In immunosuppressed patients (ISP) with acute respiratory failure (ARF), invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) is associated with high mortality rate. Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is a type of mechanical ventilation that does not require an artificial airway. It has seen increasing use in critically ill patients to avoid endotracheal intubation. Acute respiratory failure due to pulmonary infections is an important cause of illness in ISP and their treatment. Immunosuppressive treatments have showed an increase not only in the survival but also in the susceptibility to infection. Several authors have underlined the worst prognosis for neutropenic patients with ARF requiring endotracheal intubation and IMV. The NIV seems to be an interesting alternative in ISP because of the lower risk of complications; it prevents endotracheal intubation and its associated complications with survival benefits in this population.


OBJECTIVE
Coronary artery ectasia (CAE) is defined as localized or diffuse dilatation in the coronary artery lumen of at least 1.5 times the diameter of adjacent healthy reference segments. The etiology of CAE is still unknown, but the most likely cause is atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate several gene polymorphisms that are thought to have an effect on the development of coronary atherosclerosis and have been shown to cause thrombophilia in CAE patients.

METHODS
The factor V Leiden (G1691A), factor V H1299R, prothrombin G20210A, factor XIII V34L, beta-fibrinogen-455 G>A, plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 4G/5G, and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T, and MTHFR A1298C polymorphisms were evaluated in 66 patients with CAE and 32 individuals with normal coronary arteries.

RESULTS
Comparison of the CAE and control groups revealed that the clinical features and the frequency of polymorphism in the thrombophilic genes were similar in both groups. However, when heterozygous and/or homozygous polymorphism was compared between groups, it was found that there was a significantly higher finding of thrombophilic gene polymorphism in the CAE group (p=0.023).

CONCLUSION
Thrombophilic gene polymorphism may be associated with the formation and clinical presentation of CAE.


Abstract. Lightning is one of the major threats to multi-megawatt wind turbines and a concern for modern aircraft due to the use of lightweight composite materials. Both wind turbines and aircraft can initiate lightning, and very favorable conditions for lightning initiation occur in winter thunderstorms. Moreover, winter thunderstorms are characterized by a relatively high production of very energetic lightning. This paper reviews the different types of lightning interactions and summarizes the well-known winter thunderstorm areas. Until now comprehensive maps of global distribution of winter lightning prevalence to be used for risk assessment have been unavailable. In this paper we present the global winter lightning activity for a period of 5 years. Using lightning location data and meteorological re-analysis data, six maps are created: annual winter lightning stroke density, seasonal variation of the winter lightning and the annual number of winter thunderstorm days. In the Northern Hemisphere, the maps confirmed Japan to be one of the most active regions but other areas such as the Mediterranean and the USA are active as well. In the Southern Hemisphere, Uruguay and surrounding area, the southwestern Indian Ocean and the Tasman Sea experience the highest activity. The maps provided here can be used in the development of a risk assessment.


An analysis of the cardiovascular status of the diabetic patient involves chiefly a study of the interrelationship of arteriosclerosis and diabetes. One hundred and twenty cases in patients above the age of 39 have been observed with this in view. The data presented here deal with the incidence of the important cardiovascular variants, and with their relation to age and sex and to the severity and duration of diabetes. To these are added some observations on the clinical types of arteriosclerosis in diabetic patients and on the significance of retinitis and abnormalities of the electrocardiogram. The primary data are tabulated in table 1 and summarized in table 2. The relation to sex is shown in table 3 and to age in table 4. CARDIOVASCULAR VARIANTS Cardiac Enlargement. —The heart in nondiabetic arteriosclerotic patients is as often small as large. In the autopsy material analyzed by Cabot, 1 64 per cent


In this work a general index of power quality (PQ) is proposed based on the simulation of some of the phenomena that affect the power quality. Using wavelet transform and calculating the energy coefficients to obtain a characteristic pattern of each signal to calculate the PQ index, using different wavelet functions. The proposed PQ index was compared with typical measurements phenomena under study.


While it has been widely recognized that both exercise and weight loss benefit older adults with obesity and depressive symptoms, the ability of these individuals to complete and benefit from lifestyle programs is unknown. This essay looks at whether older adults with mild depressive symptoms (Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depression/CES-D score of 11 or more) benefit from a one-year lifestyle intervention in terms of change in depressive symptoms, weight loss, and physical activity measured at either 5, 9, or 13 months. In the Mobility and Vitality Lifestyle Program (MOVE UP) study, no statistically significant difference was found between the drop-out rate of participants with mild depressive symptoms compared to those without mild depressive symptoms. The overall dropout rate from the study was 13.6% over 13 months. In addition, participants with mild depressive symptoms showed statistically significant improvements in their mean CES-D scores of -3.9 points at 5 months (p<0.001) and -3.1 points at 13 months (p=0.004). These changes were independent of weight loss or a change in activity levels. Although regression to the mean may play a role in this finding, the amount of change suggests a meaningful effect. Overall, this study supports the inclusion of older adults with mild depressive symptoms in lifestyle improvement programs. Our findings show that the majority of participants were able to successfully complete the program, and that over the course of the intervention, they lost weight and had a decrease in depressive symptoms.


In2S3–carbon nanotube (In2S3–CNT) nanocomposites have been prepared via a facile refluxing wet chemistry process. The as-synthesized In2S3–CNT nanocomposites can be used as selective and active visible-light-driven photocatalysts toward hydrogenation of nitroaromatics to amines in water. Photoirradiation (λ > 420 nm) of In2S3–CNT photocatalysts suspended in water containing nitroaromatics produces the corresponding amines with high yields. The control experiments reveal that an inert atmosphere and the addition of a hole scavenger are both indispensable for the visible-light-driven photocatalytic hydrogenation of nitroaromatics over In2S3–CNT. In comparison with blank In2S3, the obviously enhanced photocatalytic performance of the In2S3–CNT photocatalyst is mainly ascribed to the unique physicochemical properties of CNTs, which enhances the adsorptivity of the substrate and performs as an electron reservoir to trap electrons, thereby hindering the recombination of photogenerated electron–hole pairs. It is hoped that the current work on the facile synthesis of semiconductor In2S3–CNT nanocomposites can broaden the applications of semiconductor-carbon based composite photocatalysts in the field of photocatalytic selective organic transformations under mild conditions.


The identification of CYP2C9 and VKORC1 genes has strongly stimulated the research on pharmacogenetics of coumarins in the last decade. We assessed the combined influence of CYP2C9 *2 and *3, and VKORC1 c.-1639G>A, 497C>G, and 1173C>T variants, on acenocoumarol dosage using a novel algorithm approach, in 193 outpatients who had achieved stable anticoagulation. We constructed an "acenocoumarol-dose genotype score" (AGS, maximum score = 100) based on the number of alleles associated with higher acenocoumarol dosage carried by each subject for each polymorphism. The mean AGS was higher in the high-dose (>28mg/week) compared with the low-dose (<7mg/week) group (mean(SEM) of 84.1±3.4 vs. 62.2±4.8, P = 0.008). An AGS>70 was associated with an increased odds ratio (OR) of requiring high acenocoumarol dosage (OR: 3.347; 95%CI: 1.112–10.075; P = 0.032). In summary, although more research is necessary in other patient cohorts, and this algorithm should be replicated in an independent sample, our data suggest that the AGS algorithm could be used to help discriminating patients requiring high acenocoumarol doses to achieve stable anti-coagulation.


Among many types of proteinaceous filaments, microtubules (MTs) constitute the most rigid components of the cellular cytoskeleton. Microtubule dynamics is essential for many vital cellular processes such as intracellular transport, metabolism, and cell division. We investigate the nonlinear dynamics of inhomogeneous microtubulin systems and the MT dynamics is found to be governed by a perturbed sine-Gordon equation. In the presence of various competing nonlinear inhomogeneities, it is shown that this nonlinear model can lead to the existence of kink and antikink solitons moving along MTs. We demonstrate kink—antikink pair collision in the framework of Hirota's bilinearization method. We conjecture that the collisions of the quanta of energy propagating in the form of kinks and antikinks may offer a new view of the mechanism of the retrograde and anterograde transport direction regulation of motor proteins in microtubulin systems.


Describing the structure of ion Coulomb crystals in periodically-driven systems, such as cylindrical and linear Paul traps, is important for applications in quantum information processing, quantum simulation, spectroscopy, and frequency standard determination. The pseudopotential, a time-independent effective potential obtained by averaging the explicitly time-dependent trapping potential, is often used for this specific purpose, among other uses in the general study of trapped ion dynamics. This thesis examines the strengths and weaknesses of the pseudopotential approximation as a tool for describing few-ion crystal configurations in a Paul trap. Numerical evidence for the failure of the standard pseudopotential commonly found in the literature in predicting crystal alignment effects in such systems is provided. A method for deriving an improved pseudopotential for a general set of coupled differential equations is presented and applied to the cylindrical and linear traps, providing analytical evidence for these "exotic" crystal alignment effects. The limitations of the improved pseudopotential in explaining crystal instability in certain regions of trap parameter space and in terms of scalability to many-ion systems are discussed.


Estimates of endometriosis recurrence after primary surgery are around 10% per annum during the first postoperative quinquennium. The aim of this study was to define the effect of reoperation in women seeking conception. A MEDLINE and PubMed search was conducted to identify English language studies published in the last 30 years evaluating reproductive performance after second‐line surgery. Repeat surgery for recurrent endometriosis and identification of women seeking pregnancy were selected. Two authors abstracted data on standardized forms. The initial literature screening yielded 41 citations, but 19 were excluded because no data on reoperation were described, seven as no original figures were included, three because analyses were performed on the same cohort, and one because extremely skewed data were reported. A total of 313 patients who sought pregnancy after repetitive surgery for recurrent endometriosis were found, 139 in six non‐comparative studies, and 174 in five retrospective comparative studies. Overall, pregnancy was achieved in 81 women (26%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 21–31%), without significant difference between the laparotomy (27%) and laparoscopy (25%) approach. Three studies compared pregnancy rate after second‐line (28/124; 23%) and primary surgery (236/577; 41%; common odds ratio (OR), 0.44; 95% CI, 0.28–0.68%), and two compared the probability of conception after in‐vitro fertilization (IVF) (14/27; 30%) and repetitive surgery (10/50; 20%; common OR, 1.51; 95% CI, 0.58–3.91%). Conclusions. The probability of conception after repeat surgery for recurrent endometriosis appeared limited and reduced compared with that after primary surgery. The results of IVF were not inferior to those of reoperation.


ABSTRACT In Caenorhabditis elegans, the central cell-killing process is essentially controlled by the interplay of four apoptotic factors: EGL-1/BH3-only protein, CED-9/Bcl2, CED-4/Apaf1, and CED-3/caspase. In cells destined to die, EGL-1 binds to CED-9 and results in the release of CED-4 from the mitochondrion-tethered CED-9-CED-4 complex to the perinucleus, which facilitates processing of the CED-3 caspase to cause apoptosis. However, whether additional factors exist to regulate the cell-killing process remains largely unknown. We have identified here WAN-1, the C. elegans ortholog of mammalian adenine nucleotide translocator, as an important cell death regulator. Genetic inactivation of wan-1 significantly suppressed both somatic and germ line cell deaths in C. elegans. Consistently, chemical inhibition of WAN-1 activity also caused strong reduction of germ line apoptosis. WAN-1 localizes to mitochondria and can form complex with both CED-4 and CED-9. Importantly, the cell death initiator EGL-1 can disrupt the interaction between CED-9 and WAN-1. In addition, overexpression of WAN-1 induced ectopic cell killing dependently on the core cell death pathway. These findings suggest that WAN-1 is involved in the central cell-killing process and cooperates with the core cell death machinery to promote programmed cell death in C. elegans.


Flooding is a major problem facing Southern African region. The region has been experiencing flood for the past two decades. This flood event has been exacerbated in recent years by global weather pattern known as La Nina which cools ocean waters in the equatorial Pacific and changes rainfall patterns across the world. This change in weather pattern has resulted in increased rainfall over Southern Africa causing flash floods resulting in extensive socioeconomic loses, casualties and environmental damage. This study employs remote sensing and geographical information systems (GIS) data to visualize the impact of climate change caused by flooding in the Southern African region in order to assist decision makers' plans for future occurrences. To achieve these objectives, the study used Digital Elevation Model (DEM), temporal Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellites data obtained from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and NASA's Earth Observatory websites in order to show the spatial dimensions of the damage and the flooded area. Results of the study revealed notable damages to social and natural environments as well as flood risk zones and watercourses in the study area. The paper concludes by outlining policy recommendations in the form of the need for building drainage ditches on the flat plains identified in this study to accommodate flood flows, the design of a comprehensive Regional Emergency Information System (REIS) with support from the governments in the study area and the neighboring countries. Building such system, the paper concludes could offer decision-makers access to the appropriate spatio-temporal data for monitoring climate change induced emergencies related to seasonal floods.


The objectives of the present study were to find the prevalence of foramen of Vesalius and to discuss its morphology. The embryological basis of this foramen and its surgical highlights are emphasized. The study comprised 78 human adult dried skulls, which were obtained from the anatomy laboratory of our institution. The greater wing of the sphenoid bone was macroscopically observed for the presence of foramen of Vesalius. It was observed that the foramen was present in 29 skulls (37.2%). It was seen bilaterally in 13 (16.7%) skulls and unilaterally in 16 (20.5%) specimens.Anatomical literature has explained the variation of this foramen by the developmental considerations. We believe that the details of this foramen are known to have significant implications for the medical and surgical literature. The details are also enlightening to the clinical anatomists and other broad specialties of medicine.This sphenoidal emissary foramen contains a bridging vein, which connects the pterygoid venous plexus with the cavernous sinus. This communication is clinically important, since an extra cranial infection may sometimes reach the cavernous sinus through this foramen, which may lead to cavernous sinus thrombosis. Foramen of Vesalius can get injured during the trigeminal nerve block technique performed for the trigeminal neuralgia. In this procedure, the foramen can get hurt by a displaced instrument, which would end up in intracranial bleeding, which can spread the extracranal infection into the cavernous sinus. This may lead to serious disorders like Tolosa Hunt and Gradenigo syndromes.


: Antimicrobial susceptibility testing of Helicobacter pylori by conventional means (disc diffusion) is of questionable value because the bacterium grows so slowly. We have determined the susceptibilities of 20 isolates of H. pylori to ampicillin, erythromycin, gentamicin, metronidazole, rifampicin and tetracycline by the E test, a novel technique for measuring MICs, and compared the results with those determined by standard agar dilution and disc diffusion methods. Eighty-one per cent of E test-determined MICs were within one two-fold dilution and 93% were within two two-fold dilutions of those determined by the reference agar dilution method. MICs determined by the E test were highly reproducible; replicate results were invariably within one two-fold dilution. MICs were not affected by the size of the inoculum, preincubation or incubation times. Regression lines for disc diffusion could not be determined because of the lack of resistant strains. However, metronidazole-resistant strains (MIC > 32 mg/L) were easily distinguishable from susceptible strains (MIC < 1 mg/L). In conclusion, the E test is a reliable method for determining the antimicrobial susceptibility of H. pylori.


In order to study the durability of Polypropylene fiber concrete, indoor artificial methods were used to simulate dry-wet cycle and deicer-frost damage. The results indicated that amounts of polypropylene fibers increase the flexural strength of concrete slightly. The chloride penetration depth increased as the cycles of dry-wet was increased, adding 0.1% PPF into concrete have the prefect resistance of Cl- penetration. Under salt freezing cycle, the deicer-scaling resistance of concrete is reduced by the addition of Polypropylene fiber. The corner of concrete has the largest Cl- penetration area.


Scaffolds for hepatic tissue engineering were successfully prepared by freeze-drying technique including four types namely; collagenchondroitin sulfate (Co-CS), collagen-sodium hyalurnate (Co-SH), collagen-chondroitin sulfate-selenium substituted hydroxyapatite nanopowders (Co-CS-SeHA2) and collagen-sodium hyalurnateselenium substituted hydroxyapatite nanopowders (Co-SHSeHA2) and using gluteraldehyde as cross-linker to increase the scaffolds strength. The formed scaffolds were characterized by SEM and the results showed porous structured with desirable pore sizes ranging from 73.7 to 103 nm, for hepatocytes culture. The cell compatibility was tested using human bone marrow mesynchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs). Results of fluorescent microscopy of the scaffolds showed that the highest number of cells was on Co-CS-SeHA2 scaffold. The cells were distributed in groups which suggested they proliferated on this material. The Co-CS-SeHA2 prepared scaffold can be applied for further liver/ hepatocytes studies.


One in ten adults worldwide is living with diabetes, with 95% having type 2 diabetes (T2D). Sustained glycaemic control in people with T2D is difficult to achieve despite recent advances in T2D management with the advent of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP1RA) and sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i). Tirzepatide represents a first-in-class agent as a dual glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP)/GLP1RA to be approved in the USA and Europe for the treatment of T2D. This narrative review intends to list and discuss the glycaemic efficacy, key safety and weight loss outcomes related to the treatment of T2D with tirzepatide. Tirzepatide has been evaluated in five published clinical trials (n=6278) within the SURPASS clinical trial programme, with a focus on glycaemic control and weight loss. These trials have demonstrated significant improvements in glycosylated haemoglobin (–1.24% to –2.11% versus placebo and –0.6% to –1.14% versus active comparator) and weight (up to 15.5 kg versus placebo or active comparator) in patients with T2D. Notably, tirzepatide exhibited superior glycaemic control and weight loss when compared directly with a GLP1RA. Adverse events with the use of tirzepatide are similar to other approved GLP1RA and are predominantly gastrointestinal (nausea, vomiting). The tirzepatide cardiovascular outcomes trial (SURPASS-CVOT) is in progress and is expected to be completed in the fall of 2024. Tirzepatide represents an attractive new option and first-in-class agent for the treatment of T2D in people unable to achieve their glycaemic or weight management goals.


The resources highlighted in this guide will assist you in completing the U.S. trading partner and the occupational research assignments.


Background Various techniques for managing faecal evacuation have been proposed; however, colostomy irrigation is favoured as it leads to better patient outcomes. Alternative fluid regimens for colostomy irrigation have been suggested to achieve effective evacuation. Aim The objective of this review was to summarise the best available evidence on the most effective fluid regimen for colostomy irrigation. Search strategy Trials were identified by electronic searches of CINAHL, PubMed, MEDLINE, Current Contents, the Cochrane Library and EMBASE. Unpublished articles and references lists from included studies were also searched. Selection criteria Randomised controlled trials and before‐and‐after studies investigating any fluid regimen for colostomy irrigation were eligible for inclusion. Outcomes measured included fluid inflow time, total wash‐out time, haemodynamic changes during irrigation, cramps, leakage episodes, quality of life and level of satisfaction. Data collection and analysis Trial selection, quality appraisal and data extraction were carried out independently by two reviewers. Differences in opinion were resolved by discussion. Main results The systematic literature search strategy identified two cross‐over trials that compared water with another fluid regimen. Owing to the differences in irrigating solutions used, the results were not pooled for analysis. Both the polyethylene glycol electrolyte solution and glyceryl trinitrate performed significantly better than water. Conclusion There is some evidence to support the effectiveness of fluid regimens other than water, such as polyethylene glycol electrolyte and glyceryl trinitrate, for colostomy irrigation. Further well‐designed clinical trials are required to establish solid evidence on the effectiveness of other irrigating solutions that might enhance colonic irrigation.


The protein kinase-like clan/superfamily is a large group of regulatory, signaling and biosynthetic enzymes that were historically regarded as typically eukaryotic proteins, although bacterial members have also been known for a long time. In this review, we explore the diversity of bacterial protein kinase like families, and discuss functional versatility of these enzymes, both the ones acting within the bacterial cell, and those acting within eukaryotic cells as effectors during infection. We focus on novel bacterial kinase-like families discovered in the last five years. A bioinformatics perspective is held here, hence sequence and structure comparison overview is presented, and also a comparison of genomic neighbourhoods of the families. We perform a phylum-level census of the families. Also, we discuss apparent pseudokinases that turned out to perform alternative catalytic functions by repurposing their atypical kinase-like active sites. We also highlight some 'unpopular' kinase-like families that await characterisation.


Small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)—defined by the European Commission as having fewer than 250 employees, an annual turnover of less than €50 million, or a balance sheet total of no more than €43 million—are the backbone of the European economy. On the one hand, even in the best of times, small firms often have trouble obtaining financing; on the other hand, euro-area banks are holding large stocks of relatively illiquid loans to SMEs from all kinds of sectors. Via securitization—the pooling of assets and the subsequent transfer of these, typically tranched, loan portfolios (or their underlying risks) to the capital markets—these loans can be transformed into liquid assets and securitized. This process can spur more lending to SMEs, and this is the reason why there is currently so much discussion about the need to revive the SME securitization market (SMESec). In this article, the authors shed more light on this important topic.


In this paper, the implementation of space-time block coding systems is discussed, particularly through the use of programmable logic such as FPGAs. The rationale for choice of such devices in preference to DSPs is discussed followed by an analysis of the design and development process and the methodologies employed in the design process. An example space-time system, time-reversal space-time block coding (TR-STBC) is discussed and implementation described.


OBJECTIVE
To explore the relationship between 24-hour blood pressure (BP) variability, heart rate (HR) variability, and transcranial Doppler velocity (TCDV) in a cohort of pediatric sickle cell disease (SCD) patients.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS
This is a retrospective study of 11 children aged 8-18 years with SCD who previously underwent 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring and TCDV measurements.

INTERVENTIONS
Medical records were reviewed for TCDV and 24-hour ABP data. TCDV in the right and left middle cerebral artery were examined, and the highest velocity was recorded. HR and BP standard deviations were used as markers of variability. The relationships between daytime, nighttime, and 24-hour blood pressures and heart rate variability were determined.

RESULTS
Mean age, body mass index and hemoglobin levels were 11.2 ± 3.0 years, 18.7 ± 3.4 kg/m2, and 9.1 ± 1.7 g/dL, respectively. Median transcranial Doppler velocity was 136cm/s (125-142). Decreased day, night, and 24-hour heart rate variability were significantly associated with increased transcranial Doppler velocity (R = -.69, P = .02; R = -.82 P =.002; R = -.66, P = .03, respectively). BP variability did not correlate with TCDV. Nighttime BP indexes were higher than daytime.

CONCLUSIONS
In this small cohort, decreased heart rate variability assessed by the standard deviation of HR was associated with increased transcranial Doppler velocities in children with SCD. No correlation between measurements of BP variability and TCDV was found. Our study provides new information on heart rate and blood pressure variability and TCDV; a surrogate marker of stroke risk in sickle cell disease. Larger multicenter studies are needed to confirm our findings.


Objective: Abnormalities in atrial electromechanical delays (EMDs) are considered independent predictors of atrial fibrillation and can reflect atrial remodeling. The main purpose in this study was to compare inter-left and right intra-atrial EMDs of patients with mild left ventricular (LV) diastolic dysfunction, without left atrial (LA) structural remodeling in the absence of high filling pressure, with healthy individuals. Methods: In this prospective study, a total of 41 consecutive outpatients who were referred to our echocardiography laboratory with mild diastolic dysfunction (age: 60.9±9.6 years) and 45 healthy control subjects who were referred from an outpatient clinic for check-up (age: 32.2±10.3 years) with normal diastolic function were enrolled into this study. All subjects had normal LA volume and normal right atrial area and did not have high filling pressure. Diastolic dysfunction were determined per American Society of Echocardiography recommendations; so, the following indices were measured: peak early (E) and atrial (A) flow velocities (cm/s), E/A ratio, and deceleration time (DT) (ms) of mitral inflow, systolic (S) and diastolic (D) pulmonary vein wave velocities (cm/s) by pulse wave Doppler, and e' in septal and lateral mitral annulus by pulse wave tissue Doppler. Time interval from the onset of P wave on the ECG to the beginning of the late diastolic wave (Am wave) on tissue Doppler trace, which is named PA, was obtained from the lateral and septal mitral annulus and right ventricular (RV) tricuspid annulus as atrial conduction times (ACTs) and were named lateral PA, septal PA, and RV PA, respectively. The difference between lateral PA and septal, PA septal and RV PA was defined as left and right intra-atrial EMD, respectively. The difference between lateral PA and RV PA was defined as inter-atrial EMD. Data analysis was done by independent student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, χ2 test, Spearman rank order, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multivariate regression analysis in the appropriate site. Results: A, DT, S/D ratio, and E/e' (average) were significantly lower in the control group, and E, D, E/A ratio, e' septal, and e' lateral wall were significantly lower in the patient group. Atrial conduction times were longer in the patient group, but in the multivariate analysis, there was no correlation between ACTs and diastolic dysfunction. There was no significant difference in left intra-atrial EMD (14.2±9.7 ms vs. 16.4±11.4 ms; p=0.336), right intra-atrial EMD (12.8±12.2 ms vs. 15.4±12.1 ms; p=0.321), and inter-atrial EMD (26.9±13.7 ms vs. 31.7±13.7 ms; p=0.108) between the two groups. Multivariate analysis showed no correlation between inter- and intra-atrial EMDs and diastolic dysfunction. Conclusion: There was no significant difference in ACTs and inter-atrial and left and right intra-atrial EMD in patients with mild LV diastolic dysfunction and normal LA volume in the absence high filling pressure compared with normal subjects.


A study was made of 813 orthopaedic referrals by 134 general practitioners in North Staffordshire. The referral rates showed no relation to practice list size or the doctors' previous orthopaedic experience. The published waiting times did not accurately reflect clinic vacancies, and no effective priority rating of letters by consultants was shown. Less than 1% of patients had an appointment within four weeks. One quarter of the patients failed to attend and, of those who did, 27% received physiotherapy or a "simple" appliance, or both, while 16% received treatment already available from their general practitioner. Patients from high referring doctors showed the same pattern of distribution in body area affected and treatment outcome as those from low referring doctors, but had a significantly longer time to wait for their appointment. A survey of non-attenders showed that 56% of the patients failed to attend because the condition had resolved.


We study procrastination in the context of a field experiment involving students who must exert costly effort to complete certain tasks by a fixed deadline. Students display a strong demand for commitment in the form of self-imposed deadlines. However, deadlines appear not to increase task completion rates. Students who report themselves as being more disorganized delay task completion significantly more. We estimate that the fraction of students displaying present bias in our sample is over 40%. Furthermore, we structurally estimate present bias and other possible behavioral aspects of students' decision making by fitting the experimental data on both completion rates and failed attempts through a stylized stopping time choice model. The point estimate of present bias is 30% in our preferred specification. Present-bias appears, however, not to significantly affect behavior in the context of repeated similar tasks. This suggests various frame effects whereby repeated similar task activate internal self-control. Beyond present bias, our results indicate that other behavioral characteristics play an important role in inducing procrastination.


Individual workplace performance is a crucial construct in Work Psychology. However, understanding of its conceptualization remains limited, particularly regarding predictor-criterion linkages. This study examines to what extent operational validities differ when criteria are measured as overall job performance compared to specific dimensions as predicted by ability and personality measures respectively. Building on Bartram's (2005) work, systematic review methodology is used to select studies for meta-analytic examination. We find validities for both traditional predictor types to be enhanced substantially when performance is assessed specifically rather than generically. Findings indicate that assessment decisions can be facilitated through a thorough mapping and subsequent use of predictor measures using specific performance criteria. We discuss further implications, referring particularly to the development and operationalization of even more finely grained performance conceptualizations.


The triangular lattice antiferromagnet (TLAF) has been the standard paradigm of frustrated magnetism for several decades. The most common magnetic ordering in insulating TLAFs is the 120 structure. However, a new triple-Q chiral ordering can emerge in metallic TLAFs, representing the short wavelength limit of magnetic skyrmion crystals. We report the metallic TLAF Co1/3TaS2 as the first example of tetrahedral triple-Q ordering with the associated topological Hall effect (non-zero {\sigma}xy(H=0)). Our measurements of the inelastic neutron scattering cross section are also consistent with the calculated dynamical structure factor of the tetrahedral triple-Q state.


Decisions about what to design, for whom, and why to design it, are made during the fuzzy front of user experience (UX) design. Our approach to structure this process is to use a theoretical and methodological framework based on mediated action. This position paper describes how we put the framework, called the Mediated Action Sheets, to test in UX design practice. The test consisted of two workshops with professional designers. Transcripts of video recordings and results were qualitatively analyzed. The results are used to improve the framework.


In connection with the upcoming changes in the professional education in Russia, there is a need to adapt the existing system of training of anesthesiologists. We sent questionnaires to 831 anesthesiologists to identify their opinion about the planned transition to continuous medical education. We found that the majority of respondents do not object to the implementation in practice of this system, especially if the educational model will be adapted to the specific requests of practitioners. Reorganization of the system of higher and additional professional education requires state educational and medical institutions, and public organizations of the effective interaction. Public professional organizations should play the more active role of facilitators of the educational process.


Introduction
This is an empirical study to better understand commonly used medical school admission measures and disenrollment decisions during undergraduate medical education as well as graduate medical education (GME) probation or termination decisions.

Materials and Methods
Based on the data of USUHS medical students matriculating between 1998 and 2011 (N = 2,460), we compared medical school graduates and those disenrolled from medical school on MCAT scores, undergraduate BCPM (Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math) GPA, and undergraduate overall GPA. We also reported more specific reasons for disenrollment decisions. Next, we compared the students who were referred to the student promotion committee (SPC) with other students on these measures. Moving onto GME, we compared trainees who were put on probation or terminated from training with those who were not on MCAT and undergraduate GPA measures. In addition, we examined the association between being referred to the SPC and GME probation or termination.

Results
There were 2,347 graduates and 113 disenrolled students from medical school (4.8%). For the disenrolled students, 43 (38.7%) students were disenrolled for exclusively (or primarily) non-academic reasons, and 68 (61.3%) were disenrolled for exclusively (or primarily) academic reasons. The t-tests showed statistically significant differences on the MCAT score of the first attempt (t(2,449) = 7.22, P < 0.01, Cohen's d = 0.70), average MCAT score (t(2,449) = 4.22, P < 0.01, Cohen's d = 0.41), and highest MCAT score (t(2,449) = 3.51, P < 0.01, Cohen's d = 0.34). Logistic regression model selection also revealed that the best predictor for disenrollment was the first MCAT score (exp(b) = 0.83, 95% CI = (0.78, 0.88)). No significant differences on these measures were found from the group comparisons on SPC and GME probation or termination. There was no significant association between SPC appearance and GME probation or termination.

Conclusions
Academic difficulties, especially in the basic sciences, appear to be the most common factor for disenrollment from medical school. These students also had lower MCAT scores, particularly on the first attempt. The MCAT performance indicators and undergraduate GPA were consistently lower, but not statistically significant, for those who appeared before SPC or were put on probation or terminated from training during GME.


Background: Barriers to colorectal cancer screening persist despite screening campaigns, especially among women. This study explores the prevalence, preferences, and barriers associated with colorectal cancer screening and evaluates the effect of an inpatient intervention (one-on-one bedside education and handout about colorectal cancer) on screening adherence among hospitalized women. Methods: A prospective intervention study among 510 hospitalized women, who are cancer-free (except for skin cancer) at enrollment, aged between 50 and 75 years was conducted at an academic center. Socio-demographic, family history, and medical comorbidities data were collected for all patients. A post-hospitalization follow-up survey determined the effect of inpatient intervention on colorectal cancer screening adherence. Unpaired t-test and chi-square tests were used to compare characteristics, perspectives, and preferences for screening among adherent and non-adherent groups. Results: Mean age was 60.5 years, 45% reported an annual household income of <$20 000, 36% of women were African American, 27% of women were overdue for colorectal cancer screening, and 33% never had a screening colonoscopy. The most frequently reported barriers to colorectal cancer screening were "I have other problems more important than getting a colonoscopy," "No transportation to get to the test," and "Not counseled by primary care provider." Sixty-six percent of the non-adherent women would agree to have an inpatient screening colonoscopy if offered. Conclusion: A significant number of hospitalized women are non-adherent to colorectal cancer screening, while the educational intervention was partially successful in enhancing colorectal cancer screening, most hospitalized women remained non-adherent after hospitalization. A majority of these women were amenable to inpatient screening colonoscopy if offered during a hospital stay.


Background: Scirrhous carcinoma has been known to have more aggressive biological behavior than other histologic subtypes of invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast. The significance of expression of p27kip1, which is thought to be a tumor suppressor gene, in breast carcinoma remains controversial. The aim of the current study was to clarify clinicopathologic significance of scirrhous carcinoma of the breast with special reference to p27 expression.Methods: Clinicopathologic features including immunohistochemical expression of p27 were compared between scirrhous carcinoma (n = 42) and non-scirrhous invasive ductal carcinoma (papillotubular and solid-tubular carcinoma, n = 63) of the breast.Results: The proportion of pathologic lymph node metastasis among scirrhous carcinomas was significantly higher than that among carcinomas of other histologic types (papillotubular or solid-tubular carcinomas, p = 0.029). The proportion of strong expression of p27 among scirrhous carcinomas was significantly lower than that among tumors of other histologic types (p > 0.0001).Conclusions: Biological behavior of scirrhous carcinoma was found to be aggressive. The aggressiveness and poor cellular differentiation of scirrhous carcinoma of the breast might be related to low p27 expression.


The construction industry has been facing a paradigm shift to (i) increase; productivity, efficiency, infrastructure value, quality and sustainability, (ii) reduce; lifecycle costs, lead times and duplications. It is advocated that most of them can be obtained through BIM (Building Information Modelling). It can be defined as the use of the ICT technologies to streamline the building lifecycle processes of a building and its surroundings, to provide a safer and more productive environment for its occupants; and to assert the least possible environmental impact from its existence; and be more operationally efficient for its owners throughout the building lifecycle.

A research study has been carried out to investigate how BIM solutions are implemented by construction stakeholders in the UK, and for this matter investigated on whether a variety of methods being implemented by other countries such as Finland. The study focused on determining key strengths and identifying the challenges involved in implementing BIM in the country. This study was performed by surveys carried out in the UK with the UK construction stakeholders and by interviews carried out in Finland with Finnish construction practitioners and academics. This also captures many other similar studies been conducted by individuals, research groups and organisations around the world during last five years and such content have integrated within this paper as relevant.


A series of original dopaminamides of polyunsaturated fatty acids were synthesized and characterized with respect to antiaggregant and cerebrovascular stimulant properties. It was established that dopaminamides of linolic, dimethyllinolic, docosapentaenoic, docosahexaenoic (DHEA) and stearidonic (C18:4 and C18:3) acids decrease ADP and arachidonic acid (AA) induced human thrombocyte aggregation in vitro . The most pronounced antiaggregant effect was observed for DHEA dopaminamide: in a dose of 10 mg/kg, this agent produced a significant decrease in the AA induced thrombocyte aggregation. DHEA per se in the same dose increases the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), while not affecting the prothrombin time. The synthesized dopaminamides of arachidonic, eicosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids stimulate local circulation in the cerebral cortex. The most pronounced cerebrovascular effect was also produced by DHEA dopaminamide.


Modularity based community detection encompasses a number of widely used, efficient heuristics for identification of structure in single-and multilayer networks. Recently, a belief propagation approach to modularity optimization provided a useful guide for identifying non-trivial structure in a way that other optimization heuristics have not. In this paper, we extend modularity belief propagation to multilayer networks. As part of this development, we also directly incorporate a resolution parameter. We show that the resolution parameter affects the convergence properties of the algorithm and yields different community structures than the baseline. We demonstrate our extension on synthetic multilayer networks, showing how our tool achieves near optimal performance and prevents overfitting. We highlight these advantages in comparison to another widely used tool, GenLouvain for multilayer modularity. Finally, we apply multilayer modularity belief propagation to two real-world multilayer networks and discuss practical concerns in implementing our method, which we have released as a Python package for general use.


The rich vascular upply to the vulva places it at risk for bleeding from trauma. Vulval haernatornas are the most common sequelae. In adult women, the labia majora are comprised of large fat pads, which act to protect the vulva against injury. In contrast, children lack welldeveloped fat pads in this area and often engage in play activities predisposing them to vulval trauma; thus, they are more likely to sustain vulval injuries than adults eg "Straddle injuries" [1-4]. The case presented was of traumatic sex with vulval haemorhage and haernatoma formation. It was successfully managed by surgical evacuation, ligation of the bleeding sites, and use of antibiotics and analgesics.


Abstract The health of the honey bee Apis mellifera is challenged by introduced parasites that interact with its inherent pathogens and cause elevated rates of colony losses. To elucidate co‐occurrence, population dynamics, and synergistic interactions of honey bee pathogens, we established an array of diagnostic assays for a high‐throughput qPCR platform. Assuming that interaction of pathogens requires co‐occurrence within the same individual, single worker bees were analyzed instead of collective samples. Eleven viruses, four parasites, and three pathogenic bacteria were quantified in more than one thousand single bees sampled from sixteen disease‐free apiaries in Southwest Germany. The most abundant viruses were black queen cell virus (84%), Lake Sinai virus 1 (42%), and deformed wing virus B (35%). Forager bees from asymptomatic colonies were infected with two different viruses in average, and simultaneous infection with four to six viruses was common (14%). Also, the intestinal parasites Nosema ceranae (96%) and Crithidia mellificae/Lotmaria passim (52%) occurred very frequently. These results indicate that low‐level infections in honey bees are more common than previously assumed. All viruses showed seasonal variation, while N. ceranae did not. The foulbrood bacteria Paenibacillus larvae and Melissococcus plutonius were regionally distributed. Spearman's correlations and multiple regression analysis indicated possible synergistic interactions between the common pathogens, particularly for black queen cell virus. Beyond its suitability for further studies on honeybees, this targeted approach may be, due to its precision, capacity, and flexibility, a viable alternative to more expensive, sequencing‐based approaches in nonmodel systems.


Introduction: There is great interest in the replacement of synthetic antioxidants with natural sources, especially from plant materials. Kenaf seed potentially contained phenolic compounds. Materials and Methods: Kenaf seed extract (KSE) was extracted by ultrasonic-assisted extraction. Then, the purification was carried out using silica gel column chromatography. Finally, the phenolic compounds were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Result: There were 11 phenolic acids identified from the purified KSE, which were identified as sinapic acid (3563.67 mg/100 g), ferulic acid (2085.55 mg/100 g), catechin hydrate (1189.02 mg/100 g), tannic acid (1032.24 mg/100 g), naringin (385.75 mg/100 g), 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (382.51 mg/100 g), gallic acid (380.18 mg/100 g), 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (372.00 mg/100 g), protocatehuic acid (207.04 mg/100 g), syringic acid (189.13 mg/100 g), and cinnamic acid (85.51 mg/100 g). Conclusion: The KSE was found to exhibit an antioxidant capability, and it is potentially suitable to be used as an alternative source of antioxidants.


The amounts of HCl and alkali metal vapor in hot gas are generally small, compared to those of sulfur compounds, nitrogen compounds, and particulates. Nevertheless, the removal of these contaminants is very beneficial in any power plant because of corrosion when they contact metal components. In this paper, the experiments by single and combined methods were carried out to remove HCl and alkali metal vapor in hot gas cleaning. The results indicated that all sorbents for the removal of HCl vapor can reduce HCl to less than 1 mg/m3 at 550 °C; sorbent E1 self-prepared by montmorillonite and Mg(OH)2 presents the highest chlorine content and the longest breakthrough time. It is found that the activated Al2O3 having a specific surface area of 258.3 m2/g displays the highest efficiency for the removal of alkali metal vapor at 840 °C. The tests indicate that the removal of alkali metal vapor with activated Al2O3 is not a physical adsorption process in the presence of moisture. A multifunctional four-zone reactor ...


This article provides an interest-group analysis of the recent Italian corporate law reform. It shows, first, that the reform has been the outcome of two driving forces: the activism of legislative bureaucracies at various Ministries and the current parliamentary majority's willingness to have its leader acquitted from false accounting charges by reshaping the relevant criminal provisions (in fact, in order to make it more politically acceptable, this was done within a more general reform framework). It then shows that the reform has increased the rents of accountants, providers of services related to the companies register, public notaries, corporate lawyers and corporate law professors. Finally, it argues that the correspondingly higher costs for Italian firms are not offset by the purportedly greater flexibility of the new corporate law framework nor by the efficiency gains possibly stemming from new mandatory rules.


: Hieronymus David Gaub (1705-1780) was the son of a protestant cloth merchant in Heidelberg. Disliking a pietistic boarding school in Halle, Germany, he came to stay with a paternal uncle who was a physician in Amsterdam. Hieronymus studied medicine in Harderwijk and in Leiden, under the guidance of Herman Boerhaave (1668-1738). In 1731 he was appointed reader (and in 1734 professor) in chemistry at the Leiden medical faculty. After Boerhaave's death he also taught medicine, but without access to hospital beds. Gaubius correctly envisaged that chemistry would become an important discipline in medicine, but was limited by the technical constraints of his time. In his textbook of general pathology (1758) he attributed disease to disturbances of not only fluids, but also solid parts, although symptoms remained the basis of his classification. The book would remain influential for several decades, until the advent of pathological anatomy.


In this paper we propose an analytical model for file diffusion in a peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing network based on biological epidemics. During the downloading process, the peer shares the downloaded parts of the file and, thus, contributes to distributing it in the network. This behavior is similar to the spreading of epidemic diseases which is a well researched subject in mathematical biology. With our model we investigate the dynamics of file diffusion focusing on the effects of pollution, e.g. malicious peers sharing corrupted version of the file.


BackgroundGovernment guidelines promote the use of mainstream mental health services for people with intellectual disabilities whenever possible. However, little is known about the experiences of people with intellectual disabilities who use such services.Materials and MethodsFace-to-face interviews with service users, carers and community nurses were completed and analysed on a case by case basis using interpretative phenomenological analysis. The results were followed up in focus groups with service providers.ResultsPositive aspects included the provision of respite, particularly for carers, and good basic care. These were outweighed by a perception of the admission as disempowering and lacking in flexible treatment provision. Accessing help emerged as a major problem, as well as the prospect of staff neglecting the specific needs of people with intellectual disabilities.ConclusionsWhile there were some indications of improvements in line with recent policies and guidance, mainstream services seem a long way off realizing aims of easy accessibility, person-centred practices and active partnership with intellectual disability services.


Nanoparticle (NP) aggregates of lanthanum cobalt oxide perovskite (LCO) were compounded with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets and used as the cathode catalyst for nonaqueous lithium-oxygen batteries (LOBs). The LCO NP aggregates were completely surrounded by rGO nanosheets in the composite with 10.5 wt % of rGO (LCOrGO-10.5) but were partially exposed in the composite with 7.5 wt % of rGO (LCO-rGO-7.5). Both composites performed better than pristine LCO NPs and rGO nanosheets in nonaqueous oxygen electrocatalysis. The LCO-rGO-7.5 composite excelled at capacity and rate performance, while the LCOrGO-10.5 composite was better at cycle stability. The good performance of the LCO-rGO composites was due to the synergy of functions of LCO and rGO.


A reduced order model for complex, multi-feed gas networks has been developed which is based on an aggregation procedure. The reduced model is then used with an estimation scheme to determine the pressure distribution in the network from a limited number of measurements. The results obtained show that the model yields good steady state data over a range of operating conditions and hence a robust estimation scheme has been developed.


High-value vegetable crops such as bell pepper (Capsicum annuum) are heavily fertilized by growers who seek to maximize yields. Field experiments were conducted in Spring 2016 and 2017 evaluating two liquid fertilizers with and without calcium (Ca), applied at three nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) levels in two varieties of bell pepper to determine whether current fertilizer recommendations were adequate and whether fertilizer source impacted fruit yield and quality. Plants were grown using plastic mulch and drip irrigation following standard production practices for the region. Two liquid fertilizer programs [7N–0P–5.8 (7–0–7) and 4N–0P–6.6K/9N–0P–0K–11Ca (4–0–8/CN9)] were applied twice weekly at three N rates (175, 200, and 225 lb/acre N). Yield, cull rate, and foliar nutrient concentrations were measured. In 2016, total marketable yields were greatest [910 boxes/acre (28 lb/box)] and blossom end rot (BER) incidence (14.4%) lowest in plants grown with the supplemental Ca (4–0–8/C9 fertilizer) at 175 lb/acre N. Cull rates increased in plants grown without supplemental Ca during the season (7–0–7 fertilizer), with BER incidence ranging from 22.9% to 27.2%. Yields ranged from 590 to 740 boxes/acre in plants grown without supplemental Ca in 2016. In 2017, yields ranged from 530 to 790 boxes/acre in plants grown with supplemental Ca at 200 and 175 lb/acre N, respectively. Culls due to BER were lower in 2017 than in 2016. In 2016, BER incidence was greater in 'PSO9979325' compared with 'Antebellum', despite no differences in total yield. Foliar nutrient levels were largely unaffected by fertilizer program; however, foliar N and K concentrations increased with the rate of N and K fertilization. The results of this study suggest that using liquid fertilizer program containing some Ca may benefit bell pepper growers in some, but not all, growing seasons.


The innate immune response against invading microorganisms results in the deployment of phagocytes, including macrophages and dendritic cells to recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns. Activation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) expressed on these cells is a critical step in the initiation of this response, triggering the production of pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines to dampen microbial pathogenesis. Importantly, TLR activation also mediates dendritic cell maturation, a critical step in bridging the innate and adaptive arms of the immune system. Balancing the role of TLRs as central mediators of overlapping signaling pathways, whether directly through ligand interactions or via secondary adaptor molecules, mandates exquisite specificity. Further, understanding the immunopharmacology of TLR cross-talk during infection may help to provide insight into innate immunity and the mechanisms of immune-response subversion by pathogens. The continual and rapid emergence of drug resistance to traditional antimicrobial agents highlights the medical need for new treatment approaches. Herein, the discovery and development of TLR agonist and antagonist therapies for infectious diseases as adjunct to, or in place of, conventional treatment paradigms is discussed.


The first evidence for ultrahigh-pressure ( P ) metamorphism in the Greenland Caledonides is reported from kyanite eclogites and associated host gneisses on an island in Jokelbugt. Polycrystalline quartz inclusions in garnet and omphacite exhibit palisade quartz rims that are a diagnostic feature of quartz pseudomorphs after coesite, thus providing textural evidence for ultrahigh- P conditions. Geothermobarometry on the mineral assemblage garnet + omphacite + kyanite + quartz and/or coesite ± phengite confirms the microstructural interpretation of ultrahigh- P metamorphism. Peak pressure and temperature conditions (∼972 °C at 3.6 GPa) are well within the coesite stability field. The host gneisses are more retrograded than the kyanite eclogites and only record high- P conditions of 2.5 GPa at 826 °C; however, garnet contains polycrystalline quartz inclusions with radial fractures, suggesting that the gneisses also were subject to ultrahigh- P conditions. The presence of high- and ultrahigh- P metamorphism along the Laurentian and Baltica margins, the high temperatures recorded by the ultrahigh- P terranes in Greenland and Norway, and the absence of mantle peridotites in Greenland suggest that crustal thickening may have played an important role in the formation of an extensive orogenic root in the Greenland and Scandinavian Caledonides.


Reverse supply chain (RSC) management, which is oriented towards the entire lifecycle of products, has been concerned with the emerging of green manufacturing. Based on radio frequency identification (RFID), sensing and intelligent technologies, the rapid development of the Internet of things (IoT) will form a kind of smart reverse supply chain (SRSC), which is able to enhance the reverse supply chain real-time information transmission, as well as reduce the uncertainty and complexity of the product recycling process. Some problems of RSC are analyzed in this paper, and then the SRSC system network topology is proposed. Furthermore, the technical integrated architecture and related key technologies are discussed.


Adenovirus vectors can transfer recombinant genes efficiently into a wide variety of cells in vivo, but have serious limitations: gene expression is transient and secondary gene transfer is inefficient or impossible because of cellular and humoral immune responses against adenovirus-transduced cells. To solve these limitations, we have constructed an adenovirus vector, Adex1CACTLA4IgG, that expresses CTLA4IgG molecules. After in vivo administration of Adex1CACTLA4IgG (9.0 x 10(9) PFU), the peak level of serum CTLA4IgG was 29.8 mg/ml on day 4. The serum CTLA4IgG concentration gradually fell but was still 5.7 mg/ml on day 90. However, the serum concentration of CTLA4IgG was elevated after a second administration of Adex1CACTLA4IgG. The production of antibody against adenovirus was completely prevented after treatment with Adex1CACTLA4IgG. In addition, coadministration of Adex1CALacZ with Adex1CACTLA4IgG induced persistent hepatic expression of beta-Gal molecules, while administration of Adex1CALacZ alone induced transient expression of beta-Gal molecules. More importantly, on day 160 a secondary challenge with Adex1CALacZ was possible in mice treated with Adex1CALacZ plus Adex1CACTLA4IgG. Thus, we have demonstrated that (1) gene expression of a recombinant adenovirus, Adex1CACTLA4IgG, is persistent in liver and secondary administration of this adenovirus is possible, (2) coadministration of Adex1CACTLA4IgG virus with another adenovirus, AdexCALacZ, prolongs AdexCALacZ-mediated gene expression, and (3) Adex1CACTLA4IgG is useful for secondary challenge with Adex1CALacZ.


Considering the etiopathogenic relationship of the stomach infection by Helicobacter pylori with some gastrointestinal disease like peptic ulcer, chronic active gastritis and probably gastric cancer, it is worthwhile to consider treatment of this infection at least in some special cases; peptic ulcer (specially duodenal ulcer) with frequent recurrences, and chronic active gastritis with severe dysplasia. It has been demonstrated worldwide that there is an enormous amount of infected patients. For this reason, the development of an oral vaccine probably potentiated with helper elements such as the choleric toxin, would be ideal. Meanwhile, different therapeutic approaches, most of which are analyzed in this paper are available. At present the pharmacologic agents having demonstrated more effectively are bismuth and clarithromycin, whose action may be potentiated by the use of the proton pump inhibitors, mainly omeprazole. Satisfactory results have been reported by the use of these three agents combined for one week. Previous schemes using triple and quadruple therapy for 14 years have given similar results. Therefore, it seems that the 7-day treatment schemes are going to be recommended for a while. As long as the bacteria is eradicated, there is a possibility of recurrence. A wide range of percentages of recurrence in different countries has been reported. In general, industrialized countries the percentages does not exceed 20%. In Perú, the percentage of recurrence is as high as 73%. In these cases, we suggest the use of periodic treatment (twice a year) should the infection recur.


Computation of the real structured singular values μ has been known to be important for stability analysis of linear systems with structured uncertainty. The authors have proposed a method to obtain an upper bound and a lower bound of the real μ by Stability Feeler which is a tool for robust stability analysis proposed by the first author. In this paper we propose a region splitting and expanding method to reduce the conservativeness of the derived upper bound and lower bound. A numerical example show that the obtained results are nearly equal to the exact value of the real μ, which are less conservative than that derived by the other methods.


This study focused on various approaches to rationalising the selection of test environments using on-farm trial data from 5 lentil (Lens culiniaris Medikus subsp. culinaris) genotypes. It was conducted over 3 years in 30 environments across 16 locations in Syria. There was maximum discrimination in the ratio of between-cluster to within-cluster variances, based on genotype yield responses to the environments. Four clusters represented the test locations, reflecting a gradient in the levels of yield and seasonal rainfall. We observed significant genotypic differences and genotype × environment interactions. Genotype × cluster interaction accounted for a substantial portion of the genotype × environment interaction. This supported a reduction in the number of test locations to evaluate genotype and environment interaction. Temporal interactions were either low or insignificant. The improved lines produced stable and significantly higher yields than the local cultivar. The structure of the clusters formed indicated the presence of research stations in each cluster. We recommend that locations for future on-farm testing should include one research location and a farmer field in each cluster (or the mega-zone) so formed. Climatic variables or geographical nearness cannot replace the role of genotype response when rationalising test locations.


Segregation, or the separation/stratification of particles with differing properties, can lead to significant handling problems, product non-uniformity, and even complete batches being discarded at huge financial loss in multiple industries. Thus, one could argue that segregation is one of the most important factors in industrial processing of granular materials. There has been a tremendous focus in recent years on granular segregation problems and much has been learned about the mechanisms driving those phenomena. Segregation model development holds promise for translation of academic research into industrial practice; however, experimental validation of dynamic models is extremely difficult and typical segregation models are not inherently built with scale-up in mind. One unique aspect of our work is that we overcome these experimental limitations by exploiting a novel framework for segregation testing based on establishing an "equilibrium" between mixing and segregation in free surface granular flows in order to alter the steady-state distribution of particles. By achieving this balance between the rate of segregation and the perturbation rate, we combine the model expressions that we are interested in testing with dramatically simplified experiments to ultimately deduce the segregation rate and validate the expressions. Moreover, by exploring a novel view of the interplay between granular rheology and segregation, we have introduced a new way of structuring segregation rate models that make them inherently more scalable and accurate for industrial use than any models previously reported. Types of segregation properties studied in this research include density, size, wet and shape. Our results suggest that one can prescribe (or design) industrial operating conditions that will lead to dramatically lower segregation extents.


HPLC combined with (/sup 35/S)-sulfate/(/sup 3/H)-glucosamine radiolabeling were employed to study the synthesis and secretion of mucous glycoproteins. The radiolabeled secreted glycoproteins were separated from the medium by precipitation with a mixture of trichloroacetic-phosphotungstic acids (TCA/PTA). The redissolved glycoproteins were chromatographed on an anion exchange protein column at varying pH of the mobile phase and fractions were collected for liquid scintillation counting. Varying the pH of the mobile phase from pH 3 to 7 resulted in a decrease of glycoprotein bound (/sup 35/S) from 69.5 to 0.5% of the total recovered (/sup 35/S)-sulfate with the remainder recovered as free (/sup 35/S)-sulfate. The (/sup 3/H)-labeled glycoprotein recovered under the uV peaks at this pH range was 99.5%. When high performance size exclusion chromatography was performed the change in mobile phase pH did not affect the 100% recovery of either (/sup 35/S)- or (/sup 3/H)-labels under the uV peaks. No free (/sup 35/S)-sulfate was obtained when (/sup 35/S)-labeled glycoproteins were separated form the medium using dialysis. These data suggest that the standard method of TCA/PTA precipitation of (/sup 35/S)-labeled glycoproteins may cleave the (/sup 35/S)-sulfate ester linkages to the oligosaccharide chains. The (/sup 35/S)-sulfate may then rebind to the macromolecule by amore » relatively strong noncovalent bond. This may prove critical in anion exchange protein HPLC studies.« less


Suppose that  is a finite group and  is a non-empty subset of  such that  and . Suppose that  is the Cayley graph whose vertices are all elements of  and two vertices  and  are adjacent if and only if . In this paper, we introduce the generalized Cayley graph denoted by  that  is a graph with vertex set consists of all column matrices  which all components are in  and two vertices  and  are adjacent if and only if , where  is a column matrix that each entry is the inverse of similar entry of  and  is  matrix with all entries in  ,  is the transpose of  and . In this paper, we clarify some basic properties of the new graph and assign the structure of  when  is complete graph , complete bipartite graph  and complete 3-partite graph  for every .


An innovative working model of a Moisture separator reheater (MSR) used in nuclear power plants was fabricated using transparent acrylic sheets. All the internal flow passages including drain water siphoning arrangement was modelled. The sinusoidal vanes (chevrons) of the MSR were made out of galvanised iron sheets. The model was tested in an air flow test rig fitted with water spray nozzles, mounted in counter flow direction. Effect of inlet flow velocity on the performance of the MSR was studid over range of air flow velocities between 4.50 to 6.75 m/s. The pressure drop occurring in the fine separator of MSR was determined from the probe traverse data at the fine separators. The critical velocity of the flow through the chevron packs was determined from the probe traverse data. Using the overall separation efficiency, the average droplet size used in the air-water droplets was calculated. The pressure drop data can be used to detect fouling of the chevrons. The operating flow velocities at inlet to chevrons are known for the present experimental results.


This study reviews literature on the aspects of material selection within the field of industrial design
education, specifically focusing on existing material selection tools and guidelines used in industrial
design education. The growing number of materials available today has created a large variety of
options for industrial designers, which they are ill-equipped to handle. A key reason behind this is that
industrial designers lack appropriate education in material selection. There is a large body of research
in the field of mechanical engineering, examining the material selection process of mechanical
engineers. There are differences in material selection activities of mechanical engineers and industrial
designers, based on their information requirements during different stages of the design process.
Recent research highlights a need to merge the perspectives of engineering and industrial design for
teaching the subject of material selection in industrial design education at tertiary level [1]-[3].
Industrial designers have unique skills to combine technical properties and intangible characteristics of
materials in the product development process. Design students need to learn how to act as
ambassadors of the intangible material characteristics in material selection processes in
interdisciplinary teams. This paper suggests an approach that prepares the students to work both on
inspirational and analytical levels in material selection processes.


The purpose of this research is to examine the difference of Islamic Social Reporting (ISR) disclosure level of islamic banking in Indonesia and Malaysia based on ISR index. The samples were selected by purposive sampling method. The samples that is used in this research is five islamic banks in Indonesia and five islamic banks in Malaysia. This research uses secondary data, that is annual report from 20102012. Annual reports were analyzed using content analysis method. Furthermore, the differences of ISR disclosure level were tested using independent sample t-test. The results showed that ISR disclosure level of islamic banking in Indonesia is better than ISR disclosure level of islamic banking in Malaysia. Based on the results of hypothesis testing, found that there are significant differences in the disclosure level between islamic banking in Indonesia and Malaysia.


Ever since real-world two terminal memristor devices were created, detractors have derided them as not `true' Chua memristors because there is no magnetic flux in the system. This report shows that the flux is present and equal to the magnetic flux of the oxygen vacancies. This shows that the HP memristor is a `true' Chua memristor. The memristor description has been separated out into the memory function, which is the memrsitance described by Chua in 1971 and the conservation function, which is necessary to describe the whole HP memristor. As the memory function deals with the vacancy mobility and the measurable current is mostly electronic, it is apparent that a description of the HP memristor must include two charge carriers. From analysis of Stan William's model in terms of memory and conservation functions, a direct relation to Chua's original memristance equation and an approximation of magnetic flux have both been identified as being present in the original model. With this, the phenomenological model used by experimentalists and the mathematical model beloved by theoreticians have been combined into one.


EDITOR,-We agree with Lesley V Campbell and colleagues about the disparity between clinic and home blood glucose measurements in diabetes.' We reviewed 27 children who have attended our clinic recently and who undertake home blood glucose monitoring (we consider control to be good if 70% of measured concentrations are < 10 mmol/l). We found that of the 15 patients with a fructosamine concentration in the range indicating good control (<2-8 mmol/l), nine had a clinic blood glucose concentration > 10 mmoLl (four having concentrations > 15 mmol/l) and yet only two had evidence of less than good control in their home monitoring records. Of the 12 patients whose fructosamine concentration was in the range indicating fair control (2-8-3-4 mmolll), 10 had a clinic blood glucose concentration > 10 mmolIl (eight having concentrations > 15 mmol/1) despite only seven having home monitoring records that indicated less than good control. The authors point out that decisions can be difficult to make in the clinic if the glycated protein concentration at the time the patient is seen is not known. For the past two months such results have been provided for Southmead Hospital's children's diabetic service. The patients visit the clinical chemistry department for a fingerprick fructosamine test immediately before reporting to the outpatient department. By the time the patient has been weighed and measured the result has been telephoned over and is thus available when the patient is seen. The fructosamine concentration is measured in capillary serum samples with an in house nitroblue tetrazolium method standardised against deoxymorpholinofructose on a discrete analyser. This method is based on that described by Johnson et al.2 For patients seen at the various peripheral outpatient clinics the diabetic liaison health visitor takes the necessary blood sample a week before the clinic appointment, the result therefore being available when the patient visits the clinic. The availability of this service has led to more useful consultations and removed the need to write to both the patient and the general practitioner after each visit. As this system has only recently been introduced, however, further evaluation will be needed. CAROL SULLIVAN TIMOTHY CHAMBERS DAVID GOLDIE MICHAEL GILLF-TT ALISON WOODS Southmead Hospital, Bristol BSIO 5NB


A foremost digital expert looks at the most powerful political tool ever created-the internet of things. Will it be like the internet of surveillance and censorship we have now, or will it be something better? Should we fear or welcome the internet's evolution? The "internet of things" is the rapidly growing network of everyday objects-eyeglasses, cars, thermostats-made smart with sensors and internet addresses. Soon we will live in a pervasive yet invisible network of everyday objects that communicate with one another. In this original and provocative book, Philip N. Howard envisions a new world order emerging from this great transformation in the technologies around us. Howard calls this new era a Pax Technica. He looks to a future of global stability built upon device networks with immense potential for empowering citizens, making government transparent, and broadening information access. Howard cautions, however, that privacy threats are enormous, as is the potential for social control and political manipulation. Drawing on evidence from around the world, he illustrates how the internet of things can be used to repress and control people. Yet he also demonstrates that if we actively engage with the governments and businesses building the internet of things, we have a chance to build a new kind of internet-and a more open society.


The copolymer (SASF) was synthesized by condensation of salicylic acid and semicarbazide with formaldehyde in the presence of 2M HCL as a catalyst at 126 ± 2 0C for 5 hrs. with molar proportion of reactants. Thermal study of the resins was carried out to determine their mode of decomposition and relative thermal stabilities by elemental analysis, FT-IR, UV-Visible 1H-NMR Spectroscopy. The thermal decomposition behavior of copolymer was studied by using TGA in static nitrogen atmosphere at a heating rate of 100C/min. Freeman Carroll and Sharp-Wentworth methods were used to calculate the thermal activation energy (Ea), the order of reaction (n), entropy Change (ΔS), free energy change (ΔF), apperent entropy change (ΔS), and frequency factor (Z). The thermal activation energy determined with the help of this method was in good agreement with each other. The antimicrobial activity for certain bacteria such as S. subtilis, E. coli, S. typhi, A. niger, S. aureus and C. albicans were studied.


Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of short-distance nest relocation on nest parameters and embryonic development of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta). The nesting biology of the loggerhead sea turtle was studied on Blackbeard Island National Wildlife Refuge in 2005 and 2006 during the nesting season. Research nests were randomly assigned 1 of 2 treatments (in situ or relocated). In situ nests (n  =  35) were left in the original location, while relocated nests (n  =  34) were moved above the spring high-tide line and into areas that were considered to have favorable nesting conditions. Data-loggers were placed in the center of nests to record the temperature during incubation. Incubation durations, nest temperatures, hatch success, and hatchling straight carapace lengths were compared for all research nests. The observed nests showed similar nest parameters and embryonic development regardless of nest treatment. Differences in nest parameters and embryonic development seemed to be driven by abiotic conditions of the nesting site. This study shows that nest relocation can be used to alleviate nests of extreme abiotic conditions to increase hatch success, without altering embryonic development.


The accumulation of somatic mutations in a genome is the result of the activity of one or more mutagenic processes, each of which leaves its own imprint. The study of these DNA fingerprints, termed mutational signatures, holds important potential for furthering our understanding of the causes and evolution of cancer, and can provide insights of relevance for cancer prevention and treatment. In this review, we focus our attention on the mathematical models and computational techniques that have driven recent advances in the field.


Solid organ transplantation provides life-saving therapy for patients with end-stage organ disease, and its outcomes have been improving dramatically over the past few decades. However, substantial morbidity results from chronic immunosuppressive therapy administered to prevent graft rejection. It predisposes patients to several life-threatening complications, such as opportunistic microbial infections and the development of different types of cancers. Here, we presented the case of a young man with probable Lynch syndrome, who developed an aggressive colon carcinoma after long-term immunosuppressive therapy due to a prior liver transplantation. Based on this case report, we attempt to find an answer to the question about the risk of cancer development or recurrence in patients with familial syndromes receiving long-term immunosuppressive therapy and to find out how it can be minimized. Answering these questions is particularly important, given the facts that disease course is substantially more aggressive among transplanted patients and that prognosis is poor due to lack of immunocompetence, especially in the setting of Lynch syndrome.


A channel shortening equalizer design for cognitive Multiple Input Multiple Output-Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM) communication systems is considered in this presentation. The proposed receiver consist of two sections : MIMO decision feedback equalizer (MIMO-DFE) and adaptive Viterbi detection. In MIMO-DFE section, a complete modified Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization of multichannel input data is accomplished using sequential processing multichannel Givens lattice stages, so that a Vertical Bell Laboratories Layered Space Time (V-BLAST) type MIMO-DFE is realized at the frontend section of the equalizer. Matrix operations are accordingly avoided, and only scalar operations are used. A highly modular and regular radio receiver architecture, that has a suitable structure for software defined radio implementations, is achieved. In connection with adaptive Viterbi detection section, a systolic array implementation for each channel is performed so that an receiver architecture with high computational concurrency is attained. The total computational complexity is given in terms of equalizer and desired impulse response filter lengths, and the number of data symbols used. The performance of the proposed equalizer under time-invariant and time-variant channel conditions is presented by means of mean squared error (MSE) and probability of error evaluations.


Jacob de Gelder and the mathematic ideology in The Netherlands (1800-1840) During the period which is commonly called the Enlightenment, changes occurred in the social perception of mathematics. The teaching of mathematics used to be almost strictly academic and was considered to be an important part of knowledge to those who had a scientific career in view. In The Netherlands, during the first part of the nineteenth century, people began to think that mathematics was indispensable to everyone: even to the craftsmen who until then were educated within the guilds on a purely practical basis. Because of their character these views will here be called the 'mathematical ideology'. In The Netherlands, the reception of this mathematical ideology may be illustrated by the biography of the Dutch mathematician Jacob de Gelder (1765-1848). This man started off as an unimportant schoolteacher during the late eighties of the eighteenth century. He took an interest in mathematics and educated himself and his pupils in this science. In his teaching as well as in his writings he would proclaim the mathematical ideology. He made a remarkable career and was appointed professor of mathematics at Leiden University in 1819. The following three aspects constituted De Gelder's views: 1. Mathematics became more and more the basis of reasoning. The argument was even reversed: every good argument was called a mathematical one and if an argument was considered not convincingly enough, a mathematical formula was added, a phenomenon easily illustrated by several of De Gelder's manuscripts. 2. Mathematics became a necessary prerequisite for the study of all other sciences. Therefore, it actually became a standard part of the curriculum of all Dutch schools preparing students for the university. 3. Mathematics even became a necessity for craftsmen. De Gelder was convinced, and the Government agreed with him, that the teaching of mathematics to labourers would result in a better and faster development of industry in The Netherlands, which in this respect lagged behind England and Germany. Engineering schools with a strong propaedeutic mathematics course would largely solve this problem. The Dutch Government supported De Gelder in proclaiming the mathematical ideology. De Gelder himself had quite some influence in Dutch mathematical circles, and he was regarded an authority on the subject of the teaching of mathematics. We may therefore assume that his views, in particular the mathematical ideology, were not solely his, but found support within large circles in Dutch society during the first half of the nineteenth century.


Deficits in the ability to perceive facial and vocal emotion expression are common in schizophrenia. However, relatively little is known about how such deficits might affect functional outcomes. This prospective study examined cross-sectional and longitudinal relationships between perception of emotion and aspects of psychosocial functioning, including family relationships, social relationships, work functioning, and independent living/self-care in 94 clinically stabilized schizophrenia outpatients from five community-based rehabilitation programs. Emotion perception (facial emotion, voice emotion, and affect perception) and psychosocial outcome (Strauss and Carpenter Outcome Scale and Role Functioning Scale) were assessed at baseline and after 12 months of psychosocial rehabilitation. Significant associations were found between perception of emotion and work functioning/independent living both cross-sectionally and prospectively over the 12 months. Causal explanatory models suggested that perception of emotion might cause work functioning/independent living outcome over 1 year. The results remained significant when conceptual disorganization was statistically controlled. We did not find differences between men and women in the correlations between emotion perception and work functioning/independent living. Associations between social functioning/family relationships and perception of emotion were not significant. These findings suggest that emotion processing is a key determinant of work functioning/independent living for individuals with serious mental illness.


Abstract Fossils are widely used as calibration points in molecular-based dating studies, but their placement on a phylogenetic tree of extant species is always highly problematic. We explore some of the problems linked to calibration with fossils, in particular their position on the tree, and emphasize the use of multiple calibration points to obtain better estimates. We use a phylogenetic analysis of Betulaceae based on nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences (5S spacer and ITS) as a case study and estimated divergence times within the family using the nonparametric rate smoothing method of Sanderson and five calibration points from the extensive fossil record of this family. To assess the effects of assumptions relating to the positions of key fossils with respect to stem lineages versus crown groups, we calculated age estimates by placing each fossil subsequently on the stem lineage node and crown group node, and then determined the median value of the resulting ten estimates for each node. Using maximum likelihood and DELTRAN and ACCTRAN parsimony branch lengths, we found that the age of the crown group and stem lineage of Betulaceae vary from 115.2 to 130.6 million years and 211.2 to 302.6 million years (Aptian or before). These results are older than current paleobotanical data. We calculated paleobotanical confidence intervals using methods based on the occurrence of fossils on a stratigraphic column and the lengths of the gaps between these occurrences. We apply these methods to the fossil record of Alnus and related extinct genera; however, only in some cases were molecular- and fossil-based age estimates reconciled.


When does federal law trump state law? The arcane topic of federal preemption has become the stuff of public debate and major news stories. The partisan lines are clearly drawn. On one side, consumer advocates, plaintiffs' attorneys, and state officials argue that broad federal preemption claims interfere with the states' historic police power to protect their citizens against corporate misconduct. On the other side, corporations and federal agencies maintain that preemption is a vital safeguard against unwarranted and inconsistent state interferences with the national economy and against aggressive trial lawyers and attorneys general. Fierce struggles along these lines dominate the political debate, judicial decisions, and legal commentary in a wide range of regulatory arenas, from financial regulation to automobile safety; from clean air laws to the regulation of telecommunications, energy, and other network industries; from securities law to consumer products standards; from pharmaceutical drugs to pesticides to outboard motors. In all these areas, billions of dollars hang on regulatory nuances and arcane points of legal interpretation. The preemption debate is also being waged in the shadow of broader, sometimes constitutional arguments concerning the role and utility of federalism and states' rights" in a modern, highly mobile, integrated economy. Legal scholars are sharply divided over both the substance of those arguments and the extent to which they should dominate economic considerations or statutory language. What the preemption debate needs is an examination that reflects the delicate interplay between our constitutional structure and the details of specific regulations. In Federal Preemption: States' Powers, National Interests, Richard A. Epstein and Michael S. Greve, two leading scholars in the field of preemption, have assembled an exceptional group of prominent legal scholars and practicing attorneys for a probing analysis and spirited discussion of these difficult issues. The vo


Background Pregnancy loss is a difficult situation that can affect a woman's physical and psychological health, and thus requires appropriate management and support. An individual's sense of self-efficacy is an important factor in the process of coping with a problem. Therefore, an analysis of self-efficacy in women after spontaneous pregnancy loss is warranted, so as to establish its association with social support, socio-demographic variables, quality of care, and specific behaviors of the medical staff.Methods The cross-sectional study was performed in a group of 610 patients hospitalized due to spontaneous pregnancy loss in hospitals in Lublin (Poland). The study used a diagnostic survey with questionnaires - Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), the Berlin Social Support Scales (BSSS), and a standardized interview questionnaire.Results Patients after pregnancy loss rated support from their partner the highest (M = 9.25), while the best-rated category of social support was perceived as available instrumental support (M = 3.78). In relation to medical personnel, the quality of care provided by midwives was rated the highest (M = 4.57). The mean self-efficacy score among the respondents was 30.29. The study demonstrated a statistically significant (p < 0.05) association between the selected socio-demographic factors and the specific types and sources of support on the one hand, and generalized self-efficacy on the other, in the patients after pregnancy loss who were studied. Conclusions Socio-demographic factors that affected self-efficacy in the respondents included their relationship status and socio-economic standing. Self-efficacy is positively correlated with social support in women after pregnancy loss.


AbstractThe circulation pathways and subsurface cooling and freshening of warm deep water on the central Amundsen Sea shelf are deduced from hydrographic transects and four subsurface moorings. The Amundsen Sea continental shelf is intersected by the Dotson trough (DT), leading from the outer shelf to the deep basins on the inner shelf. During the measurement period, warm deep water was observed to flow southward on the eastern side of DT in approximate geostrophic balance. A northward outflow from the shelf was also observed along the bottom in the western side of DT. Estimates of the flow rate suggest that up to one-third of the inflowing warm deep water leaves the shelf area below the thermocline in this deep outflow. The deep current was 1.2°C colder and 0.3 psu fresher than the inflow, but still warm, salty, and dense compared to the overlying water mass. The temperature and salinity properties suggest that the cooling and freshening process is induced by subsurface melting of glacial ice, possibly f...


Foreign direct investment plays a crucial role in channelizing transfer of capital and technology and perceived to be a potent factor in promoting economic growth in developing countries like India. They act as a long term source of capital as well as a source of advanced and developed technologies. The investors also bring along best global practices of management. As large amount of capital comes in through these investments more and more industries are set up. This helps in increasing employment. FDI also helps in promoting international trade. This investment is a non-debt, non-volatile investment and returns received on these are generally spent on the host country itself thus helping in the development of the country. This paper tries to find out how FDI seen as an important economic catalyst of Indian economic growth by stimulating domestic investment, increasing human capital formation and by facilitating the technology transfers. FDI is a predominant and vital factor in influencing the contemporary process of global economic development. The study attempts to analyze the important dimensions of FDI in India.


Energy reduction is critical to increase the mobility and battery life for today's pervasive portable computing systems. At the same time, energy reduction must be subject to the real-time constraints and quality of service (QoS) requirements for multimedia applications running on many of these systems. This paper presents a novel run-time scheduling approach to reduce the system-wide energy consumption for such systems. In this paper, the multimedia applications are modeled using a popular weakly hard realtime model, i.e., the (m,k)-model. Our experimental results show that, by judiciously scheduling the real-time tasks and shutting down the processor and/or peripheral devices, our approach can lead to significant energy savings while guaranteeing the (m,k) firm deadlines at the same time


This article explores how Etruscan artwork presented soldiers in visual media during the Middle Roman Republic (ca. 300–100 B.C.E.), a period when Etruscan communities were required to contribute contingents to the Roman army. It proposes a class-based model for how Etruscans formulated their military identities. Elite representations, in particular cavalry combat on cinerary urns, displayed elaborately hellenized soldiers rather than Roman-style combatants. Meanwhile, nonelite representations, primarily featuring infantrymen on more economically accessible votive figurines, either displayed hybrid panoply or made no attempt to differentiate the portrayed soldier from a generic Roman citizen legionary. In the realm of martial identity, Etruscan elites in visual media appeared culturally aloof from Rome as well as socially removed from common soldiers in their own communities. The article concludes by placing the corpus of Etruscan evidence in the context of more scattered evidence from across the peninsula and suggesting that the tendency of elites to eschew the Roman panoply in visual media, and of nonelites to partially or wholly embrace it, was widespread in Italy prior to the Social War.


Tenacibaculum piscium, a Gram-negative bacterium isolated from the skin ulcers of sea-farmed fish, has only been described in Norway. In the present study, we examined 16 Chilean Tenacibaculum isolates recovered from different organs in moribund and dead Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), and Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) cultured at different fish farms between 2014 and 2018. The present study applied biochemical, phenotypic, fatty-acid, and whole-genome sequence-based analyses to confirm the taxonomic status of the Chilean isolates. The obtained results are the first to confirm the presence of T. piscium in Chile and in Coho salmon, thus extending the recognized geographical and species distribution of this bacterium. Subsequent bath-challenge assays in Atlantic salmon utilising three T. piscium isolates obtained from different hosts resulted in low cumulative mortality (i.e., 0-35%), even after exposure to an unnaturally high concentration of bacterial cells (i.e., > 107 cells/mL). However, scale loss and frayed fins were observed in dead fish. In silico whole-genome analysis detected various genes associated with iron acquisition, encoding of the type IX secretion system and cargo proteins, resistance to tetracycline and fluoroquinolones, and stress responses. These data represent an important milestone towards a better understanding on the genomic repertoire of T. piscium. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.