The purpose of the study was to compare the concentrative uptake processes of the 14C-labeled purines uric acid (UA) and hypoxanthine (HX) by slices of chicken renal cortex. It was found that both purines were accumulated by the slices and that, while UA was unaltered metabolically, HX was partially oxidized to UA during the incubation. Inhibition of the oxidation of HX to UA by use of the enzyme inhibitor allopurinol did not alter accumulation indicating that metabolism of HX did not drive accumulation. UA accumulation was eliminated by the presence of low concentrations of the organic anion transport inhibitors probenecid and 4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyano-stilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid. However, HX accumulation was unaffected by probenecid and significantly decreased by 4-acetamido-4'-isothiocyano-stilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid only at concentrations considerably in excess of those needed to eliminate UA accumulation. The lack of effect of probenecid is in contrast to its reported inhibitory action on HX excretion by the chicken in vivo, a difference which may reflect lack of luminal transport by in vitro slices. Neither was HX accumulation sensitive to the presence of high concentrations of the organic cations quinine and tetraethylammonium. Despite the insensitivity of the HX accumulation process to organic anions or cations, the process was blocked by cyanide and an N2 atmosphere indicating energy dependence. The results suggest that both UA and HX are accumulated by separable transport processes indicating that the renal tubules possess more than one system capable of contributing to purine excretion.


ABSTRACT Background: Previous research has consistently shown the negative impact that peers can have on adolescent substance use patterns. Few studies have examined the positive influence adolescents can have on their peers. This study aimed to examine the relationship of positive peer influence with indices of substance use and also to compare abstinent adolescents and substance-using adolescents on positive peer influence. Method: One hundred fifty-four adolescents (age range 12–20 years) completed a questionnaire on positive peer influence and other correlates of adolescent substance use including mental health, family functioning, and social support. Results: Positive peer influence was a significant predictor of lower substance use behaviors in adolescents, with positive influence from close friends being the strongest predictor. Substance-using adolescents' scores were significantly different from abstinent adolescents' scores for positive peer support, mental health functioning, impulsivity, and social support. Conclusions: These results indicate that positive influence from adolescents' peers may act as a protective factor in substance use. This influence should be utilized to aid the design of prevention and intervention initiatives in adolescent substance use.


The size of the second and third mandibular molar teeth of inbred mice is altered if the mice are fostered on a different strain. The dental change is opposite in direction to that of body weight. The prenatal and postnatal components of variance are correlated with the develipment histories of the two tooth types.


Abstract Globozoospermia (sperm with an abnormally round head shape) and asthenozoospermia (defective sperm motility) are known causes of male infertility in human patients. Despite many studies, the molecular details of the globozoospermia etiology are still poorly understood. Serine-rich single-pass membrane protein 1 (Ssmem1) is a conserved testis-specific gene in mammals. In this study, we generated Ssmem1 knockout (KO) mice using the CRISPR/Cas9 system, demonstrated that Ssmem1 is essential for male fertility in mice, and found that SSMEM1 protein is expressed during spermatogenesis but not in mature sperm. The sterility of the Ssmem1 KO (null) mice is associated with globozoospermia and loss of sperm motility. To decipher the mechanism causing the phenotype, we analyzed testes with transmission electron microscopy and discovered that Ssmem1-disrupted spermatids have abnormal localization of Golgi at steps eight and nine of spermatid development. Immunofluorescence analysis with anti-Golgin-97 to label the trans-Golgi network, also showed delayed movement of the Golgi to the spermatid posterior region, which causes failure of sperm head shaping, disorganization of the cell organelles, and entrapped tails in the cytoplasmic droplet. In summary, SSMEM1 is crucial for intracellular Golgi movement to ensure proper spatiotemporal formation of the sperm head that is required for fertilization. These studies and the pathway in which SSMEM1 functions have implications for human male infertility and identifying potential targets for nonhormonal contraception. Summary sentence Absence of serine-rich single-pass membrane protein 1 (SSMEM1) leads to male infertility because of globozoospermia in mice.


The integrative approach to punishment appears more adequate than the utilitarian and retributive theories. It does not only engender restitution, retribution, and deterrence but it also reconciles the physical and nonphysical realms of existence. The goal of punishment is to maintain social balance or order. Content analysis is employed. The integrative notion of punishment is associated with the principle of proportionality within a vigorous collective conscience. This paper seeks to contribute to the criminal justice system by going beyond the discussion of the utilitarian-retributive punishment framework.


Puskesmas is a defined as a local government clinic for servicing society to be better for human's health.  It should provide the excellent service for society. By healing patients, absolutely, it will give the financially advantage for Puskesmas itself. There is Puskesmas Kelurahan Setiabudi. It has a lot of patients every single day, so that, it causes long standing lines of patients.  By recognizing that problem, researcher here tries to solve it by using the method of Waiting Line. By providing the well-structured sistem of standing in line, hopefully, it is able to solve that current problem happened in Puskesmas Kelurahan Setiabudi.


Research titled Worksheet Development to Support Learning Model Calculus II Based on APOS Theory ( MPK - APOS ) is a research & development that aims to generate Worksheet to Support Learning Model Calculus II valid, practical, and effective. Worksheet development phases in line with the MPK Ŕ APOS development phase is to use the model proposed by Plomp . General model of problem solving presented Plomp education consists of the initial investigation phase ( prelimenary investigation) , the design phase ( design) , the phase of realization / construction ( realization / construction ), phase : test, evaluation and revision ( test , evaluation and revision ), and the implementation phase ( implementation). Activities undertaken in designing Worksheet to support the MPK - APOS refer to Syllabus Calculus II, SAP, and syntax lessons learned in the MPK - APOS development . Derived syntax consists of phases : orientation , practicum , group discussions, class discussion , and exercises. Worksheet generated totaled 14 LK, and each LK consists of : ( 1 ) Practice Worksheet ( LKP ), which contains the tables contain MAPLE commands, and questions for discussion answer in small groups, (2 ) Worksheet Manual ( LKM ) which consists Calculus questions and discussion questions to answer in small groups , (3 ) Class Discussion sheets consisting of questions to answer in the classical discussion by a group, and ( 4 ) Exercise sheet. Of tests conducted, it is concluded that the MPK - APOS will be effective when the Worksheet is designed : ( 1 ) too much load commands or questions so not enough time to finish it, (2 ) given the questions difficult to understand the point, (3 ) answer to the question requires a long time to complete, (4 )lecturer failing to provide scaffolding, and ( 5 ) computers or electricity available is not sufficient.


The principle of material frame indifference, as it is usually stated, actually consists of two distinct assumptions. Firstly, that the stresses transform like objective tensors under change of the observer, and secondly, that the constitutive equations do not depend on the observer (form-invariance). As a consequence, superimposed rigid body motions also do not effect the material response. In the present work these three statements are formulated independently. The mutual relations between them can be clearly and generally worked out by group-theoretical concepts. If only two of these principles hold for a certain class of materials, then reduced forms exist, i.e. forms of constitutive equations that identically fulfil these principles. A general definition of reduced forms is given, its existence is proven, and a method for their construction is formulated and applied to the case of simple elastic materials.


Research in content-based image retrieval is an expanding discipline with an accelerated growth in the last ten years. Advances in telecommunications and the huge demand of visual information on Internet and mobile devices is occupying the attention of the researchers in developing efficient systems to ease the task of useful visual information retrieval by the users. We present a semiautomatic image annotation process using the low-level image descriptor fuzzy color signature to extract the most similar images from an annotated database and frequent pattern mining to select the candidates keywords for annotating the new image. The idea is aimed at establishing a bridge between visual data and their interpretation using a weak semantic approach.


AbobotulinumtoxinA (aboBoNT-A, Dysport®) is used in clinical practice as a well-tolerated and effective therapy for muscle spasticity. AboBoNT-A has been shown to reduce upper and lower limb spastic paresis in clinical trials, demonstrating improvements in muscle tone and limb function. This open-label, multicentre, observational, non-interventional study was the first to investigate aboBoNT-A's efficacy in adult patients with upper limb spasticity (ULS) in routine clinical practice in Poland. All enrolled patients received ≥1 aboBoNT-A injection cycles, per routine clinical practice (full analysis set, FAS), and ≥1 rehabilitation session. Patients attended a baseline visit (V1) and two follow-up visits (V2, V3) for retreatment, depending on the investigator's assessment of individual patient needs, with a mean interval (SD) between injections of 4.4 (1.4) and 4.5 (1.2) months. The primary effectiveness endpoint was patient- and physician-based evaluation using the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement Scale (CGII), a validated 7-point scale (1 = very much improved to 7 = very much worse) relative to baseline. CGI-I has not previously been used as a primary endpoint in studies evaluating ULS. Secondary endpoints included muscle tone in shoulder, elbow, carpal joint, and finger muscles, measured by the Modified Ashworth Scale (MAS), and muscle strength according to the Medical Research Council scale (MRC). Of 108 enrolled patients (FAS), 92 (85.2%) completed the study and 57 (52.8%) were included in the per protocol (PP) population. AboBoNT-A improved patient conditions in 96.4% and 98.6% at V2 and V3 (investigator assessment) and 92.8% and 98.6% (as reported by patient) of patients, respectively. Significant reductions in muscle tone from baseline were observed at both visits (p < 0.0001-0.0077) across muscle groups. Increased muscle strength by cumulative MRC was observed at V2 (p = 0.0566) and V3 (p = 0.0282) versus baseline. Safety was consistent with the known profile of aboBoNT-A. In conclusion, aboBoNT-A treatment is beneficial in patients with post-stroke ULS in routine clinical practice, assessed by patients and investigators.


Cloud-top heights (CTH) from the Multiangle Imaging Spectroradiometer (MISR) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on Terra constitute our longest-running single-platform CT...


In previous reports, a novel colon-specific prodrug, 5-aminosalicyltaurine (5-ASA-Tau) administered orally, is successfully delivered to and liberates 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA) and taurine in the inflamed large intestine of rats. Furthermore, the prodrug ameliorates the 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene-sulfonic acid-induced colitis, and taurine acts not only as a carrier but also as an active therapeutic agent. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory properties of the prodrug at a molecular level. After rectal administration of taurine, formation of taurine chloramine (TauCl) in the inflamed colonic tissue was examined using high-performance liquid chromatography. In human colon epithelial cell lines, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) activity was accessed using an NF-κB-dependent luciferase reporter gene. Protein levels were monitored by Western blotting. DNA binding activity of the NF-κB subunit p65 was determined using a DNA binding assay kit. A millimolar level of TauCl was formed in the inflamed tissue. TauCl inhibited tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-dependent NF-κB activation by modifying thiol(s) on p65 and blocking DNA binding. In addition, 5-ASA inhibited phosphorylation of p65 at serine 536, which is critical for transcriptional activity of NF-κB. Furthermore, combined TauCl/5-ASA treatment additively inhibited TNF-dependent NF-κB activation. Together, our data suggest that the colon-specific carrier taurine contributes to the clinical effect of the prodrug by potentiating the inhibitory effect of the active ingredient 5-ASA on a major proinflammatory signal, TNF-dependent NF-κB activation in the inflamed large intestine.


This report documents the development of the A Broader Mind Longitudinal Survey at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The survey is designed to track the personal, academic, civic, and professional development of students as they progress through their study program. We survey students at VU Amsterdam at least every year to measure the attitudes, values, skills and behaviors reflecting "A Broader Mind" among students at VU Amsterdam. The survey provides a barometer of student life: how are students doing with respect to civic‐mindedness, student engagement, professional orientation?


The tumor suppressor p53 regulates apoptosis, cell cycle, and oncogenesis. To explore the roles of p53 in autoimmunity, we studied type 1 diabetes and innate immune responses using C57BL/6 mice deficient in p53. We found that p53-deficient mice were more susceptible to streptozotocin-induced diabetes than control mice, and they produced higher levels of interleukin-1, -6, and -12. The innate immune response of p53-/- macrophages to lipopolysaccharides and gamma-interferon was significantly enhanced compared with p53+/+ cells. p53-/- macrophages produced more proinflammatory cytokines and higher levels of total and phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-1. These results indicate that p53 inhibits autoimmune diabetes and innate immune responses through downregulating STAT-1 and proinflammatory cytokines.


This is an interesting but sometimes puzzling book. The title is misleading. One would expect that a treatment of the subject of the "white conscience" would deal with rationalizations for conquest and slavery of non-white races, but Professor Tucker pays comparatively ittle attention to such matters. He is concerned principally to describe the long list of the white man's crimes on a worldwide scale. He has chapters on the colonial expansions of various European powers, the treatment of Indians both in North and South America, slavery and its continuing aftermath in the United States, the achievement of white dominance in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific, the horrors of twentieth century wars in Europe, the totalitarian dictatorships there with their racial hatreds and imperialist ethic, anti-Semitism in Germany and Russia, Soviet quarrels with China, the struggle for influence in post-colonial Africa and Asia, the rise of nationalism and protest among non-white peoples everywhere. The book covers o much ground in its three hundred pages that inevitably the sources are largely secondary and the treatment of any particular aspect of the subject is topical and sketchy. Professor Tucker emphasizes the dramatic with accounts of such horrors as the British massacre at Amritsar in •9•9 and the Allied bombing of Dresden in •945. He is so widely read on the subject of the white man's crimes that he tums up a good deal of information that is not easily available elsewhere, at least not all in one place. It is disappointing that when Professor Tucker does get around to assigning reasons for prejudice and injustice he lists the conclusions of such men as Freud, Jung, Bettelheim, and Sorel without really choosing among them or evaluating them. One even suspects sometimes that a mild sort of racism exists in Professor Tucker himself its principal tenet being that the white races, unlike non-white races, carry some virus of aggression and cruelty within them which they are bound to express in one way or another. Or perhaps this is unjust. It may be that all Professor Tucker means to do is to exhibit the record to us and to warn us to


Protein synthesis has been shown to be crucial in learning and memory. Particularly, the activity of protein kinase C (PKC) is necessary for long-term memory. Previous studies have shown that serotonin pathway had a profound effect on PKC, and it facilitates long-term potentiation. To study the fundamental molecular processes involved, Aplysia was used to evaluate the changes in RNA expression levels. Ganglia-treated samples as well as behaviorally trained samples were used to analyze any differences after training and the use of drugs, chelerythrine, a selective PKC inhibitor, and Trichostatin A (TSA), a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor. Application of these drugs may reveal different regulatory mechanisms that govern transcription level changes, ultimately leading to protein synthesis. Although the results did not show statistical significance, the pattern of slightly increased RNA level of PKC and calpain after serotonin or behavior training show there is a possible correlation between long-term memory and nuclear regulation of protein synthesis. In addition, because TSA was able to reverse the effects of chelerythrine, there is an indication that an epigenetic regulation may be involved in memory. However, molecular analysis demonstrated inconclusive data, suggesting further examinations of the epigenetic changes exhibiting a brief cellular response.


The overall aim of this thesis was to examine the influence of
nutritional modifications of the normal diet, on endurance running
performance.
There is considerable evidence demonstrating that a high carbohydrate
(CHO) diet in the days prior to exercise can significantly increase
the endurance capacity of cycle ergometry. However, there is limited
evidence to show that endurance running performance is also enhanced
by a high CHO diet. Thus the first study presented in this thesis
examined the influence of a high CHO diet on endurance running
performance over a distance of 30km. Subjects (n=18) attempted to
complete two 30km runs on a motorised treadmill as fast as possible, 7
days apart. Prior to Run 1 all individuals consumed their prescribed
normal diet, whereas after Run 1, the normal diet was supplemented
with either high CHO confectionery products for the Carbohydrate group
(n=9), or additional fat and protein for the Control group (n=9).
There were no significant improvements in the performance time for the
individuals in the CHO group, although they achieved a 1.91
improvement compared to a 0.21 decrement in performance time for the
Control group. However, the high CHO group demonstrated significantly
higher running speeds over the last 5km (p(O.OOI), as well as
significantly higher respiratory exchange ratios and blood glucose
concentrations over the final 10km. To examine the influence of CHO ingestion dur-ing endurance exercise,
trained individuals (n=15) ran two simulated races on a motorised
treadmill, 7 days apart. The subjects aimed to cover as much distance
as possible within two hours, whilst ingesting either a CHO supplement
or a Placebo. Seven days later subjects repeated the run whilst
ingesting the fluid not ingested ,on Run I. Although there were no
significant differences in'the distances covered, the CHO run showed
significantly higher running speeds towards the end of the run
(p(0.05), with significantly higher blood glucose concentrations
during the last 30 min of exercise. Fat metabolism was noticeably
suppressed with a concomitant increase in CHO oxidation.
The final study attempted to enhance free fatty acid oxidation (FFA)
by increasing carnitine availability, the transporter of FFA into the
mitochondria. Subjects (n=14) completed two endurance capacity runs to
exhaustion at 70 IVO. max, 3 weeks apart. During the 3 week interim
period, half the individuals supplemented their diet with a carnitine
supplement, whilst the others supplemented their diet with a placebo.
There was no significant improvement in the run time to exhaustion
after carnitine supplementation. However, there were significantly
lower R values and blood glucose concentrations at exhaustion for the
carnitine group, suggesting an increase in fat metabolism with a
concurrent reduction in CHO utilisation. Thus certain nutritional
modifications of the normal diet may enhance endurance running
performance in man.


Background

Cardio-metabolic diseases are the most common cause of death worldwide. Implementing selective prevention strategies has proven a substantial challenge, especially in primary care.
Objectives

As part of a collaborative European study, this paper aims to assess the implementation of primary care selective prevention interventions in the Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, the Netherlands and Sweden. We sought to determine participants' cardio-metabolic risk profile, as well as their evaluation of the intervention in terms of feasibility and impact in promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Methods

A selective prevention intervention, including patient invitation and cardio-vascular risk assessment using country-adjusted tools, was implemented. Eligible participants were primary care patients, 40–65 years of age, without any diagnosis of cardio-metabolic disease. Main outcomes included intervention acceptance and completion rates. Patient demographics, lifestyle-related cardio-metabolic risk factors, and opinions on intervention feasibility were recorded. Findings are summarized descriptively.
Results

In each country, 200 patients were invited to participate in the study. Acceptance rates varied from 19.5% (n = 39/200) in Sweden to 100% in the Czech Republic (n = 200/200). Risk assessment completion rates ranged from 65.4% (n = 70/107) in Greece to 100% (n = 39/39) in Sweden. Twelve individuals (6.9%) were identified as being at high risk of cardio-vascular disease in the Czech Republic, five (8.6%) in Denmark, eight (11.4%) in Greece, 21 (36.8%) in the Netherlands and none (0%) in Sweden. On a ten-point scale, the median (25%-75% quartile) of participant-reported intervention feasibility ranged from 7.4 (6.9–7.8) in Greece to 9.2 (8.2–9.9) in Sweden. Willingness to change lifestyle exceeded 80% in all countries, with the desire for better health representing the main motivating factor for more than half of the participants.
Conclusions

Although substantial variations in patient cardio-metabolic risk profile and intervention receptiveness were observed, our findings add to existing evidence regarding the implementation of selective prevention programs in European primary care and can be used as part of future cardio-metabolic risk reduction strategies.


In nursery technology, the storage of scions always requires approriate optimization of shelf life and good packing This study aims to determine the effect of shelf life and storage materials on viability of soursop (Annona muricata) var. Ratu grafting by applying randomized factorial design with 2 factors: storage time and type of packing materials, with 3 times repeatation. The duration of storage time factor consist of 5 levels: 0 day, 3 days, 5 days, 1 week and 2 weeks meanwhile packing materials factor consist of 2 levels: parafilm and polyethylene. The highest survival rate was obtained at 0 day shelf life time and parafilm as storage material, whereas the lowest one was shown at 2 weeks storage with polyethylene as storage material.


In order to improve and to ensure the availability of information technology (IT) services quality, many organizations now have a helpdesk which acts as a center point in solving and organizing problems. However, in the planning and implementation of Information Systems Service Helpdesk, it is necessary to do a thorough analysis of the framework of the Information Technology Service Management (ITSM) that is appropriate and in accordance with the needs of organizations, that is also capable of providing the function of knowledge management. It is because each type of organization has different needs and Standard Operation Procedure in providing IT services. The purpose of this study is to analyze the right ITSM framework in developing Helpdesk Information System in PT Len Industri (Persero), which is one of State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs). Helpdesk services provide repairs of hardware, software, and network. Previously, informations about problems and the handling are not complete, and the information storing is unstructured. This causes difficulties in monitoring and evaluation activities conducted by helpdesk admin and manager of Information Systems. To solve this problem, a system is designed using ITSM best practices standard from the Information Technology Infrastructure Library version 3. The system is designed to perform the classification to every problem. Classifications are made into several level of priorities which correspond with profile matching method, according to position and division within the PT Len Industri (Persero)'s value chain. The developed dashboard has been able to support the helpdesk results evaluation process. To ensure the usability of the system, a user acceptance test is conducted with the standard of Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology. The system obtains overall score of 88,89% in the user interface aspect and 83,715% in the functional requirement of information system aspect.


OBJECTIVES: The main objective was to evaluate the use of two diagnostic instruments for mental disorders in primary care (PC): the PRIME-MD and the Goldberg anxiety and depression scales. Second, to determine the concordance between the two tests and evaluate the quality of psychiatric diagnosis records in the clinical notes. DESIGN: Crossover observational study. SETTING: Luis Vives Health Centre (EAP 1), Alcala de Henares (Madrid). PATIENTS: 175 patients who attended for consultation on-demand over three months. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Each patient was given the PRIME-MD test for detecting disorders of depression, anxiety, food, alcohol and body form; and the Goldberg scale to evaluate anxiety and depression. The clinical records were then reviewed for previous psychiatric diagnoses. The two scales were compared and the level of concordance obtained. The PRIME-MD found that 78 patients (44.6%) had some mental disorder, the most frequent being depression (32.6% of the total). The Goldberg scale detected 89 patients (50.8%) with some suspected mental disorder: here too, the most common was depression (41.7% of the total). The best indication of concordance between the two tests was the diagnosis of anxiety disorders: kappa = 0.68 (CI 95%, 0.53-0.82). CONCLUSIONS: Both scales seem useful instruments for detecting a pathology which is very common in PC clinics: mental disorders. Moreover, the concordance between the two scales is acceptable. There was poor recording of psychiatric diagnoses in clinical records.


This paper describes a new generation of cage-type ac/dc current shunts from 30 mA up to 10 A developed using a lumped circuit element model. Comparison of the calculated and measured values shows agreement better than 6 ppm in the ac-dc difference at frequencies up to 100 kHz.


Interaction testing is widely used in screening for faults. In software testing, it provides a natural mechanism for testing systems to be deployed on a variety of hardware and software configurations. Several algorithms published in the literature are used as tools to automatically generate these test suites; AETG is a well known example of a family of greedy algorithms that generate one test at a time. In many applications where interaction testing is needed, the entire test suite is not run as a result of time or cost constraints. In these situations, it is essential to prioritize the tests. Here we adapt a "one-test-at-a-time" greedy method to take importance of pairs into account. The method can be used to generate a set of tests in order, so that when run to completion all pairwise interactions are tested, but when terminated after any intermediate number of tests, those deemed most important are tested. Computational results on the method are reported.


Awareness of trends affecting the Association for Business Simulation and Experiential Learning has always been a key activity of the organization. This paper presents a membership analysis of John Naisbitt's "Megatrends" focusing on their probability of occurrence, their possible impact on the fields of simulation and experiential learning, and identification of specific impacts for ABSEL and its activities. Conclusions and recommended action plans are proposed.


Empirical studies find that expenditures on both durable and nondurable goods fall following a contractionary monetary policy shock. However, in standard two-sector models with staggered nondurable goods prices and flexible durable goods prices, consumption of durables rises whereas that of nondurables falls in response to a contractionary policy shock. To resolve this co-movement problem, I extend the model to include a realistic financial friction that firms must pay for their productive inputs prior to production, i.e., working capital, along with habit formation in nondurable goods consumption. Following a positive interest rate shock, the working capital channel raises production costs, thereby discouraging production of both durable and nondurable goods. Furthermore, habit formation induces households to smooth the growth rate of nondurable goods consumption, and hence mitigates the fall in the nondurable goods sector. The model solves the co-movement problem and successfully generates a more sensitive response in the durable goods sector, as observed in the data.


Background The International Committee of Medical Journal Editors has published clear guidelines on the authorship of scientific papers. It is the research team's responsibility to review and ensure those guidelines are met. Authorship ethics and practices have been examined among healthcare professionals or among particular health science students such as medical students. However, there is limited evidence to assess the knowledge of authorship roles and practices among health science students. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study to assess the knowledge of authorship guidelines practices among health science students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A survey was developed and distributed. It covered several domains, including demographic characteristics, participant's knowledge and attitude of authorship practices, knowledge and experience with ghost and guest authorships, and knowledge of institutional authorship policies. Moreover, a score was computed to reflect the respondents' knowledge about authorship practices. Results Among the 321 participants who agreed to take the survey, two-thirds agreed with and supported that multi-authored articles' credit allocation should be based on the most significant contribution and contributions to the manuscript writing. Almost 47% agreed that team relationships would influence authorship allocation. The majority of the participants were not aware of their institutional research and publication policies. Also, around 50% of participants were not aware of guest or ghost authorships. Finally, the knowledge score about authorship credits, allocation, contribution, order, and guidelines was higher among students who were assigned as corresponding authors and those who were aware of their institutional authorship guidelines and policies. Conclusion In conclusion, our findings suggest that health science students may have limited knowledge about authorship guidelines and unethical behaviors involved in a scientific publication. Universities and research centers should make more efforts to raise the awareness of health science students regarding authorship guidelines while ensuring that they comply with those guidelines.


Jones & Wagener Consulting Civil Engineers (J&W) were appointed by EnviroServ Waste Management to design and supervise the construction of Cell 9 at the Holfontein H:H Disposal Site (Holfontein) in Springs, Gauteng.
The conceptual design commenced at a time when the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) were in the process of updating barrier standards from the present standards as described in the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry's Minimum Requirements for Waste Disposal by Landfill (Second Edition 1998) document. The Minimum Requirements do not stipulate double composite lining systems for waste cells, only for hazardous waste lagoons. The new Draft National Standard for Disposal of Waste to Landfill (Notice 432 of 2011) would place a landfill site such as Holfontein in the Class A category, which requires a double composite lining system.
A composite lining system is one in which a highly impermeable layer of either compacted clay material, enhanced soil or a geosynthetic clay liner acts together with a geomembrane liner placed in intimate contact with it to provide an impermeable system to infiltration of liquids.


Most COVID-19 studies commonly report figures of the overall infection at a state- or county-level, reporting the aggregated number of cases in a particular region at one time. This aggregation tends to miss out on fine details of the propagation patterns of the virus. This paper is motivated by analyzing a high-resolution COVID-19 dataset in Cali, Colombia, that provides every confirmed case's exact location and time information, offering vital insights for the spatio-temporal interaction between individuals concerning the disease spread in a metropolis. We develop a non-stationary spatio-temporal point process, assuming that previously infected cases trigger newly confirmed ones, and introduce a neural network-based kernel to capture the spatially varying triggering effect. The neural network-based kernel is carefully crafted to enhance expressiveness while maintaining results interpretability. We also incorporate some exogenous influences imposed by city landmarks. The numerical results on real data demonstrate good predictive performances of our method compared to the state-of-the-art as well as its interpretable findings.


Unique properties of a photonic-crystal surface-emitting laser are reported. Single-mode operation over a large area can be achieved due to the effect of zero-group velocity at a band-edge mode. This leads to high-power operation and on-demand beam control. Various beam patterns including doughnut, multiple doughnuts, and circular, are generated by the design of the lattice structure, show potential for application in various fields. Furthermore, the output power almost reaches 1W under pulsed condition.


In order to evaluate the milk production and bromatological quality, and the costs of supplementation with three levels of Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A.Gray, a trial was conducted in the Santa Lucia farm of the National University of Costa Rica. Nine Jersey cows were used in a replicated 3 x 3 Latin square. The animals were fed with a diet based on Cynodon nlemfuensis Vanderyst under grazing conditions and supplementation with Cenchrus purpureus (Schumach.) Morrone, molasses, Digitaria decumbens Stent hay, minerals and urea. Three treatments were evaluated: TD0, Grazing + Balanced feed (BF); TD25 (Grazing + substitution of 25 % of the BF by T. diversifolia forage), and TD50 (Grazing + substitution of 50 % of the BF by T. diversifolia). Milk production, bromatological quality and supplementation costs were evaluated. The data were analyzed through a variance analysis. In TD25 a production of 21,4 kg/animal/day was reached without significant differences with regards to TD0. In TD50 the milk production showed a decrease of 8,7 and 11,2 % compared with TD0 and TD25, respectively. The bromatological composition did not show significant differences between TD0 and TD25, while TD50 differed (p < 0,05) for protein (32,5 g/kg) and non-fatty solids (82,7 g/kg), compared with TD0. The use of T. diversifolia as supplement of dairy cows allowed to save 0,25 and 0,52 USD animal/day in treatments TD25 and TD50, respectively. It is concluded that the substitution of 25 % of the balanced feedstuff by T. diversifolia forage did not affect milk production and bromatological quality in Jersey cows, and it also saved 9,06 % due to the decrease of supplementation costs.


The concept of a semiprime ideal in a poset is introduced. Characterizations of semiprime ideals in a poset P as well as characterizations of a semiprime ideal to be prime in P are obtained in terms of meet-irreducible elements of the lattice of ideals of P and in terms of maximality of ideals. Also, prime ideals in a poset are characterized.


Feeding the World in 2050 is a major challenge at the forefront of the global development agenda. The importance of agriculture in addressing this challenge has re-emerged in recent years as food security issues are considered in a more holistic manner. The role of livestock as part of the solution is, however, often not considered. This article presents a brief overview of the global food security challenge, and considers the increased focus on holistic food systems. It contends that animal agriculture is relevant to this complex, multifaceted and dynamic global challenge. However, if livestock-based solutions are to become a reality, a number of partial truths and trade-offs often associated with livestock and food need to be addressed. The role of livestock systems in future food security is considered in relation to different potential development trajectories of the sector, highlighting opportunities to ensure that livestock's contribution to global food security is a positive one, which also addresses concerns of environment, equity and human health.


Carnitine is a natural substance essential for the mitochondrial oxidation of long-chain fatty acids and therefore regulates the energy metabolism of the cells. Tissue carnitine levels are altered under diabetes mellitus or hypertension. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of L-carnitine therapy in essential hypertension with diabetes mellitus type II. A clinical trial was performed in two homogeneous groups with essential hypertension and diabetes mellitus type II. L-carnitine was given orally, 2 g twice daily, for 45 weeks. In the group of patients treated with L-carnitine in comparison with control group cardiac arrhythmias, chiefly extrasystoles, some disorders of A-V conduction and some electrocardiographic signs of ischaemia stopped or diminished and symptoms, chiefly asthenia, significantly improved. No side effects were observed during the treatment. These results show that treatment with L-carnitine is useful and well tolerated in patients with essential hypertension and diabetes mellitus type II.


The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the 696.5 nm Ar I spectral line profiles was measured in the plasma temperature range from 13 500 K to 24 000 K and free electron density from 1.2 to . Results were obtained for this line emitted from the near-cathode region of an atmospheric pressure, 200 A arc burning in pure argon. Our results are compared with data existing up to now. In the electron density range of our experiment, the 696.543 nm Ar I line Stark FWHM is linearly proportional to the electron density. The observed dependence of the FWHM on the plasma temperature and electron density is in qualitative agreement with Griem's theory; however, the ratio of calculated and measured FWHM was equal to 1.55, for the dependence on electron density and temperature. The dependence of FWHM on electron density, obtained by weighted least squares fitting of all our data with the constraint that the curve passes through the origin, is well represented by the following equation: , with in nm and in , for the temperature .


BACKGROUND
Macrophages play diverse roles in tissue injury. We evaluated their role in cyclosporine (CsA)-induced renal injury by depletion with liposomal clodronate (CL).

METHODS
Male Sprague Dawley rats were treated with CsA with or without CL treatment for 28 days. We assessed responses from the pathology and by measuring renal functions and levels of a proinflammatory cytokine (osteopontin), a profibrotic cytokine (betaig-h3), innate immune response markers (toll-like receptor 2 and MHC class II molecules), apoptotic cell death (deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labelling staining and caspase-3 expression) and oxidative stress (8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine, 8-OHdG).

RESULTS
Macrophage depletion with CL improved not only renal function but also histopathology compared with the CsA-treated rats. Osteopontin and betaig-h3 levels increased significantly in CsA-treated rat kidneys, but CL treatment decreased both markers. Enhanced innate immune response and apoptotic cell death in CsA-treated rat kidney were decreased with CL. The increased rates of urinary 8-OHdG excretion and the tubular expression of 8-OHdG produced by CsA treatment were reversed with CL treatment.

CONCLUSIONS
Thus, infiltrating macrophages were involved in both nonimmunologic and immunologic injury and led to apoptotic cell death in this rat model of chronic CsA nephropathy.


Two‐dimensional hydrodynamic models numerically solve full Shallow Water Equations (SWEs). Despite their high accuracy, these models have long simulation run times and therefore are of limited use for exploratory or real‐time flood predictions. We investigated the possibility of improving flood modelling speed using Machine Learning (ML). We propose a new method that replaces the computationally expensive parts of the hydrodynamic models with simple and efficient data‐driven approximations. Our hypothesis is that by integrating ML with physics‐based numerical methods, we can achieve improved generalization performance: that is, the trained model for one case study can be used in other studies without the need for new training. We tested two ML approaches: for the first, we integrated curve fitting, and, for the second, artificial neural networks (ANN) with a finite volume scheme to solve the local inertial approximation of the SWEs. The data‐driven models approximated the Momentum Equation, which explicitly solved the time derivative of flow rates. Water depths were then updated by applying a water balance equation. We also tested two different training datasets: the simulated dataset, generated from the results of hydrodynamic model, and the random dataset, generated by directly solving the momentum equation on randomly sampled input data. Various combinations of input features, for example, water slope and depth, were explored. The proposed models were trained in a small hypothetical case and tested in a different hypothetical and in two real case studies. Results showed that the curve‐fitting method can be implemented successfully, given sufficient training and input data. The ANN model trained with a random dataset was substantially more accurate than that of the model trained with the simulated dataset. However, it was not successful in the real case studies. The curve‐fitting method resulted in better generalization performance and increased the simulation speed of the local inertial model by 23%. Future research should test the performance of ML in terms of an increase in stable time step size and approximation of the full SWEs.


Maize seeds are usually contaminated with seed-borne fungi which cause seed deterioration and seedling death. Seed treatment using chemical fungicides is a common practice, although fungicides can reduce seed longevity and lead to residues, resistance, and environmental pollution. This study was conducted to determine the effects of plant extracts (PEs; Azadirachta indica, Coffea Arabica, and Zingiber officinale) on seedling emergence and seedling vigour of certified (CS) and farmer-saved (FSS) seeds of maize. Seeds treated with water-extracted PEs had significantly higher seedling emergence with 85.8% and 61.7% for FSS and CS, respectively, while ethanol-extracted PEs had 6.7% and 7.5% seedling emergence for FSS and CS, respectively. The minimum mean number of days to the first emergence was less for seeds treated with water-extracted PEs (3.0 and 3.3 for FSS and CS, respectively) than those treated with ethanol-extracted PEs (6.3 and 7.0 for FSS and CS, respectively). According to this study, water-extracted PEs are potential candidates in seed treatment, because they have fewer adverse effects on seedling emergence and vigour. Although other studies mention PEs extracted using organic solvents to be the best, the study's recommendation is to ensure that organic solvents are completely removed from PE solutions before using them.


Important features of the Novorossiysk bora are being investigated using a nonlinear analytical stationary two-dimensional model. Vertical unboundedness of the atmosphere, characteristic features of the shape of the streamlined mountains, the effect of the upper layers on the disturbances in the troposphere are considered. For the first time disturbances are being studied in a wide range of changes in the features of an incident flow. It has been shown that disturbances quite often assume a rotor nature in the leeward zone behind the mountains, and the dependence of disturbances on the wave scale is decreasing only on average, and noticeable deviations from it are oscillatory in nature and depend on the level of reflection of wave energy from the upper layers. Jet stream velocity at the leeward slope estimates energetics of disturbances behind the mountains. It has been shown that its value lies in the range of 18–22 m/s under normal conditions. It has been testified that a sharp cooling in event of a bora is determined not by the process of flowing around the mountains, but by the arrival of a colder air mass. It has been concluded that an increase in speed indicator in the surface layer turbulent layer beyond the mountains is determined by the height and steepness of the leeward slope of the mountains, the effects of turbulence behind the mountains and is very sensitive to changes in the flow velocity at the leeward slope of the mountains.


We investigated the discrepancy between the significant ^18O isotope motion observed after bipolar voltage cycling used to induce ferroelectric fatigue in unannealed Pt/Pb(Zr,Ti)O_3/Ir (PZT) capacitors and the lack of any observable oxygen tracer motion in annealed capacitors. We found that while unannealed Pt electrodes are permeable to oxygen, annealed Pt electrodes are oxygen impermeable. Further, when the initial oxygen tracer profile does not vary strongly with depth, the ability to detect oxygen motion during fatigue voltage cycling depends critically on the oxygen permeability of the capacitor's top electrode. Our results indicate that oxygen exchange between the PZT film and external oxygen sources and sinks during voltage cycling is not necessary for ferroelectric fatigue to be manifest. In addition, studies of the dependence of ferroelectric materials properties on ambient gases should be accompanied by analysis of the permeability of exposed surfaces to the gases of interest.


The essential and fatty oils were investigated and a quantitative analysis of the root, green and stem parts of F. Longipedunculata was performed by GC-MS and HPLC-TOF/MS and their antioxidant (DPPH method) activities and potential binding of phytochemicals against SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid were determined using Molegro Virtual Docker software. In the root part of the plant, the prominent components of oil were β-phellandrene (53.46%), ocimene (6.79%), 4-terpineol (5.94%) and santalol (5.03%). According to the quantitative results, vanillic acid (141.35 mg/kg), ferulic acid (126.19 mg/kg) and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (119.92 mg/kg) were found in the roots; quercetin-3-β-O-glycoside (1737.70 mg/kg), quercetin (531.35 mg/kg) and ferulic acid (246.22 mg/kg) were found in the in the green part; and fumaric acid (2100.21 mg/kg), quercetin-3-β-O-glycoside (163.24 mg/kg), vanillic acid (57.59 mg/kg) were detected in the stem part. The antioxidant activity of all parts of the plant was higher than the control with BHT. Silibinin, rutin, and neohesperidin exhibited a stronger affinity than nucleotides. In the silico analysis, many of the phytochemicals were attached with strong hydrogen-bonds and electrostatic effects to the amino acids to which nucleotides are bound. The results indicated that the plant showed antioxidant effects and can be effective against SARS-CoV-2 thanks to the different phytochemical compounds it contains.


Nonlinear partial differential equations represent the most important phenomena occurring in the world and are encountered in various fields of science. Generalized Burger's-Fisher equation is very important for describing different mechanisms. Burger's-Fisher equation arises in the field of applied mathematics and physics applications. This equation shows a prototypical model for describing the interaction between the reaction mechanisms, convection effect, and diffusion transport. In this paper, variational iteration transform method that combines Laplace transform and the variational iteration method, which  used to obtain approximate analytical solutions of Burger's - Fisher equation. Comparison of the results obtained by the present method with the exact solution and other existing methods reveals the accuracy and fast convergence of the proposed method.


The effect of nanostructuring on the magnetic entropy of materials for room-temperature magnetic cooling is investigated by model calculations. The materials are structurally inhomogeneous with a large number of nonequivalent crystallographic sites. In the mean-field Heisenberg model, the entropy density is a unique function of the local magnetization so that the coupled set of nonlinear mean-field equations yields not only the magnetization but also the entropy density. Since most of the entropy is localized near grain boundaries, nanomagnetic cooling requires small feature sizes. Magnetic anisotropy is a substantial complication, even on a mean-field level, but the corresponding corrections are often very small.


Abstract Contaminated food chain is a serious contender for arsenic (As) uptake around the globe. In Nadia, West Bengal, we trace possible means of transfer of As from multiple sources reaching different trophic levels, and associated seasonal variability leading to chronic As uptake. This work considers possible sources-pathways of As transfer through food chain in rural community. Arsenic concentration in groundwater, soil, rice, and vegetable-samples collected detected in different harvest seasons of 2014 and 2016. Arsenic level in shallow groundwater samples ranged from 0.1 to 354 µg/L, with 75% of the sites above the prescribed limit by WHO (10 µg/L) during the boro harvest season. High soil As content (∼20.6 mg/kg), resulted in accumulation of As in food crops. A positive correlation in As conc. with increase over period in all sites indicating gradual As accumulation in topsoil. Unpolished rice samples showed high As content (∼1.75 mg/kg), polishing reduced 80% of As. Among vegetables, the plant family Poaceae with high irrigation requirements and Solanaceae retaining high moisture, have the highest levels of As. Contaminated animal fodder (Poaceae) and turf water for cattle are shown to contaminate milk (0.06 to 0.24 µg/L) and behoves strategies, practices to minimize As exposure.


In the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942, the products of three genes (kaiA, kaiB, and kaiC) have been identified as essential components of the circadian clock. Recently, we reconstituted the self-sustainable circadian oscillation of the KaiC phosphorylation state by incubating purified KaiC with KaiA, KaiB, and ATP. This in vitro oscillation persisted for at least three cycles and the period was compensated against temperature changes. Period lengths observed in vivo in various kaiC mutants were consistent with those measured using in vitro mixtures containing the respective mutant KaiC proteins. These results demonstrate that the oscillation of KaiC phosphorylation is the primary pacemaker of the cyanobacterial circadian clock and reveal a novel function of proteins as timing devices that govern cellular metabolism. We further analyzed four aspects of the KaiC phosphorylation cycle in vitro: the interactions among KaiA, KaiB, and KaiC; the functions of the two phosphorylation sites, the energetics that determine the circadian period, and the mechanisms that synchronize the components of the Kai oscillator. From these analyses, we have proposed a circadian program consisting of the three proteins that keeps biological time in a living cell.


Background Intracranial arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is a rare congenital disease that is characterized by an abnormal tangle of blood vessels where arteries abnormally shunt into veins with no intervening capillary bed. Several treatment modalities, such as microsurgical removal, embolization, and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), are used to treat AVM either solely or in combination. We aimed to assess and compare the effect, morbidity, and mortality outcomes of mono-treatment with embolization and combined treatment for AVM obliteration. Methodology This retrospective cohort study was conducted in the National Guard Hospital Jeddah and reviewed all the AVM patients that visited the center between 2008 and 2017. We assessed presenting symptoms at diagnosis and any co-morbidities as the clinical characteristics and the patients' AVM and Spetzler-Martin grade as the morphological characteristics. Moreover, we performed a three-year follow-up on suitable patients and assessed their outcomes using the modified Rankin Scale. In addition, we performed follow-up imaging on the patients to evaluate AVM obliteration after any of the procedures. Results We included 29 patients treated in our hospital (72.4%, males; 27.6%, females; mean age 40 years). About 65% of the patients underwent mono-therapy consisting of one or more embolization sessions while about 34% underwent combined treatment (embolization + surgery or embolization + SRS). We found more cases of complete obliteration among patients who underwent mono-therapy (52.6%) than among those who underwent combined treatment (30%). Patients who underwent mono-therapy showed better outcomes compared to those who underwent combined therapy; however, the difference did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions Embolization mono-therapy appears to be more effective with regards to the obliteration rate and outcome compared to combined therapy with either SRS or surgery in patients treated in our center.


Allelopathy, the release of phytotoxins by plants, may be a key mechanism by which an invasive species displaces residents. However, methodological procedures are still questioned in the literature. We evaluated the phytotoxic effects of Cynodon dactylon and Eragrostis plana, the most invasive grasses of the Río de la Plata grasslands. Although allelopathy has been claimed as one of the possible mechanisms involved in the establishment and impact of these species, no empirical evidence has convincingly supported it. We performed a germination experiment to assess the effect of both invasive species on Eragrostis bahiensis, a native grass from the region. We used aqueous extracts from fresh and dry leaves of three donor species: two invasive (C. dactylon and E. plana) and one co-occurring native from the introduced range (Coelorachis selloana). This approach allows to relativize the invasive species effect from resident species, according to the novel weapon hypothesis. As a result, only aqueous extracts from dried leaves inhibited the germination and early growth of E. bahiensis. The magnitude of these effects varied between donor species, but there was no consensus to conclude both invasive species had greater effects. Cynodon dactylon caused the strongest inhibitory effect on E. bahiensis. However, the native C. selloana also presented a potent inhibitory effect, stronger than the wellknown invasive E. plana. Thus, the role of allelopathy on E. plana invasion in the Río de la Plata grasslands should be questioned. Finally, we addressed some suggestions for improving experimental design for testing the novelty of phytotoxic effects in the introduced range. [


Despite a plethora of data, the optimal surgical approach to invasive adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal (GE) junction remains controversial. To quote Dr. Valerie Rusch, "Strong individual preferences and some degree of surgical mystique often govern the selection of operation for resection of GE junction adenocarcinomas."1 The fırst of these controversies is whether the optimal open surgical approach should be via the transabdominal, transthoracic (two-incision Ivor Lewis or three-incision McKeown), or transhiatal route. Proponents of the transthoracic or transhiatal routes have voiced strong opinions on the potential advantages and disadvantages of each approach (Table 1). It is clear from most large retrospective series that, in experienced hands, excellent results can be achieved by either approach. The principal advantage of the transthoracic route is the ability to perform a radical mediastinal lymphadenectomy en bloc with the primary tumor, the theory being that a more aggressive lymph node dissection would be associated with an improved long-term outcome. To date, however, this association of a more aggressive lymphadenectomy with improved outcome has remained elusive in most gastrointestinal malignancies, including esophageal cancer. Proponents of the transhiatal approach cite similar lymph node retrieval rates, the potential for lower short-term morbidity, and the potential for similar long-term outcomes.2 With the advent of newer technology, the controversy regarding the optimal surgical approach to adenocarcinoma of the GE junction has evolved in yet another direction, with proponents of a minimally invasive approach, citing even lower perioperative morbidity and mortality, again with comparable or even superior long-term oncologic results.


In this work the net-baryon production at forward rapiditiesis investigated considering the CGC formalism. We assume that at large energies the coherence of the projectile quarks is lost and that the leading baryon production mechanism changes from recombination to independent fragmentation. The phenomenological implications for net-baryon production in pp/pA/AA collisions are analyzed and predictions for LHC energies are presented. We also extend previous studies to pp and pA collisions and estimate for the first time the nuclear modification ratio, equal to the ratio of the net-proton production cross section in pA collisions over the one in pp collisions, scaled by the number of binary collisions, for leading baryon production.


An infertile man presented a spermiogram in which 100% of the spermatozoa displayed separation of head from tail at the level of the proximal centriole. Most tails were normally structured and ended anteriorly with the proximal centriole covered by a continuous plasma membrane. In a small percentage of tails a rudimentary connecting piece was surrounded by a minute cytoplasmic mass and the middle piece was missing, whereas the chromatoid body and the spindle-shaped body were still present. Finally, a few tails had a large cytoplasmic mass surrounding either regular connecting and middle pieces or a rudimentary connecting piece continuous with the main piece. Tails of the first type had good forward motility, although the pattern of movement appeared altered. The other types were immotile or motile but without forward progression. In the loose heads the implantation fossa had failed to differentiate. The separation of heads from tails appeared to be the result of a specific morphogenetic defect and took place at different stages of spermatid differentiation, giving rise to the structurally different types of tails.


Knowledge distillation aims to transfer knowledge to the student model by utilizing the predictions/features of the teacher model, and feature-based distillation has recently shown its superiority over logit-based distillation. However, due to the cumbersome computation and storage of extra feature transformation, the training overhead of feature-based methods is much higher than that of logit-based distillation. In this work, we revisit the logit-based knowledge distillation, and observe that the existing logit-based distillation methods treat the prediction logits only in the instance level, while many other useful semantic information is overlooked. To address this issue, we propose a Class-aware Logit Knowledge Distillation (CLKD) method, that extents the logit distillation in both instance-level and class-level. CLKD enables the student model mimic higher semantic information from the teacher model, hence improving the distillation performance. We further introduce a novel loss called Class Correlation Loss to force the student learn the inherent class-level correlation of the teacher. Empirical comparisons demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method over several prevailing logit-based methods and feature-based methods, in which CLKD achieves compelling results on various visual classification tasks and outperforms the state-of-the-art baselines.


Many common disorders, including such scourges of Western society as ischaemic heart disease' and many forms of cancer,2 result in part from heritable factors. Of particular interest to the rheumatologist is the group of complex, multifactorial, polygenic disorders comprising the 'autoimmune diseases', of which rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is probably the commonest. Similarities between this form of inflammatory arthritis and others, known to be triggered by infectious agents, have inevitably fuelled speculation that RA may have a similar cause. To date, however, the identification of infectious triggers has been conspicuously lacking. In contrast, over the past two decades there has been considerable progress in identifying at least some of the genetic factors contributing to susceptibility to RA. Thus the immune response genes of the HLA class II region of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) are quite clearly implicated in the pathogenesis of this condition, though their precise role is, as yet, unclear.


Little is known about the effect of male parental care and behavioural sex-role reversal on the mating system of birds because genetic markers for species with these characteristics are lacking. We developed primers for nine polymorphic microsatellite loci in pheasant coucals ( Centropus phasianinus ). Eight of the primers were also polymorphic in African black coucals ( Centropus grillii ). Pheasant coucals are of particular interest in the study of evolutionary and behavioural ecology, because their sex-role reversal and extensive male parental care suggests low levels of extra-pair fertilizations, yet they have large testes indicating sperm competition.


This article addresses whether creditors have or should have standing to bring lawsuits derivatively on behalf of a bankruptcy estate. It argues that such suits are neither authorized by the Bankruptcy Code, nor reflected in recent pre-Code practice, nor necessarily wise to allow as a matter of bankruptcy policy. The issue was considered extensively in a recent en banc decision of the Third Circuit, Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors of Cybergenics Corp. v. Chinery, 330 F.3d 548 (3d Cir. 2003) (finding in favor of derivative standing), in which the author along with eight other bankruptcy scholars participated on opposing sides as amici curiae. More recently, a bankruptcy appellate panel disagreed with Cybergenics. See In re Fox, 305 B.R. 912 (B.A.P. 10th Cir. 2004) (finding against derivative standing).The article expands on the amicus brief that the author filed in Cybergenics (2003 WL 21745357) and explains why he disagrees with the position taken by both the Cybergenics majority and the other professors who participated in that case. The article concludes by urging Congress to repeal Cybergenics and the Supreme Court to overrule it.


We study the problem of finding distance-preserving graph representations. Most previous approaches focus on learning continuous embeddings in metric spaces such as Euclidean or hyperbolic spaces. Based on the observation that embedding into a metric space is not necessary to produce faithful representations, we explore a new conceptual approach to represent graphs using a collection of trees, namely a tree cover. We show that with the same amount of storage, covers achieve lower distortion than learned metric embeddings. While the distance induced by covers is not a metric, we find that tree covers still have the desirable properties of graph representations, including efficiency in query and construction time.


Trace chlorinated organic compounds are generated via thermal processes. Their formation is promoted by copper chloride in solid phase such as fly ash, especially in the post-combustion zone in municipal solid waste incineration. Previously, we reported the chemical state and change of copper chloride in a single model using the in situ quick scan x-ray absorption fine structure (QXAFS). However, a real solid phase, which is a complex system involving many elements, was not simulated. In this paper, we measured the Cu-K XAFS of a metal-mixture model upon heating to discuss the effect of mixing. The in situ QXAFS technique revealed that the reaction temperature of copper was lower, compared with the single model, when a mixture was measured. The result shows that the formation mechanism of chlorinated organic compounds derived from anthropogenic thermal sources can be described more correctly.


In this paper, we present a data set and methods to compare speech processing models and human behaviour on a phone discrimination task. We provide Perceptimatic, an open data set which consists of French and English speech stimuli, as well as the results of 91 English- and 93 French-speaking listeners. The stimuli test a wide range of French and English contrasts, and are extracted directly from corpora of natural running read speech, used for the 2017 Zero Resource Speech Challenge. We provide a method to compare humans' perceptual space with models' representational space, and we apply it to models previously submitted to the Challenge. We show that, unlike unsupervised models and supervised multilingual models, a standard supervised monolingual HMM-GMM phone recognition system, while good at discriminating phones, yields a representational space very different from that of human native listeners.


The major theme of this thesis is allopolyploidization, with focus on Silene section Physolychnis. The evolutionary history of an allopolyploid species can be established by inferring the sister relationships of the homoeologous sequences from low copy nuclear markers. Sequence specific primers are here used to recover co-amplified genetic variants, which is an efficient alternative to the commonly used bacterial cloning. A phylogenetic overview of Physolychnis is presented, and two major clades within the section are defined: the Asian/American clade and the Arctic/Siberian S. ajanensis group. Previously unknown ploidy levels of several taxa are inferred from sequence data, based on the number of monophyletic sequence-clusters recovered per species. Several allopolyploid taxa stemming from crosses between the two major clades are identified. Of these, S. sachalinensis and S. involucrata have indistinguishable origins, although they are geographically and morphologically distinct. Certain taxa within Physolychnis exhibit an extra copy of the nuclear gene RPA2, originating from a distantly related lineage within section Auriculatae. This is in strong conflict with the species relationships (inferred in several previous studies), and is best explained by introgression between lineages belonging to the two Silene subgenera. This finding of gene flow between such long diverged lineages may represent one of the most extreme cases presented yet. In order to investigate whether S. sachalinensis and the three subspecies of S. involucrata originate from one or several hybridization events, transcriptome data from three distantly related Silene species is used to design a set of primers for 27 loci not previously sequenced in this genus. Together with five other loci, these are amplified from 43 specimens from within the parent / allopolyploid species complex, and sequenced using 454 amplicon sequencing. This method is particularly well suited for a systematic project involving allopolyploid taxa, since sequence variants are separated on the sequencing plate, and due to the possibility of multiplexing a large number of loci and individuals. Here, a twostep PCR approach is taken to attach 10 bp barcodes to the individual amplicons. This approach is time and cost efficient, but may lead to large amounts of recombinant sequences during the second PCR amplification. Species tree inference is complicated by the presence of homoeologous gene copies within a single species. A phylogenetic tree in which identical taxon labels occur in more than one monophyletic position is here defined as a multiply labeled tree. Although several gene-treesto-species-tree methods exist, the first consensus method that combines several multiply labeled gene trees into a multiply labeled genome tree is presented here. The genome tree can subsequently be folded into a species network, which describes the evolution of allopolyploid taxa.


Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disorder, characterised by focal loss of cartilage and increased subchondral bone remodelling at early OA stages of the disease. We have investigated the temporal and the spatial relationship between bone remodelling in subchondral bone plate (Sbp) and trabecular bone (Tb) in Dunkin Hartley (DH, develop OA early) and the Bristol Strain 2 (BS2, control which develop OA late) guinea pigs. Right tibias were dissected from six male animals of each strain, at 10, 16, 24 and 30 weeks of age. Micro-computed tomography was used to quantify the growth plate thickness (GpTh), subchondral bone plate thickness (SbpTh) and trabecular bone thickness (TbTh), and bone mineral density (BMD) in both Sbp and Tb. The rate of change was calculated for 10–16 weeks, 16–24 weeks and 24–30 weeks. The rate of changes in Sbp and Tb thickness at the earliest time interval (10–16 weeks) were significantly greater in DH guinea pigs than in the growth-matched control strain (BS2). The magnitude of these differences was greater in the medial side than the lateral side (DH: 22.7 and 14.75 µm/week, BS2: 5.63 and 6.67 µm/week, respectively). Similarly, changes in the BMD at the earliest time interval was greater in the DH strain than the BS2, again more pronounced in the disease prone medial compartment (DH: 0.0698 and 0.0372 g/cm3/week, BS2: 0.00457 and 0.00772 g/cm3/week, respectively). These changes observed preceded microscopic and cellular signs of disease as previously reported. The rapid early changes in SbpTh, TbTh, Sbp BMD and Tb BMD in the disease prone DH guinea pigs compared with the BS2 control strain suggest a link to early OA pathology. This is corroborated by the greater relative changes in subchondral bone in the medial compared with the lateral compartment.


Summary In this paper, a lumped parameter model of a robotic fibre placement system consisting of a Motoman SK-120 robot, a force/torque sensor, a pneumatic actuator and a stiff workpiece holder is developed and experimentally verified for the purpose of predicting and characterising the dynamic behaviour of the fibre placement system. Special attention has been given to the dynamics of the actuator which is represented as a mass confined to move between two non-linear springs and dampers. The overall model containing manipulator, force sensor, pneumatic actuator and the workpiece holder dynamics is of the tenth order. Step response experiments were conducted to verify the model and to determine the approximate values of the parameters in the mathematical model. The results prove that the established model is accurate enough to explain the dynamic behaviour of the fibre placement system and it can be employed to quantify the influence of the dynamics of the pneumatic actuator on the constant force-based fibre placement. The well-known fact that the dynamics of the pneumatic actuator varies with the piston position has also been experimentally demonstrated.


We present a technique for the estimation of power consumption in asynchronous circuits through the modelling of transition switching activity. Unlike most existing techniques for analytic (non-simulation) power estimation that use reachability state traversal and Markov chain analysis, our method is based on an invariant analysis of Petri Net models using matrix representations. This approach is in general more eecient than Markov chain analysis, due to the avoidance of state explosion, but may lose accuracy for some classes of nets. The asynchronous circuits under analysis are speed-independent designs that are synthesized from Signal Transition Graph descriptions using the tool Petrify.


We introduce the new task of Acoustic Question Answering (AQA) to promote research in acoustic reasoning. The AQA task consists of analyzing an acoustic scene composed by a combination of elementary sounds and answering questions that relate the position and properties of these sounds. The kind of relational questions asked, require that the models perform non-trivial reasoning in order to answer correctly. Although similar problems have been extensively studied in the domain of visual reasoning, we are not aware of any previous studies addressing the problem in the acoustic domain. We propose a method for generating the acoustic scenes from elementary sounds and a number of relevant questions for each scene using templates. We also present preliminary results obtained with two models (FiLM and MAC) that have been shown to work for visual reasoning.


The aim of this article is to provide state-of-the-art didactic-pedagogical practices used in the entrepreneurship education of national and foreign under graduation and graduation courses and to prove or refute them through the practices adopted by a post-graduation course in Business Management of a university at Curitiba. Firstly, a historic description of the entrepreneurship education in the universities has been developed as well as its importance in the social economic development of the countries and in the generation of innovations, followed by an explanation of its current situation in the world and in Brazil. In a second stage was outlined the methodology, seeking analyze the main publications on the topic of entrepreneurship education. They were searched in all its contents of the publication, the annals: Enanpad and Egepe; and international periodics: Journal of Business Venturing and Education + Training. They were reviewed, although, publications of the authors of domestic and foreign most authoritative on the subject, as well as other important international journals that address the topic of entrepreneurial training, but not through a general review of publications. The main results show that: the universities are implementing the entrepreneurship education in their curricular grades using more efficient didactic-pedagogical practices, but not putting aside, in most of the times, the traditional methods of education; the professor therefore shall establish a balance between the roles of facilitating and teaching in the process of learning; the professors' former experience and work in small companies will help the students in the process of learning and undertaking. However, it is important to mention, that the incubators are essential for the implementation of the business plans developed by the students.


BACKGROUND
Scientists have noted an association between mottled enamel and fluoride exposure since the early 1900s. By the mid-1900s, they also recognized that fluoride intake was related to lower caries incidence. To harness the protective effect of fluoride while limiting the occurrence of fluorosis, dental researchers have recommended that the fluoride level in chinking water be 1 part per million or less.

OVERVIEW
Despite the recognition that fluoride levels in water can be controlled to offer caries protection with minimal risk of fluorosis, the cosmetic defect continues to appear. However, although the word "fluorosis" conjures up images of brown stained and pitted enamel, such severe cases rarely are seen in the United States. Children in this country are exposed to fluoride from numerous sources and the appearance of mild fluorosis is not unusual.

CONCLUSIONS AND PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS
In most cases, fluorosis is a minor cosmetic defect that should not be cause for alarm. Dentists should educate their patients about the optimal range of fluoride intake for caries protection, sources of fluoride and the possibility of fluorosis.


This research aims to knowing Fraud Practices that occur in the Bankruptcy process in a company such as well as fraud in the implementation of the process of recording financial statements, effectiveness Internal control, strengthening the code of ethics and triggering the attitude of the Company's leaders. This research approach uses descriptive qualitative research methods and uses Inductive data analysis. Through triangulation techniques, researchers conduct data mining regarding fraud that occurred before the company was declared bankrupt by using data collection techniques with interviews with companies and curators who help deal with this case and then observe the object of research on the data related to fraud. The results of the study show that the practice of fraud often occurs in companies experiencing bankruptcy, in this case in several Processes settlement of bankruptcy, the company has the potential for fraud to occur in it, including Fraud in the Company's financial process, one of which is the Board of Directors combining finance personally with the Company's finances, in addition at the time of the bankruptcy determination tracing only based on the facts of assets alone does not consider the existence of financial statements owned by the company in previous periods. Conditions for Fraud This causes the company to go bankrupt.


This study presents the syntaxonomic diversity of the semi-natural grasslands in NorthEastern Bulgaria following the principles of the Ziirich-Montpellier School. A total number of 172 releves, collected during 2002-2004, is used. TWINSPAN clustering is applied for determination vegetation types. The diagnostic species groups for the associations and subassociations are created by Cocktail method using the phi-coefficient with values above 0.3 within the JUICE software. As a result class Fesluco-Brometea is established with the alliances Festucion valesiacae, Pimpinello-Thymion and Chrysopogoni-Danthonion. The originally described Botriochloetum ischaemi Pop 1977 association is considered as typical on the subassociation level and a part of our releves are referred to it. Following the nomenclature rules we determined the subassotiation typicum. One new subassociation named Thymefosum pannonici of more xerophytic character, as compared to typical one, and well represented by differential species is established. The geographical distribution of Agropyro-Thymetum zygoidi and Agrostideto-Chrysopogonetum grylli associations is extended to the territory of Bulgaria. Class Molinio-Arrhenalherefea is represented by Cynosurion alliance and Festuco-Agrostidetum association is established by its probably most eastern area of distribution.


Semiconductor photocatalysis is a promising approach to combat both environmental pollution and the global energy shortage. Advanced TiO₂-based photocatalysts with novel photoelectronic properties are benchmark materials that have been pursued for their high solar-energy conversion efficiency. In general, the photocatalytic efficiency is affected by the degree of light absorption, charge separation, and surface reactivity. Consequently, in this review we first discuss a series of interesting studies that aim to extend the light absorption of TiO₂ from UV wavelengths into the visible or even the near-infrared region. We next focus on attempts to overcome the drawback that dopants usually act as charge recombination centres. We discuss the use of either selective local doping or the introduction of disorder together with doping, which aims to facilitate charge separation while preserving the visible-light response. We also show that crystal facet engineering can endow TiO₂ with superior physicochemical properties, thus yielding high surface reactivity in photocatalytic reactions. Finally, we examine the recent theoretical advances of TiO₂-based photocatalysis.


The aim of this research paper is to analyze and determine the role and scope of the works of Muslim scholars on Orientalists. Muslim scholars have done exclusive works in this field of research. They have responded literally, morally, and logically to all those lame excuses which Orientalists have raised about Islam. Many Muslim scholars have sacrificed their lives in this service of Islam. But the research of Muslim scholars on Orientalists also indirectly affects the Muslim Ummah, especially the works of those Muslim scholars who presented their research works in local languages (Urdu, Arabic, Persian, Malay, etc). This way of research helps Orientalists' views penetrate in Muslim Ummah because the common Muslims have easy access to the works of Orientalists in their own languages. This paper also discussed those parameters which a Muslim scholar must keep in mind while researching Orientalists


This paper reviewed the research results of agriculture and food consumption related to the Great East Japan Earthquake in the field of Socio-Economics, and tried to evaluate the major results, remaining issues and directions of future research which should be expanded. In particularly, we have evaluated the conference and symposium's discussion contents, research papers and commercial journal articles. As a result, in the field of Socio-Economics, the research of agriculture has been mainly focused on the following two fields: 1) the development of a radiation monitoring system and decontamination, and 2) the study of radioactive contamination of agricultural and food products, consumer behavior and harmful rumors. All these research results are valuable and give us much information. However, the way of providing the research results to public is not sufficient, so the collaboration between academic societies is important.


A rapid and significant vasodepressor effect was obtained during acute stage before and after surgery on aortic aneurysm with continuous antihypertensive therapy using nicardipine hydrochloride. Twenty patients were treated; 6 patients had an acute dissecting aneurysm of the aorta, 8 were postoperative cases following resection of the thoracic aortic aneurysm, and 6 were postoperative cases of the abdominal aortic aneurysm. Nicardipine hydrochloride is easy to administer, has few side effects, and was found to be effective as antihypertensive therapy before and after surgery. The use of nicardipine hydrochloride has therefore been adopted by this unit as part of the treatment protocol for these patients.


We calculate the Coulomb pseudopotential for the simple hexagonal phase of Si at a pressure of 14 GPa using a full-dielectric-matrix approach within the local-density-functional approximation. With all of the screening effects such as the crystal potential, local-field, and exchange - correlation effects, the value of is estimated to be 0.104. Considering only the crystal potential effect, is found to be very close to that of a free-electron gas. The exchange - correlation effect on the electron dielectric response function decreases the dielectric screening, especially for large wave vectors, giving rise to an increase of , while the local-field effect which results from directional bonds slightly reduces .


Composite nanofibre polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) was prepared in this work reinforced with nanofibrillated cellulose (NFC) using an electrospinning technique. NFC was isolated from oil palm empty fruit bunches (OPEFB) by steam explosion method followed by acid hydrolysis. A 12 wt% PVOH solution in distilled water was prepared under constant reflux at 80 oC for 5 h. Several concentrations of NFC were added to the polymer solution of 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5 wt%. The nano-dimension of NFC was analysed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The morphology of electrospun nanofibre was characterised using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The morphology of PVOH nanofibre was smooth and uniform without beads. The presence of NFC in the PVOH nanofibre decreased the diameter. The morphology of PVOH/NFC nanofibre at a concentration of NFC 2.5% was fairly uniform with good quality. However, the preparation of PVOH/NFC nanofibre at concentrations of NFC 5.0% and 7.5% resulted in elliptical beads. The crystallinity of NFC and electrospinning nanofibre was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD). In addition, the thermal properties of the samples were analysed using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results showed that NFC improved the thermal stability of electrospun PVOH nanofibre.


High manganese steel (KHMN30L) as a cryogenic nonmagnetic material has been developed by Kawasaki Steel Corporation, which is designed for structural material for superconducting magnet in particle accelerator system. This steel satisfies the following requirements for the present use. 1) Low magnetic permeability: its relative magnetic permeability is lower than 1.002 throughout the range between 1.9 K and room temperature, and shows little temperature dependency which is the result of the highly elevated Neel temperature controlled by alloying composition design. 2) Low thermal expansion: its integrated contraction from room temperature to 4.2 K is as small as 0.18%. 3) Appropriate mechanical properties: yield strength and tensile strength can be adjusted to the desirable value by the manufacturing process condition without deteriorating physical properties. With these excellent properties, this steel is being supplied for nonmagnetic lamination of the cold mass of the LHC (Large Hadron Collider) superconducting dipole magnet, which is under construction by CERN.


A nonlinear time-domain strip theory for vertical wave loads and ship responses is to be investigated. The hydrodynamic memory effect is approximated by a higher order differential equation without convolution. The ship is modeled as a non-uniform Timoshenko beam. Numerical calculations are presented for the S175 Containership translating with the forward speed in regular waves. The approach described in this paper can be used in evaluating ship motions and wave loads in extreme wave conditions and validating nonlinear phenomena in ship design.


Thin layer materials may be considered as composites of the substrate and deposited film. The degree of stress transfer between the two components, i.e. the adhesion, will influence the dynamical response of the thin layer composite characterized by its resonance frequency. A semi-empirical adhesion parameter γ was defined which varies between 1, indicating perfect adhesion, and 0, indicating no adhesion. Resonance measurements were carried out on the Ni50Ti50/SiO2/Si system, employing a high-resolution mechanical vibration technique. To confirm that the parameter γ truly reflects the quality of the adhesion, NiTi films of different thicknesses were sputter-deposited on a Si substrate and 1 - γ, reflecting the degree of deviation from pure elastic coupling through the interface, was measured. It was found that NiTi/Si yields γ values of about 0.8, reflecting partial adhesion. Annealing improves the adhesion of NiTi films on Si. This improvement of the adhesion was followed in situ.


With a large number of construction projects building in urban rail construction, it's very necessary for researching on the construction axis. Construction axis of the subway is consisted of line segment, circular arc segment and transition curve. The paper introduces design models and algorithms of the tunnel boring machine (TBM) axis (DTA). By analyzing the DTA characteristics of each curve, summing up their general characters, we ultimately make a unified common algorithm and geodetic coordinate calculation model of the design axis in horizontal and vertical planes. It will be very useful for the process of underground construction.


A new holographic technique has been used to make a compact, accurate, and reliable point-of-sale scanner. Our holo-window technique is capable of changing the scan direction, collecting the signal light, and equalizing the scan velocity. At present, compact scanners tend to sacrifice read operation accuracy, speed, and reliability for size. Our technique permits the miniaturization of the optical system of a scanner while preserving performance. Using the holo-window, we have developed a new scanner that has a letter-size footprint and is only 8 cm high.


Abstract This article elaborates on different modes of reflecting and on the significance of these differences for educational and educational-psychological practice. It contrasts exemplary materials from two research projects at schools where students share experiences of social exclusion, poor performance in mainstream educational settings, economic challenges, and family-related problems. These materials stem from my own ethnographic research that took place at an experimental vocational school in Germany in 2004 and 2005, and an a posteriori analysis of a school project that took place at the Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California from 1994 to 1998. Echoing Foucault as well as Vygotsky, the article demonstrates how diaries and narrations by young women written in different educational contexts promoted different forms of communication between teachers and students as well as qualitatively distinct modes of reflection. The analysis advances received scholarship by differentiating between introspection about oneself and reflection on the societal relations within which one is positioned. The focus on marginalized populations strengthens the argument by virtue of addressing challenging cases where this second kind of reflection is even more critical to one's development.


In the cognitive radio (CR) system where spectrum sensing and data transmissions are performed simultaneously, the proper selection of frame duration (τ) is of utmost importance. Small τ leads to an increased false alarm probability while large value of it delays implementation of sensing decision of the current frame to the next. The former case decreases the achievable throughput of the CR user while latter one may disturb the licensed user communication. Under the constraints of maintaining a target detection probability of dP, this paper attempts to design a frame duration τ where achieved throughput of the CR system is maximised. To do so, an analysis of achievable throughput with τ was performed which reveals that, initially, with the increase in τ, the achievable throughput increases sharply, but after its certain value, the increments are negligible and achievable throughput appears to maintain a constant value. The performed analysis shows that, it is not possible to perfectly optimize τ, however, a close optimisation can still be performed which can maximise the achievable throughput. From the realistic point of view, the CR system is further modelled under uncertain noise conditions. The achieved simulation results well justify the presented analysis. Defence Science Journal, Vol. 65, No. 4, July 2015, pp. 312-318, DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.65.8739


The maintenance of nucleolar integrity during interphase is essential for proper cell cycle progression to mitosis. The nucleolus is a dynamic nuclear body that has been demonstrated to disassemble at the onset of mitosis; the relationship between cell cycle progression and nucleolar integrity, however, remains poorly understood. We studied the role of nucleolar proteins in mitosis by performing a global analysis using small interfering RNAs specific to nucleolar proteins; we focused on nucleolar protein 11 (NOL11), with currently unknown mitotic functions. Depletion of NOL11 delayed entry into the mitotic phase owing to increased inhibitory phosphorylation of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) and aberrant accumulation of Wee1, a kinase that phosphorylates and inhibits Cdk1. In addition to effects on overall mitotic phenotypes, NOL11 depletion reduced ribosomal RNA (rRNA) levels and caused nucleolar disruption during interphase. Notably, mitotic phenotypes found in NOL11-depleted cells were recapitulated when nucleolar disruption was induced by depletion of rRNA transcription factors or treatment with actinomycin D. Furthermore, delayed entry into the mitotic phase, caused by the depletion of pre-rRNA transcription factors, was attributable to nucleolar disruption rather than to G2/M checkpoint activation or reduced protein synthesis. Our findings therefore suggest that maintenance of nucleolar integrity during interphase is essential for proper cell cycle progression to mitosis via the regulation of Wee1 and Cdk1.


Adriamycin (ADR) and N-trifluoroacetyladriamycin-14-valerate, respectively, inhibit and enhance the nuclear fluorescence of cells stained with propidium iodide for DNA per cell estimation by flow cytometry. In cells incubated with ADR, the reduction in fluorescence is gradually manifested due to the slow intracellular drug transport. In contrast the effect of N-trifluoroacetyladriamycin-14-valerate on propidium iodide nuclear fluorescence is seen within 5 min of incubation. The effect of ADR on propidium iodide nuclear fluorescence could be detected in vivo even after 24 hr of ADR administration.


The present invention provides a battery life extension device, connecting in series with the battery in a current circuit, including an intelligent switch, a voltage stabilizing circuit, a frequencyconversion inverter circuit, a pulse circuit and an energy saving timer of the circuit connection in turns, maintaining self activity by utilizing battery self energy. The battery life extension device of the invention is capable of making the battery active, increase of service life, improving charge efficiency, reducing charge power and saving charge energy.


Scour is the leading cause of bridge failures worldwide. In the United States, 22 bridges fail every year, whereas in the UK scour contributed significantly to the 138 bridge collapses recorded in the last century. In Scotland, there are around 2,000 bridges susceptible to scour. Scour assessments are currently based on visual inspections, which are expensive, time-consuming, and the information collected is qualitative. However, monitoring an entire infrastructure network against scour is not economically feasible. A way to overcome this limitation is to install monitoring systems at critical locations, and then extend the pieces of information gained to the entire asset through a probabilistic approach. This paper proposes a Decision Support System (DSS) for bridge scour management that exploits information from a limited number of scour monitoring systems to achieve a more confined estimate of the scour risk for a bridge network. A Bayesian network (BN) is used to describe conditional dependencies among the involved random variables. The BN allows estimating, and updating, the scour depth distributions using information from monitoring of scour depth and river flow characteristics. Data collected by the monitoring system and BN's outcomes are then used to inform a decision model and thus support transport agencies' decision frameworks. A case study consisting of several road bridges in Scotland is considered to demonstrate the functioning of the DSS. The BN is found to estimate accurately the scour depth at unmonitored bridges, and the decision model provides higher values of scour thresholds compared to the ones implicitly chosen by the transport agencies.


Ground beef patties were packaged in air with: nylon/polyethylene, Saran/polyester/polyethylene, or Saran film overwrap plus a styrofoam tray. Samples were irradiated at 2 kGy by either gamma rays or electron beam, and evaluated for 7 flavor, 3 mouthfeel, and 7 taste attributes by a trained sensory panel. The only difference observed between irradiated and unirradiated samples was that the latter had a more pronounced beef/brothy flavor than irradiated patties. No differences were detected according to packaging material used. Comparing the two sources of irradiation, patties irradiated by gamma rays had more intense cardboardy and soured flavors, and salty and sour tastes than patties irradiated by electron beam.