Classical cholera control is based on prevention—safe water, sanitation and education of people on the importance of hygiene and diarrheal diseases—health system preparedness and a timely response to provide appropriate treatment in the event of an outbreak. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends vaccination with an oral cholera vaccine (OCV) as a supplement for prevention and control of epidemic and endemic cholera. Consideration of local cultural concepts of illness among potential vaccine recipients and how these may affect vaccine acceptance is crucial. To date, no published studies have examined the influence of social and cultural features of cholera on vaccine acceptance in African settings. The aims of the research presented here were to study social and cultural features of OCV acceptance and to assess the cost-effectiveness of the 2009 OCV mass campaign in Zanzibar.

The integrated-methods approach of cultural epidemiology was used to study local views of cholera-like illness and to examine their influence on OCV acceptance in endemic communities in Zanzibar before and after the OCV mass campaign. Public and private costs of illness due to cholera and costs of the vaccination campaign were estimated to assess the cost-effectiveness of using OCVs from a health care provider and a societal perspective.

A random sample of 356 unaffected adults from a periurban and a rural community was studied with a vignette-based, locally adapted semi-structured interview based on the Explanatory Model Interview Catalogue (EMIC). This descriptive study showed that cholera was more often recognized as serious illness that may be fatal without appropriate treatment than shigellosis. Features of distress were primarily related to the negative social and financial impact cholera can have on a patient's life. Interference with work- or income-related activities was the most prominent category of distress. The most prominent somatic symptoms were related to dehydration and to general gastrointestinal features. Cholera was mainly attributed to a dirty environment and microbiological contamination while causes unrelated to the biomedical basis were also identified, but with less prominence. Even though rehydration of the patient (primarily in the periurban community) and use of herbal treatment and antibiotics (rural community) were the preferred self-treatment options, professional health facilities were universally recommended at both sites. This survey showed that cholera represented a significant perceived illness burden in periurban and rural Zanzibar.

Subsequent analysis showed that community willingness for a free OCV was almost universal (94%), but declined with increasing price to 61% if the OCV was offered at a low price (~USD 0.9), to 19% if offered at a medium price (~USD 4.5) and to 15% if offered at a high price (~USD 9). Logistic regression models including somatic symptoms (low and high price), social impact (low and medium price) and perceived causes (medium and high price) explained anticipated OCV acceptance better than models containing only sociodemographic characteristics. This showed that prevaccination assessments of community demand for OCV should not only consider the social epidemiology, but also examine local sociocultural features of cholera-like illness.

Since only 50% of the interviewed respondents had drunk two doses of the free OCV—with higher priority in the rural (59%) than in the periurban (41%) community (p<0.01)—study of social and cultural determinants of OCV uptake was deemed necessary. Similar to the previous study of determinants of anticipated OCV acceptance, this study showed that consideration of sociocultural features of illness explained uptake better than a purely social epidemiological analysis. Loss of appetite and nausea, both nonspecific features of cholera were negative determinants. Recognition of unconsciousness as a sign of serious dehydration and concern that cholera outbreaks could negatively impact the local health care system in the rural area were positive determinants of acceptance. Female gender, rural residence and older age were also positive determinants of OCV uptake.

A sample of 367 vaccinated and unvaccinated adults from the same two communities was studied in a postvaccination survey with a revised EMIC interview. Factors associated with uptake indicated a positive impact of the vaccination campaign and of sensitization activities on vaccine acceptance behavior. Analysis of barriers among unvaccinated people identified logistical issues as main reasons for the low community coverage, with people's own busy daily schedules as the most prominent feature. Unlike communities opposed to cholera control or in settings where public confidence in vaccines is lacking, this study indicated a good campaign implementation and trust in the health system.

The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of USD 119,339 per disability-adjusted life-year averted exceeded three times the Tanzanian per capita gross domestic product; thus, use of OCVs was not considered a cost-effective strategy in comparison to the current practice based on decentralized cholera treatment centers in Zanzibar.

In conclusion, the research presented here suggests little community opposition to vaccination and good prospects to use OCVs for endemic cholera control in Zanzibar. From an economic perspective, prospects to use OCV mass campaigns under current conditions seem to be limited. However, at a subsidized purchase price and subsidized delivery costs of ~USD 1 each per immunized individual, OCV mass campaigns may become economically and financially feasible for cholera control in high-incidence areas of Zanzibar.


This study determined to what degree anthropometrics and body composition are associated with force and power outputs of a single-stroke kayak test (SSKT). Body height (BH), sitting height, biacromial distance, arm span, stroke length, body mass index (BMI), percent of skeletal muscle mass (PSMM), skeletal muscle mass index (SMMI), percent body fat (PBF) and maximal and relative force (SSKTFmax and SSKTFrel) and power (SSKTPmax and SSKTPrel) of the SSKT were assessed in 21 male kayak competitors, including sprint specialists and long-distance specialists. Correlation analysis established the association (p < 0.05) between SSKTFmax and BM (r = 0.511), BMI (r = 0.495) and SMMI (r = 0.530). A significant correlation (p < 0.05) also occurred between SSKTPmax and BMI (r = 0.471) and SMMI (r = 0.489). Regression analysis determined a significant association of the anthropometrics–body composition model of kayakers with SSKTFmax (R2 = 0.790), SSKTFRel (R2 = 0.748), SSKTPmax (R2 = 0.676) and SSKTPrel (R2 = 0.625). A longer and wider upper body supported by higher amounts of skeletal muscle mass per square of body size provides higher force outcomes in a complex single-handed SSKT, while the PSMM provides higher outcomes in SSKTPmax.


The objective of this study was to evaluate the maternal and perinatal outcome of women with liver dysfunction during pregnancy. The study involved a prospective observational study design and was carried out at the Dow University of Health Sciences and Civil Hospital Karachi, Pakistan. A total of 800 women, who delivered during the study period from January 2006 to September 2006, constituted the study population. Pregnant women with liver dysfunction underwent evaluation for the aetiology of their liver dysfunction, including screening for hepatitis E. Thirty-five women were identified with liver dysfunction. Fourteen (40%) presented in the second trimester and 21 (60%) presented in the third trimester. Twenty-two of the 35 women (63%) had isolated acute hepatitis E; five (14%) had HELLP (haemolysis, elevated liver enzymes and low platelet count) syndrome; two (6%) had intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (IHCP), two had acute fatty liver of pregnancy (AFLP) and two women had hepatitis A. A specific diagnosis was not reached in two women who died prior to delivery. In women with hepatitis E, the mean values of bilirubin and alanine transaminase were 12 mg/dL and 675 U/L, respectively. Abnormal coagulation parameters were present in 20 (57%) of the women and in 18 of 22 (82%) with hepatitis E. Fulminant hepatic failure (FHF) was seen in four patients. Seven women (20%) underwent caesarean section, 26 (74%) delivered vaginally and two women died undelivered. There were six maternal deaths in the study population; two were due to hepatitis E, one each from HELLP and AFLP, and two remained undiagnosed. The overall perinatal mortality within the group was 43%. Hepatitis E was the most common cause of FHF and maternal death in pregnant women with liver dysfunction.


We present a catalog of 166 spectroscopically identified hot subdwarf stars from LAMOST DR1, 44 of which show the characteristics of cool companions in their optical spectra. Atmospheric parameters of 122 subdwarf stars with non-composite spectra were measured by fitting the profiles of hydrogen (H) and helium (He) lines with synthetic spectra from non-LTE model atmospheres. Most of the sdB stars scatter near the Extreme Horizontal Branch in the Teff– log g ?> diagram and two well defined groups can be outlined. A clustering of He-enriched sdO stars appears near Teff = 45,000 K and log g = 5.8. The sdB population separates into several nearly parallel sequences in the Teff–He abundance diagram with clumps corresponding to those in the Teff– log g ?> diagram. Over 38,000 K (sdO) stars show abundance extremes; they are either He-rich or He-deficient and we observe only a few stars in the abundance range − 1 < log y < 0 ?> . With increasing temperature these extremes become less prominent and the He abundance approaches log y ∼ −0.5. A unique property of our sample is that it covers a large range in apparent magnitude and galactic latitude, therefore it contains a mix of stars from different populations and galactic environments. Our results are consistent with the findings of Hirsch and we conclude that He-rich and He-deficient sdB stars (log y < 1) probably originate from different populations. We also find that most sdO and sdB stars lie in a narrow strip in the plane of luminosity and helium abundance, which suggests that these atmospheric parameters are correlated.


The frequency of a bladder foreign body in the female is lower than in the male, and bladder stones attached to foreign bodies such as non-absorbable suture material are not common. Moreover, vesicovaginal fistulas due to migration or puncture of suture materials into the bladder are rare. In this report, we present a case of bladder stone and vesicovaginal fistula formation in a 29-year-old female patient who had been treated with the McDonald operation for an incompetent internal os of the cervix (IIOC) during pregnancy. The patient was successfully treated by cystoscopic removal of the bladder stone with suture material and conservative treatment for the vesicovaginal fistula.


Prostate cancer (PCa) has become the most frequent type of cancer in men. Recent data suggest that diabetic patients taking metformin have a lower incidence of certain cancer, including PCa. Metformin is the most common drug used in type II diabetes mellitus; its use has been shown to lower the incidence of several cancers, although there are ambiguous data about the anticancer activity of metformin. A large number of studies examined the potential antineoplastic mechanism of metformin although it is not still completely understood. This review summarizes the literature concerning the effects of metformin on PCa cells, highlighting its numerous mechanisms of action through which it can act. We analyze the possible causes of the discordances regarding the impact of metformin on risk of PCa; we discuss the latest findings in this field, suggesting that metformin may have a future role in the management of PCa both as monotherapy and in combination with other drugs.


Abstract On the base of the data in Camilli (Archivum Romanicum 13: 220–251, 1929), this paper gives a complete descriptive analysis of the complex system of stress-dependent harmonies of the dialect of Servigliano (Marche, Italy). Harmonic effects that affect the posttonic, tonic, pretonic and proclitic domains are derived from a limited number of constraints. Two constraints favor autosegmental spreading in different domains and two constraints impose right-to-left directionality through positional faithfulness in two prominent positions: stressed syllables and inflectional suffixes. Changes in stressed and pretonic position are limited to gradual raising by local conjunction of two faithfulness constraints. The paper also examines cases of morphologized metaphony, low vowel opacity, the influence of proclitic secondary stress, and discusses previous analyses.


By: A. Abarghani, M.Sc of Research Center of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Ardabil-Iran M. Bojarpour, Assistant professor, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of agriculture, Ramin University, AhvazIran J. Fayazi, Assistant professor, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of agriculture, Ramin University, AhvazIran. In order to investigate the effect of barely (Ba) replacement with sugar beet pulp (SBP) on performance and carcass characteristics of Moghani male lambs, an experiment was done with completely randomize design with 5 dietary treatment containing different levels of replacement (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 percent), using 30 lambs with average initial weight and age of 30 ± 2 kg and 5 ± 0.12 months respectively. The duration of the experiment was 70 days. Rations were formulated according to NRC feed standards (1985). The average daily dry matter intake of rations containing 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% sugar beet pulp (rations 1 to 5) were 1.38, 1.48, 1.27, 1.36 and 1.41 kg respectively. There were no significant differences between figures. The average daily gains for the treatments 1 to 5 were 323,308,303,313 and 301gr and feed conversion ratios were 3.85, 4.94, 4.54, 4.26 and 4.75 respectively. There were no significant differences between the data on carcass characteristics. Total carcass fat percent in treatment 100 percent sugar beet pulp was higher than 100 percent barley (control group). Generally, replacement barely with 75% beet pulp produced best performance.


In recent years, identification and analysis of designer benzodiazepines have become a challenge in forensic toxicology. These substances are analogues of the classic benzodiazepines, but their pharmacology is not well known, and many of them have been associated with overdoses and deaths. As a result, there has been a surge in efforts to develop analytical methods to determine these compounds in different biological samples. Our aim was to develop and validate a fast, sensitive, and specific method for determining 17 designer benzodiazepines (adinazolam, clobazam, clonazolam, delorazepam, deschloroetizolam, diclazepam, etizolam, flualprazolam, flubromazepam, flubromazolam, flunitrazolam, N-desmethylclobazam, nifoxipam, nitrazolam, meclonazepam, pyrazolam and zolazepam) in hair by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). Hair samples were decontaminated, pulverized, and a 20-mg aliquot was incubated in methanol in an ultrasound bath (1h, 25ºC). The supernatant was evaporated and reconstituted in 200 µL of mobile phase, and the extracts were filtered (nano-filter vials) before injection into LC-MS-MS. All analytes eluted from the chromatographic column in 8 min, and two multiple-reaction monitoring (MRM) transitions were used to identify each compound. The limits of quantification were 5 or 25 pg/mg, depending on the analyte, and calibration functions were linear to 200 pg/mg. Imprecision was <19.2% (n = 15) and bias was from -13.7 up to 18.3% (n = 15). All the analytes yielded high extraction efficiencies >70%, and displayed ion suppression between -62.8% and -23.9% (n = 10). The method was applied to 19 authentic cases. Five samples were positive for flualprazolam (200 pg/mg) and/or etizolam (47.4-88.5 pg/mg). In conclusion, the present validated method has proven to be fast, sensitive, specific, and capable of determining 17 designer benzodiazepines in hair using LC-MS-MS.


The probability of a liquid-propulsion rocket motor to develop screeching instability is studied computationally. The combustion chamber is accelerated as a rigid body using a prescribed acceleration time history; it is found that accelerations of proper magnitude, duration, and frequency induce a pressure wave inside the combustion chamber that grows to a screeching acoustic wave limit cycle. For a rectangular rocket motor, a reciprocating transverse acceleration leads to the development of a transverse pressure wave limit cycle; for a cylindrical rocket motor, the limit cycle may be either a standing wave, for a transverse reciprocating acceleration, or a spinning wave, for a transverse rotating acceleration. It is found that a limit cycle may be induced by either a large acceleration pulse of short duration or a smaller acceleration pulse of a longer duration. The polynomial chaos expansionmethod is used to study the probability of growth to a limit-cycle oscillation when the amplitude and frequency of the transverse acceleration pulse are random.


Amidophosphoribosyltransferase (ATase) is the supposed regulatory allosteric enzyme of de novo purine nucleotide biosynthesis. ATase cDNAs and genomic DNAs were cloned from 15 different species. The chicken, rat, and human ATase genes and AIRC (aminoimidazole ribonucleotide carboxylase) genes are closely linked and divergently transcribed from an intergenic regions of 0.2-0.6 kb. The crystal structure of B. subtilis ATase was determined. The ATase tetramer is a doughnut-shaped molecule and each ATase subunit is organized in two domains of approximately equal size. The four [4 Fe-4 S] clusters are located at the corners of the tetramer. The activity of ATase is regulated positively by PRPP and negatively by GMP and AMP.


Multi-Period Service Scheduling Problem MSSP is descibed as a category of problems that arise in the context of scheduling services. In these problems, customers have a periodic service to be attended, a finite number of times, within the time horizon. The Multi-Period Multi-Service Scheduling Problem MMSSP is presented as an alternative formulation for MSSP, in which the resolution of an MMSSP is equivalent to the resolution of multiple MSSP, demonstrating the complexity of solving this pattern. The presented formulation can lead several applications in different areas. To solve this new pattern, the Relax-and-Fix and Fix-and-Optimize strategies are used. In these heuristics, part of the entire variables are fixed and/or relaxed interactively. To assess the efficiency of the strategies, a set of 150 small, medium and large instances are generated and resolved. The results of extensive experiments demonstrate that heuristics produce quality solutions, highlighting a good balance between optimization and computational time.


The asymptotic distribution of the resonances of the Schrodinger operator, that is, the poles of the analytic continuation of the kernel of its resolvent, is under investigation. Under the assumption that the potential has compact support it is shown that the system of resonances consists of two series, located close to logarithmic curves with parameters determined by the length of the support of the potential and the orders of the zeros at its end-points. The main theorem complements and refines known results; namely, it allows the analysis of complex-valued potentials with zeros of arbitrary (not necessarily integer) tangency orders at the end-points of the support and the derivation of asymptotic formulae for such potentials with qualified estimates of the remainder term. Bibliography: 11 titles.


In this research, the effect of centipede yarn production parameters – band yarn count and chain number – on drape and crease recovery behaviors of woven fabrics produced with these yarns were investigated. Polyester centipede yarns were produced on a Crochet machine with three different count (150, 300 and 600 denier) band yarns and three different chain numbers (10, 12 and 14 chain/cm). The centipede yarns were used as filling in the woven fabric construction. Drape coefficients of the fabrics were calculated from the drape measurements and the crease recovery angles of the fabrics were measured in the weft and warp directions. According to the analysis of variance results, it was proved that the drape and crease recovery behaviors of the woven fabrics from centipede yarns were affected by the centipede yarn structural parameters. Drape coefficients and crease recovery angles in weft and warp directions of the fabrics increased with the selection of higher chain numbers and coarser band yarns. Also correlations were determined between centipede yarn bending length, yarn-to-yarn friction and measured physical behaviors of the fabrics. The results of this study could provide researchers with information on how to determine the centipede yarn structural parameters for producing woven fabrics of centipede yarns with desired aesthetics and functionality.


This paper describes the development of a new parameter to characterize dune vulnerability to storm-induced erosion. Existing indicators of dune erosion vulnerability are examined, including expected cross-sectional erosion values calculated using storm characteristics. We extract a series of 110 pre- and poststorm profiles at cross-shore transects, spaced at approximately 300 m alongshore on digital terrain models of a North Carolina barrier island. Dune failure and survival are designated based on a percentage of the cross-sectional area eroded—50% or greater erosion indicates failure, less than 50% erosion, survival. Crest height does not prove to be an effective predictor of dune vulnerability. Existing cross-sectional area based parameters show some success in predicting erosion vulnerability. We improve the dune failure and survival prediction success rate using a new parameter, a surrogate moment of inertia, the erosion resistance.


Background Virtual reality (VR) technology has developed rapidly in recent years and has been applied in many fields, including medical education. A meta-analysis was performed to compare the examination pass rate of medical students educated using VR and those receiving traditional education to evaluate the teaching effect of VR in medical education. Methods The PubMed, Springer Link, Science Direct, and Wiley Online Library were searched from inception to May 2020. Articles meeting the inclusion criteria were then evaluated, relevant information extracted and a meta-analysis conducted. Students were allocated to a VR group, those trained using VR technology, and a traditional education group, those who received a traditional medical education. Results Six studies were included in the meta-analysis. The results indicate a significant difference between the pass rate of students educated using VR and those receiving traditional medical education. The odds ratios and confidence intervals of individual studies and our meta-analysis are illustrated with a forest plot. Conclusions Students in the VR group performed better than those in the traditional education group. Teaching with VR may enhance student learning in medical education. Medical schools should consider making greater use of VR when educating students.


The complexity of brain activity has recently been investigated using the Hurst (H) exponent, which describes the extent to which functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) blood oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) activity is self-similar vs. complex. For example, research has demonstrated that fMRI activity is more complex before than after consumption of alcohol (Weber et al., 2014) and during task than resting state (He, 2011). The measurement of H in fMRI is a novel method that requires the investigation of additional factors contributing to complexity. Graph theory metrics of centrality can assess how centrally important to the brain network each region is, based on diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) counts of probabilistic white matter (WM) tracts. DTI derived centrality was hypothesized to account for the complexity of functional activity, based on the supposition that more sources of information to integrate should result in more complex activity. FMRI BOLD complexity as measured by H was associated with five brain region centrality measures: degree, eigenvector, PageRank, current flow betweenness, and current flow closeness centrality. Multiple regression analyses demonstrated that degree centrality was the most robust predictor of complexity, whereby greater centrality was associated with increased complexity (lower H). Regions known to be highly connected, including the thalamus and hippocampus, notably were among the highest in centrality and complexity. This research has led to a greater understanding of the meaning of the novel Hurst exponent approach to assessing brain activity complexity, and implications for future research that employ these measures are discussed. Author Summary Functional magnetic resonance imaging brain activity is used to calculate a measure of complexity, the Hurst exponent, which has been related to complex cognitive states in past research. For example, when engaged in cognitively demanding tasks brain activity is more complex than when no task is given, and brain activity is more complex when sober than when under the influence of alcohol. We investigated whether patterns of connections between regions in the brain may be related to baseline differences in the complexity of fMRI brain activity between different brain regions. Diffusion tensor imaging allowed us to estimate the number of connections between regions of the brain, and Graph theory allowed us to describe these patterns of connections in the brain. We found that the graph theory metric of degree centrality (the number of connections to a region) is able to most robustly predict how complex the brain activity is, suggesting that the Hurst exponent complexity measure is sensitive to integration of information from multiple sources. Our findings represent important progress towards understanding the biological bases of signal complexity in the brain, and exemplifies how structural connectivity centrality can predict brain function complexity.


The thermalization processes of low energy electrons are important in a number of fields. The low energy secondary electron accounts for significant amounts of energy dissipation from a high energy radiation particle. Many of these primary radiation particles are of technological and medical significance, including the nuclear industry, astrochemistry, astrobiology, biology and hadron therapy. Understanding these low energy processes is crucial to understanding any science that is concerned with radiation effects in materials. In order to accurately predict the effects of radiation, radiation track chemistry including the contribution of low energy electrons first must be understood.
The ballistic simulations of the electron on a collision by collision basis allow scientific study of thermalization processes not available to experimentalists; and can illuminate the intricacies of these processes. A computational Monte Carlo simulation approach was developed to calculate various parameters of the thermalization process of the low energy electron. Multiple simulation method types were used to allow future comparison of various factors to experimental data. The method types vary from computationally inexpensive, but unrealistic, to a very computationally expensive but realistic simulation process.
Experimental cross-sections for the gas and amorphous ice phases of water are used for sub excitation electrons of energies in the range of 1-20 eV and �‰�100 eV, respectively. The density normalized gas phase is used to compare to other cross-sectional data. The amorphous ice cross-sections are used to represent the liquid phases of water. The thermalization distances, average number of interactions and the range of the low energy electron as it thermalizes in these two mediums were obtained from all the method types.
The contribution of the DEA process for electron attenuation in water is calculated as
a function of initial electron energy. There is a divide in the scientific community as
to the role and total contribution of this process to water radiolysis products and the
following chemical stage after irradiation, particularly its role in the generation of excess
molecular hydrogen from water and water-oxide interfaces. The percentage of secondary
electrons generated at a specific initial energy that terminate their radiation tracks as
either a thermalized electron, hydrated electron (or the precursor to e �€" ) or those that aq
become captured in the DEA resonance is calculated for the first time for the purpose to determine the significance of this process.
Finally, the effect of the coulomb field from a sibling ionized water radical cation on a thermalizing electron is the next step to understanding the thermalization of the low energy electron in condensed water. This calculation opens the door to simulations on the geminate recombination kinetics of fully thermalized electrons. The dielectric constant of water is taken at its high and low frequency limit to understand the effect of the strength of the coulomb field from the parent cation. Monte Carlo simulations of the decay of the hydrated electron in water with its cation partner can be compared to experimental decay curves. Preliminary predictions of the experimental electron initial kinetic energy after ionization and before localization of solvation are predicted by computing a variety of decay curves for the hydrated electron and comparing with normalized experimental decay signals.


Firms involved in contracting and implementation of customised high-tech products face a number of challenges in their relationships with customers because of the underlying variability of complex technologies. Existing research proposes the use of rational decision models and represents technology as an input to the firm's production function that generates a specific return on investment when used appropriately. As such, existing research does not account for the parties' varying interpretations of complex technology. If these interpretations are not revealed and resolved they may decrease customer satisfaction and create problems in the efficiency of technology use within the firm. This study investigates the potential of the inquiring dialogue approach for improving information sharing about technology interpretations held by the different parties. An empirical case study of a customised high-tech product in the software industry is analysed. Based on the insights obtained, we discuss the potential use of inquiring dialogue as a means to reveal information about the different interpretations held by the parties involved in contracting and implementing a customised high-tech product.


Due to a number of social influences, the Northern Russian dialect has been undergoing a rapid shift towards Standard Russian. Based on data from the small town of Pokcha in the Western Urals, the current study examines one aspect of this general change: a split of a post-alveolar fricative into two distinct phonemes. The analysis of data collected from twenty-nine residents of the town born in the period from 1910 to 1990 focuses on the transmission of the change through social networks and the role of the social factors of age, mobility, and education in this process. It examines both the general trend of the sound change in the population and some apparent individual deviations from the trend.


Man's insight into his relation to the physical world about him and to the universe of which his planet is a part, albeit a small one, has undergone as complete a change as is possible. Man, having seen himself as a relatively important figure on the face of the earth, lost this primacy when he came to realize that the earth revolved around the sun; and now with vast telescopes and such astonishing things as radioastronomy, we have emphasized more and more that man is very "small potatoes" indeed. In ancient times when travel from one part of the world to another limited if it did not wholly prevent the exchange of ideas and customs, and with the population of cities and countries very much smaller, each individual man was a much larger fraction of the population. He was indeed a more important element in his community than is possible


Based on the various agro-edaphic and agro-climatic characteristics, the suitability of maize cultivation during winter season has been determined in Cox's Bazaar Sadar Upazila. For this purpose, under the existing climate conditions, considered agro-edaphic factors of various geomorphic units are soil permeability, effective soil depth, available soil moisture, soil reaction (pH), soil salinity, slope etc. Long-term climate attributes of the study area were used to determine the overall climate suitability classes, and the combined land suitability classes for maize (rabi) cultivation have been determined through the adjustment of the agro-edaphic and agro-climatic suitability criteria. Thus, recognized combined land suitability classes for maize (rabi) cultivation in the present study area are 'highly suitable', 'suitable', and 'moderately suitable'. A total of 896 hectares land has been found as 'highly suitable' for maize cultivation in Cox's Bazaar Sadar Upazila while approximately 4403 and 11,000 hectares have been identified as 'suitable' and 'moderately suitable', respectively.
Asiat. Soc. Bangladesh, Sci. 44(1): 35-51, June 2018


ABSTRACT This article utilizes central place theory (CPT) to navigate the "deluge" brought about by big data. While originating in the 1930s, CPT is a theoretical monument of 1960s spatial science. CPT aims to understand settlement geographies based on consumption behavior and is often presented as a singular, outdated, and rationalist theory. After critically reviewing the history of CPT, we assess the microfoundations of Christaller's CPT – the threshold and range of goods – for various central functions in Louisville, Kentucky. The microfoundations are estimated through data from social media platforms Foursquare and Twitter. These sources alleviate many of the operationalization issues that traditionally hamper empirical use of CPT. The empirical application of CPT reveals that: (i) central functions have typical ranges and thresholds relating central places to population spread; (ii) central functions cluster based on an approximate hierarchical structure. The findings indicate the ongoing importance of CPT in shaping urban-economic geographies.


This paper addresses the challenge of designing provably safe conflict-resolution procedures (CRPs) that are decentralized and decoupled from each other. The main contribution of this paper is identifying necessary and sufficient conditions to decouple CRPs. Additionally, this paper demonstrates the existence of decentralized en-route CRPs that satisfy the identified decoupling conditions for each local conflict and, thereby, guarantee global conflict resolution. An advantage of the proposed CRPs is that they do not require a reduction in the aircraft flow levels in the intersecting routes for conflict resolution, which can aid in increasing the efficiency of en-route air traffic control.


Diverse bacterial and archaeal lineages drive biogeochemical cycles in the global ocean, but the evolutionary processes that have shaped their genomic properties and physiological capabilities remain obscure. Here we track the genome evolution of the globally-abundant marine bacterial phylum Marinimicrobia across its diversification into modern marine environments and demonstrate that extant lineages have repeatedly switched between epipelagic and mesopelagic habitats. Moreover, we show that these habitat transitions have been accompanied by repeated and fundamental shifts in genomic organization, cellular bioenergetics, and metabolic modalities. Lineages present in epipelagic niches independently acquired genes necessary for phototrophy and environmental stress mitigation, and their genomes convergently evolved key features associated with genome streamlining. Conversely, lineages residing in mesopelagic waters independently acquired nitrate respiratory machinery and a variety of cytochromes, consistent with the use of alternative terminal electron acceptors in oxygen minimum zones (OMZs). Further, while surface water clades have retained an ancestral Na+-pumping respiratory complex, deep water lineages have largely replaced this complex with a canonical H+-pumping respiratory complex I, potentially due to the increased efficiency of the latter together with more energy-limiting environments deep in the ocean's interior. These parallel evolutionary trends across disparate clades suggest that the evolution of key features of genomic organization and cellular bioenergetics in abundant marine lineages may in some ways be predictable and driven largely by environmental conditions and nutrient dynamics.


Abstract. With the development of deep learning technology, a large number of indoor spatial applications, such as robotics and indoor navigation, have raised higher data requirements for indoor semantic model. However, creating deep learning classifiers requires a large number of labeled datasets, and the collection of such datasets requires a lot of manually labeling proces, which is labor-intensive and time-consuming. In this paper, we propose a method to automatically create 3D point clouds datasets with indoor semantic labels based on parametric BIM model. First, a automatic BIM generation method is proposed through simulating the structure of interior space Secondly, we use a viewpoint-guided labeled point cloud generation method to generate synthetic 3D point clouds with different labels, color information. Especially, noise are also simulated with a gaussian model. As shown in the experiments, the point cloud data with labels can be quickly obtained from existing BIM models, which will largely reduce the complexity of data labeling and improve efficiency. These simulated data can be used in the deep learning training process and improve the semantic segmentation accuracy.


AIM
To explore the possible molecular mechanism of emodin on the inhibition of glomerular mesangial cells (MC).

METHODS
In rat MC culture, c-myc mRNA level was detected by dot-blotting as expressed by the dilutions of the total RNA on the visible dots.

RESULTS
Low level c-myc mRNA was found in serum-free cultured quiescent MC. Addition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS 10 mg.L-1) induced a higher level expression of c-myc mRNA within 30 min, maximal expression at 2.5 h and persisted for 6 h. This over-expressing of c-myc mRNA was markedly suppressed by emodin (25 mg.L-1), the inhibition of emodin on c-myc mRNA expression was still seen at 6 h, and the greatest suppressive effect was at 2.5 h.

CONCLUSION
Emodin participating in its down-regulatory effect of c-myc mRNA over-expression contributes to its inhibitory action on MC.


Speakers adapt their speech to increase clarity in the presence of background noise (Lombard speech) [1, 2]. However, they also modify their speech to be efficient by shortening word duration in more predictable contexts [3]. To meet these two communicative functions, speakers will attempt to resolve any conflicting communicative demands. The present study focuses on how this can be resolved in the acoustic domain. A total of 1520 target CV syllables were annotated and analysed from 38 German speakers in 2 white-noise (no noise vs. -10 dB SNR) and 2 surprisal (H vs. L) contexts. Median fundamental frequency (F0), intensity range, and syllable duration were extracted. Our results revealed effects of both noise and surprisal on syllable duration and intensity range, but only an effect of noise on F0. This might suggest redundant (multi-dimensional) acoustic coding in Lombard speech modification, but not so in surprisal modification.


We define a class of discrete operators acting on infinite, finite or periodic sequences mimicking the standard properties of pseudo-differential operators. In particular we can define the notion of order and regularity, and we recover the fundamental property that the commutator of two discrete operators gains one order of regularity. We show that standard differential operators acting on periodic functions, finite difference operators and fully discrete pseudo-spectral methods fall into this class of discrete pseudo-differential operators. As examples of practical applications, we revisit standard error estimates for the convergence of splitting methods, obtaining in some Hamiltonian cases no loss of derivative in the error estimates, in particular for discretizations of general waves and/or water-waves equations. Moreover, we give an example of preconditioner constructions inspired by normal form analysis to deal with the similar question for more general cases.


The beginning of a new century is an appropriate moment to consider the role of ergonomics in relation to the problems facing society. To help solve these serious global problems, ergonomics needs to be open to new disciplines, particularly those in the social sciences. Also, it may be difficult to generalize research on human-centred sociotechnical design without taking into account national characteristics, economics and political constraints. Currently there is more interest than ever in what ergonomics has to offer, but to deliver its promise requires a much broader approach than is usual. By adopting such new approaches one may help solve both the problems of the overdeveloped post-industrial societies and those of the societies of the Third World, where a new approach to work and economics may provide an improved chance for development given the recent changes in global economic policy.


This short chapter presents an overview of the current state of law and economics in Portugal. Whereas no specific courses are taught on this subject, researchers in the field have been relatively active. An account is given of some of the research done so far in Portugal.


ABSTRACTThe diagnosis, categorization, and treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and other demyelinating diseases have shifted over the past decade, and many of the fundamental principles of MS pathogenesis and clinical course are being rewritten. Fundamental issues include selecting the right disease-modifying therapy for someone with active disease and how, or even if, patients with purely progressive MS should be treated. This article provides an overview and introduction to the current thinking in MS diagnosis and therapy with an emphasis on the data-driven and proactive approach that has come to define the current state of the art.


We present a study of 649 (cid:2) 35 e þ e (cid:1) ! c (cid:1) c events produced at ffiffiffi s p (cid:3) 10 : 6 GeV containing both a (cid:2) þ c baryon and a (cid:1)(cid:2) (cid:1) c antibaryon. The number observed is roughly 4 times that expected if the leading charmed hadron types are uncorrelated, confirming an observation by the CLEO Collaboration. We find a 2-jet topology in these events but very few additional baryons, demonstrating that the primary c and (cid:1) c are predominantly contained in a correlated baryon-antibaryon system. In addition to the charmed baryons we observe on average 2 : 6 (cid:2) 0 : 2 charged intermediate mesons, predominantly pions, carrying 65% of the remaining energy.


We describe an inexpensive handheld fluorescence imager (low-magnification microscope), constructed from poly(vinyl chloride) pipe and other inexpensive components for use as a teaching tool to understand the principles of fluorescence detection. Optical filters are used to select the excitation and emission wavelengths and can be easily interchanged to accommodate different fluorescent samples. As a demonstration, we used the fluorescence imager to view lawsone-dyed fingerprints on paper, which fluoresce red when illuminated with green light. This emission can be seen by viewing the sample through the instrument by eye, or the fluorescence can be captured by a camera. The entire imager can be built for less than $300.


An improved Mumford-Shah functional for coupled edge-preserving regularization and image segmentation is presented. A nonlinear smooth constraint function is introduced that can induce edge-preserving regularization thus also facilitate the coupled image segmentation. The formulation of the functional is considered from the level set perspective, so that explicit boundary contours and edge-preserving regularization are both addressed naturally. To reduce computational cost, a modified additive operator splitting (AOS) algorithm is developed to address diffusion equations defined on irregular domains and multi-initial scheme is used to speed up the convergence rate. Experimental results by our approach are provided and compared with that of Mumford-Shah functional and other edge-preserving approach, and the results show the effectiveness of the proposed method.


It is a widely accepted belief in clinical practice that children with a visual impairment can profit from the use of a low vision aid (LVA). However, we found a considerable gap in our scientific understanding of LVA use, particularly in young children. This is the reason for the analysis presented in this paper. A selected overview of LVA use in adults is given, from which valuable insights are taken. Additionally, an action perspective for analysing LVA use is discussed as well as the results of tool-use studies in children. Mainly based on these three ingredients, we developed a conceptual framework for LVA use. The framework consists of three interacting relations between LVA, child and task. Performance of a particular child on a specific task with a certain LVA is constrained by the following three reciprocal and dynamic relations: the Child-to-Task relation (related to goalinformation), the Child-to-LVA relation (related to control-information), and the LVA-to-Task relation (related to topology information).


Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL

Understanding of the genetic basis of cancer initiation and progression is a fundamental goal of cancer research. Identification of cancer variants is of profound importance for both understanding disease mechanism and for developing novel therapies. Soft-tissue sarcomas are multiple uncommon histotypes with features of diverse connective tissue lineages. Although some of their underlying genetic changes have been elucidated, for example in those types which contain etiologic chromosome translocations, in general, the genetics of these tumors is incompletely described. Adult soft tissue sarcomas often exhibit highly complex genomic rearrangements. To search for novel variants in these tumors, we utilized a custom "targeted-resequencing" approach to sequence coding exons from over 1300 known cancer-related genes and candidate gene families in 65 soft-tissue sarcoma patient samples covering several subtypes and their matching normal tissues where available. We used the previously published method of "In-solution capture" to enrich for regions of interest and sequenced both the normals and the tumors using the Illumina GAII platform. The variant calls reveal the distribution of mutations affecting the exons of the targeted regions across histotypes, and reveal the role of critical functional pathways in sarcoma genesis. Preliminary data suggest that TP53 single nucleotide variants are mostly confined to one histotype. This work is an important step in cataloging novel cancer mutations in these cancers, with potential implications for understanding their biology and the development of new therapies.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3934. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-3934


OBJECTIVE:Patients with unexplained abdominal complaints often attribute their symptoms to intestinal gas and indicate that symptoms are exacerbated by ingestion of a meal. However, the mechanisms responsible are unknown. Our aim was to analyze the specific influence of two meal-related factors, gastric distension, and intestinal nutrients, on intestinal gas dynamics and tolerance.METHODS:In 35 healthy subjects, gas evacuation and perception of jejunal gas infusion (12 ml/min) were measured for 3 h, during simultaneous duodenal infusion of saline, as control, lipids at 1 Kcal/min, or gastric distension.RESULTS:Infusion of lipids into the duodenum induced gas retention (584 ± 154 ml, p < 0.05 vs 161 ± 86 ml after saline infusion) without perception (2.2 ± 0.5 score), whereas gastric distension induced perception (score 5.6 ± 0.4, p < 0.05 vs score 1.9 ± 0.4 after saline) without gas retention (7 ± 205 ml).CONCLUSIONS:Different meal-related factors exert specific effects on intestinal gas dynamics and tolerance, and these mechanisms may interact to produce postprandial gas symptoms.


Bardet-Biedl syndrome (BBS) is a pleiotropic genetic disorder with substantial inter- and intrafamilial variability, that also exhibits remarkable genetic heterogeneity, with seven mapped BBS loci in the human genome. Recent data have demonstrated that BBS may be inherited either as a simple Mendelian recessive or as an oligogenic trait, since mutations at two loci are sometimes required for pathogenesis. This observation suggests that genetic interactions between the different BBS loci may modulate the phenotype, thus contributing to the clinical variability of BBS. We present three families with two mutations in either BBS1 or BBS2, in which some but not all patients carry a third mutation in BBS1, BBS2 or the putative chaperonin BBS6. In each example, the presence of three mutant alleles correlates with a more severe phenotype. For one of the missense alleles, we also demonstrate that the introduction of the mutation in mammalian cells causes a dramatic mislocalization of the protein compared with the wild-type. These data suggest that triallelic mutations are not always necessary for disease manifestation, but might potentiate a phenotype that is caused by two recessive mutations at an independent locus, thus introducing an additional layer of complexity on the genetic modeling of oligogenicity.


A method is described for synchronous collection on agar of 10 similar specimens of airborne bacterial colony-forming units (cfu) for comparative experiments. The system delivers 50 to 100 cfu per specimen with a coefficient of variance of 13 among the 10 specimens. After collection, different methods for removing colonies from the agar surface and counting them were employed. A progressive increase in colony counts was noted when increasingly destructive procedures were used. The increases noted were 4% by wetting, 30% by jet lavage, 58% by pulsed jet lavage, 82% by blending, 130% by spreading and 340% by grinding. As airborne cfu consist mainly of skin squames with multiple organisms attached, disruption of cfu is proposed as the cause of the increases. Membrane filtration of wash fluid containing cfu from the air resulted in a 47% decrease in colony counts when compared with pour-plating. Destructive processing techniques also resulted in increased variability in colony counts. The break up of occasional exceptionally large cfu is a probable explanation. The procedure described is suitable for investigating the behaviour of airborne micro-organisms and can be modified to model surgical wound contamination by replacing the agar with tissue.


Background Vascular endothelial barrier disruption is pivotal in the development of acute and chronic pain. Here, we demonstrate a previously unidentified molecular mechanism in which activation of the peripheral Epac1/p-Cav-1 pathway accelerated the disruption of the vascular endothelial barrier, thereby promoting chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP). Methods We established a rat model of CPSP induced by skin/muscle incision and retraction (SMIR). Pain behaviors were assessed by the mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) at different times. Local muscle tissues around the incision were isolated to detect the vascular permeability and the expression of Epac1 and Cav-1. They were assessed by western blot and immunofluorescence staining. Results SMIR increased vascular endothelial permeability and the number of macrophages and endothelial cells in the muscle tissues around the incision. The peripheral upregulation of Epac1 was macrophage-derived, whereas that of p-Cav-1 was both macrophage and endothelial cell-derived in the SMIR model. Moreover, the Epac1 agonist 8-pCPT could induce mechanical sensitivity, increase the expression of p-Cav-1, and disrupt vascular endothelial barrier in normal rats. The Epac1 inhibitor CE3F4 attenuated established SMIR-induced mechanical hyperalgesia, the upregulation of p-Cav-1 and vascular endothelial barrier. Finally, we showed that intrathecal injection of Cav-1siRNA relieved SMIR-induced mechanical allodynia, but had no effects of the expression of Epac1. Conclusions Collectively, these results revealed a molecular mechanism for modulating CPSP through the peripheral Epac1/Cav-1 pathway. Importantly, targeting Epac1/Cav-1 signaling might be a potential treatment for CPSP.


SummaryHeLa was the first human cell line established (1952) and became one of the most frequently used lines because of its hardiness and rapid growth rate. During the next two decades, the development of other human cell lines mushroomed. One reason for this became apparent during the 1970s, when it was demonstrated that many of these cell lines had been overgrown and replaced by fast-growing HeLa cells inadvertently introduced into the original cultures. Although the discovery of these "HeLa contaminants" prompted immediate alarm, how aware are cell culturists today of the threat of cell line cross-contamination? To answer this question, we performed a literature search and conducted a survey of 483 mammalian cell culturists to determine how many were using HeLa contaminants without being aware of their true identity and how many were not using available means to ensure correct identity. Survey respondents included scientists, staff, and graduate students in 48 countries. HeLa cells were used by 32% and HeLa contaminants by 9% of survey respondents. Most were also using other cell lines; yet, only about a third of respondents were testing their lines for cell identity. Of all the cell lines used, 35% had been obtained from another laboratory instead of from a repository, thus increasing the risk of false identity. Over 220 publications were found in the PubMed database (1969–2004) in which HeLa contaminants were used as a model for the tissue type of the original cell line. Overall, the results of this study indicate a lack of vigilance in cell acquisition and identity testing. Some researchers are still using Hela contaminants without apparent awareness of their true identity. The consequences of cell line cross-contamination can be spurious scientific conclusions; its prevention can save time, resources, and scientific reputations.


An advanced asymptotic matching method of ideal and resistive MHD stability analysis in tokamaks is reported. A solution method for the two dimensional Newcomb equation, a dispersion relation for an unstable ideal MHD mode in tokamaks and a new scheme for solving resistive MHD inner layer equations as an initial value problem are reported.


Abstract A new family of bolaamphiphiles in which two glucosylamine or galactosylamine moieties are linked via a β-N-glycosidic bond to an α,ω-dicarboxylic acid has been described. The 1-D-glucosamide and 1-D-galactosamide bolaamphiphiles were obtained in good yield by the condensation of the dicarboxylic acid dichloride with the corresponding 1-aldopyranosylamine.


Cerebral venous thrombosis (CVT) presenting as subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is infrequent. We present the case of a man with CVT of the right transverse sinus who presented with a SAH in the right parietal sinus. In this case, we describe a hyper-homocysteinemia in a heterozygous patient for the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase C667T mutation. Our report highlights the value of an early diagnosis of CVT, the importance of identifying possible causes that could be reversed with an appropriate treatment, and the controversy about the timing for starting anticoagulation therapy in such cases.


ISO, as known as International Organization for Standardization is one of the
hottest issue in any industries. Standardization of manufacturing process grants clear and
identifiable references that are recognize globally and encourage fair competition among
companies. The global adoption of ISO 9001 :2000 has made significant changes on the
manufacturing industries.
Not only implement ISO 9001 :2000 gave company or organization better
competitive advantages, ISO also ensure the satisfactions of the customers when receive
their products and services, and improving quality on a continuing basis. In particular, ISO
9001 has been viewed as one of most important quality assurance programs of last few
decades.
The objectives of the research is to identity the critical success factors and
perceived benefits of implementing ISO 9001 :2000 in Quality Management System in
manufacturing Industries, and also the relationship between critical success factors and
perceived benefits. To carry out the research, literature review and questionnaires survey was
done. Literature review was needed to define the dependent variables and independent
variables. Questionnaire surveys were distribute to the manufacturing industries that
successfully implemented ISO 9001 :2000 in Malaysia. Data gained were then analyzed by
SPSS software and the results revealed the relationship between critical success factors and
with the perceived benefits of ISO 9001 :2000 implementation. An ISO 9001 :2000 success
factor model was built based of the research findings.


Hydrostaticity under high pressure of several materials from solid, fluid to gas, which are widely used as pressure media in modern high-pressure experiments, is investigated in diamond anvil cells. Judging from the R-line widths and R1 – R2 peak separation of Ruby fluorescence, the inert argon gas is hydrostatic up to about 30 GPa. The behavior of silicon oil is found to be similar to argon at pressures less than 10 GPa, while the widening of R-lines and increase of R1 – R2 peak separation at higher pressure loads indicate a significant degradation of hydrostaticity. Therefore silicon oil is considered as a good pressure medium at pressures less than 10 GPa but poor at higher pressures.


Background: Sintered, metallic fibre networks have been used in the design of a range of technical devices in the past years (e.g. heat exchangers or catalysts). One potential application in the field of therapeutic, biomedical engineering is the magnetic-mechanical stimulation of bone growth around prosthetic implants after joint replacement surgery. The loosening of prosthetic implants in the human bone is one of the current research topics of prosthesis design. Objectives and motivation: The present study aims at improving the understanding of the architecture of sintered fibre networks and their behaviour under mechanical, or magnetic actuation. The strain field imposed on a bone matrix in the void network phase is the final focus of the study. Materials and methods: To achieve the described objectives, 3D scans of sintered, cube-shaped fibre network samples made from AISI 316L or 444 stainless steel were acquired by means of computed tomography. Based on the finite element method and beam theory, the extracted network geometries were run as simulation models locally or on the Cambridge High Performance Computing Cluster Darwin. Results and conclusions: The obtained results show that the properties of material architecture or material mechanics are not constants. Instead, they rather have to be treated as functions of parameters such as the manufactured fibre volume fraction, of the available sample size, or of the applied boundary conditions. The results from the linear, elastic simulation under mechanical actuation were validated by experimental data. The obtained results identified the material as being transversely isotropic, the influence of the fibre segment tortuosity on the material's Young's modulus, or fibre deflection (instead of fibre elongation) as the dominating deformation mechanism within the fibre network samples. The size of the representative volume element could be determined, which showed a particular dependency on the applied boundary conditions. Under magnetic actuation, regions of tension, shear, and compression were obtained for the investigated samples, with strain peaks located in the free corners of the sample cubes. The obtained deformation of an inserted bone matrix confirmed that values, sufficiently large for the intended bone growth stimulation, are achievable under realistic conditions, with matrix strain peaks in the immediate proximity to the fibre structure.


One of the major challenges of a chromosome-centric proteome project is to explore in a systematic manner the potential proteins identified from the chromosomal genome sequence, but not yet characterized on a protein level. Here, we describe the use of RNA deep sequencing to screen human cell lines for RNA profiles and to use this information to select cell lines suitable for characterization of the corresponding gene product. In this manner, the subcellular localization of proteins can be analyzed systematically using antibody-based confocal microscopy. We demonstrate the usefulness of selecting cell lines with high expression levels of RNA transcripts to increase the likelihood of high quality immunofluorescence staining and subsequent successful subcellular localization of the corresponding protein. The results show a path to combine transcriptomics with affinity proteomics to characterize the proteins in a gene- or chromosome-centric manner.


Conventional concrete loses its tensile resistance after the formation of multiple cracks. However, fibrous concrete can sustain a portion of its resistance following cracking to resist more loading. The strength of concrete is appreciably increased by the crack arresting mechanism of the fibres and the ultimate strength is also increased because extra energy is needed to cause fracture of the fibre reinforcing the concrete. Beam-column joints have a crucial role in the structural integrity of the buildings. For this reason they must be provided with adequate stiffness and strength to sustain the loads transmitted from beam and columns. For adequate ductility of beam-column joints, use of closely spaced hoops as transverse reinforcement was recommended. In the present study an attempt has been made to investigate the behaviour of exterior beam-column joint with different detailing of reinforcement, different spacing of connecting ties and with different percentage of steel fibres. Initially three specimens (SP1, SP2 and SP3) with different detailing of reinforcement were tested. Then specimen SP2 was selected for further investigation based on its structural performance and ease of detailing. Two more Specimens were tested with different spacing of ties/stirrups. Finally, to investigate the effect of addition of fibres on behaviour of performance of joints, three specimens (SP6, SP7 and SP8) with volume fractions of 0.5%, 1.0% and 1.5% steel fibres were cast and tested. The results obtained from the investigation indicated that addition of steel fibres in the concrete mix improved structural performance of beam column joints measured in terms of ultimate load carrying capacity, stiffness, crack width, deflection and curvature ductility factor. Steel fibre reinforced concrete is one of the possible alternative solutions for reducing the congestion of transverse reinforcement in beam column joints. Thus with the reduction of congestion of reinforcement in the joint core helps in the ease of construction difficulties, while maintaining ductile behaviour of the frame, With the increase in the percentage of fibres from 0.05% to1.5% in the joint core the deflection and curvature at peak load increased. Specimen SP8 containing 1.5% of steel fibre in the joint core have higher value of rotation (φ), as compared with conventional specimen SP2.This clearly shows that the congestion of reinforcement in the core of beam column joint can be reduced by the addition of steel fibre in the joint core with increase in the spacing of hoops/ties. It was also observed in the study that the deflection and curvature also increases with the decrease in spacing of hoops/tie. KeywordsFibre, SP6, SP7


We present a methodology to analyze the linguistic evolution of scientific registers with data mining techniques, comparing the insights gained from shallow vs. linguistic features. The focus is on selected scientific disciplines at the boundaries to computer science (computational linguistics, bioinformatics, digital construction, microelectronics). The data basis is the English Scientific Text Corpus (SCITEX) which covers a time range of roughly thirty years (1970/80s to early 2000s) (Degaetano-Ortlieb et al., 2013; Teich and Fankhauser, 2010). In particular, we investigate the diversification of scientific registers over time. Our theoretical basis is Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL) and its specific incarnation of register theory (Halliday and Hasan, 1985). In terms of methods, we combine corpus-based methods of feature extraction and data mining techniques.


We aimed to assess some of the most recent advances in the pulmonary neonatal medicine. For this purpose we reported on the role of the sustained lung inflation (SLI) procedure in the delivery room, the development of new exogenous surfactant preparations, the effectiveness of nasal high frequency ventilation (nHFV), and the treatment of patent ductusarteriosus (PDA) with paracetamol. Moreover, we discussed the possible future role of nanomedicine and stem cells in the treatment of BPD. Proceedings of the 9 th International Workshop on Neonatology · Cagliari (Italy) · October 23 rd -26 th , 2013 · Learned lessons, changing practice and cutting-edge research


The growing marine pollution by oil strengthens the interest not only in the methods of combating their causes, but in methods of their forecasting as well on the basis of modeling and calculation of spreading oil spreading on the sea for some reason or other. The paper dwells on a mathematical model of calculating the area of oil spill spreading. The developed methodology for calculating change in the radius and area of oil spill is represented by function of three arguments: oil product density ρo, spillover volume V and spreading time t. The proposed model allows forecasting the initial stages of oil spreading. The given methodology enables to determine transit time of the process of oil spill spreading from the first phase to the second one, and from the second to the third one, and the radius and area of oil spill spreading.


It is not entirely perverse to calculate that a comprehensive critical bibliography (of a Grant & Cutler kind) of work devoted to L'Assommoir since 1876 would have precisely the proportions of this volume. For it may serve to bring into sharper relief the challenge Valerie Minogue has set herself in 'guiding' the undergraduate reader of Zola's novel. Her achievement is to have reminded the specialist too that the text's activating power is a function not of vaguely poetic qualities overlaid on documentary realism, but rather of fictional patterning which absorbs us into a drama fraught with intensity. The first part of her book is organized under the heading of 'The Web of Circumstance'. This deals with the ways in which a


This research uses the British National Child Development Study to examine the effect of higher education on individual membership of voluntary groups and organizations. Gender differences in the education effects are given emphasis. We apply parametric and nonparametric econometric methods to isolate the influence of confounding variables. There is strong evidence of education endogeneity in the female sample and we observe a negative education effect on women's group membership. Education endogeneity does not cause serious estimation bias in the male sample. Higher education is a significantly positive determinant of men's group membership. Further investigations from a mid-life perspective reveal that the boost of female participation in the workforce and their attitudes towards employment are key factors in the negative association between higher education and women's group membership. Our research provides clues for the divergence in the enrolment in higher education and social participation behavior in Western countries.


Many studies have described the physiology of water immersion (WI), whereas few have focused on post WI physiology, which faces the global water loss of the large WI diuresis. Therefore, we compared hemodynamics and vasomotor tone in 10 trained supine divers before and after two 6h sessions in dry (DY) and head out WI environments. During each exposure (DY and WI) two exercise periods (each one hour 75W ergometer cycling) started after the 3rd and 5th hours. Weight losses were significant (-2.24 +/- 0.13 kg and -2.38 +/- 0.19 kg, after DY and WI, respectively), but not different between the two conditions. Plasma volume was reduced at the end of the two conditions (-9.7 +/- 1.6% and -14.7 +/- 1.6%, respectively; p < 0.05). This post-WI decrease was deeper than post DY (p < 0.05). Cardiac output (CO) and mean arterial blood pressure were maintained after the two exposures. Plasma levels of noradrenaline, antidiuretic hormone and ANP were twofold higher after WI than after DY (p < 0.05). After DY total peripheral resistances (TPR) were increased (p < 0.05) and heart rate (HR) was reduced (p < 0.05). After WI there was a trend for a decrease in stroke volume (p = 0.07) with unchanged TPR and HR, despite more sizeable increases in plasma noradrenaline and vasopressin than after DY. We hypothesized that the higher levels of plasma natriuretic peptides after WI were likely counteracting the dehydration-required vasomotor adjustments.


While it is generally accepted that experiencing errors during practice can facilitate motor learning, there is much attention on the development of devices such as rehabilitation robots and virtual reality surgical trainers that physically guide the learner through errorless practice. Our purpose was to examine the effect of error during learning on retention and transfer of a skill learned with haptic guidance. Participants learned a tracing task using a Geomagic Touch, which is a desktop haptic interface that can exert precise forces to the user through its end effector. A target line was displayed on a computer screen and this line was traced with the device's stylus. There were two haptic feedback modes: assistance (pulling the cursor back towards target) and disturbance (pushing the cursor off target). Participants generated the tracing movements as fast as possible, or with a goal time of 25 seconds, resulting in 4 practice groups (assistance/fast; assistance/slow; disturbance/fast; disturbance/slow). Participants practiced for 100 trials. Following this there were immediate (10 minute) and delayed (24 hour) retention tests, and a delayed transfer to a new target. ANOVAs showed significantly more error during practice for the error disturbance and fast conditions. However, during immediate retention, delayed retention and transfer there was more error produced by the group that practiced with haptic assistance compared to haptic disturbance. These findings support the notion that error during practice leads to better learning, and should be considered in the design of haptics- and robot-assisted training protocols. Acknowledgments: This work was supported by NSERC.


The joint effects of rise of global population, climate change and water scarcity makes the shift towards an efficient and sustainable agriculture more and more urgent. Fortunately, recent developments in low-cost, IoT-based sensors and actuators can help us to incorporate advanced control techniques for efficient irrigation system. This paper proposes the use of an economic model predictive control at a farm scale. The controller makes use of soil moisture data sent by the sensors, price signals, operative restrictions, and accurate dynamical models of water dynamics in the soil. Its performance is demonstrated through simulations based on a real case-study, showing that it is possible to obtain significant reductions in water and energy consumption and operation costs.


A kaolinite-polymer intercalation complex was apparently formed for the first time by the polymerization of acrylonitrile between the kaolinite layers. A kaolinite-ammonium acetate intercalation complex was dispersed in acrylonitrile monomer. The monomer was apparently incorporated between the layers by displacing intercalated ammonium acetate. After the removal of excess monomer, the intercalation complex was heated to cause polymerization. The resulting kaolinite-polyacrylonitrile (PAN) intercalate showed a basal spacing of ∼ 13–14 Å. On heating the complex at 220°C for 1 hr in air, the spacing decreased slightly. The hydrogen bond between the hydroxyls of kaolinite and probably the C≡N group of PAN was not affected after heating at 220°C. Even after heating at 400°C, the layers expanded. Because the starting kaolinite-ammonium acetate intercalation complex decomposed at a much lower temperature, these observations strongly suggest the presence of PAN between the layers.


Successful anti-tumor effects are weakened by removal of the tumor antigen pool (i.e. surgery) or use of cytoreductive and immunosuppressive therapies (i.e. chemotherapy and radiation). We hypothesize that mechanical disruption of the tumor in situ will augment immune responses due to antigen release. Iron particles were injected as magneto-rheological fluid (MRF) into an orthotopic primary breast cancer and followed by application of a magnetic field to exert force and shear stress on the tumor. This will result in disruption of the tumor's architecture and induction of classical "danger signals": necrotic death, release of tumor antigen with activation of a localized immune response. To promote systemic immune responses we combined MRF treatments with immunotherapy (IT) at suboptimal dosages. Tumors treated with daily application of magnetic field showed increased necrotic cell death, recruitment of activated DCs (i.e. MHC II+, CD83+) to the draining LNs with production of proinflammatory cytokines/chemokines. We then combined MRF treatment with IT to determine if systemic anti-tumor effects could be achieved. Not only have we observed suppression of tumor growth on the contralateral side treated with MRF and IT but also we saw absence of metastasis to the bone marrow of animals treated with either MRF and IT or MRF and magnetic field alone. These data suggest that MRF and magnetic field application to the primary tumor synergize with immunotherapy in disseminated cancer.


The purpose of this study is to suggest the possibility of complexity use these facilities for elderly welfare facility or public health facility and community center in rural. For this purpose this article researched into elderly welfare facilities, public health facilities and social welfare centers. And we studied of village community center, life pattern in old people in rural. With a rapidly increase in population of older people in rural, there is a great demand for the construction of complexes facilities. Particularly, there was highly demand for the public health facilities and the welfare programme of physiotherapy facilities on village community center in rural. However, there is not a intersection of space composition and specification function between elderly welfare facilities and public healthcare facilities and community welfare centers in this time. Accordingly, in the future plan for community center in rural, it is necessary to consider integration with public health facility. And it is necessary to compose the community center in consideration of the spatial organization of complexity as a possibility of community welfare activities.


In order to obtain sintered FeSi2, the mixed powder of Fe and Si has been hipped at below the decomposition temperature of 986°C. In this process, the reaction and the densification have been proceeded simultaneously. Before the hipping of powders, the reaction of Fe plate and Si plate was examined to understand the reaction of Fe and Si under hipping condition. It was found that high temperature and low pressure accelerated the reaction. Based on the results, hipping conditions of the powder were decided. Single phase of FeSi2 was obtained under the hipping condition of 850 - 900°C, 50MPa and 30min -4hours. However, the relative densities of the hipped specimens were 82 - 90%. To obtain higher density, the mixed powder was hipped under 50 MPa to be caused the reaction completely, and then was densified under high pressure of 200MPa. Applying this 2 stage hipping, the relative density increased up to 98%. It is concluded that HIP technique is useful for the materials which transform at high temperature.


PURPOSE
Different sonographical and biochemical methods for the detection of an elevated risk of chromosomal abnormality are used. The aim of our study was to establish a diagnostic scheme with the highest sensitivity by means of an algorithm incorporating all parameters.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
In a group of 1490 pregnant women, ultrasound examination including nuchal translucency and nasal bone measurement was performed in the first trimester. Then, in the early second trimester, a second ultrasound examination combined with measuring nuchal thickness and nasal bone was carried out.

RESULTS
The combination of the NT and NB measurement showed the highest sensitivity (94.7%), specificity (99.21%), PPV (85.7%) and NPV (99.73%).

CONCLUSION
The proposed integrated test is characterised by a high predictive value for the detection of chromosomal abnormalities, low cost of performance and absolute safety for the foetus and could be offered to all pregnant women. The combination of two ultrasound examinations and biochemistry greatly increased the value of the test.


A stock market is a place where company shares are traded to the stockbrokers. Stock price prediction is one of the most challenging problems as a high level of accuracy is the key factor in predicting a stock market. Many methods are used to predict the price in the stock market but none of those methods are proved as a consistently acceptable prediction tool due to its volatile nature. In this paper, we proposed Artificial Neural Network (ANN) technique because ANN can generalize and predict data after learning and analyzing from the initial inputs and their relationships. We used feed forward network and backward propagation algorithm to predict stock prices. In this paper, we introduced a method that can find out the future value of stock prices in a particular day based on some input using ANN back propagation algorithm.


The transportation volume of hazardous material is increasing, and the potential risk of hazardous material for environment and mankind is enlarging. How to select the best transportation route, insure transportation safety and reach destination rapidly is an important problem for decision department. The transportation route decision-making method of hazardous material is put forward in this paper. A scientific and reasonable transportation route is the essential condition to ensure the hazardous material transportation safety. On the foundation of considering the factors which affecting the hazardous material safety, a new evaluation index system is set up, and a new evaluation model is established based on particle swarm optimization algorithm and BP neural networks. The example shows that the new evaluation index system is scientific and the new evaluation model is feasible. The decision making methods of hazardous material can help the government supervision and management department choose the best route.


Adaptive radiotherapy performed on the daily magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an option to improve the treatment quality. In the adapt-to-shape workflow of 1.5-T MR-Linac, the contours of structures are adjusted on the basis of patient daily MRI, and the adapted plan is recalculated on the MRI-based synthetic computed tomography (syCT) generated by bulk density assignment. Because dosimetric accuracy of this strategy is a priority and requires evaluation, this study aims to explore the usefulness of adding an assessment of dosimetric errors associated with recalculation on syCT to the clinical workflow. Sixty-one patients, with various tumor sites, treated using a 1.5-T MR-Linac were included in this study. In Monaco V5.4, the target and organs at risk (OARs) were contoured, and a reference CT plan that contains information about the outlined contours, their average electron density (ED), and the priority of ED assignment was generated. To evaluate the dosimetric error of syCT caused by the inherent approximation within bulk density assignment, the reference CT plan was recalculated on the syCT obtained from the reference CT by forcing all contoured structures to their mean ED defined on the reference plan. The dose–volume histogram (DVH) and dose distribution of the CT and syCT plan were compared. The causes of dosimetric discrepancies were investigated, and the reference plan was reworked to minimize errors if needed. For 54 patients, gamma analysis of the dose distribution on syCT and CT show a median pass rate of 99.7% and 98.5% with the criteria of 3%/3 mm and 2%/2 mm, respectively. DVH difference of targets and OARs remained less than 1.5% or 1 Gy. For the remaining patients, factors (i.e., inappropriate ED assignments) influenced the dosimetric agreement of the syCT vs. CT reference DVH by up to 21%. The causes of the errors were promptly identified, and the DVH dosimetry was realigned except for two lung treatments for which a significant discrepancy remained. The recalculation on the syCT obtained from the planning CT is a powerful tool to assess and decrease the minimal error committed during the adaptive plan on the MRI-based syCT.


The location of bilirubin IXa in lipid bilayers of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine or dioleoylphosphatidylcholine was studied by determining the effects of bilirubin on the infrared spectra of the lipids as a function of pressure. It was found for both bilayers that bilirubin intercalated into the polymethylene chain region of the bilayer, being located between the carbonyl region and the methylene group two carbons from the methyl terminus. Small amounts of bilirubin interacted with the choline region of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine. Lesser amounts interacted with the choline region of dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine. This difference between the two types of bilayers was attributed to the degradation of small amounts of bilirubin IXa to more polar isomers in the presence of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine. In dioleoyl- but not dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine, bilirubin interacted with the C = O region, probably indicating that bilirubin in the latter type of bilayer was intercalated into the polymethylene chains above and below the double bond. Bilirubin decreased the pressure required for the liquid-crystal to gel-phase transition in both bilayers at 28 degrees C. Bilirubin was not forced out of either bilayer at pressures as high as 20 kbar.


This paper addresses the challenge of humanoid robot teleoperation in a natural indoor environment via a Brain-Computer Interface (BCI). We leverage deep Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) based image and signal understanding to facilitate both real-time object detection and dry-Electroencephalography (EEG) based human cortical brain bio-signals decoding. We employ recent advances in dry-EEG technology to stream and collect the cortical waveforms from subjects while they fixate on variable Steady State Visual Evoked Potential (SSVEP) stimuli generated directly from the environment the robot is navigating. To these ends, we propose the use of novel variable BCI stimuli by utilising the real-time video streamed via the on-board robot camera as visual input for SSVEP, where the CNN detected natural scene objects are altered and flickered with differing frequencies (10Hz, 12Hz and 15Hz). These stimuli are not akin to traditional stimuli - as both the dimensions of the flicker regions and their on-screen position changes depending on the scene objects detected. Onscreen object selection via such a dry-EEG enabled SSVEP methodology, facilitates the on-line decoding of human cortical brain signals, via a specialised secondary CNN, directly into teleoperation robot commands (approach object, move in a specific direction: right, left or back). This SSVEP decoding model is trained via a priori offline experimental data in which very similar visual input is present for all subjects. The resulting classification demonstrates high performance with mean accuracy of 85% for the real-time robot navigation experiment across multiple test subjects.


Bomb radiocarbon (C) emitted to the atmosphere by nuclear explosion tests has not yet reached equilibrium within the Earth carbon system. In the present thesis this fate of radiocarbon is investigated using coarse-grid models to trace high-precision CO2 observations available in the atmosphere since the 1950s. The goal of the study is to progress our quantitative understanding of bomb radiocarbon following the pathways of the global carbon cycle. Inversely, I wanted also to determine new constraints on the atmospheric carbon budget buried in the longterm observations of atmospheric CO2. Three relevant findings came out at the different stages of my research. First, the man-made passive tracer SF6 was shown to be a powerful tool for investigating air mass transport in atmospheric transport models. Second, a serious mismatch in the global bomb radiocarbon budget has been detected, suggesting that the oceans take up 25% less anthropogenic CO2 than hitherto believed. Third, tracking both the tropospheric and the stratospheric C observations during the period of major bomb C activity excursions was found to uncover the cycle of air mass through the stratosphere. The above tools were finally used in a first assessment of the seasonal cycles of recent atmospheric CO2.


This essay examines the earliest Syriac reception of the Corpus Dionysiacum in the first decades of the sixth century. This reception is earlier than the standard Greek reception and moves us closer, I hypothesize, to the original text and context of the CD than do the subsequent Greek edition and commentaries of John of Scythopolis. The principal texts associated with the earliest Syriac reception all betray the influence of "Origenism," which, I argue, reflects the original milieu of the author of the CD. I conclude this essay with some thoughts on how an acknowledgement of the Origenism of the CD complicates our understanding of "orthodoxy" and "heresy" during this period.


Background Under-triage of severely injured patients presenting to non-trauma centers (failure to transfer to a trauma center) remains problematic despite quality improvement efforts. Insights from the behavioral science literature suggest that physician heuristics (intuitive judgments), and in particular the representativeness heuristic (pattern recognition), may contribute to under-triage. However, little is known about how the representativeness heuristic is instantiated in practice. Methods A multi-disciplinary group of experts identified candidate characteristics of "representative" severe trauma cases (e.g., hypotension). We then reviewed the charts of patients with moderate-to-severe injuries who presented to nine non-trauma centers in western Pennsylvania from 2010–2014 to assess the association between the presence of those characteristics and triage decisions. We tested bivariate associations using χ2 and Fisher's Exact method and multivariate associations using random effects logistic regression. Results We identified 235,605 injured patients with 3,199 patients (1%) having moderate-to-severe injuries. Patients had a median age of 78 years (SD 20.1) and mean Injury Severity Score of 10.9 (SD 3.3). Only 759 of these patients (24%) were transferred to a trauma center as recommended by the American College of Surgeons clinical practice guidelines. Representative characteristics occurred in 704 patients (22%). The adjusted odds of transfer were higher in the presence of representative characteristics compared to when they were absent (aOR 1.7, 95% CI: 1.4–2.0, p < 0.001). Conclusions Most moderate-to-severely injured patients present without the characteristics representative of severe trauma. Presence of these characteristics is associated with appropriate transfer, suggesting that modifying physicians' heuristics in trauma may improve triage patterns.


This paper is concerned with simultaneous LQ optimal control design for discrete-time and sampleddata systems. First it is shown that discrete-time simultaneous LQ design problem of a set of discrete-time systems can be reduced to solving a set of coupled matrix inequalities. An iterative LMI algorithm is presented to solve the feasibility and the feedback gain. Then simultaneous stabilization and simultaneous LQ optimal control of a set of LTI continuous-time systems is considered via piecewise constant output feedback. It is shown that the design of a periodic piecewise constant feedback gain simultaneously minimizing a set of given continuous-time performance indexes for a set of LTI continuous-time systems can be reduced to that of a constant feedback gain minimizing a set of equivalent discrete-time performance indexes for a set of LTI discrete-time systems. Explicit algorithms for computing the equivalent discrete-time systems and performance indexes are derived. Examples are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.


A new approach is proposed to use object oriented techniques and improved genetic algorithms in developing software to design, simulate and model an excitation control system. An example is used to illustrate the feasibility of this approach. The excitation control system is modelled by using both a three-phase representation and transfer function approach. The thyristor exciter offers possibilities for improving dynamic/transient performance.


119 accessions, including species from America and Asia, various hybrids and breeding stocks, were tested for resistance to powdery mildew (Uncinula necator) by a leaf disc test. Vitis candicans, V. munsoniana, V. piasezkii and V. rotundifolia were found to be resistant with a rating of up to 1.4 in all accessions (1-no infection, 9-very strong infection). V. munsoniana and V. rotundifolia showed extremely high resistance and may be excellent material for breeding programs. However, the accessions of V. candicans and V. pinsezkii should be preferred for breeding of powdery mildew resistant grapevine Varieties because of the corresponding chromosome number. The surprisingly high number of 10 species included resistant as well as susceptible accessions. V. doaniana and V. tiliaefolia , probably V. palmata and most of the accessions of V. shuttleworthii may be characterized as moderately resistant. V. cordifolia, V. lanata, V. rupestris and some accessions of V. vulpina and cultivars of V. vinifera proved to be highly susceptible.


Cosmologists are facing the problem of the analysis of a huge quantity of data when observing the sky. The methods used in cosmology are, for the most of them, relying on astrophysical models, and thus, for the classification, they usually use a machine learning approach in two-steps, which consists in, first, extracting features, and second, using a classifier. In this paper, we are specifically studying the supernovae phenomenon and especially the binary classification "I.a supernovae versus not-I.a supernovae". We present two Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) defeating the current state-of-the-art. The first one is adapted to time series and thus to the treatment of supernovae light-curves. The second one is based on a Siamese CNN and is suited to the nature of data, i.e. their sparsity and their weak quantity (small learning database).


Radiolabeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) ligands represent a true theranostic concept for diagnosis and therapy in patients with relapsed or metastatic prostate cancer. The aim of this study was to evaluate the response to and tolerability of a single dose of 177Lu-PSMA-617 in a large cohort of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Methods: The data of 82 consecutive patients (median age, 73 y; range, 43–87 y) with mCRPC who received a single dose of 177Lu-PSMA-617 (mean, 5.9 ± 0.5 GBq) were retrospectively analyzed. Data were collected at baseline and 8 wk after therapy. 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT was performed on all patients to verify sufficient PSMA expression. Bone, lymph node, liver, and lung metastases were present in 99%, 65%, 17%, and 11% of the patients, respectively. Tolerability and response were evaluated using hematologic parameters, renal scintigraphy, clinical data, and the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level at baseline and 8 wk after therapy application. Results: Six patients died, and 2 patients dropped out because they were not willing to continue therapy and follow-up. The complete dataset of 74 patients was available for analysis. Forty-seven patients (64%) showed a PSA decline, including 23 (31%) with a decline by more than 50%. Thirty-five patients (47%) had stable disease: the change in their PSA level ranged from less than a 50% decline to less than a 25% rise. Seventeen patients (23%) had progressive disease: their PSA level rose by more than 25%. There were no significant changes in hemoglobin, white blood cells, creatinine, or tubular extraction rates indicative of toxicity. There was a significant but mild decrease in platelets, but the median value was still within the reference range. Conclusion: This retrospective multicenter analysis suggests that radioligand therapy with 177Lu-PSMA-617 is safe and well tolerated and has a considerable effect on PSA level. Therefore, it offers an additional therapeutic option for patients with mCRPC. These data may justify further prospective randomized studies to evaluate and prove the clinical benefit in terms of survival and quality of life.


The employment relationship is undergoing fundamental change and promises of employment security, long a central feature of the modern employment relationship, are increasingly losing credibility (Cappelli, 1995). Many see this change as an inevitable response to a dilemma brought about by the increasingly dynamic competitive environments that many employers must reckon with; "dynamic environments require flexible workers, flexible workers require a stable employment relationship, but stable employment relationships may not be possible in dynamic environments" (Heath, Knez, & Camerer, 1993: 89). Whatever the reason for its demise, however, companies world-wide are abandoning long held promises and policies of employment security, with no clear alternative to replace it. In this paper, we present a model of sustainable competitive advantage in dynamic environments that points to one way of overcoming this dilemma and provides a theoretical basis for addressing the observed changes in employment practices. In our model, rent creation replaces rent appropriation as the key source of competitive advantage and employability substitutes for employment security as the defining characteristic of the employment relationship. Such a relationship, we show, can provide for stable adaptable employment relationships and may, therefore, be of advantage for the firm as well as for the employee.


Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic debilitating autoimmune disorder with a high prevalence, especially in industrialized countries. Dysbiosis of the intestinal microbiota has been observed in RA patients. For instance, new-onset untreated RA is associated with the expansion of Prevotellaceae and the under representation of the Clostridiumcluster XIVa, including Lachnospiraceae, which are major butyrate producers in the gut, although the pathological relevance has remained obscure. Here, we report that microbiota fermentation product butyrate controls the development of autoimmune arthritis in the host. We found that systemic autoantigen immunization causes hyperplasia of gut-associated lymphoid tissues by amplifying the germinal center (GC) reaction. Butyrate mitigated these pathological events by increasing Bcl-6+CXCR5+CD25−Foxp3+ follicular regulatory T (TFR) cells. Butyrate directly induced the differentiation of functional TFR cells by enhancing histone acetylation in TFR cell marker genes. The adoptive transfer of butyrate-induced TFR cells prevented autoimmune arthritis in mice. Notably, TFR cells induced by butyrate suppressed the development of autoreactive follicular helper T (TFH) and GCB cells and their migration from GALT into articulation-draining lymph nodes (DLNs). Accordingly, microbiota-derived butyrate serves as an environmental cue to enhance TFR cells which suppress the GC reaction and autoantibody production in the systemic lymphoid tissue, eventually ameliorating autoimmune arthritis. Our findings provide mechanistic insights into the link between the gut microbiota and RA risk.