The purpose of this study was to determine whether a specifically designed unit of poetry study could produce cognitive achievement without damaging affective growth in appreciation of poetry for ninth grade students. In this study, cognitive achievement refers to measurable objective test items and affective growth refers to indications from student responses on a pre- and post-survey instrument. A corollary was to determine whether a teacher who was reluctant to teach poetry could replicate the unit with equal success. Eight heterogeneously grouped ninth grade classes were randomly selected and assigned for three groups of two classes each to obtain treatment and testing while one group of two classes received no treatment and served as the non-equivalent comparison group. Each treatment group was taught by a different instructor. All three groups, however, were involved in a developmental sequence of poetry which utilized mutual materials. Teaching styles and student-teacher relationships were uncontrolled variables.


Abstract This paper reports a new reproductive mode in anurans, observed for the green treefrog, Hyla leucopygia, a species from the Atlantic Forest of Brazil and a member of the H. albosignata group. The reproductive mode of H. leucopygia is defined as follows: aquatic eggs and embryos in subterranean constructed nests; subsequent to flooding, feeding tadpoles in ponds or streams. We suggest that the new reproductive mode is widespread among the species in the H. albosignata group. The specialized courtship behaviors of H. leucopygia, characterized by vocalizations and a stereotyped sequence of mutual touches between male and female, are described. A review of the reproductive modes of hylid frogs is provided, with 11 modes recognized for the Atlantic Forest hylids and 12 modes for hylids around the world.


OBJECTIVE
To observe the effect of Kaiqiao Jieyin acupuncture (acupuncture for opening orifices and relieving aphasia) combined with repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on language ability and daily life communication ability in patients with post-stroke aphasia (PSA).

METHODS
Fifty-six patients with PSA were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, 28 cases in each group. Both groups received routine symptomatic treatment. The control group was treated with speech rehabilitation training and rTMS. On the basis of the treatment in the control group, the observation group was treated with Kaiqiao Jieyin acupuncture at the speech area Ⅰ, Fengchi (GB 20), Tongli (HT 5), Lianquan (CV 23), Panglianquan (Extra), etc. Panglianquan (Extra) on both sides were connected to electroacupuncture, with intermittent wave, 2 Hz in frequency. The above treatment was performed once a day for 5 consecutive days, followed by 2 days of rest for 2 weeks. The scores of western aphasia battery (WAB, including scores of spontaneous speech, auditory comprehension, repetition, naming and score of aphasia quotient [AQ]) and communication abilities in daily living (CADL) in the two groups were compared before and after treatment.

RESULTS
After treatment, the spontaneous speech, auditory comprehension, repetition, naming scores and AQ scores in both groups were higher than those before treatment (P<0.05), and the increase in the observation group was greater than the control group (P<0.05). The CADL scores of the two groups were higher than those before treatment (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION
Kaiqiao Jieyin acupuncture combined with rTMS can improve the language ability and daily life communication ability of PSA patients.


Natural stone has long been used as a building material because of its physical-mechanical resistance and its esthetic appeal. However, over the last century increasing industrial activity has produced more acidic environments, such as polluted urban areas, that can cause serious damage to many buildings and historic monuments, and in particular those made with carbonate rocks, which are most prone to decay. In order to mitigate the physicochemical processes that degrade these buildings, a number of phosphate-based consolidants have been developed, which are highly compatible with the carbonated substrate. Research about the role of the surface and its different possible finishes in the transmission of the agents that damage or protect the stone would therefore be very useful, both when choosing the most suitable stone for new constructions and when restoring historic buildings. The main objective of this research was to determine whether the roughness of three types of surface finish (saw-cut, honed and bush-hammered) influences the durability of four types of natural stone (two calcarenites, one travertine and one sandstone) widely used in Andalusia (Spain). The efficacy of a calcium phosphate-based consolidant as a mitigator of deterioration in polluted urban environments was also studied and to this end the physical properties of untreated and treated samples were measured and compared. The samples were exposed to artificial atmospheres with SO2 pollution in order to assess the damage caused to each surface finish. The results indicate that all the surface finishes were vulnerable to the decay caused by acidic atmospheres, although the saw-cut finish was less affected, perhaps because it did not require additional industrial processing. The mineral composition and texture of the rocks were critical factors in terms of the amount and type of decay they suffered, and the travertine and sandstone were more resistant to deterioration than the calcarenites. Similarly, the pore system of each rock was decisive in the penetration of the consolidant. Application of the consolidant improved the behavior of the treated samples by making them more resistant to acid attack without significantly altering the water vapor permeability, the color or the roughness of the surface.


In the mechanized documentation of chemical literature, the definition of structural concept is very important. The usual for definitions for ring structures are inadequate. Essential ring structures are sometimes not recognized on the basis of these definitions and are therefore missed in a literature search. This is particularly true of bridged ring systems. The ring concept and ring condensation types are now redefined on a topological basis in the closest possible analogy to the intuitive approach of the chemist. In complicated molecular structures, these "fundamental rings" can be easily determined, either manually or by means of a programmed computer. The concept of the "ring complex" is defined and suggested as a preliminary screen in literature searches for ring structures. This will save machine time, and so reduce the cost of searches.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the antitumor effects of fusion protein hGrB-TV of human granzyme B (hGrB) and truncated vascular endothelial growth factor (tVEGF) on human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) in vitro and in vivo.

METHODS
The fusion protein hGrB-TV was expressed and purified from E. coli bacteria by affinity chromatography. The cytotoxcity of hGrB-TV on VEGFR-2 (Flk-1)(+) OSCC cells was analyzed in vitro. The antitumor therapeutic study was conducted on OSCC xenografts in vivo.

RESULTS
The purified hGrB-TV fusion protein was selectively internalized into VEGFR-2 (Flk-1)(+) OSCC cells and endothelial cells. It can cleave inactive caspase 3 into its active p20 form. The hGrB-TV showed dose-dependent cytotoxicity on VEGFR-2(+) SCC-9 cells. The morphological changes and cytolysis were appeared within dozen minutes. However, no cytotoxicity was observed on VEGFR-2(-) cells. The hGrB alone or tVEGF alone did not have any toxicity on SCC-9 cells. In addition, hGrB-TV treatment completely destroyed the vasculature of the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) in vivo and consequently led to chick embryo development arrest. Most importantly, the fusion protein hGrB-TV inhibited tumor angiogenesis and growth of human OSCC xenografts in nude mice without any apparent toxicity.

CONCLUSIONS
The fusion protein hGrB-TV specifically inhibits angiogenesis and tumor growth of OSCC; hGrB-TV is a powerful and safe therapeutic molecule for tumor therapy.


Herein is described in silico repositioning, design, synthesis, biological evaluation and structure-activity relationship (SAR) of an original class of anti-inflammatory agents based on a polyaromatic pharmacophore structurally related to bisacodyl (BSL) drug used in therapeutic as laxative. We describe the potential of TOMOCOMD-CARDD methods to find out new anti-inflammatory drug-like agents from a diverse series of compounds using the total and local atom based bilinear indices as molecular descriptors. The models obtained were validated by biological studies, identifying BSL as the first anti-inflammatory lead-like using in silico repurposing from commercially available drugs. Several biological in vitro and in vivo assays were performed in order to understand its mechanism of action. A set of analogues of BSL was prepared using low-cost synthetic procedures and further biologically investigated in zebrafish models. Compound 5c and 7e exhibited the best antiinflammatory activities and represent new promising anti-inflammatory agents for further preclinical development.


Risk scoring systems have been widely deployed in many applications, which assign risk scores to users according to their behavior sequences. Though many deep learning methods with sophisticated designs have achieved promising results, the black-box nature hinders their applications due to fairness, explainability, and compliance consideration. Rule-based systems are considered reliable in these sensitive scenarios. However, building a rule system is labor-intensive. Experts need to find informative statistics from user behavior sequences, design rules based on statistics and assign weights to each rule. In this paper, we bridge the gap between effective but black-box models and transparent rule models. We propose a two-stage method, RuDi, that distills the knowledge of black-box teacher models into rule-based student models. We design a Monte Carlo tree search-based statistics generation method that can provide a set of informative statistics in the first stage. Then statistics are composed into logical rules with our proposed neural logical networks by mimicking the outputs of teacher models. We evaluate RuDi on three real-world public datasets and an industrial dataset to demonstrate its effectiveness.


. Realism about musical works is often tied to some type of Platonism. Nominalism, which posits that musical works exist and that they are concrete objects, goes with ontological realism much less often than Platonism: there is a long tradition which holds human-created objects (artifacts) to be mind-dependent. Musical Platonism leads to the well-known paradox of the impossibility of creating abstract objects, and so it has been suggested that only some form of nominalism becoming dominant in the ontology of art could cause a great change in the field and open up new possibilities. This paper aims to develop a new metaontological view starting from the widely accepted claim that musical works are created. It contends that musical works must be concrete and created objects of some sort, but, nevertheless, they are mind-independent, and we should take the revisionary methodological stance. Although musical works are artifacts, what people think about them does not determine what musical works are. Musical works are similar to natural objects in the following sense: semantic externalism applies to the term 'musical work' because, firstly, they possess a shared nature, and, secondly, we can be mistaken about what they are.


SUMMARY: A wall + membrane preparation from Micrococcus luteus was used to synthesize radioactively labelled peptidoglycan. The newly synthesized peptidoglycan either was cross-linked by transpeptidation to existing wall or remained associated with the membrane fraction but was not cross-linked. The average biosynthetic chain lengths, calculated from the ratio of free reducing groups of muramic acid to total muramic acid, were 66 disaccharide units for cross-linked and 26 disaccharide units for the uncross-linked material. The latter value was confirmed by the release of lactyl peptide side chains by β-elimination. Benzylpenicillin (1 μg ml−1) inhibited cross-linking but not overall synthesis of glycan whereas at concentrations above 10 μg ml−1 overall glycan synthesis was slightly inhibited. In the presence of 100 μg benzylpenicillin ml−1 the incorporation of disaccharide units to existing walls decreased to 25% of the control. This residual incorporation represented extension by transglycosylation of peptidoglycan already cross-linked to existing walls. Chains with an average length of between 30 and 45 disaccharide units were added during a 30 min incubation period. However, if incubation was continued for up to 120 min (in the presence of 100 μg benzylpenicillin ml−1) a considerable amount of the newly synthesized peptidoglycan was lost from the purified wall because autolytic enzymes were expressed in the wall + membrane preparation after the action of the antibiotic.


TorsinA (TorA) is an AAA+ (ATPases associated with diverse cellular activities) ATPase linked to dystonia type 1 (DYT1), a neurological disorder that leads to uncontrollable muscular movements. Although DYT1 is linked to a 3 bp deletion in the C-terminus of TorA, the biological function of TorA remains to be established. Here, we use the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a tractable in vivo model to explore TorA function. We demonstrate that TorA can protect yeast cells against different forms of environmental stress and show that in the absence of the molecular disaggregase Hsp104, TorA can refold heat-denatured luciferase in vivo in an ATP-dependent manner. However, this activity requires TorA to be translocated to the cytoplasm from the endoplasmic reticulum in order to access and process cytoplasmic protein aggregates. Furthermore, mutational or chemical inactivation of the ATPase activity of TorA blocks this activity. We also find that TorA can inhibit the propagation of certain conformational variants of [PSI+], the aggregated prion form of the endogenous Sup35 protein. Finally, we show that while cellular localisation remains unchanged in the dystonia-linked TorA mutant ΔE302-303, the ability of this mutant form of TorA to protect against cellular stress and to facilitate protein refolding is impaired, consistent with it being a loss-of-function mutation.


Using beta-galactosidase as the reporter gene, we carried out mutagenesis experiments to investigate the 5' promoter region of the CDC6 gene. Our results showed that the DNA element, between -262 and -170, is important for the upstream activating sequence (UAS) activities. On the basis of the DNA sequence, there is a Mlu I (-204) and a Mlu I-like (-216) element located within the middle of the UAS region. Insertion and deletion mutagenesis analysis of the Mlu I sequence has indicated that the internal CGCG sequence of the Mlu I site (ACGCGT) is important for gene expression. Furthermore, when DNA elements containing the Mlu I sites were subcloned into the tester plasmid, periodic expression of a reporter gene throughout the cell cycle was observed, as evidenced by the beta-galactosidase activities and lacZ mRNA. Because the possible transcriptional initiation sites of the CDC6 transcript have been previously defined (Zhou and Jong, 1990, J. Biol. Chem. 264, 9022-9029), we propose a model regarding the construct of the CDC6 promoter region. This 5' promoter construct contains a UAS region and a Mlu I element (MCB box) typical of a family of cell cycle-regulated genes involved in DNA metabolism. Previous genetic studies have not completely defined the CDC6 execution point in the functional yeast cell cycle map. Our results favor the possibility that the CDC6 gene is required, and directly involved, in the initiation of DNA replication.


A new and intuitive perturbative approach to time-dependent quantum mechanics problems is presented, which is useful in situations where the evolution of the Hamiltonian is slow. The state of a system which starts in an instantaneous eigenstate of the initial Hamiltonian is written as a power series which has a straightforward diagrammatic representation. Each term of the series corresponds to a sequence of ''adiabatic'' evolutions, during which the system remains in an instantaneous eigenstate of the Hamiltonian, punctuated by transitions from one state to another. The first term of this series is the standard adiabatic evolution, the next is the well known first correction to it, and subsequent terms can be written down essentially by inspection. Although the final result is perhaps not terribly surprising, it seems to not be widely known, and the interpretation is new, as far as we know. Application of the method to the adiabatic approximation is given, and some discussion of the validity of this approximation is presented.


The effects of chain length and degree of unsaturation of fatty acids (FAs) on structure and in vitro digestibility of starch-protein-FA complexes were investigated in model systems. Studies with the rapid visco analyzer (RVA) showed that the formation of ternary complex resulted in higher viscosities than those of binary complex during the cooling and holding stages. The results of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Raman, and X-ray diffraction (XRD) showed that the structural differences for ternary complexes were much less than those for binary complexes. Starch-protein-FA complexes presented lower in vitro enzymatic digestibility compared with starch-FAs complexes. We conclude that shorter chain and lower unsaturation FAs favor the formation of ternary complexes but decrease the thermal stability of these complexes. FAs had a smaller effect on the ordered structures of ternary complexes than on those of binary complexes and little effect on enzymatic digestibility of both binary and ternary complexes.


Cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (cdks) form complexes that govern transitions during cell cycle phases. In this study we characterized a human osteosarcoma cell line, MG-63, for the expression level of cyclin D1, cyclin E, cdk4, cdk2, and cell cycle inhibitors pRb and p21. To investigate the role of these proteins we treated MG-63 cells with tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Cell proliferation analysis demonstrated an increased proliferation of MG-63 cells with IL-6, while TNF-alpha acted as an anti-proliferative agent. Immunoblotting revealed an increased expression of p21 with TNF-alpha and its complex with cdk2. TNF-alpha reduced the expression of the cyclin E-cdk2 complex. TNF-alpha did not affect the amount of cyclin D1, cyclin E, cdk4, cdk2, and of cyclin D1-cdk4 complex. IL-6 decreased p21 expression and its complex with cdk2, while it increased the cyclin E-cdk2 complex. Cyclin D1 and cdk4 expression and their complex did not change after IL-6 treatment, nor did cyclin E and cdk2 protein expression. Hyperphosphorylated/dephosphorylated Rb protein ratio was reduced with TNF-alpha whereas it increased with IL-6. These results may suggest an important role of p21 and of cyclin E-cdk2 complex in the G1 phase regulation through pRb phosphorylation in MG-63 cells.


Why do citizens rely on partisan cues when forming political judgments? We assess the relative importance of two motives for partisan cue-following using a series of survey experiments. We find no support for the bounded rationality hypothesis that cue receptivity is highest among citizens with low cognitive resources. Meanwhile, we find mixed support for the expressive utility hypothesis that cue receptivity is highest among people with both a strong partisan social identification and high cognitive resources. The strength of this latter evidence varies across studies, cognitive resource measures, and cue condition comparisons. The results suggest that partisan cue receptivity more often involves an effort to harness cognitive resources for the goal of identity expression than an effort to compensate for low cognitive resources.


Abstract X-ray analyses of selected samples from the argillaceous subdivisions of the English Wealden indicate that illite, kaolinite, and mixed-layer structures are present in variable amounts. The clay mineral assemblage is thought to reflect parent material, weathering conditions in the source area, and possibly some degrading of the illite structure by the action of active waters in the depositional environment. The specific clay minerals are tentatively correlated with the palaeogeographical framework proposed by Allen (1954). It is suggested that the kaolinite was derived mainly from the Palaeozoic uplands, and the bulk of the illite and mixed-layer structures from the marginal Jurassic lowland.


Ion acceleration driven by the interaction of an ultraintense (2 × 1020 W cm−2) laser pulse with an ultrathin ( ≤ 40 ?> nm) foil target is experimentally and numerically investigated. Protons accelerated by sheath fields and via laser radiation pressure are angularly separated and identified based on their directionality and signature features (e.g. transverse instabilities) in the measured spatial-intensity distribution. A low divergence, high energy proton component is also detected when the heated target electrons expand and the target becomes relativistically transparent during the interaction. 2D and 3D particle-in-cell simulations indicate that under these conditions a plasma jet is formed at the target rear, supported by a self-generated azimuthal magnetic field, which extends into the expanded layer of sheath-accelerated protons. Electrons trapped within this jet are directly accelerated to super-thermal energies by the portion of the laser pulse transmitted through the target. The resulting streaming of the electrons into the ion layers enhances the energy of protons in the vicinity of the jet. Through the addition of a controlled prepulse, the maximum energy of these protons is demonstrated experimentally and numerically to be sensitive to the picosecond rising edge profile of the laser pulse.


The electron temperature profile response in ohmically heated Tokamak Fusion Test Reactor (TFTR) discharges to temporally and spatially sharp edge cooling from laser ablation of trace impurities is studied. The profile response is found to exhibit transport behaviour which cannot be described by transport coefficients that depend solely on local parameters. Thus, the transport behaviour is `non-local'. This non-local behaviour manifests itself as a core electron temperature rise in response to localized edge cooling as well as transient modification of sawteeth. A phenomenological model demonstrating overlapping non-local and non-linear effects is presented in the context of some alternative transport theories. Carbon flakes falling from the TFTR wall into a low power deuterium-tritium supershot produce this same core electron temperature rise. This paper complements observations by Gentle et al. (Gentle, K.W., et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 74 (1995) 3620)


The conversion between criminal liability and civil liability means, when the actor is required to bear both criminal liability and civil liability, the two kinds of responsibilities can substitute each other in quality and quantity under certain conditions and in accordance with certain procedures. In essence, it is the impact of civil liability fulfillment on the basis of criminal liability, which further affects the undertaking of criminal liability. The conversion between criminal liability and civil liability includes two levels: the conversion of criminal liability to civil liability and the conversion of civil liability to criminal liability. It is usually applicable to minor offences that infringe on individual legal interests. The conversion should follow specific procedures. In order to realize the conversion between criminal and civil liability, our concepts should be further updated; relevant provisions should be improved in the level of substantive law.


Measurements have been made of the properties of thin granular film DC SQUIDs fabricated from the high Tc superconductor Y–Ba–Cu–O, paying special attention to peculiar effects arising from the unique granularity of the film. The output voltage modulation of the SQUIDs was found to be very much lower than expected from the theory, and we present here several possible explanations for it, based on such factors as the asymmetry of the junctions and high kinetic inductance of the film. Multiple periodicities and phase jumps on VΦ-characteristics were observed. Normal operations of the SQUIDs were observed till ∼65 K. Estimating from the best data, the equivalent flux noise was below 3×10-4 Φ0/Hz1/2 in the frequency range above 600 Hz at around 50 K.


Abstract. The high Andes region of South Ecuador (The Paramo) is characterised by a cold and wet climate. Most soils of the Paramo region are Andosols and Histosols, with a very high water retention capacity that is affected irreversibly by drying. This key property of Paramo soils buffers catchment outflow, resulting in an almost uniform outflow pattern which, notwithstanding the variability in rainfall, can be very variable in space and time. These soils serve as the most important reservoir of drinking and irrigation water for the densely populated inter-Andean depression region. The Paramo has long served only as an extensive grazing area but recent population pressure and land scarcity have increased cultivation. Two small Paramo catchments (about 2 km2) were monitored intensively for precipitation and discharge for over a year to assess the effect of such land-use changes on the hydrological properties. One catchment is in an undisturbed area and grazed intensively while in the other, local farmers started intensive drainage for cultivation of potatoes about five years ago. The linear reservoir concept has been used to assess the overall retention capacity of the catchments in terms of both peak response and base flow. In this model, every catchment is considered as a series of independent parallel reservoirs, each characterised by mean residence times (T). In every catchment, three major mean residence times can be distinguished. In the undisturbed catchment, an immediate response, characterised by a T of 5.4 hours, is followed by a slower response with a T of 44.3 h. The base flow has a mean T value of 360 h. The response of the cultivated catchment is similar with T values of 3.6 h, 27.2 h and 175 h, respectively. As a result, in the disturbed catchment, water release is about 40% faster than in the undisturbed catchment, so that the base flow falls rapidly to lower levels. The linear reservoir model is a simple way of quantifying the impact of land use changes on the water regulation capacity of Paramo catchments. Keywords: linear reservoir, Paramo, mountain hydrology, land use changes, Ecuador


Ensuring the explainability of machine learning models is an active research topic, naturally associated with notions of algorithmic transparency and fairness. While most approaches focus on the problem of making the model itself explainable, we note that many of the decisions that affect the model's predictive behaviour are made during data preprocessing, and are encoded as specific data transformation steps as part of pre-learning pipelines. Our research explores metrics to quantify the effect of some of these steps. In this initial work we define a simple metric, which we call volatility, to measure the effect of including/excluding a specific step on predictions made by the resulting model. Using training set rebalancing as a concrete example, we report on early experiments on measuring volatility in two public benchmark datasets, Students' Academic Performance and German Credit, with the ultimate goal of identifying predictors for volatility that are independent of the dataset and of the specific preprocessing step.


This article publishes and analyses an interview with Lieutenant Colonel V. V. Skoryak, a Soviet military specialist who took part in the Vietnam War for eleven months in 1970. The interview describes little-known facts about military advisers' stay in the country, when they mostly stayed far away from the frontline and dealt with the preparation and maintenance of the S‑75 high-altitude air defence systems. Special attention is paid to the everyday life of the advisers and their legal status, which helps reveal new aspects of the "everyday history" of war. Skoryak speaks about the ideological, moral, and psychological preparedness of the Soviet people to fulfil their "international duty", which, according to him, was internally motivated. He also analyses post-traumatic syndromes in Soviet military men: it was especially frequent and profound in the early stages of the conflict. Additionally, the interview contains information about the medical care provided to the participants of the conflict and the consequences for their health. It puts forward some ideas about how the chemical weapons used by the Americans affected the human reproductive system. The interview provides an emotional assessment of the war and their place in the biography of a Soviet officer.


The in-vitro activity of ciprofloxacin, a new quinolone derivative, was determined by broth microdilution for 518 clinical isolates. The MICs for 90% of the organisms were 2 mg/l for Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 8 mg/l for P. maltophilia, 4 mg/l for other Pseudomonas spp., 1 mg/l for Acinetobacter anitratus, 0.03-0.5 mg/l for differing species of Enterobacteriaceae, 2 mg/l for Streptococcus faecalis, 0.25 mg/l for coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. and 2 mg/l for S. aureus. Furthermore, on a weight basis, the activity of ciprofloxacin was equivalent or superior to that of cefotaxime, ceftazidime, gentamicin, imipenem, latamoxef, piperacillin, oxacillin and vancomycin. In general, ciprofloxacin appears to be highly active against organisms resistant to many broad spectrum antimicrobials, including norfloxacin, gentamicin, cefotaxime, and ceftazidime, with MICs for 90% of organisms in the range of 0.03 to 16 mg/l.


Downstream displacement, the passive downstream dispersal of riverine organisms, can generate evolutionary pressures that selectively remove susceptible individuals from upstream habitats. These evolutionary pressures may accumulate over time in fish populations situated upstream of a tall check dam that displaced fish are unable to swim over and can be diluted by the homing of displaced individuals in the absence of such barriers. Here, we conducted interpopulation comparisons between above-dam and unrestricted open-stream populations of the juvenile white-spotted charr Salvelinus leucomaenis to test the hypothesis that above-dam juveniles possess more advantageous traits that reduce downstream displacement than open-stream juveniles. We focused on sedentary behaviour and body depth, both of which are known to affect downstream displacement. Interpopulation comparisons revealed that juveniles from above-dam populations were consistently more sedentary than those from open-stream populations. On the other hand, there were no systematic differences in body depth between above-dam and open-stream populations. These results are consistent with the evolution of behaviours in above-dam populations that inhibit downstream displacement. However, several other factors could explain the results obtained, and further studies will be needed to confirm the presence of behavioural evolution in our study system. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.


An Evaluation to Industrial Development in Iraq "During The industrial development in Iraq ,causes mutual effect on both manufacturing sector indicators and Economical structural. The suitable conditions should be prepared ,which enables Manufacturing sector to come up to industrial and structural integration, In order to corrects the structural imbalances . This study aims to determination the nature of transformation in Iraq Economy during 1975-1990 by the following:- 1- Diagnosis The Role of Manufacturing Sector in Process of Structural Transformation in Iraq Economy by study the relations between manufacturing sector and national Economy . 2-Diagnosis the main structural relationship among the branches and patterns of Manufacturing sector ,containing regional relations and nature of transformation which has take part during the study period ,in order to determine whether this transformation causes a state of structural imbalance or it harmonizes with the aim of structural balance. 3- discussed the structural transformation in manufacturing sector by study the relations between branches and activities ,Light and Heavy industry, small and large Scale, Capital and labour intensities ,import substitution and encourage exports and the regional relation between industries


Non-communicable disease is a medical condition or disease that is by definition non-infectious and non-transmissible among people. Currently, NCDs are the leading causes of death and disease burden worldwide. NCD usually attack elderly or more can we say that is only realized when people come to a certain age. To prevent this from happening, a solution has been proposed to start the awareness as early as possible. The proposed solution is to implement the awareness program thru Physical Education (PE) subject in both primary and secondary school. This proposed framework will have four main modules, Students Health Management System, Health and Fitness Apps, Health Education through Blended Learning and Fitness Training. This framework will involve minimum of three users, the PE teacher, students and parents. The data contains in this framework will be stored using cloud storage technology to ease the access from all side. The main objective of this proposed solution is to enforce the healthy lifestyle in the students and hopefully can reduce the chances of NCD.


This work focuses on detection of toxic elements in Juncus trifidus. The research took place in the Dolina Bielej vody Valley, in the eastern part of the High Tatras. Sampling was carried out in July, August and September. During collection the plant was divided into four parts, each to be analysed separately: the upper green part (leaves, blade, flower or spike); sheath (part of plant at the ground level); roots; and soil. Collected and dried samples were then processed and analysed in the laboratory. The samples were ground in a hand mill and then put into the roentgen which identified specific toxic elements in particular parts of the plant. This research was partially related to that on the snow vole (Chionomys nivalis). If toxic elements are detected in the snow vole, it is probable that this toxicity is caused in part by its diet, including Juncus trifdus. We observed important differences between processes of accumulation of individual elements in plant tissues. Calcium levels were highest in the green parts of plants in their germinative tissue (likely due to production of seeds). Similarly, zinc and manganese were found in the samples, as calcium, manganese and zinc are biogenic elements. We found variation in the amount of lead in soil versus in the green parts of the plant. This shows that Juncus trifidus doesn't accumulate this element in the tissues in high amounts.


We review the G measurements with time-of-swing method at HUST. Two independent experiments have been completed and an improved experiment is in progress. The first G value was determined as 6.6699(7)×10−11 m3 kg−1 s−2 with a relative standard uncertainty (ur) of 105 ppm by using a long period torsion pendulum and two cylindrical source masses. Later, this result was corrected to be 6.6723(9)×10−11 m3 kg−1 s−2 with ur=130 ppm after considering the density distribution of the cylinders and the air buoyancy, which was 360 ppm larger than the previous value. In 2009, a new experiment by using a simple block pendulum and spherical source masses with more homogeneous density was carried out. A series of improvements were performed, and the G value was determined to be 6.67349(18)×10−11 m3 kg−1 s−2 with ur=26 ppm. To reduce the anelasticity of the torsion fibre, fused silica fibres with Q's of approximately 5×104 are used to measure G in the ongoing experiment. These fibres are coated with thin layers of germanium and bismuth in turn to reduce the electrostatic effect. Some other improvements include the gravity compensation, reduction of the coating layer effect, etc. The prospective uncertainty of the next G value is 20 ppm or lower.


1. Subcellular fractions of human placenta were prepared by nitrogen-bomb homogenization and differential centrifugation. 2. beta-Glucuronidase from placental lysosomes was purified 2100-fold on a protein basis. 3. The lysosomal enzyme, at different stages of purification, was characterized by using 4-methylumbelliferyl beta-d-glucuronide and phenolphthalein beta-d-glucuronide as substrates. 4. Only one isoenzyme of beta-glucuronidase was found in placenta; the enzyme in the endoplasmic reticulum appeared to be the same as the lysosomal enzyme. 5. The isoenzyme contained in normal plasma was different from that of the placenta. 6. The elevated beta-glucuronidase activity found in plasma obtained during pregnancy was due to increased activity of the normal plasma isoenzyme; no contribution was made by placental isoenzyme. 7. Plasma contained a heat-stable, non-diffusible activator of placental beta-glucuronidase. 8. A heat-stable competitive inhibitor of placental and plasma beta-glucuronidase was also present in plasma.


Much of the research in scientific visualization has focused on complete sets of gridded data. The paper presents our experience dealing with gridded data sets with a large number of missing or invalid data, and some of our experiments in addressing the shortcomings of standard off-the-shelf visualization algorithms. In particular, we discuss the options in modifying known algorithms to adjust to the specifics of sparse datasets, and provide a new technique to smooth out the side-effects of the operations. We apply our findings to data acquired from NEXRAD (NEXt generation RADars) weather radars, which usually have no more than 3 to 4 percent of all possible cell points filled.


Permethrin and DDT resistance in Anopheles gambiae s.s. associated with a leucine-serine knockdown resistance (kdr) mutation in the voltage-gated sodium channel gene was discovered recently in western Kenya where a large scale permethrin-impregnated bed net (ITN) program has been implemented. Collections of An. gambiae s.l. were made from intervention and control villages prior to and after onset of the program. The kdr genotypes were determined using allele-specific polymerase chain reaction diagnostic tests. In An. gambiae s.s., the frequency of the kdr mutation prior to ITN introduction was approximately 3-4% in western Kenya and zero in samples from the coast. After ITN introduction, the kdr mutation increased in ITN and neighboring villages from approximately 4% to approximately 8%, but remained unchanged in villages at least 20 km distant and was not detected in coastal Kenya. The identical leucine-serine mutation was found in a single An. arabiensis individual among 658 tested. The leucine-phenylalanine kdr mutation common in west African An. gambiae populations was not detected in An. gambiae s.l. from Kenya. Implications for the population structure and control of An. gambiae are discussed.


Column Editor's Note. As the Column Title indicates, this column brings Global Perspectives to the Journal of Library Administration. Library administrators in different types of libraries share ca...


Formal law and customary rights never-ending contest have been a challenge for Indonesia in its effort to construct a modern nation. In this kind of battle, there are two conflicting values, the certainty of law versus harmonious value within society. However, the idea of constitutionalism can incorporate customary law as part of its fabric. Within the array of positivism and legal pluralism, the Indonesian Constitutional Court is trying to take leadership in the role of customary rights recognition. One of the legal standings that can put a petition to the constitutional court is a representative of the adat community as long as it still lives according to the values Indonesian State as required by legislation. The provision requires the existence of customary communities stipulated in a specific law. However, the required legislation is not stipulated yet in Indonesia, creating the institutional difficulty for The Constitutional Court upon accepting the customary rights case from specific adat communities. Given the limitation, this paper turns attention to how the Indonesian Constitutional Court deals with the recognition of customary rights as outlined in the Constitution. This study will attempt at answering this question by integrating the reading of Indonesia Constitutional Court judgments, the institutional framework analysis with a sociological approach through Indonesian Constitutional Court judges' interviews. The study reveals one possible picture of how customary law and constitutionalism can co-exist in the same vision in Indonesia's pluralistic society.   This co-existence is not without risk of tension, but with the possibility of success under the name of constitutionalism order to protect, rather than neglect, the national people living on the plural law.

Received: 16 January 2021 / Accepted: 6 April 2021 / Published: 10 May 2021


The article provides theoretical arguments regarding the scientific significance of professional empathy as an important skill for medical students, which allows them to understand patients at a deeper level, to establish positive and supportive doctor-patient relationships facilitating their recovery in a timely manner. Training medical students in professional empathy reduces stress and anxiety in patients, which can have a positive impact on their overall health and well-being. In addition, showing empathy can help medical students develop long-term relationships and trust with their patients. A careful analysis of the professional standards of doctors and medical courses leads to the final conclusion, that this professional competence is recognized as an important condition for professional activity.


The venous drainage of parathyroid glands ectopically located in the mediastinum is generally caraniad into the inferior thyroid veins. Parathyroid glands in the neck can cause elevated concentrations of parathyroid hormone in mediastinal veins because of thyroidalthymic anastomoses. Therefore venous sampling alone cannot distinguish cervical from mediastinal adenomas. Arteriography can localize mediastinal parathyroids and should be perfomred before any repeat exploration.


Abstract Hot embossing has become a popular method for replicating precise micro-features onto large plastic plates. However, a long cycle time of the process due to conventional electric heating or hot oil heating is one of problems that confound the overall success of this technology. This study proposed a novel hot embossing method by using ultrasonic vibration as a heat generator. Experiments were carried out on a 2000-watt ultrasonic welding machine. A 2 mm thick polymethyl methyl acrylic (PMMA) plate was used for embossing microstructures onto its surface. The results in this study suggest that ultrasonic vibration hot embossing can provide an effective way of molding microstructures onto the surface of polymeric plates. Nevertheless, this novel process will need some improvements in the design of the ultrasonic vibration machine in order to make the process feasible.


The asymmetric unit of the title dimeric compounds, [Ln(2)(C(4)H(5)O(2))(6)(H(2)O)(4)]·C(5)H(5)N(5)·7H(2)O, with Ln = Dy, (I), and Sm, (II), consists of an Ln(III) cation, three crotonate (but-2-enoate) anions and two coordinated water molecules forming the neutral complex, cocrystallized with half of an external adenine molecule and 3.5 water molecules. The metal complex has crystallographic inversion symmetry. The LnO(9) coordination polyhedra are connected through the sharing of a single edge to form isolated dimeric units, with Ln...Ln separations of 4.1766 (12) Å for (I) and 4.2340 (12) Å for (II). The unbound adenine molecule and one of the solvent water molecules are disordered around an inversion centre into two overlapping, equally populated, units. The structure is sustained by a complex hydrogen-bonding scheme involving all possible O-H and N-H groups as donors, and crotonate and water O and adenine N atoms as acceptors. The system is compared with recently published related compounds.


Cluster analyses of gene expression data are usually conducted based on their associations with the phenotype of a particular disease. Many disease traits have a clearly defined binary phenotype (presence or absence), so that genes can be clustered based on the differences of expression levels between the two contrasting phenotypic groups. For example, cluster analysis based on binary phenotype has been successfully used in tumour research. Some complex diseases have phenotypes that vary in a continuous manner and the method developed for a binary trait is not immediately applicable to a continuous trait. However, understanding the role of gene expression in these complex traits is of fundamental importance. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a new statistical method to cluster expressed genes based on their association with a quantitative trait phenotype. We developed a model-based clustering method to classify genes based on their association with a continuous phenotype. We used a linear model to describe the relationship between gene expression and the phenotypic value. The model effects of the linear model (linear regression coefficients) represent the strength of the association. We assumed that the model effects of each gene follow a mixture of several multivariate Gaussian distributions. Parameter estimation and cluster assignment were accomplished via an Expectation-Maximization (EM) algorithm. The method was verified by analysing two simulated datasets, and further demonstrated using real data generated in a microarray experiment for the study of gene expression associated with Alzheimer's disease.


OBJECTIVE
To conduct a pilot study determining the clinical efficacy ofa new bioactive dental cement (Ceramir Crown & Bridge) for permanent cementation in fixed prosthodontics. The composition is a hybrid comprised of a calcium aluminate and a glass ionomer.

METHODS
This study examined the performance of Ceramir Crown & Bridge after cementation of high-gold alloy and porcelain-fused-to-metal (PFM) single crowns and bridges. A total of 38 crowns and bridge abutments were cemented in 17 patients; 31 were on vital, seven on non-vital teeth. Six were bridges with 14 abutment teeth (12 vital/two non-vital). One fixed splint comprising two abutment teeth was also included in the study. Preparation parameters were recorded, as well as working time, setting time, seating characteristics, and ease of cement removal. Baseline data were collected on dispensing, mixing, and handling of the cement; gingival inflammation index (GI), and a visual analog scale (VAS) and categorical assessment measured pre-cementation sensitivity. Post-cementation parameters were post-cementation sensitivity, categorical and VAS, gingival tissue reaction, marginal integrity, and discoloration. A one-week post-op telephone call recorded subjectively the patients' comfort level.

RESULTS
Working time (two minutes) and setting time (four minutes) were well within normal limits. Cement removal was determined to be very easy. Thirteen of 17 patients reported no post-cementation sensitivity after seven days; four reported a low-grade sensitivity. All 17 patients were seen for recall examinations at 30 days and six months. Of the four sensitivity cases, three were related to hyperocclusion, which disappeared spontaneously after adjustment. One case was due to post-cementation pressure from a three-unit bridge, which disappeared without intervention. After six months, no retentive failures were recorded, no sensitivity was subjectively reported, marginal integrity scored 38 alphas, one tooth had a 1 and two teeth a 0.5 GI score. Average VAS score for tooth sensitivity decreased from 7.63 mm at baseline to 0.44 mm at the six-month recall. Average GI score for gingival inflammation decreased from 0.56 at baseline to 0.11 at the six-month recall.

CONCLUSION
After six months, Ceramir Crown & Bridge performed favorably as a luting agent for permanent cementation.


A parametric display technique for on-line graphical output is presented. This technique is particularly useful for rapid display of continuous ``smooth'' data, through relatively few computer commands. Graphical data to be displayed are composed from primitive segments, each of which corresponds to one computer command that specifies starting and stopping point, final slope, and ``curvature.'' Presented topics include the basic principle of operation, a class of hardware realizations, typical software requirements, and experimental results of a display prototype.


Purpose: The purpose of this study was to systematically review peer support services related to mental health services utilization by people with severe mental illness and to identify core strategies essential for effective peer support services. Methods: A systematic search was conducted using keywords in English, 4 electronic databases, including CINAHL, EMBASE, MEDLINE, and PubMed. Of the 1,305 publications identified, 14 studies were finally included in this systematic review. The Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) was used for the quality assessment. Results: The 14 studies consisted of 8 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), 4 cohort studies, and 2 quasi-experimental studies. Overall, peer support services were found to be effective in reducing hospitalization rates, hospitalization days, number of emergency room visits, and total medical costs. There was inconsistent evidence that the services were associated with positive effects on measures of psychiatric symptoms, quality of life, and social support. Conclusion: Peer support services for people with severe mental illness can be a cost-effective way to increase crisis stabilization and continuity of treatment. The core strategies of the services is the development of structured programs to cultivate professional peer providers and the establishment of a cooperative system between mental health professionals and peer providers.


This is an impassioned essay. A French historian of Russia who takes his sources seriously, Besanqon applies logic to what he examines, seeks order and structure in what he studies, and confronts the Soviet experience with a yes-or-no approach that allows neither ambiguities nor evolution nor unintended consequences. What results is an alarmist plea to take Leninist ideology at face value: "The nature of the Soviet regime has not changed . . . since November 7, 1917." It cannot change, "it can only disappear or perpetuate itself." Reforms and detente are nothing but cleverly preplanned alternations between "war communism" and "NEP." If the Soviet Union has temporarily given up exporting revolution, it is only "because it is making preparations to do successfully just that, and it needs a delay to be certain of ultimate success." In fact, the USSR cannot give up exporting revolution any more than it can give up ideology, for to do so would mean relinquishing power. As for the tension between state and revolution, the state is simply a position to fall back on whenever world communism is in trouble. Besanqon rules out any ritualization of beliefs: "As long as the ideology has not been expressly repudiated, the general orientation of Soviet foreign policy will be offensive." According to Besanqon, it turns out that Stalin's methods were attributable not so much to his personality as to the system; that the reason the USSR produces so many tanks and guns is "because the country is rationally incapable of producing anything else"; and that using Western concepts like regime, society, and economy is to fall into the trap of considering the Soviet Union to be a state like any other. In the end, the whole thing is "a hallucination, a mirage, a phantasmagoria." Besanqon will have to forgive those of us to whom all this sounds like a rehash of things we used to hear in a simpler age. I know Alain Besanqon to be a better historian than this book would lead a reader to believe. If he wants his thesis (which I consider thoroughly wrong-headed) to be taken seriously, he owes it to himself and his argument to make a better case for it.


The paper presents the computer simulations and experimental validation on a new active suspension used for vehicle roll control. This study focuses primarily on the dynamics of Hydraulically Interconnected Active Suspensions and the dynamics of a vehicle fitted with the suspension. The proposed active suspension, also called as Demand Dependent Active Suspension, consists of four double direction hydraulic actuators which are hydraulically interconnected, and a pressure controlled fluid supply unit. The suspension can actively tilt the vehicle against its vibration modes (roll, pitch, bounce and articulation), by applying required restoring forces or moments. It therefore far exceeds the capability of passive or semi-active suspensions. This study evaluates the first part of the vehicle multi-mode control based on the proposed active suspension, i.e., implements vehicle roll control. This is because of the dangerous nature and fatal injuries associated with vehicle rollover incidents. Modeling, simulations and preliminary experiment of system dynamics of a vehicle fitted with the proposed suspension are carried out and the obtained simulation results agree with those obtained from experiment.


Sleep deprivation can result in degradation of sustained attention through increased distraction by task-irrelevant exogenous stimuli. However, attentional failures in the sleep-deprived state could also be a result of task-unrelated thoughts (TUTs, or mind wandering). Here, well-rested and sleep-deprived participants performed a visual search task under high and low perceptual load conditions. Thought probes were administered at irregular intervals to gauge the frequency of TUTs and level of meta-awareness of mind wandering. Despite sleep-deprived participants reporting more TUTs, they also reported less awareness of TUTs. Although the frequency of TUTs decreased in the high load condition in well-rested participants, they were equally frequent across low and high perceptual load conditions in sleep-deprived participants. Together, these findings suggest that sleep deprivation can result in a loss of ability to allocate attentional resources according to task demands consistent with diminished executive control. This may have been exacerbated by reduced meta-awareness. (PsycINFO Database Record


The mechanical properties, elasticity and compressive strength, of restorative materials play a crucial role during mastication for clinical performance of materials in particular stress bearing areas at posterior regions. This in vitro study was objected to evaluate the changes in the compressive and flexural strength of tooth-coloured resin-based dental restorations placed on flowable composites. Specimens in the control group were produced in cylindrical form for testing compressive strength and in quadrangular prism form for flexural strength test. Tetric Ceram, Charisma, Surefil, Admira and two compomers; Dyract AP and Compoglass F in test group specimens were fabricated by placing the control materials on different flowables. The material combinations were as follows: Tetric Ceram/Tetric Flow Charisma/Flowline, Surefil/Dyract Flow, Admira/Admira Flow, Dyract AP/Dyract Flow, Compoglass F/Compoglass Flow. Compressive strength values were measured at the Instron Testing Machine with a cross-head speed of 10 mm min(-1) while flexural strength were determined in three-point bending with a cross-head speed of 1 mm min(-1). One-way anova and Tukey's multiple comparison tests were performed for the statistical analysis. The flexural strength values of Tetric Ceram/Tetric Flow (135.9 +/- 3.2), Charisma/Flowline (120.4 +/- 5.6) and Compoglass F/Compoglass Flow (108.2 +/- 5.2) combinations were statistically greater than Tetric Ceram (110.8 +/- 10.5), Charisma (95.3 +/- 5.3) and Compoglass F (86.9 +/- 4.9). The results of the present study support the idea that the placement of flowable composite as a liner under the resin-based composite restoratives increase the flexural strength.


Constitutional theory has hypothesized two distinct and contradictory ways in which judicial review may interact with external political and social support. One line of scholarship has argued that judicial review and external support are substitutes. Thus, "political safeguard" theorists of American federalism and the separation of powers argue that these constitutional values are enforced through the political branches, making judicial review unnecessary. However, a separate line of work, mostly composed of social scientists examining rights issues, argues that the relationship between courts and outside support is complementary — judges are unlikely to succeed in their projects unless they have sufficient assistance from political and social actors. The coexistence of these two different theories, which has gone unnoticed by scholars, has important implications for both U.S. and comparative constitutional theory. Close examination demonstrates that the simple classifications suggested in existing work — that the substitute logic applies to constitutional structure while the complement logic applies to rights, for example — are incorrect. Instead, courts face a much more complex reality, with both logics being distributed broadly across a range of issues, forms of support, and contexts. To be successful, courts must maximize their relationship with their external support structures, both by targeting issues where levels of support render review neither futile nor redundant, and by shaping their judgments to increase the amount of support they receive from political, civil society, and international actors. The paper draws on numerous examples drawn from both established and new democracies to demonstrate the plausibility of these tasks, and ultimately to highlight the utility of a theory of judicial review that emphasizes judicial consideration of external support.


The main question of psychotherapy research nowadays is how psychotherapy works. Hence, interest focuses mainly on the process of psychotherapy. General change mechanisms as well as the therapeutic interaction are in the center of research interest. On the basis of process outcome findings (Orlinsky, Grawe, Parks 1994) and the schema theory of Grawe (1987) we developed a research instrument allowing the analysis of therapies from a theoretically and quantitative approaches. The research instrument (CIPA-Comprehensive Individualized Process Analysis) consist of three parts: The scales of the first part assess the general working mechanisms and the therapeutic relationship. The second part allows a rating of the patient's interactions inside and outside the therapy. In the third part the individual schemata are rated. The instrument and the research strategy are being illustrated by means of a selected therapy recorded completely on video tape. The results are interpreted on the basis of the individual schema structure as well as the therapy outcome. The possibility offered by the new instrument to combine quantitative and qualitative research strategies is discussed.


Nature endows networks of spiking neurons in the brain with innate computing capabilities. But it has remained an open problem how the genome achieves that. Experimental data imply that the genome encodes synaptic connection probabilities between neurons depending on their genetic types and spatial distance. We show that this low-dimensional parameterization suffices for programming fundamental computing capabilities into networks of spiking neurons. However, this method is only effective if the network employs a substantial number of different neuron types. This provides an intriguing answer to the open question why the brain employs so many neuron types, many more than were used so far in neural network models. Neural networks whose computational function is induced through their connectivity structure, rather than through synaptic plasticity, are distinguished by short wire length and robustness to weight perturbations. These neural networks features are not only essential for the brain, but also for energy-efficient neuromorphic hardware. Significance statement Fundamental computing capabilities of neural networks in the brain are innate, i.e., they do not depend on experience-dependent plasticity. Examples are the capability to recognize odors of poisonous food, and the capability to stand up and walk right after birth. But it has remained unknown how the genetic code can achieve that. A prominent aspect of neural networks of the brain that is under genetic control is the connection probability between neurons of different types. We show that this low-dimensional code suffices for inducing substantial innate computing capabilities in neural networks, provided they have –like the brain– a fair number of different neuron types. Hence under this condition structure can induce computational function in neural networks.


The distribution of selenium in human plasma has been investigated by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) connected directly to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Human plasma was loaded on to a size exclusion column and eluted with 0.01 M sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.0) at a flow rate of 0.6 ml/min. Four peaks of selenium were detected in the chromatogram. The first selenium peak was obtained in the void volume. The retention time of the third peak was in accord with that of bovine serum albumin as a standard. The forth peak was thought to be a ghost. The method was applied to identify the chemical form of selenium in blood plasma immediately after intestinal absorption. The chromatographic pattern of selenium in postprandial human plasma was compared with that in fasting plasma. The first and third peaks in the postprandial plasma sample were slightly higher than those in the fasting plasma sample. This finding suggests that absorbed selenium is associated with the high molecular weight fraction and mercaptalbumin in blood plasma.


Head circumference is used together with other measures as a proxy for central nervous system damage in the diagnosis of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, yet the relationship between head circumference and brain volume has not been investigated in this population. The objective of this study is to characterize the relationship between head circumference, brain volume and cognitive performance in a large sample of children with prenatal alcohol exposure (n = 144) and healthy controls (n = 145), aged 5–19 years. All participants underwent magnetic resonance imaging to yield brain volumes and head circumference, normalized to control for age and sex. Mean head circumference, brain volume, and cognitive scores were significantly reduced in the prenatal alcohol exposure group relative to controls, albeit with considerable overlap between groups. Males with prenatal alcohol exposure had reductions in all three measures, whereas females with prenatal alcohol exposure had reduced brain volumes and cognitive scores, but no difference in head circumference relative to controls. Microcephaly (defined here as head circumference ≤ 3rd percentile) occurred more often in prenatal alcohol exposed participants than controls, but 90% of the exposed sample had head circumferences above this clinical cutoff indicating that head circumference is not a sensitive marker of prenatal alcohol exposure. Normalized head circumference and brain volume were positively correlated in both groups, and subjects with very low head circumference typically had below-average brain volumes. Conversely, over half of the subjects with very low brain volumes had normal head circumferences, which may stem from differential effects of alcohol on the skeletal and nervous systems. There were no significant correlations between head circumference and any cognitive score. These findings confirm group-level reductions in head circumference and increased rates of microcephaly in children with prenatal alcohol exposure, but raise concerns about the predictive value of this metric at an individual-subject level.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the implications of erythroblasts periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) stain for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) dyserythropoiesis, diagnosis and differential diagnosis.

METHODS
PAS stain of bone marrow (BM) erythroblasts in 406 MDS patients, 207 non-severe aplastic anemia (NSAA), 144 immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), 67 megaloblastic anemia (MegA), 76 iron deficiency anemia (IDA), 50 paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), and 50 acute erythroid leukemia (AEL) as well as some related laboratory parameters in MDS patients were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTS
PAS-positive detection rate was significantly higher in MDS (53.0%) than in NSAA (14.5%), ITP (27.1%) and PNH (16.0%), but was significantly lower in MDS than in AEL (84.0%) (all P = 0.000). There was no significant difference in PAS-positive detection between MDS and MegA (46.3%), or MDS and IDA (40.8%) (P = 0.310, 0.052, respectively). Erythroblasts PAS-positive rate (Median, M = 1%) and PAS-positive scores (M' = 2) was significantly lower in MDS than in AEL (M = 8%; M' = 17), and significantly higher than in NSAA (M = 0%; M' = 0), ITP (M = 0%; M' = 0), PNH (M = 0%; M' = 0), MegA (M = 0%; M' = 0), and IDA (M = 0%; M' = 0) (all P < 0.05). The cut-off value of PAS-positive rate and score for distinguishing MDS from the other groups except AEL were 0.5% and 0.5, with a sensitivity and specificity of 60.8% and 74.4%, respectively. For MDS patients, the percentage of BM erythroid cells was significantly higher in PAS-positive group than in PAS-negative group (P < 0.05), and so were megakaryocyte count, lymphocyte-like micromegakaryocytes count and percentage of micromegakaryocyte (P = 0.002, 0.000, 0.000, respectively). HGB, MCV, MCH and MCHC were significantly lower in PAS-positive group (all P < 0.05), and so was the neutrophil alkaling phosphatase (NALP) (P = 0.000). PAS-positive detection rate, positive rate and score were higher in MDS patients with abnormal karyotype than with normal karyotype, and were also higher in IPSS high/intermediate-risk 2 group than in low/intermidiate-risk 1 group.

CONCLUSION
The positive reaction of erythroblasts PAS stain is an indicator of dyserythropoiesis. It is helpful to the diagnosis of MDS patients.


A new combined preparation, imipenem/cilastatin (MK-0787/MK-0791), was evaluated its penetration into the plasma and tissues with the following results: After an intravenous drip infusion of 500 mg/500 mg of MK-0787/MK-0791, the plasma concentration of drug achieved in the uterine artery was almost equal to that in the antecubital vein, showing good penetration of the drug. After an intravenous drip infusion of 500 mg/500 mg of MK-0787/MK-0791, favorable concentrations were achieved in all of the adnexal and uterine tissues studied. From the results obtained, it is expected that MK-0787/MK-0791 will be highly effective in the field of obstetrics and gynecology.


Least Square method is widely adopted in stereo matching owing to it high precision, but the fact that transformation parameters is obtained by solving linear equations leads to the instability of its solutions and the process of matching oscillates and decreases convergence speed. To overcome this disadvantage, improve convergence speed and keep high precision, this paper provides gradient method to resolve stereo matching. The experiments show that the algorithm is valid and practical.


Construction of interval type-2 fuzzy set models is the first step in the perceptual computer, which is an implementation of computing with words. The interval approach (IA) has, so far, been the only systematic method to construct such models from data intervals that are collected from a survey. However, as pointed out in this paper, it has some limitations, and its performance can be further improved. This paper proposes an enhanced interval approach (EIA) and demonstrates its performance on data that are collected from a web survey. The data part of the EIA has more strict and reasonable tests than the IA, and the fuzzy set part of the EIA has an improved procedure to compute the lower membership function. We also perform a convergence analysis to answer two important questions: 1) Does the output interval type-2 fuzzy set from the EIA converge to a stable model as increasingly more data intervals are collected, and 2) if it converges, then how many data intervals are needed before the resulting interval type-2 fuzzy set is sufficiently similar to the model obtained from infinitely many data intervals? We show that the EIA converges in a mean-square sense, and generally, 30 data intervals seem to be a good compromise between cost and accuracy.


Stenotrophomonas maltophilia is an emergent pathogen in health¬care facilities worldwide that is intrinsically resistant to many antibiotics.
We aimed to determine the prevalence of S. maltophila causing health care associated infections (HAIs) and environmental contamination at the intensive care units (ICUs) of Assiut University Hospitals, the antibiotic resistance profiles, production of metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) and detection of sul 2 gene.
A total of 690 clinical samples and 4151 environmental samples were collected. S. maltophila isolates were identified and confirmed by detection of 16S rRNA-23S rRNA gene by PCR. Antimicrobial resistance was determined by Kirbey Bauer disc diffusion method and imipenem MIC by E test. The presence of MBLs were detected by combined disc test (CDT) and double disc synergy test (DDST). The presence of sul 2 gene was determined by PCR.
S. maltophila caused 9.7% of HAIs in the ICUs mostly respiratory tract infections and 0.67% of environmental contamination . A high percentage of resistance was found for most of the studied antimicrobials including carbapenems. MBLs were detected in all imipenem resistant isolates and in variable percentages in imipenem sensitive isolates. The least resistance found was to trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole (SXT). All SXT resistant isolates harboured the sul 2 gene. Multidrug resistance was reported in 63.5% of isolates.
S. maltophilia causes a considerable percentage of HAIs especially respiratory tract infections and environmental contamination in the ICUs. A high percentage is MDR. Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is the single agent of choice for the treatment of S. maltophilia infections. The detection of sul2 gene and MBLs among isolates at our hospitals is alarming.


We evaluate the quantum discord dynamics of two qubits in independent and common non-Markovian environments. We compare the dynamics of entanglement with that of quantum discord. For independent reservoirs the quantum discord vanishes only at discrete instants whereas the entanglement can disappear during a finite time interval. For a common reservoir, quantum discord and entanglement can behave very differently with sudden birth of the former but not of the latter. Furthermore, in this case the quantum discord dynamics presents sudden changes in the derivative of its time evolution which is evidenced by the presence of kinks in its behavior at discrete instants of time.


In this thesis we introduce new models and learning algorithms for the Random Neural Network (RNN), and we develop RNN-based and other approaches for the solution of emergency management optimisation problems. With respect to RNN developments, two novel supervised learning algorithms are proposed. The first, is a gradient descent algorithm for an RNN extension model that we have introduced, the RNN with synchronised interactions (RNNSI), which was inspired from the synchronised firing activity observed in brain neural circuits. The second algorithm is based on modelling the signal-flow equations in RNN as a nonnegative least squares (NNLS) problem. NNLS is solved using a limited-memory quasi-Newton algorithm specifically designed for the RNN case. Regarding the investigation of emergency management optimisation problems, we examine combinatorial assignment problems that require fast, distributed and close to optimal solution, under information uncertainty. We consider three different problems with the above characteristics associated with the assignment of emergency units to incidents with injured civilians (AEUI), the assignment of assets to tasks under execution uncertainty (ATAU), and the deployment of a robotic network to establish communication with trapped civilians (DRNCTC). AEUI is solved by training an RNN tool with instances of the optimisation problem and then using the trained RNN for decision making; training is achieved using the developed learning algorithms. For the solution of ATAU problem, we introduce two different approaches. The first is based on mapping parameters of the optimisation problem to RNN parameters, and the second on solving a sequence of minimum cost flow problems on appropriately constructed networks with estimated arc costs. For the exact solution of DRNCTC problem, we develop a mixed-integer linear programming formulation, which is based on network flows. Finally, we design and implement distributed heuristic algorithms for the deployment of robots when the civilian locations are known or uncertain.


The core question in aesthetics now and in the future is, how to combine philosophical theory with practice. Though reference is made to applied philosophy, and particularly to applied ethics, it is seldom made to applied aesthetics, even though we have a social need for it. The function of applied environmental aesthetics is to lay a foundation for practical actions. The goal is to connect the theoretical side closely to everyday problem solving. This means proceeding from a "passive" outsider aesthetics to an "active", influencing and participating insider aesthetics. The process begins with a theory of applicability, after which actual problem cases follow. The aesthetic point of view is united with ethical, social, and cultural discussions, as well as with the expertise of environmental professionals in education, administration, design and planning, business, etc. The theoreticians and the practitioners form two teams, which should meet and co-operate with each other. In stepping from being a bystander to becoming a participant, the aestheticians will link their work to a network of specialists and professionals.


Early failure rates have increased due to reduced feature dimensions and electromigration wear-out. Periodic delay measurements can be employed to estimate the state of wear-out. Including delay measurement sensors on-chip is costly. Therefore, a method is proposed to reduce the number of measurement points. The method identi?es wear-out sensitive interconnects and selects a small number of measurement points to target the identi?ed interconnects. The method is demonstrated on ISCAS85 benchmark ICs.


The incidence of neurovascular compromise after closed posterior elbow dislocation is extremely rare. Early diagnosis and treatment is imperative. This case report describes the diagnosis and treatment of a wrestler who sustained a closed posterior elbow dislocation with transection of the brachial artery.


Environmental policy, orientated to the decreasing of environmental burden is becoming worldwide problem, presenting important economic tool for decreasing of environmental burden in the regions. The goal of the contribution is to evaluate establishment of environmental taxes in V4 region from the view of environmental tax analysis in tax system, development of tax rate and collection of environmental taxes. The result of the analysis is evaluation of individual countries position during taxation of individual types of environmental burdens, as well as emphasizing of necessity to apply taxes as environmental tools for living environment protection. Revenues of environmental taxes do not achieve demanded level, applied in developed EU economies. There is therefore necessary to realize in the region systematic environmental tax reform with goal to support business environment.


Abstract The migration of a capsule enclosed by an elastic membrane in a wall-bounded linear shear is investigated using a front-tracking method. A detailed comparison with the migration of a viscous drop is presented varying the capillary number (in the case of a capsule, the elastic capillary number) and the viscosity ratio. In both cases, the deformation breaks the flow reversal symmetry and makes them migrate away from the wall. They quickly go through a transient evolution to eventually reach a quasi-steady state where the dynamics becomes independent of the initial position and only depends on the wall distance. Previous analytical theories predicted that for a viscous drop, in the quasi-steady state, the migration and slip velocities scale approximately with the square of the inverse of the drop–wall separation, whereas the drop deformation scales as the inverse cube of the separation. These power law relations are shown to hold for a capsule as well. The deformation and inclination angle of the capsule and the drop at the same wall separation show a crossover in their variation with the capillary number: the capsule shows a steeper variation than that of the drop for smaller capillary numbers and slower variation than the drop for larger capillary numbers. Using the Green's function of Stokes flow, a semi-analytic theory is presented to show that the far-field stresslet that causes the migration has two distinct contributions from the interfacial stresses and the viscosity ratio, with competing effects between the two defining the dynamics. It predicts the scaling of the migration velocity with the capsule–wall separation, however, matching with the simulated result very well only away from the wall. A phenomenological correlation for the migration velocity as a function of elastic capillary number, wall distance and viscosity ratio is developed using the simulation results. The effects of different membrane hyperelastic constitutive equations – neo-Hookean, Evans–Skalak, and Skalak – are briefly investigated to show that the behaviour remains similar for different equations.


Background: Wheat gluten comprises gliadins and glutenins. The high-molecular-weight (HMW) glutenin subunits (GS)-1Dy10 are toxic for patients with celiac disease (CD). This study aimed to assess whether CD patients mount a serological response to HMW-GS-1Dy10. Methods: Recombinant HMW-GS-1Dy10 was deamidated using human recombinant tissue transglutaminase. MALDI-TOF was performed to compare the level of deamidation of glutamine residues between material before and after treatment. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were developed. Sera from patients with untreated CD and gastrointestinal disease controls were tested and receiver operator characteristics were used to calculate cutoffs. Results: MALDI-TOF revealed a number of fragments matching known HMW-GS-1Dy10 sequences within both the deamidated and non-deamidated material. Evidence of deamidation of glutamine residues was found only within the human transglutaminase-treated material. Patients with untreated CD had significantly increased levels of serum antibodies to HMW-GS-1Dy10 compared to controls. Undeamidated HMW-GS-1Dy10 IgA antibodies had sensitivities and specificities of 72.5 and 78.26%, respectively. Deamidated HMW-GS-1Dy10 IgA antibodies had sensitivities and specificities of 76.8 and 65.2%. Undeamidated HMW-GS-1Dy10 IgG antibodies had sensitivities and specificities of 75.3 and 68.1%. Deamidated HMW-GS-1Dy10 IgG antibodies had sensitivities and specificities of 36.2 and 92.8%. Conclusion: Patients with untreated CD have raised antibody levels to HMW-GS-1Dy10, indicating the participation of these proteins in the adaptive immune response to gluten. Discrimination between CD patients and controls is not enhanced by deamidation of HMW-GS-1Dy10. Thus antibodies to these proteins are not useful markers for CD detection.


This paper studied the effect of insect pest on the activities of protective enzymes SOD and CAT and the contents of H2O2 and O2*- in lanceolate leaves of Populus euphratica under different soil water conditions. The results showed that soil water deficiency did not increase SOD and CAT activities and H2O2 and O2*- contents in lanceolate leaves, but under this condition, insect pest increased them. When soil water was abundance, insect pest couldn't increase the activities of SOD and CAT and the contents of H2O2 and O2*- in lanceolate leaves. It's concluded that insect pest had an important role in death of Populus euphratica under soil water deficiency.


Although psychodynamic therapy (PDT) is an evidence-based intervention for a broad spectrum of psychiatric conditions, there is often notable bias in the way PDT is depicted both in the popular media and in the scientific literature. This has contributed to a negative view of PDT, which hampers both patient access to this treatment and researcher access to funding for further research on PDT. The adverse effects of these distortions and biases are detrimental not only to PDT but also to the overall field of psychotherapy, raising questions about its credibility. Here we summarize current evidence for PDT, describe existing biases, and formulate a set of recommendations to foster a more balanced perspective on PDT.


Inherited polyneuropathy is currently an incurable disease with progressive symptoms affecting young individuals. Complex case management must include education and instruction in appropriate movement and sporting activities. Moderate strengthening exercises have not been found to be harmful and may reduce the level of muscle paresis while increasing strength and improving the performance of activities of daily living. Customized exercise plans must be regularly reviewed and updated in order to avoid overuse leading to greater muscular weakness, pain and extreme post-exercise fatigue. The current literature suggests that exercise may be more beneficial if a creatine monohydrate peroral supplement is added to the diet. Current clinical management requires the application of appropriate movement activities for every individual with inherited polyneuropathy, even those whose conditions have progressed to the level of extreme disability. A. Kobesová, R. Mazanec 1 Klinika rehabilitace 2. LF UK a FN v Motole, Praha 2 Neurologická klinika dospělých 2. LF UK a FN v Motole, Praha MUDr. Alena Kobesová Klinika rehabilitace 2. LF UK a FN v Motole V Úvalu 84 150 06 Praha 5 e-mail: email@example.com Přijato k recenzi: 7. 2. 2008 Přijato do tisku: 8. 4. 2008 Vytvořeno s podporou výzkumného záměru VZ 00064203/6506 a grantu IGA-NR/9517-3. proLékaře.cz | 18.8.2020


Gird-connected Photo-Voltaic (PV) systems rated as 5-10 kW level have advantages of scalability and energy-saving, so they are very typical for small-scale household solar applications. In this paper, an 8 kW threephase grid-connected PV system model is proposed and studied. In this high-fidelity model, some basic PV system components such as solar panels, DC-DC converters, DC-AC inverters and three-phase utility grids are mathematically modelled and organized as a complete simulation model. Also, an overall power controller with Maximum Power Point Control (MPPT) is proposed to achieve both high-efficiency for solar energy harvesting and gridconnection stability. Finally, simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the PV system model and the proposed controller, and power quality issues are discussed.


The mechanism of breakdown in uniform fields was investigated in humid air, dry air, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen at atmospheric pressure, using a large number of initial electrons (similar 104) released from the cathode as a delta function at the start of a high-voltage rectangular pulse applied to the discharge gap. The threshold breakdown voltages were about 30% higher than the DC breakdown voltages reported by others. The formative times at threshold and at overvoltages indicated that up to a critical overvoltage, breakdown takes place by the multiple-avalanche Townsend mechanism, due to a photoelectric secondary effect at the cathode. The magnitudes of the critical overvoltages were not significantly less than those with a single initial electron obtained by other workers. For overvoltages higher than the critical, there was a transition region, at the end of which, breakdown transforms to the single-avalanche streamer mechanism.


Simulations are well known in education, including health professional education. Traditionally simulations have included role plays and demonstration rooms where skills can be practiced and more recently high-fidelity mannequins have lifted the level of simulation. The use of the Internet has allowed synchronous learning that permits sharing experiences and social interactivity. One specific option that has emerged which has the potential to transform health professional clinical education is the use of multi-user virtual environments for simulated learning. A pilot using Second Life, a web-based virtual environment, to teach haemorrhage management to undergraduate nurses is described. Findings include that with pre-simulation preparation student learning occurs. However, the greatest barrier to continued use of a multi-user virtual environment is the need for equal internet speed for all participants to support the participants' interaction.


The author discusses one of the most important problems in practical forensic psychiatry, simulation of mental disorders. Classification of simulation types is presented, major neuromental disorders enumerated which are simulated by subjects accused of crimes, methods of diagnosis and general regularities typical of all types of simulation behavior are described.


The Four-Quadratic Arctangent (atan2) function is used in many fields: telecommunication to recover the phase of the signal, robotics to computing the inverse kinematic for a robot arm control system, and in general used in transformation from Cartesian to polar coordinates. In this paper an FPGA based architecture design and its implementation has been presented. The piecewise polynomial approximation method with non-uniform segmentation has been used to implement the arctangent because it is suitable in hardware implementation. It is saving in resource utilization and take a suitable accuracy. Keywords: FPGA, Four–Quadratic Arctangent, piecewise polynomial approximation


This article is about podcasts and mobile phones not only as "daily technologies of life" but also as ways to convey personal stories and to do ethnographic research. However, we do not romanticize the use of digital technology for anthropological research. We use podcasts as a form to write our ethnographic work with our collaborators, and also as a way to keep in contact with our collaborators while in a global pandemic. For podcasts, we had to do several interviews and later edited them as both dialogues and individual stories. Interviews were mostly done by other digital devices such as WhatsApp, Facebook messenger, and telephone calls. The stories in our podcast series are mostly about an Amazonian indigenous community struggling to survive the global pandemic after several oil spills and other epidemics. Podcasts create a sort of intimacy and co-presence stimulating a multimodal, sensorial experience. However, power relations do not disappear, nor did they become invisible. Rather, power relations are accommodated in the new audio/digital scenario. New Area Studies 2:1 (2021), 74-114. New Area Studies 2:1 (2021), 74-114. New Area Studies 2:1 (2021), 74-114.


This research is conducted for testing the influence of debt to equity ratio, insider ownership and firm size to price book value with the dividend payout ratio as the intervening variable in the firms registered at Indonesian Capital Market in the period of 2010 through 2013. Sampling technique applied in this research is purposive sampling. The data are collected based on the publication of Indonesian Capital Market Directory and www.idx.co.id. A number of 36 sample companies out of 472 companies registered at Indonesian Capital Market are obtained. Analytic technique applied in this research is double linier regression to obtain a thorough picture of the relation between one variable and the others. This research is measured by seeing the determination coefficient, statistic value of F, statistic value of t, and intervening test. Besides, classic assumption test is also conducted, involving normality, multicollinearity, auto-correlation, and heteroscedasticity tests. The analysis result shows that DER variable partially influences significantly negative to DPR, insider ownership variable partially influences significantly positive to DPR, firm size variable partially influences significantly positive to DPR, DER variable partially influences significantly negative to PBV, insider ownership variable influences significantly positive to PBV, firm size variable partially influences significantly positive to PBV and DPR variable partially influences significantly positive to PBV. The regression test result with intervening variable states that Dividend Policy (DPR) is not intervening variable, Debt to Equity Ratio (DER) variable, insider ownership and firm size toward Price Book Value (PBV). Keywords: Debt to Equity Ratio, insider ownership, firm size, dividend payout ratio and price book value


In this study we screened for sequence polymorphisms at one mitochondrial (Cytochrome Oxidase subunit I) and one nuclear (Internal Transcribed Spacer 1) gene 33 populations of the cave cricket genera Diestrammena, Paradiestrammena, Eutachycines and Paratachycines from Southern China (three Provinces: Jiangxi, Guangdong and Guizhou), Laos and Thailand. Twenty-five of these populations were assigned to the genus Diestrammena, subgenus Gymnaeta, while the remaining eight belonged to the genera Paradiestrammena (3), Eutachycines (3) and Paratachycines (2). The degree of troglomorphosis varies among them; some populations are blind and depigmented, some have fully developed eyes, while some others show intermediate characteristics. Phylogenetic searches carried out on the two gene partitions separately revealed multiple cases of incongruence but only three of them were statistically significant and were hence removed from the subsequent analyses based on the combined data set. Our data do not support Diestrammena as monophyletic while representatives of Paradiestrammena, Eutachycines and Paratachycines were clustered together; the validity of some nominal species was confirmed molecularly but we also revealed a large number of deeply divergent lineages. Populations with the same degree of troglomorphosis do not cluster together. We identified five major clades; divergence among them (and in a few circumstances also within them) is always higher than the DNA barcode threshold for intraspecific comparisons in insects. In two circumstances, the same clades (III and V) are co-distributed in geographically distinct areas (Provinces). This geographical distribution might be explained by envisioning an evolutionary scenario based on zones of secondary admixture following epigean dispersal among lineages that diverged in allopatry.


Within the main goal of supporting an open access strategy in the European Research Area, the specific aim of the TO.ACTION project is to spread - among all the relevant stakeholders and agents in the knowledge circulation process -a culture of open access to scientific results generated by publicly funded research. The project relies on a circular mechanism that allows a continuous and dynamic updating of the training actions and contents, a mechanism able to persist even after the project completion. TO.ACTION will enable easier access to the research literature and may speed up the progress of science itself. The project will do so through initiatives that will raise awareness of OA among a range of other stakeholder groups who are essentially consumers (rather than producers) of OA information. These groups would benefit from a better understanding of the potential that OA represents for their respective goals and the skills needed to access and exploit OA outputs.


The self-concepts of visually impaired (n = 61) and normally sighted (n = 229) American school children in Grades 6, 7, and 8 were compared. Self-concept was measured with the Student Self-Assessment Inventory (SSAI; Muller, Larned, Leonetti, & Muller, 1984, 1986), which assesses children's self-knowledge, self-ideal, and self-esteem as related to physical maturity, peer relations, academic success, and school adaptiveness. Visually impaired students scored higher than normally sighted children on 5 of the 12 SSAI subscales, refuting the notion that visually impaired children have poorer self-concepts than normally sighted children.


ABSTRACT In this study, we tested the effect of emotion-supported dialogic reading on word learning, story comprehension, and emotion recognition skills of 3–4 years old children. We conducted a within-subject design with a group where the children participated only in dialogic reading sessions (control) and a group where children participated emotion-supported dialogic reading sessions (experimental). 20 Turkish children (11 girls and 9 boys) from low socioeconomic status families participated in the study. Before the intervention, we measured children's basic emotion recognition skills. Eight storybook readings carried out the intervention. Next, we tested children's retelling, word learning, and emotion recognition. The results showed that children did significantly better recognising basic emotions. In addition, children in Emotion-Supported Dialogic Reading understand the stories better than Only Dialogic Reading. However, children's receptive and expressive vocabulary learning did not differ significantly.


Fish diseases are often introduced by the inlet water, purchased eggs and fish, as well as by birds, visitors, transport vehicles and farm equipment or by farm employees themselves. Eggs should be purchased only from disease-free farms and they must be disinfected routinely on arrival. Employees also represent a disease hazard, mainly after making deliveries to other farms. Hands, boots, and vehicle tyres should be disinfected. Equipment should be kept separate for each pond and be disinfected after each use. Duration of disinfection should be sufficient to kill pathogens. Dead fish should be removed and losses must be recorded daily. There can be serious problems with fish purchased from other farms and sea bass/sea bream broodstock caught from the marine environment. Such fish can enter the farm without any health control. Farmers should follow quarantine measures strictly. Good husbandry and vaccination programmes should be applied. Disease maps, certification programmes and regulations must be established.


In our days, the use of medicinal plants in phytotherapy has received a great interest in biomedical research and becomes as important as chemotherapy. This research focuses on the phytochemical study and determination of polyphenolic compounds of various phenolic extracts from the bark of the pomegranate on one hand, and evaluation of antibacterial activity of the other. Phytochemical analysis of the extracts showed the presence of groups of biologically active compounds, including flavonoids, phenols and polyphenols, and tannins with total polyphenol values ranging from 270.5 μg EAG/mg to 284.61 μg EAG/mg, That the flavonoid content varies between 16.83 μg EQ/mg and 38.47 μg EQ/mg. Very interesting bactericidal properties of the phenolic extracts of the pomegranate bark have been found on the bacteria. At the end of the antimicrobial tests, we found that this extract has a very high activity with diameters of the zones of inhibition varying between 12 and 34 mm. MICs of the extract varied between 0.01 and 0.31 mg/ml. This work showed antibacterial activity against five bacteria can contribute to the fight against infectious diseases.


The relationship between fat and bone mass at distinct trabecular and cortical skeletal compartments in a high-fat diet (HFD) model was studied. For this, C57BL/6 mice were assigned to four groups of eight animals each. Two groups, each of males and females, received a standard chow diet while the remaining other two groups received the HFD for a period of 10 weeks. Male mice on the HFD were heavier and gained more weight (15·8 %; P<  0·05) v. those on the control diet or when compared with the female rats fed the HFD. We observed an increased lipid profile in both males and females, with significantly higher lipid levels (about 20-25 %; P< 0·01) in males. However, glucose intolerance was more pronounced in females than males on the HFD (about 30 %; P< 0·05). The micro-architectural assessment of bones showed that compared with female mice on the HFD, male mice on the HFD showed more deterioration at the trabecular region. This was corroborated by plasma osteocalcin and carboxy-terminal collagen crosslinks (CTx) levels confirming greater loss in males (about 20 %; P< 0·01). In both sexes cortical bone parameters and strength remained unchanged after 10 weeks of HFD treatment. The direct effect of the HFD on bone at the messenger RNA level in progenitor cells isolated from femoral bone marrow was a significantly increased expression of adipogenic marker genes v. osteogenic genes. Overall, the present data indicate that obesity induced by a HFD aggravates bone loss in the cancellous bone compartment, with a greater loss in males than females, although 10 weeks of HFD treatment did not alter cortical bone mass and strength in both males and females.