In the past several years, significant progress in many aspects of pulmonary fibrosis research has been made. Among them, the finding that a variety of cytokines play important roles in the complex process appears most intriguing. These cytokines include at least transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), platelet-derived growth factor, fibroblast growth factors, (TGF-alpha), interleukin-1, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha. These cytokines have been demonstrated to be produced at the sites of active fibrosis where they appear to be expressed by activated inflammatory cells, such as macrophages and eosinophils. More interestingly, other noninflammatory lung cells including mesenchymal cells, such as myofibroblasts, and epithelial cells, have been found to be significant sources as well, albeit in most instances at somewhat different time points than those by inflammatory cells. Study of the individual cytokines in vitro has revealed a variety of potential roles for these cytokines in the regulation of the fibrotic process in vivo, including chemoattractant, mitogenic activities for fibroblasts, stimulation of extracellular matrix and alpha-smooth muscle actin gene expression, alteration of the contractile phenotype of fibroblasts and regulation of diverse functions of lung inflammatory and epithelial cells which can further impact on the fibrotic process by autocrine and paracrine mechanisms. Of these cytokines, it appears that TGF-beta is probably the most important cytokine in terms of the direct stimulation of lung matrix expression which typifies fibrosis. Recently however, there is accumulating evidence to indicate that the situation is much more complex than any one single cytokine being solely responsible for the fibrotic response. The concept of complex lung cytokine networks, orchestrated by a few key cytokines, such as TNF-alpha, being responsible for this response has received strong support from recent studies. This means that it is the balance of positive (profibrogenic) and negative (antifibrogenic) forces generated from interaction among the various cytokines constituting these networks, which may finally determine the outcome of lung injury and inflammation. The importance of these cytokines also suggests new potential targets for designing new therapies for progressive pulmonary fibrosis, and perhaps their utility in prognostication as well.


Assessment of delayed hypersensitivity to beryllium compounds was made by using in vivo and in vitro techniques in sensitized and normal guinea pigs. Hartley strain guinea pigs could be sensitized by repeated intradermal injections over a 6-week period, but not by single injections of beryllium intraperitoneally or intramuscularly. Maximum subtoxic doses of BeSO4 (5 µg) and BeF2 (2.5 µg) were determined for the intradermal skin test in normal guinea pigs. When these doses of salts were used to challenge sensitized animals, classical delayed hypersensitive skin reactions ensued. When normal and sensitized guinea pigs were challenged with an insoluble form of beryllium (BeO), the reactions obtained were considered typical of classical beryllium granulomata in only the sensitized animals.
 Soluble mediators of cellular hypersensitivity were assayed as in vitro correlates of delayed hypersensitivity. There was a 74% positive correlation of migration-inhibitory factor (MIF) and skin test results in sensitized animals. This sensitivity to beryllium was transferable by cells when assessed by both in vivo and in vitro techniques in the passively sensitized recipients. Lymphocytotoxin was also demonstrable in cell suspensions from sensitized animals when exposed to beryllium, but not in unsensitized controls.
 Patients with diagnosed chronic pulmonary berylliosis were assessed for sensitivity by in vitro inhibition of peripheral blood leukocyte migration and showed MIF production when exposed to BeSO4 in vitro. An unexplained inhibition of leukocyte migration was observed when peripheral leukocytes from these patients were exposed in vitro to tuberculin purified protein derivative (PPD), even though the patients were all skin test-negative before steroid therapy. Peripheral blood leukocytes from patients with chronic lung disease other than berylliosis and no history of exposure to beryllium were MIF-negative to BeSO4, but positive to PPD.
 The available data support the hypothesis that reactivity to beryllium compounds is due to classical delayed hypersensitivity, and the techniques that were used may be applicable as diagnostic tools.


A data-acquisition system for characterizing dropouts in terms of data-recording errors is introduced. Data acquired with the system is presented, and a method of data analysis suggested. Dropouts, where the amplitude decreases to 10-15 percent nominal, are shown as the primary cause of data read-back errors. Possible applications of the techniques for data acquisition and analysis are discussed briefly.


This study aims to determine the literacy of the village community about agricultural zakat and what factors are behind the lack of village people in paying agricultural zakat. This research approach uses a qualitative descriptive approach. Collecting data from this research are interviews, documentation, and observations. The sources of data obtained from primary data sources are from the head of Sidodadi Village, one of the hamlet heads, community leaders, and farmers. While the secondary data source is documentation obtained from the field. Zakat is a property that must be issued for Muslims to those who are entitled to receive it, such as the faqir, poor, amil, converts, slaves, gharim, fisabilillah, and ibn sabil. The agricultural zakat is all agricultural produce that is planted using seeds, the results of which can be eaten by humans and animals. Agricultural zakat can be in the form of grains, tubers, vegetables, fruits, flowers, and so on. The results of this study are the lack of public literacy about agricultural zakat, besides that there has been no socialization about agricultural zakat from community leaders and from the government which causes the people of Sidodadi Village to have low agricultural zakat literacy.


In China the acquisition of collocations is considered as one of the most difficult points for the Chinese students in their foreign language learning. So far there are few empirical studies involving the Chinese students' acquisition of collocational knowledge. The author of the present thesis attempts to examine the acquisition of collocational knowledge in the Chinese students from the productive aspect by investigating the acquisition of collocations in the students at three proficiency levels: elementary, intermediate and advanced. The present study aims at finding out whether there are any proficiency-related differences in the acquisition of collocations, and which collocation types are acquired in the early stage of foreign language learning and which are acquired in the later stage. Altogether 110 students have participated in this study. The results have shown that there are indeed proficiency-related differences in the acquisition of collocations and that there are specific types of collocation that are acquired in the early stages of language learning, and some types are acquired in the later stages of language learning. 〔


Multiple lifesaving options are currently available for treatment of acute myocardial infarction as a medical emergency. Serial electrocardiography and continuous ST-segment monitoring, urgent echocardiography, rapid enzyme analysis, and cardiac catheterization may all assist in the accurate and early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction. Both intravenous thrombolytic therapy and direct infarct percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty are of benefit in early treatment. The choice of therapy depends on the individual patient and the hospital capabilities. Adjunctive pharmacologic therapies can be easily administered in the community hospital setting and should be considered for every patient with suspected acute myocardial infarction. The risk of serious morbidity and hospital death in these patients has not been eliminated, and a more aggressive approach to diagnosis and treatment is sorely needed.


Many of the proteins associated with innate immunity in the upper respiratory tract are to be found localized into mucus gels and the mucin-rich surface layers of the epithelium and the cilia. Mucus is a relatively dilute suspension of such macromolecules being around 2-4% solids in normal induced sputum. These proteins scavenge, immobilise and/or kill pathogens and at the same time immobilize them into the mucus. Mucus is moved from the lung by the mucociliary clearance mechanisms or by cough. Some 190 proteins are readily detectable in sputum by proteomics methods and about 100 in bronchial air-liquid interface culture secretions. This cell culture system mimics the surface ciliated phenotype of the large airways very well and about 85 secreted proteins are common to both culture and sputum secretions. The major single protein by weight in cell culture secretions is MUC5B and in sputum a mixture of MUC5B and MUC5AC. The three epithelial mucins MUC1, 4 and 16 are also detectable in both secretions. In this paper the roles that these molecules play in protecting and stabilising the ciliated surface and building the gel will be discussed. The role of water and ion homeostasis is particularly crucial in mucus gel formation and evidence is gathering that it is perturbation of hydration mechanisms that may play into defective mucus leading subsequently to stasis and mechanical problems.


Obesity presents multiple major challenges to countries around the world. It is associated with a wide range of health conditions, including type 2 diabetes, some cancers, musculoskeletal disease, and other chronic diseases. It is a stigmatized condition, and people with obesity may experience discrimination and abuse (1).

The World Health Organization defines obesity as "abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health." It is most commonly defined using body mass index (BMI),2 calculated as a person's weight in kilograms divided by the square of their height in meters (kg/m2). In adults, the World Health Organization defines overweight as a BMI ≥25 kg/m2 and obesity as a BMI ≥30 kg/m2 (2).

The global epidemic of excess weight has developed over several decades, and no country has yet achieved a sustained reversal in this trend, although in a number of high-income countries the population prevalence of obesity appears to have plateaued (3). This is encouraging, but it is far too soon to celebrate because any levelling off that is observed is invariably at a high prevalence within the population, and aggregate figures such as these mask widening inequalities in both the distribution and the severity of obesity (4).

The UK Government Foresight report, published in 2007, emphasized the complex nature of obesity and argued for it to be addressed using systems approaches (5). The Foresight system map explicitly illustrated this complexity, linking over 100 different factors with more than 300 lines representing different reinforcing or balancing relations (6, 7). Beyond these feedback loops, obesity exhibits many other characteristics of a complex system, such as adaptation and emergence. Adaptation can be seen in many different forms at both individual and system levels: individuals may adapt by, for example, increasing their food intake in response …


In this paper, we study gravitational instantons (i.e., complete hyperk\"aler 4-manifolds with faster than quadratic curvature decay). We prove three main theorems: 1.Any gravitational instanton must have known end----ALE, ALF, ALG or ALH. 2.In ALG and ALH-non-splitting cases, it must be biholomorphic to a compact complex elliptic surface minus a divisor. Thus, we confirm a long-standing question of Yau in ALG and ALH cases. 3.In ALF-D_k case, it must have an O(4)-multiplet.


Background: Discontinuation of E. coli- asparaginase in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) upon severe allergic reactions is unavoidable. We aimed to examine the outcomes following E.coli- asparaginase discontinuation upon severe allergic reactions in ALL. Patients and methods : In Taiwan Pediatric Oncology Group (TPOG)-2002-ALL protocol (enrolled 2002-2012), intramuscular E. coli- asparaginase (Kyowa Hakko, Japan) was given at 5000 IU/m 2 per dose thrice weekly for 3 weeks during the remission induction therapy of high-risk (HR) and very-high-risk (VHR) groups. During the first 20 weeks of continuation therapy, HR patients received weekly intramuscular E. coli- asparaginase 10,000 IU/m 2 per dose every week. They also received two reinduction treatments during which E.coli- asparaginase was given at 5000 IU/m 2 per dose thrice weekly for 3 weeks. Patients in VHR groups received one reinduction treatment during which E. coli- asparaginase was given at 5000 IU/m 2 per dose thrice weekly for 2 weeks. Patients in standard-risk (SR) group, received no E. coli- asparaginase in induction, but were randomized to receive one or two reinduction phases, during which E. coli- asparaginase was given at 5000 IU/m 2 per dose thrice weekly for 2 weeks. The scheduled cumulative doses of E.coli- asparaginase in each risk group were 30,000 IU/m2 or 60,000 IU/m 2 in SR, 265,000 IU/m 2 in HR and 75,000 IU/m 2 in VHR group. We evaluated outcome of children enrolled in TPOG-2002-ALL protocol who had E. coli- asparaginase discontinued due to severe allergic reactions (marked swelling and redness at the injection site or anaphylaxis) between 2002 and 2012, and compared outcomes between those who with Erwinase continued and those who without after the discontinuation of E. coli- asparaginase. The distributions of the Kaplan-Meier estimates of event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared using log-rank test. Chi-square test was used to compare each parameter between groups. Results: In 700 patients from 10 hospitals retrospectively studied, 52 patients had E. coli- asparaginase treatment discontinued due to the development of severe pancreatitis in 17 patients, severe thrombosis in 2, and severe allergic reactions in 33. In Taiwan, Erwinase has been available since 2012, and could be purchased from foreign countries before. PEG-asparaginase is not available in Taiwan. In the 33 patients had E. coli- asparaginase discontinued due to severe allergic reactions, 17 continued Erwinase and 16 did not. The parameters between these two groups were similar. They were of more HR group reflecting that HR patients received more E. coli- asparaginase than other patients. The 5-year OS did not differ significantly among the 648 patients without discontinuation (81±1.6%, mean±S.E.), the 17 with allergic reactions and continued with Erwinase (88±7.8%) and the 16 with allergic reactions not treated with Erwinase (87±8.6%). The P value for the difference between the latter two groups was 0.96. In the 16 patients who did not receive Erwinase, all the 10 patients, who had received >= 50% scheduled dose of E.coli- asparaginase before discontinuation, survived without events. Conclusions: We suggest that patients who had received 50% or more of the scheduled doses of E. coli- asparaginase before the development of severe allergic reactions do not need to continue treatment with Erwinase. This may be helpful in those who cannot afford Erwinase or in the vast majority of the world where Erwinase is not available. It also raises a question on that how much asparaginase is enough for the treatment of childhood ALL. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


Although expert surveys have gained a prominent place in comparative studies of party positions on issues, their validity has been called into question. In this article, some of the validity concerns are evaluated in the context of the authors' own expert survey on national party positions vis-a-vis European integration. One goal of the article is to demon- strate that this expert survey produces valid measures of party positions. An equally impor- tant goal, however, is to suggest some methods that can help in assessing the quality of expert survey data. These methods, which are rooted in psychometric theory, are applicable in a variety of contexts and are easily implemented.


In autopsy studies more than 20% of men > 50 years old have prostate cancer, yet the lifetime risk of developing clinical cancer of the prostate is much less. Thus, early detection should not aim to all cancers, but only those that are potentially morbid or lethal. In the detailed morphometric examination of radical prostatectomy specimens, we found only 10% of the 610 patients had clinically unimportant cancer. Of the 207 patients with non-palpable tumor, 11% had clinically unimportant cancer compared to 10% of the 403 patients with palpable tumor (p = 0.52). And these non-palpable tumor were more likely to be curable disease compared to palpable tumor (66% versus 57%, p = 0.007). All recent studies indicated that most of prostate cancers which were detected with current diagnostic tests were clinically important and, therefore, should be treated aggressively.


In this paper, an energy efficient cognitive radio system is proposed. The proposed design optimizes the secondary user transmission power and the sensing duration combined with soft-sensing information to minimize the energy per goodbit. Due to the non-convex nature of the problem we prove its pseudo-convexity to guarantee the optimal solution. Furthermore, a quantization scheme, that discretize the soft-sensing information, is proposed and analyzed to reduce the overload of the continuously adapted power. Numerical results show that the energy per goodbit performance of the proposed system outperforms the benchmark systems. The impact of the quantization levels and other system parameters is evaluated in the numerical results.


Question
Does the seed bank have a different functional trait signature to the vegetation and is this difference affected by productivity and disturbance? Do functional diversity differences exist between the vegetation and seed bank and are the differences modulated by productivity and disturbance.

Location
An area of diverse land use on the west coast of Scotland.

Methods
Parallel vegetation and seed bank surveys were carried out across 30 sites contrasting in land use, and hence productivity and disturbance regime. Data were analysed to assess overall differences between the seed bank and vegetation in community-weighted mean for selected functional traits and to test if the difference was affected by productivity or disturbance. Three functional diversity indices were calculated for each seed bank and vegetation sample – functional richness, functional divergence and functional evenness – and each index was assessed for overall differences between the seed bank, the vegetation and differences modulated by disturbance and productivity.

Results
There were clear differences in many community-weighted mean traits between the seed bank and the vegetation. Plants in the vegetation were characterized by increased stature, more conservative leaf traits, wind pollination and by being perennial, whereas plants in the seed bank had higher seed longevity, higher seed masses and were more frequently insect- or self-pollinated. There was no difference in functional richness between the seed bank and the vegetation, and while both the seed bank and the vegetation functional richness were significantly lower than expected, the vegetation showed a bigger deviation from expectations compared to the seed bank. The functional diversity indices revealed different relationships between seed bank and vegetation against productivity and disturbance. Functional divergence (and its standardized effect size) indicated stronger habitat filtering for the vegetation at high levels of productivity or disturbance, while the effect size of functional richness and functional evenness suggested stronger filtering on the seed bank at high levels of productivity and disturbance.

Conclusions
The significant difference in traits between the seed bank and vegetation mean that following disturbance this is likely to have a considerable impact (at least in the short term) on ecosystem function. Functional diversity patterns were less clear, with conflicting evidence on habitat filtering, depending on the metric chosen.


Negative Journalistic Communication, published by Editura Academiei Romane, is a book about Conviction and Persuation, a medium hermeneutical essay, as the author, Stefan Vladutescu professor at University of Craiova/Romania, asserts. The premise from which we start is that one that the human being is an accessible, permeable being to persuasion. Any influence occurs through communication. From the point of view of social influence, communication has two methods: convictive and persuasive. The convictive influence path is the demonstration path, of strong arguments, strict and rigorous reasoning path or logic applied. But human being is not entirely a rational being. Individuals communicate not just to make demonstrations. We communicate to share experience, to agreeing on values on certain actions. As form of persuasion detaches negative journalism, as opposed to positive journalism dominated by conviction. In his setting of exinformation, negative journalism imposes as a way of satisfying some economic commands, political or otherwise, in any case not before informational. With negative journalism media surrender persuasion.


rvoir mo itoring, SoultzWe have carried out monitoring of surface electric potential (SP) variations around the Soultz-sous-Forih Hot Dry Rock site (France) during two injection experiments. We have observed long-period (T > 1 day) SP variations with a maximum amplitude of several mV well correlated to the injection phases: this anomalous potential increases during the injection and decreases after shut-in. We interpret this behavior as being caused by the electrokinetic effect of the injected water flow in deep fractures (5 km). We found that the steel well casing channels the electric current toward the surface; this is why we can record surface SP variations even though the electrokinetic sources are 5 km below. SP and borehole pressure data are usually well correlated but they sometimes show discrepancies because pressure sensors are sensitive to the flow in the vicinity of the well while SP is sensitive to the overall reservoir flow. Monitoring of surface SP therefore adds significantly to the information obtained by standard downhole sensors and could be used in the future as a low-cost decision-making tool to monitor the overall dynamics of geothermal reservoirs.


The influence of 2-CdA administrated alone and in combination with CY or MTX on the survival time of mice bearing L1210 leukemia was investigated. 2-CdA treated mice lived longer than control animals. Survival times of mice receiving combined therapy of 2-CdA and CY were significantly prolonged as compared with mice treated with these agents separately. Survival times of mice treated with 2-CdA and MTX were not significantly prolonged, compared with animals receiving 2-CdA alone.


Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA

In children, acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is treated with an intense regimen of chemotherapy yielding cure rates near 85%, yet significant hurdles remain, including decreasing toxicity and improving patient outcome in relapsed or refractory disease.  Alternative strategies using available drugs are unlikely to provide significant improvements while more targeted therapies may reduce the risk of severe toxicities including infertility, organ damage, and secondary malignancy. We previously demonstrated ectopic expression of MER, a member of the TAM-family of receptor tyrosine kinases, in pediatric B- and T-cell ALL. Using shRNA-mediated MER knockdown, we also demonstrated anti-leukemia effects of MER inhibition in B- and T-ALL models, implicating MER as a novel therapeutic target. Here we report preclinical testing of a novel, first-in-class MER-selective small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitor (UNC TKI) as a potential therapy for MER-expressing ALL. UNC TKI mediates potent inhibition of MER in enzymatic assays (IC50 = 0.74 nM), has ≥10-fold selectivity for MER over other TAM-family members, and has limited off-target activity against other tyrosine kinases, with the exception of FLT3. In 697 B-ALL cells, UNC TKI inhibited phosphorylation/activation of MER with an IC50 of 2.6 nM and decreased downstream signaling through the ERK and AKT pathways, leading to induction of apoptosis and reduced colony-formation in methylcellulose in MER-expressing ALL cell lines. In mouse models, UNC TKI is orally bioavailable and inhibits MER phosphorylation/activation in leukemic blasts in the bone marrow. In an orthotopic B-ALL xenograft model of minimal residual disease, treatment with UNC TKI resulted in a dose-dependent reduction in tumor burden and increased median survival from 27 days after inoculation with tumor cells to 70 days (p < 0.0001). In a similar model of existent disease in which leukemia was established for 14 days prior to initiation of treatment, median survival increased from 27.5 to 45 days in response to treatment with UNC TKI (p < 0.0001). In both models, tumor burden measured by bioluminescent imaging was significantly decreased in mice treated with UNC TKI relative to mice treated with vehicle, even after the development of advanced disease in the control animals. In addition, treatment with UNC TKI in combination with methotrexate, a chemotherapy that is currently in clinical use for treatment of pediatric ALL, resulted in reduced tumor burden and increased tumor-free survival relative to mice treated with either agent alone. The very high potency, relative selectivity, oral bioavailability, and demonstrated target inhibition and therapeutic efficacy in murine ALL models, both alone and in combination with chemotherapy, identify UNC TKI as an excellent candidate for clinical development in patients with MER-expressing ALL.

Citation Format: Deborah A. DeRyckere, Amanda A. Hill, Xiaodong Wang, Weihe Zhang, Michael A. Stashko, Susan Sather, Christopher Cummings, Dmitri Kireev, William P. Janzen, Stephen V. Frye, H. Shelton Earp, Douglas K. Graham. Development of a novel small molecule MER tyrosine kinase inhibitor with therapeutic activity in cell culture and mouse models of acute lymphoblastic leukemia. [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 1740. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1740


Winsborough Hall built by Martin L. Winehart who was the missionary of the Presbyterian Church of America in 1927 was built by Mrs. Winsborough's birthday contribution. Winsborough Hall was clearly divided into the original form built in 1927 and remodelled form by extension. Most of walls were constructed with several kinds of bricks for both sides and opening in the original form and remodelled form. Each room divided by inner wall was kept with original form because it is difficult to remodel it on the characteristics of building. But, it was confirmed through the related literatures that security of opening at some rooms and annexation of rooms through removal of the wall on the 2nd floor which was relatively easy to transform wall compared to the first floor were made. Variability of the wall affected the truss structure of roof and it created rare double truss structure. Architectural value of Winsborough Hall was in its first architectural trial using red brick in Gwangju region since 1920s. It suggested that it was differential architectural trial from Korean-Western mixed building constructed by the missionaries from 1940 to 1910 and buildings made of gray bricks prevailed from 1911 to 1920 and it showed the advancement in the architectural structure and materials.


Decentralized cloud storage services represent a promising opportunity for a different cloud market, meeting the supply and demand for IT resources of an extensive community of users. The dynamic and independent nature of the resulting infrastructure introduces security concerns that can represent a slowing factor toward the realization of such an opportunity, otherwise clearly appealing and promising for the expected economic benefits. In this paper, we present an approach enabling resource owners to effectively protect and securely delete their resources while relying on decentralized cloud services for their storage. Our solution combines All-Or-Nothing-Transform for strong resource protection, and carefully designed strategies for slicing resources and for their decentralized allocation in the storage network. We address both availability and security guarantees, jointly considering them in our model and enabling resource owners to control their setting.


A high-power CMOS switch using a novel adaptive voltage swing distribution method in a multistack field-effect transistor (FET) scheme is proposed. The proposed adaptive voltage swing distribution method in multistack FETs is very effective in preventing unwanted channel formation with low control voltage supply in OFF-state FETs. This, in turn, increases power-handling capability when a large-signal voltage swing is applied. In the proposed CMOS switch, the behavior of the voltage swing in OFF-state multistack FETs shows a difference with respect to the level of input voltage swing. The characteristics of voltage swing distribution and leakage channel formation in the CMOS switch is fully analyzed with incorporation of the novel adaptive voltage swing distribution method into a three-stacked nMOS Rx switch in a standard 0.18-mum triple-well CMOS process. In addition, linearity of the proposed technique is verified through the measurement data of the single-pole double-throw switches that employ the proposed technique in the Rx switch. Two different types of configurations are implemented and characterized at the Rx switches, which consist of four-stacked nMOS devices, to demonstrate the method of minimizing voltage stress issues on one of the multistacked FETs. Layout consideration was also taken to prevent interference between leakage signals at the substrate. The measured performance of the proposed design shows an input 0.3-dB compression point of 33.5 dBm at 1.9 GHz. To the best of our knowledge, this is the highest power-handling capability of a CMOS switch in a standard CMOS process ever reported. The insertion losses of the Tx and Rx switches are 1.6 and 1.9 dB, respectively, at 1.9 GHz. The isolation of the Tx and Rx switches is around 20 and 30 dB, respectively, at 1.9 GHz.


We image the remnant magnetization configurations of CoFeB and permalloy nanotubes (NTs) using x-ray magnetic circular dichroism photoemission electron microscopy. The images provide direct evidence for flux-closure configurations, including a global vortex state, in which magnetization points circumferentially around the NT axis. Furthermore, micromagnetic simulations predict and measurements confirm that vortex states can be programmed as the equilibrium remnant magnetization configurations by reducing the ratio of the NT's length and diameter.


Within the past 125 years, we have witnessed great strides in understanding development and evolution of the cerebral cortex, arguably the structure that makes us human. Among the distinguishing features of cortical development are discoveries that its constituent neurons are not generated locally and that after assuming their proper areal, radial, and laminar position, they serve the individual throughout the lifespan. Although the basic cellular events and all major developmental phenomena have been discovered by the use of classical methods, advents of new, evermore sophisticated experimental methods that range from neuroimaging to molecular genetics enable elucidation of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying evolutionary elaboration of the cortex and opens the possibility for the prevention and treatment of congenital disorders of the highest cognitive functions in humans.


This report presents the results of an assessment of reading, writing and mathematical literacy of Class 6 students in 13 provinces in Afghanistan in relation to the gender of students. Introduction The purpose of the Monitoring Trends in Educational Growth of is to provide information to education policy makers on the quality of education outcomes in Afghanistan. In addition Monitoring Trends in Educational Growth will inform educational practitioners by clearly demonstrating what students at Class 6 can and cannot do in an assessment situation. One of the policy areas that aims to inform is gender equality. It is known that fewer girls attend school than boys and that the rate of illiteracy amongst the female population is higher. In accordance with the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (United Nations, n.d.), redressing this imbalance is a priority for Afghanistan (Islamic Republic of  Afghanistan, 2008; Afghanistan Ministry of Education, 2010; Afghanistan Ministry of Education, 2011). Despite data having been collected on school attendance and literacy levels in the population, little is known on the quality of educational outcomes. This report hopes to contribute to the discussion on gender disparity by reporting on the proficiency levels of girls and boys in the domains of mathematical, reading and writing literacy. The data gathered in the 2013 Monitoring Trends in Educational Growth assessment of Class 6 students in Afghanistan also provides information on background characteristics that may interact with school attendance and achievement, both of which are important indicators of of gender parity. These background characteristics include attitudes to school, perceived support, socio-economic status, and location.


Two myosin isoforms are expressed in myocardium, alphaalpha-homodimers (V(1)) and betabeta-homodimers (V(3)). V(1) exhibits higher velocities and myofibrillar ATPase activities compared with V(3). We also observed this for cardiac myosin from normal (V(1)) and propylthiouracil-treated (V(3)) mice. Actin velocity in a motility assay (V(actin)) over V(1) myosin was twice that of V(3) as was the myofibrillar ATPase. Myosin's average force (F(avg)) was similar for V(1) and V(3). Comparing V(actin) and F(avg) across species for both V(1) and V(3), our laboratory showed previously (VanBuren P, Harris DE, Alpert NR, and Warshaw DM. Circ Res 77: 439-444, 1995) that mouse V(1) has greater V(actin) and F(avg) compared with rabbit V(1). Mouse V(3) V(actin) was twice that of rabbit V(actin). To understand myosin's molecular structure and function, we compared alpha- and beta-cardiac myosin sequences from rodents and rabbits. The rabbit alpha- and beta-cardiac myosin differed by eight and four amino acids, respectively, compared with rodents. These residues are localized to both the motor domain and the rod. These differences in sequence and mechanical performance may be an evolutionary attempt to match a myosin's mechanical behavior to the heart's power requirements.


The authors illustrate the results of a series of 47 fractures of the odontoid process all treated according to two non-surgical methods, among the most diffused and accepted: Minerva plaster and halo-plaster. The various elements used to classify odontoid fractures are examined, as is their importance for prognosis. The conclusions refer to two essential points: 1) fractures with a higher risk of nonunion are Anderson type II, with posterior shifting, in elderly patients; 2) reduction and immobilization with a halo-plaster may be considered the first choice of a method for most of these fractures, in consideration of the limited risk of nonunion involved.


Apart from the question of whether permanent exemptions from EU rules could be achieved in Iceland's (by now halted) EU accession negotiations, the EU's institutional development in the wake of the Lisbon Treaty has been used as a key argument for the conservative government to first suspend the negotiations and subsequently also to propose to withdraw the membership application altogether. In this regard, concerns about the democratic quality of EU decision making play a key role. However, as this article argues, the institutional development of the EU since Lisbon, particularly in relation to democratic governance, has been considerably more subtle than it is claimed to be and has to be seen as a continuation of a much longer process. More importantly, however, the debate leaves pressing questions about the nature of the EU as a polity unaddressed. In this context, this article addresses the question of what kind of democracy is possible in the kind of polity sui generis that the EU undoubtedly is.


This article is an attempt to seek answers to the question of whether so-called hate speech in the media constitutes a reporting of facts and reflects real social and cultural life or pursues other aims, for example: the persuasive and manipulative creation of a desired reality innate in the functioning of a commercial and persuasive media. The author attempts from the axiological perspective of the media, as well as from the semiological and linguistic perspectives, to answer the question of what the role of media language is in shaping and promoting real attitudes of hostility and hatred, and conversely, how cultural and media tendencies shape hate speech in the media. The author does not analyse the material aspect of language, but rather tries to look critically at certain trends shaping new forms of media language that bear negative values.


Drug utilization evaluation (DUE) is an arrangement of continuous, orderly, criteria-based assessment of medication utilizes to guarantee that medicines are utilized suitably. In the event that treatment is regarded to be improper, provider and patient intervention may be important to optimize therapeutic efficacy. In the present study drug utilization evaluation of Piperacillin/Tazobactam was carried out in prospective manner. A well structured data collection form was constructed to collect the related information regarding demographic, clinical use, indication, culture sensitivity criteria, outcomes of therapy, renal impairment cases of dose adjustments and appropriate use. Results of chi square indicated insignificant relationship between gender and as p value was found to be p=0.446 and 0.111 for use of drug alone and in combination. Similarly insignificant relationship between gender and use of drug in combination with other antibiotics as p value was found to be p=0.111. It was found that from 61-70 years (Therapeutic Effectiveness; n=12, 9.37%), (Therapeutic Failure; n=10, 45.45%) and mortality (n=1, 50%) were quite higher. The prescription pattern was in accordance with standard guidelines. Study indicated need to elevate prescribers to pursue generic prescribing and rationally utilize antibiotics to avert advancement of resistance at the level of hospital and community. These sorts of studies are valuable for acquiring data about medication utilize designs and for recognizing inconceivable expense of medicines.


As the number of teacher preparation programs that focus on developing reflective practitioners increases, there exists a need to define the components of reflective practice and to examine how various techniques affect preservice teachers' reflective thoughts. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of training and reflective frameworks on the reflective patterns of preservice teachers. The frameworks (a series of questions that allow for systematic reflection on teaching) and training focused on aspects of effective instruction and problem-solving. A multiple baseline design across subjects was used to evaluate the effectiveness of training and reflective frameworks on levels of problem-solving in daily journal entries. Results of the study indicated that the effective teaching frameworks had minimal impact on preservice teachers' levels of problem solving. In contrast, direct training and the use of a problem solving framework increased the degree to which preservice teachers reflected on problems encountered in classroom instruction.


One route to establishing the economic level of odour abatement around a problem site requires that a monetary value per property be ascribed to the benefit of odour reduction. The literature on the monetary value of odour abatement was relatively sparse but a number of hedonic pricing studies into reductions in house prices produced an area weighted price reduction for the alleviation of impact in the region of £6,000 per property. No information could be obtained as to the level of odour or the degree of reduction involved. Studies into noise suggested a value of £350 per property per dB reduction, though with a high relative standard deviation. An odour-noise equivalence was established based on equal levels of community annoyance. A 1dB reduction in noise levels was equivalent to a reduction in odour concentration by a factor of 1.11. Applying the value per dB directly to odour results in a value for a 90% reduction in odour of £7,600 per property. A dispersion model was used to establish the relative reductions in odour levels associated with the hedonic pricing studies into odour. This produced the larger value of £790 per dB equivalent or £17,400 per property for a 90% reduction in odour levels.


This cross-sectional study was aimed at evaluating in a large sample of male foundry workers the current exposure levels to carcinogenic compounds, including metallic elements [arsenic (As), beryllium (Be), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni)] and aromatic polycyclic hydrocarbons (PAH) by a biological monitoring approach, using validated biomarkers of exposure. Workers were recruited from 15 aluminium, copper alloy, electric steel and cast iron foundries and provided an end-of-shift urine sample to determine urinary concentrations of As, Be, Cd, Cr, Ni and 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OHP). Metallic elements were determined either by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (Be, Cd and Cr) or by atomic absorption spectrometry (As, Ni), whereas 1-OHP was determined by high pressure liquid chromatography with fluorimetric detection. Most of the determinations fell within the laboratory's reference values. Age and lifestyle habits (smoking, alcohol, diet) played a significant interfering role.


Internal rotation contracture of the shoulder is a common sequel of the brachial plexus birth palsy. The purpose of this study is to describe the surgical method used in our centre and to measure the effect of sequentially releasing several anatomical structures that have been ascribed as the cause of the contracture. Twenty-four consecutive patients were operated on with an open release. We documented the increase in passive external rotation after each surgical step. We found small gains in passive external rotation when performing coracoidectomy and division of the upper part of the subscapularis tendon; 4° (95% confidence interval [CI] 2°–6° p < 0.01) and 6° (95% CI 4°–8° p < 0.01), respectively. A substantial gain in external rotation occurred when dividing the entire subscapularis tendon, 43° (95% CI 38°–48°, p < 0.01). Our findings indicate that a clinically relevant surgical release of the contracture requires lengthening of the entire subscapularis musculo-tendinous unit. Level of evidence: IV


Background: Progress has been achieved with the introduction of biologics for the management of inflammatory/autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), however such medications induce immune suppression, which is nonselective to the pathogenesis of the disease, resulting in higher rates of infections. Therefore, there are unmet medical needs in the treatment of such diseases, which should be addressed by novel approaches. Accumulating evidence suggests that extracellular vesicles (EVs) play a role in the establishment, maintenance and modulation of autoimmune processes. Objectives: In the current study, we hypothesized that isolation of circulating autologous tissue-specific homing EVs from RA patients - may improve the delivery of current FDA-approved anti-inflammatory drugs, which will be encapsulated into these EVs. The drug-loaded EVs will be injected back to the diseased subjects and will naturally find their way to the inflamed tissue. Results: Indeed, we found that autologous labeled EVs, expressing joint/syn-ovia-specific homing receptors (e.g. α V β 3 integrin), derived from blood of diseased arthritic mice (Collagen antibody-induced arthritis model), can migrate toward the inflamed synovia, using in vivo imaging system (IVIS). Moreover, we show that these EVs strongly expresses glucose transporter 1 (mGLUT1) which in turn, improve their therapeutic potential to be loaded with anti-inflammatory drugs using glucose-coated gold nanoparticles (GNPs). Finally, we show that EVs derived from plasma of RA patients overexpresses α V β 3 integrin and taken up by LPS/TNF α -induced activated human synovial cell line in vitro . Conclusion: Overall, we show the potential of autologous circulating EVs of RA patients to serves as natural nano-carrier for current FDA-approved drugs. We believe that this strategy will increase the specificity and efficiency of current treatment, therefore it will reduce side effects and will improve the quality of life of RA patients and potentially other autoimmune disease patients. REFERENCES: NIL. Acknowledgements: NIL. Disclosure of Interests: None Declared.


The strength of expansive cement grout borehole plugs cast in rock cylinders is investigated theoretically and experimentally as a function of curing and testing temperature of the plugged rock cylinder and of borehole size. The distributions of thermally induced stresses and displacements, shear stresses along the plug–rock interface due to an axial stress applied to the plug, and resultant interfacial shear stresses due to a combination of uniform elevated temperature and axial load are studied and analysed. Conservative in this analysis is the assumption of elastic behaviour and the fact that the strength tests were conducted after a cement grout curing period of only eight days. Details on experimental procedure regarding sample curing conditions, experimental apparatus and sample loading are presented. The axial strength decreases with increasing curing and testing temperature and with increasing plug radius. The results of the theoretical analysis lead to a recommendation to design plugs with a leng...


The article proposes a classification of teaching styles on the basis of the description, analysis, and comparison of the patterns of participation of six Natural Sciences school teachers in their classrooms. The classes were recorded on audio and video, and later transcribed and divided into statements. The participation patterns of the six classes were compared with respect to three parameters: distribution of the use of speech, average length of statements made by the professors and discursive density in the class. Results showed a polarity between lecturer and conversationalist teaching styles, which are then discussed in relation to similar categories proposed in the literature on the subject.


Abstract Objectives The aim of our study was to define the genotype–phenotype correlations of mutations in the PAH gene among the Turkey's Central Anatolian region. Methods Demographic characteristics of 108 patients with hyperphenylalaninemia (HPA) and 94 patients whose diagnosis was confirmed by PAH gene analysis (Sanger DNA Sequence Analysis and Next-Generation Sequencing) were determined retrospectively. Blood phenylalanine levels were analyzed using the high-performance liquid chromatography method. Results Mild HPA-not-requiring-treatment (NT) was found in 50.9% of the patients, and a classical phenylketonuria (PKU) phenotype was found in 25.9%. Forty-seven types of variants were identified. The predominant variants were p.Ala403Val (9.9%), p.Ala300Ser (9.4%), and c.1066-11G>A (splicing) (9.4%). Missense mutations accounted for 68% of mutations and attenuated the clinical impact; splice variations were found in 14.8% of cases with severe features. The p.Thr380Met allele was specific to the mild HPA-NT group. The c.1066-11G>A (splicing) allele was associated with classical PKU, whereas the p.Arg408Trp allele was linked to severe symptoms. Three variations of unknown clinical significance were discovered: c.706+4A>T (splicing), c.843-5T>C (splicing), and p.Thr323=. Of these variants, the patient who was homozygous for the c.843-5T>C (splicing) allele related to the classical PKU phenotype. 70% of the patients who underwent tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) test were responsive. Phenotypes that responded to BH4 treatment were mostly mild phenotypes. Conclusions The PAH genotype is the main factor that determines the phenotype of PKU. Establishing the relationship between the identified genetic mutations and phenotypic characteristics will provide very important data for each patient in terms of the specific management style.


The aim of this study is to provide economic evidence of the relevance of aggressive tax planning (ATP) structures for all EU Member States. The study relies on economic indicators available at macro-level and on indicators derived from firm-level data. The objective is indeed to look at the relevance of ATP for all Member States through these two complementary angles. For each indicator, the study identifies outliers based on a consistent methodology. None of the indicators provides per se an irrefutable causality towards aggressive tax planning. However, considered together, the set of indicators shall be seen as a "body of evidence". While there are some data limitation, the study provides a broad picture of which Member States appear to be exposed to ATP structures, and how it impacts on their tax base (erosion or increase).
The discussed ATP structures can be grouped into three main channels: i) ATP via interest payments, ii) ATP via royalty payments and iii) ATP via strategic transfer pricing. In addition to general indicators assessing the overall exposure to ATP, we also derive specific indicators for each of the ATP channels. In combination, these indicators allow to classify entities within multinational enterprises (MNEs) into three types: i) target entities, where the tax base is reduced ii) the lower tax entities where the tax base is increased but taxed at a lower rate, and iii) conduit entities which are in a group with ATP activities but no clear effect on the tax base is observable.


The National Water Agency - ANA is responsible for the implementation of the National
Water Resources Policy, that policy mentioned in the Law n. º 9.433/97, has to be integrated
to the others, municipalities, estate and federal Policies, on the soil and water conservation
aspects, to obey the item VI, of article 24, from the Federal Constitution, amongst others laws
listed below:
Law n.º 9.984/00
Law n.º 6.225/75
Therefore, a specific law does not exist but a delegation of powers to the Ministry of
Agriculture for the promotion, supervision and orientation of the national land use and soil
conservation policy.
This competence was executed through programs of that Ministry and despite the generated
advances, for example, with the National Program of Watersheds, that had success in some
states of the south and southeastern region, in years 70 and 80, but it had problems.
The implementation of these programs was subjects to the interests of the governing and
ministers who had occupied the folder of the Ministry of Agriculture, occurring
discontinuities and not having of fact the creation and implantation of one policy of state on
national land use and soil and water conservation.
 It is in the context of the interaction of the soil and water conservation with the water
availability and its multiple uses, imposes the implantation of one national land use and soil
and water conservation policy, better formatted, in order to prevent discontinuities. However, even so all the related legal body to the subject mentions "incentives" for the soil
and water conservation, its viability is tied necessarily with the regulation of these devices,
that never was considered and remains in open.
 Had the great interaction between soil and water and considering the effect that the land use
and the conservation of the soil on the quality and quantity of water from the watershed,
consider it is proposed the articulation and development of one national land use and soil and
water conservation policy.


OBJECTIVE
To clone and sequence the cDNA of squalene epoxidase gene in Eleutherococcus senticosus.

METHOD
Total RNA of E. senticosus was extracted by the improved isothiocyanate method and reverse transcripted into cDNA. The primers were designed depending on the reported SE cDNA sequences of Panax ginseng. The SE cDNAs in E. senticosus was amplified using RT-PCR strategy.

RESULT
Sequencing results showed two different cDNA fragments (SE1, SE2) with 1665, 1629 bp each ORF which encoded 554,542 amino acids, respectively. The identities of nucleotides and amino acids between SE1, SE2 were 91.49%, 92.55%. SE1, SE2 had the highest amino acids similarity to the SE1 of P. notoginseng, 93.45%, 94.87% respectively. SE1, SE2 both had a FAD binding domain. The deduced speculated amino acids of SE1, SE2 each had 2,4 membrane-spanning helices.

CONCLUSION
The two SE sequences in E. senticosus were firstly separated and reported, which has made foundation for E. senticosus secondary metabolite engineering researches.


: The root growth angle (RGA) is an important breeding target that confers high crop adaptability to deleterious environments. In barley, natural variations in RGA among accessions have been observed, but many of the genetic factors that cause of this variation remains unclear. In this study, we explored the orthologs of OsDRO1 ( DEEPER ROOTING 1 ) and OsqSOR1 (quantitative trait locus for SOIL SURFACE ROOTING 1) , which play a critical role in RGA regulation in rice, from barley genome and analyzed the polymorphisms of these genes among barley accessions. BLASTP search detected putative orthologs of OsDRO1 and OsqSOR1 in barley (HvDRO1 and HvqSOR1) with more than 60% amino acid similarity. Sequence analysis identified SNPs causing mis-splicing and nonsynonymous amino acid substitution in HvDRO1 and HvqSOR1 , respectively. These SNPs were associated with RGA variation among the 47 barley accessions. Phylogenetic analysis using the 105 barley accessions revealed that the alleles of HvDRO1 and HvqSOR1 are related to the genetic background of the accessions. Further-more, the mutant allele of HvDRO1 is mainly shared in the Hokuriku/Nagano subpopulation, suggesting that the mutant allele is involved in local adaptation of barley cultivars to the soil environment of the region. Our findings suggest that the polymorphisms of HvDRO1 and HvqSOR1 are possible determinants of RGA variation in barley, at least in Japanese accessions, and provide information on allelic variants of the genes for marker-assisted selection to genetic improvement of RGA of barley.


Vital statistics have abundantly demonstrated the following facts: 1. Mortality is greater during the first year than at any other time of life, and higher during the first three months of life than during any other period. 2. Mortality and morbidity are higher among bottlefed than among breast-fed infants. This is the testimony of writers on diseases in children. As there is no evidence that breast-fed infants receive better care than those reared on the bottle, it is evident that the only reason for the greater mortality in bottle-fed infants is due to the nature of the food. The reasons for the difference in mortality may be briefly summarized as follows: A. The milk of the mother is adapted by nature to the peculiar needs of the human infant, just as the milk of other mammals is peculiarly adapted to their offspring. B. It contains all of the elements necessary


Synthesis of transparent conductive coatings is a promising direction of modern nanotechnological research. Thin nanostructured noble-metallic films demonstrate nonlinear optical effects in visible spectral range because of their plasmonic properties [1]. In addition, optical characteristics of these thin films strongly depend on the period of the formed surface structures [2]. If the distance between deposited particles almost equals their sizes, the optical properties of the randomly deposited structures may considerably differ from these for periodical structures [3]. In this work, we have studied the degree of the morphology influence (particle diameter in the colloid, the distance between the deposited particles, the number of layers etc.) on the optical and electrical properties of the deposited thin film of bimetallic gold and silver clusters. In this work we used CW-laser with moderate intensity in liquid (water or ethanol) for synthesis nanoparticles of noble metals. For the formation of quasi-periodically arranged clusters, particle deposition from the colloidal systems is used. The optical properties of the deposited bimetallic films are shown to change as a function of composition and geometry in agreement with the modeling of the optical properties.


The mechanism of HH σ bond activation catalyzed by VO(1A1/3A′) has been investigated by using density functional theory at the B3LYP/6-311G(2d, p) level and the single-point energy calculations were done at the CCSD/6-311G (2d, p)//B3LYP/6-311G(2d, p) level of theory using the geometries along the minimum energy pathway. According to our calculation results, the different reaction mechanisms were found for the singlet and triplet potential energy surfaces (PESs). Specially, the crossing points (CPs) between the different PESs have been located by means of the intrinsic reaction coordinate approach used by Yoshizawa et al, and corresponding minimum energy CPs that we obtained by the mathematical algorithm proposed by Harvey et al. has also been employed. In addition, the orbital interaction for ion-molecule complexes 1IM1 and 3IM1 have been examined by fragment molecular orbital analysis. Finally, the frontier molecular orbital interaction analysis about 3TS1 and 3TS2 were used to gain useful information about the HH σ bond activation by VO. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2012


INTRODUCTION IN A PREVIOUS communication, 1 an analysis of electric-shock fractures was presented in which correlations with possible predisposing factors were discussed. It was the purpose of the present, similar invesigation to study insulin-shock fractures of the thoracic portion of the spine in an effort to correlate such fractures with any determinable theoretical predisposing or etiologic factors and to determine the incidence of such fractures with insulin shock treatment. A review of the literature did not reveal any information along these lines. General Comment Regarding Insulin Shock.— Insulin shock is defined as a "circulatory insufficiency resulting from overdosage with insulin which causes the sudden reduction of blood sugar. It is marked by tremor, sweating, vertigo, diplopia, convulsions, and collapse." 2 Insulin shock therapy for certain psychoses was developed in 1928 by Manfred Sakel, 3 and the fact that it is still being used despite the difficulty of its administration is


Parents of schizophrenic patients have frequently been thought of contributing pathogenic influences towards causation, occurrence, recurrence or progression of the disease. Lidz and his colleagues (1957) conducted an extensive enquiry about the parental characteristics of schizophrenics and observed 9 out of 15 families having a schizophrenic parents. Fleck, Lidz and Cornelison (1963) concluded that male schizophrenics came from skewed families and females from schismatic families. They vrerc of the view that schizophrenics in these families learnt inappropriate behaviour, achieved distorted sexual identification and became bound up in parental conflict. Double bind communication observed among the parents of the schizophrenics was another important contribution in this area (Bateson, 1956). Morris and Wynne (1965) made higher level of predictions by using extracts of recorded interview with parents of schizophrenics and non-schizophrenic psychiatric patients. Similarly several other investigators (Fischer el al., 1959 ; Singer and Wynne, 1966 ; Wynne, 1967 ; 1971) reported certain abnormal personality characteristics in the parents of schizophrenics.


Magnetic hyperthermia with magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) has been introduced to selective treatment of tumor and the MNPs also has demonstrated diagnosis. For non-invasive treatment, a therapeutic platform with temperature monitoring that can avoid overheating in normal tissues is of vital importance. In this study, we have developed a wireless temperature monitoring system by utilizing the combination of magnetic harmonic signals of the MNPs for magnetic hyperthermia treatment in laboratory experiments. We achieved an accurate measurement with an error of 0.18 °C. For practical use on breast/oral cancer, a detectable distance of at least 10 mm is required. To demonstrate the feasibility toward future biomedical applications, we investigated the dependency on the amount of Resovist® and the error is less than 0.5 °C in a 10 mm distance. Our system can measure the correct temperature regardless of Resovist amount. The results indicate that our system can apply for monitoring temperature on magnetic hyperthermia treatment.


Phosphorescent organic light emitting diodes (PHOLEDs) have undergone tremendous growth over the past two decades. Indeed, they are already prevalent in the form of mobile displays, and are expected to be used in large‐area flat panels recently. To become a viable technology for next generation solid‐state light source however, PHOLEDs face the challenge of achieving concurrently a high color rendering index (CRI) and a high efficiency at high luminance. To improve the CRI of a standard three color white PHOLED, one can use a greenish‐yellow emitter to replace the green emitter such that the gap in emission wavelength between standard green and red emitters is eliminated. However, there are relatively few studies on greenish‐yellow emitters for PHOLEDs, and as a result, the performance of greenish‐yellow PHOLEDs is significantly inferior to those emitting in the three primary colors, which are driven strongly by the display industry. Herein, a newly synthesized greenish‐yellow emitter is synthesized and a novel device concept is introduced featuring interzone exciton transfer to considerably enhance the device efficiency. In particular, high external quantum efficiencies (current efficiencies) of 21.5% (77.4 cd/A) and 20.2% (72.8 cd/A) at a luminance of 1000 cd/m2 and 5000 cd/m2, respectively, have been achieved. These efficiencies are the highest reported to date for greenish‐yellow emitting PHOLEDs. A model for this unique design is also proposed. This design could potentially be applied to enhance the efficiency of even longer wavelength yellow and red emitters, thereby paving the way for a new avenue of tandem white PHOLEDs for solid‐state lighting.


Glasses of the composition 0.20 Bi2O3 - 0.30 TiO2 - 0.50 SrB4O7 and 0.30 Bi2O3 - 0.45 TiO2 - 0.25 SrB4O7 have been fabricated by conventional glass processing technique. These glasses have been characterized using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), differential thermal analysis (DTA) and high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM). The frequency response of the dielectric constant and the loss tangent of these glasses has been studied. The formation of the crystalline bismuth titanate, Bi4Ti3O12 (BiT) phase in the heat treated samples has been confirmed by XRD and HRTEM studies. The measured ET Of the glass-ceramics are found to be in good agreement with those predicted by the logarithmic mixture rule. Optical second harmonic generation (SHG) at 1064 nm has been observed in the heat treated samples and is attributed to the formation of crystalline Bi4Ti3O12 (BiT) phase in the SrB4O7 (SBO) matrix.


Stem cells are unique in that they possess both the capacity to self-renew and thereby maintain their original pool, as well as the capacity to differentiate into mature cells. In the past number of years, transcriptional profiling of enriched stem cell populations has been extensively performed in an attempt to identify a universal stem cell gene expression signature. While stem cell-specific transcripts were identified in each case, this approach has thus far been insufficient to identify a universal group of core "stemness" genes ultimately responsible for self-renewal and multipotency. Similarly, in the hematopoietic system, comparisons of transcriptional profiles between different hematopoietic cell stages have had limited success in revealing core genes ultimately responsible for the initiation of differentiation and lineage specification. Here, we propose that the combined use of transcriptional profiling and genetic linkage analysis, an approach called "genetical genomics", can be a valuable tool to assist in the identification of genes and gene networks that specify "stemness" and cell fate decisions. We review past studies of hematopoietic cells that utilized transcriptional profiling and/ or genetic linkage analysis, and discuss several potential future applications of genetical genomics.


HUFA in PL has been considered to be easily digested by marine fish larvae, which will result in better growth, survival and development (e.g., pigmentation, stress resistance and gut maturation). As one of the most commonly used live preys in aquaculture, Artemia sp. contain low amount of highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUFA), especially of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6n-3) in phospholipids (PL) even after enrichment. The objective of the present thesis is to study time kinetics of change in important HUFA in total lipid (TL), phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) of A. franciscana nauplii and juveniles following short-term enrichment, subsequent starvation and long-term cultivation, with a main focus on DHA. No DHA was found in PC and PE during the first hour of the short-term enrichment of Artemia nauplii. The content of HUFA did not accumulate in PC and PE during the first hour of enrichment, but significantly (p<0.05) increased in TL. After 1h, the content of HUFA in PC and PE increased gradually and the regression analysis showed that the content of DHA in PC and PE during short-term enrichment and following starvation, respectively, increased and decreased significant slower than that in TL. Moreover, relatively low content of DHA in TL was found during long-term cultivation of juvenile Artemia when compared with nauplii, whereas the content of DHA in PC and PE was similar. The contents of EPA and ARA in TL, PC and PE increased steadily during short-term enrichment, following starvation of nauplii, and long-term cultivation of juvenile Artemia. From the results we assumed that the accumulation of HUFA in PL during short-term enrichment of nauplii was probably due to fatty acids retailoring between PL and TAG, and an additional amount of DHA might be incorporated into PL through PL-synthesis pathway during long-term cultivation of juvenile Artemia.


A depth estimation procedure has been described which essentially attempts to identify depth phases by analyzing multi-station waveform data (hereafter called level II data) in various ways including deconvolution, prediction error filtering, and spectral analysis of the signals. In the absence of such observable phases, other methods based on S-P , ScS-P , and SKS-P travel times are tried to get an estimate of the source depth. The procedure was applied to waveform data collected from 31 globally distributed stations for the period between 1 and 15 October 1980. The digital data were analyzed at the temporary data center facilities of the National Defense Research Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.

During this period, a total number of 162 events in the magnitude range 3.5 to 6.2 were defined by analyzing first arrival time data (hereafter called level I data) alone. For 120 of these events, it was possible to estimate depths using the present procedure. The applicability of the procedure was found to be 100 per cent for the events with mb > 4.8 and 88 per cent for the events with mb > 4. A comparison of level I depths and level II depths (the depths as obtained from level I and level II data, respectively) with that of the United States Geological Survey estimates indicated that it will be necessary to have at least one local station (Δ < 10°) among the level I data to obtain reasonable depth estimates from such data alone.

Further, it has been shown that S wave travel times could be successfully utilized for the estimation of source depth.


Diamondback moth (DBM) has been important pest of crucifers since years ago worldwide. The first DBM resistance was reported on dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), from then it has developed resistance to other insecticides. Its ability to build resistance to almost every insecticide introduced is a great concern to the agriculture world, owing mainly to its short life cycle, continuous host availability and its genetic elasticity. Numerous resistance mechanisms displayed by DBM to counterattack effect of insecticides, either behaviorally, physiology or by biochemical. This paper is focused on diamondback moth (DBM) resistance to insecticides, its biochemical mechanism and the potential to become cross resistance to other insecticides. We highlighted the biochemical reactions in DBM resistance and emphasized on enzymes responsible to the resistance. The information on the mechanism could provide valuable information to other researchers in designing a rapid and sensitive biochemical assay in detecting DBM resistance to many insecticides that has yet to be discovered. The potential of DBM to develop cross resistance to other insecticides is also stressed since the issue is always corelated with biochemical resistance mechanisms.


Arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) is an important cause of sudden death in Boxer dogs. Validation of prognostic factors for this disease could help in detecting more severely affected animals and their exclusion from breeding programs. The aims of this study were to evaluate the prognostic significance of presence of symptoms, heart rate variability (HRV) indices and ventricular or supraventricular arrhythmias recorded by Holter monitoring on survival of Boxer dogs with ARVC at different stages. Symptoms, arrhythmias registered on Holter and five HRV indices were prospectively analyzed in 69 clientowned Boxer dogs divided into five groups: control Boxer dogs (CB group, <50 VPC/24 hours, n=28), suspicious Boxers (SB group, 50 to 300 VPC/24 hours, n=8), Boxers with ARVC (ARVC group, >300 VPC/24 hours, n=19), Boxers with ARVC and systolic dysfunction without congestive heart failure (SDB without CHF group, n=6) and with CHF (SDB with CHF group, n=8). Statistical analyses consisted of an ANOVA test, Pearson correlation and Cox's proportional hazards regression. Compared to the CB group, no decrease in HRV indices was found in SB, ARVCB or SDB without CHF groups; otherwise, SDB with CHF group had impaired indices. No relation was found between HRV indices and cardiac-related death, but the presence of syncopes with or without clinical signs of heart failure and number of ventricular tachycardia (VT), were correlated with survival. These results allow us to conclude that the presence of symptoms of heart failure, presence of syncopes and number of VT on Holter examination seem to have prognostic value in Boxer ARVC.


Abstract This article argues that, suitably modified, the method of reflective equilibrium is a plausible way of selecting moral principles. The appropriate conception of the method is wide and radical, admitting consideration of a full range of moral principles and arguments, and requiring the enquiring individual to consider others' views and undergo experiences that may offset any formative biases. The individual is not bound by his initial considered judgments, and may revise his view in any way whatsoever. It is appropriate to describe the method as a balance between coherentism and fallibilist foundationalism. With these points in mind, various criticisms, including the claims that considered judgments are not initially credible and are shaped by prejudice, and that the method itself fails to determine principle selection, are challenged.


Heart failure is a prevalent comorbidity in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM). However, it is unclear whether the risk factors for heart failure in DM patients treated with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors are the same as those for the general population. In this study, we evaluated the factors of new-onset heart failure in working-age patients with diabetes who started DPP-4 inhibitor therapy. This study included 7938 working-age patients. The primary endpoint of the study was the proportion of patients developing heart failure within 12 months of starting DPP-4 inhibitor therapy, which was found to be 1.89% (n = 150). In these patients, risk factors of new-onset heart failure were aging, history of atrial fibrillation, and hypertension but not sex, smoking, high body mass index, weight gain of over 10 kg from 20 years of age, levels of low-density lipoprotein or glycated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), history of angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, and chronic kidney disease. We confirmed that cardiovascular comorbidities are risk factors for new-onset heart failure in patients with DM, while general risk factors are not. In conclusion, physicians and pharmacists need to carefully monitor working-age patients with cardiovascular history who start DPP-4 inhibitor therapy even if they do not exhibit general risk factors for heart failure.


The essay analyzes the illness narratives a small sample (n=50) of psychiatric patients living in Turin, each providing two long in depth interviews. The paper outlines the experience of biographical disruption that accompanies the emergence of mental suffering and that throws the narrators in a strange and hostile world. The narratives are analyzed focusing on their basic structure, the narrative genre and on the actual plot. The analysis of the plot concentrates on three themes: the irruption of the mental suffering, the encounter with the psychiatric system and the strategies for coping with mental illness. The reconstruction of the elementary structure of narratives is carried out through the narrato-logical model of Algirdas Julien Greimas, individuating the phases of contract, competence, performance and sanction. For the definition of genre, the paper refers to the model of Kenneth Gergen, distinguishing three narratives' forms: tragic, comedy-romance (subdivided in three sub-genres), and the heroic saga.


1 African mahogany Khaya senegalensis is a high‐value timber tree. Pilot plantings showed that the fruit‐spotting bug Amblypelta lutescens causes severe damage of the tree in the wet–dry tropics of northern Australia. The weaver ant Oecophylla smaragdina is an efficient biocontrol agent in some horticulture crops. To investigate whether the ants control this pest, field experiments were conducted from April 2006 to January 2009 at two study sites in the Darwin area, Australia. A laboratory experiment was carried out in March 2007 at Berrimah Farm. 2 During the experimental period, in the weaver ant treatments, the overall percentage of trees damaged by the pest was 0–8% at both sites, and the damaged trees were attacked once only. In the treatments without weaver ants, however, the damage level was > 80% at Berrimah Farm and 31–100% at Howard Springs, and the damaged trees were attacked more than once. 3 The mean percentage of trees damaged per monitoring occasion was 0–2.6% in the weaver ant treatments at both sites, whereas, in the treatments without the ants, the damage percentages were 14.2–27.0% at Howard Springs and 28.2–48.6% at Berrimah Farm. 4 Extrafloral nectar of African mahoganies is attractive to weaver ants. Fruit‐spotting bugs only damage the tender parts of flushing shoots and growing tips. Weaver ants live on sugar solution and meat, and they frequently harvest extrafloral nectar on growing shoots, on which they catch nymphs of the pest for their meat supply. The aggressive behaviour of the ants also repels the pest away from flushing shoots. 5 The data suggest that weaver ants were effective biocontrol agents of fruit‐spotting bugs, and the ants can be used to manage the pest on African mahoganies. 6 The present study demonstrates that the introduced African mahogany comprises another major host of the fruit‐spotting bug.


Electronic structures of nanodiamond crystals are elucidated by means of first principles calculations. It is found that the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of diamond molecules forms the conduction band with a parabolic dispersion centered at the momentum origin. This results in a direct band gap in the nanodiamond crystal, which contrasts sharply with the indirect gap in bulk diamond. The corresponding light absorption/emission energy can be tuned within the ultraviolet wavelength range by choosing different nanodiamonds, which provides significant potential for their optoelectronic applications.


Aim  To correlate the vibrations of a retro tip under a range of loads and generator powers with its cutting ability.

Methodology  A scanning laser vibrometer was used to measure the maximum vibration displacement amplitude of a KiS 2D tip (Obtura Spartan, USA) under loads of 10–50 g (10 g increments). Loads were applied by contacting the tip against a polished root dentine surface (1200 grit) and were measured using a load cell (RDP Electronics, UK). A calibrated scale was placed over the power dial of the generator (Piezon Master 400; EMS, Switzerland) which enabled incremental power settings (1–5) to be selected between minimum and quarter power of the total generator output. Ten repeat scans were made for each load and generator power combination. The retro tip was then used to create cavities in polished dentine surfaces. The tip was operated using the same experimental conditions as described above (five power settings, 10–50 g loads). For each condition, the tip was contacted against surfaces for 5 s and used to make 10 repeat cavities. Cavities were scanned with a 3D laser profilometer (TaiCaan, UK), enabling the maximum width and length of the cavity to be measured. The same generator and handpiece were used throughout the experiment.

Results  Load significantly reduced tip vibration displacement amplitude at 30–50 g (P < 0.0001) when compared with 10 and 20 g. Conversely, it was found that loads of 30–50 g led to either no significant difference (P = 0.242) or even significant increases (P < 0.02) in the length and width of the cavities produced when compared with those obtained at 10 and 20 g. Profile views of the cavities, obtained through laser profilometry, suggest that greater loads may cause chipping of the dentine near the surface.

Conclusions  It is clinically recommended that low loads are exerted on tips to reduce the incidence of fracture. This recommendation is supported by this work which showed that, at loads greater than 20 g, tip vibration displacement amplitude was significantly reduced. Although the length and width of the cavities produced increased at greater loads, it is suggested that the instrument breaks up dentine distant to the periphery of the instrument with a chipping action, potentially causing the instrument to be less precise.


The results of virological and serological study of the influenza epidemic of 1976 revealed a further antigenic drift of hemagglutinin and neuraminidase in current influenza A viruses. One of the features of the A/76 epidemic strains was a marked weakening of antigenic relationships with viruses of the A/Port Chalmers group and a marked relation to chronologically more remote ancestor of the current epidemic subcycle, A/Victoria/72 virus. This gives grounds to consider the new viruses to be the progeny of the latter and not of A/Port Chalmers/73 viruses. The strains of influenza A virus isolated 1 1/2-2 months before the outbreak (November-December, 1975) were typical members of the A/Port Chalmers group and differed markedly from the agents in the epidemic of 1976. This evidence indicates the exogenic, imported origin of the causative agents of the influenza epidemic in 1976 in the USSR.


This paper studies the outsider' s role in international commercial arbitration, comparing two scenarios where an outsider to an arbitration procedure takes up the identity of one of the parties based on their relationship and economic interests. In the first scenario, this paper looks into a non-signatory to the arbitration agreement that participates in the proceeding based on the group of companies doctrine. This controversial doctrine may allow a non- signatory third-party to be joined to the procedure based on the third-party and one of the signatories of the group of companies forming one and the same economic reality as well as the non- signatory third-party being involved in the negotiation, performance or termination of the contract. The economic interests of the parties involved in the transaction as well as the participation of the non- signatory are key to the changing of role of outsiders in an arbitration. In the second scenario, this paper focuses on the third- party funder's impact on an arbitration proceeding with regard to the disclosure and conflict of interest of arbitrators. International Bar Association [hereinafter IBA] Guidelines on Conflict of Interest in International Arbitration, General Standard 6(b) provides that a "legal or physical person having a controlling influence on the legal entity, or a direct economic interest in, or a duty to indemnify a party for, the award to be rendered in the arbitration, may be considered to bear the identity of such party". The Explanation to this provision further clarifies that "third party funders and insurers in relation to the dispute may have a direct economic interest in the award, and as such, may be considered to be the equivalent of that party". The economic interests may therefore allow the arbitral tribunal to determine that the outsider would bear the identities of the funded parties for the purpose of the conflict of interest determination. These two scenarios are quite different regarding the role of the outsiders, as one scenario involves the outsider becoming a party to the dispute, while the other scenario is about conflict of interest of arbitrators. It does suggest that in different contexts, an outsider could take up the identity of a party to the arbitration as long as the involvement of the outsider can be justified in that particular context. The paper further reviews the issue related to the arbitral tribunal's jurisdiction over the funder, particularly with regard to whether the tribunal can make adverse costs awards directly against the funder. This paper proposes that the funder's economic interests relating to the outcome of the arbitration, in addition to the funder's control over the arbitral procedure, if sufficiently strong, could allow the arbitral tribunal to make binding costs awards against the funder. This is because in this particular context the funder could be considered to be the equivalent of the funded party based on a determination of implied consent. Otherwise, it can also be justified under an approach that focuses on the arbitral procedure instead of the arbitration agreement.


We report the major, rare earth, and other trace element compositions of clinopyroxenes from two Leg 140, Hole 504B diabase dikes. These pyroxenes reflect a complex history of crystal growth and magma evolution. The large ranges of composition found reflect incorporation of exotic phenocrysts into the melt, the early formation of crystal clots before dike intrusion during an undercooling event, and in-situ fractionation of melt during and following dike emplacement. Some of the pyroxenes occur in coarse two- and three-phase glomerocrysts, which may be "protogabbros" representing early stages of melt crystallization in the lower crust. Large variations in trace element composition are found. These likely reflect heterogeneous nucleation and growth of plagioclase and pyroxene in the melt, as well as complex interface kinetics that may affect partition coefficients during rapid crystal growth expected during undercooling. This can explain the formation of irregular chemical sector zoning in some equant anhedral phenocrysts. Undercooling of magmas in the lower crust most likely reflects input of fresh hot melt into a stagnating melt-storage zone. Dikes intruded upward from an inflated melt-storage zone during such a cycle are likely to be larger than those intruded from the storage zone between such cycles, when it would be deflated, consistent with the greater overall thickness of the phyric dikes in the Leg 140 section of Hole 504B.


Explores why some schools may be better than others at helping students learn by identifying and critiquing national indicator data on school leadership, goals, professional community, discipline, academic environment, teacher academic skills, teaching assignment, teacher experience, professional development, course content, pedagogy, technology and class size. Notes that teachers make a difference.


Abstract : The Energy Policy Act (EPAct) of 2005 established renewable energy goals for federal government agencies. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 directs the Secretary of Defense to establish a policy to maximize savings for the bulk purchase of replacement renewable energy certificates in connection with the development of facility energy projects using renewable energy sources. This requires that each service purchase replacement renewable energy certificates (RECs) through either a centralized purchasing authority within the respective department, or the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). A REC certifies that a renewable power generator has produced a certain amount of power according to set requirements and standards. In meeting past goals for using renewable-generated electricity, federal agencies purchased RECs without purchasing the associated power. In 2008, GAO reported that federal agencies continued to rely on RECs rather than site-generated renewable energy to meet EPAct goals. Though no statute has specifically authorized federal agencies to purchase RECs, they have become an attractive option for some federal facilities in meeting renewable energy mandates, particularly where renewable power was not readily available. Early on, federal agencies purchased RECs without purchasing the associated electricity in order to meet the building energy-intensity reduction goals of National Energy Conservation Policy Act. The Department of Energy s Federal Energy Management Program (FEMP) has advised, Because it defines renewable energy broadly, many different REC types can count towards an agency s renewable energy consumption requirement under EPAct 2005. Section 203 of EPAct 2005 specifies that renewable energy must be consumed to be credited toward the renewable energy goal (42 U.S.C. 15852(a)). However, Congress has not provided federal agencies explicit statutory authority to purchase RECs for meeting EPAct goals.


One of the most important reasons for developing university technology business incubators (UTBIs) is to permit the commercialisation of technology and research by setting up new firms to graduate into fully-fledged businesses, which are normally referred to as new technology-based firms (NTBFs). Relying on the resource-based theory (RBT) and incubation models, the present research is concerned with proposing a theoretical framework for the enabling factors that influence the graduation of new technology-based firms (NTBFs) that result from the commercialisation of research and technology through to becoming established businesses from a university technology business incubator (UTBIs). A pragmatic philosophy informed the researcher's theoretical lens. This involved the use of a multiple case study using mixed methods that entailed the use of both quantitative and qualitative research techniques in the form of semi-structured interviews with the UTBI's management team. The most significant finding of the research is that there are a number of enabling factors that influence the graduation of NTBFs within a UTBI, the most significant of which are stringent selection and admission criteria, the business support services, financial resources, university entrepreneurial network/ mediation and organisational resources. Each of these factors is grouped into three stages: the pre incubation stage, the incubation stage and the graduation stage. The unit of analysis for this research consists of the management team within three UTBIs located in one of the University of Technology in Gauteng Province. Owing to the nature of the sample, the results may not be representative of the remaining UoTs in Gauteng. The study attempts to link the development of business ideas to factors that influence their progression into graduated businesses.

 Key words: Commercialisation, enabling factors, new technology-based firms, University of Technology, university technology business incubators.


One of the major challenges in modern day statistics is to formulate models and develop inferential procedures to understand the complex multivariate relationships present in high-dimensional datasets. In this paper, we address the issue of model determination for DAGs, with respect to a given ordering of the variables, together with the corresponding parameter estimation. For this, we use a hierarchical mixture prior and develop a Gibbs sampling algorithm to carry out the posterior computations. We first focus on the Gaussian DAG models and calculate the posterior probability of being the edge between two nodes. We then extend our idea to construct a DAG for discrete data under the assumption that the data generated by discretization of the marginal distributions of a latent multivariate Gaussian distribution via a set of predetermined threshold values. Results show that the proposed method has high accuracy. The source code is available at http://bs.ipm.ac.ir/softwares/Gibbs/code.rar


Advancements in smart grid technologies have made it possible to apply various options and strategies for the optimization of demand response (DR) in electricity markets. DR aggregation would accumulate potential DR schedules and constraints offered by small- and medium-sized customers for the participation in wholesale electricity markets. Despite various advantages offered by the hourly DR in electricity markets, practical market tools that can optimize the economic options available to DR aggregators and market participants are not readily attainable. In this context, this paper presents an optimization framework for the DR aggregation in wholesale electricity markets. The proposed study focuses on the modeling strategies for energy markets. In the proposed model, DR aggregators offer customers various contracts for load curtailment, load shifting, utilization of onsite generation, and energy storage systems as possible strategies for hourly load reductions. The aggregation of DR contracts is considered in the proposed price-based self-scheduling optimization model to determine optimal DR schedules for participants in day-ahead energy markets. The proposed model is examined on a sample DR aggregator and the numerical results are discussed in the paper.


This paper provides a comprehensive introduction to a novel approach to pattern recognition which is based on the generalized probabilistic descent method (GPD) and its related design algorithms. The paper contains a survey of recent recognizer design techniques, the formulation of GPD, the concept of minimum classification error learning that is closely related to the GPD formalization, a relational analysis between GPD and other important design methods, and various embodiments of GPD-based design, including segmental-GPD, minimum spotting error training, discriminative utterance verification, and discriminative feature extraction. GPD development has its origins in basic pattern recognition and Bayes decision theory. It represents a simple but careful re-investigation of the classical theory and successfully leads to an innovative framework. For clarity of presentation, detailed discussions about its embodiments are provided for examples of speech pattern recognition tasks that use a distance-based classifier. Experimental results in speech pattern recognition tasks clearly demonstrate the remarkable utility of the family of GPD-based design algorithms.


Background: In French Guiana, a recent study has shown that a major part of the histoplasmosis incidence temporal fluctuations could be explained by climatic factors and thus postulated that disseminated histoplasmosis cases could be in a large proportion due to new infections. The description of the seasonal pattern of histoplasmosis could potentially help to test this new hypothesis. Patients and methods: A study using prospective data from the French Hospital Database for HIV was conducted in order to determine seasonal variations of the incidence of first cases of disseminated histoplasmosis in HIV persons in Cayenne, French Guiana. Single failure Cox proportional hazards models were used. Results: After adjusting for CD4 counts and antiretroviral treatment, the incidence of disseminated histoplasmosis was significantly higher during the Short Wet Season–Long Dry Season than during the Short Dry Season–Long Wet Season (Adjusted Hazard ratio 1.7 (1.1-2.5), P= 0.01). Conclusion: This result gives both valuable epidemiologic information to clinicians and a supplementary argument in favour of the hypothesis that an important proportion of cases were due to recent exposure. Therefore, the use of a primary prophylaxis must be discussed in French Guiana.


The prevalence of gastric nematodes in 151 goats on Grand Canary Island is around 56%, with a mean burden of 691 worms/animal. No significant differences of prevalence and intensity were found between the four isoclimatic areas of the island [dry-desert (DD); dry-steppe (DS); temperate-mild (TM); temperate-cold (TC)]. Five nematode species were identified, the most commonly-occurring being Teladorsagia circumcincta (observed in 65.8% of parasitized animals) and Trichostrongylus axei (51.9%). The distribution of the two species showed opposing trends: T circumcincta was more prevalent in the coastal areas (DD), diminishing in frequency closer to the centre of the island (TC), while the reverse was true of T axei. The other species identified were Haemonchus contortus, T trifurcata and Camelostrongylus mentulatus; their ranges were restricted to certain areas (H contortus in DS and TM; T trifurcata in DD, DS and TM; and C mentulatus in DD). To analyse the parasite association under natural conditions of an unusual nematode in goats, C mentulatus, with the usual parasites a principal component analysis (PCA) was used to assess the overall behaviour of the nematode community and to examine the Euclidean distances of the parasite associations. The mean Euclidean distances obtained for C mentulatus showed a tendency to a positive association which has also been observed for the other abomasal nematodes.


TiO2–graphene (TiO2–GR) composites were synthesized via hydrothermal methods in an ethanol–water solvent. The photocatalytic oxidation, photocatalytic reduction and photoelectrochemical properties were systematically investigated to explore the real role of graphene in the TiO2–GR composite photocatalysts. The pollutant degradation and adsorption results strongly indicated that the composited graphene in TiO2–GR cannot enhance the photocatalytic oxidation activity in the degradation of pollutants. The migration process of photo-generated holes in the photocatalytic oxidation reaction is the rate-determining step, which cannot be promoted by the composited graphene in TiO2–GR. However, composited graphene can promote the migration of photo-generated electrons in TiO2–GR due to its excellent conductivity, which mainly enhances the H2 evolution performance and photoelectrochemical properties.


Abstract Seismic sequence interpretation, analysis of shallow boreholes and outcrop studies at Svalbard strongly indicate that the Triassic basin in the northern Barents Sea and eastern Svalbard was supplied by sediments from the south east by a large complex prograding delta system. The seismic facies interpretation suggests that the black Ladinian and Anisian shale (Botneheia Formation) is an integrated part of the prograding delta system and developed as the bottom sets of large pro-delta clinoforms. The clinoforms and their breaking points define a series of seismically detectable sequences at a shelf edge delta. Provenance areas are suggested to be Siberia, the Kola Peninsula and the Caledonides. Each sequence has a maximum thickness of 200–400 m and is interpreted to represent the water depth range in the basin. Seasonal flooding, stratified salinity and algal blooming are assumed to be important factors generating anoxic bottom conditions in a huge death zone in front of the prograding delta system. The folded and thrusted Triassic rocks in the western part of Svalbard are suggested to be part of an allochthonous nappe ejected from the Greenland region when Greenland moved northwards along the Hornsund Fault complex; their original position is suggested to be further south.