The Case organisation group consists out of three business units and over the years the
company developed into a first-tier supplier in the semiconductor, medical and defence
industry. With the acquisition of DEF and GHI Case organisation gained economies of
scale and they grew out to an important link in the supply chain of their customers. With
the acquisition of DEF and GHI Case organisation also gains access to a lot more
competences than they originally had. This brings Case organisation at an intersection
where they have to decide which competences are core and which competences are noncore.
This research has been executed in order to give a better insight in the core
competence problem and also to provide some recommendations how the competences of
Case organisation could be managed.
An extensive literature research was performed to get a better understanding of the main
concepts of this paper: 'core competences' and 'dynamic capabilities'. The first refers to
what the unique strengths of the organisation are and that could help to gain competitive
advantage. The latter refers to actions that should be taken by the organisation to respond
timely to changes in the business environment and to take decisions to adapt the
competences of the organisation towards the changes in the environment.
To identify the core competences and dynamic capabilities of the Case organisation Group
a structured methodology was created based on the literature review. This research also
shows that nothing has done over the years with the competences of Case organisation.
There are no managers dedicated to manage the core competences and until today Case
organisation has a lot of competences of which some are core but also a few non-core
competences.
The lack of follow up activities was also visible when the methodology was used to
identify dynamic capabilities at Case organisation. This research shows that there are no
embedded routines used by Case organisation to respond timely to changes in the business
environment and that nothing has been done to adapt the (core) competences to this
changing business environment. There are some routines / processes that are used to collect
information about the business environment but these are not purposeful actions.
Now Case organisation has grew out to a reasonable SME it is needed to perform
purposeful actions on a regular basis. Employees should be dedicated in doing this so the
competence base of Case organisation is always up to date and Case organisation is
capable of sustaining their current competitive advantage over their competitors.
At last this research also contributes in various ways to the science. It provides a
comprehensive literature review on the subject of core competences and dynamic
capabilities. This literature review can serve as a starting point for scholars who want to
take future research on these subjects. The proposed structured methodology can also be
used by scholars and practitioners to identify core competences and dynamic capabilities
inside case organisations. Third this research shows that the possession of core
competences will not result in a competitive advantage by itself. Core competences should
be managed on a regular basis and adapted if necessary to the changing business
environment. Finally this research shows that there is a relation between dynamic
capabilities and core competences. Dynamic capabilities are the means by which a
company can manage their competence base.


The liver kinase B1 (LKB1) tumor suppressor inhibits cell growth through its regulation of cellular metabolism and apical-basal polarity. The best understood mechanism whereby LKB1 limits cell growth is through activation of the AMP-activated-protein-kinase/mammalian-target-of-rapamycin (AMPK/mTOR) pathway to control metabolism. Since LKB1 is also required for polarized epithelial cells to resist hyperplasia it is anticipated to function through additional mechanisms. Recently, Yes-associated protein (Yap) has emerged as a transcriptional co-activator that modulates tissue homeostasis in response to cell-cell contact. Thus this study examines a possible connection between Yap and LKB1. Restoration of LKB1 expression in HeLa cells, which lack this tumor suppressor, or shRNA knockdown of LKB1 in 293T cells, demonstrated that LKB1 promotes Yap phosphorylation, nuclear exclusion, and proteasomal degradation. The ability of phosphorylation-defective Yap mutants to rescue LKB1 phenotypes, such as reduced cell proliferation and cell size, suggest that Yap inhibition contributes to LKB1 tumor suppressor function(s). Interestingly, LKB1 inhibited Yap independently of either AMPK or mTOR activation. These findings reveal a novel mechanism whereby LKB1 may restrict cancer cell growth via the inhibition of Yap. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-29. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-LB-29


Abstract Objective This article aims to compare the composite maternal and neonatal morbidities (CMM and CNM, respectively) between macrosomic (≥4,000 g) and nonmacrosomic (<4,000 g) newborns among women with diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods Maternal demographic and peripartum outcome data (N = 1,260) were collected from a retrospective cohort. CMM included chorioamnionitis/endometritis, wound infection, shoulder dystocia, eclampsia, pulmonary edema, admission for hypoglycemia, 3rd/4th degree perineal laceration, and death. CNM included 5-minute Appearance, Pulse, Grimace, Activity and Respiration (APGAR) score of <4, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, respiratory distress syndrome, mechanical ventilation, intraventricular hemorrhage grade III/IV, necrotizing enterocolitis stage II/III, hypoglycemia, hypocalcemia, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, sepsis, seizures, hyperbilirubinemia, and death. Multivariable Poisson regression models with robust error variance were used to calculate adjusted relative risk (aRR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Results The study population consisted of 967 subjects, including 854 (88.3%) nonmacrosomic and 113 (11.7%) macrosomic infants. After adjustment, the risk of CMM was higher among macrosomic deliveries (aRR = 4.08, 95% CI = 2.45–6.80). The risk of CNM was also higher among macrosomic deliveries (aRR = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.39–2.24). Macrosomia was associated with an increased risk in NICU admission, hypoglycemia, and hyperbilirubinemia. Conclusion Among DM deliveries, macrosomia was associated with a fourfold higher risk of CMM and almost twofold higher risk of CNM.


This paper was presented at the 5th International Conference on Libraries, Information & Society 2014 (ICoLIS 2014), held on the 4th - 5th November 2014 at the Boulevard Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.


An electro‐optic directional coupler switch has been fabricated with a GaAs homojunction structure and tested at 1.15 μm. Each single mode guide is made in a n‐LPE layer grown on a n+ substrate, the p+ rib used to confine the light being obtained by Zn diffusion and chemical etching. A calculation of the losses in the planar approximation roughly yields the large values of attenuation measured for TE and TM modes (∼8 cm−1). By reversely biasing the ''stepped Δβ'' junctions with less than 17 V, more than 13 dB power isolation has been achieved for both switching states on a 6.3‐mm‐long device. Large improvements of the characteristics are expected from the additional design parameters provided by GaAs‐GaAlAs double heterostructure.


Activation of Wnt signaling leads to high bone density. The R-spondin family of four secreted glycoproteins (Rspo1-4) amplifies Wnt signaling. In humans, RSPO3 variants are strongly associated with bone density, but how RSPO3 affects skeletal homeostasis is not fully understood. Here we show that in mice Rspo3 haplo-insufficiency or its targeted deletion in osteoprogenitors lead to an increase in bone formation and bone mass. Contrary to expectations, Rspo3 haplo-insufficiency results in canonical Wnt signaling activation. Using mouse embryonic fibroblasts we show that Rspo3 deficiency leads to activation of Erk signaling, stabilizing β-catenin. Furthermore, Rspo3 haplo-insufficiency impairs Dkk1 efficacy in blocking canonical Wnt signaling and prevents the in vivo inhibition of bone formation and bone mass induced by osteoblast-targeted expression of Dkk1. We conclude that Rspo3 haplo-insufficiency/deficiency boosts canonical Wnt signaling by activating Erk signaling and impairing Dkk1's inhibitory activity, which in turn lead to increased bone formation and bone mass.


The RIG-I-like receptors mediate antiviral signaling through NEMO-dependent activation of transcription factors NF-kB and IRF3, which are recognized for their roles in inflammation and the induction of Type I Interferon, respectively. We identified an individual with increased susceptibility to viral infection and persistent inflammatory disease. Sanger sequencing revealed a de novo synonymous mutation in the gene encoding NEMO that results in an in-frame splicing event and exclusive production of a shortened protein. To understand the role of NEMO in regulating the antiviral response, we stimulated patient and healthy control fibroblasts with RIG-I-like receptor ligand poly(I:C), which mimics viral RNA. Induction of IRF3 response genes IFNB1 and CXCL10 was reduced 35-fold and 500-fold (n=2), respectively, compared to healthy control, and patient cells were unable to control viral infection. In contrast, TNF induced the expression of proinflammatory genes TNFSF10 and IL17 7-fold and 4-fold higher in patient cells than in healthy control cells. Increased TNF induced gene expression was accompanied by increased p65 nuclear translocation indicative of increased canonical IKK activation. These results suggest that aberrant expression of an alternately spliced NEMO isoform constitutes a novel autoinflammatory disease characterized by unbalanced NF-kB and IRF3 mediated responses to viral infection.


The report presents the main results of a thesis dealing with the effects of a VAT reduction in the year 2010 on the investment behaviour of Bavarian hoteliers. This happens against the background of an investment bottleneck which originated over decades and a rising competitive pressure in this important sector of the Bavarian tourism industry. With an online questionnaire 425 hoteliers were interviewed, most of them identified the VAT reduction as a key factor for increasing investments and an improvement of their economic situation. These results are quite contrastive to the rather negative judgements by mass media and specialized literature.


I was asked by the organizers of this international conference to discuss in my presentation the effects of ageing on competitiveness. I will start by arguing that the key economic issue involved by ageing is growth rather than competitiveness per se as ageing may reduce the growth potential of nations. I will however point out that there is nothing unavoidable about this effect of ageing on growth. Reforming pensions and labour market institutions in order to better exploit returns from experience it is possible to counteract the effects of a declining workforce on growth and sustain a relatively high rate of capital accumulation even under older societies. But there are strong political obstacles to these reforms. These political obstacles should be fully understood it is still a matter of positive economics and possibly counteracted (the domain of normative economics). (excerpt)


: From 1951 to 1973, the crude birthrate in Taiwan declined more than 50%; there is still work to be done to reduce the annual growth rate to less than 1%. This reduction was due to a change in the age composition of the population, an increase in the age at marriage, and reduced marital fertility (contraception and induced abortion). Further reductions will rely mainly on further reductions in marital fertility. An intensive family planning program, reaching 60% of eligible couples and concentrating on the pill, loop, and condom methods, has been active since 1964. Fertility will decline when the ideal family size lowers and when son preference is eliminated. 2 high fertility counties, Taipei and Taoyuan, were selected for intensified activity in 1972. Imp roved activities included: 1) systematic home visits and use of a control card system, 2) strengthened supervision of workers, 3) improved training and publicity programs, 4) use of incentives for loop referrals, and 5) encouragement of word-of-mouth publicity by satisfied contraceptors. Schedules and targets were met or exceeded. The long-range results cannot be measured yet. Reasons for the greater success of the project in Taoyuan than in Taipei are examined. Lessons learned from the project are enumerated. It can be seen that intensive local government operations can be successful, particularly when more and better paid workers are used.


GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS Volvulus is the cause of approximately 10% of large-bowel obstruction in the United States. It occurs most frequently in the sigmoid flexure, less often in the cecum and small intestine, and rarely in the transverse colon or stomach. Prompt recognition and proper treatment of volvulus are important for the following reasons: (1) The recurrence rate is high, and the economic drain on patients forced to undergo repeated hospitalization and noncurative operations is great. (2) With each attack there is an inherent danger of strangulation which is associated with an astonishingly high mortality of from 40% to 60%.* (3) Proper surgical correction practically assures a cure. The high mortality in volvulus is due largely to a failure to recognize the condition until complications are present, to ill-advised conservative measures which do nothing to effect a cure and can be dangerous, or to an attempt to do too much in


There is a considerable lack of literature on international student athletes despite the extent to which colleges and universities are increasingly relying on them to heighten the winning reputation of their sports programs. This research focuses on international student athletes from Africa. Based on interviews of 16 student athletes from seven different African countries, the range of their experiences upon entering universities in the United States, particularly their challenges, were identified. Many of the serious issues affecting the student athletes were matters related to the host environment's underestimations about the African student athletes' desires to learn, misunderstandings about their culture and religions and other negative assumptions that undermined their academic success. We also found that the vast majority of these student athletes experienced negative stereotypes and discrimination based on their race and their region of origin.


The article substantiates the theoretical aspects of the remote model of socialization. Based on the psychological analysis of the theoretical provisions of socialization, the essence of the concept of the "remote model of socialization" is clarified. In the process of analysis, the relationship between the growing popularity of the virtual online space and the emergence of new types of social activities and forms of social interaction of individuals on the network is revealed, which in turn confirms that the virtual online space has become a dynamic new environment for the socialization of the individual. This theoretical approach allowed the authors of the article to substantiate the dynamic new environment of personality socialization as a remote model of socialization. The authors of the article theoretically substantiate the position that the remote model of socialization creates the conditions for a developing personality to manifest its social activity about social action or inaction, or a social act using the mechanism of social self-expression. This remote mechanism is also present in the real social space, but in the remote model of socialization, in a network, it acquires dominant relevance, prevails, and takes center stage. The authors of the article believe that in the conditions of the remote model of socialization, this mechanism will become the basis for constructing the virtual personality of the individual and its network social space and be the basis for the process of expanding the social experience of the individual in the real social space.


Background Minimally invasive direct lateral interbody fusion (MIS-DLIF) is a novel approach for fusions of the lumbar spine. In this proof of concept study, we describe the surgical technique and report our experience and the perioperative outcomes of the first nine patients who underwent this procedure. Study design/setting In this study we establish the safety and efficacy of this approach. MIS-DLIF was performed on 15 spinal levels in nine patients who failed to respond to conservative therapy for the treatment of a re-herniated disk, spondylolisthesis, or other severe disk disease of the lumbar spine. We recorded surgery time, blood loss, fluoroscopy time, patient-reported pain, and complications. Methods Throughout the MIS-DLIF procedure, the surgeon is aided by biplanar fluoroscopic imaging to place an interbody graft or cage into the disc space through the interpleural space. A discectomy is performed in the same minimally invasive fashion. The procedure is usually completed with posterior pedicle screw fixation. Results MIS-DLIF took 44/85 minutes, on average, for 1/2 levels, with 54/112 ml of blood loss, and 0.3/1.7 days of hospital stay. Four of nine patients did not require overnight hospitalization and were discharged two to four hours after surgery. We did not encounter any clinically significant complications. At more than ninety days post surgery, the patients reported a statistically significant reduction of 4.5 points on a 10-point sliding pain scale. Conclusions MIS-DLIF with pedicle screw fixation is a safe and clinically effective procedure for fusions of the lumbar spine. The procedure overcomes many of the limitations of the current minimally invasive approaches to the lumbar spine and is technically straightforward. MIS-DLIF has the potential to improve patient outcomes and reduce costs relative to the current standard of care and therefore warrants further investigation. We are currently expanding this study to a larger cohort and documenting long-term outcome data.


Indonesia governs the post-entry observation through the Animal Quarantine Installation (AQI) as a precautionary measure to minimize the risk of the entrance and the spread of animal infectious organism and disease of import animals. However, wastes generated from their activities are potentially pollute the environment. This research aimed to evaluate the pollution from AQI activity on its receiving water body. The study was conducted at 5 companies as follow: PT. A, PT. B, PT. C, PT. D, and PT. E. The samples were taken from their wastewater and the river where the waste was discarded with two replications. Direct measurement was carried out in the field by using water quality equipment to analyze pH, temperature, DO, and TDS. For other analysis, samples collected were preserved in refrigerator at 4 °C before laboratory testing was carried out to minimize microbiological decomposition of solids. Pollution variabels were analyzed by analysis of variance test (ANOVA) with 95% confidence level followed by turkey test. The results showed that there was no difference in pollution from temperature, DO, TDS, TSS, COD, and ammonia variables from 5 companies. In contrast, two variables i.e., pH and BOD indicating the difference among 5 companies (P<0.05). In conclusion, the results of wastewater variables from large-ruminant AQI activity were generally exceeding the Quality Standard of Wastewater for cattle-farming. Thus there is a pollution of water bodies in the environment around AQI due to their activities.


ABSTRACT Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) particle production, a process driven by the Gag polyprotein precursor, occurs on the plasma membrane in most cell types. The plasma membrane contains cholesterol-enriched microdomains termed lipid rafts, which can be isolated as detergent-resistant membrane (DRM). Previously, we and others demonstrated that HIV-1 Gag is associated with DRM and that disruption of Gag-raft interactions impairs HIV-1 particle production. However, the determinants of Gag-raft association remain undefined. In this study, we developed a novel epitope-based Gag multimerization assay to examine whether Gag assembly is essential for its association with lipid rafts. We observed that membrane-associated, full-length Gag is poorly detected by immunoprecipitation relative to non-membrane-bound Gag. This poor detection is due to assembly-driven masking of Gag epitopes, as denaturation greatly improves immunoprecipitation. Gag mutants lacking the Gag-Gag interaction domain located in the N terminus of the nucleocapsid (NC) were efficiently immunoprecipitated without denaturation, indicating that the epitope masking is caused by higher-order Gag multimerization. We used this assay to examine the relationship between Gag assembly and Gag binding to total cellular membrane and DRM. Importantly, a multimerization-defective NC mutant displayed wild-type levels of membrane binding and DRM association, indicating that NC-mediated Gag multimerization is dispensable for association of Gag with membrane or DRM. We also demonstrate that different properties of sucrose and iodixanol membrane flotation gradients may explain some discrepancies regarding Gag-raft interactions. This report offers new insights into the association of HIV-1 Gag with membrane and with lipid rafts.


In this paper the previously published optimization algorithm for thermal dose optimization is tested with numerical simulations. The simulations concern the thermal dose optimization in ultrasound surgery of the breast. The optimization algorithm is extended by setting the inequality constraint approximations to temperature in healthy tissue as well as in tumor region. In addition, the simulations are accomplished in realistic 3D geometry with varying thermal parameters. Another topic of the paper is to show the potential of the hemispherical phased array applicator for ultrasound surgery of the breast. With such an applicator larger tissue volumes can be treated with shorter time as compared to single element transducers. In simulations the geometrical focus of the applicator was placed mechanically in the middle of the treatable region. The whole tumor region was then scanned electrically by changing the phase of the emitted wave from individual elements. The simulations indicate that a feasible treatment plan can be achieved. In simulated cases the desired thermal dose was achieved for tumors with diameter from 1.5 to 2.4 cm, depending on the position of tumor. The maximum temperature limitations of 45 degrees C in healthy region and 80 degrees C in tumor region can be maintained in all simulations.


Closed-form and finite-element solutions are presented for the thermoelastic behavior of laminated composite shells. The material of each layer is assumed to be thermoelastically orthotropic and bimodular, that is, having different properties depending upon whether the fiber-direction normal strain is tensile or compressive. The formulations are based on the thermoelastic generalization of Dong and Tso 's laminated shell theory, which includes thickness shear deformations. The finite element used here has five degrees of freedom per node (three displacements and two bending slopes). Numerical results are presented for deflections and the positions of the neutral surfaces associated with bending along both coordinate directions. The closed-form and finite-element results are found to be in good agreement.


Silicon-containing bilayer thin-film imaging resists versus single layer resists for a variety of different mask types, from both a focus-expose window, etch selectivity, and process integration perspective are examined. Comparable lithographic performance is found for 248 nm single layer and bilayer resists for several mask levels including: a 135 nm dense contact/deep trench mask level, a 150 and 125 nm equal line space mask printed over trench topography, and dual damascene mask levels with both vias and line levels. The bilayer scheme is shown to significantly relax the dielectric to resist etch selectivity constraint for the case of a dense contact or trench hardmask level, where high aspect ratio dielectric features are required. Only a bilayer resist scheme in combination with a transfer etch process enables the line/space pattern transfer from the imaging layer to the bottom of a trench with a combined aspect ratio > 10. When the single layer resist depth of focus window is limited by both the topography and variations in the underlying dielectric stack thickness, as is the case for the dual damascene via and line levels, bilayer resist is shown to be a practical alternative.


The effects of maintenance on venlafaxine, which blocks both norepinephrine and serotonin reuptake, on the response to smoked cocaine (0, 12, 25, or 50 mg) in 7 opioid-free and 7 methadone-maintained cocaine abusers was examined during a 42-day study. Participants received venlafaxine (225 mg daily) and placebo as part of a double-blind crossover design. Cocaine significantly increased heart rate, blood pressure, cocaine choice, cocaine ratings, and ratings of positive subjective effects (e.g., "I feel high") in both groups. Venlafaxine significantly decreased the subjective effects of cocaine by 10-20% without affecting cocaine choice or cardiovascular response in both groups. Although the reduction in cocaine's effects was small, further studies using a longer venlafaxine maintenance period or a larger venlafaxine dose are warranted.


We study the consequences of imposing an approximate Galilean symmetry on the Effective Theory of Inflation, the theory of small perturbations around the inflationary background. This approach allows us to study the effect of operators with two derivatives on each field, which can be the leading interactions due to non-renormalization properties of the Galilean Lagrangian. In this case cubic non-Gaussianities are given by three independent operators, containing up to six derivatives, two with a shape close to equilateral and one peaking on flattened isosceles triangles. The four-point function is larger than in models with small speed of sound and potentially observable with the Planck satellite.


Seeking to go beyond global best practices in reducing environmental impacts, FIJI Water, a premium artesian bottled water company in the United States, launched a carbon negative campaign that would offset more greenhouse gas emissions than were released by the company's operations and products. The case examines the controversies surrounding this program as well as the program's impacts on the environment and FIJI Water's brand image. The company also faced decisions regarding how to best manage its relationship with the Fijian government, which recently dramatically raised imposed export taxes and could limit FIJI Water's access to water, its primary raw material. The case enables students to better understand the challenges of implementing an environmental strategy and of negotiating with parties that control raw materials, and it invites discussion of the effectiveness of various approaches and the general lessons for the management of companies seeking to operate in an environmentally responsible manner.Learning Objective: To explore the design and implementation of environmental strategies regarding a company's operations and products. To assess the risks and opportunities of pursuing an environmental strategy that seeks to go beyond global best practices. To explore negotiation approaches with a government that controls access to critical raw materials, and the complications that arise in countries that lack a strong judiciary. To examine the implications of these strategies on a company's ability to effectively manage a global brand and critical local and global stakeholders.


The right to build as a legal phenomenon from time to time leads to the need to analyze how existing solutions or solutions are subsequently imposed by special regulations on right to build. All of this stems from the premise that the right to build is a dynamic category that changes according to social needs in social and economic terms, which necessarily results in its legal adaptation. Such processes, through which the right of construction passes, undergoe the traces which have the need to be re-examined and analyzed as a phenomenon from the aspect of legal theory and practice. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to address the segment that essentially has the presumptions for the acquisition of right to build, which arise from the causal legal relationship underlying the right to build. Presumptions for the acquisition of right to build are determined for the basic hypothesis, which will be elaborated by analysis and critical review of individual cases, and an explanation of the legal phenomenon regarding the presumptions for the acquisition of right to build, using the theoretical-normative method or the deductive-inductive method with the aim of clarification of the problem of legal presumptions in the emergence of right to build. In addition, a comparative or abstract method was used in explaining the facts as the premise of the determination and nature of the presumptions for acquisition the right to build.


Aim: Our outpatient smoking cessation clinic was opened in April 2000. Aim of this study was to create a database for our national long-term smoking cessation rates and to share our experience. Method: We included 696 patients who had applied our smoking cessation clinic between April 2000- December 2010 years. After smoking habits and sociodemographic features of the people were asked, all the people attended to a suitable smoking cessation program. The results were analyzed by Chi-square test, Kaplan Meier survival analysis and Cox-regression analysis. Results: It was observed that 696 people containing 408 (58.6%) men and 282 (40.5%) women visited the polyclinic during this period. According to duration without smoking, women did not smoke 24.36±5.83 months and men did not smoke 21.63±4.66 months. Success rates were not different between men and women (Log Rank p=0.729) at the end of tenth years. The success rates at the end of the first, the fifth and tenth years in patients who attended smoking cessation programme were 58%, 40.6% and 31.7% respectively. We found that male gender, lack of regular income, low education level and the amount of cigarettes smoked per day were independent risk factors for restart smoking by Cox-regression analysis. Discussion: In coclusion, our smoking cessation rates have decreased over the years. Especially, male gender, low educational level, lack of regular income and high amounts of daily cigarette were reduced success rates. We think that more close follow- up of these patients might positively affect on the success rates.


Rules of origin are a necessary part of every free trade area (FTA), because member countries maintain independent tariff and non-tariff barriers against nonmembers. This paper examines the effects of restrictive rules of origin in a model of oligopoly with quotas on imports from non-members in a FTA in order to investigate the possibility of using rules of origin as a strategic trade policy. Specifically, the ability of firms within the FTA to capture profits and the effect of the FTA on profits of non-member firms is examined. This paper shows that although the restrictiveness of the quota does not change at all, profits earned by firms from non-member countries as a result of the quota are reduced by rules of origin.


We prove a cohomological property for a class of finite $p$-groups introduced earlier by M. Y. Xu, which we call semi-abelian $p$-groups. This result implies that a semi-abelian $p$-group has non-inner automorphisms of order $p$, which settles a longstanding problem for this class. We answer also, independetly, an old question of M. Y. Xu about the power structure of semi-abelian $p$-groups.


In network tomography, we seek to infer link parameters inside a network (such as link delays) by sending end-to-end probes between (external) boundary nodes. The main challenge here is to estimate link-level attributes from end-to-end measurements. In this paper, based on the idea of combinatorial compressed sensing, we specify conditions on network routing matrix under which it is possible to estimate link delays from measurements of end-to-end delay. Moreover, we provide an upper-bound on the estimation error.


5,10,15,20-Tetra-(N-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphyrin (TMPyP4), a ligand of G-quadruplex, has shown the ability to stabilize G-quadruplex structures and inhibit the activity of telomerase. Many methods have been used to study the interactions between TMPyP4 and G-quadruplex. However, many issues such as the binding number and the corresponding structural change are still controversial. Here, interactions between TMPyP4 and AGGG(TTAGGG)3 (Tel22) have been studied by a combination of analytical ultracentrifugation sedimentation velocity (AUC-SV), polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), circular dichroism (CD) and UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. In the presence of NaCl, the binding number of TMPyP4 per Tel22, determined by AUC-SV, increases with the increasing concentration of TMPyP4 (CTMPyP4). However, it decreases with the increasing concentration of NaCl (CNaCl). Moreover, both AUC-SV and PAGE reveal that TMPyP4 can induce the formation of the dimeric G-quadruplex–TMPyP4 complex through a medium affinity binding mode. High affinity binding modes, which may include the inner intercalation mode and end stacking, have no contribution to the formation of dimers. The weak electrostatic binding of TMPyP4 to Tel22 has a negative effect on the formation of dimers, presumably due to the instability of G-quadruplex induced by this binding mode.


The topic of the present study is the relationship between transformational leadership as perceived by followers and follower characteristics such as self-monitoring and self-efficacy. Self-monitoring was hypothesized to be positively related to transformational leadership, as persons with high self-monitoring are a) sensitive to expressive behaviors of others and b) able to control their own expressive behavior. The correlations found here, however, are too small to confirm this assumption. With respect to self-efficacy, past research leads to two contradictory assumptions concerning its relationship to transformational leadership: a) Self-efficacy is negatively related to a perception of transformational leadership as "weak" employees (i.e. persons with low self-efficacy) are especially susceptible to transformational leadership or b) Self-efficacy is positively related to a perception of transformational leadership as employees with high self-efficacy see themselves as being similar to their leaders and thus tend to perceived transformational leadership in their leaders. Whereas the first hypothesis had to be rejected, the second was supported. The sample was then subdivided into groups in order to test extreme group differences. No extreme group differences could be found.


We investigate the orbital evolution of 10(13)- to 10(25) -g planetesimals near 1 AU and in the asteroid belt (near 2.6 AU) prior to the stage of evolution when the mutual perturbations between the planetesimals become important. We include nebular gas drag and the effects of Jupiter and Saturn at their present masses and in their present orbits. Gas drag introduces a size-dependent phasing of the secular perturbations, which leads to a pronounced dip in encounter velocities (Venc) between bodies of similar mass. Plantesimals of identical mass have Venc approximately 1 and approximately 10 m s-1 (near 1 and 2.6 AU, respectively) while bodies differing by approximately 10 in mass have Venc approximately 10 and approximately 100 m s-1 (near 1 and 2.6 AU, respectively). Under these conditions, growth, rather than erosion, will occur only by collisions of bodies of nearly the same mass. There will be essentially no gravitational focusing between bodies less than 10(22) to 10(25) g, allowing growth of planetary embryos in the terrestrial planet region to proceed in a slower nonrunaway fashion. The environment in the asteroid belt will be even more forbidding and it is uncertain whether even the severely depleted present asteroid belt could form under these conditions. The perturbations of Jupiter and Saturn are quite sensitive to their semi-major axes and decrease when the planets' heliocentric distances are increased to allow for protoplanet migration. It is possible, though not clearly demonstrated, that this could produce a depleted asteroid belt but permit formation of a system of terrestrial planet embryos on a approximately 10(6)-year timescale, initially by nonrunaway growth and transitioning to runaway growth after approximately 10(5) years. The calculations reported here are valid under the condition that the relative velocities of the bodies are determined only by Jupiter and Saturn perturbations and by gas drag, with no mutual perturbations between planetesimals. If, while subject to these conditions, the bodies become large enough for their mutual perturbations to influence their velocity and size evolution significantly, the problem becomes much more complex. This problem is under investigation.


Leiomyoma of the urinary bladder is a rare benign mesenchymal tumour. We describe here a case of leiomyoma of the urinary bladder in a 65-year-old gentleman who presented with haematuria, passage of clots and combined obstructive and irritative urinary symptoms. The investigations revealed a vesical calculus and a mass on the left lateral wall of the urinary bladder. Cystolitholapaxy and transurethral resection of the tumour was performed. Histopathological report of the resected tumour revealed a leiomyoma of the urinary bladder. So far, a leiomyoma of the urinary bladder and a concomitant vesical calculus have not been described in literature.


Progress in a novel wave-optical algorithm for synthesizing object waves of three-dimensional surface objects is reported. The algorithm has been proposed last year and has a feature of wave-optical calculation in diffraction by object surfaces. Numerical simulation of diffraction is implemented by a method based on coordinates rotation in Fourier spectrum. Source fields on a surface of objects are given as complex property functions defined on each object surface. These property functions provide information on each surface, such as the shape and diffusiveness. General formulation of the algorithm has been presented, but its numerical implementation was limited only to the cases of single axis rotation of plane surfaces. In this investigation the limitation is removed, i.e. two-axes rotation of plane surfaces is presented and reconstruction of holograms of 3-D objects composed of rotated planes are demonstrated. Furthermore, compensation of surface brightness is discussed for accurate shading objects.


Endogenous brain rhythms occurring at various frequencies and associated with distinct behavioral states provide multiscale temporal windows that enable cells to time their spiking activity with high precision, which is thought to be important for the coding of information in neuronal circuits. However, although the selective timing of GABAergic inputs to specific spatial domains of principal cells are known to play key roles in network oscillations, the in vivo firing patterns of distinct hippocampal interneurons in awake animals are not known. Here we used a combination of juxtacellular labeling techniques with recordings from anesthesia-free, head-fixed mice running or resting on a spherical treadmill to study the oscillation-dependent discharges by two major interneuronal subtypes, the perisomatically projecting parvalbumin-positive basket cells (PVBCs) and distal dendritically projecting oriens lacunosum moleculare (OLM) cells. Recordings of the spiking activity of post hoc-identified CA1 interneurons during theta (5–10 Hz), gamma (25–90Hz), epsilon ("high-gamma"; 90–130 Hz), and ripple (130–200 Hz) oscillations revealed both cell type- and behavioral state-dependent entrainments of PVBC and OLM cell discharges in awake mice. Our results in awake mice differed in several respects from previous data on interneuronal discharge patterns in anesthetized animals. In addition, our results demonstrate a form of frequency-invariant, cell type-specific temporal ordering of inhibitory inputs in which PVBC-derived perisomatic inhibition is followed by OLM cell-generated distal dendritic inhibition during each of the network oscillation bands studied, spanning more than an order of magnitude in frequencies.


OBJECTIVE: The objective of this selective EBM review is to determine whether or not "Is Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) replacement therapy an effective treatment for patients with hypoparathyroidism?" STUDY DESIGN: Review of a randomized control trial published in 2011, a prospective cohort study published in 2013, and a randomized crossover study published in 2012. DATA SOURCES: All articles used were published in English, and were found in peer-reviewed journals using PubMed. OUTCOMES MEASURED: The need to remove supplemental calcium from the diet, the amount PTH was used to maintain a normal range, and the method of PTH delivery (daily injections vs. subcutaneous pump). RESULTS: Sikjaer et al found that patients were able to completely eliminate their daily dose of calcium and active vitamin D supplements without developing hypocalcemia compared to a placebo group. Cusano et al found that patients were able to reduce supplemental calcium and vitamin D significantly for up to four years as compared to a placebo group. Winer et al found that patients were able to use less PTH hormone to reduce supplemental calcium and magnesium supplementation from the diet. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the three studies demonstrate that PTH replacement therapy is an adequate therapy for managing patients with hypoparathyroidism. In all three studies, PTH replacement therapy proved the maintenance of calcium levels in the blood, without hypocalcemia or hypercalcemia effects. This ultimately allowed patients to remove the need for supplemental calcium from the diet, or significantly reduce the amount of calcium and vitamin D supplements from the diet.


Metastasis to the brain is a clinical problem in patients with breast cancer (1-3). We mined published microarray data (4, 5) to compare primary and metastatic tumor transcriptomes for the discovery of genes associated with brain metastasis in humans with metastatic breast cancer. We found that the dehydrogenase/reductase X-linked, encoded by DHRSX, was among the genes whose expression was most different in the brain metastases of patients with metastatic breast cancer as compared to primary tumors of the breast. DHRSX mRNA was present at increased quantities in brain metastatic tissues as compared to primary tumors of the breast. Expression of DHRSX in primary tumors was significantly correlated with patient recurrence-free survival. Modulation of DHRSX expression may be relevant to the biology by which tumor cells metastasize from the breast to the brain in humans with metastatic breast cancer.


Groundwater is a primary drinking, agricultural, domestic, and nondomestic water source in Ethiopia's Yisr River watershed of the Blue Nile River basin. There has been no systematic investigation of the hydrogeochemical properties of groundwater in the research area. The study investigated the hydrogeochemical parameters of groundwater in the catchment to find out if it is fit for drinking and irrigation. A total of 26 samples of groundwater were collected and analyzed for seventeen parameters, including pH, temperature, EC, TDS, TH, K+, Na+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Fe2+, Cl−,

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  > F− for cations and anions, respectively. The chemical composition of shallow wells and springs indicates freshwater. At the same time, the deep groundwater wells are brackish. The two-factor loadings (principal component analysis) were used to explain the existence of anthropogenic and geogenic sources. Three clusters are identified in the dendrogram. The third cluster has the most significant linkage distance among all the clusters. This means that the groundwater sample in this cluster is geochemically different from the other two clusters, and that this cluster is made up of only deep wells. Water quality indices showed that water quality ranged from excellent to very poor, with the majority (53.85%) being excellent and 26.9% being good. The results of the calculated indices for agricultural water quality indicated that the water quality in most collected samples was in the good and excellent categories; however, the EC, RSC, MH, and TDS indices in deep groundwater wells were found to be hazardous. The findings of this study are useful for understanding groundwater sustainability for various reasons. However, they are also helpful in supporting water management and protection in the future.


Climate change will affect all types of infrastructure, including energy, transport and water. Rising temperatures, increased flood risk and other potential hazards will threaten the reliable and efficient operation of these networks, with potentially large economic and social impacts. Decisions made now about the design, location and operation of infrastructure will determine how resilient they will be to a changing climate.This paper provides a framework for action aimed at national policymakers in OECD countries to help them ensure new and existing infrastructure is resilient to climate change. It examines national governments' action in OECD countries, and provides recent insights from professional and industry associations, development banks and other financial institutions on how to make infrastructure more resilient to climate change.


This was a preliminary study to see whether patterns of vascular pathology correlated with a simple clinical classification of acute cerebral infarction. Thirty-two patients with acute, first-ever hemispheric cerebral infarction were prospectively studied clinically together with an extra- and transcranial Doppler ultrasound. All 14 patients with the triad of ipsilateral motor/sensory deficit, homonymous hemianopia and higher cortical dysfunction (Total Anterior Circulation Infarction,[TACI]) had occlusion of the symptomatic middle cerebral artery and/or internal carotid artery, or a severe middle cerebral artery stenosis. Three patients with lacunar infarction had no evidence of major vessel occlusion. Eleven of thirteen patients with Partial Anterior Circulation, Infarction (PACI) I(i.e. only one or two clinical features of the TACI triad) had patent symptomatic major vessels, with indirect evidence to suggest distal branch occlusion(s) of the middle cerebral artery in six. The remaining two PACI patients had major vessel occlusions. Two patients were not clinically classifiable, but both had significant vascular pathology on ultrasound. The findings of this preliminary study therefore suggest that a simple clinical classification was generally capable of predicting patterns of vascular pathology inpatients with acute cerebral infarction, which could have implications for the selection of patients for clinical trials of thrombolytic therapy.


Backdoor attacks pose a new threat to NLP models. A standard strategy to construct poisoned data in backdoor attacks is to insert triggers (e.g., rare words) into selected sentences and alter the original label to a target label. This strategy comes with a severe flaw of being easily detected from both the trigger and the label perspectives: the trigger injected, which is usually a rare word, leads to an abnormal natural language expression, and thus can be easily detected by a defense model; the changed target label leads the example to be mistakenly labeled, and thus can be easily detected by manual inspections. To deal with this issue, in this paper, we propose a new strategy to perform textual backdoor attack which does not require an external trigger and the poisoned samples are correctly labeled. The core idea of the proposed strategy is to construct clean-labeled examples, whose labels are correct but can lead to test label changes when fused with the training set. To generate poisoned clean-labeled examples, we propose a sentence generation model based on the genetic algorithm to cater to the non-differentiable characteristic of text data. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed attacking strategy is not only effective, but more importantly, hard to defend due to its triggerless and clean-labeled nature. Our work marks the first step towards developing triggerless attacking strategies in NLP.


Introduction: The epithalamus region contains the tiny, functionally endocrine pineal gland, which has the shape of a pinecone. Less than 1% of adult primary intracranial malignancies are pineal parenchymal tumors, which are incredibly uncommon brain tumors. A rare variety of pineal parenchymal tumors are those with intermediate differentiation. These tumors, whose namesake refers to a malignant pineal parenchymal tumor, are intermediate between pineoblastomas and pineocytomas (a benign pineal parenchymal tumor). Case Presentation: A female patient, age 13, who had been experiencing terrible headaches on and off for a month, went to the emergency room. Along with the headache, she experienced nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and blurred eyesight. A nonenhanced computed tomography scan was used for the initial brain neuroimaging, which showed a hypodense mass posterior to the midbrain and superior to the cerebellum. A heterogeneous bulk was visible on MRI. Clinical Outcome: The headache, vertigo, visual disturbance, nausea, and vomiting have all improved, according to the patient. Both postoperative MRIs with and without contrast revealed the resolution of the obstructive hydrocephalus and the absence of any residual enhancing mass. The patient was followed up for 2 months without any complications or adverse events. Conclusion: One should carefully investigate a headache as the early symptom of many illnesses and rule out any other potential causes. This would therefore enable us to create a management structure for such a very unusual malignancy.


This study was designed to compare the effect of the prebiotic and antimicrobial growth promoter (AGP) on the growth performance, blood constituent, intestinal bacteriology and histomorphometric parameters as well as humeral immunity of broiler chicks. A total of 90 unsexed commercial Cobb chicks were randomly assigned to 3 dietary treatments (control, AGP and prebiotic groups), each group contain 30 chicks. Each group subdivided into 3 replicates, 10 chicks each, and was reared for 42 days. The prebiotic supplemented group showed a significant improvement in growth performance parameters than the control and AGP-supplemented groups. Total leukcocytic count, lymphocyte percent, total protein, total globulin and gamma globulin were significantly increased in the broilers fed on prebiotics. Moreover, prebiotics supplementation significantly reduced heterophil percent, heterophil/ lymphocyte ratio (H/L ratio), albumin/globulin ratio, aspartate and alanine aminotransferase (AST and ALT), uric acid and creatinine compared to the AGP-supplemented group and control group. The AGP-supplemented group exhibited a significant reduction in the total aerobic count than the control and prebiotic-supplemented groups. However, the prebiotic supplemented group showed a significant reduction in the coliform count than the control and antibiotic supplemented groups. The prebiotic supplemented group induced a significant increase in the villus height (VH) all over the small intestine. In addition, it induced a significant increase in villus height: crypt depth ratio in the duodenum and jejunum than the control and antibiotic supplemented groups. However, there were no significant differences among the different groups regard to the crypt depth (CD) in the duodenum and jejunum. Prebiotics could be considered as safe and effective antimicrobial alternatives for broiler chicks' growth performance, immunity and intestinal bacteriology and morphology.


Kleefstra syndrome is a rare genetic disorder caused by haploinsufficiency of the euchromatic histone lysine methyltransferase 1 (EHMT1) gene. It is characterized by a variety of dysmorphic features, comorbid medical issues, and developmental delays/intellectual disability. Neuropsychiatric symptoms may also occur, including autistic features and psychosis, and are often accompanied by functional regression. However, the phenomenology of psychotic symptoms in this syndrome has not been well described in the literature. As such, in this brief report, we review the literature with respect to the occurrence of psychosis in Kleefstra syndrome and describe the symptom profile of a 35-year-old affected male with an intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, and schizophrenia (in association with manic features). This is the first report of psychotic symptoms fully remitting in response to zuclopenthixol therapy in an individual with Kleefstra syndrome. This case is also unique as it demonstrates that functional regression does not necessarily coincide with the development of schizophrenia-like presentations in affected individuals.


Hydrological regimes play a major role in structuring the biotic diversity within river ecosystems and hydrological variation is recognised as a primary driving force within those ecosystems. The US Nature Conservancy developed a method known as the Indicators of Hydrological Alteration, IHA (Richter et al. 1996, 1997, 1998), for assessing the degree of hydrological alteration attributable to human induced changes within an ecosystem. The method is based on the statistical analyses of 33 hydrological parameters representing five streamflow characteristics that can be attributed to playing major roles in determining the nature of aquatic and riparian ecosystems (Richter et al. 1996, 1997, 1998). The Range of Variability Approach, RVA, is an application of the IHA, incorporating the concepts of hydrological variability and river ecosystem integrity, and was developed to enable river managers to define and adopt preliminary flow management targets before conclusive, long-term ecosystem research results are available. This paper presents an application of the RVA to simulated streamflows at two of the four Instream Flow Requirements (IFR) Sites on the Mkomazi River in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, in order to assess the extent of alteration caused by human induced changes to the hydrological regime. The assessment was achieved by comparing the range of variation of the hydrological regime simulated under natural catchment conditions (pre-impact) with the variation resulting from catchment development (post-impact). The 25th and 75th percentile values of each of the 33 parameters were selected as the lower and upper thresholds within which streamflow management targets could be set. By setting preliminary streamflow management thresholds that can be modified and refined when ecological data and information become available, the RVA incorporates flexibility and adaptability.


Every day, geotechnical engineers have to deal with groundwater problems. In order to find suitable solutions to these problems, modelling of the groundwater conditions and their variations in time has to be performed.
 A study of the groundwater conditions in silts and fine sands was made including laboratory and full-scale field tests. The purpose of the study was to investigate the possibility to use numerical models to simulate variations in the groundwater conditions in different situations.
 A laboratory equipment was built in order to study the reliability of different instruments used for measuring soil matric suction. Laboratory tests were also made for studying the behaviour of silts and fine sands during and after induced changes in the groundwater conditions. Thereafter, numerical simulations have been performed, and the results were compared with the observed behaviour.
 Full-scale field tests were also performed at one site in Sweden. During these tests, the level of the groundwater table was changed using a drainage system, and the variations in the groundwater conditions in the surroundings were monitored. These tests were also simulated using a numerical model for comparison between observed and computed behaviour.
 The results showed that the behaviour of a partially saturated soil is not only controlled by the position of the groundwater table in the area, but also by the water retention characteristics of the material. The comparison of the results of the simulations with the monitored behaviour, showed that such simulations are reliable in fully saturated soils, but do not describe properly the changes in groundwater conditions above the capillary zone.


The evidence is clear that climate change is the greatest challenge facing mankind today. Africa is disproportionately burdened by multiple direct and cascading impacts of the climate crisis. Global investments for climate change adaptation, however, have not prioritized Africa adequately and there is a significant knowledge gap in understanding the context and science of climate change and sustainable solutions for the continent's adaptation. Solutions for adaptation and resilience are made complex by an urgent need for accelerated economic growth, rapid population expansion and urbanization, habitat and biodiversity loss and dwindling financing. There are also challenges in matching policies, wavering commitments and actions with good science that focuses on sustainable lives, livelihoods and ecosystem preservation. The solutions must come from where the impacts are felt. The Science for Africa Foundation supports African researchers and institutions to lead in the science that addresses African priority development areas and has set climate change as a strategic priority. This call to action, by the SFA Foundation, outlines key areas that its strategy addresses through programs that support African scientific excellence, leadership and the best of Africa's research to understand the science of climate change and its impacts; collate and assess evidence for policy; grow high level technical capacity on the continent; and create innovative priority actions for Africa.


In the present study we describe the complete cytochrome P450 complement, the "CYPome," of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2). Eighteen cytochromes P450 (CYP) are described, in contrast to the absence of CYPs in Escherichia coli, and the twenty observed in Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Here we confirm protein identity as cytochromes P450 by heterologous expression in E. coli and measurement of reduced carbon monoxide difference spectra. We also report on their arrangement in the linear chromosome and relatedness to other CYPs in the superfamily. The future development of manipulation of antibiotic pathways and the use of streptomycetes in bioremediation and biotransformations will involve many of the new CYP forms identified here.


Two experiments were conducted to examine the effectiveness of presenting brief video of conspecifics to socially housed bonnet macaques as a reward for performing a joystick task. Using a joystick, subjects tracked a moving target with the cursor on a computer monitor. In Exp. 1, subjects completed significantly more joystick trials for food reward than for video reward or no reward. Subjects also preferred viewing video of another group (Other Group Video) to receiving no reward or to viewing video of their own group (Own Group Video). In Exp. 2, subjects were given two reward conditions, video of a familiar social group or video of a new social group. Two monkeys contributed the vast majority of trials, and both responded more frequently when the reward was video of the new social group. Results of these two experiments suggest that viewing video of conspecifics may serve as an effective reward for at least some socially housed primates and suggests that novelty of the individuals depicted in the video is an important factor contributing to the reward value of video.


GHαFaS is a new Fabry-Perot system available at the William Herschel Telescope. It was mounted, for the first time, at the Nasmyth focus of the 4.2 m WHT in La Palma in 2007 July. With a spectral resolution of the order R~15000 and a seeing limited spatial resolution, GHαFaS provides a new look at the Hα-emitting gas over a 4 arcminutes circular field in the nearby universe. Many types of objects can be observed with a scanning Fabry-Perot system on a 4.2 m class telescope such as galaxies, HII regions, planetary nebulae, supernova remnants outflows from stars and the diffuse interstellar medium. Astronomers from the Laboratoire d'Astrophysique Experimentale (LAE) in Montreal, the Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (LAM), and the Instituto de Astrofisica de Canarias (IAC), have inaugurated GHαFaS by studying in detail the dynamics of nearby spiral galaxies. A robust set of tools for reducing and analyzing the data cubes obtained with GHαFaS has also been developed.


In this study, three rapid assay techniques for the determination of glutathione, one enzymatic, one fluorometric and one newly patented colorimetric method, were compared by measuring reduced (GSH) and oxidized (GSSG) glutathione in guinea-pig heart and liver. The HPLC technique was used as a standard, since it is considered the most reliable assay method. In heart, all methods measured the same levels of GSH (about 1 mumole/g wet tissue), whereas in liver the fluorometric assay gave GSH levels about half as high as those measured by the other methods (about 3 vs. 7 mumoles/g wet tissue). Conversely, the fluorometric assay grossly overestimated GSSG concentration (by 5 to 8 times) in both heart and liver. These results confirm previous doubts about the use of the fluorometric technique for GSSG determination in mammalian tissues and also raise some questions about its use for the measurement of GSH in liver. In this tissue, the GSH concentration determined by the fluorometric method was shown to be inversely correlated with the size of the sample, suggesting the presence of some quenching material.


Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC

Background: TNBC refers to those breast cancers which are negative for ER, PR and Her2/neu overexpression, thereby unsuitable for hormone and trastuzumab therapy. Although TNBC overlap with basal-like breast cancers, these terms are not synonymous. We decided, in a single institution cohort, to develop a better understanding of the types of tumors that make up TNBC

Materials and Methods: We carried out a clinicopathological study of a cohort of 192 patients diagnosed with TNBC at the University Health Network in 2007. Patient biodata, clinical and histopathological information of proven prognostic importance was retrieved from the records. Tissue microarrays were constructed from duplicate 0.6mm cores of representative tumour tissue and stained with 9 antibodies according to recommended protocols. The TMA slides were interpreted using the Allred method except for the Ki67 staining which was interpreted by the visual estimate method of assessing proportion of nuclei taking up stains. Results were tabulated and summary statistics was done to determine proportions.

Results: The age-range is 28 - 99 years. The median and modal age group was 50 -59 years. 70.3% of the patients are aged between 40 and 69 years at the time of diagnosis. The tumour size range was 0.6cm to 16 cm. 41.67% are pT1, 51.04% are pT2 while 6.8% are pT3. Four patients had T4 tumor with skin and nipple involvement. The diagnosis was predominantly invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) in 84.9% of patients. Metaplastic carcinoma (10.4%), pleomorphic lobular carcinoma (1.5%), and single cases of invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC), tubular, apocrine and poorly differentiated carcinoma were seen. DCIS is a prominent feature in 26.6% of the cases. The number of lymph nodes identified ranged from 0 - 46. 59.90% were in pN0 category, 16.7% in the pN1 category, pN2 - 8.3%, and 15.1% in pN3 category. Extra-nodal metastasis at diagnosis was found in 7.3% of patients. The tumour grade: Grade I - 1.55%, Grade II - 13.47% and Grade III 84.97%. CD44 was positive in 17.71%, p63 - 4.17%, p53 - 51.56%, e-cadherin - 81.77%, Vimentin - 77.60%, Cyclin D1 - 22.40%, BCL-2 - 19.27%, and androgen receptor (AR) - 5.73%. 43.75% of cases show proliferation rates of ≥15%, while 26.04% have proliferation rates of between 5% and ≤14%.

Conclusion: While a large proportion of TNBCs show a high proliferation (Ki67, Cyclin D1 and grade III), a substantial number did not show this. This study provides clues to support the current hypothesis that several mechanisms drive the carcinogenesis of TNBC, with a heterogeneous pattern of biomarker expression. Further investigation is needed to better understand the factors driving the development and progression of the different types of TNBC.

Citation Format: Adewunmi O. Adeoye, Bruce J. Youngson, Naomi Miller, Susan J. Done. Heterogeneity within triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1204. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-1204


Iron oxyhydroxides as the efficient scavengers for heavy metals have been extensively investigated in iron-rich acid sulfate waters in the presence of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans (A. ferrooxidans, an especially important chemolithoautotroph for bioleaching and desulfurization of coal). In this study, we observed the morphology and elemental composition of cells in stationary phase and examined the dynamic variation of iron oxyhydroxides produced in cultures of A. ferrooxidans incubated in modified 9K medium initially including 0.15 M of ferrous iron, in the absence/presence of 0.2 M of chloride (NaCl/FeCl(2)). Results showed that chloride acclimation had little effect on cellular morphology and elemental uptake that was mainly related to culture medium. Furthermore, schwertmannite with the typical morphology of aggregated spheres covered by some "pincushions" was precipitated first in bacterial cultures in the favorable pH range of 2.9 ± 0.1 to 2.6 ± 0.1. Some of schwertmannite could be transformed to lozenge-shaped jarosite, due to a successively decreasing of pH values. However, the jarosite transformation represented a lag period of 5 and 4 days in the chloride-rich cultures with sulfate at a low level, compared to the cultures with sulfate at a high level, which could be attributed to the influence of sulfate requirement and chloride acclimation.


This paper has proposed a method to identify human body action by the 3D data of human skeleton obtained by Kinect depth camera. Using this method, the human action can be identified by utilizing the difference between the angles of bone points from different human body actions. The experiment results show that the method is feasible and efficient, which can offset the influence of complex background and different light intensity.


The British capital is about to become the first large metropolitan area in the world to rely on long distance railhaul for the disposal of a major part of its wastes stream. The Greater London Council (GLC), responsible to more than 7-million residents, has decided to construct three rail transfer stations. The facilities will transport 24 percent of the city's solid wastes to landfill sites beyond the county boundaries. Collectively, these will eventually handle up to 2400 tons of wastes per working day. Two of the transfer stations will be financed and built by the council and operated by the Public Health Engineering Department. In order to keep a balance and measure of competition between public and private sector operations, the council invited bids for the third project to include the provision of a complete railhaul disposal operation -- the successful bidder to finance, build and operate the transfer station on a selected site, arrange railhaul, and provide and operate a landfill. All three systems are based on the same principle -- compaction of the wastes at the transfer stations into containers meeting the international I.S.O. standards; loading the containers on to flat rail cars; off-loading at the landfill site railhead on to truck chassis for discharge at the landfill's working face.


ABSTRACT  Many studies in foreign language learning over the past several years have explored the processes involved in listening and reading as well as the benefits of receptive skill development. Empirical investigations continue to identify the positive effects of extensive practice in listening and reading early in language study. The purpose of this article is to present a strategy for teaching listening comprehension by adapting several aspects of an effective reading model. The paper explores the processes underlying listening and reading as well as pedagogical implications of current research in the receptive skills. Specific guidelines for integrating listening skills are presented.


Cities are increasingly considered important places for biodiversity conservation because they can harbor threatened species and because conservation in cities represents an opportunity to reconnect people with nature and the range of health and well‐being benefits it provides. However, urbanization can be catastrophic for native species, and is a well‐known threat to biodiversity worldwide. Urbanization impacts can be mitigated by urban design and development improvements, but take‐up of these practices has been slow. There is an urgent need to incorporate existing ecological knowledge into a framework that can be used by planners and developers to ensure that biodiversity conservation is considered in decision‐making processes. Here, we distill the urban biodiversity literature into five principles for biodiversity sensitive urban design (BSUD), ranging from creating habitat and promoting dispersal to facilitating community stewardship. We then present a framework for implementing BSUD aimed at delivering onsite benefits to biodiversity, and that is applicable across a range of urban development types and densities. We illustrate the application of the BSUD framework in two case studies focusing on the: (1) protection of an endangered vegetation remnant in a new low‐density subdivision; and (2) persistence of an endangered reptile in an established suburban environment.


The rapidly expanding U.S. ethanol industry is generating a growing supply of co-products, mostly in the form of dried distillers' grain and solubles (DDGS) or wet distillers' grains (WDG). In the United States, 90% of the co-products of maize-based ethanol are fed to livestock. An unintended consequence is that animals are likely to be fed higher levels of mycotoxins, which are concentrated up to three times in DDGS compared to grain. The model developed in this study estimates current losses to the swine industry from weight gain reduction due to fumonisins in added DDGS at $9 million ($2-18 million) annually. If there is complete market penetration of DDGS in swine feed with 20% DDGS inclusion in swine feed and fumonisins are not controlled, losses may increase to $147 million ($29-293 million) annually. These values represent only those losses attributable to one mycotoxin on one adverse outcome on one species. The total loss due to mycotoxins in DDGS could be significantly higher due to additive or multiplicative effects of multiple mycotoxins on animal health. If mycotoxin surveillance is implemented by ethanol producers, losses are shifted among multiple stakeholders. Solutions to this problem include methods to reduce mycotoxin contamination in both pre- and postharvest maize.


From this review it appears that the slow wave sleep (SWS) increases the mean density of electroencephalographic paroxysmal activities (PA) whatever the epileptic syndrome. This pattern is not marked according to a bell curve among the epileptic population: about half the patients exhibit few or no PA during SWS, 20% show an increase during waking and another 20% during SWS. Begnin epilepsy with centro-temporal spikes is associated with an important sleep PA increase. In partial epilepsy, stage 3 and 4 sleep should increase the PA transmission. In children, a large increase in PA during SWS defines the continuous spike-wave during sleep syndrome, which is also observed in the syndrome of acquired aphasia with epilepsy of Landau-Kleffner; both conditions raise the issue of the neuropsychological consequences of the sleep PA. The sleep effect on the various epileptic models is analysed, showing a mean increase in PA during SWS and during transition between sleep and waking. This evidence is in agreement with the fact that during light sleep thalamocortical loops are functioning with an oscillatory pattern which facilitates PA expression. More hypothetic is the effect of sleep on the discharge rate of epileptic focus and on the cortical diffusion of the epileptic discharges. Gaba certainly participates in the thalamic influence, but its role on PA by the cortical and brain stem inhibition is speculative. Noradrenaline and acetylcholine, implicated in waking, reduce PA activity. Interindividual variations suggest that each epileptic has his own pathological neuronal organisation in which cortex and thalamocortical connexions are variously sensitive to the neurotransmitters implicated in sleep and waking.


The spectacular improvements of the 1-h world record in cycling in the last four years have highlighted the importance of aerodynamics in modern bicycle racing. We have investigated the metabolic consequences of the low-crouched aero-positions necessary to reduce air drag. In this study, 14 elite male bicycle racers (24.0 +/- 1.0 yr, VO2max 69.4 +/- 0.5 mL.kg-1.min-1) were tested for oxygen consumption (VO2) and heart rate (HR) at 70% (302.6 +/- 5.3 W) of their individual VO2max in three different riding positions during a single test run. The subjects rode their racing bicycles on a wind braked roller; the sequence of the three following positions was randomized: 1) upright cycling (UP), cadence 90 rpm; 2) hands on drops (DP), 90 rpm; and 3) hands on clip-on aero-handlebars (AP), 90 rpm. VO2 and HR values in AP were significantly higher by 1.5 mL.kg-1.min-1 and 5 beats.min-1, respectively, compared with UP. We concluded that riding a bicycle in an extreme aero-position increases the metabolic cost of cycling when wind resistance is not taken into account. However, when the mechanical power losses of 9 W (estimated by the VO2 increase) are compared with the expected aerodynamic power savings of approximately 100 W, it appears that aerodynamic advantages by far outweight their metabolic cost.


BACKGROUND
Data on the influence of flush methods, blood-sampling methods, and site location on the patency of radial arterial catheters used for pressure monitoring are sparse.

OBJECTIVES
To determine the effects of flush and blood-sampling methods, insertion site, and sex of patients on catheter patency.

METHODS
In a randomized trial, 174 patients requiring radial arterial pressure monitoring were assigned to 4 groups: fast flush as needed and nonwaste blood sampling; fast flush as needed and waste blood sampling; fast flush every 4 hours and waste blood sampling; and fast flush every 4 hours and nonwaste blood sampling. All site locations were evaluated for patency, and all monitoring systems were maintained with isotonic sodium chloride solution.

RESULTS
Nonpatent catheters were 4.23 times more likely in patients with insertion sites 3 cm or higher above the bend of the wrist than in patients with lower sites (P = .01). Duration of patency did not differ between catheters maintained with fast flush every 4 hours and those flushed as needed or between catheters according to the method of blood sampling. Women were 3.05 times more likely than men to have nonpatent catheters (P = .02). With insertion sites 3 cm or higher above the radiocarpal joint, nonpatency was 7.3 times more likely in women than in men (P < .001).

CONCLUSIONS
Insertion sites closest to the bend of the wrist increase chances of maintaining patency. Catheters can be maintained with as-needed flushes, and either waste or nonwaste blood sampling can be used.


Transportation planners are increasingly adopting policies aimed at changing travel choices made by citizens. Rather than trying to solve transportation problems by building highways and transit routes, "transportation demand management" relies on incentives and disincentives to promote carpooling, vanpooling, transit use and changed work hours. These approaches attempt to accommodate travel demand by more efficiently utilizing existing facilities. While many argue that transportation behavior cannot be changed, this review demonstrates that many years of behavioral science research on travel show otherwise. Commuters respond to differences in travel time and travel cost, to changes in work hours and other attributes of travel in systematic ways which are quite predictable. As a consequence, travel demand management is a promising approach to regional transportation planning.


The comparative heterogeneity of the detailed, in-parallel protein composition data analysis for wide varieties of birds' egg white samples has not yet been fully defined. The main object of this research is to evaluate the extent of variability among more than 40 types of birds' egg white. To improve the perception of these biological fluids, the main phenotypes variations of egg white were evaluated using the discontinuous denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), Gradient SDS-PAGE, Native-PAGE, cellulose acetate electrophoresis, and reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Though the latest techniques didn't show significant variability in terms of hydrophobicity, several electrophoretic differences of egg-white proteins were observed. As well, several unknown proteins in many egg white samples of different bird species were identified through electrophoretic experiments. So, it might be possible, as it shown in many cases of egg white samples, to provide a characterized assessment among birds only by using the available gel electrophoresis techniques. Also, this study provides a rapid snapshot for the initial identification of several unknown egg white protein components. According to our knowledge, this study constitutes the first large-scale comparative proteomics investigation performed among these largely variable types of egg white samples.


1. A method is described for extraction and estimation of morphine in urine and in feces, which gives consistent results in control experiments where small amounts of morphine are added to these excretions. 2. No essential difference in the amount of morphine excreted by tolerant and non-tolerant dogs on the same per kilogram dose could be demonstrated when excretions are studied from day to day. 3. Although the ratio of the excretion in urine and feces varied from day to day, the amount excreted in the urine was always greater than in the feces. 4. The amounts excreted in the urine are roughly proportional to the dose, while the quantities excreted in the feces are more nearly constant and show less variation when different per kilogram doses are compared. 5. While the concentration of morphine in the urine varies considerably from day to day even when fluid intake is kept at a constant level, diuresis is an important factor in urinary excretion of morphine, for when water intake is increased the excretion of the alkaloid in the urine also shows considerable augmentation. 6. The average per cent of the daily dose excreted at all dose levels investigated was approximately 12.5 per cent. The percentage excreted was somewhat greater at the lower dose levels than at the higher levels; but the difference, when only moderate doses are used, is not significant. 7. There is no essential difference in the quantity of morphine excreted by a non-tolerant dog when administration is stopped after the third dose and the quantity excreted by a tolerant dog on withdrawal after prolonged administration. After a single dose, however, the amount excreted is distinctly less than after the third dose. This indicates that part of the dose is retained in the body longer than twenty-four hours as unchanged morphine.


Aggregation of the Ure2 protein is at the origin of the [URE3] prion trait in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The N-terminal region of Ure2p is necessary and sufficient to induce the [URE3] phenotype in vivo and to polymerize into amyloid-like fibrils in vitro. However, as the N-terminal region is poorly ordered in the native state, making it difficult to detect structural changes in this region by spectroscopic methods, detailed information about the fibril assembly process is therefore lacking. Short fibril-forming peptide regions (4–7 residues) have been identified in a number of prion and other amyloid-related proteins, but such short regions have not yet been identified in Ure2p. In this study, we identify a unique cysteine mutant (R17C) that can greatly accelerate the fibril assembly kinetics of Ure2p under oxidizing conditions. We found that the segment QVNI, corresponding to residues 18–21 in Ure2p, plays a critical role in the fast assembly properties of R17C, suggesting that this segment represents a potential amyloid-forming region. A series of peptides containing the QVNI segment were found to form fibrils in vitro. Furthermore, the peptide fibrils could seed fibril formation for wild-type Ure2p. Preceding the QVNI segment with a cysteine or a hydrophobic residue, instead of a charged residue, caused the rate of assembly into fibrils to increase greatly for both peptides and full-length Ure2p. Our results indicate that the potential amyloid stretch and its preceding residue can modulate the fibril assembly of Ure2p to control the initiation of prion formation.


Background: Cataract is the leading cause of blindness globally. In Botswana about 60% of blindness is due to cataract. Health services in Botswana are free, as are cataract services. Despite the free health services offered, the Batswana do not fully utilize the available eye care services especially the cataract services. Many Batswana access health care in public hospitals, where patients may have to wait for long periods for clinic appointments and surgery. Research question: What are the perceptions that elderly persons in Mathangwane village in Botswana, have of cataracts and cataracts services? Aim: To explore and describe the perceptions of elderly persons in Mathangwane about cataracts and cataract services. Objectives: 1. Explore and describe elderly persons' perceptions of cataracts; 2. Explore and describe elderly persons' perceptions of cataract services; 3. Explore reasons for use and non-use of current cataract services. Methods: Qualitative exploratory descriptive methods were used. A qualitative study design with purposeful sampling was used to identify participants for interviews and focus group discussion. Semi-structured interviews with seven participants aged sixtyfive years and older with diagnosed cataract as well as a focus group with six of the se_ven participants were conducted. Data was analysed using a content analysis approach. Results: Five themes emerged from the interviews and a focus group discussion: 1. Cataract as the 'spider web'; 11. Curing cataract with traditional herbs; 111. Cataract a problem of the elderly caused by modem food; 1v. The burden of cataract blindness: 'mealie on the fire'; v. The ambivalent voice of elderly persons about cataract services. Conclusion: Findings from this study show that the participants had a general understanding of what cataract is and they had a particular description for this. Both positive and negative feelings were expressed in relation to the services available. Although cataract surgery was perceived to restore vision a major concern of the elderly persons was in relation to delays they experienced while waiting for the cataract to fully mature. Despite the free services offered at community level there is a great need for affordable and accessible transportation services for elderly persons utilising the cataract services.


The Escherichia coli transcription factor NusA and the bacteriophage lambda antiterminator Q proteins were expressed as inducible glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusion proteins. The fusion proteins were purified under nondenaturing conditions by affinity chromatography on glutathione agarose. Thrombin cleavage of the glutathione agarose-bound fusion proteins yielded homogeneously pure NusAN+15 (5 mg/g cells) and almost homogeneously pure QN+13 protein (0.7 mg/g cells), where N+x indicates the presence of x additional amino acids at the N-terminus of the protein. The purified NusAN+15 exhibited the same activities as wildtype NusA in enhancement of transcriptional pausing, enhancement of termination at Rho-independent terminators, and enhancement of Q-mediated antitermination in vitro. The QN+13 protein exhibited both anti-pausing and antitermination activities in Q-mediated transcription antitermination. However, the antitermination activity of QN+13 was lost gradually during storage if the thrombin used for cleavage of the GST fusion protein was not removed. This was due to cleavage by thrombin after Arg22 within the Q protein itself, at a noncanonical thrombin cleavage site, so the truncated protein (QN+22) lacked the first 22 amino acids at the N-terminus of Q. The expression vectors described here can be used to rapidly produce large quantities of these proteins, and the truncated Q protein can be used to evaluate the requirement for the N-terminus of Q in antitermination, anti-pausing, interactions with the DNA template (qut site), and interaction with RNA polymerase itself.


OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the relative risk (RR) of respiratory adverse events (AEs) among patients with RA treated with TCZ.

METHODS
Databases (PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library) were searched for randomised controlled trials (RCT) comparing the use of TCZ with placebo (PBO) or active comparator agents in adults with RA published until October 28, 2017. Statistical analyses were conducted to calculate the RR of infectious and non-infectious respiratory AEs and severe AEs (SAEs) using random-effects or fixed-effects models based on the heterogeneity of the included studies.

RESULTS
Eight trials were ultimately included. TCZ was associated with an increased risk of infectious respiratory AEs relative to comparator agents (RR 1.53, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 1.04-2.25) but was not associated with an increased risk of non-infectious respiratory AEs (RR 1.19, 95% CI 0.86-1.64). A subgroup analysis revealed similar results for non-infectious AEs and SAEs in the comparisons of TCZ with MTX and adalimumab (ADA), whereas increased risks of these AEs but not SAEs were observed compared with the PBO.

CONCLUSIONS
Our meta-analysis did not reveal an increase in the risk of non-infectious respiratory AEs in adult patients with RA who were treated with TCZ compared with other csDMARDs and bDMARDs in RCTs.


The recently suggested mechanism [Y. Song and H. Dery, Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 047205 (2014)] of the three-terminal spin transport is based on the resonant tunneling of electrons between ferromagnetic and normal electrodes via an impurity. The sensitivity of current to a weak external magnetic field stems from a spin blockade, which, in turn, is enabled by strong on-site repulsion. We demonstrate that this sensitivity exists even in the absence of repulsion when a single-particle description applies. Within this description, we calculate exactly the resonant-tunneling current between the electrodes. The mechanism of magnetoresistance, completely different from the spin blocking, has its origin in the interference of virtual tunneling amplitudes. Spin imbalance in ferromagnetic electrode is responsible for this interference and the resulting coupling of the Zeeman levels. This coupling also affects the current in the correlated regime.


In Italy the presence of AEDs and people trained is mandatory in sporting centres, while in industrial sites, places with high traffic of people (stations, stadiums, theatres, shopping centres) or isolated and difficult to reach (trains, planes, boats) is, at the moment, only recommended. In the workplace, the organisation and management of first aid are established by law (Legislative Decree 81/2008 and Ministerial Decree 388/2003): the occupational physician takes care of the organisation of the company's first aid system, while the management in case of incident goes through lay rescuers, specifically identified and properly trained, and the local emergency medical service (EMS). The first aid training lasts 12–16 hours, with specific learning objectives defined by law, includes about 5 hours of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation manoeuvres. Therefore adding the use of AED to the training program would not entail an additional cost for the companies, both in economic terms and in time. It would only be necessary to respect the internationally agreed features on didactic content, student/instructor relationship, training on manikin, learning test and more frequently retraining. Instead, the benefits would be significant: increase of the efficiency of first aid courses, improvement of public access network to early defibrillation and rise of bystanders able to intervene in case of emergency. To promote the diffusion of early defibrillation culture INAIL established a discount of insurance premium for those companies that are not required to have an AED, but who choose to have it to protect the health of their employees and customers. Unfortunately the diffusion of this culture is made difficult by the involvement of various agencies (emergency systems, regional administration) that control the authorisation procedures for AED training often in a different way in the national territory. We therefore hope for greater homogeneity between the various regions and simplification of the procedures.


We investigated the influence of pelvic endometriosis and ovarian endometrioma on pregnancy outcome in women associated with infertility. A total of 237 women with endometriosis were reviewed, and their fertility rate was assessed by both r-AFS staging and TOP classification as previously proposed by our group. There was no significant difference in pregnancy rate among r-AFS stages. However, the pregnancy rate was mostly affected by the tubal condition according to the TOP classification as follows: no adhesive lesion (T₀), 53% (69/129); unilateral lesion (T1), 46% (18/39); bilateral lesion with at least one tube patent, (T2), 37% (10/27); bilateral tubal occlusion (T3), 0% (0/8) (p < 0.05, Mantel-Extension test). The absence (O₀–O1) or co-existence (O2–O3) of ovarian endometrioma and different gradings of cul-de-sac obliteration (P2–P3) showed no significant differences in pregnancy rate. The resulting conception rate was also not affected by the size or location of ovarian endometrioma. In addition, the higher adhesion score of ovarian endometrioma involving the fallopian tube and as described in r-AFS classification had a significant detrimental effect on fertility. These observations suggest that our TOP classification describing individual tubal condition has a clinically predictive value in assessing the reproductive outcome of women with endometriosis.


Excessive tissue damage or loss has been solved by guided tissue regeneration and guided bone regeneration theories. However, the unfavorable degradation property of the resorbable collagen scaffold brings a big challenge to support soft tissue stabilization and time-consuming osteogenesis. The combined effect for soft tissue and bone of the collagen scaffold with better degradation pattern has not been clearly proven. This study determined whether the double surfaces of crosslinked collagen scaffolds could optimize the combined soft tissue repair and osteogenesis. In this study, we applied the chemically crosslinking treatment to the commercially available collagen scaffolds. Surface characterization, mechanical property and cell proliferation in vitro were evaluated. Combined bilateral skin and bone defects were established with the smooth surface of scaffold facing the skin defect and the rough surface facing the bone defect on the calvaria of rat. Micro-CT and histological evaluation were applied to determine the scaffold degradation pattern, soft tissue repair and osteogenesis. The crosslinked collagen scaffolds showed comparably favorable surface porosity, structure intactness, superhydrophilicity and mechanical properties. Compared to the native scaffolds, the crosslinked scaffolds could optimize the combined soft tissue repair and osteogenesis by preferably prolonged degradation time. Early pro-angiogenesis facilitated soft tissue repair and osteogenesis by upregulated soft tissue matrix degradation and balanced pro-osteogenesis with limited osteoclast-mediated bone resorption. Taken together, this study offers a promising repair strategy for the combined soft tissue and bone defects. Further, the possible mechanism of controllable scaffold degradation should be conducted.


Survival of infants with necrotizing enterocolitis may be complicated by intestinal stricture(s) as a result of healing of ischemic segments of bowel. An asymptomatic cecal stenosis not visible on barium enema was identified at operation for reestablishment of intestinal continuity. Infants recovering from acute necrotizing enterocolitis deserve continued surveillance for mechanical and functional abnormalities of the gastrointestinal tract. Patency of the intestinal lumen distal to the ostomy site should be clearly demonstrated by the surgeon when continuity is reestablished.


In this paper, a multiphysical proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack model, which is suitable for real-time emulation is presented. The model covers three physical domains: electrical, fluidic, and thermal. A Ballard 1.2 kW 47 cells fuel cell stack model is introduced. The corresponding fuel cell system auxiliary models are given based on experimental tests. Based on the modeling equations, the fuel cell dynamic phenomena in different physical domains are analyzed and the corresponding time constant expressions are given. Using the real-time stack model, a fuel cell stack emulator based on a buck converter is used to emulate the fuel cell stack electrical part. The experimental results show that the emulator can reproduce the real-stack behavior with a great agreement. Such a fuel cell stack emulator can be used for hardware-in-the-loop applications, in order to test and validate the fuel cell system design.


In this paper, we present a formal hardware verification framework linking ASM with MDG. ASM (Abstract State Machine) is a state based language for describing transition systems. MDG (Multiway Decision Graphs) provides symbolic representation of transition systems with support of abstract sorts and functions. We implemented a transformation tool that automatically generates MDG models from ASM specifications, then formal verification techniques provided by the MDG tool, such as model checking or equivalence checking, can be applied on the generated models. We support this work with a case study of an Island Tunnel Controller, which behavior and structure were specified in ASM then using our ASM-MDG tool successfully verified within the MDG tool.


Ryanodine receptors (RyRs) play a critical role in regulating the release of intracellular calcium, which enables them to be effectively targeted by the two novel classes of insecticides, phthalic acid diamides and anthranilic diamides. However, less information is available about this target site in insects, although the sequence and structure information of target molecules are essential for designing new control agents of high selectivity and efficiency, as well as low non-target toxicity. Here, we provided sufficient information about the coding sequence and molecular structures of RyR in T. citricida (TciRyR), an economically important pest. The full-length TciRyR cDNA was characterized with an open reading frame of 15,306 nucleotides, encoding 5101 amino acid residues. TciRyR was predicted to embrace all the hallmarks of ryanodine receptor, typically as the conserved C-terminal domain with consensus calcium-biding EF-hands (calcium-binding motif) and six transmembrane domains, as well as a large N-terminal domain. qPCR analysis revealed that the highest mRNA expression levels of TciRyR were observed in the adults, especially in the heads. Alternative splicing in TciRyR was evidenced by an alternatively spliced exon, resulting from intron retention, which was different from the case of RyR in Myzus persicae characterized with no alternative splicing events. Diagnostic PCR analysis indicated that the splicing of this exon was not only regulated in a body-specific manner but also in a stage-dependent manner. Taken together, these results provide useful information for new insecticide design and further insights into the molecular basis of insecticide action.