Cell migration plays an essential role in a wide variety of physiological and pathological processes. Analysis of cell tracks at high temporal and spatial resolution using microscopy experiments provides a powerful tool to quantify cell movement and to disclose the interactions of cells within their environment. The most common characterization of cell tracks is typically performed at the level of the cell population and involves computing ensemble-averaged quantities, such as the diffusion coefficient  as obtained from the slope of the time dependent mean squared displacement. However,  in order to capture the many different phases of cell migration, ensemble-averaged quantities at the population level can be misleading. In this study, we introduce a novel approach to perform an automated characterization and parameter-free classification of cell tracks at the level of single-cells that avoids the absolute cell positions in the biological sample and the relative temporal offsets between cell tracks being integrated out. To accomplish this, we developed staggered measures based on the equivalent consideration of all possible segments of the track: (i) confinement ratio corresponding to the ratio of the displacement between two time points over the length of the cell track between these time points, (ii) volume asphericity characterizing the deviation of the cloud of uncorrelated cell positions in a track segment from a spherical volume, (iii) outreach ratio corresponding to the maximal displacement within a track segment over its length, and (iv) displacement ratio measuring the ratio of the displacement between the start and end points of a track segment over the maximal displacement contained within this segment. The charming aspect of the staggered measures is the possibility to detect and quantify the transient dynamical changes in a single cell track which may arise during the migration. By the combination of these quantities, we can classify cell tracks into sub-populations with common properties. We demonstrate for a population of synthetic cell tracks generated in silico as well as for in vitro neutrophil tracks obtained from microscopy experiment that the information contained in the track data is fully exploited in this way and does not require any prior knowledge, which keeps the analysis unbiased and general. The identification of cells that show the same type of migration behavior within the population of all cells is achieved via agglomerative hierarchical clustering of cell tracks in the parameter space of the averaged staggered measures. Mapping clusters of cell tracks with similar migration behavior back into a system's spatial environment allows drawing conclusions on the structure and morphology of biological samples. The general formulation of our approach promotes its broad application to tracks of arbitrary objects and its straightforward extension with regard to other staggered measures that may further improve the results on the automated characterization and parameter-free classification of tracks.


As wider and more diverse audiences attend universities, nowadays, more advanced instructional approaches are required. The current study explores the role of technology in facing this challenge. We report on a continuation of a previous three-year long study, focusing on students' learning-culture, which examined a pedagogical-technological innovation infused into an introductory biology course at the Technion. An online-tutorial was used in the most advanced level of the intervention as the main resource for student self-learning of course content. In parallel, students participated in a more indepth process in small technology-enhanced knowledge-building teams, each focusing on a specific course topic. Findings indicated that students' learningculture was highly affected by the teaching culture encapsulated in the course design. In the current study, we interviewed six introductory courseinstructors at the same institution. These interviews, comprised of 427 utterances, were analyzed phenomenographically. Findings reveal compromises in teaching, made by these instructors, based on their faulty views about the learning-culture of "the typical student". We conclude that reciprocal relations exist between learning-culture and teaching-culture, which may cause stagnation of traditional instruction in higher-education. Technology can serve as a key enabler in channeling this process into a productive cycle that fosters a learning-culture based on internal values.


Water resource can be examined using biological sensors. Algae has been one of the biological sensors used to evaluate and monitor the water pollution. The monitoring system, however, could determine whether the examined water was safe or not. It needs additional expensive chemical test to figure out the cause of the water pollution. In this study, an endeavor is given to identify the toxicant in the water using the shape of the chlorophyll fluorescence induction curve(FIC) from algae using monitoring system. Fundamental curves are obtained from the experiments with specified amount of toxicant. Baysian method is utilized to determine the unknown toxicant in the water by comparing it with the fundamental curves. The results shows that the proposed method works fairly well.


Summary form only given. A novel compact bandpass filter using nonuniform transmission lines is discussed. In this filter, the central frequency is adjusted by varying the slope of a linear taper. Starting with a null slope, at f=880 MHz, variation of the slope from -10% to +10% allows one to modify the frequency from 600 MHz to 1.1 GHz, that is, -20% to +20%. The bandwidth of the filter is adjusted by modifying the width of the line at the entrance: the bandwidth can be adjusted from 5% to 40% by varying the width from 30 to 240 mils. This filter has been designed and tested on microstrip using Touchstone and MDS simulator. Experimental measurements show excellent agreement with simulation.<<ETX>>


The aim of the work was to establish predisposing factors leading to microbial contact lens-related keratitis in children, demographics of patients, clinical and microbiological features, clinical outcomes at a tertiary eye care center in Lithuania. Methods. A retrospective analysis was performed of case histories of all patients who were diagnosed with CL-related keratitis from 2007 in Children's Hospital, Affiliate of Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu Klinikos. The following data were analyzed: patient age, gender, hospitalization time from the begining of the disease, risk factors of CL wearing, severity of the lesions, vision acuity in the beginning and going home, vision improvement during treatment, if the swabs and culture growth was made, what causative agent was found, what was the treatment and duration of hospitalization. Results. 150 patients have been hospitalized at Children's Hospital, Affiliate of Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu Klinikos, Eye Care department with the diagnosed various keratitis during a period from 2007 to 2012. 13 of them were CL associated keratitis. That is 8,67 percent of all keratitis, treated in the hospital, and 0,21 percent of total hospitalized patients number during pending period. The most often risk factors for keratitis were overnight CL use (4 cases), use of lenses while swimming (3 cases), inadequate hygiene (2 cases). Ethiological agent wasn't identified in 6 cases. Staphylococcus epidermidis was found in 4 cases, in 1 case in combination with Bacteroides ureolyticus. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the causative agent in 1 case. Gram-positive cocci were found in 1 sample. Candida glabrata, Aspergillus spp. and anaerobic gram-positive bacilli Propionbacterium spp. were isolated in 1 sample. Conclusions: 1. 8,67 percent of all keratitis in children, treated in Children's Hospital, Affiliate of Vilnius University Hospital Santariskiu Klinikos, Eye Care department, from January, 2007, untill August, 2012, were associated with contact lenses wearing. 2. The most often risk factors for CL-related keratitis were overnight CL use, use of lenses while swimming and inadequate hygiene. 3. The culture growth was positive and etiological agent was identified in 53,85% cases. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most common pathogen. Fungal pathogen was the causative agent in one case. 4. Visual acuity improved to 0,7 and more in 92,3% cases, in 1 case visual acuity remained very bad even after treatment. Article in Lithuanian


This study presents the technology involved in the more important payment systems currently available to internet users. As the field is undergoing a major upheaval by changing the traditional banking services, e-commerce is facilitating change in recent years. These programs in-returns have shown lucrative growth in internet businesses and capital generation. Transactions on an international scale are the mark of highly demanding businesses with a global consumer base. Banks around the world provide their banking services online though electronic channels, one of the most widely used is the internet channel. Many people avail internet banking services which is convenient in this day and age. On-line banking platforms allow consumers to manage their accounts globally and at their convenience. The internet banking services have to be at top level of security and risk free in order to be trusted by customers. In this study the attack models have been explained and the top risks factors that the internet banking services come to face and applications have been discussed. This study deals with experimental models that can be applied to curb cybercrime attacks and make the internet banking applications more secure to the consumer strata.
Key words : Bank, On-line, Transactions, Electronic channels, E-commerce.


The Standard Cross-Cultural Sample contains the best-described society in each of 186 cultural provinces of the world, chosen so that cultural independence of each unit in terms of historical origin and cultural diffusion could be considered maximal with respect to the others societies in the sample. Often the time period chosen is that of the earliest high quality ethnographic description. Hence the SCCS is primarily a sample of preindustrial societies. The original paper, published in the journal Ethnology in 1969, presented the first research results of the Cross-Cultural Cumulative Coding Center (CCCCC), a unit established in 1968 by Murdock and White at the University of Pittsburgh, with support from the National Science Foundation. The center was organized to offer to scholars a representative sample of the world's known and well described cultures, each "pinpointed" to the smallest identifiable subgroup of the society in question at a specific point in time, and to provide the first set of coded data for the sample. The sample selected by Murdock and White has the advantages of providing a sample size sufficiently large to test multivariate hypotheses but sufficiently small to allow complete coding by different authors; one with pinpointing of dates and focal groups and with a rich ethnographic bibliography and multiple data quality ratings that facilitate cumulative coding of comparative data on a wide variety of topics. Although the SCCS maximizes the relative independence of sample cases, the 1969 article also provides standard Galton's problem controls for historical nonindependence of cases, and demonstrates with illustrations of their use that Galton's problem controls are needed to make valid statistical inferences even with a relatively large cross-cultural sample. This cautionary scientific result has not been properly emphasized by the Human Relations Area Files, with which the SCCS has no 1 This paper is reprinted in modified form with permission of the journal editorial office as published in Ethnology 8:329-369. Page breaks are identified as per original article. Footnotes were added in 2002 by DRW to provide additional information, and links to the on-line dataset at http://eclectic.ss.uci.edu/~drwhite/worldcul/Sccs34.htm provide the list of societies in Table 1 and data on these societies Appendix A (go there). One page and several references mistakenly omitted in earlier on-line editions of this update have been restore in this addition, and the abstract has been added. connection other than the fact that for some SCCS societies, but not all, there exist partial ethnographic materials housed by HRAF. The SCCS has served as a basis for a cumulative series of data coded by diverse authors in hundreds of publications on many different types of societal characteristics. Cumulative ethnographic codes and codebooks are published in the World Cultures electronic journal, which adds the geographical coordinates and computerizing mapping through SPSS and the journal's MAPTAB program, written by Douglas R. White. The SCCS and its SPSS database and codebooks currently contain more than 2,000 variables contributed by nearly a hundred different studies and as many authors. These variables include those of Murdock's Ethnographic Atlas in a form most useful for testing hypotheses because they are collated with the standard sample societies. The design, contributor and topics, and some of the major results of studies using the SCCS are reviewed by D. R. White, Standard Cross-Cultural Sample. International Encyclopedia of the Social Sciences, 2nd edition, 2008. New York:


Abstract This paper aims to improve preparation of stakeholders and affected interests for participation in natural resource management (NRM) processes. It argues that a reframing of relationships in multicultural NRM systems can improve individual and institutional capacities to think about and respond to intercultural domains. We argue that the professional toolkit needed to enhance the efficacy and openness of NRM must go beyond technical competence in science and economics to include a refined intercultural capacity amongst all involved. This does not refer to a unidirectional education of those perceived as lacking education, but a multi-directional capacity to reframe relationships, behaviours and practices. By reflecting on our diverse experiences of teaching and learning at the Comalco bauxite mine in far northern Queensland and in the university classroom in Sydney, we argue that a literacy in cultural landscapes is fundamental to this reframing of relationships. To use a metaphor that draws together a concern with both natural resources and geographical scale, it is simply not good enough to deal with both the forests and the trees: we also need to recognise the cultural landscapes in which both are embedded, and the cultural frames that give them different meanings.


ABSTRACT Introduction: Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (panNETs) represent a rare group of malignancies. For decades, chemotherapy, somatostatin analogs and interferon represented the only systemic therapies; however, over the latest years, new options were registered, including Everolimus, Sunitinib (SUN), and Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy. Areas covered: This review discusses the role of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in advanced panNETs. Expert opinion: TKIs showed an antiangiogenic and antiproliferative impact on advanced panNETs. Sunitinib is the only TKI currently available in clinical practice, having been approved on the basis of relevant results of a specific panNET phase III trial. New TKIs, such as Cabozantinib, Lenvatinib, Pazopanib, Surufatinib are still on investigation in panNETs. Although some phase II studies with the new TKIs yielded better PFS and RR compared with SUN, different study designs and tumor populations may have induced selection biases. However, it was reported that panNETs resistant to SUN could respond to a new TKI, indicating a possible further therapeutic line in this context. The global investigation plan of TKIs in panNETs is not homogeneous and it is difficult to understand what kind of development this can have in the near future for clinical practice.


4-Amino-2-trifluoromethyl-phenyl retinate (ATPR) is a novel All-trans Retinoid Acid (ATRA) derivative. The primary aim of this study was to characterize whether ATPR could contribute to growth arrest and apoptosis of breast cancer cell MDA-MB-231. MDA-MB-231 cells were exposed to ATPR. MTT assay was performed to detect the proliferation. Flow cytometry analysis was used to reveal the cell cycle distribution. RT-PCR was performed to reflect the transcription level of cell cycle protein p21 and cyclinD1. Hoechst staining was used to examine cell apoptosis. Western blot analysis was performed to detect the expression levels of p-p38, total p38, p53, iASPP, apoptosis-associated proteins Bcl-2, Bax, caspase-3. The cell proliferation was decreased in a concentration- and time-dependent manner by ATPR. The ATPR mediated G0-G1 phase arrest on MDA-MB-231 and promoted apoptosis of MDA-MB-231. In addition, the ATPR could increase the expression of p53 and decrease the expression of iASPP and the phosphorylation of p38. After combined with SB203580, ATPR could induce an enhancement of transcription level of p21, a reduction of transcription level of cyclinD1, an increase in Bax expression, a decrease in Bcl-2 level. Besides, the p53 was elevated while the expression of iASPP was declined more obviously, and that caused a further decrease in the phosphorylation of p38. These results suggested that ATPR contributed to apoptosis and growth inhibition of MDA-MB-231 in a time- and dose-dependently. The mechanism might be related to disruption of p38 signaling and activation of p53.


Glaucoma is a group of chronic diseases leading to irreversible vision loss. The choice of treatment strategy for glaucoma is determined by the clinical manifestations of the disease, risk factors and rates of progression. Achieving "target pressure" helps slow the progression of the disease and improve the quality of life for patients. Efficiency, the low incidence of instillation per day, and the absence of systemic side effects are important factors for patient compliance. In the arsenal of doctors there are several groups of antihypertensive drugs, each of which has its own advantages and disadvantages. In the case of the ineffectiveness of starting monotherapy, it is possible to prescribe a combination of two or even three antihypertensive drugs. More often, prostaglandin analogue drugs are prescribed as starting monotherapy. Bimatoprost, being a prostamide, is included in this group, but differs in its pharmacochemical properties and effectiveness from typical prostaglandins. This review is devoted to the experience of using bimatoprost, in particular its pharmacochemical properties, efficacy and safety in comparison with other drugs and combinations.


The yeast mitochondrial F1F0-ATP synthase is a multisubunit complex that contains at least 17 different subunits. Subunit 8 of yeast mitochondrial ATP synthase is a hydrophobic protein of 48 amino acids encoded by the mitochondrial ATP8 gene. A dual control allotopic expression system for subunit 8 has been developed. The strategy involves maintenance of two different compatible yeast expression vectors each utilizing a different inducible promoter in the same host cells. The system thus enables cloning and allotopic expression of two different forms of subunit 8 gene. The goal of the developed strategy is to permit allotopic expression of functional wildtype subunit 8 gene under a conditional promoter system and subunit 8 variant gene under the control of a different promoter system. The system is potentially useful for accurate assessment of assembly behavior of functionally defective subunit 8 variants in vivo. The strategy relies on the ability to conditionally regulate the expression of the two genes. A set of functionally defective subunit 8 variants has been cloned under an inducible yeast promoter system and dual plasmid harboring strains for dual control allotopic expression of each variant have been constructed.


To quickly develop awareness of time-limited offers, marketers use an increasing number of eWOM solicitations, whereby they ask their customers to spread statements to their friends and acquaintances about products or a company. Despite growing interest in this communication tool, very little is known about what makes an efficient solicitation strategy. This research examines the drivers of consumers' willingness to generate solicited eWOM for a time-limited offer. Using an experimental framework, this research shows that the most efficient strategy for generating solicited eWOM when it is the most valuable is to solicit well before the deadline using a gain- (loss-) framing solicitation on engaged (nonengaged) individuals.


This paper addresses a number of connected issues revolving around mortuary practices in the Senegambian megalithic traditions, through the lenses of the intriguing double-monolith-circle #27 of Sine-Ngayene, also known as Diallombere. Despite more than a century of archaeological investigation, the diversity of Senegambian megalithic features is still very poorly understood. Most of the cases investigated so far have been claimed to feature single or multiple simultaneous primary burials. The presence of incomplete skeletons is generally explained by poor preservation due to soils' corrosive effects. Monument #27, located at the center of the Sine- Ngayene cemetery, presents an unexpectedly long uselife, characterized by shifting ways of arranging humans' skeletal remains — mortuary codes switching — as well as their associated ritual use of material culture, within the general context of secondary burial practices. Four distinct and successive cycles, spanning over ca 700 years (AD 700 – AD 1350), have been identified and the construction sequence of this complex monument deciphered.


A prototype optical CT scanner has been developed for scanning polymer gel dosimeters used in 3D radiation therapy dose verification. The scanner is based on a 3rd generation, fan-beam CT design and employs a 543 nm laser fanned through a 60° line-generating lens. A series of 5 detector arrays or 64 elements each collects light on the distal side of the water tank. Pre-detector collimators are employed to reject light scattered away from incident ray trajectory. Results of scanner characterisation studies, as well as preliminary data acquired on irradiated polymer gels, are discussed.


Objective: To systematically assess internalized homophobia and its correlates among gay men and lesbians. Design: A measure of internalized homophobia (IHP) was administered to a community sample of lesbians and gay men, along with measures of psychological well-being, outness, and perceptions of community. Results and Conclusions: Women's IHP scores were significantly lower than those of men. For lesbians and gay men alike, internalized homophobia was associated with less self-disclosure to heterosexual friends and acquaintances and less sense of connection to the gay and lesbian community. Lesbians and gay men with the highest IHP scores also manifested significantly more depressive symptoms and higher levels of demoralization than others, and high-IHP men manifested lower self-esteem than other men. IHP scores were not associated with disclosure to parents or the recency of developmental milestones for either lesbians or gay men.


INTRODUCTION
Vascular changes, including destabilization of the blood-brain barrier, are common pathological signs in multiple sclerosis (MS). There are prerequisites, which indicate the direct effects of disease modifying therapy (DMT) on the state of the vascular wall and reduce the damage to the endothelium in MS.

AIM OF THIS STUDY
Was to identify and evaluate the relationship of endothelial dysfunction in patients with multiple sclerosis with used DMT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
The study included 85 patients with a reliable diagnosis of MS according to the McDonald criteria of 2010 (56 women, 29 men) aged from 17 to 62 years (average age 36.3±1.2 years). All patients underwent a comprehensive clinical and neurological examination, laboratory tests (blood serum analysis for the content of adhesion molecules sICAM-1, sPECAM-1, sE-selectin, sP-selectin, for the content of homocysteine and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMR-9) by ELISA; blood plasma analysis for Von Willebrand factor antigen (vWf) by ELISA).
The results of the study indicate a decrease of endothelial damage in MS during interferon therapy. Its also allow the use of indicators such as von Willebrand factor antigen, sPECAM-1, sE-selectin levels as potential markers of the effectiveness of DMT.


Polycomb group (PcG) proteins are master regulators of development and differentiation. Mutation and dysregulation of PcG genes cause developmental defects and cancer. PcG proteins form condensates in the nucleus of cells and these condensates are the physical sites of PcG-targeted gene silencing. However, the physiochemical principles underlying the PcG condensate formation remain unknown. Here we show that Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) protein Cbx2, one member of the Cbx family proteins, contains a long stretch of intrinsically disordered region (IDR). Cbx2 undergoes phase separation to form condensates. Cbx2 condensates exhibit liquid-like properties and can concentrate DNA and nucleosomes. We demonstrate that the conserved residues within the IDR promote the condensate formation in vitro and in vivo. We further indicate that H3K27me3 has minimal effects on the Cbx2 condensate formation while depletion of core PRC1 subunits facilitates the condensate formation. Thus, our results reveal that PcG condensates assemble through liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) and suggest that PcG-bound chromatin is in part organized through phase-separated condensates.


As the computing power of modern hardware is increasing strongly, pre-trained deep learning models (e.g., BERT, GPT-3) learned on large-scale datasets have shown their effectiveness over conventional methods. The big progress is mainly contributed to the representation ability of transformer and its variant architectures. In this paper, we study the low-level computer vision task (e.g., denoising, super-resolution and deraining) and develop a new pre-trained model, namely, image processing transformer (IPT). To maximally excavate the capability of transformer, we present to utilize the well-known ImageNet benchmark for generating a large amount of corrupted image pairs. The IPT model is trained on these images with multi-heads and multi-tails. In addition, the contrastive learning is introduced for well adapting to different image processing tasks. The pre-trained model can therefore efficiently employed on desired task after fine-tuning. With only one pre-trained model, IPT outperforms the current state-of-the-art methods on various low-level benchmarks. Code is available at https://github.com/huawei-noah/Pretrained-IPT and https://gitee.com/mindspore/mindspore/tree/master/model_zoo/research/cv/IPT


We have expressed the mitogenic signaling proteins Src, Ras, Raf-1, Mek (MAP kinase kinase), and Erk (MAP kinase) in baculovirus-infected Sf9 insect cells in order to study a potential role for the chaperone hsp90 in formation of multiprotein complexes. One such complex obtained by immunoadsorption with anti-Ras antibody of cytosol prepared from cells simultaneously expressing Ras, Raf, Mek, and Erk contained Ras, Raf, and Erk. To detect directly the protein-protein interactions involved in forming multiprotein complexes, we combined cytosols from single infections in vitro in all possible combinations of protein pairs. We detected complexes between Ras·Raf, Ras·Src, Raf·Mek, and Raf·Src, but no complex containing Erk was obtained by mixing cytosols. Thus, cellular factors appear to be required for assembly of the Erk-containing multiprotein complex. One cellular factor thought to be involved in signaling protein complex formation is the chaperone hsp90, and we show that Src, Raf, and Mek are each complexed with insect hsp90. Treatment of Sf9 cells with geldanamycin, a benzoquinone ansamycin that binds to hsp90 and disrupts its function, did not decrease coadsorption of either Raf or Erk with Ras, although it did decrease the level of cytosolic Raf. To study geldanamycin action, we treated rat 3Y1 fibroblasts expressing v-Raf and showed that the antibiotic blocked assembly of Raf·hsp90 complexes at an intermediate stage of assembly where Raf is still bound to the p60 and hsp70 components of the assembly mechanism. As in Sf9 cells, Raf levels decline with geldanamycin treatment of 3Y1 cells. To determine if geldanamycin affects mitogenic response, we treated HeLa cells with epidermal growth factor (EGF) and showed that geldanamycin treatment decreased EGF signaling and decreased the level of Raf protein without affecting the EGF-mediated increase in Raf kinase activity. We conclude that hsp90 is not required for forming complexes between the mitogenic signaling proteins or for Raf kinase activity and that EGF signaling is decreased indirectly by geldanamycin because the antibiotic increases degradation of Raf and perhaps other components of the signaling pathway.


The Bokeh Effect is one of the most desirable effects in photography for rendering artistic and aesthetic photos. Usually, it requires a DSLR camera with different aperture and shutter settings and certain photography skills to generate this effect. In smartphones, computational methods and additional sensors are used to overcome the physical lens and sensor limitations to achieve such effect. Most of the existing methods utilized additional sensor's data or pretrained network for fine depth estimation of the scene and sometimes use portrait segmentation pretrained network module to segment salient objects in the image. Because of these reasons, networks have many parameters, become runtime intensive and unable to run in mid-range devices. In this paper, we used an end-to-end Deep Multi-Scale Hierarchical Network (DMSHN) model for direct Bokeh effect rendering of images captured from the monocular camera. To further improve the perceptual quality of such effect, a stacked model consisting of two DMSHN modules is also proposed. Our model does not rely on any pretrained network module for Monocular Depth Estimation or Saliency Detection, thus significantly reducing the size of model and run time. Stacked DMSHN achieves state-of-the-art results on a large scale EBB! dataset with around 6x less runtime compared to the current state-of-the-art model in processing HD quality images.


The radical change in the energy market with a raising share of renewable energy production leads to new operating cycles in turbo machinery. The machines must be optimized for frequent transient load cycles and part load utilization. New radial adaptive sealing concepts in the secondary air system can help to increase part load efficiency and achieve a long service life. These seals are pressure-activated and adapt their gap width during operation. The sealing concepts have to be analyzed in more detail to fully understand their operational behavior. In this paper, a model to understand and predict the movement of a radial adaptive seal called hydrostatic advanced low leakage (HALO) seal is presented. Experimental results of the gap width, leakage, and pressure distribution are used in combination with two-dimensional (2D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) to obtain force distributions across the seal for static operation. These data are used to derive a model to predict the forces acting on the seal as well as the operational gap width, which is necessary for a reliable seal design.


Deliberative democracy has grown into an influential normative paradigm for political theory and reform programs alike, but doubts persist about its desirability in a world where strategic action and inequality are prevalent. This problem has spurred efforts to understand the empirical dynamics of power relations in institutionalized participation. This article argues that sociolegal scholarship has yet to join this turn to power but that doing so can help it to specify law's causal and normative relevance in deliberative governance. This is because the legal environment within which actors interact affects causal mechanisms by distributing opportunities for the exercise of power between potential participants, actual participants, and participants and government. The utility of a power-distributional perspective is illustrated through a study of São Paulo's health councils, one of the world's largest experiments in deliberative governance. The study demonstrates that the councils' trajectory and current functioning—including some of their normatively problematic aspects—cannot be understood without reference to legal arrangements. This article is meant as a building block for sociolegal scholarship to continue investigating deliberation.


Bovine Paratuberculosis is not a new issue in Livestock Industry.The disease has been a hidden threat to South Asian countries where the loss due to this disease has been created a great economic burden to the farmers.The cost of treatment overrides the cost of the animal body its self .So,Prevention is better rather than to cure this disease. Many studies have shown that the disease has been established in the animal population and it may remain a barrier to trade livestock product out of the country.Recently the disease has been linked to Crohn's Disease of Human which has a Public Health importance. Strict quarantine, culling of sick ones and strict biosecurity of farms may aid in disease curtailment. Though,many tests are available,the fecal culture is only the gold standard test in the disease diagnosis.Author is the first person to isolate the bacteria from fecal culture in the laboratory of NARC,under the reference of Dr.Upendra Man Singh,the Senior Scientists of NARC, Nepal.The book will be a guide to further researcher.


The area-under-the-curve (AUC) measure of the auditory middle latency response (AMLR) waveform was derived and analyzed from recordings in 50 subjects with normal hearing. The AUC metric is believed to represent the total amount of neural energy contributing to the evoked response. This proposed method of measure, therefore, may provide an alternative method of quantifying the response. The subjects were divided into five age groups (n = 10 for each group): infants, children, preteens, teens, and adults. Ipsilateral and contralateral recordings of the AMLR were obtained at two stimulus levels (70 and 40 dB nHL) and at two stimulus rates (11.3 and 3.3/s). AUC measures were obtained for each recording at 70 and 40 dB nHL and at 3.3 and 11.3 clicks/s. These area measurements were compared among the five age groups for significant differences due to age. According to the results, no significant differences in the AUC of the AMLR waveform existed as a function of age.


The first year of the National Health Service reforms was characterised by a steady-state situation involving little alteration to existing purchaser–provider organisational structures. However, the second year saw the internal market begin to take effect, though still restricted in many areas. In this paper, some recent developments of district health authority purchaser organisations are explored. The potentially contradictory trends towards (geographically and organisationally) larger purchasers, in the form of mergers and consortia, and the need for locally sensitive purchasing mechanisms are discussed. It is concluded that there needs to be some policy direction concerning the hierarchy of purchasers as the number of general practitioner fund-holders increases and as providers begin to restructure their operations in the internal (managed) market.


Mass coral bleaching has increased in intensity and frequency and has severely impacted shallow tropical reefs worldwide. Although extensive investigation has been conducted on the resistance and resilience of coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific and Caribbean, the unique reefs of the South Atlantic remain largely unassessed. Here we compiled primary and literature data for reefs from three biogeographical regions: Indo-Pacific, Caribbean and South Atlantic and performed comparative analyses to investigate whether the latter may be more resistant to bleaching. Our findings show that South Atlantic corals display critical features that make them less susceptible to mass coral bleaching: (i) deeper bathymetric distribution, as species have a mean maximum depth of occurrence of 70 m; (ii) higher tolerance to turbidity, as nearly 60% of species are found in turbid conditions; (iii) higher tolerance to nutrient enrichment, as nitrate concentration in the South Atlantic is naturally elevated; (iv) higher morphological resistance, as massive growth forms are dominant and comprise two thirds of species; and (v) more flexible symbiotic associations, as 75% of corals and 60% of symbiont phylotypes are generalists. Such features were associated with occurrence of fewer bleaching episodes with coral mortality in the South Atlantic, approximately 60% less than the Indo-Pacific and 50% less than the Caribbean. In addition, no mass coral mortality episodes associated with the three global mass bleaching events have been reported for the South Atlantic, which suffered considerably less bleaching. These results show that South Atlantic reefs display several remarkable features for withstanding thermal stress. Together with a historic experience of lower heat stress, our findings may explain why climate change impacts in this region have been less intense. Given the large extension and latitudinal distribution of South Atlantic coral reefs and communities, the region may be recognized as a major refugium and likely to resist climate change impacts more effectively than Indo-Pacific and Caribbean reefs.


Background: Our group has previously reported (SABCS 2012, abstract 1081) a 2-fold higher pathologic complete response (pCR) rate in TNBC treated with panitumumab+FEC100 (47%) than with the standard therapy alone. However, in a half of the patients (pts) a residual tumor (RT) was detected. Having in mind the detrimental impact of resistant TNBC on patient outcome, we have investigated the tumor tissue factors that might have been important in development of resistance to this treatment. Methods: 40 TNBC pts, treated with 8 cycles the anti-EGFR antibody panitumumab combined with FEC 100 for the first 4 and with docetaxel only for the last 4 cycles, were eligible. All pts underwent breast surgery after the neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) completion. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tumor samples were collected before and after NACT for biomarker analysis. EGFR, HER3, IGF-1R, MET and the number of FOXP3+ or CD8+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) were evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Expression of the kinases was graded semi-quantitatively (histoscores). Results: Out of 40 treated pts, 21 demonstrated a RT (53%, according to the Chevallier classification, PMID 8338056). The IHC data were available for 17 pts. Since high EGFR expression was important for pCR achievement in this study (SABC 2012), we first investigated the expressions of EGFR, HER3 and MET in the RT. The results are presented in Table 1. Overall, among the 9 cases (cs) with increased post-NACT HER3 expression (HER3 up), only 1 had increased MET (MET up), while among the 7 cs with no change in HER3 post-CTNA (HER3 flat), 4 had MET expression increased. Interestingly, although the pre-NACT IGF-1R expression was a strong predictor of pCR (p = 0.028, SABCS 2012), no significant changes in this kinase expression were observed in the RT, compared to the pre-NACT levels. Most RT had low IGF-1R scores ( The density of TIL post-NACT correlated principally with the% of tumor mass (TM) reduction. Among the 7 pts with average reduction of 20%, there was only 1 cs with a good InSitu Immune Response (ISIR: dense TIL, with CD8+/FOXP3+ > 1.2). On the contrary, among the 9 pts with average TM reduction of 90%, 8 demonstrated a good ISIR. Conclusion: The results indicate that HER3 and MET play significant roles in development of TNBC resistance to the anti-EGFR agents. Those molecules seem to drive 2 different resistance pathways in TNBC, as it has been shown in other malignancies. As several anti-HER3 or anti-MET drugs are nowadays available, we find very important investigating the expression of HER3 and MET in each TNBC pt pre- and post-NACT, in order to rapidly detect and combat the resistance. The ISIR-stimulating agents may bring an additional therapeutic benefit to those patients. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P5-08-07.


The objectives of this study were to determine the prevalence of cyberbullying among study participants and examine the psychological impact on both cyber victims and cyber attackers, also analyzing gender differences in the impact. The sample consisted of 639 students from the Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana, Bucaramanga branch, with an average age of 17.66 years (N = 303 boys, girls N = 334). For developing this analysis, the following instruments were used: (a) Scale cyber aggressions; (B) Scale cyber victimization; and (c) Symptom Assessment Questionnaire-45 (SA-45). The results show that 27.5% of the sample has been attacked on occasion, and that the stalker was 26.7% over the past year. On the other hand, the results showed that there is a psychological impact (SA45 scales) in both cyber victims and cyber aggressors. Gender differences in cyberbullying were evident only at some scales (primarily depression, anxiety, interpersonal sensitivity and somatization), although they were not significant among the psychological symptoms reported in this study (except for scales related to Somatization and Phobic Anxiety). © Revista Colombiana de Ciencias Sociales


One of the most notable works in the history of color printing is, Collection d'Imitations de dessins, d'apres les principaux maitres hollandais et flamands commencee par C. Ploos van Amstel, continuee et portee au nombre de cent morceaux, published in London in 1821. The work's importance lies in its 104 prints, which are facsimiles of drawings and watercolors by Flemish and Dutch artists of the seventeenth century. The prints so carefully reproduce the chalk and brush lines of the originals in a mechanically printed form, that they are frequently mistaken for drawings. The prints pose various questions as to who Ploos and Josi were; the role that they and their assistants played in the occupation of reproducing prints from drawings during this active period of printmaking experimentation, and the achievement that this publication represented in the nineteenth century, at a time when Holland was overcome by the adversities of war.


Background It is widely accepted that end of life care for non-cancer conditions has lagged behind palliative care for cancer. To equip cardiologists of the future with the necessary knowledge, skills and behaviour, end of life care has been incorporated into the 2010 Cardiology Curriculum in the UK. The purpose of this survey was to evaluate the confidence of trainees in managing end of life issues in advanced heart failure patients. Methods An online questionnaire was distributed to all registrar-grade British Junior Cardiac Association members in the UK. Results The main themes from 220 respondents were: Clinical Experience: ▸ 69% of trainees experience difficulties in palliating patients with advanced heart failure. ▸ Only 54% of trainees seek specialist palliative care input when experiencing problems. ▸ 73% of trainees feel that the care that they provide patients with advanced heart failure is poor or only adequate. ▸ 70% of trainees do not routinely explain the possible future need for ICD deactivation. ▸ 84% of trainees feel that patients are better off knowing their diagnosis even if it is poor, yet more than 50% of trainees do not feel equipped to discuss advanced care planning and end of life issues when seeing advanced heart failure patients in an out-patient clinic setting. Training: ▸ 45% report receiving no training in palliation of advanced heart failure symptoms. ▸ Only 29% have received any specific training in symptom palliation of advanced heart failure at ST3 level or above. ▸ Only 17% have completed an assessment to demonstrate competencies in end of life care. ▸ 57% are unhappy with current provision of training. ▸ Over 86% think that end-of-life training is important or very important within the curriculum. ▸ In particular, trainees identify 4 key areas for specialist input: symptom control, opioid titration, communication skills and the role of the palliative care team. ▸ Trainees' suggestions include more workplace-based supervision with additional regional and national training days, closer links with local hospices and specific fellowships for heart failure trainees in palliative care. Conclusions This survey shows that despite being part of the national curriculum for training in cardiology since 2010, trainees' level of confidence in delivering end of life care in advanced heart failure and discussing prognosis in patients with an ICD is poor. Specific training in end-of-life care remains a neglected part of the curriculum; this could be rectified by joint training with palliative care and more formal assessment of these skills.


The chapter's focus is on an enterprise collaboration with the members of the value chain and the use of technology to enhance integration. These factors are attributes of supply chain management (SCM). When emphasis is placed on lean and agile supply chains, closed-loop supply chains, reverse logistics, and the practice of just in time (JIT), the operation is transformed to green supply chain management (GSCM). JIT reduces outsourcing of resources, has controlled production and transportation, and uses distribution centers to expedite the distribution process. The utilization of the returned products in reverse logistics for reuse, recycle, and remanufacturing reduces dumping and environmental degradation. The returned materials become additional resource which is value-added to the enterprise. Ultimately, this is a cost saving and a contribution to the enterprise's bottom line and sustainability.


Upon therapeutic pressure, cancers commonly select for drug-resistant, invasive subpopulations with elevated expression of the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL. Besides the correlation between high AXL expression and induction of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, a process known to support metastasis, ample evidence also links AXL to resistance against a variety of targeted therapies, including inhibitors of the MAPK pathway in malignant melanoma and the EGFR pathway in lung cancer. AXL-107-MMAE (HuMax-AXL-ADC) is a therapeutic antibody-drug conjugate specific for AXL, containing the microtubule disrupting agent monomethyl auristatin E as the cytotoxic payload. AXL-107-MMAE was previously shown to induce potent cytotoxicity in vitro and in vivo, which was dependent expression of AXL on the cell surface. We evaluated the capacity of AXL-107-MMAE to target AXL-positive MAPK pathway inhibitor resistant tumor cells, using malignant melanoma as a clinically relevant example. First, AXL-107-MMAE was shown to induce cytotoxicity in BRAF-mutant tumor cell lines that showed AXL expression upon acquired resistance to BRAF-inhibitors. In contrast, no cytotoxicity was observed in the BRAF-inhibitor-sensitive, AXL-negative parental cell lines. In heterogeneous tumor cell cultures, treatment with a BRAF-inhibitor selected for AXL-high, MAPK pathway inhibitor-insensitive melanoma cells, which was prevented by combined BRAF-inhibitor and AXL-107-MMAE treatment. Interestingly, we observed marked AXL upregulation in biopsies obtained from patients after they developed resistance to MAPK pathway inhibitors compared to paired pre-treatment biopsies. The in vivo potential of AXL-107-MMAE in malignant melanoma was demonstrated using BRAFV600E-mutated xenograft model derived from a patient who developed resistance to the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib in the clinic. This indicates that AXL expression levels in treatment-resistant malignant melanoma are sufficient to induce tumor regression with AXL-107-MMAE, at least in this model system. These findings merit clinical validation of the targeting of both treatment-naive and drug-resistant cancers with AXL-107-MMAE, either alone or in combination with other targeted therapies. Citation Format: Julia Boshuizen, Louise A. Koopman, Esther C. Breij, David Satijn, Daniel Peeper, Paul W. Parren. Specific elimination of invasive and multidrug-resistant cancer cells by an antibody-drug conjugate targeting AXL [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4591. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-4591


The objective of this research was to analyze knowledge, attitudes and risk perception of university students from the Pharmacy about AIDS. A structured questionnaire was used, with questions divided in four areas: knowledge about the HIV identity, ways of transmission, prevention strategies, attitudes regarding AIDS and persons with AIDS, risk perception and demographic data. Eighty eight students answered the questionnaire. The average age of the participants was of 20, 6 years, and the majority was female. Most students had knowledge about HIV/AIDS, however, almost 40% did not know there was no vaccine against AIDS. As for the attitudes and risk perception regarding HIV/AIDS, the results are preoccupying; because more than 40% have answered that they are not at risk of getting AIDS. The students do not feel prepared to care for persons living with HIV/AIDS. Thus, it is necessary that the matter be treated as content cross during the academic. Key-words: AIDS; Prevention; Epidemic; Knowledge. Resumen


Pulsed lasers with high repetition rate have attracted more and more attention in recent years, due to the increased demand in many fields, including industrial applications such as laser processing and micromachining. However, the damage thresholds of optics exposed to high repetitive laser pulses, especially at the 355 nm wavelength, remain a major concern. Previous work about laser damage in optics was performed mainly by using pulsed lasers with 1-on-1 test or N-on-1 test but with very low pulse repetition rate (for example, from several Hz to hundreds of Hz). The results obtained, however, cannot be directly extended to analyze and understand the damage processes induced by high repetitive laser pulses. In this paper, we present our recent progress on investigation of damage processes on fused silica induced by a pulsed 355 nm laser with high repetition rate. By using a system based on photothermal effect, we have realized in-situ monitoring of laser-material-interaction dynamics through measuring the laser-induced absorption evolution. The results demonstrate that the initiation of laser-induced damage process occur far before any physical damage observable using high-resolution optical microscopes. The damage processes typically are long term accumulation effects of laser-induced increase in absorption, that itself is depending on both the irradiation fluence and repetition rate. The photothermally measured results are also compared with results obtained by using light scattering technique. The results show that such a photothermal technique is a very useful tool for in-situ studies of the damage process induced by high repetitive laser pulses at 355 nm wavelength.


Little is known about the influence of child behaviors on accommodation of anxiety and how accommodation relates to other parent factors. The present study examined the comparative effect of high and low levels of child distress on mother-reported accommodation, mother factors in relation to accommodation, and moderators of the relation between accommodation and child distress. Maternal perceptions of accommodation were measured by vignettes depicting youth exhibiting high or low levels of distress in anxiety-provoking situations that elicited social anxiety, generalized anxiety, or separation anxiety in a sample of 7- to 17-year-old youth with anxiety disorders (N = 70, M = 11.66, 47.1% male). Findings indicated an effect of child distress on mother-reported accommodation of youth anxiety, such that mothers reported more overall accommodation under conditions of high child distress; situation-level analyses revealed this effect for social and generalized anxiety situations. Furthermore, an association was found between greater mother-reported accommodation and more negative beliefs about their child's experience of anxiety, which held across situations. Maternal empathy moderated the relation between overall accommodation and child distress. Maternal anxiety also moderated the relation between accommodation and child distress, with results varying based on situation type. Findings, consistent with theory, indicate a relation between child distress and mother-reported accommodation and suggest that maternal beliefs about anxiety are an important treatment target. High maternal empathy may be related to a greater degree of adaptability in response to child behaviors, whereas maternal anxiety may be linked with less adaptive responses to child behaviors.


3822 1,1-Bis(3'-indolyl)-1-(p-tbutylphenyl)methane (DIM-C-pPhtBu) is a novel methylene-substituted diindolymethane (C-DIM) compound that exhibits a broad spectrum of anticancer activities. Previous studies have shown that C-DIMs activate peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) in colon, pancreatic and breast cancer cell lines. In this study, we have investigated the mechanism of action of the PPARγ-active DIM-C-pPhtBu in the SKOV-3, PEO1, OVCAR-3 and ES-2 ovarian cancer cell lines. Treatment of SKOV3 ovarian cancer cells with this compound (5 μM) inhibits cell proliferation, whereas up to 15 μM rosiglitazone had no effect on cell growth. DIM-C-pPhtBu also inhibits G0/G1 to S phase cell cycle progression and this is linked, in part, to PPARγ-dependent induction of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21. DIM-C-pPhtBu induces PPARγ-independent downregulation of cyclin D1 and we therefore further investigated activation of receptor-independent pathways. DIM-C-pPhtBu also induced apoptosis in SKOV3 cells and this was related to induction of glucose related protein 78 (GRP78) which is typically upregulated as part of the unfolded protein response during endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Activation of ER stress was also observed in other ovarian cancer cell lines treated with DIM-C-pPhtBu. In addition, DIM-C-pPhtBu coordinately induced C/EBP homologous protein (CHOP) which in turn activated death receptor 5 (DR5) and the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis. Furthermore, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), another modulator of extrinsic apoptosis pathway, was also induced after 2 hours treatment with 15 μM compound. These results demonstrate that DIM-C-pPhtBu inhibits growth and induced apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells through both PPARγ-dependent and -independent pathways and the dual mechanism of action will be advantageous for future clinical development of these compounds for treatment of ovarian cancer.


In this paper a novel procedure for training radial basis function (RBF) networks in the presence of censored data is presented. The proposed technique is based on a decomposition determined by decoupling parameters which are estimated by maximum likelihood. The censorship considers that some outputs are missing, but classification intervals containing them are observed. Convergence of the algorithm is proved by showing that it can be framed as a GEM (generalized expectation-maximization)-based training method. Hence, the possibility to adapt a GEM algorithm to deal with censored data without assuming known error variances is proved. The robustness of the algorithm is illustrated via a simulation example.


Summary.  Epidemiology studies increasingly examine multiple exposures in relation to disease by selecting the exposures of interest in a thematic manner. For example, sun exposure, sunburn and sun protection behaviour could be themes for an investigation of sun‐related exposures. Several studies now use predefined linear combinations of the exposures pertaining to the themes to estimate the effects of the individual exposures. Such analyses may improve the precision of the exposure effects, but they can lead to inflated bias and type I errors when the linear combinations are inaccurate. We investigate preliminary test estimators and empirical Bayes‐type shrinkage estimators as alternative approaches when it is desirable to exploit the thematic choice of exposures, but the accuracy of the predefined linear combinations is unknown. We show that the two types of estimator are intimately related under certain assumptions. The shrinkage estimator that is derived under the assumption of an exchangeable prior distribution gives precise estimates and is robust to misspecifications of the user‐defined linear combinations. The precision gains and robustness of the shrinkage estimation approach are illustrated by using data from the `Study of nevi in children', where the exposures are the individual questionnaire items and the outcome is log(total back naevus count).


A new model of random graphs – random intersection graphs – is introduced. In this model, vertices are assigned random subsets of a given set. Two vertices are adjacent provided their assigned sets intersect. We explore the evolution of random intersection graphs by studying thresholds for the appearance and disappearance of small induced subgraphs. An application to gate matrix circuit design is presented.


Nowadays, the energy management is a critical task for suppliers and network operators. A wide use of smart meters may improve the quality of service provided by suppliers thanks to the distributed measuring and controlling capabilities. Recently, the smart metering covers not only electrical distribution, but also other commodities such as gas, water and heat. The German standard OMS (Open Metering System) aims to connect in the infrastructure all the different meters belonging to the same system. In the paper, the advantages of the smart meters are examined and the architecture of OMS network is briefly described. The time requirements of typical meter applications are not strict. However, the estimation of the quality of local power network in a building would require a more accurate acquisition system, in which the time of the meters is synchronized below the millisecond. A characterization of the drift between the clocks of two M-bus meters is required to identify the main limits of the native OMS synchronization mechanism. The relative drift is 8 ppm, which means after 24 hours their time references could differ of 0.7 s.


Among the leading consequences of corrosion in reinforced concrete structures (RCS) the cross section reduction in steel bars should be mentioned, coupled to a decay of their mechanical material properties. This paper recalls the main literature findings on the topic and describes a wide collected database of experimental tensile tests performed on naturally corroded reinforcements. The principal predictive degradation laws available in the scientific literature to assess the residual mechanical properties of the corroded reinforcements are synthesized. A first attempt to evaluate the reliability of the literature decay laws to simulate the mechanical performance of naturally corroded steel reinforcement subjected to both uniform and pitting corrosion is performed. Finally, some remarks are suggested on both the tested naturally corroded steel reinforcement and the available degradation laws.


Our armamentarium for the treatment of erectile dysfunction has recently been expanded by addition of Viagra and the MUSE. However, their long-term results are still unknown. The insertion of a penile prosthesis is invasive, expensive, and irreversible, but under optimal condition provides an acceptable, definitive solution for erectile dysfunction. We evaluated our long-term results with penile prosthesis insertion (PPI). From 1987-1998, 57 patients underwent PPI in our department. Mean age was 55 years and the common causes of erectile dysfunction were atherosclerotic disease (23), radical pelvic surgery (15), and diabetes mellitus (14). Semirigid prostheses were inserted in 12 and inflatable prostheses in 45, including 42 single-component and 3 multi-component prostheses. Recently we interviewed these patients by telephone, using a standard questionnaire. Those not satisfied with the surgical results (83% of the living patients) were examined in our clinic. Mean follow-up was 53 months. In 37 (84%) the prosthesis was mechanically functional (rates after 1, 5 and 10 years were 87.8%, 80%, and 75%, respectively). In only 2 (2.5%) had serious complications led to prosthesis removal. All mechanical failures had occurred in those with inflatable prostheses after a mean of 48.5 months (range 4-113). At the time of the survey 68% were sexually active and 64% were satisfied with the surgical result. We conclude that PPI is safe treatment for erectile dysfunction. Although the rate of mechanically functioning prostheses decreases with time, modern multi-component prostheses may lead to better mechanical results.


The Message Passing Interface (MPI) is the de facto standard message-passing infrastructure for developing parallel applications. Two decades after the first version of the library specification, MPI-based applications are nowadays routinely deployed on super and cluster computers. These applications, written in C or Fortran, exhibit intricate message passing behaviours, making it hard to statically verify important properties such as the absence of deadlocks. Our work builds on session types, a theory for describing protocols that provides for correct-by-construction guarantees in this regard. We annotate MPI primitives and C code with session type contracts, written in the language of a software verifier for C. Annotated code is then checked for correctness with the software verifier. We present preliminary results and discuss the challenges that lie ahead for verifying realistic MPI program compliance against session types.


. Photovoltaic (PV) applications require the cell to absorb photons with energies higher than its bandgap and minimize reflection for effective energy conversion. Silicon-based PV cells are usually textured with micro/nano structures to reduce their reflectivity on a broad spectrum range and to increase their light absorption. This approach increases the power output while increasing PV cell temperature (thermalization) at the same time. In this study, a new texture is proposed to reduce the reflectivity only around the bandgap, to increase the power output while suppressing thermalization. Pyramid and square prism nanostructures are implemented and optimized by finite-difference time-domain method and parameter sweep optimization. By using square prism nanostructures, absorption of useful radiation by a 300 µm-thick silicon cell is increased by 20% while limiting the thermalization increase to 15%. The proposed texture optimization can improve power output from solar cells while reducing the cooling load.


Solute-solvent interactions play a critical role in multiple fields, including biology, materials science, and (physical) organic, polymer, and supramolecular chemistry. Within the growing field of supramolecular polymer science, these interactions have been recognized as an important driving force for (entropically driven) intermolecular association, particularly in aqueous media. However, to date, solute-solvent effects remain poorly understood in the context of complex self-assembly energy landscapes and pathway complexity. Herein, we unravel the role of solute-solvent interactions in controlling chain conformation effects, allowing energy landscape modulation and pathway selection in aqueous supramolecular polymerization. To this end, we have designed a series of oligo(phenylene ethynylene) (OPE)-based bolaamphiphilic Pt(II) complexes OPE2-4 bearing solubilizing triethylene glycol (TEG) chains of equal length on both molecule ends, but a different size of the hydrophobic aromatic scaffold. Strikingly, detailed self-assembly studies in aqueous media disclose a different tendency of the TEG chains to fold back and enwrap the hydrophobic molecular component depending on both the size of the core and the volume fraction of the co-solvent (THF). The relatively small hydrophobic component of OPE2 can be readily shielded by the TEG chains, leading to only one aggregation pathway. In contrast, the decreased capability of the TEG chains to effectively shield larger hydrophobic cores (OPE3 and OPE4) enables different types of solvent quality-dependent conformations (extended, partly back-folded and back-folded), which in turn induce various controllable aggregation pathways with distinct morphologies and mechanisms. Our results shed light on previously underappreciated solvent-dependent chain conformation effects and their role in governing pathway complexity in aqueous media.


Each year the University of Arizona conducts variety trials across the state to evaluate the performance of Upland cotton varieties. These tests provide unbiased data on the performance of varieties when tested side-by-side under typical production practices. In 2003, a total of 11 trials were planted. Two in the Yuma region (Yuma County), two in the western region (La Paz and Mohave counties), four in the central region (Maricopa and Pinal counties), one in the southern region (Pima county), and two in the eastern region (Graham, Greenlee, and Cochise counties). We tested eight to fourteen commercially available varieties at each test site. This article presents the results of the 2003 variety tests conducted at each location.


There are many studies regarding the benefit of incorporating learning diaries into learning experiences in higher education, though very little research documenting what students record when those diaries are unstructured. There are also several arguments and counter‐arguments for providing students with structure in their completion of learning diaries. Structure is said to limit spontaneity, while unstructured learning diaries are considered to be logs or diaries rather than reflective journals. This study presents evidence that unstructured, private learning diaries can assist students to become more self‐aware – and aware of others – while learning together online. This research provides useful pointers for managers and designers of online learning experiences regarding the role that online learning diaries can play in facilitating reflection.


Nanopore sensing is a powerful tool for the detection of biomolecules. Solid-state nanopores act as single-molecule sensors that can function in harsh conditions. Their resilient nature makes them attractive candidates for taking this technology into the field to measure environmental samples for life detection in space and water quality monitoring. Here, we discuss the fabrication of silicon nitride pores from ∼1.6 to 20 nm in diameter in 20-nm-thick silicon nitride membranes suspended on glass chips and their performance. We detect pure laboratory samples containing a single analyte including DNA, BSA, microRNA, TAT, and poly-D-lys-hydrobromide. We also measured an environmental (mixed-analyte) sample, containing Antarctic dirt provided by NASA Ames. For DNA measurements, in addition to using KCl and NaCl solutions, we used the artificial (synthetic) seawater, which is a mixture of different salts mimicking the composition of natural seawater. These samples were spiked with double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) fragments at different concentrations to establish the limits of nanopore sensitivity in candidate environment conditions. Nanopore chips were cleaned and reused for successive measurements. A stand-alone, 1-MHz-bandwidth Chimera amplifier was used to determine the DNA concentration in artificial seawater that we can detect in a practical time scale of a few minutes. We also designed and developed a new compact nanopore reader, a portable read-out device with miniaturized fluidic cells, which can obtain translocation data at bandwidths up to 100 kHz. Using this new instrument, we record translocations of 400 bp, 1000 bp, and 15000 bp dsDNA fragments and show discrimination by analysis of current amplitude and event duration histograms.


This paper proposes a distributed architecture for high definition (HD) multi-view video surveillance system. It adopts a modular design where multiple intelligent Internet Protocol (IP)-based video surveillance cameras are connected to a local video server. Each server is equipped with storage and optional graphics processing units (GPUs) for supporting high-level video analytics and processing algorithms such as real-time decoding and tracking for the video captured. The servers are connected to the IP network for supporting distributed processing and remote data access. The DSP-based surveillance camera is equipped with realtime algorithms for streaming compressed videos to the server and performing simple video analytics functions. We also developed video analytics algorithms for security monitoring. Both publicly available data set and real video data that are captured under indoor and outdoor scenarios are used to validate our algorithms. Experimental results show that our distributed system can support real-time video applications with high definition resolution.


Eukaryotic organisms contain linear chromosomes that are protected by telomeres; long repeated sequences that act as a protecting buffer from the shortening of chromosomes during each replication cycle, and as a signal that identify the ends from double stranded breaks. Telomeres are maintained in most organisms by a ribonucleoprotein called telomerase. While telomeres and telomerase have been implicated in many human diseases, including cancer, very little is known about the unique enzymatic mechanism of telomerase, making it difficult to develop medicinal therapeutics. The protein p65 is required for telomerase assembly in Tetrahymena thermophila. Using RNase footprinting and single molecule FRET, we show that the C-domain of p65 is not only required, but is sufficient for telomerase assembly, paving the way for understanding possible p65 homologues in other organisms. Preliminary crystals of complexes consisting of the RNA binding domain of the catalytic subunit and the RNA component of T. thermophila were also obtained. Because the catalytic subunit is quite conserved between species, any structure obtained from these crystals will prove valuable in understanding the RNA and protein organization of telomerase. For a more ambitious goal, a novel method was pursued to solve the structure of telomerase: inserting telomerase RNA into ribosomal RNA, assembling the telomerase complex on the ribosome, using the well known ribosome purification methods and crystallization conditions, and thus using the ribosome as a crystallization chaperone and scaffold. While crystals failed to diffract to a desired resolution, considerable strides were made toward this method that could also be extended to other ribonucleoproteins.


Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder involving primarily motor neurons in the cerebral cortex, brainstem and spinal cord. In the absence of any biological marker, the diagnosis of ALS is based on clinical analysis, combined with the results of electromyography. Consensus diagnosis criteria (El Escorial criteria) have been developed to define workable and internationally acceptable guidelines for the diagnosis of ALS. A combination of lower and upper motor neuron signs with evidence of spread within a region or to other regions is required. The diagnosis of ALS has been categorized into various levels of certainty depending on the presence of upper motor neuron and lower motor neuron signs together in the same topographical anatomic region (brainstem and cervical, thoracic or lumbosacral spinal cord). Clinical types and patterns of ALS have been defined. The emerging concept of "ALS plus" is characterized by the presence of atypical clinical features, e.g. extrapyramidal signs or dementia, in association with the classical phenotype of ALS. This paper reviews the classical and atypical clinical features of ALS.


Food safety has become an important topic in Bangladesh as large numbers of consumers are becoming victims of serious food-borne illnesses due to poor hygienic measures, indiscriminate use of chemical substances as adulterants and malpractices in production of foods. It is estimated that 45 million people in Bangladesh suffer from food poisoning or food-borne diseases round the year. Print and electronic media, different organizations and the public have drawn the attention of the government to this grave threat and demanded formulation of appropriate law and supervisory body to address the issue. In absence of a national food safety control system, two-thirds of the total food items hit the market without any quality check. The food hygienists, scientists, law makers and consumers strongly feel that food adulteration and malpractices to produce health hazardous foods are not matters to be dealt only by the BSTI. To wipe out the threat of widespread food adulteration and ensure availability of safe foods in the country the government is now in the process of forming a single agency styled Bangladesh Food Safety Authority (BFSA) and has drafted a Safe Food Law, 2013. Recently the government is advocating the concerned marketing authority to use a special preservative detector machine to check food for formalin at the sourcing in order to make sure that the customers receive safe food. Food Safety Governance is although an abstract idea in Bangladesh, but health and trade implications of governance gaps are significant. These gaps could be filled gradually using existing resources, researchers believe that implementing of global governance approach, and single coordination approaches are feasible for piloting food safety governance in Bangladesh. In the near future, the country will appreciably face challenges to develop awareness profiling force and activities linking perception on improving safety, quality and control of foods.


Based on his study on the American black ghetto and the French working-class banlieues, Loic Wacquant (2007) conceptualises territorial stigmatisation to capture how the negative perception of relegated urban territories affects their inhabitants and the public policies toward them. Most of the subsequent studies on the topic are done in similar Western post-Fordist and post-colonial settings, and despite Wacquant's emphasis on national contexts, his concept of territorial stigmatisation is "in the process of being universalised" (Jensen and Christensen, 2012: 89). Based on empirical research, this paper aims to investigate the transferability of the concept beyond its Western origins by examining the formation and the consequences of territorial stigmatisation in Chungking Mansions, a unique case study that is both specific to the local Hong Kong context and influenced by various global processes. Analysis of media representations and qualitative interviews with various stakeholders have suggested that the strong stigma attached to Chungking Mansions is not only the result of its racial and class formation, but also the poor condition of the building, various illegal and criminal activities taking place inside, as well as the extreme events that had happened before. The study has shown that different inhabitants and businesses in Chungking Mansions are affected by territorial stigmatisation differently, depending on their relations with the city as well as the global circuit. Furthermore, through its interplay with other urban processes, territorial stigmatisation also has a significant impact on both the economic structure and the spatial organisation of Chungking Mansions. To conclude, this paper argues that the future of Chungking Mansions is largely dependent on how the territorial stigma and its consequences are being managed by the different stakeholders associated with the building. (Less)


Multilabel conditional image generation is a challenging problem in computer vision. In this work we propose Multi-ingredient Pizza Generator (MPG), a conditional Generative Neural Network (GAN) framework for synthesizing multilabel images. We design MPG based on a state-of-the-art GAN structure called StyleGAN2, in which we develop a new conditioning technique by enforcing intermediate feature maps to learn scalewise label information. Because of the complex nature of the multilabel image generation problem, we also regularize synthetic image by predicting the corresponding ingredients as well as encourage the discriminator to distinguish between matched image and mismatched image. To verify the efficacy of MPG, we test it on Pizza10, which is a carefully annotated multi-ingredient pizza image dataset. MPG can successfully generate photo-realist pizza images with desired ingredients. The framework can be easily extend to other multilabel image generation scenarios.


In this part, a new fuzzy suction controller (NFSC), based on the first type of fuzzy modeling, is proposed using its linguistic rules to design a controller like a suction controller. According to new interpreting switching conditions of a suction controller, three rules are derived to design the linguistic rules of a NFSC such that it reduces chattering and expends less energy than a suction controller does. A design procedure summarizes the NFSC design. In addition, the linguistic rules are designed to have sliding sectors to control a mobile robot for tracking FPE gradient directions with obstacle avoidance. It's the demonstration of motion control in robot navigation using the proposed FPE discussed in Part I of this paper. The simulation includes the robot starting outside or inside a U-shaped obstacle. The proposed NFSC provides a flexible way for adjusting the controller functions using linguistic rules based on the first type of fuzzy modeling.


This study was conducted to determine the reason why dried rice cakes for non-glutinous rice crackers (Senbei) often break in the production process. Breakage after drying at 40°C for 12 h was found to be due to milling and storage conditions of the rice flour. Gel permeation chromatography revealed that the molecular weight of starch decreased as the extent of breakage increased. Damage to rice flour starch differed according to the milling methods. When press roller milled rice flour was stored at 5-25°C, the activity of α-amylase increased as the temperature became higher. The total water-soluble carbohydrate content of dried rice cake may be a good criterion to judge the extent of breakage. Reduction of the molecular sizes of starch, due to milling and action of α-amylase, is considered to cause the breakage of dried rice cake.


The study was conducted in the Animal House of the Department of Biology / Faculty of Education for Women / University of Kufa from October 2016 to May 2017. The study included 72 lab albino rabbit eggs of the type Oryetolagus cuniculus.L divided into four groups of 18 rabbits. They were injected with ciprofloxacin at a concentration of 1 mg / kg bw. The bacteria dose was (1 mg / kg bw) for a week, two weeks, and four weeks respectively. After infusion and injections of all experiment animals, they were sacrificed and dissected for the histological study, which included the female reproductive system. As well, blood samples were taken for blood and chemical indices. The results of the statistical analysis at the probability level (P <0.05) showed that the antibiotic (ciprofloxacin) caused changes in weight by significant decrease (P <0.05) in the total body weight and ovarian weight in females. The results of the statistical analysis of the study showed that the single therapeutic injection of ciprofloxacin and bacterial injection were different in their effect on some blood parameters. The groups of drug and bacterial treatment did not show changes in the first and second weeks, while there was a significant decrease and below the probability level (P <0.05) in the fourth group by number of WBCs, RBCs and hemoglobin (Hb) compared to the control group. Under optical microscopy, the histological study of tissue sections showed patho-histological changes of different intensity and appearance in the female ovaries between the drug and bacteria compared to the control group. The results of the microscopic examination showed clear effects on ovarian tissue structure in females compared with control group. Keywords : Ciprofloxacin; Biochemical tests; Biology; Histopathology; Ovary ; Albino female rabbits.


OBJECTIVE
To investigate the prognostic factors of primary duodenal adenocarcinoma.

METHODS
The medical records of 67 patients with primary duodenal adenocarcinoma treated in our hospital from January 1990 to December 2005 were retrospectively analyzed. Prognostic factors were analyzed by univariable and multivariable analysis.

RESULTS
Of the 67 patients, 38 underwent curative resection and 29 underwent palliative resection. The overall 5-year survival rate was 22.4%. The survival was significantly higher in patients who underwent curative resection (5-year survival 39.5%) than that in those who underwent palliative resection(5-year survival 0) (P<0.05). Univariable analysis showed that T-stage, nodal metastasis and tumor stage had significant negative effects on the survival of patients who underwent curative resection. However, multivariable analysis revealed that T-stage and nodal metastasis were significantly associated with survival.

CONCLUSIONS
Curative resection may improve the survival. T-stage and lymph nodes metastasis are associated with decreased survival.


ABSTRACT This is the first (Paper I) of three companion papers focused respectively, on the estimates of the errors in ice thickness retrieved from pulsed ground-penetrating radar (GPR) data, on how to estimate the errors at the grid points of an ice-thickness DEM, and on how the latter errors, plus the boundary delineation errors, affect the ice-volume estimates. We here present a comprehensive analysis of the various errors involved in the computation of ice thickness from pulsed GPR data, assuming they have been properly migrated. We split the ice-thickness error into independent components that can be estimated separately. We consider, among others, the effects of the errors in radio-wave velocity and timing. A novel aspect is the estimate of the error in thickness due to the uncertainty in horizontal positioning of the GPR measurements, based on the local thickness gradient. Another novel contribution is the estimate of the horizontal positioning error of the GPR measurements due to the velocity of the GPR system while profiling, and the periods of GPS refreshing and GPR triggering. Their effects are particularly important for airborne profiling. We illustrate our methodology through a case study of Werenskioldbreen, Svalbard.


Waitangirua is a vital piece of the puzzle when completing the Porirua Regeneration Scheme and The Transmission Gully Motorway.  Waitangirua is a small suburb of 4020 residents located in the East of Porirua City. The current regeneration of East Porirua is seeing 2000 state homes being renovated or demolished and 2000 additional dwellings on site. With that in mind, a transmission gully link road drives straight to the heart of the community's village centre: this road alone will see an additional 3000-4000 cars travelling down it daily. Waitangirua currently hosts a diverse and young population, but it lacks the architectural features to encourage diversity and social interaction. With Transmission Gully's completion in 2020 and the regeneration at the beginning of its 25-year plan, it is timely to think about the future of Waitangirua, not only for the social growth of the suburb but also the liveability for the community. The current village centre does not match its neighbourhood, let alone have the capability to host all these new people. Leading to the research question, 'How can an under-utilised centre be re-imagined for the social growth and liveability of its residents?'  This thesis examines the importance of connections for social growth and liveability; while considering the priority of community engagements in the success of the design. It also investigates the significance of architecture and urban planning in integrating the identity of the community and their culture into the design schemes.  A New Heart for East Porirua proposes this can be achieved by renewing the flow and connection of the people; to each other, their village centre and wider Porirua. At the same time as engaging with the community and cultural narrative to enhance the site; and finally, by re-imagining the under-utilised centre and community hub in a holistic approach for the on-going journey of the community of Waitangirua.


A conductivity probe has been developed for measuring the volume concentration of dispersed solids in a liquid. The design, with two pairs of electrodes, allows the probe to compensate automatically for any change in conductivity of the liquid phase. Initial test results with aqueous dispersions of talc are presented. The delay in the probe's response to changes in liquid conductivity is identified as the main limitation. Experiments to determine how rapidly a probe of 8 mm diameter responded to a step change in liquid conductivity at surface shear rates up to 1000 s−1 are reported. A finite difference approach to modelling the response time is described. Finally, the effectiveness and applications of the probe are discussed.


High correlation was observed between conidial germ tube length and number of septa formed in the germ tube of pear scab fungus (Venturia nashicola). Germ tube elongation of sensitive conidia, obtained from leaf lesions, was remarkably suppressed by thiophanatemethyl or benomyl. It was considered that these fungicides act as antimitotic agents to the fungus, and consequently inhibit the septal formation and germ tube growth. As a result of testing for the degree of fungicide resistance by several methods, it was revealed that the "weakly resistant" isolates as well as the "highly resistant" isolates exist in the field. In the artificial inoculation, the "weakly resistant" isolate could also produce sporulating lesions on the Japanese pear leaves treated with thiophanate-methyl at recommended concentration. These results show that the "weakly resistant" isolates play an important role in poor disease control in the field as well as the "highly resistant" isolates.


Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease characterized by severe alterations in the microvasculature and progressive fibrosis of the skin and internal organs [1]. Management of SSc is not easy, for both patients and physicians [2]. Symptoms are manifold and have a significant impact on patient's daily autonomy and psychological well-being.SScEntry (SSc data Entry tool; Figure 1) is a solution conceived to assist SSc patients in monitoring their disease, as a kind of "sentry". The core idea is to provide patients with a personal diary to annotate and track the onset, evolution and resolution of symptoms as well as any changes in their general health condition, through an app for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets.Figure 1.SScEntry logo.SScEntry is a smartphone/tablet app designed by rheumatology and computer science engineering specialists in close partnership [3]. A carefully designed user interface (UI), inspired to a social network wall, allows annotating the evolution of symptoms by means of standard clinical investigation methods such as scientifically validated questionnaires. The UI facilitates data collection through speech-based interaction as well as touch and gestures optimized for patients with finger skin lesions and joints impairments. User engagement over the course of time is fostered by: follow-up reminders to update information on the evolution of past events and periodic questionnaires for general health assessment; the integration of symptom photos taken with on-device camera and health data collected from wearable devices; gamification features. Privacy and security have been a primary design concern, with app access protection and full on-device data encryption; no personal data transmission occurs without explicit user consent. SScEntry generates a disease activity summary report, for displaying to the physician during visit or emailing/printing.SScEntry is ready for Android and iOS smartphones and tablets. All planned features have been implemented (Figure 2). Currently supported languages are English and Italian. Areas of interest include vascular, cutaneous, articular, visceral (gastro-intestinal and cardio-pulmonary) as well as relationship, sexual and working life.Figure 2.SScEntry features.Novel Narrative-based Medicine approaches are getting increasing attention to enhance the mutual understanding between patient and physician, reinforcing the therapeutic adherence at the core of healthcare. This is particularly important with chronic and disabling diseases like SSc. Involving patients in disease management with SScEntry will increase their compliance and confidence, with benefits on psychological well-being. Expected benefits for rheumatologists include better evaluation of target therapy and outcomes, as no data on disease activity is lost during the patient clinical history.[1]J. Varga et al. (2017) Pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis: recent insights of molecular and cellular mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities. J Scleroderma Relat Disord 2:137–52.[2]L. Mouthon et al. (2017) Patients' views and needs about systemic sclerosis and its management: a qualitative interview study. BMC Musculoskelet Disord 18(1):230.[3]M. Bradway et al. (2015) Mobile Health: empowering patients and driving change. Trends in Endocrinology & Metabolism, 26(3):114-117.Emanuela Praino: None declared, Floriano Scioscia: None declared, Crescenzio Scioscia: None declared, Giuseppe Loseto: None declared, Filippo Gramegna: None declared, Saverio Ieva: None declared, Agnese Pinto: None declared, Michele Ruta: None declared, Eugenio Di Sciascio: None declared, Giovanni Lapadula: None declared, Florenzo Iannone Consultant of: Speaker and consulting fees from AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, UCB, MSD, Speakers bureau: Speaker and consulting fees from AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, Sanofi, UCB, MSD


Radio frequency identification (RFID) is a very prominent technology and is used in object-attached identification and tracking tags. In this paper a triple band monopole antenna is designed to work at 2.2-2.6 GHz (lower RFID band), 5.3-6.8 GHz and 8.7-9.5 GHz (upper RFID band) frequency ranges. The antenna design resembles a modified F-shaped radiator and is built on a low cost easily available FR4 dielectric substrate. Initially an F-shaped radiator with partial ground plane is studied which exhibits the operation at 2.6 and 6.5 GHz. Further, modifying this F-shaped radiator exhibits an additional resonance at 9.2 GHz. Fundamental characteristics such as reflection coefficient (S 11 ), radiation pattern and 3D gain have been analyzed and good results have been obtained. Parametric analysis is carried out to fix the optimized antenna dimensions. All the simulations are carried out using the high frequency structure simulator software (HFSS). The antenna structure is easy to design and produce, and ideal for use in RFID applications.document quickly and accurately, to determine its relevance to their interests, and thus to decide whether to read the document in its entirety.


Introduction: Peritonitis remains a public health problem in Africa. We aim to describe the epidemiological, etiological and therapeutic aspects of acute peritonitis in a district hospital in Sub Saharan Africa. Methods: This was a descriptive study with prospective data collection over a period of 15 months from May 1 st 2015 to July 31st 2016 in Bembereke district hospital. It has taken into account all the patients managed in the general surgery department for acute generalized peritonitis that has been confirmed at laparotomy. Results: Fifty-three patients, 38 men (71.7 %) and 15 women (28.3 %) had been registered. The average age of the patients was 19.8 ± 16.9 years. The main etiologies were: non-traumatic ileal perforation from typhoid infection 52.8%; perforated gastric or duodenal ulcer 17%; complicated appendicitis and abdominal traumas 11.3% each one. Twenty nine patients (54.7%) have been operated by a surgeon and the 24 remaining (45.3%) by a general practitioner with surgical skills. Twenty one patients (39.6%) had postoperative complications of which 11 cases of parietal suppurations (52.4%). The mortality rate was 11.3%. The mean hospital stay was 22.5 ± 4 days. Conclusion: In northern-Benin, peritonitis remains dominated by the complications of typhoid fever. The mortality rate remains high. Prevention requires good hygiene and awareness of early consultations.


The study was carried out in the gallery forest of the Bacaba stream, Municipal Bacaba Park (14o43'12.2S e 52o21'36.7"W) in Nova Xavantina, Mato Grosso state, Brazil. Seed rain was studied and compared among three forest sections (upper, middle and lower), 200 m away from each other, running downstream and differing in slope. Twenty circular seed-traps (0.3 m 2 ) were randomically distributed at each forest section and monitored from June 2007 to May 2008. Seeds were dried until constant weight, and classified in two categories, based on the presence of flight structures (V) and the absence of these structures (NV). Number of morpho-species, seeds and biomass were compared at the forest sections through the dry and rainy periods. It was collected 20,965 seeds over 24 fortnights, being 777 seeds type V and 20,188 seeds type NV. In the upper section, 52 morpho-species of seeds were recorded in the middle 55 and in the lower 49. The morpho- species diversity of seeds was lower than the diversity of the woody species in the same area. Regarding the seasonal pattern for seed rain, for V (number, morpho-species and biomass) and for NV seeds (biomass) as well, the control of visitors in the Bacaba Park especially in the dispersion peak of seeds at the end of dry period and the beginning of the rains (September-December) is recommended. Tour of minimum impact may benefit the establishment of seeds and seedlings and ensure sustainability of the forest.


A method for a concise assembly of oxazine rings based on a Lewis acid-promoted hetero-Cope rearrangement is described. The hetero-Cope rearrangement features the first examples of the [3,3]-sigmatropic transpositions involving the nitroso group. A variety of functionalized substrates have been subjected to the reaction. The described method has a strong potential for the synthesis of marine natural products containing oxazine rings.


Background: As the rate of geriatric acetabular fractures was increasing gradually and accompanied with the quadrilateral surface(QLS) involved resulting by impacting from the head of femur, which usually leaded to the dislocation/subluxation of the head of femur and intra-pelvic medial displacement of the QLS. Traditionally, applying an infra-pectineal buttress plate in the true pelvis to resist the protrusive fragments of the QLS, however, these plates with small contact area could not provide enough buttress effect to age-related fractures. This study was to evaluate the "frame and buttress" fixation strategy for treatment of geriatric acetabular anterior fractures(GAAF).Methods: A cohort of 28 patients with acetabular fractures involving QLS were managed operatively with the "frame and buttress" fixation strategy with a single pelvic anterior approach. 7 cases were transverse, 3 cases were posterior column, 8 cases were associated both columns, 4 cases were anterior posterior hemi-transverse and 6 cases were T-type patterns fracture. The quality of reduction, functional outcomes and complicates were recorded for analyzing.Results: Functional outcomes were 15 cases in excellent; 9 cases were good; 3 cases were fair, and 1 case was poor. The quality of surgical reduction was evaluated by the Matta score system, which was graded as excellent in 17 cases, good in 9 cases and poor in 2 cases, respectively. No loss or failure of internal fixation, no second dislocation/subluxation of femoral head and no complications like infection were observed.Conclusions: The "frame and buttress" fixation strategy provided firm method for treating GAAF, the "frame" formed rigid fixation structure for acetabular fractures and the "buttress" resisted protrusive QLS.


ABSTRACT.
 We estimated phylogenetic relationships among all 15 extant species of cranes in the gruiform family Gruidae from complete sequences of their mitochondrial genomes. The gene order of crane mitochondrial genomes corresponds to that of the chicken and present few structural novelties compared with previously described birds. Sequences of the control region, particularly domains I and III, are highly divergent among species and include tandem repeats, duplications, and numerous indels. Phylogenetic analyses confirmed the well-established, reciprocal monophyly of clades Balearicinae (crowned cranes) and Gruinae (anatomically derived cranes), as well as previously identified lineages within Gruinae: Leucogeranus and the species groups Anthropoides, Canadensis, Antigone, and Americana. As in previous molecular phylogenies, Leucogeranus is resolved as sister to all other gruines. In addition, the Sandhill Crane (Grus canadensis) is resolved as sister to the Antigone species group, resulting in a Pacific Rim clade that has not previously been suggested. Only relationships among the Anthropoides, Americana, and Pacific Rim groups remain unresolved in our analyses. The crane fossil record provides reasonable calibration points for the most recent common ancestor of Gruinae (Middle Miocene) and the minimum age of Grus americana (Late Pliocene). Bayesian estimates of divergence dates from mitochondrial DNA sequences suggest that balearicines and gruines separated in the late Oligocene and that radiations of living species within these clades took place in the Neogene.