Chapter 2, shows that despite the good prognosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (disease-free survival of 95%)1 and early-stage breast cancer (disease-free survival of 85-95%)2, its diagnosis can cause psychological distress like anxiety and depression. Severe depression scores were even more common in patients diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ compared to patients with early-stage invasive breast cancer. This emphasizes the need for better information and education of patients, as patients with ductal carcinoma in situ have an excellent prognosis and should not experience such levels of stress. These results also indicate that there is still progress to be made in offering interventions to manage psychological distress during and after treatment. After diagnosis, breast cancer surgery and especially axillary treatment may cause morbidity as shown in chapter 3. In particular, axillary lymph node dissection followed by axillary radiotherapy was associated with high arm morbidity scores and a higher proportion of severe patient-reported lymphedema. Replacing axillary surgery by the sentinel node procedure and less invasive treatment options of the axilla in patients with limited tumour positive sentinel lymph nodes (e.g. axillary radiotherapy) can cause less morbidity especially shortly after surgery. A more selective approach to irradiation of the axillary levels, i.e. radiotherapy of levels I–II only instead of levels I–IV, did not further reduce the patient-reported arm morbidity. Arm edema is a well-described and recognized complication after breast cancer treatment. Lymphedema of the breast, on the other hand, has received less attention. However, as a result of the increasing proportion of patients undergoing breast-conserving therapy, physicians more often report isolated lymphedema of the breast. As a result, knowledge on risk factors for developing breast edema are becoming more important. Chapter 4 shows that patients undergoing oncoplastic surgery, axillary lymph node dissection and adjuvant treatment like chemotherapy, local-, and locoregional radiotherapy, and patients with larger tumour size, had a higher risk of developing breast edema. These results showed that breast edema occurs frequently after breast-conserving therapy and causes breast pain, affects the quality of life, physical functioning, and body image. Consequently, options to adequately diagnose breast edema and reduce the impact of breast edema by applying evidence-based treatment options are needed. In chapter 5, we provided early evidence that a compression vest might be an acceptable and effective treatment option in reducing breast pain and swelling in patients suffering from breast edema. Compression vests, when worn for six months, were associated with improved patient-reported general pain and breast pain. Patients with breast cancer frequently experience long-term side effects of (neo)adjuvant chemotherapy.3 Although chemotherapy reduces breast-cancer mortality, it is also the prime suspect to cause cancer-related cognitive decline. The association between chemotherapy and impaired cognitive functioning was most pronounced in younger women (<55 years of age) (chapter 6). It is important to adequately inform women who will undergo chemotherapy about the risks of cognitive decline during and after chemotherapy, especially given the longer life expectancy of younger women and the detrimental effect of cognitive functioning on daily activities (e.g. taking care of children), employment opportunities, return to work and work ability. Chapter 7 shows that the work ability in women treated for breast cancer was strongly reduced during treatment and gradually improved over time. Thirty months after treatment, work ability of breast cancer survivors remained lower than that of the general population. Chemotherapy, axillary lymph node dissection and more extensive target volumes being irradiated, i.e. locoregional radiotherapy, were associated with reduced work ability.


The polarized Raman spectra in different environments along with the IR counterpart of 4-benzoylpyridine (4-BOP) were critically analyzed to assign all of its normal modes of vibration. The knowledge of the positions of different excited electronic states (EESs)was obtained from the study of electronic absorption spectra. Measurement of Raman excitation profiles (REPs)of several normal modes was carried out to get insight into structural and symmetry properties of the molecule. All the experimental observations were substantiated and corroborated theoretically by quantum chemical calculations (QCCs). The possibility of exciton splitting of the 1La band has been explored both from theoretical and experimental points of view. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Abstract : The broad objective on this project is to investigate the unique optical and optoelectronic properties of 110, 111 and 112-oriented multiple quantum wells (MQW's) and to study the ways in which strain and external optical fields can introduce crystallographic dependences to the optical properties of otherwise isotropic materials. Toward this end, we have demonstrated that dual-channel spectral interferometric techniques can be used to measure the amplitude, phase and polarization state of extremely weak ultrafast coherent emission from MQW's. The vectorial dynamics of the coherent four-wave mixing emission are found to exhibit systematic variations with excitation fluence, time delay between incident pulses, the tuning of the laser wavelength, and the orientation of the input polarizations. This time-dependent polarization state indicates that the pump pulses have induced dynamic anisotropies in the sample. From these anisotropies, a self consistent picture of the excitonic and carrier dynamics is obtained that delineates the roles of the various many body effects. These studies demonstrate that time-resolved polarimetry is an extremely sensitive way to study many body effects and that the vectorial dynamics contain essential information about quantum interference and optical anisotropies that would be difficult to obtain in any other way. This should make these techniques extremely useful in probing strained MQW's and semiconductors grown in unconventional directions, such as quantum dots. In addition, we are now using the coherent anisotropies and many body vectorial dynamics studied here to make high-speed high-contrast polarization sensitive modulators.


(It should be borne in mind that Seneca also had himself as a source, in his earlier treatises on physics and natural history.) (3) G. argues for Seneca's scientific individuality and seriousness: the fact that he is no dilettante can be seen in the reasoned and selective way he uses the doxographic tradition regarding his chosen subjects. There is of course much room for debate here, and some may look for more evidence of original speculation in Seneca himself, but G. argues his case persuasively. (4) Discussing the ethical passages G. distinguishes those which frame the books as prefaces or epilogues, which usually have a clear link with the substance of the books, and the 'excursuses', like the story told at 1.16, which have a looser connection. He considers that these ethical excursuses perform the same paraenetic function as the ones we find in the Letters and the Dialogues. Seneca's general penchant for moralizing is obvious, and questions about the conduct of one's life were particularly important to him in the closing years of his own life. It is this function of discussing practical ethics that the moralizing excursuses can be seen to perform. (5) Seneca was primarily interested in exploring and explaining the workings of nature G. stresses again that his aim was to write a cosmology. One of his motives was to free his readers from fear of nature's more awesome manifestations, like thunder and earthquakes, by a rational explanation of these phenomena. Moreover this aim was in accord with the good Stoic principle that study of the god-regulated cosmos leads to knowledge of god. Thus. G. answers the questions he set himself, and he argues for his own views on the whole convincingly and with good supporting documentation, and he is scrupulous in presenting and discussing the opinions of others. The most useful part of his work is the detailed discussion of the individual books of the NQ, and there are several helpful diagrams to elucidate points in the arguments. The book can profitably be used by anyone studying this fascinating work of Seneca.


Abstract There is evidence that calcium antagonists may have a beneficial effect on cyclosporineinduced nephropathy after transplantation. We treated 50 consecutive non‐diabetic patients receiving their first cadaveric transplant with isradipine, a dihydropyridine calcium antagonist, or placebo in a double‐blind, randomized, placebocontrolled trial. There were no significant differences between the two groups as regards age, weight, sex, HLA matching and ischaemic periods. To achieve optimal vasodilation, treatment was started intravenously 2 h before the transplantation procedure, and continued orally afterwards for 3 months. The immunosuppressive treatment included rabbit antithymocyte globulin on day 0, and oral cyclosporine from day 5. In both groups 7 patients had primary non‐functioning grafts, but the incidence of never functioning kidneys due to vascular and thrombotic complications was significantly higher in the placebo group (0 vs 4 patients, P < 0.05). Hypertension was treated with oral labetolol in combination with guanfacine if necessary. In the placebo group antihypertensive medication had to be prescribed significantly more often (67% vs 33% of patients, P < 0.05), but resulted in similar blood pressure recordings in the two study groups. Cyclosporin A (CsA) plasma concentrations were also comparable but in the isradipine group a significantly higher dose of CsA was needed to achieve adequate levels (8.0 ± 0.5 vs 6.2 ± 0.5 mg/kg per day, P < 0.01). However, in the isradipine‐treated patients creatinine clearance was significantly higher (66.1 ± 4.5 vs 55.6 ± 6.2 ml/min, P < 0.05) after 3 months. We conclude that isradipine is an effective antihypertensive agent after kidney transplantation. Isradipine ameliorates CsA‐induced nephropathy and seems to protect against early postoperative vascular complications.


The paper describes the existing problems in determination of all scheduled evaluations of missile warhead performance during flight tests and puts forward one of the possible methods of problem solving. Besides, the paper gives the results of investigation of the properties of the factor of dynamic relations between the velocity vector modulus and longitudinal acceleration of missile warheads within the atmospheric passive flight leg – the dynamic relation factor is constant in different flight test conditions. The notion of the reference dynamic relation factor is reasonably introduced for both parameters under study in order to provide reliable determination of parameter estimates, and hence, to conduct a complete analysis of experimental launch results.


In this paper, we give an efficient physical realization of a double-slit duality quantum gate. Weak cross-Kerr nonlinearity is exploited here. The probability of success can reach 1/2. Asymmetrical slit duality control gate also can be constructed conveniently. The special quantum control gate could be realized easily in optical system by our current experimental technology.


The hedge funds industry was partly blamed for the global financial crisis that started in 2007, especially in Europe. If one analyses the performance of hedge funds during this period, it becomes clear that the hedge fund industry did not necessarily fare well. Some funds gained, but many others incurred heavy losses.
To address the issue performance of hedge funds during the financial crisis period (2007-2008) we undertook a study to settle the question of hedge fund performance using cluster analysis. Selecting the London hedge market (as it controls 77% of the European hedge funds) we have attempted to map out the various strategies used by the different managers as well as study the patterns of risk-return during periods of financial panic which increases the volatility of the markets.
We believe that the strong instability of the markets should encourage the funds to invest in good shelter and exploit the high volatility of the quoted titles (long/short strategy). Our analysis clearly shows that the cluster analysis has helped us to identify hedge fund manager's allocation strategies that are the best persistent performers during the financial crisis period in the London hedge fund market. And the overall best performer appears to be CTA/managed futures, long/short equities, and macro.


We present one of the first applications of Permutation Entropy (PE) and Statistical Complexity (SC) (measured as the product of PE and Jensen-Shanon Divergence) on Magnetoencephalography (MEG) recordings of 46 subjects suffering from Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), 17 individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and 48 healthy controls. We studied the differences in PE and SC in broadband signals and their decomposition into frequency bands (δ, θ, α and β), considering two modalities: (i) raw time series obtained from the magnetometers and (ii) a reconstruction into cortical sources or regions of interest (ROIs). We conducted our analyses at three levels: (i) at the group level we compared SC in each frequency band and modality between groups; (ii) at the individual level we compared how the [PE, SC] plane differs in each modality; and (iii) at the local level we explored differences in scalp and cortical space. We recovered classical results that considered only broadband signals and found a nontrivial pattern of alterations in each frequency band, showing that SC does not necessarily decrease in AD or MCI.


Hepatitis B vaccination coverage rates are low throughout most populations in China. Factors influencing low coverage rates, including population-specific hepatitis B vaccination barriers, may inform policies that promote vaccination. A cross-sectional survey of residents from 43 communities assessed their vaccination status and identified associated factors via uni- and multivariable logistic regression and subgroup analyses. In total, 11,280 of 36,007 respondents received a hepatitis B vaccine, indicating a 31.33% coverage rate. Multivariable logistic regression revealed non-Beijing (odds ratio (OR) = 0.81; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.76–0.85) and residents who self-rated their health as very healthy (OR = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.68–0.99) were unlikely to be vaccinated. Farmers (OR = 1.68; 95% CI: 1.51–1.86), commerce and service workers (OR = 1.82; 95% CI, 1.63–2.04), government employees (OR = 1.56; 95% CI: 1.38–1.77), professionals and technicians (OR = 1.85; 95% CI: 1.63–2.09), and students (OR = 1.69; 95% CI: 1.10–2.59) had increased hepatitis B vaccination rates. The multivariable assessment revealed hepatitis B vaccination coverage rates are associated with confirmed or suspected family cases, vaccination unwillingness or uncertainty, and unawareness of its prevention of the hepatitis B virus. Low hepatitis B vaccination coverage rates among Beijing subpopulations highlight the need for improved strategies, including those that target specific populations.


We present results of the experimental investigations of two types of electrically controlled optical wavelength holographic filters based on photorefractive crystals. The filters exhibit a narrow bandwidth (100…10 pm) and allow fast tuning (2.2 nm/?s) or switching in a broad range of wavelength and precise frequency trimming.


INTRODUCTION
Non-tuberculous mycobacteria are ubiquitous organisms. Precise determination of infection numbers is difficult, since reporting them to public health departments is frequently not mandatory; furthermore, isolating a non-tuberculous mycobacteria does not necessarily translate into disease. The aims of this study were to ascertain non-tuberculous mycobacteria data of a tertiary hospital, determine the incidence and approach to colonization versus disease, and the incidence of predisposing comorbidities.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Retrospective study in a tertiary hospital, involving patients with positive cultural exam for non-tuberculous mycobacteria in any biological sample, from 2010 to 2017.

RESULTS
A total of 125 non-tuberculous mycobacteria isolates was identified, corresponding to 96 patients. Of these, 57.4% were male (n = 54); median age was 65 years (interquartile range = [50 - 82]). From these, 60.7% (n = 57) had some degree of immunosuppression, most frequently due to malignant tumour (49.0%) or HIV infection (39.2%). It was found that 29 patients (31.0%) had structural respiratory tract changes. Colonization was defined in 65.6% of patients (n = 63). While 71.0% of non-tuberculous mycobacteria infections were pulmonary, the remaining 29.0% presented as disseminated. According to available clinical records, 60.6% (n = 20) of the presumably infected patients fulfilled American Thoracic Society diagnostic criteria for non-tuberculous mycobacteria disease.

DISCUSSION
Several cases of non-tuberculous mycobacteria infection in this study presented as life-threatening, multi-systemic disease, highlighting the importance of accurate diagnosis and timely treatment. Other cases of presumed infection might instead have corresponded to colonization, possibly resulting in futile therapy.

CONCLUSION
While there are diagnostic criteria for treatment of non-tuberculous mycobacteria infections, no such guidelines exist to assess colonization. One of the most challenging aspects remains the correct differentiation between colonization and early-stage infection.


In this article, the state of Russian industry for 2014-2017 is analyzed. The system of basic indicators for assessing the level of industrial security based on the structure of national institutions is proposed. The role of the institutional environment in ensuring the industrial security of the country is presented and the principles for building an effective institutional platform are defined. The structure of the institutional mechanism for the development of the industry is proposed on the basis of a system of form-building components: regulatory, financial, social, foreign economic. As the basic methods are used the method of comparative analysis, the method of factor analysis, econometric modeling, matrix modeling. For each component, a number of quantitative indicators have been identified for the evaluation and analysis of the level of industrial development. Quantitative assessment allows us to present the qualitative side of the process of institutionalization in the relevant branch – industry. The basic algorithm of calculation is a process of three stages: the calculation of specific (share) indicators, intensive (tempo) and integral. The integrated indicator serves as a general indicator of the level of effectiveness of the institutional system of industrial security of the country. Based on the analysis of the development of the industry, a mechanism is proposed for the institutional functioning of the country's industry.


Hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs) are characterized by progressive lower extremity spasticity due to an axonal degeneration of motor and sensory neurons. We report a four-generation pedigree segregating an autosomal dominant phenotype for HSP and showing a linkage to the SPG10 locus, coding for Kinesin family member 5A. Subsequent to a denaturing high performance liquid chromatography (dHPLC) mutation screening we found a new missense mutation 838C>T (R280C) at an invariant arginine residue in a region involved in the microtubule binding activity.


Conductometric monitoring of drug-gene and drug-protein interactions is of fundamental importance in functional proteomics. Here, we model our previously obtained findings and characterizations of an important antiblastic used in neuro-oncology (Temozolomide), interacting with selected proteins that represent predictive biomarkers of the rate survival of the patients, of the outcome of chemotherapy and resistance to drug itself (namely, BRIP1 and MLH1) acquired with Nucleic Acid Programmable Protein Arrays (NAPPA)based nanoconductometric sensor. Quasi-SMILES which are analogies of the traditional SMILES (simplified molecular input-line entry systems) used to represent molecular structure are suggested as a tool to represent complex substances which are acting under different conditions (dose, different peptides). By means of the optimal descriptors quasi-QSPR for conductance and frequency are established. Statistical quality of these models is satisfactory.


We  study  nanowire  silicon  pin  and  pn-junctions  at  room  and  low  temperature.  Photovoltaic  effects  are  observed  for both devices at room temperature. At low temperature, nanowire pn-junction devices show their ability to detect single photon. This ability was not been observed for pin devices. Phosphorus-boron dopant cluster in the depletion region is considered  to  have  the  main  role  for  single-photon  detection  capability.  Fundamental  mechanism  of  dopant-based single-photon detection in nanowire pn-junction is described in details.


To realize the potential of multi-touch tables, interaction designers need to create meaningful applications for them in real-world contexts. One convenient shortcut towards that end is adapting a meaningful application from another interface paradigm. In this paper, we detail the process of adapting DigiQuilt, a single-user desktop educational technology, to DigiTile, a collaborative multi-touch application. With this case study, we concretely demonstrate the utility of adapting and how previous research and theory can inform that process. In particular, we show how learning theory (1) motivated the transition from the desktop to the multi-touch table, (2) guided the design process, and (3) informed the evaluation.


Gemtuzumab Ozogamicin (GO, CMA-676) is a monoclonal antibody against the cellular surface antigen CD33 conjugated with the cytotoxic antibiotic calicheamicin. In the beginning of 2000 it obtained US Food and Drug Administration approval for the treatment of refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) expressing CD33 in patients older than 60 years who are not candidates for other chemotherapy. After ligation with the CD33 on the cell surface, GO is internalized and hydrolyzed. Its two components are released into the cytoplasm and calicheamicin enters the nucleus where it associates with the DNA, causing double helix breaks and finally cell death. GO is in general well tolerated. The most frequent adverse effect observed is myelotoxicity, with prolonged neutropenia and thrombocytopenia. Veno-occlusive disease of the liver is a less frequent but severe adverse effect. A phase II study points towards a percentage of overall hematologic response around 30% in the setting of refractory or relapsed disease. Future phase III trials will show the most suitable place of GO in the treatment of AML.


Why should all Americans –not just Christians and Jews -care about the Ten Commandments? Chris Hedges, a former foreign correspondent for the New York Times and Harvard Divinity School graduate, believes that the commandments keep us from committing evil. They hold our communities together. They lead us to love, the essence of life, he writes. Adapted from his series of articles for the New York Times comes these thoughtful essays on why we need these ancient laws -and what happens when we abandon them. A Phish band groupie provides a springboard for a discussion of idolatry. A Long Island whiskey bar becomes a laboratory for understanding You shall not bear false witness. Honoring the Sabbath, he shows through the observances of one busy family, may be the antidote to popular culture. The story of the havoc wreaked on one child's life vividly illustrates the reason for the commandment, You shall not commit adultery. Throughout his essays, he deftly weaves his own experiences into the narrative, as well as references from Fyodor Dostoyevsky's classic book on good and evil, The Brothers Karamazov. Hedges believes that the commandments hold out to us the possibility of love -and love means living for others. The commandments are guideposts that bring us back to the right path, he writes. They call us to sacrifice. Compellingly, he urges us to abandon the culture of self; to live not by exalting our life but by being willing to lose it. --Cindy Crosby


The main focus of this research work is to analyze the symbols and their role in interpreting the novel "The Kite Runner" by Afghan-born American writer Khaled Hosseini who has widely used artistic signs in his novel. With the help of symbols the essence of the work has been conveyed to the reader through the sensitivity of artistic principles. The symbols in the novel were analyzed being divided into categories as characters, places, things and complex symbols. The introduction of the symbols in the novel, as the secret information of the author to the reader, is a masterpiece of the artistic idea that has not been provided in the text but intended for it. Moreover, it is a figure of speech through which any author is able to express in an indirect way a certain mood, concept, a political ideology, a period or emotion in a work of literature using a physical object, character, event or word. Symbols in the literary work are of great importance to help readers visualize complex concepts and central themes, and track their development; afford writers the opportunity to communicate complex ideas efficiently and artfully; invite readers to interpret a text independently; add emotional value to a text; conceal themes that are too controversial to state openly; imply change or growth in characters or themes through shifts in the way that characters interact with particular symbols, or ways in which the symbols themselves change over time. The catastrophic events connected with the World Trade Center that occurred on September 11, 2001, caused a surge of interest in a little-known Central Asian country Afghanistan. Consequently, most people around the world discovered a new, yet soon stereotyped face of Afghan people as terrorists and their allies. Thus, Khaled Hosseini along with other compatriot authors endeavored to reshape the overlooked image of his nation and his native land once he abandoned, in different perspectives, social and moral angles.


DNA replication is a fundamental and stringently regulated cellular process that ensures the accurate propagation of the cell's genetic material. An accurate duplication of the genome and segregation to the daughter cells is essential, as any unreplicated genomic regions will result in breaks and deletions during mitosis, including regions containing tumor suppressor genes, while local DNA over-replication will result in gene, and possibly oncogene, amplification (Gonzalez et al., 2005). Several DNA replication proteins, both initiator and replication fork (reviewed in (Hubscher, 2009)) proteins, have been shown to also play an essential role in several DNA repair pathways, such as base excision repair, nucleotide excision repair, and double-strand (ds) break and mismatch repair. Recent work from prokaryotes and eukaryotes has indicated that replication initiator proteins are also directly involved in multiple cellular processes (reviewed in (Scholefield et al., 2011)), coordinating the initiation of DNA replication with other cell cycle-related activities, including DNA repair (Moldovan et al., 2007; Oakley and Patrick, 2010). DNA repair, like all major cellular functions, including transcription and DNA replication, is a tightly regulated process. This review deals with the apparent synergy between the DNA replication and repair mechanisms.


Microsatellite markers for the pollinator fig wasp Liporrhopalum tentacularis were developed using genomic libraries enriched for di-, tri- and tetranucleotide repeats. A subset of 31 positive clones was sequenced and primers were designed. Eleven primer pairs produced polymorphic amplification products in L. tentacularis. Eight markers gave unambiguously scorable patterns and were further characterized on 29 individuals collected from different fruits of the dioecious host fig Ficus montana in Indonesia. Three to 19 alleles per locus were detected in this set of samples. The observed heterozygosity ranged between 0.10 and 0.55.


Reconstruction of an ancestral genome for a set of plant species has been a challenging task because of complex histories that may include whole-genome duplications, segmental duplications, independent gene duplications or losses, diploidization and rearrangement events. Here, we describe the reconstruction a hypothetical ancestral genome for the papilionoid legumes (the largest subfamily within the third largest family in flowering plants), and evaluate the results relative to phylogenetic and chromosomal count data for this group of legumes, spanning 294 diverse papilionoid genera. To reconstruct the ancestral genomes for nine legume species with sequenced genomes, we used a maximum likelihood approach combined with a novel method for identifying informative markers for this purpose. Analyzing genomes from four species within the Phaseoleae, two in Dalbergieae, two in the 'inverted repeat loss' clade, and one in the Robinieae, we infer a common ancestral genome with nine chromosomes. The reconstructed genome structural histories are consistent with chromosomal and phylogenetic histories, but we also infer that a common ancestor with nine chromosomes was probably intermediate to an earlier state of 14 chromosomes following a whole-genome duplication that pre-dated the radiation of the papilionoid legumes, evidence for which is found in early-diverging papilionoid lineages.


ABSTRACT Members of the amphipod families Phoxocephalidae and Haustoriidae are small, mobile, efficient sand-burrowers. Three species are particularly dominant in the crustacean zone on subtidal sands of Monterey Bay. Life history traits of two phoxocephalids and one haustoriid characterize them as annual, univoltine, and producing a few, large eggs. However, the two families differ in several significant ways: time of year that they reproduce, sex ratios, swimming behavior, and diet. These contrasts reflect greater specialization, including method of reproduction, in the haustoriids. These differences suggest that the phoxocephalids retain typical gammaridean amphipod reproductive methods which compromise their burrowing life-style through disadvantageous morphological and behavioral characteristics.


We show that Muir's law of extensible minors, Cayley's law of complementaries and Jacobi's identity for minors of the adjugate [Determinantal identities Linear Algebra and its Applications 52/53 (1983) pp. 769–791] are equivalent. We also show our generalization of Mühlbach/Muir's extension principle [A generalization of Mühlbach's extension principle for determinantal identities. Linear and Multilinear Algebra 61 (10) (2013) pp. 1363–1376] is equivalent to its previous form derived by Mühlbach. As a corollary, we show that Mühlbach–Gasca–(Lopez-Carmona)–Ramirez identity [A generalization of Sylvester's identity on determinants and some applications. Linear Algebra and its Applications 66 (1985) pp. 221–234/On extending determinantal identities. Linear Algebra and its Applications 132 (1990) pp. 145–162] is equivalent to its generalization found by Beckermann and Mühlbach [A general determinantal identity of Sylvester type and some applications. Linear Algebra and its Applications 197,198 (1994) pp. 93–112].


Objective: Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) is a common leukemia among Caucasians but rare in Asians population. We postulated that aberrant methylation either hypermethylation or partial methylation might be one of the silencing mechanisms that inactivates the tumour suppressor genes in CLL. This study aimed to compare the methylation status of tumour suppressor gene, ADAM12, among CLL patients and normal individuals. We also evaluated the association between methylation of ADAM12 and clinical and demographic characteristics of the participants. Methods: A total of 25 CLL patients and 25 normal individuals were recruited in this study. The methylation status of ADAM12 was determined using Methylation-Specific PCR (MSP); whereas, DNA sequencing method was applied for validation of the MSP results. Results: Among CLL patients, 12 (48%) were partially methylated and 13 (52%) were unmethylated. Meanwhile, 5 (20%) and 20 (80.6%) of healthy individuals were partially methylated and unmethylated, respectively. There was a statistically significant association between the status of methylation at ADAM12 and the presence of CLL (p=0.037). Conclusion: The aberrant methylation of ADAM12 found in this study using MSP assay may provide new exposure to CLL that may improve the gaps involved in genetic epigenetic study in CLL.


BACKGROUND
Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare condition that commonly presents as an acute coronary event in the younger population, especially in females of childbearing age. Generally, there is no consensus on the etiology, prognosis, and treatment of SCAD.

METHODS
The Medline database was searched for "spontaneous coronary artery dissection" between 1931 and 2008. A total of 440 cases of SCAD were identified. Demographic data were analyzed with either the Student's t-test or the chi-square test for categorical and nominal variables, respectively. Kaplan-Meier outcome analysis was used to assess the outcome of a given treatment for all patients after 1990.

RESULTS
SCAD was found more commonly in females with 308 (70%) cases. Pregnancy was associated with SCAD in 80 (26.1%) cases. Among pregnant patients, 67 (83.8%) developed SCAD in the postpartum period and 13 (16.2%) patients in the prepartum period. Analysis of treatment modalities showed that 21.2% of the patients who were conservatively managed after the initial diagnosis eventually required surgical or catheter-based intervention compared to 2.5% of patients who were initially treated with an aggressive strategy. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that patients with an isolated single lesion in left or right coronary artery had a statistically significant better outcome when treated with an early aggressive strategy, including coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or stent placement as compared to a conservative strategy (p = 0.023, p = 0.006, respectively).

CONCLUSION
Early intervention with either CABG or percutaneous coronary intervention following the diagnosis of SCAD leads to a better outcome and less need for further intervention.


Aims The study evaluated the correlation between pretreatment serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels with the stage of disease and its clinical prognostic value. Methods Pretreatment serum LDH of 1421 patients with osteosarcoma of the extremity were assessed to investigate whether the enzyme correlates with the stage of the tumor. In 860 assessable patients with localized disease, treated according to 10 different protocols of adjuvant (four) and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (six), we also evaluated the correlation between the serum levels of LDH and outcome. Results According to the stage of disease, the rate of high serum level of LDH was significantly higher in 199 patients with metastatic disease at presentation than in 1222 patients with localized disease (36.6% vs 18.8%; P <0.0001). In these patients, the 5-year disease-free survival was 39.5% for patients with high LDH levels and 60% for those with normal values. The 5-year disease-free survival correlated with serum level of LDH at univariate and multivariate analysis, although it lost its significance when histologic response to chemotherapy was also considered in the multivarite analysis. Conclusions Serum LDH has a prognostic value and it should be considered in evaluating the results of therapeutic trials of chemotherapy, as well as defining a category of patients at high-risk of relapse to be treated with a more aggressive regimen.


Several quantitative stability indices including wet aggregate stability (WAS), mean weight diameter under fast wetting (MWDf) and dispersible clay (DC) have been employed to evaluate soil structure stability. Polyacrylamide (PAM) and organic matter as soil conditioners are vastly used to improve soil structure. This project was carried out to study the effects of PAM and organic matter on aggregate stability of two sandy loam and clay loam soils. It was conducted in pot under greenhouse conditions with applying anionic PAM at three rates (0, 10, 30 mg kg -1 ), organic matter to form decomposed animal manure < 0.5 mm at two rates (0 and 5 % by weight) and cycles of wetting and drying at five rates (1, 3, 5, 10, 15) with moisture contents ranged from FC to about 1/2 FC. The pots were kept at 22 - 25 0 C under laboratory condition. The experiment was conducted as a factorial based on randomized complete block design with three replications. Indices of WAS, MWDf and DC were measured after 1, 3, 5, 10 and 15 wetting and drying cycles in three replicates. Results showed that with 5 % OM and 30 mg kg -1 PAM , WAS increased about 3.28 times in sandy loam and nearly to 2.4 times in clay loam soil. The climax effect of PAM on WAS in sandy loam occurred after 3 cycles of wetting and drying and thereafter it gradually declined to about half. In the clay loam soil both WAS and MWDf steadily increased up to 15 cycles and never decreased. The effect of PAM on DC at both rates of PAM application was the reverse of WAS and MWDf. As an organic amendment, PAM appeared to have great ability in improving structure stability in both


Minute 319 is the most recent amendment to the 1944 treaty governing the Colorado River, shared between Mexico and the United States. The amendment was adopted, in part, as a continuing response to the 2010 Mexicali earthquake, which severely damaged Mexican irrigation infrastructure, as well as ongoing objectives to address dwindling water supplies in the basin. By implementing measures to share both shortages and surpluses, and by facilitating long-term collaborative efforts that engender interdependencies, the amendment commits the parties to cooperate and may serve as a model for other regions sharing limited transboundary freshwater resources.


This research was designed to interrogate the power of atrocity images throughout history, leading up to the present day. Using socio-historical contextualisation and hermeneutic research, this Dissertation explores the influence of Nazi propaganda and draws a connection between the anti-Semitic propaganda of the Holocaust and the anti-Muslim propaganda which is prevalent in contemporary society. This Dissertation uses textual analysis to assess Holocaust films and raise the question as to whether audiences watch these productions for education or for enjoyment and whether a Holocaust 'gaze' has been established within society; This debate further extends to the notion of Holocaust museums and concentration camps which are open to the general public and can be viewed as dehumanising. With regards to atrocity images from the present day, this study explores ISIS as an influential propagandist organisation – whose barbaric image output can arguably be compared to those released by the Nazi perpetrators of the Holocaust. It is further argued in this Dissertation that the current Refugee 'crisis' and the victimising images are comparable to those of Holocaust victims. To summarise, this piece assesses the use of horrific images for propaganda purposes throughout history, and draws from present day examples as a comparison of effectiveness.


UNLABELLED
It is important to establish the precise localization of colonic cancer preoperatively; while colonoscopy is regarded as the diagnostic gold standard for colorectal cancer, its ability to localize the tumor is less reliable.

AIM
To define the accuracy of colonoscopy in identifying the location of colonic cancer.

METHODS
All of the patients who had a colorectal cancer diagnosed by colonoscopy at the Institute of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Iaşi and subsequently received a surgical intervention at three teaching hospitals in Iaşi, between January 2001 and December 2005, were included in this study. Endoscopic records and operative notes were carefully reviewed, and tumor localization was recorded.

RESULTS
There were 161 patients (89 men, 72 women, aged 61.3 +/- 12.8 years) who underwent conventional surgery for colon cancer detected by colonoscopy during the study period. Twenty-two patients (13.66%) had erroneous colonoscopic localization of the tumors. The overall accuracy of preoperative colonoscopic localization was 87.58%.

CONCLUSIONS
Colonoscopy is an accurate, reliable method for locating colon cancer, although additional techniques (i.e., endoscopic tattooing) should be performed at least for small lesions.


This project seeks to foster students' critical thinking abilities through the incorporation of Design Thinking with STEAM-PjBL in a chemistry redox process. 41 grade 10 students from a high school in Rangkasbitung, Banten, Indonesia participated in this study. Learning was facilitated by using a variety of online platforms, including Edmodo, Google Jamboard, and Zoom Meetings. Interviews, observations, journal reflection procedures, and researcher notes were used to gather qualitative data. The five steps of Design Thinking: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, and test, were used to facilitate learning (Plattner, 2010). Critical thinking skills were assessed through the indicators of Framing The Problem, Solution Finding, Self-Regulation, and Reflection, developed by Ucson & Rizona (2018). Based on the categories of Information Search, Creative Interpretation and Reasoning, Reflection, and Self-Regulation, the results demonstrate the development of students' critical thinking abilities to the advanced level. Design Thinking provides a way to more easily and actively create project-based solutions in solving contextual problems related to redox reaction of water pollution in the Ciujung River due to the use of detergent waste. Understanding the relationship of chemical concepts to daily life challenges the application of this approach. To challenge students' learning and help them acquire 21st-century abilities, STEAM-PjBL may be integrated with Design Thinking.


A simple method for separation and quantification of neutral lipids was developed using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) and high-performance fluorescent scanning. Neutral lipid classes were separated using the double-developing TLC method and detected by rhodamine 6G and a laser-excited fluorescent scanner. The amount of lipids applied correlated with scanned intensity volume in a dose-dependent manner. The mass of each neutral lipid band was determined by comparing band intensities of unknown samples to dilution curves of authentic standards. After scanning the dye-sprayed TLC, acyl chain species of triglyceride (TG) extracted from TLC could be determined by gas chromatography. Using this method, we quantified the amounts of TG in mouse liver and found that the measured total mass of TG correlated with that obtained by enzymatic methods. Our method should provide the basic technique for "lipidome" analysis, designed to determine and compare total lipid classes and mass present in biological samples.


The transport of the energy delivered by an edge-localized mode (ELM) into the scrape-off layer (SOL) of a tokamak plasma is studied with particle-in-cell simulations. A simple one-dimensional model with a Monte-Carlo procedure for Coulomb collisions is used. The SOL is collisional before the ELM, but the mean-free-path length in the hot ELM plasma is longer than the connection length, such that fast electrons can travel directly from the midplane to the target plate. However, the sheath potential increases rapidly, and most of the energy is transported with a velocity of order of the ion sound speed if secondary electron emission (SEE) is absent or weak. In the case of strong SEE, though, a large fraction of the energy can be carried by fast electrons during the ELM pulse.


Pine cone extract is known to induce differentiation of human mononuclear cells into dendritic cells (DCs) and also to induce apoptosis in human cancer cells. In the present study, we screened edible plants that contain components with biological activities similar to or more potent than those of pine cone extract. We found that Mucuna (Mucuna pruviens var. utilis) contains a DC differentiation/maturation-inducing activity and a component that induces apoptosis in human cancer cell lines. Mucuna extract specifically stimulated differentiation of BM cells to immature DCs. Marked production of IL-6 was observed by sequential treatment with at least 10 μg/mL of Mucuna extract followed by LPS. The sequential treatment with Mucuna extract followed by LPS produced a much higher ratio of IL-12 to IL-6 and a lower ratio of TNF-α to IL-6 than that obtained by sequential treatment with a medicinal mushroom Phellinus linteus extract and then LPS. The DC differentiation/maturation activity and the component inducing apoptosis in cancer cells were separable by column chromatography.


This paper explores the relationship between self-reported innovative characteristics and dysfunctional personality traits. Participants (N = 207) from a range of occupations completed the Innovation Potential Indicator (IPI) and the Hogan Development Survey (HDS). Those who reported innovative characteristics also reported the following dysfunctional traits: Arrogant, Manipulative, Dramatic, Eccentric; and lower levels of Cautious, Perfectionist and Dependent. A representative approximation of the higher order factor "moving against people" (Hogan & Hogan, 1997) was positively associated with innovative characteristics. It is concluded that innovation potential may be viewed as a positive effect of some otherwise dysfunctional traits, most notably those encompassed under the second-order HDS factor 'moving against people'.


The traditional system of medicine involves the use of different plant extracts for treating various ailments. The use of medicinal plants as medicines is based on the folklore remedies used in different parts of the world. Curcuma caesia is lesser known species of the genus and has been used for centuries as folklore medicines. On the basis of pharmacological attributes of this plant as authenticated by various scientific studies, the rhizome is considered as potent source of medicine over the synthetic drugs. Recent advances in the research work in this plant and submission of the gene sequences in the databases has prompted us to compile this review. It deals about the plant and all the scientific studies carried out to introduce the plant and bring awareness about lesser known species to the scientific community. Presence of medicinally important bioactive compounds in Curcuma caesia depicts that it has great potential for becoming a future drug.


This work is dedicated to the research conducted in Burkina Faso. The Research objectives were to study the energy situation, search for sources of water for the power plant and oil refinery. To operate the power plant and oil refinery, large amounts of water would be required. Water from open sources is a scarce resource and is not stable in Burkina Faso due to periods of drought. By average standards, but given the greater volatility, to feed the oil refinery and the power plant water cycle will requires about 0.3 m 3 of water per 1 ton of crude oil per year; that is about 0.8 million m 3 of water per year, or 100 m 3 /h. The only source of such water in Burkina Faso is the midstream of Mouhoun River. Information about underground layers of waterbearing capacity in the country is not available. It is therefore necessary to carry out the engineering and hydrological surveys on selected construction sites to power the refinery. The necessity of the construction of the reservoir on the river Mouhoun and the water treatment became inevitable. Key words: Burkina Faso, energy, water, Mouhoun river


While the method described in this article is applicable to various types of public facilities, the focus here is on
infrastructure investment in transportation. The authors examine the link between economic and financial assessments.
The goal is to optimize social returns as defined in cost-benefit analysis, but making allowance for two over-neglected
aspects: (1) the fact that most of the large-scale investment projects envisaged will be co-financed by users and taxpayers,
as recent investments have been; (2) the need to think in terms of deciding not only on the best project but also on the best
program of projects. This article shows the attractiveness of "collective utility per public euro invested" as a criterion for
measuring the effects of the intensification of the public-finance constraint.


DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair by homologous recombination is confined to the S and G2 phases of the cell cycle partly due to 53BP1 antagonizing DNA end resection in G1 phase and non-cycling quiescent (G0) cells where DSBs are predominately repaired by non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). Unexpectedly, we uncovered extensive MRE11- and CtIP-dependent DNA end resection at DSBs in G0 mammalian cells. A whole genome CRISPR/Cas9 screen revealed the DNA-dependent kinase (DNA-PK) complex as a key factor in promoting DNA end resection in G0 cells. In agreement, depletion of FBXL12, which promotes ubiquitylation and removal of the KU70/KU80 subunits of DNA-PK from DSBs, promotes even more extensive resection in G0 cells. In contrast, a requirement for DNA-PK in promoting DNA end resection in proliferating cells at the G1 or G2 phase of the cell cycle was not observed. Our findings establish that DNA-PK uniquely promotes DNA end resection in G0, but not in G1 or G2 phase cells, and has important implications for DNA DSB repair in quiescent cells.


Little is known about the policies, practices, or procedures that affect the placement of applicants for nursing home care. Toseland and Newman report how financial resources and various forms of physical, mental, and behavioral problems affects the chances that older persons will be admitted to or excluded from nursing facilities.


IOCHEMICAL studies of certain proteins have recently shown that the rate of evolution or gene substitution is much higher than that previously thought (KIMURA 1968; DAYHOFF 1969). This high rate of gene substitution has aroused a great deal of controversy about HALDANE'S (1957; 1960) theory of the cost of natural selection. HALDANE postulated that the genetic deaths needed to secure gene substitution by natural selection lower the average fitness of a population, so that there is an upper limit to the number of gene substitutions per unit length of time, depending on the fertility of the species in question. In this case the fitness of a genotype was assumed to be constant. HALDANE'S theory was accepted by KIMURA (1960; 1967) and CROW (1968) but questioned by a number of authors. Among others, SVED (1968) and MAYNARD SMITH (1968) have argued that if the population size is regulated in a density-dependent manner and gene substitution occurs by competitive selection, the mean fitness of the population would not necessarily be reduced. They produced a model of threshold selection in which gene substitutions may occur at a much higher rate than HALDANE'S computation allows. Recently, MATHER (1969) developed an interesting model of competitive selection and showed that many classical formulae for the change in gene frequency hold true under competitive selection. He, however, argued that the cost of natural selection should be re-examined, taking into account competitive selection and the effect of selection on population size. He thought that the cost of selection would be much less than HALDANE'S computation suggests. Another type of model for competitive selection was developed by SCHUTZ and UZANIS (1969). In this model, however, neither the cause and process of competition nor the mechanism of population regulation was studied in detail. The purpose of the present paper is first to develop mathematical models for natural selection in regulated populations and then examine the adequacy of the theory of the cost of natural selection. The cost of natural selection will be looked at from a slightly different angle, and the fertility excess or genetic variance of fitness necessary for a given rate of gene substitution will be studied. I t will be shown that competition itself does not lead to threshold selection and HALDANE'S conclusion is essentially correct.


A new seismic assessment procedure for arch bridges is presented in the paper. The linear response spectrum analysis and the nonlinear static pushover methods are combined in this procedure through various assessment levels and appropriate checks. Guidelines for collecting arch-bridge data needed to reach the required level of knowledge on structural properties are proposed. Criteria for seismic assessment, such as the required participation of effective modal masses, adequate stiffness distribution of spandrel columns, and determination of reference point for forming capacity curves, are improved and adjusted for arch bridges.


INTRODUCTION
Deficiency/disability in children is still a serious medical, social and human problem. A large number are related to the physiopathology of reproduction, genetics, pregnancy, delivery and the neonatal stage.

DEVELOPMENT
Collaboration with obstetricians during the foetal period and their responsibility for the child at birth gives neonatology an important role in these problems. During hospitalization, often prolonged in children with problems, it is possible to diagnose, treat and attend deficiencies; and in other children who have a high risk of suffering deficiency, this can be defined more exactly as to it s degree of risk of severity.

CONCLUSION
Whilst the child and his family are in hospital the deficiency or risk of deficiency may be defined, as may the social risks and anomalous family circumstances which may limit attention to children who are disabled or have a high risk of being so.


It has been known since the last century that genetic changes are important in carcinogenesis [Boveri,T. (1914) Zur Frage der Erstehung Maligner Tumoren. Gustav Fischer, Jena]. Observations of tumor cells growing in tissue culture led to the prediction, even before the true nature of the genetic material was known, that alterations at the chromosomal level were critically involved in the process of neoplastic development. The past 20 years have seen the transition of carcinogenesis studies from the purely observational to the molecular genetic level. Although much more needs to be done, it is nevertheless gratifying to be able to piece together the sequence of events from carcinogen exposure, metabolism of the carcinogen to the activated form, formation of specific carcinogen-DNA adducts, misrepair leading to the fixation of mutations in particular target genes, and the resulting selective outgrowth of neoplastic cells. The nature of many of these steps has been clarified only in the relatively recent past, and only for a small number of specific target genes, but the fact that we can say with confidence that such processes occur and are causal changes in tumorigenesis represents a tremendous advance over the situation pertaining 20 years ago. The purpose of this review is to summarize the advances over this time period in our understanding of some of the genetic alterations that contribute to neoplasia, with particular emphasis on chemical carcinogenesis in rodents and the parallels with transformation of human cells.


As a consequence of global climate change, acidification and warming of the worlds' oceans and their possibly adverse impacts on marine organisms have come into the focus of scientific research. However, while many physiological and ecological impacts have already been identified, influences on the molecular mechanisms shaping the physiological phenotype and especially the limits of compensatory capacities of an organism are still unclear. Here, we combined comprehensive analyses of gene and protein expression to identify regulatory mechanisms and relevant processes in the great spider crab Hyas araneus.
 As a first step, a transcriptome was assembled de novo to enable differential expression analysis and protein identification. Based on the sequence data obtained from different next-generation sequencing techniques (454; Illumina), a total of 20,479 transcript sequences could be generated. As a second step the newly reached steady state in gene expression was determined in gill tissue collected from specimens exposed under different experimental conditions for 10 weeks. The differential gene expression profiling revealed a shift in steady state from control (390 µatm) to intermediate (1,120 µatm) and high (1,960 µatm) levels of PCO2. At 5 °C genes related to acid-base regulation, energy metabolism and the stress response were upregulated at intermediate PCO2, whereas high PCO2 induced a relative reduction in expressionto levels closer to controls. Similar patterns were found at elevated temperature (10 °C). Both conditions revealed a strong coordination of processes involved in acid-base and metabolic regulation, and in the stress response. Expression profiles at intermediate PCO2 indicate enhanced capacity inacid-base regulation through upregulation of a V-ATPase, at the expense of enhanced energy demand, met by an upregulation of the electron transport system (ETS). Elevated metabolic costs may lead to increased oxidative stress as reflected in upregulated antioxidant defence enzymes. The concomitant upregulation of transcripts related to cell
structure indicates that the cytoskeletonmay be a main target of oxidative stress. These changes were attenuated at even higher PCO2, possibly as a result of limited compensation in acid-base status and metabolic down-regulation. Our findings indicate a PCO2 dependent threshold beyond which compensation by acclimation displays progressive failure.
 Since regulatory adjustments are not limited to the transcriptome the study was complemented by a subsequent analysis of protein expression. To identify intra-specific variations in gene regulation under variable environmental conditions, such analyses were carried out in two populations from a latitudinal gradient (Spitsbergen: N 78°58.635'; E 11°29.454' – Sweden: N 58°15.336'; E 11°26.891'). In general, protein abundance patterns corresponded to the transcriptomic response. The abundance pattern of proteins directly and indirectly related to oxidative stress also indicated that hypercapnia causes oxidative stress. Furthermore, the observed accumulation of cell structure related proteins at intermediate PCO2 supports the hypothesis that the cytoskeleton is a main target of oxidative stress. A strong response of cuticle proteins to intermediate PCO2 at 10°C was only observed in the Swedish population indicating a potential variation in ocean acidification effects between populations.
 The Swedish population displayed a high capacity of acid-base compensation at elevated temperature (16 °C) and high PCO2. As an uncompensated extracellular acidosis can elicit metabolic depression, the capacity for acid-base regulation being enhanced through gene expression may result in delayed metabolic depression. At the same time, this might result in energy demand increasing further.
 The present thesis indicates limited ability of the stenoecious crustacean H. araneus to compensate for the effects of ocean acidification with and without concomitant warming. Limited compensatory capacities may result in reduced fitness of this and other species of osmoconforming crustaceans and may lead to far reaching consequences for their biogeographic distribution and their competitiveness at ecosystem level.


This work presents the creation of classifiers able to automatically diagnose Alzheimer's disease from structural magnetic resonance images. Measurements of regions inside the human brain and how they relate to a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease are investigated. A genetic algorithm is used to extract a subset of brain measurements which have some of the highest predictive power when compared to the rest of the measurements. A descriptive classifier is created which uses the size of each of the hippocampal volumes of a subject and compares it to the distribution of other subjects. Based on how the individual subject's measurements compares to the distribution, we can determine whether it is an Alzheimer's disease predictive volume. This classifier achieves an accuracy equivalent to state-of-the-art approaches. A second descriptive classifier is created using a regression model to predict a healthy subject's age and applying this to Alzheimer's disease positive subjects to generate an apparent brain age. The classification accuracy of when the apparent brain age is compared to the subject's real age is comparable to the state-of-the-art methods in the literature.


Training prereaders in phonological skills has been shown to facilitate the acquisition of literacy skills. The question was raised whether it would be possible to use computer-based exercises to increase blending skills in Dutch kindergartners who had not yet received reading instruction. A package of experimental computer exercises was used in which word materials, instructions, and comments were provided through high-quality digitized speech. Twenty-five children received specific training in blending separate letter sounds into words during a 12-week period; their classmates (n = 28) received training in vocabulary using the same computers and program; yet another control group (n = 45) from separate classes did not have access to the computer programs. All children appeared to improve in blending skill, more so in classrooms in which teachers regularly provided various activities to promote phonological skills. However, the results also reveal a significant additional effect due to the use of the com...


This paper presents an experimental investigation of the radiation-enhanced diffusion effect for a pure aluminum (Al 1050) surface by using a high-flux ion beam. When a nitrogen-ion beam with a 24 to ∼40 µA/cm2 flux irradiated Al surfaces, the depth of the AlN (aluminum-nitride) layer on the surface, which was formed by N2+-ion-beam irradiation, was identified through XPS (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy), and the AlN layer related to the radiation-enhanced diffusion effect strongly depended on the flux and fluence of ion-beam. The atomic composition and the atom ratios were identified through AES (Auger electron spectroscopy). Also, the hardness of the high-flux ionbeam-irradiated surface was decreased by 30 ∼ 40% compared with that of the as-received sample due to material softening by grain growth. We measured the contact angle of the surface to identify the relation between radiation-enhanced diffusion and changes in the surface characteristics. The radiation enhanced diffusion due to high-flux ion-beam irradiation was shown to affect the depth of AlN formation, and the formed AlN layer was shown to give a hydrophilic property to the Al surface.


The Mobale gold mine (Kivu, Zaire) has been worked since 1923, but the presence of aurostibite in the ore was recognized only very recently. The discovery of the mineral has also led to the recognition of its heretofore unsuspected reactivity during the amalgamation ore dressing operations. At the surface of aurostibite a layer of up to 30 [lm thickness forms which has an overall brown colour and a low reflectivity, and is composed of several variegated, concentric zones. These zones contain gold, mercury, antimony and oxygen, with traces of iron and arsenic. Oxygen is present with a concentration range of 2-4 wt.% (20-30 at.%). The zones form at the expense of aurostibite, according to micrographical criteria. In complex grains formed of gold-arsenopyrite-galena-aurostibite, only aurostibite is affected by the formation of the external brown zones. Later pure gold veneers are deposited on the outermost surface of the brown layers during the processing of the ore. The newly discovered features of processed aurostibite could explain some of the difficulties met with during the dressing of antimonian gold ores.


The increasing resistance of pathogens and the side effects of antibiotics have made it vital to find new alternative compounds from different sources. In the present study, the antibacterial potential of two green seaweeds was screened against 10 human pathogenic bacteria. The seaweeds were extracted with Acetone, Petroleum ether and Methanol and screened. The crude acetone and methanol extracts of the Ulva fasciata showed significant antibacterial activity with the inhibition zone range of 2-8 mm. The petroleum ether extract of U. reticulata also exhibited wide spectral activity with the zone of inhibition level of 1 – 5 mm. In partial purification of active extract of the U. fasciata by silica gel column chromatography, the fraction 50%A:50%M showed prominent antibacterial activity against all the human pathogens and the zone of inhibition was ranged between 4 -11 mm at 100 µg/disc concentration which indicated the presence of non-polar to intermediate polar active compounds. This semi- purified fraction showed prominent activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtitles. Thus, the seaweeds are gaining more and more importance in the pharmaceutical industry along with their nutritional properties all over the world.


Doctor-patient relationship is considered to be a special relationship and a keystone of medical care. A fundamental factor in this sort of relationship is the communication, which is strictly examined between the two involving parts, without taking into consideration in the case of children and teenagers the possible influence of their parents. The mothers more often accompany their children to the doctor and they become a third part of the doctor-patient relationship. In Greece during February-May 2013, 196 mothers and their teenage children (suffering from acute or chronic illnesses) completed two questionnaires: the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression Scale (CES-D) and a series of questions on a Likert scale from the Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire (PSQ) about the experienced satisfaction with the characteristics of this communication. In Bulgaria during July-August 2013, 60 mothers and their children completed the same questionnaires. The results revealed an unexpected finding only for the Greek sample - the quality of relationship between doctor and patient (for both Greek mothers and adolescents) was negatively associated with their scores on CES-D (i.e. low level of depression together with low satisfaction derived from the relationship with the doctor), while no differences were found between the participants' groups (mothers, children, acute or chronic disease). This surprising finding of high depression-high satisfaction was not found in the Bulgarian sample and therefore needs further investigation.


Phrase accents, one of the three tonal categories assumed by much recent research on intonation, are expected to associate with a prosodic boundary (e.g. the end of the utterance) but not to phonetically align with a specific tone-bearing unit (TBU), such as a stressed syllable. This paper presents experimental evidence on the intonation of Cypriot Greek polar questions suggesting that phrase accents prefer to associate with specific TBUs. Concretely, it is shown that in Cypriot Greek polar question intonation, autosegmentally described as L* H L%, the H phrase accent does not align with the final stressed vowel as in Standard Greek, but instead it aligns approximately 30ms from the onset of either the penultimate or the final vowel of the utterance. The data provide evidence that phrase accents, like other tonal categories, exhibit stable phonetic alignment and support Ladd, Arvaniti and Mennen's (1997) typology of stress-seeking and non-stress-seeking phrase accents.


OBJECTIVES
To examine the effects of a mind-body intervention on the psychological distress of hospitalized patients with hematologic malignancies and their caregivers.

SAMPLE & SETTING
29 patients with hematologic malignancies and 5 caregivers were recruited from the bone marrow transplantation unit at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri.

METHODS & VARIABLES
After completing the Rotterdam Symptom Checklist (RSCL) to rate their levels of psychological and physiologic distress and quality of life, participants were taught a mindfulness activity. Two weeks postintervention, participants completed the RSCL again, reported how often they practiced the activity, and answered qualitative questions regarding their experience.

RESULTS
Participants reported increased relaxation and improved sleep and showed interest in practicing mindfulness as a part of their treatment plan.

IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING
Nurses can help to alleviate symptoms of distress in patients with hematologic malignancies by integrating education on how to perform short and simple mindfulness activities into the care plan.


ABS TRACT Leflunomide is a tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) blocking agent which is commonly used in the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We report a suspected case of leflunomideinduced recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding, intraabdominal abscesses with synchronous candidemia and then meningitis. A 63-year-old man was admitted to our Emergency Department with fever, mental confusion, and urinary incontinence. He had been used anticoagulants for ten years because of atrial fibrillation and leflunomide for two years because of RA. A history of two gastrointestinal bleeding attacks, intraabdominal abscess and candidemia during the leflunomide therapy had been documented. We diagnosed meningitis together with intraabdominal abscess, gastrointestinal bleeding, and candidemia in the third hospitalization of the patient. Leflunomide was discontinued, and the patient was treated with antimicrobials (antifungal and antibacterial) and surgical procedures consisting of drainage and resection of the intrabdominal abscess. Symptoms and signs of the patient were improved and he was discharged on the 25th day of hospitalization. There was no recurrence in following six months period. Leflunomide should be started after very strict evaluations to indicated patient. These evaluations should be focused on primarily tendency to bleeding especially in oral anticoagulant users and possible infectious complications of community acquired or nosocomial originated.


The requirements of coil spring fer higher fatigue strength have been increased to achieve the weight reduction of a vehicle. As the possible increase in fatigue strength by using the conventional shot peening treatment is found to be limited, it is necessary to modify the shot peening treatment. The warm shot peening is a shot peening treatment carried out within warm temperature range. The aim of this paper is to analyze some experimental results concerned with the effect of warm shot peening and to discuss the mechanism of warm shot peening in detail. By the results of rotating bending fatigue test, the fatigue strength of test specimen increases up to 23.8% in the production condition of warm shot peening at 200 compared with conventional shot peening. The major reason why the warm shot peening is effective to the improvement of fatigue strength is the increase of a compressive residual stress distribution, which can be caused by more effective deformation under the condition of warm temperature.


A result of Sinai and Khanin on mixing in the special flow over a circle rotation with function having asymmetric logarithmic singularities is improved.


Aim To explore legal, ethical and professional issues surrounding bringing to birth a disabled child. Method Review of the literature Results Incorporating ethical principles into a blanket right or wrong answer which could be applied to all is not possible. Many of the arguments both for and against require value judgments that different people will hold different values for. Ethics based on rights and duties; where there are numerous individuals involved such as antenatal screening, poses the question of whose rights are paramount. In English law, it remains illegal to end the life of a child with the capacity of being born, however there are loop holes in which a woman can exercise her autonomy. It is imperative that the medical profession ensure up-to-date and thorough information is available to women so they can make a truly informed decision about the future of their child. Conclusion With the medical technology available today our capacity to predict the future disposition of a foetus and our ability to treat previously untreatable diseases must continue to influence our discussions both personally and professionally. It is of the authors view that a woman's decision should be honoured, however it is essential that the potential parents understand what quality of life, if any, that child will have. They must take on parental responsibility and do what is in the best interest for their family and the potential child.


Broad area InGaAlP visible light laser diodes with antireflection and high-reflection coatings have been fabricated. High power cw operation above 300 mW was obtained at 2°C heat-sink temperature. This value corresponded to a light power density of 2.7 MW/cm2. The far field pattern showed a single lobe shape for output power up to 100 mW.


STUDY OBJECTIVES
To evaluate characteristics of sleep disordered breathing (SDB); clinical and demographic correlates of SDB; and the extent to which SDB explains functional performance and symptoms in stable heart failure patients receiving care in structured HF disease management programs.

DESIGN
Cross-sectional, observational study.

SETTING
Structured heart failure disease management programs.

PARTICIPANTS
170 stable chronic heart failure patients (mean age = 60.3 +/- 16.8 years; n = 60 [35%] female; n = 50 [29%] African American; left ventricular ejection fraction mean = 32 +/- 14.6).

INTERVENTIONS
N/A.

MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS
Full polysomnography was obtained for one night on participants in their homes. Participants completed the 6-minute walk, 3 days of actigraphy, MOS-SF 36, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Multi-Dimensional Assessment of Fatigue Scale, and the Centers for the Epidemiological Studies of Depression Scale. Fifty-one percent had significant SDB; Sixteen (9%) of the total sample had central sleep apnea. Severe SDB was associated with a 4-fold increase in the likelihood of poor self-reported physical function (OR = 4.15, 95%CI = 1.19-14.57) and CSA was associated with low levels of daytime mobility (OR = 4.09, 95%CI = 1.23-13.62) after controlling for clinical and demographic variables. There were no statistically significant relationships between SDB and daytime symptoms or self-reported sleep, despite poorer objective sleep quality in patients with SDB.

CONCLUSIONS
Severe SDB is associated with poor physical function in patients with stable HF but not with daytime symptoms or self-reported sleep, despite poorer objective sleep quality in patients with SDB.


This study addressed a potential role of SET/I2PP2A protein on angiogenesis and immune response in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). A HNSCC cell line with stable SET knockdown (HN12shSET/HN12shControl), previously established in our laboratory, was used to perform (1) qPCR array analysis of genes related to angiogenesis (Qiagen), and (2) tube-formation assay using Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial cells (HUVEC) cultured with HN12shSET cells conditioned medium. Moreover, several chemokines and cytokines were analyzed by Multi-Analyte ELISA array (Qiagen), and the specific levels of TGF-B1 and RANTES were validated by a Single-Analyte ELISA array (Qiagen) in cells exposed or not to TNF-alpha; stimulus. The cellular distribution of NF-kB, p-NF-kB and p-STAT3 was assessed by immunofluorescence, cell fractionation and western blotting assays. Our results showed higher levels of genes that induce angiogenesis, in particular VEGFC, in HN12shSET cells; these cells presented, in addition, higher TGF-B1 and lower RANTES/CCL-5 secretion levels compared to controls, as well as dowregulation of CCL-2 expression. Moreover, the stimulation of HUVEC tube-formation by the HN12shSET cells conditioned medium was higher (1.7 fold) compared to control, and p-NF-kB and p-STAT3 were found predominantly in the nucleus of HN12shSET cells; this suggests a negative balance between SET and regulation of these transcription factors. Therefore, SET knockdown in HN12 cells stimulates angiogenesis through VEGFC and TGF-B1 secretion, which could contribute to create a tumor-promoting microenvironment. These results support a SET role in HNSCC development and progression Citation Format: Lays Sobral, Leandro F. Santos, Carlos Curti, Andreia M. Leopoldino. A role of SET/I2PP2A in HNSCC angiogenesis and tumor-promoting microenvironment. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Developmental Biology and Cancer; Nov 30-Dec 3, 2015; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(4_Suppl):Abstract nr A33.


BACKGROUND
Previous clinical trials have shown that adapalene gel produces less irritation than tretinoin gels and tretinoin 0.025% cream. Short term results have shown that adapalene is less irritating than tretinoin gels and creams. This study is the first to compare the 0.1% formulation of adapalene gel with the 0.05% strength of tretinoin cream in a formal clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the efficacy and tolerability of adapalene gel 0.1% compared with tretinoin cream 0.05% in patients with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris.

METHODS
Ten-week, multicentre, randomised, investigator-masked, active-controlled, parallel group study in 409 patients with acne vulgaris.

RESULTS
Adapalene gel 0.1% demonstrated equivalent efficacy in reduction of acne lesion counts and global improvement of acne severity over 10 weeks' treatment and was significantly better tolerated than tretinoin cream 0.05% in terms of erythema, dryness, desquamation and stinging/burning.

CONCLUSION
Adapalene gel 0.1% showed equivalent efficacy and was significantly better tolerated than tretinoin cream 0.05% in patients with mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris.


Vulvovaginal discomfort is generally the most common reason for visiting a gynaecological clinic. The acute complaints are, in most cases, solved by a gynaecologist himself and the decision procedure is based on possibilities arising from outpatient examination. If need be, the evaluation of wet preparation should be carried out. In many cases we have been confronted with discrepant diagnosis where severe difficulties are not accompanied by relevant development of inflammatory changes and thus the diagnosis gives us an impression of quandary. In this case microbiological examination is the logic solution. With regard to changing living conditions we can expect in the future, that clinical symptoms of vulvovaginitis will not be entirely clear. The overview article points out the possibilities, which a gynecologist is able to use within differential diagnosis in the outpatient department. It also emphasis the necessity of interdisciplinary co-operation, particularly in patients with chronic difficulties where erudite evaluation of fixed preparation and culture examination are beneficial.


Household scale shrimp hatchery is a type of business Small-scale shrimp hatcheries by utilizing home yards or narrow land as business locations and can be carried out by families with family members as executing staff (Sutaman, 1993). Household scale hatchery is a hatchery business using simple technology, small capital, location around the house and its activities are only part of a series of shrimp hatcheries with an agribusiness approach. A complete concept, starting and processing of production, processing, marketing and other activities related to agricultural activities (Soekartawi, 2003). The successful implementation of the agribusiness system cannot be separated from the availability of natural resources (SDA) and human resources (HR). This study uses a SWOT analysis comparing external factors, opportunities and threats with internal factors, strengths and weaknesses. The increasingly tight competition situation demands that small and medium industries have to equip themselves with the strengths that can place their products to be able to compete with other similar products. Their strength is expected to be a competitive advantage in domestic and foreign markets.


This paper reports initial experimentation of a dual beam flow velocity estimation setup based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) for biomedical applications. The proposed work incorporates a low cost switching mechanism (rotating galvanometer mirror) for optical signal discrimination between adjacent fiber channels enabling quasisimultaneous multiple specimen scanning. A cascaded interferometric design is used with two sample output arms orientated in parallel to eachother. A cross-correlation computation between these two parallel sample beams yields a relative time delay, enabling assessment and quantification of flow velocities.


This article considers the figuring of space in three works from the post-Independence era of cultural production in Francophone West Africa: the films Borom Sarret (1963) and La Noire de… (1965) by Ousmane Sembène, and the novel Cinéma (1997) by Tierno Monenembo. The article examines the characteristic spatial tropes and practices of colonialism and globalisation. It then explores the use of horizontal and vertical figures in the three works above, concluding that the use of the horizontal and the vertical by Sembène and Monenembo can be read as forming a complex engagement with cultures of colonialism, neo-colonialism and globalisation.


We have isolated the first mosquito member of the TGF-beta superfamily, As60A. As60A is a single copy gene, approximately 5 kb in length and encodes eight exons. Here we report the isolation and characterization of two of four transcripts produced from this gene. The transcripts As60A(1)and As60A(2)encode related 5'UTR/exon 1 sequences. As60A is most similar to the 60A genes from Drosophila and is thus a member of the Dpp/BMP subfamily of the TGF-beta superfamily. The splice junction of intron 2 is conserved among As60A, BMP2, BMP4, Tc-Dpp, Bm-tgh-1, TGF-beta1 and Dpp. Intron 2 also contains three putative binding sites for a Dorsal/Gambif1 transcription factor. The large number of introns and the conservation of intron 2 indicate that As60A is relatively ancient compared to the other arthropod TGF-beta genes. We also propose that As60A plays a role in the mosquito immune response to Plasmodium infection.


Arachidonic acid (AA) and the lipooxygenase products have been shown to play an obligatory role in the mechanism of action of LH and ACTH, at a point after cAMP-dependent phosphorylation. We have demonstrated the presence of a phosphoprotein (p43) that responds to cAMP signals to induce steroid synthesis in adrenocortical tissue, an effect that is blocked by phospholipase A2 inhibitors. In this report we demonstrate that p43 exhibits autoproteolytic activity that is regulated by ACTH. Protein purified from ACTH-treated animals exhibited degradation in some of the isoforms resolved on two dimensional gel electrophoresis. Proteinase inhibitors (PMSF and 1,10 phenantroline) inhibited steroid synthesis induced by ACTH and 8-Br-cAMP in intact cells. Addition of exogenous AA reverted in part that inhibition. Here we present evidence for a hormone-regulated proteolytic activity of p43 and for the inhibition of steroidogenesis by proteinase inhibitors acting prior to the release of arachidonic acid.


The results of monthly observation on the physico-chemical parameters at anthropogenically influenced shore of Veraval and Diu at south Saurashtra coastline during the period November-2011 to April- 2012 were reported. The impact of coastal human activities and the inter-relation between various parameters was studied. It was observed that, Seawater temperature was changed accordance with season and atmospheric temperature. Due to same reason pH value showed less variation month wise as well as station wise. Similarly Conductivity, TS, TDS and turbidity values showed more or less varied over the months. Salinity value increased during pre-summer and summer months.It is reported that with increasing salinity, the DO level decreased. Because of this reason DO was found quite law in summer and maximum in winter season. The BOD and COD levels were very low. The result of sulphide and sulphate did not show much variation. The value of hardness, calcium and magnesium were within the range of value reported for typical Arabian Sea. Result of the present investigation indicate that there is no significant difference between two station and suggest a normal coastal condition for both the station which is indicative of not much influenced by its anthropogenic activities because, it is neutralized by the tremendous buffering activity of seawater and immense tidal activity of sea. The findings of the present communication thus, give the present-day status of the general water quality parameters for these coastal areas as a reference, if these places are becoming SEZ's in future. Copy Right, IJAR, 2013,.


The tetrazolium test is a quick and effective method for evaluating viability in seeds. The aim of this study was to determine a methodology for using the tetrazolium test, and its efficiency in verifying viability in seeds of the gherkin (Cucumis anguria L.). Consequently, five batches of gherkin seed were initially evaluated by the tests for germination, first count and speed of germination. The batches were then subjected to treatments in order to adjust the methodology for the tetrazolium test, evaluating three concentrations of tetrazolium solution (0.100, 0.075 and 0.050%), kept in the dark for two, four and six hours, under temperatures of 35 °C and 40 °C, with four replications of 25 seeds per treatment. At the end of the staining period, the seeds were washed in running water, split lengthways between the cotyledons, and classified as viable and non-viable. Evaluation of viability in seeds of the gherkin by tetrazolium test is efficient when carried out at a concentration of 0.050%, either for six hours at 35 °C or four hours at 40 °C.


Informed by previous research finding which established evidence of low satisfaction among undergraduates in Aurangabad, the purpose of this paper was to examine the psychological variables that would predict satisfaction with life among undergraduates in Dr.BAMU University Aurangabad. A cross-sectional ex post facto survey design was adopted and convenient sampling method was used. Three hundred and twenty (118, i.e., 36.9%) male and 202 (63.1%) female students, ages ranging between 16 to 27 years (M = 28.47, SD = 8.76) participated in this study. Validated scale was used for data collection and the hypothesis stated was confirmed after testing with appropriate statistics. The result showed that NaCh and Hloc significantly predicted satisfaction with life among undergraduates, whereas, anxiety was not a significant predictor. Internals who were high on need achievement were low on satisfaction with life, while externals who were low on need achievement were high on satisfaction with life. Conclusion was reached that professional services would be required for undergraduates with low satisfaction with life in order to orientate them regarding adjustment and coping with reality of life in order to prevent psychological breakdown. A limitation to this is study would be the small sample size and the limited psychological variables that were examined. However, further research may make these a focus.


Mechanochromic materials with aggregation-induced enhanced emission (AIEE) characteristic have been intensively expanded in the past few years. In general, intermolecular interactions invariably alter photophysical processes, while their role in the luminescence properties of these AIEE-active molecules is difficult to fully recognize because the pressurized samples possess amorphous nature in many cases. We now report the high-pressure studies on a prototype AIEE-active molecule, tetraphenylethene, using diamond anvil cell technique with associated spectroscopic measurements. An unusual pressure-dependent color, intensity, and lifetime change in tetraphenylethene has been detected by steady-state photoluminescence and time-resolved emission decay measurements. The flexible role of the aromatic C-H···π and C-H···C contacts in structural recovery, conformational modification, and emission efficiency modulation upon compression is demonstrated through structure and infrared analysis.


Advances in technology and major programs to enhance the electric power system throughout the world have led to the concept of the "Smart Grid". This concept has been formally defined in various places and is driving many of the current changes in educational curricula at all levels. This paper provides a brief summary of the known definitions and the resulting educational needs for the technical workforce of the future.


Batch processes, by their very nature, are rarely in a steady state for any great length of time. This constant change of plant and process state results in a level of complexity of the automation of the process that is not found in continuous processes such as refining. However, even with a sound understanding of the principles of batch automation, with a chosen control system and batch management software, and with a supplier with whom you believe you can work, there is still the need to manage the project development process. By performing a structured analysis based on the ISA 88.01 models and using the power of modern day control systems and batch management packages, a flexible production system can be produced on time and to budget.


The relationship between stability and electrocatalytic efficiency for the oxygen evolution reaction and ruthenium dissolution in 0.5 mol dm–3 H2SO4 was determined using a rotating ring–disc electrode. Two different types of ruthenium electrode were used: one with ruthenium freshly electrodeposited on platinum and the other electrochemically activated by square-wave pulses from –0.2 V to +0.85 V vs. SCE. Both exhibited different electrocatalytic properties and current efficiencies for ruthenium dissolution. It was shown that the enhanced electrocatalytic efficiency of the activated electrode was 86% electrocatalytic. Both types of electrode were stable during potentiodynamic oxide formation and oxide reduction; the significant dissolution of ruthenium took place only at high positive potentials accompanied by oxygen evolution.


As well known, Kyoto has been the capital city of Japan for one thousand years. The long ancient culture brings out a serious of traditional craft products, such as 'Kana-ami' — a kind of metal wire network. 'Kana-ami' was all made by hand work, for this reason there was no industrial pollution produced during the manufacturing process. In other words, 'Kana-ami' is a kind of green manufacturing product, and its processing motion and working experience make a big effect on final products' quality. Product's quality was judged by the standard structure of 'Kana-ami', which was established after a long period of history and culture accumulation. That aesthetical standard has already been consistently rooted into Japanese peoples' heart deeply. Dated back to around 50 years, there were about 30 handmade wire net shops in Kyoto. However, it has decreased dramatic until 7 shops now. Therefore, it is urgent time to pay attention to this severe reality and try to do something to keep this traditional culture wealth and continue green manufacturing technique and skill to the next generation.In this study, the expert and non-expert were employed as the target investigated subject from 'Kanaami Tsuji' workshop. Investigated subjects were required to fabricate a Kana-ami product, which was investigated by 3D motion capture during product's fabrication. The structural features of final products by expert and non-expert were illustrated and compared by the numerical analysis. The moment of scoop tofu was recorded by high-speed camera in order to clarify the small differences on product performance. In a word, the great effort is to reduce the final products impact to the surface of tofu.Copyright © 2014 by ASME


A dramatic increase in single chip capacity has led to a revolution in on-chip integration. Design reuse and ease of implementation have became important aspects of the design process. This paper describes a new scalable single-chip communication architecture for heterogeneous resources, adaptive system-on-a-chip (aSOC) and supporting software for application mapping. This architecture exhibits hardware simplicity and optimized support for compile-time scheduled communication. To illustrate the benefits of the architecture, four high-bandwidth signal processing applications including an MPEG-2 video encoder and a Doppler radar processor have been mapped to a prototype aSOC device using our design mapping technology. Through experimentation it is shown that aSOC communication outperforms a hierarchical bus-based system-on-chip (SoC) approach by up to a factor of five. A VLSI implementation of the communication architecture indicates clock rates of 400 MHz in 0.18-/spl mu/m technology for sustained on-chip communication. In comparison to previously-published results for an MPEG-2 decoder, our on-chip interconnect shows a runtime improvement of over a factor of four.


These days Emily Dickinson's poetry provokes a great deal of interest in Russia, but her pathway to Russian readers was not easy. The reason of it and the names of some translators are provided in this paper. Also, it highlights the issues in which Russian scholars are interested.


Background: Sapium indicum Willd (Euphorbiaceae) is traditionally used to accelerate wound healing process in Malay community.
Objective: To evaluate wound healing potential of aqueous (AESI) and ethanolic extract of S. indicum leaves (EESI) using cell migration model.
Methods: AESI and EESI were prepared using maceration techniques. The extracts were subjected to phytochemical screening, cytotoxicity (MTT assay) and scratch assay.
Results: AESI contained saponins and tannins while EESI contained triterpenes, tannins and proteins. Based on MTT assay, AESI and EESI exhibited IC50 = 16.3 and 70.9 µg/mL, respectively. In the scratch assay, EESI caused significant (P< 0.05) concentration-dependent migration on 3T3 L1 cells whereas AESI exerted concentration-independent effect.
Conclusion: The leaves of S. indicum exhibited wound healing potential and contained phytochemicals that may contribute to the activity. These findings would support potential use of S. indicum as wound healing plant.


Background: Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a kind of hematopoietic stem-cell cancer. A significant number of CML patients who do not achieve an acceptable response to therapy, show acquired resistance against Imatinib. One of the most considerable causes of resistance against Imatinib as the first line of therapy, are BCR-ABL kinase domain mutations. Objectives: One of the most considerable causes of resistance against Imatinib as the first line of therapy, are BCR-ABL kinase domain mutations. Patients and Methods: The study was performed on 39 CML patients with Imatinib resistance. Basic hematologic parameters in blood samples were checked to identify hematologic response. To identify molecular response, BCR-ABL/ABL ratio was assessed by Real-time PCR. The ABL kinase domain amplification was performed by PCR. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) was performed to detect four common mutations (T315I, Y253H, E255K and M351T). Finally the results were approved by direct sequencing. Results: In this study, the Y253H mutation, detected by RFLP method and confirmed by direct sequencing, was the prevalent ABL kinase domain mutation in these 39 CML patients. The G250E, V379I and L384M mutations were found in three different cases with failure molecular response. CML patients with these four ABL kinase domain mutations cannot achieve major molecular response (MMR). In addition, complete hematologic response (CHR) was observed only in the V379I mutated case and not in other mutated patients. Conclusions: Identification of ABL kinase domain mutations may be used as a proper and useful method for improving therapeutic strategies, avoiding delay in treatment and excessive expenditure in CML patients with Imatinib resistance.


This Study on Tele Communication, Office Automation System and Building Automation System within in the building as a organic system, and make good use of the newest electronic technics and communications technics, it will be able to become higher office work, to obtain information of a high value-addition manage the building well and to save down energy. Therefore grade in OA+TC electric equipment is systematized we will be able to plan the standard of research course to the technical development for the future as well as past and present.


New challenges in vaccination policies: the role of General Practitioners. The phenomenon of "Vaccine Hesintacy" and the consequent decrease in vaccination coverage with the re-ignition of some epidemic outbreaks has led Italian national and regional authorities to set a new vaccination plan (PNPV 2017-19) and even coercive measures such as the the Law n.119/2017. In addition, there have been initiatives by scientific societies also in order to increase involvement of professionals in information and education campaigns. Among the professional figures involved, the general practitioners represents the starting point from which to regain the citizen's trust. This article assesses their important role in the implementation of vaccination policies in Italy by identifying the essential points of the campaigns carried out on their patients.


The impact of environmental factors on community health status is analyzed. Methodological approaches to the assessment of causal and effective relationships of anthropotechnogenic changes in environment and community health are proposed. The necessity of the development of the integral concept of social and ecological causes of human diseases is underlined.