Changes in plasma or serum enzymes and isoenzymes are useful indicators of tissue damage in many diseases. Enzyme increases are usually related to leakage of enzymes from damaged cells. The amount of increase depends on factors such as the concentration of enzyme in the cells, the rate of leakage of enzyme from cells and the rate of clearance of enzyme from plasma. There are important species variations in the tissue concentrations and plasma clearance rates of enzymes and isoenzymes.


Some effects of welding conditions on the strength of spot welded joints were studied. Spot welds under various welding conditions were performed on SPC-1 (cold rolled carbon steel sheets). Static tensile and bending fatigue tests were carried out, and the following results were obtained:(1) A dominant facto: on bending fatigue strength was different from that of static tensile fracture strength. The static tensile strength increased with nugget diameter. The bending fatigue strength changed with HAZ angle (θ), which is the angle between the heat-affected zone and the plate surface.(2) It was found that the fatigue crack propagated along the parallel direction to heat-affected zone.(3) The welding condition of R.W.M.A. class A gave the maximum static tensile strength but the minimum for bending fatigue strength.


The role of parents in child socialization has been an inquisitive subject of inquiry. Parenting style forms one of the widely adopted lenses through which child-rearing patterns have been conceptualized. Though well-researched, gaps persist in comprehending the core works in the parenting style-child socialization relationship domain and their linkages. This study employs bibliometric techniques to present an objective assessment of 1,812 articles containing 93,720 cited documents, using citation and co-citation analysis. Prominent works in the discipline and associated clustering patterns are revealed. Further, the centrality parameters of the parenting style research network are deciphered via social network analysis. The exercise adds to theory by clarifying the scholarly dialog and depicting the intellectual structure of parenting style research. Further, through the findings, potential research directions are outlined.


By virtue of their high conversion efficiency, simple fabrication process and low cost, flexible generators that can convert ambient mechanical energy into electricity are playing a critical role in promoting the development of self-powered wearable electronics. However, urgent challenges have to be overcome to withstand harsh environments, in which the output power performance of all those generators without suitable packaging will deteriorate permanently. Herein, we develop a novel laminated cellular electret film that allows the surface charges to self-recover under ambient air conditions after exposure to an extremely moist atmosphere. The laminated electret cellular film-based flexible generator with sandwich structure can effectively harvest energy from walking motion. Furthermore, this device shows great capability for self-recovery even after operating in extremely moist conditions, an inevitable environment for wearable power supplies. Besides offering valuable new insights, this study opens up new perspectives for low-cost and reliable wearable devices.


Abstract Caring for the terminally ill is a demanding, but rewarding area of health care. Stressors unique to this working environment—dealing with patient death rather than cure, and supporting entire family units, for example—put caregivers at risk from stress related illness. This study investigated the buffering effects of optimism, self-efficacy and social support against two measures of stress within the palliative setting. Comparisons were made between volunteer (n = 18) and professional (n = 18) caregivers across three caregiving settings. Data were collected retrospectively about personal control variables; use of and satisfaction with, social support; and, perceived general and occupational specific stress levels. Differences in reported stress levels were found both between settings (NHS, hospice and community-based) and between caregiver type (salary status and occupational category). Optimism was more strongly and consistently associated with low levels of perceived stress than was self-efficacy. Satisfaction with social support was highest among paid workers, and in terms of buffering stress in the whole sample, appeared mediated by optimism. Worksite interventions targeting caregiver self-efficacy and optimism are recommended as a potential source of stress management within this population.


We estimate the evolution of markups of publicly traded firms in 74 economies from 19802016. In advanced economies, markups have increased by an average of 39 percent since 1980. The increase is broad-based across industries and countries, and driven by the highest markup firms in each economic sector. For emerging markets and developing economies, there is less evidence of a rise in markups. We find a positive relation between firm markups and other indicators of market power, such as profits or industry concentration. Focusing on advanced economies, we investigate the relation between markups and investment, innovation, and the labor share at the firm level. We find evidence of a non-monotonic relation, with higher markups being correlated initially with increasing and then with decreasing investment and innovation rates. This non-monotonicity is more pronounced for firms that are closer to the technological frontier. More concentrated industries also feature a more negative relation between markups and investment and innovation. The association between markups and the labor share is generally negative. JEL Classification Numbers: D2, D4, E2, J3, K2, and L1.


We performed laboratory friction experiments on shale samples from three hydrocarbon reservoirs to assess compositional controls on fault slip behavior accompanying hydraulic stimulation. The samples span a range of clay and total organic content from ~10 to 60% by weight and demonstrate fine‐scale heterogeneity within each reservoir. Friction measurements demonstrate strong dependence of strength and rate‐state constitutive properties on shale composition. Shale samples with clay and organic content above ~30% by weight show coefficient of friction ~0.4 and consistently velocity‐strengthening behavior, while those below this threshold show increased strength and velocity‐weakening behavior. This transition in frictional strength and stability suggests a change in the shale grain packing framework from rigid clast supported to clay mineral and organic matter supported. Measurements of gouge dilatancy further support these relationships, showing a negative correlation with clay and organic content. Critical slip evolution distance exhibits similar dependence on composition, implying common micromechanical mechanisms for the observed transition in frictional behavior. We performed microstructural characterization of the experimental samples and observe changes in the gouge load‐bearing framework and shear localization features consistent with these mechanical data. While these results can be applied generally to infer slip stability on faults in clay‐bearing sedimentary rock, we employ the experimental data to place constraints on microearthquake magnitudes and the occurrence of slow shear slip on preexisting faults during hydraulic stimulation in shale reservoirs.


Three crude oligosaccharides were respectively prepared by acid hydrolysis of three polysaccharides, which were water-extracted polysaccharide (WEP), sodium hydroxide-extracted polysaccharide (SEP) and acid-extracted polysaccharide (AEP) from the rhizomes of Dioscorea zingiberensis. Among the three oligosaccharides, the crude oligosaccharide prepared by acid hydrolysis of WEP was found to be the most efficient elicitor to enhance the production of palmarumycins C12 and C13 in liquid culture of endophytic fungus Berkleasmium sp. Dzf12. When OW was applied to the medium at 300 mg/L on day 3 of culture, the maximal yields of palmarumycin C12 (87.96 mg/L) and palmarumycin C13 (422.28 mg/L) were achieved on day 15 of culture, which were 9.83 and 3.24-fold in comparison with those (8.95 and 130.43 mg/L) of control, respectively. The results indicate that addition of the oligosaccharides from the host plant D. zingiberensis should be an effective strategy for enhancing production of palmarumycins C12 and C13 in liquid culture of endophytic fungus Berkleasmium sp. Dzf12.


The similarity between the Russian and the Indian, in a Cold War context, may be ambiguous considering the ethnic-social variables and the period in time from where the Indians relate. However, by analyzing these, as well as other, characters in the exhibition of movies, we could learn something about the ideology of the time from which the movies derive. This study examines ideology and movies in the Cold War era and concludes that the Indian, for example, may be representing the values of the common public enemy, originating from the Cold War ideology. The movies examined, regardless of influence of distinct Cold War themes or lack of such themes, carry attributes that give evidence of typical Cold War ideology. The fear of communism and common enemies connected to a Cold War context, the thought of America as the land of the free – with the horizon in the ending of the movies as metaphoric to freedom – and the moral rhetoric that connects to the American thought of a duty as a global savior, are all signs of the Cold War ideology. Even though the messages are somewhat clearer and more distinct in the movies with Cold War motifs, the fact that ideology is projected through other movies as well should be considered essential for the continuing study of movies as cultural artefacts.


Endotoxin administration to animals and humans is an accepted experimental model of Gram-negative sepsis, and endotoxin is believed to play a major role in triggering the activation of cytokines. In septic patients, the IL-12/IL-18/IFN-gamma axis is activated and correlates with mortality. Our aim was to investigate the effects of endotoxin administration in humans on the activation of the IL-12/IL-18/IFN-gamma axis. Seven healthy volunteers received E. coli endotoxin (O:113). Hemodynamics, temperature and the course of plasma concentrations of TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-12, IL-18 and IFN-gamma were determined. Endotoxin administration resulted in the expected flu-like symptoms, a temperature of 38.8 +/- 0.3(o)C (p < 0.003), a decrease in mean arterial blood pressure of 14.8 +/- 1.8 mmHg (p < 0.0002) and an increase in heart rate of 27.5 +/- 4.8 bpm (p < 0.002) compared to baseline values. TNF-alpha increased from 16.6 +/- 8.2 to 927 +/- 187 pg/mL (p < 0.003). IL-1beta increased from 8.6 +/- 0.5 to 25.3 +/- 2.0 pg/mL (p < 0.0001). IL-12 showed no significant increase (8.2 +/- 0.2 to 9.3 +/- 0.8 pg/mL, p = 0.13), and all IL-18 measurements remained below the level of detection. In contrast, IFN-gamma showed an increase from 106.6 +/- 57.1 to 152.7 +/- 57.8 (p < 0.005). These results indicate that pathways other than the IL-12/IL-18 axis may induce IFN-gamma production in human endotoxemia.


The E.coli gene Lac-Z encodes for β-galactosidase and is often used to track transgenic cells after transplantation in vivo or to analyze temporospatial gene expression patterns by coupling expression of specific target genes to β-galactosidase activity. Several groups have reported endogenous β-galactosidase activity as a confounding factor in the study of different soft tissues. However, the typical background to be found on bone marrow sections when using the chromogenic substrate 5-Bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl β-D-Galactoside (X-Gal) has not been described before. We demonstrate here that X-Gal stained wild type murine bones display a typical epiphyseal β-gal positive stain line that can already be seen on whole mount preparations. With light microscopy, the β-gal positive cells are located along the endosteum adjacent to trabecular bone and in particularly high concentrations in the epiphyseal resorption zone. In addition, the β-gal positive cells bear the typical features of osteoclasts in that they are multinucleated and display the typical foamy cytoplasm of osteoclasts. When an antibody against a well-known and previously published marker of the vasculature, pan-endothelial cell antigen (clone MECA32), was used in wild type bone, the X-Gal positive osteoclasts could be found in their typical location in epiphyseal resorption pits and closely located to the bone marrow vasculature. This provides further evidence that the X-Gal positive cells are indeed osteoclasts. Finally, double staining for tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) and with X-Gal in wild type murine bones resulted in a complete match of the staining pattern and provided formal proof of the hypothesis that osteoclasts have strong β-galactosidase activity. In order to establish common knowledge of this potentially misleading artifact, we systematically examined the bones of different wild type mouse strains at various stages of development starting at the neonatal period. The same pattern of background staining was observed in C57bl/6, FvB/NJ, 129P3/J, and CD1 strains of mice. In addition, we examined the effect of pH and time of exposure to substrate and observed no changes in endogenous mammalian b-gal activity. In conclusion, we show that osteoclasts in bone marrow sections specifically and robustly stain blue with X-Gal. This leads to a typical background when bone marrow is examined that is present from the first day post partum throughout the adult life of experimental mice and can easily be confused with transgenic, bacterial β-galactosidase expressing hematopoietic or stromal cells. We conclude from these data that there is a field-wide need for strenuous controls and further classification when evaluating β-galactosidase positive bone marrow cells. Verifiable bacterial β-galactosidase positive bone marrow cells should be further identified using immunohistological or other approaches. Alternatively, β-galactosidase positive cells should be proven not to be osteoclasts by co-staining or by staining of adjacent sections.


Hotel developments currently grow very rapidly. The emergence of new hotels increases the competition in the hospitality industry. This research aimed to determine the influence of the facilities, the quality of service to customer satisfaction and its impact on customer loyalty in Borobudur Hotel in Jakarta. Data collection were done by distributing questionnaires directly to 360 customers in Borobudur Hotel, Jakarta. The analysis technique used path analysis. The results of this research indicate that the variables of facilities, service quality, and customer satisfaction significantly affect customer loyalty variables simultaneously or partially. In addition, facilities and quality of service variable have a significant effect on customer satisfaction variables.


Primordial germ cells (PGCs) are the embryonic precursors of sperm and eggs. Scalable in vitro differentiation of PGCs from pluripotent cell types has emerged as a model to study PGC biology. The in vitro PGCs (iPGCs) obtained from ESCs through the embryoid body (EB) differentiation method correspond to a pregonadal stage of PGC development. Thus, extending the applications of this model to the study of more developmentally advanced germ cells requires maturation of iPGCs to different developmental stages. However, the maturation potential of iPGCs is unknown. In order to promote maturation of male iPGCs in vitro and in vivo we use a transplantable niche model where iPGCs are aggregated with male fetal gonadal cells and cultured prior to transplantation to induce de novo formation of the germ cell niche. Initial characterization of this model without iPGCs revealed that despite the different localization of germ and Sertoli cells within gonadal aggregates before transplantation, both of these cell types are found in physical contact inside the reconstructed germ cell niche. Furthermore, we determined that both germ and Sertoli cells mature in the gonadal transplants. Analyzing iPGCs in gonadal aggregates in vitro, we find that unlike the pregonadal PGCs of the E9.5 embryo, iPGCs do not express the gonadal stage marker MVH indicating they do not mature in vitro. Although transplantation of gonadal aggregates did not support niche colonization by either in vitro or embryo-derived exogenous germ cells, unlike iPGCs, PGCs from the embryo do not survive in the transplants. The surviving iPGCs remain in the extratubular space, disrupting the transplant morphology, and express proteins that uncommon in the germline indicating they have acquired a different cellular identity. To further examine similarities and differences between embryonic and ESC-derived PGCs, we analyzed their epigenetic stability at imprinting control centers (ICCs) in a PGC reprogramming assay in vitro using sequencing of bisulfite-treated DNA amplified by PCR. We find that both embryo and ESC-derived PGCs erase cytosine methylation at the Snrpn ICC. However, unlike in the PGCs of the embryo, this demethylation is faster and not stably maintained. Furthermore, we find that ESC-derived PGCs form colonies faster than E9.5 PGCs and this correlates with significantly less expression of Lats2, which indicates a lower barrier to reprogramming. Our results also indicate that, compared to E9.5 PGCs, iPGCs have significantly higher expression of the pluripotency-associated transcription factor Klf4. Interestingly, using this in vitro PGC reprogramming assay we evaluated the dynamics of imprint erasure during reprogramming embryonic PGCs in vitro, which to this date was unknown. We determined that cytosine methylation at ICCs is erased in E9.5 PGCs during the first four days of reprogramming. This is followed by de novo DNA methylation during the last days of PGC reprogramming in vitro. The extent of remethylation is locus-specific resulting in pluripotent EGCs with hypo and hypermethylated ICCs.


Dorsal muscles were isolated from goldfish acclimated to 8 degrees C and 25 degrees C, and stimulated electrically at 5-35 degrees C. Contractile activity of isolated muscle from the 8 degrees C fish was highest at 15 degrees C, whilst that of the 25 degrees C fish was independent of experimental temperature. The activity was significantly increased with cold acclimation. Pyruvate and lactate contents of red and white muscles increased with work. Addition of iodoacetic acid into the incubation medium caused a decrease of lactate production and contractile activity in muscle from the 8 degrees C fish, suggesting that the increase of the activity was partly associated with an increased activity of anaerobic glycolysis of the tissues.


We analyzed 432 patients with acute tubular necrosis, dialyzed at the University of Minnesota Dialysis Unit between 1968-1979. Only 135 patients or 31% survived. The median time to death was 5 days and to recovery of renal function was 12 days. Serum creatinine continued to fall for one month after the last dialysis and then stabilized. Ultimate serum creatinine level was directly related to age of patient but not duration of need for dialysis. One-fourth of the patients were left with moderate renal insufficiency (creatinine 1.5-3 mg/dl). Eight of 82 (10%) of the patients with long term (greater than 1 mo follow-up) had severe renal failure (creatinine over 3 mg/dl) and 4 other patients never recovered renal function but needed chronic hemodialysis. Acute renal failure is numerically important but not very time demanding on the capacity of dialysis units. The majority of the patients have no clinical problem of renal dysfunction if they survive their basic disease leading to acute tubular necrosis.


The purpose of this study was to clarify applicability of three-dimensional X-ray micro-computed tomography (3D X-ray micro-CT) to elucidate interior morphology of spherical adsorptive carbon fine granules. Scanning of small single spherical granule hold on the rotating sample stage provided the structural information without particular preparation (e.g., slicing) that can affect the definite morphology. The three model formulations with similar appearance showed different internal structure in the 3D images, including large hollow in one of them. Other formulations showed some small empty or higher density area in the filled granules, suggesting uneven distribution of carbon. The results indicated relevance of the X-ray micro-CT analysis on the physical characterization of the spherical adsorptive carbon granule formulations.


Few investigations have analysed the relations of breathing and pianists' movements. In past studies, however, coordination of breathing with repetitive movements were examined. The current experiment explored the coordinative relations of breathing with three different finger-movement markers (pitch, meter, and thumb passage) during the performance of repetitive exercises at the piano. Eight pianists played the C major scale and arpeggio at different tempi. The Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) data were collected and the pianists' respiration was simultaneously monitored by inductive plethysmography. Analysis showed that the breathing varied between participants. Other than some exceptional cases for which movement markers coincided with the end of inspiration and the end of expiration of the breathing curve, no coordination or relation occurred between breathing and finger movement.


THE PATHOGENESIS of basal cell epithelioma has so far not been satisfactorily determined. In this communication, an attempt is made to show that basal cell epitheliomas are not carcinomas but related to the so-called benign epitheliomas, cutaneous adenomas and nevi organomatosi. Evidence will be presented that the tumors belonging to these four groups are nevoid tumors, or hamartomas, originating, in accordance with the Cohnheim theory, from arrested embryonal cells, in this instance from cells of the primary epithelial germ. Variations in the degree and in the direction of differentiation prior to the onset of neoplasia would explain adequately the wide variety of histologic pictures presented. A classification of the tumors originating from the primary epithelial germ will be presented, following which the various types of tumors included in this classification will be discussed. DEVELOPMENT OF THE EPIDERMIS Since my intention is to show that the tumors which are the subject


Background: China's vigorous anti-COVID-19 campaign has been going on for three months since January 20, which has contained the spread of the virus across China. Objectives: Epidemiological investigations found that COVID-19 fatality rates in Wuhan, rest parts of Hubei province except Wuhan (Rest of Hubei) and rest parts of Mainland China except Hubei province (Rest of China) were different. An ecological study was conducted to analyze the reasons and provide the world with China's anti-COVID-19 epidemic experiences. Methods: Infected cases from Mainland China were divided into three populations: Wuhan, Rest of Hubei and Rest of China. Methods were based on The Novel Coronavirus Infected Pneumonia Diagnosis and Treatment Standards. Total confirmed cases, daily severe cases, total deaths from February 12 to April 20 were collected for statistical analysis. Results: 50,333 total confirmed cases in Wuhan made up the most substantial part by comparison with 17,795 in Rest of Hubei and 14,630 in Rest of China, respectively. In the early stage of the COVID-19 epidemic, daily severe cases in Wuhan accounted for the majority, and as the epidemic controlled, severe cases in all three populations decreased. Total deaths in Wuhan constituted the most significant proportion, with the highest 3869 in contrast to 643 in Rest of Hubei and 120 in Rest of China. The fatality rates in Wuhan ranged from 2.82% to 7.69%, much higher than 1.80–3.61% in Rest of Hubei, and 0.49–0.88% in Rest of China. Pearson chi-square test for fatality rates in the three populations demonstrated significant differences (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The ecological comparison study among the three populations have proved that social distancing, quarantine, lockdown, cutting off sources of infection and transmission routes, early detection, early isolation, early treatment are all vital to control the epidemic by reducing COVID-19 confirmed cases, severe cases and the fatality rate.


We investigated, in young healthy participants, how the affective content of subliminally presented priming images and their specific visual attributes impacted conscious perception of facial expressions. The priming images were broadly categorized as aggressive, pleasant, or neutral and further subcategorized by the presence of a face and by the centricity (egocentric or allocentric vantage-point) of the image content. Participants responded to the emotion portrayed in a pixelated target-face by indicating via key-press if the expression was angry or neutral. Response time to the neutral target face was significantly slower when preceded by face primes, compared to non-face primes (p < 0.05, Bonferroni corrected). In contrast, faster RTs were observed when angry target faces were preceded by face compared to non-face primes. In addition, participants' performance was worse when a priming image contained an egocentric face compared to when it contained either an allocentric face or an egocentric non-face. The results suggest a significant impact of the visual features of the priming image on conscious perception of face expression.


This paper develops a model of dynamic pricing with endogenous inter-temporal demand. In the model, there is a monopolist who sells a finite inventory over a finite time horizon. The seller adjusts prices dynamically in order to maximize revenue. Customers arrive continually over the duration of the selling season. At each point in time, customers may purchase the product at current prices, remain in the market at a cost in order to purchase later, or exit, and they wish to maximize individual utility. The customer population is heterogeneous along two dimensions: they may have different valuations for the product and different degrees of patience (waiting costs). We demonstrate that heterogeneity in both valuation and patience is important because they jointly determine the structure of optimal pricing policies. In particular, when high-value customers are proportionately less patient, markdown pricing policies are effective because the high-value customers would buy early at high prices while the low-value customers are willing to wait (i.e. they are not lost). On the other hand, when the high-value customers are more patient than the low-value customers, prices should increase over time in order to discourage inefficient waiting. Contrary to intuition, we find that strategic waiting by customers may sometimes benefit the seller: when low-value customers wait, they compete for availability with high-value customers and thus increase their willingness to pay. Our results also shed light on how the composition of the customer population affects optimal revenue, consumer surplus, and social welfare. Finally, we consider the long run problem of selecting the optimal initial stocking quantity.


These conference proceedings review the results obtained so far and the perspectives in the foreseeable future concerning unification of the forces and laws of nature. One of its important features was the emphasis on phenomenological implications of the different theoretical approaches reviewed by invited speakers, keeping in view possible experimental tests to be made with the technologies now available or to be developed in the future. The first part of the proceedings covers unification problems connected with the electroweak theory and the standard model, the so-called "grand" unification and the supersymmetry. The surveys of the experimental data available are of data from LEP accelerator experiments, the physics at LHC (Large Hadron Collider), as well as CP violation, neutrino oscillations, and proton decay. Following these are surveys of the perspectives of future high energy accelerators, like the LHC at CERN, the electron-positron colliders, and the possible new acceleration methods. The second part of the proceedings concerns the more advanced problems of the unification of gravity with the other forces of string theory and quantum gravity, with the interesting phenomenological implications concerning cosmology and quantum mechanics. The implied phenomenology is presented and discussed at two fundamental levels: testing the quantum mechanics at a macroscopic level, with special measurements of superconducting quantum states, and possible detection of classical and quantum features of gravitational radiation, not only from astrophysical sources but also from possible laboratory sources. Finally, the perspectives of fundamental physics are discussed.


Background Data on pregnancy in Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) are limited;we recently published IMPRESS,a retrospective multicenter study that compared 109 pregnancies from 99 SSc women with a general obstetric population (GOP).In SSc women preterm deliveries (PD, < W37: 25% vs.12%) and severe preterm deliveries (SPD,< W34: 10% vs. 5%),intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR, 6% vs. 1%) and very-low-birth-weight babies (VLBW, 5% vs. 1%) were significantly more frequent than GOP.Multivariable analysis found that corticosteroid use was associated with PD,while folic acid and anti-Scl70+ was protective.The disease remained stable in most SSc patients,but there were 4 cases of progression within 1 year from delivery Methods This is a fully prospective,multicenter case-control study of 3 groups of people: 1) 100 pregnant SSc patients, 2) 200 not-pregnant SSc women (matched for age, auto-antibody pattern, limited/diffuse/sine scleroderma – L/D/S – form and obstetric history), 3) 200 healthy pregnant women (matched for age and obstetric history).We will prospectively investigate disease activity during pregnancy and further year,pregnancy outcome and children health status at birth and at 1 year Results 39 pregnancies are currently ongoing,22 patients have already delivered:8 ACA+ (6 L,1 D,1 S),13 Scl70+ (7 L,4 D, 2 S),1 RNA-P3+ D, 2 L form without SSc-specific autoantibodies.We observed 4 miscarriages (1 ACA+, 2 Scl70+,1 RNA-P3+), 1 therapeutic abortion at W22 (ACA+ D in treatment with prednisone 15mg/d and cyclophosphamide),1 early voluntary termination,2 SPD in Scl70+ L (1 cesarean section at W30, due to IUGR and fetal heart rate alteration;1 spontaneous in twin pregnancy: one twin with VLBW and both of them with respiratory distress at birth), 2 PD (both of them in SCl70+ L disease at W 36), 1 pre-eclampsia at W 37 in Scl70+ limited disease, with pulmonary embolism during post-partum. Till now,16 mothers and 28 SSc controls had completed one year surveillance after delivery.We observed disease progression in two cases: the ACA+D patient treated with prednisone and cyclophosphamide who underwent therapeutic abortion showed a kidney function worsening till hemodyalisis;the Scl70+L patient who underwent twin pregnancy showed significant worsening in pulmonary function testing,without specific findings at chest CT. One child,born at W36 from Scl70+L mother, died at 3 months due to cardiac malformation and aesopaghus atresia;all other children showed a regular growth at 12 months pediatric evaluation Conclusions IMPRESS 2 is still going on,and we hope to answer to important questions: 1) are complications of SSc more frequent during pregnancy? 2) Are some autoantibodies protective for prematurity? 3) Which is the impact of prematurity on children development? Disclosure of Interest None declared


Many studies have confirmed that the incidence of fractures of the proximal femur increases significantly with age and doubles every ten years after the age of 50. It was found out that these patients average age increases by one year every five years, and more than 50.00% with damage to this location are over 60 years old. The purpose of the study was to determine the regional correlation features of the interdependence of medical-epidemiological and anamnestic characteristics of patients with proximal femur fractures. Material and methods. To achieve the main goal, we conducted a retrospective study of patients with such fractures according to seven medical institutions in Kharkiv. Results and discussion. When studying the correlation levels of interdependence between various medical-epidemiological and anamnestic characteristics of the examined patients we stated that the female sex correlated with all age periods, which confirmed the predominance of females among the examined all age categories: the sex of patients determined reliable (average <0.001); forces correlation with age characteristics: k = 0.349; the possible influence of gender characteristics on the choice of treatment tactics was stated reliable (p = 0.003); the inverse weak correlation with the type of treatment was recorded: k = -0.041; the possibilities of the influence of age characteristics on comorbid burden; the presence of concomitant pathology and the choice of treatment tactics were clarified: it was determined that the age of the examined patients was significantly (p = 0.014) inversely weakly correlated with the presence of comorbidities and comorbid burden (respectively k = -0.050 (p < 0.001) and k = -0.047 (p <0.001)) and the type of treatment: k = -0.193 (p <0.001); possibilities of influence of more significant comorbid burden on indicators of levels of functional condition and increase in duration of terms of receipt to traumatological departments and reception of qualitative medical care were established: reliable (p <0.001) direct weak correlation was received between indicators of age of trauma and presence of concomitant diseases k = 0.081), comorbid load (k = 0.087) and functional state according to the ASA classification (k = 0.084); determined the stable effect of the existing concomitant pathology and comorbid burden at the level of functional status and its possible impact on using conservative treatment: the presence of comorbidities correlated strongly with comorbid burden (k = 0.989, p <0.001); functional state was evaluated according to ASA classification k = 0.985, p <0.001) and directly weak with the type of treatment (k = 0.228, p <0.001); a direct strong correlation was found between the comorbid burden and functional status according to the ASA classification and the type of treatment performed (respectively k = 0.979 and k = 0.226; p <0.001); the possible influence of low functional state on the choice of treatment tactics was stated: it was proved that the functional state significantly weakly correlated with the type of treatment: k = 0.229, p <0.001. Further research is planned to establish the possibility of predicting the use of treatment tactics and the development of reliable prognostic statistical models of the dependence of the results of different treatment methods on the medical-epidemiological and anamnestic characteristics of patients


Phenomenal growth in air traffic across the world is leading industries to maximize the use of airspace. One of the promising approaches would be to optimize the utilization of information derived from existing data. In early period, all air traffic rules can be programmed and integrated to the system using a general-purpose language like C#, C++, or Java. To increase sustainability of the system, general-purpose languages are too complicated for the users to understand and maintain. In addition, general purpose languages have to be recompiled every time the code has been changed. This research has developed a domain specific language called Aeronautical Rules Script Language (ARSL). The language is particularly designed for collaborative environment aiming at determining separation minima required between aircrafts at planning phase. ARSL can be used as a formal language for configuring air traffic rules and information sharing. As a domain specific language, ARSL is easy to understand and maintain for aeronautical domain experts. The language has been implemented and integrated into the Collaborative Decision Making (CDM) project of Aeronautical Radio of Thailand to help integrate the major elements essential for defining safety longitudinal aircraft separation. The evaluation results show that the implemented ARSL and its services function accurately, providing the same answers as obtained from the specialist.


In this paper, an object-oriented digital watermarking technique is proposed in the wavelet domain for still images. According to the difference of recognition degree of the human eye to the different region of the image, the image is divided into the interested region and uninterested region of human eye vision in this scheme. Using the relativity of position and the difference to ocular sensitivity of the multiresolution wavelet among each subband, the image is processed with layered watermarking append technique. Experimental results show that the proposed technique successfully survives image processing operations, additive noise and JPEG compression.


Understanding the role of the climate on the wine production is one of the major concerns of this sector since the environment usually determines the output of this industry. There are only a few previous studies that attempted to compile these environmental effects as an index, usually considering the temperature and the precipitation as their core variables. The present study suggests a new climate index which is based on descriptive statistics. Our index tries to mimic the target region characteristics and avoid the past studies premise of imposing previously conceived restrictions such as a fixed optimal climate. We then used yearly production and daily temperature data (1950-2016) from the Portuguese Minho wine region to test our proposed index and compare it with Ribereau-Gayon and Peynaud (RGP, Ribereau-Gayon et al., 2003) and Growing Degree-Days (GDD, Winkler et al., 1974) indexes. Our results showed that the newly proposed index may outperform the explanatory power of the other indexes and, in addition, may output interesting and unknown characteristics such as the different ideal temperatures regarding the studied region.


This study examines if couples time their work hours and how this work timing influences child care demand and the time that spouses jointly spend on leisure, household chores and child care. By using a innovative matching strategy, this studies identifies the timing of work hours that cannot be explained by factors other than the partners' potential to communicate on the timing of their work. The main findings are that couples with children create less overlap in their work times and this effect is more pronounced the younger the children. We find evidence for a togetherness preference of spouses, but only for childless couples. Work timing also influences the joint time that is spent on household chores, but the effect is small. Finally, work timing behavior affects the demand for informal child care, but not the demand for formal child care.


Abstract The discovery of superconductors on copper-oxygen basis in 1986 was one of the most celebrated events in condensed matter physics. The maximal tran sition temperature Tc close to 150 K was observed in HgBa2Ca2Cu3O8+δ at high pressure. In spite of enormous progress in both the experimental knowledge and theoretical understanding, the origin of the high Tc remains elusive. Although the materials properties require unexpectedly complicated technical solutions several applications have been commercialized.


Metabolic events involved in energy metabolism were studied in order to evaluate the ATP‐forming ability of Bacillus megaterium QM B1551 spores at the very early stage of germination. When heat‐activated spores were germinated on glucose as a sole substrate, its oxidation into gluconate (catalyzed by glucose dehydrogenase, EC 18.104.22.168), the accompanying NADH formation, oxygen uptake, and RNA synthesis were initiated immediately after germination, even when anaerobic breakdown of 3‐phosphoglycerate (an ATP source for spores) and the subsequent glucose metabolism via the phosphorylating pathway were impaired by potassium fluoride (KF). In contrast, fructose metabolism and the accompanying metabolic events did not begin until a few minutes after triggering of germination, and those events were entirely abolished by KF, indicating that fructose metabolism is initiated exclusively via its phosphorylation by the ATP derived from endogenous 3‐phosphoglycerate. Thus those results provided further evidence for our previous proposal (Otani et al (1987) Microbiol. Immunol. 31: 967–974; Sano et al (1988) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 151: 48–52) that the first molecules of ATP in germinating spores can be efficiently generated via aerobic oxidation of NADH, which is formed by glucose dehydrogenase. Fluorescence monitoring of NADH in germinating spores also supported this conclusion.


Using a new dataset, we analyze four years of political protest events in US state capitals, in order to specify the processes and possibilities for collective action at the state level. Drawing from resource mobilization/political process theory, we test hypotheses regarding density of activist communities, political culture, social capital, administrative capacities, and political processes in affecting the number of protests, rallies, and demonstrations directed at state government. We find that the most important factors include the density of contentious communities of individuals (specifically university students), political culture, Democratic Party control of government, and the option to use direct legislation (a negative effect), while administrative capacity, generalized social capital, and party competition have no effects. We also find strong positive baseline effects for the population size of the state, the relative importance of the capital compared to other cities, and urbanization. We argue that these findings illustrate how aggregate levels of state-level political protest arise out of collective action processes and the mobilization of small groups, as mediated through stable cultural repertoires of political tactics and moderated by certain political opportunities and processes.


Purpose – The adoption of performance measurement and evaluation systems comprising nonfinancial measures has rendered the investigation of behavioral consequences of such measures an increasingly important research issue. The purpose of this study is to investigate the process by which the use of nonfinancial measures affects employees' perceptions of procedural fairness. It proposes that the effects of nonfinancial measures on procedural fairness are indirect through the mediating variables of (1) job relevant information and (2) role clarity.

Methodology – Data collected from a survey of 276 managers in different functional areas are used to test the models. The data are analyzed using structural equation modeling (Partial Least Square).

Findings – Results from structural models indicate that the use of nonfinancial measures has a positive impact on job relevant information, role clarity, and procedural fairness. In addition, the findings suggest that the use of nonfinancial measures is indirectly related to procedural fairness through job relevant information and role clarity. Specifically, the results indicate that the use of nonfinancial measures affects job relevant information. Job relevant information then influences role clarity. Role clarity, in turn, is positively related to procedural fairness.

Value of paper – This study provides systematic empirical evidence on how the use of nonfinancial measures for performance measurement and evaluation can affect employee perceptions of procedural fairness. It helps organizations to understand how this process occurs and provides them with some assurance that the adoption of nonfinancial measures may be beneficial particularly through the higher information content of such measures and the consequential enhancement of employee role clarity and perception of fairness. By studying the effects of nonfinancial measures, in isolation, this study also helps to demonstrate to organizations that some of the beneficial effects on employee outcomes found by prior management accounting studies involving a combination of financial and nonfinancial measures may be achievable from the use of nonfinancial measures alone without the need of financial measures. This may assist organizations in designing simpler performance measurement systems.


Part 1 Carl Couch and the extension of symbolic interaction: Carl Couch, pragmatism and the democratic tradition, Boyd Littrell rendering obdurate features of Couchian epistemology, Steve McGurie stereotypes of crowds and collective behaviours - looking backward, looking forward, Clare McPhail alienation - extending an interactionist conceptualization, William A. Reese. Part 2 Elementary social forms and relationships: the foundations of social interaction, Dan E. Miller and Robert A. Hintz elementary forms and the process of opening, part 1 - autocratic activity, the chase and the contest, Robert A. Hintz the intertwining of accounts and negotiations - a new Iowa school approach, Mary E. Rohlfing. Part 3 Constructing complexity and extending conceptions: extending Couch's thesis of romance as a complex accomplishment, Michael A. Katovich the electronic place - from telepresence to copresence, David L. Altheide Carl Couch and the formal sociology of communication technology, Sing-Ling S. Chen credentials, reputation, celebrity and notoriety in the martial arts, John Worden and Joel Powell Dahlquist "evocative transformations" - a neglected concept in the analysis of situated emotions, Virginia L. Elesen shoppers as elusive targets - reluctant involvements, evasive tactics and the influence process, Robert Prus. Part 4 Reflections: a reply to Getrude, Robert Stewart they'll know he was here but he'll never leave, Norman K. Denzin. Part 5 Closing.


The aim of present study was to assess the status of welfare of indigenous cattle, based on certain animal-linked parameters: body condition (BCS), body hygiene (cleanliness), lameness, skin injuries, general condition, and flight distance. The study was ruled in eight herds (10 cows /herd) in Terai and Mid-hill region of Nepal from March to June 2014. Altogether 80 cattle kept in semi-intensive system were assessed using several indicators determined through specific methods. Out of 80 cattle, 2 (2.5%) had BCS between 1.5-2, considered as very thin cows; 49 (61.25%) had BCS between 2.25-2.75, considered as thin cows; 29 (36.25%) had BCS 3-3.75 considered as normal cows and no cows found with BCS more than 3.75 score; 69 (86.25%) had dung particles at their lower legs, 60 (75%) had dung particles at their flank region and 11(13.75%) had dung particles at their udder region; 4 (5%) were moderately lame, 27 (33.75%) had hairless spot on their different body parts(hock, knee joints, neck), 15 (18.75%) had swelling joints (knee joints); 10 (12.5%) showed fear at the observer's approach. The general condition was good of all the assessed cows. The obtained results indicate that more than half of the assessed cows are thin and dirty which has a negative impact on their health and welfare. The main factors that affect the indigenous cattle welfare in Nepal are insufficiency of feeding, poor housing system, poor sanitation and hygiene maintenance, lack of treatment of injured/diseased cattle and somewhat poor human animal relationship.


By synthesizing the literature from environmental and economics with that of entrepreneurship, we articulated a conception of environmental entrepreneurship, outlined the categorists of environmental entrepreneurship and pointed out environmental entrepreneurship is a good business model in low-carbon economy.


Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data contain complex spatiotemporal dynamics, thus researchers have developed approaches that reduce the dimensionality of the signal while extracting relevant and interpretable dynamics. Models of fMRI data that can perform whole-brain discovery of dynamical latent factors are understudied. The benefits of approaches such as linear independent component analysis models have been widely appreciated, however, nonlinear extensions of these models present challenges in terms of identification. Deep learning methods provide a way forward, but new methods for efficient spatial weight-sharing are critical to deal with the high dimensionality of the data and the presence of noise. Our approach generalizes weight sharing to non-Euclidean neuroimaging data by first performing spectral clustering based on the structural and functional similarity between voxels. The spectral clusters and their assignments can then be used as patches in an adapted multi-layer perceptron (MLP)-mixer model to share parameters among input points. To encourage temporally independent latent factors, we use an additional total correlation term in the loss. Our approach is evaluated on data with multiple motor sub-tasks to assess whether the model captures disentangled latent factors that correspond to each sub-task. Then, to assess the latent factors we find further, we compare the spatial location of each latent factor to the motor homunculus. Finally, we show that our approach captures task effects better than the current gold standard of source signal separation, independent component analysis (ICA).


Objectives To estimate the association of previous pregnancy loss with subsequent cardiovascular health during gestation and to examine the role of high-sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP) in the association. Methods A total of 2,778 nulliparous pregnant women were recruited between March 2015 and November 2020 in Hefei city, China. Their cardiovascular health (CVH) including prepregnancy body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, total cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose, and smoke status were recorded at 24–28 weeks' gestation, as well as their reproductive history. Multivariate linear and logistic regression were performed to examine the association of pregnancy loss with cardiovascular health. And the role of hs-CRP between pregnancy loss and CVH was assessed by the mediation analysis. Results Compared with women who have no pregnancy loss, women with a history of spontaneous or induced abortions had higher BMI (β, 0.72, 95% CI, 0.50 to 0.94) and fasting plasma glucose (β, 0.04, 95% CI, 0.01 to 0.07), and had lower total CVH scores after adjusting for confounders (β, −0.09, 95% CI, −0.18 to −0.01). CVH scores were most significantly decreased among women with 3 or more induced abortions (β, −0.26, 95% CI, −0.49, −0.02). The contribution of pregnancy loss to poorer gestational CVH mediated by increased hs-CRP levels was 23.17%. Conclusion Previous pregnancy loss was associated with poorer cardiovascular health during gestation, which may be mediated by their gestational inflammatory status. Exposure to miscarriage alone was not a significant predictor of poorer CVH.


Engineering-geological and geotechnical investigations for risk assessment of the University Olympic Village in Izmir (Turkey) The Metropolitan Municipality of Izmir (Turkey) designated a steeply inclined area for the construction of buildings to house the participants of the Izmir University Olympic Games. Before the construction activities could start, engineering geological and geotechnical investigations had to be carried out in order to establish which zones in the area were suitable for safe constructions. Seismic studies, borings and laboratory tests yielded the data, which were used for preparing five hazard maps in a GIS environment. The construction activities based on the results of this complex investigation appeared successful. The engineering geological investigations included geotechnical measurements on core samples obtained from the boreholes (core drilling) and laboratory testing. The rock-quality designation (RQD%) values of the rock units were determined and used in the rock-mass classification (rock-mass rating method) as an input parameter and in the calculation of the bearing capacity of the various rock units. Geophysical surveys were carried out to determine the seismic velocity of the rocks at the site. A short overview is provided of the main problems that had to be dealt with, and of the successive steps taken to solve the engineering-geological problems. Determination of these problems is necessary for adequate land-use planning and construction activities.


Prior to the identification of the various abnormal proteins deposited as fibrillar aggregates in the Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain, there was tremendous controversy over the importance of the various lesions with respect to primacy in the pathology of AD. Nevertheless, based on analogy to systemic amyloidosis, many investigators believed that the amyloid deposits in AD played a causal role and that characterization of these deposits would hold the key to understanding this complex disease. Indeed, in retrospect, it was the initial biochemical purifications of the approximately 4 kDa amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta) from amyloid deposits in the mid 1980s that launched a new era of AD research (Glenner and Wong, Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 122 (1984) 1121-1135; Wong et al., Proc. Natl. Acad Sci. USA 82 (1985) 8729 8732; and Masters et al., Proc. Natl. Acad Sci. USA 82 (1985) 4245-4249). Subsequent studies of the biology of Abeta together with genetic studies of AD have all supported the hypothesis that altered Abeta metabolism leading to aggregation plays a causal role in AD. Although there remains controversy as to whether Abeta deposited as classic amyloid or a smaller, aggregated, form causes AD, the relevance of studying the amyloid deposits has certainly been proven. Despite the significant advances in our understanding of the role of Abeta in AD pathogenesis, many important aspects of Abeta biology remain a mystery. This review will highlight those aspects of Abeta biology that have led to our increased understanding of the pathogenesis of AD as well as areas which warrant additional study.


We propose a new \textit{randomized Bregman (block) coordinate descent} (RBCD) method for minimizing a composite problem, where the objective function could be either convex or nonconvex, and the smooth part are freed from the global Lipschitz-continuous (partial) gradient assumption. Under the notion of relative smoothness based on the Bregman distance, we prove that every limit point of the generated sequence is a stationary point. Further, we show that the iteration complexity of the proposed method is $O(n\varepsilon^{-2})$ to achieve $\epsilon$-stationary point, where $n$ is the number of blocks of coordinates. If the objective is assumed to be convex, the iteration complexity is improved to $O(n\epsilon^{-1} )$. If, in addition, the objective is strongly convex (relative to the reference function), the global linear convergence rate is recovered. We also present the accelerated version of the RBCD method, which attains an $O(n\varepsilon^{-1/\gamma} )$ iteration complexity for the convex case, where the scalar $\gamma\in [1,2]$ is determined by the \textit{generalized translation variant} of the Bregman distance. Convergence analysis without assuming the global Lipschitz-continuous (partial) gradient sets our results apart from the existing works in the composite problems.


According to the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) the length of comprehensive orthodontic treatment can range from approximately 12 to 36 months, depending on treatment options and individual characteristics. One of the biggest challenges an adult orthodontic patient is the duration spent on treatment. A new, minimally invasive surgical technique in term of piezocision is developed to address this issue and reduce overall treatment time. Piezocision is a novel, minimally invasive technique combining micro-incisions and decortications made by a piezotome in order to enhance the rate of orthodontic tooth movement. Piezocision allows for rapid correction of severe malocclusions without the drawbacks of traumatic conventional corticotomy or any accelerated surgical procedures. Piezocision allows simultaneous hard and/or soft tissue grafting via selective tunneling to correct gingival recessions or bone deficiencies. Piezocision increases regional acceleratory phenomenon (RAP) is stated as osteopenia, a transient condition, giving a way to a complete remission of bone density gradually as physiological healing progress. During accelerating tooth movement, this approach increases the RANKL/OPG ratio. Combined with a proper treatment planning and a good understanding of the biological events involved, this novel technique can locally manipulate alveolar bone metabolism in order to obtain rapid and stable orthodontic results. Keywords–piezocision, accelerated tooth movement, regional acceleratory phenomenon


Stomach contents were collected from 213 Caiman crocodilus with snout-vent lengths (SVL) between 15 cm and 115 cm, and 25 Melanosuchus niger with SVLs from 15 cm to 95 cm, in the Anavilhanas Archipelago, Rio Negro, Central Amazonia. The prey types consumed by the two species were generally similar. However, fish were common in the diet of C. crocodilus but absent from the M. niger. Snails (Po- macea) occurred in 24% of stomachs of M. niger, but in only 2% of C. crocodilus. The mean mass of food and the mean proportion of fish consumed increased, while the mean proportion of terrestrial invertebrates decreased significantly with the size class of C. crocodilus. The mean proportion of molluscs consumed increased significantly with the size class of M. niger, but there was no relationship between the mean mass of food or the mean proportion of other prey categories and size class in this species. However, the sample included only subadults. The mean size of all prey consumed, and of fish, increased significantly with size of C. crocodilus. However, there was no relationship between the mean size of prey in the categories ter- restrial invertebrates, shrimps, or crabs, and the size of C. crocodilus. The mean size of all prey consumed was positively related to the size of M. niger. The mean mass of food consumed by C. crocodilus varied with the water body type (lake or canal), but there was no effect of season as indexed by the water level of the Rio Negro. Seasonal variation in the proportion of fish, terrestrial invertebrates, and shrimps consumed by C. crocodilus differed among water body types. Empty stomachs occurred in 24% of the C. crocodilus and 20% of the M. niger. Individuals with food in the stomach had eaten small volumes, suggesting that


Intracrystalline porosity consists of hollow dolomite crystals. It forms when anhydrite, which had replaced cores of dolomite crystals, was dissolved. Significant volumes of intracrystalline porosity have been preserved in subsurface Permian dolostones of the Permian basin and in outcrops of Lower Cretaceous dolostones of Texas. Anhydrite can be seen replacing organic-rich cores of dolomite crystals in Permian and Jurassic (Smackover) dolostones. Dolomite crystals, which replace original carbonate, commonly appear cloudy because of organic inclusions. After dolomitization, continued flux of the dolomitizing fluid causes precipitation of clear rims on the "cloudy" crystals. Anhydrite tends to replace the organic-rich cores, leaving the clear epitaxial rims to form "pill box" structures. When anhydrite was dissolved, many hollow dolomite crystals collapsed and fragments became transported as vadose internal sediment. Obtuse and acute angles of these hollow dolomite rims superficially resemble sponge spicules, and pseudospiculites are layers of vadose internal sediment in which numerous fragments of hollow dolomite rims have been deposited in solution channels. Hollow dolomite crystals and pseudospiculites constitute evidence for disconformity and also represent subtle indications of vanished sulfates. In many instances, calcite cement was precipitated within intracrystalline pores and is misinterpreted as partial dedolomitization. Such calcite cement can be distinguished from dedolomite, because the calcite is not syntaxial with dolomite rims, as it would be in dedolomitization. In some Permian dolostone intervals, intracrystalline porosity is the predominant pore type. Molds formed by dissolution of replacement porphyroblasts and nodules of anhydrite also commonly were formed along with intracrystalline pores and all represent tertiary (third order) voids. End_of_Article - Last_Page 491------------


The theoretical prediction of the catalytic activity is very beneficial for the design of highly efficient catalysts. At present, most theoretical descriptors focus on estimating the catalytic activity and understanding the enhancement mechanism of catalysts, while it is also quite important to find a factor to correlate the descriptors with preparation methods. In this work, a correlation factor, the d electron density of transition metal ions, was developed to correlate the d band center values of transition metal ions with the preparation methods of amorphization and Al introduction. According to the results of theoretical simulations, the correlation factor not only exhibited favorable linear relationships with the theoretical overpotentials of (CoFeAlx)3O4 and (CoFeAlx)3O4 + (CoFeAlx)OOH systems but also correlated with two preparation methods by altering the volume of systems. Based on theoretical guidance, the electrocatalytic activities of the prepared (CoFeAlx)3O4 specimens were gradually improved by the preparation methods of amorphization and Al introduction, and the Am-CoFeAl-2-10h specimen exhibited a low kinetic barrier of 268 mV, fast charge transfer rate, and stable electrocatalytic activity. This strategy could be applied to design highly efficient catalysts by adjusting the correlation factor of the active site with suitable preparation methods.


Abstract The group of sovereign wealth funds (SWF) is gaining growing importance in the discussion on corporate governance quality as critical success factor for the longrun performance of exchange listed companies. These institutional investors mostly act as long-term oriented minority block holders (anchor investors) in international capital markets. We show for a specific case how capital market participants evaluate SWF investments in exchange listed companies. From the overall stock price reaction we can conjecture that investors expect from this investment of Aabar a positive impact on the corporate governance. However, there is also the alternative explanation that SWF have superior target selection abilities which allow them to detect undervalued companies in an inefficient capital market.


Knowledge of the magnitude of P extracted and removed by harvested crop is an important component of effectively managing poultry litter to minimize or prevent the buildup of P in soil. This knowledge does not exist or is not well documented in cotton fertilized with litter as the primary fertilizer. The objective of this research was to quantify the magnitude of P extracted by cotton when fertilized with broiler litter and to determine whether supplementing litter with inorganic N improves P extraction. The research was conducted from 2002 to 2004 on two commercial farms representing a conventional-till at Cruger and a no-till at Coffeeville, MS, USA. At each location, the treatments consisted of an unfertilized control; a farm standard (STD) fertilized with inorganic fertilizers; and broiler litter of 2.2, 4.5, and 6.7 Mg ha -1 in an incomplete factorial combination with 0, 34, or 67 kg ha -1 N as urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) solution. The unfertilized control extracted an average across years of 27.7 kg P ha -1 at Cruger and 26.0 kg P ha -1 1 at Coffeeville. Application of both litter and UAN-N decreased tissue P concentration but increased extracted amount of P because of increases in dry weight. The largest end-of-season P extraction in this research, which included 53.9 kg P ha -1 in 2004 at Cruger and 49.3 kg P ha -1 in 2002 at Coffeeville, was recorded for the treatment that received the largest litter rate of 6.7 Mg ha -1 supplemented with 34 or 67 kg ha -1 UAN-N. Applied P always exceeded extracted P in all 3 yr at both locations when the litter rate was 4.5 or 6.7 Mg ha -1 . Extracted P equaled or exceeded applied P when 2.2 Mg ha -1 lifter was applied. Increasing litter rate decreased phosphorus extraction efficiency (PEE) while supplemental UAN-N increased PEE. An average of 53% of the total P extracted was partitioned to seed with an additional 2.4% partitioned to lint for a total of 55% that would be removed with harvested crop. Nitrogen fertilization appeared to shift P partitioning from vegetative to reproductive parts. Supplementing litter with inorganic N may be an effective strategy not only in extracting additional P from soils but also in increasing the fraction partitioned to seed so that more P is removed from the field.


We report a 36‐year‐old woman with a 1‐year history of systemic lupus erythematosus who was admitted with acute onset of dyspnea and chest pain. She presented with a classic medical history of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome, including spontaneous abortion, deep venous thrombosis, and clinical manifestations of lupus activation. The differential diagnosis was made after a detailed history and examinations with transthoracic/transesophageal echocardiography, deep venous ultrasonography, chest computed tomography, and coronary angiography. This case demonstrates a left ventricular apical thrombus in angiographically normal coronary arteries and also deep vein thrombosis causing acute pulmonary thromboembolism. Antiaggregant and anticoagulant therapies were initiated as a result of the presence of a left ventricular apical thrombus and deep venous thrombosis, which is predisposed to recurrent pulmonary or systemic embolization. Control echocardiography demonstrated resolution of apical thrombus and normalized left ventricular systolic function after aspirin, warfarin, and immunosuppressive therapy for 2 months. (ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY 2010;27:198‐201)


There is increasing evidence that activation of the complement system in asthma contributes to ongoing inflammation, tissue damage and airway remodeling. Mannose binding lectin (MBL) is a pattern recognition molecule that serves as the key mediator of the lectin pathway of complement activation. MBL levels are genetically determined and vary widely amongst individuals. In the present study we hypothesized that high MBL levels in asthma are associated with increased loss of lung function over time, as a consequence of inflammatory tissue damage. We measured serum MBL levels by ELISA in 68 patients with severe asthma and prospectively determined the change in post-bronchodilator (pb) FEV1 over a mean period of 5.7 years. The relationship between MBL and change in pbFEV1 (ΔFEV1) was analysed using (multiple) regression analysis and corrected for possible confounders (age, sex, age of onset, asthma duration, and pbFEV1). The median (range) MBL level was 332 (10.8-3587) ng·ml−1. MBL was significantly associated with ΔFEV1 (p<0.04). Patients with a high MBL level (≥332 ng·ml−1) had an increased risk of lung function decline compared to those with low MBL levels (OR (CI): 3.16 (1.14-8.79), p = 0.027); the excess decline being 42 ml·yr−1 (p = 0.01). We conclude that a high MBL level is associated with an increased decline in lung function in patients with severe asthma. MBL might provide a clue towards better understanding of the pathophysiology of ongoing inflammation and subsequent decline in lung function of patients with severe asthma.


The Indonesian Throughflow (ITF) transport in the upper layer of Makassar Strait was reduced by an unprecedented 25–40% during June to September 2016, the weakest northern summer ITF transport measured through 2004 to mid-2017. A negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) event occurring through boreal summer and fall 2016 was the main driver for the reduced ITF transport. Elevated sea surface temperature and height off the southern coast of Sumatra and Java islands, attributed to the IOD event, suppressed the Pacific to Indian pressure gradient, resulting in a reduction in the ITF transport. Intensified Wyrtki jets, energetic westerly winds, and downwelling Kelvin waves associated with the strong IOD event contributed to the suppressed interocean pressure gradient. The influence from the 2016 La Niña event on the other hand was secondary. This study showcases the role of coupled ocean-atmosphere interactions in Indian Ocean in regulating an extreme interannual variation of the ITF in 2016, which is a unique event in the observational record.


The half wave potentials of 6-phenylfulvene, 6-methyl-6-phenylfulvene, 1-benzylideneindene, 9-benzylidenefluorene, and their derivatives with p-methyl, p-methoxy, and p-N, N-dimethylamino substituents on the phenyl group were studied in relation to the lowest vacant molecular orbital energies which were calculated on the basis of the LCAO-MO methods. The parameters of coulomb and resonance integrals for hetero atoms which were proposed by Streitwieser and Zweig were adopted. The linear relationship between the halfwave potentials and the lowest vacant molecular orbital energies by HMO method gave the correlation coefficient of 0.959. Furthermore, the results using 0.9β and 1.1β as resonance integrals for essential single bonds and essential bouble bonds, respectively, in HMO calculations gave better linear relationship with correlation coefficient of 0.992.


Incorporating some forms of active learning, such as problem based learning (PBL), role playing, and interactive lecture demonstration (ILD), into the traditional teaching style is meant to create fun and an enjoyable experience in the learning process. Moreover, a workshop tutorial is added to capture student interest and enhance student motivation and self-confidence. The corresponding assessment system is reformed to assess the long life learning skills in a diverse and enjoyable form.


The determination of the physical parameters of coronal loops remains both an observational and a theoretical challenge. A new diagnostic technique for quiescent dynamically heated coronal loops, based on the analysis of the power spectra of Doppler shift time series, is proposed. It is assumed that a given loop is heated randomly both in space and time by small-scale discrete impulsive events of unspecified nature. It is shown here that, depending on the heliographic position of the loop and the orientation of the observing instrument, various harmonics can be identified in the power spectra of line shift time series. The frequency peaks are sensitive to changes in the average loop temperature and are proposed to use as a temperature diagnostic tool. The analysis of the power spectra also allows to distinguish uniformly heated loops from loops heated near their footpoints.


In scaphoid malunions corrective osteotomy and filling the gap of scaphoid waist with bone graft was carried out. Corrective osteotomy of malunion was needed in 2 cases among 43 waist reconstructions. The size of the gap was assessed intraoperatively by carpal stretch test. In both 2 cases bone healing, correction of scaphoid angle and pain relief was achieved.


In order to clarify the relation of adenoma to carcinoma in the gallbladder, histopathologic examination was made on surgical specimens of 1605 cholecystectomies. Among them, 11 benign adenomas, seven adenomas with malignant change, and 79 invasive carcinomas were found. All of the benign adenomas were 12 mm or less in diameter (average diameter, 5.5 ± 3.1 mm), while the adenomas having cancerous foci were 12 mm or more in diameter (average diameter, 17.6 ± 4.4 mm). Most invasive carcinomas were more than 30 mm in diameter. The average patient age was 50.5 ± 16.3 years for benign adenomas, 58.3 ± 12.6 years for adenomas with malignant change, and 64.8 ± 9.6 years for invasive carcinomas. Transition of benign adenoma into carcinoma was histologically traceable. Adenomatous residue was found in 15 (19.0%) of 79 cases of invasive carcinoma.


In this brief, many novel theorems and corollaries are presented regarding the global asymptotic stability and global exponential stability of cellular neural networks with constant and variable time delays. The stability conditions in the new results improve and generalize existing ones. Several examples are discussed to compare the new results with the existing ones.


Multiple glomus tumours represent a special variant of glomangiomatosis. Based on our observation, the clinical features, diagnosis and differential diagnosis are presented and possible therapeutic approaches are discussed.


Calbindin-D9k, a vitamin D-dependent Ca2+-binding protein, is closely associated with the transcellular absorption of calcium by mammalian enterocytes. Studies were performed to determine whether physiological concentrations of calbindin-D9k altered Ca2+ transport by the ATP-dependent Ca2+ pump in rat duodenal basolateral membrane vesicles. In solutions where free Ca2+ was buffered by EGTA, only a small stimulation of Ca2+ uptake rates could be demonstrated, and it was likely that this was secondary to changes in free Ca2+ concentration. However, a threefold stimulation of uptake by 30 microM calbindin-D9k was found when EGTA-free solutions were used, and changes in free Ca2+ activity or 45Ca2+ specific activity were avoided. The affinity for Ca2+ was reduced in this system but appeared to be stimulated by either calbindin-D9k or EGTA. Other Ca2+-binding proteins that bind Ca2+ in the micromolar range were found to increase Ca2+ uptake in the absence of EGTA. These experiments suggest that one of the actions of calbindin-D9k is to stimulate the rate of extrusion of Ca2+ from the enterocyte by increasing Ca2+ transport by the Ca2+ pump.


BACKGROUND
Malignant tumors of the proximal part of the fibula are rare. We sought to analyze the presenting characteristics, postoperative complications, and local recurrences of malignant tumors in the proximal part of the fibula in a large series of patients.

METHODS
We identified 112 histologically confirmed malignant tumors of the proximal part of the fibula from the time period between 1910 and 2007. The sex ratio was nearly equal (fifty-four male, fifty-eight female). The average age of the patients was 27.6 years, and the average follow-up period was 5.7 years.

RESULTS
Osteosarcoma (44%) was the most common diagnosis. Pain (86%), palpable mass (51%), and peroneal nerve symptoms (12%) were the most common presenting symptoms. One hundred and three (92%) of 112 underwent curative surgical treatment. The two most common procedures were amputation in fifty (45%) of 112 patients and Malawer type-II resection in twenty-four (21%) of 112 patients. Deliberative sacrifice of the peroneal nerve was performed in seventy-four patients (66%). Postoperative complications occurred in fourteen (12.5%) of 112 patients, including wound issues (ten of 112), peroneal nerve palsy despite nerve preservation (two of twenty-nine), and posterior tibial artery thrombosis (two of 112). No long-term knee instability was seen in the fifty-three patients who underwent resection with lateral collateral ligament reconstruction. Fifty-six patients (50%) developed distant metastases and twelve (11%) had local recurrences.

CONCLUSIONS
Osteosarcomas are the most common malignant tumor of the proximal fibula. Complication rates are modest and long-term knee instability was not seen in patients undergoing reconstruction of the lateral collateral ligament. Local recurrence following resection is not uncommon and metastatic dissemination is the main cause of death. This series represents the largest collection of such tumors for which there is extended follow-up and data on surgical complications.


To the Editor:The study by Brook et al1 of traumatic pneumothorax detection by extended focused assessment with sonography for trauma (eFAST) used a diagnostic criterion of absence of both lung slide and comet tail signs. The resultant sensitivity of 47%, whereas substantially better than the 16% of plain chest radiography, was reasonably concluded to be "insufficient for ruling out small pneumothoraces." For those study patients with computed tomographically diagnosed pneumothorax, were there instances where only 1 of the 2 sonographic signs was absent? If such a modified criterion were applied to the study group, would the resulting improvement in sensitivity justify the anticipated decrement in specificity? As the specificity reported in the study was 99%, one might argue that there exists some "specificity to spare." Chest insonation in the study was done with the same 3.5-MHz curved transducer used for the abdominal portion of eFAST, with "decreasing the scan depth and approximating the focus level to the pleura." We agree with a previous suggestion2 that higher-frequency linear transducers (as permitted by patient habitus) produce finer resolution and better visualization of sliding and comet tailing. Transducer rapid switch/toggle capabilities of current instruments permit eFAST completion without incurring undue delays. We have attached a video of imaging with a linear transducer, shallow depth, and, additionally, application of power Doppler sonography in assessment of the "power slide" sign, indicating absence of pneumothorax (Video 1). The power slide was first reported in 20023 and was used thereafter in some of the eFAST studies cited by the authors.2,4 Produced by the relative motion of visceral on parietal pleura, it can establish or corroborate absence of interposed pneumothorax. It can also document on a single static image the dynamic sliding process and, as such, could have partially mitigated the authors' lack of video recording capability. The subsequently described M-mode "seashore sign,"5 an additional indicator of normal pleural anatomy, shares this documentation trait. Although studies using such additional sonographic signs achieved higher sensitivities than the presently reported 47%, not all explicitly quantified the contribution of each sign to overall performance. As the authors point out, differences in criterion standards and in patient characteristics (eg, pneumothorax size) further complicate study comparisons. Greater clinician experience with signal-processing options and the signs they produce will hopefully lead to a combination having optimal receiver operator characteristics. In conjunction with refinements in bedside insonation techniques and protocols, the overall accuracy of eFAST should continue to improve.


Mvch work har hen done on comparing qusntum lo dmwd (local realintic) theories [ I ] and re searcherr have mnridered whether quantum theory can be reproduced bs any concewnhie local redirfic theory. It has k e a s h m that no such thwry can mimic certain quanrum theoretic correlations , such ar those in Bell's theorem Much w r k doma in this a m invoire. idealised M L T O S C ~ ~ ~ C systems and it ii of intereat to lie whether my iotrinsidiy quantum phenomena exist far experm"al1y realnabie macroempie 8ysumi It ir of interest, ohuiamly. far actad expenmentts hut also LO probe the nature of the c l ~ ~ l c a l limit of mantom thmrv This paper wntraSU quantum theory and stochatir electradynsmim (SED], a semi c l a r i d ap pmximatim,which seeks to reproduce quantum theory by addmg Gaussian nobe to claesical edvt ion equations. It focuses on the non-degenerale parameiric o~cillattm with a pump beam that i s turned off at time zera,md is then dam-converted to signal and idler beanw. Calculations _e done in the short t h e transient regime Third order quadrature phare smplitude corrclatiom such as (AX,4X,AX3), vhereAX.=X,-(X 1 X. = !d& .uhereo.and.!arethavrualphatonueationandannihllation operators md m e and &b;osubai& iemcz the signal and i d k modes and Lbreaubscnpts dexiote the p a p mode, are conridered. For rho* t ~ m s (rc 0.1) it Is found that far quantum theory. analytically,


BACKGROUND
Skin diseases cause negative impact on the emotional state, social relationships and daily activities, due to the stigma caused by the appearance of the lesions.

OBJECTIVE
This study aimed to assess the quality of life of pediatric patients with skin diseases attending a dermatology service, compare the scores obtained among the dermatoses found in the sample and associate them to the variables, in addition to observing how the skin disease specifically affects quality of life.

METHODS
Cross-sectional study, with patients between 5 and 16 years attending the Dermatology Service of the University of Health Sciences of Porto Alegre, Brazil, between July 2010 and February 2011. The data collection instruments were the Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index questionnaire and the AUEQI questionnaire.

RESULTS
A total of 161 patients were interviewed, with mean age of 9,66 years. The main dermatoses were atopic dermatitis (29.8%), warts (13%) and molluscum contagiosum (7.5%). Chronic diseases (73.9%) were the most prevalent. The overall mean Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index score was 5.01 for chronic dermatoses and 2.07 for acute illnesses, indicating a compromised quality of life among chronically ill patients. The comparison between the scores obtained with the AUEQI scale and the Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index scores indicates that the overall quality of life is less affected than the specific quality of life related to the dermatosis.

CONCLUSIONS
The data presented reinforce how important it is that the patients, their families and caregivers understand the symptoms, triggers and treatment of the skin disease in question. This information facilitates adherence to the treatment and justifies the conduct adopted by the dermatologist.


Scholars new to the emotional intelligence (EI) literature will find that it is often confusing, with multiple proposals for what EI is, and how organizations should go about measuring it. Some major issues related to measurement are nominated and alternatives proposed for rethinking EI. Implications of these challenges and alternatives for HRD theory, research, and practice are briefly considered.


A new computer system for Monte Carlo Experimentation is presented in this thesis. The new system speeds and simplifies the process of coding and preparing a Monte Carlo Experiment; it also encourages the proper design of Monte Carlo Experiments, and the careful analysis of the experimental results.
A new functional language is the core of this system. Monte Carlo Experiments, and their experimental designs, are programmed in this new language; those programs are compiled into Fortran output. The Fortran output is then compiled and executed. The experimental results are analyzed with a standard statistics package such as S, Isp, or Minitab or with a user supplied program. Both the experimental results and the experimental design may be directly loaded into the workspace of those packages.
The new functional language frees programmers from many of the details of programming an experiment. Experimental designs such as factorial, fractional factorial or latin square are easily described by the control structures and expressions of the language. Specific mathematical models, such as arima(p,n,q) models, regression models with specific collinearity properties, tabular data generated by logit or log-linear models are generated by the routines of the language. Numerous random number generators and many standard statistic routines are included. It is easy to use standard variance reduction techniques, such as common or antithetic variables, conditional Monte Carlo, weighted samples, importance sampling or control variates.


This paper investigates suprasegmental features in the prelexical speech of congenitally hearing impaired children who received a Nucleus-24 multichannel cochlear implant between 5 and 20 months of age. Bi-syllabic spontaneous babbling productions were analyzed acoustically at different stages in the babbling period. Fundamental frequency, pitch change in terms of direction and degree, and duration were analyzed for each vowel. The results were compared with those of a control group of normally hearing children, and analyzed with respect to length of cochlear implant experience. Few differences were found between the normally hearing children and the cochlear implanted children in terms of suprasegmental aspects, indicating that a cochlear implant provides fundamental improvement already in pre-lexical speech. Nevertheless, differences in pitch variations between the two groups of children at the end of the babbling period may signify a weakness related to the cochlear implant.


Author(s): Hubbard, Jacqueline Ann | Advisor(s): Binder, Devin K | Abstract: Epilepsy is a group of chronic neurological disorders characterized by abnormally synchronized activity among neurons that presents as seizures. It is a major health problem that is estimated to affect 1 in 26 people during their lifetime. Many antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) currently exist, but approximately 30% of patients taking AEDs cannot control their seizures with drugs alone. In addition, adverse effects such as cognitive impairment are common. This may be because current AEDs act as central nervous system depressants and target neuronal channels to control tissue excitability. Therefore, new drugs based on non-neuronal targets may serve as novel therapeutic strategies with fewer deleterious effects. Astrocytes maintain glutamate and water homeostasis primarily through glutamate transporters and aquaporin-4 (AQP4), respectively. The two astrocyte-specific glutamate transporters are glutamate transporter-1 (GLT1) and glutamate aspartate transporter (GLAST), of which GLT1 is responsible for the majority of glutamate uptake in the forebrain. Alterations in both glutamate and water homeostasis have powerful effects on excitability, but the regulation of GLT1, GLAST, and AQP4 in epilepsy is not well understood. Furthermore, the β-lactam antibiotic ceftriaxone has previously been shown to upregulate GLT1 expression, but its efficacy in a chronic epilepsy model has not been well studied. Here I describe AQP4, GLT1, and GLAST hippocampal expression changes in a model of epilepsy. I begin by characterizing the intrahippocampal kainic acid (IHKA) model of epilepsy, focusing on astrocyte reactivity during the development of epilepsy (epileptogenesis). I then describe the highly polarized AQP4 expression in the healthy brain and show reduced hippocampal levels during epileptogenesis. After that, I discuss alterations of GLT1 levels after IHKA-induced epileptogenesis. Next, I discuss the lack of effect of β-lactam drugs on regulating AQP4 and GLT1 expression, thereby eliminating it as a potential antiepileptic therapeutic. I then describe the co-localization patterns of AQP4 and GLT1; these two proteins do not co-immunoprecipitate, suggesting the lack of a strong interaction between them. In the penultimate chapter, I briefly describe the minimal changes in GLAST expression during epileptogenesis. I conclude with a summary of my findings and suggested future directions for this line of research.


Leukocyte function was evaluated in five dogs with Pelger‐Huët (P‐H) anomaly and in five control dogs. No significant differences were found between groups in neutrophil adherence, random movement, chemotaxis, phagocytosis, or bacterial killing of Staphylococcus intermedius. Neutrophils migrated rapidly into inflammatory sites where progressive nuclear lobulation was noted over time. Antibody titers to exogenous antigens were similar in the P‐H and control groups indicating B‐ and T‐lymphocyte cooperation in humoral immunity. Lymphocyte blastogenesis to phytohemagglutinin also was similar in both groups suggesting the presence of a responsive T‐lymphocyte population. These findings indicate that no apparent predisposition to infection or immunodeficiency exists in dogs with P‐H anomaly.


: 1. Cementation in total knees is here to stay. 2. Future improvements will lie in the area of implant interfaces--in the near term by improving our polyethylene. 3. Cementless knees, with or without HA, may be indicated in the young, more active patient and where economic concerns have no impact on prosthetic selection.


Whereas much of the previous work on data mining has focused on mining data in relational databases, in this paper we discuss mining objects. Object models are very popular for representing multimedia data and, therefore, we need to mine object databases to extract useful information from the large quantities of multimedia data. We first describe the motivation for multimedia data mining with examples and then discus object mining with focus on text, image, video and audio mining. We also address the need for real-time data mining for multimedia applications.


An investigation was undertaken to study the effect of seed colouring with a few natural and artificial dyes on storability of paddy seeds. Freshly harvested paddy seeds were treated with fungicide (Thiram @ 2g per kg seed), followed by colouring with five artificial dyes@ 0.75% concentrations, viz., Aniline blue, Congo red, Methyl violet, Bromocresol purple and Coomasie brilliant blue, and four natural dyes, namely, beet (root tuber extract), turmeric (dried rhizome powder), mehndi (leaf extract), marigold (extract from petals). One control was also taken, in which only fungicide treatment was given. After colouring, the seeds were dried to moisture content below MSCS (13.0%) and stored in cloth bags under ambient conditions for a period of 8 months, i.e. from October 2014 to May 2015. Most of the dye treatments, both artificial and natural, had some deleterious effect on maintenance of viability in seeds, as compared to control, though in some cases the differences were statistically non-significant. None of the dyes had any beneficial effect on germination or vigour parameters. Among the artificial dyes, least deleterious effect was observed in case of seeds treated with Bromocresol purple and Congo red, in terms of various physiological parameters like germinability, percent abnormal seedlings, seed vigour indices and field emergence. Among natural dyes, mehndi and marigold treated seeds gave better results than the beet and turmeric treated seeds, in terms of the physiological parameters. However, seeds coloured with turmeric showed significantly lower insect infestation throughout the period of storage, as compared to the other treatments and control, clearly indicating its role in control of insect infestation during storage. Maximum deleterious effect of seed physiological parameters was recorded in case of Aniline blue and Methyl violet.


Multifunctional probes with high utilization rates have great value in practical applications in various fields such as cancer diagnosis and therapy. Here we have synthesized two organic molecules based on merocyanine. They can self-assemble in water to form ∼1.5 nm nanoparticles. Both of them have good application potential in fluorescent anticounterfeit printing ink and pH detection. More importantly, they have excellent mitochondrial targeting ability, intracellular red light and near-infrared dual-channel imaging ability, strong antiphotobleaching ability, and in vivo and in vitro near-infrared imaging capabilities, showing superior chemotherapy capabilities and biocompatibility in the 4T1 tumor-bearing mouse model.


This article introduces an automated data-labeling approach for generating crack ground truths (GTs) within concrete images. The main algorithm includes generating first-round GTs, pre-training a deep learning-based model, and generating second-round GTs. On the basis of the generated second-round GTs of the training data, a learning-based crack detection model can be trained in a self-supervised manner. The pre-trained deep learning-based model is effective for crack detection after it is re-trained using the second-round GTs. The main contribution of this study is the proposal of an automated GT generation process for training a crack detection model at the pixel level. Experimental results show that the second-round GTs are similar to manually marked labels. Accordingly, the cost of implementing learning-based methods is reduced significantly because data labeling by humans is not necessitated.


Breeding for low phytic acid (LPA) in maize is hampered by a tedious and destructive colorimetric assay in mature dry grain. There are no molecular markers available for the single recessive gene of lpa1-1, restricting breeding programmes. The aim of this study is to develop a molecular marker to identify the lpa1-1 gene at the early vegetative plant stage. The parental lines are temperate LPA line (CM 32) and tropical line (P 16). The lpa1-1 allele is due to a single amino acid change from alanine to valine. The nature of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker was validated by DNA sequencing of the parental PCR products. Using high resolution melt (HRM) profiles and normalised difference plots, we successfully differentiated the homozygous dominant (wild type), homozygous recessive (LPA) and heterozygous genotypes. The reduced phytate content of the LPA parental line was confirmed. The profiles from low cost crude and high quality DNA extraction were comparable when distinguishing between the parental lines. The cost of HRM analysis was 8% of the cost of PCR amplification and DNA sequencing. The development of the marker will make maize breeding for LPA efficient and fast, and it will enable the earlier release of lpa1-1 varieties.


The purpose of this study was to compare peak external intensities across game quarters in basketball. Eight semi-professional male players were monitored using accelerometers. For all quarters, peak intensities were determined via moving averages for PlayerLoad/minute (PL·min-1) using sample durations of 15 s, 30 s, 1 min, 2 min, 3 min, 4 min, and 5 min. Linear mixed models and effect sizes (ES) were used to compare peak intensities between quarters for each sample duration. Small decreases in peak PL·min-1 occurred between Quarters 1 and 4 for all sample durations (ES = 0.21-0.49). Small decreases in peak PL·min-1 were apparent between quarters 1 and 2 for 30-s, 1-min, and 3-min sample durations (ES = 0.24-0.33), and between quarters 3 and 4 for 2-5-min sample durations (ES = 0.20-0.24). Peak intensities decline across quarters with game progression in basketball, providing useful insight for practitioners to develop game-specific training and tactical strategies.


This study tested the hypothesis that denture instability limits the amount of voluntary muscular effort generated by denture wearers. Seventeen edentulous subjects (seven men, 10 women; mean age 60·3 ± 13·0 years) with newly acquired implant-retained mandibular overdentures and a conventional maxillary denture participated. Maximum bite forces and corresponding electromyographic (EMG) activity from the temporalis and masseter muscles (bilaterally) were recorded under two experimental conditions: (i) Unilateral premolar and molar bites without additional support, and (ii) premolar and molar bites with bite block support on the opposite side. In addition, EMG values alone were recorded during maximum clenching without any transducer between the upper and lower dentures. The level of muscular effort was significantly higher with greater denture support. These results indicate that denture instability probably prevents denture wearers from using the full potential of their jaw muscles, especially during unilateral biting and chewing, even with two implants supporting the mandibular dentures.


The article deals with one of the main and actual problems of modern translation studies - the transformation of sustainable word complexes, namely, the principles of translating SWC through the prism of the linguocognitive aspect. An attempt is made to reveal the main linguistic and translation aspects of the transformation process through the prism of the communicative function of these units in the context. Using examples that demonstrate the versatility of metaphorical thinking, the depth of the translation process is revealed, taking into account the comparison of the cognitive, cultural and pragmatic aspects of languages. By highlighting specific phenomena, each author of a work of art conceptualizes the world, filling the realities of existence with meanings, thereby constructing their own reality. The article proves that in the process of translation there is a problem of correlation of concepts presented in the USC, expressed in the relations of "content plan" and "expression plan", and related discursive possibilities for comparing these semantic categories in the translation language. Given this fact, it is possible to linguistically confirm many of the provisions concerning the content of the SWC concept. Namely, drawing a parallel between different ways of thinking, the comparison of certain concepts "spills out" the irregularities of the linguistic-cognitive worldview, that is, in order to identify these discrepancies, the article provides a conceptual analysis of options by comparing two different languages.


Objectives: The objective of study was to calculate the municipal level environmental burden of disease (EBD) due to heat wave. Methods: The data used were Korea National Health Insurance 2011 claim data and 2011 death registry. Heatwave related diseases included hypertensive heart diseases, ischemic heart diseases, cerebrovascular disease, and heat related illness. According to the method that WHO proposed, the study computed population-attributable fraction with relative risk which come from previous study and proportion of exposure which the study calculated with historical meteorology data. Results: The Average of 251 municipal EBD was 2.11 per thousand persons. The value of years lost due to disability was 11 times higher than that of years of life lost. On average EBD of county and southern geographical areas tended to be higher than those of District or city areas. The relationship between municipal deprivation index (composite deprivation index) and EBD showed the positive association, which means that the worse deprived municipal is, the higher EBD takes. Conclusions: Climate change is getting one of the major risk factors of cardio-cerebrovascular disease, which is the second leading cause of death. The study results suggested the urgent policy planning and reaction of climate change adaptation.