Abstract  Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate in a cohort of patients with impaired left ventricular (LV) function and ischemic mitral valve regurgitation (MVR), the effects of on‐pump/beating heart versus conventional surgery in terms of postoperative mortality and morbidity and LV function improvement. Materials and Methods: Between January 1993 and February 2001, 91 patients with LVEF between 17% and 35% and chronic ischemic MVR (grade III–IV), underwent MV repair in concomitance with coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) Sixty‐one patients (Group I) underwent cardiac surgery with cardioplegic arrest, and 30 patients (Group II) underwent beating heart combined surgery. Aortic valve insufficiency was considered a contraindication for the on‐pump/beating heart procedure. Mean age in Group I was 64.4 ± 7 years and in Group II, 65 ± 6 years (p = 0.69). Results: The in‐hospital mortality in Group I was 8 (13%) patients versus 2 (7%) patients in Group II (p > 0.1). The cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) time was significantly higher in Group I (p < 0.001). In Groups I and II, respectively (p > 0.1), 2.5 ± 1 and 2.7 ± 0.8 grafts per patient were employed. Perioperative complications were identified in 37 (60.7%) patients in Group I versus 10 (33%) patients in Group II (p = 0.025). Prolonged inotropic support of greater than 24 hours was needed in 48 (78.7%) patients (Group I) versus 15 (50%) patients (Group II) (p = 0.008). Postoperative IABP and low cardiac output incidence were significantly higher in Group I, p = 0.03 and p = 0.027, respectively. Postoperative bleeding greater than 1000 mL was identified in 24 patients (39.4%) in Group I versus 5 (16.7%) in Group II (p = 0.033). Renal dysfunction incidence was 65.6% (40 patients) in Group I versus 36.7% (11 patients) in Group II (p = 0.013). The echocardiographic examination within six postoperative months revealed a significant improvement of MV regurgitation fraction, LV function, and reduced dimensions in both groups. The postoperative RF was significantly lower in Group II patients 12 ± 6 (%) versus 16 ± 5.6 (%) in Group I (p = 0.001). The 1, 2, and 3 years actuarial survival including all deaths was 91.3%, 84.2%, and 70% in Group I and 93.3%, 87.1%, and 75% in Group II (p = ns). NYHA FC improved significantly in all patients from both groups. Conclusion. We conclude that patients with impaired LV function and ischemic MVR may undergo combined surgery with acceptable mortality and morbidity. The on/pump beating heart MV repair simultaneous to CABG offers an acceptable postoperative outcome in selected patients.


The carbon–silica dual phase filler (CSDPF) was modified by bis (3-triethoxy-silylpropyl) tetrasulphane (Si69) and 1-allyl-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride (AMI), respectively. The natural rubber (NR) vulcanizates filled with modified CSDPF were fabricated through mechanical mixing followed by a high-temperature cure process. The impacts of filler surface modification on the curing characters, crosslinked junctions, network structure, and mechanical properties of NR vulcanizates were investigated. The results showed that the Si69 interacted with CSDPF through covalent bond, while the interaction between AMI and CSDPF was hydrogen bond. Both modifications increased the cure rate of CSDPF/NR compounds as well as the crosslinked degree, compared with those of pristine CSDPF/NR compound. The modifications improved the dispersion of CSDPF in NR matrix. The covalent modification by Si69 caused a limited movement of NR chains in the CSDPF surface, which contributed to a greater tensile modulus of Si69-modified CSDPF/NR. However, the higher content of mono-sulfidic crosslink and the poorer content of strain-induced crystallization in the NR matrix led to a slight increase of tensile strength and tear strength of Si69-modified CSDPF/NR, compared with those of CSDPF/NR. The tensile modulus of AMI-modified CSDPF/NR had a lower value due to a faster polymer chain motion on the CSDPF surface. However, the tensile and tear strength of AMI-modified CSDPF/NR increased significantly because of the increase of mono-sulfidic crosslink, strain-induced crystallization, and the existed hydrogen bond between CSDPF and NR. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Isolated chick liver and kidney cells produce urate de novo from glycine, and this is partially inhibited by 1 mm-AMP and by 1 mm-GMP in liver cells but not in kidney cells. Azaserine fully inhibits this synthesis de novo, but attempts to isolate formylglycine amide ribonucleotide from azaserine-blocked cells were unsuccessful.


The ASTM Standard Guide for Small-Scale Environmental Chamber Determinations of Organic Emissions from Indoor Materials/Products was first published in 1990 and is due for review and revision in 1995. Since its publication, the authors have gained a substantial amount of information about emissions processes that may affect the implementation of the test method. The upcoming revision will be an opportunity to incorporate that information. This paper addresses several issues that should be considered in the revision. The effect of air velocity on emissions was demonstrated by testing a constant evaporative source. When the air velocity increased from < 3 to 46 cm/s, the emission rate increased by a factor of three. Given the importance of this parameter, its measurement should be standardized. A wood finishing product was applied to the substrate with different sizes and tested in small chambers. When the size of the test specimen was reduced from 221 to 12 cm{sup 2}, the mass transfer coefficient increased by a factor of three, suggesting that the edge effect can be an important factor affecting the rate of emissions from test specimens. ASTM D 5116 should enhance its discussions on emission factor estimation to include a wider range of modelsmore » and different methods by which the model parameters are determined. Computer simulations showed that, when indoor coating materials are tested in chambers, loss of volatile components from the source during sample preparation can cause errors in emission factor estimates.« less


We introduce and develop the idea of adjacent realities the mesostratum and physiostratum to establish a new viable foundation for theoretical physics. The interplay between the adjacent realities must be considered and incorporated in any theoretical attempt to clarify and understand the origin and operation of the physical world in which we reside and which we observe and evaluate empirically and theoretically.


The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has upended psychiatric practice and poses unprecedented challenges for maintaining access to quality care. We discuss the ethical challenges of treating a patient with schizophrenia in need of hospitalization but who declined severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) surveillance testing. The traditional framework of capacity assessment depends on the patient's ability to weigh risks and benefits, but this framework is of limited utility in context of the COVID-19 pandemic; the personal benefits of testing for the patient are unclear and in fact may not outweigh the risk of being declined psychiatric care. Moreover, classic capacity assessment does not well account for physicians' obligations to other patients and the public health. We conclude that physicians cannot coerce surveillance testing, and we consider the implications of requiring SARS-CoV-2 testing for accessing mental health treatment.


The need for self-expression influences individuals in their preferences for goods and how they obtain them. One way for individuals to express themselves is through the prosumption of original unique goods. It is explained how the traditional trade-off between the originality and economy of such goods can be addressed through applications of artificial intelligence. However, although applications of artificial intelligence can transcend the originality/economy trade-off, they cannot transcend differences between cultures that value scarcity and cultures that value sharing. Nonetheless, applications of artificial intelligence can expand human self-expression because they can reduce barriers, such as lack of production skills, to prosumers realizing their own original ideas. With reference to technologies' cultural domestication, it is explained that rather than artificial intelligence being either a miracle or a monster, the potential of artificial intelligence is mediated by multiple considerations.


This paper characterizes the volatility in Hong Kong Stock Market based on a 2-year sample of 5-min Heng Seng Index. By using the method of Flexible Fourier Form Filtering, we have successful removed the periodicity and have built a model of ARMA (1,1)-FIAPARCH (2, 0.300165,1). Further, the intraday volatility exists with long memory and asymmetry; the negative shock from the market will give rise to a higher volatility than the positive ones.


Abstract Objective: The early identification of primary non-response to anti-TNFα therapy facilitates the timely management of patients with Crohn's disease (CD). A recent, pilot study to detect prognostic markers of early response to anti-TNFα therapy identified the two genes coding for the calprotectin subunits (S100A8, S100A9) to be among the most highly expressed gene transcripts in non-responders. This study tests the hypothesis that measurements of faecal calprotectin (FCAL) pre- and post-anti-TNFα induction can predict primary non-response. Methods: Retrospective study of 32 CD patients treated over a two-year period. Outcomes were assessed at 6 months based on clinical activity scores and the use of corticosteroids: (a) remission: Harvey–Bradshaw index (HBI) < 5, off corticosteroids >2 months; (b) response: drop in HBI >3, off corticosteroids; (c) non-response: ΔFCAL (and ΔCRP, respectively) was calculated as (FCAL post-induction – FCAL pre-induction) × 100/FCAL pre induction. Results: At 6 months, 23 (72%) patients had responded (median (interquartile range) HBI: 4 (3–5), FCAL: 55 (27–146)), 17 (73%) of whom were in remission [HBI: 3 (2.5–4) and FCAL: 42 (16–115)]. There was a significant difference in the ΔFCAL from baseline to post-induction in the three groups (p < 0.0001). Comparing non-responders to combined response and remission groups, the AUC of ΔFCAL to predict outcome at 6 months was 0.97. Using ROC analysis, a Δ70% returned a sensitivity and specificity of 99% and 96%, respectively (likelihood ratio, LR= 23). ΔCRP did not predict 6 months outcomes. Conclusions: A drop in FCAL <70% after induction predicts primary non-response to anti-TNFα in CD.


This paper deals with automatic dialogue acts (DAs) recognition in Czech. Dialogue acts are sentence-level labels that represent different states of a dialogue, such as questions, hesitations, ... In our application, a multimodal reservation system, four dialogue acts are considered: statements, orders, yes/no questions and other questions. The main contribution of this work is to propose and compare several approaches that recognize dialogue acts based on three types of information: lexical information, prosody and word positions. These approaches are tested on a Czech Railways corpus that contains human-human dialogues, which are transcribed both manually and with an automatic speech recognizer for comparison. The experimental results confirm that every type of feature (lexical, prosodic and word positions) bring relevant and somewhat complementary information. The proposed methods that take into account word positions are especially interesting, as they bring global information about the structure of the sentence, at the opposite of traditional n-gram models that only capture local cues. When word sequences are estimated from a speech recognizer, the resulting decrease of accuracy of all proposed approaches is very small (about 3 %), which confirms the capability of the proposed approaches to perform well in real applications.


OBJECTIVE
To compare pain, fatigue, and sicca symptoms; quality of life; and psychological status between patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and those with sicca symptoms but no autoimmune features (sicca asthenia polyalgia syndrome [SAPS]), and to determine whether a psychological pattern can be detected in patients with SAPS, which could suggest psychological distress as the cause.

METHODS
This cross-sectional, prospective study included 111 patients with primary SS according to the American-European Consensus Group criteria and 65 SAPS patients with no focus on lip biopsy and no anti-SSA/SSB antibodies. Pain, fatigue, and sicca symptoms were assessed using visual analog scales; quality of life was assessed using the Short Form 36 (SF-36); and psychological distress by the Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R) questionnaire.

RESULTS
No difference was observed between primary SS and SAPS patients for pain, fatigue, sicca symptoms, quality of life, and psychological status. Fatigue and pain, but not dryness, were correlated with both quality of life and psychological distress in both groups. For primary SS patients, physical and mental composite scores on the SF-36 correlated well with global severity index (GSI) scores of the SCL-90-R (r = -0.29, P = 0.006 and r = -0.61, P < 0.0001, respectively).

CONCLUSION
Patients with primary SS and SAPS do not differ in quality of life or psychological status. Although both diseases probably have a different origin, they may require the same psychological support or psychiatric care. The strong correlation between the composite physical and mental scores of the SF-36 and the GSI scores of the SCL-90-R in primary SS patients emphasizes the importance of the psychological dimension in results of the SF-36.


The objective of the paper is to numerical computation of the two Soliton interaction in the optical interleave division multiple access channel. Solitons are used in O-IDMA because they have tendency to maintain their shape over a long distance. This occurred because of the interaction between nonlinearity and group velocity dispersion in anomalous region. Due to the individual pulse with, loss in O-IDMA channel and spacing between pulse, Copropagation Solitons do interact and share energy. Conduct various simulation. The interaction of two Slotion can be express with the help of Korteweg de Vries Equcation. Simulation is done with matlab. The simulation result shows that, two Soliton are travelling in channel and after a certain distance get attached and evolve a giant pulse. If propagation further continue then they get separated as if they walked through each other. With the help of simulation result , a careful choice of pulse, pulse separation and fiber parameter can be helpful for avoiding the Soliton interaction in O-IDMA channel. To improve the intensity of the Soliton prism mechanism can be used in O-IDMA channel.


Background: A change in the assessment of treatment effectiveness is currently observed. More and more emphasis is being placed on assessing the impact of treatment on patients' quality of life (QoL). Data on postoperative quality of life in patients undergoing pyeloplasty is scarce. The aim of the study was to assess the quality of life of patients who had undergone laparoscopic pyeloplasty due to ureteropelvic junction obstruction.Methods: The study group consisted of 95 patients who had consecutively undergone laparoscopic pyeloplasty due to ureteropelvic junction obstruction in a single center, between 2002 and 2009, from whom 26 consented to participate in a study. We evaluated their quality of life using WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire and an additional form, created by one of the authors, prepared to assess specifically health related quality of life after pyeloplasty. In all the patients, postoperative, functional outcome was assessed using diuretic renography. Results: Mean follow-up time was 89.8 months. Overall, 96% of study patients were satisfied with the procedure and all of them would consent to another pyeloplasty if needed. Dissatisfaction of one patient was caused by an insufficient decrease in pain level. All the patients reported that the postoperative pain intensity did not significantly affect their life and professional activity. Conclusions: Laparoscopic pyeloplasty is associated with excellent functional outcomes and - most of all - the majority of patients are satisfied with the treatment results. There seems to be no correlation between functional outcome and postoperative satisfaction.


Basic idea. The stack, or last-in first-out store, has become more familiar recently because many microprocessors have incorporated a stack in some form. In some microprocessors, the stack can only contain return addresses for subroutines; in others there are provisions for holding temporary data in the stack. The stack derives its name from the idea that items are placed on the "top," thus "pushing down" those items already on the stack. Items are removed from the top, "popping up" those items remaining on the stack.


The present invention relates to the use, in particular it intended for administration to humans or animals as a method of manufacturing the new composition and the phosphate adsorbent of the composition. Phosphate adsorbent


The Divertor Tokamak Test (DTT) facility is expected to provide relevant contribution to the nuclear fusion research, in particular to the first fusion reactor DEMO. Even though the main scope of DTT is the study of the fusion power exhaust, DTT is a complete last-generation tokamak with many power supply (PS) systems. The PSs controlling the "poloidal" magnetic fields are particularly challenging not only due to the extremely high current amplitude, but also because the field must be continuously changed. Moreover, the PS system must be able to rapidly discharge the superconducting coils without interrupting the current flow. The benefits expected by the technologies adopted for the DTT poloidal PSs are described in this paper, in particular focusing on the impact on the external grid and on the energy consumption.


The main purpose of this article is to share an inquiry experience from EFL (English as a Foreign Language) classes, and the reflection that deals with the practical benefits participants have when they are involved in an inquiry proposal. Firstly, there is an introduction to this inquiry process describing the main question that guided this paper. Secondly, a theoretical framework and the authoring cycle description is presented considering the way the inquiry process took place within my classroom by means of meaningful actions and contexts. Thirdly, a data collection section by some reflective responses regarding participants' learning during the process of developing the inquiry project; and the analysis of findings are explained with some samples. Finally, there are some pedagogical implications as well as some conclusions.


Gene therapy, an applied form of biotechnology, relies on the delivery of foreign DNA into cells. More than 50% of all reported clinical trials for gene therapy are for cancer, though only a scant number for osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma is a neoplasm afflicting young adults, who in their prime years of life suffer debilitation if not death. The disease is not entirely curable, even with surgery combined with aggressive chemotherapy. Thus, other forms of therapies are being evaluated, including gene therapy. There exist two major forms of gene transfer: viral and non‐viral. This review only covers proof‐of‐principle work carried out in cancer beyond the cell culture stage, in animals. Drawing from the experiences of gene therapy against other cancers, studies for which have already reached the clinical phase, the review discusses potential pitfalls and solutions to enhance gene therapy for osteosarcoma.


Condensation of supersaturated vapors has been used for more than a century to grow small aerosol particles to sizes that can be detected optically. This paper discusses the history of instruments that use condensation to detect particles. I divide this history into two main sections. The first of these focuses on the development of expansion-type instruments including the ''dust counters'' in which John Aitken played the decisive role and ''photoelectric nucleus counters'' primarily by L. W. Pollak and coworkers. The second section deals with the development of steady-flow condensation nucleus counters (CNCs) in which Jean Bricard and coworkers played the decisive role. The importance of calibration methodologies is also pointed out. Refinements by instrumentation manufacturers and many aerosol scientists have led to the reliable, accurate instruments that are widely used today.


Objective Alkali metal appears to be a promising tool in thermochemical ablation, but, it requires additional data on safety is required. The objective of this study was to explore the effectiveness of permeable oil-packed liquid alkali metal in the thermochemical ablation of tumors. Methods Permeable oil-packed sodium–potassium (NaK) was prepared using ultrasonic mixing of different ratios of metal to oil. The thermal effect of the mixture during ablation of muscle tissue ex vivo was evaluated using the Fluke Ti400 Thermal Imager. The thermochemical effect of the NaK-oil mixture on VX2 tumors was evaluated by performing perfusion CT scans both before and after treatment in 10 VX2 rabbit model tumors. VX2 tumors were harvested from two rabbits immediately after treatment to assess their viability using trypan blue and hematoxylin and eosin (H.E.) staining. Results The injection of the NaK–oil mixture resulted in significantly higher heat in the ablation areas. The permeable oil controlled the rate of heat released during the NaK reaction with water in the living tissue. Perfusion computed tomography and its parameter map confirmed that the NaK–oil mixture had curative effects on VX2 tumors. Both trypan blue and H.E. staining showed partial necrosis of the VX2 tumors. Conclusions The NaK–oil mixture may be used successfully to ablate tumor tissue in vivo. With reference to the controlled thermal and chemical lethal injury to tumors, using a liquid alkali in ablation is potentially an effective and safe method to treat malignant tumors.


Although immune checkpoint inhibitors have changed the treatment paradigm of a variety of cancers, including non-small-cell lung cancer, not all patients respond to immunotherapy in the same way. Predictive biomarkers for patient selection are thus needed. Tumor mutation burden (TMB), defined as the total number of somatic/acquired mutations per coding area of a tumor genome (Mut/Mb), has emerged as a potential predictive biomarker of response to immune checkpoint inhibitors. We found that the limited use of TMB in clinical practice is due to the difficulty in its detection and compounded by several different biological, methodological and economic issues. The incorporation of both TMB and PD-L1 expression or other biomarkers into multivariable predictive models could result in greater predictive power.


A series of semiaromatic difluorobenzamide monomers was synthesized by the reaction of diamine and 4-fluorobenzoic chloride using a facile interfacial method. These syntheses were conducted to react the monomers with 1,1-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1-phenylethane (BHPPE), so as to prepare semiaromatic polyamides containing ether units by the method of nucleophilic polycondensation. These had excellent thermal properties with glass transition temperatures (Tg) of 134.4–195.6 °C and initial degradation temperatures (Td) of 405–443 °C. The activation energies of degradation were in the range of 180.1–275.9 kJ mol−1. The resultant polymers can be dissolved in strong polar solvents and supply a tough film with a tensile strength of 89–105 MPa. Also, we found that the complex viscosities of these semiaromatic polyamides ranged from 77 to 688 Pa s at 290 °C. They had the appropriate complex viscosities for melt processing. Moreover, they had much wider processing windows than those of traditional semiaromatic polyamides such as poly(hexamethylene terephthalamide) (PA6T). Interestingly, some of the resultant polymers were found to be naturally self-retardant.


This paper outlines the process of manufacture of steel pipe from flat rolled steel plates by automatic metallic arc welding. Data are given showing the physical and chemical analysis of the plate, the weld, and the welding wire, as well as the speed of welding and electrode and power consumption.


The aim of this research is to investigate the impact of ESG reporting on firm performance, Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) are a triple-bottom-line approach that combines financial gains with adhering to social, governance and environmental norms. In addition, the study's objective is to determine the relationship between ESG disclosure and firm performance in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) listed companies. ESG scores and other samples for 91 firms from 6 GCC countries were collected for this purpose over a three-year period from 2019, 2020 and 2021. The sample comprised nine diverse industries. The dependent variables are  Return on Assets (ROA) and  market capitalization , experimental variables are  environmental pillar score,  social pillar score, governance pillar score and overall ESG score and the control variables: size, leverage. The study found that ESG scores and governance pillar scores have a positive impact on a firm's market value but environmental and social pillar scores were not significant. In addition, there is a strong relationship between all ESG disclosures   and ECG scores.


The evolution of Rydberg states of Li in time-dependent fields was studied with special emphasis on the influence of the Li(1s2)+ core. The strengths and rates-of-change of the fields were such that the dynamics involves states of only a single shell (intrashell dynamics). For sufficiently slow variations, the Rydberg states are transformed adiabatically but for faster variations, intrashell transitions do occur. We present experimental approximate probabilities for adiabatic transformation of the Rydberg states and compare with theoretical predictions with and without core effects included. The core can perturb the dynamics significantly. Circumstances under which this is likely to be the case are discussed.


In the standard cosmological model, the Universe consists mainly of two invisible substances: vacuum energy with constant mass-density (where is a 'cosmological constant' originally proposed by Einstein and is Newton's gravitational constant) and cold dark matter (CDM) with mass density that is currently . This 'CDM' model has the virtue of simplicity, enabling straightforward calculation of the formation and evolution of cosmic structure against the backdrop of cosmic expansion. Here, we review apparent discrepancies with observations on small galactic scales, which CDM must attribute to complexity in the baryon physics of galaxy formation. Yet, galaxies exhibit structural scaling relations that evoke simplicity, presenting a clear challenge for formation models. In particular, tracers of gravitational potentials dominated by dark matter show a correlation between orbital size, , and velocity, , that can be expressed most simply as a characteristic acceleration, kmspc cm s, perhaps motivating efforts to find a link between localised and global manifestations of the Universe's dark components.


SETTING
Evaluation of immune response after BCG vaccination in a population from South India where BCG vaccination was a failure.

OBJECTIVE
To study the cell-mediated immune responses (CMI) in vitro by assessing skin test conversion, lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine patterns before and after BCG vaccination in 20 Mantoux negative subjects, and to compare this with that of 20 naturally Mantoux positive subjects.

DESIGN
In vitro lymphocyte proliferation and cytokine responses to various mycobacterial antigens were studied in 12 subjects from each group. The cytokines interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-10 were measured by both reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

RESULTS
All of those who were initially Mantoux negative but one subject converted to positivity following vaccination, confirming that BCG vaccination does cause skin test conversion. However, in vitro proliferative responses to phytohaemagglutinin (PHA), purified protein derivative (PPD) and Mycobacterium tuberculosis remained largely unaltered by vaccination. The production of IFN-gamma was significantly higher in PPD-positive individuals compared to the PPD-negative group, and BCG vaccination of the latter did not change the levels of IFN-gamma, IL-4 or IL-10.

CONCLUSIONS
The finding that PPD-negative individuals did not produce IFN-gamma even following vaccination and skin test conversion suggests that BCG had little effect in driving the immune response towards a protective Th1 type.


BACKGROUND AND AIMS
Acne is a common skin disorder which can cause physical scaring and impact the quality of life. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence, severity and the risk factors for developing acne among medical students in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM).

MATERIALS AND METHODS
A cross sectional study among UKM medical students from academic year 1 to 5 was conducted from July 2011 to May 2012. A total of 361 students were selected by stratified cluster sampling method. Baseline data of the students, risk factors, height and weight were recorded. Acne severity was graded using the Comprehensive Acne Severity Scale (CASS).

RESULTS
The prevalence of acne among medical students is 68.1% (n=246). Males and females were almost equally affected (1:1.1). Majority students with acne were graded as almost clear (55.7%, n=137), mild (35.0%, n=86), moderate (7.7%, n=19), and severe (1.6%, n=4). More than half of them had developed acne scars (59.0%, n= 213). Males were found to be at higher risk of developing acne compared to females (p<0.05, OR=4.734; 95%CL=2.726-8.222). They are also at higher risk of developing moderate and severe grades of acne compared to females (p=0.001). The odds for developing acne was higher when mother (p=0.029; OR=1.752; 95%CL=1.058-2.902) or father (p=0.027; OR=1.852; 95%CL=1.072-3.201) had acne. When both parents were affected by acne the odds of developing acne was 3 times. (p=0.025; OR=3.056; 95%CL=1.153-8.094).

CONCLUSIONS
This study shows that the prevalence of acne among medical students is high. Hence, it is important to identify those at risk and provide optimal treatment to prevent scarring and possible low self esteem among these future doctors.


Several Milky Way star clusters show a roughly flat velocity dispersion profile at large radii, which is not expected from models with a tidal cut-off energy. Possible explanations for this excess velocity include: the effects of a dark matter halo, modified gravity theories and energetically unbound stars inside of clusters. These stars are known as potential escapers (PEs) and can exist indefinitely within clusters which are on circular orbits. Through a series of N-body simulations of star cluster systems, where we vary the galactic potential, orbital eccentricity and stellar mass function, we investigate the properties of the PEs and their effects on the kinematics. We derive a prediction for the scaling of the velocity dispersion at the Jacobi surface due to PEs, as a function of cluster mass, angular velocity of the cluster orbit, and slope of the mass profile of the host galaxy. We see a tentative signal of the mass and orbital velocity dependence in kinematic data of globular clusters from literature. We also find that the fraction of PEs depends sensitively on the galactic mass profile, reaching as high as 40% in the cusp of a Navarro-Frenk-White profile and as the velocity anisotropy also depends on the slope of the galactic mass profile, we conclude that PEs provide an independent way of inferring the properties of the dark matter mass profile at the galactic radius of (globular) clusters in the Gaia-era


In this paper, a skew angle detection method based on projection profile analysis is introduced for woven fabric images. The horizontal or vertical projection profiles (VPPs) of woven fabrics tend to fluctuate in bigger magnitudes as the skewed image rotation approaches to the aligned position of the horizontal or vertical yarns in respect of the image edges. The image is rotated through a range of angles and horizontal or VPPs are computed at each angle. In order to detect the skew angle, difference values are computed from adjacent elements of projection profiles. Standard deviation of the difference values for each angle is used as a criterion of the tested skew angles. Experimental results show that the projection profile analysis is suitable for skew angle estimation of woven fabric images.


In most of computational anatomy studies, pose is disregarded because pose information mainly depends on non relevant external factors. However, the relative pose among different objects belonging to a complex multi-object system may be useful for diagnosis, prognosis and monitoring. In this work a methodology to build statistical multi-object pose models (MOPM) is described. The methodology is based on Principal Geodesic Analysis because the space of similarity transformations does not form a vector space. Methods to compute statistics, namely averages and variation modes, are described in detail. Experimental results are performed on neuroanatomical structures such as the subcortical nuclei (caudate nucleus, hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, putamen, pallidum) and lateral ventricles. We expect that multi-object pose models will be useful as a valuable a priori information about relative location, orientation and scale of each structure. This compact model will be relevant as a coarse initialization for segmentation, or regularization of segmentation and registration algorithms.


Synthesis of seismic velocity, potential field, and geological data from Canada Basin and its surrounding continental margins suggests that a northeast‐trending structural fabric has influenced the origin, evolution, and current tectonics of the basin. This structural fabric has a crustal origin, based on the persistence of these trends in upward continuation of total magnetic intensity data and vertical derivative analysis of free‐air gravity data. Three subparallel northeast‐trending features are described. Northwind Escarpment, bounding the east side of the Chukchi Borderland, extends ∼600 km and separates continental crust of Northwind Ridge from high‐velocity transitional crust in Canada Basin. A second, shorter northeast‐trending zone extends ∼300 km in northern Canada Basin and separates inferred continental crust of Sever Spur from magmatically intruded crust of the High Arctic Large Igneous Province. A third northeast‐trending feature, here called the Alaska‐Prince Patrick magnetic lineament (APPL) is inferred from magnetic data and its larger regional geologic setting. Analysis of these three features suggests strike slip or transtensional deformation played a role in the opening of Canada Basin. These features can be explained by initial Jurassic‐Early Cretaceous strike slip deformation (phase 1) followed in the Early Cretaceous (∼134 to ∼124 Ma) by rotation of Arctic Alaska with seafloor spreading orthogonal to the fossil spreading axis preserved in the central Canada Basin (phase 2). In this model, the Chukchi Borderland is part of Arctic Alaska.


The oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) is one of the solid wastes produced by industrial factories. These bunches are the habitat of cellulolytic bacteria. This study aims to identify the morphology and determine the potential microorganisms in degrading oil palm empty fruit bunches waste. The methods used in this study were isolation and observation of bacterial morphology, bacterial screening, degradation test of empty oil palm fruit bunches waste, and enzyme activity test with DNS method using UV-Vis spectrophotometer at a wavelength of 530 nm. A collection of 14 isolates were obtained from the isolation process.  We obtained 14 isolates from the sample, the largest clear zone was shown by isolate S10.   The isolate also exhibited the highest cellulose-degrading activity after 7 days incubation period with a degrading percentage of 13.27%. After incubation for 2 days, the morphological characteristics of the bacteria produced have circular and medium-sized colonies, yellow, colonies wave edges and flat colonies, elevation convex and smooth surface. The resulting enzyme activity was 0.1308 U/mL. Therefore, isolate S10 was suspected to have the potential to degrade plastic.


A mobile ad hoc network (MANET) is a self-configuring, infrastructure-less network of mobile devices which is connected without any wires . In MANET the node can move in any direction independently.The main challenge in building a MANET is equipping each device to continuously maintain the information needed and to properly route traffic. So, these networks may operate by themselves or may be connected to the larger Internet. They may contain one or multiple and different transceivers between the nodes. Finally in a highly dynamic, autonomous topology. Vehicular Ad-hoc Networks (VANETs) are used cars and cars and roadside equipment. MANETS can be used for facilitating the collection of sensor data for data mining for a variety of applications such as air pollution monitoring and different types of architectures can be used for such applications.


To explore individual identity narratives of accommodation and resistance in relationship to dominant American social, political and cultural constructs, this paper uses the Listening Guide Method of Qualitative Inquiry (Gilligan et al., 2006) to investigate the intersectionality of race, ethnicity, gender and American identity during and post college among four second-generation, college educated, Korean American women. The analysis, drawing from the emergence of themes across interviews, found that participant women accommodated and/or resisted dominant American social, political, and cultural constructs in service of their individual Korean American identities narratives during and post college.


Maternal and fetal outcomes of pregnant women with advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD stage 4 and 5) are not well chronicled. Since 1980, we could locate only five published case series'studying this population. This study examines nine pregnant women with severe CKD (defined as estimated GFR < 30 mL/min) and compares their materno-fetal outcomes with a cohort of women with an eGFR 45 - 100 mL/min and pre-pregnancy proteinuria (mild CKD). This is a retrospective, single-center study nd statistical analyses include Fisher' exact test, nonparametric Wilcoxon rank sum, and exact logistic regression. Compared to women with mild CKD, women with severe CKD have higher rates of pre-term delivery (89% vs. 41%, p = 0.02) and a higher average eGFR reduction during pregnancy (26.1% vs. 0%, p = 0.04). Both groups had similar rate of caesarean section, pre-eclampsia, and adverse fetal outcomes including perinatal death, oligohydramnios, and intrauterine growth retardation. Compared to published outcomes of pregnant women receiving hemodialysis, our cohort of women with severe CKD and not on dialysis had a higher incidence of pre-eclampsia and premature birth. In conclusion, the incidence of preterm delivery, small for gestational age, and decline of maternal renal function increased with a reduction in eGFR. Women with severe CKD (eGFR < 30 mL/min) may experience a reduced rate of pre-eclampsia and longer gestation with earlier initiation of dialysis.


Golang (also known as Go for short) has become popular in building concurrency programs in distributed systems. As the unique features, Go employs lightweight Goroutines to support highly parallelism in user space. Moreover, Go leverages channels to enable explicit communication among threads. However, recent studies show that concurrency bugs are not uncommon in Go applications. Pinpointing these concurrency bugs in real Go applications is both important and challenging. Existing approaches are mostly based on compiler-aided static or dynamic analysis, which have two limitations. First, existing approaches require the availability and recompilation of the source code, which work well on testing rather than production environments with no source code available for both applications and external libraries. Second, existing approaches work on pure Go code bases only, not programs mixed with Go and other languages. To address these limitations, we develop BINGO, the first tool to identify concurrency bugs in Go applications via dynamic binary analysis. BINGO correlates binary execution with Go semantics and employs novel bug detection algorithms. BINGO is an endto-end tool that is ready for deployment in the production environment with no modification on source code, compilers, and runtimes in the Go eco-system. Our experiments show that BINGO has a high coverage of concurrency bugs with no false positives. We are able to use BINGO to identify concurrency bugs in real applications with moderate overhead.


The efforts of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to control greenhouse gases through the Clean Air Act have pitted the EPA and some environmental groups against other environmental groups. It is worth understanding this conflict because it reveals a critical development that both the agency and the environmental groups would prefer to conceal: the forty-year-old Clean Air Act is no longer a sensible way to regulate large-volume conventional air pollutants such as ozone and particulate matter. Congress should replace the core of this venerable statute and its "state implementation plans" with an updated, market-based approach such as that proposed by the Breaking the Logjam project. Doing so would require legislators to take responsibility for choosing how fast to cut pollution and how to allocate costs. Congressional accountability would mean less power for the EPA and environmental groups – but better air quality and more economic growth.


Transracial adoption is a highly sensitive topic, evoking intense debate between those who consider transracial placements positive for children and society, and those who consider them injurious to Black children and the Black community. The author explores this debate while asserting that the key to successful living as a minority person in a discriminating, denigrating society is to have positive affiliations with others like oneself. Thus, to promote and protect a child's "best interests," race is an important factor to be considered when evaluating the appropriateness of prospective adoptive parents. The Essay considers whose interests would actually be served if race considerations were completely eliminated from adoptive placement decision-making and what drives the momentum toward this elimination. Additionally, the consequences that would follow the elimination of race-matching preferences are discussed as they would relate to Black adoptees, the status and integrity of the Black family, the Black community and American society in general. The author posits that the transracial adoption debate is more about adults seeking to establish a right to parent than it is about meeting the needs of Black children. She, therefore, recommends that professional practitioners and policy makers develop culturally sensitive services and strategies to meet the needs of the growing number of Black children in foster care.


Long-term elderly patients at risk of pressure sores as shown by superficial skin breaks in the pressure areas were randomly allocated to seven low-priced mattress overlays, alternating pressure (AP): Large Cell Ripplebed; constant low pressure (CLP): Preventix, a 'Groove' prototype, Modular Propad (contoured foam); Ardo Watersoft; Spenco, Surgicgoods Hollowcore Mattress Pad (fibrefills). Assessments of the patients' medical condition, nursing management and pressure areas were carried out twice weekly for a mean of 17.7 days. If the pressure areas deteriorated significantly the trials were stopped and the patients were transferred to other supports. Thirteen per cent of trials on Ripplebeds had to be stopped compared with 32%, 35% and 37% respectively on contoured foam mattresses (p = 0.0005), 47% on the water mattress (p < 0.001) and 51% and 54% on fibrefills (p < 0.0001). Respective healing rates were: 45%, 37%, 24% and 20% (p = 0.001). Although the contoured foam mattresses provided better protection than the fibrefills (p < 0.01), only the AP mattress effectively prevented and healed sores in these patients who could not be regularly repositioned.


The objective of this work was to study the effect of trichomes, alellochemicals and minerals in the leaves of different canopy heights on the resistance of Lycopersicon hirsutum to tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae). Effects of 2-tridecanone (2-TD), 2-undecanone (2-UD), N, P, K, Ca and Mg levels, density and types of trichomes and leaf area on apical, medium and basal parts of plant dossel of L. hirsutum and L. esculentum on the oviposition and mines number of T. absoluta was studied. Production of 2-TD increased from the bottom to the top of the canopy. The apical part of plants of L. hirsutum showed more antibiotic effect on the caterpillar. T. absoluta oviposited more on leaves of the apical and medium portion of the plants than in the basal parts of L. esculentum.


The Crown and Constitutional Reform is an innovative, interdisciplinary exchange between experts in law, anthropology and politics about the Crown, constitutional monarchy and the potential for constitutional reform in Commonwealth common law countries.

The constitutional foundation of many Commonwealth countries is the Crown, an icon of ultimate authority, at once familiar yet curiously enigmatic. Is it a conceptual placeholder for the state, a symbol of sovereignty or does its ambiguity make it a shapeshifter, a legal fiction that can be deployed as an expedient mask for executive power and convenient instrument for undermining democratic accountability? This volume offers a novel, interdisciplinary exchange: the contributors analyse how the Crown operates in the United Kingdom and the postcolonial settler societies of Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In doing so, they examine fundamental theoretical questions about statehood, sovereignty, constitutionalism and postcolonial reconciliation. As Queen Elizabeth II's long reign approaches its end, questions about the Crown's future, its changing forms and meanings, the continuing value of constitutional monarchy and its potential for reform, gain fresh urgency.

The chapters in this book were originally published in a special issue of The Round Table: The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs.


ABSTRACT The hedonic price regressions have mainly been used for inference. In contrast, machine learning employed on big data has a great potential for prediction. To contribute to the integration of these two strategies, this article proposes a machine learning approach to the regression analysis of big data, viz. real estate prices, for both inferential and predictive purposes. The methodology incorporates a new procedure of selecting variables, called 'incremental sample with resampling' (MINREM). The methodology is tested on two cases. The first is data from web advertisements selling used homes in Colombia (61,826 observations). The second considers the data (58,888 observations) from a sample of the Metropolitan American Housing Survey 2011 obtained and prepared by a reference study. The methodology consists of two stages. The first chooses the important variables under MINREM; the second focuses on the traditional training and validation procedure for machine learning, adding three activities. In both test cases, the methodology shows its value for obtaining highly parsimonious and stable models for different sample sizes, as well as taking advantage of the inferential and predictive use of the obtained regression functions. This paper contributes to an original methodology for big data regression analysis.


Sir: Knowing Dr Fletcher's reputation as a classifier of rare connective tissue neoplasms and reporter of their phenomenology, on finding what we regarded as an unusual association we, of course, immediately consulted our CD-ROM data base and specifically requested it search against his name. Having failed to find any substantial literature on osteoclast-like giant cells in leiomyosarcoma, and in particular no such report by Dr Fletcher, we immediately assumed, wrongly, as it transpires, that this was an unusual association. We are pleased, as we imagine are the referees of our paper, that through our report Dr Fletcher has been able to correct another deficiency in our understanding of connective tissue neoplasms.


This paper describes the experimental monitoring of pancreatic oxidative metabolism in laboratory mice that combines the methods of fluorescence and diffuse reflectance spectroscopy and laser speckle contrast imaging with a pancreatic ischemia model. The combined measurements show a close dependence of tissue metabolism on blood and oxygen supply. We show that deactivation of complex I and complex II occurs in mouse pancreatic tissue during prolonged hypoxia. We conclude that complex I can potentially undergo more intensive deactivation when oxygen is lacking than complex II. We have demonstrated that the methods described can be applied in minimally invasive surgery of the pancreas to assess its viability.


Pulmonary pleomorphic carcinoma (PPC) is a very rare type of primary lung cancer with an aggressive clinical course. Few reports have documented therapeutic options for PPC with EGFR mutations. Herein, we report a case of PPC with EGFR mutation treated with EGFR‐tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). A 65‐year‐old Japanese woman was diagnosed with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma with L858R point mutation in exon 21. Despite treatment with erlotinib, the patient died after two weeks as a result of rapid disease progression. Postmortem examination indicated that the thoracic tumors consisted primarily of spindle/sarcomatous components, while expression of the mutated EGFR protein was only observed in adenocarcinoma components. We speculate that the tumor was not driven by EGFR mutation. Clinicians should bear in mind the possibility of pleomorphic carcinoma if EGFR‐TKI treatment fails to achieve a clinical response for adenocarcinoma harboring an activating EGFR mutation diagnosed on the basis of small biopsy specimens.


ABSTRACT Vertical transmission of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is the primary cause of infection by this retrovirus in infants. In this study, we report for the first time that there is a correlation between endocytic uptake of HIV-1 and virus gene expression in polarized trophoblasts. To shed light on the relationship between endocytosis and the fate of HIV-1 in polarized trophoblasts, the step-by-step movements of HIV-1 within the endocytic compartments were tracked by confocal imaging. Incoming virions were initially located in early endosomes. As time progressed, virions accumulated in late endosomes. HIV-1 was also found in apical recycling endosomes and at the basolateral pole. Experiments performed with indicator cells revealed that HIV-1 is recycled and transcytosed. These data indicate that the intracellular trafficking of HIV-1 upon entry into polarized human trophoblasts is a complex process which requires the active participation of the endocytic host cell machinery.


Automatic surface defect detection with vision systems can bring manufacturers a number of significant benefits, especially when used on-line. This non-contact method may present an alternative to allow the surface defect to be measured rapidly and with an acceptable accuracy. One of the most promising of the non-contact methods in terms of speed and accuracy is the computer vision technique. This paper basically defines a surface defect characterization using contour dispersion. The basic idea of this research is to find an optimal gray-level threshold value for separating objects of interest in an image from the background based on their gray-level distribution using contour dispersion level to find the characteristic of surface defect. Next, the research direction has been suggested to develop an automatic polishing robot system using vision sensor based on surface defect characterization.


Introduction: Pregnancy is a state of an altered physiological process, and a burn injury during pregnancy, serves as an additive factor to this stressful state, such that it can directly or indirectly affect the feto-maternal outcome. Aim: To find out the effects of burn injury in pregnant females, in terms of maternal and foetal outcomes. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective cohort study, done in collaboration with the Department of Surgery at Rajashri Dashrath Autonomous State Medical College, Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, India, from September 2019 to November 2021, on 22 pregnant patients. All 22 confirmed cases of pregnancy with burn injury were included. Cases were evaluated in terms of age-wise distribution, parity, gestational age/ trimester of pregnancy, cause of burn injury, Total Body Surface Area (TBSA) distribution, the relation of TBSA distribution with foetal and maternal mortality, and events associated with the burn injury. Data was analysed using trial version of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 22.0. Results: Mean age of pregnant patients with burns was 25.22±2.3 years. Thirteen (59.09%) patients with burn injuries were married for one to three years, incidence was more in primigravidae 14 (63.63%). Domestic violence and suicide attempts accounted for 12 (54.54%) cases. Kerosene and gas explosions were a major cause of burn injury, that is 16 (72.72%)and 5 (22.72%) respectively. Sixteen (72.72%) patients had burns with TBSA between 31-50%. Foetal mortality was 15 (68.18%) and maternal mortality was 14 (63.63%). Conclusion: Feto-maternal outcome was directly related to TBSA involved in burns. Illiteracy, and cultural practices like the use of earthen lamps, wood, and charcoal used for cooking, were some of the important causes of burn injury.


1. The area or size of an ecosystem affects the acquisition, storage and redistribution of energy and matter. Patch size reduction due to natural or anthropogenic habitat loss will not only modify species distribution and patch structure but also affect the ecosystem processes that are, in part, responsible for patch persistence. 2. In a fog-dependent forest ecosystem, trees and their architectures play essential roles in capturing and redistributing water from collection surfaces. In this paper, we address the question of how forest patch size and structure interact to determine fog water inputs and storage in a fog-inundated, coastal ecosystem in semi-arid Chile (30°S). 3. Six forest patches ranging in area from 0·2 to 36 ha on a coastal mountaintop of Fray Jorge National Park were characterized using 0·1 ha plots laid down at the centre of each forest patch. In each patch, we assessed tree basal area as a measure of forest structure, recorded daily air temperature and humidity, measured water influx from stemflow and throughfall (water that has passed through the forest canopy). Soil and litter gravimetric water contents were used as a measure of storage. 4. Total tree basal area per hectare was positively related to patch area, despite some variation at the species level. Mean and maximum air temperatures inside the patches were inversely related to patch size, with maximum temperatures differing by 2 °C on average. Annual fog water capture by trees within forest patches (net throughfall) was estimated in 296·1 mm after rain flux (about 122 mm) was subtracted. Throughfall volume and patch area were uncorrelated, but stemflow volume, soil and litter water contents scaled positively with patch area, showing a functional link between water interception and ecosystem retention. 5. Our study shows that ecosystem area in this mosaic of fog-dependent temperate forest patches can modify water fluxes and storage capacity of the ecosystem. This finding has important consequences for fragmented landscapes, where large continuous forests are fragmented into smaller patches, affecting not only the persistence of species but also the continuity of critical ecosystem processes.


We study possible static non-Schwarzschild exteriors for nonstatic spherically symmetric stars in a Randall–Sundrum type II braneworld scenario. Thus, the vacuum region outside the surface of a star is assumed to be a static solution to the equation (4)R = 0, where (4)R is the scalar curvature of the four-dimensional Ricci tensor with spherical symmetry. Firstly, we show that for nonstatic spheres the standard matching conditions are much more restrictive than for static ones; they lead to a specific requirement on the vacuum region outside of a nonstatic star, which is absent in the case of static stars. Secondly, without making any assumption about the bulk, or the material medium inside the star, we prove the following theorem on the brane: for any nonstatic spherical star, without rotation, there are only two possible static exteriors; these are the Schwarzschild and the 'Reissner–Nordström-like' exteriors. This is quite distinct from the case of stars in hydrostatic equilibrium which admit a much larger family of non-Schwarzschild static exteriors.


Diesel is an essential factor in industrial production and development, and thus its stable supply is a crucial element for economic growth. The supply shortage of diesel has massive economic costs, namely supply shortage costs. This paper attempts to apply input-output (I-O) analysis to measuring the supply shortage cost of industrial diesel in Korea by finding an optimal way of allocating the limited diesel resources to different sectors according to the objective of maximizing overall value-added. To this end, a static I-O framework is presented using a recently published I-O table. The results indicate that the marginal cost of unsupplied diesel ranges from KRW 716 (USD 0.65) to KRW 113,376 (USD 103.07) per liter and these costs depend not only on the shortage rate of each non-diesel sector but also on the level of its own final demand. The quantitative results are useful for policy-makers to set economic reliability standards, develop optimum curtailment levels and priorities, and plan curtailment strategies for diesel supply and demand.


We report that sera from healthy controls, patients with ovarian or lung cancer, and patients with rheumatoid arthritis all contain IgM polyclonal rheumatoid factors which recognize antigenic determinants on murine and to a greater extent human immunoglobulin IgG. The major part of this reactivity is directed against conserved, shared antigenic determinants present on both human and murine IgG. Such antigenicity resides in the protein and not the carbohydrate moiety of IgG, since deglycosylation of the target murine monoclonal antibody did not result in any loss of antibody binding. Studies comparing the binding of polyclonal and monoclonal rheumatoid factors (from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and mixed essential cryoglobulinaemia, respectively) to murine and human IgG show that the antigenic determinants recognized by polyclonal rheumatoid factors are present on both whereas the antigenic determinant recognized by the monoclonal rheumatoid factors is present only on human IgG. Furthermore, patients with rheumatoid arthritis display an elevated human IgM anti-murine immunoglobulin response similar to that seen in cancer patients who have received murine monoclonal antibody therapy. We therefore conclude that, where possible, F(ab')2 fragments of murine monoclonal antibodies should be used for in vivo tumor localization studies to avoid possible immune complex formation, and that patients with rheumatoid arthritis should be considered to be possibly at higher risk of developing immune complex disease, were these rheumatoid factors to bind to the administered murine antibodies in vivo.


Summary Aim: To understand stunning effects of a diagnostic dose of iodine-131 (1-131). Methods: Four hundred and sixty-eight patients (101 males, 367 females, ages: 6-75 years) with well differentiated thyroid cancer, following total or nearly total thyroidectomy, were studied. One hundred and eleven MBq (3 mCi) diagnostic (Dx) doses of 1-131 whole body scan (WBS) were obtained after withholding thyroxine after 6 weeks and triiodothyronine for 2 weeks. One week to one month later, 3.7-7.4 GBq (19854-200 mCi) 1-131 was given to them, then a therapeutic (Tx) dose of 1-131 WBS was performed. The serum thyroid simulating hormone level was usually above 30 ulU/ml. Results: Of the 468 patients, 344 (73.5%) had scintigraphic patterns of apparently decreased uptake in 240 thyroid remnants and 104 metastatic lesions on the Tx dose of 1-131 WBS compared to Dx dose of 1-131 WBS. Stunning phenomenon occured in 50 cases, including 42 thyroid remnants and 18 metastatic lesions. Conclusion: Dx dose of 1-131 may influence the uptake of a subsequently administered Tx dose of 1-131.


main-clause wh-questions form complementiser phrases with wh-words preposed to spec-C position. This is because English wh-words, as verb- complements originally, are strong enough to trigger wh-movement and auxiliary inversion. Persian EFL learners encounter an over-differentiation problem regarding the acquisition of auxiliary inversion rule in English standard questions. Once they have acquired the rule, the learners are very likely to overgeneralize it to English indirect or embedded questions. The present study aimed to discover Persian EFL learners' knowledge of wh-embedded clauses, specifically, when producing them orally. To this end, 48 Persian EFL learners at tertiary level took part as participants. An oral reproduction test of English wh-embedded clauses, a translation task, and a grammaticality judgment test containing wh-embedded clauses were used as instruments to collect data. The results revealed that the lower intermediate learners had problems in producing and reproducing correct wh- embedded clauses. Similarly, some problems were detected in the grammaticality judgment test. Difficulties were also observed with the intermediate and upper- intermediate learners. The major finding was obtained in the oral reproduction test where there was no significant difference among three proficiency groups of learners regarding the correct use of English wh-embedded clauses. The recent finding confirms the need for more work on Persian EFL learners' oral language production with an emphasis on wh-embedded clauses.


In this study a computer aided screening system for the detection of bright lesions or exudates using color fundus images is proposed. The proposed screening system is used to identify the suspicious regions for bright lesions. A texture feature extraction method is also demonstrated to describe the characteristics of region of interest. In final stage the normal and abnormal images are classified using Support vector machine classifier. Our proposed system obtained the effective detection performance compared to some of the state-of-art methods.


Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) constitutes a frequent highly malignant form of primary liver cancer and is the third cause of death attributable to malignancy. Despite the improvement in the therapeutic strategies with the exploration of novel pharmacological agents, the survival rate for HCC is still low. Shedding light on the multiplex genetic and epigenetic background of HCC, such as on the emerging role of microRNAs, is considered quite promising for the diagnosis and the prediction of this malignancy, as well as for combatting drug resistance. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) constitute small noncoding RNA sequences, which play a key role in the regulation of several signaling and metabolic pathways, as well as of pivotal cellular functions such as autophagy, apoptosis, and cell proliferation. It is also demonstrated that miRNAs are significantly implicated in carcinogenesis, either acting as tumor suppressors or oncomiRs, while aberrations in their expression levels are closely associated with tumor growth and progression, as well as with local invasion and metastatic dissemination. The arising role of miRNAs in HCC is in the spotlight of the current scientific research, aiming at the development of novel therapeutic perspectives. In this review, we will shed light on the emerging role of miRNAs in HCC.


High-intensity focused ultrasound surgery (FUS) has been developed for the extracorporeal treatment of various benign and malignant soft tissue tumors. The system developed at the Institute of Cancer Research/Royal Marsden (ICR/RM) National Health Service (NHS) Trust incorporates a 150 mm focal length focused bowl transducer operated at 1.7 MHz, and is currently undergoing Phase 1 clinical trials for the treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia and superficial bladder cancer. However, the application of this transducer is limited by its focal length to a maximum depth of 100 mm, and by power absorption in the skin to a minimum depth of 40 mm. A computer model of acoustic fields, which assumes uniform excitation of the transducer over its entire surface, has previously been published. This has been used both to calculate the intensity in nonattenuating media, and to estimate the absorbed power per unit volume in homogeneous tissues in order to allow determination of the transducer configurations (frequency, focal length, and diameter) necessary for the treatment of both deep (/spl sim/150 mm) and shallow (/spl sim/20 mm) soft tissue tumors. These depths encompass the typical range for human tissues which are likely to be treated. Calculations cover the frequency range 0.5-4.5 MHz, focal lengths from 70 to 200 mm, and transducer diameters from 30 to 190 mm. The results show that appropriate transducers can be designed for the noninvasive treatment of tumors in specific organs.


Background: Histological confirmation of a breast lesion is an important step to determine the aetiology and direct further management. Evidence supports ultrasound-guided large core needle biopsy (US-LCNB) (14 gauge) as the preferred diagnostic method over traditional open surgical biopsy.Objective: To assess the influence of technical variables on the diagnostic yield of breast specimens obtained by using US-LCNB, and the sensitivity of detecting malignancy during the study period. Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted of all patients who had US-LCNBs from March 2011 – September 2012 at Addington Hospital in Durban, KwaZulu-Natal. Histopathological findings were correlated to the size of the breast lesion, rank of the radiologist performing the procedure and the number of cores obtained. The sensitivity of the technique was determined. Results: During the study period, 147 biopsies were performed. The majority of lesions were>5 mm (85.5%). The average number of cores was 4, and 79.5% of the biopsies were performed by the senior radiologist. Of the 147 biopsies, 132 specimens were eligible for inclusion in the study. Histopathology revealed 71 malignant lesions of which 60 were confirmed histologically at excision. In 11 patients, no excision was performed. Therefore, the sensitivity of detecting malignancy was 100%. Conclusion: Although the study did not establish a statistically significant relationship between the above mentioned technical variables and the histological outcome, the overall diagnostic yield and the sensitivity of detecting malignancy using US-LCNB is comparable to other similar international studies. A prospective study with long-term follow-up of patients would be of value.


To meet the increasing demands for portable and flexible devices in a rapidly developing society, it is urgently required to develop highly safe and flexible electrochemical energy‐storage systems. Flexible lithium–oxygen batteries with high theoretical specific energy density are promising candidates; however, the conventional half‐open structure design prevents it from working properly under water or fire conditions. Herein, as a proof‐of‐concept experiment, a highly safe flexible lithium–oxygen battery achieved by the synergy of a vital multifunctional structure design and a unique composite separator is proposed and fabricated. The structure can effectively prevent the invasion of water from the environment and combustion, which is further significantly consolidated with the help of a polyimide and poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐hexafluoropropylene) composite separator, which holds good water resistance, thermal stability, and ionic conductivity. Unexpectedly, the obtained lithium–oxygen battery exhibits superior flexibility, water resistance, thermal resistance, and cycling stability (up to 218 cycles; at a high current of 1 mA and capacity of 4 mA h). This novel water/fireproof, flexible lithium–oxygen battery is a promising candidate to power underwater flexible electronics.


Diabetes mellitus is a common endocrine disease in cats. While type 2 diabetes is the most common form seen in cats, other underlying causes may contribute to insulin resistance. Guidelines for diagnosis vary and often do not take into account prediabetic cats. The goals of treatment are to maximize the chance of remission, while minimizing the risks of hypoglycemia. This article presents a further overview of current treatment and monitoring recommendations for diabetic cats.


In this contribution, results of experimental flow investigations in a technical scale cylindrical reactor with centrally located internal reboiler are presented. The fluid motion in the kettle is induced by natural circulation. Two different geometrical configurations are considered. First, the liquid level is set below the evaporator's outlet. Thus, only the liquid phase penetrates the liquid surface. The second configuration characterizes the a direct injection of the two phase mixture into bulk liquid. In both cases the liquid leaves the evaporator radially and horizontally towards the cylindrical wall. Gathered results reveal the presence of the big, toroidal vortex in the kettle annulus. Independently on the boundary conditions, self similarity of velocity profiles in the near wall region is observed. In contrast, investigations of the momentum transfer between the jet and the bulk liquid reveal strong dependency on the geometrical configuration of the setup. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)


The methodology to calculate loads on the bearings of the gas-turbine engine is presented for design of high-speed bearing. Firstly, the loads on the bearings are formulated according to the force and moment equilibrium with gyroscopic moment in three-dimensional space. Afterward, operating loading conditions of the engine are presented by applying the Joint Service Specification Guide, and magnitudes of transient and steady bearing loads are estimated based on the operating conditions. The calculated loading conditions of the bearings will be used for the essential design boundaries for the detail structural design and rig test.


Using CaCl2 dose-contraction curves in 165.6 mM K(+)- depolarized guinea-pig taenia coli, the maximal contraction level induced by 30 mM CaCl2, and the maximal relaxation level induced by Ca-free solution were treated and 0% and 100% relaxation, respectively. Then four kinds of contraction level were compared: (1) the normal level, (2) 5.5 microns acetylcholine (ACh)-induced contraction, and (3) 1.65 mM ACh- or 3 mM BaCl2-induced contraction in normal solution; and (4) 2.2 and 30 mM CaCl2-induced contraction in K(+) depolarizing solution. The relaxing effects of papaverine, MnCl2, and isoproterenol at these different contraction levels were compared. Papaverine- and MnCl2-induced relaxation of the higher contraction levels [a part of (2), (3) and (4)] seem to reflect a mechanism of the intracellular calcium mobilization, being quite different from relaxation induced by papaverine-like relaxants and isoproterenol at the lower contraction levels [(1) and part of (2)]. The latter phenomenon seems to reflect mechanisms related to cyclic AMP. Papaverine inhibited competitively BaCl2-induced contraction only in K(+) depolarized tissues, suggesting a mechanism of direct reaction with the intracellular Ca store.


Plant parasitic nematodes cause damage and losses significantly to black pepper in Indonesia. Control of plant parasitic nematodes with pesticides is often restricted due to their high toxicity and negative impact on the environment. The need for environmentally safe control strategies has increased interest in developing biological control measures. Endophytic bacteria are ubiquitous in most plant species and reside within healthy plant tissue without producing symptoms of damage. The internal plant habitat provides several advantages for endophytic bacteria as biological control agents: 1) colonization of an ecological niche also used by plant pathogens, 2) less competition with other microorganisms, 3) sufficient supply wirth nutrients, 4) less exposure to environmental stress factors, and 5) better translocation of bacterial metabolites throughout the host plant. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of endophytic bacteria isolated from black pepper to control Meloidogyne incognita on black pepper. The results showed that some endophytic bacteria were able to reduce the root galls caused by Meloidogyne incognita and juveniles of nematodes in the soil up to 70% as well as to promote the growth of pepper seedlings.


In order to linearize a spin-valve giant magnetoresistance head, the exchanges layer sputtered at fringe area or a permanent magnet layer longitudinal biasing for domain stabilization based on a physical calculated model may be considered. The correlations between the head performance characteristic and head geometric parameters have been simulated by putting the head on a suitable front-end electric circuit. The simulative results show that the optimal sensing current is from 10 to 40 mA and the linear geometric parameters for gap width are at the range of G1 + G2 ⩽ 0.5 μm.


For the Bronte and Rossetti siblings, familial collaboration shaped their working methods from their earliest juvenilia to the end of their careers. Both sibling sets would continually compare their works and seek advice on how to develop their early writings – a sense of co-dependence they never fully outgrew. This thesis examines the dynamic of these sibling sets from the early need of parental approval; their ambitious juvenilia – and the need to maintain the familial connection such early works provided upon entering the adult world of work – and finally the autobiographical narratives of the surviving siblings. This analysis will explore how these siblings' literary collaborations altered under the cultural expectations of class and gender, as well as familial aspirations. Nevertheless, the support network of childhood writings could be "restored" by recreating the motifs and methodologies of their early juvenilia. Weaponised Imagination applies close, comparative readings to works completed by the Brontes' and Rossettis' throughout their careers, which can be applied to literary families throughout history.


Incubation of lymphocytes with lecithin liposomes enriched with cholesterol, elevated the cholesterol level of the cells relative to phospholipids. Treatment of lymphocytes with pure lecithin liposomes resulted in the converse effect. Both these treatments resulted in suppression of the induction phase of the response to concanavalin A and were practically reversible. It is suggested that these changes induce modulations of the fluidity of the lymphocyte membrane which may also take place in vivo by serum lipoproteins. Based on this study, the possible effects of lipids on lymphocyte activation are discussed.


Objectives To describe a novel mutation in the fibrillin-1 (FBN1) gene in a Chinese family with autosomal dominant Marfan syndrome (MFS). Methods It has been reported that FBN1 mutations account for approximately 90% of Autosomal Dominant MFS. FBN1 mutations were analysed in a Chinese family of 5 members including 3 MFS patients. Informed consent was obtained from blood donors who participated in the study, and we collected 4ml of their peripheral blood. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples using the QIAamp DNA BloodMiNi Kit (Qiagen, Hilden, Germany). The coding exons of FBN1 were analysed by target gene FBN1 next-generation sequencing. One hundred controls and two sporadic patients were screened for a mutation in the FBN1 gene by Sanger sequencing. Results A previously unreported novel nonsense mutation in FBN1 gene: c. 2671C > T (p. Gln891*) was identified in the Chinese family. The mutation was associated with the disease phenotype in patients, but not detected in their relatives or in the 100 normal controls and two sporadic patients. Conclusions We indentified a novel nonsense mutation (c. 2671C > T, p. Gln891*, Het) in FBN1, which is the causative mutation for MFS in this family. Our results could provide prenatal guidance for the family members, further increase the information of FBN1 mutation database, which would be as a molecular detection for the MFS.


Surgical robots have improved considerably in recent years, but intuitive operability, which represents user inter-operability, has not been quantitatively evaluated. Therefore, for design of a robot with intuitive operability, we propose a method to measure brain activity to determine intuitive operability. The objective of this paper is to determine the master configuration against the monitor that allows users to perceive the manipulator as part of their own body. We assume that the master configuration produces an immersive reality experience for the user of putting his own arm into the monitor. In our experiments, as subjects controlled the hand controller to position the tip of the virtual slave manipulator on a target in a surgical simulator, we measured brain activity through brain-imaging devices. We performed our experiments for a variety of master manipulator configurations with the monitor position fixed. For all test subjects, we found that brain activity was stimulated significantly when the master manipulator was located behind the monitor. We conclude that this master configuration produces immersive reality through the body image, which is related to visual and somatic sense feedback.


Works of this type which help elucidate how we can come to misunderstand each other are important given that fact. While we seem unable to know anything directly about our own or others unconscious experiences, as Nixon shows there is plenty of evidence that it exists for organisms with brains and could exist as well as for all manner of systems throughout the universe. This leads naturally to some blend of panpsychisn or panexperientialism and solves, or hopefully will one day be seen to solve, a host of problems in the philosophy of science as well as having wider socio-cultural implications ranging from support for strong or radical ecology or perhaps a new kind of non-human centered spirituality.


Multiple tuned mass dampers (MTMD) is used for suppressing seismic excitation of tall building. The performance of MTMD is compared with that of a single tuned mass system (TMD). Optimum parameters of TMD/MTMD for minimizing the variance response of the damped primary structure derived by Krenk, Igusa, and Jangid were used. The optimally designed MTMD system is more effective than that of a single TMD system for reducing seismic excitation of a tall building.


Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a term used to describe chronic and recurrent gastrointestinal disease. In total, >2 million individuals worldwide have been diagnosed with IBD, including ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn's disease (CD) and indeterminate colitis. There is accumulating evidence to indicate that microRNAs (miRNAs or miRs) are involved in the development and progression of IBD. miR-4262, an underlying promoter in tumor diseases, has been reported to regulate inflammatory responses. However, the potential mechanisms underlying the role of miR-4262 in IBD remain unknown. The present study attempted to explore the role and mechanisms of miR-4262 in IBD. Firstly, reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the expression of miR-4262 in 30 IBD colonic mucosa tissues, 30 normal tissues, 2% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-treated Caco-2 cells and normal cells. It was demonstrated that the expression levels of miR-4262 in IBD colonic mucosa tissues and 2% DSS-stimulated Caco-2 cells were markedly higher compared with those in the control groups. Target gene prediction databases and dual-luciferase reporter assays were then used, and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) was identified as a target gene of miR-4262. Furthermore, the levels of SIRT1 in 2% DSS-stimulated Caco-2 cells and IBD colonic mucosa tissues were suppressed compared with the corresponding control groups. In addition, it was observed that miR-4262 negatively regulated SIRT1 expression in Caco-2 cells. Thereafter, Caco-2 cells were treated with inhibitor control, miR-4262 inhibitor, control-siRNA or SIRT1-siRNA for 48 h, followed by 2% DSS treatment for 4 days. The secretion of inflammatory factors was analyzed via ELISA and RT-qPCR. MTT assay, flow cytometry and western blot analysis were performed to assess cell viability, apoptosis and NF-κB signaling pathway-related protein levels, respectively. The results indicated that DSS enhanced the inflammatory response, suppressed cell viability and promoted cell apoptosis, and this was decreased following transfection with an miR-4262 inhibitor. In addition, 2% DSS upregulated p-p65 expression and enhanced the ratio of p-p65/p65, while the miR-4246 inhibitor exerted an opposite effect. All the effects of miR-4262 inhibitor on Caco-2 cells were eliminated following transfection with SIRT1-siRNA. It was thus concluded that miR-4262 may serve a role in the progression of IBD via targeting SIRT1, and miR-4262/SIRT1 may represent a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of IBD.


This paper proposes a high-efficiency DC-DC converter with improved dynamic response characteristics for modular photovoltaic power conversion. High power efficiency is achieved by reducing switching power losses of the DC-DC converter. The voltage stress of power switches is reduced at primary side. Zero-current switching of output diodes is achieved at secondary side. A modified proportional and integral controller is suggested to improve the dynamic responses of the DC-DC converter. The performance of the proposed converter is verified based on a 200 [W] modular power conversion system including the grid-tied DC-AC inverter. The proposed DC-DC converter achieves the efficiency of 97.9 % at 60 [V] input voltage for a 200 [W] output power. The overall system including DC-DC converter and DC-AC inverter achieves the efficiency of 93.0 % when 200 [W] power is supplied into the grid.


We tested the validity of the concept that chronic atrophic gastritis can be subdivided into type A and B in hospital patients and normal subjects with proven pentagastrin-refractory achlorhydria. Classification was based on the determination of the basal serum gastrin and parietal cell antibodies. Of 59 hospital patients with achlorhydria, 71% could be classified as belonging to either type A or B; for 29% the criteria for neither type were fulfilled. Of 14 asymptomatic persons with achlorhydria found in 564 normal persons, five could be classified as having type A gastritis, and one as type B gastritis. In eight (53%) persons, an elevated serum gastrin was found in the absence of parietal cell antibodies, representing an intermediate type of atrophic gastritis. Because one-third of the hospital patients and more than half the persons with achlorhydria in a normal population had to be classified as belonging to an intermediate type, the discrimination between type A and B atrophic gastritis in achlorhydria seems to be of limited practical value.


Hollywood continues to dominate the global screen, and US directors and producers don't dare take artistic and political risks, so censorship is not a burning issue


We report the first study of diet composition of a Pyrenean lizard of the genus Iberolacerta, the Aurelio's lizard, I. aurelioi, living in an alpine rocky slope at 2300 m of altitude in Andorra. Diet composition was studied during two years from 289 faecal pellets containing 966 prey items. Number of prey per pellet shows annual, seasonal and sexual differences. Diet of the species is poorly diverse, mainly dominated by insects, but we find clear evidences of opportunistic cannibalism based on the presence of toes and scales in feces. In addition, we detected minor sexual, annual and month differences in prey presence and abundance. Low amplitude of trophic niche width and prey diversity, as well as predation on clumped prey and cannibalistic behaviour suggest that Iberolacerta aurelioi has a remarkable dietary strategy in response to strong thermal and food availability constraints at high mountain habitats.


More than 30 years ago, John Wolfe was the first to observe and describe the association between breast density on mammography and increased breast cancer risk. Following this pioneer work, there is now compelling evidence that density in the highest quartile represents a 4–6 times higher risk of breast cancer. This magnitude of risk is only topped by age and BRCA1/2 mutation. The density-based risk is independent of age and other risk factors. Apart from epidemiologic risk factors, additional genetic factors seem to influence density. This could be the reason behind the well-known interaction between genes and environment. Reliable and reproducible breast density measurements are a prerequisite for the use of breast density to monitor primary prevention strategies and for the use of mammographic density to define women at higher breast cancer risk who would benefit from intensified early detection and surveillance protocols.


This study explores changes of industrial scales and building activities in the semi-industrial area of Seoul's Seong-su, responding to the shifts of industrial structures and policies in the Korean society. The purpose of this study is to investigate patterns of construction activities of factory buildings in the Seong-su semi-industrial area by analyzing changes in industrial facilities. As a result of the analysis, the change of the factory building area come out from the recent survey implies the possibility of entrepreneurial inflow as much and the new constructions and some remodeling cases which are characterized by complexity seem to correspond to the industrial structure. However, it is unreasonable to believe that this phenomenon is a mainstream movement involving small-scale factory buildings and companies. This is because there are aspects that are not included in this movement, such as changing the use of buildings without accompanying physical changes. On the other hand, compared to various movements of individual companies in response to the industrial structure, the physical plan suggests a limited alternative centering on the floor area ratio and the building area ratio. This means that the efforts to attract and grow the power of knowledge based-industry through the designation of the Industrial Development Promotion District in part of the case sites, overlook the natural change through remodeling and reuse of existing buildings. In addition, considering the fact that the production space of industrial use can be greatly influenced by the behavior of users compared to general buildings such as residential and commercial, it is necessary to pay attention to various phenomena occurring in the area more locally than the uniform supply policy. Based on these findings, this study contributes to illuminate the legal system related to building act in the Seong-su semi-industrial area and the potential direction of architectural suggestions in related policies and researches.


The present study was aimed to investigate the effect of 13-cis-retinoic acid (13-CRA) on hemolymph glucose levels in the fresh water edible crab, Oziothelphusa senex senex. Injection of 13-CRA significantly increased hemolymph glucose levels in a dose-dependent manner in intact crabs. Bilateral eyestalk ablation (ESX) resulted in significant decrease in hemolymph glucose levels. Injection of 13-CRA in to ESX crabs did not cause any significant changes in hemolymph glucose level as compared to ESX crabs suggesting that the effect of 13-CRA could be on the neuroendocrine system in the eyestalks increasing secretion of hyperglycemic hormone. To test this hypothesis, eyestalks were collected from control and 13-CRA injected crabs, and tested for hyperglycemic effect and also for the hyperglycemic hormone levels. The levels of hyperglycemic hormone and the hyperglycemic effect were significantly low in the eyestalks collected from 13-CRA injected crabs when compared with eyestalks from control crabs. From results, it is hypothesized that 13-CRA-induced hyperglycemia in the crab, O. senex, is mediated by triggering the release of hyperglycemic hormone from the eyestalk.


The present chapter presents two studies examining the differential effects of acquiescence and social desirability on value scores across cultures. In the first study, culture-level acquiescence indexes were extracted from data in eight multinational surveys, and culture-level social desirability scores were obtained from a meta-analysis of the Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale. Both types of indexes were correlated with cultural value dimensions reported in the literature and with indicators of affluence. We found that affluence explains a substantial proportion of the variance in the association of response styles with value scores in all the surveys. The second study investigated effects of score standardization. This study was based on a large cross-cultural data set collected with the Schwartz Value Survey (SVS). We found that value score standardization had some effect on the correlations of acquiescence with various value types, but only limited effects on social desirability. We conclude that affluence affects the relationship of response styles and value scores. Implications for the interpretation of cross-cultural differences in response styles and value surveys are discussed.


There are regulations in sweden that require organizations to manage occupational, health and safetey (OH&S) issues in a systematic way. The contents of the management system vary depending of the activity of the specific organisation. An accurate management system is crucial in order to assure that rules and regulations are fullfilled. The OHSAS 18001 standard covering OH&S management is intended to provide organizations with the elements of an efficient OH&S management system. The work with this thesis was done at Swemat AB in Harnosand wich is a mechanical industry. In the thesis, the requirements of the OHSAS standard are compared with the current management system. By getting an overview of the current OH&S management system, Swemat AB hopes to find ways to improve OH&S issues. The initial review showed, however, that the requirements of the OHSAS 18001 standard could not be fullfilled at Swemat AB. It did also show that the company can improve OH&S routines by using parts from the OHSAS management system. This thesis suggests some examples of how Swemat AB can implement parts of the OHSAS standard.


Results of wideband path loss and delay spread measurements using high gain, high and low antenna heights with pattern tilting are presented. The measurements were done in the frequency range 905-915 MHz, at two existing cellular mobile radio (CMR) sites. Also presented are potential approaches for analyzing data from high gain antennas. It is shown that, to a large extent, existing models can be used to predict path loss for high gain antennas with downtilting. The results further support the notion that high sites together with high gain antennas and suitably selected pattern tilting can result in a significant reduction in path loss and delay spread, as well as reduction in power transmitted from the cell site and reduction in system interference.


: Natural Rubber (NR) exhibits a remarkable fatigue resistance, especially for non-relaxing loadings under which a strong lifetime reinforcement is observed (Cadwell et al. 1940). Such a resistance is classically attributed to strain-induced crystallization (SIC). At the microscopic scale, it has been shown that SIC induces striations on the fracture surface of NR samples tested under fatigue loadings (Le Cam and Toussaint 2010, Muñoz-Mejia 2011, Le Cam et al. 2013, Ruellan et al. 2018). In order to provide additional infor- mation on the role of SIC in the fatigue crack growth resistance of NR, striations are investigated through post-mortem analysis after fatigue experiments carried out under both relaxing and non-relaxing loadings. Results show that two striation regimes take place. Regime 1 corresponds to small striation patches with different orientations and Regime 2 induces zones with large and well-formed striations. As fatigue striations are observed for all the loading ratios applied, they are therefore not the signature of the reinforcement. Neverthe-less, increasing the minimum value of the strain ampli fi ed the striation phenomenon and the occurrence of Regime 2. The analysis carried out uni fi es the results obtained in the literature for relaxing and fully relaxing loadings in the sense that increasing the loading, i.e. the tearing energy, leads to an increase in the crack growth rate Lindley (1973) and to a striation typology evolution, especially the striation size (Ruellan et al. 2018).


The aim of this study was to identify the bioactive
compound of Citrus maxima fruit that targets the
enzymes responsible for hyperglycaemia. Preliminary
in vitro screening of extracts of fruit parts revealed
that juicy segments (ethanol, methanol and aqueous)
showed the highest inhibition towards the carbohydrate-
hydrolysing enzymes. Further, juicy segment
extracts were subjected to preparative HPLC for separation
and isolation of compounds. After a series of
separations, in vitro analysis and characterization,
naringin was identified to be the bioactive compound
that is responsible for inhibiting carbohydratehydrolysing
enzyme activities. Further application,
such as developing food formulations from C. maxima
will benefit diabetic populations.


In the era of Internet of Things (IoT) technologies the potential for privacy invasion is becoming a major concern especially in regards to healthcare data and Ambient Assisted Living (AAL) environments. Systems that offer AAL technologies make extensive use of personal data in order to provide services that are context-aware and personalized. This makes privacy preservation a very important issue especially since the users are not always aware of the privacy risks they could face. A lot of progress has been made in the deep learning field, however, there has been lack of research on privacy preservation of sensitive personal data with the use of deep learning. In this paper we focus on a Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) Encoder-Decoder, which is a principal component of deep learning, and propose a new encoding technique that allows the creation of different AAL data views, depending on the access level of the end user and the information they require access to. The efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed method are demonstrated with experiments on a simulated AAL dataset. Qualitatively, we show that the proposed model learns privacy operations such as disclosure, deletion and generalization and can perform encoding and decoding of the data with almost perfect recovery.


Yeast xylose reductases are hypothesized as hybrid enzymes as their primary sequences contain elements of both the aldo-keto reductases (AKR) and short chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) enzyme families. During catalysis by members of both enzyme families, an essential Lys residue H-bonds to a Tyr residue that donates proton to the aldehyde substrate. In the Saccharomyces cerevisiae xylose reductase, Tyr49 has been identified as the proton donor. However, the primary sequence of the enzyme contains two Lys residues, Lys53 and Lys78, corresponding to the conserved motifs for SDR and AKR enzyme families, respectively, that may H-bond to Tyr49. We used site-directed mutagenesis to substitute each of these Lys residues with Met. The activity of the K53M variant was slightly decreased as compared to the wild-type, while that of the K78M variant was negligible. The results suggest that Lys78 is the essential residue that H-bonds to Tyr49 during catalysis and indicate that the active site residues of yeast xylose reductases match those of the AKR, rather than SDR, enzymes. Intrinsic enzyme fluorescence spectroscopic analysis suggests that Lys78 may also contribute to the efficient binding of NADPH to the enzyme.


Controlling nanostructural morphologies has been the subject of intensive research as nanostructures can display significantly different bioactivities depending on their physicochemical parameters. Toroidal proteins perform numerous important functions in biological systems. Recent studies show that toroidal nanostructures can be constructed by rationally designed self-assembling peptide building blocks.


Abstract Hydrogeological conceptual modelling is an essential tool in aquifer management, particularly in areas where groundwater abstraction is increasing. Conceptualization requires extensive (and expensive) amounts of data, for which resources are often lacking. This paper describes conceptual models of the Permo-Triassic sandstones in the Dumfries basin and the Upper Devonian sandstones in Fife. Data scarcity means that each aquifer requires an individually tailored approach to formulate the conceptual model and calculate the water balance. This approach can differ considerably from the standard techniques used when more data are available. The implications of data scarcity on the confidence in results are discussed and the conceptual models for both aquifers are compared.