Anti-drug serum human IgE can be detected by passive sensitization "in vitro" of monkey lung tissue. This technique gives reproducible results which are not quantitative. It is sensible; there are no false positive results and the number of false negative results has been strongly decreased. This technique is really an anaphylaxis and IgE only are detected. The results concern the study of 215 patients which possible drug allergy. The most frequent drugs come from groups of penicillins, sulfonamides, salicylates and malonylurea derivates. In 54% of cases, anti-drug IgE have been detected.


Digital Forensic Readiness (DFR) has received little attention by the research community, when compared to the core digital forensic investigation processes. DFR was primarily about logging of security events to be leveraged by the forensic analysis phase. However, the increasing number of security incidents and the overwhelming volumes of data produced mandate the development of more effective and efficient DFR approaches. We propose a DFR framework focusing on the prioritisation, triaging and selection of Indicators of Compromise (IoC) to be used in investigations of security incidents. A core component of the framework is the contextualisation of the IoCs to the underlying organisation, which can be achieved with the use of clustering and classification algoriihms and a local IoC database.


The current research is both exploratory and descriptive in nature, with a primary focus on SERVQUAL aspects of service quality in private hospitals. The study used a quantitative technique to analyze primary and secondary data, and 255 people were interviewed as part of the sample. Patients' perceptions of the quality of service provided by private hospitals are varied, according to the survey. The perceptions of service recipients are positive in certain areas, such as reliability and responsibility, but negative in others, such as cost and communication. The major parameters impacting the total service quality of private hospitals were identified using regression analysis. In terms of service reliability, the most important factors determining patients' overall service quality are concentration (a composite of 11 measures) and responsiveness (a composite of 9 measures). The study found that the quality of hospital treatments is determined by the incentive system in place at these institutions. Because private hospitals are not funded and rely on revenue from customers, the relevant authorities should be more motivated to deliver high-quality services to patients in order to better satisfy their requirements.


Humpback whales use the coastal waters of La Réunion Island seasonally from June to October. Their distribution is relatively well-known on the west coast, which provides suitable breeding habitat, however little is known about their use and movement along the south and east coast of the island. Three autonomous acoustic recorders were deployed during the breeding season of 2016 off the west, south and east coasts to investigate spatial and temporal variations in humpback whale occurrence around the island. The dataset consisted of 10 minute acoustic recordings every hour, continuously from mid-June to early September from these three locations. Song and social call events were discriminated and their total durations were calculated and expressed as a percentage of the total recording duration per day. Off the west and south coast, social calls were distributed fairly homogenously over the season, while songs occurred over a shorter time period, with two significant peaks observed in mid-July and early-August. Off the east coast very few vocalizations were detected. These results demonstrated that humpback whales preferentially use the west coast of the island for breeding. In this area, daily variations in singing activity were observed. Singers appeared to be more active at night and during the morning, when less boat traffic was detected.


Introduction: Pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (pNENs) are relatively rare tumors representing 1% to 2% of all pancreatic neoplasms. These tumors can secrete a variety of biologically active substances giving rise to distinct clinical symptoms or can be clinically nonfunctioning. Apart from insulinomas and gastrinomas, which constitute the majority of functioning pNENs, some tumors may secrete serotonin presenting with the features of the carcinoid syndrome. These so-called pancreatic carcinoids are considered relatively rare tumors and are associated with increased urinary levels of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA). It has recently been suggested that the prevalence of such tumors might be underestimated. Cases: We present a series of 5 patients from our database of 138 pNENs (5/138, 3.62%), harboring serotonin-producing pNENs and describe their distinctive clinical, biochemical, histopathological features, and response to treatment along with a review of the relevant available literature. Conclusion: Such tumors are considered rare, although this may be an underestimate as systematic screening for the presence of serotonin in tissue or elevated urinary 5-HIAA levels in patients with apparently nonfunctioning pNENs is not currently recommended. In order to reach such a consensus, data from large prospective studies are needed in order to evaluate the impact of this type of tumors in survival and clinical outcome, since some studies have suggested a worse prognosis.


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

Telomeres are nucleoprotein complexes that cap the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes and maintain chromosomal stability. Telomeres are protected by shelterin, a complex of six core proteins (TRF1, TRF2, RAP1, TIN2, TPP1 and POT1) that prevents the chromosome ends from being mistakenly recognized as damaged DNA. Telomeres that can no longer exert end-protective functions are said to be dysfunctional. Telomere dysfunction can be caused by progressive telomere attrition (telomere shortening) or through disruption of the shelterin complex (telomere uncapping). To study whether chromosomal instability caused by telomere uncapping leads to tumorigenesis, we used the Cre-lox system to delete the telomere binding protein TRF2 in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). In the presence of tumor suppressor protein p53, loss of TRF2 inhibited cell proliferation via induction of cellular senescence. In contrast, the absence of p53 allowed the TRF2-deficient cells to bypass senescence as these cells were negative for SA-β-galactosidase staining. However, these p53-deficient cells stopped proliferating ten days after TRF2 depletion and eventually entered telomere uncapping-induced crisis (indicated by the significant appearance of chromosomal end to end fusions, mitotic failure and induction of apoptosis). Our mechanistic studies revealed that these p53-deficient cells underwent a novel ATM-caspase 2-dependent apoptosis upon loss of TRF2. Accordingly, knocking out caspase 2 rescued these cells from apoptosis, and thus increased long-term survival of the cell colonies as well as promoted cell transformation. Mutations of p53 are predominantly missense mutations that result in accumulation of mutant p53 proteins with loss of wild-type p53 tumor-suppressive functions and gain of oncogenic activities. To study whether the gain-of-function properties of mutant p53 can rescue cells undergoing telomere crisis from cell death, we generated MEFs expressing mutant p53R172H that corresponds to the p53R175H "hot spot" mutation in human cancers. We observed that mutant p53R172H did not prevent TRF2 depletion-induced chromosomal instability as indicated by extensive chromosome fusions. However, expression of mutant p53R172H significantly rescued cells from TRF2 loss-initiated cell apoptosis and promoted cell transformation as determined by anchorage-independent soft agar assay. More importantly, mutant p53R172H promoted tumor development of TRF2-deficient MEFs in immunodeficient mice. Collectively, our findings provide compelling genetic evidence that telomere uncapping-driven chromosomal instability activates ATM-caspase 2-dependent apoptosis to suppress tumorigenesis. However, the gain-of-function properties of mutant p53 can rescue the cells undergoing telomere crisis from cell death and thus promote tumorigenesis.

Citation Format: Li-Ju Chang, Fengxia Wu, Xiaolan Guo, Yibin Deng. The gain-of-function properties of mutant p53 rescues cells from telomere dysfunction-induced crisis and promotes tumorigenesis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4049. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4049


Broad-area plasmon-waveguide interband cascade lasers with emission wavelengths near 7.5 mu m were demonstrated at temperatures up to 121 K in continuous-wave mode. Their threshold current densities and voltages varied from 72 A/cm2 and 2.1 V at 84 K to 400 A/cm2 and 2.7 V at 121 K, showing very efficient use of bias voltage (e.g., voltage efficiency of about 90% at 84 K) at this long wavelength. These plasmon-waveguide lasers also operated in pulsed mode at temperatures up to 165 K with emission wavelengths near 7.6 mum and threshold current density of 1100 A/cm2.


Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA

GenePool is a cloud-based system for the secure storage, management, analysis, visualization and interpretation of large-scale human genomics data. The GenePool platform enables rapid interrogation of massive amounts of data generated by current laboratory methods and was designed to meet the needs of scientists engaged in cancer biomarker discovery and characterization. The software solution provides users with an intuitive interface, an easy way to store and select genomics datasets according to sample-associated metadata for analysis, and an automated system for performing routine, well-characterized genomics workflows. Results are presented with multiple options for annotation, sorting and data export, with a visualization tool that facilitates browsing of genomic data for biomarker identification. We will demonstrate how GenePool removes the data download, management, and computing burdens faced by researchers interested in working with large amounts of patient-derived cancer genomics exemplified by The Cancer Genome Atlas. To date, TCGA has completed molecular characterization of more than 9,000 patient samples from a target of 17,000, and will have released an estimated 2.5 petabytes of data at project completion.

We will present case studies using the >25 cancer cohorts worth of RNA-Seq, miRNA-Seq, Exome Sequencing, Protein Expression, Copy Number, and DNA Methylation data (provided to the community through the TCGA Data Portal) and made readily available for sample selection and analysis within GenePool. As validation of the GenePool platform, we will present results obtained within minutes that validate knowledge reported in the literature over the course of decades. We will then present novel findings for less understood cancer indications.

Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting.

Citation Format: Sandeep Sanga, Antoaneta Vladimirova, Richard D. Goold, Tod M. Klingler. GenePool: A cloud-based technology for rapidly data mining large-scale, patient-derived cancer genomic cohorts including The Cancer Genome Atlas. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4870. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4870


The theory of Brillouin scattering of dielectric layered elastic media is formulated in a way that also treats the electromagnetic field quantum mechanically. The general expression for the cross section obtained by this approach is applied to the investigation of shear horizontal modes in the Brillouin spectrum of finite and semi-infinite dielectric superlattices.


This paper shows that a central bank, by announcing and committing ex-ante to a bailout policy that is contingent on the realization of certain states of nature (for example on the occurrence of an adverse macroeconomic shock), creates a risk-reducing "value effect" that more than outweighs the moral hazard component of such a policy.


Background A temporary increase in the occurrence of cerebrovascular diseases (CVDs) after the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011 was reported; however, no studies have been conducted to investigate long-term effects. We assessed the long-term impact of the disaster on the incidence of CVDs. Methods Incidence data for CVDs from 2008 to 2017 were acquired from the population-based Stroke Registry with an inventory survey of Iwate Prefecture, Japan. Part of the coastal area in Iwate Prefecture was mildly flooded and the other part was severely flooded. Age-adjusted incidence rates of CVDs (according to the Japanese standard population) were calculated for each area. The relative risk (RR) of incidence based on the years before the disaster (2008–2010), adjusted by stratified age groups, was calculated for the year of the disaster (2011), and the years after the disaster (2012–2017) in each area. Results The age-adjusted incidence rates gradually decreased in all areas, with the exception of a temporary increase among men who lived on the coast the year the disaster occurred. The adjusted RR in the disaster year were not significant in any area and those of the postdisaster years were 0.91 (95% CI 0.87–0.96) for all inland men, 0.93 (0.89–0.97) for all inland women, 0.85 (0.78–0.93) for all coastal men, 0.87 (0.81–0.94) for all coastal women, 0.88 (0.80–0.98) for men at mildly flooded coast, 0.82 (0.75–0.89) for women at mildly flooded coast, 0.79 (0.68–0.91) for men at severely flooded coast, and 0.98 (0.86–1.11) for women at severely flooded coast. Conclusions The occurrence of CVDs in the flooded coastal areas did not increase in the year of the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami; furthermore, it decreased for men according to the severity of flood damage in the subsequent years; this can be attributed to supportive activities for the tsunami victims and the migration of the population.


In power electronic applications, proximity and skin effects cause an increase in the resistance of fuse elements and possible unequal sharing of the total current between multiple parallel elements. In this paper the current density distribution is calculated for typical arrangements of fuse strips as a function of frequency, and methods of de-rating the fuse are discussed. The calculations are done using an equivalent wiregrid array method. De-rating factors are calculated for sinusoidal and some nonsinusoidal waveforms commonly found in power electronic applications. The implications for the design of semiconductor fuses for h.f. applications are also considered.


The Negro church presents an important field of investigation to students of American social history. Many slaves found in Christianity a substitute for primitive African religious beliefs and practices and a source for the satisfaction of their religious longings. The churches offered to the American Negro his first opportunities for participation in organized group life in a new environment. Experience in church organization and activity trained thousands of slaves for the larger fields of effort which were opened to them after emancipation. Approximately one-tenth of the present total membership of the American churches belongs to this race. For more than three centuries the church has served as the most important factor in typing the institutions and ideals of our largest minority racial group.


An overview of the DO Central Track Trigger (CTT) for the Tevatron Run 2 program is presented. This newly commissioned system uses information from the DO Central Fiber Tracker and Preshower Detectors to generate trigger information for the first level of the three-tiered DO Trigger. The system delivers tracking detector trigger decisions every 132 ns, based on input data flowing at a rate of 475 Gbit per second. Initial results indicate excellent performance of the CTT. First studies of efficiency and trigger performance of the CTT are presented.


Spinal epidural abscess (SEA) is a rare but severe infection with potentially devastating consequences. Epidural abscesses caused by Salmonella serogroup C2 are even rarer and tend to be more invasive with multidrug resistance. Early diagnosis, effective use of antibiotics and surgical intervention are the mainstay strategies for managing SEA, especially for more virulent and multidrug-resistant Salmonella infections. This case report presents a rare case of an elderly and fragile woman with Salmonella spondylodiscitis and an extensive epidural abscess, which were successfully treated with intravenous antibiotics and unilateral biportal endoscopic (UBE) debridement and drainage through four small surgical incisions. After surgery, her fever subsided, she regained consciousness and her low back pain dramatically improved. Follow-up magnetic resonance imaging showed complete resolution of the epidural abscess. At 6 months after surgery, the patient regained muscle strength, ambulated with a walker and had no recurrence of the infection. The UBE technique can effectively eradicate infection while minimizing surgery-related risks and complications. A multidisciplinary team is required to achieve a good outcome.


This paper is a contribution to the definition of a new kind of digital signal processing chain. It is focused on Finite-Impulse-Response filtering (FIR) applied to irregularly sampled signals obtained from an asynchronous analog to digital converter. The paper first formalizes the convolution operator in the irregular sampling context. The computational complexity is deduced and compared to the one of standard synchronous FIR filters. It shows that a significant reduction of the computational complexity is achievable, hence a reduction in terms of energy. The paper then describes the architecture of the asynchronous filter. It finally reports the simulations performed on a speech application, resulting in a reduction of the processing power of about one order of magnitude.


Deficits in immune responses in the elderly contribute to their mortality and morbidity. In order to develop predictive markers for a beneficial humoral immune response, we evaluated the in vivo and in vitro response to the seasonal influenza vaccine in young and elderly individuals. We measured serum antibody response and associated this with the in vitro B cell response to the vaccine, measured by AID (activation-induced cytidine deaminase). AID is a measure of immunoglobulin class switch recombination, the process that generates protective antibodies, and is a good measure of B cell function. Both responses decrease with age and are significantly correlated. We hypothesize that the increased pro-inflammatory status of the elderly, called inflammaging, directly impacts B cell function, thus impairing the capacity of the individual to make protective antibodies and to respond to vaccination. Our data indicate that aged B lymphocytes themselves make TNF-α before vaccine challenge and this correlates with their impaired function, including reduced AID expression after B cell stimulation. Our results reveal new molecular mechanisms which contribute to reduced antibody responses in aging and suggest that these will have an impact for crucial development of effective vaccines to protect the elderly from infectious and other debilitating diseases.


H eart failure (HF) with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is common, increasing in prevalence, and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, left atrial (LA) enlargement, elevated LV filling pressure, and pulmonary hypertension have each been associated with worse prognosis in HFpEF. 1–4 Much interest has focused on the potential therapeutic role of aldosterone antagonist therapy in HFpEF. However, limited data exist regarding the impact of aldosterone antagonist therapy on cardiac structure and function in HFpEF and on the prognostic relevance of changes in cardiac structure and function in HFpEF. In the Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure With an Aldosterone Antagonist (TOPCAT) trial, treatment with spironolactone in HFpEF did not reduce the composite end point of cardiovascular death, aborted sudden death, or HF hospitalization but was associated with a lower incidence of HF hospitalization in the study population overall. 5 Cardiac structure and function was assessed by echocardiography at baseline and at 12 to18 months after randomization to either spironolactone or placebo in a subset of patients. 6 Among this subset of patients, we determined the impact of randomization to spironolactone versus placebo on measures of cardiac structure and function in HFpEF. In addition, we explored the prog-nostic relevance of changes in cardiac structure and function over 12 to 18 months on subsequent outcomes. TOPCAT was a multicenter, international, randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled trial of spironolactone compared with placebo to reduce cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in 3445 adults at Background—Limited data exist regarding the impact of aldosterone antagonist therapy on cardiac structure and function in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and on the prognostic relevance of changes in cardiac structure and function in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Methods and Results—Cardiac structure and function were assessed by quantitative echocardiography at baseline and at 12-to 18-month follow-up in 239 patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (left ventricular [LV] ejection fraction [LVEF] ≥45%) enrolled in the Treatment of Preserved Cardiac Function Heart Failure With an Aldosterone Antagonist (TOPCAT) trial. The impact of spironolactone therapy on measures of cardiac structure and function was assessed in the study population overall, and change in echocardiographic measures was associated with the subsequent occurrence of the primary composite outcome of cardiovascular death, heart failure hospitalization, or aborted cardiac arrest. Spironolactone was not associated with alterations in cardiac structure and function compared with placebo. Decrease in left atrial volume …


According to its abstract, this book attempts 'an assessment of various water conservation measures aimed at reducing residential water usage.' Its intent is to develop a research program whose 'ultimate goal is to engender a conservation ethic among water users and managers and develop a predictable array of conservation methodologies. …' Professor Flack indeed has presented an excellent assessment of conservation methodologies, but I believe that the proposed research program is too limited.

Following a brief introductory chapter, chapter II presents an extensive review of the water conservation literature published in the 1970's and earlier. It and chapter III, which describes Flack's systematic comparison of the technical, economic, and political aspects of each conservation methodology, are the heart of the book. Chapter IV is a brief discussion and analysis of conservation programs (with examples) that a water utility might adopt. Chapter V is essentially a pilot study of methods of assessing political and social feasibility. Finally, a set of recommendations is presented in chapter VI. All in all, this book is a nice blend of literature review and original research that deals with an important issue.


For model privacy, local model parameters in federated learning shall be obfuscated before sent to the remote aggregator. This technique is referred to as \emph{secure aggregation}. However, secure aggregation makes model poisoning attacks such backdooring more convenient considering that existing anomaly detection methods mostly require access to plaintext local models. This paper proposes SAFELearning which supports backdoor detection for secure aggregation. We achieve this through two new primitives - \emph{oblivious random grouping (ORG)} and \emph{partial parameter disclosure (PPD)}. ORG partitions participants into one-time random subgroups with group configurations oblivious to participants; PPD allows secure partial disclosure of aggregated subgroup models for anomaly detection without leaking individual model privacy. SAFELearning can significantly reduce backdoor model accuracy without jeopardizing the main task accuracy under common backdoor strategies. Extensive experiments show SAFELearning is robust against malicious and faulty participants, whilst being more efficient than the state-of-art secure aggregation protocol in terms of both communication and computation costs.


Background There is considerable research value and extensive application perspectives to explore the link between gut microbiota and heart failure. The purpose of this study is to provide an overview of overall characteristics, evolutionary pathways, frontier research hotspots, and future trends in this field. Methods Research datasets were acquired from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) between January 1, 2006 and December 31, 2021. Three different analysis tools including one online platform, VOS viewer V188.8.131.52, and CiteSpace V5.8.R2 software were used in order to conduct collaboration network analysis, co-cited analysis, co-occurring analysis, and citation burst detection. Results A total of 873 publications in the WoSCC database met the requirement. The overall characteristics analysis showed that a steady growth trend in the number of publications and citations, with the predominant literature type being articles and the most frequent subject category being cardiac cardiovascular systems. The United States was the most prolific country and the center of national collaboration. Cleveland Clinic and Nathalie M. Delzenne provided the leading influence with publications, the cooperation between the institutes and authors were relatively weak. Moreover, gut microbiota, heart failure, risk factor, obesity, and inflammation were the keywords that appeared more frequently in the clustering analysis of reference co-citation and keyword co-occurrence. Burst detection analysis of top keywords showed that trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO), bile acid, blood pressure, hypertension, and fermentation were the new research foci on the association between gut microbiota and heart failure. Strategies to improve gut microbiota hold promise as a new approach to treat heart failure. Conclusion The comprehensive bibliometric study indicates that the structured information may be helpful in understanding research trends in the link between gut microbiota and heart failure, and locating research hotspots and gaps in this domain, especially further advances in this field will lead to significant breakthroughs in the development of novel therapeutic tools for metabolic modulation of heart failure.


A multistep synthetic strategy enables the isolation of the niobaziridine-hydride complex Nb(H)(eta2-tBu(H)C=NAr)(N[Np]Ar)2 (1, Np = neopentyl, Ar = 3,5-C6H3Me2), which functions as a reactive synthon for its tautomer, the three-coordinate, trisamide species Nb(N[Np]Ar)3 (2). Treatment of 1 with various small molecules has demonstrated its capacity to effect two-electron reduction chemistry. Most noteworthy is the reaction between 1 and elemental phosphorus (P4), providing in high yield the bridging diphosphide complex (mu2:eta2,eta2-P2)[Nb(N[Np]Ar)3]2. However, unsaturated organic functionality including nitriles and aldehydes can insert into the Nb-H bond of 1, leaving the niobaziridine ring intact, thus demonstrating that dual pathways of reactivity are available to the niobaziridine-hydride functional group.


Aim of this article is to describe a development of a camera system which enables a wireless image transmission. We used a small CCD camera for taking images, that camera is connected to a special module developed during this work. The camera system is composed of three main parts – a service module with the camera (works as a transmitter), a coordinator (serves as a receiver) and a control program with a user interface (runs on a PC). The wireless communication (data transfer) between the service module and the coordinator is based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. The coordinator is common product of the company Freescale, but the service module is designed and developed specifically for the system. Software for all three parts is also developed for that purpose. The finished system can take an image from a remote location and wirelessly send it to the PC.


The cDNA encoding the 182 amino acid long precursor stellacyanin from Cucumis sativus was isolated and characterized. The protein precursor consists of four sequence domains: I, a 23 amino acid hydrophobic N‐terminal signal peptide with features characteristic of secretory proteins; II, a 109 amino acid copper‐binding domain; III, a 26 amino acid hydroxyproline‐ and serine‐rich peptide characteristic of motifs found in the extensin family, extracellular structural glycoproteins found in plant cell walls; and IV, a 22 amino acid hydrophobic extension. Maturation of the protein involves posttranslational processing of domains I and IV. The copper‐binding domain (domain II), which shares high sequence identity with other stellacyanins, has been expressed without its carbohydrate attachment sites, refolded from the Escherichia coli inclusion bodies, purified, and characterized by electronic absorption, EPR, ESEEM, and RR spectroscopy. Its spectroscopic properties are nearly identical to those of stellacyanin from the Japanese lacquer tree Rhus vernicifera, the most extensively studied and best characterized stellacyanin, indicating that this domain folds correctly, even in the absence of its carbohydrate moiety. The presence of a hydroxyproline‐ and serine‐rich domain III suggests that stellacyanin may have a function other than that of a diffusible electron transfer protein, conceivably participating in redox reactions localized at the plant cell wall, which are known to occur in response to wounding or infection of the plant.


Al~atraet. Morphological and histochemical changes in the follicular epithelium have been studied during folliculogenesis in the crow (Corvus splendens) ovary. The follicular epithelium is single-layered in primordial and early previtellogenic, pseudostratified in late-previtellogenic, multilayered in early vitellogenic and again becomes single-layered in late-vitellogenic oocytes. Two types of follicle cells have been distinguished on the basis of their structure and cytochemical properties. Some of the follicle ceils separate from the follicular epithelium and invade the ooplasm where they seem to be reabsorbed by the latter. The amount oflipids and proteins increases in the follicular epithelium as the oocyte grows. Simultaneously the nature of lipids and proteins changes, as revealed by various histoehemical reactions. The follicular epithelium, at all stages of follicular growth, shows moderate reactions for acid phosphatase and NAD-diaphorase. The significance of the structural and histochemical changes in the follicular epithelium during oogenesis have been discussed.


By-products like sawdust and straw are applied in compost bedded-pack barns (CBP) for cattle. These materials, which are gradually mixed with excreta and undergo a composting process, serve as a lying bed for the cattle. This study aims to assess the perception of consumers and farmers regarding the use of CBP during the grazing season of cattle for raising other animals or for growing food crops. This was examined by combining surveys with consumers from eight European countries and cattle farmers, focus groups with consumers, and in-depth interviews with individual farmers who implemented alternative uses of compost. The results showed that farmers preferred the compost bedded-pack system to the cubicle system in terms of sustainability and market aspects, although the cost of the bedding material required for CBP was seen as a significant negative aspect. Around half of all consumers indicated that the compost can be used for non-edible products and 26% indicated the compost can be used for raising other animals. Furthermore, 5% of consumers felt that compost should not be used for any other purpose. There were statistically significant differences between countries; therefore, regional specificities should be taken into account when marketing products from compost in CBP barns.


This paper explores the evolutionary process underlying the development of the triple helix innovation system and the role of knowledge intermediaries in the process. It draws on the experience of knowledge network development in an SME cluster in the Thai hard disk drive industry. Conceptually, the evolutionary process starts with inter-firm networks, which occur in the form of supply chain-based vertical links and trade association or cluster-based horizontal links. These evolve into triple helix networks and culminate into the triple helix innovation system through the agency of network dynamics. Intermediaries enhance network development as sponsors, providing funds; as brokers, closing and bridging structural holes that disconnect network players; and as boundary spanners, facilitating knowledge circulation. The case study suggests that knowledge network development in Thailand has a long way to go before morphing into the triple helix innovation system. Some evidence of network dynamics was nonetheless detected; but for lack of trust in the triple helix culture, the fledgling network dynamics fizzled out when the government prop, which initiated the process, was withdrawn. The paper concludes by highlighting the need for policy to promote the culture of trust among network players and for knowledge intermediaries to be less ad hoc and more systemic in their organisation and operation.


Kamchatka spring mineral water (wells 6.9 and 32 of Ketkinskoye, Malkinskoye and Verkhne-Paratunskoye deposits, respectively) was used in inhalations in 54 patients with chronic bronchitis. Clinical and experimental findings evidenced irritating effect of the water from well 9 which activated inflammation and reduced bronchial patency. Water from well 6 can be used in nonobstructive processes, whereas that from well 32 is effective in inflammation-induced bronchial obstructions and is fit to stimulate respiratory reserves.


The purpose of this study was to quantitate the jejunal lesion in Gambian children with chronic diarrhea-malnutrition syndrome. There were 40 subjects (20 male, 20 female) with a mean age of 19.7 months. All were severely malnourished, with marasmus in 30, marasmic kwashiorkor in 9, and kwashiorkor in 1. Of subjects tested, 70% were anergic to intradermal challenge with either purified protein derivative or candidin. Jejunal biopsies, performed on every subject after admission to hospital, were studied by computerised image analysis and immunocytochemistry. A spectrum of mucosal changes that varied from "normal" to "flat" was seen. Mucosae with "normal" architecture revealed infiltration of villous epithelium by small lymphocytes, while crypt hypertrophy was invariably present. At the other extreme, the surface epithelium of flat mucosae was less severely infiltrated, although heavy lymphoid infiltrates persisted within crypt epithelium. Immunohistochemical studies revealed that most intraepithelial lymphocytes were of the CD8 + phenotype. Mucosal morphology did not relate to clinical, biochemical, or anthropometric data for each child. These findings are consistent with an intestinal reaction to some environmental antigen (dietary, microbial, or both) of the cell-mediated type. This interpretation is strengthened by the expression of major histocompatibility class 2D locus alloantigens on crypt epithelial cells in the absence of gut-reactive autoantibodies.


Human gesture recognition is a challenging task with many applications. The popularization of real time depth sensors even diversifies potential applications to end-user natural user interface (NUI). The quality of such NUI highly depends on the robustness and execution speed of the gesture recognition. This work introduces a method for real-time gesture recognition from a noisy skeleton stream, such as the ones extracted from Kinect depth sensors. Each pose is described using a tailored angular representation of the skeleton joints. Those descriptors serve to identify key poses through a multi-class classifier derived from Support Vector learning machines. The gesture is labeled on-the-fly from the key pose sequence through a decision forest, that naturally performs the gesture time warping and avoids the requirement for an initial or neutral pose. The proposed method runs in real time and shows robustness in several experiments.


Thrombocyte aggregation with normochromic anaemia occurred in a gravida III of 27 years of age with sonographically confirmed foetal hydrocephalus, after prostaglandin E2 cervical priming. The authors discuss the differential diagnostic possibilities, but the actual genesis of the changes remains unclear. Hence, it is recommended to check with particular care especially in induction of abortion, the coagulation system with the thrombocytes, over and above the well-known prostaglandin side effects. Special attention must be paid to the occurrence of allergic reactions, and it must always be borne in mind that induction of abortion after the 14th week of gestation is a risky matter (1).


This article examines the influence of equity capital ownership on human resource management practices. The empirical analysis uses the 2004-2005 Workplace Industrial Relations Survey (REPONSE survey), based on a sample of 2930 establishments with 20 workers or more, representative of the French private sector. Econometric analysis confirms the importance of equity ownership as a determinant of employment practices, considering labour mobilisation contracts (agency work, short term contracts and sub-contracting), wage policy (level of remuneration and use of variable pay), changes in the staff size and training expenses.


There is growing evidence that exposure to the natural world (blue-green spaces) has potential benefits for mental health and well-being. The COVID-19 pandemic and the measures adopted to control it provide a natural experiment to investigate the links between nature exposure and mental health under extreme conditions. Using a survey distributed online and based on 6,080 responses, we tested three hypotheses: (1) people will show different levels of symptoms of depression and anxiety depending on the level of lockdown (severity) and ability to maintain contact with outdoor spaces; and (2) where access to outdoor public spaces was restricted, those with access to private outdoor spaces (2a) or even a green-blue nature view (2b) will show fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety and a more positive mood. Lockdown severity significantly affected mental health, while contact with nature helped people to cope with these impacts. The buffering effect of nature was especially relevant for those under strict lockdowns. People perceived that nature helped them to cope with lockdown measures; and emotions were more positive among individuals with accessible outdoor spaces and blue-green elements in their views. These findings can help decision-makers in developing potential future lockdown measures to mitigate the negative impacts, helping people to be more resilient and maintain better mental health.


Designing reliable systems has become more difficult in recent years[1]. In addition to conventional problems such as transistor leakage, the degradation and variation of transistor performance have a severe impact on the dependability of VLSI systems. Random Telegraph Noise (RTN) has attracted much attention as a temporal transistor performance fluctuation. RTN already has a severe impact on CMOS image sensors[2], Flash memories[3], and SRAMs[4]. Recently we have shown that RTN also induces performance fluctuation to logic circuits[5]. On the other hand, adaptive body-biasing technique has been widely used to compensate for die-to-die parameter variations[6]. However, the impact of the body-biasing technique on RTN at the circuit level has not been well understood. In this paper, we investigated the impact of body-biasing technique on RTN-induced circuit delay fluctuation.


The aim of the paper was to determine the potential production of wheat market for bioethanol production in Poland after the year 2004. This potential is understood in two ways – as a potential taking into account the current international trade and potential without the participation in international trade (national balance) which can be seen as a potential with limited export and import volumes. The paper has also reviewed the wheat market and the current state of the bioethanol sector in Poland after the year 2004. On the basis of the calculated surplus in wheat market in Poland in the seasons 2004/2005-2014/2015 there is calculation of additional potential production of bioethanol. Poland has considerable production potential in bioethanol sector and it could reduce its import.


A numerical simulation study of the hydrodynamics of an oxidation ditch is presented. The numerical method is based on a pressure-correction algorithm of the SIMPLE-type. A multigrid technique based on the full approximation storage (FAS) scheme is employed to accelerate the numerical convergence, while as a turbulence model the RNG κ-ε model with wall functions is used. The numerical results for velocity in the oxidation ditch are obtained.


Early quantification of Tuta absoluta pest's effects in tomato plants is a very important factor in controlling and preventing serious damages of the pest. The invasion of Tuta absoluta is considered a major threat to tomato production causing heavy loss ranging from 80 to 100 percent when not properly managed. Therefore, real-time and early quantification of tomato leaf miner Tuta absoluta, can play an important role in addressing the issue of pest management and enhance farmers' decisions. In this study, we propose a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) approach in determining the effects of Tuta absoluta in tomato plants. Four CNN pre-trained architectures (VGG16, VGG19, ResNet and Inception-V3) were used in training classifiers on a dataset containing health and infested tomato leaves collected from real field experiments. Among the pre-trained architectures, experimental results showed that Inception-V3 yielded the best results with an average accuracy of 87.2 percent in estimating the severity status of Tuta absoluta in tomato plants. The pre-trained models could also easily identify High Tuta severity status compared to other severity status (Low tuta and No tuta)


Objective Brain proton (1H) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) lactate/N-acetylaspartate (Lac/NAA) peak area ratio is used for prognostication in neonatal encephalopathy (NE). At 3 Tesla in NE babies, the objectives were to assess: (1) sensitivity and specificity of basal ganglia and thalamus (BGT) 1H MRS Lac/NAA for the prediction of Bayley III outcomes at 2 years using optimised metabolite fitting (Tarquin) with threonine and total NAA; (2) prediction of motor outcome with diffusion-weighted MRI; (3) BGT Lac/NAA correlation with the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD) MRI score. Subjects and methods 55 (16 inborn, 39 outborn) infants at 39w+5 d (35w+5d–42w+0d) with NE admitted between February 2012 and August 2014 to University College London Hospitals for therapeutic hypothermia underwent MRI and 1H MRS at 3T on day 2–14 (median day 5). MRIs were scored. Bayley III was assessed at 24 (22–26) months. Results 16 babies died (1 inborn, 15 outborn); 20, 19 and 21 babies had poor motor, cognitive and language outcomes. Using a threshold of 0.39, sensitivity and specificity of BGT Lac/NAA for 2-year motor outcome was 100% and 97%, cognition 90% and 97% and language 81% and 97%, respectively. Sensitivity and specificity for motor outcome of mean diffusivity (threshold 0.001 mm2/s) up to day 9 was 72% and 100% and fractional anisotropy (threshold 0.198) was 39% and 94%, respectively. Lac/NAA correlated with BGT injury on NICHD scores (2A, 2B, 3). Conclusion BGT Lac/NAA on 1H MRS at 3T within 14 days accurately predicts 2-year motor, cognitive and language outcome and may be a marker directing decisions for therapies after cooling.


each procedure. In addition, the percentage of patients re-listed and retransplanted was compared. Results: The mean operative times were 110.9 min vs 130.4 min for ICAN vs ECAN (p=0.02) and estimated blood loss was 226 ml for ICAN vs 483 ml for ECAN (p=0.004). Intraoperative and post-operative complications were low using either technique and differences were not statistically significant. Overall, the preto post-operative change in %PRA was +2.1% for ICAN vs +1.2% for ECAN (NS) at 6 months (NS). The percentage of patients re-listed was 33.3% vs 54.3% (NS) and percentage of patients re-transplanted was 22.2% vs 34.3% (NS) for ICAN vs ECAN after a mean follow-up time of 4.5 years and 8.4 years, respectively. Conclusions: Intra-capsular allograft nephrectomies can be performed with shorter operative times and less blood loss vs. the extra-capsular approach. As well, this operative approach does not affect sensitization and the ability to re-transplant patients.


ABSTRACT This paper examines one key theme of 'education and equality' arising from a qualitative study that explores what special and inclusive education may mean for Chinese primary schools. The focus is on unpacking teachers' interpretations, values, and deeper assumptions of the 'equality' concept. Drawing from 37 interviews with mainstream primary school teachers in a Chinese city, this paper illustrates that teachers may perceive the concept of 'educational equality' in terms of equal treatment and preferring utilitarian principles than equality. The analyses show how teachers' understanding surrounding 'education and equality' informs their views and attitudes of the inclusion and exclusion of children with disabilities. This paper intends to draw attention to and highlight the importance of the need for Chinese teachers to think more deeply about educational equality beyond equal treatment. Responding to utilitarian perspectives in special and inclusive education, the paper reminds the importance of recognising that inclusion in its broad sense has the benefits of improving education and society for all, not just for the few in minority. The conclusion suggests areas for further investigations.


Salient auditory stimuli (e.g., music or sound effects) are commonly used in advertising to elicit attention. However, issues related to the effectiveness of such stimuli are not well understood. This research examines the ability of a salient auditory stimulus, in the form of a contrast interval (CI), to enhance recall of message-related information. Researchers have argued that the effectiveness of the CI is a function of the temporal duration between the onset and offset of the change in the background stimulus and the nature of this stimulus. Three experiments investigate these propositions and indicate that recall is enhanced, providing the CI is 3 s or less. Information highlighted with silence is recalled better than information highlighted with music.


Background Allocation of health research funds among diseases has never been evaluated in China. This study aimed to examine the relationship between disease-specific funding levels of National Nature Science Foundation of China (NSFC), the main governmental resource for health research in China, and burden of disease. Methods Funding magnitudes for 53 diseases or conditions were obtained from the website of NSFC. Measures of disease burden, mortality, years of life lost (YLLs) and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), were derived from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. The relationship between NSFC funding and disease burden was analyzed with univariate linear regression. For each measure associated with funding, regression-derived estimates were used to calculate the expected funds for each disease. The actual and expected funds were then compared. We also evaluated the impacts of changes of disease burden metrics since 1990, and differences from the world averages on NSFC funding. Results NSFC health research funding was associated with disease burden measured in mortality (R = 0.33, P = 0.02), YLLs (R = 0.39, P = 0.004), and DALYs (R = 0.40, P = 0.003). But none of the changes of mortality (R = 0.22, P = 0.12), YLLs (R = −0.04, P = 0.79) and DALYs (R = −0.003, P = 0.98) since 1990 was associated with the funding magnitudes. None of the differences of mortality (R = −0.11, P = 0.45), YLLs (R = −0.11, P = 0.43) and DALYs (R = −0.12, P = 0.38) from that of the concurrent world averages were associated with the funding magnitudes. Measured by DALY, stroke and COPD received the least funding compared to expected; while leukemia and diabetes received the most funding compared to expected. Conclusion Although NSFC funding were roughly associated with disease burden as measured in mortality, YLLs and DALYs. Some major diseases such as stroke were underfunded; while others such as leukaemia were overfunded. Change of disease burden during the last 20 years and country-specialized disease burden were not reflected in current allocation of NSFC funds.


In article criteria prognostic estimations of high speed and power abilities sportswomen and the basic directions of an individualization of process of their preparation in view of features of a female organism are developed and proved


Lorraine Hansberry is a celebrated African American playwright whose impetus compels her to carry forward her vision through writing. Her widely acclaimed play A Raisin in the Sun is fraught with the theme of the Younger family's experience of moving into all-white neighborhood and the war of the trembling silence against white people. This book provides a detailed analysis on the journey of Hansberry's life from childhood to her career. Further the struggle for equality, deferred dreams, the social and economic intricacies experienced by Africans on American land affecting the human relationships, shunning the stereotypical mummy attitude of 1950s, the male backlash, the voice of justice against oppression, women towards higher self are the various themes the book deals with. The book is truly a window into the lines of African Americans in the 1950s with the special emphasis on the growing militant moods of Mama Lena Younger, Walter, Beneatha and Ruth in the play.


This paper presents a personal computer based controller environment for the active suspension control system design. A generic model for suspension system is introduced with damping, spring, and active suspension actuator, which is the hybrid form of a mass displacement linear model plus a force nonlinear model. The adaptive inverse control algorithm with disturbance canceling is researched and implemented as real-application on the computer controller. The real-time simulation with virtual plant prove the computer base controller is a intuitive and effective method for the practical control design for the active suspension problem.


Procedure WPS-316-ASME-2 is qualified under Section IX of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code for machine gas tungsten arc welding of 300 Series CR-Ni steels (P-8-1), in thickness range 0.250 to 1.5 inch; filler metal is ER3XX (F-6, A-8); shielding gas is argon.


Background: While the prognostic significance of pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy is relatively well established, the impact of adjuvant therapy in modulating relationship between pCR and long term outcomes is less clear. The primary objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review of published neoadjuvant chemotherapy studies to comprehensively evaluate the association between pCR with subsequent breast cancer recurrence and mortality, stratified by breast cancer subtypes and adjuvant chemotherapy usage. Methods: Based on PRISMA guidelines, a search of PubMed from inception until September 2016 was performed to identify eligible studies. Inclusion criteria were clinical trials or studies featuring neoadjuvant chemotherapy that reported pCR results as well as recurrence and/or survival. Hazard Ratios (HRs) and 95% probability intervals (PI) were estimated for endpoints using hierarchical models. We obtained the individual patient-level data for statistical analysis using plot digitizer software. Hazard ratios (HRs), with 95% PIs, measuring the association between pCR and OS or recurrence, were estimated using Bayesian piecewise-exponential proportional hazards hierarchical models including pCR as a predictor. Random effects model was utilized to account for between-study variability in baseline hazards and the variability of the pCR effect between studies. P-value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 3,209 citations with associated abstracts were reviewed, and 27,895 patients from 52 studies met inclusion criteria. Attainment of pCR, as compared to absence of pCR, was associated with significantly reduced disease recurrence overall (HR 0.31, 95% PI: 0.24-0.39), and in triple negative (HR 0.18, 95% PI: 0.10-0.31), human epidermal growth factor 2-positive (HER2+) (HR 0.32, 95% PI: 0.21-0.47), and trended towards significance for HR+ breast cancer (HR 0.15, 95% PI: 0.02-1.10). Similarly, pCR after neoadjuvant chemotherapy was also associated with reduced mortality overall (HR 0.22, 95% PI: 0.15-0.30), and among all three major disease subtypes. The association of pCR with reduced recurrence was similar among studies where patients received subsequent adjuvant chemotherapy (HR 0.34, 95% PI: 0.18-0.61) and those without adjuvant chemotherapy (95% HR 0.36, PI: 0.27-0.54). The association between magnitude of pCR change and corresponding change in survival will be presented at the meeting. Conclusion: Achieving pCR following neoadjuvant chemotherapy is associated with significantly improved disease recurrence and survival, particularly for triple negative and HER2+ breast cancer. The similar outcomes with/without adjuvant chemotherapy in patients who attain pCR after neoadjuvant chemotherapy likely reflects tumor biology and suggests adjuvant chemotherapy could potentially be abbreviated in certain circumstances, and highlights the need for further research to evaluate clinical utility of escalation/de-escalation strategies in the adjuvant setting based on neoadjuvant response for patients with localized breast cancer. Citation Format: Spring LM, Fell G, Arfe A, Trippa L, Greenup R, Reynolds K, Smith BL, Moy B, Isakoff SJ, Parmigiani G, Bardia A. Pathological complete response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy and impact on breast cancer recurrence and mortality, stratified by breast cancer subtypes and adjuvant chemotherapy usage: Individual patient-level meta-analyses of over 27,000 patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr GS2-03.


In order to study the coupling coordination relationship, the equipment manufacturing industry has been taken as the example to develop the evaluation index system of producer services and equipment manufacturing industry through employing the entropy weighting method. The relationship between them has been verified in the whole country. The research results show that there is a symbiotic relationship between the producer services and the equipment manufacturing industry. Both of them are mutually promoted and symbiotically developed. The unbalanced economic development in all regions of China is dominated by the synergy degree difference of both sides, which provides the guidance for the regional economic development in our country.


To what extent has the Beijing +10 process led to the improvement of the lives of women? This paper addresses key issues involved in making such an assessment, in particular, the conceptualisation and measurement of gender equality. It starts with a consideration of three different perspectives concerning the conceptualisation of "improvement" as either economic development, human capabilities, or gender equality. This is followed by an analysis of the tensions between three different models of gender equality. The final section is a critical review of the operationalisation of these concepts and the collection of data necessary to assess progress on each of the 12 critical areas of concern of the UN Platform for Action. In particular, what are the best indicators? The paper engages with the development of international standards of gender equality with a focus on their application in the EU region.


After the APEC meeting in Beijing in November 2014 a series of pictures were released in the world press, which showed Japan's Prime Minster Abe Shinzō and China's President Xi Jinping reluctantly shaking hands. Small wonder, Sino-Japanese diplomatic relations have been in stalemate for several years and apparently won't improve much for some time to come. On 25-26 June 2015 a workshop was convened at the University of Amsterdam with the intention to discuss this impasse: can we speak of a new, regional Cold War, which might erupt into a real war, and drag the world community of nations along? Can we speak of an ongoing Chinese expansionism, menacing to Japan and its other neighbors, which should be counterbalanced by a military build-up under US leadership? If so, are there alternatives to this confrontation, in particular by the promotion of trade and investment, or the construction of an East Asian regional identity? And with regard to the latter, could a historiography be constructed that counteracts the Japanese and Chinese nationalisms, and which tempers the concomitant historical claims?


In a regression setting, it is often of interest to quantify the importance of various features in predicting the response. Commonly, the variable importance measure used is determined by the regression technique employed. For this reason, practitioners often only resort to one of a few regression techniques for which a variable importance measure is naturally defined. Unfortunately, these regression techniques are often suboptimal for predicting the response. Additionally, because the variable importance measures native to different regression techniques generally have a different interpretation, comparisons across techniques can be difficult. In this work, we study a variable importance measure that can be used with any regression technique, and whose interpretation is agnostic to the technique used. This measure is a property of the true data‐generating mechanism. Specifically, we discuss a generalization of the analysis of variance variable importance measure and discuss how it facilitates the use of machine learning techniques to flexibly estimate the variable importance of a single feature or group of features. The importance of each feature or group of features in the data can then be described individually, using this measure. We describe how to construct an efficient estimator of this measure as well as a valid confidence interval. Through simulations, we show that our proposal has good practical operating characteristics, and we illustrate its use with data from a study of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in South Africa.


Introduction: Marked arterial adaptation is critical in permitting and sustaining the increased blood flow within an arteriovenous fistula (AVF). The aim of this investigation was to evaluate markers of arterial disease and their association with the early post-operative AVF outcomes. Methods: We included all patients in whom an AVF had been performed after enrolment to the Renal Impairment In Secondary Care (RIISC) study. Primary AVF failure (PFL) was defined as thrombosis at six-week review. All patients underwent BP Tru and Vicorder pulse wave analysis assessments and also had assays of advanced glycation end-products prior to AVF formation. These were correlated with the short-term AVF outcomes. Results: One hundred and eight AVFs were created in 86 patients. The primary patency (PPT) group were found to have significantly higher body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.01). Intraluminal vein diameter was significantly greater in the PPT group than the PFL group (p≤0.01). Mean augmentation index and augmentation index 75 was significantly higher in the PPT group than the PFL group (p = 0.03 and 0.03, respectively). Aortic pulse wave velocity was slower in the PPT group at 10.2 m/s than the PFL group at 10.8 m/s (p = 0.32). Advanced glycation end-product measurements did not vary significantly between the PPT and PFL groups (p = 0.4). Logistic regression analysis provided a predictive model, which demonstrated a predictive value of 78.1% for AVF patency at 6 weeks. Conclusions: All patients in this end-stage renal disease cohort have significant aortic stiffness. The results for pulse wave velocity were slower in the PPT group suggesting a tendency towards stiffer vessels and PFL.


Golimumab is a human anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha monoclonal antibody that was recently approved for the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. This review covers the published clinical trial data on the use of golimumab for the approved indications mentioned above with respect to efficacy and safety. The various ongoing trials for golimumab have yielded promising results in terms of efficacy and safety in methotrexate-naive and -resistant patients with rheumatoid arthritis, as well as in patients who were previously treated with other anti-TNF agents. In addition, the efficacy of golimumab in psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis has also been demonstrated. The real safety information will be available only once the drug has been used in many more patients, who frequently have comorbid conditions.


Cut-and-shuffle mixing is an instructive candidate system with which to assess the potential of machine learning (ML) as an approach to solve difficult mixing problems. We focus on a specific subset of cut-and-shuffle systems, the one-dimensional interval exchange transform. This class of mixing operations is well studied, and a simple mixing methodology, which we refer to as the longest segment (LS) method, works well under a broad range of situations. We use supervised learning to train a neural network (NN) to emulate the LS mixing algorithm for mixing a one-dimensional domain of two species. We find that a generic deep NN can emulate the LS method with good accuracy but cannot generalize to conditions significantly outside its training repertoire. The challenges in defining the mixing problem and generalizing a ML mixing approach are indicative of those expected for more complex systems where optimal or near optimal mixing methods remain unknown.


Inner-city children visiting emergency rooms (ER) for asthma often rely on the ER as their primary source of care. To evaluate chronic asthma control, structured interviews were conducted with the adult accompanying a sample of 46 children, 2-6 years old, presenting to an inner-city pediatric ER for asthma. Fifty-one percent had 10 or more prior ER visits and 46% had 2 or more previous hospitalizations. Seventy-two percent had functional severity scores in the moderate to severe range. Only 11% used daily inhaled anti-inflammatory medication. Not one patient had a written self-management plan. Most young children visiting an inner-city ER for asthma have poorly controlled and poorly managed chronic asthma.


In joint source-channel arithmetic coding (JSCAC) schemes, additional redundancy may be introduced into an arithmetic source code in order to be more robust against transmission errors. The purpose of this work is to provide analytical tools to predict and evaluate the effectiveness of that redundancy. Integer binary arithmetic coding (AC) is modeled by a reduced-state automaton in order to obtain a bit-clock trellis describing the encoding process. Considering AC as a trellis code, distance spectra are then derived. In particular, an algorithm to compute the free distance of an arithmetic code is proposed. The obtained code properties allow to compute upper bounds on both bit error and symbol error probabilities and thus to provide an objective criterion to analyze the behavior of JSCAC schemes when used on noisy channels. This criterion is then exploited to design efficient error-correcting arithmetic codes. Simulation results highlight the validity of the theoretical error bounds and show that for equivalent rate and complexity, a simple optimization yields JSCACs that outperform classical tandem schemes at low to medium SNR.


Objective
To explore the effectiveness of motivational interviewing, motivational enhancement therapy, and cognitive behaviour therapy for patients with substance use disorders, and to estimate the effect of such comparison in patient care setting.

METHODS
The systematic review was conducted from September 2021 to February 2022, and comprised search on MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, Science Direct, PubMed, Clinical Trials.gov and OvidSP databases for experimental studies and randomised controlled trials related to substance use disorders published in peer-reviewed English-language journals between 2001 and 2021. Quality of the studies was assessed using the Modified Cochrane Collaboration risk of the bias assessment criteria.

RESULTS
Of the 314 studies initially identified, 41(13%) were subjected to full-text assessment, and, of them, 16(39%) were reviewed and analysed. There were 8(50%) studies done is the United States, 4(25%) in the United Kingdom, and 1(6.25%) each in Germany, Australia, South Korea and South Africa. All the 16(100%) studies were intervention-based, with 6(37.5%) being randomised controlled trials. There were 8(50%) studies using motivational interviewing and cognitive behaviour therapy, 5(31.25%) had significant results with a combination of motivational enhancement therapy and cognitive behaviour therapy, 3(18.75%) supported motivational enhancement therapy and cognitive behaviour therapy in combination, and 2(12.5%) studies combined motivational interviewing, motivational enhancement therapy and cognitive behaviour therapy, reporting significant results while simultaneously addressing multiple patient variables.

Conclusion
All studies were heterogeneous. Motivational interviewing produced short-term treatment outcomes and played a supportive role in sustaining motivation. Motivational enhancement therapy was an effective therapeutic intervention that significantly addressed inadequate causes, and enhanced motivation for treatment. Cognitive behaviour therapy had a short-term impact and remained influential in the long term as well in handling cognitive and behavioural setbacks.


We try to evaluate the sequential and non-sequential and flexible structural alignment methods on SCOP 1.71. Firstly, we compare the flexible method with rigid methods and compare the sequence order dependent methods with sequence order independent methods by two typical cases. Secondly, the performances of the above methods are evaluated using ten protein pairs which are considered as "hard to detect" similarities. Thirdly, we evaluate the methods by comparing the ROC curves based on their native score and geometric measure Qscore. Then we compare the methods directly using geometric match measure Qscore, which also allows the creation of a 'Best- of-All' method. The main conclusions are: (1) we find that the best alignments found by sequential methods are more consistent with the SCOP classification; (2) we show that ROC curves are of limited value and that their ranking of the methods is not consistent with the ranking implied by the quality of the alignments the methods find; (3) we also find that the alignments of flexible method and non-sequential methods are better than the corresponding alignments of rigid sequential method from the viewpoint of geometric superposition, and flexible method and non-sequential methods can find more cross-fold similarities.


Introduction: There is a wide variation in normal birth weight, length and head circumference of newborns. The standards formulated by Western workers may not be very reliable to this part of world because of wide variations in normal range of length, weight and head circumference in different ethnic groups. This study aims to determine the anthropometric values – birth weight, length and head circumference in Term and Preterm newborns of different ethnic groups in this region of the country and to see if this can be used as a standard for taking the anthropometric measurements. Materials and Methods: A prospective study of 600 newborns born in Manipal Teaching Hospital, Pokhara from July 2009–June 2010. A detailed anthropometric measurement (weight, length, and head circumference) of all newborns was taken on 3rd day of life. Results: Six major Ethnic groups were noted Brahmin, Gurung, Dalit, Chettri, Magar and Newar. There were 54 % males and 46% females among which 18.16% were preterms, 20.66% small for gestation age, 81.50% term and 0.33% posterm. The mean weight, length and head circumference of term babies were 2.817±0.61 gms, 47.68±2.48 cm, 33.56±2.02 cm and for preterm babies it was 2.215± 0.41 gms, 46.36±2.39 cm, 32.23±2.03 cm respectively. There were 25% low birth weight (n=151, highest number in Brahmins-27%), 74.16% normal weight (n=445) and 0.66% over weight (n=4, all were gurungs) babies. In Term newborns weight, length and head circumference was noted to be highest in Gurungs (3.3004gms, 49.35cm, 34.72cm) and was statistically significant (p<0.000). Weight and length of Brahmins was lowest (2.578 gms, 45.49cm) and head circumference was lowest in Dalits (30.88cm, statistically significant<0.000). In case of preterms highest weight and length was seen in Magars (2.387gms, 47.90cm) but head circumference was highest in Gurungs (34.18cm) whereas weight was lowest in chettri (2.1609gms), length in Brahmin (44.61cm) and OFC in Dalits (29.92cm). These parameters were directly proportion with gestation age and was statistically significant (p<0.000). Conclusion: The present study highlights the mean weight, length and head circumference of term and preterm newborns in different ethnic groups and gestation age. These parameters were directly proportion to gestation age but were variable in different Ethnic groups. Therefore a study in larger population could give us a different standard for anthropometric measurements in Nepalese newborns.


Methotrexate is one of the most effective and widely used cytostatic drugs. However as all antineoplastic drugs it has very low therapeutic index and high toxicity. Kinetic parameters (rate constants, half-times of restoration and extreme values of concentrations at the beginning of methotrexate infusion) were estimated for biochemical markers It is the method of the quantitative assessment of the drug toxicity. The biokinetic findings allow to set an optimum time interval between infusions of methotrexate for minimization of toxicity at therapeutic efficacy keeping of the antineoplastic drug.


This paper showed how real-time data that obtained during drilling operation can be used for optimizing drilling parameter such as weight on bit (WOB), and rotary speed (RPM) in term of drilling cost per foot. The real-time data that obtained from mud logging unit included the rate of penetration (ROP), WOB, RPM, depth …. etc. In this work, the real-time data obtained from Buzurgan oil well (BU-50) were used for drilling optimization. Rock strength for each drilling foot of section obtained from a sonic log, using SPSS (Statistics) software to calculate it correction factors a,b, and c for Mishrif formation and apply nonlinear regression method after that make drill behind for validation purpose. Finally, the optimal drilling parameters were estimated with the cost model. Based on the results obtained, a good agreement achieved between results of rate of penetration that obtained from drilling model and actual penetration rate along the drilling section. Also, cost analysis shows that the optimal weight on bit and rotary speed for drilling that section are 18 klb and 116 rpm respectively which achieves a minimum cost per foot.


AIMS
To evaluate the outcomes, complications, and quality of life of patients after a Remeex re-adjustable sling for recurrent stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and intrinsic sphincteric deficiency (ISD) indications.

METHODS
One hundred twenty-five patients with SUI were prospectively evaluated following a re-adjustable sling in a single tertiary academic Center. Patients were classified by Q-tip, urodynamic and clinical criteria into ISD (70) and recurrent SUI (55). All patients underwent a re-adjustable sling placement. Outcome measures included pad-test, urodynamics, and the King's Health Questionnaire.

RESULTS
After a mean follow-up of 38 months (26-72), 109 patients (87%) are cured of SUI based on pad-test, clinical, and urodynamic criteria. Sixteen patients (13%) remain incontinent. Nine of those (7%) are satisfied to the point that they decline re-adjustment of the sling, and seven (6%) are on the waiting list for re-adjustment. Nineteen patients show urge incontinence (9 with previous urodynamic mixed incontinence, 10 (8%) with de novo detrusor overactivity). Twenty-one patients benefited from a re-adjustment of the sling during the follow-up. The tension was increased in 17 cases (continent at discharge) due to recurrence of SUI, and reduced in 4 due to obstruction. The Varitensor was removed in 1 case due to infection. No other complications were seen.

CONCLUSIONS
The Remeex re-adjustable sling system provides a good cure rate for recurrent SUI and ISD with a low complication rate. The ability to increase or decrease sling tension allowed us to achieve cure in patients who were not initially dry, and to relieve obstruction in every case attempted.


A retrospective study was performed to determine the course of limb-length discrepancies occurring in patients with monoarticular and pauciarticular juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Data were assessed on thirty-six patients followed to skeletal maturity, on fifteen patients who had not reached skeletal maturity but who had been followed for four years or more, and on forty-nine patients followed for three years or less. In seventy-two of the total of 100 patients the onset of the disease occurred before they were five years old, and ninety patients had involvement of the knee. All patients in whom the disease developed before the age of nine had overgrowth of the involved extremity, but that overgrowth never exceeded 3.0 centimeters. The major discrepancy developed within the first three or four years and either increased very slowly thereafter, remained level, or decreased. Of the thirty-six patients who were followed to skeletal maturity, in twenty-nine a discrepancy of 1.5 centimeters or more developed at some time during the period of assessment. Twelve of the thirty-six patients had diminution of the discrepancy to the extent that epiphyseal arrest was not required. Fifteen eventually had an epiphyseal arrest. Rapid premature closure of the epiphyseal growth plate occurred only in those patients in whom the disease developed after the age of nine years. This led to immediate shortening of the involved side and on occasion to marked limb-length discrepancies.


BACKGROUND
Conventional transbronchial needle aspiration (c-TBNA) contributed to improve the bronchoscopic examination, allowing to sample lesions located even outside the tracheo-bronchial tree and in the hilo-mediastinal district, both for diagnostic and staging purposes.

METHODS
We have evaluated the sensitivity, accuracy, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) of the c-TBNA performed during the 2005-2015 period for suspicious lung neoplasia and/or hilar and mediastinal lymphadenopathy at the Thoracic endoscopy of the Thoracic Surgery Department of the Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Rome. Data from 273 consecutive patients (205 males and 68 females) were analyzed.

RESULTS
Among 158 (58%) adequate specimens, 112 (41%) were neoplastic or contained atypical cells, 46 (17%) were negative or not diagnostic. We considered in the analysis first the overall period; then we compared the findings of the first [2005-2011] and second period [2012-2015] and, finally, only those of adequate specimens. During the overall period, sensibility and accuracy values were respectively of 53% and 63%, in the first period they reached 41% and 53% respectively; in the second period sensibility and accuracy reached 60% and 68%. Considering only the adequate specimens, sensibility and accuracy during the overall period were respectively of 80% and 82%; the values obtained for the first period were 68% and 72%. Finally, in the second period, sensibility reached 86% and accuracy 89%. Carcinoma-subtyping was possible in 112 cases, adenocarcinomas being diagnosed in 50 cases; further, in 30 cases molecular predictive data could be obtained.

CONCLUSIONS
The c-TBNA proved to be an efficient method for the diagnosis/staging of lung neoplasms and for the diagnosis of mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Endoscopist's skill and technical development, associated to thin-prep cytology and to a rapid on site examination (ROSE), were able to provide by c-TBNA a high diagnostic yield and molecular predictive data in advanced lung carcinomas.


Development of animal models has furthered our understanding of mechanisms underpinning cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP). Cancer-induced bone pain is a unique
pain state with mechanisms akin to those of chronic inflammatory and neuropathic pain. I aim to highlight the role of both neuronal and non-neuronal mechanisms in a rat model of cancer-induced bone pain (MRMT-1).
Anti-convulsant drugs are useful in the treatment of neuropathic pain and have been shown to be effective in animal models of inflammatory pain. Carbamazepine reduced
neuronal excitability seen at time of peak behaviour after MRMT-1 but not sham injection, highlighting the possible role of sodium channel activity in maintaining the neuronal
excitability in cancer-induced bone pain. Furthermore carbamazepine reduced pain-like ipsilateral hypersensitivity after MRMT-1 injection in awake animals further indicating the usefulness of sodium channel antagonism in cancer-induced bone pain. Peptidergic C fibre population, which co-express calcitonin-gene related peptide (CGRP) and the receptor for nerve growth factor trkA, carry sensory information from bone. It is
for these reasons that modulation of CGRP signalling in the MRMT-1 model of cancer-induced bone pain has been investigated using "drug X" (donated from Pfizer UK) which interrupts CGRP signalling in nociceptive pathways. Subcutaneous administration of drug X reduced ipsilateral pain-like behaviours seen following MRMT-1 injection, suggesting that CGRP antagonism may be a useful target in the treatment of cancer-induced bone pain.
Microglia have been implicated in the pathophysiology underlying neuropathic pain and have become activated in models of cancer-induced bone pain. OX42 labelled microglial in the lumbar dorsal horn ipsilateral to MRMT-1 increase between days 5 and 11 post surgery. Microglial inhibition using minocycline between days 0 and 9 but not between days 5 and 9 post-MRMT-1 injection delays pain-like behaviour in the post-operative
period, indicating that early microgliosis is key in the initiation of cancer-induced bone pain.


Hydrological parameters play important roles in designing new well. Dupuit formula and Theis formula are usually used to calculate hydrological parameters by insert numerical method. The precision of parameters is affected by insert numerical table and pumping test data of reference wells. Purpose of this paper is to study on utilizing these data efficiently. Firstly, database of water resource is build by SQL SERVER and ARC/INFO, and data is obtained by GIS or RS to show space-time distributing rule of water resource; secondly, whole section is searched with the method of net-grid, and the value of parameters is selected to be the optimum estimating value; thirdly, conjugate gradient is used to approach the real value of parameters; the parameters and the distribution of aquifer in new well are obtained finally. This process is carried through VB 6.0 program. In practice, the new method shows its advantages in higher precision and efficiency.


Background Transcription factor NF-kB (nuclear factor kB) play an important role in the regulation of immune and inflammatory responses [1]. Previous studies showed that a significant downregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression (TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6) was evident for cultured human macrophages treated with CTLA4-Ig fusion protein [2]. Objectives The aim of the study was to investigate the NF-kB pathway as possible intracellular signaling target involved in the CTLA4-Ig modulation of cytokine production (TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6) in cultured human macrophages. Methods THP1 cell line, differentiated by PMA (0.5 μg/ml for 3 hours) into adherent macrophages, were seeded in tissue culture dishes in culture medium with CTLA4-Ig [100 and 500 μg/ml for 3 and 12 hours] or without CTLA4-Ig, for mRNA extraction and qRT-PCR analysis. At the end of incubation adherent cells were harvested and mRNA was extracted and processed by qRT-PCR analysis for NF-kB1 (p50 subunit) and for TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6. Experiments were done in triplicate. Results The qRT-PCR analysis of NFKB1 mRNA, after 3 and 12 hours from CTLA4-Ig treatment, showed a significant downregulation (p<0.001) of the gene expression vs. cnt at both concentrations [100 and 500 μg/ml]. At the same time, the qRT-PCR analysis of inflammatory cytokine mRNA, already after 3 hours from treatment, showed that CTLA4-Ig [100 μg/ml] induced a significant decrease for TNFα and IL-6 gene expression (p<0.05), compared to untreated macrophages (cnt). CTLA4-Ig [500 μg/ml] was able to reduce TNFα gene expression vs. cnt in a larger extent (p<0.001). After 12 hours from treatment with CTLA4-Ig [100, 500 μg/ml], it was still evident a significant downregulation in cytokine gene expression for IL-1β and IL-6 vs. cnt (p<0.001). Interestingly, TNFα downregulation was not still significant after 12 hours from treatment. Conclusions The action of CTLA4-Ig may be exerted at level of the intracellular signaling (trascription factors) by downregulating NF-kB1 gene expression, together with a significant reduction in gene expression for tested inflammatory cytokines. References Beinke S et al. Biochem J. 2004;382:393-409; 2. Cutolo M et al. Arthritis Res Ther. 2009;11(6):R176. Disclosure of Interest None Declared


Modeling the power profile of mobile applications is a crucial activity to identify the causes behind energy leaks. To this aim, researchers have proposed hardware-based tools as well as model-based and software-based techniques to approximate the actual energy profile. However, all these solutions present their own advantages and disadvantages. Hardware-based tools are highly precise, but at the same time their use is bound to the acquisition of costly hardware components. Model-based tools require the calibration of parameters needed to correctly create a model on a specific hardware device. Software-based approaches do not need any hardware components, but they rely on battery measurements and, thus, they are hardware-assisted. These tools are cheaper and easier to use than hardware-based tools, but they are believed to be less precise. In this paper, we take a deeper look at the pros and cons of software-based solutions investigating to what extent their measurements depart from hardware-based solutions. To this aim, we propose a software-based tool named PETRA that we compare with the hardware-based MONSOON toolkit on 54 Android apps. The results show that PETRA performs similarly to MONSOON despite not using any sophisticated hardware components. In fact, in all the apps the mean relative error with respect to MONSOON is lower than 0.05. Moreover, for 95% of the analyzed methods the estimation error is within 5% of the actual values measured using the hardware-based toolkit.


Background: In regard to scientific information, are we effectively reaching the universe of physicians in the 21st century, all of whom have different backgrounds, practice environments, educational experiences, and varying degrees of research knowledge? Methods: A comparison of the top nine neurosurgery journals based on various popular citation indices and also on the digital metric, Readers (Users)/month, was compiled from available metrics and from internet sources. Results: Major differences in the ranking of the Readers (Users)/month metrics compared to ranking of the various citation indices were found. It is obvious that the citation indices do not measure the number of readers of a publication. Which metric should be used in judging the value of a scientific paper? The answer to that question relates to what the interest of the reader has in the scientific information. It appears that the academic scientist may have a different reason for reading a scientific publication than a physician caring for a patient. Conclusions: There needs to be more than one type of metric that measures the value and "Impact" of a scientific paper based on how physicians learn.


A murine tumor-associated alpha-globulin was identified by immunofluorescence, cytotoxicity, and immunoelectrophoresis. The antiserum resulting from heterologous immunization with the segregated antigen was tolerated in multiple injections and was therapeutic; host cell participation by macrophages and lymphocytes led to the therapeutic result. Investigation of human ovarian carcinoma demonstrated an alpha-globulin which shares antigenic specificity with other tumor-associated antigens. The successful scanning of a tumor mass with a heterologous antibody directed against a tumor-associated antigen demonstrated the feasibility of applying these techniques to clinical cancer.


Inner ear is constituted of fluid-filled ducts partitioned with an elastic structure, the organ of Corti. When the ear is excited by sound, travelling waves appear along the organ of Corti and stimulate the sensory cells. A peak of vibration is reached at a particular place depending on the excitation frequency. The waves are strongly attenuated after this place. Due to the complexity of in vivo experimentations, some aspects of physiological functions still need to be investigated. For this purpose, an experimental setup reproducing the passive behavior of the inner ear has been manufactured. Standing waves are usually observed on artificial cochlea devices due to wave reflection on boundaries. Acoustic black holes are known as vibration absorbers for thin structures. In this paper, an immersed acoustic black hole is used to reduce the reflected wave. Experimental results are compared with a model using the impedance matrix method. Travelling waves can be observed and this device should allow better understanding of artificial cochlear mechanics.


This paper proposed a novel 3D face recognition algorithm using multi-level multi-feature fusions. A new face representation method named average edge image is proposed in addition to traditional ones such as maximal principal curvature image and range image. In the matching process stage, a new weight calculation algorithm based on the sum rule is presented for feature fusion and match score fusion in order to improve the matching precision. Depending on the complementary characteristic of feature fusion and match score fusion, a combination of them named two-level fusion is proposed. Experiments are conducted using our own 3D database consisting of nearly 400 samples. Mesh simplification is utilized for data reduction. Recognition results show that the new weight calculation method improves the recognition accuracy and the two-level fusion algorithm performs better than feature fusion and match score fusion.


We study an efficient time-stepping scheme for the 1D Fujita equation that is implicit for the linear terms but explicit for the nonlinear terms. We analyze the long-time stability of the scheme for varying parameter values, which reveal parameter value regimes in which the method is stable. We provide numerical results that illustrate the theory and show the analytically derived stability conditions are sufficient to achieve long-time stability results


We have constructed a 140-GHz free-electron laser to generate high-average-power microwaves for heating the MTX tokamak plasma. A 5.5-m steady-state wiggler (Intense Microwave Prototype-IMP) has been installed at the end of the upgraded 60-cell ETA-II accelerator, and is configured as an FEL amplifier for the output of a 140-GHz long-pulse gyrotron. Improvements in the ETA-II accelerator include a multicable-feed power distribution network, better magnetic alignment using a stretched-wire alignment technique (SWAT), and a computerized tuning algorithm that directly minimizes the transverse sweep (corkscrew motion) of the electron beam. The upgrades were first tested on the 20-cell, 3-MeV front end of ETA-II and resulted in greatly improved energy flatness and reduced corkscrew motion. The upgrades were then incorporated into the full 60-cell configuration of ETA-II, along with modifications to allow operation in 50-pulse bursts at pulse repetition frequencies up to 5 kHz. The pulse power modifications were developed and tested on the High Average Power Test Stand (HAPTS), and have significantly reduced the voltage and timing jitter of the MAG 1D magnetic pulse compressors. The 2-3 kA, 6-7 MeV beam from ETA-II is transported to the IMP wiggler, which has been reconfigured as a laced wiggler, with both permanent magnets and electromagnets, for high magnetic field operation. Tapering of the wiggler magnetic field is completely computer controlled and can be optimized based on the output power. The microwaves from the FEL are transmitted to the MTX tokamak by a windowless quasi-optical microwave transmission system. Experiments at MTX are focused on studies of electron-cyclotron-resonance heating (ECRH) of the plasma. We summarize here the accelerator and pulse power modifications, and describe the status of ETA-II, IMP, and MTX operations.


Gordon syndrome is a familial autosomal dominant syndrome with hyperkalemia, increased extracellular volume, hypertension, normal kidney function, and metabolic acidosis. It is also called type II Pseudohypoaldosteronism due to usually normal aldosterone and low renin levels. In this report a 35 years old woman is presented with 2-year history of hypertension, eclampsia, and fetal death. Laboratory tests showed hyperkalemia and metabolic acidosis. After evaluation, thiazide was administrated according to Gordon syndrome diagnosis. Interestingly, after reciving low dose of hydrochlorothiazide the patient had a successful full term pregnancy and a healthy baby. In patients with high blood pressure and hyperkalemia and Gordon syndrome can control blood pressure and hyperkalemia well with low dose thiazide and have healthy pregnancy without materno fetal complication


Over the years, the EU has been successful in creating a framework where pregnancy and maternity in the workplace are acknowledged and protected. Such a framework, however, fails to regulate situations such as surrogacy. The latter raises complex ethical and legal issues that have been addressed in very different ways at national level. Lack of a common position has meant that the rights that women have in to relation to surrogacy in the workplace have been ignored at EU level. This article maintains that one of the main difficulties in addressing it is the traditional understanding of who is perceived to be a mother. Women are de facto afforded rights because they are biological mothers and this excludes surrogacy. The debate has recently been highlighted by the decisions of the Court of Justice of the European Union in the cases of C.D. v S.T. and Z v Government Department and the Board of Management of a Community School. Interestingly, the two Advocates General reached different conclusions, one emphasising health and safety and the other the equality aspect of the debate: neither of these opinions offered a clear solution, yet both indicate possible ways forward. The Court ignored these suggestions and reached disappointing, albeit technically flawless and entirely predictable, decisions. Against this background, this article argues that the time is now ripe for a more coherent regime of parental rights in the EU where the focus should shift from the mere biological/gestational connotation of motherhood to emphasising the different sides of "being a mother", and more generally "being a parent", including a caring relationship between the parent(s) and the child. Accordingly, it concludes that the EU is in urgent need of a complete set of legal rules that looks beyond how families are constructed and, ultimately, values and promotes the role of care and, ultimately, the best interests of the child.


Background: Porphyrias are rare diseases, and for these patients every administration of drugs may induce an acute attack of porphyria. The list of safe compounds allowed in these patients is available for clinicians from specific websites cited in the text. Objectives: However, data concerning anticancer therapy in patients with such diseases remain poor. Therefore any publications can help clinicians to deal with this very specific group of patients. Methods: In our institution, three patients received docetaxel and hematologic growth factors (erythropoietin and GCSF) without unexpected toxicities. Aromatase inhibitors (anstrozole and letrozole) were also given in one patient without any related problem. Conclusion: The present observation adds some useful data for the possible treatment of cancer in patients with porphyria.


The paper summarizes the discussion among Łaski's inner circle regarding the relevance of Kaleckian treatment of money under financial capitalism. The context of that debate was the project of a joint textbook in macroeconomics, the building blocks of which would be Kalecki's theory, and which would take into account the present-day financialization. With Łaski's death the opportunity of doing the project was gone. Of the two closely interlinked questions under debate, the first dealt with permissible simplifications regarding determinants of money supply and interest rates, and the second with how to extend Kaleckian theory to link the real economy sector more tightly with its financial sector. The paper argues that for an introductory textbook in macroeconomics Kalecki's and Łaski's simplifications are legitimate. On the second issue the paper finds the introduction of two financial subsectors and the discussion of their interlinks with the real economy sector to be an important and possible way of investigating macroeconomic crises and instability within the Kaleckian macroeconomic framework. Another way would be the expansion and modification of Kalecki's investment decision function, which would continue to generate an automatic business cycle due to changes in fixed capital investment but also in combination with factors determining financial investment.


Cholesterol gallstones are a significant cause of morbidity in the U.S. Methods used to treat gallstones include cholecystectomy or medical dissolution. The primary drugs used for the dissolution of cholesterol gallstones are two bile acids, chenodeoxycholic acid and ursodeoxycholic acid. Complete or partial gallstone dissolution rates using chenodeoxycholic acid have ranged from 30 to 80 percent. Factors affecting gallstone dissolution using the bile acids include the dosage and administration schedule, obesity, the stone characteristics, diet, and the duration of therapy. The adverse effects of chenodeoxycholic acid include gastrointestinal complaints, hepatotoxicity, and increased serum cholesterol. Ursodeoxycholic acid, which is investigational, differs from chenodeoxycholic acid in its mechanism of action. Ursodeoxycholic acid has similar efficacy with chenodeoxycholic acid, at a lower daily dosage, with less gastrointestinal and hepatic adverse effects. If appropriate patient selection is used, the response rate to medical therapy can range from 50 to 80 percent.


Genetic algorithm (GA) is an effective method of solving combinatorial optimization problems. Generally speaking most of search algorithms require a large execution time in order to calculate some evaluation value, especially in real-world applications as well. Crossover is very important in GA because discovering a good solution efficiently requires that the good characteristics of the parent individuals be recombined. The multiple crossover per couple (MCPC) is a method that permits a number of children for each mating pair, and MCPC generates a huge amount of execution time to find a good solution. This paper proposes a novel approach to reduce time needed for fitness evaluation by "prenatal diagnosis" using fitness prediction. In the experiments based on actual problems, the proposed method found an optimum solution about 50% faster than the conventional method did. The experimental results from standard test functions show that the proposed method is applicable to other problem as well.


Taiwan is an area with highest TFT-LCD industry density around the world, even exceed Japan and Korea, with anticipating, Taiwan will continue occupying leading position of the whole world in the following several years. Because of economy grows vigorously, the issue seriously damages our environment from day to day, advocating the green industrial revolution becomes one of the main trends in the 21st century, green marketing becomes the crucial operational policy of scientific and technological industry. This research plans to use bass diffusion model as the foundation structure, putting into the price parameter, setting up the model of revising, regard A company LCD as the case. The result of study finds out the model of this research both right ability and predicts ability is weak signification; demonstrate the sale of influence LCD that green marketing will be ineffective at the same time.