This thesis is firstly a factual survey of the actual extent of religious activities in the state primary schools today and of the laws and other regulations affecting these activities, and secondly, it is an attempt to evaluate the arguments for and against religious instruction put forward by the various interested bodies. It is undertaken at a time wnen there is considerable interest in the question of religion in schools due to the continuing claims of some for state aid to demoninational schools.


Background: Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) is a common but embarrassing problem for gastroenterologists. Most bleeding lesions associated with OGIB are present in the small intestine and sometimes cannot be identified due to the difficulty associated with physical accessibility. Capsule endoscopy (CE) and double-balloon enteroscopy (DBE) have enabled in the process of diagnosing and have evolved to become approaches to treating OGIB. Summary: CE is a minimally invasive procedure and has a high diagnostic yield in patients with OGIB. DBE offers additional advantage of biopsy collection for pathological diagnosis and therapeutic intervention, but it should be noted that it sometimes causes severe adverse events such as acute pancreatitis, intestinal bleeding, and intestinal perforation. CE should be performed early in the workup course of OGIB. Positive CE findings enhance the diagnostic yield of subsequent DBE, and the effective therapeutic intervention improves the clinical outcomes of OGIB patients. On the contrary, there are no clear guidelines for further investigation of patients with negative CE findings at the present. Although patients in stable general condition may only require follow-up, repeated CE is useful to detect positive findings in patients with evidence of sustained bleeding and progressing anemia. We have revealed that repeated CE has higher positive finding rate than DBE in OGIB patients with negative CE findings in a preliminary study. Key Messages: CE and DBE have complementary roles in the management of OGIB, and the precise timing and proper sequence may be important for the approach to treating OGIB.


Recovery from spinal cord injury (SCI) after mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) implantation is minimal due to the limited capacity for the reduction in the cystic cavitation, the axonal regeneration, and neural plasticity in the spinal cord. We combined MSC implantation with neurotrophin gene therapy in an attempt to enhance regenera- tion and functional recovery after thoracic spinal cord complete injury in adult rats. Primary MSCs were transfected with reconstructed vectors encoding rat brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) or human neurotrophin-3 (NT-3). MSCs expressing BDNF or NT-3 or both were implanted into the transected spinal cord of rats. Enhanced regenera- tive sprouting of the fibers and recovery of hind limb function was observed in rats implanted with MSCs expressing BDNF and NT-3. Efficiency of the treatment was improved in dual combination of BDNF and NT-3 in MSCs. This combined neurotrophin genetic engineering of MSCs not only resulted in cells that were more effective in promoting axonal outgrowth but could also lead to enhanced recovery after SCI. Cell transplantation combined with two gene therapy provides better effect in the restoration of SCI.


Messenger RNA molecules that are structurally stable, as measured by their ability to hybridize to DNA, may nevertheless be considerably less stable in retaining their ability to function in protein synthesis. The structure of the majority of the mRNA of phage S13 decays with a half-life of 10.6 +/- 0.5 min. In contrast, much of the function of the mRNA that is involved in synthesis of a capsid protein (product of the F gene) decays rapidly with a half-life of 1.4 +/- 0.8 min; a residual amount of function decays with a half-life of 14.0 +/- 4.0 min. The measurements were made in the presence of rifampicin, which was used to prevent the formation of new mRNA. A proposed model for the functional decay is based on the polycistronic nature of the mRNA. Degradation of the mRNA would proceed in two steps: the first step would be a fast attack at a region near the 5'-terminus of each molecule that would eliminate the function of the proximal message; the second step would be a slow attack on the remaining messenger molecule precipitating a subsequent rapid degradation of the physical structure.


WITH THE growth of practice development over the past 20 years there has been an increased understanding and focus on the importance of systematic, collaborative approaches, that lead to better outcomes for patients and their supporters. The pathways that individuals have followed as practice developers look and feel different, however, what is key is how they/we have applied learning to improve effectiveness, understanding and knowledge of approaches to challenge, support and develop practice.


Various methods are used to locate cloud-to ground lightning flash. The accuracy of the methods depends on the number of sensor stations, station topology, mathematical model adopted for the analyses, and the type of measuring equipment. For a single station with the configuration of short baseline in a measuring system, the accuracy of analysis is mostly based on the chosen mathematical equations (and assumptions) which can be solved in either linear or nonlinear mode. This paper concentrates on the simulation of a lightning flash and its detection based on the Time of Arrival (TOA) method by utilizing four broadband antennas. The accuracy of the TOA method is also evaluated in this work. A Matlab based simulation of the measuring system is implemented to construct a randomly located lightning flash with its corresponding electromagnetic radiation. Then, suitable mathematical models used as measurement systems based on the 3-antenna TOA method to determine the azimuth and elevation angles, which in turn can be used for the calculation of flash coordinates in term of (X, Y, Z) with the help of the fourth antenna.


The purification efficiency of auto-exhaust carbon particles in the catalytic aftertreatment system of vehicle exhaust is strongly dependent on the interface nanostructure between the noble metal component and oxide supports. Herein, we have elaborately synthesized the catalysts (Pt/Fe2O3-R) of Pt nanoparticles decorated on the hexagonal bipyramid α-Fe2O3 nanocrystals with co-exposed twelve {113} and six {104} facets. The area ratios (R) of co-exposed {113} to {104} facets in α-Fe2O3 nanocrystals were adjusted by the fluoride ion concentration in the hydrothermal method. The strong Pt-Fe2O3{113} facet interaction boosts the formation of coordination unsaturated ferric sites for enhancing adsorption/activation of O2 and NO. Pt/Fe2O3-R catalysts exhibited the Fe2O3{113} facet-dependent performance during catalytic purification of soot particles in the presence of H2O. Among the catalysts, the Pt/Fe2O3-19 catalyst exhibits the highest catalytic activities (T50 = 365 °C, TOF = 0.13 h-1), the lowest apparent activation energy (69 kJ mol-1), and excellent catalytic stability during soot purification. Combined with the results of characterizations and density functional theory calculations, the catalytic mechanism is proposed: the active sites located at the Pt-Fe2O3{113} interface can boost the key step of NO oxidation to NO2. The crystal facet engineering is an effective strategy to obtain efficient catalysts for soot purification in practical applications.


The transformation and the degradation of insulating materials interacting with cold plasma discharges have certain common points. This is examined in the present review where the discharge activity is regarded from a physico-chemical point of view. A critical time of interaction seems to be observable in many studies, which defines the line between transformation and degradation. The role played by the plasma species like electrons or ions depends on the conditions of discharge initiation. The synergistic aspect of these species is also presented, and experimental modeling considered.


Abstract:  Acute pancreatitis is a recognized occurrence in patients with end‐stage renal disease, those on dialysis and those who have undergone renal transplantation. The incidence is significantly increased in comparison to the general population and carries significant mortality. We report two cases of acute pancreatitis that occurred in stable renal transplant recipients, and in which there was diagnostic difficulty. The etiology of the acute pancreatitis is not always identifiable in these patients. Classical symptoms and laboratory findings are often absent, which may cause diagnostic difficulty. Our experience suggests that in immunosuppressed patients with unexplained abdominal pain or abnormal liver function tests, acute pancreatitis should be considered at an early stage in order to initiate appropriate treatment and therefore minimize mortality and morbidity.


With the economic intensification of a country is on accelerating mode, role of banking industry is also important in this growth. In a hyper-competitive market all commercial banks in Bangladesh are faced with challenges of retaining the existing and attracting new customers. The aim of the research is to take the opinions of different peoples in Rajshahi city, Bangladesh about the service quality in different commercial banks. Samples of 51 customers who have their bank account with different commercial banks having operations in Rajshahi city are selected on convenience basis. This paper presents an original survey in the banking sector of Rajshahi City, Bangladesh. To achieve the main goal of the research, the authors of the paper developed questionnaire designed for bank clients. After going for long analysis we have found that five factors playing important role in order to make customer happy regarding the banking services. Therefore, customer satisfaction is the key for many banks to stay alive in competition.


Tribbles 3, whose expression is up-regulated by insulin resistance, was confirmed to be involved in diabetic cardiomyopathy in our previous study. However, it is not known whether Tribbles 3 has a role on conduit arteries such as the aorta in diabetes. Type 2 diabetic rat model was induced by high-fat diet and low-dose streptozotocin. We evaluated the characteristics of diabetic rats by serial ultrasonography and histopathologic analyses of aortic wall architecture. Diabetic rats displayed increased aortic medial thickness, excessive collagen deposition, diminished elastic fibres and reduced vascular compliance together with Tribbles 3 overexpression. To further investigate the role of Tribbles 3 in aortic remodelling, we used Tribbles 3 gene silencing in vivo 12 weeks after onset of diabetes. Silence of Tribbles 3 significantly reversed pathological aortic remodelling without blood pressure modification. In Tribbles 3-small interfering RNA group, medial thickness and perivascular fibrosis were markedly decreased; moreover, there were prominent reductions in collagen content and collagen/elastin ratio, resulting in an improved arterial compliance. Additionally, with Tribbles 3 silencing, the diminished phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt was restored, and increased activation of MKK4/JNK was decreased. Silence of Tribbles 3 is potent in mediating reversal of aortic remodelling, implicating that Tribbles 3 is proposed to be a potential therapeutic target for vascular complication in diabetes.


INTRODUCTION: High throughput cancer genome sequencing efforts are leading to the identification of frequently mutated genes in cancer. Unfortunately, the extreme diversity of lesions being detected presents a challenge to segment causal from coincidental mutations and to elucidate how causal lesions disrupt regulatory networks to drive cancer processes. AIMS AND METHODS: Given that a common early perturbation in solid tumor initiation is bypass of matrix-dependent proliferation restraints, we used immortalized human colonic epithelial cells (HCECs) to identify suppressors of anchorage-independent growth by conducting a soft-agar based shRNA screen within frequently mutated colorectal cancer (CRC) genes. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: Remarkably, depletion of 65 of the 151 frequently CRC-mutated genes tested collaborated with K-RASV12 or TP53 knockdown to promote anchorage-independent proliferation of HCECs. These candidates fall under a variety of different signaling pathways, but in particular JNK signaling was found to be a master suppressor of anchorage-independent growth in normal HCECs. We have identified additional members of an extensive gene network specifying matrix-dependent proliferation, by constructing an interaction map of these confirmed progression suppressors with the ∼700 rare CRC-mutated genes and experimentally verifying soft-agar growth enhancement in response to depletion of these genes. Collectively, this study reveals a profound diversity of fragile nodes within a fundamental tumor suppressor network, perturbation of which leads to enhanced cell-autonomous proliferative fitness. These studies establish the importance of functionally annotating cancer genomes using biologically relevant assays. 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 2207. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2207


Breast surgeries belong to the most frequently performed procedures and are often associated with a high intensity of pain in the postoperative period. Regional anesthesia techniques, and paravertebral block, have been the gold standard of postoperative pain management for major breast cancer surgeries. In recent years, the development of new techniques of regional anesthesiology, which is due to the extensive implementation of ultrasound imaging, has enabled the use of a number of new blockades. The "new players" in regional anesthesiology include numerous fascial plane blocks. Fascial plane blocks are often technically easier and less invasive compared to, for example, paravertebral blockade. The core mechanism of action in fascial blocks consists in blocking the nerve structures that supply a certain area of the trunk after deposition of local anesthetic (LA) within the fascial and fasciomuscular compartments. In addition to direct nerve blockade, there are other potential mechanisms of analgesia such as systemic effects. This idea differs from the traditional concept of nerve and plexus blocks, but it should be remembered that the final effect of a fascial plane block and its extent can be extremely variable across individual cases. According to the current state of knowledge, an alternative to paravertebral blockade may be PECS blockade. The available options also include erector spinae plane block (ESPB) and serratus plane block (SPB), however their recommendation in breast surgery requires more extensive scientific evidence.


The Case I, Case II, and Case III distributions for the phase angle between two vectors perturbed by Gaussian noise are restated in terms of integrals with integrands containing only exponentials. Added to these are a Case IV distribution in which one of the vectors is noise free; and Case V, Case VI, and Case VII distributions for the instantaneous radian frequency that results when the time between the two vectors goes to zero. In addition, existing and new forms for the probability density functions corresponding to each of the distributions are given. The results are applied to digital FM with a limiter/discriminator receiver to easily obtain the bit error probability without coding and the corresponding probability density function needed in a Chernoff bound approach to study the bit error probability with coding.


The biosynthesis of collagen was studied in skin of healthy subjects and patients with progressive sclerodermia and dermatomyositis. The incorporatione of radioactive precursors (14C-proline), the rate of so-called collage-like-protein in sera, and the excretion of hydroxyprolin in urine depended on the severity of the dermatomyositis in progressive sclerodermia.


A classification of in-pnticnts by "reason for admission" (RFA) is described and compared with the classification by diagnosis. The RFA classification assigns length of stay on the basis of twenty-five reasons for admission for adult medical-surgical cases. Length of stay norms for the RFA method were developed and compared to diagnosis specific norms (dx norms). A group of 500 charts was subjected to simulated continued stay review using both RFA and dx norms as screening 'methods. Although the dx norms screened out for individual review 76% more cases than the RFA norms, the number of screened out cases in which length of stay could have been reduced without affecting the quality of care was the same. The RFA strategy may provide a more efficient method of continued stay review that is also more relevant to hospital medical care than the standard method based on diagnosis.


A consumer survey was used to generate a demographic profile of the target market for value-added produce products compared to consumers who purchase bulk produce products. Those who purchase value-added produce products are more likely to be young, single, and without children than are those who do not purchase value-added produce products. The produce characteristics that are most desirable to consumers when making their purchase decision were identified. The extremely to very desirable characteristics of produce are those that concern taste, quality, and value. The very to somewhat desirable characteristics of produce are those that relate to the convenience of using and buying produce. Consumers' perceptions of the characteristics of packaged salad products versus head lettuce were evaluated. The characteristics of produce that provide packaged salad with a relative advantage over head lettuce were identified for use in a promotional campaign by producers of packaged salad products.


This work reports transport and structure properties of the three pyridinium-based ionic liquids (RTILs) – N-butylpyridinium hexafluorophosphate [BPY][PF6], N-butylpyridinium trifluoromethanesulfonate [BPY][TF] and N-butylpyridinium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide [BPY][TFSI] – in their mixtures with acetone (ACET). The ionic conductivity maximum occurs at 10 mol% RTIL, irrespective of the anion. The absolute ionic conductivity value of [BPY][TF] is higher than those of other RTILs. This is explained by a weaker cation-anion binding than that in [BPY][PF6] and smaller anion size than that of [BPY][TFSI]. All the investigated RTILs are infinitely miscible with ACET, which boosts their diffusivity and conductivity. A small viscosity of ACET favors a drastic viscosity decay in the RTIL–ACET mixtures. Structure analysis (radial distribution functions, ionic clusters) of the mixtures are in line with their transport properties providing a reliable microscopic interpretation of the observed macroscopic properties. As a molecular co-solvent, ACET constitutes an interesting alternative and competitor to more intensively investigated liquids.


Electronic cigarettes (or e-cigarettes) are devices that heat a cartridge containing a solution that becomes a vapour for the user to inhale. The vapour may or may not contain nicotine. E-cigarettes do not contain tar and other toxins, which traditional cigarettes do, so they may be less damaging to people's health than smoking traditional cigarettes. However, no studies exist about the long-term effects of using e-cigarettes yet. It is illegal to sell e-cigarettes with nicotine in Australia, though Australians may import a three-month supply from overseas. It is legal to sell e-cigarettes with nicotine in some other jurisdictions, such as the United Kingdom and the European Union. This article argues that the Australian government should consider legalising the sale of e-cigarettes with nicotine in Australia for health, safety and economic reasons and to protect youth. If the sale of e-cigarettes with nicotine becomes legal, the Australian government must strictly regulate it.


Teledermatology is a rapidly expanding niche within telemedicine still in its infancy. It has become increasingly more feasible in recent years with the expansion of information and communication technologies. Here, the authors present the details of their collaboration and propose a model for constructing a teledermatology network. In the year 2014, the authors' Dermatopathology institute in Torrance, California, partnered with Mbingo Baptist Hospital, a tertiary referral center in Cameroon, Africa. During this time, 145 cases were received. The authors present highlights of specific cases as well as the strengths and challenges encountered. They have found the use of the store and forward method to be an effective tool with an acceptable concordance rate. With basic bandwidth speeds and images taken with smart devices shared via email, providers are given the unique opportunity to provide specialty care and alleviate disease burden where dermatology and dermatopathology resources are scarce.


Two cyanobacterial strains Synechocystis "AHZ-HB-MK" and "AHZ-HB-P2A" were isolated from tannery effluent form Lahore, Pakistan and their tolerance against K2CrO4was examined. Although growth was completely inhibited at 10 µg mL-1 in AHZ-HB-P2Astrain, cell growth of AHZ-HB-MK strain was observed even at a concentration of 100 µg mL-1. To show reasons for different tolerance between the two strains, we compared changes in nonprotein thiols, glutathione (GSH and GSSG), cysteine and cystine, after K2CrO4 treatment in both strains. After K2CrO4 treatment GSH completely disappeared in both strains, suggesting that GSH was involved in detoxification. GSSG content in former strain remarkably increased almost three and six times after 7-days treatment with 10 and 100 µg mL-1 K2CrO4, respectively while it decreased in the later strain. Cysteine content in the former strain increased almost three and eleven times after 1 day and 7 days treatment with 100 µg mL-1 K2CrO4, respectively, such increase in cysteine content was not observed in later strain. These data revealed that former strain could induce glutathione and cysteine but later strain could not. The difference in the ability to induce the nonprotein thiols between two strains must be responsible for differential tolerance in K2CrO4 observed in the growth inhibition.

 Key words: Chromium, cysteine, cyanobacteria, glutathione, nonprotein thiol,Synechocystis.


The renin genes of the spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) and Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rat were compared by Southern blotting using cDNA and oligonucleotide probes. A 'deletion' of approximately 650 base pairs was found in the first intron (intron A) of the SHR gene compared with the WKY gene. Our studies strongly suggest that this is due to a decrease in the number of copies of the tandemly repeated sequence present within intron A of the rat renin gene. In both SHR and WKY, this region of the gene was found to be different from that of the parent Wistar rat and those of other Wistar-based inbred strains. The functional significance of the abnormality and any role it may have in hypertension in the SHR remain to be determined.


Author(s): Branstetter, John G. | Advisor(s): Pagden, Anthony | Abstract: I argue that translational thinking is a vital mode of political thinking which harbors a basic democratic potential. I theorize translations as metaphorical relations which do not referentially link terms. Rather, I contend that translation creates an indeterminate relationship which allows words and images to appear where they are not supposed to. In this way, translation verifies the contingency of social order and reaffirms the axiom of equality. I argue that translation is therefore a political practice which creates moments of radical democratic potential. I demonstrate this by examining four historical episodes, or what I call "translational moments," in the intense period of cultural and political change that followed Japan's mid-19th century Meiji Restoration. Focusing on the translation of the word "citizen," I examine how translation broke down or reinforced Tokugawa worldviews and assess the historical consequences of these disruptions. Moments one and two concretize my theoretical claims by focusing on the intertextual translation of the words "citizen" and citoyen from English and French into Japanese for the first time. I examine Fukuzawa Yukichi's translation language for "citizen" in Conditions in the West, and Nakae Chōmin's translation of citoyen in Rousseau's Social Contract. Moments three and four demonstrate the expansiveness of translation as a poetic activity by examining the translation of the language of citizenship into actual social practice. I first look at the spread of rhetoric in the debating associations of the Freedom and Popular Rights Movement to understand the ways in which they transformed standards of valid public speech. Finally, I explore the appearance of women in the public sphere through Kishida Toshiko's speeches and the growth of women's employment in silk and cotton mills. I show how the Confucian discourse of the family constrained the democratic potential of their appearances in public.


The invariant classification of superintegrable systems is reviewed and utilized to construct singular limits between the systems. It is shown, by construction, that all superintegrable systems on conformally flat, 3D complex Riemannian manifolds can be obtained from singular limits of a generic system on the sphere. By using the invariant classification, the limits are geometrically motivated in terms of transformations of roots of the classifying polynomials.


ABSTRACT On the temperature derivative market, modeling temperature volatility is an important issue for pricing and hedging. To apply the pricing tools of financial mathematics, one needs to isolate a Gaussian risk factor. A conventional model for temperature dynamics is a stochastic model with seasonality and intertemporal autocorrelation. Empirical work based on seasonality and autocorrelation correction reveals that the obtained residuals are heteroscedastic with a periodic pattern. The object of this research is to estimate this heteroscedastic function so that, after scale normalization, a pure standardized Gaussian variable appears. Earlier works investigated temperature risk in different locations and showed that neither parametric component functions nor a local linear smoother with constant smoothing parameter are flexible enough to generally describe the variance process well. Therefore, we consider a local adaptive modeling approach to find, at each time point, an optimal smoothing parameter to locally estimate the seasonality and volatility. Our approach provides a more flexible and accurate fitting procedure for localized temperature risk by achieving nearly normal risk factors. We also employ our model to forecast the temperaturein different cities and compare it to a model developed in 2005 by Campbell and Diebold. Supplementary materials for this article are available online.


We determine generalized cross sections for two-photon double ionization of He in the photon energy region between 40.7 and 47 eV where absorption of two photons can lead to non-sequential double ionization only. The present cross sections, obtained in R-matrix Floquet theory, agree with cross sections obtained from time-dependent calculations. By examining the ratio of two-photon double ionization to two-photon single ionization, we demonstrate that core excitation effects at an intensity of 1013 W cm−2 are relatively unimportant at 45 eV, but that they are significant at other photon energies.


Background Seasonal influenza is an acute respiratory infection caused by influenza viruses that are highly contagious and circulate in all parts of the world. It gives rise to an estimated 3 to 5 million cases of severe illness and about 250,000 to 500,000 deaths globally each year. Influenza tends to cause epidemics with serious illness and death among high-risk groups such as children aged 5 years and younger, pregnant women, elderly ≥65 years of age, and with chronic medical conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC), all people who are 6 months old and above are recommended to receive the seasonal influenza vaccine annually. Despite the fact that influenza vaccine is readily available, and the severity of the disease is known to adversely affect the individual's quality of life and well-being, vaccination uptake rates are still low, contributing to the increased burden of the disease worldwide. Objectives To measure the influenza vaccine uptake among residents of Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia, that determines their attitude, knowledge, and beliefs regarding the vaccine. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted using a self-administered structured questionnaire distributed online targeting residents of Riyadh Province, Saudi Arabia, from 1st of August 2019 till 30th of September 2019. Participants were selected through volunteer sampling. The questionnaire included demographic data including age, gender, occupation, education level, marital status, and comorbidities. It also included questions regarding knowledge, attitude, and beliefs regarding influenza vaccine. After collection of data, statistical analyses were conducted by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 19.0. A P value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results Our study included 503 participants, with age ranging from 18 to 65 years old and 324 (64%) were females. 100 participants (19.9%) had comorbid conditions, and 223 (44.3%) have been vaccinated against influenza in the past. A large portion of participants (41.2%) were familiar with seasonal influenza vaccination from the media. The knowledge part of the questionnaire showed that 302 (60%) participants knew how often they should receive the vaccine and 313 (62.2%) participants knew that the vaccine is provided freely in all of Saudi Arabia. In terms of belief and attitude, 371 participants (73.8%) thought they were susceptible to the disease and 365 (73.8%) believed that influenza vaccine is beneficial, while 446 participants (88.7%) thought that the general public need more knowledge and awareness on the scientific facts of influenza vaccine. Regarding barriers, 295 participants (58.6%) wanted to avoid vaccines and 252 (50.1%) were concerned about the vaccine's adverse effects. Participants with frequent health checkups and those who had previous knowledge on the availability of the vaccine for free were more likely to be vaccinated. Vaccinated participants (44.3%) were asked if they were willing to take the vaccine again when it is due, 158 (70.9%) answered yes. Those who elicited symptomatic reaction to the vaccine (26.0%) were less inclined to take it again (P = 0.035). Conclusion We concluded that there is a low influenza vaccine uptake rate among our study population, considering that the barriers most commonly chosen by participants are solvable with health education and campaigns oriented towards delivering facts about the vaccine and dispelling misinformation; such measures are highly recommended and are postulated to carry a great benefit that should target common misconceptions identified in this study.


Measurements are presented of the field within a cavity in a magnetic fluid. It is shown that a device for measuring the saturation magnetisation of a magnetic fluid based on such measurements is possible. Further investigation is shown to be necessary, however, in order to develop an instrument capable of measuring the full magnetisation curve.


The evolution of the banking sector has been affected by the development of the internet and mobile application technologies. With the increased use of mobile phones and the help of the Internet, virtually every area and business have changed. Using mobile apps for banking services and transactions refers to the provision of banking services with the help of mobile. The adoption of mobile applications to avail banking services has changed the banking system. It is proved successful, easy to use, and cost-effective by customers and the banking industry. Security, safety, and convenience are some of the significant factors on which mobile banking depends. At present, many customers have adopted mobile banking transaction systems. However, some customers still feel hesitant to use mobile applications to avail banking services. A sample of 122 respondents was collected through a "standard questionnaire," created on a five-point interval scale.


The 2020's decade will likely witness an unprecedented development and deployment of neurotechnologies for human rehabilitation, personalized use, and cognitive or other enhancement. New materials and algorithms are already enabling active brain monitoring and are allowing the development of biohybrid and neuromorphic systems that can adapt to the brain. Novel brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) have been proposed to tackle a variety of enhancement and therapeutic challenges, from improving decision-making to modulating mood disorders. While these BCIs have generally been developed in an open-loop modality to optimize their internal neural decoders, this decade will increasingly witness their validation in closed-loop systems that are able to continuously adapt to the user's mental states. Therefore, a proactive ethical approach is needed to ensure that these new technological developments go hand in hand with the development of a sound ethical framework. In this perspective article, we summarize recent developments in neural interfaces, ranging from neurohybrid synapses to closed-loop BCIs, and thereby identify the most promising macro-trends in BCI research, such as simulating vs. interfacing the brain, brain recording vs. brain stimulation, and hardware vs. software technology. Particular attention is devoted to central nervous system interfaces, especially those with application in healthcare and human enhancement. Finally, we critically assess the possible futures of neural interfacing and analyze the short- and long-term implications of such neurotechnologies.


This paper describes a novel and simple method for measuring the physical strength of pharmaceutical pellets prepared by extrusion granulation. Pharmaceutical powders composed of lactose, cornstarch, and microcrystalline cellulose were kneaded with purified water and dry binder (hydroxypropylcellulose), then extruded through a dome-type extrusion granulator. The physical strength of the dried extruded pellets was measured with a novel system: pellets and grinding alumina media were both fed into a ball mill pot and then "grinding degree" was measured as defined by the ground fine powder fraction after being rotated in the pot. The grinding conditions such as grinding time and number of alumina balls were optimized. The measured physical strength and pellet strength measured with a typical strength tester was compared. Quantitative relationships between the strength and the physical properties of the pellets such as friability and disintegration time were also investigated. It was found that the newly developed system could easily and accurately evaluate the physical strength of extruded pellets and could also predict the various physical properties.


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

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) such as sulindac sulfide (SS) display promising antineoplastic properties in experimental models, but toxicities from cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibition limit their clinical use for cancer chemoprevention. While COX inhibition is responsible for the anti-inflammatory activity of SS, recent studies suggest that phosphodiesterase (PDE) 5 inhibition and activation of cGMP signaling are closely associated with its ability to induce apoptosis of tumor cells. However, the underlying mechanisms responsible for apoptosis induction and factors that influence sensitivity to SS have not been well studied. Here we show that SS can induce apoptosis of breast tumor cells that express PDE5, but not normal mammary epithelial cells, which do not express PDE5. Inhibition of PDE5 and subsequent activation of PKG by SS was associated with increased β-catenin phosphorylation, decreased β-catenin mRNA and protein levels, reduced β-catenin nuclear localization, decreased Tcf/Lef promoter activity, and decreased expression of Wnt/β-catenin regulated proteins such as survivin. Suppression of PDE5 by siRNA or known PDE5 inhibitors was sufficient to selectively induce apoptosis and attenuate β-catenin mediated transcription in breast tumor cells with no effect on normal mammary epithelial cells. These findings provide evidence that PDE5 expression can influence the sensitivity of human breast tumor cells to SS and that cGMP can inhibit Wnt/β-catenin signaling and suppress the transcription of key apoptosis regulatory proteins. We conclude that PDE5 represents a novel molecular target for the discovery of safer and more efficacious drugs for the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. Funding provided by NIH/NCI grants CA131378 and CA148817.

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 1853. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1853


In some scenarios in severe accidents (SAs) of nuclear power plants (NPPs), non-condensable gas containing vapor and small particles of fission products (FPs) will be released from the reactor vessel, pass through the wet well of a suppression chamber. In these conditions, water inside the wet well will trap FPs before released to the atmosphere. This trapping effect is called pool scrubbing. Since pool scrubbing is assumed to have a good decontamination effect, researches about the pool scrubbing are important from the viewpoints of NPPs safety. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the two-phase flow behavior in pool scrubbing.
 The mechanism of the FPs removal behavior in pool scrubbing is not clearly understood due to the complicated hydrodynamic phenomena. In addition, the evaluation of the validity of physical models used in pre-existing SA analysis codes are not enough. Therefore, a reliable model to evaluate particle decontamination efficiency by pool scrubbing is highly regarded.
 Currently, decontamination factor (DF) of pool scrubbing is calculated by analysis code such as MELCOR. In the MELCOR code, some assumptions and empirical formula are used, e.g. bubble diameter and rising velocity. However, the correlation between DF and flow structure characteristics are not understood, and dominant factor of decontamination behavior in two phase flow is required.
 Therefore, the aim of this study is to elucidate the dominant factor of decontamination by measuring DF and flow structure of bubbly plume. As to understand two phase flow characteristics during pool scrubbing, we focus on bubble diameter and swarm rise velocity. In Air-particle mixture flow injected into the experimental facility gas velocity, void fraction and bubble diameter distribution were measured by a wire mesh sensor (WMS) in each height. In addition, DF by pool scrubbing was derived from aerosol measurements by an aerosol spectrometer. The measured warm rise velocity were compared with equation of single bubble terminal velocity. The swarm rise velocity is higher than single bubble velocity. Furthermore, Large bubble are identified to be still remained at swarm region defined in MELCOR. In addition, dominant factor of decontamination behavior is defined as particle diameter, neither aerosol solubility nor particle density.


The hydrological processes of a catchment are the function of climate, land use and land cover. Changes in either climate or land use or land cover can result in alteration of the catchment's hydrological processes. In the recent past, Msimbazi catchment in Dar es Salaam has undergone drastic land cover changes mainly due to urbanisation. These land cover changes caused changes in the behaviour of river flow resulting in frequent floods. Therefore, this study analyses the impacts of the changes in land cover due to urbanisation specifically with the changes in river flow, surface run-off and base-flows. Previously generated land cover maps of Msimbazi catchment and a combination of spatial and meteorological climate datasets were used to parameterise the hydrological model (SWAT). The model was calibrated and validated using the Sequential Uncertainty Fitting algorithm (SUFI-2) on a monthly resolution. The results show that there is an increase in surface run-off, mean river flow and the reduction of base-flow with the increase in urbanisation within the catchment. These increase in river flows, surface run-off and reduction of base-flow indicates the likelihood of an increase in flooding events in the catchment.


This paper builds on sociological assumptions that teachers, schools and schooling may play an important role in the recognition and psychopathologization of particular boys as 'difficult, disordered and disturbed'. The data draw on ethnographic work combined with video recordings of everyday classroom practices in a special educational needs unit with boys diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). Drawing on ethnomethodological work on members' understanding of social categories (MCA) combined with the related methodology of 'doing difference', the focus is on the local social process through which boys' unruly behaviors are made sense of and treated as the grounds for shifting categorization practices. It is found that both teachers and boys orient to the institutional categories Teacher and Student in teacher–student interactions for the ordering of the classroom . The boys' conduct is in these instances far from pathological but is meaningful in the sense that it provides local resources to resist teacher authorithy and display agency. Overall, the analysis highlights the complexity of locally accomplished identity practices – in terms of how institutional-, gender- and age-appropriate conduct meshes with diagnostic criteria – in the social identification of boys diagnosed with ADHD.


Preface. Chapter 1: Success or Failure with Best Practices. Chapter 2: Credit Policies, Procedures, and Systems. Chapter 3: Credit Granting Techniques. Chapter 4: Invoice Creation. Chapter 5: Invoice Delivery. Chapter 6: Cash Collection and Application. Chapter 7: Managing the Collection Department. Chapter 8: Collection Systems. Chapter 9: Collection Techniques. Chapter 10: Deduction Management. Chapter 11: Outsourcing Collections. Chapter 12: Billing and Collections Measurements. Appendix: Summary of Best Practices. Glossary. Index.


Images produced in emission tomography with unconstrained maximum-likelihood estimation techniques exhibit two artifacts as the likelihood hill is climbed and the images converge toward one with maximum likelihood. The first artifact is a speckled appearance on the image, a noise artifact. The second is an estimation error near edges of the underlying radioactivity concentration. However, if mathematical constraints are used that blur the estimated image and the image being estimated, these artifacts are eliminated. The authors review the nature of these constraints, demonstrate them, and measure the performance of the modified algorithm relative to the classical linear image-estimation algorithm. >


Recent literature has shown the existence of pathologies if one combines the most important models for pricing and hedging derivatives and coherent risk measures. There may exist portfolios (good deals) whose (return; risk) is as close as desired to (1; 􀀀1). This paper goes beyond existence properties and looks for explicit constructions and empirical tests. It will be shown that the good deal above may be a combination of European and digital options, very easy to replicate in practice. This theoretical nding will enable us to implement empirical experiments involving three international stock indices (S&P_500, Eurostoxx_50 and DAX) and three commodity futures (Gold, Brent and DJ 􀀀 UBSCI). According to the empirical results, the good deal always outperforms the underlying index/commodity. The good deal is built in full compliance with the standard Derivative Pricing Theory. Properties of classical pricing models totally inspire and lead the good deal construction. This is a very interesting di¤erence with respect to previous literature attempting to outperform a benchmark. Besides, the selected pricing models satisfy the existence of risk neutral probabilities such that self- nancing price processes become martingales. According to recent results, while local martin- gales characterize the absence of arbitrage, martingales characterize the existence of equilibrium. However, this equilibrium is di¢ cult to imagine, because for every portfolio traders can build a new one with identical price, higher return and lower risk. Perhaps dynamic arbitrage free pricing models contradict other important achievements of Financial Economics related to e¢ ciency and equilibrium, and further research is required to recover consistency.


The application of bacteria as plant growth promoters is a sustainable alternative to mitigate the use of chemical fertilization in agriculture, reducing negative economic and environmental impacts. Several plant growth-promoting bacteria synthesize and accumulate the intracellular polymer polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). However, the role of PHB in plant-bacterium interactions is poorly understood. In this study, applying the C4 model grass Setaria viridis and several mutants in the PHB metabolism of the endophyte Herbaspirillum seropedicae yielded new findings on the importance of PHB for bacterial colonization of S. viridis roots. Taken together, the results show that deletion of genes involved in the synthesis and degradation of PHB reduced the ability of the bacteria to enhance plant growth but with little effect on overall root colonization. The data suggest that PHB metabolism likely plays an important role in supporting specific metabolic routes utilized by the bacteria to stimulate plant growth. ABSTRACT Herbaspirillum seropedicae is an endophytic bacterium that establishes an association with a variety of plants, such as rice, corn, and sugarcane, and can significantly increase plant growth. H. seropedicae produces polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), stored in the form of insoluble granules. Little information is available on the possible role of PHB in bacterial root colonization or in plant growth promotion. To investigate whether PHB is important for the association of H. seropedicae with plants, we inoculated roots of Setaria viridis with H. seropedicae strain SmR1 and mutants defective in PHB production (ΔphaP1, ΔphaP1 ΔphaP2, ΔphaC1, and ΔphaR) or mobilization (ΔphaZ1 ΔphaZ2). The strains producing large amounts of PHB colonized roots, significantly increasing root area and the number of lateral roots compared to those of PHB-negative strains. H. seropedicae grows under microaerobic conditions, which can be found in the rhizosphere. When grown under low-oxygen conditions, only the parental strain and ΔphaP2 mutant exhibited normal growth. The lack of normal growth under low oxygen correlated with the inability to stimulate plant growth, although there was no effect on the level of root colonization. The data suggest that PHB is produced in the root rhizosphere and plays a role in maintaining normal metabolism under microaerobic conditions. To confirm this, we screened for green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression under the control of the H. seropedicae promoters of the PHA synthase and PHA depolymerase genes in the rhizosphere. PHB synthesis is active on the root surface and later PHB depolymerase expression is activated. IMPORTANCE The application of bacteria as plant growth promoters is a sustainable alternative to mitigate the use of chemical fertilization in agriculture, reducing negative economic and environmental impacts. Several plant growth-promoting bacteria synthesize and accumulate the intracellular polymer polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB). However, the role of PHB in plant-bacterium interactions is poorly understood. In this study, applying the C4 model grass Setaria viridis and several mutants in the PHB metabolism of the endophyte Herbaspirillum seropedicae yielded new findings on the importance of PHB for bacterial colonization of S. viridis roots. Taken together, the results show that deletion of genes involved in the synthesis and degradation of PHB reduced the ability of the bacteria to enhance plant growth but with little effect on overall root colonization. The data suggest that PHB metabolism likely plays an important role in supporting specific metabolic routes utilized by the bacteria to stimulate plant growth.


This study investigated 84 patients with burning mouth syndrome (BMS), who were asked to complete a hospital anxiety and depression (HAD) scale questionnaire. A control group of 69 patients was also included. All patients were interviewed regarding parafunctional habits and were subjectively examined for signs of occlusal wear of the natural teeth or dentures. The results demonstrated that parafunctional habits were present in 61% of patients with BMS. There was a statistically significantly relationship between parafunctional habits and anxiety as indicated by the HAD scale, but not with depression.


We present the first detection of the baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) signal obtained using unblinded data collected during the initial two months of operations of the Stage-IV ground-based Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). From a selected sample of 261,291 Luminous Red Galaxies spanning the redshift interval 0.4<z<1.1 and covering 1651 square degrees with a 57.9% completeness level, we report a ~5 sigma level BAO detection and the measurement of the BAO location at a precision of 1.7%. Using a Bright Galaxy Sample of 109,523 galaxies in the redshift range 0.1<z<0.5, over 3677 square degrees with a 50.0% completeness, we also detect the BAO feature at ~3 sigma significance with a 2.6% precision. These first BAO measurements represent an important milestone, acting as a quality control on the optimal performance of the complex robotically-actuated, fiber-fed DESI spectrograph, as well as an early validation of the DESI spectroscopic pipeline and data management system. Based on these first promising results, we forecast that DESI is on target to achieve a high-significance BAO detection at sub-percent precision with the completed 5-year survey data, meeting the top-level science requirements on BAO measurements. This exquisite level of precision will set new standards in cosmology and confirm DESI as the most competitive BAO experiment for the remainder of this decade.


The factors in the host conferring resistance to invasion by fungi which are obligate parasites are generally much more difficult to elucidate than where facultative parasites are involved, for the latter can be grown on culture media and their enzyme systems and other biochemical properties can be investigated in detail. At present, apart from the early stages after spore germination, a rust fungus can only be studied in relation to its host, and a clear analysis of the physiology of parasite and host respectively has not yet been achieved. Even in the rusts, however, structural features of the host occasionally confer some degree of resistance. In the wheat variety, Webster, profuse development of sclerenchyma in the stem checks mycelial growth of Puccinia graminis and confers a measure of resistance (Stakman, Levine & Griffee 1925), although other factors are also involved such as the tough character of the epidermis which impedes exposure of the pustules. Young barberry leaves are readily penetrated by the sporidial germ-tubes of P. graminis, whereas old leaves, provided with a thicker cuticle, are not infected. There is evidence, too, that the relative thickness of the cuticle is a factor in determining whether powdery mildews cause infection (Corner 1935). In connexion with attack by P. graminis on wheat it has been suggested (Hart 1929) that in some varieties tardy opening of the stomata in the morning confers a kind of functional resistance because the delicate germ-tubes of the spores on the surface are desiccated before penetration can be achieved. There is, however, some uncertainty about this interpretation.


Changing societies and economies pose novel challenges to the lives and work of secondary school teachers. These challenges affect them in various levels which include their personal, professional and aspirations in life. In the literature, this is understood as the condition of their Quality of Work-Life (QWL). The objectiveof this study is to examine the essential relationship of QWL and aspirations of secondary school teachers through a descriptive-correlation research design. The study conducted a survey which involved 118 respondents which represent 92 percent response rate. As regards aspirations, the results show that although respondents oftentimes experienced from moderate to high level of aspirations, the overall rating was high. The highest is in self-acceptance, which indicates that the most important aspirations for the respondents are to accept one's self, having a meaningful life and effectively handle one's self amidst problems. As for QWL, the respondents oftentimes perceived and experienced a high level of QWL. The highest is in social relevance of work, which indicates that respondents find their job to be challenging, rewarding and meaningful. In conclusion, the correlation analysis shows that there exist a significant relationship between QWL and Aspirations,which results to the rejection of the null hypothesis of this study. Keywords: Human resources management, quality of work-life, level of aspiration, secondary school teachers, Davao del Sur, Philippines


In Brain Computer Interface (BCI), data generated from Electroencephalogram (EEG) is non-stationary with low signal to noise ratio and contaminated with artifacts. Common Spatial Pattern (CSP) algorithm has been proved to be effective in BCI for extracting features in motor imagery tasks, but it is prone to overfitting. Many algorithms have been devised to regularize CSP for two class problem, however they have not been effective when applied to multiclass CSP. Outliers present in data affect extracted CSP features and reduces performance of the system. In addition to this non-stationarity present in the features extracted from the CSP present a challenge in classification. We propose a method to identify and remove artifact present in the data during pre-processing stage, this helps in calculating eigenvectors which in turn generates better CSP features. To handle the non-stationarity, Self-Regulated Interval Type-2 Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (SRIT2NFIS) was proposed in the literature for two class EEG classification problem. This paper extends the SRIT2NFIS to multiclass using Joint Approximate Diagonalization (JAD). The results on standard data set from BCI competition IV shows significant increase in the accuracies from the current state of the art methods for multiclass classification.


Over the past few years, symptoms akin to late blight disease have been reported on a variety of crop plants in South America. Despite the economic importance of these crops, the causal agents of the diseases belonging to the genus Phytophthora have not been completely characterized. In this study, we used an integrative approach that leveraged morphological, ecological, and genetic approaches to explore cryptic speciation within P. infestans sensu lato. We described a new Phytophthora species collected in Colombia from tree tomato (Solanum betaceum), a semi-domesticated fruit. All morphological traits and population genetic analyses, using microsatellite data and a reduced representation of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data, support the description of the new species, Phytophthora betacei sp. nov. We have demonstrated that ecological differences are important in the persistence of P. infestans and P. betacei as genetically isolated units across an overlapping area in the northern Andes.


This paper describes VExPat, a system that assists on the task of extracting patterns from musical sequences. Although there are known algorithms that perform this task efficiently, none of the existing analysis tools provide this functionality. Furthermore, VExPat provides a user-friendly interface, with score visualization and musical execution facilities, allowing its use even by computer non-specialists, which is the case for a large number of musicologists. Another innovation is the use of MusicXML, an extensible and user-accessible format for representation of music. Finally, it is proposed an architecture for dealing with different internal music representations, and also an object oriented model for a score viewer, both based on MusicXML.


Do electoral systems and intra-party candidate selection procedures influence the degree to which parties act in unison? Whereas the theoretical literature is quite clear about the hypothetical effect of these institutions, empirical evidence is mixed. In this article, I solve the puzzle and theorize about the interactive effects of elections and selections on parties' behavior. I argue that the effect of candidate selections depends on the electoral environment within which they operate. Specifically, in an electoral environment that creates incentives for candidate-centeredness, the less restrictive the selection method a party uses, the less unified its record; whereas in an electoral environment that emphasizes party-centeredness, the effect of selections on unity is more muted. Using the electoral reform and divergent selection mechanisms characterizing Israel during the last three decades and utilizing Rice Scores, I provide support for the conditional effect of electoral systems and selection procedures on party behavior.


No one practicing medicine today can escape the conviction that, since the advent of the antibiotics, the treatment of the infectious diseases has become more complicated at the same time that it has become more rewarding. I am repeatedly being asked to recommend a book which could be read by practitioners and house officers to bring them up to date in this field. The symposium held at Letterman General Hospital last year and now edited by Harold Neu fills this need very well. The topics assigned to the speakers are particularly pertinent to today's needs. Several well-known investigators review their work and bring it up to date: Finland on changing patterns of infection as shown by a review of bacteremias; Jawetz on the therapy of infections with a combination of antibiotics; Stamey on urinary tract infections; Artenstein on the prevention of meningococcal infections; and Louris on superinfections. The last fits


Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is one of the fastest growing Internet applications. It is a viable alternative to the traditional telephony systems due to its high resource utilization and cost efficiency. Meanwhile, Wireless Local Area Networks (WLANs) have become a ubiquitous networking technology that has been deployed around the world. Driven by these two popular technologies, Voice over WLAN (VoWLAN) has been emerging as an infrastructure to provide low‐cost wireless voice services. However, VoWLAN poses significant challenges since the performance characteristics of wireless networks are much worse than that of their wireline counterparts, and the IEEE 802.11‐based WLAN was not originally designed to support delay‐sensitive voice traffic. In this paper, we provide a survey of recent advances in VoWLAN voice capacity analysis, call admission schemes, and medium access control (MAC) layer quality of service (QoS) enhancement mechanisms. Some open research issues are presented for further investigation. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


To advance research and improve the scientific return on data collection and interpretation efforts in the geosciences, we have developed methods of interactive visualization, with a special focus on immersive virtual reality (VR) environments. Earth sciences employ a strongly visual approach to the measurement and analysis of geologic data due to the spatial and temporal scales over which such data ranges. As observations and simulations increase in size and complexity, the Earth sciences are challenged to manage and interpret increasing amounts of data. Reaping the full intellectual benefits of immersive VR requires us to tailor exploratory approaches to scientific problems. These applications build on the visualization method's strengths, using both 3D perception and interaction with data and models, to take advantage of the skills and training of the geological scientists exploring their data in the VR environment. This interactive approach has enabled us to develop a suite of tools that are adaptable to a range of problems in the geosciences and beyond.


To achieve the highest CMMI maturity level, an organization needs to identify problems, improvement opportunities and innovation and to perform actions to solve the problems and implement the innovations and improvements. Six sigma is a methodology that supports CMMI through a systematic method for problem analysis and process improvement. In this context, this work presents a strategy for identifying, prioritizing and classifying improvement and innovation actions using six sigma in compliance with CMMI level 5. It also presents a practical example of the proposed approach.


Hospitals in Kenya continue to use the Febrile Antigen Brucella Agglutination Test (FBAT) to diagnose brucellosis, despite reports showing its inadequacy. This study generated hospital-based evidence on the performance and cost-effectiveness of the FBAT, compared to the Rose Bengal Test (RBT).Twelve hospitals in western Kenya stored patient serum samples that were tested for brucellosis using the FBAT, and these were later re-tested using the RBT. Data on the running time and cost of the FBAT, and the treatment prescribed for brucellosis, were collected. The cost-effectiveness of the two tests, defined as the cost in US Dollars ($) per Disability Adjusted Life Year (DALY) averted, was determined, and a basic sensitivity analysis was run to identify the most influential parameters. Over a 6-month period, 180 patient serum samples that were tested with FBAT at the hospitals were later re-tested with RBT at the field laboratory. Of these 24 (13.3%) and 3 (1.7%) tested positive with FBAT and RBT, respectively. The agreement between the FBAT and RBT was slight (Kappa = 0.12). Treatment prescribed following FBAT positivity varied between hospitals, and only one hospital prescribed a standardized therapy regimen. The mean $/DALY averted when using the FBAT and RBT were $2,065 (95% CI $481-$6,736) and $304 (95% CI $126-$604), respectively. Brucellosis prevalence was the most influential parameter in the cost-effectiveness of both tests. Extrapolation to the national level suggested that an estimated $338,891 (95% CI $47,000-$1,149,000) per year is currently spent unnecessarily treating those falsely testing positive by FBAT. These findings highlight the potential for misdiagnosis using the FBAT. Furthermore, the RBT is cost-effective, and could be considered as the mainstay screening test for human brucellosis in this setting. Lastly, the treatment regimens must be harmonized to ensure the appropriate use of antibiotics for treatment.


It is important to know the behavior of jets from a top blown lance in order to control the refining and spitting phenomena of the converter in the steelmaking process. However, there are few theoretical studies on the characteristics of the jets from the nozzles. In the present study, the characteristics of jets from single-nozzle and multi-nozzle lances were investigated by a fluid flow analysis based on fluid dynamics. The accuracy of the analysis was confirmed with the results of the cold model experiments. As a result, it is clarified that the dynamic pressures of the jets from the single-nozzle or multi-nozzle lances are in a good agreement with those in the cold model experiments and are influenced by the nozzle geometry such as the inclination angle and the number of nozzles. It is also clarified that the jets from the nozzles proceed the different paths from those obtained geometrically due to coalescence between the jets.


Interactively synthesizing novel combinations and variations of character movements from different motion skills is a key problem in computer animation. In this paper, we propose a deep learning framework to produce a large variety of martial arts movements in a controllable manner from raw motion capture data. Our method imitates animation layering using neural networks with the aim to overcome typical challenges when mixing, blending and editing movements from unaligned motion sources. The framework can synthesize novel movements from given reference motions and simple user controls, and generate unseen sequences of locomotion, punching, kicking, avoiding and combinations thereof, but also reconstruct signature motions of different fighters, as well as close-character interactions such as clinching and carrying by learning the spatial joint relationships. To achieve this goal, we adopt a modular framework which is composed of the motion generator and a set of different control modules. The motion generator functions as a motion manifold that projects novel mixed/edited trajectories to natural full-body motions, and synthesizes realistic transitions between different motions. The control modules are task dependent and can be developed and trained separately by engineers to include novel motion tasks, which greatly reduces network iteration time when working with large-scale datasets. Our modular framework provides a transparent control interface for animators that allows modifying or combining movements after network training, and enables iterative adding of control modules for different motion tasks and behaviors. Our system can be used for offline and online motion generation alike, and is relevant for real-time applications such as computer games.


B89 Objective: A recent meta-analysis reported that numerous studies have generally observed a decreased risk in prostate cancer among diabetics. However, other studies have reported both positive and inverse associations between the metabolic syndrome and prostate cancer risk. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of C-peptide, a marker of insulin secretion, with subsequent diagnosis of prostate cancer.
 >Methods: Histologically confirmed prostate cancer cases (n = 264) and matched controls (n = 264) were identified between baseline in 1989 and December 2002 in the CLUE II cohort of Washington County, Maryland. Cases were ascertained via linkage to the Washington County Cancer Registry and, since 1992, to the Maryland Cancer Registry, from which stage and Gleason sum at diagnosis were obtained. Controls were matched to cases on age at blood donation, race, date of blood draw, and the number of hours between the last meal and blood draw. Concentrations of C-peptide were measured in baseline blood specimens using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Body mass index (BMI) at baseline and age 21, use of diabetes medication, dietary factors, and use of vitamin supplements were self-reported at baseline. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated from conditional logistic regression models. We assessed confounding and present a parsimonious model.
 >Results: Median concentration of C-peptide were statistically significantly lower in cases (1180.1 pmol/L) compared with controls (1365.4 pmol/L; p = 0.009). Compared with the bottom fourth, the highest fourth of plasma C-peptide concentration was inversely associated with prostate cancer risk (OR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.37 - 1.14; ptrend = 0.08), especially organ-confined disease (OR = 0.44, 95% CI = 0.19 - 0.97; ptrend = 0.04), after adjusting for overweight or obesity status and family history of prostate cancer. The associations remained similar when the analysis was restricted to participants without diabetes or when cases diagnosed during the first five years of follow-up were excluded. BMI did not modify the association between C-peptide and prostate cancer overall or organ-confined disease.
 >Conclusions: Like diabetes and, in some studies, the metabolic syndrome, concentration of C-peptide appeared to be inversely associated with subsequent diagnosis of prostate cancer, especially organ-confined cases.
 >Funding: EDRN U01 CA 86308; Cancer Epidemiology, Prevention, and Control Training Fellowship (T32 CA 009314)


This report provides the technical results of the second dry run transporting mangoes and avocados from Haiti to the US. For both fruits, temperature has been registered from the moment of harvest till arrival at destinations. Also logistical data like planning preparing the test, time needed for each step, and quality of fruits has been analysed, following the procedures as presented in the Standard Operational Procedures for both fruits. The process was organised together with the two new partners Haiti Mango Consortium and Agriledger, both contracted by MCI for the next phase of exporting fruits to the US. After an introduction chapter, technical observations and remarks are provided for both mango and avocado in the next two chapters, with a concluding last chapter afterwards that provides overall analysis, lessons learned and recommendations. Based on the lessons learned the Standard Operation Procedures (SOPs) will be updated. A major change will be that Collection Points will be introduced as transport from tree to truck cannot be controlled by project partners. SOPs will be updated over the coming months June-July 2019.


A fundamental part of a fault diagnosis system is the residual generator. Here a new method, the minimal polynomial basis approach, for design of residual generators for linear systems, is presented. The residual generation problem is transformed into a problem of finding polynomial bases for null-spaces of polynomial matrices. This is a standard problem in established linear systems theory, which means that numerically efficient computational tools are generally available. It is shown that the minimal polynomial basis approach can find all possible residual generators and explicitly those of minimal order.


Bulk tellurium (Te) presents a threefold screw axis with highly anisotropic chain structure, where every Te atom forms strong covalent bonds in the chain and much weaker bonds in the adjacent chains. The bonds in the adjacent chains are critical to the total energies of Te nanostructures since the nearest neighbors are always saturated. Confirmed by our model simulation and first-principles calculations, the nanobelts would be stabilized at the temperature of 600 K due to the entropy effect, though the hexagonal nanowires have the smallest surface-to-volume ratio. Attributed to the geometry asymmetry of the highly anisotropic chain, we showed that the difference of weaker bonds' distribution induces an intrinsic dipole, and thus a charge separation at the two ends of Te nanobelts. Interestingly, it further leads to a semiconductor–metal transition which is also verified by our first-principles calculations. Our finding provides a new mechanism of charge separation and semiconductor–metal transition, due to the unique asymmetry of geometry in Te nanostructures.


In Russia, as the confrontation over the constitutional distribution of authority raged, Boris Yeltsin's economic program regularly wended its way in and out of the Constitutional Court until Yeltsin finally suspended that court in the aftermath of his clash with the hard-line parliament. In Europe, French and German legislators and executives now routinely alter desired policies in response to or in anticipation of the pronouncements of constitutional courts. In Latin America and Africa, courts are--or will be-- important participants in ongoing efforts to establish constitutional rules and policies protect new or fragile democracies from the threats of military intervention, ethnic conflict, and revolution. This global expansion of judicial power, or judicialization of politics is accompanied by an increasing domination of negotiating or decision making arenas by quasi- judicial procedures. For better or for worse, the judicialization of politics has become one of the most significant trends of the end of the millenium. In this book, political scientists, legal scholars, and judges around the world trace the intellectual origins of this trend, describe its occurence--or lack of occurence--in specific nations, analyze the circumstances and conditions that promote or retard judicialization, and evaluate the phenomenon from a variety of intellectual and ideological perspectives. (Less)


Recently advances in the design of general purpose SoC have revolutionized the conception of embedded systems, thanks to the availability of several, most of the time asymmetric, units of calculation. Nevertheless a deep knowledge of the internal hardware architecture of these multi-core SoC is required to efficiently benefit from its large computing performance. The current work, the SOSoC project, provides a Linux framework which offers the opportunity to application developers to optimize in a transparent way the execution of algorithms by dispatching tasks, dynamically or statically, among the various available cores to benefit a maximum from the available hardware.


It is an important problem to efficiently support similarity search for multi-dimensional data spaces in peer-to-peer (P2P) data management environment. Current unstructured P2P data sharing systems provide only a very rudimentary facility in query processing, i.e., matching-based query processing. This paper therefore presents a simple, yet effective index structure called EVARI (extended vector approximation routing index) to address the problem of multi-dimensional range search in unstructured P2P systems, by means of both data approximation and routing index techniques. With the aid of the EVARI, each peer can not only process range queries with its local dataset, but also route queries to promising peers with the desired data objects. In the proposed scheme, each peer summarizes its local content using space-partitioning technique, and exchanges the summarized information with neighboring peers to construct the EVARI. Furthermore, each peer can reconfigure its neighboring peers to keep the relevant peers nearby so as to optimize system resource configuration and improve system performance. Extensive experiments show the good performance of the proposed approach.


It was supposed to be an amicable "merger of equals," an example of European togetherness, a synergistic deal that would create the world's second-largest consumer foods company out of two former competitors. But the marriage of entrepreneurial powerhouse Royal Biscuit and the conservative, family-owned Edeling GmbH is beginning to look overly ambitious. Integration planning is way behind schedule. Investors seem wary. But for Royal Biscuit HR head Michael Brighton, the most immediate problem is that he can't get his German counterpart, Dieter Wallach, to collaborate on a workable leadership development plan for the merged company's executives. And stockholders have been promised details of the new organizational structure, including a precise timetable, in less than a month. The CEO of the British company--and of the postmerger Royal Edeling--is furious. It's partly a culture clash, but the problems may run deeper than that. The press is harping on details that counter the official merger-of-equals line. For instance, seven of the ten seats on the new company's management board will be held by Royal Biscuit executives. Will the clash of cultures undermine this cross-border merger? Commenting on the fictional case study are Robert F. Bruner, the executive director of the Batten-Institute at the University of Virginia's Darden Graduate School of Business Administration in Charlottesville; Leda Cosmides and John Tooby, the codirectors of the Center for Evolutionary Psychology at the University of California, Santa Barbara; Michael Pragnell, the CEO and director of the board for the agribusiness firm Syngenta, based in Basel, Switzerland; and David Schweiger, the president of the Columbia, South Carolina--based management consulting firm Schweiger and Associates.


Fecal calprotectin (FC) is a highly sensitive disease activity biomarker in inflammatory bowel disease. However, there are conflicting reports on whether the diagnostic accuracy in Crohn's disease is influenced by disease location. The aim of this study was to undertake a systematic review of the published literature. Relevant databases were searched from inception to November 8, 2016 for cohort and case control studies which had data on FC in patients with isolated small bowel (SB) and large bowel (LB) Crohn's disease. Reference standards for disease activity were endoscopy, magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography or a combination of these. The QUADAS-2 research tool was used to assess the risk of bias. There were 5,619 records identified at initial search. The 2,098 duplicates were removed and 3,521 records screened. Sixty-one full text articles were assessed for eligibility and 16 studies were included in the final review with sensitivities and specificities per disease location available from 8 studies. Sensitivities of FC at SB and LB locations ranged from 42.9% to 100% and 66.7% to 100% respectively while corresponding specificities were 50% to 100% and 28.6% to 100% respectively. The sensitivities and specificities of FC to accurately measure disease activity in Crohn's disease at different disease locations are diverse and no firm conclusion can be made. Better studies need to be undertaken to categorically answer the effect of disease location on the diagnostic accuracy of FC.


Living in a world of unstable and fluctuating economy has put children's development at risk particularly children from low-income families. Hence their development should be on alert. The concern regarding online learning is crucial towards children's emotional development as it can positively or negatively affect them. In the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA), no other performance is relevant due to high-speed change. Children as young generations today have more disruptive behaviours causing adults to be fearful in dealing with their unruly behaviour. This study discovered the impact of the current environmental situation of uncertainty and parent-child relationship on children's emotional development. In view of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and preventive measures, the study was conducted with parents' consent using an online survey tool administered using Google Form. The quantitative survey comprised general population-CORE (GP-CORE) and perceived stress scale (PSS) questionnaires from 108 respondents studying in primary schools around urban areas in Selangor, Malaysia. The findings were analysed and described descriptively. Findings showed that children are greatly affected by parents' job loss and low-income households' instability, causing emotional stress when learning from home. Therefore, the study can be the mechanism to aid the educational system in emphasising emotional learning in school.


Abstract Background Recent studies have suggested postoperative acute pancreatitis (POAP) as a serious complication after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) and have speculated on its possible role in the pathogenesis of postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF). This study aimed to assess the impact of POAP on post-PD outcomes and fistula risk score (FRS) performance in predicting POAP. Methods All PDs at Helsinki University Hospital between 2013 and 2020 were analysed. POAP was defined as a plasma amylase activity greater than the normal upper limit on postoperative day (POD) 1 and stratified as clinically relevant (CR)-POAP once C-reactive protein (CRP) reached or exceeded 180 mg/l, and non-CR-POAP once CRP was less than 180 mg/l on POD 2. The Comprehensive Complication Index (CCI) was used to assess total postoperative morbidity. Different FRSs were assessed using receiver operating characteristic curves. Results Of the 508 patients included, POAP occurred in 202 (39.8 per cent) patients, of whom 91 (17.9 per cent) had CR-POAP. The incidence of CR-POPF was 12.6 per cent (64 patients). Patients with non-CR-POAP had a similar morbidity to patients with no POAP (median CCI score 24.2 versus 22.6; P = 0.142), while CCI score was significantly higher (37.2) in patients with CR-POAP (P < 0.001). CR-POAP was associated with increased rates of CR-POPF, delayed gastric emptying, haemorrhage, and bile leak, while non-CR-POAP was associated only with CR-POPF. Ninety-day mortality was 1.6 per cent, 0.9 per cent, and 3.3 per cent in patients with no-POAP, non-CR-POAP, and CR-POAP, respectively. Updated alternative FRS showed the best performance in predicting CR-POAP (area under the curve 0.834). Conclusion CR-POAP was associated with a higher CCI score, suggesting CR-POAP as a distinct entity from non-CR-POAP. FRSs can be used to assess the risk of CR-POAP.


Based on the framework of human resource development and workplace educational needs, this study set focus on analyzing working adults' propensity toward attending online accounting MBA courses and whether specific content areas may be related to this fact. A sample of 100 graduate students enrolled in a top-ranked face-to-face Brazilian accounting MBA was studied. Findings support the assumption that course content plays a relevant role to students' propensity toward attending online courses.


Niacin was added daily to the drinking water of control and Bordetella avium-infected turkey poults at a dosage of 0, 70, and 280 mg/liter over a 2-week experimental period. Fourteen days postinoculation, tracheal sections were examined by histological and morphometrical analysis of cilia, as well as agar plate isolation for bacteria. Infected poults exhibited a 96-97% loss of cilia along the tracheal epithelial border, compared with only a 4-5% loss in controls. Infected poults receiving niacin in the drinking water exhibited only a 61.0% and 76.0% loss of cilia at doses of 70 mg/liter and 280 mg/liter, respectively. The results indicate that niacin treatment may influence the pathogenicity of B. avium infection.


The structural and electronic properties of silicon carbide nanoribbons (SiC NRs) with edges passivated by hydrogen and halogens are calculated based on density functional theory. It is found that the band gap (Eg) values of armchair SiC NRs decrease as the atomic number of hydrogen and halogen elements increases. However the effect of edge functionalization on the Eg of zigzag SiC NRs is very small. This is because the energy levels of the conduction band minimum of armchair SiC NRs shift to lower energy by introducing hydrogen and halogen atoms, while the energies of the valence band maximum are barely affected. Our results provide a theoretical guideline to adjust the electronic properties of SiC NRs.


The flow field in a preswirled cooling air supply to a turbine rotor has been investigated by means of CFD-simulations. Coefficients for system efficiency are derived. The influences of various geometrical parameters for different configurations have been correlated with the help of appropriate coefficients. For some of the most important geometrical parameters of the coverplate receiver design recommendations have been found. For the preswirl nozzles the potential of efficiency improvement by contour design is highlighted.Copyright © 1996 by ASME


This research aims to describe on how silk weaving culture is passed on from one generation to the next through the process of entrepreneurship education in the silk weaver family. The weaving culture of the Bugis Wajo people as a local wisdom needs to be preserved in order to maintain its authenticity and the cultural values. This paper employed a qualitative study with semi-structured interviews on 7 respondents in Wajo Regency, South Sulawesi. The results showed that the educational process in the family of silk weaving craftsmen was not given in a structured manner; the education was obtained by children through their early experiences in grasping routine activities carried out by former generations. The process of entrepreneurship education is carried out through instilling discipline, setting an example, and modelling. In this way, the culture of silk weaving can be preserved. This paper offers theoretical and practical implications. For theoretical implication, this research fills the gaps in existing research. Moreover, for practical implications, it is expected that the decision makers in related industry should be able to preserve the privileges of the silk weaving as a local cultural heritage.


Harrison, A. P., and J. A. Flatman. Measurement of force and both surface and deep M wave properties in isolated rat soleus muscles. Am. J. Physiol. 277 (Regulatory Integrative Comp. Physiol. 46): R1646–R1653, 1999.—In isolated soleus muscles of 4-wk-old rats, M wave parameters were recorded with surface and deep recording electrodes and examined in relation to both twitch and tetanic force. Addition of ouabain (1025 M for 16 min) to isolated muscles caused an ,40% decrease in twitch amplitude and area (P , 0.01) that was associated with a 98% decrease in surface M wave amplitude, a 78% decrease in deep M wave amplitude (both P , 0.001), a 98% decrease in surface M wave area (P , 0.01), 48% of which occurred within 60 s of addition of ouabain (P , 0.05), and a 55% decrease in deep M wave area (P , 0.05). The decrease in twitch parameters on addition of ouabain was most closely correlated with deep M wave area (r 5 0.92). Direct tetanic stimulation at a frequency of 30 Hz resulted in an initial potentiation of M waves, which was not seen at a frequency of 90 Hz. Instead, 90 Hz stimulation resulted in a prompt decrease in tetanic force that was correlated with a decrease in both deep M wave amplitude (r 5 0.94; P , 0.01) and deep M wave area (r 5 0.96; P , 0.01). It is concluded that simultaneous surface and deep recordings involving area and amplitude are fundamental to analysis of the effects of pharmacological agents on muscle performance and the use of M waves as predictors of muscle excitability.


A rapid rise in obesity, as well as physical inactivity, in industrialized countries is associated with fructose-consumption-mediated metabolic syndrome having a strong association with cardiovascular disease. Although insulin resistance is thought to be at the core, visceral obesity, hypertension, and hypertriglyceridemia are also considered important components of this metabolic disorder. In addition, various other abnormalities such as inflammation, oxidative stress, and elevated levels of uric acid are also part of this syndrome. Lifestyle changes through improved physical activity, as well as nutrition, are important approaches to minimize metabolic syndrome and its deleterious effects.


How literary history evolves will largely depend on the modifications of the wider framework in which its evolution takes place. Understanding these modifications seems to be an essential first step. In this paper I concentrate on three factors (the nation state; the media; the evolution of society under the pressures of changing demographics), and seek to elucidate and weigh their importance for literary history.


Fenton (H2O2/Fe2+) system is a simple and efficient advanced oxidation technology (AOT) for the treatment of organic micropollutants in water and soil. However, it suffers from some drawbacks including high amount of the catalyst, acid pH requirement, sludge formation and slow regeneration of Fe2+ ions. If these drawbacks are surmounted, Fenton system can be the best choice AOT for the removal of persistent organics from water and soil. In this work, it was attempted to replace the homogeneous catalyst with a heterogeneous natural iron-based catalyst for the decomposition of H2O2 into oxidative radical species, mainly hydroxyl (HO•) and hydroperoxyl radicals (HO2•). The natural iron-based catalyst is hematite-rich (α-Fe2O3) and contains a nonnegligible amount of magnetite (Fe3O4) indicating the coexistence of Fe (III) and Fe(II) species. A pseudo-first order kinetics was determined for the decomposition of H2O2 by the iron-based solid catalyst with a rate constant increasing with the catalyst dose. The catalytic decomposition of H2O2 into hydroxyl radicals in the presence of the natural Fe-based catalyst was confirmed by the hydroxylation of benzoic acid into salicylic acid. The natural Fe-based catalyst/H2O2 system was applied for the degradation of riluzole in water. It was demonstrated that the smaller the particle size of the catalyst, the larger its surface area and the greater its catalytic activity towards H2O2 decomposition into hydroxyl radicals. The degradation of riluzole can occur at all pH levels in the range 3.0–12.0 with a rate and efficiency greater than H2O2 oxidation alone, indicating that the natural Fe-based catalyst can function at any pH without the need to control the pH by the addition of chemicals. An improvement in the efficiency and kinetics of the degradation of riluzole was observed under UV irradiation for both homogeneous and heterogeneous Fenton systems. The results chromatography analysis demonstrate that the degradation of riluzole starts by the opening of the triazole ring by releasing nitrate, sulfate, and fluoride ions. The reuse of the catalyst after heat treatment at 500 °C demonstrated that the heat-treated catalyst retained an efficiency >90% after five cycles. The results confirmed that the natural sources of iron, as a heterogeneous catalyst in a Fenton-like system, is an appropriate replacement of a Fe2+ homogeneous catalyst. The reuse of the heterogeneous catalyst after a heat-treatment represents an additional advantage of using a natural iron-based catalyst in Fenton-like systems.


Soon, Google Glass will be worn by many users as part of the Glass Explorers Program. However, to get to this point, Google first hired many of the academics who have worn such devices as part of their everyday lives. Here, Thad Starner discusses how he got hooked on HUDs and why he thinks wearable interfaces will help users pay attention to the real world as opposed to retreating from it.


One quarter of the world's population are infected by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), which is a leading death-causing bacterial pathogen. Recent evidence has demonstrated that two virulence factors, ESAT-6 and CFP-10, play crucial roles in Mtb's cytosolic translocation. Many efforts have been made to study the ESAT-6 and CFP-10 proteins. Some studies have shown that ESAT-6 has an essential role in rupturing phagosome. However, the mechanisms of how ESAT-6 interacts with the membrane have not yet been fully understood. Recent studies indicate that the ESAT-6 disassociates with CFP-10 upon their interaction with phagosome membrane, forming a membrane-spanning pore. Based on these observations, as well as the available structure of ESAT-6, ESAT-6 is hypothesized to form an oligomer for membrane insertion as well as rupturing. Such an ESAT-6 oligomer may play a significant role in the tuberculosis infection. Therefore, deeper understanding of the oligomerization of ESAT-6 will establish new directions for tuberculosis treatment. However, the structure of the oligomer of ESAT-6 is not known. Here, we proposed a comprehensive approach to model the complex structures of ESAT-6 oligomer inside a membrane. Several computational tools, including MD simulation, symmetrical docking, MM/PBSA, are used to obtain and characterize such a complex structure. Results from our studies lead to a well-supported hypothesis of the ESAT-6 oligomerization as well as the identification of essential residues in stabilizing the ESAT-6 oligomer which provide useful insights for future drug design targeting tuberculosis. The approach in this research can also be used to model and study other cross-membrane complex structures.


The cooperation of biocatalysis and chemocatalysis in a catalytic cascade reaction has received extensive attention in recent years, whereas its practical applications are still hampered due to the fragility of the enzymes, poor compatibility between the carriers and enzymes, and limited catalytic efficiency. Herein, a biomimetic cascade nanoreactor (GOx@COFs@Os) was presented by integrating glucose oxidase (GOx) and Os nanozyme with covalent organic framework (COF) capsule using metal-organic framework (ZIF-90) as a template. The obtained GOx@COFs@Os capsule provided a capacious microenvironment to retain the conformational freedom of GOx for maintaining its activity, wherein the enzyme activity of GOx in COF capsules was equal to 92.9% of the free enzyme and was 1.88-folds higher than that encapsulated in ZIF-90. Meanwhile, the COF capsule could protect the GOx against incompatible environments (high temperature, acid, and organic solvents), resulting in improved stability of the packaged enzymes. Moreover, the COF capsule with great pore structure significantly improved the affinity to substrates and facilitated efficient mass transfer, which achieved 2.19-folds improvement in catalytic efficiency than the free cascade system, displaying the great catalytic performance in the cascade reaction. More importantly, the biomimetic cascade capsule was successfully employed for glucose monitoring, glutathione sensing, and bisphenol S detection in the immunoassay as a proof-of-concept. Our strategy provided a new avenue in the improvement of biocatalytic cascade performance to encourage its wide applications in various fields.


Skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM), characterized by high immunogenicity, has an increasing incidence in recent years. The development of immunotherapy recently offered a promising treatment for patients with SKCM. Unfortunately, not all patients derive benefit from such treatment, so we still face considerable challenges. Hence, it is imperative to develop novel prognostic signature and identify immunotherapeutic targets. In the present study, patients in high immune scores group presented a higher survival rate, while no statistical difference was observed in groups with different stromal scores. 493 DEGs were identified for functional analysis, which were enriched in function related to immune regulation such as lymphocyte activation and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction. Subsequently, 84 DEGs intersected from Univariate Cox regression analysis and top 100 hub genes in PPI network were identified for the construction of prognostic model. Finally, a prognostic signature including 3 genes (HLA-DQB2, CD80 and GBP4) was established in TCGA training dataset, which was effectively validated in test dataset. Moreover, the model was considered as an independent prognostic factor via univariate and multivariate analysis. Besides, CIBERSORT and correlation analysis demonstrated that the expression level of risk scores was significantly correlated to infiltration levels of immune cells in SKCM. Above all, our study developed a novel prognostic signature, serving as potential prognostic biomarker for SKCM patients. A closely correlation between the prognostic model and tumor immune microenvironment was confirmed, offering a novel insight for the pathogenesis and potential immunotherapy for SKCM.


The purpose of This work is to demonstrate that a tight dynamical connection may be made between text and interactive visualization imagery. It shows that a bi-directional linkage may be created between the image space of a visualization program and hypertext space so that dynamical image and text representations of a data object are synchronized, thus maintaining the consistency of the visual information and information context. The paper begins with an analysis of the relationship between text and image, drawing upon examples from the history of art. It then discusses how text and imagery may be bound to improve the communication of information. Finally, a simple mapping application is created employing XML, HTML, and scalable vector graphics (SVG) demonstrating these principles.


A report is given about a 53 years old man with a "stagnant loop syndrome" associated with a diverticulosis of the whole small intestine and colon. Steatorrhoea was the main clinical symptom. The classification, distribution and frequency of intestinal diverticulosis is based on radiological results. The pathological values of the absorption tests prompted for a discussion of new examinations in the "stagnant loop syndrome". The property of the intestinal bacteria to influence the absorption of fat, xylose and vitamin B12 is stressed. Finally the possible methods of treating the diverticulosis with "stagnant loop syndrome" are discussed.


We apply Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to ∼100,000 stellar spectra obtained by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS). In order to avoid strong nonlinear variation of spectra with effective temperature, the sample is binned into 0.02 mag wide intervals of the g − r color (−0.20 < g − r < 0.90, roughly corresponding to MK spectral types A3–K3), and PCA is applied independently for each bin. In each color bin, the first four eigenspectra are sufficient to describe the observed spectra within the measurement noise. We discuss correlations of eigencoefficients with metallicity and gravity estimated by the Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration Stellar Parameters Pipeline. The resulting high signal-to-noise mean spectra and the other three eigenspectra are made publicly available. These data can be used to generate high-quality spectra for an arbitrary combination of effective temperature, metallicity, and gravity within the parameter space probed by the SDSS. The SDSS stellar spectroscopic database and the PCA results presented here offer a convenient method to classify new spectra, to search for unusual spectra, to train various spectral classification methods, and to synthesize accurate colors in arbitrary optical bandpasses.