Through this theory will know by easy cause factor and is difficult to strive enableness woman with aim to support prosperity of society, impact perceived to be limited knowledge aspect to program, activity followed, participation story level and benefit of program. Enableness of woman in so many this life sector is generally determined and influenced by difference background and equation of explained women through functional structural theory, power theory and status, communication theory of non verbal, theory of rape-prone and of rape free, and division of labor theory. . Elaborated also all activity which have been executed and attainment storey, level during execution of program enableness of woman. Target of research:1. to know and study the activities executed at program enableness of woman 2. to know and study impact execution of program enableness of woman to society. Result of research showed various activities have related to program enableness of woman among others is given to understand of passing training is important, group aid learn technology of fund. Affect from program enableness of big enough woman of this matter earn seen from is ever greater society capacities and ability in developing himself. Beside that awareness of society also gain strength for the importance of role of woman.


In endodontic infections a lot of different microrganisms can be time inside dentinal tubules to support such infections. Most of these are Gram negative anaerobes bacteria able to induce an immune response that is the apparent cause of periapical lesion, but also Gram positive facultative aerobic species and fungi of the genus Candida.They play an important role in pain but also in bone periapical resorption. Therefore, the exact knowledge and the subsequent elimination of the microrganisms involved by the system of root canals, although difficult to achieve completely, is essential for the resolution of apical periodontitis.


The P-wave velocity structure of the outermost 200 km of the outer core (the E' region) is analyzed using a suite of differential travel-times for SKS, SKKS and S-waves bottoming below, within, and above this depth range. Core- penetrating phases with paths beneath Alaska exhibit similar SKS-SKKS differential travel-time patterns to phases sampling the core beneath the central Pacific, but very different SKS-S differential travel-times. These patterns can be explained by a core velocity model in which the outermost 50 to 100 km has 1-2% slower P-wave velocities than standard Earth models, perhaps due to a stably-stratified chemical boundary layer, combined with 3% lateral variations in S- wave velocity in the lowermost mantle.


Jenny 5 is a fully open-source robot intended to be used mainly for research but it can act as a human assistant too. It has a mobile platform with rubber tracks, a flexible leg, two arms with 7 degrees of freedom each, and head with 2 degrees of freedom. The robot is actuated by 20 motors (DC, steppers and servos) and its state is read with the help of many sensors. The robot also has 3 webcams for computer vision tasks. In this paper the current state of the robot is described.


Critical Metaphor Analysis is concerned with integrating critical discourse analysis, corpus linguistics, pragmatics and cognitive linguistics to explore implicit speaker intentions and covert power relations through the analysis of metaphoric expressions. CMA has been a meaningful enrichment of both Critical Discourse Analysis and Conceptual Metaphor Theory. This paper aims to give an overview of the formation of CMA, the research findings, the existing problems and the possible solutions.


The book is the selected proceedings of the second international conference of traffic and transport psychology (TTP) held in Bern, Switzerland, in 2000. The first conference took place 1996 in Valencia, Spain, the third 2004 in Nottingham, UK (Rothengatter & CarbobellVaja, 1997; Underwood, 2005). A casual look at the three volumes from the conferences indicates that their structure and contents are similar. In the volume under review, keynote lectures, selected papers and poster presentations are included. A first part contains an introduction by the editors and three chapters addressing the general issue of theory in a field of applied research such as TTP. The remaining parts are dominated by reported empirical studies with some interspersed overview, conceptual, or discussion chapters. Truthfully representing current TTP research, these include road user characteristics (cognition and performance, social and differential psychology, and impairment), road safety (driver information and support systems, enforcement and training, and selection and rehabilitation), and mobility and the environment


OBJECTIVE
Data on pre- and postoperative pituitary function in nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFPA) are not consistent. We aimed to investigate pituitary function before and up to five years after transsphenoidal surgery with emphasis on the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA).

DESIGN AND METHODS
Data from the Swedish Pituitary Register was used to analyze anterior pituitary function in 838 patients with NFPA diagnosed between 1991 and 2014. Patients who were reoperated or had received radiotherapy were excluded.

RESULTS
Preoperative ACTH, TSH, LH/FSH and GH deficiencies were reported in 31% (236/755), 39% (300/769), 51% (378/742) and 28% (170/604) of the patients, respectively. Preoperative median tumor volume was 5.0 (2.4-9.0) cm3. Amongst patients with preoperative, one year and five years postoperative data on the HPA axis (n=428), 125 (29%) were ACTH-deficient preoperatively. One year postoperatively, 26% (32/125) of them had recovered ACTH function while 23% (70/303) patients had developed new ACTH deficiency. Thus, one year postoperatively 163 (38%) patients were ACTH-deficient (P <0.001 vs. preoperatively). No further increase was seen five years postoperatively (36%, P=0.096). At one year postoperatively recoveries in the TSH- and LH/FSH-axes were reported in 14% (33/241) and 15% (46/310), respectively, and new deficiencies in 22% (88/403) and 29% (83/288), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS
ACTH deficiency increased significantly at one year postoperatively. Event though not significant, some patients recovered from or developed new deficiency between one and five years postoperatively. This pattern was seen in all axes. Our study emphasizes that continuous individual evaluations are needed during longer follow-up of patients operated for NFPA.


Smart contracts are programmable, decentralized and transparent financial applications. Because smart contract platforms typically support Turing-complete programming languages, such systems are often said to enable arbitrary applications. However, the current permissionless smart contract systems impose heavy restrictions on the types of computations that can be implemented. For example, the globally-replicated and sequential execution model of Ethereum requires low gas limits that make many computations infeasible. In this paper, we propose a novel system called ACE whose main goal is to enable more complex smart contracts on permissionless blockchains. ACE is based on an off-chain execution model where the contract issuers appoint a set of service providers to execute the contract code independent from the consensus layer. The primary advantage of ACE over previous solutions is that it allows one contract to safely call another contract that is executed by a different set of service providers. Thus, ACE is the first solution to enable off-chain execution of interactive smart contracts with flexible trust assumptions. Our evaluation shows that ACE enables several orders of magnitude more complex smart contracts than standard Ethereum.


Automobiles are the major mode for the transportation, in this current era. Due to the technological advancements there were lot of new upgrades, new safety features available which comforts the driver and also the passengers. Many modern vehicles were introduced with new features like automatic door locking system, Temperature stabiliser, window closing systems, power steering system, Anti-lock Braking Systems, ESP's etc. Manual engagement of clutch while shifting between the gears in traffic areas is a hectic job for drivers. This project is proposed to avoid the necessity of pressing the cutch plates while changing gears. The semi-automatic clutch system comprises a switch in the gear rod knob. With this switch the driver controls the clutching operation. The controlling is done with a Propotional Control Valve and the actuation by a double acting cylinder. The positioning of the clutch is done by the pneumatics by using metering out circuit. Hence engaging of the clutch is done semi-automatically by this mechanism and the retraction of the pneumatic cylinder is achieved smoothly. Instead of pressing the clutch manually, the engagement and disengagement of the clutch is done semi automatically. Driver indeed will be experiencing more comfort in two pedal systems than in common three pedal systems. This project will be much comfortable for amputees who have the spirit of driving heavy vehicles.


Motivation The interactions of proteins with DNA, RNA, peptide, and carbohydrate play key roles in various biological processes. The studies of uncharacterized protein–molecules interactions could be aided by accurate predictions of residues that bind with partner molecules. However, the existing methods for predicting binding residues on proteins remain of relatively low accuracies due to the limited number of complex structures in databases. As different types of molecules partially share chemical mechanisms, the predictions for each molecular type should benefit from the binding information with other molecules types. Results In this study, we employed a multiple task deep learning strategy to develop a new sequence-based method for simultaneously predicting binding residues/sites with multiple important molecule types named MTDsite. By combining four training sets for DNA, RNA, peptide, and carbohydrate-binding proteins, our method yielded accurate and robust predictions with AUC values of 0.852, 0836, 0.758, and 0.776 on their respective independent test sets, which are 0.52 to 6.6% better than other state-of-the-art methods. More importantly, this study provides a new strategy to improve predictions by combining multiple similar tasks. Availability http://biomed.nscc-gz.cn/server/MTDsite/ Contact email@example.com


The majority of fulleride superconductors with unusually high transition-temperature to kinetic-energy ratios have a face-centred-cubic (FCC) structure. We demonstrate that, within extended Hubbard models with strong Coulomb repulsion, paired fermions in FCC lattices have qualitatively different properties than pairs in other three-dimensional cubic lattices. Our results show that strongly bound, light, and small pairs can be generated in FCC lattices across a wide range of the parameter space. We estimate that such pairs can Bose condense at high temperatures even if the lattice constant is large (as in the fullerides).


We investigate the problem of bearings-only tracking of manoeuvring targets using particle filters (PFs). Three different (PFs) are proposed for this problem which is formulated as a multiple model tracking problem in a jump Markov system (JMS) framework. The proposed filters are (i) multiple model PF (MMPF), (ii) auxiliary MMPF (AUX-MMPF), and (iii) jump Markov system PF (JMS-PF). The performance of these filters is compared with that of standard interacting multiple model (IMM)-based trackers such as IMM-EKF and IMM-UKF for three separate cases: (i) single-sensor case, (ii) multisensor case, and (iii) tracking with hard constraints. A conservative CRLB applicable for this problem is also derived and compared with the RMS error performance of the filters. The results confirm the superiority of the PFs for this difficult nonlinear tracking problem.


This paper presents a method for automatically predicting a degree of average relevance of a retrieved document set returned by a retrieval system in response to a query. For a given retrieval system and document collection, prediction is conceived as query classification. Two classes of queries have been defined: easy and hard. The split point between those two classes is the median value of the average precision over the query collection. This paper proposes several classifiers that select useful features among a set of candidates and use them to predict the class of a query. Classifiers are trained on the results of the systems involved in the TREC 8 campaign. Due to the limited number of available queries, training and test are performed with the leave-one-out and 10-fold cross-validation methods. Two types of classifiers, namely decision trees and support vector machines provide particularly interesting results for a number of systems. A fairly high classification accuracy is obtained using the TREC 8 data (more than 80% of correct prediction in some settings).


ABSTRACT: The cAMP cascade is an intracellular signal transduction system thought to be important for neuronal regulation and information storage. cAMP production is reduced in platelets from patients with fragile X syndrome. In the present study we assayed cAMP metabolism, Xq27.3 fragile site percentages, size of amplification mutation in fragile X mental retardation-1 gene (FMR-1), and FMR-1 mRNA levels in 21 lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCL) from fragile X patients. cAMP production was diminished in fragile X LCL relative to controls (n = 20) when cells were assayed in prostaglandin E1 (74%, p < 0.02) and in forskolin (64%, p < 0.1) although the difference was statistically significant only in prostaglandin E1. The length of the FMR-1 amplification mutation correlated with measures of cAMP production which were unassociated with receptor activation (r = −0.53, p = 0.02, and r = −0.48, p = 0.03, for unstimulated and forskolin-stimulated cAMP production, respectively). In fragile X LCL, fragile site percentages did not correlate with any measure of cAMP production. All fragile X LCL showed absence of FMR-1 mRNA. These data suggest that diminished cAMP production in fragile X tissues may be linked to the fragile X amplification mutation, either as a result of influences of the mutation on FMR-1 expression or on transcription of other genes downstream from FMR-1.


BACKGROUND: Although injury to the lumbar arteries during anterior spinal approaches is often encountered, there are few published articles regarding the relationship between the lumbar arteries and spinal cord ischemia. OBJECTIVE: To examine the morphology of the lumbar arteries and to emphasize their clinical importance. METHODS: With the aid of a surgical microscope, 80 lumbar arteries in 10 formalin-fixed male cadavers were studied. Measurements of these structures were made and relationships observed. RESULTS: The spinal artery was usually the first branch of the lumbar artery. The greatest lumbar artery diameter was at L4 and had a mean diameter of 3.25 mm; the smallest diameter was identified at L2 and had a mean diameter of 2.05 mm. The largest spinal artery diameter was at L3 (mean, 0.56 mm) and the smallest at L1 (mean, 0.42 mm). The largest anastomotic artery diameter was at L4 (mean, 0.42 mm) and the smallest at L1 (mean, 0.32 mm). For the right and left sides, the mean greatest distance between the origin of the lumbar artery and the tendinous arch was at L4 (mean, 40.9 and 31.8 mm, respectively) and the least at L1 (mean, 31.8 and 22.5 mm, respectively). The mean of the greatest distance between the anastomotic branch and the base of the transverse process of the lumbar vertebrae was at L4 (mean, 4.41 and 4.35 mm, respectively) and the smallest at L1 (mean, 4.04 and 4.08 mm, respectively). CONCLUSION: These anatomic findings of the lumbar segmental arteries would be useful for emphasizing their surgical importance.


This paper presents a vision-based vehicle detection system in the infrared (IR) and vision system using an effective feature extraction and algorithm. This system follows two steps: Hypothesis Generation (HG) method and Hypothesis Verification (HV) method. In HG method, vertical and horizontal edges are used. To extract these edges effectively a neighborhood gradient prediction(NGP) edge detection is used. With these extracted edges, the vehicle location candidates are generated. This step reduces the computational time in comparison with exhaustive search method. In HV method, the effective feature extraction such as HOG and GABOR feature are used. A support vector machine (SVM) for classification is also used. This step verifies if the vehicle candidates are vehicle or not. The test image is obtained by a monocular IR camera and visible camera attached on moving vehicle. In vision image, NGP method is compared with SOBEL method. In IR image, HOG feature is compared with GABOR feature.


The pathophysiology of haemodialysis arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) stenoses is not fully understood. The aim of this study was to perform histology assessment of stenoses in native AVF and compare and correlate the findings between ultrasound and histology. Intimal medial thickness (IMT) was measured on ultrasound where there was measurable neointimal hyperplasia at the site of stenosis and percentage intimal thickening calculated. Ultrasound findings were then compared with histology analysis of AVF stenoses in nine patients. In this small sample, different sonographic appearances and histology were demonstrated. Ultrasound demonstrated stenoses with neointimal hyperplasia and those with no measurable neointimal hyperplasia. Percentage intimal thickening was between 0% and 100%. The histology of the de novo stenoses (where no previous radiological or surgical procedure was performed) demonstrated stenoses with neointimal hyperplasia, no neointimal hyperplasia and neointimal hyperplasia and fibrosis. The histology findings after percutaneous angioplasty (PTA) demonstrated stenoses with neointimal hyperplasia and fibrosis and a stenosis with an acute inflammatory reaction. The findings in this small sample demonstrated that AVF stenoses are not a uniform group as demonstrated by different sonographic and corresponding appearances at histology. Ultrasound appearances of neointimal hyperplasia appear to correlate with neointimal hyperplasia on histology. These findings warrant further investigation and may have implications for treatment strategies.


Background: Thalassemia is a genetic disorder of autosomal recessive and has high prevalence in Iran. This studywas therefore designed to identify the types of mutations in Beta-Thalassemia. Materials and Methods: The present descriptive study was aimed to investigate the frequency of mutations in beta-globin gene in carriers referred to a health care network. The study was carried out in Pakdasht and Varamin from 1997 to 2013. Ethical issues such as confidentiality of studied community were all considered. Results: The current study found that from a total of 26 mutations, IVSII-1 was the most frequent mutation (24.5%) followed by IVSI-5 mutation with a frequency of 14.4 percent. Furthermore, there was only limited evidence for an increased frequency of IVSI-25bpdel/N, c22/n, IVSII-848, and fr-36-37/N mutations and each with a frequency of 0.6 percent revealed the lowest frequency. Conclusion: In accordance with the results of recent studies in the Iranian population, IVSII-1assigned the most common mutation in our study. This combination of findings has important implications for developing a guide for faster access to the type of mutation in patients suffering from Thalassemia. Keywords: Beta-Thalassemia, beta globin gene, blood factors, mutations, Iran


We extend and generalize the scaling picture of de Gennes et al. and Pfeuty to both unentangled and entangled regimes of intrinsically flexible polyelectrolyte solutions. In semidilute solution the electrostatic persistence length of a polyelectrolyte is assumed to be proportional to the Debye screening length. If the salt concentration is low, the unentangled semidilute concentration regime spans three to four decades in polymer concentration. In this regime the dynamics of the chain is Rouse-like with viscosity weakly increasing with concentration η∼c 1/2 (Fuoss law), relaxation time decreasing with concentration τ Rouse ∼c -1/2 , and diffusion coefficient independent of concentration. Polyelectrolytes should form entanglements at the same relative viscosity as neutral polymer solutions (η≅50η s ). In the entangled regime of salt-free polyelectrolytes we predict the viscosity η∼c 3/2 , relaxation time to be independent of concentration, and diffusion coefficient D self ∼c -1/2 . Our predictions are found to compare favorably with experiments


3-Fluro-1,2-propanediol has been found to be a substrate for propanediol dehydrase and has very similar binding and catalytic constants compared to the natural substrate. The only isolable products of the reaction are acrolein and inorganic fluoride; with 3-fluoro-3,3-dideuterio-1,2-propanediol as substrate, only 3,3-dideuterioacrolein is obtained. These results indicate that the primary product of the reaction is 3-fluoropropionaldehyde which spontaneously loses hydrogen fluoride to yield acrolein. The similar kinetic parameters for the fluorinated as compared to the normal substrate suggest that significant charge does not develop on the fluorinated or, by implication, the natural substrate during any rate-limiting steps of the reaction. These results support a radical, as contrasted to an ionic pathway for reactions involving adenosylcobalamin and diol dehydrase.


Application-specific instruction set processor (ASIP) has emerged as an important design choice for embedded systems. It can achieve both high flexibility offered by the base processor core and high performance and energy-efficiency offered by the dedicated hardware extensions. Although a lot of efforts have been devoted to computation acceleration (e.g., automatic custom instruction identification and synthesis), the limited on-chip data storage elements, including the register file and data cache, have become a potential performance bottleneck. In this paper, we propose a hardware/software cooperative approach to utilize the custom registers for reducing the data traffic between the processor and memory through efficient communications between the base processor core and custom hardware extensions. Our experimental results demonstrate that promising performance improvements can be achieved.


Cats immunized with cells infected with a primary isolate of feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) and fixed with paraformaldehyde were challenged with cell-free or cell-associated homologous virus obtained ex vivo. Complete protection was observed in animals challenged with cell-free virus 4 months after completion of vaccination (p.v.) or with cell-associated virus 12 months p.v. In contrast, no protection was observed in cats challenged with cell-free virus 12 or 28 months p.v. or with cell-associated virus 37.5 months p.v. Prior to the 28- and 37.5-month challenges, the animals had received a booster dose of vaccine that had elicited a robust anamnestic immune response. These results show that vaccine-induced protection against ex vivo FIV is achievable but is relatively short-lived and can be difficult to boost.


The inventor of the technique of simultaneous colour printing, revolutionary in its own right, Stanley William Hayter (1901-88) was the most influential printmaker of the twentieth century. The founder of Atelier 17 in Paris, he had contact with all the major Cubist, Surrealist and Abstract Expressionist painters of the day - an essential aspect to his life that shaped his work in a diversity of fascinating ways. This definitive catalogue, begun under Hayter's own direction, gives full information on some 450 original prints, while spanning the artist's oeuvre as a whole with its inclusion of almost 500 illustrations. In offering such an exhaustive survey of his life's achievement, and in following the highly personal outlook of the artist's widow, this tome has established itself as an important reference work for all those concerned with twentieth-century art and printmaking. It confirms Hayter's stature as a great artist, teacher and technical innovator.


This paper starts from contradictions*between senior citizens' medical demands and provision of medical facilities and intends to study the optimum aging distribution of the current medical facilities space in resource-exhaustion-type industrial towns, which will be of important significance to the planning and construction of medical facilities during the development process of industrial towns. This paper takes Jiawang District in Xuzhou as research objects and starts from supply and requisitioning parties on the basis of minimum quantity demand of senior citizens' medical facilities in Jiawang District, intending to study the equity of maximum provision service scope and rationality of nearest hospital distance; thereby providing certain research basis and optimization basis for optimum aging configuration of medical facilities in industrial towns. Aging of population has become a severe social problem faced by all countries in the world. "hospitals for senior citizens" is an important guarantee for the health of senior citizens. To reach these objectives, there must be rational space configuration of medical service facilities. Compared with ordinary towns, resource-exhaustion-type industrial towns are under huge influences of the growth, maturity and decline of resources. Compared with ordinary towns, industrial towns have different employment structure, transportation network and space distribution and their public service facility configuration methods are different from other towns. Resource-exhaustion-type industrial towns have high degree of aging, so they have urgent demands for better and fairer medical resource configuration.


Effect of density on the yield of cassava (Manihot esculentum Crantz) cv. Valencia. A study of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) cv. Valencia was carried out in June of 2001, in San Jose de Monte Redondo, Municipality of Masatepe, Masaya Department, Nicaragua. The objective of this test was to assess the effect of 14 286, 15 385, 16 667, 18 182, 20 000 y 22 222 plants per hectare on the components of yield. Spacing was 1m between rows and 0.70, 0.65, 0.60, 0.55, 0.50 y 0.45 m between plants respectively. The experimental design used was a completely randomized blocks design, with four replications. Higher emergency of plants (91.75 %) was obtained with a population of 16,667 plants per hectare (1 x 0.6 m). The highest number of tuberous roots was 5.13 in a density of 14 286 plants per hectare (1 x 0.7). The largest diameter of root (5.20 cm), and the best yield (27.75 t/ha) were obtained with a plant population of 15 385 plants per hectare, when plants were sown at 1 m between rows and 0.65 m between plants. This density caused the formation of the highest quantity of roots for exportation.


Commensality (the act of eating together) is studied in a range of disciplines and often considered important for social communion, order, health and well-being, while simultaneously being understood as in decline (especially the family meal). However, such claims are also contested in various ways. In this paper, we discuss the expanding field of commensality research and critically reflect on the debates surrounding its social functions, including its role in public health. We illuminate the deep social and cultural significance of commensality, through time and space, and conclude that whether or not commensality is the preferred social form of eating for any given individual, it is difficult to escape its sociocultural desirability and idealization. As a cross-cultural phenomenon in both past, present, and future, we suggest that commensality deserves further research. This includes commensality as a research topic in itself and as an entry point to unveil different dimensions of social relations between people, as well as interactions between humans and material objects.


Rapid wind power development in China has attracted worldwide attention. The huge market potential and fast development of wind turbine manufacturing capacity are making China a world leader in wind power development. In 2010, with the newly installed wind power capacity and the cumulative installed capacity, China was ranked first in the world. In 2009, China also constructed and commissioned its first large offshore wind farm near Shanghai.

Following earlier papers reviewing the state of China's onshore wind industry, this paper presents a broader perspective and up-to-date survey of China's offshore wind power development, making comparisons between the developments in the rest of the world and China, to draw out similarities and differences and lessons for the China offshore wind industry.

The paper highlights six important aspects for China's offshore wind development: economics, location, Grid connection, technological development, environmental adaptation and national policies.

The authors make recommendations for mitigating some outstanding issues in these six aspects for the future development of China's offshore wind resource. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.


Based on literature data of sunlight spectrum, photolysis quantum yields, and absorption spectra, the relative role of nitrite and nitrate as *OH sources in surface waters was assessed, and its dependence on the season and the depth of the water column studied. In the majority of surface water samples (river, lake and seawater) nitrite is expected to play a more important role as *OH source compared to nitrate, in spite of the usually lower [NO2(-)] values. Interestingly, under the hypothesis of a constant ratio of the concentrations of nitrate and nitrite (to be corrected later on for the actual concentration ratio in a given sample), the relative role of nitrite compared to nitrate would be minimum in summer, at noon, in the surface layer of natural waters. Any decrease in the sunlight intensity that can be experienced in the natural environment (different season than summer, water column absorption, time of the day other than the solar noon), with its associated influence on the sunlight spectrum, would increase the relative role of nitrite compared to nitrate.


Background: Variation exists in quality of life (i.e., utility) estimates depending on the utility elicitation method utilized. Using the EQ-5D, VAS, and HUI-III, the aim of this thesis was to determine whether these measures adequately capture HRQOL in a CRC population and assess the relationship between utility estimates generated. Methods: A mixed methods study design was employed to collect health status scores and interview data from a sample of 50 CRC patients in Toronto, Ontario. Results: Mean utility scores between the EQ-5D and HUI-III were identical at 0.76 (95% CI), with an overall VAS score of 0.72 (95% CI). Conclusion: The fact that the EQ-5D and HUI-III resulted in identical mean utility scores provides assurance for future studies using these tools in CRC. However, many factors that CRC patients identify as important to their HRQOL are not captured by these instruments. These findings have implications for informing economic evaluations.


It is fine to review Australian abortion laws with an eye to changing them, but such a review skirts the basic issue, which is, "Why are there so many unplanned pregnancies?" The author believes that the large numbers of women seeking abortions in countries with liberalized laws represent a new demand and not simply the substitution of a legal for an illegal abortion. Abortions should be available to some women at the present time, but knowledge and facilities for prevention of pregnancies should be available, too. At no time should abortion be regarded as just another means of contraception.


The induced antifungal compound γ-pyrufuran has been isolated from the wood of perry pear trees [Pyrus communis L. (Rosaceae) cv. Thorn.] infected with Chondrostereum purpureum(Pers. ex Fr.) Pouzar. Spectroscopic and chemical evidence indicate that the compound is one of four 1,2,3,4,7-substituted trimethoxydibenzofurandiols in which one hydroxy group occupies the 7-position. Selective reduction of the dimesylated derivative by hydrogen with a Pd–C catalyst, followed by base-catalysed hydrolysis, produced α-pyrufuran (1,3,4-trimethoxydibenzofuran-2-ol)(6), and shows γ-pyrufuran to be 1,3,4-trimethoxydibenzofuran-2,7-diol (1).


Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL

The BRAF kinase, a member of the MAP kinase pathway, has emerged as an attractive molecule to target in melanoma. In an initial attempt to target BRAF in melanoma, a randomized, phase III trial (ECOG 2603) of carboplatin, paclitaxel, and sorafenib versus carboplatin, paclitaxel, and placebo was performed. Patients enrolled on the trial had either unresectable, locally advanced Stage III or Stage IV melanoma. We analyzed patients' tumor samples for 74 mutations in 13 genes using a custom iPlex (Sequenom). We have preliminarily analyzed 157 tumor samples from patients enrolled in this clinical trial. Analysis of the initial data set demonstrates that 62 samples (42%, 62/148, 95% CI 34%,50%) carried BRAF mutations - 60 samples with V600 and two samples having a BRAF V601 mutation. Thirty eight samples (26%, 38/148, 95% CI 19%,33%) were positive for NRAS mutations, with 33 with Q61, two G12 and three G13 mutations. With the exception of one tumor sample, the BRAF and NRAS mutations were negatively correlated with each other, consistent with prior observations. We also observed a number of rare mutations in our samples including one in AKT1, one in AKT3, four in CDK4, five in beta-catenin, two in GNAQ and three in KIT. The results of this study demonstrated no difference between the two treatment arms in OS and PFS and no association with treatment outcome and BRAF and NRAS mutations. Consequently, the treatment arms were collapsed, and we examined the relationship of BRAF and NRAS mutations with OS and PFS. Interestingly, our data demonstrated that the BRAF and NRAS mutations did not correlate with OS or PFS. This sample population is unique in that it provides a large data set of melanoma tumor samples, all of whom were entered on a clinical trial, unselected for pre-existing mutations. Using the Sequenom assay platform, we have identified a number of mutations in a subset of genes known to be involved in melanoma in patient tumor samples. In the future, these tumor samples will be informative as we continue to examine and identify additional genetic alterations in melanoma, providing information regarding the natural history and distribution of certain mutations. Future studies will use array comparative genomic hybridization to further investigate additional somatic mutations occurring in melanoma tumors and correlate these with clinical outcome, as well as provide insight into the pathogenesis of melanoma. These results may lead to further opportunities for clinical trials.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5557. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-5557


Ethnomathematics is one thing that is able to connect between culture and mathematics, which means that from a culture, steps are obtained to explore thinking skills that are able to produce various forms of mathematics. The study of ethnomathematics can be used as a learning resource for students to make it easier to learn mathematics. The purpose of ethnomathematics-based learning is to understand the relationship between mathematics and culture that is able to make students' and society's impressions of mathematics more meaningful. This study aims to determine the ethnomathematics in the Ghetak Pamekasan Mask dance movements. This research is a qualitative descriptive study with an ethnographic approach. In qualitative research, the data obtained by the researcher is written in the form of a narrative text to describe and produce a clear and detailed picture. The results of this study obtained a description of the ethnomathematics of the movement of the Ghetak Pamekasan mask dance in the mathematical concept of angular geometry. The mathematical concepts contained in the Ghetak Pamekasan Mask dance movements above can be used to introduce mathematics through local wisdom and abstract mathematical concepts will become concrete if they already know the mathematical concepts in the Ghetak Pamekasan Mask dance movements.
Keywords: ethnomathematics; Ghetak Pamekasan Mask Dance Movement


Healthy corneal endothelium is essential for maintaining corneal clarity, as the damage of corneal endothelial cells and loss of cell count causes severe visual impairment. Corneal transplantation is currently the only therapy for severe corneal disorders. The greatly limited proliferative ability of human corneal endothelial cells (HCECs), even in vitro, has challenged researchers to establish efficient techniques for the cultivating HCECs, a pivotal issue for clinical applications. The aim of this study was to evaluate conditioned medium (CM) obtained from human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) (MSC-CM) for use as a consistent expansion protocol of HCECs. When HCECs were maintained in the presence of MSC-CM, cell morphology assumed a hexagonal shape similar to corneal endothelial cells in vivo, as opposed to the irregular cell shape observed in control cultures in the absence of MSC-CM. They also maintained the functional protein phenotypes; ZO-1 and Na+/K+-ATPase were localized at the intercellular adherent junctions and pump proteins of corneal endothelium were accordingly expressed. In comparison to the proliferative potential observed in the control cultures, HCECs maintained in MSC-CM were found to have more than twice as many Ki67-positive cells and a greatly increased incorporation of BrdU into DNA. MSC-CM further facilitated the cell migration of HCECs. Lastly, the mechanism of cell proliferation mediated by MSC-CM was investigated, and phosphorylation of Akt and ERK1/2 was observed in HCECs after exposure to MSC-CM. The inhibitor to PI 3-kinase maintained the level of p27Kip1 for up to 24 hours and greatly blocked the expression of cyclin D1 and D3 during the early G1 phase, leading to the reduction of cell density. These findings indicate that MSC-CM not only stimulates the proliferation of HCECs by regulating the G1 proteins of the cell cycle but also maintains the characteristic differentiated phenotypes necessary for the endothelial functions.


Data for almost 2000 students allow us to contrast leaning outcomes for courses in three different modes of delivery (completely online, mixed, and completely on campus). The analyses are based on three different factors: course level (graduate vs. undergraduate), course type (more technical computer science and engineering courses vs. less technical courses in CIS, humanities, and management), and gender. In terms of final grades, we found that online students achieved higher grades than those in face-to-face (FtF) courses did. However, the perception of leaning was similar across conditions. We also found a significant interaction between mode and course level: graduate students in mixed mode courses reported the highest levels of perceived leaning. The results of the study enable us to further generalize the finding that ALN modes of delivery tend to produce results equal to or better than those for FtF modes of course delivery.


Meta-analytic and experimental studies investigating the neural basis of emotion often compare functional activation in different emotional induction contexts, assessing evidence for a "core affect" or "salience" network. Meta-analyses necessarily aggregate effects across diverse paradigms and different samples, which ignore potential neural differences specific to the method of affect induction. Data from repeated measures designs are few, reporting contradictory results with a small N. In the current study, functional brain activity is assessed in a large (N = 61) group of healthy participants during two common emotion inductions-scene perception and narrative imagery-to evaluate cross-paradigm consistency. Results indicate that limbic and paralimbic regions, together with visual and parietal cortex, are reliably engaged during emotional scene perception. For emotional imagery, in contrast, enhanced functional activity is found in several cerebellar regions, hippocampus, caudate, and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, consistent with the conception that imagery is an action disposition. Taken together, the data suggest that a common emotion network is not engaged across paradigms, but that the specific neural regions activated during emotional processing can vary significantly with the context of the emotional induction.


Metallothioneins (MTs) are a family of low- molecular-weight, cysteine-rich proteins involved in zinc and redox metabolism, that are epigenetically downregulated during colorectal cancer (CRC) progression, but may be re-induced with a variety of agents. Since loss of MT expression is associated with a worse prognosis, in the present study we investigated the effects of overexpression of the most significantly downregulated isoform in CRC, namely MT1G, on the HT-29 cell line. Overexpression of MT1G resulted in xenograft tumors with an aberrant morphology, characterized by an evident increase in mucin-containing cells that were identified as goblet cells under electron microscopy. Immunohistochemical detection of CDX2 and cytokeratin 20 was also increased, as were goblet-cell and enterocyte-specific genes by qRT-PCR. Microarray analysis of gene expression confirmed the alteration of several differentiation signaling pathways, including the Notch pathway. Using sodium butyrate and post-confluent growth as inducers of differentiation, we demonstrated that MT1G does indeed play a functional role in promoting goblet over enterocyte differentiation in vitro. Labile zinc is also induced upon differentiation of CRC cells, functionally contributing to enterocyte over goblet differentiation, as revealed using zinc-specific chelating agents. Overall, our results uncover a new tumor-suppressor activity of MT1G in promoting the differentiation of at least some CRC tumors, and implicate MTs and zinc signaling as new players in colorectal differentiation. This further contributes to the hypothesis that re-induction of MTs may have therapeutic value by diminishing the aggressiveness of CRC tumors.


This paper describes an efficient and robust approach for the computer diagnosis and tuning of RF and microwave filters relying upon model-based parameter estimation (MBPE) and multilevel optimization. The frequency sampled S-parameters are obtained from the measurement, and then an MBPE procedure based on adaptive sampling is employed to approximate the frequency-domain behavior of S-parameters in terms of rational functions. This approach uses a reduced-order system model. The effect of measurement noise is also considered. The approach is applied to coupled resonator filters that are modeled by a general equivalent circuit. The loss of each resonator is included in the model by a series resistor. A simple and efficient error function is used to reduce the computational effort of the optimization while improving the speed and robustness of diagnosis process for lossy filters. This approach can be applied to many classes of filters. The proposed approach is demonstrated through numerical examples and application to the manufactured filter.


Generalized dynamic fuzzy neural networks (G-DFNN) based on ellipsoidal basis functions, which implement TSK fuzzy inference systems, are presented to extract fuzzy rules from input-output sample patterns. The salient characteristics of the approach are: (1) fuzzy rules can be gained quickly without using the backpropagation iteration learning; (2) the online self-organizing learning paradigm is employed so that structure and parameters identification are done automatically and simultaneously without partitioning the input space and selecting initial parameters a priori; (3) the sensitivity of fuzzy rules and input variables are analyzed based on the error reduction ratio method so that fuzzy rules can be recruited or deleted dynamically and the premise parameters of each input variable can be modified. Simulation studies and comprehensive comparisons with some other approaches demonstrate that the proposed scheme is superior in terms of learning efficiency and performance.


Theoretical work proposes that acceptance, attention monitoring, decentering, self-compassion, and nonreactivity are mechanisms that explain beneficial effects of mindfulness training. Yet, whether these mechanisms represent independent constructs and whether they naturally vary within person is unclear. This study examined whether mindfulness mechanisms represent independent constructs that naturally fluctuate within a person over time, and whether these fluctuations differentially relate to negative emotions. A sample of university staff employees (n = 143; 74.8% female; M ± SDage = 38.2 ± 10.9; 53.8% White) reported on mindfulness mechanisms and negative emotions five times a day for four days for a total of 2,122 assessments. Four distinct mechanisms emerged - acceptance-attention, decentering, self-compassion, nonreactivity - that exhibit substantial moment-to-moment variation. Greater acceptance-attention, self-compassion, and nonreactivity were associated with lower negative emotions; greater decentering was associated with higher negative emotions when examined concurrently with the other mechanisms. The unique associations of all mindfulness mechanisms with negative emotions, combined with their high levels of variability from moment to moment, suggest their potential as targets for mindfulness interventions to improve emotional well-being.


In case of uniformly distributed damping, the system can be expressed as real mode shapes and therefore the prediction of structural modification can be achieved with high accuracy. However in case of un-uniformly distributed damping, such as automobile suspension consisted of link, bush, the system should be expressed as complex mode shape, resulting less accurate prediction. In this paper, a numerical model is used to reveal the cause of such inaccuracy and then new algorithms are proposed to improve such inaccuracy. Finally by using proposed algorithm, an accurate vibration model of actual automobile suspension is obtained to be able to predict the change of vibration after structural modification.


ABSTRACT Background: Clozapine is a second-generation antipsychotic used in refractory schizophrenia. Clozapine can lead to pulmonary embolism (PE) by various mechanisms including immobility, weight gain and increased platelet aggregation. Objectives: We performed a systematic review on published cases of PE associated with clozapine. Methods: Comprehensive search of Medline, Embase and Cochrane library was done for relevant articles from inception until June 2017 Results: Total of 34 cases from 24 articles were included in the analysis. The mean age was 43.2 years with male predominance (63.6%). The mean dosage of clozapine was 281.4 mg daily. Duration of intake ranged from few days to many years. Nearly half of patients (47.82%) had no other co-morbidities for PE other than clozapine. For those reporting treatment, anticoagulation was chosen in 80%, thrombolysis in 10% and inferior vena cava filter placement in 5%. Mortality was 36.36% with three dying on presentation and an additional 9 dying during the follow-up period. Of the 18 patients in which follow-up data of clozapine were available, the drug was discontinued in 14 patients. Conclusion: PE can occur at doses lower than usual dose of clozapine (300 mg daily). It is important to consider this association especially in patients with no other risk factors for PE.


The utilization of renewable sources of energy is of significant interest today. This is particularly the case due to the growing interest in addressing global warming, carbon footprint and the associated challenges for the environment. In this context, the enhanced use of solar panels is relevant and timely. With a view to understand and appreciate the fundamentals of the workings of the solar panels and the influence of the outdoor weather-related parameters on their operational characteristics, a study is presented in this paper. A detailed procedure for performance measurement of PV modules in outdoor conditions is reported. Improvement in the precision of outdoor performance measurements of photovoltaic (PV) modules is investigated for a wide range of outdoor conditions. A comparative performance evaluation of the currently available PV modules under the influence of humidity, irradiance and particle radiation is presented. PV parameters show strong dependence on these outdoor conditions. The instability in solar cell modules when reacting with water or under high humidity inhibits the high performance of solar cell modules. Irradiation results depict that the silicon-based PV modules show a decreasing trend of power conversion efficiency with increasing solar irradiance. The efficiency increases with increased solar irradiance for CdTe, GaAs and CIGS solar cells in the irradiance range of 200 to 1000 W•m-2. Tandem and multi-junction solar cells exhibit a high-power conversion efficiency when the solar irradiance increases from 0 - 70 suns. Perovskite solar cells have better particle radiation tolerance than silicon, III-V and CIGS solar cells. The shading problem is discussed briefly for solar cell modules. This study is aimed to provide valuable and comparable information on the degradation performance of solar cells as function of humidity, irradiance and particle radiation, and serves as the basis for future development.


Eight hospital workers with chronic ethylene oxide exposure were age-sex matched with eight nonexposed controls with no significant differences in educational backgrounds and vocabulary scores. The exposed group performed more poorly on all eight measures of cognition, memory, attention, and coordination, with 71.3% less accuracy on the Hand-Eye Coordination Test. There was a dose-response relationship between exposure and the following: Continuous Performance Test and sural velocity. These findings suggest that neurologic dysfunction may result from long-term low-dose exposure to ethylene oxide, and that these effects may occur at exposure levels common in hospital sterilizer operations.


In this study two-dimensional and calm flow numerical solution on two warm Cylinders with constant temperature with rectangular cross-section located inside a canal with insulator walls have been studied. The problem for blockage ratio of 0.125, distance between the barriers equal to 1 to 4 times of the height of the barriers and Reynolds numbers in the range of 100 to 300 have been conducted. The effect of change in each of the parameters on Nusselt number, level of heat transfer, drag and lift coefficients and Coefficient of friction and the effect of distance changes between the barrier to canal wall on level of heat transfer and also the effect of changes in Reynolds number on these coefficient have been studies. The governing equations have been solved with the use of discretized finite volume method and the obtained Algebraic equations and for solving Navier-Stokes equations A semi-implicit fractional step method has been used. Values of drag coefficient and average Nusselt number have been calculated for four different grids and have been compared with each other and finally, the appropriate grid has been selected .Increased Reynolds number in blockage ratio of 0.125 for the 1st barrier in all the S/Hs leads to increased drag coefficient. However, for the 2nd barrier and in S/H=1 and S/H=2, drag coefficient decreases. In S/H=3 and S/H=4, considering the change of flow shape and the fact that the space between the two barriers are not filled with vortices, until the Reynolds number in which the space between the barriers are filled, drag coefficient decreases and then after than increases. This critical Reynolds in S/H=3 is 250 and it is 150 in S/H=4. With increasing the distance between the barriers in blockage ratio of 0.125, for the 1st barrier, average Nusselt increases, however, increased Reynolds number has a direct effect on increasing average Nusselt in different distances of barriers. The highest jump in average Nusselt in different Reynolds is seen in the barrier distance between 3H and 4H which is due to Vortex shedding phenomenon in heat transfer. On the 2nd barrier also, increased distance between barriers in general leads to increased average Nusselt in which Reynolds number has a direct relationship with increased average Nusselt.


This research studied the feasibility of applying a dynamic traffic assignment model, Dynasmart-P, to evaluate the effectiveness of alternative strategies for evacuating the traffic in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, under a hypothetical emergency situation that included the evacuation of a sellout crowd in the Metrodome. For this study, the southwest portion of the Twin Cities metro area was selected as the study network, and a set of different network configurations was evaluated for effectiveness in coping with a given emergency situation. The simulation results indicate that managing traffic conditions at the outbound freeway links in the given network during the evacuation period and the access capacity from the downtown area to those outbound freeway links are the critical factors affecting the effectiveness of evacuation operations. For example, the evacuation time under the contraflow operations with the freeways surrounding the downtown area was substantially reduced when the capacities of the key entrance ramps were also increased.


Presents a portable parallel programming environment for Modula-2*, an explicitly parallel machine-independent extension of Modula-2. Modula-2* offers synchronous and asynchronous parallelism, a global single address space, and automatic data and process distribution. The Modula-2* system consists of a compiler, a debugger, a cross-architecture make, graphical X Windows control panel, run-time systems for different machines, and sets of scalable parallel libraries. The existing implementation targets the MasPar MP series of massively parallel processors (SIMD), the KSR-1 parallel computer (MIMD), heterogeneous LANs of workstations (MIMD), and single workstations (SISD). We describe the important components of the Modula-2* environment, and discuss selected implementation issues. We focus on how we achieve a high degree of portability for our system, while at the same time ensuring efficiency.<<ETX>>


The first file-sharing software, Napster, was shut down in 2001, but the copying technologys impact on the music industry is still passionately debated. This paper uses micro-level data from the Consumer Expenditure Survey to examine the impact of Internet file sharing on music sales. Music industry representatives argue that the practice decreases CD sales, while supporters of file-sharing allege the practice could actually increase sales. Using household-level data from the Consumer Expenditure Survey, we find support for the claim that file-sharing has decreased sales.


The study aimed to assess the potential toxicity impacts of the application of plant protection products on aquatic ecosystems and humans. The analysis was based on the data on chemical protection of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) and winter rape (Brassica napus L.) collected in Trzebiny Agricultural Farm, located in Wielkopolska voivodeship, Poland. Routes and amounts of environmental emissions were determined using the model PestLCI 2.08. These results constituted inventory data in the studies by the life cycle assessment (LCA) method. The characterization model USEtox 2.02 was used to assess the freshwater ecotoxicity potential (FETP) and the human toxicity potential (HTP), including carcinogenic and noncarcinogenic effects. Among the analysed agricultural crops, the largest consumption of the active substances was noted in the protection products of sugar beet (7.43 kg ha-1), followed by winter wheat (2.64 kg ha-1) and the lowest was for winter rape (2.16 kg ha-1). Assessment of environmental emissions from plant protection showed that the largest amounts of active substances were available for leaching and surface runoff (average 91.7% of overall emissions). Emissions to the air and groundwater were smaller (on average 7.7% and 0.6%, respectively). There were no significant differences in the FETP impact among the analysed plants. The greatest threat to human (h) health resulted from chemical protection of sugar beet (1.7E − 05 comparative toxic unit (CTU)h ha-1), while the lowest value of the HTP impact was noted in the protection products of winter rape (3.3E − 06 CTUh ha-1). The results showed that the total freshwater ecotoxicity and human toxicity impacts were associated with physicochemical properties and toxicity of individual active substances. To more comprehensively evaluate the potential effects of plant protection products, a diverse range of active substances available for application should be considered.


A quantitative radioassay was used to study the adherence of group A Streptococcus to Madin-Darby canine kidney cells infected with influenza A virus (strains FM1, Jap 305, and NWS) and reacted with fibrinogen. Treatment of virus-infected cell cultures with human fibrinogen significantly enhanced streptococcal adherence (P less than 0.0005) compared with adherence to untreated, virus-infected cells and uninfected control cells. Enhanced adherence was not seen with NWS virus-infected cell cultures or with virus-infected cells treated with human fibronectin, canine fibrinogen, or porcine fibrinogen. Human fibrinogen was shown to bind directly to surface membranes of virus-infected cells. Virus-infected cell cultures were incubated in the presence of tunicamycin, an antibiotic that inhibits glycosylation of virus-specific surface membrane glycoproteins. We found that with increasing antibiotic concentration there was a progressive decrease in fibrinogen-mediated streptococcal adherence. Adherence of 3H-labeled streptococci to fibrinogen-treated, virus-infected cell cultures showed saturation kinetics and could be blocked with monospecific antibodies against fibrinogen. These results suggest that human fibrinogen binds to a glycoprotein moiety on the surface of influenza A virus-infected cells, and that once bound the fibrinogen molecule acts as an "acquired" receptor for the attachment of group A Streptococcus. We postulate that this mechanism, it if occurs in vivo, might help explain the observed association between influenza A virus infection and subsequent bacterial superinfection with group A Streptococcus.


In this work we will consider gauge interpretations of the conventionality of simultaneity as developed initially by Anderson and Stedman, and later by Rynasiewicz. We will make a critical reassessment of these interpretations in relation to the "tradition" as developed in particular by Reichenbach, Grünbaum, and Edwards. This paper will address different issues, including: the relation between these two gauge interpretations; what advantages or defects these gauge approaches might have; how "new" Rynasiewicz's approach in relation to the previous ones is; how much of the gauge interpretation Rynasiewicz actually applies to deal with objections to the conventionality of simultaneity thesis. The conclusion is that the gauge interpretations, in their current formulation, do not provide a better "rationale" of the conventionality of simultaneity thesis that supersedes the "tradition".


The Ultra Fast Silicon Detectors (UFSD) are a novel concept of silicon detectors based on the Low Gain Avalanche Diode (LGAD) technology, which are able to obtain time resolution of the order of few tens of picoseconds. First prototypes with different geometries (pads/pixels/strips), thickness (300 and 50 μm) and gain (between 5 and 20) have been recently designed and manufactured by CNM (Centro Nacional de Microelectrónica, Barcelona) and FBK (Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento). Several measurements on these devices have been performed in laboratory and in beam test and a dependence of the gain on the temperature has been observed. Some of the first measurements will be shown (leakage current, breakdown voltage, gain and time resolution on the 300 μm from FBK and gain on the 50 μm-thick sensor from CNM) and a comparison with the theoretically predicted trend will be discussed.


Here we describe a patient who developed autoimmune hypoadrenalism many years after developing Graves' disease. This combination depicts an autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type-2 (APS-2).
APS-2 is an autoimmune syndrome involving endocrine (adrenal glands + thyroid, and/or type 1 diabetes mellitus) and non-endocrine autoimmune disorders. APS-2 has a genetic background showing an association with the class II major histocompatibility complex. APS-2 is an uncommon disease (1:8,000 inhabitants) with higher prevalence in females and mean onset age of 35 years.
Despite the fact that hypoadrenalism is characterized by specific symptoms and signs (asthenia, fatigue, orthostatic hypotension, weight loss, nausea, arthralgia, anorexia, skin hyperpigmentation) it is not easy to diagnose at early stages. In late referral patients clinical symptoms can worsen, due to stress events, until a possibly fatal addisonian crisis.
Hyponatremia, hyperkalemia, increased levels of ACTH, renin, and low levels of Cortisol, hepatic failure as well as clinical signs and symptoms of dehydration are late laboratory findings.
The natural history of the disease develops in different, progressive phases: (i) presence of adrenal cortex autoantibodies many years before the first clinical manifestations, (ii) initial increased levels of plasmatic renin and low levels of aldosterone, (iii) followed by a reduced response of Cortisol to the intravenous ACTH stimulation, (iv) and finally increased levels of plasmatic ACTH and low levels of Cortisol and clinical manifestations of adrenal insufficiency. The therapy of APS-2 is mainly focused on hormone therapy of the affected glands.


Antilymphocyte serum (ALS) administration was observed to abrogate preexisting immunity to C3H tumors, permitting them to grow equally as well as, or slightly better than, in nonimmunized animals. Metastases from spontaneous C3H tumors were observed in ALS-treated mice but not in controls, indicating the possible importance of concomitant immunity in the phenomenon of metastases. This was not related to effects of ALS on the tumor cells per se as revealed by the behavior of transplants from treated animals in syngeneic hosts as well as their unaltered subcellular appearance. ALS failed to influence the latent period of 3-methylcholanthrene-induced tumors. These findings are considered in relation to the observations of others on the mechanism of 3-methylcholanthrene tumor induction. Incubation in vitro of tumor cells in ALS was without effect on their subsequent growth in syngeneic hosts. However, such incubation resulted in complete abrogation of the tumor growth-inhibitory effect observed in F1 hybrids (C3H × DBA). The amount of ALS used in the incubation was insufficient to influence tumor growth when administered at a site remote from that utilized for tumor incubation. Prior incubation in ALS allowed C3H tumor cells to grow in allogeneic DBA mice. When F1 hybrid spleen cells or sensitized lymphocytes were incubated with tumor cells before their inoculation into syngeneic hosts, a retardation of tumor growth occurred. Addition of ALS to the incubate eliminated this inhibitory effect. Inoculation of tumor cells alone resulted in a depression of circulating lymphocytes. When cells were injected in ALS or the latter was inoculated at a separate site, depression of lymphocytes was greater and more sustained than after the administration of either alone. Such findings minimize the importance of lymphopenia in accounting for these results, particularly in the F1 hybrid. Considerations pertinent to these observations strongly indicate the nonimmunological nature of allogeneic inhibition but, also as discussed, tend to minimize the role of the latter as a surveillance mechanism for autochthonous tumors.


Hot Carrier Injection (HCI) is investigated from the experimental and modelling perspectives. Extensive characterization of HCI is performed on flash devices to overcome the difficulties arising from direct gate injection measurements. Furthermore, a semi-analytical approach has been developped, capable of modelling both flash cell's electrostatics during transient operation and gate current under HCI by a non-local model valid for long and short channel devices.


Aortocoronary bypass, in use for over 20 years, is followed by lesions in 80% of vein grafts after 10 years. In 8 patients (mean age 60, SD = 7.8) before cardiopulmonary bypass, segments of saphenous vein were harvested, and following hydraulic distension (760 mmHg x 10 min), stripped of adventitia, de-endothelialized, cannulated, immersed in oxygenated Krebs solution pH 7.4 37 deg C, and pressurized (100 mmHg) with 4% 125I-albumin-Evans blue for two hours. The samples were then frozen, and serially sectioned in the plane of the lumenal surface. The radioactivity of the 20 microns-thick sections was then determined, and expressed as a tissue: labelled solution concentration ratio (cpm unit volume wet tissue/cpm unit volume labelled solution). Distended portions had a higher mean transmural concentration ratio, as compared with the undistended portion; the ratio distended/undistended was 1.23, SD = 0.17, n = 8, p less than 0.01 (paired t test). This suggests alteration in the transport properties of vein interstitium by hypertension. Random histologic examination of native veins revealed no structural damage apart from age-related dystrophy of elastic fibres and intimal and medial fibrosis in grossly normal veins. These results suggest that the quality of the vein used, combined with hypertension during its preparation, may be factors in the genesis of postoperative graft failure.


Background: Woman with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) are at increased risk of developing Metabolic syndrome (MS). MS is a clustering of factors known to increase the risk of diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Aim of this present study was to determine the prevalence and predictors of MS in PCOS women of Uttarakhand. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in department of Obtstetrics & Gynecology, SHRU from May 2016 till May 2017. A total of 200 women, diagnosed with PCOS between the ages of 15-40years were involved (by Rotterdam's criteria). Clinical and biochemical parameters for MS, were defined by National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP ATP III) criteria. Statistical analysis were performed with descriptive analytical methods using SPSS software version 16. Results: The prevalence of MS in PCOS was 22  (44 cases). The rate of central obesity, FBS more than 110mg/dl, triglycerides more than 150mg/dl, high density lipoproteins cholesterol levels (HDL-C) less than 50mg/dl and blood pressure ≥130/85mmHg in PCOS women were 30  (60), 3.5 (7), 34 (68), 70 (140) and 11 (22), respectively.  PCOS has evolved as a risk factor for endocrinal and metabolic derangements. Conclusions: Special strategies are required to prevent MS and its associated complications in PCOS women.


A 5-year-old child was operated on for aortico-left ventricular tunnel (ALVT). Postoperative cardiac catheterization revealed obliteration of the aortic end of the tunnel, normalization of systemic pressure and mild residual aortic valvular insufficiency. A review of the literature carefully considers the anatomical and clinical findings from previous reports involving 27 other patients, along with suggestions for appropriate surgical management of ALVT.


Abstract PURPOSE: To describe the prevalence of nine HIV-1 co-receptor polymorphisms in Luxembourg (CCR5-Δ32, CCR5-58755-A/G, CCR5m303, CCR5-59029-A/G, CCR2-64I, CCR5-59653-C/T, CX3 CR1-V249I, CX3 CR1-T280M, and SDF1-3'A) in 288 HIV-1-infected patients and in 158 uninfected, healthy volunteers. METHOD: The presence of mutations was detected using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)-based methods. RESULTS: We did not find any significant differences in genotype distributions and allele frequencies between infected and uninfected participants in Luxembourg. The distribution of genotypes agreed in all groups with Hardy-Weinberg predicted proportions. CCR5-Δ32 was significantly associated with HIV-1-infected slow progressor patients. CONCLUSION: Overall, allele frequencies were comparable to frequencies reported in previous studies in Caucasian populations.


Hypoxic preconditioning (HPC) elicits resistance to more drastic subsequent insults, which potentially provide neuroprotective therapeutic strategy, but the underlying mechanisms remain to be fully elucidated. Here, we examined the effects of HPC on synaptic ultrastructure in olfactory bulb of mice. Mice underwent up to five cycles of repeated HPC treatments, and hypoxic tolerance was assessed with a standard gasp reflex assay. As expected, HPC induced an increase in tolerance time. To assess synaptic responses, Western blots were used to quantify protein levels of representative markers for glia, neuron, and synapse, and transmission electron microscopy was used to examine synaptic ultrastructure and mitochondrial density. HPC did not significantly alter the protein levels of astroglial marker (GFAP), neuron‐specific markers (GAP43, Tuj‐1, and OMP), synaptic number markers (synaptophysin and SNAP25) or the percentage of excitatory synapses versus inhibitory synapses. However, HPC significantly affected synaptic curvature and the percentage of synapses with presynaptic mitochondria, which showed concomitant change pattern. These findings demonstrate that HPC is associated with changes in synaptic ultrastructure. Synapse 69:7–14, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


The characteristics of a permanent-magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) are influenced greatly by the back-electromotive force waveforms in the motor, which are directly related to the magnet shape. We assume that the outer surface of a magnet in a PMSM can be modeled as one part of a cylinder. Using an ANSOFT model, we optimized the radius of the magnet with respect to number of poles, rotor size, and magnet thickness when the total harmonic distortion is below 1%. We then set up a lookup table using the optimization results so that the desired outer radius of a magnet of any new PMSM motor could be derived, subject to the parameter limits. We applied this method to some PMSM prototypes, and confirmed that the calculation results are substantially accurate.


Purpose : The purpose of this study is to set up an anomaly detection criteria for sensor data coming from a motorcycle. Methods : Five sensor values for accelerator pedal, engine rpm, transmission rpm, gear and speed are obtained every 0.02 second from a motorcycle. Exploratory data analysis is used to find any pattern in the data. Traditional process control methods such as X control chart and time series models are fitted to find any anomaly behavior in the data. Finally unsupervised learning algorithm such as k-means clustering is used to find any anomaly spot in the sensor data. Results : According to exploratory data analysis, the distribution of accelerator pedal sensor values is very much skewed to the left. The motorcycle seemed to have been driven in a city at speed less than 45 kilometers per hour. Traditional process control charts such as X control chart fail due to severe autocorrelation in each sensor data. However, ARIMA model found three abnormal points where they are beyond 2 sigma limits in the control chart. We applied a copula based Markov chain to perform statistical process control for correlated observations. Copula based Markov model found anomaly behavior in the similar places as ARIMA model. In an unsupervised learning algorithm, large sensor values get subdivided into two, three, and four disjoint regions. So extreme sensor values are the ones that need to be tracked down for any sign of anomaly behavior in the sensor values. Conclusion : Exploratory data analysis is useful to find any pattern in the sensor data. Process control chart using ARIMA and Joe's copula based Markov model also give warnings near similar places in the data. Unsupervised learning algorithm shows us that the extreme sensor values are the ones that need to be tracked down for any sign of anomaly behavior. 1)


In order to study the hot-electron degradation parameters n, m, and H, whose accurate extraction is critical in simulating circuit-level hot-electron degradation, both NMOSFETs and P-MOSFETs have been fabricated with the shortest channel length of 0.25 gm. Processing techniques, such as an over-exposure and a short drive-in at high temperature, are used in order to fabricate short channel devices with shallow junctions, using a standard ultraviolet lithography system. A thorough characterization of hotelectron degradation parameters is presented, and physical explanations are given for the degradation parameters' dependencies on various MOSFET parameters, such as Tox and Nsub, stressing conditions, such as Eox and Vsub, and degradation mechanisms, such as interface-state generation and charge trapping. Several existing physical theories are explored and explained in further detail. Future research plans are presented in order to accomplish the goal of developing an optimal degradation parameter extraction guideline for hot-electron circuit performance degradation simulation. Thesis Supervisor: James E. Chung Title : Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering


Ethicists often find themselves facing what we call "familiar epistemic dilemmas." They want to endorse the moral judgment that P when they reflect on a particular case, but they also want to endorse a general principle that implies that P is false. In conflicts of this sort, they must either reject their judgment about the case in favor of the judgment implied by the principle, or else revise their principle so that it conforms with their judgment about the case. Generalists in moral epistemology believe that when these conflicts arise, the best default strategy is to favor our general principles over our judgments of particular cases, whereas particularists privilege judgments about particular cases. In this paper, we offer a novel argument against generalism.2 Recent work in cognitive science and psycholinguistics suggests that people often endorse false universal generalizations (e.g., "All ducks lay eggs") when there are nearby generic generalizations that are true (e.g., "Ducks lay eggs"). In this paper, we argue that this "generic overgeneralization effect" extends to the moral domain, and that this psychological fact undercuts prominent philosophical justifications for generalism. In brief, the generic overgeneralization effect provides a debunking explanation of people's intuitive attraction to


The larvae of the aquatic Chironomid midge (Diptera, Chironomidae) are known to survive in freshwater habitats exposed to stress especially that of hypoxic stress. Hence, a study of the effect of alterations in the levels of dissolved oxygen on the physiology of the larvae could help in establishing them as potential sensitive bio indicators for monitoring such freshwater habitats. A simple inexpensive and non-cumbersome experimental set-up unlike commercially available sophisticated set-ups was designed and fabricated in the lab. The validation of this set-up was carried out and alterations in the hemoglobin levels in the larvae of the tropical midge species Chironomus ramosus exposed to hypoxic conditions were studied. It was observed that there was an increase in the level of hemoglobin on exposure to hypoxic conditions and the findings were further validated by studying the expression of hemoglobin gene at various time points during exposure to hypoxia. These findings suggest that the device designed could be used as an inexpensive and effective method for generating and maintaining the desired levels of dissolved oxygen as compared to several of the chemical and physical methods generally used. Further, this would be useful in studies to be done for the monitoring of hypoxia in freshwater habitats using Chironomus hemoglobin as a biomarker.


A series of fiber-specific mutants, or germplasms, have been recently used in the study of fiber development. In the current study, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to investigate developmental differences in lint and fuzz initiation in different genotypes (Gossypium hirsutum) of upland cotton. These fiber mutants included dominant naked seed N1, recessive naked seed n2, Xuzhou-142 lintless-fuzzless (XZ142WX), Xinxiangxiaojilintless-fuzzless (XinWX), Xinxiangxiaojilinted-fuzzless (XinFLM), with TM-1, the cytogenetic and genetic experimental standard stock, as the control. Characteristics of fiber initiation were analyzed from –1 to +1 days post anthesis (dpa) and at 4 and 5 dpa for fuzz initiation. Our data suggested that lint initiation centered on day of anthesis (0 dpa), and elongated significantly at 1 dpa, while fuzz initiation began at 4 dpa, although the shape of fuzz protrusions differed from that of lint fibers. Fiber initiation occurred first on the ovule funicular crest. Compared to TM-1, there was a noted retardation in development and fiber protrusion in N1 and XinFLM. Microscopy data also demonstrated that lintless-fuzzless mutants (XZ142WX and XinWX) developed irregular protrusions during early developmental stages, which were unable to grow into fiber.


FACBC (anti-1-amino-3-18F-fluorocyclobutane-1-carboxylic acid) is a FDA-approved PET-tracer in patients with suspected recurrent prostate cancer. In the diagnostic work-up of primary prostate cancer, accurate localization of the index tumor is needed for image-guidance of biopsies. We therefore assessed the performance of FACBC PET/CT to detect and localize the index tumor and compared it to multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) using whole-mount histopathology as reference standard. Twenty-three patients with biopsy-proven prostate cancer had FACBC PET/CT and mpMRI within two weeks prior to prostatectomy. FACBC PET/CT was acquired as 14 minutes list-mode and re-binned into seven 2-minutes intervals. Static FACBC was the acquired data from 4-6 minutes, whereas the dynamic FACBC included all seven intervals. Two radiologists and two nuclear medicine physicians independently interpreted the images and consensus was reached in case of discrepancy. Static PET detected 15 of 23 (65%) of the index tumors, dynamic PET detected 14 of 22 (64%), and MRI detected 20 of 23 (87%). To assess the extent of the tumor, the interpreters delineated the tumor in a 12-regions sector-based template. True positive, true negative, false positive and false negative sectors were recorded based on the template drawings and whole-mount histopathology. Both static and dynamic FACBC PET had sensitivity of 40% and specificity of 99%, whereas MRI had sensitivity of 81% and specificity of 100%. Our data indicate that FACBC PET/CT may be useful but that mpMRI is better for localizing the index tumor in patients with prostate cancer.


This study evaluated the potential of acoustic analysis as presorting criteria to identify warp-prone boards before kiln drying. Dimension lumber, 38 by 89 mm (nominal 2 by 4 in.) and 2.44 m (8 ft) long, sawn from opengrown small-diameter ponderosa pine trees, was acoustically tested lengthwise at green condition. Three acoustic properties (acoustic speed, rate of wave attenuation, and acoustic modulus of elasticity (MOE)) were then determined through waveform analysis. Boards were then kiln dried, and warp was measured immediately after drying and after equilibrating to about 13 percent equilibrium moisture content. Crook and bow measured after drying decreased as acoustic speed and acoustic MOE of green boards increased and rate of wave attenuation of green boards decreased Twist was found to have no relationship with any acoustic propelties of green 2 by 4's. The results also show a statistically significant correlation between acoustic properties of green 2 by 4's and the grade loss caused by exceeding warp limits. As the number of Structural Light Framing grade losses from the green grade increased, the acoustic speed and acoustic MOE decreased significantly, whereas rate of wave attenuation increased significantly. However, no relationship was found between green board density and warp and grades lost.


In this paper, a novel non-blind audio watermarking scheme is proposed. The method makes use of both channels of stereo music signals. The signals are divided into segments and watermarks are embedded by hiding echoes into these segments. The embedded echoes represent the watermark bits. For single channel watermarking, echoes with two different delays are used. One is used to encode watermark bit "1" and the other one is used to encode watermark bit "0". In the proposed watermarking scheme, an echo is embedded only when the energy level of the intended segment exceeds a given threshold. Echoes with one value of delay are used to represent both binary bits. Echoes embedded in one channel are used to encode watermark bit "1" and echoes embedded in the other channel are used to encode watermark bit "0". The embedded echoes or watermark are extracted by detecting time delay of each embedded echo in Cepstrum domain. Robustness and performance of this audio watermarking scheme under different types of attacks are investigated. It is found that the proposed watermarking scheme, compared with the single channel echo-hiding method, is significantly more robust against different types of attacks.


Accessing Internet services relies on the Domain Name System (DNS) for translating human-readable names to routable network addresses. At the bottom level of the DNS hierarchy, the authoritative DNS (ADNS) servers maintain the actual mapping records and answer the DNS queries. Today, the increasing use of upstream ADNS services (i.e., third-party ADNS-hosting services) and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) clouds facilitates the establishment of web services, and has been fostering the evolution of the deployment of ADNS servers. To shed light on this trend, in this paper we present a large-scale measurement to study the ADNS deployment patterns of modern web services and examine the characteristics of different deployment styles, such as performance, life-cycle of servers, and availability. Furthermore, we focus specifically on the DNS deployment for subdomains hosted in IaaS clouds.


In this article I analyze the function f(X) = A + X (mod 2 ) exclusive-or differential probability. 1 The result, regarding differential cryptanalysis, is a better understanding of ciphers that use f(X) as a primitive operation. A simple O(α ) algorithm to compute the probability is given.


Diachasmimorpha longicaudata is an Opiinae parasitoid used to control tephritid fruit flies, which cause tremendous economic losses of fruits worldwide. In Thailand, D. longicaudata is classified as three sibling species, DLA, DLB and DLBB, based on the morphological and biological species concepts but their genetic variation has not been studied. Therefore, we investigated the genetic differentiation of the mitochondrial COI gene to clarify the ambiguous taxonomy of this species complex. The 603‐bp COI region was sequenced from laboratory‐bred colonies and field‐collected specimens from seven locations representing five geographical regions in Thailand. DLA was associated with the host Bactrocera correcta while DLB and DLBB were associated with Bactrocera dorsalis. The interspecific nucleotide differences of COI sequences among the three groups ranged from 6.70% to 7.62% (Kimura 2‐parameter distance), which adequately separates species complexes within the order Hymenoptera and supports the current sibling species classification. The neighbor joining, maximum likelihood and consensus Bayesian phylogenetic trees constructed from COI sequences revealed that the three sibling species of laboratory and field‐collected D. longicaudata are monophyletic with 100% support. The high genetic variation and molecular phylogeny of the COI sequences were shown to discriminate between the D. longicaudata species examined in this study.


Street lighting is an essential utility especially in urban and industrialized areas because it provides illumination and safety for vehicles and pedestrians throughout the night. However, street lights are relatively inefficient; they consume large amounts of power from electrical grids and have predetermined operation times that are often non-optimal for the surrounding environment. The Sun-Tracking Solar-Powered LED Street Lamp is a self-sustaining device, built to replace the current lighting sources. The device features sun-tracking capabilities for maximum energy gathering and darkness recognition to establish optimal operation times. The project provides a reliable and enhanced alternative to current street lighting systems.


This paper examined the performance of money market funds in Kenya during the period 2009 to 2011. The purpose of the study was to determine the factors that influence the financial performance of money market funds in Kenya. The study analyzed the factors affecting the performance of the entire population of the fourteen money market funds that were in operation during the above period. The study found that majority of the funds (76%) performed on or above the set benchmarks. 50% of the funds performed above the benchmark and only 14% of the funds performed below the benchmark. It is also observed that the money market funds in the study have very low standard deviation and thus fluctuation in their expected returns is low. This is expected because of the financial instruments that they mainly used, which provide relatively low risk and low return. The study established that there are various factors influencing the performance of money markets funds including fund size, expense ratio, portfolio composition, fund manager"s skill, market returns and liquidity. Some of the above factors are highly correlated and therefore through the application of factor analysis, the above factors were summarized into three major determinants namely fund size (AUM), expense ratio and portfolio composition. The study also found that the age of the fund does not affect performance


Object We investigated burnout and associated factors in non-shift workers (NSWs), shift workers with regular rotating shifts (RRSWs), and shift workers with irregular or unpredictable rotating shifts (IRSWs). Methods In total, 5,125 adult workers (1,966 NSWs, 1,936 RRSWs, and 1,223 IRSWs) participated in an online self-reported survey. Job burnout and three dimensions thereof (exhaustion, cynicism, and professional efficacy) were assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory—General Survey (MBI-GS). The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) (depressive symptoms), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) (subjective sleep quality), and Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS) (stressful job environment) were also used. Results Both types of shift workers scored higher in terms of exhaustion, cynicism, and poor professional efficacy on the MBI-GS compared with NSWs after controlling for age and gender. IRSWs exhibited higher scores on the exhaustion and professional efficacy dimensions of the MBI-GS compared with RRSWs. After controlling for the CES-D and PSQI scores, we found no significant difference in cynicism among the groups. After controlling for the KOSS score, we found no significant difference in professional efficacy. All MBI-GS dimensional scores were correlated significantly with the CES-D, PSQI, and KOSS scores in all three groups. Conclusion The job burnout level of rotating shift workers, especially those with irregular shifts, was higher than that of other workers. Cynicism in shift workers may be largely attributable to poor sleep or depression; the poor efficacy of shift workers may be explained by their stressful work environment.


With the development of new photosensitizers that have enhanced photoactivation at longer wavelengths than haematoporphyrin derivative, new considerations arise in the light source and delivery systems and in the techniques for physical dosimetry and in vivo optical measurements in photodynamic therapy. The limitations and future potential of solid-state laser sources are presented. The relationships between photosensitizer photoactivation characteristics and the effective photodynamic treatment volume are developed and discussed quantitatively. The problems in defining and measuring the photodynamic dose are examined, and potential techniques for measuring the factors involved in this are evaluated with emphasis on noninvasive approaches which may be used clinically.


The performance of dry-cooled ORC systems varies significantly with environmental conditions, diurnally and seasonally. This study analyzes the impact of environmental conditions on overall performance and operational control of dry-cooled ORC systems with fixed and variable geometry expanders. Performance analysis results are extended to time-series environmental data to determine the expected performance of a system over long durations. Analysis results indicate that, if other factors are held constant, variable speed condenser fans produce minimal performance improvement, while variable-geometry expanders have a significant impact.© 2011 ASME


Splenic-gonadal fusion is a rare congenital anomaly, in which splenic tissue is connected to the gonad. It is almost always on the left side, is difficult to be recognized, and unfortunately the final diagnosis is confirmed after an unnecessary orchiectomy in one-third of the cases. We report a case of splenic-gonadal fusion in a 6-year-old boy, referred for a palpable mass at the left testicle. Ultrasound and MRI were performed; and the final diagnosis was confirmed by Tc-99m colloid scanning. The child was operated, orchiectomy was avoided, the mass was removed, and pathology confirmed normal splenic tissue.


Patent omphalomesenteric duct (umbilical enteric fistula) was diagnosed in a 7-day-old infant. The duct closed spontaneously, but at the age of 4 months the infant was readmitted for a resection of the duct. A review of the literature disclosed that 65 cases of patent omphalomesenteric duct have been reported in Japan. The male/female ratio was 2.8:1. Ten out of 36 infants (27.8%) were premature. Surgery was performed in as many patients as possible--55 out of 59 cases (93.2%). The ducts averaged 3.8 cm in length and 1.1 cm in diameter. Errant gastric mucosa was found in 3 out of 30 cases (10.0%). Prolapse of the ileum was present in 28 out of 53 patients (52.8%)--a relatively high incidence. Ten out of 55 patients died (18.2%); 8 of these had a prolapse of the ileum. In view of the high mortality rate of patients with a prolapse of the ileum and the strong possibility of intestinal obstruction, patent omphalomesenteric ducts should be resected surgically.


In this study, the physical and the electrical properties of La2O3 with and without a SiO2 buffer layer deposited by using remote plasma atomic layer deposition were investigated. A 1-nm-thick SiO2 buffer layer was grown on Si (100) substrates by rapid thermal annealing (RTA). The chemical bonding states at the interface between the La2O3 films and both Si and SiO2/Si substrates were analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). From the XPS results, the relative intensities of the La-silicate peaks of the La2O3 film deposited on the Si substrate were higher than those of the La2O3 film deposited on the SiO2 buffer layer. The electrical properties of the films were studied by generating capacitance-voltage and current-voltage curves. The flatband voltage (VFB) for the 4-nm and the 7-nm-thick La2O3 films on the Si substrate were −0.86 V and −0.93 V, respectively. On the other hand, the VFB values for the 4-nm and 7-nm-thick La2O3 films on the SiO2 buffer layer were −0.73 V and −0.49 V, respectively.


A systematic computer-aided synthesis (CAS) technique of lumped Iossy matching networks is presented in this paper. This exact synthesis procedure can take arbitrary finite quality factor Q for each lumped element in the matching network and therefore facilitate the circuit design for monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC's) where the loss of the passive elements is too large to be neglected. The gain-band-width limitations of some useful lumped Iossy matching networks are discussed in detail and are summarized in a set of gain-bandwidth constraint plots. An interactive computer program LUMSYN is developed to solve this lumped Iossy synthesis problem. LUMSYN is a general-purpose CAS program which can be used by microwave circuit designers with limited background in network synthesis to carry out Iow-noise and power amplifier designs in MMIC's. Finally, a design example of broad-band monolithic microwave low-noise amplifier using a state-of-the-art low-noise submicron gate-length GaAs MESFET is presented to illustrate the computer-aided synthesis of MMIC amplifiers.


Dad, I saved you $200 today." Despite such sincere and enthusiastic claims, I have never once found more money in my wallet. In this issue of theArchives, Ernst et al 1 present a thoughtful potential cost-savings analysis of treatment for Alzheimer disease that temporarily stabilizes or reverses cognitive decline. Based on the assumptions used in their model, the magnitude of potential savings seems reasonable. Cost-savings analyses, however, are by their very nature double-edged swords. Results often can be easily turned around. For example, would Ernst et al, patients and their families, and the pharmaceutical industry all agree that an Alzheimer disease medication that prevented a 2-point decline over 1 year on the Mini-Mental State Examination, but cost $3700, not be given because it was not cost-effective? When considering cost-savings analyses, remember that better models and "smarter bean counters" always exist. Pointing out weaknesses in cost-savings analyses often is easy.


This report aims to study the age related T1rho and T2 relaxation time changes in lumbar intervertebral disc. Lumbar sagittal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed with a 3 Tesla scanner in 52 subjects. With a spin-lock frequency of 500 Hz, T1rho was measured using a rotary echo spin-lock pulse embedded in a 3D balanced fast field echo sequence. A multi-echo turbo spin echo sequence was used for T2 mapping. Regions-of-interest were drawn over the T1rho and T2 maps, including nucleus pulposus and annulus fibrosus. For L1/2-L4/5 discs, results showed the age associated reduction of T1rho of nucleus pulposus had a of slope of -1.06, the reduction of T2 of nucleus pulposus had a slope of -1.47, the reduction of T1rho of annulus fibrosus had a slope of -0.25, and the reduction of T2 of annulus fibrosus had a slope of -0.18, with all the slopes significantly non-zero. In nucleus pulposus the slope of T2 was slightly steeper than that of T1rho (P=0.085), while in annulus fibrosus the slope of T1rho was slightly steeper than that of T2 (P=0.31). We conclude that significant age related reduction of T1rho and T2 magnetic resonance relaxation times of lumbar intervertebral disc was observed, however, the relative performances of T1rho vs. T2 were broadly similar.


Life threatening M. tuberculosis (MTB) infection is a dreaded complication and concern of immune suppression therapy. Anti-TNFα therapy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) carries a significant risk for immune suppression and activation of MTB. All IBD patients must be carefully screened for active or latent MTB before initiation of therapy. Recent advances in detection of MTB using INF-γ Release Assays, offer clinicians a new and valuable tool to diminish the risk of MTB among IBD patients treated with Anti-TNFα therapy.


The purpose of this research is to utilize the latest android-based technology to introduce the Sundanese script to the public. so, this design can be used especially in the preservation of Sundanese culture which is judged by the development of the current era which has begun to be abandoned. Sundanese script with the concept of this android-based game to introduce the basics of Sundanese script as learning that can be used every day. Therefore, people can master the standard Sundanese script by using different methods and experiences for those who wish or find it difficult to absorb material using conventional methods. The research method used is descriptive qualitative with a project design process approach, data collection, and analysis to design. The results of this design through the method used starting from data collection to design, in the form of an android-based application prototype design that can be used directly. So that in this study it can be seen the use of technology is used as a learning media solution which is considered easy to use and can be useful for the community.