Ab interno pulsed dye laser sclerostomy uses a gonioscopic approach to form a limbal fistula for the treatment of glaucoma. This procedure requires a full thickness penetration of stain in sclera for adequate absorption of the visible light energy. Iontophoresis is a technique using an electrical current to noninvasively deliver Reactive Black 5 (RB5) stain into sclera. This project determined the stability of RB5 stain as well as the optimal parameters for iontophoresis (probe tip surface area, current, and duration) in a rabbit model. RB5 stain was stable over time (72 hr) as well as after exposure to extreme heat (120 degrees C), scleral constituents (namely collagen), high concentrations of oxidants (1.5% H2O2), and laser light energy. Ideal parameters for iontophoresis included a probe tip surface area between 0.1 and 0.7 mm2, a current of 0.5 mA, and a duration of 5 min. The maximum concentration of RB5 stain achieved in sclera was 0.15%. The threshold of ablation for RB5 using an energy of 250 mJ was 0.001%. Iontophoresis can effectively deliver RB5 stain into sclera and may be a viable adjunct to ab interno pulsed dye laser sclerostomy procedures in the eye.


On 7 August 2018, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU), in case C-475/17, (CJEU 7 August 2018, Case C-475/17, Viking Motors and Others, TKM Beauty Eesti OÜ, TKM King AS, Kaubamaja AS, Selver AS v. Tallinna linn, Maksu- ja Tolliamet, ECLI:EU: C:2018:636) issued a ruling on the interpretation of Article 401 of the VAT directive (Council Directive 2006/112/EC of 28 November 2006 on the common system of value added tax, OJ L 347/1 (11 Dec. 2006)). The article prevents Member States from introducing another turnover tax similar to VAT, which may impair the functioning of the internal market.  The Court debated the nature and concept of a turnover tax, the prohibition of maintenance or implementation of national taxes that resemble the same nature of VAT, as well as the essential characteristics of VAT. This case note reflects on the decision adopted by the Court interpreting the same Article 401 in respect of the sales tax imposed by the Tallin City Council, Estonia.


In 1918, Bessarabia proclaimed its independence from the Russian Empire and united with Romania. The Bolsheviks pursued the objective of transforming Bessarabia into a bridgehead for the Romanian revolution. The project failed. In 1918, Soviet Russia, counting on the support of Hungarian Soviet troops, prepared for war against Romania. And this project ended in failure. At the beginning of 1920, the highest-ranking military specialists prepared a report addressed to L. Trotsky, the president of the Revolutionary-Military Council of the Russian Soviet Republic, in which they argued the necessity of regaining Bessarabia, because the province, they claimed, covered the entire south of Russia from Hungary and Romania. In the situation where Romania would not accept the retrocession of Bessarabia, the option of delimiting the Romanian territory between the Prut and Dniester was proposed based on the ethnic structure of the population of the counties of the former Bessarabian governorate and, above all, based on the strategic interests of Soviet Russia. On October 12, 1924, the III Session of the Central Executive Committee of Ukraine adopted the decision "On the creation of the Moldavian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic within Ukraine", according to which the border of the SSR, to the west and southwest, lied on "state border of the USSR". In the conviction of some Bolshevik leaders from Balta and Kyiv, this formula would have meant that the territory between the Dniester and the Prut was also included in the composition of the MASSR, since the Soviet Union had not recognized the union of Bessarabia with Romania. At the current stage of the research, no official document was identified in which the western and southwestern borders of the MASSR were fixed on the Prut River and the Danube. On the contrary, the western and southwestern border of the MASSR was not even declared on the Prut and the Danube but remained on the Dniester.


Holoprosencephaly (HPE) is the most common congenital malformation of the developing human forebrain, in which the two cerebral hemispheres fail to separate to various degrees. Although pathological mutations have been identified in up to nine genes, a number of other genes as well as environmental factors are likely to be involved in HPE. Here, we describe a case with the middle interhemispheric variant, a milder variant of HPE, carrying a deletion of ∼10.4 Mb at 6q22.31‐q23.2, which includes the EYA4 gene. EYA4 is one of four vertebrate orthologs of the Drosophila melanogaster gene, eyes absent. EYA4 was co‐immunoprecipitated with SIX3, the product of one of the known HPE genes. Moreover, the EYA4 protein was observed to be recruited to the nucleus by the nuclear protein SIX3 under a confocal microscope. EYA4 is a transcriptional coactivator, and was shown to cooperate with transcription factor SIX3 by reporter gene assays. These results demonstrate physical and functional association between EYA4 and SIX3, suggesting that EYA4 is a novel candidate gene of HPE, whose haploinsufficiency leads to HPE through the compromised function of SIX3. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


We describe a case of amyloid goiter revealing a systemic amyloidosis secondary to familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) with homozygous MEFV mutation, and we review the literature. A 45-year-old euthyroid Sephardic man, known to suffer from FMF, developed a goiter with cold nodule, after which a subtotal thyroidectomy was performed. Histologic evaluation revealed diffuse AA amyloid deposition without any associated thyroid neoplasia. At that time, no other organ was found to be affected by amyloidosis. Colchicine and levothyroxine were prescribed. Eight years later, the patient presented with a rapidly growing neck enlargement. He reported that he had discontinued colchicine therapy 2 years earlier. The serum thyrotropin (TSH) and calcitonin levels were normal. Renal, digestive, and salivary gland biopsies confirmed the presence of systemic AA amyloidosis. Despite the reintroduction of colchicine, the onset of compressive symptoms led to the completion of the total thyroidectomy. The histopathology again demonstrated amyloid deposition, and excluded a malignant neoplasm. Nine cases of amyloid goiter associated with FMF have been reported in the literature; none of them had an amyloid goiter as the first manifestation of systemic amyloidosis. To our knowledge, this is the first case of FMF in which an amyloid goiter preceded the development of secondary systemic amyloidosis. The cessation of colchicine therapy may have played a role in local relapse and the secondary spread of amyloid deposits.


Objective. To provide information regarding the heterozygote frequency for hemoglobin S (HbS) in five Mexican populations, the Haplotype in five S chromosomes, and underscore its importance for public health. Material and Methods. A total of 162 samples from three Nahua populations (Atocpan and Tlacotenco, DF, and Ixhuatlancillo, Veracruz) and 131 from mestizo populations (Coyolillo and Poza Rica, Veracruz) were studied after obtaining informed consent. The hemoglobin type was determined by electro phoresis, and DNA in leucocytes was obtained from five HbS samples. The haplotype was determined by PCR and cut with restrictases, according to literature. Results. We found one heterozygote for hemoglobin S (0.6%) among Nahua and 18 among Mestizo groups (13.7%). Four haplotypes were Bantu and one was Benin. Conclusions. These findings are impor tant to public health for populations with a high frequency of HbS, to inform and provide genetic counseling for carriers and medical attention to patients.


Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA

Clinical trials have shown promising responses of BRCA-linked breast and ovarian cancers to PARP inhibitor therapy, but remissions are often short-lived and incomplete. The PI3K pathway is frequently activated in these malignancies. Recently, we reported in vivo synergy of a PI3K- and a PARP-inhibitor in a mouse model of BRCA1-related breast cancer. While the PARP-inhibitor olaparib alone attenuated tumor growth modestly, a dramatic reduction in tumor growth was observed when olaparib was combined with the PI3K-inhibitor BKM120. In BRCA1-mutant HCC1937 BC cells, PI3K- (but not akt-) inhibition increased indicators of DNA damage, such as poly-ADP-ribosylation and γH2AX, suggesting a critical role of PI3K activity for the maintenance of genomic stability. Here, we report on the molecular mechanism underlying this synergy, on treatment outcomes in an improved mouse model system and the development of an early-phase clinical study. Pre-clinical modeling was done in BRCA1-mutant HCC1937 cells and in a mouse model based on the syngenic transplantation of tumors derived on the K14-Cre BRCA1f/fp53f/f background. Metabolic profiling in vitro and in vivo showed that PI3K-inhibition decreased flux through glycolysis and specifically through the non-oxidative pentose-phosphate pathway, the main source of ribose-5-phosphate required for the de novo synthesis of nucleotides in HCC1937 cells. Within 3 hours and preceding cell cycle changes, BKM120 caused a decrease in nucleotide pools that was further exacerbated by the addition of olaparib. Nucleotide shortage led to to replication stress with the appearance of γH2AX and increased poly-ADP-ribosylation. Tumors with complete loss of BRCA1 and p53 proved particularly vulnerable to this treatment strategy. We were able to induce complete and durable remissions of murine tumors arising on the K14-Cre BRCA1f/fp53f/f background with a 28-day course of BKM120 and Olaparib. These preclinical data have served as the rationale for a phase I, multi-center study ([NCT01623349][1]) combining the oral PARP inhibitor olaparib with the oral PI3-kinase inhibitor BKM120 in patients with recurrent HGSC or recurrent TNBC. The study is being conducted through the Stand Up to Cancer (SU2C)'s Targeting PI3-kinase in Women's Cancers Dream Team. It has a 3 + 3 design, escalating if 0/3 or 1/6 participants have a DLT during the first cycle of therapy. The study objectives are to determine the recommended phase II dose (RP2D) of daily continuous oral olaparib (using the tablet formulation) and BKM120, assess toxicities, safety, and preliminary activity of this combination, and determine pharmacokinetic profiles of both agents as well as translational endpoints. The study serves as an example for the development of a clinical trials concept for TNBC and HGSC based on a close collaboration of basic and clinical scientists through the SU2C mechanism.

Citation Format: Gerburg M. Wulf, Ashish Juvekar, Costas A. Lyssiotis, Hai Hu, Sina Yadegarynia, Hui Liu, Baek Kim, Eric Winter, Ralph Scully, John Asara, Lewis C. Cantley, Ursula Matulonis. Combination of a PI3K- and a PARP-inhibitor to treat high-grade serous ovarian or triple-negative breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr CT338. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-CT338

 [1]: /lookup/external-ref?link_type=CLINTRIALGOV&access_num=NCT01623349&atom=%2Fcanres%2F74%2F19_Supplement%2FCT338.atom


This paper explores the relations between the lexicon and the initial stage of the syntactic component. The main goal is tofind out ifthere is a covariation between the changes in the lexicon (when it reaches 400 words) together with the increase in grammatical words (closed class words), with morpheme inflection and changes in syntax measured in MLUw. The results show a linear increase in grammatical lexical items, but in all subjects there is a brief stage of fast non-monotonous increase when their lexicon comprises 400 words (or slightly before). It is confirmed that the evolution of both components (lexicon and syntax) is not linear, suggesting a reorganization of the initial syntactic component that is related to the size of the lexicon and the non monotonous increase of the closed class words.


Bacterial endotoxins (lipopolysaccharides or LPS) are active components of Gramnegative bacteria that act on numerous cellular functions through the processes of cell activation and damage. The molecular mechanisms involved in the "endotoxic phenomenon" are not defined yet, although extensive studies have been carried out. Immunogold and electron microscopy (EM) have contributed to identify the primary target cells of endotoxins and the subcellular systems that receive the direct action of these bacterial agents. Here, we review our studies on immunogold detection of endotoxins in cellular and subcellular systems. The analysis of the interaction between endotoxins and cells was focussed on the following aspects: (1) morphological characteristics of the LPS aqueous suspensions used in experimental work; (2) binding of endotoxins to the plasma membrane of type II pneumocytes and alveolar macrophages (two of their cellular targets), and influence of the state of aggregation of the LPS; (3) movement and distribution of endotoxins inside the cell, from the plasma membrane to the nucleoplasm; and (4) interaction of LPS with microtubules and its effects on the integrity of the microtubular network. These approaches provide information at the molecular level as well as data for the establishment of physiological models of endotoxicity. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Image stitching is a classical and crucial technique in computer vision, which aims to generate the image with a wide field of view. The traditional methods heavily depend on the feature detection and require that scene features be dense and evenly distributed in the image, leading to varying ghosting effects and poor robustness. Learning methods usually suffer from fixed view and input size limitations, showing a lack of generalization ability on other real datasets. In this paper, we propose an image stitching learning framework, which consists of a large-baseline deep homography module and an edge-preserved deformation module. First, we propose a large-baseline deep homography module to estimate the accurate projective transformation between the reference image and the target image in different scales of features. After that, an edge-preserved deformation module is designed to learn the deformation rules of image stitching from edge to content, eliminating the ghosting effects as much as possible. In particular, the proposed learning framework can stitch images of arbitrary views and input sizes, thus contribute to a supervised deep image stitching method with excellent generalization capability in other real images. Experimental results demonstrate that our homography module significantly outperforms the existing deep homography methods in the large baseline scenes. In image stitching, our method is superior to the existing learning method and shows competitive performance with state-of-the-art traditional methods.


CRY2 is a blue light receptor regulating light inhibition of hypocotyl elongation and photoperiodic flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana. The CRY2 protein is found primarily in the nucleus, and it is known to undergo blue light–dependent phosphorylation and degradation. However, the subcellular location where CRY2 exerts its function or undergoes blue light–dependent phosphorylation and degradation remains unclear. In this study, we analyzed the function and regulation of conditionally nuclear-localized CRY2. Our results show that CRY2 mediates blue light inhibition of hypocotyl elongation and photoperiodic promotion of floral initiation in the nucleus. Consistent with this result and a hypothesis that blue light–dependent phosphorylation is associated with CRY2 function, we demonstrate that CRY2 undergoes blue light–dependent phosphorylation in the nucleus. CRY2 phosphorylation is required for blue light–dependent CRY2 degradation, but only a limited quantity of CRY2 is phosphorylated at any given moment in seedlings exposed to blue light, which explains why continuous blue light illumination is required for CRY2 degradation. Finally, we showed that CRY2 is ubiquitinated in response to blue light and that ubiquitinated CRY2 is degraded by the 26S proteasome in the nucleus. These findings demonstrate that a photoreceptor can complete its posttranslational life cycle (from protein modification, to function, to degradation) inside the nucleus.


Bladder cancer is one of the most prevalent cancer types in the world, frequently exhibiting invasion and metastasis and therefore associated with poor prognosis. It is a progressive disease with high recurrence rates even after surgery, which calls for the urgent need for early intervention and diagnosis. The E3 ubiquitin ligase TNF Receptor Associated Factor 4 (TRAF4) has been largely implicated as a tumour-promoting element in a wide range of cancers. Over-expression and amplification of this gene product has been a common observation in breast and other metastatic tumours. In contrast, we observed that expression of TRAF4 negatively correlated with overall patient survival. Moreover, its expression was repressed at epigenetic levels in aggressive bladder cancer cells. We also describe an ERK kinase phosphorylation site on TRAF4 that inhibits its stability and localization to plasma membrane in such cells. Furthermore, knockdown of TRAF4 in epithelial bladder cancer cell lines leads to gain of mesenchymal genes and a loss of epithelial integrity. Reciprocally, stable over-expression of TRAF4 in mesenchymal cells leads to decreased migratory and invasive properties. Transcriptomic analysis upon TRAF4 mis-expression in bladder cancer cell lines revealed that higher TRAF4 expression enhanced BMP/SMAD and dampened NF-κB signalling pathways. Importantly, this notion was confirmed in bladder cancer patient material. Mechanistically, we showed that TRAF4 targets the E3 ubiquitin ligase SMURF1, a negative regulator of BMP/SMAD signalling, for proteasomal degradation in bladder cancer cells. We show that genetic and pharmacological inhibition of SMURF1 or its function inhibited migration of aggressive (mesenchymal) bladder cancer cells.


Administration of a single, oral dose of centchroman (2 mg/kg) within 24 h of mating prevent- ed pregnancy in adult Swiss mice by "tube-locking" of the embryos at the ampullary-isthmic junction of the Fallopian tube. Well organized and apparently normal embryos were collected from the ampullary portion until Day 10 of pregnancy. The compound did not seem to produce any deleterious effect on the cleavage process, morula to blastocyst transformation, or shedding of zona pellucida. However, some delay was observed in the initiation as well as completion of these processes, and this could be due to environmental effects or to effects of the compound, or both. In addition, the compound also prevented decidualization of the uterine endometrium which consisted primarily of fibroblastic type cells.


The objectives of this study were to compare different welding fumes in regard to their potential to elicit lung inflammation or injury and to examine possible mechanisms whereby welding fumes may damage the lungs. Fume was collected on filters from conventional spray [mild steel (MS-SPRAY) or stainless steel (SS-SPRAY) electrode wire] or pulsed current [mild steel (MS-PULSE) electrode wire] gas-shielded metal arc welding. Rats were given one of the three welding fume samples by intratracheal instillation (1.0 mg/100 g body wt). Other rats received a relatively inert dust (iron oxide), a pneumotoxic dust (crystalline silica), or a vehicle control (saline). Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) was performed 1, 7, 14, and 35 days postinstillation, and indicators of pulmonary damage [cellular differential, albumin, as well as, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta), lactate dehydrogenase, and beta-n-acetyl glucosaminidase release] were assessed. One day postinstillation, some evidence of lung inflammation (more neutrophils) was observed for all particle groups, while increased BAL TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta were observed only in the SS-SPRAY and silica groups. By 14 days, lungs appeared normal among the MS-SPRAY, MS-PULSE, and iron oxide groups. At 14 and 35 days postinstillation, elevated pulmonary responses persisted for the animals exposed to silica and the SS-SPRAY welding fume. By 35 days, however, the SS-SPRAY group approached control levels, while the injury induced by silica increased. Using magnetometric estimates of welding fumes, we observed that MS-SPRAY fume was cleared from the lungs at a faster rate than the SS-SPRAY particles. We have demonstrated that the SS-SPRAY fume has more pneumotoxicity than MS fumes. This difference may reflect a greater retention of the SS-SPRAY particles in the lungs and different elemental composition of the fume. The SS-SPRAY fume also had enhanced release of TNF-alpha and IL-1 beta from lung cells soon after fume instillation. In contrast, we saw no influence of the power supply on particle size, composition, or toxicity.


Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common gastrointestinal tumor with a poor prognosis, which is associated with poor differentiation of tumor cells. However, the potential value of cell differentiation-related molecules in predicting the benefit and prognosis of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) therapy remains unknown. Herein, to investigate the differentiation trajectory of HCC cells and their clinical significance, a differentiation-related gene prognostic index (DRGPI) based on HCC differentiation-related genes (HDRGs) was constructed to elucidate the immune characteristics and therapeutic benefits of ICI in the HCC subgroup defined by DRGPI. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and bulk RNA-seq data from four HCC samples were integrated for bioinformatics analysis. Then, PON1, ADH4, SQSTM1, HSP90AA1, and STMN1 were screened out to construct a DRGPI. More intriguingly, RT-qPCR validation of the expression of these genes yielded consistent results with the TCGA database. Next, the risk scoring (RS) constructed based on DRGPI suggested that the overall survival (OS) of the DRGPI-high patients was significantly worse than that of the DRGPI-low patients. A nomogram was constructed based on DRGPI-RS and clinical characteristics, which showed strong predictive performance and high accuracy. The comprehensive results indicated that a low DRGPI score was associated with low TP53 mutation rates, high CD8 T cell infiltration, and more benefit from ICI therapy. Homoplastically, the high DRGPI score reflected the opposite results. Taken together, our study highlights the significance of HCC cell differentiation in predicting prognosis, indicating immune characteristics, and understanding the therapeutic benefits of ICI, and suggests that DRGPI is a valuable prognostic biomarker for HCC.


The cortical network that processes disparity-defined motion-in-depth (i.e. cyclopean stereomotion) was characterised with functional magnetic resonance imaging in two awake, behaving macaques. The experimental protocol was similar to previous human neuroimaging studies. We contrasted the responses to dynamic random-dot patterns that continuously changed their binocular disparity over time with those to a control condition that shared the same properties, except that the temporal frames were shuffled. A whole-brain voxel-wise analysis revealed that in all four cortical hemispheres, three areas showed consistent sensitivity to cyclopean stereomotion. Two of them were localised respectively in the lower bank of the superior temporal sulcus (CSMSTS) and on the neighbouring infero-temporal gyrus (CSMITG). The third area was situated in the posterior parietal cortex (CSMPPC). Additional ROIs-based analyses within retinotopic areas defined in both animals indicated weaker but significant responses to cyclopean stereomotion within the MT cluster (most notably in areas MSTv and FST). Altogether, our results are in agreement with previous findings in both human and macaque and suggest that the cortical networks that process cyclopean stereomotion is relatively well preserved between the two primate species.


Abstract Background: Café au lait macules (CALMs) are a benign epidermal hyperpigmentation disorder. Although CALMs have been removed successfully with lasers, there have been few investigations on the use of the Q-switched 755-nm alexandrite laser. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the Q-switched 755-nm alexandrite laser for the treatment of CALMs in Chinese patients. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, data of CALMs patients (n = 48) treated with a Q-switched 755-nm alexandrite laser were collected. Patients received an average of 3.2 treatments. Clinical responses were assessed by three blinded investigators. Adverse effects and recurrence rates were also evaluated. The mean follow-up time was 16.1 months. Results: Good to excellent responses were achieved in 26 patients (54.1%) and poor responses in 8 patients (16.7%). Recurrence was noted in five patients (10.4%) and transient hypopigmentation was observed in one patient. Efficacy was significantly greater in males than in females while patient age and lesional area did not show significant correlation with efficacy. Conclusions: The Q-switched 755-nm alexandrite laser shows relatively high efficacy in removing CALMs and the recurrence rate is low. Males respond might more favorably than females.


Theorem 1.1 was conjectured by Frohman [10] who proved it in the case that the surfaces are triply-periodic. Earlier Meeks [19] proved the theorem in the case of finite genus. In this case the only known examples are the plane, the helicoid and a recent example of Hoffman, Karcher and Wei [16]. However, the collection of properly embedded minimal surfaces of infinite genus and one end is extremely rich. One reason for this is that most classical examples of these surfaces are doublyperiodic (i.e., they are invariant under translation in two independent directions) and in this case, a result of Callahan, Hoffman, and Meeks (Corollary 2 in [3]) states that the surface has one end and infinite genus, when it is not a plane. This result and Theorem 1.1 have the following corollary.


Nanocomposite Zr_0.52Al_0.48N_1.11 thin films consisting of crystalline grains surrounded by an amorphous matrix were deposited using cathodic arc evaporation. The structure evolution after annealing of the films was studied using high-energy x-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy. The mechanical properties were characterized by nanoindentation on as-deposited and annealed films. After annealing in temperatures of 1050–1400 °C, nucleation and grain growth of cubic ZrN takes place in the film. This increases the hardness, which reaches a maximum, while parts of the film remain amorphous. Grain growth of the hexagonal AlN phase occurs above 1300 °C.


Abstract Understanding how well teachers integrate digital technology in learning is the subject of considerable debate in education. High Possibility Classrooms (HPC) is a pedagogical framework drawn from research on exemplary teachers' knowledge of technology integration in Australian school classrooms. The framework is being used to support teachers who teach various stages of schooling to take 'pedagogical steps' in their practice with technology. This article focuses on the use of the HPC conceptual framework in a study of seven teachers and their students at two secondary schools in New South Wales, Australia. Analysis confirms the practicality of this conceptual framework for technology integration in secondary school classrooms. This inquiry has implications for addressing the reluctance of teachers to integrate technology in curriculum. The article concludes by suggesting that more schools might consider using conceptual frameworks like HPC to support secondary school teachers to enhance student learning with technology.


This study assesses flood impacts on riparian vegetation in two watersheds within the Transverse Ranges. Data collected in 1993 were compared to baseline data from 1990 to measure the effect of a 1992 flood. T-tests were used to test for significant post-flood changes in overall vegetation characteristics, and vegetation change was regressed on drainage area to test for spatial variation in flood impacts. Results of means comparisons for the overall data set suggest that the impacts of the flood were insignificant. However, these results in part are artifacts of data agglomeration, as regression results suggest that changes in total cover and diversity are spatially varied, with profound impacts at some downstream sites. The relative cover of most species remained constant, reflecting an environment in which frequent floods help to maintain a vegetation assemblage that is not entirely flood resistant, but at least uniform across species in its degree of resistance. [Key words: riparian vegetation, floods,...


Reactive oxygen species (ROS) play an important role in cellular metabolism. Many chemotherapeutic drugs are known to promote apoptosis through the production of ROS. In the present study, the novel curcumin derivative, 1g, was found to inhibit tumor growth in colon cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. Bioinformatics was used to analyze the differentially expressed mRNAs. The mechanism of this effect was a change in mitochondrial membrane potential caused by 1g that increased its pro-apoptotic activity. In addition, 1g produced ROS, induced G1 checkpoint blockade, and enhanced endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-stress in colon cancer cells. Conversely, pretreatment with the ROS scavenging agent N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) inhibited the mitochondrial dysfunction caused by 1g and reversed ER-stress, cell cycle stagnation, and apoptosis. Additionally, pretreatment with the p-PERK inhibitor GSK2606414 significantly reduced ER-stress and reversed the apoptosis induced by colon cancer cells. In summary, the production of ROS plays an important role in the destruction of colon cancer cells by 1g and demonstrates that targeted strategies based on ROS represent a promising approach to inhibit colon cancer proliferation. These findings reveal that the novel curcumin derivative 1g represents a potential candidate therapeutics for the treatment of colon cancer cells, via apoptosis caused by mitochondrial dysfunction and endoplasmic reticulum stress.


Empirical evidence suggests that managerial overconfidence and government guarantees contribute substantially to excessive risk-taking in the banking industry. This paper incorporates managerial overconfidence and limited bank liability into a principal-agent model, where the bank manager unobservably chooses effort and risk. An overconfident manager overestimates the returns to effort and risk. We find that managerial overconfidence necessitates an intervention into banker pay. This is due to the bank\'s exploitation of the manager\'s overvaluation of bonuses, which causes excessive risk-taking in equilibrium. Moreover, we show that the optimal bonus tax rises in overconfidence, if risk-shifting incentives are sufficiently large. Finally, the model indicates that overconfident managers are more likely to be found in banks with large government guarantees, low bonus taxes, and lax capital requirements.


[reaction: see text]. An intramolecular cyclization strategy for effecting a biomimetic synthesis of the core structure of the fungal secondary metabolites phomoidrides A and B is described. The cyclization substrate 20 is prepared in eight steps from dibromide 10. Treatment of 20 with triethylamine in acetonitrile results in a rapid cyclization to give 21 and 22 in good yield.


Background: Radiotherapy and chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis can affect cancer patients' quality of life, even necessitate cancer therapy and influence prognosis. Chinese patent medicines (CPMs) have been widely used as complementary alternative medicines for the prevention and treatment of oral mucositis, and their efficacy and safety require further evaluation. Therefore, this study was conducted to provide references for clinical practice. Methods: Ten databases were searched electronically and manually to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from their inception to August 2021, concerning the prevention and treatment of radiotherapy and chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis with CPMs. The prevalence, pain level, and the severity of radiotherapy and chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis, as well as the effectiveness rate and adverse effects of CPMs, were set as the outcome criteria. The assessment criteria of the Cochrane Handbook were used to determine study quality and bias, and meta-analysis was conducted using Review Manager 5.4.1 software. Results: A total of 2,312 cases from 27 RCTs were included. Most studies were considered to have a low or unclear risk of bias. More research is available on the use of CPMs in the prevention of radiotherapy and chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis than in its treatment. As for the prevention, it was proved that CPMs could significantly reduce the prevalence of radiotherapy and chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis, especially for the severe types, and decrease pain levels (p < 0.05). For treatment, CPMs could alleviate the symptoms, promote the healing of ulceration in radiotherapy and chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis, and thus improve the efficiency of clinical treatment (p < 0.05). The results of subgroup analyses were mainly consistent with the above results. The adverse effects of CPMs mainly included gastrointestinal reactions and bitter taste, and no serious adverse events were reported. Conclusions: This systematic review and meta-analysis indicated CPMs might be effective for the prevention and treatment of radiotherapy and chemotherapy-induced oral mucositis through reducing the prevalence, decreasing the occurrence of severe types, alleviating the symptoms, and promoting the healing of ulceration. However, due to the limited number of eligible studies and the publication bias, more high-quality, double-blinded, placebo-controlled RCTs are still needed in future research. Systematic Review Registration: [https://inplasy.com/], identifier [INPLASY2021100100].


We read with interest the article by Jastrzebski et al. on the universal algorithm for the diagnosis of biventricular (BiV) capture in patients with cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT).1 Authors proposed an algorithm based on the standard 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) with high sensitivity and specificity for detection of the loss of left ventricle (LV) capture, 97% and 90%, respectively. First, let us congratulate Jastrzebski et al. on their very important and successful initiative. The problem of lost LV capture is clinically significant. In our opinion every general practitioner should be able to assess effectiveness of BiV capture, as losing LV capture may be a reason of worsening of the patient's condition. This is why we have prepared an application for mobile devices to diagnose BiV capture using the algorithm proposed by Jastrzebski et al. We called it BiVCapture. The tool is available online for Android devices (version 3.0 or higher) for free on dedicated website: http://bivcapture.cardiozimit. com/bivcapture.apk (Fig. 1). To install the application first enter device settings, then tap Applications menu and if the check box for Unknown Sources is unchecked, check it. BiVCapture for iPhone (iOS 7.0 or higher) is waiting for publishing in Apple App Store and according to our best knowledge it will be available with no charges in July 2014. The application is simple and intuitive. User is asked to take a photo of the QRS complex in lead I, then mark the isoelectric line, maximum positive and maximum negative amplitude. Based on predominantly positive or negative QRS, the user may be asked for repeating these same steps for lead V1 and V6 and assess QRS complex duration.


We present CQELS 2.0, the second version of Continuous Query Evaluation over Linked Streams. CQELS 2.0 is a platform-agnostic federated execution framework towards semantic stream fusion. In this version, we introduce a novel neural-symbolic stream reasoning component that enables specifying deep neural network (DNN) based data fusion pipelines via logic rules with learnable probabilistic degrees as weights. As a platform-agnostic framework, CQELS 2.0 can be implemented for devices with different hardware architectures (from embedded devices to cloud infrastructures). Moreover, this version also includes an adaptive federator that allows CQELS instances on different nodes in a network to coordinate their resources to distribute processing pipelines by delegating partial workloads to their peers via subscribing continuous queries


Background and Aims: The objective of this study was to measure the association of Helicobacter pylori infection with alcoholic acute pancreatitis. Material and Methods: This study comprised of 50 patients with their first alcoholic pancreatitis and 50 alcoholic controls with no history of pancreatitis but similar alcohol use recruited from an alcohol rehabilitation center. Helicobacter infection was measured using Enzygnost EIA IgG-test. Complications and length of hospital stay were also recorded in patients with alcoholic pancreatitis. Results: The seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori was 10/50 (20%) in the pancreatitis group and 15/50 (30%) in the control group (p = NS). The median length of hospital stay of pancreatitis patients was 7 days, 11 days for those tested positive (range 6–25) and 6 days for those tested negative (range 3–47) for Helicobacter pylori, p = 0.013. As determined with the Atlanta criteria, seropositive patients tended to have more often severe pancreatitis, 4/10 (40%) vs. 6/40 (15%), OR 3.78 (95% CI 0.815–17.52), p = 0.097. Conclusions: This study suggests that Helicobacter pylori infection is not associated clinically significantly with the development of alcoholic pancreatitis. However, Helicobacter pylori infection may be associated with longer hospital stay due to more severe disease, which needs to be studied in a larger series of patients.


In the design of radio networks, the problem of cellular planning is of critical importance. The present paper addresses the problem of determining the minimum number of base stations required to cover a design area, the associated optimal cell sizes, and the best topographical configurations for the cells, while meeting system performance requirements. The problem is formulated as a set partitioning problem, where the requirements of radio coverage, non-uniform traffic distribution, and topographical constraints are taken into account. A highly efficient branch and bound algorithm is then used to obtain the guaranteed optimal solution. By considering a range of benchmark network problems that have appeared in the literature, it is shown that the proposed technique has a significantly superior performance to other known techniques.


The esophagus and trachea derive from the foregut during the 4th week of development and is constructed as a part of the gut: longitudinal and circular muscle bundles are connected to a functional system together with collagen and elastic fibers. The action of the cricopharyngeal "pinch-cock" is pronounced in the newborn. In the region of the upper orifice ganglion cells are absent and venous vessels are oriented in a longitudinal direction. The myoelastic fiber system is in the lower part of the esophagus arranged as a stretching system, and the esophagus becomes longer and narrower by traction. The blood vessels derive from the thyroid arteries, the aorta, the bronchial arteries, the left gastric artery and the left inferior phrenic artery. Poor zones of vascularity are in the middle of the ventral and dorsal plane.


ABSTRACT
 In this study we evaluated the effects of the biorational pesticide, Spinosad (GF-120 formulation), on foraging behavior in the stingless bee Plebeia moureana (Ayala). Several foragers were individually trained to collect an unscented 1.0 M sucrose solution (31% sucrose wt:wt) from a blue plate in one arm of a Y-tube maze. The other arm offered plain water on a yellow plate. After 20–30 visits to the setup, the sucrose solution was exchanged for a sucrose solution mixed with one of five concentrations of GF-120 and 30 consecutive choices of each bee were recorded. Interestingly, the foragers collected the sucrose solution with GF-120 at all concentrations. Our results show that: 1) the GF-120 formulation, when applied at the recommended concentration and mixed with food, does not discourage engaged foragers and, 2) foraging behavior over time is not significantly impaired by the continuous collection of GF-120.


The popularity and plurality of social sharing and collaboration platforms today demonstrates the demand for sharing information at a wide variety of granularities and scale — from public blogging of micro-data (e.g., microblogging posts, page "Likes", and place-"check-ins") to specific, full-on collaborative sharing of documents and projects. The centralised and fragmented nature of today's sharing platforms, however, creates several problems, among which include issues of seamless access, ownership, and control. In this paper, we present an alternative approach that puts the user back in control over their data, and supports secure, private sharing and collaboration in a distributed, user-centric manner "out of the box". This approach represents a novel configuration of Web-standard, non-novel components, which we demonstrate are sufficiently generic to support types of sharing offered by the most popular sharing platforms today. By offering a standards-compliant method of globally sharing triples, with known semantics about how they are received, our approach enables social applications to utilise the Web as the distributed system it has always promised to be. Beyond such sharing, we discuss what other capabilities such a platform enables, and its implication for future Web architectures and tools.


Pajelança is a religious and therapeutic system found among the Black population from the state of Maranhão since the XIXth century. It exists in several African-Brazilian cult houses where it is usually presented as an Indigenous American tradition. Persecuted as witchcraft, repressed as a "new religion" and discriminated as shamanism, was syncretized with Mina, Terecô, Umbanda and started to be presented in African-Brazilian cult houses. After a brief introduction to Pajelança in Maranhão's terreiros and considerations about its Indian and African origins, this paper analyses the ways Pajelança is integrated with Tambor de Mina as detected in field work carried out in São Luís and Cururupu, in an attempt to emphasize factors that have contributed now and in the past for this integration in the same Terreiro (cult-house).


N-3 fatty acids have been reported to be effective for asthma. In the present study, the effects of perilla seed oil (n-3 fatty acids) on asthma were compared with the effects of corn oil (n-6 fatty acids) in terms of pulmonary function,
lipometabolism and the generation of leukotriene C4 (LTC4) by leucocytes. A total of 28 asthmatic patients were randomly divided into two groups : Group A patients (15 subjects) consumed perilla seed oil-rich supplementation, while Group B patients (13 subjects) consumed corn oil-rich supplementation for 4 weeks. Generation of LTC4 by leucocytes, respiratory function and the serum levels of lipids were compared between
the two groups. The generation of LTC4 by leucocytes decreased significantly in Group A subjects following perilla seed oil-rich supplementation for 2(P < 0.05) and 4 weeks(P < 0.01). A significant difference in the generation of LTC4 was observed between the two groups after different dietary supplementations for 4 weeks (P < 0.05).
Significantly increased values for PEF (P < 0.01), FVC (P < 0.05) and FEV1.0 (P < 0.05) were found in Group A subjects following perilla seed oil supplementation for 4 weeks, compared with the initial value prior to supplementation.
A significant decrease in the serum level of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and phospholipid was detected in Group A subjects following perilla seed oil supplementation for 4 weeks. The present results suggest that peril la seed oil-rich supplementation is effective in the treatment of asthma in terms of its ability to suppress LTC4 generat ion by leucocytes, and in inducing an improvement in pulmonary
function associated with changes in the serum level of lipids.


There have been reported several papers on the ionospheric F region perturbations prior to the 2008 Sichuan earthquake (EQ) (magnitude 8.0), but it seems that very few reports have been published on the characteristics of ground-based ULF (ultra low frequency) magnetic field variations for this EQ. This paper deals with two different aspects of ground-based ULF magnetic field variations: 1) ULF radiation from the lithosphere, and 2) depression of ULF horizontal magnetic field as a signature of lower ionospheric perturbations. ULF data from two Chinese stations [Chengdu (epicentral distance, 80 km) and Xichang (about 300 km away from the EQ epicenter)] are analyzed, with paying attention to the local nighttime period (LT = 22 h to 02 h, UTC = 14 h to 18 h) in order to avoid man-made noise. We have analyzed powers of the horizontal component (H2), vertical component (Z2), polarization as their ratio (Z2/H2), depression of the horizontal component (as an inverse of horizontal magnetic field component power, 1/H2) and δDep as a variation of depression at a particular frequency of 0.01 - 0.02 Hz (10 - 20 mHz). It is then found that there seems no clear signature of lithospheric ULF radiation. Whilst, the most evident fact is the finding of depression of ULF horizontal magnetic field at Chengdu a few days before the Sichuan EQ, which suggests that the lower ionosphere was perturbed before the EQ. The characteristics of the lower ionospheric perturbations are compared with those of upper ionospheric perturbations reported before.


Among the benign thoracic neoplasms, pulmonary hamartomas have been considered one of the most innocent. The 10 patients whose cases are reported in this paper had lesions of this type which we have considered worthy of recording because all of the tumors showed varying degrees of enlargement on roentgen examination. The tumors were considered possible carcinoma in nine instances and tuberculoma in one before a definite pathologic diagnosis was made. REPORT OF CASES Case 1. —S. M. (VAH 151921), a 38-year-old white man, was admitted to the hospital, Sept. 6, 1950, because of a round lesion of the left lung which had increased 1.0 cm. in diameter during the preceding year. The patient had no pulmonary symptoms, and physical examination revealed no abnormalities. Skin tests to PPD, blastomycin, coccidioidin, and histoplasmin were negative. Bronchoscopy was not contributory. Roentgenograms of the thorax (Fig. 1) revealed a round lesion, 1.5 cm. in


Abstract A new copolymer of 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) and 5-(2-ethylhexyl)-1,3-bis(9-methyl-9H-carbazol-3-yl)-5H-thieno[3,4-c]pyrrole-4,6-dione (CzPDICz) was electrochemically synthesized using different monomer feed ratios. The resulting copolymer films were investigated in terms of their electrochemical and electro-optical behaviors. Properties of the obtained copolymer films through different monomer feed ratios were compared to each other and to individual poly(ethylenedioxythiophene; PEDOT) and homopolymer of CzPDICz in order to observe the differences in the properties with respect to PEDOT and P(CzPDICz). Copolymers exhibited well adherence on the electrode surface with having non-diffusional redox process. The monomer feed ratios were prepared as 9:1; 4:1, and 1:1 (EDOT:CzPDICz) and changes in the electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical behavior were noted with increasing CzPDICz ratio in the monomer mixture. Although no appreciable change in the optical band gap values of the copolymers was noted as compared to PEDOT, the neutral blue copolymers exhibited grayish color in their semi-oxidized states and transparent green in their fully oxidized states.


Using a modified version of the technique described by the Toronto group, the Marseille group has performed 6 double lung transplantation procedures. In 6 cases the underlying disease was cystic fibrosis. Four patients are currently alive. The technique was modified in two ways. First anastomosis was made on the two main stem bronchi in order to rule out the risk of ischemic complications. Second a special postoperative care technique in which the patient is regularly turned from one side to the other was applied to avoid lymph stasis during the first postoperative weeks.


Temperature-dependent time-resolved photoluminescence measurements were performed on thick GaN layers grown by hydride vapor-phase epitaxy on Al2O3 substrates. Radiative lifetimes were determined for the neutral-donor-bound exciton with position at 3.478 eV and for two neutral-acceptor-bound excitons at 3.473 and 3.461 eV. We report a value of 3600 ps for the radiative lifetime of the acceptor-bound exciton transition at 3.461 eV. The dominant mechanism responsible for the nonradiative recombination of the bound excitons is shown to be connected with dissociation of the bound excitons into free excitons. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(99)00752-4].


In this research, the diesel–palm fatty acid distillate ethyl ester–hydrous ethanol, palm fatty acid distillate ethyl ester, and diesel were studied to investigate the gas emissions and performances of the direct injection diesel engine at different engine loads and engine speeds. At all engine speeds and loads, nitrogen oxide emissions from all fuel blends (D50PE40E10, D40PE50E10, and D30PE60E10) were significantly lower than the baseline diesel. At all engine speeds and engine loads, the fuel blends released less carbon dioxide than the baseline diesel, with the exception of the D30PE60E10 blend. Furthermore, D30PE60E10 diesel was used to test wear for 500 h long-term endurance of diesel engine components. The results indicated that biodiesel in fuel blends may reduce engine component wear by forming a thin coating on the metal surface of the engine component. However, after 100 h of continuous operation with D30PE60E10 blend, the engine cannot be restarted because only a part of the fuel pump had many pores on the surface of the plunger, barrel, delivery valve, and valve holder. However, these components may have to be considered to prevent corrosion when this fuel blend was employed.


Summary 1. The need to conserve and create linkages among fragmented habitats has given rise to a range of techniques for maximizing connectivity. Methods to identify optimal habitat linkages face tradeoffs between constraints on model inputs and biological relevance of model outputs. Given the popularity of these methods and their central role in landscape planning, it is critical that they be reliable and robust. 2. The most popular method used to inform habitat linkage design, least-cost path (LCP) analysis, designates a landscape resistance surface based on hypothetical 'costs' that landscape components impose on species movement, and identifies paths that minimize cumulative costs between locations. 3. While LCP analysis represents a valuable method for conservation planning, its current application has several weaknesses. Here, we review LCP analysis and identify shortcomings of its current application that decrease biological relevance and conservation utility. We examine trends in published LCP analyses, demonstrate the implications of methodological choices with our own LCP analysis for bighorn sheep Ovis canadensis nelsoni, and point to future directions in cost modelling. 4. Our review highlights three weaknesses common in recent LCP analyses. First, LCP models typically rely on remotely sensed habitat maps, but few studies assess whether such maps are suitable proxies for factors affecting animal movement or consider the effects of adjacent habitats. Secondly, many studies use expert opinion to assign costs associated with landscape features, yet few validate these costs with empirical data or assess model sensitivity to errors in cost assignment. Thirdly, studies that consider multiple, alternative movement paths often propose width or length requirements for linkages without justification. 5. Synthesis and applications. LCP modelling and similar approaches to linkage design guide connectivity planning, yet often lack a biological or empirical foundation. Ecologists must clarify the biological processes on which resistance values are based, explicitly justify cost schemes and scale (grain) of analysis, evaluate the effects of landscape context and sensitivity to cost schemes, and strive to optimize cost schemes with empirical data. Research relating species' fine-grain habitat use to movement across broad extents is desperately needed, as are methods to determine biologically relevant length and width restrictions for linkages.


The authors summarize current knowledge about infectious uterine incisional necrosis/dehiscence, an uncommon but serious complication of cesarean delivery. A MEDLINE search of the literature from 1966 to the present did not identify any previous review of this entity. From case reports, small case series, and textbook descriptions, the evidence regarding the definition of the disorder, its prevalence, etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, prognosis, and management is presented. The paucity of reports in the modern literature indicate the need for further studies to more precisely characterize this entity for cross-study comparisons and aggregation to provide clearer management guidelines, especially as it regards diagnosis, and the safety of conservative surgery in well-selected cases. Target Audience: Obstetricians & Gynecologists, Family Physicians Learning Objectives: After completion of this article, the reader should be able to define the condition infectious uterine incisional necrosis, and to outline potential management options.


This paper aims to analyze the association between work burden and backache among women and men. The study design is descriptive cross sectional. Thirty two households are selected. From each of the households sample size of 64 in terms of a pair of either married couple or the unmarried sister and brother are selected. Respondent's age is between 15 to 49 years. Semi structured questionnaire is used to collect data. This study shows significant differences in working hour between male and female. The working hour is significantly higher among the persons with backache. Gender inequality is a stark reality. The gender division of labour may add more work to women resulting into longer working hour for women. This may reflect in some health hazards among women. Hence, more focused attention is needed to understand the non reproductive health problems of women. Keywords : working hour; backache; women empowerment; health problem; health seeking behaviour DOI: 10.3126/dsaj.v4i0.4523 Dhaulagiri Journal of Sociology and Anthropology Vol.4 2010 pp.235-246


Background Hop tests are part of the discharge criteria to determine return to sports (RTS) following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Usually, only the distance hopped is measured, but little is known regarding biomechanical performance during these tests. Objective Describe biomechanical parameters of ACLR patients during single and triple hop for distance at the time of RTS. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting Laboratory, level I sport athletes. Patients (or Participants) 28 males: 14 primary ACLR patients (24±6 years) who were cleared to RTS, 14 healthy recreational athletes (30±5). Interventions (or assessment of risk factors) Biomechanical differences between limbs and groups. Main outcome measurements Knee power absorption and generation during the propulsion and landing phases of single and triple hops. Results Despite similar hop distance, ACLR patients had significantly lower between-limb knee power generation (d=1.12, p=0.001), and absorption (d=1.00, p=0.002) during single hop and less power compared to controls in both phases (d=0.78, p=0.05). During triple hop, ACLR patients displayed less knee power generation in the first (d=1.11, p=0.001) and second hop (d=1.14, p=0.001) and less power absorption in the final landing (d=0.73, p=0.017) in comparison to the uninvolved leg. Similarly, ACLR patients had less knee power generation in the first (d=1.69, p=0.000) and second hop (d=1.21, p=0.004) and less absorption in the final landing (d=1.09, p=0.008) compared to the control group. Conclusions ACLR patients underload their injured knee despite meeting hop distance targets to be cleared to RTS. This pattern has not been documented previously and could explain the high risk of reinjury to the knee and other structures in the kinetic chain after RTS.


In this paper, Au nanosphere and Au-Ag alloy nanourchin were prepared by reducing the chloroauric acid. The mixed colloid solutions of Au nanosphere and Au-Ag alloy nanourchin were used as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate to detect polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in aqueous solution. The size of Au-Ag alloy nanourchin particle was about 300~400 nm and the thorn-like bulge covered on it was about 40~100 nm. The mixed colloid solutions of Au nanosphere and Au-Ag alloy nanourchin which were optimized pH values and other parameters presented a better enhancement than Au nanosphere. The enhancement effect was about three times that of Au nanosphere colloid solution. Three kinds of high molecular weight PAHs, pyrene(4 rings), benzoanthracene(4 rings) and benzo[a]pyrene(5 rings), were detected. The results showed that there were good linear relationships between Raman intensity and concentration in the low concentration range and the mixed SERS substrate had a good reproducibility and stability. Their limits of detection (LODs) were 0.44, 2.92 and 1.64 nmol·L-1, respectively. The innovation of this paper was that the mixed colloid solutions of Au nanosphere and Au-Ag alloy nanourchin are prepared as SERS substrate and the trace-level high molecular weight PAHs are detected. The results show that the detection of trace-level high molecular weight PAHs in aqueous can be realized using the mixed SERS substrate prepared in this study, which proposed an in-situ method for detecting the high molecular weight PAHs in aqueous.


The spread of the real and substantial connection test adopted in Morguard Investments Ltd. v. De Savoye has been a remarkable phenomenon. Morguard lifted the phrase from the House of Lords divorce recognition case Indyka v. Indyka and applied it to the enforcement of money judgments between Canadian provinces. Subsequent lower court judgments held that the real and substantial connection standard should be extended to the enforcement of money judgments from foreign countries, and this was eventually confirmed by the Supreme Court in Beats v. Saldanha. The same test was also applied to the adjudicatory jurisdiction of the superior courts of the Canadian provinces, where it operates to police the application of service ex juris rules.These two extensions of the real and substantial connection criterion were foreshadowed by obiter dicta in Morguard and are unsurprising. Other new uses for the test were less predictable and more controversial. In its 1993 decision in Hunt v. T&N PLC the Supreme Court of Canada constitutionalized the Morguard doctrine and held that it might be used to render provincial blocking statutes constitutionally inapplicable insofar as they might limit the reach of another province's discovery process. A decade later, in Unifund Assurance Co. of Canada v. Insurance Corp. of British Columbia, the Supreme Court found yet another use for Morguard's, real and substantial connection standard: the test could be employed to determine the territorial scope of overlapping provincial statutes


In this work, the excimer-laser-induced crystallization of amorphous silicon (a-Si) films was investigated numerically and experimentally. This study had investigated the effects of irradiating energy density on the grain size and structure by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In the surface microstructure analysis of the laser-irradiated area, the critical fluences (full-melt threshold, FMT) between the partial melting and complete melting regimes can be found by applying scanning electron microscopy. An efficient two-dimensional numerical model is carried out to predict the critical fluences (FMT) and the transient temperature distribution during the laser processing by the finite element method. An macro-micro model has been developed for the melting and resolidification of thin Si films induced by excimer-laser annealing. Except temperature distributions, the macro-micro models can offer more information about solidification process, such as undercooling, grain size, grain density etc. The algorithm that allows for nucleation is based on classical nucleation theory. Accordingly, the model enables the prediction of grain size, as well as the calculation of other critical responses of the a-Si film. The average grain sizes, obtained from the simulation results of the proposed model, agree fairly well with those from the experimental data.


P. aeruginosa is an opportunistic human pathogen that is one of the leading causes of hospital-acquired infections. We have developed an updated genome-scale model (GEM) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 for systems-study of the pathogen. We used both automated and semi-manual approaches to reconstruct and curate the model. After an extensive literature research, we added organism-specific reactions (e.g., phenazine transport and redox metabolism, cofactor metabolism, carnitine metabolism, oxalate production, etc.) to the model. This effort led to a highly curated, three-compartment, and mass-and-charge balanced BiGG model of PA14 that contains 1509 genes, 1779 metabolic reactions and 1151 unique metabolites. The model (iSD1509) has the largest genome coverage of P. aeruginosa PA14 to date with 424 more genes than the previous model (iPau1129). It is also the most accurate with prediction accuracies as high as 92.4% (for gene essentiality) and 93.5% (for substrate utilization). The model simulates growth in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. It predicts the biosynthesis of the virulence factor phenazine as a process for the pathogen to grow in low-oxygen environment. Further, a mechanism for the overproduction of a drug susceptibility biomarker (gluconate) can be elucidated by the principles of optimal growth. Finally, the model also simulates drug activity potentiation and protection by fumarate and glyoxylate, respectively, and provides mechanistic explanations for these processes. Overall, iSD1509 can be utilized to decipher the metabolic mechanisms associated with virulence and antibiotic susceptibility of P. aeruginosa PA14 to aid in the development of effective intervention strategies.


Field emission and thermal breakdown are the main mechanisms limiting the accelerating gradient of niobium radiofrequency cavities. Diagnostic tools to study these mechanisms include quality measurements, thermometry and microscopy. Results presented here demonstrate that micron-size, conducting particles are the source of field emission. Thermal breakdown is caused by a variety of defects such as inclusions, pits and submillimeter-size particles. Techniques developed to minimize field emission and thermal breakdown include clean-room assembly, high-power processing (to avoid field emission) and the use of high-purity niobium (to avoid thermal breakdown). With these techniques, accelerating gradients of 20-30 MV/m can be achieved in niobium cavities.


Reducing the salt consumption has gained much interest in recent years. Enhancing the perceived saltiness of the food could help reducing the salt to a certain level. Other components in the food could play a role on changing the perceived saltiness during consumption. This study investigated the impact of acidity on the salty taste perception of ayran. Ayran is a fermented milk drink widely consumed in Turkey and is basically produced by diluting the yogurt with water and adding salt. Ayran samples were produced at three pH levels; pH 4.2, pH 4.4 and pH 4.6. Same amount of salt (%0.5 w/w) was added to each group. Composition, pH, sensory properties, viscosity, whey separation and microbiological properties (starter culture, yeast and mould counts) were determined. Sensory analysis was done only once at the beginning of the storage since no difference was observed between the pH of the samples after day 7. pH influenced the sensory saltiness scores significantly (p<0.05). Saltiness scores of the pH 4.2 samples were higher than that of the sample at pH 4.6. Ayran samples at pH 4.2 and 4.4 had higher viscosity than pH 4.6 during 20-day storage and had no whey separation at day 1. At day 20, whey separation of pH 4.2 sample was below 10%, while it was higher for pH 4.4 and 4.6 samples. We did not find any yeast and mould in samples during 20 days of storage. Streptococcus thermophilus counts were higher at pH 4.2 and 4.4 samples, and no difference was observed during storage while Lactobacillus bulgaricus counts decreased about 1 log at the end of 20 days.


In anesthetized cats, a gradual decrement of direct cortical responses was studied in associative and SII cortical areas, in neuronally isolated and in intact cortex. The habituation of direct cortical responses was more rapid in associative area of the intact cortex after deafferentiation of the cerebral hemisphere than in the neuronally isolated cortex. The mechanism of habituation in intact cortex of animals with neuronally isolated cortex is discussed.


Colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) of lead halide perovskites have generated considerable interest in the fabrication of optoelectronic devices, such as light emitting-diodes (LEDs), because of their tunable optical bandgap, narrow spectral width, and high defect tolerance. However, the inhomogeneous halide distribution within individual NCs remains a critical challenge in order to obtain color-stable electroluminescence in mixed-halide systems. Here, we demonstrate a new post-synthetic approach, ligand-assisted solid phase synthesis (LASPS), for the preparation of electroluminescent colloidal NCs of methylammonium (MA) lead halide perovskites, at room temperature. The slow reaction kinetics preserves the morphology, size, and shape in the resulting NCs whose emission covers the entire visible spectral region with photoluminescence (PL) quantum yields (QYs) of up to >90% and colloidal stability up to several months. The LEDs fabricated using the prepared mixed-halide NCs display narrowband electroluminescence (EL) ranging from 476 to 720 nm. The optimized red LEDs exhibit an external quantum efficiency, ηext, of up to 2.65%, with the CIE 1931 color coordinates of (0.705, 0.290), nearly identical to those of the red primary in the recommendation (rec.) 2020 standard (0.708, 0.292).


This paper firstly proposes one of the problems software applications faced by in the era of multi-core CPU: task decomposition and scheduling, and then analyzes a current scheduling algorithm together with its shortcomings. On the basis, an optimized algorithm is given. The optimized algorithm reduces the error and improves the accuracy. It is easier to achieve the calculation load balance of multi-core CPU. Finally, a multi-core platform is build using Simics system simulator, and the optimized algorithm is tested on this platform. Experimental data proves the superiority of the algorithm.


Prior research has shown people who scored high on a measure of self-defeating personality experienced less pleasure from various activities and accomplishments. The present research replicated the initial study with 55 men and 60 women, while controlling for the effects of depression. Analyses indicated that, while depression and self-defeating personality were related, depression was not the entire answer for why people with self-defeating personality derive less pleasure from activities.


The mitotic checkpoint is a control mechanism that ensures proper microtubule-kinetochore attachment and correct chromosome segregation during mitosis. A defective checkpoint signal can lead to chromosome missegregation and aneuploidy, which can lead to cancer. In this report I will summarize the different mitotic checkpoint proteins and their function in inhibiting metaphase to anaphase transition when defective kinetochore-microtubule attachment occurs. As research has been done in many different model organisms I will mainly focus on the evolutionary conservation of the mitotic checkpoint and its proteins. I conclude that the mitotic checkpoint complex is a well conserved mechanism from yeast to human. Although it seems that every organisms has some specific small differences and that higher eukaryotes need extra mechanisms to regulate the checkpoint, the core idea remains the same. Comparing the results obtained in different organisms also gives new insides in what features of the mitotic checkpoint are not yet well established and need more research.


This thesis describes the results of a research program aimed at investigating synthetic methodology towards obtaining novel 5,7-diamino-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-nonulosonic acid analogues. Syntheses outlined in this thesis comprise varied approaches which include a chemoenzymatic approach and two chemical approaches from differing starting materials. Pseudaminic acid and legionaminic acid are 5,7-diamino-3,5,7,9-tetradeoxy-nonulosonic acids that play an essential role in the pathogenic capabilities of numerous clinically relevant Gram-negative bacteria. Over the past twenty-five years several structural and functional group derivatives of these carbohydrates have been isolated from many bacterial species, highlighting the fact that these compounds are widespread throughout nature. However, to date their exact biological significance is yet to be clearly determined and the limited syntheses described within the literature are for the parent compounds only, not structural analogues. Therefore, the primary aim of this research program was to fill a void in the literature in regard to creating a versatile and efficient synthesis of pseudaminic acid and legionaminic acid analogues.


Abstract This study evaluated the effectiveness of 14 herbicide treatments for purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria L.) control over a period of 10 yr. The study commenced in 2000/2001 at four wetland locations in Nebraska. The evaluated herbicides included: glyphosate at 2.2 and 3.4 kg ha-1; 2,4-D dimethylamine at 1.4 and 2.8 kg ae ha-1; triclopyr at 1.3 and 2.1 kg ae ha-1 imazapyr at 1.1 and 1.7 kg ae ha-1; metsulfuron at 0.042 and 0.084 ai kg ha-1; fosamine at 13.5 and 22.4 kg ai ha-1; triclopyr at 1.3 kg ae ha-1 plus 2,4-D amine at 1.4 ae kg ha-1; and metsulfuron at 0.042 kg ai ha-1 plus 2,4-D amine at 1.4 kg ae ha-1. Some treatments provided excellent control (90%) that lasted only one season, while others suppressed L. salicaria growth for multiple seasons, depending on the location and the age of L. salicaria stand. Application of higher rates of glyphosate, imazapyr, and metsulfuron consistently provided excellent control (≥90%) of L. salicaria that lasted 360 d after treatment at most locations. Application of fosamine and the lower rate of 2,4-D amine provided the least L. salicaria control at most locations. The older the L. salicaria stand, the more multiple applications of herbicides were needed to completely control L. salicaria. Generally, there were higher percentages of grasses in the 2,4-D-, triclopyr-, and metsulfuron-treated plots compared with higher percentages of broadleaf species in the glyphosate- and imazapyrtreated plots at each location.


INTRODUCTION Cells lysogenic for λ carry a quiescent form of the viral chromosome called prophage. The prophage differs from the DNA of viral particles in two important ways: (1) The ends of the prophage and of the viral particle DNA are at different points in the nucleotide sequence, and (2) the prophage ends are covalently joined to host DNA. Campbell (1962) proposed that viral particle DNA is converted to prophage by the joining of the ends followed by insertion of the resulting circular molecule into the host DNA. Insertion occurs by reciprocal recombination at specific sites (attachment or att sites) in each chromosome (Fig. 1). This proposal has received extensive experimental support and, indeed, was generally accepted when the first edition of this book was written (see Gottesman and Weisberg 1971). A stable lysogen is formed when an infecting viral particle succeeds both in repressing lytic functions and in inserting its DNA. The inserted prophage is then replicated as part of the bacterial chromosome. In the rare event that repression is not followed by insertion (abortive lysogeny), the viral chromosome cannot replicate and so is lost by dilution as the host cell divides. Excision of the prophage from the chromosome is rare during normal bacterial growth but occurs readily following repressor inactivation. If the repressor is inactivated only briefly (abortive or transient derepression), prophage excision can occur without lytic growth. The excised DNA is then frequently lost as the cell divides (prophage curing). Intricate controls ensure that insertion occurs only...


This work proposes a hybrid drive controlled configuration, using a minimum emissions search algorithm, which ensures the operation of the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) in its fuel efficiency range, minimizing CO2 emissions by controlling the power flow direction of the Electric Machine (EM). This action is achieved by means of Power Converters, in this case a bi-directional DC-DC Buck-Boost Converter in the DC-side and a DC-AC T-type Converter as the inverting stage. Power flow is controlled by means of a bi-directional Model Predictive Control (MPC) scheme, based on an emissions optimization algorithm. A novel drivetrain configuration is presented where both, the ICE and the EM are in tandem arrangement. The EM is driven depending on the traction requirements and the emissions of the ICE. The EM is capable of operates in motor and generator mode ensuring the Minimum Emission Operating Point (MEOP) of the ICE regardless of the mechanical demand at the drivetrain. Simulation and validation results using a Hardware in the Loop (HIL) virtual prototype under different operation conditions are presented in order to validate the proposed overall optimization strategy.


Willebrand's factor (WF), antithrombin III (AT-III), blood 5'-nucleotidase and athrombogenic properties of the vascular wall were studied in the course of the disease in 69 patients suffering from hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). The patients were chiefly under 27 years, had severe or moderate condition. It was found that WF rose 3-fold in oliguria, but returned to normal values by convalescence. AT-III remained stable. High activity of 5'-nucleotidase reached the pick in oliguria and polyuria. As shown by a cuff test, athrombogenic potential of the vascular wall remained low. A role of vascular endothelial impairment in HFRS is discussed.


The paper presents cost-benefit analysis of the treatment at the Department of General Surgery of the L. Rydygier's Regional Specialized Hospital in the period from 1997 to 2001. The analysis is based on the data from the Department of Planning and Analyses of the hospital and on the data preserved at the ward. Average person-per-day cost, total cost of hospitalization and cost structure (direct, indirect, managerial costs and costs of medical procedures) were investigated. The analyses showed that the person-per-day cost did not change significantly during the study period (329 PLN vs. 348 PLN), but total cost of hospitalization was significantly reduced from 4548 PLN in 1997 to 3354 PLN in 2001.


University students with Learning Difficulties (LD) undergo lengthy, expensive assessment by an educational psychologist to provide a detailed cognitive profile on which to base accommodations to enable each individual to study without disadvantage. However, reports are often hard for students to understand and, without trained LD tutors, this information remains underutilized. We trialed an alternative instrument based on the York Adult Assessment developed in the UK, hoping to enable university staff in disabilities and academic skills units to identify students with dyslexia quickly, easily and at no cost to the student and to recommend a limited range of appropriate accommodations based on the result. The trial produced significant group effects, but unacceptable false negatives; we cannot recommend the instrument, therefore, and the need for a reliable alternative remains. This article considers the problems surrounding the present method of assessment and discusses the methodological problems of devising an alternative.


In many developing countries engineering education is young and characterized by two contradictory trends. On the one hand, strained finances may force available resources to fall below the levels required by world standards. On the other hand, many engineers are graduates of foreign universities and more graduates of local engineering schools are having their careers in industrial nations, be it for postgraduate studies or for employment. This results in many institutions trying to meet the global accreditation standards where possible at the expense of local considerations in engineering programs, an effort that may not extend to areas where the costs are substantial such as laboratory equipment and faculty load and training. Pressure mounts to increase class size and to replace real lab work by simulations, traditional instruction by virtual classes. This resulted in a situation where a large number of engineering programs meet the accreditation criteria only partially, a fact that complicates the task of accreditation bodies. They find it necessary to practice retrospective accreditation of engineering degrees from widely varying educational systems, without clear local standards to measure against. Outcomes based assessment is the exception and the focus is almost entirely on incomes and numbers. No major studies or exams are being performed to evaluate and compare the quality of graduates and to offer ranking of programs. On the example of export oriented engineering education in Palestine we elaborate on the efforts to adapt ABET style accreditation requirements and procedures to a developing nation context and the effects of such an approach on the quality of outcomes in terms of the suitability for the market place. We argue that proper accreditation can do much to encourage engineering schools to improve performance, consolidate programs and attract/retain qualified faculty and subsequently contribute to economic development in the country.


Abstract This study addresses entrenchment into the lexicon of lexical borrowings. We search for all new lexical borrowings in a corpus of French newspaper texts and examine the frequency with which these borrowings reoccur in a second corpus of newspaper texts from about 10 years later. Lexical entrenchment emerges as depending on a variety of factors, including length in syllables, the original language of the borrowing, and also semantic and contextual factors. The dispersion of a word in the early corpus is found to be a better predictor of its frequency in the later corpus than its frequency, but both measures contribute to predicting the degree of entrenchment of a lexical item. The interaction between these two variables implies that borrowings are penalized for their burstiness.


The objective of this article is to analyze the way in which the media network is used in the present day, and how it controls the information proliferated to society, and in particular, as treated in this study, to the grand jury. Although this is an uncommented issue, the existing power and the speed with which the messages are transmitted in this way is undeniable. However, many of the messages conveyed are biased, because they collect some data, although they have some truth, they are incomplete, so it is not possible to formulate a concrete and fair opinion about the matter dealt with. And after that, the media of dissemination of information, proliferate ther own truth, having to as absolute, and because of the range that it obtains, these facts can change the opinion of the people, making them not care much, and even disregard other facts, though they are concrete and consistent.


UNLABELLED
Performance of 2,5 year experience onprenatal (maternal) screening by integrated risk for Down syndrome and Edwards syndrome is presented in pregnant women underwent first (11(+0)-13(+6) g.w) and second trimester screening (14(+4)-19(+3) g.w), assessed by an integrated risk. Since the end of 2010 the most common strategy has been combination of both risks after contingent screening approach (serummarkers and US measurments from first test with indication to second trimester screening if the risk is intermediate or high and CVS diagnosis has been refused). Serummarkers were measured by fluorimetric immunoassay (Delfia) and risks were calculated using LifeCycle 3.2 software.

RESULTS
The test was performed on 491 women, less than 4452 and 13 016 women first and second trimester respectively. We found highrisk for a chromosome disorder in 32 (6,5%) cases: 19 (6,35%) women < 35 and 13 (6,7%) women > 35). Diagnosis of a chromosome diseases was found in 4 fetuses out of 32 (12,5%): 3 fetuses with trisomy 21 and 1 with trisomy 18. False positive results were found in 28 out of 491 (5,7%) women. Verified diagnosis on lyfor DS was found in 3 out of 4 cases (75% sensitivity), and false negative results in 25%. Discussion is focused on the comparison of the screening approaches - the sensitivity, limitation sand the step wise sequential testing way with integrated risk of achieving a high performance of screening.


Non-surgical closure of the atrial septal defect (ASD) is an effective and safe method of treatment and major complications are rare. The paper reported a case of female with ischaemic heart disease, 2 years after percutaneous closure of atrial septal defect using CARDIA Closure Device. She was admitted to the Department of Cardiac Surgery for CABG procedure. During operation we found perforation of the left atrium and aortic bulb caused by the CARDIA Closure Device's arms. This changed the extent of the planned procedure and forced the surgeon to perform an extensive, atypical heart operation finally complicated by death. Based on presented case, we believe that indications for coronary angiography before planned percutaneous ASD should be extended. Patients with an implanted occluder who require heart surgery for any reasons should undergo a computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging scan to assess all artificial devices and their relation to anatomical structures and heart chambers.


Abstract A geometric description of the Lienard-Wiechert field of a single point charge is given. The dual of the Lienard-Wiechert field can be considered as the curvature in a bundle of 2-planes distributed smoothly over space-time. This geometric construction also accounts for the Teitel-boim splitting of the total field into bound and radiative parts: The radiation field can be identified with the curvature in the normal bundle. Various questions concerning potentials and the integrability of the distributions involved are discussed. Whereas the intrinsic symmetry group for the field is that of the 2-plane bundle, namely SO (2), the normal bundle approach leads to the group SO (1,1) as the internal symmetry group for the radiation field.


The new class of homo- and heteroleptic n-butyl-N,N'-disubstituted amidinato group 14 metal(II) complexes were prepared by salt elimination from starting lithium amidinates and metal(II) chlorides both in stoichiometric ratio 2:1 and 1:1, respectively. The target amidinates contain less bulky isopropyl or cyclohexyl as well as a sterically demanding aromatic substituent. Desired 1:1 Pb(II) complexes are not accessible by the described procedure. Ligand transfer from Pb to Sn is taking place if homoleptic Pb(II) compounds are reacted with SnCl(2). Prepared tetrylenes were characterized by (1)H, (13)C, (119)Sn and (207)Pb NMR spectroscopy in C(6)D(6) or THF-d(8). X-Ray diffraction studies of one heteroleptic Ge(II) monomeric where the coordination polyhedron of the three coordinated germanium atoms is a trigonal pyramid, two different dimeric structures of heteroleptic Sn(II) complexes, one amidine hydroiodide byproduct and the oxidation product of the heteroleptic chloro Sn(II) amidinate as a tetranuclear species with two Sn(IV) and two Sn(II) atoms in central Sn(2)O(2) planar ring were performed on appropriate single crystals. The dimer of one of the heteroleptic stannylenes reveals a new type of monomeric units connection, weak Sn-Cl contact and an interaction of the tin atom with delocalized N-C(C)-N system of the amidinato ligand of the second molecule.


The aim of the present study was to validate the traditional claims of selected botanicals such as as Amorphophyllus sylvaticus, Andrographis paniculata, Corallocarpus epigaeus, Dioscorea bulbifera (L), Dioscorea oppositifolia (L), Dioscorea pentaphylla (L), Dioscorea hispida (Dennst), Enicostema axillare (Lam Raynal), Gloriosa superba (L) and Morinda citrifolia (L) as possible inhibitors of Mycobacterial strains. Different solvent extracts along with flavonoid and alkaloid fractions of the selected ten medicinal plants were evaluated for their antimycobacterial activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis (NCIM 5138) and Mycobacterium phlei (NCIM 2240). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were calculated for determining the efficacy of the selected botanicals. As a measure of quality control, High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) fingerprint of flavonoids and alkaloids of the selected plants were also developed and the Rf values of individual samples were recorded. Amongst the tested plants only Andrographis paniculata, Morinda citrifolia, and Enicostema axillare were observed to be effective growth inhibitors of selected less virulent Mycobacterium strains, however the chloroform extract of A. paniculata was observed to be most effective growth inhibitor of M. smegmatis (MIC=10 mg/ml) and M. phlei (MIC=10 mg/ml). The results of the present study revealed that the botanicals like Andrographis paniculata, Morinda citrifolia, and Enicostema axillare can be considered as an important resource for the identification of novel leads against Mycobacterial strains, which perhaps can be further explored for the management of multi drug resistance in treating tuberculosis.


The current-carrying properties beyond a critical current determined by a voltage criterion for Ag-sheathed Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8 (Ag/Bi2212) superconductors are examined at 10 K and 20 K in magnetic fields. We prepared the in-field heat-treated Ag/Bi2212 wires, in order to obtain the magnetic field alignment microstructure for Ag/Bi2212. The electric field and current density (E-J) properties were evaluated for Ag/Bi2212 wires with and without the in-field heat-treatment. We found that the E-J properties for the in-field heat-treated Ag/Bi2212 wires differ from those for the out-of-field heat-treated ones, and are analogous to the E-J dependence for Bi-system high temperature superconductors with the sintered-like grain morphology.


The aim of this work is to present a numerical approach to solve accurately the coupled dynamic interaction between a floating body and the incoming wave. This floating body is a Wave Energy Converter (WEC) based on the use of gyroscope in order to extract energy from the slope of the sea waves. The hydrodynamic model is based on a Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) approach suited to simulate incompressible viscous flows around an arbitrary moving and morphing body. The mechanical model of the energy converter is given by the conservation laws of the flywheel angular momentum equipped with a control algorithm designed for the power optimization. The interaction of the hull of the energy converter with an incoming wave is computed by switching on the effect of the gyroscope and the mooring and both of them.


Nonrotation of intestine is a congenital abnormality of the midgut which is due to error in the process of rotation. Errors in the 2nd and 3rd stage of rotation can lead to series of abnormalities in the form of malrotation and reversed rotation. As a consequence, the relative position of other organs likes caecum, intestine, meckel's diverticulum changes. This can lead to missing diagnosis of common clinical conditions such as appendicitis. The incidence of nonrotation is 1:500. The congenital abnormality appears to be rare as this could be an incidental abnormality. The symptoms of nonrotation of intestine could be biliary vomiting, recurrent abdominal pain. This could be due to midgut volvulus and intestinal obstruction which happens as a consequence of nonrotation of the intestine. The investigations used for detection and confirmation are CT Imaging. Other associations of nonrotation of the intestine are peritoneal bands. Here we report a case of nonrotation of intestines. In the cadaver of age around 70 years, the small intestinal loops was situated in the right side of the abdominal cavity and large intestine looped on the left side of the abdominal cavity. This was also associated with aberrant position of the caecum and appendix. There were associated peritoneal bands extending from the ascending colon to the left side the abdominal wall. The bands had been removed to visualize the large intestinal loops.


The process of assigning workload to nurses is significant in promoting high nursing retention rates, and positive patient outcomes. The concept, workload is widely used but there is no clear delineation of the concept as it relates to nursing. The aim of this analysis was to explore the concept of workload, as it relates to nursing using the Walker and Avant method. The analysis revealed: a) three attributes (time, mental state, and assignment); b) four antecedents (health, environment, nursing, and person); c) and three consequences (safety of practice, retention rate and cost). It is essential that nursing leaders create and use a systematic approach to guide the staffing process to create a balance workload. As a result, nursing practice will be safer and optimal patient outcomes will be achieved.


This research aimed to investigate the effects of treatment with non-immersive virtual reality in the quality of life of individuals with Parkinson's disease before and after treatment with the questionnaire of Parkinson's disease PDQ-39. It corresponds to an experimental study, quantitative, of uncontrolled clinical trial type. It involved 14 individuals who underwent 20 individual treatment sessions divided into two weekly sessions lasting 30 to 40 minutes each. In the data analysis, the Wilcoxon test was used to find the value of statistical significance p = 0.05. The scores of Questionnaire Parkinson's disease-39 overall and its domains decreased when compared to the evaluation period and the revaluation of patients. However, p values express that this decrease was significant if specific areas for mobility, emotional well-being, stigma and cognition, and the Questionnaire score of Parkinson's Disease-39 overall. Thus, the results demonstrated that non-immersive virtual reality contributed positively on the quality of life of these individuals.


A hybrid cable television/radio-over-fiber (ROF) transport system with direction modulation of cable television signals and the polarization modulation of ROF signals is proposed and experimentally demonstrated for the first time. When a multicarrier cable television signal in the optical amplitude domain and an ROF signal in the optical polarization domain are modulated, a single optical wavelength can serve these two signal applications simultaneously. This hybrid transport system not only satisfied the cable television requirements, but also satisfied the demand for high-quality ROF transmission over a 20-km single-mode fiber.


In the tropical African environment, malaria is both a major public health problem and a problem of socioeconomic development. It is caused by various agents, the most virulent and only lethal one of which is Plasmodium falciparum. This parasite is controlled by the appropriate use of antimalarial drugs and methods of individual and collective protection. The principal drugs used to treat bouts of malaria without vomiting caused by P. falciparum are amino-4-quinoleines, essentially chloroquine. This is based on the level of resistance of P. falciparum to drugs in most African countries, particularly those of Central and West Africa. Malawi is the only country of southern Africa to have replaced chloroquine by sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine for this indication, in 1993. In cases of bouts of benign malaria with vomiting, but that are not serious, and severe malaria caused by P. falciparum (suspected or confirmed) with or without drug resistance, quinine should be given intravenously for at least three days. Once the patient regains consciouness or the digestive problems cease, quinine treatment should be given orally for 5 to 7 days. Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine can be given as an alternative to quinine. The other antimalarial drugs currently on the African market (halofantrine, mefloquine, artemisinine and its derivatives) are often used inappropriately and should be used only in exceptional cases of severe bouts of complicated P. falciparum malaria, with suspected or confirmed resistance to amino-4-quinoleines. Individual protection against the Anopheles mosquito, the principal vector of malaria in Africa, is based largely on the use of mosquito nets impregnated with pyrethroid insecticide and the use of aerosols. Collective protection involves essentially environment-based measures.


With increasing problems of decreased efficacy, toxicity and environmental degradation due to the use of chemical fungicides, there is urgent need for developing alternative strategies for managing crop diseases. One approach currently being explored is the application of safe organic-based compounds to prime the defence systems of plants in order to prevent or limit infections by pathogens. Chitosan, a deacylated derivative of chitin, is one of the compounds known to promote plant defence and growth, but the mechanisms by which it is able to do so are still unclear. This study investigated the ability of a commercial chitosan extract (Armour-Zen®) to reduce disease incidence and induce the production of enzymes and expression of marker genes involved in plant defences for two important tomato pathogens, Alternaria solani and Xanthomonas vesicatoria. Foliar spray applications of the chitosan extract significantly reduced the incidences of both diseases in greenhouse and field grown tomato plants and also displayed a positive effect on growth and yields of tomato fruits. Chitosan-treated plants recorded elevated levels of defence enzymes and upregulation of the PIN II marker gene for defence signalling pathways when compared to the control. It was therefore proposed that chitosan would able to provide broad-range protection through induced systemic resistance mechanisms.


We describe the fabrication of silver nanotriangle array using angle resolved nanosphere lithography and utilizing the same for enhancing fluorescence. The well established nanosphere lithography is modified by changing the angle of deposition between the nanosphere mask and the beam of silver being deposited resulting in nanotriangles of varying surface area and density. The 470 nm plasmon resonance wavelength of the substrate was determined using minimum reflectivity method which closely matches with excitation wavelength of the fluorophore. Ten times enhancement in fluorescence emission intensity is obtained from fluorescein isothiocyanate coated on top of silver nanotriangle array separated by a spacer layer of poly vinyl alcohol as compared to glass. The enhanced fluorescence emission is attributed to the increase in local field enhancement.


Parallel jobs are characterized for having processes that communicate and synchronize with each other frequently. A processor allocation strategy widely used in parallel supercomputers is space-sharing, that is assigning a processors partition to each job for its exclusive use. We present a global solution to offer virtual malleability on message-passing parallel jobs, by applying a processor allocation strategy, the Folding by JobType (FJT). This technique is based on folding and moldability concepts and tries to decide the optimal initial number of processes, when to fold jobs and the number of folding times by analyzing the current and past system information. At processor level, we apply co-scheduling. We implement and evaluate the FJT under several workloads with different job sizes, classes and machine utilization. Results show that the FJT adapts easily to load changes, and can obtain better performance than the rest evaluated, on workloads with high coefficient variation and especially with burst arrivals.


The aqueous suspensions of microcrystalline cellulose (the mean diameter using the laser scattering method, approximately 3µm) were observed with the small-angle neutron scattering method. The scattering profiles were almost independent of the microcrystalline cellulose concentration and showed a fractal structure with a dimension of 2.2. The small-angle neutron scattering results from the internal structure of the cellulose particle.