Despite significant public health efforts, obesity remains a stagnant outcome comprised of multiple health behaviors including fruit and vegetable intake (FV) and physical activity (PA). Existing research has provided correlates of FV and PA behaviors over development, with secular trends towards acquiring negative health behaviors (e.g., sedentary behaviors). This study examined demographic and dynamic predictors of FV and PA regression at one-year post-intervention within three samples including middle school, high school, and college. Regression is defined using the Transtheoretical Model (TTM) as being in Action or Maintenance at baseline and regressing to a pre-Action stage at one-year follow-up. The novel phenomenon of coregression, the likelihood of regressing on a second behavior given a change in the first, was explored within each sample. Results of univariate and multivariate logistic regressions produced odds ratios that suggest inconsistent demographic but reliable dynamic predictors of FV and PA regression within each sample. Univariate logistic regressions revealed co-regression for FV and PA among middle school and college samples, but not the high school sample. These results indicate that existing behaviors, decisional balance variables (i.e., "Pros"), and self-efficacy are the most salient predictors of regression. The exploration of co-regression as a novel phenomenon provides a foundation for future research in the field. Implications for this study include the tailoring of individualized evidence-based interventions and new directions for public health research.


A general description of eikonal theory is given in the form of a self-consistent and exact formalism involving an effective Hamiltonian. Such a Hamiltonian may be used as an approximation in the treatment of high-energy potential scattering. The approach is similar to those of Sugar and Blankenbecler (1969) and of Osborn (1970), but with an important difference which involves making the correct distinction between the wavevector which is the free parameter of the theory and that which is associated with the eigenvalue of the Hamiltonian. The result is a more precise statement of the unitarity and reciprocity theorems and obviates the need for the 'Glauber rotation anzatz' if the free parameter is chosen so as to restore true energy conservation to an elastic s-matrix element. Furthermore the resulting wavefunctions are more suitable for use in distorted-wave theories than the more usual ones.


BACKGROUND AND AIM:Age-related declines in muscle strength have been associated with reduced functional capacity, postural instability and increased risk of falls in older adults. Studies have generally focussed on the significance of lower limb strength, however more recently the importance of trunk muscle strength has been explored, which may have been previously overlooked (Granacher et al., 2013). A limited number of studies have investigated the relationship between trunk strength and function, but this was tested under isometric contractions(Shahtahmassebi et al., 2017). Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between dynamic (concentric) trunk strength and functional mobility in older women. METHODS:A sample of 40 older women (age: 68.9±3.73 years) participated in this study. To assess functional mobility, participants completed the timed up and go (TUG), 30 second chair stand test (CST), and a timed stair climb task (ascent and descent). Both self-selected normal and fast gait speed (GS) were also recorded. Concentric trunk flexion and extension strength data were collected using an isokinetic dynamometer (Biodex, USA). Measurements were conducted in the seated-compressed position in line with the manufacturer's guidelines. Following five sub-maximal trials, peak torque was recorded during three maximal flexion and extension trials at two testing speeds (20°/s and 45°/s). Peak torque was then normalised to body mass. Pearson's correlations were performed to investigate relationships between trunk strength and functional mobility measures. The level of significance was set at p≤0.05. RESULTS:A number of associations between trunk strength and functional mobility measures were revealed. Greater trunk extension strength was correlated with superior performance in the CST (45°/s: r=0.33, p=0.037), stair ascent (20°/s: r=-0.32, p=0.043; 45°/s: r=-0.56, p=<.001) and stair descent tasks (45°/s: r=-0.47, p=0.002). Trunk extension strength was also associated with GS during normal (20°/s: r=0.37, p=0.019; 45°/s: r=0.48, p=0.004) and fast trials (45°/s: r=0.34, p=0.034). Trunk flexion strength was correlated with TUG (45°/s: r=-0.42, p=0.007), stair ascent (20°/s: r=-0.41, p=0.008; 45°/s: r=-0.47, p=0.002) and stair descent times (20°/s: r=-0.44, p=0.005; 45°/s: r=-0.42, p=0.007). Trunk flexion strength was also associated with normal (20°/s: r=0.55, p=<.001; 45°/s: r=0.56, p=<.001) and fast GS (20°/s: r=0.32, p=0.047; 45°/s: r=0.34, p=0.031). CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that there is a moderate-strong relationship between muscle strength in the trunk area and a range of functional mobility measures in older women. These results have important practical implications which could be used to inform the inclusion of trunk exercises in interventions targeting functional mobility for older adults.


ABSTRACT Ixekizumab is one of the three biologic agents including Secukinumab and Brodalumab that targets the Interleukin-17 (IL-17) pathway to reduce inflammation in psoriasis and ankylosing spondylitis. In this report we present the case of 42-year-old woman, who was diagnosed with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. One week after first administration of Ixekizumab, she developed diffuse abdominal pain, bloody diarrhea (7-8 stools/day) and fever. Following imaging (colonoscopy, computed tomography) and laboratory investigations, she was diagnosed with acute severe ulcerative colitis complicated with toxic megacolon. The medical treatment (first corticotherapy, then infliximab) has failed and the patient needed emergency colectomy. Based on the immunological mechanisms and the observation from other studies, Ixekizumab should be considered an etiology for new-onset inflammatory bowel disease.


Abstract Recognition of intimate feedback mechanisms linking changes across the atmosphere, biosphere, geosphere and hydrosphere demonstrates the pervasive nature of humankind's influence, perhaps to the point that we have fashioned a new geological epoch, the Anthropocene. To what extent will these changes be evident as long-lasting signatures in the geological record? To establish the Anthropocene as a formal chronostratigraphical unit it is necessary to consider a spectrum of indicators of anthropogenically induced environmental change, and to determine how these show as stratigraphic signals that can be used to characterize an Anthropocene unit and to recognize its base. It is important to consider these signals against a context of Holocene and earlier stratigraphic patterns. Here we review the parameters used by stratigraphers to identify chronostratigraphical units and how these could apply to the definition of the Anthropocene. The onset of the range of signatures is diachronous, although many show maximum signatures which post-date 1945, leading to the suggestion that this date may be a suitable age for the start of the Anthropocene.


The variable separation approach method is very useful to solving (2+ 1 )-dimensional integrable systems. But the (1+1)-dimensional and (3+ 1 )-dimensional nonlinear systems are considered very little. In this letter, we extend this method to (1+1) dimensions by taking the Redekopp system as a simple example and (3+1)-dimensional Burgers system. The exact solutions are much general because they include some arbitrary functions and the form of the (3+ 1 )-dimensional universal formula obtained from many (2+ 1 )-dimensional systems is extended.


Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are not only an important energy source, but they also play a regulatory role in various physiological processes in humans and rodents. Current studies, mostly in humans and rodents, have revealed that SCFAs acted as endogenous ligands for G protein-coupled receptor GPR41 and GPR43. Whether proteins similar to human GPR41 and GPR43 mediate the regulatory effects of SCFAs in swine remains unclear to date. The aims of this study were to determine whether GPR41 and GPR43 genes are expressed in porcine different tissues; and whether the expression of GPR41 and GPR43 is tissue-specific and/or time-associated. The alignment results showed that pig chromosome 6 contained GPR41 and GPR43 genes. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) indicated that GPR41 and GPR43 were expressed in porcine various tissues. The 2218 bp and 1908 bp nucleotide sequence representing the full-length cDNA sequence of porcine GPR41 and GPR43 was obtained from the ileum and spleen using rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE), which were capable of encoding 335 and 329 amino acid sequences, respectively. The structure prediction revealed that porcine GPR41 and GPR43 proteins had seven putative trans-membrane domains. The real-time PCR results indicated that GPR41 and GPR43 were expressed throughout the developmental stages in a tissue-specific and time-associated manner. GPR41 and GPR43 were most highly expressed in the ileum (P<0.01) and the spleen (P<0.01), respectively. Western blot results showed that porcine GPR41 and GPR43 proteins were expressed in a variety of porcine tissues, including the spleen, ileum, colon, and adipose tissue. In situ GPR41 and GPR43 immunoreactivities were observed through immunohistochemistry in the spleen, ileum, colon, and adipose tissue. In conclusion, the pig genome encoded GPR41 and GPR43 genes, and these two genes were detected in a variety of porcine tissues and expressed in tissue-specific and time-associated manner.


Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA

The tumor suppressor protein BRCA1 orchestrates DNA repair and cell cycle arrest following DNA damage, with transcriptional regulation integral to these processes. We have identified a novel, DNA-damage responsive, interaction between BRCA1 and the zinc-finger transcription factor EGR1. EGR1 is rapidly and transiently expressed in response to a wide variety of stress stimuli and growth factors, and like BRCA1, decreased expression of EGR1 correlates with tumor formation in mammary cell lines and tissues.

The stress response gene, NDRG1, was identified as a transcriptional target of BRCA1 by microarray analysis and subsequent RQ-PCR validation. NDRG1 is a known suppressor of breast cancer metastasis and we have observed a significant reduction of NDRG1 expression in breast cancer cell lines (relative to normal cell lines). Promoter analyses identified EGR1 binding motifs within the NDRG1 proximal promoter region, and EGR1 was confirmed as the transcription factor of interest by promoter assays. Downregulation of either BRCA1 or EGR1 (using a siRNA approach) resulted in a reduction in both basal and DNA-damage induced NDRG1 promoter activity, suggesting a co-regulatory mechanism. Indeed, recruitment of BRCA1 and EGR1 to the NDRG1 promoter was confirmed by ChIP assays.

GST-fused BRCA1 deletion constructs showed that EGR1 specifically interacts with a C-terminal region of BRCA1 (which contains both BRCT domains). However, following DNA damage, we observed EGR1 interaction along the entire length of the BRCA1 protein, suggesting that both BRCA1 and EGR1 reside within a larger transcriptional complex upon DNA damage. In agreement with this, siRNA knockdown of either BRCA1 or EGR1 in breast cell lines (i) induced endogenous DNA damage signalling, (ii) increased intracellular ROS generation and (iii) upregulated numerous stress-response genes.

To investigate transcriptional regulation downstream of this interaction we performed analyses of publically available ChIP-Seq data for both BRCA1 and EGR1, and identified a list of genomic locations (corresponding to gene promoters) at which both proteins localise. We will use these findings, in combination with our own ChIP-Seq experiments performed in the non-tumorigenic mammary cell line, 184A1, to investigate the roles of this novel complex in the maintenance of genomic stability and within normal breast biology.

Citation Format: Naomi A. Dickson, Nyree T. Crawford, Paul B. Mullan. Characterization of a novel BRCA1-EGR1 interaction. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2049. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2049


The purpose of this article is to characterize deformation problems of the domestic economy, particularly the influence of negative factors on it, resulting in its shading. This article analyses the approaches to statement that the shadow economy is one of the major global risks of the coming decade. The context of legal regulation is directly related to form an effective system of ensuring of Ukraine's national security is possible under the condition of thorough development of the areas of counteraction to individual threats in the relevant spheres, including the economy. At the same time, a special attention is paid to the view that the economic shading although is officially recognized as a threat to national security, however, the notion that should denote this phenomenon and be a basic one is not formulated in any current normative legal act. The formation of the concepts of "shadow economy" and "economic shading" in the interconnection is a logical stage of cognitive activity within both the economic and legal sciences. The practical significance of the results of scientific research is the formation of the hypothesis, the essence of which is the new knowledge about the shadowing of the economy as a legal category on the basis of systemdefined signs, causes and of dialectical connection of the phenomenon of the shadow economy and the process of dynamic transformation. A given hypothesis is intended to change the strategic directions and guidelines in the formation of economic policy to neutralize harmful processes of shading of the legal sectors of the economy. The value of the results obtained of the current research is due to the transnational nature of the phenomenon of the shadow economy and connection of such a phenomenon with other harmful processes that are produced within the economic space and lead to the institutionalization of the global economic crisis. Methodology. A methodological framework of the economic security research is defined by complex of scientific cognition methods that allow us to look at this problem as a multi-aspect, interdisciplinary phenomenon. On the basis of the system-based, structural, systemic-functional, and other scientific approaches, the idea of the economic security has formed a complex systemic category covering the theoretical and practical level of economic activity.


It is generally recognized that very narrow silicon-on-insulator (SOI) fin field-effect transistors (FinFETs) are insensitive to substrate bias due to the strong electrostatic gate control. In this letter, we demonstrate, for the first time, that, in short-channel narrow FinFETs, substrate bias can dramatically change the on-current without change in the threshold voltage, subthreshold slope, and drain-induced barrier lowering, due to the modulation of the parasitic series resistance. Therefrom, contrary to general belief, very narrow short-channel multiple-gate field-effect transistors can be sensitive to substrate-related effects (buried oxide formation, irradiation, etc). Another important implication of the described effect is related to the diagnostics of the series resistance in SOI FinFETs and better prediction of their full intrinsic performance potential.


Qualitative researchers are expected to engage in reflexivity, whereby they consider the impact of their own social locations and biases on the research process. Part of this practice involves the consideration of boundaries between the researcher and the participant, including the extent to which the researcher may be considered an insider or an outsider with respect to the area of study. This article explores the three different processes by which boundaries are made and deconstructed, and the ethical complexities of this boundary making/(un)making process. This paper examines the strengths and limitations of three specific scenarios: 1) when the researcher is fully cloaked and hiding their positionalities; 2) when there is strategic undressing to reveal some positionalities; 3) when there is no cloak, and all positionalities are shared or revealed. This paper argues that it is insufficient to be reflexive about boundaries through acknowledgement, and instead advocates reflexivity that directly examines the processes by which social locations are shared and hidden during the research process.


The Proposed Standard Specification for Standard Sizes of Quarried Stone for Erosion Control is a new specification currently being developed by ASTM Subcommittee D18.17 on Rock for Erosion Control. The proposed specification contains standard size designations and maximum permissible ranges in weight or mechanical analyses for standard sizes of (1) graded quarry stone or riprap and (2) filter bedding stone for use in erosion control structures. A total of seven standard sizes are included for graded quarry stone, and three standard sizes are included for filter bedding stone. The proposed standard sizes were developed to provide the designer, the consumer, and the producer with a common reference in connection with the sizing of quarried stone materials used to control erosion. Use of standard gradations versus nonstandard gradations should be evaluated for each major project, and standard gradations should be utilized whenever cost-effective.


The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of norepinephrine infusion alone and during alkalosis on oxygen uptake in the dog gastrocnemius-plantaris muscle group under conditions of constant muscle blood flow. The animals were not cold acclimatized. Blood flow was pump controlled, alkalosis was produced by hyperventilation, and norepinephrine was infused intravenously at a rate of 1--1.5 micrograms/kg per minute. Alkalosis had no effect either alone or in combination with changes in blood flow. Similarly, changing blood flow from a low (0.10 +/- 0.02 mL/g muscle per minute (mean +/- SE)) to a high (0.34 +/- 0.04 mL/g muscle per minute) rate did not alter resting oxygen uptake. Norepinphrine caused an average increase of about 30% in resting muscle oxygen uptake which was sustained for the 15-min sampling period during a low flow-norepinephrine infusion and during the low and high blood flow-norepinephrine-alkalosis sampling periods. Norepinephrine infusion during the period of high muscle blood flow without alkalosis resulted in a transient increase followed by a decrease in muscle oxygen uptake. The data demonstrated that infusion of norepinephrine increased skeletal muscle oxygen uptake in "non-cold-acclimatized" dogs at low constant muscle blood flow. Further, without alkalosis, the norepinephrine effect at high flow was transient.


Purpose: The topoisomerase I inhibitor irinotecan (CPT-11) is widely used for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer. However, mechanism to determine pharmacological response to CPT-11 is still unclear. We reported the application of a novel metabolomic analysis using capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry (CE-TOFMS) on the study of metabolic responses to anticancer agents (AACR #2563 and #4785, 2008 and #3764, 2009). The purpose of this study is to compare the metabolomic responses to SN-38, the active metabolite of CPT-11, between high-sensitive and low-sensitive colorectal cancer cells, for finding new biomarkers that can predict CPT-11 response. Experimental Procedures: To elucidate metabolomic responses to SN-38, human colorectal carcinoma, HCT116 and HT29 cells were exposed to 50 nM SN-38. At time 0, 3, 8, and 24 h after SN-38 exposure, all intracellular metabolites were extracted by liquid-liquid extraction and simultaneously analyzed by CE-TOFMS. To find out low molecular weight compounds related to the sensitivity to SN-38, the metabolomic profiles were compared across the 8 colorectal cancer cell lines and sensitivity to SN-38 was investigated. Results: The HCT116 cells were more sensitive to SN-38 than HT29. The intracellular metabolites of key pathways for cellular activity were quantitatively analyzed by CE-TOFMS, which included glycolysis, tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycles, urea cycles, amino acid metabolism and pyrimidine metabolism. The intracellular levels of endogenous deoxyribonucleotides (dTTP and dCTP) increased after SN-38 exposure in both cells. In contrast, ribonucleotides such as CTP and UTP of RNA synthesis pathway were not affected by SN-38 exposure in either cell. These results imply the change in deoxyribonucleotide pool due to the disruption of DNA synthesis by topoisomerase I inhibition, the main anti-cancer mechanism of SN-38. It was also found that lactate and glycerol-3-phosphate were accumulated to a greater extent in HCT116 than in HT29. Furthermore, correlation analysis using 8 colorectal cancer cell lines revealed that the intracellular level of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) strongly correlated with cellular sensitivity to SN-38. Conclusions: The present CE-TOFMS metabolome analysis created a new finding on metabolomic mechanisms for response to SN-38 by colorectal cancer cells with different chemosensitivities. GABA was found to be a potential low molecular weight biomarker that may be used for predicting CPT-11 response. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2605.


In this work, we used a commercial charge-coupled device (CCD) camera to detect and monitor terrestrial cosmic rays at ground level. Multi-site characterization has been performed at sea level (Marseille), underground (Modane Underground Laboratory) and at mountain altitude (Aiguille du Midi-Chamonix Mont-Blanc at +3,780 m of altitude) to separate the atmospheric and alpha particle emitter's contributions in the CCD response. An additional experiment at avionics altitude during a long-haul flight has been also conducted. Experiment results demonstrate the importance of the alpha contamination in the CCD response at ground level and its sensitivity to charged particles. Experimental data as a function of CCD orientation also suggests an anisotropy of the particle flux for which the device is sensitive. A complete computational modeling of the CCD imager has been conducted, based on a simplified 3D CCD architecture deduced from a reverse engineering study using electron microscopy and physico-chemical analysis. Monte Carlo simulations evidence the major contribution of low energy (below a few MeV) protons and muons in the CCD response. Comparison between experiments and simulation shows a good agreement at ground level, fully validated at avionics altitudes with a much higher particle flux and a different particle cocktail composition.


Background and Objectives:Nasal irrigation has been used usually in the treatment of patients with acute and chronic sinusitis and has also been utilized in the postoperative care of functional endoscopic sinus surgery patients. Nasal irrigation aids in the clearance of secretion, infective debris and intranasal crust which may lead to adhesion. Solutions used for nasal irrigation should not allow any impairment on the mucociliary system which contributes to the defense mechanism of the respiratory tract. For many decades, rhinologists have used normal saline as an ideal solution for mucociliary system. Recently, there are some reports that nasal irrigation with hypertonic (3%) saline is more effective on sinusitis and postoperative care of sinus surgery than irrigation with normal saline. But those were based on data using saccharine, which is a soluble tracer. And there is no report using insoluble tracer which reflects transport ability of gel layer of the mucous blanket. Therefore we performed this test in order to evaluate the effect of hypertonic saline on nasal mucociliary clearance in normal adults. Materials and Method:We studied 20 normal adults who did not have nasal diseases, aged from 17 to 24 years old, using human albumin tagged with radioisotope (Tc 99m). Nasal flow test was done with Glatzel mirror and open side was chosen. Control measurement was done before spray of normal saline and hypertonic (3%) saline. Also, the effects of normal saline and hypertonic saline on mucociliary clearance were measured after spray. Results:After spray of normal saline, mucociliary clearance increased to 4.96±2.33 mm/min, whereas in the control group was 4.60±1.85 mm/min. However, there were no statistical differences between the normal saline group and the control group (p=0.5288). But mucociliary clearance of hypertonic saline group increased to 5.96±2.50 mm/min, whereas in the control group was 4.92 ±2.34 mm/min and there were significant differences between hypertonic saline group and the control group (p=0.0142). Conclusion:The results of this study suggest that hypertonic (3%) saline irrigation has the J Clinical Otolaryngol 1999;10:61-65 62 effect of improving nasal mucociliary clearance. Also the results suggest that hypertonic saline affects the gel layer. Further rheologic studies should be made in order to know the mechanism of effect of hypertonic saline on mucociliary clearance. (J Clinical Otolaryngol 1999;10:61-65)


The long-tailed wood-partridge ( Dendrortyx macroura ; hereafter, wood-partridge) is a forest quail endemic to the temperate forests of the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt of central Mexico and is considered threatened according to the Secretariat of the Environment of Mexico. We studied 34 sites within the Natural Resources Protection Area River Basins of the Valle de Bravo, Malacatepec, Tilostoc and Temascaltepec in central Mexico to evaluate wood-partridge habitat during September– December 2019. We evaluated attributes of tree, shrub, and herbaceous vegetation, canopy cover, humidity, slope, and altitude. We also identified vegetation used for nesting, food, and shelter. The scant information published for other geographical areas indicates habitat consists of pine ( Pinus spp.), pine-oak ( Quercus spp.), and cloud forest. We found that the preferred habitat in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt was forest dominated by Alnus firmifolia, Pinus patula, Pinus pseudostrobus, Pinus teocote, and Quercus castanea . Wood-partridge preferred sites with an average of 90% canopy coverage, 100% shrub cover, high percent humidity, slopes >30%, and altitudes that ranged 2,700–3,000 meters above sea level. Additionally, we located an inactive nest in an area with 100% shrub cover and 80% tree cover in forest dominated by Pinus patula , relative humidity of 55%, and a temperature of 19° C. This is the first investigation of this bird within this important biogeographic transition zone between the Nearctic region and the Neotropics. We report the basic characteristics of the habitat used by this species along with the first description of a nest in an area with high rates of deforestation, overgrazing, and forest fires. The "gallinita de monte" represents an important element of the biocultural heritage for the Mazahua and Otomí peoples, who are Indigenous inhabitants of this area. We recommend additional research on wood-partridge to determine the extent of poaching and collection of eggs for food; determine effects of forest management; determine its basic ecology including survival, reproduction, and population density; verify habitat relationship; and corroborate information that describes the traditional knowledge of the species by the native Mazahua and Otomí peoples. We suggest it is most important to learn more about and disseminate traditional knowledge of the species and to preserve its biocultural value and heritage, particularly for Indigenous communities


The C. elegans hook sensillum is a male copulatory structure developed from the hook sensillum competence group (HCG), P(9-11).p. Male P(9-11).p each adopt one of three potential fates (1o, 2o, or 3o), forming an invariant spatial pattern of 3o-2o-1o. I examined HCG fate specification in various genetic backgrounds and found that both lin-17 Frizzled-like Wnt receptor and bar-1 [beta]-catenin are predominantly expressed in 1o P11.p. Activation of the bar-1 canonical Wnt pathway by a pry-1(Axin) mutation changes the competence of the anterior P(3-8).p cells and induces ectopic 1o HCG fate. I also found that the Hox gene mab-5 acts downstream of the Wnt pathway to determine HCG competence. Ectopic mab-5 expression, in conjunction with activated LIN-12 or EGF signaling, causes ectopic HCG fates in anterior P(1-8).p. Furthermore, epistatic interactions between lin-17 and lin-12 showed that generation of 2o HCG fate in P10.p by LIN-12/Notch activity depends on LIN-17-mediated Wnt signaling. Together these observations suggest that Wnt signaling is the major player that governs HCG patterning and functions in HCG competence, specification, and execution.

Precise execution of the 2o HCG lineage leads to generation of all five major components of a functional hook sensillum that mediates vulva location behavior during male mating. Both sensory neurons of the hook sensillum, HOA and HOB, are necessary for efficient vulva location. From a genetic screen for altered expression of an HOB marker ceh-26::gfp or abnormal hook morphology, I isolated five mutants. Further analysis of one of these mutants identified an allele of egl-46, a zinc-finger transcription factor. EGL-46, and to some extent, another transcription factor EGL-44, regulate a group of HOB-specific genes. These targets include the homeodomain protein CEH-26, a neuropeptide-like protein NLP-8, a degenerin homologue T28F4.2, and two C. elegans polycystin homologs LOV-1 and PKD-2. Both egl-46 and egl-44 mutants exhibit defective vulva location behavior, suggesting impaired HOB function. The regulator of a general ciliogenic pathway, DAF-19, indirectly affects expression of HOB-specific genes. Expression of DAF-19, EGL-46, and EGL-44 is independent from one another, indicating that general and cell-specific regulatory factors act in parallel to produce cell specificities crucial for HOB sensory function.


Introduction: Within the inflammatory immune response to viral infection, the distribution and cell type-specific profiles of immune cell populations and the immune-mediated viral clearance pathways vary according to the specific virus. Uncovering the immunological similarities and differences between viral infections is critical to understanding disease progression and developing effective vaccines and therapies. Insight into COVID-19 disease progression has been bolstered by the integration of single-cell (sc)RNA-seq data from COVID-19 patients with data from related viruses to compare immune responses. Expanding this concept, we propose that a high-resolution, systematic comparison between immune cells from SARS-CoV-2 infection and an inflammatory infectious disease with a different pathophysiology will provide a more comprehensive picture of the viral clearance pathways that underscore immunological and clinical differences between infections. Methods: Using a novel consensus single-cell annotation method, we integrate previously published scRNA-seq data from 111,566 single PBMCs from 7 COVID-19, 10 HIV-1+, and 3 healthy patients into a unified cellular atlas. We compare in detail the phenotypic features and regulatory pathways in the major immune cell clusters. Results: While immune cells in both COVID-19 and HIV-1+ cohorts show shared inflammation and disrupted mitochondrial function, COVID-19 patients exhibit stronger humoral immunity, broader IFN-I signaling, elevated Rho GTPase and mTOR pathway activity, and downregulated mitophagy. Discussion: Our results indicate that differential IFN-I signaling regulates the distinct immune responses in the two diseases, revealing insight into fundamental disease biology and potential therapeutic candidates.


We hypothesized that IFN-alpha would enhance the apoptotic activity of bortezomib on melanoma cells. Combined treatment with bortezomib and IFN-alpha induced synergistic apoptosis in melanoma and other solid tumor cell lines. Apoptosis was associated with processing of procaspase-3, procaspase-7, procaspase-8, and procaspase-9 and with cleavage of Bid and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase. Bortezomib plus IFN-alpha was effective at inducing apoptosis in melanoma cells that overexpressed Bcl-2 or Mcl-1, suggesting that this treatment combination can overcome mitochondrial pathways of cell survival and resistance to apoptosis. The proapoptotic effects of this treatment combination were abrogated by a caspase-8 inhibitor, led to increased association of Fas and FADD before the onset of cell death, and were significantly reduced in cells transfected with a dominant-negative FADD construct or small interfering RNA targeting Fas. These data suggest that bortezomib and IFN-alpha act through the extrinsic pathway of apoptosis via FADD-induced caspase-8 activation to initiate cell death. Finally, bortezomib and IFN-alpha displayed statistically significant antitumor activity compared with either agent alone in both the B16 murine model of melanoma and in athymic mice bearing human A375 xenografts. These data support the future clinical development of bortezomib and IFN-alpha for malignant melanoma.


Aim: To assess oral rivaroxaban's efficacy and safety in the treatment of upper extremity deep vein thrombosis (UEDVT).
 Methods: This was a prospective observational study involving patients with their first UEDVT episodes confirmed by duplex ultrasound (DUS) without symptoms of pulmonary embolism (PE). All patients initially received low-molecular-weight heparin for 1 to 2 days and were then switched to oral rivaroxaban (15 mg bid) for three weeks and then to 20 mg qid for up to three months. Patients who had already undergone interventional UEDVT treatment were excluded. Patients were followed up with clinical examination and DUS for six months. The endpoints of the study were symptomatic PE, recurrent UEDVT, major, clinically relevant non-major and minor bleeding, recanalization of the affected veins, recognized as a blood flow with DUS, post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) incidence of the affected limb assessed by modified Villata score by Czihal.
 Results: A total of 30 patients (13 men and 17 women) aged 28-78 years (mean age 52.4 ± 17.3) were included in the study. Some (16.7%) of them had undergone physical exertion which triggered the UEDVT. In 13.3%, there was a pacemaker previously implanted through the affected limb. Also, patients had from 0 to 5 individual risk factors for venous thromboembolism (mean 1.9±1.6). The subclavian vein, predominantly on the right side (60%), was involved in the thrombotic process in all cases. The mean duration of symptoms before diagnosis was 1.8±1.7 days.
 All 30 patients were followed for six months. There were no episodes of symptomatic PE and/or recurrent UEDVT during the period of anticoagulation (0-3 months) and after stop of treatment (3-6 months). No episodes of major bleeding were observed. Clinically relevant non-major bleeding occurred in 2 patients (6.7%: 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.9-21.4%) caused by uterine bleeding and large skin hemorrhage. Minor bleeding was observed in two patients (6.7%: 95% CI: 1.9-21.4%) caused by nasal and gingival bleeding. Thus, cumulative bleeding incidence was 13.4% (95% CI: 5.4-29.8%). Recanalization of upper extremity deep veins was observed in all affected limbs at three months and persist up to six months. The signs of upper limbs PTS (≥5 modified Villalta score) were found in four patients (13.4 %; 95% CI: 5.4-29.8%), and the mean score was 2.1±1.9.
 Conclusion: Treatment of UEDVT with oral rivaroxaban seems to be effective, safe, and associated with the low incidence of upper limb PTS.

 Lobastov: Bayer: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Servier: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Barinov:Bayer: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Servier: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau. Schastlivtsev:Bayer: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau; Servier: Honoraria, Speakers Bureau.


Wireless machine-to-machine (M2M) networks are becoming a relevant topic in the field of home automation and advanced security systems. A wireless network for indoor intrusion detection is based on several sensors that are deployed over the monitored area for detecting possible risky situations and triggering appropriate actions in response. The network needs to support traffic patterns with different characteristics and quality constraints. Namely, it should provide a periodic low-power monitoring service and, in case of intrusion detection, a real-time alarm propagation mechanism over inherently unreliable wireless links subject to fluctuations of the signal power. Following the guidelines introduced by recent standardization, this paper proposes the design of a wireless network prototype able to satisfy the specifics of the intrusion detection application. A proprietary medium access control is developed based on the low-power SimpliciTI radio stack. Network performance is assessed by experimental measurements using a test-bed operating at 868MHz in an indoor office environment with severe multipath and non line-of-sight propagation conditions.


In an effort to reconstruct the cellular polarity normally found in the liver, adult rat hepatocytes were sandwiched between two layers of hydrated rat tail tendon collagen matrix. Functionally, sandwiched hepatocytes maintained the secretion of albumin, transferrin, fibrinogen, bile acids, and urea for at least 6 weeks, whereas cells cultured on a single layer of collagen gel ceased such secretion in 1–2 weeks. After 1 week of culture on a single layer of collagen gel, hepatocytes could still recover these lost functions when a second layer of collagen gel was applied. The exact nature of the substrate for constructing the sandwich system appeared to be unimportant as long as it allowed cellular attachment. Hepatocytes cultured in the sandwich system appeared to maintain a distribution of actin filaments similar to the in vivo state, whereas cells cultured on a single layer of collagen gel showed abnormal formation of stress fibers. These studies suggest that simple manipulations of the configuration of extracellular elements can dramatically alter the behavior of cultured hepatocytes.


This paper presents a desktop video conference system designed and implemented by the TINA-C software concepts, principles and guidelines. For video conference service, the connection on the ATM network has two types: DPE connections for operation interface between stakeholders and stream interface connections between end users. Two different types of information are transported through these connections. In this paper, we describe the stream binding that transports voice and video data stream through a high bandwidth network. We introduce the computational scenario of a stream binding through an user terminal and a transport network and the connection graph concepts to describe the connectivity between end-points.


Current-voltage measurements have been carried out from 208K (-65 degrees C) to 398K (+125 degrees C) on a Kemet tantalum solid electrolytic capacitor, 4.7 mu F and rated 10 V, with semiconducting MnO2 as the counter-electrode. The conduction mechanism in the forward direction, with Ta negative at -65 degrees C can be described as trap-filling at voltages up to approximately 20 V followed by a space-charge-limited process at high voltages. This low-temperature feature is masked by increasing background current at high temperatures. The reverse I-V-T curves can be attributed to the three-dimensional Poole-Frenkel effect applied to a metal-insulator-metal structure as treated by Simmons (1967). Deduced values of energy level, reduced effective mobilities and concentrations of deep traps are in general agreement with those of Aris and Lewis (1973) on anodically grown Ta2O5 films prepared in their laboratory. The low mobility, <or approximately=10-5 cm2 V-1 s-1, is attributed to the small-polaron transport by a hopping mechanism. At low temperatures, e.g. -45 degrees C and -65 degrees C, an excessive reverse current is observed and may originate from shallow levels.


A fully monolithic voltage controlled oscillator with quadrature outputs has been implemented in a Si bipolar process with a cut-off frequency of 40 GHz. The circuit techniques to achieve highly accurate quadrature outputs as well as the low phase noise with low power dissipation are used. The phase and gain errors are less than 1 degree and 0.1 dB, respectively. The measured phase noise at a 600 kHz offset frequency from a 1.9 GHz center frequency is -123 dBc/Hz. The quadrature cores drain 16 mA from 2.7 V supply.


This paper argues that two different types of a firm's own extreme performance experiences---success and recovery---and their interactions can generate survival-enhancing learning. Although these types of experience often represent valuable sources of useful learning, several important learning challenges arise when a firm has extremely limited prior experience of the same type. Thus, we theorize that a certain threshold of a given type of experience is required before each type of experience becomes valuable, with low levels of experience harming the organization. Furthermore, we propose that success and recovery experience will interact to enhance each other's value. These conditions can help overcome learning challenges such as superstitious learning or learning from small samples. We investigate our ideas using a sample of the U.S. commercial banks founded between 1984 and 1998. Our results indicate that both success and recovery experience of a firm generate survival-enhancing learning, but only after a certain level of experience is reached. Furthermore, success and recovery experience enhance each other's learning value, consistent with the theories that emphasize the importance of richer and contrasting experience in providing useful knowledge. Our framework advances organizational learning theory by presenting a contingent model of the impact of success and recovery experience and their interaction.


Mental health is not the object of study of only one discipline, but of different fields of knowledge including anthropology. If it is considered that (1) mental illness is related to learning and (2) learning happens in a relational context between the subject and his/her environment, it is possible to assume that a change in the context could mean changes in the subject's health. Therefore, an approximation to the concept of "cure" may include the idea of building and reforming a habit of thought. By modifying a habit of thought, the individual can change their situation and improve their relationships with the environment, which tends to re-equilibration and health. In this work, this hypothesis is developed and  empirical evidence was shown with five Wernicke Korsakoff's Syndrome inpatients learning to solve the Tower of Hanoi that supports the assumptions. Conversely to what is expected to amnesic people, empirical results showed that the participants not only learned the task (proto-learning) but also improved their execution with practise and training (deutero-learning) and reached some level of flexibility. It is suggested that this behavioural change depends, at least in part, on the context created in the examiner-participant relationship. People are not ill per se but they are ill only in relation to an environment which surrounds and conditions them.

 Key words: Learning, environment, health, cure.


We review key considerations, practices, and areas for future work aimed at the responsible development and fielding of AI technologies. We describe critical challenges and make recommendations on topics that should be given priority consideration, practices that should be implemented, and policies that should be defined or updated to reflect developments with capabilities and uses of AI technologies. The Key Considerations were developed with a lens for adoption by U.S. government departments and agencies critical to national security. However, they are relevant more generally for the design, construction, and use of AI systems.


This article presents results of investigations of the cryogenic thermometers which can operate under high radiation environment. To clarify the temperature shifts due to gamma irradiation up to 1 MGy, the platinum (two types), carbon-glass, and TVO temperature sensors have been tested. Before the irradiation run, the selected sensors were calibrated and a series of experiments was carried out under irradiation of the sensors at 77.3 and 293 K when their readings were taken in situ. Afterwards, the postirradiation evolution (short and long time) of the sensors was measured at 4.2, 77.3, and 293 K. The results, depending on the type of the sensor, can be optimistic or pessimistic. Some comparisons with analogous data for fast neutron treatment have also been made.


Mexico is one of the countries most affected by COVID-19. Studies have found that smoking behaviors have been impacted by the pandemic as well; however, results have varied across studies, and it remains unclear what is causing the changes. This study of an open cohort of smokers recruited from a consumer panel (n = 2753) examined changes in cigarettes per day (CPD), daily vs. non-daily smoking, recent quit attempts, perceived stress, depression, and perceived severity of COVID-19 at two points during the pandemic: March and July 2020. Differences in CPD between waves were estimated with Poisson regression using generalized estimating equations (GEE). Differences in perceived stress were estimated with linear regression using GEE, and differences in recent quit attempts, depression, and perceived severity of COVID-19 were estimated using separate logistic regression GEE models. Rates of depression were higher in July compared to March (AOR = 1.55, 95% C.I. 1.31–1.85), and the likelihood of recent quit attempt was lower in July compared to March (AOR = 0.85, 95% C.I. 0.75–0.98). There was no statistically significant change in CPD, daily smoking, or perceived stress. Perceived COVID-19 severity for oneself increased significantly (AOR: 1.24, 95% C.I. 1.02–1.52); however, the perceived COVID-19 severity for smokers remained constant. Our study suggests that as the COVID-19 pandemic expanded in Mexico, smoking frequency remained stable, and quit attempts decreased, even as adult smokers increasingly perceived infection with COVID-19 for themselves as severe. These results can aid in the development of health communication strategies to educate smokers about their risk for COVID-19, potentially capitalizing on concerns that stem from this syndemic of communicable and smoking-related non-communicable disease.


On all pastures there was a linear decline (P < 0.01) in gain per animal with increasing stocking rates, but the rate of decline for the legume pastures was greater (50 kg per unit increase in SR) than that on the nitrogen fertilized pastures (16 kg per unit increase in SR). Maximum gains/ha for the three pastures were 256, 256 and 491 kg/yr at stocking rates of 2.1, 2.4 and 5.6 animals/ha respectively. Although the nitrogen fertilized pastures carried more than twice as many stock as the legume pastures at optimum stocking rate, the gains per animal were lower. Legume yield and percentage contribution to the pasture declined with increasing stocking rate. At lower stocking rates animal performance was better on the desmodium pastures than on the Siratro pastures.


A nonlinear PDE-based image restoration approach is described in this article. The proposed filtering technique is based on a novel fourth-order diffusion model. Unlike many other fourth-order PDE denoising schemes, this nonlinear model provides an optimal trade-off between noise removal, image detail preservation and avoiding of undesired effects. A rigorous mathematical investigation of the well-posdedness of this differential model is also performed. Then, a consistent and fast converging numerical approximation scheme, based on the finite-difference method, is constructed for the fourth-order PDE. The denoising method proposed here outperforms not only the conventional image filters and those based on linear PDEs, but also many state of the art nonlinear second and fourth order diffusion-based techniques, as resulting from the method comparison.


SUMMARY The distortion properties of the apparent S-wave radiation pattern in the high-frequency seismic wavefield of over f > 2 Hz is investigated using a large number of waveform records of the main shock and 29 aftershocks of the Tottori-Ken Seibu, Japan, magnitude (Mw )6 .6 earthquake in 2000. The dense seismic records from the KiK-net strong motion network show a clear four-lobe pattern in the apparent S-wave radiation pattern in the low-frequency wavefield of f < 2 Hz, and shows an almost isotropic distribution in all directions as the frequency increases above 5 Hz. The distortion of the apparent S-wave radiation pattern in the high-frequency wavefield increases as travel distance increases. Therefore, the path effect caused by the scattering of seismic waves due to small-scale heterogeneities in the crust is a major cause of distortion of the radiation pattern. This hypothesis is examined by a 2-D finite-difference method simulation of seismic waves in heterogeneous structure models. The results of simulations clearly demonstrate the collapse of the S-wave front due to seismic wave scattering in the heterogeneous structure. By comparing the observed wavefield and the results of simulations using different sorts of stochastic heterogeneous models, the most preferable model that can explain the observation is described by a von Karman autocorrelation function with correlation distance of a = 3–5 km, order of κ = 0.5 and rms value of e = 0.07. However, our simple stochastic random heterogeneity model proposed, herein, somewhat overestimates the scattering of low-frequency signals below 2 Hz.


This written thesis gives an account of the creative production of Two Fingers: Michael's Struggle, a twenty-nine minute documentary video that explores the life of Michael Alan Rasch who suffers from Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy. It explains in detail the process of pre-production, production, and post-production of the documentary. It also discuses the integration of theories applied in the documentary. Two Fingers shows that although Michael has lived with the disease almost his entire life, his perspective and attitude are more about living and enjoying life. Through it, the filmmaker intends the viewer to gain a tremendously important lesson about the human spirit.


Binding of allosamidin to the three family 18 chitinases of Serratia marcescens has been studied using isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). Interestingly, the thermodynamic signatures of allosamidin binding were different for all three chitinases. At pH 6.0, chitinase A (ChiA) binds allosamidin with a K(d) value of 0.17 +/- 0.06 microM where the main part of the driving force is due to enthalpic change (DeltaH(r) degrees = -6.2 +/- 0.2 kcal/mol) and less to entropic change (-TDeltaS(r) degrees = -3.2 kcal/mol). A large part of DeltaH is due to allosamidin stacking with Trp(167) in the -3 subsite. Binding of allosamidin to both chitinase B (ChiB) (K(d) = 0.16 +/- 0.04 microM) and chitinase C (ChiC) (K(d) = 2.0 +/- 0.2 microM) is driven by entropy (DeltaH(r) degrees = 3.8 +/- 0.2 kcal/mol and -TDeltaS(r) degrees = -13.2 kcal/mol for ChiB and DeltaH(r) degrees = -0.6 +/- 0.1 and -TDeltaS(r) degrees = -7.3 kcal/mol for ChiC). For ChiC, the entropic term is dominated by changes in solvation entropy (DeltaS(conf) = 1 cal/K.mol and DeltaS(solv) = 31 cal/K.mol), while, for ChiB, changes in conformational entropy dominate (DeltaS(conf) = 37 cal/K x mol and DeltaS(solv) = 15 cal/K x mol). Corresponding values for ChiA are DeltaS(conf) = 4 cal/K x mol and DeltaS(solv) = 15 cal/K x mol. These remarkable differences in binding parameters reflect the different architectures of the catalytic centers in these enzymes that are adapted to different types of actions: ChiA and ChiB are processive enzymes that move in opposite directions, meaning that allosamidin binds in to "product" subsites in ChiB, while it binds to polymer-binding subsites in ChiA. The values for ChiC are compatible with this enzyme being a nonprocessive endochitinase with a much more open and solvated substrate-binding-site cleft.


There have been countless tests made to confirm that creativity is a critical skill for entrepreneurs and their entrepreneurial training (Schmidt, J. et al. 2012), even more, practices on divergent thinking increases the entrepreneurial skills of students to generate a greater number and range of ideas, but not, their approaches to solve problems in a creative way. Our goal is to show that entrepreneurship is a facet of creativity and that the "hidden" entrepreneur in the learner, will need to observe and confirm the existence of sufficient external constraints -context and social network- to release its entrepreneurial attitude, furthermore it will be essential, that teachers adopt an innovative approach that enables a suitable context, in this way almost intuitively, and vocational - show student behaviors associated with entrepreneurial attitudes. In our study, we found out that the implementation of an innovative teaching contributes to facilitate the transmission of the entrepreneurial spirit and improves the use of gen-preneur in class.


ABSTRACT Given the fact that many people use Wikipedia, we should ask: Can we trust it? The empirical evidence suggests that Wikipedia articles are sometimes quite good but that they vary a great deal. As such, it is wrong to ask for a monolithic verdict on Wikipedia. Interacting with Wikipedia involves assessing where it is likely to be reliable and where not. I identify five strategies that we use to assess claims from other sources and argue that, to a greater of lesser degree, Wikipedia frustrates all of them. Interacting responsibly with something like Wikipedia requires new epistemic methods and strategies.


In the majority of presented cases persisted certain diagnostic perplexities even after the careful investigations were performed, which required surgical exploration. For example, carcinomatous pericarditis as the sequel of metastasis from occult thyroid carcinoma and two cases of double malignity (papillary carcinoma and Hodgkin's lymphoma of the thyroid), retroperitoneal leiomyosarcoma and the clear cells renal carcinoma. All the cases were not successfully solved until the application of highly sophisticated and precise methods of immunohistochemical staining, which without a mistake confirmed our assumed histopathologic diagnosis. Metastatic lesion of folicular thyroid carcinoma in the adrenal gland should be mentioned because of the long remission period of 15 years following total thyroidectomy and neck irradiation during the primary therapy of thyroid carcinoma. It is very significant to point out that pathologic disorders such as undifferentiated neoplasm, strange inflammatory conditions, endocrine proliferative lesions deserve special attention because in certain cases consultative approach is necessary for obtaining the definite finding that can in some degree histoprognostically predict the outcome of pathologic process.


Objective To investigate the predictive value of discordance between (1) tender and swollen joint count and (2) patient's and evaluator's global assessment on remission in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Methods From the prospective, multicentre Norwegian-Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug study, we included patients with RA and PsA starting first-time tumour necrosis factor inhibitors and DMARD-naïve patients starting methotrexate between 2000 and 2012. The predictive value of ΔTSJ (tender minus swollen joint counts) and ΔPEG (patient's minus evaluator's global assessment) on remission was explored in prespecified logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, disease duration and smoking. Results A total of 2735 patients with RA and 1236 patients with PsA were included (mean (SD) age 55.0 (13.5)/48.3 (12.4) years, median(range) disease duration 0.7 (0.0–58.0)/1.3 (0.0–48.3) years, 69.7/48.4% females). Baseline ΔTSJ/ΔPEG reduced the likelihood of achieving DAS28<2.6, SDAI≤3.3, CDAI≤2.8, ACR/EULAR Boolean and DAPSA<4 remission after 3 and 6 months in RA (OR 0.95–0.97, p<0.001/OR 0.96–0.99, p≤0.01) and PsA (OR 0.91–0.94, p≤0.004/OR 0.89–0.99, p≤0.002), except for ΔPEG and 6-month DAS28 remission in PsA. Conclusions Discordance between patient's and physician's evaluation of disease activity reflected through ΔTSJ and partly ΔPEG may reduce likelihood of remission in RA and PsA. The findings are relevant for use of the treat-to-target strategy in individual patients.


Driven by higher energy efficiency targets and industrial needs of process intensification and miniaturization, nanofluids have been proposed in energy conversion, power generation, chemical, electronic cooling, biological, and environmental systems. In space conditioning and in cooling systems for high power density electronics, vapor compression cycles provide cooling. The working fluid is a refrigerant and oil mixture. A small amount of lubricating oil is needed to lubricate and to seal the sliding parts of the compressors. In heat exchangers the oil in excess penalizes the heat transfer and increases the flow losses: both effects are highly undesired but yet unavoidable.This paper studies the heat transfer characteristics of nanorefrigerants, a new class of nanofluids defined as refrigerant and lubricant mixtures in which nano-size particles are dispersed in the high-viscosity liquid phase. The heat transfer coefficient is strongly governed by the viscous film excess layer that resides at the wall surface. In the state-of-the-art knowledge, while nanoparticles in the refrigerant and lubricant mixtures were recently experimentally studied and yielded convective in-tube flow boiling heat transfer enhancements by as much as 101%, the interactions of nanoparticles with the mixture still pose several open questions. The model developed in this work suggested that the nanoparticles in this excess layer generate a micro-convective mass flux transverse to the flow direction that augments the thermal energy transport within the oil film in addition to the macroscopic heat conduction and fluid convection effects. The nanoparticles motion in the shearing-induced and non-uniform shear rate field is added to the motion of the nanoparticles due to their own Brownian diffusion. The augmentation of the liquid phase thermal conductivity was predicted by the developed model but alone it did not fully explain the intensification on the two-phase flow boiling heat transfer coefficient reported in previous work in the literature. Thus, additional nano- and micro-scale heat transfer intensification mechanisms were proposed.Copyright © 2012 by ASME


A clinical trial was designed to develop a reversible supression of spermatogenesis with combined injections of long-acting medroxyprogesterone acetate and testosterone cypionate on 30 normal fertile male volunteers for a 15-month period. The objective was to determine the period of time to induce infertility, the minimum maintenance doses, the period of time to recover fertility, and various adverse side effects such as clinical, biological, sexual and hormonal side effects. Group 1 consisted of 10 cases who received 200 mg of long-acting medroxy-progesterone acetate (Depo-Provera, D-P) and 200 mg of long-acting testosterone cypionate (Depo-Testosterone, D-T). The 10 cases in Group 2 received 400 mg of D-P plus 200 mg of D-T. The 10 cases of Group 3 received 200 mg of D_P and 400 mg of D-T. The mean age of the subjects was 38. The clinical trial was divided into 3 phases, and the subjects were instructed to use conventional contraception. The combined steroids compounds used in this trial suppress sperm production to azoospermia or severe oligospermia but could not achieve full suppression in all subjects. This was the case even when high doses of D-P plus D-T were used. For the development of an ideal method of reversible male contraception using sex hormones, a new combination with the lowest dosage of Depo-Provera and Depo-Testosterone should be developed by which full suppression of spermatogenesis could be attained in a limited period of time.


In this study, an original analytic model related to flute education has been made on the Etude in A Major, Opus 33-I by Ernesto Kohler.


The aim of this study was to assess polyethylene wear in a total hip prosthesis by digitized radiography of the whole pelvis in the anteroposterior (AP) plane. The three-dimensional (3-D) pose of the nonmetal-backed acetubular cup, materialized by its metal ring and the femoral head made of metal or ceramic, was estimated using iterative algebraic algorithms with inner bias correction and bootstrapping for variance reduction. Points of interest were obtained by maximizing the correlation between sampled density profiles and 3-D geometric models degraded by the modulation transfer function (MTF) of the radiographic system and the film scanner. The error in the maximal correlation estimate were inferred from noise power spectra (NPS) and allowed the calculation of the point covariance matrix. Both NPS and MTF were modeled for each stage and estimated using least-square fitting of the overall NPS model to the autospectral density function calculated in stationary regions. Comparison of the radiographic time series was made possible by the high accuracy level and 3-D matching from the cup orientation. The feasibility of the full 3-D measurement, the assumption of negligible lateral wear and its influence on AP wear are discussed on simulated and real radiographic data.


Two considerations suggested the study reported here. First, the possibility exists that different etiologic agents causing infantile diarrhea may produce characteristic types of stool losses of water and electrolytes. Medical literature contains relatively little information on this point or on the stool composition of infants with diarrheal disease. Holt and co-workers in 1915 contributed a careful study on a small number of infants' diarrheal stools. Since then, several investigators have reported small series of analyses, usually as part of metabolic balance data. 2-4 Most workers and texts have taken the mean values for the concentration of electrolytes in stool water from these studies to be generally characteristic of such concentrations in diarrheal stools of infants. In view of the variety of etiologic conditions giving rise to the symptom of diarrhea in infants, it seems justifiable to question this assumption. In adults suffering from cholera, a recent study 5 showed electrolyte concentrations in


Pea plants (Pisum sativum) were grown under different irradiances and the photosynthetic characteristics and chloroplast properties were determined on young, fully expanded leaves. The light-saturated rate of oxygen evolution for leaf discs, measured in 1% CO2, correlated closely with the uncoupled whole- chain electron transport activity by the thylakoid membranes. When expressed on a chlorophyll basis, the photosynthetic rate was proportional to both the cytochrome f content and the coupling factor activity. The ratio of coupling factor activity to cytochrome f content was constant across all the growth irradiance treatments. The content of photosystem II reaction centres, determined by [14C]atrazine binding, varied to a small extent while the content of photosystem I reaction centres was unaltered by growth irradiance. Reaction centres do not seem to limit the rate of non-cyclic electron transport. Analysis of the CO2 response curves suggested that the ratio of electron transport capacity to RuP2 carboxylation capacity was greater for plants grown at higher irradiances than for plants grown at lower irradiances. Within any irradiance treatment, the ratio of the two capacities was approximately constant. The proportion of leaf nitrogen allocated to thylakoid proteins (27%) was independent of growth irradiance. Adaptation to low irradiance was associated with a reduction in the electron transport components and an increase in the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b protein such that the amount of chlorophyll per unit of thylakoid protein nitrogen increased. By contrast, adaptation to high irradiance was associated with an increase in the electron transport capacity per unit of chlorophyll such that the electron transport rate per unit of thylakoid nitrogen was increased.


ABSTRACT During vertebrate gastrulation, canonical Wnt signaling induces the formation of neural plate border (NPB). Wnt is also thought to be required for the subsequent specification of neural crest (NC) lineage at the NPB, but the direct evidence is lacking. We found previously that the disintegrin metalloproteinase ADAM13 is required for Wnt activation and NC induction in Xenopus. Here, we report that knockdown of ADAM13 or its close paralog ADAM19 severely downregulates Wnt activity at the NPB, inhibiting NC specification without affecting earlier NPB formation. Surprisingly, ADAM19 functions nonproteolytically in NC specification by interacting with ADAM13 and inhibiting its proteasomal degradation. Ectopic expression of stabilized ADAM13 mutants that function independently of ADAM19 can induce the NC marker/specifier snail2 in the future epidermis via Wnt signaling. These results unveil the essential roles of a novel protease-protease interaction in regulating a distinct wave of Wnt signaling, which directly specifies the NC lineage. Summary: The metalloproteinase ADAM19 non-proteolytically interacts with ADAM13 and inhibits ADAM13 turnover to regulate Wnt signaling snail2 expression and neural crest specification in Xenopus.


Tandem spinal stenosis is a clinical phenomenon which is mostly due to degenerative changes in an individual. Most patients present with neck and low back pain with neurological deficits of varying degrees. It is a condition that commonly occurs in individuals greater than 55 years of age. Cervical compressive myelopathy is the most common condition associated with tandem spondylosis. We present the first documented combined anterior and posterior (360 degree) cervical decompression surgery done on account of tandem spinal stenosis in south western Nigeria. A 65-year-old man who presented with severe neck and low back pain and progressive quadriparesis secondary to cervical compressive myelopathy with associated Tandem spinal stenosis. He subsequently had a combined anteriorposterior (360 degrees) cervical decompression and fusion with titanium plate and screws. An iliac crest (tri-cortical) bone graft was used. There was gradual resolution of both neurological deficit and pain noted by the patient after the above surgery was done.


This article responds to current critiques about the myths of digital democracy drawing on the case study of the Italian Movimento 5 Stelle/5 Star Movement (5SM) lead by comedian-turned-politician Beppe Grillo. We argue that the political success of the 5SM was largely dependent on a process of technological fetishism of the Net as an autonomous political agent. We also contend that this process has enabled the party leaders to build an ideology of the movement and represent the 5SM as a grassroots movement based on horizontal networks, participatory democracy, and characterized by the absence of leadership. Conversely, we claim that the digital rhetoric of horizontality, lack of leadership and spontaneity of the party is used to mask, facilitate and reinforce the authority of Beppe Grillo as political leader, thus forging a new type of authoritarianism that is supported and legitimated through the everyday construction of digital discourse.


Introduction: The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the effect of calcium hydroxide mixed with different vehicles on the push-out bond strength of mineral trioxide aggregate. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on 80 extracted single-rooted human maxillary incisor teeth who secrowns had been removed. The root canals were instrumented and divided into 4 groups according to the vehicle of the calcium hydroxide paste: Group I � distilled water; Group II � propylene glycol; Group III � 0.2 chlorhexidine; Group IV � control. After placement ofthe root canal dressings, the teeth were washed with EDTA and sodium hypochlorite and sealed with MTA. After 7 days, the push-out test was carried out using a universal testing machine. Data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA and gomes-howell tests. Results: The maximum and minimum bond strength values were recorded in the propylene glycol and distilled water groups, respectively. There was significant differences in push out bond strength between chlorhexidine and propylene glycol groups (P=0.015). There were significant differences in resistance to dislodgement between group control - propylene glycol (P=0.032) and group control-chlorhexidine (P=0.012). Conclusion: Placement of propylene glycol before placement of MTA in root canal improves the push-out bond strength of this material.


Making decisions freely presupposes that there is some indeterminacy in the environment and in the decision making engine. The former is reflected on the behavioral changes due to communicating: few changes indicate rigid environments; productive changes manifest a moderate indeterminacy, but a large communicating effort with few productive changes characterize a chaotic environment. Hence, communicating, effective decision making and productive behavioral changes are related. The entropy measures the indeterminacy of the environment, and there is an entropy range in which communicating supports effective decision making. This conjecture is referred to here as the The Potential Productivity of Decisions.
The computing engine that is causal to decision making should also have some indeterminacy. However, computations performed by standard Turing Machines are predetermined. To overcome this limitation an entropic mode of computing that is called here Relational-Indeterminate is presented. Its implementation in a table format has been used to model an associative memory. The present theory and experiment suggest the Entropy Trade-off: There is an entropy range in which computing is effective but if the entropy is too low computations are too rigid and if it is too high computations are unfeasible. The entropy trade-off of computing engines corresponds to the potential productivity of decisions of the environment.
The theory is referred to an Interaction-Oriented Cognitive Architecture. Memory, perception, action and thought involve a level of indeterminacy and decision making may be free in such degree. The overall theory supports an ecological view of rationality. The entropy of the brain has been measured in neuroscience studies and the present theory supports that the brain is an entropic machine. The paper is concluded with a number of predictions that may be tested empirically.


Operation-intensive exhaustive checking is the unique optimal method for performing joint maximum-likelihood (JML) data and channel estimation. Thus, several suboptimal methods incorporating conventional maximum-likelihood sequence estimation (MLSE) or its extensions have been proposed in order to reduce complexity. However, most of them suffer from either long convergence delay or unsatisfactory performance. Therefore, based on a two-phase MLSE algorithm designed for partially coherent receivers, we propose a novel low-complexity and low-latency batch algorithm for JML process. The proposed algorithm first searches for several of the best candidate training sequences using priority-first search, and then applies the training sequences to the two-phase MLSEs to obtain the maximum-likelihood data sequence. Simulation results show that when the candidate training sequence length is adequate, the proposed algorithm can achieve the performance of optimal exhaustive checking.


This paper presents a technique for accurately identifying and compensating the inverter nonlinear voltage errors that deteriorate the performance of sensorless field-oriented controlled drives at low speed. The inverter model is more accurate than the standard signum-based models that are common in the literature, and the self-identification method is based on the feedback signal of the closed-loop flux observer in dc current steady-state conditions. The inverter model can be identified directly by the digital controller at the drive startup with no extra measures other than the motor phase currents and dc-link voltage. After the commissioning session, the compensation does not require to be tuned furthermore and is robust against temperature detuning. The experimental results, presented here for a rotor-flux-oriented SFOC IM drive for home appliances, demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed solution.


ABSTRACT Tejas, D.M.; Gnanaseelan, C.; Rashmi A.K., and Deepa, J.S., 2020. Indian Ocean warming trends and forcing mechanism with emphasis on northeastern tropical Indian Ocean. In: Sheela Nair, L.; Prakash, T.N.; Padmalal, D., and Kumar Seelam, J. (eds.), Oceanic and Coastal Processes of the Indian Seas. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 89, pp. 15-19. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. Subsurface temperature variability in the northeastern Tropical Indian Ocean (TIO) is addressed in this study. The recent decade witnessed strong positive trends in the warming of subsurface waters of Indian Ocean. On the other hand the net heat flux in to the ocean is showed a negative trend in the last decade citing the oceanic process as the primary cause of temperature variability and trends. The present study is focused on understanding the temporal evolution of the subsurface temperature structure of the northeastern TIO from the latter part of the twentieth century. Long term trends and time series are examined to see whether they result from low-frequency variability. It is seen that, strong warming in the northeastern TIO is closely related with phase change in the decadal oscillation of temperature as well as equatorial Indian Ocean dynamics. Associated circulation over this region supports the findings. The equatorial Kelvin wave after mid 2000s also seems to play a crucial role in the evolution of subsurface temperature patterns.


Mauritius, a small developing country located in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar, has provided older residents with non-contributory age pensions since 1950. The scheme became universal in 1958. Mild income tests were reintroduced in 1965 and again in 2004. Targeting proved to be unpopular, and universality each time was restored. Government added a mandatory, contributory tier in 1978 that does not replace the flat, non-contributory pension. Instead, it promises participants (approximately half the labour force) an income-related benefit to top up the universal pension. The author examines Mauritius's long experience, drawing lessons from it for other developing countries.


Persistent postsurgical pain is a major clinical problem. It is not fully understood why some patients develop persistent postsurgical pain while others do not. The genetic profile might play an important role in this development. In this article, we summarize the existing studies examining the effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms on the development of persistent postsurgical pain. The evidence in this area is sparse and the results are heterogeneous. Further studies are needed before firm conclusions can be made.


We used clinical data from Iga General Hospital to examine the association between polymorphisms in MTR (methionine synthase) A2756G (rs1805087), MTRR (methionine synthase reductase) His595Tyr (rs10380), MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) C677T (rs1801133), MTHFR A1298C (rs1801131) and SHMT (serine hydroxymethyltransferase) C1420T (rs1979277), which are genes involved in folate metabolism, and the risk of weight loss in patients with gastrointestinal cancers, with the aim of establishing personalized palliative care for each patient based on genetic information. The data from 59 patients (37 males and 22 females) with gastrointestinal cancers who visited the outpatient clinic for cancer chemotherapy and palliative care at Iga General Hospital from December 2011 to August 2015 were analyzed. There was no significant association between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the folate metabolizing genes examined and weight loss defined as weight loss of more than 5 percent or more than 10 percent during the first 6 months after initiation of chemotherapy. We did not detect any significant association between any of the SNPs examined and overall survival of patients. The present study indicated that these SNPs have relatively limited or no roles in the genesis of cachexia in patients with gastrointestinal cancers; however, further investigations into the roles of these folate metabolizing genes in the context of cancer palliative care, from clinical, biological and epidemiological viewpoints are warranted.


Effective management of projects is becoming increasingly important for any type of organization to remain competitive in today's dynamic business environment due to pressure of globalization. The use of benchmarking is widening as a technique for supporting project management. Benchmarking can be described as the search for the best practices, leading to the superior performance of an organization. However, effectiveness of benchmarking depends on the use of tools for collecting and analyzing information and deriving subsequent improvement projects. This study demonstrates how analytic hierarchy process (AHP), a multiple attribute decision-making technique, can be used for benchmarking project management practices. The entire methodology has been applied to benchmark project management practice of Caribbean public sector organizations with organizations in the Indian petroleum sector, organizations in the infrastructure sector of Thailand and the UK. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of a proposed benchmarking model using AHP, determines problems and issues of Caribbean project management in the public sector and suggests improvement measures for effective project management.


In a desktop grid model, the job (computational task) is submitted for execution in the resource only when the resource is idle. There is no guarantee that the job which has started to execute in a resource will complete its execution without any disruption from user activity (such as a keyboard stroke or mouse move) if the desktop machines are used for other purposes. This problem becomes more challenging in a Peer-to-Peer (P2P) model for a desktop grid where there is no central server that decides to allocate a job to a particular resource. This paper describes a P2P desktop grid framework that utilizes resource availability prediction. We improve the functionality of the system by submitting the jobs on machines that have a higher probability of being available at a given time. We benchmark our framework and provide an analysis of our results.


The last few years has seen an unprecedented interest in the marketing and development of wine and culinary tourism, both overseas and in Australia (Macionis, 1998). Indeed, wine and food have become integral components of the tourism product and experience (Hall, et.al., forthcoming). For example, Tourism NSW's Food and Wine in Tourism Plan (Tourism NSW, 1996:2) states that it is the "beginning of [and] effort to bring food and wine into the tourism mainstream," while regional areas such as NSW's Central West have launched the Cowra‐Orange‐Mudgee Experience (COME), which focuses on food and wine as the "hook to lure more visitors" (Downey, 1998:6). Despite the increasing recognition of the role of wine and food in attracting visitors and the often quoted synergy and complementary nature of the wine and tourism sectors (King, 1998; Connel and Gibson, forthcoming) there has been little specific focus on wine, food and tourism linkages. In addition, wine tourism is often viewed only from the perspective of cellar door visitation and tasting (King, 1998), with little consideration placed on conceptualising wine tourism away from the winery. For example, many tourists' first experience with local or regional wines is often far removed from the cellar door, occurring at their hotel or at a restaurant. As such there are considerable opportunities in more explicitly linking and marketing the wine and food products in a tourism context. This paper reports on an exploratory examination and analysis of the nature and extent of linkages and relationships between the wine, food and tourism sectors in the Canberra Region. Based on extensive interviews with Canberra restaurateurs, it examines the potential of wine and food tourism in a developing wine region, highlights practices and perceptions that restrict the development of productive linkages between the wine and food sectors, and explores opportunities for strategic marketing activities that will benefit both industries at both a micro (i.e. individual enterprise) and a macro (destinational product development and marketing) level.


Ricks Spring is one of several major karst springs that discharge along the Logan River in the Bear River Range in Cache County, Utah. The spring is located along U.S. Highway 89 in Logan Canyon about 17 miles (27.4 kilometers) northeast of (up-canyon from) the city of Logan, at mile marker 477. It lies within Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest at an elevation of 5880 feet (1792 meters). Situated at the base of a hillside, the spring is one of the largest and most scenic along the Logan River (figure 1). Water from the spring flows out of a large alcove, under Highway 89, and into the Logan River, about 150 feet (45 meters) from the spring. Pullouts on both sides of the highway provide parking for visitors to the spring, and a boardwalk crosses the spring run, which allows access to the rise pool in the alcove. Several signs at the spring provide information about its history and hydrology. Ricks Spring typically flows during the spring, summer, and fall months, but can have periods of no flow during the winter months, particularly during extended periods of cold weather. During these times, the water in the rise pit recedes to a small pool of standing water that can contain fish, which presumably originate from the nearby Logan River. During the last 10 years, cave divers have explored the conduit that feeds the spring for about 2300 feet (700 meters) into the mountainside.


Background: Meatal stenosis is markedly more common in circumcised than genitally intact males, affecting 5e20 per cent of circumcised boys. However, no population-based study has estimated the relative risk of meatal stenosis and other urethral stricture diseases (USDs) or the population attributable fraction (AFp) associated with non-therapeutic circumcision. Methods: In two nationwide cohort studies (comprising 4.0 million males of all ages and 810 719 non-Muslim males aged 0e36 years, respectively), we compared hospital contact rates forUSDduring 1977e2013 between circumcised and intactDanishmales. Hazard ratios (HRs) were obtained using Cox proportional hazards regression, and the AFp estimated the proportion of USD cases in <10 year-old boys that is due to non-therapeutic circumcision. Results: Muslim males had higher rates of meatal stenosis than ethnic Danish males, particularly in <10 year-old boys (HR 3.44, 95 per cent confidence interval 2.42e4.88). HRs linking circumcision to meatal stenosis (10.3, 4.53e23.4) or other USDs (5.14, 3.48e7.60) were high, and attempts to reduce potential misclassification and confounding further strengthened the association, particularly in <10 year-old boys (meatal stenosis: 26.3, 9.37 e73.9; other USDs: 14.0, 6.86e28.6). Conservative calculations revealed that at least 18, 41, 78, and 81 per cent of USD cases in <10 year-old boys from countries with circumcision prevalences as in Denmark, the United Kingdom, the United States and Israel, respectively, may be attributable to non-therapeutic circumcision. Conclusion: Our studyprovidespopulation-basedepidemiological evidence that circumcision removes the natural protection against meatal stenosis and, possibly, other USDs as well. © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (Scottish charity number SC005317) and Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). demiology Research, Div S, Denmark. evier Ltd on behalf of Royal C en access article under the C ision of Epidemiology and Disease Surveillance, Statens Serum ollege of Surgeons of Edinburgh (Scottish charity number SC005317) and C BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). t h e s u r g e on 1 6 ( 2 0 1 8 ) 1 0 7e1 1 8 108


In mid-January 1988 the National Aeronautics and Space Admministration (NASA) plans to issue an Announcement of Opportunity (AO) for the Earth Observing System (EOS). This call for proposals will include Earth science research using the Space Station Polar Platforms and the initial manned Space Station. Other areas of space science will be offered the opportunity to propose secondary science experiments for flight with EOS on the Polar Platforms.


Soil salinization is one of the current global environmental problems. Current research on crops in saline-alkali land focuses on salt tolerance, but less on its ecological benefits. However, plants and the environment can interact and influence each other, which is the theory used to carry out Nature-based Solutions (NbS). Therefore, the research on crop plants with both ecological and economic benefits is novel and valuable work. Then three widely planted cash crops (Solanum melongena, Momordica charantia, Capsicum annuum) were selected for salt stress treatment (NaCl, 150mmol/L), some physiological indicators (chlorophyll, soluble protein, Proline (Pro), malondialdehyde (MDA)) of plant and the soil properties (electrical conductivity, pH, the soil salt content) were measured. The results showed that the salinity content of the three plant cultivation soils was significantly different (P<0.05) after the salt stress; all three crops had some desalination capacity, but Capsicum annuum had the strongest salt resistance and desalination capacity.


Abstract: Survey protocols to detect the presence of particular species should be organized to make optimal use of available resources. Current protocols mostly deal with this problem intuitively, but the problem can also be addressed with mathematical modeling. To this aim, we used a model that describes the abundance of a single, discrete generation of adult insects. Furthermore, we assumed that year‐to‐year variation in timing of the flight period was attributable to variation in peak emergence only. We determined the spacing of a given number of survey days on a transect that minimized the chance of missing a species when it was actually present. This spacing was fixed to a Julian date and applied to all years. We also calculated the probability of detecting the species, which depends on the number of survey days. For most parameter values, 5 survey days sufficed to detect with high probability ( ≥0.95 ) populations with an observable population size ( total number of insects that can be observed in the transect over the entire flight period ) exceeding 10. For observable population sizes under 10, achieving a detection probability of 0.95 may require many more than 5 survey days. As an example of the method, we constructed a survey‐detection scheme for the Quino checkerspot butterfly (  Euphydryas editha quino ), based on the limited information available about its flight period. For an observable population size over 11, this scheme had a detection probability openface>0.95. We also provide detection schemes for species whose death rate and variation in emergence time within and between years can at present be characterized only as small, moderate, or large. These survey schemes should maximize species detection and reduce uncertainty about absence.


In the professional work, discipline is a very important to see work ethic of an employee. Discipline has also the most important element of good behavior, both as individual and social. A problem is when people on the road in finding the shortest path in order to get to the destination on time. Finding shortest path improves workers discipline and add value to employees. With the Dijkstra's Algorithm, we can find the shortest route. The value on the edge of a graph can be expressed as the distance between nodes (roads). Through this proposed application, it easier for us to find the shortest route in a more effective time.


The detection of texts in video images is an important task towards automatic content-based information indexing and retrieval system. In this paper, we propose a texture-based method for text detection in complex video images. Taking advantage of the desirable characteristic of gray-scale invariance of local binary patterns (LBP), we apply a modified LBP operator to extract feature of texts. A polynomial neural network (PNN) is employed to make classification. The PNN is trained with large quantities of samples collected using a bootstrap strategy. In addition, post-processing procedure including verification and integration is performed to refine the detected results. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated by experimental results.


PURPOSE
To analyze the in vitro efficacy of a surface conditioning liquid facilitating ceramic repairs of saliva-contaminated metal-ceramic and all-ceramic restorations.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Specimens constructed from non-precious alloy (NPA), precious alloy (PA), lithium-disilicate (LD), zirconia (ZI), veneering ceramics for zirconia (VZI), veneering ceramics for lithium-disilicate (VLD), and veneering ceramics for metal alloys (VM) were manufactured (total: n = 168; each material n = 24). Veneering ceramic cylinders (thickness: 2mm) were hand-layered on top of the specimens. Shear bond strength (SBS) tests were performed, measuring the maximum bond strength (MBS) of the cylinders on the specimens. Following this, the specimens were artificially aged and stored in artificial saliva for 30 days at 37°C. After physical cleaning using aluminum oxide air abrasion, a new surface conditioning liquid was applied (test, n = 84) or not (control, n = 84). New ceramic cylinders were hand-layered followed by a second SBS test. Descriptive statistics, linear regression analyses, and a one-sample t-test (α = 0.05) were used to ascertain the differences within (pre- vs. post-repair) and between the groups.

RESULTS
All specimens in the test group could be repaired, whereas 18 repairs in the control group failed. After the repairs, an MBS decrease was observed for the NPA specimens of the control group (-15.5MPa, p = 0.004) but not among any of the test groups. Comparing the change in MBS between the test and control groups, the reduction was significantly higher in the repaired NPA specimens of the control group (mean difference 11.8 MPa, p = 0.017).

CONCLUSIONS
Using the analyzed surface conditioning liquid, metal-ceramic and all-ceramic materials can be repaired, while some repairs failed without the liquid. The initial bond strengths between core and veneering materials could be restored in all specimens when the new surface conditioning liquid was applied. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.


CD8+ T cells can inhibit HIV-1 replication in infected CD4+ T cells in a non-cytolytic manner by suppressing transcription from the viral promoter. The factor mediating this response, referred to as CD8 Antiviral Factor (CAF), and its mechanism of action, are unknown. The overall aim of this project was to elucidate the mechanisms by which CAF mediates its HIV-1 transcription suppressing effects. Towards this, we first studied the interaction of CAF with CD4+ target cells; then, investigated the signaling molecules involved in the process of viral transcription suppression; and thirdly, identified a region on the HIV-1 Long Terminal Repeat (LTR) promoter necessary for CAF-mediated transcription suppression. We used exosomes secreted by CD8+ T cells as a source of CAF to examine the interactions of CAF with its CD4+ target cells. Exosomes interacted with the cells at their surface, within 10 minutes of addition. However, maximal suppression of transcription was seen in the cells only 12 to 16 hours after addition. These results suggest the involvement of an intracellular signaling cascade and, possibly, secondary gene expression. Previous reports, using HVS-transformed CD8+ T cell lines, have shown the requirement for the intracellular signal transducer, STAT1, in CAF-mediated viral transcription suppression. However, we found that the requirement for STAT1 in the suppressive process was seen only when CAF from transformed CD8+ T cells (CAFtransformed) was used. In contrast, CAF from primary CD8+ T cells (CAFprimary), from HIV-1 infected patients, suppressed HIV-1 transcription in a STAT1-independent manner. Our investigations on the region of the viral promoter necessary for suppression showed the importance of the minimal promoter region of HIV-1 LTR. This 90bp region, containing 3 SpI sites and TATA box, was sufficient for transcription suppression to occur. Hence, our studies implicate a multi-pronged mechanism of CAF action on the LTR minimal promoter, and indicate major differences between CAF from transformed and primary CD8+ T cells.


AIM: to demonstrate the first results of natural orifice specimen extraction surgery (NOSES) for rectal cancer. PATIENTS AND METHODS: in the period from June 2019 to October 2019 five NOSES for rectal cancer were performed in the hospital. The following factors were evaluated: age, gender, BMI, ASA, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative and postoperative complications, duration of postoperative rehabilitation, need for narcotic analgesics. RESULTS: mean age of patients was 61.2 years. Mean BMI was 25.9 kg/m2 . Mean ASA score was 2. Mean operative time was 225 minutes. Mean intraoperative blood loss was 45 ml. One intraoperative complication occurred – defect of anastomosis in the point of crossing of 3 stapler sutures. One postoperative complication occurred – postoperative ileus. Narcotic analgesics were not used. Mean duration of postoperative stay was 9.8 days. The primary results demonstrate feasibility of NOSES for rectal cancer with adequate qualification of colorectal surgeon. CONCLUSION: NOSES is a promising technique for rectal cancer surgery. However, the further experience and randomized trials are required.


Neonatal calf mortality is one of the important problems of calf rearing in dairy farms worldwide. A successful dairy farm operation requires that a large percentage of cows wean a live healthy calf every year. However, in many developing countries, a large number of calves die during the early neonatal life, this causing heavy economic loss. This is due to several infectious (bacterial, viral, and protozoal) and non-infectious factors (management around birth, colostrum management, calf housing, feeding system, hygiene, and pathogens) play an important role in calf rearing. This paper aims to review major infectious causes of neonatal calf mortality. Numerous studies have been conducted in the past from many parts of the world using both retrospective and prospective data sources to document the major causes of calf mortality. Of the infectious diseases of calves, neonatal diarrhea is a matter of major concern, and multiple etiological agents from viruses (Bovine rotavirus, Bovine coronavirus, Bovine viral diarrhea virus) from bacteria (Salmonella spp, Escherichia-coli, and Clostridium perfringens) from protozoal (Cryptosporidium-parvum) have been identified as major causes of neonatal calf mortality. Among the infectious agents, rotavirus and E. coli are mainly involved in the causation of neonatal calf diarrhea which leads to high mortality and morbidity in young calves. E. coli mainly plays its role up to the second week of life whereas, rotavirus up to the third week. Generally, early calf mortality leading to economic losses due to the cost of treatment, prophylaxis, increased susceptibility to other infections, reduced growth rates, and death of calves.


Different methods were used to repair concrete cracks. Recently, microbial induced calcium carbonate precipitation is presented as a self-healing technique for concrete manufacture, which is proposed as an eco-friendly method. It is a bio-mineralization process. Microbial activities induced precipitation that can heal cracks . Effect of bio-mineralization in concrete by incorporation of ureolytic species such as Bacillus Megaterium is investigated . Fresh and hardened tests were carried out on concrete at various ages. " Bacillus Megaterium " ( Bm ) with a cell density of 2 × CFU/mL was used when added to mixtures with two ratios of 0.5% and 0.25% of cement weight. Calcium lactate, Calcium acetate, and Calcium format were added as nutrition to bacteria by 0.25% and 0.125% of cement weight. Test results indicated that the inclusion of Bm in concrete enhanced properties. Bacteria addition and all nutritions used revealed varied decreases in the rate of water absorption and capillary permeability coefficient. Bm 0.5% with acetate nutrition concrete mix had a maximum increase in compressive strength at all ages. It had compressive strength value 152.99% of that of the compressive strength of the control concrete mixture at 28days. Bm 0.5% with lactate nutrition concrete mix had flexural strength value 162.74% of that of control concrete flexural strength at 28days. Enhancement of properties was due to calcite deposition on the bacteria cell surfaces within the pores. SEM imaging indicated the formation of calcite crystals in different shapes according to the added nutrients of bacterial concrete specimens.