Abstract Skeletal muscle hypertrophy is an exercise-induced adaptation, particularly in resistance training (RT) programs that use large volumes and low loads. However, evidence regarding the role of rest intervals on metabolic stress and muscular adaptations is inconclusive. Thus, we aimed to investigate the effects of a strenuous RT model (jump-training) on skeletal muscle adaptations and metabolic stress, considering the scarce information about RT models for rats. We hypothesized that jump-training induces metabolic stress and influences negatively the growth of soleus (SOL) and extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscles of rats. Male Wistar rats (aged 60 days) were randomly assigned to non-trained or trained groups (n = 8/group). Trained rats performed jump-training during 5 days a week for 1, 3, or 5 weeks with 30 s of inter-set rest intervals. Forty-eight hours after the experimental period, rats were euthanized and blood samples immediately drawn to measure creatine kinase activity, lactate and corticosterone concentrations. Muscle weight-to-body weight ratio (MW/BW), cross-sectional area (CSA) and myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoform expression were determined. Higher lactate levels occurred after 20 min of training in weeks 1 and 3. Corticosterone levels were higher after 5 weeks of training. Jump-training had negative effects on hypertrophy of types-I and II muscle fibers after 5 weeks of training, as evidenced by decreased CSA and reduced muscle weight. Our results demonstrated that pronounced metabolic stress and impairment of muscle growth might take place when variables of exercise training are not appropriately manipulated. Lay summary Resistance training (RT) has been used to increase muscle mass. In this regard, training variables (intensity, volume, and frequency) must be strictly controlled in order to evoke substantial muscular fitness. This study shows that rats submitted to 5 weeks of intensive resistance jump-training – high intensity, large volume, and short rest intervals – present high levels of blood corticosterone associated with negative effects on hypertrophy of types-I and II muscle fibers.


Cognitive disorders in schizophrenia can be observed in relatives and persons even before the first episode. The patterns of these disorders may be specific to the occurrence of a later episode. After the first episode, the disorders remain relatively stable and are partly correlated with negative symptoms. Furthermore, the cognitive deficits have a negative impact on the social and occupational functional level. Recent studies suggest that cognitive remediation has small to moderate effects on cognition, and thus can also improve overall patient function.


Nanocomposite (NC) hydrogels used for sonodynamic therapy (SDT) face challenges such as lacking interfacial interactions between the polymers and nanomaterials as well as presenting uneven dispersion of nanomaterials in the hydrogel network, reducing their mechanical properties and treatment efficiency. Here, we demonstrate a promising approach of co-engineering nanomaterials and interfacial crosslinking to expand the materials construction and biomedical applications of NC hydrogels in SDT. In this work, mesoporous silica-coated titanium dioxide nanoparticles with thiolated surface functionalization (TiO2@MS-SH) are utilized as crosslinkers to react with norbornene-functionalized dextran (Nor-Dex) through ultrasound-triggered thiol-norbornene reactions, forming TiO2@MS-SH/Nor-Dex NC hydrogels. The TiO2@MS-SH nanoparticles act not only as multivalent crosslinkers to improve the mechanical properties of hydrogels under ultrasound irradiation but also as reactive oxygen species (ROS) generators to allow the use of TiO2@MS-SH/Nor-Dex NC hydrogels in SDT applications. Particularly, the TiO2@MS-SH/Nor-Dex NC hydrogels present tailorable microstructures, properties, and sonodynamic killing of bacteria through the modulation of the ultrasound frequency. Taken together, a versatile TiO2-based NC hydrogel platform prepared under ultrasonic interfacial crosslinking reactions is developed for advancing the applications in SDT.


Mammography is the foremost common strategy of breast imaging. It employments low-dose amplitude-X-rays to look at the human
breast. Cancerous masses and calcium stores show up brighter on the mammogram. This strategy is sweet for recognizing Ductal
Carcinoma in-situ (DCIS) and calcifications. As of now, mammography is the gold standard strategy to distinguish early organize breast
cancer some time recently the injuries ended up clinically substantial. Mammography has made a difference to diminish the mortality
rate by 25%-30% in screened ladies when compared with a control gather after 5 to 7 years. Randomized trials of mammographic
screening have given solid prove that early determination and treatment of breast cancer diminishes breast cancer mortality.


The influence of fibers on the fatigue cracking resistance of asphalt concrete is investigated using fracture energy. Nylon, a popular facing yarn of carpets, is used for the actual recycled carpet fibers in asphalt pavement. The experimental program is designed with two phases: the single fiber pull-out test and the indirect tension strength test. Through pull-out tests of 15-denier single nylon fibers, the critical fiber embedded length is determined to be 9.2 mm. As for indirect tension strength tests, samples of asphalt concrete mixed with nylon fibers of two lengths, 6 and 12 mm, based on results of the pull-out tests (critical embedded length) and three volume fractions, 0.25, 0.5, and 1%, are prepared and tested. Asphalt concrete samples fabricated with fibers of 1% and 12 mm results in 85% higher fracture energy than non-reinforced specimens, showing improved fatigue cracking resistance. Although an optimized asphalt mix design with fibers has not been developed for this study, the increased fracture energy represents a potential for improving asphalt fatigue life, which may be facilitated through the use of recycled carpet fibers.


Bacteria of the Azospirillum genus have considerable potential for application in agricultural systems, either in co-inoculation and foliar application to increase crop yields, due to its role in the production of phytohormones. The objective of this research was to evaluate the yield and quality of soybean seeds produced under the effect of different doses of Azospirillum brasilense bacteria applied to the leaves. Seeds of four soybean cultivars (Anta 82 RR®, BRS Favorita RR®, BRS 780 RR® and BRS 820 RR®) were produced in the 2013/2014 crop year in Lavras, Minas Gerais, Brazil, with application of six doses of inoculants based on A. brasilense (0, 300, 400, 500, 600 and 700 mL ha-1) of the strains, AbV5 and AbV6. Besides the yield, the mass of a thousand seeds, moisture content, germination, emergence at 7 and 15 days after sowing, emergence speed index, accelerated aging, strength, viability and mechanical damage were evaluated by tetrazolium and the hypochlorite test. Regardless of the soybean cultivar, application of up to 700 mLha-1 of A. brasilense innoculant at v3 stage (second open trefoil) of the plants, the yield, physiological potential and seeds were not affected.

 Key words: Glycine max (L.) Merrill, growth promoting bacteria, emergency, viability, vigor.


Parameterized unit test recently gains a lot of attention as it saves testing cost and is more efficient in term of code coverage. We present a framework for running parameterized unit tests (PUT) based on Java PathFinder (JPF) and JUnit. Our approach bases on model checking and symbolic execution of JPF for generating standard unit tests. As a result, we achieve high structural and path coverage. The generated unit tests are automatically executed by JUnit so programmers receive immediately assertion failures if any. Currently, our approach mainly works with numeric and boolean data type but it is possible to extend our framework for other data types such as string.


Isocitrate and alpha-ketoglutarate have been synthesized with carbon-13 enrichment at specific positions. The 13C NMR spectra of these derivatives were measured as a function of pH. The magnitudes of the changes in chemical shifts with pH for free isocitrate and the magnesium-isocitrate complex suggest that the primary site of ionization is at the beta-carboxyl. In the presence of the enzyme NADP+-dependent isocitrate dehydrogenase and the activating metal magnesium, the carbon-13 resonances of all three carboxyls remain constant from pH 5.5 to pH 7.5. Thus, the carboxyls remain in the ionized form in the enzyme-isocitrate complex. The alpha-hydroxyl carbon resonance could not be located in the enzyme-isocitrate complex, suggesting immobilization of this group. Magnesium produces a 2 ppm downfield shift of the beta-carboxyl but does not change the resonances of the alpha- and gamma-carboxyls. This result is consistent with metal activation of both the dehydrogenation and decarboxylation reactions. The 13C NMR spectrum of alpha-ketoglutarate remains unchanged in the presence of isocitrate dehydrogenase, implying the absence of alterations in geometry in the enzyme-bound form. Formation of the quaternary complex with Mg2+ and NADPH leads to loss of the alpha-ketoglutarate resonances and the appearance of new resonances characteristic of alpha-hydroxyglutarate. In addition, a broad peak ascribed to the enol form of alpha-ketoglutarate is observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


The National Cancer Institute (NCI) sponsored the NCI Thyroid Fine‐Needle Aspiration (FNA) State of the Science Conference on October 22–23, 2007 in Bethesda, MD. The 2‐day meeting was accompanied by a permanent informational website and several on‐line discussions between May 1 and December 15, 2007 (http://thyroidfna.cancer.gov). This document summarizes the indications for performing an FNA of a nodule discovered by physical examination or an imaging study; the indications for using ultrasound versus palpation for guidance when performing a thyroid FNA; the issues surrounding informed consent for thyroid FNA; and the information required on a requisition form that accompanies a thyroid FNA specimen. (http://thyroidfna.cancer.gov/pages/info/agenda/) Diagn. Cytopathol. 2008;36:390–399. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


A continuous infusion of ondansetron was compared with a placebo infusion in 80 patients undergoing major breast reconstructive surgery. All patients received a standard anaesthetic and a bolus dose of ondansetron after induction. They were then randomly allocated to receive an intravenous infusion of ondansetron or a placebo infusion for 24 h in a double‐blind fashion. Postoperative analgesia was provided by patient‐controlled subcutaneous diamorphine. In the ondansetron group, the severity of nausea, measured by a 10‐point verbal rating scale, was reduced (p = 0.01) and fewer patients stated at postoperative interview that nausea and vomiting was a problem (p = 0.01).


Since the mid-1990s postmodernism has been repeatedly declared dead. This article argues that those death notices have been premature. Postmodernism is still with us, both in its unadulterated form, and in fascinating combinations with other modes of narration. This interweaving of postmodern techniques with realist, modernist, magical realist or other modes resists easy theorization. That should, however, not stop us from recognizing the role that postmodernism plays in the sort of free narration that the novels in question represent and propagate.


Vigna vexillata is an underutilised perennial tuberous legume with several multipurpose uses. In a comparative study to identify sources of potentially useful genetic variation, six cultivated accessions from two regions in Bali, a var. macrosperma accession and 12 wild accessions from Africa, Australia and Indonesia were evaluated for selected morphological, agronomic and phenological traits. Measurements were made of qualitative and quantitative traits on plants grown over the spring–autumn period in large pots on benches outdoors at Townsville, Australia (19°19.7′S, 146°45.7′E). Variation among the genotypes was assessed between the three main groups of accessions, between provenances within groups, and between accessions within provenances. Large variation was observed for most traits, with clear differentiation evident between the three main groups of accession. There was minimal variation within the Bali accessions for all except tuber attributes, while within the wild accessions there were some small differences due to provenance. The Bali accessions and var. macrosperma shared many attributes often associated with domestication, distinguishing them from the wild accessions. For example, the Bali accessions and var. macrosperma had broad-ovate leaflets, uniform-coloured seed testa, and non-dehiscent pods, and larger pods and seeds, seed yield per plant and seed harvest index than the wild accessions. Nonetheless, there were distinct differences between the Bali accessions and var. macrosperma. The Bali accessions had a larger seed size but fewer seeds per pod than var. macrosperma and were unique in having more than twice as many flowers per peduncle and a much longer duration of seed development than either var. macrosperma or the wild accessions. Whereas the Bali accessions were photoperiod-sensitive and as a consequence, late flowering and vegetatively vigorous, var. macrosperma was early flowering, more bush-like in habit and had higher seed yield and seed harvest index, all traits associated with domestication. Across all the accessions, there were significant correlations between many pairs of traits. While the present study identified sources of potentially useful variation, it was concluded that the lack of variation within the Bali accessions, combined with the paucity of both cultivated and var. macrosperma accessions in current germplasm collections, pose constraints to the future genetic improvement of V. vexillata.


This paper compares engineering estimation schemes of C* and creep COD for circumferential and axial through-wall cracked pipes at elevated temperatures with detailed 3-D elastic-creep finite element results. Engineering estimation schemes included the GE/EPRI method, the reference stress method where reference stress is defined based on the plastic limit load and the enhanced reference stress method where the reference stress is defined based on the optimized reference load. Systematic investigations are made not only on the effect of creep-deformation behaviour on C* and creep COD, but also on effects of the crack location, the pipe geometry, the crack length and the loading mode. Comparison of the FE results with engineering estimations provides that for idealized power law creep, estimated C* and COD rate results from the GE/EPRI method agree best with FE results. For general creep-deformation laws where either primary or tertiary creep is important and thus the GE/EPRI method is hard to apply, on the other hand, the enhanced reference stress method provides more accurate and robust estimations for C* and COD rate than the reference stress method.


A random magnetic mixture of the ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic exchange integrals (bond model) is investigated· by the use of the method of the distribution function, and the possibility of finding the 'glass-like' phase (GLP) is suggested. The following magnetic properties concerned with the GLP are shown: (1) The spin arrangement of the GLP resembles that of the paramagnetic one, but each spin in the GLP is stable for the thermal disturbance, (2) the phase transition between the GLP and the paramagnetic phase is of higher order, (3) the susceptibility has a broad maximum, (4) the magnetization increases linearly with magnetic field with large slope at H~O. It is pointed out that the experimental rusults of Co (S.Se,_x), may suggest the existence of the GLP.


The use of medicinal plants has increased significantly in recent years. More than 80% of the world's population uses medicinal plants to treat themselves. Many antibacterial and anti-inflammatory synthetic drugs are available in medical practice. However, recent tendency of increasing capability of resistance of bacteria to usage of antibacterial drugs of different groups is taking place. Considering the wide range of pharmacological and antimicrobial activity of safflower flower extracts and available vitamins in their composition, it was decided to create a preparation based on the CO2 extract of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) in the form of an ophthalmic emulsion. The aim of this research is to study the composition and antimicrobial activity of the extract and ophthalmic emulsion drops against test strains of microorganisms. The subject of this study is the ophthalmic emulsions from flowers of Kazakhstan species of "Akmai" safflower, collected in the flowering stage in southern Kazakhstan in August 2021. The component composition was determined using gas chromatography with the Agilent 7890A/5975C mass spectrometry technique. A study of the antimicrobial activity of the ophthalmic emulsion drop extracts was performed with two strains of Gram-positive bacteria, one strain of Gram-negative bacteria, and one culture of fungi. The following biologically active substances were determined from the GC-MS results: tridecane 94%, tricosane 93%, hexacosane 93%, dodecanoic acid 92%, pentacosane 91%, and linoleic acid 63.7%. The investigated emulsion-type eye drop shows bactericidal activity against S. aureus ATCC 6538-P, where the zone of growth suppression under the ophthalmic emulsion action corresponded to 9.0 ± 0.0 mm. The tested ophthalmic emulsion drops show the presumed biological activity against conditionally pathogenic bacteria. The results of chromatographic analysis and antimicrobial activity of the tested samples indicate the prospects for their further study for use as anti-infectious (anti-inflammatory) agents in medicine.


Background: One of the most significant limitations that therapeutic oligonucleotides present is the development of specific and efficient delivery vectors for the internalization of nucleic acids into cells. Therefore, there is a need for the development of new transfection agents that ensure a proper and efficient delivery into mammalian cells. Methods: We describe the synthesis of 1,3,5-tris[(4-oelyl-1-pyridinio)methyl]benzene tribromide (TROPY) and proceeded to the validation of its binding capacity toward oligonucleotides, the internalization of DNA into the cells, the effect on cell viability, apoptosis, and its capability to transfect plasmid DNA. Results: The synthesis and chemical characterization of TROPY, which can bind DNA and transfect oligonucleotides into mammalian cells through clathrin and caveolin-mediated endocytosis, are described. Using a PPRH against the antiapoptotic survivin gene as a model, we validated that the complex TROPY–PPRH decreased cell viability in human cancer cells, increased apoptosis, and reduced survivin mRNA and protein levels. TROPY was also able to stably transfect plasmid DNA, as demonstrated by the formation of viable colonies upon the transfection of a dhfr minigene into dhfr-negative cells and the subsequent metabolic selection. Conclusions: TROPY is an efficient transfecting agent that allows the delivery of therapeutic oligonucleotides, such as PPRHs and plasmid DNA, inside mammalian cells.


1. Liver supernatant preparations from rats and ferrets catalyse the conjugation of some epoxides with glutathione. The enzyme involved might be called ;glutathione S-epoxidetransferase', as it is different from glutathione S-aryltransferase, the enzyme catalysing the conjugation of 1,2-dichloro-4-nitrobenzene, 4-nitro-pyridine N-oxide and other cyclic compounds with glutathione and from the enzyme catalysing the conjugation of iodomethane and glutathione. 2. The enzyme does not catalyse the reaction with cysteine. It is not inactivated by dialysis but is unstable at pH 5.0. 3. The role of the enzyme in metabolism of foreign compounds is discussed.


A hapten, 3-0-α-N-acetylgalactosaminosyl-N-acetylgalactosamine, was found to inhibit the binding of eight idiotypic antisera directed against different homogeneous antistreptococcal Group C polysaccharide antibodies. The sensitivity of the different idiotypic reactions to inhibition by a given concentration of hapten was found to be quite variable, ranging from 20 to 80% inhibition. This result suggested that idiotypic antisera contained two populations of antibodies: those which are reactive with determinants in the antigen-binding site and those directed against nonbindingsite idiotypic determinants. This suggestion was verified by fractionation of idiotypic antisera on affinity chromatography columns consisting of homogeneous antibodies attached to Sepharose. The absorbed idiotypic antibodies were separated into two populations by successive elution with the Group C hapten and ammonium thiocyanate. The antibody fraction obtained by elution with the hapten comprised approximately 33% of the total idiotypic antibody recovered from the column. The hapten-eluted fractions from different idiotypic antisera varied in their sensitivity to hapten inhibition although each could be inhibited to a greater extent than the original antiserum or the ammonium thiocyanateeluted fraction. One of the hapten anti-idiotype fractions appeared to be homogeneous by isoelectric focusing whereas the other hapten and ammonium thiocyanate-eluted fractions contained multiple bands. Kinetic analysis revealed that idiotypic reactions of antibody fractions obtained by hapten elution were competitively inhibited by the hapten, although the mechanism by which the competition occurs was not completely resolved by this analysis.


Radiotherapy (RT) with accelerated beams of charged particles (protons and carbon ions), also known as hadrontherapy, is a treatment modality that is increasingly being adopted thanks to the several benefits that it grants compared to conventional radiotherapy (CRT) treatments performed by means of high-energy photons/electrons. Hence, information about the biomolecular effects in exposed cells caused by such particles is needed to better realize the underlying radiobiological mechanisms and to improve this therapeutic strategy. To this end, Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy (μ-FT-IR) can be usefully employed, in addition to long-established radiobiological techniques, since it is currently considered a helpful tool for examining radiation-induced cellular changes. In the present study, MCF-10A breast cells were chosen to evaluate the effects of proton exposure using μ-FT-IR. They were exposed to different proton doses and fixed at various times after exposure to evaluate direct effects due to proton exposure and the kinetics of DNA damage repair. Irradiated and control cells were examined in transflection mode using low-e substrates that have been recently demonstrated to offer a fast and direct way to examine proton-exposed cells. The acquired spectra were analyzed using a deconvolution procedure and a ratiometric approach, both of which showed the different contributions of DNA, protein, lipid, and carbohydrate cell components. These changes were particularly significant for cells fixed 48 and 72 h after exposure. Lipid changes were related to variations in membrane fluidity, and evidence of DNA damage was highlighted. The analysis of the Amide III band also indicated changes that could be related to different enzyme contributions in DNA repair.


The drifting behavior of PSR B0031-07 is studied using 40,205 periods of high-quality data obtained with the Ooty Radio Telescope, operating at 327 MHz. We confirm the three drift modes centered at slope α = -4.05, -7.78, and -11.46 ms period-1, in the proportion 15.6%, 81.8%, and 2.6%, respectively. Strictly, the three drift modes are not harmonically related. The average subpulse energy and the rms position of the subpulse about the mean slope are both higher in the dominant drift mode, but the average subpulse width is independent of α. The average subpulse profiles in the three drift modes are consistent with relativistic beaming. The average spacing P2 between two subpulses increases monotonically with | α | , contrary to the belief held so far that it is independent of | α | . The drift rate is enhanced at the edge of the integrated profile, which is apparently expected on the basis of the Ruderman & Sutherland model. The average pulse energy during a null is at least 844 times less than that during a burst. This is much higher than the factor of ≈ 100 that has been quoted so far. The integrated profiles in the three drift modes differ significantly from each other. These results (a) enhance the suspicion that the subpulse is the basic unit of radio emission in pulsars, (b) provide a possible model for mode changing in pulsars.


Cooperative engagement capability of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) will be the key to the future warfare. The prerequisite is a stable and reliable UAV communication data link. Minimum shift keying (MSK) modulation has good bandwidth and power efficiency. Meanwhile, it has good anti-phase noise deterioration capability. Therefore, MSK modulation is quite suitable for UAV communication data link. However, the traditional MSK receiver either has a large difference between receiving performance and the theoretical value, or has high complexity, which means it is not applicable. Based on the maximum likelihood criterion, this paper introduces an MSK receiver structure for UAV data link. We made use of the phase continuity among MSK modulation symbols and bring in a low-complexity non-coherent block detection module which is called NBD module. We simplified the receiver structure while ensuring the receiving performance. The simulations show that, with the condition of AWGN channel and bit error rate (BER) of 10$^{-5}$, the demodulation threshold of NBD algorithm with 5-channel differentials is 2.6 dB lower than that of one-bit differential algorithm and 3.3dB lower than that of the non-coherent envelope detection.


Virtual Observatory (VO) is meeting the challenges resulting from the large new influxes of data in astronomy. Worldwide Telescope, as an embodiment of VO, provides a powerful science data based education environment for educators and students. In the paper, the critical requirements for science data based education are discussed; VO and WWT and their features are introduced; and experiences learned from astronomy courses based on the WWT at Central China Normal University are given out. The experiences indicates that WWT is a wonderful tool to astronomy teaching and learning, it made teaching more active, aspiring, interesting, visual, vivid and different from traditional teaching.


The clinical and electroencephalographic features of 10 adolescents with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy are presented. The mean age on onset was 12.3 years. Myoclonic jerks, predominantly on awakening, occurred in all 10 and were associated with infrequent generalised tonic-clonic seizures in nine. Five had first degree relatives with seizures. The neurodevelopmental status was normal in eight and social integration good in seven. Waking interictal electroencephalograms showed normal background activity in nine, polyspike and wave in six, and single spike and wave in eight. Four were photosensitive. Failure to respond to other antiepileptic drugs was usual, but valproate monotherapy resulted in good or complete seizure control. Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy is a well defined clinical entity that responds well to valproate and is usually associated with a good outlook.


Manned self-balancing vehicle Abstract. In this paper a new permanent magent synchronous motor (PMSM) rotor position estimate algorithm is discussed. The algorithm adjusts the estimated rotor position PI controller, makes the rotor back electromotive force produced by rotor permanent magnet on d axis veins. Compared with other PMSM position estimate algorithms, the algorithm has a higher dynamic performance and realizes stable rotor position / speed estimate even under high speed and load variations. The implementation of this algorithm is very simple, it does not change the original control algorithm structure of motor driver, and only consumes very little computational resources and is very suitable for low-cost PMSM driver system whose resources are limited. And the algorithm is robust to parameter variation. The algorithm has been test in the motor driver system of manned self-balancing vehicle.


SUMMARY The death of a client by suicide was very emotionally destabilizing to this therapist. She worked hard to distance herself personally from the pain at first and at the same time she found herself overfocused on the "psychological autopsy." She had difficulty accepting new clients and wanted to withdraw from a meaningful appointment to a state advisory committee. Only when she was able to identify with the client's pain and realize how that pain touched her own history of loss was she able to grieve productively. She realized that gender was relevant in her identification with the victim and in sorting out each of their histories of loss.


Records of 105,645 Nellore calves born from 1977 to 1994 in eight different regions of Brazil were used to estimate genetic and environmental parameters and evaluate genotype x environmental interaction for weaning weight (kg). Estimates were obtained using MTDFREML with a sire model. Mathematical model included random effects of sire and dam, and fixed effects of sex, month and year of birth, herd, and age of dam at calving. Estimates of phenotypic variances were 375, 431, 431, 407, 409, 400, 413, and 336 for the eight different regions and 420 over all regions. Estimates of heritability were, respectively, 0.22, 0.26, 0.16, 0.29, 0.34, 0.38, 0.37, 0.26, and 0.26. Heritability estimates for weaning weights from two trait analyses with measurements in different regions considered as different traits varied from 0.17 to 0.38 and estimated genetic correlations among weaning weights in different regions varied from - 0.03 to 1.00. Spearman rank correlations between EPDs for weaning weight from different regions were calculated to verify whether sires ranked differently in different regions. The correlations ranged from - 0.25 to 1.00 between pairs of regions. Estimates of heritability suggest that mass selection could result in genetic gain under a breeding program that utilizes weaning weight as a selection criterion. The apparent importance of genotype x environment interaction detected by this study suggests a need to choose sires appropriate for the region where they will be used, since relative performance of progeny of a sire appears to change from one region to another.


ABSTRACT Zheng, C.; Zhang, Y., and Chen, K., 2020. Corporate innovation and capacity utilization in China's coastal areas: Governance under the context of environmental regulation. In: Wan, Z. (ed.), Coordinated Sustainable Development in Coastal Areas: Environment and Economy. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 109, pp. 197–205. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Previous empirical analysis of scholars found that environmental regulation has a significant impact on overcapacity and industrial structure adjustment, higher environmental regulation will increase overcapacity, while moderate environmental regulation will optimize industrial structure. Moreover, in the industrial enterprises above the scale, the industrial structure has an intermediary effect between environmental regulation and overcapacity. This paper studies corporate innovation and capacity utilization under the background of environmental regulation. Taking publicly listed firms in China's coastal provinces from 1990 to 2017 as our sample, the corporate innovation under environmental regulation has been significantly enhanced, and hence alleviates overcapacity in China. This means that environmental regulation promotes the formation of a virtuous circle. To firms with high-quality innovation, the positive effect is more pronounced. Moreover, to firms with bad internal governance, specifically to firms with high agency cost, the capacity utilization is low, which means serious waste of resources and environment. Meanwhile, external governance from the stock market, specifically analyst coverage and institutional ownership, fails to intensify the positive effect of corporate innovation on capacity utilization.


This article proposes a new method for robust and accurate detection of the orientation and the location of an object on low-contrast surfaces in an industrial context. To be more efficient and effective, our method employs only artificial vision. Therefore, productivity is increased since it avoids the use of additional mechanical devices to ensure the accuracy of the system. The technical core is the treatment of straight line contours that occur in close neighbourhood to each other and with similar orientations. It is a particular problem in stacks of objects but can also occur in other applications. New techniques are introduced to ensure the robustness of the system and to tackle the problem of noise, such as an auto-threshold segmentation process, a new type of histogram and a robust regression method used to compute the result with a higher precision.


Background: Evidence suggests that caudate nucleus abnormalities have a role in schizophrenia. Structural brain imaging studies on caudate size in schizophrenia are inconclusive due to confounding factors. Methods: In this study, caudate volume was measured on coronal Magnetic Resonance Images (I -mm) in consenting 15 never-treated schizophrenia (DSM-IV) patients and 15 age, sex, handedness, education and socioeconomic status matched controls using semi-automated Scion image software. Results: Multivariate analysis revealed significantly smaller caudate volume in patients than controls after controlling for intracranial area (df = 2,27; F = 5.4; p = 0.028). Separate univariate analysis showed that right (df = 2,27; F = 5.4; p = 0.028) and left (df = 2,27; F = 5.2; p = 0.031) caudate were significantly smaller in patients than controls after controlling for intracranial area. Illness duration did not correlate significantly with either right (r = - 0.13; p = 0.65) or left (r = - 0.10; p = 0.7) caudate volume. Discussion: Significantly smaller caudate nucleus in patients with never-treated schizophrenia suggests that some aspect of the disease process of schizophrenia influences the caudate nucleus. In conclusion, smaller caudate volume in never treated schizophrenia with lack of correlation between illness duration and caudate size supports neuro developmental etiopathogenesis in schizophrenia.


Background: Neurocognitive studies demonstrate a deficit in performance for sickle cell anemia (SCA) patients as compared to age-matched peers. The underlying mechanism for this deficit is not yet understood, but possible contributors include CNS lesion load, perfusion deficits, oxygen deprivation and cerebrovascular autoregulatory impairment. We hypothesized that the number of white matter hyperintensities and the cerebral blood flow (CBF) might contribute to cerebral dysfunction in SCA patients. We sought to examine the relationship between cognition, laboratory parameters and brain perfusion in sickle cell patients as compared to non-sickle cell (AA) controls. Methods: SCA (HbSS/HbSβ0) and AA subjects, ages 18-55 years old, with no evidence of TIA/Stroke, no clotting/bleeding disorders, and not on anticoagulation were recruited. Hydroxyurea use was noted but was neither an inclusion nor exclusion criterion. Evaluation included a routine questionnaire for basic social, educational and health information. Steady state laboratory evaluation was obtained within one week of imaging. Neurocognitive performance was evaluated by the Cogstate battery at the time of the MRI. Cogstate analysis included tests of executive function, recall, social and emotional cognition and learning. Lesion number and CBF were determined using 3T MRI, which included T1w 3D, T2 FLAIR, pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling, diffusion tensor imaging, and blood oxygen level depending imaging before and during a brief period of hyperoxia. Oxygen saturation and blood pressure were monitored throughout the procedure at 5-minute intervals. Results: To date, we have recruited 15 SCA and 7 AA subjects who answered a tailored questionnaire and underwent 3T MRI, routine laboratory testing and neurocognitive testing. Of the 15 SCA subjects, 6 had no lesions on 3T MRI and 9 had multiple lesions with 8 persons having more than 5. Lesion number correlated only with age (p=0.02). Of the 7 AA patients, 3 had no lesions, 2 had 1, 1 had 4 and 1 patient had >20 lesions. SCA patients fared worse on only one of the cognitive tests, the Groton Maze Learning Test for executive function (GMLT), in which a higher GMLT demonstrates decreased ability (p=0.02). Amongst the SCA subjects, a worse score on GMLT correlated positively with age (p=0.03), ferritin (p=0.02), mean arterial pressure (p=.02) and %HbF (p=0.03) while GMLT correlated negatively with %S (p=0.007), indirect bilirubin (p=0.02) and absolute reticulocyte count (p=0.005). There did not appear to be a relationship of GMLT with LDH, Hb, MCV, MCHC, platelet count, white cell parameters, number of crisis, oxygen saturation, CBF or lesion load. Gray matter CBF in SCA patients was significantly greater than that in AA subjects (164 ml/100g/min vs 113 ml/100g/min in AA, p Discussion: This study was undertaken to assess the role of a variety of clinical parameters against neurocognitive performance in SCA patients who had not been diagnosed with prior CVA or stroke. None-the-less, with the use of more powerful 3T MRI technology, there is an increase in the measurement and prevalence of white matter lesions in both SCA and AA subjects and a significant proportion of subjects were found to have evidence of white matter lesions. While white matter hyperintensities have been associated with cognitive outcomes, better detection of these lesions questions these assumptions and the prevailing theory that white matter hyperintensities are a marker of cerebral health and predict cognitive performance. Lesion number did not demonstrate an association with CBF or the GMLT; CBF correlated only with Hb levels and did not correlate with GMLT. There was an association of age with both cognition, as measured by the GMLT, and with lesion number. Conclusion: We suggest that diffuse cerebral dysfunction, rather than discrete infarct quantity, may be the more important mechanism of decreased cognition. We are currently assessing the functional assessments by fMRI to better delineate the nature of this cerebral dysfunction. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.


This study aims to investigate the existence of contagion between liquid and illiquid assets in the credit default swap (CDS) market around the recent fi nancial crisis. The authors perform analyses based on vector autoregression model and the dynamic conditional correlation model. The estimation of vector autoregression models reveals that changes in liquid CDS (LCDS) spreads lead to changes in illiquid CDS spreads at least one week ahead during the fi nancial crisis period, whereas the leading direction is reversed during the post-crisis period. Moreover, the results are robust after controlling for structural variables which are proven as determinants of CDS spreads and are empirically supported. This study interprets that information was incorporated fi rst into the LCDSs because of the fl ight-to-liquidity during the recent crisis period but there is a default contagion effect by re fl ecting illiquidity-induced credit risk after the crisis. Finally, the dynamic conditionalcorrelation analysisalso con fi rmsthemain results.


With the proper cane management, improved hygiene at the mills and process streams, etc., at the Sanghar Sugar Mills Ltd (SSML), the problem of very high content of dextran in sugar cane i.e. above 18,000 ppm was checked and brought down to a level of 3000. Due to reduction in the dextran content in cane, the cane juice pH increased by 0.3o, the final molasses purity decreased by 3o, steam consumption decreased by 12%, purity drop between crusher juice and mixed juice decreased by 21%, the process house including centrifugals were able to accommodate higher cane crushing, the boiling house and overall efficiencies increased by 10%, the sugar recovery% cane increased by 0.57o, the colour of sugar decreased by 50% and pol of white sugar increased by 0.2o.


Background: Reviewing prescription orders forms is an important part of improving standards of medical treatment. It not only shows us the epidemiology of diseases but also throws light on the rationality of use of drugs for treatment of medical diseases. This study was conducted to gain knowledge into the prescriptions pattern of topical corticosteroids in dermatology outpatient unit of a tertiary care research institute hospital, South India.
Objectives: The objectives of this study was to study the demographic details of patients, the drug prescription trends and drug utilization in patients with skin disease who are on topical corticosteroids.
Methods: The study was a prospective observational study conducted in dermatology department of Shri Devi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Hospital, Tumkur, Karnataka for a period of 2 years. Patients were taken for the study after obtaining consent from patients with a skin disease requiring topical corticosteroids on an outpatient basis. Data was collected in a specially designed proforma containing demographic data of patients, diagnosis and drug data. The data was recorded, tabulated and analyzed in percentages.
Results: A total of 1260 prescriptions were analyzed. Among a wide range of age groups, patients belonging to age group of 21-30 were highest. It was found out that prevalence of psoriasis was highest followed closely by polymorphic light eruptions. A total of 2150 drugs were prescribed with a mean of around 2 drugs per prescription. Of the 2150 drugs, 840 were antihistamines and rest were either a plain topical steroid or a combination of corticosteroid with and antibacterial or antifungal. Of the 840 antihistaminics that were prescribed, hydroxizine was prescribed most commonly and of the 1310 topical corticosteroids, combination of cobetasol and salicylic acid was commonly prescribed.
Conclusion: Periodic prescription audit is a must and an essential tool for improving standards of medical trea


Studio approaches change over time due to changes in the areas and concepts associated with design studio. What is the direction of this change and which areas came to the forefront? The theoretic base of this article gives a short history of design in different fields and also changes in the understanding and the approaches in design studio throughout history. In this article, first we define basic approaches realized in the last century. Then, we seek to investigate the concepts and topics around design studio term analyzing all articles that mentioned "design studio" and "design education" in the title and keywords in the last decade. For this purpose, we listed around 500 words and concepts in 262 SCOPUS indexed journal articles published between 2009-2019 and found the most repetitive words. We determined their proportions within the total and investigated their connections and networks. By using network analysis, we tried to construct focus areas, relations and connections between words terms and concepts related to the recent approaches in the design studio field. The terms and concepts also ranked according to years-based changes. We found that some concepts are becoming more popular or less popular in yearly based ranking of terms and concepts. The research findings of the article show that design studio education had trends on being more locally identical, more systematic, interdisciplinary, process oriented.


Hepatitis is a liver disease which caused by a hepatitis virus. Nowdays hepatitis is a global health problems, including in Indonesia. Chronic hepatitis can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer, therefore early diagnosis is needed. The diagnosis process of hepatitis disease are done through computer aided method using hepatitis dataset nowdays. University California Irvine (UCI) machine learning repository has been providing hepatitis disease dataset which can be accessed to public but the dataset contains many missing values. The existing of missing values in the dataset may affect the quality of the analysis results, therefore it needs to be conducted for handling the missing values. Imputation method based on machine learning is one of the methods to handle the missing value. The aims of this research is to develop the imputation methods of missing value using machine learning algorithm based on RIPPER on hepatitis dataset. Result shows that the imputation method based on RIPPER achives 87,50% accuracy for hepatitis dataset. It is expected that the developed method can contribute for helping the clinicans and practicians by providing imputed hepatitis dataset in diagnosing the hepatitis disease.


Brief mathematical derivations of the various groups of terms in the tide-generating potential are given, and the resulting lunar magnetic tides and seasonal variations are tabulated. The inverse problem of relating lunar magnetic tides and the appropriate term in the tide-generating potential is then treated. Results for 36 different lunar magnetic tides computed from 40 years of hourly mean values recorded at the Watheroo magnetic observatory are presented.


Abstract Background: This study was aimed to assess the risk of breast cancer associated with exposure to insulin glargine in women with type 2 diabetes and evaluate whether the pattern of risk concurs with the hypothesized trend of an increase in risk with longer duration of use, taking into account previous cumulative exposure to other types of insulin. Methods: We performed a restrospective cohort study (2002–2013) in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink among adult female patients with a first ever insulin prescription (n = 12 468). Time-dependent exposure measures were used to assess associations with duration of use of: (1) other insulin types before glargine was first prescribed (i.e. among switchers); and (2) of glargine during follow-up. Analyses were performed separately for insulin-naïve glargine users and patients switched to glargine. Cox proportional hazards models were used to derive p-trends, hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for breast cancer associated with glargine use. Results: During 66 151 person years, 186 breast cancer cases occurred; 76 in glargine users (3.0/1000 years) and 110 in users of other insulins (2.7/1000 years). Among insulin-naïve women, no association with cumulative glargine use was observed (p-trend = 0.91), even after ≥5 years (HR = 1.06, 95% CI 0.48–2.33). Among switchers, a linear trend with years of prior exposure to other insulins was found (p-trend = 0.02). An increased risk was observed in glargine users with extensive (>3 years) past exposure to other insulins (HR = 3.17, 95% CI 1.28–7.84). A non-significant trend with cumulative glargine exposure was found among switchers (p-trend = 0.24). Conclusions: Exposure to glargine was not associated with an increased breast cancer risk in insulin-naïve patients. Exposure to other insulins prior to the start of glargine appears to be relevant when studying breast cancer risk associated with glargine use.


An analysis of real-world botnets1 demonstrates the increasing sophistication of bot2 malware and its thoughtful engineering as an effective tool for profi t-motivated online crime. The purpose of this paper is to increase understanding of the capabilities present in bot malware and the motivations for operating botnets. Our analysis of source code and captured binaries provides insight about: • how botnets are built • what capabilities botnets possess • how botnets are operated • how botnets are maintained and defended


A workforce trained in STEM skills is a fundamental requisite for socioeconomic wellbeing and innovation, however one of the factors limiting its availability is the progressive attrition of women along the academic and professional pipeline. In this study, a survey was carried out with 504 students aged 14 to 18 in two British high schools to investigate any association between students' gender or parental education status and their engagement with STEM disciplines. This study highlighted a worrying trend in terms of students' choice of scientific role models: only 12% of the participants picked a woman when asked to name an influential scientist, suggesting that the limited availability of female role models might be a factor contributing to the gender gap from an early stage of the STEM educational pipeline. Our data also confirm previous observations that, while girls are overall less likely to express preference for the majority of STEM subjects, they are significantly more likely than boys to express a preference for biology. Moreover, we found a previously unreported association between parental education and students' choice of science news sources, whereby participants whose parents/guardians have a university degree are more likely to mention their parents as a source.


Aims. To understand the dynamics of stellar interiors, we study the effect of rotation on turbulence. Methods. We consider turbulence induced by an arbitrary forcing and derive turbulence amplitude and turbulent transport coefficients (turbulent viscosity and diffusivity), by using first a quasi-linear theory and then a multi-scale renormalisation analysis. Results. With an isotropic forcing, the quasi-linear theory gives that the turbulent transport coefficients, both parallel and perpendicular to the rotation vector, have the asymptotic scaling Ω −1 for rapid rotation (i.e. when the rotation rate Ω is larger than the inverse of the correlation time of the forcing and the diffusion time), while the renormalisation analysis suggests a weaker dependence on Ω, with Ω −1/2 scaling. The turbulence amplitude is found to scale as Ω 0 − Ω −1 in the rapid rotation limit depending on the property of the forcing. In the case of an anisotropic forcing with inhibited motion in the vertical direction, as should be relevant in a strongly stratified medium, we find that non-diffusive fluxes of angular momentum scale as Ω −2 − Ω −1 for rapid rotation, depending on the temporal correlation of the forcing. We discuss the implications of our result for the dynamics of stellar interiors.


Objective: To develop a conceptual framework to guide interpretation of the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (A. Rey, 1958) and similar list-learning tasks across the adult life span for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). Study Design: Factor analysis with comparisons of sample-based and normbased factor scores across age groups. Participants: 221 individuals with SCI undergoing inpatient rehabilitation. Results: The retained model consisted of 3 correlated factors: General Verbal Learning, Auditory Attention, and Inaccurate Recall. Cross-sectional age trends suggest decreased auditory attention and verbal learning with increasing age. The inverse pattern was observed for inaccurate recall. Conclusions: These factors are consistent with other models using similar methodology. The results offer a means of identifying barriers to meeting the educational and therapeutic goals of post-SCI


Competition within sexes is expected when resources are sex specific, whereas competition between sexes can occur when similar resources are exploited. Local population density and sex ratio will determine the amount of sex-specific interactions and thus the potential degree of sex-specific competition. In contrast, high densities and the density of same-sex individuals may also positively influence survival, for example, by facilitating the exploitation of resources. The population density and sex ratio may therefore differently affect survival of males and females and thus also affect the expected fitness gains of producing a certain offspring sex. In this paper, we investigate experimentally whether and how sex-specific local densities affected sex-specific annual local survival of juvenile and adult great tits. We manipulated the density and sex ratio of fledgling great tits in 12 forest plots during 3 consecutive breeding seasons and monitored local survival until the next breeding season. We found no negative effects of the number of same- or opposite-sex competitors on juvenile local survival. Instead, local survival of juveniles of both sexes increased with the density of same-sex fledglings. Adult local survival was negatively affected by an experimental increase in density of nestlings, yet associated positively with the natural breeding pair density in a plot. Juvenile local survival related negatively to breeding pair density. Our results reveal experimental evidence for both negative effects of density on adult local survival and positive sex-specific effects on juvenile local survival, which shape sex-specific fitness prospects and might thus also alter optimal sex allocation decisions.


The early development of the nervous system was studied in staged embryos of Hemicentetes semispinosus, Microcebus murinus, Alouatta seniculus, Cebus appella, Cebus albifrons, Macaca mulatta, and Homo sapiens. The specimens were assigned to Carnegie stages 11–13. Serial transverse sections were examined and graphic reconstructions were prepared. The early development of the neural tube is basically similar in all the species investigated but differences in detail are noticeable. The mesencephalic flexure serves in all cases as a landmark for Malpighi's tripartite subdivision of the brain. The nonhuman embryos seem to show a little more variation than the human in the closure of the neuropores in relation to somitic count. With the exception of the later‐appearing terminal‐vomeronasal component, all major portions of the neural crest as classified by O'Rahilly ('65) are represented in both the nonhuman and the human embryos studied. No crest is present at the level of rhombomere 1, nor at rhombomere 3 except in the platyrrhines and some human embryos, nor at rhombomere 5 except in certain human specimens. An indication of the division of the trigeminal ganglion into its primary divisions is rare at stage 11 (C. apella), may be visible at stage 12 (Alouatta, Macaca, Homo), and is definite (in Homo) at stage 13. Ganglionic contributions from head ectoderm (epipharyngeal placodes), as previously described in the human and some other vertebrate embryos, were sought and found in Cebus apella. In both nonhuman and human, a tendency is noted whereby the rostral limit of the occipitospinal crest, high at stage 11, seems to descend relatively at stage 12, and ascend again at stage 13 (at least in the human) to become associated with the appearance of the accessory and hypoglossal nerves. In general, the motor components of the nerves are identifiable before the sensory elements, and, in the present study, nerve fibers were first observed in the human at stage 13 in some of the cranial nerves and in the ventral roots of the spinal nerves.


This article examines the relation between Peking opera and ordinary culture of Lao Beijing in the process of analyzing Caisangzi by Ye Guangqin and aims to consider the author"s critical reflection on changes in traditional Chinese culture and Lao Beijing spatial culture. This text describes the distorted images of humanity and structured individual fate due to rapid changes in modern Chinese history based on the multilayered and stereoscopic descriptive structure. Moreover, it is shown that there is a complex interaction between various responses and changes in cognitive, spatial and cultural aspects such as critical perspectives on the loss of traditional cultural space such as urban changes in Beijing and dissolution of ancient Chinese architecture and space. The historical consciousness of Caisangzi begins with attitudes that represent the fall but are not decadent and are emotional but realistically focus on history. The Chinese cultural tradition must not stagnate and it is necessary to accept the development and change in reality of China. Currently, the traditional culture has disappeared, and the author of Caisangzi intended that the Chinese traditional culture and reality culture had to create a new culture by mutually complementing and coexisting.


Background: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive histological subtype with high rates of recurrence and metastatic disease. Intrinsic or acquired multidrug resistance facilitated by the over-expression of drug efflux pumps (ABC transporters: BCRP [ABCG2], MRP1 [ABCC1] and PGP [ABCB1]), may contribute to the aggressive nature of this disease. We examined the expression patterns of drug efflux pumps for insight on their potential role in chemoresistance of TNBC. Methods: 1393 TNBC patients molecularly profiled with a commercial assay (Caris Life Sciences) were evaluated retrospectively for expression of BCRP, MRP1 and PGP by immunohistochemistry. Antibodies used: PGP (C494), BCRP (6D171) and MRP1 (33A6). IHC threshold: positive = ≥1+ and ≥10%). This data set also included metachronous paired samples from 71 TNBC patients. JMP was used to ascertain distributional differences. Results: PGP and MRP1 positive expression rates were 8.4% (117/1393) compared to 78.2% (248/317), respectively, displaying an inverse association (p=0.0001). BCRP was over-expressed in 52% (90/173). Co-expression data for all three transporters was available for 153 patients. BCRP/MRP1 co-expression was most abundant, 39% (59/153), followed by MRP1/PGP at 4% (6/153) and BCRP/PGP at 2% (3/153). Furthermore, 12% (18/153) of TNBC exhibited positive expression for all three drug pumps (16/18 or 89% were from patients with metastatic disease) and 14% (22/153) exhibited negative expression for all three drug pumps (15/22 or 68% were from patients with metastatic disease). Interestingly, positive MRP1 status, but not BCRP or PGP, correlated with metastatic disease (p=0.0061). In the paired data analysis, PGP expression was absent in 77% (55/71) and retained lack of expression in subsequently profiled specimens, 3% (2/71) retained positive PGP status, 13% (9/71) lost expression of PGP and 7% (5/71) gained expression of PGP. 36/40 patients that lacked PGP expression and 8/9 patients that "lost" PGP expression, exhibited and retained expression of MRP1 in the initial and subsequently-profiled specimens. Conclusion: Biomarker expression patterns of drug efflux pumps may provide insight to the chemoresistance phenotype observed in TNBC. Expression of MRP1 is favored in TNBC and is correlated with metastatic disease status. Although PGP expression may be absent or lost during TNBC progression, MRP1 (and BCRP) expression are almost always retained. Utilization of chemotherapies that are substrates of PGP, but not MRP1, (based on expression status) may be worthy of future investigation. Citation Format: Feldman R, Abbott B, Reddy S, Gatalica Z, Castro M. ABC transporter expression: Clues into chemoresistance of triple negative breast cancers. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P4-09-27.


Abstract Household, journey-to-work, and workplace dynamics intersect and are diverse and changing. These intersections contribute to gendered, classed, and racialized divisions of labour at home, at work, and on the road. Research on journeys-to-work has generally focused on journeys that happen daily, follow similar routes, at similar times, and involve travel to a single, fixed workplace. Time geography has shared some of this focus in its attention to fixity and constraints that shape these kinds of movements in time and space. However, change and disruption in home lives, journeys-to-work and in the location and scheduling of work are widespread. Feminist intersectional rhythmanalysis may be better equipped to address these. This article draws on insights from a body of Canadian research captured here in the form of 5 vignettes that describe intersecting home, work, environmental and employment-related geographical mobility (E-RGM) rhythms and some of their consequences across diverse groups, sectors and contexts. The vignettes are derived from research among trucking, construction, seafood processing, homecare, and precariously employed urban immigrant workers. We focus on groups engaging in complex, extended and often changing E-RGM to and within work. The vignettes highlight ways diverse gendered, classed and some racialized spatio-temporal rhythms of work, E-RGM, weather and seasons, and household lives intersect to disrupt and, as we move through the vignettes, increasingly constrain the capacity of these diverse groups of workers and their households to achieve even fragile synchronicities, reflecting the extension of coercion beyond the workplace into life at home and work-related mobilities.


User tracking has become ubiquitous practice on the Web, allowing services to recommend behaviorally targeted content to users. In this article, we design Alibi, a system that utilizes such readily available personalized content, generated by recommendation engines in real time, as a means to tame Sybil attacks. In particular, by using ads and other tracker-generated recommendations as implicit user "certificates," Alibi is capable of creating meta-profiles that allow for rapid and inexpensive validation of users' uniqueness, thereby enabling an Internet-wide Sybil defense service. We demonstrate the feasibility of such a system, exploring the aggregate behavior of recommendation engines on the Web and demonstrating the richness of the meta-profile space defined by such inputs. We further explore the fundamental properties of such meta-profiles, i.e., their construction, uniqueness, persistence, and resilience to attacks. By conducting a user study, we show that the user meta-profiles are robust and show important scaling effects. We demonstrate that utilizing even a moderate number of popular Web sites empowers Alibi to tame large-scale Sybil attacks.


In an effort to build versatile automotive Micro Controller Units (MCU's), power management has been integrated into the last generation SoC, with the additional benefits of simplifying board design and lowering the cost of bill of materials. In this paper we present a novel architecture for a 5 V to 3.3 V linear voltage regulator which can operate in dual mode: regulator controller, when an external ballast transistor is present; regulator mode, when a compensating capacitor is present. The circuit is being fabricated in CMOS 55 nm technology with non volatile memory process extension, occupies 0.05 mm2, and dissipates 1 mA current plus load.


The invention relates to a method and device for converting data packets by coding or compression (P), source data packets (11-15) being converted into transmission data packets (21-23). In order to achieve an optimal degree of filling of the transmission data packets, a data field of a transmission data packet (e.g. 21) according to the invention comprises only data of one logical channel (e.g. A). To this end, the converted data of the logical channels (A, B, ...) are separately buffered in preferably parallel buffers. Reconstruction information is not incorporated in the data fields of the transmission data packets but, if necessary, is transmitted in advance. The invention is applied, in particular, in X.25 networks.


Software systems must be capable of coping with continuous requirements changes and at the same time wisely make use of emerging components and services to remain useful in their environment. In this paper, the adaptive agent model (AAM) approach is proposed. The AAM uses configurable interaction model to drive adaptive agent behaviour. The model captures user requirements and is maintained by experts at a high level of abstraction. The AAM interaction model has been discussed with regard to interaction specification and interaction coordination, in line with a coordination language for the OpenKnowledge project. A major benefit of using the approach is agents can dynamically choose disparate components and services already developed for computation via their interaction with each other at runtime, when a new interaction model has been configured for them towards an emerging business goal. A simple expert seeking scenario has been used to illustrate the approach.


OBJECTIVE
To find what palliative treatment, in particular for pain and anxiety, terminal cancer patients in the Community of Castilla La Mancha receive.

DESIGN
A descriptive, retrospective study by means of a questionnaire.

SETTING
Primary Care. Autonomous Community of Castilla La Mancha.

PATIENTS AND OTHER PARTICIPANTS
A survey of 157 doctors with data referring to their last cancer patient deceased in the period from January to August, 1994.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS
Data on 157 patients were received. Of all the tumours, lung cancer was the most common (22.93%). Pain was the symptom most often mentioned (92.91%); anxiety appeared in 70.06%. The most commonly used non-opiate analgesic was Paracetamol (58.22%). Morphine was used in 46.48%, for an average period of 2.35 months (SD = 2.21). Side-effects due to morphine appeared in 22.06%. Complementary drugs to treat pain were used in 13.01% of cases. 12% were referred to specialists for analgesic control. Doctors used pain measurement tables in 5.48% of cases. 19.09% of patients suffering anxiety received no type of treatment.

CONCLUSIONS
We think that analgesic tables to monitor the treatment should be used. Attention should be paid to the appearance of side-effects of morphine, the circulation of pain graduation tables and the evaluation of anxiety in this category of patient.


This paper presents the results of measuring the completeness of software requirements implementation and of comparing multiple software products based on the same requirements specification, by using an original approach settled on a vector-based method. The application of this method is presented in a practical way, by analyzing 6 software products using two different development processes: UPEDU - a scaled-down version of the organized process RUP and XP - a member of the agile methodologies. An experts' committee measured and analyzed the realization quality of each of 109 requirements of equal importance and judged them based on an evaluation vector system. Two groups of requirements were identified referring dynamic functions and static functions of the system. The observational study was conducted in an academic environment.An important contribution of this paper is the vector-based comparison method that could be generalized and applied in any other setting. The findings of this empirical study point to a potential link that may exist between the quality of the implemented requirements and the process used by the development teams.


The RNA polymerase II (pol II) transcription complex undergoes a structural transition around registers 20-25, as indicated by ExoIII footprinting analyses. We have employed a highly purified system to prepare pol II complexes stalled at very precise positions during the initial stage of transcript elongation. Using potassium permanganate we analyzed the open region ('transcription bubble') of complexes stalled between registers 15 and 35. We found that from register 15 up to 25 the transcription bubble expands concomitantly with RNA synthesis. At registers 26 and 27 the bubble has a high tendency to retract at the leading edge. Addition of transcription elongation factor TFIIS re-extends the bubble to the stall site, resulting in complexes competent for transcript elongation. These findings are discussed in the light of the recently determined structures for RNA polymerases.


Abstrak Die universiteit het van verskillende kante onder die spervuur beland. Die ekonomiekultuur gedurende die tweede helfte van die vorige eeu het die tradisionele rol van die universiteit bevraagteken en globalisering het ekonomiese eise gestel. Paradigmaverskuiwing het die mens en die totstandkoming en legitimasie van kennis skerp bevraagteken. Dit is meer ingrypend van aard aangesien die wesenlike rol van die universiteit ter sprake is. Daarom word kortliks aandag geskenk aan hierdie ontwikkeling, want dit het uiteindelik kurrikulere implikasies vir die universiteit. Abstract Unitas an diversitas: some thoughts on postmodern curricular implications for the university. Change has been the main feature of societal and scientific endeavours since the last decades of the previous century. The nature and role of institutions became questionable as the result of considerations with regard to the economy, knowledge and politics. Being involved with the production and the transmission of knowledge as reflected by way of the curriculum, the university could not escape this scrutinising process. The information-technological era opened up not only the possibility, but also the mere fact, that information and its development would become readily available, as well as the right of institutions to participate in this process for purposes other than teaching. The sole knowledge function of the university became questionable from a cost-productive point of view. However, this point of view disregards issues such as paradigm change, epistemological analyses and the role of the human being, all of which have revolutionised scientific endeavour since the second half of the previous century. In this article these issues are briefly explained in view of the implications for the university, with particular reference to the curriculum. The shift from the traditional modern era to the postmodern era has focused the attention on radical reflection about, inter alia, truth, legitimacy, knowledge systems, academic institutions and the human being. This reflection, as guided by Lyotard, Foucault and Derrida, has brought to the fore complexity, uncertainty and 'differance'; truth linked to multiple meanings; science as a discourse dependent on a discursive practice ruled by power relations, and a human being metaphorically described as a 'peregrine' being (Hug) occupying different spaces. South African Journal of Higher Education Vol.18(2) 2004: 97-108


Wireless-PCS systems, through the introduction of new conception control functions, aim to respond to the user expectation of high performing services and the need for flexibility in the management of disparate categories of multimedia and multi-requirement applications supported by the networks. This paper contributes to the ongoing research work in this scenario by describing some proposals for the handling of multimedia teleservices both at the transport and control level, across the wired and wireless sides of an ATM-based wireless PCS system. Admission control on both sides, mobility management in the fixed side and resource allocation renegotiation are topics on which the study focuses.


LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After studying this article, the participant should be able to: 1. Describe the indications and contraindications for extremity replantation. 2. Outline the sequence and technique of replantation. 3. Identify potential complications of replantation and recognize treatment options. 4. Assess the results of replantation in terms of function and costs versus benefits.


PurposeThis study investigated changes in appearance due to variations in the amount of ease allowance at the bust, waist and hips with ready-made women's shirts in two different styles. The authors also examined the suitable range for ease allowance with those two styles using a sensory test for evaluating appearance.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employed two women's shirts (samples I and II) in different styles (fit and straight). The authors modified the size of the bust, waist and hips with a changeable-size dress form using 1-cm intervals. The authors observed the shape changes. With the pictures at 2-cm intervals, the authors conducted a sensory test to evaluate appearance. 20 Japanese university students in their 20s made their assessments using seven items (wrinkles, fit, silhouette, beauty, fashionable impression, comfort and purchase intention) with a five-point scale. The proportion of subjects who scored 1 or more was 40% or greater when using ease allowance in the suitable range.FindingsThe appropriate ranges of ease allowance differed according to the style and evaluation items. Regarding appearance and purchase intention with sample I from the front, the suitable range of ease allowance was 1–7 cm for the bust, 2–6 cm for the hips and 13 cm for the waist. From the side, the range was 0–6 cm for the hips and 7 cm for the bust. With sample II from the front, the suitable range of ease allowance was about 4 cm for all parts. From the side, the range was 11 cm for the bust and 4 cm for the hips.Originality/valueUsing a dress form, the authors determined suitable ranges of ease allowance for two women's shirts in fit and straight styles with seven bust, six waist and six hip sizes. The authors found that the suitable range of ease allowance varied according to the style, direction and parts of the shirt. Our results can act as a guideline for designing and selecting ease allowance for women's shirts, taking into account comfort from appearance, purchase intention and beauty.


NGF has been suggested to play a role in urinary bladder dysfunction by mediating inflammation, as well as morphological and functional changes, in sensory and sympathetic neurons innervating the urinary bladder. To further explore the role of NGF in bladder sensory function, we generated a transgenic mouse model of chronic NGF overexpression in the bladder using the urothelium-specific uroplakin II (UPII) promoter. NGF mRNA and protein were expressed at higher levels in the bladders of NGF-overexpressing (NGF-OE) transgenic mice compared with wild-type littermate controls from postnatal day 7 through 12-16 wk of age. Overexpression of NGF led to urinary bladder enlargement characterized by marked nerve fiber hyperplasia in the submucosa and detrusor smooth muscle and elevated numbers of tissue mast cells. There was a marked increase in the density of CGRP- and substance P-positive C-fiber sensory afferents, neurofilament 200-positive myelinated sensory afferents, and tyrosine hydroxylase-positive sympathetic nerve fibers in the suburothelial nerve plexus. CGRP-positive ganglia were also present in the urinary bladders of transgenic mice. Transgenic mice had reduced urinary bladder capacity and an increase in the number and amplitude of nonvoiding bladder contractions under baseline conditions in conscious open-voiding cystometry. These changes in urinary bladder function were further associated with an increased referred somatic pelvic hypersensitivity. Thus, chronic urothelial NGF overexpression in transgenic mice leads to neuronal proliferation, focal increases in urinary bladder mast cells, increased urinary bladder reflex activity, and pelvic hypersensitivity. NGF-overexpressing mice may, therefore, provide a useful transgenic model for exploring the role of NGF in urinary bladder dysfunction.


The prevalent and increasing situations such as the expansion of areas for agricultural use, livestock raising and hunting represent the most complex issues for the conservation of wild species. Mammals of the Order Carnivora are key species in ecosystems because they respond differently to changes in habitat. This study explored the species richness and composition of trophic guilds of the assemblage of the Order Carnivora in an area adjacent to Calakmul Biosphere Reserve, Mexico. From February 2014 to February 2015, 10 stations with camera traps were set within the sub-evergreen tropical forest near water bodies, roads and trails. The structure of the carnivorous assemblage was evaluated through the species richness and trophic guild of species. The recording efficiency of traps was evaluated through the latency to first detection (LTD). A total of 76 photographic records were obtained for eight species of the Order Carnivora, as well as direct observations of three additional species, so the assemblage recorded was composed of 11 species. Four trophic guilds were identified: carnivores (5 species), omnivores (4), insectivores (1), and frugivores (1). The Order consists of two species of large predators (Panthera onca and Puma concolor) and three generalist species (Urocyon cinereoargenteus, Puma yagouaroundi, and Procyon lotor). P. concolor and Leopardus wiedii displayed a low LTD (<140 days-trap). The eleven species recorded represent 26 % of the species of this Order countrywise, and 64 % for the state of Campeche. According to Mexican laws, 55 % of Carnivore species are in a threatened category. The diversity of guilds was similar to other assemblages, particularly for the carnivorous and omnivorous guilds. The diversity observed in the Nuevo Becal region confirms its importance for the conservation of the Order Carnivora, and the relevance of the evaluation of wild population in areas adjacent to large reserves such as Calakmul.


The fishing effort of a Sinaloa crab fishery in the Gulf of California in 2014 was analysed based on fishermen's interviews, official catches and permits, and information from a sample of fishing logbooks from five fishery cooperatives operating in four coastal lagoons that contained the daily catch from individual fishing trips. Unauthorized gear, a double-ring net (DR), was used most frequently (>70% of the fishers) for crab fishing, although authorized single-ring nets and Chesapeake traps (CT) were also used with low frequency. The estimated fishing effort was 641 boats/day in the four coastal lagoons, which was 34% more than authorized, and 818 boats/day were employed in all of Sinaloa. A total of 57 479 fishing gears were estimated for the study area, which was 49.9% greater than the maximum authorized number, and 80 822 nominal fishing gears were estimated for the entire Sinaloa crab fishery, 14.15% more than the total gear limit (70 800). The size of the mesh used in the gear was smaller than the authorized limit of 76 mm, and >50% of the catches included crabs of unlawful size. It is argued that the effort must be regulated in terms of the number of vessels, per unit time, and not the number of gears. The information from this study demonstrates a failure to monitor compliance with current regulations and thus means that other strategies for the sustainable management of the fishery, such as co-management, should be tested.


This paper critically examines I.I. Rubin's Essays on Marx's Theory of Value and argues that two different approaches to value theory can be found in that book: a more 'production-centred' value-form theory uneasily co-exists with a 'circulationist' perspective. This unresolved tension, the authors claim, reflects a more general theoretical shortcoming in Rubin's work, namely, a problematic conceptualisation of the inner connection between materiality and social form that eventually leads to a formalist perspective on the value-form. Furthermore, the paper argues that all those antinomies are an expression of the historical and political context underlying Rubin's work, in which Marxism was being codified as state ideology. The political implications of Rubin's formalism are explored through the critical examination of its consequences for the comprehension of the social determinations of the revolutionary subjectivity of the working class.


The effects of dietary fiber isolated from Synurus deltoides on constipation induced by loperamide (4 mg/kg/ day) were investigated. Food intake and body weight both decreased in the 5% S. deltoides dietary fiber and loperamide-treated group (SD5) and 10% S. deltoides dietary fiber and loperamide-treated group (SD10), whereas fecal water contents increased by 2.4 and 3.4-fold in the SD5 and SD10 groups, respectively. The concentrations of total-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglyceride in the sera of the SD5 and SD10 groups were lower than those in the control (C) group. However, the biochemical parameters, GOT (glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase), GPT (glutamic pyruvic transaminase), and glucose levels, were not affected by the level of S. deltoides. In addition, the concentrations of total-cholesterol and triglyceride in the livers of the SD5 and SD10 groups were also significantly lower than those in the control group. These results suggest that dietary fiber isolated from S. deltoides might ameliorate constipation symptoms, and lower lipid concentrations in the blood and liver.


The accumulation of original phosphogypsum (OPG) has occupied considerable land resources, which have induced significant environmental problems worldwide. The OPG-based cemented paste backfill (OCPB) has been introduced as a promising solution. In this study, a water-washing pre-treatment was used to purify OPG, aiming to optimize the transport performance and mechanical properties of backfills. The overall results proved that in treated phosphogypsum-based cemented paste backfill (TCPB), the altered particle size distribution can alleviate the shear-thinning characteristic. The mechanical properties were significantly optimized, of which a maximum increase of 183% of stress value was observed. With more pronounced AE signals, the TCPB samples demonstrated better residual structures after the ultimate strength values but with more unstable cracks with high amplitude generated during loading. Principal component analysis confirmed the adverse effects of fluorine and phosphorus on the damage fractal dimensions. The most voluminous hydration products observed were amorphous CSH and ettringite. The interlocked stellate clusters may be associated with the residual structure and the after-peak AE events evident in TCPB, indicate that more significant stress should be applied to break the closely interlocked stitches. Ultimately, the essential findings in this experimental work can provide a scientific reference for efficient OPG recycling.


The infected aquafarm Shrimp Penaeus monodon were used for bacteriological examinations. Tissues of carapace, alimentary canal and gills of shrimp were cultured in both Nutrient Agar (NA) and Thiosulfate Citrate Bile Sucrose Agar (TCBS) plate after homogenization and existence of bacterial population were observed. Results showed that there was a significant variation in bacterial flora among the tissues. According to the diagnostic scheme for Vibrio species described by Larsen and Pedersen (1999), three types Vibrio spp such as V.harveyi, V.alginolyticus, V. parahaemolyticus and some of the non – Vibrio spp (Bacillus, Pseudomonas, E.coli, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus, Proteus) were identified. The findings of this study would suggest that there may be a wide range of Vibrio spp in the various tissues and some characteristics of these bacteria are given in this report.


The problem of the motion of extended, i.e. non-point, test bodies in multidimensional space is discussed. Extended bodies are described in terms of so-called multipole moments. Using an approximate form of the equations of motion for extended bodies, deviation from geodesic motion is derived. The results are applied to a special form of spacetime.


Light naphtha is not reliable used as automotive fuel because of its low octane number (RON) and high vapor pressure. To utilize light naphtha as fuel, blending process may be used to obtain usable gasoline fuel. Diethyl carbonate (DEC) can be used as blending agent with light naphtha because its high octane number and low vapor pressure. Therefore in this work, the vapor pressure and octane number (RON) of DEC–light naphtha blends were measured to study the effect of DEC in light naphtha blending. The vapor pressure measurements show that vapor pressure of DEC–light naphtha blends decreased while the DEC fraction increased. The pseudo binary analysis approachment was used to correlate the vapor pressure experimental data and predict the vapor pressure of light naphtha + DEC blends. The Wilson and nonrandom two-liquid (NRTL) model are giving good correlation and prediction result with average absolute deviation (AAD) less than 1.3% meanwhile the Hildebrand & Scatchard model give quietly poor result with AAD value of 4.4%. The RON measurements show that the RON values of the blends increased while the DEC fraction increased. The DEC is successfully used as blending agent into light naphtha with 30% v/v optimum fraction.


A systematic method for nonlinear analysis, design, and estimation in the frequency domain is proposed in this study using a new concept-nonlinear characteristic output spectrum (nCOS). The nCOS function is an analytical and explicit expression for the relationship between nonlinear output spectrum and system characteristic parameters of interest (including frequency, nonlinear parameters, and excitation magnitude), and can provide a significant insight into nonlinear analysis and design in the frequency domain. Given some simulation or experimental output data of a nonlinear system, the nCOS function of the system can be accurately determined up to any high nonlinear orders with less simulation trials and computation cost compared with a pure simulation-based study or traditional theoretical computations. Moreover, the method can also be used to accurately determine the linear and nonlinear components in the nonlinear output frequency response (or an output spectrum) of a nonlinear system. These results are definitely of significance to nonlinear analysis and design, nonlinear signal processing, system identification, fault detection, etc., in practice. Examples and case studies including analysis of a nonlinear vehicle suspension system are given to illustrate the results.


Introduction to Public Health is a foundation, introductory text addressing the principles and practice of public health. Written from a multidisciplinary perspective, the text defines the discipline of public health, the nature and scope of public health activity and the challenges that face public health in the 21st century. Designed for undergraduate health science and nursing students, the text helps readers with their understanding of the nature and scope of public health and the challenges facing the field into the future.


Little is known about the gender differences of left ventricular (LV) remodeling in patients with aortic valve calcification (AVC). The aim was to assess gender differences of structure functional changes and LV myocardial remodeling in patients with AVC depending on the type of valve lesion. 293 patients (131 men) with revealed AVC by transthoracic echocardioscopy without aortic stenosis and 76 patients (50 men) without AVC were examined. Men had normal geometry of LV more often than women (15.7% vs. 4.4 % in isolated AVC and 11.9% vs. 2.8 % in combined lesion of aortic valve (AV) and mitral valves ring (MVR), р<0.052), and eccentric hypertrophy was registered more often in man with combined AV and MVR lesion (38.1% vs. 15.5 % in women with combined AV and MVR lesion and vs. 20.2 % in men with isolated AVC, р<0.029). LV systolic function was worse in men with combined valves lesion (ejection fraction was 54.0 (48.0; 65.0) vs. 66.0 (60.0; 71.0) % in women with combined valves lesion and vs. 63.0 (55.0; 70.0) % in men with isolated AVC, р<0.022). Men with combined valves lesion also had a larger right ventricle (RV) size (RV index was 1.3 (1.2; 1.5) vs. 1.2 (1.1; 1.4) cm/m2 in women with combined valves lesion and vs. 1.2 (1.1; 1.4) cm/m2 in men with isolated AVC, р<0.036) and had tricuspid regurgitation more often (76.2% vs. 56.3 % in women with combined valves lesion and vs. 58.4 % in men with isolated AVC, р<0.029). Women had higher peak aortic jet velocity (1.5 (1.4; 1.7) vs. 1.4 (1.2; 1.6) m/s in man, р<0.0001). Dominating models of LV remodeling in women were concentric, mainly concentric hypertrophy (61.5% vs. 31.5 % in men in groups with isolated AVC and 64.8% vs. 31.0 % in combined valves lesion groups, р<0.001). Also women had a higher left auricle index than men (2.3 (2.0; 2.5) vs. 2.1 (1.9; 2.4) cm/m2, р<0.015). There were revealed differences in distribution of LV remodeling types depending on the gender and the type of valve lesion.


We report a detailed kinetic and mechanistic study of the reaction of a widely used therapeutic agent, deferoxamine (DFO), which contains three nucleophilic hydroxamate groups, with the model phosphate diester bis-2,4-dinitrophenylphosphate BDNPP. We clarify the mechanism by detecting important phosphorylated intermediates in the model reaction and show that the mechanism can be extended to the reaction with DNA. The effectiveness of DFO in cleaving DNA was examined over a range of pH in the absence and presence of a biologically available metal (Zn(2+)). The results inform and complement ongoing studies involving DFO, which can act as a powerful nucleophile toward DNA and other targets susceptible to nucleophilic attack.


A critical element for the successful management of wastewater is the active participation of residents in all stages of treatment in order to ensure public acceptance. The primary purpose of this study is to identify and analyze the specific views and attitudes of the inhabitants of Leros Island, Greece, regarding (a) the performance of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) operating on Leros Island and (b) their level of awareness on and (c) their willingness to accept a natural wastewater treatment system. This study also emphasizes the significance of a participatory approach to construct sustainable wastewater treatment systems in small communities. Results show an apparent lack of information regarding natural wastewater treatment systems for all respondents, and it turns out that a high level of education does not necessarily mean higher awareness of alternative wastewater treatment methods nor greater acceptance of innovative wastewater treatment systems. Age showed a significant correlation with social acceptance of alternative ways of waste treatment, with people over the age of 56 shown to be most willing to apply a natural wastewater treatment system in remote areas of the Leros island. Environmental awareness policies could contribute to more sustainable community wastewater management.


A simple objective cloud type classification method has been developed, based on split-window measurements of the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer on board the NOAA 7 satellite. Brightness temperature difference between the split-window data is a good parameter for the detection of cirrus and blackbody clouds. Two-dimensional histograms of brightness temperature of the 11-μm channel and the brightness temperature difference between the split-window data over (64 km)2 subareas are constructed. By selecting appropriate thresholds in the two-dimensional histogram, cirrus, dense cirrus, cumulonimbus, and cumulus clouds are classified over the tropical ocean. Cloud type classification maps were generated by this method for the western Pacific Ocean and were compared with the nephanalysis chart constructed at the Japan Meteorological Satellite Center from GMS data collected within 1 hour of the NOAA 7 observations. The comparison shows reasonable agreement. Fractional cloud cover for cirrus over each (64 km)2 subarea is calculated as the ratio of the number of samples which belong to the cirrus cloud type in the two-dimensional histogram to the number of total samples in the subarea. Fractional cloud cover estimations for cumulonimbus and low-level cumulus are also presented.


An applied-epidemiological, descriptive, analytical, longitudinal, retrospective and prospective research in preterm newborn infants having an inferior weight of 2500g was conducted taking into account the ponderous-height of these infants in the first period of life at "Turcios Lima" University Outpatient Clinic in Pinar del Rio municipality during 2002-2007. The target group and the sample consisted of 90 infants weighting less than 2500g at birth, gestation age before 37 weeks and a control group that was chosen by each one of the previous group of those born at term having the same weight at birth or superior than 2500g, taken in a consecutive order of the preterm infants. Empirical and theoretical methods of scientific investigation were used; finding a high frequency of preterm deliveries in adolescents and an adequate nutritional recovery of infants in the first period of life (a year), even though some difficulties in the feeding and management of these infants were observed.


Estimating the leading principal components of data, assuming they are sparse, is a central task in modern high-dimensional statistics. Many algorithms were developed for this sparse PCA problem, from simple diagonal thresholding to sophisticated semidefinite programming (SDP) methods. A key theoretical question is under what conditions can such algorithms recover the sparse principal components? We study this question for a single-spike model with an $\ell_0$-sparse eigenvector, in the asymptotic regime as dimension $p$ and sample size $n$ both tend to infinity. Amini and Wainwright [Ann. Statist. 37 (2009) 2877-2921] proved that for sparsity levels $k\geq\Omega(n/\log p)$, no algorithm, efficient or not, can reliably recover the sparse eigenvector. In contrast, for $k\leq O(\sqrt{n/\log p})$, diagonal thresholding is consistent. It was further conjectured that an SDP approach may close this gap between computational and information limits. We prove that when $k\geq\Omega(\sqrt{n})$, the proposed SDP approach, at least in its standard usage, cannot recover the sparse spike. In fact, we conjecture that in the single-spike model, no computationally-efficient algorithm can recover a spike of $\ell_0$-sparsity $k\geq\Omega(\sqrt{n})$. Finally, we present empirical results suggesting that up to sparsity levels $k=O(\sqrt{n})$, recovery is possible by a simple covariance thresholding algorithm.


A new expression for the full energy photo-peak efficiency in terms of gamma ray energy and the sourcedetector distance has been obtained for a high pure germanium detector (HPGe) using different standard sources. Comparison of the calculated efficiencies and the experimentally measured values for the energy range from 59.5– 1332.2 KeV and a source-detector distances 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 cm. This shows a good agreement between the theory and the experiment.


Organic ligands are widely distributed and can affect microbially driven Fe biogeochemical cycles, but effects on microbial iron oxidation have not been well quantified. Our work used a model microaerophilic Fe(II)-oxidizing bacterium Sideroxydans lithotrophicus ES-1 to quantify biotic Fe(II) oxidation rates in the presence of organic ligands at 0.02 atm O2 and pH 6.0. We used two common Fe chelators with different binding strengths: citrate (log KFe(II)-citrate = 3.20) and nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) (log KFe(II)-NTA = 8.09) and two standard humic substances, Pahokee peat humic acid (PPHA) and Suwannee River fulvic acid (SRFA). Our results provide rate constants for biotic and abiotic Fe(II) oxidation over different ligand concentrations and furthermore demonstrate that various models and natural iron-binding ligands each have distinct effects on abiotic versus biotic Fe(II) oxidation rates. We show that NTA accelerates abiotic oxidation and citrate has negligible effects, making it a better laboratory chelator. The humic substances only affect biotic Fe(II) oxidation, via a combination of chelation and electron transfer. PPHA accelerates biotic Fe(II) oxidation, while SRFA decelerates or accelerates the rate depending on concentration. The specific nature of organic-Fe microbe interactions may play key roles in environmental Fe(II) oxidation, which have cascading influences on cycling of nutrients and contaminants that associate with Fe oxide minerals.


A reliable and sensitive radioassay is described for the determination of vitamin D in milk powder and infant formula. After saponification of the sample interfering compounds like sterols are removed by digitonin precipitation and chromatography on small columns packed with alumina. [3H] Vitamin D is added to the sample as an internal standard, to correct for losses due to previtamin D formation, as well as other procedural losses. Vitamin D is quantitated by a competitive protein binding (CPB) assay after final cleanup of the extract on a straight-phase HPLC column. Diluted sheep serum is used as the source of the binding protein, having equal affinity for both vitamins D2 and D3. With this HPLC-CPB method vitamin D can be determined with high specificity in concentrations as low as 0.1 ng/tube (ca. 0.01 IE/g). Recovery was between 90 and 110%. The coefficients of variation were 2.4 (within run) and 7.5 (between run), respectively.


This article presents an analysis of the factors shaping implementation of the Children Act (2004). Specific attention is given to examining the reoccurring themes and debates generated through a number of child abuse inquiries. A connection is made between these themes and debates and the emergence of the Every Child Matters agenda. The implications of the Act are considered from an educational policy and practice perspective. Three specific areas of development concerned with multidisciplinary work, workforce reform and 'extended schools' are considered, demonstrating how aspects of the Every Child Matters agenda appear to be unfolding in practice.


We review the development of an Internet-enabled home clinical workstation for the management of chronic disease, and the implementation of a clinical trial to test the functionality, usability and effectiveness of the system in both a city and a remote country setting. The Home Telecare System integrates with established primary care services to provide a new paradigm of active disease management through the daily collection of clinical data and assessment of functional health status, and the provision of feedback for patient self-management and education. A novel Medications Management module is also implemented to permit on line variation of prescribed medications.