Fermentations of Penicillium chrysogenum have been made with different CO2 contents in the influent gas streams. The rheological behavior of the culture broth was found to be significantly changed by exposure to high levels of CO2. This is attributed to the wide variation in the morphology of P. chrysogenum, from normal mycelia with long hyphae to roughly spherical pellets when subjected to high levels of CO2. A correlation has been developed relating volumetric O2 transfer coefficients, kLa, with the effective O2 diffusion coefficients, De, and the apparent viscosities, μapp, based on the results obtained in this study. The use of CO2 as a potent means for altering the rheological properties of culture broths and consequently improving the O2 transfer capabilities in penicillin fermentations was clearly demonstrated.


PURPOSE
To describe the process and outcomes of a researcher-initiated discussion group with nurses in clinical practice.

DESIGN
Descriptive case study. The study, which began in 1991, included one group of four acute care nurses. Between 1992-1996, three other groups of nurses participated.

METHODS
Nurses in practice read and discussed articles from a program of research on breast cancer during a series of group sessions. The semi-structured sessions were tape-recorded.

RESULTS
Participants suggested how to make article content more understandable to clinicians; they affirmed findings relevant to practice; and identified ways to integrate research in practice.

CONCLUSIONS
Discussion served as a means for the researcher and nurses to connect the research-practice gap through learning the practice perspective and the process and value of research. Discussion groups are recommended to enhance science-based clinical practice.


In recent years, there has been remarkable growth in Federated Learning (FL) approaches because they have proven to be very effective in training large Machine Learning (ML) models and also serve to preserve data confidentiality, as recommended by the GDPR or other business confidentiality restrictions that may apply. Despite the success of FL, performance is greatly reduced when data is not distributed identically (non-ID) across participants, as local model updates tend to diverge from the optimal global solution and thus the model averaging procedure in the aggregator is less effective. Kernel methods such as Support Vector Machines (SVMs) have not seen an equivalent evolution in the area of privacy preserving edge computing because they suffer from inherent computational, privacy and scalability issues. Furthermore, non-linear SVMs do not naturally lead to federated schemes, since locally trained models cannot be passed to the aggregator because they reveal training data (they are built on Support Vectors), and the global model cannot be updated at every worker using gradient descent. In this article, we explore the use of a particular controlled complexity ("Budget") Distributed SVM (BDSVM) in the FL scenario with non-ID data, which is the least favorable situation, but very common in practice. The proposed BDSVM algorithm is as follows: model weights are broadcasted to workers, which locally update some kernel Gram matrices computed according to a common architectural base and send them back to the aggregator, which finally combines them, updates the global model, and repeats the procedure until a convergence criterion is met. Experimental results using synthetic 2D datasets show that the proposed method can obtain maximal margin decision boundaries even when the data is non-ID distributed. Further experiments using real-world datasets with non-ID data distribution show that the proposed algorithm provides better performance with less communication requirements than a comparable Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) trained using FedAvg. The advantage is more remarkable for a larger number of edge devices. We have also demonstrated the robustness of the proposed method against information leakage, membership inference attacks, and situations with dropout or straggler participants. Finally, in experiments run on separate processes/machines interconnected via the cloud messaging service developed in the context of the EU-H2020 MUSKETEER project, BDSVM is able to train better models than FedAvg in about half the time.


Right-based approach, particularly of law and justice should be developed to measure poverty in Indonesia. the idea is based on the fact that weak access of law and justice has aggravated poverty. Poor groups were more and more downtrodden due to 'acquisition of power'in various dimensions, narrowing their chances and options, keeping them away from basic services, ignoring their rights, placing them as object of criminalization, manipulation, and corruption, and far from decision making process. Referring to factual condition and experiences of Lembaga bantuan hukum (Lbh, Legal aid institution), a model of poverty diagnosis is suggested for discussion, examination, and further development.


This paper explores the strength of simulation techniques in water conservation by employing a cellular automata (CA) modelling framework. The CA-based model allows the examination of various scenarios with different hypotheses in the context of water resources management in Egypt. Moreover, sensitivity analysis is applied to test the robustness of the model's results. The empirical results show that both social media posts as well as the fear of building the Renaissance Dam in Ethiopia play a motivational role to encourage the individuals to conserve water in Egypt. This is supported by the effort of the most effective and influential categories (family, friends, and relatives, according to the results of the current study) because they are identified as the major influencers on the surrounding people in their social networks. For the results of sensitivity analysis, there is no significant difference between the results of implementing the model and the results of sensitivity analysis.


A Dissertation Submitted to the Chandaria School of Business in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Award of the Degree of Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA)


In the Tertiary lacustrine sediments of the Jbel Rhassoul (Morocco), stevensite and sepiolite, confined to the dolomitic facies, are commonly mixed at lower parts of the so-called "Formation Intermédiate". Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations reveal a relation between these 2 magnesian clay minerals. One can observe the different transition steps, from the initial folded layers of stevensite to the fibers emerging from the layers, and finally to the complete replacement of stevensite by sepiolite. That transition can also be observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), where the fibers seem to grow at the expense of stevensite. Thermodynamic calculations have been applied to provide geochemical conditions for the formation of sepiolite after stevensite. Early deposition of the "Formation Intermédiaire" occurred under climatic conditions varying between dry and wet. During dry periods, the relative silica enrichment and the pH decrease in the lake water should destabilize stevensite, leading to the formation of sepiolite. Subsequently, a perennial wet climate would lead to the formation of pure stevensite without any trace of sepiolite.


Beliefs can influence the way people interpret events and behavior towards them. The aim of this study was validating an instrument to identify professionals' beliefs/attitudes towards chronic pain. The Survey of Pain Attitudes-Professionals (IAD-Profissionais), adapted from the Survey of Pain Attitude-Brief used for patients (SOPA-B), was answered by 75 professionals from Pain Clinics (mean age = 42.8 years; mean years since graduation = 16 years; physicians = 58.7%; physical therapists = 14.7%; with specialization courses = 42.7%; with Master's Degree/PhD = 26.7%. The Survey of Pain Attitude-Professionals was validated with 20 items; the factorial analysis confirmed 6 domains (emotion, control, disability, solicitude, medical cure and harm). The reliability of the domains ranged from 0.567 to 0.807 (Cronbach's alpha). An instrument is available to help organizing educative actions.


Although the rational choice approach toward political behavior has been severely criticized, its adherents claim that competing models have failed to offer a more scientific model of political decisionmaking. This measured but provocative book offers precisely that: an alternative way of understanding political behavior based on cognitive research. The authors draw on research in neuroscience, physiology, and experimental psychology to conceptualize habit and reason as two mental states that interact in a delicate, highly functional balance controlled by emotion. Applying this approach to more than fifteen years of election results, they shed light on a wide range of political behavior, including party identification, symbolic politics, and negative campaigning. Remarkably accessible, "Affective Intelligence and Political Judgment" urges social scientists to move beyond the idealistic notion of the purely rational citizen to form a more complete, realistic model that includes the emotional side of human judgment.


In this thesis, we develop multi-resource integer
optimization formulations for coordinating Traffic Flow Management
(TFM) programs with equity considerations. Our multi-resource
approaches ignore aircraft connectivity between flights, but allow
a single flight to utilize multiple capacity-controlled resources.
For example, when both Ground Delay Programs (GDPs) and Airspace
Flow Programs (AFPs) are simultaneously in effect, a single flight
may be impacted by a GDP and one or more AFPs. We show that due to
the similarity with current practice, our models can be applied
directly in the current Collaborative Decision-Making (CDM)
environment. In the first part of the thesis, we develop these
formulations as extensions of a well-studied, existing nationwide
TFM formulation and compare them to approaches utilized in
practice. In order to make these comparisons, we first develop a
metric, Time-Order Deviation, for evaluating schedule fairness in
the multi-resource setting. We use this metric to compare
approaches in terms of both schedule fairness and allocated flight
delays. Using historical scenarios derived from 2007 data, we show
that, even with limited interaction between TFM programs, our
Ration-by-Schedule Exponential Penalty model can improve the
utilization of air transportation system resources. Skipping ahead,
in the last part of the thesis, we develop a three-stage sequential
evaluation procedure in order to analyze the TFM allocation process
in the context of a dynamic CDM environment. To perform this
evaluation we develop an optimization-based airline disruption
response model, which utilizes passenger itinerary data to
approximate the underlying airline objective, resulting in
estimated flight cancellations and aircraft swaps between flight
legs. Using this three-stage sequential evaluation procedure, we
show that the benefits of an optimization-based allocation are
likely overstated based on a simple flight-level analysis. The
difference between these results and those in the first part of the
thesis suggests the importance of the multi-stage evaluation
procedure. Our results also suggest that there may be significant
benefits to incorporating aircraft flow balance considerations into
the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA's) TFM allocation
procedures. The passenger itinerary data required for the airline
disruption response model in the last part of the thesis are not
publicly available, thus in the second part of the thesis, we
develop a method for modeling passenger travel and delays. In our
approach for estimating historical passenger travel, we develop a
discrete choice model trained on one quarter of proprietary booking
data to disaggregate publicly available passenger demand.
Additionally, we extend a network-based heuristic for calculating
passenger delays to estimate historical passenger delays for 2007.
To demonstrate the value in this approach, we investigate how
passenger delays are affected by various features of the itinerary,
such as carrier and time of travel. Beyond its applications in…


Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC

Carcinoid neuroendocrine tumors (CNETs) are resistant to chemotherapy and the higher level doses of single or combination chemotherapy that are effective against these cancers also cause significant side-effects to the surrounding healthy tissues; therefore it is necessary to potentiate chemotherapy of these cancers. In the advanced clinical trials for different cancers, the pharmacological inhibitors of the DNA damage-responsive nuclear enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1 or PARP) have shown a significant promise either as monotherapy or as potentiators of other chemotherapeutic agents. Here, we examined whether PARP-inhibitor PJ-34 can potentiate the therapy of CNETs by streptozotocin (STZ), because STZ causes DNA damage that is repaired by base excision repair pathway in which PARP-1 is known to play a significant role. We used the CNDT2.5 as model NET cells to show that treatment of cells with 1 μM PJ-34 could effectively block the activation of PARP in response to 0.5 and 1 mg/ml STZ. We also show that lower dose of STZ (0.5 mg/ml), which had no impact on the viability or the clonogenicity of cells becomes cytocidal by co-treatment with PJ-34. The potentiation effect by PJ-34 was also seen at higher (1 mg/ml) doses of STZ. We are currently examining the mechanism of potentiation of STZ in NETs by PARP-inhibitors. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that PARP-inhibitor can significantly potentiate therapeutic efficacy of STZ against NETs, and thus add back the chemotherapy option against these cancers.

Acknowledgment: We are thankful to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research for the Banting & Best Graduate Scholarship to VR and the research grant support (Grant # MOP-89964) to GMS.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 686.


Babesia caballi is a tick-borne hemoparasite of equines and one of the causative agents of equine piroplasmosis, which poses a great concern for the equine industry regarding animal welfare and international horse movement. The parasite is endemic in Israel; however, its seroprevalence in the area was never evaluated due to antigenic heterogenicity in the gene used in the commercially available kit. Blood samples were collected from 257 horses at 19 farms throughout the country and screened for the presence of anti-B. caballi antibodies via an indirect immunofluorescent antibody test (IFAT) and for the presence of parasite DNA by nested PCR. The seroprevalence of B. caballi was 69.6% and its molecular prevalence was 9.7%. The geographical area, horse's sex, breed, housing, exposure to ticks, and specifically to Hyalomma marginatum, and co-infection with Theileria equi were found to be significantly associated with serologic exposure in univariable analysis, while the geographical area and horses' sex remained significant in the multivariable analysis. The results of this study demonstrate a high level of exposure to B. caballi and identify important risk factors for infection. The difference between the serological and molecular prevalence, probably related to parasite clearance, is also highlighted.


Starting from the homogeneous wave equations for the expectation value of the two-point correlation tensor of the electromagnetic field, a transport equation for photons in curved spacetimes is derived by making use of the covariant generalisation of the Wigner transformation. Two linear differential equations on the tangent bundle are obtained whose correction terms to the well known Liouville equation and the classical mass-shell condition are of the order of the wavelength over the variation length of the background geometry. In the same way a transport equation for the distribution tensor is derived, which describes (partially) polarised light completely.


Abstract 2709 Background: Extranodal NK/T-cell lymphoma (ENKTCL) is highly associated with latent Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection and frequent relapse even after complete response (CR) to intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The role of the EBV in pathogenesis of this disease and EBV proteins expressed in this lymphoma provide targets for the adoptive immunotherapy with antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) and raise the possibility of EBV-specific CTL as therapeutic strategies. This prospective pilot study is aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of EBV-specific CTL as a maintenance therapy in patients with chemo-sensitive EBV positive ENKTCL. Methods: A total of thirteen adult patients with EBV positive ENKTCL were enrolled but two patients died due to disease progression during the generation of EBV-CTLs. Ultimately, eleven patients who were responded to chemotherapy were received EBV-CTLs. For generation of EBV-CTLs in vitro, mature dendritic cells(DC) derived from monocytes were pulsed with RNAs of EBV LMP1 and LMP2a antigens, and then T cells were stimulated with DCs three times for 3 weeks in Catholic GMP cell processing center. EBV-CTLs were cryopreserved for later usage and some remaining cells were analyzed. Patients completed the induction treatments including chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and/or high-dose therapy followed by autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (HDT/SCT) before the infusion of EBV-CTLs and received 8 doses of 2 ×10E7 CTLs/m2. Results: Nine newly diagnosed and two chemo-sensitive relapsed patients (six male and five female) received maintenance therapy with EBV-CTLs. Median age was 47 years (range, 20–71 years). Ten patients achieved CR and one patient achieved partial response (PR) after induction therapy, and five patients including one patient in PR underwent HDT/SCT. During the maintenance therapy with EBV-CTLs, one patient dropped out of infection after 5 doses of EBV-CTLs therapy and the others completed 8 doses of EBV-CTLs. Among eleven patients, one patient relapsed 17.3 months since induction therapy. In overall, the 3-year overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) since induction therapy were 85.7±13.2%, 88.9±10.5%, respectively with a median follow-up of 25.2 months. For five patients who had HDT/SCT, DFS from SCT was 80.0±17.9% with a median follow-up of 21.0 months. Conclusion: This pilot study indicated that both LMP1 and LMP2a-specific CTLs can be effectively manufactured by stimulation with DCs in vitro from blood of patients with ENKTCL in current trial. This approach could be applied to patients with ENKTCL with safety and effectiveness. The larger prospective randomized study is needed to define the role of EBV-CTLs therapy to prevent unpredictable relapse in EBV-positive ENKTCL. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Conventional analytical techniques allow for the diagnosis of leukemia, blood and bone marrow cancers, as well as their classification into the different subtypes. However, a better understanding of the cancer treatment through cell apoptosis staging is still required. Evaluation of the timeline and responses of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cells to the arsenic trioxide (ATO) treatment is essential for determining the oral dosage in leukemia prognosis. Here, an Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) indentation approach has been used to evaluate the mechanical responses of cellular responses of APL cells to ATO treatment, alongside well-established cell viability assays, as a novel method to determine the impact of drugs. In addition, cell morphology was quantified to monitor cellular apoptosis. Viability, morphology and elasticity changes of NB4 cells (derived from Human APL patients) were correlated to different time courses of the ATO treatments. Unveiling the relationships among structural, morphological and nanomechanical properties in response to ATO drug treatment promises to pave the way for novel diagnostic tools for drug screening and for a better understanding of the specific physical and biological effects of drugs on diseased cells.


We present scientific basis of Kapil-Neha Total Internal Reflection Quantum Mechanical Projection Wave function Ψ Technique (KANEHA-TIR-Ψ Projective Technique). KANEHATIR-Ψ projective technique uses an integrated computing approach of quantum entanglement for brain's functioning, programming, training and development. This technique simultaneously stimulates and applies forces/correlations on trillions of elements of fine neural networks of different sections of human brain. As a result, those elements process/entangle/correlate information among each other by 'intensified and integrated quantum-mechanical evanescent wave tunnelling of their neuro-energy wave function potentials into neighbouring neurons and cerebrospinal fluid. This technique is so powerful that under healthy environmental conditions – it can even regenerate/repair brain's undeveloped/damaged neuron fine tissues/ neural-network. Experiments suggest that under suitable conditions of quantum-growth, KANEHA-TIR-Ψ projective technique has shown neurogenesis 'possible' even in adulthood age. KANEHA-TIR-Ψ projective technique is a revolutionary invention in the field of quantum-biophysics, mentalassessment, clinical-diagnosis, quantum-entanglement, quantum super-computing, neurogenesis, and non-destructive medical surgeries. It also provides 'firm-evidences' about quantum computing nature of human brain using electromagnetic wave signals.


Oral health as " a state of wellbeing free from chronic mouth and facial pain , oral and throat cancer , oral infection ,gum disease , tooth decay , tooth loss and other disease and disorders that limit an individual capacity in biting , chewing , smiling , speaking and psychosocial wellbeing. Experimental research design was adopted with 60 samples who matched the inclusion criteria were selected by convenience sampling technique. Demographic variables were collected by using multiple choice questionnaires. The result shows that there is a significant of the study asses the level of knowledge in oral health."Hence the study aimed to assess the knowledge on oral health among the patient who attending dental OPD".


When changes to regulatory guidance for risk assessment are proposed it is necessary to undertake an impact
analysis to assess whether they bring the desired improvement to a risk assessment and reliability of the
outcomes to inform decision making. In particular impact analyses should estimate the chances of getting
both false negative (concluding low risk where more research is needed) and false positive outcomes
(concluding high risks where the product is of low risk). Such analyses are also used to inform on future
product development costs and workload for regulatory authorities.
In this paper, we present the findings from an impact analysis conducted on the proposed EFSA bee guidance
document (2013) and discuss whether the proposed guidance would provide for a cost effective and tiered
approach toward the protection of bees due to the potential risks posed by the use of plant protection
products. Following on from this a second impact assessment is presented based on new data generated by
ECPA member companies regarding the assessment of chronic risk to bees. Critical areas are discussed and
suggestions for the improvement of assess the risk assessment for plant protection products (PPP) to bees are
presented.


In this article, the authors identify the period following a Soccer World Cup victory as a period of overwhelming joy for the winning country, and they test the impact of a World Cup victory on the demand for soccer in this country. After controlling for the main determinants of attendance, the authors find that consumer demand has positively, significantly, and durably shifted in France following the 1998 World Cup. They also show that the rise in demand is stronger in the nine cities that hosted the World Cup and that the World Cup effect persists for percentage attendance after they control for season ticket holders. Finally, the authors find supportive evidence to their claim that exceptional performance improves sport popularity when analyzing soccer attendance in several control countries, attendance for a potential substitute for soccer in France, and other episodes of overwhelming joy.


Introduction: Ventilator-associated Pneumonia (VAP) is the commonest hospital-acquired infection among mechanically ventilated patients in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). Previous studies on ICU nurses report poor practice on VAP and preventive measures. The study aimed to assess knowledge on VAP and its prevention among ICU nurses from two teaching hospitals in Sri Lanka. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 127 nurses from adult ICUs. Data were collected using a pre-tested self-administered questionnaire and analysed using SPSS version 20. Knowledge levels were categorized as good (above 75%), average (50-75%) and poor (below 50%). Results: Overall results showed that 62.2% had average, 33.1% had good, and 4.7% had poor knowledge on VAP and its prevention. The mean knowledge score was 70.15±10.5. Most participants had good knowledge on the meaning of VAP (68.5%), upper respiratory tract functions (84.3%), causative microorganisms (56.7%) and mode of transmission (78.7%). The majority had an average knowledge on standard precautions (48.8%) for VAP and poor knowledge on signs of VAP (52%). Regarding prevention of VAP, most of them had good knowledge on natural preventive mechanisms (92.1%), using of suction catheters (96.9%) and reducing microbial colonization in the oropharynx (93.7%). In contrast, poor knowledge was evident on minimum endotracheal (ET) suction pressure (69.3%), minimum ET cuff pressure (64.6%), early weaning from ventilator (72.4%), and disinfection of ventilator parts (53.5%). Conclusions: Overall knowledge of ICU nurses on VAP and its preventive measures was average. Knowledge deficiencies were identified in preventive strategies in maintaining airways and disinfection.
Keywords: Nurses, Ventilator-associated pneumonia, Intensive care unit, Knowledge, Prevention


This paper models a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) to construct a highway. It captures some of the key features of the Transmission Gully PPP. The winner of the tender recovers its costs (including capital costs) via an availability payment rather than toll revenue. While the availability payment eliminates demand risk, the winner of the tender faces cost risk: maintenance costs are only learned after construction is complete. The winning firm can make investments during the construction phase that reduce subsequent maintenance costs. As the government faces transaction costs to replace the successful bidder, firms use debt strategically to pass on some of the cost risk to the government. This distorts incentives to invest in maintenance cost reduction. Private financing therefore undermines some of the benefits from bundling construction and maintenance, which is often mentioned as an important advantage of PPPs.


Objective The traditional Chinese medicine Kangai injection as an adjuvant method in combination with chemotherapy has been widely used for treating breast cancer in clinical practice in China. This study systematically reviewed the clinical effect and safety of traditional Chinese medicine Kangai injection as an adjuvant method in combination with chemotherapy for treating Chinese patients with breast cancer. Methods Seven databases were searched in this study, namely, PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, CNKI, Sino Med, VIP, and Wanfang Data. The timeframe of retrieval was set from the founding date of each database to November 1, 2017. Results Fifteen papers were included in this study. The quality of all the studies included was low. All the studies were carried out among the Chinese population. Meta-analyses showed that, compared with single-use chemotherapy, using a Kangai injection combined with chemotherapy to treat Chinese breast cancer patient can increase the total effective rate [RR = 1.15, 95% CI (1.01, 1.32), and P = 0.033], improve the quality of life [RR = 1.30, 95% CI (1.14, 1.48), and P ≤ 0.001], decrease the incidence of weight loss [RR = 0.49, 95% CI (0.32, 0.77), and P = 0.002], decrease WBC count [RR = 0.78, 95% CI (0.68, 0.89), and P ≤ 0.001], decrease incidence of renal and liver dysfunction [RR = 0.58, 95% CI (0.46, 0.73), and P ≤ 0.001], and decrease cardiac dysfunction [RR = 0.41, 95% CI (0.18, 0.94), and P = 0.035]. For the incidence of gastrointestinal adverse reactions [RR = 0.89, 95% CI (0.65, 1.21), and P = 0.452], decreased platelet count [RR=0.49, 95% CI (0.18, 1.30), and P = 0.150], and alopecia [RR = 1.01, 95% CI (0.89, 1.14), and P = 0.879], these two groups showed no statistically significant differences. Conclusion Kangai injection as an adjuvant method in combination with chemotherapy for treating Chinese breast cancer patients can improve their life quality and physical conditions and reduce the adverse reactions that result from chemotherapy. However, the present conclusion is only suitable for the Chinese population. The long-term, high-quality researches are required to further verify the above conclusions.


ABSTRACT:This article explores the more-than-human characterization of the Theotokos in the famous Akathistos Hymn. The Mother of God emerged as an intercessional figure in the Christian imagination during late antiquity, but the formative period of mariology is still partly uncharted territory to modern scholarship. Reflecting on its rich landscape imagery and chora language, the article argues that the Akathistos minimizes the human traits of the Theotokos, rendering her more as a spatial phenomenon. In the hymn, we may glimpse traces of Marian ideas less developed during subsequent periods, ideas which gesture toward what we may call a "dark mariology." The Logos incarnates into more than human flesh, and the womb has a close affinity with the landscape. The Akathistos evokes the vision of a wider nonhuman participation in the incarnation rooted in the natural landscape of the Theotokos.


Graphene and carbon nanotube (CNT)-based gas/vapor sensors have gained much traction for numerous applications over the last decade due to their excellent sensing performance at ambient conditions. Inkjet printing various forms of graphene (reduced graphene oxide or modified graphene) and CNT (single-wall nanotubes (SWNTs) or multiwall nanotubes (MWNTs)) nanomaterials allows fabrication onto flexible substrates which enable gas sensing applications in flexible electronics. This review focuses on their recent developments and provides an overview of the state-of-the-art in inkjet printing of graphene and CNT based sensors targeting gases, such as NO2, Cl2, CO2, NH3, and organic vapors. Moreover, this review presents the current enhancements and challenges of printing CNT and graphene-based gas/vapor sensors, the role of defects, and advanced printing techniques using these nanomaterials, while highlighting challenges in reliability and reproducibility. The future potential and outlook of this rapidly growing research are analyzed as well.


OBJECTIVE
To compare cardiac adverse events, clinical outcomes and mid-and-long-term effects among massive and sub-massive pulmonary embolism (PE) patients under different periodswho received thrombus fragmentation by pigtail catheter.

METHODS
Two groups of patients who receivedthrombusfragmentation bypigtail catheter in different periods were analyzed retrospectively. Group E: 38 cases received therapy from July 2004 to October 2009 with local anesthesia; Group P: 64 cases with general anesthesia from March 2010 to December 2014. All patients were confirmedPEby CT and angiography. Parts of patients with deep vein thrombosis (DVT) received inferior vena cava filter placement 3 days later. The patients were followed up for 6-24 months after discharge. Cardiac adverse events, clinical outcomes during the thrombusfragmentation process, and mid-and-long-term effects were compared between the two groups.

RESULTS
There were no significant differences in preoperative clinical data betweenthe two groups (P>0.05). Compared with group E, clinical warning events were significantly improved in group P (odds ratio(OR): 1.24, 98.3, 1.45, 2.50; P<0.05). Within group P, there were significant differences inarterial oxygen partial pressure (PaO2) [(98.3±8.7)vs(81.3±7.1)], mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) [(25.3±7.9)vs(37.2±7.6)], heart rate (HR) [(94.3±7)vs(122±9)], airway resistance [(16.7±1.6)vs (22.5±2.1)] and mean arterial pressure (MAP) [(53.4±7)vs(42.5±6)] before and after thrombus fragmentationtreatment (P<0.05). The incidence of congestive heart failure and pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with chronic pulmonary thromboembolism (CPEPH) during follow-up were significantly different between group P andgroup E (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION
Thrombus fragmentation by pigtail catheter with intraoperativeprecise management under general anesthesia can reduce cardiac adverse events andimprove the mid-and-long-term effects among PE patients.


This statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics on day care services for children points to desirable goals for physicians who are involved in day care programs.
 Day care of children refers to the wide variety of arrangements which parents, for various reasons, choose for the care of their children of whatever age. This concept includes such facilities as family day care homes and group care-day care in child development centers, nursery schools, day nurseries, kindergartens, programs planned for hours before and after school and week- days when school is not in session-regardless of name, purpose, or auspices. Good day care provides educational experiences and guidance, health services, and social services as needed by the child and his family. It safeguards children, helps parents to maintain the values of family life, and helps prevent family breakdown.
 Pediatricians should understand the implications of day care for children and their families. They should be familiar with quality standards for health and for general day care programs. They should know the potential of day care for promoting health and learning. They should also know the problems of day care and its potential dangers when services are poor in quality. In all cases, the pediatrician is encouraged to assume an active role in day care.
 PEDIATRICIANS' CONTRIBUTIONS
 Pediatricians can contribute to the experience of children in day care in a number of ways:
 1. They may speak up as informed advocates on the quality of day care services in their community.
 2. They may comment on day care educational materials, concepts, and programs.


Dengue related maculopathy is an underestimated ocular condition, which could seriously affect patients with long-term scotoma. Here, we report a pedagogical clinical case with optical coherence tomography patterns for clinicians to be aware of this ophthalmological complication. Finally, we discuss the place of this complication in the severity criteria.


Mammalian centromeres are defined epigenetically. Although the physical nature of the epigenetic mark is unknown, nucleosomes in which CENP-A replaces histone H3 are at the foundation of centromeric chromatin. Hydrogen/deuterium exchange MS is now used to show that assembly into nucleosomes imposes stringent conformational constraints, reducing solvent accessibility in almost all histone regions by >3 orders of magnitude. Despite this, nucleosomes assembled with CENP-A are substantially more conformationally rigid than those assembled with histone H3 independent of DNA template. Substitution of the CENP-A centromere targeting domain into histone H3 to convert it into a centromere-targeted histone that can functionally replace CENP-A in centromere maintenance generates the same more rigid nucleosome, as does CENP-A. Thus, the targeting information directing CENP-A deposition at the centromere produces a structurally distinct nucleosome, supporting a CENP-A-driven self-assembly mechanism that mediates maintenance of centromere identity.


The latent structure of the Wechsler Memory Scale-III was analyzed by confirmatory factor analysis using the covariance matrix based on the 11 primary subtests from the standardization sample. Omnibus fit indexes and individual parameter estimates were examined. Of the five models evaluated, a three-factor model (working memory, auditory memory, and visual memory) provided the best fit for the standardization sample (NNFI = .98, RMSEA = .05, GFI = .98, BIC = 429.42). Models that proposed separate immediate and delayed memory constructs were hampered by inadmissible parameter estimates that signaled model specification errors. R2 values for the Faces subtests were uniformly low for all five models that suggested that this subtest has insufficient commonality with the visual memory construct.


Many producers of red meat in New Zealand run enterprises consisting of a mix of sheep, beef cattle and deer, with obvious differences in species ratios across regions when aggregated. The aim of this study was to use these regional species ratios to predict livestock number changes in New Zealand in response to climate change. Simple linear regression was performed using mean temperature and species ratio (sheep, beef cattle and deer) for each region. The slopes of these linear equations were used to estimate "business-as-usual" for each region in year 2100 under different models of climate change. An overall decrease in sheep and deer numbers by up to 38% and 75%, respectively, is predicted, along with an increase in beef cattle numbers by up to 60%. Genetics provides an opportunity to select for animals that are adapted to the changing environment through reproductive plasticity, disease resistance, and heat tolerance, and therefore to moderate these predicted changes.


Severe pulmonary hypertension in a teenager with end-stage renal disease on chronic hemodialysis via arteriovenous access is reported. Clinical presentation included persistent volume overload and pericardial effusion. Serial hemodynamic data obtained at cardiac catheterization confirmed the diagnosis. In addition, detailed biochemical and imaging data (echo- Doppler, computed tomography of chest, computed tomographic pulmonary angiography, VQ lung scan, etc.) were obtained to find out the mechanism. The exact cause of pulmonary hypertension remains unclear, and a multi- factorial mechanism is postulated. This rare case is presented to highlight the role of aggressive dialysis, pericardiocentesis, and use of sildenafil and bosentan in the management.


Consider a non-observable distributed processing system with N ≥ 2 single server queues operating in parallel, each under the processor sharing discipline. Jobs arrive one by one to the dispatcher, which immediately routes it to one of the queues. When making a routing decision the dispatcher does not have any online information about the system (current queues' sizes, size of the arriving job etc.) The only information available to the dispatcher is: job size distribution, job's inter-arrival time distribution, server's speeds, time instants of previously arrived jobs and previous routing decisions. Under these conditions, one is interested in the routing policies which minimize the job's long-run mean response time. Two new class of policies are being proposed, which, according to the numerical experiments, may significantly outperform the optimal probabilistic policy and the Round Robin policy.


The mechanisms by which isoprenaline and prenalterol increase heart rate and myocardial contractile force were investigated in conscious instrumented dogs. Isoprenaline (0.1 micrograms/kg/min/10 min) increased both heart rate (+98 +/- 14%) and contractility (+36 +/- 5%) and decreased diastolic blood pressure. beta 1-Adrenoceptor blockade abolished the isoprenaline induced increase in contractility whereas the induced tachycardia was reduced by approximately 50%. Either beta 2-blockade, which abolished the hypotensive effect of isoprenaline or ganglionic blockade, which abolished the isoprenaline-induced activation of sino aortic baroreflexes, strongly reduced (-67 +/- 8%) the isoprenaline-induced tachycardia but did not markedly alter the increase in contractility. However, the isoprenaline-induced increase in contractility was potentiated by methylatropine (+83 +/- 12%) whereas the simultaneous tachycardia was less marked than before methylatropine. In the same dogs, prenalterol (2 micrograms/kg/min/5 min) increased contractility (+38 +/- 5%) to the same extent as isoprenaline but induced a lesser increase in heart rate (+23 +/- 3%) and had no effect on aortic pressure. These effects were not significantly modified by pretreatments with either ganglionic or beta 2-blockades but were abolished by beta 1-blockade. After methylatropine the prenalterol-induced increase in heart rate was not modified but the increase in contractility was potentiated (+63 +/- 11%). We conclude that whereas indirect activation of arterial baroreflexes through hypotension markedly contributes to the isoprenaline-induced increase in heart rate, the simultaneous increase in cardiac inotropism is only dependent upon direct beta 1-adrenoceptor activation by isoprenaline.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to describe the frequencies of various diagnoses in patients admitted with acute chest pain, but without acute myocardial infarction, and to evaluate a non-invasive screening programme for these patients.

PATIENTS
A total of 204 consecutive non-acute myocardial infarction patients were included. Fifty-six had a definite diagnosis within 48 h, whereas 148 patients underwent an examination programme including pulmonary scintigraphy, echocardiography, exercise electrocardiography, myocardial scintigraphy, Holter monitoring, hyperventilation test, oesophago-gastro-duodenoscopy, 3 h monitoring of oesophageal pH, oesophageal manometry, Bernstein test, physical examination of the chest wall and thoracic spine, bronchial histamine provocation test and ultrasonic examination of the abdomen.

RESULTS
According to predefined criteria, 186 patients (91%) had at least one diagnosis, 144 had one, whereas 39 had two, and three patients had three diagnoses. In 18 patients no diagnosis was obtained. The diagnoses belonged mainly to three groups: (1) ischaemic heart disease (n = 64); (2) gastro-oesophageal diseases (n = 85); (3) chest-wall syndromes (n = 58). Less frequent diagnoses included pulmonary embolism, pleuritis/pneumonia, lung cancer, aortic stenosis, aortic aneurysm and herpes zoster.

CONCLUSIONS
The high risk subset of a non-acute myocardial infarction population can be identified by means of a clinical evaluation and non-invasive cardiac examinations. Among the remainder, pulmonary embolism, gastro-oesophageal diseases and chest-wall syndromes should be paid special attention. A careful physical examination of the chest wall and upper endoscopy seems to be the most cost-beneficial examination to employ in this subset.


Diabetes mellitus (DM) and its complications are a severe public health concern due to the high incidence, morbidity, and mortality rates. The present study aims to synthesize and characterize silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using the aqueous leaf extract of Psidium guajava (PGE) for investigating its antidiabetic activity. Psidium guajava silver nanoparticles (PGAg NPs) were prepared and characterized by various parameters. The in vivo study was conducted using PGE and PGAg NPs in Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats to assess their antidiabetic properties. STZ of 55 mg/kg was injected to induce diabetes. The PGE, PGAg NPs at a dose of 200 and 400 mg/kg and standard drug Metformin (100 mg/kg) were administered daily to diabetic rats for 21 days through the oral route. Blood glucose level, body weight changes, lipid profiles, and histopathology of the rats' liver and pancreas were examined. In the diabetic rats, PGE and PGAg NPs produced a drastic decrease in the blood glucose level, preventing subsequent weight loss and ameliorating lipid profile parameters. The histopathological findings revealed the improvements in pancreas and liver cells due to the repercussion of PGE and PGAg NPs. A compelling effect was observed in all doses of PGE and PGAg NPs; however, PGAg NPs exhibited a more promising result. Thus, from the results, it is concluded that the synthesized PGAg NPs has potent antidiabetic activity due to its enhanced surface area and smaller particle size of nanoparticles.


During recent years both ride comfort expectations and vehicle refinement have increased such that any brake vibration problems are quickly highlighted. Much emphasis has been placed on the elimination of uneven disc wear and the reduction of un-sprung mass. Problems generally associated with the use of cast iron as the brake rotor, including uneven wear, corrosion and distortion, have been overcome using a thermally conducting coating. The thermally sprayed coating (HIPAC) is a composite of dispersed silicon carbide abrasives in a copper matrix. The coating has excellent thermal conductivity and wear resistance with high energy absorption and heat dissipation. With careful selection of friction material adequate levels of friction can be generated over a wide range of operating temperatures. When applied to aluminium discs dramatic reductions in rotor mass can be achieved without the interface melting problems generally associated with aluminium metal matrix discs. However, problems may still be encountered with excessive bulk temperatures. As a result the coating may find initial success when applied to cast iron discs.It is widely accepted that the performance of automotive friction couples is influenced by the transfer film or third body layer formed between the friction surfaces. Optical, scanning electron optical and energy dispersive X-ray techniques have been used to examine the frictional surfaces of the two elements of the couple. Films on both cast iron and HIPAC coating have been examined extensively. Evidence is presented which relates the friction characteristics to the distribution and chemistry of the transfer film.


In this paper, we present result on the development of a simulation tool for the three-dimensional anisotropic wet chemical etching of bulk silicon etching or bulk micromaching. As a test of our simulation tool, we present several simulation results. Several simulation results demonstrate our simulation tool which is quite efficient for the design and development of MEMS device structure. The developed simulator demonstrates the applicability of complex three-dimensional MEMS device structures. We demonstrate the simulation of the anisotropic wet chemical etching process of basic exemplary structures featuring the virtual fabrication of an industrial MEMS structure manufactured by means of bulk micromachining.


Native place names research conducted near Kaltag, Alaska, reveal that the Koyukon Athabascan have an intimate relationship with the land. The land, its resources and its inhabitants are examined through the etymology of the place names. Most Koyukon Athabascan place names are descriptive, are binomial, and can be classified into three semantic categories. Oral histories about place names reveal beliefs, stories, and songs of the people. Challenges and opportunities in passing on this knowledge to the younger generation are explored. Several Athabascan language revitalization efforts are underway that combine indigenous teaching strategies and modern technology.


Background Drug-resistant falciparum malaria is an increasing public health burden. We examined the magnitude of Plasmodium falciparum infection and the patterns and predictors of treatment failure in Vietnam. Methods Medical records of all 443 patients with malaria infection admitted to the Hospital for Tropical Diseases between January 2015 and December 2018 were used to extract information on demographics, risk factors, symptoms, laboratory tests, treatment, and outcome. Results More than half (59.8%, 95%CI 55.1%-64.4%) of patient acquired P. falciparum infection of whom 21.9% (95%CI 17.1%-27.4%) had severe malaria, while 10.2% (95%CI 6.8%-14.5%) and 19.2% (95%CI 14.7%-24.5%) developed early treatment failure (ETF) and late treatment failure (LTF) respectively. ETF was 6.8% among patients referred from Binh Phuoc province and Central Highland, 11.3% from other areas in Vietnam, and 6.9% from Africa. LTF was 16.2% among patients from Binh Phuoc province and Central Highland, 22.6% from other areas in Vietnam, and 27.6% from Africa. Most patients (98.5%) recovered completely. Having severe malaria was a predictor of ETF (AOR 4.42, 95%CI 1.85-10.61, P = 0.001). No predictor of LTF was identified.Conclusion P. falciparum remains the prevalent malaria parasite. Despite low mortality rate, severe malaria is not rare and is a significant predictor of ETF. Parenteral artesunate and an oral partner drug should be concurrently used for severe malaria to reduce the risk for ETF. The study alerts the possibility of drug-resistant malaria in Africa and other areas in Vietnam which are known as nonendemic areas of antimalarial drug resistance. A more comprehensive study using molecular technique in these regions is required to completely understand the magnitude of drug-resistant malaria and to design appropriate control strategies. Key words: Plasmodium falciparum; severe malaria; early treatment failure; late treatment failure; Vietnam


Background: Health attendants are constantly faced with the hazards inherent in their occupation. The objective of this study was to assess the occupational hazards exposures and their resultant effects on health attendants in health facilities in Warri South Local Government Area (LGA) of Delta state, Nigeria.
Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study of 199 health attendants selected from 37 hospitals within the LGA using Random Sampling Method. Data were collected by the interviewer and self-administered questionnaire and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 17 (SPSS Inc. Released 2008. SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 17.0. Chicago: SPSS Inc.). Statistical analysis involved the use of the Chi square (ϗ2) and t-test among others as applicable. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05 for all analyses.
Results: Female workers accounted for 95.5% of the respondents; 98.0% had secondary level education and below. About 79.9% have not attended training courses on safety in the workplace. Many respondents (92.0%) believed that the occupation is hazardous. Among those that ever had injuries (26.6%), cuts and bruises accounted for (66.0%); followed closely by needle pricks (64.2%) and skin irritation/allergy (22.6%). Only 18.1% of the respondents had received hepatitis B vaccination. Only 50.8% and 10.1% respondents always wear hand gloves and protective boots, respectively. A significant association (P < 0.05) was found as those that have had training sustained fewer injuries than those who have not had training; also awareness about hazards is more among respondents with high educational status; those that have had training and those that have spent more years at work.
Conclusion: Health attendants in this study are aware of the hazardous nature of their occupation, but still vulnerable to direct hazards exposure. We recommend that there should be mandatory standardized training and re-training of these hospital attendants on the potential hazards of their work and measures should be put in place to enforce the usage of personal protective equipment by this group of workers.


This article provides a comprehensive review of multiple imputation (MI), a technique for analyzing data sets with missing values. Formally, MI is the process of replacing each missing data point with a set of m > 1 plausible values to generate m complete data sets. These complete data sets are then analyzed by standard statistical software, and the results combined, to give parameter estimates and standard errors that take into account the uncertainty due to the missing data values. This article introduces the idea behind MI, discusses the advantages of MI over existing techniques for addressing missing data, describes how to do MI for real problems, reviews the software available to implement MI, and discusses the results of a simulation study aimed at finding out how assumptions regarding the imputation model affect the parameter estimates provided by MI.


Hypericin and pseudohypericin are the two major dianthrones of St John's wort (SJW, Hypericum perforatum) that are reported to have antidepressant and antiviral effects. In this study we used methanol extracts of five commercial SJW products to determine the two congeners using a modified reverse phase HPLC method with gradient elution. One SJW product is specified by the manufacturer to contain 340 µg hypericin per tablet (170 mg extract), while the other four products are specified to contain 900 µg hypericin per tablet (300 mg); none of the products is claimed to contain pseudohypericin. Our results showed that the actual contents of hypericin in these products ranged from 1.7 to 38.5% of the claimed amounts. However, the amounts of pseudohypericin were in general much higher than those of hypericin. When hypericin and pseudohypericin were combined as total hypericin, the four products that supposedly contain 900 µg per tablet were found to contain 26, 484, 587 and 615 µg total hypericin per tablet, or 2.9, 53.8, 65.2 and 68.3% of the claimed hypericin contents respectively. The product which supposedly contains 340 µg hypericin per tablet was found to contain 388 µg total hypericin per tablet, or 114% of the claimed hypericin content. The relatively low hypericin contents measured in these products are not a result of losses during extraction, because the two congeners had high recoveries (93.7 and 94.3% for hypericin and pseudohypericin respectively) when added before methanolic extraction to an SJW product with known amounts of the two congeners. Thus our results show that the commercial SJW products vary greatly in their amounts of total hypericin and that pseudohypericin, rather than hypericin, is the major hypericin in these products. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry


Hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] elicits allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) among previously sensitized individuals, and some regulatory agencies have suggested the need for Cr(VI) soil standards that are protective of this health end point. To assess the cost effectiveness of implementing ACD-based standards, it is necessary to understand the prevalence of Cr(VI) sensitivity in the general population. More than 30 published studies from 1950 to 1997 were reviewed to determine the prevalence of Cr(VI) sensitivity. No random survey of the general United States (U.S.) population has been performed to date, but the prevalence of Cr(VI) sensitization among North American clinical cohorts (e.g., patients of dermatological clinics) was reported to be 1% in 1996. The prevalence of Cr(VI) sensitivity among the general U.S. population is estimated to be 0.08%. This estimate was calculated by dividing the current U.S. clinical prevalence estimate (1%) by the ratio of Cr(VI) sensitization in clinical vs general populations in The Netherlands (12). A retrospective cost/benefit analysis for sites in Jersey City, New Jersey, suggests that remediation of soils to protect against elicitation of ACD in sensitized individuals is not a cost-effective use of public health resources.


Abstract Prior to the development of modern synthetic adhesives, one of the most reliable and widely practised methods of ceramic repair was the use of metal rivets, lacing, and other related metal repairs. This technology was highly specialized and required skills that are no longer widely understood. Research was carried out relating to the history and development of this technique and its connection to present-day conservation ideology. Tools, materials, and processes were investigated through the use of primary texts from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. This traditional form of repair is contextualized within current ethical considerations for the preservation of cultural heritage material, including frameworks for the removal of prior repairs, the interpretive value of past interventions, conservation recommendations, and the elusive ideal of reversibility.


Pipeline generally extends over long distances traversing through wide variety of different soils, geological conditions and regions with different seismicity. Most analytical models developed in the past for pipeline fault crossing are of limited usage as models developed were useful only for strike slip fault. Incorporating the large geometric changes in analytical study is a tricky task; however pipeline subjected to the fault motion itself is a phenomenon of large geometric changes, especially when pipeline subjected to compression in addition to material deformation, it also undergoes local buckling with bending. With computational advancement in numerical modelling, pipes under compression can also be studied. In this paper, a 3D FE-based numerical model is suggested to carry out pipeline performance of buried pipeline subjected to fault motion including material non-linearity and large geometric deformations. A 3D FE programme is developed using MATLAB. Displacement controlled arc-length technique is implemented to solve the non-linear behaviour.


In this article we present the process of creation of an innovative proposal for undergraduate teaching, developed by an interdisciplinary group at "Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos - UNISINOS". Besides pointing out the theoretical-epistemological referential supporting this proposal, we will also be discussing the implications some paradigm ruptures have brought to the educational process presently being used at this University. We would like to introduce the reader to the process behind this way of understanding and living the educational practice, as well as to follow the account of an experience a group of teachers has had, when confronted with the task of pondering a new undergraduate program.


Klebsiella pneumoniae OmpA, the 40-kDa major protein of the outer membrane, was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant protein was produced intracellularly in E. coli as inclusion bodies. Fusion of a short peptide to the N-terminus of native P40 facilitated high-level expression of the recombinant protein. Purified recombinant P40 was analyzed to verify purity and structural integrity. The molecular mass of purified recombinant P40 determined by electrospray mass spectrometry was 37,061 Da, in agreement with the theoretical mass deduced from the DNA sequence. Specific proliferation of recombinant-P40-primed murine lymph node cells in response to recombinant P40 stimulation in vitro indicated the presence of a T-cell epitope on recombinant P40. The induction of high serum antibody titers to a synthetic peptide derived from the attachment protein G of the respiratory syncytial virus when chemically coupled to recombinant P40 indicated that the protein had potent carrier properties.


Bumper is one of the main parts which are used as protection for passengers from front and rear collision. The aim of this study was to analyze and study the structure and material employed for car bumper in one of the car manufacturer. In this study, the most important variables like material, structures, shapes and impact conditions are studied for analysis of the bumper beam in order to improve the crash worthiness during collision. The simulation of a bumper is characterized by impact modelling using Pro/Engineer, impact analysis is done by SOILD WORKS according to the speed that is 13.3 m/sec (48 km/h) given in order to analyze the results. This speed is according to regulations of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards, FMVSS 208 Occupant Crash Protection whereby the purpose and scope of this standard specifies requirements to afford impact protection for passengers. In this research, analysis is done for speed according to regulations and also by increasing speed is33.3 m/sec (120 km/h). Simulation using Finite Element Analysis software, which is SOILD WORKS, was conducted. The material used for bumper is CARBON FIBER-REINFORCED POLY-ETHER-IMIDE PEI and S2 Glass Epoxy.


A trench DMOS transistor structure having a low resistance path to a drain contact located on an upper surface and methods of making the same. The transistor structure comprises: (1) a first region of semiconductor material of a first conductivity type; (2) a gate trench formed within the first region; (3) a layer of gate dielectric within the gate trench; (4) a gate electrode within the gate trench adjacent the layer of gate dielectric material; (5) a drain access trench formed within the first region; (6) a drain access region of conductive material located within the drain access trench; (7) a source region of the first conductivity type within the first region, the source region being at or near a top surface of the first region and adjacent to the gate trench; (8) a body region within the first region below the source region and adjacent to the gate trench, the body region having a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type; and (9) a second region of semiconductor material within the first region below the body region. The second region is of the first conductivity type and has a higher dopant concentration than the first semiconductor region. Moreover, the second region extends from the gate trench to the drain access trench and is self-aligned to both the gate trench and the drain access trench.


Introduction: Studies show that drug use by people considered dependent began in the young phase of life, and that this contact often occurs in academic centers. In view of the seriousness of this disease, it is essential to seek anticipatory measures. Material and Methods: Thus, in order to evaluate the efficacy of a preventive method, 150 university students were submitted to the ASSIST questionnaire (risk identification instrument by scores). The preventive method used was Brief Intervention (IB), which is a motivational interview aimed at reducing the indiscriminate use of drugs. The respondents were placed in a group: the IBs who received Brief Intervention sequentially and the CONTs who received them after 30 days. The ASSIST was reapplied to both and the scores compared statistically. Results: In the end, the IB group showed a significant decrease in their ASSIST score regarding drug use in relation to the CONT group. The study also verified that men are more predisposed to use, and that the most commonly used drugs are alcohol and tobacco, respectively. Discussion and Conclusion: The determining factors for the early use of drugs are: transition between the young and adult phases; social inclusion; aesthetic idealisms; and accelerated pace of activities. Already the peculiarities between the sexes, occur as a consequence to neurocognitive and neurochemical physiological processes. The wide dissemination by the media and the familiar cultural influence, justifies the predominant use of alcohol and tobacco. As for prevention, the measures of the Brief Intervention contribute to its effectiveness, being these: Feedback; Responsibility; Counseling; Options menu; and Auto Efficacy. These measures assist the acceptance process and encourage the importance of consent for continued treatment. Therefore, IB proves to be a safe and efficient method to reduce the risky and abusive use of drugs by young people. INTRODUCTION The use of psychotropic substances has become increasingly common in people's lives and this practice has started earlier and earlier, which is a worrying risk factor, due to the probability of developing addiction. Due to the complexity and severity of the problem of installed addiction, the WHO ASSIST questionnaire, which is an effective tool in identifying use and abuse with regard to psychoactive drugs, has been incorporated by WHO through the addition of the score for each substance. Thus, it is possible to adopt measures aimed at preventing addiction. The preferred method is the Brief Intervention (IB), which consists of the application of an oral / verbal explanatory of the risks involved in the use of psychotropic substances aiming at the behavioral and discursive change of the individual, so that it has the capacity to diminish or extinguish its use. Thus, the study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of brief intervention in university students with predisposition to dependence. MATERIAL AND METHODS The research was conducted at the University Center of Grande Dourados, where 150 individuals were interviewed using ASSIST. Participants with scores for alcohol from 11 to 26 and for other drugs from 4 to 26 were randomly divided into experimental groups: IB (received the Brief Intervention); and CONT (they waited 30 days to receive the Short Intervention). After 30 days, the ASSIST was reapplied and the data compared statistically between baseline interview and return for both groups. RESULTS The study pointed out that the use of psychotropic substances is common to college life, with alcohol being the most used drug in the life of all individuals interviewed (100%, n = 150/150). Tobacco was the second most used drug among the participants (66%, n = 99/150), followed by marijuana (12.6%, n = 19/150), hypnotics / sedatives (7.3%, n = 11/150) and there was no use of injectable drugs. The study also elucidated that most college students who have ever made the risky use belong to the male sex. Figure 1. Comparison between the means of the total score obtained by the ASSIST instrument in the baseline and return interview for the IB and CONT groups. Mean ± SD of the total scores obtained by the ASSIST instrument on the two interview occasions in users of groups IB (Basal, n = 75, Return, n = 75) and CONT (Basal, n = 75; and abusive use of drugs in an institution of higher education in Dourados (MS). * differs from the baseline interview (two-way ANOVA followed by the Newman-Keuls test, p?0.05). The multiple comparison (two-way ANOVA) for the variable total ASSIST score, considering as factors the groups (CONT and IB) and the interviews (baseline and return), detected a statistically significant reduction in the return score when compared to the baseline, (FCONT (1,148) = 57.01, p <0.01; FIB (1,148) = 57.01, p <0.01). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION The use of drugs in the young phase of life is a result of the atypical circumstances in this transitory phase between adolescence and adulthood, and can be used as a stimulus to cross situations of high complexity. The greater use of the man in relation to the woman is attributed to the particularities of the impulsive behavior in relation to the use, this due to the divergence between the sexes and its peculiarities by virtue of neurocognitive and neurochemical processes of the human organism. Through the scientific literature can be found that, women have more intense brain activation than men in some specific regions. Thus, the compensatory mesolimbic regions are activated more markedly in the female organism than in the male organism. The consumption of alcohol and tobacco products is legal and widely publicized through media advertising and other information vehicles, which contributes to the increase in its prevalence of use. In addition to the fact that, most of the times people do not view these drugs as aggravating to health, since this is a practice that can be passed by the relatives themselves as a common habit. Thus, many young people begin with the use of drugs considered lighter as alcohol, which instigates the curiosity to try new substances like the tobacco. Knowing that this practice can lead to various complications for life (social, family, work, among others), dependence can be considered a public health issue and needs a cautious look in order to alleviate problems that may be due to this disease. Harm reduction is an effective health promotion tactic that provides common sense or selfawareness tips on disease prevention for practitioners of sporadic and continuous use. This search for health promotion occurs through the democratization of information aiming to reduce the damages associated with the use of drugs. The characteristics of Brief Intervention contribute to its effectiveness and is suggested as a viable approach for reducing the risk of dependence on users. The principles embodied in IB promote a more delicate approach with a non-possessive reception and a good reflective listening that is aimed at creating a bond of trust and empathy through individual experiences, seeking to clarify them in order not to carry out therapeutic impositions. This early intervention extends the preventive competence allowing to transcend a vision returned to moderate and serious chemical dependents. Thus, the adoption of Brief Intervention may serve as a preventive tool for harm and health problems for individuals with early detection of drug abuse, and as a motivational source for adherence to treatment for patients identified with chemical dependency.


We investigated the properties of pulse propagation on nonlinear traveling-wave field effect transistors (TWFET) in order to develop a method for generating short electrical pulses. We considered the case where a decreasing voltage pulse is applied to the gate line and an increasing one is simultaneously applied to the drain line. By properly designing the top and bottom levels of the applied pulses, every FET simulates an electronic switch (the switch is open for voltages greater than some fixed threshold, and closed otherwise). On a line with such switches, a pulse experiences great shortening by the development of steep exponential wave; therefore, a TWFET operates as a short pulse generator.


Abstract

This research aims to explore the advantage and disadvantage of hiring foreign migrant laborers by small-scale fisheries (SSFs) toward rural coastal areas. The targeted groups are migrant fishermen coming from Indonesia who work onboard Taiwan's fishing boats within Nanfangao area.
First of all, we outline the importance of SSFs, particularly in developing countries.
Many SSFs are characterized by self-governing mechanisms that have significant conservation value. This study is not only an exploratory research to find out and discover the range and scope of issues and concepts, but also is an explanatory research to explain how or why things are used to predict, which is carried out to investigate in a timely manner a phenomenon, that has not been studied before, or has not been well explained previously. As a result, this study indicates that the future research needs to demand priority and generate operational definitions for building a better-researched model.

JEL classification numbers: F16, F60, H13.
Keywords: Foreign Migrant Labor, Small-Scale Fisheries, Rural Coastal Areas.


Pseudocubic crystals of (Fe,Mg,Mn) 3 B 7 O 13 Cl borate, ≤ 1.2 mm in size and yellowish through pale-violet to pale-violet-brown and brownish in color, were found in the Klodawa salt dome, located within the Mid-Polish Trough (central Poland), an axial part of the Polish basin belonging to a system of Permian-Mesozoic epicontinental basins of Western and Central Europe. The crystals occur in adjacent parts of the Underlying Halite and Youngest Halite units bordering the Anhydrite Pegmatite unit around the PZ–3/PZ–4 (Leine/Aller) boundary. The internal texture of the crystals reflects phase-transitions from rhombohedral congolite (space-group symmetry R 3 c ) through orthorhombic ericaite ( Pca 2 1 ) to a cubic, high-temperature, mainly Fe-dominant analogue of boracite ( F 43 c ), indicating formation of the phases under increasing temperature. Currently, the parts of the crystals showing orthorhombic and cubic morphology generally represent congolite and, much less frequently, trembathite paramorphs after higher-temperature structural varieties of (Fe,Mg,Mn) 3 B 7 O 13 Cl and (Mg,Fe,Mn) 3 B 7 O 13 Cl, which are unstable at room-temperature. The phase-transitions R 3 c → Pca 2 1 and Pca 2 1 → F 43 c recorded in the morphology of the growing crystals took place at temperatures of 230–250 °C and 310–315 °C, respectively, whereas the total range of (Fe,Mg,Mn) 3 B 7 O 13 Cl borate crystallization was determined to be ca . 100 °C to 350–360 °C. The primary congolite crystallized as a result of the metasomatic reaction of Fe and Mn carriers present within the host rock-salts of the Underlying Halite and Youngest Halite with (BO 3 ) 3− -bearing brines and fluids released from primary evaporate sediments (probably mainly from Upper Younger Halite with potash impurities of the PZ–3 cyclothem) in diagenetic and metamorphic processes induced by disturbances in halokinetic stability, intensive faulting of the pre-Zechstein basement and decompression, and, connected with movements of evaporates, their upward flow in the crust and the formation of a diapiric structure. The phase-transitions R 3 c → Pca 2 1 and Pca 2 1 → F 43 c have been forced by inflows of Mg-bearing fluids sourced from relatively thick loads of potash salts (Younger Potash) of the PZ–3 cyclothem, containing inclusions of carnallite, kainite, and kieserite. The brines and fluids have utilized cracks in Pegmatite Anhydrite as convenient pathways for migration in the dome, in contrast to the host rock-salts, which are too solid to be penetrated by the fluids for distances greater than a few meters.


The mechanical organization of knowledge for retrieval of stored information can no longer neglect the developments of point‐to‐point communication theory, since both deal with information and handle it by machines. The most versatile retrieval systems are those which delegate a separate tally to each information item, and which impress marks on the tally for the machine to read and to use for selective purposes. Coding is the relationship between these marks and the intellectual content of the information items. Coding determines the complexity of the selective machine and the utility of the whole process. A set of invariant coding principles is stated which define maximum coding efficiency for any tally selecting machines, and parallels are drawn between these principles and the conclusions of modern point‐to‐point communication theory. Zatocoding is defined—the system which superimposes random subject code patterns on the tally—and it is found to obey each of the invariant principles of coding efficiency while still allowing the simplest possible selector machine structure.


Abstract Background Dilated cardiomyopathy in children causes heart failure and has a poor prognosis. Health-related quality of life in this patient group is unknown. Moreover, results may provide detailed information of parents' sense of their child's functioning. We hypothesised that health-related quality of life, as rated by parents, and the paediatric heart failure score, as assessed by physicians, have both predictive value on outcome. Methods and results In this prospective study, health-related quality of life was assessed by parent reports: the Infant Toddler Quality of Life questionnaire (0–4 years) or Child Health Questionnaire-Parent Form 50 (4–18 years) at 3–6-month intervals. We included 90 children (median age 3.8 years, interquartile range (IQR) 0.9–12.3) whose parents completed 515 questionnaires. At the same visit, physicians completed the New York University Pediatric Heart Failure Index. Compared with Dutch normative data, quality of life was severely impaired at diagnosis (0–4 years: 7/10 subscales and 4–18 years: 8/11 subscales) and ⩾1 year after diagnosis (3/10 and 6/11 subscales). Older children were more impaired (p<0.05). After a median follow-up of 3 years (IQR 2–4), 15 patients underwent transplantation. Using multivariable time-dependent Cox regression, "physical functioning" subscale and the Heart Failure Index were independently predictive of the risk of death and heart transplantation (hazard ratio 1.24 per 10% decrease of predicted, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06–1.47 and hazard ratio 1.38 per unit, 95% CI 1.19–1.61, respectively). Conclusion Physical impairment rated by parents and heart failure severity assessed by physicians independently predicted the risk of death or heart transplantation in children with dilated cardiomyopathy.


This paper recasts an old debate in accounting, that of the appropriate means of revaluing assets in place, within a new theoretical and empirical framework. The new theoretical framework is to regard the current movement of current cost accounting indices as reflecting inter-industry arbitrage of both assets in place and investment. This new perspective results in a new empirical development which draws upon recent advances in time-series econometrics, namely, error correction representations of the trajectory of related time-series. We construct error correction representations of both the current-cost and the current purchasing power method of valuing assets in place and compare them according to their ability to forecast the future value of assets in place. The results suggest that the time path of specific price indices has a parsimonious error-correction representation involving other related price indices. The bivariate and multivariate tests of forecasting accuracy we conducted show that the error correction model clearly outperforms the random walk benchmark model.


This study has intended to assess the location suitability of urban parks in Cheongju City, using Gravity Model considering the demand and supply of urban park service. To reach this goal, the urban park location suitability concept was defined by considering the siting criteria of urban parks and the methods of assessing original location suitability. The analysis process of urban park location suitability assessment are as follows: 1) Using such variables as the urban park area per person stated in the Act on Urban Parks, greenbelts, etc. the urban park demand per building was calculated. 2) Using the entered data into a Geographic Information System(GIS), the actual urban park service supply per building was calculated. 3) Using the extended model of Gravity Model, the urban park location suitability assessment index-the ratio of demand to the gap between supply and demand-was calculated. According to the analysis of the location suitability assessment, it was identified that the residents in more than half of surveyed buildings do not receive enough benefits from urban parks. Besides, this study proposes that urban park should be planned by considering accessibility to the park, satisfaction of quantitative supply and the population distribution around the park simultaneously.


This study reports the importance of environmental education as a usual tool in the prevention of risks of natural disasters. The research is a descriptive type and the method used was the case study. The techniques used were bibliographical and documentary research. The work was divided into three stages: data collection, systematization of information and synthesis. As a result, civil defense experience with the partnership of the Department of Education of the city of Blumenau and the effective actions in Schools were described. The project includes several actions, as follows: Civil Defense in the School, Junior Civil Defense Agent, Evacuation Plan and Lectures. The report of this experience in Blumenau has served as assistance and incentive for other municipalities to implement similar actions related to risk prevention of disasters that are aligned to the National Policy for Protection and Civil Defense.


Abstract Objective To study the clinical outcomes of a posterior nasoseptal flap used in the endonasal reconstruction of anterior skull base defects. Methods The early harvested flap was used to reconstruct anterior skull base defects in patients with high-flow on-table cerebrospinal fluid leak. Post-operatively, the patients were analysed for cerebrospinal fluid leak and bleeding. Results Of the 100 patients, 87 had macro defects while 13 had micro defects. Non-secretary lesions were present in 60 patients, while secretary lesions were present in 40 patients. Cerebrospinal fluid leak was present in all the patients undergoing surgery, and the majority of them had a lumbar drain fitted. Post-operatively, two patients experienced bleeding and only two patients had a cerebrospinal fluid leak. Conclusion The use of a posterior nasoseptal flap for reconstruction of the anterior skull base amongst patients with a high-flow intra-operative cerebrospinal fluid leak can help prevent post-operative cerebrospinal fluid leak. Its applicability to wide patient profiles, with respect to age, size of defect and diagnosis, make it a versatile choice for reconstruction after endonasal anterior skull base surgical procedures.


A sort of gravitational waveguide effect in cosmology could explain, in principle, the huge luminosities coming from quasars using the cosmological large scale structures as selfoc--type or planar waveguides. Furthermore, other anomalous phenomena connected with quasars, as the existence of "brothers" or "twins" objects having different brilliancy but similar spectra and redshifts, placed on the sky with large angular distance, could be explained by this effect. We describe the gravitational waveguide theory and then we discuss possible realizations in cosmology.


A critical requirement in the digitization of analogue seismograms is that the y axis of the digitizing device be parallel to the recorded direction of swing of the galvanometer. Small misalignment of the seismogram on the digitizing table can produce major errors in the results of Fourier analysis and other digital techniques. In the examples discussed, the direction of the galvanometer swing was not parallel to the recording drum axis (the nominal direction of swing). Fourier spectra and group velocities are presented for cases in which the seismogram is aligned with the x axis of the digitizer: (1) parallel to the trace; (2) normal to the drum axis; (3) correctly aligned, normal to the direction of galvanometer swing. If the alignment is incorrect, the errors in the results are significant at both short and long periods and lead to erroneous geophysical conclusions. The magnitude of the errors increases with both the degree of misalignment and the amplitude of the recorded signal.


We propose the use of Fourier series for representing the precipitation regime in a certain location and predicting it in ungauged locations, allowing for map production. We analyse monthly average precipitation data of 2043 gauging stations covering the Italian territory. The Fourier series allows to represent a curve as a sum of different sinusoidal components characterized by their period, amplitude and phase. Being the different harmonics not correlated, it is possible to fit them with stepwise multiple linear regressions. The Fourier series allows for a parsimonious representation of the regime, being usually the 12‐ and 6‐month harmonics able to reproduce the observed values with little residuals [in this exercise the fitting gave an average monthly root mean square error (RMSE) of 9.21 mm and a correlation coefficient of 0.979]. Once the at‐station harmonics parameters are obtained, it is possible to map them for predicting the regime in ungauged locations. Here we use ordinary kriging and the leave‐one‐out validation scheme for evaluating the amplitudes and phases of the harmonics of the 12‐ and 6‐month periods and reconstructing the precipitation regime. We use the same scheme for the interpolation of the station data on a month‐by‐month basis, whose results are used as a benchmark. The analyses provide similar results, with overall RMSEs of 17.53 and 15.97 mm and correlation coefficients of 0.909 and 0.921, respectively. The spatial patterns of the reconstruction error are similar for the two cases. The stations having higher RMSE are clustered in the areas presenting high precipitation gradients, such as in the Appennines, or where major precipitation regime changes occur. For demonstrating that the Fourier series approach is more suitable for regionalization purposes, a k‐means cluster analysis on the Fourier parameters was performed and the effect of such stratification on the mapping of the precipitation regime by applying regression kriging was assessed. Copyright © 2010 Royal Meteorological Society


trisyllable), 272 (note) svmus. In 115 fin. (p. 131), -mono should be -mono,; 206 (p. 229), hominibus pedibus are put in the wrong order; 151 fin. muSt'ov and 196 bnrora are wrongly accented, 167 fin. n/iav and 241 fin. tetuli wrongly marked as non-existent. In 298 fin. ' Th^ocr. Syracus. 58 ' might be put more simply as 'Theocr. 15, 58.' The table of contents comes at the end of the book, as often in French writers: it is surely more convenient to place it at the beginning. The first edition of the work appeared last year. In the second edition few changes have been made : the most important of them the more detailed account of the history of vs (47), a reference to the theory (on which see Thurneysen in Kuhn's Zeitschrift, xxx. p. 494 sq.) that e.g. dandi = *damenay (115 fin., note), and some remarks on the genesis of forms likejugd (190 fin.). The new derivation of bubulcus from fulcio (179, p. 182) is not attractive.


Photolithography is a powerful technique for the synthesis of DNA oligonucleotides on glass slides, as it combines the efficiency of phosphoramidite coupling reactions with the precision and density of UV light reflected from micrometer-sized mirrors. Photolithography yields microarrays that can accommodate from hundreds of thousands up to several million different DNA sequences, 100-nt or longer, in only a few hours. With this very large sequence space, microarrays are ideal platforms for exploring the mechanisms of nucleic acid·ligand interactions, which are particularly relevant in the case of RNA. We recently reported on the preparation of a new set of RNA phosphoramidites compatible with in situ photolithography and which were subsequently used to grow RNA oligonucleotides, homopolymers as well as mixed-base sequences. Here, we illustrate in detail the process of RNA microarray fabrication, from the experimental design, to instrumental setup, array synthesis, deprotection and final hybridization assay using a template 25mer sequence containing all four bases as an example. In parallel, we go beyond hybridization-based experiments and exploit microarray photolithography as an inexpensive gateway to complex nucleic acid libraries. To do so, high-density DNA microarrays are fabricated on a base-sensitive monomer that allows the DNA to be conveniently cleaved and retrieved after synthesis and deprotection. The fabrication protocol is optimized so as to limit the number of synthetic errors and to that effect, a layer of β-carotene solution is introduced to absorb UV photons that may otherwise reflect back onto the synthesis substrates. We describe in a step-by-step manner the complete process of library preparation, from design to cleavage and quantification.


With the increased brilliance of state-of-the-art Synchrotron radiation sources and the advent of Free Electron Lasers enabling revolutionary science on atomic length and time scales with EUV to X-ray photons comes an urgent need for suitable photon imaging detectors. Requirements include high frame rates, very large dynamic range, single-photon counting capability with low probability of false positives, and (multi)-megapixels. PERCIVAL (``Pixelated Energy Resolving CMOS Imager, Versatile And Large'') is currently being developed by a collaboration of DESY, RAL, Elettra, DLS and Pohang to address this need for the soft X-ray regime. PERCIVAL is a monolithic active pixel sensor (MAPS), i.e. based on CMOS technology. It will be back-thinned to access its primary energy range of 250 eV to 1 keV with target efficiencies above 90%. According to its preliminary specifications, the roughly 10 × 10 cm2, 3.5k × 3.7k monolithic ``PERCIVAL13M'' sensor will operate at frame rates up to 120 Hz (commensurate with most FELs) and use multiple gains within its 27 μm pixels to measure 1 to ∼ 105 (500 eV) simultaneously-arriving photons. A smaller ``PERCIVAL2M'' with ∼ 1.4k × 1.5k pixels is also planned. Currently, small-scale back-illuminated prototype systems (160 × 210 pixels of 25 μm pitch) are undergoing detailed testing with X-rays and optical photons. In March 2014, a prototype sensor was tested at 350 eV–2 keV at Elettra's TwinMic beamline. The data recorded include diffraction patterns at 350 eV and 400 eV, knife edge and sub-pixel pinhole illuminations, and comparisons of different pixel types. Another prototype chip will be submitted in fall 2014, first larger sensors could be in hand in late 2015.


An enhanced model for the dynamic behavior of the end milling process is described. The model predicts the cutting forces and cutter deflections by including the effects of the flank face interference mechanism in addition to the chip removal effects. The interference mechanism is accounted for by considering the flank interference forces to be proportional to the interference volume. The volume of interference is estimated numerically. The total force acting on the tool is a combination of the forces due to the cutting action and forces due to the interference. Experiments performed on 6061-T6 Aluminum validate the simulation results.


Based on group interviews conducted in Ivory Coast, this article examines gender relations in rural areas based on the experiences of villagers from two of the country's major ethnic groups in the south: the Akans and the Krous. At the crossroads of decolonial feminist theories and postcolonial third-space theorizing, the article examines the identity strategies that shape the social constructions of gender equality and access to land. From the cultural hybridity of these representations emerges a dynamic of negotiations with ambivalences, resistances, and encounters, which testifies of a reframing of power relations in the making.


This paper presents the modeling technique, design method, a new working mechanism and influence factors for elastic metamaterials (EMs) with parallel multi-resonators for broadband elastic vibration suppression. The general formula of the effective mass is deduced, and the effects of the relevant structural parameters on the frequency regions of the negative effective mass are illustrated in details. Subsequently, the dispersion relation and transmission spectrum of the EMs are studied. Based on the theoretical approach, the EMs plates were proposed, and the formation mechanism of the band gaps are analyzed by studying the displacement field of the eigenmodes at the band gaps edges. The related results well confirm that the novel EMs induces multi-frequency negative effective mass, and the number of the regions is equal to the number of the local resonators. The start frequencies of the band gaps are decided by the natural frequencies of each resonator, and the width of frequency band with negative effective mass can be broadened by enlarging the mass ratio of the local resonator. The EMs plate with the thickness of only 2.5 mm designed on the basis of theoretical research exhibits two flexural vibration band gaps (FVBGs) with the total width of 78.4 Hz below 200 Hz, which has been verified by the transmission testing experiments. For the formation mechanism of the FVBGs, the vibration is localized in the according resonator at the lower edge of each band gap, while at the upper edges the local resonance mass and the base plate vibrate in a reverse phase. Based on the theoretical and numerical analyses, the EMs with multiple parallel local resonators would be used in various fields, such as noise and vibration isolation, filters, and other renewed devices.


The present therapy of Wilms' tumor is a classic example of the modern multidisciplinary treatment of childhood malignancies, and the organization of the National Wilms' Tumor Studies (NWTS) has served as a prototype for other collaborative studies of childhood tumors. More than 80% of all children with Wilms' tumor can now be expected to have a long term relapse free survival. The NWTS is in large part responsible for this excellent outlook and continues its emphasis on decreasing the morbidity of therapy without sacrificing relapse free survival by tailoring therapy based on histology and accurate surgical staging. The pathological classification of Wilms' and its effect on therapy and prognosis is now being used as a guide in the study of other childhood malignancies. The surgeon continues to play a key role in the multimodality management of the child with a Wilms' tumor since subsequent therapy will be determined by the extent of the tumor at the time of operation. The identification of histological type, the presence or absence of residual tumor within the abdomen following resection, and the status of lymph node metastases are of utmost importance. Advances in cytogenetics and refinement of histopathologic staging will allow the pediatric surgical oncologist, pediatric oncologist, and pediatric radiation therapist to continue to modify therapy for specific patient groups in the future.


The demand for chemometrics tools and concepts to study complex problems in modern biology and medicine has prompted chemometricians to shift their focus away from a traditional emphasis on model predictive capacity toward optimizing information exchange via model interpretation for biological validation. The interpretation of projection‐based latent variable models is not straightforward because of its confounding of different systematic variations in the model components. Over the last 15 years, this has spurred the development of orthogonal‐based methods that are capable of separating the correlated variation (to Y) from the noncorrelated (orthogonal to Y) variations in a single model. Here, we aim to provide a conceptual explanation of the advantages of orthogonal variation inspection in the context of Partial Least Squares (PLS) in multivariate classification and calibration. We propose that by inspecting the orthogonal variation, both model interpretation and information quality are improved by enhancement of the resulting level of knowledge. Although the predictive capacity of PLS using orthogonal methods may be identical to that of PLS alone, the combined result can be superior when it comes to the model interpretation. By discussing theory and examples, several new advantages revealed by inspection of orthogonal variation are highlighted. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Environmental stress cracking (ESC) in poly(methyl methacrylate) under different humidity conditions has been investigated. Constant stress-intensity factor (K) ring-type specimens were prepared, and all specimens were equilibrated at five different humidity conditions for about two years. ESC tests were carried out under the same humidity as specimens had been stored. Acoustic emission (AE) signals during ESC tests were also measured to examine the crack-growth behavior. The threshold K value (K th ) tended to increase with increasing humidity. At a relative humidity (RH) of 11%, crack growth occurred gradually until 40 ks under a Kvalue of 0.70 MPam 1/2 , and then the crack-growth rate began to increase and AE events were observed. A laser microscopic observation indicated that the crack extended by the coalescence between a main crack and a microcrack ahead of the main crack tip. AE signals generated are considered to be associated with the coalescence. At 98% RH, an incubation period where no crack growth was observed existed under a K value of 0.94 MPam 1/2 , but the crack began to grow suddenly after that incubation period. This suggests that the craze at the crack tip may become weaker with increasing loading time under high humidity. Although the crack-growth rate at 98% RH was higher than that at 11% RH, no AE events were observed. This suggests that the crack extended stably in the craze at a crack tip, and sorbed water may make the craze growth easy. All the results suggest that two different ESC mechanisms are activated depending on sorbed water that are varied by humidity.


An amphiphilic polymer DLPE-S-S-MPEG was synthesized and employed with PCL to prepare two-component reduction-sensitive lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (SLPNPs) for in vitro and in vivo delivery of a hydrophobic anticancer drug (Doxorubicin, DOX). Insensitive lipid-polymer hybrid nanoparticles (ILPNPs) were prepared as a control. The mean sizes of the LPNPs ranged from 100 nm to 120 nm. The TEM observations showed that the LPNPs have spherical morphologies with homogeneous distribution. The disulfide bond of DLPE-S-S-MPEG was cleaved by dithiothreitol (DTT), which resulted in the disassembly of SLPNPs and triggered the release of encapsulated DOX. The in vitro cytotoxicities of DOX/LPNPs against HeLa cells, HepG2 cells and COS-7 cells were studied. It was demonstrated that DOX/SLPNPs showed higher cytotoxicity against HeLa cells and HepG2 cells than DOX/ILPNPs, but showed a slight difference in the case of COS-7 cells. CLSM observation and FCM measurement further confirmed that the introduction of S-S bonds caused fast intracellular release of DOX from SLPNPs. Moreover, compared with DOX/ILPNPs and free DOX, DOX/SLPNPs exhibited higher antitumor activity. Both DOX/SLPNPs and DOX/ILPNPs showed lower cardiac toxicity and kidney toxicity than free DOX, which were confirmed by histological and immunohistochemical analyses. The tissue distribution of DOX in mice exhibited that two kinds of DOX/LPNPs accumulated extensively in the liver and spleen, while free DOX accumulated mainly in the heart and kidney 12 h after injection. Two-component SLPNPs may be a promising drug delivery carrier for reduction-triggered delivery of DOX.