Water tunnel experiments were carried out to study full-coverage discrete-hole film cooling for geometries applicable to gas turbine combustor liners. The cooling holes were spaced at a pitch to diameter ratio of 6.5 and had an injection angle of 20° to the cooled surface. The mainstream flow direction was in line with the cooling holes. Blowing ratios from 0.5 to 5.7 were studied, which is a range typical of combustor liners.A unique multiple plane PLIF (planar laser-induced fluorescence) technique was used to measure time-averaged film cooling concentration at various heights above the surface to be cooled. Three-dimensional data sets were generated to quantitatively visualize cooling-jet film coverage, structure, and interaction. Film coverage as close as 0.25 mm (0.010 in.) from the surface was measured, thereby yielding data that approach adiabatic film effectiveness. Two sets of film cooling experiments were conducted. One set used a model with a relatively small array of 2.54 mm (0.100 in.) holes, meant to be a large-scale model of hole sizes encountered in combustor liners. The second set used a large array of 0.51 mm (0.020 in.) nominal diameter laser-drilled holes, manufactured in the same manner as combustor liner cooling holes.The results show that near-wall film coverage is minimum for blowing ratios from 1.7 to 3.3. At blowing ratios less than 1.7 and greater than 3.3, the film coverage was improved. Jet structure and interaction was also observed. In particular, jet separation behavior and coalescence were visualized, and both were generally a function of blowing ratio.Copyright © 1997 by ASME


The modern consumer seeks to maximise the value they receive from all their marketing exchanges. A retail centre can provide value by increasing the benefits it provides and/or by minimising the costs consumers face when visiting it. Current academic interest is typically focused on just the one side of this equation - the hedonic benefits of shopping. In contrast, the other side of the value equation - convenience - has been largely ignored, presumably because the few studies that have included it found it to be of relatively less importance. Given that we live in an era of convenience, such findings should be treated with a degree of scepticism. This study empirically develops and tests an alternative definition of convenience to that used by previous studies. Armed with this new definition, the study examines the influence of convenience over consumers choice between shopping malls and shopping strips. Convenience is shown to have a significant influence in determing where we choose to shop.


Although biological visual systems have been widely studied at the physiological, psychophysical and functional levels, our understanding of its signal processing mechanisms is still very rudimentary. One of the obstacles in this process is the difficulty of dealing with the vast amounts of processing necessary to test real-time temporal models of the visual system. In this paper, we first present a high performance FPGA-based cellular neural network which implements a Gabor-type filter. This is a building block element which we intend to use with different parameters to model cells in V1. The application of the Gabor-type filter in a neuromorphic system consisting of an analog VLSI retina chip interfaced to our Gabor chip is also presented. The retina chip serves as an imager and transmits its output to the FPGA via an address event representation (AER) transceiver (Boahen, 2000). Using AER, multiple chips can be interconnected in a modular network to form large networks of Gabor chips. By combining both analog VLSI chips and digital chips (e.g. DSP chips, microprocessors, and FPGA chips), we hope to make real-time implementations of early vision models and visualize their temporal behaviour, while achieving a level of performance, integration, power consumption, area and flexibility not possible using any technology in isolation


Background and aims Neuraxial anesthesia is preferred to general anesthesia for cesarean section (CS), especially in obese patients. However, it is often technically challenging in these patients, and the uncertainty of the time needed to induce anesthesia is a potential problem. Therefore, in this retrospective study, we examined the relationship between obesity and the time taken to receive subarachnoid injection of local anesthetics after entering the operating room. Methods We reviewed electronic medical records of patients who had undergone CS under neuraxial anesthesia in our hospital between the start of 2010 and the end of June 2018. A total of 795 (49.0%) patients underwent spinal anesthesia while 722 (44.5%) underwent combined spinal-epidural (CSE) anesthesia. The effects of obesity, expressed as body mass index (BMI), on the anesthesia procedure time (AP-time) of neuraxial anesthesia were analyzed in the spinal and CSE anesthesia groups separately. Results The AP-time was longer in obese patients than in non-obese ones in both the spinal and CSE anesthesia groups. This effect was also confirmed, with a weak significant linear correlation, between AP-time and BMI, but the variations within each BMI class were considerably higher (95% confidence interval, 20 min). Abstract ESRA19-0124 Figure 1 Conclusions This retrospective study using medical records from a single hospital showed that obesity in pregnancy marginally prolongs the time needed to achieve neuraxial anesthesia. The effect was, however, less than the variation within the same BMI class.


The comparative analysis of characteristics of three different cattle breeds (Brown Carpathian, Pinzgauer, Red Polish) on the 5 molecular-genetic markers and 5 muzzle dermatoglyphic types was carried out. It was indicated, that one characteristic can not be use as a breed-specific one but only their complex. The main aspect of search of this complex is the use of characteristics which mark different structure-functional systems of whole organism.


The present article adresses one of the many topics on which Raoul van Caenegem has focused during his long career: the history of civil procedure. It concentrates on the twentieth century and offers a comparative perspective. The year 1898, in which the influential Austrian Zivilprozessordnung (oZPO) of the 1st of August 1895 took effect, forms the starting point of the article. This Code inaugurated a new era in civil procedure since it introduced a judge with extensive case management powers. The final part of the article discusses the English Civil Procedure Rules, which came into force in 1999. In 1999, even the English judge, who until that time had acted as a mere 'umpire', acquired extensive case management powers. Case management by the judge is now a common European phenomenon.


An attempt was made to study the associations between age, intraocular pressure, and systolic blood pressure. The eyes of 90 non-glaucomatous, ocular normotensive patients and of 142 ocular hypertensive patients were examined. A third group was formed from these two by stratification, to mirror the intraocular pressure distribution in the general population. In all three groups systolic blood pressure was positively correlated with age. In the stratified group a 'chain' model was consistent with the data. Intraocular pressure was significantly negatively correlated with systolic blood pressure; any apparent association between intraocular pressure and age was fully accounted for through the correlation between systolic blood pressure and age.


The influence of the neutron-neutron off-energy-shell interaction on the extraction of ann in mu -d capture has been discussed. An analysis has been performed for several relative neutron-neutron angles and it has been found that the off-shell uncertainty increases with the angle.


The technological condition in the fermentation process of fermentation glutamate (such as pH value, temperature, ventilation rate, etc.) were optimized by computerized pattern recognition method. The visible optimum region may be found based on the mapping from the multi-dimensional pattern space into a plane. It is then transformed along the reciprocal direction into the original data space using Monte Carlo simulation, so the orientation of optimization and the best combination of all parameters can be determined. A new mathematical model is being proposed based on the experimental evidence in production. The transfer ratio of glucose to glutamic acid, the production capacity and the glutamic acid concentration increase 2.9%, 1.45% and 2.65% respectively by operating this optimization method. The method has been widely extended to factories and has granted in decreasing the expense of raw materials and that of the production cost.


A family of mB(m+1)B binary, nonalphabetic, balanced line codes is presented that is suitable for high bit rate (>or=135 Mb/s) optical fiber transmission due to its relatively simple encoding and decoding rules. Here, B represents a block of m bits, where m is an odd number. The coding, decoding, and bit error rate (BER) performance of the codes are discussed. Statistical and spectral analysis for the specific case in which the number of bits, m, equals seven, is presented. This makes possible a detailed comparison of the proposed code with conventional 7B8B codes. >


The effect of boron doping on the position of the oxidation-induced stacking-fault ring (OSF ring) during Czochralski (CZ) crystal growth is described using a comprehensive model for point defect dynamics including the role of boron. The important interactions between boron atoms and intrinsic point defects are selected on the basis of tight-binding estimates for the energies of formation for boron-point defect structures. Intrinsic point defect properties used are taken from a parameterized model of point defect dynamics for predicting OSF-ring dynamics. Entropies of formation for boron-point defect species are obtained by fitting the predictions of the model to experimental data for OSF-ring dynamics. The model successfully predicts OSF-ring dynamics for a variety of doping and growth conditions. The effect of boron on the OSF ring is caused by the retardation of point defect recombination at temperatures near the melting point caused by dynamic storage of self-interstitials in complexes with boron.


Introduction/Background Treating late-stage cancer according to its genetic mutations is the goal of precision medicine tumor boards (PMTB) that gain importance along with the advances and cost reduction in next generation sequencing (NGS) techniques. Still, their clinical applicability differs according to tumor origin and has been evaluated in detail for Ovarian Cancer patients within this analysis Methodology All ovarian cancer patients whose molecular profile was discussed in a PMTB at the Medical University of Vienna, Austria, from 2015 to 2018 were included in this retrospective analysis (n=33). Not only the NGS results, immunohistochemical (IHC) profiles and respective recommended targeted treatments were determined, but especially the patient characteristics related to actual treatment implementation, duration and outcome. Results In 82% at least one mutation, deletion or amplification could be detected. The most frequently altered genes were p53 and PIK3CA, followed by BRCA1, BRCA2, and KRAS. A total of 73% had potentially actionable gene alterations and/or a respective IHC expression profile resulting in a treatment recommendation. Thereof, 7 patients (29%; with 2 to 4 previous lines of standard treatment) received the respective therapy. In 71% the allocated treatment was not administered due to: poor performance status (patients were referred to palliative/hospice care, n=9; or died immediately after the PMTB, n=2); patients received an alternative therapy (n=4); patients were further treated in another clinic (n=2). Conclusion Even though a personalized treatment recommendation can be derived frequently, the current treatment implementation in clinical practice remains limited especially due to the poor general condition of ovarian cancer patients after exploitation of standard treatment. However, as each tumor is unique, the obtained molecular genetic data and related clinical characteristics are valuable and will feed the future development of pathway-based drug discovery. Disclosure SA: travelling expenses: Roche, Pharma Mar, Amgen, lecture fee: Roche RS: travelling expenses: Roche, Pharma Mar, Amgen GP: speakers fee and/or advisory boards: Bayer, Celgene, Servier, Halozyme, Taiho, Roche, Merck, Sanofi, Amgen, Lilly, BMS, MSD CG, TG none to declare KH: speakers fee and/or advisory boards: Astellas, Pfizer, AMS, Takeda, Johnson & Johnson SP Consultant AstraZeneca, Celgene, MSD, PharmaMar, Roche,Roche Diagnostics, Meda Pharma, Tesaro, Vifor Pharma, outside the submitted work. CG Consultant: AstraZeneca, Celgene, MSD, PharmaMar, Roche, Tesaro, Vifor Pharma Speaker: Amgen, AstraZeneca, MSD, PharmaMar, Roche, Tesaro Direct research funding: Meda Pharma, Roche Diagnostics AR Research grants: Roche Honoraria as a speaker and for advisory boards: Amgen, Astra Zeneca, MSD, Pharma Mar, Roche, Tesaro, Vifor Pharma Travel expenses: Amgen, Astra Zeneca, Pharma Mar, Roche, Tesaro.


ABSTRACT Anaerobic arginine catabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae was genetically modified to allow assimilation of all four rather than just three of the nitrogen atoms in arginine. This was accomplished by bypassing normal formation of proline, an unusable nitrogen source in the absence of oxygen, and causing formation of glutamate instead. A pro3 ure2 strain expressing a PGK1 promoter-driven PUT2 allele encoding Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate dehydrogenase lacking a mitochondrial targeting sequence produced significant cytoplasmic activity, accumulated twice as much intracellular glutamate, and produced twice as much cell mass as the parent when grown anaerobically on limiting arginine as sole nitrogen source.


This paper investigates importance and development of expertise and personal competencies of newly graduated engineers according to academic staff members, industrial employers and the graduated engineers themselves. The aim was to discover how graduated engineers perceive the importance of competencies at the time of graduation, and how various competencies have developed during their studies. For such purposes, a national-wide graduate survey was adopted as a basis for research. The results show that engineering degree programmes highlight theoretical
foundation rather than generic competencies, whereas industrial employers favor personal competencies and attitudinal factors. Furthermore, according to graduates' ratings, some competencies have developed more than appears to be necessary at the beginning of their career. These competencies were the most valued in degree programmes. Similarly, some competencies that were least valued in degree programmes were part of the least developed competencies in studies, but also part of the most important competencies for graduates.


A novel type of discrete basis for paraxial beams is proposed, consisting of monomial vortices times polynomials of Gaussians in the radial variable. These bases have the distinctive property that the effective size of their elements is roughly independent of element order, meaning that the optimal scaling for expanding a localized field does not depend significantly on truncation order. This behavior contrasts with that of bases composed of polynomials times Gaussians, such as Hermite-Gauss and Laguerre-Gauss modes, where the scaling changes roughly as the inverse square root of the truncation order.


Nickel cobalt oxides (NiCo2O4) superstructures with microsized flowers (MF), nanoflowers (NF), nanoneedles (NN), and nanospheres (NS) have been prepared by a facile self-assembly formation and subsequent conversion process. The various morphologies of the nickel cobalt precursors (NCP) are tuned by using different salts, solvents, surfactants and reaction temperatures. The as-obtained NCP can be readily converted to NiCo2O4 through an annealing process with their structures well retained. The electrochemical properties of the as-derived NiCo2O4 are assessed as the active electrode materials. The results indicate that the NiCo2O4 has exhibited promising pseudo-capacitive properties with high capacitance and good cycling stability. The NF has delivered the highest specific capacitance of 636 F g−1 (at a rate of 1 mV s−1) among all the four samples, showing its potential application for next generation electrochemical capacitors.


Superhydrophobic surfaces (SHS) are accessible by means of incorporating a micro- or nano-structured low-energy surface that creates an air layer beneath water droplets. However, poor stability towards abrasion, low temperatures, and chemical corrosion have hindered their wide application. In our study, a SiO2–UHMWPE (ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene)-based SHS that could resist severe abrasion, multiple tape peelings, water dripping, and corrosion upon exposure to strong chemical agents was fabricated. However, the water droplets were pinned on the prepared SHS at low temperatures (below 0 °C) due to ice/water capillary bridges. To overcome this problem, slippery liquid-infused porous surfaces (SLIPSs) were prepared by infusing different lubricants into the SHSs, and the water droplets smoothly travelled under the conditions of low temperatures, suggesting superior anti-icing properties. Moreover, the travelling speed of water droplets on the prepared SLIPSs was restrained under the conditions that favored the condensation of atmospheric humidity.


The value of pharmacoeconomics has been advocated by governments and academic establishments worldwide. However, the importance of pharmacoeconomic information to healthcare decision makers will depend upon the viewpoint from which the analysis is conducted. Institutional decision makers are likely to be concerned more with direct than with total costs, and to be influenced more by arguments that apply to the economic effects on the institution than by a societal perspective. Formularies have been employed for a considerable length of time, but their effectiveness has been assessed in terms of cost savings rather than overall value in healthcare outcomes. Many governments and institutions now advocate the importance of contracting for health gain by emphasising the importance of effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. By subjecting treatments to clinical audit, maximum effectiveness can be sought while minimising toxicity and improving compliance with medication through risk management strategies. Pharmacoeconomic evaluations will have maximum impact when there is wide flexibility in the management of resource allocation by virement between different budgets. The consideration of all costs and benefits as parts of a single healthcare budget would satisfy the majority of these needs and maximise the use of healthcare resources.


ABSTRACT The objectives of this study were (1) to evaluate in situ ruminal dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and starch degradation characteristics and in vitro gas production (GP) kinetics using a set of 20 different maize grain genotypes and (2) to predict the effective degradation (ED) of CP and starch from chemical and physical characteristics alone or in combination with in vitro GP measurements. Maize grains were characterised by different chemical and physical characteristics. Ruminal in situ degradation was measured in three lactating Jersey cows. Ground grains (sieve size: 2 mm) were incubated in bags for 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 48 and 72 h. Bag residues were analysed for CP and starch content. Degradation kinetics was determined and the ED of DM, CP and starch calculated using a ruminal passage rate of 5%/h and 8%/h. The GP of the grains (sieve size: 1 mm) was recorded after 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h incubation in buffered rumen fluid and fitted to an exponential equation to determine GP kinetics. Correlations and stepwise multiple linear regressions were evaluated for the prediction of ED calculated for a passage rate of 5%/h (ED5) for CP (EDCP5) and starch (EDST5). The in situ parameters and ED5 varied widely between genotypes with average values (±SD) of 64% ± 4.2, 62% ± 4.1 and 65% ± 5.2 for ED5 of DM, EDCP5 and EDST5 and were on average 10 percentage points lower for a passage rate of 8%/h. Degradation rates varied between 4.8%/h and 7.4%/h, 4.1%/h and 6.5%/h and 5.3%/h and 8.9%/h for DM, CP and starch, respectively. These rates were in the same range as GP rates (6.0–8.3%/h). The EDCP5 and EDST5 were related to CP concentration and could be evaluated in detail using CP fractions and specific amino acids. In vitro GP measurements and GP rates correlated well with EDCP5 and EDST5 and predicted EDCP5 and EDST5 in combination with the chemical characteristics of the samples. Equations can be used to obtain quick and cost effective information on ruminal degradation of CP and starch from maize grains.


Can such techniques as sleep learning and hypnosis improve performance? Do we sometimes confuse familiarity with mastery? Can we learn without making mistakes? These questions apply in the classroom, in the military, and on the assembly line. Learning, Remembering, Believing addresses these and other key issues in learning and performance. The volume presents leading-edge theories and findings from a wide range of research settings: from pilots learning to fly to children learning about physics by throwing beanbags. Common folklore is explored, and promising research directions are identified. The authors also continue themes from their first two volumes: Enhancing Human Performance (1988) and In the Mind's Eye (1991). The result is a thorough and readable review of * Learning and remembering. The volume evaluates the effects of subjective experience on learning--why we often overestimate what we know, why we may not need a close match between training settings and real-world tasks, and why we experience such phenomena as illusory remembering and unconscious plagiarism. * Learning and performing in teams. The authors discuss cooperative learning in different age groups and contexts. Current views on team performance are presented, including how team-learning processes can be improved and whether team-building interventions are effective. * Mental and emotional states. This is a critical review of the evidence that learning is affected by state of mind. Topics include hypnosis, meditation, sleep learning, restricted environmental stimulation, and self-confidence and the self-efficacy theory of learning. * New directions. The volume looks at two new ideas for improving performance: emotions induced by another person--socially induced affect--and strategies for controlling one's thoughts. The committee also considers factors inherent in organizations--workplaces, educational facilities, and the military--that affect whether and how they implement training programs. Learning, Remembering, Believing offers an understanding of human learning that will be useful to training specialists, psychologists, educators, managers, and individuals interested in all dimensions of human performance.


Social support literature has been criticized for lacking methodological clarity. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic descriptive review of the social support literature, outline measurement problems, identify the nature of assessment inadequacies, and provide recommendations for the future. Two-hundred sixty-two empirically based articles published between 1980 and 1987 were reviewed comprehensively. Information about social support measurement and sample characteristics was obtained. A system was designed to organize the data on sample characteristics, type of instrument, source of support assessed, and category of support measured. The social support literature also was described from a methodological perspective, and several trends were identified. Conclusions about conceptual maturity, a priori biases, measurement of network utilization, and social support sources are discussed.


The performance of a high-voltage pulse measuring system based on the Kerr effect is investigated with benzoyl chloride, o-nitrotoluene, acetophenone, acetonitrile, benzaldehyde and ethyl methyl ketone for the first time along with nitrobenzene and acetone that are well known. These investigations have been carried out using high-voltage pulse fields ranging from 4*105 V m-1 to 107 V m-1. The experimentally determined electric field from the Kerr signal and the applied field show good agreement.


DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF WIRELESS-BASED TECHNOLOGIES FOR INDOOR LOCALIZATION SYSTEMS Sebastian Sadowski Advisor: University of Guelph, 2018 Dr. Petros Spachos As buildings become larger and more complex, there becomes a greater need for localization systems that are capable of functioning quickly with high accuracy. Location Based Services (LBS) are a general application where a person's location data can be used to easily control devices in one's everyday life. However, before LBS can be achieved, location information must be gathered. This work investigates a Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) used for performing indoor localization under a variety of wireless technologies, localization techniques, and filtering algorithms. The system was required to accurately locate devices with low error, have high precision, be cost-effective, and easy to deploy in an environment. Based on experiments performed, WiFi was determined to have the lowest error overall, while Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) consumed the lowest amount of power. Fingerprinting using K-Nearest Neighbor (KNN) with k=4 processing was determined to be the most accurate and precise technique. In addition, by using six anchors in an environment and applying nonlinear least squares processing localization accuracy could be improved.


Transmission fluctuation Spectrometry with temporal or spatial correlation is being developed as a new method of particle size analysis, in which the particle size distribution and particle concentration can be measured simultaneously. Based on the assumption of low particle concentrations, an analytical expression of the transmission fluctuation correlation spectrum can be obtained with a layer model. It is found that the measurement matches the theory very well as long as the particle concentration is low enough. However, as the particle concentration increases, the measured transmission fluctuation spectrum deviates gradually from the theory, which is a result from the high concentration effects. The high concentration effects include particle overlapping and the monolayer structure. In this work, the theory and simulations on the particle overlapping are studied. As a result, an empirical expression is found.


Much of moral life involves attending to our own good deeds and to the bad deeds of others [Also see Report by Hofmann et al.] Morality may be of the highest importance to us, as Einstein put it. But how often do we actually experience morality in our day-to-day lives, and what forms does this experience take? The science of morality has flourished in recent years as methods from social psychology, behavioral economics, neuroscience, experimental philosophy, and cultural anthropology have been applied to the study of moral thought and behavior (1). So far, most of this work has used artificial stimuli, such as hypothetical dilemmas about runaway trolleys or sex with a dead chicken, in artificial environments such as laboratories or medical imaging scanners. On page 1340 of this issue, Hofmann et al. (2) move morality science out of the lab and to the street, office, kitchen, bar, or wherever people happen to be when their cell phone rings.


This paper presents the development of an optical force sensor architecture directed to prototyping and cost-effective applications, where the actual force requirements are still not well defined or the most suitable commercial technologies would highly increase the cost of the device. The working principle of this sensor consists of determining the displacement of a lens by measuring the distortion of a refracted light beam. This lens is attached to an elastic interface whose elastic constant is known, allowing the estimation of the force that disturbs the optical system. In order to satisfy the requirements of the design process in an inexpensive way, this sensor can be built by fast prototyping technologies and using non-optical grade elements. To deal with the imperfections of this kind of manufacturing procedures and materials, four fitting models are proposed to calibrate the implemented sensor. In order to validate the system, two different sensor implementations with measurement ranges of ±45 N and ±10 N are tested with the proposed models, comparing the resulting force estimation with respect to an industrial-grade load cell. Results show that all models can estimate the loads with an error of about 6% of the measurement range.


Environmental conditions within chimneys and flanges of seafloor vent deposits are deduced by estimating rates of fluid flow, and calculating temperatures and compositions of pore fluids by considering diffusive and advective transport across the structures. The composition and temperature of seawater and vent fluid at the bounds and the physical configuration (pore and mineral distribution) of the chimney or flange are factored into the calculations. Calculated conditions, particularly the pH and the oxidation state of pore fluids, differ significantly from conditions calculated assuming batch mixing of vent fluid and seawater, and are sensitive to the composition of the end-member vent fluid, and different styles of mixing. The temperature of the transition from oxidized to reduced conditions can vary from <3°C to ∼90°C. Thus thermophilic aerobes and mesophilic anaerobes may reside within vent structures. The calculated available metabolic energy within vent structures is dominantly a function of the oxidation state of the pore fluid, and differs little from amounts calculated for batch mixing. The pH of pore fluids within thin chimneys and flanges is low, ranging from <3 to 4.5 at temperatures of 80°C to 120°C unless there is advection inward of seawater across a 1-layer wall, or outward of vent fluid that has a chloride concentration close to or greater than that of seawater, in which case pH is near neutrality. These results indicate a wide range of environments present within seafloor vent deposits. The conclusion that pH within pore fluids of most thin chimneys and flanges is low indicates that initial enrichments for hyperthermophiles from seafloor vent samples should be made under low pH conditions.


Comprehension assessment is an essential tool in classroom learning. However, the judgment often relies on experience of an instructor who makes observation of students' behavior during the lessons. We argue that students should report their own comprehension explicitly in a classroom. With students' comprehension made available at the slide level, we apply a machine learning technique to classify presentation slides according to comprehension levels. Our experimental result suggests that presentation-based features are as predictive as bag-of-words feature vector which is proved successful in text classification tasks. Our analysis on presentation-based features reveals possible causes of poor lecture comprehension.


The prevalence of obesity is higher in Black women than in White women (JAMA 1994;272:205-11; Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med 1995;149:1085-91). Although it has been shown that Black women have a lower resting energy expenditure (REE), factors affecting REE remain unclear. This 1996-1997 study in Cincinnati, Ohio, assessed racial differences in REE and their determinants in a biracial cohort of 152 healthy young women aged 18-21 years. Two indirect calorimetric measurements were obtained during two overnight hospital admissions 10-14 days apart. Body composition was measured by using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Mean REE (adjusted for body composition, smoking, and contraceptive medication use) was significantly (p = 0.04) lower by 71 kcal/day in Black women (1,453 (standard error, 21) kcal/day) than in White women (1,524 (standard error, 19) kcal/day). Smoking was associated with a REE that was 68 kcal/day higher for both groups (p = 0.03). A trend (p = 0.07) toward increased REE (by 46 kcal/day) was found with contraceptive medication use. In conclusion, young Black women had a significantly lower REE than did White women. Cigarette smoking significantly increased REE. The apparent presence of a more parsimonious energy metabolism in Black women suggests that maintenance of energy homeostasis requires particular vigilance in this high-risk population.


The peak-to-average power ratio (PAR) of IS-95-type code division multiple-access (CDMA) forward link waveforms is an important parameter which directly relates to system capacity performance. In this paper, analytical expressions are derived for the PAR. The probability that the instantaneous-to-average power ratio (IAR) exceeds a given value is also derived. The analysis is carried out parametric in 1) the number of active traffic channels; 2) the fractions of power allocated to different forward link channels; and 3) other parameters related to the forward link power budget. An analysis is also given for the distribution of the IAR for the forward link modulation planned for third generation (3G) versions of the IS-95 system and a simple modification to present and future IS-95 modulation schemes is shown that reduces the forward link PAR by up to 3 dB.


The dependences of the energy and spectral characteristics of the radiation of a pulsed photoinitiated chemical chain-reaction HF (DF) laser, operating at atmospheric pressure, on the optical cavity parameters were investigated. The maximum specific output energies of the HF and DF chain lasers (53 and 43 J litre-1) and their fullest spectra (47 and 83 lines, respectively) were similar when the unsaturated gain exceeded the threshold by a factor greater than 50. An analysis was made of how the energy and spectrum of the radiation of the HF (DF) laser were influenced by the spatiotemporal inhomogeneity of the initiation and of the course of the chemical chain reaction. There was a marked effect of the CO2 molecules in the active medium and in the air filling part of the volume of the complex cavity of the DF laser on its efficiency and emission spectrum.


We investigate training end-to-end speech recognition models with the recurrent neural network transducer (RNN-T): a streaming, all-neural, sequence-to-sequence architecture which jointly learns acoustic and language model components from transcribed acoustic data. We explore various model architectures and demonstrate how the model can be improved further if additional text or pronunciation data are available. The model consists of an 'encoder', which is initialized from a connectionist temporal classification-based (CTC) acoustic model, and a 'decoder' which is partially initialized from a recurrent neural network language model trained on text data alone. The entire neural network is trained with the RNN-T loss and directly outputs the recognized transcript as a sequence of graphemes, thus performing end-to-end speech recognition. We find that performance can be improved further through the use of sub-word units ('wordpieces') which capture longer context and significantly reduce substitution errors. The best RNN-T system, a twelve-layer LSTM encoder with a two-layer LSTM decoder trained with 30,000 wordpieces as output targets achieves a word error rate of 8.5% on voice-search and 5.2% on voice-dictation tasks and is comparable to a state-of-the-art baseline at 8.3% on voice-search and 5.4% voice-dictation.


Abstract Regulation of binding between von Willebrand factor (VWF) and the platelet receptor glycoprotein (GP) Ibα is one of the key steps in controlling hemostasis and thrombosis. On vascular injury at sites of high shear rates, the GPIbα interaction with subendothelial-bound VWF will initiate the tethering of circulating platelets to the vessel wall. Tethered platelets subsequently roll on the damaged vessel wall, a process that is amplified by the activation of the platelet integrin αΙΙbβ3 (GPIIb/IIIa). The initial tethering to VWF is rapidly followed by platelet binding to collagen through specific receptors (GPVI and α2β1), leading to firm adhesion, activation, and additional stable bonds mediated by αΙΙbβ3. The above described interactions can result in two distinct processes: physiological hemostasis and pathological thrombosis. Furthermore, VWF carries coagulation factor VIII, which is involved in thrombin formation that in addition to activating platelets, mediates fibrin formation and has several other actions. The importance of VWF in hemostasis is well known in patients suffering from von Willebrand disease (VWD) who present with a defect in both platelet plug and fibrin formation. Type 2B VWD is of special interest as it may provide further insight into the mechanism by which VWF promotes the adhesion of platelets to a thrombogenic surface under conditions of high shear stress. The variant phenotypic manifestations in patients affected with type 2B VWD, however, have raised the question of locus heterogeneity in VWD as a consequence of, for example, additional defects in receptor or signaling proteins mediating platelet adhesion and aggregation. Indeed, quite a few polymorphisms of platelet receptors have been associated with increased bleeding in VWD. However, many aspects of the disease remain to be elucidated. For instance, thrombin and platelet procoagulant activity may be important counterplayers to determine the severity of the bleeding complications associated with VWD.


We map the full extent of a rich massive young cluster in the Cep OB3b association with the Infrared Array Camera and Multi-band Imaging Photometer System instruments aboard the Spitzer Space Telescope and the ACIS instrument aboard the Chandra X-Ray Observatory. At 700 pc, it is revealed to be the second nearest large (>1000 member), young (<5 Myr) cluster known. In contrast to the nearest large cluster, the Orion Nebula Cluster, Cep OB3b is only lightly obscured and is mostly located in a large cavity carved out of the surrounding molecular cloud. Our infrared and X-ray data sets, as well as visible photometry from the literature, are used to take a census of the young stars in Cep OB3b. We find that the young stars within the cluster are concentrated in two sub-clusters; an eastern sub-cluster, near the Cep B molecular clump, and a western sub-cluster, near the Cep F molecular clump. Using our census of young stars, we examine the fraction of young stars with infrared excesses indicative of circumstellar disks. We create a map of the disk fraction throughout the cluster and find that it is spatially variable. Due to these spatial variations, the two sub-clusters exhibit substantially different average disk fractions from each other: 32% ± 4% and 50% ± 6%. We discuss whether the discrepant disk fractions are due to the photodestruction of disks by the high mass members of the cluster or whether they result from differences in the ages of the sub-clusters. We conclude that the discrepant disk fractions are most likely due to differences in the ages.


Unilamellar liposomes carrying both encapsulated and surface-immobilized fluorophores have been synthesized as novel fluorescent markers to image flow profiles in microfabricated structures. The unilamellar liposomes were made with phospholipids and cholesterol by extrusion through a polycarbonate membrane. They contained carboxyfluorescein in the aqueous core and fluorescein-labeled lipids in the bilayer to render them both a surface and volume fluorescer, maximizing their fluorescence intensity. The lipid composition was chosen to impart a net negative charge to liposomes to minimize self-aggregation as well as interaction with negatively charged glass surfaces of the channels. These liposomes were monodisperse (mean diameter 283 nm), neutrally buoyant, and hydrophilic and exhibited no adsorption on glass surfaces. Unlike polystyrene spheres, they were readily broken up by surfactants, thereby allowing for easy and complete removal from microfluidic channels. The fluorescent liposomes were used to investigate pressure-driven flow in an offset cross intersection in a microfluidic chip and provided images with excellent signal-to-noise ratio. A novel computational scheme that is particularly suitable for analyzing particle-image velocimeby data in micrometer-scale flow channels was employed to anabze the images. These liposomes are easily synthesized and can be custom-made for various applications to offer a broad range of surface and volume characteristics such as charge, size, and surface chemistry.


Increasing evidences reveal that the peripheral immune system is involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we report that pulmonary B lymphocytes mitigate beta-Amyloid (Aβ) pathology in 5xFAD mice. The proportion of B cells, rather than T cells, increases within the brain, meningeal and lung tissues in 3-month-old 5xFAD mice. Deletion of mature B cells aggravates Aβ load and memory deficits of 5xFAD mice. Mechanistically, pulmonary B cells can migrate to the brain parenchyma and produce interleukin-35, which inhibits neuronal β-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 expression, and subsequently reduces the production of Aβ. In turn, pulmonary B cell proliferation is associated with activation of the toll-like receptor/nuclear factor kappa-B pathway through elevated Aβ that is drained from the brain parenchyma to the lungs via meningeal lymphatics. Furthermore, promoting pulmonary B cell proliferation via overexpression of B-cell-activating factor ameliorates brain Aβ load and improves cognitive functions of 10-month-old 5xFAD mice. Together, these results highlight the lungs as both immune targets and effector organs in Aβ pathogenesis. Pulmonary B cells could serve as a potential target against AD.


Regional integration can be a process that resembles that of a huddle/tangle. Some countries might be more prone or keen or able to integrate than others; however there is no guarantee that this process will be smooth through time. On the contrary, integrating countries seem to hover and spin around some main stronger economically countries and form a tangle. Was there a pattern of integration for the various stages of new countries joining the EU? Was the initial momentum created by the founding countries a situation that has never changed during the last 40 years or so? Is there any tendency for sub-integration, especially for some specific groups of countries? This paper focuses on national exports as a tool of evidence that joining the EU is not a solution to long term economic growth unless a strategy is adopted to counteract the inherent tendencies of the huddle/tangle process. Various methods will be used to bring this evidence forward and answer the questions above.


Using concepts from inflation theory, this study examines the relationship between the returns and volatility of cryptocurrencies. We take Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and Ripple as the four most popular cryptocurrencies in the market and analyse the relationship between their returns and volatility through the application of GARCH models. The results suggest that Bitcoin and Litecoin behave as a currency subject to inflation showing a causal relationship from returns to volatility [and not the other way around]. In contrast, the results for Ethereum and Ripple show that the causation runs from volatility to returns. Moreover, the volatility of each cryptocurrency is affected by the other three cryptocurrency returns. A panel cointegration analysis shows evidence of a strong cointegration relationship in the cryptocurrency prices.


Introduction: Timely referrals and access to appropriate health care had
a great impact on reduction to maternal deaths and disabilities. Maternal
delay is one of the contributing factors for high maternal mortality in
developing countries. Maternal delays were categorized into
three levels: delay in making the decision for seeking care, delay in arrival
at a health facility, and delay in receiving adequate treatment. They have
been named first, second, and third delay maternal delays; respectively. This
study was aimed at assessing maternal delays in utilizing institutional
delivery service sin Bahir Dar, North-Western Ethiopia. Methods: A cross sectional
facility based study was conducted on a sample of 422 women attending at a
public health facility for delivery services. The sample size was determined by
using single population proportion formula and the study participants were
selected by using a systematic random sampling method. Data were collected by
means of a pre-tested, standardized questionnaire; analysis was carried out
using SPSS version 16. Results: Data was collected from 410 laboring mothers. First delay, 155 (37.8%) of mothers was
delayed in decision making for seeking care from the public health facility and
the mean delay was 8 hours. Delay in seeking emergency obstetric care [EOC]
was about seven fold among illiterate
mothers (AOR, 6.71; 95%CI, 3.66 -12.29) than literate mothers; the odds
of delay for EOC were three times more likely among mother were unable to make
decisions by their own (AOR, 3.30; 95%CI, 1.25 -7.20) than those mothers who
made the decisions of their own. Unemployed mothers were 4 times more likely to have the maternal delay in seeking
EOC (AOR, 3.94; 95%CI, 2.36 -6.57) than employed mothers. Second delay, 130 (31.7%) of mothers had transportation problems
in reaching health care facilities. Predictors in the first maternal delay
were also the major contributing factors for this delay. The third delay, after their arrival at health facilities, 126
(30.7%) mothers reported that they did not get the services on time; the mean
waiting time for getting the service was 4
hours. Conclusions: Many mothers were not getting institutional delivery care
services in a timely manner, due to the "three maternal delays".
Mothers' literacy, decision making power and employment status were the main
predictors for delivery service utilization. Hence, emphasis
should be given for awareness creation on the risks of maternal delays,
designing income generating mechanism, women empowering for in decision making and ambulance services should be strengthened.


Much of the ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B) research on plants has concentrated on vegetative plant parts, and only a small fraction has dealt with the reproductive system. The present study analyzed pollen grains of 34 taxa germinated and grown under two levels of UV-B radiation (187 and 460 mW/m2) or no UV-B (control group). Visible radiation at 260 mmol/m/s was present in all treatments. Taxa included those with binucleate and trinucleate pollen types. We detected differences among species. A significant reduction in pollen germination occurred in only five species. Pollen tubes of >50% of the species showed significant reduction in length. Trinucleate pollen types were more likely to exhibit tube length reduction than the binucleate types. Proportionately more monocotyledonous species were sensitive to UV-B treatment than dicotyledonous species, and proportionately more wild species were sensitive than cultivated species and pollen collected from plants growing in the field were somewhat more sensitive than pollen collected from plants grown in the greenhouse. Species in which pollination occurred earlier in the season were more likely to be susceptible to UV-B radiation than those for which anthesis took place later in the season, suggesting a possible adaptation to UV-B radiation.


An attempt was made to characterise thermophilic microflora isolated in an industrial plant utilising food industry waste. Initial estimation of environmental requirements of a mixed microorganism population was performed using the method measuring changes in electrical impedance by means of the BacTrac 4100 Automatic Microorganisms Growth Analyzer. Control of the dynamics of microorganism growth on broth media supplemented with sources of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus and at various pH allowed initial assessment of their environmental requirements. The course of alterations in electrical impedance during culturing of both single isolates and mixed microorganism populations can be described by means of Gompertz's curve characteristic for bacteria growth with a very high correlation coefficient. The mixed microorganism population and isolates obtained from it were also characterised from the point of view of their biodegradation potentials of wastewater obtained in the potato processing industry. Biodegradation processes carried out in conditions of shake flask cultures at a temperature of 55 o C showed higher reducing potentials of chemical oxygen demand (COD) of a mixed bacteria culture. Single isolates were characterised by a distinctly inferior metabolic activity and lower biodegradation potentials of " hot" potato wastewater.


The effect of dietary fish oils on development of hypertension and vascular response in vitro were studied in rats and a primate. Dietary fish oils (MaxEPA and an n-3 ethyl ester concentrate of higher EPA and DHA content) were administered to spontaneously hypertensive (SHR), stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive (SHR-SP) and a backcross of SHR and Wistar Kyoto (SHR/WKY) rats from 4-16 weeks of age. Blood pressure was monitored during the feeding period and vascular responses measured in the aorta and mesenteric vascular bed in vitro. Depending on the strain of rat used and the composition of the fish oil the attenuation in blood pressure was 10-26 mmHg. Fish oils attenuated the response mediated by sympathetic nerve stimulation or intralumenal norepinephrine in the perfused mesenteric vascular bed preparation from the SHR. This attenuation was more pronounced for fish oils enriched with eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid and was more prominent in the SHR and SHR/WKY backcross than it was in the SHR-SP. Prostanoid synthesis or nitric oxide modulation of alpha-adrenoceptor responses were shown not to be involved in the attenuation of vascular responses produced by fish oil. The maximum contraction of aortic ring preparations in response to norepinephrine (NE) was significantly smaller in SHR than WKY rats fed olive oil and for SHR rats maintained on fish oils the contraction was close to WKY olive oil values. Evidence was obtained also for a modulation of vasoconstrictor responses by dietary fish oils in the perfused mesenteric bed of the marmoset monkey.


The ability of F1 (H-2k/d) responder cells to generate cytotoxic effector cells against parental and F1 targets was investigated under limiting dilution conditions. One hit limiting dilution curves, consistent with the generated cytolytic cells being the progeny of a single precursor cell, were reproducibly obtained if a culture was scored as "responding" on the basis of its ability to lyse one or more of a panel of Con A blast targets consisting of self F1 and both parents. The calculated frequency of the precursor cell in a nylon wool-nonadherent splenic responder cell population ranged from about 1/500 to 1/1600 in (B10.BR X B10.D2)F1 and (RNC X BALB/c)F1 mice. The patterns of lysis expressed by individual microcultures against the panel of F1 and both parental targets were unusual; besides patterns that were consistent with predictions of classic transplantation rules (i.e., lysis of F1 targets plus one/both parental targets), "anomalous" patterns (i.e., lysis of F1 targets or one/both parental targets exclusively) were also seen. The precursor cells that gave rise to cytolytic cells were devoid of T cell markers, whereas the cytolytic effector cells were Thy-1+, Lyt-2+, as defined by sensitivity to treatment with monoclonal antibody plus complement. The data are discussed in the context of early in vitro development of cytolytic T lymphocytes, with particular emphasis on a possible manifestation of an early T cell repertoire.


Further positive social and economic development (SED) requires modelling and analysis for evaluating its results to ground directions for future development. The purpose of the paper is to study the problem of estimating of SED, to form the methodology for modelling its results and to create an aggregated econometric indicator within the framework of unified conceptual approach for the European Union (EU) countries. To achieve this goal, it is necessary to solve the following objectives: to determine the essence of the concept of SED, to study traditional approaches to measure SED, to give an overview of the DP2 modelling method, to discover and structure the elements of SED in the EU countries and to argue a conceptual approach to modelling its outcomes. The study is based on the method of mathematical modelling in economics based on Distance P2 method. Econometric modelling, as well as regression analyze, was used to develop a synthetic indicator DP2 for evaluating SED of the EU countries. Also, the research process was based on analysis, synthesis and the system approach for information processing, as well as on the method of comparative and statistical analysis, quality and quantity analysis. The results of the deep research showed that there is no unified approach to modelling SED. The Distance P2 method was first proposed to measure SED at the national level exactly for the EU. The methodology for measuring SED specifically for the EU countries based on the conceptual approach was developed and substantiated. Based on the proposed methodology and taking into account the special characteristics of the region studied - the social and economic DP2 indicator for the EU countries was created. This study proposes to build a synthetic indicator DP2 to model results of progress in SED, especially in the EU. The practical implications of the synthetic indicator DP2 for modelling and analysis of SED of the EU countries can be a prospect for further research. Applied aspect of these studies is advising the EU's public policy with the aim of advancing. Using the DP2 synthetic indicator of SED for the EU countries will identify and substantiate the main directions for developing the country's domestic policy to improve the quality of life of the populations. Also, the results of the study can be used for advisory purposes to develop and optimize the EU development strategy 2020-2030. The value and originality of the paper lie in further application of the methodology of modelling the SED of the EU countries through synthetic indicator DP2. This will expand opportunities for increasing the national economy's efficiency, that is highly important in terms of increased international competition.


Objectives Gallstone disease is a common reason for emergency department (ED) presentation. Surgeons often prefer radiology department ultrasound (RUS) over point of care ultrasound (POCUS) because of perceived of unreliability. Our study was designed to test the hypothesis that POCUS is sufficient to guide the management of surgeons treating select cases of biliary disease as compared to RUS. Methods This was a prospective cohort study. Patients who presented to the ED with abdominal pain and findings of biliary disease on POCUS were included. The surgeon was then presented the case with POCUS only and recorded their management decision. Patients then proceeded to RUS, were followed through their stay, and analysis was performed to analyze the proportion of patients where the introduction of the RUS changed the management plan. Results 100 patients were included in this study, and all received both POCUS and RUS. Depending on the surgeons' POCUS based management decisions, the patients were divided into three groups: (1) surgery, (2) duct clearance, (3) no surgery. Total bilirubin was 34±22 mmol/L in the duct clearance group vs 8.4±6.5 mmol/L and 16±12 mmol/L in the surgery and no surgery groups, respectively (p<0.05). POCUS results showed 68 patients would have been offered surgery, 21 offered duct clearance, and 11 no surgery. In 90% of cases, the introduction of RUS did not change management. The acute care surgeons elected to operate on patients more frequently than other surgical subspecialties (p<0.05). Conclusions This study showed that fewer than 10% of patients with biliary disease seen on POCUS had a change in surgical decision-making based on the addition of RUS imaging. In uncomplicated cases of biliary disease, relying on POCUS imaging for surgical decision-making has the potential to improve patient flow. Level of evidence II Prospective Cohort Study.


Abstract Background: The eukaryotic release factor 3 (eRF3) has been shown to affect both tubulin and actin cytoskeleton, suggesting a role in cytoskeleton assembly, mitotic spindle formation and chromosome segregation. Also, direct interactions between eRF3 and subunits of the cytosolic chaperonin CCT have been described. Moreover, both eRF3a and CCT subunits have been described to be up-regulated in cancer tissues. Our aim was to evaluate the hypothesis that eRF3 expression levels are correlated with the expression of genes encoding proteins involved in the tubulin folding pathways. Methods: Relative expression levels of eRF1, eRF3a/GSPT1, PFDN4, CCT2, CCT4, and TBCA genes in tumour samples relative to their adjacent normal tissues were investigated using real time-polymerase chain reaction in 20 gastric cancer patients. Results: The expression levels of eRF3a/GSPT1 were not correlated with the expression levels of the other genes studied. However, significant correlations were detected between the other genes, both within intestinal and diffuse type tumours. Conclusions: eRF3a/GSPT1 expression at the mRNA level is independent from both cell translation rates and from the expression of the genes involved in tubulin-folding pathways. The differences in the patterns of expression of the genes studied support the hypothesis of genetically independent pathways in the origin of intestinal and diffuse type gastric tumours. Clin Chem Lab Med 2009;47:427–31.


This review evaluates the current state of the historiography of human rights, which originated as a field a mere decade ago. It proposes that the substantive contents of norms, doctrines, and law still attract most historians interested in human rights but are only part of a necessarily broader domain of inquiry. Promisingly, recent entries in the field focus on the extension of the geographical scale of application of human rights, as well as on the differing political and ideological salience that human rights ideas have achieved in diverse moments. The historiographical survey concludes with a discussion of why the history of human rights began to be written and whether it is a pressing task to continue building the field.


In this paper we present an overview of the microwave properties of a surface electromagnetic wave resonator (SEWR) made on the basis of a superconducting film, and also consider possible applications of such resonators to create various microwave devices. Features of such a SEWR are the simplicity of its design (such a resonator, in fact, can be just the superconducting film itself on a dielectric substrate); a large amplitude of microwave electromagnetic field on the surface of the resonator's superconducting film, which allows one to organize intense interaction of this field with the superconductor; the possibility of synchronous operation of integrated superconducting elements, embedded in the resonator, under the action of its microwave field. The review is based on our works published since 2000 and discusses the possible applications of superconducting SEWRs to create a new class of microwave filters, microwave signal generators and detectors, and other devices based on Josephson junctions.


Objectives: The aim of the study was to assess the acceptance and usefulness to students of a studentdeveloped portfolio of Guidelines (GLs) in clinical skills, as a tool for competency development in the early years of the undergraduate medical program. Methods: A mixed-method design was employed to explore students' perceptions of the general usefulness of their portfolio of GLs in focus group discussions. From the results of these discussions, a questionnaire was developed to ascertain the prevalence of the views that emerged from the qualitative data amongst a whole cohort of Year 6 students. Results: Students rated the usefulness of their portfolios very highly and the uses of the portfolios evolved as students progressed to their final year, when they were also able to perceive the importance of the acquisition skills required whilst developing their own GLs, for use in subsequent years. Conclusions: Based on the students' responses in Year 6, the student- developed portfolio of GLs in clinical skills was accepted and found useful. Other than being used as a tool for competency development, it also seems possible that the portfolio could be used as a tool for reflection in clinical skills, even in the early years.


Water resources are the major segments of the sustainable development in any region of the world.The current study identifies the hill torrents and groundwater resourcesin the Kohistan region of district Jamshoro, Sindh province of Pakistan. The study area is a hilly, mountainous range with arid to semi-arid climatic conditions, the high altitude do not allow the source of perennial/canal system, and depending on source of precipitation. Remote sensing data of Alos DEM of 30-meter resolution were obtained throughUSGS earth explorer official website. Shape filewas developed through the Google Earth Pro and ArcGIStechnique. HEC-GeoHMS was used to obtain hill torrents through processing tools and the stream definition was automated fixed to delineate the watershed area covering >= 75 km2.IdentifiedThe Groundwater resource into two categories of dug well and deep well. The study showed various ranges in the length of hill torrents 0.12 to 43.30 km, the depth of dug well aquifer 08.23-33.50 and deep well 91.50 to 164 meters in the region. Due to some research limitations the number 52 hill torrents, 33 dug wells and 11 deep wells were identified. Hill torrents carry runoff for the least period of rainy days, the torrential beds percolate the runoff and recharge shallow aquifers in the region, while deep aquifers recharges through adjoining watersheds. Water resourcepotential in the study area could be established by efficient heavy machinery to strengthening the torrential beds, and farms periphery bund structures, channelize watercourses, developed different ranges of ponds and reservoirs to capture floodwater, which enhance the recharge capacity of groundwater and introduce a high efficiency irrigation system in the study area. The spatial variation of water resources through modeling assessment has a major importance in the planning and development. Remote Sensing and GIS techniques enable the analysis with accurate results by consuming short time.


The cardiac glycoside ouabain has been shown to stimulate erythroid stem cell (CFU-e/BFU-e) colony formation while inhibiting both granulocyte/macrophage precursor cell (CFU-gm) and murine spleen stem cell (CFU-s) colony formation. We have examined the ability of ouabain to increase both CFU-e/BFU-e colony formation by performing time-delay and temperature-dependent studies. After pre-exposure of marrow cells to ouabain (10(-15) M) at temperatures of 27, 37, or 4 degrees C, erythropoietin (Ep) was added after time-delays ranging from 10 s to 60 min. The ouabain-induced increase in CFU-e/BFU-e colony formation was observed up to an Ep-delay of 20 s, after which time the enhancing effect of ouabain was diminished. This increase was also observed when marrow cells were first exposed to Ep prior to a similar delayed exposure to ouabain. The enhancement effect seen with ouabain was also temperature dependent, since at 37 degrees C an earlier time increase in CFU-e/BFU-e colony formation was observed when compared to identical studies performed at either room temperature or 4 degrees C. These studies suggest that ouabain-induced elevations in erythroid stem cell colony formation involve mechanisms that are both time and temperature dependent.


Objective To observe the influence of the dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor NVP-BEZ235 on proliferation and apoptosis of hemangioma cells in vitro and key molecules of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.Methods Hemangioma-derived endothelial cells (HeECs) were obtained by surgical resection and cultured after the explants with the trypsin-digestion method. Fourth generation cells were cultured with serum-free medium for 24 hours. Then, the intervention group cells were added to the culture medium with 0.50 μM or 1.00 μM NVP-BEZ235. Cell proliferation was detected with CCK-8 assays, apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, and PI3K, Akt, mTOR, and p70s6k protein levels were detected by Western blots. Then, the relationship between the phenotype of hemangioma vascular endothelial cells and the four proteins was analyzed.Results the 0.50 μM and 1.00 μM NVP-BEZ235 groups were significantly lower (0.88±0.03 and 0.59±0.05, respectively) than the control group (1.10±0.02) (P<0.01). The rate of G0/G1 phase cells in the 0.50 μM and 1.00 μM NVP-BEZ235 group were higher than the control group (P<0.01). The total rates of apoptotic cells in the 0.50 μM and 1.00 μM NVP-BEZ235 groups were higher than the control group (2.77±1.23)% (P<0.01). The PI3K pathway related protein levels in the NVP-BEZ235 group were lower than control group (P<0.01).Conclusion The PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway participates in hemangioma development. NVP-BEZ235 affected hemangioma vascular endothelial cells in vitro by regulating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in a dose-dependent manner.


The so-called mechanochemical method for the synthesis of zeolites reduces the generation of liquid residues and gaseous pollutants as compared to the conventional solvothermal method. Different types of zeolites have been synthesized at the laboratory scale with this method using mostly pestle and mortar. However, such an approach hinders both the systematic comprehension of the effects of the input variables of the milling process and its further scale-up towards the synthesis of the zeolites and their catalytic application. This work investigates the influence of key factors involved in the ball milling stage of the mechanochemical route for the synthesis of MFI done with the assistance of a commercial MFI seed and in the absence of solvents over the most salient physicochemical properties of this type of materials, i.e. the recovery percentage, production cost, morphology, surface area and porosity, crystallinity, acidity of the protonated MFI and catalytic performance. The synthesis of the materials was planned and executed following a full 24 factorial experiment whose input variables were the Na2O/SiO2 and H2O/SiO2 molar ratios and the milling time and speed. The effects of both main and interaction factors over key physicochemical properties, and catalytic behavior of the synthesized materials on the alkylation of phenol with tert-butyl alcohol were established within the explored sampling space. Results showed that the Na2O/SiO2 molar ratio plays a key role for the mechanochemical synthesis of MFI, since this variable may direct the synthesis to the preferential production of MOR instead of MFI. On the other hand, it was found that the milling time and speed and their interactions markedly impact the textural properties of MFI. Furthermore, the triple interaction between the input variables affected the concentration of Lewis acid sites of the produced materials. These effects were rationalized by considering that sodium can act as a structure directing agent during the mechanochemical synthesis of MFI and also can promote the incorporation of aluminum to its structure. On the other hand, the milling time and speed are non-linearly correlated to the milling energy required for forming the aluminosilicate precursor that crystallizes during the hydrothermal stage of the process. Overall, all the zeolites synthesized by the mechanochemical route were less crystalline than both the MFI used as seed and an MFI synthesized by sol-gel. This was associated to the formation of amorphous agglomerates around the zeolitic crystals. Finally, the catalytic behavior of the mechanochemical MFI zeolites in the studied reaction was found to be linearly and positively correlated with both the concentration of BrØnsted of sites and with the density of acid sites. The catalytic tendencies were consistent with the proposal of a stepwise Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism for the alkylation of phenol with tert-butyl alcohol.


Pegasus is a graph which offers substantially increased connectivity between the qubits of quantum annealing hardware compared to the graph Chimera. It is the first fundamental change in the connectivity graph of quantum annealers built by D-Wave since Chimera was introduced in 2009 and then used in 2011 for D-Wave's first commercial quantum annealer. In this article we describe an algorithm which defines the connectivity of Pegasus and we provide what we believe to be the best way to graphically visualize Pegasus in order to see which qubits couple to each other. As supplemental material, we provide a wide variety of different visualizations of Pegasus which expose different properties of the graph in different ways. We provide an open source code for generating the many depictions of Pegasus that we show.


The Kenya Medical Supplies Authority (KEMSA) is a state-owned health logistics service company with the core mandate to procure, warehouse and distribute healthcare commodities to public sector health facilities and other public sector customers. Since the inception of KEMSA in 2000 there have been multiple projects and initiatives to improve the performance of KEMSA. However, despite these efforts, and until recently KEMSA had struggled to effectively demonstrate any sustained improvements in performance. In the last 3-4 years, KEMSA under its new leadership has shown sustained improvements in performance, accountability and transparency. In the last year, the Government of Kenya has embarked on the devolution of health financing to the counties to ensure that services are delivered effectively and efficiently to communities. The devolution has resulted in a significant change in the way KEMSA receives monies for carrying out its activities. Of particular relevance is that the devolution has led to ordering and payment for drugs and health commodities by counties. This required KEMSA to reconfigure its business model to serve the 47 counties in Kenya as its customers. The World Bank, through its Health Sector Support Project (HSSP), capitalized KEMSA in order to meet working capital needs that would arise under the new devolved system of financing. Competitive pressures arising from devolution and the new business model, a new management structure with strong leadership and governance, technical support from development partners such as the World Bank and United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and greater flexibilities arising from KEMSA's change of status to a public authority together are converging to create a "new" KEMSA. It is an opportune time to study the state of reforms at KEMSA, highlight the successes, and develop ideas for meeting the challenges ahead. The ongoing transformation of KEMSA from a bureaucratic state-run medicines supply agency to a more independent and competitive medical logistics authority is an important milestone and it presents opportunities for other countries to learn from the successes and failures at KEMSA.


Background: People with advanced heart failure have repeated hospital admissions. Advance care planning can support patient preferences, but studies in people with heart failure have not been assessed. Aim: To evaluate the literature regarding advance care planning in heart failure. Design: Systematic review and narrative analysis (PROSPERO CRD42017059190). Data sources: Electronic databases were searched (1990 to 23 March 2017): MEDLINE(R), Cochrane Library, CINAHL and Scopus. Four journals were hand searched. Two independent researchers screened against eligibility criteria. One reviewer extracted all data and a sample by a second. Quality was assessed by Cochrane Risk of Bias or the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Tool for Cohort Studies. Results: Out of the 1713 articles, 8 were included representing 14,357 participants from in/outpatient settings from five countries. Two randomised controlled trials and one observational study assessed planning as part of a specialist palliative care intervention; one randomised controlled trial assessed planning in addition to usual cardiology care; one randomised controlled trial and one observational study assessed planning in an integrated cardiology–palliative care model; one observational study assessed evidence of planning (advance directive) as part of usual care and one observational study was a secondary analysis of trial participants coded Do Not Attempt Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. Advance care planning: (1) reduced hospitalisation (5/7 studies); (2) increased referral/use of palliative services (4/4 studies); and (3) supported deaths in the patient-preferred place (2/2 studies). Conclusion: Advance care planning as part of specialist palliative care reduces hospitalisation. Preliminary studies of planning integrated into generic care, accessing specialist palliative care support if needed, are promising.


In the last three decades, the development of the artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) sector has been increasing in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), bringing more and more urban families into this flourishing business sector, and among them, children. This article aims to look at the often unconceivable, and as a result neglected, social agency of children even when they are involved in activities which are, in the international legislation on children's rights, categorized as one of the worst forms of child labour. To do so, it relies on the results of a socio-anthropological collective research project on children's mining activities which was carried out in a small locality called La Ruashi in the city of Lubumbashi (Province of Katanga). The article aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of these child mining-related activities by looking at different spheres of social relations within which children are embedded. Examining the set of social relations that children have with their families, the broader community and their 'peers', several 'family portraits' are offered, highlighting a heterogeneity of social interpretations regarding this form of child work. It is shown that for families from a middle-class background, this kind of work is often socially disruptive, at the forefront of intergenerational conflict. As for families from lower classes, social changes induced by children's mining activities are often better incorporated into the family habitus. Common dynamics, encountered in all families irrespective of class belonging, is also portrayed.


We have theoretically investigated the thermal characteristics of double-channel ridge-waveguide InGaAs/AlInAs quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) emitting at λ ∼ 8.8 µm in comparison with the experimental results. Based on the measured data, the thermal parameters were obtained with heat source densities using a two-dimensional anisotropic heat dissipation model. For 21 µm × 4 mm QCLs, the thermal conductance (Gth) value was 215.5W/K-cm2 at 298 K in continuous-wave (CW) operation. The Gth value was significantly increased by using a buried heterostructure (BH) via the regrowth of undoped InP layer around the laser ridge. Also, an additional improvement in the Gth was made by the use of a diamond submount, and the temperature dependency of the devices was largely decreased. The Gth value was improved to 306.7 W/K-cm2 at 298 K in the CW mode for epilayer-down bonded BH QCLs with an InP embedded layer on a diamond submount.


We draw on the resource-based view of the firm and the alliance benefits and costs literature to advance a model of value creation in firms that access network resources through multiple simultaneous strategic alliances with different partners. Our model suggests that value creation on the alliance portfolio level is a function of the benefits created through synergistic combinations of network resources accessed through alliances with different partners and of the costs generated by the substitutability of resource combinations between the focal firm and its alliance partners. We specify the conditions under which firms can leverage their network resources accessed from alliances with different partners to create benefits above and beyond the benefits they create at the level of any individual alliance. We conclude that the value creating potential of network resources should not only be evaluated on the basis of each individual alliance but also from an alliance portfolio perspective.


Dens invaginatus is a dental anomaly that can result in loss of tooth vitality and the need for root canal treatment. The pulpal morphology of these teeth can be complex which makes successful root canal treatment difficult to achieve. To maintain vitality attempts have been made to prophylactically treat these teeth by sealing the invagination with a variety of materials. This paper describes the use of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) in both the prophylactic treatment of teeth with minor invaginations and the incorporation of MTA in the final obturation of non-vital teeth with invaginations with grossly atypical morphology.


This is a study of political culture of Kwun Tong, a fast-developing industrial community of Hong Kong. Employing a set of concepts developed by sociologists and political scientists, it is attempted to give a systematic explanation of data, thereby throwing some lights on the understanding of people's attitudes and orientations towards politics. This study can provide us with a theoretical and empirical base, be preliminary as it may, to probe into the nature of the political system of the Colony. In analyzing the data bearing on the political culture of the Hong Kong community, empirical findings of other societies are utilized in order to give it a comparative perspective. Furthermore, the Chinese traditional political-cultural value systems have been used as a point of reference, thus showing the continuity and discontinuity of the Chinese political culture of Kwun Tong under investigation Before embarking on analyzing the data directly, a brief articulation of the theoretical framework is in order.


The revolution of research, precisely, the revolution of knowledge has been transforming the role of modern universities in Europe and farther. Nowadays, it is emphasized the need to revise the whole process of research – technology – production. The enhancement of human knowledge is a consequence of the changes and transformations being done in all aspects of the practical life of the society. A quick development has accompanied the direct or indirect geographical group sciences. Among the widespread fields of study introduced nowadays, it is hard to find another field of study, which is more interdisciplinary than the one being discussed. Albania is trespassing another stage of social and economical transformations, and this is due to political changes undergone in the years 1990-1991. This stage is followed by other new changes which require further scientific studies based on specific topics. An important step has been done in the regional tackling of problems, where it was estimated the interdependence between the geographic environment and the demographic and economic development of specific regions. Such studies have been done in the field of tourism, a field much explored in the aspects of natural and cultural inheritance. The scientific research in Geography needs to be developed through detailed analysis, which is based on primary and secondary data. These data should be well interpreted from a contemporary point of view, characterized also from physical and geographical transformations, as well as social and economical ones. Although the curricula of Geography in Albanian universities has undergone several changes, (a lot of subjects have been added to the curricula), their effect on the scientific research has not been so much reflected. The field of the applicative scientific research in Geography is broad, because the object of Geography is broad. The applicative scientific research of Geography in Albania will give importance to the role of the geographer, especially in different levels of decisions. The paper will show concrete arguments for the necessity of strengthening the applicative character in the scientific research of Geography in our country.


Successful extraction of tactile and kinematic information is crucial for appropriate motor actions in daily life. To achieve this objective, sensory signals should be effectively regulated during motor actions. This regulation is understood both empirically and conceptually, but it is not well known where and how it is implemented in the central nervous system. Here, we show that, during voluntary movement, sensory signals are already attenuated in the primate cuneate nucleus, an early processing site in the ascending lemniscus pathway. The degree of suppression was comparable with the one reported in the cortex, suggesting that psychological attenuation of somatosensation could be ascribed to the cuneate. The results also revealed that this sensory attenuation was of descending origin, suggesting that cortical sensory prediction signals could regulate cuneate sensory transmission for extracting meaningful, and attenuate unnecessary, signals for movement regulation. This recurrent sensory modulation mechanism between cortical and subcortical areas may generalize to other sensory modalities and cognitive processes.


Glioblastoma (GBM) is a highly invasive and malignant brain tumor. Currently, it remains unclear whether Glioblastoma stem-like cells (GSCs) contribute to the invasive phenotype of GBM. Invasion is a complex process involving interactions between tumor cells with the extracellular matrix (ECM), in addition to normal cells. The present study aimed to identify the regulators of GSCs invasion in the GBM tumor microenvironment. An integrative analysis was conducted to identify genes that are important for GSC invasion and are specifically upregulated in astroglia/microglia co-cultured GSCs. Of the identified genes, serpin peptidase inhibitor clade A member 3 (SERPINA3) was observed to be abnormally overexpressed in astroglia/microglia co-cultured GSCs. To further investigate the role of SERPINA3 in glioma pathogenesis and prognosis, a tissue microarray analysis was conducted to evaluate the expression of SERPINA3 and its association to clinicopathological factors and patient survival. The data indicated that upregulation of SERPINA3 was significantly associated with glioma progression and poor patient survival. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that the upregulation of SERPINA3 in glioma may contribute to the invasive behavior of GBM cells by remodeling of the ECM. Overall, the findings of the present study may be useful in future prognosis of GBM patients, suggesting that SERPINA is a potential therapeutic target, and may lead to further understanding of GBM and cancer progression as a whole.


Pituitary gland endocrine tissue was transplanted to the fourth ventricle of the brain of adult rats. The grafts were left in place for eight to ten weeks. One micron thick Epon sections were cut for microscopical and morphometrical analysis. The microvascular length density, the microvascular surface area density and the volume weighted mean pituitary cell volume were measured. The transplants were connected to the recipient brains through a few rather large vessels vessels either from the arachnoidea or the choroid plexus. Neuronal connections were never established. The microvascular length and surface area densities were significantly increased in the grafts, whereas the weighted mean cell volume was reduced. The results indicate that pituitary tissue can be transplanted to the fourth ventricle of the brain and the blood supply reestablished. The increased vascular densities are due to lower cell volume and probably also to cell loss and not to proliferation or angiogenesis. The reduced pituitary cell volume may be the result of missing trophic factors which normally are secreted to the pituitary in the sella turcica.


Welcome to this Special Edition of the International Journal of Training Research, with the theme of VET Teaching and Teacher Education. Within this edition are six articles, each addressing a particular aspect of the central theme, and I hope you enjoy engaging with all of them. This Special Edition is the culmination of a number of activities beginning in 2010 when Professor Erica Smith, one of Australia's champions of Vocational Education and Training (VET) teacher education, instigated the creation of a VET working group that would sit within the Australian Council of Deans of Education (ACDE). Erica circulated a plea to all deans of education in Australian universities, asking them to nominate their VET teacher-educator (if they had one!) to join our group. For me, as the sole VET teacher-educator at the University of Tasmania, it was wonderful to connect with like-minded peers across Australia, all of whom are passionate about the value of VET teacher education and the need for it to remain part of the offerings in our universities. Since that time, Australian Council of Deans of Education Vocational Education Group (ACDEVEG) (as we became known) has worked collaboratively on a number of activities, from representations to the Productivity Commission's research into the VET workforce, to responses to federal government inquiries, and providing support and advice to each other in our mission to encourage and strengthen VET teacher education. Our group represents a wonderful example of would-be competitors working together for the betterment of a common cause.


The relations between Wehrl's entropy and squeezing or total noise in the field with Gaussian Q function are established. The results show that, the Wehrl's entropy will be reduced when the squeezing is increased or the total noise is decreased. The other nonclassical properties in this kind of field are also discussed.


Objectives: Management of castration-resistant prostate cancer after docetaxel has become an unmet need for which various agents have been investigated. We report our experience with a paclitaxel-based regimen. Methods: From February 2004 to November 2007, 15 patients (PTS) received paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 weekly on day 1, carboplatin (AUC = 6) on day 1 every 21 days and estramustine 140 mg on days –1, 0 and 1 every week. Results: Patient characteristics are: median age 67 years (range 44–81), median performance status (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group) 1 (range 0–2) and median prostate-specific antigen 67.5 ng/ml (range 1.5–480). All PTS had soft-tissue and 12 (80%) also had osseous disease. A >50% decrease in prostate-specific antigen levels occurred in 9 PTS (60%, 95% CI 32–84). Responses included a partial response in 6 (40%, 95% CI 16–68) and stable disease in 5 PTS (33%). Median duration of progression-free survival was 4.0 months (range 1.1–13) and median survival was 14.6 months. After a median of 4 cycles (range 1–7), significant toxicity included fatigue grade 3 in 2 PTS (13%), neuropathy grade 2 and grade 4 in 1 patient each, and a single episode of grade 3 edema. Myelosuppression was mild. Two PTS (13%) had urinary tract infection and 1 patient neutropenic fever. One patient died due to brain hemorrhage. Conclusions: Administration of second-line paclitaxel-based chemotherapy after docetaxel therapy is active in PTS with castration-resistant prostate cancer. This regimen is too toxic for palliative therapy. Careful patient selection is needed when this regimen is considered for therapy in these PTS.


Chassis design on a racing car must meet many conflicting requirements including high torsional and flexual rigidity, driver safety, optimum suspension geometry, a low center of gravity and light weight. In comparison to our 2010 model, the frame weight of the 2011 model was reduced by 15% whilst increasing torsional rigidity to 920Nm/deg. Suspension geometry was refined based on driver feedback and track chronometry. Suspension components were simplified, reducing weight by 10% and greatly reducing cost. A standardization approach was taken from the 2011 model, allowing a near complete compatibility of commercial parts amongst different year models.


Background: Although hepatocytes have a remarkable regenerative power, the rapidity of acute liver failure makes liver transplantation the only definitive treatment. Attempts to incorporate engineered three-dimensional liver tissue in bioartificial liver devices or in implantable tissue constructs, to treat or bridge patients to self-recovery, were met with many challenges, amongst which is to find suitable polymeric matrices. We studied the feasibility of utilising nanocomposite polymers in three-dimensional scaffolds for hepatocytes. Materials and methods: Hepatocytes (HepG2) were seeded on a flat sheet and in three-dimensional scaffolds made of a nanocomposite polymer (Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxane [POSS]-modified polycaprolactone urea urethane) alone as well as with porogen particles, i.e. glucose, sodium bicarbonate and sodium chloride. The scaffold architecture, cell attachment and morphology were studied with scanning electron microscopy, and we assessed cell viability and functionality. Results: Cell attachment to the scaffolds was demonstrated. The scaffold made with glucose particles as porogen showed a narrower range of pore size with higher porosity and better inter-pore communications and seemed to encourage near normal cell morphology. There was a steady increase of albumin secretion throughout the experiment while the control (monolayer cell culture) showed a steep decrease after day 7. At the end of the experiment, there was no significant difference in viability and functionality between the scaffolds and the control. Conclusion: In this initial study, porogen particles were used to modify the scaffolds produced from the novel polymer. Although there was no significance against the control in functionality and viability, the demonstrable attachment on scanning electron microscopy suggest potential roles for this polymer and in particular for scaffolds made with glucose particles in liver tissue engineering.


Stacked generalization is a classification technique which aims to increase the performance of individual classifiers by combining them under a hierarchical architecture. In many applications, this technique, performs better than other classification schemas under some circumstances. However, in some applications, the performance of the technique goes astray, for the reasons that are not well-known. Even though it is used in several application domains up to now, it is not clear under which circumstances stacked generalization technique increases the performance. In this work, the states of the performance of stacked generalization technique is analyzed in terms of the performance parameters of the individual classifiers under the architecture. This work shows that the individual classifiers should learn the training set sharing the members of the set among themselves for the success of the stacked generalization architecture.


The ideal of the language of Cervantes tries to overcome the particular objective realism of his time, the Renaissance, and to print his own mark: the multidimensionality of language. Not only do they consist of his remonstrances to Sancho as mere grammatical formulas; they seek a more complete and complex solution to Renaissance rationality. Montalvo, in his search for the unity of the language, does not skimp on the rejection of popular speech, its precariousness and lack of plasticity. The model will be Spain, but that of good writers. "El Buscapie," a prologue to Capitulos que se le olvidaron a Cervantes, is particularly important to observe his passionate defense of the Spanish in Spain: the Academy, academics and writers of El Siglo de Oro.


To the Editor. —Pneumatic retinopexy with expandable gas is gaining popularity as an alternative method of treating superior rhegmatogenous retinal detachments. Several complications have been reported with this procedure. We recently observed the occurrence of a macular hole in one patient that developed shortly after she received an intraocular injection of sulfur hexafluoride. We believe that the macular hole was related to and is an important complication of this procedure. Report of a Case. —A 64-year-old woman presented with a one-week history of blurred vision in her right eye. Best corrected visual acuity was 20/200 OD. Retinal examination revealed a very bullous detachment from the 8-o'clock to 2:30 positions in a clockwise direction. Two semilunar tears and a small round hole were noted at the 1-o'clock position; a round hole on flat retina was visualized at the 5:30 position. The macula was detached but otherwise intact (Figure). The patient was


This paper extends the well known Held-Karp's lower bound available for a single travelling salesman problem to the following multiple depot UAV routing problem (MDURP): Given a collection of UAVs that start at different depots, a set of terminals and destinations, the problem is to choose paths for each of the UAVs so that (1) each UAV starts at its respective depot, visits atleast one destination and reaches any one of the terminals not visited by other UAVs; (2) each destination is visited by exactly one UAV; and (3) the cost of the paths is a minimum among all possible paths for the UAVs. The criteria for the cost of paths considered is the total cost of the edges travelled by the entire collection. This MDURP is formulated as a minimum cost constrained forest problem subject to side constraints. By dualizing the side constraints, one can obtain an infinite family of lower bounds for MDURP. Each lower bound can be computed in a tractable way using a matroid intersection algorithm. Also, when the costs of traveling between any two locations satisfy triangle inequality, it is shown that there exists a 2-approximation algorithm for solving the MDURP


This is a reissue in a new format of a book of verse by Adrienne Rich, whose Collected Early Poems 1950-1970 was chosen as one of the Top Twenty titles for the Feminist Book Festival, Britain's annual celebration of the best of women's writing.


Colorectal cancer, comprising 85% sporadic non-hereditary tumors, is the third in cancer incidence and the second leading cause of cancer mortality in the United States. Initiating mutations in key genes, APC, KRAS and p53, determine transformation and early oncogenesis in the colon. The initiating mutation in the APC tumor suppressor gene activates Wnt signaling. Progression mostly requires mutation in the KRAS oncogene, facilitating cytoplasmic->nuclear translocation of β-catenin. Mutation in p53 coincides with the transition from adenoma->carcinoma. While the specific genetic mutations that determine oncogenesis in colon cancer are well documented, the fundamental biologic mechanisms that determine synergism in effecting transformation remain poorly understood. The GLI genes are transcription factors that regulate Hedgehog signaling, which is activated in colon cancer. GLI1 and GLI2 are oncogenes, induce transformation, and determine oncogenesis in glioma, medulloblastoma (GLI1), and basal cell carcinoma (GLI2). We have demonstrated in colon carcinoma cells that GLI2 is activated by oncogenic KRAS, activates GLI1, and determines cell survival. In immortalized HCEC cells with defined genetic mutations, we discovered that GLI2 is activated during transformation, dependent on synergistic interactions between mAPC and KRAS[G12V] pathways in the presence of inactive p53. This renders cells dependent on GLI for survival. In isogenic HCEC models, KRAS[G12V] determines β-catenin subcellular trafficking between membrane adherens junctions (AJ), cytoplasm and nucleus. This is apparent following inhibition of ERK (AJ->cytoplasm) and/or GSK3β (AJ->nucleus) that determine β-catenin subcellular localization. Further, we have identified GLI2 as a new Wnt target gene, transcriptionally regulated by Wnt-dependent TCF4, which binds to consensus sequences in the GLI2 promoter. Oncogenic KRAS signaling channels through and converges on GLI2 to drive GLI2 to a higher activating state. GLI2 is transcriptionally regulated by an ERK-dependent mechanism that requires the GLI cofactor, ZIC2. Thus, GLI2 is activated by both Wnt and oncogenic KRAS signaling pathways. In summary, we present a new molecular model that identifies the GLI2 oncogene as a critical determinant of human colonic epithelial cell transformation. These studies will: 1) define the key mutational events and biologic mechanisms that functionally activate the oncogene GLI2 during colonic epithelial cell transformation; 2) define the role of GLI2 in early oncogenesis; 3) identify key molecules and potential new targets that determine transformation; 4) lead to improved therapeutic strategies specific to colorectal cancer. Citation Format: Tapati Mazumdar, Akwasi Agyeman, Jerry W. Shay, Janet A. Houghton. New molecular model identifying the critical role of the GLI2 oncogene in human colonic epithelial cell (HCEC) transformation. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr 467. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-467