A path query extracts vertex tuples from a labeled graph, based on the words that are formed by the paths connecting the vertices. We study the computational complexity of measuring the contribution of edges and vertices to an answer to a path query, focusing on the class of conjunctive regular path queries. To measure this contribution, we adopt the traditional Shapley value from cooperative game theory. This value has been recently proposed and studied in the context of relational database queries and has uses in a plethora of other domains. We first study the contribution of edges and show that the exact Shapley value is almost always hard to compute. Specifically, it is #P-hard to calculate the contribution of an edge whenever at least one (non-redundant) conjunct allows for a word of length three or more. In the case of regular path queries (i.e., no conjunction), the problem is tractable if the query has only words of length at most two; hence, this property fully characterizes the tractability of the problem. On the other hand, if we allow for an approximation error, then it is straightforward to obtain an efficient scheme (FPRAS) for an additive approximation. Yet, a multiplicative approximation is harder to obtain. We establish that in the case of conjunctive regular path queries, a multiplicative approximation of the Shapley value of an edge can be computed in polynomial time if and only if all query atoms are finite languages (assuming non-redundancy and conventional complexity limitations). We also study the analogous situation where we wish to determine the contribution of a vertex, rather than an edge, and establish complexity results of similar nature.


Resistive superconducting fault current limiters constitute a promising solution for high voltage (HV) networks. During the resistive current limitation, transient overvoltages and heat dissipation occur on superconducting tapes, inducing fast boiling of surrounding liquid nitrogen (LN $_{{2}}{)}$ . An experimental system reproducing the fast transient heating of a tape electrode, synchronized with a high-voltage impulse, is described. Breakdown voltages measurements in both polarities are carried out versus synchronization delay, pressure (0.10–0.40 MPa), and temperature (77 and 65 K). Breakdown voltages show complex variations with these parameters. More insight is obtained from the recording of prebreakdown phenomena (streamer). The size of vapor bubbles has a large and counterintuitive influence on streamer initiation: the smaller bubbles, the lower inception voltage. Subcooling LN2 (by decreasing temperature and/or increasing pressure) sometimes has a beneficial influence (quenching of negative streamer propagation), but deleterious effects can be as well observed in other circumstances (by favoring positive streamer initiation).


To obtain high quality computed tomographic (CT) images of specimens, the specimens must be submerged in water and immobilized. We describe a simple, effective technique for imaging brain specimens in various CT scanners. Anatomic sections that correspond exactly to the plane of the CT image may be obtained


An improved version of the C-testability approach for orthogonal iterative arrays presented by H. Elhuni et al. (see ibid., vol.CAD-5, p.573-81, 1986) is described. C-testability is defined by those criteria which characterize the complexity of the testing process as independent of the dimensions of the array and of the erroneous states of the cells. The proposed approach is based on a cellular automata characterization under single faulty assumption. This characterization analyzes the state transition table of a basic cell and adds new states to it. These states are used to reproduce internally to the array the test input and propagate the faulty state to the output pins of a chip. This process is analyzed exhaustively. The characteristics of the additional states are presented. The conditions of C-testability are fully proved. Complexity of the testing process (number of test vectors) is discussed. It is proved that the proposed approach has a lower complexity than that of Elhuni et al. >


Abstract: There are a great number of thermodynamic schools, independent of each other, and without a powerful general approach, but with a split on non-equilibrium thermodynamics. In 1912, in relation to the stationary non-equilibrium states, Ehrenfest introduced the fundamental question on the existence of a functional that achieves its extreme value for stable states, as entropy does for the stationary states in equilibrium thermodynamics. Today, the new branch frontiers of science and engineering, from power engineering to environmental sciences, from chaos to complex systems, from life sciences to nanosciences, etc. require a unified approach in order to optimize results and obtain a powerful approach to non-equilibrium thermodynamics and open systems. In this paper, a generalization of the Gouy–Stodola approach is suggested as a possible answer to the Ehrenfest question. Keywords: entropy; entropy generation; entropy production; irreversibility; second law analysis PACS Codes: 05.70.-a; 05.70.Ln


There are both similarities and differences in the circumstances and problems faced by women and members of ethnic minority groups when considering engineering as a career. This paper focuses on aspects of both, centering primarily on comparisons between the situations of black males and white females as a representative of the two largest minority groups in engineering today. Some references to American Indians and Spanish-speaking Americans are also included.


A total of 763 fecal samples were collected from dogs in Western Pomerania during 2006-2007 to determine the gastrointestinal parasite fauna of dogs in this region. In the city of Szczecin, 648 fecal samples were collected every month in the annual cycle from nine city areas and analysed. Six fecal samples were taken at each collection time from each site. A total of 115 fecal samples from rural areas were investigated. Each fecal sample was dissected with a needle, checked for tapeworm segments and adult forms of nematodes, and examined for parasite eggs using Willis-Schlaff flotation method. The mean prevalence of gastrointestinal parasite infection among dogs in Western Pomerania was 34.84%. The greatest number of samples containing parasites came from the Chociwel commune (46.67%), and the smallest number from the city of Szczecin (23.92%). The greatest number of samples containing parasites from the city of Szczecin originated from the Słoneczne estate (34.72%), and the smallest number from the Kasprowicz Park (13.89%). Dogs' feces were found to contain segments of Dipylidium caninum (4.07%) and Taenia sp. (3.45%) tapeworms and eggs of five species of gastrointestinal nematodes: Uncinaria stenocephala (11%), Toxocara canis (20.62%), Toxascaris leonina (2.91%), Ancylostoma sp. (4.61%), and Trichuris vulpis (0.27%). The highest prevalence of endoparasite infection among dogs was found in July (42.60%) and the lowest in February (5.56%). Both single- and multi-species infections were observed. In the area of Szczecin, single-species infections were the most common (18.83%).


The optics industry has not followed the lead of the machining and electronics industries in applying advances in computer aided engineering (CAE), computer assisted manufacturing (CAM), automation or quality management techniques. Automation based on computer integrated manufacturing (CIM) and flexible machining systems (FMS) has been widely implemented in these industries. Optics continues to rely on standalone equipment that preserves the highly skilled, labor intensive optical fabrication systems developed in the 1940's. This paper describes development initiatives at the Center for Optics Manufacturing that will create computer integrated manufacturing technology and support processes for the optical industry.


We investigate virtual single user detection (VSUD) for physical network coding in two-way relay MIMO channels. We propose (non)-linear detection algorithms which are derived from maximum-likelihood (ML) structure. Simulation results show that VSUD with ML detection can achieve the best performance. VSUD with Euclidian distance based detection provide the same performance as multiple user detection with ML detection. And VSUD with the proposed linear detection outperforms MUD with MMSE detection.


The Authors describe their own experience of functioning and nonfunctioning tumors of the adrenal gland. In two cases the neoplasm was an adrenal adenoma, one causing a Cushing syndrome, the other clinically asymptomatic and associated with renal tuberculosis. In two patients the neoplasm was a clinically unsuspected pheochromocytoma and in one case it proved to be a malignant tumor.


The purpose of this study is to assign emission source profiles of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matters (PMs) for chemical speciation, and to correct the temporal allocation factor and the chemical speciation of source profiles according to the source classification code within the sparse matrix operator kernel emission system (SMOKE) in the Seoul metropolitan area. The chemical speciation from the source profiles of VOCs such as gasoline, diesel vapor, coating, dry cleaning and LPG include 12 and 34 species for the carbon bond IV (CBIV) chemical mechanism and the statewide air pollution research center 99 (SAPRC99) chemical mechanism, respectively. Also, the chemical speciation of PM2.5 such as soil, road dust, gasoline and diesel vehicles, industrial source, municipal incinerator, coal fired, power plant, biomass burning and marine was allocated to 5 species of fine PM, organic carbon, elementary carbon, NO3-, and SO42-. In addition, temporal profiles for point and line sources were obtained by using the stack telemetry system (TMS) and hourly traffic flows in the Seoul metropolitan area for 2007. In particular, the temporal allocation factor for the ozone modeling at point sources was estimated based on NOX emission inventories of the stack TMS data.


1.Plankton ecology contributes significantly to ecological theory building, because plankton organisms are relatively easy to manipulate and have short generation times and a relatively small set of traits making them an ideal experimental model system for addressing both general ecological questions as well more system-specific questions. 2.Since the environment is changing at an unprecedented rate, there is an ongoing demand for predictions from plankton ecology on the consequences of global change. 3.In 2010, a colloquium was held on three subjects: chaos versus predictability in plankton dynamics, global patterns versus regional differences in plankton dynamics and climate-induced changes in plankton dynamics. 4.Papers in this Special Issue propose a new model of plankton dynamics under climate change in different climate zones; offer increased attention to the role of winters in resetting population dynamics; discuss the effects of climate change on ecological stoichiometry and efficiency of trophic transfer; describe the relative and interacting effects of changes in temperature and hydrology on plankton; and analyse the effects of climate change on host-parasite dynamics. 5.Important research gaps include increased monitoring of understudied climatic zones, adaptation of plankton organisms to altered environmental conditions, interactions of climate change with legacy nutrients, interactions with other anthropogenic pressures and interactions with the infochemical network. © 2013 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.


The aim of the current study was to assess immunohistochemically and compare the level of expression of tenascin (TN) and fibronectin (FN) and their integrin receptors alpha9beta1 and alpha5beta1 in the primary colorectal and gastric tumors, and in corresponding lymph node and liver metastases from 53 patients. We detected similar high deposition of the studied ECM proteins and their receptors in the stroma of primary tumors and in liver metastases and a lower deposition in lymph node metastases. Cytoplasmic immune reaction for FN and TN was also seen in the tumor cells. A pronounced co-localization of immune deposits for FN and TN and their receptors was found in the stroma of the center and the invasion front (IF) (p<0.0001). A significant decrease of FN immune signal was observed in the IF in primary tumors and liver metastases (p<0.0001). The levels of immunolabeling of FN and TN correlated with the differentiation grade of primary tumors (p<0.0001). In conclusion, we may say that there is heterogeneous deposition of TN, FN and their integrin receptors in the different areas of primary colorectal and gastric tumors and of their metastases. These findings imply that the studied proteins may be involved in cell processes such as growth, adhesion, migration and apoptosis.


Theoretical and experimental methodologies were assessed to test curved beam made of layered composite material. The maximum stress and maximum deflection were computed for each layer and the effect of radius of curvature and curve shape on them. Because of the increase of the use of composite materials in aircraft structures and the renewed interest in these types of problems, the presented theoretical assessment was made using three different approaches: curved beam theory and an approximate 2D strength of material equations and finite element method (FEM) analysis by ANSYS 14.5 program for twelve cases of multi-layered cylindrical shell panel differs in fiber orientations and number of layers. One case of E-glass composite material was experimentally made and tested to verify the relation between applied load and maximum deflection and four models were made of poly carbonyl to determine stresses under bending loads in polar scope, all results were compared with each other, the percentage accuracy was very good. The curved beam theory and strength of material equation formulas results were reasonable for the bottom surface, while it seems not enough for the top surfaces. Also, results explained positions and cases more affected by delaminating and the most preferred part of ellipse shape beam in resisting loads.


Background and objective: Lactobacilli are excellent antibacterial agents; however, scientific study on their combined action against human pathogenic bacteria is skimpy. The current study determines the antibacterial activity of commercially available probiotic lactobacilli and the curd lactobacilli, alone and in combination, against clinical bacterial isolates.
Methods and findings: Two curd lactobacilli (Lactobacillus animalis and L. gasseri) and two commercially available probiotic lactobacilli (L. acidophilus and L. rhamnosus) strains were tested for their antibacterial activity against the clinical bacterial isolates: Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, following agar-overlay method. The 'R' values (width of clear zones) due to their action against the indicator bacteria were recorded, and growth inhibitory indices (GIIs) were calculated from their combined action. The commercial lactobacilli strains, for which the 'R' values ranged 8-12 mm, from single action, had synergistic activity when used in combination against E. coli (GII: 0.56), while the curd lactobacilli strains having 'R' values 6.5-9.5 mm had synergistic activity against both E. coli and K. pneumoniae (GIIs: 0.65-0.74). The lactobacilli strains isolated were multidrug resistant.
Conclusion: The current findings suggest the usefulness of natural curd lactobacilli as well as the commercially available lactobacilli strains, alone or in combination, or in combination with some conventionally used antibiotics, as therapeutics against bacterial infection to humans.


Apathy is considered to be a core feature of Parkinson's disease (PD) and has been associated with a variety of states and symptoms of the disease, such as increased severity of motor symptoms, impaired cognition, executive dysfunction and dementia. Apart from the high prevalence of apathy in PD, which is estimated to be about 40%, the underlying pathophysiology remains poorly understood and current treatment approaches are unspecific and proved to be only partially effective. In animal models, apathy has been sub-optimally modeled, mostly by means of pharmacological and stress-induced methods, whereby concomitant depressive-like symptoms could not be ruled out. In the context of PD only a few studies on toxin-based models (i.e., 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) or 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)) claimed to have determined apathetic symptoms in animals. The assessment of apathetic symptoms in more elaborated and multifaceted genetic animal models of PD could help to understand the pathophysiological development of apathy in PD and eventually advance specific treatments for afflicted patients. Here we report the presence of behavioral signs of apathy in 12 months old mice that express only ~5% of the vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2). Apathetic-like behavior in VMAT2 deficient (LO) mice was evidenced by impaired burrowing and nest building skills, and a reduced preference for sweet solution in the saccharin preference test, while the performance in the forced swimming test was normal. Our preliminary results suggest that VMAT2 deficient mice show an apathetic-like phenotype that might be independent of depressive-like symptoms. Therefore VMAT2 LO mice could be a useful tool to study the pathophysiological substrates of apathy and to test novel treatment strategies for apathy in the context of PD.


The 1995 - 2007 Ecosystem History of South Florida's Estuaries Database contains listings of all sites (modern and core), modern monitoring site survey information (water chemistry, floral and faunal data, etc.), and published core data. Two general types of data are contained within this database: 1) Modern Field Data and 2) Core data - primarily faunal assemblages. Data are available for modern sites and cores in the general areas of Florida Bay, Biscayne Bay, and the southwest (Florida) coastal mangrove estuaries. Specific sites in the Florida Bay area include Taylor Creek, Bob Allen Key, Russell Bank, Pass Key, Whipray Basin, Rankin Bight, park Key, and Mud Creek core). Specific Biscayne Bay sites include Manatee Bay, Featherbed Bank, Card bank, No Name Bank, Middle Key, Black Point North, and Chicken Key. Sites on the southwest coast include Alligator Bay, Big Lostmans Bay, Broad River Bay, Roberts River mouth, Tarpon Bay, Lostmans River First and Second Bays, Harney River, Shark River near entrance to Ponce de Leon Bay, and Shark River channels. Modern field data contains (1) general information about the site, description, latitude and longitude, date of data collection, (2) water chemistry information, and (3) descriptive text of fauna and flora observed at the site. Core data contain either percent abundance data or actual counts of the distribution of mollusks, ostracodes, forams, and pollen within the cores collected in the estuaries. For some cores dinocyst or diatom data may be available.


This paper describes the implementation of the Pentium processor (73590,815100), referred to as the Pentium processor-90/100 from now on, on a 3.3V, 0.6 micron BiNMOS process. The processor achieves significantly higher performance over the previous generation Pentium processor, with reduced power consumption, and a smaller die area (12.76 mm each side). A symmetric dual processing feature is also supported that provides even greater performance advantages for multithreaded operating systems such as Windows NT. Aggressive frequency targets (100 MHz) were achieved through innovative circuit design techniques. This paper also briefly discusses some of the key technology improvements that enabled such aggressive performance goals to be met.


ABSTRACT The proteome is the most functional component encoded in the genome, yet most features of the proteome that are deregulated in cancer cannot be predicted from genomic analysis alone. These include post-translational modifications (PTMs), sub-cellular localization, networks and circuitry, formation of complexes, and functional activity, all of which could play a role or be affected as part of tumorigenesis. Thus, there is a substantial opportunity to elucidate protein alterations in cancer and to translate knowledge into diagnostics and therapeutics. The progress made in mining the cancer proteome for diagnostic applications and the path forward are herein reviewed.


The paper demonstrates the importance of using site-specific data in computer simulation of building energy performance. The CAT (Canyon Air Temperature) computer model, which is designed to predict site-specific air temperature in an urban street canyon for extended periods on the basis of data from a reference station exposed to the same meso-scale weather, was used to provide modified input to a series of Ener-Win simulations of the energy performance of a hypothetical office building. The simulations show that urban modification to air temperature may be too large to neglect in certain locations, depending on the climate and on the density of the city, which is represented by the aspect ratio of the street canyon.


Emulsion poses a greater challenge for the remediation of oily wastewater, which can be effectively resolved by the metal-organic framework of MIL-100(Fe). The formula Fe3O(H2O)2(OH) (BTC)2 pronounces that MIL-100(Fe) suffers from an intrinsic defect of less charged atoms, which limits its demulsification performance for oil-water separation. Herein, cations of the ionic liquid (1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium, Amim+) were encapsulated in the micropore of MIL-100(Fe) in situ to increase the positive charge density of MIL-100(Fe). Zeta potential demonstrated that the encapsulation of Amim+ increased the positive charge amount of MIL-100(Fe). N2 probe isothermal adsorption/desorption and spectral measurements (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflection spectroscopy, and attenuated total-reflectance infrared spectroscopy) revealed the host-guest interactions of π···Fe complexation and π···cation electrostatic attraction between Amim+ and MIL-100(Fe) for the composite materials. Amim+ encapsulation greatly enhanced the demulsification performance of MIL-100(Fe) for oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion stabilized by sodium dodecyl sulfate. Amim+-encapsulated MIL-100(Fe) with an Amim+/Fe3+ molar ratio of 1:1 [Amim@MIL-100(Fe)-3:3] showed a demulsification efficiency (DE) of 94% within 30 s, compared with MIL-100(Fe) within 30 min. The maximum DE of Amim@MIL-100(Fe)-3:3 was found to be more than 98% within 5 min. The DE lost by MIL-100(Fe) at the third run decreased from 36 to 17% after encapsulating Amim+. The analysis of surface charge and interfacial tension implied a demulsification mechanism of capturing-fusion, which could be promoted by the greater electrostatic attraction. Finally, the role of Amim+ on the outstanding demulsification performance by Amim+-encapsulated MIL-100(Fe) could be explained by the enhanced nonbonded interaction of electrostatic attraction and van der Waals based on the molecular dynamics simulation.


Silo honking is the harmonic sound generated by the discharge of a silo filled with a granular material. In industrial storage silos, the acoustic emission during discharge of PET-particles forms a nuisance for the environment and may ultimately result in structural failure. This work investigates the phenomenon experimentally using a laboratory-scale silo, and successfully correlates the frequency of the emitted sound with the periodicity of the mechanical motion of the grains. The key driver is the slip-stick interaction between the wall and the particles, characterized as a wave moving upwards through the silo. A quantitative correlation is established for the first time between the frequency of the sound, measured with an electret microphone, and the slip-frequency, measured with a high-speed camera. In the lower regions of the tube, both the slip-stick motion and the honking sound disappear.


BACKGROUND
Most inactivating p53 mutations result in a nuclear p53 accumulation - detectable by immunohistochemistry (IHC). p53 alterations leading to a complete lack of p53 protein and absence of immunostaining do also occur - not easily detectable by IHC. p16 is upregulated in p53 inactivated cells. We hypothesized that a positive p16 IHC may help to distinguish p53 inactivation in IHC negative cases.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
We investigated p53 and p16 immunostaining on 2710 urothelial bladder carcinomas in a tissue microarray format to understand their impact in relation to clinicopathological parameters of disease progression and patient outcome.

RESULTS
p16 immunostaining was absent in normal urothelium but occurred in 63.5% (30.4% strong) of cancers. p16 strongly positive cases increased from pTaG2 low-grade (9.6%) to pTaG3 high-grade tumors (46.5%, p < .0001) but decreased from pTaG3 to pT4 (33.3%; p = .0030). Among pT2-4 carcinomas, p16 positivity was linked to high-grade (p = .0005) but unrelated to overall survival. p53 staining was negative in 8.4%, very weak in 15.4%, weak in 55.3%, strong in 4.7%, and very strong in 16.2% cancers. p53 negative (potentially p53 null phenotype), strong, and very strong p53 positivity increased from pTaG2 low-grade to pTaG3 high-grade tumors (p < .0001) and from pTaG3 to pT2-4 cancers (p = .0007). p53 staining was largely unrelated to histopathological parameters or patient prognosis among pT2-4 carcinomas, except of p53 strong/very strong immunostaining. p16 expression predominated in tumors with very strong, strong, and negative p53 staining and the combination of p53 negative/p16 strongly positive cancers was linked to features of tumor aggressiveness.

CONCLUSION
Aberrant p53 and p16 immunostaining increases during grade and stage progression although p53 negative and p16 positive immunostaining lack prognostic significance in pT2-4 carcinomas. Potential diagnostic features are that high level p16 expression is limited to neoplastic urothelium and p53 null phenotype to aggressive cancers (grade 3 and invasive).


This protocol describes a high through put colorimetric method that relies on the formation of a complex between iodine and chains of glucose molecules in starch. Iodine forms complexes with both amylose and long chains within amylopectin. After the addition of iodine to a starch sample, the maximum absorption of amylose and amylopectin occurs at 620 and 550 nm, respectively. The amylose/amylopectin ratio can be estimated from the ratio of the 620 and 550 nm absorbance values and comparing them to a standard curve in which specific known concentrations are plotted against absorption values. This high throughput, inexpensive method is reliable and reproducible, allowing the evaluation of large populations of potato clones.


This article investigates the influence of two nonideal factors on zero-crossing-point-detection-based sensorless control of high-speed brushless dc (BLDC) motor, i.e., asymmetric machine parameters and the resistance tolerance of back electromotive force (EMF) measurement circuit. Influenced by the machine parameter asymmetry, the back EMF envelopes will shift horizontally from its ideal position. Furthermore, the acquisition accuracy of back EMF is limited by the resistance tolerance of measurement circuit. Inaccurate acquisition of back EMF will result in vertical deviation of the envelopes. These two nonideal factors decrease the commutation accuracy and deteriorate the control performance. In order to suppress the commutation errors, an adaptive threshold correction strategy, including horizontal and vertical corrections is proposed for eliminating the influence of these two nonideal factors, respectively. In addition, the proposed correction method does not depend on any parameters of the machine or the measurement circuit. Finally, the theoretical analysis and the proposed correction method are verified by experiment on a 54 000 r/min high-speed BLDC drive platform.


People Like Me is an intervention to support the increase of women and girls into STEM education and careers. As such it sits in a long tradition of efforts - in the UK and globally - to tackle gender inequality in the study of STEM subjects, and leading to employment/careers in the scientific, engineering and technology sectors.

People Like Me is both a resource and a strategy with a number of potential points of impact. At the core is the concept that raising awareness of the range of possible careers and jobs in STEM will encourage girls to continue with studying science subjects in school, and also aspire to careers in these sectors.

This report is the outcome of an independent evaluation carried out by the Open University into the impact and effectiveness of the intervention.


High-throughput cell measurement techniques producing images of cell populations have raised a need for accurate automated image analysis methods. Validating the analysis methods used for automated cytometry is an issue yet to be solved. Manual validation, being an exhaustively laborious task, enables comparison but does not provide solution for large scale analysis. By creating a parametric model for cell shape, and simulating images of cell populations including errors and aberrations caused by the measurement system, validation of different image analysis methods is enabled. As a result, studies with large populations, where the number of cells and many other key parameters are user-tunable, can be carried out by using simulated cell population images. The cell image simulator, as well as validation case studies for segmentation and image restoration are presented


Sepsis is one of the main causes of morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients despite the use of modern antibiotics and resuscitation therapies. Outcomes in sepsis have improved overall, probably because of an enhanced focus on early diagnosis and other improvements in supportive care, but mortality rates still remain unacceptably high. The diagnosis and definition of sepsis is a critical problem due to the heterogeneity of this disease process. Although it is apparent that much more needs to be done to advance our understanding, sepsis and related terms remain difficult to define. A 1991 consensus conference developed initial definitions that systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) to infection would be called sepsis. Definitions of sepsis and septic shock were revised in 2001 to incorporate the threshold values for organ damage. In early 2016, the new definitions of sepsis and septic shock have changed dramatically. Sepsis is now defined as life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. The consensus document describes organ dysfunction as an acute increase in total Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score two points consequently to the infection. A significant change in the new definitions is the elimination of any mention of SIRS. The Sepsis-3 Task Force also introduced a new bedside index, called the qSOFA, to identify outside of critical care units patients with suspected infection who are likely to develop sepsis. Recently updated the consensus definitions improved specificity compared with the previous descriptions.


Based on the Chen chaotic system, this paper constructs a new three-dimensional chaotic system with higher order nonlinear term and studies the basic dynamic behaviours of the system. The modified generalized projective synchronization has been observed in the coupled new three-dimensional chaotic system with unknown parameters. Furthermore, based on Lyapunov stability theory, it obtains the control laws and adaptive laws of parameters to make modified generalized projective synchronization of the coupled new three-dimensional chaotic systems. Numerical simulation results are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of this method.


Abstract Nigeria returned to democratic rule in 1999 with the enthusiasm to chat new political and socioeconomic dispensation. The introduction of National Economic Empowerment and Development Strategy (NEEDS) as a medium term planning strategy was a blueprint for new order. It contains all the envisaged policies and programmes of the federal government for the period 2003-2007 and far beyond, and serves as the fountain of the much-touted Obasanjo's reforms. NEEDS is not only a macro-economic plan document, but also a comprehensive vision, goals and principles of a new Nigeria that would be made possible through four key policies of wealth creation, employment generation, poverty eradication and value reorientation. This paper is a reflection on NEEDS. Using historical and content analysis methods, the paper explores common indices of development planning in the country. It reveals that NEEDS is not different from previous development plans in Nigeria, despite the claims to the contrary. While claiming to be a home-grown plan, it is very much in line with the wishes of the international agents of developed capitalist economies; there is lack of commitment of the leadership in pursing plan objectives; corruption is still rife and priority in selecting plan projects is still poor. The paper recommends among others, the need for committed leadership, continuity with NEEDS II document, drawing adequate scale of preference in choosing policies and programmes, and determined efforts to break from the crutches of neo imperialist and neo colonial tendencies of the developed countries.


Profitability of Dutch greenhouse firms is largely dependent on energy costs, and policy makers focus on reducing the use of energy by these firms. This article uses Russell measures of TE to develop indicators of energy productivity growth. Results show that energy productivity grew by 2.8% annually in the period 1976–95, with technical progress being the key factor driving the process of productivity growth. From this we conclude that policies aiming at enhancing the adoption of technological innovations are more effective, if due attention is paid to measures for improving TE. Copyright 2006, Oxford University Press.


lation problem of France, and, finally, an examination of Europe in its world relations. To Professor Fitzgerald, &dquo;the settlement of the empty, or half-empty, but habitable lands, and a corresponding reduction of density in the congested areas constitute the supreme tasks of planning now confronting the world.&dquo; He believes that the harmony of international relationships is endangered by this overcrowding in Europe and elsewhere. Since European states are the great colonial powers, it is their responsibility to seek an &dquo;ordered redistribution of population within the habitable regions of the world.&dquo; WINCHESTER H. HEICHER


BACKGROUND
The basal ganglia, hippocampus, and thalamus are involved in the regulation of human feeding behavior. Recent studies have shown that obesity [body mass index (BMI; in kg/m(2)) > 30] is associated with loss of gray and white matter.

OBJECTIVE
It is unknown whether the subcortical brain structures that are actually involved in feeding behavior also show volume changes in obesity. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the volumes of the basal ganglia, hippocampus, and thalamus in obesity.

DESIGN
Three-dimensional T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging scans of the brain were analyzed by using automatic segmentation to measure volumes of the nucleus accumbens, globus pallidus, amygdala, putamen, caudate nucleus, thalamus, and hippocampus in 471 subjects (mean age: 74.4 y; 56% men).

RESULTS
Obese subjects had larger left (P = 0.013) and right (P = 0.003) amygdalar volumes and a larger left hippocampal volume (P = 0.040) than did normal-weight subjects (BMI < 25). None of the other subcortical structures differed in size between these groups. After correction for age, sex, smoking, hypertension, and pravastatin use, BMI was associated with left (β = 0.175, P = 0.001) and right (β = 0.157, P = 0.001) amygdalar volumes and with left hippocampal volume (β = 0.121, P = 0.016).

CONCLUSIONS
This study showed that the amygdala and hippocampus are enlarged in obesity. In consideration of the function of these structures, this finding may indicate that hedonic memories could be of major importance in the regulation of feeding. Because of the cross-sectional design, cause and effect could not be discriminated in this study.


We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register to determine whether oxygen relieves dyspnoea in mildly or non-hypoxemic COPD and included 18 randomised controlled trials (431 participants) in the meta-analysis using Cochrane methodology. Oxygen therapy reduced dyspnoea when compared with medical air; standardised mean difference −0.37 (95% CI −0.50 to −0.24; I2=14%). In a priori subgroup and sensitivity analyses, dyspnoea was reduced by continuous oxygen during exertion but not short-burst oxygen therapy. Continuous exertional oxygen can relieve dyspnoea in mildly or non-hypoxemic COPD, but evidence from larger clinical trials is needed.


Curcumin has many pharmaceutical applications, many of which arise from its potent antioxidant properties. The present research examined the antioxidant activities of curcumin in polar solvents by a comparative study using ESR, reduction of ferric iron in aqueous medium and intracellular ROS/toxicity assays. ESR data indicated that the steric hindrance among adjacent big size groups within a galvinoxyl molecule limited the curcumin to scavenge galvinoxyl radicals effectively, while curcumin showed a powerful capacity for scavenging intracellular smaller oxidative molecules such as H2O2, HO•, ROO•. Cell viability and ROS assays demonstrated that curcumin was able to penetrate into the polar medium inside the cells and to protect them against the highly toxic and lethal effects of cumene hydroperoxide. Curcumin also showed good electron-transfer capability, with greater activity than trolox in aqueous solution. Curcumin can readily transfer electron or easily donate H-atom from two phenolic sites to scavenge free radicals. The excellent electron transfer capability of curcumin is because of its unique structure and different functional groups, including a β-diketone and several π electrons that have the capacity to conjugate between two phenyl rings. Therfore, since curcumin is inherently a lipophilic compound, because of its superb intracellular ROS scavenging activity, it can be used as an effective antioxidant for ROS protection within the polar cytoplasm.


In living organisms most chemical reactions take place within the confines of lipid-membrane bound compartments, while confinement within the bounds of a lipid membrane is thought to be a key step in abiogenesis. In previous work we demonstrated that confinement in the aqueous cavity of a lipid vesicle affords protection against hydrolysis, a phenomenon that we term here confinement effect (Ce) and that we attributed to the interaction with the lipid membrane. Here, we show that both the size and the shape of the cavity of the vesicle modulate the Ce. We link this observation to the packing of the lipid following changes in membrane curvature, and formulate a mathematical model that relates the Ce to the radius of a spherical vesicle and the packing parameter of the lipids. These results suggest that the shape of the compartment where a molecule is located plays a major role in controlling the chemical reactivity of non-enzymatic reactions. Moreover, the mathematical treatment we propose offers a useful tool for the design of vesicles with predictable reaction rates of the confined molecules, e.g., drug delivery vesicles with confined prodrugs. The results also show that a crude form of signal transduction, devoid of complex biological machinery, can be achieved by any external stimuli that drastically changes the structure of the membrane, like the osmotic shocks used in the present work.


This article analyzes the orientation of educational evaluation policies at the national level within the framework of conservative restoration in Argentina. Based on a qualitative study, the paper analyzes the institutional frameworks of the evaluation programs and the interventions developed during the years 2015-2019 as well as the views of the different actors responsible for their design and implementation. The findings suggest a process of re-evaluation of the measurement of learning through standardized tests as a privileged management tool, which differs from the limited importance that these devices had during the previous period, within the framework of broader policies aimed at ensuring equality and inclusion.


Abstract The decision to administer adjuvant chemotherapy in treatment of early invasive breast cancer (EBC) is often complex, particularly for hormone receptor-positive (HR+) diseases, and current guidelines often classify these patients in an intermediate-risk group. Several biomarkers are currently available in this indication, in order to obtain additional and more accurate prognostic information compared to classic clinicopathological characteristics and guide the indication of adjuvant chemotherapy, optimizing the efficacy/toxicity ratio. We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the clinical validity and clinical utility of five biomarkers (uPA/PAI-1, OncotypeDX®, MammaPrint®, PAM50, and EndoPredict®) in HR+/HER2- EBC, whatever the nodal status. A total of 89 studies met the inclusion criteria. Even though data currently available confirm the clinical validity of these biomarkers, there is a lack of data regarding clinical utility for most of them. Prospective studies in well-defined populations are needed to integrate these biomarkers in a decision strategy.


We present a novel nonlinear interferometric autocorrelation technique with unbalanced intensity, which preserves spectral phase information in the autocorrelation signal and enables the complete characterization of ultrafast optical fields without requiring any spectrally resolved measurements.


This paper documents the key issues of performance and compatibility working with Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) over Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) as a wireless interface for sensor or controller data and inter-module communication in the context of building interactive digital systems. An overview of BLE MIDI is presented along with a comparison of the protocol from the perspective of theoretical limits and interoperability, showing its widespread compatibility across platforms compared with other alternatives. Then we perform three complementary tests on BLE MIDI and alternative interfaces using prototype and commercial devices, showing that BLE MIDI has comparable performance with the tested WiFi implementations, with end-to-end (sensor input to audio output) latencies of under 10ms under certain conditions. Overall, BLE MIDI is a viable solution for controllers and sensor interfaces that are designed to work on a wide variety of platforms.


This paper proposes a multi-invariance ESPRIT-based method for estimation of 2D direction (MIMED) of multiple non-Gaussian monochromatic signals using cumulants. In the MIMED, we consider an array geometry containing sparse L-shaped diversely polarized vector sensors plus an arbitrarily-placed single polarized scalar sensor. Firstly, we define a set of cumulant matrices to construct two matrix blocks with multi-invariance property. Then, we develop a multi-invariance ESPRIT-based algorithm with aperture extension using the defined matrix blocks to estimate two-dimensional directions of the signals. The MIMED can provide highly accurate and unambiguous direction estimates by extending the array element spacing beyond a half-wavelength. Finally, we present several simulation results to demonstrate the superiority of the MIMED.


This study was conducted to determine changes in some biochemical parameters reflecting the energy and protein metabolism status during lactation and dry period in Ouled Djellal ewes. The study was conducted on thirty clinically healthy ewes aged between two to four years. Blood samples were collected during three periods: the first week of lactation (early lactation); the 8th week of lactation (mid lactation) and three weeks after drying off. Plasma glucose concentrations on dry period were higher than those lactation (P<0, 05). The same parameter was higher in early lactation than in mid lactation (P<0,001). The highest cholesterol concentrations were recorded on dry period compared to lactation (P<0, 02). Similarly total protein levels in dry period were higher than those of lactation period (P<0,001). A decrease in plasma albumin levels were recorded in dry period and on early lactation compared to those obtained on mid lactation (P<0,001). The plasma urea concentrations on dry period were lower than those recorded on the 1st and 8th week of lactation (P<0, 006). creatinine concentration on mid lactation were higher, than those of early lactation and dry period (P<0,001). Current findings showed marked changes in certain biochemical parameters in Ouled Djellal ewes between lactation and dry periods. Several studies have demonstrated the impact of factors such as breed, season, feed, and experimental conditions on changes in blood biochemical parameters in sheep. All these factors could explain the differences observed between our results and those reported by other authors.


The serious illness of three presidents—Woodrow Wilson, Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and John F. Kennedy—as well as the injury Ronald Reagan received in the assassination attempt upon him have revealed our woefully inadequate system for handling presidential incapacity. The authors believe that this flawed system poses a major threat to the nation, and they provide sobering reports on how the government functioned (or failed to function) during times of presidential impairment. The public was kept in the dark regarding the gravity of the presidential condition, often unaware that critical decisions were being made while the president was suffering from a severe illness.

Hidden Illness in the White House contains startling new information on the severity of Roosevelt's illness during the crucial Yalta negotiations and the fact that Kennedy suffered from Addison's disease, a life-threatening illness, long before he was elected to the presidency. In each case the authors demonstrate that a largely successful effort was made to conceal the president's true medical condition from the public.


Objective: We describe a new method of immortalizing amniocytes with chromosome abnormalities to generate renewable resources for studying rare diseases. Methods: Three methods were investigated by randomly dividing 180 cases of adherent amniocytes into groups A, B, and C. Group A cells were digested with 0.25% trypsin for 10, 20, 30, 60, 90, and 120 mins. Group B and C cells were digested with 0.25% trypsin for 3–5 minutes. Group A and B cells were then transfected with PT67 cell-produced SV40LT. Group C digested cells underwent liposome-mediated SV40LT-transfection. Results: The percentage of clones immortalized by SV40LT transfection in groups A, B, and C were 18.3, 5.0, and 16.7%, respectively, after G418 screening. Group A produced a higher percentage of immortalized clones than did groups B and C, but only significantly differed from group B. The karyotypes and chromosome 13, 18, 21, X, and Y fluorescence signals in transfected cells of all groups were identical to those of the primary cells after passaging for 10–15 generations. Conclusions: The trypsin-mediated SV40LT transfection used in group A can be applied for routine establishment of amniocyte lines to obtain a renewable resource for the study of rare diseases and as quality control materials for prenatal diagnosis.


In both the popular press and scholarly research, digital information is persistently discussed in terms that imply its immateriality. In this characterization, the digital derives its power from its nature as a mere collection of 0s and 1s wholly independent from the particular media on which it is stored—hard drive, network wires, optical disk, etc.—and the particular signal carrier which encodes bits—variations of magnetic field, voltages, or pulses of light. This purported immateriality endows bits with considerable advantages: they are immune from the economics and logistics of analog media, and from the corruption, degradation, and decay that necessarily result from the handling of material carriers of information, resulting in a worldwide shift "from atom to bits" as captured by Negroponte. This is problematic: however immaterial it might appear, information cannot exist outside of given instantiations in material forms. But what might it mean to talk of bits as material objects? In this paper I argue that bits cannot escape the material constraints of the physical devices that manipulate, store, and exchange them. Such an analysis reveals a surprising picture of computing as a material process through and through. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Although the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health has been reported in different communities, little is known about the mental health of psychotherapists during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to assess mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic in Austrian psychotherapists and compare it with the general population. A total of n = 513 psychotherapists (80.5% women; mean age: 53.06 ± 9.94 years) took part in an online survey conducted from April to June 2022. At the same time, a representative sample (N = 1,031) of the Austrian general population was surveyed online. Indicators of mental health were mental wellbeing (WHO-5), depression (PHQ-2), anxiety (GAD-2), insomnia (ISI-2), and stress (PSS-10). The general population sample was matched according to age and gender with the psychotherapist's data using propensity scores, yielding a final sample of n = 513 (80.5% women; mean age: 52.33 ± 13.39 years). Psychotherapists showed lower odds for exceeding cut-offs for clinically relevant depressive, anxiety, insomnia and stress symptoms (0.34–0.58) compared to the general population. Further studies should elucidate the protective factors underlying these findings.


Information is provided on the technical studies that have been implemented for evaluating the containment integrity of the single-shell waste storage tanks. The major areas of study are an analysis of storage tank integrity, a failure mode analysis, and storage tank improvements. Evaluations of tank structural integrity include theoretical studies on static and dynamic load responses, laboratory studies on concrete durability, and experimental studies on the potential for exothermic reactions of salt cake. The structural analyses completed to date show that the tanks are in good condition and have a safety margin against overload. Environmental conditions that could cause a loss of durability are limited to the waste chemicals stored (which do not have access to the concrete). Concern that a salt cake exothermic reaction may initiate a loss of containment is not justifiable based on extensive testing completed. A failure mode analysis of a tank liner failure, a sidewall failure, and a dome collapse shows that no radiologic hazard to man results. Storage tank improvement studies completed show that support of a tank dome is achievable. Secondary containment provided by chemical grouts and bentonite clay slurry walls does not appear promising. It is now estimated that the single-shell tanksmore » will be serviceable for the storage of salt cake waste for decades under currently established operating temperature and load limits.« less


To preserve privacy, k-anonymity on relational, set-valued, and graph data have been studied extensively in recent years. Information on social networks can be modeled as un-weighted or weighted graph data for sharing and publishing. We have previously proposed k-anonymous path privacy concept on weighted social graphs to preserve privacy of the shortest path [9]. A published social network graph with k-anonymous path privacy has at least k indistinguishable shortest paths between the source and destination vertices. However, previous work only considered modifying Never-Visited (NV) edges by other shortest paths. In this work, we further extend the approach and propose a new technique that can modify both NV edges and All-Visited (AV) edges to achieve the k-anonymous path privacy. Experimental results showing the characteristics of each technique are presented. It clearly provides different options to achieve the same level of privacy under different requirements.


Abstract: A 52‐year‐old male underwent living‐related renal transplantation. He received prednisolone, azathioprine, and cyclosporine as immunosuppression protocol. Eleven years after transplantation, he developed pyrexia with multiple nodular lesions on his limbs, trunk, and face. Skin biopsy and smears showed the presence of numerous acid‐fast bacilli with 5% sulfuric acid indicative of Mycobacterium leprae. He was initiated on multidrug therapy (MDT) including dapsone, clofazimine, and rifampicin. After 2 years of MDT, he developed new multiple erythematous, tender subcutaneous nodules in crops over his face and upper limbs. Skin biopsies and histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of type 2 lepra reaction or erythema nodosa leprosum. He was managed with an increase in the dose of prednisolone and thalidomide. He was continued on MDT.


Background It has been suggested that aquaculture ponds on the Chinese coast could act as breeding grounds for scyphozoans. Here, we present the first record of the scyphomedusa Phyllorhiza sp. in an aquaculture pond on the coast of the southern Yellow Sea, based on a combination of morphological characteristics and mitochondrial 16S DNA sequence data. Methods A field survey was performed on June 29, 2017 in a pond used for culturing the shrimp Penaeus japonicus, located in the southern Yellow Sea, China. Jellyfish specimens were collected for morphological and genetic analysis. The morphological characters of the jellyfish specimens were compared to taxonomic literature. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial 16S fragments of these specimens were also conducted. Results These specimens had the following morphological characters: hemispherical umbrella without scapulets; J-shaped oral arms; a single larger terminal club on each arm; bluish colored with a slightly expanded white tip; and mouthlets present only in the lower half to one-third of each arm. These morphological features of the medusae indicated that the specimens found in the shrimp culture ponds belong to the genus Phyllorhiza Agassiz, 1862, but did not match with the description of any of the known species of the genus Phyllorhiza. Phylogenetic analyses of the mtDNA 16S regions revealed that these specimens, together with Phyllorhiza sp. from Malaysian coastal waters, belong to a sister group of Phyllorhiza punctata. Juveniles and ephyrae of Phyllorhiza sp. were observed in the aquaculture pond. The mean density of Phyllorhiza sp. medusa in the surface water within the pond was estimated to be 0.05 individuals/m2. Discussion Based on our observations of the gross morphology and molecular data, we state that the specimens collected in the aquaculture pond can be identified as Phyllorhiza sp. This is the first record of Phyllorhiza sp. in Chinese seas. Large scale dispersal through ballast water or the expansion of jellyfish aquarium exhibitions are possible pathways of invasion, but this needs to be confirmed in further studies.


Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) represent an exciting new technology, but to achieve more widespread usage and wider adoption within more industrial applications, they must be highly reliable, and manufactured to stringent quality standards. Many challenging manufacturing issues are of concern during the fabrication of MEMS, such as precise dimensional inspection, reliability modeling, burn-in scheduling, avoiding stiction, and maintenance strategies. However, only limited mathematical tools for improving MEMS reliability, quality, and productivity are currently available. This paper proposes a mathematical model to jointly determine inspection & preventive replacement policies for surface-micromachined microengines subject to wear degradation, which is a major failure mechanism for certain MEMS devices. The optimal specification limits for inspection, and the replacement interval are determined by simultaneously optimizing MEMS quality and reliability. The proposed model can be used as a tool for decision-makers in MEMS manufacturing to make sound economical and operational decisions on reliability, quality, and productivity. While illustrated considering one specific microengine design, the proposed model can be applied to a broader range of MEMS devices that experience wear degradation between rubbing surfaces.


This article statistically analyzes how the citation impact of articles deposited in the Condensed Matter section of the preprint server ArXiv (hosted by Cornell University), and subsequently published in a scientific journal, compares to that of articles in the same journal that were not deposited in the archive. Its principal aim is to further illustrate and roughly estimate the effect of two factors, "early view" and "quality bias," on differences in citation impact between these two sets of papers, using citation data from Thomson Scientific's Web of Science. It presents estimates for a number of journals in the field of condensed matter physics. To discriminate between an "open access" effect and an early view effect, longitudinal citation data were analyzed covering a time period as long as 7 years. Quality bias was measured by calculating ArXiv citation impact differentials at the level of individual authors publishing in a journal, taking into account coauthorship. The analysis provided evidence of a strong quality bias and early view effect. Correcting for these effects, there is in a sample of six condensed matter physics journals studied in detail no sign of a general "open access advantage" of papers deposited in ArXiv. The study does provide evidence that ArXiv accelerates citation due to the fact that ArXiv makes papers available earlier rather than makes them freely available. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Background: Prior studies show that Hispanic breast cancer patients are more likely than non-Hispanic white (NHW) women to be diagnosed with triple negative tumors but data on other subtypes are limited. Published data on survival differences between Hispanics and NHW breast cancer patients are inconsistent and vary depending on the covariates included in the multivariate models. We assessed differences in the distribution of the major tumor subtypes of breast cancer, as well as subtype-specific survival, between Hispanic and NHW patients according to nativity, and age and stage at diagnosis. Methods: We used data from the population-based California Cancer Registry to include female invasive breast cancer cases diagnosed between 2004 and 2013 with follow-up through December 31, 2013, resulting in 90,236 total cases (69,693 NHW and 20,543 Hispanics). Tumor subtypes were classified into four categories: hormone receptor positive and HER2 negative (HR+/HER-), HR+/HER2+, HR-/HER2+, and triple negative (HR-/HER2-). Logistic regression was used to estimate differences in distribution of subtype between Hispanic and NHW women. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate differences in survival for Hispanics and NHWs by subtype, adjusting for clinical and sociodemographic characteristics. Results: Compared to NHW patients, Hispanic women were more likely to be diagnosed with tumors that were HR+/HER2+ (OR=1.22; 95% CI, 1.16-1.29), HR-/HER2+ (OR=1.37; 95% CI, 1.29-1.47), and triple negative (OR=1.27; 95% CI, 1.21-1.34) than HR+/HER2-. Foreign-born Hispanics had a higher odds of having HER2+ than HR+/HER2- tumors compared to NHW women (OR=1.29 for HR+/HER2+ and OR=1.50 for HR-/HER2+); these differences were less pronounced among U.S.-born Hispanics (OR=1.04 for HR+/HER2+ and OR=1.16; 95% CI, 1.06-1.26 for HR-/HER2+). In age-adjusted models, Hispanic women had higher breast cancer mortality than NHW women (HR=1.23; 95% CI, 1.17-1.30), which was consistent across all tumor subtypes. However, the mortality differences disappeared after adjustment for clinical, sociodemographic characteristics, and marital status. Conclusions: Hispanic women were more likely than NHWs to be diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer as well as tumors overexpressing HER2 than HR+/HER2- tumors. This pattern held true when stratified by nativity, although higher ORs for HER2+ tumors among foreign-born than U.S.-born Hispanic women were observed. Within each subtype, Hispanics had 20%-30% higher mortality than NHW, which appeared to be explained by a combination of sociodemographic and clinical factors. Citation Format: Martinez ME, Cress R, Gomez S, Rodriguez D, Cook LS, Schwab R, Nodora JN, Porter P, Li C. Tumor subtype and survival differences between Hispanic and non-Hispanic white breast cancer patients in the California cancer registry [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr PD8-02.


Introduction: With the current high burden on the healthcare system and limited resources, the efficient utilization of facilities is of utmost importance. We sought to present the practice guideline used at a high prevalence tertiary cardiology center and compare its safety and efficacy performance with the single high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T strategy, conventional and modified HEART score. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, consecutive patients presenting to the emergency department with chest pain or an angina equivalent were recruited. The primary endpoints consisted of major adverse cardiac events at index visits and 30-day follow-up. Patients were managed according to the practice guideline, and sensitivity and negative predictive values were compared. Results: Of the total 1548 patients, the mean age was 50.4 ± 15.7 years. Ninety-nine (10.9%) patients were admitted at the index visit, and 89 patients were consequently diagnosed with acute coronary symptoms. Six (0.007%) patients experienced major adverse cardiac events within the 30-day follow-up among discharged patients. Among 911 patients with at least 1 troponin, using single high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T, HEART score, and modified HEART score would have further admitted 805, 450, and 609 patients, respectively. The negative predictive value for all 4 algorithms did not significantly differ (99.2% vs. 100% vs. 99.3% vs. 99.6%, respectively). Conclusions: The Tehran Herat Center protocol was a relatively safe protocol with high efficacy. Despite the high safety of the other diagnostic pathways, the high volume of patients needing additional evaluation could impose a high burden on the health care system.


A new method of multi-FACTS components coordinated control based on fuzzy immune co-evolutionary algorithm is proposed, which aimed at the negative interaction of FACTS controllers. The fuzzy mathematics model of the multi-objective optimization is provided using fuzzy set theory. The initial parameter is optimized with the use of co-evolutionary algorithm and immune algorithm. Compared with conventional Genetic Algorithm, this algorithm obviously reduces the computational time and has better convergence property. Two FACTS controllers — static synchronous series compensator (SSSC) and static synchronous compensator(STATCOM) is coordinated designed based on this strategy. The simulation result shows the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.


Graft‐versus‐host disease remains the most important source of morbidity and mortality associated with allogeneic stem cell transplantation. The implementation of hematopoietic progenitor cell (HPC) selection is employed by some stem cell processing facilities to mitigate this complication. Current cell selection methods include reducing the number of unwanted T cells (negative selection) and/or enriching CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitors (positive selection) using immunomagnetic beads subjected to magnetic fields within columns to separate out targeted cells. Unwanted side effects of cell selection as a result of T‐cell reduction are primary graft failure, increased infection rates, delayed immune reconstitution, possible disease relapse, and posttransplant lymphoproliferative disease. The Miltenyi CliniMACS cell isolation system is the only device currently approved for clinical use by the Food and Drug Administration. It uses magnetic microbeads conjugated with a high‐affinity anti‐CD34 monoclonal antibody capable of binding to HPCs in marrow, peripheral blood, or umbilical cord blood products. The system results in significantly improved CD34+ cell recoveries (50%‐100%) and consistent 3‐log CD3+ T‐cell reductions compared to previous generations of CD34+ cell selection procedures. In this article, the CliniMACS procedure is described in greater detail and the authors provide useful insight into modifications of the system. Successful implementation of cell selection procedures can have a significant positive clinical effect by greatly increasing the pool of donors for recipients requiring transplants. However, before a program implements cell selection techniques, it is important to consider the time and financial resources required to properly and safely perform these procedures.


This study determined residual buprofezin levels in fresh ginseng and evaluated their changes during processing. Supervised field trials were conducted at Yeongju, Geumsan, and Goesan, Korea. Buprofezin 12.5% EC was applied to 5-y ginseng in accordance with the Korean good agriculture practice (GAP). Samples were collected at 0, 7, 14, 21, and 30 d after the final application. On day 14 (GAP-equivalent preharvest date), the ginseng was processed to obtain dried and red ginseng. The average buprofezin concentrations on day 0 were 0.076 (Yeongju), 0.055 (Geumsan), and 0.078 mg kg−1 (Goesan). Residual concentrations increased as ginseng was processed into dried and red ginseng. Residue levels in dried ginseng manufactured by hot air drying were higher than in red ginseng obtained by steaming, hot air, and sunlight drying. However, the absolute amount of pesticides decreased by approximately 20–30% as a result of calculating the reduction factor considering the dry yield and moisture content. Therefore, the residual concentration in processed products may vary depending on the processing method, and it is deemed necessary to consider the processing yield and moisture content when evaluating the safety of residual pesticides in dried processed products.


Ensemble of models is well known to improve single model performance. We present a novel ensembling technique coined MAC that is designed to find the optimal function for combining models while remaining invariant to the number of sub-models involved in the combination. Being agnostic to the number of sub-models enables addition and replacement of sub-models to the combination even after deployment, unlike many of the current methods for ensembling such as stacking, boosting, mixture of experts and super learners that lock the models used for combination during training and therefore need retraining whenever a new model is introduced into the ensemble. We show that on the Kaggle RSNA Intracranial Hemorrhage Detection challenge, MAC outperforms classical average methods, demonstrates competitive results to boosting via XGBoost for a fixed number of sub-models, and outperforms it when adding sub-models to the combination without retraining.


to locate the ischemic area in 22 patients with angina pectoris, exercise stress body surface isopotential maps (MAPs) were assessed and compared with coronary angiography and myocardial stress scintigraphy. Taking coronary angiographic findings into consideration, 4 types of ischemic MAP responses, i.e., septum and anterior, lateral, inferior, and posterior wall ischemia were postulated. Sensitivity of stress MAP was 71% for the average and more than stress imaging. Specificity of stress MAP was 46% for the average and less than stress imaging.


Background: Recent studies reported conflicting results on the relationship between antenatal magnesium sulfate (MgSO4) exposure and neonatal intestinal injury. Most studies have not assessed MgSO4 exposure quantitatively and none reported the exposure timing. Objectives: The aim of this work was to assess whether there is a temporal or dose-dependent relationship between antenatal MgSO4 exposure and intestinal injury in extremely preterm neonates. Methods: A retrospective study was made of inborn neonates with gestational age ≤28 weeks and/or birth weights ≤1,000 g. Primary outcomes included necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP), and/or death prior to discharge or in the first 2 weeks of life. Outcome comparisons were made based on the timing of MgSO4 exposure, within 7 days (Mg7D) or within 3 days (Mg3D) of birth. Total cumulative doses for the Mg3D group were also computed. Results: A total of 302 neonates were included, 210 in the Mg7D group, out of whom 179 (85.2%) constituted the Mg3D group. There were no differences noted when comparing MgSO4 exposure timing and the likelihood of NEC, SIP, and/or death. This remained the same for subgroup analysis of neonates < 26 weeks' gestation. Each 10-g increase in MgSO4 cumulative dose correlated with a decrease in SIP/NEC/death by 18.9% prior to discharge and by 21.9% in the first 2 weeks of life. Small for gestational age (SGA) was a potential effect modifier by a likelihood ratio test with p = 0.07. Conclusions: Antenatal MgSO4 exposure in extremely preterm neonates was not associated with an increased risk of intestinal injury or death, and might have reduced these complications in a dose-dependent manner in our study. This protective effect was more noticeable in SGA neonates.


The etiology, symptomatology, clinical findings, course and staging of Dupuytren's contracture are discussed. Surgery is indicated from the second stage onwards; since pain very rarely occurs, it plays no role in establishing the indication for operation. The surgical techniques available are described. Conservative therapy has no influence on the course of the condition, while radiotherapy is inadmissible on account of its side effects. Physical therapy and physiotherapeutic pre-operative measures can improve the results of surgery.


Detection of HCV core antigen as direct marker of hepatitis C infection clearly improves diagnosis of this disease (especially reduction of window period) and brings broad clinical utilization. The company Abbott Laboratories offers fully automated laboratory test for measurement of HCV core antigen on ARCHITECT analyzers.


My Best with Honour features 12 prominent personalities who were scouts while in school and whose lives have been transformed by scouting. Today, they are inspirational role models. My Best with Honour shares a message of trust and trustworthiness in relationships. It is a book for everyone, not just scouts. It is a book of inspiration on what brings goodness and success in life and how one can build character and develop self-esteem and confidence. The chosen personalities fall across different age demographics and range from Joshua Chin, a young man who is still serving National Service to Andrew Chua, a gentleman who has been involved in scouting for nearly 60 years. And as scouting is not just for males, we also feature Stephanie Seow, a female Venture Scout. This collection will inspire readers to do their best and to succeed in life and win with honour. Author: Dr William Wan.


The effects of several guanine nucleotide analogues on (Na+,K+)-ATPase activity of membranes isolated from several tissues were analyzed to determine if a G-protein might be involved in the hormonal regulation of the (Na+,K+)-ATPase. Submillimolar concentrations of GTP gamma S, but not GMPPNP, inhibit rat skeletal muscle and axolemma, but not kidney, (Na+,K+)-ATPase activity. Furthermore, GDP beta S does not reverse GTP gamma S inhibition, but rather itself slightly inhibits (Na+,K+)-ATPase activity. Dithiothreitol can block and reverse GTP gamma S inhibition of skeletal muscle (Na+,K+)-ATPase; the results obtained with axolemma membranes are complicated by the inhibition of (Na+,K+)-ATPase activity in these membranes by DTT. Results showing that high membrane concentrations can mute the inhibitory action of GTP gamma S suggest that a minor contaminant in GTP gamma S preparations is responsible for inhibiting (Na+,K+)-ATPase activity. Neither vanadate, a heavy metal, GDP, phosphate, nor thiophosphate, however, is responsible for this inhibition, and the inhibitory activity elutes with GTP gamma S from Sephadex G-10 columns. It is concluded that GTP gamma S or a structural derivative of GTP gamma S inhibits the (Na+,K+)-ATPase, in a tissue-specific manner, not by interaction with a G-protein as a GTP analogue, but through a direct chemical interaction with the (Na+,K+)-ATPase or some regulatory protein. The terminal SH group of the nucleotide analogue is probably required for this interaction.


Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand early career teachers' perceptions of the impact of a pre-service health education programme on their health promotion practice in schools and the contextual factors that influence this.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 primary and secondary trainee and qualified teachers who had trained at a university in England. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.

Findings

The teachers found the training to be a useful introduction, particularly when it was relevant to their practice. They valued gaining practical skills at university, on placement and in school once qualified. They reported that witnessing pupils' lives in school had increased their awareness that health education is important. Their personal qualities, life experience, the school's ethos and competing pressures influenced their practice. Teachers considered that building relationships with colleagues, pupils and parents facilitated health promotion, and that health education needs to be relevant to pupils. Some teachers expressed that teaching about health could be a "minefield". They also discussed whether schools or parents are responsible for educating pupils about health issues and the place of health promotion within education's wider purpose.

Originality/value

Few studies have followed-up trainee teachers once they are in teaching posts to explore the longer-term perceived impact of pre-service health education training. The findings suggest that teachers' development takes place via an interaction between training and practice, suggesting that training could particularly aim to provide teachers with a contextualised understanding of health issues and practical experience.


A series of chiral quaternary ammonium salts derived from commercially available (R)- or (S)-binaphthol have been designed as new C2-symmetric chiral phase-transfer catalysts. In order to realize the flexible design of these phase-transfer catalysts, the combinatorial design approach has been developed. Chiral high-performance organocatalysts, thus obtained, have been successfully applied to the highly practical asymmetric synthesis of various amino acid derivatives, including α-alkyl and α,α-dialkyl-α-amino acids in addition to alkaloids. Furthermore, several chiral bifunctional phase-transfer catalysts have been designed and synthesized for effecting base-free phase-transfer reactions under essentially neutral conditions in order to realize green sustainable chemistry.


Abstract CASE HISTORY A little penguin (Eudyptula minor) of wild origin, in captivity at Wellington Zoo, became inappetent and lethargic in March 2013. Despite supportive care in the zoo's wildlife hospital, the bird died within 24 hours. CLINICAL FINDINGS Weight loss, dehydration, pale mucous membranes, weakness, increased respiratory effort and biliverdinuria were apparent on physical examination. Microscopic evaluation of blood smears revealed intra-erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium spp. and a regenerative reticulocytosis in the absence of anaemia. PATHOLOGICAL FINDINGS Post-mortem findings included reduced body condition, dehydration, pulmonary congestion and oedema, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, hydropericardium and subcutaneous oedema. Histopathological findings included protozoal organisms in sections of lung, liver and spleen. A marked, diffuse, sub-acute interstitial histiocytic pneumonia was present. Accumulation of haemosiderin was noted in the Kupffer cells of the liver and in histiocytic-type cells in the spleen. MOLECULAR TESTING DNA was extracted from frozen portions of the liver. Nested PCR results and DNA sequencing confirmed infection of the deceased little penguin with Plasmodium (Huffia) elongatum lineage GRW06. DIAGNOSIS Avian malaria due to Plasmodium (Huffia) elongatum GRW06 RETROSPECTIVE INVESTIGATION A retrospective analysis of 294 little penguin cases in the Massey University post-mortem database revealed three other potential avian malaria cases. Analysis of archived tissues using a nested PCR for Plasmodium spp. followed by DNA sequencing revealed that a little penguin which died at Auckland Zoo was infected with P. elongatum GRW06 and two wild little penguins found dead on New Zealand beaches were infected with P. relictum SGS1 and Plasmodium. sp. lineage LINN1. Therefore, the overall frequency of deaths in little penguins associated with avian malaria was 4/295 (1.36%). CLINICAL RELEVANCE Our results suggest that avian malaria is associated with sporadic mortality in New Zealand's little penguins both in the wild and in captivity, but there is no evidence of mass mortality events due to Plasmodium spp. infection.


This quantitative systematic review compared the efficacy and safety of ephedrine with phenylephrine for the prevention and treatment of hypotension during spinal anesthesia for cesarean delivery. Seven randomized controlled trials (n = 292) were identified after a systematic search of electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, The Cochrane Controlled Trials Registry), published articles, and contact with authors. Outcomes assessed were maternal hypotension, hypertension and bradycardia, and neonatal umbilical cord blood pH values and Apgar scores. For the management (prevention and treatment) of maternal hypotension, there was no difference between phenylephrine and ephedrine (relative risk [RR] of 1.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.96–1.06). Maternal bradycardia was more likely to occur with phenylephrine than with ephedrine (RR of 4.79; 95% CI, 1.47–15.60). Women given phenylephrine had neonates with higher umbilical arterial pH values than those given ephedrine (weighted mean difference of 0.03; 95% CI, 0.02–0.04). There was no difference between the two vasopressors in the incidence of true fetal acidosis (umbilical arterial pH value of <7.2; RR of 0.78; 95% CI, 0.16–3.92) or Apgar score of <7 at 1 and 5 min. This systematic review does not support the traditional idea that ephedrine is the preferred choice for the management of maternal hypotension during spinal anesthesia for elective cesarean delivery in healthy, nonlaboring women.


The present work is a numerical simulation of electroosmotic flow (EOF) in a cylindrical microchannel with the variation of wall surface charge (ζ -potential) distributions. The 2D Navier-Stoke equation governing the velocity field and the pressure are solved numerically using the finite element method (FEM). The numerical results show that the distorted electroosmotic velocity profiles and various kinds of flow circulation resulting from the axial variation of the ζ. The influences of heterogeneous patterns of zeta potential on the velocity profile, and the induced pressure distribution are discussed in this paper. This study shows that using heterogeneous patterns of zeta potential over the channel can generate local flow circulations and hence provide effective means to improve the mixing within the microchannels.Copyright © 2006 by ASME


"Tell Me This Is Normal" is a generous selection of Julie O'Callaghan's poetry, ranging from the "Edible Anecdotes" her readers gorged on in the 1980s to her most recent work confronting a very 'scary' 21st century with an armoury of lively and defiant language - as well as a baseball bat under the bed. She is a singularly acute observer of human behaviour, with a sharp Swiftian eye and an alert ear that have made her one of the finest and funniest practitioners of the monologue in poetry.Yet, notably in the poems charting her father's illness and death, she can also strike an elegiac and heartbreaking note, while her poems set in the court of Heian Japan unscroll with great poignancy and delicacy. Among the most admired poets of her generation - whose work has been championed by Wendy Cope, George Szirtes, Selima Hill and Carol Ann Duffy - Julie O'Callaghan writes poems which 'seem effortless and are immediately accessible and yet achieve great emotional weight by the lightest of means' (Michael Hartnett Award citation).


Isomaltulose, also known as palatinose, is produced by sucrose isomerase and has been highlighted as a sugar substitute due to a number of advantageous properties. For the massive production of isomaltulose, high resistance to sucrose and stability of sucrose isomerase as well as sucrose conversion yields would be critical factors. We describe a series of screening procedures to isolate the mutant strain of Serratia sp. possessing enhanced isomaltulose production with improved stability. The new Serratia sp. isolated from a series of screening procedures allowed us to produce isomaltulose from 60% sucrose solution, with over 90% conversion yield. Moreover, when this strain was immobilized in calcium alginate beads and placed in a medium containing 60% sucrose, it showed over 70% sucrose conversion yields for 30 cycles of repeated-batch reactions. Thus, improved conversion activity and stability of the newly isolated Serratia sp. strain in the present study would be highly valuable for industries related to isomaltulose production.


Cloud-cover information is important for a wide range of scientific studies, such as the studies on water supply, climate change, earth energy budget, etc. In remote sensing, correct detection of clouds plays a crucial role in deriving the physical properties associated with clouds that exert a significant impact on the radiation budget of planet earth. Although the traditional cloud detection methods have generally performed well, these methods were usually developed specifically for particular sensors in a particular region with a particular underlying surface (e.g., land, water, vegetation, and man-made objects). Coastal regions are known to have a variety of underlying surfaces, which represent a major challenge in cloud detection. Therefore, there is an urgent requirement for developing a cloud detection method that could be applied to a variety of sensors, situations, and underlying surfaces. In the present study, a cloud detection method based on spatial and spectral uniformity of clouds was developed. In addition to having a spatially uniform texture, a spectrally approximate value was also present between the blue and green bands of the cloud region. The blue and green channel data appeared more uniform over the cloudy region, i.e., the entropy of the cloudy region was lower than that of the cloud-free region. On the basis of this difference in entropy, it would be possible to categorize the satellite images into cloud region images and cloud-free region images. Furthermore, the performance of the proposed method was validated by applying it to the data from various sensors across the coastal zone of the South China Sea. The experimental results demonstrated that compared to the existing operational algorithms, EN-clustering exhibited higher accuracy and scalability, and also performed robustly regardless of the spatial resolution of the different satellite images. It is concluded that the EN-clustering algorithm proposed in the present study is applicable to different sensors, different underlying surfaces, and different regions, with the support of NDSI and NDBI indices to remove the interference information from snow, ice, and man-made objects.


About five years after British Occupation of Hong Kong in 1842, the foundation stone of St. John's Cathedral was laid by Sir John Davis, the first Hong Kong Governor, on 11th March 1847. Being the second oldest building built in the colonial era of Hong Kong, although St. John's Cathedral is not the official church in Hong Kong, it is the sovereign's church. The Cathedral, together with the City Hall and the then Supreme Court building (i.e. the current LEGCO building) symbolised the 3 pillars of British sovereignty, namely: Religion, Administration/Military and Judiciary.

Over the past hundred and sixty years, St. John's Cathedral has grown with the Hong Kong society. Some of its growth has been reflected on the church building and the development of the St. John's Cathedral compound. Yet, books on it were few on St. John's Cathedral. Moreover, like general studies on church architecture, those books mainly focus on the buildings, and the interior furnishing, which is also an important component part of the church architecture has been overlooked. Among different church furnishing, the Bishop's Throne is perhaps one of the most important pieces of interior furniture for a cathedral. From a Christian perspective, one might argue that the altar is far more important than the Bishop's Throne as it is the centre of activities during worship. For example in Eucharist, the Christian celebration of the Last Supper, which is seen as a memorial of Christ's sacrifice, a priest or minister celebrates at the altar, on which the bread and the wine which represents the body and blood of Christ are placed; also the area around the altar is seen as endowed with greater holiness. This is certainly very true, however, from the conservation perspective, the Bishop's Throne deserves the same level of attention as the altar does. In fact, the name of "Cathedral" comes from the word "Cathedra" which is Bishop's Throne in Greek, and a Cathedral is a church into which a Bishop's official cathedra is installed.

The dissertation aims at understanding the construction, placement, and symbolism of the Bishop's Throne in Hong Kong. It will focus on the current and original Bishop's Thrones in Hong Kong's St. John's Cathedral. The purpose is to research and document the construction, placement, design, and symbolism of the two Bishop's Thrones in there. I hope that this dissertation will serve as a basis for future conservation of the Bishop's Thrones in the way that it can minimize potential negative impact on the Bishop's Thrones' authenticity by any future conservation work

i


The authors studied the in vitro antimicrobial activity of imipenem towards 355 gram-negative bacterial strains, taking into particular consideration unusual or dangerous species. The study was carried out on a comparative basis with piperacillin, cefotaxime, ceftazidime and gentamicin. Ninety percent of the fermentative gram-negative strains were inhibited at concentrations less than or equal to 2 mg/l. Imipenem inhibited 100% of strains of Alcaligenes faecalis, Alcaligenes denitrificans, Flavobacterium odoratum, Acinetobacter lwoffii, Acinetobacter anitratum, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas stutzeri and 90% of strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas putida. The excellent bactericidal activity of imipenem was indicated by its minimum bactericidal concentrations equal to or slightly greater than its minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC). As far as the other parameters were concerned (influence of the dimensions of inoculum and culture medium on MICs), imipenem confirmed its excellent in vitro microbiologic characteristics.


The greatest concerns of the aviation industry under a warming climate possibly are the following two questions: first, what are the consequences for maximum payloads? and second, will changed air properties (density, temperature and viscosity) affect fuel efficiency? Here, the effects of climate warming on maximum payload and fuel efficiency are examined using atmospheric parameters from 27 climate models. Historical (20th century) climate simulations credibly reproduce the reanalysis period (1950 – 2015) of near-surface air density (NSAD). Lower NSAD is a first-order global signal continuing into the future. The NSAD reduction impact on MTOW could be (cid:1) 1% over the busy North Atlantic Corridor (NAC), and also varies among aircraft. Furthermore, for the standard 7-stage flight profile, negative effects of warming on fuel efficiency affect civil aviation. The cruising stage con-sumes most aviation fuel, and as cruising altitude coincides with the tropopause, the tropopause structure in a warming climate supports the conclusions drawn here. Tropopause temperature changes cause only (cid:1) 0.08% reduction in thermal efficiency. The net effect on total efficiency is smaller because of improved mechanical efficiency. Work required for a commercial aircraft increases in a warmer climate due to elevated tropopause altitude and increased air drag. The latter outweigh the former by almost an order of magnitude, for international flights.


ABSTRACT This paper affirms the central role of religion in Adam Ferguson's practical thought by offering a new reading of his view on the interrelations between true religion, science, moral progress, and immortality. Fergusonian true religion, it is shown, originates in the understanding of wise, benevolent Providence which the physical and moral sciences offer when they become comprehensive. This understanding, in turn, grounds a neo-Stoic religious ethic. Having true religion then means: knowing the providential order, and virtuously acting upon a proper understanding of one's place, potential, and limits in this order. For Ferguson, it is argued, it is each individual's own responsibility to morally progress on the basis of true religion. The paper thus opposes interpretations of Ferguson's view of moral progress as the irreversible result of the species' ever-increasing insight in the details of nature as a providential order. Human societies can only offer a fertile backdrop that enables individuals to live rationally and virtuously. The highest possible degree of human moral-religious progress is to be realized in the afterlife – if the individual has lived sufficiently virtuously on earth so as to merit entrance to the afterlife's progressive scene. Nevertheless, Ferguson's focus remains firmly on religion's value for this life.


Errors in Results in Abstract and Text and in Figure 2: In the Original Investigation titled "Association of OPRM1 Functional Coding Variant With Opioid Use Disorder: A Genome-Wide Association Study,"1 published online June 3, 2020, the genetic correlation between opioid use disorder and PGC (Psychiatric Genomics Consortium) alcohol dependence in Figure 2 should be 0.7335 (SE = 0.1425), not 0.4325 (SE = 0.084), and this trait should be moved to the top of the plot. Also, many of the mean values cited in the Results of the abstract and text are actually just specific estimates (with standard errors) from different analyses and have been corrected. This article was corrected online.


The bullseye puffer is a marine fish species with great potential for aquaculture in Mexico, and the understanding of its reproductive physiology at every level of biological organization is essential in order to succeed. Several molecules orchestrate the complex process of oocyte maturation and spawning. One of these molecules is cyclin B, which is the regulatory subunit of the maturation-promoting factor. In this study, a fragment of the cyclin B gene was isolated from the ovary of the bullseye puffer using an RT-PCR approach. The gene fragment was homologous to the cyclin B2 gene of other vertebrate species. Similar levels of cyclin B gene expression were detected in ovaries at different developmental stages, except for atretic ovaries from captive fish which did not spawn. However, cyclin B gene expression was maintained in captive fish treated with LHRH-a to induce spawning, and appeared to be similar to the pattern observed in wild fish. It is possible that the reduced expression of cyclin B in atretic ovaries is the result of mRNA degradation during atresia. Alternatively, reduced gene expression could be a controlling factor in the process of oocyte reabsorption since cyclin B is required for final oocyte maturation and ovulation.


Synchronized phasor measurements are becoming an important element of wide area measurement systems used in advanced power system monitoring, protection, and control applications. The recently issued revised standard C37.118 for synchrophasors has facilitated interoperability of phasor measurement units (PMUs) from different manufacturers. This standard defines performance for compliance when the input signals are in steady state. The performance of PMUs under transient conditions is not considered by the standard at this time, although clearly PMUs will be subjected to inputs under transient conditions. This paper is an attempt to provide the authors' views on how one may approach the question of standardizing PMU response under transient conditions.


Zinc oxide ceramic varistors with simplified compositions show nonlinear current - voltage characteristics with in the range 45 - 130. Addition of enhances the nonlinearity tremendously and the concentration range of needed for high is around 3 mol%. Formation and involvement of a liquid phase during sintering is indicated from the microstructure studies. Energy dispersive x-ray analyses (EDAX) show that Si is distributed more in the grain boundaries and within the secondary phase than in the grain interiors. X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy studies indicate the formation of zinc silicate, . The capacitance - voltage measurements show that the donor density , barrier height , interface density and depletion width (W) are comparable to those of the ceramics without . Capacitance above the breakdown voltages shows negative values, indicative of oscillatory charge redistribution involving multivalent states of Co and the shallower interface states. Multiple trapping relaxations are evident from the complex-plane capacitance studies. The admittance spectroscopy data show that the type of trap state changes with the addition of , accompanied by a considerable increase in the density of traps.


Alternative polyadenylation (APA) causes shortening or lengthening of the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR), widespread in complex tissues. Bioinformatic tools have been developed to identify dynamic APA in single cell RNA-Seq (scRNA-Seq) data, but with relatively low power and the lack of interpretability for multiple cell types. To address these limitations, we developed a model-based method, scMAPA. scMAPA increases power by building a regression model based on a sensitive quantification of 3'-UTR short and long isoforms. By developing a de novo simulation platform, we demonstrated that scMAPA shows a markedly better sensitivity (9.5% on average) than the previous method with a negligible loss in specificity (0.3% on average). scMAPA improves interpretability by modeling the direction and the degree of dynamic APA for each cell type for each gene, while allowing flexibility to control potential confounders. scMAPA enables to bring a systematic understanding of APA dynamics in complex tissues in human Peripheral Blood Monocellular Cells and mouse brain data.


For the past year or so, Intel has been talking up RMS, an application software model for terascale computing. RMS, which stands for Recognition, Mining and Synthesis, is the class of software that Intel believes will represent the killer apps of the not-too-distant future -- 2010 and beyond. These applications will require the capabilities of terascale processors -- teraflop performance processing terabytes of data.


The challenging environment appearing in recent and moreover future deep offshore explorations promoted the development of linepipe steel grades with reliable sour service resistance. Severe sour conditions such as the combination of elevated production temperature, increasing pipeline pressures and high stress loads initiated by modern laying methods or introduced during service are leading to increasing corrosion demands. Steel pipelines used for the transport of media containing wet Hydrogen Sulphide (H2S) are faced with the danger of the cracking phenomena HIC (Hydrogen Induced Cracking) and SSC (Sulphide Stress Cracking). To prove resistance to HIC and SSC, test specimens are typically tested according standardised test methods. The exposure of test specimens in a sour test solution to a H2S pressure of 1 bar for 96 h, as described in NACE TM0284 is used to prove HIC resistance. Commonly four-point bend testing as described in EFC publication no. 16 is performed for SSC resistance testing with the appliance of a specific load, typically 80% of the actual yield strength.Within this work HIC testing at test conditions representing higher H2S partial pressures (up to 5 bar) and longer test durations (up to 6 months) have been performed on seamless quenched and tempered line pipe steel of grade X65 and X70 produced by VALLOUREC & MANNESMANN TUBES by plug and continuous mandrel mill process. Beside material in as delivered condition also pre-strained material was tested. SSC four-point bend testing has been performed on specimens which were strained up to 10% of plastic strain in longitudinal direction.Copyright © 2012 by ASME