Gas source localization (GSL) is one of the most important and direct applications of a gas sensitive mobile robot, and consists in searching for one or multiple volatile emission sources with a mobile robot that has improved sensing capabilities (i.e. olfaction, wind flow, etc.). This work adresses GSL by employing a teleoperated mobile robot, and focuses on which search strategy is the most suitable for this teleoperated approach. Four different search strategies, namely chemotaxis, anemotaxis, gas-mapping, and visual-aided search, are analyzed and evaluated according to a set of proposed indicators (e.g. accuracy, efficiency, success rate, etc.) to determine the most suitable one for a human-teleoperated mobile robot. Experimental validation is carried out employing a large dataset composed of over 150 trials where volunteer operators had to locate a gas-leak in a virtual environment under various and realistic environmental conditions (i.e. different wind flow patterns and gas source locations). We report different findings, from which we highlight that, against intuition, visual-aided search is not always the best strategy, but depends on the environmental conditions and the operator's ability to understand how gas distributes.


The insulin-induced genes INSIG1 and INSIG2 (INSIG) are known to regulate adipogenesis in nonruminants. Although data in bovine mammary tissue underscore a role for INSIG1 during lactation, regulatory mechanisms of INSIG action in ruminant mammary lipid metabolism are not well known. In the present study, INSIG1 and INSIG2 were overexpressed or silenced through adenoviral transfection to evaluate their role in lipid metabolism in goat mammary epithelial cells (GMEC). The INSIG were overexpressed using an adenovirus system with recombinant green fluorescent protein as the control. Downregulation of INSIG was performed via small interfering RNA targeting INSIG with a scrambled small interfering RNA as a negative control. The GMEC were treated with these constructs for 48 h before analyses. Responses to overexpressing INSIG1 or INSIG2 included downregulation of SREBF1, ACACA, FASN, SCD1, GPAM, DGAT2, ATGL, and HSL coupled with a decrease in content of triacylglycerol (TAG), total cholesterol (TC), and lipid droplet accumulation. The marked decrease in content of TAG and TC in response to overexpression of INSIG2, along with a modest decrease in content of TAG when INSIG1 was overexpressed, suggested that TAG synthesis is mainly regulated by INSIG2, whereas TC synthesis is equally regulated by INSIG2 and INSIG1. The lack of difference in mRNA expression of genes related to lipid metabolism, content of TAG, and accumulation of lipids in response to interference alone of INSIG1 or INSIG2 indicated that INSIG proteins play a biological role in the maintenance of lipid homeostasis. However, in response to simultaneous interference of INSIG1 and INSIG2, the marked increase in content of TAG and TC and accumulation of lipids along with significant upregulation of SREBF1, ACACA, SCD1, AGPAT6, and DGAT2 suggested that INSIG1 and INSIG2 synergistically regulate milk fat synthesis in GMEC. These results highlight an essential role of INSIG in regulating lipid synthesis in dairy goat mammary cells and underscore the complexity of mammary lipid synthesis in ruminants.


"The American Civil War -- April to April, Sumter to Appomattox, 1861 to 1865 -- pervades the national conscience....It makes a great story...," writes Shelby Foote in his foreword to this volume. "I know of none since the "Iliad" that rivals it either in drama or in pathos...." "The Blue and The Gray" tells that story, the epic of the first great modern conflict. In so doing, it raises issues still of urgent concern in many lands today: What unifies a diverse nation? What justifies the formation of a new one? What sustains democracy and law in the range of the guns? What peace can follow the loss of 600,000 lives? Six chapters cover the conflict chronologically. Key characters in the saga are examined in biographical sketches throughout the volume, and a picture-and-text portfolio on a major social or technological theme accompanies each chapter. The book features color illustrations by National Geographic photographer Sam Abell and text by Thomas B. Allen, formerly a Society staff editor and a specialist in military studies. A judicious selection of historical photographs, specially commissioned new maps, and maps from the Civil War era enrich the pages. While tracing the drama of the battlefield, "The Blue and The Gray" lets the reader meet individuals of the 1860s -- on both sides of the front lines. Their own words, eloquent or earthy, funny or pitiful or noble, express the ideals they lived by and died for as family members fought one another and the war toll became the highest in American history. With accompanying guidebook and map supplement, this volume is designed to show and explain why, in Robert Penn Warren's words, "The Civil War is, for the Americanimagination, the great single event in our history," and why, in the opinion of Abraham Lincoln, it would affect "hope to the world for all future time."


Background In the current treatment of Non-Hodgkin's lymphomas (NHLs) with high-dose methotrexate, the dose is calculated according to different protocols, regardless of patients' pharmacokinetic variability. Purpose To evaluate the variability of exposure to methotrexate in adult patients with NHL who received high-dose methotrexate (>1,000 mg/m²) in order to justify the need to individualise the dose and optimise the treatment. Material and methods Retrospective observational study, between October 2007 and June 2014. We included 43 adult patients (27–77 years old) with NHLs who received 96 cycles of methotrexate. Patients were classified into two groups, patients who received 1,000 mg/m² over 24 h in accordance with the HYPERCYVAD protocol (group I) and those who received 1,500 mg/m² infused over 24 h, following the BURKIMAB-08 protocol (group II). Methotrexate was measured by a fluorescence polarisation immunoassay (TDx/FLx System) in plasma samples obtained at 2, 12, 23, 36, 42 and 60 h after the start of infusion. Methotrexate pharmacokinetics parameters were estimated by Nonlinear Least Squares Regression (software Abbott PKs). The target range of exposure was defined as ±20% of the average AUC value, considering the extreme values positioned outside ±40%. Results In group I, the AUC was 471.05 ± 188.59 μM h (235.29–1,231.34), 52.18% of the patients showed values within the pre-specified target (376.84–565.26), and 21.74% showed extreme values (>659.47 and <282.63). In group II, the AUC was 560.77 ± 194.63 μM h (308.53–1,414.62); 58% of patients showed values within the pre-specified target (448.62–672.93), and 16% showed extreme values (>785.08 and <336.46). The variability of the clearance in these patients (90.04 ± 30.59 ml/min/m²) would explain these results. Conclusion The variability of exposure to methotrexate (37.99%) justifies the need to individualise dosage to optimise treatment. This could prevent an extreme risk of inefficacy or toxicity in the 18.75% of patients who are outside the pre-specified target range. References and/or acknowledgements No conflict of interest.


This guide points to a number of resources that provide information about the provision of health care to First Nations peoples.


Objective This study investigated gender-specific incidence and predictors of cognitive impairment among community-dwelling older adults in South Korea. Methods Using data from the 2006 and 2012 Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing (KLoSA), 925 females and 834 males aged 65 and over without cognitive impairment at 2006 were analyzed separately. Cognitive impairment was measured based on the Korean version of the Mini-Mental State Exam (K-MMSE) normative score. Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) was conducted to examine the predictors of cognitive impairment at 6-year follow up. Results Incidence of cognitive impairment at 2012 was significantly higher for women (30.5%) than men (26.1%). GEE result showed that depression was significantly associated with cognitive impairment for both genders (female: OR=2.26, 95% CI=1.63–3.12; male: OR=3.26, 95% CI=2.19–4.83). Having IADL limitations (OR=1.15, 95% CI=1.03–1.28), high blood pressure (OR=1.72, 95% CI=1.27–2.34), poor hearing (OR=1.94, 95% CI=1.29–2.92), regular exercise (OR=0.67, 95% CI=0.45–0.99), and normal weight (OR=1.39, 95% CI=1.03–1.86) were significant predictors of cognitive impairment only among women. In contrast, age (OR=1.04, 95% CI=1.01–1.07) and ADL limitations (OR=1.48, 95% CI=1.21–1.82) were significant predictors of cognitive impairment at follow-up only among men. Conclusion Findings of this study show gender-specific predictors of cognitive impairment among older Koreans. This study can provide information for clinicians and policy makers to develop different intervention strategies considering gender differences in the progress of cognitive impairment.


Design by contract is the principle that the interfaces between modules of a software system-especially a mission-critical one-should be governed by precise specifications. The contracts cover mutual obligations (pre-conditions), benefits (post-conditions), and consistency constraints (invariants). Together, these properties are known as assertions, and are directly supported in some design and programming languages. A recent $500 million software error provides a sobering reminder that this principle is not just a pleasant academic ideal. On June 4, 1996, the maiden flight of the European Ariane 5 launcher crashed, about 40 seconds after takeoff. The rocket was uninsured. The French space agency, CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales), and the European Space Agency (ESA) immediately appointed an international inquiry board. The board makes several recommendations with respect to software process improvement. There is a simple lesson to be learned from this event: reuse without a precise, rigorous specification mechanism is a risk of potentially disastrous proportions. It is regrettable that this lesson has not been heeded by such recent designs as IDL, Ada 95 or Java. None of these languages has built-in support for design by contract. Effective reuse requires design by contract. Without a precise specification attached to each reusable component, no-one can trust a supposedly reusable component. Without a specification, it is probably safer to redo than to reuse.


Visual patterns of hallucination; pin-point dot patterns of light, arranged in spiral or funnel structures are often perceived in hallucinogenic experiences such as those produced by mescaline. This article discusses the use of altered states of consciousness (ASC) and visual patterns of hallucination, as principles upon which to base the design of musical compositions and related audio-visual works. I provide some background information regarding visual patterns of hallucination (or 'entoptic phenomena'), with reference to studies by Klüver and Strassman. I then proceed to discuss a process for using visual patterns of hallucination as a basis for designing sonic and visual material, using a purpose-built piece of software: the Atomizer Live Patch. The implementation of this sonic material in the context of 'ASC compositions' is discussed with regards to Entoptic Phenomena, a fixed electroacoustic composition, and Tiny Jungle, an audio-visual work. These pieces form part of a larger body of work completed as part of my PhD research, where ASC was used as a principle for the design of electroacoustic music and work in related mediums. Through the discussion of these works I will demonstrate an approach for using ASC, and visual patterns of hallucination in particular, as a basis for the design of sonic artworks and visual music. This research therefore contributes to the field of compositional methods for electroacoustic music, while more broadly indicating approaches for creating digital artworks that reflect ASC.


Wireless power transfer is an essential technology to increase implants' longevity. A pair of inductivelycoupled coils operating at radio-frequency is extensively used to deliver electrical power to implants wirelessly. In this system, a power conditioning circuit is required convert the induced time-varying AC power harvested by the receiving coil to a stable DC power that is needed for powering circuits and sensors. Most existing power conditioning circuits require the induced voltage of the receiving coil to be significantly higher than the turn-on voltage of the diodes used in the rectifier for the efficient AC to DC conversion. This requirement results in larger coil size, shorter operating distance or more stringent geometrical alignment between the two coils. In this paper, a low-input-voltage wireless power transfer has been demonstrated. In this system, the opencircuit voltage of the induced 5 kHz AC input is as low as ~ 190 mV, and it has been converted to 5 V DC over a 25 kΩ resistor. Both the output voltage and the power drawn into the receiving coil can be regulated by the duty cycle of a control signal. The described system has the potential to reduce the size of the receiving coil, increase the operating distance between the transmitting and the receiving coil, and yet to achieve the desired DC output for implants.


We propose dynamical control schemes for Hamiltonian simulation in many-body quantum systems that avoid instantaneous control operations and rely solely on realistic bounded-strength control Hamiltonians. Each simulation protocol consists of periodic repetitions of a basic control block, constructed as a modification of an 'Eulerian decoupling cycle,' that would otherwise implement a trivial (zero) target Hamiltonian. For an open quantum system coupled to an uncontrollable environment, our approach may be employed to engineer an effective evolution that simulates a target Hamiltonian on the system while suppressing unwanted decoherence to the leading order, thereby allowing for dynamically corrected simulation. We present illustrative applications to both closed- and open-system simulation settings, with emphasis on simulation of non-local (two-body) Hamiltonians using only local (one-body) controls. In particular, we provide simulation schemes applicable to Heisenberg-coupled spin chains exposed to general linear decoherence, and show how to simulate Kitaev's honeycomb lattice Hamiltonian starting from Ising-coupled qubits, as potentially relevant to the dynamical generation of a topologically protected quantum memory. Additional implications for quantum information processing are discussed.


The Republic of Zaire has an area of more than 2.3 million square kilometers, ranking eleventh in the world. The total population in 1970 was estimated at 21.6 million persons of whom 20.7 million were Zairean and 0.9 million foreign born. The previous census, taken in 1958 when the country was a Belgian colony, showed Zairean and foreign population of 13.5 and 0.1 million respectively. This indicates annual growth of 3.9 percent for the total population and 3.6 percent for the native born. Growth rates have been highest in the cities due largely to migration of people from rural to urban areas. The out-migration from rural areas may be explained by fear and insecurity during the civil war and various rebellions that stroked the country during the early independence years (1960's), lack of economic opportunities and lack of educational and health facilities in the country side, and typical urban attraction. Yet, no study has been taken to determine whether this out flow had any significant impact on the lag in production of food products.


Biological invasions are a major threat to biodiversity world wide with annual economic costs up to 1.4 trillion dollars. The round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) is a particularly fierce invader that threatens ecological function of the Baltic Sea. Individual variation in behavioral traits that remain constant through time and context have been identified as crucial factors for explaining different parts of the invasion process. For example, asocial behavior facilitates dispersal from high density populations and comes with fitness benefits in low conspecific density. The latter is especially relevant, in an invasion context, following the initial colonization of a novel environment when population density usually is low.This thesis investigates the role of individual variation in phenotypic traits on species invasions. The main focus is on the effects of sociability, activity and boldness, but also including aggression and physiological stress tolerance, on dispersal tendency and selection at invasion fronts. To do this, we studied four round goby populations in the Baltic Sea, two of the most recently established and two of the oldest populations.In 2012 we demonstrated that asocial, active and bold round gobies are overrepresented at invasion fronts. Two years later we showed that dispersal from the new populations was led by individuals with high activity levels, while in all populations larger individuals dispersed. We also determined the length of the socalled lag-phase, between colonization and spread, in both newly established populations. The end of the lag-phase is hypothesized being triggered by high population density in the harbors leading to dispersal and subsequen colonization of the surrounding areas by small asocial individuals. In our final experiment, we present evidence of stress coping styles in round gobies, in which more aggressive individuals are also more stress tolerant and vice versa. Though we found no connection between stress coping and population age, we found that mortality was unaffected by population density and that the gobies became more aggressive and stress tolerant when kept in high density.To conclude, we have shown that: 1) individuals with high levels of activity, boldness and asociality are common at invasion fronts; 2) a lag phase occurs between colonization and spread in round goby invasions; 3) asocial individuals drive the spread from high density populations at the invasion front and; 4) round gobies adapt to high densities with high aggression and stress tolerance.


OBJECTIVE--To identify the types of human papillomaviruses found in anogenital warts in children and to relate these to clinical and social information. DESIGN--In situ hybridisation using biotin labelled DNA probes to 11 types of human papillomavirus was performed on biopsy specimens from 17 children with anogenital warts. SETTING--Nuffield department of pathology and the department of dermatology, Oxford. PATIENTS--Children in one group were referred by general practitioners or paediatricians to the dermatology department, where biopsies were performed. The other children were seen in four different hospitals, and biopsy specimens were submitted to the laboratory at the physician's or pathologist's request. RESULTS--Of the 17 biopsy specimens, 10 contained cells positive with a probe to a genital human papillomavirus type (types 6 or 11), while six were positive with a skin virus type (types 2 or 3). One was negative. The virus type present bore no relation to the site or appearance of the warts. The virus type did, however, appear to correlate with groups of children. Skin types were commoner in older children (over 4 years), in those with a relative who had skin warts, and in children with warts elsewhere; there was no relation with the child's sex and no suspicion of sexual abuse in these children. These circumstances suggested non-sexual transmission, such as autoinoculation. In contrast, genital types were commoner in girls, in children under 3 years, in children with relatives with genital warts, and in those with no warts elsewhere. Nevertheless, there was suspicion or evidence of sexual abuse in only half these children, suggesting that other routes of transmission--for example, perinatal--might have been implicated. CONCLUSION--Anogenital warts in children may contain either skin or genital wart virus type. Although the type of human papillomavirus present may give some indication of the likely mode of transmission, this can be interpreted only in conjunction with all available clinical and social information. The type of virus does not provide proof of the presence or absence of sexual transmission.


Much research work has assessed that construction is ineffective and many problems can be observed. Analysis of these problems has shown that a major part of them are supply chain problems, originating at the interfaces of different parties or functions. There have been several kinds of initiatives aiming at improvement and renewal of construction supply chains, but only few have a track record of consequent and significant successes. Here construction supply chains are approached from an alternative theoretical viewpoint, namely that of the language/action perspective. In this approach, organizations are seen as networks of commitments. Two avenues have been pinpointed for practical application of this approach. First, the process of requesting, creating and monitoring commitments can be facilitated by heuristic models and computer systems, when suitably designed. Secondly, people can learn to communicate for action by developing new sensibility towards the ways their language acts participate in networks of human commitments, and improving their skills in understanding requests, and making commitments. By closer study, existing empirical observations support the idea that a large share of construction supply chain problems are caused by poor articulation and activation of commitments. But would this new approach also facilitate the implementation of a new supply chain management that has proved to be so difficult in practice? In this regard, two initiatives are reviewed. The Dutch initiative to create a framework for communication in large civil engineering projects is first presented and initial experiences from its implementation are discussed. Then, Last Planner implementations are analyzed. By drawing on the concept of small wins, it is concluded that these implementations act as a stimulus for wider changes towards an environment of firm commitments and high trust. The paper ends with a review on research tasks ahead.


The patient, as a health care consumer, has a fundamental right to determine what shall be done to his or her own body. The doctrine of informed consent has evolved to protect that right. This article represents a review of the literature regarding the informed consent process in medicine, with an emphasis on consent for anesthesia. A brief history of informed consent is provided, as well as discussion of the controversies surrounding the topic. Several court cases are cited, and the opinions of various authors reflect the wide range of legal and ethical implications associated with informed consent.


Atmospheric conditions conducive to long-range transmission of low-frequency sound as used by elephants are found to exist in the Etosha National Park in Namibia during the late dry season. Meteorological measurements show that strong temperature inversions form at the surface before sunset and decay with sunrise, often accompanied by calm wind conditions during the early evening. These observations are used in an acoustic model to determine the sensitivity of infrasound to the effects of (a) the strength, thickness and elevation of temperature inversions, and (b) the growth and decay of an inversion typical of dry, elevated African savannas. The results suggest that the range over which elephants communicate more than doubles at night. Optimum conditions occur 1-2 h after sunset on clear, relatively cold, calm nights. At these times, ranges of over 10 km are likely, with the greatest amplification occurring at the lowest frequency tested. This strong diurnal cycle in communication range may be reflected in longer-lasting changes in weather and may exert a significant influence on elephant behaviour on time scales from days to many years.


So far, a large number of advanced techniques have been developed to enhance and extract the spatially semantic information in hyperspectral image processing and analysis. However, locally semantic change, such as scene composition, relative position between objects, spectral variability caused by illumination, atmospheric effects, and material mixture, has been less frequently investigated in modeling spatial information. Consequently, identifying the same materials from spatially different scenes or positions can be difficult. In this article, we propose a solution to address this issue by locally extracting invariant features from hyperspectral imagery (HSI) in both spatial and frequency domains, using a method called invariant attribute profiles (IAPs). IAPs extract the spatial invariant features by exploiting isotropic filter banks or convolutional kernels on HSI and spatial aggregation techniques (e.g., superpixel segmentation) in the Cartesian coordinate system. Furthermore, they model invariant behaviors (e.g., shift, rotation) by the means of a continuous histogram of oriented gradients constructed in a Fourier polar coordinate. This yields a combinatorial representation of spatial-frequency invariant features with application to HSI classification. Extensive experiments conducted on three promising hyperspectral data sets (Houston2013 and Houston2018) to demonstrate the superiority and effectiveness of the proposed IAP method in comparison with several state-of-the-art profile-related techniques. The codes will be available from the website: https://sites.google.com/view/danfeng-hong/data-code.


Abstract A modified multiple baseline across behaviors design was used to evaluate the effects of an interdependent group contingency program with randomly selected contingency components on the academic performance of an intact middle-school class serving five male students with serious emotional disturbance (SED). During the initial intervention phase, students had to meet a randomly selected criterion (e.g., 80% or 90% class average) on daily spelling assignments to earn a randomly selected group reward. Mathematics and then English daily assignment performance were added to the program in subsequent phases, and target assignments (i.e., either spelling, mathematics, or English) and criterion were randomly selected. Results show educationally valid increases in academic performance as target assignments were added to the program.


BACKGROUND
Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is a viable intervention for improving impaired muscle function in individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, there is limited evidence about the dose-response relationship between NMES and muscle function in these individuals.

OBJECTIVE
The objectives of this study were to investigate the dose-response relationship between NMES and muscle function in individuals with RA and to establish the minimal NMES training intensity for promoting improvements.

DESIGN
This study was a secondary analysis of data obtained before and after an NMES intervention in a randomized study.

METHODS
The study took place at a research clinic. Only adults diagnosed with RA were included. The intervention consisted of 36 NMES treatment sessions for the quadriceps muscles over 16 weeks. Muscle function was measured before and after the intervention; quadriceps cross-sectional area and muscle quality were assessed using computed tomography, and strength was measured with an isokinetic dynamometer. NMES training intensity was calculated as a percentage by dividing NMES-elicited quadriceps muscle torque by the maximum voluntary isometric contraction. Improvements in muscle function were calculated using paired-sample t tests. The dose-response relationship was determined using curve estimation regression statistics. The minimum NMES training intensity was defined as that sufficient to significantly improve all muscle function measures.

RESULTS
Twenty-four people (48 legs) participated (75% women; 58 [SD = 8] years old; body mass index = 32 [SD = 7] kg/m2). Quadriceps cross-sectional area, muscle quality, and strength improved after the intervention. Associations between NMES training intensity and muscle quality (r2 = 0.20) and strength (r2 = 0.23) were statistically significant, but that between NMES training intensity and muscle cross-sectional area was not (r2 = 0.02). The minimum NMES training intensity necessary to improve all measures of muscle function ranged from 11% to 20% of the maximum voluntary isometric contraction.

LIMITATIONS
The relatively small sample size was a limitation.

CONCLUSIONS
The minimum NMES training intensity for significant gains in muscle function was approximately 15%. Larger NMES intensities may promote better muscle quality and strength in individuals with RA.


Purpose: The HDM2 gene represents one of the central nodes in the p53 pathway. A recent study reported the association of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP309) in the HDM2 promoter region with accelerated tumor formation in both hereditary and sporadic cancers. In this study, we aim to evaluate the SNP309 in bladder cancer and to link it to TP53 status. Experimental Design: SNP309 genotyping and TP53 mutation status were done on 141 bladder tumors and 8 bladder cancer cell lines using a RFLP strategy and TP53 genotyping arrays, respectively. Transcript profiling of a subset of cases (n = 41) was done using oligonucleotide arrays to identify genes differentially expressed regarding their SNP309 status. Results: Of 141 bladder tumors analyzed, 36.9% displayed the SNP309 wild-type (WT; T/T) genotype, whereas 11.3% were homozygous (G/G) and 51.8% were heterozygous (T/G) cases. Patients with superficial disease and the G/G genotype had an earlier age on onset than those with the T/G or T/T genotypes (P = 0.029). Tumors with SNP309 WT genotype significantly displayed TP53 mutations when compared with tumors harboring G/G or T/G genotypes (P < 0.05). SNP309 WT cases had a poorer overall survival than cases with G/G and T/G genotypes (P < 0.05). TP53 mutation status provided enhanced prognostic value (P < 0.001). Transcript profiling identified TP53 targets among those differentially expressed between tumors displaying G/G or T/G SNP309 versus WT cases. Conclusions: SNP309 is a frequent event in bladder cancer, related to earlier onset of superficial disease and TP53 mutation status. SNP309 genotypes were found to be associated with clinical outcome.


Outcomes research is the study of the net effects of the health care process on the health and well-being of individuals and populations. It encompasses a wide breadth of issues, including measurement of patient preferences and health status, broadly referred to as quality of life. Evaluation of health-related quality of life in research studies has been facilitated by the development of a number of measurement tools. In addition to general health tools, cancer-related tools are available, some of which include cancer site-specific or symptom-specific measures. Preference assessment, from the perspective of the patient or general population, is necessary to incorporate quality of life into economic analyses. Various techniques are available to assign preference values to outcomes; metrics such as quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) are then used to combine quality and quantity of life into a usable value for economic analyses. In the future, quality of life and economic measurements should be incorporated into phase III trials, effectiveness trials, and observational studies.


mAbs raised against the human nuclear matrix (anti-NM)1 mAbs have been used to investigate the role of nuclear matrix antigens in pre-mRNA processing. The three anti-NM mAbs used in this study recognize antigens that are highly localized to nuclear matrix speckles. Surprisingly, all three of these mAbs preferentially immunoprecipitate splicing complexes containing exon sequences. The anti-NM mAbs efficiently immunoprecipitate the exon product complex but not complexes containing the lariat product after the second step of splicing. Two of the anti-NM mAbs completely inhibit pre-mRNA splicing in vitro. However, none of the anti-NM mAbs appear to recognize factors stably associated with splicing snRNPs. The three anti-NM mAbs predominantly react with distinct high molecular weight antigens, which belong to a class of nuclear proteins that selectively precipitate with Ser-Arg protein-splicing factors in the presence of high Mg2+ concentrations. Immunological, biochemical, and cell biological data indicate that two of the NM antigens are related to the defined set of Ser-Arg proteins. The results suggest the existence of an extended Ser- Arg family as a component of the nuclear matrix.


The work upon which this report is based was supported by funds provided
by the United States Department of the Interior, Office of Water
Resources Research and Technology, as authorized by the Water Resources
Research Act of 1964, Public Law 88-379, as amended. (Project A-045-ALAS)


This research discusses the redesign of facility layout on metal smelting SMEs that experienced changes in the type of products produced due to shifting consumer needs. Changes in the type of product produced affect the flow of the production process and result in decreased productivity. This study aims to redesign facilities adapted to the type of product produced. Re-layout processes using the conventional method is started by making the operation process chart, drawing the initial layout, and calculate the total moment of product using the From-to Chart (FTC). By using some trial obtained a trial layout that can increase the productivity based on the total moment of the product and the number of output that can be produced. This study also determines the Cost of Production (HPP) for all metal casting products and compares them with previous conditions. This study shows that by re-layout, the output will be greater and the cost of production is cheaper.


The recent popularity of catadioptic and multi-camera imaging systems indicates a need to create formal models for general, non-perspective camera geometries. Development of algorithmic tools for interpreting images from a generalized camera model will lead to a better understanding of how to design camera systems for particular tasks. Here we define the corollary to epi-polar constraints for standard cameras the relationship between two images of a scene taken by generalized cameras from viewpoints related by discrete or differential motions.


Both studies of political power and Europeanization studies have tended to neglect central banks. As the age of the euro reaches its 10th anniversary, it is timely to reflect on what it means for central banks, which have been at the forefront of the establishment of Economic and Monetary Union in the European Union. Central banks have been caught up in a major historic political project. What does it mean for them? What does the age of the euro tell us about the power of central banks, their Europeanization and whether they are coming to resemble each other more closely? This book brings together a range of recognized academic specialists to examine the main political aspects of this question. How, and in what ways, has the euro Europeanized central banks (members and non-members of the Euro Area)? What have been its effects on the power of central banks and their use of power? Has the euro generated convergence or divergence in central banking? The book offers the first, in-depth and systematic political analysis of central banks in the first decade of the euro. It places the euro in its global and European contexts, including the US Fed and the Australasian central banks, patterns of differentiated integration in European central banking, and the European Central Bank. It offers a set of case studies of its effects on a representative sample of EU central banks (euro 'insiders' and 'outsiders') and looks at four main thematic areas (monetary policy, financial market supervision, accountability and transparency, and research). The book contributes to Europeanization studies, comparative political economy, and studies of Economic and Monetary Union. It will be of major interest to students of the European Union and European integration, comparative European politics, and area and 'country' studies. More generally, it will interest all those interested in central banking and their pivotal and problematic position between politics and markets.


Objective: To develop comprehensive recommendations for the treatment of the various clinical manifestations of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) based on evidence obtained from a systematic review of the literature and from consensus opinion.


BACKGROUND
Cervical cancer is one of the most common types of cancer among women. Therefore, cancer studies are underway for a new chemo-agent with more effect on cancer cells and fewer side effects on normal human healthy cells. The currently studied novel ligand L2b as a reduced salicylaldimine derivative was examined in seven cell lines, HeLa, DU-145, PC3, DLD-1, ECC, HT-29, and PNT1-A as a control.

AIM
Because of the antiproliferative ability of L2b, this study intends to look at the apoptotic, cytotoxic, and genotoxic activity of L2b on HeLa.

METHODS
For this purpose, MTT assay is for screening cytotoxic effects, comet assay for looking for DNA damaging or genotoxicity levels, ELISA and DNA fragmentation for apoptotic measuring, AO/EB stain test for checking the rates of live, apoptotic and necrotic cells were performed. To reveal the oxidative state, OSI was assessed by total oxidant and antioxidant status ratios. FRAP assay was calculated for ferric-reducing antioxidant power, using total thiol and GSH assays to measure the antioxidant values of HeLa cells.

RESULTS
Of this result, we have found a tremendous effect of L2b on HeLa cells, especially in raising the ROS rate, damaging their DNA, and causing a range of reactions leading to apoptosis.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the data predict which ligand L2b is capable of rising apoptosis in vitro cervical cancer cell line studied. Further cancer studies are needed to reveal the apoptosis pathways of the ligand L2b in the HeLa cell line and its anticancer drug potency in vivo work.


Providing explanations of language comprehension requires models that describe language processing and display strong systematicity. Although various extensions of connectionist models have been suggested in order to account for this phenomenon, we found that even a simple recurrent network that had been trained in a way that can be considered 'standard', could display strong systematicity. This ability was found to result from informative word representations that developed in the network.


Background and Objectives: Students with borderline intellectual functioning ("slow learners") underperform in all school subjects. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the parental-perceived health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of these students. Its secondary objective was to analyze the impact of sociodemographic variables on their HRQoL. Settings and Design: Cross-sectional single-arm questionnaire-based study was conducted in the learning disability clinic in a public medical college in Mumbai. Subjects and Methods: One hundred parents of slow learners aged 8 to 16 years were recruited by non-probability sampling. Their HRQoL scores were measured using the English DISABKIDS chronic generic module parent (proxy) long-version ("DCGM-37-P") instrument. Statistical Analysis: Multiple regression analysis was carried out for determining the "independent" impact that sociodemographic variables had on a poor facet and total score outcomes. Results: Clinically significant deficits were detected in 4 facets, namely: small deficit in "social inclusion"; medium deficits in "independence", "emotion", and "social exclusion"; and large deficit in "total score". Multivariate analysis revealed that: (i) being an only child predicted a poor "emotion" and "social exclusion" facet score outcomes (P = 0.039 and P = 0.024, respectively); (ii) being a female predicted a poor "social inclusion" facet score outcome (P = 0.022); and, (iii) studying in a single-gender school predicted a poor "limitation" facet score outcome (P = 0.020). Conclusions: Parents of slow learners perceive their psychosocial and total HRQoL to be significantly compromised. There is a need to evaluate the HRQoL of slow learners so that optimum rehabilitation can be facilitated.


Excerpt] Immigration projections are subject to a large degree of uncertainty even in the near term. In fact, the two agencies' projections for net migration in 2010 range, under plausible alternative assumptions, from as low as 150,000 to more than 1.5 million people. Analysis of historical data implies an 80 percent probability that over the next decade, net migration will average between about 500,000 and 1.5 million people annually, with the range of possible outcomes narrowing somewhat over a longer horizon. This paper examines the projection methodologies and outlines the most recent projections of the Social Security trustees and the Census Bureau. The trustees' projections are higher than those of the Census Bureau in the near term but lower after 2025.


This article follows on from 'How children in foster care engage with loyalty conflict: presenting a model of processes informing loyalty' (Dansey, John and Shbero, 2018), published in the previous edition of this journal. This model highlighted the themes of stigma and secrecy for children in care, which it was felt warranted further consideration in their own right. The current article shares further quotations from the children in relation to these themes, which add to the evidence of what children are saying in relation to stigma and bullying. Most importantly, it presents this topic in a manner that stimulates thought around the implications of what children are saying for their broader mental health and resilience and what might therefore be most supportive.  Children in foster care are subject to stigma in relation to being in care and not living with their birth parents. The impact of this is important to explore, especially for those who already experience higher levels of disadvantage than other children. Themes of stigma and secrecy emerged from a recent grounded theory study that was conducted with 15 children and young people in foster care (Dansey, John and Shbero, 2018). These quotations highlighted how stigma was being internalised by children, how they had experienced, or believed that their care status would lead to, bullying and how some of them described keeping their foster care status a secret as a result. This article seeks to share the voices of these children, look at the existing literature in this area and consider the possible impact that stigma and secrecy may have on them. Implications for practice are discussed and the need for more targeted research is highlighted.


Thyme oil nanoemulsions (TONa and TONb), having 219 nm and 163 nm diameters, were successfully prepared by using sonication technique. Zeta potential (ZP) and polydispersity indexes (PDI) of TONa and TONb were defined to be 19.77, 0.24 and −24.80, 0.054, respectively. It was determined that zeta size values of TONs might have played a role on the inhibition of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium. All bacteria tested by agar diffusion method were gram‐negative bacteria that could be mostly found in fish fillets. Within 9 days cold storage period, TMAB growth in fish fillets treated with TONb was successfully reduced from 6.42 to 4.62 log CFU/g (change: 28%). In addition, as compared with control group samples, TPB growth of the same group was limited by 1.51 log CFU/g (from 7.93 to 6.42 log CFU/g). The results suggested that treatment of the fish fillets with the TONs would be a useful and practical nano application to delay microbial growth in fish fillets. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Thyme oil nanoemulsions (TONa and TONb) with a lower diameter than 219 nm have been successfully obtained. Antibacterial effects of TONa and TONb nanoemulsions have been revealed before treatment with fish fillets. The results revealed that TONs could be successfully used for the limitation of microbial spoilage of fish fillets stored at 4°C for 9 days. In this respect, the nano application with rapid and cost‐effective has been presented for the fishery processing industry.


The document D1.7 reports on the status of the WEKIT framework as seen by key stakeholders, e.g. self-directed learners, instructional designers, trainers, trainees, managers, application domain experts, standards teams. Building on the methodology described in D1.5, it outlines the work done and progress made so far in the corresponding task of the project. The WEKIT framework guides and supports the development and implementation of the augmented reality platforms for training using experts. It supports the transition of the trainers from the traditional training platform to the WEKIT approach. It also supports the instructional designers in designing the optimal training system using augmented reality and wearable sensors. The framework builds upon a pool of learning design methods for Augmented Reality and Wearable Technology that capture expert performance and make available the expert's knowledge and experience to trainees. It provides a methodological approach to use these learning design methods for designing an optimal training platform and scaffolds an optimal recording and training methodology. The framework was built and refined by performing an extensive literature review as mentioned in D1.5, expert interviews and through active participation of the WEKIT community and stakeholders. Experts that closely collaborated in the WEKIT project were from three completely different domains namely, Aeronautics engineering, Medical Imaging and Astronaut training. At the same time, the framework is meant to be domain independent and abstract, such that it can be used in different domains for training. The framework itself has been detailed in D1.3 and D1.4. In D1.5, the experts evaluated how well each aspect of the framework was implemented and refined in the wekit.one prototype. During this study, the experts used the recorder and rated statements that corresponded to implementation of the (Transfer Mechanisms) units of the framework. The results showed satisfactory response from the experts. The focus of this document, D1.7, will be on the operationalization of the framework and results from the second WEKIT trial. During the second trial, experts evaluated the expert model (Expert recording) after using the player. The results show satisfactory reactions by the experts. The document will act as a "manual" for future trainers, system designers and researchers. Section 2 of the documents reports on the current status of the framework followed by section 3 on operationalization of the framework. Section 4 of the document reflects on data collected from the recent trials followed by conclusion and future work.


The present study employed event-related potentials (ERPs) to examine the association between neural responses to romantic partners and relationship quality factors. Participants passively viewed photos of their romantic partners, celebrities, and strangers during a computerized facial processing task. All participants demonstrated enhanced positivity to partner faces at early (VPP) and late (P3 and LPP) ERP components, furthering the notion that significant others elicit more motivated and sustained attention than do other familiar or unfamiliar individuals. Neural responses to romantic partner faces were influenced by factors including overall relationship quality, investment, and communication quality, though these associations varied by gender. Results highlight the key role that relationship quality factors play in the immediate processing of romantic partners – a finding with implications for couples counseling and research.


The authors compile large data sets from Norwegian and US historical censuses to study return migration during the Age of Mass Migration (1850–1913). Norwegian immigrants who returned to Norway held lower-paid occupations than did Norwegian immigrants who stayed in the United States, both before and after their first transatlantic migration, suggesting they were negatively selected from the migrant pool. Upon returning to Norway, return migrants held higher-paid occupations relative to Norwegians who never moved, despite hailing from poorer backgrounds. These patterns suggest that despite being negatively selected, return migrants had been able to accumulate savings and could improve their economic circumstances once they returned home.


The synthesis, characterisation and partial hydrolysis of poly(tert-butylmethacrylate), (PTBMA), and the electrorheological (ER) properties of its suspensions were investigated. The polymer was synthesised by radical polymerisation and partially hydrolysed by para-toluenesulphonic acid monohydrate (PTSA.H2O), and then converted to a lithium salt (PTBMA-Li) by washing with a LiOH(aq) solution. From particle size measurements, the average particle size of PTBMA-Li was determined to be 74 μm. Colloidal suspensions of ionomer were prepared in various insulating oils [silicone oil (SO), mineral oil (MO), threeoctylthreemellitate (TOTM) and dioctylphatalete (DOP)] at a series of concentrations (c = 5-33 m/m, %). The sedimentation stabilities of these suspensions were determined at 20 ◦C and were observed to increase with decreasing suspension concentration. Maximum gravitational stability was observed as 32 days in SO at c = 5 m/m, %. Flow times of suspensions were measured under no applied electric field (E = 0 kV/mm), and under an external electric field (E 6= 0 kV/mm), and ER activity was determined. The highest flow time was found to be 32 s in SO at c = 33 m/m, %. Further, the effects of solid particle concentration, shear rate ( . γ), electric field strength, (E) addition of polar promoters and high temperature on the ER activities of colloidal suspensions were investigated. Excess shear stresses (∆τ) were determined to be 74 Pa under E = 1.0 kV/mm.


This introductory article argues that the interlinked Issues of legal reform, the provision of accessible and affordable services and the strengthening of women's capacities to exercise agency over their own bodies make safe abortion a development issue. Within this understanding, it reviews these intersections through the multiple framings used in the articles in this IDS Bulletin. Public health arguments for safe abortion services speak to increasing concerns over the toll of maternal morbidity and mortality from unsafe abortion. Rights-based approaches engage with both national struggles for citizenship rights and personal entitlements to agency Different framings are strategic in different political contexts where policy reform is being debated. This article reflects on the range of strategies and tactics described by contributors that have contributed to successful outcomes or to a more constructive dialogue, while drawing out important cautions for reforms on the still formidable opposition they may face.


In response to drastic environmental changes, companies have been continuously rebalancing their resources and capabilities to sustain their competitive status or to survive difficult times. The aim of this study is to analyze the effect of sudden environmental changes on the competitive status of a firm and to identify the internal factors that differentiate sustainer and non-sustainer groups. To achieve this goal, we selected 85 representative IT and non-IT companies from the S&P 500 companies and investigated them with respect to the change in their five-year competitive status since the 2008 global financial crisis. As a concrete performance measure, the concept of perceived competitive status (PCS) was introduced, and four distinct PCS categories were identified by using the stock price changes during the selected period. The four distinct PCS categories are "sustaining," "drifting," "deep sunken," and "bouncing back." Discriminant analysis was performed on these four distinct PCS categories. The empirical study conducted showed that revenue and cost efficiency are the most discriminating factors, especially in the economic recovery period. In particular, stronger financial liquidity was observed in high-performing "bouncing back" companies than in the other category companies.


Context. The environmental conditions for asympotic giant branch (AGB) stars to reach the carbon-rich (C-rich) phase are important to understand the evolutionary process of AGB stars. The difference between the spatial distributions of C-rich and oxygen-rich (O-rich) AGB stars is essential for the study of the Galactic structure and the chemical evolution of the interstellar medium. Aims. We quantitatively investigate the spatial distributions of C-rich and O-rich AGB stars in our Galaxy. We discuss the difference between them and its origin. Methods. We classify a large number of AGB stars newly detected by the AKARI mid-infrared all-sky survey. In the color–color diagrams, we define their occupation zones based on the locations of known objects. We then obtain the spatial distributions of C-rich and O-rich AGB stars, assuming that they have the same luminosity for a given mass-loss rate. Results. We find that O-rich AGB stars are concentrated toward the Galactic center and that the density decreases with Galactocentric distance, whereas C-rich AGB stars show a relatively uniform distribution within about 8 kpc of Sun. Conclusions. Our result confirms the trends reported in previous studies and extends them to a Galactic scale. We discuss the relations between our result, the Galactic metallicity gradient, and the chemical evolution of the ISM in our Galaxy.


In the wake of the Arab uprisings, the EU has been confronted with governance and humanitarian dilemmas stemming from the need to control migration flows from its southern neighbours. Focusing on the EU approach to migration governance, this paper explores some of the policies and discursive practices that have recently reinforced the complex interdependence between security and migration. It also discusses some of the triggers that have recently prompted an increased securitisation of the migration question in European policy-making. The last section explores whether migration governance strategies inspired by the human security paradigm could contribute to more resilient and rights-based approaches to migrant crises.


One of the main assumptions of empirical studies conducted on the influence of goal ambiguity in public management is that goal ambiguity relates negatively to performance. However, this relationship has rarely been tested at the program level because common goal ambiguity and performance measures for disparate government programs have been scant. The availability of Program Assessment Rating Tool (PART) results for a number of federal programs provides the opportunity for an analysis testing the foregoing assumption. Measures of program goal ambiguity—target, timeline, and program evaluation—are shown to have negative relationships with different program performance scores, taking into account alternative influences or biases on performance. This analysis extends the theory of goal ambiguity by providing the first analysis of large-sample federal programs. The theoretical and practical implications are presented in the discussion and conclusion.


Hydrologists and ecologists studying tundra ecosystems have worked largely independently, with little cross‐fertilization between disciplines. Their disciplines are, however, inextricably linked by a need to understand the dynamics and significance of the common substance water, in its liquid, solid and gaseous state within tundra environments. The impacts of predicted long‐term changes in climate have particularly important consequences for the functioning of tundra systems and there is a pressing need to initiate studies that integrate hydrological and ecological methodologies and concepts. Our paper attempts to summarize existing information on the role of water within tundra ecosystems, to emphasize the fundamental links between the biotic and the physico/chemical environments and to suggest how a closer integration of ideas might be achieved. Given the breadth of the subject matter the paper is intended to be illustrative rather than comprehensive. The paper examines the physical impacts of water in its various states on the tundra environment, emphasizing in particular the causes of spatial variation in water availability to living organisms. The significance of water is discussed for a range of organism groups, including plants, invertebrates and microorganisms and its pivotal role in ecosystem function and disturbance stressed. The need to develop integrated hydological/ecological models for tundra systems on different spatial scales is emphasized.


The present study aimed to assess the water quality status of Diyala River (Iraq).Some physical and chemical properties were studied also the impact of Rustumiya station for sewage treatment. water samples of Diyala River were collected for  four seasons through  2015, to examine the following parameters (water temperature, pH, E.C., salinity, T.D.S., T.H., Ca., Mg., T.S.S., D.O., B.O.D., CL, SO4, NO3 and PO4). It observed by the results that the proportions of these variables have exceeded the Iraqi rivers conservation system No, 65 1967, especially at the third station of the River has been affected greatly as posed streams Rustumiya station to the river, which negatively affects aquatic life on one hand and on the farmland on both sides the river on the other hand, where the river water used for irrigation.


This paper is part I in it series of two describing the fate of alkali metals and phosphorus during cocombustion of rapeseed cake pellets in a 12 MW thermal CFB boiler. In paper I the results of using the mixture of wood chips and wood pellets as a base fuel are described. Up to 45% on energy basis of rapeseed cake was cocombusted during it 4 h test. Two approximately 12 h tests with energy fractions of rapeseed cake of 12 and 18% were performed with limestone as a varying parameter. Fuels were characterized by means of chemical fractionation and standard methods. Elemental mass balances were calculated for ingoing and Outgoing streams of the boiler. In addition SEM/EDX analyses of ashes were performed. Gaseous (KCl + NaCl) its well its HCl and SO2 were Measured upstream of the convection pass, where deposit samples were also collected with deposit probe. The deposit samples were analyzed semiquantitatively by means of SEM/EDX. The elemental mass balances Show accumulation of alkali metals and phosphorus ill the boiler. Analyses of bed material particle cross sections show the presence of phosphorus Compounds within it K-silicates matrix between the agglomerated sand particles, indicating it direct attack of gaseous potassium compounds on the bed surface followed by adhesion of ash particles rich in phosphorus. Build-up of deposit during the cocombustion tests mainly took place on the windward side of the probe; where in increase of K, Na, and P has been observed. Addition of limestone prevented formation of K-silicates and increased retention of phosphorus in the bed, most probably due to formation of high-melting calcium phosphates. During the tests with limestone,,in increase of potassium chloride upstream of the convection pass and it decrease of phosphorus in the fly ash fraction could be noticed. Agglomeration and slagging/fouling when cofiring wood with rapeseed cake may be linked to its high content of organically bonded phosphorus-phytic acid salts-together with high contents of water-soluble alkali metals chlorides and sulfates in the fuel mixture.


Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related degenerative decline is associated to the presence of amyloid beta (Aβ) plaque lesions and neuro fibrillary tangles (NFT). However, the precise molecular mechanisms linking Aβ deposition and neurological decline are still unclear. Here we combine genome-wide transcriptional profiling of the insular cortex of 3xTg-AD mice and control littermates from early through to late adulthood (2–14 months of age), with behavioral and biochemical profiling in the same animals to identify transcriptional determinants of functional decline specifically associated to build-up of Aβ deposits. Differential expression analysis revealed differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the cortex long before observed onset of behavioral symptoms in this model. Using behavioral and biochemical data derived from the same mice and samples, we found that down but not up-regulated DEGs show a stronger average association with learning performance than random background genes in control not seen in AD mice. Conversely, these same genes were found to have a stronger association with Aβ deposition than background genes in AD but not in control mice, thereby identifying these genes as potential intermediaries between abnormal Aβ/NFT deposition and functional decline. Using a complementary approach, gene ontology analysis revealed a highly significant enrichment of learning and memory, associative, memory, and cognitive functions only among down-regulated, but not up-regulated, DEGs. Our results demonstrate wider transcriptional changes triggered by the abnormal deposition of Aβ/NFT occurring well before behavioral decline and identify a distinct set of genes specifically associated to abnormal Aβ protein deposition and cognitive decline.


The shift to more time-intensive and child-centered parenting in the United States is widely assumed to be positively linked to healthy child development, but implications for adult well-being are less clear. We assess multiple dimensions of parents' subjective well-being in activities with children and explore how the gendered nature of time potentially contributes to differences in mothers' and fathers' parenting experiences. Relying on nationally representative time diary data linked to respondents' feelings in activities from the 2010, 2012, and 2013 well-being module of the American Time Use Survey (N = 12,163 persons and 36,036 activities), we find that parents consistently report greater subjective well-being in activities with children than without. Mothers, however, report less happiness, more stress, and greater fatigue in time with children than do fathers. These gaps are relatively small and can be accounted for by differences in the activities that mothers and fathers engage in with children, whether other adults are present, and the quality of their sleep and leisure. We go beyond prior work on parental happiness and life satisfaction to document how contemporary parenting is woven differently into the lives of mothers and fathers.


The design of electromagnetic cloaks based on the coordinate transformation requires a suitable geometrical definition of both the internal and the external surfaces of the cloak itself. We describe a straightforward method to design the electromagnetic cloak of a 3d-generic star domain whose surface is defined just by a set of points distributed over it. We also present numerical simulation for the ray tracing of a light beam inside the material calculated for an asymmetric three-dimensional example.


Microwave integrated circuit (IC) design tends to become more efficient and less expensive which leads to emerging the circuit topology and layout synthesis software. In the paper we present a technique and an algorithm for microwave distributed amplifier (DA) automated synthesis based on requirements to linear characteristics. The technique feature is the using of active and passive element's models for a chosen IC process. This allow the technique to generate circuit topology which can be manufactured using a given IC process. The proposed DA automated design technique work was demonstrated with preamplifier stage design for 20–30 GHz buffer amplifier MMIC based on the 0.25um GaAs pHEMT process of Svetlana-Rost foundry in Saint-Petersburg.


Protein identification using automated data‐dependent tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) is now a standard procedure. However, in many cases data‐dependent acquisition becomes redundant acquisition as many different peptides from the same protein are fragmented, whilst only a few are needed for unambiguous identification. To increase the quality of information but decrease the amount of information, a nonredundant MS (nrMS) strategy has been developed. With nrMS, data analysis is an integral part of the overall MS acquisition and analysis, and not an endpoint as typically performed. In this nrMS workflow a matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization‐time of flight‐time of flight (MALDI‐TOF/TOF) instrument is used. MS and restricted MS/MS data are searched and identified proteins are used to generate an "exclusion list", after in silico digestion. Peptide fragmentation is then restricted to only the most intense ions not present in the exclusion list. This process is repeated until all peaks are accounted for or the sample is consumed. Compared to nanoLC‐MS/MS, nrMS yielded similar results for the analysis of six pooled two‐dimensional electrophoresis (2‐DE) spots. In comparison to standard data‐dependent MALDI‐MS/MS for sodium dodecyl sulfate‐polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE) gel band analysis, nrMS dramatically increased the number of identified proteins. It was also found that this new workflow significantly increased sequence coverage by identifying unexpected peptides, which can result from post‐translational modifications.


Hypertension and diabetes mellitus are chronic medical conditions that frequently coexist. Our objective is to evaluate the effect of Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors and Angiotensin II receptor blockers comparatively and in integration with Metformin, dipeptidyl 4 inhibitors and insulin on lipid profile, serum creatinine, liver enzymes and electrolytes in type II diabetic patients. The hypertensive patient with type II diabetes is especially at risk of adverse cardiovascular events, because diabetes adversely affects the arteries, predisposing them to atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries) [1].
There are many studies conducted to detect the effect of antihypertensive agents on cardiovascular events. The United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) and Hypertension Optimal Treatment (HOT) studies suggested that treatment to a lower target blood pressure resulted in better prevention of clinical disease in these patients [2]. Most trials comparing antihypertensive agents have shown only minimal differences between the various agents. The evidence from the trials suggests that angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers ARB), calcium channel blockers (CCBs), beta-blockers and diuretics will all successfully reduce adverse clinical events. While only limited studies have been reported to detect the effect of antihypertensive on different biochemical parameters in diabetic patients [2]. So our study was designed to detect the effect of antihypertensive agents, separately, comparatively or in integration with antidiabetic agents on some biochemical parameter in type II diabetic patients.
Methodology
Data of the study were collected from clinical reports of 100 hypertensive patients with type II diabetes from Taif Diabetic Center. Male and non-pregnant female with an average age (55 ± 10 years) who's treated with ACE Inhibitors and ARBs were our target. Clinical reports of male and non-pregnant female diabetic patients in Taif Diabetic Center (TDC) which diagnosed with hypertension were investigated by us. Out of 325 clinical reports only 100 reports (49 male and 51 female) were included in our study regarding to the following criteria: 1) Age : our study determine age from 45 to 65 years with average (55 ± 10) as the incidence of diabetes mellitus type II mostly occur in this age [3]. 2) Pregnancy: pregnant female was excluded as pregnancy has some physiological biochemical changes. 3) Patients with nephropathy were excluded from our study as kidney function test was one of our testing parameters. 4) Completed clinical biochemical lab reports for three successive follow ups with (3-4 months) time interval. 5) Drugs: patients only treated with monotherapy antihypertensive drug were involved in our study to prevent factor of drug interaction as it isn't from our aim. Among all hypertensive classes only ACE inhibitors and ARBs mostly prescribed in (TDC), so our study conducted on them. Antidiabetic agents were recorded for detecting the underline effects of combination between antihypertensive drugs and antidiabetics agents on biochemical parameters.

Results
Our results recorded that, ARBs significantly increase AST in compared to ACE inhibitors while chloride level decrease with ACE inhibitors in compared to ARBs.
On other hand, when we compared the effect of ACE/ARBs in combined with antidiabetic agents Significant increase in TC was recorded with ACE inhibitors + Metformin, also LDL was increase with ACE inhibitors + insulin while ARBs + Insulin was increase HDL. Serum creatinine increased in both groups used Insulin. ALT was significantly increases with ARBs + Metformin + DPP-4 inhibitors.
Electrolytes were affected during the combination with antidiabetic agents, Sodium level was increased with ARBs + Metformin + DPP4 inhibitors and potassium was increase with ARBs + Insulin.
Conclusion
There are slight effects on selected biochemical parameters was recorded during the treatment with ACE inhibitors and ARBs separately and when combined with antidiabetic agents. Our study is one of novel studies that concern with the effects of mono antihypertensive agents (ACE inhibitors and ARBs) during 3 consecutive follow ups (3-4 months interval) in hypertensive type II diabetic patients. As well as Their underline effects (ACE inhibitors and ARB) in a combination with antidiabetics agents (insulin or Biguanide or Biguanide plus DPP-4 inhibitors) on the biochemical parameters (lipid profile, renal function parameter ,liver function parameters and electrolytes electrolytes) in three consecutive follow ups.
Regarding lipid profile, our result noticed that, there is no significance on TC, TG, LDL and HDL levels during the treatment with ACE inhibitors and ARBs. This disagree with Mohamad Alblihed and Husni Farah [5,6] which reported significant increase in TC and TG levels in post-treated patients with captopril (ACE inhibitors) compared with the control subjects.
On other side when we compared the effect of ACE inhibitors in combination with antidiabetic agents we recorded significant increase (P < 0.05) in TC with ACE inhibitors + Biguanide (208.8 ± 20.2) in compared with ACE inhibitors + insulin (157.2 ± 7.9) in second follow up. Also LDL level was significantly increase in ACE inhibitors + Biguanide (141.4 ± 21.6) in compared to ACE inhibitors + Insulin and ACE inhibitors + Biguanide + DPP-4 inhibitors (96.5 ± 6.9), (104.3 ± 6.9) respectively in second follow up. While HDL level was significantly increase in ARBs + Insulin (46.2 ± 3.5) in compared to ARBs+ Biguanide (36.5 ± 2.2) in first follow up.
Our result recorded that, the mean Serum creatinine levels were almost stable during the 3 consecutive follow ups. Jahnavi and Ervilla [7] partially agree with us as they reported that, ARBs stabilized serum creatinine during the treatment (1.97 ± 1.19), (1.96 ± 1.15), (1.97 ± 1.32) for three months respectively. Our result disagree with Mohamad Alblihed and Husni Farah [5,6] which founded significant increase in Serum Creatinine (1.33 ± 0.13) in patient treated with ACE inhibitors in comparison to control group. They were refer the increase in SrCr to the biological effects.
On other hand our result was supported by peter [8] as they recommended for using ACE inhibitors and ARBs in diabetic patients as they offer a protection against nephropathy through a specific effect on the renal microcirculation by reducing intraglomerular pressure.
The combination between ACE inhibitors and antidiabetic agents recorded a significant increase (p < 0.05) of serum creatinine in ACE inhibitors + Insulin (1.0 ± 0.0) in compared to both groups (0.8 ± 0.0) in first follow up and (0.7 ± 0.0) in second follow up.
Also significant increase in SrCr in second follow up was documented with ARBs + Insulin (1.0 ± 0.0) in comparison to both groups (0.8 ± 0.0). While in third follow up ARBs + Insulin significantly increase (1.0 ± 0.1) in compare to ARBs + Biguanide + DPP-4 inhibitors (0.8 ± 0.0).
The high SrCr level in patients treated with insulin who is resistant to oral antidiabetic agents in both groups can be referred to long term uncontrolled diabetes. Which can lead to the complication of microvascular disease (nephropathy) [9].
Regarding liver function test; liver enzyme AST was significantly increased in patients who is treated with ARBs (43.9 ± 6.1) in compared to ACE inhibitors (23.4 ± 2.5) in first follow up while ALT and Albumin were not affected. This result was supported by Kim and Douglas [10] reported that the ARBs have been associated with a minimal rate of serum enzyme elevations during therapy which are usually mild-to-moderate in severity, self-limited, and rarely require dose modification or discontinuation. In contrast to our study; Lina, et al. [11] recorded that, the use of ACE inhibitors lead to moderate increase in the liver enzymes in some patients, ALT and AST were increase by (11.18%) without any symptom of hepatotoxicity.


The present paper determines the status and range of forms in the genus Climacteris Temminck (tree-creepers) formerly regarded as species; it also reviews infraspecific variation, re-defines races, and is a detailed study of speciation in the genus. Climacteris is a most interesting genus in the information it yields with respect to speciation, Forms occur that represent the full range of intermediate stages right up to the one that has demonstrated its specific distinctness by secondarily contacting the parental stock without interbreeding. The number of forms with the "potential" of developing into new species is unusually high, 0.8 per species in Australia, or 1.5 for Australia and New Guinea combined, The fundamental isolating barriers are tracts of arid country that cause extensive gaps in the habitats to which the various species are adapted. This presupposes an initial climatic deterioration which isolated remnant populations in "refuges", a theory that has already been introduced into ornithology by Gentilli (1949), Mayr (1950), and Serventy (1951). Climacteris differs from the related genus Neositta (nuthatches), studied by Mayr (1950), for in the latter a secondary climatic improvement has led to an increase in range and multiple hybridization. In Climacteris there is evidence of some secondary spread but, with one exception, distinctive geographically representative forms are still isolated.


Since today's weather forecasts only cover large regions every few hours, their use in severe weather is limited. In this paper, we present CloudCast, an application that provides short-term weather forecasts depending on users current location. Since severe weather is rare, CloudCast leverages pay-as-you-go cloud platforms to eliminate dedicated computing infrastructure. CloudCast has two components: 1) an architecture linking weather radars to cloud resources, and 2) a Nowcasting algorithm for generating accurate short-term weather forecasts. We study CloudCast's design space, which requires significant data staging to the cloud. Our results indicate that serial transfers achieve tolerable throughput, while parallel transfers represent a bottleneck for real-time mobile Nowcasting. We also analyze forecast accuracy and show high accuracy for ten minutes in the future. Finally, we execute CloudCast live using an on-campus radar, and show that it delivers a 15-minute Nowcast to a mobile client in less than 2 minutes after data sampling started.


We have demonstrated a very compact eight-channel 200-GHz-spacing multiwavelength laser (MWL) module for the optical line terminal source of wavelength-division-multiplexing passive optical network. The wavelength shift of MWLs and external cavity lasers from the ITU grid was within +0.14 nm for eight channels, which was well matched to the target wavelength shift of less than plusmn0.2 nm. The oscillation characteristics of our MWL module are better than those of conventional MWLs with hybrid integration.


Data were collected on 642 preschool children who presented consecutively to casualty with fever and no localizing signs. Four hundred and forty-six (69%) had malaria parasitaemia. The proportion of children with bacteraemia was similar in those children with malaria (43/446, 9.6%) and those without malaria (24/196, 12.2%, P < 0.5). The pathogens in both groups of children were mainly Staphylococcus aureus and coliform bacteria. Although children with malaria/bacteraemia had a significantly higher prevalence of anaemia (P = 0.001), hepatosplenomegaly (P < 0.01) and combination of hepatosplenomegaly and severe anaemia (P = 0.02), compared with children with malaria alone, there was no correlation between the severity of parasitaemia and prevalence of malaria with bacteraemia. The association of malaria with bacteraemia appears to be coincidental.


This paper deals with the evaluation of the traditional travelling wave tube amplifier (TWTA) output power model completed with an associated power efficiency estimation with multi carrier signal. A 120 W Ka band linearised TWTA is used to propose a full comparison between simulated and measured results concerning up to four modulated carriers as an input signal. Three different regions of output operating point are proposed, each correlated to a growing complexity needed in signal simulation from CW to all multiplex composed by modulated carriers.


This paper reports a 1.8-V 64-kb four-way set-associative CMOS cache memory implemented by 0.18 μm 1.8 V 1P6M logic CMOS technology. This cache is designed for a 32-b RISC microprocessor. Effective latency of 3.4 ns and power consumption of 190 mW at 263 MHz are obtained at a supply voltage of 1.8 V. This performance is achieved by using high speed circuit design techniques such as modified high speed current-mode sense amplifier and split dynamic tag comparators.


Changes in fire regimes due to climate change and fire management practices are affecting the timing, length, and distribution of vegetation fires throughout the year. Plant species responses and tolerances to fire differ from season to season and are influenced by species-specific phenological processes. The ability of seeds to tolerate extreme temperatures associated with fire is one of these processes, with survival linked to seed moisture content at the time of exposure. As fire is more often occurring outside historic dry fire seasons, the probability of fire occurring when seeds are hydrated may also be increasing. In this study, we set out to understand the seasonal dynamics of seed hydration for seeds of Banksia woodland species, and how certain seed traits interact with environmental conditions to influence survival of high temperatures associated with fire. We measured the moisture content of seeds buried to 2 cm in the soil seed bank for four common native species and one invasive species on a weekly basis throughout 2017, along with soil moisture content and environmental correlates. We determined water sorption isotherms at 20°C for seeds of each species and used these functions to model weekly variation in seed water activity and predict when seeds are most sensitive to soil heating. Using Generalised additive models (GAMs), we were able to describe approximately 67% of the weekly variance in seed water activity and explored differences in seed hydration dynamics between species. Seed water activity was sufficiently high (i.e., ≥ 0.85 aw) so as to have created an increased risk of mortality if a fire had occurred during an almost continuous period between May and November in the study period (i.e., 2017). There were brief windows when seeds may have been in a dry state during early winter and late spring, and also when they may have been in a wet state during summer and late autumn. These data, and the associated analyses, provide an opportunity to develop approaches to minimize seed mortality during fire and maximize the seed bank response.


This study evaluated the effects of (1) reducing the cementitious content, (2) the use of optimized aggregate gradation (OAG) technique, and (3) the use of Portland limestone cement (Type IL) in Florida Class I pavement and Class IV structural concrete. The potential performance of the pavement concrete mixes was also evaluated using critical stress analysis using a 3D FEM model. The compressive strength, modulus of rupture, modulus of elasticity, Poisson's ratio, splitting tensile strength, coefficient of thermal expansion, rapid chloride permeability, and surface resistivity of the concrete mixes using normal Portland cement (Type I/II) and the concrete mixes using Type IL cement were similar to one another. The results of critical stress analysis indicated that the pavement concrete using Type IL cement had a predicted performance similar to concrete using Type I/II cement. The predicted performance of the pavement concrete was improved when the OAG technique was used. The main findings from this study are as follows: (1) The cementitious content of typical Florida pavement and structural concrete can be reduced by as much as 10 to 15% without loss in workability of the fresh concrete, and without decreasing the strength and durability of the hardened concrete. (2) Portlandlimestone cement (Type IL) can be used as a substitute for ordinary Portland cement (Type I/II). (3) The OAG technique can be used to efficiently reduce the cementitious content of the concrete mixes and to improve their performance.


Reiter's disease and ankylosing spondylitis are rheumatic disorders in which signs and symptoms of genital inflammatory disease are often found. The genital infection of course forms an integral part of the clinical picture in Reiter's disease and indeed, in the British Isles, the disease is probably correctly regarded as venereally acquired. In ankylosing spondylitis genital symptoms are rarely obtrusive, yet careful examination shows evidence of chronic genital infection in nearly all cases (Romanus, 1953; Mason, Murray, Oates, and Young, 1958). This work to date has been confined to male patients and the genital disease has usually been in the form ofchronic non-specific prostatitis. As this condition is known to occur in apparently normal males, it is important to obtain some idea of the frequency of its occurrence in order to assess the significance of the findings in spondylitis. Table I shows some estimates from the literature of the percentage of normal males with asymptomatic prostatitis. Several of these sources are of limited value as they do not state the criteria adopted in making the diagnosis.


Asthma is one of the widespread chronic diseases. Firstly, the medical background of asthma is given. Pathology and symptoms are presented. Afterwards, the problem of persistent asthma management is introduced with a short overview of traditional disease management techniques. A review on approaches to asthma telemonitoring is made. This paper presents a web information system and a wireless sensor network for indoor or outdoor air quality monitoring with application in asthma trigger factors assessment. Employment of low power wireless sensor networks (WSN) paired with Smartphone technologies is reviewed as a novel asthma management tool. The wireless sensor network includes a set of sensing nodes with ability to measure environment parameters like temperature, relative humidity, carbon monoxide among others and to send processed information to a smart coordinator. Using the technology, the aim is to retain the disease in a controlled state with minimal effort, invasiveness and cost, and assess patient's condition objectively.


Background: Atraumatic restorative treatment (ART) approach was developed in the mid-1980s to provide dental preventive and restorative care to underserved populations in areas that are out of reach. This method consists of the removal of infected (soft demineralized carious) tooth tissue with hand instruments only followed by restoring the cleaned cavity and associated pits and fissures with an adhesive restorative material. However, survival of ART restoration is a matter of intense speculation. Aim: To conduct a systematic review of the literature on the survival rate of ART restorations. Materials and Methods: A systematic search was carried out in MEDLINE, PubMed, and Cochrane databases from 1998 to 2014 using the term survival of ART in permanent teeth, primary teeth, ART restorative material. Results: The analysis of abstracts led to the selection of 36 studies. The research reports a survival rate of ART restoration for <2 years, 2–5 years, and >5 years ranging from 44.8% to 100%, 24.4% to 90%, and 72.6% to 86%. Survival of ART restoration is reported to be marginally higher in permanent molars compared to their primary counterparts. Conclusion: This systematic review revealed high survival rates for single-surface ART restorations in both primary and permanent molars. However, long-term clinical studies are scarce, and a level two and level three evidence was observed.


Five linepipe type steels were produced in order to study the effect of calcium and magnesium injection on their final properties. Two of these steels were at the extremes of the sulphide range i.e. 0.003 and 0.017% sulphur with no injection attempted; thereby, providing standards to compare with the injected steels. The oxygen level varied from 21 to 63 p.p.m. The cast ingots were controlled-rolled and isothermally rolled in order to study the deformation characteristics of the residual non-metallic inclusions. The structure and cleanliness of these steels was evaluated metallographically using the light microscope, SEM, and image analysis and the results related to their Charpy toughness and HIC resistance. Increasing sulphur levels decreased final properties of the steel. In the untreated state, with as little as 0.003% sulphur, test orientation was highly influential. Modification of sulphur bearing steels was achieved with low modifying element to sulphur ratios provided that the oxygen content was very low. Injection of calcium into steel caused interaction with oxide and sulphide inclusions which was biased toward oxide reduction relative to sulphur removal. Magnesium again reduced oxides and appeared to be linked with aluminia containing inclusions in the final product. It produced improved toughness values relative to a similar sulphur containing calcium treated steel. The results of this work could be extended to establish the mechanism of inclusion modification with magnesium additions to sulphur bearing steels.


1. Those having a detailed and first-hand knowledge of Descartes's work seem agreed that it was highly original, genuinely critical and of permanent importance in the history of thought. And though they would differ in opinion on what are the reasons best advanced in support of their estimate, a majority would seem to regard the "Cartesian revolution" as summing up what is most meritorious in Descartes's philosophy and most lasting in his influence. They would find Professor E. Gilson speaking their mind when he declares, "Sur ce qu'il y a de nouveau et de strictement original dans sa pensée, aucun doute ne saurait subsister. Descartes est la revendication personnifiée du mathématisme universel.


UV radiation and ozonation were investigated as
disinfection alternatives for the wastewater treatment plant. The inactivation
of total and fecal coliforms using ozone and ultraviolet radiation as separate
treatments was evaluated. Different ozone concentrations (3 to 40 mg O3/L)
were applied and UV fluencies ranging from 8.5 to 12 mJ/cm2 at
different pH values (from 5 to 9) were tested. Best results were obtained for
ozone doses near 20 mg/min with removals of 72% and 78% of fecal
and total coliforms, respectively. The ozone also was capable of oxidizing
organic matter in the effluent measured as COD (the highest removal obtained
was 36% for 20 mg O3/min). Maximum bacterial resistance was observed
at pH 7 in both cases. The UV light offered a high bacterial inactivation (over
80%) and the lowest bacterial inactivation was observed at pH 7. Finally, we
obtained the electric energy per order (EEO, kWh/m3/order),
defined as the electric energy (kW-h) required to degrade a contaminant by one
order of magnitude in a unit volume of contaminated water, being noteworthy
that EEO values for the UV
process resulted were lower than those determined for the process with ozone in all the water
flow tested.


The central circadian pacemaker is located in the hypothalamus of mammals, but essentially the same oscillating system operates in peripheral tissues and even in immortalized cell lines. Using luciferase reporters that allow automated monitoring of circadian gene expression in mammalian fibroblasts, we report the collection and analysis of precise rhythmic data from these cells. We use these methods to analyze signaling pathways of peripheral tissues by studying the responses of Rat-1 fibroblasts to ten different compounds. To quantify these rhythms, which show significant variation and large non-stationarities (damping and baseline drifting), we developed a new fast Fourier transform–nonlinear least squares analysis procedure that specifically optimizes the quantification of amplitude for circadian rhythm data. This enhanced analysis method successfully distinguishes among the ten signaling compounds for their rhythm-inducing properties. We pursued detailed analyses of the responses to two of these compounds that induced the highest amplitude rhythms in fibroblasts, forskolin (an activator of adenylyl cyclase), and dexamethasone (an agonist of glucocorticoid receptors). Our quantitative analyses clearly indicate that the synchronization mechanisms by the cAMP and glucocorticoid pathways are different, implying that actions of different genes stimulated by these pathways lead to distinctive programs of circadian synchronization.


The pharmacokinetics of norethindrone were investigated in rats exposed to ionizing x-irradiation. Norethindrone was administered by IV bolus injection immediately after, 3 days or 7 days after exposure to 100 rads, 300 rads, 600 rads, and sham x-irradiation. No observable change in norethindrone pharmacokinetics was observed in rats immediately after exposure to all dose levels of x-rays. At three days post irradiation there was an increase in volume of distribution (Vdarea) from 5.55 +/- 0.93 l/kg for sham irradiated to 11.28 +/- 0.74 l/kg for 600 rad rats. Half-life increased after exposure to x-rays from 45.2 +/- 4.5 minutes for sham irradiated to 85.5 +/- 12.1 minutes for 600 rads dose. The Mean Residence Time (MRT) increased from 56.7 +/- 5.6 minutes to 96.4 +/- 13.6 minutes after exposure to 600 rads. This same trend was present 7 days post irradiation but was not nearly as pronounced. No significant differences were observed in total body clearance in irradiated versus sham irradiated animals. As norethindrone is excreted as metabolites via hepatic biotransformation, these findings imply that this process is not affected by irradiation for drugs with high hepatic extraction ratios. Increased distribution of norethindrone to peripheral tissues results in a longermore » MRT for irradiated animals which could result from radiation induced increase in membrane permeability.« less


In the spring 2012 semester, Anna Faist, a senior at John Carroll University in Cleveland, Ohio, participated in an independent study course directed by James Menkhaus.  This course, Ignatian Solidarity in Guatemala , connected Anna's immersion experiences at John Carroll with extensive readings on solidarity, Ignatian spirituality, and social justice.  The primary goal of the course was to combine the learning of "concepts" with the experience of "contact" that fosters a sense of solidarity within students.  This paper offers a window into some prevalent literature on solidarity, Anna's reflections on Ignatian solidarity in light of her immersion experiences, and a reflection on the value and weaknesses of immersion programs for Jesuit higher education.


Continuous Beam Bridge was widely used, while seismic problem of it was prominent in meizoseismal area. According to mechanism of DSB, seismic performance of DSB was studied and the parameters of DSB were analyzed later, based on non-navigable bridge of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge in deep water. It was found that DSB was an effective seismic-isolation device which could significantly reduce the seismic force although seismic displacement of bridge was increased. Yielding force and post-yielding stiffness were two main parameters of DSB.


The methods of true biological medicine are well defined and acknowledged by the classical medicine. In contrary to them, there is a number of methods which should be defined as "scientifically (now) not generally acknowledged". This term is neither positively coloured nor negatively and does not include, that these methods are ineffective--it just signifies, that (at least until now) the effectivity could not be proved unobjectionably. Of course, just these methods have to be examined carefully in regard to their basic theory, their claim of efficiency and their relation of benefit and risk. Undoubtedly there are also some other methods mostly with a magic-occult base which can only be defined by the term "paramedicine".


Abstract. The main purpose of this study is to provide a simple statistical analysis of several stability indices and parameters for extreme and non-extreme thunderstorm events during the period 1997 to 2001 in Cyprus. For this study, radiosonde data from Athalassa station (35°1´ N, 33°4´ E) were analyzed during the aforementioned period. The stability indices and parameters set under study are the K index, the Total Totals (TT) index, the Convective Available Potential Energy related parameters such as Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE), Downdraft CAPE (DCAPE) and the Convective Inhibition (CIN), the Vorticity Generator Parameter (VGP), the Bulk Richardson Number (BRN), the BRN Shear and the Storm Relative Helicity (SRH). An event is categorized as extreme, if primarily, CAPE was non zero and secondary, if values of both the K and the TotalTotals (TT) indices exceeded 26.9 and 50, respectively. The cases with positive CAPE but lower values of the other indices, were identified as non-extreme. By calculating the median, the lower and upper limits, as well as the lower and upper quartiles of the values of these indices, the main characteristics of their distribution were determined.


Imaginary in common language is opposed to "realistic" and becomes synonymous of "illusory" and "evanescent". But it turns out that far from being evanescent, unreal, smoky, spooky, audio-visual based on the image is prominent, even dominant. In this type of society, the young critics sociologists should raise the issue of what happened and what will be the end of critical spirit. Socratic homo sapiens switching to electronic post-human. The post-human images: the image has an autopoietic virtue, self-reproducing it, it no longer needs a creator of image and it is creature of itself. But there is the possibility of autotelic man: you'll never be dead if you have somehow lived to the full your chosen life, but the choice means surrender, surrender for the project, and the project is highly problematic compared to what will happen.


ABSTRACT In today's increasingly linguistically diverse classrooms, all science teachers require expertise in supporting students' language development simultaneous to content-based classroom instruction. Current science-oriented K-12 teaching frameworks and standards promote a vision of learning and doing science that entails engaging students in language-rich science practices. The purpose of this case study was to follow one teacher candidate's developing pedagogical language knowledge. Of specific interest was his instructional decision-making in regard to integrating science and language learning. This study provides insight into the strengths and struggles of a novice teacher during his student-teaching experience. Overall, findings indicate that his knowledge and understandings about science, language, and science-language integration proved more sophisticated than his implementation, and at times his practices were contradictory to the more sophisticated views that he held. This case offers an example for other teacher educators seeking to better prepare teacher candidates for the integration of language and content.


Oxford Archaeology North was commissioned by Capita Symonds Ltd, on behalf of Cumbria County Council, to undertake an archaeological evaluation of an area of land for the proposed new sports hall (planning reference 06/05/9007) at Walney School, Walney, Barrow-in-Furness (NGR SD 1773 6835).
The site lies within an area of high archaeological potential due to numerous prehistoric lithic implements having been revealed during the construction of the school in 1957 (HER nos 2623 and 2378). Therefore, the intention of the archaeological investigation was to identify the impact of the proposed development on any surviving archaeological remains to inform the planning process.
The evaluation, conducted in accordance with a brief from Cumbria County Council's Historic Environment (CCCHES), was undertaken in February 2006 and comprised a rapid desk-based assessment and the evaluation of three trenches, equivalent to a 5% sample of the development area.
The evaluation revealed no evidence of discrete archaeological features or deposits. It was clear that some disturbance of the area had already occurred, most likely related to the construction of the school and the later addition of the adjacent tennis courts. Three fragments of non-diagnostic flint and one piece of brown stoneware, of a style still currently in use, were recovered from unstratified contexts. Therefore, the proposed development is unlikely to have any impact on deposits of an archaeological significance.