Murine keratinocyte culture from neonatal skin is an important tool for studying the functional role of specific genes in epithelial biology. However, when the transgenic animal is only available in a geographically distant local, obtaining viable keratinocytes can be problematic. A method for transferring the isolated murine skin from collaborating labs could decrease the cost of shipping live animals, and would allow the efficient use of the tissues from the transgenic animals. Here we optimized shipping conditions and characterized the cells retrieved and cultured from mouse skin shipped for 48 h at 0 °C. The cultured keratinocytes from the control, non‐shipped skin and the 2‐day shipped skin were 43.6 +/− 7.8% viable, doubled every 2 days, and expressed comparable amounts of heat shock proteins and CD29/integrin beta‐1. However, under the same shipping conditions, the 3‐day shipped tissue failed to establish colonies in the culture. Therefore, this 2‐day shipping technique allows the transfer mouse skin from distant locations with recovery of viable, propagatable keratinocytes, facilitating long‐distance collaborations. J. Cell. Physiol. 230: 242–245, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


Collaborative filtering (CF) is a widely studied research topic in recommender systems. The learning of a CF model generally depends on three major components, namely interaction encoder, loss function, and negative sampling. While many existing studies focus on the design of more powerful interaction encoders, the impacts of loss functions and negative sampling ratios have not yet been well explored. In this work, we show that the choice of loss function as well as negative sampling ratio is equivalently important. More specifically, we propose the cosine contrastive loss (CCL) and further incorporate it to a simple unified CF model, dubbed SimpleX. Extensive experiments have been conducted on 10 benchmark datasets and compared with 28 existing CF models in total. Surprisingly, the results show that, under our CCL loss and a large negative sampling ratio, SimpleX can surpass most sophisticated state-of-the-art models by a large margin (e.g., max 48.5% improvement in NDCG@20 over LightGCN). We believe that SimpleX could not only serve as a simple strong baseline to foster future research on CF, but also shed light on the potential research direction towards improving loss function and negative sampling.


Several methods are available for non-invasive imaging of gene delivery and transgene expression, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), single photon emission tomography (SPECT)/positron emission tomography (PET), and fluorescence and bioluminescence imaging. However, these imaging modalities differ greatly in terms of their sensitivity, cost, and ability to measure the signal. Whereas MRI can produce a resolution of approximately 50 mum, optical imaging achieves only 3-5 mm but outperforms MRI in terms of the cost of the imaging device. Similarly, SPECT and PET give a resolution of only 1-2 mm but provide for relatively easy quantitation of the signal and need only nanograms of probe, compared with the microgram or milligram levels required for MRI and optical imaging. To develop safer and more efficient gene delivery vectors, it is essential to perform rigorous in vivo experiments, to image particle biodistribution and transduction patterns, and to quantify the transgene expression profile. Differences between modalities have a significant effect on the resultant imaging resolution for gene therapy. This review describes the methodologies in use and highlights recent key approaches using the latest imaging modalities in gene therapy. Future trends in gene therapy imaging are also discussed.


Purpose: Identify the influence of relationships with support institutions on innovativeness and organizational performance. Theoretical framework: The innovation intermediaries are organizations that act as a link between those involved in the innovation process and whose purpose is to develop the innovative aspects of organizations. Although studies have pointed out the importance of relationships with support institutions for the development of innovation, the present study investigated the role of these institutions as intermediary actors in the innovation process. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic literature review was conducted. The Methodi Ordinatio Index was used as a protocol. In order to identify the most central theoretical approaches in the studies, as well to map the interactions between these approaches, the Social Network Analysis - SNA technique was used. Findings: The relationship with support institutions increases access to non-redundant contacts; these, in its turn, influence innovativeness. The performance of these actors as intermediaries will only influence innovativeness in the circumstances in which the idiosyncrasy of these institutions does not prevent or makes impossible access to non-redundant contacts. Originality/value: The study contributed with literature from the fields of interorganizational relations, innovation and strategy by identifying the theoretical approaches in which the role of innovation support organizations is inserted, as well as by identifying the influence for access to non-redundant contacts, relevant to the innovation process; in addition, theoretical propositions and a research agenda are presented.


We report a case of de novo diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) in leukemic phase, positive for both CD5 and CD13. Morphologic evaluation, flow cytometric immunophenotyping, karyotyping and polymerase chain reaction studies were performed. Neoplastic lymphocytes appeared as blast-like cells, positive for CD19, CD20, CD5, CD13, CD79a, HLADR, and with restriction for surface immunoglobulin K light chains. Rearrangement of IgH gene, BCL2 / IgH translocation and complex karyotype were found. The patient was treated with RCOMP regimen and achieved complete remission. However, only one month after the first restaging of disease, the patient presented with symptoms attributable to central nervous system involvement and her clinical conditions worsened rapidly. While both CD5 expression and leukemic presentation are uncommon findings in DLBCL, positivity for CD13 is very rare. The outcome of our patient shows the poor prognosis of CD5+ DLBCL with leukemic presentation. The possible role of CD13 coexpression is discussed.


BACKGROUND
This study was designed to explore the relationships between serologic Helicobacter pylori positivity and demographic, behavioural, and symptomatologic factors in patients consulting for dyspeptic symptoms in general practice.

METHODS
H. pylori enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay results and checklist data were collected by general practitioners at three community health centers in southern Sweden from consecutive patients aged 18-65 years with upper abdominal pain or discomfort (dyspepsia).

RESULTS
Of the 130 available patients with dyspepsia, 127 agreed to participate, 45 (mean age, 41.2 years) being classified as H. pylori-positive and 82 (mean age, 33.5 years) as H. pylori-negative. Manual workers were diagnosed as H. pylori-positive significantly more often than were non-manual workers (p < 0.05). Of those patients examined earlier by gastroscopy or roentgenography, H. pylori-positives reported stomach or duodenal ulcer significantly more often than did H. pylori-negatives (p < 0.01). H. pylori-positives reported stomach/duodenal ulcer in their parents/siblings to a significantly greater extent than did H. pylori-negatives (45.2% versus 10.1%, p < 0.001). H. pylori-negatives reported stress-generated symptoms significantly more often than did H. pylori-positives (82.9% versus 61.5%, p < 0.01). Hierarchical regression analyses showed that, when age and sex were controlled for, the ability of each of these measures to predict the serologic results remained significant.

CONCLUSIONS
Higher levels of H. pylori antibodies in dyspeptic patients appear to be associated with a relatively low self-perception of stress, with manual work, with being older, and with the occurrence, both in the patients themselves and in their close relatives, of stomach/duodenal ulcer.


It is important to focus on urgent needs in clinics and develop optimal materials. For successful augmentation of vocal folds, the ideal filler should be injectable through a syringe, and should stably maintain its volume for a long time without toxicity. To achieve these criteria, a click chemistry-based PEG (polyethylene glycol) hydrogel was developed and applied for vocal fold augmentation in vivo. The PEG hydrogel enables fast gelation in vivo after injection and provides long-term stability. Azide- and dibenzocyclooctyne (DBCO)-modified 4-arm PEG were cross-linked by chemical conjugation via click chemistry and yielded gelation within several minutes. After subcutaneous injection into mice and rats, the PEG hydrogel showed higher stability after 1 month compared to the traditionally used calcium hydroxyapatite-carboxymethyl cellulose (CaHA-CMC) filler. In rabbit models with vocal fold paralysis, the PEG hydrogel stably fixed the paralyzed vocal fold in 4 months and minimized the glottic gap. It was an improved therapeutic result compared to CaHA-CMC, demonstrating the potential of a click chemistry-based PEG hydrogel for vocal fold therapy.


has been oppressing opposition political party leaders and their supporters as a means of revenge against them since it assumed in power in January 2009. So far it has killed more than 200 people extra-judicially and arrested more than 1200 leaders and supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami Bangladesh (Jamaat) and Shibir without any valid reason and they are being oppressed in detention since February 2010. This paper mainly focuses on the war crimes trial issue in Bangladesh for war crimes committed in 1971 during independence movement in Bangladesh. Descriptive and analytical research methodology has been applied in this paper. It is an empirical research. It critically explains the mala fide intention of the AL government in prosecuting and arresting some of the opposition political party leaders in Bangladesh for their alleged role in 1971.


The paper discusses structure and property aspects of oxide films formed on 7075 aluminum alloys by microarc oxidation in alkali-silicate electrolytic solution. Microstructure, surface morphology and phase composition of the ceramic coatings were investigated by SEM and XRD. Distribution of hardness along the coating thickness was determined by microhardness analyses. The friction and wear behavior of the oxide films against steel counterparts was evaluated with a friction and wear tester. The results showed that the microarc oxidation coatings composed mainly of α-Al2O3 and γ-Al2O3 phase are dense and uniform, which indicates that the wear resistance of Al alloy could be improved obviously by microarc oxidation. The films possess a beneficial combination of 25~45 μm thickness, HV0.11500 microhardness and provide a low wear rate but a relatively high friction coefficient against GCr15 steel under dry friction condition.


Visual information is processed along two cortical pathways in the human brain, a ventral visual stream for perception, and a dorsal visual stream for the generation of actions. It has been assumed that information processed in the two streams remains largely separated and is only combined at a late stage. However, in this thesis, I provide ideas and evidence of early contributions of the ventral visual stream to the generation of goal-directed object manipulating actions. Specifically, using functional and structural neuroimaging, as well as time resolved analyses of the effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation on overt action execution, I show that the extrastriate body area – a ventral stream area involved in the visual perception of human bodies – generates a representation of desired action goal states. This representation is subsequently used by dorsal stream areas during the specification and generation of motor commands. These findings provide a cortical mechanism for the translation of action goals into motor plans, and enhance our understanding of perception and action mechanisms in our brain.Proefschrift Dissertation


Here we review progress on isolation and characterization of progenitor cells in the pancreas. We discuss advantages and current limitations of experiments with purified pancreatic cells, and areas where future growth in our understanding is needed to advance experiments in pancreas biology based on cell purification.


ABSTRACT The present study assessed the extent to which culture impacts the emotion-induced memory trade-off effect. This trade-off effect occurs because emotional items are better remembered than neutral ones, but this advantage comes at the expense of memory for backgrounds such that neutral backgrounds are remembered worse when they occurred with an emotional item than with a neutral one. Cultures differ in their prioritisation of focal object versus contextual background information, with Westerners focusing more on objects and Easterners focusing more on backgrounds. Americans, a Western culture, and Turks, an Eastern-influenced culture, incidentally encoded positive, negative, and neutral items placed against neutral backgrounds, and then completed a surprise memory test with the items and backgrounds tested separately. Results revealed a reduced trade-off for Turks compared to Americans. Although both groups exhibited an emotional enhancement in item memory, Turks did not show a decrement in memory for backgrounds that had been paired with emotional items. These findings complement prior ones showing reductions in trade-off effects as a result of task instructions. Here, we suggest that a contextual-focus at the level of culture can mitigate trade-off effects in emotional memory.


Sir, We read with interest the case report by Donnelly et al. (August, 1993) which linked the use of ritodrine to prevent premature labour and the concurrent development of myocardial infarction in a patient with a history of recurrent pregnancy losses. The authors refer to several studies showing an association between ritodrine and myocardial ischaemia (Hendricks et al. 1986; Shlomo et a/. 1986). We would suggest that the patient's previous gynaecological history is important in understanding the pathogenesis of her myocardial infarction. This patient had experienced four pregnancy losses, suffering both early (< 13 weeks of gestation) and late miscarriages (> 13 weeks of gestation). The authors state that no cause had been identified for these miscarriages, but do not state if they had screened for the presence of lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antiphospholipid antibodies (APA). In recent years there has been increasing evidence that the presence of APA is linked to recurrent pregnancy loss, an increased incidence of arterial and venous thrombosis and thrombocytopenia (Harris er a/ . 1985; Lechner 1987). The prevalence of APA in patients with three or more pregnancy losses has been variously reported as being between 8 and 42% (Carreras et al. 1981; Unander et al. 1987). The underlying pathology of the pregnancy losses, which may occur in any trimester, is thrombosis of the uteroplacental vessels. Myocardial infarction in association with the presence of APA has been documented in the literature (Hamstein er al. 1986). In addition, there have been recent case reports of hepatic infarction in pregnancy (Kinoshita 1993) and bilateral renal vein thrombosis in the puerperium (Asherson et al. 1993) in women with APA. The prospective pregnancy loss rate in a woman with the lupus antibody approaches 90% without treatment (Lubbe et al. 1985; Branch 1987). If this patient was to contemplate a further pregnancy, consideration should begiven to treating her with low dose aspirin which appears to be the single most efficacious form of treatment in women with APA and recurrent pregnancy losses (Reece 1992). It is accepted that close observation of pulse and blood pressure are mandatory when using ritodrine. This case demonstrates the need for continuous ECG monitoring in those patients in whom ritodrine is used as a tocolytic agent who have either been documented as having APA, or whose history is suggestive of an underlying APA syndrome.


About $1 billion is diverted each year from the retail to farm income stream to support commodity promotion programs. Since this is not a trivial amount, this immediately raises a basic question: Does commodity promotion represent the best use of the funds from that income stream? Would farmers, consumers and/or society be better off if that money were invested in other ways, e.g., technology to further reduce production and distribution costs or improve quality? It is hard to answer that question without sound economic analysis. In addition, up to $200 million of federal funds are invested in export promotion programs each year. Some state governments also fund export promotion programs. Is this the best use of taxpayer money? Given the substantial level of investment in commodity promotion, we advocate in this paper public intervention in the economic evaluation of domestic promotion and foreign market development programs. The purpose of the intervention would be to make sure that appropriate economic analyses are conducted to determine whether the programs satisfy the public interest. First, we will make the case for economic analysis and then the case for an appropriate amount of government intervention in economic evaluation.


A power calculation for a study with a quantitative outcome requires information on the outcome distribution under the alternative hypothesis. Researchers face challenges when they concisely specify alternative distributions in genetic studies because power depends on genotype frequencies and the average effect of each genotype. In GWAS, investigators evaluate hundreds of thousands of associations; therefore it is unrealistic to specify gene frequencies and gene effects for each test and some simplification is needed. Software packages are available to calculate power, but many of them have limited flexibility and / or may have a steep learning curve. In this review, we describe to researchers and graduate students the essentials of a power calculation for testing for an association between a quantitative trait and genotypes. In addition, we provide them with the codes of the different available software packages—free and commercial—to calculate this power. The calculations can be carried out using virtually any computer language that computes the cumulative distribution function of a non-central F-distribution.


The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of learning by using a realistic mathematical approach to the ability to understand students' mathematical concepts. This research is a quasi-experimental research. This research was conducted at MTs Islamiyah Medan. The research sample consisted of 50 students, 25 experimental class students, and 25 control class students obtained by cluster random sampling technique in class VII students. The results of the study explained that the average ability to understand mathematical concepts of students who use a realistic mathematical approach is higher than the average ability to understand mathematical concepts of students who use conventional learning. It can be seen from the average posttest score of students' mathematical problem-solving ability of 29.125 in the experimental class and 27.250 in the control class. However, the realistic mathematical approach model in the experimental class was significantly more successful in improving students' understanding of mathematical concept skills compared to conventional methods. Thus the learning of realistic mathematics influences the ability to understand the concepts of mathematical students (tcount = 3.91> ttable = 2.13). The conclusion of this study is that there is a positive influence on realistic mathematical approaches to students' mathematical concept understanding abilities.


Over the past two decades, as more knowledge has been gained about driver visibility needs and the aging driver population trends, some highway agencies have begun to use longitudinal pavement markings that are wider than the 4-inch minimum for standard centerline, edge line, and/or lane line applications. The overall goal of this study was to identify information pertaining to the use of wider markings by highway agencies in the United States, Canada and worldwide and combine with the technical literature to provide a comprehensive report detailing the use and benefits of wider markings. Research activities included surveys and reviews of technical literature. A survey was administered to roadway agencies in the United States and Canada in Spring 2001. This survey revealed that a number of these agencies are using wider pavement markings, although levels of implementation and reasons for using them vary. A separate but similar survey was administered to highway personnel worldwide. A review of the research literature has identified five main methods for evaluating the effectiveness of wider pavement markings. Traditional measures of effectiveness have centered on crash evaluations and service life evaluations mainly because the results can readily be used in benefit/cost evaluations. Unfortunately, conclusive crash reduction or improved service life data does not exist in the literature or within highway agencies. Evidence has suggested that because conclusive benefit/cost data are not obtainable, highway agencies and researchers alike are turning to indirect (or implied) safety measures to justify the use of wider markings. These indirect measures include: driver opinion surveys/comments, visibility measures, and "intermediate" or "surrogate" safety measures. Although very little research exists, the available scientific evidence suggests that the greatest benefit that wider markings may provide is improved peripheral visibility, which is related to primary driving tasks such as lane keeping. This paper presents the survey results and a critical review of the literature regarding wider pavement markings in the United States, Canada, and worldwide. Conclusions and suggestions have been made as to the use of wider markings by highway agencies and future research endeavors.


This paper describes a study conducted to address the question of how much power transfer capacity should be provided on a meshed transmission system to maintain reliability of supply to consumers in the presence of wind generation. A simulation methodology is presented that includes modeling of the available wind generation in the longer term across a quite large area taking into account correlations in available power between different locations in that area. A description is given of the results obtained in characterization of the relationship between the peak load in an area, the total generation capacity in that area, the proportion of it that is wind generation, and how much transmission import capability- "interconnection reserve" -is required for a given reliability of supply. Finally, a number of issues faced by power system investment planners are discussed and pointers given to further work to enable transmission utilities to meet the challenges presented by policy makers in respect of development of wind power to meet renewable energy targets.


The research was performed in 2008-2009 within Belarus Government target program with the 54-th Russian Antarctic expedition. Geological mapping was carried out along with geochemical survey of Precambrian basement of Thala hills in western Enderby Land, Antarctica (lat 67°38,7'S ÷ 67°41'S; long 46°02,7'E ÷ 46°14'E). Peculiarities of geophysical fields correspond to the different petrophysical conditions. In the outcrops within Thala hills, the field relations of plagiogneisses facies, migmatitic and plutonic rocks of charnockite and post-tectonic granitoid affinities are well exposed. Four types of main petrographic and petrophysical heterogeneities were singled out: 1) protolyth relic two pyroxene amphibole, biotite plagiogneisses (pg); 2) intermediate hybrid amphibole-pyroxene-plagioclase-quartz-feldspathic charnockitic enderbites (čeg); 3) enclosing amphibole-feldspathic-quartz-plagioclase charnockites (čg); 4) in cores – ultrametamorphic feldspathic-quartz-plagioclase-amphibole-biotite streamy rapakivi-gneissic charnockites (hybrids) (čm). The rocks correspond to the dominant processes of tectonic thermal activation of the four geochronological borders. The rocks architectonics reflects evolutionary succession of events, i.e. a change of direction of granitization processes from lateral (↔) crustal to vertical (↕) intrusive ones. The territory structure of Thala hills is represented as an ordered linear-dome model of Precambrian structural and compositional evolution: protolyth plagiogneiss ↔, intermediate charnockitic enderbite ↔, enclosing charnockite ↔, core streamy rapakivioid charnockite ↕.


Background Specific organ involvements have been proposed to be closely associated with further organ damage and deaths. However, no study ever demonstrated the rate of new organ involvement development, especially in China. This study aimed to study the characteristics of new organ involvements based on CSTAR (Chinese SLE Treatment and Research group) registry cohort. Methods Patients were enrolled from April 2009 to February 2010, and were followed up regularly at clinic. Baseline data were collected at entry, including demography, clinical manifestations, activity (SLEDAI-2K), organ involvements, organ damages (SLLIC/Damage Index). The type and appearing time of new developed organ involvements, and new organ damages were recorded. Logistic regression model was adopted to study relationship between new organ involvements with new damage and deaths. Results A total of 687 patients were finally included for analysis. The proportion of accumulated organ involvements in patients without relevant organ involvements were 8.91% for lupus nephritis (LN), 2.25% for hematologic involvement (HEMA), 3.13% for neuropsychiatric involvements (NEURO), 1.38% for interstitial lung disease (ILD) and 0.59% for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Logistic regression analysis showed that new developed LN [OR 3.233. p=0.004], NEURO [OR 5.314, p<0.001] and ILD [OR 12.739. p<0.001] were associated with more damage accrual and new developed PAH [OR 26.078. p=0.001] was associated with more deaths.Abstract 247 Figure 1 Accumulated new organ involvements during follow-up Conclusions Lupus nephritis, hematologic involvement and neuropsychiatric lupus were the most frequently developed new organ involvements for Chinese SLE patients. Along with interstitial lung disease and pulmonary arterial hypertension, they were closely related to damage accumulation and mortality. Therefore, we should keep an eye on them during follow-up and seek for potential strategies to prevent for new organ involvement development. Funding Source(s): Chinese National Key Research R and D Program (2017YFC0907601, 2017YFC0907602, 2017YFC0907603), the Chinese National High Technology Research and Development Program, Ministry of Science and Technology (2012AA02A513) and the Chinese National Key Technology R and D Program, Ministry of Science and Technology (2008BAI59B02).


Reduction in DNA repair capacity is associated with increased rates of birth defects, cancer, and accelerated aging. According to some earlier studies, genetic polymorphisms in DNA repair genes might influence the repair activities of the enzymes predisposing individuals to cancer risk. Owing to the presence of these genetic variants, inter-individual and ethnic differences in DNA repair capacity have been observed in various populations. Polymorphisms in DNA repair genes and differences in repair capacity between individuals have been widely reported in different cancers. We conducted a case-control study to examine the role of genetic polymorphisms in XRCC1 Gln632Gln (rs3547), Arg399Gln (rs25487), Arg280His (rs25489), Arg194Trp (rs1799782) in the risk of laryngeal cancer in different ethnic groups in Xinjiang. This study included 58 laryngeal cancer patients and 120 healthy controls age- and sex-matched without cancer. The genotypes of XRCC1Gln632Gln (rs3547), Arg399Gln (rs25487), Arg280His (rs25489) and Arg194Trp (rs1799782) were analyzed by PCR-RFLP, and the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using an unconditional logistic regression model. C/T (hybrid) and T/T (mutant) genotypes of XRCC1 Arg280His (rs25489) revealed no statistical significance in the risk of laryngeal cancer (P>0.05), whereas the genotypes of XRCC1 Gln632Gln (rs3547), Arg399Gln (rs25487), Arg280His (rs25489), Arg194Trp (rs1799782) showed a higher risk than the controls (P<0.01) in Han, Uygur, and Kazak nations. In conclusion, the current study suggests that XRCC1 Gln632Gln (rs3547), Arg399Gln (rs25487), and Arg194Trp (rs1799782) polymorphisms may be associated with laryngeal cancer risk in the Han, Uygur, and Kazakh populations in Xinjiang. Individuals carrying genotype Arg/Gln+Gln/Gln showed a greater risk than those carrying Arg/Arg for laryngeal cancer in the Han, Uygur and Kazakh ethnic groups, and the odds ratios are 1.47, 1.32, and 0.77.


A major obstacle of wireless energy harvesting is to convert relatively low power wireless RF energy into sufficiently high DC voltage for practical use. This paper explores and studies a topology where several voltage doublers are connected in series to boost up the DC output voltage from the wireless energy harvesting circuits. A prototype has been designed and fabricated to test the feasibility of the proposed topology. With five voltage doublers in series, a resultant DC voltage of as high as 1.23 V can be obtained when an omni-directional antenna is transmitted at a power level of 20 dBm from a distance 3 m away from the prototype.


Outdoor recreational experience is one of the services provided in many natural areas. In planning for the development and operation of outdoor recreational opportunities of public land, valuation of the area is mostly done by establishing a recreational demand model curve. Not only does the demand model illustrate the actual recreational behaviour, it also estimates the economic value generated by outdoor recreation.
This study is conducted in the state of Perlis. It is a small state with approximately 14% forest cover. Perlis State Park (PSP) was chosen as the study site, because there has been no forest production for the state of Perlis for several years, even though it still has forested areas. This study, on the recreational use of PSP, seeks to determine its economic value as an alternative income for Perlis. In terms of method, the geographical location of PSP provides variations in distance, and thus, a
variety of travelling costs, which are necessary for regression analysis.
The estimation of the recreational use value for Perlis State Park (PSP) is conducted by applying the Zonal Travel Cost Method (ZTCM) and the Individual Travel Cost Method (ITCM). In the study, the ZTCM used, is a modification of the basic traditional Claw on model. Modifications were
made in terms of including the elements of time,alternative locations,perceptions, and demographic variables. Adding relevant variables enriches the explanatory power of the model, especially the variables that will affect visitation rates. Regression analysis found that visit percapita, is influenced by existing alternative recreational locations, the cost of travelling time, length of stay, expenditure at the site, and monthly income. The motive variables do not capture implicit intention, suggesting that visits may be a combination of the listed benefits or other benefits that were not captured by the model. This transformation has improved the statistical properties of the model. The second type of model (ITCM) is an advanced type of travel-cost method. It is considered better, as it uses actual visitations per year as a dependent variable. To counter endogenous stratification problems and truncation, the model is based on a count-data model, and this has also improved the statistical properties.
The economic value of PSP, as a recreational area, is estimated at RM5.3 million with the modified ZTCM; and at RM 19.5 million by applying ITCM. The estimates found from the study, confirm that there is a substantial recreational use value for PSP, which suggests that outdoor recreational activities provide benefits to its visitors. Despite the
difference in monetary values, in the ZTCM and the ITCM, the calculated values from both models are dependent on visitation rates. Therefore, it is imperative for the management to maintain an optimum visitation rate to PSP. To this effect, not only are the efforts by the managing agency to promote outdoor recreation in PSP justified, but also, extra effort may be required to attract more tourists to the area as this will increase the economic value.


Schistosomiasis mansoni is a helminth infection of about 80 million people in the tropics. Granulomas which appear around schistosome eggs disseminated in the tissues of the definitive host are primarily responsible for the occurrence of hepatosplenic disease (1). This granulomatous reaction has been shown to be a specific, cell-mediated host response (2) to soluble antigens secreted by the living, mature schistosome eggs (3). Furthermore, when soluble egg antigens (SEA)2 obtained by homogenization and ultracentrifugation were administered in microgram amounts without adjuvant they induced delayed hypersensitivity in mice and guinea pigs (3, 4). When SEA was coated onto bentonite particles it elicited typical granulomas in specifically sensitized animals (5, 6). Crude SEA was also used in delayed skin tests (3, 4) and in the stimulation of blastogenesis (7) and lymphokine production (8, 9) in cultures of sensitized lymphocytes.


The world's population is aging, and it has been estimated that by 2050, the number of people 65 years of age and older will reach 1.5 billion. The aging population will be affected by noncommunicable chronic diseases, including diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease and cognitive impairment. This important demographic shift includes a reduction in tooth loss/edentulism, particularly in older adults of the developed countries in North America, western Europe and north-east Asia. Therefore, in the future, dental providers will be required to care for an expanded number of older adults who have retained teeth and are medically complex. As the linkage of oral disease and systemic disease has focused on the relationship of periodontitis and noncommunicable chronic diseases, a broad review of 'geriatric periodontology' is both timely and important. This volume of Periodontology 2000 covers a range of subjects under this heading. Included are the demographics of an aging world; the effect of aging on stem cell function in the periodontium; the periodontal microbiota associated with aging; the host response in the periodontium of aging individuals; an analysis of the prevalence of periodontitis in the USA on a national, state-wide and community basis; differentiation of physiologic oral aging from disease; treatment of periodontal disease in older adults; implant therapy for older patients; oral disease and the frailty syndrome; the relationship of tooth loss to longevity and life expectancy; and the relationship of periodontal disease to noncommunicable chronic diseases. Although 'geriatric dentistry' is not a recognized specialty in dentistry, and 'geriatric periodontology' is a descriptive title, the subject of this volume of Periodontology 2000 is critical to the future of clinical dentistry, dental public health and dental research. Any comprehensive focus on older patients can only be accomplished with an emphasis on interprofessional education and practice. If embraced, this shift will allow the dental profession to be more closely aligned with the larger health-care environment, and can improve both oral health and health outcomes for patients seen in the dental office.


The modified Hele-Shaw cell lets us simulate sedimentation in a wide variety of situations from a river bed to a sedimentary basin. It illustrates deposition and erosion, stratigraphy, progradation, aggradation, and the origin of sedimentary structures such as beds, laminations, ripples and slumps. Using a narrow acrylic tank based on the Hele-Shaw cell, sediment and water are added at one end and water is withdrawn at the other. As observers watch sedimentary processes in real-time, sediments build up in layers in the tank, demonstrating the nature of strata as a geological record. This engaging experiment is suitable for primary to university education. It has principally been used to teach the fundamentals, but can also be used by advanced students to experiment with other sediment-water interactions such as groundwater flow and angle of repose.


In this paper we construct a new family of lifetime distributions which is obtained by compounding Lindley distribution with power series distribution the new distribution so obtained is known as Lindley power series (LPS) distribution that generalizes Lindley geometric distribution due to Zakerzadeh and Mahmoudi (2012). In addition to this, the new family so obtained contains some special sub models such as Lindley binomial, Lindley logarithmic and Lindley Poisson which are very useful for modeling lifetime data. Furthermore, some mathematical properties such as moment generating function, moments, hazard function, survival function, order statistics and estimation of parameters via maximum likelihood estimation method are also studied. Sub models of LPS family are also investigated in detail. Finally the potentiality of proposed family is justified by using it to model the real life data set.


A study aimed at determining appropriate soil conservation measures other than bench terracing was conducted in an Ultisol in Jamaica for 2 crop years. Mean annual soil losses for 2 consecutive years, from check plots planted to yellow yams ( Dioscorea sp.) on individual hills without a hillside ditch, amounted to 192 t/ha/yr. Hillside ditches and intercropping yam with Irish potato decreased soil losses by 35%. A further reduction was achieved by intercropping yam with Irish potato on continuous contour mounds interrupted by a hillside ditch. The best erosion control was attained on yam plots intercropped with Irish potato on continuous contour mounds with a grass buffer strip.


The objective of this case study was to learn the policy process of the Gerbangmas movement in Lumajang district as an innovation within decentralized system. Using qualitative approach, data was collected by in-depth interview of key informants and review of documents, then analyzed thematically. The study has revealed that the policy change of Gerbangmas initiative is not a radical but incremental process which takes around five years period. It started from "conventional Posyandus" to be "Balai Posyandu Mandiri", then revived by the Bupati into Gerbangmas movement. Health sector has successfully advocated the Bupati to create a common vehicle for all sectors. The study has identified that the essences of Gerbangmas movement were (i) neutral vehicle, (ii) shared goals, (iii) all sectors could be passengers, (iv) strong power of the referee, (v) government financial stimulants, (vi) self management by community, and (vii) neutral cadres as the implementer (PKK). Gerbangmas movement has encouraged multi sectors to set programs for community empowerment. The study recommended that in conducting community empowerment for addressing social determinants of health, it is of importance to set a neutral vehicle that can accommodate multi sectors' interests. Keywords: community empowerment, Posyandu, Gerbangmas, inter-sectoral action, social determinants of health


An efficient simulation platform for the development of anti-lock brake system (ABS) is presented. To reduce computational burden due to the rigidity of a hydraulic unit comprising brake system. the hydraulic brake system is built and integrated to a virtual 18-DOF vehicle dynamics model. The latter is used to describe dynamics of the target vehicle under extreme maneuvers. The Hardware-in-the-Loop system thus built allows the investigation of not only the dynamic behavior but also hydraulic responses of the vehicle with a complete assess to all system parameters and state variables


Since 1975, 26 states have repealed or modified their motorcycle (M/C) helmet laws. Louisiana (LA) reinstated the M/C helmet law in 1982. The medical and financial impact of repeal in Kansas (KS), reinstatement in LA (accident, fatality, and critical injury rates) have been studied through 1987. Current FARS data and studies from KS, LA, 10 states and 5 countries are compared and reported. Without M/C helmet legislation, the user rate drops from 99% to 50%. With reinstatement, the user rate rises to greater than 95%. Average hospital stay (days) for helmeted (H) riders is 5.8, non-helmeted (NH), 11.8. Fatality rate/1,000 M/C registrations is 6.2 NH, 1.6 H. Changes effected through M/C helmet legislation: fatality rate was 1.17 (1981), falling to 0.44 (1987) with legislation (62% decrease) (LA); 66% change Colorado, 42% Oklahoma; fatality rate/1,000 accidents changed 28% from 42.68 NH to 30.81 H; injury accidents 84% to 73%, critical injury reduction 44% (1981 to 1987). Risk of head injury: NH 2.07 greater than H. Risk of a fatal accident: NH 1.44 greater than H. Accident rate is less with M/C helmet legislation than without (19% KS, 48% LA). The medical costs (LA 1981 to 1987) decreased 48.8%. Length of stay decreased 37%. The major impact hospital stay greater than 20 days: 80% decline. Cost of long-term disability greater than 30 days: 81.2% decrease (LA). Average disability was 26.7 vs. 51.1 days (KS); 25.5 H required hospitalization per 100 accidents vs. 41.6 NH. Medical costs: NH 306% greater than H (KS). Based on 1989 dollars, $120.8 million of additional medical care and rehabilitation expenses/per year were due directly to non-use of helmets (U.S.); 60-82% of NH riders have no insurance; $4.9 billion was absorbed by the public in the form of increased taxation, higher insurance costs, and lost taxes. M/C helmet legislation decreases medical costs. In this era of spiraling health care costs, legislation mandating the use of protective helmets should be considered as a viable alternative to raising taxes.


The incidence of morbid obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg•mˉ²) is increasing at an exponential rate. Currently, the most viable option for weight loss is bariatric surgery. Success following surgical procedure is guided by the individual's ability to make behavioral changes. A better understanding of the physical activity behavior of individuals who undergo bariatric surgery will enable the development of effective post-surgical exercise guidelines and interventions to enhance surgical weight loss outcomes. PURPOSE: To define the physical activity profile of subjects 2-5 years post bariatric surgery by examining the relationship between physical activity and weight loss. Additionally, this study examines the association between physical function, psychosocial correlates of physical activity, and weight loss. METHODS: Thirty-seven adults (percentage excess weight loss (%EWL) = 62.15 ±19.93, age = 50.76 ±9.99 years) participated. Subjects wore an activity monitor to measure their physical activity. Body height, weight, physical function, psychosocial variables of physical activity (self-efficacy, expected outcomes (benefits) and perceived barriers) and health related quality of life were measured. Assessment also included demographics, medical history, and dietary questionnaires. RESULTS: This study determined that subjects' who have undergone bariatric surgery participated in 205.33 ±136.98 minutes per week of ≥ 3METs for ≥ 1 minute bouts. The average dropped to 47.56 ± 69.84 minutes per week when including only bouts of 10 continuous minutes or more. Physical activity was correlated with %EWL (r=0.47, p=<0.01) and self-efficacy (r=0.39, p<=0.02), but not with physical function, expected outcomes (benefits), perceived barriers, or HRQOL. Physical function was correlated with %EWL (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The subjects' activity level failed to meet standards that have been shown necessary for weight maintenance. Those subjects that were more confident in their ability to exercise were more active and had more success losing weight. These findings suggest that behavioral interventions should include a strategy to address self-efficacy. The disparity between physical activity and physical function would suggest that subjects are capable of performing most exercise and mobility activities. Future research should focus on exercise interventions that address self-efficacy and other behavioral barriers (e.g. musculoskeletal pain, psychosocial factors, and social stigma) with the goal of maximizing post surgical weight loss success.


One of the efforts to develop village economic in West Sumbawa Regency is to establish and develop Village Owned Enterprise (Bumdes) based on agriculture. The purpose of this research is to find out internal and external factors of Bumdes based on agriculture; and formulating strategies for developing Bumdes based on agriculture in West Sumbawa Regency. This research was conducted in West Sumbawa Regency. 40 respondents were selected by purposive sampling. This research method is survey method. The instrument validity test was carried out with the Pearson Product Moment correlation technique, and for the reliability test with the Cronbach Alpha formula. Data collected were analysed using SWOT analysis. The results show that internal factors in the form of the main strength of Bumdes based on agriculture is the business managed by Bumdes serving the basic needs of community, while the main weakness is the capacity of managers managing Bumdes still lacking, and the absence of marketing networks. For external factors, the main opportunities of Bumdes based on agriculture are the support of local and central government regulations, the area and potential of agriculture can be developed optimally as well as the development and expansion of agricultural businesse, while the main threats of Bumdes are the lack of community participation in Bumdes activities. Results of  SWOT analysis, the strategy Bumdes based on agriculture in West Sumbawa Regency can be done using the W-O (Weakness-opportunity) strategy, which is a strategy that minimizes the weaknesses that are owned to seize opportunities. Keywords: Analysis. SWOT, Agriculture, Development Strategy, Village Owned Enterprise, West Sumbawa Regency


Due to global warming and other changes in the environment, many native and exotic plant species show range expansion from lower to higher latitudes. In the new range, the (in)ability of range‐expanding plants to establish associations with local soil microbes can have important consequences for plant abundance; however, very little information exists on rhizosphere communities of range‐expanding plant species. Here, we examine the rhizosphere microbial community composition of range‐expanding plant species in comparison with phylogenetically related species that are native in the invaded range. We tested the hypothesis that range‐expanding plants species would promote fewer shifts in rhizosphere communities than congeneric natives would. In order to test this, soil was collected from the invaded habitat and six range‐expanding and nine congeneric natives were planted individually in pots to condition soil microbial communities. After harvesting, individuals of the same species were planted in conditioned own and control soils to test the legacy effects of soil conditioning on biomass production. The control soils were mixtures of soils conditioned by all other plant species, except congenerics. After 10 weeks of plant growth, we determined the rhizosphere community composition of bacteria, fungi, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and Fusarium spp. All groups of microbes were analysed qualitatively using denaturating gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). Ergosterol was determined as a quantitative measure of nonarbuscular mycorrhizal fungal biomass, and real‐time PCR was applied to detect amounts of Fusarium spp. Range‐expanding plants had less fungal hyphal biomass and lower amounts of Fusarium spp. in the rhizosphere than congenerics. Bacterial community composition was influenced by a combination of soil conditioning and plant origin, whereas fungal communities, AMF and Fusarium spp. were less pronounced in their responses to the experimental treatments. Synthesis. We conclude that the lack of legacy effects in range‐expanding plant species compared with natives may be due to differences in bacterial rhizosphere community composition, or to different quantities of potential pathogenic fungi. If the range‐expanding plant species were benefiting more from AMF, effects will not have been due to differences in community composition, but we cannot exclude other options, such as different effectiveness of AMF or other soil biota in the rhizosphere of range‐expanding vs. native plant species. The greater accumulation of bacterial and fungal pathogens in the rhizosphere of natives in relation to range expanders might explain the successful establishment of range‐expanding plants.


Purpose Delta neutrophil index (DNI) represents the immature granulocytes count associated with neutrophil-consumption. We investigated whether DNI might be associated with Birmingham vasculitis activity score (BVAS) at diagnosis and could predict relapse during the follow-up in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV). Materials and Methods We reviewed the medical records of 97 patients having DNI results. Twenty patients had granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), 58 had microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), and 19 had eosinophilic GPA (EGPA). We collected clinical and laboratory data including BVAS, five factor score (FFS), and DNI. The correlation coefficient and cumulative relapse free survival rate were obtained. The optimal cut-off of DNI was extrapolated by calculating the area under the receiver operator characteristic curve. Results DNI was significantly related to cross-sectional BVAS. Furthermore, among continuous variables, only DNI could reflect BVAS of GPA and MPA, but not EGPA. Severe AAV was defined as BVAS ≥20 (the highest quartile). At diagnosis, patients having DNI ≥0.65% had a significantly higher risk of severe GPA and MPA than those having not (relative risk 4.255) at diagnosis. During the follow-up, DNI ≥0.65% could predict the higher relapse rate. Conclusion DNI could reflect BVAS at diagnosis and furthermore, DNI ≥0.65% could not only identify severe AAV at diagnosis, but also predict relapse during the follow-up in patients with GPA and MPA.


Abstract It has been well documented that Momordica charantia polysaccharide (MCP) has multiple biological effects such as immune enhancement, anti-oxidation and anti-cancer. However, the potential protective effects of MCP on stroke damage and its relative mechanisms remain unclear. Our present study demonstrated that MCP could scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS) in intra-cerebral hemorrhage damage, significantly attenuating the neuronal death induced by thrombin in primary hippocampal neurons. Furthermore, we found that MCP prevented the activation of the c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK3), c-Jun and caspase-3, which was caused by the intra-cerebral hemorrhage injury. Taken together, our study demonstrated that MCP had a neuroprotective effect in response to intra-cerebral hemorrhage and its mechanisms involved the inhibition of JNK3 signaling pathway.


INTRODUCTION The correct interpretation of results in the treatment of bronchial asthma presents an exceedingly difficult problem. So chronic, so distressing, so intractable is this malady that any new procedure which appeals to the sufferer and carries with it the slightest hope of relief may produce at least a temporary amelioration of the symptoms. We must be careful, therefore, not to fall into the error of overestimating the value of any new treatment. It is only by repeated observations over a long period of time that any conclusive interpretation can be made. However, six successive cases of bronchial asthma responded so favorably, in our opinion, to the repeated subcutaneous injections of autogenous defibrinated blood as to warrant at least a preliminary report of the cases, the treatment and the theoretical considerations that prompted us to employ this method of therapy and that may help to explain the results obtained.


As menu labeling legislation that requires nutritional information on restaurant menus becomes increas- ingly prevalent, it is controversial whether the provision of nutritional information promotes consumers to select healthy items. This study aims to examine the extent to which the nutritional information presented on menus influences consumer food evaluation and choice in restaurant patronage. We also investigate the effect of menu context and individual characteristics, such as nutritional knowledge and motivation to process, on consumers' information processing. A computer-based experiment was conducted to collect data. The results show significant effects of the presence of nutritional information and the menu context, which is the healthiness of other alternatives on the menu, on consumer food decision. Consumer motivation to process the provided nutritional information significantly moderates the effect of nutritional information disclosure. These results present valuable implications for restaurateurs and policy makers interested in the effect of menu labeling.


The power projects face the uncertain external environment, they are complex of the projects themselves and the capabilities of the designers, erectors and operator are limited, which make the risk indicators of the power projects investment are extremely complicated, including financial risk, technology risk, production risk, market risk, management risk and environmental risk In order to evaluate the risk investment projects scientifically and accurately, according to the principle of BP neural network, this paper proposes the BP neural network model for the risk evaluation of the power project investment. The model not only can simulate the expert in evaluating the investing risk, but also avoid the subjective mistakes in the evaluation process. The investment risk evaluation of 16 power projects in National Power Company shows that the results given by this model are reliable, and this method to forecast the power project investment risk is feasible.


Quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) is a powerful tool for studying adhesion, yet its use for analyzing the deposition of microparticles and living cells on surfaces has been hampered by difficulties in interpretation. Here we report a new quantitative model of QCM-D response, presented as an equivalent acoustic impedance circuit. As an essential feature, the particle interaction with surrounding fluid is modeled by relations for a freely oscillating rotating and translating sphere in an unbounded fluid, which is a valid approximation for microparticles. This helps deduce from the measured reponse the parameters pertinent to the contact mechanics. We use the model to analyze deposition of different microparticles as well as Pseudomonas fluorescens bacteria on several substrates using QCM-D combined with real-time microscopy. The parameter space is increased by varying particle type and size, substrate surface chemistry and rigidity, and ionic strength of the solution, which allows observation of diverse responses and transition from inertial to elastic loading, including rarely observed resonant regimes. Ultimately, we find that the model describes reasonably well the observed response for different microparticles and substrates, as well as for bacteria, and enables extraction of the contact characteristics in elastic and mixed loading regimes. It also reveals discrepancies between measured and anticipated parameters for large particles. The new model can be a useful tool for interpreting and quantifying QCM-D data on the adhesion of particles and living cells to surfaces, including time-dependent adhesion phenomena.


Surface hydrophobicity has served as a core means for governing the spatial behaviors of numerous substances depending on their affinities to oil or aqueous phases. Exploiting systems that can maximize hydrophobic features contributes to the development of versatile supports capable of spatially separating, guiding, or protecting target materials in defined manners. Herein, superhydrophobic, reversibly elastic, moldable, and electrospun (SupREME) fibers, which exhibit multimodal functions for arranging spatial responses of substances with distinct affinities to oil phases, are fabricated by coaxially electrospinning polysulfone and poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS), followed by a thermal process. The exterior PSF layers enable volumetric expansion of the fibers, further reinforcing the overall superhydrophobicity (contact angles >150°). The elastic core PGS networks confer reversibly compressible properties (>100 cycles) to the fibers, ultimately enhancing their hydrophobic performance and extending their durability. The SupREME fibers demonstrate superiorities as absorbents for selectively separating oil‐based substances, sealants for blocking the leakage of aqueous fluids, and adjuvants for temporarily enhancing the local residence of drugs by repelling ambient fluidic environments. The SupREME fibers can be versatile platforms in many applications that require the spatial regulation of specific substances with affinities to oil or water phases, ranging from environmental industries to medical fields.


Seismic methods have the benefit of being noninvasive while providing continuous field-scale (hundreds of meters) information on subsurface characteristics of permafrost-affected soils. Imaging approaches based on surface wave propagation (e.g. MASW) are effective when characterizaing near-surface permafrost alteration (e.g. active zone freeze/thaw cycles) for at least two reasons: (1) energetic propagations within the top 10s of meters of the subsurface; (2) its direct indications on shear wave velocity, a sensitive indicator of soil matrix properties. We present a four-phase rock physics model developed for mapping frozen soil material properties to seismic observables. We predict seasonal variations in Pand S-wave velocities from the rock physics model based on existing in situ ground temperature measurements. We also conduct numerical simulations of seismic wave propagations based upon velocity models derived from rock physics model predictions. Surface wave dispersion analysis results generated from the resultant synthetic seismograms show that seismic methods, especially surface-wave-based approaches, are very promising approaches for delineating subsurface features in permafrost environments such as active layer thickness (ALT) variations, ice saturation, unfrozen water content, and soil texture, etc.


We study the three-spin model and the Ising spin glass in a field using the Migdal-Kadanoff approximation. The flows of the couplings and fields indicate no phase transition, but they show even for the three-spin model a slow crossover to the asymptotic high-temperature behavior for large values of the coupling. We have also evaluated a quantity that is a measure of the degree of non-self-averaging, and we found that it can become large for certain ranges of the parameters and the system sizes. For a spin glass in a field the maximum of non-self-averaging follows a line for given system size that resembles the de Almeida-Thouless line. We conclude that non-self-averaging found in Monte Carlo simulations cannot be taken as evidence for the existence of a low-temperature phase with replica symmetry breaking. Models similar to the three-spin model have been extensively discussed in order to provide a description of structural glasses. Their theory at mean-field level resembles the mode-coupling theory of real glasses. At that level the approach via one-step replica symmetry breaking predicts two transitions, the first transition being dynamic and the second thermodynamic. Our results suggest that in real finite-dimensional glasses there will be no genuine transitions at all, but that some features of mean-field theory could still provide some useful insights.


The European Union beef market regulation is largely influenced by the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). With the 1992 CAP reform, there was a partial shift by the EU from product price support to a more direct form of income support by way of direct payments. For beef there was a move to direct payments on intermediate products which was essentially a direct payment for the possession of various categories of animais and these were linked to a land resource base. The Agenda 2000 reform consists in a further price decrease associated with an increase in direct payments. This contribution focuses on the dynamics of beef supply response in the French beef sector. The objective of this paper is to provide a model of beef suppl y response within a dynamic microeconomic framework. The aim of this mode! is the understanding of cattleman decisions and to assess how the behaviour of beef producers is sensitive to changes in production prices and to changes in premiums. In particular, the paper studies how the beef suppl y response is modified when various exogenous variables like prices or policy instruments are changed.


The anatomical organization of the rodent claustrum remains obscure due to lack of clear borders that distinguish it from neighboring forebrain structures. Defining what constitutes the claustrum is imperative for elucidating its functions. Methods based on gene/protein expression or transgenic mice have been used to spatially outline the claustrum but often report incomplete labeling and/or lack of specificity during certain neurodevelopmental timepoints. To reliably identify claustrum cells in mice, we propose a simple immunolabelling method that juxtaposes the expression pattern of claustrum-enriched and cortical-enriched markers. We determined that claustrum cells immunoreactive for the claustrum-enriched markers Nurr1 and Nr2f2 are devoid of the cortical marker Tle4, which allowed us to differentiate the claustrum from adjoining cortical cells. Using retrograde tracing, we verified that nearly all claustrum projection neurons lack Tle4 but expressed Nurr1/Nr2f2 markers to different degrees. At neonatal stages between 7 and 21 days, claustrum projection neurons were identified by their Nurr1-postive/Tle4-negative expression profile, a time-period when techniques used to localize the claustrum in adult mice are ineffective. Finally, exposure to environmental novelty enhanced the expression of the neuronal activation marker cFos in the claustrum region. Notably, cFos labeling was mainly restricted to Nurr1-positive cells and nearly absent from Tle4-positive cells, thus corroborating previous work reporting novelty-induced claustrum activation. Taken together, this method will aid in studying the claustrum during postnatal development and may improve histological and functional studies where other approaches are not amenable.


Presentation of novel antigenic peptides (neoantigens) that distinguish malignant from normal cells by major histocompatibility complexes (MHC) can serve as potent substrates for specific anti-tumor immune responses. We sought to identify mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) neoantigens by taking an integrated genomic and proteomic strategy that interrogates antigen peptides presented by MHC-class I and class II. Peptides bound to MHC were purified via immunoprecipitation followed by identification using mass spectrometry. Mass spectra were searched against patient-specific proteome databases generated by whole exome sequencing and targeted immunoglobulin gene sequencing. This approach was applied to systematically characterize over 36,000 immunopeptides from 17 patients' tumor specimens. Interestingly, 52 neoantigenic peptides were derived from the lymphoma immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy or light chain variable regions. Although we identified MHC presentation of private germline polymorphic alleles, no mutated peptides were recovered from non-Ig somatically mutated genes. Furthermore, somatic mutations within the immunoglobulin variable region were almost exclusively presented by MHC-II. T-cells specific for Ig-derived neoantigens were found in two patients. Following ex vivo activation and expansion, the T-cells were remarkably able to mediate killing of autologous lymphoma cells. These results demonstrate that combining MHC isolation, peptide identification and exome sequencing is an effective platform to uncover tumor neoantigens. Application of this strategy to MCL implicates immunoglobulin neoantigens as targets for lymphoma immunotherapy.


The problems of beach dynamical physiognomy are usually related with beach inning, aquiculture, jetty construction, and sea - route dredging and so on. The deposition and erosion of tidal flat is one of the important fields in those problems. The change of deposition and erosion is a complicated physical processing. It includes many natural factors and human being factors. This paper applied data resources such as MSS, TM, ETM and SPOT, which amount to 24 time series and span from 1976 to 2002. It determined the shoreline variation of Wenzhou tidal flats at different locations, and calculated velocity of deposition, by applying waterside line elevation inversion technology based on multi - temporal satellite remote sensing images. The research conclusion built the theoretical foundation for the development of tidal flat at Wenzhou area.


A description is given of progress toward implementing a rule-based visual inspection system. The target product for inspection is integrated-circuit lead frames. A frame-based representation system is used to describe the product and defect categories. The system uses three levels of visual inspection to identify generic and specific inspection targets and defect categories.<<ETX>>


The air transport industry has an important role to play in achieving sustainable development in Kenya. Airlines can only play this role if they are strong and are allowed to grow and expand their services. The research objective was to establish strategic challenges of operations strategy implementation in the aviation industry in Kenya. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design. The study used both primary and secondary data. Primary data was collected using a questionnaire comprising of open and closed ended questions. Quantitative data collected was analyzed by the use of descriptive statistics using SPSS and presented through percentages, means, standard deviations and frequencies. The information was presented using bar charts, graphs and pie charts and in prose-form. For open ended questions, the study conducted content analysis. The study found out that airport security and airport service was one of the most important issues for airports and airlines. The airlines faced several challenges in the implementation of operations strategy. Key among these included: airport security, forex, political stability, highly fluctuating fuel prices and shortages, industrial action among their employees and high competition. This study recommends that security be maximized at the airports to ensure that the passengers are always safe. This study recommends that airlines companies bill their customers both in foreign and local currency in order to manage the risks associated with foreign currency conversions. In addition, this study recommends that airline companies maintain foreign currency denominated accounts in order to manager foreign exchange rate risks. This study recommends that airline companies enter into hedging contracts including forwards and options to shield themselves from fuel price fluctuations and shortages. This study recommends that airlines improve on the services provided to keep on attracting and maintaining customers.


The simulation of on-chip inductance using PEEC-based circuit analysis methods often requires the solution of a subproblem where an extracted inductance matrix must be multiplied by a current vector, an operation with a high computational cost. This paper presents a highly accurate technique, based on a precorrected-FFT approach, that speeds up this calculation. Instead of computing the inductance matrix explicitly, the method exploits the properties of the inductance calculation procedure while implicitly considering the effects of all of the inductors in the layout. An optimized implementation of the method has been applied to accurately simulate large industrial circuits with up to 121,000 inductors and nearly 7 billion mutual inductive couplings in about 20 minutes. Techniques for trading off the CPU time with the accuracy using different approximation orders and grid constructions are also illustrated. Comparisons with a block diagonal sparsification method in terms of accuracy, memory and speed demonstrate that our method is an excellent approach for simulating on-chip inductance in a large circuit.


Theoretical modelings of the transition energy for intersubband absorptions, and the intersubband and free-carrier absorption coefficients in heavily doped conduction-band anisotropic semiconductor quantum-well (QW) structures are presented. The transition matrix elements for photon absorption and emission, which are not identical due to the different many-body effects involved in the photon absorption and emission processes, are rigorously derived. We also show that the linewidth broadening effect caused by various scattering processes gives a considerable increase in resonance energy, which explains the relatively large parallel-mode transition energy which cannot be inferred from previous modeling studies. In addition, theoretical modeling of free-carrier absorption in anisotropic semiconductor QW structures is presented for the first time. The calculated results are compared with the experimental values for /spl delta/-doped Si QW's.


Motivated by the recent successful synthesis of Janus monolayer of transition metal (TM) dichalcogenides, MXenes with Janus structures are worthy of further study, concerning its electronic structure and magnetic properties. Here, we study the effect of different transition metal atoms on the structure stability and magnetic and electronic properties of M'MCO2 (M' and M = V, Cr and Mn). The result shows the output magnetic moment is contributed mainly by the d orbitals of the V, Cr, and Mn atoms. The total magnetic moments of ferromagnetic (FM) configuration and antiferromagnetic (AFM) configuration are affected by coupling types. FM has a large magnetic moment output, while the total magnetic moments of AFM2's (intralayer AFM/interlayer FM) configuration and AFM3's (interlayer AFM/intralayer AFM) configuration are close to 0. The band gap widths of VCrCO2, VMnCO2, CrMnCO2, V2CO2, and Cr2CO2 are no more than 0.02 eV, showing metallic properties, while Mn2CO2 is a semiconductor with a 0.7071 eV band gap width. Janus MXenes can regulate the size of band gap, magnetic ground state, and output net magnetic moment. This work achieves the control of the magnetic properties of the available 2D materials, and provides theoretical guidance for the extensive design of novel Janus MXene materials.


Sixteen different cultures of Aspergillus niger were isolated from different soil samples. These isolates of Aspergillus niger were evaluated for citric acid fermentation in shake flask. Sucrose salt media was used and the volume of fermentation medium was kept at 25 ml. The cultural conditions such as pH (3.5), temperature (30EC), incubation period (8 days) and sugar concentration (15%), were optimised.


The cessation of many mine operations in the Charters Towers goldfield has left a
significant number of long forgotten, abandoned mine shafts. The presence of
these abandoned mine structures, many of which were backfilled a long time ago
has in recent times received increasing government and public concerns because
of the potential risk to humans and property. Remediation can be an expensive
exercise especially when difficulties with site discovery are considered. Much of
the abandoned mine shaft discovery has been focused on the information
maintained in the shaft repair inventory, developed in 1997 by NR&M. The
issues related to accuracy and validation of site data, have been poorly addressed
from a historic perspective with little effort made to quantify the affect of
spatially correcting the dataset using a Geographic Information System (GIS).


A simple method for the purification of diphtheria toxoid has been presented. The products have been evaluated with respect to purity, antigenicity, and stability. Preparations having a purity in excess of 2000 Lf per mg N have been obtained. Evidence has been presented which indicates that the antigenicity per Lf increases with the purity of the toxoids studied. A linear logarithmic relationship between the flocculation time and titer at the toxoid-antitoxin equivalence point has been shown. Various relations between Lf, Kf, purity, and antigenicity have been studied.


Background and Objectives

Currently, more than 80% of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) can be cured through intensive and risk-adapted chemotherapy protocols. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is considered beneficial for approximately 10% of the patients who are at very-high risk at frontline therapy and for the majority of patients after relapse. In this retrospective study, we aimed to assess the prognostic role of minimal residual disease (MRD) before HSCT and at different time points after transplantation in children with ALL.

Patients and Methods

We analyzed 64 pediatric ALL patients given HSCT: 22/64 were in first complete remission (1CR) and 42/64 in second complete remission (2CR). Genomic DNA was obtained from bone marrow aspirates collected at diagnosis/relapse, before HSCT (pre-HSCT) and at the first and third trimesters after HSCT (post-HSCT1 and post-HSCT3). MRD was measured by quantitative real-time PCR assays based on patient-specific junctional regions and interpreted according to the EuroMRD guidelines. The association between MRD and survival was assessed by chi-square test.

Results

All evaluated patients were analyzed for MRD before transplantation (pre-HSCT). MRD was negative in 26/64 patients and positive in 38/64 patients. As for cases with positive MRD, 17/38 showed MRD levels ≥1x10-3 and 21/38 <1x10-3. Any detectable MRD positivity at pre-HSCT was significantly associated with a poor prognosis: 28/38 patients with positive MRD are dead, whereas 22/26 with negative MRD are alive in CR (P < 0.001). Among the 42 patients in 2CR, 14/42 had negative pre-HSCT MRD and 28/42 were MRD positive. The negativity of MRD before transplantation was found to be significantly associated with a good prognosis: 13/14 patients with negative MRD are alive in CR, while 23/28 with positive MRD are dead (p < 0.001). Post-HSCT1 MRD was analyzed in 53 patients: 17/53 were MRD positive and 36/53 were MRD negative. Based on MRD status, the prognosis was significantly different: 26/36 patients with negative post-HSCT1 MRD are alive in CR, whereas 14/17 of patients with positive MRD are dead (P < 0.001). Post-HSCT3 MRD was assessed in 41 patients and 19/41 were found positive. Persistence of MRD was associated with a poor prognosis also at this time-point (P = 0.001).

Conclusions

These results confirm that MRD assessment has a critical role both before and after transplantation. Negative MRD before transplantation is strongly associated with a good prognosis, particularly in 2CR patients. Since persistence of MRD after HSCT is significantly associated with a worse outcome, these patients could benefit from early discontinuation of immunosuppression, adoptive T-cell therapy and use of new drugs.

Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


This study is done to analyze the impact of perceived service quality on customer loyalty in IT sector of India. Parasuraman in his initial study carried out in 1988 determined five dimensions which became base for the measurement of perceived service quality. Perceived service quality is deemed to be independent variable while customer loyalty was treated as a dependent variable. The later could however be measured by 13 items which was previously proposed by Zeithaml (1996). Reliability, empathy, competence of staff, accessibility and tangibles are the key factors that best explains customer's expectations. A SERVQUAL scale was used to measure service quality perceptions from the perspective of domestic and international customers. Data were collected in 15 outlets of IT service providers, using a self-administered questionnaire. Descriptive statistical analysis, exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis were conducted. This study reveals that the expectation level of customers is very high towards service quality. Thus, the findings can be used as a guide for IT industry to improve the quality attributes and enhance service quality and business performance which in turn will improve the trust and loyalty of customers. More specifically, it is found that the empathy dimension is the strongest predictor of customer loyalty.


A software framework for optimization of multiple base stations in a large-scale network is presented. It is designed for use in WiMAX systems operating in the 1.8-GHz band, reserved for Canadian utilities. The proposed algorithm makes use of the Longley-Rice irregular terrain model (ITM) version 3.0, as provided by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to compute path loss. The framework is flexible with regard to the choice of optimization algorithm, constraints, choice of parameters, variants of the ITM path-loss model and terrain generation. The design is unique to the extent that it is highly modular, allowing for straightforward substitution of the aforementioned components. The simulation makes use of high-resolution topographic data provided publicly by NASA's Shuttle Radar Topography Mission.


This paper examines sensor-based orientation of polygonal shaped objects using a 6-axis force/torque sensor which is used to supply rotation and force information during the orientation process. Sensor-based algorithms utilizing rotation sense and force information are presented which offer improvements over the best sensorless orienting techniques, and are shown to be better than previous sensor-based techniques for parts with the same diameter value for every stable edge. Plans generated by our algorithm were tested and verified using a unique conveyor/robotic car testbed.


knowledge of the eye characteristics as well as acquaintance with novel drug delivery system. When speaking of drug delivery system (DDS) it means employing a two-part structure consist of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) and carrier that in fact characteristics of formulated DDS will determine by the carrier. We may hope that by applying and designing modern pharmaceutical systems that mainly take advantage of nanoparticles we would be able to overcome many challenges of ocular drug delivery. The present study is aimed at reviewing the eye structure, challenges faced by ocular drug delivery, familiarity with nanotechnology and approaches of this science in the area of ophthalmology as well as mechanisms of designing a local system for effective drug delivery to the eye tissue.


The Freelz is an EMG (ElectroMyoGraphy)-based controller for the tetraplegic utilizing a power wheelchair by teeth-clenching. The EMG signals activated by teeth-clenching are acquired around user's temples. The controller contains hardwares and softwares for acquiring EMGs, classifying patterns, and controlling a power wheelchair. Also, a comparison test is executed with a conventional controlling method for the tetraplegic.


The plants exert rapid responses to environmental stresses to adapt with the stress. Plants respond in many ways to different abiotic and biotic stresses. The first cellular component to sense stress signals is cell membrane. Cell membrane is a biological membrane, and its main constituents are Lipids that can sense conditions outside the cell. Remodeling of cellular membrane lipids is one of the critical mechanisms in the plant cells to withstand stresses. Lipids play a critical role in triggering and regulating cellular hormonal signaling cascades. There is a close correlation between ABA-dependent signaling and lipid metabolic pathways to maintain the integrity and the viability of cellular membranes. Phosphatidic acid, lysophospholipid, inositol phosphate, fatty acid, oxylipins, diacylglycerol, and sphingolipid are considered as the signaling molecules. Lipids also act as a stress reliever to lower the negative effects of stress. This review highlights the key regulatory roles of lipids in plant adaptation against the environmental stresses.


The work analyses issue of the importation of foreign labour, considering many aspects that have yet to receive close inspection. The inquiry is concerned solely with the effect of immigration on the economic position of the native population, or native labour force, of the country concerned. The author concludes that the native labour force, or the bulk of it, may, for a certain period, be benefitted, and not harmed, by certain forms of immigration, including those which have prevailed during the last decade or so in some Western European countries. Over the longer run, however, the effect will normally become disadvantageous to the native labour force. Therefore, traditional views as to who benefits from foreign labour for the short and medium run must be modified. JEL: E24, J15, J31


Rural people in South-East-Asia have, for centuries, adapted their livelihoods to cope with natural disaster risks. But climate change and transitions from traditional to industrial modes of farming have changed the vulnerabilities of these people and their communities. Farm reliant households, in Myanmar and across the region, are increasingly exposed to market forces and disruptive impacts of extreme weather events. New approaches to rural development, which enable communities to build resilient and sustainable livelihoods are therefore needed. The STRONG project's approach to farmer field schools (FFS), promoting agroecological practices for poor, rural households in western Myanmar, is an example of such approaches. In 2016, Ar Yone Oo – Social Development Association and Welthungerhilfe partnered to initiate the STRONG project – in response to severe landslide and flooding events that devastated rural communities in Myanmar during the 2015 Monsoon season. The project supports disaster affected households to recover their livelihoods and build long-term resilience, through a portfolio of complementary disaster risk reduction and rural development interventions. This brief (i) provides an introduction to the STRONG project approach to adult learning in FFS, (ii) documents agroecological practices that the initiative promotes in target communities and (iii) presents key insight from the STRONG project for inter-organisational learning and knowledge exchange. The presentation builds on results of a collaboration between Ar Yone Oo (Myanmar) and Chalmers University of Technology (Sweden), formed to document lessons from the STRONG project implementation process, and assess project beneficiaries' experiences with promoted agroecological practices.


BACKGROUND
Tests to assess the change in ovarian reserve (OR) with age have been analysed only in monophasic or biphasic linear patterns. Our aim was to analyse an optimum curve that might define the relationship between different OR tests and age.

METHODS
A total of 81 regularly menstruating women without a history of infertility were included in this prospective study. On cycle day 3, antral follicle (AF) counts, ovarian volume (OV), and serum FSH and estradiol levels were determined. Curve estimation was performed to determine the optimal relationship between age and OR tests. Optimum curves were also compared with monophasic and biphasic linear relationships.

RESULTS
A quadratic model (y=a x x2+b x x+c) had the highest coefficient of determination for the AF count, OV and serum FSH level. The predictive power of this quadratic model was comparable with biphasic linear models for the OV and serum FSH level, but was better than that of the AF count.

CONCLUSIONS
The pattern of reproductive ageing as assessed by hormonal and ultrasonographic OR tests does not appear to show an abrupt change at a certain age, but follows a continuously increasing rate of decline in the third decade of life. The changes in serum FSH levels and ultrasonographic OR tests follow a quadratic model in regularly menstruating women.


Advanced tokamaks seek to achieve a high bootstrap current fraction without sacrificing fusion power density or fusion gain. Good progress has been made towards the DIII-D research goal of demonstrating a high-β advanced tokamak plasma in steady state with a relaxed, fully non-inductive current profile and a bootstrap current fraction greater than 50%. The limiting factors for transport, stability, and current profile control in advanced operating modes are discussed in this paper.


BACKGROUND
Individuals with end-stage renal disease are at higher risk of fractures compared with subjects in the general population. We examined whether elevated albumin-creatinine ratios (ACRs) were associated with nonvertebral fractures in subjects without diabetes or macroalbuminuria.

METHODS
A total of 4497 subjects (2267 men and 2230 women) 55 to 74 years old at baseline were followed for a mean of 8.4 years. Measurements of ACR, height, weight, blood pressure, lipids, serum creatinine, and bone mineral density were performed, and information about smoking and drinking habits, physical activity, prevalent diseases, and use of medication was collected before the start of follow-up. Nonvertebral fractures were registered during follow-up.

RESULTS
A total of 135 men and 382 women sustained a new nonvertebral fracture. For a 1-SD higher value for the log-transformed ACR, the relative risk for a fracture was 1.01 in men (P = .94, after multiple adjustments) and 1.15 in women (P = .005). Women with ACRs in the highest quartile had a 71% higher risk of nonvertebral fractures compared with women with ACRs in the lowest quartile (P value for linear trend over the quartiles, .001). Bone mineral density tended to be lower with higher ACRs in both sexes, but this did not explain the increased fracture risk in women.

CONCLUSION
Albumin-creatinine ratio was associated with nonvertebral fractures in women without diabetes or macroalbuminuria but not in men.


The work presented, that is a part of the ongoing European project OLSI no. 28934, overcomes problems by an OPSWG (oxidized porous silicon waveguide). In order to provide confinement and propagation of light within the waveguide (WG), the guiding region (core) has to have a higher refractive index than the surrounding cladding regions. Such construction of a WG can be provided by a variation of anodization regimes during the PS (porous silicon) formation. The technological process of the OPSWG fabrication consists of three main steps: (a) anodization of Si through the openings in a mask to form PS; (b) thermal oxidation of PS; (c) high temperature densification of OPS.


Biodegradation of 2.4-dichlorophenol (2.4-DCP) was investigated with a mixed culture in a continuous activated sludge bioreactor. Glucose was used as co-substrate. Experiments were carried out at the feed 2.4-DCP concentrations between 5-450 mg/l, and the removal efficiencies of 2.4-DCP and COD were determined. The removal efficiencies and specific removal rates of 2.4-DCP for feed 2.4-DCP concentration up to 350 mg/l varied between 96.3-98.6 % and 0.007-1.15 mg/mg X.day respectively. Removal efficiencies and specific removal rates ranged between 75.66-92.0 % and 0.43-1.29 mg/mg X.day for COD. When 2.4-DCP concentration was increased from 350 to 450 mg/l, the removal efficiency and specific removal rate of 2.4-DCP decreased to 42.6 % and 0.77 mg/mg X.day due to the substrate inhibition on the microorganisms. Also, these values decreased to 7.85 % and 0.18 mg/mg X.day for COD. These results indicate that the adaptation of activated sludge could tolerate as high as 350 mg/l 2.4-DCP concentration as to the removal of 2.4-DCP and COD.


In this paper we introduce the SchemaDB data-set; a collection of relational database schemata in both sql and graph formats. Databases are not commonly shared publicly for reasons of privacy and security, so schemata are not available for study. Consequently, an understanding of database structures in the wild is lacking, and most examples found publicly belong to common development frameworks or are derived from textbooks or engine benchmark designs. SchemaDB contains 2,500 samples of relational schemata found in public repositories which we have standardised to MySQL syntax. We provide our gathering and transformation methodology, summary statistics, and structural analysis, and discuss potential downstream research tasks in several domains.


Gas bubbling and flux injection processes have been extensively used in metallurgical industries for several decades since the processes have been confirmed to be effective in removing impurity elements and non–metallic inclusions from liquid metals and improving the morphology of inclusions. Aiming at more effective use of gas and flux powder for injection refining to obtain higher quality products at lower cost, elucidation of the interfacial phenomena at inert gas–solid particle–liquid metal interfaces has become increasingly important. A new technique is presented to observe in situ the inclusions on steel melt, revealing collision/agglomeration characteristics of the inclusions.


Although discussion surrounding the issue of "Arab arbitration" and the accessibility of international arbitration to practitioners from the "Arab world" is not by any means new to practitioners in the field, aside from the publication of a handful of articles and commentaries, there is a clear lack of statistical information and sociological studies on the subject. While this article briefly sets out the contemporary significance of arbitration in the Arab world, and examines some of the issues bound up in the notion of its progression, it also aims to spark wider and renewed debate regarding issues such as (i) what is "Arab arbitration"; (ii) is there an underrepresentation of practitioners from the "Arab world" participating as both counsel and arbitrators in international commercial arbitration; (iii) is there a need for the creation of a community of Arab arbitrators in the same way as there exists a community of European arbitrators; (iv) if such a need is identified, is there a sufficient basis in the Arab world to do so; and (v) to what extent, if any, do the culture and origins of arbitrators and counsel influence the outcomes of international arbitration proceedings anyway? It is hoped that this article will renew momentum for the analysis of these issues and underscore the importance of the promotion of the participation of Arab practitioners in international arbitral proceedings and on their tribunals.


In this dissertation we study the tractability of the information-based complexity $n(\varepsilon,d)$ for $d$-variate function approximation problems. In the deterministic setting for many unweighted problems the curse of dimensionality holds, that means, for some fixed error tolerance $\varepsilon>0$ the complexity $n(\varepsilon,d)$ grows exponentially in $d$. For integration problems one can usually break the curse with the standard Monte Carlo method. For function approximation problems, however, similar effects of randomization have been unknown so far.
The thesis contains results on three more or less stand-alone topics. For an extended five page abstract, see the section "Introduction and Results".
Chapter 2 is concerned with lower bounds for the Monte Carlo error for general linear problems via Bernstein numbers. This technique is applied to the $L_{\infty}$-approximation of certain classes of $C^{\infty}$-functions, where it turns out that randomization does not affect the tractability classification of the problem.
Chapter 3 studies the $L_{\infty}$-approximation of functions from Hilbert spaces with methods that may use arbitrary linear functionals as information. For certain classes of periodic functions from unweighted periodic tensor product spaces, in particular Korobov spaces, we observe the curse of dimensionality in the deterministic setting, while with randomized methods we achieve polynomial tractability.
Chapter 4 deals with the $L_1$-approximation of monotone functions via function values. It is known that this problem suffers from the curse in the deterministic setting. An improved lower bound shows that the problem is still intractable in the randomized setting. However, Monte Carlo breaks the curse, in detail, for any fixed error tolerance $\varepsilon>0$ the complexity $n(\varepsilon,d)$ grows exponentially in $\sqrt{d}$ only.


Article published on Lexxion State Aid Blog Taxes and Tax Reductions on Air Travel: Selectivity and Compatibility* This posting examines an Irish and a German measure concerning reduction in…


The present study examined how political ideology may interact with persuasion occurring at varying levels of awareness to predict explicit attitude change of liking for coffee and tea. Sixty-three New York University students (37 female, 26 male) were influenced at either an implicit level (i.e., outside of awareness), using a modified evaluative conditioning procedure, or at an explicit level, by reading strong arguments, to either like coffee and dislike tea or vice versa. We found a significant interaction between political ideology and type of persuasion, such that conservatives exhibited greater attitude change following implicit rather than explicit persuasion, whereas liberals exhibited greater attitude change following explicit rather than implicit persuasion. Our findings are interpreted in terms of the psychological needs underlying ideological orientation, along with insight from the Associative Propositional Evaluation model and the Heuristic-Systematic Processing model.


ABSTRACT Recreational beach environments have been recently identified as a potential reservoir for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA); however, accurate quantification methods are needed for the development of risk assessments. This novel most-probable-number approach for MRSA quantification offers improved sensitivity and specificity by combining broth enrichment with MRSA-specific chromogenic agar.


Background Psoriasis is an immune-mediated chronic systemic inflammatory skin disease whose diagnosis and severity assessment pose challenges for clinicians worldwide. The use of serum biomarkers facilitates the early diagnosis and treatment of psoriasis. Methods This case–control study compared tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-17, IL-10, and fibrinogen-like protein 1 (FGL1) levels of 139 untreated psoriasis patients and 140 healthy controls. Serum samples were collected, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays were performed to quantify their levels. Subgroups were analyzed according to abnormal lipid metabolism status. Results Compared to controls, patients with psoriasis exhibited lower concentrations of serum TNF-α, IL-17, and FGL1 (P < 0.05). A correlation analysis showed that FGL1 was inversely correlated with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and IL-17 in the psoriatic state. Stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that FGL1 and total cholesterol were the independent determinants of Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score in psoriasis patients. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of FGL1 assessing moderate-to-severe psoriasis and mild psoriasis was 0.70, while the area under the curve (AUC) assessing severe psoriasis and mild-to-moderate psoriasis was 0.67, better than that of IL-17. In addition, FGL1, but not IL-17, was able to identify psoriasis with abnormal lipid metabolism to a certain extent (AUC = 0.60). Conclusion In conclusion, serum FGL1 may be a promising biomarker for diagnosing and staging psoriasis. It may also be involved in its progression and comorbid abnormal lipid metabolism.


GaN nanowires (NWs) were grown on Ni‐ and Au/Ni‐coated Si (100) substrate by chemical vapor deposition via reaction of metallic Ga and NH3. It was found that the Au/Ni layer tends to form liquid droplets with more uniform size distribution and regular spherical shape under annealing, which facilitates the growth of straight and long NWs. The effects of NH3/N2 ratio on NW growth are different for Ni and Au/Ni catalysts, due to the competition between the vapor–solid (VS) and vapor–liquid–solid (VLS) growth. The XRD analyses indicate that with decreasing NH3 flow rate, [0001] axial growth becomes dominant with the formation of NiGa4 catalyst.


This article, based on a larger longitudinal multiple-case study of Generation 1.5 Korean-Canadians, explores two female students' experiences in high school and then university. Foregrounding aspects of language socialization (Duff & Hornberger, 2008) and identity (Norton, 2000) in language-learning and use, the study examines the contextual factors involved in the students' language socialization in and through Korean and English. The findings reveal that through the complex interplay of their past, present, and future "imagined" experiences, the students were socialized into various beliefs and ideologies about language-learning and use, often necessitating the negotiation of investments in their identities in relation to Korean and English. Given the personal backgrounds of these students, coupled with the phenomena of globalization and transnationalism, we suggest that Canadian universities and Generation 1.5 students and their families pay more attention to the students' linguistic, educational, and social backgrounds, affiliations, and trajectories by underscoring the advantages of bilingualism and biculturalism along with the importance of English for integration into Canadian society and international networks.