The thesis focuses on the interlaced re-building of communication, movement, and information due to the integration of the wireless telephony in the daily life. The core of the theoretical part of the dissertation consists in the construction of a dispositif model that explains wireless telephony constitution, usage, and impact. The model outlines technology, subjects, usage, perception, representation, and socio-cultural frames. The reciprocal interactions between the mobile telephony apparatus, human subjects (as designers and users), and various usage programs (mobile communication, information and orientation, personal assistant, supervising, and entertainment) lead to the rebuilding of communication, information, entertainment, and supervising "arrangements". Further, in a historical chapter dealing with the constitution of the dispositif, avatars of communication and mobility structures are presented in connection with the underlying transformations from science to technical implementation and diffusion. It is argued that the current mobile telephony represents a mature and functional phase of a manifold dispositif, which has historically constituted through redefinition and creative rebuilding of programs and structures belonging to earlier avatars and competing dispositives. The empirical part of the dissertation examines the results of the quantitative online study conducted to validate and correct the theoretical model and to identify the formative effects of the dispositif. Findings indicate that the usage of wireless telephony creates a specific communication structure featuring particular purposes, content, situations, actions and partners, which is mainly oriented toward spatial and temporal coordination of communicators. The analysis also concentrates on the relation between mobile communication (verbal and written) and other communication forms enabled by face-to-face contacts or technical dispositives. Two positioning analyses of the existing communication forms in the situational and affective field (conducted through Multidimensional Scaling), show that the usage and perception of mobile telephony and SMS are subjects of interaction with the usage and perception of face-to-face communication, fixed telephony, and e-mail. Thus, concurrent and complementary dispositives continuously influence each other by ingeniously manipulating their programs for competitive purposes. Concerning the constitution of communicative mobility, the effect of technology usage on movement is reinforced mainly at the attitudinal/representational level. Particular localization patterns and chronotypes structured by technology usage are revealed. Other results relate to the images and attitudes towards technology and its users and to several social effects of mobile telephony usage, such as the strengthening of close family relations and the extension of the network of acquaintances.


MM-398 is a stable nanotherapeutic encapsulation of the prodrug irinotecan with an extended plasma half-life and higher intratumoral deposition compared with free-irinotecan. MM-398 is currently in multiple clinical trials, including a phase 3 trial for patients with advanced gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer (NAPOLI-1). Pancreatic cancer has been described as being notoriously difficult to treat, potentially due to inadequate drug penetration through the dense stroma, or because the hypoxic tumor microenvironment suppresses cytotoxic activity. We sought to better understand how MM-398, a relatively large (100nm) liposomal nanotherapeutic, could potentially treat pancreatic cancer by determining the relative roles of systemic vs. local tumor activation of irinotecan in contributing to the activity of MM-398. Using a systems pharmacology approach, we developed a mechanistic pharmacokinetic (PK) model of MM-398 and free-irinotecan to predict both plasma and intratumoral levels of irinotecan and SN-38. The model was trained with PK and biodistribution data from mice bearing HT-29 xenografts, which were administered intravenously with varying doses of MM-398 or free-irinotecan. Model simulations predicted that MM-398 resulted in equivalent SN-38 exposure (area under curve, AUC) in tumor at a fivefold lower dose than free-irinotecan. However, an in vivo animal activity study showed that 15-fold lower dose of MM-398 was sufficient to yield equal growth inhibition of HT-29 xenografts, which reveals the limit of relating simple AUC-based exposure to in vivo tumor response. While intratumoral SN-38 exposure from free-irinotecan was limited to the first 48 hours after dosing, MM-398 maintained high levels of SN-38 throughout the week-long time window. Further analysis of the exposure-response identified that the duration of intratumoral SN-38 levels above the threshold was a valid predictive marker for xenograft tumor response. Identifying the source of intratumoral SN38 is confounded by the fact that the mouse species has an additional carboxylesterase (CES) that can convert irinotecan to SN-38 in serum. The serum SN-38/irinotecan ratio in mice is tenfold higher than that observed in humans. In order to translate this preclinical observation into the clinic, it is critical to identify the role of mouse-specific serum CES on intratumoral SN-38 exposure. Thus, we performed a PK study with knockout mice lacking the Ces1c gene, which encodes serum CES, and then retrained our mechanistic PK model. Serum SN-38 levels in the Ces1c knockout mice were measurably decreased by ˜85% in the central compartment. In contrast, simulating the effect of knock-out of either serum CES or tumor CES, predicts that the duration of intratumoral residence of SN-38 is significantly affected by tumor CES, rather than serum CES. This suggests that local activation to SN-38 by tumor CES as the main driver for SN-38 tumor residence, which in turn drives response. In summary, we applied a systems pharmacology approach to identify the importance of tumor CES (local SN-38 generation) as one of the determinants of MM-398 response. Liposomal encapsulation of irinotecan dramatically alters the pharmacokinetic profile of SN-38 in the tumor, as well as tumor response, by maintaining SN-38 levels above the response threshold. Local, sustained activity of this active irinotecan metabolite could result in prolonged cytotoxic and tumor microenvironment modifications with beneficial effects on treatment of pancreatic cancer and other solid tumors. Citation Format: Jaeyeon Kim, Eliel Bayever, Peter Laivins, Clet Niyikiza, Ulrik Nielsen, Jonathan Fitzgerald, Ashish Kalra, Milind Chalishazar, Stephan Klinz, Nancy Paz, Bart Hendriks, Daryl Drummond, Dmitri Kirpotin, Victor Moyo. Sustained intratumoral activation of MM-398 results in superior activity over irinotecan demonstrated by using a systems pharmacology approach [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Chemical Systems Biology: Assembling and Interrogating Computational Models of the Cancer Cell by Chemical Perturbations; 2012 Jun 27-30; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(13 Suppl):Abstract nr A6.


Emerging contaminants (ECs) in the Antarctic environment and Antarctic biota have been investigated in a very limited number of studies. ECs have been extensively studied in the Arctic and have confirmed presence in Antarctica, despite this, the small amount of Antarctic EC research is a barrier to accurate predictions about how the Antarctic environment and biota will respond to contamination. EC contamination in the Antarctic is identified through literature investigation. This report covers the ECs; polybrominated compounds (PBDEs), perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs), organophosphate Esters (OPEs), chlorinated paraffins (CPs) and siloxanes which have been detected in the Antarctic environment and in Antarctic biota and compares the concentrations observed in the Antarctic to the more thoroughly studied Arctic. Further research into EC contamination in the Antarctic is required to fully understand how these contaminants will behave in the future.


Crude oil markets witness growing disparity between the quality of crudes supplied and demanded in the market. The market share of low‐quality crudes is increasing due to the depletion of old fields and increasing demand. This is unnerving the practitioners and affecting the relevance of the traditional benchmark crudes due to the lack of lower quality benchmarks (Montepeque, 2005). In this article, we apply Granger causality tests to study the price dependence of 32 crudes in order to establish which crudes drive other prices and which ones simply follow general market trends. Our results indicate that some of the old benchmarks are still relevant while others can be disregarded. Our results also interestingly show that the low-quality Mediterranean Russian Urals crude, introduced in the late 1990s, has emerged recently as a significant driver of global prices.


This paper studies hierarchical modeling of the optimal development of facilities of multilevel gas supply systems (GSSs), given the general issues of their aggregation and contributes corresponding development and pricing models. The models for the comprehensive development of GSSs are considered at three hierarchical levels: 1) structure optimization and investment processes; 2) optimization of seasonal gas consumption, reliability analysis and synthesis; 3) optimization of parameters of a facility with its reliability factored in, as illustrated by the main gas pipeline. Three pricing models are proposed: determination of retail prices and tariffs for natural gas for certain categories and groups of consumers; determination of wholesale gas price components for federal subjects of Russia; determination of supply and demand equilibrium between natural gas suppliers and consumers. The development and pricing models were put to test to calculate the optimal volume of gas production and transportation taking into account seasonality of consumption and reliability of GSSs equipment performance, as well as to set natural gas prices for federal subjects of Russia.


Background Ischemic stroke is a time-sensitive disease, with improved outcomes associated with decreased time from onset to treatment. It was hypothesised that ambulance-based assessment of the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) using a Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)–compliant mobile platform immediately prior to arrival is feasible. Methods This is a proof-of-concept feasibility pilot study in two phases. The first phase consisted of an ambulance-equipped HIPAA-compliant video platform for remote NIHSS assessment of a simulated stroke patient. The second phase consisted of remote NIHSS assessment by a hospital-based neurologist of acute stroke patients en route to our facility. Five ambulances were equipped with a 4G/LTE-enabled tablet preloaded with a secure HIPAA-compliant telemedicine application. Secondary outcomes assessed satisfaction of staff with the remote platform. Results Phase one was successful in the assessment of three out of three simulated patients. Phase two was successful in the assessment of 10 out of 11 (91%) cases. One video attempt was unsuccessful because local LTE was turned off on the device. The video signal was dropped transiently due to weather, which delayed NIHSS assessment in one case. Average NIHSS assessment time was 7.6 minutes (range 3–9.8 minutes). Neurologists rated 83% of encounters as 'satisfied' to 'very satisfied', and the emergency medical service (EMS) rated 90% of encounters as 'satisfied' to 'very satisfied'. The one failed video attempt was associated with 'poor' EMS satisfaction. Conclusion This proof-of-concept pilot demonstrates that remote ambulance-based NIHSS assessment is feasible. This model could reduce door-to-needle times by conducting prehospital data collection.


This paper reports on the development of a computer model that will predict both overall project and activity duration, based on a number of pre-determined project characteristics. Fifty-six programmes of work were obtained. The data from the programmes of work of fifty of these buildings, encompassing a total of 11 different project types, were analysed, and used to develop the proposed model. Multiple linear regression analysis of the data showed that the duration and time lags of between 20 (for a single storey building) and 39 (for a seven-storey building) standardised activity groups, can be predicted using combinations of the twenty one most influential project variables. The regression equations produced were tested on all of the activity groups for six new projects to determine their accuracy. The absolute percentage error in predicting overall duration varied between 0.38% and 6.68%. The mean absolute error in predicting the duration of activity groups varied between 1.38% and 22%. The accuracy in predicting overall duration was comparable with limited information available from previous studies, but the high level of detail in the programme generated means that the model is more flexible and capable of a broader range of applications than previous models.


NGOs have come to occupy center stage in emergency relief and development work in the past twenty years. This study looks at the efforts made by international actors-both official donors and international NGOs- in developing the capacities of local organizations in Burundi during the decade of civil strife since 1993. While the needs of democratization set the agenda for most peace building programs, the priorities of donors in conflict afflicted countries may not always lead to financial commitments, nor match the needs of emerging civil society organizations. Using field interviews and document analysis, this study analyzes the development and the challenges of civil organizations in Burundi, which are marked by the political developments distinctive to the country. Donor programs, including work in critical peacebuilding sectors of media, human rights, gender and basic education are examined in detail, and aid donors are shown to have had particular difficulty encouraging the organizational autonomy that is required for Burundian civil society organizations to become effective civic and political actors.


Author(s): Wang, Yongfei | Advisor(s): Day, Steven M; Shearer, Peter M | Abstract: Growth of major populated cities near active faults (e.g., Los Angeles and San Francisco in USA, Tokyo and Osaka in Japan) has significantly elevated the seismic hazards. Understanding complex paradigm of near-fault ground motions is crucial in order to mitigate seismic hazards. Since the 1994 Mw 6.7 Northridge earthquake, there has been much discussion about the adequacy of building code and a term of "pulse". The engineering effects of near-fault pulse-like ground motions were strikingly exhibited in the 1994 Northridge earthquake in which great seismic damage was attributed to the large impulsive ground shaking of this type. Such near-fault pulselike ground motions with high intensity and damage potentials are hypothetically associated to either pulse-like rupture on fault or the rupture directivity. These mechanisms will be introduced and studied.In Chapter 2, we study far-field effects of a self-healing pulse-like rupture mode with dynamic weakening. Pulse-like rupture leads to development of a second corner frequency, and the intermediate spectral slope is approximately 2 in most cases. The focal-sphere-averaged lower P and S wave corner frequencies are systematically higher for pulse-like models than crack models of comparable rupture velocity. The slip-weighted stress drop exceeds the moment-based stress drop for pulse-like ruptures, with the ratio ranging from about 1.3 to 1.65, while they are equal for the crack-like case. The transition from arresting- to growing-pulse rupture is accompanied by a large (factor of 1.6) increase in the radiation ratio. Thus, variations in rupture mode may account for the portion of the scatter in observational spectral estimates ofsource parameters.In Chapter 3, we confirm the pulse-like ground motion in the 2015 Nepal Gorkha earthquake is related to the causing fault geometry of the Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT). Our dynamic rupture simulations in an elastoplastic medium yield earthquake parameters comparable to those deduced from kinematic inversions, including seismic moment and rupture velocity. The simulations reproduce pulse-like behavior predicting pulse widths in agreement with those kinematic studies and supporting an interpretation in which the pulse-like time dependence of slip is principally controlled by rupture geometry and it is supported by near-field high-rate GPS recording at station KKN4.In Chapter 4, we will discuss the directivity-induced pulse-like ground motions and assess the extent to which plastic yielding, which is absent in standard kinematic models, may systematically affect the amplitude, frequency content, and distance scaling of directivity pulse. We perform some simple 2D kinematic and 3D spontaneous dynamic ruptures with and without plastic yielding on a planar and rough fault, and find that each of the four 3D models (flat and rough faults, with and without off-fault yielding), scaled to approximately magnitude 7, predicts a fault-normal pulse with characteristic behavior of observed pulses. Plastic yielding systematically reduces pulse amplitude and increases its dominant period, relative to models that neglect off-fault yielding. Yielding saturates near-fault peak ground velocity (PGV) with greater stress drops, alternatively interpreting observed magnitude saturation of PGV near a magnitude of 7, and provides physical supports of period-dependent distance taper and along-strike saturation of directivity-induced amplification, undermining the commonly used wedge-shaped directivity amplification.


ABSTRACT Changes in barotolerance, thermotolerance, and cellular morphology throughout the life cycle of Listeria monocytogenes were investigated. For part 1 of this analysis, L. monocytogenes ATCC 19115 was grown to log, stationary, death, and long-term-survival phases at 35°C in tryptic soy broth with yeast extract (TSBYE). Cells were diluted in whole milk that had been subjected to ultrahigh temperatures (UHT whole milk) and then high-pressure processed (HPP) at 400 MPa for 180 s or thermally processed at 62.8°C for 30 s. As cells transitioned from the log to the long-term-survival phase, the D400 MPa and D62.8°C values increased 10- and 19-fold, respectively. Cells decreased in size as they transitioned from the log to the long-term-survival phase. Rod-shaped cells transitioned to cocci as they entered the late-death and long-term-survival phases. L. monocytogenes strains F5069 and Scott A showed similar results. For part 2 of the analysis, cells in long-term-survival phase were centrifuged, suspended in fresh TSBYE, and incubated at 35°C. As cells transitioned from the long-term-survival phase to log and the stationary phase, they increased in size and log reductions increased following HPP or heat treatment. In part 3 of this analysis, cells in long-term-survival phase were centrifuged, suspended in UHT whole milk, and incubated at 4°C. After HPP or heat treatment, similar results were observed as for part 2. We hypothesize that cells of L. monocytogenes enter a dormant, long-term-survival phase and become more barotolerant and thermotolerant due to cytoplasmic condensation when they transition from rods to cocci. Further research is needed to test this hypothesis and to determine the practical significance of these findings.


Digital therapeutics (DTx, mobile medical apps, software as a medical device) are rapidly emerging as clinically effective treatments for diverse chronic diseases. For example, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recently authorized a prescription virtual reality (VR) app for treatment of moderate to severe low back pain. The FDA has also approved an adjunct digital therapy in conjunction with buprenorphine for opioid use disorder, further illustrating opportunities to integrate digital therapeutics with pharmacotherapies. There are ongoing needs to disseminate knowledge about advances in digital interventions among health care professionals, policymakers, and the public at large. This mini-review summarizes accumulating clinical evidence of digital interventions delivered via virtual reality and mobile apps to improve opioid-based analgesia. We identified relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) using Embase and PubMed databases which reported pain scores with a validated pain scale (e.g., visual analog scales, graphic rating scale, numeric rating scale) and use of a digital intervention in conjunction with opiates. Among identified RCTs, the majority of studies reported improved pain scores in the digital intervention group, as compared to "treatment as usual" group. Our work suggests that VR and mobile apps can be used as adjunct digital therapies for pain management. We discuss these findings in the context of how digital health technologies can transform patient-centered pharmacy care.


Background: Bioproducts of mushrooms Ganoderma lucidum have multi beneficial effects for human welfare. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to evaluate antifungal activity of Ganoderma lucidum against the biofilm producing fungi. In this current study it carries 100 Candida species which forms biofilms were collected from the Immunocompromised and Immuno Suppressive patients. Methods: The fruit bodies of Ganoderma lucidum were collected and done the extraction at various concentrations with the help of Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and Methanol. The various concentrations of the extracts were applied by Proteinase and phospholipase enzyme secretion assay, Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) XTT Assay and Minimal Fungicidal Concentration (MFC). Results: Our results showed the MIC and MFC of DMSO extract were shows highest significant value (P<0.05) against the antifungal activity than the methanolic extract of the Ganoderma lucidum among the various biofilm producing candida species. Conclusion: So we can be conclude that DMSO extract of the Ganoderma lucidum shows high significant factor against the various disease causing Candida species and its biofilm.


OBJECTIVE
Spinopelvic parameters, such as the pelvic incidence (PI) angle, sacral slope angle, and pelvic tilt angle, are important anatomical indices for determining the sagittal curvature of the spine and the individual variability of the lumbar lordosis (LL) curve. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of spinopelvic parameters and LL on adjacent-segment degeneration (ASD) after short lumbar and lumbosacral fusion for single-level degenerative spondylolisthesis.

METHODS
The authors retrospectively reviewed the records of all short lumbar and lumbosacral fusion surgeries performed between August 2003 and July 2010 for single-level degenerative spondylolisthesis in their orthopedic department.

RESULTS
A total of 30 patients (21 women and 9 men, mean age 64 years) with ASD after lower lumbar or lumbosacral fusion surgery comprised the study group. Thirty matched patients (21 women and 9 men, mean age 63 years) without ASD comprised the control group, according to the following matching criteria: same diagnosis on admission, similar pathologic level (≤ 1 level difference), similar sex, and age. The average follow-up was 6.8 years (range 5-8 years). The spinopelvic parameters had no significant influence on ASD after short spinal fusion.

CONCLUSIONS
Neither the spinopelvic parameters nor a mismatch of PI and LL were significant factors responsible for ASD after short spinal fusion due to single-level degenerative spondylolisthesis.


Background In Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale (ASP) Siracusa Gardasil is the vaccine administered against HPV. Gardasil, a quadrivalent vaccine, contains antigens from double-stranded DNA virus. It has limited post-marketing experience, so its safety in administration is uncertain. Purpose To acquire and update information on adverse Gardasil events. Materials and methods The authors collected Adverse Drug Reaction (ADR) reports, which were received from 01/01/2009 to 31/05/2013, from all ASP Siracusa vaccination centres related to vaccines administered in the same time interval. Results In ASP Siracusa vaccination centres, from 01/01/2009 to 31/05/2013, 19,574 doses of vaccine were administered and there were 9 reports of ADRs (8 non-serious and 1 serious). They involved 3 children of eleven, 5 of twelve and 1 of eighteen years old. The reports were of: Neck pain, syncope and vomiting, Sweating and syncope, Sweating, syncope and dizziness, Fatigue, nausea, pallor and fainting, Hyperaemia, oedema, and pain at administration site (second dose of Varilrix was also administered), Headache, Neck and back pain and nausea for 2 days, Loss of consciousness (severe); Pyrexia (39.8°C) with headache and pains mainly in the lower limbs (at the third administered dose). There were 575 ADR associated with Gardasil administrations, collected from the Pharmacovigilance National Network (PNN) from 01/01/2009 to 31/05/2013. These consisted of: 43.3% central nervous system disorders, 39.1% systemic disorders and administration site conditions, 23.5% skin and subcutaneous tissue diseases, 17.4% gastrointestinal disease 12% musculoskeletal system and connective tissue diseases. Conclusions The reporting rate between 01/01/2009 to 31/05/2013, in ASP Siracusa, was 0.46/1.000 administered doses. The ADRs reports in ASP Siracusa highlight a high incidence of central nervous system symptoms (cervical pain, syncope, sweating, weakness, paleness, dizziness, headache), according to ADRs collected in PNN and don't show warning signs other than those already recorded by the regulatory authorities. No conflict of interest.


The Dutch ichthyologist Pieter Bleeker described 34 species, including a new genus and five new species from a collection of fishes sent to him from the Cape of Good Hope by the French explorer, naturalist and diplomat, F.L. de Castelnau in 1858. A careful search of the Naturalis collection in Leiden found almost all the specimens received by Bleeker from Castelnau, including hitherto unrecognised types. Based on examination of this collection and a critical translation of Bleeker's 1859 paper on the fishes of the Cape of Good Hope it has been possible to resolve the taxonomic status of Bleeker's genus Pagrichthys (Pagrichthys castelnaui Bleeker, 1859, type by monotypy), previously considered a synonym of Sparus Linnaeus, 1758 but here regarded as a synonym of Lithognathus Swainson, 1839. The identity of the various species described by Bleeker, and type status of his new species are clarified: Cantharus castelnaui Bleeker, 1859 is a synonym of Pachymetopon blochii (Valenciennes, 1830); Pagrichthys castelnaui Bleeker, 1859 is a synonym of Lithognathus lithognathus (Cuvier, 1829); Seriola capensis Bleeker, 1859 (not previously recognised as a valid species) is a synonym of Seriola lalandi Valenciennes, 1833; Clinus dubuis Bleeker, 1859 (based on a misspelling of Castelnau's ms name dubius) is a valid name, and a synonym of Clinus superciliosus (Linnaeus, 1758); and Clinus dorsalis Bleeker, 1859 is valid as Muraenoclinus dorsalis (Bleeker, 1859).


Purpose: This paper aims to examine the influence of the culture of the service firm on its interpretation of the role of the brand and on the development and implementation of its brand values. Design/methodology/approach: A grounded theory approach was used. Interviews were conducted with 20 managers within two leading banking firms in Ireland and two leading grocery retailers in Ireland. Findings: The development of the brand, and its role within the firm, is closely related to the firm's culture. The research shows obstacles and opportunities created by the cultural context of firms wishing to disseminate and embed a set of brand values. The paper presents an "involvement model" of brand values implementation and outlines changes required to implement brand values. Research limitations/implications: The study was bound by access to firms, and managers' availability. The authors sought an insight into the relationship between each firm's culture and its brands. They advocate quantitative research to further investigate the findings within these service sectors and to test proposed antecedents (transformational leadership, employee involvement) and outcomes (employee-based brand equity and consumer-based brand equity) of values adoption. Practical implications: The paper identifies aspects of retail and banking cultures which support or detract from brand development. In particular, it presents the learnings from successful brand values implementation in a clan culture, aspects of which are applicable across other cultures. Originality/value: The paper provides valuable insights into the role of the brand within the service firm and the positive and negative influence of context on brand values and their development and implementation. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.


Due to the recognition of the irreversible damage done to the environment through man-made materials, scientists have attempted to transform synthetic procedures into environmentally favorable procedures. Since fossil fuels are used for electrical energy in the USA, the amount of electricity required to complete an experiment has become an environmental concern. Solar parabolic reflectors have been proposed as a means for minimizing the amount of electricity needed to perform chemical reactions. The ability to use the solar reflector as the sole heat source for synthetic reactions is being considered. Another area of environmental concern is the chemical solvent systems involved in synthetic reactions that are not friendly to the environment. The ability to exchange solvent systems for greener solvents is being considered. A comparative study was conducted using an electrical and solar heat source on a series of Wolff–Kishner reduction reactions performed in a green solvent system. The following generalized chemical reaction is representative: where R is a hydrocarbon chain and R′ is a hydrocarbon chain or hydrogen.


Myocardial fibrosis is a common cardiovascular disease with a complex mechanism. Myofibroblasts and extracellular matrix play a key role in myocardial fibrosis. Leonurine, extracted from Herba Leonuri, plays a protective role in the pathogenesis and development of cardiovascular dieseses especially myocardial fibrosis. Undoubtedly, Leourine was considered as the potential therapeutic medicine of myocardial fibrosis in the future. However, the pathogenesis of leonurine on myocardial fibrosis remains unclear. The purpose of this review attempts to discuss the molecular mechanisms involved in the cardioprotective effects of Leonurine.


Background and Objectives: In Saudi Arabia, overweight and obesity affect more than 75% of the adult population. National studies concluded that the two most contributing factors leading to obesity epidemic in Saudi Arabia are intake of imbalanced diet and lack of regular physical activities. The purpose of this paper is to study the trial of weight loss and the factors that determine it among adult overweight/obese in Abha city, southwest Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: This cross sectional study was conducted in Aseer Mall, Abha city during August 2014. To achieve the objectives of this study, the investigators created a questionnaire in Arabic language with the following parts: demographic data, history of any medical condition, awareness about current weight, awareness about harm of obesity, past trials to lose weight, types of interventions to lose weight, and results of trial. The questionnaire was validated by two family physicians and then administered by well-trained nurses to all adult people visiting to "Obesity Exhibition" which was executed by Saudi Arabian society of metabolic and bariatric surgery (SASMBS) in August 2014 for 1 week. Data of the questionnaire were coded, entered and analyzed by SPSS. Results: A total of 422 clients visited the obesity exhibition site during 1 week of the study. Out of them, 263 individuals (62%) were either overweight or obese. The mean age was 36 years; majority of participants were females (71%) and married (67%); housewives and officers constituted 27 and 29% of participants, respectively. About 85% of them knew their current weight, and 92% reported that obesity may give harmful effect on their health. More than 80% of the participants mentioned that they tried to lose their weight in the past, but about quarter (26%) of them reported its success. About one third (37%) of them used both diet and exercise; 3% of them used drugs, while 26% used traditional therapies as an intervention to lose weight. Most of participants (74%) fail to lose weight as they were not adequately compliant with diet and exercise. Average weight loss was 7.5 kg (standard deviation = 6 kg) and a minimum of 1 kg. It was found that females (27%) use herbal products to reduce their weight when compared to males (6%) (P = 0.000). Practicing a physical activity to lose weight was higher among males (31%) compared to females (19%), but no association was found with other demographic variables. Conclusion: Majority of obese patients failed to achieve the target weight loss. The underlying reasons for failure were poor compliance to diet and physical activities.


Gains in 20th century real wages and reductions in the black-white wage gap have been linked to the midcentury ascent of school quality. With a new data set uniquely appropriate to identifying the impact of female voter enfranchisement on education spending, we attribute up to one-third of the 1920–40 rise in public school expenditures to the Nineteenth Amendment. Yet the continued disenfranchisement of black Southerners meant white school gains far outpaced those for blacks. As a result, women's suffrage exacerbated racial inequality in education expenditures and substantially delayed relative gains in black human capital observed later in the century.


This thesis presents a computational framework that models the coupled behavior between sand deposits and their surrounding fluid. Particle deposits that form in gas turbine engines and industrial burners, can change flow dynamics and heat transfer, leading to performance degradation and impacting durability. The proposed coupled framework allows insight into the coupled behavior of sand deposits at high temperatures with the flow, which has not been available previously. The coupling is done by using a CFD-DEM framework in which a physics based collision model is used to predict the post-collision state-of-the-sand-particle. The collision model is sensitive to temperature dependent material properties of sand. Particle deposition is determined by the particle's softening temperature and the calculated coefficient of restitution of the collision. The multiphase treatment facilitates conduction through the porous deposit and the coupling between the deposit and the fluid field. The coupled framework was first used to model the behavior of softened sand particles in a laminar impinging jet flow field. The temperature of the jet and the impact surface were varied(T = 1000 – 1600 K), to observe particle behavior under different temperature conditions. The Reynolds number(Rejet = 20, 75, 100) and particle Stokes numbers (Stp = 0.53, 0.85, 2.66, 3.19) were also varied to observe any effects the particles' responsiveness had on deposition and the flow field. The coupled framework was found to increase or decrease capture efficiency, when compared to an uncoupled simulation, by as much as 10% depending on the temperature field. Deposits that formed on the impact surface, using the coupled framework, altered the velocity field by as much as 130% but had a limited effect on the temperature field. Simulations were also done that looked at the formation of an equilibrium deposit when a cold jet impinged on a relatively hotter surface, under continuous particle injection. An equilibrium deposit was found to form as deposited particles created a heat barrier on the high temperature surface, limiting more particle deposition. However, due to the transient nature of the system, the deposit temperature increased once deposition was halted. Further particle injection was not performed, but it can be predicted that the formed deposit would begin to grow again. Additionally, a Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) simulation, with the inclusion of the Smagorinsky subgrid model, was performed to observe particle deposition in a turbulent flow field. Deposition of sand particles was observed as a turbulent jet(Rejet = 23000, Tjet ∗ = 1200 K) impinged on a hotter surface(Tsurf ∗ = 1600 K). Differences between the simulated flow field and relevant experiments[1,2] were attributed to differing jet exit conditions and impact surface thermal conditions. The deposit was not substantive enough to have a significant effect on the flow field. With no difference in the flow field, no difference was found in the capture efficiency between the coupled and decoupled frameworks. A Computational Framework for Fluid-Thermal Coupling of Particle Deposits


This study investigates what teaching practices in the 'non-lecture context of a foundation programme' help or hinder Māori and Pasifika students' success in a New Zealand university. This two-year qualitative project used Kaupapa Māori and Pasifika Research (KM/PR) methodologies conducted in three phases: (1) needs analysis, (2) intervention and (3) evaluation. Twenty-eight Māori or Pasifika students were interviewed using the Critical Incident Technique identifying 798 incidents grouped into four themes for institutional development: (I) use effective practices for teaching and learning, (II) grow independent learners, (III) support the empowerment of the learner and (IV) harness the positive cohort effect. Initially, students reported that intensive support provided by the foundation programme was not preparing students well for success in degree-level study. Following interventions of institutionally-led changes, students reported better preparation for ongoing study. The overall learning environment and provision of Māori and Pasifika academic and pastoral support were important factors for success.


The rnc gene of Bacillus subtilis, which has 36% amino acid identity with the gene that encodes Escherichia coli RNase III endonuclease, was cloned in E. coli and shown by functional assays to encode B. subtilis RNase III (Bs-RNase III). The cloned B. subtilis rnc gene could complement an E. coli rnc strain that is deficient in rRNA processing, suggesting that Bs-RNase III is involved in rRNA processing in B. subtilis. Attempts to construct a B. subtilis rnc null mutant were unsuccessful, but a strain was constructed in which only a carboxy-terminal truncated version of Bs-RNase III was expressed. The truncated Bs-RNase III showed virtually no activity in vitro but was active in vivo. Analysis of expression of a copy of the rnc gene integrated at the amy locus and transcribed from a p(spac) promoter suggested that expression of the B. subtilis rnc is under regulatory control.


The study determined factors affecting income-poverty among French bean farmers in Kirinyaga County, Kenya. Results show that 72.6% of French bean farmers were poor. Relative to the poor households, non-poor had the highest net French bean income per acre (KES. 24,133), total net crop income (KES. 150,608), total net livestock income (KES. 21,674), and off-farm income (KES. 198,070). Aversion to risks (p=0.051 and β=-2.802), household size (p=0.000 and β=-5.032), daily household expenditure per adult equivalent (p=0.001 and β=2.016), net annual household income (p=0.000 and β=7.733), access to credit (p=0.086 and β=1.187), household annual asset value (p=0.051 and β=-0.482) and age of household head (p=0.066 and β=-2.009) statistically and significantly influenced poverty status of French bean farmers. The results suggest that crop insurance, farm diversification and expansion of acreage under Global-GAP certified French bean are necessary strategies for French bean farmers to alleviate household poverty.

 Key words: Smallholder farmers, French bean, global-GAP standards, determinants, income-poverty


Abstract Is genetic evolution predictable? Evolutionary developmental biologists have argued that, at least for morphological traits, the answer is a resounding yes. Most mutations causing morphological variation are expected to reside in the cis-regulatory, rather than the coding, regions of developmental genes. This "cis-regulatory hypothesis" has recently come under attack. In this review, we first describe and critique the arguments that have been proposed in support of the cis-regulatory hypothesis. We then test the empirical support for the cis-regulatory hypothesis with a comprehensive survey of mutations responsible for phenotypic evolution in multicellular organisms. Cis-regulatory mutations currently represent approximately 22% of 331 identified genetic changes although the number of cis-regulatory changes published annually is rapidly increasing. Above the species level, cis-regulatory mutations altering morphology are more common than coding changes. Also, above the species level cis-regulatory mutations predominate for genes not involved in terminal differentiation. These patterns imply that the simple question "Do coding or cis-regulatory mutations cause more phenotypic evolution?" hides more interesting phenomena. Evolution in different kinds of populations and over different durations may result in selection of different kinds of mutations. Predicting the genetic basis of evolution requires a comprehensive synthesis of molecular developmental biology and population genetics.


More than two-dozen industry leaders met in Ithaca in April 2016 for the second annual Technology Entrepreneurship Roundtable hosted by the Center for Hospitality Research (CHR) at Cornell University's School of Hotel Administration (SHA). Participants focused discussions on integrating the latest software and hardware with the personal touch that is integral to hospitality and identifying the different preferences among younger and older consumers, among other topics. The gathering included corporate professionals, entrepreneurs, SHA students, and Cornell University's 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year, Leland Pillsbury of Thayer Lodging Group. The wide-ranging discussion kicked off with an evaluation of cloud computing, which now gives consumers a strong and influential voice, and an overview of the important role social media plays in connecting businesses with their customers. Other issues addressed included the importance of customizing technology, such as digital room keys, based on generational preferences, weighing the use of inhouse staff versus outside contractors in rolling out and maintaining new operations systems, new online marketing strategies and the need to adapt to a rapidly changing business environment, and using technology to enhance, rather than reduce, connections among staff and management.


Background The Government of Cambodia references core concepts of human rights of people with disabilities in their water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) policies and guidance. However, few references clearly articulate activities to achieve these. Methods This cross-sectional study in Cambodia explores the implementation of core concepts of human rights referenced in Cambodia's WASH policies in Kampong Chhnang and Svay Reing Provinces: Individualized services, Entitlement/affordability, Participation, Family resource, Access. Seven government officials and 10 service providers working in Phnom Penh and the two provinces, 16 women and men with disabilities (aged 18–65+), and four caregivers living in the study sites were included. Purposive sampling was applied to select participants. In-depth interviews were conducted via Zoom and over the telephone and analyzed data thematically using Nvivo 12. Results The Three Star Approach for WASH in Schools was noted as a promising approach for implementing policy commitments to make school WASH services accessible. However, policy commitments to disability-inclusive WASH were not always enacted systematically at all levels. Organizations of Persons with Disabilities faced challenges when advocating for disability rights at WASH sector meetings and people with disabilities were inconsistently supported to participate in commune WASH meetings. Poor access to assistive devices (e.g., wheelchair) and inaccessible terrain meant few people with disabilities could leave home and many had inadequate WASH services at home. Few could afford accessible WASH services and most lacked information and knowledge about how to improve WASH access for people with disabilities. Caregivers had guidance about how to carry out the role and few had assistive devices (e.g., commodes, bedpans) or products (i.e., lifting devices), so supporting WASH for people with disabilities was physically demanding and time-consuming. Conclusion This study has noted several areas where Cambodia's WASH systems are focusing efforts to ensure people with disabilities gain access to WASH, but it has also highlighted aspects where implementation of policy commitments could be strengthened. A more comprehensive and cross-sectoral approach to progressively realizing the rights to water and sanitation for people with disabilities and challenging disability discrimination more broadly could significantly disrupt the vicious cycle of poverty and disability.


In seeking economic immigrants, especially those who are skilled, entrepreneurial and with capital to invest, a settler country such as New Zealand has assumed that national and city labour markets/economies will gain by adding to the human capital pool as well as creating new 'economic' activities of various sorts. Economic participation, both as labour but also as typically small business owners, often reflects the nature of mixed embeddedness (Kloosterman and Rath 2003) and especially the relational embeddedness (Portes, cited in, Vertovec 2009) of particular immigrant groups. This is most apparent in relation to social and economic networks, the deployment of human capital, immigrant engagement strategies and transnational activities. Using the concept of mixed embeddedness, this paper examines the strategies and outcomes for migrant entrepreneurs from the People's Republic of China, the Republic of Korea, India, South Africa and the United Kingdom, drawing upon a largely qualitative analysis of immigrant employers from these groups.


In this paper, I compare a two-agent asset pricing model with the corresponding model with a continuum of agents. In a two-agent economy, interest rates respond to because each agent represents half of the population. These interest rate effects facilitate consumption smoothing. An agent in a two-agent economy, however, can never lend more than the other agent is allowed to borrow, which prevents him from building a buffer stock of assets. For most parameter values, the first effect is more important. For some parameter values, the interest rate effects in the two-agent economy are so strong that a relaxation of the borrowing constraint reduces an agent's utility. In contrast to these differences, I find that for most parameter values there are no large differences in average interest rates across the two types of economies. In addition, I analyze the business cycle behavior of interest rates in an incomplete markets economy with a continuum of agents. The dynamic response of interest rates to aggregate shocks is a lot more complicated than the response in a complete markets economy and the magnitude of the response is bigger.


During two intensive studies in summer 2010 and spring 2011, measurements of mercury species including gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM), and particulate-bound mercury (PBM), trace chemical species including O3, SO2, CO, NO, NOY, and black carbon, and meteorological parameters were made at an Atmospheric Mercury Network (AMNet) site at the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR) in Moss Point, Mississippi. Surface measurements indicate that the mean mercury concentrations were 1.42 ± 0.12 ng∙m−3 for GEM, 5.4 ± 10.2 pg∙m−3 for GOM, and 3.1 ± 1.9 pg∙m−3 for PBM during the summer 2010 intensive and 1.53 ± 0.11 ng∙m−3 for GEM, 5.3 ± 10.2 pg∙m−3 for GOM, and 5.7 ± 6.2 pg∙m−3 for PBM during the spring 2011 intensive. Elevated daytime GOM levels (>20 pg∙m−3) were observed on a few days in each study and were usually associated with either elevated O3 (>50 ppbv), BrO, and solar radiation or elevated SO2 (>a few ppbv) but lower O3 (~20–40 ppbv). This behavior suggests two potential sources of GOM: photochemical oxidation of GEM and direct emissions of GOM from nearby local sources. Lack of correlation between GOM and Beryllium-7 (7Be) suggests little influence on surface GOM from downward mixing of GOM from the upper troposphere. These data were analyzed using the HYSPLIT back trajectory model and principal component analysis in order to develop source-receptor relationships for mercury species in this coastal environment. Trajectory frequency analysis shows that high GOM events were generally associated with high frequencies of the trajectories passing through the areas with high mercury emissions, while low GOM levels were largely associated the trajectories passing through relatively clean areas. Principal component analysis also reveals two main factors: direct emission and photochemical processes that were clustered with high GOM and PBM. This study indicates that the receptor site, which is located in a coastal environment of the Gulf of Mexico, experienced impacts from mercury sources that are both local and regional in nature.


Where do firms' heterogeneous resources come from? Our qualitative, inductive study of nascent firms over seven years revealed that founders' differential use of emotion regula-tion behaviors can explain differential creation of social resources at the firm level. We found that founders' emotion regulation behaviors cluster around three themes: (1) the founder's temporal perspective (short-term versus long-term); (2) the nature of founder benefits (economic versus emotional rewards); and (3) the target of founder attention (self versus others). We theorize that founders' emotion regulation behaviors according to these themes influence the incentives of founders and stakeholders and thereby enable the creation of valuable and difficult-to-imitate social resources for their ventures. Social re-sources include discretionary support provided by founders and stakeholders, as well as founder persistence and stakeholder willingness-to-help. Our study contributes to the strategy literature by showing empirically the link between specific emotion regulation behaviors and the emergence of resource heterogeneity at the firm level. It specifically contributes to resource-based theory by separating the theory's main assumptions and outcomes, reducing concerns about potential tautology.


Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) induces cancer cell-specific apoptosis and has garnered intense interest as a promising agent for cancer treatment. However, the development of TRAIL has been hampered in part because most human cancer cells are resistant to TRAIL. A few small molecules including natural compounds such as piperlongumine (PL) have been reported to sensitize cancer cells to TRAIL. We prepared a novel type of nanomaterial, micelle-in-liposomes (MILs) for solubilization and delivery of PL. PL-loaded MILs were used to sensitize cancer cells to TRAIL. As visualized by cryo-TEM, micelles were successfully loaded inside the aqueous core of liposomes. The MILs increased the water solubility of PL by ~20 fold. A sustained PL release from MILs in physiologically relevant buffer over 7 days was achieved, indicating that the liposomes prevented premature drug release from the micelles in the MILs. Also demonstrated is a potent synergistic apoptotic effect in cancer cells by PL MILs in conjunction with liposomal TRAIL. MILs provide a new formulation and delivery vehicle for hydrophobic anticancer agents, which can be used alone or in combination with TRAIL to promote cancer cell death.


Although alfalfa is the dominant water user in the Imperial Valley and is planted on 40% of its irrigated acreage, data is incomplete regarding its water use under the most common growing conditions: moderately saline, clay soils with a relatively shallow, moderately saline water table. In a study from 1996 through 1998, we determined the seasonal variation in the alfalfa crop coefficient (Kc), based on measurements of applied water and soil-moisture depletion, and the contribution from the water table aquifer. Using chloride mass-balance methods, we estimated that the shallow water table contributed approximately 12% of the total applied water during the study, of which just over 8% occurred during the first year. Correcting the values for water table contributions (WTC) to crop water use removed the increasing trend in values during the study and resulted in an overall study crop coefficient of 0.84. The decrease in WTC was the result of a doubling in soil salinity to 12 deciSiemens per meter at the 3- to 4-feet-depth interval by the second year. For moderately saline growing conditions in the Imperial Valley, the alfalfa crop coefficient is smaller than elsewhere in the southwestern states, where values closer to one are common.


The reconstruction of moving objects based on phase shifting profilometry has attracted intensive interests. Most of the methods introduce the phase shift by projecting multiple fringe patterns, which is undesirable in moving object reconstruction as the errors caused by the motion will be intensified when the number of the fringe pattern is increased. This paper proposes the reconstruction of the isolated moving object by projecting two fringe patterns with different frequencies. The phase shift required by the phase shifting profilometry is generated by the object motion, and the model describing the motion-induced phase shift is presented. Then, the phase information in different frequencies is retrieved by analyzing the influence introduced by movement. Finally, the mismatch on the phase information between the two frequencies is compensated and the isolated moving object is reconstructed. Experiments are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.


Paralysis is the loss of muscle function in part the body. It normally happens when something goes wrong with the way messages pass between the brain and muscles. This condition can occur on one or both sides of the body and can also be complete or partial. The study aimed to identify the pattern of paralysis among the patients in centre for the rehabilitation of the paralyzed (CRP). This study was a cross sectional and a total of 103 patients were selected purposively. The data was analyzed using SPSS version 24. In this study little below nine-tenths (89.3%) of the respondents were male and the mean age of the participants was 33.8 years. About 73.8% of the participants were from rural area and most of them (38.8%) had primary level of education. Based on traumatic causes of injury, 39.8% of them were victims of falling from height, 35.0% road traffic, 19.4% fall of over loading, 1.9% motor vehicle and 3.9% non-traumatic spine. The findings reveal that the majority of the patients had had cervical injury, about 48.0% of them were classified in ASIA A and the majority of the patients had complete paraplegia. There is need to create more awareness and proper steps so as to reduce the factors causing paralysis in Bangladesh as a whole. Abstract


No amount of helpful hints can replace experience when it comes to successful venous cannulation. Although the number of serious problems following intravenous infusions is small, we should still be critical of the standards employed.


Tropical forests are estimated to release approximately 1.7 PgC per year as a result of deforestation. Avoiding tropical deforestation could potentially play a significant role in carbon mitigation over the next 50 years if not longer. Many policymakers and negotiators are skeptical of our ability to reduce deforestation effectively. They fear that if credits for avoided deforestation are allowed to replace fossil fuel emission reductions for compliance with Kyoto, the environment will suffer because the credits will not reflect truly additional carbon storage. This paper considers the nature of the uncertainties involved in estimating carbon stocks and predicting deforestation. We build an empirically based stochastic model that combines data from field ecology, geographical information system (GIS) data from satellite imagery, economic analysis and ecological process modeling to simulate the effects of these uncertainties on the environmental integrity of credits for avoided deforestation. We find that land use change, and hence additionality of carbon, is extremely hard to predict accurately and errors in the numbers of credits given for avoiding deforestation are likely to be very large. We also find that errors in estimation of carbon storage could be large and could have significant impacts. We find that in Costa Rica, nearly 42% of all the loss of environmental integrity that would arise from poor carbon estimates arises in one life zone, tropical wet. This suggests that research effort might be focused in this life zone.


A high level of contamination with hepatitis delta virus (HDV) in central Kazakhstan was established. Infection mainly occurred in the process of common injections. The possibility of the horizontal and vertical spread of this infection was shown. Sharp distinctions in the course and outcomes of delta co- and superinfections in children were found. In most children superinfection was manifested by a severe course, and in almost all children by the development of chronic active hepatitis (CAH). The latter was characterized by pronounced clinical symptoms, prolonged relapsing course, infrequent stabilization (in one third of patients observed from the age of 7 to 12 years, the development of cirrhosis of the liver. The differences in the course of co- and superinfection may be explained by different relationships between hepatitis B virus and HDV in these forms of infection, and the prolonged unfavorable course of CAH may be regarded as a consequence of the appearance of profound and stable immunodeficiency.


To be a "literate" citizen one must increasingly be able to critically evaluate digital visual materials, make decisions using digital visual representations of data and ideas, and use computers to create effective visual communications. To be literate in this sense demands at least a basic understanding of computer graphics principles. Existing curricular resources, however, are chiefly aimed at students studying computer science and related fields. For the majority of students, who do not pursue technical degrees, there is virtually no recognition of the importance of basic graphics principles or even reference to their existence. To address the needs of this audience we have developed a novel interactive Graphics Teaching Tool (GTT). The GTT is a Java-based application (and applet) that offers 2D and 3D graphics in a single environment. It is expressly designed for teaching and uses a mental model-based pedagogical approach not found in commercial graphics software.


A substantial interpretation of electromagnetic induction (EMI) measurements requires quantifying optimal model parameters and uncertainty of a nonlinear inverse problem. For this purpose, an adaptive Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm is used to assess multi-orientation and multi-offset EMI measurements in an agriculture field with non-saline and saline soil. In the MCMC simulations, posterior distribution was computed using Bayes rule. The electromagnetic forward model based on the full solution of Maxwell's equations was used to simulate the apparent electrical conductivity measured with the configurations of EMI instrument, the CMD mini-Explorer. The model parameters and uncertainty for the three-layered earth model are investigated by using synthetic data. Our results show that in the scenario of non-saline soil, the parameters of layer thickness are not well estimated as compared to layers electrical conductivity because layer thicknesses in the model exhibits a low sensitivity to the EMI measurements, and is hence difficult to resolve. Application of the proposed MCMC based inversion to the field measurements in a drip irrigation system demonstrate that the parameters of the model can be well estimated for the saline soil as compared to the non-saline soil, and provide useful insight about parameter uncertainty for the assessment of the model outputs.


This research paper evaluates the urban housing policies in Sri Lanka and related housing programs introduced by the various governments over the last 100 years. Housing and housing policies have been hot political issues throughout this history. The supply of affordable and sustainable housing has been assigned a prominent place in the list of priorities drawn up by various governments over a long period of time. The Sri Lankan government's housing policies are a series of legislative and administrative measures that have a bearing either directly or indirectly on the provision of housing in Sri Lanka. Housing policies in Sri Lanka can be divided into two major segments: urban housing policies and rural housing policies. Sri Lankan urban housing policy and its origin can be divided into three stages: prior to independence from British rule (before 1948); after political independence and during the civil war (1948–2008) and the contemporary situation after the end of the 30 years civil war (2009 onwards). This research paper critically evaluates past and present Sri Lankan government urban housing policies for low income people and policy changes towards high rise high density low income housing (Public housing) as an appropriate solution for slums and shanties in Colombo


This thesis proposes the use of QR code as a medium to store 3D model information and textures. This will make the AR system independent of storage and internet connection. Hence, this system is called the Resource Independent Marker based Augmented Reality (RIMBAR). Different models formats are tested to find out the optimal format for 3D model and texture storage. Currently available text compression algorithms are then applied to test its effectiveness in reducing the size of the data. An exploitable redundancy test is carried out to find out the patterns of exploitable redundancy that can be used to shrink the data further. Based on the findings of the exploitable redundancy test, multiple compression methods are applied to the texts to provide better text compression compared to the current algorithms. The combination of this compression method is called the RIMBAR algorithm and RIMBAR 2 Algorithm. For information that still would not fit, it is split to multiple QR codes. A new way to detect multiple QR codes in the AR environment is created to support the tracking of multiple QR codes for Augmented Reality.


Targeting angiogenesis is an effective strategy for anticancer therapy. The vascular endothelialcadherin (VE-cad) regulated angiogenesis is a potential target for anti-angiogenesis. Here, we develop a fusion vaccine plasmid DNA pSec-MBD2-VE-cad from VE-cad and murine beta defensin2 (MBD2) to induce immunity for cancer therapy. The expression and biological activity of fusion protein were detected in vitro . Anti-tumor effects and inhibition of angiogenesis via pSec-MBD2-VE-cad were investigated in mice model. The anti-VE-cad antibodies and cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses were analyzed. Inhibition of tumor-induced angiogenesis and prolonged survival were shown in mice challenged with murine colon adenocarcinoma (CT26) or Murine fibrosarcoma cell line (MethA) after immunization with the fusion vaccine. Moreover, VE-cad-specific antibodies and specific T cell cytotoxicity were detected. The fusion vaccine based on self immune peptide Murine beta defensin2 (MBD2) and self antigen mVE-cad could induce autoimmunity and inhibit tumor growth, and thus there may be potential applications in cancer therapy.


In this book Elmar Altvater, one of Germany's leading radical economists, considers the discordant state of the capitalist world today, drawing on bpth green and socialist economics. The end of 'actually existing socialism' has been widely hailed as confirmation of the supremacy of market forces. Yet both the post-Communist societies of the East and large parts of the South face a protracted crisis to which the apparently victorious West offers no solution. Against this background Altvater explains why Soviet planning ended in failure, having reproduced many negative features of the Western model without being able to sustain a global challenge to it. Altvater examines the claims currently made for the market, both in the history of capitalism and in the globalized market economy today. Has a free market ever existed, in the sense of imposing itself on the will of political actors? Can the free market ever lead the debt-ridden societies of Africa or Latin America out of mass poverty? Can the world crisis of civilisation, in all its dimensions, be overcome by relying on market models of production and consumption? These questions are addressed in the context of an economic theory that puts human needs and capacities, and a sustainable model of development, at the centre of analysis.


With the improvement of the load and speed of belt conveyor, the dynamic characteristic problem of belt conveyer appears especially outstanding. This paper analyzed the force situation of the conveyer by the discrete dynamics model, divided n viscoelastic properties mass units in advance, then built system analysis dynamics model by vibration mechanics, built modal neutral file of the flexible belt block by means of finite element analysis software, and built the virtual prototype model of the belt conveyor using ADMAS program. It analyzed the effect of stiffness and damping of belt on the starting process by dynamic characteristics simulation method. The simulation results showed that the speed wave period of belt with the smaller stiffness was longer and the peak was bigger, the belt speed easily occurred stronger surge, the transverse vibration of belt conveyor became more violent. With the increasing of stiffness, the belt speed wave peak value decreased. As the same time, the speed surge also decreased when other operation parameters of the belt conveyer system are fixed, with increasing of the damping, the dynamic tension force peak became smaller gradually, it led to decrease of vibration curve peak. Damping coefficient played the important role in decreasing the vibration intensity, the research result offers a new basis for the analysis and study of the dynamic characteristics of belt conveyor.


Doxorubicin hydrochloride is an antitumor antibiotic derived from anthracyclines. It has had limited use because of its dose-related cardiotoxicity and myelosuppression. Liposomes have been used as a vehicle for administration of pharmaceutical drugs because of their ability to improve the delivery of drugs to tumors, increase therapeutic efficacy, and decrease toxicity to normal cells. The aim of this study is to prepare a new liposomal dxorubicin on a large-scale and evaluate its antitumor activity in vivo. Liposomes were formed using the hydration of a thin lipid film method, and doxorubicin was loaded through a pH gradient technique. Based on TEM images, large lamellar vesicles (LUV) were formed, with sizes of 95 ± 10 nm, having a polydispersity index of 0,138 ± 0,02 and zeta potentials of about -27,8 ± 2,15 mV. The entrapment efficiency was approximately 97%. The therapeutic activity of PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin formulations was studied on human colorectal carcinoma HT 29 tumor-bearing BALB/c-Foxn1nu mice models. Our results have shown that liposome preparation can reduce the tumor volume and increase the survival rate and survival time as compared with Lipo Dox. PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin demonstrated much stronger antitumor activities, and statistical differences were significant when compared with free doxorubicin.


This paper proposes adaptive control methods based on reaction dynamics for different types of space robotic systems. Reaction dynamics feature the dynamic coupling between an actively operated part and a passively moving part in a multibody robotic system. The reaction dynamics have been used to develop trajectory tracking control of a free-floating space robot or vibration suppression control of a flexible-structure-based manipulator system. However, the presence of dynamic parameter uncertainties degrades the control performance of the above-mentioned methods, since the methods require accurate values of both kinematic and dynamic parameters. To resolve such parameter uncertainties, practical adaptive control methods are proposed in this study. The proposed methods overcome two inherent difficulties in the adaptive control design of space robotic systems, such as nonlinear parameterization of the dynamic equation and uncertainties in coordinate mapping from Cartesian space to joint space. To confirm the validity of the proposed methods, numerical simulations are carried out using three-dimensional realistic models of two types of space robotic systems.


A local magnitude ( M L) relation for the western Canada sedimentary basin (WCSB) is developed using a rich ground‐motion dataset compiled from local and regional networks in the area. The assessment of amplitude decay with distance suggests that joining direct waves with postcritical reflections from Moho discontinuity modifies the attenuation pattern in the 100–200 km distance range. The M L distance correction is parameterized using a trilinear function that accounts for the observed attenuation attributes. Regression of ground‐motion amplitudes results in the following distance correction model (−log A ) for earthquakes in WCSB: ![Graphic][1] in which R is the hypocentral distance (km). The standard M L relations fail to capture the rates and shape of amplitude attenuation in the region, resulting in overestimated magnitudes by 0.3–0.6 units. The overestimation is larger for local networks due to the increased discrepancy between standard M L relations and actual attenuation properties at close distances. The derived relationship results in unbiased M L magnitude estimates in WCSB over a wide distance range (2–600 km), which ensures consistent magnitude estimates from local and regional networks.

 [1]: /embed/inline-graphic-1.gif


This paper develops a model of heterogeneous consumer preferences and imperfectly competitive suppliers to analyze the market and welfare effects of purity standards for non-GM food products. Analytical results show that purity standards affect the equilibrium prices and quantities of both the GM and non-GM products as well as the welfare of the groups involved. A change in purity standards is shown to create winners and losers among the consumers and the suppliers of the GM and non-GM products. Our analysis provides insights on labeling policies and the position of interest groups in countries with different adoption of, and attitudes towards genetically modified products.


SUMMARY Feedforward neural networks have been successfully developed and applied in many areas because of their universal approximation capability. However, there still remains the problem of determining a suitable network structure for the given task. In this paper, we propose a novel self-organizing neural network which automatically adjusts its structure according to the task. Utilizing both the constructive and the pruning procedures, the proposed algorithm finds a near-optimal network which is compact and shows good generalization performance. One of its important features is reliability, which means the randomness of neural networks is effectively reduced. The resultant networks can have suitable numbers of hidden neurons and hidden layers according to the complexity of the given task. The simulation results for the well-known function regression problems show that our method successfully organizes near-optimal networks.


Abstract: The characteristics of [3H]hemicholinium‐3 ([3H]HC‐3) interactions with rat striatal membranes were investigated. Under the described assay conditions, [3H]‐HC‐3 binds with a saturable population of membrane binding sites having the following regional distribution: striatum « hippocampus ≧ cerebral cortex > cerebellum. The specific binding of [3H]HC‐3 showed an obligatory requirement for NaCl; other halide salts of sodium or KCl failed to substitute for NaCl. The Scatchard transformation of saturation isotherm data generated a curvilinear plot with high‐and low‐affinity components of binding. The dissociation of [3H]HC‐3 at infinite dilution was also multiexponential. The dissociation could, however, be accelerated if unla‐beled HC‐3 was included in the diluting buffer, and this increase in dissociation appeared to be dependent on the concentrations of unlabeled HC‐3 used, with the maximal increase demonstrable at 100 nM The dissociation was also dependent on the fractional saturation of binding sites with labeled HC‐3, such that, at higher fractional saturation of binding sites, the overall dissociation was faster and the difference in the dissociation observed between "dilution only" and "dilution + unlabeled HC‐3" was reduced. This occupancy‐dependent change in dissociation could also be influenced by temperature and pH. Based on the results of these kinetic studies, the steady‐state [3H]HC‐3 binding data were analyzed for a homogeneous population of binding sites undergoing site‐site interactions of the negative cooperative type. Such an analysis yielded a KD of 9.3 nM for the high‐affinity state and a KD of 22.8 nM for the low‐affinity state of binding sites, with a Bmax of 434 fmol/ mg of protein. Competitive binding studies showed that unlabeled HC‐3 was most potent in displacing [3H]HC‐3, followed by choline. Other drugs known to have little influence on the synaptosomal sodium‐dependent high‐affinity choline uptake system (SDHACU) had no significant effect on [3H]HC‐3 binding sites. Similarities in ionic dependencies, regional distributions, and pharmacological selectivi‐ties of [3H]HC‐3 binding with synaptosomal SDHACU suggest that [3H]HC‐3 selectively labels SDHACU sites located on presynaptic cholinergic neurons in rat CNS. We suggest that the two affinity states of [3H]HC‐3 binding sjtes represent the different "functional" states of the SDHACU system. The binding of HC‐3 (or choline) with the high‐affinity state of the binding sites induces negative cooperative site‐site interactions among the binding sites, resulting in the formation of a low‐affinity binding state. Because the affinities of HC‐3 and choline for this low‐affinity state of the [3H]HC‐3 binding sites correspond to the affinities of these agents for the SDHACU system, we also suggest that the low‐affinity binding state represents the "functional" form for SDHACU.


The paper uses a monetary economy to derive a 'Taylor rule' along the dynamic path and within the business cycle frequency of simulated data, a Fisher equation within the low frequency of simulated data, and predictions of Lucas-like policy changes that shift balanced growth path equilibria and expectations. The inflation coefficient is always greater than one when the velocity of money exceeds one, thus exhibiting robust Taylor principle behavior in a monetary economy. Successful estimates of the magnitude of the coefficient on inflation and the rest of the interest rate equation are presented using Monte Carlo simulated data for both business cycle and medium term frequencies. Policy analysis shows the biases in interest rate predictions as depending on whether changes in structural parameters and expectations about variables are correctly included. JEL Classification: E13, E31, E43, E52


COLOSSUS: The Price of America's Empire Niall Ferguson New York: Penguin Press, 2004. 384pp, $38.00 cloth (ISBN 1-59420-013-0)One of the problems with current history is how swiftly it becomes dated. Historians have never been particularly good at the prognostication business, but they are no better than anybody else at resisting the blandishments of fame and the temptations of fortune. Fame is of course less fickle than fortune, and so it is with Niall Ferguson's latest book, Colossus, in which he struggles to fit the United States to the procrustean bed of empire.Empire is one of those notions that comes round again and again, every couple of generations, to afflict us. Historians study it-how can they help it?-for history is strewn with empires and their ruins. Empires satisfy the aesthetic requirement for scenic grandeur, and so they are a favourite subject for film makers-Alexander (the Great) this year, Gladiator a few seasons ago. And who can forget Lawrence of Arabia, Gunga Din, The Lives of the Bengal Lancers or The English Patient? Who could resist the temptation, even at the cost of a little present-mindedness?Not Niall Ferguson, it seems. Empire is a hot property, he has spent some of his career haunting its archival middens, and so he is well adapted to proffer advice based on that late great empire, the British, to the new empire, the American. And, following the law of averages, some of his advice in Colossus, a vade mecum for the new empire, is good, while some is, well, less good.Canadians should be susceptible to this. We are, or were, a fragment of the British empire. We are close cousins to the Americans and maybe, culturally and economically speaking, a fragment of their empire as well. We should hearken to the voice of empire as it comes down the corridor, informing us of its next adventure. And sometimes the old synapses fire, the muscles twitch. The Book of Job put it best, in the King James Version: "He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting."Certain elements of Canadian society did indeed paw the ground during the Iraq invasion in the spring of 2003-Stephen Harper and his Conservatives in the house of commons, The National Postin Toronto, and so forth. President George W Bush caught the moment in his Star Wars-inspired strut on an American aircraft carrier, under the banner "mission accomplished," a month into the war. But the war went on.It was Ferguson's misfortune to write and publish Colossus before the full effect of the "shock and awe" campaign in Iraq became apparent. There is no doubt that he sees the invasion of Iraq by George W. Bush (along with his "mini-me," Tony Blair) as justified both in terms of its particulars and in general principles.As for the particular occasion for war, Saddam Hussein's was "a regime that had repeatedly broken international law, repeatedly defied the United Nations Security Council and...repeatedly murdered its own citizens" (164). Further, Saddam procrastinated, prevaricated, and obstructed. No wonder, Ferguson writes, that the "Bush administration's patience with Saddam ran out in the second half of 2002" (155). Some commentators have placed that date rather earlier, in September 2001, right after the terrorist attack on New York. Bush and his most influential advisers early became fixated on Iraq and no amount of intelligence data afterwards could persuade them to the contrary. The sanctions regime imposed on Iraq by the United Nations was costly and ineffective, Ferguson argues, and the United Nations was itself a useless talk shop. Ferguson believes that Bush and Blair were right to go around the UN, and to reject the delays that other UN delegations, including the Canadian, wished to impose on them, though he does not go into the details of the diplomatic manoeuvrings in New York. Given what followed, it is at least a question whether a sober second look was not worth it; and given the official excuse for the war, the weapons of mass destruction, it is now clear that evidence of their absence might have helped derail Bush's war-bound bandwagon. …


The objective of our research is to create a universal tool for recommending non-visited interesting web pages as well as experts working in the same field of specialty. We accentuate practical adaptability of user profiles. User profiles are generated on the basis of Suffix Tree Clustering (STC) algorithm, which is similar to creating an inverted list of phrases occurring in a document collection. We are computing similarity of characteristic phrases identified by STC in order to find clusters of phrases. Phrases linked by similarity relationships form a phrase association graph. Clusters of phrases generated by our tool define interests of each user. We have tested the system by means of various document collections, such as Reuters Corpus Volume One – RCV1, 20Newsgroups, CTK – Czech Press Agency and Reuters-21578. Experimental results based on our extensive simulations as well as real-life environment are presented in the paper. Precision of our recommender system is 85 to 95 %.


This thesis is about state and society relations in Central Asia. It examines statehood comparatively in Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. Despite having made different political, economic, and institutional choices at independence in 1991, these countries arrived at the same outcome today: an incomplete state. In framing the problem as the incomplete state, this thesis shifts the conventional emphasis away from symptoms of state weakness toward those processes that contribute to it. It highlights the fact that the state can simultaneously be both strong and weak, omnipresent and absent. It is the blurring of the line between state and non-state, public and private, legal and illegal, formal and informal which matters for a better understanding of the state. Drawing from Charles Tilly and Michael Mann, this thesis suggests that these shadow areas generate processes of interstitial emergence that may either undermine or strengthen the state. The outcome generated by such processes is dependent on the balance between state autonomy and state embeddedness. The thesis argues that the incomplete state is a result of three sets of factors—historical, external, and local—that directly or indirectly produce processes that are counter-productive to the current state-building process. Specifically, it focuses on the societal legacy of the Soviet statehood, the strategies of state-building provided by external actors, and the balance of power between rival local elites. It demonstrates how each of these sets of factors contribute to the creation or development of sites of social resistance and the chasm between the state and society in each of the three given cases. Further, it identifies three important processes. Firstly, structural changes taken for granted following the dissolution of the Soviet Union have not necessarily altered cross-border societal interdependence at the grassroots. Secondly, the strategies pursued by external actors have indirectly created isolated pockets of land, empowered community-based civil activism and facilitated informal trade. Finally, while state elites strengthened the institution of the state, they turned it into a tool for legitimizing illicit revenues rather than a means to increase its infrastructural power. States and societies in the region have become isolated from one another. These states, empowered only in the institutional sense, have become empty shells. The societies, empowered without the state, have become captives within a game of survival. It seems that the state cannot be complete without becoming social.


Historical pragmatics of the last two decades has continued to refine its tools for examining the relationship of speech and writing (e.g. Culpeper and Kyto 2010). As our methodology has improved, it is helpful to return to case studies to see how different models apply to particular materials, and the particular constraints of each text. One depiction of the everyday English of people on the street in late-medieval England can be found in William Caxton's Dialogues in French and English , a late fourteenth-century printed edition of a thirteenth-century French/Flemish manual for conversation and vocabulary. Caxton's text provides a two-column format in French and English which contains, among other things, an illustrative marketplace dialogue between a fictional seller and a hypothetical buyer. This interchange, between a female cloth merchant and a male purchaser, exemplifies many of the features that we might expect in colloquial English: a higher number of pragmatic lexical items and interpersonal words, a more highly connected style of second-person pronouns and vocatives, and a greater use of sentence structures like questions and exclamations. And yet, it is fundamentally constructed speech rather than a faithful reporting of an actual conversation, and the very features that serve as markers of its colloquial style (like vocatives) also characterize its nature as written discourse. This analysis examines the textual context of speech-like representation, presenting an account of the pragmatic aspects of genre, style, and discourse that shape the depiction of the mercantile conversation in Caxton's text.


DOPAMINE hydrochloride has been reported to increase both renal plasma flow and, to a small extent, urinary sodium excretion in patients with the hepatorenal syndrome, but to have no notable effect on glomerular filtration rate or urinary output. 1,2 A patient with the hepatorenal syndrome had a clear increase in urine output and urinary sodium excretion resulting from the use of dopamine. Report of a Cas A 50-year-old woman with a history of heavy alcohol abuse was admitted with marked jaundice, massive ascites, and moderate pedal edema. The laboratory findings disclosed the following values: BUN, 5 mg/dl; creatinine, 0.8 mg/dl; total bilirubin, 20.8 mg/dl; SGOT, 282 μU/ml (normal 7 to 40 μU/ml); alkaline phosphatase, 234 μU/ml (normal 30 to 125 μU/ml); and urinary sodium, 3 mEq/liter. The patient began receiving a 500-mg sodium diet, and 1,200 ml fluid restriction. On the ninth hospital day, asterixis, and mild confusion were noted.


Phospholipid requirements for the reconstitution of Complex-III vesicles exhibiting respiratory control (electron-transport control) were studied. Vesicles prepared from pure phosphatidylethanolamine gave maximal control ratios. Phosphatidylcholine alone did not support respiratory control, although these vesicles were capable of maintaining stable K+-diffusion gradients. Apparently Complex III cannot insert into a bilayer of phosphatidylcholine. Formation of mixed phosphatidylcholine/phosphatidylethanolamine (6:1, w/w) vesicles was sufficient, however, to allow Complex-III insertion and to restore respiratory control. Mixtures of acidic phospholipids with either phosphatidylethanolamine or phosphatidylcholine did not improve respiratory control over that obtained with pure phosphatidylethanolamine. Phosphatidylethanolamine from bovine heart mitochondria, soya beans or Escherichia coli was equally effective in reconstituting respiratory control, suggesting that the specificity is referable to the head group and not to the fatty-acid moiety.


We study the dynamics and locomotion of a neutrally-buoyant deformable body that can undergo finite shape deformations and is immersed in a perfect and incompressible fluid. We model the body as a constrained Cosserat beam, more precisely, a Kirchhoff beam, and we derive the equations governing its motion in potential flow where the ambient fluid is accounted for using the added mass effect. We show that the submerged beam can undergo net locomotion due to applied torsional loading on its centerline.Copyright © 2009 by ASME


This study was conducted to develop a smartphone application to enhance self-efficacy for online learning. The theory of planned behaviour (TPB) was used as a framework for developing the smartphone app. The study used research and design (R&D) through three phases: 1) examining relevant literature and interviewing recognized experts in the field, 2) developing the smartphone app, and 3) studying the effect of the smartphone app on the self-efficacy of online learners. The results demonstrated that the framework of the smartphone application based on the TPB comprised six components. They were 1) the TPB's concept for online learning, 2) instructional process, 3) instructional support tools, 4) application features, 5) instructor's role, and 6) learner's role. For technical aspects, the smartphone app was developed and deployed by using Amazon Web Service (AWS) cloud computing platform and infrastructure. Studying the effect of the application on self-efficacy was performed for four weeks using two groups in a pre-test/post-test design. The research method involved purposive sampling of 180 undergraduate students, consisting of a 90-student experimental group and a 90-student control group. The application based on the TPB and the application without the TPB were implemented in the experimental group and the control group, respectively. The results demonstrated that the post-test score of self-efficacy in online learning for the experimental group was statistically significantly higher than the control group at 0.05 level. This result showed that the smartphone app based on the TPB could significantly affect self-efficacy for online learners; it has the potential to be an effective tool for teaching an online course.


The influence of KCl, K2CO3 and K2SO4 on the initial stages of corrosion of 304-type (Fe18Cr10Ni) stainless steel was investigated at 600°C in 5% O2 + 40% H2O. Small amounts of salt (1.35 .mol K+/cm2) were added before exposure. The exposures were carried out in a thermobalance. Exposure time was 24 hours. Reference exposures were carried out in 5% O2 and in 5% O2 + 40% H2O. The oxidized samples were analyzed by SEM/EDX, XRD and IC. KCl and K2CO3 are very corrosive towards 304L, producing thick non-protective scales. Corrosion is initiated by the reaction of the potassium salts with the protective, chromium-rich oxide forming K2CrO4. This depletes the oxide in chromia and converts it into iron-rich non-protective oxide. In contrast, K2SO4 does not accelerate corrosion significantly.


A new 40-inch-diagonal color dc plasma display panel (cell pitch: 0.65 mm, 800/spl times/1340 cells) with both a resistor-in-cell structure and a phosphor screen on the side wall and bottom of the cell has been developed through the improvement on the large-area panel fabrication technologies. Stable HDTV pictures have been experimentally reproduced on a compact display using the new panel and pulse memory drive circuits. The peak white luminance is 150 cd/m/sup 2/. The lifetime of the 40-inch panel is expected to be over 30,000 hours, judging from the results obtained using a medium-sized panel under the same conditions.


posed outlines of important landmarks on one photograph. The discussion of otologic tumors is brief, but accompanied by excel lent subtraction venography and MRI scans. Since most of the in formation is conveyed through radiographs and their legends rather than text, this book could be considered an x-ray atlas. Nevertheless, each chapter does present informative reading and concludes with suggested additional reading references, but with out a bibliography.


Abstract. Collisionless shock waves in space and astrophysical plasmas can accelerate electrons along the shock layer by an electrostatic potential, and scatter or reflect electrons back to the upstream region by the amplified magnetic field or turbulent fluctuations. The notion of the critical pitch angle is introduced for non-adiabatic electron acceleration by balancing the two timescales under a quasi-perpendicular shock wave geometry in which the upstream magnetic field is nearly perpendicular to the shock layer normal direction. An analytic expression of the critical pitch angle is obtained as a function of the electron velocity parallel to the magnetic field, the ratio of the electron gyro- to plasma frequency, the cross-shock potential, the width of the shock transition layer, and the shock angle (which is the angle between the upstream magnetic field and the shock normal direction). For typical non-relativistic solar system applications, the critical pitch angle is predicted to be about 10°. An efficient acceleration is expected below the critical pitch angle.


Abstract The coupled ocean-atmosphere model of Anderson and McCreary is extended to include two oceans. An advantage of the two-ocean system is that it is not necessary to specify externally convection over land. For a basin geometry that most resembles the Indian and Pacific Oceans, strong permanent convection exists in the eastern Indian Ocean, and there is an oscillation in the Pacific Ocean with a period of about five years. Associated with this oscillation is a patch of convection that develops in the central and western ocean and propagates into the eastern ocean before dissipating.


Plants are sessile organisms, and their ability to adapt to stress is crucial for survival in natural environments. Many observations suggest a relationship between stress tolerance and heat shock proteins (HSPs) in plants, but the roles of individual HSPs are poorly characterized. We report that transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing less than usual amounts of HSP101, a result of either antisense inhibition or cosuppression, grew at normal rates but had a severely diminished capacity to acquire heat tolerance after mild conditioning pretreatments. The naturally high tolerance of germinating seeds, which express HSP101 as a result of developmental regulation, was also profoundly decreased. Conversely, plants constitutively expressing HSP101 tolerated sudden shifts to extreme temperatures better than did vector controls. We conclude that HSP101 plays a pivotal role in heat tolerance in Arabidopsis. Given the high evolutionary conservation of this protein and the fact that altering HSP101 expression had no detrimental effects on normal growth or development, one should be able to manipulate the stress tolerance of other plants by altering the expression of this protein.


CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing has quickly emerged as a powerful breakthrough technology for use in diverse settings across biomedical research and therapeutic development. Recent efforts toward understanding gene modification methods in vitro have led to substantial improvements in ex vivo genome editing efficiency. Because disease targets for genomic correction are often localized in specific organs, realization of the full potential of genomic medicines will require delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 systems targeting specific tissues and cells directly in vivo. In this Perspective, we focus on progress toward in vivo delivery of CRISPR/Cas components. Viral and nonviral delivery systems are both promising for gene editing in diverse tissues via local injection and systemic injection. We describe the various viral vectors and synthetic nonviral materials used for in vivo gene editing and applications to research and therapeutic models, and summarize opportunities and progress to date for both methods. We also discuss challenges for viral delivery, including overcoming limited packaging capacity, immunogenicity associated with multiple dosing, and the potential for off-target effects, and nonviral delivery, including efforts to increase efficacy and to expand utility of nonviral carriers for use in extrahepatic tissues and cancer. Looking ahead, additional advances in the safety and efficiency of viral and nonviral delivery systems for tissue- and cell-type-specific gene editing will be required to enable broad clinical translation. We provide a summary of current delivery systems used for in vivo genome editing, organized with respect to route of administration, and highlight immediate opportunities for biomedical research and applications. Furthermore, we discuss current challenges for in vivo delivery of CRISPR/Cas9 systems to guide the development of future therapies.


Low-density parity-check (LDPC) codes with beliefpropagation (BP) algorithm achieve a remarkable performance close to the Shannon limit at reasonable decoding complexity. Conventionally, each iteration in decoding process contains two steps, the horizontal step and the vertical step. In this paper, an efficient implementation of the adaptive offset min-sum (AOMS) algorithm for decoding LDPC codes using the single-step method is proposed. Furthermore, the performances of the AOMS algorithm compared with belief-propagation (BP) algorithm are investigated. The algorithms using the single-step method reduce the implementation complexity, speed up the decoding process and have better efficiency in terms of memory requirements. Keywords-LDPC codes; single-step; BP algorithm; MS algorithm; NMS algorithm; OMS algorithm; AOMS algorithm


The United Nations' agencies and many scholars have regarded traditional knowledge as an alternative to science for the purposes of managing the environment. Many countries have adopted this line of approach and formulated some policy strategies. A number of scholars also have engaged in traditional knowledge research and published their works. Despite a large number of publications on traditional knowledge, there seems to be little consensus about the definition of what traditional knowledge is and how it can be useful for environmental management. This article first approaches this definition problem within a historical context in order to clarify the core issues surrounding the definition of traditional knowledge. It then discusses how traditional knowledge can be validated among parties with different interests so that traditional knowledge research and policy can be more effectively implemented in policy-making arenas.