CONTEXT
Mississippi mandates that a woman seeking an abortion must first receive, in person, information about the fetus and alternatives to abortion. She must then wait at least 24 hours before having an abortion. It is not clear how such mandatory delay requirements affect the timing during pregnancy at which abortion occurs.

METHODS
The data for analysis, from the Mississippi Department of Health, are 34,748 abortions obtained by residents in the six-year period surrounding the law's enactment in August 1992 (i.e., from August 1989 through July 1995). The records were stratified by location of the nearest provider, so abortions to women whose nearest provider is in-state comprised the "treatment group" (N = 28,975), while abortions to women whose nearest provider is in a neighboring state with no such law comprised the "control group" (N = 5,773). Probit regressions were used to assess effects on the likelihood of a second-trimester abortion, and ordinary least-squares regressions were used to determine effects on gestational age at the time of the abortion.

RESULTS
After enactment of the law, the proportion of second-trimester procedures increased by 53% (from 7.5% of abortions to 11.5%) among women whose closest provider is in-state, but it increased by only 8% (from 10.5% to 11.3%) among women whose closest provider is out-of-state. And although the overall abortion rate declined among women in the treatment group over the period (from 11.3 procedures per 1,000 women aged 15-44 to 9.9), the rate of second-trimester procedures increased among these women (from 0.8 per 1,000 women aged 15-44 to 1.1). The law was independently associated with delays in obtaining an abortion: Once the law went into effect and net of all covariates, the proportion of second-trimester abortions increased by nearly three percentage points more among women living closest to an in-state provider than among those living closest to an out-of-state provider. The law increased the mean gestational age of the fetus at the time of the procedure by approximately four days. Women who live closest to abortion providers in other states were relatively unaffected by the law.

CONCLUSIONS
The proportion of abortions performed later in pregnancy will probably increase if more states impose mandatory delay laws with in-person counseling requirements.


Oral-specific measures are often preferred to examine outcomes of oral disorders. However, generic measures can add additional information, including health utility. The aim was to assess the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP), EuroQol (EQ-5D), and Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL) instruments in relation to oral health in terms of their discriminative and convergent validities. Data were collected from adults, 30-61 yr of age, in Australia by mailed survey during 2009 and 2010, including the OHIP-14, the EQ-5D, and the AQoL, a range of self-reported oral health variables, and by self-rated oral and general health. Responses were collected from 1093 subjects (a response rate of 39.1%). The OHIP, the EQ-5D, and the AQoL were associated with oral health variables, with effect sizes ranging from 0.6 to 1.1 for the OHIP, from 0.3 to 0.5 for the EQ-5D, and from 0.4 to 0.6 for the AQoL. The OHIP tended to be more strongly correlated with self-rated oral health (rho = -0.5) than with general health (rho = -0.3), whilst the EQ-5D and the AQoL were less strongly correlated with oral health (rho = -0.3 and -0.3, respectively) than with general health (rho = -0.4 and -0.5, respectively). Whilst the OHIP was more sensitive to differences in oral health, the generic measures of EQ-5D and AQoL both exhibited discriminative validity and convergent validity in relation to oral health variables, supporting their use in oral health studies.


The advancement of technology has brought us convenience to keep up with the world. With a click of the gadgets, it bridges us with people and recent happenings in the society. Social media platforms have been one of the most popular software-based digital technologies that are widely utilized, including educators who teach skills and deliver knowledge in the classroom. Numerous research had been conducted to provide insights and professional practices to the educators. However, a few has been done in Malaysia semi-urban primary ESL (English as a Second Language) classroom context. Thus, this research was intended to explore the use of social media platforms in primary ESL classroom. An online survey questionnaire which presented in Google Form had been distributed to 300 primary ESL teachers in Terengganu, Malaysia to know their most preferred social media platform and challenges faced in ESL classroom. The result showed that YouTube is the most preferred social media platform in ESL teaching. It also portrayed that the most challenging issue was time constraint. It is recommended to conduct a detailed research to understand the real-world situation by having in-depth interviews with the ESL teachers to discover their ESL teaching experience in using social media platforms.


INTRODUCTION: Inhaled corticosteroids are widely used for the management of persistent asthma, including by those who receive specific immunotherapy. OBJECTIVE: Our goal was to elucidate the cytokine profile in long-term use of corticosteroid inhalation in asthmatic children who were receiving specific immunotherapy. METHODS: We performed a randomized, paralleled, comparative study of asthmatic children allocated into 3 groups: those in group A received inhaled budesonide, those in group B received specific immunotherapy, and those in group C received both specific immunotherapy and inhaled budesonide. The primary outcomes were interleukin 4 (IL-4), IL-5, interferon γ (IFN-γ), and IL-2 levels and forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) reversibility. RESULTS: Significant differences were observed before and after treatment in all groups (P < .05). Patients who received inhaled budesonide showed attenuation of IL-4, IL-5, IFN-γ, and IL-2 and 29% failure of FEV1 reversibility. Patients who received immunotherapy showed attenuation of IL-4 and IL-5, elevation of IFN-γ and IL-2, and 24% failure of improvement of FEV1 reversibility. Patients who received inhaled corticosteroids and immunotherapy showed attenuation of IL-4 and IL-5, elevation of IFN-γ and IL-2, and 100% improvement of FEV1 reversibility. Analysis of the discriminator yielded IL-2 as the primary discriminator, which correlated with the decrease of IL-5. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term use of inhaled corticosteroids by children with asthma who received immunotherapy resulted in elevation of IFN-γ and IL-2 and a decrease of IL-4 and IL-5. Addition of inhaled corticosteroids to immunotherapy resulted in marked attenuation of IL-5 and correlated with greater elevation of IL-2.


SUMMARY This article deals with the electric organ and its discharge in Gymnotus coropinae, a representative species of one of the three main clades of the genus. Three regions with bilateral symmetry are described: (1) subopercular (medial and lateral columns of complex shaped electrocytes); (2) abdominal (medial and lateral columns of cuboidal and fusiform electrocytes); and (3) main [four columns, one dorso-lateral (containing fusiform electrocytes) and three medial (containing cuboidal electrocytes)]. Subopercular electrocytes are all caudally innervated whereas two of the medial subopercular ones are also rostrally innervated. Fusiform electrocytes are medially innervated at the abdominal portion, and at their rostral and caudal poles at the main portion. Cuboidal electrocytes are always caudally innervated. The subopercular portion generates a slow head-negative wave (V1r) followed by a head-positive spike (V3r). The abdominal and main portions generate a fast tetra-phasic complex (V2345ct). Since subopercular components prevail in the near field and the rest in the far field, time coincidence of V3r with V2 leads to different waveforms depending on the position of the receiver. This confirms the splitting hypothesis of communication and exploration channels based on the different timing, frequency band and reach of the regional waveforms. The following hypothesis is compatible with the observed anatomo-functional organization: V1r corresponds to the rostral activation of medial subopercular electrocytes and V3r to the caudal activation of all subopercular electrocytes; V2, and part of V3ct, corresponds to the successive activation of the rostral and caudal poles of dorso-lateral fusiform electrocytes; and V345ct is initiated in the caudal face of cuboidal electrocytes by synaptic activation (V3ct) and it is completed (V45ct) by the successive activation of rostral and caudal faces by the action currents evoked in the opposite face.


The modeling of the steady-state fusion-born alpha particle distribution in a mirror loss-cone is investigated. The Legendre function expansion and diffusion-front methods are reviewed and examined. The diffusion-front method is shown to be am accurate and efficient method are alpha-loss-cone instability calculations in a tandem mirror fusion device.


Counterfactual reasoning and contextuality is defined and c ritically evaluated with regard to its nonempirical content. To this end, a uniqueness property of states, explo sion views and link observables are introduced. If only a sin gle context associated with a particular maximum set of observa bles can be operationalized, then a context translation pri nci le resolves measurements of different contexts.


In this paper, a novel methodology, based on discrete wavelet transform (DWT) is developed for extraction of characteristic features from twelve - lead Electrocardiogram recordings. The first step of this method is to denoise the signal using DWT technique. A multiresolution approach along with thresholding is used for the detection of R - Peaks in each cardiac beats. Followed, by this other fiducial points (Q and S) are detected and QRS onset and offset points are identified. Baseline is also detected and heights of R, Q, S waves are calculated. This, algorithm was validated using PTB diagnostic database giving a sensitivity of 99.6% and MITDB Arrhythmia, giving a sensitivity of 99.8%. The QRS vectors are calculated for normal and patients with Anteroseptal MI and a comparative study is presented. Accordingly, it has been found that classification of normal and AS MI is possible by computing the QRS vector. And a simple classification rule is established for this purpose.


Cancer is a life threatening condition. Though it has been immensely studied in the field of medical research, not all attempts have been fruitful. More than half the people diagnosed with cancer receive chemotherapy. One such effective discovery leads to Paclitaxel, a Pacific Yew tree isolate. This review makes attempt at understanding a few advancements in cancer treatment using Paclitaxel since its discovery. We await the discovery of many such compounds which make an impact in cancer treatment. This review tried to discuss the various research using Paclitaxel and its efficacy against various types of cancers and stresses on the need for the research in the field of Cancer Chemotherapy.


This research is based on the sewing activity at PKBM Anarvani which is taught directly by the instructor. By the existence of the work of the sewing clothes of the learners, it creates the cooperation between some fashion Muslim shops with PKBM Anarvani. So that, there must be the order of fashion Muslim to the PKBM Anarvani. The type of fashion muslim order  which is famous in community and documented in PKBM Anarvani are the works that showed by the cooperation of PKBM Anarvani, then the marketing is done through social media like facebook, instagram, whatsapp, or even others social media. The type of research is quantitative research. The population of the research is the participants of the training for 20 people. The sampling technique in this research is purposive random sampling. The data collection is using questioner and its data analysis formulated by the percentage. The result of the research shows: the planning of the sewing work's marketing is in good category, the determination of label's product and price are in good category, the promotion activity which is done in the sewing work's marketing is in good category, the distribution in the sewing work's marketing is in good category.Key word: The Marketing of the Sewing Work


Intersections concentrate a too important number of accidents. It is quite obvious they are dangerous places because it is where cars potentially collide due to intersecting trajectories, as opposed to "normal" roads where they are parallel. This paper present a framework designed initially for cybercars (fully automated cars) but that could also be applied — though with major differences — to human driven cars. It is a world where vehicles have to reserve pieces of roads to cross a junction. This work is an enhancement of a previous work that demonstrated the feasibility of such a reservation algorithm.


The Tet, main river of the Pyrenees-Orientales department (south of France) has a significant impact on the life of the department. The management of its water quality must be largely improved and better monitored. In this sense, the present work takes part in a global development and evaluation of reliable and robust tools, with the aim of allowing the control and supervision of the Tet River's lowland area. A simplified model, based on mass balances, has been developed to estimate nutrient levels in the stream and to describe the river water quality. Due to, the application of mathematical models for river water quality as support tools is often limited by the availability of reliable data, Kohonen self-organizing maps were used to solve it and to avoid the data missing. This kind of neural networks proved to be very useful to predict missing components and to complete the available database, describing the chemical state of the river and the WWTPs operation.


ABSTRACT In this study, influence of limestone addition on radiative heat transfer during co-firing of high-sulfur content lignite with olive residue in the freeboard of 300 kWt Atmospheric Bubbling Fluidized Bed Combustor (ABFBC) is investigated by using an in-house developed radiation code based on Method of Lines (MOL) solution of Discrete Ordinates Method (DOM). The freeboard is treated as a 3D rectangular enclosure containing gray, absorbing, emitting gas with absorbing, emitting, anisotropically scattering particles surrounded by black/gray diffuse walls. Radiative properties of combustion gases and particles are evaluated by using Leckner's correlations and Mie theory, respectively. Input data required for the model are provided from four combustion tests which were previously carried out sequentially for lignite only, lignite with limestone addition followed by 30 and 50 wt % shares of olive residue in the fuel mixture for the same Ca/S ratio. The results show that addition of limestone affects the radiative properties of the particles in the freeboard through the change of particle size distribution and load rather than optical properties and decreases the radiative wall heat fluxes along the freeboard. On the other hand, co-firing with biomass compensates this decrease as less limestone is utilized in almost direct proportion to the coal replacement.


Employing X‐ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD), angle‐resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), and momentum‐resolved density fluctuation (MRDF) theory, the magnetic and electronic properties of ultrathin NdNiO3 (NNO) film in proximity to ferromagnetic (FM) La0.67Sr0.33MnO3 (LSMO) layer are investigated. The experimental data shows the direct magnetic coupling between the nickelate film and the manganite layer which causes an unusual ferromagnetic (FM) phase in NNO. Moreover, it is shown the metal–insulator transition in the NNO layer, identified by an abrupt suppression of ARPES spectral weight near the Fermi level (EF), is absent. This observation suggests that the insulating AFM ground state is quenched in proximity to the FM layer. Combining the experimental data (XMCD and AREPS) with the momentum‐resolved density fluctuation calculation (MRDF) reveals a direct link between the MIT and the magnetic orders in NNO systems. This work demonstrates that the proximity layer order can be broadly used to modify physical properties and enrich the phase diagram of RENiO3 (RE = rare‐earth element).


Ultrasound (US) is one modality used to assess renal infections, because it's a simple, Produces image in real time, less expensive, accurate method and well accepted by patient in comparison to other modality. This study aimed to determine the characterization of incidence of renal infections by US, in Khartoum, Wad Madani, Elmanagil hospitals and Elkramit family health center, in urology department. An analytical study on the sonographic pattern of renal infections in 234 person from January 2014 to May 2016. Ultrasound scanning has been carried out, using a curve linear probe with a frequency of 3.5 to 5MHz. this study reveals that female was mostly affected by glomerulonephritis and pyelonephritis rather than male with male to female ratio of 1:1.6 and 1:2 respectively. Flank pain in 82.4% associated with glomerulonephritis while 75% of pyelonephritis showed ill-defined corticomedullary differentiation. In conclusion Ultrasonographic characteristics in addition to medical laboratory test can be used in a multiple linear regression equation to diagnose the patients affect by kidney infection with a classification accuracy of 96%.


A new aromatic thiolate protected gold nanomolecule Au99(SPh)42 has been synthesized by reacting the highly stable Au144(SCH2CH2Ph)60 with thiophenol, HSPh. The ubiquitous Au144(SR)60 is known for its high stability even at elevated temperature and in the presence of excess thiol. This report demonstrates for the first time the reactivity of the Au144(SCH2CH2Ph)60 with thiophenol to form a different 99-Au atom species. The resulting Au99(SPh)42 compound, however, is unreactive and highly stable in the presence of excess aromatic thiol. The molecular formula of the title compound is determined by high resolution electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and confirmed by the preparation of the 99-atom nanomolecule using two ligands, namely, Au99(SPh)42 and Au99(SPh-OMe)42. This mass spectrometry study is an unprecedented advance in nanoparticle reaction monitoring, in studying the 144-atom to 99-atom size evolution at such high m/z (∼12k) and resolution. The optical and electrochemical properties of Au99(SPh)42 are reported. Other substituents on the phenyl group, HS-Ph-X, where X = -F, -CH3, -OCH3, also show the Au144 to Au99 core size conversion, suggesting minimal electronic effects for these substituents. Control experiments were conducted by reacting Au144(SCH2CH2Ph)60 with HS-(CH2)n-Ph (where n = 1 and 2), bulky ligands like adamantanethiol and cyclohexanethiol. It was observed that conversion of Au144 to Au99 occurs only when the phenyl group is directly attached to the thiol, suggesting that the formation of a 99-atom species is largely influenced by aromaticity of the ligand and less so on the bulkiness of the ligand.


Abstract Many coastal areas throughout the world are suffering from erosion, so numerous attempts are made, by constructing various forms of sea defences, to stabilize a retreating beach or reduce its rate of erosion. In recent years, artificial beach replenishment has become an established method in helping to restore a deteriorating beach. However, there has been a relative lack of information regarding the post-replenishment behaviour of many artificially renourished beaches. Results of a study of a replenished beach at Hayling Island suggest that the apparent depositional and erosional trends measured along a typical beach profile can be due to the longshore movement of a single, trapezium-shaped, mass of shingle, at a constant rate, rather than variations in the longshore transport rate.


With the emergence of the global economic crisis, the economies of many countries were unbalanced, and investors were affected, sometimes dramatically lowering performance in some sectors. The battle to attract and retain investors emerged increasingly more. Managerial strategies were changed as well, being adapted to the given situation. Through this work I wanted to show the influence of knowledge management on the development of clusters in the current situation of post-crisis. The main goal of supporting the development of clusters is to create jobs, especially now when unemployment is at record levels, and of developing the regions and the economy.The intervention of knowledge management in cluster development can have a number of advantages: increased profitability of the sector in question, addressing differentiation strategy through quality, decrease of the differentiation cost by maintaining under control the cost of the driving forces. This paper mentions the results, identifying and determining influence / role of knowledge management on the development of clusters, by following the links between knowledge management and development of clusters. At the basis of the study lies the analysis of theoretical and practical concepts on knowledge management in global and European clusters; the conclusions of the evaluation, in the current situation, in terms of knowledge management, in developing clusters, reflects the need for the strong relationship between the two concepts and the benefits that occur from their interconnection.


The climatological meridional atmospheric temperature structure in the Okhotsk region in summer is characterized by a poleward increase of the surface air temperature. Under this anomalous temperature gradient, the stationary anticyclone, referred to as the Okhotsk high, occasionally occurs. The relationship of the interannual variation of the meridional temperature gradient anomaly is statistically investigated, with those of the Okhotsk high, the sea surface temperature, and the global atmosphere mainly using NCEP reanalysis data. The correlation between the anomaly and the Okhotsk high is quite high. That is, in years when the meridional temperature gradient is positive, the Okhotsk high appears more than normal. The anomaly is composed of two independent factors, the warmness of eastern Siberia and the coldness of the northwestern North Pacific. The vertical structures of the anticyclone, related to the Siberian warmness, are different from those related to the Pacific coldness. The former anticyclone has deep structure, whereas the latter has shallow structure. Therefore, there are two types of the Okhotsk High. The warmness of Siberia is connected to the Rossby wave propagating along the northern coast of the Eurasian continent. The coldness of the North Pacific is, on the other hand, influenced by the variation of the tropical Pacific. Consequently, the interannual variation of the Okhotsk high is influenced by completely different remote sources; one is the tropical Pacific, and the other is the highlatitude areas facing the Arctic Ocean. To understand the interannual variation of the Asian summer monsoon, which is closely related to the occurrence of the Okhotsk high, both the Arctic and the tropics should be considered.


Literature has proposed different frameworks of implementing Geographic Information System (GIS) in developing countries, and one of them is the integrative framework in which GIS implementation activities are typically linked with activities of implementing other programs or projects. Thus, the paper discusses how the integrative framework has been applied in the GIS implementation for health management in Malawi and lessons learnt from such an application. The understanding is that GIS implementation is unique to a particular organisation, with some unique technical and organizational impacts and implications that need to carefully be addressed. This case study was conducted at the national level in Malawi's Ministry of Health between June 2015 and April 2017. In Malawi, several initiatives towards GIS implementation have been taking place since 2002, which involve the policy formulation, user training, generation of static maps, collection of spatial data (i.e. geodata) for health facilities, and deployment of DHIS2 GIS. Qualitative interpretive research methods were applied and data was collected through semi-structured interviews, document analysis and participant observation. The paper argues that it is important to consider specific problem domains and options of integration when deciding on the integrative approach of GIS implementation. The paper identifies geodata, technology and expertise as the specific problem domains, and fully linked, partially linked, and not linked as options for integration. The paper claims that compatibility of activities to be linked is one factor that can determine whether or not to apply the integrative approach. Generally, the major opportunity of the integrative approach of GIS implementation is the utilisation of time and resources such as people and finances. However, the main challenge is the lack of control on allocation and use of those resources, particularly people and their knowledge because most activities have been managed by collaborating organisations. This may bring challenges on local capacity building.


This paper presents an interactive algorithm for natural image matting. Given a few user-marked foreground and background strokes, the unmarked region of the input image is modeled as a Markov random field (MRF) and its energy function is formulated as the sum of the local energy of the unmarked pixels. The opacity matte is extracted by constructing a cellular automaton on the image, of which each cell (pixel) iteratively estimates its local opacity by minimizing its local energy until convergence. The initial state of the cellular automaton is set by the user-supplied strokes and each cell's state can be changed by additional user input during the matting process, that is, user input can be added to guide the matting process without rerunning the algorithm. Experiments on many complex natural images demonstrate that visual plausible mattes can be obtained with modest user effort.


Heavy particle collisions, in particular low-energy ion-atom collisions, are amenable to semiclassical JWKB phase integral analysis in the complex plane of the internuclear separation. Analytic continuation in this plane requires due attention to the Stokes phenomenon which parametrizes the physical mechanisms of curve crossing, non-crossing, the hybrid Nikitin model, rotational coupling and predissociation. Complex transition points represent adiabatic degeneracies. In the case of two or more such points, the Stokes constants may only be completely determined by resort to the so-called comparison-equation method involving, in particular, parabolic cylinder functions or Whittaker functions and their strong-coupling asymptotics. In particular, the Nikitin model is a two transition-point one-double-pole problem in each half-plane corresponding to either ingoing or outgoing waves. When the four transition points are closely clustered, new techniques are required to determine Stokes constants. However, such investigations remain incomplete. A model problem is therefore solved exactly for scattering along a one-dimensional z-axis. The energy eigenvalue is b2-a2 and the potential comprises -z2/2 (parabolic) and -a2 + b2/2z2 (centrifugal/centripetal) components. The square of the wavenumber has in the complex z-plane, four zeros each a transition point at z = ±a ±ib and has a double pole at z = 0. In cases (a) and (b), a and b are real and unitarity obtains. In case (a) the reflection and transition coefficients are parametrized by exponentials when a2 + b2 >½. In case (b) they are parametrized by trigonometrics when a2 + b2 <½ and total reflection is achievable. In case (c) a and b are complex and in general unitarity is not achieved due to loss of flux to a continuum (O'Rourke and Crothers, 1992 Proc. R. Soc. 438 1). Nevertheless, case (c) coefficients reduce to (a) or (b) under appropriate limiting conditions. Setting z = λτ, with λ a real constant, an attempt is made to model a two-state collision problem modelled by a pair of coupled first-order impact parameter equations and an appropriate -τ relation, where is the Stueckelberg variable and τ is the reduced or scaled time. The attempt fails because is an odd function of τ, which is unphysical in a real collision problem. However, it is pointed out that by applying the Kummer exponential model to each half-plane (O'Rourke and Crothers 1994 J. Phys. B: At. Mol. Opt. Phys. 27 2497) the current model is in effect extended to a collision problem with four transition points and a double pole in each half-plane. Moreover, the attempt in itself is not a complete failure since it is shown that the result is a perfect diabatic inelastic collision for a traceless Hamiltonian matrix, or at least when both diagonal elements are odd and the off-diagonal elements equal and even.


This paper considers a linear estimation problem for a stochastic process viewed as the output signal of a linear second-order vector difference equation (VDE) driven by a white-noise input. An innovations approach is applied directly to develop the one-stage prediction estimator and associated error covariances. It is shown that the estimator can be expressed as a second-order recursion that preserves the mathematical structure of the given signal model with innovations feedback loops. It is also shown that the innovations can be computed through a first-order recursion in terms of one-stage prediction estimates and the measurements. Formulas for the filtered estimate and the associated error covariance matrices are developed in terms of the corresponding error quantities.


Reverse Monte Carlo (RMC) simulation was applied for modelling the atomic level structure of the Ni65B35 amorphous metallic alloy. Three experimental total structure factors from isotopic substitution neutron diffraction measurements were used as input data. Using the particle configurations that were provided by the RMC calculations, neighbour distribution functions and cosine distribution of bond angles were evaluated. Local symmetries were found to be well defined around Ni atoms. B atoms are distributed more randomly. Using constraints on the B-B coordination number it is shown that the presence of boron pairs or the formation of boron chains are possibilities. None of these implications changed the local structure considerably, although we could not fully impose the constraints, because the level of RMC fit would have deteriorated.


A new approach to obtaining spherical nanodomains using polystyrene-block-polydimethylsiloxane (PS-b-PDMS) is proposed. To reduce drastically the process time, we blended a copolymer with cylindrical morphology with a PS homopolymer. Adding PS homopolymer into a low-molar-mass cylindrical morphology PS-b-PDMS system drives it toward a spherical morphology. Besides, by controlling the as-spun state, spherical PDMS nanodomains could be kept and thermally arranged. This PS-homopolymer addition allows not only an efficient, purely thermal arrangement process of spheres but also the ability to work directly on nontreated silicon substrates. Indeed, as shown by STEM measurements, no PS brush surface treatment was necessary in our study to avoid a PDMS wetting layer at the interface with the Si substrate. Our approach was compared to a sphere-forming diblock copolymer, which needs a longer thermal annealing. Furthermore, GISAXS measurements provided complete information on PDMS sphere features. Excellent long-range order spherical microdomains were therefore produced on flat surfaces and inside graphoepitaxy trenches with a period of 21 nm, as were in-plane spheres with a diameter of 8 nm with a 15 min thermal annealing. Finally, direct plasma-etching transfer into the silicon substrate was demonstrated, and 20 nm high silicon nanopillars were obtained, which are very promising results for various nanopatterning applications.


Most geomorphology studies of dam removals have focused on sites with appreciable quantities of stored sediments. There is great interest in channel responses to sediment releases because of potential effects on aquatic and riparian habitats and human uses of these areas. Yet, behind many dams in the Northeast U.S. and other regions of the world only minor accumulations of sediment are present because of small impoundments, run‐of‐river dam design and management (inflow ≈ outflow), low watershed sediment yield, and/or channel beds dominated by coarse sediment and/or bedrock. The two lowermost dams on the Penobscot River in Maine, United States, removed in 2012–2013, exemplified those conditions. Great Works and Veazie dams were about 6 and 10 m high, respectively. Pre‐project geophysical surveys showed coarse substrates dominated the reservoir beds and little sediment was stored in either impoundment—functions of reach geology, late Quaternary history, and upstream dams. Repeat cross‐section surveys in each impoundment, as well as the upstream and downstream reaches, were completed from 2009 to 2015 to evaluate channel morphology responses to the removals. Bed‐sediment grain size and turbidity were also measured to characterize changes in bed texture and suspended sediment. Pre‐ and post‐removal survey comparisons confirmed the expectation that bed elevations, channel shapes, and channel positions would not change substantially. Changes were often within, or close to, our estimated random measurement error. Our study shows that large‐scale physical changes are likely to be minimal when impoundments storing relatively little sediment are removed from erosion‐resistant streambeds. Many dams eligible for removal have these characteristics, making these observations an important case study that is largely unrepresented in the dam removal literature.


The optical spectrum of the broad-line radio galaxy Arp 102B has been monitored for more than 13 yr to investigate the nature of the source of its broad, double-peaked hydrogen Balmer emission lines. The shape of the lines varied subtly; there was an interval during which the variation in the ratio of the fluxes of the two peaks appeared to be sinusoidal, with a period of 2.16 yr and an amplitude of about 16% of the average value. The variable part of the broad Hα line is well fitted by a model in which a region of excess emission (a quiescent "hot spot") within an accretion disk (fitted to the nonvarying portion of the double-peaked line) completes at least two circular orbits and eventually fades. Fits to spectra from epochs when the hot spot is not present allow determination of the disk inclination, while fits for epochs when it is present provide a measurement of the radius of the hot spot's orbit. From these data and the period of variation, we find that the mass within the hot spot's orbit is 2.2+ 0.2−0.7×108 M☉, within the range of previous estimates of masses of active galactic nuclei. Because this mass is determined at a relatively small distance from the central body, it is extremely difficult to explain without assuming that a supermassive black hole lies within Arp 102B. Our collection of spectra allows us to apply several tests to models of the source of the double peaks. The ratio of Hα to Hβ flux at a given velocity displays no turning points or points of inflection at the velocity associated with the blue peak in flux; thus, this peak should not correspond to a turning point in physical conditions. This behavior is consistent with simple accretion disk and, possibly, spiral shock models but not with models that attribute the double peaks to separate broad-line regions around a binary black hole or to broad, subrelativistic jets. The lack of systematic change in the velocity of the blue peak over time provides a further constraint on binary broad-line region models; this yields a lower limit on the mass of such a binary black hole system of at least 1010 M☉. The variability properties of the double-peaked emission lines in Arp 102B therefore continue to favor an accretion disk origin over other models.


The temperature dependence of thermal conductivity of liquids as given by Horrocks and McLaughlin is re-examined and useful relations to estimate thermal conductivity are presented. In the case of the 12 homologous series considered the maximum deviation is about 5%.


This paper presents the modeling, design and simulation of a DC-DC converter suitable for photovoltaic applications. A Push-Pull topology has been chosen with peak current control (CIC) technique. In a first step the Push-Pull electrical design is made for a 200W nominal power and 380VDC output voltage. Following this a Push-Pull small signal model is presented, from which they are derived all transfer function needed to implement the controllers that regulate the output current, input voltage and the interacting with the MPPT algorithm. Additionally, is presented the algorithm of maximum power point tracking (MPPT), implemented. Finally, the simulation results are presented.


A prolonged period of depersonalization resolved in this 16-year-old boy with only supportive therapy. Reasons for the depersonalization and withholding of other treatment are discussed. Observations are shared of the very intriguing phenomenon of derealization and allied conditions, psychiatric syndromes which are appearing with increasing frequency among so-called "normal adolescents" who indulge in drugs or other experiences which alter the state of consciousness, and among adolescents who survive disasters or harrowing experiences.


Interval type 2 fuzzy numbers are a special kind of type 2 fuzzy numbers. These numbers can be described by triangular and trapezoidal shapes. In this paper, first, perfectly normal interval type 2 trapezoidal fuzzy numbers with their left-hand and right-hand spreads and their core have been introduced, which are normal and convex; then a new type of fuzzy arithmetic operations for perfectly normal interval type 2 trapezoidal fuzzy numbers has been proposed based on the extension principle of normal type 1 trapezoidal fuzzy numbers. Moreover, in this proposal, linear programming problems with resources and technology coefficients are perfectly normal interval type 2 fuzzy numbers. To solve this kind of fuzzy linear programming problems, a method based on the degree of satisfaction (or possibility degree) of the constraints has been introduced. In this method the fulfillment of the constraints can be measured with the help of ranking method of fuzzy numbers. Optimal solution is obtained at different degree of satisfaction by using Barnes algorithm with the help of MATLAB. Finally, the optimal solution procedure is illustrated with numerical example.


The determination of safety integrity levels (SILs) for safety instrumented functions requires the comparison of calculated risk with risk tolerance criteria. The IEC 61511/ISA 84 standard on safety instrumented systems specifies the use of risk tolerance criteria for hazardous events but does not provide any guidance on the type or form of criteria that should be used. Industry guidance on appropriate risk tolerance criteria for SIL determination is also lacking. This article discusses the type and form of criteria that should be employed and their use in SIL determination is described. © 2013 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog 32: 307–310, 2013


Information of great value for seismic processing and interpretation can be gleaned from synthetic seismogram ties and their associated well-based wavelet extractions, but only if the well data are excellent. If the well data are not very closely and correctly edited, wrong conclusions are likely.

Synthetic seismograms often fail to tie with surface seismic data because they are made from well logs distorted by borehole washouts, formation damage, tool miscalibrations, digitizing or database errors, and many other difficulties. These difficulties may be overcome by editing the logs, especially if the editing method is multizone and multiwell, and uses regression rather than neural nets or other curve-fitting techniques. Box and Lowrey show that one such method, called log purification (described below) detects most of the errors in sonic and density logs, and replaces them with realistic computed values, bringing them into harmony with velocities measured by check-shot surveys. Here we show that logs edited in the same manner produce synthetic seismograms which match the seismic data, allowing us to analyze the true phase and frequency content of the seismic data.

This paper compares a South Louisiana well seismically analyzed in its recorded form to the same well analyzed in its edited form. The recorded logs contain enough "noise" to blur the wavelet extraction process, making it impossible to conclude much about the seismic data processing. One could incorrectly conclude from the results that the seismic polarity is reversed. The edited logs contain very little noise, making it easy to create robust wavelet extractions and excellent synthetic seismograms, yielding clear, valuable insight about the wavelet processing of the seismic data.

The well used in this study is the Texaco 1 SL 9595 OKC. It is located east of New Orleans, Louisiana, on the southeast shoreline of Lake Borgne in St. Bernard Parish …


Relatively beyond the context of the philosophical debates of contemporary ethics, an intuitive and generic vision of the concept of «humanitarianism» has gradually imposed itself, with normativity claims, on the international juridical language and corpus. This paper seeks to decipher the theoretic presuppositions of this new intuitive moral ideal by analysing the notion of «humanity» which functions as an instance of moral appeal, as well as by discussing the problem concerning the classification of certain acts as «crimes against humanity». The paper finally directs the analysis towards the possibility of including the existence of extreme poverty in the world amongst these acts that are harmful to humanity.


Faced with a generation of parents reared in an era of food fads and special diets, physicians must remain alert for strange diets and their consequences on children of various ages. We recently evaluated a 3 week old infant with hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis and failure to thrive which was directly attributable to undiluted goat's milk feedings. This term infant presented with severe tachypnea.Serum electrolytes in mEq/1 were Na 131 K 6, Cl 116, CO2 4. Serum pH was 7.14, Hb 16.8 gm%. Serum values in mg/dl were BUN 30, Cr 0.4, Ca 10.6, PO4 8.1. Urine pH was 5.0 Upon withdrawal of the goat's milk and after 12 hours of intravenous fluid therapy, the infant's clinical condition improved. By 48 hours, the serum electrolytes were normal. After 10 days of sustained weight gain on commercial formula, goat's milk was reintroduced. Within 18 hours, the baby lost weight and developed tachypnea and laboratory evidence of a compensated metabolic acidosis. Goat's milk was discontinued and his symptoms quickly resolved. Goat's milk is high in protein, potassium, chloride, phosphorus and calcium. On this milk, the infant's net acid excretion increased and was largely attributable to an increase in ammonium excretion. This response is similar to that seen in patients loaded with hydrochloric acid. The admission blood values reflect the composition of goat's milk. We suggest that undiluted goat's milk is an inappropriate food source for infants during the first month of life.


When confronted with a live pike, Esox lucius, European minnows, Phoxinus phoxinus, showed individual differences in rate of predator inspection. Predator inspection behaviour, in which single individuals or small groups approached the predator, was ordinated with several other behavioural parameters using principal components analysis. Individual minnows showed one of two strategies. Fish with high inspection rates were bolder, skittered more frequently and fed more persistently than fish with low inspection rates. Fish with low inspection rates showed the opposite strategy. Individuals did not show habituation of predator inspection during trials or over the experimental period.


Investment in the Islamic Unit Trust Fund (IUTF) grew steadily from 2014 to 2018, with the IUTF controlling 66.9% (RM343.9 billion) in terms of investment units and 87.6% (RM332.8 billion) in terms of the total net asset value of the overall Unit Trust Fund (UTF) in Malaysia.This study aims to analyse whether investor awareness or operator marketing affects IUTF investment selection. Data was collected from 300 respondents, all of them UITF investors, and analysed using the Partial Least Squares structural equation model technique. The results indicated that the awareness factor has an influence in the selection of IUTF investments and that it also has influence when the factor of religiosityis a mediator. The marketing findings show that marketing has an influence in the selection of IUTF investments but not througas a mediator. Muslim investors have a high level of religiosity and this influences IUTF investment decision making. The implications of these findings are explored in this paper.


Background Tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of spondyloarthritis (SpA) and the advent of anti-TNF-α therapy represented a major therapeutic advancement in its treatment. There is evidence that cigarette smoking increases the production of TNF-α and reduces the effectiveness of anti-TNF drugs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In early axial SpA it was demonstrated that smoking was independently associated with higher disease activity, increased structural axial damage, poorer functional status and poorer quality of life. However, there are few studies investigating the effect of smoking in SpA patients using anti-TNF-α drugs. Objectives To investigate whether smoking influences the effectiveness of anti-TNF-α therapy in SpA patients. Methods This is a retrospective study, including all SpA patients that started anti-TNFα treatment in the last decade at a Rheumatology Department of a Portuguese University Hospital. All the information, including demographic and clinical features, measures of disease activity, functional impairment and metrology at baseline, as well as outcome measures at 6 and 12 months after starting an anti-TNF-α agent were obtained from our national database for rheumatic patients. Sixteen out of a total of 128 patients were excluded from the study due to incomplete data. The statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 21.0 software, and p<0.05 was taken to indicate statistical significance. To compare the differences in the groups of ever-smokers and never smokers at baseline, 6 and 12 months Mann-Whitney U, χ2 and Fisher tests were used. Results A total of 112 patients were included, with 59.8% males, median age of 45 (range 26-73), 52.3% never-smokers, 18.3% ex-smokers and 29.2% current smokers. Patients were stratified into 2 groups: ever-smokers (52.3%) (current smokers and ex-smokers) and non-smokers (47.7%). At baseline, there were significant differences between ever-smokers and non-smokers for gender (p=0.002), BASDAI (p=0.02) and BASMI (p=0.014): ever-smokers were more likely to be male; BASDAI was lower in ever-smokers (median 5.8) than in non-smokers (median 6.7) and BASMI was lower in non-smokers (median 4.6) than in ever-smokers (median 6.4). There were no statistic significant differences in age, disease duration, baseline BASFI or ASDAS. In the evaluation of the response to anti-TNF-α therapy there was no difference between the two groups in the proportion of patients meeting ASAS 40 at 6 (p=0.678) and 12 months (p=0.4) or at ASDAS response at 12 months (p=0.692). However we found difference in the ASDAS response at 6 months (p=0.042), which was more favorable in ever-smokers. Conclusions In this study it was not possible to demonstrate that smoking had an effect on the response to anti-TNF-α therapy, even though there was a more favorable ASDAS response at 6 months in ever-smokers. However, this was a heterogeneous group of patients, with some different baseline characteristics, and possibly other variables not included in the analysis could have confounded the results. More studies, with larger sample sizes and longer follow-up time, should be undertaken to assess this subject. Disclosure of Interest None declared


This unit presents a protocol for primary culture of postnatal mesencephalic dopamine neurons grown on an astrocyte monolayer, which can be used to investigate cellular and molecular mechanisms regulating dopamine neuron function. Using this in vitro approach, dopamine neurons survive for an extended period of time and establish functional axon terminals and dendrites that display properties similar to those observed in vivo and in brain slices. An alternate protocol is provided for a microculture system in which astrocytes are grown on a spatially limited surface where single or small groups of dopamine neurons develop. Under such conditions, isolated neurons establish synaptic contacts, or autapses, onto their own somatodendritic compartment, thus facilitating morphological and physiological experiments. Curr. Protoc. Neurosci. 44:3.21.1‐3.21.19. © 2008 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.


Patent relating to "a new and useful improvement in gearing for bicycles and the like, and has for its object to so construct and arrange a device of this description as to avoid sudden shocks or jars which are occasioned by unevenness in the road-bed over which the machine is traveling, and also to enable the rider to exert a sudden force upon the pedals without straining the framework or wheels of the machine" (lines 9-18).


Pridopidine is currently in clinical development for Huntington's disease (HD) and investigations to increase the understanding of its therapeutic benefit and mode of action are undergoing. In this study, we aim to investigate the efficacy and mechanism of action of pridopidine using the transgenic YAC128 mouse model of HD. Pridopidine was administered to animals starting at early (1.5 months of age) or late stages of disease (8 months of age). In the early treatment cohort, animals were divided into three groups receiving 0, 10, or 30 mg/kg of pridopidine for a period of 10.5 months. In the late cohort, animals were divided into two groups receiving either 0 mg/kg or an escalating dose of pridopidine (10 mg/kg in week 1, 20 mg/kg in week 2, and 30 mg/kg in weeks 3–8). Pridopidine treated animals were evaluated using a battery of behavioural tests. Our analysis reveals that chronic treatment with pridopidine improves motor coordination and depressive-like phenotypes in the YAC128 HD mice. Currently, neuropathological analysis by immunohistochemistry and structural MRI, and molecular assessments to investigate the mechanism of action of pridopidine are ongoing. At the same time, the observed antidepressant effect of pridopidine after chronic treatment in the YAC128 HD mice prompted us to question whether this effect would also be observed after acute treatment. For this, we are currently breeding a new cohort of mice to further evaluate the effect of acute treatment with pridopidine on anxiety- and depressive-like behavioural phenotypes in HD.


Summary. Weedy and ruderal plants can be used in studies of metal pollution of soil, water and air as well as monitoring human mediated degradation of ecosystems. The present study assesses metal concentrations (Fe, Mn, Cu and Ni) in the aboveground parts of Polygonum aviculare L. (Polygonaceae) in relation to traffic intensity, human population density and industrial emissions in an area of the city of Kragujevac. To evaluate the bioindicative ability of P. aviculare , we chose 5 groups of sites: urban, suburban, rural, industrial and roadside. Mean concentrations of metals in P. aviculare were ranked from highest to lowest as follows: Fe > Mn > Cu > Ni. The mean content of Fe and Cu were above toxic concentration limits, while concentrations of Mn and Ni were within the non-toxic range. Compared to other studies conducted with P. aviculare, we found higher concentrations of metals, which could be due to our later period of sampling (October). The highest concentrations of Fe, Mn, Cu and Ni were recorded in urban sites, followed by roadside sites. Industrial sites significantly impacted Cu content; although concentrations of Ni were very low at these sites. The lowest concentrations of metals were recorded at rural sites. Statistical analysis revealed significant difference among the sites for Ni, Fe and Mn content. Results from the present study demonstrate that P. aviculare possesses differential accumulation ability for these selected metals, and may be useful in remediation projects for reducing the toxicity of Fe and Cu in the environment. Moreover, this species can be used as a bioindicator of metal pollution and contamination in anthropogenic ecosystems.


BACKGROUND: Cervical cancer is a public health challenge and remains a disease with high unmet need. Previous real-world studies demonstrated significant variability in treatments for patients with recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer (r/mCC). A large proportion of patients with cervical cancer are insured through Medicaid; however, previous studies examining treatment patterns for r/mCC have not included Medicaid patients. As the r/mCC treatment landscape continues to evolve, there is a need to understand current real-world unmet need among patients with r/mCC enrolled in Medicaid. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate treatment patterns and health care resource utilization (HCRU) among Medicaid-enrolled women with r/mCC. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of nationwide Medicaid claims to assess patient characteristics, treatment patterns, and HCRU among patients with r/mCC between 2016 and 2019. First-line treatment (1L) for r/mCC was defined by the first administration of systemic therapy without concomitant radiation or surgery. Patient characteristics, treatment patterns, and HCRU were characterized by line of therapy. RESULTS: A total of 3,375 eligible adult female patients initiated systemic treatment for r/mCC between 2016 and 2019. Mean age at treatment initiation was 52.9 (SD ± 12.8) years. Nearly 1,300 (1,294, 38.3%) women had evidence of receiving second-line treatment (2L), with nearly one-third (N = 420) of those also having evidence of third-line treatment. The majority (60.5%) of 1L regimens were doublet chemotherapy ± bevacizumab, consistent with treatment guidelines. In contrast, no clear preferred treatment choice was observed among patients receiving 2L or later (2L+) therapy. Notably, immunotherapy accounted for 21.6% of treatment regimens in 2L/3L overall, with its use increasing substantially over time (<6% in 2016 to 40.8% in 2019). Despite increased use of immunotherapy, however, most patients did not remain on treatment for prolonged durations (immunotherapy median duration 2.2 months vs 2.4 months for nonimmunotherapy; P = 0.5). Across most HCRU measures (inpatient admissions, outpatient visits, emergency department visits, and pharmacy claims), 2L+ patients had significantly less utilization per patient compared with 1L patients in unadjusted analyses. CONCLUSIONS: This analysis found that the majority of Medicaid patients with r/mCC received guideline-recommended standard of care in 1L between 2016 and 2019. However, there was no clear standard of care for patients with 2L+ r/mCC enrolled in Medicaid over this time period. Although immunotherapy use is increasing, short durations of treatment suggest a potential unmet medical need among this population. New therapies should provide meaningful clinical benefit without significant increase in HCRU for Medicaid enrollees needing treatment for r/mCC.


Authors in the autopsy material of the Department of Forensic Medicine of Semmelweis Medical University analysed nitrous-gas-poisoning cases. In the period of 1971--1975 out of 22 223 autopsy cases one case of nitrous gas-poisoning occurred. Data of the literature are summarized. Possible pathomechanism of the nitrous gas poisoning is also discussed.


The strict acceptance of the radicalism principles while the purulent inflammation origin eliminate, an accurate sanation and early placement of suture on the operation wound, its adequate and active drainage in combination with expedient local with the help of foamy aerosol "Dioxizol" and stable compensation of hyperglycemia, correction of the homeostasis disorders are necessary in the treatment of diabetes mellitus patients with local purulent-necrotic disease of the soft tissues.


Although urban growth historically depended on large inflows of migrants, little is known of the process of migration in the era before railways. Here we use detailed data for Paris on women arrested for prostitution in the 1760s, or registered as prostitutes in the 1830s and 1850s; and of men holding identity cards in the 1790s, to examine patterns of female and male migration. We supplement these with data on all women and men buried in 1833. Migration was highest from areas of high living standards, measured by literacy rates. Distance was a strong deterrent to female migration (reflecting limited employment opportunities) that falls with railways, whereas its considerably lower impact on men barely changes through the nineteenth century.


The article studies two regularized robust estimators of scatter matrices proposed in parallel in [1] and [2], based on Tyler's robust M-estimator [3] and on Ledoit and Wolf's shrinkage covariance matrix estimator [4]. These hybrid estimators convey robustness to outliers or impulsive samples and small sample size adequacy to the classical sample covariance matrix estimator. We consider here the case of i.i.d. elliptical zero mean samples in the regime where both sample and population sizes are large. We prove that the above estimators behave similar to well-understood random matrix models, which allows us to derive optimal shrinkage strategies to estimate the population scatter matrix, largely improving existing methods.


Objective: To determine the incidence, epidemiology and demography of acute animal bites referred to Abdanan health centers in the years 2009 to 2013. Methods: This study was a descriptive analytical research. Questionnaires for each case of acute animal bite was completed. Data about age, gender, kind of animal, residency, site of bite, etc taken from Abdanan health centers were analyzed. Data were analyzed in SPSS by using descriptive statistics. Results: Total number of exposed persons to acute animal bites was reported 67 in 2009 and 69 in 2013. The average incidence rate was 1.2 per 1 000 population. Bites were frequent among the age group of 20-30 years. Most of the cases were self-employment. Around 83.8% of cases were bitten by dogs. Of total 309 studied patients, 73.8% were male. Feet (71.5%) and hands (22.7%) were the most common body part affected. About 53.1% of cases were in rural population. Conclusions: Dogs seems to play a very important role in the epidemiology of rabies in Abdanan, Iran. No cases of human rabies were observed in our study. This may be because of increasing public awareness and the upgrading of health and treatment centers, all of which in study region provide post-exposure anti-rabies treatment including vaccination, immunoglobulin and wound washing.


Path planning issues are often solved via constrained optimization methods but with constraints which must be satisfied over a whole interval of time or space. The use of fast numerical toolboxes implementing state-of-the-art constrained needs to discretize the continous constraints over a time grid. Thus, the obtained solution, in this way, will satisfy the constraints only for time values corresponding to the time grid. Obviously, some constraints could be violated with catastrophic consequences when dealing with, for instance, the balance of humanoid robots. In this paper we introduce a guaranteed discretization method which uses interval analysis to ensure that the constraints are satisfied over the whole time interval. We analyze numerically this method by performing a trajectory generation under constraints dedicated to the motion of the HOAP-3 humanoid robot.


: A woman in whom the use of dextrothyroxine was associated with clinical hyperthyroidism is described. She had a markedly elevated T3 level while receiving the drug, apparently resulting from conversion of the dextrothyroxine to triiodothyronine. The T3 levels fell to normal after withdrawal. Patients receiving dextrothyroxine should be examined for possible elevation of T4 and T3 thyrotoxicosis.


In order to meet the requirement for beach monitoring system, multi-path routing LHMR algorithm is designed to maximize network life. In the monitoring system with heterogeneous sensor network, LHMR algorithm consists of three parts: routing path creation, data transmission and routing path maintenance. Hop size is considered as one factor to decide the probability of path selection for data transmission. Simulation results show that LHMR algorithm can further reduce nodes' burning energy, prolong network lifetime.


BACKGROUND
The topical drug delivery system has gained more attention in recent years as compared to oral and parenteral drug delivery. However, owing to the barrier function of the skin's topmost layer, only a few drug molecules can be administered by this route. Therefore, encapsulating the drugs in glycerosomes is one potential solution to this problem. Glycerosomes are vesicular drug delivery systems primarily made up of large concentrations of glycerol, phospholipid, water, and other active ingredients.

OBJECTIVE
The main aim of this review is to summarize the most recent information on the encapsulated vesicular system used in cosmetic preparations, specifically glycerosomes made from both synthetic and naturally occurring plant bioactive substances.

PURPOSE
Glycerosomes offer many benefits, including increased efficacy, better stability, improve absorption, drug targeting at specific sites, and delivering the same at a predetermined rate.

METHOD
The mechanism behind the penetration of glycerosomes is the hydration and lipid fluidization of skin, fabricated by glycerol.

RESULT
Numerous methods have been reported for the formulation of glycerosomes, including the thin film hydration method, reverse-phase evaporation, solvent spherule, detergent removal method, and so on.

CONCLUSION
Researchers are currently investigating the potential of glycerosomes as nanocarriers for natural bioactive and synthetic drugs. This review describes the structure of glycerosomes, preparation techniques, applications, distinctions from liposomes, and benefits of glycerosomes.


Maize is one of the cereal crops that produces carbohydrates after wheat and rice. Maize is the staple food in Indonesia after rice, so the need for corn plants continues to increase. Cultivation of local pulut corn has problems due to low production and limited land. The development of local rice cultivation of the Bojonegoro variety to produce plants with optimal growth and high yields can be carried out, one of which is through the provision of beneficial micro fertilizers, such as silica (SiO2). The provision of beneficial silica micro fertilizer with different doses is carried out to determine the right dose so that it can be used by maize farmers. Different methods of using silica doses can be practiced to improve photosynthetic characteristics and increase maize yields (zhiming et.al,2014). This study aims to determine the effect of micro beneficial silica fertilizer at various doses on local maize plants of the Bojonegoro variety. The research was carried out using a randomized block design with a dose of silica (SiO2) to local maize plants of the Bojonegoro variety given in 6 dose levels that 0kg/ha, 50kg/ha, 100kg/ha, 150 kg/ha, 200 kg/ha dan 250 kg/ha. The SiO2 treatment was arranged in 5 blocks so that 30 experimental units were obtained. Silica application was carried out twice at the age of 7 and 14 days after planting by sowing in a circle on the soil surface. The data were analyzed by Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) to knowing the effect of treatment. The treatments with significantly different effects were further tested with using Duncan's multiple range test (DMRT) with =5%. The research aims knowing the best dose of Silika (SiO 2 ) at different levels gave a positive effect on increasing the variables of plant chlorophyll count, stem diameter, root fresh weight, crown fresh weight, total fresh weight, flowering age, ear diameter, ear weight, ear length, seed weight, weight 100 seeds, number of stomata, and production potential. The best dose of silica treatment on plant seed weight, namely at 50 kg/ha to 100 kg/ha produced the best seed weight in the range of 75.06 to 84.66 g, which was significantly different from the control and other treatment doses.


Although catastrophic head and neck injuries in football occur infrequently, their occurrence is almost always followed by litigation. The athletic trainer has to be sure he/she has adequate liability insurance to cover the costs of a defense and a possible judgment. General claims filed against athletic staffs usually deal with instruction, equipment, matching of participants, supervision, and/or postinjury care. The defenses to these claims include: statutory immunity, assumption of risk, releases or waivers, and the reckless disregard standard. The athletic trainer plays a key role in head and neck injury prevention and care, and must be aware of litigation possibilities, along with methods of risk management. We present recommendations aimed at minimizing the risk of head and neck injuries and the risk of liability. The areas covered are: preparing for head and neck lawsuits, preventing head and neck injuries, and postcatastrophic injury care. We base these recommendations on principles that the athletic trainer can easily apply to other areas, broadening the risk management concept presented.


Background: More evidence in understanding the heterogeneity of COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and in improving strategy to increase the survival from the critical patients intubated is always needed. The study aimed to comprehensively explore the features of COVID-19-associated ARDS and the features and outcomes between the early and late intubation groups. Methods: This retrospective cohort included 65 adult COVID-19 inpatients with ARDS at two hospitals in Hubei, China. The ARDS in these patients was diagnosed according to the Berlin criteria. We defined intubation within 7 days of ARDS diagnosis as 'early' intubation and that performed from the eighth day as 'late' intubation based on literatures. The outcomes were invasive mechanical ventilation and in-hospital death. The log-binomial regression models were used to explore the risk factors and the Kaplan-Meier statistic was used to estimate the risk of mortality. Results: The median number of days from symptom onset to ARDS diagnosis was 11.0 (IQR, 8.0–13.0). Up to 84.1% COVID-19-related ARDS patients demonstrated multiple organ injuries. The mortality rates were 41.9% and 85.7% in moderate and severe ARDS. The early intubation and the late intubation had the differences in days from symptom onset/hospital admission/ARDS diagnosis to intubation (P = 0.023, P = 0.011, P < 0.001). Compared with the early-intubation group, the late-intubation group showed less severity at admission (median oxygenation index 159.0 95% CI 134.0-203.0 vs. 133.9 95% CI 98.3-183.2), but required more aggressive therapies (ICU 80% vs. 70%, CRRT 50% vs. 10%, prone-position 50% vs. 30%, and ECMO 50% vs. 10%) and had higher risk to die at hospital (RR, 3.18; 95% CI 1.98-5.12). Conclusion: The ARDS caused by COVID-19 was not typical ARDS due to prolonged onset time, multiple organ injuries, and higher mortalities. The late-intubation group showed less severity at admission but higher risk of in-hospital death than the early-intubation group.


R esearchers still have some way to go before they can assemble enough quantum bits (qubits) to make a practical, large-scale quantum computer. But already the best prototypes, made up of several tens of qubits, are opening our eyes to new behavior in the quantum realm. Last year, a team from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) unveiled a quantum "simulator" made up of a row of 51 interacting atoms [1]. Exciting the individual atoms in various patterns (Fig. 1), they discovered something unexpected: atoms in certain patterns took at least 10 times longer to relax towards thermal equilibrium than atoms in other patterns. Four groups of theorists have tried to make sense of this observation [2–6], in all cases attributing the slow thermalization to a never-before-seen effect called quantum many-body scar-


Especially within grid infrastructures driven by high-performance computing (HPC), collaborative online visualization and steering (COVS) has become an important technique to dynamically steer the parameters of a parallel simulation or to just share the outcome of simulations via visualizations with geographically dispersed collaborators. In earlier work, we have presented a COVS framework reference implementation based on the UNICORE grid middleware used within DEISA. This paper lists current limitations of the COVS framework design and implementation related to missing fine-grained authorization capabilities that are required during collaborative COVS sessions. Such capabilities use end-user information about roles, project membership, or participation in a dedicated virtual organization (VO). We outline solutions and present a design and implementation of our architecture extension that uses attribute authorities such as the recently developed virtual organization membership service (VOMS) based on the security assertion markup language (SAML).


Abstract : Presented is the nonlinear finite element analysis of multi-layered aircraft tires. A piecewise parabolic shear stress distribution is introduced to cope with arbitrary stress distribution across the thickness coordinate. Each layer is an orthotropic ply consisting of cords embedded in an elastic rubber matrix. Triangular plate elements are used with five generalized displacements at the nodes. The computer code is written for the CDC-6600 machine under the Scope 3.3 and 3.4.3 operating systems.


Abstract Introduction Luting cements are susceptible to attack by moisture during the initial setting period that can result in an increased solubility. The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the solubility of different permanent and temporary dental luting cements in artificial saliva of different pH values at different time intervals. Materials and Methods Eight commercial luting cements were used. Out of which five were permanent cements (Rely X lute2, zinc phosphate cement, zinc polycarboxylate cement, Rely X U-200, GC GIC) and three temporary cements (ZOE, Oratemp NE, Temposil). A total of 200 samples were made into 25 specimens of each cement (five samples for each study solution group). The samples were made of dimension 20 mm × 1.5 mm in the metal mold. Once the cements were set, they were removed and after 3 minutes of removal they were placed in the incubator at 37°C ± 1 for 1 hour. Specimens of each cement type were separated into five groups for evaluation and comparison in distilled water and artificial saliva with four different pH values (pH 3, pH 5, pH 7, and pH 9). Percentage of solubility was calculated as 100% times weight loss divided by initial weight of the specimen. Results When all permanent cements were tested the result showed that Rely X U-200 showed least dissolution even after 28 days, followed by Rely X lute-2, then Glass ionomer cement then zinc polycarboxylate cement and then zinc phosphate cement which gave maximum dissolution. Conclusion When all temporary cements were tested the result showed that Temposil showed least dissolution even after 28 days, followed by OraTemp NE, compared with zinc oxide eugenol which gave maximum dissolution.


Based on an assumed form that the entropy should take for black holes, the statistics for mass fluctuations are derived from Gauss's law of error. The normal density which results is not a limiting form of any type of physical statistics. The analysis shows that the temperature and mass may become negative while the heat capacities are positive.


Constraint satisfaction problems (CSPs) are about finding values of variables that satisfy the given constraints. We show that Transformer extended with recurrence is a viable approach to learning to solve CSPs in an end-to-end manner, having clear advantages over state-of-the-art methods such as Graph Neural Networks, SATNet, and some neuro-symbolic models. With the ability of Transformer to handle visual input, the proposed Recurrent Transformer can straightforwardly be applied to visual constraint reasoning problems while successfully addressing the symbol grounding problem. We also show how to leverage deductive knowledge of discrete constraints in the Transformer's inductive learning to achieve sample-efficient learning and semi-supervised learning for CSPs.


The percentage of ciliated cells in the luminal and glandular epithelia of endometrial samples from sixty-eight normal women has been studied. Although the concentration of ciliated cells found in the luminal epithelium tended to lag behind and below those found in the glandular epithelium, no significant difference was found between the absolute percentages of ciliated cells in each site. The number of ciliated cells increased during the proliferative phase to reach a maximum of around 20%. This was maintained during the ovulatory phase, and then declined. The hormonal basis of this variation is discussed.


Tropical island species and ecosystems are threatened worldwide as a result of increasing human pressure. Yet some of these islands also lend themselves to restoration, as they are physically defined units that can be given focused attention, as long as resources are available and clear conservation targets are set. Cousine Island, Seychelles, is a tropical island that has received such intensive restoration. From a highly degraded island in the 1960s, the island has now been restored to what is believed to be a semblance of the natural state. All alien vertebrates have been eradicated, as have 25 invasive alien plants. Cultivated plants are now confined to one small section of the island. Poaching of nesting marine turtles has been stopped, leading to an increase in turtle breeding numbers. The shearwater population has increased in size with poaching activities under control. The Sooty tern has also returned to the island to breed. The coastal plateau has been restored with over 2500 indigenous shrubs and trees, which have now grown into a forest carpet. There are strict quarantine procedures on the island, keeping it free of rats, mice, various alien invertebrates and potentially invasive alien plants. Three threatened Seychelles endemic land birds (Seychelles warbler, Seychelles magpie robin and Seychelles white-eye) have been introduced and are thriving, with these introductions contributing to both the magpie robin and the white-eye being downgraded from CR to EN (the warbler remains at VU). Ecotourism, and nature conservation for the local inhabitants, have been introduced in a way that does not reduce the improved compositional, structural and functional biodiversity of the island. The result of the restoration effort appears to be sustainable in the long term, although challenges still remain, especially with regards to adequate clean water and a non-polluting power supply on the island. Cousine is thus paving the way in the art and science of tropical island restoration as a legacy for future generations.


Aim We sought to determine subsequent pregnancy outcomes in a cohort of women with a history of unexplained recurrent miscarriage (RM) as compared to healthy pregnancy controls. Study design This was a prospective cohort study of women attending a dedicated RM clinic in the Rotunda Hospital in 2011. Inclusion criteria included women with a history of three consecutive first trimester losses that were unexplained in the past, no medical intervention and singleton pregnancies only. The inclusion criteria for the healthy controls included no history of stillbirth, intrauterine growth restriction, preeclampsia or preterm labour. Results Of the 42 women with RM recruited to the study nine (23%) experienced further first trimester miscarriages, one molar and one ectopic pregnancy. The remaining RM cohort with ongoing pregnancies (n = 31) were compared to healthy controls (n = 31) matched for age and BMI. The only statistical difference between the two groups was the earlier mean gestational delivery of the RM group (38 + 2 vs 39 + 4 weeks, p = 0.004) attributed to earlier induction due to their past history. Otherwise there was no significant difference with respect to pregnancy complications, delivery and neonatal outcomes. All of RM patients achieved successful term deliveries with a 74% vaginal delivery rate and a mean birthweight of 3.23 kg. Conclusion This study re-iterates the reassuring prognosis for women with a history of unexplained RM who undergo supportive care at a dedicated clinic. The majority delivered appropriately grown fetuses at term which was comparable to healthy controls.


The strong El Niño in late 2014 was predicted by many climate scientists based on high warm water volume and successive equatorial westerly wind bursts (WWBs) in early 2014. However, it turned out to be a weak El Niño and developed again in 2015. Several studies have been devoted to elucidate the reasons of the unmatured El Niño in 2014. One of the reasons addressed is the lack of WWBs after boreal spring. In this study, we examine what caused the lack of WWBs in 2014 focusing on background wind states. The successive WWBs from January to March 2014 excited strong oceanic Kelvin waves, resulting in a large increase in the eastern Pacific sea surface temperature (SST). However, there are no successive WWBs or the Kelvin waves after April, resulting in a decrease in the SST. Our previous studies have shown that WWBs occur frequently when tropical intraseasonal convection, so-called the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO), propagates over the Pacific under the equatorial westerly background states, which contribute to develop eddy disturbances via background zonal wind convergence near the equator. In 2014, there were several MJO events throughout the year. However, few WWBs accompanied the MJO convection. Focusing on the background states after the WWB occurrences in early 2014, zonal wind convergence was retracted and did not reach the equatorial central Pacific. In boreal summer, climatologically, convectively active and westerly regions shift north of the equator. Because this environmental condition is not favorable for the WWB occurrences, the WWB frequency in boreal summer is statistically low. In 2014, unchanged background states can be a reason for the lack of WWBs even with several MJO events.


Imposing MCOOL in the United States was anticipated to affect demand by providing customers with additional, valuable information. Advocacy groups for MCOOL pointed to studies suggesting that consumers would prefer U.S. meat products and would be willing to pay premiums for confirmation of U.S. origin. MCOOL detractors, including Canada and Mexico, argued that the increased burden from record keeping would favor domestic meat. The subsequent lawsuits and WTO hearings have called into question the relative value of MCOOL to consumers as compared to costs faced by both domestic meat processors and North American trading partners promoting the idea that MCOOL imposes restrictions on imports and acts as a de facto trade barrier. To measure consumer welfare effects on MCOOL, we develop a measure by approximating Hicksian compensating variation as a function of three imported meat product prices and compensated price elasticities. The results show a mild consumer welfare and decrease in demand when MCOOL was implemented.


Purpose
This paper aims to identify the factors that foster an interest in opera and Opera Houses as a specific form of cultural capital and how the Opera House tourist constructs images of destinations from the cognitive, affective and conative dimensions.

Design/methodology/approach
A social constructivist methodology was adopted, and data was captured through online qualitative questionnaires from 226 Opera House tourists using a simple random sampling approach. These enquired about the development of their interest in opera and Opera Houses and the influence this exerts on their destination image formation process.

Findings
This form of cultural capital is mainly developed by exposure to art forms through family, social and further reference groups. Opera Houses project cognitive images of cosmopolitanism, affective images of social belonging and conative images of further opportunities to experience culture and leisure fostering destination loyalty and place attachment.

Research limitations
Productions of both opera and ballet are staged at Opera Houses, opening avenues for further research on either the opera or ballet tourist markets specifically using case studies across the ample spectrum of Opera Houses around the world.

Practical implications
In addition to the visual appeal and quality of cultural produce, tourism practitioners can use an Opera House's projected affective images of social cohesion and togetherness to attract the Opera House tourist market. Opera Houses enrich a destination's visual and cultural landscapes, cementing the need to preserve and promote their contributions to the destination's cultural identity.

Social implications
This study highlights the need for cultural policy and audience development strategies that cultivate this type of cultural capital resulting in demand for and supply of cultural products that in turn stimulate the development of this niche cultural tourism market segment.

Originality/value
To the best of author's knowledge, this is the first study that has approached the Opera House tourist from the destination image formation context.


A formal framework is set up for the discussion of generalized autoregressive with external input models of the form Ay=Bu, where A and B are linear operators, with the main emphasis being on signal spaces consisting of bounded sequences parametrized by the integers. Different notions of stability are explored, and topological notions such as the idea of a closed system are linked with questions of stabilizability in this very general context. Various problems inherent in using /spl Zopf/ as the time axis are analyzed in this operatorial framework.


Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text. Rationale: Doxorubicin-induced cardiomyopathy (DiCM) is a primary cause of heart failure and mortality in cancer patients, in which macrophage-orchestrated inflammation serves as an essential pathological mechanism. However, the specific roles of tissue-resident and monocyte-derived macrophages in DiCM remain poorly understood. Objective: Uncovering the origins, phenotypes, and functions of proliferative cardiac resident macrophages and mechanistic insights into the self-maintenance of cardiac macrophage during DiCM progression. Methods and Results: Mice were administrated with doxorubicin to induce cardiomyopathy. Dynamic changes of resident and monocyte-derived macrophages were examined by lineage tracing, parabiosis, and bone marrow transplantation. We found that the monocyte-derived macrophages primarily exhibited a proinflammatory phenotype that dominated the whole DiCM pathological process and impaired cardiac function. In contrast, cardiac resident macrophages were vulnerable to doxorubicin insult. The survived resident macrophages exhibited enhanced proliferation and conferred a reparative role. Global or myeloid specifically ablation of SR-A1 (class A1 scavenger receptor) inhibited proliferation of cardiac resident reparative macrophages and, therefore, exacerbated cardiomyopathy in DiCM mice. Importantly, the detrimental effect of macrophage SR-A1 deficiency was confirmed by transplantation of bone marrow. At the mechanistic level, we show that c-Myc (Avian myelocytomatosis virus oncogene cellular homolog), a key transcriptional factor for the SR-A1-P38-SIRT1 (Sirtuin 1) pathway, mediated the effect of SR-A1 in reparative macrophage proliferation in DiCM. Conclusions: The SR-A1-c-Myc axis may represent a promising target to treat DiCM through augmentation of cardiac resident reparative macrophage proliferation.


Increased and more stable rice yields contribute to food security while also allowing small-scale farmers to diversify their crop system. SRI rice panicles have fewer unfilled or broken grains which increases the amount of milled rice from harvested paddy by up to 15%. SRI methods also increase the micronutrient uptake by the plant, resulting in improved nutritional qualities in the grain. Beneficial nutrients such as Iron, Zinc, Copper and Manganese are all found to increase in SRI rice when compared with traditionally cultivated rice. Levels of heavy metals, such as arsenic and lead, are shown to decrease.


Thirty beef carcass sides varying in USDA quality and yield grade were fabricated into various steaks and roasts. The retail cuts were assigned serially to the following treatments: (A) raw, trimmed to 0.6 cm external fat; (B) trimmed to 0.6 cm external fat, cooked; (C) trimmed to 0.0 cm external fat, cooked. The 0.0 cm and 0.6 cm, cooked treatments were prepared by appropriate cookery methods, and the separable lean and separable fat were analyzed for chemical fat and moisture content. Regression analyses were used to predict values for the percentage chemical fat and moisture content at each treatment as influenced by marbling and USDA yield grade. Retail cuts that were braised had the lowest (P < 0.05) predicted moisture content of the separable lean, while roasted cuts had the highest (P< 0.05) predicted percentage moisture content of the lean. Trimming retail cuts to 0.0 cm external fat before cooking decreased the predicted percentage chemical fat of the lean as compared to retail cuts trimmed to 0.6 cm before cooking.


In 42 year-old patient operated on neck tumour chemodectomy was diagnosed intraoperatively. Due to the substantial size of the tumour the treatment was additionally radiated. During control examination, 2 months after the end of the treatment, a tumour was diagnosed on the neck. Angiographie examination confirmed suspicion of the glomus tumour on the other side. An operation was carried out with preservation of arterial blood supply. Complications of both operations was bilateral vocal cord paralysis. Laser arytenoidectomy was performed and good air passage was obtained.


Summer is a stressful time of year for many parents as they struggle to meet household expenses and feed children. The aim of the present study is to determine if there is an association between summertime food insecurity (i.e., holiday hunger) and parental stress among a sample of UK parents with school age children living in North East England. A cross-sectional sample of (n = 252) parents are analyzed using holiday hunger as the independent variable and a subjective measure of stress that treats summer as a 'stressful event' as the dependent variable. Of the parents in the sample, 64.8% reported at least some level of holiday hunger. We find parents facing any holiday hunger scored substantively higher on the overall 75-point Impact of Event Scale (mean difference = 30.4, 95% confidence interval ((CI) 24.2–36.6), the 35-point intrusion subscale (13.7, 95% CI 10.8–16.5), and the 40-point avoidance subscale (16.7, 95% CI 13.3–20.2). These findings are replicated in a regression analysis. In addition, we find that holiday hunger partially mediates the association between economic hardship (i.e., unemployment and poverty) and parental stress. We conclude by suggesting that government policies addressing economic hardship are not only likely to reduce holiday hunger, but also improve mental wellbeing.


Digital transformation of public education encompasses various usage implementation options and possibilities of Information and Communication technologies. While ICT is well accepted for teaching purposes, its systematic design and application for managerial processes improvement in education institutions is slightly neglected. Our research emphasis lays on investigating how ICT can support effective planning and resource management based on effective multileveled resource tracking, managing and reporting by implementing automatic exchange formats, services and procedures. A platform for any multileveled resource management information system is the underlying data architecture that needs to be designed and developed by building common data registries as well as a unique transaction system incorporating a process approach in order to ensure interoperability on all management levels.


With recent advances in high-throughput sequencing (HTS) technologies to improve plants, there is a need to release orchid specific genomic resources and platforms that are crucial for managing omics elements in systematic manner. Authors provide details about the recent developments in biotechnological techniques, genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics and their applications for the industrial production, propagation, conservation and manipulation of Phalaenopsis orchid.
Plant Tissue Cult. & Biotech. 29(1): 133-149, 2019 (June)


Objective: To investigate whether survival is improved by using the right thoracic approach (extended lymphadenectomy) compared with the left thoracic approach (limited lymphadenectomy) for esophageal cancer. Background: The optimal surgical technique for esophageal cancer remains unclear. Methods: Between May 2010 and July 2012, 300 patients with middle and lower thoracic esophageal carcinoma were randomized to receive esophagectomy through either the right or left thoracic approach. Of these, 286 patients with squamous cell carcinoma determined by postoperative pathology were included in this analysis. Disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between the right (n = 146) and left thoracic groups (n = 140). Results: The median follow-up was 55.9 months [95% confidence interval (CI): 53.1–58.6]. The 3-year DFS rates were 62% and 52% in the right and left thoracic arms, respectively [hazard ratio (HR) 0.709; 95% CI, 0.506–0.995; P = 0.047, log-rank test]. The 3-year OS rates were 74% and 60%, respectively (HR, 0.663; 95% CI, 0.457–0.961; P = 0.029). Subgroup analyses revealed longer DFS in the right thoracic arm (vs left thoracic arm) in patients with lymph node involvement (HR, 0.632; 95% CI, 0.412–0.969, P = 0.034), but not in patients without lymph node involvement (HR, 0.757; 95% CI, 0.434–1.320, P = 0.325), and in patients with R1–2 resection margins (HR, 0.495; 95% CI, 0.290–0.848, P = 0.009), but not R0 margins (HR, 0.944; 95% CI, 0.603–1.477, P = 0.801). Conclusions: Compared with the left thoracic approach, the right thoracic approach associated with increased DFS and OS in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma patients, particularly in those with lymph node involvement and/or R1–2 resection margins.


Biosensors consist of a biological entity that recognizes the target analyte and the transducer that translates the biorecognition event into an electrical signal. The use of biological materials as recognizing elements imparts to biosensors the ability to specifically respond to the analyte of interest, distinguishing it from structurally similar compounds. Amperometric biosensors are based on measurements of the electric current resulting from the oxidation or reduction of an electroactive species, by keeping a constant potential at the working electrode. Enzymes can be immobilized in a thin layer on the transducer surface. Besides the reactive layer or membrane many biosensors contain one or several inner or outer membranes with different functions. The protective inner membrane may decrease the influence of interfering species. The outer membrane serves as a diffusion-limiting barrier to the enzyme substrate. Biosensors are considered biocompatible if their implantation does not affect normal functioning of the host medium and, vice versa, the host medium does not materially affect their normal operation. The present review focuses on the immobilisation techniques and preparation and utilization of protective inner and outer diffusion-limiting membranes of amperometric biosensors.


BackgroundLeucine-rich repeat-containing G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (LGR5), a component of the Wnt receptor complex, is thought to lineage label gastric and intestinal stem cells. LGR5 expression is increased in colorectal carcinoma (CRC) compared to normal tissue. Colitis associated colorectal adenocarcinoma (CAC) often shows distinct morphologic and molecular phenotypes compared to sporadic cases. However, the expression profile of LGR5, and by extension the potential role of an intestinal stem cell phenotype, has not been well described in a series of human CAC. MethodRNA in situ hybridization (ISH) for LGR5 expression on 30 CACs (12 cases with conventional morphology and 18 cases with non-conventional type morphology) from 29 inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients was performed and compared the expression profile to a control group of 10 sporadic CRCs. ResultLGR5 was positive in 30% (9/30) of CAC cases and 90% (9/10) of sporadic CRCs (p=0.002). A large majority (89%) of LGR5 positive CACs were of the conventional histologic type, and conventional type CAC showed a significantly higher LGR5 score (median 3.0; interquartile range 1.75-3.25) than non-conventional type CAC (median 1.5; interquartile range 1.00-2.00) (p = 0.034). CAC with conventional morphology did have a lower level of LGR5 expression than sporadic CRC. Sporadic CRCs showed a significantly higher LGR5 level score than non-conventional type CACs (p <0.001). ConclusionThese findings suggest that the wider spectrum of tumor morphology in CAC may be associated with absence of a LGR5-expressing intestinal stem cell phenotype.


This article investigates the hypothesis that there are significant differences in mutual fund expense ratios after inclusion of these funds in the Schwab Retail OneSource supermarket program. The data covers the 1991–1998 peroid for ten investment categories. The results show that there is a significant decrease in expense ratios after inclusion in the Schwab OneSource program. This result is important for investors that are considering investing in mutual funds through a supermarket program because expense ratios have a direct impact on their returns.


Does diplomacy affect the prospects of international conflict and cooperation? Systematic empirical assessment has been hindered by the inferential challenges of separating diplomacy from the distribution of power and interests that underlies its conduct. This paper addresses the question of diplomacy's efficacy by examining the intragovernmental politics of US foreign policy, and the varying influence of diplomatic personnel in the policy process. I claim that diplomats hold the strongest preferences for cooperative relations with their host countries, relative to other participants in the foreign policy process. They also exert substantial influence over the formation and implementation of US policies toward their host countries but their influence is intermittently weakened by the short-term shock of an ambassadorial turnover. As a result, when ambassadors are removed from post, diplomacy is more likely to be eschewed for more conflictual means of settling international disagreements, and opportunities for economic exchange are less likely to be realized. I test this theory using newly collected data on US diplomatic representation, for the global sample of countries from 1960 through 2014. To address concerns of diplomatic staffing being endogenous to political interests, I leverage a natural experiment arising from the State Department's three-year ambassadorial rotation system. The turnover of a US ambassador causes a decrease in US exports to the country experiencing the turnover, and heightens the risk of onset of a militarized dispute between that country and the US. These findings point to bureaucratic delegation as an important but overlooked determinant of macro-level international outcomes.


The paper presents the analysis of the modulation strategies for the AC/DC line-side converters. The application of the different modulation methods to the control system of the AC/DC converter has been presented. The operation of the AC/DC converter in different dynamic states strongly depends on the modulation method applied. The theoretical background of Hysteresis-Band Modulation, Carrier-Based Sinusoidal Modulation and Space-Vector Modulation has been presented. The issue of overmodulation has been discussed. Voltage Oriented Control of the AC/DC line-side converter has been chosen to examine the presented modulation methods. The influence of the discussed modulation methods on the line current distortion and the switching frequency has been examined. The simulation results of the presented techniques have been demonstrated and concluded.