Vitamin D plays many important functions in the animal, as it is necessary for proper calcium (Ca) absorption and use in different biological processes. The aim of several recent experiments with poultry was to evaluate the efficacy of different forms and levels of vitamin D3 in the diets for broiler chickens and laying hens. The results of these studies are presented and discussed in this review paper. Based on these results, the modern high-performing poultry requirement for supplemental vitamin D to maximise mineral digestibility, performance and immunity indices, bone health, and eggshell quality is about 3,000 IU/kg, i.e. much higher than NRC (1994) recommendations. The results of several recent poultry studies have shown that 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OH-D3) is more efficient in commercial poultry nutrition than the basic form of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol).


This paper investigates the effect of state retirement plan mandates on the supply of employer-sponsored retirement plans (ESRPs) by firms. These policies require employers to either (1) offer ESRPs to workers or (2) facilitate automatic payroll deductions that are deposited into individual retirement accounts (IRAs) established for workers by the state. In this paper, we utilize individual-level data from the Current Population Survey (CPS) and firm-level data from Form 5500 filings to examine the effect of these automatic-enrollment IRA ("auto-IRA") policies on employer decisions to offer, and worker inclusion in, ESRPs. We exploit variation in the timing of implementation across states and firm size categories and estimate that auto-IRA policies increase the probability that an individual works for a firm with an ESRP by roughly 3 percent, and the probability that the individual participates in that ESRP by 33 percent. These policies also increase the number of ESRP participants at the average firm in our sample by 3-5 percent.


The electron detachment coefficient delta /N was measured as a function of E/N in sulphur hexafluoride. Negative ions of SF6 were generated in a parallel-plate test cell by electron attachment near a flash-illuminated cathode. A small applied electric field pulled the thin layer of ions into the volume. After a preset time, a step function high-voltage pulse was applied which led to electron detachment and multiplication of the detached electrons. At constant E/N, the collected charge was measured as a function of the electrode spacing. Analysis of these curves with literature data of the ionization coefficient, alpha , and the attachment coefficient, eta , yielded values of delta . Data were obtained for the following SF6 pressures: 2.5, 5, 10 and 20 mbar. E/N ranged from 380 to 770 Td.


. The article presents the results of the audit of the development of organic production in the EU countries using the example of Poland. It is noted that today Poland is significantly behind the average level in the European Union, where the share of organic land is 8.1%. It has been proven that in order to reach the level of other EU countries by the end of 2030, the average annual rate of growth of organic and transitional lands should be at least +11.2%, and the share of transitional lands in them should be 25.1%. It is noted that the strategic goal of the EU by 2030 is to convert a quarter of all agricultural land into organic. In this case, the average annual rate of growth of the corresponding areas in Poland should be +22.8%, and the share of transitional lands in them should be at least 40.6%. It is calculated that, given the relatively low level of productivity, Poland can achieve this level only through state support and the creation of additional financial incentives.


In the next decade and beyond, cell biology will see an acceleration of the trend toward complementing process-centered approaches, in which one focuses on identifying and characterizing the key players that carry out a specific cellular job, with a component-centered view aiming to define systematically the functional roles of a given biological molecule (e.g., a protein or a specific lipid species). This move will be enabled by increasingly sophisticated functional genomic efforts that provide high-resolution and precise information on the location, levels, and biological impact of given components. We have already seen the value of these sorts of systematic approaches in yielding not only more data but also qualitatively better information in areas such as genome sequencing, expression analysis, lipidomics, and now protein–protein interactions. Increasingly these systematic efforts will move toward the comprehensive exploration of more sophisticated cellular phenotypes in which functional genomics will increasingly become the driving creative force behind discoveries. This will not only speed up the rate of discovery but also help move cell biology toward more principled, less ad hoc approaches for defining gene functions. Indeed the type of arguments that we now commonly use to "prove" that we know what a protein's biological role is may well seem rather quaint and descriptive to the next generation of biologists. The good news for the cell biology community is that rather than replacing us with automatons, this flood of information will allow those with an intimate knowledge of cell biology to leverage their knowledge.

Jonathan S. Weissman

The last 50 years has seen cell biology driven by two extraordinarily successful and intimately related approaches. The first is the "inspired investigator" model where an individual or small group of individuals identify a key biological process and an experimental paradigm for dissecting this process. The second is the reductionist strategy in which one starts with a complex process, identifies key players in this process, and figures out how they work together as molecular machines. The crowning glory of such efforts is often a series of crystal structures, some cleverly designed mutations, and perhaps a chemical genetic screen to identify small molecule modulators.

The limits of the reductionist approach have been discussed extensively. We all know that at some point ever increasing specialization and microdissection risk missing the forest for the trees, and this has led to the emergence of the field of systems biology.

There is much less discussion of the limits and inherent biases of the process-oriented focus intrinsic to the inspired investigator model. This model made sense in the recent past when there was an excess of interesting, immediately accessible processes and the challenge was to find gene products that helped carry them out. Now, however, the opposite is true: we are faced with an abundance of interesting conserved genes, proteins, sugars, and lipids, and the challenge is to define what they actually do. But beyond solving this practical problem, systematic factor-oriented approaches hold the promise of balancing out some of the intrinsic limitations of the prevailing methods of discovery. For example, as esthetically pleasing as the inspired investigator approach might be, it can lead to unjustifiable distortions in how we allocate our resources and creative energy. A successful lab, through its trainees and the people it inspires, leads to a self-propagating group of energetic and highly motivated investigators dedicated to studying a process, but this can lead to narrow and over-populated fields. Also, once a protein has been shown convincingly to have a specific biological role, there can become a de facto impediment to discovering other "moonlighting" functions, as there will be a lingering suspicion that any additional phenotypes are sequelae of its characterized role. Just think how tempting it is to put a chromatin-remodeling factor or a ribosome subunit on the back burner when it comes up in your favorite genetic screen.

More broadly, we are working in a time when incredibly powerful tools are developing at an increasingly rapid rate. One of the lessons that we see from the $1000 genome challenge is that the clear enunciation of a well-defined technical goal has the power to focus and motivate extraordinarily imaginative engineering approaches. Thus a collective goal of cell biologists is to think clearly about what new types of data and approaches have the potential to be most transformative and to exploit the power of technology, not only to do what we already know how to do faster, but to more fundamentally rethink the strategies we use to attack biological problems.


Two human cancer cell lines, DAIT-6 from a colonic cancer and IT-25 from a gastric cancer, derived from xenografts in nude mice have been established in tissue culture and maintained for over two years. In tissue culture, DAIT-6 cells grew in a monolayered sheet with a population doubling time of about 45.0 hr, and floated or piled up to form small buds above the monolayered surface in relatively confluent cultures. Chromosomal counts ranged from 40 to 108 with a modal number of 59. The cells secreted CEA (1.7 ng/1 x 10(6) cells/24 hr) and CA19-9 (540.5 u/1 x 10(6) cells/24 hr) in spent medium. The IT-25 cells grew in a monolayered sheet with a population doubling time of about 57.8 hr in tissue culture. The IT-25 cells also secreted CEA (0.5 ng/1 x 10(6) cells/24 hr) and CA19-9 (120.0 u/1 x 10(6) cells/24 hr) in spent medium. The xenografts for DAIT-6 and IT-25 in nude mice were histopathologically classified as a moderately differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma and a well differentiated tubular adenocarcinoma, respectively.


This paper presents some of the results emerged from a recent ethnographic research into the Italian school world. Employing the shadowing technique, I followed four school managers (two men and two women) in four Italian secondary schools (North-East, North-West, South-East, and South-West). The different roles that the schools managers are compelled to 'perform' in their daily professional life are highlighted in this paper, reporting what has been observed in support of the proposed sociological interpretation. Employing a Goffmanian interpretative perspective, this paper shows how, because of the absence of an adequate staff to support their daily activities, head teachers are forced to perform different roles and interact on different social stages, although often lacking the skills to do so.


Ample research in criminology investigates the role of deviant peers in the development of adolescent offending. Different theoretical explanations account for distinct peer influences. The socialization perspective argues that deviant peers influence behavior through the provision of norms and values, whereas the situational perspective argues that deviant peers provide situational opportunities for deviant behavior. This study partially retests the propositions put forward by Thomas and McGloin's study of dual systems, differential peer effects, and adolescent offending. We address the question to what extent trait impulsivity affects social and situational peer processes controlling for parental supervision, family bond, school bond, and deviant norms. Analysis of the cross-national International Self-Report Delinquency Study (ISRD3) data suggests that adolescents at the edges of trait impulsivity are differentially vulnerable to the effects of deviant peer processes. However, the findings need to be nuanced. We discuss the contribution of the current study to a better understanding of the interplay between individual characteristics and exposure to deviant peers.


Uninhabited aerial vehicle synthetic aperture radar (UAVSAR) observations 2009–2017 of the Yuha Desert area and Global Positioning System (GPS) time series encompassing the region reveal a northward migrating pattern of deformation following the 4 April 2010 Mw7.2 El Mayor‐Cucapah (EMC) earthquake. The north end of the EMC rupture exhibits an asymmetric pattern of deformation that is substantial and smooth northeast of the rupture and limited but with surface fracturing slip northwest. The earthquake triggered ~1 cm of surface coseismic slip at the Yuha fault, which continued to slip postseismically. 2.5 cm of Yuha fault slip occurred by the time of the 15 June 2010 Mw5.7 Ocotillo aftershock and 5 cm of slip occurred by 2017 following a logarithmic afterslip decay 16‐day timescale. The Ocotillo aftershock triggered 1.4 cm of slip on a northwest trend extending to the Elsinore fault and by 7 years after the EMC earthquake 2.4 cm of slip had accumulated with a distribution following an afterslip function with a 16‐day timescale consistent with other earthquakes and a rate strengthening upper crustal sedimentary layer. GPS data show broad coseismic uplift of the Salton Trough and delayed postseismic motion that may be indicative of fluid migration there and subsidence west of the rupture extension, which continues following the earthquake. The data indicate that the Elsinore, Laguna Salada, and EMC ruptures are part of the same fault system. The results also suggest that north‐south shortening and east‐west extension across the region drove fracture advancing step tectonics north of the EMC earthquake rupture.


A case of lymphaticopleural fistula demonstrated by CT following lymphography is presented. Computed tomography can depict the course and location of the fistula as well as the chylous nature of the effusion.


Over the past few years, wireless local area networks (WLANs) have gained an increased attention and a large number of WLANs are being deployed in universities, companies, airports etc. Majority of the IEEE 802.11 based WLANs employ distributed coordination function (DCF) in wireless access points (AP) to arbitrate the wireless channel among Wireless Stations (STAs). However, DCF poses serious unfairness problem between uplink and downlink flows. To overcome this unfairness problem, we propose a simple enhancement to the IEEE 802.11 DCF which provides priority to the AP and thus enables it to acquire a larger share of the channel when required. We have demonstrated the unfairness problem through systematic measurements in an experimental test bed of WLAN using the legacy 802.11 DCF. We also developed analytical models to calculate the throughput of AP and the STAs and verify these results through thorough simulations in ns-2. We observe that our simulation results find in good agreement with our analytical models. Results show that our proposed enhancement achieves a fair distribution of bandwidth and improves the throughput (by nearly 300%) for the downlink flows as compared to the DCF, without severely affecting the performance of uplink flows


An efficient method is presented to calculate atomic charges of peptides and proteins derived from Mulliken electronic populations for terminally blocked amino acids (Ac-X-NHMe, X = any neutral or charged residue) calculated at the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p)//HF/6-31G(d,p) level of theory. This electronic population-derived atomic charges (EPAC) method is based on the geometry-dependent atomic charge (GDAC) method proposed by Cho et al. (J. Phys. Chem. B 2001, 105, 3624), in which atomic charges are calculated by using the partial equalization of atomic electronegativities with electronegativity parameters and damping factors given by interatomic distances between covalently bonded atoms in a molecule. The overall mean absolute difference (mad) and root-mean-square deviation (rmsd) between dipole moments micro(EPAC) and micro(B3LYP), obtained from EPAC charges and from B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level calculations, respectively, for Ac-X-NHMe are estimated to be 0.38 and 0.59 D, respectively, for 26 representative conformations in the training set, and 0.54 and 0.79 D, respectively, for 172 representative conformations not used for parametrization. For Ac-(Ala)(n)-NHMe (n = 2-6), the EPAC method reasonably predicts the increase of the dipole moment with increase of the chain length, although the deviations from the micro(B3LYP) values are somewhat larger. For Ac-Ala-NHMe and Ac-(Ala)(3)-NHMe, the EPAC charge for a specific type of atom does not depend on its position in the sequence or on the length of the sequence. In addition, charge neutrality holds for any Ala residue of these two peptides. Thus, these results suggest that the EPAC charges derived from B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) Mulliken populations can be used reliably for conformational analysis of peptides and proteins.


The Audiovisual Producer – Concept and Legal Position

The production of audiovisual forms is organisationally and economically complicated. The issues "inside" audiovisual work, as well as the huge costs of production and distribution, or the potential income from their dissemination in various fields of exploitation, may cause conflicts between authors, producers, and users. That is the reason why balancing these interests requires a rational intervention of the legislator. The aim of the considerations is to find an answer to the question about an audiovisual producer and their legal position in the light of legal acts and practice. There are very few opinions on this subject and the article aims to fill the existing cognitive gap. The research problem is presented by law regulations, using the formal and dogmatic method.


The Benin and Western Nigeria Offshore Basins, which are parts of an extensive basin called the Dahomey (Benin) Embayment, were formed during the Early Cretaceous under similar tectonic conditions and continental sedimentary environments. Based mainly on available lithological, biostratigraphic and paleoenvironmental data, this paper summarizes the stratigraphic succession of theses basins and attempts a comparison of these stratigraphic nomenclatures. The bulk of data shows that sedimentation begins with terrestrial at the base, passes through shallow marine, deep marine (with restrictive bottom circulation) and ends with open deep marine conditions. The stratigraphy of the Offshore Benin Basin was established later and considering lithological and paleontological similarities with formations of various southern Nigeria basins, the stratigraphic chart adopted for this basin was a mixed variant of various Southern Nigerian basins nomenclatures. For the first time, a correlation of stratigraphic charts of each basins and a schematic cross section showing their lithostratigraphic units, especially the Cretaceous-Paleocene interval which is petroliferous, are proposed. The study shows that the nomenclature adopted in Benin Republic must be revised by using type section/locality names for some particular Formations and widely accepted Formations names of Nigeria for the others. This will permit to avoid confusions as it is presently the case for the name "Afowo Formation" representing a Cretaceous sequence in Nigeria and which is use in Benin Republic to distinguish some sediments of Miocene age. Moreover, a High Resolution Biostratigraphy summary (including micropaleontology, nannopaleontology and palynology distributions) relating to each offshore basin is needed for sequences correlations and entire harmonization of the stratigraphic nomenclature of these offshore basins.


The system of MnFeP1−xAsx is a candidate of a magnetic refrigerator material. We have investigated the temperature (T)- and magnetic field (H)-dependence of the magnetic properties of the Mn and Fe ions for Mn0.9Fe1.1P0.55As0.45 using a soft x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) in the regions of the Mn and Fe L2,3 absorption edges. In the ferromagnetic states, the magnetic moments of the Mn and Fe ions turn to the same direction. It is considered that the Mn ions are close to divalent (Mn2+) states and that the Fe ions are a mixture of trivalent (Fe3+) and divalent (Fe2+) states. However, we deduce that the ferromagnetic properties of the Fe ions are mainly derived from the Fe2+ states. Using the XMCD sum rules, we have found that the magnitude of the magnetic moment of the Mn ions is larger than that of the Fe ions. The paramagnetic to ferromagnetic transitions are clearly observed by the T- and H- dependent XMCD measurements. Scince the shapes of the spectra don't change in all experiment conditions, the electronic configurations of the Mn and Fe ions are not changed by the PM-FM transition.


In France and Europe, soft tissue infections are secondary to chickenpox infection. In tropical countries, soft tissue infections seem to be different and are more frequent. We conducted a prospective and descriptive study in children hospitalised for cellulitis. We studied characteristics of our population and we tried to individualize risk factors for deep soft tissue infections. 54 children were included over a six-month period. Blood cultures were positive in 10% and local culture in 62%. Pathogenic organisms to be found, were first Staphylococcus aureus (78%) and secondly alpha-haemolytic streptococcus. Average rate hospitalisation was 4.5 days (1-28). Despite intravenous antibiotherapy, more than one third of patients had had a deep soft tissue infection (myositis, abscess, or arthritis). As regards the overall population, deep soft tissue infections associated with cellulitis were more frequent in children over six. Association with arthritis was found only in children under two. Severe malnutrition seems to be a notable risk factor for myositis. Soft tissue infections are still frequent in tropical countries. Deep soft tissue infections are encountered in more than one third of the cases, specially in children over six, and with Staphylococcus aureus. These results justify a systematic hospitalisation. If severe malnutrition is present, association with myositis should be suspected.


The flying mechanism of birds and big insects, especially the rules of wings motion in flight, are investigated, and some details of mechanical frame are also considered. The entire dynamic model of flight attitude of Flapping Wing Micro Aerial Vehicle (FWMAV) is developed. The design of attitude controller is challenging due to the complexity of the flight process, and the heavy difficulty includes the system embodies uncertainty, nonlinearity, multi-variable coupled parameters, and all kinds of disturbances. To track the attitude movement effectively, an integral feedback compensation strategy is constructed through identifying on-line and compensating real-timely the quantities of external disturbances and parametric uncertainty, and only the upper bound of their derivative is required. Simulation results are presented to verify the validity of the dynamic model and the control strategy.


The wettability of coating surface has important significance in the spreading situation of piece of sticky piece, and the welding state of Au-Sn solder. Wettability of solids is expressed with wetting contact angle. In this paper, by studying the wetting angles of the water droplets on the surface of the different ceramic shell, assess the wettability on the surface of the ceramic shell, and the ways to improve the wettability is proposed through experiments. The results of the experiment show that the presence of organic matter reduces the wettability of the coating surface, so the wetting angles of the coating surface are large in the analysis process. After the plasma cleaning, organics were washed subsequently, and the wettability of the surface coating increased, so the wetting angles are decreased.


Nowadays, the homing guidance is utilized in the existed and under development air defense systems (ADS) to effectively intercept the targets. The targets became smarter and capable to fly and maneuver professionally and the tendency to design missile with a small warhead became greater, then there is a pressure to produce a more precise and accurate missile guidance system based on intelligent algorithms to ensure effective interception of highly maneuverable targets. The aim of this paper is to present an intelligent guidance algorithm that effectively and precisely intercept the maneuverable and smart targets by virtue of the differential geometry (DG) concepts. The intercept geometry and engagement kinematics, in addition to the direct intercept condition are developed and expressed in DG terms. The guidance algorithm is then developed by virtue of DG and Lyapunov theory. The study terminates with 2D engagement simulation with illustrative examples, to demonstrate that, the derived DG guidance algorithm is a generalized guidance approach and the well-known proportional navigation (PN) guidance law is a subset of this approach.


Background and purpose — Modular-neck hip stems have been identified with corrosion-related problems from the neck–stem junction. We report an ongoing varus deformity of modular-neck hip stems with simultaneous metal ion release observed during a study comparing the migration of modular vs. standard hip stems. Patients and methods — We followed 50 patients with modular and 25 with standard neck stems using radiostereometry (RSA). At 5-year follow-up, we noted a compromised integrity of the modular stem with varus deformity in the neck–stem interface. Changes in head–tip distance as well as whole-blood ion concentration and MRI findings were analyzed. The modular stems were followed further up to 8 years. Results — The head–tip distance decreased continuously by 0.15 mm per year resulting in 1.2 (95% CI 1.0–1.4) mm at 8 years for modular stems, while for the standard stems at 5 years, the decrease was 0.09 (CI 0.0–0.2) mm or 0.02 mm/year. For the modular stems, the reduction in head–tip distance correlated to the increase in whole-blood cobalt concentration at 8 years but not to the MRI grading of tissue reactions. At 5 years, cobalt levels were 4.9 µg/L for modular stems and at 8 years 4.8 µg/L, whereas for standard stems this was 1.0 µg/L. After 8 years, 9 of 72 stems had been revised for different reasons, but only 1 with obvious adverse local tissue reaction (ALTR). Interpretation — We present a surprisingly large progressive deformation at the modular neck–stem junction, but so far without a definite clinical problem. Even the femoral head seems to show slight compression onto the taper over time. A high rate of revisions for the modular type of this stem has raised general concerns, and it has been recalled from the market.


Manuscript Type. Empirical. Research Question/Issue. The study investigates the impact of venture capital (VC) ownership on corporate governance characteristics in entrepreneurial companies listed on the UK's Alternative Investment Market (AIM). In particular, the paper examines the impact of venture capital funds on the firm's governance structure post‐IPO and the dynamic inter‐relationship between corporate governance (CG), venture capital ownership and financial performance. Research Findings/Insights. Using hand collected data from a sample of 271 entrepreneurial companies admitted to AIM during the period 2000–2007, we measure and track the corporate governance characteristics by constructing a CGAIM50 index. Our findings suggest a high level of VC ownership and its reputation leads to better corporate governance in our sample of entrepreneurial Initial Public Offering (IPO) companies. We also find a positive and significant relationship between corporate governance characteristics and financial performance, which suggests that outside shareholders such as VCs bring managerial know‐how and hence help improve IPO companies' performance. Theoretical/Academic Implications. The study is the first to examine the CG characteristics of entrepreneurial (fast growth) companies on the AIM using a unique index. The inter‐relationship between venture capital ownership structure, corporate governance, and financial performance is modeled using the system GMM estimator of dynamic panel model in addition to the 3SLS methodology. Practitioner/Policy Implications. The study offers practical implications for regulatory authorities and investors, as it highlights that venture capital funds investing in entrepreneurial companies on the AIM have a positive impact on both corporate governance and company performance, which improves after IPO admission, and also on subsequent performance.


This article presents one of the most advanced technologies for the application of powder coatings, the detonation spray method. The devices for measuring the temperature and the velocities of the powder particles are presented and the results obtained are shown. The article deals with results from wear tests as well as from fatigue strength tests. The tests are carried out on the coatings of the Ni-Cr-B-Si type applied to C45 steel. In addition, X-ray examinations, linear distribution of the chemical elements, microhardness measurements and metallographic examinations are carried out. The coating properties of the detonation-sprayed layers are compared with the same coatings, which were applied by means of plasma or flame spraying. Paper includes a German-language abstract.


The lithology, sedimentary structures and trace fossil association from the Bathonian organic-rich mudstones from Krakow-Silesia Homocline (SW Poland) are described and a preliminary interpretation of the palaeoenvironment is presented. The ore-bearing clays exposed in the Gnaszyn clay-pit are developed as dark grey claysilt deposits with a few horizons of sideritic concretions. Sedimentological analysis has revealed that these deposits originated in the offshore part of a marine basin, below the fair weather wave base. Relict parallel lamination suggests that the predominant mechanism of deposition was quiet settling from suspension. However, locally preserved storm deposits indicate that the sea bottom was affected by offshore flows, deriving coarser material from the nearshore area. The degree of bioturbation is high but the diversity of the trace-fossil association is low. It consists mainly of Chondrites , Trichichnus , pyritized burrows and less common Palaeophycus . Other traces, including Thalassinoides , Planolites , Taenidium and some undetermined burrows, occur mainly in the lower part of the succession. This ichnoassociation combines features of distal Cruziana and Zoophycos  ichnofacies, suggesting poor oxygenation of the bottom sediment. Temporary improvements in bottom oxygenation, linked with more intense mixing of water during major storms, resulted in the more diverse trace fossil suite that is found in some intervals of the succession.


Abstract Numerical algorithms such as TLM and FDTD are suitable to run on heterogeneous high-performance parallel computing hardware consists of multiple multi-core central processors and graphic processors. This paper describes a TLM simulator prototype and the software framework used to implement the simulator.


In this paper, the random finite difference method is used in solv- ing random partial differential equations problems of first order. The condi- tions of the mean square convergence of the numerical solutions are studied. The numerical solutions are computed through numerical case studies.


Extracts of a glial cell line (SF-126) which is sensitive to the cytotoxic effect of the haloethylnitrosoureas and of a cell line (SF-188) which is resistant to these agents have been tested for their ability to release methylated bases from a DNA substrate which has been modified with [3H]dimethyl sulfate. In comparison with the sensitive cell line, extracts from the resistant cell line have 2-3-fold higher enzymatic activity. High performance liquid chromatography profiles of the bases which are released by these extracts show that the activity is specific for 3-methyladenine, suggesting that the resistant cells contain elevated levels of 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase. Previous studies have shown that these cells also contain elevated levels of O6-alkylguanine-DNA alkyl-transferase, suggesting that both enzyme activities may be involved in the resistance of this cell line to the haloethylnitrosoureas.


The effects of prejudicial pretrial publicity (PTP) from physical and witness evidence on decisions made by trained and untrained mock jurors were compared. Mock jurors viewed a videotaped rape trial and participated in jury deliberations. Training consisted of completion of a university course on psychology and law. As expected, physical evidence PTP produced more guilty votes than witness or no PTP. Both types of PTP influenced untrained mock jurors' punishment preferences and perceptions of satisfaction and fairness, whereas trained mock jurors' opinions on these measures were unaffected by PTP. Deliberations of trained mock juries were more task-oriented and focused on relevant evidence and legal issues than that of their untrained peers. Limitations of this mock jury study were discussed.


CONTEXT
The relationship between clinical judgments of anterior knee laxity and instrumented measurement of anterior tibial translation is unclear.

OBJECTIVE
To examine the relationship between certified athletic trainers'grading of anterior knee laxity and instrumented measurements of anterior tibial translation.

DESIGN
Randomized, blinded, clinical assessment.

SETTING
Laboratory.

PARTICIPANTS
Model patients receiving evaluation of anterior knee laxity.

INTERVENTION
Twelve model patients were evaluated using a MEDmetric KT1000 knee ligament Arthrometer to establish instrumented measurements of anterior translation values at the tibio-femoral joint. Twenty-two certified athletic trainers were provided with operational definitions of potential laxity grades and examined the model patients to make judgments of anterior knee laxity.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Correlation between clinical judgments and instrumented measurements of anterior tibial translation.

RESULTS
Clinical judgments and instrumented measurements were mutually independent.

CONCLUSIONS
Anterior tibial translation grading by certified athletic trainers should be interpreted with caution during clinical decision-making.


Anthropological study of the Internet pornography can refer to the cultural communication between the creators of the contents and authors of pornographic sites, as well as between the authors of sites and users, the latter being more relevant to this work as it assumes supracultural activities on the Internet and comprises the pornography users as a distinct population. The aim of this study is to determine, through the categorization of porn clips in the Internet, cognitive schemes and cultural models which explain the principles of such classification and provide the information on the cultural thought that lies behind the interpretation of the Internet pornography during the organization of that particular part of virtual reality by the pornographic sites' authors and their users. Following methodological means have been applied: ethno-taxonomic analysis and D'Andrade's folk model of the mind. Categories which appear on web sites are not organized in hierarchies, which means their interrelations had to be inferred. Results showed that categories do not carry sufficient meaning by themselves. Rather, related categories are used to describe concepts, and those concepts frequently derive their meaning from their relation with other concepts. Users also perform the partition of this space by using similar larger segments, whereas the categories themselves are merely preferences within the segment which is currently in focus. One of the observed user behaviours which affects their approach to categorization is their perception of the realistic-spectacular relationship. The users perceive most clips as a staged fiction whose actors take part in it for reasons of self-interest. On one hand, this implies a higher competence of users population; on the other, this relates to the need to define, justify and place the perception of one's own sexuality within the framework of what is socially acceptable supporting it with the assertion that "no animal was harmed during the making of this movie", which to a certain extent corresponds to the context outside the pornography in which any behaviour on the Internet is believed to be legitimate just because it is virtual, making the evaluation parameters appear to come down to the esthetic element and the physical safety, while everything has its price. The Internet pornography represents a consistent continuation of the history of pornography because the behaviour exhibited during its use also represents a side effect of a cultural environment of the group using it. Keywords: pornography, the Internet, categories, cognitive anthropology, taxonomy, model of the mind, the history of pornography, the history of the Internet, supracultural communication, pornography users.


This paper explores the relationship between the ethnographic text and the anthropologist. The context in which fieldwork is conducted and the process from fieldwork to written text is of immense importance for the understanding of any anthropological text. In the present case, the cultural background and the individual sensitivities of the fieldworker are examined during fieldwork in rural Rhineland (Western Germany) conducted by a Muslim Pakistani. These factors influenced his day-today interaction with the people in essential issues relating to socio-religious life, the conduct of dogs, the handling of food as well as views on hygiene or purity and cleanliness in German society. The people's attitude towards the author also affected the text, since not a single conversation was initiated or conducted without a debate on Islam, fundamentalism, and terrorism. The individuality or the self of the author also attained significance from the manner in which he, under these circumstances, was able to conduct fieldwork. The redefined boundaries of behaviour made fieldwork resemble stage acting. Finally this article discusses conditions of the field, i. e. an industrially advanced society posing problems unfamiliar to anthropological literature. Such reflexivity, clarifying the pathway from observed participation to text, appears to improve the outcome of ethnography.


Nowadays, long service life is often required because the environmental regulation and labor costs on repairing are expected to become increasingly severe and high. A promising approach to optimize both mechanical properties and corrosion resistance is the use of coating technologies. Titanium and titanium alloys are widely used for corrosion protection because they offer a high chemical resistance against various corrosive media due to a dense self-sealing oxide layer. This paper gives a general review on various surface modification technologies pertaining to titanium and titanium alloys including physical vapor deposition, magnetron sputtering, cold spraying, thermal spraying, and shrouded plasma spraying from the perspective of coating technology. Recent research work has shown that it is a more effective method by the protective titanium or titanium alloys coatings to provide improved corrosion resistance. The proper surface treatment expands the use of titanium and titanium alloys in the aggressive corrosion atmospheres. Some of the recent applications with a gas shroud to deposit titanium and titanium alloy coatings are also discussed in this paper.


Although Turkey had no past colonial involvement with African countries, there has been an
increasing revival of Turkey's relation with the continent since the end of the 1990s, which
reached a peak after 2005. From then on, along with a focus on Central Asia, the Balkans and
the Middle East, Turkish foreign policy started shifting its focus to Africa, and as a new donor
country Turkey's political and economic relations with sub-Saharan African countries have
intensified significantly. This policy brief analyses and discusses the main economic, political,
and strategic motivations behind these shifts and priorities, as well as some of the perceptions
and current challenges this change in policy faces.


Current work on disease states involving the patella has led to increased interest in patellar instability. We reviewed a series of patellar luxations. True trauma-induced luxations are rare. Most cases are recurrent luxations in subjects with a morphological anomaly of the knee extensor system. Because of the growth cartilages, selective therapeutic techniques are needed to stabilize the patella. Recurrent or permanent luxations of the patella result from congenital malformations of the muscles or skeleton. A complete MRI study is highly indicated. The patella can be correctly realigned by surgical release. In cases with femoropatellar dysplasia, which is not specific for children, well conducted rehabilitation therapy often leads to favourable outcome.


The author applies to literary texts some of the parameters used in reference to questions of perspective in the visual arts. Disagreeing with Erwin Panofsky, who considers perspective a "symbolic form," the author sees it as a device of utterance and thus a generator of signs susceptible to semiotic study. Unlike many scholars, the author believes not that the enunciator's perspective is transferred onto the work, but that the perspective of the work is imposed on the enunciator. The perspective of each genre situates the enunciator in a specific place in relation to the world and shapes him or her differentially as subject.


Usability is an important topic in the field of telerehabilitation research. Older users with disabilities in particular, present age-related and disability-related challenges that should be accommodated for in the design of a user interface for a telerehabilitation system. This paper describes the design, implementation, and assessment of a telerehabilitation system user interface that tries to maximize usability for an elderly user who has experienced a stroke. An Internet-connected Nintendo® Wii™ gaming system is selected as a hardware platform, and a server and website are implemented to process and display the feedback information. The usability of the interface is assessed with a trial consisting of 18 subjects: 10 healthy Doctor of Physical Therapy students and 8 people with a stroke. Results show similar levels of usability and high satisfaction with the gaming system interface from both groups of subjects.


Abstract Spinal muscular atrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are both motor neuron disorders. Several studies have tried to establish a link between the two diseases but the subject is still under debate. In amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, large expansions of the hexanucleotide GGGGCC in intron 1 of the C9orf72 gene are responsible for a variable percentage of familial and sporadic cases. We investigated whether the number of the hexanucleotide repeat in C9orf72 was associated with the phenotype and the number of SMN2 copies in a group of 162 SMA patients. Conventional PCR, repeat primed-PCR and Southern blot were used to determine repeat number and characterize large expansions. Results showed that no pathological (> 30 repeats) or premutated alleles (20–30 repeats) were found. The allelic distribution of the C9orf72 gene in spinal muscular atrophy patients overlapped with the data obtained in our control population, discarding putative repeats that may be associated with the disease. No association was observed with either the SMA phenotype or the number of SMN2 copies. In conclusion, the involvement of C9orf72 as a genetic modifier in spinal muscular atrophy is unlikely. Current investigation of modifier genes in SMA and of the link between ALS and SMA should consider other possible candidates.


The paper presents a novel method of calculating AC loss in solenoidal high temperature superconducting windings of the transformer type. Losses caused by the external magnetic field and due to transport current are modelled together and account is taken of highly nonlinear characteristics of the material. In tape conductors the loss due to the parallel field component is usually small whereas the effect of the normal field component is significant. A nonlinear 2D finite difference formulation is derived for the superconductor and linked with a linear finite element model representing the rest of the transformer and the interaction between coils.


Citizen science (CS) projects are conducted with interested volunteers and have already shown promise for large-scale scientific research. However, CS tends to cultivate the sharing of large amounts of data. Towards this, our research aims to understand better citizens' potential privacy concerns in such participation formats. We, therefore, investigate how meaningful public participation can be facilitated to foreground citizens' values regarding mobility data donation in CS. In this regard, we developed a two-step method: (1) a workshop concept for participatory value elicitation and (2) an analysis procedure to examine the empirical data collected systematically. Our findings based on three workshops provide new directions for improving data donation practices in CS.


Abstract Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.), a common species in North America, is a minor species in the Sierra Nevada of California. However, the limited coverage of aspen in this area appears to carry a disproportionate biodiversity load: numerous species are dependent on the unique components of aspen forests for habitat. Land managers in the region believe the species is declining due to fire suppression policies of the past century. Recent research from other regions shows mixed results when assessing the extent of decline. This review focuses on the crossroads between human and natural history to describe a broader picture of aspen ecology in the Sierra Nevada. The method used here combines a review of the ecological literature with historical synthesis. A central conclusion is that the current "decline" in aspen must be placed in the context of an unusual regeneration pulse brought on by intensive Euro-American resource extraction activities of the late 19th century. We address unique features of the Sierra aspen population, the interface of climate change and human-caused disturbance, and conservation strategies for restoration of an aspen community more closely aligned with contemporary climate-disturbance cycles. Conservation recommendations include reintroduction of mixed-severity natural fires and complimentary wildlife, such as top predators, where practical, plus allowance for local flexibility where deviations are appropriate based on ecology and social concerns.


The advance of telecomunications via the use of Internet has led to IP network integration. Many networks have been working successfully and have been fundamental for many areas in measuring the automation of data, thus allowing researchers and professionals to have a wider view of production in various sectors. Remote control has been developed throught technological innovation making an enviroment consisting of human interaction based on telecommunications and control systems ever more tangible. Technological development has led to an infinite range of everyday deveices being remotely controlled via Internet, the human voice, a cell-phone or normal phone keyboard or a PALM, pocket PC or desktop computer. Amongst the new activities which can be controlled in a person's house via a PDA (Personal Digital Assistant) would be the degree of illumination; such activities are defined as being domotic. The word domotic refers to integrating several areas of knowledge such as telecommunications, electronics, informatics and electricity to improve human beings' quality of life, thus aiding Colombian society's growth.


This animal experiment was in succession to the research on paraplegia caused by spinal cord local ischemia in an animal model. Immediately after the operative production of local spinal cord ischemia, pedicled omentum spinal transposition onto the ischemic segments of spinal cord was performed. The animals recovered from paraplegia around two months afterwards. Spinal cord specimens showed adhesion of omentum to the spinal cord without compression. Omental vessels grew into the cord. Gross sections of specimen stained with Nissl method revealed that normal structure of nerve cells were preserved but number of nerve cell decreased.


We consider forecasting a single time series using a large number of predictors in the presence of a possible nonlinear forecast function. Assuming that the predictors affect the response through the latent factors, we propose to first conduct factor analysis and then apply sufficient dimension reduction on the estimated factors, to derive the reduced data for subsequent forecasting. Using directional regression and the inverse third-moment method in the stage of sufficient dimension reduction, the proposed methods can capture the non-monotone effect of factors on the response. We also allow a diverging number of factors and only impose general regularity conditions on the distribution of factors, avoiding the undesired time reversibility of the factors by the latter. These make the proposed methods fundamentally more applicable than the sufficient forecasting method in Fan et al. (2017). The proposed methods are demonstrated in both simulation studies and an empirical study of forecasting monthly macroeconomic data from 1959 to 2016. Also, our theory contributes to the literature of sufficient dimension reduction, as it includes an invariance result, a path to perform sufficient dimension reduction under the high-dimensional setting without assuming sparsity, and the corresponding order-determination procedure.


A study was conducted to examine the effect of dietary levels of distiller's dried grains with solubles (DDGS) on growth, body composition, hematology, immune response, and resistance of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus ,t oEdwardsiella ictaluri challenge. Five diets containing 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40% DDGS with supplemental lysine (Diets 1‐5) as partial replacements of a combination of soybean meal and cornmeal on an equal protein basis were fed to juvenile catfish (13.33 6 0.25 g) for 12 wk. Growth performance and feed utilization efficiency were similar for fish in all treatments. Body lipid and moisture increased and decreased, respectively, in fish feed DDGS-containing diets relative to the control group. Dietary treatment had no effect on red and white blood cell counts. Hemoglobin and hematocrit were significantly higher in fish fed diets containing DDGS than in those fed the control diet. Fish fed 20‐40% DDGS diets had increased serum total immunoglobulin, and those fed the 30% DDGS diet had significantly increased antibody titers 21 d following E. ictaluri challenge. Other immune variables evaluated were not affected by dietary treatments. Preliminary results on bacterial challengeshowedanincreasedresistanceagainstE. ictaluriinfishfedDDGS-containingdiets(Diets2‐5).


Fumaric acid esters (FAEs) have a long history as a systemic
treatment for psoriasis, but their somewhat unusual development
did not follow the evidence-based standards that are
applied in drug development today. In 1959, the German
chemist Schweckendiek was the first to demonstrate that psoriasis
severity decreases through the oral administration of FAEs
by performing experiments on himself. Without proper preceding
pharmacological evaluations, FAE therapy was empirically
further developed in the following decades with a
favourable risk–benefit profile. However, treatment with FAEs
remained restricted to prescription on a small scale in Germany,
Switzerland and the Netherlands.
It was not until 1994 that the use of FAEs became more
widespread following a randomized, placebo-controlled evaluation
of Fumaderm, a FAE-formulation consisting of
dimethyl fumarate (DMF) and three monoethyl fumarate
salts. The choice for the Fumaderm-components remains
unclear, but DMF alone is now considered the most active
component. Fumaderm is currently the most frequently prescribed
systemic treatment for psoriasis in Germany after registration
in 1994 for the treatment of severe psoriasis and in
2008 for moderately severe psoriasis. However, outside
Germany the use of FAEs is still unlicensed and limited, and
the level of evidence to support the efficacy and safety of FAEs
in psoriasis treatment remains low.
In this issue of the BJD, Mrowietz and colleagues describe
findings from the BRIDGE trial, a phase III, multicentre, randomized,
placebo-controlled, noninferiority trial that evaluated
a novel FAE-formulation containing only DMF (LAS41008).8
The investigators randomized 704 adult patients with moderate-
to-severe chronic plaque psoriasis in a 2 : 2 : 1 ratio to
receive LAS41008, Fumaderm, or placebo for 16 weeks of
treatment. LAS41008 was statistically significantly superior to
placebo in the induction of a ≥ 75% reduction in Psoriasis
Area and Severity Index (PASI-75), 38% vs. 15%, respectively.
Compared with Fumaderm (PASI-75 40%), the DMF-formulation
was noninferior. Adverse events were similar among the
LAS41008 and Fumaderm treatment groups; both treatments
were well tolerated.
This trial is relevant, considering the demand for high-quality
evidence on the use of FAEs in psoriasis treatment. The
BRIDGE trial is the largest randomized, placebo-controlled study
to date that has evaluated FAEs in psoriasis by using accepted
efficacy outcomes and adhering to reporting guidelines now
considered standard. Overall, the findings from the BRIDGE trial
are in line with previous smaller trials and observational studies
that demonstrated beneficial effects of DMF in reducing psoriasis
severity. A clear limitation in this study is the relatively
short treatment duration of 16 weeks, when taken into consideration
that FAEs typically have a long onset until full clinical
efficacy. Thus, the short treatment duration may explain the relatively
low efficacy outcomes found in this trial.
In conclusion, the BRIDGE trial provides high-quality evidence
to support the use of DMF alone as FAE treatment for
psoriasis. Future studies may benefit from longer treatment
duration assessments and head-to-head comparisons with
other systemic treatments, most notably methotrexate. In time,
hopefully, this will pave the way for a wider registration and
an increased availability of DMF as a treatment for psoriasis.


The mechanical properties of highly translucent partially stabilized zirconia (PSZ) need to be improved; however, improvement of mechanical properties often decreases translucency. To overcome this problem, a monoclinic ZrO2 (mZrO2)/SiO2 dispersion was prepared and applied as a coating material for PSZ. The influence of surface treatment by the mZrO2/SiO2 dispersion on the surface topography, crystallography, and mechanical properties of highly translucent PSZ was investigated in this study. Following the treatment, the mechanical strength of highly translucent PSZ improved by 170% compared with control, for the best mZrO2/SiO2 dispersion ratio and heating temperature condition, while maintaining its translucency. The proposed coating is promising for improving the mechanical properties of highly translucent PSZ.


Along the >650 km long southern margin of the Karoo Basin in South Africa, we traversed four evenly spaced stratigraphic transects and collected 22 samples of volcanic, air-fall tuffs thought to be distal deposits derived from the Permian–Triassic Southern Gondwanan volcanic arc. We present 469 new U-Pb zircon ages determined by sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe reverse geometry (SHRIMP-RG) at the Stanford–USGS Microanalytical Center in order to constrain the maximum depositional ages for the southern Karoo Basin strata. Weighted means of these youngest coherent zircon populations were selected to maximize the number of analyses while minimizing the mean square weighted deviation (MSWD) to increase the robustness and decrease the influence of Pb-loss and inheritance in determining the maximum depositional age. Maximum depositional ages for the marine Ecca Group range from 250 to 274 Ma, whereas in the conformably overlying terrestrial Beaufort Group maximum depositional ages ranged from 257 to 452 Ma. Across the southern Karoo Basin, the Ecca Group tuffs produce maximum depositional ages that young upward; however, the Beaufort Group tuffs yield maximum depositional ages that are geochronologically out of sequence. Furthermore, maximum depositional ages of the Beaufort Group tuffs are consistently older than ash ages within the underlying marine strata. Our results are supported by previously published U-Pb tuff zircon geochronology in the Karoo Basin and demonstrate that the presence of out-of-sequence, older tuff ages are repeatable in Beaufort Group tuffs along the southern margin of the basin. We propose that tuffs in the Karoo Basin are correlative with tuffs in southern South America, and that the age spectra of these tuffs were influenced by magmatic crustal recycling. We use these data to highlight the complexity of U-Pb zircon datasets from tuffs, address the use of U-Pb zircon ages to provide absolute age controls, and discuss the implications of these new age controls on the Permian-Triassic Karoo strata.


During the last decade, several proposals have been made for modeling focus-induced word order variation in Spanish, both in derivational and in optimality-theoretical frameworks. Furthermore, empirical studies have been carried out in order to capture the prosodic correlates of focus marking, most of them couched in the Autosegmental-Metrical (AM) model of intonational phonology. Interestingly, recent syntactic and prosodic studies rely on different assumptions regarding the acceptability of a structure in a given context: While most phonologists assume that a narrowly focused XP can be prosodically marked in situ ([F S]VO, SV[F dOiO), most syntacticians predict movement of the presupposed material to a higher position, yielding prosodically unmarked structures with final nuclear stress (VO[F S], SViO[F dO]). Formal approaches that integrate pragmatically motivated features correctly predict instances of focus-induced word order, but run into problems when a given focus-background articulation corresponds to different possible output forms, in other words when optionality is at play. Classical Optimality Theory (OT) is no exception in this respect, given that its fixed constraint hierarchy allows for only one favored candidate. In this paper, I concentrate on focus marking in two varieties of Argentinean Spanish, which differ from other Spanish varieties in terms of their overall prosodic shape and the speakers' preferences for certain syntactic structures. I argue that different syntactic and phonological strategies of focus marking can be accounted for by combining Chomsky's (2000, 2001) target/probe approach with the model of Stochastic OT (Boersma/Hayes 2001). My proposal is supported by empirical data stemming from recordings made with 50 speakers from Buenos Aires and Neuquén.


Introduction: The specific protein composition of stroke-causing emboli is unknown. Because ischemic stroke has a varied etiology, it is possible that the composition of the thrombus from which an embolus originated will have distinctive molecular characteristics reflective of the underlying pathophysiology. In this study, we used mass spectrometry to evaluate the protein composition of retrieved emboli from patients with differing stroke etiologies and correlated the protein levels to serum predictors of atherosclerosis. Methods: Emboli from 20 consecutive acute stroke patients were retrieved by embolectomy during routine stroke care. Thrombus proteins were extracted, digested and multidimentional fractionation of peptides was performed. Fractionated peptides underwent nano-liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Spectra were searched using Mascot software in which results with p Results: Demographics: 55% had atrial fibrillation, 20% had significant proximal vessel atherosclerosis, 10% were cryptogenic, and three had other identified etiologies (left ventricular thrombus, dissection, endocarditis). Eighty-one common proteins (eg hemoglobin, fibrin, actin) were found in all 20 emboli. Serum LDL levels correlated with Septin-2 (r s =0.78, p=0.028), Phosphoglycerate Kinase 1 (r s =0.75, p=0.036), Integrin Alpha-M (r s =0.68, p=0.033) and Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (r s =0.63, p=0.05). Septin-7 levels inversely correlated to ESR (r s = -0.84, p=0.01). No significant protein correlations to A1C were found. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this study is the first mass spectrometry analysis of thrombi retrieved from acute stroke patients and the first to correlate the thrombus proteome to clinical features of the patient. Notably, we found proteins associated with inflammation (eg Integrin Alpha–M) in emboli from patients with high LDL. Although these findings are tempered by a small sample size, we provide preliminary support for the feasibility of utilizing proteomic analysis of emboli to discover proteins that may be used as markers for stroke etiology.


The widening gap between the average educational achievement of boys and girls has been the subject of much discussion. This gap is especially controversial for students taking national exams at the end of their compulsory education. However, the gender gap is also apparent at earlier and at later stages of education. In this paper, we analyse changes over time in the gender achievement gap at the different stages of compulsory education in English schools. We first use a combination of data sources to paint a picture of how gender gaps have evolved over time and in what context they are most marked. Then we consider possible explanations for the observed gender gaps. We look at the relevance of school inputs, teaching practice, and the examination system for explaining the gender gap. We also discuss the potential influence of wider social and economic changes as reflected, for example, in the much higher education levels of mothers relative to those of previous generations. Analysis of this issue is important in the context of research on the gender wage gap. However, it is also raises policy-relevant issues in relation to whether changes in the school system can effect a change in the gender gap in educational achievement.


A new synthesis of the natural carbazoles Murrayanine (1) and Murrayafoline A (3) is described. The key step in the synthetic route involved the regioselective cycloaddition of the diene 4,5-dimethylene-3-phenyl-1,3-oxazolidin-2-one (4) to acrolein (6) catalyzed by Lewis acids at low temperature. Direct aromatization of the substituted cyclohexene moiety of adduct 7, and further hydrolysis of the 2-oxazolidinone ring, proved to be a more efficient strategy than the opposite synthetic sequence for the preparation of the corresponding arylphenylamines 14 and 18. Palladium-promoted cyclization of the latter furnished the desired carbazoles 1 and 3 in high overall yields.


The goal of the biotransformation process is to develop structural changes and generate new chemical compounds, which can occur naturally in mammalian and microbial organisms, such as filamentous fungi, and represent a tool to achieve enhanced bioactive compounds. Cunninghamella spp is among the fungal models most widely used in biotransformation processes at phase I and II reactions, mimicking the metabolism of drugs and xenobiotics in mammals and generating new molecules based on substances of natural and synthetic origin. Therefore, the goal of this review is to highlight the studies involving the biotransformation of Cunninghamella species between January 2015 and March 2021, in addition to updating existing studies to identify the similarities between the human metabolite and Cunninghamella patterns of active compounds, with related advantages and challenges, and providing new tools for further studies in this scope.


A 65-year-old gentleman with Hereditary Haemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) was referred for urgent mitral valve surgery because of septicaemia and congestive cardiac failure. After treating with antibiotics for three weeks, he underwent mitral valve repair by resection of prolapsed leaflet and neochordae implantation. Because of the presence of pharyngeal telangiectasia, intraoperative imaging of the repaired valve was achieved using epicardial echocardiography. This is the first reported experience, to the best of our knowledge, of a mitral valve repair in a patient with Hereditary Haemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT).


In this research, we explored the social imaginary that relates to women's sexuality based on the writings of several prominent Indonesian female authors. We argue that the social imaginary is not only a social construction but also a construct created through an individual's active participation. Historically, the social imaginary in Indonesia has been tied to nationalism; however, it has gradually shifted toward the individual perspective. In particular, this study examined the construction of the social imaginary in Indonesia by comparing and differentiating literary works created under two political regimes: the authoritarian New Order regime (1968–1998) and the more democratic Reformasi regime (1999–present), wherein individuals—especially women—were given more space and liberty to participate in the construction of the social imaginary of their sexuality. This study focused primarily on two important research questions. First, how has the social imaginary of women's sexuality, as contested by Indonesian women authors in their literary works, changed from the New Order era to the Reformasi era? And second, how has the re-emergence of religious, political, and social powers during the Reformasi era contributed to authors' contestations of women's sexuality? The content analysis of selected literary works revealed that the social imaginary of women's sexuality changed alongside the changes in Indonesia's political regimes. During the New Order era, the social imaginary was controlled by the hegemonic power of the State. In the early period of Suharto's rule, women authors were co-opted by the State's power, whereas its later years were marked by the struggles of women authors against his authoritarian government. The Reformasi era gave way for liberty in women's discussions of their sexuality, but this freedom was found to be temporary, its ephemerality compounded by new, religiously oriented conservative powers' attempts to push back against the new wave of self-expressive women authors and restore women's position to one of suppression and subordination.


The greater environmental awareness, new environmental regulations and the optimization of resources make possible the development of sustainable materials as substitutes for the traditional materials used in construction. In this work, geopolymers were developed as substitutes to traditional ceramics for brick manufacture, using as raw materials: chamotte, as a source of aluminosilicate, and biomass bottom ashes from the combustion of almond shell and alpeorujo (by-product produced in the extraction of olive oil composed of solid parts of the olive and vegetable fats), as the alkaline activator. For the feasibility study, samples were made of all possible combinations of both residues from 100% chamotte to 100% biomass bottom ash. The tests carried out on these sample families were the usual physical tests for ceramic materials, notably the compression strength test, as well as colorimetric tests. The freezing test was also carried out to study the in-service behavior of the different sample groups. The families with acceptable results were subjected to Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. The results of the previous tests showed that the geopolymer was indeed created for the final families and that acceptable mechanical and aging properties were obtained according to European standards. Therefore, the possibility of creating geopolymers with chamotte and biomass bottom ashes as substitutes for conventional ceramics was confirmed, developing an economical, sustainable material, without major changes in equipment and of similar quality to those traditionally used for bricks.


This paper examines the carbon impact of online retailing and compares it with that of conventional retailing. It discusses the effect of varying the scope of the calculation, the system boundaries and the underlying assumptions. While most of the carbon emissions come from the last-mile delivery, this is also the activity whose carbon intensity is most sensitive to assumptions made about consumer behavior. On the basis of an extensive literature review, the paper also explores the carbon impacts of the upstream supply chain, energy use in information and communication technology and several aspects of travel behavior. This should help researchers to make wider and more realistic assessments of the environmental impact of online retailing. On the basis of these assessments, one can test the conditions under which online shopping is likely to have a lower carbon footprint.


Improvement of internal combustion engine emissions and performance by the introduction of a reducing gas such as hydrogen has been the subject of research in recent years. The approach reduces engine exhaust emissions and improves fuel consumption. The gas may be introduced into the engine intake or upstream of the exhaust catalyst for different effects. To date, the technique has not been implemented due to the need for onboard storage or generation of hydrogen that complies with suitability for automotive applications.In industrial processes and stationary applications, reforming reactors are well known, highly efficient, and durable means to convert liquid fuels such as diesel into hydrogen or other reducing gas mixtures (synthesis gas). Efficiency and durability for thousands of hours is required for these applications for economic viability. For an automotive application, however, in addition to the above features, fast transient response (e.g. during start up and turndown), compactness, and low cost are also required — while maintaining sufficient durability for the application. Also, the need for liquid water common to reactions such as steam reforming or auto-thermal reforming are impractical for automotive applications. A waterless catalytic partial oxidation approach avoids this shortcoming but is not without its own set of problems. Material durability, fuel/air mixing, coke avoidance and reliable ignition means are among the challenges for a practical automotive hydrogen production solution. The catalyst for reacting the fuel must be tolerant to sulfur content common to fuels in use today, and must have resistance to fouling by carbon formation.To overcome these challenges, Precision Combustion, Inc. (PCI) has developed a diesel-fueled waterless catalytic partial oxidation reformer with efficiency and size suitable for onboard synthesis gas production at low cost. The goal of the development effort was to produce a novel mechanical design with the high efficiency of stationary reformers in a small package which could be operated with low parasitic loss from balance of plant components to maintain high engine efficiency. The reactor design (size, form factor) is discussed, along with performance data showing transient and steady state response of the prototype reactor. Catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX) of heavy fuels such as diesel poses unique challenges, relating to coking and fuel conversion efficiency, which have been addressed and presented in this paper.Copyright © 2014 by ASME


Abstract Operation of marine diesel engines causes significant emission of sulphur and nitrogen oxides. It was noticed worldwide and the regulations concerning harmful emissions were introduced. There were several solutions elaborated; however, emission control for both SOx and NOx requires two distinctive processes realized in separated devices, which is problematic due to limited space on ship board and high overall costs. Therefore, the electron beam flue gas treatment (EBFGT) process was adopted to ensure the abatement of the problem of marine diesel off-gases. This novel solution combines two main processes: first the flue gas is irradiated with electron beam where NO and SO2 are oxidized; the second stage is wet scrubbing to remove both pollutants with high efficiency. Laboratory tests showed that this process could be effectively applied to remove SO2 and NOx from diesel engine off-gases. Different compositions of absorbing solution with three different oxidants (NaClO, NaClO2 and NaClO3) were tested. The highest NOx removal efficiency (>96%) was obtained when seawater-NaClO2-NaOH was used as scrubber solution at 10.9 kGy dose. The process was further tested in real maritime conditions at Riga shipyard, Latvia. More than 45% NOx was removed at a 5.5 kGy dose, corresponding to 4800 Nm3/h off-gases arising from ship emission. The operation of the plant was the first case of examination of the hybrid electron beam technology in real conditions. Taking into account the experiment conditions, good agreement was obtained with laboratory tests. The results obtained in Riga shipyard provided valuable information for the application of this technology for control of large cargo ship emission.


Background Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) has been implicated in the growth and/or metastasis of osteosarcoma (OS) and chondrosarcoma based on in vitro and experimental animal studies. Study Purpose To determine the degree of growth hormone (GH), IGF-1 axis blockade, toxicities, and antitumor effect of OncoLar (ONC) (Novartis, East Hanover, NJ, U.S.A.) in OS. Design/Methods A phase 1 study with ONC enrolled 21 OS patients (median age 19 y) in four cohorts: ONC 60 mg or 90 mg intramuscularly every 4 weeks with/without tamoxifen (TAM) 20 mg oral daily. Results There were no dose-limiting toxicities. Nineteen percent of patients had grade III drug-related toxicities including: 62% of patients showed progressive disease after two courses (8 wk). Nineteen percent received four courses. No clinical responses were observed. At weeks two and eight of therapy, IGF-1 serum levels dropped 46% (P < 0.0001, n = 21) and 53% (P = 0.003, n = 10). The difference of the area under the curve (AUC) minus baseline AUC (&Dgr;AUC) for arginine-stimulated GH serum levels at week two was lower than baseline (P < 0.01). At weeks two and eight, GH peak values were lower than baseline (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.002, respectively). Conclusions A long-acting somatostatin analog was able to lower IGF-1 levels of OS patients. IGF-BP-3 and GH were only transiently reduced. Although ONC was well tolerated, no sustained clinical responses were observed. The pathophysiology of serum versus tissue concentrations of IGF-1 as well as the interplay of IGFs, IGF-binding proteins, and other growth factors and cytokines in osteosarcoma warrants further investigation. A better understanding of these processes should lead to a more effective exploitation of these pathways for the targeted therapy of OS.


Many amateur Japanese gardeners use small semi-public spaces to grow their favorite plants. These activities may be a kind of community development, but they do not always intend to contribute to such development. On the other hand, amateur gardeners have their own experiences and desires. What are the kinds of experiences contributing to building public space? Starting from this research question, the author conducts a case study on a semi-organized group at Shiba Municipal Park. From 2004, this group has been looking after and growing plants every Saturday morning as a volunteer activity, and then they keep a small flower garden to contribute to the local landscape of central Tokyo. The result of category relations shows the experiences as follows: the experiences of the members show a trend to deepen as they converge their way and knowledge of gardening. Then the experiences divide into two trends of deepening, one is the desire for the park to be appreciated and the other is a desire to look after and develop the park. The former experiences are easy to support and evaluate by local government, while the latter are important for the continuation of the group but difficult to support.


Plants are mosaics of resource quality to insect herbivores. Some leaves are superior to others, resulting in variable insect performance. Certain Salix viminalis L. (Salicaceae) genotypes show an unusually strong resistance to the gall midge Dasineura marginemtorquens Bremi (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). A few leaves are frequently galled on such resistant willows, whereas on the great majority of leaves all larvae die before any galls are formed. We performed a series of greenhouse and field experiments in order to understand in more detail the observed intraplant heterogeneity. First, we tested whether random events (biotic or abiotic) can induce a susceptibility that is expressed later (next season), i.e., delayed induced susceptibility. Second, we performed a combined field and greenhouse experiment to test the possibility that susceptibility was induced by abiotic factors at the time of gall induction (within days), i.e., rapid induced susceptibility. We found support for rapid induced susceptibility, but not for delayed induced susceptibility. Although resistance remained strong, significantly more leaves with surviving larvae and galls were found on potted plants moved to the field compared with identical plants that remained in the greenhouse. Potted field plants were exposed to field conditions during a very short period in connection with gall initiation. Thus, we can exclude soil moisture, nutrient availability, and the history of the plant as factors explaining the induction of susceptibility. We tentatively suggest that radiation interferes with the expression of resistance. Our findings suggest that plasticity in plant resistance may be linked to ambient light conditions, and that heterogeneity in leaf suitability can be of ecological significance in plants that are considered resistant.


Socio-economically advantaged upper castes tend to claim that Indian society is 'post-caste', suggesting that individuals from historically marginalized castes and religious groups do not face specific social barriers when attempting to move into white-collar positions. Alleged intergenerational mobility and the emergence of a 'new middle class' related to the growth of the private sector is widely used to counter affirmative action initiatives in higher education and public-sector recruitment. In this article, I test these claims by examining Brahmin, lower caste Dalit and Muslim patterns of intergenerational class and educational mobility of father–child pairs. I point to the strong role of caste and religion in shaping one's destination, particularly when accessing top occupational positions in the private sector. These results question the meritocratic and casteless claims of the Indian 'new middle class' in post-liberalization India, and they call for more encompassing policies reducing origin-based inequality.


Long-term morbidity, long-term cognitive impairment and hospitalization-associated disability are common occurrence in the survivors of critical illness, with significant consequences for patients and for the caregivers. The ABCDEF bundle represents an evidencebased guide for clinicians to approach the organizational changes needed for optimizing ICU patient recovery and outcomes. The ABCDEF bundle includes: Assess, Prevent, and Manage Pain, Both Spontaneous Awakening Trials (SAT) and Spontaneous Breathing Trials (SBT), Choice of analgesia and sedation, Delirium: Assess, Prevent, and Manage, Early mobility and Exercise, and Family engagement. The purpose of this review is to describe the core features of the ABCDEF bundle.


Nano-polycrystalline samples of aluminum oxide doped carbon (Al2O3:C) and aluminum oxide doped carbon co-doped with magnesium (Al2O3:C, Mg) were investigated in search for the most efficient thermoluminescence (TL) dosimeter with low sensitivity to light and applicable for various radiation energy. Six samples were prepared and the samples were found to be nano-polycrystalline powder with particle size in the range of 30 to 250 nm through X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) analysis. Those samples were exposed to Cobalt-60 gamma rays to determine the optimum concentration of dopant. The optimum concentration of dopant in atomic weight percentage (at%) is 0.2 at% of carbon dopant for doped sample (C2) and 0.2 at% of magnesium dopant of co-doped sample (C2MG2). Samples with optimum dopant were irradiated by 10 and 12 MeV electrons, 6 and 10 MV high energy x-rays over a lower dose range 0.5 to 4.0 Gy from linear accelerator (LINAC) and by Cobalt-60 gamma rays over the dose ranges of 0.5 to 4.0 Gy, and a higher dose range 10 to 100 Gy. Sample C2 and C2MG2 exhibit two TL peaks at higher dose while single peak at lower dose. Sample C2MG2 shows a linear dose response over a dose range of 0.5 to 4.0 Gy subjected to 10 and 12 MeV electrons and 6 and 10 MV high energy x-rays. Sample C2MG2 also shows a linear dose response over a dose range of 0.5 to 4.0 Gy and 10 to 100 Gy when exposed to Cobalt-60 gamma rays. TL sensitivity of sample C2MG2 is 14.22 higher than that of sample C2 when exposed to Cobalt-60 gamma rays. TL sensitivity of sample C2MG2 subjected to electron and high energy x-rays irradiation is still higher than that of sample C2 but lower in value compared to TL sensitivity of sample C2MG2 subjected to Cobalt-60 gamma rays. Addition of Mg has also minimized thermal fading of sample C2MG2 and improved reproducibility significantly for all delivered energy. However, sample C2MG2 is more sensitive to sunlight compared to sample C2, and both samples were not sensitive to fluorescence light even after 24 h of exposure. The minimum detectable dose of sample C2MG2 subjected to Cobalt-60 gamma rays, electron and high energy x-rays are 2.76, 12.49 and 13.83 mGy, respectively. TL properties of sample C2MG2 are influenced by the energy of electrons and photons. Sample C2MG2 also shows good TL properties as TL dosimeter. The measured effective atomic number, Zeff of sample C2MG2 is 11.14 and can be considered as bone-equivalence material. Kinetic analysis revealed that the glow curve of sample C2MG2 followed general kinetic order. Using four different methods, the activation energies were calculated to be in the range of 1.08 to 1.70 eV and frequency factor is between 1012 to 1019 s-1. The findings of the study show that nano-polycrystalline Al2O3:C, Mg is less affected by the light and has a capability to be used in radiation dose monitoring


Damage to intestinal epithelium limits the use of ionizing radiation (IR) in cancer therapy. Prostaglandins (PGs), generated through the action of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and COX-2 protect the intestinal stem cells from IR. In previous studies, we demonstrated that the RNA-binding protein CUGBP2 regulates the stability and translation of COX-2 mRNA by interacting with AU-rich sequences in 3' UTR. Here, we demonstrate a dynamic antagonistic relationship between CUGBP2 and COX-2. Both CUGBP2 and COX-2 are rapidly induced after IR in intestinal crypt epithelial cells in mice, but CUGBP2 protein expression is observed immediately and COX-2 protein expression is delayed. In contrast, administration of bacterial lipopolysaccharide induced COX-2 expression and PGE(2), resulting in the inhibition of CUGBP2 expression and radioprotection of the intestine. These effects were reversed by NS398, a COX-2-specific inhibitor, suggesting that lipopolysaccharide-mediated inhibition of CUGBP2 is a PG-dependent mechanism. Furthermore, CUGBP2 expression is higher in COX-1(-/-) and COX-2(-/-) mice than wild-type controls at basal conditions, which is further increased after IR.


An image display device includes: a coordinate detecting unit (41, S14, S16) that detects pressed coordinate positions pressed on the display screen of the display unit (14, 15, 18) that displays an image; a coordinate storing unit (42, 42A, S15, S17) that stores the detected pressed coordinate positions at a predetermined time interval in a time sequence; a pressing cancellation determining unit (41, S12) that, if the display screen is not pressed again before a predetermined pressing cancellation judging time (T2) passes after a pressing on the display screen has been cancelled, determines a cancellation of the pressing on the display screen; and a scroll controlling unit (41, S19, S23, S26, S113) that, after a predetermined delay time (T1) set based on the predetermined pressing cancellation judging time (T2) has passed since the pressing on the display screen started, reads out at the predetermined time interval in the time sequence the pressed coordinate positions stored by the coordinate storing unit (42, 42A, S15, S17) and controls to scroll the image so as to follow a movement of the pressed coordinate positions.


Silica membranes prepared by chemical vapor deposition were applied to the decomposition reaction of HI of the iodine-sulfur process in order to improve one-pass conversion of HI. Equilibrium conversion of HI is 22% at 723 K without hydrogen removal. Hydrogen was successfully extracted from the decomposition reactor using the silica membranes between 723 and 873 K. HI conversions were increased with an increase in the hydrogen extraction ratio. The maximum HI one-pass conversion was 76.4% at 873 K. The total thermal efficiency can be improved by 1% for this HI conversion by calculating the heat/mass balance of the process. The concentration profile in the reactor was evaluated by using the simple two-dimensional simulation. H 2 permeances measured by the experimental method were almost the same as those of the simulation, and the membrane reactor system was found to have permeation limitations. Membranes with higher H 2 permeances should be developed for the membrane reactor.


In an incident scene ad hoc network, mobility of on-scene first responders induces dynamic topology for their carried communication devices. This dynamics has significant impact on network connectivity, quality of communication and resource allocation. In performing evaluation of such networks as distributed systems, it is crucial to use mobility models derived from realistic use cases. In this paper, we examine properties of public safety incidents and discover unique characteristics of associated mobility patterns. Our first goal is to understand how first responders' mobility is influenced by a variety of factors, such as transportation, environmental, and operational factors. Our second goal is to determine and recommend a comprehensive set of parameters to characterize first responder mobility at an incident scene. The set of parameters we suggest includes both personnel and event characteristics. We also show the relationship and interaction between them. This set of parameters can subsequently be used in mobility generation tools for simulation studies. Our main contribution is to characterize the mobility pattern for first responders in incident scenes as a mission-specific, environment-aware and event-driven adaptation process.


This paper presents the results of H and O agglutinations on 90 serums from individuals who had received triple typhoid (TAB) vaccine and on 100 unselected serums sent in for the Wassermann test.
 The serums from vaccinated individuals were furnished by members of the class in Medical Bacteriology. Histories of previous vaccination or typhoid fever were obtained and these histories were properly considered in recording results.
 It was impossible to obtain histories on the second group of serums but these were regarded as representative of any random group of individuals.
 All of the serums were titrated for H and O typhoid agglutinin content using the formalinized antigen recommended by Dreyer (1) and an alcoholized antigen prepared according to Gardner's (2) method. A strain of typhoid which had been isolated from the blood stream of a patient six months previously was used for the preparation of the two antigens.


Very high four-wave mixing (FWM) efficiency and signal-to-background ratio (SBR) are obtained in a 1.5-mm-long bulk semiconductor optical amplifier. The FWM efficiency is measured to be 5 dB at 1-THz pump-signal detuning, which is the highest value reported to date. With a pump power of -1.4 dBm, the SBR is in excess of 20 dB in a bandwidth of 12.5 GHz, for a pump-signal detuning range as large as 2 THz and the efficiency is under the same conditions larger than -1 dB for a pump-signal detuning range as large as 1 THz. These results make FWM an attractive method for practical wavelength conversion. Some low-detuning measurements show a maximum efficiency around 8 GHz.


Ring chromosome 14 is a rare cytogenetic disorder. Individuals with r(14) generally have developmental delay and seizures. Other features include hypotonia, microcephaly, mild facial dysmorphism, and retinal pigmentation. Most of these features are also found in patients with linear terminal deletions of chromosome 14, except for seizures and retinal abnormalities. The objective of the study was to determine if deletion of a specific chromosome region is a possible explanation for the occurrence of seizures in patients with ring chromosome 14. Patients diagnosed either with r(14) (six patients) or a deletion of distal 14q (three patients) were analyzed by FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization) with BAC probes. We observed differences in the size of deletions in the studied group. In two r(14) patients, we did not detect any deletion; the four other patients had deletions of various sizes, ranging from 0.8 Mb to 5 Mb. Two linear deletions were 3.2 Mb and 5.3 Mb in length, respectively; the third case had an interstitial deletion that did not overlap with the others. The deleted regions in ring chromosomes showed overlap with those in the two linear terminal deletions. We conclude that there is unlikely to be a specific deleted locus in 14q32.3 that predisposes r(14) patients to seizures or retinal pigmentation. The cause is probably related to the formation of the ring itself and the effect this may have on local chromatin structure. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Children hold rich essentialist beliefs about natural and social categories, representing them as discrete (mutually exclusive with sharp boundaries) and stable (with membership remaining constant over an individual's lifespan). Children use essential categories to make inductive inferences about individuals. How do children determine what categories to consider essential and to use as an inductive base? Although much research has demonstrated children's use of labels to form categories, here we explore whether children might also use the observed discreteness or stability of a trait to form categories based on that trait. In the present study, we taught children about novel creatures and provided them with a cue (discreteness, stability, labels, or no cue) to form texture categories rather than shape or color categories. Experiment 1 found that children (4–6 years, n = 140) used labels but not discreteness or stability cues to form texture categories more often than at baseline. Experiment 2 (5–6 years, n = 152) found that children who later recognized the stability and discreteness cues used them to form categories more often than those who did not later recognize the cues, but were still overall less likely to use these cues than to use labels cues. Results underscore the unique importance of labels as a cue for category formation and suggest that children do not readily rely on the stability and discreteness of a trait to form animate categories despite readily inferring that such categories are stable and discrete. Implications for natural and social category representations are discussed.


Scientists and Bayesian statisticians often study hypotheses that they know to be false. This creates an interpretive problem because the Bayesian probability of a hypothesis is typically interpreted as a degree of belief that the hypothesis is true. In this paper, I present and contrast two solutions to the interpretive problem, both of which involve reinterpreting the Bayesian framework in such a way that pragmatic factors directly determine in part how probability assignments are interpreted and whether a given probability assignment is rational. I argue that there is an important sense in which the two solutions are equivalent, and I suggest that the two reinterpretations can help us do Bayesian inference better. I also explore various features of the two reinterprations, including their relations to the standard Bayesian interpretation of probability and to the Law of Likelihood.


The tail serves a range of functions including balance. Intervertebral joint stiffness, a measure of spinal rigidity, is useful for understanding its capability to perform basic functions, such as support against gravity. Dolphin joints of low and high stiffness are correlated with distinct vertebral morphologies. These principles apply for qualitatively assessing dinosaurian joint stiffness, because they relate Newtonian mechanics to morphology but this was not validated in the living relative, Crocodylus. Morphometric and qualitative phylogenetic data were gathered from theropod, sauropodomorph and thyreophoran dinosaur tail specimens, and then mapped on composite phylogenetic trees to reconstruct nodal joint stiffnesses. Initially, the tails of non-avian theropods were supported against gravity via static tail joint stabilisation. However, these tails became more dominantly stabilized by dynamic properties, as dorsoventral and lateral joint stiffness decreased towards the paravian node. In birds, the tail joints became stiffer dorsoventrally and laterally between Avialae and the crown group, enabling larger muscular forces to be produced. This change potentially allowed birds to utilise larger lift forces. The evolution of quadrupedality in sauropodomorphs and thyreophorans reduced the tail's importance for balance and manoeuvrability, allowing alternative functions to evolve. The sauropods Shunosaurus and Mamenchisaurus appear to have had unique clubbing behaviours because of differences in joint stiffness, as well as tail club and proximal caudal articular surface morphologies. Along the stegosaurian and ankylosaurine lineages, the tail joints stiffened dorsoventrally and laterally, which improved tail support against gravity, and required larger muscular forces for weapon wielding. Therefore, not all dinosaurian tail weapons evolved in the same way. This thesis makes an important step in the understanding of dinosaurian tail function. However, future validation experiments would help to improve the accuracy of joint stiffness reconstructions in fossil taxa. Greater taxon sampling would also help to test and broaden the insights of this thesis.


This paper deals harmonics, reactive power and  unbalanced load current compensation of a Diesel Generator set for an isolated system using the control of DSTATCOM (Distribution Static Synchronous Compensator). Least Mean Square (LMS) based Adaptive Linear Element (ADALINE) method is used for the control of DSTATCOM. To extract balanced positive sequence real fundamental frequency component of the load current, an LMS based ADALINE controller is used. In order to maintain a constant voltage at the dc-bus of a voltage-source converter (VSC) and to obtain a fast dynamic response a proportional-integral (PI) controller is used. Switching of voltage source converter is achieved by using hysteresis-based Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) control. The proposed scheme is simulated using MATLAB/SIMULINK software for linear and nonlinear loads. In this paper, results are presented to verify the effectiveness of the controller for the DSTATCOM.


Summary:Tacrine, a reversible, centrally active cholinesterase inhibitor, was evaluated for treatment of Alzheimer disease (AD) in doses up to 160 mg over a 30-week treatment period in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study. Men and women aged 50 years or older in otherwise good health with probable AD of mild-to-moderate severity were randomized to one of four treatment groups. Group I received placebo. Group II began tacrine at 40 mg/day for 6 weeks, then was given 80 mg/day for 24 weeks. Groups III and IV began tacrine at 40 mg/day for 6 weeks, then increased to 80 mg/day for 6 weeks and 120 mg/day for 6 weeks; Group III remained on tacrine 120 mg/day for a total of 18 weeks, and Group IV was escalated to 160 mg/day for the final 12 weeks. The primary outcome measures were the Clinician Interview-Based Impression (CIBI), the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale cognitive sub-scale (ADAS-Cog), and the Final Comprehensive Consensus Assessment (FCCA). Of 663 patients who entered the study, 279 completed the entire 30 weeks. Dose-response trends were statistically significant for all three primary outcome measures (p ≤ 0.001). Pairwise comparisons of tacrine 160 mg/day vs. placebo significantly favored tacrine on CIBI (p = 0.002), ADAS-Cog (p < 0.001), and FCCA (p < 0.001). Tacrine plasma levels were highly correlated with dose and response. Primary reasons for withdrawal in tacrine-treated patients were asymptomatic alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevations (28%) and gastrointestinal complaints (16%). ALT elevations were reversible on treatment discontinuation, and 87% of discontinued patients were successfully rechallenged and maintained on long-term tacrine therapy. After 30 weeks of treatment, high doses of tacrine produced significant dose-related improvements on objective, performance-based tests (ADAS-Cog, Mini-Mental State Examination), which were clearly evident to the clinician as determined by the CIBI and FCCA. Family members reported significant improvements in quality-of-life measures.


The benefits and disadvantages of posttransplant contact between a donor family and the organ recipient are disputed. In this study far more contacters reported benefits rather than disadvantages and noncontacters reported the opposite. The dissatisfaction of noncontacters with no contact was high: no less than 60% wanted some form of contact in the future. The authors conclude that contact has more benefits for the donor family than disadvantages, evidenced by families' desire to maintain contact with the organ recipient. Both donor families and organ recipients need the transplant coordinator's initiative and guidance on this issue.