In recent years, institutions of higher education have been using Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) as an alternative to enhance and innovate traditional classroom practices. One of the approaches to this type of innovation consists of using the platforms where MOOCs are hosted for the development of courses that are aligned to their on‐campus curricular contents. They are known as Small Private Online Courses (SPOCs), which allow online access to knowledge for groups of students with a well‐defined profile. The platforms where MOOCs (and SPOCs) are hosted have been designed to support large volumes of data and visits. However, these platforms present important limitations regarding the implementation of collaborative learning activities. To address this problem, this article presents MyMOOCSpace, a cloud‐based mobile system aimed at supporting effective collaboration in MOOCs, by combining key aspects of collaboration from the research area of Computer Supported Collaborative Learning (CSCL) with game‐based dynamics. MyMOOCSpace has been tested in three quasi‐experiments that were run in four Latin‐American universities with a total of 68 participants. The objective was to assess its usability and its effect in enhancing collaboration among students in a SPOC. The results obtained on usability show that MyMOOCSpace is easy to use, and that participants felt pleased with while using it. Finally, it was observed that MyMOOCSpace managed to enhance interaction and collaboration among students.


Sulfur mustard (SM) is believed to be a major threat to civilian populations because of the persistent asymmetric threat by nonstate actors, such as terrorist groups, the ease of synthesis and handling, and the risk of theft from stockpiles. The purpose of this study was to establish mechanisms of acute tracheal injury in rats induced by SM using histopathologic, immunohistochemical, and biochemical parameters. Male rats (Sprague-Dawley) were anesthetized, intratracheally intubated, and exposed to 2 mg/kg of SM. Animals were euthanized 6-, 24-, 48-, and 72-hour postexposure, and intracavitary blood samples from the heart and tracheal tissues were collected. Exposure of rats to SM resulted in rapid tracheal injury, including tracheal epithelial cell shedding, focal ulceration, and abundant lymphocyte invasion of the submucosa. There was also evidence of a large number of apoptotic cells in the epithelium and submucosa, the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin 1β (IL) 1β, IL-6, and γ-glutamyl transferase peaked at 24 hours, and the serum levels of lactate dehydrogenase, glutathione peroxidase, and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance peaked at 6 hours. The SM exposure also resulted in a loss of the cellular membrane, leakage of cytoplasm, fuzzy mitochondrial cristae, medullary changes in ciliated and goblet cells, and the nuclear chromatin appeared marginated in basal cells and fibroblasts. The results in the propylene glycol group were the same as the control group. These data demonstrated the histologic changes, inflammatory reactions, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and DNA damage following SM (2 mg/kg)-induced acute tracheal injury; the severity of changes was time dependent.


Eugenia mooniana Wight. Is an aromatic plant with restricted distribution and native to India and Sri Lanka? The present work reports the volatile chemical composition of E. mooniana leaves and their antimicrobial activity against standard strain. The leaf essential oil was isolated by hydrodistillation method (oil yield 0.2%v/w), and analysed by GC-MS (Shimadzu Nexis GC 2030). Fourty four compounds were identified from the oil. The major class of compounds were sesquiterpenoids followed by monoterpenoids. Major compounds identified in the leaf oil were the monoterpenoids myrcene (2.8%), β-ocimene (9.9%), and sesquiterpenoids caryophyllene (5.5%), δ-cadinene (12.1%), epi α-cadinol (7.5 %) and α-cadinol (12.9%). The antimicrobial activity oil was tested against bacteria and fungus strain by agar well diffusion method. The oil showed inhibitory activity against fungus Candida albicans and gram negative bacteria Proteus vulgaris, Salmonella typhii, Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio fluvialis.


Purpose: Mutation of BRAF at the valine 600 residue occurs in approximately 10% of colorectal cancers, a group with particularly poor prognosis. The response of BRAF mutant colorectal cancer to recent targeted strategies such as anti-BRAF or combinations with MEK and EGFR inhibitors remains limited and highly heterogeneous within BRAF V600E cohorts. There is clearly an unmet need in understanding the biology of BRAF V600E colorectal cancers and potential subgroups within this population. Experimental Design: In the biggest yet reported cohort of 218 BRAF V600E with gene expression data, we performed unsupervised clustering using non-negative matrix factorization to identify gene expression–based subgroups and characterized pathway activation. Results: We found strong support for a split into two distinct groups, called BM1 and BM2. These subtypes are independent of MSI status, PI3K mutation, gender, and sidedness. Pathway analyses revealed that BM1 is characterized by KRAS/AKT pathway activation, mTOR/4EBP deregulation, and EMT whereas BM2 displays important deregulation of the cell cycle. Proteomics data validated these observations as BM1 is characterized by high phosphorylation levels of AKT and 4EBP1, and BM2 patients display high CDK1 and low cyclin D1 levels. We provide a global assessment of gene expression motifs that differentiate BRAF V600E subtypes from other colorectal cancers. Conclusions: We suggest that BRAF mutant patients should not be considered as having a unique biology and provide an in depth characterization of heterogeneous motifs that may be exploited for drug targeting. Clin Cancer Res; 23(1); 104–15. ©2016 AACR.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of angong niuhuang pill (ANP) as an adjuvant treatment on moderate or severe neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (NHIE).

METHODS
Thirty-nine neonates with NHIE in the control group were treated with conventional treatment, and 58 in the treated group were administered orally ANP additionally, and relative indexes were observed.

RESULTS
The improvement of aspects such as recovery of consciousness, muscular tension, and primitive reflex and disappearance of convulsion, in the treated group was better than that in the control group (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION
ANP as an adjuvant treatment has a definite effect on NHIE, it can promote the recovery of patients, decrease the occurrence of sequelae and with high safety, therefore, is a drug feasible for clinical application.


A two-dimensional finite difference diffusion model was developed to analyze the effects of a propagating ice front on the continuous wave intensity transmission across a tissue sample. The calculated diffusion model transmissions for a transilluminating emitter/detector fiber configuration were compared to experimentally obtained transmissions for consecutive ice front positions within the tissue sample. The diffusion model was able to predict the transmission behavior for this fiber configuration given the absorption and scattering coefficients of the frozen and unfrozen tissue. Calibration algorithms for similar fiber probe placements based on this model may eventually be used with real-time transmission measurements to allow visible light monitoring of ice front position in tissue. This demonstration has potentially important medical applications in cryopreservation (freezing of biological materials for preservation) and cryosurgery (destruction of tissue by freezing).


On a Pin-on-Disc test rig with composite disc and steel pin tribological experiments were done on pultruded glass fiber reinforced polymer matrix composites plates. The wear and frictional behavior strongly depends on the structure. Also the normal load plays an important role in the frictional behavior, which is of greater importance than the speed. The formation of a thin polymer film onto the wear track results in a lowering of the coefficient of friction with 20%.© 2005 ASME


COVID-19 is an infectious disease that attacks the respiratory tract. Its spread is so fast that all countries in the world have contracted this disease. As of the time of writing, in the world there are an estimated 69 million positive cases. In Indonesia, in 2020 there were 605,243 confirmed cases. West Java occupied the 4th position in number of cases in Indonesia with 64,072 confirmed cases. Meanwhile, in the Garut Regency area, there were 2,641 confirmed cases from different sub-districts, one of which is Malangbong District. This study aimed to determine the relationship between the knowledge and attitudes of the community towards implementing health protocols in efforts to prevent COVID-19 in Sakawayana village. This research used a descriptive correlation method with a cross-sectional approach. 98 people in Sakawayana village (which has a population of 5,329 people) were recruited through purposive sampling. The results of this study indicated that 78 people (79.6%) had a good level of knowledge, 55 people (56.1%) had a positive attitude, and 78 people (79.6%) appropriately applied the health protocols. There was a relationship between knowledge and attitudes of the community towards implementing health protocols in efforts to prevent COVID-19 in Sakawayana village, with a p-value < 0.05.
Keywords: attitudes, health protocols, knowledge


The autonomic nervous system (ANS) innervates the entire neuraxis and influences the functions of all organs. This study was undertaken for evaluating the autonomic dysfunction in diabetic patients using clinical autonomic tests and neuro- electrophysiology. A prospective study was carried out in 66 patients with type II diabetes mellitus in a tertiary care hospital for one year. Systemic examination, necessary investigations, nerve conduction study and clinical testing for the autonomic nervous system were done. The results were noted and analyzed. 65.2% were females, whereas 34.8% were males. Mean duration of diabetes was found to be 9.06 years (SD 4.121). 80.3% population was known to have type 2 diabetes for 5-10 years duration, 13.6% had diabetes for 10-15 years, and only 3.5% had diabetes for more than 15 years. Mean FBS was found to be 196.12(mg/dl) ±77.180 SD and mean PPBS was 303.26(mg/dl) ± 115.385 SD. Mean HbA1c levels were 10.95 ± 2.36 SD. 33.3% showed early parasympathetic involvement for cardiac autonomic neuropathy, 9% had definite parasympathetic involvement, and only 6% had both parasympathetic and sympathetic involvement. 62.12% showed abnormal responses in nerve conduction study, of which 48.78% had autonomic dysfunction. The main factor responsible for the development and progression of autonomic dysfunction is poor glycaemic status. If contributing factors can be detected, early identification of cardiac autonomic neuropathy (CAN) and appropriate management would halt its progression. Aggressive glycaemic monitoring and treatment shall bring down the progression and prolong the time interval in showing abnormal responses in autonomic function testing.


Introduction. The aim of this article is to look at how attitudes towards the Internet technology differ between boys and girls, and how this affects their critical approach when seeking information.Method. The approach is ethnographic, and the material was collected by means of observations, conversations, questionnaires, interviews, computer logs and reading documents.Analyses. The analyses were made with the help of software for qualitative analysis, where all sentences both from interviews and field notes were coded. Some analyses were strictly quantitative and compared data from coded qualitative material with questionnaires and computer logs in a database sheet. Others were of qualitative nature and based on selected material from the coded texts.Results. It cannot be seen that boys and girls have different interests in the Internet technology in practice. But boys talk about their knowledge to a greater extent, and this interplays with their reflections about the Internet's reliability.Conclusion. Since a more developed cognitive model of the Internet seems to lead to more developed critical thinking about information on the Internet, it is important to help especially girls to develop models of the Internet, otherwise there is a risk that traditional gender roles will be preserved.


The research of plasma formation on the surface of different metals at the rise rate of the magnetic induction up to 1011 T/s is of interest in terms of energy transport efficiency in the vacuum transmission lines of multi-megaampere pulsed power generators. Such generators with a Z-pinch radiating load are the candidates for realization of inertial confinement fusion. The formation of plasma on the conductor surface occurs due to the electrical explosion in the current skinning mode. In this mode the time of the energy input into a conductor is less than the diffusion time of the magnetic field. From microsecond experiments with megagauss magnetic fields, it is known that the destruction of a conductor occurs in the field with magnetic induction of a few megagausses. The amount of available experimental data on plasma formation in fast-rising megegauss magnetic fields is very limited. Therefore, the experiments on the explosion of cylindrical conductors in the current skinning mode at the rise rate of magnetic field on the conductor surface of (0.8÷1.5)·1010 T/s were carried out on the MIG pulsed power generator (current 2.5 MA, rise time 100 ns). The diameters of conductors made of aluminum, copper and titanium were (1÷3.5) mm. The instant of plasma formation on the conductor surface was registered by detectors of vacuum ultraviolet radiation. We have concluded that in the current skinning mode the some threshold value of the magnetic induction exists and this is that value when the magnetic energy density is enough close to the sublimation energy of the material.


The empirical validity of the effect of pension reforms on domestic savings in the UK has been investigated using an Auto‐regressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model capable of testing for the existence of a long‐run relationship regardless of whether the underlying time series are individually I(1) or I(0). The total savings response to change in pension savings is positive and significant, but an increase in occupational pension saving appears offset by a decrease in other forms of saving. This paper concludes that there is no firm evidence that aggregate savings increase considerably because of privately funded pension schemes.


The Pressure Suppression Pool (PSP) in a Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) is served as a heat sink to prevent containment over-pressure. The steam can be injected through the multi-hole spargers. The development of thermal stratification where a thermocline with a large temperature gradient appears in the pool can lead to the higher pressure in the dry well compared with completely mixing pool conditions. Prediction of the thermal phenomenon in the pool is necessary for the support of system design and operation. Thus, the Effective Heat Source (EHS) and Effective Momentum Source (EMS) models have been proposed. The models can be applied to CFD code by using (i) source terms in the transport equations or (ii) using respective boundary conditions at the Steam Condensation Region (SCR). Previous validation against PPOOLEX and PANDA tests using the source terms approach faced challenges in momentum distribution. Therefore, a preliminary investigation of using the second method was performed. The encouraging results implied that it is possible to further develop this approach. The goal of this work is to further develop the EHS/EMS models for the steam injection through a multi-hole sparger through the SCR model (i.e approach (ii)) and to validate it against the experimental data obtained from PANDA HP5 tests. Modeling guidelines are proposed. The temperature evolutions and vertical velocity profiles of these tests are compared to the simulation results. The agreement suggests that this model can provide an adequate estimation of the pool behavior.


Introduction: Heart rate recovery (HRR) after exercise is a marker of disease severity and prognosis in cardiovascular and respiratory disorders. More than 30% of adult individuals with asthma may show a slow HRR. Pulmonary rehabilitation improves exercise capacity in individuals with asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Aim: The study aimed to evaluate the effect of pulmonary rehabilitation on HRR in individuals with asthma as compared to those with COPD. Methods: Retrospective analysis of HRR one minute after the six-minute walking test (6MWT) was performed before and after an exercise training program. The COPD Assessment Test (CAT), Barthel Index-Dyspnea (BI-D), Medical Research Council (MRC) score for dyspnea, and the Five-Times-Sit-to-Stand test (5STS) were also assessed as secondary outcome measures. Results: Slow HRR prevalence was significantly lower in individuals with asthma than with COPD (29.1 vs. 46.7%, respectively: p = 0.003). Post-program HRR did not change in more than 70% of individuals in either population and improved in 16% of both populations, whereas it actually worsened in 12 and 10% of individuals with asthma and COPD, respectively. The outcome measures significantly improved in both populations, irrespective of baseline HRR. Conclusion: In individuals with asthma or COPD, exercise training does not significantly improve HRR.


Manufacturing resource planning (MRPII) is a modern technique of planning and controlling the operational, engineering and financial resources in a manufacturing industry. It is a company-wide computer-based system designed to simulate the manufacturing control function of the whole organisation and provides an effective tool for management to optimise all resources with the aim of improving efficiency and productivity. This paper presents a critical assessment of MRPII techniques in relation to its implementation in an average manufacturing industry. The paper outlines the evolution of MRPII, its benefits to modern industry and includes a discussion of some modern MRPII packages developed for personal computers. The paper concludes that the adoption of such modern technique is of paramount importance for the growth and sustenance of Australian industries, and that MRPII can be successfully implemented in any industry with careful planning and review.


Peer review forms the backbone of modern scientific manuscript evaluation. But after two hundred and eighty-nine years of egalitarian service to the scientific community, does this protocol remain fit for purpose in 2020? In this work, we answer this question in the negative (strong reject, high confidence) and propose instead State-Of-the-Art Review (SOAR), a neoteric reviewing pipeline that serves as a 'plug-and-play' replacement for peer review. At the heart of our approach is an interpretation of the review process as a multi-objective, massively distributed and extremely-high-latency optimisation, which we scalarise and solve efficiently for PAC and CMT-optimal solutions. We make the following contributions: (1) We propose a highly scalable, fully automatic methodology for review, drawing inspiration from best-practices from premier computer vision and machine learning conferences; (2) We explore several instantiations of our approach and demonstrate that SOAR can be used to both review prints and pre-review pre-prints; (3) We wander listlessly in vain search of catharsis from our latest rounds of savage CVPR rejections.


Objective and Setting: While data management planning becomes more commonplace, moving from planning into implementation remains a hurdle for many researchers. With little specific guidance from funding agencies and libraries in the early stages of developing services to assist researchers, insights into what contributes to successful data management are sorely needed. The objective of this study was to document how a multidisciplinary research team, after consultation with the University of Illinois Library, took steps to implement a data management plan. Design and Methods: A case study was designed to gather insights from the research group through semi-structured interviews. Questions focused on which of the recommended data management strategies were adopted and how those strategies affected the project in terms of cost, time, effectiveness, and long-term data use. Results: From these interviews five major themes emerged as important: intentional staffing, addressing essential data management elements, iterative improvement, training and mentorship, and increased efficiency and peace of mind. Conclusions: Despite the initial investment that data management requires, researchers report significant benefits.


The importance of sectors characterized by high knowledge and technological intensity is growing in the new economy. The creation and maintenance of competitive advantage in high-technology sectors depend to a large degree on innovation. Since diffusion of innovation tends to be local, location characteristics matter. We argue that new high-technology firms can improve their survival probabilities by entering locations that stimulate and support innovation. These characteristics include urban diversity, competitive industrial structure, and clustering. In contrast, clustering, competition and diversity have lower survival value for low-technology firms, as the benefits accruing from higher innovation levels are less valuable. Indeed, the costs of urban congestion, and the pressure of competition on prices may result in negative impacts on survival. We test our hypotheses using an extensive longitudinal data base which covers all de novo entrants into the Canadian manufacturing sectors. The results indicate that clustering has a higher survival value for high-technology firms. Urban diversity and competition have positive effect on the survival of high-technology firms and negative effect on low-technology firms.


Global sourcing refers to activities performed to acquire materials, finished products and apparel production all around the world. The purposes of the study were to examine basic job requirements and primary skills of sales team and supporting team in global sourcing companies, to investigate educational programs provided by the companies or other educational institutions, and to examine courses to be newly established in the curriculum of clothing and textile majors. The results of the study found that the ability to use English and communication skills were important to perform their tasks (sales and supporting teams). The results revealed that fabric and textile, sewing, and apparel production process were the most frequently taken educational programs provided by global sourcing companies and English classes were the most frequently taken educational programs in the other educational institutions. The results also found that the clothing and textile curriculum need to add classes that help sales and supporting teams perform global sourcing tasks, such as fashion practical English, fabric and textile, apparel production processes, textile and apparel trades, fiber and fabric testing, and presentation skills. The study suggested educational directions for developing curriculum contents of clothing and textiles and cultivating professionals in the global sourcing industries.


1. Histological observations have been made on the pituitary glands and thyroid regions of C57BL mice at various periods of time following ( a ) nearcomplete thyroidectomy by surgical means, ( b ) near-complete surgical thyroidectomy and subsequent grafting of pieces of dependent thyrotrophic pituitary tumor, and ( c ) injection of I131 in doses of 25, 50, 100, and 200 μc. Thyroid glands from senile LAF1, RF, and C57BL mice have been examined.

2. Evidence has been presented in support of the view that radiation is not an essential factor in the development of pituitary tumors.

3. Near-complete surgical thyroidectomy has been shown to be as effective as radiological depression of the thyroid in conditioning hosts for bearing grafts of dependent pituitary tumors.

4. Pituitary tumors have been found to develop following doses of 50 μc. of I131 in male mice and 25 μc. of I131 in female mice, both maintained on normal laboratory diet.

5. Thyroid remnants in surgically thyroidectomized mice of both sexes and in male mice which had received 50 and 100 μc. of I131 were seen to have undergone adenomatoid hyperplasia.

6. Senility changes have been observed in the thyroids of 2-year-old C57BL mice but have been found to be extremely rare in 2- to 3-year-old mice of LAF1 and RF strains.


Investigations with 97 clones of aggregatum onion (Allium cepa L. var. aggregation Don.) indicated that (1) in general the genotypic coefficient of variations was lower than the phenotypic one indicating the larger influence of environment, (ii) weight of plant and weight of bulbs per plant exhibited a high degree of both phenotypic and genotypic coefficients of variation while number of shoots per plant had the least coefficient of variation; (iii) high heritability estimates were obtained for all characters except plant height and (iv) high heritability and high genetic advance were observed for number of bulbs per plant, weight of plant and weight of bulbs per plant indicating additive gene effects for these traits.


bon nanotubes — are undergoing development as means of trapping microscopic particles for scientific analysis. Examples of such particles include inorganic particles, pollen, bacteria, and spores. Nanocarpets can be characterized as scaled-down versions of ordinary macroscopic floor carpets, which trap dust and other particulate matter, albeit not purposefully. Nanocarpets can also be characterized as mimicking both the structure and the particle-trapping behavior of ciliated lung epithelia, the carbon nanotubes being analogous to cilia (see figure). Carbon nanotubes can easily be chemically functionalized for selective trapping of specific particles of interest. One could, alternatively, use such other three-dimensionally-structured materials as aerogels and activated carbon for the purposeful trapping of microscopic particles. However, nanocarpets offer important advantages over these alternative materials: • Nanocarpets are amenable to nonintrusive probing by optical means; and • Nanocarpets offer greater surface-tovolume ratios. This work was done by Flavio Noca, Fei Chen, Brian Hunt, Michael Bronikowski, Michael Hoenk, Robert Kowalczyk, and Daniel Choi of Caltech for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Further information is contained in a TSP (see page 1). In accordance with Public Law 96-517, the contractor has elected to retain title to this invention. Inquiries concerning rights for its commercial use should be addressed to: Innovative Technology Assets Management JPL Mail Stop 202-233 4800 Oak Grove Drive Pasadena, CA 91109-8099 (818) 354-2240 E-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com Refer to NPO-30659, volume and number of this NASA Tech Briefs issue, and the page number.


Fourier transform infrared imaging (FTIR) and Raman Microspectroscopy are powerful tools for characterizing the distribution of different chemical moieties in heterogeneous materials. FTIR and Raman measurements have been adapted to assess the maturity of the mineral and the quality of the organic component (collagen and non-collagenous proteins) of the mineralized tissue in bone. Unique to the FTIRI analysis is the capability to provide the spatial distribution of two of the major collagen cross-links (pyridinoline, and dehydro-dihydroxylysinonorleucine) and through the study of normal and diseased bone, relate them to bone strength. These FTIR parameters have been validated based on analysis of model compounds. It is widely accepted that bone strength is determined by bone mass and bone quality. The latter is a multifactorial term encompassing the material and structural properties of bone, and one important aspect of the bone material properties is the organic matrix. The bone material properties can be defined by parameters of mineral and collagen, as determined by FTIR and Raman analysis. Considerably less attention has been directed at collagen, although there are several publications in the literature reporting altered collagen properties associated with fragile bone, in both animals and humans. Since bone is a heterogeneous tissue due to the remodeling process, microscopic areas may be carefully selected based on quantitative Backscattered Electron Imaging or histological staining, thus ensuring comparison of areas with similar metabolic activity and mineral content. In conclusion, FTIRI and Raman vibrational spectroscopy are proving to be powerful tools in bone-related medical research.


In the last decade, additive manufacturing (AM) processes have updated the fields of biomaterials science and drug delivery as they promise to realize bioengineered multifunctional devices and implantable tissue engineering (TE) scaffolds virtually designed by using computer-aided design (CAD) models. However, the current technological gap between virtual scaffold design and practical AM processes makes it still challenging to realize scaffolds capable of encoding all structural and cell regulatory functions of the native extracellular matrix (ECM) of health and diseased tissues. Indeed, engineering porous scaffolds capable of sequestering and presenting even a complex array of biochemical and biophysical signals in a time- and space-regulated manner, require advanced automated platforms suitable of processing simultaneously biomaterials, cells, and biomolecules at nanometric-size scale. The aim of this work was to review the recent scientific literature about AM fabrication of drug delivery scaffolds for TE. This review focused on bioactive molecule loading into three-dimensional (3D) porous scaffolds, and their release effects on cell fate and tissue growth. We reviewed CAD-based strategies, such as bioprinting, to achieve passive and stimuli-responsive drug delivery scaffolds for TE and cancer precision medicine. Finally, we describe the authors' perspective regarding the next generation of CAD techniques and the advantages of AM, microfluidic, and soft lithography integration for enhancing 3D porous scaffold bioactivation toward functional bioengineered tissues and organs.


In VANET high speed is the real characteristics which leads to frequent breakdown, interference etc. Therefore Performance of adhoc routing protocols is helpful to improve the Quality of Service (QOS). In this paper we studied various adhoc routing protocols, Reactive, Proactive & Hybrid, taking in to consideration parameters like speed, altitude, mobility etc in real VANET scenario. The AODV and DYMO (Reactive), OLSR (Proactive) and ZRP (hybrid) protocols are compared for IEEE 802.11(MAC) and IEEE 802.11(DCF) standard using Qualnet as a Simulation tool. Since IEEE 802.11, covers both physical and data link layer. Hence performance of the protocols in these layers helps to make a right selection of Protocol for high speed mobility. Varying parameters of VANET shows that in the real traffic scenarios proactive protocol performs more efficiently for IEEE 802.11 (MAC) and IEEE 802.11(DCF).


Over the past decades, principals have experienced an increased pressure emanating from the responsibility for managing change and building organisations, whilst striving to improve students' learning outcomes (Abrahamsen, Aas, & Hellekjaer, 2015; Hargreaves & Fink, 2006). Leadership learning programmes appear to emphasise the requirements of the job rather than leaders' individual capabilities, moral purpose and the need to take an active role in learning (McKinsey & Company, 2010). In the design of programmes, there seems to be a challenge in finding the balance between system and reform needs and school and individual needs. Despite these challenges, there is consensus in the literature that principals and school leaders need to comprehend the macro-contextual and micro-contextual influences on their work, as well as to develop knowledge and skills to understand their schools and leadership roles (Aas & Paulsen, 2019; Fullan, 2011). A fundamental but often forgotten perspective in leadership learning programmes is how to facilitate learning processes and help school leaders to gain role clarity and grow leadership identity. In this paper, we examine and discuss the way that newly appointed school leaders in Norway participating in a leadership learning programme can gain role clarity through investigation into role expectations and group coaching. We provide findings that shed light on aspects of how school leaders develop role clarity through taking an active role in learning within their workplaces and together with the school leaders participating in the leadership learning programme.


State of the art movie restoration methods either estimate motion and filter out the trajectories, or compensate the motion by an optical flow estimate and then filter out the compensated movie. Now, the motion estimation problem is ill posed. This fact is known as the aperture problem: trajectories are ambiguous since they could coincide with any promenade in the space-time isophote surface. In this paper, we try to show that, for denoising, the aperture problem can be taken advantage of. Indeed, by the aperture problem, many pixels in the neighboring frames are similar to the current pixel one wishes to denoise. Thus, denoising by an averaging process can use many more pixels than just the ones on a single trajectory. This observation leads to use for movies a recently introduced image denoising method, the NL-means algorithm. This static 3D algorithm outperforms motion compensated algorithms, as it does not lose movie details. It involves the whole movie isophote and not just a trajectory.


Proteins and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are the main constituents of the extracellular matrix (ECM). They act in synergism and are equally critical for the development, growth, function, or survival of an organism. In this work, we developed surfaces that display these two classes of biomacromolecules, namely, GAGs and proteins, in a spatially controlled fashion. The generated surfaces can be used as a minimalistic but straightforward model aiding the elucidation of cell-ECM interactions. GAGs (hyaluronic acid and heparin) were covalently bound to amino functionalized surfaces, and albumin or fibronectin was patterned by microcontact printing on top of them. We demonstrate that adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs) can adhere either on the protein or on the GAG pattern as a function of the patterned molecules. ASCs found on the GAG pattern had different morphology and expressed different surface markers than the cells adhered on the protein pattern. ASCs morphology and spreading were also dependent on the size of the pattern. These results show that the developed supports can also be used for ASCs differentiation into different lineages.


Novel Cr(iii) catalysts supported by linear phosph(iii)azanes of the type R(1)R(2)N-P(Ph)-NR(3)-P(Ph)-NR(4)R(5) have been prepared, all of which, upon activation with MMAO-3A, are highly active for ethene tri-/tetramerization with considerable selectivity. The effect of ligand substitution as well as solvent on the catalytic performance has been examined.


According to 2007 data, gunshot wounds from homicides, suicides, and accidents caused 31,000 deaths in the United States, with even higher numbers of serious, nonfatal injuries. In recent years, new evidence on effective treatment of patients with gunshot wounds has come from military settings and is being adapted for civilian emergency departments (EDs). Effective, evidence-based management of ballistic injuries in the ED is vital. This issue reviews the physics of ballistics as it relates to the tracts and patterns of tissue injury caused by different types of firearms and missiles, and it takes a regional approach to reviewing the current evidence for managing gunshot wounds to the head, neck, thorax, abdomen, genitourinary (GU) system, extremities, and soft tissues. Current guidelines as well as new research and evidence regarding fluid resuscitation, airway management, evaluation strategies, drug therapies, and documentation are discussed.


Specificity and categoric descriptions of autobiographical memories (AM) are reported to be psychological trait markers for vulnerability for depression. Thus, they should permit the prediction of future affective changes. Fifty pregnant women were tested for their recall of AM as well as twice—during pregnancy and 3 months after delivery—with the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS; Cox, Holden & Sagovsky, 1987). The main scope of the study was the evaluation of the potential of AM in predicting affective changes in a nonclinical sample of women following childbirth. Using a hierarchical multiple regression analysis, categoric descriptions in response to negative cue words allowed a significant prediction of affective changes.


Estimating impulse responses for a single source is a crucial problem for many applications in audio signal processing, such as source extraction. Since absolute impulse responses are hard to identify, relative impulse responses or, equivalently, relative transfer functions are identified instead. Independent Component Analysis (ICA) for convolutivemixtures offers the possibility to determine relative impulse responses implicitly by separating the target source from interfering sources. In this paper, fundamental limitations of relative transfer function (RTF) estimation are analyzed by calculating least-squares (LS)-optimal estimates in adverse scenarios, where the influence of scatterers and reverberation on the performance must be accounted for. Hereupon, ICA-based RTF estimation in the TRINICON framework is compared with the LS-optimal estimates.


Context-aware service provisioning for mobile phones is challenging because of diverse user contexts and mobile applications. The context recognition process generally reduces the device performance due to the competitive use of limited resources in the mobile phone. While extensive attempts have been made to provide appropriate services based on user context, previous work is limited to supporting diverse user contexts and various services. In this paper, we introduce PION, a framework for personalized service provisioning to manage diverse user contexts and provide appropriate mobile services in daily life. PION comprises the Service Hub and Pioneer. The Service Hub is a service agent server between a smartphone user and a service provider that defines the properties of mobile services. The Pioneer collects cognitive context data, classifies user contexts and their relations, and predicts essential mobile services based on a user's mobility data. We have implemented PION on the Android framework, and our evaluation demonstrates its efficiency in managing diverse user contexts and providing mobile services in real deployments. We believe that the PION framework is a viable context-aware system for smartphone users.


Inhalation of high concentrations of manganese (Mn) is associated with an extrapyramidal motor disorder in humans. Oxidative damage, mediated by increased levels of Mn in dopaminergic brain regions and mitochondria, is a hypothesized mechanism of action for Mn-induced neuronal degeneration and loss. To test this proposed mechanism, developing CD rats, which may be at an increased risk for Mn-induced neurotoxicity, were exposed orally to 0, 25, or 50 mg/kg/day of MnCl2 from postnatal day (PND) 1 to 49 Brain regional and mitochondrial Mn levels, brain regional reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and whole-brain nuclear and mitochondrial 8-OHdG levels were used to evaluate Mn-mediated oxidative damage. High-dose Mn exposure was associated with increased spontaneous motor activity on PND 21 and decreased body weights on PND 49. On PND 21, Mn concentrations were increased in brain regions and mitochondrial fractions in both low- and high-dose groups. ROS levels were elevated in cerebellum but not striatum. On PND 49, Mn concentrations in brain regions and mitochondrial fractions were increased only in the high-dose group. Mn exposure did not significantly alter 8-OHdG levels in either mitochondrial or nuclear DNA. Selective uptake of Mn by the striatum or mitochondrial fraction was not demonstrated at either time point. These data allow us to conclude that oral exposure to high levels of Mn in developing CD rats resulted in increased brain regional and mitochondrial Mn levels, increased motor activity, and decreased body weights but not in selective accumulation of Mn in the striatum or mitochondrial fraction of any brain region or elevations in striatal ROS or whole-brain 8-OHdG levels. These findings do not support the hypothesis that oxidative damage, as assessed by ROS and 8-OHdG levels, is a mechanism of action in Mn-induced developmental neurotoxicity in the CD rat.


This paper presents the conceptual design of a concentrating solar power plant (CSPP) using Direct Steam Generation method (DSG) in a parabolic trough solar field located in Universiti Teknologi Petronas, Perak, Malaysia. The conceptual design of the CSPP includes selection and sizing of solar field, power generation cycle, types of working fluids, sizing of the power block, etc.The conceptual design is based on a mathematical modeling of the CSPP. In the present solar thermal system, a turbine is integrated with 1.2 kW generators, and steam is produced by flow loop energized by solar parabolic trough concentrators. One of the most significant factors for the successful conceptual design of a CSPP is a precise determination of the transient solar radiation over the day and the season. Accordingly, in-situ measurements of the direct normal irradiance (DNI) has been carried out and used as input to the mathematical model. As a result of daily and seasonal variation of solar radiation, the developed model is designed in order to evaluate the transient behavior of the system and expected power production.


We study optically single self-assembled quantum dots embedded within the wide quantum well of a mixed type quantum structure. We compare the steady state and pulsed photoluminescence spectra of these dots to those of previously studied "regular" dots. We unambiguously identify experimentally emission from various discrete charge state of the dots. We provide means for optically tune the charge state of the dot, both negatively and positively. Our observations are used to accurately determine the asymmetry between the quantum dots' confined electron and hole envelope wavefunctions.


The permeability of different brain tumor models to horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was examined by determining the fraction of tumor that contained HRP after intravenous administration. The intracerebral tumor models studied were Avian Sarcoma Virus (ASV)-induced tumors and tumors from transplanted RG-2, S69-C1-5, and 9L cell lines. The average fraction of RG-2 tumors permeable to HRP was .95; of S69-C1-5 tumors, .699; of ASV-induced tumors, .63; and of 9L tumors, .52. Except for the RG-2 tumors, there was considerable regional variation in HRP permeability, which was most marked in the ASV-induced tumors. In ASV-induced tumors, HRP permeability did not correlate with tumor histo ogical classification, size, or anatomic location within the brain. The subcutaneous tumor models studied were RG-2-, S69-C1-5, and 9L-transplanted tumors in rats, and human glioblastoma cell lines transplanted into nude mice. All were completely permeable to HRP. These results indicate that significant differences in permeability to HRP exist among brain tumor models when the tumors are intracerebral, and that all subcutaneous tumors from transplanted glial cell lines are completely permeable to HRP. These variables must be considered in future studies of permeability in experimental brain tumors. Care must be exercised in extrapolating results about permeability from one brain tumor model to another


ABSTRACT Between the mid-2000s and the early 2010s, the neighborhoods around National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU), an area widely known as Shida, unexpectedly became a tourist hotspot due to the rapidly expanding night market there. Dissatisfied residents mobilized, and for several years they engaged in intense legal and discursive clashes with area businesses, the Taipei City government, and other groups in the community. Drawing on long-term observation, ethnographic research, and in-depth interviews, this article explains Shida's spatial change from the perspectives of urban movements and cultural struggles. Specifically, it describes how three groups in Shida became organized around divergent purposes, values, and imaginations of the community. Deploying different cultural resources – ranging from civic culture, subcultural ethics to community building – the groups further enter into complex negotiation with the spheres of politics and economics. Ultimately, there was no consensus reached in the Shida case, and though many lament the passing of the area's unique culture and many of its businesses, the dynamics between the small-scale mobilizations in Shida generated invaluable critical local wisdoms that acknowledge the desire for multiple communities in a physical locality.


Rods and laths of clinopyroxene apparently exsolved in host bustamite are described lrom the lode rocks of Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia. The rods are commonly oriented with c clinopyroxene llb bustamite. They are associated with fluid inclusions which may be in contact with the clinopyroxene rods (type A) or not (type B). Freezing-point depressions recorded for the inclusion fluids range from 3o to 50"C. Although there is a region of overlap, type A inclusion fluids have salinities in the lower part of the range, whereas type B inclusions contain fluids in the higher part of the range. In bustamite samples containing only moderate numbers of clinopyroxene rods where relationships can be clearly observed, the rods are seen to be arranged within curved sheets localized along healed former fractures. Where fluid inclusions of both types are present within any one sheet, they have approximately the same salinity. Homogenization temperatures fall in the range 240-360oC, but the trapping temperatures are unknown owing to uncertain corrections for pressure. The clinopyroxene rods are believed to have originated by a mechanism of exsolution, in which fluid inclusions act as centres of nucleation and growth in the high-temperature solidsolution phase as it cools below solvus temperatures. The rods propagate either from the solid or liquid inclusion-terminated end, but the preferred mechanism is by solution growth, the fluid inclusion advancing ahead of the rod through the host grain.


The reconstruction of Holocene thermokarst landform evolution is important to understand the potential impact of current global climate change on permafrost regions. A multi-proxy approach was applied to analyse the sedimentological and biogeochemical characteristics as well as pollen and lacustrine microfossils of a core profile drilled in a small pingo within a large Central Yakutian thermokarst basin (alas). Age–depth modelling with macrofossil 14C ages reveals high thermokarst deposit sedimentation rates and a complete thermokarst sequence spanning about 900 years during the mid-Holocene between ~6750 and 5870 cal. yr BP. In total, three stages of thermokarst landscape evolution have been identified. Thermokarst processes were initiated at ⩽6750 to 6500 cal. yr BP. Terrestrial conditions changed quickly to lacustrine conditions, and a thermokarst lake rapidly emerged and grew to an estimated size of 120–600 m diameter and 7.5–15 m depth during only ~150 years between ~6500 and 6350 cal. yr BP. The decline of thermokarst processes and lake decrease may have been affected by local hydrological conditions between ~6350 and 5870 cal. yr BP but ceased completely after 5870 cal. yr BP, likely due to climatic changes. Clear evidence for long-lasting and stable lacustrine conditions was not obtained. The study emphasises that short-term warming led to very active permafrost degradation and rapid but locally variable modification of alas and thermokarst evolution.


Existing intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) formats stimulate the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) intermittently, exposing it to risk for injury in between stimulations. We report electrophysiologic parameters of continuous vagal monitoring, utilizing a novel real‐time IONM format, and relate these parameters to intraoperative surgical maneuvers that delineate nascent adverse but reversible electrophysiologic parameters to prevent nerve injury. These results are correlated with postoperative vocal cord functional outcome.


Workforce analyses project a need for women's health care providers, especially in maternity care. With a stagnant number of certified nurse-midwife/certified midwife (CNM/CM) education programs, the present production of new CNMs/CMs is not robust enough to meet the growing demand. This article describes an existing but underutilized model for CNM/CM education programs, based in an academic medical center with an existing academic affiliation. Advantages include a federal funding source through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, lower tuition costs than most current programs, and expanded job satisfaction for CNMs/CMs in clinical practice.


Decisions made by leaders please some people and upset others. We examine whether the possibility of backlash has a differential impact on men's and women's self-selection into leadership roles, and their decisions as leaders. In a laboratory experiment that simulates corporate decision-making, we find that women are significantly less likely to self-select into a leadership position when they can receive backlash. Once in a leadership role, women get more backlash. There are some gender differences in leaders' decisionmaking and communication styles under the threat of backlash, but little difference in final outcomes. An online experiment sheds light on possible mechanisms. JEL Codes: C92, D91, J16


Because ozonation is becoming a popular alternative to chlorination for disinfection of drinking water and little is known about the potential adverse health effects of ozonation disinfection by-products (DBPs), we have sought to identify ozone DBPs, particularly brominated organics, which are of principal concern due to their anticipated toxicity. Using gas chromatography coupled (independently) to low-resolution electron-impact mass spectrometry (LR-EI-MS), high-resolution EI-MS, chemical ionization MS (with 2% ammonia in methane), and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, we have identified a series of bromohydrins and related compounds detected in extracts of an ozonated natural water sample that was artificially enhanced with bromide. The bromohydrins, which constituted the majority of by-products in the samples we studied, were detected but could not be identified by GC/LR-EI-MS, the technique used almost exclusively for environmental monitoring. A key to identifying the bromohydrins was the manifestation of intramolecular hydrogen bonding in the gas-phase IR spectra. Many of the by-products had two chiral centers, and both diastereomers were present and were separated by GC. In most cases, the IR spectra also permitted us to distinguish between diastereomers. We interpreted the IR and EI-MS spectra of several representative compounds in detail, and gave peak assignments for all that were identified. Molecular mechanics calculations and an experimental determination of the enthalpy change for conversion of free and hydrogen-bound conformers for a representative bromohydrin were used to verify the IR interpretations.


This article compares the approach that accepts prefixation and suffixation as two equivalent means of aspectual pair formation to the approach recognizing only suffixation. Arguments are put forth in favor of the existence of aspectual prefixes, which significantly extend the boundaries of aspectual correlations. Another way of extending these boundaries is to reassess the correlation feature – the specific feature that is added to the invariant meaning of aspect (i.e. of perfectivity) and narrows this general meaning in such a way that it covers only aspectually paired perfectives. Based on the examination of F. Danes's correlation feature "mutation" (resultative change of state) and on the analysis of aspectual pairs in various semantic-syntactic classes of verbs, the alternative correlation feature was determined as "natural, inherent limit of the action". In other words, the process of being "perfectivizable" must be able to be naturally discretized, quantized not only in terms of culmination of an action, but also in terms of a "natural portion" of a process. The extended conception of the aspectual correlation includes not only resultative verbs (opravovať/opraviť, starnuť/zostarnuť), but also the entire scope of punctual verbs (in addition to hodiť/hadzať, semelfactives such as bodať/bodnuť) and "quantized processes" (kasľať/zakasľať, prosiť/poprosiť).


Low intake of dietary magnesium in typical western diet is associated with magnesium deficiency and its related diseases. Americans are falling short of dietary intake of magnesium by 27 and 52 mg / day for men and women respectively. Water supplies only 6-7 % of the daily requirement of magnesium. Magnesium deficiency is common in normal and hospitalized people (2% & 26% respectively); while critically sick patients have hypomagnesaemia up to 60 %. Hypomagnesaemia influence the prognosis of the disease resulting in high mortality in severely sick and hypomagnesaemic patients, as compared to other hospitalized patients. Magnesium in hard water is known for its cardio protective effect especially against sudden cardiac death by preventing malignant arrhythmias and coronary vasospasm. Waterborne magnesium is also known for its protective effect on diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, stroke, insulin resistance, preeclampsia, and other chronic diseases. It is so much effective that even a small amount (6 mg / l) can prevent the cardiovascular mortality by 10% (a disproportionate response). Hard water supplies other micronutrients like, calcium, zinc, iodine etc. and it also protects the body against other harmful chemicals of water like, cadmium, aluminum, beryllium, mercury, and nickel. Demineralized water produced through reverse osmosis process remove 93-97% of calcium and magnesium. Such water is stripped of its beneficial elements and produce magnesium deficiency if consumed for prolonged period.


Studies on physician functioning have focused almost exclusively on impairment, and as a result we know much about doctors' disease and despair, their substance misuse, burnout, and dysfunctional relationships. But we know very little about what keeps them feeling well.

Though this may simply reflect the tendency for psychological research to focus on pathology rather than health, it nevertheless leaves doctors with little information to guide them in living positive and healthy lives. For this reason we have devoted the January issue of wjm , the Western Journal of Medicine , to exploring what we can do to promote physician wellbeing (http://www.ewjm.com/). The issue includes studies on physician wellbeing, offers practical advice to physicians and policymakers, and gives some healthy alternatives to our damaging ways of living and working. There are two key themes that run throughout the issue—the ability of doctors to influence their own happiness through their personal values and choices, and the need for them to have some control over their external work environment.

The importance of the first theme is shown by a qualitative study of the …


This paper presents the application of the PPQ Dijkstra approach for solving 2D path planning problems. The approach is a Dijkstra process whose priority queue (PQ) is implemented through a Pseudo Priority Queue (PPQ) also known as Untidy PQ. The performance of the optimization process is dramatically improved by the application of the PPQ. This modification can be used for a family of problems. The path planning problem belongs to the family of feasible problems that can be solved by considering PPQ-Dijkstra approach. The solution provided by the PPQ-Dijkstra algorithm is optimal, i.e. it is identical to the solution obtained through the standard Dijkstra algorithm. The PPQ-Dijkstra algorithm can be also applied for higher dimensionality problems such as non-holonomic planning processes, e.g. involving configuration spaces of higher dimension.


In the accuracy measurement of phase from interferometers with adjustable fringe contrast, it needs to estimate the contrast of experimental patterns so as to obtain the interference patterns with the maximum contrast. We develop the Fourier-polar transform and combine the directional projection to estimate the global contrast of carrier fringe pattern. The technique is especially used for low-quality fringe pattern such as low contrast and low signal to noise ratio (SNR) that often appear in the interferometric experiment. An illustrative experiment based on the radial shearing interferometer is given. Results generated from this technique are compared with the derived values from theoretical model, and exemplary agreement between both is demonstrated.


Adrenomedullin (AM) is an important vasodilator in cerebral circulation, and cerebral endothelial cells are a major source of AM. This in vitro study aimed to determine the AM-induced changes in blood–brain barrier (BBB) functions. AM administration increased, whereas AM antisense oligonucleotide treatment decreased transendothelial electrical resistance. AM incubation decreased BBB permeability for sodium fluorescein (mol. wt 376 Da) but not for Evan's blue albumin (mol. wt 67 kDa), and it also attenuated fluid-phase endocytosis. AM treatment resulted in functional activation of P-glycoprotein efflux pump in vitro. Our results indicate that AM as an autocrine mediator plays an important role in the regulation of BBB properties of the cerebral endothelial cells.


There are several options for switching people with multiple sclerosis (MS) who are at high risk of developing progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) from natalizumab to alemtuzumab. However, some of these have risks that need to be managed, for example, the risks of carrying over asymptomatic PML from natalizumab on to the new therapy, and the risk of rebound disease activity associated with a prolonged washout after starting natalizumab. We propose a pragmatic bridging strategy, using another disease-modifying therapy (DMT), to reduce the risk of switching from natalizumab to alemtuzumab. We also discuss the caveats and subtleties associated with sequencing DMTs in MS and the complex decision making involved.


In 2011 the English Court of Protection ruled that it would be unlawful to withdraw artificial nutrition and hydration from a woman, M, who had been in a minimally conscious state for 8 years. It was reported as the first English legal case concerning withdrawal of artificial nutrition and hydration from a patient in a minimally conscious state who was otherwise stable. In the absence of a valid and applicable advance decision refusing treatment, of other life-limiting pathology or excessively burdensome suffering, the judgement makes it clear that the obligation on health professionals falls strongly in favour of preserving life. Although the Court sought to limit the judgement as closely as possible to the facts of the case, it is likely to have a significant impact on life-sustaining treatment decisions for people in states of low awareness. This paper outlines the main legal features of the judgement.


&dquo;I am nearly fifteen. Do you think I am too young to go out with boys? I dare not ask my mother as I know she would not approve of it.&dquo; This typical plea is one from over 3,000 letters sent to the weekly Girl on which this study is based. The original book, published in 1960, has been brought up to date and there is a useful account of decent writhing about adolescents. The girls wrote for advice about friendships (both girl and boy frends), personal problems ~(from shyness .to bust development), home problems and school problems. They ranged from 10 to 17 years old but -were mainly 'between 12 and 14 and probably -mainly fi,rst and second stream secondary modern and lower stream grammar school children. Few appeared delinquent or ~rebellious; very many anxious, isolated, confused and afraid of ;ridicule. Their problems


To evaluate the role of the alpha 1-adrenergic system in the response to hemorrhage during development, lambs and adult sheep were chronically catheterized and hemorrhaged after pretreatment with prazosin or vehicle. The adults became markedly more hypotensive after alpha 1-blockade and hemorrhage than after vehicle and hemorrhage (26.1 +/- 4 vs. 10.7 +/- 2%, P less than 0.0001), whereas the lambs were no more hypotensive when hemorrhaged after prazosin (21.5 +/- 3.2 vs. 23.1 +/- 4.4%, P greater than 0.05). In the adults and the lambs, hemorrhage produced elevations in plasma renin activity and arginine vasopressin. However, after prazosin, the adults had a far greater increase in arginine vasopressin levels than after vehicle treatment (1,970 +/- 820 vs. 320 +/- 273%).


Calcarenites on San Salvador Island, Bahamas, preserve a history of ooids and skeletal grains reworked by wind. French Bay and Cockburn Town members of the Pleistocene Grotto Beach Formation and comparable Holocene strata contain eolian sandflow, grainfall, and wind-ripple structures and textures similar to those of siliciclastic eolian deposits. In thin section, well-cemented, closely packed, fine-grained strata correspond with ledges in outcrop; poorly cemented, loosely packed, medium-grained strata correspond with recesses. Wind-ripple strata form topsets, brinksets, and bottomsets. White, ledgy, fine-grained, basal laminae are overlain by gray, recessed, medium-grained laminae to form one wind-ripple stratum. Sandflow cross-strata are tabular in longitudinal sections, lenticular in transverse sections, and wedge out into grainfall and wind-ripple bottomsets. They coarsen upward from white, ledge-forming, fine-grained laminations to gray, recess-forming, medium-grained laminations. Grainfall forms weakly stratified, fine-grained, ledge-forming units of variable thickness and geometry. They are associated with sandflow cross-strata and thicken downslope as bottomsets, especially in cross-bed sets thinner than 2 m (7 ft). Grainfall strata are difficult to recognize where structural relations between foreset and bottomset beds are hidden.


Summary Marine evaporites form an important part of the Permian succession of the United States and of England. This paper gives a review of their geological setting, petrology, and mineralogy. The American mid-continental Permian reaches its greatest thickness in Texas and New Mexico. In Leonard and Guadaloupe times several relatively deep basins, flanked by shallow-water shelf areas, were connected by channels to each other and to an ocean to the south. Reef and bank deposits accumulated at times on the margins of the basins, and separated clastic basinal deposits from back-reef limestone-evaporite-red bed facies on the shelves. There was a general south-westward shift of areas of evaporite deposition as time went on, corresponding to a general retreat of the epicontinental seas. These conditions culminated in the development of the Capitan reef which surrounded the Delaware basin in Upper Guadaloupe time. Later the area was uplifted and tilted, and the basinal evaporites of the Ochoa (more than 4,000 ft. in thickness) were deposited, filling the Delaware basin, overlapping its margin, and covering part of the shelf. The back-reef evaporites are mineralogically simple, and show a marked lateral zoning from less to more soluble salts in a landward direction. The Castile evaporites (Lower Ochoa) provide a striking example of relatively deep-water deposition in an almost isolated basin relatively free from influx of terrestrial water. The Salado and Rustler evaporites (Upper Ochoa), which are mineralogically complex, are shallow-water basinal types, and include important deposits of potassium salts. The British Permian evaporites, deposited in the Zechstein Sea, represent a small part of a large area of deposition. There is little evidence of back-reef deposition in England. The evaporites appear to be predominantly shallow-water basinal types like those of the Salado Formation of Texas and New Mexico. They include the products of three major cycles of desiccation, and it is suggested that these correspond to the upper three of the four major cycles of Hanover and Thuringia. The lowest cycle of this German succession may be represented in north-eastern England by replacement bodies of anhydrite in the Lower Magnesian Limestone. Lateral change of facies in the English evaporites is marked, and includes the passage of evaporites into red beds, and of more into less soluble salts, in a shoreward direction. Potassium salts are confined to the Whitby district, where the marine Permian reaches its greatest thickness. Halite, anhydrite, and the carbonates progressively die out as the shore-line is approached. Vertical zoning includes the upward passage of less to more soluble salts, and repetitions of sequence are numerous, but large-scale repetitions within each major cycle are much less abundant than in the Salado. The mineralogy of the two regions is compared and found to be generally similar. Striking differences include the restriction of rinneite to the English evaporites, and the virtual absence of langbeinite, a major constituent of some of the Salado potash zones, in England. The English potash field is notably richer in quartz and clay, and poorer in magnesium sulphates (except in the Lower Evaporite Bed) than the American. Some minor constituents found only in the Salado may be expected to be found as exploration proceeds in England. Widespread replacement and recrystallisation have modified the evaporites of both regions, and their present mineral composition differs a great deal from that of the original deposits.


Beniseed has been considered to be a valuable oilseed, not only because of its high oil content, but also because of its medical effects. The present study sought to investigate the effect of boiling on the proximate and mineral composition of beniseed. In addition, the effect of boiling on the antioxidant properties of beniseed extract was evaluated. Proximate and mineral composition of raw beniseed and beniseed boiled for 5, 10, 20 and 30 min were assessed. The amount of phenols, flavonoids and vitamin C were determined in the aqueous extracts of raw and boiled beniseed. In addition, the antioxidant mechanisms of the extracts of raw and boiled beniseed were assessed by measuring their reducing property, iron (II) chelating ability and their ability to scavenge 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. Results showed that boiling significantly (p < 0.05) improved the crude fat (49.23 to 56.78%) and calcium content (757.13 to 975.54 mg/100g). However, boiling caused a significant (p < 0.05) reduction in levels of protein (18.87 to 14.12%), fiber (6.17 to 4.45%) and potassium (831.47 to 727.42 mg/100g) while iron levels were unchanged. The total phenolics levels of the raw beniseed (0.15 mg/g) showed a remarkable increase as the boiling time was increased to 30 min with a level of 0.35 mg/g. In addition, boiling caused a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the total flavonoid levels from 0.22 mg/g to 0.55 mg/g while a decrease in the vitamin C content of raw beniseed was observed within the period of boiling. Furthermore, the aqueous extracts of boiled beniseed exhibited greater antioxidant properties than that of the raw seeds. It was concluded that boiling for 30 min caused a significant loss of some nutrients but potentiated the antioxidant activities of the aqueous extract of the seed. Keywords: Antioxidant, beniseed, boiling, radicals, nutritional, oilseed


Abstract Introduction: The breast cancer is the first common cancer among Iranian women, accounting for 24.4% of all cancers. With the improvement in disease‑free survival with advanced treatment modalities, question of quality of life (QOL) arises. The aim of the present review was assessment QOL of Iranian women with cancer breast and affecting factors. Methods: This study is a review article in which articles about Breast cancer were searched in databases such as Scopus, SID, Magiran, Google Scholar, Pubmed, IranMedex, ScienceDirec from key words of Cancer Brest, Quality of Life, Affecting Factor and Iran were used to search. Results: Twenty-eight studies from 2008 to 2018 on the quality of life of 2226 patients with breast cancer in Iran were conducted. In these studies, five different questionnaires QLQ-C30, SF-36, Ferrans & Power, QLQ-BR23, WHO-QOL 26 to check the quality of life patients were used. Conclusion: Breast cancer affects the quality of life of the patients and reduces it. Psychological and financial support and exercise and health for women experiencing breast cancer diagnosis can have been a positive impact on the disease and the patient's compliance with the complications of the disease and the treatments


In 107 infants aged 3 hours to 9 months, hemoglobin concentration, 2,3-DPG concentration and GOT activity in red cells, and reticulocyte count were determined in order to evaluate whether the previously observed decrease in red cell 2,3-DPG [1] during the first 30-40 days of life related to red cell ageing. A significant positive correlation of 2,3-DPG vs. GOT, an indicator of red cell age, is found. The decrease in 2,3-DPG over a period of 25-30 days is finally followed by a sharp rise in reticulocyte count, suggesting that an alteration in blood oxygen affinity might trigger the onset of erythropoiesis in normal infants in this age group.


The refractive index and extinction coefficient of a triiodide perovskite absorber (TPA) were obtained by fitting the transmittance spectra of TPA/PEDOT:PSS/ITO/glass using the transfer matrix method. Cu nanoplasmonic structures were designed to enhance the exciton generation in the TPA and to simultaneously reduce the film thickness of the TPA. Excitons were effectively generated at the interface between TPA and Cu nanoparticles, as observed through the 3D finite-difference time-domain method. The exciton distribution is advantageous for the exciton dissociation and carrier transport.


Introduction: The 2q37.3 deletion syndrome is a disorder caused by the microdeletion of a subband on chromosome 2, whose epidemiology is approximately 150 cases worldwide, and the prevalence of 1: 10000. Its characteristics are developmental delay, facial dysmorphia, musculoskeletal abnormalities, and increased risk of congenital diseases. The purpose is to present, for the first time in the literature, the oral and dental clinical findings associated with the syndrome. Case report: The main physical characteristics of the syndrome were identified during the physical examination: thin upper lip, prominent columella, and epicanthic folds. In the intraoral examination, dental characteristics were reported, which may be associated with the syndrome: accumulation of dental calculus, hypomineralization and hypoplasia, crossbite, open bite, agenesis, taurodontism, and dentigerous cyst. The dental treatment consisted of the application of behavior management techniques, hygiene and diet instruction, prophylaxis, supragingival scraping, topical fluoride application, and extraction of the lower second molar. This is the first report of oral characteristics of the 2q37.3 deletion syndrome, giving importance to the characteristics observed in this patient. Such findings will be useful in the characterization of the syndrome, which is extremely rare, and may contribute to the clinical diagnosis of these patients, in addition to subsidizing the dental treatment of other individuals. Conclusion: We present oral clinical findings such as hypomineralization and hypoplasia, crossed and an open bite, agenesis, taurodontism, and dentigerous cyst present in the patient with the syndrome and we suggest that the involved gene or its deletion may be responsible for such findings.


Aim. The article deals with increasing the weekly physical activity (PA) of the persons of different age and gender attending sports grounds (SG). Materials and methods. 1726 residents of Glazov and Krasnoyarsk participated in the study. The age of the residents ranges from 18 to 78 years. The research lasted for 8 months (March – October 2018). The following methods have been used: a survey and a statistical recording of the number of residents visiting SG. To increase the physical activity of residents, volunteer activities were used, and information support for the effective use of street facilities was provided (training time, types of exercises, exercise load, etc.). The statistical analysis of the results was performed using the Student's t-test. Results. A significant (P < 0.01) increase of the number of residents who regularly (at least 3 times per week) visited SG was found. The most significant increase was found among the people aged 35–50 years and 50–65 years. Conclusion. The research shows that the work of volunteers and information materials about the effective use of street facilities contribute to a significant increase in the weekly PA of the residents of different age and gender.


Using cross-country data, this paper investigates how governance influenced views regarding the security of nuclear energy after the Fukushima accident in Japan. Key findings are: (1) citizens are less likely to agree that nuclear power plants are properly secured against accidents with the presence of a free media and higher levels of freedom of expression; and (2) freedom of expression and free media are positively associated with the presence of nuclear plants. These findings indicate that sufficient information leads citizens to both understand the risk of nuclear energy and to accept the existence of nuclear plants.


Among the strategies to promote sustainable tropical forest development around the world, the Federal Extractive Reserve System of Brazil is widely cited as an exemplary model. It is designed to protect rubber tapper communities, their forests, and their livelihoods while preventing deforestation and conserving biodiversity. In response to changing markets and policies, rubber tappers in the Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve have recently diversified production to include market agriculture and cattle production, precipitating deforestation in the reserve, with the implication of increased ecological degradation compared to the extraction of nontimber forest products (NTFPs). Our remote sensing and forest inventory analyses yield different insights about the environmental consequences of distinct land-use mixes in two extractive communities, one of which emphasizes cattle and the other, NTFPs. Remote sensing results show a predictably greater impact on forest cover in the cattle-oriented community. This preliminary study is based on nested household- and community-level forest inventory and biodiversity analyses in two communities. Surprisingly, we found higher tree biodiversity in the rubber trail forests of the cattle-oriented community, and significantly lower tree species richness, tree density, total basal area, and number of trees of commercial size in the same land-use unit in the NTFP-focused community. Land-use surveys indicate lower levels of game consumption and hunting in the cattle-oriented community, and strong support for the development of sustainable timber extraction in both communities. The distinct type and degree of forest impact in the two communities exposes the problem of single-impact assessment as the sole means of performance and categorical land-use prohibitions as an effective mode of regulation in conservation areas.


Is ›Bildung‹ Fragile? Rather Not …
The article is presenting a couple of rather skeptical viewpoints on the utility and adequacy of the notion of ›fragility‹ for educational theory, and especially the topic of ›Bildung‹. Processes of ›Bildung‹, it is argued, may be uncertain, fleeting, hard to begin and to maintain, but not fragile. In four chapters, the author focuses on aspects of understanding ›Bildung‹ mainly as a process of searching, and a most often dialectical venture to which many persons neither have access nor the willingness to engage with in their adolescence and early adulthood.


Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) plays a vital and pathogenic role in the onset and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Phosphorylation of PKR-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK) induced by ERS depresses the interaction between actin-binding protein filamin-A (FLNA) and PERK, which promotes F-actin accumulation and reduces ER-plasma membrane (PM) communication. Echinacoside (ECH), a pharmacologically active component purified from Cistanche tubulosa, exhibits multiple neuroprotective activities, but the effects of ECH on ERS and F-actin remodeling remain elusive. Here, we found ECH could inhibit the phosphorylation of PERK. Firstly ECH can promote PERK-FLNA combination and modulate F-actin remodeling. Secondly, ECH dramatically decreased cerebral Aβ production and accumulation by inhibiting the translation of BACE1, and significantly ameliorated memory impairment in 2 × Tg-AD mice. Furthermore, ECH exhibited high affinity to either mouse PERK or human PERK. These findings provide novel insights into the neuroprotective actions of ECH against AD, indicating that ECH is a potential therapeutic agent for halting and preventing the progression of AD.


Summary This work aims at applying concepts of generalizability theory to data resulting from clinical trials. The focus is to study the sources of variance and their impact on the reliability and generalizability of a psychiatric measurement scale. The goal is to identify, measure, and thereby potentially find strategies to reduce the influence of these sources on the measurement in question for future trials. This approach was originally devised by Cronbach and his associates and is known as generalizability theory. This work shows how full modeling power in mixed models can be used to study generalizability using data from five double‐blind randomized clinical trials, comparing the effects of risperidone to conventional antipsychotic agents for the treatment of chronic schizophrenia.


This paper deals with the experimental assessment of the vibration suppression of the smart structures. First, we have presented a new high-speed active control system using the DSP320C6713 microprocessor. A peripheral system developed is composed of a data acquisition system, A/D and D/A converters, piezoelectric (PZT) actuator/sensors, and drivers for fast data processing. Next, we have tested the processing time of the peripheral devices, and provided the corresponding test results. Since fast data processing is very important in the active vibration control of the structures, we have focused on achieving the fast loop times of the control system. Finally, numerous experiments were carried out on the aluminum plate to validate the superior performance of the vibration control system at different control loop times.


Web Engineering methods, specifically Model-driven Engineering (MDE) ones, are not yet ready to cope with user involvement features that Web 2.0 is demanding. In this work, Web 2.0 patterns are introduced using conceptual models that represent both interaction and functionality, since in Web 2.0 applications both features are intertwined to support the user involvement concern. This work also drafts how Web 2.0 patterns can be integrated into models of a model-driven Web Engineering method.


Graph partitioning is a NP-hard problem with multiple conflicting objectives. The graph partitioning should minimize the inter-partition relationship while maximizing the intra-partition relationship. Furthermore, the partition load should be evenly distributed over the respective partitions. Therefore this is a multi-objective optimization problem. There are two approaches to multi-objective optimization using genetic algorithms: weighted cost functions and finding the Pareto front. We have used the Pareto front method to find the suitable curve of non-dominated solutions, composed of a high number of solutions. The proposed methods of this paper used to improve the performance are injecting best solutions of previous runs into the first generation of next runs and also storing the non-dominated set of previous generations to combine with later generation's non-dominated set. These improvements prevent the GA from getting stuck in the local optima and make the search more efficient and increase the probability of finding more optimal solutions. Finally, a simulation research is carried out to investigate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm. The simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed multi-objective GA method.


The one-year survival of regenerated cartilage on a large articular surface is presented using the McDowell in vivo model. The model provides a mechanically shielded environment in which regenerated cartilage can be protected from intra-articular stresses while normal joint motion is maintained. New tissue was allowed to grow from bleeding subchondral bone for 12 weeks at which time the original mechanical environment was reintroduced. Our study showed that neo-cartilage would grow to cover the entire joint surface of a patella and could survive for one year. Histologic observations indicated a maturing hyaline-like tissue. Biomechanical analyses showed that the regenerated cartilage became stiffer and less permeable within the time of this study. Biochemical evaluations demonstrated stable properties out to the longest time point. Control specimens, which were not shielded from stress, showed insignificant amounts of new tissue growing on the patellar surfaces.


Contact dermatitis is a common cause of eczematous cheilitis. In a Singapore series, allergic contact dermatitis is commoner than irritant contact dermatitis. More females are affected than males. Eczematous cheilitis usually presents in the 3rd and 4th decades of life. Eczematous cheilitis tends to occur among office workers and professionals (50.5%). This is probably due to the more frequent use of cosmetics and lip preparations among office workers compared to 'blue collar' workers. Irritant contact cheilitis is often seen in individuals with an underlying endogenous tendency to eczema, e.g. atopic dermatitis. Contact irritants include lip cosmetics, toothpastes and dentrifices. In the early 1990s, tartar control (pyrophosphates) toothpastes were reported to cause outbreaks of irritant contact dermatitis on the lips and peri-oral skin. Other irritants include traditional Chinese medicines. Allergic contact cheilitis occurs from lip cosmetics, toothpastes and medicaments. Allergic contact cheilitis accounted for 35% of eczematous cheilitis presenting at the Singapore clinic. The commonest cause of allergic contact cheilitis was lip cosmetics. They include lipsticks, lip balms and other cosmetic preparations. In Singapore, ricinoleic acid present in lipsticks accounted for about 10% of all cases of allergic contact dermatitis. Other allergens include other lipstick ingredients, sunscreen agents, toothpaste ingredients, colophony in dental floss and toothpicks, nail varnish, cosmetics and nickel in the mouthpiece of a flute. Recently sunscreens have become a common sensitizer in lip cosmetics. Other allergens include fragrance, balsam of Peru, lanolin and flavourings (strawberry and vanilla). Toothpastes are the next most common cause of allergic contact cheilitis. Dentrifices and dental prostheses have been reported to cause allergic contact dermatitis. Diagnostic clues have to be obtained from a careful history which includes a review of oral rinses, toothpastes, cleansers, mouthwashes, dentrifices, denture materials, chewing gum and lipsticks used by the patient. Patch testing with these products is essential for investigating the possible cause of allergic contact cheilitis. However, there is a group of patients with troublesome cheilitis, who are often severely affected, but in whom the cause of the cheilitis remains obscure. This group may represent patients with endogenous cheilitis or factitious cheilitis.


In this study alginate was extracted for the first time from few species of Phaeophycota (Cystoseira indica, Padina tetrastromatica and Jolyna laminarioides) whereas Spatoglossum variabile and Sargassum tenerrimum, has been reported earlier from Karachi coast. Chemical bonding of extracted alginate was examined by using FTIR spectroscopy. Furthermore in pre-extraction step seaweeds were treated with diluted sulfuric acid solution for two different time intervals, all the selected alginophytes showed increased yield of alginate at 12 hrs treatment as compare to 5 hrs treatment.


Although in 2012 the European Union (EU) has promoted energy efficiency in order to ensure a gradual 20% reduction of energy consumption by 2020, its targets related to energy efficiency have increased and extended to new time horizons. Therefore, in 2016, a new proposal for 2030 of energy efficiency target of 30% has been agreed. However, during the last years, even if the electricity consumption by households decreased in the EU-28, the largest expansion was recorded in Romania. Taking into account that the projected consumption peak is increasing and energy consumption management for residential activities is an important measure for energy efficiency improvement since its ratio from total consumption can be around 25–30%, in this paper, we propose an informatics solution that assists both electricity suppliers/grid operators and consumers. It includes three models for electricity consumption optimization, profiles, clustering and forecast. By this solution, the daily operation of appliances can be optimized and scheduled to minimize the consumption peak and reduce the stress on the grid. For optimization purpose, we propose three algorithms for shifting the operation of the programmable appliances from peak to off-peak hours. This approach enables the supplier to apply attractive time-of-use tariffs due to the fact that by flattening the consumption peak, it becomes more predictable, and thus improves the strategies on the electricity markets. According to the results of the optimization process, we compare the proposed algorithms emphasizing the benefits. For building consumption profiles, we develop a clustering algorithm based on self-organizing maps. By running the algorithm for three scenarios, well-delimited profiles are obtained. As for the consumption forecast, highly accurate feedforward artificial neural networks algorithm with backpropagation is implemented. Finally, we test these algorithms using several datasets showing their performance and integrate them into a web-service informatics solution as a prototype.


Abstract Three of Kitchin's (1903) trigoniid species, Trigonia trapeziformis, T. spissicostata, and T. cardiniiformis, have been frequently examined taxonomically, but their phylogenetic relationships remain uncertain. Taxonomic designations have ranged from grouping them within a single subgenus to separating them into different subfamilies. Principal factors affecting the previous studies include: excessive weighing of certain features from a typological perspective; phylogenetic relationships established on the basis of plesiomorphic characters which are applicable even at the family level. Although they are endemic to Kutch, India, species' ancestries were rarely sought from the regional taxa, a situation exacerbated by inadequate stratigraphic information. This study reveals that all the three species are both geographically and stratigraphically distinct, and their distribution is linked to major regression events. Since the latest Jurassic, the Kutch Basin experienced shallowing. The unstable environment triggered a substantial diversification of new forms. The present species are close morphologically to some endemic species of different genera. Detailed morphologic, morphometric, and cladistic analyses reveal affinities between 'Eselaevitrigonia' trapeziformis and Indotrigonia smeei, as well as 'E.' spissicostata and Opisthotrigonia retrorsa. It is believed that E. cardiniiformis evolved from 'E.' spissicostata. In each case, speciation took place in a very shallow, high-energy, nearshore environment and proceeded through various heterochronic processes. The pattern is consistent with a punctuated model of evolution. Gondwana fragmentation and rise of eustatic sea level during the Aptian opened up the central Indian oceanic corridor, prompting the spread of 'Eselaevitrigonia' to the Austral Province.


Let R and B be sets of red and blue points in the plane in general position. We study the problem of computing a k-level binary space partition (BSP) tree to classify/separate R and B, such that the tree defines a linear decision at each internal node and each leaf of the tree corresponds to a (convex) cell of the partition that contains only red or only blue points. Specifically, we show that a 2-level tree can be computed, if one exists, in time O(n 2). We show that a minimum-level (3 ≤ k ≤ log n) tree can be computed in time n O(log n). In the special case of axis-parallel partitions, we show that 2-level and 3-level trees can be computed in time O(n), while a minimum-level tree can be computed in time O(n 5).


Recently developed automotive components are of lightweight nature, providing automobiles with a high fuel efficiency and performance. In response to those trends of car developments, this study proposes a structural optimization method for the lower control ann. Lightweight design of lower control am can be achieved through two approaches: design and material technology. In this research, the former includes optimization technology, and the latter the technologies for selecting aluminum as a steel-substitute material. In this research, the design of experiments(DOE) built in ANSYS WORKBENCH are utilized to determine the optimum shape of a Lower Control Arm. And optimum design is compared first model and reduced design variable model that considered sensitivity using orthogonal array.


In this paper, we propose a new robust closed-loop extended orthogonal space-time block coding (EO-STBC) scheme for two-way four relay networks over frequency selective fading channels with imperfect synchronization. It is a three time slot scheme where the first one is specified for the two terminals while the other two are specified for amplify-and-forward (AF) relays. An orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) data structure is employed at the two terminals using cyclic prefix (CP) insertion to combat the effect of multipaths and time asynchronicity. Full spatial diversity with array gain and code rate of 2 over 3 is achieved through applying a simple feedback approach over only two relays. Simulation results are used to show the performance improvements resulting from the proposed system. Furthermore, our scheme uses a simple symbol-wise maximum likelihood (ML) decoder to extract the information data.


The Internet represents a new industrial revolution, arguably with a more significant socio-economic impact than the previous two industrial revolutions. The impact of the Internet has resulted in significant changes within education with eLearning now an accepted and commonplace form of education. However, the online tools that are used in eLearning tend to be first generation Web tools rather than second generation, Web 2.0, tools. Some reasons for this are the lack of empirical evidence supporting their use in education, the perceived complexity of the tools and lack of training. This paper presents the results of a large-scale European pilot into the use of Web 2.0 tools across all educational sectors through an innovative and simple-to-use platform that allows teachers to customize which Web 2.0 tools they wish to use in their courses.


1702 Multiple myeloma is a monoclonal plasma cell malignancy with a wide variability in clinical features, responses to treatment, and survival times among patients. We wanted to identify, by a genomic approach, known oncogenes and/or tumor suppresor genes whose copy number were alterated in a subset of 11 multiple myeloma samples characterized by complex karyotypes. For this purpose we printed a CGH array using 575 clones of the oncobac set (http://informa.bio.caltech.edu/Bac_onc.html) which represent to 186 known oncogenes and tumour suppresor genes. Comparative genomic hybridization of myeloma samples versus normal samples was performed on these arrays. All samples had previously been analyzed by spectral karyotyping showing the presence of chromosomal abnormalities. All cases showed DNA copy number changes involving both oncogenes and tumor suppresor genes. We are focusing in those genes that appear recurrently altered in several samples. Gains have been detected in FGR, PEA15, TGFBR2, FUS2, CSF2, FGFR1,CDK4, HRAS, APOC4, CDC25B, BMP7, IFNGR2 and PDGFB. Losses were found in TAL1, TGFBR3, GRO1, BMI1, PCSK7, PRKAG1, DUSP6, IGF1, CSK, and ATF4. Some of the copy changes were expected after our previous knowledge about the samples, i.e. detected gains in samples where a trisomy exists. Most of the alterations correspond to one copy change but amplification in some samples were also detected, as in IFNGR2. Currently we are validating the obtained CGH array data by FISH using a different set of BAC clones carrying these genes. Most of these genes have not previously reported as been involved in the onset, development or progression of myeloma multiple and we hope that these findings will help to improve our knowledge of the genetic basis of this malignancy.


d-Tagatose has gained substantial interest due to its potential functionalities as a sucrose substitute. In this study, the gene araA, encoding l-arabinose isomerase (l-AI) from Clostridium hylemonae (DSM 15053), was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). This gene consists of 1,506 nucleotides and encodes a protein of 501 amino acid residues with a calculated molecular mass of 56,554 Da. Since l-AI was expressed as an intracellular inclusion body, this enzyme was solubilized with guanidine hydrochloride, refolded, and activated with a descending concentration gradient of urea. The purified enzyme exhibited the greatest activity at 50°C, pH 7–7.5, and required 1 mM of Mg2+ as a cofactor. Notably, the catalytic efficiency (3.69 mM-1sec-1) of l-AI from C. hylemonae on galactose was significantly greater than that of other previously reported enzymes. The bioconversion yield of d-tagatose using the C. hylemonae l-arabinose isomerase at 60°C reached approximately 46% from 10 mM of d-galactose after 2 h. From these results, it is suggested that the l-arabinose isomerase from C. hylemonae could be utilized as a potential enzyme for d-tagatose production due to its high conversion yield at an industrially competitive temperature.


Age-related bone loss occurs in both men and women, and is the leading cause of elderly disability. An age-related bone loss model was established in mice to investigate the protective effects of curcumin and broccoli seed extract.

 20 young (6-month-old) male C57BL/6 J mice after administration with vehicle once daily were sacrificed at four time points: day 0, 30, 60 and 90. 8 out of the 109 aged (18-month-old) male C57BL/6 J mice were sacrificed at the beginning and used as control. The rest of these aged mice were then randomly divided into four groups: one group served as control (vehicle), the other three groups were administrated with curcumin (CMN) and/or broccoli seed extract (BSE) by oral gavage. Mice in each group were sacrificed at four time points: day 0, 30, 60 and 90. L2 vertebrae of mice were fixed with paraformaldehyde and scanned with a Scanco Medical μCT40 scanner. Quantitative analyses of bone volume (BV), tissue volume (TV), trabecular number (Tb.N), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) and trabecular spacing (Tb.Sp) were performed with the Scanco Medical's software.

 BV/TV of the young mice group were significantly higher compared to the aged mice group at all four time points. Similarly, Tb.N and Tb.Th were also higher in the young mice group compared to the aged mice group. In contrast, Tb.Sp was lower in the young mice group.
 When comparing different groups in the aged mice, we found that mice administered with CMN had a higher BV/TV value compared to the mice in the control group at all three time points. Such a difference is significant by day 30. The mice administered with combined CMN and BSE also showed significant increase in BV/TV on day 30. For Tb.N, both mice administered with either CMN or BSE had higher values at all three time points. But no obvious difference in Tb.N was found for mice administered with combined CMN and BSE. For Tb.Th, both mice administered with CMN and with combined CMN and BSE had higher values compared to the control. For Tb.Sp, both mice administered with either CMN or BSE had lower values compared to the control.

 This study showed that curcumin could slow down bone loss in the mouse model. There is no obvious positive effect with broccoli seed extract or with curcumin and broccoli seed extract combined. The curcumin used in this study may shed light on the alleviation of bone loss in humans.

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