In a wild population of spotted hyenas, we tested the hypothesis that maternal care during the first year of life and social connectedness during two periods of early development lead to differences in DNA methylation and fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCMs) later in life. We found that although maternal care and social connectedness during the communal den dependent period were not associated with fGCMs, greater social connectedness after hyenas leave their communal den is associated with lower adult fGCMs. Additionally, more maternal care and social connectedness after leaving the communal den corresponded with higher global (%CCGG) DNA methylation. Finally, we identified multiple DNA methylation biomarkers near genes involved in inflammation that may link maternal care and stress phenotype. Our findings suggest that both maternal care during the first year of life and social connections after leaving the den influence DNA methylation and contribute to a developmentally plastic stress response.


1. Omeprazole, a substituted benzimidazole inhibitor of the gastric H+/K(+)-APT-ase, was administered orally at a dose of 20 mg in the morning of 3 consecutive days, followed by a period of 4 days without medication, and this intermittent dosage regimen was continued for 4 weeks. 2. During intermittent administration of omeprazole to 10 patients with duodenal ulcer disease and 10 healthy volunteers concentrations of serum pepsinogen A and serum pepsinogen C were monitored by sensitive and specific radioimmunoassays to study whether the effect of this treatment on serum pepsinogens is different between patients and normal subjects and to evaluate whether serum pepsinogen levels can be used to assess compliance with therapy. 3. Administration of omeprazole for 3 days induced significant increases in pepsinogen A and pepsinogen C serum concentrations, which rapidly fell after stopping the omeprazole intake. The pattern of serum pepsinogens after stopping the drug was different for duodenal ulcer patients and normal subjects. Both pepsinogens were intra-individually related in both patients and healthy subjects when compared during the first and last 3-day course with omeprazole, but in duodenal ulcer patients both pepsinogens tended to be higher in the last treatment course, while the opposite was found in the normal subjects. 4. The present study confirms that serum pepsinogen concentrations are higher in duodenal ulcer patients than in normal subjects, but also shows for the first time that serum pepsinogens in the patients respond differently upon stimulation with omeprazole.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Diabetes impacts on brain metabolism, structure and function. Alterations in brain metabolism have been observed in obesity and diabetes models induced by exposure to diets rich in saturated fat and/or sugar, and have been linked to memory impairment. However, it remains to be determined whether brain dysfunction induced by obesogenic diets results from permanent brain alterations. We tested the hypothesis that an obesogenic diet (high-fat and high-sucrose diet; HFHSD) causes reversible changes in hippocampus and cortex metabolism and alterations in behavior. To test this hypothesis, mice were exposed to HFHSD for 24 weeks or for 16 weeks followed by 8 weeks of diet normalization. Development of the metabolic syndrome, changes in behavior, and brain metabolite profiles by 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) were assessed longitudinally. Control mice were fed an ingredient-matched low-fat and low-sugar diet. Mice fed a HFHSD developed obesity, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance, with a more severe phenotype in male than female mice. Relative to controls, both male and female HFHSD-fed mice showed increased anxiety-like behavior, impaired memory in object recognition tasks, but preserved working spatial memory as evaluated by spontaneous alternation in a Y-maze. Alterations in the metabolite profiles were observed both in the hippocampus and cortex, but were more distinct in the former. HFHSD-induced metabolic changes included altered levels of lactate, glutamate, GABA, glutathione, taurine, N-acetylaspartate, creatine and choline. Notably, HFHSD-induced metabolic syndrome, anxiety, memory impairment, and brain metabolic alterations recovered upon diet normalization for 8 weeks. We conclude that cortical and hippocampal derangements induced by long-term HFHSD consumption are reversible rather than being the result of permanent tissue damage.


The in-vitro susceptibilities to ofloxacin of 159 clinical sputum isolates of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, comprising 95 isolates sensitive to all drugs, 31 isolates resistant to streptomycin or isoniazid or both, 27 isolates resistant to streptomycin, isoniazid and rifampicin and six isolates resistant to rifampicin (and in three cases to other drugs) were determined. Favourable MICs of ofloxacin (0.63-1.25 mg/l) were demonstrated for 147 isolates (92%). Twenty-two patients with resistant strains (including one patient with rifampicin intolerance) were studied: ten were given 300 mg ofloxacin and ten were given 800 mg ofloxacin, once daily in both cases, together with second-line accompanying drugs, for nine months to one year. Two received 800 mg of ofloxacin once daily alone for similar periods. In the 300 mg-ofloxacin group and the 800 mg-ofloxacin group, five and eight patients, respectively, achieved culture conversion; the rest failed. In the former group, the peak serum ofloxacin concentrations were 3.71-8.08 mg/l and the mean sputum/serum ratio was 0.85. In the latter group, the corresponding values were 10-18.7 mg/l, and 0.76, respectively. All patients tolerated the drugs well. Analysing only patients with accompanying drugs, those on ofloxacin 800 mg once daily had more rapid sputum culture conversion than those on ofloxacin 300 mg once daily (Mann-Whitney Wilcoxon Rank Sum Test: P less than 0.05), indicating more rapid bacteriolysis and implying the definite efficacy of ofloxacin when used together with second-line accompanying drugs in the management of resistant tuberculosis.


Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance spectroscopy (DWS) offers unique access to compartment-specific microstructural information on tissue, and potentially sensitive detection of compartment-specific changes in disease. The specificity of DWS is, however, offset by its relative low sensitivity, intrinsic to all MRS-based methods, and further exacerbated by the signal loss due to the diffusion weighting and long echo times. In this work we first provide an experimental example for the type of compartment-specific information that can be obtained with DWS from a small volume of interest (VOI) in brain white matter. We then propose and discuss a strategy for the analysis of DWS data, which includes the use of models of diffusion in compartments with simple geometries. We conclude with a broader discussion of the potential role of DWS in the characterization of tissue microstructure and the complementarity of DWS with less-specific but more sensitive microstructural tools such as diffusion tensor imaging.


The objective of this project was to develop an efficient and accurate algorithm for the back analysis of pavement conditions measured by ground penetrating radar (GPR). In particular, more reliable information about the thickness of the asphalt concrete (AC) layer and the dielectric constants of the AC and base layers were obtained from the electromagnetic field measurements performed on roads using GPR. A brief introduction to the existing methodology for interpreting GPR images is reviewed, and the theory associated with electromagnetic wave propagation in layered structures is described. Utilizing the full waveform solution, algorithms for back analysis of pavement conditions were developed based on the artificial neural network approach and the frequency response function concept. Software called ''GopherGPR'' uses the GPR signal from one antenna to interpret the characteristics of the AC layer with no assumptions on material properties. Thus, the new technique has the capability of providing information not previously available.


Time-of-flight range imaging cameras operate by illuminating a scene with amplitude modulated light and measuring the phase shift of the modulation envelope between the emitted and reflected light. Object distance can then be calculated from this phase measurement. This approach does not work in multiple camera environments as the measured phase is corrupted by the illumination from other cameras. To minimize inaccuracies in multiple camera environments, replacing the traditional cyclic modulation with pseudo-noise amplitude modulation has been previously demonstrated. However, this technique effectively reduced the modulation frequency, therefore decreasing the distance measurement precision (which has a proportional relationship with the modulation frequency). A new modulation scheme using maximum length pseudo-random sequences binary phase encoded onto the existing cyclic amplitude modulation, is presented. The effective modulation frequency therefore remains unchanged, providing range measurements with high precision. The effectiveness of the new modulation scheme was verified using a custom time-of-flight camera based on the PMD19-K2 range imaging sensor. The new pseudo-noise modulation has no significant performance decrease in a single camera environment. In a two camera environment, the precision is only reduced by the increased photon shot noise from the second illumination source.


ABSTRACT: Background/Objective: The superior parietal lobule (SPL) plays a strategic role in somatosensory and visuomotor integration. This study aims to evaluate the clinical, neurocognitive, and behavioral characteristics of isolated SPL stroke. Methods We assessed neuropsychological and behavioral findings in 14 patients with isolated SPL stroke among 4200 patients with ischemic stroke. All patients underwent neuroimaging, clinical and neuropsychological assessment after stroke. Results: Of the 14 patients enrolled, the first complaints were tactile and visuospatial disorders at stroke onset. Except for 6 patients with only 1 cognitive impairment, the majority of patients (57%) experienced more than 1 cognitive impairment category. Functional hemispheric asymmetries have been found in different cognitive processes, such as between visuospatial and body image functions and language process. Among visuospatial abilities disorders, spatial disorientation, visuospatial neglect, and visual extinction were found in two-thirds (63%) of patients with right SPL lesion. Body schema and image disorders were observed in all patients with right-sided lesions, such as alien hand, autotopagnosia for body parts (36%), autotopagnosia for sensory sensations (36%), and fading limb (21%). Two-thirds (57%) of patients with left SPL had impairment in language abilities. Conclusion Our findings after stroke suggest that SPL plays a pivotal role in the regulation of visuospatial abilities, body schema and body image processing, and language skills through bilateral frontoparietal networks and interhemispheric parietal networks.


The objective of this paper is to design a microstrip patch antenna for communication with medical implants in the 402-405-MHz Medical Implant Communications Services band. Microstrip antenna design parameters are evaluated using the finite-difference time-domain method, and are compared to measured results. The effects of shape, length, size, location of feed point and ground point, substrate and superstrate materials, and their thicknesses are evaluated. An extensive study of the performance of the antennas to changes in these parameters was undertaken. The results of this paper provide guidance in the design of implantable microstrip antennas.


ABSTRACT The English child protection system continues to be the focus of national commentary in light of several high-profile deaths and the recently published reports from the Review of Children's Social Care, and the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel. Whilst narratives of 'failure', 'betrayal', and 'scandalous incompetence' perpetuate, these forgo consideration of the complexity of child protection work, nor do they acknowledge that during the COVID-19 'lockdowns', social workers remained one of the few professional groups visiting vulnerable families at home. Moreover, of the recent accounts of the lived experience of social workers, these have omitted a specific overview of what it means to be a child protection practitioner. Drawing from an original ethnography of a statutory child protection team and supplemented by follow-up interviews, the article seeks to elucidate the long-standing lived experience of a cohort of child protection social workers. It highlights a 'tendency' to be the target of threats and intimidation and identifies other costs in the context of health and personal relationships. The article concludes that these findings could help us better understand child protection workforce instability and the system's reliance on agency staff – both of which continue to be identified as contributory in child death tragedies.


Lectins have been increasingly utilized as carriers for targeted drug delivery based on their specific binding to glycans located on mammalian cells. This study employed two lectins, B subunit of bacterial Shiga holotoxin (Stx1B) and fungal Clitocybe nebularis lectin (CNL), for surface display on the lactic acid bacterium Lactococcus lactis. The specific adhesion of these engineered, lectin-displaying L. lactis to cancer cells was evaluated. The expression and surface display of both lectins on L. lactis were demonstrated by western blotting and flow cytometry, respectively. MTS assays revealed that recombinant Stx1B had no effect on Caco-2 cell viability at concentrations of ≤25 µg/mL, whereas CNL was non-toxic even at relatively high concentrations of ≤250 µg/mL. Stx1B bound to Caco-2, HT-29 and HeLa cells after 1 h of incubation. CNL bound to Caco-2 cells and recognized several glycoproteins in HT-29 and Caco-2 cell homogenates of which a 70 kDa protein predominated. Confocal microscopy revealed adhesion of Stx1B-displaying L. lactis to HeLa, Caco-2, and, to a lesser extent, HT-29 cells; CNL-displaying L. lactis showed a relatively similar level of adherence to HT-29 and Caco-2 cells. Thus, lectin-displaying L. lactis might serve as a carrier in targeted drug delivery when coupled to a therapeutic moiety.


Higher education institutions need to be prepared to respond to an economy that is increasingly dependent on workforce quality and preparation. Metropolitan universities are well suited to be responsive to the needs inherent. in workforce preparation and maintenance. This article addresses the means by which universities can gather the necessary information to target their response. The methodology and results of a Northern Illinois University study are presented as an example of such an effort. Using these results, the article presents an analysis of the role of universities in workforce development and the nature of future challenges in such endeavors.


Since the inelastic strain development plays an important role in the low-cycle fatigue (LCF) of High-Performance Polymers (HPPs), the goal of the research was to study the effect of an amorphous polymer matrix type on the resistance to cyclic loading for both polyimide (PI)- and polyetherimide (PEI)-based composites, identically loaded with short carbon fibers (SCFs) of various lengths, in the LCF mode. The fracture of the PI and PEI, as well as their particulate composites loaded with SCFs at an aspect ratio (AR) of 10, occurred with a significant role played by cyclic creep processes. Unlike PEI, PI was less prone to the development of creep processes, probably because of the greater rigidity of the polymer molecules. This increased the stage duration of the accumulation of scattered damage in the PI-based composites loaded with SCFs at AR = 20 and AR = 200, causing their greater cyclic durability. In the case of SCFs 2000 µm long, the length of the SCFs was comparable to the specimen thickness, causing the formation of a spatial framework of unattached SCFs at AR = 200. The higher rigidity of the PI polymer matrix provided more effective resistance to the accumulation of scattered damage with the simultaneously higher fatigue creep resistance. Under such conditions, the adhesion factor exerted a lesser effect. As shown, the fatigue life of the composites was determined both by the chemical structure of the polymer matrix and the offset yield stresses. The essential role of the cyclic damage accumulation in both neat PI and PEI, as well as their composites reinforced with SCFs, was confirmed by the results of XRD spectra analysis. The research holds the potential to solve problems related to the fatigue life monitoring of particulate polymer composites.


Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumour in children and is histologically classified by its Schwannian stromal cells. Although having fewer Schwannian stromal cells is generally associated with more aggressive phenotypes, the exact roles of other stromal cells (mainly macrophages and fibroblasts) are unclear. Here, we examined 41 cases of neuroblastoma using immunohistochemistry for the tumour‐associated macrophage (TAM) markers CD68, CD163, and CD204, and a cancer‐associated fibroblast (CAF) marker, alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA). Each case was assigned to low/high groups on the basis of the number of TAMs or three groups on the basis of the αSMA‐staining area for CAFs. Both the number of TAMs and the area of CAFs were significantly correlated with clinical stage, MYCN amplification, bone marrow metastasis, histological classification, histological type, and risk classification. Furthermore, TAM settled in the vicinity of the CAF area, suggesting their close interaction within the tumour microenvironment. We next determined the effects of conditioned medium of a neuroblastoma cell line (NBCM) on bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM‐MSCs) and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)‐derived macrophages in vitro. The TAM markers CD163 and CD204 were significantly up‐regulated in PBMC‐derived macrophages treated with NBCM. The expression of αSMA by BM‐MSCs was increased in NBCM‐treated cells. Co‐culturing with CAF‐like BM‐MSCs did not enhance the invasive ability but supported the proliferation of tumour cells, whereas tumour cells co‐cultured with TAM‐like macrophages had the opposite effect. Intriguingly, TAM‐like macrophages enhanced not only the invasive abilities of tumour cells and BM‐MSCs but also the proliferation of BM‐MSCs. CXCL2 secreted from TAM‐like macrophages plays an important role in tumour invasiveness. Taken together, these results indicate that PBMC‐derived macrophages and BM‐MSCs are recruited to a tumour site and activated into TAMs and CAFs, respectively, followed by the formation of favourable environments for neuroblastoma progression. © 2016 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.


Fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry was used in direct combination with enzymatic cleavages by endopeptidases for the identification of peptides derived from recombinant proteins. By this fast and simple reaction on the probe tip, the enzymes produced a mixture of smaller peptides. Molecular weights were calculated in advance and used for verification of the amino acid sequence of the original peptide as well as for partial structure determinations. Since the enzymatic reaction took place directly on the probe tip, sample material and time was saved. This technique may be applied especially in such cases where mass spectrometry alone does not give sufficient information and if the mass range of the instrument is limited, e.g. to 2000 daltons.


Abstract There has been substantial interest in the use of ketamine for perioperative analgesia. Recently published articles on 'low dose' ketamine mark the resurgence in interest in the use of the drug for acute pain. Continued interest in ketamine as an anti-depressant also has opened the door to applications beyond the operating room. In this article, we will review: the history of ketamine's clinical use; basic ketamine pharmacology; evidence for the use of perioperative ketamine for analgesia; comments on patient selection for ketamine research; a discussion of the safety and side effect profile of ketamine infusions beyond the operating room; and, lastly, ketamine as a treatment option for psychiatric diseases.


Cementitious materials are subject to degradation when subjected to corrosive chloride media. This paper reports the experimental results on corrosion studies conducted on a potential cementitious material, PCDC, made from a blend of 55 % Ordinary Portland Cement (OPC), Dried Calcium Carbide Residue (DCCR), and an incineration mix of Rice Husks (RH), Spent Beaching Earth (SBE), and Ground Reject Bricks (BB). The experiments were run along 100 % OPC. Different w/c were used. Corrosion current densities using linear polarisation resistance (LPR) and corrosion potentials measurements versus saturated calomel electrode were used for the determination of corrosion rates and potentials, respectively, for simulated reinforcement at different depths of cover in the cement mortars. The results showed that PCDC exhibited higher corrosion current densities over all depths of covers and early attainment of active corrosion than the control cements. In conclusion, PCDC and OPC can be used in a similar corrosive media during construction.


Information about a real patient is presented in stages (boldface type) to expert clinicians (Drs. Neal K. Lakdawala and Jacob P. Laubach) who respond to the information, sharing his or her reasoning with the reader (regular type). A discussion by the authors follows.

A 63-year-old man with previous combat-related Agent Orange exposure and no healthcare contact for 40 years presented to his primary care physician with dyspnea on exertion, orthopnea, and bilateral lower extremity edema. Electrocardiography reportedly showed sinus rhythm, and transthoracic echocardiography demonstrated moderate left ventricular hypertrophy with normal systolic function. New onset heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, attributed to hypertensive heart disease, was diagnosed, and he was begun on diuretics with an initial modest improvement in his symptoms. He presented to our hospital 1 month later with worsening heart failure symptoms and inadequate outpatient response to escalating doses of oral furosemide.

The patient reported dyspnea with minimal activity, severe orthopnea, nightly paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, and worsening lower extremity edema. There was a history of abdominal distension, although he found that his arms were thinner and his eyes appeared more sunken-in. On examination he was cachectic with a pulse of 85 beats per minute, blood pressure of 82/70 mm Hg, and respiratory rate of 28 breaths per minute with labored breathing. His skin was cool to touch. A diminished single first heart sound, persistently split second sound with a prominent pulmonary component, and S3 gallop were present. Jugular venous pressure was estimated at 18 cm H 2 O. The remainder of the examination was notable for dullness to percussion at the lung bases, ascites, tender hepatomegaly, and marked bilateral lower extremity pitting edema. ECG revealed sinus rhythm with low voltages in the limb leads and no criteria …


Objective: To investigate the relationship between microdeletion of azoospermia factor(AZF) and male infertility.Methods: Multiplex PCR was used to detect Y chromosome microdeletion in AZFa,AZFb and AZFc of 118 cases of idiopathic azoospermia,84 cases of severe idiopathic oligozoospermia,and 66 cases of healthy male controls.Results: No microdeletion was found in 66 controls.Y chromosome microdeletion was found in 25 of 202 azoospermia patients,the total p revalence rate of microdeletion was 12.4%.There were 17 cases(12 for azoospermia,5 for severe oligozoospermia) in AZFc(8.4%);3 cases(1 for azoospermia,2 for severe oligozoo spermia) in AZFb+c(1.5%);1 case(1 for azoospermia) in AZFa+b+c(0.5%).According to statistics,the difference between two groups was significant(P0.001).Conclusion: Y chromosome microdeltions is an important reason for azoospermia,and the screening of Y chromosome microdeletions for azoospermia patients before ICSI treatment is essential.


The aim of this paper is to illustrate the main relationship between the independent variables that heavily contribute to fleet resizing. Commonly a shipping company has a fleet for transporting the goods from one port to another around the world. This fleet consists of a group of carriers that transports a fixed amount of cargo between two ports over a period of time and for a fixed cost. The number of carriers in the fleet is heavily dependent on the amount of goods to be delivered annually as stated in the contract. The number of carriers can vary according to the size and speed of the vessels. In addition, fleet operations, scheduling, routing and fleet design can contribute to the development of the overall configuration of the shipping fleet. Specialised long haul carriers with known operating routes such as liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier transportation depends on the following factors: the ship's daily running costs, voyage costs, costs at sea, costs at port and daily lay-up costs, as well as the number of round voyages per year, lay-up costs of the carrier and number of lay-up days per year. It is clear that there are many different input parameters that are required for fleet optimisation. The objective of fleet optimisation is generally to find the ideal number of ships to deliver the goods according to the contract and to reduce overall fleet costs. The costs are referred to as capital and operational costs. The capital costs or initial expenses are all of the costs that are incurred prior to the commissioning and entry into service of the LNG carrier. Meanwhile, other fixed and variable costs, or future expenses, are all costs that are incurred after delivery of the vessel. However before carried out any fleet optimisation, comprehensive study regarding relationship between all the parameters that affect the fleet size should be established.


The Pacific Ocean contributes more than 50 percent to global tuna production. The central and eastern regions have the most productive tuna fisheries in the Pacific. These regions include countries that are signatories to the Parties to the Nauru Agreement (PNA), a coalition of eight countries rich in tuna resources. In 2007 the PNA introduced the Vessel Day Scheme (VDS), an effort or input based management scheme. Under the VDS, licenses to fish in PNA exclusive economic zones (EEZ) are sold on a 'per-day effort' basis. Each member country is assigned a share of the licenses which are specific to each country. Each country is responsible for the sale of its licenses, the majority of which are sold by auction to foreign fishing fleets. A key aim of the PNA countries is to ensure the future health of the fishery, while maximizing the returns from this important source of income. This thesis attempts to contribute to this effort by examining the PNA and the VDS to analyse two key questions. The first question is whether the PNA should switch from the VDS to an output based regulation scheme, where licenses are sold based on the catch size. As an effort based scheme, the VDS has only indirect control of the landed catch size of each vessel, and a key criticism is that there is no upper limit on the size of the catch. Not only could the catch value be higher than the license revenue, this has also led to concerns about the sustainability of the fishery. The second question is whether a single global license allowing access to all countries would have any significant benefits over the current licenses which are specific to each country. Basic economic theory suggests that selling licenses individually yields lower revenue levels, relative to selling licenses as a coalition. However, a key consideration is a sharing rule that would be used to distribute revenue shares from a single license. An independent review of the VDS in 2014 recommended these two issues, among others, for further analysis. I address these questions in three steps. First, I introduce heterogeneity of fishing vessels into the standard textbook model for a single fishery and show that in this single country case, revenue from output regulation is always higher relative to input regulation. Although this result is important, it provides limited insight into a multi-country setting such as the PNA, which has additional dynamics between countries. Second, extending this model to a two country case the analysis suggests that under ideal conditions, output regulation still yields higher income levels. However, in this multi-country setting each fishing vessel has to choose which country to buy licenses from. This additional dynamic reveals that without the assumption of perfect information for the fishery manager, achieving the target harvest and stock levels set by the manager can be difficult. Finally, I compare the returns from selling a single global license relative to individual local licenses by developing a revenue sharing mechanism based on the distribution of fish stocks over each member country. The results show that a single license not only yields greater revenue levels, but also provides a more stable revenue stream over time.


PURPOSE There is limited trial evidence concerning the long-term effects of screening for type 2 diabetes on population morbidity. We examined the effect of a population-based diabetes screening program on cardiovascular morbidity, self-rated health, and health-related behaviors. METHODS We conducted a pragmatic, parallel-group, cluster-randomized controlled trial of diabetes screening (the ADDITION-Cambridge study) including 18,875 individuals aged 40 to 69 years at high risk of diabetes in 32 general practices in eastern England (27 practices randomly allocated to screening, 5 to no-screening for control). Of those eligible for screening, 466 (2.9%) were diagnosed with diabetes. Seven years after randomization, a random sample of patients was sent a postal questionnaire: 15% from the screening group (including diabetes screening visit attenders and non-attenders) and 40% from the no-screening control group. Self-reported cardiovascular morbidity, self-rated health (using the SF-8 Health Survey and EQ-5D instrument), and health behaviors were compared between trial groups using an intention-to-screen analysis. RESULTS Of the 3,286 questionnaires mailed out, 1,995 (61%) were returned, with 1,945 included in the analysis (screening: 1,373; control: 572). At 7 years, there were no significant differences between the screening and control groups in the proportion of participants reporting heart attack or stroke (OR = 0.90, 95% CI, 0.71–1.15); SF-8 physical health summary score as an indicator of self-rated health status (β −0.33, 95% CI, −1.80 to 1.14); EQ-5D visual analogue score (β: 0.80, 95% CI, −1.28 to 2.87); total physical activity (β 0.50, 95% CI, −4.08 to 5.07); current smoking (OR 0.97, 95% CI, 0.72 to 1.32); and alcohol consumption (β 0.14, 95% CI, −1.07 to 1.35). CONCLUSIONS Invitation to screening for type 2 diabetes appears to have limited impact on population levels of cardiovascular morbidity, self-rated health status, and health behavior after 7 years.


Reconfigurable logic systems approach the performance of application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) while retaining much of the generality of conventional computing systems through reconfiguration. Unfortunately, the development of these systems, unlike conventional software systems, is hardware-intensive, requiring significant hardware development time. One way to introduce a more flexible development approach is to implement a customizable stored-program processor. For a given application, the designer can develop customized hardware to increase performance and then control the sequencing and operation of this hardware with software. Development time can be significantly reduced because conventional software development tools, e.g. assemblers and compilers, can be used to quickly develop new applications on the customized processor. This paper presents the Nano Processor, a fully customizable reconfigurable processor, together with its integrated assembler, that has been successfully implemented on the Xilinx 3000 series field programmable gate array (FPGA).<<ETX>>


The Jiamusi massive and its eastern edge are important geologic structural unit in the northeast part of China, its structure meaning has drawn extensive attention. To detect the relationship of deep crust construction and structure between Jiamusi massive and its east region, a research of MT detection along the Huanan_Raohe line (about 240km) has been conducted. By adopting two_dimensional smooth model to inverse the MT data of Huanan_Raohe MT profile, the result has distinctly revealed electrical structure of the section: (1) In west segment of the section there is a geosphere which has a stable high resistivity feature and stable thickness about 90km, within the depth of more than ten kilometers exists a high conductivity layer, corresponding to Jiamusi massive, (2)The central part of the section obviously contains a geoelectro gradient zone, which indicates the east boundary of the Jiamusi massive and its deep configuration state, (3)The east segment of the section indicates that the east superficial segment of the Jiamusi massive is thrust nappe, and the several high resistivity bodies in the deep are probably earlier subducted lithosphere relic.


We consider a problem of grouping multiple graphs into several clusters using singular value thesholding and non-negative factorization. We derive a model selection information criterion to estimate the number of clusters. We demonstrate our approach using "Swimmer data set" as well as simulated data set, and compare its performance with two standard clustering algorithms.


Background Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is an infrequent disease characterized by clinical signs and symptoms of extreme inflammation, it can be associated with severe clinical manifestations and death. MAS can occur in the setting of an active systemic disease (malignancy or rheumatic disease) or an active infection. There is a paucity of data regarding MAS and rheumatic diseases. Objectives To describe clinical and laboratory characteristics, treatment modalities and treatment results in patients with MAS associated with Rheumatic diseases in a high complexity health center. Methods Six patients were found in the clinical registry of the Rheumatology service of the Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre in Madrid, Spain, from the years 2007 to 2011. Their clinical history charts and laboratory exams where revised in a retrospective way. Patients with malignancy were not included Results Four patients had Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) and two had systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (sJIA). The mean age was 24.6±7.8 years; only one patient was male (with SLE). Their clinical characteristics were: fever (100%), skin lesions (83%), hepatomegaly (66%), arthritis (66%), splenomegaly (50%), oral lesions (50%), lung involvement (33%) and central nervous system involvement (33%), only one patient had intravascular disseminated coagulation. In 50% of the cases the trigger factor was an infection (with a Type 6 Herpes Virus infection included). Suppression of two cell lines was present in 83% of the patients, with lymphopenia in 100% of them. Eighty three percent had anemia and 50% had thrombocytopenia. Five patients had fibrinogen levels below 200 mg/dl. All patients had hepatic cytolysis (average AST 476 IU/L ± 443), elevated ferritin level (average 6634±3870 ng/ml), elevated triglyceride levels (446±159 mg/dl), lactate dehydrogenase elevation (2443±1886 U/L), elevated C-reactive protein (7.07±3.31 mg/dl), elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate 83% (54.5±30 mm/h). Of the 4 patients with SLE, all of them had low C3 levels (94±63 mg/dl, with a range of 47-216 mg/dl). Hemophagocytosis was present in all of the bone marrow examinations. All the patients received initial broad spectrum antibiotics, methylprednisolone pulses followed by prednisone 1 mg/kg per day and cyclosporine A. Four patients received Intravenous Immunoglobulin G and two Etoposide (VP-16), only one patient received plasmapheresis. Both patients with sJIA where treated with Anakinra and one also required etanercept and tocilizumab. The mean follow up was 33±19 months (range 18-51 months) and there were no deaths. Two patients had relapses (one with SLE and one with sJIA), none of these had received Etoposide. Fifty percent required blood cell and platelet transfusion and two patients had plasma and fibrinogen transfusions also. Conclusions SLE and sJIA are the rheumatic disease most commonly associated with SAM. Fever, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperferritinemia, hepatic cytolysis, lactate dehydrogenase elevation and high C-reactive protein are the most common manifestations in MAS. Triggering factors were infections and rheumatic disease activity in equal proportions. Aggressive treatment from the beginning with Etoposide could prevent relapses. Disclosure of Interest None Declared


After a brief review of early developments, two recent examples of applications of symmetries in nuclear physics are presented: (i) pseudo-spin symmetry which can be used to extend Wigner's supermultiplet model to heavy nuclei; (ii) symmetries of the interacting boson model with isoscalar and isovector bosons which can be used to analyze the problem of deuteron transfer in N = Z nuclei.


In Betula pendula buds are produced on long and on short shoots. The long shoots bear many daughter buds on elongated internodes and they contribute overwhelmingly to the increase in the size of the tree and to its architecture. Short shoots normally bear only one bud and at best only replace themselves each year in the shoot population. Individual trees were grown close together in groups of three so that each experienced interference from neighbours on one side and not on the other. A lower proportion of buds in the high-interference zone developed into long shoots in the second and third years of the three-year experiment and a lower proportion survived to the end of the growing season in year 2. The overall proportion of buds that died was greater in the high-interference zone. The influence of neighbours became more marked as branches aged and were overtopped in the canopy. This led to asymmetry in the form of the trees. The different sides of a single tree in this study may approach the form of an open-grown individual on one side and that of a forest tree on the other.


This brief pedagogical essay, focusing on social science classrooms, provides fellow instructors with practical strategies and advice in reducing the presence of stereotype threat in their classrooms. Techniques of task reframing, practices of positive affirmation, the providing of constructive criticism, the incorporation of marginalized groups into course content, and suggestions for meeting stereotype threat head-on are discussed as are some strategies students can adopt themselves. While the methods of stereotype threat reduction addressed in this essay can help curtail some of the negative impacts of racism's micro-level forces, stereotype threat must also be considered a structural problem that requires structural solutions.


The Internet of Things is a concept that is increasingly present in our lives. The emergence of intelligent devices has led to a paradigm shift in the way technology interacts with the environment, leading society to a smarter planet. Consequently, new advanced telemetry approaches appear to connect all kinds of devices with each other, with companies, or with other networks, such as the Internet. On the road to an increasingly interconnected world, where critical devices rely on communication networks to provide an essential service, there arises the need to ensure the security and reliability of these protocols and applications. In this paper, we discuss a security-based approach for MQTT (Message Queue Telemetry Transport), which stands out as a very lightweight and widely used messaging and information exchange protocol for IoT (Internet of Things) devices throughout the world. To that end, we propose the creation of a framework that allows for performing a novel, template-based fuzzing technique on the MQTT protocol. The first experimental results showed that performance of the fuzzing technique presented here makes it a good candidate for use in network architectures with low processing power sensors, such as Smart Cities. In addition, the use of this fuzzer in widely used applications that implement MQTT has led to the discovery of several new security flaws not hitherto reported, demonstrating its usefulness as a tool for finding security vulnerabilities.


OBJECTIVE
To identify areas of consensus and controversy in the management of neonatal candidiasis.

METHODS
A questionnaire was distributed to US-based members of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society and a sampling of US neonatologists.

RESULTS
Three hundred eighty evaluable questionnaires were returned (42% of those mailed). Ninety-five percent of respondents have cared for an infant with systemic candidiasis in the past 2 years. Fluconazole and liposomal amphotericin are used to some extent by 90 and 69% of respondents, respectively. A single blood culture positive for Candida led to a recommendation for immediate treatment by 99%; amphotericin B was the preferred therapy for candidemia (88%). More than 80% of respondents would request cerebrospinal fluid, urine and repeat blood cultures and ophthalmologic examination in the evaluation of candidemia. If a cerebrospinal fluid culture is positive, 25% would use amphotericin B alone whereas 62% would add flucytosine. For candiduria Society members chose fluconazole therapy more often than did neonatologists, 23% vs. 3.4% (P<0.001). There was no consensus concerning duration of therapy, use of an amphotericin B test dose or management of a central catheter in place during candidemia.

CONCLUSIONS
Systemic candidiasis in neonates is a frequently encountered clinical problem. There is agreement that prompt therapy with amphotericin B is required if a blood culture is positive for Candida and that such infants require additional evaluations. Other antifungals (fluconazole, liposomal amphotericin B) are used to some extent in this population. Many issues in management have no clear consensus and warrant further research.


Augmented Reality and Recommendation Systems for Groups. A New Perspective on Tourist Destinations Systems. New technologies are a very active field that offer added value to the tourist. The destinations should provide technological tools that are able to provide customized and interactive information. Currently it is very common to use tools such as guides or web pages, which cover the basic needs of tourists. These resources are insufficient, and the evolution of current mobile devices has caused a change in the way that tourists interact and obtain information. A particular case is augmented reality, which allows developing applications that enhance the tourist experience. In this context, it is particularly interesting the customization of information through recommendation systems. We present in this paper a context-aware augmented reality system applied to tourism, which uses recommendation techniques for groups in integrated management system for tourist destinations.


ABSTRACT
We have determined the density, rheological behavior and surface tension of whey protein concentrate (WPC) solutions.

Densities (ρ) were measured at concentrations of 0.05–0.40 w/w at temperatures of 20–35C. The results were expressed as a function of temperature and mass fraction (w). This function fit the data with deviations of less than±0.4%.

Apparent viscosities (ηa) for WPC solutions with mass fractions w ≤ 0.20 at temperatures of 10–40C and high shear rates, 50–1,200/s, were found to be independent of shear rates, implying that the rheological behavior of WPC solutions is Newtonian. Dynamic viscosity (η) data were fitted to an empirical function of the WPC mass fraction and temperature with a mean deviation of±4.7%.

Surface tensions (σ) were determined for mass fractions between 0.01 and 0.30 at 25C. At this temperature and w = 0.05, there was a critical surface tension,σc = 42.5 mN/m. When w ≥ 0.10, the arithmetic mean ofσat 25C was 46.3 mN/m. The surface tension values were similar to those published for skimmed milk at 25C. In addition, for w = 0.05 and w = 0.20, we found that at temperatures between 20 and 40C, the surface tension decreased linearly with temperature. These linear equations fit our experimental data with an average deviation lower than±0.4%.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
Density, rheological behavior and surface tension are required to design and control processes with momentum, heat and mass transfer. The process of producing protein concentrates from milk or whey by ultrafiltration uses spiral-wound membranes. The cross-flow pressure drop and permeate mass flow are a function of fluid density and viscosity, which in turn depend on concentration and temperature. The ultrafiltration process used to concentrate solutions with mass fractions of about 0.10–0.20 w/w must then be treated to avoid physicochemical or microbiological alterations. Spray drying is usually used as the preservation technique. In the spray-drying design, these physical properties are necessary to calculate the mean droplet diameter and droplet size distribution.


RNA interference (RNAi) is a potent and ubiquitous gene-silencing mechanism that is generating considerable excitement in the fields of molecular biology and gene therapy. It is now in widespread use for loss-of-function analysis in many diseases including cancer. Nevertheless, RNAi is still in its infancy, with new discoveries appearing on a monthly basis. This article presents a brief outline of the history and recent advances in RNAi with a specific focus on its potential in oncology.


Considering that children spend much of their day at school, is very important to evaluate the potability of drinking water because it is used for hydration, as well in all hygiene activities and food preparation. Furthermore, many schools do not perform proper maintenance and cleaning of their water reservoirs, which can cause contamination. In the case of educational institutions, the worry with diseases related to water and food (DVA) must be rigorous since should be assumed that children, especially the younger ones, are very susceptible to food intoxication. The contaminated water consumption can lead to the development of several diseases, including diarrhea, which causes general commitment of the child health, besides affecting its school development. This study aimed to evaluate the microbiological quality of food establishment water supply of public schools in Alfenas MG. Microbiological analyzes were performed (Aerobic Mesophilic, Total Coliforms and Escherichia coli) and chemical (pH and chlorine), using reference values of legislation. 63 samples were analyzed, in which 14% were contaminated. The results also demonstrated the importance of monitoring water quality, and adopting preventive and corrective measures.


The residential segregation of families by income and by stage of the family life cycle within Milwaukee's black community resembles in both pattern and degree that in the white community. The greater the difference in income, the more dissimilar are the distributions by census tract. Dissimilarity is greater between younger couples without children and older couples with children than between any other pair of family types defined by husband's age and presence of children. However, segregation by income was substantially greater than by family type in 1960. The bases of selectivity of blacks in"changing" areas of the city, where the proportion black is still relatively low, and of whites in the"suburban" areas adjoining the city are similar. Families in the higher income groups and couples with children are over-represented in these areas. It would appear that given the pressures of limited housing space in the inner core of the black community, given the fact that certain amenities are not available in that area, and given the economic and social barriers which restrict the movement of blacks into the suburbs, the changing areas must function as"suburbs" for the black community.


Utilizing the unlicensed spectrum as supplementary is being studied to meet the increasingly growing demand of user equipment for rate, traffic and bandwidth, and thus to mitigate the current spectrum scarcity crisis. In this paper, we investigate the uplink multi-user multiple-input multiple-output (UL MU-MIMO) technique to achieve multiplexing gain in unlicensed spectrum. We first define a new parameter called channel busy radio (CBR) which is related to the probability of occupying the unlicensed channel, and find that the failure to occupy the unlicensed channel leads to the performance degradation in unlicensed spectrum. Then, according to the user-specific CBR of the unlicensed channel, we propose a flexible scheduling scheme for UL MU-MIMO in unlicensed spectrum, and formulate an optimization problem for the optimal scheduled user number. Furthermore, an adaptive scheduling algorithm is proposed to decide the optimal number of the scheduled users efficiently. The simulation results show that, based on statistical channel condition in unlicensed spectrum, adjusting the number of the scheduled user flexibly can offset the degraded throughput and form an optimal MU-MIMO transmission.


In this paper, we present a proposed methodology to determine the optimal capacitor locations and sizes for power-loss reduction in a radial distribution system. The objective is to minimize energy loss by considering capacitor cost. Here, both the power loss index (PLI)-based approach and the loss sensitivity coefficient-based approach are comparatively studied to determine the optimal capacitor location. The index-based approach combined with a genetic algorithm is used to determine the capacitor sizes. We also discuss about how customer loads and costs change after reactive power compensation. The proposed method were tested on the IEEE 13-bus and 34-bus test systems, and the results are comparatively analyzed and discussed.


China has always tried to maintain a stable and peaceful environment in the territories on its borders and has made great efforts to ensure that all the countries of Central Asia have remained under its influence since 1949. Consequently, increased U.S. presence in Central Asia has caused great discomfort in Chinese policy circles. One Chinese approach to the countries of this region is to engage Central Asian nations through channels relating to energy, and oil in particular. In recent years, Chinese oil companies have purchased rights and exploited reserves of oil and natural gas in many Central Asian countries. Through its oil companies, the Chinese establishment strengthens and deepens bonds of friendship with countries like Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and Tajikistan. This practice has become known as 'oil diplomacy.' This new tool offers the Chinese government two benefits, as it engenders both the increased projection of Chinese geopolitical power and the dilution of U.S. influence in the region.


Chicken  eggshell  waste  contributes  to  environmental because it have CaCO3 content. Calcium  carbonate  in chicken  eggshells  is  used  as  a  basic  material  in  the  synthesis  of  CaO  nanoparticles  through  a calcination process at 900oC. CaO nanoparticles have unique characteristics that make them are needed for various fields of application such as environment, materials, and biomedicine. In addition, the synthesis of these nanoparticles can reduce the use of hazardous and environmentally friendly chemicals. This method has been widely used as an alternative method, one of which  utilizes  secondary  metabolites found  in  ethanol extract of  bay  leaves as reducing  and stabilizing agents. This research was conducted with 3 volume variations of bay leaf extract with calcined eggshell base materials, namely 3:7, 5:5, and 7:3 (v/v) to determine the effect on the resulting particle   size.   Characterization   of   CaO   nanoparticles   using   UV-Vis,   FTIR,   and  SEM.   The nanoparticles obtained were in the form of white fine powder. The characterization results show the maximum absorption of CaO nanoparticles at λ 215 - 270 nm. Based on the FTIR spectra, Ca-O bonds can be identified in the three variations at 712 cm-1  dan 514 cm-1  and  874 cm-1  shows Ca-O-Ca bond. The resulting material has a flake shape and agglomeration morphology with an average particle size range of 43-498 nm.


Objectives : The purpose of the present study was to explore a possible interaction effect of stress and social support on the smoking status and identify smoking related factors of high school students, Methods : A cross-sectional design was used for this study. A total of 1,251 high school students from Gyeonggi-do were selected using stratified-proportional random cluster sampling methods, The participants completed a set of questionnaires to measure their smoking status, stress, social support and sociodemographic information, The obtained data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, -tests and hierarchical logistic regressions. Results : The interaction effect of stress and social support on smoking status was not supported. However, stress, sex, types of school, parent's smoking and friends' smoking were significantly predicted the smoking status of the high school students. Conclusions : In relation to the prevention of adolescents' smoking, it is recommended to decrease the stress levels of students, to make adolescents' parents cease smoking, and to educate adolescents on how to refuse the temptation to smoke or pressure from their smoking friend.


Diversity-oriented synthesis (DOS) has historically focused on the development of small-molecule collections with considerable chemical diversity with the hypothesis that chemical diversity will lead to diverse biological activities. We have taken a systematic approach to DOS to develop a focused library of reduced flavones from γ-pyrones with diversity of appendage, stereochemistry, and chemical properties to determine which features of small molecules are most predictive of biological performance diversity. The effects of these systematic modifications on biodiversity were determined using cell painting and cytotoxicity assays to compare the results of multiple methods of assessment. We observed that greater fraction of sp3 hybridized atoms (fsp3) does not always lead to enhanced biodiversity, stereochemistry and appendage diversity both contribute to biodiversity, and that lipophilicity of the pyrone class of compounds correlates with biodiversity. These results will contribute to the development of a general algorithm to predict which chemical features should be considered during the synthesis of DOS libraries to create biological performance-diverse collections of small molecules for probe and drug discovery.


The impairment of astrocyte functions is associated with diabetes mellitus and other neurodegenerative diseases. Astrocytes have been proposed to be essential cells for neuroprotection against elevated levels of methylglyoxal (MG), a highly reactive aldehyde derived from the glycolytic pathway. MG exposure impairs primary astrocyte viability, as evaluated by different assays, and these cells respond to MG elevation by increasing glyoxalase 1 activity and glutathione levels, which improve cell viability and survival. However, C6 glioma cells have shown strong signs of resistance against MG, without significant changes in the glyoxalase system. Results for aminoguanidine coincubation support the idea that MG toxicity is mediated by glycation. We found a significant decrease in glutamate uptake by astrocytes, without changes in the expression of the major transporters. Carbenoxolone, a nonspecific inhibitor of gap junctions, prevented the cytotoxicity induced by MG in astrocyte cultures. Thus, our data reinforce the idea that astrocyte viability depends on gap junctions and that the impairment induced by MG involves glutamate excitotoxicity. The astrocyte susceptibility to MG emphasizes the importance of this compound in neurodegenerative diseases, where the neuronal damage induced by MG may be aggravated by the commitment of the cells charged with MG clearance.


The [N···I···N]+ type halogen bond has been utilized to synthesize supramolecular architectures, while the applications in constructing helical motifs and modulating supramolecular chirality have been unexplored so far. In this work, the [N···I···N]+ halogen bond was introduced to drive the formation of supramolecular helical polymers via a Ag(I) coordination intermediate, showing tunable supramolecular chirality. Pyridine segments were conjugated to the asymmetric ferrocene skeleton, which show "open" and "closed" geometry depending on the sp2 N positions. Coordination with Ag(I) generated one-dimensional (1D) double helices and 2D helicates featured the [Ag(O)···I···Ag(O)]+ bond, which further stacked into 3D porous frameworks with chiral channels and adjustable pore sizes. Ionic exchange afforded 1D supramolecular helical polymers in solution phases driven by the [N···I···N]+ type halogen bonds, which was evidenced by the experimental results and density functional theory calculation. Fc2 exclusively demonstrated tunable supramolecular chirality in the formation of coordinated and halogen bonded polymers. In addition, solvent change would further inverse the helicity of halogen bonded supramolecular helical polymers depending on the rotation of the ferrocenyl core whose "closed" and "open" states were accompanied by the breakage of intramolecular hydrogen bonds. This work introduces a [N···I···N]+ type ionic halogen bond to prepare supramolecular helical polymers, providing multiple protocols in regulating helicity by ion exchange and solvent environments.


This paper presents a novel microfluidic analytical platform called GRAVITM , with particular emphasis on the benchtop robotised version of this system which is dedicated to fast and automated enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) in low volumes. By dramatically reducing time-to-result (assay time of <10 min, including chip regeneration) and significantly decreasing sample/reagent consumption and cost, this microfluidic biosensor system enables to perform multi-menu immunoassays with simplified robotics and laboratory infrastructure.


We study the model of metric voting initially proposed by Feldman et al. [2020]. In this model, experts and candidates are located in a metric space, and each candidate possesses a quality that is independent of her location. An expert evaluates each candidate as the candidate's quality less the distance between the candidate and the expert in the metric space. The expert votes for her favorite candidate. Naturally, the expert prefers candidates that are "similar" to herself, i.e., close to her location in the metric space, thus creating bias in the vote. The goal is to select a voting rule and a committee of experts to mitigate the bias. More specifically, given m candidates, what is the minimum number of experts needed to ensure that the voting rule selects a candidate whose quality is at most ε worse than the best one? Our first main result is a new way to select the committee using exponentially less experts compared to the method proposed in Feldman et al. [2020]. Our second main result is a novel construction that substantially improves the lower bound on the committee size. Indeed, our upper and lower bounds match in terms of m, the number of candidates, and ε, the desired accuracy, for general convex normed spaces, and differ by a multiplicative factor that only depends on the dimension of the underlying normed space but is independent of other parameters of the problem. We further extend the nearly matching upper and lower bounds to the setting in which each expert returns a ranking of her top k candidates and we wish to choose ℓ candidates with cumulative quality at most ε worse than that of the best set of ℓ candidates, settling an open problem of Feldman et al. [2020]. Finally, we consider the setting where there are multiple rounds of voting. We show that by introducing another round of voting, the number of experts needed to guarantee the selection of an ε-optimal candidate becomes independent of the number of candidates.


Background: Young adults are likely to distinguish risk factor from elderly concerning ischemic stroke. Aims and Objective: Measure the comparison of risk factor between the young adult and elderly onset of ischemic stroke. Material and Methods: This was a cross sectional study using secondary data from electronic medical record and electronic stroke registry of Bethesda Hospital Yogyakarta Indonesia. The stroke was diagnosed with standard way by well-trained neurologist and confirmed with CT Scan. The risk factors were defined systematically. We used OpenEpi sample size calculation and Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20 with significance level 0,05. Results: The data of 200 subjects consisted of 100 patients aged under 50 years and 100 patients aged above 50 years. Patients in the elderly group more frequently had atrial fibrillation (92,3% vs 7,6%, p= 0.001). On the other hand, the elderly group more often dyslipidemia (52,1% vs 47,9%) and ischemic heart disease (75% vs 25%). Diabetes and hypertension are more common in young onset compare the old one (57,1% vs 42,9% and 57,6% vs 42,4%). There was not a significantly different risk's factor include dyslipidemia, ischemic heart disease, diabetes and hypertension both of the group. Conclusion: Atrial fibrillation is the leading risk factor for ischemic stroke, particularly in elderly patients. These findings suggest specializing stroke care to secondary prevention in patient with risk factors.


The conventional shape memory effect (SME) and pseudoelasticity (PE) in as-grown [100] single crystals of Co49Ni21Ga30 alloy under compression are reported. The parent single crystals exhibit about 5% transformation strain at compressive stress levels as low as 4 MPa, and a pseudoelastic strain of 4.5%. Complete PE was observed in the temperature range from 35 to 285°C, along with increasing stress hysteresis with temperature. The latter is attributed to increasing number of variants and the corresponding variant–variant interactions. We demonstrate that the current material can be utilized in applications that demand high strength at elevated temperatures. Moreover, the current results also indicate the potential of this material to exhibit magnetic shape memory effect, which could broaden the scope of utility of this material upon further research.


Ambrosia beetles are the predominant Scolytidae in Brazil. Little is known about the attractiveness of exotic conifer tree volatiles to native scolytids. Objectives were to compare the attractiveness of logs with and without bark of Pinus oocarpa Schiede, P. caribaea variety bahamensis Barrett & Golfari, P. car, variety caribaea Barrett & Golfari and P. car, variety hondurensis Barrett & Golfari over time to native scolytids in different pine stands, to compare the relative attractiveness of logs relative to ethanol traps, to determine how long it takes for logs to become attractive to ambrosia beetles and when attraction peaks occur, and to determine if volatiles released by live standing trees would mask volatiles released by logs of the same species. In young stands, Hypothenemus was the predominant insect genus, whereas in older stands Xyleborus predominated. Debarked logs trapped more beetles than logs with bark. Pine log species attractiveness was not influenced by volatiles present in the stand. Beetles were divided into the following 3 groups, based on response to log volatiles and ethanol: (1) species attracted to ethanol and not responding to pine terpenes Ambrosiodmus hagedorni (Iglesia). A. retusus (Eichhoff), X. spinulosus Blandford, Corthylus schaufussi Schiede, Cryptocarenus heveae (Hagedorn), H. obscurus (F.), (2) species attracted to ethanol but responding to pine terpenes Xyleborinus gracilis (Eichhoff), X. affinis Eichhoff, H. eruditus Westwood, Premnobius cavipennis Eichhoff, and (3) species more attracted to pine terpenes and less responsive to ethanol, A. obliquus (Le Conte). X. ferrugineus F., X. catulus Blandford. Pinus car. variety bahamensis was the least attractive pine, P. oocarpa the most attractive. The attraction peak varied according to the season; logs were not attractive to beetles 10 wk after cutting.


Terminally child life: perceptions and feelings of nurses Objective: To understand the perceptions and feelings of professional nurses towards death and the dying process of children. Methodology: qualitative and exploratory, based on thematic categories. The participants were seven nurses of the Neonatal and Pediatric Intensive Care Unit of a general hospital in the Northwest region of the Rio Grande do Sul (One of the Brazilian States). Data were collected through open questions in the period from February to March 2013 and were submitted to analysis by rating, sorting and final data analysis. Results: There has been difficulty for nurses to accept, confront and assimilate the finiteness of child life. It was also observed that nurse care is fundamental in those moments of end-of-life. Conclusion: The results show the lack of emotional preparedness of nurses and the lack of assistance, be it in the academic training or in continued education, as well as the lack of therapeutical support to deal with the situation in health care institutions.


Standard Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography (FDOCT) suffers from the presence of autocorrelation terms that obscure the object information and degrade the sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio. By exploiting the phase information of the recorded interferograms, it is possible to remove those autocorrelation terms and to double the measurement range. However, standard phase-retrieval algorithms need three to five interferograms. We present a novel technique that shows all the features of complex FDOCT with only two recorded interferograms.


Introduction Trans-Anal Submucosal Endoscopic Resection (TASER) is a novel instrumental platform for resection of large (≥5 cm) and/or complex rectal polyps (CRPs). It involves a multi-port trans-anal access, enabling dynamic tissue retraction to assist endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD), used alone or in conjunction with supplementary techniques [Endoscopic Mucosal Resection (EMR) or Ablation (EMA), Trans-Anal Excision (TAE)]. Methods A prospective database (Jan 2013–October 2017) was analysed including consecutive patients undergoing TASER for CRPs in two UK centres. Results Sixty-four CRPs (median size 7.5 cm; range: 5–18) were resected in 64 patients (36 males, mean 67.1 years): 33 by ESD and 31 by hybrid procedures (ESD+EMR=14, ESD+EMR+EMA=6, ESD+TAE=4, ESD+EMR+TAE=3, ESD+EMR+EMA+TAE=4). Forty-seven (73.4%) lesions were granular-type laterally spreading tumors, 9 (14.1%) were recurrences, 13 (20.3%) had severe submucosal fibrosis, and 7 (10.9%) involved the dentate line. Histology showed low-grade adenoma/dysplasia in 35 (54.7%), high-grade adenoma/dysplasia in 21 (32.8%), T1<1000 µm in 5 (7.8%), and T1≥1000 µm in 4 (6.2%). In 10 cases a full-thickness dissection was required due to severe submucosal fibrosis (n=8) or T1 cancer (n=2); the defect was closed in 6/10, by using endoclips (n=2) or surgical sutures/endoclips (n=4). All patients were admitted for overnight observation and intravenous antibiotic cover; the median hospital stay was 1 day (range 1–6). Complete endoscopic excision was achieved in a single session in 60 (93.8%), and 2 sessions in 4 (6.2%) cases. Thirty-eight (59.4%) resections were en-bloc, and 36(56.3%) were histologically complete. Delayed bleeding and post-polypectomy syndrome occurred in 3 (4.7%) and 7 (10.9%) respectively, with no surgical intervention required. One patient underwent a defunctioning ileostomy due to intra-peritoneal perforation. Of the 9 malignant cases: 4 with T1≥1000 µm cancer (2/4 full thickness) were subject to radical surgery, and 5 with T1<1000 µm underwent endoscopic surveillance. Endoscopic surveillance data were available for 44 (68.8%) patients, with a median (range) follow-up of 9.2 (3–43.5) months. The local recurrence was 13.6%; in all cases treated endoscopically. To date, the overall rate of patients spared from radical surgery is 60/64 (93.7%). Conclusions The current study demonstrates favorable clinical outcomes of TASER, offering surgery-sparing cure in >90% of patients with CRPs. The use of a transanal platform to allow a flexible resection approach, enabling both endoscopic and trans-anal resection techniques, appears to be advantageous.


The hydrothermal reactions of Zn(NO3)2·6H2O with 1,4-bis[2-(4-pyridyl)ethenyl]benzene (1,4-bpeb), NaOH, and 1,4-phenylenediacetic acid (1,4-H2PDA), 1,3-phenylenediacetic acid (1,3-H2PDA) or 1,2-phenylenediacetic acid (1,2-H2PDA) afforded three coordination polymers {[Zn(1,4-PDA)(1,4-bpeb)]·2H2O}n (1), [Zn(1,3-PDA)(1,4-bpeb)]n (2) and [Zn4(μ-OH)2(1,2-PDA)3(1,4-bpeb)2]n (3), respectively. All these compounds were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, powder X-ray diffraction, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. 1 exhibits a five-fold interpenetrating 3D diamondoid framework constructed by linking Zn atoms with trans-1,4-PDA and trans-trans-trans-1,4-bpeb ligands. 2 has a 2D (4,4) network formed by connecting dinuclear [Zn2(1,3-PDA)2] (1,3-PDA serving as a trans conformation) units with trans-cis-trans-1,4-bpeb ligands. 3 could be considered as a 2D 5-connected network derived from linking tetranuclear [Zn4(μ-OH)2(1,2-PDA)3] (1,2-PDA acting as cis and trans conformations) units via trans-cis-trans-1,4-bpeb bridges. The results provided some insight into the ligand geometry-driven assembly of coordination polymers. Thermal stability and photoluminescent properties of 1–3 were also investigated.


Ulcerative colitis is one kind of colonic mucosa damage, shows high number of inflammatory epithelial cells. Dextran sulfate sodium salt (DSS) induce a milder onset of colitis or a more aggressive response. It may damage the protective effects on intestinal barrier. In this study, we investigated the damaging of colon crypts, evaluated the smooth muscle tension beneath corrupted crypts in DSS exposed mice. Methods female specific-pathogen-free BALB/C mice (n=16) are randomly divided as: group A: control mice (n=4); group B: DSS-mice (colitis, 5% DSS in drink water, days 1 to 7, n = 12). The DSS is replaced every 2 days. On day 8, mice colons are excised from the colon-cecal junction to the anus. The distal colon segment is longitude incision and aberrant crypt area are determined by methylene blue staining method. The smooth muscle strip is separated and prepared for passive tension tests. The rest segment is fixed with 10% formalin and embedded in paraffin. Histological scores are evaluated in hematoxylin-eosin staining section: crypt damage (none = 0, basal 1/3 damaged = 1, basal 2/3 damaged = 2, only the surface epithelium is intact = 3, and entire crypt and epithelium are lost = 4). The smooth muscle passive tension beneath the aberrant crypt area in DSS-mice are tested and compared with the preparations from control mice. Results In DSS uptake mice, the inflammation in large intestine mucosa damaged crypts with architectural distortions on day 7 (n=7). In crypts damage area, the smooth muscle passive tension and relative myogenic spontaneous contraction parameters are significantly reduced under the high preload conditions. The maximum rate of change of velocity of spontaneous contraction was noticeable attenuated. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate that low dosage DSS water drink result in corrupted colonic crypts. The corrupted crypts damage the large intestinal epithelium barrier, affect the smooth muscle functions, which declined in myogenic spontaneous contraction under the preload. This further may reduce the peristalsis in large intestine.


The first Jurassic oil discovery in Florida was made in June 1970, in Santa Rosa County near Jay, 35 mi (56.3 km) north of Pensacola. Current estimates indicate recoverable reserves in the Smackover Formation of 346 million STB of oil and 350 Bcf of gas. The accumulation occurs on the south plunge of a large subsurface anticline, and the updip trap is formed by a facies change from porous dolomite to dense micritic limestone. The Smackover consists of a lower transgressive interval of laminated algal-mat and mud-flat deposits and an upper regressive section of hard-pellet grainstones. Early dolomitization and freshwater leaching have provided a complex, extensive, high-quality reservoir. Irregular distribution of facies presents difficult problems in development drilling, unitization, and pressure-maintenance programs. Hydrogen sulfide content of the hydrocarbons requires expensive processing facilities and well investment. A typical completed well costs $650,000, and an additional $200,000 is required for flow-line and inlet separation facilities. Add to this $550,000 for plant facilities to sweeten the oil for market, and each well investment approaches $1,400,000. Daily production from Jay field is 93,500 bbl from 89 wells. The rapid development of this field resulted from a drilling program coordinated with modular plant design.


The invention belongs to the field of medical instruments, and particularly discloses a rocket-like multichannel hard gallbladder endoscope which comprises a hard endoscope end and a hard core matched with the hard endoscope end. The tip of the hard endoscope end is in the shape of a sphere cone with an opening in the middle, and the end of the hard core is used for plugging the opening of the tip and forms an integrally sealed sphere cone structure together with the tip. Before the hard gallbladder endoscope enters a gallbladder cavity, the front end of the hard core is matched with the hard tip to form the integrally sealed sphere cone structure, so that the endoscope can enter the gallbladder cavity with the least obstruction and cannot injure gallbladder tissues, the hard core is taken out after the endoscope enters the gallbladder cavity, instrument channels can be used, and conventional instruments are led into the gallbladder cavity through the instrument channels and matched to perform an operation. According to the rocket-like multichannel hard gallbladder endoscope, an electronic CCD (charge coupled device) is used as an optical system core, two-dimensional or three-dimensional graphics in the gallbladder cavity can be provided, gynecological diseases are more accurately and stereoscopically treated, the tissues can be effectively prevented from being accidentally injured by the instruments due to blind spots of vision, and operation safety is improved.


Present application proposes the mobile client-server architecture. This design not only provides the user with the flexibility of viewing his/her result on mobile phone (CDMA) without Internet connectivity, but also imparts the privilege to edit his/her profile (if already exists in database). The paper involves the application flow diagram of the proposed application that explains the stepwise client-server communication. The architectural diagram along with the description of major classes (used in source code) involved, gives a clear insight into the designing and implementation phase. On the client side BREW is chosen as application development platform. The key benefits of choosing BREW includes an enhanced user interface, improved application usability on small screens, and the ability to download and store new applications that can run offline, thereby eliminating the need for constant network connection. The server implemented is WAMP.


Purpose: The study aimed to identity specific needs for services and programs to help childhood cancer survivors adjust and adapt to life after treatment. Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted with 31 childhood cancer survivors, diagnosed with cancer before the age of 18 and currently between 15 and 39 years of age. Each survivor had completed his/her cancer treatment. Results: The participating cancer survivors reported needs for services related to psychological counseling, schooling and learning, social skills, mentorship, integrated health management, self support activities, families of survivors, and public recognition and awareness. Conclusion: The results of the study indicate a need to better understand childhood cancer survivors, provides a basis for developing various services and programs to improve the quality of life among childhood cancer patients, survivors, and their families, and supports the importance of psychosocial adjustment.


SEU is studied in a 90 nm SRAM cell with different simulation approaches. The SRAM cell main SEU parameters (maximum current peak, collected charge, threshold LET) are extracted and compared. It is shown that the simulation conditions have a direct impact on the cell behavior and so on the SEU prediction. Moreover, not accounting for voltage variations induced by the particle generation in the circuit results in an overestimation of struck drain current.


Sherman Alexie (b. 1966) gained national attention upon release of "The Business of Fancydancing," his first collection of poems, in 1992, when a critic for the "New York Times Book Review" called him "one of the major lyric voices of our time." More recently, in 2007, Alexie won a National Book Award for "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian," a young-adult novel based on his own high school experiences. In "Conversations with Sherman Alexie," the writer displays the same passion, dynamic sense of humor, and sharp observational skills that characterize his work. The interviews ranging from 1993 to 2007 feature Alexie speaking candidly about the ideas and themes behind poetry collections ("I Would Steal Horses, First Indian on the Moon"), short story collections ("The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven, Ten Little Indians"), novels ("Indian Killer, Reservation Blues"), and screenplays ("Smoke Signals"). Coeur d'Alene through his father and Spokane through his mother, Alexie grew up in Wellpinit on the Spokane Indian Reservation in eastern Washington. Reservation life is a central concern in his work, as are politics, love, contemporary literature, city living (he now lives in Seattle), and his beloved sport of basketball. Alexie's wit, polemical engagement, and willingness to confront received notions have made him one of the most popular American Indian writers today.


We have investigated galaxies around NGC 6251 to search for an associated group. Our main goal is to study the environment around the giant radio galaxy to better understand the reasons for its size and structure. To this end, we have made spectroscopic observations with the 2.16-m optical telescope at Xinglong Station of the National Astronomical Observatories of China (NAOC) and obtained spectra of 45 objects (including four likely stars). The redshifts give us 10 new galaxies in a group, which are in addition to seven previously known members. The 17 galaxies' positions are compared with the radio emission. The optical velocity dispersion of group members within 0.7 Mpc of NGC 6251 is not consistent with that expected from correlation curves of X-ray luminosity Lx versus velocity dispersion σr. We briefly discuss this result, suggesting that in the NGC 6251 group, the density of X-ray emitting gas is unusually low, and this is the main reason for the size of the radio source.


The three-dimensional structure of human apoA-I on nascent, discoidal HDL particles has been debated extensively over the past 25 years. Recent evidence has demonstrated that the α-helical domains of apoA-I are arranged in a belt-like orientation with the long axis of the helices perpendicular to the phospholipid acyl chains on the disc edge. However, experimental information on the spatial relationships between apoA-I molecules on the disc is lacking. To address this issue, we have taken advantage of recent advances in mass spectrometry technology combined with cleavable cross-linking chemistry to derive a set of distance constraints suitable for testing apoA-I structural models. We generated highly homogeneous, reconstituted HDL particles containing two molecules of apoA-I. These were treated with a thiol-cleavable cross-linking agent, which covalently joined Lys residues in close proximity within or between molecules of apoA-I in the disc. The cross-linked discs were then exhaustively trypsinized to generate a discrete population of peptides. The resulting peptides were analyzed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry before and after cleavage of the cross-links, and resulting peaks were identified based on the theoretical tryptic cleavage of apoA-I. We identified at least 8 intramolecular and 7 intermolecular cross-links in the particle. The distance constraints are used to analyze three current models of apoA-I structure. The results strongly support the presence of the salt-bridge interactions that were predicted to occur in the "double belt" model of apoA-I, but a helical hairpin model containing the same salt-bridge docking interface is also consistent with the data.


Abstract. Organic matter production by cyanobacteria blooms is a major environmental concern for the Baltic Sea as it promotes thespread of anoxic zones. Partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) measurements carried out on Ships of Opportunity (SOOP) since 2003 have proven to be a powerful tool to resolve the carbon dynamics of the blooms in space and time. However, SOOP measurements lack the possibility to directly constrain the depth–integrated net community production (NCP) due to their restriction to the sea surface. This study tackles the resulting knowledge gap through (1) providing a best–guess NCP estimatefor an individual cyanobacteria bloom based on repeated profiling measurements of pCO2 and (2) establishing an algorithm to accurately reconstruct depth–integrated NCP from surface pCO2 observations in combination with modelled temperature profiles. Goal (1) was achieved by deploying state–of–the–art sensor technology from a small–scale sailing vessel. The low–cost and flexible platform enabled observations covering an entire bloom event that occurred in July and August 2018 in the Eastern Gotland Sea. For the biogeochemical interpretation, recorded pCO2 profiles were converted to CT*, which is the dissolved inorganic carbon concentration normalised to alkalinity. We found that the investigated Nodularia–dominated bloom event had many biogeochemical characteristics in common with blooms in previous years. In particular, it lasted for about three weeks, caused a CT* drawdown of 80 μmol kg−1, and was accompanied by a sea surface temperature increase of 10 °C. The novel finding of this study is the vertical extension of the CT* drawdown up to 12 m water depth. Integration of the CT* drawdown across this depth and correction for vertical fluxes permit a best–guess NCP estimate of ~1.2 mol–C m−2. Addressing goal (2), we combined modelled hydrographical profiles with surface pCO2 observations recorded by SOOP Finnmaid within the study area. Introducing the temperature penetration depth (TPD) as a new parameter to integrate SOOP observations across depth, we achieve a reconstructed NCP estimate that agrees to the best–guess within 10 %. Applying the TPD approach to almost two decades of surface pCO2 observations available for the Baltic Sea bears the potential to provide new insights into the control and long–term trends of cyanobacteria NCP. This understanding is key for an effective design and monitoring of conservation measures aiming at a Good Environmental Status of the Baltic Sea.


Usability is a property of devices (interfaces, work methods, software, and so on) but it's also a field-and some would say it's a profession. Here, we examine the concept of usability from the standpoint of human-centered computing. Manifestly, the two should be quite closely related. The principles of HCC that have been explored in this department dictate a prime goal for intelligent technology: It must be useful, understandable ... and usable.


[1] We have used examples of Poker Flat and Sondrestrom incoherent-scatter radar observations of flows within the ionospheric mapping of the nightside plasma sheet and of Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms (THEMIS) spacecraft observations within the nightside plasma sheet to investigate whether the features found in the companion paper by Kim et al. (2009) within the dayside polar cap are also seen within the nightside plasma sheet. We find evidence that this is indeed the case: intensified interplanetary ULF fluctuations substantially enhance nightside convection flows and the fluctuations are reflected in the fluctuation power of the nightside flows. Additionally, our observations show evidence for an enhancement of earthward convection within the inner plasma sheet and an increase in plasma pressure within the plasma sheet in association with enhanced interplanetary ULF fluctuations. We have also found evidence that the enhancement in convection and plasma sheet pressure associated with strong interplanetary fluctuations may lead to a dramatic increase in substorm occurrence under northward interplanetary magnetic field conditions. More detailed testing of the above results is needed. However, if corroborated, it would indicate that interplanetary ULF fluctuations have a substantial effect on global convection and are an important contributor to the large-scale transfer of solar wind energy to the magnetosphere-ionosphere system, to plasma sheet structure and dynamics, and to the occurrence of disturbances such as substorms.


Clinical inertia is common in all chronic diseases, including diabetes. Despite the advent of newer agents for the management of hyperglycemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, the number of people with diabetes hitting all three targets remains small. The causes of clinical inertia are multifactorial, with contributory elements from people with diabetes, physicians, and the system within which they work. Every health care provider should have the best interest of their patients at heart; most people with diabetes want to maintain their health for as long as possible, and the maintenance of good health is not only the purpose of the system, but also the most cost‐effective strategy. It is the thesis of this article that a potential reversible contributor to clinical inertia is the communication among these individual elements, which can be called "coproduction." The coproduction model of open communication encourages discourse, allowing the person with diabetes to understand their diagnosis and therefore better engage in treatment options. Improving engagement allows the healthcare team, including the physician and the person with diabetes, to establish shared goals that are important to all team members and to agree to acceptable side effects or risks of interventions in order to achieve these goals. Everyone needs to acknowledge that non‐adherence exists and can be an issue, thereby allowing reasons to be explored. Only once the person with diabetes is allowed to take full ownership of their disease and actively participate in decision making can they take control of their disease, thereby improving outcomes.


Patient and family engagement offers a promising pathway toward better-quality health care, more-efficient care, and improved population health. Since definitions of patient engagement and conceptions of how it works vary, we propose a framework.We first present the forms engagement can take, ranging from consultation to partnership. We discuss the levels at which patient engagement can occur across the health care system, from the direct care setting to incorporating patient engagement into organizational design, governance, and policy making. We also discuss the factors that influence whether and to what extent engagement occurs. We explore the implications of our multidimensional framework for the development of interventions and policies that support patient and family engagement, and we offer a research agenda to investigate how such engagement leads to improved outcomes. P atient engagementhas been called a critical part of a continuously learning health system, a necessary condition for the redesign of the health care system, the "holy grail" of health care, and the next "blockbuster drug of the century." But definitions of patient engagement and conceptions of how it improves care vary considerably. Angela Coulter's well-known definition focuses on the relationship between patients and health care providers as they work together to "promote and support active patient and public involvement in health and healthcare and to strengthen their influence on healthcare decisions, at both the individual and collective levels." A model of public engagement developed by James Conway at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement is organized around the settings in which patient engagement occurs: during the care experience, within the microsystem of the clinic or ward, within the health care organization, and within the larger community. And the Center for Advancing Health's engagement behavior framework focuses on behavior, defining engagement as "actions people take for their health and to benefit from health care" and providing a list of patient-initiated engagement actions. Adding to the confusion, the term patient engagement is also used synonymously with patient activation and patientand family-centered care. Although the concepts are related, they are not identical. Patient activation—an "individual's knowledge, skill, and confidence for managing his/her own health and health care"—is one aspect of an individual's capacity to engage in that care. But this term does not address the individual's external context, nor does it focus on behavior. "Patientand family-centered care" is a broader term that conveys a vision for what health care should be: "a partnership among doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2012.1133


Escherichia coli K1 is a leading cause of neonatal meningitis in humans. In this study, we sought to determine the pathophysiologic relevance of inducible nitric oxide (iNOS) in experimental E. coli K1 meningitis. By using a newborn mouse model of meningitis, we demonstrate that E. coli infection triggered the expression of iNOS in the brains of mice. Additionally, iNOS-/- mice were resistant to E. coli K1 infection, displaying normal brain histology, no bacteremia, no disruption of the blood-brain barrier, and reduced inflammatory response. Treatment with an iNOS specific inhibitor, aminoguanidine (AG), of wild-type animals before infection prevented the development of bacteremia and the occurrence of meningitis. The infected animals treated with AG after the development of bacteremia also completely cleared the pathogen from circulation and prevented brain damage. Histopathological and micro-CT analysis of brains revealed significant damage in E. coli K1-infected mice, which was completely abrogated by AG administration. Peritoneal macrophages and polymorphonuclear leukocytes isolated from iNOS-/- mice or pretreated with AG demonstrated enhanced uptake and killing of the bacteria compared with macrophages and polymorphonuclear leukocytes from wild-type mice in which E. coli K1 survive and multiply. Thus, NO produced by iNOS may be beneficial for E. coli to survive inside the macrophages, and prevention of iNOS could be a therapeutic strategy to treat neonatal E. coli meningitis.


Abstract We investigate the extent to which French polar questions and continuation statements, two types of utterances with similar morphosyntactic and intonational forms but different pragmatic functions, can be distinguished in conversational data based on phonetic and visual bodily information. We show that the two utterance types can be distinguished well over chance level by automatic classification models including several phonetic and visual cues. We also show that a considerable amount of relevant phonetic and visual information is present before the last portion of the utterances, potentially assisting early speech act recognition by addressees. These findings indicate that bottom-up phonetic and visual cues may play an important role during the production and recognition of speech acts alongside top-down contextual information.


Purpose Gastrokine 1 plays an important role in gastric mucosal defense. Additionally, the Gastrokine 1-miR-185-DNMT1 axis has been shown to suppress gastric carcinogenesis through regulation of epigenetic alteration. Here, we investigated the effects of Gastrokine 1 on DNA methylation and gastritis. Materials and Methods Expression of Gastrokine 1, DNMT1, EZH2, and c-Myc proteins, and the presence of Helicobacter pylori CagA protein were determined in 55 non-neoplastic gastric mucosal tissue samples by western blot analysis. The CpG island methylation phenotype was also examined using six markers (p16, hMLH1, CDH1, MINT1, MINT2 and MINT31) by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. Histological gastritis was assessed according to the updated Sydney classification system. Results Reduced Gastrokine 1 expression was found in 20 of the 55 (36.4%) gastric mucosal tissue samples and was closely associated with miR-185 expression. The Gastrokine 1 expression level was inversely correlated with that of DNMT1, EZH2, and c-Myc, and closely associated with the degree of gastritis. The H. pylori CagA protein was detected in 26 of the 55 (47.3%) gastric mucosal tissues and was positively associated with the expression of DNMT1, EZH2, and c-Myc. In addition, 30 (54.5%) and 23 (41.9%) of the gastric mucosal tissues could be classified as CpG island methylation phenotype-low and CpG island methylation phenotype-high, respectively. Reduced expression of Gastrokine 1 and miR-185, and increased expression of DNMT1, EZH2, and c-Myc were detected in the CpG island methylation phenotype-high gastric mucosa. Conclusions Gastrokine 1 has a crucial role in gastric inflammation and DNA methylation in gastric mucosa.


To investigate the regulation of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and insulin receptor in muscle, a sensitive enzyme immunoreceptor assay (EIRA), which allows for the determination of both affinity and capacity of the receptors, was developed. After solubilization with Triton X-100, receptors were immobilized in microtiter plates using receptor specific monoclonal antibodies that recognize the intracellular beta-domain of the respective receptors (clone 17A3 and clone 29B4). The immobilized receptors were labeled with either biotinylated IGF-I or insulin. The bound hormones were detected with a streptavidin-horseradish peroxidase technique. The assay had a detection limit of 1 fmol receptor/well. The intraassay variation was 9% (n = 22) for the IGF-I receptor concentration and 12% (n = 22) for the insulin receptor. The interassay variation was 5% (n = 4) for the IGF-I receptor and 10% (n = 4) for the insulin receptor. The coefficient of variation of the dissociation constants (Kd) was 26% (n = 7) for the IGF-I receptor and 24% (n = 7) for the insulin receptor. The assay system was used to study the effect of growth hormone treatment upon IGF-I and insulin receptors in bovine skeletal muscle. Three groups of 12 heifers (13 months old) were treated with either 320 or 640 mg recombinant bovine somatotropin (slow release preparation) every fortnight for 3 months. When samples of m. splenius were assayed for IGF-I and insulin receptors, there was no difference between groups for receptor concentration or affinity.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Based on data from
2007 to 2011 across 29 provinces in China, this paper employs a panel-based
econometric model to investigate the impact of clusters (of firms and
educational institutions) and R & D investment in driving productivity in
China's software industry. In respect of clusters, our results show that a one
percent increase in the density of firm clusters leads to a 0.10 percent
increase in productivity; for clusters of educational institutions, a
significantly positive impact on productivity in coastal regions has been
identified. In terms of R & D investment, a one percent increase in R &
D expenditure per R & D worker leads to a 0.22 percent increase in
productivity, although the effect is significantly reduced in coastal region.
For policymakers, the results of this study shed light on the effectiveness of
different levers in narrowing regional productivity gaps. It can also help
business leaders make better decisions regarding their innovation activities.


Clinical trials were carried out with cafamandole (sodium salt) in pediatric infections. Results were as follows; 1. CMD was applied to 13 patients with pneumonia, 1 patient each with submandibular abscess, urinary tract infection and bacterial meningitis. 2. Results were excellent in 1 and good in 13 patients, being overall efficacy rate 93.3%. 3. Slight elevations of GOT and GPT were observed in 1 patient. No other serious side effects were observed or reported.