E-cadherin (E-cad) is critical for the development and maintenance of polarity and differentiation of epithelial cells. Our previous study revealed gallbladder (GB) cancer cell lines expressing E-cadherin could form cystic or spheroid-like structures in a 3-D matrix. This differentiated phenotype was disrupted by addition of anti-E-cad antibody. By extrapolation, we postulated that E-cad might directly regulate epithelial morphogenesis in GB carcinoma. In the present study, we introduced an expression plasmid harboring mouse E-cad cDNA (pBATEM2) into an undifferentiated GB cancer cell line (G-415) which did not express E-cad. We systemically compared differences including cell phenotype, morphogenesis, and ultrastructure between the parental G-415 cells (parental-cells) and E-cad transfected cells (E-cad-cells) under various conditions such as monolayer culture, 3-D gel culture as well as inoculation of nude mice. In contrast to parental-cells, E-cad-cells presented a typical epithelial shape with tight intercellular connections in monolayer culture. They developed round multicellular cystic structures in 3-D gel. The cysts secreted mucous substances via the apical surface into the cystic lumen, in which the substances were positively stained by alcian blue (pH 2.5). Ultrastructural sections of gel/xenograft tumor revealed re-establishment of adherens junctions and restoration of cell polarization. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent staining showed exogenous E-cad primarily accumulated at the extended cell-cell contact sites. Moreover, the membranous translocation of alpha-, and beta-catenin from cytoplasm was also found in 3-D matrix and xenograft tumor sections. Histopathologic examination revealed papillary adenocarcinoma features in the central region of the xenograft tumors. Our results demonstrate that exogenous expression of E-cad in undifferentiated GB cancer G-415 cells reverses differentiated characteristics in spatial growth conditions. Simultaneous translocation of alpha-, beta-catenin to membrane following functional E-cad expression may be a critical event for this process.


Ninety-eight women ascertained from high-risk breast/ovarian cancer clinics with breast cancer reporting at least one other primary cancer in themselves or in a relative with breast cancer were compared with 99 women with breast cancer who reported a family history of breast cancer only. All DNA was screened for coding region mutations in BRCA1 and BRCA2 using heteroduplex analysis, followed by direct sequencing. Our data indicate that 42.9% of families reporting breast and any second nonbreast type of primary cancer in the same individual had a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation, as compared with the 12.1% of families reporting breast cancer only (P < 0.001). Among the 66 women reporting breast cancer and a nonovarian second primary cancer, 15 (22.7%) had mutations in BRCA1 or BRCA2 (P = 0.04). Among the 32 families where ovarian cancer was the second primary cancer, 27 (84.4%) had a mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2 (P < 0.001). BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations were twice as common in the presence of a reported second nonovarian cancer. These data suggest that the presence of multiple primary cancer of any kind may predict for an increased likelihood of finding a BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation and supports previous studies suggesting that BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations may be associated with an increased susceptibility to cancers other than breast and ovarian cancer.


Japan is the land of industry which produces many kind of products. To market their product one of the effective ways is by using advertisement. Advertisement is something that we always see in our daily life. We can find it anywhere, at the billboard, television, magazine, newspaper, radio, etc. Since the objective of any type of advertising is to persuade the public to buy product or service, advertiser uses many ways to convey his product message, one of them is by using figurative language. Figurative language is language that is used in an exaggerated fashion to represent an idea. Figurative language in advertising is used to help the consumer picture himself benefiting from the product or service being mentioned. Based on Abrams theory, figurative language divided into two classes: figures of thought and figures of speech. Figures of thought grouped into five, they are simile, metaphor, metonymy, synecdoche, and personification. Japanese advertisers often use this figures of thought to their ads. This paper discusses about figures of thought in Japanese ad copywriting. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the use of figures of thought in Japanese ad Copywriting for knowing the message it contains. Keywords: Japanese advertising, copywriting, figurative language, figures of thought .


Background:As the capital city of Hunan Province next to Hubei Province very closely, Changsha started Level 1 response of major public health emergency on January 23. After 75 days of lockdown due to Covid-19 epidemic, students in the 9th grade of junior high school started hard training for physical entrance examination. Case Presentation:We report three cases of occult fracture on the same site in adolescents of the same grade since resumption of school after lockdown in covid-19 epidemic. Three students in the 9th grade of junior high school who were facing the physical examination in two weeks are diagnosed the occult fracture of the distal femur. Conclusion:It is recommended that the students, parents, education providers and policy makers should all pay attention to the physical exercise of students that should be from a small amount to a medium amount and then to examination training. The sudden increase in the amount of exercise may cause hidden fracture of young people.


The classical approach to using utility functions suffers from the drawback of having to design and tweak the functions on a case by case basis. Inspired by examples from the animal kingdom, social sciences and games we propose empowerment, a rather universal function, defined as the information-theoretic capacity of an agent's actuation channel. The concept applies to any sensorimotor apparatus. Empowerment as a measure reflects the properties of the apparatus as long as they are observable due to the coupling of sensors and actuators via the environment. Using two simple experiments we also demonstrate how empowerment influences sensor-actuator evolution


Since the REIT industry is relatively new in Singapore, the objective of this research is to examine the operation efficiency among firms in the industry through the method of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA). In addition, the method of Tobit regression is applied to investigate the impact factors on efficiency. The results are as follows. First, none of 14 firms analyzed performs relatively efficiently based on the average efficiency scores over the sample periods of 2007 to first quarter of 2015. Nevertheless, it is found that First REIT and Suntec REIT are the most efficient and least efficient REITs respectively. Second, ROA is positively correlated to efficiency scores while the negative relationship is found with the debt ratio. Third, regarding property-type, retail REITSs perform better than commercial ones on average. However, the most efficient group is "others" which consists of one hospitality/residential REITs, one healthcare REITs, and three industrial REITs. Fourth, geographical diversification may not affect REIT's efficiency. Meanwhile, REITs holding more properties overseas perform better than their counterparts on average. Last, in regards to size, small-size REITs significantly perform better in efficiency than those in other categories. Especially, medium-size and largesize REITs do not have significant differences on average in efficiency.


Logic programming provides a very high-level view of programming, which comes at the cost of some execution efficiency. Improving performance of logic programs is thus one of the holy grails of Prolog system implementations and a wide range of approaches have historically been taken towards this goal. Designing computational models that both exploit the available parallelism in a given application and that try hard to reduce the explored search space has been an ongoing line of research for many years. These goals in particular have motivated the design of several computational models, one of which is the Extended Andorra Model (EAM). In this paper, we present a preliminary specification and implementation of the EAM with Implicit Control, the WAM2EAM, which supplies regular WAM instructions with an EAM-centered interpretation.


In recent years nonrepresentational theory has been applied with increasing frequency to landscape studies. This paper responds to this trend in two ways. First, through a close reading of John Wylie and Mitch Rose's writings, I critique the application of nonrepresentational theory to landscape interpretation. While nonrepresentational theory has, crucially, highlighted the importance of performativity, affect, excess, and relationality, it has been imperfectly translated to landscape studies. Landscape studies grounded in nonrepresentational theory overburden the landscape with philosophical and theoretical propositions, which has the effect of exonerating landscapes from their temporal, spatial, and visual circumstances. Second, drawing mainly on the work of Catherine Malabou and Bruno Latour, I suggest that different metaphors and concepts are needed to improve landscape studies: plasticity and a revamped, historical account of relationality. The aim of this paper is to establish a means of visualizing the dynamics of landscape and their historical mutability, with the intention of producing readings that are more ecumenical, and avoid the theoretical reductionism found in current nonrepresentational accounts of landscape.


This paper describes the analysis of a transmission line having an oval-shaped center conductor syrnmetrically placed inside an outer conductor in the form of a rectangular waveguide. A conformal transformation is used to calculate the characteristic impedances of oval, elliptic, circular, and planar conductors. The impedance data of these structures are presented in the form of charts for different aspect ratios of the rectangular outer condnctor. The charge distribution on the center conductor is also determined.


Encryption and key distribution are important primitives to build secure Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN). Different block ciphers were proposed in literature to provide encryption in resource constraint distributed networks. A large amount of different key distribution schemes were implemented, targeting different types of WSNs. These schemes face issues with respect to their requirements, implementations, and theoretic foundations. In this paper we provide an overview of selected encryption schemes and introduce so called fault attacks targeting hardware implementations of block ciphers. Selected key pre-distribution schemes, like random key pre-distribution and hierarchical key distribution, are presented and depicted. Memory efficient Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) introduces feasible public key cryptography schemes for WSNs. A summary of selected ECC based schemes is given with a focus on Identity Based Encryption (IBE), which is especially useful in scenarios with a trusted sink node.


Technology plays a major role in learning and teaching languages. Technological advancement has opened up many opportunities for teachers and learners to use their learning and teaching resources online. Using YouTube within and outside the classroom can be very helpful in developing the ability to write, listen and pronounce. YouTube can be a valuable tool that can be used to teach multiple language skills. YouTube videos can be used to educate students about the varieties of English spoken around the world and provide them with authentic speaking skill materials. This paper suggests different ways to teach English speaking skills using YouTube.


The effects of aluminium sulphate and sodium aluminate on physical and chemical properties of wheat straw pulp black liquor were studied. Results showed that the expansion rate was enhanced by increasing the aluminum salt content; furthermore, the effect of sodium aluminate was better than that of aluminum sulfate. The maximum desilication rate of 92.31% was reached with the addition of 3% sodium aluminate. A rheometer showed that aluminum salt had little impact on the viscosity of thick black liquor, so even at a high temperature it could be conveyed by pumps in paper mill at 110 °C. The effect of aluminium salt on the silicon removal rate during black liquor combustion was also studied. The experimental results showed that both aluminium sulphate and sodium aluminate helped to remove silicon. The desilication rate of sodium aluminate reached 62.33%, higher than that of aluminum sulphate. SEM-EDX illustrated that the aluminum and silicon ions were formed into insoluble precipitates. It was optimal to use 3% sodium aluminate as desilication agent.


The surveillance of foodborne pathogens in food industries has shown the urgent need for rapid and dependable methods to detect and characterize the organisms in food and environments of clinical and epidemiologic importance. Recent studies on rapid methods in microbiology have been focused on biochemical characterization, immunoassays, and molecular methods. Many molecular methods have been developed and applied to the detection and characterization of foodborne pathogens in laboratories and food industries. They can be mainly divided into DNA banding pattern-based tests and DNA sequence-based tests. The former includes nucleic acid hybridization, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), amplified restriction length polymorphism, and randomly amplified polymorphic DNA, etc. Most of these methods in commercial applications are based on PCR or hybridization techniques. The principle, characteristics, and application of molecular methods for the detection and characterization of foodborne pathogens were reviewed in this article.


The behavior of spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) at sleeping sites and the characteristics of these sites were studied in Santa Rosa National Park, Costa Rica. The spider monkeys tended to congregate just prior to dusk at a number of sleeping sites which were repeatedly used (81.6%), but occasionally they slept in trees which were only used once (18.4%). All of the regularly used sleeping trees were not used concurrently, but rather, there was a rotation between sites. In general, males were not encountered at regularly used sleeping sites as often as other age/sex classes, and when they were in all male subgroups, they did not sleep in repeatedly used sites. The trees used as regular sleeping sites tended to be large, but such trees were common in the group's home range. The size of the subgroups attending repeatedly used sleeping trees was large when food was abundant and small when food was scarce. It is suggested that this relationship reflects that the costs of travelling to the sleeping site would be more easily recovered when food was abundant than when food was scarce.


Effects of o.,o.,o.-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-N,N-dipropyl-ptoluidine (trifiuralin) rate and placement in soil on growth and anatomy of soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) were studied in greenhouses. In 7-week-old plants, trifiuralin caused pronounced changes in number and organization of palisade cells in leaves. In fourth internodes, xylem elements of treated plants were less organized and walls of pericycle fibers were extremely thick compared to those of untreated plants. There was starch accumulation in nodules and in xylem elements of the upper root, and binucleate and trinucleate cells were present in tips of tap and lateral roots of treated plants. The effects were more pronounced as rate of trifiuralin was increased from 0.36 to 0.74 and to 1.1 kgjha and when trifiuralin was incorporated into the 5 to 15-em depth rather than the top 5 em of soil. However, occlusions of xylem vessels in lateral and tap roots were most pronounced at 0.74 kgjha. Plant topgrowth was reduced more when trifiuralin was incorporated into the bottom 10 cm of soil, but root growth inhibition was not affected by trifiuralin placement. Trifiuralin reduced nodulation of soybeans and seemed to inhibit utilization of cotyledonary reserves and redistribution of organic and mineral constituents of unifoliolate leaves.


Anomalous Hall effect (AHE) of a ferromagnetic semiconductor anatase Ti1−xCoxO2−δ thin film is studied from 10to300K. Magnetic field dependence of anomalous Hall resistance is coincident with that of magnetization, while the anomalous Hall resistance decreases at low temperature in spite of nearly temperature-independent magnetization. Anomalous Hall conductivity σAHE is found to be proportional to the square of Hall mobility, suggesting that charge scattering strongly affects the AHE in this system. The anatase Ti1−xCoxO2−δ also follows a scaling relationship to conductivity σxx as σAHE∝σxx1.6, which was observed for another polymorph rutile Ti1−xCoxO2−δ, suggesting an identical mechanism of their AHE.


We study the phenomenological impact of the interaction of spin-2 fields with those of the Standard Model in a model independent framework up to next-to-next-to-leading order in perturbative Quantum Chromodynamics. We use the invariant mass distribution of the pair of leptons produced at the LHC to demonstrate this. A minimal scenario where the spin-2 fields couple to two gauge invariant operators with different coupling strengths has been considered. These operators being not conserved show very different ultraviolet behaviour increasing the searches options of spin-2 particles at the colliders. We find that our results using the higher order quantum corrections stabilise the predictions with respect to renormalisation and factorisation scales. We also find that corrections are appreciable which need to be taken into account in such searches at the colliders.


As clinicians who deal with acutely and critically unwell adult and paediatric patients we welcome the recently published guidelines aspiring to provide a 24/7 service to deliver safe pleural procedures to patients.1 The move away from the previously unwritten mandate that all pleural procedures sampling fluid require Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) 'level one' ultrasound competence can only be of benefit; as the guideline concedes, confusion around which standard this required (focused vs non-focused) has not been useful. We entirely agree with the authors that the training requirements for the RCR standards do not fit well with the way pleural interventions are currently delivered. In our practice we are very aware that delays in treating pleural disease can lead to rapid patient deterioration and on occasions may be the trigger for admission to intensive care.

The vertical integration model chosen for the delivery of thoracic ultrasound (TUS) with emergency-level operators at the bottom, overseen by advanced operators at the top is also to be commended. This system is similar to existing models of ultrasound training and delivery within our specialties. Core UltraSound in Intensive Care (CUSIC) training has advanced operators known as supervisors who are experienced intensive care and acute medicine clinicians, and consultant radiologists. To date there are 170 CUSIC mentors and supervisors around the country. Similar structures exist in other established point-of-care ultrasound training pathways such as Focused Acute Medicine UltraSound (FAMUS), Focused Intensive Care Echocardiography and Children's ACuTe UltraSound.

It must also be said that the move to separate the process of ultrasound guidance and procedural competency is sensible, since these are two very separate skills that have often been conflated. Of course they will frequently be undertaken by the same appropriately trained operator, but not necessarily.

Where we do have concerns with this …


Both success and failure of free market economy could be explained through its understanding of human nature. Its great success in production comes from its principles based on "self-interested" human nature driven by animal souls and egoistic desires. The system achieves higher productivity by providing many incentives to motivate people whose goals are to maximize their interests. On the other hand, the failure of the free market system comes from its lack of moral principles to balance irrational and irresponsible decisions/behaviors of animal souls and ego. For that matter, the paper argues that the 2008 crisis was essentially a moral crisis of capitalism with its root going back as far as the Enlightenment. It suggests that during the crisis, the "invisible hand" of free market turned to "stealing hand" through market games driven by the irrational and irresponsible behaviors of politicians, creditors, and consumers. The paper concludes with few lessons learned from the crisis. First, the crisis created a great opportunity to acknowledge the need for moral values for efficient market system. Second, we should revise our assumptions of human nature and behaviors in economics and finance to include predictably irrational decisions of individuals. Third, we should include moral education in education system at K-12 levels, not at the college. Finally, we should revise our economic models to capture the importance of moral and spiritual capital as endogenous variables.


Objective: It has long been known that chickens, like mammals, are capable of producing antigen-specific immunoglobulin Y (IgY), which functions similar to IgG. The present study was performed to investigate the activity of IgY anti-Mycobacterium tuberculosis on proliferation, interleukin (IL)-2, and interferon (IFN)-γ expression of rat peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Materials and Methods: The activity of IgY anti-M. tuberculosis in different doses (25, 50, and 100 μg/ml) on rat PBMCs proliferation was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay. The production of IL-2 and IFN-γ in the PBMC supernatant was determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Investigation was performed on mRNA expression of IL-2 and IFN-γ by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: IgY anti-M. tuberculosis significantly increased the proliferation of rat PBMC. Furthermore, IgY anti-M. tuberculosis dose dependently increased IL-2 and IFN-γ production in PBMC, suggesting that pharmacological activities of IgY anti-M. tuberculosis in PBMC may be mediated by regulating the production of cytokines. In the RT-PCR, expression of cytokines such as IL-2 and IFN-γ in PBMC cultures was increased by IgY anti-M. tuberculosis. Conclusions: We concluded that increasing IL-2 and IFN-γ productions in PBMC was related to IgY anti-M. tuberculosis, stimulating the mRNA transcription (gene expression) of these cytokines which can induce proliferation of PBMC.


© Cambridge University Press 2010. In the entire world one does not speak of the unconscious since, according to its essence, it is unknown; only in Berlin does one speak of and know something about it, and explain to us what actually sets it apart. So wrote Friedrich Nietzsche in 1873, as part of his ironic response to the success of the Philosophy of the Unconscious (Philosophie des Unbewussten, 1869), written by the Berlin philosopher Eduard von Hartmann. If the influence of a concept can be gauged by the way in which it is received by the public at large, if not in academic circles, then Hartmann's volume, which ran to some eleven editions during his lifetime alone and was seen by some as introducing an entirely new Weltanschauung, might be regarded as marking one of the pinnacles of the career of das Unbewusste (the unconscious) during the nineteenth century. Although Hartmann's understanding of the unconscious was, like Freud's, subjected to a scathing critique at the hands of academic philosophy and psychology, it nevertheless took some half a century or so for Freud to supersede Hartmann's public role as the chief theorist and interpreter of the unconscious for the German-speaking public. Today the concept of the unconscious is arguably still first and foremost associated with Freud and with his successors such as Carl Gustav Jung and Jacques Lacan; in short: with psychoanalysis in general.


The aim of this study was to assess the role of 99Tcm(V)-dimercaptosuccinic acid (99Tcm(V)-DMSA) scintigraphy in the evaluation of patients with metabolic bone disease. The study group comprised eight women aged 17-72 years, six with osteomalacia and two with primary hyperparathyroidism. Six patients were imaged scintigraphically before their treatments were started, whereas the other two underwent treatment during the time of examination. All six patients who had not previously been treated had prominent skeletal 99Tcm(V)-DMSA uptake, revealing a bone-scan-like pattern. In the two patients receiving medical therapy, their 99Tcm(V)-DMSA scans revealed a normal physiological distribution. Many of the fracture and pseudofracture sites detected on bone scans were also discerned with 99Tcm(V)-DMSA scintigraphy. Our results suggest that 99Tcm(V)-DMSA scintigraphy might have the potential as a screening method in patients with metabolic bone disease.


This paper explores the intersection of two fields of research: autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), and archaeology in the deep sea. Archaeology in the deep sea poses a range of difficult, interesting problems for autonomous underwater vehicles. These include broad area sonar searches, target identification, and precision survey. Broad area sonar searches for archaeology have requirements similar to those in other AUV applications – collecting sonar data to locate targets for further inspection. We briefly discuss what existing vehicles can contribute to archaeological searches. We then describe the challenges for AUVs in identifying archaeological sites. Then, we discuss the importance of precision survey of archaeological sites and its implications for vehicle design and control. By "mowing the lawn" with computer-controlled tracklines over an archaeological site, an AUV could collect imagery and sonar data for precise maps of a particular site. We propose an archaeology-specific AUV to conduct such surveys and describe the requirements for such a vehicle to work in precision, instrumented environments.


At the Middle Section meeting of the Triologic Society, Ann Arbor, Mich, Jan 23, 1988, Michael Morris, MD, Michael Paparella, MD, and Sady S. DaCosta, MD, Minneapolis, reported their experience that has evolved over many years in establishing a flexible surgical approach to otologic disease. The authors observed that pathologic findings noted at the time of surgery frequently will be significantly different from the preoperative diagnosis. To obviate the possibility of ignoring or missing substantial disease, the authors propose an intraoperative diagnostic approach to the extirpation of disease. The technique employed begins all cases with a Lempert endaural incision and progresses to include, as necessary, canalplasty, exploratory tympanotomy, ossiculoplasty, atticotomy, mastoidotomy, and mastoidectomy, resulting in a progressively enlarged surgical field. By means of surgical case reports and details of the operative techniques, the authors correlated their observations with well-documented mechanisms of pathobiologic processes associated with diseases of the ear.


We present a reinforcement learning approach to explore and optimize a safety-constrained Markov Decision Process(MDP). In this setting, the agent must maximize discounted cumulative reward while constraining the probability of entering unsafe states, defined using a safety function being within some tolerance. The safety values of all states are not known a priori, and we probabilistically model them via aGaussian Process (GP) prior. As such, properly behaving in such an environment requires balancing a three-way trade-off of exploring the safety function, exploring the reward function, and exploiting acquired knowledge to maximize reward. We propose a novel approach to balance this trade-off. Specifically, our approach explores unvisited states selectively; that is, it prioritizes the exploration of a state if visiting that state significantly improves the knowledge on the achievable cumulative reward. Our approach relies on a novel information gain criterion based on Gaussian Process representations of the reward and safety functions. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach on a range of experiments, including a simulation using the real Martian terrain data.


The optimized geometrical structures, infrared spectra, molecular electrostatic potential, natural bond orbital and nonlinear optical properties of 5-phenylazo-6-hydroxy-4-phenyl-3-cyano-2-pyridoine (1) and 5-(4-bromophenylazo)-6-hydroxy-4-phenyl-3-cyano-2-pyridoine (2) dyes with a detailed study on the azo-hydrazone tautomerism in the ground state have been investigated by density functional theory using B3LYP functional with 6-31G(d,p) basis set. Vibrational modes are assigned with the help of vibrational energy distribution analysis program. Highest occupied molecular orbital and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energies of the (1) and (2) compounds with azo and hydrazone forms were calculated with the same method and basis set. Molecular parameters like global hardness (η), global softness (σ) and electronegativity (χ) were calculated with the results obtained from the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital energies. Nonlinear optical parameters (mean polarizability (〈α〉), the anisotropy of the polarizability (〈∆α〉) and the mean first-order hyperpolarizability (〈β〉)) of the title compounds were investigated theoretically. The atomic charges, electronic exchange interaction, and charge delocalization of the molecules have been studied by natural bond orbital analysis.


objective:To demonstrate the range of toxicities with 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU).

Case Summary:A one-year-old male castrated Labrador Retriever presented to the University of Minnesota Veterinary Teaching Hospital Emergency Service following accidental ingestion of a 5% 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) topical antineoplastic cream. The animal presented with status epilepticus and later demonstrated additional clinical signs consistent with 5-FU toxicosis including mucositis and diarrhea, profound but transient leukopenia, and thrombocytopenia.

New Information Provided:The calculated ingested dosage was 46 mg/kg. The dog responded well to intensive therapy, recovering uneventfully.


Vocal loading-related changes have mainly been investigated in female voice users. The present study investigated male teachers' voices before and after a working day. A questionnaire was used to select 22 male teachers as subjects from a larger group. Ten reported suffering often from symptoms of vocal fatigue (MC = multiple complaints group), 12 reported few vocal complaints (FC group). The subjects recorded a text reading sample at habitual loudness and loudly, and sustained vowel [a:] before and after an approximately 6-hour working day. Text samples were analyzed for total sound pressure level (SPL) and SPL at three frequency regions (50–1,000 Hz, 1–2 kHz, 2–5 kHz), fundamental frequency (F0) and alpha ratio [(SPL 1–5 kHz) – SPL (50 Hz–1 kHz)]. Jitter and shimmer were calculated from the vowel. The subjects filled in a questionnaire about vocal sensations. The MC group reported more symptoms of vocal fatigue, and the symptoms increased during the working day. F0 and SPL increased in both groups. Alpha ratio increased in the MC group but remained the same in the FC group. The MC group had higher values of jitter and shimmer. Jitter diminished in the FC group but did not change significantly in the MC group. The differences between the groups reflect either different strategies for coping with vocal loading or different loading-induced changes in the vocal organ.


Debswana Diamond Company, Orapa Letlhakane Damtshaa Mines (OLDM), undertook
development works for a new wellfield, Wellfield 7 in 2012/2013. The primary objective was
to establish the new wellfield to supply an additional 3Mm3/annum of water for the mines'
operations, for a 20 year period starting 2014. Abstraction from the wellfield has the potential
to have significant impacts on the already existing groundwater resources around the area and
thus it is important and necessary that the potential impacts are thoroughly evaluated and
addressed. This research used a numerical groundwater model to simulate and predict the
potential impact the large scale abstraction from Wellfield 7 will have on the aquifer and
estimated the aquifer drawdown expected over the entire abstraction period.
Primary and secondary data on geology, hydrogeology and geophysics were integrated to
develop a conceptual model of the area. Visual MODFLOW Pro 4.3 was then used to model
the aquifer system under steady state conditions. The parameters assigned to the model were
derived from previous studies and pumping tests and they were then adjusted during model
calibration. The model was calibrated under non-pumping scenario to static water levels.
Overall, model results compared with the observed data, with the model being able to
simulate observed field values to a 66% correlation coefficient and heads departing from the
mean by 12m. The model results show that a daily abstraction of 8040m3 from the wellfield
will result in a drawdown of up to 30m at the end of the 20 year pumping period. This is
about 50% of the total available drawdown.
Although the model is accurate and reasonable, the limitations of the model should be taken
into consideration before it is applied as a management tool. This is because of, among other
things, uncertainties arising from the assumptions made to simplify the complex aquifer
system.,WaterNet


The incidence and prevalence of neuroendocrine tumours (NETs) or neuroendocrine neoplasm (NEN) has been increasing recently, especially in the gastrointestinal tract and pancreas. Recently, these tumours were classified into G1, G2 and G3/neuroendocrine (NEC) based upon mitotic counts or Ki-67 labelling index [World Health Organization (WHO), 2010]. This is because the clinical outcome of patients with NEN is largely determined by this newly developed histological and of Malignant Tumours (TNM). However, controversies exist as to the surrogate markers of novel target specific therapies and further subclassification of G3/NEC because of different responses by these patients to platinum-based chemotherapy. In particular, the former relates to the markers of somatostatin analogues and/ or inhibitors, while the latter relates to optimal cut-off points of Ki-67 labelling index or the inclusion of histological features of the tumour cells, such as small cell carcinoma in NEC or G3 cases. In addition, it is also important for clinicians to recognise that there are two different TNM classifications, WHO versus ENET, which could yield different stages in the same patients with pancreatic NET. Molecular studies of NETs/NEN have revealed several putative prognostic markers or putative therapeutic targets including Id, ATM, SRC, , heat shock protein 90 and. Endocrinologists should be aware that currently, the clinical algorhythm of NEN patients, especially treatment decisions, is not necessarily based on hormonal features, but rather pathological and molecular features of the disorder.


Author(s): Qian, Zheng | Advisor(s): Xu, Yang | Abstract: Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) hold great promise for regenerative medicine as an unlimited source of cells for replacement of the tissues destroyed by injuries or diseases. One of the major impediments of fully realizing its poetical is the immune rejection from allogenic recipients. To overcome the histocompatibility, we established hESCs that lack the expression of Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class I or II, which are the primary mediators for allograft rejection. [31] Briefly, CRIPR-Cas9n was used to delete exon 1 of beta-2 micro globulin (B2M), leading to a complete deficiency of MHC I on the cell surface of hESCs. In the same manner, exon 2 and 3 of Class II transactivator (CIITA) were deleted, aiming to abrogate any potential of inducible MHC II expression in hESCs. Despite of this genetic manipulation, MHC I-deficient hESCs maintained its self renewal capacity, expressed pluripotent genes and were pluripotent as indicated by their ability to form teratoma in NSG mice. Moreover, we demonstrated that the teratoma derived from MHC I - deficient hESCs were immune protected in Hu-mouse reconstituted with allogenic human immune system, while the teratoma from the parental hESCs showed apparent tissue necrosis and a mount of T cell infiltration, an indication of immune rejection. All these findings indicate that our MHC I-deficient hESCs are hypoimmunogenic, and might be employed as an appealing source of cells for tissue replacement in cell-based therapy without requiring the long-term systemic immune suppression.


Background: Since the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, there is limited data on the clinical characteristics, treatment strategies and prognosis of COVID-19 in patients with concurrent renal disease. The kidney is believed to have a predisposition for COVID-19 due to its abundant angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) expression, which acts as a cell entry receptor for the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Recent postmortem investigations reveal renal involvement in COVID-19, and case reports describe collapsing glomerulopathy in African American patients with COVID-19. However, there is limited data regarding IgA nephropathy in the setting of COVID-19. Case presentation: In the present case, we report a 65-year old Chinese woman who presented with macroscopic hematuria, worsening proteinuria and decreased renal function after COVID-19 infection. She received a renal biopsy during COVID-19 infection. The renal biopsy revealed IgA nephropathy without any evidence for SARS-Cov-2. The �ndings suggest that the renal abnormalities were a consequence of exacerbation of this patient's underlying glomerular disease after COVID-19 infection. After a regimen of 3-day course of glucocorticoid and angiotensin II receptor blocker therapy, the patient recovered and remained stable upon follow-up. Conclusions: It is important to consider the underlying glomerular disease exacerbation rather than virus induced injury when dealing with renal abnormalities in patients with COVID-19.


Summary

For implementation of simple yield loss models into threshold-based weed management systems, a thorough validation is needed over a great diversity of sites. Yield losses by competition wsth Sinapis alba L. (white mustard) as a model weed, were studied in 12 experiments in sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.) and in 11 experiments in spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Most data sets were heller described by a model based on the relative leaf area of the weed than by a hyperbolic model based on weed density. This leaf area model accounted for (part of) the effect of different emerging times of the S. alba whereas the density model did not. A parameter that allows the maximum yield loss to be smaller than 100% was mostly not needed to describe the effects of weed competition. The parameter that denotes the competitiveness of the weed species with respect to the crop decreased the later the relative leaf area of the mustard was determined. This decrease could be estimated from the differences in relative growth rate of the leaf area of crop and S. alba. However, the accuracy of this estimation was poor. The parameter value of the leaf area model varied considerably between sites and years. The results strongly suggest that the predictive ability of the leaf area model needs to be improved before it can be applied in weed management systems. Such improvement would require additional information about effects of abiotic factors on plant development and morphology and the definition of a time window for predictions with an acceptable level of error.


Populism, an academically contested political theory, has been subject to few thorough studies in the New Zealand context. With a history of strong, successful leaders, and fervent political rebels, New Zealand provides a useful political context in which the theoretical platform for what constitutes populism can be explored. While the current pre-eminent model of New Zealand-centric populist leadership is Barry Gustafson's six point framework, this thesis will posit that adopting a multi-methodological approach is able to explain the nuances of New Zealand populism more effectively. Traditional international approaches to populist theory, such as those of Panizza and Laclau, are introduced to provide context on the wider literature on populism. In a challenge to Gustafson's model, which closely matches the definitions of Panizza and Laclau, the social choice theorems of Riker's heresthetics are introduced to provide a counter-explanation for populist leadership. The study applies the theories of traditional populism and heresthetics to three case studies of New Zealand leaders; John A. Lee, Winston Peters, and Richard Seddon. Through application of Gustafson's model to these leaders, we see that his criteria are only significantly met in the cases of Lee and Peters, while the criteria are only partially met in the case of Seddon. In regards to Seddon, Riker's heresthetics and the theorems of Panizza and Laclau equally explain his populism. After classifying the populism of each case study, an attempt is made to explain why each selected leader was drawn to a particular style of populism, and it is posited that Renshon's construct of relatedness, a dimension of his over-arching theory of character, can provide a qualitative answer to this question. These case studies demonstrate that populist leadership in New Zealand needs to be seen as a continuum, in which populist leaders vary in the degree to which they fit within particular theoretical classifications, and that a multi-methodological approach is necessary to explain the nuances of each case. The study posits that this approach will aid further study, particularly when analysing modern leaders that employ a milder variant of populism.


Discourse is a wide-ranging term to cover many forms of human utterances and textual forms of communication. Development through multiple stages gave birth to CDA which bridges the micro-structure of linguistic choices to macro-structures of social reality. Theorists like Van Dijk, Fairclough, and Fowler contributed to its development with the foundation provided by Halliday's SFL. The qualitative research endeavors to analyze 'Red Birds', a novel written by Mohammad Hanif under Huckin's model of CDA to highlight the absurdity of war and international aid. The three dimensions of Fairclough's model are at the background of Huckin's model. The analysis has been carried out at three levels i.e. broad level, sentence level, and word level. A well-thought analysis reveals the nature of war in a region where there is nothing to destroy. It has also been concluded that the aid programs are nothing more than 'making them orphan and then adopting them' which clearly runs incongruous to the spirit of aid.


Due to the increasing epidemiological importance of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) in the past, several studies have been undertaken to evaluate a variety of parameters in view of their aptitude for reliably predicting individual prognosis. Currently, staging according to the TNM classification and pathohistological nuclear grading of the tumor is most widely used for determining prognosis. In the latest edition of the TNM system, a subdivision of the stage pT1 into the stages pT1a and pT1b has been established. Analyzing a total of 129 patients with a postoperative follow-up period of 60 months after radical nephrectomy, we investigated the TNM classification in regard to its prognostic potential with emphasis on the new subdivision of the stage pT1. Furthermore, the results were compared to Störkel's prognostic score, which was first described in 1990 as a useful tool for predicting individual prognosis in patients with RCC. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that subdivision of the stage pT1 into the stages pT1a and pT1b did not result in any improvement concerning the aptitude of the TNM classification to predict individual prognosis. In comparison, Störkel's prognostic score has statistically proven to be superior to the TNM classification in regard to its prognostic potential. According to our experience, determination of Störkel's prognostic score can be easily performed by the pathologist without much expense in the course of daily routine diagnostic procedures. Therefore, we strongly recommend Störkel's prognostic score as the parameter of choice to reliably predict individual prognosis of patients suffering from RCC.


The human brain is composed of two broadly symmetric cerebral hemispheres, with an abundance of reciprocal anatomical connections between homotopic locations. However, to date, studies of hemispheric symmetries have not identified correspondency precisely due to variable cortical folding patterns. Here we present a method to establish accurate correspondency using position on the unfolded cortical surface relative to gyral and sulcal landmarks. The landmark method is shown to outperform the method of reversing standard volume coordinates, and it is used to quantify the functional symmetry in resting fMRI data throughout the cortex. Resting brain activity was found to be maximally correlated with locations less than 1 cm away on the cortical surface from the corresponding anatomical location in nearly half of the cortex. While select locations exhibited asymmetric patterns, precise symmetric relationships were found to be the norm, with fine-grained symmetric functional maps demonstrated in motor, occipital, and inferior frontal cortex.


This study analyzes the phenomenon of digital voice search queries against the background of the fluid and changing balance in the orality–literacy osmosis of different historical eras. In attempting to theoretically conceptualize the unique oral characteristics of this new digital feature, this article argues that as the result of technological considerations, voice querying manifests an attempt to discipline oral words – to pronounce them while thinking of their written form. The article also considers the oxymoron of 'looking up' information through spoken words; the effect of an interface that stresses the use of the oral words as an event; the devocalization of queries, as they transform into a written form; and the implications of browsing the Internet through oral word searches, especially for young children. It concludes that the integration of these oral features can be explained by the affordances of digital media on the one hand and the 'revival' of intuitive preprint features attempting to ease the cognitive demands of print culture on the other hand.


A total of 13 wild Pleurotus eryngii var.ferulae collected from Xinjiang, China, were used as experimental materials. The genetic relationship between 13 wild Pleurotus eryngii var.ferulae strains was initially identified by antagonistic test. The determination of mycelial growth rate and corn stalk mushroom test were compared. The mycelial morphology, fruit body traits and biological efficiency of different strains provide germplasm and data support for the cultivation and promotion of strain straw. The results showed that 13 wild Pleurotus eryngii var.ferulae were strains with different genetic relationship, and the mycelial growth rate of A12 (0.863cm·d) and A43 (0.856cm·d) was higher than that of the other test strains. The biological efficiency of A43 strain was high (79.49%), and the mushrooms were neat.


Mesoscale models, such as the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, are now commonly used to predict wind resources, and in recent years their outputs are being used as inputs to wake models for the prediction of the production of wind farms. Also, wind farm parametrizations have been implemented in the mesoscale models but their accuracy to reproduce wind speeds and turbulent kinetic energy fields within and around wind farms is yet unknown. This is partly because they have been evaluated against wind farm power measurements directly and, generally, a lack of high-quality observations of the wind field around large wind farms. Here, we evaluate the in-built wind farm parametrization of the WRF model, the so-called Fitch scheme that works together with the MYNN2 planetary boundary layer (PBL) scheme against large-eddy simulations (LES) of wakes using a generalized actuator disk model, which was also implemented within the same WRF version. After setting both types of simulations as similar as possible so that the inflow conditions are nearly identical, preliminary results show that the velocity deficits can differ up to 50% within the same area (determined by the resolution of the mesoscale run) where the turbine is placed. In contrast, within that same area, the turbine-generated TKE is nearly identical in both simulations. We also prepare an analysis of the sensitivity of the results to the inflow wind conditions, horizontal grid resolution of both the LES and the PBL run, number of turbines within the mesoscale grid cells, surface roughness, inversion strength, and boundary-layer height.


Drug therapy studies imply that Pneumocystis carinii and Toxoplasma gondii possess the enzymes necessary for de novo folate synthesis. To verify this, incorporation of [3H]paraaminobenzoic acid [( 3H]PABA) into reduced folates by P. carinii and T. gondii was investigated. Both organisms synthesized tritiated reduced folates. In P. carinii, 10-formyltetrahydrofolate and tetrahydrofolate, and in T. gondii, 5-formyltetrahydrofolate were the major synthesized folates. P. carinii remained metabolically active in vitro for only a few days. Because current systems for screening antipneumocystis agents are cumbersome, the utility of this assay system for screening therapeutic agents was investigated. Sulfonamides and pentamidine efficiently inhibited de novo folate synthesis in P. carinii. Inhibitors of dihydrofolate reductase such as trimethoprim and trimetrexate were poor inhibitors for P. carinii but efficient inhibitors for T. gondii. This study demonstrates the first unambiguous evidence of metabolic activity in P. carinii, and provides a potential assay for efficiently screening antipneumocystis drugs in vitro.


Observations of Faraday rotation for extragalactic sources probe magnetic fields both inside and outside the Milky Way. Building on our earlier estimate of the Galactic contribution, we set out to estimate the extragalactic contributions. We discuss the problems involved; in particular, we point out that taking the difference between the observed values and the Galactic foreground reconstruction is not a good estimate for the extragalactic contributions. We point out a degeneracy between the contributions to the observed values due to extragalactic magnetic fields and observational noise and comment on the dangers of over-interpreting an estimate without taking into account its uncertainty information. To overcome these difficulties, we develop an extended reconstruction algorithm based on the assumption that the observational uncertainties are accurately described for a subset of the data, which can overcome the degeneracy with the extragalactic contributions. We present a probabilistic derivation of the algorithm and demonstrate its performance using a simulation, yielding a high quality reconstruction of the Galactic Faraday rotation foreground, a precise estimate of the typical extragalactic contribution, and a well-defined probabilistic description of the extragalactic contribution for each data point. We then apply this reconstruction technique to a catalog of Faraday rotation observations for extragalactic sources. The analysis is done for several different scenarios, for which we consider the error bars of different subsets of the data to accurately describe the observational uncertainties. By comparing the results, we argue that a split that singles out only data near the Galactic poles is the most robust approach. We find that the dispersion of extragalactic contributions to observed Faraday depths is most likely lower than 7 rad/m(2), in agreement with earlier results, and that the extragalactic contribution to an individual data point is poorly constrained by the data in most cases.


Obese women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) have more inflammation in their subcutaneous white adipose tissue (sWAT) than age-and-BMI similar obese women with normal glucose tolerance (NGT). We aimed to investigate whether WAT fatty acids and/or oxylipins are associated with the enhanced inflammatory state in WAT of the T2DM women. Fatty acid profiles were measured in both subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue (vWAT) of 19 obese women with NGT and 16 age-and-BMI similar women with T2DM. Oxylipin levels were measured in sWAT of all women. Arachidonic acid (AA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) percentages were higher in sWAT, but not vWAT of the T2DM women, and AA correlated positively to the gene expression of macrophage marker CD68. We found tendencies for higher oxylipin concentrations of the 5-LOX leukotrienes in sWAT of T2DM women. Gene expression of the 5-LOX leukotriene biosynthesis pathway was significantly higher in sWAT of T2DM women. In conclusion, AA and DHA content were higher in sWAT of T2DM women and AA correlated to the increased inflammatory state in sWAT. Increased AA content was accompanied by an upregulation of the 5-LOX pathway and seems to have led to an increase in the conversion of AA into proinflammatory leukotrienes in sWAT.


Smoking cues (SCs) refer to smoking‐associated environmental stimuli that may trigger craving and withdrawal symptoms, and predispose to relapse in smokers. Although previous brain imaging studies have explored neural responses to SCs, no study has characterized the effects of SCs on cerebral activity in smokers engaged in an attention‐demanding cognitive task that is unrelated to smoking. Thirteen tobacco smokers and a demographically matched group of 13 healthy non‐smokers participated in a fast event‐related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study that involved a visual task integrating SCs and neutral cues (NCs) during emotion recognition trials requiring a high level of attention. No significant SC‐induced alterations were detected in smokers' behavioural performance. fMRI results show that non‐smokers exhibited no difference between SC and NC trials; in contrast, smokers showed SC‐induced widespread deactivations in a limbic, paralimbic and striatal network classically involved in addiction, and activation in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. In addition, a correlation between deactivation of the right insula and the severity of smoking dependence (Fagerström test) was detected in smokers. These results suggest that the neural reactivity of smokers to SCs can be modified in the context of a cognitive challenge. This could reflect smokers' ability to inhibit cue‐induced craving and may help in smoking cessation.


Two cases of canine gastrointestinal foreign bodies presented to a charity hospital (RSPCA Greater Manchester Animal Hospital) due to owners being unable to afford private veterinary care are described. The cases are outlined for comparison and discussion, focusing on the clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment, and relating some of the difficulties encountered.


Abstract The Great North Run witnesses 55,000 plus participants run from Newcastle to South Shields and is an annual ritual for many runners. The event reaches audiences around the world and is well documented by the media, yet the remains of such an event are as much embodied in the memory of a runner. Despite this, memories can be unreliable and forgotten, much like routine daily interactions with familiar environments. This article explores how data gathered using a GPS running watch is employed to reflect on and relive participation in the 2019 Great North Run (GNR) as part of a cyclical process between a body and a digital platform. In doing so, the author uses a structure of ritual process to make a case for how digital data collaborates with the body to reshape, distort and transform experience without detriment to embodied memories. Rather, data augments, enhances and deepens human memory.


Natural fiber reinforced polymer composites became more attractive due to their light weight, high specific strength, biodegradability. However, some limitations e.g. low modulus, poor moisture resistance were reported. The mechanical properties of natural fiber reinforced composites can be improved by hybridization with synthetic fibers such as glass fiber. In this research, mechanical properties of short sisal-PP composites and short sisal/glass fiber hybrid composites were studied. Polypropylene grafted with maleic anhydride (PP-g-MA) was used as a compatibilizer to enhance the compatibility between the fibers and polypropylene. Effect of weight ratio of sisal and glass fiber at 30 % by weight on the mechanical properties of the composites was investigated. Morphology of fracture surface of each composite was also observed.


With the increasing popularity of the Internet, more and more applications are extensively exploited on it. In the wake of that, malicious network behavior also occurs more and more frequently. Consequently, a network system must be enhanced to prevent attacks and invasions. Moreover, we usually use a gateway to connect network devices to share resources among them. The security mechanism of a gateway thus becomes an important part for network robustness. In this paper, we present a network security-defense mechanism developed with the Linux Security Modules (LSM) to prohibit ordinary invasive actions, like the Backdoor, Worm, Port Scan, and SYN Flooding attacks. Such a mechanism can be employed on a network gateway to nullify illegal network actions to improve its security


The diagnosis of marginal copper deficiency has not been perfected despite an increased understanding of the physiologic roles of copper. The use of nonstandardized procedures and the effects of factors other than copper nutriture have impeded identification of an ideal indicator of copper nutritional status in humans. A review of studies of experimental copper deprivation conducted in adult humans over the past 12 y indicated that between 1.0 and 1.25 mg Cu/d is needed by adults for copper maintenance for periods of up to 6 mo and that < or = 2.6 mg Cu/d for periods of up to 42 d is not sufficient for recovery from copper deprivation. Copper-containing enzymes in blood cells, such as erythrocyte superoxide dismutase and platelet cytochrome-c oxidase, may be better indicators of metabolically active copper and copper stores than plasma concentrations of copper or ceruloplasmin because the enzyme activities are sensitive to changes in copper stores and are not as sensitive to factors not related to copper nutriture.


Intervention approaches have been implemented in developing countries to enhance farmer's livelihoods through improving their linkages to markets and inclusiveness in agricultural value chains. Such interventions are aimed at facilitating the inclusion of small farmers not just in the vertical activities of the value chain (coordination of the chain) but also in the horizontal activities (cooperation in the chain). Therefore value addition is made by not just innovating products and services, but also by innovating social processes, which we define as Value Chain-Network Innovation. In Value Chain-Network Innovation, linkage formation among networks and optimisation is one of the main objectives of innovation enhancing interventions. Here some important roles for innovation brokers are envisaged as crucial to dynamise this process, connecting different actors of the innovation system, paying special attention to the weaker ones. However, little attention has been given to identify different innovation brokering roles in those approaches, and to the need that they facilitate innovation processes and open safe spaces for innovation and social learning at different organisational settings and levels, to have more effective and sustainable impacts. This paper offers some preliminary empirical evidence of the roles of innovation brokers in a developing country setting, recognising the context-sensitive nature of innovations. Two cases from work experience with intervention approaches are analysed in light of the theories of innovation brokering, presenting some empirical evidence of different types of arrangements made by innovation brokers. A third case was taken from the literature. Data from questionnaires, key informant interviews, participant observations of different types of activities and processes carried out in those approaches, SWOT analysis and project reports were used for the analysis of different types of brokering roles and to draw some lessons. One important outcome of this preliminary analysis was that Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) in integration with other media facilitate new ways of social organisation and interaction of innovation networks, which offer more possibilities for processes of innovation, aggregating value to the production and sharing of knowledge. There is already a transition of paradigm for approaching agricultural innovation to more participative and open approaches, which offers a promissory landscape for organising the value chain actors in a way that is more favourable for small farmers.


The ability of dystopian fiction to offer critical views of futures riddled with the devastating consequences of today's failures is pervasive also in its literary subgenre targeting young readers. While scholarship on these novels is extensive, the prevalence of sexual assaults in this subgenre requires attention. This study offers an introductory analysis of two contemporary young adult dystopian trilogies, Veronica Roth's Divergent (2011-2013) and Beth Revis' Across the Universe (2011-2013), with a focus on the sexual assaults the protagonists endure. The discussion draws on trauma and sexual abuse research to ascertain how and if these future societies and heroines challenge traditional representations of this crime.


This paper introduces a new adaptive atlas-based framework for the automated segmentation of different brain structures from infant diffusion tensor images (DTI). To model the brain images and their desired region maps, we used a joint Markov-Gibbs random field (MGRF) model that accounts for three image descriptors: (i) a 1st-order visual appearance to describe the empirical distribution of DTI extracted features, (ii) an adaptive shape model, and (iii) a 3D spatially invariant 2nd-order MGRF homogeneity descriptor. The 1st-order visual appearance descriptor is accurately modeled using a linear combination of discrete Gaussians (LCDG) model having positive and negative components. The proposed adaptive shape model is constructed from a prior atlas database built using a subset of co-aligned training data sets that is adapted during the segmentation process guided by the visual appearance characteristics of several DTI features. To accurately account for the large inhomogeneity of infant brains, the homogeneity descriptor is modeled by a 2nd-order translation and rotation invariant MGRF of region labels with analytically estimated potentials. The high accuracy of our segmentation approach was confirmed by testing it on 10 in-vivo infant DTI brain data sets using three metrics: the Dice similarity coefficient, the 95-percentile modified Hausdorff distance, and the absolute brain volume difference.


Status of this Memo This document specifies an Internet standards track protocol for the Internet community, and requests discussion and suggestions for improvements. Please refer to the current edition of the "Internet Official Protocol Standards" (STD 1) for the standardization state and status of this protocol. Distribution of this memo is unlimited. Abstract The purpose of this document is to advance NewReno TCP's Fast Retransmit and Fast Recovery algorithms in RFC 2582 from Experimental to Standards Track status. The main change in this document relative to RFC 2582 is to specify the Careful variant of NewReno's Fast Retransmit and Fast Recovery algorithms. The base algorithm described in RFC 2582 did not attempt to avoid unnecessary multiple Fast Retransmits that can occur after a timeout. However, RFC 2582 also defined "Careful" and "Less Careful" variants that avoid these unnecessary Fast Retransmits, and recommended the Careful variant. This document specifies the previously-named "Careful" variant as the basic version of NewReno TCP.


We present an overview of the RWTH Aachen large vocabulary continuous speech recognizer. The recognizer is based on continuous density hidden Markov models and a time-synchronous left-to-right beam search strategy. Experimental results on the ARPA Wall Street Journal (WSJ) corpus verify the effects of several system components, namely linear discriminant analysis, vocal tract normalization, pronunciation lexicon and cross-word triphones, on the recognition performance. Finally, the extension of the recognition system towards spoken document retrieval is discussed.


The effects of methanol extracts of 80 herbs on hair growth were investigated, using normal C3H/He mice from which telogen hair on the back had been removed. Eighteen of the extracts apparently promoted hair regrowth on the mice. As one of active principles in Polyporus umbellatus F., 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde was isolated by column chromatography on Amberlite XAD-2, Sephadex LH-20 and silica gel.


Although the canonical distribution is one of the central tools of statistical mechanics, the reason for its effectiveness is poorly understood. This is due in part to the fact that there is no clear consensus on what it means to use the canonical distribution to describe a system in equilibrium with a heat bath. I examine some traditional views as to what sort of thing we should take the canonical distribution to represent. I argue that a less explored alternative, according to which the canonical distribution represents a time ensemble of sorts, has a number of advantages that rival interpretations lack.


In this case report, we describe an unusual tuba-ovarian inguinal herniation after percutaneous inguinal lymphocele treatment which is a rare condition after a radiological intervention. Lymphocele and other cystic structures of the groin are reviewed within the differential diagnosis


OBJECTIVES
People of Asian origin in Germany are affected by racial-ethnic discrimination, which became even more evident in the context of surging anti-Asian racism (AAR) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Experiences of discrimination can pose a threat to mental health. This study tested the role of discrimination experiences for subjective well-being in a sample of Asian origin people in Germany.

METHOD
A total of 671 participants (76.5% women) who self-identified as being of Asian origin participated in an online survey in December 2020. Participants completed several measures of racial-ethnic discrimination experiences, some of which were related to the pandemic (e.g., experienced microaggressions and perceived change in discrimination experiences during the pandemic), as well as indicators of subjective well-being (positive and negative affect, life satisfaction, and subjective health status).

RESULTS
In structural equation models, discrimination experiences were associated with lower subjective well-being (b = -.36, SE = .16, p < .05). A follow-up analysis suggested that this relationship was evident for discrimination measures that had a reference to the pandemic as well as measures without this reference.

CONCLUSIONS
The range of different discrimination experiences among people of Asian origin in Germany is characterized by discrimination in the context of the pandemic and also beyond, and these may have a significant negative impact on the mental health of those affected. The findings of this study have practical implications both for reducing anti-Asian stigmas in society and in the context of psychological counseling of affected individuals, which should target the maintenance or improvement of subjective well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).


Climate change and resource scarcity pose significant threats to healthcare delivery. Nurses should develop the skills to cope with these challenges in the future. Skills sessions using sustainability scenarios can help nursing students to understand the effect climate change and resource scarcity will have on health care. Involving design students in clinical skills sessions can encourage multidisciplinary working and help to find solutions to promote healthcare sustainability.


In this work we investigate the accuracy criterion of the electron device models and give practical circuit examples. The analysis and design of integrated circuits depend heavily on the utilization of suitable models for integrated-circuit components. Since any analysis is only as accurate as the model used, it is essential that the circuit designer have a thorough understanding of the origin of the models commonly utilized and the degree of approximation involved in each. The subject investigated demonstrates clearly the importance of the modelling in EE education.


Guyana: A composite Monograph. Edited by Brian Irving. (Hato Rey, Puerto Rico: Inter American University Press, 1972. Pp. 87. $5.00, paper.) This slender little volume is a collection of seven brief essays held together by nothing more than the thin thread of common concern for Guyana. As to the "composite monograph" which the title promises, one looks in vain for a recognizable principle of composition. Alas! there is none. And more's the pity, since Guyana offers an imposing array of problems and examples for the social scientist interested in the dilemmas facing the "new" nations of the Third World. The possibilities are many and challenging, but this book as a whole fails to address any of them. The editor does claim in his introduction that "the central problem" arising from the study of Guyana is that of "creating unity in a land of diversity" (p. 1), but as a conceptual tool for ordering meaningful analyses of Guyana's problems this formulation seldom rises in this volume above the level of cliche. It is really not a central focus in any of the articles, save a fourpage excursis by anthropologist Delia Walker, and that deals not with the major problem of integration of the East Indian and Black populations into a viable national culture, but with the interesting but far less crucial one of the relatively small Amerindian population. The essays that discuss recent political events and economic problems allude to such things as the tendency under Forbes Burnham to one partyism, the accusations of corruption and venality in the government bureaucracy (though both these matters are treated very circumspectly), the appeals of the "black-power" ideology in Guyana, and the continuation of economic dependence. Although they are competent and accurate enough as far as they go (Harold Lutchman's on "Recent Political Developments" is the most lucid and informative of the lot), they leave an overall impression of inadequacy and conceptual incoherence, again because of an apparent lack of a common theoretical frame of reference beyond a vague concern for Guyana's well-being. Thus, for example, in the article entitled "Black Power?" the interesting description which Yereth Knowles offers of the populist appeals to certain Guyanese groups of this particular brand of contemporary anti-imperialist ideology stands in no meaningful analytic relationship to the political currents described in the previous articles. And the tendency toward a one-party system is asserted, with virtually no analytic clues about what it would mean ideologically or structurally, or how it might be brought about in the face of the profound political and cultural cleavages which characterize the country. Other important policy areas relevant to contemporary Guyana are skimmed over much too lightly, even for such a brief work as this. Prime Minister Bumham's "Cooperative Republic" was declared in early 1970. Although these essays were brought together presumably over a year later, this move is merely mentioned, with no attempt to evaluate its meaning or to speculate as to its significance in the light of what is said about economic problems, Burnham's political style, or the structure of the political system. The problem of Guyana's role in the Caribbean region is also dealt with in an oblique and summary manner. Participation in the Caribbean Free Trade Area (CARIFTA) is treated most gingerly and not at all systematically. The controversial and problematic nature of the whole CARIFTA enterprise is alluded to ever so cautiously be a couple of the contributors, but no stand is taken, either analytic or polemic. The contents of this monograph are much too bland and innocuous to do justice to the contentious and vigorous potential of its topic. The final article, on "Wildlife and Pollution," is written by a zoologist and includes interesting descriptions of the fauna of the country and some general policy recommendations for the control of water and air pollution before things get as bad as they are in the more industrialized countries. The strictures implied in this review should not really be held as applicable to this essay, whose subject matter is not comparable to that of the other chapters. Its inclusion illustrates the book's lack of editorial cohesion.


Background: Clopidogrel is by far the most prescribed platelet adenosine diphosphate (ADP) antagonist in Puerto Rico despite the advent of newer agents (prasugrel and ticagrelor). Given the paucity of data on clopidogrel responsiveness in Hispanics, we sought to determine the association between clinical characteristics and platelet reactivity in Puerto Rican patients on clopidogrel therapy. Study population: A total of 100 Puerto Rican patients on clopidogrel therapy were enrolled and allocated into two groups: Group I, without high on-treatment platelet reactivity (HTPR); and Group II, with HTPR. Platelet function was measured ex vivo using the VerifyNow® P2Y12 assay. Results: The cohort was comprised of Hispanic patients with coronary artery disease (57%), peripheral artery disease (32%), carotid artery stenosis (7%), cerebral artery aneurysm (2%), and stroke (2%). Mean platelet reactivity was 200 ± 61 P2Y12 reaction units (PRUs) (range: 8–324), and 35% of patients had HTPR (PRUs ⩾ 230). Multivariable logistic regression analysis determined that diabetes mellitus (DM) [odds ratio (OR) = 3.27; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.20–8.96], use of proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) (OR = 3.60; 95% CI: 1.09–11.82), and calcium channel blockers (CCBs) (OR = 3.10; 95% CI: 1.09–8.83) were independent predictors of HTPR (p < 0.05) after adjusting for other clinical variables. Conclusions: In a sample of 100 Puerto Rican Hispanic patients on clopidogrel, 35% had HTPR. Furthermore, DM, PPIs and CCBs predicted HTPR. Clinical outcome data are needed to identify appropriate PRU thresholds for risk prediction in the Puerto Rican population.


In the recent decades, searching for compounds inhibiting the caliciviruses (in particular the noroviruses) is of major scientific interest due to their substantial role in the infectious pathology. The development of effective anticalicivirus chemotherapy is important due to the lack of specific means for treatment and prevention of the calicivirus infections. Based on the previously obtained results from a screening for antiviral activity against Feline calicivirus (FCV) strain F9, four efficient antiviral compounds - oxoglaucine, ribavirin, PTU-23 and HBB were selected for further investigations. Cytotoxicity values and antiviral activity of the compounds were determined by neutral red uptake assay vs. three virus inoculation doses – 10, 100 and 1000 CCID50 of FCV-F9 in Crandell-Reese feline kidney cell line (CRFK). A significant activity against FCV-F9 of oxoglaucine was detected; the compound ribavirin exhibited a moderate activity, while the compounds PTU-23 and HBB showed insignificant anticalicivirus effect. Kinetics of the antiviral activity of the tested compounds against FCV-F9 was determined by the one-step virus growth cycle experimental design in CRFK cells. All the tested compounds showed activity against FCV-F9 when applied in the first hours after the virus infection (during the early stages of virus replication cycle).


Abstract We studied the growth of viscous fingers as a Laplacian growth by conformal mapping. Viscous fingers grow due to Saffman-Taylor instability in the interface between two fluids, when a less viscous fluid pushes a more viscous fluid. As there was an interest in the rectangular Hele-Shaw cell, we solved the Laplacian equation with appropriate boundary conditions by means of conformal mapping techniques. The results were then visualized on a personal computer. Using these techniques, we studied singular effects of surface tension in the dynamics of the finger competition in the Saffman-Taylor problem with channel geometry. We also studied the motion of the interface between the two fluids in a pressure field. The more viscous fluid moves with a velocity proportional to the gradient of its pressure. In the twodimensional case the interface can be described by a complex function which is analytic. Applying surface tension in the equations causes the tip-splitting at a longer finger (ahead). In zero order finger perturbation we had equal results for with and without surface tension. But for the first order perturbation, there was a difference. For limited surface tension in solutions for larger fingers (ahead), we observed tip splitting for larger fingers, which is completely in agreement with experimental observations.


Aryltrialkylstannane cation radicals were generated and characterized by nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. Kinetics show the fragmentations of the stannane cation radicals occur by a bimolecular, nucleophile-assisted mechanism (S(N)2). Consistent with this hypothesis, steric effects on both the nucleophile and the stannane cation radicals were observed. Steady-state, preparative photooxidation experiments show that aryltrimethylstannane cation radicals have an unusual preference for loss of aryl radicals over methyl radicals and that the selectivity for aryl vs methyl radical loss is dependent on the identity of the nucleophile. The preference for loss of aryl radicals is rationalized by a hypothesis based on Bent's rules.


Abstract. Although the generally high fertility of volcanic soils is often seen as an
opportunity, short-term consequences of eruptions on natural and cultivated
vegetation are likely to be negative. The empirical knowledge obtained from
post-event impact assessments provides crucial insights into the range of
parameters controlling impact and recovery of vegetation, but their limited
coverage in time and space offers a limited sample of all possible eruptive
and environmental conditions. Consequently, vegetation vulnerability remains
largely unconstrained, thus impeding quantitative risk analyses. Here, we explore how cloud-based big Earth observation data, remote sensing
and interpretable machine learning (ML) can provide a large-scale
alternative to identify the nature of, and infer relationships between,
drivers controlling vegetation impact and recovery. We present a methodology
developed using Google Earth Engine to systematically revisit the impact of
past eruptions and constrain critical hazard and vulnerability parameters.
Its application to the impact associated with the tephra fallout from the
2011 eruption of Cordón Caulle volcano (Chile) reveals its ability to
capture different impact states as a function of hazard and environmental
parameters and highlights feedbacks and thresholds controlling impact and
recovery of both natural and cultivated vegetation. We therefore conclude
that big Earth observation (EO) data and machine learning complement existing impact datasets
and open the way to a new type of dynamic and large-scale vulnerability
models.


This article examines whether the state, through conditional cash transfer programs (CCT), can reduce the poverty and extremely poverty in societies marred by high levels of income concentration. We focus on one of the most unequal countries in the globe, Brazil, and analyze the extent to which this country's CCT program – Bolsa Familia (BF, Family Grant) program – is able to improve the life chances of extremely poor beneficiaries, through the three major goals of PBF: First, to immediately end hunger; second, to create basic social rights related to healthcare and education; finally, considering also complementary policies, to integrate adults into the job market. The analysis relies on a quantitative survey with 4,000 beneficiaries and a qualitative survey comprised of in-depth interviews with 38 program's participants from all the regions of the country in 2008, it means that this study is about the five first years of the PBF. In order to answer the research questions, we ran four probit analyses related: a) the determinants of the realization of prenatal care; b) the determinants of food security among BF beneficiaries, c) the determinants that adult BF recipients will return to school, d) the determinants that a BF beneficiary will obtain a job. Important results from the study are: First, those who before their participation on PBF were at the margins have now been able to access healthcare services on a more regular basis. Thus, the women at the margins who were systematically excluded – black women, poorly educated and from the North – now, after their participation in the CCT program,  have more access to prenatal care  and can now count with more availability of public healthcare network. Second, before entering the Bolsa Familia program, 50.3% of the participants faced severe food insecurity. This number went down to 36.8% in very five years. Men are more likely than women; non-blacks more likely than blacks; and South and Centre-West residents more likely than Brazilians from other regions; to become food secure while participating in BF. Third, instead, that moment in 2008, a small proportion of the adult participants indeed were able to return to school and to increase their educational qualifications. The lack of technical skills and the huge predominance of informal employment are central social problems in Brazil and that the PBF has failed to address such issues. This study confirms what other previous studies have reported on: BF has had a positive impact in reducing poverty in the country. Hence the main contribution of the present study is in identifying the main determinants of unequal results among individuals participating in the BF program: why some, but not others, are more easily able to access the healthcare or to overcome food insecurity while in the program?


Although blockchain, the supporting technology of various cryptocurrencies, has offered a potentially effective framework for numerous decentralized trust management systems, its performance is still sub-optimal in real-world networks. With limited bandwidth, the communication complexity for nodes to process a block scales with the growing network size and hence becomes the limiting factor of blockchain's performance. In this paper, we suggest a re-design of existing blockchain systems, which addresses the issue of the communication burden. First, by employing techniques from Coded Computation, our scheme guarantees correct verification of transactions while reducing the bit complexity dramatically such that it grows logarithmically with the number of nodes. Second, with the adoption of techniques from Information Dispersal and State Machine Replication, the system is resilient to Byzantine faults and achieves linear message complexity. Third, we propose a novel 2-dimensional sharding strategy, which inherently supports cross-shard transactions, alleviating the need for complicated communication protocols between shards, while keeping the computation and storage benefits of sharding.


In cloud computing environment, virtual machine technology is used as a means of flexibly assigning workloads to real machines based on the workloads' static profiles. Though this technology aims at flexible and dynamic resource sharing, memory is underutilized in cloud environments. We propose a virtual swap management mechanism (VSMM) that enables flexible and dynamic memory sharing via a local area network. The VSMM can virtualize swap devices seen by a guest operating system (OS), and transparently switch underlying physical devices to that OS. In this paper, we explain the VSMM architecture and provide details on our prototype implementation using the Xen open source hyper visor, open source iSCSI implementations, and logical volume management. Through various experiments, we demonstrate that VSMM can contribute to improving process performance and maximally utilizing the equipped memory in cloud environments.


The objectives of this study are to predict actual system performance and effective operating range of the 2-stage compression heat pump system using river water. An electronic expansion valve was applied to the simulation to analyze the effects of operating conditions on the system performance. The developed program was verified by comparing the predictions with the measured data. The results from the present model showed a good agreement with the measured data. In addition, the heat pump simulation was conducted by increasing condenser reservoir inlet temperature to investigate the benefits of the 2-stage compression over the l-stage compression in the heating mode. The performance of the 2-stage compression cycle was better than that of the l-stage compression when the inlet temperature of the condenser reservoir was higher than 40℃.


Platelet behavior was studied in rabbit decompression sickness which was brought about by the exposure to 6 ATA for 40 min (bottom time) followed by rapid decompression. Platelet counts significantly decreased after the decompression. Kinetic studies with 111In-oxine-labeled platelets revealed shortened survivals of circulating platelets, and audioradiograms indicated the accumulation of radioactivity in the lungs after the decompression. Although there was no change in the mode volume of platelets after the decompression, the transient appearance of circulating smaller or fragmented platelets suggested a random overdestruction of platelets. Whole and releasable adenine nucleotide contents of platelets were decreased significantly after the decompression. There were no significant changes in cytoplasmic adenine nucleotide contents. Therefore, in decompression sickness, the circulating platelets behaved similarly to those in acquired storage pool disease. Platelet thrombi were found in the pulmonary arteries, compatible with the accumulation of 111In-oxine-labeled platelets. These findings suggest that circulating air bubbles interact with platelets, causing the platelet release reaction, and these activated platelets participate in the formation of thrombi in experimental decompression sickness.


Two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy (2DES) has emerged as an incisive tool for mapping out energy relaxation pathways in complex molecular systems by determining correlation maps between the excitation and emission frequencies. Its enhanced spectral as well as temporal resolution offer new insights into coupling and energy transfer between closely-spaced energy states, which are often hidden in a one-dimensional transient spectrum. However, a major drawback of the current 2DES technique is that the spectral window of detection is directly limited to the laser bandwidth used, which leads to an incomplete visualization of the full energy landscape of the system. As a solution to this limitation, we present an ultrabroadband 2DES apparatus utilizing a 8-fs, 185-nm bandwidth supercontinuum that covers the entire visible region. We demonstrate the utility of our setup by measuring the 2D spectra of laser dyes absorbing at different regions of the laser spectrum, and the major light-harvesting complex of spinach.


Research in the area of dialogue journals has shown that keeping oral or written journals can improve students' speaking performance. However, nearly no research has been done on the effects of doing oral-written dialogue journals in enhancing speaking English. This study quantitatively and qualitatively explored the impacts of the oral-written dialogue journals on the speaking performance of EFL university-level students. Specific research focuses were the influence of keeping oral-written dialogue journals on overall speaking proficiency and the effect on speaking fluency, grammatical accuracy, and vocabulary richness as well as the participants' perceptions of this activity. The oral-written dialogue journal activity was implemented for three months. The participants were eleven university students who were invited to join this activity. Findings composed of objective measurements and qualitative inquiry revealed that participants' overall speaking proficiency was enhanced through this activity. Their fluency, grammatical accuracy and vocabulary richness were also improved to some extent, particularly fluency and verb tense accuracy. The participants' perceptions of this activity were also positive. They not only became more confident in speaking English and more motivated to speak or learn English but also liked this activity. This study enabled us to understand in what aspects of speaking EFL learners had made progress as well as why they had improved their speaking performance. Based on the findings, pedagogical implications and suggestions for further research were made.


Many diaspora communities identify not only with a distant homeland but also with others distant from the homeland. How exactly do these intercommunal connections take place and contribute toward a shared identity? What specific aspects of diasporan identity are created or strengthened? What practices are involved? This study will begin to answer these questions through investigating two practices which were widespread among diaspora Jewish communities during the last two centuries of the Second Temple period (1st cent. B.C.E.–1st cent. C.E.). First, we will show how sending offerings and making pilgrimages to the Jerusalem temple from these communities enabled regular intercommunal contact. Then, we will suggest some ways in which these voluntary practices reinforced a cohesive Jewish identity and the importance of the homeland, especially the city of Jerusalem and the temple, for many diaspora Jews, whether they lived in Alexandria, Rome, Asia Minor, or Babylonia.


Abstract The high-density polyethylene (HDPE) conductive composites filled separately with carbon fibers (CFs), ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), and three kinds of carbon blacks (CBs) (including different diameter, BET specific area, and DBP value) were prepared, to investigate the influence of the property, size, and content of the conductive fillers on the nonlinear voltage–current characteristics of the HDPE conductive composites. The results showed that the relationship between the electric current density and the electric field intensity of the three HDPE/CB composites including the HDPE/CF composites, the HDPE/CB/CF composites, and the HDPE/EVA/CB composites was nonlinear. The nonlinear conductivity index of the HDPE/CF composites was kept a low level comparing to the HDPE/CB composites, the HDPE/CB/CF composites, and the HDPE/EVA/CB composites. Moreover, the nonlinear conductive behavior mechanisms were discussed.


Coastal lagoons, like Mediterranean lagoons, are particularly complex environments, often subjected to strong human impacts, including industrial and domestic contaminations. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the usefulness of an experimental set-up strategy in order to measure the distribution of organic contaminants in the lagoons and estimate their potential as endocrine disrupters. For this study, man-made cages containing mussels (Mytilus galloprovinciallis), collected from a clean location, were deployed with semi-permeable membrane devices (SPMDs) during 30 days in the Arnel, Mejean and Thau lagoons. Mussels reflect the total exposure (concentrations of dissolved, colloidal, and particulate contaminant in water), whereas SPMDs only sample truly dissolved organic contaminants that may be accessible and available to higher marine organisms. Sediments were collected at the three locations. Chemical analyses of PAHs, PCBs, alkylphenols, E2 and EE2 were done by GC-MS in mussels, SPMDs and sediments and permitted a global assessment of the organic contamination. In vitro bioassays were done additionally to detect estrogen-like and dioxine-like activities and evaluate the potential toxic potency of those complex mixtures. Estrogenic and dioxine-like activities were respectively screened with the stably transfected luciferase reporter cell lines (MELN) and the PLHC-1 cell lines. A condition index ratio (dry flesh/dry shell weight ratio) and goanadal histology were realised on mussels in order to overcome the problem associated with mussel variability and physical condition


Background: Alternative natural therapy by plants extracts had opened  wide  door   for   the    use  of  natural products as an alternative therapy instead of many antibiotics and drugs , which had many harmful side effects.Also, an increased interest has been centered on the industrial wastes, especially plant raw materials which contain phenols (e.g. Pomegranate peel and Bay leaves) which is a sources of natural antioxidants ,which are on the contrary  of  synthetic  antioxidants that  had restrict use  due to  their  health  risks , carcinogenesis and toxicity .
Objectives :This study was done to find out the etiology and sensitivity pattern of uropathogenic bacteria isolated from patients with urinary tract infection , in order to select the bacterial isolates that had multidrug resistance .
Type of the study: Cross-sectional study.
Methods: preparation of   Hot water extract , Cold water extract , Methanol extract  and Ethanol extract of both Pomegranate peels and Bay leaves and test   there    antibacterial activity against these uropathogenic bacteria which are multidrug resistant .
Results :All extracts from pomegranate fruit peels exhibited inhibitory activity against all tested bacteria . Hot , Cold  water extract and Ethanol extract of pomegranate peels recorded the highest inhibition zones compared with the Methanol extract. On the other hand, there were no

antibacterial activity of any extract of  Bay leaves on any of tested bacteria. The  medicinal  plants antibacterial activity was well  documented  and  those  plants are new potential alternative antibacterial agent  especially  against multi resistant bacteria which had been the center of focus globally.
Conclusions: Pomegranate have antibacterial activity  against multidrug resistant pathogenic bacteria isolated from UTI patients , So it emerged as alternative therapy for humans leading  to reduction the cost and the risk of using antibiotics .


Abstract FRAGA-ARGUIMBAU, P. & J. A. ROSSELLÓ (2011). Euphorbia nurae P. Fraga & Rosselló (Euphorbiaceae), a new species from Minorca (Balearic Islands). Candollea 66: 181–190. In English, English and French abstracts. Euphorbia nurae P. Fraga & Rosselló (Euphorbiaceae sect. Cymatospermum (Prokh.) Prokh.) is described as a new species from coastal sites of Minorca (Balearic Islands). Morphological features suggest that Euphorbia exigua L., Euphorbia dracunculoides Lam. and Euphorbia sulcata Loisel. are the most closely related taxa, but the new species can be easily discriminated by several morphological characters.


The purpose of this study is to determine the factors of actual construction time for commercial and residential projects in South India. The data for the study was obtained from some leading architectural and engineering companies in India. The sample size consisted of data for 90 completed construction projects in various locations within the region. Analysis of the data was done using a General Linear Model. The results indicated that actual construction cost and methods of project delivery are major factors that can be used to predict actual construction time of such projects in South India.


Objectives: To identify core issues that contribute to the gap between pre-marketing clinical research and practice as seen from the perspective of medical practice, as well as possible changes and potential barriers for closing this gap. Methods: Interviews with 47 physicians and pharmacists who were liaised to drug regulation through their role in the pre- and post-marketing shaping of new cardiovascular drugs. Data were analyzed using methods of grounded theory and analytical evaluations. Results: Six core issues were identified that referred to the standards in drug regulation, the organization of the regulatory system, and conflicting interests. Pre-marketing trials should focus more on populations and research questions relevant to medical practice. In particular, variability in drug responses between subgroups of patients and demonstration of effectiveness should become major principles in drug regulation. An interactive post-marketing process in which public interests are represented was considered necessary to further guide research and development according to the needs in daily practice. Strategies for change could be applied within the present system of drug regulation, or affect its basic principles. Regulatory authorities were primarily identified to initiate changes, but many other parties should be involved. Barriers for change were identified regarding differences in interests between parties, organizational matters, and with respect to broader healthcare policies. Conclusions: Based on the respondents' opinions, there is a need to focus regulatory standards more on the needs in medical practice. Therefore, regulatory authorities should further develop their influence in the pre- and post-marketing drug development process, together with other parties involved, in order to bridge the gap between clinical research and medical practice.