Through methods developed by the Association of Mathematical Instruction (AMI) in Japan, children can be helped toacquire mathematical knowledge. Problem solving that enhances acquisition of mathematical knowledge is divided intowo types, semantic problem solving (SPS) and pragmaticoblem solving (PPS). The focus in SPS is a systematic organization of the target knowledge and the schematic representations through which children acquire it. PPS emphasizes thefunctional composition of the situation and the use of constraints in accordance with a child's ability. SPS and PPS cover not only the beginning but the whole process of learning. support of this assertion, the process of becoming an adaptiveproblem solver beyond the initial learning situation is illustrated and examined from the viewpoint of interiorization and generalization. SPS and PPS are also helpful for restructuring learning in mathematics through clarifying referents and demonstrating the significance of a new concept. Finally, the authenticity of learning in relation to effective PPS-based teaching is discussed.


The F-domain of rat HNF-4alpha1 has a crucial impact on the ligand binding affinity, ligand specificity and secondary structure of HNF-4alpha. (i) Fluorescent binding assays indicate that wild-type, full-length HNF-4alpha (amino acids 1-455) has high affinity (Kd=0.06-12 nm) for long chain fatty acyl-CoAs (LCFA-CoA) and low affinity (Kd=58-296 nm) for unesterified long chain fatty acids (LCFAs). LCFA-CoA binding was due to close molecular interaction as shown by fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from full-length HNF-4alpha tryptophan (FRET donor) to bound cis-parinaroyl-CoA (FRET acceptor), which yielded an intermolecular distance of 33 A, although no FRET to cis-parinaric acid was detected. (ii) Deleting the N-terminal A-D-domains, comprising the AF1 and DNA binding functions, only slightly affected affinities for LCFA-CoAs (Kd=0.9-4 nm) and LCFAs (Kd=93-581 nm). (iii) Further deletion of the F-domain robustly reduced affinities for LCFA-CoA and reversed ligand specificity (i.e. high affinity for LCFAs (Kd=1.5-32 nm) and low affinity for LCFA-CoAs (Kd=54-302 nm)). No FRET from HNF-4alpha-E (amino acids 132-370) tryptophan (FRET donor) to bound cis-parinaroyl-CoA (FRET acceptor) was detected, whereas an intermolecular distance of 28 A was calculated from FRET between HNF-4alpha-E and cis-parinaric acid. (iv) Circular dichroism showed that LCFA-CoA, but not LCFA, altered the secondary structure of HNF-4alpha only when the F-domain was present. (v) cis-Parinaric acid bound to HNF-4alpha with intact F-domain was readily displaceable by S-hexadecyl-CoA, a nonhydrolyzable thioether analogue of LCFA-CoAs. Truncation of the F-domain significantly decreased cis-parinaric acid displacement. Hence, the C-terminal F-domain of HNF-4alpha regulated ligand affinity, ligand specificity, and ligand-induced conformational change of HNF-4alpha. Thus, characteristics of F-domain-truncated mutants may not reflect the properties of full-length HNF-4alpha.


Searching through the Internet is a most common thing that is everyone knows. But due to the increasing of world population, the structure of internet is become more complex than before. The search engines are not flexible yet to handling the huge resource of information on web now. So the purpose of developing this system is to solve the problem there. There are 250 data set have been extract through this sistem. The data set is web site of those company whose registerd under Federation of Malaysian Manufacture (FMM). This system will extract 27 meta tags, image, content of web page and links. By going through all the developing level like prototype methodology and all the development software that are been use. Hopefully the system will be facilitating the user effectively.


Transition curvature is a growing concern for high tracks per inch application. Due to low resolution from the playback transducer in cross track direction, the characterization of the transition edge is very difficult. This situation increases the engineering difficulty for writer pole design optimization and recording performance analysis. We have derived a simple transition shape model to study the transition curvature quantitatively. The complicated transition edge is simplified into one curving parameter. With such simplification, we are able to relate the transition curving effect with the cross track profile. In this paper, we will discuss the concept and analytical derivation of this model. A particular H/M combination is studied and its transition curvature is estimated. Compared with magnetic force microscope and micromagnetic modeling, this new approach has potential to become a practical spinstand or even Hard disk drive measurement if the W/R nonlinear effects are minimized


In 15 patients with Alzheimer's disease and in 10 with Down's syndrome at middle age, there was severe atrophy, neurofibrillary degeneration and loss of pigmented dopaminergic nerve cells from ventral tegmental area (A10) whereas nerve cells in neighbouring substantia nigra (A9) were much less affected in all three respects. It is suggested that these findings may represent different patterns of damage within the two systems in these conditions which may relate to the presence of Alzheimer type changes (senile plaques) within their respective projection fields.


In order to assess the costs arising from the treatment of polytraumatized patients we analysed the data of 100 prospectively studied multiple trauma patients (ISS 38) calculating all medical expenses during their clinical stay. The average cost per patient in the studied group (n = 100) amounted to 63989.- DM. About 65% of this sum derived from the costs of intensive care, while the expenses for operations covered 19%. The group of primarily deceased patients (n = 25) generated the lowest costs of 8468.- DM (per pat.). The highest costs of 95626.- DM were caused by the treatment of patients (n = 32) that developed one or more complications (organ failure) during their stay in the intensive care unit or died (n = 10) during this therapy (101940.- DM). Since the data concerning medical equipment (i.e. surgical devices, radiological equipment) were not centrally registered in the administration department of our clinic, it was not possible to include these costs into this calculation. Thus the total costs must be presumed higher. A relationship between costs of treatment and injury severity (ISS) appeared in polytrauma only by a cost reduction in early deceased very severely injured patients (ISS > 70). The primary diagnosis (injury pattern and severity) cannot predict the incidence of complications increasing the costs of treatment. In the presented study we did not find a correlation between age and treatment costs.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


We introduce a communication model for hybrid networks, where nodes have access to two different communication modes: a local mode where communication is only possible between specific pairs of nodes, and a global mode where communication between any pair of nodes is possible. This can be motivated, for instance, by wireless networks in which we combine direct device-to-device communication (e.g., using WiFi) with communication via a shared infrastructure (like base stations, the cellular network, or satellites).
Typically, communication over short-range connections is cheaper and can be done at a much higher rate. Hence, we are focusing here on the LOCAL model (in which the nodes can exchange an unbounded amount of information in each round) for the local connections while for the global communication we assume the so-called node-capacitated clique model, where in each round every node can exchange only $O(\log n)$-bit messages with just $O(\log n)$ other nodes.
In order to explore the power of combining local and global communication, we study the impact of hybrid communication on the complexity of computing shortest paths in the graph given by the local connections. Specifically, for the all-pairs shortest paths problem (APSP), we show that an exact solution can be computed in time $\tilde O\big(n^{2/3}\big)$ and that approximate solutions can be computed in time $\tilde \Theta\big(\!\sqrt{n}\big)$. For the single-source shortest paths problem (SSSP), we show that an exact solution can be computed in time $\tilde O\big(\!\sqrt{\mathsf{SPD}}\big)$, where $\mathsf{SPD}$ denotes the shortest path diameter. We further show that a $\big(1\!+\!o(1)\big)$-approximate solution can be computed in time $\tilde O\big(n^{1/3}\big)$. Additionally, we show that for every constant $\varepsilon>0$, it is possible to compute an $O(1)$-approximate solution in time $\tilde O(n^\varepsilon)$.


In the development of power systems, the traditional AC power grids are gradually evolving into AC/DC hybrid grids. However, the safety of hybrid grids is threatened by cascading faults, which is a set of chain events caused by a single fault and will eventually lead to a blackout. Based on the blackout accident that happened in Brazil on March 21st, 2018, this paper analyzes the cause, mechanism, and development of cascading faults in AC/DC hybrid grids. Simulations based on PSCAD/EMTDC software have been carried out to illustrate the typical cascading fault scenario including HVDC commutation failure, DC blocking, power flow transferring, incorrect relay protection and the outage of the network. Both analysis and simulation results shows that the "strong DC weak AC" structure and unreasonable cooperation of relay protections and stability control devices are important factors of cascading faults. Finally, this paper prospects a series of protection and control technologies that are expected to solve the problem.


Bilateral choanal atresia is potentially life-threatening. The condition almost always presents in the new born, with alternating phases of respiratory distress and apnoea relieved by crying. We report a rare case of bilateral choanal atresia presenting for the first time at 22 years of age. The patient had no features of cyanosis or apnoea, presenting only with bilateral nasal obstruction, rhinorrhoea and anosmia. His neonatal history was unremarkable. No syndromic association was noted excepting for telecanthus. The presence of bony atresia was confirmed on computed tomography (CT) scan and transnasal endoscopic surgery was used to obtain a patent airway. This case is a rare report of bilateral choanal atresia presenting for the first time in adult life.


The purpose of this paper is to study some results of homological algebra in the category A-Alg (resp. Alg-A) of left (resp. right) A-algebra in the noncommutative case. In this paper A is a subring of B. So the main results of this paper are, if B is a noetherian duo-ring, S a central saturated multiplicatively closed subset of A, SR the set of regular elements of S, " a finitely presented right A-algebra and a (B-A)-bialgebra, then ", ⊗# $ % is isomorphic to $ ", , also $ ", is isomorphic to &'( ", , for any integer n.


106 culturable symbiotic actinomycetes strains were isolated from intertidal marine sponge Hymeniacidon perleve collected from Chinese Yellow Sea. The 16S rDNA sequences of these strains were amplified and RFLP patterns were analyzed by digestion of 16S rDNA fragments with Hha I. 11 different patterns were identified, with confirmation by the RFLP analysis using Vector NTI simulation. Using Hha I RFLP patterns, the actinomycetes could be identified at the genus level. Phylogentic trees using 16S rDNA sequences were constructed. Majority of actinomycetes belonged to Streptomycetes (78). The other strains belonged to Nocardiopsis (18), Pseudonocardia (3), Nocardia (3), Micromonospora (2), Rhodococcus (1), Actinoalloteichus (1). Strain 177 is the candidate for new species of Actinalloteichus.


Iterative generative models, such as noise conditional score networks and denoising diffusion probabilistic models, produce high quality samples by gradually denoising an initial noise vector. However, their denoising process has many steps, making them 2-3 orders of magnitude slower than other generative models such as GANs and VAEs. In this paper, we establish a novel connection between knowledge distillation and image generation with a technique that distills a multi-step denoising process into a single step, resulting in a sampling speed similar to other single-step generative models. Our Denoising Student generates high quality samples comparable to GANs on the CIFAR-10 and CelebA datasets, without adversarial training. We demonstrate that our method scales to higher resolutions through experiments on 256 x 256 LSUN. Code and checkpoints are available at https://github.com/tcl9876/Denoising_Student


Tomasz Kucharski, of the Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, is the author of a monograph titled: "The Institution of egzorbitancje in the political system of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth". The subject of his research concerned the years 1573-1795. According to Kucharski's definition, egzorbitancje (which could be literally translated as "contraventions" or "transgressions") were charges, made by noblemen in public, against the Sejm's and executive or judicative bodies' activities or inactivities. Those charges concerned infringements of both individual and collective rights of noblemen. A deep and thorough analysis of the term egzorbitancje, including its definition and synonyms, is found in the first chapter, where the historical development of egzorbitancje was also considered. The next part of the monograph was devoted to legislative acts (constitutions) concerning egzorbitancje. Kucharski presented their characteristics and their legal status in the legislative activity of the Sejm. The movement of the noble proponents of egzorbitancje was compared to its equivalent from the 16th century (the executionist movement). Regarding the last chapter, the most thought-provoking question that could be found there concerned the government audit system of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. According to Kucharski, the central position in the system was occupied by the Sejm. The key objective of the audit was to prevent the rule of law from being violated.


A redox center similar to that of rubredoxin was designed into the 56 amino acid immunoglobulin binding B1 domain of Streptococcals protein G. The redox center in rubredoxin contains an iron ion tetrahedrally coordinated by four cysteine residues, [Fe(S‐Cys)4]−1,‐2. The design criteria for the target site included taking backbone movements into account, tetrahedral metal‐binding, and maintaining the structure and stability of the wild‐type protein. The optical absorption spectrum of the Co(II) complex of the metal‐binding variant is characteristic of tetrahedral chelation by four cysteine residues. Circular dichroism and nuclear magnetic resonance measurements reveal that the metal‐free and Cd(II)‐bound forms of the variant are folded correctly and are stable. The Fe(III) complex of the metal‐binding mutant reproduces the optical and the electron paramagnetic resonance spectra of oxidized rubredoxin. This demonstrates that the engineered protein chelates Fe(III) in a tetrahedral array, and the resulting center is similar to that of oxidized rubredoxin.


Throughout critical debates on E. T. A. Hoffmann, discussions of alcohol, and in particular its influence on and significance within E. T. A. Hoffmann's creative output, have been recurrent, impassioned and frequently divisive. Portrayals of the artist as tortured alcoholic, such as one finds in Offenbach's "Contes d'Hoffmann", continue to capture the public imagination, but have fallen out of favour with critics wishing to bolster Hoffmann's status as a landmark writer. Victoria Dutchman-Smith uses the specific fate of alcohol as a topic in literature, biography and criticism as a prompt for the re-evaluation of Hoffmann's changing identities over the past two centuries: as artist, critic, Romantic, pre-emptive modernist, canonised great and, not least, as drinker. The role of alcohol in Hoffmann's life and works cannot be separated from wider cultural and critical narratives, and Dutchman-Smith's enthusiastic exploration of these sheds dramatic new light on the use and abuse of categorisation, not just in past and present responses to Hoffmann's works, but in the very structures of literary debate. Victoria Dutchman-Smith works in publishing.


Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1/CCL2) is an important immune factor, which may be important in cancer progression by promoting proliferation, invasion, metastasis and the tumor microenvironment. Previous studies have demonstrated that CCL2 affects the proliferation of osteosarcoma cells via the RANKL signaling pathway. However, the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. To investigate the role of CCL2 in osteosarcoma cells, MTT, spheroid forming, wound healing and transwell assays were performed to examine the proliferation and invasion abilities of the osteosarcoma cells. It was revealed that the high-grade osteosarcoma cells exhibited increased expression levels of CCL2 compared with the low-grade osteosarcoma cells (P<0.001). Furthermore, knockdown of CCL2 decreased the proliferation and invasion abilities of the osteosarcoma cells (P<0.01). These results suggested that the expression of CCL2 is high in high-grade osteosarcoma cells and promotes the proliferation and invasion of osteosarcoma cells.


In this paper, friction welded joints were constructed to investigate the mechanical properties of welded 15-mm diameter solid bars of Mg alloy (AZ31B). The main friction welding parameters were selected to endure reliable quality welds on the basis of visual examination, tensile tests, impact energy test, Vickers hardness surveys of the bonds in the area and heat affected zone (HAZ), and macrostructure investigations. The study reached the following conclusions. The tensile strength of the friction welded materials (271 MPa) was increased to about 100% of the AZ31B base metal (274 MPa) under the condition of a heating time of 1 s. The metal loss increased lineally with an increase in the heating time. The following optimal friction welding conditions were determined: rotating speed (n) = 2000 rpm, heating pressure (HP) = 35 MPa, upsetting pressure (UP) = 70 MPa, heating time (HT) = 1 s, and upsetting time (UT) = 5 s, for a metal loss (Mo) of 10.2 mm. The hardness distribution of the base metal (BM) showed HV55. All of the BM parts showed levels of hardness that were approximately similar to friction welded materials. The weld interface of the friction welded parts was strongly mixed, which showed a well-combined structure of macro-particles without particle growth or any defects. In addition, an acoustic emission (AE) technique was applied to derive the optimum condition for friction welding the Mg alloy nondestructively. The AE count and energy parameters were useful for evaluating the relationship between the tensile strength and AE parameters based on the friction welding conditions.


The Highly-Adaptive-Lasso(HAL)-TMLE is an efficient estimator of a pathwise differentiable parameter in a statistical model that at minimal (and possibly only) assumes that the sectional variation norm of the true nuisance parameters are finite. It relies on an initial estimator (HAL-MLE) of the nuisance parameters by minimizing the empirical risk over the parameter space under the constraint that sectional variation norm is bounded by a constant, where this constant can be selected with cross-validation. In the formulation of the HALMLE this sectional variation norm corresponds with the sum of absolute value of coefficients for an indicator basis. Due to its reliance on machine learning, statistical inference for the TMLE has been based on its normal limit distribution, thereby potentially ignoring a large second order remainder in finite samples. In this article we present four methods for construction of a finite sample 0.95-confidence interval that use the nonparametric bootstrap to estimate the finite sample distribution of the HAL-TMLE or a conservative distribution dominating the true finite sample distribution. We prove that it consistently estimates the optimal normal limit distribution, while its approximation error is driven by the performance of the bootstrap for a well behaved empirical process. We demonstrate our general inferential methods for 1) nonparametric estimation of the average treatment effect based on observing on each unit a covariate vector, binary treatment, and outcome, and for 2) nonparametric estimation of the integral of the square of the multivariate density of the data distribution.


This paper presents a continuum mechanics-based approach for real-time deployment (RTD) of a multi-quadcopter system between moving initial and final configurations arbitrarily distributed in a 3-D motion space. The proposed RTD problem is decomposed into spatial planning, temporal planning and acquisition sub-problems. For the spatial planning, the RTD desired coordination is defined by integrating (i) rigid-body rotation, (ii) one-dimensional homogeneous deformation, and (ii) one-dimensional heterogeneous coordination such that necessary conditions for inter-agent collision avoidance between every two quadcopter UAVs are satisfied. By the RTD temporal planning, this paper suffices the inter-agent collision avoidance between every two individual quadcopters, and assures the boundedness of the rotor angular speeds for every individual quadcopter. For the RTD acquisition, each quadcopter modeled by a nonlinear dynamics applies a nonlinear control to stably and safely track the desired RTD trajectory such that the angular speeds of each quadcopter remain bounded and do not exceed a certain upper limit.


Study Design: This was a retrospective study of prospectively collected data. Objective: In this study, we aimed to characterize a population of patients with degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) and a history of poor postoperative neurological recovery and to identify risk factors associated with poor neurological recovery after laminoplasty. Summary of Background Data: Kyphotic cervical alignment has been considered a relative contraindication to laminoplasty in recent years; hence, laminoplasty has been decreasingly performed for the treatment of DCM in patients with cervical kyphosis. However, the effect of global spinal alignment on postoperative outcomes has not been extensively investigated. Materials and Methods: We prospectively enrolled patients who were scheduled for laminoplasty for DCM. Outcome (at enrollment and 1 y after surgery) and risk factor analyses were performed by comparing the good recovery and poor recovery groups. The Spearman correlation coefficient was used to evaluate the relationships between the recovery rate and the preoperative radiographic factors. Results: In total, 101 patients completed the 1-year follow-up. Regarding clinical outcomes, the Japanese Orthopedic Association score for the assessment of cervical myelopathy, European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions, and Neck Disability Index scores improved postoperatively. The recovery rate was significantly correlated with the preoperative sagittal vertical axis (SVA). The patients in the poor recovery group were older than those in the good recovery group. Univariate analyses showed that the SVA and T1 pelvic angle were significantly higher in the poor recovery group. Lastly, stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that a higher SVA was an independent predictor of poor recovery after laminoplasty. Conclusions: The SVA and T1 pelvic angle were significantly higher in the poor recovery group. A high preoperative SVA is an independent predictor for poor recovery after laminoplasty. Therefore, indications for laminoplasty in elderly DCM patients with a high preoperative SVA should be carefully considered. Level of Evidence: Level III.


The manufacturing method from 1991 to the present has always included bonding the APL valve in place, so that the user cannot transpose it with the breathing bag. In this case, the error occurred during assembly of the anaesthetic system. The assembly method was consequently amended to make the joining of the elbow and T-piece components impossible, unless the valve and breathing bag were in the correct locations. This modification leaves us confident that this error will not be repeated. We would agree that this emphasises the importance of medical staff checking equipment before use, and routinely using capnography. However, making products safer by design is one of our foremost aims, and this incident will be further considered during the design review.


The paper describes an analytical model for cage induction motors with a static eccentric rotor. The method is based on an airgap permeance approach including stator and rotor MMF harmonics. The stator windings are resolved into harmonic conductor density distributions that allow different series/parallel winding connections to be accommodated in a straightforward manner. Sinusoidal and homopolar airgap field components are identified and the total airgap field distribution is used to determine the radial forces on the rotor. The model examines the principal harmonic interactions that influence the unbalanced magnetic pull.


Renewed exploration of an old zinc prospect in Jefferson County, West Virginia, in 1953 by the United States Bureau of Mines and Tri-State Zinc, Inc., led to a field study, sampling, and a petrographic study of thin sections and polished sections of the samples. Resulting descriptions of the deposit show that it constitutes an additional member locality of the "Appalachian low temperature zinc province," a convenient designation proposed for a series of analagous deposits containing sphalerite in the Valley and Ridge sections of Alabama, Tennessee, Virginia, and Pennsylvania.The prospect is developed in the Cambrian Tomstown dolomitic limestone near its contact with the underlying Antietam sandstone on the east side of the Great Valley at the base of the Blue Ridge. There is stratigraphic and structural control of the mineralization as it is in steep westward-dipping breccia zones that roughly follow the bedding. Both cavity filling and replacement were methods of deposition from solutions probably rising from magmas during upper Paleozoic time.Fine fracture cleavage and persistent feldspar typical in the prospect samples have not been recorded as characteristic of the other deposits of the province. However, rosette or halo zoning of the minerals in several patterns and the assemblage of dolomite, quartz, pyrite, sphalerite, and galena, which are characteristic of the other deposits of the province, are also common at the Howell prospect. The paragenic sequence is (1) pyrite, (2) early white dolomite, (3) feldspar, (4) quartz contemporaneous with a second stage of white dolomite and, in some places, followed by still later white dolomite, (5) sphalerite, (6) galena. The prospect is not large enough or of high enough tenor to be of much commercial promise but its description is merited as it bears on definition of the metallogenic province and also represents the richest hydrothermal base metal deposit recorded in West Virginia.


ABSTRACT Cladosporium species are ubiquitous in various environments but are hitherto rarely isolated from soil. In the present study, six new Cladosporium species inhabiting the plateau soils of China are described as C. neopsychrotolerans, C. paralimoniforme, C. prolongatum, C. sinuatum, C. tianshanense, and C. verruculosum. These species are phylogenetically distinct and morphologically different from known species. This study increased the number of species classified in the C. cladosporioides and C. herbarum complexes and revealed Chinese plateau soil as a rich niche of Cladosporium species diversity.


IntroductionAlthough the use of asbestos has been banned in several industrialized countries, many workers continue to be exposed in asbestos repair and removal work, and asbestos is still widely used in various newly industrialized, rapidly developing countries. According to the most recent World Health Organization (WHO) estimates, more than 107 000 people die each year from asbestos-related lung cancer, mesothelioma, and asbestosis resulting from exposure at work (1). The asbestos epidemic is far from over.The expert meeting on "asbestos, asbestosis, and cancer" was convened in Helsinki in 1997 (2) and consisted of 19 participants from eight countries. This meeting had the goal to "discuss disorders in association with asbestos and agree upon state of the art criteria for diagnosis and attribution with respect to asbestos". In addition, questions concerning the surveillance of asbestos-exposed workers were discussed. The resulting consensus report was titled "Asbestos, asbestosis, and cancer: the Helsinki criteria for diagnosis and attribution" (in the current report a shorter name "Helsinki criteria" or just "criteria" will be used). A follow-up expert meeting on new advances in radiology and screening of asbestos-related diseases was organized in 2000 in Helsinki (3).This report summarizes the results of a project, organized by the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health (FIOH), to update the 1997 and 2000 Helsinki criteria documents in view of the new advances in research. It presents the conclusions of a meeting on 10-13 February 2014 in Espoo, Finland, among an international group of experts working to update the criteria.Recommendations from the Helsinki criteria of 1997In the following, recommendations from the Helsinki criteria document of 1997 (and for radiology 2000) are quoted together with commentary by the authors.General considerations"In general, reliable work histories provide the most practical and useful measure of occupational asbestos exposure". "Using structured questionnaires and checklists, trained interviewers can identify persons who have a work history compatible with significant asbestos exposure." "A cumulative fibre dose expressed as fibreyears per cubic centimetre, is an important parametre of asbestos exposure.""Analysis of lung tissue for asbestos fibres and asbestos bodies can provide data to supplement the occupational history.""For clinical purposes, the following guidelines are recommended to identify persons with a high probability of exposure to asbestos dust:* over 0.1 million amphibole fibres (>5 μm) per gram of dry lung tissue or* over 1 million amphibole fibres (>1 μm) per gram of dry tissue as measured by electron microscopy in a qualified laboratory or* over 1000 asbestos bodies per gram of dry tissue (100 asbestos bodies per gram of wet tissue) or* over 1 asbestos body per millilitre of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid as measured by light microscopy in a qualified laboratory.Each laboratory should establish its own reference values."Asbestosis"Asbestosis is defined as diffuse interstitial fibrosis of the lung as a consequence of exposure to asbestos dust." It is noted that neither clinical nor histological features of asbestosis differ sufficiently from those of other causes of interstitial fibrosis to allow confident diagnosis without a history of asbestos exposure or the detection of increased levels of asbestos bodies or asbestos fibres in lung tissue."Asbestosis is generally associated with relatively high exposure levels." It is however noted that mild fibrosis may occur at lower exposure levels and that histologically detectable fibrosis can occur in situations when radiological criteria are not fulfilled."A histological diagnosis of asbestosis requires the identification of diffuse interstitial fibrosis" in technically sound lung samples "plus the presence of either 2 or more asbestos bodies in tissue with a section area of 1 cm2 or a count of uncoated asbestos fibres that falls in the range recorded for asbestosis by the same laboratory. …


On estimating gaze direction of a walking human from images captured by conventional surveillance cameras, his/her head and eyes region in the images are not very helpful; they are usually low resolution, and often hidden by self-occlusion. Way of walking, on the other hand, is more easy to observe because it looks much larger in the images, and is expected to be influenced by gaze direction. Considering this, we analyze the relation between gaze direction and gait by putting multiple motion sensors on his/her body. From the analysis we find arm swing is affected by gaze direction, and this fact supports the possibility of gaze direction estimation from the way of walking.


Reading the Symptom is concerned with naturalism; it is also necessarily concerned with capitalism as the complex-structuring whole within which naturalism operates and from which it cannot be disengaged. Tightly connected with this polemic assertion is a methodological proposition: naturalism - and by extension capitalism - is characterized not only by its logic, but also by its asymmetrical dynamism. Focusing on Frank Norris's McTeague (and its companion piece Vandover and the Brute) and Theodore Dreiser's Sister Carrie, this study argues that naturalism puts into question the very system it exemplifies. Naturalism has a transgressive element at its core, the appreciation of which calls for a special attention to the role and consequence of the emergent, the aleatory, and the stochastic. To explore the interplay between the systematic and the asystematic is not only to come to the conclusion that naturalism is an open, creative system, but also to realize that uneven development is the basic law of social formations.


The number of used b values and the b values themselves prolong scan time. Longer scan time deprives patient tolerance, increase more possibility of involuntary movement, and thus limits the application value of IVIM technology. Therefore, we aimed to explore the optimal scheme of rFOV DW imaging with multiple b-values. We found no significant difference of mean ADC, D* and f values but mean D value in our patients between two different b-value schemes, suggesting optimized b-value setting was appropriate in diagnosis of cervical cancer especially for cervical squamous carcinoma.


We used magnetic resonance imaging to map the human lateral geniculate body. The optimal imaging plane was determined by obtaining axial and coronal scans in two normal brains obtained at autopsy. The brain specimens were then sectioned and individual slices were compared with matching magnetic resonance images. After the lateral geniculate body was identified using this correlative anatomic approach, the nucleus was imaged in four normal subjects.


Local productive arrangements (LPAs) are important options for the implementation of job-creating public policies and income in a sustainable way. In Brazil, such policies to encourage organizations, although recent, has become consistent and the results of its implementation can already be perceived. This work consisted in analyzing the performance of the Development Company of the Sao Francisco and Parnaiba (Codevasf) in the local productive arrangement of fish farming in the municipality of Sobradinho/BA. Through documentary research in the database of the 6th Regional Superintendency and interviews with engineers Unit of the Regional Revitalization Management - Territorial Development Unit of the institution, arrangement of characteristics and the benefits for the participants and the local population were raised. As results, it was found that after the company's participation in LPAs was a considerable increase in production, marketing and consumption of fish as well as the creation of new job opportunities in the region.


Rotational heat pipes (RHPs) with a trigonal cross section was recently proposed by Lee et al. Inside the tube of these RHPs the condensate liquid film flows down the wall in the direction vertical to the tube axis due to centrifugal force and then the liquid returns to the evaporator along the edges. The Nusselt analysis model of laminar film condensation was applied and the solutions were compared with the experimental data. Concerning about the Nu vs Re the same relation was obtained as that for vertical plate except the length scale. The thickness of condensate film was found to be uniform along the surface due to increasing centrifugal force with surface length for a given heat flux and rotational speed.


Historical watermark recognition is a highly practical, yet unsolved challenge for archivists and historians. With a large number of well-defined classes, cluttered and noisy samples, different types of representations, both subtle differences between classes and high intra-class variation, historical watermarks are also challenging for pattern recognition. In this paper, overcoming the difficulty of data collection, we present a large public dataset with more than 6k new photographs, allowing for the first time to tackle at scale the scenarios of practical interest for scholars: one-shot instance recognition and cross-domain one-shot instance recognition amongst more than 16k fine-grained classes. We demonstrate that this new dataset is large enough to train modern deep learning approaches, and show that standard methods can be improved considerably by using mid-level deep features. More precisely, we design both a matching score and a feature fine-tuning strategy based on filtering local matches using spatial consistency. This consistency-based approach provides important performance boost compared to strong baselines. Our model achieves 55% top-1 accuracy on our very challenging 16,753-class one-shot cross-domain recognition task, each class described by a single drawing from the classic Briquet catalog. In addition to watermark classification, we show our approach provides promising results on fine-grained sketch-based image retrieval.


The image of Muslims in Western media has always been systematically tainted by virulent stereotypes, vituperating ideologies, and fallacious (mis)representations that manifestly echo how power relations regulate Western media's political agenda. Despite intermittent calls for inter-faith and civilization dialogue, orientalist and discursive practices about Muslims still persist which undeniably confirm that Eurocentrism is still haunting Western consciousness, exacerbating further the cultural and epistemological gap between East and West. The process of othering Muslims through Western media texts, narratives, and cartoons is blatant evidence of Western hegemony that seeks to freeze the Orient/Muslims in a permanent state of lethargy and disseminate Western assumed superiority. Western consciousness has been structured to internalize and normalize the superiority and the centeredness of the West, relegating at the same time the Orient to a peripheral position. In this context, the recent event of the FIFA World Cup 2022 held in Qatar is groundbreaking evidence of the continuity of Orientalism. Qatar, the Arab and Muslim nation, has been the target of a vitriolic Western campaign that churns out the same colonial stereotypes about the Orient, being represented as the land of desert corruption, ignorance and uncouthness, hence unfit for Western standards of democracy and human rights. It is, therefore, morally incumbent on the West only to hold such a prestigious event as the World Cup! It is the West's duty to civilize the backward other! The echo of the infamous "mission civilisatrice" is still looming over! This paper seeks, therefore, through a postcolonial perspective, to expose, analyze, and debunk Western media discourse/campaign on Qatar World Cup by delving into selected samples of newspaper articles and cartoons.


This study aims to determine the effect of leadership, work environment, on employee performance with job satisfaction as an intervening variable (mediating) on the effect of job satisfaction in mediating leadership and work environment on employee performance at PT. BPR Bank Daerah Bangli (Local Bank in Bangli Regency). This research is quantitative descriptive. The sampling technique in this study used a non-probability sampling method with a saturated sample technique. By using a sample of 65 employees of PT. BPR Bank Daerah Bangli (Local Bank in Bangli Regency). The data analysis technique used is analysis using the PLS (Partial Least Square) examination method. The results showed that Leadership has a significant positive effect on employee satisfaction. The work environment has a significant positive effect on employee job satisfaction. Leadership has a significant negative effect on employee performance. This means that an increase in leadership within the company will result in a decrease in the level of employee performance. The work environment has a positive and significant effect on employee performance. Job satisfaction has a positive but not significant effect on employee performance. Job satisfaction does not mediate the influence of leadership on employee performance, Job satisfaction does not mediate the effect of the work environment on employee performance.


Evidence from many sources suggests that similar phenotypes are begotten by functionally related genes. This is most obvious in the case of genetically heterogeneous diseases such as Fanconi anemia, Bardet‐Biedl or Usher syndrome, where the various genes work together in a single biological module. Such modules can be a multiprotein complex, a pathway, or a single cellular or subcellular organelle. This observation suggests a number of hypotheses about the human phenome that are now beginning to be explored. First, there is now good evidence from bioinformatic analyses that human genetic diseases can be clustered on the basis of their phenotypic similarities and that such a clustering represents true biological relationships of the genes involved. Second, one may use such phenotypic similarity to predict and then test for the contribution of apparently unrelated genes to the same functional module. This concept is now being systematically tested for several diseases. Most recently, a systematic yeast two‐hybrid screen of all known genes for inherited ataxias indicated that they all form part of a single extended protein–protein interaction network. Third, one can use bioinformatics to make predictions about new genes for diseases that form part of the same phenotype cluster. This is done by starting from the known disease genes and then searching for genes that share one or more functional attributes such as gene expression pattern, coevolution, or gene ontology. Ultimately, one may expect that a modular view of disease genes should help the rapid identification of additional disease genes for multifactorial diseases once the first few contributing genes (or environmental factors) have been reliably identified.


Image Captioning is a fundamental task to join vision and language, concerning about cross-modal understanding and text generation. Recent years witness the emerging attention on image captioning. Most of existing works follow a traditional two-stage training paradigm. Before training the captioning models, an extra object detector is utilized to recognize the objects in the image at first. However, they require sizeable datasets with fine-grained object annotation for training the object detector, which is a daunting task. In addition, the errors of the object detectors are easy to propagate to the following captioning models, degenerating models' performance. To alleviate such defects, we propose a frustratingly simple but highly effective end-to-end image captioning framework, Visual Conditioned GPT (VC-GPT), by connecting the pre-trained visual encoder (CLIP-ViT) and language decoder (GPT2). Different from the vanilla connection method that directly inserts the cross-attention modules into GPT2, we come up with a self-ensemble cross-modal fusion mechanism that comprehensively considers both the single- and cross-modal knowledge. As a result, we do not need extra object detectors for model training. Experimental results conducted on three popular image captioning benchmarks (MSCOCO, Flickr30k and NoCaps) demonstrate that our VC-GPT achieves either the best or the second-best performance across all evaluation metrics over extensive baseline systems.


This paper describes a phase-locked loop (PLL) designed for clock multiplication in a LVDS transmitter. The PLL consists of a novel low-jitter charge-pump, a fully differential ring-oscillator based VCO, a dynamic-logic PFD, a 2nd order passive loop filter and a digital frequency divider. The PLL exhibits simultaneously low jitter and low power consumption. It has been integrated into a 0.35 mum CMOS process, occupying 0.09 mm2 of silicon area. For a 350 MHz output frequency, the circuit features a cycle-to-cycle jitter of 7.1 ps rms and 65 ps peak-to-peak. At that frequency, the PLL consumes 12 mW from a supply voltage of 3.3 V


BBC Arts television broadcast. Released April 2014. Considers Henry V's political and military ambitions, the spy he sent to Scotland, and the chronicle and maps produced as a result of the espionage during the Wars of the Roses.


European borders are being transformed into digital borders. The ambition behind the European information systems ‐ like the Schengen Information System and Eurodac ‐ is to establish a single Union information system to control the flux of migrants. We show that in this process information technology is not a neutral tool to reach established goals but that it is 'greedy'. This greediness indicates the distorting potential of information technology regarding the means-end logic. Our analysis suggests that the European migration policy is stuck in a 'digital fix', i.e. a technological fix focusing on ICT. We identify three political issues concerning greedy information technology within the context of the European migration policy. The first issue concerns the democratic control on information systems. The second issue discusses the weak legal position of immigrants. The third issue inquires into the effectiveness of information systems as a policy instrument.


Segmentation is a very important step in medical image processing. The mathematical morphology is very suitable for the pretreatment and segmentation of medical images, which present rich information content. In this work we presented a segmentation paradigm by Watershed preceded by a filtering to eliminate insignificant minima, a marking to remove unmarked minima, and finally we implemented a hierarchical segmentation using the mosaic image of the original image. In principle, watershed segmentation depends on ridges to perform a proper segmentation, a property that is often fulfilled in contour detection where the boundaries of the objects are expressed as ridges. Watershed is normally implemented by region growing, based on a set of markers to avoid over segmentation. The diversity of segmentation offers us several ways to segment the image, always we must look for the right method to get good results.


A new O( N ) algorithm based on a recursion method, in which the computational effort is proportional to the number of atoms N , is presented for calculating the inverse of an overlap matrix which is needed in electronic structure calculations with the the non-orthogonal localized basis set. This efficient inverting method can be incorporated in several O( N ) methods for diagonalization of a generalized secular equation. By studying convergence properties of the 1-norm of an error matrix for diamond and fcc Al, this method is compared to three other O( N ) methods (the divide method, Taylor expansion method, and Hotelling's method) with regard to computational accuracy and efficiency within the density functional theory. The test calculations show that the new method is about one-hundred times faster than the divide method in computational time to achieve the same convergence for both diamond and fcc Al, while the Taylor expansion method and Hotelling's method suffer from numerical instabilities in most cases.


The features of respiratory noises and noises of fins for open-circuit scuba divers, indicating a multipole character of noises emission, are specified in cameral conditions. It demonstrates a possibility to detect low-frequency components of noises of fins with pressure gradient sensor in near field. A possibility of estimating the respiratory rate of an open-circuit scuba diver is demonstrated at distances up to 100 m in real sea. It gives an opportunity of estimating the bearing (time delay in a pair of hydrophones) for the open-circuit scuba diver by respiratory noises at distances up to 150 m in real sea. Thus, low-frequency underwater noises of open-circuit scuba divers may be successfully applied to monitor the safety of diving and to prevent waterside intrusion by trespassers.


Denture fabrication involves a number of complex operations that have an effect on reproduction accuracy during each step of the process. Traditionally, metal patterns act as the standard for the mechanical properties of the main materials used in denture making. This means that doubts still remain in cases where the mucous membrane, with its complex configurations, is the object of investigation. The non-contact measuring instrument using laser light (known hereafter as "measuring instrument") enabled measuring small configurations. The measuring instrument enabled measurement of physical configurations that up to now were considered impossible to measure. The fabrication process up to creation of a denture base with the mucous membrane as the basic pattern was divided into four steps for measurement: mucous membrane, impression material, plaster and resin. The measuring device simultaneously carried out qualitative and quantitative analysis in three dimensions for all steps. Processing of test materials was unnecessary so that measurements could be accomplished in a very short time. Measurements revealed a variety of features, including those that are not affected by the physical properties of the materials for measurement. It was also possible to systematically investigate the various changes that take place during denture fabrication with the mucous membrane acting as the basic pattern. The following results were obtained: 1. The experiment confirmed possible application in dentistry of a non-contact device that uses laser light to measure extremely small configurations. 2. Results hint at the possibility of quantitative measurement of objects that cannot be directly measured with conventional methods. 3. During fabrication of dentures, it is very easy for changes in the total configuration to occur when taking impressions. Minute changes in the configuration occur on the surface when taking the plaster cast. During the final stage of the resin base, the tiny configurations became flat and resembled the configuration of the impression more than the original configuration of the mucous membrane.


The operative risk and results of reoperations in patients with long-standing atherosclerotic vein grafts are not well-known. We have had 38 such patients among our last 102 cases of repeated revascularization procedure (37.2%). Six out of those 38 patients were operated taking special measures to avoid atheromatous material displacement and they were compared to the remaining 32 operated on in a conventional way. In addition, all patients, as a group, were compared to another 64 patients undergoing the same procedure in the same time interval but presenting either healthy or occluded grafts. Perioperative myocardial infarction was specially studied. It was more frequent in those with atherosclerotic grafts (23.7 % versus 9.4%) and, among them, in those operated on in a conventional way (25% versus 16.7%). Operative mortality was also higher in the same groups: 13.2% versus 3.1% for atherosclerotic versus non atherosclerotic graft carriers and 15.6% versus none of those operated on in a conventional way versus those in whom special measures were taken. The late results so far are also suboptimal in the same risk groups, although a mean follow-up of 6 months is too brief a period of time. We can therefore conclude that patients with patent atherosclerotic vein grafts have a higher operative risk and worse long-term results, mainly related to a greater perioperative myocardial infarction rate. Special measures to avoid the latter event are warranted.


Introduction: 1,7% of the population of Latvia in 2008 was HCV RNA positive, thus approximately 38 thousands required the CHC antiviral therapy. The objective of the study was to evaluate some biochemical and immunogenetic parameters allowing predicting the efficacy of the etiotropic therapy for CHC patients. Material and methods: Medical records of 213 CHC patients were analyzed. HCV RNA, anti-HCV, concentration of HA, GGT activity were detected and immunogenetic investigations were performed. Results and discussion: Evaluation of GGT activity showed increase in 46,81% of non-responders and in only 21,57% responders. HA level in responders was significantly lower than in non-responders. Correlation between the incidence of HLA class II gene alleles in CHC patients and the type of CHC therapy was found. The results of the study confirmed the hypothesis that some biochemical and immunogenetic parameters characterizing the condition of the macro organism had an essential role in the efficacy of the CHC therapy. Conclusions: The non-efficacy of the CHC etiotropic therapy was associated with increased GGT and HA levels upon the start of the therapy. The efficacy of PEG IFN+RBV combination therapy in comparison with the efficacy of Realdiron therapy was associated with different MHC HLA class II gene alleles.


Both biochemical and genetic evidence have implicated the genes for TNF-alpha (TNFA) and lymphotoxin-alpha (LTA) in atopic asthma. Here, we report for the first time the association of their genotypes and haplotypes with atopic asthma in Indian populations. We genotyped seven single nucleotide polymorphisms, encompassing the two genes, in patients and control subjects in two independent cohorts. Serum TNF-alpha levels of selected individuals were measured and correlated with genotypes and haplotypes. The A allele of the TNFA-863C > A polymorphism was associated with reduced risk of asthma (P = 0.002 and 0.007 in Cohorts A and B, respectively), reduced TsIgE levels (P = 0.0024 and P = 0.0029 in Cohorts A and B, respectively), and reduced serum TNF-alpha levels (P < 0.05). A marginal association was also observed for LTA_NcoI polymorphism with asthma and TsIgE levels. Furthermore, analysis using HAPLO. STATS showed significant differences in the major haplotype frequencies (> 3%) between patients and control subjects (P = 0.002 and P = 0.006 for Cohorts A and B, respectively). Individually, the haplotype GATCCG was the most frequent in patients (P = 0.0029 and P = 0.0025 for Cohorts A and B, respectively), and was associated with high TsIgE and serum TNF-alpha levels, whereas AACACG was the most frequent in the control subjects (P = 0.0032 and P = 0.022 for Cohorts A and B, respectively), and was associated with low TsIgE and serum TNF-alpha levels. We also report here that the C > A substitution at position -863 of the TNFA influences the binding of nuclear proteins in electrophoretic mobility shift assay experiments. Thus, the TNFA-863C > A polymorphism in the promoter region of TNFA may influence TNF-alpha expression and affect TsIgE levels and susceptibility to asthma.


End_Page 484------------------------------Three distinct carbonate deposits have been identified on the slope and adjacent sea floor of the Southwestern Florida platform: (1) reef talus, recognized by shape and location, found on the upper slope of the Yucatan Channel and also east of the Marquesas Keys; (2) hemipelagic sediments, with complex sigmoid-oblique bed forms, filling the intervening gap between the channel and Keys and forming two lobes on the floor of the northern Florida Straits; and (3) turbidite deposits, with chaotic internal bed forms, covering siliciclastic Mississippi fan sediments at the base of the canyons in the Florida escarpment. The source of the talus, eroded and transported during the many storms which frequent the region, is the reef complexes which have formed on the platform rim. The sediment of he other two deposits is of foraminiferal tests, produced in nutrient-rich waters at the shelf edge. This sediment is deposited on the outer shelf and is vigorously transported southward as evidenced by 5 m (16 ft) high asymmetric sand waves. Geophysical, geochemical, and sedimentological data suggest that the spatial relationships of these deposits are related to sea level variations. During extreme lowstands, with much of the shelf exposed, the dominant sedimentation is siliciclastic deposition on the abyssal floor, and slope talus development at the edge of the shelf. During a subsequent rise in sea level, after carbonate production on the shelf is initiated, sediment is transported southward to the head of the canyons and funneled to the abyssal floor. Subsequent rising sea level shifts the axis of transport farther on the shelf, bypassing the canyons and funneling the sediment through breaks in the carbonate reef-banks at the southern edge of the platform. At the sites of both the hemipelagic and the turbidite deposit on, high-resolution seismic data indicate that at least three cycles of deposition have occurred. In the abyss, this cyclic nature has produced alternating layers of carbonate and noncarbonate sediments, recognizable in the sedimentary record as chaotic limestone units interlayered with fine shales. The hemipelagic deposits would be almost indistinguishable in the geologic record from deep sea foraminiferal oozes. End_of_Article - Last_Page 485------------


Early childhood is a population that is considered weak and needs adults' help when an earthquake or tsunami occurs. Early age is the golden age, which is the basis for the formation of personality and independence of children in living their lives. This research is a part of the development of disaster mitigation learning models for early childhood. The development of Disaster Alert Kindergarten Watching Learning Model in the context of providing disaster mitigation education to early children is an adoption and the development of the Town Watching Method. The town Watching Method was introduced by Prof. Dr. Ogawa Yujiro in Town Watching for Disaster Prevention Guidebook at Fuji Tokoha University in the 2010. The initial stage of the development disaster mitigation education models to early children is a stage of defining and designing the model. The definition of this model begins by analyzing the needs and characteristics of early children and the geographical environment of the targeted school, then analyzing the 2013 PAUD Curriculum to determine the indicators that can be raised in the learning model of the kindergarten watching. The analysis of these indicators results teaching materials for disaster mitigation learning models for children. This teaching materials are compiled as a benchmark for determining the age of the children that is suitable for providing disaster mitigation material that has been designed. After defining the model, the disaster mitigation learning media to early children is designed. This designing takes eight months, which is five months for designing the animated films and three months for creating the media appearance. To test the suitability and feasibility of the media to early children, a media feasibility analysis was carried out through a focus on discussion groups with 15 PAUD teachers in the TK Negeri Lamjabat of Banda Aceh. After correcting the model implementation plan according to the input of the FGD results, an initial trial of the use of the model was carried out before testing the model in a small environment. This article tells about the implementation of disaster alert kindergarten watching learning models in providing self-rescue knowledge and skills for children. The aim is to reduce disaster risk in the early childhood population


Toxic nodular goiter is a rare entity in end-stage renal disaese (ESRD) patients. In ESRD patients, hypothyroidism is generally seen, whereas hyperthyroidism is rare. Treatment with radioactive iodine (RAI) may be necessary for hyperthyroidism in patients with end-stage renal disease who require haemodialysis. Because RAI is cleared mainly by the kidneys in patients with normal renal function, many problems may (issues) arise in patients who are on hemodialysis but require RAI treatment. We present an ESRD patient with hyperthyroidism who is receiving hemodialysis treated with radioiodine therapy.


A recent convergence of clinical and epidemiological evidence suggests that hyperinsulinemia associated with obesity and type 2 diabetes leads to higher incidence and poor outcome of breast cancer (BC). To probe the role of insulin signaling in BC, we created the MMTV-driven polyoma middle T BC model mice with an inducible mammary epithelium-specific deletion of the insulin receptor (INSR). Deletion of INSR in the mammary gland considerably reduced the mammary tumour burden in the INSR knockout mice as compared to the INSR wildtype controls, without affecting the tumour onset. The average weight of individual tumours was similar across the genotypes, suggesting that deletion of INSR affected the tumour initiation potential of the epithelial cells rather than tumour growth. Deletion of INSR also affected the metastasis of mammary tumours to the lung, with the INSR knockout mice presenting with half the number of metastases compared to the INSR wildtype controls. Our ongoing efforts are focused on mapping the signaling events downstream of the INSR that govern tumour initiation and metastasis in our mice, as well as modeling the impact of obesity on tumors in this model system, with the ultimate goal of identifying the role of INSR signaling in BC development and progression. Citation Format: Yekaterina Poloz, Samar Mouaaz, Sonya Lam, Vuk Stambolic. Insulin receptor signaling contributes to mammary tumorigenesis in mice. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 664.


alpha-Chloralose is a commonly used anesthetic agent in cardiovascular research despite a paucity of information whether it may have important pharmacologic interaction with subsequently given adrenergic drugs. To assess any potential pharmacologic interaction, we studied the cardiovascular response to beta-adrenergic receptor antagonism (propranolol, 1 mg/kg i.v.) after either chloralose (30 mg/kg i.v.) or saline control in paired studies in 10 chronically instrumented neonatal lambs. Chloralose increased heart rate by 46% as compared to control (283 +/- 37 vs. 194 +/- 48 beats/min, p = 0.0002) and had no significant effect on cardiac output; chloralose also increased mean pulmonary arterial pressure by 45% (27 +/- 13 vs. 19 +/- 6 mm Hg, p = 0.050) and pulmonary vascular resistance by 79% (0.211 +/- 0.13 vs. 0.118 +/- 0.04 mm Hg/ml/kg/min, p = 0.050). The group pretreated with chloralose had significantly elevated heart rate (186 +/- 23 vs. 157 +/- 31 beats/min, p = 0.03), mean pulmonary arterial pressure (29 +/- 9 vs. 22 +/- 6 mm Hg, p = 0.03) and pulmonary vascular resistance (0.228 +/- 0.13 vs. 0.130 +/- 0.05 mm Hg/ml/kg/min, p = 0.05) after propranolol as compared to the conscious saline-treated group. We conclude that pretreatment with chloralose as an anesthetic agent may produce important pharmacologic interaction with subsequent adrenergic drugs in neonatal lambs. While anesthesia may be necessary in animal research, investigators should be aware that the anesthetic agent may also qualitatively and quantitatively influence measured outcome variables.


The high level of complexity that is a compulsory result of the complex plan schemes worsens the perception and usage of locations. It was attempted in this research to determine the effects of education in architecture and spatial experience on the spatial complexity and the evaluations of the perception performance in the education buildings that have a high level of complexity. The research included the Selcuk University, Faculty of Engineering and Architecture Building and the students using this building. The subjects were asked about usage of the location and their spatial perception performance. Experiments were made on their recollection levels of the locations they use. Statistical analyses and reliability tests were made on the data obtained. Consequently, it was determined that training of the students did not cause a statistically significant variety in their perception of the buildings with a high level of complexity. The buildings evaluated as complex were then evaluated as simpler through an increase in experience.


OBJECTIVE:To determine the effect of 1-yr lamivudine treatment on serum covalently closed-circular DNA (cccDNA) level.PATIENTS AND METHOD:Serum total HBV DNA and cccDNA levels at baseline, week 24, and week 52 were measured in 82 lamivudine-treated patients, 17 of whom received 1-yr placebo and acted as controls.RESULTS:There was a significant reduction in the cccDNA levels from baseline (median 3.0 × 106 copies/ml) to week 24 (33,476 copies/ml) and week 52 (48,694 copies/ml) (p < 0.001 for both). The median reduction in cccDNA level at week 24 and 52 were 2.21 and 2.12 logs, respectively, which were significantly greater than those of controls (0.31 log, p < 0.001; 0.2 log, p < 0.001, respectively). Fifteen patients (18.3%) developed YMDD mutations by week 52. Compared to patients without YMDD mutations, patients with YMDD mutations had significantly less median reduction of total HBV DNA level (4.44 vs 3.65 logs, respectively, p = 0.02) and cccDNA level (2.27 vs 1.65 logs, respectively, p = 0.016) at week 24 and significantly less median reduction of cccDNA at week 52 (2.35 vs 0.8 logs respectively, p < 0.001).CONCLUSIONS:One-year lamivudine treatment decreased serum cccDNA level by 2 logs. The chance of YMDD mutations at week 52 was related to the magnitude of viral suppression at week 24.


The very high strengths that have been reported for nanoporous gold may be related to strain gradients within the deforming porous microstructure. We present a mechanism-based model for the strength of nanoporous foams that is derived from conventional models for the deformation of macroscopic foams and now includes the influence of strain gradients. This model predicts that the strength of the ligaments within the nanoporous gold is proportional to the ligament diameter raised to the power -0.5. We have used the model to analyze experimental data for the strength of nanoporous gold and find excellent agreement with published data.


Metabolism and metabolic processes have long been considered to shape the tumour immunosuppressive microenvironment. Recent research has demonstrated that T regulatory cells (Tregs) display high rates of fatty acid oxidation (FAO) and a relatively low rate of glycolysis. Sphingosine 1‐phosphate (S1P), which is a G protein signalling activator involved in immune regulation and FAO modulation, has been implicated in Treg differentiation. However, the precise relation between Treg differentiation and S1P remains unclear. In this study, we isolated naïve CD4+ T cells from the spleens of 6–8‐week‐old BALB/c mice using magnetic bead sorting, which was used in our study for Treg differentiation. S1P stimulation was performed during Treg differentiation. We examined the oxygen consumption and palmitic acid metabolism of the differentiated Tregs and evaluated the expression levels of various proteins, including Nrf2, CPT1A, Glut1, ACC1 and PPARα, through Western blotting. Our results demonstrate that S1P promotes Treg differentiation and enhances FAO, and that the expression of nuclear factor (erythroid‐derived 2)‐like 2 (Nrf2) and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor α (PPARα) is upregulated. Furthermore, Nrf2 or PPARα knockdown dampened the Treg differentiation and FAO that were promoted by S1P, confirming that S1P can bind with S1PR4 to promote Treg differentiation through the Nrf2/PPARα signalling pathway, which may be related to FAO facilitation.


Contemporary positron emission tomography (PET) scanners are commonly implemented with very large scale integration analog front-end electronics to reduce power consumption, space, noise, and cost. Analog processing yields excellent results in dedicated applications, but offers little flexibility for sophisticated signal processing or for more accurate measurements with newer, fast scintillation crystals. Design goals of the new Sherbrooke PET/computed tomography (CT) scanner are: 1) to achieve 1 mm resolution in both emission (PET) and transmission (CT) imaging using the same detector channels; 2) to be able to count and discriminate individual X-ray photons in CT mode. These requirements can be better met by sampling the analog signal from each individual detector channel as early as possible, using off-the-shelf, 8-b, 100-MHz, high-speed analog-to-digital converters (ADC) and digital processing in field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs). The core of the processing units consists of Xilinx SpartanIIe that can hold up to 16 individual channels. The initial architecture is designed for 1024 channels, but modularity allows extending the system up to 10 K channels or more. This parallel architecture supports count rates in excess of a million hits/s/scintillator in CT mode and up to 100 K events/s/scintillator in PET mode, with a coincidence time window of less than 10 ns full-width at half-maximum.


Abstract The Topeka shiner (Notropis topeka) is a small native cyprinid species that has declined throughout its range in the Central Great Plains Region of the United States. Declines of the species have been associated with numerous factors including water quality, physical habitat alteration and predation. The N. topeka occurs in the Moniteau Creek Watershed of Cooper and Moniteau Counties of Central Missouri. We studied the Moniteau Creek population of N. topeka over a 1 y period to identify the primary physical, chemical and biological factors associated with population distributions. Fish community composition, water quality data and physical habitat variables were collected at 20 sites distributed across 8 sub-watersheds. Notropis topeka were collected at 8 of the 20 locations; 3 of these sites represent a recent within-watershed range expansion. Notropis topeka were confined to upper reaches of the sub-watersheds in areas typified by relatively high gradient and coarse substrate conditions. Water quality was significantly influenced by both precipitation and locations of sub-watersheds. Although there were isolated sub-watersheds with anthropogenic water quality impacts, we did not detect any relationships between water quality conditions and N. topeka distributions. Collectively, the data indicated that the Moniteau Creek Watershed contains a relatively stable population of N. topeka associated with good water quality and habitat conditions. This study provides baseline data that can be used to identify other watersheds where rehabilitation efforts are most likely to be successful.


Abstract The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the first radioactive iodine (131I) therapy on functions of salivary glands in patients with differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC). There were 36 consented patients with DTC enrolled in this study, who received 3.7 GBq (100mCi) 131I for ablation after total thyroidectomy. Salivary gland function was assessed using salivary gland scintigraphy in two phases, one 4 hours before and the other 6 months after 131I therapy (both under thyrotropin stimulation condition). Quantitative parameters including uptake fraction (UF), uptake index (UI), excretion fraction (EF), and excretion ratio (ER) were measured and compared. Blood parameters were also compared. Associations between sex and outcome of the first 131I therapy as well as individual salivary gland function were measured. Wilcoxon Signed Rank Sum test and &khgr;2 test were used for statistical analysis. When compared between pre-ablation and post-ablation, UF of bilateral parotid and submandibular glands were significantly increased (all P < .01). UI of both submandibular glands were significantly increased (P < .05). This seemingly increased uptake function after the first 131I therapy was actually compensatory mechanism of salivary gland, which indicated a possible intermediate state after radiation. But salivary glands' secretory function had not changed significantly except for left submandibular gland; we demonstrated that only left submandibular gland showed significantly decreased ER (P < .05). Thyroglobulin and thyroglobulin antibody significantly decreased after 131I therapy (P < .05). There were no sex differences on therapeutic outcome and salivary gland dysfunctions after the first 131I therapy. Salivary gland of both males and females could be affected by 131I therapy. The first 131I ablative therapy may impair the salivary uptake and secretory function of patients with DTC. There was no association between sex and salivary gland dysfunction.


The domination of the news media by the political sphere in Hungary is continuously debated in public and scientific discourses. The issue of migration has resurfaced on the Hungarian political and media agenda following the refugee crisis of 2015. The first part of the paper offers a theoretical overview of frame analysis. Framing refers to making an aspect of an issue salient, thus suggesting a certain interpretation and evaluation of the issue. In the second part, the methodology of frame analysis is used to explore representations of refugees and migrants in two parliamentary speeches of the Hungarian Prime Minister and three online media outlets of different political orientations (Hirado, Index, Origo) in September and November 2015. The results show that the PM framed the issue as a symbolic threat and political conflict, while the media emphasized realistic threats, the politically divided and humanitarian aspect of migration. The article highlights some of the instances where the media does not follow the political discourse.


Political change in the Soviet Union never seemed more likely than in the period of "glasnost" and "perestroika." "The Soviet Union: 1917-1991" examines some of the less well explored areas of Soviet political and economic life to develop a feasible set of alternatives for future Soviet development and to establish which ones the system is predisposed to select. Katsenelinboigen takes on these difficult questions. Is it wise to develop "glasnost" in ways that allow masses to participate in the solution of strategic national problems? Can Soviet military expenses be reduced only to direct ones or is the whole Soviet economy military oriented? What explains widespread corruption among Soviet officials? Can market institutions be introduced into the Soviet economy, and if so, how is this best accomplished? Rather than focusing on a single dimension, such as authoritarianism versus democracy, his analysis incorporates multidimensional perspectives (among them, pluralism, division of powers and openness participation of competent and responsible people in decision making) which permit a more precise understanding of the limits of present options and allow him to develop new policy prospects. Although this book is about the Soviet Union, the approaches Katsenelinboigen uses have application in other contexts. His discussion of inflation for example and why it is found in planned as well as market economies has important implications for many developing countries. It will be of interest to those who seek a new perspective on events in the Soviet Union, as well as specialists in international relations, political science, and economics.


On 21 March 2018, AU leaders met in Rwanda to finalise the signing of a new trade agreement creating the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The inauguration of the AfCFTA reflects a milestone for future continental unity, regional integration and deeper economic ties. However, questions remain as to whether African leaders will be able to successfully implement the free trade area, especially given that a lack of political will, technical expertise amongst relevant stakeholders and financial constraints have plagued most continental and regional efforts towards deeper intraAfrican trade thus far. This paper provides a snapshot of the negotiations that preceded the signing of the AfCFTA and examines the status of the AfCFTA as African governments move forward in their goal to establish a continent-wide free trade area. It identifies some of the benefits that should flow from a successfully implemented AfCFTA, while also examining some of the difficulties that might hinder or slow down its implementation. In addition, the paper identifies potential blind spots that could hinder deeper regional integration and trade facilitation efforts across Africa.


Initiation of a thymus-dependent humoral immune response requires interaction of activated B cells and follicular B helper T (Tfh) cells, a specialized subset of CD4 T cells. Differentiation of Tfh cells results in their localization to the B-cell follicle and germinal center (GC) of secondary lymphoid organs and expression of the transcription factor Bcl6. Here we show Tfh cells differentiate further within the follicle and GC, with development of discrete subsets that regulate distinct aspects of B-cell maturation. Using mice expressing reporter genes for IL-21 and IL-4, we found that Tfh cells initially produce IL-21 mRNA and protein and support selection of high-affinity B cell mutations. Gradually, Tfh cells began to produce IL-4 and while ceasing production of IL-21, and demonstrated the ability to induce class-switch recombination and development of antibody-secreting cells. These changes in phenotype and function occurred as these Tfh21- and Tfh4-subsets exhibited differences in global gene expression as well as localization within the GC. These data support a model in which ongoing Tfh-cell differentiation orchestrates the formation of an effective antibody response.


In recent years, the collection's presentation has experienced an important development in terms of display methods and theoretical and ontological reformulation. From the abandonment of the diachronic approach, to the "narrativity" of the collection's set-up, to the Carte Blanche given to artists, or the performing arts' interaction: among the main goals, there is the collection's re-thinking and the museum's enhancement, through the highlighting of its "spectacular" nature. Event strategies. On the basis of these considerations, this essay focuses on the aleatory method of presentation (based on the computer choice) and its relation to traditional exhibition approaches, as a new form of "spectacular" event. The paper studies the relationship between the new exhibition practices and the discourses of art history, alongside the analysis of historical examples. The exhibition organized by Rudy Fuchs in 1983 at the Van Abbe Museum, as well as exhibition experiences of John Cage, introduce the main case study: the cycle of homonym exhibitions, Rolywholyover (2007-2009), at the MAMCO of Geneva. These examples, by introducing the idea of random arrangement, propose a new and different gaze on the concept of Collection, which erases the implicit subjective nature of a traditional exhibition arrangement. Therefore, a (seemingly) "non-narrative" form of collection emerges, relying on the mechanical matching and the ephemeral juxtaposition of works. Considering the Collection as an "abstract" place of possible and endless exhibitions, it emerges not only the holistic nature of the art's museographic placement but also a trend in the contemporary practices of collection's presentation that chooses the new, the spectacular, the unusual.


Internet of Things (IoT) applications can be seen as network-controlled systems with a distributed architecture connecting many smart objects through the Internet. A typical IoT application aims to connect a set of nodes, capable of processing data and making decisions regarding the goal of the IoT application, with other nodes containing smart objects with robotic components to collect data from their environment. In this paper, a generic model for novel context-aware and adaptive IoT architecture is presented. A group of nodes contains a controller interface (CI) that is used to control other nodes containing a controller unit (CU) which communicates randomly. CU nodes have complex control systems comprising both actuators and sensors, however CI nodes typically do not have detailed knowledge of such individual functionalities. Instead, at run time, control program logic (CPL) is downloaded by the CI to facilitate control and communication. The system also allows for different CPLs for any particular CU. In such an open and adaptive IoT environment, an architecture is required that can provide sufficient flexibility in designing nodes while maintaining uniformity in the IoT system to allow for interoperability and reliability. Using the notion of automata, a generalized mathematical description is presented that allows modeling of the CI and CU nodes and their operation. This model can then be used to formulate and solve problems regarding the interaction between CIs and CUs. The application of this model is demonstrated through a case study involving remote access laboratories where the CI–CU model is used.


The reaction between endotoxic lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and the guinea pig complement system was shown to proceed by way of an intermediate complex, LPS-X, which contains at least six guinea pig serum proteins. LPS-X, like [unk] (sheep erythrocytes carrying antibody molecules and [unk] complexes), destroys the C3 molecule by cleavage. On incubation at 37 degrees C, LPS-X loses its capacity to destroy C3 at about the same rate as the decay of [unk], so that it has been assumed that LPS-X carries [unk] sites that are responsible for the destruction of C3. We have now shown that monospecific rabbit antiguinea pig C2, which effectively inhibits C3 cleavage by [unk], does not interfere with the destruction of C3 by LPS-X. Furthermore, not more than a trace of C2a(d) is released from LPS-X on incubation at 37 degrees C. These results indicate that LPS-X does not carry a significant quantity of [unk] and, hence, that its capacity to destroy C3 is due to another factor which is presumably a component of the properdin system.


This brief proposes an adaptive neural sliding mode control method for trajectory tracking of nonholonomic wheeled mobile robots with model uncertainties and external disturbances. The dynamic model with model uncertainties and the kinematic model represented by polar coordinates are considered to design a robust control system. Self recurrent wavelet neural networks (SRWNNs) are used for approximating arbitrary model uncertainties and external disturbances in dynamics of the mobile robot. From the Lyapunov stability theory, we derive online tuning algorithms for all weights of SRWNNs and prove that all signals of a closed-loop system are uniformly ultimately bounded. Finally, we perform computer simulations to demonstrate the robustness and performance of the proposed control system.


Economic analysis of plant species utilized for Infant and Maternal Health Care (IMHC) in Ogun State was investigated. Multi-stage sampling procedure with three stages design was adopted for this study. Data were obtained with structured questionnaire administered to two categories of respondents; plant species collectors (30); plant species traders (70) giving a sample size of 100. Descriptive and inferential statistical tools were used to analyze the data. The result showed that the mean age of categories of the respondents were 46 years and 44 years for plant species collectors and traders respectively. The two categories of respondent were literate. There were more men (93.3%) in collection activities while there are more women in the trading activities (62.86%). The sales of the plant species were profitable with an average net profit of N60,309.21 and N 58,571.09/month/respondent for plant species collectors and traders respectively. Household size and years of experience in the business significantly affect the net returns of the plants species collectors and traders at p<0.01 respectively. Improve on skill in entrepreneurship of trade in herbal sells has been suggested to promote and increase the income from the sales of the plant species.


A twin edge $k\!$-coloring of a graph $G$ is a proper edge $k$-coloring of $G$ with the elements of $\mathbb{Z}_k$ so that the induced vertex $k$-coloring, in which the color of a vertex $v$ in $G$ is the sum in $\mathbb{Z}_k$ of the colors of the edges incident with $v,$ is a proper vertex $k\!$-coloring. The minimum $k$ for which $G$ has a twin edge $k\!$-coloring is called the twin chromatic index of $G.$ Twin chromatic index of the square $P_n^2,$ $n\ge 4,$ and the square $C_n^2,$ $n\ge 6,$ are determined. In fact, the twin chromatic index of the square $C_7^2$ is $\Delta+2,$ where $\Delta$ is the maximum degree. Twin chromatic index of $C_m\,\Box\,P_n$ is determined, where $\Box$ denotes the Cartesian product. $C_r$ and $P_r$ are, respectively, the cycle, and the path on $r$ vertices each.


If bending and torsional moments are applied to an I-shaped beam member, the coupling of those two forces could reduce the bending moment capacity of that member. Therefore, the interaction between bending and torsional moments is an important issue for horizontally curved members that are always simultaneously subjected to bending and torsion. In this study, the behavior of the horizontally curved steel I-beam was investigated through numerical analysis. The ultimate state of sharply curved members that showed large displacement was defined in accordance with the stiffness reduction ratio to consist of strength curves. Based on the analysis results, interaction curves were established, and a strength equation was derived. The uniform torsional moment capacity, curvature, and slenderness parameters were considered in the equation, which were the main factors that affected the ultimate strength of curved members. The curvature effect was considered individually, so that the strength of the straight or curved girder could be estimated with a unified equation. To verify the accuracy of the suggested equation, experimental studies were also conducted. Consequently, the suggested equation shows very good agreement with the test results, and is expected to provide useful information for the design of curved members.


A cross sectional study was performed to evaluate the neurobehavioral effects of chronic exposure of complex organic solvents, using NCTB(Neurobehavioral Core Test Battery) recommended by WHO(World Health Organization). Forty female shoe factory workers and twenty-two controls matched with age were participated. The tests were performed in the morning before start of work, to exclude the effects of acute exposure. Workers were exposed mainly to toluene, methyl ethyl ketone, n-hexane, cyclo-hexane, dichloroethylene, trichloroethylene, benzene, xylenes etc. The ranges of present solvent exposure of hygienic effect were in the process using adhesives indirectly, and in the process using it directly. We reclassified the subjects, according to cumulative exposure. It showed significantly poorer performances in high exposed group on Santa Ana Dexterity and Benton Visual Retention, compared with control group. After controlling confounder, the significances were still remained. But, further cohort studies, having the information of personal exposure dose from entering a factory, are required to clarify the effects of chronic exposure of complex organic solvents in relation to dose and duration of exposure.


SOCIAL WORK TUCKER CHAMISE N. B.A. SPELMAN COLLEGE, 1995 EXAMINING THE EFFECTS OF INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING TREATMENT ON A DEPRESSED WOMAN WHO HAS EXPERIENCED CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE Advisor: Jerome Schlele, D.S.W. Thesis dated May, 1997 Previous research has concluded that depression is viewed as the most long-term effect of childhood sexual abuse in combination with selfdestructive behaviors, feelings of isolation, and low self-esteem. A major limitation of the previous research is that there is lack of attention given to the role interventions can play in alleviating depression among women who have experienced childhood sexual abuse (CSA). This study examined the effects of individual counseling treatment on depression in a woman who experienced childhood sexual abuse. This study sought to decrease levels of depressive episodes in a woman who had been victimized during her childhood. An A/B Single System Design was used to test the effectiveness of individual counseling treatment on depression. To collect data on depression the Costello-Comrey Depression Scale was used and administered to a woman who was recruited by the researcher. The results of the analysis showed that depression was significantly lowered during the intervention phase. Implications for research and social work practice are discussed. EXAMINING THE EFFECTS OF INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING TREATMENT ON A DEPRESSED WOMAN WHO HAS EXPERIENCED CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE


A large number of problems can be formulated as special cases of the Constraint Satisfaction Problem (CSP). In such a problem, the task specification can be formulated to consist of a set of variables, a domain for each variable and a set of constraints on these variables. A typical task is then to find an instantiation of these variables (to values in their respective domains) such that all the constraints are simultaneously satisfied. Most of the methods used to solve such problems are based on some backtracking scheme, which can be very inefficient with exponential run-time complexity for most nontrivial problems. Path consistency algorithms constitute an important class of algorithms used to simplify the search space, either before or during search, by eliminating inconsistent values from the domains of the corresponding variables. However, the use of these algorithms in real life applications has been limited, mainly, due to their high space complexity. Han and Lee [5] presented a path consistency algorithm, PC-4, with 0(n3a3) space complexity, which makes it practicable only for small problems. I present a new path consistency algorithm, PC-5, which has an 0(n3a2) space complexity while retaining the worst-case time complexity of PC-4. Moreover, the new algorithm exhibits a much better average-case time complexity. The new algorithm is based on the idea (due to Bessiere [1]) that, at any time, only a minimal amount of support has to be found and recorded for a labeling to establish its viability; one has to look for a new support only if the current support is eliminated. I also show that PC-5 can be improved further to yield an algorithm, PC5++, with even better average-case performance and the same space complexity. I present experimental results evaluating the performance of these algorithms on various classes of problems. The results show that both PC-5 and PC5++ significantly outperform PC-4, both in terms of space and time, with PC5++ being the better of the two algorithms presented. Comments University of Pennsylvania Department of Computer and Information Science Technical Report No. MSCIS-95-30. This technical report is available at ScholarlyCommons: http://repository.upenn.edu/cis_reports/199 Efficient Path Consistency Algorithms for Constraint Satisfaction Problems MS-CIS-95-30 LINC LAB ???


BACKGROUND
A cancer registry program has been established in East Azerbaijan and this has emphasized the importance of cancers of gastrointestinal tract in this region. The aim of the present pathology-based cancer registry report is to renew epidemiologic aspects of gastrointestinal tract cancers and estimate recent trends.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
A survey team reviewed and collected all records of cancer cases from all referral and valid pathology laboratories of East Azerbaijan province during September 2007-2011. Crude rates, age-specific rates of cancer incidence and annual percent change were calculated.

RESULTS
The total newly diagnosed cancer cases (n=6,889) comprised 4,341 males (63.0%) and 2,540 females (36.9%). Gastric cancer was the most common GI tract cancer with an ASR (per 105) of 23.1 for males and 7.69 for females. The ASRs for esophageal and colorectal cancers were 9.69 and 11.2 in males and 7.35 and 8.93 in females. Trend analysis showed a significant decline for esophageal cancer and increasing incidence for colorectal cancer in females.

CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of gastric cancer is high in East Azerbaijan province of Iran. This pathology based cancer registry showed an ascending trend for colorectal cancer and decreasing trend for esophageal cancer in females during 2007-2011.


The motion of a small rigid particle in the shear flow near a stationary flat wall is investigated in the context of Stokes flow. The lift force proposed by Saffman and later modified by Mclaughlin and Mei is considered in the prediction of the particle motion far away from the wall. Later, the expression of the lift force is modified to take into account the effect of wall. In the analysis, gravity, lift and drag acting on a small rigid particle near the wall are taken into account. Both analytical and numerical results for the terminal velocities, distances from the wall and trajectories of the particle are presented. In addition, we extended the present analysis to turbulent near-wall flow in the vicinity of the wall.


The proven antiangiogenic activity of zoledronic acid, a third-generation bisphosphonate widely used in bone metastatic cancer patients, led us to investigate if the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)-related zoledronic acid modifications are correlated with survival advantages in advanced breast cancer patients. Forty-two consecutive breast cancer patients with scintigraphic and radiographic evidence of bone metastases were treated with a single infusion of 4 mg zoledronic acid before anticancer chemotherapy. The patients were prospectively evaluated for circulating levels of VEGF and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) just before and at 1, 2, 7, and 21 days after zoledronic acid infusion. Afterward, clinical outcome was prospectively monitored. The basal serum VEGF median levels were significantly decreased at each time point, but the major reduction was recorded 21 days after the infusion. In particular, 25 patients of 42 (59.5%) experienced a reduction of at least 25% in the VEGF circulating levels. In contrast, no statistically significant modifications of the IFN-gamma serum levels were recorded. We stratified patients on the basis of this VEGF reduction 21 days after the infusion. No differences in patient features were recorded between those with or without the VEGF reduction. The analysis of survival showed that patients with a reduction in the VEGF circulating levels had a longer time to first skeletal-related event (p = 0.0002), time to bone progression disease (p = 0.0024), and time to performance status worsening (p = 0.0352) than those without the VEGF reduction. No statistically significant differences were recorded in terms of overall survival and time to visceral progression. This study confirms that zoledronic acid could have an in vivo antiangiogenic property and that the VEGF modifications may represent a surrogate marker able to predict time to first skeletal-related event, time to bone progression disease, and time to worsening of performance status.


Wound healing is a complex physiological process; hence a reproducible in vitro model of skin provides a valuable tool to further understand the biology of dermal wound repair and to investigate techniques to improve wound healing. Human skin equivalent models (HSEs) have been proposed to serve as an in vitro model for these purposes; however, there is currently no readily available HSE model in Australia. In this study, we describe the production of a HSE obtained by seeding human keratinocytes onto a de-epidermised dermis, (DED) which was then submerged in medium for 3 days and subsequently cultured at the air-liquid interface for up to 20 days. The model was characterised morphologically and biochemically over the 20 days of culture at the air-liquid interface and showed histological features similar to those observed in an in vivo epidermis. Immunohistochemistry of the epidermal markers keratin 6, keratin 14, keratins 1/10/11 and the basement membrane marker collagen type IV, revealed typical differentiation. The HSE was then examined for its potential as a burn wound healing model. Burn wounds were created in the model and the re-epithelialisation of the wounds was followed for 6 days by keratinocyte morphology; metabolic activity was analysed every 2 days. Keratinocytes began to migrate into the wound bed after 2 days and continued to migrate for the next 4 days, suggesting that the HSEs generated may be of great value for studies of the wound healing process and for the evaluation of new therapies.


In Zimbabwe, many whites have affiliated themselves with the land rather than with surrounding societies. Theories of settler culture—which emphasize ethnic conflict—often overlook this environmentalist form of identity. As conservationists, white, large-scale farmers sought to belong to the landscape, and they modified it in ways that facilitated that sense of belonging. On the semiarid highlands, they manipulated the most manipulable of environmental variables: water. In the 1990s, their new landscape of dams and reservoirs provided habitat for wildlife and irrigation for tobacco. Whites justified their land ownership on grounds of both conservation and development—a considerable rhetorical feat. Engineering, then, fostered an unstable, ephemeral feeling of entitlement and belonging.