Comorbidity is defined as the presence of one or more additional conditions co-occurring with primary indices. Comorbidity is common in older cancer patients. Its prevalence, however, is difficult to determine and varies by cancer site. There is no single reason for which comorbidity and cancer coexist, but chronic diseases and cancer are both common in older age and share many risk factors. There is no consensus on how should comorbidity be measured. Even though many comorbidity indices have been developed so far, no unified, widely used instrument exists. Patients with comorbidities have worse outcomes compared to those with no such conditions. They may experience diagnostic and therapeutic delay and be disqualified from radical treatment more often. Moreover, they are more likely to suffer from treatment-related complications and have worse overall survival. It seems important to assess the comorbidity status as a part of individualised oncologic treatment planning. However, as data regarding its significance are insufficient and in many cases conflicting, patients with comorbidity should not be routinely considered as not fit enough for a radical treatment. Therefore, to adequately address all of the concerns that have been raised, a broader participation of older, comorbid patients in clinical trials is needed.


CuInS2 (CIS) fluorescent nanocrystals (NCs) were obtained by heating an organic metal complex. The photoluminescence (PL) originated from the donor-acceptor, and the quantum yield (QY) was achieved at 6%. Furthermore, we added some metal ions (Zn2+, Cd2+ or Ag+) by the post heat-treatment in the organic coordinating solvent in order to tune the PL wavelength of NCs. By this post treatment, the alteration of NCs structure was suggested, such as changing into an alloying and composite structure. In Zn-treated, the PL wavelength was widely tuned from 535 to 650 nm by alloying between CIS and ZnS. Moreover, PL intensity was increased with these structure alterations. In particular, the materials treated with Zn2+ or Cd2+ achieved respective QY of 25% and 40%.


The methodology presented in this paper describes a Java performance-engineering framework that will help software engineers and capacity planners eliminate performance problems and determine reasonable hardware configurations prior to application deployment. The framework focuses on (1) measuring and modeling Java methods during development, (2) refining the model created during development with performance measurements provided by quality assurance (QA) testing, and (3) using the model before the application is deployed to conduct capacity studies aimed at minimizing hardware configuration while maximizing transaction throughput.


The human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) integrase is known to form a highly stable interaction with the termini of the linear, pre-integrated retroviral genome, where it catalyzes the 3'-OH processing and strand transfer processes required for their coordinated integration into host DNA. Here, we determine that the association of HIV-1 integrase with the viral DNA termini leads to the formation of two classes of nucleoprotein complexes with distinct properties in vitro. Both bound states are intrinsically stable and highly resistant to exonuclease digestion, but nonetheless they exhibit different stabilities in the presence of single-stranded polynucleotides. While a population of preassembled complexes tolerates elevated polynucleotide concentrations, the remainder forms an unstable ternary (integrase-substrate-polynucleotide) intermediate, leading to the rapid expulsion of the otherwise tightly bound substrate. The distribution of complexes between the two states is influenced by the preincubation time and temperature, increases in either of which favor the formation of the challenge-resistant species. Challenge-resistant complexes are formed more efficiently with Mn2+ than with Mg2+ and are sensitive to the length rather than the sequence of the DNA substrate. Due to the delayed appearance of the challenge-resistant form after the initial stable binding of the DNA substrate, our results may be indicative of a structural change in the preassembled complex which thereby modulates its response to exogenous DNA targets.


Many applications ranging from biomedical to aerospace have been proposed for the use of shape memory polymers (SMPs). To optimize SMPs properties for appropriately targeting such wide-spreading application requirements, it becomes necessary to understand the structure/property relationships in SMPs. The literature was reviewed and the recent advances made in the development of SMPs were determined to establish guidelines for composition and structure considerations for designing SMPs with targeted chemical, physical, and shape memory (SM) properties. It was concluded that covalently crosslinked glassy thermosets appear to be better SMP candidates because of their intrinsically higher modulus, greater thermal and chemical stability, higher shape fixity and recovery, and possibly their longer cycle life. However, material design allows for reaching comparable or better properties for all classes of SMPs. This emphasizes that optimization of SMPs requires application-specific molecular, structural, and geometrical design. Current techniques for improving stress recovery and cycle time, which compared to shape memory alloys are the two main limitations of SMPs, are extensively discussed. Understanding the relationships between the composition and structure of an SMP and its SM properties as well as its limitations enables one to better define the development areas for high performance SMPs. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers


This is a report of a research study funded by the Nuffield Foundation exploring the experiences of a representative group of young adults in England (aged 18-35) who had experienced the break-up of their parents' relationships before they reached the age of 16. The study was based on a telephone survey of 398 and face to face qualitative telephone interviews with 50 of them. It produced valuable empirical evidence on how these young adults viewed the contact arrangements they had had during their childhood and what they believed had made that contact a more or less successful experience. The study provides information which will assist practitioners to predict whether contact arrangements being made for a particular child are likely to be beneficial or not.


Detailed measurements of surface static pressures and heat transfer rates on the aerofoil and hub end wall of an annular nozzle guide vane (in the absence of a downstream rotor) are presented. Heat transfer rates have been measured using thin film gauges in an annular cascade in the Pyestock Isentropic Light Piston Cascade. Test Mach numbers, Reynolds numbers and cascade geometry are fully representative of engine conditions. The results of 3-D calculations of surface Mach number and 2-D calculations of aerofoil heat transfer are presented and compared with the measurements.A new method of calculating end wall heat transfer using the axisymmetric analogue for three-dimensional boundary layers is described in detail. The method uses a 3-D Euler solver to calculate the inviscid surface streamlines along which heat transfer coefficients are calculated. The metric coefficient which describes the lateral convergence or divergence of the streamlines is used to include three-dimensional effects in the calculation. The calculated heat transfer rates compare well with the measured values. Reference is made to surface flow visualization in the interpretation of the results.Copyright © 1990 by ASME


Introduction The current gold standard treatment for ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) is primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Representation due to potential ischaemic cardiac events post-primary PCI may occur in up to 30% patients. Anecdotally, following STEMI patients often report difficulty with symptom attribution, which leads to help-seeking via acute healthcare services for both non-cardiac and cardiac origin chest pain. At present little is known about the personal experiences and possible trigger factors involved in representation following STEMI and primary PCI. The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences and factors involved in the representation of STEMI patients within 12 months post-primary PCI. The patients' perception of symptoms, including the causal attributions they attach to these symptoms, will be described. Methods A qualitative methodology involving in-depth semistructured interviews was conducted. Seventeen purposively selected patients, who represented within 12 months post-primary PCI, were interviewed regarding their perception of symptom causes, their reasons for seeking help and their emotional experiences. Data collection and analysis were conducted concurrently. Emergent themes and topics were used as a basis for future interviews with subsequent patients. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and stored and managed in a qualitative software package (NVivo 8). "Framework" analysis was used to analyse and interpret the data. Results Interim qualitative data analysis is available for 17 patients (15 male, mean age 57 years (31–79 years)); post-representation one patient received coronary artery bypass grafting, two PCI, and the remaining patients received a diagnosis of angina (n  =  1), heart failure (n  =  1), anxiety (n  =  6) and indeterminate diagnosis (n  =  6). Preliminary analysis revealed that a great deal of uncertainty, anger and anxiety exits in relation to symptom recognition. Loss of confidence and inability to determine or make sense of symptoms were all themes that featured highly. Patients also attempted to construct illness events and reported receiving insufficient information or follow-up post-primary PCI. Conclusion The introduction of a region-wide primary PCI service introduces new challenges in developing rehabilitation services to fit the individual needs of service users. Representation is both distressing for the patient and a burden on limited healthcare services. The information gained through this study will be of value to service providers involved in planning aftercare services. The identification of possible trigger factors will aid the development of a targeted intervention with the potential of reducing representation and hospitalisation.


AACR Annual Meeting-- Apr 18-22, 2009; Denver, CO

Two recent genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have independently identified a prostate cancer susceptibility locus on chromosome 10q11.2. The most significant single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) marker reported by both studies, rs10993994, is 57 bp centromeric of the first exon of the MSMB gene, which encodes beta-microseminoprotein (prostatic secretory protein 94, PSP94). This gene is a promising candidate gene for prostate cancer susceptibility because the protein, which is a member of immunoglobulin binding factor family, is already under investigation as a prostate cancer biomarker. To further explore the role of the MSMB/PSP94 locus on prostate cancer, we have performed fine-mapping using highly correlated tag SNP approach across the region defined by two independent GWAS with replication studies. After genotyping 13 tag SNPs from a ~65kb region of LD flanking rs10993994 SNPs in 6,118 prostate cancer cases and 6,105 controls of European origin from the Cancer Genetic Markers of Susceptibility (CGEMS) project, the T allele of rs10993994 remained the most strongly associated marker with prostate cancer risk. In follow-up functional analyses, promoter constructs with the C allele of rs10993994 display strong promoter activity. In electrophoretic mobility shift assays, the C allele of rs10993994 binds to the CREB transcription factor, whereas the T allele does not. Analysis of tumor cell lines including the NCI 60 panel indicated significantly higher levels of MSMB/PSP94 gene expression in cell lines with a CC or CT genotype compared to cell lines with a TT genotype. These findings were specific to the alleles of rs10993994 and were not observed for other SNPs determined by sequence analysis of the proximal promoter. MSMB/PSP94 expression is reported to be reduced during the progression of prostate cancer, and lower expression of MSMB/PSP94 is associated with the risk of prostate cancer. The present study suggests that rs10993994 is functionally important and perhaps accounts for the association with prostate cancer susceptibility. Together our mapping studies and functional analyses implicate regulation of expression of MSMB as the plausible mechanism accounting for the association identified at this locus. [SJC and MD contributed equally to this work.]

Citation Information: In: Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res; 2009 Apr 18-22; Denver, CO. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; 2009. Abstract nr 5613.


Ab initio molecular dynamics based on density functional theory has been used to study liquid Se at three temperatures: 570, 870 and 1370 K. The calculated g(r) is in very close agreement with neutron diffraction data, except in the region of the first minimum at . We have examined the effect of including gradient corrections in the density functional description, and we find that they give a substantial improvement in the agreement with experiment near the first minimum. We analysed the bonding topology and we find a significant fraction of onefold- and threefold-coordinated Se atoms at the highest temperature.


This study is based on a chapter of the IEEE tutorial Fundamentals of Supervisory Systems, which focuses on remote terminal unit (RTU) applications to the power system. The RTU is presented as a set of subsystems or elements, not favoring any one design or concept, but concentrating on application requirements. Specific design requirements can be found in the various ANSI/IEEE standards, most specifically ANSI/IEEE C37.1. This study is based on RTU designs incorporating one or more microprocessors, and accompanying software (firmware). Microprocessors were added to RTUs to reduce product cost, improve flexibility, and enhance performance, which also reduced the impact of supplying units with various protocols.<<ETX>>


Intubated general anesthesia with one-lung ventilation was traditionally considered necessary for thoracoscopic major pulmonary resections. However, non-intubated thoracoscopic lobectomy can be performed by using conventional and uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS). These non-intubated procedures try to minimize the adverse effects of tracheal intubation and general anesthesia but these procedures must only be performed by experienced anesthesiologists and skilled thoracoscopic surgeons. Here we present a video of a uniportal VATS left upper lobectomy in a non-intubated patient, maintaining the spontaneous ventilation.


This paper describes the electrical characteristics of an ultrasonic transducer through the results of experiments from the point of view of driving by inverter. In order to realize ZCS operation of the inverter, the characteristics of inverter are calculated using normalized numerical analysis. Optimized circuit design based on the experimental and numerical analyses is presented with consideration of switching stresses.


Nila fish called Nirwana, which is widely consumed in Indonesia, is an important aquaculture species. Nirwana is extensively cultivated in ponds with different water characteristics that can certainly make the fish contaminated by various toxic and hazardous substances, including lead (Pb). This study aims to analyzed the potential of coconut cake and palm kernel cake to depurate Pb from nirwana. The treatments in this study consisted of 100% commercial feed (Pk), 30% coconut cake + 70% commercial feed (PBK) and 30% palm kernel cake + 70% commercial feed (PBS). Each nirwana used was 100±15 g in weight and injected with 1 mg L of Pb(NO3)2 intraperitoneally. Test fish were kept in ten plastic drums per treatment and was fed at satiation twice a day for eight days. The result of AAS analysis on flesh and feces proved that most Pb was excreted through feces. The highest concentration of Pb which was excreted through feces was PBS treatment (1,46 mg kg) on days two, four, six and eight when the Pb concentration was less than 0,001 mg kg. The highest fat content in feed was on PBK treatment (13,33%) and PBS (4,78%) with crude fiber content in PBK 0,38% and PBS 7,23%. The results indicated that the coconut cake and palm kernel cake that were added to the feed used could serve as a depuration agent and can reduce Pb from fish through


A decision to participate in a clinical drug trial will require a commitment in time and resources from both the doctor and other practice staff. The authors explain some of the strategies that can be used to maximise the limited time available for such research and minimise unnecessary wastage of scarce resources.


Although the literature on comparative capitalism has been expanded to encompass the Mixed Market Economies (MMEs) of the Mediterranean world and other less mature institutional arrangements, it can be argued that more attention needs to be accorded to internal diversity within capitalist archetypes and the nature and path of change. In focusing on the latter, this paper explores changes in Industrial relations (Ir) regulation and practice in Greece which, since the onset of the economic crisis, has shifted towards lighter regulation; however, liberalization has not meant convergence with the mature Liberal Market Economy (LME) model and its presumed associated complementarities. Based on current developments and advances in the literature on comparative capitalism, this study explores the process and dynamics of institutional change, and the long continuities that set Greece apart from both 'disorganized' LMEs and other MMEs. This encompasses issues such as the composition of elites, the nature of institutional path dependence and change, and the uneven and partial nature of what constitutes institutional functionality. Whilst the Greek system is commonly condemned as dysfunctional, it satisfies specific economic interests. Being impelled in one direction by a progressive movement from below, it is driven in another by external pressures, and, at home, by "unpatriotic" elites, who have little interest in stronger regulation, and may well be served by weaker governmental capabilities. As local economic elites seek to reposition themselves within the system in order to cope with shifts in the capitalist economy, it may result in them further narrowing their focus onto their own immediate concerns accommodated through economic liberalization. Smaller, marginal, players may be pushed further out of the system and/or actively choose to withdraw, the attempts of the present government to ameliorate the shocks of liberalization notwithstanding. This vests the organized labour and other civil society associations with great historic importance.


Ethiopia is centre of origin for crops such as sorghum, teff, coffee and enset and centre of diversity for many other crops (wheat, barley, Ethiopian mustard, chickpea lentils and finger millet). Similarly eastern Hararghe has diverse agro-ecology that shows diversity of many crops. So, a total of 15 land race crop species was identified with 36 accessions from 2 regions and 6woreda. From total 15 farmer variety of crop and 36 accession, sorghum are the highest accession and more cultivated in study area and it account 13 accession (36.1%). From the total survey of woreda, Qarsa is the most diverse crop species since it has a wide agro-ecology and holds ten crop species 66.7% of total crop in study area. Jarso is the second crop diversity in study area it hold eight crop species (53.3%). Sofi and Babile are the third crop diversity in study area it hold four crop species each (26.7%). Expansion of chat and replacement of modern variety in study area are the most loss of farmer variety it holds 45% and 40% respectively. Six farmer crop species in study area like Badu Oanyii, Shakoo, Bukuri, Minjar, Barley and wheat are threatened in study area due to Replacement of modern variety, no good test and low value market, birds' interest, lack of fodder, weed and drought. Therefore, creating awareness for local farmers on how to manage the crop effectively (sowing, weeding, harvesting and storing) and conserve the landrace variety. More agricultural research should be conducted on the characters and requirement of the crops for various regions and environments to conserve landrace variety.


We derive an equation to compute directly the expected occupation time of the centered Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process. This allows us to identify the parameters of the Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process for available occupation times via a standard least squares minimization. To test the method, we generate occupation times via Monte-Carlo simulations and recover the parameters with the above mentioned procedure.


Additional data, supported by relevant functional neuroimaging literature, confirm that the "normal" patterns of brain activity reported in a patient who was clinically diagnosed as vegetative could not have occurred "automatically" in the absence of conscious awareness. The most parsimonious explanation remains that this patient was consciously aware despite her diagnosis of vegetative state.


The number of patients who arrest pulmonary tuberculosis to rejoin their families and live reasonably normal lives is steadily increasing. A large proportion who started treatment when the disease was already in an advanced stage have been salvaged through the aid of pulmonary collapse, effected by a reconstruction of the thoracic wall. This means that there is a significant and growing thoracoplasty population who will require close medical surveillance for the rest of their lives. Since this fragment of the population is not immune to other diseases, any doctor may be called on for advice. It is therefore desirable that all members of the profession be familiar with the changes in the thorax which are brought about by thoracoplasty. Roentgenologists are particularly concerned with the problems of these patients. Great reliance is placed on fluoroscopy and serial roentgenograms in following the progress of the arrested disease. It is essential that


A formalism is developed for calculating ionization in laser driven hydrodynamics codes. Starting from equations for collisional Ionization and radiative recombination, approximations are made to allow their easier solution. Steady-state solutions are assumed to be of most importance to the extent that transient solutions to the rate equations are ignored. Free-bound radiation is also treated in an hydrogenic approximation.


Intelligent mechatronics makes it possible to compensate for effects that are difficult to compensate for by construction or by linear control, by including some intelligence into the system. The compensation of state dependent effects, e.g. friction, cogging and mass deviation, can be realised by learning feedforward control. This method identifies these disturbing effects as function of their states and compensates for these, before they introduce an error. Because the effects are learnt as function of their states, this method can be used for non-repetitive motions. The learning of state dependent effects relies on the update signal that is used. In previous work, the feedback control signal was used as an error measure between the approximation and the true state dependent effect. If the effects introduce a signal that contains frequencies near the bandwidth, the phase shift between this signal and the feedback signal might seriously degenerate the performance of the approximation. The use of phase correction overcomes this problem. This is validated by a set of simulations and experiments that show the necessity of the phase corrected scheme.


Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC

Histone modifications and DNA methylation are epigenetic events that can modulate gene expression patterns associated with normal development and disease pathology. Epigenetic alterations are clearly involved in breast cancer initiation and progression, as they silence tumor suppressor genes and activate proto-oncogenes. As a result, the profiling of gene promoter DNA methylation status can lead to the identification of novel biomarkers which can aid in the development and improvement of diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic treatments. The Methyl-Profiler PCR Array System proves to be quite useful for these purposes.

The Methyl-Profiler DNA Methylation technology method is designed for semi high-throughput gene/target-specific DNA methylation profiling. The method involves the selective digestion of sample DNA with methylation-specific restriction enzymes, followed by precise quantization of intact remaining target DNA by real-time PCR using assays specially designed and validated for high G/C content amplicons. Attesting to the power of this method, as little as one µg of genomic DNA can be used to profile the methylation status of up to 96 gene/target assays, and as low as five % hyper-methylated DNA copies can be reliably detected in a heterogeneous sample. In short, this technology yields quantitative data comparable to bisulfite sequencing, but without the need for bisulfite conversion.

Using the Methyl-Profiler assay, the methylation status of highly relevant methylation targets in breast cancer cell lines was profiled in an effort to discover novel DNA methylation biomarkers. Several putative markers were identified and compared with results as generated by Illumina® Infinium® Methylation Assay platform, demonstrating the viability of the Methyl-Profiler method in discovering DNA methylation biomarkers. In three short procedural steps, the Methyl-Profiler PCR System can efficiently and reproducible identify novel methylation-related targets that may prove to be valuable in developing breast cancer preventative and therapeutic strategies.

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 149.


Garlic mustard (Alliaria petiolata), a biennial species, is considered to be among the most troublesome of the invasive plants in the Eastern Deciduous forest of North America. It has been shown to prevent or reduce mycorrhizal colonization of native herbaceous ground layer plants and trees in these forests. It is estimated that 70-90% or more of herbaceous native ground layer plant species form associations with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). Loss of the mycorrhizal association can reduce growth, reproductive success, and competitiveness of plant species. Using a corn root bioassay, we examined the effect of garlic mustard removal on the soil AMF mycorrhizal inoculum potential (MIP), in control plots and plots that had second-year garlic mustard removed annually for the past five years (2005-2009). Removal treatment plots had significantly (P = 0.0240, df = 28) greater MIP than control plots (25.72±2.26% and 18.29±2.04%, respectively). MIP was negatively correlated with cover of garlic mustard (r 2 = 0.1325, P < 0.05, df = 30), which accounted for 13.2% of the variation in MIP. Cover of native vegetation in removal treatment plots (104.50±2.6%) was greater than that of the control plots (95.14±3.66%), (P = 0.0236, df = 115). These results show that removal of garlic mustard results in an increase in soil MIP and cover of native species; however, there is not a complete loss of MIP associated with garlic mustard invasion. Following removal of garlic mustard, our data suggest that mycorrhizal plants recover more slowly than non-mycorrhizal species, apparently due to a delay in the establishment of a well-functioning mycorrhizal association. Our study is the first to demonstrate that the MIP of native soils and cover of native species increase following reduction in the cover of garlic mustard.


In the last two decades researchers from various disciplines have made attempts to model and estimate developments in the size and structure of the population of firms. Although these attempts give useful insights into possible explanatory factors of firm dynamics, the explanatory value, and hence predictive power of these models is usually not very high. In this paper we follow a pure demographic approach for the modelling of firm survival. Important dimensions of the firm are firm age, firm size (in number of employees), economic activity and firm location. Using empirical firm level data for the region of Gelderland in the Netherlands over the period 1986-2002, developments in survival are described and analysed over time in an age-period-cohort perspective. In a later phase of the project, these (aggregated) scenarios will serve as a point of reference for comparisons to more extended model specifications using micro-simulation that include additional explanatory and spatial variables. Keywords: demography of the firm, Age-Period-Cohort model, firm survival, closures


microRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding, endogenous, small-molecule RNAs. They are involved in cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and metabolism. Additionally, they play an essential role in the development and progression of various malignancies. Recent research has revealed that miR-18a plays an important role in cancer development. However, its role in lymphoma is not yet fully understood. In this study, we investigated the clinicopathological characteristics and potential functional roles of miR-18a in lymphomas. First, we predicted the potential downstream genes of miR-18a using miRTarBase software and subjected these downstream genes to Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses to determine the potential mechanisms of action of these genes. We found that these target genes were closely related to cellular senescence, the p53 signaling pathway, and other signaling pathways. From the predicted downstream target genes, ATM and p53 were selected as the target genes; their deletion in patients with lymphoma was detected using the fluorescence in situ hybridization technique. The results showed that some patients with lymphoma have a deletion of the ATM and p53 genes. In addition, the deletion rates of ATM and p53 were positively correlated with the expression of miR-18a. Next, the expression levels of miR-18a and the deletion rates of ATM and p53 were used for correlation and prognostic analyses with patient clinical information. The findings revealed a significant difference in disease-free survival (DFS) between patients with lymphoma with ATM deletion and those with a normal ATM gene expression (p < 0.001). Moreover, a significant difference in overall survival (OS) and DFS between patients with p53 deletion and those with normal p53 expression was observed (p < 0.001). The results indicate that the deletion of ATM and p53 downstream of miR-18a is closely associated with the development of lymphoma. Thus, these biomarkers may serve as key prognostic biomarkers for lymphomas.


We propose a new conservative, time-window protocol for parallel discrete event simulation where the simulation system and the physical system used can both be modeled as a star network, in which one central node is connected to every other node. The success of our algorithm is also dependent of the lookahead predictability of the system to be simulated. The entire approach is designed keeping telecommunication applications in mind. The synchronization algorithm presented in this paper is deadlock free and will not lead to any erroneous computation. We have also computed critical system parameters such as queue length at individual nodes, approximate service times, waiting times and the rate of progress of simulation.<<ETX>>


Direct laser lithography (DLL) is a key enabling technology for 3D constructs at the microscale and its potential is rapidly growing toward the development of active microstructures. The rationale of this work is based on the different involved methodology, which is referred as indirect, when passive microstructures become active through postprocessing steps, and direct, when active structures are directly obtained by fabricating microstructures with active materials or by introducing heterogeneous mechanical properties and specific design. An in‐depth analysis of both indirect and direct methods is provided. In particular, the wide range of materials and strategies involved in each method is reported, including advantages and disadvantages, as well as examples of fabricated structures and their applications. Finally, the different techniques are briefly summarized, and critically discussed by highlighting how the new synergies between DLL and active materials are opening completely new scenarios, in particular for sensing (e.g., mechanical) and actuation at the microscale.


Due to fewer historical records, it is generally believed that famines and epidemics were less frequent in ancient India. However, various records depict that ancient India was not immune to these natural catastrophes, and they proved disastrous on some occasions; furthermore, certain other factors also depict the high presence of famines and epidemics. This article aims to identify the factors responsible for frequent and disastrous famines and epidemics in ancient India, such as deforestation, urbanization, invasions, etc, their impacts, and the role of rulers in giving way to these catastrophes and how they responded to them. The findings of the study are based on qualitative research, and it is an analytical work based on secondary sources. The factors such as urbanization, deforestation, trade, migration, wars, and poor living conditions depict that ancient India was no different from medieval and colonial India when it comes to instances of these natural catastrophes.


The coupling between land use/landscape pattern and water quality in river systems varies across different spatial and temporal scales. It is important to understand the association between water quality and land use/landscape pattern across different spatial and temporal scales for the protection of water resources. Here, we measured seasonal water quality at 12 sub‐basins in the upper reaches of the Han River (UHR) between 2010 and 2018. We conducted factor analysis and redundancy analysis to determine the links between land use and water quality at multiple spatial scales and to identify the main factors influencing water quality. We found that the concentration of nutrients, including total nitrogen, total phosphorus, nitrate‐N and ammonium‐N, was higher during the wet season than the dry season. Total nitrogen was the main driver of nutrient pollution in the UHR, whereas total phosphorus was identified as another potential nutrient pollutant. We also found that water quality parameters were more strongly related to land use types during the wet season than the dry season. Croplands and urban lands increased phosphorus concentrations of river water, whereas forest and grasslands decreased the nitrogen concentrations of river water at the sub‐basin scale. Land use at the riparian zone scales better explained variations in water quality than land use at sub‐basin scales. The explained variations in landscape metrics were generally higher during the dry season than the wet season. The largest patch index and Shannon's diversity index were the main predictors of river water quality in the UHR.


Medium to large channel count detectors are usually faced with a few unattractive options for data acquisition (DAQ). Small to medium-sized TPC experiments, for example, are too small to justify the expense and development time of application specific integrated circuits (ASIC). Commercial rack mounted electronics are too bulky and expensive for large channel counts. The combination of commercial high-speed high-density FPGAs, ADCs, and small discrete components provides another option that scales to tens of thousands of channels and is only slightly larger than ASICs using off-the-shelf components. A working example of this alternative solution is presented.


Metabolomics is an emerging new "omics" field involving the systematic analysis of the metabolites in a biologic system. These metabolites provide a molecular snapshot of cellular activity and are thus important for understanding the functional changes in metabolic pathways that drive disease. Recently, metabolomics has been used to study the local and systemic metabolic changes in psoriasis and its cardiometabolic comorbidities. Such studies have revealed novel insights into disease pathogenesis and suggest new biochemical signatures that may be used as a marker of psoriatic disease. This review will discuss common strategies in metabolomics analysis, current findings in the metabolomics of psoriasis, and emerging trends in psoriatic metabolomics.


Fatigue crack branching and deflection behaviour in an UNS S32750 (SAF 2507) duplex stainless steel has been investigated using an In-situ SEM/EBSD fatigue test and a conventional da/dN methodology. Occurrence of crack branching results mainly from the extrusions and intrusions of slip bands developed in the grains. The number of crack branches formed depends strongly on the loading condition and the microstructure of the material. The in-situ observation confirms that the formation of crack branches can significantly reduce the crack propagation rate that leads to crack growth retardation in the main mode I crack path. The crack branches formed are usually not ideal. They can propagate almost transversely to the main crack direction with a mode II stress intensity factor, SIF, and a rate that is much higher than that of the main crack. Crack deflection occurs mainly at the phase boundaries. A high crack deflection can also lead to a crack growth retardation. The high crack deflection and branching behaviour leads to a high fatigue threshold value of the material investigated since they have caused high crack growth retardation and high crack closure. Introduction It is known that fatigue crack propagation behaviour is influenced by loading conditions, microstructures in the material and environment. Fatigue cracking can significantly deviate from the propagation directions that should be perpendicular to the main stresses in mode I. This may lead to the formation of crack deflection, kinking or branching [1, 2], and consequently cause significant retardation or even arrest of the subsequent crack propagation by reducing crack driving force [2, 3]. This crack tip stress shielding can therefore enhance crack growth resistance. Although it is very difficult to analyse propagation behaviour of branched cracks, several analytical solutions have been developed to predict the propagation path of a branched crack and to calculate the mode I and II stress intensity factors. They confirm that the formation of fatigue crack branches reduce the stress intensity factors and therefore the crack propagation rate [3, 4]. They also predict that a shorter branch will arrest and a longer branch will return to the pre-overload propagation [3]. These discussions were mainly focused on the overloading conditions. Most direct observations of fatigue crack branching behaviour have been made using light optical microscopes (LOM) or scanning electron microscopes (SEM). Recently, several in-situ SEM and atomic force microscope (AFM) studies on the fatigue branching behaviour have been performed [5, 6]. In these researches, fatigue crack branching behaviour and subsequent fatigue crack retardation were observed [5]. With in-situ AFM, the microscopic crack branching behaviour can be investigated [6]. However, these


It's becoming showdown time in more markets as not-for-profit hospitals face new competitors for rehabilitation patients--the large, investor-owned rehab chains. Not-for-profits argue the chains are adding unneeded beds and that their admission decisions focus only on the insured. The chains defend their record of indigent care and say they're not in the habit of building unnecessary facilities.


The reactivity of α,n-didehydrotoluenes (DHTs) in protic media (organic/aqueous mixtures) was explored by means of a combined computational and experimental approach. These intermediates were generated via a photoinduced double elimination process occurring in (chlorobenzyl)trimethylsilanes and led to the formation of a varied products distribution, depending on the isomer tested. Irradiation of ortho- and para-derivatives resulted, respectively, in the formation of triplet α,2- and α,4-DHTs, whose diradical reactivity led to both radical and polar products. On the other hand, irradiation of the meta-precursor led to the singlet α,3-DHT isomer. The latter showed a marked preference for the formation of polar products and this was rationalized, as supported by computational evidence, via the involvement of a zwitterionic species arising through interaction of the nucleophilic solvent with the benzylic position of the DHT.


Structural and energetic features of artificial DNA quadruplexes consisting of base tetrads and their stacks with Na(+)/K(+) ion(s) inside the central pore and incorporating halogenated derivatives of xanthine, 8-fluoro-9-deazaxanthine (FdaX), 8-chloro-9-deazaxanthine (CldaX), 8-bromo-9-deazaxanthine (BrdaX), or 8-iodo-9-deazaxanthine (IdaX), have been investigated by modern state-of-the-art computational tools. The DNA (or RNA) quadruplex models based on 8-halo-9-deazaxanthines are predicted to be more stable relative to those with unmodified xanthine due to the increased stabilizing contributions coming from all three main types of weak interactions (H-bonding, stacking, and ion coordination). Methods for analyzing the electron density are used to understand the nature of forces determining the stability of the system and to gain a predictive potential. Quadruplex systems incorporating polarizable halogen atoms (chlorine, bromine, or iodine) benefit significantly from the stabilizing stacking between the individual tetrads due to an increased dispersion contribution as compared to xanthine and guanine, natural references used. Ion coordination induces a significant rearrangement of electron density in the quadruplex stem as visualized by electron deformation density (EDD) and analyzed by ETS-NOCV and Voronoi charges. Na(+) induces larger electron polarization from the quadruplex toward the ion, whereas K(+) has a higher propensity to electron sharing (identified by QTAIM delocalization index). We expect that our results will contribute to the development of novel strategies to further modify and analyze the natural G-quadruplex core.


OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS
Aminoglycosides may decrease the expression of some proteins participating in ion-exchange in the cochlear lateral wall. Connexin 26 expression in the lateral wall may play a role in acquired hearing loss by maintaining the endocochlear potential and potassium concentration in the endolymph. We examined the effects of gentamicin on the expression of connexin 26 to obtain a better understanding of aminoglycoside ototoxicity.

METHODS
We detected changes in connexin 26 protein and mRNA expression in the cochlear lateral wall using immunohistochemistry staining, western blotting, and real-time PCR in rats after administration of a single dose of gentamicin.

RESULTS
The expression of connexin 26 increased over time in type III fibrocytes after gentamicin administration. Elevated protein levels were detected 3 h after the single injection of gentamicin; while, mRNA levels increased after 24 h.

CONCLUSION
Connexin 26 plays an important role in the acute effects of high-dose gentamicin and is probably involved in the pathogenesis of ototoxic deafness.


Abstract Previous research into social media platforms has often focused on the exceptional: key moments in politics, sports or crisis communication. For Twitter, it has usually centred on hashtags or keywords. Routine and everyday social media practices remain underexamined as a result; the literature has overrepresented the loudest voices: those users who contribute actively to popular hashtags. This article addresses this imbalance by exploring in depth the day-to-day patterns of activity within the Australian Twittersphere for a 24-hour period in March 2017. We focus especially on the previously less visible everyday social media practices that this shift in perspective reveals. This provides critical new insights into where, and how, to look for evidence of onlife traces in a systematic way.


The author discusses the feasibility of PET measurements of rHct using 68Ga-labelled plasma albumin and 15O- or 11C-labelled red blood cells, administered either simultaneously or sequentially. The effects of regional cerebral haematocrit, amount of administered radioactivity and the timing and duration of PET scans on measurement error are examined. The radiation dose to various organs resulting from several protocols estimated and compared. The consideration of both absorbed radiation dose and effects of protocol on measurement errors are generally applicable to any physiological measurements requiring determination of more than one parameter.


Abstract Contactless photoplethysmography (cPPG) is a method of physiological monitoring. It differs from conventional monitoring methods (e.g., saturation probe) by ensuring no contact with the subject by use of a camera. The majority of research on cPPG is conducted in a laboratory setting or in healthy populations. This review aims to evaluate the current literature on monitoring using cPPG in adults within a clinical setting. Adhering to the Preferred Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA, 2020) guidelines, OVID, Webofscience, Cochrane library, and clinicaltrials.org were systematically searched by two researchers. Research articles using cPPG for monitoring purposes in adults within a clinical setting were selected. Twelve studies with a total of 654 individuals were included. Heart rate (HR) was the most investigated vital sign (n = 8) followed by respiratory rate ((n = 2), Sp02 (n = 2), and HR variability (n = 2). Four studies were included in a meta-analysis of HR compared to ECG data which demonstrated a mean bias of –0.13 (95% CI, –1.22–0.96). This study demonstrates cPPG can be a useful tool in the remote monitoring of patients and has demonstrated accuracy for HR. However, further research is needed into the clinical applications of this method.


The Forkhead box M1 (FoxM1) transcription factor is critical for expression of the genes essential for G1/S transition and mitotic progression. To explore the cell cycle regulation of FoxM1, we examined the phosphorylation profile of FoxM1. Here, we show that the phosphorylated status and the activity of FoxM1 increase as cells progress from S to G2/M phases. Moreover, dephosphorylation of FoxM1 coincides with exit from mitosis. Using mass spectrometry, we have identified a new conserved phosphorylation site (Ser-251) within the forkhead domain of FoxM1. Disruption of Ser-251 inhibits phosphorylation of FoxM1 and dramatically decreases its transcriptional activity. We demonstrate that the Ser-251 residue is required for CDK1-dependent phosphorylation of FoxM1 as well as its interaction with the coactivator CREB-binding protein (CBP). Interestingly, the transcriptional activity of the S251A mutant protein remains responsive to activation by overexpressed Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1). Cells expressing the S251A mutant exhibit reduced expression of the G2/M phase genes and impaired mitotic progression. Our results demonstrate that the transcriptional activity of FoxM1 is controlled in a cell cycle-dependent fashion by temporally regulated phosphorylation and dephosphorylation events, and that the phosphorylation at Ser-251 is critical for the activation of FoxM1.


Abstract An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of two levels of rumen undegradable protein (RUP) without or with whole or extruded flaxseed on milk yield, milk component, milk fatty acids (FAs) profile and plasma metabolites in transition ewes. Three weeks before and after lambing, seventy-two Baluchi ewes were used in a completely randomized design with a 3 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. The treatments contained 1) no flaxseed + 20% RUP (no flaxseed, low RUP [NFLR]); 2) no flaxseed + 40% RUP (no flaxseed, high RUP [NFHR]); 3) 10% whole flaxseed + 20% RUP (whole flaxseed, low RUP [WFLR]); 4) 10% whole flaxseed + 40% RUP (whole flaxseed, high RUP [WFHR]); 5) 10% extruded flaxseed + 20% RUP (extruded flaxseed, low RUP [EFLR]), and 6) 10% extruded flaxseed + 40% RUP (extruded flaxseed, high RUP [EFHR]). Ewes fed 10% extruded flaxseed exhibited higher (p < 0.001) dry matter intake (DMI) and colostrum yield (p < 0.1) compared to other treatments. Two types of flaxseed and RUP levels had no significant effect on milk yield, but milk fat and protein contents decreased and increased in diets containing 40% RUP, respectively. Ewes fed extruded flaxseed produced milk with lower concentrations of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and higher α-linolenic and linoleic acids and also polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) compared to other groups (p < 0.05). During post-lambing, the ewes fed diets containing flaxseed exhibited higher concentration of serum non-esterified FAs (NEFA) compared to diets without flaxseed (p < 0.01). The concentration of serum β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA) decreased in the diets containing flaxseed types at pre-lambing, but increased in diets containing extruded flaxseed at post-lambing (p < 0.01). The serum glucose concentration of ewes (pre and post-lambing) which consumed diets containing extruded flaxseed or 40% RUP increased, but blood urea concentration was elevated following supplementation of diet with whole flaxseed or 40% RUP (p < 0.001). In conclusion, utilization of 10% extruded flaxseed in the diets of transition ewes had positive effects on animal performance with favorable changes in milk FAs profile. However, there is no considerable advantage to supply more than 20% RUP level in the diet of transition dairy sheep.


Metallic nanostructures attract much interest as an efficient media for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Significant progress has been made on the synthesis of metal nanoparticles with various shapes, composition, and controlled plasmonic properties, all critical for an efficient SERS response. For practical applications, efficient strategies of assembling metal nanoparticles into organized nanostructures are paramount for the fabrication of reproducible, stable, and highly active SERS substrates. Recent progress in the synthesis of novel plasmonic nanoparticles, fabrication of highly ordered one-, two-, and three-dimensional SERS substrates, and some applications of corresponding SERS effects are discussed.


Earth-like planets are expected to provide the greatest opportunity for the detection of life beyond the Solar System. This notion stems from an assumption that the Earth constitutes a simple random sample amongst inhabited planets. However, in the event that other intelligent species exist, our planet should not be considered a fair sample. Just as a person's country of origin is a biased sample among countries, so too their planet of origin is a biased sample among planets. The strength of this effect can be substantial: over 98% of the world's population live in a country larger than the median. Any variable which influences either the population size or birth rate is susceptible to selection bias. In the context of a simple model where the mean population density is invariant to planet size, we infer that an inhabited planet selected at random (such as our nearest neighbour) has a radius r<1.2 r_Earth (95% confidence bound). If the range of habitable radii is sufficiently broad, most inhabited planets are likely to be closer in size to Mars than the Earth. Furthermore, since population density is widely observed to decline with increasing body mass, we conclude that most intelligent species are expected to exceed 300kg. Primitive life-forms are a pre-requisite for advanced life, and so the planets which host them must trace at least the same volume of parameter space. Our conclusions are therefore not restricted to the search for intelligent life, but may be of significance when surveying exoplanets for atmospheric biomarkers.


Background: Sjögren's syndrome (SS) patients are prone to caries development due to reduction of salivary flow. Topical fluoride is commonly prescribed for caries prevention. Methods: In this 24-month randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial, SS patients were randomly assigned to receive either fluoride varnish or placebo gel quarterly. Development and arrest of caries at the coronal and root surfaces were recorded at 12-month and 24-month and compared to that of the baseline. Effect of fluoride varnish on oral Candida and lactobacilli colonization was explored by comparing baseline oral microbiological assessments to data obtained at 12-month and 24-month. Results: Seventy-eight SS patients (mean age = 50 years, 2 men) completed this trial. At 24-month, the mean new coronal enamel caries were 1.6 surfaces in both groups, and new dentin caries were 1.4 and 2.7 surfaces in the fluoride and placebo group respectively (p > 0.05). Mean arrested caries were 0.6 and 0.7 surfaces for fluoride and placebo groups respectively and that of root caries were 0.3 and 0.1 surfaces (p > 0.05). The mean oral Candida count was reduced by 30% in the fluoride group but increased 61% in the placebo group while no change in oral lactobacilli counts in both groups at 24 months (p > 0.05). SS patients receiving fluoride varnish were significantly less likely to develop dentin caries (p < 0.05). In contrast, those with high baseline DMFS scores (p = 0.05), harbored mixed Candida species (p < 0.05), or unstimulated whole saliva at low pH (p < 0.01) were significantly more likely to develop dentin caries. Conclusions: Results of this randomized clinical trial did not provide clear evidence to support or refute that quarterly applications of fluoride varnish can prevent development of dental caries in people with Sjögren's syndrome. Trial registration: This study was retrospectively registered at the ISRCTN registry (ISRCTN85164658) on 9 Sept 2016 and was funded by the Research Grant Council of Hong Kong.


This article uses the data of several national surveys (2003–2015) to analyze the changes in the size of the Russian middle class, including during periods of crisis in the Russian economy, and the influence of the economic crisis that started in 2014 on the middle class. It shows that although the income, life chances, and social protection of the country's middle class have declined in the current crisis, the overall negative impact of the first year of the crisis on the life of the Russian middle class was less than expected. In times of crisis, members of this class also differ significantly in all key characteristics of their lives from the rest of the Russian population. However, as the article shows, the crisis dramatically intensified all the negative trends in the socio-economic situation of the Russian middle class that had begun in the pre-crisis years, especially the convergence of their position with that of other Russians. This applies not only to income, achievements, and consumption, but also to the decline of social protection at work. The conclusion is reached that the deteriorating position of the middle class and the growth of equalization (the reforms of the early 1990s were carried out under the slogan of fighting against it) will contribute to erosion of the foundations of the social contract that emerged in that period between the government and the most skilled segment of Russian society.


Biodiesel properties are in general attributed to the composition and properties of the oil feedstock used, overlooking the possible impacts of the catalyst preparation details. In light of that, the impacts of different catalyst preparation techniques alongside those of different support materials on the yield, composition, and fuel properties of biodiesels produced from the same oil feedstock were investigated. More specifically, tri-metallic (Fe-Co-Ni) catalyst was synthesized through two different techniques (green synthesis and wet impregnation) using MgO or ZnO as support material. The generated catalyst pairs, i.e., Fe-Co-Ni/MgO and Fe-Co-Ni/ZnO prepared by wet impregnation and Fe-Co-Ni-MgO and Fe-Co-Ni-ZnO prepared by green synthesis (using leaf extracts) were used in the transesterification process of Jatropha curcas oil. Detailed morphological properties, composition, thermal stability, crystalline nature, and functional groups characterization of the catalysts were also carried out. Using Box-Behnken Design response surface methodology, it was found that the green-synthesized Fe-Co-Ni-MgO catalyst resulted in the highest biodiesel yield of 97.9%. More importantly, the fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) profiles of the biodiesels produced using the four catalysts as well as their respective fuel properties were different in spite of using the same oil feedstock.


Business clients sometimes refer derogatorily to their 'two-handed' lawyers, implicitly distinguishing between the thinking that leads up to a decision and the decision itself. A 'two-handed lawyer' is one who can analyze a problem on one hand and on the other hand, but tosses the actual decision back to the client. The observation invokes something fundamental about objective information, subjective judgment making, and the commitment to action. 'Thinking like a lawyer' is a prototype of the rationally analytical mindset residing at one end of the mental continuum, and the entrepreneur's impatience with allocating the risk of failure is a prototype of the commitment to action residing at the opposite end. If leaping is the metaphor for the business decision, then the systematic and dispassionate 'two-handed' assimilation of data through rational analysis – the lawyer's stock in trade – plays a crucial role. The leaper uses that analysis to assess distances and capabilities. But the decision to leap is something quite different. The leaper's subjective experience of the "aha" moment of a business decision (or any decision, even when made by lawyers) defies scientific reduction. It is really only accessible through the subjective lived experience of the decision-maker. Deciding is more like action than thought. In his iconic The Reflective Practitioner, the late Donald Schon criticized a mode of thinking he called Technical Rationality. Prototypical legal analysis is an exemplar of Schon's Technical Rationality, applied methodically and systematically as a means of helping others to understand their circumstances and to optimize their positions in light of risk and uncertainty. Prototypical entrepreneurs and investors, however, are obliged to decide and to act. The mental process that leads to action is deeply subjective, personal, intuitive, and often ad hoc. Understanding that in difficult cases it is possible to offer as many reasons for as against the proposed action, the most effective business lawyers do not merely analyze and offer 'two-handed' alternatives. Instead, they put themselves in the position of the decider and understand what it means to take the leap of a business decision. This article is a reflection on the reasons for lawyerly 'two-handedness' and some preliminary thoughts on overcoming it. The affective toolkit for getting beyond rational analysis to action includes attributes such as epistemic humility, epistemic courage, self-awareness, and the willingness to accept responsibility for the consequences of one's decisions. The practical toolkit will follow in another essay.


This study provides comprehensive characterization of the mode of action of bistramide A and identifies structural requirements of bistramide-based compounds that are responsible for severing actin filaments and inhibiting growth of cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. We rationally designed and assembled a series of structural analogs of the natural product, including a fluorescently labeled conjugate. We used TIRF microscopy to directly observe actin filament severing by this series of small molecules, which established that the combination of the spiroketal and the amide subunits was sufficient to enable rapid actin filament disassembly in vitro. In addition, we demonstrated that the enone subunit of bistramide A is responsible for covalent modification of the protein in vitro and in A549 cells, resulting in further increase in the cytotoxicity of the natural product. Our results demonstrate that bistramide A elicits its potent antiproliferative activity by a dual mechanism of action, which entails both severing of actin filaments and covalent sequestration of monomeric actin in the cell.


Objective: We conducted a population-based study to assess whether work as a nurse during pregnancy increases the risk of low birth weight, preterm delivery, and small-for-gestational-age. Methods: The study population was selected from The Finnish Prenatal Environment and Health Study of 2568 newborns (response 94%) and included 128 (5.0%) newborns of nurses and 559 newborns of office workers (21.8%) as a reference group. Results: The risk of low birth weight (adjusted odds ratio = 1.02; 95% confidence interval = 0.32–3.22) and preterm delivery (0.81; 0.32–2.05) did not differ between newborns of nurses and office workers, but the risk of small-for-gestational-age was substantially higher among newborns of nurses (1.99; 1.10–3.59). This corresponds to a population attributable fraction of 2.5%. Conclusions: The results indicate that working as a nurse during pregnancy could reduce fetal growth.


Throughout the years, various teaching methods have been adopted to assist students to better understand building assemblies and construction details. Many current teaching techniques to explain assemblies, components and their sequence of construction rely heavily on traditional instruments such as 2D CAD drawings, photographs and site visits. These techniques have their own drawbacks. However, 3D CAD modeling addresses the third dimension that is not present in 2D CAD drawings, that is allowing better viewing, validating and understanding building components and their construction. This paper addresses the impact of understanding 3D and its advantages over current approaches. The paper describes a pilot study conducted with students from the Virginia Tech Architecture and Building Construction departments. The experiment investigated the advantages of 3D representation as compared to 2D drawings, in understanding construction assemblies and details. The paper also discusses the shortcomings of the traditional methods and compares the suitability of using 3D as a teaching aid. A new approach utilizing Pocket PCs via wireless connectivity, to allow students access to and viewing of 3D models remotely, is briefly presented.


For a long time, syntacticians and semanticists have been seeking a way to integrate semantic analysis into syntactic parsing, or inverse; because they have realized that understanding cannot be fully explained simply with syntax or semantics. Categorial Grammarians devoted a lot to extend the expressiveness of CG, but they missed a point what behinds the scene is meanings rather than grammar rules. Frame Semantics invented a very good formal representation of meanings; however it lacks an apparatus of syntactic operation like the one of CG. So, in this paper, we integrated them together, so as they could complement each other. This theoretical model can explain why some grammatical sentences are unacceptable in semantics. Besides, we introduced our Parsing System built on this theoretical model, which well supports our argument that if a semantic category is allowed by the frame, then the sentence is acceptable in semantics.


The study of the effect of self-assembled organic monolayers on the critical current in thin superconducting Nb films is presented. Correlation is found between the coverage of the adsorbed layer and the critical current. A large change of up to 50% in the critical current by the well-organized monolayers is observed. The phenomenon is explained by the adsorption-induced electric field effect diminishing the surface pinning force.


We report the results of an experiment in which voters participating in the 2008 presidential election were surveyed either as they exited their voting places (a traditional exit poll) or as they waited in line to vote (an "entrance poll"). To the best of our knowledge, the efficacy of entrance polling has not been studied previously. Our data show that the entrance poll, when compared to the exit poll, produced a significantly higher cooperation rate among voters and a significantly lower item nonresponse rate. In our discussion of these results, we examine the benefits and potential complications of entrance polling.


Lipases belong to the group of hydrolases that catalyze the hydrolysis of triacylglycerol lipids to free fatty acids and glycerol. They have significant potential biotechnological applications in catalyzing organic synthesis reactions in non-aqueous solvents using simplified procedures resulting in conversions of high yields. Lipase production has conventionally been performed by submerged fermentation; however, solid-state fermentation processes have been prominent when residues are used as substrates because they serve as low-cost nutrient sources. Microbial lipases can be used as additives in foods to modify and enhance organoleptic properties, as well as in detergents to hydrolyse fats in the treatment of oily effluents, and also have value for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, agrochemical, and oil chemical industries. More recently, they are used in transesterification reactions to convert plant seed oils into biodiesel. The objective of this work was to review the published literature on the production, properties and applications of microbial lipases, and its biotechnological role in producing biodiesel. Key-words: Enzymes. Microbial enzymes. Enzyme applications. Biodiesel.


OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the feasibility of doxorubicin/cisplatin (AP) for postoperative chemotherapy in patients with advanced endometrial cancer.

METHODS
Patients with newly diagnosed advanced endometrial cancer received AP (doxorubicin 60 mg/m(2), cisplatin 50 mg/m(2)) every 3 weeks. Treatment was continued until disease progression or completion of 6 courses. Toxicities were evaluated every cycle according to NCI-CTCAE Ver.3.0.

RESULTS
Fifteen patients were enrolled from April 2004 through December 2005. All patients successfully completed therapy. There were two patients who needed dose reduction and nine patients with prolongation of treatment interval. Patients with over Grade 3/4 toxicity were observed to have leucopenia (47%), neutropenia (67%), anemia (26%), and vomiting (13%). No grade 3/4 cardiac and renal failure were observed.

CONCLUSIONS
The doxorubicin/cisplatin (AP) regimen is tolerated and can be safely given without severe toxicity.


In the situation of monitoring an experiment, it is often necessary to control several independently running tasks from one graphical user interface (GUI). Such a GUI must be able to execute commands in the tasks even if they are busy, i.e., getting data, analyzing data, or waiting for data. Moreover, the tasks, being controlled by data streams (i.e., event data samples or slow control data), must be able to send data asynchronously to the GUI for visualization. A multitasking package (C++ class library) that meets these demands has been developed at the Gesellschaft fur Schwerionenforschung (GSI), Darmstadt, Germany, in the framework of a new analysis system, Go4, which is based on the ROOT system [CERN, R. Brun et al]. The package provides a thread manager, a task handler, and asynchronous intertask communication between threads through sockets. Hence, objects can be sent at any time from a task to the GUI or vice versa. At the GUI side, an incoming object is accepted by a thread and processed. In a task, an incoming command is queued by the accepting thread and executed in the execution thread. Utilizing the package one can implement nonblocking GUIs to control one or several tasks processing data in parallel and updating graphical elements in the GUI. The package could also be useful in building data dispatchers or in slow control applications. All components have been tested with Go4 analysis tasks and a very preliminary GUI.


We propose an ultra-discretization for an SIR epidemic model with time delay. It is proven that the ultra-discrete model has a threshold property concerning global attractivity of equilibria as shown in differential and difference equation models. We also study an interesting convergence pattern of the solution, which is illustrated in a two-dimensional lattice.


In this paper, I explore the intersections of queer and undocumented identities and experiences as manifested in the artwork of Julio Salgado, particularly in his contemporary I Am Undocuqueer! series, an ongoing collaboration between Salgado and community activist groups such as the Undocumented Queer Youth Collective and the Queer Undocumented Immigrant Project. Hybrid politics inform Salgado's work at multiple levels – in his self-identification as an "artivist," his direct involvement of activist groups working for LGBTQ and undocumented rights, his inclusion of multiple languages alongside images, and his use of various public display, such as street art and via social media. In each dimension, Salgado's claims and affirms the presence of those who experience marginalization within the U.S. according to their nationality, documentation/authorization status, gender and sexual identities. His work enables the narration of undocuqueer experiences in a format that utilizes visual and linguistic modes simultaneously; considering the role of both the visual and of language in constructing xenophobic epistemologies, Salgado's chosen format embodies possibilities of resistance that are particularly notable in that they formulate resistance by reframing some of the same modalities that constitute the oppression of people according to their race/ethnicity, nationality, gender, and sexual identities. By rendering multiple dimensions of undocuqueer experience visible, Salgado envisions a politics of resistance in which rights for immigrants and queer-identified people are not separable according to the same logics that marginalize them in the first place.


Different music training involves different hand coordination levels and may have a significant influence on brain oscillation for the executive function. However, few research has focused on the plasticity of executive function and the brain oscillation modulated by different musical instrument training modules. In this study, we recruited 18 string musicians, 20 pianists, and 19 non-musicians to perform a bimanual key pressing task during EEG recording. Behavioral results revealed that pianists have the highest accuracy and the shortest response time, followed by string musicians and non-musicians (p < 0.05). Time-frequency analyses of EEG revealed that pianists generated significantly greater theta power than the other groups from 500 ms to 800 ms post-stimulus in mid-central, frontal brain areas, and motor control areas. Functional connectivity analyses found that the pianists showed significantly greater connectivity in the frontal-parietal area in theta band based on phase-locking value analysis, which suggests that piano training improves executive function and enhances the connectivity between prefrontal and mid-central regions. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the effects of different music training on executive function.


In 107 patients the EEG after sleep deprivation was performed. The patients have been divided in three groups: 1) with clinically unequivocal, 2) equivocal and 3) no epileptic seizures. All the patients where subdivided in those with and those without anticonvulsive medication. In patients with a previous normal EEG, sleep deprivation had the most activating effect regarding focal or generalized spikes or spike wave complexes in group one. However, patients without medication showed more often activation compared with untreated patients. In the second group the activation was less pronounced, again presenting the same relation between treated and untreated patients. Patients with no seizures as well as a control group of 20 volunteers had no activation at all.


Dementia will soon be ranked as the world's largest economy. At present, it ranges from the 16 th to 18 th place, with countries such as Indonesia, the Netherlands, and Turkey. Dementia is not only a financial challenge, but also a philosophical one. It provokes a paradigm shift in the traditional view of healthcare and expands the classic concepts of human personhood and autonomy. A promising response to these challenges is the idea of cooperative solidarity. Cooperative solidarity, contrary to its 'humanitarian' version, promotes spontaneous teamwork and individual initiative. It obliges us not only to help 'the suffering, the troubled and the disadvantaged', but above all to support those who already do so for spontaneous moral or affective reasons. In the field of dementia study, solidary initiatives are described within the framework of supportive care.


While the benefits of entrepreneurship towards firm performance are established, the role of information technology (IT) is mixed. The present study of 158 New Zealand firms responds to calls to extend performance measures to include non-financial outcomes and focuses on employee retention. Direct and substantial relationships between corporate entrepreneurship and employee retention were found. Furthermore, moderating effects were tested from IT dimensions, and high IT objects (hardware software and personnel) had the greatest interaction with an entrepreneurial culture, reporting a 10 per cent higher retention rate than similar entrepreneurial firms with low IT objects. However, IT was not universally positive, with high IT knowledge interacting with entrepreneurial culture, leading to lower employee retention. The study highlights the way some IT dimensions can enhance entrepreneurial capabilities, although cautions the effects of others, highlighting the potential complexities of IT that may repel rather than retain employees.


While previous research acknowledges the importance of line manager interpretations of information coming from the HR department for explaining various employee attitudes and behaviors, less is known about the antecedents of these interpretations, also known as HR attributions. This paper provides a qualitative examination of the interplay between three key antecedents of HR attributions, namely, line manager beliefs about the HR department, information from the HR department and context. Our analysis is based on 30 interviews with HR professionals and line managers in three units of one organization. Our findings suggest that differences in context have a strong impact on line manager beliefs about HR, influencing the way line managers see HR practices, processes and the role of the HR department, and consequently the way they interpret information coming from HR. Our analysis extends our understanding of the variability in line manager interpretations of HR information. Our results contribute to existing research on HRM strength and HR attributions by highlighting the importance of focusing not only on the consistency of the HR system, but also on individual line managers beliefs about HR, and the context in which HR processes take place.


Dual-antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) after second-generation drug eluting stent (2-DES) implantation reduced the risk of stent thrombosis and subsequent ischemic events, with an increase in bleeding risk. Although chronic kidney disease patients have high ischemic and bleeding risk, little is known about both risks in hemodialysis patients after 2-DES implantation during DAPT.

 From July 2009 to March 2017, we retrospectively analyzed post-discharge major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events [MACCE: cardiac death, myocardial infarction, target vessel revascularization (TVR) and cerebral infarction] and bleeding events in 644 consecutive patients during DAPT after 2-DES implantation. We divided them into 2 groups [102 hemodialysis (HD) and 518 non-hemodialysis (Non-HD) patients, mean age, 71±10 years] after excluding 24 patients (lost to follow up and peritoneal dialysis). Follow-up period was 49±24 months. Median DAPT duration was 12 months. The primary endpoint was MACCE. The secondary endpoint was bleeding events according to the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) type 2, 3, or 5. MACCE and bleeding events were compared between HD and Non-HD by using the propensity score-matching (PSM) method.

 Among the 620 eligible patients, the primary and secondary events occurred in 207 (33.3%) and 76 (12.3%) patients, respectively. The rates of unadjusted MACCE [HD vs Non-HD: 53.9% vs 29.3%; Hazard ratio (HR) 2.39, p<0.01] and bleeding events (HD vs Non-HD: 21.6% vs 10.4%; HR 2.50, p<0.01) were significantly higher in HD than Non-HD.
 After 1-to-1 propensity score adjustment for baseline differences (hypertension, diabetes mellitus, low ejection fraction, low albumin, anemia, and high C-reactive protein), a total of 160 patients (80 HD vs 80 Non-HD) was created. The rate of MACCE [HD vs Non-HD: 52.5% vs 31.3%; adjusted HR 2.04, p<0.01] was significantly higher in HD than Non-HD. Regarding MACCE, cardiac death (HD vs Non-HD: 18.8% vs 8.8%; adjusted HR 2.65, p=0.03) and TVR (HD vs Non-HD: 15.0% vs 6.3%; adjusted HR 2.74, p=0.046) occurred significantly higher in HD. On the other hand, bleeding events did not exhibit significant differences though HD had a numerically higher event rate (HD vs Non-HD: 25.0% vs 16.3%; adjusted HR 1.68, p=0.15), indicating that the bleeding risk in HD would be strongly dependent on the patient's background.

 As a result of PSM, HD was shown to contribute to ischemic risk rather than bleeding risk. Even in the 2-DES era, HD was an independent risk factor of cardiac death and TVR. Therefore, further study on the current regimen of DAPT would be necessary while balancing both ischemic and bleeding risk.


This thesis seeks to investigate the role of architecture in distilling of ephemerality within a fixed geometry; using the variables of light, texture, context and atmospheric conditions as experimental catalysts. Consequently, this research explores the notion that a rigid architecture can play a central role in the creation of temporal atmosphere. It investigates this proposition by developing a method to represent ephemerality through architectural form and medium with an iterative design process as the overarching methodology.  The design research begins with establishing the literary and physical context of projective geometries, abstraction of 'place' and atmospheric manipulation. This follows onto a three-part design-led exploration, with each test increasing in scale and architectural complexity. These include a site less installation, a gallery and a rehabilitation centre site on the rugged South Brighton coastline. This series explores the relationship between the temporary and the constant, with lessons learnt from each previous experiment translated into the later. These develop a range of architectural techniques for distilling ephemerality within fixed geometries with social response and programmatic factors being supplementary factors.The research recognises the already well established study into the ephemerality of spatial conditions within the architectural discourse and seeks to build on this through abstraction of place and site specific design responses.


As the current financial crisis spreads from country to country around the world, China's new-found financial and political power is dominating global, financial, and political arenas. China's recent rise to power deserves increased scrutiny as China's experience may offer lessons and models for other countries struggling with financial chaos. These remarks begin a dialogue over the lessons that can be learned from China' ascent to power, and considers some of implications of China's rise. It also contrasts China's experience with that of Western countries, who have approached financial reform from entirely different perspectives. After considering these perspectives, and providing an overview of the Chinese banking system, these remarks explain how China developed a system with strong state control in contrast to the U.S. free-market system, and questions which model will be more successful in moderating the current financial crisis. In sum, the questions around how China rose to power, and is seeking to use this power, is necessary to an understanding of how other countries may evaluate financial reform and develop effective solutions to global financial problems.


This paper examines the role of cultural experiences and cultural competence as two factors that can influence how well immigrant employees can do in Australia's culturally diverse work environment. The paper posits that individuals with more experience with other cultures and with higher levels of cultural competence will find the Australian culturally diverse environment less stressful compared to individuals who lack these resources. Using job demands-resources theory and the extant literature, this paper presents hypotheses and a conceptual model that links these two factors to levels of burnout amongst immigrant employees currently working in Australia. The theoretical and practical implications of the model are discussed, along with avenues for future research. Keywords: Cultural experiences, cultural competence, burnout, immigrant employees, Australia


Magnetic hyperthermia based on nanoparticles (NPs) is considered a significant approach in cancer therapy. However, less attention has been paid to the correlation between hyperthermia properties and detailed magnetic characteristics. Herein, the hyperthermia capability of FexNi100-x (8 ≤ × ≤ 40) NPs synthesized using a polyol method was studied by investigating the temperature rise and specific loss power (SLP) of their ferrofluid (FF) solutions while also performing first-order reversal curve (FORC) analysis. The colloidal stability of magnetic NPs in the FFs was enhanced by coating their surface with polyethylene glycol, and the hyperthermia experiments were carried out in ethylene glycol and DI water (DIW) dispersion media using different concentrations (1.25, 2.5 and 5 mg ml−1). A field-emission scanning electron microscope was employed to characterize the morphology of the FeNi NPs, evidencing mean diameters ranging between 64–112 nm. Hysteresis loop measurements showed a decreasing trend of average coercive field from 94 to 52 Oe when decreasing the diameter, coinciding with a 13% increase in the reversible fraction of single-domain and superparamagnetic (SP) NPs, according to FORC results. In this way, the corresponding SLP value increased from 55 to 264 W g−1 for FFs in 1.25 mg ml−1 concentrated DIW medium with an SP fraction of 40%.


ABSTRACT Li, B., Ellis, J. T., Sherman, D. J., 2014. Estimating the Impact Threshold for Wind-Blown Sand. In: Green, A.N. and Cooper, J.A.G. (eds.), Proceedings 13th International Coastal Symposium (Durban, South Africa), Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 70, pp. 627–632, ISSN 0749-0208. In many aeolian studies, it is commonplace to use Bagnold's (1936) equation to calculate threshold shear velocity (u*t), which includes an empirical constant, A, typically set at about 0.082 for maintaining saltation (the dynamic, or impact, threshold). Here, we present data from a pilot study to assess the variability of A to improve estimations of u*t, which in turn, should improve transport rate predictions. Using field data from three coastal environments, we measured or calculated all parameters within the Lettau and Lettau (1978) model and u*t equation. In Jericoacoara, Brazil (BRA), Inch, Ireland (IRE), and Esposende, Portugal (POR) wind velocities were measured with cup anemometer towers and transport rates were measured using traps for 31 data runs lasting 120 to 1020 seconds each. Mean grain sizes were 0.17 mm (IRE), 0.31 mm (POR), and 0.30 mm (BRA), and mean shear velocities were 0.38 m s−1 (IRE), 0.40 m s−1 (POR), and 0.49 m s−1 (BRA). Empirically determined, adjusted A values ranged from 0.02 to 0.21 with a mean and standard deviation of 0.11 and 0.04. No relationship exists between estimates of A and grain Reynolds number. A statistically significant (p < 0.001), negative relationship was found between A and mass transport rate, leading to substantial over-prediction of transport rates near the threshold and under-prediction during fast winds if a constant of 0.082 is used.


Treatment with phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors preserves penile corporal smooth muscle and inhibits the fibrotic degeneration normally seen after bilateral cavernosal nerve resection (BCNR) in rats. However, the effect of PDE5 inhibitors on the pelvic ganglia neurones affected by BCNR is unknown. The present study found that cavernosal nerve damage triggers a cascade of events in pelvic ganglia neurones, including changes in the expression of neurotransmitters, neurotrophic factors and cytokine production. Treatment with sildenafil ameliorates the impact of nerve damage by up‐regulating neuronal nitric oxide synthase and neurotrophic factors, promoting a neuroprotective microenvironment that may favour nerve regeneration of the pelvic ganglia neurones affected by BCNR.


PURPOSE
To investigate the accompanied craniofacial and cervical spine anomalies in congenital muscular torticollis (CMT) with three-dimensional computerized tomography (3D-CT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS
We examined six cases of CMT. Cranial and cervical 3D CT was performed in all cases. Facial midline deviation angle (FDA), upper hemifacial width, lower hemifacial width (LHFW), length of hemimandible and zygomatic arcus, posterior hemicranial width (PHCW), anterior hemicranial width and cranial base midline deviation angle (CBDA) were measured on cranial 3D-CT images. Value of orbital index was calculated. Data achieved both ipsilaterally and contralaterally were compared with paired t-test. Atlanto-axial rotation angle (AARA) and atlantodental interval (ADI) values were measured on cervical 3D-CT images.

RESULTS
Ages ranged between 2-26 years with a M/F ratio of 1/5. Facial asymmetry was diagnosed in all cases and LHFW was significantly undersized when compared to contralateral side (p < 0.05). FDA was measured 5.4+/-2.0 degrees on the average. Zygomatic arcus and hemimandible were significantly undersized on the side of torticollis (p < 0.05). Occipital plagiocephaly existed in all cases and PHCW was significantly extensive on torticollis side (p < 0.05). CBDA was measured 4.5+/-1.7 degrees on the average. Rotational movement of atlas over axis was observed in all cases where the AARA was 15.0+/-7.4 degrees. ADI was lesser than 3 mm in all cases.

CONCLUSION
Even occipital plagiocephaly, maxillary and orbital deformity were commonly found in cases of CMT, most dominant asymmetry was observed in lower hemifacial region, zygomatic arcus and mandible by 3D-CT imaging. Rotational movement of first cervical vertebra over the second one was determined in all cases.


Abstract The present study investigates the influence of graphene nanopellets (GnPs) on the damping and vibration characteristics of fiber-reinforced basalt/epoxy composites for different weight contents of GnPs particles (0.1, 0.2 and 0.3 wt%). The variation of dynamic properties in terms of loss and storage modulus was explored by using the experimental modal analysis. The damping properties were determined by using logarithmic decrement method from the acceleration-time envelope curves. Results showed that the incorporation of GnPs at weight contents of 0.1% and 0.2% significantly affected the damping and vibration characteristics of the samples as a result of the interfacial strength between the GnPs particles-fiber-matrix interactions. The natural frequencies increased by 20.7% and 25% at GnPs contents of 0.1 and 0.2 wt%, whereas the damping ratios increased by 28.5% and 57.1%, respectively.


M. A. H. Kurth has acted as a paid speaker and received a reimbursement for attending a symposium sponsored by Grifols on the use of von Willebrand containing factor concentrate in immune tolerance. Grifols also paid for the data collection related to this study. D. DiMichele has received grant support to the International Immune Tolerance Study from Grifols, Barcelona, Spain, as of 2007. The other authors stated that they had no interests which might be perceived as posing a conflict or bias.


This is a case report of malignant endometrioid adenofibroma of the ovary with serous cystadenoma in a 42‐year‐old female. It was classified as FIGO serous IA (2) ovarian tumors. Serous epithelium transformation into endometrioid glandular epithelium was disclosed. The patient is now in good condition and followed‐up periodically.


Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSE)‐based solar cell performances are limited by band tailing due to a large amount of CuZn antisite defects. Partially replacing the Cu atoms by larger Ag ones can significantly reduce the prevalence of these defects, which are particularly detrimental close to the front interface. Herein, the possibility of synthesizing (Cu1‐xAgx)2ZnSnSe4 absorbers with various Ag contents by vacuum‐based processes is demonstrated. Although the synthesis of high‐quality materials is demonstrated, their use in thin film photovoltaic devices does not exhibit performance improvement compared with efficient pure CZTSSE‐based solar cells. Moreover, the comparison with literature data reopens the debate of the beneficial effect of homogeneous Ag alloying in kesterite. On the contrary, a new method is proposed to fabricate graded (Cu1‐xAgx)2ZnSnSe4 absorbers with increased Ag content at the interfaces. The solar cells with graded absorbers exhibit better performances than the reference Ag‐free ones. Particularly, improved current collection at the back contact and slight reduction of the front interface recombination are demonstrated.


INTRODUCTION
Following their use for a few years, the place of new macrolides can be assessed.

CURRENT KNOWLEDGE AND KEY POINTS
"New macrolides", ie, roxithromycin, clarithromycin, azithromycin and dirithromycin, are derivated from erythromycin and defined by different pharmacokinetic parameters: longer half time with better oral administration and shorter duration of treatment, better tissue concentrations with reduction of dosages and better tolerance, high cellular concentration with good activity. However, new macrolides and erythromycin do not show major differences in their antibacterial spectrum against usual pyogenic strains. Clinical use of new macrolides extends to opportunistic infections, such as atypical mycobacterial infections or toxoplasmosis, occurring in the course of HIV infection. New macrolides are also recommended for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori-related gastroduodenal ulcer.

FUTURE PROSPECTS AND PROJECTS
New macrolides have opened new avenues in the development of anti-infectious strategies. Due to their good efficacy against Chlamydia pneumoniae which is suspected of inducing vascular diseases, the upcoming use of ketolids and the development of their non-antibiotic effects, the future of macrolides is favorable.


We consider the motion of a weakly relativistic charged particle with an arbitrary spin in central potential e/r in terms of classical mechanics. We show that the spin–orbital interaction causes the precession of the plane of orbit around the vector of total angular momentum. The angular velocity of precession depends on the distance of the particle from the centre. The effective potential for in-plane motion is central, with the corrections to Coulomb terms coming from spin–orbital interaction. The possible orbits of a quantum particle are determined by the Bohr–Sommerfeld quantization rule. We give examples of orbits corresponding to small quantum numbers, which were obtained by numerical integration of equations of motion. The energies of stationary states are determined by spin–orbital interaction.


Objective: Conflicting results have been reported about activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM) expression in breast cancer and its prognostic value. Little is known about the role of ALCAM levels in the serum of breast cancer patients. Methods: We analyzed soluble ALCAM (sALCAM) levels in the serum of 157 primary breast cancer patients and 48 healthy women by ELISA. In addition, we determined ALCAM protein expression by Western blot analysis (n = 120) and mRNA expression by cDNA microarray analysis (n = 115) in the tumor tissue of corresponding patients. Results: sALCAM levels differed between patients and healthy controls (median 24.2 vs. 18.9 ng/ml, p < 0.001). We observed no correlation between serum levels and protein or mRNA expression in corresponding tumors (r < 0.1, p = n.s.). sALCAM levels were not correlated with histological type, grading, tumor stage, or patient age, but elevated sALCAM levels were associated with shorter disease-free survival (HR = 1.97, 95% CI 1.01–3.2, p = 0.043). Conclusions: Our results indicate that sALCAM can be detected in the serum of patients with primary breast cancer. Elevated serum levels might indicate more aggressive tumor behavior as they might be an independent factor for a worse prognosis in breast cancer patients.


The aim of this paper is to analyse the meaning, role and place of values in the life of a soldier. Furthermore, the article explores the issues of soldiers' ethical standards and types of behaviour which can be found in the modern army. It outlines that they are strongly influenced by the local culture. As a result of everyday performance, every individual makes assessments, i.e. formulates different opinions according to a specific criterion and assigns them a significant place in the hierarchy of values. In the light of this theory, the article examines the hierarchy of values and the norms of behaviour that occur in the lives of cadets. The paper uses The Rokeach Value Survey as well as The Kruskal–Wallis test by ranks. Using these two methods, the author analyses his own questionnaires to compare the value system of Polish Air Force University students. The main findings state that cadets have a permanent system of values. Moreover, they share similar judgments concerning different behaviour. Regardless of the course year, goals and values related to their homeland and family seem to be of the greatest importance. The overall findings of the paper show a great number of similarities in the cadets' value system. It is recommended that the future research should focus on examining students of other Polish military universities in order to check if they respond differently. The results obtained may be helpful in the process of young soldiers' upbringings taking into consideration the moral figure among military school graduates.


Seven different tissues of the fish, Rasbora daniconius are analysed chromatographically for their free amino acid contents. Alanine and Cystine followed by Glycine and Glutamic acid are the most common amino acids found in the tissues. On the basis of sex, no apparent difference in amino acid pattern in various tissues is found. Up to 70% of the amino acids of the pools fall in the range of pH from 4.5-6.5. Thus it appears that the pools have some bearing on the maintenance of the tissue pH.


The late Fichte transforms transcendental philosophy into ontology, without transcendental philosophy ceasing to be transcendental philosophy. The center of his philosophy is no longer the transcendental self, but rather concepts like existence, light, image, from which the transcendental self can be derived. Against dogmatism, for which being is to be considered as an absolute fact, Fichte tries to show that being can be deduced and explained from the light, and that means: from transcendental freedom. Whatever exists is made from the substance of appearance, from the substance of visibility and light, from the material of the image. But the appearance, the image, the light, can only derive their creative power from the fact that they are (in absolute terms) the existence of the Absolute. And precisely at this point, under the idea that only the Absolute is, Fichte has repeatedly to cope with the question of the relation between the being-character of this substance and the being-character of the Absolute. Against his reiterated attempts to proceed this way, the difference between being and existence can not so easily be traced back to the concept of an absolute Being, in whose inner essence lies the fact that nothingness becomes itself an 'apparent something' (the world), against the background of which, and by which, the Absolute cannot be, and cannot be understood, except as absolute.


The inter-Andean valley of Cauca River (IVCR) is one of the most industrialized regions in Colombia leading its seasonally dry tropical forest (SDTF) to a fragmented and degraded state. Changes in land cover may alter the climatic and hydrological patterns. In the period 1984 – 2014, 26% of natural areas detected remotely at IVCR have persisted in a sugarcane matrix. However, IVCR species composition and its ecological status are unknown. After reviewing several datasets, 1725 plant species were compiled. Using a modelling approach, habitat suitability was predicted with a maximum entropy algorithm implemented in Biomod2 R-Package for 14 prioritized plant species. Models were produced using as predictors, the variables selected with their Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) and for those selected with a Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Although the selected variables differed between VIF and PCA, the geographic space predicted to be suitable for the species were similar. VIF and PCA variables strongly reflect the temperature and precipitation under warm and wet periods and their seasonality. These models will help to estimate the potential restoration of SDTF at the ICVR and its vulnerability to climate change. This information will contribute to planning effectively the IVCR landscape for the future.