The measurement of diffusive gradients in thin films (DGT) has been proposed as a surrogate for metal uptake by plants. A small-scale experiment was performed to test the predictive capacity of the DGT method with respect to uranium and heavy metal availability and uptake by ryegrass. Correlation analysis was performed to compare the results obtained with the DGT device with more conventional bioavailability indices: concentration in pore water or in selective extractants. Six soils with different histories of uranium contamination and with distinct soil characteristics were screened. For uranium, the bioavailability indices evaluated were highly correlated, indicating that uranium pools assessed were at least partially comparable. For heavy metals, bioavailability indices were hardly correlated. Uranium concentration in the pore water was a better predictor for uranium uptake than amount recovered following selective extraction. The concentration measured with DGT (CDGT ) was also highly correlated with plant uptake. However, the significance level was sensitive to the value of the diffusion coefficient (pH dependent or not) used to calculate CDGT . For the heavy metals screened, only in the case of Cd was uptake predicted by CDGT .


PURPOSE
Bietti crystalline dystrophy (BCD) is a rare autosomal recessive retinal dystrophy caused by pathogenic variants of CYP4V2 gene and characterized by shiny yellow deposits in the retina and progressive atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and choriocapillaris. The main aim of the present study is to describe the optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) characteristics of a patient affected by BCD.

METHODS
A 59-years-old female with genetically confirmed BCD underwent an ophthalmological examination complete of OCTA performed in the atrophic retina, the junctional zone and the apparently normal retina. The area of choriocapillaris (CC) atrophy was compared to the area of RPE atrophy on fundus autofluorescence (FAF) imaging.

RESULTS
A severe vessel density (VD) deficit at the level of superficial and deep capillary plexa as well as CC was registered in atrophic areas, which resulted deeper with respect to the junctional area, whereas the apparently preserved retina revealed VD values similar to that of control eyes. The area of RPE atrophy on FAF was larger (55.90 mm2 in right eye and 48.76 mm2 in left eye) than the area of CC atrophy on OCTA imaging (51.86 mm2 and 42.44 mm2 respectively in right and left eye).

CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that VD impairment of retinal plexa and CC follows the degeneration of RPE as demonstrated by the greater size of the area of RPE atrophy compared to CC atrophy. Further investigations based on OCTA imaging are necessary to enhance our knowledge of this rare disease.


"It may well be that under international law, a regime can systematically brutalize and oppress its people and there is nothing anyone can do, when dialogue, diplomacy and even sanctions fail." Tony Blair The purpose of this chapter is to provide a moral and ethical defense of the war in Iraq. The principal argument of this defense is that the war – while probably illegal from the point of view of most bodies of statutory international law – was morally defensible in its overall consequence: it has objectively liberated a people from an oppressive, long-standing tyranny; destroyed an outlaw state that was a threat to the peace and security of the Middle East and the larger global arena in which terrorists operated, sponsored materially and ideologically by Iraq; brought the dictator Saddam Hussein to justice for his genocides and crimes against humanity; prevented the possibility of another genocide by a leader who has already committed this crime against his own subjects; restored sovereignty to the Iraqi people; laid the foundation for the possibility of Iraq becoming a liberal republic; created the conditions for the entrance of this republic as a bona fide member into what John Rawls termed the "Society of Peoples"; and opened up the possibility for the citizens of Iraq to claim, as autonomous agents, those human rights guaranteed to them by the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights, but denied to them by the very mechanisms of international law that are supposed to be the formal guarantors of such rights.


Background Excessive body fat, or obesity, is a worldwide epidemic and a major contributor to the development of dementia. Aim The research aimed to determine how obesity affected healthcare professionals' memory performance. Materials and Method A total of 474 participants (both male and female) were recruited in this study by random sampling method from three different health institutions. Participants were categorized into overweight, normal weight, and obese groups based on their body mass index (BMI) as per the WHO guidelines and for body fat participants. The memory function test was done using the Gilewski MJ scale. General frequency of forgetting, mnemonic usage, retrospective functioning, and seriousness of forgetting were measured and compared across the BMI and %body fat groups. Results The percentage of body fat of males and females was 38.19% and 42.26%. Statistically, a significant difference (p<0.05) was observed among the male and female BMI and percentage of body fat. The results showed that there was a significant difference between memory scale parameters and percentage BMI. Statistically, a significant difference was observed in the level of general frequency of forgetting among participants with different percentages of BMI (p<0.05). Similar, results were also observed in the level of seriousness of forgetting, retrospective functioning, and mnemonics usage with different % BMI (p<0.05). The findings showed a positive correlation between BMI and %body fat on the scale of general frequency of forgetting and seriousness of forgetting whereas, a negative correlation was observed on the scale of retrospective functioning and mnemonics usage. Conclusion Memory loss is one of the disorders that obesity is linked to more frequently. A focus on keeping a healthy weight may help prevent the development of future diseases.


A lot consideration has take into account to get an effective production activity in a manufacture such as the knowledge and skill of the operator of machine, the quality of machine, time schedulling of production process, quantity of product that has to be finished on schedule, the condition of room and other facilities, and so on. If we fail to manage those condition , it may cause the unstable and ineffective production and this will end up with customer's dissatisfaction. In this research,we were focusing on how to optimize the production process by determining total amount of products , total machine that can be used in one production, time of production and setting the priorities based on those conditions. This optimization will be
automatically executed by the web based dessicion support system and this desicion support system adopted the ID3 method. The ID3 method ,a learning method by building a desicion tree, is used to gain the optimization ,in our case, to optimize the quantity of product , duration of production, number of machine that will be used for each customer's order . Decision Tree Learning methods (ID3) is a method of learning
that is very popular and widely used in artifical Intelligents fields. By building IF THEN statement, calculating entropy and information gain, we can build decision tree. This decision tree is used to get the optimization number of machine that will process the production, quantity of order that will be produced on certain duration of time.


The main goal of this paper is an application of Bayesian model comparison, based on the posterior probabilities and posterior odds ratios, in testing the explanatory power of the set of competing GARCH (ang. Generalised Autoregressive Conditionally Heteroscedastic) specifications, all with asymmetric and heavy tailed conditional distributions. In building competing volatility models we consider, as an initial specification, GARCH process with conditional Student-t distribution with unknown degrees of freedom parameter, proposed by Bollerslev (1987). By introducing skewness into Student-t family and incorporating the resulting class as a conditional distribution we generated various GARCH models, which compete in explaining possible asymmetry of both conditional and unconditional distribution of financial data. Based on the daily returns of hypothetical financial time series, we discuss the results of Bayesian comparison of alternative skewing mechanisms applied in the initial Student-t GARCH framework. We also check the sensitivity of model ranking with respect to the changes in prior distribution of model specific parameters. Additionally, we present formal Bayesian inference about conditional asymmetry of the distribution of the daily returns in all competing specifications on the basis of the skewness measure defined by Arnold and Groenveld (1995).


For the lower F2 layer very near the dip equator it is assumed that vertical electromagnetic drift is important but that other contributions to the divergence of the ionospheric plasma are not. By also assuming constant scale heights and by making other usual approximations, a continuity equation is obtained that can be solved in terms of tabulated transcendental functions, for both day and night. It is shown that these solutions fit very well to electron density profiles measured by the incoherent scatter technique near the dip equator; this fit suggests that the assumptions and approximations are suitable. From these fittings, reasonable estimates of the rates of photo-ionization and recombination are obtained.


The study involved the lactic acid bacteria isolated from biological material of healthy humen and non- dairy lactic products. Using modern methodological approaches, the strains of lactic acid bacteria such as Lactobacillus casei 302, Lactobacillus acidophilus 35 and Streptococcus thermophilus 21 having high level of biological activity were selected. High biological potential of selected cultures of lactic acid bacteria, which could provide stability for the technological process of production and essential characteristics of bacterial preparations and fermented their products, was set. the experiments demonstrated that selected strains had valuable production properties, namely the ability to reduce level of cholesterol and lactose during development in milk, were resistant to virulent bacteriophages and aggressive compounds of the gastrointestinal tract, and high adhesive and antagonistic activities as well.


Given the new reality of hyper-competition in business today, we make the case for a strategic imperative (innovation) which demands that organizations simultaneously exploit current capabilities ("hold on") and explore future possibilities ("let go"). We present a model for executive development that emphasizes the unique roles and contributions of traditional business education and executive education providers in developing the knowledge and skills necessary to pursue this ambidextrous adaptive strategy. Our model describes the unique perspective and limitations of both education providers and details how each contributes to building leadership capacities for exploitation and the necessary personal and organizational capabilities for exploration. The increasingly dynamic and competitive global environment (Barreto, 2010) has been described as the new reality for anyone engaged in business operations today. Given this new reality, some firms will choose to stick with their existing business, to "hold on" to what they do well by focusing on current products and the incremental improvement of internal efficiencies. Others will "let go" by exploring new opportunities and becoming more adaptive to changes in their competitive environment (Raisch & Birkinshaw, 2008). Managers facing the new reality of hypercompetition (D'Aveni, 1994; Wiggins & Ruefli, 2005) often frame the 18 Journal of Executive Education choices available as an "either-or" proposition – either they can stick with the business as they know it or they can explore new alternatives and new business directions (Gupta, Smith & Shalley, 2006; Levinthal & March, 1993; March, 1991; Raisch & Birkinshaw, 2008; Wang & Li, 2008). This false dichotomy of choices, however, may needlessly limit competitive options and ultimately impact firm survival.


Deformation of a porous medium due to the pressure applied by an interacting fluid
passing through it is a phenomenon which occurs in a number of applications such as
filtration and membrane separation processes. Mathematical modelling of these
systems using porous medium theory has proved to be beneficial in the design of
experiments and equipments as well as gaining better insight about multi-physics
phenomenon such as combined fluid flow and solid deformation regimes.
In the present work the interaction of fluid and porous solid medium has been studied. [Continues.]


Objectives the aim of our study is to analyze the differences and similarities between a group of juvenile-onset spondyloarthritis (JOSpA) (≤16 years) and a group of adult-onset spondyloarthritis (>16 years) (AOSpA). Methods This is a retrospective observational study, conducted in the rheumatology department at CHU Hassan II Fez, analyzing the records of patients diagnosed spondyloarthritis during the period extending from January 2009 to June 2014. We realized a descriptive study of our patients (clinical and epidemiological parameters) then we compared JOSpA and AOSpA to emphasize the characteristics of juvenile onset spondyloarthritis. Results A 84 patients were included 22 with JOSpA and 62 with AOSpA. The mean age was 30,90±10,5 years with the average diagnosis delay of 5,68±5,74 years. Diagnosis according to ASAS criteria was in 73,8% of cases, according to AMOR criteria in 21,4% of cases and 4,8% according to NYM criteria. Clinical symptomatology was dominated by axial involvement dorsolombalgie in 89,3%. Uveitis was the extra-articular manifestation most common in 8,3%. The average Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) was 4,62±1,907, the average Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI) was 4,56±2,485. 34.5% patients had a hip involvement. The variables associated with JOSpA were lower limb arthritis (p=0.04), hip involvement (p=0,001), enthesitis chest pain (p=0,04) and the use of anti TNF alpha (p=0,008). After logistic regression analysis the JOSpA was associated with enthesitis chest pain (p=0,011; OR=8,2, IC=1,62–41,34) and the use of anti TNF alpha (p=0,001; OR=9,1; IC=2,39–34,69) Conclusions Our study showed that JOSpA is associated with enthesitis and the use of anti TNF alpha. This characterization will help to understand the characteristics of the JOSpA patients and their needs in the long-term follow up. Disclosure of Interest None declared


ZnO is a worldwide used activator for a rubber vulcanization process, which promotes fast curing kinetics and high cross-linking densities of rubber nanocomposites (NCs). However, its extended use together with leaching phenomena occurring during the production and life cycle of rubber products, especially tires, entails potential environmental risks, as ecotoxicity toward aquatic organisms. Pushed by this issue, a novel activator was developed, which introduces highly dispersed and active zinc species in the vulcanization process, reducing the amount of employed ZnO and keeping high the curing efficiency. The activator is constituted by Zn(II) single sites, anchored on the surface of SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) through the coordination with functionalizing amino silane groups. It behaves as a double-function material, acting at the same time as a rubber reinforcing filler and a curing activator. The higher availability and reactivity of the single-site Zn(II) centers toward curative agents impart faster kinetics and higher efficiency to the vulcanization process of silica/isoprene NCs, compared to conventionally used ZnO activators. Moreover, the NCs show a high cross-linking degree and improved dynamic mechanical properties, despite the remarkably lower amount of zinc employed than that normally used for rubber composites in tires. Finally, the structural stability of Zn(II) single sites during the curing reactions and in the final materials may represent a turning point toward the elimination of zinc leaching phenomena.


Drying behaviour of garments during wear after any activity resulted in sweating is of great importance in terms of clothing comfort as well as heat and water vapour permeability for functional clothing design. The aim of this study is to analyze and model the drying kinetics of regenerated cellulosic fabrics which have increasingly use in casual clothing and sportswear. Simulated drying experiments showed that modal and lyocell fabrics have similar drying behaviour although their supramolecular arrangement is quite different and drying rate is higher than viscose fabrics. Moisture management tests proved that the drying behaviour is directly connected to the liquid moisture spreading capability of regenerated cellulosic fabrics. A two-stage modelling approach which is a combination of linear fit and thin-layer drying equations was tested for modelling of drying behaviour. Logarithmic model was found to be the best fitted equation to represent the falling-rate drying period of regenerated cellulosic fabrics. Moreover the sufficiency of the proposed model for the computation of drying rate was also proved.


Accident data collection and reporting system are very important in road safety management. A systematic accident data recording system is necessary to analyze and visualize hazardous locations. Road traffic accidents are recognized as one of the primary causes of social and economic losses, both in developed and developing countries. This study aims to identify the hazardous road locations on the Naypyitaw-Mandalay Expressway in Myanmar. In the current situation, there is a National Road Safety Strategy in Myanmar but it is partly funded and cannot be implemented successfully. Moreover accident data have been reported in documentary format by the highway polices. Traffic accidents data used in this study are collected from the Ministry of Construction and Highway Police Station in Naypyitaw. Hazardous locations on the expressway are identified by using accident rate and quality control methods and the results are presented by using GIS. This study will be useful for the responsible authorities to find out the hazardous locations on other roads with the use of accident analysis methods.


AIM To examine circadian rhythms of hypophysiothyroid system in patients with bronchial asthma and effects of exogenic glucocorticoids on thyroid function. MATERIALS AND METHODS Free T3, T4 and TTH were measured in plasma using immunochemiluminescence in 16 patients with nonallergic bronchial asthma running a severe course. The plasma samples were taken each 6 hours for 48 hours. RESULTS In patients with severe bronchial asthma (SBA) thyroid functional activity changed. Production of T3 increased while that of T4 dropped at night. TTH concentration rhythm for 24 hours was like that in healthy subjects. Glucocorticoids induced no significant changes in circadian rhythms of hypophysiothyroid system in SBA patients. CONCLUSION In SBA functional activity of the hypophysiothyroid system changes with rearrangement of hormonal production at night.


The morphology and molecular structure of an in-reactor polypropylene/ethylene propylene rubber alloy, synthesized by multi-stage sequential polymerization, were studied with respect to the rheological behavior and final properties of the alloy. The polymer alloys, based on different structural morphologies, were characterized by SEM, GPC, 13C NMR, DSC, rheological analysis, and mechanical testing. The scanning electron microscopy of samples showed that the size of the dispersed phase particles is decreased as the switch frequency of copolymerization timing is increased. The GPC results showed that switch frequency slightly altered the molecular weight distribution of the copolymer although it had no effect on PP homopolymer. 13C NMR results were used for the evaluation of compatibility between the two phases with changes in switch frequency. DSC results showed that Tm and Tc were almost independent of switch frequency, even though the size of dispersed phase was decreased and the blend crystal content increased with ΔH of about 13%. The small amplitude oscillation rheometry showed that storage modulus and viscosity shifted to higher values when switch frequency increased. In studying the mechanical properties it was revealed that, especially the impact strength increased by about 62% when the size of the dispersed particles was decreased. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011


Wearing of vehicle parts could release many chemical additives into the environment, such as benzotriazoles (BTRs), benzothiazoles (BTHs), and p-phenylenediamines (PPDs), which are potentially toxic to wildlife and humans. This study investigates the occurrence, source, and risks of BTRs, BTHs, and PPDs in a source catchment providing water to Guangzhou, a megacity in South China, covering groundwater, surface water, and stormwater. The results showed that BTRs and BTHs were predominant in surface water and groundwater. Unexpectedly, the BTR and BTH concentrations were lower in surface water than groundwater in a third of the paired samples. For the first time, 6 PPD-quinone, a toxic ozonation product of N-(1,3-dimethylbutyl)-N'-phenyl-1,4-phenylenediamine (6 PPD), was extensively detected in source waters. Stormwater decreased the BTR concentrations but increased the 6 PPD-quinone concentrations in surface water owing to their affiliation to suspended particles. From natural to urban segments of Liuxi river, a downstream increasing trend in BTR and BTH concentrations was observed, confirming that they are indicative of urban anthropogenic activities. Strong correlations between industrial activities and BTR or BTH concentrations in surface water indicated that industrial activities were their main sources. Six compounds were prioritized as potentially persistent, mobile, and toxic (PMT) chemicals, combing our monitoring results and REACH criterion. This study improves our understanding of the environmental fates and risks of water-soluble tire-wear chemicals, which provide important information for chemical management, and indicates attention should be paid to the risk posed by 6 PPD-quinone in source water.


BackgroundAlthough the majority of pheochromocytomas (PHEO) are benign, a subset is malignant. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) localize PHEO with high sensitivity but, because of limited specificity, [131I]- or [123I]-metaiodobenzylguanidine ([131I]- or [123I]-MIBG) is often used as a complementary agent. 6-[18F]-fluorodopamine ([18F]-DA) has been developed as a radiopharmaceutical for the targeting of noradrenergic pathways, and has been shown to result in a better detection rate of PHEO sites than MIBG; however, [18F]-DA has shown a lack of accumulation in some patients with metastatic PHEO. MethodsFive patients with widespread metastatic PHEO who had CT and MRI evidence of metastatic disease (one man and four women; age range, 25–64 years), and who underwent imaging with [123I]-MIBG, [18F]-DA and 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose ([18F]-FDG), were evaluated retrospectively. Tomographic imaging was performed and positron emission tomography (PET) images were inspected visually and quantitatively. ResultsAll five patients had [123I]-MIBG scans that grossly underestimated the extent of disease when compared with conventional CT and MRI. All lesions seen on [123I]-MIBG scans were detected on [18F]-DA scans, which also detected additional lesions. Nonetheless, [18F]-DA also failed to detect numerous lesions seen on CT and MRI. In all of these cases, [18F]-FDG PET showed lesions that were not detected on either [123I]-MIBG or [18F]-DA scans. ConclusionsWhen [123I]-MIBG or [18F]-DA fails to localize lesions seen on conventional imaging studies, [18F]-FDG may be recommended as an ancillary test for the diagnosis and localization of metastatic PHEO. This is particularly important in patients with aggressive PHEO.


This study investigates how fluent second-language (L2) learners of English produce and perceive the /æ/–/ɑ/ vowel contrast of Southwestern American English. Two learner groups are examined: (1) early, proficient English speakers who were raised by Spanish-speaking families but who became dominant in English during childhood and, as adults, lack communicative abilities in Spanish, and (2) Spanish-speaking late learners of English who continue to be dominant in Spanish. The participants provided data in three tasks: one production and two perceptual. The study finds that both learner groups differ from native controls in their production and perception of the /æ/–/ɑ/ contrast. The findings shed light on our understanding of the relative effects of age (at onset of language exposure) and language dominance (at time of testing) by showing that sequential bilingualism impacts phonetic behavior even when speakers have become dominant in the target language.


Objectives: Design this study to determine whether there was a relationship between gingival diseases and ABO blood groups.
Methodology: Data were collected 1 2 9 subjects who were randomly selected students referred to the Faculty of Dentistry. The study based on periodontal condition, blood group, and medical history. The effects of blood subgroups on periodontal health, gingivitis and periodontitis were investigated separately.
Results : In the present study, all the cases were first segregated into groups based on Loe and Silness indexas: group I (mild (initial) gingivitis), group II (moderate (early) gingivitis), and group III (sever (established) gingivitis), and were further divided into four grades based on Ramfjord's Periodontal Index. Blood samples were analyzed to determine blood group and Rhesus factor.
Conclusions: ABO blood subgroups and Rh factor may constitute a risk factor on the development of periodontal disease. However, long-term studies are needed to make a more comprehensive assessment of the effects of ABO group on periodontal diseases.


Characterization of microscopic details of the fabric of mudstones and shales (i.e., structure and composition) is important to understand their storage and transport properties. Current characterization methods struggle to probe reliably multiple scales of interest (e.g., pore and fracture) and measure properties at the finest resolution under representative in situ conditions. Micro X-ray fluorescence (μXRF) is a high-performance imaging technique that produces elemental images at sub-10 μm spatial resolution and could offer insight into a diversity of shale properties, such as mineral composition, porosity, and in situ pressure gradients. This study designed and carried out a porosity mapping protocol using model and real-rock microfluidic devices and contrast fluids. Etched silicon micromodels with real-rock pore network patterns served as ideal models to establish a proof of concept. Measurements were performed on a novel μXRF microscope not powered by synchrotron radiation. We registered the μXRF datasets with the binary rock masks used for micromodel fabrication and applied segmentation algorithms to compare porosities. We assessed expected advantages and limitations through a sensitivity analysis and beam study. μXRF is an important new imaging technique for microfluidic applications.


Transient kyphotic deformity arises in most infants with achondroplasia. In a minority, a fixed and angular kyphosis develops, which can cause serious neurologic sequelae later in life. We assessed a protocol for preventing development of such fixed kyphosis in a sequential, unselected series of 66 infants with achondroplasia. This study demonstrates the efficacy of early prohibition of unsupported sitting and, in those in whom such prohibition proves insufficient, use of bracing. When the proposed algorithm was followed, none of the infants had development of a progressive kyphotic deformity. On this basis, it appears that the secondary risks of angular kyphosis, previously estimated to be between 10 and 15% in individuals with achondroplasia, can be completely eliminated.


This study was focused on synthesizing, characterizing and evaluating the biological potential of Polyelectrolyte Complex Nanoparticles (PECNs) loaded with the antibiotic ampicillin. For this, the PECNs were produced initially by polyelectrolytic complexation (bottom-up method) and subsequently subjected to ultra-high pressure homogenization-UHPH (top-down method). The synthetic polymeric materials corresponding to the sodium salt of poly(maleic acid-alt-octadecene) (PAM-18Na) and the chloride salt of Eudragit E-100 (EuCl) were used, where the order of polyelectrolyte complexation, the polyelectrolyte ratio and the UHPH conditions on the PECNs features were evaluated. Likewise, PECNs were physicochemically characterized through particle size, polydispersity index, zeta potential, pH and encapsulation efficiency, whereas the antimicrobial effect was evaluated by means of the broth microdilution method employing ampicillin sensitive and resistant S. aureus strains. The results showed that the classical method of polyelectrolyte complexation (bottom-up) led to obtain polymeric complexes with large particle size and high polydispersity, where the 1:1 ratio between the titrant and receptor polyelectrolyte was the most critical condition. In contrast, the UHPH technique (top-down method) proved high performance to produce uniform polymeric complexes on the nanometric scale (particle size < 200 nm and PDI < 0.3). Finally, it was found there was a moderate increase in antimicrobial activity when ampicillin was loaded into the PECNs.


Abstract.
 Trochotomidae is a small but distinctive extinct family of pleurotomarioidean gastropods characterized by trochiform shells with an elliptical trema. Two new species of trochotomids are described from Pliensbachian deposits in the Neuquén Basin, Argentina. The new genus-group name Placotoma is proposed to replace the pre-occupied name Discotoma Haber non Mulsant. The record of Trochotoma (Trochotoma) protonotialis new species and Trochotoma (Placotoma) neuquensis new species in the early Jurassic of Argentina extends the paleobiogeographical distribution of the genus (and the family) to the Southern Hemisphere. The new taxa reported here represent a component of the pleurotomarioidean adaptive radiation that took place in the Tethyan region during the earliest Jurassic. They are related to local patch coral reefs of shallow, open-marine paleoenvironments, agreeing with the known habitat of most species of this family. The group was well represented in the Tethyan region during the Mesozoic, especially during the Jurassic, and the new species represent its southernmost occurrence.


A culture, like an individual, reaps what it sows. The seed of honor produces a harvest of honorable acts. The seed of anger eventually yields violence. The law of the harvest is part of the divine design for human society, and it allows no exceptions. A society which sows reverence for life will reap a culture of kindness and a legacy of respect. A people shorn of this seed will eventually produce a harvest of unspeakable horror, anguish, and inhumanity.


Electroantennogram recording is one of important techniques in insect olfaction and pheromone bioassay research. It has many advantages such as high sensitivity, high selectivity, easy operation. Introduction on this technique in detail is made concerning its principle, equipment, operation, and application by taking the product of Syntech company in the Netherlands as a example.


The recently started process of social security reform in Turkey is widely argued to have a significant potential to affect the direction of further development of financial markets in the country in the years ahead, particularly through the planned introduction of privately managed defined-contribution (or money purchase) retirement plans. This paper aims to evaluate the prospects for the emergence and growth of a demand for these plans by analyzing investment risks and associated benefits facing employees purchasing them and to assess the effectiveness of various risk-reduction strategies that might be pursued by individuals as well as the government. Within this framework, a money purchase pension plan, supplementary to the basic state scheme, is considered. Possible variations in a member's pension income, arising due to stochastic increases in salary earnings and investment returns under alternative portfolios, are captured using an actuarial simulation model designed for this purpose. The cost to the government of providing guarantees on minimum pension incomes and the effects of changes in individuals' investment strategies, retirement ages, and career patterns on the retirement benefits obtained are investigated, and the results are related to various aspects of social security reform–financial market interaction in Turkey.


This report presents the case study results of local-global pork chain performances in The Netherlands. As part of Work Package 3, this case study was carried out in cooperation with our Italian GLAMUR partner. The Dutch pork production sector came up after World War 2 and developed into a highly intensified and specialized sector, with emphasis in the southern part of the country. As it became possible and economically attractive to transport fodder ingredients over great distances, pig husbandry became a booming sector, with high technology and knowledge input, and a major exporting sector. In the last decade, the number of pig farms reduced sharply, whereas the number of pigs per farm rose constantly. As a consequence of a combination of factors as pig disease outbreaks in the late 90-s, environmental externalities, growing national opposition against animal welfare conditions and growing international competition, the pig sector came to a standstill. In this study three chains are compared: first the Good Farming Global pork chain, to be considered Dutch most typical bulk pork chain, oriented towards more anonymous far-from-home markets with basic requirements in terms of low-priced, food safe and mainstream qualified. The second is the Sustainable Pork Chain, developed some 10 years ago on the Environmental certification schema (MK) as a transparent pork chain towards specialized butchers and more critical retailers. Third, the so-called Lupine Pig project has been analyzed, an early-life cycle initiative that responds to national growing demand for more locally sourced pork production.


A numerical procedure based on an analytical solution is presented for solution of the full multicomponent aerosol general dynamic equation. The analytical solution for the equation, accounting for growth, removal, and particle sources, is employed in an iterative procedure to account for coagulation. The iterative process is shown to be rapidly convergent, and its performance is validated by comparison with the exact solution for pure coagulation of a single-component aerosol. A simulation is presented of the evolution of a multicomponent coagulating aerosol, where each component grows-evaporates at a different rate.


Seizures are a common occurrence in the prehospital arena, however, with numerous conditions causing seizures, prehospital clinicians can be left with a dilemma in the treatment of these patients. Patients who are actively seizing will predominately have their airway maintained, oxygen administered and therapeutic intervention (diazepam) initiated. One form of seizure, non-epileptic attack disorder or psychogenic seizures, are often called 'pseudo' seizures—an acronym synonymous in the ambulance service, this gives connotations that the patient is 'faking it'. However, these patients often have deep psychological trauma that needs careful handling and empathy.


The dynamics and thermodynamics of melting in two-dimensional Coulomb clusters is revisited using molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo simulations. Several parameters are considered, including the Lindemann index, the largest Lyapunov exponent, and the diffusion constant. In addition to the orientational and radial melting processes, isomerizations and complex size effects are seen to occur in a very similar way to atomic and molecular clusters. The results are discussed in terms of the energy landscape represented through disconnectivity graphs, with proper attention paid to the broken ergodicity problems in simulations. Clusters bound by 1/r3 and e(-kappar)/r forces, and heterogeneous clusters made of singly and doubly charged species, are also studied, as well as the evolution toward larger systems.


There is much current interest in spread spectrum wireless mobile communications and in particular the issue of spread spectrum wireless capacity. We characterize spread spectrum cellular capacity and provide a combined power control, cell-site selection algorithm that enables this capacity to be achieved. The algorithm adapts users' transmitter power levels and switches them between cell-sites, and it is shown that the algorithm converges to an allocation of users to cells that is optimal in the sense that interference is minimized. The algorithm is decentralized, and can be considered as a mechanism for cell-site diversity and handover. We provide numerical examples to show how effectively the algorithm relieves local network congestion, by switching users in a heavily congested cell to adjacent, less congested cells. >


The therapeutic potential of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) is greatly proved worldwide in the recent years. The use of FMT is now an accepted treatment modality and effective standard of care for some patients owing to its success in treating recurrent Clostridium Difficile Infection (rCDI). However, it is still evolving and longer term follow-up data regarding safety are required. Post-FMT serious adverse events (SAEs) have been varied between studies, however have included significant morbidity necessitating hospital admission and mortality in the follow-up period. The follow-up of FMT recipients should be long enough to completely establish efficacy/adverse events. Furthermore, it is recommended that FMT should be offered with caution to immunosuppressed patients, in whom FMT appears efficacious without significant additional adverse effects. In the wake of COVID-19 situation, stringent policies in screening the FMT donors have to be put forth to ensure patient safety. There is a need for high-quality, large, prospective, randomized controlled trials and long-term follow-up investigating screened donors and recipients to evaluate the long term safety and the risk–benefit profile of this promising therapy.


Considering the fact that in Slovenia English language is already being introduced in the first grade of elementary school as an optional elective subject (OES), and that students begin developing literacy skills in a foreign language in the second or third grade, it makes sense to determine the correlations between better or poorer reading and writing skills in Slovenian as the mother tongue of most students and the reading comprehension of English after learning it for several years as a foreign language, depending on the different text input method (reading, listening, reading while listening).
The correlation between reading and writing skills (phonological awareness, decoding, reading fluency and speed, and correctness of writing) in Slovenian (L1) and in learning English (L2) is poorly researched in Slovenia, while in foreign countries many studies have determined that the level of communication achieved in L1 plays an important role in one's success or unsuccess in assimilating a foreign language. The existing studies focus less on identifying the correlations between literacy skills in the mother tongue and the different methods of text input in a foreign language (reading, listening, reading while listening).
The master's thesis researched whether a correlation exists between the literacy skills in Slovenian and the reading comprehension of English texts, depending on the text input method, in the 6th grade. The survey included 280 6th grade students from different elementary schools in Slovenia. Four different standardized tests for reading comprehension in English and four different individualized reading tasks (the Special Needs Assessment Profile – SNAP) were used.
The results of the tests that measured literacy skills in Slovenian and the results of the English reading comprehension tests show a statistically significant correlation in all three input media (reading, listening and reading while listening) and in all tests. Students achieved the best results when reading, the second best when reading while listening, and the worst results when just listening. This means that the different input media helped students achieve better results on the reading comprehension test. Moreover, girls have achieved better test results on the orthographic skills test than boys.
The results of the research will hopefully contribute to a better understanding of the correlation between the reading and writing ability in one's mother tongue and the reading ability in a foreign language among students who are finishing the second stage of elementary school. Simultaneously, this research will help teachers identify students' problems when learning foreign languages and will help teachers in elementary schools with literacy development, especially by giving emphasis on and importance to reading fluency in Slovenian as the mother tongue and the language of instruction in Slovenian elementary schools.


Telomerase, a key enzyme involved in telomere homeostasis, is a major player involved in or required for sustained cell proliferation. It is expressed in ∼90% tumor but rarely in normal somatic cells. Therefore, telomerase serves as a diagnostic marker and therapeutic target of cancers. Although many methods are available for measuring telomerase activity, a convenient, fast, sensitive, and reliable method is still lacking for routine use in both clinics and research. Here, we present a single-enzyme sensitivity telomere repeat amplification protocol for quantifying telomerase activity. With multiple optimizations, the protocol pushes the ultimate detection limit down to a single telomerase complex, enabling measurement of telomerase activity of not only multiple cancerous/normal cell samples but also single cancer cells alone or even in the presence of 8000 normal cells. Implemented in a one-step mix-and-run format, the protocol offers a most sensitive, fast, accurate, and reproducible quantification of telomerase activity with linearity ranging from 20,000 HeLa cancer cells to a single telomerase complex. It requires minimal manual operation and experimental skill and is convenient for either low or high throughput of samples. We expect that the protocol should provide practical routine analyses of telomerase in both research and clinical applications. As an example, we demonstrate how telomerase activity evolves at the single-cell level and partitions in cell division in early mouse embryo development.


Some unexpected features of the phase diagram of the monoaxial helimagnet in presence of an applied magnetic field perpendicular to the chiral axis are theoretically predicted. A rather general Hamiltonian with long-range Heisenberg exchange and Dzyaloshinskii\char21{}Moriya interactions is considered. The continuum limit simplifies the free energy, which contains only a few parameters which in principle are determined by the many parameters of the Hamiltonian, although in practice they may be tuned to fit the experiments. The phase diagram contains a chiral soliton lattice phase and a forced ferromagnetic phase separated by a line of phase transitions, which are of second order at low $T$ and of first order in the vicinity of the zero-field ordering temperature, and are separated by a tricritical point. A highly nonlinear chiral soliton lattice, in which many harmonics contribute appreciably to the spatial modulation of the local magnetic moment, develops only below the tricritical temperature, and in this case, the scaling shows a logarithmic behavior similar to that at $T=0$, which is a universal feature of the chiral soliton lattice. Below the tricritical temperature, the normalized soliton density curves are found to be independent of $T$, in agreement with the experimental results of magnetorresistance curves, while above the tricritical temperature they show a noticeable temperature dependence. The implications in the interpretation of experimental results of ${\mathrm{CrNb}}_{3}{\mathrm{S}}_{6}$ are discussed.


The utilization of chicken manure as an organic fertilizer is essential in improving soil productivity and crop production. We carried out the study to assess the effects of chicken manure on soil chemical properties and the response of application rate on the yield of spinach (Spinacia oleracea) as well as the uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus nutrients. To quantify these effects, we added chicken manure to samples of Calcisols, Arenosols and Luvisols at application rates: 5, 10, 20 and 40% chicken manure. The addition of chicken manure irrespective of application rate did not change the acidity or pH of Calcisol, suggesting its hypo-buffering capacity. While the results reveal increases of EC with increasing rate, at rate above 40%, the ECs were above the critical salinity level of 4 mS/cm indicating potential threat to soil productivity. The exchangeable bases increased with application rate, suggesting the positive effects of chicken manure in enhancing soil fertility. Similarly significant increase of nitrogen and phosphorus were observed following the addition of chicken manure. Initially the spinach yield increases up to optimum rate of 0.06, 0.07 and 0.16 g/plant for Luvisol, Arenosol and Calcisol, respectively and subsequently drops after critical threshold values; 15, 5 and 1% for Calcisol, Arenosol and Luvisol, respectively. Interestingly above the rate of 40%, the yield was almost zero for all soils, suggesting the ineffectiveness of chicken manure in enhancing soil productivity.

 Key words: Chicken manure, soil chemical properties, soil types, spinach (Spinaciaoleracea).


Recently, it has been shown that deep neural networks (DNN) are subject to attacks through adversarial samples. Adversarial samples are often crafted through adversarial perturbation, i.e., manipulating the original sample with minor modifications so that the DNN model labels the sample incorrectly. Given that it is almost impossible to train perfect DNN, adversarial samples are shown to be easy to generate. As DNN are increasingly used in safety-critical systems like autonomous cars, it is crucial to develop techniques for defending such attacks. Existing defense mechanisms which aim to make adversarial perturbation challenging have been shown to be ineffective. In this work, we propose an alternative approach. We first observe that adversarial samples are much more sensitive to perturbations than normal samples. That is, if we impose random perturbations on a normal and an adversarial sample respectively, there is a significant difference between the ratio of label change due to the perturbations. Observing this, we design a statistical adversary detection algorithm called nMutant (inspired by mutation testing from software engineering community). Our experiments show that nMutant effectively detects most of the adversarial samples generated by recently proposed attacking methods. Furthermore, we provide an error bound with certain statistical significance along with the detection.


Wireless mesh network (WMN) that provides high quality of service to end users has become a kind of emerging access pattern for wireless network. Researching on multi-channel multi-radio (MCMR) wireless mesh network has become more and more at present. Channel assignment problem is extremely important based on the limit of usage channel, so it is hugely important for the channel assignment. In our paper, we first make a brief introduction to the idea about Multi-Channel Multicast (MCM) algorithm, and point out its potential shortcomings. To improve these shortcomings, another algorithm based on quality of link in Multi-Channel Multicast and another channel assignment based on link interference aware are presented in our paper, in addition, improve the network throughput compared with MCM algorithm.


The Pennsylvania Patient Safety Reporting System (PA-PSRS, pronounced PAY-sirs) is a confidential, statewide reporting system on the Internet to which all Pennsylvania hospitals, outpatient-surgery facilities, and birthing centers, as well as some abortion facilities, were required to file information on medical errors beginning in June 2004.Safety Monitor, this column in AJN from PA-PSRS, informs nurses on issues that can affect patient safety and presents strategies they can integrate easily into practice.For more information on PA-PSRS, visit the Web site of Pennsylvania's Patient Safety Authority, at www.psa.state.pa.us. For the original articles discussed in this column or for other articles on patient safety, click on "Advisories and Related Resources" in the left-hand navigation menu.This is a periodic column from the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Reporting System.


The time required by an embedded system to process in formation does not only depend on the amount of data; it also depends heavily on the synchronization overhead, bus protocol and communication architecture. The paper presents a technique to estimate the performance of the control and communication part of an embedded system modeled using the MASIC methodology. A key concept in MASIC is the strict separation of the computation part from the control and communication. Based on this clear separation of concerns, the estimator analyzes the communication delay. Our method targets applications with intense, but regular data flow with a fair amount of complex control. Examples are base stations, or mobile terminals. For these applications, the method allows a cycle accurate estimation of the delay due to the communication. Hence, different architectures can be evaluated and e.g. the effect of different bus arbitration and different DMA block sizes can be assessed. Thus, the proposed method is an aid for the designer to explore the system with different system level decisions.


With the increase of the digital technologies and their application areas, marketing sector is changing day by day. This change affects the consumer behaviors, business models, marketing strategies and competition capabilities. With the development of digital technologies, large and medium-sized enterprises become more advantageous in terms of sales compared to their competitors in the market. Through the use of digital technologies in marketing, companies can establish a systematic relationship with their customers by increasing the power of public relations. However, the evaluation of digital marketing technology is very complex since it has many conflicting objectives and many different criteria. Multi criteria decision-making (MCDM) is a powerful tool widely used for solving this type of problems. Therefore, in this study, we aim to propose an evaluation framework for digital marketing technologies with MCDM methods. After determining the evaluation criteria and alternatives, two MCDM methods are used in the evaluation procedure. Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is used for determining the weights of criteria and COPRAS (Complex Proportional Assessment) is applied for ranking digital marketing technologies. Finally, an application is provided to demonstrate the potential use of the proposed methodology.


A CMOS cross-coupled RF rectifier that improves power conversion efficiency (PCE) with low reverse leakage current for energy harvesting wireless sensors is proposed. In this Letter, the authors propose a CMOS cross-coupled differential RF rectifier that uses a thick-oxide MOSFET as a rectifying device to improve PCE by reducing reverse leakage current. The proposed rectifier is designed for UHF band application using 0.18 µm CMOS technology. Proposed rectifier achieves a peak PCE of 75.2% and sensitivity of − 17 dBm for 1 V output voltage. Peak PCE is improved by 8.8% compared to the conventional rectifier.


The authors assessed the ocular toxicity and pharmacokinetics of subconjunctivally and intravenously administered dacarbazine in New Zealand white rabbits. Nine rabbits received a subconjunctival injection of 5 mg (three animals), 10 mg (three animals) or 25 mg (three animals) of dacarbazine in 0.5 mL of sterile water; 10 mg was found to be a well-tolerated dose. This dose was given as a bolus to 42 other rabbits either subconjunctivally (21 animals) or intravenously (21 animals). In both groups the dacarbazine concentrations in the ocular humours, serum and urine were measured by means of high-pressure liquid chromatography at 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 hours, three animals being assessed at each interval. The peak serum levels of the drug were similar with the two routes of administration. The mean peak dacarbazine levels in the aqueous humour and vitreous humour after subconjunctival administration were 250 to 380 times those achieved after intravenous administration. The bioavailability of the drug over 24 hours was 107 micrograms/h.mL in the aqueous and 34 micrograms/h.mL in the vitreous after subconjunctival administration, compared with 0.65 and 0.14 micrograms/h.mL respectively after intravenous administration. Our results provide a solid pharmacokinetic basis for considering subconjunctivally administered dacarbazine in the treatment of human ocular melanoma.


In the trend of digital servitization, manufacturing companies have been transforming their business paradigms to Smart product-service systems (Smart PSS) by integrating products and associated services as bundles. To support the knowledge-intensive process of Smart PSS development, massive domain knowledge should be well-organized and reused. However, due to the existence of non-binary relations caused by product-service bundles (PSB) and context-awareness concerns in the Smart PSS development activities, conventional graph-based approaches for knowledge representation may lose essential information in transforming non-binary relations into binary ones, and hence cause incorrect results in the subsequent knowledge queries. To mitigate this problem, a hypergraph-based knowledge representation model for Smart PSS was proposed, which represents the non-binary relations among multiple entities with hyperedges. Technically, the knowledge source and the typical hyperedge schema in Smart PSS development are identified in this paper. A detailed case study in the scenarios of 3D printing troubleshooting and PSB recommendation was conducted to showcase the proposed hypergraph-based knowledge representation model and demonstrate its validity. The results show that the hypergraph-based knowledge model significantly relieves the sparsity in the ordinary KG by adding multiple hyperedges. It is anticipated that the proposed hypergraph knowledge representation model can serve as a fundamental study for further knowledge reasoning activities.


Summary Glycophorin C (GPC) and glycophorin D (GPD) are minor but important components of human RBC membranes. They carry the high‐frequency antigens Ge2, Ge3 and Ge4 of the Gerbich blood group system. The epitopes for five new monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) with anti‐GPC specificity were characterized. Two antibodies (4G11 and 5B11) reacted with glycosylated N‐terminal epitopes, and three reacted with internal epitopes of GPC. Pepscan analysis showed that the MoAb RB11 required for binding the EPDP sequence, occurring twice in GPC polypeptide chain. The MoAb 7F11 recognized the sequence 13PLSLEPDP20, and the MoAb RB8 did not react with synthetic peptides. Further characterization of the internal epitopes was performed in fluorescence‐activated cell sorter (FACS) with the use of recombinant GPC and its variant forms transiently expressed on COS‐7 cells. The results indicated that the MoAb RB11 recognized distinctly its target sequence EPDP only in a normal GPC molecule. The reactivity of the MoAb 7F11 with the PLSLEPDP sequence was confirmed and found to be enhanced by the O‐glycan at the Ser15 residue. The MoAb RB8 recognized the glycopeptidic epitope in proximity to the Ser15 residue, requiring the presence of O‐glycan. The combination of immunochemical techniques with the use of the recombinant forms of GPC has made it possible to define the role of sugar chains in the recognition of peptidic epitopes in glycosylated antigen and sheds new light on the Gerbich system antigens.


We propose and demonstrate an in-line channel power monitor (ICPM) based on helium ion implanted silicon waveguides. The implanted waveguide can detect light at below-bandgap wavelengths (1440-1590 nm) which are normally not detectable by silicon. We study the enhanced photoresponse of helium ion implanted samples which were annealed at 200 degC, 300 degC, or 350 degC for different durations. Optical absorption and photodetector current measurements were performed for each sample. The ICPM can provide the same function as a waveguide tap coupler and a hybrid-integrated conventional photodiode


Background & Aims : Today, with lifestyle changes, the tendency to use packaged food, street food, and fast food has increased, and most of them contain Acrylamide. One of the most important side effects of Acrylamide is toxicity in the reproductive system. In this study, the long-term effects of Acrylamide on in Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and sperm parameters were investigated. Materials & Methods : Sixteen male mice (age: 6-8 weeks) were divided into two groups. The control group received normal saline (0.2ml/day) and the treatment group received Acrylamide (50mg/kg, 0.2ml/day) orally for 45 days. At the end of the term, sperms were extracted from the tail of the epididymis and fertilization process was performed in HTF + 4mgBSA medium and embryonic growth stages were studied during 120 hours of incubation. Also, sperm count, motility, viability, sperm chromatin quality, and DNA integrity were evaluated. Two proportion methods by Minitab software and T-Test by SPSS software were used for statistical analysis (p<0.05). Results : There was a significant decrease in the percentage of fertilization, 2 cell-embryos and blastocysts resulting from IVF and a significant increase was observed in the number of arrested embryos in treatment group by Acrylamide compared to the control group (p<0.05). Also in treatment group by Acrylamide, sperm count, motility, and viability of sperms, the number of sperms with DNA damage, abnormal morphology, and with immature nucleus showed a significant increase compared to the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion : The study showed long-term oral administration of Acrylamide has negative effects on fertility potential and sperm parameters.


The complement system is a key component of the innate immunity, playing a role in pathogen elimination and in host homeostasis. The complement system has been considered for long time as an anti-tumoral element. However, recent studies showed a pro-tumoral effect of complement and particularly of the anaphylatoxines C3a and C5a in a large variety of tumor types. Complement proteins act on different levels of tumor progression, affecting the tumor cells, the angiogenesis and the immune microenvironment. The impact of the complement system on tumor progression seems to be cancer type-dependent and this has to be taken into account in the establishment of potential biomarkers and development of therapeutic strategies.


Common features of embryonic genome activation in mammalian and non-mammalian embryos are the colocalization of pre-assembled complexes of maternally inherited nucleolar proteins, the so-called nucleolus precursor bodies and de novo synthesized transcripts with ribosomal DNA. The de novo transcription of messenger RNA and ribosomal RNA proteins is required for the development of functional nuclei during the major activation of the embryonic genome. The aim of our work was to investigate to what extent. Autoradiography and transmission electron microscopy has been applied in in vitro produced bovine embryos. The embryos were cultured to the late 8-cell stage with: α-amanitin; a specific inhibitor of RNA-polymerases II and III transcription; actinomycin D; a specific inhibitor of RNA polymerase I transcription; and without inhibitors (control group). Nucleoplasm and nucleolar structures displayed strong autoradiographic labeling and showed the initial development of fibrillo-granular nucleoli in the control group. In α-amanitin groups, however, in both inhibited groups of embryos, lack of autoradiographic labeling and disintegrated nucleolus precursor bodies stage were observed. Our study of α-amanitin as well as in actinomycin D groups proves inhibition of transformation nucleolus precursor bodies to active nucleoli. From our results follows, actinomycin D is able to penetrate through zona pellucida, what was shown for the first time.


World Health Organization defines ''Pharmacovigilance'' as the science and activities related to the detection, assessment, understanding, and prevention of adverse effects or any other drug-related problems. Pharmaco-vigilance programs can play an important role in early detection and prevention of adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Pharmacovigilance is also defined as 'the study of the safety of marketed drugs under the practical conditions of clinical usage in large communities'. It is better to extend safety monitoring and detect drug adverse events that have previously been unrecognized despite evaluation in clinical trials. Although these methods were developed for monitoring pharmaceutical medicines they are also used for additional evaluation of the safety of other medicinal products including herbals, blood products, vaccines and even medical devices.


. We examined 23 patients aged 40 to 65 years (mean age 54.52±6.72) with a diagnosis of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) at admission, who underwent emergency or delayed coronary stenting a day later. All patients had arterial hypertension as a concomitant disease. Upon additional examination, blood troponin levels were determined, ECG was performed in the time dynamics. Acute myocardial infarction with ST elevation was diagnosed in 7 patients, infarction without ST elevation, in 6 patients, the unstable angina rest, in the rest of this group (Grace risk from 75 to 150 points, on average, 107.7±27.16 points). To assess the immune status, especially, lymphocyte populations and subsets we used standardized techniques, i.e., flow cytometric assays with Navios cytofluorimeter (Beckman Coulter, USA). The following subpopulations were determined: CD45 + (panleukocyte marker for gating lymphocytes), CD45 + , CD3 + (T cells), CD45 + , CD3 + , CD4 + (helper inducers), CD45 + , CD3 + , CD8 + (cytotoxic T cells), CD45 + , CD3 + CD16 + , CD56 + (TNK cells) CD45 + , CD3 - , CD16 + , CD56 + (natural killer cells), CD45 + , CD3 - , CD19 + CD5 + (B cells), CD45 + , CD3 + , CD4 + , CD25 + (activated helpers, early activation phase), CD45 + , CD3 + , HLA-DR (activated T lymphocytes – late activation phase). The data obtained indicate that the relative indices of T helper subpopulations, T cells at early and late activation step, and B lymphocytes were increased in the patients with acute coronary syndrome, compared with control group. At the same time, there is a trend for increasing absolute values of these indexes. The subpopulation of TNK lymphocytes proved to be significantly increased both in relative and absolute values, whereas percentages of CD45 + CD3 + CD19 - (p < 0.01) and T cytotoxic lymphocytes (p < 0.001) were decreased and showed the same trend in absolute terms. The ratio of CD4/CD8 lymphocytes was almost doubled (p < 0.001), due to increased content of T-helpers and decrease in cytotoxic T lymphocytes. In clinical blood analyses of ACS patients a tendency for leukocytosis was shown, (10.15±5.22), with a shift to the band forms.


Jewish Rural Settlements in the Light of the Peasant Survey of 1814: The Perception of Jews and the Socio-Economic Reality at the Beginning of the Nineteenth Century

In 1814 the government launched the Peasant Survey, aimed at collecting local elites' opinions on the best ways of improving the living conditions of peasants. The 140 responses, almost all of them containing comments on Jews, are a rich source of knowledge about the rural Jews of that period. This paper analyzes the Jewish theme in the survey: the predominant critical perception of Jews and various accusations against them as well as proposed reforms. The comparison with the results of the 1819 census of rural Jews in the Kraków voivodeship, including their occupational structure, demonstrates the gap between the elites' judgement and the reality.


Cultural heritage sites play an important role both in terms of the study and preservation of the culture and history of a particular territory, and in terms of their importance in recreation and tourism as a "soft power" for shaping a positive image in the geopolitical arena. These two components are directly related: the maintenance of cultural heritage objects in proper condition allows them to be used in economic activities, for example in tourism; and the economic well-being of their owners, in turn, allows them to seek funds for their restoration and reconstruction. Legal aspects have a key role to play in optimising the system of "protection-use". Different countries have different laws governing this relationship. While both Russia and Germany are at the forefront of this issue, there are also differences, which, if identified and compared, would further optimise the legal framework. The aim is to compare the experiences of Germany and Russia in the preservation and use of cultural heritage objects. The methodology of the study is based on a study of the legal framework of these states in this field. The study compares the laws and provides concrete examples of the legal framework. Particular attention is paid to public-private partnerships. It has been revealed that Russian legislation is more restrictive in terms of protection of cultural heritage, while the legal provisions and their practical application have stimulated the development of public-private partnerships (PPP) in Germany, which in turn has helped to preserve and put into modern use a significant number of cultural heritage objects. This experience can also be applied to Russia.


Tremendous advances have taken place over the last few years in the field of material science. Material characterization has become an important and powerful research tool in physics. This book aims at answering and explaining some of the problems on anharmonic properties of crystals through a multipronged approach. An effort has been made for obtaining the higher order elastic constants and allied parameters for uranium and thorium mono-chalcogenides. Taking the nearest neighbor distance and hardness parameter as the input data second, third and fourth order elastic constants were computed at various temperatures and used to obtain the first and second order pressure derivatives and partial contractions. These details have been used to discuss the anharmonic properties of solids. The analysis should help shed some light on this important and exciting ground of material characterization, and should be particularly suitable to professionals in this field, or anyone else who may be considering utilizing this data for further studies.


The genus Erica comprises five species (E. arborea, E. bocquetii,  E. manipuliflora, E. sicula, E. spiculifolia), in Turkey. In traditional Turkish  medicine, the aerial parts of E. arborea and E. manipuliflora are used as diuretic  and astringent and in the treatment of urinary infections. Additionally, the  decoction of E. manipuliflora is used as weight-loss medicine, diuretic and in  the treatment of diabetes, in Mugla (Turkey) and Western Mediterrenean Region  in Turkey. This present study aimed to determine the cytotoxicity potentials of  different extracts from this species and compare the cytotoxicity between its  flowering and fruiting periods.


Eosinophils play an important role in host defense against parasitic infection, employing both oxidative and nonoxidative systems to effect damage. The active oxygen product, hydrogen peroxide, either alone or in combination with the enzyme eosinophil peroxidase, may damage parasites. These studies use a sensitive fluorometric assay to document the release of hydrogen peroxide from guinea pig peritoneal exudate eosinophils and human peripheral blood eosinophils. Guinea pig eosinophils released 0.13 +/- 0.02 (n = 10) nmol H2O2/10(5) eos/5 min under resting conditions which were markedly increased when stimulated by phorbal myristate acetate (PMA, 1 microgram/ml) [4.80 +/- 0.50 (19) nmol H2O2/10(5) eos/5 min], preopsonized zymosan [2.40 +/- 0.17 (4) nmol H2O2/10(5) eos/5 min], or latex beads [1.14 +/- 0.26 (5) nmol H2O2/10(5) eos/5 min]. Normal human peripheral blood eosinophils had greater resting release of hydrogen peroxide [0.34 +/- 0.05 (8) nmol H2O2/10(5) eos/5 min], but were less effectively stimulated by PMA [3.12 +/- 0.57 (9) nmol H2O2/10(5) eos/5 min], preopsonized zymosan [0.78 +/- 0.16 (8) nmol H2O2/10(5) eos/5 min] or latex beads [0.69 +/- 0.32 (6) nmol H2O2/10(5) eos] (p less than or equal to 0.05). Hydrogen peroxide release was markedly enhanced by the presence of exogenous glucose and was linearly dependent upon cell number when the soluble stimulus PMA was used. Particle-stimulated hydrogen peroxide was not necessarily enhanced by increases in the particle:cell ratio. The demonstration of the release of large amounts of hydrogen peroxide from eosinophils is further support for the concept that eosinophils play an active role in host defense.


The Lewis acid-catalyzed ring-opening of methyl 1-nitrocyclopropanecarboxylates with amine nucleophiles is described. The reaction proceeds at room temperature and with complete preservation of the enantiomeric purity from the electrophilic center of the cyclopropane to the acyclic product. The methodology was applied in an enantioselective synthesis of the dual serotonin/norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (3R)-3-(1 H-indol-1-yl)- N-methyl-3-phenylpropan-1-amine.


Cytosolic diacylglycerol kinase was irreversibly inactivated by 5'-AMP since the enzyme remained less active after the removal of 5'-AMP by P-10 gel chromatography. The inactivation was time-dependent, suggesting the involvement of a covalent bond modification. A reconstitution experiment detected a rat brain cytosolic mediator for the effect of 5'-AMP. A protein kinase rich fraction prepared from rat liver was also capable of restoring the sensitivity of diacylglycerol kinase-II to 5'-AMP. We propose that 5'-AMP-activated protein kinase is the mediator which inactivates diacylglycerol kinase-II, possibly by phosphorylation.


no fluids, and had watery diarrhrea. He was intensely jaundiced. During the morning he was given 600 mill ilitres of glucose-saline intravenously (more could not be given because he was very restless and irrational at times) without any apparent effect. His general condition was so bad and was deteriorating so rapidly that it seemed unlikely that he could be kept alive until blood transfusions could be given. There was still autoheemolysts of his red blood cells in Vit1·O. At 3.45 p.m. he was given 500 millilitres of 6% dextran solution intravenously, with dramatic effect. His general condition promptly improved in every way; his respirations dropped to 40 per minute and became much less laboured; his pulse rate dropped to 100 per minute and the beats became much stronger and steadier; within an hour he came to present a totally different picture. After the dextran he was given, intravenously, 500 millilitres of plasma, and then a second flask of 500 millilitres of 6% dextran solution during the night. By the morning of April 9 he was quiet and cooperative and was taking plenty of fluids; his pulse and respirations had further improved in quality; and his urine was copious and much paler in colour. But he had some ascites and moist crepitations at both lung bases, though there was no cedema of the ankles or scrotum. By 11 a.m. he passed urine which was clear of hsemoglobln, and his red blood cells showed no autohremolysis in vitro. Cross-matching of donors was commenced, but because of the fluid in his lungs and abdomen it was decided to postpone transfusions until the next morning; his condition was so satisfactory, even though his red blood cells totalled only 1,800,000 per cubic millimetre, that it was felt safe to do this. Transfusions of whole blood and parenteral iron and liver therapy were commenced on April 10 and he improved rapidly. By April 14 his hremoglobin value was 51% and his red blood cells numbered 2,900,000 per cubic millimetre. On April 14 also antimalarial treatment with "Nivaquin" was commenced. By April 24 his hremoglobin value was 51 % and he was discharged from hospital on April 25. He has been well since.


The influence of reducing the KGD non-cooperative form by DTT on the KG binding by the enzyme was investigated. The chemical modification of KGD by DEP has revealed that reduction of KGD cysteine residues results in the appearance of the interaction of the dimer active sites upon the enzyme-substrate complex formation. The reduction of 2 SH-groups per KGD subunit: the most reactive one and a buried one--was established to be sufficient for the appearance of KGD cooperative properties in substrate binding as well as for the change in the enzyme activity plots versus substrate concentration. It is suggested that KGD can be regulated by thiol-disulfide exchange in the cell.


This thesis is a major part of the results within a project called "Applications of wait/lock-free protocols to real-time systems". This project is funded by the national Swedish Real-Time Systems research initiative ARTES (www.artes.uu.se) supported by the Swedish Foundation for Strategic Research. The project started in March 1999 and has been running in major with one active Ph.D. student. The aim of the project was to study non-blocking algorithms and apply them to real-time systems. The applications should focus on commercial real-time operating systems, with Enea OSE as the major target.

We started with evaluating wait-free snapshot algorithms suitable for real-time systems. As snapshots are very useful in distributed embedded systems, we focused on experiment models using the CAN-bus.

We have studied how using timing information available in real-time systems can be used to improve and simplify wait-free algorithms for shared data structures. The results from experiments and analytical evaluations show significant improvements and high applicability within real-time systems.

We have been doing studies and implementation work with known lock- and wait-free data structures. Some algorithms have been corrected and refined for implementation. Several of these data structures as well as those presented in this thesis have been put together into a library. The functionality of the library is designed in a way to be easily accessible for non-experts in non-blocking protocols. Experiments on multi-processor platforms show significant improvements.


Material discriminated X-ray CT system has been constructed by using conventional X-ray tube (white X-ray source) and photon-counting X-ray imager as an application with energy band detection. We have already reported material identify X-ray CT using K-shell edge method elsewhere. In this report the principle of material discrimination was adapted the separation of electron-density and atomic number from attenuation coefficient mapping in X-ray CT reconstructed image in two wavelength X-ray CT method using white X-ray source and energy discriminated X-ray imager by using two monochrome X-ray source method. The measurement phantom was prepared as four kinds material rods (Carbon(C), Iron(Fe), Copper(Cu), Titanium(Ti) rods of 3mm-diameter) inside an aluminum(Al) rod of 20mm-diameter. We could observed material discriminated X-ray CT reconstructed image, however, the discrimination properties were not good than two monochrome X-ray CT method. This results was could be explained because X-ray scattering, beam-hardening and so on based on white X-ray source, which could not observe in two monochrome X-ray CT method. However, since our developed CdTe imager can be detect five energy-bands at the same time, we can use multi-band analysis to decrease the least square error margin. We will be able to obtain more high separation in atomic number mapping in X-ray CT reconstructed image by using this system.


Glial glutamate transporter GLT-1 mRNA was selectively induced in C6 glioma cells exposed to hypertonic stress (HS), while the expression of two other subtypes, GLAST and EAAC1, was suppressed. HS increased phosphorylation of the MAPK family, ERK, p38 MAPK, and JNK. Treatment with a PKC inhibitor showed that phosphorylation of both p38 MAPK and JNK is PKC-dependent but ERK phosphorylation is independent. Inhibition of either ERK or p38 MAPK did not abolish GLT-1 mRNA induction. Inhibition of PKC also had no effect. These findings indicate that the induction of GLT-1 mRNA by HS is independent of the MAPK pathways. This is the first report that the expression of glial glutamate transporters is osmotically regulated.


This review reports about the main steps of development in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia (AML) concerning diagnostics, treatment, risk groups, and outcomes. Finally, a short overview of present and future approaches is given.


BACKGROUND
Multiple myeloma (MM) is a rare cancer, and information on its pathological condition and serum element levels is lacking. In this pilot study, we examined serum element concentrations in Japanese patients with MM by a comprehensive multi-element analysis.

METHODS
This is a case-control study of 12 Japanese patients diagnosed with MM at the Nagoya City University Hospital between 2008 and 2013. Blood samples were taken, at the initial diagnosis and at relapse. The serum concentrations of 12 elements were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry and compared between MM patients and non-MM volunteers. We also analyzed the correlation between serum element concentrations and laboratory values related to disease status and tumor volume of MM.

RESULTS
We found that serum chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), molybdenum (Mo), and barium (Ba) concentrations were significantly increased in MM patients. Ba was significantly increased in MM patients, suggesting an association with bone lesions. There was no consistent trend between these elements and existing indices related to MM tumor volume and disease status.

CONCLUSIONS
Although this is a pilot study, serum Cr, Cu, Mo, and Ba concentrations were found to be significantly elevated in MM patients. Further studies with large sample sizes are needed, since the changes in serum concentrations of these elements may reflect the pathological condition of MM.


Twitter offers an engaging way to introduce students to reader-oriented interpretation of the Bible. The exercise described here introduces students to the idea that the reader has a role in the production of a text's meaning, which thus varies from reader to reader. Twitter enables us to capture the real-time thoughts of a variety of respondents to the text of Mark as it is read aloud. Students can concretely observe the effects of particular textual moments on individual respondents as well as analyze their general interpretive stances with regard to the text as a whole. Students come to grasp that the meaning of the text varies depending on the reader, setting the stage for more complex theoretical discussion of reader-response theory, the reader's role in the production of meaning, the adjudication of "allowed" and "disallowed" interpretations, and the appropriateness of "reader-response" criticisms for texts that were composed to be encountered orally.


Separation of a binary mixture by a three-step one-column pressure swing adsorption process in isothermal and adiabatic cases has been studied. The separation performance of the process is characterized by three parameters: enrichment, recovery and productivity. It has been compared at various operating conditions. The evolution of the bed performance from cycle to cycle and the bed dynamics at cyclic steady state have also been addressed.


The article explores the spirituality of undocumented immigrants along the U.S./Mexico border. It first examines the connection between the outer geography of the immigrant journey and the inner landscape that shapes immigrant spirituality. It then explores how this journey gives rise to the theological concept of the crucified peoples. Finally it looks at this christological concept in light of Christian mission and discipleship. As the article explores what strengthens and empowers immigrants, it also examines how the immigrant experience offers new ways of seeing some core elements of the Gospel narrative.


Zero-excess Li metal batteries (ZELMB), in which the Li-metal anode is plated in situ on the anode current collector during initial charging, have received considerable attention in recent years. Such batteries hold enormous potential for increasing energy density and simplifying battery production, thus reducing costs, material, and energy requirements. However, transfer into application has so far been limited by challenges related to the non-uniform deposition behavior of lithium, which leads to inadequate performance and safety concerns. To meet these challenges, the electrochemical deposition behavior of lithium must be very well understood to derive and evaluate knowledge-based optimization approaches. For this purpose, advanced characterization methods are urgently needed. Herein the use of operando electrochemical dilatometry (OED) to study Li deposition and dissolution in ZELMB is demonstrated. We show how OED not only provides information on thickness changes during Li deposition and stripping, but also allows insights regarding morphology evolution and quantification of dead Li. The present work is intended to serve as an example to demonstrate the valuable insights that can be gained with OED and to encourage the scientific community to use it to support the development of advanced Li-, Na-, or K-metal batteries.


Diamond films with [100] texture were prepared by a hot-filament chemical vapour deposition technique to fabricate particle detectors. The response of detectors to 5.5 MeV 241Am particles is studied. The photocurrent increases linearly and then levels off with voltage, and 7 nA is obtained at bias voltage of 100 V. The time-dependent photocurrent initially increases rapidly and then tends to reach saturation. Furthermore, a little increase of the dark-current after irradiation can be accounted for by the release of the charges captured by the trapping centres at low energy levels during irradiation. An obvious peak of the pulse height distribution can be observed, associated with the energy of 5.5 MeV.


Advanced optical thin film design is the key to increase laser durability significantly: either by optimizing the electric field distribution within the coating, or by multi-index or rugate designs. Both ways may be even combined. The electric field distribution within a thin film stack was optimized to avoid peak intensities in critical layers using refractive index engineering and/or layer thickness grading. Femtosecond laser mirrors and dichroics for 780 nm and 390 nm were designed, realized and characterized. Here we present LIDT measurements of electric field optimized mirrors and dichroics, which are almost a factor of three higher compared to standard coating designs. At 780 nm a LIDT of 1.49 J/cm2 has been achieved and at 390 nm 0.58 J/cm2. With the exception of Al2O3, all investigated coating materials show a proportional dependence of the LIDT with electric field maximum, as expected by theory. For Al2O3 based systems the electrical field penetrates deep into the layer stack, a high number of interfaces are involved and interface effects probably limit the achievable LIDT. A similar effect was observed for rugate designs. To exclude such interface effects from the LIDT measurement, a special AR design was developed, which is practically equal for all high index materials. Here a LIDT above substrate damage threshold of 1.7 J/cm2 was achieved.


A frequent task facing a MAS designer is to efficiently divide resources amongst multiple agents. We consider a setting in which a single divisible resource, a.k.a. "cake", needs to be divided amongst n agents, each with a possibly different valuation function over pieces of the cake. For this setting, we address the problem of finding divisions that maximize the social welfare, focusing on divisions where each agent gets a single contiguous piece of the cake. We provide a constant factor approximation algorithm for the problem, and prove that it is NP-hard to find the optimal division, and that the problem admits no FPTAS unless P=NP. These results hold both when the full valuations of all agents are given to the algorithm, and when the algorithm has only oracle access to the valuation functions. In contrast, if agents can get multiple, non-contiguous pieces of the cake, the results vary greatly depending on the input model. If the algorithm is provided with the full valuation functions of all agents, then the problem is easy. However, if the algorithm needs to query the agents for information on their valuations, then no non-trivial approximation (i.e. < n) can be guaranteed.


The ultimate cause of much historical, social and cultural change is the gradual accumulation of knowledge of the human environment. The invention of glass and microscopes and telescopes, substantially increased human knowledge of the human environment. Microscopes and telescopes would not have been possible without the prior discovery of glassmaking and some knowledge of the law of refraction. Without the microscope we would have no knowledge of micro organisms and the causes of many diseases. Without the telescope we would probably still believe the sun and planets orbited a stationary earth. The change from an earth centered universe, the common sense theory for societies with unassisted vision, to a sun centered theory such as the Newtonian system, and then to General Relativity was inevitable. This was because the knowledge provided by unassisted vision, naturally led to an earth centered universe, the knowledge available from 17th to 19th century telescopes and mathematics led naturally to a sun centered system, such as the Newtonian system and better telescopes led naturally to a theory such as General Relativity. The human environment has a particular structure so that human knowledge of the environment is acquired in a particular order. The simplest knowledge is acquired first and more complex knowledge is acquired later. The order of discovery determines the course of human social and cultural history as knowledge of new and more efficient means of meeting human needs, results in new technology, which results in the development of new social and ideological systems. This means human social and cultural history, has to follow a particular course, a course that is determined by the structure of the human environment.


The mathematical model and a set of informational support for the investigation of reliability
and professional selection of operators for the systems of uninterrupted interaction for the work in extreme
conditions of environment is suggested. The results of numerical analysis of model functioning for
the average person organism are given


The following guide provides information on our new Early Literacy Stations. What is the ELF Browser? How can I make suggestions or recommendations for websites?


We propose a spatial compounding technique and variational framework to improve 3D ultrasound image quality by compositing multiple ultrasound volumes acquired from different probe orientations. In the composite volume, instead of intensity values, we estimate a tensor at every voxel. The resultant tensor image encapsulates the directional information of the underlying imaging data and can be used to generate ultrasound volumes from arbitrary, potentially unseen, probe positions. Extending the work of Hennersperger et al.,1 we introduce a log-Euclidean framework to ensure that the tensors are positive-definite, eventually ensuring non-negative images. Additionally, we regularise the underpinning ill-posed variational problem while preserving edge information by relying on a total variation penalisation of the tensor field in the log domain. We present results on in vivo human data to show the efficacy of the approach.


With the development of the ecosystem approach to fisheries there is an increasing interest in analysing fish communities as networks of functional groups. Functional groups are groups of species that play a similar role in the food web and whose dynamics can be considered as consistent. We propose to build simplified food web models in different Mediterranean areas, starting from the species characteristics, rather than a priori assumptions or imposed model structure. The question asked is whether these different communities that share a common environment with local particulars differ in their food web structure. We measured a suite of 10 morphological traits on 75 species, and carried out multivariate analyses to ascribe species to functional groups; the number and definition of functional groups may vary between Mediterranean areas. Using scientific surveys data, we assessed the temporal trends of each the functional groups. Results identified seven empirically-defined functional groups of fish species which represented a correlation of 0.10 with expert classification. Where experts would identified four major groups of species (i.e. benthic/pelagic and invertebrate/fish feeders), we highlighted a gradient of species diet varying from invertebrate to fish feeders and differentiated the habitat (water column and substrate) on which they feed or live. Preliminary observations of the biomass temporal trends for the seven functional groups showed differences between western and eastern Mediterranean areas.


The COVID-19 pandemic poses new challenges for the health sector, related to the organization of medical rehabilitation of patients with COVID-19. Special attention is required for patients after artificial ventilation, who have a high risk of developing physical, mental and cognitive disorders. There are acute post-ovoid syndrome lasting more than 3 weeks and chronic-lasting more than 12 weeks after discharge from the hospital. The most common symptoms are: shortness of breath, fatigue, anosmia, ageusia, myalgia, feeling of fever, tightness in the chest, tachycardia, headaches, anxiety, memory loss, sleep disorders, difficulty concentrating. The article presents the stages of rehabilitation of patients with COVID-19. Dynamic monitoring, measures for the prevention of complications, organization and methods of rehabilitation, including physiotherapy procedures and physical therapy, are considered.


Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer worldwide. Screening is linked to significant reductions in CRC incidence and mortality, however, uptake rates remain alarmingly low.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression to examine the effectiveness of interventions aimed at increasing CRC screening uptake. We conducted a sensitivity analysis of studies that recruited vulnerable populations (minority, underserved, poor). Meta-regression examined whether intervention type, duration, gender, age, number of behaviour change techniques (BCTs) and other components of the intervention or methodology modified the overall intervention effect.

Findings: A total of 102 RCTs involving 1.94 million participants were included. Meta-analysis showed significant benefit of all interventions combined (g= 0.26; OR 1.60; 95% CI 1.49-1.71, p<0.001); sensitivity analysis showed that interventions were significantly more beneficial when restricted to vulnerable population studies (k= 36, g=0.43, OR 2.18; 95% CI 1.78-2.67, P<0.001). Meta-regression showed that age, duration, number of BCTs and type of intervention did not modify intervention effects. Interventions that incorporated the BCTs 'prompts/cues' and techniques from the categories of 'Social Support', 'Goals and Planning' and 'Shaping Knowledge' were more effective than other interventions. Quality of the majority of the studies was unclear or poor (k = 86, 84.3%).

Discussion: Techniques reducing structural barriers to screening were effective in increasing uptake, especially among vulnerable populations. The meta-analysis and meta-regression led to the identification of specific intervention components and BCTs potentially effective in increasing CRC screening uptake for different populations. A lack of psychosocial and theory-driven interventions was observed.


Annexin A1 (AnxA1) is a protein with potent anti-inflammatory actions and an interesting target that has been poorly explored in skin inflammation. This work evaluated the lack of endogenous AnxA1 in the progression of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced atopic dermatitis (AD)-like skin lesions. OVA/Alum-immunized C57BL/6 male wild-type (WT) and AnxA1 null (AnxA1-/-) mice were challenged with drops containing OVA on days 11, 14–18 and 21–24. The AnxA1-/- AD group exhibited skin with intense erythema, erosion and dryness associated with increased skin thickness compared to the AD WT group. The lack of endogenous AnxA1 also increased IgE relative to WT animals, demonstrating exacerbation of the allergic response. Histological analysis revealed intense eosinophilia and mast-cell activation in AD animals, especially in AnxA1-/-. Both AD groups increased skin interleukin (IL)-13 levels, while IL-17A was upregulated in AnxA1-/- lymph nodes and mast cells. High levels of phosphorylated ERK were detected in keratinocytes from AD groups. However, phospho-ERK levels were higher in the AnxA1-/- when compared to the respective control groups. Our results suggest AnxA1 as an important therapeutic target for inflammatory skin diseases.


One limitation of the standardized ISO 16630 hole expansion test is that it provides only one result: limiting hole expansion ratio (HER). In practice, steels with similar HER values can have different cut edge forming behavior due to possible differences in strain localization tendencies. Digital image correlation (DIC) strain measurement during formability testing allows more in-detail analysis of strain-state near the cut edge. In this paper, strain evolution during hole expansion testing was investigated for three 800 MPa tensile strength grade hot-rolled strip steels. The steels were selected to have differences in microstructures and anisotropies of mechanical properties. Two different hole expansion test methods with DIC strain measurement were utilized to investigate different edge loading scenarios: in-plane stretching with a flat-top punch and more out-of-plane stretching with a hemispherical punch. Test holes were prepared according to ISO 16630 standard. In order to examine strain evolution and localization during testing, strains were measured with circle-shape sections around the hole in various distances from the cut edge. Strain localization behavior was investigated in different sheet directions and the effect on the hole expansion ratio was evaluated. Results show considerable differences in the cut edge forming behavior between the investigated materials.


In this study, fluorocarbon thin films were deposited on the surface of white spruce and Brazilian cedar woods via atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge in the afterglow mode with octafluoropropane gas. A pre-treatment with oxygen plasma was introduced before the thin film deposition to determine if this plasma condition could increase the wood nano/micro roughness, helping to improve the hydrophobicity of the surface. The optimal conditions of water repellency for both woods were examined in terms of their resistance to aging in controlled conditions. The water contact angle measurements showed a hydrophobic surface with a stable angle for both woods. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals the presence of CF, CF2 and CF3 functional groups after the Ar/C3F8 plasma, especially for longer treatments. The open-air system of the plasma reactor leads to the simultaneous fluorination and incorporation of oxygen-containing groups. The pre-treatment of oxygen plasma increases the wood roughness; however, the chemical attachment of oxygen molecules is more significant, negatively affecting the degree of repellency of the plasma-coated woods. On the other hand, the fluorocarbon deposition increases the wood roughness and creates a hydrophobic surface simultaneously. Even with partial defluorination after aging, both plasma-coated woods retain a similar degree of water repellency, which partially avoid chemical reorganization of their surface due to environmental exposure.