The RAE can help hasten the freeing of access to this literature by mandating that all UK universities self-archive all their
annual refereed research in their own eprint archives. The harvesters (e.g., http://citebase.eprints.org )
will provide newer and richer measures of "impact" with the help of citation-linking services for open archives
(http://opcit.eprints.org is an international collaboration between Southampton, Cornell and the Los Alamos National
Laboratory, jointly supported by the NSF in the US and JISC in the UK). Not only the citation impact but the "hit"
impact, for both the papers and the authors at UK universities and abroad, will be not only accessible but assessable
continuously online by anyone who is interested, any time, instead of just in a quadrennial RAE exercise.


While significant progress has been made to understand the genetic landscape of MDS, less is known about the epigenetic makeup of this disease and how this may impact biology and response to azacitidine (AZA). To address this, we performed genomic, epigenomic and transcriptomic analysis on CD34+ cells from a multicenter cohort of 94 intermediate or higher risk MDS patients treated with AZA who had documented responses. DNA methylation (DNAme) by ERRBS, gene expression (GE) by RNA-seq, mutational profiling, and detailed clinical, cytogenetic and laboratory data were documented. Supervised and unsupervised analyses revealed that aberrant DNAme in MDS is not distributed randomly but rather is highly correlated with disease phenotypes, capturing clinically relevant heterogeneity, beyond what is identified by methodologies used in the past that focused solely on promoter regions. Moreover, this epigenetic information can be harnessed for the development of robust biomarkers predictive of AZA response and integrative approaches combining GE and DNAme data can further improve the predictive performance of these biomarkers, with an AUC score=0.92.
 Citation Format: Maria E. Figueroa. Epigenomic landscapes of MDS [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndrome; 2023 Jan 23-25; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Blood Cancer Discov 2023;4(3_Suppl):Abstract nr IA09.


OBJECTIVE
To describe a case of staged conservative treatment of a synchronic bilateral renal tumor, a real surgical challenge.

METHODS
46-year old obese female who consulted for fever; bilateral solid masses > 70 mm were detected and surgical treatment was offered.

RESULTS
Staged conservative treatment consisting in selective embolization of both lesions and subsequent surgery was performed. Right partial nephrectomy with ipsilateral adrenalectomy was done first, and 90 days later left partial nephrectomy. Pathology revealed, clear cell carcinomas with negative surgical margins in both cases in addition to a right adrenal adenoma. After 48 months of follow up, the patient remains free of local or systemic disease with normal renal function.

CONCLUSIONS
The objective for these patients is a complete resection of the tumors and preservation of as much renal tissue as possible. Conservative surgery has proven to be an effective therapy to achieve both goals in cases of bilateral synchronic renal tumors.


A 27-year-old woman presented with a ruptured giant aneurysm of the right middle cerebral artery, occlusion of the artery distal to the aneurysm, and an intraparenchymal hematoma. Before emergent surgery, her condition deteriorated to a Glasgow Coma Scale score of 4 and a Hunt and Hess grade of V. Electroencephalographic response on the right, initially absent, was present toward the end of the surgery. Postoperative angiography demonstrated good filling of the previously occluded distal middle cerebral artery. The simultaneous occurrence of hemorrhage from a giant intracranial aneurysm and occlusion of the parent artery is extremely rare, and this is the first case we found in the literature in which the patient survived. The treatment strategy and outcome are discussed.


The perception of valuation importance of eight competencies related to psychologist's profession, as well as the self-assessment in those competencies were characterized and compared. A sample of 58 psychologists from the Region of La Araucania (Chile) and 46 students in the last courses of the career in a State University of the same Region was assessed. The results show a higher valuation of the competencies of diagnosis and psychological intervention in both groups. It was also found that the sample of professionals ascribe more importance to all competencies, as well as a lower valuation of competencies in self-assessment for the sample of students, when compared to the perception of the importance that they attribute to them..


This chapter presents a new approach to IT ethics education that may be used by teachers in academic institutions, employees responsible for promoting ethics in organisations and individuals wanting to pursue their own professional development. Experiential ethics education emphasises deep learning that prompts a changed experience of ethics. We first consider how this approach complements other ways of engaging in ethics education. We then explore what it means to strive for experiential change and offer a model which may be useful in pursuing IT professional ethics education in this way.


To optimize plant architecture (e.g., photosynthetic active leaf area, leaf-stem ratio), plant physiologists and plant breeders rely on destructively and tediously harvested biomass samples. A fast and non-destructive method for obtaining information about different plant organs could be vehicle-based spectral proximal sensing. In this 3-year study, the mobile phenotyping platform PhenoTrac 4 was used to compare the measurements from active and passive spectral proximal sensors of leaves, leaf sheaths, culms and ears of 34 spring barley cultivars at anthesis and dough ripeness. Published vegetation indices (VI), partial least square regression (PLSR) models and contour map analysis were compared to assess these traits. Contour maps are matrices consisting of coefficients of determination for all of the binary combinations of wavelengths and the biomass parameters. The PLSR models of leaves, leaf sheaths and culms showed strong correlations (R2 = 0.61–0.76). Published vegetation indices depicted similar coefficients of determination; however, their RMSEs were higher. No wavelength combination could be found by the contour map analysis to improve the results of the PLSR or published VIs. The best results were obtained for the dry weight and N uptake of leaves and culms. The PLSR models yielded satisfactory relationships for leaf sheaths at anthesis (R2 = 0.69), whereas only a low performance for all of sensors and methods was observed at dough ripeness. No relationships with ears were observed. Active and passive sensors performed comparably, with slight advantages observed for the passive spectrometer. The results indicate that tractor-based proximal sensing in combination with optimized spectral indices or PLSR models may represent a suitable tool for plant breeders to assess relevant morphological traits, allowing for a better understanding of plant architecture, which is closely linked to the physiological performance. Further validation of PLSR models is required in independent studies. Organ specific phenotyping represents a first step toward breeding by design.


ABSTRACT
In the present project, the implementation of a lubrication system in circular knitting machines is carried out, through engineering tools that allow us to reduce the high rate of stopped machines, guaranteeing the correct performance of the lubrication system and improving the use of machines and increase production in the weaving area.
The implementation of the lubrication system was based mainly on the use of reliability centered maintenance (RCM) tools such as: The Decision Diagram, identification of system functions, Analysis of Failure Modes and Effects, Consequences of faults, Proactive Maintenance, Predictive tasks, quality control tools and process improvement.
This project is developed in the company Textil San Ramon; textile company located in the department of Lima, district of San Luis, marshal Eloy Ureta 226 urbanization el pino; dedicated to the production and sale of knitted yarns and fabrics at a national and international level with exports mainly to Latin American countries such as Argentina, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Venezuela and Bolivia.
In the present study we were able to identify that the high rate of brown machines was mainly due to an inadequate lubrication system in circular machines. For this we implemented a new lubrication system managed to establish a single version of lubricator per machine model in addition to clearly identify the lubrication points and determine an optimal dosage of the lubricant for each lubrication point according to the article, material and the type of structure of the lubrication. Tissue, a type of maintenance was also established for this system and thus guarantee the correct functioning.
With the new lubrication system in circular machines, we managed to reduce machine downtime by 46%; production after implementation increased by 32% in the first 6 months of 2017 compared to the same period of 2016.
With the implementation of this new lubrication system we satisfactorily fulfill our objectives of reducing downtime and increasing production.
Key words: Production capacity, Lubrication system, production increase, production cost, quality control tools.


Humans, domestic animals, orchard crops, and ornamental plants are commonly treated with antibiotics in response to bacterial infection. By curing infectious individuals, antibiotic therapy might limit the spread of contagious disease among hosts. But an antibiotic`s suppression of within-host pathogen density might also reduce the probability that the host is otherwise removed from infectious status prior to therapeutic recovery. When rates of both recovery via treatment and other removal events (e.g., isolation or mortality) depend directly on within-host pathogen density, antibiotic treatment can relax the overall removal rate sufficiently to increase between-host disease transmission. To explore this dependence, a deterministic within-host dynamics drives the infectious host's time-dependent probability of disease transmission, as well as the probabilistic duration of the infectious period. At the within-host scale, the model varies (1) inoculum size, (2) bacterial self-regulation, (3) the time between infection and initiation of therapy, and (4) antibiotic efficacy. At the between-host scale the model varies (5) the size/susceptibility of groups randomly encountered by an infectious host. Results identify conditions where antibiotic treatment can increase duration of a host`s infectiousness, and consequently increase the expected number of new infections. At lower antibiotic efficacy, treatment might convert a rare, serious bacterial disease into a common, but treatable infection.


Objective: To compare the clinical- and cost-effectiveness of ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) and functional electrical stimulation (FES) over 12 months in people with Multiple Sclerosis with foot drop. Design: Multicentre, powered, non-blinded, randomized trial. Setting: Seven Multiple Sclerosis outpatient centres across Scotland. Subjects: Eighty-five treatment-naïve people with Multiple Sclerosis with persistent (>three months) foot drop. Interventions: Participants randomized to receive a custom-made, AFO (n = 43) or FES device (n = 42). Outcome measures: Assessed at 0, 3, 6 and 12 months; 5-minute self-selected walk test (primary), Timed 25 Foot Walk, oxygen cost of walking, Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale-29, Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale-12, Modified Fatigue Impact Scale, Euroqol five-dimension five-level questionnaire, Activities-specific Balance and Confidence Scale, Psychological Impact of Assistive Devices Score, and equipment and National Health Service staff time costs of interventions. Results: Groups were similar for age (AFO, 51.4 (11.2); FES, 50.4(10.4) years) and baseline walking speed (AFO, 0.62 (0.21); FES 0.73 (0.27) m/s). In all, 38% dropped out by 12 months (AFO, n = 21; FES, n = 11). Both groups walked faster at 12 months with device (P < 0.001; AFO, 0.73 (0.24); FES, 0.79 (0.24) m/s) but no difference between groups. Significantly higher Psychological Impact of Assistive Devices Scores were found for FES for Competence (P = 0.016; AFO, 0.85(1.05); FES, 1.53(1.05)), Adaptability (P = 0.001; AFO, 0.38(0.97); FES 1.53 (0.98)) and Self-Esteem (P = 0.006; AFO, 0.45 (0.67); FES 1 (0.68)). Effects were comparable for other measures. FES may offer value for money alternative to usual care. Conclusion: AFOs and FES have comparable effects on walking performance and patient-reported outcomes; however, high drop-outs introduces uncertainty.


ABSTRACT Background: Since the 1970s, Greenland has presented the highest reported incidence rates of the sexually transmitted infections (STIs) gonorrhoea and chlamydia in the Arctic regions. Objective: This study aims to describe sex- and age-specific incidence rates of gonorrhoea and chlamydia from 1990 to 2012 in Greenland, and to evaluate if changes in case definitions, diagnostic procedures and implementation of STI interventions during the period coincide with rate changes. Design: Gonorrhoea and chlamydia cases were identified from the national STI surveillance. For 1990–2008, STI cases were identified from weekly notified aggregated data. For 2009–2012, cases were identified in person-identifiable national registers. We used log-linear Poisson regression to calculate incidence rates (IRs) and incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Analyses were stratified according to sex, age and calendar period. Results: Gonorrhoea and chlamydia incidence rates have increased since 1995 to reach 2,555 per 100,000 person-years (PY) for gonorrhoea and 6,403 per 100,000 PY for chlamydia in 2012. From 2006 to 2012, the incidence rates among young adults aged 15–19 years were 8,187 and 22,515 per 100,000 PY for gonorrhoea and chlamydia, respectively. Changes in surveillance reporting did not seem to influence the incidence rates for either disease, whereas a change in diagnostic test coincided with an increased incidence of chlamydia. Conclusion: Overall, the incidence of chlamydia in Greenland increased during the study period, whereas the incidence of gonorrhoea decreased until 1995 but increased thereafter. Young adults aged 15–24 years were at highest risk of infection. The increase in incidence rates was independent of changes in case definitions, whereas an observed increase in chlamydia incidence in 2005 coincided with a change in diagnostic test. None of the STI interventions launched after 1995 seemed to coincide with decreasing national incidence rates.


Traumatic brain injury (TBI) and stroke are major causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite major advances in the comprehension of the molecular mechanisms determining brain injury in stroke and TBI, the history of clinical translation of experimentally successful trials of neuroprotective drugs is plagued with failures. Although with certain differences, the reasons for the failures of clinical trials are similar, from insufficient data on animal experiments and too many assumptions in translation to insufficient acknowledgement and control of clinical heterogeneity, poor data handling and standardization and restricted outcome measurement and analysis. Realization of these reasons with improved experimental conception and testing of the potentially active compound, including the use of different strains, sexes, models and outcome analyses, with replication of preclinical data in different laboratories, as well as better planning and analysis of clinical trials, could finally allow the development of an effective therapeutic strategy.


Protease inhibitors are key components in the chemotherapy of HIV infection. However, the appearance of viral mutants routinely compromises their clinical efficacy, creating a constant need for new and more potent inhibitors. Recently, a new class of epoxide-based inhibitors of HIV-1 protease was investigated and the configuration of the epoxide carbons was demonstrated to play a crucial role in determining the binding affinity. Here we report the comparison between three crystal structures at near-atomic resolution of HIV-1 protease in complex with the epoxide-based inhibitor, revealing an in-situ epoxide ring opening triggered by a pH change in the mother solution of the crystal. Increased pH in the crystal allows a stereospecific nucleophile attack of an ammonia molecule onto an epoxide carbon, with formation of a new inhibitor containing amino-alcohol functions. The described experiments open a pathway for the development of new stereospecific protease inhibitors from a reactive lead compound.


This paper shows an approach to integrating common approximate dynamic programming (ADP) algorithms into a theoretical framework to address both analytical characteristics and algorithmic features. Several important insights are gained from this analysis, including new approaches to the creation of algorithms. Built on this paradigm, ADP learning algorithms are further developed to address a broader class of problems: optimization with partial observability. This framework is based on an average cost formulation which makes use of the concepts of differential costs and performance gradients to describe learning and optimization algorithms. Numerical simulations are conducted including a queueing problem and a maze problem to illustrate and verify features of the proposed algorithms. Pathways for applying this analysis to adaptive critics are also shown.


The world public opinion recently placed a strong emphasis on renewable energy sources and some international and national legislative actions were taken to promote them. Consequently, also woody biomasses market had a big stimulus and experienced a rapid evolution: this thesis analyses Italian import trade flows during the period 1961-2009.
The analysis is based on data bases (often not homogeneous) provided by Istat (Coeweb) and FAO (ForesSTAT) concerning the following commodities: wood fuel, wood charcoal, wood residues and woody chips and particles. Elaborations are shown both in an aggregate and commodity-specific way and are focused on quali-quantitative aspects. Supplying-areas, main exporting countries, stability of the Italian trade partnerships and import concentration are also investigated.
Finally, some key issues related to future development are discussed: in particular, the conflict between energy and industrial use, the uncertainty of the future supplies and the possible Italian priority actions. Moreover, an evaluation of the relevance of having reliable and up-to-date statistical data is also discussed.


Abstract A programme of experimental work has been carried out to determine the viscosity and friction performance for a range of borosilicate based glass forging lubricants for conditions relevant to the closed die forging operations used in the manufacture of aerospace parts in titanium and nickel alloys. A simple experimental method for the measurement of glass viscosities has been described and the measured viscosities and the friction coefficients have been used to provide an interpretation of the behaviour observed. Isothermal friction tests in the temperature range from 800 to 1100°C were carried out to determine the basic performance of the glass followed by tests representative of forging operations with the workpiece at 925°C and the dies between 300 and 600°C. It has been found that both boundary layer and hydrodynamic lubrication regimes occur for the temperatures and strain rates encountered during the forging of aerospace materials coated with glass lubricants.


Abstra ct : The GIS technology is used in all fields for which the spatial information is relevant, that means in all fields that use the geographical map for stocking, analyzing and representing the data which are processed. No matter what is the field, any GIS application includes a spatial data base (a digital map) and a soft which exploit these data bases. The digital map must contain the spatial data specific to any field whose it is designated to this application. In order to furnish some useful information, this data base must be actual, which means it must represent correctly the terrain (geographic space) that is always under changing. This exploitation soft is made from many functions of analyzing the spatial data contained into the digital map and of visualizing the resulted information, specific to the application field. The most important feature of a GIS consists in its capacity to make spatial analyses, which means to process the spatial data (geographical data) with the purpose to obtain information (reports) regarding the studied area. With this feature of spatial analyze is different the software dedicated to GIS over the software like the CAD. The processing of spatial data is made based on some algorithms specific by using own operations for these such data.


The work is devoted to the issue of optimization of basic technological processes in beer production. A causal- target and factor-target analysis of the technological complex of the brewery was made, taking into account the mutual influence of the individual processes. We used the methods of factor analysis and cognitive modeling, which allowed to determine the set of attributes, flows, factors, life conditions of the brewery as an object of control and to form the structure of interaction between objects and factors. Factor-target analysis of the system was implemented on the basis of the expert survey using multidimensional scaling method for the further development of the scenario control system of technological complex of the brewery. Causal-target and factor-target diagrams for the process of brewing are given. The studies will help to better define the primary and secondary factors affecting the quality of the final product and resources usage. Scenario control system of beer making process will be established on the basis of the obtained data.


Exposure to flour dust can be found in the food industry and animal feed production. It may result in various adverse health outcomes from conjunctivitis to baker's asthma. In this paper, flour dust exposure in the above-mentioned occupational environments is characterized and its health effects are discussed. A peer-reviewed literature search was carried out and all available published materials were included if they provided information on the above-mentioned elements. The hitherto conducted studies show that different components of flour dust like enzymes, proteins and baker's additives can cause both non-allergic and allergic reactions among exposed workers. Moreover, the problem of exposure to cereal allergens present in flour dust can also be a concern for bakers' family members. Appreciating the importance of all these issues, the exposure assessment methods, hygienic standards and preventive measures are also addressed in this paper.


This paper uses the spatial analysis method of GIS to study the temporal–spatial distribution characteristics of ancient sites from the Han to the Tang periods in Shaanxi Province. (1) Analysis of topographic features reveals that ancient sites in Shaanxi Province are concentrated in plain areas with slopes due south, east, and southeast, elevations of about 866m, and slopes of 0 to 3°. (2) From the point line analysis, founding the sites are concentrated in the range of 10km, the farther away from the river, the fewer tombs distributed, it shows that the distribution of ancient tombs is linear. (3) The final kernel density analysis found that the site sites from the Han to the Northern and Southern Dynasties were concentrated in the Guanzhong Plain, while the distribution in other areas was more scattered; In the Sui and the Tang Dynasties, the sites were mainly distributed in Guanzhong Plain with Xi'an as the center. Studying the temporal–spatial distribution characteristics of ancient sites can not only explore the relationship between the development of ancient human society and the evolution of the natural environment but also provide a reference for the further study of sites in the future.


This paper reports a study of the relationship between cognitive structure and organizational decision making. Cognitive structure, a framework that helps the decision maker organize and interpret information, has both context (conventional vs. non-conventional) and process (conclusive vs. nonconclusive) dimensions. Based upon context and process combinations, four cognitive structures are identified. Results indicate systematic relationships between cognitive structure and both the perception of a problem and the choices made. The four types can be seen as mutually supportive, each contributing special strengths to decision making in organizations.


It has been suggested that groups of precariously balanced rocks are effectively earthquake strong ground-motion seismoscopes that have been operating on solid rock outcrops for thousands of years, thus providing a constraint on the maximum ground motion that could have occurred during that time (Brune, 1996; Brune et al. , I996; Shi et al. , 1996; Bell et al. , 1998). Modern instrumental strong ground-motion recorders have only provided data for a few decades, have been very costly, and have not recorded data from any great earthquakes along the San Andreas Fault (great earthquakes occurred in 1852 and 1906, before modern instrumentation was available). Nevertheless, there has been a concerted effort to produce probabilistic seismic hazard maps for the U.S. and California (Wesnousky, 1986; WGCEP95, 1995; Ward, 1994; Frankel et al. , 1997), stimulated in part by the potential losses in great earthquakes and the high cost of earthquake-resistant seismic design.

Preliminary results from...


This is a review of laboratory experiments with a layer of shallow water having a free surface and rotating together with a vessel of parabolic form. Such a (rather original) setup has allowed one to create Rossby solitary vortex for the first time. The latter is an anticyclonic Rossby vortex not subjected to dispersive spread owing to its compensation by the nonlinearity of KdV type. By its structural, collisional, and other properties, including clear-cut cyclonic-anticyclonic asymmetry, it may be considered as a physical prototype of the large-scale long-lived anticyclonic Rossby vortices like the Great Red Spot of Jupiter or the Great Dark Spot of Neptune (this remarkable vortex was discovered by the spacecraft Voyager-2 during its farewell to the Solar System) and other vortices dominating in the atmospheres of giant planets and created by the unstable zonal flows. It has been shown that the vortex under study is a long-lived entity provided it satisfies "antitwisting condition," i.e., it has rather large amplitude (at which it rotates more quickly than it propagates and thereby carries the trapped fluid). In this case, it is not subjected to the "twisting" deformation and may be ascribed by the generalized Charney-Obukhov equation for Rossby vortices on shallow water with a free surface. The results of creating the vortex under consideration by the different methods have been compared with the results obtained by other authors in the experiments on shear-flow generation of Rossby vortices.


This letter presents a simple and economical paper-based device that is able to generate an array of stable Ar microdischarges. This is a dielectric-barrier-discharge device that exhibits filamentary-type features. The device is sustained by an ac voltage with a 550-V amplitude and 10-kHz frequency. Optical emission spectra show that Ar lines dominate the emission, with a trace amount of CH and C2 emissions. Despite slight damage, the electrode lifetime exceeds 20 min. Results demonstrate that this device is flexible and is able to achieve maskless patterning of hydrophilic patterns on flat and curved glass surfaces.


Performance measurement has the main aim of helping organizations to realize how decision-making processes can be harnessed to improve success rate in past activities and how the understanding from the current and past can lead to future improvements. Specifically, a comprehensive performance measurement practise must enhance the achievement of the key aim of the project stakeholders, the objectives of the project itself, and the needs of the users all of which should be capable of being represented in raw data to be manipulated and measured by a performance measurement tool. The performance of a project is directly related to its potential for success, and on the other hand, the CSFs of a project have a direct bearing on the project's performance. In essence, the efficiency and effectiveness measures of a project are essential yardsticks for assessing project performance and success.
The stakeholders in a project have needs and expectations which the project is being conceived to satisfy, therefore, these needs and expectations must be held paramount during the conceptual design, development execution, and operation stages of a project. This is applicable to the general construction industry and in particular, in construction projects implemented by municipal organisations. However, municipal construction project have been fraught with delays, cost overruns and failure in operational performance. Hence, the overall aim of this research is to develop a framework within which municipal construction project performance can be measured in the SA at any stage of the project, and specifically to increase its effectiveness and efficiency of the project in order to improve the project's performance to the satisfaction of stakeholders.
This study was implemented through the administration of a questionnaire survey based on a hypothesis that requires the identification of the challenges and obstacles that are facing the implementation of municipal construction project in SA. The collected data is based on responses from three major organisations; government, contractors and consultants that are involved in the delivery of municipal construction projects in SA. Mean and analysis of variance (ANOVA statistic) was used to manipulate the data from the questionnaire within the SPSS v.20 software environment. The resulting framework was subjected to a validation procedure which involved a structured interview process based on a focus group consisting of experts that were specially selected for the purpose establishing the extent to which the framework is practical, clear, applicable and comprehensive. Also, the focus group was used to determine the significance of the CSFs, PMs, and success (efficiency and effectiveness) measures.
Overall, this study found that a total absence of performance measurement concept process permeates the management of construction projects in SA and in the municipality construction projects in particular. To close this gap, this study was embarked upon to investigate and identify the various performance measurement approaches and frameworks that are used to support the guidance of project performance toward success. Notably, this study emphasises the importance of stakeholder needs and expectation forming the bases of municipality construction projects in SA. Specifically, this study suggests that the measurement of project performance in municipality construction projects in SA should be integrated in a holistic framework containing several elements that will help to guide construction projects toward success.


"Objective – This study aims to explain the companies' financial condition and growth which is affecting going concern audit opinion of the companies listed in the Jakarta Islamic Index (JII). Financial condition is examined through the information changes in working capital to total assets, retained earnings to total assets, earnings before interest and taxes to total assets, book value of equity to book value of total liabilities, sales to total assets. Methodology/Technique – This study applies qualitative research with a description method and the populations used are all companies listed in JII period 2014-2015. Findings – The results of the study explained that the companies' financial conditions affect going concern audit opinion. The worse the financial condition of the company, the greater the probability of companies to receive going concern audit opinion, and vice versa. An auditor will give a going concern audit opinion on companies that are experiencing financial difficulties. The growth of the companies affects going concern audit opinion. If the sales growth is negative, the continuity of the company will be unstable, because the company will be difficult to make profits. It can cause the financial conditions of the company experience difficulties, so that the company will receive going concern audit opinion. Novelty – The study contributes literature with its empirical findings in the context of Indonesia."


The authors review the current experimental and clinical literature relating to the use of lasers in peripheral vascular disease. During the past few years, significant strides have been made in effective harnessing of laser energy for percutaneous revascularization. However, the role of lasers in treating vascular disease is not yet clear. Thus current application of laser technology in this area should be considered experimental until adequate clinical studies confirm its efficacy.


In the context of an impending global educational recruitment crisis, together with the recognition of the critical impact of effective leadership on educational outcomes, leadership preparation has become a focus of educational reform worldwide. The design and delivery of pre-appointment programmes for school leadership has significance for school effectiveness. In many countries, a leadership qualification is now mandatory for aspiring principals. In the Republic of Ireland, Tóraíocht, a non-mandatory accredited programme of preparation for school leadership was introduced in 2008, adding to the various diplomas and degrees available through higher education institutions. Adopting a narrative-informed qualitative methodological approach, the aim of this research study was to examine whether Tóraíocht makes a difference to the perceived leadership competencies of the novice primary school principals (n = 12), six of whom had participated in Tóraíocht and six of whom had not. The main findings indicate certain favourable conclusions regarding the impact of the programme on graduates subsequently appointed to primary-level principalship positions, and positive attitudes towards the proposed introduction of a compulsory pre-appointment leadership qualification in the near future.


Background Recognizing that litterfall and decomposition are key ecosystem functions for ecosystem stability in a terrestrial ecosystem, litterfall and decomposition in four sacred forests were studied from western part of Odisha. The present study focuses on the detailed aspects of litter dynamics, decomposition and consequent release of nutrients to the forest floor. The results obtained in this study will be beneficial in understanding the ecosystem functioning associated with nutrient cycling, which helps in determining possible management strategies for optimization of ecosystem functioning and productivity of these sacred forests. Results Litterfall and standing litter showed a seasonal pattern with most of the litter accumulated during the dry seasons and lowest in the rainy season. However, no significant difference was observed between the litterfall patterns of the sacred forests. The annual turnover rate (KL) was found to be in the range of 3.59/yr to 4.22/yr in studied sacred forests. The litter decomposition study was performed by litter bag technique and almost 95% of mass loss was observed within a period of 6 months. Such fast decomposition leads to faster rate of nutrient release across the sites. The studied elements can be set in the following order as regards to their return to the topsoil during decomposition in the order of K (Potassium) > N (Nitrogen) > P (Phosphorus). The approximate amount of nutrient released to the forest soil is quantified in the range of 184.76 to 33.61kg/ha of NPK (Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium) in different sacred forests.Conclusion Such nutrient release and dynamics in sacred forests, may contribute an effective nutrient flow to the topsoil as well as to the surrounding agricultural landscapes boosting agricultural productivity and sustainability. This signifies the role of sacred forests in rendering an important ecological service in terms of nutrient cycling.


Kenya's population growth rates are now approaching 4% per year, due to increasing birth rates and declining death rates. A woman reaching menopause in 1969 had an average 7.6 births compared to a woman reaching menopause in 1979 with an average of 8.1 births. Also, the infant mortality rate dropped from 119/1000 in 1969 to 96/1000 in 1975. This study analyzes regional fertity differentials in Kenya between 1969 and 1979. Due to problems of data availability and reliability, only 2 fertility indices are used--the child-woman ratio and the lifetime total fertility rate for women age 15-49. Data reveal that the most significant determinants of regional fertility differences are the childhood mortality rate, female sterility or infecundity, and female education. However, if the analysis is confined to rural-urban differences, then other factors such as residential background, agte at marriage, divorce and separation, and marriage type and pattern also come into play. Also, socioeconomic variables such as contraceptive use, occupation, and income also play a role in creating rural-urban fertility differentials. Kenya can be divided into 3 broad regional belts of fertility behavior. The 1st zone is Kenya's coastal belt, which has a long history of urbanization and is predominantly Moslem. This zone has relatively low fertility. The 2nd belt of moderate fertility levels comprises Kenya's dry lands, the home of the nomadic and semi-nomadic tribes. The central highlands of Kenya and the Lake Victoria basin have extremely high fertility levels, partly due to their greater levels of socioeconomic development.


In 1996 he Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles and Public Safety launched the Genesis project, a technology-enabled reengineering endeavor. In September of 1999, after four years of planning, organizational restructuring and system development, the new system was released. To the accompaniment of great publicity, it fell dramatically short of expectations. This case provides the background necessary to understand the origins and shortcomings of the system, then focuses on the turn-around effort that took the system to a point of successful operation within a year of its going into production. The turn around was accomplished under great pressure to retreat to the legacy system. The effort involved a synergy of manual and technical corrections to bring overall system performance to acceptable levels. The DMV now faces the formidable challenge of taking full responsibility for the long-term maintenance of a system that was designed and implemented by outside contractors.


Previous investigations of central noradrenergic effects on food intake have concentrated on the use of high doses of noradrenaline (two to 200 times brain noradrenaline content). In this work we examined the effect of low doses of noradrenaline (not exceeding brain noradrenaline content) on the parameters of spontaneous ingestive behavior. By arranging for rats to trigger remote infusions of noradrenaline into their own anterior forebrains at the beginning of spontaneously initiated meals, meal size was very reliably increased more than 200% by doses of 0.015--0.37 nmol (2.5--62 ng of noradrenaline base) (n = 12). The effect was alpha-adrenergic. It was blocked by phentolamine but not by propranolol. Infusions of noradrenaline at the above doses, which nearly triple meal size, did not elicit eating when made during an intermeal interval, nor did they influence the length of the intermeal interval when made 60 min after the termination of an uninfused meal. These results show that noradrenaline increased food intake at doses less than 1% of the brain's endogenous noradrenaline content. Meal size is more susceptible to alteration by noradrenaline manipulations than is meal frequency. The brain's own noradrenergic system may function to sustain food intake once feeding is initiated. This function of brain noradrenaline may control spontaneous meal size.


Aim: To describe how quantitative data obtained from applying a series of indicators for preventable drug related morbidity (PDRM) in the electronic patient record in English general practice can be used to facilitate changes aimed at helping to improve medicines management. Design: A multidisciplinary discussion forum held at each practice facilitated by a clinical researcher. Subjects and setting: Eight English general practices. Outcome measures: Issues discussed at the multidisciplinary discussion forum and ideas generated by practices for tackling these issues. Progress made by practices after 1, 3, and 6 months. Results: A number of clinical issues were raised by the practices and ideas for moving them forward were discussed. The issues that were easiest and most straightforward to deal with (for example, reviewing specific patient groups) were quickly addressed in most instances. Practices were less likely to have taken steps towards addressing issues at a systems level. Conclusions: Data generated from applying PDRM indicators can be used to facilitate practice-wide discussion on medicines management. Different practices place different priority levels on the issues they wish to pursue. Individual practice "ownership" of these, together with having a central committed figure at the practice, is key to the success of the process.


Abstract In the present work, an unalloyed ductile cast iron containing 3.50 C wt.%, 2.63 Si wt.%, 0.318 Mn wt.% and 0.047 Mg wt.% was austempered for various times at both the conventional austenitizing temperature (single phase austenitic region) and the different intercritical austenitizing (partially austenitizing) temperature ranges to investigate the effect of parent austenite dispersion at the austenitizing temperature on the nature of austenite decomposition during austempering. A microstructure map was created to illustrate the transformation of products quantitatively as a function of austempering time for a particular austenitizing temperature and austempering time. It was concluded that in addition to proeutectoid and bainitic ferrite, the new ferrite (also called epitaxial ferrite) introduced into the partially austenitized structure during austempering and new ferrite formation and its content was dependent on the scale of the parent austenite dispersion at the austenitizing temperature, variation in austenitizing temperature and austempering time. The new ferrite formed only in the structure with coarse parent austenite dispersion.


Cloud computing is an emerging model in which computing infrastructure resources are provided as a service over the Internet. Data owners can outsource their data by remotely storing them in the cloud and enjoy on-demand high quality applications and services from a shared pool of configurable computing resources. However, since data owners and cloud servers are not in the same trusted domain, the outsourced data may be at risk as the cloud server may no longer be fully trusted. Therefore, data integrity is of critical importance in such a scenario. Cloud should let either the owners or a trusted third party to audit their data storage without demanding a local copy of the data from owners. Replicating data on cloud servers across multiple data centers provides a higher level of scalability, availability, and durability. When the data owners ask the Cloud Service Provider (CSP) to replicate data at different servers, they are charged a higher fee by the CSP. Therefore, the data owners need to be strongly convinced that the CSP is storing all the data copies that are agreed upon in the service level contract, and the data-update requests issued by the customers have been correctly executed on all the remotely stored copies. To deal with such problems, previous multi copy verification schemes either focused on static files or incurred huge update costs in a dynamic file scenario. In this paper, we propose some ideas under a Dynamic Multi-Replica Provable Data Possession scheme (DMR-PDP) that prevents the CSP from cheating; for example, by maintaining fewer copies than paid for. DMR-PDP also supports efficient dynamic operations like block modification, insertion and deletion on data replicas over cloud servers.


Seventy-four pressure lesions in fifty-three geriatric patients were observed at weekly intervals to determine the bacterial flora and the healing index of each lesion, expressed as initial area of lesion (cm2) - final area of lesion (cm2) divided by time in days. The micro-organisms which caused infection included Staphylococcus aureus, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacteroides fragilis and Bacteroides asaccharolyticus. Many lesions contained a mixed flora. P mirabilis and Ps aeruginosa were associated with necrotic (p less than 0.005) and enlarging (p less than 5 x 10(-7)) lesions. Bacteroides spp were associated with necrotic lesions (p less than 0.05). The presence of S aureus in a lesion was not associated with any particular trend in healing index. The implications of the microbiological findings are discussed.


Gas, oil, and water production data were compiled for selected wells in Pinedale and Jonah fields, Wyoming, for the purpose of quantifying the fluid production from two tight gas systems. Production of gas, oil, and water from each well is represented by two samples taken five years apart, with the first sample typically taken two years after commencement of production. For each well, summary diagrams of oil versus gas and water versus gas production show fluid production rates, the change in rates after five years, the water-gas and oil-gas ratios, and the fluid type. These diagrams allow well-to-well and field-to-field comparisons. Fields producing water at low rates (with a lower limit based on water vapor in gas in the reservoir) can be distinguished from fields producing water at moderate or high rates, and the water–gas ratios are quantified. Gas production rates are higher in Jonah field than in Pinedale field at both the first and second samples, and the average gas production rate for the second sample is about half that of the first sample for both fields. Water production rates are generally substantially higher in Pinedale than in Jonah, and water–gas ratios in Pinedale are roughly a factor of ten greater in Pinedale than in Jonah. Gas and water production rates for each field are fairly well grouped, indicating that Pinedale and Jonah fields behave as distinct but fairly cohesive gas–water systems. In particular, Pinedale field appears to be remarkably uniform in its flow behavior with time. Jonah field, although internally faulted, exhibits a small spread in first-sample production rates. In all wells examined from the two fields, water production commenced with gas production—there are no examples of wells with water-free production and no examples where water production began after first-sample gas production. Water production rates declined in all wells in Pinedale field from the first to the second sample, whereas in Jonah field, half the wells showed increases and half showed decreases during the five-year period. Most wells had water–gas ratios exceeding the amount of water that could exist as water vapor in gas at reservoir pressure and temperature.


Uncertainty affects the overall performance of railway systems. It can be captured tracking the successive departure and arrival events of trains at stations in the scheduled railways. Markov chains has shown to be an effective means to model variabilities in the departure and arrival delays of trains. The empirical data of actual operations are used to develop the Markov matrices. Transitions between delay states comprise the internal dynamics of running and dwelling processes in probabilistic terms, presenting particular patterns of deterioration, recovery and state keeping in the prevailing timetable setting. All these features conform to the practice of railway operations as well as train dispatchers and drivers. Hence, delay-based Markov chains becomes a simple and effective tool to predict delays in the following events of trains and distribution of delays over a longer period of time using simple performance measures. We have developed the homogeneous and non-homogeneous Markov models and tested their performances using the actual data collected in the Netherlands railway network. The analysis and evaluation show that the railway corridor considered in this study performs well and the corresponding Markov chain models can be used effectively to predict train delays and to evaluate timetable robustness. The outcomes of the homogeneous and non-homogeneous model are evaluated with respect to the observed data resulting that the non-homogeneous model performs better than the homogeneous model.


Background: A previous study (Kiran, Thompson, & Hashimoto, 2001) investigated the effect of training sublexical conversion on improving oral reading of regular words in two individuals with aphasia. Results revealed that training grapheme to phoneme conversion improved acquisition of trained items and facilitated generalisation to trained and untrained stimuli during oral naming, written naming, and writing to dictation as well. Aims: The aim of the present study was to extend this work to investigate if training phoneme to grapheme conversion would result in improvement of writing to dictation of trained items and facilitate generalisation to untrained stimuli and untrained tasks. Methods & procedures: Using a single subject experimental design across three participants with aphasia, the effects of phoneme to grapheme conversion treatment were evaluated by periodic probing of both trained and untrained regular words across lexical tasks: writing to dictation, written naming, oral spelling, and oral naming. Outcomes & Results: Results indicated that training phoneme to grapheme conversion resulted in improved writing to dictation of trained and untrained words in two out of three patients. In addition, improved written naming and oral spelling of trained words was observed. Marginal improvements were observed for untrained stimuli on written naming, oral spelling, and oral naming. Conclusions: The results of this experiment demonstrate the effectiveness of training sublexical conversion to improve written production deficits and to facilitate generalisation to untrained stimuli and untrained tasks. These results also complement findings of our previous study to suggest a more efficient method of improving single word production deficits than training each modality successively.


Tacrolimus, an immunosuppressant used in organ transplant surgery, is inhibitory to some medically important fungi but also may obstruct azole monotherapy in the immunocompromised patient. We observed a case of cutaneous phaeohyphomycosis caused by Alternaria alternata in a liver transplant recipient who had been under tacrolimus immunosuppression for 6 months post-transplantation. At the onset of the infection, the patient presented with an increased whole-blood tacrolimus level. After a simple surgical excision the patient was discharged from the hospital without antifungal treatment but with an adjusted tacrolimus dosage. Literature review on fungal infections in patients receiving tacrolimus suggested these patients experience cutaneous and deep mould infections that are more frequent, severe and therapy-refractory than those seen in patients with other types of immunosuppression.


Between 1996 and 2000 79 Belgian blue donor cows were submitted to OPU-IVF. They all had a history in classical embryo transfer programs with disappointing results. Two different in vitro embryo production protocols were used. Between 1996 and 1998 (period A), oocytes were matured in M 199 and Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) and Foetal Calf Serum (FCS) were added. Subsequently, the, oocytes were cultured in a granulosa co-culture system in a Synthetic Oviduct Fluid (SOF) medium. From 1998 until 2000 (Period B), M 199, FCS, equine chorionic gonatrophin (eCG) and granulosa cell co-culture were used for in vitro maturation. Zygotes were subsequently cultured in SOF with a co-culture of bovine oviduct epithelial cells (BOEC). During period A, 531 OPU-IVF sessions were performed, collecting 2111 cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs), of which 928 (44%) were of good morphological quality. The in vitro maturation (IVM), fertilization (IVF) and culture (lVC) resulted in 241 transferable embryos. When fresh embryos (n=88) were transferred, a pregnancy rate of 27% was obtained, whereas the transfer of frozen embryos (n=18) resulted in 29% pregnant recipients. During period B, 1519 OPU sessions were performed, collecting 7027 COCs, with 2157 (31%) of them being of good quality. Following IVM-IVF-IVC, we cultured 1120 transferable embryos of which 438 were transferred fresh, resulting in a pregnancy rate of 39%. The transfer of frozen embryos (n=139) yielded a pregnancy rate of only 5%. The overall results improved over the years, while individual donor variability was one of the main factors that had influence on the OPU-IVF success rate. At the end of the second period, an average of 0.8 embryos were obtained per OPU session. Since freezing of in vitro derived bovine embryos is still problematic, the transfer of fresh embryos remains the best option. However, in our circumstances the availability of good quality recipients appeared to be the limiting factor.


From the Publisher:
Written to give the reader the knowledge to master C++, from the basics to the most advanced material and include a Windows programming primer. A complete C++ reference and designed to work with all C++ compilers, this book is more comprehensive than any other book on C++ available today. Technically accurate and up-to-date, this book is designed to remain current without substantial updates for years. Illustrated with at least one example for every topic covered making it easier to learn the programming language.


Purpose: To present the 1-year follow-up of a novel surgical technique that allows for suture fixation of a posteriorly dislocated lens–bag complex without the need for conjunctival incision. Methods: A retrospective chart review of 19 patients who underwent posterior chamber intraocular lens rescue using the novel surgical technique was performed. Data were collected 1 year after surgery for all patients. Results: Average preoperative vision was 20/500, whereas 3 months and 12 months postoperatively, the vision was 20/65 and 20/54, respectively. Three of 15 eyes had decentration of the sutured intraocular lens, 2 of which required additional surgical repair. Conclusion: Outcome data at 1 year support this novel technique as a viable option for the surgical repair of a dislocated lens–capsular bag complex.


Vortex-induced vibration (VIV) of a sphere represents one of the most generic fundamental fluid–structure interaction problems. Since vortex-induced vibration can lead to structural failure, numerous studies have focused on understanding the underlying principles of VIV and its suppression. This paper reports on an experimental investigation of the effect of imposed axial rotation on the dynamics of vortex-induced vibration of a sphere that is free to oscillate in the cross-flow direction, by employing simultaneous displacement and force measurements. The VIV response was investigated over a wide range of reduced velocities (i.e. velocity normalised by the natural frequency of the system): $3\leqslant U^{\ast }\leqslant 18$ , corresponding to a Reynolds number range of $5000<Re<30\,000$ , while the rotation ratio, defined as the ratio between the sphere surface and inflow speeds, $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}=|\unicode[STIX]{x1D714}|D/(2U)$ , was varied in increments over the range of $0\leqslant \unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}\leqslant 7.5$ . It is found that the vibration amplitude exhibits a typical inverted bell-shaped variation with reduced velocity, similar to the classic VIV response for a non-rotating sphere but without the higher reduced velocity response tail. The vibration amplitude decreases monotonically and gradually as the imposed transverse rotation rate is increased up to $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}=6$ , beyond which the body vibration is significantly reduced. The synchronisation regime, defined as the reduced velocity range where large vibrations close to the natural frequency are observed, also becomes narrower as $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}$ is increased, with the peak saturation amplitude observed at progressively lower reduced velocities. In addition, for small rotation rates, the peak amplitude decreases almost linearly with $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}$ . The imposed rotation not only reduces vibration amplitudes, but also makes the body vibrations less periodic. The frequency spectra revealed the occurrence of a broadband spectrum with an increase in the imposed rotation rate. Recurrence analysis of the structural vibration response demonstrated a transition from periodic to chaotic in a modified recurrence map complementing the appearance of broadband spectra at the onset of bifurcation. Despite considerable changes in flow structure, the vortex phase ( $\unicode[STIX]{x1D719}_{vortex}$ ), defined as the phase between the vortex force and the body displacement, follows the same pattern as for the non-rotating case, with the $\unicode[STIX]{x1D719}_{vortex}$ increasing gradually from low values in Mode I of the sphere vibration to almost $180^{\circ }$ as the system undergoes a continuous transition to Mode II of the sphere vibration at higher reduced velocity. The total phase ( $\unicode[STIX]{x1D719}_{total}$ ), defined as the phase between the transverse lift force and the body displacement, only increases from low values after the peak amplitude response in Mode II has been reached. It reaches its maximum value ( ${\sim}165^{\circ }$ ) close to the transition from the Mode II upper plateau to the lower plateau, reminiscent of the behaviour seen for the upper to lower branch transition for cylinder VIV. Hydrogen-bubble visualisations and particle image velocimetry (PIV) performed in the equatorial plane provided further insights into the flow dynamics near the sphere surface. The mean wake is found to be deflected towards the advancing side of the sphere, associated with an increase in the Magnus force. For higher rotation ratios, the near-wake rear recirculation zone is absent and the flow is highly vectored from the retreating side to the advancing side, giving rise to large-scale shedding. For a very high rotation ratio of $\unicode[STIX]{x1D6FC}=6$ , for which vibrations are found to be suppressed, a one-sided large-scale shedding pattern is observed, similar to the shear-layer instability one-sided shedding observed previously for a rigidly mounted rotating sphere.


Spontaneous tumors in dogs are highly similar to human cancers histologically, genetically, molecularly and clinically. In this presentation we explore similarities found across species when associating cancer biomarkers and outcomes. Our findings validate concordance across the cancer journeys. This is important to deepen the field of comparative oncology and affirming spontaneous cancer in dogs as an ideal 'model' for precision oncology, building upon recent work in tumor biology concordance. Our machine learning analysis prognosis and predictive effect of genomic alterations in 1303 client-owned tumor-bearing dogs identified TP53 and PTPRD as prognostic markers for poor survival in dogs with an overall survival hazard ratio (OS HR) of 1.732, 1.914, respectively (P<0.001 and P=0.023). These results are aligned with non-small cell lung cancer, metastatic breast cancer and pancreatic cancer in people correlated with poor survival when carrying TP53 mutation, and PTPRD also correlated with poor survival in gliomas. Besides that, we also identified ALB1 and PIK3CA prognostic markers for poor survival in canine tumors with an overall survival hazard ratio (OS HR) of 1.707, 1.689, respectively (P=0.01, and P=0.002). This data reaffirms the similarity between canine and human cancers not just in the genomic profiles but also the tumor biology and treatment strategy for both species. Among tumor types, lymphoma and hemangiosarcoma showed the worst survival times (N=32, OS HR=1.929, P=0.002, and N=202, OS HR=1.743, P<0.001). Interestingly, we also identified that dogs with RET mutations respond better to toceranib, a veterinary oral multikinase inhibitor against RET, VEGFR2, PDGFR, FLT3 and c-KIT; this is in concordance with sunitinib a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that target RET used in humans thyroid carcinomas and other tumors carrying RET mutations. To the best of our knowledge, this is the largest canine tumor clinical genomic dataset analysis. Applying real-world evidence and data tools in the FidoCure® dataset, we successfully identified associations between gene mutations and survival associated with response to target therapy treatment. These associations can benefit dogs by enabling better therapeutic recommendations and also benefit human cancer research since canine models recapitulate human disease with intact immune systems and similar tumor genomic profiles, confirmed by the FidoCure® database, accelerating clinical studies of novel treatments that currently have significant barriers to study at scale.
 Citation Format: Kevin Wu, Lucas Rodrigues, Gerald Post, Garrett Harvey, Aubrey Miller, Lindsay Lambert, Christina Lopes, Benjamin Lewis, James Zou. Concordance between dogs and humans: The use of AI in evaluating clinical cancer genomic datasets [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 635.


Background: The poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, olaparib, has been found to have a therapeutic potential for treating cancers that have an impaired DNA repair ability. However, some cancer presents acquired resistance to PARP inhibitor or platinum. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are important to enable functional homologous recombination (HR) by regulating the expression of HR-related genes and promoting the accurate assembly of HR-directed subnuclear foci. Thus, HDAC inhibitors have emerged recently as a class of therapeutic agents for the treatment of cancer by inhibiting DNA repair. For this mechanism, HDAC inhibition would enhance the anti-tumor effect of PARP inhibitor in cancer cells by blocking DNA repair pathway.

Materials and Methods: We determined whether SAHA, a HDAC inhibitor could enhance the growth inhibition of olaparib on breast cancer cell lines using MTT assay. We examined whether exposure to SAHA affects the expression level of genes involved in HR. The accumulation of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs) induced by combination treatment was accessed by the comet assay. Cell cycle analysis and molecular changes induced by combination of olaparib plus SAHA were also performed. These in vitro data were validated in the in vivo xenograft model as well.

Results: Triple-negative breast cancer cell lines showed heterogeneous response to dual inhibition of PARP and HDACs. SAHA enhanced olaparib-induced cell death of MDA-MB-157 and HCC1143 but not of HCC70 and MDA-MB-468. Combination of olaparib plus SAHA caused a greater decrease of pAKT, pERK, and pSTAT3 in MDA-MB-157 and HCC1143 cells compared with monotherapy either olaparib or SAHA. Furthermore, inhibition of PARP increased the accumulation of DNA DSBs induced by SAHA in these two cell lines, MDA-MB-157 and HCC1143. There was no change in proliferative pathway activation in HCC70 and MDA-MB-468 cells with combination of olaparib plus SAHA. Our findings showed that triple-negative breast cancer cells are differentially effective to combination of SAHA plus olaparib which increased levels of unrepaired DNA DSBs.

Conclusion: HDAC inhibitor SAHA enhances growth inhibitory activity of PARP inhibitor olaparib in several triple-negative breast cancer cells with increased accumulation of DNA DSBs. Our results provide a rationale for the future clinical trials of olaparib combined with SAHA in the treatment of cancers that have an impaired DNA repair ability.

Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P4-16-06.


The article discusses the problem of the experimental study of trust in the business partnerships. A brief review of theoretical concepts and empirical research in this area are given. In anticipating stages of the study there were identified two basic criteria for the evaluation of the business partnerships development - «Confidence» and «Derived mutual benefit», which formed the basis of the pilot scheme, implemented on the principle of party dummy. The main conditions varied during the experimental procedure was a combination of these two criteria: the condition 1 - high confidence, low intermediate results of the interaction, condition 2 - low trust, the average intermediate result. The dependent variable was the degree of optimization elasticity of the joint achievement of the forecast results, expressed the value of the «individual rate» naive participant business interactions. The data obtained allowes to conclude that among the two factors that influence the success of the partnership, such as trust and the intermediate result of joint activities (receiving benefits), there is much more potent factor in the actual result of the partnership. However, as has been established, even in the absence of a direct mutual benefit arising can trust, however, maintain partnerships at a time.


New insertion devices, such as a multi-pole wiggler (MPW), are being considered for CAMD. This is a consequence of the growth of CAMD's research program over the last several years, in particular after the commissioning of a 7 T wiggler, which has produced a demand for both higher beam brightness and flux density. A proposal has been submitted to the National Science Foundation for funding for a MPW which would replace the existing 7 T wavelength shifter. The outline specification for this new device is presented and also results of tests of modified optics for the CAMD storage ring which will be needed to accommodate the MPW. The modified optics have a reduced vertical aperture requirement of 20 mm at the location of the MPW. It will also be necessary to up rate the RF system to cope with the increased radiation loss.


From its inception in 2015, the Prevent Duty has required educators, and other members of the social sector, to exercise 'due regard' in preventing pupils from being drawn into terrorism, irrespective of the age of the child. This article explores how primary educators have understood and implemented this preventative security policy in their schools. Analysis is based on a survey of 345 primary school educators and 37 semi-structured interviews with primary school educators and Prevent Education Officers from the West Midlands. Through a lens of governmentality, we shed light on how this mandate has been broadly interpreted and exercised by educators within and outside the school gates. In so doing, we contribute to debates on the puzzling acceptance of Prevent in education, on the process whereby educators identify threats, and on the securitisation of educational spaces in a risk society.


Multiphoton microscopy is a powerful technique for deep in vivo imaging in scattering samples. However, it requires precise, sample-dependent increases in excitation power with depth in order to maintain signal while minimizing photodamage. We show that cells with identical fluorescent labels imaged in situ can be used to train a physics-based machine learning model that solves this problem. After this training has been performed, the correct illumination power can be predicted and adaptively adjusted at each point in a 3D volume on subsequent samples as a function of the sample's shape, without the need for specialized fluorescent labelling. We use this technique for in vivo imaging of immune responses in mouse lymph nodes following vaccination, with imaging volumes 2-3 orders of magnitude larger than previously reported. We achieve visualization of physiologically realistic numbers of antigen-specific T cells for the first time, and demonstrate changes in the global organization and motility of dendritic cell networks during the early stages of the immune response.


The large volume multi-tasking vertical lathe was developed for machining the bearing parts for a wind power generator. Although the machined part is large in size high precision tolerances are required recently. One of the most important components to achieve this mission is the rotating table which holds and supports the part to be machined. The oil hydrostatic bearing is adopted for the thrust bearing and the rolling bearing for the radial bearing. In this article experimental performance evaluation and its analysis results are presented. The rotational accuracy of the table is assessed and the frequency domain analysis for the structural loop is performed. And in order to evaluate the structural characteristic of table the moment load experiment is performed. The rotational error motion is measured as below 10 μm for the radial and axial direction and 22,800 Nm/arcsec of moment stiffness is achieved for the rotary table.


There have been few reports of the use of extracorporeal life support (ECLS) to provide cardiac support in children with low cardiac output as a result of arrhythmias. We present two patients in whom venoarterial ECLS was used to provide support for cardiogenic shock secondary to intractable supraventricular tachycardia. In both cases, the arrhythmia terminated once bypass was established. In one case, the time on ECLS was used to optimize drug treatment, and in the other case, radiofrequency ablation was successfully undertaken during ECLS.


The study of the optical response of gold island films revealed an intense line in the light scattering spectrum near 2100 cm-1. Some possible reasons for the appearance of this line are considered. Comparison of the results obtained for films obtained by various technologies, light scattering spectra on other types of samples, as well as comparison with the results of other authors allow us to interpret the line as the result of inelastic light scattering by one-dimensional carbon chains.


The capacity of cotyledonary microsomes, prepared from pregnant ewes (20-145 days of gestation), to metabolize exogenous arachidonic acid was quantified using a radiolabel technique. During gestation, the capacity of microsomes to metabolize arachidonic acid increased 25-fold, from 0.36 +/- 0.06 mumol arachidonic acid/incubation (n = 8) at less than 100 days of gestation to 9.06 +/- 1.02 mumol arachidonic acid/incubation at 130-145 days of gestation (n = 5; P less than 0.05). Arachidonic acid was metabolized to prostaglandin E2 and F2 alpha, as determined by thin-layer chromatography and reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography. The profile of prostaglandins synthesized by cotyledonary microsomes did not change throughout gestation. These data suggest that the increase in cotyledonary prostaglandin synthesis that occurs during late gestation and at term may reflect an increase in the tissue content of prostaglandin H2 synthase.


The remote and ecologically rich forests of northwest Montana are home to an endangered population of grizzly bears (Ursus arctos). Within the Cabinet/Yaak ecosystem, recent research suggests an average population estimate of 45 bears. While grizzly bear core-areas and security requirements have been identified in the Cabinet/Yaak ecosystem, figuring out how to best manage the lush vegetation that provides foraging opportunities within that defined habitat has yet to occur. Large portions of this designated habitat are in need of ecological restoration. Since a high percentage of the Cabinet/Yaak grizzly bear's diet is supplied through berries, grasses, and forbs, it is crucial to develop the knowledge today that can transform portions of the forest back into the edible landscapes that were once historically abundant. Because huckleberries (Vaccinium spp.) comprise a substantial amount of the annual diet volume for Cabinet/Yaak grizzly bears, land managers are beginning to design projects with the intention of increasing the amount of huckleberry foraging opportunities on the forest. Strong anecdotal evidence suggests that huckleberry prefers minimal overstory, yet few studies have been undertaken that document the plant's response to management. Addressed is a partnership that has formed between the Yaak Valley Forest Council, USDA Forest Service, and the USDI Fish and Wildlife Service to monitor and document the effects the vegetative treatments have on huckleberry abundance.


In this work, the composite electrode composed of metal-organic frameworks and transition metal phosphides is first assembled on the nickel foam substrate. The as-prepared NiCo-MOF-74@Ni12P5/NF exhibits excellent performances with ultrahigh specific capacitance (12.8 F/cm2 at 1 mA/cm2), stable charge-discharge rate (82.8%), and excellent cycling stability (reserve 73.90% after 5000 charge and discharge cycles at 30 mA/cm2), which are better than those of NiCo-MOF-74@NF without phosphating treatment of nickel foam. The corresponding hybrid supercapacitor (SC) device (NiCo-MOF-74@Ni12P5/NF//AC) delivers high storage capability (44.33 W·h/kg at 800 W/kg) and distinguished operating durability (83.04% after 5000 cycles). In addition, an all-solid-state hybrid SC successfully lit the LED for more than 2 min, which means that there is viable potential for practical applications in energy storage. The improved electrical properties are mainly due to the 3D heterostructure, the positive cooperative binding of nickel and cobalt elements, and the excellent electrical conductivity of the phosphide. As a result, this study proves the possibility of practical applications of NiCo-MOF-74@Ni12P5/NF electrodes for energy storage in hybrid SCs.


Bayesian models of starting price effects in contingent valuation studies have been used to track and to correct for starting price effects for more than two decades. Since then, the single parameter form that has been used to estimate the starting price effect has been adapted to distinguish among strategically induced, Bayesian or yea-saying responses (Whitehead, 2002). Recent works, however, show that these diagnostics can be inaccurate if heterogeneity exists in the value of the updating parameter. This work allows a more flexible functional form, beyond the single updating parameter, to capture a potentially richer set of starting price effects that may operate in a single dataset. First we employ a finite mixture model to sort respondents into latent classes. The finite mixture model locates three distinct types (latent classes) of respondents, and each exhibits a discretely different starting price-affected behaviour in a subsequent regression. Heterogeneity does not follow a continuous distribution across one starting price effect, such as a Bayesian updating parameter, that might be captured by a random parameter estimator. Rather effects fall into discrete classes. Researchers will need to better match theory to the diverse array of starting price effects detected.


Background. Irisin and betatrophin are polypeptide hormones implicated in glucose metabolism and insulin resistance (IR). Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is accompanied by oxidative stress (OS) and the association between circulating irisin and betatrophin levels and GDM is controversial. The present study aimed to investigate the association of second-trimester irisin, betatrophin concentrations and their correlations between serum OS markers in GDM patients. Methods. The study included 45 GDM patients and 45-age matched pregnant women as controls. Serum fasting glucose, HOMA-IR, ischemia modified albumin (IMA), total oxidative stress (TOS), total antioxidant status (TAS), oxidative stress index (OSI), irisin and betatrophin were measured. Results. Serum irisin levels were decreased and TOS and OSI levels were found to be increased in the patient group. No significant difference was found with respect to serum betatrophin and IMA levels between study groups. A correlation analysis revealed no correlation between serum irisin and other assessed variables. Conclusions. Gestational diabetes mellitus is an OS condition in addition to being a metabolic disease. Although not correlated with OS, irisin but not betatrophin may be a useful biomarker to predict GDM.


This review paper summarizes present knowledge about turbulence in the free atmosphere. Data from various sources allow the construction of an average spectrum of atmospheric motions which covers almost the entire range of periods from 1 second to 1 year. It is shown that the micrometeorological maximum, which probably exists in cases of moderate and severe CAT (clear air turbulence), is not separated from synoptic scale motions by a deep mesoscale gap. Theoretical considerations and observations in the laboratory, the ocean, and the free atmosphere suggest that CAT is a manifestation of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. This implies that for better understanding of CAT, for forecasting, and for planning of air-borne measurements, isentropic analysis of the meteorological situation is advisable. Sophisticated aircraft instrumentation is now beginning to yield data sufficiently accurate and detailed to make feasible the use of the powerful tool of energy budget analysis for CAT studies. Recent experiments in the atmosphere have not clarified the problem of the existence of the buoyant subrange and the corresponding behavior of the spectrum. Development of a high-resolution vertical sounding technique permits the measurement of the spectra of the horizontal winds in the vertical direction, which may make possible the prediction of microturbulence features from vertical wind profile analysis. Temperature spectra in the free atmosphere are discussed, and the values of the temperature dissipation rate and of the structure function coefficient are calculated for CAT of several different intensities.


Wire sweep, the deflection of wires during the mold filling stage, is an important phenomenon in IC packaging process. Various methodologies of wire sweep analysis have been introduced to get better prediction and match the experimental measurements by many researchers. Typical wire sweep analysis method grabs results of mold flow simulation to calculate the drag force applied on the wire and the amount of wire sweep. In the mold flow simulation, however, only the volume of epoxy molding compound is constructed and the wires are neglected because of the modeling complexity. In this way, if the wires are very closed, the local flow field around the wire will be different. That is, each wire can affect the downstream flowfield, the drag force magnitude of the downstream wires, even the wire sweep of all downstream wires and the wire sweep result will be wrong. This is the so-called wire density effect. In order to know more about wire density effect, a CFD software-FIDAP is used to perform several flow simulations: flow between two parallel plates with cylinder(s) inside and then the downstream velocity distribution can be investigated. According to the trend of downstream velocity recovery rate, the wire density effect can be observed. The faster the downstream velocity recovery rate, the effect of upstream cylinder on downstream cylinder is smaller and then the wire density effect is less significant. After a series of simulations, three conclusions can be drawn. First, since each flow around the wire will be reorganized, the velocity field change caused by a wire only affect the next one downstream wire and doesn't extend to the other downstream wires. Second, the mold cavity thickness, or the mold cavity thickness/wire diameter ratio, plays a strong role in the determination of wire density effect importance. When the ratio is small, the wire density effect is less important. In contrast, when the ratio grows, the wire density effect should be considered for better wire sweep prediction. Third, the position of wire in the mold cavity thickness direction also affects the wire density effect but it's less significant compared with the mold cavity thickness.


The purpose of this study was to profile the current computer technologies, manufacturing strategies, and business practices occurring in the Minnesota textile and apparel industry. Currently, the industry is undergoing a shift from mass production of standardized products to mass customization of individualized products. Advances in computer technology and management methods allow customized products to be produced at a low cost, increasing consumer demand for individualized products and services. The survey was sent to 400 Minnesota textile and apparel manufacturers selected randomly from those identified by the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code to document the level of mass customization based on1) product development 2) computer technology, 3) business strategy, 4) manufacturing strategy, and 5) business environment. Results indicated that Minnesota textile and apparel industry showed great diversity in company size and product type. There was a wealth of expertise in customized products, so the potential for the development of mass customization is strong. Use of computer technology was low, so considering the increased and strategic use of computer technology, and the development or expanded use of a website to build potential markets would strengthen the industry.


Background: The potential therapeutic benefit of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIGs) for acute attacks of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease (MOGAD) is unknown. Objective: The objective was to describe the outcomes of IVIG treatment for acute MOGAD attacks. Methods: A retrospective observational study involving seven tertiary neuroimmunology centers. Data collection included patients' demographics, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), and visual acuity (VA) before the attack, at the nadir of the attack before IVIG treatment, and at follow-up visits ⩾3 months after treatment. Results: Thirty-nine patients were included, of which 21 (53.8%) were female. The median age was 23 years (range 5–74 years), and the median disease duration was 4 months (range 0–93 months). The most common type of attack treated with IVIG was isolated optic neuritis (ON) (unilateral n = 14, bilateral n = 5, associated with transverse myelitis (TM), n = 1), followed by acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) (n = 8), multifocal (n = 7), TM (n = 3), brainstem (n = 1), and other encephalitis (n = 1). A significant improvement in both the EDSS and VA measures was observed at follow-up compared to the time of IVIG treatment initiation (p < 0.0001 for both outcome measures). Conclusion: IVIG may be an effective treatment option for acute MOGAD attacks. Further prospective studies are warranted to validate our results.


In a significant proportion of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cases the canonical WNT pathway is upregulated and targeting the WNT/LEF1 signaling cascade in AML may be a promising approach to develop new treatments for this entity. Recently two compounds (CGP049090 and PFK115‐584) have been identified, which specifically inhibit complexation of β‐catenin (CTNNB1) and lymphoid enhancer‐binding factor 1 (LEF1) leading to transcriptional inactivation of LEF1 in colon carcinoma cell lines. To evaluate the effect of WNT inhibition utilizing theses compounds with regard to their effectivity in AML we treated the AML cell lines Kasumi‐1 and HL‐60, primary AML blasts and healthy peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) with varying concentrations of both substances. Treatment with both compounds for 24 h resulted in a significant killing of AML cell lines and primary AML blasts with 50% effective concentration doses (EC50) within the submicromolar range. PBMCs were not significantly affected as indicated by EC50‐values 100‐fold higher than for AML cells. Cell kill was mediated by apoptosis as indicated by induction of caspases 3 and 7 and cleavage of poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP) upon treatment. Furthermore, we could show that both compounds substantially decrease expression of CTNNB1/LEF1 target genes c‐myc, cyclin D1 and survivin, proofing the specificity of the substances. This was shown in both, AML cell lines and most of the tested primary samples. Our data demonstrate that targeting this pathway seems to be an innovative approach in the treatment of AML.


A major challenge facing the online translation instructor is to design learning opportunities that encourage communication and the sharing of ideas between students. This article asks how such group interaction may be facilitated and evaluates, in particular the impact of task structure on student interaction in an online translation exercise module. Drawing on an empirical study carried out at Dublin City University during the academic year 2003/14, the article compares levels of intermessage referencing, the number and size of message clusters, and extent and type of cognitive presence evident in messages posted by students given three different types of task structure: those involving discussion groups, cooperative groups and collaborative groups. The article concludes that online interaction is most successful in discussion groups, followed in order of positive outcomes by cooperative groups and collaborative groups.


Background: Bmi1, a polycomb-group protein, maintains stem cell self-renewal and is frequently overexpressed in cancers. Upregulation of Bmi1 by Twist1 can promote tumor-initiating capability and Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by repressing E-cadherin expression. It has been demonstrated that Post-EMT breast cancer cells express cancer stem cell (CSC) markers including Bmi1, but display decreased ERα expression. ERα is a ligand-activated nuclear hormone receptor that regulates the transcription of E2-responsive genes in diverse target cells. It9s reported that ligand-activated ERα could repress slug transcription by binding to the half-site ERE element in its promoter, and then regulate E-cadherin and EMT. Herein, we hypothesized that ERα signaling might regulate E-cadherin and EMT through Bmi1. Methods: First, we determined Bmi1 and ERα expression at both mRNA and protein levels by quantitative RT-PCR and Western blot in various breast cancer cell lines. Further, we quantitatively analyzed mRNA and protein levels of Bmi1 as well as its down-stream genes including E-cadherin after silencing ERα in T47D cells with siRNA, or after overexpressing ERα in BT549 cells. The chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) were also performed to investigate whether ERα binds directly to Bmi1 promoter region. Luciferase assay with Bmi1 reporter was performed to ERα mediated regulation. To identify whether ERα regulates EMT, transwell and matrigel invasion, flow cytometry, mammosphere assay and wound healing assay were performed to invasion, metastases and characterize stem-cell properties of EMT. Finally, we analyzed the expression of ERα, Bmi1 and E-cadherin in human breast cancer specimens with immunohistochemistry. Results: The study showed that Bmi1 inversely correlated with ERα expression in different subtypes of breast cancer cells. We further confirmed that Bmi1 was upregulated at both mRNA and protein levels and E-cadherin was downregulated with siRNA against ERα in T47D cells, and Bmi1 was downregulated and E-cadherin was upregulated when overexpressing ERα in BT549 cells with qRT-PCR and western blot analyses. The present study also demonstrated that ERα could directly binds to the half-ERE region of the Bmi1 gene and repressing Bmi1 expression transcriptionally with CHIP/EMSA and reporter analyses. Overexpression of ERα in BT549 cell significantly decreased levels of migration of transwell and wounding healing, invasiveness, CD44 high /CD24 low population, and the capabilities of mammosphere formation. Conclusions: Our results demonstrated that ERα can suppress EMT through transcriptionally down-regulating Bmi-1 and its down-stream genes in human breast cancer cells. The inverse relationship between ERα and Bmi1 expression further supports the epithelial phenotype of ERα positive tumors or mesenchymal phenotype of ERα negative tumors. Our findings provide a novel mechanistic insight into how ERα regulates EMT, and is of valuable for developing biomarkers to predict prognosis and targeted therapies in breast cancers in the future. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2013;73(24 Suppl): Abstract nr P1-07-11.


ABSTRACT Standard carry trades, which consist of purchasing high- and selling low-yield currencies, provide an economic diversification effect. However, the diversification effect is not robust, and is not borne out by much statistical evidence. We introduce optimized carry trades, which incorporate risk components such as currency volatility or currency skewness in the selection process. These optimized carry trades provide a robust economic diversification effect observed by a larger Sharpe ratio, a reduced portfolio volatility, a smaller drawdown, or a reduced tail risk with respect to a benchmark portfolio. Moreover, a significant improvement of the mean-efficient frontier is observable, with the result that minimum-variance and tangency portfolio are enhanced. The empirical results reveal that optimized carry trades have a larger diversification effect than standard carry trades and their modifications.


Despite aggressive efforts to increase autogenous fistula prevalence primarily from recommendations by the NKF and the Fistula First National Vascular Access Improvement Initiative, catheters remain an essential access modality for a large percentage of the hemodialysis population. Tunneled dialysis catheters or chronic catheters are associated with a multitude of complications including infections, stenosis, thrombosis, and increased morbidity and mortality even after adjustment for potential confounding variables. Also, given the blood flow rates of catheters, dialysis adequacy is compromised as compared with arteriovenous fistulae and arteriovenous grafts. This review endeavors to provide an update on catheter outcomes in the Fistula First and Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative era in relation to the increasing fistula prevalence and decline in graft placements. The conflicting view of whether catheters are increasing concurrently with the increase in fistula prevalence is discussed. The management of tunneled dialysis catheter-related complications is considered with a review of the most recent data. Future research strategies and innovations in catheter design are also addressed. This review provides a comprehensive update of tunneled hemodialysis catheters, their necessity and pitfalls, and novel directions for future investigation.


The study investigates the appropriateness of using publication of an article in a top (specifically, top three) accounting journal as a proxy for its quality, as reflected by its impact on others' research. This investigation is motivated by an apparent increase in pressures to publish in top journals, with attendant effects on the allocation of faculty and institutional resources and more broadly, the health of accounting knowledge advancement. Following related prior studies, SSCI citation counts are used as the primary metric for gauging impact. Over eight-year event windows for articles published in nine accounting journals in 1992, 1994 and 1996, articles published in the journals most often considered to be the top three (Journal of Accounting and Economics, Journal of Accounting Research, and The Accounting Review) do tend to be cited significantly more often than ones published in the other journals, though some of the non-top-three journals are not far behind. Far more important, across three different criteria for placing articles into top vs. non-top categories, there were substantial errors from using a top-three journal ranking as a proxy for quality. Many top accounting articles are published in non-top-three journals, at the same time that substantial numbers of non-top articles make it into the top three. Citations from a Google-based Internet search exhibited somewhat different patterns, but did not change these fundamental results. Together, these findings strongly support the need to evaluate each article on its own merit, rather than abdicating this responsibility by using journal ranking as a key proxy for quality.


The UMD Gamera II has significantly expanded the flight envelope of human powered helicopters. Gamera IIXR, a modified version of Gamera II, has performed separate flights reaching an altitude of over 2.75 meters and durations of over 60 seconds. These milestones have been achieved by systematic, incremental improvements in the aerodynamic, structural, and power transmission design of the helicopter. Improvements were developed in response to identified needs from flight test experience and were evaluated against both aerodynamic efficiency and vehicle weight. Flight testing of Gamera IID, an upgraded version of the craft with pilot controls, has demonstrated effective pitch and roll control as well as yaw stability.


This paper deals with social dialogue at interprofessional (or macro) and sectoral (or meso) level, outlining their specific problems in the European Union. The first part focuses on the macro level, differentiating between three stages of development, the (lack of) results, and problems of implementation. The second part concentrates on the sectoral level, analysing the earlier version as well as the consequences of institutional reform (among others, qualitative developments, output, problems of the social partners, questions of transposition and implementation). The final part draws some tentative conclusions.


The advantages of correction of the lip with the method by MILLARD and the own mode of procedure by correction of the nose at patients with unilateral cleft lip is sketched. The possibility of combination of these both operations in one session is demonstrated. It is following the discussion of the superiority of the combined correction of cleft lip and nose.


It is shown that in spinor-tetrad theory, with both left- and right-acting connection groups, there exists an exact Robertson-Walker cosmological solution with a matter field which possesses a polarized (as opposed to random) spin. The solution arises because the torsion vector, which appears anisotropically in the microscopic Dirac-like equation of the theory, enters the macroscopic Einstein-like gravitational equations in a purely scalar, isotropic form. The energy density of the cosmology is shown to be one quarter of that for the Einstein-de Sitter dust-filled universe. A pressure-density relation for the solution is also derived, although a conclusive physical interpretation for the solution remains unclear.


James R. Wilson points out what he describes as flaws in our proof in 'Influences of Resource Limitations and Transmission Costs on Epidemic Simulations and Critical Thresholds in Scale-free Networks' (Simulation 85(3): 205—219) and offers an alternative steady-state behavior derivation based on our epidemic simulation model. In this response we will explain our definitions for the terms used in our paper and the derivation process for our analysis, then compare and contrast our mathematical model with that proposed by Wilson. We suggest that more compartmental models can be used to support our argument that increasing transmission costs or decreasing individual resources increases the critical threshold of a contagion event in a scale-free network.


We study offline meta-reinforcement learning, a practical reinforcement learning paradigm that learns from offline data to adapt to new tasks. The distribution of offline data is determined jointly by the behavior policy and the task. Existing offline meta-reinforcement learning algorithms cannot distinguish these factors, making task representations unstable to the change of behavior policies. To address this problem, we propose a contrastive learning framework for task representations that are robust to the distribution mismatch of behavior policies in training and test. We design a bi-level encoder structure, use mutual information maximization to formalize task representation learning, derive a contrastive learning objective, and introduce several approaches to approximate the true distribution of negative pairs. Experiments on a variety of offline meta-reinforcement learning benchmarks demonstrate the advantages of our method over prior methods, especially on the generalization to out-of-distribution behavior policies. The code is available at https://github.com/PKU-AI-Edge/CORRO.


The main goal of Multiland is to generate neutral landscapes made of several types of regions, with an exact control of the proportions occupied by each type of region. An important feature of the software is that it allows a control of the landscape fragmentation. It is intended to theoretical studies on the effect of landscape structure in applied sciences. It has been developed in the framework of the PEERLESS ANR project "Predictive Ecological Engineering for Landscape Ecosystem Services and Sustainability".


Abstract This study investigates the link between perceptions of negative workplace relationships and organisational outcomes. Respondents (n = 412) spanned a wide range of occupations, industries and nationalities. Data were collected using an Internet-based questionnaire. Results indicated that those with at least one negative relationship at work were significantly less satisfied, reported less organisational commitment, were part of less cohesive workgroups and were significantly more likely to be planning to leave their job.