A fermentation process using Lactobacillus acidophilus added to edible food wastes was evaluated for its bactericidal action on selected gram-positive organisms. The Lactobacillus fermentation converts food wastes into an animal feed ingredient. In this study, 5 gram-positive bacteria of zoonotic importance were individually tested. These organisms were: Group E Streptococcus, Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, Clostridium perfringens, Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis, and Listeria monocytogenes. For each experiment, Lactobacillus was first mixed into ground waste; one of the test organisms was then inoculated and mixed. This mixture was divided among eight 5.5-L containers and incubated (duplicates) at 5 C, 10 C, 20 C, and 30 C for 96 hours. Internal waste temperature, reduction-oxidation, and pH were monitored. Waste samples were taken initially and at subsequent 24-hour periods. Qualitative and quantitative recoveries of the test bacteria were attempted for each sample. Group E Streptococcus was reisolated in increasing numbers at all temperatures throughout the fermentation period. Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was recovered throughout the 96-hour period at 5 C; at 10 C it was recovered at 24 hours but not at 48 hours. Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae was killed by 24 hours at 20 C and 30 C fermentation temperatures. Clostridium perfringens survived the entire test period at 5 C, 10 C, and 20 C; it was killed by 72 hours at 30 C. Neither Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis nor Listeria monocytogenes was reisolated at any temperature at any time.


Ubiquitous connectivity and availability of P2P resources creates opportunities for building new services. This paper describes Jigsaw Distributed File System (JigDFS) which can be used to securely store and retrieve files on a P2P network anonymously. JigDFS is designed to provide strong encryption and a certain level of plausible deniability. Files in JigDFS are sliced into small segments using an Information Dispersal Algorithm (IDA) and distributed onto different nodes recursively to increase fault tolerance against node failures. Moreover, layered encryption is applied to each file with keys produced by a hashed-key chain algorithm, so that data (file segments) and keys reside on different hosts. In such a scheme, if an attacker compromises a host and retrieves the data, the attacker will still need the correct key to decipher the data. Furthermore, recursive IDA and layered encryption ensure users' anonymity. It is difficult for an adversary to identify who owns a file, even who has retrieved a file in JigDFS. Often, a strong adversary may have the power to monitor the network or even force a user to give up the password. Design of JigDFS provides users with plausible deniability which enhances privacy. When being questioned, a JigDFS user can simply argue that he/she is merely a relaying node, rather than the file owner. Moreover, a user, when forced, can give up a valid, however, incorrect encryption key. There is no way for an adversary to verify either correctness of a key or the identity of file owner. JigDFS is developed using platform independent Java technologies and is envisioned to utilize mobile computing elements such as PDAs and smart phones.


Abstract Introduction: Anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 antibody (anti-MDA5 Ab) is an autoantigen associated with dermatomyositis (DM). Anti-MDA5 Ab-positive DM patients frequently exhibit clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis (CADM), and develop rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (RPILD). Even with early detection and potent combination immunosuppressive therapy, anti-MDA5 Ab-positive DM patients have a poor prognosis. In the present case report, we present a rare autopsy case of a patient with anti-MDA5 Ab+ DM with RPILD who exhibited diffuse alveolar damage (DAD) patterning in lung specimens, and extensive hemorrhages in multiple organs. Patient concerns: An 82-year-old Japanese man admitted with bacterial pneumonia was subsequently diagnosed with anti-MDA5 Ab-positive DM based on skin manifestations (mechanic's hand, ulcerated palmar papules, and flagellate erythema), myositis, interstitial pneumonia, and elevation of anti-MDA5 Ab titer. Diagnosis: The patient was diagnosed with anti-MDA5 Ab+ DM, complicated with RPILD. Interventions: The patient received potent immunosuppressive therapy consisting of pulse methylpredonisolone at a dose of 1000 mg for 3 days, followed by prednisolone at 60 mg/d, a 1000 mg pulse of intravenous cyclophosphamide (IVCY), and oral tacrolimus at 6 mg/d. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) at a dose of 400 mg/kg/d for 5 days was subsequently administered. Outcomes: Despite triple immunosuppressive therapy and IVIG, the patients' respiratory status deteriorated, and the patient died of respiratory failure on the twelfth day after admission. An autopsy revealed pulmonary DAD and multiorgan hemorrhages, including the left iliopsoas muscle, gastric and bowl mucosa, spleen, and left adrenal gland. Lessons: Multiorgan hemorrhages may be a fatal complication in anti-MDA5 Ab+ DM patients.


A new silver complex [Ag(C 11 H 8 O 3 ) 2 ]NO 3 was synthesized by the reaction of silver nitrateand coumarin based ligand (3-acetyl- 2H- chromene-2-one) through solution method. The product was characterized using different analytical techniques like melting point, Infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, atomic absorption spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. An antibacterial study of the complex was also studied for its possible use in medical treatment. KEY WORDS : Silver complex, Acetyl coumarin, Vibrational analysis, Antibacterial study Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2016 , 30(3), 403-411 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v30i3.8


In an era of dynamically priced tickets, sport marketers benefit from a greater understanding of factors impacting the price consumers are willing to pay. Past research has investigated external factors affecting ticket price on the secondary market, but little work has investigated internal factors and no prior research has utilized actual price paid as a dependent variable. The current study found age, income, prior attendance, timing of purchase, and seat location influenced secondary ticket price paid, explaining 44.9% of the variance, while fan identification and alumni status did not impact the amount patrons paid for tickets to a major college men's basketball tournament. Subscribe to JASM


In the last growing seasons, goosegrass (Eleusine spp.) control failures have been observed following application of glyphosate on Roundup Ready® soybean in Rio Grande do Sul (RS) - Brazil, suggesting this species' resistance to the herbicide. Thus, the objectives of this study were to identify the occurrence of goosegrass resistance to the herbicide glyphosate in RS; and to determine the predominant species of the genus Eleusine, as well as the LD50 and GR50 of the suspected resistant biotypes. Two experiments were conducted under greenhouse conditions: one to identify the biotypes resistant to glyphosate, and the other, a dose-response curve experiment, as well as a study of the botanical characteristics of the species. In the first experiment, 39 biotypes were tested, mainly Eleusine indica, collected with suspected resistance to glyphosate. The glyphosate dose was 2,160 g e.a. ha-1, and the control was evaluated at 28 days after treatment. All biotypes were effectively controlled,with the biotypes from the municipality of Boa Vista do Incra showing greater tolerance. Two biotypes suspected of resistance (12.1 and 12.3) and a susceptible biotype in a dose-response experiment were tested at the following doses: 0, 135, 270, 540, 1,080, 1,620, and 2,160 g e.a. ha-1. The results of this experiment showed that biotype 12.1 does not present resistance to glyphosate and biotype 12.3 has a low level resistance since it is effectively controlled by the herbicide at the maximum dose.


Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is a powerful analytical technique for determining elemental and isotopic distributions in solids. One of its main attractions to researchers in the field of solid-state ionics is its ability to distinguish between isotopes of the same chemical element as a function of position in a solid. With enriched stable isotopes as diffusion sources, this allows self-diffusion kinetics in solids to be studied. In this article, taking oxygen isotope diffusion in oxides as our main example, we present the standard experimental method, and, subsequently, we discuss several promising developments, in particular the opportunities offered by thin-film geometries, and the investigation of inhomogeneous systems, including possible fast diffusion along grain boundaries and making space-charge layers at interfaces "visible." These examples demonstrate that SIMS is capable of probing mass transport processes over various length scales, ranging from some nanometers to hundreds of micrometers.


Two-gene vectors with positive or positive-negative drug-selectable markers enable the expansion or elimination of gentetically modified cells in vivo. We have established a bicistronic retroviral vector system which utilizes an internal ribosome entry site (IRES) to co-express two independent genes with high efficiency. As a positive-negative (suicide) marker, Herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase was co-expressed with the human multidrug resistance gene, MDR1. Using this vector, almost all the MDR1-transduced cells showed hypersensitivity to a nucleoside analog, ganciclovir. As a dominant selectable marker, the MDR1 gene was co-expressed with alpha-galactosidase A for the model of gene therapy of Fabry disease. Vincristine selection efficiently enhanced the population of transduced cells expressing the second non-selectable genes. These drug-selectable retroviral vectors could be applicable to the therapy of many diseases.


Abstract Background: Since high-frequency data have become available, an unbiased volatility estimator, i.e. realized variance (RV) can be computed. Commonly used models for RV forecasting suffer from strong persistence with a high sensitivity to the returns distribution assumption and they use only daily returns. Objectives: The main objective is measurement and forecasting of RV. Two approaches are compared: Heterogeneous AutoRegressive model (HAR-RV) and Feedforward Neural Networks (FNNs). Even though HAR-RV-type models describe RV stylized facts very well, they ignore its nonlinear behaviour. Therefore, FNN-HAR-type models are developed. Methods/Approach: Firstly, an optimal sampling frequency with application to the DAX index is chosen. Secondly, in and out of sample predictions within HAR models and FNNs are compared using RMSE, AIC, the Wald test and the DM test. Weights of FNN-HAR-type models are estimated using the BP algorithm. Results: The optimal sampling frequency of RV is 10 minutes. Within HAR-type models, HAR-RV-J has better, but not significant, forecasting performances, while FNN-HAR-J and FNNLHAR- J have significantly better predictive accuracy in comparison to the FNN-HAR model. Conclusions: Compared to the traditional ones, FNN-HAR-type models are better in capturing nonlinear behaviour of RV. FNN-HAR-type models have better accuracy compared to traditional HAR-type models, but only on the sample data, whereas their out-of-sample predictive accuracy is approximately equal.


Abstract:  Osteoblast (OB) activities have been studied on hydroxyapatite three‐dimensional (3D) scaffolds in comparison with traditional planar substrata. OBs cultured on 3D displayed increased proliferation, differentiation, and matrix protein synthesis, when compared to 2D cultures on the same substrata. Confluent cultures, however, could not be maintained for long, due to insufficient fluid diffusion within 3D scaffolds that impaired cell viability. Thus, confluent OB 3D cultures were implanted on the allantochorial membrane of chick embryos. Vessels from the embryo colonized the bone‐like network giving rise in the presence of OBs to an ectopic bone marrow formation in the intratrabecular spaces. In the absence of OBs, when the biomaterial alone was implanted, blood vessels were still present but hematopoietic marrow was absent. In both cases osteoclasts (OCs) derived from the host were found on the implant surface. These results indicated that scaffolds with cells can be easily vascularized and confirmed the role of OBs in the definition of the microenvironment that induce blood marrow differentiation in the intratrabecular spaces.


We report here on a transactivating function of HBV DNA. The effect is shown by stimulation of transient expression of pSV2cat DNA in cotransfected human liver CCL13 cells. Transfection experiments with plasmid constructs containing different HBV DNA fragments and Northern analyses of RNA from cells transfected with these recombinant plasmids indicate that a transactivating function is encoded within the X-ORF. A frameshift mutation within the X gene causes loss of activity thus demonstrating requirement of a protein. The increase in the level of CAT-specific RNA suggests that the transactivation is by transcriptional enhancement. Constitutive expression of the transactivator function was also observed in cells stably transfected with HBV DNA. A number of eukaryotic promoters, SV40-early, HSV-TK, HTLV-I and RSV LTRs were responsive to transactivation by HBV DNA. However, the MMTV LTR and the human metallothionein promoter (MTIIA) were considerably less responsive than the others. The transactivational potential of HBV DNA was much higher in human cells and cells of higher primates than in rodent cells, thereby indicating interacting cellular factors. These results introduce additional considerations for the role of HBV in the development of hepatocellular tumors.


OBJECTIVES
To determine the period prevalence, demographic characteristics, cost of treatment, and outcomes of patients admitted to the intensive care unit for continuous renal replacement therapy.

DESIGN
Descriptive case series.

SETTING
Intensive Care Unit in a Hong Kong tertiary referral, teaching hospital.

PATIENTS
All patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit from January to December 2007 who underwent continuous renal replacement therapy.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Period prevalence of continuous renal replacement therapy, patient demographic data, referral sources by specialty and hospital location, diagnosis, daily cost of disposable items, duration of renal replacement therapy, intensive care unit length of stay, and hospital mortality.

RESULTS
Of 1652 patients admitted to the intensive care unit over a 12-month period, 131 (8%) underwent continuous renal replacement therapy, of whom 56% were admitted from general wards (the department of medicine being the source of 59% of referrals). The median age of these continuous renal replacement therapy patients was 67 (interquartile range, 55-76) years, with a slight male predominance (66%). The mean APACHE II score of the patients was 29 (standard deviation, 7). Chronic renal failure requiring either haemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis was present in 20/131 (15%) patients. Sepsis was the diagnosis most commonly associated with renal failure deemed to warrant continuous renal replacement therapy (43%). The median duration of such continuous therapy was 55 (interquartile range, 25-93) hours and the median intensive care unit length of stay was 120 (interquartile range, 51-289) hours. The mean daily cost of disposables for the provision of continuous renal replacement therapy was HK$3510. The overall intensive care unit mortality of patients having continuous renal replacement therapy was 38% and the hospital mortality was 53%. The corresponding rates for patients with acute renal failure were 45% and 56%, respectively. Patients undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy had prolonged intensive care unit stays (120 vs 24 hours; P<0.05) and higher corresponding hospital mortality rates (53% vs 20%; P<0.001) compared to those not having such therapy.

CONCLUSION
The 8% period prevalence of patients admitted to the intensive care unit undergoing continuous renal replacement therapy was somewhat higher than in recently published reports in the international literature. However intensive care unit and hospital mortality rates for such patients were lower than previously reported. The corresponding total daily cost of relevant disposables was similar to costs reported internationally, whilst the length of intensive care unit stays for our cohort were relatively short.


On-line collaboration is an instructional method that facilitates collaboration in an on-line learning setting. To promote effective collaboration, it is vital to reveal both the student's and the instructor's point of view pertaining to effective on-line collaboration. In this study, the effectiveness of a learning management system in on-line collaboration was first investigated in a graduate course offered through the means of distance learning. In this first phase of this study, the nature of collaboration, the students perceptions of the effectiveness of the tool in on-line collaboration, the factors contributing to effective peer interaction among students and the role of the instructor as perceived by the students in the on-line course were explored. This phase of the study also involved the reviews of other learning management systems, course management systems and groupware systems regarding the tools used to encourage collaboration. Also revealed was a lack of diversity in collaboration tools. Based on these preliminary findings, an on-line document reviewing tool was developed and pilot tested in the second phase of the study. In this phase, a web-based synchronous collaborative review tool called WebSCoRe is proposed to promote online collaboration. WebSCoRe is proposed as an attempt to develop and implement a new platform for on-line document reviewing, to promote effective on-line collaboration among students and the instructor.


The paper looks at the characteristics of Italian non-financial firms that accessed the bond market for the first time between 2002 and 2013. The results of logit estimations indicate that first-time bond issuers are significantly larger and more frequently listed on the stock exchange than firms not issuing bonds. We also find that their decision to enter the bond market stems from a need to finance growth, especially where internal resources are limited, and to rebalance maturity mismatches between assets and liabilities. Our estimates also suggest that the sharp drop in the number of small issuers during the economic crisis is partly due to increased risk aversion on the part of market investors. Based on the econometric results, we estimate that the non-issuers include some 450-650 firms whose characteristics are very similar to those of companies that have begun to issue bonds in the last decade. These estimates are surrounded by considerable uncertainty due to the evolution of the macroeconomic context as well as the effects of new rules on minibonds. JEL classification: G10, G23, G32


Due to the definition of "work" usually employed by labour lawyers and economists, and given that the economic crisis in Spain has had an impact mainly on the construction sector, which has a mainly male workforce, the effects of the crisis on women have hardly come to light. However, this paper provides data to support the following conclusions: women have suffered significant employment and Social Security affiliation losses; there has been a significant increase in the number of women seeking paid work outside the home; and women spend more time working than men. Nonetheless, the worst effect of the crisis is that equality is no longer in the political agenda, and that the rights of reconciliation of family and professional life underwent a considerable setback in the 2012 labour reform. Keywords : Equality, Gender, Employment, Reconciliation, Economic Crisis.


An adaptive and integrated video communication system is proposed for wireless ATM. Video received from the wireline source is adapted at the base station to both the hardware capabilities of mobile host and time-varying wireless channel conditions. Following the application level framing principle, source coding, channel coding, and packetization are jointly implemented as part of the application and only simple services are requested from the underlying wireless network infrastructure. Highly efficient and robust source coding, channel coding, and packetization techniques are also proposed. For source coding, we propose to use our three-dimensional significance-linked connected component analysis video codec. For channel coding and packetization, both intracell and interlaced (intercell) forward error correction are applied. Furthermore, the time-varying channel characteristics is exploited by adaptively allocating the total bit budget between source coding and channel coding. Performance evaluation demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed wireless video communication system.


Our approach to a patient who fails to respond to antibiotics is as follows: First, take a careful history. Look for use of cosmetics and topical corticosteroids, anticonvulsive agents and systemic corticosteroids. Inquire about marked increases in emotional or psychological stresses accompanied by noticeable seborrhea. Probe the patient about habits of leaning on or squeezing acne areas, and most importantly, inquire how often and in what manner the patient washes. In the physical examination, look for evidence of sinus tract formation--extending, tunneling lesions with openings to the surface. Use Wood's light examination for the density of follicular fluorescence to rule out failure to properly absorb an antibiotic; fluoresce the oral mucosa to rule out failure to comply when the antibiotic is a tetracycline. Culture the surface aerobic flora on routine media with and without the antibiotic in question to settle any question of malabsorption. A systematic approach to these possibilities will usually uncover the factor or factors responsible for therapeutic failure. Clinical improvement promptly follows, once proper measures are initiated to neutralize the aggravating forces.


Objectives:To gain insight into the exact location of residual esophageal cancer in the esophageal wall and regional lymph nodes after neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) and to determine the pattern of regression. Background:Data from the recently published chemoradiotherapy for oesophageal cancer followed by surgery study trial showed that 49% of squamous cell carcinomas and 23% of adenocarcinomas had a pathologically complete response (pCR) in the resection specimen after nCRT. These results impose the ethical imperative to reconsider the necessity of esophagectomy with its substantial morbidity and mortality in patients with pCR. However, it remains challenging to accurately identify these patients before resection. Methods:Between January 2003 and July 2011, all patients with esophageal cancer in a tertiary referral center, who underwent nCRT (5 weekly courses of carboplatin and paclitaxel plus 41.4 Gy concurrent radiotherapy) and surgical resection, were analyzed. The resection specimens were carefully re-evaluated by an experienced gastrointestinal pathologist. Tumor regression grade (TRG) was meticulously scored for each specific layer of the esophageal wall and for all removed lymph nodes. Results:One hundred two consecutive patients were included. Seventy-one (70%) of 102 patients were noncomplete responders (≥TRG2) and in 63 of these patients (89%), residual tumor cells were seen in the mucosa and/or submucosa. Five of 8 patients without involvement of the mucosa and the submucosa had isolated remnants in the muscle layer (5/102 = 5%); the other 3 patients had tumor cells only in a single lymph node (3/102 = 3%). The surrounding stroma showed the highest percentage of TRG1 ( = pCR: 47%). In patients with pretreatment lymph node positivity, the percentage of TRG1 in all lymph nodes was also favorable (52%). Overall regression showed a nonrandom mixed pattern of both concentric regression and regression toward the lumen. Conclusions:After nCRT for esophageal cancer, both the mucosa and the submucosa show frequent residual malignant involvement. The surrounding stroma and the regional lymph nodes show the highest percentage of pCR and the overall regression pattern is most frequently a mixed pattern of both concentric regression and regression toward the lumen. This overall regression pattern lends support to careful testing of a wait-and-see approach in a subgroup of patients with esophageal cancer after nCRT.


Background Levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel (LICG) is for the treatment of patients with late Parkinson's disease. The treatment with LICG represents considerable costs. LICG is distributed after a defrosting procedure resulting in unusual short expiration of 8 to 10 weeks. Therefore, it is a challenge to plan and hold stock, and dispense it to the patients without the risk of exceeding the expiration. The biggest problem is the unknown patients' stock and unexpected changes in treatment. Earlier, several pharmacists kept all these records in a paper calendar which meant excessive paperwork and a high risk of dispensing LICG with too short an expiration. Purpose To assess how the semi-automatic planning system has improved control of patients' stock, how it has helped to predict patients' visits and to plan supply of LICG at the pharmacy. Material and methods For using LICG, patients need a number of medical devices. Marketing authorisation holders (MAH) have developed an automatic system for monitoring the needs and supply of those devices (Abbvie Medical Devices and Accessories Records (AMDAR)). We suggested creating a similar system for LICG and the pharmacy. Key requirements were pharmacy stock management, patients' stock management, control of expiration dates and predicting numbers of boxes needed for dispensation in the following week. Results A portal for the pharmacy has been developed. Pharmacists and physicians have gained access to new patients' records. The portal recorded: requests for LICG by physicians, date of dispensation desired by patients and patients' stock and expirations. The portal calculated the expected patient visit and calculated the pharmacy stock for the respective and following week. The current version enables sending email alerts to pharmacists when the number of cartridges changes (e.g. due to damage or changes in dosing) or when the date of predicted patient's visit does not correspond to the date desired by the patient. Alerts have saved many phone calls and no such information can be lost. Conclusion The pharmacy portal has simplified the communication between physicians and pharmacists, controls the risks of exceeded expirations and helps us predict the supply of LICG more efficiently. We believe our system might be an inspiration for similar costly or problematic medicinal products. References and/or Acknowledgements The authors thank the physicians and nurses of the Neurological Department for their valuable comments. No conflict of interest


Genomic alterations in renal cell carcinoma were investigated by DNA fingerprinting using the simple repetitive oligonucleotide probe (CAC)5. Nine of ten tumors showed somatic changes in the fingerprint pattern compared with constitutional DNA. The most consistent changes were deletions and/or decrease in intensity of a band. When using two or three samples from different parts within the tumor, up to three different cell clones could be detected. These results indicate that DNA fingerprinting analysis can be a useful technique for the study of genomic alterations and tumor heterogeneity in renal cell carcinoma. © 1993 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


The electrical control system of a 10-stand steel bar rolling mill has been modernized effectively using a new concept in the application of microprocessors. A three-level control hierarchy was installed which uses a high degree of commonality of hardware and software for levels I, II, and III of the system. The microcomputer system resulted in fast dynamic response of motor drive regulators, storage of mill setup tables, automatic calculation and presetting of mill stand and auxiliary motor speeds, and a variety of control functions. Programmed logic sequences and fault reporting were included in the same microprocessors used for dc motor speed regulation. Since these functions were combined in individual microcomputers distributed throughout the system (one per motor drive) each could be commissioned separately, simplifying and speeding the startup.


The question of the breakdown of Fermi liquid theory in two dimensions is examined in the context of perturbation theory for a dilute interacting Fermi gas. The quasiparticle interaction function, fic;u;, is calculated for such a system. The interaction function, calculated to second order in terms of the dimensionless coupling constant, shows various singularities. The most divergent terms appear in the cross channel, but cancel out leaving a much weaker singularity in the limit of two momenta approaching each other ( 0 —f 0 ). As in the case of the three dimensional Fermi gas, the Cooper channel contains a logarithmic singularity in the limit 0 —f 7r. This singularity can be summed and is known to be harmless to the structure of Fermi liquid theory. A different feature in two dimensions is the existence of such a singularity for 0 —p 0. This feature needs further investigation. Calculations have also been extended to a polarized Fermi gas and the result is equivalent to the unpolarized case and does not show any additional features. In conclusion, the results do not indicate the presence of strong divergences which could cause the breakdown of Fermi liquid theory in two dimensions for a dilute interacting Fermi gas.


The paper deals with the problem of determination of the minimum guide length of a rocket missile launcher of variable velocity. As a criterion, the oscillability of the rocket motion with respect to the mass center after leaving the launcher guides has been assumed. Investigating the equations of the rocket motion we have derived the relations from which we can determine: 1) the minimum velocity of the missile, when it leaves the launcher guides, ensuring the oscillability of variation of the angle of attack; 2) the minimum guide length which allows to obtain such a velocity.


We are currently witnessing the emerging of a new generation of software systems: Federated information systems. Their main characteristic is that they are constructed as an integrating layer over existing legacy applications and databases. They can be broadly classified in three dimensions: the degree of autonomy they allow in integrated components, the degree of heterogeneity between components they can cope with, and whether or not they support distribution. Whereas the communication and interoperation problem has come into a stage of applicable solutions over the past decade, semantic data integration has not become similarly clear. This report clarifies definitions and terms in the research area of integration of heterogeneous and distributed information systems. It gives classification criteria for such systems and particularly defines mediator-based information systems as we understand them. The definition of terms is accompanied by the identification of relevant concepts and reference architectures. We also closely relate our work to a number of other prominent classifications.


Multiple system atrophy (MSA) was a multisystem disorder usually associated with Parkinsonism, MSA-p subtype or with cerebellar ataxia, and MSA-c subtype. Respiratory insufficiency can be a part of the clinical manifestation of multiple-system atrophy. It can sometimes present as primary respiratory failure, mild motor function disturbance, or autonomic dysfunction. In this article, we present a case of a 60-year-old lady who was admitted to the intensive care unit with fever and shortness of breath of 3 days duration with an initial working diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia requiring invasive mechanical ventilation. She had a history of daytime sleepiness and gait disturbance. A thorough neurological evaluation was done to ascertain the cause of difficulty in weaning her off the ventilator. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed atrophy of bilateral superior cerebellar peduncles and pons with the "hot cross bun sign" suggestive of multiple system atrophy. Thus, a prompt neurological examination and work-up, including brain imaging, are mandated in dealing with such cases of difficult to wean patients.


The traditional planar MOSFET consisting of a silicon substrate, a highly doped polysilicon gate electrode, a gate dielectric of SiO2, and doped source and drain had been the basis of integrated circuits for over 30 years. As these traditional materials have been pushed to their limits, entirely new materials (e.g. high-κ gate dielectrics, metal gate electrodes, and III-V semiconductors), and new device structures (e.g. fin-FETs) are now required. Electrical characterization of MOS capacitors and FETs has historically been used to extract important parameters of interest (e.g. oxide thickness, interface state density). The tutorial will first review trends in advanced MOS devices and associated materials. Standard MOS capacitor and FET electrical characterization techniques (e.g. capacitance-voltage, mobility extraction) will be reviewed and issues associated with applying these techniques to the characterization of advanced MOS devices will be presented.


Powdery mildew is an important disease of rubber trees caused by Oidium heveae B. A. Steinmann. As far as we know, none of the resistance genes related to powdery mildew have been isolated from the rubber tree. There is little information available at the molecular level regarding how a rubber tree develops defense mechanisms against this pathogen. We have studied rubber tree mRNA transcripts from the resistant RRIC52 cultivar by differential display analysis. Leaves inoculated with the spores of O. heveae were collected from 0 to 120 hpi in order to identify pathogen-regulated genes at different infection stages. We identified 78 rubber tree genes that were differentially expressed during the plant–pathogen interaction. BLAST analysis for these 78 ESTs classified them into seven functional groups: cell wall and membrane pathways, transcription factor and regulatory proteins, transporters, signal transduction, phytoalexin biosynthesis, other metabolism functions, and unknown functions. The gene expression for eight of these genes was validated by qRT-PCR in both RRIC52 and the partially susceptible Reyan 7-33-97 cultivars, revealing the similar or differential changes of gene expressions between these two cultivars. This study has improved our overall understanding of the molecular mechanisms of rubber tree resistance to powdery mildew.


Some aspects of reproduction in two species of Mimagoniates, M. microlepis (Steindachner 1877) and M. rheocharis Menezes & Weitzman 1990 are herein described. Samples were taken monthly from January 1998 to February 1999 in two streams in the locality of Maquine, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Results from the analysis of hundreds of specimens of M. microlepis and M. rheocharis in two investigated sites indicated mature specimens and peaks of the gonadosomatic index (GSI) along the year. There was a negative and significant correlation between M. microlepis male's GSI and water temperature. Females of the latter species and both sexes of M. rheocharis, in turn, showed no correlation with any of the tested parameters (relative stomach weight, day length, rainfall). Absolute and relative fecundity are lower than in externally fertilized species of Characidae. Maximum oocyte length was 1.14 mm for M. microlepis and 1.02 mm for M. rheocharis and both species were characterized as total spawners based on the type of oocyte development estimated through oocyte size analysis. Features like non-seasonal reproductive period, low fecundity, and insemination may indicate adaptive advantages, which may enhance the chance of survival even with low energetic investment and improved fertilization.


In this paper, the author looks at certain areas of maintainability prediction process where missteps or misapplications most commonly occur. This research attempts to utilise the aircraft maintenance historical data and information (i.e. feedback information systems). Aircraft feedback information such as Service Difficulty Reporting System (SDRS) and Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) contains various types of information that could be used for future improvement rather than just the failure elements, as well as to help identify the critical and sensitive components that need more attention for further improvement. The study shows that the aircraft maintenance related feedback information systems analyses are very useful for deciding the maintainability effectiveness; these include planning, organizing maintenance and design improvement. There is no doubt that historical data information has the ability to contribute an important role in design activities. The results also show that maintainability is an importance measure that can be used as a guideline for managing efforts made for the improvement of aircraft components.


ABSTRACT This study examines inflectional abilities in French-speaking children with specific language impairment (SLI) using a verb elicitation task. Eleven children with SLI and age-matched controls (37–52 months) participated in the experiment. We elicited the passé composé using eight regular and eight irregular high frequency verbs matched for age of acquisition. Children with SLI showed dissimilar productive verb inflection abilities to control children (even when comparing participants with similar verb vocabularies and mean length of utterance in words). Control children showed evidence of overregularization and sensitivity to morphological structure, whereas no such effects were observed in the SLI group. Error patterns observed in the SLI group demonstrate that, at this age, they cannot produce passé composé forms in elicitation tasks, even though some participants used them spontaneously. Either context by itself might therefore be insufficient to fully evaluate productive linguistic abilities in children with SLI.


ABSTRACT 1. The potential of lecithin and lysolecithin to improve lipid digestion and growth performance was investigated in three experiments: 1. an in vitro model that mimics the intestinal conditions of the chick, 2. a digestibility trial with chicks (5–7 days of age), and 3. a performance trial until 21 days of age. 2. In experiment 1, palm oil (PO), palm oil with lecithin (PO+L), and palm oil with lysolecithin (PO+LY) were subjected to in vitro hydrolysis and applied to Caco-2 monolayers to assess lipid absorption. 3. The in vitro hydrolysis rate of triglycerides was higher in PO+LY (k = 11.76 × 103/min) than in either PO (k = 9.73 × 103/min) or PO+L (k = 8.41 × 103/min), and the absorption of monoglycerides and free fatty acids was highest (P < 0.01) for PO+LY. In experiment 2, 90 broilers were assigned to three dietary treatments: a basal diet with 4% palm oil, and the basal diet supplemented with either 250 ppm lecithin or lysolecithin. 4. ATTD of crude fat was higher in broilers supplemented with lysolecithin, but was lower in broilers supplemented with lecithin. DM digestibility and AMEn in birds supplemented with lysolecithin were significantly higher (3.03% and 0.47 MJ/kg, respectively). 5. In experiment 3, 480 broilers were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments: basal diet with soybean oil (2%), basal diet with lecithin (2%), soybean oil diet with 250 ppm lysolecithin, or lecithin oil diet with 250 ppm lysolecithin. 6. Lecithin diets significantly reduced weight at day 10 and 21 compared with soybean oil. However, the addition of lysolecithin to lecithin-containing diets significantly improved bird performance. 7. The results of these studies showed that, in contrast to lecithin, lysolecithin was able to significantly improve the digestibility and energy values of feed in young broilers.


Thymalin administration to two-week-old offspring of neurosensitized female rats prevented the development of protein synthesis disturbances in the central nervous system and the retention of conditioned reflex of passive avoidance. Thymalin injection to the offspring of intact female rats improved conditioned reflex retention and did not affect brain protein synthesis. A possible mechanism of thymalin effect in conditions of congenital neuroimmunopathology is discussed.


Summary. The present study aimed at identifying Meloidogyne species attacking coffee in Nicaragua. Eighteen isolates collected from coffee plantations across Nicaragua were identified. The study was based on perineal patterns of egg-laying females, SCAR markers and partial sequences of 18S and 28S nuclear rDNA. Two Meloidogyne species: M. exigua and M. incognita were identified and characterized. The combined sequences of 18S and 28S nuclear rDNA showed that both species were comprised of single haplotypes. Meloidogyne exigua was widespread and was isolated from all eighteen coffee plantations whereas M. incognita was identified in only one. Meloidogyne exigua has unique variable sites within the 18S and 28S rDNA regions when compared to several Meloidogyne species, including those sharing similar reproductive mechanisms. These variable sites can be used to develop new species specific SCAR markers for identification of M. exigua.


Wireless communication is facing an ever-increasing thirst for high-quality data transmission. However, this imposes high demands on the radio access networks (RAN), where optical fiber has been widely used both for the backhaul and fronthaul. However, the explosive escalation of wireless teletraffic tests the limits of the RAN's revenue vs cost trade-off, which motivates low-cost designs. Hence, we present a costefficient yet high-performance radio over fiber (RoF) aided RAN concept. We commence by introducing this motivation, followed by a brief introduction to analogue RoF (A-RoF) and digitised RoF (D-RoF), as well as to wireless multiple-input-multiple-input (MIMO) techniques. Then, we present the centralised RAN (CRAN) concept relying on A-RoF aided MIMO signal processing, where the MIMO signal is carried by fiber and it is processed optically in a central unit. Subsequently, we focus our attention on a C-RAN small-cell application followed by our performance vs cost analysis of the A-RoF system compared to that of its baseband counterparts, demonstrating that the A-RoF design is capable of reducing the RAN's total cost, whilst meeting the third generation partnership project's (3GPP) requirements.


In this study, the temperature gradient on lunar surface was simulated by deep cryogenic treatment and cryogenic thermocycling. The influence of these treatments on room and low temperature tensile properties and fracture behavior of the as-cast Mg-10Gd-3Y-0.5Zr alloy was then investigated. The results have shown that the cryogenic treatments caused the precipitation of Mg_24(Gd, Y)_5 phase and improved the ductility of the alloy. The deep cryogenic treatment almost has no influence on the tensile properties of the alloy, while the cryogenic thermocycling slightly improve its tensile properties at room temperature and slightly deteriorate the ultimate tensile strength of the alloy at low temperature. The cleavage fracture is the main fracture mechanism at both room and low temperatures. To conclude, this alloy can withstand the huge temperature gradient on the lunar surface and shows application perspective.


OBJECTIVE: To describe a patient who developed visual perception distortion after a single dose of zolpidem. CASE SUMMARY: A 50-year-old Asian woman had been prescribed conjugated estrogen 1 tablet daily for hormone replacement therapy and tricalcium phosphate twice daily for osteoporosis. One day, she took zolpidem 10 mg for insomnia as well as acetaminophen 500 mg for headache at bedtime and began to have visual perception distortion (e.g., the shapes of objects were twisted, houses were crooked) within 20 minutes, lasting for approximately 30 minutes, and then her vision returned to normal. She only partially recalled the event. She had never taken zolpidem before, and she had not had any such disturbances in the past. DISCUSSION: There have been 21 case reports of zolpidem-related psychotic symptoms in the literature; however, the exact mechanism by which zolpidem may cause visual perception changes is undetermined. Many factors have been correlated with zolpidem-induced visual experiences, such as pharmacokinetic factors, gender, age, and hypoalbuminemia. This patient shared certain similarities such as gender, dosage, and time of onset and duration of adverse reactions. CONCLUSIONS: An objective causality assessment revealed that the zolpidem-induced visual perception distortion in this patient was probable. Clinicians should be aware of the potential for visual perception distortion, as this is an uncommon adverse effect.


In this paper, we explore the influence of sharing a virtual environment with another user on the sense of embodiment in virtual reality. For this aim, we conducted an experiment where users were immersed in a virtual environment while being embodied in an anthropomorphic virtual representation of themselves. To evaluate the influence of the presence of another user, two situations were studied: either users were immersed alone, or in the company of another user. During the experiment, participants performed a virtual version of the well-known whac-a-mole game, therefore interacting with the virtual environment, while sitting at a virtual table. Our results show that users were significantly more "efficient" (i.e., faster reaction times), and accordingly more engaged, in performing the task when sharing the virtual environment, in particular for the more competitive tasks. Also, users experienced comparable levels of embodiment both when immersed alone or with another user. These results are supported by subjective questionnaires but also through behavioural responses, e.g. users reacting to the introduction of a threat towards their virtual body. Taken together, our results show that competition and shared experiences involving an avatar do not influence the sense of embodiment, but can increase user engagement. Such insights can be used by designers of virtual environments and virtual reality applications to develop more engaging applications.


Background & Objectives: The Previous studies of multidetector CT (MDCT) of the lower extremities for the detection of peripheral vascular disease showed high diagnostic accuracy but were performed with older generation systems. Our study aimed at assessing the diagnostic value of 128 MDCTA compared with that of digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in the grading of focal arterial disease of lower extremity arteries on the basis of anatomic regions. Materials & Methods: Forty-two patients with peripheral arterial occlusive diseases underwent both MDCTA and DSA. Lower extremity arteries depicted at MDCTA and DSA were graded separately for the degree of stenosis into 3 anatomic regions and 33 segments. Grading by MDCTA and DSA was done independently. Homogeneity analysis was used between MDCTA and DSA measurements in each patient. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value and negative predictive value for detection of stenotic lesions were calculated for all anatomic regions, with findings at DSA used as the reference standard. Results: No statistically significant difference (P>.05) between DSA and MDCTA was present in Aorto-iliac and poplitiofemoral regions while there was statistically significant difference (P<.05) in the infrapopliteal region. The Sensitivity, Specificity, Positive Predictive Value and Negative Predictive Value based on a reading of MDCTA were 84.3%, 93.8%, 89.4% and 90.6% for aorto-iliac 86.6%, 94.7%, 84.1% and 94.7% for poplitiofemoral and 95.7%, 86.1%, 85.6% and 95.9% for infra-popliteal region respectively. Conclusion: MDCTA is excellent alternative in diagnosing lower extremity arterial occlusive diseases above the knee. DSA remains better on illustrating distal runoff vessels.


Maf1 is a highly conserved central regulator of transcription by RNA polymerase III (Pol III), and Maf1 activity influences a wide range of phenotypes from metabolic efficiency to lifespan. Here, we present a 3.3 Å cryo-EM structure of yeast Maf1 bound to Pol III, which establishes how Maf1 achieves transcription repression. In the Maf1-bound state, Pol III elements that are involved in transcription initiation are sequestered, and the active site is sealed off due to ordering of the mobile C34 winged helix 2 domain. Specifically, the Maf1 binding site overlaps with the binding site of the Pol III transcription factor TFIIIB and DNA in the pre-initiation complex, rationalizing that binding of Maf1 and TFIIIB to Pol III are mutually exclusive. We validate our structure using variants of Maf1 with impaired transcription-inhibition activity. These results reveal the exact mechanism of Pol III inhibition by Maf1, and rationalize previous biochemical data.


Transcranial magnetic stimulation is a new technique used to stimulate brain areas as well as peripheral nerves in healthy, waking persons. To date this technique has appeared safe. The aim of the present study was to assess the clinical application of this method in patients with Bell's palsy. Electromyographic responses were elicited by electrical and magnetic transcranial stimulation of the facial nerve in 26 patients affected by Bell's palsy. Electrical stimulation: stimuli of 0.1 ms duration, and up to 15 V, were delivered through surface electrodes set 2.5 cm apart over the facial nerve at the stylomastoid foramen. Magnetic stimulation: the coil was placed tangent to the parieto-occipital surface of the scalp. The stimulus intensity was then increased stepwise until a supramaximal response was obtained. Recording: the focal recording electrode was placed ipsilateral to the side stimulated over the superior orbicularis oculi; the reference electrode was placed over the nasal bone. The patients were tested with two neurophysiological determinations: the first 15-30 days from the onset of the palsy; the second 30-60 days after the first. A clinical follow-up was performed six months after the second determination. The results indicate that, contrary to traditional electroneurography, transcranial magnetic stimulation is not able to supply useful neurophysiological indications in patients with Bell's palsy. Although the absence of compound muscle action potential upon stimulation of the side with the lesion did demonstrate some impediment to conduction, it did not have any prognostic value since it was also present in patients who were clinically well at the time of the second check-up.


Because of the increasing incidence of skin cancer, interest in using the autofluorescence of skin tissue as a noninvasive tool for early diagnosis is enforced. Focus is especially on malignant melanotic melanoma. On the basis of a newly developed method to selectively excite melanin fluorescence of skin tissue by stepwise two-photon excitation with nanosecond laser pulses at 810 nm, we have investigated information from this melanin fluorescence with respect to the differentiation of pigmented lesions. A distinct difference in the melanin fluorescence spectrum of malignant melanoma (including melanoma in situ) when compared to that of benign melanocytic lesions (i.e., common nevi) has been found for freshly excised samples as well as for histopathological samples. There is also specific fluorescence from dysplastic nevi. In this way, early detection of malignant melanoma is possible.


Value added tax (VAT) in the countries of European Union is one of the most important sources of tax revenues. During the recent financial crisis, the importance of this tax has increased significantly. Despite of the fact that VAT is the best harmonized tax in the EU, the construction of VAT in member states may significantly differ. The differences may relate to issues such as the number and the level of applicable tax rates and the range of goods and services covered by the preferential VAT rates. The aim of the article is to evaluate the functioning of VAT in the EU member states. The evaluation will be carried out with the use of the synthetic measure of development. The criteria for evaluation will be provided by performance parameters such as VAT revenue ratio (VRR) and the relation of VAT revenues to GDP. The carried out analysis will specify in which VAT works best. It will be also possible to identify the factors that determine the fiscal efficiency of this tax.


The bifurcation of theological scholarship from pastoral ministry has led to a twofold problem in contemporary church/academy relations: the theological anemia of the church, and the ecclesial anemia of theology. This essay explores these twin problems and suggests that the way forward in bridging the gap between academy and church is to reunite the pastoral vocation with the vocation of the theologian. Toward this end, the essay offers a taxonomy of three contemporary models of the pastor-theologian, examining the strengths and limitations of each. Ultimately, the paper calls for a resurrection of an all but extinct, yet historically rooted model of the pastorate—the pastor as ecclesial theologian, and challenges the emerging generations of theologians to consider the pastorate as a viable context for their future theological scholarship.


Prolonged network lifetime, scalability and efficient load balancing are essential for optimal performance of a wireless sensor network. Clustering provides an effective way of extending the lifetime of a sensor network. Clustering is the process that divides sensor networks into smaller localized group (called clusters) of members with a cluster head. Clustering protocols need to elect optimal number of clusters in hierarchically structured wireless sensor networks. Any clustering scheme that elects clusters uniformly (irrespective of the distance from Base Station) incurs excessive energy usage on clusters proximal and distant to Base Station. In single hop networks a gradual increment in the energy depletion rate is observed as the distance from the cluster head increases. This work focuses on the analysis of wasteful energy consumption within a uniform cluster head election model (EPEM) and provides an analytic solution to reduce the overall consumption of energy usage amongst the clusters elected in a wireless sensor network. A circular model of sensor network is considered, where the sensor nodes are deployed around a centrally located Base Station. The sensor network is divided into several concentric rings centred at the Base Station. A model, Unequal Probability Election Model (UEPEM), which elects cluster heads non-uniformly is proposed. The probability of cluster head election depends on the distance from the Base Station. UEPEM reduces the overall energy usage by about 21% over EPEM. The performance of UEPEM improves as the number of rings is increased.


Sic Brocklehurst et al. (Vol 106, September 1999)' ought to be congratulated for their short communication on this contentious issue and their proposed randomised trial looking at the effects of antenatal steroids on neonatal mortality and children's neurodevelopment. Prematurity is the major cause of neonatal death and antenatal corticosteroid administration is one of the main, sometimes the only positive intervention that the obstetrician is able to offer to improve the outcome of a premature infant. In 1972 Liggins and Howie' described the beneficial effects of corticosteroid administration to accelerate lung maturity in premature infants. Since then corticosteroids have been used to reduce morbidity and mortality in preterm neonates with great success. The pharmacological effects of corticosteroid treatment seem to disappear in seven days and this has prompted clinicians to use multiple doses in a bid to further its beneficial role in pulmonary maturity in the absence of clear cut proof of its efficacy. The potential risks of multiple doses of steroids are possible suppression of fetal hypothalamic adrenal axis, growth retardation or neurodevelopmental delay. Newborn infants whose mothers had received multiple corticosteroids for lung maturity, exhibited an appropriate response to external stresses such as infection, allaying the fear about fetal hypothalamic adrenal axis suppression". Animal studies have shown retardation in brain development with the use of antenatal steroids, however the animals used were small, the dosage used was higher and for prolonged duration with a shorter period of gestation4. A recent post hoc nonrandomised analysis of 710 neonates enrolled in the North American Thyrotrophin-Releasing Hormone Trial4, showed that more than two courses of antenatal steroids was associated with a small decrease in fetal growth, did not improve survival and there was no change in the head circumference. Corticosteroids are powerful regulators of differentiation and maturation in the central nervous system. They regulate maturation of oligodendrocytes and hence myelination and can alter brain development. Most studies agree that the effects of steroids correspond to their dose. Till the results of the proposed randomised trials are available obstetricians need to temper their enthusiasm for repeated administration of antenatal corticosteroids.


The paper deals with the applicability of unified machine theory to electrical machines where space harmonics can not be neglected. It is shown that there exists cases where a linear transformation can de determined to transform the set of time-depended linear differential equations for a machine at constant speed into a set of linear time-invariant differential equations, even if space harmonics are taken into considertation. A criterion for applicability is presented that involves the number of phases, the number of harmonics and the order of the harmonics that have to be considered.


Moore's law has accurately predicted roughly biennial doubling of component capacity at minimal cost for almost 50 years. Recent flash memory scaling exhibits increased density, but reduced write and read lifetimes effectively constitute an ending of Moore's law. However, new resilience techniques, including adaptive management algorithms, and storage technologies based on information theory could maintain progress for a decade or more.


BACKGROUND
The aim was to study the incidence, clinical manifestations, and prognosis of neurological complications secondary to scorpion envenomation.

MATERIAL/METHODS
A retrospective study over a 13-year period including all patients admitted to our ICU for scorpion envenomation.

RESULTS
During the period of study, 951 patients were admitted due to scorpion envenomation. Mean age was 14.7+/-17.4 years, ranging from 0.5 to 90 years. Neuromuscular signs were observed in 739 patients (78%), coma (Glasgow Coma Score 12) in 15.4% of cases, and convulsions in 6%. The other neurological signs observed were: agitation in 709 patients (74.6%), squint in 119 patients (12.5%), bilateral miosis in 43 patients (5%), and a bilateral mydriasis in 16 patients (1.7%). Brain CT was performed in 10 patients, these being abnormal in 90% of cases. In our study the presence of coma (p<0.001), convulsions (p<0.001), bilateral miosis (P<0.001), and the presence of bilateral mydriasis (P<0.001) correlated with poor outcome.

CONCLUSIONS
Neurological manifestations were often observed in severe scorpion-envenomed patients and they correlated with poor outcome. Their mechanisms are complex. Prevention is highly warranted.


We have studied the two-dimensional deterministic Eden model of aggregation for particles that interact via the long-range Coulomb repulsion. Two parameters governed the aggregation process: the screening length λ and the short-range energy E of the particle attraction to the cluster. The regions of finite and infinite cluster growth having linear X-like, ramified and compact patterns were found at the phase diagram presented as λ vs. E. The structure and fractal properties of ramified clusters were studied. We have found that all the clusters of the model do not reveal the fractal properties. In all the cases we observed the sharp transition between linear (Df = 1) and dense-branching (Df = 2) cluster.


The impact of COVID-19 on the generation of a massive corruption in developing countries (DC's) and least developed countries (LDC's) is obviously possible anytime and anywhere, but measuring such impact to get a sense of the intensity of its effects on the corruption expansion is subject to a great deal of uncertainty. As such, this paper primarily attempts to close this gap by introducing the massive corruption in times of pandemic crisis evaluation simulator (MCTPCE-Simulator), a new economic instrument that could be used to evaluate how COVID-19 crisis can generate a massive corruption. Based on five key indicators, the (MCTPCE—Simulator) considers and draws its assessment from different indicator available from our simulator. Hence, in this article, a simulation was used to illustrate the applicability of the simulator from where analyses provide a coherent evaluation how the COVID-19 can promote the country's corruption in high and middle levels.


With increasing access to antiretroviral therapy for children infected with HIV, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, better understanding of the development and maintenance of memory T- and B-cell responses to pathogens after immune reconstitution is needed to assess the risk of infection. Knowledge of long-term immune responses after starting HAART is of particular importance for policies on revaccination of HIV-infected children, who may lose protective immunity to prior infections and immunizations. We review normal development of T- and B-cell memory responses to viruses and vaccines against viral pathogens, and contrast the immunological effects of perinatal HIV transmission with HIV infection acquired later in life. We then explore the potential benefits of antiretroviral therapy and revaccination, using measles virus as a model.


During the past decades, scientists have developed different kinds of nanorobots based on various driving principles to realize controlled manipulation of them for potential applications like medical diagnosis and directed cargo delivery. In order to design a nanorobot with advantages of simple operation and precise control that can enrich the family of intelligent nanorobots, an encoding manipulation method is proposed to control the movement of a DNA‐nanoparticle assembled nanorobot by combing electrophoresis and electroosmosis effect in independently charged array nanopores. The nanorobot is composed of one nanoparticle and one or two ssDNAs. ssDNAs act as the legs of the nanorobot. The selective ion transport through charged nanopores can induce cooperation and competition between the electroosmosis and electrophoresis, which is the main power to activate the nanorobot. Thus by simply switching the applied electric field and surface charge density of each nanopore which is defined as the encoded nanopore according to a predetermined strategy, the well‐controlled encoding manipulation including capturing, releasing, jumping, and crawling of the nanorobot is realized in this work. The study is expected to realize its value in many interesting applications like drug delivery, nanosurgery, and so on in the near future.


Inflammasomes and the interleukin (IL)-1 family of cytokines are key mediators of both inflammation and immunothrombosis. Inflammasomes are responsible for the release of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18, as well as releasing tissue factor (TF), a pivotal initiator of the extrinsic coagulation cascade. Uncontrolled production of inflammatory cytokines results in what is known as a "cytokine storm" leading to hyperinflammatory disease. Cytokine storms can complicate a variety of diseases and results in hypercytokinemia, coagulopathies, tissue damage, multi-organ failure and death. Patients presenting with cytokine storm syndromes have a high mortality rate, driven in part by disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Whilst our knowledge on the factors propagating cytokine storms is increasing, how cytokine storm influences DIC remains unknown, and therefore treatments for diseases, where these aspects are a key feature are limited, with most targeting specific cytokines. Currently, no therapies target the immunothrombosis aspect of hyperinflammatory syndromes. Here we discuss how targeting the inflammasome and pyroptosis may be a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of hyperinflammation and its associated pathologies.


The Schweich Lectures of the British Academy, since their inception in 1908, have well served the purpose for which they were established, both by general surveys of aspects of Ancient Civilizations with reference to Bible Study, and by up-to-date reports of new discoveries impinging on this field. It is very timely that the Hittites should receive the attention of this series for the first time since Hogarth (Kings of the Hittites, 1924) and Cowley (The Hittites, 1918), a period when ' Hittitology ' was still in its earliest stages. It is also most appropriate that it should be the religion of the Hittites which should be selected for consideration and that Professor 0. R. Gurney should have been invited to give the lectures. The religion of the Hittites is one of the best-known aspects of their civilization, since it is such a central preoccupation of so many of the transmitted texts. Archaeological investigation of the temples and the recovery of some of the cultic paraphernalia has helped to flesh out the picture drawn from the texts, as do also representations in sculpture and glyptic. The topic has generated a substantial bibliography, as is shown by the very useful one accompanying the work under review, and many scholars of distinction have addressed themselves to general surveys of the subject, as noted below, following Gurney's system of reference. Besides one monograph now ageing (Furlani, 1936), the subject has been tackled in a number of symposia on ancient religions (Dussaud, 1945; Giiterbock, 1949; Otten, 1961 and 1964 ; Kiimmel, 1973), or by scholars within the context of their own or joint studies on the Hittites (Goetze, 1933/1957: Gurney, The Hittites (Penguin, 1952), ch. vii; Riemschneider, 1954; Gilterbock, 1964; Klengel, Die Hethiter (Leipzig, 1970), 135-72; Macqueen, 1975). At the same time, the process of publication of the new texts, the edition with commentaries of texts long known, and the completion of studies on selected themes continue apace, and these contributions accumulate with sufficient rapidity to necessitate periodic re-evaluations of the topic. The publication of Gurney's lectures a year after their delivery is thus to be welcomed both for its re-examination of links and parallels between the Hittite and Ancient Hebrew religions and for its review of the current state of knowledge of the former, including the most recent developments and advances in the general field of Hittitology. The aspects of Hittite religion handled in the three chapters (lectures) are Pantheon, Cult, and Magical Rituals, under which headings in fact the whole range of the subject can be subsumed. In the study of the Pan-


Sugar cane bagasse (SCB) was immersed either in water (B), or in sodium hydroxide solution 2% (D), or in wood ashes solution 30% (C), or was supplemented with buffers in the concentrate mixture: (sodium bicarbonate, 1,1% and magnesium oxide 0,7% of ration dry matter (DM)), to evaluate this residue for ruminant feeding, receiving diets with 30% of DM as SCB. Four rumen canulated steers were used to estimate ruminal degradability rates of DM and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of the SCB in situ, as well as DM and CP degradabilities of the cotton seed meal, using a 4 x 4 change-over design. Results showed higher DM degradabilities for SCB or treatment D, and also for NDF, but in 72 h and 96 h of incubatio times. Cotton seed meal presented similar rates of degradabilities among all treatments. Treatment D was efficient to improve SCB rumen degradability.


Genomic intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) may be associated with postsurgical relapse of localized lung adenocarcinomas. Recently, mutations, through generation of neoantigens, were shown to alter tumor immunogenicity through T-cell responses. Here, we performed sequencing of the T-cell receptor (TCR) in 45 tumor regions from 11 localized lung adenocarcinomas and observed substantial intratumor differences in T-cell density and clonality with the majority of T-cell clones restricted to individual tumor regions. TCR ITH positively correlated with predicted neoantigen ITH, suggesting that spatial differences in the T-cell repertoire may be driven by distinct neoantigens in different tumor regions. Finally, a higher degree of TCR ITH was associated with an increased risk of postsurgical relapse and shorter disease-free survival, suggesting a potential clinical significance of T-cell repertoire heterogeneity.Significance: The present study provides insights into the ITH of the T-cell repertoire in localized lung adenocarcinomas and its potential biological and clinical impact. The results suggest that T-cell repertoire ITH may be tightly associated to genomic ITH and disease relapse. Cancer Discov; 7(10); 1088-97. ©2017 AACR.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1047.


Focusing on the key problem of transformer protection malfunction caused by the inrush current, this paper analyses the transient mechanism, establishes mathematical model, studies inrush current quantitatively by derivation of equation firstly. On this basis, the simulation models of inrush current and short circuit current are established on the simulation platform PSCAD/EMTDC, the wavelet multi-resolution analysis of the two currents is adopted by using the wavelet toolbox of matlab in this paper. According to the 'higher energy' characteristic of the inrush current's waveform after wavelet transform, this paper uses db5 wavelet to extract wavelet transform energy characteristic values of inrush current and short circuit current, takes these as feature spaces of improved BP neural network pattern recognition, uses the classificatory function of neural network to distinguish inrush current and short circuit current. At last, a new reliability criterion which is simple and more easily digital applied is proposed. A lot of simulations verify that the new method proposed in this paper has the advantages of high dependability, good sensitivity and quick acting speed. The action time of protection is generally around 14ms.


Islamism is a very debated topic in the West but almost exclusively explored in its violent forms. Nevertheless, a number of "vocal radical Islamist" groups exist in the West and legally operate because of their non-violent nature. Vocal radicals continually inspire individuals and lead them towards specific goals and priorities, sometimes even towards violence. This paper uses the long-living group Hizb ut-Tahrir (HT) to explore the elements that make the organization appealing to segments of Muslim community in the West. This paper uses three agency variables - reflexive monitoring, the rationalization of action and the motivations for actions – to analyze HT's appeal vis-a-vis two other Islamist groups, Ikhwan al-Muslimun and Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), having similar goals and the same high international profile. This paper concludes that HT's uniqueness is given by its method, detailed vision of the caliphate, consistency over time and the emphasis placed on the caliphate as the leading force of HT's unchanged motivation for action.


Functional fault diagnosis is widely used in board manufacturing to ensure product quality and improve product yield. Advanced machine-learning techniques have recently been advocated for reasoning-based diagnosis; these techniques are based on the historical record of successfully repaired boards. However, traditional diagnosis systems fail to provide appropriate repair suggestions when the diagnostic logs are fragmented and some error outcomes, or syndromes, are not available during diagnosis. We describe the design of a diagnosis system that can handle missing syndromes and can be applied to four widely used machine-learning techniques. Several imputation methods are discussed and compared in terms of their effectiveness for addressing missing syndromes. Moreover, a syndrome-selection technique based on the minimum-redundancy-maximum-relevance criteria is also incorporated to further improve the efficiency of the proposed methods. Two large-scale synthetic data sets generated from the log information of complex industrial boards in volume production are used to validate the proposed diagnosis system in terms of diagnosis accuracy and training time.


The efficacy and safety of tacrine (tetrahydroaminoacridine) plus lecithin were studied in a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. Patients with probable Alzheimer's disease were selected from those attending the memory clinic at a psychiatric hospital. Of the 89 patients included, 24 were withdrawn, 19 because of side-effects, 4 with other illnesses, and 1 for non-compliance. The active treatment was the maximum tolerated dose of tacrine up to 150 mg daily plus 10.8 g lecithin daily. Patients were randomly assigned to active or placebo treatment and crossed over after 13 weeks' treatment and 4 weeks' washout to the other treatment. The main outcome measures were the mini mental state examination (MMSE), the abbreviated mental test score (AMTS), and the carer's rating of the activities of daily living scale. Analysis for the 65 patients who completed the trial showed a significant beneficial effect of tacrine over placebo in the MMSE score (p less than 0.0001; 95% confidence interval for group change on tacrine over that on placebo 1.67-3.71); 29 (45%) patients showed an improvement of 3 or more points on tacrine compared with 7 (11%) during placebo. The findings with the AMTS were similar (p = 0.0001; 95% CI 0.36-1.38) but the ADL score showed no significant treatment effect. There was substantial variation in response among the subjects. Dose-dependent rises in serum liver enzymes were common but reversible. Tacrine produced an improvement in key outcome measures roughly equivalent to the deterioration which might have occurred over 6-12 months. The clinical relevance of the findings is a matter for individual judgment.


In the Ghanaian Akan tradition, many proverbial sayings and phraseologies are knotty statements which are viewed as vehicle for communicating belief systems, values, prescribed and proscribed attitudes and behaviours of people at personal, groups or societal levels. Proverbs are mostly crafted from human experiences and insights and have been viewed over the years as a repository of social norms and values as well as an embodiment of culture and tradition which are potentially applicable in various settings in society. In the extant literature, however, not much, is known about the extent to which these proverbial sayings are applicable to corporate settings, although these proverbs appear to offer explanations for contemporary corporate human resource concepts, principles and practices. To address this gap, this paper: identifies some Ghanaian Akan proverbs and categorizes them into major themes; draws-out explanations from these proverbs and demonstrate their explanatory power for some key human resource (HR) principles and corporate values such as team work, training and development, retirement planning, organizational ethics and safety. The paper concludes with ardent appeal for the advancement of knowledge especially in Africa through "Academic Domestication". Keywords: Ghanaian Akan proverbs, corporate values, human resource principles, academic domestication, Ghana


Amperometric chemical sensing systems implemented in deep-submicron processes can meet the dimensional and functional requirements for bio-implantable and remote sensing applications. The low-voltage nature of these processes, however, limits the functionality of the sensor's electronic interface, the potentiostat. A new, fully-differential (FD) potentiostat that mitigates these problems is presented. The FD potentiostat was implemented in TSMC's 0.18 /spl mu/m CMOS process and experimentally verified. The circuit maintains full functionality while operating at half the supply voltage of standard architectures. Analytes of biological and environmental importance are chemically analyzed using the FD potentiostat. Results indicate that the FD potentiostat enables system-on-chip sensor technology which may one day lead to pervasive sensing.


Late in the life of the Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) process, it has become common practice to drill a single, horizontal infill well (called a "Wedge Well™" by some) in the oil bank located between two mature SAGD well pairs to produce the bitumen that has been heated and mobilized but is unable to be effectively drained by gravity given the largely lateral location relative to that of the SAGD producers. Since this oil bank is surrounded by the large, depleted steam chamber created by the existing well pairs, it requires little heat to mobilize bitumen. One of the challenges, however, in producing infill wells is that non-uniform drainage and local hot spots can be readily created in the first year of their operation, that in many cases require completion retrofits, such as with Flow Control Devices (FCDs), to improve the drainage profile. Installation of FCDs in these wells is quite challenging since the dynamics of the infill wells is changing with time and there is limited time to achieve conformance.
 To maintain pressure in SAGD chambers the common practice is to inject non-condensable gas (NCG). NCGs, such as methane, which is most common, do not condense in the steam chamber. Some of these NCG can short-cut into the infill through the existing hot-spot. The main reason is that the hot sections of infills are locations that are closer to the SAGD steam chamber, and due to steam condensate encroachment and higher mobility create a pathway for NCG breakthrough. FCDs are designed to promote a more uniform flux distribution along the producer, and exposure to NCG can change the impact of the FCDs. The true hot-spot temperature after NCG injection is decreasing and this can be mistaken as FCD efficiency and steam blocking. In reality, this temperature reduction is due to partial pressure effects associated with NCG encroachment. In this study, a new thermodynamic model is created to explain the NCG encroachment into infill wells, and a new temperature profile along the producer as a function of NCG breakthrough is calculated. The purpose of this work is to create a productivity index (PI) relationship that is fit for purpose for infill wells adjacent to SAGD well-pairs with NCG breakthrough that can primarily be used for analysis and optimization of SAGD FCD completions. This model can also be used to evaluate FCD performance in infill wells pre- and post- NCG breakthrough.


Introduction: The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) became a global pandemic in 2019. Some studies have shown that the virus can cause a higher mortality in people with weakened immune systems, such as the elderly, those taking immunosuppressive drugs, and those with underlying disorders, than in the general population. Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic disorders who received biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). The effect of precautionary self-isolation in these patients was also determined. Patients and Methods: This descriptive study involved 200 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and multiple sclerosis (MS) who were treated with biologic DMARDs. Patients with symptoms of the coronavirus infection were invited to have a COVID-19 test that involved a COVID-19 IgG antibody test or a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test (i.e., nasal swab). Additionally, patients were asked about their precautionary self-isolation status during this period. Results: The mean age of the patients was 51.29 years ± 13.38 years. The ratio of males to females was 27 to 173. Of the 200 patients included in the study, 156 (78%) had RA, 10 (5%) had SLE, and 34 (17%) had MS. Seventy-five percent of the patients used rituximab. Ten patients (5%) were symptomatic of COVID-19, although only four patients had a definitive diagnosis of the disease. All patients who were symptomatic of COVID-19 took rituximab. Ten percent of patients who did not observe the precautionary self-isolation period were diagnosed with COVID-19. Conclusion: Patients who receive biologic DMARDs have a lower risk of developing COVID-19 and a lower risk of mortality from the disease than the general population.


[PURPOSE] The purposes of this study were to evaluate the effectiveness of a 12-week virtual reality exercise program designed around the Nintendo Wii(Wii), in improving Alzheimer's dementia patients' memories. [METHODS] 30 Alzheimer dementia patients were randomly assigned in to the experimental group(n=15) and control group(n=15). All subjects performed a routine cognitive therapy and, besides, experimental group performed three 40-minute Wii-exercise intervention sessions per week, for 12 weeks. Before and after the Wii intervention, subjects' cognitive functions were evaluated using the Cognitive Assessment Reference Diagnosis System (CARDS) and Mini-Mental State Examination-Korea (MMSE-K) test. Statistical significance was tested within and between each group before and after treatment by Wilcoxon signed rank test and Mann-Whitney U test. [RESULTS] Among the CARDS scores of the subjects who received Wii-exercise, the scores of the delayed 10-word list, delayed 10-object list, recognition 10-object, and recent memory significantly increased after intervention compared to those before intervention(p<.01). In addition, among the MMSE-K items, the orientation, registration, and recall showed significant increases in the experimental group(p<.05). The control group saw no statistically significant change. There was a statistically significant CARDS and MMSE-K score differences after intervention between the groups(p<.05). 76.9% of experimental group responded positively when asked if they would like to continue using the Wii-game in the future. [CONCLUSIONS] These suggest that a virtual reality exercise program using the Wii-game, is effective in delaying memory deterioration and improving cognitive function of elderly people with Alzheimer dementia.


Objectives Video-assisted thoracoscopic (VATS) lobectomy is considered a promising surgical therapy for the diagnosis and treatment of non–small-cell lung carcinoma. The issue of whether VATS is superior to open thoracotomy remains controversial, however. We sought to determine whether the use of VATS lobectomy for diagnosing and treating non–small-cell lung carcinoma would improve patient outcomes at our institution. Methods A retrospective review of electronic and paper medical charts identified 109 consecutive operations for all patients undergoing thoracotomy or VATS lobectomy performed at the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center for fiscal years 2013 and 2014. Variables of interest included operative procedure (thoracotomy vs VATS) and operative findings (pathologic stage, operative time, postoperative length of stay [LOS], time spent in the intensive care unit, postoperative complications, direct cost). Results The demographic characteristics of the patients of both groups were similar in terms of sex (64.6% vs 44.3% male) and age (62.4 vs 61.6 years), but not stage, which was higher in the thoracotomy group. The overall operative procedure time (170.6 vs 196.3 minutes), postoperative LOS (5.7 vs 5.5 days), number of lymph nodes sampled (6.2 vs 7.0), and time spent in the intensive care unit (2.1 vs 2.4 days) did not vary between both groups. The average cost per procedure did not vary significantly—$14,003.61 compared with $15,588.11 for thoracotomy and VATS, respectively. Conclusions In our study, the VATS group was associated with no reduction in postoperative LOS and a nonsignificant reduction in the amount of time spent in the intensive care unit. Postoperative perception of pain did not vary between either group. Pain perception did, however, correlate strongly with time from operation. Cost did not vary significantly between both groups, with VATS being equivalent to thoracotomy in terms of cost at our institution. In our experience, VATS is an effective, minimally invasive, and safe approach for the resection of lung nodules.


5 ABSTRACT Aim: To analyze how hospital nurses assess the training of nursing technicians by curricular references. Method: This was an exploratory, cross-sectional survey with a quantitative approach, conducted in two hospitals in a town in the countryside of the state of Sao Paulo, with 42 nurses, 17 in a private hospital and 25 in a public hospital. Participants answered a structured questionnaire using the Likert Scale from December 2013 and March 2014. Results: For 73%, the profile of trained nursing technicians did not meet the expectations of nurses and 90% understand that the process of teaching theoretical and practical learning and internships should be modified; for 68%, the professional's ethical commitment is precarious; 86% understand that the drafting of a political pedagogical project should involve hospitals; learning content, for 75%, should be revised to meet the current reality of the hospitals; in the category of evaluation, 75% understand that they should be stricter; 62% believe that we need to better qualify teachers and internship supervisors; and 68% claim that the workload of internships should be expanded. The average of 34.5% understand that the skills described in the references are satisfactory, while 45.9% believe that they are poor and 12.1% claim that they are inadequate. It can therefore be concluded that, in the evaluation of the participants, the design of the course, the articulation of theory with practice, and teacher and internship supervisor education need to move more towards qualifying the skills of nursing technicians as regards nursing care in hospitals.


Powerful personal devices provide the basis for Ad hoc networking among mobile users. Delay tolerant Networking (DTN) enables such communication in spite of low node density—to reach an infrastructure network as well as for direct information exchange between peers. Numerous DTN routing protocols have been developed, and their analysis has shown different performance depending on the (human) mobility assumed—ranging from simple to complex mobility models to a variety of real-world traces. Most of the routing protocols in DTN assume that the buffer size and bandwidth to be infinite but these resources are limited in realistic environment. In this paper, we propose a new approach for improving the performance of Delay Tolerant Networks that can optimize the average delivery ratio. our proposal derives utility value of the message for the given metric when decision on transmission is to be taken. Simulation results show that our approach significantly optimizes the performance of DTN for limited resources.


The facial and long bones have distinct developmental origins, structures, and cellular compositions. This study aimed to compare the in vitro responses of human mandible and long bone osteoblasts to low‐magnitude, high‐frequency (LMHF) mechanical vibration in terms of expression of mediators of bone remodeling. Osteoblast‐like cell cultures were prepared from iliac crest and mandibular bone specimens from three individuals and cultured in osteogenic induction media. Induction of mature osteoblastic phenotypes was confirmed by analysis of DNA content, alkaline phosphatase activity and gene expression every 3 days for 27 days. Based on gene expression, mature osteoblasts formed by day 15 of induction culture. After 15 days of culture in induction media, mature osteoblasts were subjected to vibration (0, 30, or 60 Hz) for 30 min every 24 h. After 48 h, RANKL, OPG, IL‐1β, IL‐6 and TGF‐β gene, and protein expression were determined by real‐time PCR analysis of total cellular mRNA and ELISAs of the cell supernatants. Both iliac and mandible osteoblasts responded to LMHF vibration: IL‐1β and RANKL mRNA were downregulated and IL‐6 mRNA was upregulated. However, TGF‐ β mRNA was unaltered and OPG mRNA was upregulated in iliac osteoblasts, whereas both TGF‐β and OPG mRNA were downregulated in mandible osteoblasts. As a result, LMHF reduced the RANKL/OPG mRNA ratio in iliac osteoblasts but did not alter the RANKL/OPG mRNA ratio in mandible osteoblasts. This study suggests mature iliac osteoblasts exhibit a more potent anti‐resorptive response to vibration, while this tendency was not obviously apparent in mature mandible osteoblasts.


The interplay between single electron tunneling effects and the discrete molecular levels of C60 molecules is studied using scanning tunneling microscopy. Isolated C60 molecules were deposited onto a gold substrate, covered by a thin insulating layer. The tunneling current–voltage characteristics of isolated molecules, both at room temperature and at 4.2 K, exhibit rich structures, resulting from the interplay between charging effects and the electronic spectrum. In particular, we observe degeneracy lifting within the C60 molecular orbitals, probably due to the Jahn–Teller effect and local electric fields.


The effects of a disulfide reducing agent and sulfhydryl blocking agents on the biotinidase activity in human serum and on the purified biotinidase have been extensively studied by using a newly developed HPLC assay method. This HPLC method directly measures the product (p-aminobenzoate, PAB), and is not interfered with by sulfhydryl-reactive agents. Further, because the substrate solution of this HPLC assay method contains only substrate (biotin 4-amidobenzoate) and phosphate buffer, accurate studies on the effects of sulfhydryl blocking reagents on the purified enzyme could be performed. Biotinidase activities in human sera (n = 83) were always enhanced by 2-mercaptoethanol (ME). The optimum concentration was found to be 1 mM. The degree of activation was variable (100 to 400% of the original) depending on the serum sample. Sulfhydryl blocking reagents such as organic mercurials were tested on fresh serum and purified enzyme. Mercuric agents were found to inhibit the activity of fresh serum and purified enzyme at 0.05 and 0.005 mM, respectively. Sulfhydryl alkylating agents, N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) and dithiobis(2-nitro)benzoic acid (DTNB), inhibited 100 and 64% of the activity of the purified enzyme at 0.1 and 1.0 mM, respectively. However, lower concentrations (less than 5 nM) of organic mercurials and mercuric ion exhibited a slight enhancement (20-30%) of the activity of the purified enzyme. These results indicate the presence of an essential sulfhydryl residue at the active center. The enzyme contains 2.5 sulfhydryls per molecule, as determined by using Ellman's assay method. Serine protease inhibitors such as phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) and diisopropylfluorophosphate (DFP) did not inhibit the enzyme activity at 0.05 mM or higher concentration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Over the last few years we have seen packaging gradually develop from primarily an informational tool, into the experiential instrument it has become in today's retail landscape.