This study was conducted to examine the effect of roasting nonlinted whole cottonseed on ruminal crude protein (CP) degradability and performance in high-yielding dairy cows. Multiparous Israeli Holstein-Friesian cows (parity average 2.5+/-1.5; n = 132) with 571+/-65 kg of body weight (BW), 107+/-48 d in milk (DIM), and 37+/-5.8 kg of milk yield/d were used in the study. Cows were divided into two dietary treatment groups according to their BW, DIM, and milk production. The two diets were similar in CP, net energy for lactation, and neutral detergent fiber content [17%, 1.74 Mcal/kg, and 30% on a dry matter (DM) basis] and included either 15% (on a DM basis) whole cottonseed or roasted whole cottonseed. Ruminal effective degradability of CP, organic matter (OM), and ether extract (EE) decreased 14, 11, and 10%, respectively, compared to whole cottonseed. Total tract digestibilities of CP and EE were similar for both treatments and averaged 57 and 59%, respectively. However, DM and OM digestibilities were 6 and 5% higher in cows offered roasted whole cottonseed relative to those fed whole cottonseed diet. The inclusion of roasted whole cottonseed in the ration decreased ruminal ammonia and blood urea N concentration by 12% compared with diet with the raw whole cottonseed. Milk production, milk fat content, and production, and milk protein yield increased when roasted, nonlinted whole cottonseed was included in the diet. Milk protein content was similar for both treatments, averaging 2.92%.


Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL

Fas-Associated protein with Death Domain (FADD) was originally reported as a pro-apoptotic adaptor molecule that mediates receptor induced apoptosis. Recent studies have revealed a potential role of FADD in NF-κB activation, embryogenesis, and cell cycle regulation and proliferation. Over-expression of FADD and its phosphorylation have been associated with the transformed phenotype in many cancers and is therefore a potential target for therapeutic intervention. In an effort to identify novel chemical entities that inhibit FADD phosphorylation, we screened an NCI diversity compound collection using a cell based assay recently developed in our laboratory for the detection of FADD-kinase activity (Khan, 2010). The screen resulted in the identification of NSC 47147 as a potent inhibitor of FADD phosphorylation. This compound was shown to be an inhibitor of CKIα, a previously described FADD kinase, with an IC50 = 1.5 µM. We demonstrate that inhibition of FADD phosphorylation by NSC 47147 results in a decrease in NF-κB activity, thereby potentially sensitizing tumor cells to chemotherapy. In support of this, treatment of lung cancer cells with NSC 47147 and cisplatin in culture as well as in a mouse xenograft model resulted in the synergistic induction of apoptosis and enhanced tumor control compared to either agent alone. These results provide evidence for the inhibition of FADD phosphorylation as a viable target for anti-cancer therapy.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2311. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2311


Abstract This work reports on the thermal decomposition of muscovite within a granite powder doped with 8.5 wt% ZnO and heated during 10 min to 68 h at 1175 °C, and the implications for the sequestration of Zn, and other heavy metalts in such decomposition products. Samples were characterized using analytical scanning and transmission electron microscopy. After 10 min, muscovite is completely pseudomorphosed by Si-rich glass, spinel structure phases, and minor mullite. Spinel phases incorporate Zn, but their compositions depend on their position within the muscovite pseudomorphs. Al-rich oxides crystallize at the core of the pseudomorphs while Zn-Al spinels are located at the rims. The most Al-rich spinels have compositions close to γ-Al2O3, a metastable transition alumina, with up to 5 wt% MgO, 2 wt% Fe2O3, 4 wt% ZnO, and 9 wt% SiO2. The most Zn-rich spinels show compositions intermediate between Al2O3 and gahnite (ZnAl2O4), with up to 31 wt% ZnO and significant contents of MgO (3 wt%), Fe2O3 (5 wt%), and SiO2 (10 wt%). After 68 h, stable spinels are gahnite close to the end-member composition with MgO and Fe2O3 contents below ca. 5 wt%, and SiO2 contents ca. 1 wt%. These results support the existence of a metastable solid solution between γ-Al2O3 and gahnite. This experimental work shows that Zn can be incorporated in spinel structures after heating at 1175 °C during short durations and Zn is preferentially incorporated in the muscovite pseudomorphs as opposed to the Qtz-Fds glass. Consequently, the thermal breakdown of phyllosilicates can be a viable process to immobilize heavy metals such as Zn.


Commentary and analysis of the standards and requirements in order for a court to certify a class action under Fed. R. Civ. P. 23. The article discusses issues relating to the timing for class certification after the filing of a class complaint, and the lack of a requirement for a hearing on a motion for class certification. The article indicates that the days of being able to certify a class action on the pleadings alone, has passed; that most federal courts now impose a "rigorous analysis" standard for a judicial officer in evaluating whether class certification requirements are satisfied. The rigorous analysis standard permits judges to look beyond the pleadings to understand the underlying claims, defenses, relevant facts, and applicable law. Virtually all federal courts agree that the parties seeking class certification carry the burden of demonstrating that class certification requirements are satisfied under the rule and prevailing Rule 23 jurisprudence. Proponents for class certification must satisfy various implicit requirements, such setting forth an adequate class definition, and that class representatives with standing to represent the class. The article discusses various federal and state jurisprudence concerning what constitutes an adequate class definition; the requirement of an identifiable class; and the problem of so-called "fail safe" classes. He article concludes with a discussion of the use of expert witness testimony at class certification and the implications for use of Daubert hearings.


Abstract A 79-year-old man presented to a tertiary referral center from the Dominican Republic with an opaque corneal graft and a diagnosis of chronic, recurrent culture-positive Achromobacter xylosoxidans endophthalmitis of the left eye. The patient had a history of penetrating keratoplasty for Fuchs' dystrophy and had undergone multiple intraocular surgeries including pars plana vitrectomy and anterior chamber wash out for the diagnosis and management of chronic endophthalmitis. After being referred, the patient underwent a third PKP, removal of his intraocular lens (IOL), capsulectomy, and injection of intravitreal antibiotics. All surgical specimens demonstrated the growth of A. xylosoxidans. Five months after surgery, the graft remained clear without evidence of infection and best-corrected visual acuity was 20/350.


This is a case of a four-month-old female infant who presented with clinical manifestations of congenital rubella syndrome (CRS) — bilateral cataracts, poorly-dilating pupils, microcorneas, salt and pepper retinopathies seen after cataract extractions, bilateral sensorineural hearing loss, patent ductus arteriosus, microcephaly, history of blueberry spots and low birth weight, and positive serum IgM and IgG tests for rubella. The patient's mother also had prenatal rubella infection. However, the patient also presented with additional set of clinical findings not seen in recent patients with CRS and not commonly reported in literature: visual acuities of poor to no dazzle, bilateral choroidal thickening on ocular ultrasound that spontaneously resolved, optic nerve inflammation that became atrophic, vessel tortuosities seen after cataract extractions, bilateral subependymal cysts with lenticulostriate vasculopathy in basal ganglia, basal ganglia hyperintensity suggestive of calcification, and jaundice. These findings plus the overlapping clinical manifestations with CRS and the positive IgM and IgG for cytomegalovirus (CMV) made us consider a congenital CMV co-infection.
CRS already causes significant childhood morbidity. Getting co-infected with CMV in utero worsens morbidity and makes management more difficult. This case presented a congenital co-infection of rubella and CMV and discussed the added challenges in their diagnosis and management.


This study explores the impact of an outdoor-based training program on management behaviors at a major regional medical center. Sixteen managers attended a combination high and low "ropes" training course given in three phases over a one-year period. This program was designed to increase trust and improve communications within the hospital. A number of group measures from previous research are examined, including trust, group awareness, group effectiveness, self-esteem, and bonding of the group. Empirical evaluations of these items were done prior to training and three months after training. Scales that tapped both interpersonal relations and communications were developed from interviews with previous participants, and were evaluated prior to training and six months after training. Behavioral observations were also used to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. Results indicate that the outdoor-based training program was effective in improving certain key behaviors within the group. While stressing the need for future research, this study strongly supports the further use of outdoor-based training programs in health care settings.


The purpose of this study was to investigate, with aging, the activity of two enzymes associated to HDL and responsible for its anti-atherogenic activity; paraoxonase (PON1) and platelet-activating factor acetylhydrolase (PAF-AH). Ninety-five subjects aged between 26 and 77 years were recruited for the study. The prevalence of phenotype A, AB, and B in our subjects group was 69.47,21.05 and 9.47% respectively. Plasma as well as HDL paraoxonase activity decreased significantly with aging (r =-0.218, P < 0.039) and (r = -0.280, P < 0.006) respectively. PAF-AH activity was unchanged with aging however, we noted a negative correlation between PAF-AH and PON1 activity in HDL (r = -0.243, P < 0.02) and in LDL vs HDL (r =-0.462, P < 0.001).


Immune cells in the tumor microenvironment play a crucial role in regulating tumor progression. The circular RNA (circRNA) regulatory network involved in immune cell infiltration in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains largely unknown. In this study, the "estimate the proportion of immune and cancer cells" (EPIC) application is used to evaluate the fractions of immune cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts, and endothelial cells in HCC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. Patients with a high macrophage fraction have better overall survival, and macrophage fraction is an independent prognostic factor for HCC. Next, the common differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs), miRNAs (DEmiRNAs), and circRNAs (DEcircRNAs) between paired tumor and non-tumor tissues are screened out from the TCGA and/or GEO databases. Through spearman correlation analysis, the macrophage-related DEmRNAs are identified to construct a circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network, which includes 6 DEcircRNAs, 7 DEmiRNAs, and 45 DEmRNAs. Functional enrichment analysis reveals that these DEmRNAs are mainly involved in immune-related processes. Furthermore, six hub DEmRNAs are identified to establish a hub circRNA regulatory network. Among the DEmRNAs in the network, PRC1 is identified as the most influential node. PRC1 high expression is correlated with poor prognosis and low macrophage infiltration in HCC. Taken together, we identify a certain circRNA regulatory network related to macrophage infiltration and provide novel insight into the mechanism of study and therapeutic targets for HCC.


Contents: G.E. Hein, Foreword. Preface. I. Pumpian, S. Wachowiak, D. Fisher, School in the Park-A Unique Learning Experience for Children and Teachers. I. Pumpian, M. Grant, S. Wachowiak, Perspectives on Learning- Creating Optimal Conditions for Learning. D. Lapp, J. Flood, Talking in Museums: When Vices Turn Into Virtues, Exploring Oral Language Development. N. Frey, Reading in the Park. L. Fearn, N. Farnan, An Authentic Context for Writing to Learn and Teaching Writing Intentionally. N.L. McDonald, Arts as a Centerpiece for Integrated Learning. K. Masarik, Where Is the Mathematics? Everywhere! D. Ross, The Opportunity to Learn Science Like Scientists: Museums Are a Good Idea. E.M. Schell, Engaging Students in Social Studies Through Exploration, Documentation, and Analysis: Museums and Field Studies Can Bring Social Studies to Life.


The aim of the article is to explore how an apprenticeship through signs can inform ethnographic inquiries. Upon engaging with signs, one can develop new empirical sensibilities that could allow for the appreciation of the flows, forces and intensities encountered during such research processes. In particular, it enables us to attend to those aspects of research that we may struggle to capture or illuminate. We suggest naming such endeavour nomadography in order to emphasize the move away from anthropocentric accounts and to reflect the iterative, polymorphic and experiential nature of this approach. We also draw on a brief extract from some fieldwork in Fiji that focused on the 'discovery' of a new plant species. In particular, we wish to explore how a nomadographic approach provides a way of rejuvenating our thinking conceptually, empirically and methodologically by rethinking these three interconnecting and overlapping aspects of the research process.


Morten Skydsgaard's biography of the Danish physician Ole Bang (1788–1877) is an informative and important book about a period of transition in nineteenth-century Danish medicine. Bang held several of the most significant posts available to physicians in Denmark. He was a professor at the university of Copenhagen, and he was the chief physician at the largest hospital in the capital, Frederik's Hospital. Among the prominent patients in Bang's lucrative private practice were the Danish and Russian royal families. Throughout his career he advocated a medicine grounded on careful observation at the bedside. He reformed medical education, putting clinical teaching into practice at the medical faculty. His methods of treatment became influential among Danish medical practitioners, and he was famous for his clinical skills. Bang was also engaged in health politics, and played an important role in the formation of a common curriculum for surgeons and physicians, thus putting an end to a long rivalry between the medical faculty and the surgical academy.

During his long and active professional life (he retired in 1874, aged eighty-six), Bang was respected and recognised as one of Denmark's leading medical figures. However, soon after his death he was branded a reactionary and accused of opposing new ideas, thereby hampering progress in Danish medicine—a view which has been generally accepted in Danish historiography until now. In this carefully researched book a more complicated picture is painted.

Skydsgaard confirms that Bang remained faithful throughout his life to the Hippocratic doctrine of vis medicatrix nature, or the healing powers of nature. He believed that the organism did not accept disease passively but counteracted it by trying to rectify the disturbed equilibrium. Nature was, therefore, the best physician, but the human physician could help nature to fulfil its goal by removing obstacles to its action, thus assisting in the organism's own attempt to recover. Bang employed traditional remedies like purgatives, emetics, diapnoic drugs, sialagogues and bloodletting. However, as Skydsgaard shows, he also participated fully in the new medical debates, and, early in his career particularly, he was a proponent of change in many areas. He introduced the stethoscope to Denmark, and studied in the French style pathological changes of the bowels during typhoid fever. He also engaged in medical meteorology, trying to generate new knowledge about epidemics based on an analysis of meteorological data. Furthermore, he advocated the use of statistics in medicine, and regularly published data on morbidity and mortality from Frederik's Hospital. Later in life, however, he became sceptical of the increasing technicality of medicine, which, he held, distanced the physician from the patient. Consequently Bang found himself in opposition to younger colleagues, who emphasised the importance of autopsies, microscopy and animal experiments. For him, medicine was centred on the individual, carefully tailored to each patient, whereas for younger doctors objectivity and regularity took precedence over the individual.

The most interesting chapter is that in which Skydsgaard analyses this period of change in Danish medicine by looking at how various physicians worked with one single disease—typhoid. He demonstrates well that new and, in retrospect, 'correct' ideas do not spread without friction. Also, it allows him to compare treatment methods. Bang's younger colleagues, more favourably received in Danish historiography due to their introduction of 'modern' methods such as microscopy and laboratory tests, basically treated typhoid fever no differently than did Bang himself.

Nevertheless, while overall this is a well-constructed and interesting piece of research work, it is not without its flaws. Perhaps most importantly, Skydsgaard's selection of sources is too limited. He has studied published articles and books, as well as newspapers and letters from the period, but omitted hospital records. It is difficult to understand why this vital primary source of therapeutic data is ignored, and second- and third-hand descriptions of such treatment used instead. Additionally, Skydsgaard is not very comfortable or convincing when it comes to medical philosophy. His discussions of nosology and diagnostics are confusing, perhaps owing to insufficient knowledge of the important change from medical semiotics to medical diagnostics in the early nineteenth century. Finally, this is very much a book about Denmark, and, if more of Bang's professional life had been placed in an international context, the work would have gained from a wider view.

But, despite these flaws, there is no doubt that Skydsgaard has written a well-researched book about this interesting period in Danish medicine.


With as many individuals involved in the Goiânia 137Cs accident who had high levels of internal contamination, it was necessary to improvise a whole-body counter installation in loco. The in-vivo counting system was located in a 4.0 X 3.5 X 3.5-m room, where seven layers of 2-mm lead sheets with dimensions of 2.0 m X 1.0 m were overlaid on the floor at loci that were equidistant from the walls. A 20-cm diameter NaI (Tl) detector was installed at a height of 2.05 m above the floor at the center of the room. The detector was shielded and collimated with 5 cm of lead. The enormous amounts of activity in the subjects required the detector to be positioned at a height of 2.05 m. Subjects were required to wear disposable clothing and lie on a reclining, fiberglass chair. Counting time for the subjects was 2 min (live-time). The minimum detectable 137Cs activity for this counting time was 7.3 kBq* (0.05 significance level). Besides the accident victims, all individuals who had direct or indirect contact with contaminated people or areas were also monitored. More than 300 people of both sexes, with ages varying from a few months to 72 y, were measured for whole-body radioactivity. The observed activities ranged from less than the minimum detectable activity (MDA) to 59 MBq.


The lubrication properties of adsorbed poly(L-lysine)-graft-poly(ethylene glycol) in aqueous buffer solution were studied with the surface forces apparatus. In general, the polymer brushes revealed extremely low friction forces. Two distinct regimes could be identified. In response to lateral shear, the friction forces of intact polymer films at moderate loads were below the detection limit. At high loads, when the films were compressed to about 10% of the original equilibrium film thickness, the friction showed a reversible increase with load. Under certain conditions, film destruction was observed, immediately followed by a dramatic increase in the frictional force and an expansion of the adsorbed brush layer. By the addition of free polymer to the buffer solution, the resistance of the polymer brushes to abrasion was dramatically increased by readsorption of the polymer following friction-induced desorption. This self-healing capacity and the extremely low friction of the adsorbed copolymer films contribute to their excellent properties as lubricant additives for water-based lubrication under boundary conditions.


Nowadays Wireless Communications are widely embedded in various ubiquitous computing models and applications. Ubiquitous computing is considered as a new technology paradigm that should be probed as one of Wireless Communications recent implementations. Ubiquitous computing, pervasive computing, everyware computing, ambient intelligence, haptic computing, and Internet of Things are all aliases to one technology where systems are available anywhere and anytime, to anyone, where and when needed. Practically, the differences between these terms is of an academic nature; they are commonly aiming to the goal of assisting people as well as the continuous improvement and promotion of economic and social processes by taking advantages of communicating with numerous microprocessors and sensors integrated into the environment. This article provides an overview of ubiquitous computing requirements and operational concept as well as pervasive services main characteristics. Consequently the key challenges facing the implementation and extension of ubiquitous computing as well as the main technologies used for this purpose are outlined. There are so many application domains that are adopting the ubiquitous computing concept; some of those will be presented. By the end of the research the author would like to give a good reference article that can help a lot of researchers interested in this field..


OBJECTIVE
To determine the nuclear hardness and associated factors of age-related cataract.

METHODS
Forty-seven eyes of 47 patients with age-related cataract aged > 50 years were studied. The opacity of lenses was assessed and classified by the LOCS II pre-operatively. The lens nucleus obtained during extracapsular cataract extraction (ECCE) was measured. By means of a fine conical probe and dynamometer, the resistance to penetration of different lens layers was transferred to an electric signal and recorded by a function recorder. The hardness to the penetration of different lens layers was calculated. Multivariate regression analysis was applied to the parameters including age, color of the nucleus, duration of symptoms and other factors.

RESULTS
The mean force required to penetrate the lens was (0.51 +/- 0.29) Newtons (N) for grade I, (1.41 +/- 0.35) N for grade II and (1.95 +/- 0.42) N for grade III; it increased to (2.96 +/- 0.62) N for grade IV. The hardest part of the lens was located at the nucleus center. Multivariate analysis of the data showed that 85% of the variation in hardness could be explained in terms of color and opacity. The patients with myopia and diabetics had an increased incidence of grading IV nuclear sclerosis. Regression analysis revealed a positive correlation between nucleus color and weight (r = 0.4565), diameter (r = 0.5263), thickness (r = 0.5552) and hardness (r = 0.8969), P < 0.001. There was a weak positive correlation between age and the weight of nucleus (r = 0.3239, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate that the color can be used more reliably to predict physical characteristics of lens nucleus, the preoperative knowledge of which would help the surgeon in planning small-incision surgery including phacoemulsification.


The World Trade Center attack of 9/11/01 and the response brought major attention to GIS as a valuable tool for supporting emergency management and response. That attention led to the allocation of considerable resources to the enhancement of GIS. This paper is intended to provide a look back at the events prior to and immediately following the attack, review of GIS in the response and recovery efforts, explore the emergence of GIS in Emergency Management from the impetus generated in the NYC experience and explore the challenges yet facing the use of GIS in emergency management. The author participated in the WTC response as a member of the Emergency Mapping and Data Center component of the Emergency Operations Center through which the response was managed.


Understanding the genetic basis of nitrogen and carbon metabolism will accelerate the development of plant varieties with high yield and improved nitrogen use efficiency. A robotized platform was used to measure the activities of 10 enzymes from carbon and nitrogen metabolism in the maize (Zea mays) intermated B73 × Mo17 mapping population, which provides almost a 4-fold increase in genetic map distance compared with conventional mapping populations. Seedling/juvenile biomass was included to identify its genetic factors and relationships with enzyme activities. All 10 enzymes showed heritable variation in activity. There were strong positive correlations between activities of different enzymes, indicating that they are coregulated. Negative correlations were detected between biomass and the activity of six enzymes. In total, 73 significant quantitative trait loci (QTL) were found that influence the activity of these 10 enzymes and eight QTL that influence biomass. While some QTL were shared by different enzymes or biomass, we critically evaluated the probability that this may be fortuitous. All enzyme activity QTL were in trans to the known genomic locations of structural genes, except for single cis-QTL for nitrate reductase, Glu dehydrogenase, and shikimate dehydrogenase; the low frequency and low additive magnitude compared with trans-QTL indicate that cis-regulation is relatively unimportant versus trans-regulation. Two-gene epistatic interactions were identified for eight enzymes and for biomass, with three epistatic QTL being shared by two other traits; however, epistasis explained on average only 2.8% of the genetic variance. Overall, this study identifies more QTL at a higher resolution than previous studies of genetic variation in metabolism.


A senior level elective course covering topics in electronic music synthesis was offered in the winter of 1992 in the department of Electrical Engineering at Lawrence Technological University. This course explored techniques which enable musicians and engineers to conceive of and realize musical ideas. The course focused on four areas: the physics of music, music hardware, the musical instrument digital interface (MIDI), and research topics in music synthesis.<<ETX>>


Mixtures of polynomials (MoPs) are a non-parametric density estimation technique especially designed for hybrid Bayesian networks with continuous and discrete variables. Algorithms to learn oneand multi-dimensional (marginal) MoPs from data have recently been proposed. In this paper we introduce two methods for learning MoP approximations of conditional densities from data. Both approaches are based on learning MoP approximations of the joint density and the marginal density of the conditioning variables, but they differ as to how the MoP approximation of the quotient of the two densities is found. We illustrate and study the methods using data sampled from known parametric distributions, and we demonstrate their applicability by learning models based on real neuroscience data. Finally, we compare the performance of the proposed methods with an approach for learning mixtures of truncated basis functions (MoTBFs). The empirical results show that the proposed methods generally yield models that are comparable to or significantly better than those found using the MoTBF-based method.


In the present study, the type and densities of defects in AlN crystals grown on 6H-SiC seeds by the sublimation-recombination method were assessed. The positions of the defects in AlN were first identified by defect selective etching (DSE) in molten NaOH-KOH at 400 °C for 2 minutes. Etching produced pits of three different sizes: 1.8, 2.4, and 2.9 m. The etch pits were either aligned together forming a sub-grain boundary or randomly distributed. The smaller etch pits were either isolated or associated with larger etch pits. After preparing cross-sections of the pits by the focused ion beam (FIB) technique, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was performed to determine the dislocation type (edge, mixed or screw) associated with a specific etch pit size. Preliminary TEM bright field and dark field imaging using different zone axes and diffraction vectors indicates an edge dislocation with a Burgers vector 1/3 ] 0 2


Symptomatic patients with residual pulmonary perfusion defects or vascular lesions but no pulmonary hypertension at rest are diagnosed with chronic thromboembolic disease (CTED). Balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) is an emerging treatment for patients with inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), but data regarding the safety and efficacy of BPA in patients with CTED are lacking. We report a prospective series of ten consecutive patients with CTED who underwent 35 BPA interventions (median of four per patient) at two German institutions. All patients underwent a comprehensive diagnostic workup at baseline and 24 weeks after their last intervention. BPA was safe, with one pulmonary vascular injury and subsequent self-limiting pulmonary bleeding as the only complication (2.9% of the interventions, 10% of the patients). After the procedures, World Health Organization functional class, 6-min walking distance, pulmonary vascular resistance, and pulmonary arterial compliance improved, and NT-proBNP concentrations declined in 9/10 patients. BPA may be a new treatment option for carefully selected patients with CTED. A larger, prospective, international registry is required to confirm these results.


Microfinance is proposed to be an efficient and viable means to poverty alleviation in the developing world, but there has been little empirical study on the impacts of microfinance banks. This study examines the impact of Rima Microfinance Bank on beneficiaries' income and poverty in Goronyo Local Government Area of Sokoto State, Nigeria. A multistage-sampling technique was used to draw the sample and a structured questionnaire was used for data collection. The data was analysed using descriptive statistics (means, frequency, and percentages) and Foster, Greer and Thorbecke (FGT) poverty index. The result revealed that the beneficiaries had a mean per capita income of N47,489.19 before and N115,678 after using the Rima Microfinance credit facility. The result of the FGT poverty incidence reduces by 6%. This is reflected by the reduction in poverty depth and severity significantly after the Rima microfinance intervention in the form of agricultural input credit facilities. The study recommends a microfinance policy that will ease more access to credit as well as ensuring efficient utilization of acquired inputs through effective monitoring for better productivity, income and poverty reduction among rural dwellers.

 Key words: Rima-Microfinace, impact, income, poverty, beneficiaries.


The framing of offences is an important issue in legal or regulatory design. Should offences be fault-based, for instance involving considerations of recklessness or negligence, or should the doing of an act constitute an offence per se? We compare the performance, from a deterrence and enforcement cost perspective, of fault-based versus strict liability offences in the economic model of public enforcement of law, extended to incorporate informal motivations and social norms of conduct. We show that fault-based offences are generally more effective in harnessing social or self-image concerns for the purpose of inducing compliance. When enforcement relies on fines and assessing fault is not too costly, an optimal legal regime and enforcement policy entail fault-based offences when convictions would seldom occur and strict liability offences otherwise. We also discuss the optimal policies when legal sanctions are nonmonetary and when stigmatization imposes a deadweight loss.


Greenhouse and growth chamber studies were established to determine if there are pathological and physiological differences among Meloidogyne hapla populations from California (CA), Nevada (NV), Utah (UT), and Wyoming (WY) on alfalfa cultivars classified as resistant or susceptible to root-knot nematodes. In the greenhouse, plant survival was not consistent with resistance classifications. While all highly resistant Nevada Synthetic germplasm (Nev Syn XX) plants survived inoculation with all nematode populations, two cultivars classified as moderately resistant ('Chief' and 'Kingstar') survived (P </= 0.05) inoculation with M. hapla populations better than did 'Lobo' cultivar, which is classified as resistant. Plant growth of Nev Syn XX was suppressed by only the CA population, whereas growth of the other alfalfa cultivars classified as M. hapla resistant or moderately resistant was suppressed by all nematode populations. Excluding Nev Syn XX, all alfalfa cultivars were severely galled and susceptible to all nematode populations. Except for Nev Syn XX, reproduction did not differ among the nematode populations on alfalfa cultivars. Nev Syn XX was not as favorable a host to CA as were the other cultivars; but, it was a good host (reproductive factor [Rf] = 37). Temperature affected plant resistance; the UT and WY populations were more pathogenic at 15-25 C, and CA was more pathogenic at 30 C. Nev Syn XX was susceptible to all nematode populations, except for CA, at only 30 C, and all other alfalfa cultivars were susceptible to all nematode populations at all temperatures.


The extremely poor safety record of the contract geophysical industry should be corrected not only for the humanitarian and economic gains it would bring the individual company, but also for the improvement it would make in the industry's public relations and ability to attract technically trained men. Management of the geophysical contracting companies should be cognizant of the importance of such a program and eager to participate in the S.E.G. safety program. Management of the oil companies, represented by those who are responsible for hiring contract geophysical companies, should help assure the success of this program and its related good consequences to the oil industry by demanding that geophysical contracting companies, in addition to meeting all their other requirements, have a safety program and cooperate with the S.E.G. in its safety program.


We report the development of a high-temperature Seebeck coefficient Standard Reference Material (SRM) for use in instrument validation and interlaboratory data comparison in the temperature range of 295–900 K to support the research, development, and production of materials and devices related to thermoelectric-based energy conversion applications. We describe the synthesis, anneal–quench procedure, and physical characterization of a p-type boron-doped polycrystalline silicon–germanium alloy with a nominal composition of Si80Ge20. For the certification measurements, we describe the measurement protocols, statistical analysis, the certified Seebeck coefficient values, comprehensive uncertainty budgets, and metrological traceability. Our extensive efforts to identify, reduce, and quantify measurement uncertainties will be emphasized. This new SRM complements SRM 3451 Low-Temperature Seebeck Coefficient Standard (10–390 K) to provide certified reference materials traceable to the International System of Units (SI) for Seebeck coefficient measurements within the temperature range 10–900 K.


Background The activation of Notch is crucial for the growth of T-ALL cells with NOTCH1 mutations. The precise roles of Notch signaling in AML cells are not fully understood, although the growth of AML cells is diversely affected by Notch ligand stimulation as we previously reported. We also reported the effects of γ-secretase inhibitors (GSIs), which block Notch activation, on the growth of leukemia cells. However, these effects might not necessarily be due to Notch inhibition as GSIs also exhibit some off-target effects. To elucidate the roles of Notch signaling in leukemia cells, we examined the effects of small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated knockdown of NOTCH1 and NOTCH2 on cell proliferation and down-stream signaling pathways such as mTOR signaling in T-ALL and AML cell lines.

Methods Two T-ALL cell lines (DND-41 and KOPT-K1) and 2 AML cell lines (THP-1 and TMD7) were used in this study. The cells were transfected with siRNAs targeting NOTCH1 (siN1), NOTCH2 (siN2), or control siRNA by using the pipette tip chamber-based electroporation system. The effects of siN1 and siN2 transfection on cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis were examined using a colorimetric WST-8 assay and by observing cytospin preparations of the harvested cells, respectively. The effects of the siRNA-transfection on the mRNA and protein expression were examined by quantitative RT-PCR and immunoblotting, respectively.

Results Transfection with siN1 and siN2 selectively suppressed the expression of Notch1 and Notch2 mRNA and protein, respectively. In T-ALL cell lines, NOTCH1 knockdown as well as NOTCH2 knockdown suppressed cell proliferation and induced apoptosis. Immunoblot analysis showed that Myc expression was downregulated in NOTCH1- knockdown cells but not affected in NOTCH2 -knockdown cells. In AML cell lines, cell proliferation was not significantly affected by NOTCH siRNAs. NOTCH2 knockdown increased the level of cleaved Notch1 fragment without increasing Notch1 expression. The knockdown of NOTCH1 and NOTCH2 reduced the expression and phosphorylation of mTOR protein in THP-1 cells. To confirm this finding, we examined the effects of activation of Notch by the recombinant Notch ligands, Jagged1 and Delta1, on the expression of mTOR protein. The activation of Notch resulted in an increase in the level of the mTOR protein and its phosphorylation in THP-1 cells. Thus, siRNA-transfection and ligand stimulation of Notch showed contrasting effects. Phosphorylation of Akt, 4E-BP1, and S6K was also induced after the stimulation.

Discussion Using siRNA-mediated knockdown experiments, we found that Notch2 signaling plays a role in the growth of T-ALL cells, independent of Myc expression. The autonomous activation of Notch signaling in AML cells had little effect on the proliferation of these cells. Notch2 protein seemed to be involved in the activation of Notch1 in AML cells. Regarding the crosstalk between Notch and mTOR signaling, it is known that the Notch-induced Hes1 protein suppresses PTEN transcription, resulting in the promotion of Akt phosphorylation. We found an alternative pathway linking Notch and mTOR signaling in THP-1 cells in which the PTEN gene is homozygously deleted. In THP-1 cells, Notch activation promotes the expression and phosphorylation of the mTOR protein and the activation of mTOR signaling. These findings would contribute to the development of effective Notch-targeted therapy against leukemia.

Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Synchronous reluctance machines are very appealing for high speed traction applications due to their robustness, simple structure, absence of magnets, and simple control. The absence of magnets means that synchronous reluctance machines are not susceptible to price variability and sustainability of rare-earth materials. Also, there are no concerns about demagnetization or uncontrolled generation mode. However, the challenge of achieving a good constant power to speed ratio is dependent on the mechanical aspects of the design. Conventional synchronous reluctance designs perform poorly compared to permanent magnet machines due the presence of bridges and/or center posts that provide a path for performance-robbing leakage flux. Elimination or reduction of these features presents a challenge for rotor mechanical retention due to the reduction in radial stiffness that these members provide. A carbon-fiber sleeve on the rotor will provide the needed mechanical strength to enable a reduction of bridges and/or center posts. This paper will present the design details, analysis, manufacturing and test results of a proof-of-concept carbon-fiber-wrapped synchronous reluctance machine targeting traction applications.


BACKGROUND
Biogenic amines have gained a great deal of attention due to their toxic potential in humans. Carp is one of the most important freshwater fish species in China. Salt and sugar are capable of preserving food. There is a limited amount of information on the changes of biogenic amines in freshwater fish influenced by salt and sugar. This study aimed to detect the changes in biogenic amines, sensory attributes, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) and total viable counts (TVC) of carp influenced by different concentrations of salt and sugar stored at 4 °C.

RESULTS
TVB-N and TVC increased with storage time, which was in accordance with the changes of sensory scores. The eight biogenic amines were detected in fresh carp. Putrescine and cadaverine were the main biogenic amines found in carp fillets stored at 4 °C; they had a significant (P < 0.05) correlation with TVB-N.

CONCLUSION
Salt processing was found to inhibit the increase of TVB-N, TVC, putrescine and cadaverine in carp. High salt concentration had a positive effect on extending the shelf-life of the carp, compared to low salt concentration.


Processing-in-Memory (PIM) based on Resistive Random Access Memory (RRAM) is an emerging acceleration architecture for artificial neural networks. This paper proposes an RRAM PIM accelerator architecture that does not use Analog-to-Digital Converters (ADCs) and Digital-to-Analog Converters (DACs). Additionally, no additional memory usage is required to avoid the need for a large amount of data transportation in convolution computation. Partial quantization is introduced to reduce the accuracy loss. The proposed architecture can substantially reduce the overall power consumption and accelerate computation. The simulation results show that the image recognition rate for the Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) algorithm can reach 284 frames per second at 50 MHz using this architecture. The accuracy of the partial quantization remains almost unchanged compared to the algorithm without quantization.


Populations of eastern black nightshade suspected of being resistant to acetolactate synthase (ALS) inhibitors have been reported since 1999 in different locations in Ontario, Canada. This event has threatened the use of ALS inhibitors for control of this species. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the spectrum of resistance to different ALS-inhibiting herbicides and to examine the effectiveness of alternative modes of action herbicides. Growth room experiments were conducted to determine the response to imazethapyr and atrazine in seven suspected ALS inhibitor– resistant populations. One resistant and one susceptible population were further characterized for their response to ALS inhibitors and chloroacetamides. Seven populations were able to survive imazethapyr at 100 g ai/ha, while there was no resistance to atrazine. Compared to a susceptible (S) population, resistant (R) population SOLPT 1 had 726-, 31-, 6-, and 4-fold resistance to postemergence (POST) applied imazethapyr, imazamox, primisulfuron, and flumetsulam, respectively. Preemergence (PRE) application of imazethapyr, flumetsulam, cloransulam, nicosulfuron, prosulfuron, and rimsulfuron did not provide control of the R population, whereas they totally controlled the S population. The chloroacetamide herbicides metolachlor, dimethenamid, and flufenacet all provided at least 90% control of both R and S populations when applied PRE at the recommended field rates. The ALS inhibitors will not provide adequate control of these resistant populations, but acceptable control could be achieved with chloroacetamides or with atrazine. Nomenclature: ALS-inhibiting herbicides; eastern black nightshade, Solanum ptycanthum Dun. #3 SOLPT. Additional index words: Spectrums of resistance, chloroacetamide herbicides, dose–response curves. Abbreviations: ALS, acetolactate synthase; GR50, dose required to reduce plant dry weight by 50%; POST; postemergence; PRE, preemergence; R, resistant; S, susceptible.


Height accuracy is one of the important elements in surveying work especially for control point's establishment which requires an accurate measurement. There are many methods can be used to acquire height value such as tacheometry, leveling and Global Positioning System (GPS). This study has investigated the effect on height accuracy based on different observations which are single based and network based GPS methods. The GPS network is acquired from the local network namely Iskandar network. This network has been setup to provide real-time correction data to rover GPS station while the single network is based on the known GPS station. Nine ground control points were established evenly at the study area. Each ground control points were observed about two and ten minutes. It was found that, the height accuracy give the different result for each observation.


We present the results of three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) and large-scale particle (LSK) simulations of the cusp's response to an abrupt change in the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) direction observed by the Cluster spacecraft on September 23, 2004 (Escoubet et al., 2007). During this event the four satellites crossed the polar cusp within 2-16 minutes from each other while the IMF rotated from a southward to a northward direction. The first two spacecraft observed typical IMF-southward ion dispersions, while the last one observed both an IMF-southward-like dispersion in the boundary layer and an IMF-northward dispersion in the cusp. First, we use the global MHD simulation to determine the global topology of the magnetic field at different times during the event. In particular, we examine the effects of the IMF turning on the occurrence of multiple reconnection sites and determine their locations. We then investigate the topology predicted by the global MHD simulation by computing a large sample of ion trajectories in the time-dependent MHD electric and magnetic fields and comparing them with ion measurements. We conclude by using the results of the global MHD simulation and LSK computations to discuss how changes in the topology of the dayside magnetosphere affect the sources of the particles precipitating in the cusp.


Cytogenetic studies have provided a great deal of useful information about the biology and diagnosis of renal cell tumors. Particularly papillary and non-papillary tumors seem to be characterized by different cytogenetic patterns. We report the cytogenetic and histologic analysis of 16 renal tumors, 5 of which showed clonal chromosome changes. Most had chromosome abnormalities which have so far been described as specific of particular histopathologic subgroups.


OBJECTIVE
To study the effect of Shenqi Fuzheng injection on the humoral immunity (IgG IgM IgA), cellular immunity (T-lymphocyte subsets), Superoxide dismutase (SOD). Lpo and Plasma viscosity in the patients with congestive heart failure (CHF).

METHODS
Sixty patients with CHF, whose heart function belonged to NYHA grade II-IV were randomly divide into two groups. The treaded group were treated with SFI 100 ml, and the control group were treated by nitroglycerine in jection 10 mg, the drug were administered respectively by adding in 5% glucose solution 500 ml for intravenous dripping, once a day, 20 days as one therapeutic course. Venous blood from cubital vein was collected before and after treatment to detect the IgG, IgM, IgA, T-lymphocyte subsets, SOD, LPO and Plasma viscosity.

RESULTS
The clinical heart function markedly improved rate and total effective rate in the treated group was singificantly better than those in the control group respectively (P < 0.05). the left ventricular ejecting frection (LVEF) and end syctolic volume (ESV) were improved in both group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and the improvement in the treated group was superior to that in the control group (P < 0.05). In the treated group after treatment, the CD4, SOD level and CD4/DC8 ratio increased (P < 0.05), level of LPO, IgG and IgM lowered (P < 0.05) significantly, while those in the control group were not changed singificantly (P > 0.05). Plasma viscosity of treatment group also got better improved than before (P < 0.05), and there was a significantly difference between the two groups after treatment (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION
SFI Can improve the immune funtion of CHF patients, and can be taken as an importmant auxiliary treatment for CHF.


The Hague Judgments Convention of 2005 is the first global convention on international jurisdiction and recognition and enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters. The author explains the political and legal background of the Convention, its content and certain crucial issues during the negotiations of it. Finally, the author discusses the perspectives for international trade given that, in 2009, the USA and the European Union signed the Convention.


This study investigated consumers' energy saving behavior and perceptions concerning the effectiveness of their energy saving behavior. A nation wide survey was conducted involving 2000 households in urban areas and the data from 1767 households were used for the analysis. excluding cases with incomplete responses. Descriptive analysis, factor analysis, and regression analysis were applied. The results were as follows. First, electricity saving behavior was classified into three categories: Thrift (reducing energy consumption), Purchase (buying energy saving appliances), and Control (checking the energy consumption). Second, consumers rated Thrift as the best way to save energy. Third, education, age, and household income were significantly related to energy saving behavior and perceptions on the effectiveness of energy saving behavior. Consumers using above average levels of electricity tended not to practice energy saving behavior and not to positively evaluate effectiveness of the energy saving behavior. Lastly, the implications for public policies to promote energy saving behavior are suggested.


Increased levels of hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) observed in the injured lungs have been associated with compensatory body response to reduce acute lung (ALI) injury. Asef is Rac-specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor which promotes decreased cell-cell adhesion and aberrant migratory phenotypes of neuronal, kidney epithelial and cancer cells. This study tested the role of Asef in the HGF-induced activation of endothelial cell (EC) cytoskeletal dynamics and vascular endothelial barrier protective response in vitro and in two-hit animal model of ALI. HGF induced membrane translocation of Asef and stimulated its Rac-specific nucleotide exchange activity. Expression of constitutively activated Asef mutant mimicked effects of HGF on enhancement of peripheral actin cytoskeleton. By contrast, siRNA-induced Asef knockdown or expression of dominant negative Asef attenuated HGF-induced Rac activation which was evaluated using Rac-GTP pulldown assay and FRET analysis with Rac biosensor. Asef knockdown attenuated HGF-induced peripheral accumulation of actin polymerization activator cortactin. Asef knockdown compromised HGF protection against thrombin-induced RhoA GTPase activation, Rho-dependent cytoskeleton remodeling and EC permeability. Intravenous HGF injection attenuated lung inflammation and vascular leak in the two-hit model of ALI caused by excessive mechanical ventilation and injection of thrombin signaling peptide TRAP6. This effect was lost in Asef-/- mice. This study shows for the first time the critical role of Asef in HGF-mediated protection against endothelial hyperpermeability and lung injury. Funding: HL089257, HL107920.


This article is licensed under the Creative Commons AttributionNonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BYNC-ND) (http://www.karger.com/Services/OpenAccessLicense). Usage and distribution for commercial purposes as well as any distribution of modified material requires written permission. Stephanie MacNeill UK Renal Registry, Southmead Hospital, Southmead Road, Bristol, BS10 5NB, UK Email: email@example.com Nephron 2017;137(suppl1):45–72


The revolt of the Left SRs (Socialist-Revolutionaries) in Moscow in July 1918 was used by the Left SR organization of the Zhizdra uezd of the Kaluga gubernia, which was supportive of the program of its Central Committee, as a pretext to remove the communists from power. The SRs counted on the fact that they held all the decision-making positions in the uezd military commissariat and were in charge of weapons. Moreover, some of the local peasants, who were the main producers of marketable bread, saw in food dictatorship and in Poor Peasants Committees a direct threat to their economic activities. They viewed the SRs as their mouthpiece and defenders of their interests and therefore supported them in their political struggle against the Bolsheviks. Having learned about the events in Moscow by early morning of July 8, 1918, the Left SRs of Zhizdra gathered several hundred peasants in the town and handed them weapons. Until July 10, the armed peasants received allowance in the uezd military commissariat. The communists of Zhizdra, having established the approximate number of armed peasants by covert observation, fled the town and left their posts. We still do not know what happened next in Zhizdra on July 8-10. On the night of July 11, an armed detachment from Kaluga arrived to help the communists of Zhizdra, but found no one, neither armed peasants, nor their leaders. This suggests that the fugitives knew the date and time of the detachment arrival in advance. Almost immediately upon his arrival, detachment commander Saltykov issued an order, announcing the establishment of martial law in the town and uezd, starting July 11. The population was ordered to hand over their weapons by 4 p.m. the following day. The uezd military commissar Trunov, who had fled, was outlawed "for counter-revolutionary actions" and was to be seized. It is worth mentioning that all this happened on the eve of the Uezd Congress of Soviets, which was to be held on July 12. The Left SRs planned to conduct and head the congress; by July 11, 25 delegates had arrived. On that day, the Zhizdra communists, no longer threatened, held a meeting and decided to thwart the congress and offered the executive committee to hold in its stead a meeting in order to inform about political events in Moscow and their local repercussions. On the same day, members of the communist faction overtook all key positions in the Uezd Executive Committee previously held by the Left SRs. As the Zikeevo volost refused to hand over weapons in peasants' possession, Saltykov received an additional deterrent artillery gun and a group of Latvian riflemen. Having intimidated the population, the detachment entered the village of Zikeevo on July 13. There the chairman of the volost council handed over to Saltykov only 24 rifles, but promised to collect the remaining weapons and transport them to Zhizdra on the following day, July 14. Whether Saltykov received the weapons is unknown. Searches in Zhizdra on July 14 had no result. The reports of Saltykov and Evstafiev shed no light on Bolsheviks collecting weapons previously distributed by the Left SRs. Therefore, the author has good reasons to believe that not all weapons distributed to peasants by the Left SRs were collected.


In 1988, USAID decided for the fourth year in a row to withhold its contribution to the UN Population Fund (UNFPA). The contribution amounts $25 million. The stated reason for the withholding of funds was the same as in past years: the Agency's objection to UNFPA support for China. It viewed China's family planning program, which emphasized the importance of one child per family, as sanctioning coercive abortions.


ABSTRACT Legionella pneumophila, the etiologic agent of Legionnaires' disease, contains a single, monopolar flagellum which is composed of one major subunit, the FlaA protein. To evaluate the role of the flagellum in the pathogenesis and ecology ofLegionella, the flaA gene of L. pneumophila Corby was mutagenized by introduction of a kanamycin resistance cassette. Immunoblots with antiflagellin-specific polyclonal antiserum, electron microscopy, and motility assays confirmed that the specific flagellar mutant L. pneumophila Corby KH3 was nonflagellated. The redelivery of the intact flaA gene into the chromosome (L. pneumophila Corby CD10) completely restored flagellation and motility. Coculture studies showed that the invasion efficiency of the flaA mutant was moderately reduced in amoebae and severely reduced in HL-60 cells. In contrast, adhesion and the intracellular rate of replication remained unaffected. Taking these results together, we have demonstrated that the flagellum of L. pneumophila positively affects the establishment of infection by facilitating the encounter of the host cell as well as by enhancing the invasion capacity.


To gain more insights into hantavirus distribution in China, Microtus fortis were caught in Jilin province and M. maximowiczii in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. Hantavirus specific RNA was detected by RT‐PCR in 3 out of 26 M. fortis and 5 out of 64 M. maximowiczii. Two hantaviruses (Fusong‐Mf‐682 and Yakeshi‐Mm‐59) were isolated successfully in cell culture and their S and M segment nucleotide sequences were determined. Phylogenetic analysis of the S and M segment sequences revealed that the Mf‐originated strains from Fusong were closely related to Vladivostok hantavirus (VLAV) with 99% nucleotide identity, but differed from the Yakeshi‐Mm strains, with an amino acid divergence of more than 8.8% for the N protein and 11.8% for the GnGc proteins. Yakeshi‐Mm strains were closely related to the Khabarovsk hantavirus (KHAV) isolated earlier from M. fortis in Khabarovsk, with an amino acid sequence identity of more than 98.4% for the S segment and 95.6% for the M segment. On phylogenetic trees, Yakeshi‐Mm strains clustered together with KHAV and Topografov virus (TOPV) carried by Lemmus sibiricus. The results suggest that the hantavirus carried by M. fortis in China belongs to VLAV type and should be considered as a distinct hantavirus species. They also suggest that M. fortis is the natural host of VLAV (including Fusong‐Mf strains), whereas M. maximowiczii is the natural host of KHAV including Yakeshi‐Mm strains. Thus, in addition to Hantaan, Seoul, Dabieshan and Puumala‐like Hokkaido viruses, at least two other hantaviruses, namely KHAV and VLAV, are circulating in China. J. Med. Virol. 80:680–688, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


A substantial literature documents the importance of trademarks and brands to business success. How does this relationship change when we enlarge our focus from individual firms to industries and nations? This articles examines the dominance of Danish bacon in Britain between the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. We argue that this supremacy required state intervention and cooperation between government and producers to underpin high and consistent levels of quality throughout the supply chain, both of which were necessary to ensure the successful marketing of "Danish" bacon. In Britain, by contrast, state intervention to increase bacon production was only partially successful because it was undermined by a nineteenth-century legacy of uncoordination and deregulation. Such weaknesses affected the supply of appropriate pigs and the production of bacon that was uniform in quality, and ultimately negated the efforts of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to promote a "British" bacon brand.


Using cross-sectional data on local currency prices of over 1,800 retail goods and services across 13 European countries in the mid 1980's, we characterize the behavior of average relative prices -- `real exchange rates' -- as well as dispersion around these averages. We find that the averages are surprisingly close to what purchasing power parity would suggest. In other words, in the mid 1980's, averages of ratios of foreign to domestic prices (across goods for a particular pair of countries) provide surprisingly accurate predictions of most nominal cross-rates. Variation around the averages, however, is large but is found to be related to economically meaningful characteristics of goods such as measures of international tradeability, the importance of non-traded inputs into production and the geographical distance between product markets. Using data on product brands, we find that product heterogeneity is at least as important as geography in explaining relative price dispersion.


The modeling and simulation of externalantenna is important for the study of RF driven hydrogen plasma sources. The external antenna will be externally wrapped around plasma chamber. RF pulsed power feeding at 2 MHz frequency to antenna for plasma generation (ionisation) and heat up through inductive coupling. This antenna has been modeled and simulated with Opera-3D simulation platform using TOSCA module. This simulation will help to study the magnetic field behaviour and determination of electrical parameters of antenna.The analysis has been carried out by considering current of 400 Amp in antenna, the results are reported in the paper.


Toxicity of several types of saponins (1-11) against brine shrimp (Artemia salina) were evaluated. As a result, it was found that most tested compounds were not toxic to brine shrimp at high enough concentration. The most toxic saponin (1) to brine shrimp showed also cytotoxicity towards HL-60 tumor cell line using MTT assay. Brine shrimp model may thus be used as bench-top assay in finding cytotoxic components from saponin-containing fractions of plant extracts.


Duplication of nodes 1 is a common problem encountered when building knowledge graphs (KGs) from heterogeneous datasets, where it is crucial to be able to merge nodes having the same meaning. OntoMerger is a Python ontology integration library whose functionality is to deduplicate KG nodes. Our approach takes a set of KG nodes, mappings and disconnected hierarchies and generates a set of merged nodes together with a connected hierarchy. In addition, the library provides analytic and data testing functionalities that can be used to fine-tune the inputs, further reducing duplication, and to increase connectivity of the output graph. OntoMerger can be applied to a wide variety of ontologies and KGs. In this paper we introduce OntoMerger and illustrate its functionality on a real-world biomedical KG. Integration Library Deduplicating Graph Proceedings of


The measurement and quantification of skin reactions to insults involves certain assumptions about the relation between intensity of color appearance of the skin and the concentration of endogenous chromophores. The underlying assumption is that the Beer‐Lambert law is obeyed, i.e., that a linear relation exists between the absorbance and the concentration of each chromophore and that the total absorbance is the linear superposition of the contributions of each chromophore. In this paper the authors compiled the results from a number of interventions on human skin that result in changes in its appearance and small deviations from the homeostatic state, where the results may be accounted for by a single or multiple chromophores. The validity of the assumptions is found to hold for a limited range of responses. The biological constraints need to be considered in certain cases because as we move away from the homeostatic state, complex biological processes are induced. (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)


Deep neural networks use deeper and broader structures to achieve better performance and consequently, use increasingly more GPU memory as well. However, limited GPU memory restricts many potential designs of neural networks. In this paper, we propose a reinforcement learning based variable swapping and recomputation algorithm to reduce the memory cost, without sacrificing the accuracy of models. Variable swapping can transfer variables between CPU and GPU memory to reduce variables stored in GPU memory. Recomputation can trade time for space by removing some feature maps during forward propagation. Forward functions are executed once again to get the feature maps before reuse. However, how to automatically decide which variables to be swapped or recomputed remains a challenging problem. To address this issue, we propose to use a deep Q-network(DQN) to make plans. By combining variable swapping and recomputation, our results outperform several well-known benchmarks.


A weak chord index Ind′ is constructed for self crossing points of virtual links. Then a new writhe polynomial W of virtual links is defined by using Ind′. W is a generalization of writhe polynomial defined in [6]. Based on W , three invariants of virtual links are constructed. These invariants can be used to detect the non-trivialities of Kishino knot and flat Kishino knot.


Background and Objectives Large-artery stiffness is an independent predictor of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV) is considered the gold standard measure of arterial stiffness. A resting heart rate is an easily measured vital sign that is also associated with CVD morbidity and mortality. Previous studies have reported the significant relationship of a resting heart rate with arterial stiffness as measured by cfPWV only in hypertensive subjects; their relationship in nonhypertensive subjects remains unknown. The present study, therefore, examined their relationship in normotensive subjects. Subjects and Methods In 102 healthy Korean Americans between ages 20 and 60 years, their resting heart rate was measured by an automated blood pressure measuring device after a 10 minute rest in the supine position. Arterial stiffness was measured by cfPWV using the SphygmoCor device. Results The mean resting heart rate of participants (mean age, 39.64 years; 59% women) was 61.91 bpm (standard deviation [SD], 9.62 bpm) and mean the cfPWV was 6.99 (SD, 1.14) m/s. A multiple regression analysis showed that a resting heart rate is a significant predictor of cfPWV after controlling for age, body mass index, and mean arterial pressure. For one bpm increase of resting heart rate, cfPWV increased approximately 0.02 m/s. Conclusion Our results suggest that a higher resting heart rate is independently associated with increased arterial stiffness as measured by cfPWV in normotensive adults. Arterial stiffness may explain the prognostic role of an individual's heart rate in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality.


Aggregate computation in relational databases has long been done using the standard unary aggregation and binary join operators. These implement the classical model of computing joins between relations two at a time, materializing the intermediate results, and then proceeding to do either sort-based or hash-based aggregate computation to derive the final result. This approach, however, can be dramatically sub-optimal in the case of low-selectivity joins, and often ends up generating large intermediate results even if the relations involved as well as the final result sets themselves are quite small. Moreover, many of the computed intermediate results may never be part of the final result. In this paper we propose a novel aggregate query processing technique that leverages graph data structures towards efficiently answering aggregate queries over joins, without materializing intermediate join results. We wrap this technique inside a multi-way composite database operator called JOIN-AGG that combines Join and Aggregation. We provide a general framework for executing aggregation queries over arbitrary acyclic joins, involving any number of group-by attributes from any relation. We also present a thorough experimental evaluation on both real world and synthetic datasets. Our experiments show that our operators can achieve orders of magnitude lower query times and memory requirements compared to the traditional approach, even when implemented outside of the database system.


Introduction Galectin-2 (LGALS2) has been shown to co-localise with and bind to lymphotoxin-α (LTA); a cytokine that have been associated with insulin resistance. Thus, LGALS2 has been implicated in metabolic syndrome traits. The association between a common polymorphism of LGALS2 with myocardial infarction has further supported this notion. However, a recent study also demonstrates a contrasting finding of lower fasting insulin and glucose levels with LGALS2. The association between LGALS and the hepatic manifestation of insulin resistance, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), has not been examined. Here, the authors investigated in vitro whether hepatic steatosis influenced the expression of LGALS2. Methods Human hepatoblastoma HepG2/C3A cells were pretreated for 3 days with oleate (0.25 mM) or octanoate (2 mM) to induce triglyceride accumulation. The authors have previously demonstrated that the addition of gluconeogenic substrates; lactate (L), pyruvate (P) and ammonia (N) to octanoate resulted in increased cellular steatosis that manifests many of the key features associated with steatohepatitis such as impaired mitochondrial structure/function, enhanced oxidative stress, decreased PTEN expression and altered cell cycle. LGALS2 mRNA expression was measured using quantitative real time PCR. Insulin resistance was determined by measuring concentration of glucose after a 4 h incubation of rinsed pretreated cells in the presence of insulin (0–10 nM). Results As previously demonstrated, all pretreatment induced significant intracellular triglyceride accumulation. The authors found that oleate upregulated LGALS2 expression. In contrast, the expression of LGALS2 was unchanged with LPON. Despite a higher triglyceride accumulation with octanoate, LGALS2 mRNA expression was also unaltered (oleate 1.24±0.06, octanoate 1.19±0.04, LPON 1.09±0.06, untreated 0.95±0.02 fold change from β-actin, p=0.0006). Glucose concentration in oleate showed a stepwise reduction with increasing insulin concentration (insulin 0 nM: 1.23±0.21 μg/gTP/h; 10 nM: 0.92±0.15 μg/gTP/h, where TP, total protein) contrasting to the unchanged glucose with LPON (Insulin 0 nM: 1.94±0.28 μg/gTP/h; 10 nM: 2.05±0.25 μg/gTP/h). Conclusion This data demonstrate that different FFA induces different LGALS2 expression. The presence of cellular steatosis per se or triglyceride concentration does not influence LGALS2 expression. Similar to the recent study, the upregulation of LGALS2 with oleate is associated with lower glucose concentration with preserved insulin sensitivity.


Spatial uniformity is one of the most important image quality attributes in visual experience of displays. In conventional researches, spatial uniformity was mostly measured with a radiometer and its quality was assessed with non-reference image quality metrics. Cameras are cheaper than radiometers and they can provide accurate relative measurements if they are carefully calibrated. In this paper, we propose and implement a work-flow to use a calibrated camera as a relative acquisition device of intensity to measure the spatial uniformity of projection displays. The camera intensity transfer functions for every projected pixels are recovered, so we can produce multiple levels of linearized non-uniformity on the screen in the purpose of image quality assessment. The experiment results suggest that our work-flow works well. Besides, none of the frequently referred uniformity metrics correlate well with the perceptual results for all types of test images. The spatial non-uniformity is largely masked by the high frequency components in the displayed image content, and we should simulate the human visual system to ignore the non-uniformity that cannot be discriminated by human observers. The simulation can be implemented using models based on contrast sensitivity functions, contrast masking, etc.


This study was a descriptive study to investigate emotional labor, clinical practice stress and satisfaction of clinical practice in nursing college students. The data were collected using an self-reporting questionnaire from June 1 to July 12, 2015. Collected data were analysed on SPSS Win 20.0. The study results were summarized as follows : The students' emotional labor was 3.13±0.54 in average on a scale of 5. The clinical practice stress was 3.65±0.47 in average, and students' satisfaction of clinical practice was 3.41±0.43. The emotional labor has positive correlation significantly with clinical practice stress(r=0.353, p<.001), and negative correlation with satisfaction of clinical practice (r=-0.170, p<.007). In stepwise multiple regression to put control variables, emotional labor and clinical practice stress were no significant influence toward satisfaction of clinical practice. According the result, to improve the satisfaction of clinical practices emotional labor should be released. Moreover it is necessary to attention to the health care of nursing students and it is needed to boost up the students satisfaction with major, more friendly relations should be built with co-trainees.


The main objective of this article is intended to provide a discussion on potential product that will be generated from the implementation of a parallel state constitutional state, as it is called Community State, which is intended to replace the powers of the governorates mayor and supported within the Constitution of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (1999), affecting its financial management and the components that support it; being specific in the process of citizen participation in public decision making, as well as the process validation must exist by the citizenry in linking-budget plan. We conclude that the inefficiency in terms of responsiveness to address community problems and the absence of effective controls and not biased, given impositions will be present in financial management which shall be governed by the State Communal.


Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is the most common cancer in humans worldwide. Many highly specific dermoscopic criteria for BCC are well established in the literature. On the contrary, other malignant or benign skin tumors may mimic BCC by exhibiting similar or even the same dermoscopic features and therefore obscuring the diagnosis of BCC in certain situations. We herein report a case of BCC with dermoscopic features of both BCC and desmoplastic trichoepithelioma (DT). We would like to remind of the often neglected differential diagnosis of DT in a lesion with arborizing vessels and otherwise unusual dermoscopic presentation.


Focal neurologic deficits in the parturient must be rapidly assessed and treated to minimize damage to both mother and child. The following case report features a patient presenting with visual loss, mental status changes, and severe preeclampsia, diagnosed as posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome. This syndrome manifests radiographically as symmetric hypodensities of the posterior gray and white matter, and is usually reversible with prompt treatment.


While existing weighted fair scheduling schemes guarantee minimum service rates of a shared server (such as a computer or a communication channel), maximum rate control was generally enforced by employing policing mechanisms. The previous approaches use either a concatenation of rate controller and scheduler, or a policer in front of scheduler. The concatenation method uses two sets of queues and management apparatus, and thus incurs overhead. The other method allows bursty job requests that may violate maximum rate constraint. In this paper, we present a new weighted fair scheduling scheme, WF/sup 2/Q-M, to simultaneously support maximum rate control by distributing the excess bandwidths of maximum rate constrained sessions to other sessions without recalculating the virtual starting and finishing times of regular sessions. In terms of performance metrics, we prove that WF/sup 2/Q-M is theoretically bounded by a fluid reference model. A procedural scheduling implementation of WF/sup 2/Q-M is proposed and proof of correctness is given. Finally, we conduct extensive experiments to show the performance of WF/sup 2/Q-M is just as we claim.


Abstract In this article, we describe how Phon, an open-source software program for the transcription and analysis of phonological data, can be applied to facilitate clinical phonological analyses. We begin with a summary of the types of analyses that are frequently used in the assessment and management of speech sound disorders. We then discuss challenges inherent to the transcription and analysis of clinical phonological data. For each challenge, we discuss solutions currently available within Phon and offer an outlook on future methodological and technical developments in the area of clinical phonology. This article includes a step-by-step introduction to Phon suitable for readers who lack previous experience with the software. We conclude with a discussion of data sharing and its vital role in advancing research and intervention practices in the area of speech development and disorders.


Context: Recognition of dying is a difficult task in end-stage heart failure, yet it remains an important clinical skill in providing good palliative care to these patients. Objectives: To use routinely collected data to explore evidence for physiological change in the final two weeks of life in end-stage heart failure. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of routinely collected data from hospital in-patients dying as a result of heart failure during a 1-year period in a UK hospital. Data were analyzed using descriptive techniques and multilevel modelling. Results: Results were obtained on 81 patients. Respiratory function (evidenced by falling oxygen saturation and rising respiratory rate) deteriorated by a clinically significant amount in the final two weeks of life (p<0.001). Renal function (evidenced by rising serum urea and creatinine) also demonstrated a clinically significant deterioration over the same time period (p<0.001 and p=0.005 respectively). Serum albumin fell over a period of months (p<0.001). Heart rate and blood pressure did not demonstrate clinically significant change over the same time period. Conclusions: Deteriorating respiratory and renal function may indicate imminent dying in heart failure. A fall in serum albumin may signify poor prognosis over a timescale of weeks to months. Conversely, hemodynamic parameters may remain relatively stable in the final days of life, and should not be reassuring in end-stage heart failure patients.


This study aims to prepare green tea effervescent tablets with high EGCG content to retain the antioxidant and antibacterial effects of green tea as well as to diversify green tea product lines. The green tea effervescent tablets, prepared in the study by the method of wet granulation and stamping, met the general quality standards for effervescent tablets according to Vietnam Pharmacopeia V with the content of EGCG, quantified by HPLC, reaching 8.423 ± 0.023%.
Keywords
Green tea, effervescent tablets, epigallocatechin gallate, HPLC.
References
[1] Do Tat Loi, Vietnamese medicinal plants andherbs, Thoi Dai Publishing House, Vietnam, 2013, pp. 187-188.[2] Shutsung Liao, Yung-hsi Kao, Richard A.Hiipakka, Green Tea: Biochemical and Biological Basis for Health benefits, Vitamins and Hormones. 62 (2001) 09-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0083-6729(01)62001-6.[3] Shuichi Masuda, Yuko Shimamura, Colin R. Martin, Effect of Green Tea on Nitrosamines: Implications for Cancer, Tea in health and disease prevention. 68 (2013) 813-820. https://doi.org/10.1016/C2010-0-64948-0[4] Richard S. Bruno, Joshua A. Bomser, Mario G. Ferruzzi, Antioxidant capacity of Green tea (Camellia sinensis). 4 (2014) 33-39. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-404738-9.00004-0. [5] C.J. Chang et al, Separation of catechins from green tea using carbon dioxide extraction, Food chemistry. 68 (1) (2000) 109-113. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0308-8146(99)00176-4[6] M.E. Harbowy et al, Tea chemistry, Critical reviews in plant sciences. 16 (5) (1997) 415-480. https://doi.org/10.1080/07352689709701956[7] Le Quan Nghiem, Huynh Van Hoa, Preparation and biopharmaceutical, Hanoi Education Publishing House, Vietnam, 2007, pp. 194-200.[8] S. Taymouri et al, Formulation and optimization of effervescent tablet containing bismuth sub-citrate, Journal of Reports in Pharmaceutical Sciences. 8 (2) (2019) 236. https://doi.org/10.4103/jrptps.JRPTPS_11_19[9] A. Aslani et al, Formulation, characterization and physicochemical evaluation of potassium citrate effervescent tablets, Advanced pharmaceutical bulletin. 3 (1) (2013) 217. https://doi.org/10.5681/apb.2013.036[10] Herbert A Liberman, Leon Lachman, Joseph B. Schwartz, Effervescent tablets, Pharmaceutical dosage form: Tablets. 1 (2005) 285-302. https://doi.org/10.1002/jps.2600790225[11] Ministry of Health Portal, Vietnam pharmacopeia V, Medical Publishing House, Vietnam, 2018.[12] I.H.T. Guideline, Validation of analytical procedures: text and methodology Q2 (R1), International conference on harmonization, Geneva, Switzerland, 2005.[13] A. Bradfleld et al,The catechins of green tea. Part I, Journal of the Chemical Society (Resumed). (1947) 32-36.[14] M.J. Lee. et al, Pharmacokinetics of tea catechins after ingestion of green tea and (−)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate by humans: formation of different metabolites and individual variability, Cancer Epidemiology and Prevention Biomarkers. 11 (10) (2002) 1025-1032.


The author developed computer programs needed for the classification of designs with certain automorphisms by the local approach method. All these programs use canonicity test or/and construction of canonical form of an integer matrix. Their efficiency substantially influences the speed of the whole computation. The present paper deals with the implemented canonicity algorithm. It is based on ideas used by McKay, Meringer, Kaski and Bouyukliev, but while their algorithms are for the equivalence test, the canonicity test or finding canonical representative of only one type of combinatorial object (graph, code, design, binary matrix, etc.), the algorithm presented in this paper is meant to work fast on all types of integer matrices used for the classification of designs with predefined automorphisms. This is achieved through the suitable spectrum invariant, and the way it is used to cut off some branches of the search tree.


In this article, drug discovery and preclinical development paradigms, as employed in today's pharmaceutical companies, are discussed. The antimalarial drug, artemisinin, is given as an example of a compound that is unlikely to be developed by a modern pharmaceutical company, yet is a safe and effective drug for the treatment of a deadly disease. It is argued that the use of prespecified charts, listing undesired properties to deselect molecules may lead to missed opportunities in bringing best-in-class medications to patients. Implementation of systems pharmacology, disease progression and pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic models are proposed. These models offer a superior approach in selecting the best drug candidates with the highest chance of success of entry into the market.


A new algorithm for mining quantitative association rules with standard SQL is presented. The association rules are evaluated with the sufficiency gene LS of subjectivity Bayes reasoning. This algorithm is proved to be quick and effective with its application in Lujiang insects and pests database.


The nitric oxide radical ˙NO (NO) is a signalling molecule involved in several physiological processes in humans, including vasodilation, immune response, neurotransmission, platelet aggregation, apoptosis and gene expression. Undue normal conditions, NO synthases catalyse the formation of NO from l-arginine and dioxygen. Yet, upon a hypoxic event, when the decreased dioxygen concentration compromises NO synthase activity, cells can generate NO from another source: nitrite. Since the late 1990s, it has become clear that nitrite can be reduced back to NO under hypoxic/anoxic conditions. Simultaneously, it was realised that nitrite can exert a significant cytoprotective action in vivo during ischaemia and other pathological conditions. Presently, blood and tissue nitrite are recognised as NO "storage forms" that can be made available in order to maintain NO formation and ensure cell signalling and survival under challenging conditions. To reduce nitrite to NO, human cells can use different metalloproteins that are present in cells for carrying out other functions, including several haemic proteins and molybdoenzymes, forming what we refer to as "non-dedicated nitrite reductases". In this chapter, two non-dedicated nitrite reductases—xanthine oxidase and myoglobin—will be described, and the human nitrate/nitrite/NO signalling pathway will be discussed within the cellular context and the nitrogen cycle scenario.


INTRODUCTION
Vardenafil, a phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor, was evaluated in a prospective trial in the primary care setting involving hypertensive men with ED who were receiving at least one antihypertensive medication.

AIMS
To investigate the safety and efficacy of flexible-dose vardenafil therapy compared with placebo in PDE5 inhibitor-naïve subjects with arterial hypertension and ED.

METHODS
In this multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 354 patients received placebo or vardenafil (5-20 mg) for 12 weeks. Primary efficacy measures were diary responses to the Sexual Encounter Profile (SEP) questions 2 (vaginal insertion) and 3 (maintenance of erection). Additional efficacy measures included positive responses to the Global Assessment Question (GAQ).

RESULTS
Compared with placebo, vardenafil significantly improved mean SEP2 and SEP3 success rates over the 12-week study period (intention-to-treat [ITT] and last observation carried forward [LOCF]) analysis). For LOCF, SEP2 and SEP3 were 83% for vardenafil vs. 58% for placebo and 67% for vardenafil vs. 35% for placebo, respectively (P<0.0001 vs. placebo). Improved erections (GAQ) were experienced by 80% of vardenafil-treated patients at study end, compared with 40% for placebo (P<0.0001, LOCF). The most commonly reported treatment-emerging adverse events were headache (3.1%) and flushing (1.6%), which were mild-to-moderate and transient in nature. Importantly, there were no significant changes in systolic and diastolic blood pressure or heart rate between the vardenafil and placebo groups. The average number of antihypertensives used per patient was 1.5 and 1.4 in the vardenafil and placebo groups, respectively. Both the incidence of adverse events and the ability to maintain an erection were unaffected by stratification into distinct subsets according to the class of antihypertensive medication being received.

CONCLUSION
Vardenafil significantly improves EF in hypertensive men treated with concomitant antihypertensive medication, is well tolerated, and does not significantly affect blood pressure.


It processes the elliptic scalar multiplication kG a certain calculated time, regardless of the value of the random number k, it is possible to prevent the timing analysis of elliptic scalar multiplication kG. The initial setting unit 121 sets the specific point G on the elliptic curve to a scalar multiplication variable R. Scalar multiplication unit 122 with reference to the bit string of the t bits representing the random number k from one bit higher, and 1 the values obtained for scalar multiplication variable R 2 times by multiplying each time a reference every bit operation variables R [0 setting in, and sets a value obtained by adding a specific point G to the value set by the variable operation R [0] to the working variables R [1]. Then, the scalar multiplication unit 122 if the value of the reference bit 0 set the operation parameter R [0] to a scalar multiplication variable R and, if the the reference bit value of 1, the operation parameter R [1] to a scalar multiplication variable R set. Scalar multiplication point to the output unit 123 is outputted as the scalar multiplication variable R the integer value 2


Eight new polyketides, including three dimeric benzophenones, named dipleosporones A-C (1-3), three benzophenones (4-6), one xanthone (7), and one phenylbenzoate (8), along with seven known polyketides (9-15) were isolated from the fungus Pleosporales sp. YY-4. The structures of the new compounds were established on the basis of spectroscopic methods, including high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry and one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance. This is the first report of a benzophenone dimer connection via a C bridge from natural sources. An anti-inflammatory assay indicated that the dimeric benzophenones (1-3) inhibited lipopolysaccharide-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 cells, with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values ranging from 8.8 to 18.1 μM, being more potent than the positive control, dexamethasone (IC50 = 22.2 μM).


This research is entitled "The Struggles of Katie to get Alex's love as Reflected in Nicholas Sparks's Safe Haven: An Objective Analysis." The objectives of the study are: (1) to describe the intrinsic elements of the story as reflected in Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks, (2) to find out the aspects of the struggles of the main character as reflect ed in Safe Haven, (3) to find out the moral values that can be taken from Safe Haven. This research belongs to the library research in the sense that the researcher visited library to get the data. The object of the analysis is a novel Safe Haven by Nicholas Sparks. The data were qualitatively analyzed by employing the theory by M.H. Abrams and Nurgiyantoro so as to reveal the intrinsic elements of the novel, the theory of Struggles by Mark Abrahamson to reveal the struggles' aspect of the main character and the theory of moral values by X. J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia to reveal the moral values.The results of the research are: First, the intrinsic elements of the novel are as follow: (a) the theme of the story is about struggles, (b) there are two main characters in the novel: they are Katie and Alex Wheatley. Katie's characterizations are: courageous, diligent, intelligent, and sympathetic. Alex Wheatley's characterizations are: caring and faithful, (c) the plot of the novel is progressive based on Freytag's Pyramid, (d) the settings of place are Ivan's cafe, Katie's cottage, Dorchester, Southport, Long beach, and so on, (e) the settings of time are January's, March's, and April's winter and June's and July's summer, and (f) the story is written in the third person point of view. Second, the struggles of Katie to attract Alex's love are found that: she escaped from her husband, saved Kristen and Josh from fire and saved her-self from her husband attack. Third, the positive moral values are found  that responsibility is an indicator of a good person, caring for others will give us love from human being and the negative moral values are alcoholic drink consumption will result a bad effect to society, mistreatment in family will result in a broken family.


An attributional model of motivation and performance following failure was tested. College students were preselected on the basis of their attributional styles for interpersonal failures, as measured by the Attributional Style Assessment Test (Anderson, Horowitz, & French,1983). Subjects in the two preselected groups (characterstyle versus behavioral-style attributors) were randomly assigned to one of three experimental manipulations of attributions for failure at an interpersonal persuasion task: (a) no manipulation, (b) ability/trait manipulation (which parallels the character style), or (c) strategy/effort manipulation (which parallels the behavior style). Subsequently, subjects engaged in a blood drive task over the telephone, trying to persuade other students to donate blood. Success expectancies, motivation, and actual performance were assessed. As predicted, subjects who made strategy-/efforttype attributions, whether by experimental manipulation or by preselection, expected more success, expected more improvement with practice, displayed higher levels of motivation, and performed better at the task than did subjects who made ability/trait-type attributions. Implications for the treatment of clinical symptoms such as loneliness and depression are discussed.


Introduction: It is indicated that sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), glucose lowering agents, may increase a level of glucagon, and simultaneously, compete with their antiglycemic effect. Aim: To elucidate the alteration of glucagon concentration and blood glucose level during administration of SGLT2i, Empagliflozin (EMPA) was administered to diabetic mice with homozygous (gcg−/−) or heterozygous (gcg+/−) deficiency of glucagon gene. Methods: After induction of diabetes using 150 mg/kg of streptozotocin, gcg−/− and control gcg+/− mice of 12-14 weeks old were administered 30 mg/kg/day of EMPA for 3-5 weeks. Casual blood glucose, fasting blood glucose, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), insulin tolerance test (ITT), blood glucagon, blood insulin, blood beta-hydroxybutyric acid were evaluated. Additionally, metabolic parameters including respiratory exchange ratio (RER), activity, feeding, and drinking, were monitored utilizing a home-cage chronic laboratory animal monitoring system (CLAMS). Results: Glucagon concentration in control gcg+/− mice were not altered by induction of diabetes or administration of EMPA. In gcg−/−, blood glucagon was not detected. The OGTT of diabetic gcg+/− and gcg−/− revealed that the area under the curve (AUC) of blood glucose in mice treated with EMPA were decreased compared with that without EMPA (p CLAMS revealed no significant difference induced by EMPA in metabolic parameters: RER, activity, food intake, and drinking. Conclusion: Administration of EMPA for almost one month in mice did not induce noticeable change in glucagon level or metabolic parameters. The gcg deficiency did not have any impact on glucose lowering effect of EMPA. Disclosure H. Shimoda: None. Y. Seino: None. T. Himeno: None. R. Inoue: None. M. Motegi: None. T. Hayami: None. E. Asano: None. S. Asano: None. M. Kato: None. Y. Yamada: None. E. Miura-Yura: None. M. Kondo: None. S. Tsunekawa: None. Y. Kato: Speaker9s Bureau; Self; Merck & Co., Inc. K. Kato: None. Y. Hayashi: Speaker9s Bureau; Self; Astellas Pharma Inc., Merck & Co., Inc., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novo Nordisk Inc., Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd. J. Nakamura: Research Support; Self; Astellas Pharma Inc., Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, Eli Lilly and Company, Japan Tobacco Inc., Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novo Nordisk Inc., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Sanofi K.K., Sumitomo Dainippon Pharma Co., Ltd., Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited. Speaker9s Bureau; Self; Astellas Pharma Inc., AstraZeneca, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Daiichi Sankyo Company, Limited, Eli Lilly and Company, Kowa Pharmaceu. Co. Ltd., Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Novo Nordisk Inc., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Sanofi K.K., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Terumo Medical Corporation. H. Kamiya: Speaker9s Bureau; Self; Astellas Pharma Inc., Eli Lilly Japan K.K., MSD K.K., Novartis Pharma K.K., Novo Nordisk Oharma Ltd., Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Sanofi K.K.


In order to show the type and severity of gross and histopathologic lesions induce by vaccinal strain (serotype A1) of Pateurella mulocida, ten four-week-old SPF chickens were inoculated intramuscularly with 75 cfu of ( 0.5 ml of 10 dilution) bacterium. All birds died in less than 16 hours. No prominent gross lesions were observed in different organs. In microscopic examination, the most common histopathological findings were as congestion and hemorrhage. Moreover, large amount of viscid mucus were observed in digestive tracts.


A new method for assessing the condition of electric contacts and joints inside gas-insulated substations (GISs) that overcomes the limitations of conventional diagnostic methods is proposed. The contact resistance in degraded or overstressed electrical contacts varies slightly when currents of different amplitudes are passed. The diagnostic method is based on detecting this nonlinear behavior. For testing of the contacts in large GIS, excitation currents up to several thousand amperes are required. By using a capacitor-based current supply, such currents can be achieved with a portable source. The testing can be carried out without dismantling the GIS. No earlier measurements or manufacturer specifications are required. In full-scale testing under realistic operating conditions on 145-420 kV GIS using prototype instrumentation a very good sensitivity for detecting contact degradation in an early stage was obtained.