【1. Objectives This study was aimed to evaluate marker substances in Gamijowi-tang by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC) 2. Methods The seperation was performed an AquasilC18(4.6X250mm)column by gradient elution with 0.1N H3PO4 in H2O - acetonitrile(0min 100:10,20min60:40, 40min 80:20, 60min 100:0) as the mobile phase at a flow-rate of 1.0 ml/min with detection at 190-800nm 3. Results Ephedrine and schizandrin were established as marker substances in Gamijowi-tang and its qualitative analysis was carried out. Analyzed was similarity of marker substances between in standard article and in Gamijowi-tang. The result of the analysis was that ephedrine and schizadrin showed 0.9999 of similarity, which meant they were really ephedrine and schizadrin. In addition, ephedrin content was 12.16mg, pseudoephedrine conrenr was 5.09mg, and schizandrin content was 26.6mg in 76g of Gamijowi-tang. 4. Conclusions Qualitative and quantitative analyses of ephedrine and schizandrin in Gamijowi-tang were conducted, and it was identified thar they could be used as marker substances in standardizing quality of Gamijowi-rang.】


In this second part of our two-part article, we present and discuss the corresponding numerical results from implementations of the numerical algorithms described in the first part. With these results, we observed that • operator splitting applied to the associated time-dependent problem is suitable for solving only the first eigenproblem, • among those tried, the perturbation and arclength continuation approach was the sole effective and robust approach for solving higher eigenproblems, • on the eigenproblems for which (undamped or damped) Newton's method converged, it was without question the most efficient.


Service orchestration is an essential activity in 5G networks. It performs optimal resource allocation and provisions services in an effective sequence based on demands across a collection of physical or virtual network functions (P/VNF). This paper summarizes several orchestration environments and components along with their evolution towards 5G. A brief operational comparison of platforms such as Open Source Management and Orchestration (OSM MANO), Open Platform for NFV (OPNFV) and Open Network Automation Platform (ONAP) have been presented, along with different deployment models and architectural alternatives.


The available amount of fresh water for agriculture, and specifically for irrigation, is decreasing all over the world. The quality of irrigation water is deteriorating, and saline/sodic waters are increasingly used in many arid and semi-arid regions of the world. Salinization is closely associated with the process of desertification.Sustainable land management practices are urgently needed to preserve the production potential of agricultural land while safeguarding environmental quality. In cracking soils sustainable management should take into account the occurrence of bypass flow and the influence that land use may have on soil structure and bypass flow phenomena.Measurement of vertical and horizontal shrinkage in confined soil cores was found to be suitable for determining the Soil Shrinkage Characteristic Curve (SSCC) and for incorporating shrinkage in the soil hydraulic parameters/functions determined on confined undisturbed soil samples. An optimization procedure based on multi-step outflow experiments with inverse modelling was developed for determining the soil hydraulic characteristics (HC). The need for accounting for structural porosity and shrinkage processes was recognized on the basis of hydraulic conductivity values determined by the suction crust infiltrometer method and of the SSCC determined on confined soil cores.Analysis of the response of clay soils to ESP values up to 15, showed that the concept of critical threshold needs reconsideration, because increasing soil degradation upon increasing ESP appeared to be a continuum. A major hazard of deterioration of structural and hydraulic properties was recognized even at low ESP values (ESP<5) in dilute solutions. In addition, the major influence that reductions in hydraulic conductivity due to salinity and/or sodicity may have in water transport in the soil-crop system was also documented by application of the LEACHM model.The relevance of bypass flow on the water balance in a Mediterranean climatic context as that occurring in Sicily, was evaluated by application of the FLOCR model. The results showed that bypass flow corresponded with about 70-74% of cumulative yearly rainfall, and that models not accounting for bypass flow may lead to a significant overprediction of crop evapotranspiration and underestimation of the hazard of land degradation and desertification.Results of bypass flow measurements performed in a Mediterranean cracking soil under alternated use of a high salinity solution to distilled water showed that exchange of solutes occurred at the contact surfaces between the macropores/cracks walls and the incoming solution in concomitance with bypass fluxes. These exchanges were effective in determining leaching of solutes and removal of Sodium, and in preventing salinization and sodification in part of the soil volume that is in contact with the roots.Combined use of morphometric and physical techniques made it possible to explore the effect of irrigation on soil structure and bypass flow phenomena of a Mediterranean cracking soil under two different irrigation systems, i.e. drip and micro-sprinkler. Different vertical distributions of cracks was found under the two irrigation systems. In agreement with these observations, different flow behaviour was observed in the laboratory in cylindrical soil cores taken from the irrigated micro-sprinkler field. No bypass flow or lower amounts of bypass flow in the micro-sprinkler irrigated field compared to the drip irrigation treatment. Chemical dispersion of clay particles and detachment of these particles from the surface and their movement into the cracks were the mechanisms responsible for the partial or total occlusion of the (macro) pores in the micro-sprinkler irrigated field.In conclusion, this study showed that drip irrigation alternatively using high and low salt water was most effective in maintaining the productive capacity of the clay soil being studied, particularly when this water was applied to a cracked soil. Combined use of morphometric and physical methods was necessary to understand the underlined highly dynamic flow behaviour in these complex soils.


Software Development Ecosystems (ECOS) involves several external factors and consists of systems and business subsystems that interact in a specific market niche. The objective of this research is to understand the factors that are involved with the interconnection of systems and subsystems into a Software Ecosystem in the public context. In this context, through interviews and document analysis identified a number of important factors that helped to describe the differences relationships found in a social Software Ecosystem in real public context.


Notes on Contributors. Editorial. Part I: THE PROBLEM OF YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT IN EUROPE. 1. Job Insecurity and Job Change Prospects: Views among Employees in Sweden with a Focus on Youth B. Furaker. 2. The Integration of Young People into the Labour Market in Bulgaria E. Ribarova. 3. The School-to-Work Transition for Polish Students: Are There Any New Channels? J. Religa, H. Bednarczyk. Part II: HUMAN CAPITAL: PROMOTING TALENT. 4. Managing Talent: New Challenges in the Banking Industry C. Anagnostopoulou, M. Pilati. 5. Encouraging Youth Employment through Vocational and Technical Education, and Contribution of Employers' Organizations to the Inclusion of Young People in the Labour Market: The Israeli Experience T. Lotan. 6. Vocational Qualifications as a Safeguard for Workers in a System of Flexicurity: the Role of Higher Education M.L. Martin Hernandez. Part III. HUMAN CAPITAL AND LABOUR PRODUCTIVITY POLICIES: THE CHALLENGE OF THE ASIAN MARKETS. 7. Youth Chances under China's 'Socialist Market Economy' H.K. Josephs. 8. Higher Education, Employment and the Labour Market in China: A Survey of Graduate Employment in Zhujiang Delta, Guangdong Li-Li F., Zhang X-M. 9. Youth Employment and Training in Singapore R. Chew, Chew S.B. Part IV: THE REFORM OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING AS AN ANTIDOTE TO PRECARIOUS EMPLOYMENT: NATIONAL CASE STUDIES. 10. Higher Education Quality Assessment for Innovation and Transfer in the Knowledge Society G. Alessandrini. 11. Student and Graduate Mobility in Italy F. Brait, R. Petrillo, M. Strozza. 12. Legal Means for Promoting Youth Employment in Estonia M. Mude. 13. The Role of Industrial Relations in Youth Employment: Case Study of Nigeria J. Opute, K. Koch. 14. National Youth Employment Programmes in Hungary A. Kun. 15. Employment Problems of Young Lawyers in Russia A. Zavgorodniy.


Municipal and state governments are surging ahead in obesity prevention, providing a testing ground for innovative policies and shifting social norms in the process. Though high-profile measures such as New York City's soda portion rule attract significant media attention, we catalog the broader array of initiatives in less-known localities. Local innovation advances prevention policy, but faces legal and political constraints-constitutional challenges, preemption, charges of paternalism, lack of evidence, and widening health inequalities. These arguments can be met with astute framing, empirical evidence, and policy design, enabling local governments to remain at the forefront in transforming obesogenic environments.


A 63-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with obstructive pneumonia. The chest X-ray film and computed tomogram showed an infiltrative shadow in the right lower lung field. Examination with a fiberoptic bronchoscope showed a mass in the right basal bronchus. These findings suggested the diagnosis of lung cancer with obstructive pneumonia. Histopathological examination of a specimen obtained by transbronchial biopsy revealed sulfur granules with infiltration of neutrophils, which led to the diagnosis of endobronchial actinomycosis. After three months of treatment with penicillin, the mass disappeared. Comparison of bronchoscopic findings before and after penicillin treatment clearly showed the efficacy of therapy.


Vigilance is amongst the most universal of anti‐predator strategies and commonly declines with increasing group size. We experimentally manipulated predation risk in a system with a known relationship between group size and vigilance levels to explore whether this relationship changes in response to elevated predation risk. We investigated the vigilance levels of Egyptian geese Alopochen aegyptiaca at eight golf courses in the western Cape, South Africa, to assess the perception of and reaction to predation risk. We manipulated predation risk by introducing trained Harris's hawks Parabuteo unicintus where avian predation was otherwise low or absent. The study confirmed the typical reduction in vigilance with group size on control sites, where the risk of predation is low. However, at experimental sites with elevated predation risk, a positive relationship between vigilance and group size was observed. We hypothesize that the mechanism for this relationship might be linked to social information transfer via copying behaviour and manipulation to induce vigilance. Thus, larger groups will have a higher probability of containing individuals with experience of elevated predation risk and their increased vigilance behaviour is copied by naive individuals. This prediction is based on the intended outcome of introducing avian predation to make the geese feel less safe and to eventually leave the site as a management tool for controlling nuisance geese.


This study examines the influence of face-to-face (FtF) communication and mediated communication on effective conflict communication among married and dating couples, and whether flooding or repair were mechanisms for effective conflict communication. A national sample of couples who primarily used mediated communication or FtF communication in a recent conflict discussion participated. Individuals who reported primarily using FtF communication experienced a negative relationship between flooding and effective conflict communication. This relationship was not significant for individuals who primarily used mediated communication, suggesting that mediated communication might buffer the negative effect of flooding on effective conflict communication. Repair also mediated the indirect effect of channel on effective conflict communication for individuals with low and high levels of relational satisfaction, suggesting mediated communication facilitates repair among dissatisfied couples, and FtF communication facilitates repair among satisfied couples. This study emphasizes the importance of channel, reduced flooding, repair, and relational satisfaction for effective conflict communication.


High growth rates in modern-day broilers require diets concentrated in digestible protein and energy. In addition to affecting feed conversion efficiency, it is important to prevent surplus dietary protein because of greater amounts of undigested protein entering the hindgut that may be fermented by the resident microbiota. The latter may result in increased formation of a wide range of protein-derived compounds including ammonia, amines, indoles and phenols, in addition to secondary products (lactate, succinate) and gases such as methane, hydrogen and carbon dioxide. In poultry, studies have shown the presence of protein fermentation products such as biogenic amines and branched chain fatty acids (BCFA) in the ileal and caecal digesta. The production and metabolism of nitrogenous waste products (as a result of protein fermentation) such as uric acid and ammonia may lead to a burden on the organism and cause additional energy losses. Although biogenic amines are important for normal gut development, greater concentrations may cause gizzard erosion, mortality and depressed growth rate in broilers. A decrease in indigestible protein reduces hindgut protein fermentation. In broilers, feeding diets with coarse particles (between 600 to 900 μm) and/or using feed additives, such as pre- and probiotics and organic acids, especially butyric acid, may improve protein digestion, thereby, potentially reducing hindgut protein fermentation. Studies are therefore needed to determine the extent and importance of hindgut protein fermentation on performance and gut health in broilers.


The use of a black body lamp whose temperature is established by means of optical pyrometry can conveniently provide a standard spectral power distribution that is known in absolute terms. The degree of reproducibility demonstrated in the present work suggests that a practical realization of the candela by this method may be preferable to the conventional approach using freezing platinum. The experiment described interrelates four of the basic scales maintained by the N. P. L. (and other national laboratories): these are the temperature scale, the photometric scale, the colour temperature scale and the radiometric scale. One interpretation of the results is that the freezing temperature of platinum implicit in the photometric scale is about 3K higher than that realized in recent temperature scale work. On the other hand, a previously established relation between the photometric and radiometric scales tends to support the lower value for TPt.


Background: Cancellation of elective surgical operation recognized as a major cause of emotional trauma to patients as well as their families. In Ethiopia, prevalence and reasons for elective surgical case cancellation are variable from time to time in different settings. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to find the pooled prevalence of elective surgical case cancellation. Besides, it aimed to find reasons for elective surgical case cancellation in Ethiopia.Methods: The databases for the search were Web of Science, PubMed, and Google Scholar by the date 02/08/2020. To assess publication bias Egger's test regression analysis was applied. Results: This meta-analysis included a total of 5 studies with 5591 study participants. The pooled prevalence of elective surgical case cancellation was 21.41% (95% CI: 12.75 to 30.06%).Administration-related (34.50%) was the most common identified reason. Followed by Surgeon (25.29%), Medical (13.90%), and Patient-related reasons (13.34%).Conclusions: The national prevalence of elective surgical case cancellation was considerable. The most common reason for elective surgical case cancellation was administration-related reasons, followed by the surgeon, medical and patient-related reasons. The administrative or management-related reasons for the cancellations are potentially preventable. Thus, efforts should be made to prevent unnecessary cancellations through careful planning.


A family of aryl isothiouronium derivatives was designed as probes for cation binding sites of Na(+),K(+)-ATPase. Previous work showed that 1-bromo-2,4,6-tris(methylisothiouronium)benzene (Br-TITU) acts as a competitive blocker of Na(+) or K(+) occlusion. In addition to a high-affinity cytoplasmic site (K(D) < 1 microM), a low-affinity site (K(D) approximately 10 microM) was detected, presumably extracellular. Here we describe properties of Br-TITU as a blocker at the extracellular surface. In human red blood cells Br-TITU inhibits ouabain-sensitive Na(+) transport (K(D) approximately 30 microM) in a manner antagonistic with respect to extracellular Na(+). In addition, Br-TITU impairs K(+)-stimulated dephosphorylation and Rb(+) occlusion from phosphorylated enzyme of renal Na(+),K(+)-ATPase, consistent with binding to an extracellular site. Incubation of renal Na(+),K(+)-ATPase with Br-TITU at pH 9 irreversibly inactivates Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity and Rb(+) occlusion. Rb(+) or Na(+) ions protect. Preincubation of Br-TITU with red cells in a K(+)-free medium at pH 9 irreversibly inactivates ouabain-sensitive (22)Na(+) efflux, showing that inactivation occurs at an extracellular site. K(+), Cs(+), and Li(+) ions protect against this effect, but the apparent affinity for K(+), Cs(+), or Li(+) is similar (K(D) approximately 5 mM) despite their different affinities for external activation of the Na(+) pump. Br-TITU quenches tryptophan fluorescence of renal Na(+),K(+)-ATPase or of digested "19 kDa membranes". After incubation at pH 9 irreversible loss of tryptophan fluorescence is observed and Rb(+) or Na(+) ions protect. The Br-TITU appears to interact strongly with tryptophan residue(s) within the lipid or at the extracellular membrane-water interface and interfere with cation occlusion and Na(+),K(+)-ATPase activity.


One of the major developments in machine learning in the past decade is the ensemble method, which finds highly accurate classifier by combining many moderately accurate component classifiers. This paper addresses using an ensemble of classification methods for data mining applications like intrusion detection, direct marketing, and signature verification. In this research work, new hybrid classification method is proposed for heterogeneous ensemble classifiers using arcing and their performances are analyzed in terms of accuracy. A Classifier ensemble is designed using a Radial Basis Function (RBF) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) as base classifiers. Here, modified training sets are formed by resampling from original training set; classifiers constructed using these training sets and then combined by voting. The proposed RBF-SVM hybrid system is superior to individual approach for intrusion detection, direct marketing, and signature verification in terms of classification accuracy.


A gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) procedure for the simultaneous determination of 18 endogenous steroid hormones in blood plasma from teleost fish has been developed. Proteins were removed by precipitation in methanol and lipids were removed by a liquid–liquid extraction. The protein and lipid free extract was further purified by using two successive solid phase extraction (SPE) methods (C18 and NH2). The isolated steroid hormones were silylated with a mixture of N-methyl-N-(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (MSTFA): iodotrimethylsilane (TMSI):dithioerythritol (DTE) prior to determination with GC-HRMS working in selective ion recording mode. A volume of 200 µL blood plasma was sufficient for accurate determination of the steroid hormone levels, which enabled determination in individual fish. The detection limits ranged from 0.0003 to 0.2 ng g−1 blood plasma from perch (Perca fluviatilis), approximately 10 to 100 times lower then previously reported in this field. The recoveries for the entire procedure were in the range 58 to 150% with a variation, expressed as standard deviation (SD), below 10% with some exceptions. Despite the multi-step clean-up procedure, the intra-assay coefficient of variation, i.e. the within-day variation, for most steroid hormones was well below 14%. Finally, the procedure has been successfully applied to the determination of steroid hormones in blood plasma from female perch caught in two Swedish lakes.


ABSTRACT Type II (lepromatous) granulomas are characterized by a lack of organization, with large numbers of macrophages heavily burdened with bacilli and disorganized lymphocyte infiltrations. Type II granulomas are a characteristic feature of the enteric lesions that develop during clinical Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in the bovine. Considering the poor organization and function of these granulomas, it is our hypothesis that dendritic cell (DC) function within the granuloma is impaired during initial infection. In order to test our hypothesis, we used a subcutaneous M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection model to examine early DC function within M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis-induced granulomas. In this model, we first characterized the morphology, cellular composition, and cytokine profiles of subcutaneous granulomas that develop 7 days after subcutaneous inoculation with either vaccine or live M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis. Second, we isolated CD11c+ cells from within granulomas and measured their maturation status and ability to induce T-cell responses. Our results demonstrate that M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis or vaccine administration resulted in the formation of distinct granulomas with unique cellular and cytokine profiles. These distinct profiles corresponded to significant differences in the phenotypes and functional responses of DCs from within the granulomas. Specifically, the DCs from the M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis-induced granulomas had lower levels of expression of costimulatory and chemokine receptors, suggesting limited maturation. This DC phenotype was associated with weaker induction of T-cell proliferation. Taken together, these findings suggest that M. avium subsp. paratuberculosis infection in vivo influences DC function, which may shape the developing granuloma and initial local protection.


Enhancing the light absorption in thin-film silicon solar cells is important for improving efficiency and reducing cost. We introduce all-back-contact ultra-thin silicon solar cells with wet-etched pyramid textures on top of the solar cell which, at present, has an efficiency (8%) of the solar cells compared with that of the planar solar cell (4.8%).


The assessment and treatment of depression in long-term care (LTC) settings poses unique challenges to both clinicians and researchers. In this review we discuss the variety of forms depression can take among LTC residents and the influence the LTC environment can play on the development and maintenance of depression. We describe instruments that can be used to assess depressive symptoms, along with their strengths and liabilities. Additionally, we summarize treatment approaches, with an emphasis on the relatively limited number of empirically informed interventions. Throughout, we describe modifications that may improve the accuracy of assessment and the effectiveness of psychological treatments. Depression, while common among LTC residents, appears amenable to psychological intervention, although the field is far from identifying empirically supported treatments in the LTC setting.


Both early and later forms of Buddhism developed a set of arguments to demonstrate that the self is an illusion. This article begins with a brief review of some of the arguments but then proceeds to show that these arguments are not themselves sufficient to dispel the illusion. It analyzes three ways in which the illusion of self manifests itself – as wish fulfillment, as a cognitive illusion, and as a phenomenal illusion (what might be called the "I" sense). With respect to this last, the article reviews some recent developments in cognitive neuropsychology and neuroscience to discuss the way in which the phenomenal illusion of self is encoded within our brain processes. This article also considers the way in which the illusion of self is constructed through social interaction, by episodic memory, and by narrative construction. Finally, it focuses on how the illusion of self developed as an evolutionary necessity to make it possible for the human organism to navigate physical and social reality; and that it continues to be useful today. This poses a dilemma for the Buddhist soteriological project of extinguishing the illusion of self. Specifically, while it is possible to develop a non-self perspective though the continued practice of vipassanā (mindfulness meditation), it is not possible to maintain it consistently. The article concludes that even fully enlightened individuals must sometimes oscillate between a non-self perspective and a self-perspective and suggests an analogy between this oscillation and what occurs in the Kanizsa square illusion.


Component-based development is one of the core principles behind modern software engineering practices. Understanding of causal relationships between components of a software system can yield significant benefits to developers. Yet modern software design approaches make it difficult to track and discover such relationships at system scale, which leads to growing intellectual debt. In this paper we consider an alternative approach to software design, flow-based programming (FBP), and draw the attention of the community to the connection between dataflow graphs produced by FBP and structural causal models. With expository examples we show how this connection can be leveraged to improve day-to-day tasks in software projects, including fault localisation, business analysis and experimentation.


Sir, We read with interest the article by van den Boogaard et al. that intends to perform an individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis of subfertile couples and treatment outcomes using the Templeton model to estimate the chance of pregnancy after in vitro fertilisation (IVF). The model of Templeton et al. analysed 36 961 treatment cycles undertaken in the UK between 1991 and 1994, and was validated in a population of 1253 couples receiving IVF treatment in the Netherlands between 1991 and 1999. Since then intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for male factor infertility has been widely adopted, and we have recently demonstrated that the Templeton model, although showing reasonable discrimination, is poorly calibrated and of limited use in contemporary populations. Using UK population level data from 144 018 treatment cycles completed from 2003 to 2007, we developed a new model that encompasses a series of new measures, including use of donor oocytes, ICSI, cycle number and whether there had been a previous spontaneous or IVF-related live birth or fetal loss. Using this novel model we demonstrated a statistically significant improvement (compared with the Templeton model) in the overall prediction of live birth, as assessed by area under the curve, and that our model attained excellent calibration, with the accurate identification of couples with a poor, moderate and good prognosis. This model has now been validated on the UK 2008 data for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Guideline Development Group, and underlies the health economic model to estimate live birth probabilities for IVF (NICE Infertility Guideline, released for public consultation 22 May 2012). We would therefore respectfully suggest that the IPD analysis should use the more recent, accurate and now validated IVFpredict model when assessing the chance of a live birth after IVF. j References


Patient: Female, 58 Final Diagnosis: Nephroangiosclerosis Symptoms: Renal failure Medication: — Clinical Procedure: Resuscitation of grafts by hypothermic oxygenated perfusion Specialty: Transplantology Objective: Challenging differential diagnosis Background: The recovery of discarded human kidneys has increased in recent years and impels to use of unconventional organ preservation strategies that improve graft function. We report the first case of human kidneys histologically discarded and transplanted after hypothermic oxygenated perfusion (HOPE). Case Report: Marginal kidneys from a 78-year-old woman with brain death were declined by Italian transplant centers due to biopsy score (right kidney: 6; left kidney: 7). We recovered and preserved both kidneys through HOPE and we revaluated their use for transplantation by means of perfusion parameters. The right kidney was perfused for 1 h 20 min and the left kidney for 2 h 30 min. During organ perfusion, the renal flow increased progressively. We observed an increase of 34% for the left kidney (median flow 52 ml/min) and 50% for the right kidney (median flow 24 ml/min). Both kidneys had low perfusate's lactate levels. We used perfusion parameters as important determinants of the organ discard. Based on our previous organ perfusion experience, the increase of renal flow and the low level of lactate following 1 h of HOPE lead us to declare both kidneys as appropriate for dual kidney transplantation (DKT). No complications were reported during the transplant and in the post-transplant hospital stay. The recipient had immediate graft function and serum creatinine value of 0.95 mg/dL at 3 months post-transplant. Conclusions: HOPE provides added information in the organ selection process and may improve graft quality of marginal kidneys.


Problems. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the antihyerglycemic and antihyperlipidemic activity of randia dumetorum fruit extract in experimental animals using Nicotinamide (NA) and Streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic rats. Experimental approach..The first group of male wistar rats was normal control, second group was used as diabetic control group. The diabetic rats of third and fourth group were treated orally with randia dumetorum Fruit extract (200mg/kg b.w.&400mg/kgb.w.) for 28 days, fifth group was treated orally with 25mg/kgb.w. Gliclazide. Major findings. The diabetic rats treated with the extract and Gliclazide shows significantly decreased glucose level, as compared to diabetic control group. In case of OGTT the extract OD, extract BD and Gliclazide treated groups, glucose level nonsignificantly decreases at 60 and 120 min giving the indication regarding the supportive action of the extract and also with STZ&NA induced rats significant blood glucose and lipid lowering was found with the same extract. Conclusion. These new data indicates that randia dumetorum fruit extract represents an effective antihyperglycemic, and a potential source of discovery of new therapeutic agent.


34 www.ijeas.org  Abstract— Access to clean water, good sanitation services and improved hygiene practices enhance sound health, boost socio-cultural development, and promote economic balance. This study is focused on investigating and identifying the state of water, sanitation and hygiene practices in an urban setting, and proffer solutions to the probable challenges associated with it. Five Local Government areas (LGAs) of Lagos State were selected for this study. The survey involved the use of structured questionnaires administered to randomly selected residents from the LGAs. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software application and descriptive statistics were used for data analysis. The study reveals that access to water and proper sanitation is insufficient and its services is at high cost to many of the residents who live below the poverty line of less than $2 per day. The supply of water from the water corporation to the local government is not sufficient thereby making many to rely on commercial and private boreholes which often time is expensive. The result also shows that indifferent attitude characterizes poor sanitation which is basically associated with poor maintenance, indiscriminate dumping of refuse in drains and ineffective drainage systems. It is therefore important that sustained cooperation be developed among key actors in order to reduce cost of gaining access to potable water. There should also be continuous sensitization and enlightenment campaigns to the public on the dangers of environmental neglect.


Negative bias temperature instability (NBTI) and stress-induced leakage current (SILC) both are more serious due to the aggressive scaling lowering of devices. We investigate the SILC during NBTI stress in PMOSFETs with ultra-thin gate dielectrics. The SILC sensed range from -1 V to 1 V is divided into four parts: the on-state SILC, the near-zero SILC, the off-state SILC sensed at lower positive voltages and the one sensed at higher positive voltages. We develop a model of tunnelling assisted by interface states and oxide bulk traps to explain the four different parts of SILC during NBTI stress.


The appearance of coin switches avoids people's awkward when they need coins. It is the designer's task to make the man-machine interface easier to operate and match people's operating habit so as to increase efficiency after the appearance of new products. This paper introduces the basic characters of coin switches, and discusses the main points of the designing of the man-machine interface of a coin switch.


Abstract Recalling that the method of estimation by generalized least squares enables testing of hypotheses on the parameters under estimation, advantage is taken from the fact that the solution given by the classical harmonic analysis is identical with the one given by least squares to select those components significantly different from zero. The necessary levels of significance are found through a generalization of Walker's criterion. The same idea is applied to the search for periodicities in time series. In this case, special properties of the series of sample autocovariances and of autoregressive series are used as auxiliary tools. The illustrations given concern the estimation of daily normals of the mean outdoor temperature at Uccle (Brussels) and the establishment that the sunspot activity is an essentially periodic phenomenon. Errors of estimation are computed in both cases.


One of the characteristic features of the modern world is the dynamics of demographic changes. Depending on their nature and intensity, they can be a driving force behind socio-economic development or doom it to stagnation or regression. There is no doubt, however, that a declining demographic potential, especially unfavourable changes in the age structure of the population (an ageing society), may contribute to economic difficulties in the given area, often leading to social problems. The aim of the research the results of which are presented in this article was to analyse regional differences in the age structure of Poland's population in two time intervals, viz. the years 1999 and 2010, using multivariate techniques, and more specifically, principal components analysis and cluster analysis. They both make it possible to accommodate many features of the population age structure simultaneously, thus better illustrating the two situations (the years 1999 and 2010) and changes that took place in between, than univariate approaches.


The extraocular muscles (EOM), the effector arm of the ocular motor system, have a unique embryological origin and phenotype. The naked mole‐rat (NMR) is a subterranean rodent with an underdeveloped visual system. It has not been established if their ocular motor system is also less developed. The NMR is an ideal model to examine the potential codependence of oculomotor and visual system development and evolution. Our goal was to compare the structural features of NMR EOMs to those of the mouse, a similar sized rodent with a fully developed visual system. Perfusion‐fixed whole orbits and EOMs were dissected from adult NMR and C57BL mice and examined by light and electron microscopy. NMR orbital anatomy showed smaller EOMs in roughly the same distribution around the eye as in mouse and surrounded by a very small Harderian gland. The NMR EOMs did not appear to have the two‐layer fiber distribution seen in mouse EOMs; fibers were also significantly smaller (112.3 ± 46.2 vs. 550.7 ± 226 sq μm in mouse EOMs, *P < 0.05). Myofibrillar density was less in NMR EOMs, and triad and other membranous structures were rudimentary. Finally, mitochondrial volume density was significantly less in NMR EOMs than in mouse EOM (4.5% ± 1.9 vs. 21.2% ± 11.6, respectively, *P < 0.05). These results demonstrate that NMR EOMs are smaller and less organized than those in the mouse. The "simpler" EOM organization and structure in NMR may be explained by the poor visual ability of these rodents, initially demonstrated by their primitive visual system. Anat Rec, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


The aim of this study was to examine the coping strategies of 49 patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and the potential impact of these strategies on survival. A total of 49 subjects were recruited. Each subject was asked to complete a questionnaire on coping strategies called the Brief COPE. The various coping strategies were divided into three factor sets through a factorial analysis: active coping (α 0.84), social support (α 0.71) and avoidance (α 0.71). Each score was divided into two subgroups in relation to the median (limited use vs. frequent use). Equality of survival distributions for the different levels of coping strategies was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier (Log Rank (Mantel-Cox)) model, with adjustment for mental health (GHQ-28), disease severity (ALSFRS), clinical form at onset (bulbar vs. spinal), medical assistance (ventilation and gastrostomy), participation in a clinical trial and gender. Results revealed a significant and positive impact of active coping strategies while taking mental health, ALSFRS scores, clinical form at onset, medical assistance, participation in a clinical trial and gender into account (Log Rank (Mantel-Cox) p < 0.05). Our study clearly demonstrates the impact of active coping strategies on survival in ALS.


A major factor for long-term success of a lunar station is the ability to keep an agroecosystem functioning at a desirable, stable steady state with ecological stability and reliability. Design for a longlived extraterrestrial manned station must take into account interactions among its subsystems to insure that overall functionality is enhanced (or at least not compromised). Physical isolation of food production, human living areas, recycling, and other systems ~· be straightforward; however, microbiological isolation wiJl be very difficult. While it is possible to eliminate plant-associated microbiological communities by growing the plants aseptically, it is not practical to keep plants germ.free on a large scale if humans are working with them. Ecological theory strongly suggests that some kinds of communities or organisms effectively increase the stability of ecosystems and wiJl protect the plants from potential pathogens. A carefully designed and maintained (lunar-derived) soil can provide a variety of habitats for effective microbial buffers while adding strncture to the agroecosystem. A soil can also increase ecosystem reliability through buffering otherwise large element and compound .fluctuations (of nutrients, wastes, etc.) as well as buffering temperature level and atmosphere composition. We are doing experiments in ecological dynamics and attempting to extend the relevant theories.


2399 Protein Phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a ubiquitously expressed member of the serine-threonine phosphatase family that is involved in regulation of many cellular processes including transcription, translation, cellular metabolism and apoptosis. We confirmed by Real Time PCR the recent finding of Gopalakrishna et al (Cancer Letters 136:145, 1999) demonstrating a correlation between PP2A expression and ER expression in several human breast cancer cell lines. Therefore, we investigated if a potential molecular pathway involving PP2A could contribute to regulation of ER expression in the human breast cancer cell line, MCF7. Through the use of Okadaic Acid (OA), a specific PP2A inhibitor, at 250 nM for 24 hours, we were able to significantly inhibit PP2A protein expression by Western analysis and detected a 40% reduction in PP2A activity in MCF7 cells. This inhibition of PP2A also resulted in 75% reduction in ER mRNA expression by Real Time PCR and a significant decrease in protein expression. Inhibition of ER mRNA and protein expression following PP2A inhibition was further confirmed using siRNA probes specifically targeting expression of PP2A. siRNA inhibition of PP2A resulted in 77% decrease in ER mRNA expression by Real Time PCR and a similar decrease in protein expression. Taken together, these data suggest a role for PP2A in the transcriptional regulation of ER. Because the transcription factor Sp1 is activated by PP2A and binds to the ER P1 promoter, we evaluated a region within the P1 promoter that contains two putative Sp1 binding sites by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA). We have identified a region of the P1 promoter with decreased transcription factor complex formation following inhibition of PP2A in MCF7 cells. These data suggest a novel pathway controlling ER expression resulting from the activation of PP2A and could potentially provide a novel therapeutic target. Supported by NIH CA88843, T32 CA09110, and K14 GM063673.


Nowadays, multicarrier transmission is very popular because of the high data rate requirement of wireless systems. Orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) is a special case of multicarrier transmission. It is considered an effective technique for frequency-selective channels because of its spectral efficiency, its robustness in different multipath propagation environments, and its ability of combating intersymbol interference. Losing subchannel orthogonality causes interchannel interference, but many conventional channel estimators assume that the channel is time-invariant during one OFDM symbol. This assumption causes error floors along the OFDM symbol for high-mobility cases. In this paper, we propose 2-dimensional pilot symbol-assisted channel estimation for wireless OFDM systems by using frequency and time-domain interpolation. This method has the advantage of minimizing the system complexity and processing delay while closely approximating the actual mobile channel. The performance of our proposed method is compared to coherent modulation with perfect channel estimation as well as other conventional channel estimation methods. Different detection techniques were used to test our proposed channel estimation algorithm.


This paper proposes a possible solution to the vanishing gradient problem in recurrent neural networks, occurring when such networks are applied to solving tasks where detection of long term dependencies is required. The main idea consists of pre-processing the signal (a time series typically) through a discrete wavelet decomposition, in order to separate the short term information from the long term ones, and treating each scale by different recurrent neural networks. The partial results concerning all the sequences at diverse time/frequency resolutions are combined through an adaptive nonlinear structure in order to achieve the final goal. This new preprocessing based approach is distinct from the other one reported in literature to-date, as it tends to mitigate the effects of the problem under study avoiding relevant changing in network's architecture and learning techniques. The overall system (called recurrent multiscale network, RMN) is described and its performances tested through typical tasks namely the latching problem and time series prediction.


Gastrointestinal (GI) tuberculosis (TB) is rare and can occur in the context of active pulmonary disease or as a primary infection with no pulmonary symptoms. It typically presents with vague abdominal symptoms, making it difficult to discern from alternative disease processes. Although the ileocecal region is the most commonly affected site, tuberculous enteritis can involve any aspect of the GI tract. To demonstrate the importance of maintaining a high clinical suspicion for the disease, we present a case of GI TB presenting as severe malnutrition and segmental colitis of the left colon.


Four kinds of TRIP-aided cold-rolled steel sheets were fabricated with additions of tramp elements of Cu, Cr, and Ni to a basic 0.15C-1.5Mn-1.5Si-0.5Cu (hereafter all in wt%) steel, and their microstructures, mechanical properties, and formability were investigated to analyze the effects of the addition of tramp elements. These steel sheets were intercritically annealed at 780-790°C, and isothermally treated at 430°C. Tensile tests and limiting dome height (LDH) tests were conducted, and the changes of retained austenite volume fractions as a function of tensile strain were measured using X-ray diffraction. The formability of the Cu- and Ni-containing cold-rolled steel sheets was greatly improved as the strain-induced transformation of retained austenite was sustained up to the high strain region due to their high volume fraction and stability of retained austenite. On the other hand, the Cr-containing steel sheets showed a dual-phase structure of ferrite and martensite resulting from low volume fraction and stability of retained austenite and a large amount of transformed martensite. These findings indicated that when tramp elements such as Cu, Cr, and Ni were positively used, low-carbon TRIP-aided cold-rolled steel sheets having mechanical properties suitable for various application purposes and excellent formability could be successfully achieved.


The frequency of sudden death from massive pulmonary embolism in the patient who has successfully passed through a major surgical operation or is recuperating from an injury, the recent parturient and the person with cardiac disease or phlebitis warrants a consideration of this condition. The incidence of fatal pulmonary embolism may be seen from the following figures: In our own small series, the basis of this communication, 5 deaths were post-traumatic, 5 followed medical treatment, 13 were postoperative and 1 was postpartum. The cases were observed in 1,781 consecutive unselected autopsies on adults from Jan. 1, 1926, to Oct. 31, 1937. The material came from general hospitals and from the coroner's service. A study of our own material and a survey of the literature indicate the importance of the following three points: 1. The increased risk of this complication for certain persons and with certain types of operation. 2. The


Abiotic stresses have a negative impact on the productivity and survival of plants throughout the world, including agricultural crops. Currently climatic conditions such as drought, extreme temperatures and sources of pollution that deteriorate the soil and water have increased greatly. Plants have developed molecular, morphological and physiological mechanisms in order to counteract various types of stress, both biotic and abiotic. Knowing mechanisms like these help to implement conservation and genetic improvement strategies in plants, useful both for the agricultural sector and in bioremediation. Therefore, this work seeks to demonstrate the effect of abiotic stress on Fabaceae, by comparing different parameters studied in 10 plant species of the Fabaceae family.


In 1974, E.W. Dijkstra defined self-stabilization as the property for a distributed sys- tem to recover by itself a correct behavior in a finite number of steps, starting from any initial state. Thus, self-stabilization is a simple and efficient way to tolerate transient faults or fail- ures. This paper surveys works that propose self-stabilizing solutions to problems arising in Computer Networks, such as routing and transport layers, or network control protocols. We also review techniques to design self-stabilizing protocols, and mechanisms that reduce the sta- bilization time when the number of hitting faults is small. MOTS-CLES :autostabilisation, reseaux, protocoles, routage, communications point a point, con- trole reparti, transformation automatique.


Effective pulmonary capillary pressure and extravascular lung water were investigated in dogs (n = 9) with normal heart function and after development of acute myocardial ischaemia. During control, no impairment of cardiopulmonary performance was observed. Extravascular lung water was in the normal range (8.1 +/- 2.8 ml.kg-1) and the effective pulmonary capillary pressure accounted for 1.36 +/- 0.53 kPa (10.2 +/- 4 mmHg). No correlation between extravascular lung water and effective pulmonary capillary pressure was observed (r2 = 0.347, P = 0.06). Arterial (RPA) and venous pulmonary resistance (RPV) were 70 +/- 15% and 30 +/- 6%, respectively. Acute myocardial ischaemia was induced by one stage occlusion of the left anterior descending (LAD) coronary artery; measurements during the ischaemia phase were performed 60 min following LAD occlusion. Myocardial ischaemia resulted in moderate changes of cardiac output, heart rate and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. Oxygenation deteriorated, but no hypoxaemia occurred in any animal and CO2 elimination remained unchanged. Extravascular lung water was elevated (16.5 +/- 7.9 ml.kg-1, P < or = 0.01), and effective pulmonary capillary pressure was higher when compared with the control state (2.32 +/- 1.05 kPa (17.4 +/- 7.9 mmHg), P < or = 0.01). There was a significant correlation between both parameters (r2 = 0.528, P < or = 0.05). Longitudinal distribution of pulmonary vascular resistance was altered, and RPA decreased to 60 +/- 13% (P < or = 0.05), while RPV increased to 40 +/- 8% (P < or = 0.05). It is concluded that development of lung oedema is related to elevated effective pulmonary capillary pressure in dogs with acute myocardial ischaemia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


This essay looks at subjectivity in Virginia Woolf's The Waves employing a psychoanalytic approach and using the theories of Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari. Woolf's relation to the theories of her contemporary Sigmund Freud was unclear. Psychoanalytic scholarship on Woolf's writings, nevertheless, established itself in 1980's as a dominant scholarly topic and has been growing since. However, the rigidity and medicalizing discourse of psychoanalysis make it poorly compatible with Woolf's feminist, anti-individualist writing. This essay is a reading of The Waves, in which psychoanalytic theory is infused with a Deleuzo-Guattarian approach. The theories of psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan, and especially his concept of the Other, together with Rosi Braidotti's concept of nomadic subjectivity, are used as relevant tools for thinking about subjectivity in the context of The Waves. The resultant reading is a criticism of psychoanalysis. In this reading, two characters are looked at in detail: Percival and Bernard. Percival emerges as the Lacanian Other, who, situated at the central nexus of power, symbolises the tyrannies of individuality and masculinity. Simultaneously, Percival is detached from the metaphysical world of the novel. His death marks a shift from oppressive individuality towards nomadic subjectivity. For Bernard, nomadic subjectivity is a flight from the dead and stagnating centre towards periphery, where new ethics can be negotiated. The essay concludes with the implications of such reading: the affirmation of nomadic subjectivity makes the Deleuzo-Guattarian approach more relevant in the context of Woolf, whereas psychoanalytic striving towards structure, dualism, and focus on pathology are rejected as incompatible with her texts.


National and international studies have shown consistent upskilling trends in the labour market. While this claim is true at aggregate levels, when employment growth and total hours worked are disaggregated into permanent and casual full-time and part-time employment for men and women, upskilling trends are inconsistent. The analysis shows that permanent male and female full-time employment exhibited clear signs of upskilling both in terms of employment growth and hours worked but this was not the case in casual full-time work for men and women. Part-time casual and permanent work showed clear signs of polarisation and downskilling for men and women. These polarisation trends suggest that workers who do not possess high-level skills will face increasing levels of difficulty and uncertainty in the labour market, with an adverse impact on both household and individual inequality.


Pushing down predicates to an external data source is critical to the performance for querying heterogeneous data sources. However, predicate-containing string comparisons cannot be pushed down unchanged if the external data source uses a different collating sequence. We describe a table-driven technique for rewriting such predicates to account for the differences in collation. In addition to precise conversion, we also consider imprecise conversion.


A thorough understanding of the energy transfer mechanism from the electric field to electrons is of utmost importance for optimisation and control of different plasma sources and processes. This mechanism, called electron power absorption, involves complex electron dynamics in electronegative capacitively coupled plasmas (CCPs) at low pressures, that are still not fully understood. Therefore, we present a spatio-temporally resolved analysis of electron power absorption in low pressure oxygen CCPs based on the momentum balance equation derived from the Boltzmann equation. Data are obtained from 1d3v particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo Collision simulations. In contrast to conventional theoretical models, which predict 'stochastic/collisionless heating' to be important at low pressure, we observe the dominance of Ohmic power absorption. In addition, there is an attenuation of ambipolar power absorption at low pressures due to the strong electronegativity, and the presence of electropositive edge regions in the discharge, which cause a high degree of temporal symmetry of the electron temperature within the RF period.


Minority women are underrepresented in clinical research, which impedes progress in understanding and eliminating health disparities. Reducing health disparities is an important goal of public health community. Recent data suggests that community-based participatory research (CBPR) which systematically involves the affected communities in each stage of the research process-inception, planning, recruitment, conduct and education is the key to reducing health disparities. Between 2001 and 2005 approximately 10,000 invasive and 2,000 in situ breast cancer cases were reported in Region 5 of the San Bernardino County women in California. Although data reveals that the age adjusted incidence rate of 23.7 for in situ breast cancer cases in the Region 5 population is lower than the state-wide rate of 27.3, the number of in situ cases in the area rose from 9.6 in 1988 to 24.8 in 2007. Obesity rates for African American (AA) and Latina adults in the San Bernardino County are 34%. The emergence of the obesity epidemic worldwide has been associated with increases in metabolic syndrome, breast cancer, and type 2 diabetes in the industrialized countries. The proposed pilot study used a CBPR method to study women9s perceptions, beliefs and attitudes towards participating in a clinical breast cancer study that involved blood. Methods: A community-based participatory mixed-methods approach, including a 6-month lifestyle intervention education program was employed. Participants were recruited using purposive convenience sampling that evaluated educational program designed to increase women9s knowledge of positive attitudes and participation in breast cancer clinical studies and simple changes in lifestyle that result in reduced risk for breast cancer. To evaluate the effectiveness of the educational intervention, we used knowledge, attitudes, behavior, and perception-based questionnaire, and in-depth interviews to assess changes before and after the educational experience. Results: Fifty eight women that included 36 African American and 22 Latina women participated in the educational program, out of which twenty five women were recruited into the lifestyle intervention program that required providing blood to test for metabolic syndrome and risk for breast cancer. All the women in the intervention study were willing to provide blood for the study. Seventy six percent of the women in the lifestyle intervention program were either obese or experienced metabolic syndrome. At the end of six months, 78% of the women who participated in the study reduced their body fat by 2% change, by reducing dietary fat consumption. Approximately 93% of the women increased servings of fruits and vegetables in their diet and engaged in some form of exercise after their enrollment into the study. This program is currently sustained by community support groups, after the end of the grant. The project director meets with the women once a month and monitors their life style changes. Conclusion: Community-based participatory research projects that engage community partners through the entire process of research planning and conduct may result in effective sustainable projects that will result in resilient communities. Funding supported by Kaiser Permanente Fontana Community Benefit Grant. Citation Format: Padma Pauline Tadi Uppala, Padma Pauline Tadi Uppala, Loistine Herndon, Hildemar Dos Santos, Amanda Dupre, Persila Mohammadnia, Maheswari Senthil. Community-based participatory research leads to sustainable lifestyle intervention program for reducing breast cancer risk among African American and Latina women. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Sixth AACR Conference: The Science of Cancer Health Disparities; Dec 6–9, 2013; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2014;23(11 Suppl):Abstract nr C85. doi:10.1158/1538-7755.DISP13-C85


The article shows that analytic causative constructions are more grammaticalized in French and Italian than in Spanish and Portuguese, both in meaning (semantic bleaching of the verb 'to make') and in synthesis (structural event integration). It is pointed out, moreover, that Italian fare + infinitive is semantically and structurally more grammaticalized than French faire + infinitive, and that the emergence of the inflected infinitive in the clausal complements of causative and perception verbs in Portuguese has made the Portuguese causative constructions less integrated, and thus less grammaticalized, than the Spanish ones. The conclusion of this study is that there exists a decreasing continuum of grammaticalization of causative constructions in Romance languages, that starts with Italian and goes on to French, Spanish and Portuguese, in that order.


Acute administration of the angiotensin I converting enzyme inhibitor, captopril (2 X 10(-4) M), was shown in an earlier study to attenuate the contractile responses of aortic rings of rats to alpha-adrenergic agonists in vitro. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of chronic treatment with captopril on reactivity of aortic rings from both normotensive and renal hypertensive rats when captopril was no longer present. Four groups of rats were used: (1) normotensive, untreated; (2) normotensive, captopril-treated (48 mg/kg b.w. per day for five weeks); (3) hypertensive (bilateral renal encapsulation for five weeks), untreated and (4) hypertensive, captopril-treated. Renal encapsulation was associated with a significant increase in systolic blood pressure, which was prevented by concomitant treatment with captopril. At the end of the five weeks treatment aortic rings, 4 mm in length, were washed for 2 h to remove the captopril, following which contractile responses to various vasoactive agents were studied in vitro. Chronic treatment with captopril attenuated significantly contractile responses to both norepinephrine (10(-9) to 10(-5) M) and phenylephrine (10(-8) to 10(-4) M) but had no effect on isoproterenol-induced relaxation of KCl-depolarized tissue in the presence of 10(-5) M phentolamine. Contractile responses to angiotension I (10(-10) to 10(-7) M) did not differ statistically among the four groups. Following addition of captopril (2 X 10(-4) m) to the bath for 30 min, contractile responses to angiotensin I were attenuated in all four groups of rings.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


PURPOSE
To measure and compare the shear bond strength of four core materials to dentin bonded with one adhesive (Prime and Bond NT) that was either light-cured or dual-cured.

METHODS
The dentin of 80 freshly extracted molars was exposed using a series of abrasive disks. The teeth were divided into eight equal groups, etched with phosphoric acid for 15 seconds and rinsed. Dentin was dried to a moist surface. On 40 teeth, Prime and Bond NT was applied and light-cured for 30 seconds. On 40 teeth, Prime and Bond NT was mixed with the self-cure additive, which was applied to the dentin, and light-cured for 20 seconds. The core materials were then placed following manufacturers' directions onto the cured adhesive. The core material was light-cured, when it was necessary, for 60 seconds and stored for 24 hours in water at room temperature. The specimens were loaded in shear in the Instron until failure at a 5 mm/minute crosshead speed. Data were compared using two factor ANOVA and Tukey's HSD test (P = .05).

RESULTS
Both curing mode and core material showed a significant difference. A significant difference between mean shear bond strength for dual and light cured was observed only in CompCore (P = 0.0002). There was no statistical difference when Prime and Bond NT dual-cured was used with chemical- or dual-cured materials.


In recent years residents of the intermontane West have experienced a series of expensive and high-profile fire seasons. One result is that the concept of ecological restoration has moved squarely into public view. As scientists and practitioners continue to refine the definition of ecological restoration as a practical matter, citizens are forming their own perceptions of how restoration should be applied to local forests. We used a recent public opinion survey in north-central Arizona to assess public views of restoration. Our findings indicate broad support for restoration although portions of the population, particularly those in rural areas, see restoration primarily as a means to protect human lives and property from fire. Most importantly, our findings suggest that a majority of the public in this region have a view of restoration beyond fire risk reduction, but vary in their willingness to accept dramatic changes to forest conditions.


The application via i.v. jugular, in rats, of two fluorochromes (rhodamine 6GO and phosphine 3R) with a 10 min interval, allows the direct observation of nephronal corpuscles using an epifluorescent microscopical technique, as well as their eventual quantification and qualification into normal or semifunctional corpuscles. In rats previously treated by i.p. injection of gentamicin or netilmycin a decrease of the active nephronal population as well as an increase of the percentage of semifunctionality has been noticed.


ABSTRACT Forty-one patients in whom otogenic brain abscess was diagnosed and has been treated since 1968 are presented. Sixty-five percent of the patients were between 5 and 15 years of age. All patients had chronic otitis media, and 95% had cholesteatoma. Abscess was located in the temporal lobe in 54%, in the cerebellum in 44%, and in both locations in 2% of the cases. Most patients had radical mastoidectomy and evacuation of the abscess through the mastoidectomy (61%). In addition to mastoidectomy, burr hole drainage was used in 20% and craniotomy in 15%. The most common microorganism involved was Proteus. Overall mortality in this series is 29%, but after 1976, when CT became available for the diagnosis and follow-up, the mortality rate was reduced to 10%.


Miss L. V. Simpson in "Some Unrecorded Sources of Baif's Livre des Meteores" (PMLA, xlvii [1932], 1012-1027), remarks that a statement made by Pellissier in 1897 concerning Baif's sources "seems to have passed unchallenged," and holds that he was wrong in attributing influence to Aratus and in neglecting Aristotle as the chief source. She also seeks to prove that Baif borrowed, not only from Vergil and Manilius, but from Hyginus, Seneca, Pliny, and Pontano's Meteora. To the latter work she grants only a comparison which, she thinks, may have come to Baif directly from Aristotle, and the lengend of the origin of the Milky Way. Now had she looked into the supplement of Lanson's Manuel, she would have found that in 1909 M. Auge-Chiquet published a dissertation on Baif (La Vie, les idees et l'ceuvre de Jean-Antoine de Baif, [Paris: Hachette]), and devoted pp. 236-247 to a study of the Livre des Meteores. He says nothing about Aratus, but shows that Baif's main source was Pontano's Meteora, the plan of which he modified. He shows, too, that Baif used Pontano's Urania, which Miss Simpson overlooks, and calls attention to borrowings from the Aeneid and from Bion. Of course, Pontano's meteorological notions may well go back to Aristotle, Pliny, etc., but one cannot reduce his role to the extent that Miss Simpson does. She should certainly reconsider her findings, making a more careful study of Pontano and taking into consideration M. Auge-Chiquet's views in regard to Baif's sources. H. Carrington Lancaster The Johns Hopkins University


This Script is reflection of the trip of Payung Hitam Theater which are expressed in some manuscript, such as " Menunggu Godot (1991), "Kaspar" (1994-2003), and " Merah Bolong Putih Doblong Hitam" (1996-20080) constitute the result of stretching of Indonesia modern theater which develops from un-satisfaction feeling in viewing factual reality which exist in the society. Inheritance which develops on the Modern Theater according to Saini constitutes an effort to express collision or the conflict of values that is difficult to be separated from its artist. The script of dialectic between reality and ideality of the theater Payung Hitam basically starts from the change which is appeared by group through the show of "Kaspar". "The function of drama manuscript is not dominant anymore. The stage of show doesn't give exposition of story or describe characters of art figure fully and realistically. The Metaphoric happening and archaic emotion are mort showed trough body expressivity of the actor, while verbal language expression becomes more minimal. The expression of theater of this period can be seen as effort to refuse hegemony of verbal language, to refuse the linearity of the story, then to open the slices of the new discourse trough the appearance of boy artistic of the language and things personification". The peak of rebellion which is done by the group of Payung Hitam Theater is laid on "Merah Bolong Putih Doblong Hitam",that is not anymore using of main character manuscript as reference in working. Body and expression of the players then becomes language which substitutes text verbally. For stressing the happening change, in this term is chosen one of drama which is conventional, that is "Menunggu Godot", as a measuring tool. Keywords: Dialectic, Realistic, and Idealistic.


>The U. S. Navy DT-60 dosimeter was evaluated under field type conditions as to its reproducibility and accuracy of gamma x-ray, thermal and fast neutron and mixed radiation responses. Gamma and x-ray responses from 25 to 600 rads at energies in oxcess of 200 kev were found to be accurate within 20% in 92% of 160 dosimeters examined. Because the DT-60 was found to have no detectable fast neutron response, effort was directed toward exaggerating the thermal neutron response to approximate the total neutron dose from a nuclear detonation and also toward eliminating any neutron response in a mixed neutron- gamma field. This was accomplished by various combinations of lithium, paraffin and cadmium shielding. Data indicate that the DT-60 dosimeter can be modified to approximate more closely doses from specific types of mixed radiations; however, this generally detracts from its value in approximating other types of mixed radiation doses. A paired system of dosimeters, in conjunction with one of the fast neutron dosimetry systems is proposed as being the most satisfactory ar rangement to approximate mixed radiation doses to personnel in the field. (auth)


MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ∼21-nucleotide small RNAs (sRNAs) with essential regulatory roles in plants. They are generated from stem-loop-structured precursors through two sequential Dicer-like 1 (DCL1)-mediated cleavages. To date, hundreds of plant miRNAs have been uncovered. However, the question, whether the sequences reverse complementary (RC) to the miRNA precursors could form hairpin-like structures and produce sRNA duplexes similar to the miRNA/miRNA* pairs has not been solved yet. Here, we interrogated this possibility in 16 plant species based on sRNA high-throughput sequencing data and secondary structure prediction. A total of 59 RC sequences with great potential to form stem-loop structures and generate miRNA/miRNA*-like duplexes were identified in ten plants, which were named as RC-miRNA precursors. Unlike the canonical miRNAs, only a few cleavage targets of the RC-miRNAs were identified in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and rice (Oryza sativa), and none in Soybean (Glycine max) based on degradome data. Surprisingly, the genomic regions surrounding some of the RC-miRNA target recognition sites were observed to be specifically methylated in both Arabidopsis and rice. Taken together, we reported a new class of miRNAs, called RC-miRNAs, which were generated from the antisense strands of the miRNA precursors. Based on the results, we speculated that the mature RC-miRNAs might have subtle regulatory activity through target cleavages, but might possess short interfering RNA-like activity by guiding sequence-specific DNA methylation.


When platelets are chilled for short times ( 48 h-refrigerated) (Wandall et al. Blood, 2008). Investigating the clearance mechanism of 48 h-refrigerated platelets, we now demonstrate macrophage-independent hepatic removal, that is mediated by the Ashwell-Morell asialoglycoprotein receptor (AMR). This conclusion is based on the following evidence: macrophage depletion in mice using clodronate encapsulated liposomes, a procedure that dramatically improves the circulation of 4 h chilled platelets, does not prevent the clearance of 48 h chilled platelets; streptavidin-POD staining reveals abundant long-term refrigerated and biotinylated platelets in hepatocytes; 48 h-refrigeration increases by ~1.7-fold the binding of the βgalactose-recognizing lectin RCA, but not of the βGlcNAc recognizing lectin sWGA lectin to platelets; KO mice lacking Asgr-1 or Asgr-2 subunits of the AMR support 48 h-refrigerated platelet circulation times comparable to room temperature stored platelets; Co-injection of asialofetuin, a competitive inhibitor of the asialoglycoprotein-receptors, restore the survival of 48 h-refrigerated platelets in WT mice; and hepatocyte HepG2 cells ingest fluorescently labeled long-term refrigerated platelets in culture, and asialofetuin prevents this ingestion. Regarding the platelet target of the Asgr-1/Asgr-2 receptors, circulation of 48 h-refrigerated platelets is markedly improved by removal of GPIbα's N-T domain using O-sialopeptidase. We conclude that longterm refrigeration exposes galactose residues on GPIbα subunits of platelets to generate ligands recognized by hepatocyte Ashwell-Morell receptors.


Phalaenopsis amabilis is one orchid flower have a higher economic value commercial flowers.The aims of this study was to determine Plant Growth Regulators (PGR) in inducing flowering Phalaenopsis sp. Randomized Complete Block Design was used with three replications. Non destructive observations were made such as number of leaves and leaf area, initiation of flower spike, length of flower stalk, flower initiation, length of panicle, number of flowers bud, Number of flowers bloom, flower diameter, and percentage of flowering plants. The results showed that there is interaction between kinds of PGR and types of flowers on vegetative growth. The best applications PGR is BA 200 ppm inducing flowering 100% and accelerate the time of flower initiation 23 days after treatment. Aplication 100 ppm Paclobutrazol promote 50% in the percentage of flowering and 100 ppm GA3 promote 33.3% in the percentage . Effect of Paclobutrazol on Phalaenopisi only for type of purple flower


It is shown that for structures in which the coordinates of atoms have been randomly generated, the probability formula gives an underestimate of the experimental probability of the Σ2 relation. Concentration of atoms in planes increases the number of reliable triplet sign relations. Although the presence of a non-crystallographic centre of symmetry results in a larger number of triplet relations with high EHEKEH - K values, the percentage of failures is increased compared with random structures.


Corpus-based research of scientific articles in the social sciences in Hebrew demonstrates different kinds of impersonal constructions characteristic of this genre, among them various uses of grammatical metaphors. An analysis of this data from the rhetorical perspective makes it possible to point to the rhetorical roles performed by impersonal constructions. They serve the 'rhetoric of objectivity' and the ethos of the credible and uninvolved researcher, and present the research as an entity independent of and separate from the researcher. The author's absence from the cognitive actions that underlie the text, in particular the drawing of conclusions, presents the conclusions as those that any rational reader would draw given the same data. Impersonal constructions involve the reader in the cognitive activities that underlie the scientific paper and create common ground between the writer and reader. Viewed from the rhetorical perspective, grammatical metaphors appear to be rhetorical devices that serve the entire range of goals of the author, as a member of the scientific community.


The feasibility is examined of using high-gradient magnetic separation (HGMS) to recover about 8-nm magnetite nanoparticles that are tailored specifically to extract target solutes (polymer-coated nanoparticles for the extraction of soluble organic contaminants from water and phospholipid-coated particles for the selective extraction of proteins). A general model for nanoparticle capture based on calculating the limit of static nanoparticle buildup around the wires in an HGMS column is presented. Model predictions are compared successfully with experimental results from a bench-scale HGMS column for both the polymer- and phospholipid-coated particles. A minimum diameter for successful particle capture is derived for both individually dispersed nanoparticles and aggregates of nanoparticles. The individually dispersed polymer-coated nanoparticles are less easily captured in the HGMS column than are the phospholipid-coated particles, which exist as submicron aggregates. © 2004 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 50: 2835–2848, 2004


In nature, the detection of colours requires an organism having some type of eye with a retina and two or three types of photoreceptor connected to a nervous system, which can interpret the signals received. Evidence that certain simple organisms were coloured 1 billion years ago, and some more advanced creatures, which could have possessed eyes a few hundreds of million years ago, is exemplified. A vast array of chemicals essential to life are produced by living organisms and their biosynthesis depends upon individual genetic patterns, which determine the enzyme catalysts involved. Plants photosynthesise many pigments, which are essential for them to maximise the absorption of energy from the sun, while others offer protection from any harmful radiation. Such pigments, for example chlorophylls and the carotenoids, flavonoids and betalains, have traditionally been used as natural dyes, food colorants and medicines. This review compares the chemical processes involved in their biosynthesis and the laboratory methods adopted to confirm their chemical structure. Some engineered biosynthetic methods are now used for commercial production of natural colours and these methods may involve the controversial use of genetic engineering.


Abstract. During the last deglaciation, the climate evolves from a cold state at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) at 21 ka (thousand years ago) with large ice sheets to the warm Holocene at ∼9 ka with reduced ice sheets. The deglacial ice sheet melt can impact the climate through multiple ways: changes of topography and albedo, bathymetry and coastlines, and freshwater fluxes (FWFs). In the PMIP4 (Paleoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project – Phase 4) protocol for deglacial simulations, these changes can be accounted for or not depending on the modelling group choices. In addition, two ice sheet reconstructions are available (ICE-6G_C and GLAC-1D). In this study, we evaluate all these effects related to ice sheet changes on the climate using the iLOVECLIM model of intermediate complexity. We show that the two reconstructions yield the same warming to a first order but with a different amplitude (global mean temperature of 3.9 ∘C with ICE-6G_C and 3.8 ∘C with GLAC-1D) and evolution. We obtain a stalling of temperature rise during the Antarctic Cold Reversal (ACR, from ∼14 to ∼12 ka) similar to proxy data only with the GLAC-1D ice sheet reconstruction. Accounting for changes in bathymetry in the simulations results in a cooling due to a larger sea ice extent and higher surface albedo. Finally, freshwater fluxes result in Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) drawdown, but the timing in the simulations disagrees with proxy data of ocean circulation changes. This questions the causal link between reconstructed freshwater fluxes from ice sheet melt and recorded AMOC weakening.


Awareness in environmental ethics among students becomes a complex problem that is trying to be addressed through environmental education in schools. But it is considered difficult given many factors that affect, especially cultural factors. Parental, background, social life, and systems in developing countries such as Indonesia are still lack of concern for the environment. In fact there is occurred in group of fast learner students in middle school, their intelligence is above average, they also gain access to a lot of environmental knowledge, but none in implementation. To capture the phenomena, measured students environmental literacy levels by using the Environmental Literacy Instrument. The result, for all environmental literacy components, students were high in components of environmental knowledge and cognitive skills, but have not been satisfactory for the affective and responsible behavior components. Performed a correlation analysis between the components, demonstrate the behavior is not influenced by the environmental knowledge, but more influenced by his attitude towards the environment.


Despite their solid theoretical basis, models of business investment based on Tobin's Q theory have recorded a generally disappointing empirical performance. This paper examines one possible source of misspecification. When the firm's technology is expanded to include two or more capital inputs, the investment equation following from maximizing behavior includes Q as well as a series of additional explanatory variables. The importance of these omitted variables is assessed, and the econometric evidence is mixed, as the Multi-Capital Q model clearly dominates the Conventional specification but empirical problems remain. In addition, the implications of the parameter estimates from the Conventional and Multi-Capital models for tax policy are noted.


The discovery of inhibitors of bromodomain and extra terminal domain (BET) has achieved great progress, and at least seven inhibitors have progressed into clinical trials for the treatment of cancer or inflammatory diseases. Here, we describe the identification, optimization, and evaluation of benzo[cd]indol-2(1H)-one containing compounds as a new class of BET bromodomain inhibitors, starting from structure-based virtual screening (SBVS). Through structure-based optimization, potent compounds were obtained with significantly improved activity. The two most potent compounds bind to the BRD4 bromodomain, with Kd values of 124 and 137 nM. Selected compounds exhibited high selectivity over other non-BET subfamily members. Notably, compound 85 demonstrated a reasonable antiproliferation effect on MV4;11 leukemia cells and exhibited a good pharmacokinetic profile with high oral bioavailability (75.8%) and moderate half-life (T1/2 = 3.95 h). The resulting lead molecule 85 represents a new, potent, and selective class of BET bromodomain inhibitors for the development of therapeutics to treat cancer and inflammatory diseases.


Triaxial compression tests were preformed such that changes in the magnetic susceptibility anisotropy with strain would be represented by experimental approximations of simple shear and pure shear. Both types of tests were performed on artificial materials of high magnetic susceptibility at room temperature and atmospheric pore fluid pressure. Experimental displacement-rates and strain-rates were computer controlled during testing. Two different shear zone materials were employed for the "simple shear" testing, a sand-cement mixture and a calcite-cement mixture. Three series of simple shear tests were conducted on the sand-cement material at various confining pressures; Series A, at 0.689 kbars, Series B at 1.0 kbar and Series C at 1.5 kbars. Two series of simple shear tests were conducted on the calcite-cement material, Series 1, at 1.0 kbar confining pressure and Series 2 at 1.5 kbars P^. For both materials a constant axial displacement-rate of 5.0x10"^ inches, s'** (corresponding to a slip displacement-rate on the shear zone walls of 8.7x10'^ inches, s'"*) was employed. Final shear strain values ranged from 0.025 X to 0.378 /. One series of pure shear deformation was conducted on the calcite-cement material at 1.5 kbars confining pressure employing a constant natural strain-rate of 5.0x10"® s"^. Final axial strain values ranged from 4.42% to 18.3% shortening. The development of simulated ''tectonic'' magnetic fabrics in both pure and simpie shear has been achieved. Principal directions of susceptibility rotate sometimes in complex patterns toward 'tectonically' significant stable orientations. Magnitudes of susceptibility show progressive changes consonant with the intensity of strain such that there appears to exist a consistent relation between the change in the degree of anisotropy of susceptibility (AP') and the bulk strain ratio (In X/Z) for both the pure and simple shear experiments.


A conversational time-sharing computer program called Relcomp can be used for rapid and economical calculation of the reliability and mean time between failures (MTBF) of systems consisting of serial and redundant units. Relcomp is simple to use and does not require any special knowledge of programming. A copy of the complete Relcomp program listing is provided in Tymshare Super Basic language. Use of the program to calculate the reliability and MTBF of a system, its subsystems, and blocks is illustrated by examples.


The balance between cellular lineages can be controlled by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Cellular differentiation into adipocytes is highly dependent on the production of ROS to initiate the process through activation of multiple interlinked factors that stimulate mitotic clonal expansion and cellular maturation. The signal transducer and activator of transcription family of signaling proteins have accepted roles in adipogenesis and associated lipogenesis. Non-canonical mitochondrial localization of STAT3 and other members of the STAT family however opens up new avenues for investigation of its role in the aforementioned processes. Following recent observations of differences in mitochondrially localized serine 727 phosphorylated STAT3 (mtSTAT3-pS727) in preadipocytes and adipocytes, here, we hypothesize and speculate further on the role of mitochondrial STAT3 in adipogenesis.


I present theoretical results at approximate NNLO from NNLL resummation for top quark production at the LHC and the Tevatron, including new results at 8 TeV LHC energy. Total cross sections are shown for t tbar production, for single top production in the t and s channels and via associated tW production, and for associated tH- production. Top quark transverse momentum and rapidity distributions in t tbar production are also presented, as well as new results for t-channel single top and single antitop pT distributions.


In this paper a new systematic switching control approach to adaptive stabilization of linear time-varying (LTV) discrete-time systems is presented. A feature of the localization based method is its high model falsification capability, which in the case of LTI systems is manifested as the rapid convergence of the switching controller. We believe that the proposed method may help pave the way for design of practical adaptive switching controllers applicable to a wide range of linear time-invariant and time-varying systems.


Inflation is a situation where there is an increase in the general price level. Inflation for goods and services purchased by consumers is measured by changes in the Indeks Harga Konsumen (IHK). Determination of the amount, type and quality of commodities in the package of goods and services in the IHK is based on the Survey Biaya Hidup (SBH). In Central Java, there are only four cities covered in the implementation of SBH, namely Purwokerto, Solo, Semarang, and Tegal. It was the underlying researchers took the four cities. In this case, researchers taken for the period of 2009-2013. Inflation Purwokerto, Solo, Semarang, and Tegal is a multivariate time series that show activity for a certain period. One method to analyze multivariate time series is Vector Autoregressive (VAR). VAR method is one of the multivariate time series analysis of variables that can be used to predict and assess the relationship between variables. Inflation researchers predict that by 2014 the four cities using VAR (1). Chosen VAR (1) is based on the results of some tests. VAR (1) have the optimal lag value, there is no correlation between the residual lag, and the value Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) is smaller than the other models.


Toxoplasmosis, one of the most prevalent parasitic infections in humans and animals, is caused by the intracellular protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. Small mammals play a key role as intermediate reservoir hosts in the maintenance of the T. gondii life cycle. In this study, we estimated the molecular prevalence and provide genetic diversity data for T. gondii in 632 small mammals sampled in four areas of Cotonou city, Benin. Both the brain and heart of each individual were screened through T. gondii-targeting qPCR, and positive samples were then genotyped using a set of 15 T. gondii-specific microsatellites. Prevalence data were statistically analyzed in order to assess the relative impact of individual host characteristics, spatial distribution, composition of small mammal community, and urban landscape features. An overall T. gondii molecular prevalence of 15.2% was found and seven genotypes, all belonging to the Africa 1 lineage, could be retrieved from the invasive black rat Rattus rattus and the native African giant shrew Crocidura olivieri. Statistical analyses did not suggest any significant influence of the environmental parameters used in this study. Rather, depending on the local context, T. gondii prevalence appeared to be associated either with black rat, shrew, or mouse abundance or with the trapping period. Overall, our results highlight the intricate relationships between biotic and abiotic factors involved in T. gondii epidemiology and suggest that R. rattus and C. olivieri are two competent reservoirs for the Africa 1 lineage, a widespread lineage in tropical Africa and the predominant lineage in Benin.


Background: Sinonasal inverted papilloma (IP) is a rare benign tumor of the nasal cavities and paranasal sinuses. It is destructive or bone-remodeling, tends to recur after surgical resection, and has a significant malignant potential. The present study aimed to perform a retrospective analysis of patients with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) arising from IP, including characteristics, survival outcome, and predictors of associated malignancy. Methods: The medical records of 213 patients diagnosed with IP from January 1970 to January 2014 were retrospectively reviewed. Eighty-seven patients were diagnosed with SCC/IP; their clinical characteristics, treatments, and survival outcomes were analyzed. Results: Of the 87 patients with SCC/IP, the 5- and 10-year overall survival outcomes were 39.6% and 31.8%, respectively. Twenty-nine of these patients received surgery and 58 received combined surgery and radiation. Of the patients with stages III–IV, the 5-year survival rate was 30.7% for those treated with surgery only and 39.9% for those given the combination treatment (P = 0.849). Factors associated with significantly poor prognosis were advanced-stage, metachronous tumors, or with cranial base and orbit invasion. Age, synchronous or metachronous tumors, and pathological stage were independent risk factors for mortality, shown by multivariate analysis. Conclusion: Patients with SCC/IP had low overall survival outcomes. Advanced age, stage, and metachronous tumors are the main factors affecting prognosis. Treatment planning should consider high-risk factors to improve survival outcome.


In the past decade, automation in fluorescence microscopy has strongly increased, particularly in regards to image acquisition and sample preparation, which results in a huge volume of data. The amount of time required for manual assessment of an experiment is hence mainly determined by the amount of time required for data analysis. In addition, manual data analysis is often a task with poor reproducibility and lack of objectivity.
Using automated image analysis software, the time required for data analysis can be reduced while quality and reproducibility of the evaluation are improved. Most image analysis approaches are based on a segmentation of the image. By arranging several image processing methods in a so-called segmentation pipeline, and by adjusting all parameters, a broad range of fluorescence image data can be segmented. The drawback of available software tools is the long time required to calibrate the segmentation pipeline for an experiment, particularly for researchers with little knowledge of image processing. As a result, many experiments that could benefit from automated image analysis are still evaluated manually.
In order to reduce the amount of time users have to spend in adapting automated image analysis software to their data, research was carried out on a novel image analysis concept based on hand-labeled data. Using this concept, the user is required to provide hand-labeled cells, based on which an efficient combination of image processing methods and their parameterization is automatically calibrated, without further user input. The development of a segmentation pipeline that allows high-quality segmentation of a broad range of fluorescence micrographs in short time poses a challenge. In this work, a three-stage segmentation pipeline consisting of exchangeable preprocessing, figure-ground separation and cell-splitting methods was developed.
These methods are mainly based on the state of the art, whereas some of them represent contributions to this status. Discretization of parameters must be performed carefully, as a broad range of fluorescence image data shall be supported. In order to allow calibration of the segmentation pipeline in a short time, discretization with equidistant as well as nonlinear step sizes was implemented. Apart from parameter discretization, quality of the calibration strongly depends on choice of the parameter optimization technique. In order to reduce calibration runtime, exploratory parameter space analysis was performed for different segmentation methods. This experiment showed that parameter spaces are mostly monotonous, but also show several local performance maxima. The comparison of different parameter optimization techniques indicated that the coordinate descent method results in a good parameterization of the segmentation pipeline in a small amount of time.
In order to minimize the amount of time spent by the user in calibration of the system, correlation between the number of hand-labeled reference samples and the resulting segmentation performance was investigated. This experiment demonstrates that as few as ten reference samples often result in a good parameterization of the segmentation pipeline.
Due to the low number of cells required for automatic calibration of the segmentation pipeline, as well as its short runtime, it can be concluded that the investigated method improves automation and efficiency in fluorescence micrograph analysis.


Objectives: to investigate pregnant women's perception on Guthrie test and verify how this matter is approached during prenatal care. Methods: this study is an exploratory descriptive, cross-sectional and quantitative approach design, carried out with 160 pregnant women who attended the Prenatal Care service at the Primary HealthCare in the city of Uberaba-MG. Data collection was performed between December 2014 and February 2015, using a semi-structured questionnaire. A bivariate descriptive statistics was applied by using the Pearson ́s Chi-square test. Results: 75% of the pregnant women could not report which pathologies were to be screened, 16.3% reported that the diseases detected by Guthrie test had etiology genetic, 82% mentioned it was necessary to have more information on Guthrie test, 60% referred the necessity on focusing which diseases to be diagnosed. Only 36% of the pregnant women indicated the correct period (3rd to 7th day of the newborn life) for exam collecting. An average of 50% of the participants did not know about this prenatal test. Conclusions: pregnant women showed a low understanding regarding the test; there was a lack of understanding about prenatal matters. The nursing personnel play an important role in this stage to demonstrate their abilities in health education.


Robert Vincent Hogg was born on November 8, 1924 in Hannibal, Missouri. He earned a Ph.D. in statistics at the University of Iowa in 1950, where his advisor was Allen Craig. Following graduation, he joined the mathematics faculty at the University of Iowa. He was the founding Chair when the Department of Statistics was created at Iowa in 1965 and he served in that capacity for 19 years. At Iowa he also served as Chair of the Quality Management and Productivity Program and the Hanson Chair of Manufacturing Productivity. He became Professor Emeritus in 2001 after 51 years on the Iowa faculty. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Mathematical Statistics and the American Statistical Association plus an Elected Member of the International Statistical Institute. He was President of the American Statistical Association (1988) and chaired two of its winter conferences (1992, 1994). He received the ASA's Founder's Award (1991) and the Gottfried Noether Award (2001) for contributions to nonparametric statistics. His publications through 1996 are described in Communications in Statistics--Theory and Methods (1996), 2467--2481. This interview was conducted on April 14, 2004 at the Department of Statistics, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, and revised in the summer of 2006.


PURPOSE
To carry out a systematic review of scientific productions that dealt with the topic of phonological processing in relation to the influence of poor academic performance, as well as its interference in the development of reading and writing.

RESEARCH STRATEGY
Articles published until August 2017 were searched in electronic databases. After elaborating the guiding question of the study: "What is the influence of phonological processing on poor school performance and its relation in the development of reading and writing?", we collected and selected the reports using descriptors, gathered in a single search equation, according to three thematic axes: phonological processing, learning and poor school performance.

SELECTION CRITERIA
Original researches with an evaluation of at least two phonological processing skills were included. Articles that had no relationship between phonological processing skills and school performance were excluded.

DATA ANALYSIS
The titles and abstracts were read by two speech-language pathologists, separately. The results were compared and the divergences found decided by a third researcher speech therapist, also responsible for the study. The articles included were read in full and data extraction was performed to analyze the methodology and the main results.

RESULTS
982 potentially relevant studies were selected. After using the evidence matrices, 38 scientific productions were included for detailed analysis.

CONCLUSION
The study of scientific productions revealed that the alteration in phonological processing skills presented a relation with poor academic performance and, together with the schooling phase, directly influenced reading and writing skills.