listener in dyadic social interactions based on the speaker's words. Given an input transcription of the speaker's words with their timestamps, our approach autoregressively predicts a response of a listener: a sequence of listener facial gestures, quantized using a VQ-VAE. Since gesture is a language component, we propose treating the quantized atomic motion elements as additional language token inputs to a transformer-based large language model. Initializing our transformer with the weights of a language model pre-trained only on text results in significantly higher quality listener responses than training a transformer from scratch. We show that our generated listener motion is fluent and reflective of language semantics through quantitative metrics and a qualitative user study. In our evaluation, we analyze the model's ability to utilize temporal and semantic aspects of spoken text. Project page: https://people.eecs.berkeley.edu/~evonne_ng/projects/text2listen/


Background: Intraocular pressure measurement (IOP) is of pivotal importance for the diagnosis and management of glaucoma. The objective of this study was to compare intraocular pressure measurement with Goldmann Applanation tonometer (GAT) and non-contact Air-Puff tonometer (APT).
Material & Methods: This comparative cross-sectional study was conducted at outpatient Department of Ophthalmology, District Headquarters Teaching Hospital, Bannu, Pakistan, from October 2015 to February 2016. The IOP was measured first with APT (Canon Full Auto Tonometer TX-F, Japan) followed by its measurement with GAT (HAAG-STRIET AT 900, Koeniz Switzerland)
Results: This study included 200 eyes of 100 patients. Among 100 patients, 57(57%) were males and 43(43%)
were females. Age range was from 16 to 78 years with a mean of 42.5 years. The IOP measured with APT ranged from 10 mmHg to 47mmHg with a mean of 18.17+8.25 mmHg, while IOP recorded with GAT ranged from 10 mmHg to 41mmHg with a mean of 15.59+7.75 mmHg. There was a significant difference in the mean IOP measured with APT and GAT, with APT recording a mean IOP of 2.58 mmHg higher than GAT (p=0.003).
Conclusion: Both APT and GAT are commonly used for IOP measurement. There is a reasonably good agreement between the two tonometers at IOP within the normal range. However GAT is more accurate and reliable. APT overestimates IOP, particularly in cases above the upper limit of normal IOP. The results of APT should be confirmed with GAT, particularly when the IOP exceeds the normal range for the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma.


By surveying myriad ways that twentieth-century American experts and nonexperts grappled with the health implications of aerial exposures to lead or substances that may have contained lead, this paper urges medical historians' attention toward environments—workplaces, homes and the outdoors—and their extrabodily ontology. Health histories framed around dust, toxins, fumes, and pollution rather than around particular diseases challenge long-accepted narratives, such as Hibbert Hill's old generalization about a "New Public Health" shift from "the environment to the individual." Greater environmental focus can also advance "bottom-up" health history. Pushing the gaze of twentieth-century medical and public health historians beyond hospitals, "public health" departments, clinically confirmable disease, and "patient" roles, it draws historians' attention to health-related realms in which laypeople often claimed greater knowledge and competence.


INTRODUCTION
Flying after diving may increase decompression sickness risk (DCS), but strong evidence indicating minimum preflight surface intervals (PFSI) is missing.

METHODS
On return flights after a diving week on a live-aboard, 32 divers were examined by in-flight echocardiography with the following protocol: 1) outgoing flight, no previous dive; 2) during the diving week; 3) before the return flight after a 24-h PFSI; and 4) during the return flight.

RESULTS
All divers completed similar multiple repetitive dives during the diving week. All dives were equivalent as to inert gas load and gradient factor upon surfacing. No bubbles in the right heart were found in any diver during the outgoing flight or at the preflight control after a 24-h PFSI following the diving week. A significant increase in the number and grade of bubbles was observed during the return flight. However, bubbles were only observed in 6 of the 32 divers. These six divers were the same ones who developed bubbles after every dive.

CONCLUSIONS
Having observed a 24-h preflight interval, the majority of divers did not develop bubbles during altitude exposure; however, it is intriguing to note that the same subjects who developed significant amounts of bubbles after every dive showed equally significant bubble grades during in-flight echocardiography notwithstanding a correct PFSI. This indicates a possible higher susceptibility to bubble formation in certain individuals, who may need longer PFSI before altitude exposure after scuba diving.


BACKGROUND
The Product Safety Programme (PSP) of Health Canada is responsible for preventing product-related injuries. If PSP decides a product is dangerous, it can publicize its dangers, prohibit, or control its distribution; but for child products, the preferred option is to publicize its concerns. In the past, this included sending posters to paediatricians' offices and, more recently, placing alerts on the PSP website. This study examines the effectiveness of this process.

METHODS
15 Montreal paediatricians participated in a modified crossover randomized trial. During a randomly chosen intervention week, two product-related notices were posted in the paediatricians' waiting area. In the following or preceding week, these notices did not appear. Parents were interviewed by telephone to determine if they saw the posters and acted on the information received.

RESULTS
We interviewed 808 parents (86%) of the 940 who agreed to participate. Of these, only 16% of the intervention and less than 1% of the control group reported seeing the posters. There were no differences in reported changes in behaviours related to the notices. These findings are unchanged after taking account of socio-economic status. No parents cited the posters, websites, or paediatricians as their main source of information about dangerous products.

CONCLUSION
Product safety notices, whether sent to paediatricians' practices or posted on a website, cannot be relied upon to reach parents of preschool age children. Other approaches require consideration, such as increasing the power of PSP to regulate product safety.


The number of children with a diagnosis of asthma has increased significantly over the years, and asthma currently is the most common pediatric chronic disease. Asthma continues to take the lives of children at an alarming rate. Proper diagnosis, education, and appropriate management are essential for decreasing morbidity and mortality. Asthma can be diagnosed with a thorough medical history, family history, and physical examination. Diagnostic and assessment tools such as pulmonary function tests and pediatric asthma scores are valuable for determining the severity of asthma. Immediate assessment and initiation of appropriate medications and management are essential for a positive outcome. The use of bronchodilator therapy with corticosteroids is the gold standard for acute asthma exacerbation, but it may not be effective for certain moderate to severe exacerbations. This article discusses the prevalence, pathophysiology, and diagnosis and treatment of asthma, including the role of magnesium sulfate for acute asthma exacerbations.


Stadia 11-VII and adults of Chondromorpha kelaarti (Humbert) can be separated by segment number, length, breadth and paired legs. Sexes are distinguished from stadium IV and the sex ratio vaned around SO%, though females were prevalent in May and June.

In females, a positive and significant correlation was found between number ofeggs present and body width at the 17th Segment.

Population density and biomass of C. kelaarti varied from 0.06 to 12.94 and 1.75 mg to 811.24 mg per 0.1 mz, respectively. From May to November, populations of C. kelaartiare aggregated in distribution.

Chondronrorphu keluurti passed the dry season in late stadia (VI, VII and adult) and may complete the life cycle in one or two years.


We propose a new framework for tensor decomposition based on trace invariants, which are particular cases of tensor networks. In general, tensor networks are diagrams/graphs that specify a way to "multiply" a collection of tensors together to produce another tensor, matrix or scalar. The particularity of trace invariants is that the operation of multiplying copies of a certain input tensor that produces a scalar obeys specific symmetry constraints. In other words, the scalar resulting from this multiplication is invariant under some specific transformations of the involved tensor. We focus our study on the O(N)-invariant graphs, i.e. invariant under orthogonal transformations of the input tensor. The proposed approach is novel and versatile since it allows to address different theoretical and practical aspects of both CANDECOMP/PARAFAC (CP) and Tucker decomposition models. In particular we obtain several results: (i) we generalize the computational limit of Tensor PCA (a rank-one tensor decomposition) to the case of a tensor with axes of different dimensions (ii) we introduce new algorithms for both decomposition models (iii) we obtain theoretical guarantees for these algorithms and (iv) we show improvements with respect to state of the art on synthetic and real data which also highlights a promising potential for practical applications.


The personalization of cancer care is rooted in the premise that there are subsets of patients with tumors harboring clinically relevant targets for patient-specific treatments. Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a disease that has historically been notable for its dearth of biomarkers that are predictive of response to targeted therapies. In recent years, BRAFV600E-mutated CRC has emerged as a distinct biologic entity, typically refractory to standard chemotherapy regimens approved for the treatment of metastatic CRC and associated with a dismal prognosis. Multiple clinical trials sought to replicate the successes of targeted therapies seen in BRAFV600E-mutated melanoma without success; metastatic BRAFV600E-mutated CRC is clearly a distinct biologic entity. We review a number of recent studies demonstrating the evidence of modest responses to combinations of BRAF, EGFR, and/or MEK inhibition in patients with metastatic BRAFV600E-mutated CRC; however, despite advances, overall survival remains far inferior for these patients compared to their BRAF-wild-type counterparts. Development of combination therapies to impede signaling through the MAPK pathway through alternate targets remains an area of active investigation. Reflecting the rapid evolution of efforts for this small subset of CRC patients, the first-ever Phase III study is now underway evaluating the combination of BRAF, EGFR, and MEK inhibition. Immunotherapies are also an area of active research, particularly for the subset of patients with tumors that are also microsatellite instability (MSI) high. Here, we summarize the current landscape and emerging data on the molecular, clinical, and therapeutic aspects of BRAF-mutant CRC.