Driving system parameter optimization (DSPO) is an important approach to improve robots' dynamic performances such as acceleration capacity, load carrying capacity, and operation stability. To achieve better dynamic performance, motors with high power and high cost are generally used. But this leads to a waste of resources. It is difficult to simultaneously make the robots satisfy the prescribed requirements and avoid over conservative design. This issue is much more challenging for parallel machining robots due to the coupling characteristics of the closed kinematic chains. In this paper, a 5 degrees-of-freedom (DoF) parallel machining robot with planar kinematic chains is presented, and its dynamic model is established based on the virtual work principle. Then, a DSPO method for 5-DoF machining robots is proposed by considering the classical machining trajectories that can reflect the robots' performance requirements. The motor output under these trajectories and candidate motor parameters are presented in a comprehensive graph. Combined with motor selection criteria, the feasible motors and usable reduction ratio range are derived. To optimize the reduction ratio, a dynamic index is proposed based on the variance degree of the motor output torque to evaluate driving system's operational stability. On this basis, the optimal reduction ratio is obtained by minimizing this index to improve the stability of machining robots. Based on the proposed method, the DSPO for the 5-DoF parallel machining robot is implemented, and the optimal driving units are generated. The proposed method can be used for the DSPO of other 5-DoF parallel machining robots.


Whether you consider a 60,000-yearold Neanderthal burial site or move ahead 10,000 years to Australian sacred sites, this book tells you just about everything you may want to know about sacred natural sites— and if it fails to do so, the extensive reference lists will guide you to answers to any questions still burning in your mind. It begins by defining sacred natural sites as ''areas of land or water having special spiritual significance to people and communities'' (Oviedo and Jeanrenaud 2007). The word ''natural'' distinguishes them from other sacred sites, such as temples, churches, and mosques, although many of the sites studied were tended, if not actually manicured, by the local people, and hence the degree of naturalness varied considerably. Similarly, a ''site'' in this context varies widely and could refer simply to a rock or tree, often the home of a local spirit that was left untouched even though the surrounding area might have been cultivated, used to collect firewood, built on, or logged. The underlying message is that many of these sites are endangered by various forms of anthropogenic intervention, with the effects of climate change posing the greatest threat. The book is laid out in 4 sections. The first deals with the science and spirituality of sacred natural sites, including: a review of the literature on their conservation and biodiversity; the impacts of global changes on mountain sites; issues dealing with the stewardship of sacred trees and groves; numinous sacred sites (spirits, deities, or a divinity living in sacred sites that have magic or supernatural powers); and arguments for considering the biocultural values (the interaction between natural and cultural values) of the sites to encourage conservation. The second section deals with the role of these areas regarding potential and existing tourism, the conservation of biodiversity, and the maintenance of cultural heritage. Examples come from throughout the world, including the UK, Nepal, China, West Cameroon, the Niger Delta, Suriname, and Jamaica. A mixture of social science and ecological methodologies are presented along with data analysis and results; this widens the appeal of the book to both social and natural scientists. The studies include the sustainable management of individual species as well as the biodiversity value of these areas. A recurring theme is that, although local people may try to manage their resources sustainably, external pressures and the fact that they often do not own the land they are managing are major issues. This aspect of ownership is a key one throughout the book; many of these sites lack any protection in law, an issue that needs to be addressed. Section 3 deals with international recognition and global governance and, in particular, the fact that, although thousands of sacred national sites are known, there is still no international inventory. However, the point is also made that such an inventory would be a double-edged sword: some sites are preserved because they are unknown to most people and, not surprisingly, many caretakers do not wish their site to become the next attraction on a tourist trail. However, this emphasizes an additional value of these sites: in addition to preserving culture, history, and biodiversity, many sacred sites earn income for local people, regions, or countries, and other sites have the potential to do so. This aspect is further considered in Section 4, which covers the role of tourism, indigenous community survival, and issues relating to sustainable management. Here the conflict between traditions and the ignorance of tourists and their often inappropriate behavior are highlighted, with the acknowledgment that the initial euphoria in anticipation of potential income generation from tourism may not last as the income does not always live up to expectations. Suggested ways to support local communities include the provision of better infrastructure, capacity-building, education, finance, and often some form of regulation to help them manage visitors. The emphasis is on helping communities take control of any potential or existing tourism. How would you use this book? First, as an ecologist and ecotourism specialist, I found the case studies and reference lists most interesting and of potential use for myself and my students. It is well laid out, with a contents summary for each section and chapter, enabling you to quickly see what might be relevant to your specific needs or just interesting to read. The final chapter gives an excellent summary of the topic, with conclusions on how to sustain sacred natural sites to conserve nature and culture; these points are further expanded to include key issues as well as their causes and potential solutions. The downside of the book is that, because each chapter tells its own story, the issues and conclusions are similar; hence, the book is repetitive if one reads it from cover to cover. Therefore, I would suggest that it is a book to dip in and out of, rather than as a continuous read. Overall, it is an interesting book to have on your shelf, providing an excellent reference text for students, academics, and other individuals interested in MountainMedia Mountain Research and Development (MRD) An international, peer-reviewed open access journal published by the International Mountain Society (IMS) www.mrd-journal.org


Frame accumulation method with motion compensation (FAMC), a method of accumulating frames with motion measurement and compensation in successive frames using small subregions was conducted to improve image quality of vascular image. In our previous study, FAMC clearly visualized vascular with contrast agents without image blurring even when the target tissue was moving except in artery phase . In artery phase, motion measurement is difficult because the image pattern drastically changes in each frame. The purpose of this study is to improve FAMC method for high-contrast vascular imaging in artery phase. In our new approach, first of all, tissue-enhancing image was constructed by subtracting received signals on pulse-inversion and used for motion measurement. Then frame accumulation was performed using the vascular image, which obtained by summing received signals, while compensating tissue motion corresponding to the result of motion measurement. The improved FAMC was applied to rabbit liver with Sonazoid , a commercially available microbubble contrast agent. Comparing FAMC images obtained with motion measurement based on vascular image and tissue image, artifact caused by the error measurement of tissue motion could be reduced in FAMC image with tissue-image based motion measurement, and vascularity in artery phase could be clearly imaged.


This short opinion paper examines Denmark's complicated relationship to the European policy Area of Freedom, Security and Justice (AFSJ). The first section looks at the AFSJ, what it is and why it could potentially be transformed from an ugly duckling to a swan. This part of the paper starts from the presumption that the AFSJ is currently going through a needed transformation in the direction of increased legitimacy in terms of extended jurisdiction of the Court of Justice and extended competences to legislate on judicial safeguards. So while still being an area characterised by its work-in-progress nature the institutional framework is slowly improving. Thereafter the paper turns to the rules governing EU differentiation by assessing the flexibility mechanisms by firstly looking at the meaning of the notion of flexibility as such. And secondly it aims to discuss what protocol nr 22 means for Denmark and the rest of the EU and to what extent it differs from the UK and Irish opt outs. Finally, the reflection piece briefly looks at the key features of Nordic criminal law cooperation and its interrelationship with the AFSJ sphere.


Intuitionistic sentential logic is shown to be sound and complete with respect to a semantics centered around extensions of atomic bases (i.e. sets of inference rules for atomic sentences). The result is made possible through a non-standard interpretation of disjunction, whereby, roughly speaking, a disjunction is taken to hold just in case every atomic sentence that follows from each of the disjuncts separately holds; it is argued that this interpretation makes good sense provided that rules in atomic bases are conceived of as being accepted hypothetically rather than categorically.


. A two-storey masonry pre-war shop house in Taiping, Malaysia was badly affected by construction being undertaken at an adjacent lot. The building was in a serious state of disrepair and on the verge of collapse at the time of the investigation and temporary propping and a stoppage of adjacent works had to be imposed. For the remedial intervention a rapid approach was critical with materials and methodologies selected to incur minimum additional impacts on the building in terms of physical works and with flexibility on site. Several innovative techniques developed for the structural intervention of masonry buildings was considered. In this case the masonry wall cracks were repaired by a stitching method using the glass fiber rod maperod g which was considered a suitable material due to the compatibility of modulus of elasticity (40,800N/mm2) to the lime mortar, having good tensile strength of 760 N/mm2 to help bridge the cracks in case of further movement and is also corrosion resistant and will remain protected in future even though it is embedded in a highly porous masonry substrate. The materials used were easily transportable, flexible (ie) could be prepared to requirements on site and could be delivered to site quickly despite this being imported. The approach taken resulted in a rapid reinstatement of the building, minimised the risk of losing heritage features and matched the client's overall objectives. The paper provides details of the approach taken and the basis for the remedial intervention.


This paper describes the introduction of 3-D blade designs into the core compressors of the Rolls-Royce Trent engine series with particular emphasis on the use of sweep and dihedral in the rotor designs. It follows the development of the basic ideas in a university research project, through multistage low-speed model testing, to their application to the high pressure engine compressor. An essential element of the project was the use of multistage CFD and some of the development of the method to allow the designs to take place is also discussed. Part I of the paper concentrated on the fundamental university-based research and the methods development. Part II describes additional low-speed multistage design and testing and the high-speed engine compressor designs and tests.


The effects of burn trauma in men on the production of adrenal and testicular steroids was investigated. Whereas there were significant increases in serum cortisol levels and urinary 17-hydroxycorticosteroid excretion soon after thermal injury, there were significant decreases in serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, dehydroepiandrosterone, androstenedione, and testosterone concentrations during the first 4 weeks following burn trauma. Serum androstenediol and androstenediol sulfate levels also were reduced, though insignificantly, 10-23 days postburn. Serum LH levels were unchanged during the postburn interval. Since urinary 17-ketosteroid excretion was normal or below normal rather than increased, the decline in serum C19-steroid levels probably resulted from decreased glandular secretion rather than increased rates of metabolism and excretion. Low dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate and/or testosterone levels were found in some men several months after recovery from their burns. These data suggest that thermal injury leads to acute inhibition of adrenal and testicular C19-steroid secretion, but stimulation of adrenal glucocorticosteroid production, and that endocrine function in many instances is not normalized after complete healing of the burned surfaces. The mechanisms and physiological consequences of such changes in the steroid milieu of men after burn trauma are unknown.


EC145, a potent folate-targeted Vinca alkaloid conjugate, is currently being evaluated in a phase 2 study of EC145 + DOXIL® compared with DOXIL® alone, in women with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. Since EC1459s toxicity profile is appearing to be non-overlapping with many of the existing approved drugs for ovarian cancer, we tested the effects of combining EC145 with some of these drugs. Thus, EC145 was evaluated in combination with cisplatin, carboplatin, docetaxel, topotecan or DOXIL® against folate receptor (FR)-positive human tumor xenograft models in vivo. In these studies, EC145 was purposely administered at a non-curative dose level while the non-targeted combination drugs were given at ∼50-75% of their MTD values. When tested as single agents against the FR-positive KB tumor model, partial anti-tumor responses were typically observed. In contrast, significantly greater anti-tumor activity with no detectable increase in toxicity was observed when EC145 was tested in combination. For example, 100% cures resulted when EC145 was combined with cisplatin or docetaxel, 80% cures with carboplatin or DOXIL®, and 40% cures with topotecan. Overall, these data provide support for the evaluation of EC145 in combination with numerous agents with different mechanisms of action for the treatment of cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2570. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-2570


Background & Objective: Clostridium difficile is an obligate anaerobic, gram positive bacillus. The purpose of this study was to compare PCR technique and bacterial culture to assess the prevalence of Clostridium difficile infection in the samples of watery diarrhea. Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional qualitative study was performed on 68 samples of watery diarrhea in Qom province hospitals. All samples were cultured in the specialized CCFA Agar medium. Specific primers were applied for the PCR assay based on cdd3 gene. Based on this primer, PCR product for this gene must be 622bp.toxin A & B diagnosis based on specific primers and product must be 473 and 272 bp Results: In this study, the optimized PCR technique was determined to be bacterium in 16 samples. But bacteria diagnosis in 11 samples by culture method. 6 samples had toxin A and B, 4samples had toxin A and 3 samples had toxin B. Conclusion: Cytotoxicity method is gold standard for clostridium difficile. Diagnosis of these bacteria is very important and PCR was found as an applicable, sensitive, and quick technique for the detection of Clostridium difficile in compromise culture medium method.


.,."exquisite...an excellent introduction to...the magnificent legends of the Celts. Over 120 photos and illustrations of relics, manuscripts and landscapes bring alive the mesmerizing stories...divided into three sections of Ireland, Wales, and Brittany. Each...contains a treasure trove of stories that transport you to a mysterious realm alive with invincible heroes, mystic warriors, faerie enchantresses, secret lovers and lost continents....invites the reader to see how the world of Celtic ideas and traditions influenced later epic literature..."--"Celtic Connection,"


GnRH agonist therapy is known to reduce uterine leiomyoma volume, although the molecular mechanisms responsible for this effect remain poorly understood. In this study, we have investigated the molecular mechanisms involved in the anti-proliferative effect of a GnRH agonist, leuprolide acetate (LA), in uterine leiomyomas obtained from six patients treated with LA for 3 months before surgery (group B), compared with tumours from six untreated patients (group A). To this end, we have evaluated the expression and the activity of molecules involved in the regulation of cell survival and proliferation. In group B, the total activity of PI3K was reduced by 60% compared with control samples. Furthermore, LA caused a reduction of PKB activation of approximately 50%, measured as serine 473 phosphorylation. In parallel with PKB reduction in LA samples, we observed a 60% reduction in the phosphorylation of its substrate BAD. While Bcl-xL/BAD association was not significantly modified in LA-treated leiomyomas, BAD/14.3.3 interaction was reduced, due to a 50% decreased 14.3.3 expression. In addition, LA was able to reduce the expression of the antiapoptotic proteins FLIP and PED/PEA15 by 70 and 50% respectively, compared with control samples. We next evaluated the activation of MAP kinases in leiomyomas. Activation of p42 and p44 MAP kinase isoforms was increased by 30% in group B. However, the phosphorylation of the transcription factor Elk1 was not increased in a similar fashion in LA-treated leiomyomas compared with group A. Thus, these data suggest that LA reduction of leiomyoma volume is mediated at least in part by a decreased activation of the PI3K/PKB survival pathway and by the suppression of antiapoptotic factors.


The major problem in after-sales services of Heavy-duty automobile industry is analyzed, and a after services collaborated management integrated platform based on ASP mode is put forward. The system structural and functional model of this platform is also introduced. Supported by Web Service Technology, the framework of ASP mode is established, and the integration of produce process information and after-sales services process information is realized. The answer pace and quality of after-sales services is greatly improved.


This paper is premised on the questions of whether Islam as a religion, spiritual domain, cultural practice and philosophy should be held responsible for whatever activities the Muslims choose to do in their personal capacity. Does the ascribed status of individuals being Muslims and their choice of declaring themselves as terrorists in the name of Islam entail that they are true followers of the religion and have been theologically and spiritually inspired by it? These questions have sprung up because Islam as a religion has constituted the fundamental component of western interpretation of the reasons for the rise of violent extremism involving Muslim radicals. In this context, the objective of this paper is to examine how the contemporary western interpretations, linking the actions of Muslim extremist groups with those of the ontology and epistemology of Islam, are predicated on a faulty cognition of the nature and the guiding principles of that religion itself. To accomplish this, the paper critiques Samuel Huntington's 'clash of civilizations' thesis and Bernard Lewis's version of the roots of Muslim extremism.


The revised and updated second edition of this textbook teaches students to create modeling codes used to analyze, design, and optimize structures and systems used in wireless communications, microwave circuits, and other applications of electromagnetic fields and waves. Worked code examples are provided for key algorithms using the MATLAB technical computing language. The book begins by introducing the field of numerical analysis and providing an overview of the fundamentals of electromagnetic field theory. Further chapters cover basic numerical tasks, finite difference methods, numerical integration, integral equations and the method of moments, solving linear systems, the finite element method, optimization methods, and inverse problems. Developing and using numerical methods helps students to learn the theory of wave propagation in a concrete, visual, and hands-on way. This book fills the missing space of current textbooks that either lack depth on key topics or treat the topic at a level that is too advanced for undergraduates or first-year graduate students. Presenting the topic with clear explanations, relevant examples, and problem sets that move from simple algorithms to complex codes with real-world capabilities, this book helps its readers develop the skills required for taking a mathematical prescription for a numerical method and translating it into a working, validated software code, providing a valuable resource for understanding the finite difference method, the method of moments, the finite element method, and other tools used in the RF and wireless industry.


Background The cardiorespiratory physiology of congenital heart defects can be complex and junior trainees infrequently receive training in echocardiogram interpretation. A rotation in paediatric cardiology provides a wealth of learning opportunities however these may not be realised because of service pressures. Objectives This quality improvement project aimed to maximise the educational opportunities of clerking ward admissions for junior trainees on a paediatric cardiology ward. The two structured interventions focussed on tandem interpretation of patients' cardiorespiratory physiology and echocardiogram findings, between junior and senior trainees, with the aim of encouraging learning and feedback. Methods An anonymous questionnaire of six junior trainees collected baseline quantitative data to assess educational aspects of clerking admissions on a cardiology ward in a paediatric cardiology centre in London. Two educational interventions were implemented for 4 months and the questionnaire was subsequently repeated. The first educational intervention was a poster reminding junior trainees to draw a box heart and to review the echocardiogram for the newly admitted patients they clerked. The second educational intervention was a junior-senior discussion on the cardiorespiratory pathophysiology and key findings on echocardiogram for the newly admitted patients they clerked. The results were analysed using percentages. Results Following the implementation of the two interventions, the proportion of junior trainees who drew a box heart and reviewed the echocardiogram of patients they clerked increased. Junior trainees reported a higher level of confidence in their understanding of the cardiorespiratory physiology of patients they clerked, and in identifying their key findings on echocardiogram. The reported combined time taken to draw a box heart and review the echocardiogram did not exceed fifteen minutes. Conclusions Drawing a box heart and reviewing the echocardiogram with senior support are two quick methods to increase the educational aspects of clerking ward admissions for junior trainees on a paediatric cardiology ward.


This study was conducted to elucidate the mechanism underlying the hypolipidemic action of karaya saponin or Rhodobacter (R.) capsulatus. A total of 40 laying hens (20-week-old) were assigned into four dietary treatment groups and fed a basal diet (as a control) or basal diets supplemented with either karaya saponin, R. capsulatus, or both for 60 days. The level of serum low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol and the levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the serum, liver, and egg yolk were reduced by all the supplementations (P < .05). Liver bile acid concentration and fecal concentrations of cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and bile acid were simultaneously increased by the supplementation of karaya saponin, R. capsulatus, and the combination of karaya saponin and R. capsulatus (P < .05). The supplementation of karaya saponin, R. capsulatus, and the combination of karaya saponin and R. capsulatus suppressed the incorporation of 14C from 1-14C-palmitic acid into the fractions of total lipids, phospholipids, triacylglycerol, and cholesterol in the liver in vitro (P < .05). These findings suggest that the hypocholesterolemic effects of karaya saponin and R. capsulatus are caused by the suppression of the cholesterol synthesis and the promotion of cholesterol catabolism in the liver.


A new Czech regulatory leaching test according to the decree No. 338/1997 Code was used to assess the leachability of selected inorganic contaminants, in particular heavy metals, from fly ash. The fly ash was collected from an electrostatic precipitator in a power station fuelled with North-Bohemian brown coal. An influence of the main parameters of the test, such as the weight of the sample, solid-liquid ratio, duration of the leaching and the way of agitation was investigated. A satisfactory repeatibility of the leaching test was found for most elements (RSD 10%) except for As (RSD ca. 33%), Fe (RSD ca. 20%), Cu (RSD ca. 13%), and Ba (RSD ca. 10%). As the new Czech regulation is compatible with some foreign standards (DIN 38414/4, draft of the European standard prEN 12457), the results obtained in this paper could be generalized.


Reserve calculation must be performed according to the intended use ofthis information. It can be considered for the purpose of (I) dejining a production strategy or (2) for computing the assets ofa company. When production strategy is the major concern, the amounts and classification ofhydrocarbon reserves are to be related to the development policy of a company, and a detailed reporting of these reserves must be required. Otherwise, if the goal is to compute the assets for the purpose of comparison or loan security, it becomes necessary to follow a common procedure that will lead to universal comprehension and confidence. This standardized process may be insufficient to meet the needs of a development program from a technical standpoint. Concluding, in spite of a company feeling the necessity of subdividing its reserves into a detailed form to achieve the best planning of production, that same company cannot deny the importance of reporting these into a single and comprehensive classification to meet the requirements of the world. The paper describes the detailed classification used at Petrobras to estimate the risk involved in the development program ofthe Brarilian fields, and how this classification can be adjusted to provide a universal appraisal of the reserves.


In today's political science scholarship, the concept of clientelism often evokes an image of voters selling their votes to the highest bidder, where a substantial focus lies on the material nature of the exchange between patron and client. What remains scant is a theory of clientelism where non-material incentives are included as part and parcel of the client's calculus in the exchange relationship between patron and client. In this paper, I present a theory of clientelism where non-material incentives, such as religious goods of salvation, form the larger part of the vote choice of the client-voter. I build this theory on empirical evidence collected through extensive fieldwork, from the perspective of the client. The inclusion of non-material incentives is activated through the inclusion of social identity of the actors (religion). I argue that religion, as a social identity, operates at two separate levels simultaneously – i.e., both at the collective and the individual level. At the collective level, religion provides a social identity to clients through which they relate to others in their spiritual community as well as the overall social life in a village. As such the individual belongs to a community of like-minded people bound by the spiritual connection to a common leader and congregation – where the connection to the individual leader remains centre stage. At the individual level, religion serves as an individual belief system. By this, I mean a private sphere through which individuals situate themselves in relation to the collective and make sense of the world. It also relates to the supernatural, addressing questions pertaining to life after death, the meanings associated with different aspects of life and the like. It is this function of religion, as both social identity and belief system in one that enables non-material goods to be part of the reciprocal exchange relationship between individuals and their patron, including, but not limited to, the exchange of their vote. At the collective level, it delivers the vote, at the individual level, it allows for the personal, private goods of salvation, spiritual guidance, and blessings.


SUMMARY: The generic distribution of nitrate-respiring bacteria in tidal mudflats of six Scottish east-coast river estuaries has been determined. The predominant bacteria involved were identified as Aeromonas/Vibrio spp., together with lower numbers of enterobacteria. Pseudomonads accounted for only a small proportion of the nitrate-respiring populations. Samples of sediment from all the estuaries produced nitrite and ammonia after 7 d incubation at 15 °C with added nitrate. Studies with the isolate Vibrio V48 and strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus (NCMB 1903 and NCMB 2047) demonstrated that when these bacteria were grown anaerobically under conditions of glucose limitation, nitrite was the primary product of nitrate respiration, whereas ammonia was excreted into the medium when nitrogen was limiting. Nitrate reduction was accompanied by the synthesis of a particulate nitrate reductase and under N-limitation a nitrite reductase was also induced.


The choice of communicative modality will greatly affect the way cooperative work is coordinated. Computer supported coordination brings about changes to communicative modalities-often the change is from oral to artifact based coordination. In order to inform the designed changes in modality we need to understand the characteristics of individual modes of coordination, and we need to compare modes before changes are implemented. Within this context the paper has two objectives: (1) to characterize oral and artifact based coordination, and (2) to establish an initial set of dimensions which will support a comparison between the two modes of coordination. The basis for both points is empirical: a field study of oral coordination in maritime operations, and a study of artifact based coordination in software engineering.


Both within and without organizations, technical communicators increasingly produce digital texts that are disseminated to global audiences (email, wikipedia writing, blogging, webpage authoring). Digital writing is not risk free. Writing for the web is different than writing for print. An effective technical communicator is one who is aware of, and has made an assessment of, the risk of digital writing. In order to conduct risk assessment, technical writers need increased digital-rhetorical sophistication as well as an understanding of the need to stay educated. Technical communicators, even when working in hybrid workspaces, should be accountable and responsible for their use of language.


Pathogenic and nonpathogenic Naegleria amoebae activate the alternative C pathway; however, only pathogenic amoebae are resistant to C-mediated damage. The present study was undertaken to determine the mechanism by which highly pathogenic N. fowleri amoebae resist C-mediated damage. Nomarski optics microscopy and electron microscopy of Naegleria amoebae revealed membrane blebbing on the surface of C-resistant N. fowleri, but not on C-sensitive N. gruberi, in response to incubation in normal human serum diluted 1:4 to 1:16. Immunofluorescent staining of pathogenic amoebae, by using antiserum to human C proteins comprising the membrane attack complex, C5b through C9, and FITC-labeled goat anti-rabbit IgG, confirmed that the membrane attack complex was concentrated on the membrane blebs. Binding studies with the use of radioiodinated C9 demonstrated a decrease in the 125I-labeled C9 cpm associated with N. fowleri amoebae and an increase in the 125I-labeled C9 cpm associated with the released membrane vesicles after increasing incubation periods in normal human serum. Treatment of pathogenic, C-resistant N. fowleri with cytochalasin D or cytochalasin B to inhibit actin-dependent exocytic processes increased the susceptibility of the amoebae to C damage. In contrast, incubation of nonpathogenic, C-sensitive amoebae with cytochalasins did not alter their susceptibility to C lysis. These data indicate that pathogenic N. fowleri use membrane vesiculation to remove membrane-deposited C proteins, specifically the membrane attack complex (C5b-C9). The ability to remove surface-associated membrane attack complexes serves as one mechanism by which pathogenic N. fowleri resist C lysis.


Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV) is the causative agent of ovine pulmonary carcinoma, a unique animal model for human bronchioalveolar carcinoma. We previously isolated a JSRV proviral clone and showed that it was both infectious and oncogenic. Thus JSRV is necessary and sufficient for the development of ovine pulmonary carcinoma, but no data are available on the mechanisms of transformation. Inspection of the JSRV genome reveals standard retroviral genes, but no evidence for a viral oncogene. However, an alternate ORF in pol (orf-x) might be a candidate for a transforming gene. We tested whether the JSRV genome might encode a transforming gene by transfecting an expression plasmid for JSRV [pCMVJS21, driven by the cytomegalovirus (CMV) immediate early promoter] into mouse NIH 3T3 cells. Foci of transformed cells appeared in the transfected cultures 2–3 weeks posttransfection; cloned transformants showed anchorage independence for growth, and they expressed JSRV RNA. These results indicate that the JRSV genome contains information with direct transforming potential for NIH 3T3 cells. Transfection of a mutated version of pCMVJS21 in which the orf-x protein was terminated by two stop codons also gave transformed foci. Thus, orf-x was eliminated as the candidate transforming gene. In addition, another derivative of pCMVJS21 (pCMVJS21ΔGP) in which the gag, pol (and orf-x) coding sequences were deleted also gave transformed foci. These results indicate that the envelope gene carries the transforming potential. This is an unusual example of a native retroviral structural protein with transformation potential.


We inspire air and get oxygen, and the storaging conditions of the oxygen in the blood are gas and solid (Hb-O2) type. To measure the gas type oxygen in the blood, we use blood gas analyzing meters, and we also can measure solid type oxygen by this method. From this method, we can get arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2), pH, HCO3(-), and so on. By the way, pulse oximeter is an equipment to measure percutaneous arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2). Although the PaO2 and SpO2 are essential parameters to know the clinical conditions of COPD patients, we should be aware of the primary differences between them, and use these parameters effectively.


Concentrated ownership is considered to be the best protection for shareholders in economies where legal protection is relatively weak. This book investigates and concludes, for Indian business groups, that concentrated-inside ownership provides opportunities for the expropriation of minority shareholders. While more concentrated direct ownership of controlling families results in a higher market value of equity, indirect ownership obtained through cross-holding provides incentives to extract private benefits and results in value loss. This finding requires the prompt attention of regulatory bodies, outside investors and other interested parties. This book examines the effect of ownership structure and disclosure of related-party transactions on firm valuation of group-affiliated firms in India, by using a sample of 317 listed firms comprising 1350 firm-year observations from 2008 to 2017. Well-accepted value-relevance models are employed to examine the effect of ownership rights on market value of equity and valuation effect of RP trading, asset transfer, investment and loan transactions.


Evaluation of the soil fertility status of Alfisol group of Balodabazar block of Balodabazar district of Chhattisgarh was carried out during 2016-17. Grid-based surface (0-15 cm) soil samples were collected by systematic survey from 55 villages in Balodabazar block in such that each 10 ha area represented one sampling point and total 251 soil samples covering all soil types out of this, 251 samples were identified from Alfisol. These samples were analyzed for pH, EC, organic C, and boron. The pH varied from 5.0 to 7.9 with the mean value 6.4, EC ranged from 0.10 to 0.70 with the mean value 0.25 dS m-1. The variation in organic C content in soil samples was ranged from 0.30 to 0.75 with the mean value 0.25 %. Available N, P, and K status were recorded as 105 to 263 (187 kg ha‑1), 2.4 to 32.8 (17.8 kg ha‑1) and 156 to 683 (413 kg ha‑1), respectively. Available N had a significant positive correlation with organic carbon (r=0.843). EC indicated significant and positive correlated with pH (r=0.254) and available P had a positive nonsignificant correlation with organic carbon (r= 0.081).


The Acute Coronary Ischemic Syndrome (ACIS) are a public health problem in the world, prope the morbility/mortality than its represents the ACIS affecting at 1% of the population in the world the third part of world population death by cardiac complications. In USA 85% of persons are diagnoses between 1 million, with ACIS, In Spain each year are detected 98,000 new case of these 23,000 are with lifething ST segment and 47,000 without lifething ST segment. In Mexico the ACIS are the first cause death since nineteens, and in the 2001 year we had 98,941 deaths by ACIS, the National Registry of Acute Coronary Syndrome (RENASICA) it show us who interactive the coronary Illness. In the National Institute of Cardiology was made a registry its show afther a year the same thing than RENASICA.


This study deals with the fatigue of welded components emphasizing the use of small specimen data, a general stress-strain expression, the fatigue notch factor, and the effect of residual stresses. A computer-based fatigue damage analysis for welded structures is investigated; although accurate fatigue predictions have been made for notched structures, this type of analysis has not previously been applied to welded components. Fatigue crack propagation data are presented emphasizing the mean stress effect on the rate of cracking. Crack measurements have been made for both butt and fillet welded specimens in which the cracks commence from the toe of the weld. For fillet welded attachments and butt welds with substantial reinforcement, a residual stress adjustment was made based on the assumption that the maximum stress at the notch root is equal to yield stress. A fatigue damage analysis for welded specimens subjected to block loading using a computer-based damage model gave results close to experimental data. With a proposed stress function as the controlling stress parameter for crack growth, crack propagation data were successfully correlated.


A junior homonym was detected amongst freshwater snails genera and the following replacement name is proposed : Africanogyrus nom. n. for Afrogyrus Brown & Mandahl-Barth, 1973 [non Afrogyrus Brinck, 1955]. Accordingly, new combinations are herein proposed for the species currently included in this genus : Africanogyrus coretus (de Blainville, 1826), comb. n.; A. crassilabrum (Morelet, 1860), comb. n.; A. rodriguezensis (Crosse, 1873), comb. n.; and A. starmuehlneri (Brown, 1980), comb. n.


The pioneering experiments of Appleton and Barnett, which measured the height of reflexion of radio waves, is described, and an account given by Barnett is included. It is shown how the method of wavelength change was used in the late 1920s to investigate several ionospheric phenomena. When Appleton based his magnetionic theory on an earlier theory of Lorentz he decided not to include the 'Lorentz term ', whereas in another investigation, Hartree decided to include it. Later Darwin showed that Appleton was right, and Hartree wrong. Attention is drawn to the inconsistency by which the expression derived by Appleton is usually called the ' Appleton-Hartree equation'.


Allogeneic hematopoetic cell transplantation (allo-HCT) can be curative for patients with acute leukemia [1]. The anti-leukemia activity relies on the graft-versus-leukemia (GVL) effects that are elicited after allo-HCT, suggesting that anti-tumor immunity may be responsible for eradicating leukemia and preventing subsequent relapse. However, allo-HCT is associated with significant morbidity and mortality resulting from toxicity of dose-intensive conditioning regimens and graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), limiting allo-HCT to younger and medically fit patients. Over the last two decades, non-myeloablative conditioning regimens have been developed to reduce toxicity and allow the use of allo-HCT in older patients [2]. These regimens are designed to provide sufficient immune suppression just to allow donor cell engraftment and induction of GVL effects as the primary therapy. Despite the more frequent use of non-myeloablative allo-HCT in older patients, GVHD still remains a major challenge.

Several retrospective studies have demonstrated that both acute and chronic GVHD are associated with a decreased incidence of relapses [3, 4]. However, effects of chronic GVHD on relapse are difficult to separate from acute GVHD effects, because most cases of chronic GVHD occur within the first year after transplant, at the time when acute GVHD is still active. Also, since majority leukemia relapses occur within the first year after allo-HCT, there is possibility of little net-additive chronic GVHD anti-leukemic benefit when it comes to affecting late (> 12 months) relapses. In a recent study, we evaluated the effects of chronic GVHD on late relapse in 7,489 allo-HCT recipients who were alive one year after HCT [5]. The protective effect of chronic GVHD on late relapse was present only in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and was not seen in patients with acute leukemia. Although providing protection from late relapse in patients with CML, chronic GVHD was associated with higher risk of treatment-related mortality and inferior overall survival for all diseases. These results suggest that development of more assertive strategies for chronic GVHD therapy and prevention should be justified to decrease treatment related mortality after allo-HCT.

Within the first year after allo-HCT both treatment related mortality and leukemic relapse can be as high as 30–40% in high risk patients [6]. In view of these results, the question arise is whether we can mimic the GVL effects of donor cells by enhancing the antitumor effects of the patients' immune system and avoiding allo-HCT and its associated complications. The answer to this question is "not yet." The prospect is that immunotherapy administered in lieu of allo-HCT will induce anti-leukemic immunity strong enough to eliminate leukemia and also make such treatments more tolerable in older patients. Clinical trials studying different immune therapies in patients with acute leukemia are on-going and are expected to provide the much needed answers about most effective approaches to generating and sustaining anti-leukemia immunity. The current armamentarium of immune approaches in acute leukemia includes antibodies, cytokines, cell therapies, vaccines and check point inhibitors, among others [7]. More importantly, combinations of different immune therapeutic approaches are being investigated to maximize the host anti-leukemia effects. Multiples antigens, including CD33, CD123 and CCL-1, represent potential targets for antibody-based therapy in acute leukemia. To further enhance the efficacy of antibody-based therapies, bispecific T-cell engager (BITE) antibodies (Abs) have been introduced. By bridging tumor antigens with T-cell receptors (TCR), these Abs can direct effector T cells to leukemic targets. Ex vivo expansion of leukemia-specific T cells that are genetically modified to enforce the expression of a pre-selected TCR can also provide large numbers of T cells with exquisite specificity. Furthermore, early-phase clinical trials demonstrate that tumor-associated antigens can be therapeutically engaged through the enforced expression of a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) on clinical-grade T cells.

Natural killer (NK) cells can lyse leukemia cells without prior antigen-specific priming. Methods to enhance NK-cell cytotoxicity by use of cytokines, such as IL-2 and IL-15 or anti-killer inhibitory receptor (KIR) Abs to block inhibitory KIRs on NK cells are available to potentiate their anti-leukemia activity. Other strategies include the depletion of regulatory T cells that have increase immunesuppressive effects in acute leukemia. Furthermore, the use of bispecific Abs composed of two fragments of mAbs that bind, e.g., CD16 on NK cells and blast-specific antigens, can greatly potentiate antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity, a major mechanism for elimination of leukemic cells.

One mechanism of immune suppression operating in cancer involves immune cell intrinsic checkpoints that are present on the surface of activated T cells. Several such checkpoint molecules serving as negative regulators of activated T cells are known, including cytotoxic T-cell antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and programmed death-1 (PD-1). Chronic overexpression of checkpoint molecules in leukemia results in T-cell dysfunction and impairs anti-leukemia tumor immunity. Clinical trials with PD-1 inhibitors to enhance T effector cells in acute leukemia patients are currently in progress.

Over the last five decades allo-HCT has been consider the model of effective immunotherapy for acute leukemia. As new immune therapies emerge and are translated to the clinic, our perception of allo-HCT is likely to change. The availability of immune therapies alone or in combination with chemotherapy might limit indications for allo-HCT and may also complement and improve results of allo-HCT in the foreseeable future.


Acquisition of drug resistance in childhood T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a major cause of treatment failure. Drug resistant cell lines are effective tools for elucidating mechanisms of acquired drug resistance. In this study, we developed novel drug resistant cell lines that could be employed to identify mechanisms of drug resistance. We established three new drug resistant T-ALL cell lines: 2 resistant to L-asparaginase (L-asp), and one resistant to daunorubicin (DNR). The DNR-resistant line (Jurkat) acquired a 117-fold increase in EC 50 to DNR, from 20.6 nM to 2.4 μM, while the L-asp resistant cells (Jurkat and Sup T1) showed respective increases in resistance of 320-fold (0.003 IU/mL to 0.962 IU/mL) and 29-fold (0.042 IU/mL to 1.22 IU/mL). The DNR resistant cell line acquired a multidrug resistant phenotype, showing 310 and 120-fold increase in resistance to vincristine and prednisolone, respectively. Resistance to L-asp was unchanged. Microarray analysis showed that ABCB1 (MDR1, P-glycoprotein) was significantly upregulated (567-fold) in DNR resistant cells. siRNA experiments that reduced ABCB1 mRNA levels by 74% restored DNR sensitivity. In L-asp resistant T-ALL cells (Jurkat and Sup T1), two notable genes were upregulated, asparagine synthetase (ASNS) which catalyzes synthesis of asparagine (41-fold and 1.5-fold) and argininosuccinate synthase (ASS)(32-fold and 6.5-fold), respectively. Reduction of ASNS with siRNA restored drug sensitivity in both cell lines. Interestingly, siRNA suppression of ASS in conjunction with ASNS achieved an exaggerated restoration of drug sensitivity compared to ASNS alone. We next examined the microarray profiles of drug resistant cells with those of 86 T-ALL patients; of which 8 failed induction (IF). Interestingly, these 3 key genes are upregulated in 25–62% of IF cases. Although ABCB1 overexpression has been shown to be a mechanism of DNR resistance in many cancers, there is a paucity of resistant T-ALL cell lines to adequately model the effect of stage of differentiation and genetic heterogeneity underlying drug resistance in T-ALL. With the establishment of 3 new T-ALL cell lines in this report, there exist 5 T-ALL drug resistant cell lines, representing the spectrum of T-cell differentiation (pre-T, cortical T, and mature T cells). Finally, this is the first report of the potential contribution of ASS in addition to ASNS to L-asp resistance in leukemia cells.


The study evaluated the implementation of the Science-Technology-Society (STS) concept during science instruction in secondary schools and the possible constraints to its implementation and the possible solutions the identified constraints. The sample consisted of fifteen schools in Makoni District of Manicaland and involved all the Science Heads of department in the schools including five form four students per each sampled school. The total number of participants was ninety. Data was collected using questionnaires, lesson observations and interviews. Results reflected great discrepancy between the intended and the actual implementation processes taking place in schools. The results show that the majority of the science teachers used the lecture method as opposed to the recommended child centered science teaching approaches. Half the numbers of the teachers are not well versed with the concept of STS. There is a critical shortage of science teachers. Lack of resources, staff development workshops and poor science infrastructure in schools are negatively affecting the implementation of science-technology-society education in the schools.


This study analyzes strengthening participatory supervision through the Online Participatory Supervisory Cadre School during simultaneous regional elections in West Kalimantan in the era of the Covid-19 pandemic. The General Elections Supervisory Body (Bawaslu) is the body responsible for organizing and supervising elections. Bawaslu has a mission to create community-based participatory control. With this mission, Bawaslu initiated the Participatory Supervisory Cadre School, a joint movement between Bawaslu and the community to create an election process with integrity. The Online Participatory Supervisory Cadre School aims to increase knowledge and practical skills regarding supervision for election supervisors and observers as well as share knowledge and skills regarding youth participation, especially online during a pandemic. The establishment of this school received a positive response from the community, the high enthusiasm of young people in registering was a good first step for Bawaslu to create community-based participatory control as a supervisor for elections and regional elections in the future.


Background : Oxidative stress contributes to various deleterious health effects including aging, cardiovascular disease, chronic inflammation, neurodegenerative disease and cancer. Cells have developed adaptive cytoprotective response by up-regulation of the antioxidant defense systems including Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway. Nrf2 (Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2) protein activated by oxidative stress and electrophiles is contributed to the cytoprotective effect by induction of antioxidant gene expression through the binding with cis-acting consensus sequence so-called antioxidant response element (ARE).  Phytochemicals are rich in antioxidant activity and some effects are produced by induction of antioxidant genes through Nrf2-ARE.  Methods : Our study have screened for inducers of Nrf2-ARE signaling pathway, using HepG2 cells transiently transfected with plasmid containing ARE-luciferase reporter and plasmid with Renilla-luciferase reporter.  The cytotoxicity assay was performed by sulforhodamine B assay. Results: Taxifolin was able to induce the Nrf2-ARE in ARE-luciferase reporter assay stronger than other tested phytochemicals and shown to have modest toxicity in HepG2 cells.  Taxifolin showed cytoprotective effect in a model of doxorubicin-induced cytotoxicity.  When HepG2 cells were pretreated with taxifolin 18 h, the cytotoxicity of doxorubicin was greatly decreased.  Conclusion: The study showed that inducer of Nrf2-ARE pathway including taxifolin could provide health benefit in protection against oxidative injury.


The concept of Green Banking differs from traditional banking as it promotes sustainable development. Banks, being major implementers of technology, can lead the way in adopting green practices to aid in environmental protection. By innovating products and leveraging technology, banks and their customers can reduce their usage of resources like paper. Green banking aims to keep the world liveable without causing significant damage. In India, banks are playing a vital role in sustainable development by introducing various green banking practices. Adopting these practices can result in savings of energy, fuel, paper, and other natural resources. The rapid growth of the banking industry has increased the direct impact of banks on the environment, which is why they can play a significant role in ensuring environmentally sustainable and socially responsible investments in the economy. The study aims to motivate customers towards green banking services and focuses on how they have implemented green banking before and after COVID-19. Primary and secondary data were collected for this research.
KEYWORDS: Green banking, Sustainable development, Covid-19.


The aim of this roundtable is to look at entities variously
designated as social solidarity economy/grasroots innovations
for sustainability/heterodox economic spaces/eco-social
enterprises/community economies, etc., and discuss ways in
which they can be supported, or in which they already support
themselves and each other, in order to survive in an
unforgiving globalised environment, even to thrive and multiply
without losing their ethos. They include e.g.
community-supported- agriculture, comunity gardens and other
local food projects, savings and credit co-operatives,
co-operative publishers, local currencies, occupied factories,
community schools, some housing co-ops and co-housing projects,
community and re-use centers, non-profit shops, renewable
energy co-operatives, community land trusts, etc. They can also
include traditional or innovated communal reciprocity and
subsistence projects, where communal land stewardship (access
to commons) is crucial. Such community economies have been
shown to have important environmental dimensions not only
explicitly thanks to their activities but also implicitly
thanks to their structure and governance which de-emphasise
growth, profit and intensification of production and prioritise
democratic decision-making and long-term community and
ecosystem interests. By emphasising common ownership and
equitable asset distribution, such enterprises also address
ownership and gender power imbalances in local communites.


ESUM (Engineering Students Understanding Mathematics) is a developmental research project at a UK university. The motivating aim is that engineering students should develop a more conceptual understanding of mathematics through their participation in an innovation in teaching. A small research team (the authors) has both studied and contributed to innovation which included small group activity, a variety of forms of questioning, an assessed group project and use of the GeoGebra medium for exploring functions. The main study took place in the academic year 2010-11, but development is ongoing.


Aims: 1. To validate Cotes9 hypothesis that VE45 (minute ventilation at 1.0L/min VO2) & Vt30 (tidal volume at a ventilation of 30L/min VO2) can identify abnormalities in exercise earlier than V02 peak 2. To distinguish between respiratory & cardiac abnormalities using VE45 & Vt30. Methods: VE45 & Vt30 were identified in 105 consecutive, routine Cardio Pulmonary Exercise Tests (CPETs). Predictive diagnoses from VE45 & Vt30 were compared to the diagnosis at VO2 peak . ROC analysis was performed to determine the sensitivity/specificity of VE45 & Vt30. VE45 & Vt30 data from healthy subjects was compared to previously published normal ranges by Cotes (1). Results: A significant correlation was observed between VE45 & VO2 peak in exercise-limited patients, but not in healthy subjects. No correlation was observed between Vt30 & VO2 peak in all subjects. Calculated ranges for VE45 in normal subjects were different from published normal ranges(1). VE45 was highly sensitive and accurately predicted abnormality in the majority of patients with exercise limitation at VO2 peak. However, it did not accurately predict normality in healthy subjects. Conclusions: It was not possible to distinguish between respiratory & cardiac abnormality using VE45, but it was possible to distinguish between those with and without limitation. Vt30 did not accurately predict abnormality. Our results differ significantly from previously published normal ranges(1). 1. Cotes, J.E., (1993). Lung Function: Assessment and Application in Medicine, 5th edition. Oxford: Blackwell scientific publishing p429.


[Objective] The study aimed to breed eminent mulbery wild silb with hypersilk.[Method] Eminent mulberry wild silkworm basic materials Ye A and Ye B were bred by distant complex crossing of wild mulberry silkworm with strong stress resistance and hypersilkgeneous silkworm,then hybridized with Japanese silkworm strain,the new silkworm variety "Yesanyuan" with healthiness and hypersilkgene was bred.[Ressult]The results of laboratory identification and rural productive test in Jiangsu Province showed that it has excellent feeding habit,strong stress resistance,high yield,excellent silk quality and excellent fecundity.The new silkworm variety "Yesanyuan" had been approved by Silkworm Variety Evaluation Commission of Jiangsu Province in 2008,it is suitable to rear in Yangtze River catchment for Spring and Autumn,North sericultural area for all-year.[Conclusion] The study is helpful for the development of silkworm industry.


The expressions for the effective-medium dielectric tensor of a superlattice comprising doped semiconductor layers in the presence of a magnetic field are derived. They are applied to calculations of reflectivity, bulk and surface polariton dispersion curves and attenuated total reflection (ATR). Numerical results are presented for an n-p and for an n-n' superlattice, the latter being a model for delta -doped GaAs.


A 58-year-old male patient presented with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma underwent transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for hepatic focal lesions followed by TACE for a solitary hilar nodal metastasis combined with regorafenib therapy. One month later, the patient developed progressive jaundice. Work-up showed obstructive jaundice with intrahepatic biliary radicles dilatation. The diagnosis and treatment was achieved by combining endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and endoscopic ultrasonography and showed uncommon cause of obstructive jaundice due to common bile duct compression by a choledocho-nodal fistula following TACE of a metastatic hilar lymph node.


Background: Although research on balance skills and personality were explored in the field of sports science, little is known about the relationship between the two phenomena. This study aims to investigate the association of postural balance with traits of personality and temperament. The differences between elite athletes, football players, and the control sample will also be examined. Methods: Participants in the case-control study were 73 people, aged between 16 and 30 years old (M = 21.29, SD = 2.47), including 59% of men. Three samples of participants consisted of Elite Athletes (AE, n = 17, 23.29%) of the Polish National Team; Football Players (FP, n = 32, 43.84%); and Control Sample (CS, n = 24, 32.88%). Postural control was assessed on a force platform (Type 9286AA, Kistler Instrument AG, Winterthur, Switzerland) with a sampling frequency of 100 Hz. The center of pressure (COP) parameters was measured during 20 seconds in both conditions eye open, and eye closed, in both directions anterior-posterior (AP) and medial-lateral (ML). The COP parameters include standard deviation (SD), mean range (RA), mean velocity (MV), and entropy (SE). The NEO-FFI questionnaire was used to assess Big-Five personality traits, whereas the FCB-TI was used to measure temperament traits. Results: One-way ANOVA revealed that the EA and CS groups were more stable in ML direction than the FP group. In the AP direction, the athletes from the EA group were more stable than the CS group. Nor personality, neither temperament did not differentiate the three groups of participants, beside agreeableness, which was significantly lower in both EA and FP groups. Openness to experiences is positively associated with COP parameters, as it was shown in regression analysis. All COP parameters can explain for about 40% of openness variability. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that EA and CS have better stability than footballers in both ML and AP direction. Openness seems to be related to postural balance skills.


Objectives: External laryngeal manipulation is a commonly used maneuver to improve visualization of the glottis during tracheal intubation in children. However, the effectiveness to improve tracheal intubation attempt success rate in the nonanesthesia setting is not clear. The study objective was to evaluate the association between external laryngeal manipulation use and initial tracheal intubation attempt success in PICUs. Design: A retrospective observational study using a multicenter emergency airway quality improvement registry. Setting: Thirty-five PICUs within general and children's hospitals (29 in the United States, three in Canada, one in Japan, one in Singapore, and one in New Zealand). Patients: Critically ill children (< 18 years) undergoing initial tracheal intubation with direct laryngoscopy in PICUs between July 1, 2010, and December 31, 2015. Measurements and Main Results: Propensity score–matched analysis was performed to evaluate the association between external laryngeal manipulation and initial attempt success while adjusting for underlying differences in patient and clinical care factors: age, obesity, tracheal intubation indications, difficult airway features, provider training level, and neuromuscular blockade use. External laryngeal manipulation was defined as any external force to the neck during laryngoscopy. Of the 7,825 tracheal intubations, the initial tracheal intubation attempt was successful in 1,935/3,274 intubations (59%) with external laryngeal manipulation and 3,086/4,551 (68%) without external laryngeal manipulation (unadjusted odds ratio, 0.69; 95% CI, 0.62–0.75; p < 0.001). In propensity score–matched analysis, external laryngeal manipulation remained associated with lower initial tracheal intubation attempt success (adjusted odds ratio, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.90–0.95; p < 0.001). Conclusions: External laryngeal manipulation during direct laryngoscopy was associated with lower initial tracheal intubation attempt success in critically ill children, even after adjusting for underlying differences in patient factors and provider levels. The indiscriminate use of external laryngeal manipulation cannot be recommended.


The problems of vagueness, e.g. the Sorites paradox, are a significant concern of contemporary Anglo-American philosophy of language and philosophy of logic. And the vagueness of language that gives rise to these problems was itself a significant concern of Ludwig Wittgenstein's in his later writings. It is therefore surprising that no-one has really brought Wittgenstein's ideas on vagueness to bear on those problems in the current debate. The following study is my attempt to do this. There is, I believe, in Wittgenstein's Philosophical Investigations, the groundwork for an eventual blanket solution to the problems of vagueness and I have tried to write an exposition of the relevant sections of the book and to indicate how the account contained therein relates to the problems. The solution to the problems of vagueness is, as I understand it, a corollary to Wittgenstein's conception of the nature of logic in Philosophical Investigations, and this conception forms the core of my study.
I begin, though, with an account of some of the problems themselves, and my account is in the form of an exposition of several arguments contained in the writings of Gottlob Frege. With these arguments Frege presents a case for the thesis that logic cannot hold for a language, like ours, that contains vague predicates: in such a language, he argues, one cannot make inferences, one cannot even say anything true. The moral of Frege's arguments is that logic requires sharp concepts.
Wittgenstein's response to the problems of vagueness is to call into question the requirement of sharp concepts. That requirement is one of a number of requirements—none of which language actually satisfies—that appear to need to be satisfied by language if it is to serve us as a vehicle for truth. And Wittgenstein thinks that all of these requirements stem from a common aetiology which is: our attempts to understand how language works as 4 a vehicle for the expression and conduction of truth. He thinks that they all form part of a mythology of truth generated by those attempts; and sets about trying to expose and understand this mythology. His understanding turns out to be twofold: on the one hand, it accounts for the psychological origin of the mythology; and on the other, it explains how the mythology has managed to survive the rigorous demands for a genuine understanding of truth in language from a serious scientific discipline like logic. It is a characteristic of the picture of language painted by the mythology that, despite appearances, language is an absolutely precise and rigidly articulated instrument: in an important sense ideal. And it is the way in which language has come to be thought to be ideal in this way that constitutes Wittgenstein's account of the psychological origin of the mythology. The story is a history of the mythology, which sees it as the working out of an idealization of a primal, primitive, approach to understanding language by way of defending that approach against the relentless clamour, all through the progression of the history, for justification of it as the approach towards a genuine understanding. The account is psychoanalytical: logic, as we understand it, is the product of a process of sublimation in the psychoanalytical sense. But accounting for the psychology by itself it is not enough to explain how the mythology has managed to survive into our current thinking about the workings of language. What is required in addition is an account of the contribution that the mythology makes to our genuine understanding of those workings. And this comes, according to Wittgenstein, as an account of the utility of thinking of language as conforming to the ideal blueprint of the mythology; in essence, thinking of language in this way provides us with a very useful model for the use of language as a vehicle for truth: by thinking of language as the ideal we are, in effect, comparing and contrasting the use of language with this model.
That is, very briefly, Wittgenstein's thesis. And, as I say, I think that it contains the fundamentals of a solution to the problems of vagueness: the problems arise because of a mismatch between the way that we think language is, under the influence of the mythology—we think that it must have sharply defined concepts—, and the way that it actually is.


The increasing use of multi-agent systems brings challenges that have not been studied yet, such as how should we adapt requirements elicitation to cope with agent properties like autonomy, sociability and proactiveness. Many methodologies were proposed adopting this new paradigm. However, most of them are still in their early phases and therefore need to be adapted. In this work ADELFE, an agent-oriented methodology is evaluated. We use an exemplar proposed in 2001 by Yu and Cysneiros [1] to evaluate both agent/goal orientation and object orientation. This evaluation aims at analysing the strengths and weaknesses of ADELFE through the methodologies questions proposed in the exemplar.


Spindle cell variant of cutaneous B-cell lymphoma is a rare entity which poses a diagnostic difficulty. The differential diagnosis of cutaneous spindle cell lesions is broad, and often includes sarcoma, carcinoma, and melanoma. Lymphoma with spindle cell morphology is frequently only considered after exclusion of more common etiologies. Among these rare cases of lymphoma with spindle cell morphology, a majority prove to be of B-cell origin. Following the diagnosis of cutaneous lymphoma, a thorough clinical evaluation must be conducted to determine if the lesion represents primary cutaneous lymphoma or secondary cutaneous involvement by a systemic process, as these have distinct classifications, prognoses, and treatments.


Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) genetic micro-diversity in clinical isolates may underline mycobacterial adaptive response during tuberculosis (TB) development and provide insights to anti-TB treatment response. Here, we investigated the genetic micro-diversity of persistent clinical Mtb isolates and its dynamics during controlled stress experiments chosen to mimic the course of TB disease. A minor variant characterized by a modified lipid profile, became enriched during stress experiments. The variant was found to be associated with drug-tolerance involving efflux pumps deregulation and with intracellular persistence subsequent to phagolysosome avoidance and autophagy decrease. Furthermore, pharmacological modeling predicted increased risk of treatment failure for isolates enriched in the former variant. Even under extreme experimental conditions, the diversity in variants was always maintained, suggesting a strong functional complementarity between variants of the Mtb bacterial population during disease dynamics. Such diversity may be responsible of Mtb adaptation to its host and play a role along the successive steps leading to multi-drug resistant TB. Altogether, our findings support the fact that Mtb micro-diversity should be further explored as a promising tool to detect patients at risk of poorly responding to anti-TB treatment, ultimately allowing improved and personalized TB management.


The aim of this study was to try to compare the effectiveness of manual therapy techniques in combination with stabilization techniques: the so-called Australian method and the Neurac method in relation to pain sensations and the level of kinesiophobia. A total of 69 people were examined, divided into three groups of 23 people each. The Visual Analogue Scale was used to assess the antalgic effect, and the Kinesiophobia Causes Scale questionnaire was used to assess the level of kinesiophobia. Patients improved over four weeks, during which they were assessed three times. The evaluation of the desired parameters was also performed over a 24-week period to assess long-term performance. Stabilization techniques are an effective extension of manual therapy techniques in patients with low back pain. People in the groups additionally improved in terms of stabilization techniques, which are characterized by a lower level of kinesiophobia. Its lowest level was found in the group additionally improved with the Neurac method. In the long-term study, the level of kinesiophobia in this group was still maintained at a reduced level. The use of stabilization techniques involving patients in action may significantly affect the level of kinesiophobia, and thus have a much wider effect than just pain reduction.


The object of this article is to report a case of extensive destruction of the skin and the subcutaneous tissue in an operative wound closed after a routine removal of a gangrenous appendix and to discuss the observations already reported in medical literature regarding this rare but definite clinical entity. The case to be described is from the Mary McClellan Hospital, service of Dr. Denver M. Vickers, and it is through Dr. Vickers' cooperation that this report is made possible. All surgical procedures were carried out under his direction or by him personally, and his recollection of a similar account in the literature led to the finding of the first useful understanding of the problem. Necrosis of a wound as a postoperative complication has been described enough in medical periodicals to be established as a definite entity with a definite mode of progression. Its appearance, as will be shown, is


Gelation behavior of the solutions of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA), whose syndiotactic diad content was 52% and weight-average molecular weight of PVA ranged from 89,000 to 186,000, in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) was investigated in terms of shear rate, concentration, and molecular weight of the polymer. To trace time-dependent gelation behavior, a programmed time sweep experiment was carried out by repeating the following procedure 3 times; 10 min of measurement followed by 5 min relaxation. All of the PVA solutions in DMSO exhibited time-dependent rheological responses, particularly under low shear rate of 2 rad/s, indicative of the formation of physical structures. At high shear rate of 200 rad/s the rheological responses were independent of time. Referring to Winter's view on gelation, a weak shear produced a soft gel structure whereas a strong shear produced an irreversible strong gel. Gelation was more affected by molecular weight than by concentration over the period of shearing. At low frequency, relaxation time was increased with time, and then leveled off after prolonged shearing. At high frequency, however, little change of relaxation time was noticed. They can be interpreted as a consequence of formation of three-dimensional gel structure through the polar interactions by hydroxyl groups whose strength was dependent on shearing conditions. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 465–471, 2006


We introduce a family of enlargements of maximal monotone operators. The Bronsted and Rockafellar "-subdierential operator can be regarded as an enlargement of the subdierential. The family of enlargements introduced in this paper generalizes the Bronsted and Rockafellar "-subdierential (enlargement) and also generalize the enlargement of an arbitrary maximal monotone operator recently proposed by Burachik, Iusem and Svaiter. We characterize the biggest and the smallest enlargement belonging to this family and discuss some general properties of its members. A subfamily is also studied, namely, the subfamily of those enlargements which are also additive. Members of this subfamily are formally closer to the "-subdierential. Existence of maximal elements is proved. In the case of the subdierential, we prove that the "-subdierential is maximal in this subfamily.


This Final Year Project (FYP) is about Sensing Textual Plagiarism. To realize this, an
application that is equipped with the capability of detecting plagiarism from occurring in a
textual document is to be developed. The main focus of this project is to perform a study on
how to detect plagiarism from a textual document. Word-for-word plagiarism is the most
obvious and serious form of plagiarism which can be can be categorized as a form of
direct stealing, without significant alteration and consent of another's work. Fact
findings are carried out in order to perform the study on plagiarism. This project will
incorporate the Smith-Waterman Algorithm which is a classical tool in the
identification and quantification of local similarities in biological sequences. As a
result, the significance of this project is the availability of the application to sense the
wide spread of plagiarism that often occur upon valuable documents, articles, and
journals.


Meta-Iearning has been widely studied and implemented in many Automated Machine Learning systems to improve the process of selecting and training Machine Learning models for new tasks, by leveraging expertise acquired on previously observed tasks. We design a novel meta-learning challenge aiming at learning-to-learn from one of the most essential model evaluation data, the learning curve. It consists of multiple model evaluations collected during the process of training. A meta-learner is expected to apply a learned policy to learning curves of partially trained models on the task at hand, to rapidly find the best task solution, without training all potential models to convergence. This implies learning the exploration-exploitation trade-off. Our challenge is split into two phases: a development phase and a final test phase. In each phase, a meta-learner is meta-trained and meta-tested on validation learning curves (development phase) or test learning curves (final test phase). During meta-training, the meta-learner is allowed to learn from the provided learning curves in any possible way. In meta-testing, we borrowed the common Reinforcement Learning setting in which an agent (a meta-learner) learns by interacting with an environment storing pre-computed learning curves. A meta-learner must pay a cost (corresponding to the actual training and testing time) to reveal learning curve information progressively. The meta-learner is evaluated and ranked based on the average area under its learning curves. This challenge was accepted as part of the official selection of WCCI 2022 competitions.


The requirement for higher quality and seamless development of systems is continuously increasing, even in domains traditionally not deeply involved in such issues. Security and Dependability (S&D) requirements are incorporated to an increasing number of systems. These newer restrictions make the development of those systems more complicated than conventional systems. In our work, we promote a new approach called SEMCO (System and software Engineering with Multi-COncerns) combining Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) with a model-based repository of S&D patterns to support the design and the analysis of pattern-based secure and dependable system and software architectures. The modeling framework to support the approach is based on a set of modeling languages, to specify security and dependability patterns, resources and a set of property models, and a set of model transformation rules to specify some of the analysis activities. As part of the assistance for the development of S&D applications, we have implemented a tool-chain based on the Eclipse platform to support the different activities around the repository, including the analysis activities. The proposed approach was evaluated through a case study from the railway domain.


A class of exact fast algorithms originally introduced in the signal processing area is provided by the so-called recursive least squares ladder forms. The many nice numerical and structural properties of these algorithms have made them a very powerful alternative in a very large variety of applications. Yet the convergence properties of the algorithms have not received the necessary attention. This paper gives an asymptotic analysis of two particular ladder algorithms, designed for auto-regressive (AR) and auto-regressive-moving-average (ARMA) models. Convergence is studied based on the stability properties of an associated differential equation. The conditions obtained for the convergence of the algorithms parallel those known for prediction error methods and for a particular type of pseudo-linear regression.


Introduction The basic method of treating food hypersensitivity is the elimination diet, which is difficult for the patient in many ways. Aim To identify the main problems faced by patients with symptoms of food intolerance. Material and methods The survey was conducted from February 2021 to December 2021. The survey was posted in Polish thematic groups on Facebook, dedicated to people with food intolerances. The survey contained 34 questions about food intolerances and the use of elimination diets. Questions about the cost of the diet and difficulties in applying the elimination diet were included. Results There was no statistically significant relationship between the type of food intolerance and the body mass index of patients. It was found that people with lactose intolerance had a lower increase in food expenditure since the introduction of the diet than those without lactose intolerance. Almost half of the respondents did not find a difference in expenses. 21% of respondents noticed an increase of PLN 50–100/month, 19% – PLN 10–50/month, and only 6% above PLN 200/month. Circumstances where following an elimination diet is a particular challenge included intense private and professional lifestyle, prolonged stay away from home, and lack of time to prepare meals at home. Conclusions The difficulties in maintaining an elimination diet are dependent on the patient's work and lifestyle. The cost of equivalents of intolerant products is also an important factor to consider when analysing the source of problems in maintaining the diet.


One of the main objectives of this paper is the analysis of the systems that allowed the coexistence of three most important, well-known and widespread Italian mafia organizations, on national and international territories, namely: Cosa Nostra, 'ndrangheta and camorra. First of all, we will introduce the theoretical framework, which is focused on social coexistence (Carli, 2000a, 2000b) and on social-organizational coexistence (Gozzoli, 2014). Secondly, this article will propose a reading of the mafia organizations coexistence phenomena in Sicily, Calabria, Campania and Lombardy, mainly focusing on the structure of thought and on their relational approach towards the Other. Interestingly, the analysis revealed a profound difference between mafia organizations' relational approach when in their homeland and when in "conquered" territories: in their homeland they subject the population through fear, there is no need for further investments, as it is recognized by people, and above all, the concept of mafia is psycho-anthropo-culturally established and part of the community structure itself. By contrast, in conquered territories, mafia organizations invest, they do business, they carry out lawful activities and are involved with influential people in finance. On the other hand, Lombardy's communities often have a dangerous type of relationship with mafia, known as "fundamentalist": criminals are seen as "disposable", an object to be used. For this reason, in the final part of the work, we developed a plan to promote a generative coexistence in territories where coexistence is currently impossible and destructive, that is wherever mafia organizations have set up and required a code of silence from people. The final aim is to create the most hostile ground possible for the mafia, to create a "socio-relational and economic desertification of criminal organizations", and build awareness in professionals (e.g., entrepreneurs, artisans, etc.) and non-professionals (i.e., communities) that coming to terms with organized crime is far from economically viable and, indeed, deadly.


In this paper, we explore the potential applications of Optical Wireless Communications in the tourism industry, considering both indoor and outdoor scenarios and different transmission speeds. They range from high-speed atmospheric outdoor links (Free-Space Optics (FSO)) to indoor systems based on high-speed lighting networks (known under the trade name LiFi©) or low-speed services support the Internet of Things networks, using visible light (VLC) or IR emitters, with receivers based on either on classical photodiodes or in image sensors, known as Optical Camera Communications. The avant-garde applications of this technology have been studied focusing on three possible use scenarios: the traveler himself, in what we have called TAN (Tourist Area Network); the tourist facility, which includes not only the hotel but also leisure areas (theme parks, museums, natural protected areas) or services (restaurants, shopping areas, etc.); and the entire destination, which can be both the city or the territory where the tourist is received, within the paradigm of the Smart Tourist Destination (STD). In addition to the classic services based on radio frequency and wired broadband networks, these technologies will make it possible to meet the tourist's challenging needs, the establishment, and the destination. Besides, they cover the services imposed by the new marketing services related to location or context and feed the big data systems used to study tourist behavior.


We propose a simple agent-based model of the political election prediction market which reflects the intrinsic feature of the prediction market as an information aggregation mechanism. Each agent has a vote, and all agents' votes determine the election result. Some of the agents participate in the prediction market. Agents form their beliefs by observing their neighbors' voting disposition, and trade with these beliefs by following some forms of the zero-intelligence strategy. In this model, the mean price of the market is used as a forecast of the election result. We study the effect of the radius of agents' neighborhood and the geographical distribution of information on the prediction accuracy. In addition, we also identify one of the mechanisms which can replicate the favorite-longshot bias, a stylized fact in the prediction market. This model can then provide a framework for further analysis on the prediction market when market participants have more sophisticated trading behavior.


Personality has often been conceptualized according to various psychological theories. More recent developments have included investigations of the genetics and neurobiology of personality traits and temperaments, the interactions between genes and environment in the expression of various behavioral traits and their role in the development of mental disorders, and the pharmacological treatment of personality disorders. In this article, I provide an overview of the rationale for and the role of pharmacotherapy in the treatment of personality disorders.


Malignant glioblastomas (GBM) are lethal form of brain tumors, and are difficult to treat due to their invasion into the brain parenchyma. Aggressive and invasive nature of GBM is at least partly attributable to GBM associated stem cells (GSC). Soluble factors released by GBM and GSC can recruit inflammatory cells, including brain resident microglia to tumor micro-environment (TME) that support angiogenesis and invasion. We have previously shown that exogenous Galectin-3 (Gal-3), a carbohydrate binding lectin increases the migratory potential of BV2 microglial cells, and promotes the formation of pro-angiogenic structures in an in vitro HUVEC culture and 3D matrigel model. Furthermore, Gal-3 supports the survival of microglial cells under hypoxic environment. In this study, we investigated the role of Gal-3 in GBM by utilizing the biochemical and molecular approaches. Using well characterized GBM tumor cell lines, and GSC lines that exhibit various degrees of invasive potential, we have identified that the expression of the Gal-3 is significantly up-regulated in GSCs that are highly invasive as compared to those that form only focal tumors in a mouse xenotransplantation model. Gal-3 is also highly expressed in microglia that accumulated in and around the GSC tumors in mouse brain, as indicated by co-localization of Gal-3 and Iba1, the maker for activated microglia. Furthermore, Gal-3 expression is significantly increased in GBM tumor cells when exposed to in vitro hypoxic conditions. Importantly, Gal-3 increased the migratory potential of GBM tumor cells in vitro, indicating its role as a chemo-attractant. Taken together, these results suggest that Gal-3 plays a critical role in promoting GBM invasion through modulating the interaction of microglia in TME and GBM. Thus Gal-3 may be a potential therapeutic target for GBM. Citation Format: Umadevi V. Wesley, Esat Resad, Paul Clark, Carolina Larrain, John Kuo, Robert J. Dempsey. Galectin-3 modulates glioblastomas (GBM) tumor microenvironment, and is linked to glioblastoma invasion. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 472. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-472


Indonesia is a country inhabited by various tribes, races and religions. A long history of Indonesian nation with various ethnics make kind of multicultural religious which is brought lives phenomenon. Islam as the majority religion in Indonesia provides significant meaning in appreciating benefit and respecting the diversity religious of people in Indonesia. The concept of rahmatan lil Alamin is seeded according to the context in Indonesia. Thus, an inclusive understanding by collocated Islam as a progressive religion nowadays becomes a necessity to solve problems and the importance of a complex human beneficial. On the other hand, the necessity of multicultural awarenness of religious in Indonesia made this country as barometer of other country in appreciating a fair law to all the citizens, but when the diversity of this nation does not respect other religions, it will bother the religious" stability and national life in the country. Islam has given point of views in national life and taught how to respect other people who has different belief. So, people who has different belief should do the same to appreciate Islam. The history of the world has taught us about the importance of appreciate people and respect the law for the nation, then the nation will be a peaceful and prosperous country.


The performance of ESPRIT in direction of arrival estimation at linear array monopole antennas operating at 2.4 GHz is investigated. The mutual coupling that occurs between elements of the array is compensated for by using two techniques. The first technique is the open-circuit voltage method and the second method involves redefining the mutual impedance so that it can characterise the mutual coupling effect. The calculation of the redefined mutual impedance is based on an estimate at the current distribution. The redefined mutual impedance is more accurate than the conventional mutual impedance in quantifying the mutual coupling. Simulation results show that the second compensation approach gives a much more accurate estimation of the directions of arrival than the open circuit voltage compensation approach when two signals are placed close together.


BACKGROUND Advancements in nonablative laser technology necessitate concurrent developments in topical anesthesia, as patients have reported varying degrees of discomfort during these procedures. Although topical anesthetics have proven efficacious, they possess inherent limitations related to ease of use. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the efficacy of the S-Caine Peel (ZARS Inc., Salt Lake City, UT), a novel topical anesthetic that dries to form a flexible membrane, for induction of anesthesia after only a 30-minute application period. METHOD Twenty patients received concurrent 30-minute applications of both the S-Caine Peel and a placebo cream randomized to the right and left cheeks in a double-blinded manner. After one pass of the 1450-nm diode laser (Smoothbeam, Candela Corp., Wayland, MA), patients' pain levels were recorded on a visual analog scale (VAS). Both the investigator and an independent observer rated perceived discomfort and immediate skin reaction based on a numerical scale. RESULTS Differences in VAS scores between active sites (average rating of 15 mm) and placebo sites (average rating of 47 mm) were statistically significant (P<0.001). A painless procedure was noted at 50% and 65% of active sites by the independent observer and investigator, respectively. This was statistically different (P<0.001) from the independent observer and investigator perception of pain-free procedure at the placebo site, 0% and 5%, respectively. CONCLUSION The S-Caine Peel provided effective and safe dermal anesthesia after only a 30-minute application period for nonablative laser treatment with the 1450-nm diode laser. The unique vehicle readily delivers anesthetic to contoured regions of the body and eliminates the need for occlusion.


This study investigates whether energy harvesting systems can be integrated or placed in/on clothing. The first part of the study includes general information about smart clothing that is already made with integrated energy systems and different types of energy sources to operate energy harvesting systems. During this study a male jacket prototype with an integrated planar structure electrodynamic converter was made. Experiments were done to verify the harvesting system according to system location, components (it was decided to experiment with 2 and 3 coil connections in series) and textile layer thickness. It was concluded that many factors affect the trajectory of permanent magnets and the amount of generated energy.


A smart co-operative refers to a co-operative that aims to apply ICT to provide better services and increase management efficiency to meet organizations' goals through the combinations of ICT technology and business. In this paper, we propose the sustainable development smart co-operative framework, which specifically applies to all types of co-operatives which use information technology in their organization, enabling transformation to improve their services, management, and governance. In addition, we discuss ICT channel creation for improving knowledge, awareness, democracy, and the participation of members, a process in which IT contributes to the accessibility of members and communication between the co-operative, members, and stakeholders. The element design of this proposed framework has considered three key principles, which are (1) smart members, (2) the smart economy, and (3) smart governance. A smart co-operative is a term used to extend the concept of a smart city into co-operative organization to promote a sustainable development approach in the co-operative sector. Therefore, the smart co-operative combines ICT, smart concepts, co-operative business aspects, business models, and innovation. The findings suggest that the smart and sustainable development co-operative framework is suitable for co-operatives, providing a comprehensive framework for value creation through the smart co-operative concept.


Inflammation and tissue acidosis are two factors that co-exist in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and can contribute to increased risk of colorectal cancer (CRC) development. GPR4 is a proton-sensing G protein-coupled receptor that can be activated by extracellular acidosis through several histidine residues and subsequently signal through downstream G-protein pathways. Recently, GPR4 has been shown to be activated by acidosis and can increase the expression of numerous inflammatory and stress response genes in vascular endothelial cells (ECs) and has functionally increased EC-leukocyte adhesion. Subsequently, genetic and small molecule approaches for the inhibition of GPR4 activity have reduced endothelial cell inflammation. In this study, we examined the role of GPR4 in intestinal inflammation using a dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mouse model. We observed that GPR4 mRNA expression was increased in mouse and human IBD tissues when compared to control intestinal tissues. To determine the function of GPR4 in intestinal inflammation, wild-type and GPR4-deficient mice were treated with 3% DSS for acute and chronic time points for the induction of colitis. Our results showed that the severity of colitis was decreased in GPR4-deficient DSS-treated mice in comparison to wild-type DSS-treated mice. Clinical parameters, macroscopic disease indicators, and histopathological features were less severe in the DSS-treated GPR4-deficient mice than the DSS-treated wild-type mice. Inflammatory gene expression, endothelial adhesion molecule expression, leukocyte infiltration, and isolated lymphoid follicle (ILF) formation were reduced in intestinal tissues of DSS-treated GPR4-null mice. In summary, our results suggest GPR4 potentiates intestinal inflammation as the absence of GPR4 ameliorates intestinal inflammation in the DSS-induced colitis mouse model. Use of GPR4 inhibitors could prove a valuable therapeutic in the reduction of intestinal inflammation and subsequent CRC development. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Edward J. Sanderlin, Nancy R. Leffler, Kvin Lertpiriyapong, Qi Cai, Heng Hong, Vasudevan Bakthavatchalu, James G. Fox, Joani Z. Oswald, Calvin R. Justus, Elizabeth A. Krewson, Dorcas O'Rourke, Li V. Yang. Proton-sensor GPR4 potentiates intestinal inflammation in the DSS-induced colitis mouse model [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5916. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-5916