Introduction: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cancer in women, which is the second most common malignancy in terms of mortality and prevalence after lung cancer. BC is a group of very diverse diseases that can be detected at a molecular, histopathological and clinical level. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the expression of CK5/6 and its relationship to some of the factors affecting prognosis, such as tumor grade, lymph node involvement. Patients and Methods: In this cross-sectional study with descriptive and analytical aspects, 40 malignant and 20 benign tumors were collected in 2020 from the archives of the pathology department of two educational hospitals in the city of Ahvaz. The demographic and clinical characteristics of each specimen, including age, patient, lymphovascular and perineural invasion, lymph node involvement, tumor grade and tumor type were extracted from the patients' record. Then the expression of CK5/6 intensity staining was examined by immunohistochemistry. Results: All benign breast lesions had positive expression for CK5/6 and staining intensity between six and nine. In the malignant group, 33 samples showed negative expression of CK5/6 and only seven samples (17.5%) showed positive expression with a low-staining index. A positive expression with a low-staining index. All seven positive specimens were invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) lesions with staining index 2, 4, and 6. Additionally, none of the ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) specimens which immunostained were positive for CK5/6. In the present study, all IDCs with weak expression of CK5/6 were grade III. No statistically significant relationship was observed between perineural and lymphovascular invasion and lymph node involvement with the intensity of CK5/6 expression. Conclusion: Our study showed that cytokeratin immunohistochemical intensity is able to distinguish benign lesions from malignant IDC and DCIS lesions and accordingly in determining of tumor grade after weak staining in high-grade IDC, which may be due to squamous metaplasia in these tumors; however, more extensive research with a larger sample size are required to assess its effect in lymphovascular and perineural invasion and also lymph node involvement.


Two cold fronts passed through central Oklahoma in late 2006, one on 29 November and the other on 7 December. Meteorograms for Norman, OK, show the two frontal passages had very different characteristics. The late November event was a textbook example, with the windshift and rapid temperature drop very close together in time. On the other hand, the early December event was unusual, showing a temperature rise after cold frontal passage. The reasons for this behavior in the December case are shown to be associated with the time of day and the ambient conditions in the planetary boundary layer at the time of the frontal passage. Shear-induced turbulence within the nocturnal boundary layer is likely responsible for the seemingly paradoxical initial temperature rise following passage of the cold front.


In this paper, we present a pharmacophore for QT-prolonging drugs, along with a 3D QSAR (CoMFA) study for a series of very structurally variegate HERG K(+) channel blockers. The blockade of HERG K(+) channels is one of the most important molecular mechanisms through which QT-prolonging drugs increase cardiac action potential duration. Since QT prolongation is one of the most undesirable side effects of drugs, we first tried to identify the minimum set of molecular features responsible for this action and then we attempted to develop a quantitative model correlating the 3D stereoelectronic characteristics of the molecules with their HERG blocking potency. Having considered an initial set of 31 QT-prolonging drugs for which the HERG K(+) channel blocking activity was measured on mammalian transfected cells, we started the construction of a theoretical screening tool able to predict whether a new molecule can interact with the HERG channel and eventually induce the long QT syndrome. This in silico tool might be useful in the design of new drug candidates devoid of the physicochemical features likely to cause the above-mentioned side effect.


The development of acoustic subsurface atomic force microscopy, which promises three-dimensional imaging with single-digit nanometer resolution by the introduction of ultrasound actuations to a conventional atomic force microscope, has come a long way since its inception in the early 1990s. Recent advances provide a quantitative understanding of the different experimentally observed contrast mechanisms, which paves the way for future applications. In this Perspective, we first review the different subsurface atomic force microscope modalities: ultrasonic force microscopy, atomic force acoustic microscopy, heterodyne force microscopy, mode-synthesizing atomic force microscopy, and near-field picosecond ultrasonic microscopy. Then, we highlight and resolve a debate existing in the literature on the importance of the chosen ultrasound excitation frequencies with respect to the resonance frequencies of the cantilever and the observed contrast mechanisms. Finally, we discuss remaining open problems in the field and motivate the importance of new actuators, near-field picosecond ultrasonics, and integration with other techniques to achieve multi-functional non-destructive three-dimensional imaging at the nanoscale.


The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on the ICT employment landscape throughout Europe, confirming the importance of digitalization not only for long-term productivity and growth, but also for the economy's resilience against shocks. The current paper analyses the relationship between the individuals' levels of computer skills and the employment in the ICT sector among the EU Member States in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The levels of computer skills among individuals in the EU were analysed in the context of the need to adapt to remote work, access information and services, and participate in the digital economy. The research methodology involves correlation and regression analyses to assess the relationship between individuals' computer skills and ICT employment among the EU Member States. The results confirm a strong positive correlation between computer skills and employed ICT specialists, while emphasizing the need for comprehensive approaches to improve the EU population's computer skills through long-term commitment and collaboration among various stakeholders. The research concludes that increased computer skills can lead to job creation and contribute to the digital transformation and economic development of the European ICT sector.


Depok is now considered as one of Metropolitan cities with huge development in Indonesia. This statement leads to a fact that can be seen from the proliferation of various food retails. There are about 114 food retails in Depok. Unfortunately, the proper food waste management cannot balance the rapidly increasing of food retails. Moreover, as the increasing number of visitors, resulted the accumulation of food waste generated. Based on the data collected from one of the food retail located in Margonda, Depok, the largest composition of waste comes from organic waste, which is about 57%. This figure can be suppressed by using food recovery methods. This paper aimed to know how to adapt and apply the food recovery that has been applied in the US. The study was conducted using literature studies and observation approaches. Our focus type of food retails are fast food restaurant, Indonesian regular restaurant, bakery, café, and food stall. Questionnaires were given to staffs who are working in each type of food retails to find out the policies that have been applied by the food retails and the data on food waste and by-products produced per day. From the observation results, it is concluded that almost all food retails have not yet applied food recovery. Thus far, only 1 out of 12 food retail samples we observed that have implemented food recovery, although not done well yet. Whereas, with well management of food waste, the amount of organic waste produced can be reduced up to 98%.


Infections due to colistin-resistant (Colr) Gram-negative rods (GNRs) and colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in particular result in high associated mortality and poor treatment options. To determine the risk factors for recovery on culture of Colr GNRs and Colr K. pneumoniae, analyses were chosen to aid decisions at two separate time points: the first when only Gram stain results are available without any bacterial species information (corresponding to the Colr GNR model) and the second when organism identification is performed but prior to reporting of antimicrobial susceptibility testing results (corresponding to the Colr K. pneumoniae model). ABSTRACT Infections due to colistin-resistant (Colr) Gram-negative rods (GNRs) and colistin-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates in particular result in high associated mortality and poor treatment options. To determine the risk factors for recovery on culture of Colr GNRs and Colr K. pneumoniae, analyses were chosen to aid decisions at two separate time points: the first when only Gram stain results are available without any bacterial species information (corresponding to the Colr GNR model) and the second when organism identification is performed but prior to reporting of antimicrobial susceptibility testing results (corresponding to the Colr K. pneumoniae model). Cases were retrospectively analyzed at a major academic hospital system from 2011 to 2016. After excluding bacteria that were intrinsically resistant to colistin, a total of 28,512 GNR isolates (4,557 K. pneumoniae isolates) were analyzed, 128 of which were Colr (i.e., MIC > 2 μg/ml), including 68 of which that were Colr K. pneumoniae. In multivariate analysis, risk factors for Colr GNRs were neurologic disease, residence in a skilled nursing facility prior to admission, receipt of carbapenems in the last 90 days, prior infection with a carbapenem-resistant organism, and receipt of ventilatory support (c-statistic = 0.81). Risk factors for Colr K. pneumoniae specifically were neurologic disease, residence in a skilled nursing facility prior to admission, receipt of carbapenems in the last 90 days, receipt of an anti-methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus antimicrobial in the last 90 days, and prior infection with a carbapenem-resistant organism (c-statistic = 0.89). A scoring system derived from these models can be applied by providers to guide empirical antimicrobial therapy in patients with infections with suspected Colr GNR and Colr K. pneumoniae isolates.


OBJECTIVE
To present a critical review of publications reporting on the rationale and clinical implications of the use of biomarkers for the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD).

METHODS
We conducted a systematic search of the PubMed and Web of Science electronic databases, limited to articles published in English between 1999 and 2012, and based on the following terms: mild cognitive impairment, Alzheimer's disease OR dementia, biomarkers. We retrieved 1,130 articles, of which 175 were reviews. Overall, 955 original articles were eligible.

RESULTS
The following points were considered relevant for the present review: a) rationale for biomarkers research in AD and mild cognitive impairment (MCI); b) usefulness of distinct biomarkers for the diagnosis and prediction of AD; c) the role of multimodality biomarkers for the diagnosis and prediction of AD; d) the role of biomarkers in clinical trials of patients with AD and MCI; and e) current limitations to the widespread use of biomarkers in research and clinical settings.

CONCLUSION
Different biomarkers are useful for the early diagnosis and prediction of AD in at-risk subjects. Nonetheless, important methodological limitations need to be overcome for widespread use of biomarkers in research and clinical settings.


The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of Bacillus cereus and to detect enterotoxigenic genes in dairy dessert samples utilising a multiplex PCR technique. A total of 100 samples, 25 keskul, 12 tavuk gogsu, 12 kazandibi, 30 supangle, 4 profiteroles and 17 sutlac were analysed. B. cereus contamination was found in 7 of 100 (7.0%) samples including 3 (25%) tavuk gogsu, 2 (6.6%) supangle, 1 (4%) keskul and 1 (5.8%) sutlac. The average number of B. cereus was between 2.0×101 5.0×102 cfu/g in these dairy dessert samples. A total of 20 isolates were collected from the 7 positive samples. The results indicated that 30% (6/20) of B. cereus isolates contain three enterotoxic HBL complex encoding genes hblA, hblC and hblD, whereas 70% (14/20) had no hbl genes. In addition, all three enterotoxic NHE complex encoding genes, nheA, nheB and nheC, were detected in 40% (8/20), two nhe genes (nheA and nheB) were found in 45% (9/20) and one nhe gene (two nheA and one nheB) was found in 15% (3/20) of the isolates. The ctyK1 gene was not detected in any sample. The presence of B. cereus and their enterotoxigenic genes in dairy desserts may be a potential risk for public health.


Throughout evolution, gamete generation and sex hormone production are the two processes combined in the testis. The local proximity of sex steroid-producing cells and spermatogenic cells allows multiple cellular interactions to occur and thereby facilitates the modulation and/or synchronisation of both testicular functions. This mini review provides an introduction to the vast variety of different testicular cell types, the unique bi-compartmental organization of the testis, the many factors being released in the testis and the different forms of cellular interactions occurring between testicular cells. Selected members of two groups of signal molecules (sex steroids, growth factors) are described in detail and specific examples for the intratesticular actions of signalling factors are presented.


This paper examines the treatment of non-binary, intersex, and otherwise gender nonconforming people within science fiction, using a sampling of four narratives: Ursula K. Le Guin's The Left Hand of Darkness, Octavia Butler's Xenogenesis trilogy, Melissa Scott's Shadow Man, and Ian McDonald's River of Gods. Through careful consideration of the similarities and differences between portrayals and treatments of such characters within these narratives, this paper seeks to illuminate a troubling trend within the genre of science fiction: the inability of the genre to conceive of cultures in which non-binary, intersex, and otherwise gender non-conforming individuals can be allowed recognition and basic humanity. By analyzing these narratives in succession according to publication date, the paper further contemplates an apparent increase in pessimism regarding societal acceptance of gender non-conformance that parallels increased Western consciousness of transgender issues and real-world discrimination against transgender individuals. INDEX WORDS: Science fiction, transgender studies, Non-binary gender, Intersex conditions, Ursula K. Le Guin, Octavia Butler, Melissa Scott, Ian McDonald ABJECT CREATURES IN ALL THE WORLDS OF MEN: SCIENCE FICTION'S REJECTION OF HUMANITY FOR THE ATYPICALLY GENDERED


The progress of the organization is greatly influenced by the performance of employees. With the Covid-19 pandemic where companies have to change work system patterns and limit work time and processes to be able to survive in difficult times. This is important to do so that employee performance can be achieved as expected. Various literatures discuss a lot about the factors that affect employee performance. This research is important to do with the aim of knowing the influence of leadership style, workload and burnout on employee performance. The research method used in this study uses a quantitative causal approach with Likert scale measurements that are distributed to respondents through questionnaires. The role of the leader is one of the determining factors for the rise or fall of the performance of garment industry employees in Tangerang Regency. The workload felt by garment industry employees in Tangerang Regency makes employees complain about the workload being too heavy. With a high workload, employees feel physically and psychologically exhausted; therefore, employee performance is less than optimal. This research still has to be studied in depth and proven by data processing to find out how much influence leadership style, workload, and burnout have on the performance of garment industry production employees in Tangerang Regency and it is necessary to carry out a more detailed data analysis process to be able to produce optimal studies.
Keywords: leadership style, workload, burnout, employee performance


BACKGROUND Cerebral vasospasm after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage can lead to considerable mortality and morbidity affecting the intracranial vessels, leading to delayed cerebral ischemia and stroke. Therapeutic options for patients with treatment-refractory vasospasm are limited, particularly in the setting of significant cardiopulmonary disease. Administration of nicardipine, a calcium channel blocker, into the intrathecal space may represent a potential treatment option for this population. OBSERVATIONS A 56-year-old woman had treatment-refractory vasospasm, severe acute respiratory distress syndrome, and Takotsubo cardiomyopathy. As an adjunct to vasopressor administration and endovascular intraarterial calcium channel blocker administration, the patient received intraventricular nicardipine. The patient demonstrated improved neurophysiology on invasive multimodality neuromonitoring, with increased cerebral blood flow and oxygenation as a result of intraventricular nicardipine administration. LESSONS Intraventricular nicardipine can be used as rescue therapy for patients with treatment-refractory cerebral vasospasm. This case demonstrates that intrathecal nicardipine may prevent delayed ischemic neurological deficits and improve outcomes.


The mass spectra of twelve dihydro-1,3-benzothiazines and six dihydro-1,3-benzoxazines are recorded. A brief discussion of the particular fragmentations of a few of these is given. The majority of the compounds have a substituted phenyl group on the 2-position of the oxazine or thiazine ring. These compounds fragment in a characteristic fashion in the mass spectrometer which can be described as a retro-Diels-Alder reaction. The relative abundances of the ions produced by this are related to the electron donating power of the substituents on the 2-phenyl group and the conclusion is reached that the phenyl ring opens on electron impact - which is in contrast to the findings of previous workers who studied the effect of substituents on the electron-impact-induced dissociation of aromatic ketones. A study of the relative rates of formation of ions produced by the retro-Diels-Alder reaction reveals that this is a two-step process and that a different bond is initially broken in the two series of compounds.


Soil compaction is one of the major problems facing modern agriculture. Overuse of machinery, intensive cropping, short crop rotations, intensive grazing and inappropriate soil management leads to compaction. This study was carried out evaluate of the effects soil texture and different compaction levels within the soil profile on the soybean root growth and productivity. The soybean plants were grown in cylinder pots using three different soil textures (clay, fine loamy and coarse loamy) compacted at different compaction levels (1.25, 1.50, 1.75, and 2.00 MPa). Results revealed that soybean development is more sensitive on penetration resistance, irrespective of soil type. Soybean yield and root weight density significantly decreases with increasing levels of soil compaction in both clayey and fine loamy soils, but not in coarse loamy soil. The highest root weight density was recorded in coarse loamy soils, followed by fine loamy and clay soils, in descending order. The root growth by soil compaction levels started to decline from 1.16, 1.28 and 1.60 MPa for clay, fine loamy and coarse loamy soils. Soybean production in the field experiment decreased about 30% at compacted sub-soils compared to undisturbed soils.


Introduction. Chapter 1. Hematology of Birds. Chapter 2. Hematology of Reptiles. Chapter 3. Hematology of Amphibians. Chapter 4. Hematology of Fish. Chapter 5. Hematology of Small Mammals (Ferrets, Rabbits, Rodents, Guinea pigs, Chinchillas). Chapter 6. Comparative Cytology. Basic Veterinary Cytotechnology. Abdominal/Coelomic Effusions. Cytology of the Alimentary Tract. Cytology of the Respiratory Tract. Cytology of the Skin and Subcutis. Cytology of the Conjunctiva and Cornea. Cytology of Synovial Fluid. Cytology of Lymphoid Tissue and Internal Organs. Common Artifacts. Chapter 7. Diagnostic Microscopy Using Wet Mount Preparations. Appendix A: Stains and Solutions Used in Hematology and Cytology. Appendix B: Hematologic Values. References


The marketing and distribution of food grains are characterized by a low level of efficiency and high marketing margins. This has caused high product prices and limited the accessibility of the commodities to numerous prospective consumers. The implication is chronic malnutrition in children and various degrees of manifestation of diseases in nursing mothers and adults. This study therefore treats the economics of marketing of food grains in South Western Nigeria with a view to addressing some of the militating factors in distribution chains. A total of 250 respondents were sampled for the study in the five states in the zone. A multi-stage sampling technique was used to gather the sample.The marketing margin was highest for food grain marketers in Osun State, with N900.00 per 100 kg of maize. The least value of N433.00 per 100 kg was however recorded for marketers in Oyo State. The average marketing margin for food grain marketers in the region is N662.60 per 100 kg of maize. The average marketing margin for cowpea stood at N1 347.60, which is slightly higher than the least value of margin recorded for the marketers in Oyo State. Marketers in Ogun State recorded the least margin of N300.00 per 50 kg bag of polished rice. This is against the N550.00 margin recorded by the marketers in Ekiti State. The average marketing margin for the product in the region is N440.00, which is slightly lower than the marginal values in Osun, Ondo and Ekiti States. The mean marketing efficiency for maize in South Western Nigeria is 0.82. This is slightly lower than the average efficiency level for Oyo State (i.e. 0.90). For cowpea and polished rice, the mean marketing efficiency levels are 0.78 and 0.71, respectively. The levels of market concentration stood at 0.326, 0.369 and 0.4943 for the marketers of maize, cowpea and polished rice, respectively. The marketers of these commodities should be more evenly distributed over the marketing space, so that the level of marketing efficiency could improve. The bottlenecks created by the activities of middlemen in the distribution network should also be minimized, so that many households in the region can have access to the food grain products.


Abstract Individuals with a severe mental illness have a gap in life expectancy of up to 20 years in comparison to the general population. Nurses who work in mental health services have been identified as best placed to improve the physical health outcomes of individuals with mental illness. The literature identifies a lack of nursing knowledge related to physical health care and the presence of metabolic syndrome which is impeding nurses in providing essential physical health care to patients. An integrated literature review was carried out due to the dearth of research evidence pertaining to the impact of targeted education specifically with psychiatric/mental health nurses in the provision of physical healthcare. A search for literature included the following databases: CINAHL, Medline, PsycINFO, Embase and Web of Science revealed nine studies: seven quantitative, one qualitative and one mixed method. Qualitative synthesis has shed light on the value of targeted education on improving knowledge and skills in providing physical health care that can then be translated into clinical practice. Targeted education in physical healthcare grows psychiatric/mental health nurse's confidence and develops the skills necessary to enable them to screen and monitor and offer range of physical health interventions to individuals with severe mental illness. Accessible summary• The poor physical health outcomes and premature death of individuals with severe mental illness is of growing concern; a contributing factor is a lack of knowledge and confidence amongst psychiatric/mental health nurses to providing physical health screening and intervening in preventable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, stroke cancer, and type 2 diabetes mellitus.• An integrated literature review was used to ascertain if targeted education on physical health care can improve the knowledge base of psychiatric/mental health nurses within physical health care.• Nine studies were critically appraised, and the data reduced using a narrative synthesis that tells a story of the findings from these research studies.• The review found that targeted education with psychiatric/mental health nurses does result in a statistical increase in knowledge This review finds that nurses have not been regularly supported with physical health education to alter existing practices. This lack of knowledge within physical healthcare is hindering psychiatric/mental health nurses to fully engaging in physical health care activities in practice.


The nature of international law as a legal system which, on the one hand, responds to the need for interaction between states inherent to international society and, on the other hand, is based on agreement between states, categorically excludes viewing international law as the product of a specific regional, i.e., European, tradition. Yet it is still asserted that international law is a European tradition. Such assertions are not only conceptually flawed, but are also unsupported by evidence. The origins of international law lie outside Europe, and at no stage of its development has international law been a truly European system. This holds true not only in terms of general international law, but also in relation to certain ideas developed at the European level, including the 'public law of Europe', and of modern European projects that appear to be based on ideas of a regional solidarity in Europe.


This study was devoted in investigating the optimum geometric parameters for underactuated linkage three phalanges robotic finger. New kinematic and kinetic equations of grasping were derived in this research taking into account the angle for the ternary solid links of the four-bar linkages. To obtain the target of optimization, a gradient descent method was used which consists of three stages to find the optimal geometric parameters with high accuracy. Five criteria were selected to find the optimal solution by using multi objectives function algorithm, these are percentage of the grasping stability, the grasp forces, squeezing force, Mimic function for grasping task, and transmission angle for grasping operation. Gradient descent method starts by detecting the optimal geometric parameters for each criterion and choosing the best geometric parameters from the five criteria functions. At the optimum solution, the underactuated robotic finger prototype was built from hard Polylactic acid (PLA) plastic using rapid prototyping and was tested performance by grasping objects. Finally, the results have been shown that the robotic finger adapts to the wanted configurations.


The objective of this study was to understand the impact of storey walls on the Response of RC Framed Building. The shear wall provides huge stiffness against lateral load, making the structure less vulnerable during the Earthquake. The location of the shear wall plays a vital load defending seismic force on the building. The research method was experimental research. In this paper, the most favorable position of the shear wall was determined by creating different alternates ALT-1, ALT-2, ALT-3 and ALT-4. The results of storey drift, lateral sway and base share were computed with the base model. Finite element software ETABS was used for the linear dynamic analysis and design of 11 storey building. The results show that Lateral sway and storey drift declined with the introduction of a shear wall with a central location exhibiting the most desirable result. The implication of this study would be beneficial to the Engineering Department of OCEM, students, researchers, and scholars to know the impact of Shear Wall Location on the Response of RC Framed Buildings.


Deep learning based methods have achieved surprising progress in Scene Text Recognition (STR), one of classic problems in computer vision. In this paper, we propose a feasible framework for multi-lingual arbitrary-shaped STR, including instance segmentation based text detection and language model based attention mechanism for text recognition. Our STR algorithm not only recognizes Latin and Non-Latin characters, but also supports arbitrary-shaped text recognition. Our method wins the championship on Scene Text Spotting Task (Latin Only, Latin and Chinese) of ICDAR2019 Robust Reading Challenge on ArbitraryShaped Text Competition. Code is available at this https URL.


Scotland is holding a referendum on independence in 2014, which implies that the Scottish government would become responsible for migration policy in the event of a 'Yes' vote. Control over labour migration could be a vital policy tool for the Scottish government, influencing long-run economic growth rates and demographic change. This paper explores migration policy in the context of alternative constitutional outcomes for Scotland. It asks what scope a small economy that is intimately linked to a neighbouring larger economy has in shaping immigration policy. It finds that the level of international migration to Scotland is relatively low and that there are some significant differences in migrant characteristics compared to the rest of the UK (RUK). It also considers the political economy aspects of labour immigration through analysis of recent survey data. Whatever the outcome of the referendum, we would argue that Scotland would benefit from a more nuanced approach to immigration policies rather than the current 'one size fits all' UK-wide model.


This article proposes a dual-approach solution to augment the US bandwidth in HFC networks. The solution is based on using OFDM channels over the existing cable plant and WiMAX channels over the air. The proposed approach not only extends the US bandwidth, but also supports backward compatibility, smooth migration, efficient US bandwidth utilization, DOCSIS ® 3.0 US channel bonding, load-balancing, US path redundancy, mobility, and. low cost and optimized implementation.


While CRM has recently attracted a lot of attention among academics and practitioners, most academic research in this area has focused on consumer markets, but CRM in industry markets is less focused research area so far. Companies in industry market have suspected effects of the relationship between CRM's activities and performance which is related to customer satisfaction and customer loyalty. The main purpose of this research support CRM strategy development. Therefore, this research is focused on as follows; first, defining the concept of CRM and performance second, identifying the customer relationship's characteristics and CRM relational activities in industrial markets third, verifying the relationship between customer satisfaction and customer loyalty in the case of Steel industry which is whether the CRM relational activities have effects on customer loyalty directly, or indirectly through customer satisfaction.


The incidence of arthromyalgic complaints and osteodystrophy of the right hand of a group of textile workers were sought with the aid of the method for clinical-social study, clinical observation and X-ray macromorphological investigation of the bone structure. The high epidemiology index of rheumatoarthrological diseases is preceded by the accumulation, as early as the first years of textile period, of structural changes of the bone tissue (under the wide effect of labour-production environment). Two types of macromorphological changes are indicated: the first are with a maximum of 3-5 years from the beginning of the textile occupation and correlate with certain changes in the regulatory-adaptive customs and the second are mainly hyperostotic--age accounted for and an expression of summed effect of articular wear out and chronic microtraumatism.


During gestation and early postnatal development, the animal's size and weight rapidly increase. Within that period, gravity affects sensory and motor development. We studied age-dependent modifications of several types of motor reflexes in 5 groups of rats conceived, born and reared in hypergravity (HG; 2 g). These rats were transferred to normal gravity (NG; 1 g) at various postnatal days, and their behavioral reflexes were compared with a control group which was constantly kept under NG. HG induced a retarded development of vestibular dependent reflexes. Other types of motor behavior were not delayed.


High energy density welding processes like laser and electron beam welding are capable of welding dissimilar plates with much ease due to high power density and low heat input in spite of the varying thermos-physical properties of the used alloys. The present work is aimed to check the feasibility of joint prepared with laser welding of SS 316L and Inconel 718 plates. The experiments are designed to study the effect of welding speed on the mechanical and metallurgical behavior of the joints without any offset to joint line. The formation of laves phases is confirmed by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) phase analysis. These laves phase are micro-segregation of Nb, Fe, C and Cr, which is because of high temperature in a small area of fusion zone (FZ) due to intense heat of laser source. Micro-segregation of different elements has led to micro-fissures, which is detrimental for the joints operating at elevated temperature. Cooling rate and peak temperature during welding play the significant role in obtaining a sound quality joint. The present work gives an insight on feasibility of laser welded joint of SS 316L and Inconel 718 with suitable selection of welding speed during laser welding.


The substrate coupling effects of two adjacent coplanar spiral inductors are characterized and modeled. The noise magnitude between two 45 /spl mu/m-away inductors can be reduced by 6.83 dB by using guard-ring surrounding each inductor, and improved by 10.28 dB further by adding patterned ground polysilicon shield beneath at 3 GHz. The inductor with patterned polysilicon shield beneath shows improved quality factor and noise isolation. Moreover, a macro model is presented for modeling quality factor and inductance of on-chip spiral inductor and associated neighboring inductor's coupling noise effect.


During human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, interruption of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is usually followed by virus load rebound. Previous data have suggested a role for plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) in anti-HIV innate immunity. Here, the number of pDCs was measured by flow cytometry before, during, and after receipt of HAART in 7 patients with documented primary HIV-1 infection. A negative correlation was evidenced between pDC counts after 1 month of HAART and mean plasma virus load after interruption of HAART (r2=0.85; Spearman's partial rho =-0.92; P=.03). pDC counts during treatment might help predict immune replication control after interruption of HAART.


Objective: This study is to evaluate imaging modalities used in unpalpable undescended testes (UDT) patient at our centre. We evaluate the data descriptively. Material & methods: This is a descriptive and retrospective study. Data was taken from medical record in Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital from January 2010 until June 2014. Sampling method is total sampling. Inclusion criteria for this study was unpalpable UDT patients at Urology Department Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital, whereas patients with incomplete data and have XX chromosomes were excluded. Results: Mean ages in this study was 9.35 years old (7 month to 41 year old). Diagnostic tools was not performed in half of the patients. Abdominal ultrasound was performed in 9 patients (34.6%), and 4 patients with CT-Scan. We found that most of patients were unilateral UDT (57.7%). Bilateral UDT was found in 11 patients (42.3%). Twenty one patients undergo laparoscopic orchidopexy (80.8%). There were 7 patients undergo full laparoscopy orchidopexy. Fowler Stephen technique applied to 4 patients, and eleven patients underwent inguinal exploration and orchidopexy. Laparoscopic biopsy was performed in 4 patients and agenesis of the testis was found in one patient. There are 13 cases with other abnormalities; hypospadias (38.5%), DSD 46 XY (53.8%), and testicular tumor (7.7%). Conclusion: Unpalpable UDT is adequately diagnosed by history and physical examination. Half of our patient in this study were not performed additional examination such as ultrasound, CT-Scan, and MRI for diagnostic tools and directly underwent laparoscopic orchidopexy. The best management of unpalpable UDT is laparoscopic orchidopexy.


Innovation is widely recognized as the main stimulus of economic growth. Considering that Taiwan has devoted increasingly more efforts to R&D since the late 1980s, a crucial question is posed: did the R&D productivity of firms begin to decline in Taiwan during the post-Asian Financial Crisis period when Taiwan's economic growth began to decelerate? This study investigates changes in R&D productivity for Taiwan's manufacturing firms from 1990 to 2003. By employing various approaches to obtain robust results, findings from firm-level microeconometric analysis suggests that overall R&D productivity in Taiwan appears to have been ascendant, particularly during the post-crisis period. This result is also evidenced by segmenting the sample into industry groups, whereby electronics firms have a significantly high R&D productivity growth relative to firms outside the electronics industry. Therefore, the slowdown of Taiwan's economic growth in the past decade is attributed to other influences rather than a slowdown in R&D productivity.


This morphophonemic study aims to analyze pluralization processes for common nouns in English and native Turkish. To achieve this, a contrastive analysis focusing on English and Turkish plural markers from a structuralist point of view is taken. The results of the analysis reveal the differences and similarities between two languages in terms of plural markers. As for the differences, it is found that English and Turkish differ in regular and irregular plural forms as well as active role of consonants and vowels for pluralization process. Similarities for plural markers include focusing on the final sound of nouns, relying on distinctive features of sounds, employing allomorphs and using plural markers as suffixes for both languages to a varying degree. The findings of this study might help learners of English and Turkish by revealing the differences and similarities in both languages.


A NaN(SiMe3)2/CsTFA copromoted aminobenzylation/cyclization reaction of 2-isocyanobenzaldehydes with toluene derivatives or benzyl compounds has been developed. The reaction works with a broad range of toluene derivatives and benzyl compounds, and provides a simple and efficient strategy for the synthesis of 4-benzyl-substitued dihydroquinazoline and quinazoline derivatives from easily available acyclic starting materials in a single step. Further applications, including synthesis of quinazoline, dihydroindolo[1,2-c]quinazoline, and dihydro-8H-isoquinolino[2,3-c]quinazoline, demonstrated the tremendous potential of the tandem reaction.


Introduction: Orbital floor fractures can result in considerable facial deformity. A vast array of autogenous and alloplastic materials are being used to reconstruct Orbital floor defects. Amongst the alloplastic materials sialastic implants are most commonly being used for orbital floor reconstruction whilst among the autogenous bone grafts calvarial bone graft are commonly used. Unfortunately no study has been conducted in Pakistan to compare the post operative results of these two commonly used materials for orbital floor reconstruction. The aim of this study is to compare the results of orbital floor reconstruction using sialastic implants and calvarial bone graft in order to find out which of the two materials shows better post operative results. Methods: A Quasi experimental randomized trial was conducted from November 2006 to November 2007 in the department of Oral and Maxillofacial surgery, King Edward Medical University/Mayo Hospital, Lahore. A total of 60 patients were recruited over a period of 12 months. All patients were followed up at regular intervals i.e. 1 week, 2 weeks, 2 months and 6 months. The six month evaluation of Orbital floor reconstruction was done by noting the improvement in diplopia, enoph-thalmous and presence or absence of infection, extrusion, dislodgement in 30 cases with calvarial bone graft (group A) and in 30 cases with sialastic implants (group B). Results: Approximately 44% patients presented with one of the post operative complaints of diplopia, enophthalmous and both (diplopia and enophthalmous) at the 6 months follow up in group B as compared to only 17% patients with post operative complaints in group A (p = 0.05). Post operative complications i.e. infection, extrusion and dislodgement occurred in 43.4% patients from group B as compared to 20% patients from group A (p = 0.02). Conclusion: Reconstruction of orbital floor fracture with autogenous bone (calvarial bone) should be preferred as compared to reconstruction with the sialastic implants because of lesser post operative complications. Key Words: Orbital floor defect, Orbital rim, Para Nasal Sinus, Computerized tomogram, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, intraocular pressure.


This paper shows the importance of modelling the components of the suspension when performing dynamics simulations of a railway vehicle. Focusing on the air spring secondary suspension, a process to define an accurate component model is proposed based on a combination of laboratory tests and model identification techniques. Six models for the air spring secondary suspension are discussed and assessed based on comparison with experiments.


THIS word stands in the Thesaurus Linguae not in the second. In the excerpts from Lib. Latinae with a question mark, but it should Gloss, which Goetz published in C.G.L. v disappear altogether. It occurs only in a pair we have only the second, and in his Thesaurus of corrupt entries in the Liber Glossarum (or Glossarum Etnendatarum it stands unemended, Glossarum Ansileubi): though he adds a caution 'nisi aliud quid (1) Figida sathurnia Stella quod omnibus ktet". It is this entry which is taken over into sit contraria. * e Thesaurus Linguae Latinae. I made the (a) Figida tela eo quod omnibus sint cone a s y corrections many years ago (Ancient traria a figendo. Lore in ^al Latin Glossaries, [1921]), and _ , , they were accepted in the edition of the full The first of these clearly betrays their comUb Ghss m a d e b L m d s a y Mountford, and mon origin in a note on Virgil, Geo. 1. 336 o t h e r s ( l g 2 6 ) . frigida Saturni Stella, and Du Cange, who cited both, recognized/ngiV&j in the first, but Balerno, Midlothian H. J. THOMSON


Clonal heterogeneity in primary prostate cancer (PC) is a well-established phenomenon from which rare subclones develop metastatic potential that seed distant sites. It is also well established that androgen deprivation increases clonal heterogeneity of PC foci, seeding between sites and progression to castration resistant (CR) disease that is poorly controlled by subsequent therapies. Genomic sequencing and expression profiling have revealed the complexity and variation of the molecular changes within foci and across patients. In spite of the heterogeneity, a number of gene/pathway alterations have been identified that discriminate molecular subtype and potential differences in response to therapies. To study the heterogeneity of locally advanced PC in high-risk patients, identify foci with metastatic potential and differences in biologic behavior, we generated patient-derived organoids. To this end, we isolated cells from PC foci and normal epithelial counterparts from histopathologically mapped radical prostatectomy specimens and developed a 3D culture system utilizing single cell-derived tumor initiating cells (TICs) and epithelial/mesenchymal growth factors. Organoid growth peaks at 2 weeks and serially passaged organoids can be maintained in culture for up to 6 months with no significant deviation from early passages. The organoids mirror the morphologic features (well-organized glandular structures with central E-Cad+ cells, peripheral Vimentin+ cells and a surrounding thick basement membrane), biomarker expression (AR and PSA) and molecular subtypes of the foci from which they were derived, including alterations in TMRSS2-Ets fusions, loss of PTEN, RB and CHD1, overexpression of Erg, BMI-1, AR and AR-Vs. To study the biology and responsiveness of these organoids to established therapies in the androgen sensitive and castration resistant stages of PC progression, we measured single-cell-derived organoid cell proliferation, viability and secondary organoid- forming potential in response to androgen deprivation, docetaxel, abiraterone, enzalutamide, BEZ325, BMS-345541 IKB/IKK inhibitor and a novel BMI-1 inhibitor. The results show that androgen deprivation decreases cellular growth compared to control untreated organoids, although they can be passaged for up to 4 additional weeks. Monotherapy with docetaxel, abiraterone or BEZ325 significantly reduced tumor cell viability in the absence of DHT but only abiraterone and docetaxel reduced the organoid-forming potential. The BMI-1 inhibitor selectively inhibited self-renewal, and combinations of the BMI-1 inhibitor with docetaxel rescued resistance to docetaxel in CRPC-derived cells. In conclusion, we developed a personalized and genetically defined patient-derived PC organoid model that can be utilized to identify clones with metastatic potential which may help planning systemic therapeutic interventions. Citation Format: Hatem E. Sabaawy, Monica Bartucci, Mark N. Stein, Isaac Yi Kim, Joseph R. Bertino, Robert S. DiPaola, Anna Ferrari. Patient-derived organoids from high-risk prostate cancer identify different biological subtypes and responsiveness to therapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2015 Nov 5-9; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2015;14(12 Suppl 2):Abstract nr C36.


A 70 MeV cyclotron for radioactive ion beam production and other applications has been designed at China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE). The main challenge of the magnet design for this particle machine lies in the needs of two isochronous magnetic fields to accelerate H- and D- with charge-mass ratios of 1 and 0.5 respectively. The required isochronisms are achieved by installing removable shims and adjusting the RF frequency. The magnetic fields and beam dynamics design results for both H- and D- beams are described in this paper. The analysis on field imperfections caused by the magnet deformation and the effects of annealing on magnetic properties of materials, are also outlined.


Differences in data size per class, also known as imbalanced data distribution, have become a common problem affecting data quality. Big Data scenarios pose a new challenge to traditional imbalanced classification algorithms, since they are not prepared to work with such amount of data. Split data strategies and lack of data in the minority class due to the use of MapReduce paradigm have posed new challenges for tackling the imbalance between classes in Big Data scenarios. Ensembles have shown to be able to successfully address imbalanced data problems. Smart Data refers to data of enough quality to achieve high performance models. The combination of ensembles and Smart Data, achieved through Big Data preprocessing, should be a great synergy. In this paper, we propose a novel Smart Data driven Decision Trees Ensemble methodology for addressing the imbalanced classification problem in Big Data domains, namely SD_DeTE methodology. This methodology is based on the learning of different decision trees using distributed quality data for the ensemble process. This quality data is achieved by fusing Random Discretization, Principal Components Analysis and clustering-based Random Oversampling for obtaining different Smart Data versions of the original data. Experiments carried out in 21 binary adapted datasets have shown that our methodology outperforms Random Forest.


The present work studies structural properties of the recursion operator of the noncommutative KdV equation. As the main result, it is proved that this operator is hereditary. The notion of hereditary operators was introduced by Fuchssteiner for infinite-dimensional integrable systems, building on classical concepts from differential topology. As an illustration for the consequences of this property, it is deduced that the flows of the noncommutative KdV hierarchy mutually commute.


Coastal fishing boats play an important role in the development of our economy. Typhoons have always had an important impact on the safety of fishing boats along the coast. Coastal mooring fishing boats are smaller in size and weaker in typhoon resistance than bulk carriers and container ships. This paper studies the safety guarantee of fishing boats in zhejiang coastal areas in typhoon weather. By consulting and studying relevant literatures, the influences of external conditions and ship conditions on the safety of fishing boats are discussed respectively. Finally, this paper summarizes the measures to cope with the typhoon weather, by analyzing the impact of various aspects.


OBJECTIVES
We sought to decrease "missed opportunities" for HIV testing by implementing an electronic medical record based intervention designed to increase HIV testing among previously untested men and women ages 18-64 seeking primary medical care in an urban publicly-funded health care system.

METHODS
In July 2010, we implemented an electronic medical record based reminder to alert providers to the absence of an HIV test among all patients' ages 13-64 years old. We compared the rate of missed opportunities for HIV testing among primary care patients seen during the two and a half years before the intervention with that of patients seen during the two years after the intervention was begun. A "missed opportunity" was defined as the failure of a previously untested patient to obtain HIV testing despite having made one or more primary care office visits during a specified time period.

RESULTS
After the implementation of HIV testing reminders, first-time HIV testing increased significantly for both men and women 18-64 years old, resulting in a significant reduction in "missed opportunities." The intervention was equally effective across different racial and ethnic groups. An increase in new HIV diagnoses after the intervention was observed, consistent with an increase in the number of individuals in the population who received testing.

CONCLUSIONS
An electronic medical record-based reminder can significantly increase HIV testing among men and women ages 18-64 who are seeking primary care services.


This welcome contribution to regional agricultural histories, the revision and expansion of a Harvard dissertation, has a unity that is lacking in the usual surveys of the agricultural progression of states and provinces. "Southern Ontario" from pioneer subsistence and cropping days to the period of relatively stabilized diversification provides a workable definiteness in area and time. For this delimited region and period, the treatment involves real agricultural history, rather than the more or less technical descriptions and episodic narratives that are too often presented under that title. The changing farm enterprise and society are related direcdy to the environment, to the varied population elements, to the other branches of the provincial economy, and to the changing conditions of production and markets. The interrelations with the mother country and with the growing neighbor across the lakes are followed throughout. Style and organization are in the main clear and straightforward. Production and marketing systems, along with the public policies involved, are treated within well-marked stages of development. It is easy to suggest different plans of arrangement and emphasis but difficult enough to work them out effectively. The fullness and thoroughness of the documentation, involving a balanced range of sources and a mastery of monographic, material, give confidence in the author's judgments. Graphic materials—maps, charts, and a few representative illustrations—would have clarified factual statements and reinforced certain of the conclusions. Such a scholarly study of a definite region and period will obviously be of direct interest and service to Canadian economic and social historians, but it also has much of information and suggestion for the student of the economic history of the United States. The interrelations of the neighboring peoples and their economies are traced from the coming of the loyalists to the end of the trial of reciprocity. At many points developments run parallel to a remarkable degree, especially in frontier settlement and development. The succession of stages from clearing to settled economy follows essentially the order of J. M. Peck's classic statement in his Guide of 1837. No less revealing are the Canadian policies in public-land disposal, technical education, and aid to production and marketing, and the influence upon these measures of farmers' societies and other organized movements. Such comparative studies, for this and other regions, in North America, and elsewhere, should tend to moderate and correct traditional notions involving unwarranted claims of priority and uniqueness.


SUMMARY: The kinetics of uptake of n-alkanes by a filamentous fungus, Cladosporium resinae, were shown to be similar to hydrocarbon uptake kinetics described for yeasts. Transport of n-alkanes across the cell membrane was accompanied by the partitioning of substantial amounts of hydrocarbon on to the cell surface. Metabolic inhibitors significantly reduced uptake rates. Most [14C]dodecane was taken up by dodecane-grown mycelia; slower uptake was observed with mycelia grown on other n-alkanes or glucose. Uptake of dodecane was not restricted to specific regions of the mycelium, although higher concentrations of 14C-labelled compounds were observed at the hyphal tips.


Relationship marketing can be observed as enough basic correction for the marketing practice that is more emphasizing to single transaction principle, relationship marketing concept is emphasizing on the important good relationship in a long term with the relations and marketing infrastructure and organization structurally, the realization is concreted in relationship forms and entirely commitment. Good marketing relationship with material production supplies company and distributor company or international marketing relation company become very important main chain. It is predicted that to begin relationship with the new relations is needed cost from five until fifteen times, if it's compared with keeping relationship with the old relations. Collaborative exchanges as company strategy that has export orientation to appreciate relationship marketing concept because it is believed as an escort concept relationship in a long term that is : environment factor, purpose suitability, tasted value, trust, and commitment which are needed to keep carrying out the relationship marketing. By collaborative exchanges which is more increasing, it will increase the income, the benefit and the competitive advantage for the company also to encourage the increasing of profitability cooperation. The sort of effort that is become in this observation object is textile industry, so the problem that is developed in this observation is how the influence of environment factor, purpose suitability, trust, and. commitment for the profitability cooperation to the textile industrial exporter company in ex Karisidenan Semarang area and the surroundings.
The metode examination is held by confirmatory factor analysis and model, using analysis instrument Structural Equation Modeling ( SEM) at AMOS 4.01 programmed for 100 respondents that are manager (main director) of textile industrial exporter company which is located in ex Karisidenan Semarang area and the surroundings. The observation model which is developed in this observation is consisted of six variables that is environment factor, purpose suitability, trust, commitment, collaborative exchanges, also profitability cooperation, with five hypotheses that will be examined.
The result of data analysis shows that all proposed hypotheses are all proved, so that it can be concludes that environment factor, purpose suitability, trust, commitment have positive influences for collaborative exchanges, and also collaborative exchanges have positive influences for the profitability cooperation. The result of measurement has fulfilled the criteria of Goodness of Fit :
square = 144,624 ; Probability = 0,099 ; CMIN/DF = 1.166 ; A.GFI = 0,817 ; GFI = 0,867 ; TLI = 0,986 ; CFI = 0,989 and RMSE = 0,041. The observation also relates with the result of observation with theoretical implication and policy implication for the management of textile industrial exporter company winch are explained in the conclusion part. The observation restriction and the next agenda observation can be referred to the next observers.


A synthesis of 4,5-benzo-1-aza-tricyclo[188.8.131.52(3,8)]undecane (1), a benzo-1-aza-adamantane derivative, is described and features a previously unknown application of the Wolff-Kishner reduction of a nonresonance stabilized or "twisted" amide. An intermediate amino ester is converted to a severely "twisted amide", which, when exposed to hydrazine in alcohol, provides the corresponding "twisted" amino hydrazone. Wolff-Kishner conditions (KOH/ethylene glycol, 200 degrees C) provide the reduced target 1 without hydrolysis to amino acid derivatives. These operations are conveniently performed in a single flask in high yield.


General risk management standard, e.g. ISO 31000:2009, approaches risk as a coin with a pair of two sides, i.e. the threat and the opportunity. However, it is hardly the case of flood events which mainly come as threats. Despite the contrary, this study explores the potential applicability of the available risk management standards specifically for flood. It then also synthesizes the components to result a framework for allocating resources among various strategies to result the optimum flood risk reduction. In order to review its applicability, the framework is then reviewed using several historic flood risk reduction cases. Its results are qualitatively discussed and summarized including the possible improvement of the framework for further applications.


Subspace clustering methods based on expressing each data point as a linear combination of other data points have achieved great success in computer vision applications such as motion segmentation, face and digit clustering. In face clustering, the subspaces are linear and subspace clustering methods can be applied directly. In motion segmentation, the subspaces are affine and an additional affine constraint on the coefficients is often enforced. However, since affine subspaces can always be embedded into linear subspaces of one extra dimension, it is unclear if the affine constraint is really necessary. This paper shows, both theoretically and empirically, that when the dimension of the ambient space is high relative to the sum of the dimensions of the affine subspaces, the affine constraint has a negligible effect on clustering performance. Specifically, our analysis provides conditions that guarantee the correctness of affine subspace clustering methods both with and without the affine constraint, and shows that these conditions are satisfied for high-dimensional data. Underlying our analysis is the notion of affinely independent subspaces, which not only provides geometrically interpretable correctness conditions, but also clarifies the relationships between existing results for affine subspace clustering.


Link scheduling is a fundamental problem in multihop wireless networks because the capacities of the communication links in multihop wireless networks, rather than being fixed, vary with the underlying link schedule subject to the wireless interference constraint. The majority of algorithmic works on link scheduling in multihop wireless networks assume binary interference models such as the 802.11 interference model and the protocol interference model, which often put severe restrictions on interference constraints for practical applicability of the link schedules. On the other hand, while the physical interference model is much more realistic, the link scheduling problem under physical interference model is notoriously hard to resolve and been studied only recently by a few works. This paper conducts a full-scale algorithmic study of link scheduling for maximizing throughput capacity or minimizing the communication latency in multihop wireless networks under the physical interference model. We build a unified algorithmic framework and develop approximation algorithms for link scheduling with or without power control.


In this paper, we study a principal-agent problem in which (1) the manager has private information about, and control over, the mean and variance of his outputs; (2) the manager?s outputs consist of a sample of independently distributed cash flows, all having mean and variance determined by the manager?s action choices; and (3) the principal designs a contract that both elicits the manager?s private information and directs the manager?s actions. This extension of the agency literature is practically important. In practice, managers can do more than merely exert effort to influence their firm?s output, as commonly presumed in the extant literature: they can additionally make mean-variance trade-offs when choosing among projects. So, the control problem principals face consists of getting their managers to make the "right" mean-variance trade-offs, as well as the "right" effort choices. Also, in practice, many control problems are design problems that naturally result in a vector of observations of the manager?s outputs: if the manger is a portfolio manager, the control problem involves portfolio choice, and the manager?s outputs are the successive returns on the portfolio; if the manager is an actuary for an insurance company, the control problem involves determining premium rates, and the manager?s outputs are the profits on the policies issued, etc. Finally, in practice, contracts often elicit managers? private information through the contracting process: "bottom up" and other participative budgeting processes are illustrative.


When an induction motor is driven under light loads, the efficiency can be substantially improved by reducing the air-gap flux of the motor. The air-gap flux can be indirectly controlled by adjusting the stator current and slip frequency in the case of a current source inverter induction motor drive system. The relationship between the stator current and the slip frequency for an optimal efficiency control is derived, and the control loop is suggested. By this method, ten percent or more improvement in the efficiency is obtained at a quarter of the full load. Generally, the reduced air-gap flux may result in undesirable dynamic responses. The small signal analysis is used in order to estimate the transient characteristics. The experimental results indicate a stable operation and a good dynamic response.


In this first clinical report of an idiopathic familial persistently short QT interval (QTI), we describe three members of one family (a 17-year-old female, her 21-year-old brother, and their 51-year-old mother) demonstrating this ECG phenomenon, associated in the 17-year-old with several episodes of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation requiring electrical cardioversion. Similar ECG changes seen in an unrelated 37-year-old patient were associated with sudden cardiac death. Our report also describes other manifestations of abnormal shortening of the QTI and considers the possible arrhythmogenic potential of the short QTI.


BACKGROUND
Q waves on the electrocardiogram are often considered to be reflective of irreversibly scarred myocardium due to antecedent transmural myocardial infarction. However, there are some indications that residual viable tissue may be present in Q-wave-infarcted regions. It is clinically relevant to know how many Q-wave regions contain viable tissue because these patients may benefit from revascularization in terms of improvement of function and long-term survival.

METHODS
Patients (n = 150) with chronic electrocardiographic Q-wave infarction, heart failure symptoms, and chronic coronary artery disease underwent dobutamine-atropine stress echocardiography to assess myocardial viability. Residual viability in regions with Q-wave infarction was considered present when the end-diastolic wall thickness (EDWT) was >6 mm and the response during dobutamine infusion indicated viable tissue.

RESULTS
Baseline echocardiography revealed 517 dysfunctional myocardial regions; 202 of the dysfunctional regions were related to Q waves on the electrocardiogram and the other 315 dysfunctional regions were not. EDWT was < or =6 mm in 13 regions with a Q wave on the electrocardiogram, with only 1 region exhibiting viable tissue during dobutamine stress echocardiography. EDWT was >6 mm in 189 regions with a Q wave, with 118 (62%) having viable tissue on dobutamine stress echocardiography. In 6 dysfunctional regions without a Q wave, EDWT was < or =6 mm, with all being nonviable on dobutamine stress echocardiography; of the 309 regions without a Q wave and EDWT >6 mm, 204 (66%) exhibited viability on dobutamine stress echocardiography.

CONCLUSIONS
Fifty-eight percent of dysfunctional regions related to chronic Q waves were viable according to the combined information of EDWT and dobutamine stress echocardiography. EDWT </=6 mm virtually excludes viability; regions with EDWT >6 mm need additional testing to detect or exclude viability.


Atmospheric aerosols affect the Earth's climate in many ways, including acting as the seeds on which cloud droplets form. Since a large fraction of these particles is anthropogenic, the clouds' microphysical and radiative characteristics are influenced by human activity on a global scale leading to important climatic effects. The respective change in the energy budget at the top of the atmosphere is defined as the effective radiative forcing due to aerosol‐cloud interaction (ERFaci). It is estimated that the ERFaci offsets presently nearly 1/4 of the greenhouse‐induced warming, but the uncertainty is within a factor of two. A common method to calculate the ERFaci is by the multiplication of the susceptibility of the cloud radiative effect to changes in aerosols by the anthropogenic change of the aerosol concentration. This has to be done by integrating it over all cloud regimes. Here we review the various methods of the ERFaci estimation. Global measurements require satellites' global coverage. The challenge of quantifying aerosol amounts in cloudy atmospheres are met with the rapid development of novel methodologies reviewed here. The aerosol characteristics can be retrieved from space based on their optical properties, including polarization. The concentrations of the aerosols that serve as cloud drop condensation nuclei can be also estimated from their impact on the satellite‐retrieved cloud drop number concentrations. These observations are critical for reducing the uncertainty in the ERFaci calculated from global climate models (GCMs), but further development is required to allow GCMs to properly simulate and benefit these novel observables.


An electromechanical impedance model is applied to the case of a simply supported beam in an infinite rigid baffle with a fluid medium on one side. The effects of the fluid medium are included in the impedance analysis by considering fluid–structure interaction. The use of static and impedance model for structural acoustic analysis is discussed. Various power consumptions of PZT actuator‐driven underwater beam structures will be quantified. The analysis discussed in this paper will be used to determine radiated structural acoustic power without using microphones. This work is the first step toward the determination of power requirements for underwater active structural acoustic control.


Nanoscale science and technology has today mainly focused on the fabrication of nano devices. In this paper, we study the use of lithography process to build the desired nanostructures directly. Nanolithography on polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) surface is carried out by using Atomic Force Microscope (AFM) equipped with silicon tip, in contact mode. The analysis of the results shows that the depth of scratches increases with the increase of applied normal force. The scanning velocity is also shown to influence the AFM patterning process. As the scanning velocity increases, the scratch depth decreases. The influence of time and number of scratching cycles is also investigated.


The CEPA, an Evolutionary Algorithm that preserves diversity by finding clusters in the population, has had its convergence performance improved by a technique tentatively called 'evolutionary operator selection'. Performance is compared to results found in the literature, though at the moment it is not entirely clear how the evolutionary operator selection mechanisms work. The resulting algorithm has been applied to a number of problems - including a hybrid vehicle configuration and coke production in Shanxi Province, China.


Th e Gyrinidae (whirligig beetles) of the Maritime Provinces of Canada are surveyed. Twenty-two species are now known to occur in the region, 19 of which have been recorded from Nova Scotia, 17 from New Brunswick, and 9 from Prince Edward Island. Seven species are newly recorded in Nova Scotia, and four in New Brunswick. Two of these, Gyrinus dichrous LeConte and Gyrinus gehringi Chamberlain, are newly recorded in the Maritime Provinces. Th e zoogeographic composition of the fauna within the region is briefl y examined, the species falling into six categories. Islands portions of Atlantic Canada (Prince Edward Island, Cape Breton, and insular Newfoundland) have a diminished fauna, roughly 40% that of neighbouring mainland areas. Th e proportionate composition of the gyrinid fauna in various portions of Atlantic Canada is similar to that of the Carabidae (a much larger suite of beetles that have been more extensively investigated) with the exception of New Brunswick, where a diminished number of recorded gyrinids would appear to indicate an insuffi cient collecting eff ort for this family in the province. Finally, a preliminary examination of multispecies associations is presented which indicates that some species more frequently engage in such aggregations than others.


The focus of the workshop was to discuss the recent developments and future research directions in the area of large scale random interacting processes, with main emphasis in models where local microscopic interactions either produce strong correlations at macroscopic levels, or generate non-equilibrium dynamics. This report contains extended abstracts of the presentations, which featured research in several directions including selfinteracting random walks, spatially growing processes, strongly dependent percolation, spin systems with long-range order, and random permutations. Mathematics Subject Classification (2010): 60K35, 82B20, 82C4


Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) is a key enzyme in the pentose phosphate pathway responsible for the generation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), thereby playing a central role in facilitating cellular responses to stress and maintaining redox homeostasis. This study aimed to characterize five G6PDH gene family members in maize. The classification of these ZmG6PDHs into plastidic and cytosolic isoforms was enabled by phylogenetic and transit peptide predictive analyses and confirmed by subcellular localization imaging analyses using maize mesophyll protoplasts. These ZmG6PDH genes exhibited distinctive expression patterns across tissues and developmental stages. Exposure to stressors, including cold, osmotic stress, salinity, and alkaline conditions, also significantly affected the expression and activity of the ZmG6PDHs, with particularly high expression of a cytosolic isoform (ZmG6PDH1) in response to cold stress and closely correlated with G6PDH enzymatic activity, suggesting that it may play a central role in shaping responses to cold conditions. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of ZmG6PDH1 on the B73 background led to enhanced cold stress sensitivity. Significant changes in the redox status of the NADPH, ascorbic acid (ASA), and glutathione (GSH) pools were observed after exposure of the zmg6pdh1 mutants to cold stress, with this disrupted redox balance contributing to increased production of reactive oxygen species and resultant cellular damage and death. Overall, these results highlight the importance of cytosolic ZmG6PDH1 in supporting maize resistance to cold stress, at least in part by producing NADPH that can be used by the ASA-GSH cycle to mitigate cold-induced oxidative damage.


Over the past decade Israel has experienced dramatic change in the legitimization of same-sex relationships. In recent years the LGBT social movement has succeeded in mobilizing public support not only for the rights and well-being of adults, but also for the younger generation–LGBT youth. Using a large-scale survey of the Israeli LGBT community (N = 2,853), we explore two theoretical theses that are commonly used in research on LGBT youth. The first thesis, Cohort thesis, claims that LGBT youth today are different from previous cohorts and are more like other youth, regardless of sexual orientation. This thesis is reflected in the work of Savin-Williams (2005) and is also known as the New Gay Teenager hypothesis. In contrast, the Ageing thesis claims that LGBT youth today face experiences similar to their counterparts in the past, and thus they are still considered to be high-risk youth with special needs in terms of social services. This thesis explains differences between age-groups within the framework of ageing. We analyzed self-reported needs and preferences for social services across three cohorts: youngest (born after 1985); intermediate (born 1979–1985) and oldest (born before 1979). The main difference between cohorts is that respondents who were young adults during the 2000s (born after 1985) are more inclined to be engaged and involved within the LGBT community than other respondents (born before 1985). This finding is consistent with the Ageing thesis rather than with the Cohort thesis. We argue that the New Gay Teenager hypothesis can not be generalized to the Israeli case. We conclude the article with policy implications for targeted services to LGBT youth and with suggestions for further research.


Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) is a key regulator that modulates male reproductive function. Testicular TGF-β1 modulates the steroidogenesis of Leydig cells, the organization of peritubular myoid cells, testis development and spermatogenesis. Several studies have indicated that TGF-β1 is involved in the tight balance between proliferative and apoptotic responses in the Leydig cells. In the present review, we summarize the direct effects of this cytokine in Leydig cells under normal and pathological conditions. We analyze the effect of TGF-β1 in Leydig cells depending on the type of receptors involved in the signaling pathway of TGF-β1. Our group has been analyzing the canonical and non canonical intracellular signaling pathways of TGF-β1 that are involved in the expression of proliferative and apoptotic markers in Leydig cells. On the basis of our studies and from those of other authors we conclude that the balance between the expression of TGF-β1 receptors and co receptors is of relevance in Leydig cell physiology and pathophisiology.


Satellite-based navigation and location technology has become an important tool for many positioning, navigation, and timing services. However, with increased use of Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) comes a major challenge — GNSS signal jamming, which is an intentional form of interference. Nearly all electronic equipment using services generated by GNSS receivers is susceptible to jamming, and its effects include degradation in received signal power and receiver clock drift. Jamming signals are categorized as narrowband and wideband signals according to the bandwidth of the target signal. One common type that has recently been researched is White Gaussian Noise (WGN) jamming. Several studies investigated the impact of such signal jamming on the performance of GNSS receivers under a variety of jamming conditions. This paper, on the contrary, investigates the effects of White Gaussian Noise jamming on the performance of both high-sensitivity and standard GNSS commercial receivers. Additionally, the performance of GPS-only receivers versus combined GPS/GLONASS receivers under jamming scenarios is explored. This study used receivers by NovAtel and UBlox, with simulation scenarios created using Spirent SimGEN™ with the GSS6700 Multi-GNSS Simulator. The jamming signals were generated using an Agilent interference signal generator (ISG) unit. The results show that the receivers responded differently to the jamming signals. Dilution of Precision (DOP) and the Carrier-to-Noise (C/N0) were the main measures used for the evaluation process. The results show that multi-constellation receivers attained higher resistance for signal jamming effects than GPS only receivers.


This article addresses recent developments in literary‐critical studies of Shakespeare's status within the wider field of early modern historiography. Since the advent of new historicist criticism, Shakespeare's plays have been read with increasing regularity as contributing to a broader early modern historical culture, in which writers of traditionally "literary" and traditionally "historiographical" texts alike considered questions of politics, philosophy, and religion. Complementing this opening up of the category of historical writing is a similarly expanding sense of what it is that might be considered a "history play." Along with the plays dramatizing medieval English history, scholars have begun to examine the Roman tragedies and the late plays addressing the legendary history of Britain for their contributions to cultural discourses of nationalism, sovereignty, citizenship, and identity. In addition, performance studies criticism has challenged the field to consider theatrical performance itself as a discrete and heretofore overlooked mode of historical representation, while attention to the historiographical status of material objects has shed light on the different ways in which non‐textual artifacts can both shape and produce multiple aspects of cultural history. Further work with specifically early modern conceptions of material history and renewed and deliberate efforts to open the field of literary and theatrical studies to scholars in other fields promise to add a great deal to this newly emerging version of a historiographically engaged Shakespeare, who appears in many ways to exhibit more strikingly humanist sympathies than scholars have acknowledged during the last several decades.


Quaternary chalcogenides with tetrahedral zinc-blend structure types continue to be of interest for thermoelectrics applications. We report on the synthesis, crystal structure, and high temperature transport properties of Cu2.1Fe0.9SnSe4, Cu2.2Fe0.8SnSe4 and Cu2.2Zn0.2Fe0.6SnSe4. The identity and compositions for each specimen were established using a combination of Rietveld refinement and elemental analysis and indicate that all compositions are homogeneous with the stannite crystal structure. Excess Cu reduces the electrical resistivity, ρ, by an order of magnitude compared with Cu2FeSnSe4 with no significant degradation of the Seebeck coefficient, S. The energy band gaps were estimated from the high temperature S values and indicate that Cu2.1Fe0.9SnSe4 and Cu2.2Fe0.8SnSe4 possess narrow band gaps, 0.18 eV and 0.25 eV, respectively, as compared to most other quaternary chalcogenides. The power factor (PF = S2/ρ) increases with decreasing Fe content. Although Cu2.2Fe0.8SnSe4 possesses a smaller PF than that of Cu2.2Zn0.2Fe0.6SnSe4, a ZT of 0.45 was obtained at 750 K for Cu2.2Fe0.8SnSe4 due to its low thermal conductivity.


We present a compact and gain-enhanced microwave helical antenna for manipulating ultracold 87Rb atoms coherently. By replacing the reflecting plate with an enhancing cup, the voltage standing wave ratio is reduced by 0.5 in the frequency range of 6.73-6.93 GHz, which covers the resonant frequency between the ground-state hyperfine levels of the 87Rb atom. The gain of the helical antenna is increased by 1.25-1.63 dBi, whose length is 89 mm. Applying the antenna to ultracold 87Rb atomic experiments, we achieve a Rabi frequency of 60(1) ×2π kHz of the oscillation between the hyperfine levels.


Through technological advances, society has moved toward the "always connected" paradigm. Growing varieties of devices are becoming able to connect to a network, capture information around them, and send and receive information. On the other hand, increasing in number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, the ability to integrate IoT devices with IoT cloud services, and the diversity of forms of interaction can make it tiring to ask the user to make a privacy decision whenever it contacts a new IoT device. Due to sensitivity of many of information captured by IoT devices and because IoT cloud services do not focus on preserving user privacy, it is necessary that data captured by IoT devices be processed before being sent to cloud services. IoT environments can have a large number of data collection devices that often go unnoticed by users. Informing the user about the presence of each one of these devices and asking the user to make privacy decisions about data collection from these devices may be impracticable. This work presents the Privacy Everywhere mechanism for decision making and user privacy assurance in IoT environments. The proposed mechanism addresses user privacy issues and makes use of trained neural networks with data collected from a pre-established community. This minimizes user consultation at the time of data collection by the device that is part of an IoT environment. In validation of the mechanism, accuracy check of the Allow/Deny and Privacy Action neural networks that make up the mechanism presented an accuracy of 88.02% and 86.67%, respectively. Privacy Everywhere mechanism is able to help users preserve the privacy of their data in IoT environments.


Direct and long-term results of surgical interventions for differentiated cancer of the thyroid gland supplemented with lymphadenectomy on the tumor side were studied on the material of 1136 patients. As a group of comparison there was a group of 303 patients with similar histological diagnoses, gender and age and distribution of carcinomas by stages in which the ablation of para- and pretracheal lymph nodes was not fulfilled by any reasons. The investigation gives proofs of the necessity to perform central lymphadenectomy simultaneously in all primary operations for differentiated cancer of the thyroid gland.


The Consultative Parties to the Antarctic Treaty have frequently declared their collective ambition to manage Antarctica "in the interest of all mankind". However, the concrete implications of these declarations are not clear. As part of an international research project, the authors asked people from different parts of the world to respond to a questionnaire about Antarctica, its values, and the way it should be managed. Notwithstanding differences in respondents' nationalities, ages and the time of data collection, our results indicate that a significant proportion of the public values Antarctica both as a scientific laboratory and as one of the world's last wildernesses.Is this 'public's dream' of co-existence of science and wilderness a Mission Impossible? In this article, we contend that: 1) in theory, it is a Possible Mission that would connect well with the recognition of science and wilderness in the Antarctic Treaty System (ATS) instruments; 2) in practice, science in Antarctica has gradual and cumulative impacts on all three main wilderness qualities of Antarctica (absence of permanent infrastructure, naturalness and large size); 3) currently, the co-existence of science and wilderness is not an important consideration in the management of human activities in Antarctica; and 4) in the future, unless a proactive and concerted effort is taken by the Consultative Parties, it appears to be a Mission Impossible, as the expansion of scientific activities and associated logistics remains uncontrolled, inexorably eroding the Antarctic wilderness. Recent ATS resolutions and high-level interventions may signify that Treaty Parties are becoming more aware of the need to increase their cooperation on the ground in Antarctica and hence, open up a space to allow the coexistence of science and wilderness in Antarctica to become possible. We propose the adoption of principles providing clear and concrete guidance on scientific facilities and international cooperation as a constructive step forward in realising the 'public's dream' of coexistence of science and wilderness in Antarctica.


Rhythm and conduction disturbances and sudden cardiac death (SCD) are important manifestations of cardiac involvement in autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs). In patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a major cause of SCD is atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, leading to acute coronary syndrome and ventricular arrhythmias. In systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), sinus tachycardia, atrial fibrillation and atrial ectopic beats are the major cardiac arrhythmias. In some cases, sinus tachycardia may be the only manifestation of cardiac involvement. The most frequent cardiac rhythm disturbances in systemic sclerosis (SSc) are premature ventricular contractions (PVCs), often appearing as monomorphic, single PVCs, or rarely as bigeminy, trigeminy or pairs. Transient atrial fibrillation, flutter or paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia are also described in 20-30% of SSc patients. Non-sustained ventricular tachycardia was described in 7-13%, while SCD is reported in 5-21% of unselected patients with SSc. The conduction disorders are more frequent in ARD than the cardiac arrhythmias. In RA, infiltration of the atrioventricular (AV) node can cause right bundle branch block in 35% of patients. AV block is rare in RA, and is usually complete. In SLE small vessel vasculitis, the infiltration of the sinus or AV nodes, or active myocarditis can lead to first-degree AV block in 34-70% of patients. In contrast to RA, conduction abnormalities may regress when the underlying disease is controlled. In neonatal lupus, 3% of infants whose mothers are antibody positive develop complete heart block. Conduction disturbances in SSc are due to fibrosis of sinoatrial node, presenting as abnormal ECG, bundle and fascicular blocks and occur in 25-75% of patients.


Since 2010, Russia has been developing new drug legislation, internal quality control and safety of medical organizations, and has developed algorithms for submitting Individual Case Safety Reports (ICSR) using an automated information system. On April 1, 2019, Russia launched an updated national database of ICSR, which uses the international ICH E2B data standard, which may increase the amount of reporting to the Uppsala monitoring center. This publication covers the key aspects of pharmacovigilance system development in the Russian Federation. The analysis of pharmacovigilance structure in the Russian Federation is carried  out, its main problems are designated. Presents methods to identify causal relationships between adverse reaction and drug, evaluation of its degree of validity (questionnaires, algorithms, and scale), as already recommended by the WHO, and the new modifi ed versions. The expediency of using a scale for determining the degree of reliability of a causal relationship «an undesirable reaction — drug interaction» when analyzing spontaneous reports of undesirable reactions that may be caused by drug interactions is noted. An effective method of detection and prevention of adverse reactions is presented — the Global Trigger Tool (GTT). The question of the need for motivation and training of medical personnel in the correct design of spontaneous messages, as well as methods of identifying the causal relationship between adverse reactions of drugs. The directions of optimization of pharmacovigilance system are proposed, including methods of more effective active surveillance in the identifi cation and prevention of adverse reactions.


Abstract In this paper, design and development of a via-free composite right/left handed transmission line (CRLH TL)-based diplexer for WiMAX and WLAN bands is reported. The diplexer is having two channels, where each channel consists of a separate bandpass filter (BPF). The BPF of both channels are designed on via-free CRLH TLs based on a newly proposed right-angled corner-modified split ring resonator (RAC-MSRR) structure. The RAC-MSRR incorporates meander paths because of which working scope of frequencies is focused for measured center frequencies (f1) 3.5 GHz with −3 dB fractional bandwidth (FBW) of 21.21% (BPF1 channel) and (f2) 5.6 GHz with −3 dB FBW of 13.29% (BPF2 channel). For diplexer design, T-section is used for joining two BPFs which results in very good isolation of more than 32.5 dB over the frequency band of 2.5–8.0 GHz. The designed diplexer has passband insertion loss of −0.87 dB at f1 and −1.25 dB at f2. Overall size of the fabricated diplexer including 50 Ω feed line is 18 × 15 mm2. Equivalent lumped circuit model parameters of the diplexer are obtained from the pseudo-inverse matrix technique. Measured results show good concurrence with simulated results and subsequently approve the proposed model design.


Recently, many organizations have installed calibration committees to review and correct subjective performance evaluations of supervisors about their employees. This study uses an experimental setting to examine the impact of calibration committees on supervisor evaluation behavior. We predict and find that a calibration committee instigates supervisors to collect additional costly information that helps to better explain the performance of their employees. We also find that the presence of a calibration committee leads to better differentiated performance evaluations through supervisors' collection of additional costly information. We also study two different types of calibration committees; those consisting of only supervisors compared to those with both supervisors and a third party in the form of a HR-manager. Our results reveal that the presence of a third party (i.e. HR-manager) in the calibration committee leads to better information transfer during discussion in the calibration committee such that supervisors are more likely to consider other supervisors' information about employees to reach a consensus about their evaluations. Our study opens the black box of calibration committees by eliciting behavioral mechanisms that instigate supervisors to make more thorough evaluations.


Abstract We describe Solanum baretiae sp. nov., a new species of Solanum section Anarrhichomenum, named in honor of Jeanne Baret, who sailed as the assistant to botanist Philibert Commerson on Louis Antoine de Bougainville's global circumnavigation (1766–1769). The species is similar to Solanum chimborazense, but differs in having larger flowers, more flowers per inflorescence, and different patterns of pubescence on the filaments (pubescent adaxially and glabrous abaxially) and style (papillose to sparsely pubescent). A description, illustration, photos, and comparisons to similar species are included. Also included is a preliminary conservation assessment, along with a brief account of the important role played by Baret during the expedition. The new species appears to be restricted to the Amotape-Huancabamba zone, an area of southern Ecuador and northern Peru known for its exceptional biodiversity.


The main purpose of the research is to cover principles of the existence and functioning of the Soviet party leadership in Dnipropetrovsk during the 1930-ies – at the beginning of the 1940-ies. T he Methodological Basis. The research is based on the principle of systematicity, anthropologist and interdisciplinary. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that it was the first time in the Ukrainian historiography that on the background of the memoirs and archival documents analysis the attempts to clarify the reasons of the Dnipropetrovsk nomenclature formation during the end of the 1930-ies – the beginning 1940-ies as well as to demonstrate the consequences of the " nomenclature revolutions" in Dnipropetrovsk region were made. The Conclusions. It was clarified that during the 1930-ies in the environment of Dnipropetrovsk party nomenclature occurred a short-term consolidation around the top figure in the region – Mendel Khataievych. The local version of a " leader cult" formed in the region. That process was interrupted by political repressions in 1937 – 1938. During the " Great Terror" almost all Soviet party nomenclature of the region was killed. The so-called «staff revolution» launched " political mobility" that opened wide opportunities to promote alive lower levels leaders. After that " cleaning" , the highest management of Dnipropetrovsk region was reached by Leonid Brezhnev, Kostiantyn Hrushevii and etc. There were names who would the so-called " Dnipropetrovsk clan" be associated with since the 1950-ies up to the collapse of the Soviet Union, the representatives of the clan held the highest party and government posts used to give tone to the political system of the USSR. Renovation of the party system in Dnipropetrovsk region connected with Mykyta Khrushchov and his appointees Demian Korotchenko and Semen Zadionchenko.


Single crystals of Bi12SiO20 were grown from the melt by the Czochralski technique. The critical crystal diameter dc = 10 mm and the critical rate of rotation c = 20 rpm were calculated by equations from the hydrodynamics of a melt. The rate of crystal growth was experimentally obtained to be 5 mm/h. The crystal growth was in the 111 direction. The lattice parameter a = 1.0096 nm was determined by X-ray powder diffraction. The reflectance spectra were recorded in the wave numbers range 20–5000 cm-1 at different temperatures. For all the recorded spectra the values of the vibrational TO and LO modes were found using the Kramers-Kronig analysis (KKA). Twentyfive TO and LO modes were found at 70 K, and eighteen at 295 K. The obtained results are discussed and compared with published data.


The selective oxidations of alcohols into corresponding aldehydes or ketones are essential reactions for organic synthesis. The development of facile, green and cost-effective protocols to accomplish selective oxidation is highly attractive. Here, we present the selective oxidation of alcohols using peroxymonosulfate (PMS) oxidants with N-doped graphene-like carbon (NG) synthesized via a metal-free approach without producing a large amount of hazardous wastes. In the tested selective oxidation reaction, over 96% of benzyl alcohol (BzOH) was converted into benzaldehyde (BzH) with high selectivity under mild conditions. The synthesized NG catalyst contains abundant electrophilic oxygen species, serving as the major active sites for the generation of reactive radicals from PMS to enable the selective oxidation of BzOH in the radical pathway. Besides, non-radical oxidation of BzOH occurs via the electron transfer through the surface coordinated complex, dominantly upon the N species. Particularly, the configuration of integrated pyridinic N is possible to create active domains for BzOH oxidation with activated PMS. This work opens a new avenue to convert metal-free raw materials into effectively functionalized carbon materials, coupled with their potential applications in the selective oxidation of alcohols.


Cardiac voltage-gated sodium channels are transmembrane proteins located in the cell membrane of cardiomyocytes. Influx of sodium ions through these ion channels is responsible for the initial fast upstroke of the cardiac action potential. This inward sodium current thus triggers the initiation and propagation of action potentials throughout the myocardium and consequently plays a central role in excitability of myocardial cells and proper conduction of the electrical impulse within the heart. The importance of sodium channels for normal cardiac electrical activity is emphasized by the occurrence of potentially lethal arrhythmias in the setting of inherited and acquired sodium channel disease. During common pathological conditions such as myocardial ischemia and heart failure, altered sodium channel function causes conduction disturbances and ventricular arrhythmias. In addition, sodium channel dysfunction caused by mutations in the SCN5A gene, encoding the major sodium channel in heart, is associated with a number of arrhythmia syndromes. Here, we provide an overview of the structure and function of the cardiac sodium channel, the clinical and biophysical characteristics of inherited and acquired sodium channel dysfunction, and the (limited) therapeutic options for the treatment of cardiac sodium channel disease.