BACKGROUND
Identifying older adults at risk of cognitive decline represents a challenge as Alzheimer's disease (AD) modifying therapies move toward preclinical stages.

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relationship between AD biomarkers and subsequent change in cognition in a cohort of cognitively intact older adults.

METHODS
84 cognitively normal subjects (mean age 72.0 years, 59% women) were recruited through the Massachusetts Alzheimer's Disease Research Center and the Harvard Aging Brain Study and followed over 3 years. Measurements of amyloid-β 1-42 (Aβ42), total Tau (t-Tau), and Tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (p-Tau181) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) at study entry were available in all cases. Baseline brain MRI, FDG-PET, and PiB-PET data were available in the majority of participants. Relationship between baseline AD biomarkers and longitudinal change in cognition was assessed using Cox proportional hazard regression and linear mixed models.

RESULTS
14% participants increased their global Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) score from 0 to 0.5 during follow-up. A CDR score increase was associated with higher baseline CSF t-Tau and p-Tau181, higher global cortical PiB retention, and lower hippocampal volume. The combination of high CSF t-Tau and low Aβ42 or low hippocampal volume was more strongly related to cognitive outcome than each single biomarker. Higher CSF t-Tau was the only biomarker associated with subsequent decline in MMSE score.

CONCLUSIONS
Baseline CSF t-Tau and p-Tau181, in vivo amyloid load, and hippocampal volume were all independently associated with future decline in cognition. The discriminatory ability of these biomarkers to predict risk of cognitive decline, however, was only modest.


The main objective of this article was to determine the effectiveness of a web map GUI (Graphical User Interface) layout designed specifically for desktop monitors and smartphones. A suitable design of buttons for the graphical user interface is vital for the effectiveness of web maps. This article presents a study of three rules that prevail in GUI map design in terms of responsiveness, which was analyzed on two devices: a smartphone and a PC screen. The GUI effectiveness study, based on six variants of web maps, was conducted by means of eye-tracking on a group of 120 participants. An additional goal was to find an index (based on eye movements, mouse tracking, and time) that would be assessing the effectiveness of the GUI layout on both devices. The main motivation for conducting the research described in the article was the desire to find a synthetic measure based on more than one factor (time) in the context of determining the effectiveness of the GUI.


INTRODUCTION
Colorectal carcinoma (CC) may begin as benign polyps, which may be classified in different histological types with a different risk to develop cancer. Matrix metalloproteases (MMPs) are able to degrade all components in the extracellular matrix and are important tissue-remodeling enzymes and key elements in tumor invasion and metastasis. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression and clinical relevance of MMPs in different histological types of colorectal polyps.

METHODS
The expression levels of MMP-1, 2, 7, 9, 11, 13 and 14 were analyzed by real-time PCR, Western-blot and immunohistochemistry in 50 patients with different histological types of colorectal polyps, 28 of which developed CC.

RESULTS
The results indicate that hyperplastic polyps had the lowest levels of MMP-1 and MMP-7, tubular polyps showed higher levels of both MMP-7 and MMP-14, and tubulovillous adenoma showed higher levels of MMP-1, MMP-7 and MMP-14.

CONCLUSION
MMP expression was decreased in hyperplastic, tubular and tubulovillous adenoma polyps from patients who developed CC. Our findings suggest that MMP expression may be a pathological marker of colorectal polyps and for cancer susceptibility, which may improve strategies for CC prevention based on screening colonoscopy.


BACKGROUND
Nucleation from supersaturated bile of calcium salts of cholesterol and bilirubinate is essential in the formation of gallstone. Nucleation requires gallbladder mucin and its main component, glycoprotein, may contribute to gallstone formation by providing a nidus or matrix for precipitation of lipid components. However, biliary protein patterns of patients with gallstones have not been completely explored.

METHODS
We have tried to extract, isolate and characterize the proteins in patients with gallstones and without gallstones. 21 bile samples were obtained from patients with different types of gallstones and with no stones at cholecystectomy. Biliary protein concentrations were measured by Lowry and Bensadoun methods, and individual glycoproteins from each of the patients were compared by silver staining and densimetric quantification of Sodium Dodesyl Sulfate Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis.

RESULTS
1) Among 16 gallstones, 5 were cholesterol stones, 5 were calcium bilirubinate stones, and 6 were black pigment stones. 2) The mean protein concentration was highest in bile with cholesterol stones (47.6 mg/ml), 24.2 mg% in bile without gallstones, and 15.9 mg/ml in brown pigment stones. 3) Cholesterol gallstones were found to have 14.2 KD glycoproteins, whereas pigment stones were found to have 66 KD glycoproteins.

CONCLUSIONS
Gallbladder proteins from both cholesterol and pigment stones play an important role in the nucleation and growth of calcium salt crystals.


In horticulture and floriculture, plants are predominantly propagated vegetatively from stem cuttings. Consequently, the success of propagation depends on a plant's capacity to form adventitious roots (AR) at the basal part of the cutting, and AR formation depends on the interaction between flavonoids and plant hormones in the basal part. In ornamental plants, flavonoid accumulation is important for flower color and can interact with plant hormone activity. In this study, we used an aeroponic system to culture two Campanula portenschlagiana genotypes contrasting in flower color to estimate cultivar differences in AR formation, flavonoid concentrations, and hormone composition. We found a greater accumulation of flavonols and flavones in petals in a blue-flowered genotype than in a white-flowered genotype. The blue-flowered genotype also accumulated more flavonols and flavones in the basal part of cuttings and showed better AR formation. The better AR formation in the blue-colored genotype was related to a greater accumulation of auxin and a lower accumulation of ABA in the basal part of the cuttings. In conclusion, higher flavonoid levels in the basal part of cuttings may interact with hormone action to affect excision-induced AR formation during the vegetative propagation of Campanula.


TCSC has been proposed to enhance the voltage stability by changing the reactive power distribution in the power system. The authors have discussed the effect of TCSC on steady state voltage stability and small-signal voltage stability. This paper discusses the TCSC's enhancement on transient voltage stability. A TCSC model that is suitable for transient voltage stability analysis is proposed. This model is tested on a multi-machine system including all the key elements relevant to system voltage performance. The simulation shows that angle-stability-enhancement-like TCSC controllers offer little help for certain transient voltage stability crises. Based on this analysis, a new TCSC controller is proposed and proved to enhance the transient voltage stability.


This paper is conducted for identifying the parasite which collected during regular routine inspection for the hygienic condition and health status of fish in 2019 at the central fish market shops at Jubail city, Saudi Arabia. Samples from an orange spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides) fish showed heavy black streaks between the muscle fibers that was considered unmarketable and rejected by the consumer after had been cut and prepared for sealing. The black discolorations were in the form of heavy diffused focal black spots or forming threads of variable sizes embedded in the entire whole-body musculature of the fish. These samples were subjected to parasitological and pathological evaluation. The parasitological examination of the affected muscular tissues revealed Huffmanela spp. eggs infection. The parasitic infestation was identified on the bases of the morphological and ultra-structural characters of the eggs. The histopatholgical investigation of the dark discoloration of the muscular tissues showed severe diffused multifocal granulomatous myositis reactions in the form of chronic inflammatory response accompanied with fibrous connective tissue proliferation around the eggs and larvae together with lymphocytes and macrophages aggregation. Muscular necrosis, edema and evidence of muscular regeneration were also noticed. In conclusion; this case report confirmed the occurrence of Huffmanela spp. infection in the muscles of Epinephelus coioides by using light and scanning electron microscopy.Further molecular assessment is recommended.


Simple and sensitive spectrophotometric methods were described for the determination of cyclopentolate (CPH) and naphazoline hydrochlorides (NPZ) drugs in pure form and in pharmaceutical preparations based on ion pair and charge transfer complexation reactions, respectively. The first method is based on the reaction of the CPH drug with Mo(V)-thiocyanate in hydrochloric acid medium and dyestuff reagents namely bromophenol blue (BPB), bromocresol green (BCG) and bromocresol purple (BCP). The ion pair complexes formed were quantitatively extracted into dichloroethane, chloroform and methylene chloride in case of Mo(V)-thiocyanate, BPB, and BCP reagents, respectively. The second method is based on charge transfer complex formation between NPZ (electron donor) and TCNQ (π-acceptor reagent). All the experimental variables were optimized. The calibration graphs are rectilinear in the concentration ranges 5.00-250.0, 0.93-56.07, 0.93-56.07 and 1.86-56.07 μg mL -1 for CPH using Mo(V)-thiocyanate, BPB, BCG and BCP reagents, respectively, and 2.00-240.0 μg mL -1 for NPZ using TCNQ reagent. The Sandell sensitivity (S), molar absorptivity, correlation coefficient and regression equations were calculated. The limits of detection (LOD =5.54, 0.51, 0.32, 0.54 and 3.19 using Mo(V)-thiocyanate, BPB, BCG ,BCP and TCNQ reagents, respectively) and limits of quantification (LOQ = 7.55, 1.70, 1.05, 1.80 and 5.60 using Mo(V)-thiocyanate, BPB, BCG , BCP and TCNQ reagents, respectively) are calculated. The law values of standard deviation and relative standard deviation reflect the accuracy and precision of the proposed methods. The two methods can be applied to the analysis of the two drugs in eye drops, with no evidence of interference from excipients. There was no significant difference between each of the two methods and the official one.


Growth of fertilized mouse eggs treated with acetylspiramycin (ASPM) for 24 hours in their diplophase and octaplophase was observed morphologically. Changes in function of the fertilized cells in growth process were also examined, determining cell counts, mitotic index, and sister chromatid exchange as indices. These indices were all inhibited after treatment with ASPM. However, it seems that the effect was induced by H2SO4 which was used as solvent rather than by ASPM because growth inhibition and functional changes of cells were also caused by H2SO4. Therefore, it is thought that ASPM, at the concentration of 3-10 microgram/ml, has little effect on the development of fertilized eggs.


IEEE 802.16 OFDMA (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access) technology has emerged as a promising technology for broadband access in a Wireless Metropolitan Area Network (WMAN) environment. In this paper, we address the problem of queueing theoretic performance modeling and analysis of OFDMA under broad-band wireless networks. We consider a single-cell IEEE 802.16 environment in which the base station allocates subchannels to the subscriber stations in its coverage area. The subchannels allocated to a subscriber station are shared by multiple connections at that subscriber station. To ensure the Quality of Service (QoS) performances, a Connection Admission Control (CAC) scheme is considered at a subscriber station. A queueing analytical framework for these admission control schemes is presented considering OFDMA-based transmission at the physical layer. Then, based on the queueing model, both the connection-level and the packet-level performances are studied and compared with their analogues in the case without CAC. The connection arrival is modeled by a Poisson process and the packet arrival for a connection by a two-state Markov Modulated Poisson Process (MMPP). We determine analytically and numerically different performance parameters, such as connection blocking probability, average number of ongoing connections, average queue length, packet dropping probability, queue throughput and average packet delay.


We present a method for near-field analysis of ultrashort optical pulse propagation in periodic structures-including subwavelength and resonant grating structures-based on the integration of Fourier spectrum decomposition and rigorous coupled-wave analysis (RCWA). We discuss the spectral decomposition, including considerations for computational efficiency, the application of the RCWA method to compute the internal and external fields of the structure, and the synthesis of the resulting fields to obtain the time-domain solution. We apply this tool to the analysis of two photonic structures: (1) a nanostructured polarization-selective mirror that exhibits the desired broadband performance characteristics when operated at the design wavelength but yields strongly diminished polarization selectivity and modulation of the pulse envelope at an offset wave-length and (2) a two-mode coupled waveguide structure that produces from one incident pulse two transmitted pulses whose temporal separation depends on the waveguide geometry. In both examples, we apply our new modeling tool to investigate the near fields and find that near-field effects are critical in determining the performance characteristics of nanostructured devices. Furthermore, detailed observation and understanding of near-field phenomena in nanostructures may be applied to the design of novel photonic devices.


This study aim to design English speaking materials needed for students of class XI SMA N 1 Kerajaan. This study was conducted by using Research and Development (R & D) design through six stages; gathering information and data, analyzing data, designing materials, validating by experts, revising, and final product. The subject of this study were students of class XI consisting of 20 students. The instruments for collecting the data were questionnaire and interview. After analyzing the data, the writer got the students' needs. The data were gathered by administering interview to the English teacher and distributing the questionnaire to 20 respondents to get the students' needs. The interview and questionnaire result of the needs analysis showed that the students needed materials for speaking which were attractive and interesting and based on their social life context. Thus, the learning materials were developed into 6 of speaking material. By two experts; English lecturer and English teacher. The average scores are 4,7 or 95% from English Lecturer and 4,5 or 90% from English Teacher. It means the developing materials categorized as relevant, thus, it can be concluded that contextual teaching and learning speaking materials had been appropriated for grade XI students of Senior High School.Key words: Research and Development (R & D), Speaking materials, Contextual Teaching and  Learning


An ultra compact triplexing filter was designed based on a silicon on insulator (SOI) nanowire arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) for fiber-to-the-home FTTH. The simulation results revealed that the design performed well in the sense of having a good triplexing function. The designed SOI nanowire AWGs were fabricated using ultraviolet lithography and induced coupler plasma etching. The experimental results showed that the crosstalk was less than −15 dB, and the 3 dB-bandwidth was 11.04 nm. The peak wavelength output from ports a, c, and b were 1455, 1510 and 1300 nm, respectively, which deviated from our original expectations. The deviation of the wavelength is mainly caused by 45 nm width deviation of the arrayed waveguides during the course of the fabrication process and partly caused by material dispersion.


The phenomenon of plasmon resonance in ellipsoidal nanoparticles with shells is considered. Based on the geometrical sizes of a nanoparticle and its components, the theory is developed which allows the calculation of absorption spectra. Using the Maxwell — Garnett theory, a collective plasmon resonance is considered, which represents a nonlinear dependence of the plasmon frequency on the concentration of nanoparticles.


The aerodynamic design and analysis on advanced propeller with blade sweep was performed for recent turboprop aircraft. HS1 airfoil series are selected as a advanced propeller blade airfoil. Adkins method is used for aerodynamic design and performance analysis with respect to the design point. Adkins method is based on the vortex-blade element theory which design the propeller to satisfy the condition for minimum energy loss. Propeller geometry is generated by varying chord length and pitch angle at design point of target aircraft. Advanced propeller is designed by apply the modified chord length, the tip sweep which is based on the geometry of conventional propeller. The aerodynamic characteristics of the designed Advanced propeller were verified by CFD(Computational Fluid Dynamic) and evaluated to be properly designed.


In the National Health Insurance (JKN), drug governance have to implement quality control and cost control. The Government has published the National Formulary (FORNAS) as quality control and e-catalogue as price control. FORNAS and e-catalogue are expected to minimize corruption practices in drug prescription and drug procurement. Quality and cost effective drugs have been selected in FORNAS. Use of drug and restrictions are also regulated for each level of health facilities to avoid irrational using. FORNAS is expected to reduce corruption by eliminating bribery/gratification practices to doctors/hospitals by pharmaceutical companies. On the other hand, the corruption holes in the procurement are tried to be reduced through the e-catalogue system. A number of drugs needed have been tendered and negotiated by LKPP at the best price in e-catalogue. Health facilities can carry out drug procurement quickly and transparently without auction process. But in the process of applying FORNAS and e-catalogue as quality control, cost control and to minimize corruption, there are still problems that have not yet been able to reach their goals optimally. Mismatch number of drugs and item of drugs in FORNAS and e-catalogue, differences of drug lists in FORNAS with the Clinical Practice Guidelines (PPK), the absence of rules governing the minimum percentage of FORNAS in Hospital formularies, delays in drug display processes in e-catalogs and weaknesses in e-catalogue application is a series of problems that still hamper FORNAS and e-catalogue as solutions to prevent corruption in JKN drug governance. Relevant agencies (Ministry of Health and LKPP) need to make improvements in the form of regulations that encourage FORNAS compliance at each of the health facility level, fulfillment of FORNAS drug items in e-catalogue, availability of FORNAS in e-catalogue in early year and improvement of e-catalogue application features.


Some of the cytokines and growth factors in the aqueous humor activate Rho, and the Rho/ROCK signal transduction participates in signaling pathways via rearrangement of actin cytoskeleton that leads to various cellular reactions. In a previous study, we demonstrated that a selective ROCK inhibitor significantly reduced intraocular pressure, the mechanism of which was attributed to improved outflow. ROCK inhibitors induced the actomyosin assembly, cell adhesive interactions, and the expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins in cultured TM cells. The inhibition of Rho also has been implicated in pathological wound healing by regulating neovascularization, migration, and ECM in scar tissue. In this study, we investigated the role of ROCK inhibitor in regulating human Tenon fibroblast (HTF) activity and postoperative scar formation in a rabbit sclerostomy model. ROCK inhibitor showed decreased aSMA expression in HTF, and prevented enhanced contractility, assembly of actin stress fibers, and myofibroblastic transdifferentiation. In vivo sclerostomy studies showed that the bleb survival was significantly improved in ROCK inhibitor-treated eyes. In another study by us, ROCK inhibitor showed neuroprotective effects against rat retinal ischemia reperfusion injury. Collectively, ROCK inhibitors are thus a potential new strategy for developing medical therapy for glaucomatous dis-


Knowledge graph is a new method which is used to describe and model natural language or human language. A word is a basic unit of natural language processing. Word graph is a graph which has connected structure of words. Ontology between word and token in word graph is represented by a node, 8 binary relationships, 4 frame relationships, and a focus. In this research, a system to construct a word graph from Indonesian text is developed. The software was initially developed by Mark van Koningsveld, which is called DelftCoStruct. On the previous version, knowledge graph method is not fully implemented. The first step in this research is analyzing the outline description and the requirement system. There are three principal requirements: formation and modification of word graph, analyzing text in word graph, and saving the dictionary capabilities. The second step in this research is designing specification system. The third step is developing and implementing the system designed. And the last step is validating system, to ensuring that all the requirements is fully implemented on this system.


Diapause is a state of developmental arrest adopted in response to or in anticipation of environmental conditions that are unfavorable for growth. In many cases, diapause is facultative, such that animals may undergo either a diapause or a non-diapause developmental trajectory, depending on environmental cues. Diapause is characterized by enhanced stress resistance, reduced metabolism, and increased longevity. The ability to postpone reproduction until suitable conditions are found is important to the survival of many animals, and both vertebrate and invertebrate species can undergo diapause. The decision to enter diapause occurs at the level of the whole animal, and thus hormonal signaling pathways are common regulators of the diapause decision. Unlike other types of developmental arrest, diapause is programmed, such that the diapause developmental trajectory includes a pre-diapause preparatory phase, diapause itself, recovery from diapause, and post-diapause development. Therefore, developmental pathways are profoundly affected by diapause. Here, I review two conserved hormonal pathways, insulin/IGF signaling (IIS) and nuclear hormone receptor signaling (NHR), and their role in regulating diapause across three animal phyla. Specifically, the species reviewed are Austrofundulus limnaeus and Nothobranchius furzeri annual killifishes, Caenorhabditis elegans nematodes, and insect species including Drosophila melanogaster, Culex pipiens, and Bombyx mori. In addition, the developmental changes that occur as a result of diapause are discussed, with a focus on how IIS and NHR pathways interact with core developmental pathways in C. elegans larvae that undergo diapause.


Location of the static VAR compensator (SVC) and other types of shunt compensation devices is important for the enhancement of the voltage stability for practical power systems. With the theory of the normal forms of diffeomorphism, this paper proposes a new method to solve this problem. The proposed method makes use of the nonlinear participation factors, in which the nonlinearity of power systems can be taken into consideration. As a result, the most suitable location where the SVC should be used in power system can be determined, even for the cases in which the system is characterized with strong nonlinearity. In order to show the effectiveness of the proposed method, the New England 39-bus power system with SVC is used as an example. Calculation results show that with the SVC located at the place where the proposed method determined, the voltage stability is considerably enhanced. The steady-state voltage stability index and the time domain simulation results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.


In India, media and press report frequent suicidal death in the context of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Apart from known sociodemographic, psychological and mental health disorder related risk factors of suicide, a unique, different set of reasons seem to be noted among suicides during this pandemic. Notably, fear of being infected and infecting dear ones, lack of understanding about the disease, fear of isolation, distress from lockdown, boredom from excess time with self, uncertainty of cure, despair of being locked at home and socially isolated, all together compound emergence of preexisting new onset depression, panic, post-traumatic stress, psychoses and substance use. Complicated economic, social, and political instability due lockdown has worsened vulnerability to suicidal behaviours among general population and healthcare workers. Although the long-term evolution of the course of suicide and covid-19 disease is unpredictable, the first few months have identified few unique risk factors and research must work on specific tailored strategies that address these novel risk factors are needed to mitigate suicide now.


A model-based detector decides on a change from the normal mode after it adaptively monitors the environment. If the state of the system follows the model that is predicted by the model-based processor, we say that the system is in the normal mode. Since the sensor arrays are used for such processings, the array signal processing concepts are widely used in these systems. Because of continues change in the environment for the active or passive sonar-type systems, a model-based detector can offer a considerable detection in this case. Two main parts in the design procedure of a model-based detector is to estimate/update the model parameters and the mismatch detection of the model. In this paper, we consider the mismatch detection in such a detector, that utilizes an array of sensors for data gathering. Using the condition number of the correlation matrix of innovations, we propose a fast detector scheme. Some simulation examples are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed detector. We test and compare the performance of our detector, while some parameters are changing.


Monolayers of alkylphosphonic acids (APA) and alkylcarboxylic acids (ACA) on magnetron-sputtered aluminum films have been investigated by friction force microscopy (FFM), contact angle measurement, and polarization-modulation infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (PM-IRRAS). Clear evidence has been provided from PM-IRRAS that friction coefficients, determined from FFM data, may be correlated directly with variations in adsorbate molecular structure. The friction coefficient increased with the length of the adsorbate molecule, but reached a limiting value when the alkyl chain of the adsorbate contained eight carbons in the case of APA or 12 carbons in the case of ACA. For a given alkyl chain length, APA monolayers yielded coefficients of friction that were similar to those of monolayers of alkylthiols of the same length, but smaller than those of ACA. These data indicate that APA monolayers are better ordered than ACA monolayers. These inferences were supported by PM-IRRAS data, which enabled the density of gauche defects to be estimated and correlated with variations in the coefficient of friction.


The Sao Francisco rivers is the largest river draining the cratonic areas of Cerrado savanas and semiarid Caatinga environments in NE Brazil. This study presents the first geomorphologic map of the Middle Sao Francisco River, and describe the main morphosedimentary units of the alluvial plain. The use of high-resolution satellite images, digital elevation models, cores data from previous studies, and morphosedimentary field descriptions were the procedures applied. The morphological composition indicates that the alluvial plain is a mosaic of morphosedimentary units. Eight geomorphological units were recognized. The unit classified as Impeded Floodplain is the richest in terms of diversity of geomorphological features, and was sub-classify in seven morphosedimentary subunits. At least three fluvial stages must be responsible for building the Revista Brasileira de Geomorfologia, v.23, n. 1, 2022 1098 Revista Brasileira de Geomorfologia, 2022, v.23, n. 1; (Jan-Mar) DOI: 10.20502/rbg.v23i1.1999 http://www.lsie.unb.br/rbg/ current mosaic of morphologies displayed on the floodplain. It is likely that a braided channel is the oldest type of system that operated in the region and left marks on the preserved floodplain. Subsequently, an important wetter stage induced a change in the behavior of the main river to a multichannel type, responsible for the main features observed current. Finally, the current, drier stage, with lower river flow, has controlled the development of the bank accretion floodplain and fluvial-aeolian floodplain during the Late Holocene. Therefore, these paleohidrological variations of the São Francisco River must play a key role in the construction of the complex and floodplain relic of the Middle São Francisco River.


A novel acrylic aromatic amide oligomer was synthesized by using depolymerized end product of PET waste with hydrazine monohydrate. The end product of aminolysed PET waste was synthesized under ambient conditions and was used in the preparation of novel acrylic oligomer with the reaction of acryloyl chloride prepared from acrylic acid. The acrylic oligomer was characterized by spectroscopic techniques, such as FTIR, 1H-NMR, UV, Mass spectrometry, and by other analytical techniques such as, Iodine value, TGA, and DSC. The proposed structure of the oligomer is supported by its spectral analysis and the same is inferred from other techniques. The acrylic oligomer mixed with other acrylate monomers such as methylmethacrylate, ethylhexylacrylate, acrylic acid, and photoinitiator, can be cured by UV radiation and can thus be used as an adhesion promoter on metal/glass surface. This article presents the possibility of using a difunctional aromatic amide oligomer with excellent hydrogen bonding capacity as an alternative to urethane acrylates in radiation curable formulations. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010


Neoplasms of the infrapatellar fat pad (IFP) although rare are a potential source of anterior knee pain and swelling. Masses comprised of cartilage and/or osseous tissues within the IFP have been reported with marked inconsistency. Diagnosis is based upon radiographic, surgical, and histologic characteristics. As a result, multiple terms and variable nomenclature have been used to describe these masses. We present a case of a benign cartilage neoplasm of the IFP that was successfully treated with surgical excision and a review of case reports and series of similar masses to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of intrinsic osseous and chondral neoplasms of the IFP.


This study investigates secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure and management in the context of smoking location restrictions, for nonsmokers, former, and current smokers. A purposive sample of 47 low income and non-low-income men and women of varied smoking statuses was recruited to participate in a telephone interview or a focus group. Amidst general approval of increased restrictions there were gendered patterns of SHS exposure and management, and effects of SHS policies that reflect power, control, and social roles that need to be considered as policies are developed, implemented and monitored. The experience of smoking restrictions and the management of SHS is influenced by the social context (relationship with a partner, family member, or stranger), the space of exposure (public or private, worksite), the social location of individuals involved (gender, income), and differential tolerance to SHS. This confluence of factors creates differing unintended and unexpected consequences to the social and physical situations of male and female smokers, nonsmokers, and former smokers. These factors deserve further study, in the interests of informing the development of future interventions and policies restricting SHS.


In 135 renal cell carcinomas (RCCs), nuclear grade, Robson stage and DNA content, determined by flow cytometry, were related to the 3-year survival rates of the respective patients. All three parameters showed prognostic value, nuclear grading being most effective. Combined evaluation of the parameters showed that staging and also DNA determination add supplementary prognostic information. As the four nuclear grades clearly uncover the biological potential of RCC, they are regarded as the most significant criteria for the prognostic assessment of RCC.


The long-overlooked story of a number of adventurous Britons who left their homeland before the First World War to inspire and shape the growth of modern football in continental Europe and South America. Drawn from widely different backgrounds, their motivations and contributions were diverse - helping to form legendary clubs now supported by millions across the globe; bringing revolutionary changes to the way football was taught and played, and laying the foundations on which the game would continue to flourish. Full of entertaining accounts and anecdotes from the birth of the global game, Fathers of Football places the lives of these innovators soundly in historical and social context. They all left a deep and lasting impression on football in the countries they worked in; yet for too long Britain turned its back on their lessons and achievements. Even today they remain largely unknown - prophets more honoured abroad than at home.


Data broadcast is an efficient method of disseminating information in a wireless environment to a large number of clients with mobile devices. It requires the clients to be actively listening to the broadcast channels for their interested information, which increases the battery consumption. However, up to now the battery of the mobile devices is still a bottleneck, which limits the mobile applications to a small scale. Air indexing is an efficient technique that can reduce the energy consumption, thus the effective battery life is extended. But the additional index information increases the broadcast cycle, which leads to longer access latency. In this paper we propose a parameterized flexible indexing scheme (PFInd), which can be used to tune the trade-off between access efficiency and energy conservation based on client's specific requirements. Experimental results show that this method achieves better performance and flexibility than some state-of-the-art indexes.


Microcredit is often hailed as an effective way of alleviating poverty. In recent years, however, microfinance institutions have been the target of much criticism due to their comparatively high interest rates (which may be as high as 70–100% per annum). This paper discusses whether it can be morally justified to charge very high rates of interest when lending money to the poor. Arguments are drawn from contemporary as well as historical debates on usury, exploitation, egalitarianism and consequentialism. It is conceded that it would be preferable if interest rates could be reduced, but it is argued that typical microlenders today do nothing wrong in setting their rates at the current levels. Instead the responsibility rests on governments, commercial banks and overseas investors to facilitate an environment where rates could be reduced.


Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is the end result of a variety of diverse pathologic processes. The chronic elevation in pulmonary artery pressure often leads to right ventricular pressure overload and subsequent right ventricular failure. In patients with left-sided cardiac disease, PH is quite common and associated with increased morbidity and mortality. This article will review the literature as it pertains to the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and diagnosis of PH related to aortic valve disease, mitral valve disease, left ventricular systolic and diastolic dysfunction, and pulmonary veno-occlusive disease. Moreover, therapeutic strategies, which focus on treating the underlying cardiac pathology will be discussed.


In humans, optic nerve injuries and associated neurodegenerative diseases are often followed by permanent vision loss. Consequently, an important challenge is to develop safe and effective methods to replace retinal neurons and thereby restore neuronal functions and vision. Identifying cellular and molecular mechanisms allowing to replace damaged neurons is a major goal for basic and translational research in regenerative medicine. Contrary to mammals, the zebrafish has the capacity to fully regenerate entire parts of the nervous system, including retina. This regenerative process depends on endogenous retinal neural stem cells, the Müller glial cells. Following injury, zebrafish Müller cells go back into cell cycle to proliferate and generate new neurons, while mammalian Müller cells undergo reactive gliosis. Recently, transcription factors and microRNAs have been identified to control the formation of new neurons derived from zebrafish and mammalian Müller cells, indicating that cellular reprogramming can be an efficient strategy to regenerate human retinal neurons. Here we discuss recent insights into the use of endogenous neural stem cell reprogramming for neuronal regeneration, differences between zebrafish and mammalian Müller cells, and the need to pursue the identification and characterization of new molecular factors with an instructive and potent function in order to develop theurapeutic strategies for eye diseases.


This work focuses on the comprehension of null and overt subject pronouns (NSPs and OSPs) in intrasentential anaphora contexts in Basque, a language which employs overt referential devices that fall out of the scope of what traditionally counts as third person pronouns, namely the demonstrative hura `that? and the quasipronoun bera `(s)he (him/herself)?. Data from native adults obtained from two experimental off-line tasks on the referential properties and the discourse features of NSPs and OSPs set a baseline for comparison with a) the insights reported in descriptive grammars and with b) developmental data from 6-8-year-old c(hild) L1 and c(hild)L2. Adult data corroborate previous findings highlighting the division of labour between NSPs and OSPs. In a Picture Selection Task, NSPs were predominantly coreferent with the subject. In contrast, bera, but especially hura, were interpreted as referring to the extrasentential referent. The results were replicated in an Acceptability Judgement Task, where adults selected NSPs in topic maintenance contexts, whereas hura and to a lesser degree bera were selected in topic shift contexts. The data reveal similar response patterns of children and adults for NSPs but different ones for OSPs. Both, cL1 and cL2, showed a general preference for intrasentential coreference regardless of pronoun type in the Picture Selection Task and they preferred NSPs to OSPs in the Acceptability Judgement Task. Thus, the interpretable [+topic shift] feature, mapped onto the overt pronoun in the adult grammar, has not been fully acquired by cL1 and cL2 participants, consistent with crosslinguistic studies. Children?s delay in the properties of OSPs and their general preference for the null pronoun seem to be related to the low frequency of OSPs. Thus, Basque child data do not face the paradox between the linguistic-default (null pronoun) and the learner-default (overt pronoun) observed in other NS languages, since it is the null pronoun which functions as both, the linguistic and the learner-default in Basque.


AIM
To explore the usability of the Ella® platform for preclinical analysis of therapeutic antibodies and antidrug antibodies (ADA).

EXPERIMENTAL
Two well-established ELISAs for the measurement of human IgG and ADA were transferred to the Ella platform. ELISA and the Ella platform were compared using assay qualification data and results of preclinical sample analysis.

RESULTS
The performance and results of both assays on the Ella platform were comparable to those of ELISA. The Ella platform had several advantages, including time efficiency, low sample consumption and a high degree of automation. ADA were assessed on Ella for the first time.

CONCLUSION
The Ella platform is a promising tool for the analysis of preclinical samples.


Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the lung, which is thought to be determined by the balance between the T helper (Th)2 and Th1 responses. This study evaluated whether the balance between Th17 cells and regulatory T cells (Treg) was impaired in asthma patients. The proportion of peripheral blood Th17 cells of the total CD4+ cell population in asthma patients was significantly higher than in controls (mean ± SD 0.72 ± 0.5% versus 0.31 ± 0.4%, respectively). The proportion of peripheral Treg cells in asthma patients was significantly lower than in controls (mean ± SD 12.1 ± 4.6% versus 27.2 ± 7.5%, respectively). Analysis of mRNA generally confirmed the flow cytometry data, suggesting that the changes in cytokine levels were mediated at the transcription level. In paediatric asthma patients, the CD4+ T-cell phenotype was skewed toward the Th17 phenotype, suggesting that a Th17/Treg functional imbalance plays a role in asthma.


This study investigated dental students' smoking behavior and their attitudes, in order to provide programs to patients for giving up smoking. A questionnaire survey was conducted on dental students from November 2003 to February 2004. The subjects were 69 third-grade and 80 fifth-grade students of Tokyo Medical and Dental University. The following results were obtained. (1) The smoking rate of dental students was 19.4% (Male: 31.3%, Female: 5.8%). (2) About forty-three percent of the students had started smoking before entering the university. However, most of the students who smoked had started after entering the university. The smoking rate and number of cigarettes smoked of fifth-grade students were significantly higher than those of third-grade students. (3) Dental students recognized the health risks of smoking more than the general public, especially concerning periodontal disease. (4) Only 5.4% of students answered that they would actively provide advice and instructions about the health hazards of tobacco to patients who smoked. (5) The rate of students who answered that they had enough knowledge to conduct smoking cessation programs for patients was 21.5%. (6) Students who smoked showed positive attitudes towards dentists' smoking behaviors and had passive attitudes towards smoking cessation programs conducted by dentists. These results show it is necessary to conduct smoking cessation programs soon after entering university and to provide more lectures on tobacco and health issues as well as practical training programs about giving up smoking in the dental education curriculum.


Purpose: To describe the technique and present the outcomes of combined conjunctival limbal autografts (CLAU) and keratolimbal allografts (KLAL) for the treatment of unilateral severe ocular surface failure. Methods: Interventional case series. Eleven eyes of 11 patients who sustained chemical burns (4 alkali and 2 acid) and combined chemical/thermal burns (5 eyes) from firework explosions had combined CLAU/KLAL surgery. Keratoplasty was performed subsequently for residual corneal stromal scarring limiting visual acuity. Inclusion criteria included eyes with severe unilateral total ocular surface failure, controlled glaucoma, and reasonable eyelid apposition with no exposure. Exclusion criteria included patients with any ocular surface abnormality in the fellow eye and those with contraindications to systemic immunosuppression (SI). Outcome measures included Snellen best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), ocular surface stability, SI exposure, and complications. Results: Preoperative BCVA was 20/400 or worse in all eyes. At the final follow-up (mean, 35.8 months; range, 12.1–105.9 months), 73% (8 of 11) eyes had BCVA of 20/80 or better (range, 20/25 to counting fingers), and ocular surface was stable in 82% (9 of 11). Ninety-one percent (10 of 11) had additional penetrating keratoplasty (PK) with a 60% (6 of 10 eyes) success rate. Three cases had subsequent Boston type 1 keratoprosthesis implantation after PK failure, and the fourth patient, at the time of his last follow-up visit, did not want further intervention for his edematous PK, which was a result of noncompliance-related corneal rejection. In eyes with more than 2 years of follow-up, SI was tapered at a mean of 16 months (range, 8–28 months). There were no intraoperative complications. No secondary tumors, cardiac events, or deaths occurred while patients were on SI. One patient developed secondary glaucoma refractory to medical management after subsequent PK, requiring cyclodiode laser. Conclusions: Combined CLAU/KLAL and staged keratoplasty is effective in improving vision and maintaining long-term ocular surface stability in patients with severe unilateral ocular surface disease and conjunctival deficiency.


The rise of the globalized, industrial food system has widened the distance between producers and consumers. Over the last several years there has been a call for closing the distance between producers and consumers, and for more transparency in food systems. This need can be filled via procurement of local food, but there are often barriers to connect producers and consumers even when they live in proximity. The REKO model (short for Fair Consumption in Swedish) offers space for virtual reconnection via Facebook, which is used as its communication and ordering platform. The use of an already existing platform, which is often already widely in use among producers and consumers, has allowed the REKO concept to replicate and diffuse very effectively. Thus, REKO is a situated example of how digital interaction can radically alter the producer/consumer interactions in a local food community without having to invest heavily in infrastructures and technological developments. Drawing on experiences from the REKO network, this article explores the opportunities for food system reconnection, as well as the limitations of utilizing an existing technological platform to reconfigure local food interactions.


In this work, a multi-type cell microfluidic integrator for cocultivation and enabling simulation of drug absorption, metabolism, and anticancer activity was developed. To organize an in vitro drug absorption and metabolism model, Caco-2, HepG2, and U251 cells were co-cultured as mimics of the intestine, liver, and glioblastoma, respectively. The HepG2 cell channel was separated from the Caco-2 cell channel by a polycarbonate semipermeable membrane, and connected with the U251 cell channel by a narrow channel array. Microfluidic cell co-culture, irinotecan (CPT-11) metabolism and cytotoxic analysis were performed simultaneously on the chip. This mimic organ-to-organ network carried out long-distance drug transfer under a microflow environment. The drug cytotoxicity assay was monitored by fluorescence visualization. The extra-/intra-cellular CPT-11 and its active metabolite of 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin (SN-38) were qualitatively and quantitatively characterized by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. It was revealed that prodrug CPT-11 was absorbed by Caco-2 cells and transferred to HepG2 cells through the porous membrane, then CPT-11 transformed to active SN-38 by HepG2 cells. Metabolic SN-38 was pumped out of HepG2 cells and diffused from the HepG2 cell channel toward the U251 cell channel through a connection channel array to targeting U251 cells. Our results suggest that this dynamic 3D device provides a potential application for high throughput drug screening and personalized cancer therapy.


Efficient resolution of racemates of chiral molecules is of great significance in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, fragrances, and food additives industries. Emerging homochiral porous materials such as metal–organic frameworks, covalent‐organic frameworks, porous‐organic cages, and metal‐organic cages with ultrahigh surface area, controllable pore chemistry and ample chiral recognition sites are promising for efficient chiral resolution, which display excellent properties for chiral separation applications. This review summarizes the design and synthesis strategies for the construction of homochiral porous materials, including direct synthesis, post‐synthesis, and chiral induction synthesis. Following this, applications of emerging homochiral porous materials, including enantioselective adsorption, chiral chromatography, and membrane‐based chiral separation are highlighted. Finally, the challenges in this area are discussed, with future perspectives provided.


ABSTRACT Researchers and practitioners are searching for alternative ways to communicate climate change and other environmental problems beyond the dominant approach of shock and fear. Using humor is one such an alternative, but can we laugh in the face of environmental danger? This study investigates, through a systematic narrative review, the existing interdisciplinary literature of humor in climate change and environmental communication. The findings are organized into four themes. First, we present the overall effects of humor on environmental awareness, perceptions, learning and behaviors. Next, the types of humor are analyzed, such as satire and irony. Third, we explore what forms of communication are most dominant. Finally, we show that most studies target audiences from the general population, with little focus on specific segments of the population. To conclude, we evaluate the benefits and challenges of using humor in climate and environmental communication and make suggestions for further research.


The first thing to say about The Uncanny Gaze: The Drama of Early German Cinema is that it is a translation (and a good one) of only the first part of Heide Schlüpmann's classic work. The original 1990 German-language book was in two sections, the first being about German dramatic films of the early era, the second about the magazine articles and comments that were written at the time in reaction to these films. This second part is not included in the volume, and as the author (in a new Afterword) states that the two parts 'belong together', one imagines that she was not altogether pleased with that decision – especially as the omission is not clearly admitted by the publisher. It is a serious issue, for a lively discussion ebbed and flowed through the cinema world at the time, and we miss not only opinions from the generally cinema-phobic Kinoreformers, but also from writers who were more sympathetic to film, such as Lukács and Tannenbaum. Nonetheless, one part is better than none, and Schlüpmann's half-book is a work of perceptive analysis. She describes and analyses films from about 1909 to 1914, guiding us through this subject by genre, including melodramas, comedies, detective stories and sensational dramas. Extensive coverage is given to women's issues and to particular performers, notably Henny Porten and Asta Nielsen, as well as to specific films including Nielsen's Sins of the Fathers and Max Mack's The Other (both 1913). Schlüpmann has an interesting viewpoint on her subject, believing that early German cinema developed within a generally hostile 'high culture' (which is why the missing discussion/writings section would have been so enlightening). In such a context, cinema was obliged to develop separately from the established arts, becoming an alternate sphere, and grew to depend on, and even to celebrate, other equally excluded spheres, such as business, technology and the show world. The films thus took on a tone of modernity, and even of bohemian internationalism, in contrast to the nationalist conservatism that pervaded much of German society at the time. I suspect that this is not the only possible 'take' on early German cinema, and it would have been helpful to have had a more critical Foreword, giving a wider historiography. The book has many frame stills, a fine filmography and (unlike the original) an excellent index.


This paper uses a new, nationally-representative household survey from Ghana to analyze within a rigorous econometric framework how the receipt of internal remittances (from within Ghana) and international remittances (from African or other countries) affects the marginal spending behavior of households on a broad range of consumption and investment goods, including food, education and housing. Contrary to other studies, which find that remittances are spent disproportionately on consumption (food and consumer goods/durables) or investment goods (education and housing), the findings show that households receiving remittances in Ghana do not spend more at the margin on food, education and housing than households with similar income levels and characteristics that do not receive remittances. When the analysis controls for endogeneity and selection bias, the findings show that any differences in the marginal spending behavior between remittance-receiving and non-receiving households are explained completely by the observed and unobserved characteristics of households. Households in Ghana treat remittances just like any other source of income, and there are no changes in marginal spending patterns for households with the receipt of remittance income.


Demand for money has been discussed a lot from the past both in the theoretical and in the empirical fields of economics. In Japan, low or almost interest rates has been prevailed and there has been a strong demand for Japanese government bond, so there is possibility that money demand has been changed and been apart from traditional one. Also, exchange rates against Japanese currency and stock prices have fluctuated largely recently due to the introducing unprecedented financial policy from the 2000s. They might have affect macroeconomic variables and money demand function. Empirical evidence show that demand for money is affected by real GDP, prices, and exchange rates, and is also stable, however, stock prices have not impacts on demand for money.


Precise positioning is crucial to many applications involving autonomous robots in indoor environments. Current solutions to the indoor localization problem are either both highly unreliable and inaccurate (like GPS based systems), or hugely expensive (such as the iGPS system). In this thesis we propose, design and build a low-cost, robust and highly accurate indoor localization system using laser light sources. The system is composed of three transmitting laser modules arranged in a straight line and a receiver module mounted on the mobile robot. The system calculates the coordinates of the mobile robot by using triangulation algorithms which require precisely measured values of the angles of the receiver with respect to the three laser emitters. Results from practical testing of the system in an aircraft wing assembly set-up have been found to be extremely encouraging. Using our system, the mobile robotic arm could be localized accurately within error margins defined approximately by Gaussian distributions centered at the object's true coordinate values and with standard deviations of 0.1778 mm, 0.10 16 mm and 0.3352 mm in the x, y and z coordinate directions respectively. The system is also used to detect height drop in the arm due to its weight as it extends to perform fitting operations on the skin of the wing. Feedback from the laser localization system is used to adjust the position of the tip of the robotic arm in order to perform a sequence of high precision docking tasks within the aircraft wing. Thesis Supervisor: Daniela Rus Title: Professor


Interrupted aortic arch is a rare congenital heart malformation occurring in approximately three per 1 million births. Type B interrupted aortic arch (interruption between the second carotid artery and the ipsilateral subclavian artery) is the most common of three major types (A, B, and C). We report an extremely rare finding: a case of left-sided type B interrupted aortic arch with isolation of the right subclavian artery (origin from the right pulmonary artery).


The purpose of the research is finding out features of fauna and ecology of ixodid ticks parasitizing in the Non-Black Earth Region of the central part of the East European Plain, which inhabit the Kaluga Region. Materials and methods. Ixodid ticks were collected and recorded according to generally accepted methods in all districts of the Kaluga Region and the city of Kaluga in 2009–2019 during their activity (in the spring from the melting of snow and until late autumn before the snow cover formation). A total of 11,282 ticks were collected in 412 flag-hours, of which 7,421 (65.7%) were collected from vegetation and 3,861 (34.3%) from animals. We studied open meadow and field areas, forest and shrub areas, closed meadow and field areas, and wetland stations and settlements. The species was identified using the Atlas of ixodid ticks by Ganiev and Aliverdiev (1968) and the Atlas by Shevkoplyas (2008). Results and discussion. There are two species of ixodid ticks in the Kaluga Region, Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentоr reticulatus. The number of D. reticulatus slightly exceeds (by 6%) I. ricinus, 53 and 46% respectively, which is explained by the even distribution of forest and meadow (pasture) biotopes in the Region. The abundance index of I. ricinus was 16.8±1.32 individuals per 1 flag-hour in forest biotopes, and 11.6±1.12 individuals per 1 flag-hour in meadow biotopes. The abundance index of D. reticulatus was 10.8±1.14 individuals per 1 flag-hour in forest biotopes, and 15.9±1.30 individuals per 1 flag-hour in meadow biotopes.


ABSTRACT In many biomanufacturing areas, such as tissue-engineering scaffold fabrication, the biodegradation performance of products is a key to producing products with desirable properties. The prediction of biodegradation often encounters the challenge of how to incorporate expert knowledge. This article proposes a Constrained Gaussian Process (CGP) method for predictive modeling with application to scaffold biodegradation. It provides a unified framework of using appropriate constraints to accommodate various types of expert knowledge in predictive modeling, including censoring, monotonicity, and bounds requirements. Efficient Bayesian sampling procedures for prediction are also developed. The performance of the proposed method is demonstrated in a case study on a novel scaffold fabrication process. Compared with the unconstrained GP and artificial neural networks, the proposed method can provide more accurate and meaningful prediction. A simulation study is also conducted to further reveal the properties of the CGP.


The Hybridized Discontinuous Petrov-Galerkin scheme (HDPG) for compressible flows is presented. The HDPG method stems from a combination of the Hybridized Discontinuous Galerkin (HDG) method and the theory of the optimal test functions, suitably modified to enforce the conservativity at the element level. The new scheme maintains the same number of globally coupled degrees of freedom as the HDG method while increasing the stability in the presence of discontinuities or under-resolved features. The new scheme has been successfully tested in several problems involving shocks such as Burgers equation and the Navier-Stokes equations and delivers solutions with reduced oscillation at the shock. When combined with artificial viscosity, the oscillation can be completely eliminated using one order of magnitude less viscosity than that required by other Finite Element methods. Also, convergence studies in the sequence of meshes proposed by Peterson [49] show that, unlike other DG methods, the HDPG method is capable of breaking the suboptimal k+1/2 rate of convergence for the convective problem and thus achieve optimal k+1 convergence. Thesis Supervisor: Jaume Peraire Title: Professor Thesis Supervisor: Ngoc Cuong Nguyen Title: Research Scientist


Considerable research has focused on identifying the series of stable states in technique that occur when practising complex motor tasks. From an applied perspective, forming a model of motor learning in this way informs interventions to elicit the most efficient and effective practice. From a theoretical perspective, models of motor learning provide an insight into qualitative and quantitative states that reflect how movement is controlled. Assimilating these two perspectives, the overall aim of this research was to increase understanding of the key characteristics of technique change during learning a complex whole-body movement skill.
In order to achieve the overall aim, two experimental studies were conducted. The first was a longitudinal learning study in adult participants. Non-dominant overarm throwing action was practiced over a 3-week period consisting of 9 sessions. This was followed up with a cross sectional study in which technique in dominant overarm throws at 6, 10 and 14 years of age was examined.
The application of different approaches to analyse technique changes provided a platform to better understand motor learning. Findings showed that the use of a macroscopic collective variable was able to provide an overarching view of dynamical changes of the system with practice and age. Alternatively, changes in joint range of motion was found to be individual specific among adults and children with no clear direction of change related to practice or age. From a practical perspective the components model (Roberton & Halverson, 1984), particularly the step action, underpinned the macroscopic changes and provided a tool that can be more easily applied by practitioners and educators to facilitate and fast track learning.
The resulting research philosophy emerged: the application of a theoretically underpinned, multi-disciplinary approach to quantify technique change during learning has the potential to move researchers closer to a generalised model of motor learning.


load. The use of a selective Kirchner medium in routine isolation does have the disadvantage that a culture result is not possible for at least nine weeks after initial incubation. In those cases where only the selective Kirchner was positive the number of viable mycobacteria present in the original was very low. The selective Kirchner also has the advantage that it can act as an enrichment medium, allowing the mycobacteria to increase at the expense of any other bacteria present. In those specimens where large numbers of mycobacteria are present and contaminating bacteria absent, quicker results will be obtained with conventional culture media. The use of a selective Kirchner should therefore be seen as an addition rather than a replacement. PD SPARHAM


In this paper, a 12-bit high resolution, power and area efficiency hybrid digital pulse width modulator (DPWM) with process and temperature (PT) calibration has been proposed for digital controlled DC-DC converters. The hybrid structure of DPWM combines a 6-bit differential tapped delay line ring-mux digital-to-time converter (DTC) schema and a 6-bit counter-comparator DTC schema, resulting in a power and area saving solution. Furthermore, since the 6-bit differential delay line ring oscillator serves as the clock to the high 6-bit counter-comparator DTC, a high frequency clock is eliminated, and the power is significantly saved. In order to have a simple delay cell and flexible delay time controllability, a voltage controlled inverter is adopted to build the deferential delay cell, which allows fine-tuning of the delay time. The PT calibration circuit is composed of process and temperature monitors, two 2-bit flash ADCs and a lookup table. The monitor circuits sense the PT (Process and Temperature) variations, and the flash ADC converts the data into a digital code. The complete circuits design has been verified under different corners of CMOS 0.18um process technology node.


Based on fieldwork conducted during 1981 in Ventura County, California, this study helps to explain the relationship between the relative abundance of Mexican nationals willing to pick citrus crops and the institutional forms which U.S. unions, employers, and governments have created to deal with Mexicans in California agriculture. The work should be of particular relevance to those interested in the mechanisms through which Mexican nationals enter U.S. jobs and in the impact that immigrants have on the work opportunities available to U.S. nationals. The authors, a labor economist and an historian, utilized a combination of personal interviews, documentary research, and economic analysis to examine competition by Mexican migrants for jobs in the California citrus industry. Their research revealed that this competition—which has recently undermined attempts to stabilize the harvest labor market—involves virtually no U.S.-born workers. Rather, new waves of young, economically and legally vulnerable Mexican migrants have displaced older, more secure Mexicans who had won higher wages, improved benefits, and increased job security. The citrus industry in Ventura County combined several factors, unusual in agriculture, that would allow for improved conditions of employment—a long picking season, a predominantly settled labor force, and institutional arrangements aimed at stabilization. The entrance of new subgroups of Mexican migrants with distinct characteristics, however, has resulted in the fragmentation of the labor market into distinct sectors with different working conditions and employee benefits. The authors' analysis thus reveals that underlying historical forces—especially a persistently abundant supply of labor—have tended to reverse the progress earlier achieved through the creation of institutions to improve the quality of life for harvest workers in the citrus industry.


In this paper, the effect of thermal treatment on physical and mechanical properties of a granitic rock is experimentally investigated. The open porosity, gas permeability, P-wave velocity and their attenuation, ultimate strength, and Young's modulus are measured on samples heated at temperatures ranging from 105°C to 600°C. First, results show good correlations between the evolution of physical properties and the amount of the damage induced by the thermal treatment. Second, the mechanical parameters are shown to be dependent on the microcracks' density in the samples. The effect of tempera- ture on the failure process in granite is also investigated using strain gauge measurements and permeabil- ity evolution in a uniaxial compressive test. The results show that the extent of the crack closure stage depends on the initial crack density and that the crack thresholds, which characterize the failure process of the rock under compressive loading, decrease with the thermal treatment.


AIM
To review current course of infectious endocarditis (IE), time and quality of the diagnosis, results of hospital treatment.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
30 cases of IE have been analysed (17 males, 13 females, mean age 37.6 +/- 2.3 years. The patients were admitted to hospital in 1997-1998.

RESULTS
Late diagnosis registered in many IE cases is explained by low quality of history data and of heart auscultation responsible for late start of conservative treatment. Some specific features of the disease course, visceral lesions, efficacy of the treatment are outlined.

CONCLUSION
IE morbidity is still high and prognosis in many cases if unfavourable.


In this paper, a novel coronavirus (COVID-19) model is proposed and investigated. In fact, the pandemic spread through a close contact between infected people and other people but sometimes the infected people could show two cases; the first is symptomatic and the other is asymptomatic (carrier) as the source of the risk. The outbreak of Covid-19 virus is described by a mathematical model dividing the population into four classes. The first class represents the susceptible people who are unaware of the disease. The second class refers to the susceptible people who are aware of the epidemic by media coverage. The third class is the carrier individuals (asymptomatic) and the fourth class represents the infected individuals. The existence, uniqueness and bounded-ness of the solutions of the model are discussed. All possible equilibrium points are determined. The locally asymptotically stable of the model is studied. Suitable Lyapunov functions are used to investigate the globally asymptotical stability of the model. Finally, numerical simulation is carried out to confirm the analytical results and to understand the effect of varying the parameters of how the disease spreads.


Abstract The global climate crisis poses many risks; for instance, relating to the environment, to the economy and to public health. The mitigation and management of such risks create a complex and multifaceted regulatory conundrum that requires quick, flexible, efficient and adaptive policy solutions that transcend the state level. A quick look in the body of regulatory instruments employed in the field of climate change policy will reveal that soft law is used very frequently by the European Commission to aid with the application, transposition and interpretation of European Union (EU) environmental legislation relating to climate change. While soft law has become ever more prominent in the EU legal order and has been studied extensively at the ex-post phase (ie concerning its effects or effectiveness), little academic attention has been paid to the process of soft law-making. In simple terms, we know very little about how soft law instruments are made. This article peeks behind the scenes of soft law and examines the transparency and participation credentials of the articulation process of Commission Guidance Documents in the field of climate change regulation adopted under key legal acts in the field.


The objective of this study was to test whether self-injury moderates the relationship between affective vulnerabilities (affective lability/affective intensity) and suicidal behavior. A total of 127 participants were administered structured diagnostic interviews and filled out questionnaires. The moderation effect was significant both for affective lability and affective intensity, with individuals reporting lower levels of affective vulnerability and a more extensive history of self-injury reporting more lifetime suicide attempts. These findings were generally replicated in a subsample of participants meeting diagnostic criteria for borderline personality disorder (n = 72). When accompanied by high levels of self-injury, low levels of affective vulnerabilities may paradoxically become a risk factor for suicidal behavior, perhaps by enabling individuals to persist in the innately frightening experience of a suicide attempt.


Demonstrates the operation of a 19*19 fibre optic star coupler which provides a small, cheap, passive, rugged and reliable component. The principles were tested with readily available components which were reasonably well matched, but not ideally so. The spread ion relative coupling coefficients was rather large at +or-2dB, but this would undoubtedly be smaller in an optimized design, and in any case is not necessarily an embarrassment in short-haul applications such as within one vehicle, or between closely-spaced computers, or computer elements such as transputers. Indeed these star couplers are in most respects ideal to realize the interconnections required in many modern parallel electronic computer architectures. In all these potential applications the considerations of compactness, ruggedness and/or reliability may override those of absolute efficiency and uniformity.


"Encyclopedia of World Scientists, Revised Edition" is a diverse and comprehensive two-volume collection of biographies of scientists. This essential work contains fascinating stories of nearly 1,000 scientists - almost half of whom are female - who have contributed significantly to their fields. All scientific disciplines are represented, as well as all periods of history as far back as 400 BCE. With more than 100 new entries and more than 200 photographs and illustrations, this revised edition highlights how scientists have overcome formidable obstacles while in pursuit of great achievements that have forever altered our understanding of the world. While this set brings together an array of well-known and lesser known scientists, providing the basic biographical details of their lives, the focus is on their work, with their scientific achievements presented in everyday language that makes even the most complex concepts accessible. The well-known scientific "greats" of history are featured, along with contemporary scientists whose work is just verging on greatness. Among these are many minority scientists who have often been excluded from similar books. Entries are organized by field, by country of birth, by country of major scientific activity, and by year of birth. Entries include: Charles Babbage; Clara Barton; George Washington Carver; Anders Celsius; Johannes Kepler; Eleanora Bliss Knopf; Mathilde Krim; Antoni van Leeuwenhoek; Rita Levi-Montalcini; Carl Linnaeus; Barbara McClintock; Margaret Mead; Louis Pasteur; Kate Olivia Sessions; Mary Edwards Walker; and, Karl Ziegler.


This article seeks to reimagine peace against the backdrop of a Foucauldian understanding of politics. Most conventional accounts are based on a sharp distinction between war and peace and alternate between two broad positions; namely, peace as absence, the absence of war, and peace as presence, as an essential condition. These two visions of peace are often assumed to have found their classical statements in, respectively, Hobbes and Spinoza. The article resists such a binary treatment, bringing Hobbes and Spinoza close together through Spinoza's view of peace as potentia and Hobbes's view of war as process. The result is one that seems to vindicate Foucault: peace is war.


During the past few years, the endocrine treatment of the menopause syndrome has become established on a firm, rational basis. This has been made possible by studies of numerous investigators clarifying the hormonal mechanism responsible for the menopausal symptoms and by the researches of the sterol chemists which made available highly potent preparations of ovarian hormones. The traditional concept of the menopause as an aberration of somatic function, predominantly psychogenic in origin and requiring only sedation and psychotherapy, has given way to the realization that the menopausal symptoms are primarily a manifestation of a hormone deficiency caused by a waning or cessation of ovarian activity and that rational therapy should consist of supplying the patient with the hormone she lacks. The therapeutic results obtained with estrogens in the menopause constitute one of the most gratifying and dramatic achievements of modern medicine. However, by virtue of the fact that administering estrogens


We analyse SAURON kinematic maps of the inner kpc of the early-type (Sa) barred spiral galaxy NGC 5448. The observed morphology and kinematics of the emissionline gas is patchy and perturbed, indicating clear departures from circular motion. The kinematics of the stars is more regular, and display a small inner disk-like system embedded in a large-scale rotating structure. We focus on the [O iii] gas, and use a harmonic decomposition formalism to analyse the gas velocity field. The higher-order harmonic terms and the main kinematic features of the observed data are consistent with an analytically constructed simple bar model. The bar model is derived using linear theory, considering an m = 2 perturbation mode, and with bar parameters which are consistent with the large-scale bar detected via imaging. We also study optical and near infra-red images to reveal the asymmetric extinction in NGC 5448, and we recognise that some of the deviations between the data and the analytical bar model may be due to these complex dust features. Our study illustrates how the harmonic decomposition formalism can be used as a powerful tool to quantify non-circular motions in observed gas velocity fields.


A series of 2-(aminomethyl)phenols was synthesized and tested in rats and dogs for saluretic and diuretic activity. A number of these compounds exhibit a high order of activity on iv or po administration. The most active compounds belong to a subseries of 4-alkyl-6-halo derivatives of which 2, 2-(aminomethyl)-4-(1,1-dimethylethyl)-6-iodophenol, is the most active. Compound 2 also possesses significant antihypertensive activity, an adjunctive pharmacological parameter which distinguishes 2 from the other compounds prepared in this series. In addition, 2 displays both topical saluretic and antiinflammatory activities.


: The results of experiments with the inhibitory signal presented to rats after the positive one, showed the significance of the negative signal memory trace which interrupted alimentary behaviour and considerably accelerated its full extinction in response to the previously positive signal. Its significance is shown in experiments with amnesia produced by electroshock. According to the suggested concept negative conditioned reflexes are a result of formation of a temporary connection between memory traces of the negative conditioned signal and the non-reinforcement of this signal.


Introduction: Cervical Lymphadenopathy is one of the most common clinical presentation of the patients visiting the tertiary care hospital. This study was taken to analyze the various causes and to learn about histomorphological spectrum of cervical lymph node lesions.
Materials and Methods: A prospective study of all the cervical lymph node excision biopsies received in the department of pathology, Dr B R Ambedkar medical college and hospital for period of 18 months between June 2017 – December 2018. A complete and thorough histomorphological analysis was done. Special stains were carried out wherever necessary.
Results: A total of 61 cervical lymph node biopsies were analysed between the age group of 5yrs to 93years. Majority of the patients were in the age group of 21-30 years (15 cases, 24.59%) and 36 cases (59.01%) were male and 25 cases (40.98%) were female with male to female ratio of 1.44: 1, suggesting slight male preponderance. It was also observed that overall non neoplastic lesions (43 cases, 70%) were more frequently encountered compared to neoplastic lesions (18 cases, 30%). Among the non neoplastic lesions, Tuberculous lymphadenitis was the highest with the maximum number of 23 cases (37.70%) and among the neoplastic lesions, metastasis to lymph node was the highest with the maximum number of cases (9 cases, 14.75%).
Conclusion: Histomorphological analysis of lymph node excision biopsies still remains the gold standard for establishing the diagnosis. The present study focuses on various non neoplastic and neoplastic lesions of cervical lymph node and their histomorphological features.

Keyword: Lymph node, Cervical lymphadenopathy, Histomorphology, Tuberculosis, Metastasis.


BACKGROUND/AIMS
The aim of this study was to investigate antimicrobial use during periodontal therapy in dental practice in England & Wales.

METHOD
This was a postal questionnaire survey of 800 dentists, 400 general dental practitioners (GDP) in National Health Service practice and 400 members of the British Society of Periodontology (Periodontal Society) primarily in dental practice. We designed and piloted a questionnaire to evaluate both systemic and local antibiotic use with periodontal therapy as well as factors affecting their prescription. In addition, we also investigated the potential use of antibiotic sensitivity testing, since this has been recommended prior to prescribing antibiotics. Two follow-up mailings were used to encourage non-responders.

RESULTS
The useable return rate for the questionnaires was 587/800 (73%). Systemic antibiotics were used by 7.4% Periodontal Society members and 18.4% GDP for untreated adult periodontitis patients (p<0.001). Antimicrobials were prescribed more frequently by Periodontal Society members in early onset (52.7%) and refractory periodontitis patients (49.6%), and this was highly statistically significantly greater usage than GDP (p<0.001). Regarding local antimicrobials, usage for untreated adult periodontitis was Periodontal Society 8.9% and GDP 5.4%. Higher usage of local antimicrobials was found both for the treatment of recurrent pocketing in adult periodontitis (Periodontal Society 26.3%, GDP 14.8%, p<0.014) and refractory periodontitis (Periodontal Society 30.8%, GDP 15.2%, p<0.001). As reasons for using local antimicrobials, more than 80% of all respondents stated superiority over root debridement alone. Barriers to use included cost, no perceived need and lack of supporting research data. The percentage of responders considering diagnostic microbiology either theoretically or at a cost of pound 60 were by group, Periodontal Society 83% & 70.4% and GDP 76% & 51.2%. 33% of Periodontal Society members and 3.8% of GDP spent at least 45 min per quadrant on root planing and Periodontal Society members had a greater exposure to lectures on both systemic and local drug therapy compared with GDP (p<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS
Systemic antimicrobial use was infrequent for adult periodontitis and generally in line with current recommendations for other disease types. Whilst local antimicrobial therapy for periodontitis was not widespread, a substantial minority of dentists use this form of therapy and most believe that it is more effective than root debridement alone.


Large-scale datasets are essential for the success of deep learning in image retrieval. However, manual assessment errors and semi-supervised annotation techniques can lead to label noise even in popular datasets. As previous works primarily studied annotation quality in image classification tasks, it is still unclear how label noise affects deep learning approaches to image retrieval. In this work, we show that image retrieval methods are less robust to label noise than image classification ones. Furthermore, we, for the first time, investigate different types of label noise specific to image retrieval tasks and study their effect on model performance.


We study the discontinuities beneath Tonga subduction zone using the deep earthquakes recorded by the Pacific Northwest Seismic Network (PNSN). The multiple discontinuities around 660 km beneath Tonga subduction zone are found using converted phase SdP. The amplitude ratios of the converted phase with the direct P wave (Ac/Ap) are also determined. The largest number of robust converted phases with large Ac/Ap comes from the depth range of 660–690 km, its peak is at 680 km; the second one appears in the depth range of 700–745 km, its peak is at 740 km. The two discontinuities are obviously depressed by the subduction slab. According to experimental and numerical studies, a possible explanation of the observation is that the first discontinuity is formed by the transition of γ‐spinel to perovskite and magnesiowüstite and the second is formed by the transition of ilmenite to perovskite.


Generation of biological function by chemical methods is potentially of great importance for the understanding and targeting of physiological processes. Chemical synthesis of proteins offers the ability to alter the properties of target protein molecules in a tailor-made fashion. In the present work it is demonstrated that this methodology can be expanded to the elucidation of protein–protein interactions as exemplified by the complete chemical synthesis of the protooncogene product H-Ras as well as of the Ras-binding domain (RBD) of its effector c-Raf1. The 166-aa polypeptide chain of H-Ras was synthesized by native chemical ligation of three unprotected peptide segments. Similarly, the 81-aa RBD was prepared by ligation of two peptide segments. Both RBD and Ras displayed functional and spectroscopic properties indistinguishable from their recombinant forms as judged by CD spectroscopy and from transient kinetic measurements of the Ras–RBD interaction as well as from nucleotide replacement reactions in Ras. An unnatural amino acid bearing a nitrobenzofurazan side chain was introduced into position 91 of the RBD, providing unique fluorescence properties. The association transient of nitrobenzofurazan labeled with Ras⋅guanosine 5′-β,γ-imidotriphosphate showed a slow phase that had not been detected in earlier work by using other signals.


Enhancement of a heat transfer rate of mixed convection flow in a three-dimensional vertical channel with insertion of a moving slender block is investigated numerically. A slender block is installed along the direction of the channel flow, and the movement of the slender block is in periodic motion and transverse to the channel flow. The interaction between the moving block and the channel flow destroys and suppresses the velocity and thermal boundary layers on the heat surface periodically. Various ratios of the Richardson numbers (Gr/Re 2 ) are simulated. The results show that under a higher velocity of the channel flow and a lower magnitude of Gr/Re 2 , the enhancement of heat transfer rate is better. Oppositely, under a lower velocity of the channel flow and a higher magnitude of Gr/Re 2 , the effect of natural convection driven by the buoyancy force is stronger and it is unfavorable to the heat transfer. A counter effect of the heat transfer rate is observed. These phenomena which are seldom analyzed before by numerical simulation are carried out in this study.


Ovarian cancers are highly invasive. In a first attempt to define the hormones and factors involved in the control of tumor invasion and metastasis, we have used the human ovarian cancer cell line BG-1 which contains both estrogen and progesterone receptors. Protein synthesis and secretion was assayed by [35S]methionine incorporation and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis followed by fluorography. Three responses to estradiol were found: 1) procathepsin D secretion was increased, whereas the corresponding intracellular proteins were not significantly affected; 2) an abundant but nonidentified 120-kilodalton (kDa) estrogen-induced secreted glycoprotein, different from CA125, was detected for the first time; and 3) the number of cells as determined by DNA assay was markedly stimulated, reaching a higher level of confluency. The antiestrogen OH-tamoxifen was weakly agonist at low concentrations to stimulate cell growth but was a pure antagonist on the 120-kDa protein. The steroid specificity of these responses strongly suggests that they are mediated by the estrogen receptor. We conclude that cathepsin D secretion is specifically stimulated by estrogen in this ovarian cancer cell line as it is in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer cells. Both cathepsin D and a newly described 120-kDa secreted glycoprotein are potential markers of hormone responsiveness and/or aggressiveness which deserve to be further studied in clinical ovarian cancers.


The following work presents new evidence for a tonoplast localization of sucrose synthase and its functional role during the mobilization of vacuolar sucrose. Highly purified tonoplast vesicles were associated with significant SuSy levels as determined by immuno-recognition, enzymatic activity, and by-product measurements. Total tonoplast-bound SuSy was estimated to be approximately 7% of the total tissue activity. SuSy affinity to the tonoplast was confirmed by the lack of SuSy displacement by ionic washes and also by the tonoplast ability to bind to exogenously added SuSy as compared to the cytosolic marker alcohol dehydrogenase. UL-[(14)C]sucrose-loaded vesicles incubated with ATP and UDP produced [(14)C]UDP-Glc as determined by UDP-Glc dehydrogenase and by the ability of the product to bind to DEAE-cellulose and to co-migrate with authentic UDP-Glc on TLC. ATP alone induced sucrose efflux but not the production of [(14)C]ADP-Glc. Kinetic analysis of [(14)C]UDPG formation under conditions of low sucrose availability suggests sucrose channelling between the ATP-dependent sucrose transporter and SuSy, thus corroborating the association of SuSy with the tonoplast and its involvement in sucrose mobilization from the vacuole.


Coronas are simulated in color by use of the Mie scattering theory of light by small droplets through clouds of finite optical thickness embedded in a Rayleigh scattering atmosphere. The primary factors that affect color, visibility, and number of rings of coronas are droplet size, width of the size distribution, and cloud optical thickness. The color sequence of coronas and iridescence varies when the droplet radius is smaller than approximately 6-microm. As radius increases to approximately 3.5 microm, new color bands appear at the center of the corona and fade as they move outward. As the radius continues to increase to approximately 6 microm, successively more inner rings become fixed in the manner described by classical diffraction theory, while outer rings continue their outward migration. Wave clouds or rippled cloud segments produce the brightest and most vivid multiple ringed coronas and iridescence because their integrated dropsize distributions along sunbeams are much narrower than in convective or stratiform clouds. The visibility of coronas and the appearance of the background sky vary with cloud optical depth tau. First the corona becomes visible as a white aureole in a blue sky when tau approximately 0.001. Color purity then rapidly increases to an almost flat maximum in the range 0.05 < or = tau < or = 0.5 and then decreases, so coronas are almost completely washed out by a bright gray background when tau > or = 4.


OBJECTIVE
Various types of malignancy can develop in patients with endometriosis. Enhancing mural nodules have been reported as an imaging characteristic of malignant transformations. We evaluated contrast-enhanced MR imaging to determine the optimum sequence to reveal mural nodules and other characteristics of malignant transformations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
We examined 10 patients with pathologically proven ovarian adenocarcinoma in endometriosis and 10 patients (the control group) with ovarian endometrioma suggestive of malignant transformation on the basis of sonographic findings. We analyzed the size and nature of the endometriomas in each patient. We compared four types of contrast-enhanced MR imaging to determine which sequence best revealed mural nodules.

RESULTS
In the malignant and control groups, 80% of the cysts with findings suggestive of malignant transformation showed unilateral disease or larger endometrial cysts on the suggestive side than on the contralateral side. High signal intensity on T1-weighted images and low signal intensity on T2-weighted images relative to the myometrium were observed only in two of 10 malignant endometrial cysts and in all control cysts. All malignant endometriomas had small mural nodules with low signal intensity on T1-weighted contrast-enhanced images. Only three benign endometriomas had mural nodules and none of them enhanced. The enhancement of mural nodules was easily seen on dynamic subtraction imaging.

CONCLUSION
On the basis of our findings, endometrial cysts with malignant transformation rarely show low signal intensity on T2-weighted images and usually have enhancing mural nodules. Because the enhancement of mural nodules is often difficult to evaluate on conventional T1-weighted images, dynamic subtraction imaging can be valuable.


1. Generalist predators sharing similar food resources and phenologies as well as having no competitive interactions are expected to have a similar life-history pattern, but some closely related web spiders show different life-history traits. The present paper clarifies possible selection pressures affecting life-history traits of the three coexisting Cyclosa spiders and explores the significance of the life-history variation.

2.Cyclosa argenteoalba had lower daily survival rate and higher growth rate, C. sedeculata had higher daily survival rate and lower growth rate, and C. octotuberculata showed intermediate levels. This implies that the selection pressures these spiders experience differ appreciably even in the same habitat.

3. The significance of the life-history characteristics of the three species was evaluated by general life-history theories. Cyclosa argenteoalba showed distinguishing reproductive traits: shorter time to maturation, larger reproductive effort, larger relative clutch size, decreased clutch size with the number of clutches, and smaller egg size. These characteristics may have evolved in response to the larger ratio of juvenile to adult survivorship. Cyclosa octotuberculata had a clutch size much larger than the other two species, but relative clutch sizes accounting for body size were similar between C. octotuberculata and C. sedeculata. Also, the two species showed a similar time to maturation despite having different selection pressures. Probably, higher growth rate compensates for lower survivorship, leading to the similarity in some reproductive traits.


ABSTRACT The comparison of proteomes between genetically heterogeneous bacterial strains may offer valuable insights into physiological diversity and function, particularly where such variation aids in the survival and virulence of clinically-relevant strains. However, reports of such comparisons frequently fail to account for underlying genetic variance. As a consequence, the current knowledge regarding bacterial physiological diversity at the protein level may be incomplete or inaccurate. To address this, greater consideration must be given to the impact of genetic heterogeneity on proteome comparisons. This may be possible through the use of pan-proteomics, an analytical concept that permits the ability to qualitatively and quantitatively compare the proteomes of genetically heterogeneous organisms. Limited examples of this emerging technology highlight currently unmet analytical challenges. In this article we define pan-proteomics, where its value lies in microbiology, and discuss the technical considerations critical to its successful execution and potential future application.


Pittosporum tetraspermum Wight & Arn. belongs to the family Pittosporaceae of the order Polygalineae. It is used for treating chronic bronchitis and as an antidote for snake poisoning. The root bark is a remedy for rheumatic swelling. The bioactive principle present in the leaves of Pittosporum tetraspermum was isolated and characterized in the present study. Repeated extraction of powdered leaves of Pittosporum tetraspermum with petroleum ether resulted in defatted leaves, which was further extracted with methanol to yield crude methanol extract. The n-butanol fraction of methanol extract was passed through celite and obtained a mixture of crude saponins. The crude saponin mixture upon separation through silica gel column chromatography yielded 9 fractions. The structure of the bioactive fraction IX was determined by analyzing the peaks in IR, H NMR, C NMR, and ESI Mass Spectra. Fraction IX showed the highest zone of inhibition against fungal growth (13.3 mm in diameter) and it was higher than the zone of inhibition of the reference drug Nystatin. The IR spectrum of the bioactive fraction IX showed a broad signal at 3413 cm due to the symmetrical stretching of –OH group in the molecule. The bioactive component responsible for the biological activity of Pittosporum tetraspermum is identified as trihydroxyoleanolic acid glycoside, whose aglycone part is characterized as trihydroxyoleanolic acid and the glycone part as sugars glucose and glucuronic acid.


Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a supra - nosological term that reflects the progressive nature of chronic kidney diseases, which are based on the mechanisms of nephrosclerosis. Diagnosis of CKD at the earliest stages is of great importance, because it allows, by using therapeutic agents, to slow the progression of renal dysfunction and the development of cardiovascular complications. However, the currently available methods for diagnosing renal function impairment, including the determination of endogenous creatinine clearance, can detect renal dysfunction too late, when around 40-50% of the renal parenchyma is already reversibly or irreversibly damaged. In this regard, there is an active search for new, more sensitive and specific biomarkers for early diagnosis of CKD. Recent studies in cellular and animal models of CKD have demonstrated the important role of microRNA, a new class of posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression, in physiology and pathophysiology of kidneys. In particular, it has been shown that their expression profile in blood or urine can reflect changes in cells involved in a particular pathological process, since these cells can secrete a specific population of microRNAs, for example, through secretion of microRNA-containing exosomes. This gave grounds for considering increased or decreased expression of individual microRNAs in renal tissue or biological fluids (including urine) as new biomarkers for the diagnosis and monitoring of CKD. This review presents the results of recent experimental and clinical studies on these issues.


This article analyzes the discourse of laicism of the Kurdish militant group PKK since its birth to today. It seeks to explain the basic tenets of the laicist discourse of the organization, the process of change in this discourse and the decisive factors behind this change. The main sources of this analysis are the written and oral texts of the leading actors of the organization including its founding leader Ocalan and the texts in the organization's printed media. This article argues that the laicism discourse of the PKK relies mainly on conjunctural and functional reasons rather than the ideology of the organization.