The second messenger cyclic guanosine 3'5'monophosphate (cGMP) has been in the focus of therapeutic target in a variety of disorders such as erectile dysfunction, arterial hypertension, atherosclerosis and heart failure. Nevertheless, a recent study has shown that cGMP activators are less efficient in estrogen deficiency animals. Thus, studies involving non-pharmacological approach examining NO/ cGMP signaling pathway in hypertensive postmenopausal women are clinically relevant. Therefore, we examined the concentrations of NO/cGMP, redox state and blood pressure in medicated hypertensive postmenopausal women (HT, n=28) at baseline and after aerobic exercise training (AET) comparing with normotensive group (NT, n=33). AET consisted of 24 sessions in treadmill, 3 times/week, 30-40 min for each session. Nitrite/nitrate, cGMP levels and redox state (SOD and catalase activity and TBARS levels) were similar between the two groups at baseline. In medicated HT group, AET was effective in increasing cGMP concentrations (28%), accompanied by an up-regulation of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activity, 97 and 37%, respectively. In NT group, we found an increase only in SOD activity (58%). In conclusion, our findings show that AET is an effective non-pharmacological approach in increasing cGMP levels as well as up-regulating antioxidant in medicated hypertensive postmenopausal women. It should also be emphasized that these findings provide information on the circulating biomarkers that might delay the developing of cardiovascular events in this particular population.


This paper deals with an analytical method for establishing a separation minimum for air traffic control using a monopulse SSR (Secondary Surveillance Radar), namely the Long Range SSR (LSSR), of which coverage is extended to 250 n.m. The azimuth estimation accuracy of the monopulse SSR was significantly improved compared with that of conventional SSR. As an index of a collision risk due to azimuth errors of the LSSR, the close approach probability (CAP) associated with the probability of overlap of aircraft in azimuth is used for evaluating the safety of the surveillance system. The CAPs for both the LSSR and the conventional SSR are estimated by modelling and comparing distributions of azimuth errors. The CAP for the LSSR is significantly smaller than that for the conventional one under 5 n.m. separation minimum.


The monoamine hypothesis for affective disorders indicates a functional impairment of the monoamine systems in CNS as the causative factor for the development of depression. Pharmacological manipulations of the monoaminergic neuronal system using tricyclics and monoamine oxidase inhibitors produced promising therapeutic effects as well as certain unwanted side effects, which urged the search of a physiological means to activate the central monoamine systems. In the present paper, evidence from animal experiments is presented to show that acupuncture or electroacupuncture (EA) is capable of accelerating the synthesis and release of serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE) in the CNS. Clinical data indicate that EA is effective in treating depressive patients, and at least as effective and with a higher therapeutic index than tricyclic amitriptyline.


Using the elliptic curve discrete logarithm problem, a security solution for mobile communication was built and one digital module of elliptic curve cryptosystem (ECC) was given in this paper. The solution had achieved rapid arithmetic correlated with ECC in finite field GF(p). The security of 160 bit-ECC-key corresponded 1000 bit-key in RSA. Furthermore, the arithmetic efficiency of addition and subtraction put forwards in other field was 20%-40% quicker than common.


SUMMARY

Between September 1948 and December 1954, 2040 bats found in natural caves and disused mine tunnels in S. Devon, have been marked on the forearm withnumbered aluminium "rings". These rings, which weigh 005 grams, are numbered consecutively and bear the identifying code initials 'D.S.S.' (Devon Spelaeological Society). Bats of seven species have been marked with such rings, as follows: Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, R. hipposideros, Myotis nattereri, M. daubentoni, M. mystacinus, Plecotus auritus, and Pipistrellus pipistrellus. The last-named species has not yet been found in a cave.

The great majority of the bats banded in Devon are of the family Rhinolo-phidae. 1364 bats of the species R. ferrumequinum have been banded, and of this number, 851 have been found again: this high order of recovery (62–3 per cent) has been maintained for several years. Many bats of this species have been recovered a number of times and one individual has been found again sixteen times since it was first banded. 597 bats of the species R. hipposideros have been banded during the period under review, but for this species the recovery is rather lower (approximately 28 per cent).

Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, although seen in numerous scattered haunts throughout S. Devon, is found chiefly in three main colonies, these being situated in groups of caves at Buckfastleigh and Chudleigh, and in a disused mine in the Tavy Valley. Although these colonies are many miles apart, some small interchange of population has been noted. Movements of the order of two to ten miles are common for this species, and 440 movements greater than one mile have been recorded. 143 of these movements have occurred during the months November to March (inclusive). This fact, coupled with general observations on the wakefulness and activity shown by such bats during the winter months, indicates that their hibernation is far from deep and is, at best, intermittent. Information concerning cross-country movements longer than fifteen miles is limited, but recently one individual, by making two flights between places forty miles apart, has provided some evidence that R. ferrumequinum ranges over a greater area than had hitherto been realized. For R. hipposideros, only thirty-two movements longer than one mile have been recorded in Devon. The longest of these, a journey of at least fourteen miles, took place during the winter months. During the winter season, R. hipposideros are found as solitary individuals, avoiding bodily contact, but R. ferrumequinum frequently cluster together in large, tightly packed groups. These groupings are temporary in nature and there is no segregation of the sexes.

Observations are included on general winter and summer behaviour, sex ratio, ectoparasites, and seasonal variations in weight. It has been shown for R. ferrumequinum that at the beginning of winter, the females weigh more than the males, that both sexes reach a maximum weight early in December, and that between December and the end of April a decrease in weight occurs which is equivalent to approximately 25 to 30 per cent of the peak value.


This qualitative study describes the differences in the lived experiences of two elementary teachers and the impact these differences have had on their beliefs and practices as teachers of science. Although both teachers experienced traditional, textbook‐driven science instruction as students in schools, their experiences with science outside of school were markedly different. The teacher who had rich out‐of‐school experiences with science was able to embrace reform and teach from a constructivist stance in her classroom, while the other teacher was more comfortable using a traditionalist model of teaching. A discussion comparing and contrasting these findings related to current literature about teachers' beliefs, backgrounds and practices is provided. Implications for teacher educators and parents are discussed.


During the design of complex systems, a design process may be subjected to stochastic inputs, interruptions, and changes. These design impulses can have a significant impact on the transient response and converged equilibrium for the design system. We distinguish this research by focusing on the interactions between local and architectural impulses in the form of designer mistakes and dissolution, division, and combination impulses, respectively. We find that local impulses tend to slow convergence but systems subjected to dissolution/division impulses still favor parallel arrangements. The strategy to mitigate combination impulses is unaffected by the presence of local impulses.


The authors examine a type of adaptive filter called a time-dependent adaptive filter (TDAF). A TDAF can effectively deal with the cyclostationary nature of communication signals by changing periodically. It achieves a smaller mean-square error than conventional filter for cyclostationary signals. A frequency-domain TDAF is investigated, and it is shown that it is especially effective for interference rejection applications. Simulation results are presented, showing how cochannel QPSK signals can be separated.<<ETX>>


This paper argues that despite considerable overlap, science and technology must be distinguished. Research aimed at understanding of nature is controlled by the community of researchers. This distinguishes it from activities aimed at the production of products under the control of organizations such as corporations and government agencies. Even where one and the same activity aims at both truth and utility, it is controlled in these two different contexts. This distinction is traced in the paper through the post-War history of science and society in America, through direct comparison of several cases and their implications, and through a discussion of the paradoxical structure of technology-society relations. These relations constitute an "entangled hierarchy" because social groups form around technical mediations which they in turn mediate and transform. The politics of science and technology differ in that the contribution of social groups to scientific change is far less direct than to technological change.


This 1-year prospective study aimed to examine associations between children's preschool emotional and behavioral problems and their kindergarten classroom engagement, and to identify any gender differences in this association. In preschool, parents and teachers completed questionnaires assessing aspects of children's (n = 575) emotional and behavioral problems. Teachers rated children's engagement levels 1 year later in kindergarten. Compared with girls, boys showed higher levels of preschool hyperactivity/inattention and conduct problems, and lower kindergarten engagement. Regression analyses revealed that boys' higher hyperactivity/inattention levels almost completely accounted for their engagement disadvantage. However, the lack of interactions suggested that emotional/behavioral problems were related to engagement similarly for boys and girls. Preschool emotional and behavioral problems appear to be important correlates of kindergarten engagement and may be worthwhile targets for early intervention. Though girls and boys may benefit similarly from interventions, boys are disadvantaged from preschool onward and may benefit from greater support.


We report on the fabrication and characterization of phototransistors based on AlGaN/GaN heterostructure grown over 6H-SiC substrates. The device has two functions: as a high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) and an ultraviolet photodetector at the same time. As an HEMT, its maximum transconductance is 170 mS/mm, while the minimum cutoff frequency fT and the maximum oscillation frequency fm are 19 and 35 GHz, respectively. As a photodetector, the device is visible blind, with an ultraviolet/green contrast of three orders of magnitude, and a responsivity as high as 1700 A/W at the wavelength of 362 nm.


Policymakers have advocated academic skills building at kindergarten as a way of improving student achievement. However, early childhood educators have concerns with this policy as gains in achievement may come at the expense of children's social-emotional skills. Using a nationally representative data set of kindergartners, we find that advanced academic content, defined as academic skills typically taught at a higher grade, was associated not only with improved math and English/language arts achievement but also with improved social-emotional outcomes. Greater exposure to advanced content was associated with better interpersonal skills, better approaches to learning, better attentional focus, and lower externalizing behaviors. The results suggest that advanced academic content can be taught without compromising children's social-emotional skills.


Background

Intrauterine device (IUD) is a safe, long-acting, and effective method of contraception. However, is under-utilized in many countries, including Ethiopia. The several studies presented to address the problem, nearly all are quantitative. These have primarily generated a list of associated factors and reasons that did not seem to help health systems to design effective strategies to address the problem. This study looked at the problem with a different approach to explore the issue in detail and help to develop locally appropriate strategies to increase the utilization of IUD in the study area. To this end, qualitative method focused entirely on understanding why short term contraceptive user women are not using IUD from the maternal health service programs.

Objective

To explore the reasons for not utilization of IUD among short term modern contraceptive users in Hossana town public health facilities, southern Ethiopia.

Method

A Phenomenological qualitative study was conducted in Hossana town public health facilities, Southern Ethiopia from November 1-30, 2019. A total of 13 in-depth interviews were conducted: eleven short term contraceptive users, one health centre head and one health extension worker/community health worker/ were included in the study. Semi-structured interviewer guided questions and tape recorder were used to collect data. The collected data were expanded, labelled and ordered chronologically. Data were organized after subsequent detailed reading and analysis. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the collected data.

Result

In this study, the reasons for not utilization of IUD was poor knowledge about the benefits of IUD, insufficient counseling and not providing informed choices, and the absence of trained health personals and shortage of necessary supplies.

Conclusion

The main reasons for not utilization of IUD was poor counseling of mothers, unsupportive provider-client relationships, and poor counseling by service providers. Efforts to rise IUD users need to focus on improving counseling of mothers and strengthening the health systems.


Laser Doppler flowmetry was used to investigate the palatal muscosa capillary bloodflow in children aged 4.5-9 years with crowded teeth undergoing treatment with removable orthodontic appliances from cold-cured base polymers. The results obtained from the examination of the capillary blood flow based on the amplitude standard deviation, the variation coefficient, the amplitudes of vasomotor, breathing, and cardiorhythms, as well as the indices for active and passive mechanisms of blood flow modulation at the areas under study, showed that the hemodynamics indices in the palatal muscosa got disturbed a month after the treatment was started while the disturbances went even worse at later stages


We consider the Cauchy problem on the positive half-line for the differential-delay equation ¨ u(t) + 2c0(t)u u(t) + c1(t)u u(t h) + d0(t)u(t) + d1(t)u(t h) + d2(t)u(t 2h) = 0 where ck(t), dj(t) (t � 0; k = 0,1; j = 0,1,2) are continuous functions. Conditions providing the positivity of the Green function and a lower bound for that function are derived. Our results are new even in the case of ordinary differential equations. Applications of the obtained results to equations with nonlinear causal mappings are also discussed. Equations with causal mappings include ordinary differential and integro-differential equations. In addition, we establish positivity conditions for solutions of functional differential equations with variable and distributed delays.


This paper analyzes labor market institutions convergence in the European Union (EU) to test for economic integration of the EU countries. The convergence is analyzed for five indicators of labor market institutions: employment protection legislation index (EPL), tax wedge, unemployment benefits, active labor market policies, and minimum wages. Convergence is measured using standard beta and sigma convergence complemented with a more sophisticated and more flexible approach of the log-t regression. Annual data for the EU countries from 1993 to 2018 is considered, depending on availability. The results suggest there is no convergence in labor market institutions between EU member states. The differences between institutions are still substantial, and the labor market institutions are changing too slowly to converge. The empirical analysis also considers a possibility of club convergence, differentiating between endogenous clubs based on clustering algorithm and exogenous clubs based on geographical proximity and labor market similarities. Convergence is present only in endogenous clubs. Such results imply different long-run steady states where the differences between countries may be substantial. Since labor market institutions are fundamental determinants of employment and unemployment, differences found in labor market institutions suggest that levels of employment and unemployment in the EU will hardly converge, implying weak labor market integration


We describe a 7-year-old girl with angiomatoid fibrous histiocytoma (AFH) presenting severe inflammatory symptoms. The cytokine/chemokine profile of serum samples before and after surgery demonstrated that interleukin (IL)-6 had decreased by the greatest percentage. The AFH cells were immunopathologically positive for IL-6 and Tyr705-phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3. The EWSR1-CREB1 fusion gene detected in the tumor leads to continuous activation of CREB1 and IL-6 production, because the promoter region of IL-6 has a CREB binding site. Thus, IL-6 plays pivotal roles in both paraneoplastic syndrome and the oncogenesis of AFH.


Inward remittances have been a great support to Pacific Island Countries, including Tonga. Aside from being a major source of foreign exchange earnings, they supplement domestic savings and real resources. This paper examines the role of remittances in the economic growth of Tonga's during a 28 year period (1981-2007).


We present a transport protocol whose goal is to reduce power consumption without compromising delivery requirements of applications. To meet its goal of energy efficiency, our transport protocol (1) contains mechanisms to balance end-to-end vs. local retransmissions; (2) minimizes acknowledgment traffic using receiver regulated rate-based flow control combined with selected acknowledgements and in-network caching of packets; and (3) aggressively seeks to avoid any congestion-based packet loss. Within a recently developed ultra low-power multi-hop wireless network system, extensive simulations and experimental results demonstrate that our transport protocol meets its goal of preserving the energy efficiency of the underlying network.


Summary
A method is described for the isolation of virus-resistant mutants of mammalian cells in culture. Cells of a mouse embryo fibroblast line (3T6) were treated with a mutagen and subjected to selection for virus resistance. The cells were infected with a temperature-sensitive mutant of Sindbis virus which was allowed to proceed through one cycle of replication at the permissive temperature. On transfer of the cells to the non-permissive temperature, further cycles of virus replication were prevented and non-infected cells allowed to grow out. Repetition of this procedure over 2 months resulted in the isolation of a population of 3T6 cells which resisted infection by Sindbis virus.
Single cell clones were isolated that were resistant to the growth of Sindbis virus and also to the growth of Mengo virus, Semliki Forest virus, vesicular stomatitis virus, Newcastle Disease virus, vaccinia virus and herpes simplex virus.


Abstract : Enhanced tumorigenicity of the PMC42-LA cell line after transfection with a library of shRNAmir constructs has been validated in a repeat experiment, and replicate material obtained for next generation sequencing. The methodology for the sequencing has been revised and re-validated, causing some delays, however it is now imminent. It will be possible, using the revised methodology, to sequence the shRNA associated with both altered colony morphology and EpCAM expression in vitro, as well as the formation of tumors in vivo. The in vivo relevance of EpCAM levels has been affirmed. Extension of the boutique library of 4,462 shRNA constructs to a full genome screen in the PMC42-LA cell line will not proceed due to the time required for this model. Instead, more emphasis will be placed on the MDA-MB-468 model where we have extensively characterized the in vivo EMP (two distinct zones at the tumour periphery and stromal interface, respectively), as well as circulating tumor cells and lung micrometastases. Again, metastasis from this model has taken longer than anticipated, resulting in additional delays. Nonetheless, these cells have been tagged with Luciferase2, and will be subjected to in vivo testing after transfection with a full genome library of shRNAmir constructs. The reporter assays required for Aim three have been developed and await the completion of Aims 1 and 2, however, they have already been successfully used in additional screens outside of this grant.


Aim: Intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) is now an acceptable option for low risk early stage breast cancers, allowing patients not to undergo a full course of external radiotherapy. It is not clear, however, whether IORT, providing radiations very close to the chest wall, may produce heart damage. In this study we tried to evaluate if acute or chronic heart damage in early stage breast cancer patients treated with breast conservative surgery (BCS) and IORT, can be assessed by ultra-sensitive cardiac Troponine I (TnI) levels or N-terminal proB-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), respectively. Materials and methods: We enrolled 43 patients who received IORT for breast cancer, as part of a TARGIT-A trial. Twenty-two patients had left and 21 right breast cancer. TnI levels were measured immediately before surgery, and six hours after the end of IORT; both TnI and NT-proBNP levels were measured after 12 months. For the patients with left breast cancer, a little tungsten sheet was placed under the major pectoralis muscle, on the chest projection of the X-ray source, in order to protect the heart. Results: None of the patients showed altered serum levels of TnI before surgery, or after IORT procedure and NT-proBNP during follow-up. No difference in TnI and NTproBNP values was noticed between right-sided and left-sided breast cancers treated with BCS and IORT. Conclusions: IORT for early stage breast cancer treatment does not increase TnI and NT-proBNP levels, suggesting that the procedure does not determine acute or chronic heart damage.


The COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread throughout the world with an urgent need for a safe and protective vaccine to effectuate herd immunity to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2. Here, we report the development of a SARS-CoV-2 subunit vaccine (NVX-CoV2373) produced from the full-length spike (S) protein, stabilized in the prefusion conformation. Purified NVX-CoV2373 S form 27.2nm nanoparticles that are thermostable and bind with high affinity to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) receptor. In mice and baboons, low-dose NVX-CoV2373 with saponin-based Matrix-M adjuvant elicits high titer anti-S IgG that is associated with blockade of hACE2 receptor binding, virus neutralization, and protection against SARS-CoV-2 challenge in mice with no evidence of vaccine-associated enhanced respiratory disease (VAERD). NVX-CoV2373 vaccine also elicits multifunctional CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, CD4+ T follicular helper T cells (Tfh), and the generation of antigen-specific germinal center (GC) B cells in the spleen. These results support the ongoing phase 1/2 clinical evaluation of the safety and immunogenicity of NVX-CoV2327 with Matrix-M (NCT04368988).


A Hydrological Decision Support Framework (HDSF) is being developed within a Water Research Commission (WRC) -funded project. The HDSF is intended as an integrated modelling tool for use by water resource managers and catchment management agencies (CMAs) in assessing and managing water resources. The HDSF will facilitate linking and running models within a common graphical user interface containing appropriate geographic information system and data analysis tools linked to a common database designed to store spatial and temporal data. Selected hydrological modelling framework applications and modelling framework development tools were reviewed. A framework for linking models was also reviewed. As a consequence of these reviews, it was apparent that no single currently available system could provide all the requirements for the HDSF. One of the modelling framework applications reviewed which met many of the requirements was selected and will be further developed. The initial design of the HDSF is presented in this document.


The dynamics of computer networks have changed rapidly over the past few years due to a tremendous increase in the volume of the connected devices and the corresponding applications. This growth in the network's size and our dependence on it for all aspects of our life have therefore resulted in the generation of many attacks on the network by malicious parties that are either novel or the mutations of the older attacks. These attacks pose many challenges for network security personnel to protect the computer and network nodes and corresponding data from possible intrusions. A network intrusion detection system (NIDS) can act as one of the efficient security solutions by constantly monitoring the network traffic to secure the entry points of a network. Despite enormous efforts by researchers, NIDS still suffers from a high false alarm rate (FAR) in detecting novel attacks. In this paper, we propose a novel NIDS framework based on a deep convolution neural network that utilizes network spectrogram images generated using the short-time Fourier transform. To test the efficiency of our proposed solution, we evaluated it using the CIC-IDS2017 dataset. The experimental results have shown about 2.5% - 4% improvement in accurately detecting intrusions compared to other deep learning (DL) algorithms while at the same time reducing the FAR by 4.3%-6.7% considering binary classification scenario. We also observed its efficiency for a 7-class classification scenario by achieving almost 98.75% accuracy with 0.56% - 3.72% improvement compared to other DL methodologies.


Following the result of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2007, Indonesia implemented reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation, conserving and enhancing forest carbon stocks and sustainably managing forests (REDD+). One of the collaborative REDD+ projects in Indonesia is the Berbak landscape REDD+ Program, initiated by the Zoological Society of London (ZSL). The project is divided into two phases of implementation, as of 2018, has gone through both phases. However, the project has only fulfilled 20% of its targeted program despite being in the final year of implementation. Addressing this issue, this study attempts to look at the governance in the project to understand what constitutes the governance of Berbak landscape REDD+ program and how governance determines its implementation landscape. The study employs a qualitative approach. In addition, it follows four governance indicators developed by Ostrom (1990): coordination, reporting, bureaucracy, and monitoring. Based on the data analysis, it is found that the project has diverse stakeholders with different connections and authority and good governance plays a big role in determining the successful implementation of the project. Thus, it is important to develop good governance to find a better solution for the challenges faced by the project. Keywords: REDD+, Berbak landscape, Governance


Purpose. Many patients with metallic implants are aware of the potential dangers in an MRI environment. Some implants cause sensations perceptible by the patient during an MRI scan. We wanted to find out if patients having an implant abort MRI scans more often than patients without implants. Furthermore, we wanted to know if the number of implants of a patient has an influence on the number of aborted MRI scans. As we use 3T MRI scanners from different manufacturers we wanted to see the influence of the "ScanWise" software option where scan parameters are adapted automatically to the maximal allowed limits of implant values. This publication should help to reduce possible anxiety in patients with implants. Materials and Methods. From May 15th 2017 until July 17th 2018 the implant type of patients was recorded. We looked how often aborted MRI scans coincided with the occurrence of implants and the MRI scanner type used. Results. 4088 examinations were collected for the analysis. No influence of implants on aborted MRI scans was registered. No influence of the number of implants on aborted MRI scans was registered. No influence of the use of "ScanWise" software on aborted MRI scans was registered when different scanners were compared. Conclusion. "MR Safe" or "MR Conditional" labelled implants did not have an impact on the MRI examinations. "ScanWise" software does not affect how MRI examinations are tolerated.


In what ways and through what mechanisms and policy instruments did colonial regimes seek to draw Africans into the colonial economy as laborers, wage earners, taxpayers, and consumers of foreign manufactured goods? How successful were colonial efforts to reform access to agricultural land as a way of establishing a foundation for colonial agriculture, undermining preexisting but disfavored African land tenure practices, compelling taxation, and mobilizing African labor? This essay responds to these and related questions, surveying the main debates, key conceptual turns, and points of discussion on a critical aspect of colonial economic management in Africa: the commoditization of land and labor by colonial regimes and its consequences. The essay discusses the intertwinements of land and labor mobilization regimes, and the ways in which African maneuvers, initiatives, and strategies of self-preservation produced outcomes that confounded and at times defeated colonial intentions in matters of land and labor.


In my paper on the "Structures and Relations of some of the Older Rocks of Brittany"* I briefly referred to the slaty rocks in the neighbourhood of Morlaix. As the main object of my journey was to study the older and, presumably, Archæan rocks of Brittany, only a moderate amount of time was devoted to those of later date, and not many specimens were collected. These, however, have proved of unusual interest; so I venture to offer a few remarks upon them to the Society, because, as I anticipated, they seem to throw some light upon the history of the genesis of certain crystalline schists. The rock beneath and in the immediate neighbourhood of Morlaix consists of alternating bands, differing in texture and colour†. The grey material, at the time of deposition, was evidently a fine-grained silt or earthy sand, the dark a carbonaceous mud. The layers of the former commonly do not exceed an inch in thickness, and are often less; the others are frequently more; but extremely thin, more or less lenticular streaks of the one material are occasionally interlaminated with the other. Both are cleaved, the sandy band imperfectly, the dark band very completely. Commonly the planes of cleavage and stratification coincide, and then the rock has a compressed appearance; but minor folds and "wriggles" are frequent, so that the "stripe" is cut by the cleavage-planes at very different angles. In these cases the change in amount and direction of the cleavage, the thickening of


In the present study, possible determinants and effects of three different styles of giving support by healthy partners of patients with cancer were examined. Both partners' and patients' perceptions regarding these ways of providing support by healthy partners were studied. A survey was conducted among 106 patients with cancer and their intimate partners. Both healthy partners' evaluation of the patient's coping and their self-efficacy in providing support was related to the ways in which support was provided by partners. Partners who thought the patient was coping better with the cancer showed more active engagement and less overprotection. Partners high in self-efficacy showed more active engagement, whereas partners who lacked this self-efficacy showed more protective buffering. Furthermore, the way in which support was given was related to the patients' well-being and relationship satisfaction. Patients with cancer reported more distress and less feelings of control when their partners were more overprotective. Moreover, patients evaluated the relationship with their partner more positively when their partners were more actively engaged. In turn, patients' distress was positively related to the extent to which partners said they showed active engagement.


Health care is one of the important elements in the development of every nation. In view of that eveiy government makes it a priority to provide efficient health care to its people through the establishment of facilities, providing medication and also training health workers. The construction of modern health care facilities by the colonial government in New Dwaben, Koforidua, in 1926, represents a serious attempt to provide for the health needs of the people of the Gold Coast. The advent of the hospital helped to improve the health of the people of the community and, to a large extent, contributed to the development of social and economic activities in New Dwaben. This article examines the factors that led to the establishment of the hospital and how it contributed to growth of social and economic activities in New Dwaben, Koforidua. There was growth in social and economic activities including employment, agriculture, transportation, population, entertainment, trade, sanitation, jobs partly due to the advent of the Koforidua Government Hospital in New Dwaben.


Various well-defined Ni-Pt(111) model catalysts are constructed at atomic-level precision under ultra-high-vacuum conditions and characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy. Subsequent studies of CO oxidation over the surfaces show that a sandwich surface (NiO(1-x)/Pt/Ni/Pt(111)) consisting of both surface Ni oxide nanoislands and subsurface Ni atoms at a Pt(111) surface presents the highest reactivity. A similar sandwich structure has been obtained in supported Pt-Ni nanoparticles via activation in H(2) at an intermediate temperature and established by techniques including acid leaching, inductively coupled plasma, and X-ray adsorption near-edge structure. Among the supported Pt-Ni catalysts studied, the sandwich bimetallic catalysts demonstrate the highest activity to CO oxidation, where 100% CO conversion occurs near room temperature. Both surface science studies of model catalysts and catalytic reaction experiments on supported catalysts illustrate the synergetic effect of the surface and subsurface Ni species on the CO oxidation, in which the surface Ni oxide nanoislands activate O(2), producing atomic O species, while the subsurface Ni atoms further enhance the elementary reaction of CO oxidation with O.


The \emph{Order-Maintenance} (OM) data structure maintains a total order list of items for insertions, deletions, and comparisons. As a basic data structure, OM has many applications, such as maintaining the topological order, core numbers, and truss in graphs, and maintaining ordered sets in Unified Modeling Language (UML) Specification. The prevalence of multicore machines suggests parallelizing such a basic data structure. This paper proposes a new parallel OM data structure that supports insertions, deletions, and comparisons in parallel. Specifically, parallel insertions and deletions are synchronized by using locks efficiently, which achieve up to $7$x and $5.6$x speedups with $64$ workers. One big advantage is that the comparisons are lock-free so that they can execute highly in parallel with other insertions and deletions, which achieve up to $34.4$x speedups with $64$ workers. Typical real applications maintain order lists that always have a much larger portion of comparisons than insertions and deletions. For example, in core maintenance, the number of comparisons is up to 297 times larger compared with insertions and deletions in certain graphs. This is why the lock-free order comparison is a breakthrough in practice.


This meta-analysis investigated the efficacy and adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of three different adrenergic alpha-antagonists during the treatment of pediatric ureteral stones. Studies were retrieved from MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Controlled Trial Registry until January 2022. We identified 7 articles, including six RCTs and one cohort study. 610 children received either adrenergic alpha-antagonists or placebo. The results confirmed that the three different adrenergic alpha-antagonists could significantly increase the ureteral calculi expulsive rate and shorten the ureteral calculi expulsive time, regardless of the size of the stone "<5 mm" or "5–10 mm". Subgroup analysis suggested that all three adrenergic alpha-antagonists increased the ureteral calculi expulsive rate. Tamsulosin and silodosin also have the effect of shortening ureteral calculi expulsive time, while doxazosin has an insignificant effect on ureteral calculi expulsive time. Besides, tamsulosin and silodosin obviously reduced the number of pain episodes caused by ureteral calculi in children. We analyzed the treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) caused by the treatment of three different adrenergic alpha-antagonists to explore their ADRs. The probability of ADRs was increased after treatment with adrenergic alpha-antagonists. Further subgroup analysis revealed the application of tamsulosin was positively correlated with ADRs in children with ureteral calculi, while the application of doxazosin and silodosin had no statistically significant effect on the probability of TEAEs. In a conclusion, this article systematically analyzed the efficacy and ADRs of three different adrenergic alpha-antagonists, and provided reference and guidance for the application of adrenergic alpha-antagonists to treat children ureteral calculi.


This contribution reviews the various interpretations offered to understand the obscure pronouncement in Jer 31,22b: "A woman will encompass a man". One of the most popular proposals, which is also the most plausible, is to regard the utterance as an example of gender role reversal. What the proponents of this viewpoint fail to demonstrate satisfactorily, however, is how this saying in Jer 31,22b relates to the multiple other ancient Near Eastern cultural contexts (literary, social-political and religious) where the same mundus inversus principle is likewise attested. It is argued that this broad backdrop is a sine qua non for the proper understanding of this enigmatic passage.


Although the general assumption is that daily and monthly returns data are normally distributed (Aparicio & Estrada, 2001), the correct statistical distribution of returns must first be established (Linden, 2001), as it constitutes one of the elementary building blocks that will ensure accurate financial analyses (Taylor, 1986). The assumption of normality is also critical when constructing reference intervals for variables (Royston, 1991). By evaluating the pre-, during and post- 2007-2009 financial crisis periods, this paper found that non-normality can be present in all data frequencies, especially in higher data frequencies. Further evidence also showed that the deviation from normality escalated over the crisis period and remained higher after the crisis, compared to the pre-crisis period. By comparing the traditional Sharpe ratio with adjusted versions, based on Gatfaoui's (2012) methodology, this paper accentuates the fact that the presence of non-normality and higher moments can influence the Sharpe ratio's performance rankings


Interactive computer graphics can provide new insights into the objects of pure geometry, providing intuitively useful images, and, in some cases, unexpected results. Interactive computer graphics systems have opened a new era in the visualization of pure geometry. We demonstrate the fruitful relationship between mathematics and the discipline of computer graphics, emphasizing those areas of low-dimensional geometry and topology where interactive paradigms are of growing importance.<<ETX>>


A method for producing a smart card module includes bonding one end of a thin wire onto a first contact zone of a semiconductor chip. The wire is guided in a plurality of turns forming an antenna coil. The wire is bonded onto a second contact area of the semiconductor chip. The wire turns of the antenna coil and the semiconductor chip are placed on a carrier body.


SUMMARY: Cholesterol enrichment cultures from soil samples yielded various Nocardia and Streptomyces spp. capable of metabolizing cholesterol aerobically as a sole carbon source. One of these isolates, designated Streptomyces 14PH8, formed haloes (cholesterol-free zones surrounding colonies) on cholesterol mineral salts agar. This organism was selected for further study as it was able to utilize 80-100% of 0·1% (w/v) cholesterol in a mineral salts medium in 6 days. Oxidation of the sterol was initiated by a cholesterol dehydrogenase, giving 4-cholestene-3-one. The latter compound was then hydroxylated to form 4-cholestene-4-ol-3-one. Isotopic tracer studies revealed all of carbon-4 and most of carbon-26 of cholesterol were converted to 14C02. However, some of carbon-26 was converted to cell material.
Streptomyces 14ph8 gave several variants, one of which (Streptomyces 14ph8 no. 2 var. A) could be reclassified as a Nocardia, using the same method of Gordon&Smith (1955).


Data collected on women students at Edinburgh University allowed a comparison to be made between those who were taking a contraceptive pill and those who were not. The evidence suggests that women taking a contraceptive pill are more likely to recall dreaming, and that it is the progestagenic component that is the more active one. However, the data collected do not exclude the possibility that the differences observed are the consequence of other psychosocial variables; further research is recommended.


Background: Vitamin A (VA) is an essential fat-soluble vitamin that contributes to the normal metabolism of intestinal epithelial cells (IEC), fights infections and enhances immunity. Retinoic acid (RA) is the physiological metabolite of VA, which is increased under oxidative stress and has an important physiological function. We studied the protective mechanism of VA/RA in H2O2-induced oxidative stress in primary duck IECs. Cells were distributed into 5 groups: blank control group (CG1), positive control group (CG2), high concentration retinoic acid group (TG1) (VA:RA=1 × 10-8 M:3 × 10-8 M), equal concentration retinoic acid group (TG2) (VA:RA=2 × 10-8 M:2 × 10-8 M), and low concentration retinoic acid group (TG3) (VA:RA=3 × 10-8 M:1 × 10-8 M). The blank control group had no treatment, and the positive control group and the treatment groups were all treated with 50 μM H2O2 to induce oxidative stress. Each group had 3 replicates. RNA-Seq was used to screen differentially expressed genes, KEGG functional annotation and GO analysis were performed and the results were verified by qRT-PCR. The cell viability was quantified by the CCK-8 assay. Intestinal barrier integrity and tight junction permeability were measured by transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER).Results: An RNA-Seq analysis showed that treatment with VA/RA altered the expression of genes involved in the cell adhesion, immune response, metabolism and cell regulation. Our results suggest that abnormal the PPARγ expression may be involved in H2O2-induced oxidative stress and in the therapeutic mechanism of VA/RA treatment. Treatment with 50 μM H2O2 significantly decreased live cell numbers compared with those in CG1. Compared with those in CG2, the cell viability and TEER in the TGs were significantly improved (P < 0.05). As the RA concentration increased, the relative expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 increased (P < 0.05). The TGs had higher expression levels of ZO-1, claudin-1 and Occludin than CG2 (P < 0.05).Conclusions: VA and its derivative RA relieve intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction induced by H2O2, the PPAR and Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway may participate these proses.


Does corporate governance structure matter for firm value? We develop a model in which the allocation of control rights between shareholders and managers ("governance structure") affects managers' incentive to invest (strong governance tightens managerial freedom and weak governance loosens it), and firms' investment decisions are linked through a market for resources. We show that in a competitive equilibrium, which is socially efficient, corporate governance is irrelevant to firm value even in the presence of agency costs and incomplete markets. Our analysis, therefore, provides an important benchmark against which the effects of governance structures could be evaluated.


Introduction/Background Clear cell carcinoma (CCC) is a rare subtype of ovarian and endometrial cancer. It carries a poor prognosis and response to chemotherapy in recurrent disease is low. As angiogenesis pathways are activated in CCC, we performed a trial comparing nintedanib (BIBF1120), an orally available, triple kinase inhibitor targeting VEGFR, PDGFR and FGFR with physician's choice of chemotherapy. As the first randomised trial in relapsed CCC, it gives important information on the efficacy and toxicity of both nintedanib and chemotherapy. Here we report the ovarian cancer (OC) results. Methodology This was an international, multi-centre, randomised, open label phase II, 3 outcome design. Patients were randomised to nintedanib 200 mg PO twice daily or chemotherapy (paclitaxel (80 mg/m2 IV Day 1,8,15), pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (40 mg/m2 IV) or topotecan (4 mg/m2 IV Day 1,8,15) every 28 days). Treatment was given until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was progression free survival (PFS) in the ovarian cohort. Secondary objectives included overall survival (OS), response rate (RR), disease control rate (DCR) and patient reported outcomes. With 90 OC patients, the study was powered to detect an improvement in median PFS from 3 to 5 months (HR=0.6) with >90% power, 20% 1-sided significance. A statistically significant PFS difference at the 1-sided 10% level (Nintedanib superior) would give a clear signal that a phase III study is warranted. A statistically significant result at the 1-sided 20% level would require other supportive evidence. EudraCT Ref:2013-002109-73. ISRCTN No:ISRCTN50772895. Results 91 OC patients were included in the analysis. Median age was 54 years. Median number of previous lines was 2. After a median follow up of 20.7 months the median PFS was 2.3 months with nintedanib and 1.9 months with chemotherapy (hazard ratio=0.79, 80% CI=(0.58,1.06), p(1-sided)=0.1521. Median OS was 9.0 and 4.9 months, respectively. Difference in OS estimates at 6 and 12 months were 19.7% and 8.9% demonstrating non-proportional hazards. RR was 2.1% and 0%, and DCR at 16 weeks was 23.4% and 9.1% (odds ratio=5.81, 80%CI=(1.79,18.89), p(1-sided)=0.0276) with nintedanib and chemotherapy, respectively. Conclusion The study failed to demonstrate sufficient activity of nintedanib as a monotherapy to support a phase III trial. However, the benefit in PFS, DCR and OS suggests it may be interesting to combine nintedanib with other agents in OCCC. Chemotherapy is ineffective and the outcomes for women with OCCC are extremely poor confirming the need for continued research into novel targets and therapies. Translational research is on-going (figures 1 and 2). Disclosures The study was funded by an educational grant from Boehringer Ingelheim and supported by Cancer Research UK Grant ref: C8361/A15600. Author disclosures Rosalind Glasspool: Grant funding for clinical trials from Boehringer Ingelheim, Lilly/Ignyta and Clovis. Consultancy fees, travel support and/or speaker fees for AstraZeneca, GSK/Tesaro, Clovis, Immunogen and Sotio. Site PI for studies sponsored by AstraZeneca, GSK/Tesaro, Clovis, Immunogen, Lilly and Pfizer. Samantha Hinsley: none. Jonathan Ledermann: Advisory Board and Lecture fees from AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Clovis Oncology, MSD/Merck, Eisai, Artios Pharma, GSK and grant funding from AstraZeneca and MSD/Merck. IDMC fees from Regeneron. Iain McNeish: Advisory Board fees from AstraZeneca, Clovis Oncology, Tesaro/GSK, Roche, Scancell and Carrick Therapeutics. Institutional grant funding from AstraZeneca. Jerome Alexandre: Grant funding from Janssen, MSD. Consultancy fees, travel support and/or speaker fees for AstraZeneca, GSK/Tesaro, MSD, Eisai, Novartis, Pharmamar. Site PI for studies sponsored by AstraZeneca, GSK/Tesaro, MSD, Agenus, Merck Serono, Seattle Genetics Anneke Westermann: none. Claire Lawless: none Nelleke Ottevanger: none Mansoor Raza Mirza: Personal Financial Interests: AstraZeneca, Biocad, Clovis Oncology, Geneos, Genmab, Karyopharm Therapeutics, merck, msd, Oncology Centre, Pfizer, Roche, SeatleGenetics, Sera Prognostics, Sotio, Tesaro-GSK, ZaiLab. Institutional financial interests (study grants): AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim, Clovis Oncology, Pfizer, Tesaro-GSK Isabelle Ray-Coquard: Honoraria (self) from Abbvie, Agenus, Advaxis, BMS, PharmaMar, Genmab, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Roche, GSK, MSD, Deciphera, Mersena, Merck Sereno, Novartis, Amgen, Tesaro and Clovis; honoraria (institution) from GSK, MSD, Roche and BMS; advisory/consulting fees from Abbvie, Agenus, Advaxis, BMS, PharmaMar, Genmab, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Roche/Genentech, GSK, MSD, Deciphera, Mersena, Merck Sereno, Novartis, Amgen, Tesaro and Clovis; research grant/funding (self) from MSD, Roche and BMS; research grant/funding (institution) from MSD, Roche, BMS, Novartis, AstraZeneca and Merck Sereno; and travel support from Roche, AstraZeneca and GSK.


The aim of this study was to evaluate different factors which may influence surface and adhesive properties of Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains isolated from patients with urinary tract infections. P. aeruginosa strains exhibited moderate surface hydrophobicity as shown by "salting out" with ammonium sulfate and hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The ability to haemagglutinate red blood cells by P. aeruginosa strains was increased when the cells were treated with papain and neuraminidase. The ability of all tested strains to attach to plastic and glass surfaces was independent on incubation temperature. There was no significant difference in the ability of any particular P. aeruginosa strains to adhere to Vero cells in culture. In this study no correlation between hydrophobic properties, intensity of haemagglutination, and ability to attach to Vero cells in culture was observed.


Urban population growth was very rapid in Korea between 1955-75 growing from less than 6 million in 1955 to over 1975. This paper attempts to determine the impact of this rapid growth on national fertility. It was found that the fertility of urban migrants was considerably lower than comparable rural women. Testing of the Ribe-Schultz hypothesis showed that selectivity rather than adaptation was the main reason for the lowered fertility of migrants. Fertility of migrants did not reach the levels of the urban born despite length of residence. However a significant difference in educational background was found between migrants and rural women. (Authors modified) (Summary in ENG)


Evidence that establishes neuropeptide Y (NPY) as an important neuromessenger in the regulation of anterior pituitary hormone secretion is reviewed. In particular, NPY plays a critical role in stimulating the episodic, basal pattern of luteinizing hormone (LH) release, as well as the preovulatory surge of LH release in several species. The stimulatory effect of NPY on LH secretion is dependent upon the presence of gonadal hormones and involves amplification of the response of other interacting stimulatory signals. NPY acts at the level of the median eminence to excite the release of LH-releasing hormone (LHRH) via a mechanism that leads to the mobilization of intracellular Ca2+. These stimulatory LHRH responses are mediated by Y1NPY receptors. Moreover, NPY activates postsynaptic messenger pathways that complement and reinforce those affected by norepinephrine, which is another major neuroregulator of LHRH secretion and which is released as a cotransmitter with NPY in the median eminence. Additionally, NPY is released into the hypophyseal portal blood for transportation to the anterior pituitary where it enhances the release of LH in response to LHRH. This facilitatory, modulating effect at the pituitary level involves an allosteric increase in LHRH binding to its receptor leading to augmented influx of Ca2+ from the extracellular space. There is evidence that gonadal steroids regulate NPY neurosecretion in a site-specific manner, and that alterations in NPY secretion may occur in part via a direct action of the steroids on NPY neurons in the brainstem and hypothalamus and in part through an indirect effect involving removal of the inhibitory influence of endogenous opioid peptides. These findings are integrated into an overall hypothesis for induction of the preovulatory LH surge on proestrus requiring an interplay between NPY and other neuronal networks. In aged male rats, due to the inability of hypothalamic NPY neurons to respond appropriately to the trophic effects of androgens, NPY neurosecretion is diminished. Further, a review of the literature reveals that NPY may modulate the secretion of other pituitary hormones through a similar combination of hypothalamic and pituitary actions.


Paleofertility estimates are derived from organic-carbon accumulation rates determined in nonbioturbated mid-Cretaceous deep-sea deposits using organic-carbon preservation factors observed in laminated sediments from anoxic Holocene environments. The estimated mid-Cretaceous primary production rates are as much as an order of magnitude lower than those measured in today's oceans. An evaluation of dissolved oxygen budgets using a simple oceanic circulation model indicates very low deep-water renewal rates in mid-Cretaceous oceans. 28 references, 2 tables, 4 figures.


The experimental evidence for the growth‐promoting mechanism and the efficiency of energy transfer (EET) of LH4 under low light are still not available. To elucidate the light adaption mechanism of LH4, we deleted the genes pucBAd involved in the synthesis of the α/β polypeptides of LH4 in Rhodopseudomonas palustris CGA009. Compared to wild strain, the growth rate of pucBAd mutant significantly decreased under low light, while there were no significant changes in the growth rate, the contents and compositions of photopigments, absorption spectra of cell lysates under high light. Moreover, the fluorescence quantum efficiency (FQE) was used to further compare the EET between LH2 and LH4. The FQE in LH4 increased up to 1.5‐fold than did in LH2. Collectively, this study showed that LH4 could provide more and high energetic state photons for promoting bacterial phototrophic growth in response to low‐light environment.


A.S. KAPRELYANTS AND D.B. KELL. 1992. The fluorescent dye rhodamine 123 (Rh 123) is concentrated by microbial cells in an uncoupler-sensitive fashion. Steady-state fluorescence measurements with Micrococcus luteus indicated that provided the added dye concentration is below approximately 1 mmol/1, uptake is fully uncoupler-sensitive and is not accompanied by significant self-quenching of the fluorescence of accumulated dye molecules. 'Viable' and 'non-viable' cells are easily and quantitatively distinguished in a flow cytometer by the extent to which they accumulate the dye. The viability of a very slowly growing chemostat culture of Mic. luteus is apparently only about40–50%, as judged by plate counts, but most of the 'non-viable' cells can be resuscitated by incubation of the culture in nutrient medium before plating. The extent to which individual cells accumulate rhodamine 123 can be rapidly assessed by flow cytometry, and reflects the three distinguishable physiological states exhibited by the culture ('non-viable', 'viable' and 'non-viable-but-resuscitable'). Gram-negative bacteria do not accumulate rhodamine 123 significantly because their outer membrane is not permeable to it; a simple treatment overcomes this. Flow cytometry using rhodamine 123 should prove of general utility for the rapid assessment of microbial viability and vitality.


Background Non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), primarily due to the rupture of intracranial aneurysms, contributes significantly to the global stroke population. A novel biomarker, pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV) or called the aggregate index of systemic inflammation (AISI), linked to progression-free survival and overall survival in non-small-cell lung cancer and mortality in Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, has surfaced recently. Its role in non-traumatic SAH patients, however, remains under-researched. This study aims to determine the relationship between PIV and all-cause mortality in non-traumatic SAH patients. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted using data from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC-IV) database to examine the association between PIV and all-cause mortality in critically ill patients with non-traumatic SAH. PIV measurements were collected at Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission, and several mortality measures were examined. To control for potential confounding effects, a 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM) method was applied. The optimal PIV cutoff value was identified as 1362.45 using X-tile software that is often used to calculate the optimal cut-off values in survival analysis and continuous data of medical or epidemiological research. The relationship between PIV and short- and long-term all-cause mortality was analyzed using a multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression model and Kaplan-Meier (K-M) survival curve analysis. Interaction and subgroup analyses were also carried out. Results The study included 774 non-traumatic SAH patients. After PSM, 241 pairs of score-matched patients were generated. The Cox proportional hazard model, adjusted for potential confounders, found a high PIV (≥ 1362.45) independently associated with 90-day all-cause mortality both pre- (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.67; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 1.05-2.65; P = 0.030) and post-PSM (HR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.14-2.67; P = 0.042). K-M survival curves revealed lower 90-day survival rates in patients with PIV ≥ 1362.45 before (31.1% vs. 16.1%%, P < 0.001) and after PSM (68.9% vs. 80.9%, P < 0.001). Similarly, elevated PIV were associated with increased risk of ICU (pre-PSM: HR: 2.10; 95% CI: 1.12-3.95; P = 0.02; post-PSM: HR: 2.33; 95% CI: 1.11-4.91; P = 0.016), in-hospital (pre-PSM: HR: 1.91; 95% CI: 1.12-3.26; P = 0.018; post-PSM: 2.06; 95% CI: 1.10-3.84; P = 0.034), 30-day (pre-PSM: HR: 1.69; 95% CI: 1.01-2.82; P = 0.045; post-PSM: 1.66; 95% CI: 1.11-2.97; P = 0.047), and 1-year (pre-PSM: HR: 1.58; 95% CI: 1.04-2.40; P = 0.032; post-PSM: 1.56; 95% CI: 1.10-2.53; P = 0.044) all-cause mortality. The K-M survival curves confirmed lower survival rates in patients with higher PIV both pre- and post PSM for ICU (pre-PSM: 18.3% vs. 8.4%, P < 0.001; post-PSM:81.7 vs. 91.3%, P < 0.001), in-hospital (pre-PSM: 25.3% vs. 12.8%, P < 0.001; post-PSM: 75.1 vs. 88.0%, P < 0.001), 30-day (pre-PSM: 24.9% vs. 11.4%, P < 0.001; post-PSM:74.7 vs. 86.3%, P < 0.001), and 1-year (pre-PSM: 36.9% vs. 20.8%, P < 0.001; P = 0.02; post-PSM: 63.1 vs. 75.1%, P < 0.001) all-cause mortality. Stratified analyses indicated that the relationship between PIV and all-cause mortality varied across different subgroups. Conclusion In critically ill patients suffering from non-traumatic SAH, an elevated PIV upon admission correlated with a rise in all-cause mortality at various stages, including ICU, in-hospital, the 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year mortality, solidifying its position as an independent mortality risk determinant. This study represents an attempt to bridge the current knowledge gap and to provide a more nuanced understanding of the role of inflammation-based biomarkers in non-traumatic SAH. Nevertheless, to endorse the predictive value of PIV for prognosticating outcomes in non-traumatic SAH patients, additional prospective case-control studies are deemed necessary.


The normal state Hall effects of Hg1-xBa2CaCu2O6+δ (Hg-1212) superconducting thin films have been measured for studying the relationship between superconductivity and the Hall angle. In contrast to previous studies, the present experiment is focused on the effects of the cation vacancy and the interstitial oxygen. It is found that increasing the Hg vacancies considerably reduces the superconducting critical temperature Tc but does not alter the Hall angle, whereas variation of the oxygen content has little effect on Tc but considerably alters the Hall angle.


As part of the institution that regulates environmental policy, the staff of the Ministry of Environment of Indonesia does not practice pro-environment behavior.  As observed, wasteful use of paper, usage of disposable containers and plastic bags are still seen in the office area.  Therefore, we would like to calculate the index of green behavior of the civil servant of MOE in Jakarta office.  The mean value of the green index from 154 respondents is considered good (0.72) and the number is higher than the 2012 national survey.  The index consists of: behavior of energy saving (0.61), behavior of solid waste disposal (0.71), behavior of water consumption (0.79), behavior of carbon emitter (0.82), behavior of healthy living (0.76) and behavior of fuel consumption (0.74).


ABSTRACT The porcine conceptus undergoes rapid differentiation and expansion of its trophoblastic membranes between Days 11 and 12 of gestation. Concomitant with trophoblast elongation, production of conceptus estrogen, the porcine embryonic pregnancy recognition signal, increases. Conceptus attachment to the uterine surface epithelium starts after Day 13, initiating epitheliochorial placentation. To analyze the transcriptome changes in the endometrium in the course of maternal recognition of pregnancy, deep sequencing of endometrial RNA samples of Day 12 pregnant animals (n = 4) and corresponding nonpregnant controls (n = 4) was performed using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). Between 30 000 000 and 35 000 000 sequence reads per sample were produced and mapped to the porcine genome (Sscrofa10.2). Analysis of read counts revealed 2593 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Expression of selected genes was validated by the use of quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Bioinformatics analysis identified several functional terms specifically overrepresented for up-regulated or down-regulated genes. Comparison of the RNA-Seq data from Days 12 and 14 of pregnancy was performed at the level of all expressed genes, the level of the DEG, and the level of functional categories. This revealed specific gene expression patterns reflecting the different functions of the endometrium during these stages (i.e., recognition of pregnancy and preparation for conceptus attachment). Genes related to mitosis, immune response, epithelial cell differentiation and development, proteolysis, and prostaglandin signaling and metabolism are discussed in detail. This study identified comprehensive transcriptome changes in porcine endometrium associated with establishment of pregnancy and could be a resource for targeted studies of genes and pathways potentially involved in regulation of this process.


The inclusion of a journal and its articles in the indexes is a subject that is generally given importance by academia in the process of scholarly communication. This situation become even more significant with various implementations in some countries. Turkey is among the countries, which consider the presence of more journals in various indexes, especially the Web of Science (WoS), as an added value or even a quality indicator. It is observed from the current practices that, the quantity has become increasingly important and having publications in the journals covered by citation indexes has sometimes been accepted as a "sine qua non". In this context, this research aims to investigate the Turkey-addressed journals that are included in WoS, had been indexed for a certain period of time, but dropped from the index after a while. The data set of the study consist of Turkey-addressed journals in WoS that were indexed and dropped between 2005 and 2015. During this period, it was determined that 14 out of 80 Turkey-addressed journals that were indexed in WoS were removed from the index. These dropped 14 journals were able to remain in the citation index for an average of five years. Some of Turkey-addressed journals that were removed from WoS draw the attention with high rates of self-citations and with noteworthy differences in the number of publications from year to year. For half of the Turkey-addressed journals (7 journals) that were dropped from WoS, the ratio of Turkey-addressed publications to total publications is above 90%. This finding reveal the localness of authors in the mentioned journals. If Turkey-addressed journals want to be a part of or permanent in citation indexes, bring the quality of the content to the forefront and target the transition from locality to internationality, it is considered that they will be able to contribute to scientific progress.


" Marriage as a psychological relationship," and " The love-problem of the student " deal at large and in a wise way with cognate problems which exercise the minds of many present-day men and women. " Modern " points of view -not always so very " modern," either-are touched on with insight and sympathy, for instance the matter of sexual hygiene, and the question of sexual information. It is held to be true in general terms that the youth of to-day apprehend the problem of sexuality in its whole range earlier and more radically than in the case of the previous generation. With Dr. Jung's statement that " the fact that many pursue such discussions to the point of abuse does not spring from the nature of the problem, but rather from the inferiority of the people who abuse it," all minds capable of even judgment are likely to agree. From the standpoint of the clinician, similarly, we appreciate the wisdom of Dr. Jung's remark, that onanism has bad results mainly if not solely where it involves psychic complications. These three papers are distinguished by their strong psychological common sense. "The question of the therapeutic value of ' abreaction' is examined in a critical spirit ; any curative effect does not consist simply in the discharge of affective tension ; the dissociation must equally be resolved, and on this resolution success depends. From this conclusion the writer passes to a consideration of the alpha and omega of all psychotherapeutic method, viz., the establishment of rapport between physician and patient. These pages are rich in suggestion and practical advice; more than that, they contain a confession of Dr. Jung's own belief, based on experience, that the development of the healing effect lies primarily in the achievement by the physician of an individual relationship with the patient, in which both meet on equal terms, the man in each confronting the man in the other. More technical papers deal with " Psychical energy " and with "Instinct and the unconscious," among others. In these, as has been admirably said by the translators (whose work deserves all praise), " the readers who have suffered fatigue in the restricted purlieus of psychoanalytical literature will feel again the exhilaration of a wide scientific horizon." S. A. K. W.


The letter by Castells et al. appropriately focuses on the integration between adenomatous and serrated lesions when scheduling postpolypectomy surveillance. In theory, there are at least two possibilities when dealing with patients with two different types of lesions. The first is to generate an evidence-based ranking among the different histological types, in order to classify the patient according to the highest-ranking lesion. For instance, it could be proposed that patients with coexisting adenomatous and serrated lesions should always be classified according to the adenomatous component, down-grading the serrated component. Indeed, the relationship between the features of the adenoma (size, villous component, grade of dysplasia) and the risk of metachronous advanced neoplasia has beenwell validated, irrespective of the additional presence of serrated polyps. As the Authors admit, there is scarce literature, if any, supporting a higher risk of metachronous advanced neoplasia in those with coexisting lesions compared with those with only adenomas. Thus, by adding a re-stratification of the adenomatous component based on the coexisting serrated component would only dilute the moderate degree of certainty related to the adenomatous component in the first place. However, to adopt a pure "ranking strategy"would result in the paradox that a patient with low-risk adenoma and highrisk serrated lesion would be classified in the low-risk category compared with a patient with only a high-risk serrated lesion who would be correctly classified in the intermediateor high-risk category. Thus, the Authors are proposing a second possibility, which is to sum up the two different components in a multi-dimensional risk stratification, with limited consideration of any ranking between the adenomatous and serrated lesions. Despite the lack of supporting evidence, this expert-derived strategy is appealing. First, it prevents the paradox of the "ranking strategy" by always classifying the patient by the most severe lesion. Second, it is extremely cautious, up-grading the perception of risk in several cases that have not yet been explored in the gastrointestinal literature. Third, it is extremely user friendly, and it may be used easily not only by physicians, but by all of the health team involved in running an organized colorectal cancer (CRC) screening program. However, it also contains some drawbacks. Due to technological improvement and higher endoscopist awareness, the detection rate for serrated lesions may be expected to increase rapidly. Thus, a substantial proportion of the patients with low-risk lesionsmay be reclassified as intermediate because of one additional subcentimetric serrated polyp. The same may easily occur between the intermediateand the high-risk category. Although the clinical benefit, if any, of this up-shifting of the surveillance population is largely uncertain, the impact on the demand for endoscopy is clear and is sure to be substantial. When considering the limited capacity in endoscopy services, this excess of surveillance may be expected to displace patients from the much more effective CRC screening programs (which will eventually deteriorate), with no improvement in incidence and mortality rates. For these reasons, a possible compromise between the two options could be to systematically classify the patient with coexisting lesions according to the most severe lesion, without permitting the summing up of different histological types.


The term 'hyperthyroidism' refers to a form of thyrotoxicosis due to inappropriate high synthesis and secretion of thyroid hormone(s) by the thyroid. The leading cause of hyperthyroidism in adolescents is Graves' disease (GD); however, one should also consider other potential causes, such as toxic nodular goitre (single or multinodular), and other rare disorders leading to excessive production and release of thyroid hormones. The term 'thyrotoxicosis' refers to a clinical state resulting from inappropriate high thyroid hormone action in tissues, generally due to inappropriate high tissue thyroid hormone levels. Thyrotoxicosis is a condition with multiple aetiologies, manifestations, and potential modes of therapy. By definition, the extrathyroidal sources of excessive amounts of thyroid hormones, such as iatrogenic thyrotoxicosis, factitious ingestion of thyroid hormone, or struma ovarii, do not include hyperthyroidism. The aetiology of hyperthyroidism/and thyrotoxicosis should be determined. Although the diagnosis is apparent based on the clinical presentation and initial biochemical evaluation, additional diagnostic testing is indicated. This testing should include: (1) measurement of thyroid-stimulating hormone receptor (TSHR) antibodies (TRAb); (2) analysis of thyroidal echogenicity and blood flow on ultrasonography; or (3) determination of radioactive iodine uptake (RAIU). A 123I or 99mTc pertechnetate scan is recommended when the clinical presentation suggests toxic nodular goitre. A question arises regarding whether diagnostic workup and treatment (antithyroid drugs, radioiodine, surgery, and others) should be the same in children and adolescents as in adults, as well as whether there are the same goals of treatment in adolescents as in adults, in female patients vs in male patients, and in reproductive or in postreproductive age. In this aspect, different treatment modalities might be preferred to achieve euthyroidism and to avoid potential risks from the treatment. The vast majority of patients with thyroid disorders require life-long treatment; therefore, the collaboration of different specialists is warranted to achieve these goals and improve patients' quality of life.


Introduction: Piriform aperture (PA) and nasal bone (NBs) are important structures that contribute to the formation of the nose. Both anatomic structures show differences based on ethnicity, gender, and age. Hence, it is widely used to determine sex in science branches such as anthropology and forensic medicine. Furthermore, morphometry of the PA and choana is an important criterion for physiological nasal respiration of individuals. Recognition of structural differences of PA, NB, and choana along with all this information becomes important during maxillofacial procedures to be performed especially in plastic and reconstructive surgery. The aim of the present study is to determine the individual differences in NBs, PA, and choana. Material and Methods: This study was conducted on 83 Turkish dried skulls and PA, NBs, and choana was examined as morphometrically. PA was classified into seven types and NB was classified into eight subtypes. Results: The most common type of PA was found type 5 (20%–24.1%) and the least most common type of PA was type 7 (4%–4.8%). Type 1 was determined as the most common observed shape of the NB. The mean width of the choana on the right and left sides was found 13.21 ± 1.4 and 13.98 ± 1.81 mm, respectively. Moreover, the mean height of the choana on the right and left sides was found 25.56 ± 3.06 and 26.1 ± 2.5 mm, respectively. Discussion and Conclusion: We believe that obtained data from our study will constitute a morphometric data set and will be useful in a wide range of fields from forensic science to reconstructive surgery.


This paper describes a control mechanism for a future Internet. It is an economic mechanism that enables users to choose different pairs of price/QoS priority levels for network services at the user time scale. User time scale means that prices vary at a rate suitable for human beings to respond to those price changes. The changes might happen on an hourly, daily, or weekly basis. We believe that such an economic control mechanism at medium time scale, which is coupled with a technical rate control mechanism at a short time scale, is a simple and cost-reducing system that can provide quality of service to end-users. We show that the approach proposed enables network service providers to react to network congestion appropriately and provides end-users with high flexibility in service selection. After discussing different Internet pricing principles, we describe the market-managed test network, the QoS pricing and charging software for network services, and the experiments run on a DiffServ network. We present a theoretical model based on Markov chains that can represent the proposed market-managed network. Finally, we present results from the analysis of the theoretical model as well as measurement results from the DiffServ network. We show that the behavior of such a system depends on the user's net benefit, the prices for the network services, as well as on the heterogeneity of the user pool.


Fat and muscle thicknesses were measured at eight sites by B‐mode ultrasonography on 36 Japanese (age = 25.9 ± 1.9 years; mean ± SD) and 56 Caucasian females (25 ± 2 years) to compare the distribution of these tissues. The eight sites were the biceps, triceps, forearm, subscapular, abdomen, quadriceps, hamstring, and calf. Hydrostatically determined body density, corrected for residual lung volume, was similar (P > 0.05) for Japanese (1.048 ± 0.008 g · ml−1) and Caucasians (1.050 ± 0.009 g · ml−1). However, in part because of their greater body mass, Caucasians had significantly more (P < 0.05) fat mass (FM; 12.5 ± 3.2 kg) and fat‐free mass (FFM; 45.1 ± 5.1 kg) compared to the Japanese (FM = 11.1 ± 2.3 kg, FFM = 38.0 ± 3.5 kg). From the results of a subsample analysis of a group matched for stature and body mass, Japanese women had a greater abdominal fat thickness than Caucasians, but had less fat thickness at the triceps and hamstring sites. Caucasians had greater muscle thicknesses than Japanese at all sites except for abdomen, hamstring, and calf. The ratio of fat thickness to FM · stature−2 was higher on the trunk (P < 0.001) in Japanese (6.650 ± 1.721 mm3 · g−1 × 103) than in Caucasians (4.713 ± 1.441 mm3 · g−1 × 103). The ratio of muscle thickness to FFM · stature2 was higher (P < 0.001) in Caucasians than in Japanese at the upper extremity and trunk sites. These results suggest that the distribution of subcutaneous fat might be specific to ethnic origin, and that Japanese women have less muscle development than Caucasians even when matched for stature and body mass. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Abstract Introduction: We evaluate a CTSA program hub by applying bibliometrics, social network analysis (SNA), and altmetrics and examine the changes in research productivity, citation impact, research collaboration, and CTSA-supported research topics since our pilot study in 2017. Methods: The sampled data included North Carolina Translational and Clinical Science Institute (NC TraCS)-supported publications produced between September 2008 and March 2021. We applied measures and metrics from bibliometrics, SNA, and altmetrics to the dataset. In addition, we analyzed research topics and correlations between different metrics. Results: 1154 NC TraCS-supported publications generated over 53,560 citation counts by April 2021. The average cites per year and the relative citation ratio (RCR) mean of these publications improved from 33 and 2.26 in 2017 to 48 and 2.58 in 2021. The number of involved UNC units in the most published authors' collaboration network increased from 7 (2017) to 10 (2021). NC TraCS-supported co-authorship involved 61 NC organizations. PlumX metrics identified articles with the highest altmetrics scores. About 96% NC TraCS-supported publications have above the average SciVal Topic Prominence Percentile; the average approximate potential to translate of the included publication was 54.2%; and 177 publications addressed health disparity issues. Bibliometric measures (e.g., citation counts, RCR) and PlumX metrics (i.e., Citations, Captures, and Social-Media) are positively correlated (p < .05). Conclusion: Bibliometrics, SNA, and altmetrics offer distinctive but related perspectives to examine CTSA research performance and longitudinal growth, especially at the individual program hub level. These perspectives can help CTSAs build program foci.


This paper estimates a New Keynesian model of the U.S. economy over the period following the 2001 slump, a period for which the adequacy of monetary policy is intensely debated. To relate to this debate, we consider three alternative empirical inflation series in the estimation. When using CPI or PCE, we find some support for the view that the Federal Reserve's policy was extra easy and may have led to equilibrium indeterminacy. Instead, when measuring inflation with core PCE, monetary policy appears to have been reasonable and sufficiently active to rule out indeterminacy. We then relax the assumption that inflation in the model is measured by a single indicator. We re-formulate the artificial economy as a factor model where the theory's concept of inflation is the common factor to the three empirical inflation series. We find that CPI and PCE provide better indicators of the latent concept while core PCE is less informative. Again, this procedure cannot dismiss indeterminacy. Abstract This paper estimates a New Keynesian model of the U.S. economy over the period following the 2001 slump, a period for which the adequacy of monetary policy is intensely debated. To relate to this debate, we consider three alternative empirical in(cid:135)ation series in the estimation. When using CPI or PCE, we (cid:133)nd some support for the view that the Federal Reserve(cid:146)s policy was extra easy and may have led to equilibrium indeterminacy. Instead, when measuring in(cid:135)ation with core PCE, monetary policy appears to have been reasonable and su¢ ciently active to rule out indeterminacy. We then relax the assumption that in(cid:135)ation in the model is measured by a single indicator. We re-formulate the arti(cid:133)cial economy as a factor model where the theory(cid:146)s concept of in(cid:135)ation is the common factor to the three empirical in(cid:135)ation series. We (cid:133)nd that CPI and PCE provide better indicators of the latent concept while core PCE is less informative. Again, this procedure cannot dismiss indeterminacy.


With technology increasingly present in people's lives, smart homes are gaining more and more impact each day. While in the past smart homes consisted in presence sensors, cameras and automatic shutters, nowadays they are composed of several sensors and equipment that can control and monitor different things, such as temperature or heat. The homeowners want to control and monitor their home through applications on their smartphone which contributed to the smart homes-smartphones system concept. These are systems that control people's privacy, so various security mechanisms must be implemented to mitigate vulnerabilities. In this paper we present main vulnerabilities of these systems and main proposals to mitigate threats.


In this paper we present a new progressive texture map (PTM) format that encodes the mipmap levels of a texture map into a compact and progressive way. In order to manage these PTMs for a purpose of remote visualisation of architectural 3D scenes, we make use of a space subdivision and a visibility computation algorithm that are performed in a preprocessing step. In addition to this preprocessing, we precompute a metric which is used during the navigation to select the texture mipmap levels to be downloaded and those to be added/removed to/from the graphics hardware memory. Thanks to these mechanisms, we generate and visualize scalable databases for architectural 3D scenes that contain a large number of high resolution texture maps. The visualisation system we propose is based on a client/server architecture and allows for the transmission and the visualization of 3D scenes using either a remote server connected via low bandwidth networks or a local server. In addition our system automatically adapts to the power of the client machine.


Summary. Circulating levels of lh have been determined in intact and ovariectomized ewes before, during and after progesterone treatment. Neither 20 nor 40 mg progesterone daily for 10 days decreased the serum lh concentration during treatment. Following withdrawal, elevated levels of lh occurred on Days 4 to 6 in both intact non-cycling and ovariectomized ewes. Intact ewes treated during the initiation of the breeding season showed depressed levels of lh and failed to respond to progesterone treatment. The injection of 40 mg of progesterone daily did not delay the time of occurrence of the peak in lh activity.


Abstract Here I attempt to weave together a few strands of knowledge about the Cretaceous–Tertiary asteroid collision and its biological effects. The sheer enormity of kinetic energy involved in the collision and the immediate conversion of the energy to infrared radiation upon worldwide reentry of suborbitally lofted debris is not adequately appreciated by most paleontologists who deal with nonmarine organisms. Consideration of the physics of such a collision leads to the conclusion that there should have been no live Paleocene nonavian dinosaurs, but a view that nonavian dinosaurs survived into the Paleocene has been accepted by some students on the basis of "Paleocene pollen" found stratigraphically beneath specimens of nonavian dinosaurs. However, investigation of the biostratigraphic basis of dating "Paleocene" dinosaurs points to flaws in palynological dating of Late Cretaceous and early Paleocene strata in Rocky Mountain basins of deposition. The argument for "Paleocene" pollen occurring with or stratigraphically beneath non-reworked nonavian dinosaurs is not acceptable because palynological zone P1 and most or all of zone P2 occur in Upper Cretaceous strata in the Hell's Half Acre area of central Wyoming where the palynological scheme of zonation originated, not in Paleocene strata. Although said to conflict, palynological occurrences are actually compatible with results from dinosaurs. Finding P1 and/or P2 pollen stratigraphically beneath nonavian dinosaur remains does not push those dinosaurs up into Tertiary strata. Populations of sheltering organisms, provided that they were of small enough individuals, would have survived the K–T calamity easily. However, manifestations of Mayr's "founder effect" would have altered the equilibria of genetic composition of populations forever. "Molecular clocks" would have temporarily run fast, giving the impression that phylogenetic branch points lie deeper in the Cretaceous than was actually the case.


Recent advances in the investigation of polyurethanes are surveyed. Considerable attention is paid to copolyurethanes based on multicomponent initial constituents, which may exhibit thermoplastic or thermoelastoplastic properties depending on the distribution of the components in the chain and the length of the glycol constituent. A list of 142 references is included.


The retinal vascular changes and complications are described in 121 patients with birdshot chorioretinopathy. The medical history in these patients did not reveal any relevant correlation with a systemic disorder, although vascular accidents and arterial hypertension in this group were rather high. The antigen HLA-A29 was present in 95.9% of the patients.


Volume visualization is one important part of scientific visualization. It has developed basing on absorbing the relative knowledge of computer delineation, computer visualization and computer image disposal. The knowledge of this branch is of much importance in computer application. Since it deals with contents with deeper meaning and it is more theoretic, having more arithmetic means, it generally stands for the level of computer application. The study and application of volume visualization is like a raging fire. My country started comparatively later in this field. This thesis gives systematic representation and discuss in the field of tomography image 3D reconstruction. It mainly discusses after rotation, translation, filtering, interpolation and sharpening a series of 2D CT scanning images, get the boundary data of different object to form 3D volume data and actualize the 3D reconstruction of the object, and at the same time implement the function of display, translation, rotation, scaling and projection the volume data. Basing on the implementation of these functions according to software programming, this thesis gives a sum up to each algorithm of 3D volume visualization processing. The method to actualize the 3D reconstruction of the tomography image is mainly about the image processing, image transformation, the way to actualize 3D reconstruction and image compression, etc. In image processing, it talks about getting the anchor points in the tomography image, the geometrie transformation of the image, getting the boundary of the target, cross section display and the smoothing and sharpening of the image. In the transformation of the image, this thesis deals with the algorithm and implementation principle of the geometric transformation (transition, rotation, and scaling) of the 2D image, the three-dimensionalization of the planar data, construction of the stereo mode, geometric transformation of the 3D graph, curve-fitting, the processing of hidden line and hidden surface, color processing. It also introduces the thoughts of using OpenGL to develop and actualize tomography image 3D reconstruction system, including using OpenGL to transform the coordinate, solid model building, to actualize 3D rotation and projection. Recently, the methods of applying chemotherapy to deal with cancer in hospitals of our country are different. Hospital with great fund takes import software to design while most of the hospitals take domestic software. These kinds of software are designed by DAHENG Company in BeiJing, WEIDA Company in ShenZhen. The programs in the software these two hospitals' doctors use to treat are images fielding in the plane not making radiation design under the mode of omnibearing cubic display. Under this circumstance the judgment of the key part can not remain precise, and this part is the most important part that the doctors need. The above problem is the aim of this project. This thesis mainly deals with the subject that after calibrating and sharpening the series of 2D CT images, extract the boundary data of different bodies to form a 3D volume data and actualize 3D reconstruction and at the same time actualize the function of display, translation, rotation, scaling and projection. Mostly basing on the application of medical area, this thesis aims at making further research on computer graphies, computer vision and computer image processing through the study and application of volume visualization in this field. By the study and development of the volume visualization technology in this project, it can provide simulation and display functions to the observer before the operation and the radiotherapy as well as providing the chance to simulate the real teaching and practicing link to the medical school in the teaching process, and increase the clinic level and teaching level of medical area.
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MOTS-CLES DE L'AUTEUR : volume visualization, volume data, tomography image, 3D reconstruction, anchor point, boundary data, periphery boundary, OpenGL.


A Power Distribution Unit (PDU) is being developed by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory for the MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) spacecraft that will orbit the planet Mercury for one Earth year to complete the global mapping and the detailed characterization of the planet's exosphere, magnetosphere, surface, and interior. The PDU contains the circuitry for the spacecraft pyrotechnic firing control, power distribution switching, load current and voltage monitoring, fuses, external relay switching, reaction wheel relay selects, and power system relays. It also supports the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) reconfiguration, Integrated Electronic Module (IEM) select relays, solar array drives, propulsion thruster firing control, and propulsion latch valve control. To enable the mission to reach the distant planet, significant weight reduction for all spacecraft electronics must be achieved. This requirement has led to an advanced electronic packaging design that begins with component selection, printed wiring board design with very small feature sizes, and a compact interconnection scheme. The significant challenge in the packaging design of the PDU is how to implement state-of-the-art technologies to minimize system weight and meet the stringent reliability required by the MESSENGER power system. This paper will describe the detailed electronic packaging design of the PDU, including the use of Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) devices instead of conventional mechanical relays, high-density printed wiring board designs with blind and buried vias, and a modular packaging design to achieve significant weight reduction.


Asymptotic theorems are very commonly used in probability. For systems whose performance depends on a set of n random parameters, asymptotic analyses for n → ∞ are often used to simplify calculations and obtain results yielding useful hints at the behavior of the system for finite n. These asymptotic analyses are especially useful whenever the convergence to the asymptotic results is so fast that even for moderate n they yield results close to the true values. This tutorial paper illustrates this principle by applying it to capacity calculations of multiple-antenna systems.


Exposure of blood to a foreign environment will normally result in alterations to the blood constituents. The variables governing the extent and type of this damage are still somewhat ill defined, despite a large investigative effort over the last twenty years. Investigation of the interaction of the governing variables has been largely neglected. This work has sought to study the interaction of three parameters, viz the shear rate to which the blood is exposed, the time of exposure, and some characteristics of the surface to which the blood is exposed. Bovine blood was sheared in a constant shear field, produced by a modified cone and plate viscometer. Blood damage, as measured by haemolysis, increased both with increasing shear rate and with time. No critical shear rate was found at any time interval, but rate of haemolysis decreased with time, especially at higher shear rates. This decrease was thought to be due to deposition of plasma proteins onto the viscometer plate surface, forming a protective coating. The presence of this coating was verified by using fluorescein conjugated antibodies. The coating consisted chiefly of fibrinogen and albumen. Some immunoglobulins and complement were also present. The fibrinogen and albumen coats are not homogenous but areas of sparseness are visible. The effect of surface roughness upon blood damage was also investigated using very well defined surfaces as the viscometer plates. The most damaging surface had a peak to peak distance of 2.5 microns, the damaging effect decreasing at shorter and longer distances. In this experimental system, the haemolysis observed was entirely due to red cell inter-action with the plate surface. Red cell/foreign surface interaction was studied with light, scanning electron and transmission electron microscopy. Red cells can tether to adjacent foreign surfaces during flow, and this may be a mechanism of haemolysis. It was also found that blood can become oxygenated when being sheared in a cone and plate viscometer, and that this was caused by gas exchange at the cone periphery, probably facilitated by secondary radial flows under the cone.


S everal minerals exist which are very closely related to aenigmatite in terms of chemistry, structure and mode of occurrence. This contribution offers a new explanation for the lack of solid solution between aenigmatite and other members of the group. Aenigmatite has the end member formula . It is considered to be isostructural with the following minerals which have the same stoichiometry (M 14O20) and together constitute the aenigmatite group:-Kdnovite


Social entrepreneurship has become a new job creation opportunity that creates social value for the community. This paper aims to propose a framework of the relationships between social entrepreneurial traits and start up intention among student leaders. Student leaders are selected because of their roles in leading others to attain objectives in social activities that involve the community. This framework could be useful to develop a planning on how to encourage students to embark into social entrepreneurship.


BACKGROUND
Acute myocardial infarction places additional demands on an already compromised myocardium. Relaxing music can induce a relaxation response, thereby reversing the deleterious effects of the stress response.

OBJECTIVES
To compare the effects of relaxing music; quiet, uninterrupted rest; and "treatment as usual" on anxiety levels and physiological indicators of cardiac autonomic function.

METHODS
A 3-group repeated measures experimental design was used. Forty-five patients, 15 per group, with acute myocardial infarction were assigned randomly to 20 minutes of (1) music in a quiet, restful environment (experimental group); (2) quiet, restful environment without music (attention); or (3) treatment as usual (control). Anxiety levels and physiological indicators were measured.

RESULTS
Immediately after the intervention, reductions in heart rate, respiratory rate, and myocardial oxygen demand were significantly greater in the experimental group than in the control group. The reductions in heart rate and respiratory rate remained significantly greater 1 hour later. Changes in heart rate, respiratory rate, and myocardial oxygen demand in the attention group did not differ significantly from changes in the other 2 groups. The 3 groups did not differ with respect to systolic blood pressure. Increases in high-frequency heart rate variability were significantly greater in the experimental and attention groups than in the control group immediately after the intervention. State anxiety was reduced in the experimental group only; the reduction was significant immediately and 1 hour after the intervention.

CONCLUSIONS
Patients recovering from acute myocardial infarction may benefit from music therapy in a quiet, restful environment.