The MetaNet is a scalable local area network (LAN) architecture with an arbitrary topology and a switch at each node (i.e., a switch based LAN). Its design provides on one hand a service in which any node can try to transmit asynchronously in a bursty manner without reservation as much as it can (as in traditional LAN), and on the other hand the network access and flow control ensure the following properties: (1) no packet loss due to congestion, (2) fair access to the network, (3) no deadlocks, and (4) self-routing with broadcast. The switching over this network requires only a (5) single buffer per input link. The MetaNet is asynchronous, distributed, and designed for transmission of fixed size cells or variable size packets. It can be viewed as a "general-topology buffer-insertion architecture with fairness," thus generalizing the MetaRing architecture. >


The search for polymeric materials with new property profiles has stimulated a great interest into polymer blends and reactive processing. During recent years many new blends have reached the market. Although some of these are homogeneous mixtures of polymers, most commercial blends are composed of immiscible polymers, and contain two or more polymeric phases. The properties of such blends depend on composition as well as blend morphology. Most combinations of immiscible polymers are incompatible, i. e. they give blends of low tensile and impact strengths. This is due to weak polymer - polymer interactions across phase boundaries. The properties of such combinations of polymers can often be dramatically improved by adding a suitable compatibilizer. The present work concentrates on two blend systems, one intrinsically compatible, one which demonstrates the role of an efficient compatibilizer. The compatible blend system studied is based on polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-stat-butylene)-block-polystyrene (SEBS), extended by a processing oil (90 parts per 100 parts of SEBS). Within a broad composition range, this system gave blends with a bicontinuous network structure of the type commonly referred to as a physically cross-linked interpenetrating polymer network (IPN). The presence of a pronounced melting point depression of PP indicated partial miscibility in the melt. This suggested that the formation of an IPN structure is due to nucleation of polypropylene across the phase boundaries in the cooling two-phase melt. In injection moulding, this mechanism of structure formation leads to weld lines free from weaknesses. The low viscosity of the two phase blends simplifies processing and form-filling. The presence of an IPN structure in the solid state contributes to interesting mechanical properties, properties which may be varied within wide limits. Polyamide (PA) and PP are incompatible, but may give useful blends if combined with a suitable compatibilizer. The present study is concerned with blends prepared by melt mixing of PP, PA and either SEBS modified to contain an EB mid-block with succinic anhydride groups (SEBS-MA), or unmodified SEBS. In blends prepared using SEBS-MA, the actual compatibilizer is the graft copolymer formed as the succinic anhydride groups react with polyamide end groups. This graft copolymer was found to give blends with much finer PA domains and better mechanical properties than unmodified SEBS. The effect of compatibilizer concentration and mixing strategy on blend morphology, as well as the effect of blend morphology on mechanical properties, the crystallization behavior of PP and PA in the blends, and the rate of water uptake are discussed.


The hump feature is one of the major instabilities in pump-turbines. When pump-turbines operate in the hump region, strong noise and serious fluctuations can be observed, which are harmful to their safe and stable operation and can even destroy the whole unit as well as water conveyance system. In this paper, a low specific speed ( n q = 36.1 min −1 ) pump-turbine model was experimentally investigated. Firstly, the hump characteristic was obtained under 19 mm guide vane opening conditions. More interestingly, when the hump characteristic was measured in two directions (increasing and decreasing the discharge), characteristic hysteresis was found in the hump region. The analysis of performance characteristics reveals that the hump instability is the result of Euler momentum and hydraulic losses, and different Euler momentum and hydraulic losses in the two development processes lead to the hysteresis phenomenon. Then, 12 pressure sensors were mounted in the different parts of the pump-turbine model to obtain the time and frequency characteristics. The analysis of the corresponding fast Fourier transform confirms that the hump characteristic is related to low-frequency (0.04–0.15 times rotational frequency) vortices. The occurrence and cessation of vortices depend on the operating condition and measurement direction, which contribute to the hysteresis feature. Finally, the type of the low-frequency vortices was analyzed through the cross power spectrum.


U-Net has attained immense popularity owing to its performance in medical image segmentation. However, it cannot be modeled explicitly over remote dependencies. By contrast, the transformer can effectively capture remote dependencies by leveraging the self-attention (SA) of the encoder. Although SA, an important characteristic of the transformer, can find correlations between them based on the original data, secondary computational complexity might retard the processing rate of high-dimensional data (such as medical images). Furthermore, SA is limited because the correlation between samples is overlooked; thus, there is considerable scope for improvement. To this end, based on Swin-UNet, we introduce a dynamic selective attention mechanism for the convolution kernels. The weight of each convolution kernel is calculated to fuse the results dynamically. This attention mechanism permits each neuron to adaptively modify its receptive field size in response to multiscale input information. A local cross-channel interaction strategy without dimensionality reduction was introduced, which effectively eliminated the influence of downscaling on learning channel attention. Through suitable cross-channel interactions, model complexity can be significantly reduced while maintaining its performance. Subsequently, the global interaction between the encoder features is used to extract more fine-grained features. Simultaneously, the mixed loss function of the weighted cross-entropy loss and Dice loss is used to alleviate category imbalances and achieve better results when the sample number is unbalanced. We evaluated our proposed method on abdominal multiorgan segmentation and cardiac segmentation datasets, achieving Dice similarity coefficient and 95% Hausdorff distance metrics of 80.30 and 14.55%, respectively, on the Synapse dataset and Dice similarity coefficient metrics of 90.80 on the ACDC dataset. The experimental results show that our proposed method has good generalization ability and robustness, and it is a powerful tool for medical image segmentation.


Although generalizations from research are helpful in guiding problem identification and interventions in a school setting, characteristics of specific groups must not be overlooked if all students are to be served effectively. Differences in the areas of self-reported self-esteem and depression are frequently pertinent to decisions and recommendations educational professionals are called on to make. The current study examined differences in the level of self-reported self-esteem and depression between learning disabled and behavior disordered middle school students. Sixty-one participants completed the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (CSEI) and the Children's Depression Inventory (CDI). Similarities and differences between learning disabled and behavior disordered students were identified.


SETTING
Eight operational research (OR) courses run by the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union) and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) for participants from low- and middle-income countries. There is a knowledge gap about whether participants continue OR after course completion.

OBJECTIVES
To determine 1) the research output of participants and their institutions after course completion; 2) the influence of OR fellowships on output; and 3) the output of non-OR fellows stratified by sex, region and staff position.

DESIGN
A self-administered e-mail questionnaire survey.

RESULTS
Of 83 participants who completed a course, 76 (92%) responded to the questionnaire. Following course completion, 47 (62%) participants completed new research projects, 38 (50%) published papers (vs. 25 [33%] who had published before the course), 42 (55%) presented posters or oral abstracts at conferences, 33 (43%) facilitated at further OR courses, 29 (38%) reviewed scientific papers, 25 (33%) secured further OR funding and 55 (72%) said their institutions were involved in OR implementation or capacity building. OR fellows performed better than non-OR fellows. Among the latter, males and participants from Asia had better output than females and participants from Africa (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION
The significant proportion of participants continuing to engage in OR after course completion provides encouraging evidence of the long-term value of this capacity building model.


Abstract : Accounting Learning Model to Increase Student Competence. Accounting is one area that is not enough science learned just from the theory, but it will be easier to understand of the science area practice of accounting for real. The accounting practicum development of teaching materials is one of the efforts to improve student competence. It is assumed that with the model of appropriate learning and teaching package models that describe real conditions, can improve mastery of the material and ultimately improve student competence.The objectives of this research is to develop a model accounting package practicum learning as a strategy to improve the quality of learning financial accounting and tax accounting to increase student competence. This study will answer the question of how learning models and models of learning packages appropriate accounting practice in accounting courses. Research design using the design research and developed or Research and Development (R & D). Development to follow Instructional Development Model (MPI) the procedur. The development of the role of accounting in the industrial world demands competency appropriate user needs graduates. The results of the concept model of learning and teaching practicum accounting package. The results still have to go through testing to be in generalization.


The occurrence of a hemorrhage into a vestibular schwannoma is a rare phenomenon. Several reports, however, indicate a risk profile for a subgroup of patients with vestibular schwannoma which show hypervascularity in the histopathological examination. Cystic formation, large size, mixed Antoni type and anticoagulation therapy seem to enhance the risk of tumor hemorrhage. We report on a patient with a large cystic vestibular schwannoma who died from fatal bleeding into the tumor 15 months following stereotactic radiation therapy. Since hemorrhage seems to be a relevant risk in large cystic vestibular schwannomas, a surgical treatment should be preferred whenever possible.


Enterobacter sakazakii is an uncommon cause of neonatal meningitis. The prognosis of newborns with meningitis due to Enterobacter sakazakii is poor, the fatality rate is reported as high as 50%. Survivors usually have severe neurologic complications. Most computed tomography (CT) findings were low density lesions of white matter and cortex suggesting infarctions which underwent cystic degeneration. We present one premature baby with meningitis due to Enterobacter sakazakii and large bilateral regions of hypo- and hyperdensity suggesting massive hemorrhagic and nonhemorrhagic intracerebral infarctions leading to multiple cystic encephalomalacia.


Abstract Background Hospital staff are at high risk of infection during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. We analysed the exposure characteristics, efficacy of protective measures, and transmission dynamics in this hospital-wide prospective seroprevalence study. Methods and Findings Overall, 4554 individuals were tested for anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) IgG antibodies using a chemiluminescent immunoassay. Individual risk factors, use of personal protective equipment (PPE), occupational exposure, previous SARS-CoV-2 infection, and symptoms were assessed using a questionnaire and correlated to anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody titres and PCR testing results. Odds ratios with corresponding exact 95% confidence intervals were used to evaluate associations between individual factors and seropositivity. Spatio-temporal trajectories of SARS-CoV-2-infected patients and staff mobility within the hospital were visualised to identify local hotspots of virus transmission. The overall seroprevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2-IgG antibody was 2.4% [95% CI 1.9–2.9]. Patient-facing staff, including those working in COVID-19 areas, had a similar probability of being seropositive as non-patient-facing staff. Prior interaction with SARS-CoV-2-infected co-workers or private contacts and unprotected exposure to COVID-19 patients increased the probability of seropositivity. Loss of smell and taste had the highest positive predictive value for seropositivity. The rate of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections was 25.9%, and higher anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody titres were observed in symptomatic individuals. Spatio-temporal hotspots of SARS-CoV-2-positive staff and patients only showed partial overlap. Conclusions Patient-facing work in a healthcare facility during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic may be safe if adequate PPE and hygiene measures are applied. The high numbers of asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infections that escaped detection by symptomatic testing underline the value of cross-sectional seroprevalence studies. Unprotected contact is a major risk factor for infection and argues for the rigorous implementation of hygiene measures.


The visibility functions of 195 radio sources are interpreted in terms of the structure of these sources. Of the 195 sources, 174 are known or presumed to be extragalactic. Seventy-five of these extragalactic sources are resolved with the interferometer spacings used, and complex structure is found i n all but 13. In the sources showing complex structure, two similar components with nearly equal intensities are found in 15, 40 show two or more components of unequal intensities, while 7 appear to be a bright core surrounded by a halo. It is suggested that the majority of all extragalactic sources have complex structure. Data are also given on the brightness distributions in the 21 galactic sources observed. In contrast to the extragalactic sources, emission from the galactic sources is typically confined to a single region.


We present observations of the stellar and gas kinematics for a representative sample of 24 Sa galaxies obtained with our custom-built integral-field spectrograph SAURON operating on the William Herschel Telescope. The data have been homogeneously reduced and analysed by means of a dedicated pipeline. All resulting data cubes were spatially binned to a minimum mean signal-to-noise ratio of 60 per spatial and spectral resolution element. Our maps typically cover the bulge-dominated region. We find a significant fraction of kinematically decoupled components (12/24), many of them displaying central velocity dispersion minima. They are mostly aligned and co-rotating with the main body of the galaxies, and are usually associated with dust discs and rings detected in unsharp-masked images. Almost all the galaxies in the sample (22/24) contain significant amounts of ionized gas which, in general, is accompanied by the presence of dust. The kinematics of the ionized gas are consistent with circular rotation in a disc co-rotating with respect to the stars. The distribution of mean misalignments between the stellar and gaseous angular momenta in the sample suggests that the gas has an internal origin. The [O-III]/H beta ratio is usually very low, indicative of current star formation, and shows various morphologies (ring-like structures, alignments with dust lanes or amorphous shapes). The star formation rates (SFRs) in the sample are comparable with that of normal disc galaxies. Low gas velocity dispersion values appear to be linked to regions of intense star formation activity. We interpret this result as stars being formed from dynamically cold gas in those regions. In the case of NGC 5953, the data suggest that we are witnessing the formation of a kinematically decoupled component from cold gas being acquired during the ongoing interaction with NGC 5954.


One of reasons for non-translation of weather based prediction systems for groundnut late leafspot is inability of the models to account for the variability due to prime contributing weather parameters and inadequate data on microclimate of the pathogen in the canopy. The instruments for measuring microclimate are not only expensive but also need timely calibration. Hence, an effort was made to find out relationships between observatory meteorological data and microclimate at canopy level. Field trials were laid out during kharif seasons of 2004 and 2006 and wireless sensors were placed in the field near to crop canopy to record weather. During 2004 Tmax, Tmin and RHe were significantly positively correlated ('r'=0.729, 0.943 and 0.680, respectively) whereas RHm was not significant ('r'=0.201). On the other hand, during 2006, both Tmax and RHe were strongly positively correlated ('r'=0.791 and 0.652, respectively) whereas 'r' values of RHm and Tmin were not significant (-0.380 and 0.151, respectively). The relationship between the Tmax of observatory and canopy level showed logistic relationship with a mean deviation of 8.1±1.4 and a range of 5.7 to10.6. Similarly, Tmin of observatory and canopy level showed logistic relationship with a mean deviation of 1.0±1.6 and a range of –2.0 to 4.3. During kharif 2004, RHm and RHe showed an exponential relationship between observatory and canopy level data. However, during kharif 2006, the relationships were sinusoidal. These functional relationships for temperatures could be used for developing weather based forewarning systems. Though the apparent infection rate in 2004 (0.0664) was similar to 'r' in 2004 (0.0759), the area under disease progress curve (AUDPC) was relatively less in 2006 as compared to 2004, which signifies the role of weather and other crop husbandry practices including date of sowing. The results are discussed in this paper.


Tar-mat columns exist in many carbonate reservoirs in the Middle East. The presence of tar mats has become one of the most serious problems in the oil industry, as it impacts the extraction of primary oil and the application of improved oil recovery (IOR) technologies On the other hand, tar mats can be considered potential oil reserves in and of themselves. Tar mats, which are generally dark brown to black semi-solids, can isolate the aquifer from an oil reservoir. Understanding tar mats and being able to characterize and identify them is critical for minimizing production costs and strategically producing crude oil. The objective of the study presented here was to characterize the physical and chemical properties of extremely viscous tar-mat oil and to evaluate the properties of the organic matter before and after the extraction. Five tar-mat cores were collected from a Kuwaiti carbonate reservoir, and 13 samples were prepared from each tar-mat core. One sample from each core was used for the evaluation before the extraction, while the other 12 were used for the evaluation after the extraction by toluene, hot water, and surfactant under different temperatures (25°C, 135°C, 225°C, and 315°C). The chemical genesis of tar-mat oil samples has been analyzed using novel techniques such as Vario Macro Elemental Analysis 106, Rock-Eval 6 pyrolysis, the Soxhlet apparatus, and thin-layer chromatography (TLC). The results of the geochemical analysis using Rock-Eval 6 pyrolysis showed that the Kuwaiti carbonate reservoir was oil-prone and capable of oil/gas production (type ll and ll-lll kerogen). Most of the samples were thermally mature and good in terms of hydrocarbon generation. However, oil could not have been produced from these samples naturally. Also, the ratio of H/C increased as the API decreased. Moreover, the results showed that toluene had more of an impact on most of the parameter values, while hot water and surfactant only slightly affected them.


Photonics packaging is a challenge to electronic packaging for two important reasons. The first and most obvious is that light must have access to the device. There must be a window, port or optical fiber interface. The other and more serious problem is that most devices require a highly controlled atmosphere. And if having to accommodate both electrons and photons were not enough, innovators have added mechanical motion to optical devices. Micro-opto-electro-mechanical systems (MOEMS) bring photonics, electronics, optics, physics and mechanical engineering together on one semiconductor device. This appears to be the ultimate convergence of technology domains and can also include biology and chemistry.


There are conflicting reports in the literature regarding the relationships among impaired insight, symptoms, and neurocognition in schizophrenia. The inconsistent findings likely reflect the multidimensionality of insight in this population, along with variations in study design. We examined 46 individuals with chronic schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder who were recently discharged from an inpatient unit. Insight was operationalized as awareness of having a mental disorder and awareness and attribution of both current and past symptoms. Positive, negative, disorganized, and depression symptoms were rated, and a neurocognition battery, including measures of visual processing, memory, visuo-spatial ability, and executive functions, was administered. Poor awareness of symptoms was moderately associated with core schizophrenia symptoms, and higher levels of depression were strongly associated with good awareness. Symptom misattribution, more so than symptom unawareness, was associated with deficits in frontal lobe functioning. Finally, different patterns of associations between symptoms, neurocognition, and insight were noted for current symptoms versus past symptoms. The data suggest that insight deficits in schizophrenia are multidimensional, and that investigators should pay careful attention to the choice of measures as well as to phase of illness characteristics in future studies.


In order to detect HLA-D identity or incompatibility, MLC tests were performed in 21 recipient-donor combinations before kidney transplantation (20 cadaver donors, one living related donor). In 20 cases, the MLC reaction was positive (R.R. greater than 10%). 13 of these patients rejected the transplant during the first three months after transplantation. One case was observed in which the MLC reaction between recipient and donor was negative. In this case, the graft has been functioning for more than a year. The lymphocytes of 7 kidney graft recipients were investigated in mitogen-stimulated lymphocyte cultures. In some cases, rejection crises were recognized in the test on the basis of a significantly enhanced reactivity of mitogen-stimulated lymphocytes. When no increase of proliferation was detected in the cultures, a rejection crisis became most improbable. One crisis failed to be detected and 6 false positive reactions occurred.


Plasmonic nanostructures serve as the main backbone of surface enhanced sensing methodologies, yet the associated optical losses lead to localized heating as well as quenching of molecules, complicating their use for enhancement of fluorescent emission. Additionally, conventional plasmonic materials are limited to operation in the visible part of the spectrum. We will elucidate how nanostructures consisting of conventional and polar dielectrics can be employed as a highly promising alternative platform. Dielectric nanostructures can sustain scattering resonances due to both electric and magnetic Mie modes. We have recently predicted high enhanced local electromagnetic field hot spots in dielectric nanoantenna dimers, with the hallmark of spot sizes comparable to those achievable with plasmonic antennas, but with lower optical losses. Here, we will present first experimental evidence for both fluorescence and Raman enhancement in dielectric nanoantennas, including a direct determination of localized heating, and compare to conventional Au dimer antennas. The second part of the talk will focus on the mid-infrared regime of the electromagnetic spectrum, outlining possibilities for surface enhanced infrared absorption spectroscopy based on polar and hyperbolic dielectrics.


OBJECTIVE
To analyze the rules of acupoints selection for phlegm disorder in treatment with acupuncture and moxibustion in ancient literature so as to provide guidance to clinical treatment of phlegm disorder.

METHODS
The word "phlegm" was taken as the search term and the relevant articles were retrieved from Zhonghuayidian (Dictionary of Chinese Medicine). According to the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the articles were screened and the database was set up. The analysis was conducted on acupoint selection, the correlation with meridians involved and distribution location, as well as the use frequency of specific points and acupoint combination.

RESULTS
It was found that in treatment of phlegm disorder, the highest frequently used acupoints were Zusanli (ST36) and Zhongwan (CV12). The use frequency of three yang meridians was higher than that of three yin meridians. The commonly involved meridians were the Conception Vessel, Bladder Meridian of Foot-taiyang and the Governor Vessel. The acupoints located in the chest and abdomen were highly used. The use frequency of specific points was higher than that of non-specific ones. The sequence of the use frequency of specific points, from high to low, is the crossing point, the front-mu point and luo-connecting point. The combination of Danzhong (CV17) and Zusanli (ST36) is of the high frequency.

CONCLUSION
Ancient medical scholars focus on regulating spleen and stomach functions, as well as qi activity in treatment of phlegm disorder with acupuncture and moxibustion, which is coincident with the treatment principle of phlegm disorder in traditional Chinese medicine. In treatment, acupuncture-moxibusiton is characterized as laying the emphasis on the specific points, the local acupoints and the holistic idea as " regulation of yang for yin disorder"..


Cephalexin monohydrate suspension was used in the treatment of 97 children with otitis media. Pretreatment middle-ear exudate specimens in pure or mixed culture yielded Diplococcus pneumoniae in 47 cases, Haemophilus influenzae in 26, Neisseria catarrhalis in 20, group A beta-hemolytic streptococci in 13, and Staphylococcus aureus in one. The usual dosage was 100 mg/kg/day given orally in divided doses for 10 to 12 days. After 48 hours of treatment, follow-up cultures showed that therapy had been successful in 90 children; 81 remained clinically and bacteriologically free of disease for at least three weeks following therapy. Of the seven children for whom therapy failed, H influenzae persisted in five and D pneumoniae in two. Acceptance of the drug was entirely satisfactory with no important side effects encountered.


Physical exercise improves memory and cognition in physiological aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we test the hypothesis that Aβ oligomer accumulation, neuroinflammation, and glial cell activation may lead to disruption of synaptic transmission in the prefrontal cortex of 3 × Tg-AD Mice, resulting in impairment of learning and memory. On the other hand, treadmill exercise could prevent the pathogenesis and exert neuroprotective effects. Here, we used immunohistochemistry, western blotting, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and slice electrophysiology to analyze the levels of GSK3β, Aβ oligomers (Aβ dimers and trimers), pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα), the phosphorylation of CRMP2 at Thr514, and synaptic currents in pyramidal neurons in the prefrontal cortex. We show that 12-week treadmill exercise beginning in three-month-old mice led to the inhibition of GSK3β kinase activity, decreases in the levels of Aβ oligomers, pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα), and the phosphorylation of CRMP2 at Thr514, reduction of microglial and astrocyte activation, and improvement of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission of pyramidal neurons in the prefrontal cortex of 3 × Tg-AD Mice. Thus, treadmill exercise reduces neuroinflammation, glial cell activation and improves synaptic transmission in the prefrontal cortex in 3 × Tg-AD mice, possibly related to the inhibition of GSK3β kinase activity.


Lead (Pb) sorption onto oxide surfaces in soils may strongly influence the risk posed from incidental ingestion of lead-contaminated soils. In this study, Pb was sorbed to a model soil mineral, birnessite, and was placed in a simulated gastrointestinal tract (in vitro) to simulate the possible effects of ingestion of a soil contaminated with Pb. The changes in Pb speciation were determined using extended X-ray absorption fine structure and X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy. Birnessite has a very high affinity for Pb with a sorption maximum of 0.59 mol Pb kg(-1) (approximately 12% Pb sorbed by mass) in which there was no detectable bioaccessible Pb (< 0.002%). Surface speciation of the birnessite Pb was determined to be a triple corner sharing complex in the birnessite interlayer. Lead sorbed to Mn oxide in contaminated media will have a very low (approximately equal to 0) Pb bioaccessibility and present little risk associated with incidental ingestion of soil. These results suggest that birnessite, and other Mn oxides would be powerful remediation tools for Pb-contaminated media because of their high affinity for Pb.


Efficient and accurate detection and providing early warning for citrus psyllids is crucial as they are the primary vector of citrus huanglongbing. In this study, we created a dataset comprising images of citrus psyllids in natural environments and proposed a lightweight detection model based on the spatial channel interaction. First, the YOLO-SCL model was based on the YOLOv5s architecture, which uses an efficient channel attention module to perform local channel attention on the inputs in the recursive gated convolutional modules to achieve a combination of global spatial and local channel interactions, improving the model's ability to express the features of the critical regions of small targets. Second, the lightweight design of the 21st layer C3 module in the neck network of the YOLO-SCL model and the small target feature information were retained to the maximum extent by deleting the two convolutional layers, whereas the number of parameters was reduced to improve the detection accuracy of the model. Third, with the detection accuracy of the YOLO-SCL model as the objective function, the black widow optimization algorithm was used to optimize the hyperparameters of the YOLO-SCL model, and the iterative mechanism of swarm intelligence was used to further improve the model performance. The experimental results showed that the YOLO-SCL model achieved a email@example.com of 97.07% for citrus psyllids, which was 1.18% higher than that achieved using conventional YOLOv5s model. Meanwhile, the number of parameters and computation amount of the YOLO-SCL model are 6.92 M and 15.5 GFlops, respectively, which are 14.25% and 2.52% lower than those of the conventional YOLOv5s model. In addition, after using the black widow optimization algorithm to optimize the hyperparameters, the email@example.com of the YOLO-SCL model for citrus psyllid improved to 97.18%, making it more suitable for the natural environments in which citrus psyllids are to be detected. The experimental results showed that the YOLO-SCL model has good detection accuracy for citrus psyllids, and the model was ported to the Jetson AGX Xavier edge computing platform, with an average processing time of 38.8 ms for a single-frame image and a power consumption of 16.85 W. This study provides a new technological solution for the safety of citrus production.


Chemical equilibria involving 10 species and adiabatic reaction temperature of methane combustion in air under various conditions have been calculated in detail by means of total Gibbs energy minimization of the system. The calculation data show that the adiabatic combustion temperature of CH4 and air at stoichiometric ratio is up to about 2200 K, and the equilibrium concentration of NO is about 0.0018, however that of NO2 is only 1 × 10-6. A large amount of carbon deposition emerges when the CH4 concentration is above 26.5%. The NO and NO2 appear only when the CH4 concentration is below 16%.The maximum equilibrium concentrations of NO and NO2 are 0.0028 and 2× 10-6 respectively, at about 8%CH4 concentration. The NO and NO2 concentrations increase with the system temperature at a low CH4 concentration. However, both of them can be decreased when CO2 or steam is introduced into the system, which also decreases the adiabatic combustion temperature. The decrease in adiabatic temperature caused by CO2 addition is more appreciable than that caused by the addition of H2O. Pressure does not have a notable effect on the system equilibrium at a low methane concentration.


Visceral hypersensitivity and stress have been implicated in the pathophysiology of functional gastrointestinal disorders. We used a selective vasopressin 3 (V(3)) receptor antagonist SSR149415 to investigate the involvement of the vasopressin (AVP)/V(3) signaling system in the development of stress-induced visceral hyperalgesia in rats. Rats were exposed to a daily 1-h session of water avoidance stress (WAS) or sham WAS for 10 consecutive days. The visceromotor response to phasic colorectal distension (CRD, 10-60 mmHg) was assessed before and after stress. Animals were treated daily with SSR149415 (0.3, 1, or 3 mg/kg ip 30 min before each WAS or sham WAS session), with a single dose of SSR149415 (1 mg/kg ip), or the selective corticotropin-releasing factor 1 (CRF(1)) antagonist DMP-696 (30 mg/kg po) before CRD at day 11. Effects of a single dose of SSR149415 (10 mg/kg iv) on acute mechanical sensitization during repetitive CRD (12 distensions at 80 mmHg) were also assessed. In vehicle-treated rats, repeated WAS increased the response to CRD, indicating visceral hypersensitivity. Repeated administration of SSR149415 at 1 or 3 mg/kg completely prevented stress-induced visceral hyperalgesia. Similarly, a single dose of DMP-696 or SSR149415 completely blocked hyperalgesic responses during CRD. In contrast, a single dose of SSR149415 did not affect the acute hyperalgesic responses induced by repeated, noxious distension. These data support a major role for V(3) receptors in repeated psychological stress-induced visceral hyperalgesia and suggest that pharmacological manipulation of the AVP/V(3) pathway might represent an attractive alternative to the CRF/CRF(1) pathway for the treatment of chronic stress-related gastrointestinal disorders.


New technologies, headed by current medical imaging systems, are now being introduced as tools for the teaching of neurosciences, enabling quality training in different fields. In the context of medical training, brain imaging and data visualization have transformed the field, dued to the possibility of being able to actually see the human brain structure and function in normal and pathological conditions. Our aim has been to generate an Information Technology application that will permit the interaction with and visualization of the contents necessary for the management of patients who have suffered a cerebral ictus, following the strategic recommendation of the Quality Program of the Spanish National Health Service, with a view to offering support to medical practitioners in primary care. Visual C programming, directX controls and Macromedia Flash have been the main languages and applications used for developing this tool. The graphic user interface is easy to use and facilitates the interaction with the information contained by the application in a graphic fashion. Its graphic design is simple, facilitating interaction with users be mans of swift navigation through the program. Among other options, the application includes anatomical images of the cerebral vessels and radiological images obtained with different diagnostic techniques in including Magnetic Resonance. It describes the most common signs and symptoms, together with information about how to manage and treat patents with ictus. Our application is flexible and interactive, favouring active learning and the building of knowledge concerning this pathology. Implications for training professionals dealing with vascular cerebral accidents are discussed.


Objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic roles and interrelation of the neurosonogram(NSG) and MRI for fetal central nervous system abnormalities. Methods: 758 fetal cases with central nervous system abnormalities, who got NSG and MRI together, were analysed retrospectively. The diagnoses of the cases, whose results of NSG were different from those of MRI, were compared with the diagnoses of newborns or the diagnoses of the multidisciplinary consultations. Results: Among 758 cases, 684 (684/758 90%) cases's diagnosises of NSG were consistent with those of MRI. 74 (74/758 10%) cases' diagnoses were inconsistent. Among the 74 cases, 16 (16/74, 22%) cases got the consistent MRI results with diagnoses of newborns or the diagnoses of the multidisciplinary consultations, but the results of NSG were inconsistent. 43 (43/74, 58%) cases got the consistent NSG results with diagnoses of newborns or the diagnoses of the multidisciplinary consultations, but the results of MRI were inconsistent. 13 cases were lost to follow-up. Conclusions: There was a high level of consistency between NSG snd MRI for fetal central nervous system abnormalities. NSG can achieve the correct diagnosis independently for most abnormalities. For the cases whose results of NSG and MRI were inconsistent, the two methods should be combined and analyzed together, since each one has its own advantages. It is wrong that the accuracy of MRI is believed to be better than that of NSG in any case.


The Tropospheric Ozone Assessment Report (TOAR) is an activity of the International Global Atmospheric Chemistry Project. This paper is a component of the report, focusing on the present-day distribution and trends of tropospheric ozone relevant to climate and global atmospheric chemistry model evaluation. Utilizing the TOAR surface ozone database, several figures present the global distribution and trends of daytime average ozone at 2702 non-urban monitoring sites, highlighting the regions and seasons of the world with the greatest ozone levels. Similarly, ozonesonde and commercial aircraft observations reveal ozone's distribution throughout the depth of the free troposphere. Long-term surface observations are limited in their global spatial coverage, but data from remote locations indicate that ozone in the 21st century is greater than during the 1970s and 1980s. While some remote sites and many sites in the heavily polluted regions of East Asia show ozone increases since 2000, many others show decreases and there is no clear global pattern for surface ozone changes since 2000. Two new satellite products provide detailed views of ozone in the lower troposphere across East Asia and Europe, revealing the full spatial extent of the spring and summer ozone enhancements across eastern China that cannot be assessed from limited surface observations. Sufficient data are now available (ozonesondes, satellite, aircraft) across the tropics from South America eastwards to the western Pacific Ocean, to indicate a likely tropospheric column ozone increase since the 1990s. The 2014–2016 mean tropospheric ozone burden (TOB) between 60˚N–60˚S from five satellite products is 300 Tg ± 4%. While this agreement is excellent, the products differ in their quantification of TOB trends and further work is required to reconcile the differences. Satellites can now estimate ozone's global long-wave radiative effect, but evaluation is difficult due to limited in situ observations where the radiative effect is greatest.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate adverse effects and survival times in dogs with osteosarcoma that received a single SC infusion of carboplatin as adjunctive chemotherapeutic treatment following limb amputation or limb-sparing surgery.

DESIGN
Retrospective case series.

ANIMALS
17 client-owned dogs with spontaneously occurring osteosarcoma.

PROCEDURES
Medical records of dogs that underwent limb amputation or limb-sparing surgery followed by a single continuous SC infusion of carboplatin (total dose, 300 mg/m(2) infused over 3, 5, or 7 days) were evaluated. Signalment, tumor location, type of surgery (amputation or limb-sparing), duration of carboplatin infusion, results of hematologic and serum biochemical analyses, and adverse effects were recorded. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was performed.

RESULTS
Median survival time for all dogs was 365 days. Nine dogs had adverse bone marrow-related (hematologic) effects, 1 had adverse gastrointestinal effects, and 7 had infections at the surgical site. No significant differences were detected in survival times of dogs grouped according to tumor location, type of surgery, duration of carboplatin infusion, or development of postoperative infection.

CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE
Median survival time and adverse effects in dogs with osteosarcoma that received a single SC infusion of carboplatin over a 3-, 5-, or 7-day period as adjunctive treatment following limb amputation or limb-sparing surgery were comparable to those of previously reported chemotherapy protocols requiring IV drug administration over several weeks. Further investigation is needed to evaluate the efficacy of this protocol as adjunctive treatment for osteosarcoma and other tumors in dogs.


Relevance of research topic. Implementation in Ukraine of the Strategy for Sustainable Development "Ukraine - 2020", which defines the purpose, vectors, road map, priorities and indicators, in particular, socio-economic, organizational, political and legal conditions of the establishment and development of Ukraine, directly and indirectly necessitates the reformation forestry. Formulation of the problem. The increasing role of the entire spectrum of forest functions necessitates new approaches to governance, in particular forest use, in order to protect the forest productivity potential in the context of sustainable development. Analysis of recent research and publications. Modern economic research in the field of forestry is concentrated mainly on the problem of the formation of an effective management system or the organization of integrated structures. Selection of unexplored parts of the general problem. There is an objective need for a scientific substantiation of the model of integrated governance of forest use, which would provision environmental, economic and social efficiency nature resources use in order to improve public welfare and implement sustainable development goals in Ukraine. Setting the task, the purpose of the study. The objectives of our study were to analyze existing nature resources use governance approaches at the macro and micro levels; justification of the integrated governance of forest use model; determining the main functional components of such a model and the algorithm for its implementation in governance practice. Research methodology. The theoretical and methodological foundations of the research are the fundamental principles of modern economic theory, economics of nature resources use, institutional, ecological economics, welfare theories, as well as governance and management, the concept of sustainable development. Presentation of the main material (results of work). The formation of the integrated governance of forest use model and the provision of environmental, economic and social efficiency nature resources use means a combination of a multidimensional landscape approach and the 7C model, as well as the development of integrated corporate structures based on sustainable forest management. The field of application of results. The results of the study can be implement in the field of economics and public administration in the decision-making process regarding forest governance and environmental protection. Conclusions according to the article. Successful implementation of integrated governance of forest use will increase the investment attractiveness of forestry and forest use, employment of the local population, development of rural / mountainous areas, environmental protection.


The use of causal diagrams to externalize the mental representation of a problem is recognized to be an important step in solving complex problems. In geography education several global challenges taught about in class are highly complex due to the interconnectedness of many causes and consequences. A systems thinking approach might be helpful to better understand these global challenges. Former studies have shown the effectiveness of concept maps and causal diagrams to foster students' systems thinking. However, it is not always obvious for students to construct proper causal diagrams. In order to optimize teaching strategies concerning these complex systems in geography education, this study analyzes students' cognitive strategies while constructing a causal diagram. We used task-based think-aloud interviews to study their cognitive strategies. Four different cognitive strategies were observed. The different types of cognitive strategies all resulted in an acceptable constructed causal diagram by the students. The presented insights are explorative, but it reveals the thinking processes that are mostly tacit and therefore has the potential to contribute to better teaching strategies. After all, if we know what processes novices go through while carrying out a complex skill, which are often taken for granted by experts, in this case geography teachers, we can raise awareness among teachers to explicitly take those processes into account while designing lessons.


Background-Peridontal disease and diabetes share a two way relationship because of common pathways of disease progression.

Aims-Extensive study on various population worldwide were carried out but there is a limited data for Indian population, Hence, the present study was done to evaluate the prevalence and severity of peridontitis in type 2 diabetes mellitus of Bareilly region of Uttar Pradesh (India).

Material and Methods- 1000 individuals of type 2 diabetes mellitus were categorized as good, average and poor glycaemic control on the basis of glycosylated hemoglobinA1C(HbA1C). Periodontal examination was done by recording oral hygiene index simplified, clinical attachment loss and gingival bleeding index. This periodontal result was correlated with glycaemic status and duration of diabetes since diagnosis.

Results- Results showed a 91.7% prevalence of periodontitis, predominating with 41.3% cases of moderate periodontitis followed by 26.2% of severe and 24.2% of slight and 8.3% of gingivitis cases. In poor oral hygiene strata; the amount of severe periodontitis cases increased from 0% to 26.2% and up to 73.8%; as the glycaemic control deteriorated from good to average to poor. Similar results were reported for good and fair oral hygiene strata.

Conclusion-Results of present study demonstrated that with worsening of glycaemic control, severity of periodontitis significantly increases even when examined for similar oral hygiene status.


Accurate monitoring of blood glucose levels is crucial for the diagnosis of diabetes patients. In this paper, we proposed a simple "mixed-catalyzer layer" modified silicon nanowire field-effect transistor biosensor that enabled direct detection of glucose with low-charge in high ionic strength solutions. A stable screening system was established to overcome Debye screening effect by forming a porous biopolymer layer with polyethylene glycol (PEG) modified on the surface of SiNW. The experimental results show that when the optimal ratio (APTMS:silane-PEG = 2:1) modified the surface of silicon nanowires, glucose oxidase can detect glucose in the concentration range of 10 nM to 10 mM. The sensitivity of the biosensor is calculated to be 0.47 μAcm−2mM−1, its fast response time not exceeding 8 s, and the detection limit is up to 10 nM. This glucose sensor has the advantages of high sensitivity, strong specificity and fast real-time response. Therefore, it has a potential clinical application prospect in disease diagnosis.


Case Presentation: A 46-year-old woman referred to our center due to abnormality in aminotransferase level during check up. She had a history of blood transfusion 12 years ago. Anti-HCV Ab by ELISA method and HCV RNA by RT-PCR were positive. HCV RNA by Amplicor HCV monitor test counted 800,000 IU/ml and the genotype was 3a by Specific Primer-Targeted Region Core method. Laboratory evaluation revealed: Hb 11.9 mg/dl, WBC 5000 /ml, platelet count 190,000/ ml, ALT 70 IU/ml, AST 65 IU/ml, Alk phosphatase 210, PT 13 second, total protein 7.2 g/dl, albumin 4 g/dl, gama globulin 1.6 g/dl, HBsAg negative and RF positive. She had a history of symmetrical polyarthritis of small joints of upper extremities and morning stiffness for 3 years ago and had been managed as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) since then. She was managed with corticosteroids and methotrexate. Are there any relations between RA disease and HCV infection?


Sorghum bicolor L. is a vital cereal crop for global food security. Its adaptability to diverse climates make it economically, socially, and environmentally valuable. However, soil salinization caused by climate extremes poses a threat to sorghum. This study aimed to identify candidate salt-tolerant genes and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) by performing a comparative transcriptome analysis on a mutant sorghum line and its wild type. The mutant line was generated through gamma ray exposure and selection for salt tolerance. Phenotypic measurements were taken, followed by mRNA sequencing and variant calling. In this study, potential genes and non-synonymous SNPs associated with salt tolerance were inferred, including LOC8071970, LOC8067721, LOC110430887, LOC8070256, and LOC8056880. These genes demonstrated notable differences in nsSNPs in comparison to the wild type, suggesting their potential roles in salt tolerance. Additionally, LOC8060874 (cyanohydrin beta-glucosyltransferase) was suggested as a key gene involved in salt tolerance due to its possible role in dhurrin biosynthesis under salt stress. In upcoming research, additional reverse genetics studies will be necessary in order to verify the function of those candidate genes in relation to salt stress. In conclusion, this study underscores the significance of investigating salt tolerance mechanisms and the potential key genes associated with salt tolerance in sorghum. Our findings may provide insights for future breeding strategies aimed at enhancing salinity tolerance and crop productivity.


Valid identification of microorganisms is a vital information to establish culture collections. Currently, molecular approach based on 16S rDNA is widely used for bacterial identification. This approach  is however, time consuming and expensive. Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) allows the identification of microorganisms directly from colonies and it only takes some few minutes. The interest of this study was to identify endophytic bacteria associated with Curcuma zedoaria based on protein profile using MALDI-TOF MS system and compare with 16S rDNA sequence results. Endophytic bacteria were isolated from part of medicinal plant C. zedoaria collected from Bogor, West Java Indonesia. The identification of selected bacteria was performed by protein profile using MALDI-TOF MS. A total of 66 endophytic bacteria from C. zedoaria plant, were selected for identification. The result of MALDI-TOF MS analysis showed that eleven isolates (16.67%) were correctly identified to the species level and 23 isolates (34.85%) matched on genus level of molecular approach. These results demonstrates that the MALDI-TOF system is suitable and feasible approach for the bacterial identification, mainly for screening and grouping of large number isolates.


Abstract Feed intake, digestibility and body weight change of lambs fed finger millet (Eleusine coracana) straw basal diet supplemented with atella (traditional brewery residue), noug seed (Guizotia abyssinica) cake and mixtures of atella and noug seedcake (NSC) was studied using twenty five yearling male lambs of Ethiopian Highland sheep breed with average initial body weight (BW) of 16.4 ± 1.1 kg (Mean ± SD). The lambs were grouped into five blocks of five animals, and fed with finger millet straw alone (T1), finger millet straw + atella (T2), finger millet straw + mixture of 70% atella: 30% NSC (T3), finger millet straw + mixture of 30% atella: 70% NSC (T4), and finger millet straw + NSC (T5). The supplements were offered at the rate of 300 g/d during the feeding and digestibility trials of 90 and 7 days, respectively. Daily feed intake and body weight change of lambs was measured. Supplementation of atella, NSC and their mixtures increased (P < 0.05) the intakes of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) of the total feed. The intake of finger millet straw (393 g/d) DM for lambs in T1 was higher (P < 0.001) as compared to finger millet straw intake by lambs in T4 (353.5 g/d) and T5 (337.8 g/d). Lambs in T5 had the highest (P < 0.05) CP intake of 101 g/d followed by T4, T3 and T2 with 91, 84 and 73 g/d, respectively. The digestibility of DM, OM and CP, as well as the daily BW gain was higher (P < 0.05) for supplemented than for the control (-23.3 g/d). It was concluded that supplementation of lambs with atella alone resulted in lower (P < 0.05) daily BW gain of 51 g/d as compared to BW gain of 63 g/d and 60 g/d as a result of supplementation with a mixture of 30% atella: 70% NSC and sole NSC.


Neurotransmitter release at central synapses is sustained by the synaptic vesicle cycle. It has been assumed that vesicle replenishment operates autonomously at individual presynaptic terminals. In this study the classical model of a compartmentalized synaptic vesicle cycle was tested by using a novel combination of FRAP (fluorescence recovery after photobleaching) and CLEM (correlative light and electron microscopy) in cultured hippocampal neurons. The stability of vesicle clusters labelled with fluorescent styryl dye at individual synapses were assessed by photobleaching using a confocal laser microscope and monitoring fluorescence recovery over time. The observed fluorescence recovery which was abolished by inhibitors of vesicular transport, suggested that synaptic vesicles recycled at sites outside the bleach region were transported along axons into bleached synapses. These newly-imported vesicles could undergo exocytosis upon stimulation, demonstrating that they formed part of the functional recycling pool. The spatial organization of imported vesicles in presynaptic boutons was examined using CLEM and FM dye photoconversion techniques. Imported vesicles were distributed throughout the native vesicle cluster, indicating that they become morphologically integrated into the synapse. The ability of imported vesicles to mix well with native vesicles highlights the dynamic nature of vesicle clusters at resting synapses. The departure of fluorescent packets from boutons into axons was observed by time- lapse microscopy. Ultrastructural analysis confirmed the mature state of donor synapses and showed these mobile packets to be loose aggregates of synaptic vesicles. Mobile vesicle clusters were comprised of vesicles from both the recycling and resting pools of the synapse, thus demonstrating no preference for mobility of any one vesicle population.


In the southwest of the  Patagonia Austral Argentina  is the Carboniferous Basin Region of Rio Turbio. Since the middle of the nineteenth century, this territory has received colonists and pioneers through the most diverse routes and paths: the fjords of the Pacific, the plains of Diana, the rivers of the area, routes of incipient roads and ways and the railway branch. The Second World War and the subsequent fuel crisis motivated the installation and development of  Yacimientos Carboniferos Fiscales  company (YCF) linked to the establishment of a mining village in 1942 and to its subsequent historical development, since it received the mining cultural profile it has nowdays into a natural landscape. The  Unidad Academica Rio Turbio  (UART) of the  National University of Southern Patagonia  (UNPA) has a property of 6.5 hectares in a strategic area with concrete possibilities to the installation of a Thematic Park on Communications and Transportation, it is located about a thousand meters to the local airport, at 384 Km of the  National Route 40 (RN 40) and it is boundary as limit in the back by the tracks of the  Industrial Iron Branch (RFIRT) and the Turbio River. The purpose of this work is present the historical evolution of transport in the area and revalue this local heritage which is dispersed, proposing the development of an attraction that promotes the local development, this the framework will be on a sustainable tourism.


This article presents the main results of the validation phase of the PRENOLIN project. PRENOLIN is an international benchmark on 1D nonlinear (NL) site‐response analysis. This project involved 19 teams with 23 different codes tested. It was divided into two phases; with the first phase verifying the numerical solution of these codes on idealized soil profiles using simple signals and real seismic records. The second phase described in this article referred to code validation for the analysis of real instrumented sites.

This validation phase was performed on two sites (KSRH10 and Sendai) of the Japanese strong‐motion networks KiK‐net and Port and Airport Research Institute (PARI), respectively, with a pair of accelerometers at surface and depth. Extensive additional site characterizations were performed at both sites involving in situ and laboratory measurements of the soil properties. At each site, sets of input motions were selected to represent different peak ground acceleration (PGA) and frequency content. It was found that the code‐to‐code variability given by the standard deviation of the computed surface‐response spectra is around 0.1 (in log10 scale) regardless of the site and input motions. This indicates a quite large influence of the numerical methods on site‐effect assessment and more generally on seismic hazard. Besides, it was observed that site‐specific measurements are of primary importance for defining the input data in site‐response analysis. The NL parameters obtained from the laboratory measurements should be compared with curves coming from the literature. Finally, the lessons learned from this exercise are synthesized, resulting also in a few recommendations for future benchmarking studies, and the use of 1D NL, total stress site‐response analysis.


Introduction: Astrobiology is a new scientific endeavor that brings together a large number of different disciplines, such as the geology of the oldest rocks on Earth, biochemistry of the earliest life, microbiology of the hardiest terrestrial life forms, the planetary science of Earth's developing environment and the astrophysics of stars and extrasolar planet detection. It offers the scientific community two important possibilities. First, an opportunity to galvanize diverse scientific disciplines to answer fundamental questions about the relationship between life and the cosmic environment and, second, a chance to create a new environment conducive to transdisciplinary thinking. This is in contrast to the general trend that occurred during the 20th century towards increasing specialization in the sciences. During the 21st century astrobiology has the potential to open rich and productive seams of research [1]. In this contribution, we identify the major challenges for a really transdiciplinary approach and address some strategies to overcome these challenges. In addition, recommendations are made for astrobiology to serve as an alternative model for teaching science and engineering at all levels of education including primary, secondary, undergraduate and graduate students [2]. In this contribution, the major challenges towards a transdisciplinary approach for teaching astrobiology will be identified and strategies to overcome thes challenges will be proposed.


Millennia of metal mining has left across the world an extensive physical legacy of contaminated mine waste and a substantial impact on the environment. In mining-impacted rivers, efforts to monitor metal mine contamination and remediation strategies to achieve good water quality are often of limited efficiency and success due to the variability of processes which control metal dispersion. This thesis aims to identify nano- to catchment-scale drivers of metal dispersion by: assessing the role of river catchment geomorphology in metal storage; quantifying metal sources across streamflow conditions; and investigating the metal-bearing nanoparticle flux in the river water. This study investigated metal dispersion at the Nant Cwmnewyddion and the Nant Magwr, two rivers draining the abandoned lead and zinc mining area of Wemyss and Graiggoch Mines (central Wales). Sediment geochemistry and metal content were characterised and combined with river catchment geomorphological descriptions to identify areas of metal storage. A multi-tracer approach, which combined continuous tracers with slug (gulp) injections, allowed metal sources to be apportioned at a highly resolved spatial scale, enabling variations in metal load across streamflows to be accounted for. Metal-bearing nanoparticle flux was quantified using a novel, efficient sampling method and their size, morphology and chemistry characterised with a multi-method approach with the employment of several instruments. The findings of this study suggest that river catchment geomorphology can influence on sediment geochemical processes (such as redox and dissolution), and highlight areas of metal source transformation. Descriptions of river catchment geomorphology can therefore be employed as a low-cost approach to initially identify potential metal sources and focus geochemical sediment analysis. The multi-tracer method successfully estimated point and diffuse metal source contributions throughout the river and across streamflows. These estimates were only possible due to the multi-tracer methods, therefore, the integration of this method in monitoring protocols is proposed for future studies of metal dispersal in rivers. Furthermore, the study provided important information concerning environmental nanoparticle chemistry, particle size distribution, and aggregation state within the river, allowing their role in metal transport to be better understood. In conclusion, this research extended the understanding of the spatial and temporal variability of zinc and lead dispersion mechanisms and showed the high potential of adopting a multi-method approach to apportioning metal sources at the catchment scale.


Postmodernism has stimulated a 'new art history', which challenged, and then displaced, the highly selective canon of the 'Old Masters' and 'Modern art' with a broader approach, recognising a wider range of art and interested in investigating both the contexts of art, and the nature of art history itself. The new art history is represented on the shelves of art libraries, but a 'new art librarianship' must do more than passively reflect this cultural shift. A new art librarianship will expect of art librarians that they should be aware of the ways in which art libraries legitimise certain books and artworks, thus reinforcing the hegemony of the dominant culture, and that they should be prepared to use the power of art libraries knowingly and productively. Instead of imposing order through inflexible classification schemes, the new art librarianship will embrace the 'disorder' of a vast complex of knowledge seen from multiple viewpoints, accommodated by hypertext, for example. It is possible that electronic networking will eventually liberate information from the custody of libraries; the new art librarianship will not resist this, but will in parallel with such developments re-value art books, and books as art, as historical artefacts, reviving a more museum-like function from the history of librarianship, while continuing to serve as a manifest symbol of the wealth of human knowledge.


The forests and savannahs of Mucaba municipality in northern Angola hold enormous potential for plant-based non-timber forest products (NTFPs), including wild food plants (WFPs). Mucaba communities have accumulated a wealth of traditional knowledge on the use of wild edible plants over their long history. However, few studies have highlighted this unique and globally attractive culture. The ethnobotanical survey was conducted in 9 villages in Mucaba Municipality in September and October 2020. A total of 65 local informants were interviewed (35 women and 30 men), and their traditional knowledge of wild edible plants was documented. A total of 46 wild edible plants, belonging to 25 families and 30 genera were documented. These plants are consumed as wild edible vegetables, seasonal fruits, spice substitutes for tea, and forest alcoholic drinks. The traditional knowledge of wild edible plants held by the villagers of Mucaba is rich but is in danger of being lost among the younger generation. Therefore, the diversified cultivation of these local plants would allow their sustainable use and conservation especially of the endangered species in this part of Angola.


Abstract The present study examined the role of attributions of blame for child sexual abuse (CSA) in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. The interactive effects of attribution of blame with characteristics of abuse on PTSD were studied. A sample of 151 female victims of CSA participated in the study. Self-blame and family blame were related to higher PTSD scores, whereas perpetrator blame was not related to PTSD. The strength of the relationship between blame and PTSD score was higher in cases of more severe, isolated, and extrafamilial abuse. The findings suggest that diminishing self-blame attributions may be particularly advantageous in cases of isolated and extrafamilial CSA, whereas diminishing family blame would be more advantageous in cases of severe abuse.


The paper cited in the title is criticised. It is claimed that the authors of this paper are not acquainted with some of the fundamental work of R V Khokhlov and his successors in the field of nonlinear optics and harmonic generation. Comment on N B Baranova et al 1995 Quantum Electron. 25 638.


The prediction by partial matching (PPM) data compression scheme has set the performance standard in lossless compression of text throughout the past decade. The original algorithm was first published in 1984 by Cleary and Witten, and a series of improvements was described by Moffat (1990), culminating in a careful implementation, called PPMC, which has become the benchmark version. This still achieves results superior to virtually all other compression methods, despite many attempts to better it. PPM, is a finite-context statistical modeling technique that can be viewed as blending together several fixed-order context models to predict the next character in the input sequence. Prediction probabilities for each context in the model are calculated from frequency counts which are updated adaptively; and the symbol that actually occurs is encoded relative to its predicted distribution using arithmetic coding. The paper describes a new algorithm, PPM*, which exploits contexts of unbounded length. It reliably achieves compression superior to PPMC, although our current implementation uses considerably greater computational resources (both time and space). The basic PPM compression scheme is described, showing the use of contexts of unbounded length, and how it can be implemented using a tree data structure. Some results are given that demonstrate an improvement of about 6% over the old method.


Fast detection and identification of objects in an environment is important for using objects as landmarks during navigation. While adults rapidly process objects within an environment and use landmarks during navigation, infants do not routinely use distal landmarks below the age of 18 months. In the current event‐related potential (ERP) study we adopted an oddball paradigm to examine whether infants are capable of processing objects in environments, which is a prerequisite for using objects as landmarks.


Objective Recently, an apparently novel, specific endothelin-1 inactivating metalloendopeptidase (ET-1 peptidase) has been isolated from the rat kidney. In this study we attempted to determine whether the same or a similar peptidase is present in the human kidney, and whether the enzyme is excreted into the urine. The urinary ET-1 peptidase could serve as an indirect index of the renal endothelin system, both in physiology and pathophysiology. Methods Kidney specimens were obtained from part of nephrectomized kidneys unaffected by any neoplastic process from six adult patients. The enzyme was purified using differential centrifugation, detergent solubilization of the membrane proteins, ultrafiltration and nondenaturing gel electrophoresis. The enzyme activity assays were performed at pH 5.5 and 37°C in the presence of increasing concentrations of unlabelled peptides and inhibitors using a fixed amount of [125I]ET-1 as substrate. The degradation extent was quantified with trichloroacetic acid precipitation and high performance liquid chromatography. The degrading activity of ET-1 was determined in urine samples from adult patients with hypertension, children with chronic renal failure and those with stable renal allograft. Results ET-1 peptidase from the human kidney displays characteristics close to that of the rat ET-1 peptidase we have recently described (J. Hypertens 1994; 12:1155–1162). The enzyme, a membrane-bound metalloendopeptidase, exhibits low electro- phoretical mobility on nondenaturing gel (Rf 0.08); it is an apparently heterologous structure comprising three enzymatically inactive subunits, it has a pH optimum at 5.5, a nanomolar range affinity to the ET-1 (KM180 nmol/l) that is hydrolysed to two main degradation products, and a 10-100-fold lower affinity to big ET-1 (KM11.5 μmol/l), endothelin 11–21 fragment (KM15.3 μmol/l), endothelin antagonist Trp- Leu-Asp-Ile-Ile-Trp (KM3.1 μmol/l), gastrin (KM2.2 μmol/l) and cholecystokinin (KM4.0 μmol/l). Substance P, neuropeptide Y, atrial natriuretic peptide, bradykinin, angiotensin II and enkephalin were poor substrates for the enzyme. The most powerful inhibitors of the ET-1 peptidase included thiorphan (IC50 0.28 nmol/l), phosphoramidon (IC50 0.55 nmol/l), phenanthroline (IC50 11.5 μmol/l), cyclosporin (IC50 400 μmol/l), phosphate (IC50 1.2 mmol/l), citrate (IC50 0.6 mmol/l) and aniline naphthalene sulphonic acid (IC50 0.25 mmol/l). Our data suggest that three ET-1 degrading peptidases with optimal activity at pH 4.5, 5.5 and 7.0, respectively, are excreted into the urine. The enzyme with a pH optimum 4.5 is of lysosomal origin whereas the two other enzymes correspond by their pH optima to the renal ET-1 peptidase and neutral endopeptidase. We have found statistically significant increases (P < 0.001) in the activity of both lysosomal and ET-1 peptidase in the urine in patients with hypertension and in children with chronic renal failure compared with healthy subjects or children with stable renal allograft. Conclusions Human kidney contains an acidic, highly specific endothelin-1 inactivating metalloendopeptidase that may have a key role in the regulation of concentrations of renal and circulating endothelins. The enzyme is excreted into the urine where its activity seems to be increased in patients with hypertension and chronic renal failure; it may potentially serve as an indirect index of the renal endothelin system.


Discrimination of individual tectonometamorphic events in polymetamorphosed terranes requires a comprehensive understanding of the relative timing and conditions of metamorphism and plutonism. We have applied a combination of 40 Ar/ 39 Ar thermochronology, petrology, and thermobarometry to reconstruct the complex Early Proterozoic through early Cenozoic tectonic and metamorphic evolution of continental crust in the Old Woman Mountains area, south-eastern California. Strong Mesozoic thermal events obscure the earlier history in much of the Old Woman Mountains area. In those areas where Early Proterozoic rocks underwent only lower-greenschist-facies metamorphism during the Mesozoic, thermobarometry of pelitic schists indicates that Proterozoic metamorphism occurred at 9 to 11 kbar and ∼700 °C. 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages of hornblende from samples of interbedded Proterozoic amphibolite indicate that this high-grade metamorphism took place before 1600 Ma. The relatively high-pressure conditions of Early Proterozoic metamorphism in the Old Woman Mountains area contrast with the low-pressure granulite-facies metamorphism that occurred elsewhere in the Mojave Desert at this time. 40 Ar/ 39 Ar analyses of hornblende from Proterozoic rocks within Mesozoic shear zones and hornblende barometry from Jurassic intrusive rocks suggest that tectonism and burial of Paleozoic strata to >10 km began between 170 and 150 Ma. This tectonism resulted in regional greenschist-facies metamorphism. Late-stage mineral assemblages in Proterozoic and Paleozoic pelitic rocks in the Old Woman Mountains area indicate an increase in metamorphic grade from greenschist to upper amphibolite facies toward Late Cretaceous plutons of the 73 Ma Old Woman-Piute batholith. Metamorphic temperatures from garnet-biotite thermometry increase from 650 °C, and 40 Ar/ 39 Ar ages of hornblende from Proterozoic rocks decrease from 1600 to 73 Ma toward these plutons. Barometric calculations from garnet-bearing metamorphic rocks suggest that this Cretaceous metamorphism took place at 3.5 to 5.0 kbar in the Old Woman Mountains. Similar pressures are obtained from hornblende barometry of Late Cretaceous granodiorite. 40 Ar/ 39 Ar and apatite fission-track data from the 73 Ma batholith indicate that the rocks exposed in the Old Woman Mountains cooled rapidly to below 350 to 300 °C by 70 ± 1 Ma and that moderately rapid cooling at rates of 10 to 30 C°/m.y. continued until after 60 Ma. The presence of maximum Mesozoic temperatures on the borders of plutons, hornblende ages of ca. 73 Ma, and similar pressure estimates for plutons and country rocks indicate that the high temperatures needed to cause ductile deformation and amphibolite-facies metamorphism were related to heating from the intrusion of the 73 Ma Old Woman-Piute batholith. Amphibolite-facies metamorphism along pluton contacts was superimposed on the regional greenschist-facies metamorphism related to thrusting and crustal thickening. The extremely rapid cooling in the Old Woman Mountains between 73 and 71 Ma was due largely to conduction of heat into the country rocks, whereas protracted rapid cooling to temperatures below ambient temperatures estimated for the depth of emplacement was due to tectonic denudation at 1 to 2 km/m.y. until about 68 to 65 Ma.


In recent past, clinical pathway has emerged as an important modality to document progress of the patient with congestine heart disease. The present quasi-experimental pre-test post-test study had a sample size of 40 nuses (20 each in experimental and control groups) and 50 children (30 in experimental and 20 in control group). Demographic variable proforma was administered to nurses and demographic clinical variable proforma to children. Knowledge level of nurses regarding clinical pathway was assessed using structured questionnaire. The analysis showed that clinical path- ways can be used for providing high quality care in a timely and cost effective man- ner in children with congenital heart disease.


A cognitive radio network (CRN) is a kind of wireless network that consists of wireless devices embedded with cognitive radios that can sense the available channels in the neighborhood and switch the communication channel, if needed. Delay tolerant routing is a challenging task in such network. Hence this paper proposes an adaptive delay tolerant routing protocol shortly termed as ADTRP for cognitive radio mobile ad hoc networks. The performance metrics such as throughput, packet delivery ratio and delay are chosen. Simulations are carried out using cognitive radio cognitive network (CRCN) simulator and the results shows that the proposed protocol ADTRP performs better in terms of improved throughput, better packet delivery ratio, decreased packet drop and reduced delay.


The world is faced with problems related to the management of wastewater due to extensive industrialization, increasing population density and a highly urbanized society. The quality of wastewater effluents is responsible for the degradation of receiving water bodies, such as lakes, rivers, streams. In order to meet Goal 7 of the Millennium Development Goals "ensure environmental sustainability" and maximization of the health and environmental benefits associated with the use and discharge of wastewater, several legislations and guidelines have been developed, both at international and national levels. The two main processes for the removal of impurities from wastewater influents are chemical and biological. Because of the many drawbacks of chemical wastewater treatment, biological treatment is advocated in the last few decades. Biological phosphorus and nitrogen removal systems have been extensively investigated for municipal wastewater treatment over the past decades. Several questions have been raised on the role of the different microbial groups in the removal of nitrogen and phosphorus in activated sludge systems. In this paper, an attempt is made to give an overview of the population dynamics of the activated sludge. The role of the different microbial groups present in the activated sludge systems, with particular reference to bacteria and protozoa in the removal of phosphorus and nitrogen is also reviewed. This will enhance decisions that are science-based with respect to biological wastewater treatment.


" s 0 (mod/^) for all k S y," the choice of pk , and the condition "chosen as above," can be expressed by certain exponential Diophantine predicates. The formal statement of the outlined construction is as follows. Let F(x, y, k, z) be any polynomial with integer coefficients. Let G(x,y) be any polynomial such that G(x, y) ^ y and (Vfc § .y)(Vz ^ y)\F(x, y, k, z ) | g G(x, y). Then (V* g y)(lz g y)[F(x, y, k, z) = 0] <-> (3c, a, *)[/ = G(x, y)l A 1 + c/ = nfc£vO + A:/) A (1 + ct) divides F{x, y, c, a) A (1 + ct) divides n,S ! / (a })]. The specific reduction to powers of 2 (mentioned after II above) uses IV.


Awake humans constantly extract conceptual information from a flow of perceptual inputs. Category membership (e.g., is it an animate or inanimate thing?) is a critical semantic feature used to determine the appropriate response to a stimulus. Semantic representations are thought to be processed along a posterior-to-anterior gradient reflecting a shift from perceptual (e.g., it has eight legs) to conceptual (e.g., venomous spiders are rare) information. One critical region is the anterior temporal lobe (ATL): patients with semantic variant primary progressive aphasia (svPPA), a clinical syndrome associated with ATL neurodegeneration, manifest a deep loss of semantic knowledge. Here, we test the hypothesis that svPPA patients, in the absence of an intact ATL, perform semantic tasks by over-recruiting areas implicated in perceptual processing. We acquired MEG recordings of 18 svPPA patients and 18 healthy controls during a semantic categorization task. While behavioral performance did not differ, svPPA patients showed greater activation over bilateral occipital cortices and superior temporal gyrus, and inconsistent engagement of frontal regions. These findings indicate a pervasive reorganization of brain networks in response to ATL neurodegeneration: the loss of this critical hub leads to a dysregulated (semantic) control system, and defective semantic representations are compensated via enhanced perceptual processing.


PURPOSE
To demonstrate the commissioning of constant dose rate volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) in the Raystation treatment planning system for a Varian Clinac iX with Exact couch.

METHODS
Constant dose rate (CDR) VMAT is an option in the Raystation treatment planning system, enabling VMAT delivery on Varian linacs without a RapidArc upgrade. Raystation 4.7 was used to commission CDR-VMAT for a Varian Clinac iX. Raystation arc model parameters were selected to match machine deliverability characteristics. A Varian Exact couch model was added to Raystation 4.7 and commissioned for use in VMAT optimization. CDR-VMAT commissioning checks were performed on the linac, including patient-specific QA measurements for 10 test patients using both the ArcCHECK from Sun Nuclear Corporation and COMPASS from IBA Dosimetry. Multi-criteria optimization (MCO) in Raystation was used for CDR-VMAT planning.

RESULTS
Raystation 4.7 generated clinically acceptable and deliverable CDR-VMAT plans for the Varian Clinac. VMAT plans were optimized including a model of the Exact couch with both rails in the out positions. CDR-VMAT plans generated with MCO in Raystation were dosimetrically comparable to Raystation MCO-generated IMRT plans. Patient-specific QA measurements with the ArcCHECK on the couch showed good agreement with the treatment planning system prediction. Patient-specific, structure-specific, multi-statistical parameter 3D QA measurements with gantry-mounted COMPASS also showed good agreement.

CONCLUSION
Constant dose rate VMAT was successfully modeled in Raystation 4.7 for a Varian Clinac iX, and Raystation's multicriteria optimization generated constant dose rate VMAT plans which were deliverable and dosimetrically comparable to IMRT plans.


Despite comparable increases in cardiac output there is a greater reduction in pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) in sheep during exercise than in dog or man. The mechanism for this marked reduction in PVR in sheep is unknown. To assess the role of arachidonic acid metabolites in producing this low PVR we measured the effect of intravenous acetylsalicylic acid (ASA, 10 mg/kg) on PVR at rest and during exercise in sheep. ASA caused a slight rise in resting PVR (p less than 0.05), but did not affect the exercise-induced decrease in PVR. High-dose ASA (100 mg/kg), presumably sufficient to block the lipoxygenase pathway produced the same responses as low-dose ASA which should only block the cyclo-oxygenase pathway. Products of the cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase pathways which include vasodilator prostaglandins, have only a minor role in maintaining low pulmonary vascular resistance at rest and have no demonstrable role in the reduced PVR that occurs during exercise in sheep.


Aim: Stroke and cancer can be followed together and in the presence of cancer, there may be changes in classical stroke characteristics. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of cancer on stroke risk factors, radiological and clinical features. Materials and Methods: Patients who were hospitalized with the diagnosis of stroke between 2014-2020 were included in the study retrospectively. By examining the stroke and cancer characteristics of the patients; The differences in demographic findings, stroke risk factors, and radiological features of stroke between patients with and without cancer were examined. The anti-cancer treatments used and the characteristics of cancer were evaluated in stroke patients. Results: 281 stroke patients were evaluated and cancer was detected in 52 patients. There was no significant difference in terms of demographic characteristics of the patients. No significant difference was observed in stroke patients with cancer in terms of risk factors except smoking and alcohol use. Multiple ischemic lesions were more evident on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in stroke patients with cancer. The most common cancer was lung cancer. Conclusion: Stroke and cancer are increasingly common comorbidities. As the time between stroke and cancer development decreases, while the risk factors for cancer are more prominent, classical risk factors for stroke are observed less frequently.


Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic demyelinating disease of the human central nervous system (CNS) which can be characterized clinically by a remitting-relapsing or a chronic progressive course. There is a striking similarity between the clinical and histopathological features of MS and the experimentally induced disease, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Induced by the injection of myelin basic protein (MBP) and adjuvants, EAE is characterized by clinical neurologic signs of paralysis and histopathologic changes consisting of perivascular mononuclear infiltration and demyelination. We have reported that the oral administration of MBP exerts a profoundly suppressive effect on EAE induced in the Lewis rat. This MBP-induced oral tolerance is characterized by an inhibition of EAE clinical neurologic signs, reduced CNS histopathologic changes, a profound decrease in the T-lymphocyte proliferative response specific for the fed antigen, and a decrease in serum antibody specific for MBP. In a chronic relapsing model of EAE in the B10.PL mouse, we have shown that the oral administration of MBP either prior to MBP challenge or on the first day of clinical signs results in a decreased number and severity of EAE relapses. The oral tolerance approach has also proven effective in the suppression of other organ-specific autoimmune diseases including collagen-induced arthritis, adjuvant arthritis, uveoretinitis, experimental myasthenia gravis, diabetes, and thyroiditis as well as graft rejection. Two primary mechanisms have been proposed to explain oral tolerance in EAE-active suppression following feeding of lower doses of antigen and clonal anergy or deletion following administration of higher doses. In vivo approaches in rats and transgenic mice have been used to further explore the mechanisms underlying oral tolerance. Administration of recombinant interleukin (IL)-2 was shown to reverse the tolerance induced by feeding low doses of MBP, but not the tolerance induced by feeding high doses of MBP, indicating that deletion had occurred in the high-dose group. Moreover, the oral administration of MBP to MBP-specific T-cell receptor (TCR) transgenic mice resulted in a profound decrease of the transgenic T cells in the blood, lymph node cells (LNC), mesenteric LNC, and spleen compartments. The proliferative response to MBP was also profoundly reduced in these organs, indicating that the cells had been deleted from these sites. The results achieved in animal models have led to clinical trials of oral tolerization in three human autoimmune diseases--MS, uveoretinitis, and rheumatoid arthritis--with promising results.


Utility functions provide a natural and advantageous framework for achieving self-optimization in distributed autonomic computing systems. We present a distributed architecture, implemented in a realistic prototype data center, that demonstrates how utility functions can enable a collection of autonomic elements to continually optimize the use of computational resources in a dynamic, heterogeneous environment. Broadly, the architecture is a two-level structure of independent autonomic elements that supports flexibility, modularity, and self-management. Individual autonomic elements manage application resource usage to optimize local service-level utility functions, and a global arbiter allocates resources among application environments based on resource-level utility functions obtained from the managers of the applications. We present empirical data that demonstrate the effectiveness of our utility function scheme in handling realistic, fluctuating Web-based transactional workloads running on a Linux cluster.


A channel resistance derivative method for extracting the electrical effective channel length and series resistance is proposed, and demonstrated on an advanced 0.35 /spl mu/m LDD CMOS technology. A clear graphic image of the L/sub EFF/ and R/sub SD/ is obtained directly from the measured channel resistance and its derivative with respect to the gate bias. The method also provides guidelines for the proper gate bias range selection in traditional L/sub EFF/ extraction techniques.


Leaf samples were collected from wheat, barley, oat and rice plants infected with wheat yellow mosaic virus (WYMV) or wheat spindle streak mosaic virus (WSSMV), barley yellow mosaic virus (BYMV), oat mosaic virus (OMV) and rice necrosis mosaic virus (RNMV), respectively, and leaf cells were examined under an electron microscope. Complex membranous bodies, and pinwheel or cylindrical inclusions were developed in the cytoplasm of leaf cells infected with each of these viruses except OMV. OMV produced pinwheel inclusions, but no membranous bodies. Pinwheel inclusions in host cells infected with each of other four viruses than OMV were composed of single-layered plates 11-13nm in thickness. Plates in the OMV infected cells showed 3 layers 9-11nm in thickness. These facts indicate a close relationship among WYMV, WSSMV, BYMV and RNMV. OMV may be rather distantly related to them.


OBJECTIVE
Incomplete resection of skull base pathology may result in local tumor recurrence. This study investigates the utility of 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) fluorescence during endoscopic endonasal approaches (EEAs) to increase visibility of pathologic tissue.

METHODS
This retrospective multicenter series comprises patients with planned resection of an anterior skull base lesion who received preoperative 5-ALA at two tertiary care centers. Diagnostic use of a blue light endoscope was performed during EEA for all cases. Demographic and tumor characteristics as well as fluorescence status, quality, and homogeneity were assessed for each skull base pathology.

RESULTS
Twenty-eight skull base pathologies underwent blue-light EEA with preoperative 5-ALA, including 15 pituitary adenomas (54%), 4 meningiomas (14%), 3 craniopharyngiomas (11%), 2 Rathke's cleft cysts (7%), as well as plasmacytoma, esthesioneuroblastoma, and sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma. Of these, 6 (21%) of 28 showed invasive growth into surrounding structures such as dura, bone, or compartments of the cavernous sinus. Tumor fluorescence was detected in 2 cases (7%), with strong fluorescence in 1 tuberculum sellae meningioma and vague fluorescence in 1 pituicytoma. In all other cases fluorescence was absent. Faint fluorescence of the normal pituitary gland was seen in 1 (7%) of 15 cases. A comparison between the particular tumor entities as well as a correlation between invasiveness, WHO grade, Ki-67, and positive fluorescence did not show any significant association.

CONCLUSIONS
With the possible exception of meningiomas, 5-ALA fluorescence has limited utility in the majority of endonasal skull base surgeries, although other pathology may be worth investigating.


Background: Seizure is a commonly encountered problem in pediatric practice. Convulsive disorder constitutes a heterogeneous group with a varied etiology. Arriving at the cause of seizure is important as it plays a vital role in managing the child. Chances of recurrence to be analyzed, after the first episode of seizure for management. The aim was to study the etiology and the causes of recurrence after a first episode seizure.Methods: A prospective observational study was done on 135 children for a period of two months admitted in tertiary care center. Proper history, complete neurological and other systemic examinations was done. Blood investigations and imaging with EEG was done when indicated. All children were classified according to International League against epilepsy and followed up for recurrence rate and history leading to recurrence. Co- relation between recurrence and risk factors was analyzed.Results: Electroencephalogram tracing was abnormal in 62 out of 105 children. 19 out of 62 had recurrence while only 2 among 43 normal EEG had recurrence. This was statistically significant (P value 0.001). Children with remote symptomatic etiology constitutes the majority in those with abnormal EEG tracings. In children with remote symptomatic etiology, only one child had normal EEG. Remote symptomatic had higher number of abnormal EEG when compared to others and was found to have more recurrence.Conclusions: Children with EEG abnormalities after the first episode of afebrile seizure have more chance of recurrence. Children with seizure secondary to remote symptomatic etiology had more recurrences.


This paper explores the origins and development of the Philippine stock market. Specifically, it looks at the structural and regulatory development of the stock exchange, and the growth of the stock market in terms of size, liquidity, and other key market indicators. The Philippine stock market has undergone a number of reforms and development since the 1990s. These include the unification of two stock exchanges, the demutualization of the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), and the enactment of the Securities Regulation Code. As a result, the Philippine stock market has experienced a phenomenal growth over the years. Measured by market capitalization ratio, the world ranking of the Philippine stock market has improved from 44th in 2009 to 12th in 2014. Although the PSE has developed fast over the years, it still faces a wide range of challenges, including a less diversified investor base, a lack of competition on the PSE when compared with its regional counterparts, weak corporate governance, and weak legal framework for financial sector development.


Adsorbent prepared from Annona squamosa (Custard apple) fruit shell (CAS) were successfully used to remove Orange II from aqueous solution in a batch process. The influence of contact time, initial dye concentration, adsorbent dose and pH has been determined. The optimum contact time and pH for removal of dye was 40 min and 4, respectively. Kinetic parameters of adsorption such as Lagergren pseudo-first order, pseudo-second order, Elovich and intraparticle diffusion model were determined. The experimental data fitted well to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model r 2 > 0.9854 for all concentrations (5–40 mg/L) tested. Both Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms could be used to describe the adsorption dye, with the former yielding somewhat better fits. In addition, adsorbent was characterized by FTIR, XRD and SEM analysis.


To discover candidate biomarkers for diagnosis and detection of human laryngeal carcinoma and explore possible mechanisms of this cancer carcinogenesis, two-dimensional strong cation-exchange/reversed-phase nano-scale liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis was used to identify differentially expressed proteins between the laryngeal carcinoma tissue and the adjacent normal tissue. As a result, 281 proteins with significant difference in expression were identified, and four differential proteins, Profilin-1 (PFN1), Nucleolin (NCL), Cytosolic non-specific dipeptidase (CNDP2) and Mimecan (OGN) with different subcellular localization were selectively validated. Semiquantitative RT-PCR and Western blotting were performed to detect the expression of the four proteins employing a large collection of human laryngeal carcinoma tissues, and the results validated the differentially expressed proteins identified by the proteomics. Furthermore, we knocked down PFN1 in immortalized human laryngeal squamous cell line Hep-2 cells and then the proliferation and metastasis of these transfected cells were measured. The results showed that PFN1 silencing inhibited the proliferation and affected the migration ability of Hep-2 cells, providing some new insights into the pathogenesis of PFN1 in laryngeal carcinoma. Altogether, our present data first time show that PFN1, NCL, CNDP2 and OGN are novel potential biomarkers for diagnosis and therapeutic targets for laryngeal carcinoma, and PFN1 is involved in the metastasis of laryngeal carcinoma.


Warning system for pedestrians (WSP), one of cooperative intelligent transport system (C-ITS) applications, is designed to increase safety for pedestrians but also for drivers and other road users. The evaluation of end-user acceptance and perceptions of this technology is crucial before deploying it in transportation systems. Five WSP human–machine interfaces (HMIs) were designed and simulated using a driver's first-view video footage of driving through a pedestrian crossing in Newcastle upon Tyne. The five WSP designs were evaluated with 24 younger end users (35 years old and younger). This study first evaluated the usefulness of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) in modelling end-user acceptance in terms of behavioural intentions to use WSP. The results suggest that the UTAUT can be applied to investigate the end-user acceptance of WSP, with performance expectancy and effort expectancy influencing the behavioural intentions to use WSP. Furthermore, we investigated end-user attitudes towards various WSP human–machine interface (HMI) designs. Participants showed more positive attitudes towards visual-only interfaces than towards audio-only and multi-modal (combinations of visual and audio) interfaces. Above all, the findings of this research increase our understanding of public acceptance and perceptions of this C-ITS application.