Reactivation of hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication, an abrupt increase or reappearance of serum HBV DNA in a patient with chronic or past HBV infection, is a known complication of immunosuppressive therapy. This condition can lead to hepatocellular injury, elevated alanine aminotransferase levels, symptoms of acute hepatitis, liver failure, and even death (1). Many physicians who regularly prescribe immunosuppressive therapy unfortunately do not recognize this potentially fatal condition.

Hepatitis B virus reactivation has been best studied in patients receiving chemotherapy for hematologic cancer, but it has also been reported during treatment of solid tumors (2). In addition, reactivation can occur in patients receiving antirejection treatment, long-term corticosteroid therapy, and tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors (3, 4). Most cases of HBV reactivation occur in patients who are hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)–positive, but it has also been reported in patients who are HBsAg-negative/hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc)–positive, particularly when rituximab is used (5).

A systematic review of 14 studies (including 2 randomized, controlled trials) evaluated 550 HBsAg-positive patients receiving cancer chemotherapy. In patients who did not receive prophylactic antiviral therapy, 36.8% had HBV reactivation, 33.4% had HBV-related hepatitis, 13% had liver failure, and 5.5% died (6). Prophylactic use of lamivudine decreased the risk for HBV reactivation and HBV-related hepatitis by 79% to 100%, and no cases of HBV-related liver failure occurred. Furthermore, patients who received prophylactic lamivudine had less interruption of chemotherapy and lower rates of cancer-related, as well as all-cause, mortality.

By contrast, anti-HBV treatment initiated after the onset of hepatitis has been shown to be less effective. Randomized trials of prophylactic versus deferred lamivudine (that is, lamivudine therapy initiated after an increase in HBV DNA or alanine aminotransferase level) showed that severe HBV-related hepatitis occurred in 0% versus 13% to 36% (7).

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends testing patients for HBsAg, anti-HBc, and hepatitis B surface antibody before they receive immunosuppressive therapy (8). The Practice Guidelines of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) and the 2008 National Institutes of Health Consensus Development Conference on Hepatitis B also recommend HBV screening before beginning immunosuppressive therapy (9, 10).

Current assays for HBsAg and anti-HBc are sensitive, specific, and inexpensive, and the results can be available in 1 to 2 days. In the United States, all positive HBsAg test results must be confirmed before the result is reported. Commercially available anti-HBc assays claim to have diagnostic specificity and sensitivity of 99%. However, false-positive results may occur, particularly in low-prevalence groups. When anti-HBc is the only marker present, experts recommend confirmation with strength of the reaction in the anti-HBc test, repeated testing with a different assay, or testing for HBV DNA (11).

The AASLD guidelines recommend prophylactic anti-viral therapy for patients who are HBsAg-positive (9). Patients who are HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc–positive should be monitored by measuring aminotransferase and HBV DNA levels, and antiviral therapy should be initiated at the first sign of HBV-related hepatitis.

Although the evidence is less compelling, it is reasonable to consider prophylactic antiviral therapy if HBsAg-negative/anti-HBc–positive patients will be receiving potent immunosuppressive therapies, such as chemotherapy for hematologic cancer or rituximab-containing regimens (12). Outcomes are best if antiviral therapy is initiated before the start of immunosuppressive therapy. If this method is not feasible, clinicians should aim to start antiviral therapy concurrent with or as soon as possible after the initiation of immunosuppressive therapy.

Despite the CDC recommendations to test for HBV before starting immunosuppressive therapy, surveys of oncologists have found that only 13% to 19% routinely test patients before initiating immunosuppressive therapy (13, 14). The low rate of HBV screening is related to lack of awareness, uncertainty about who should be screened, and the cost of testing. A 2010 Institute of Medicine report (15) recognized lack of awareness and knowledge about hepatitis B among the public and health care providers as a barrier to HBV prevention.

Oncologists cite the lack of evidence from randomized, controlled trials as a reason for not screening their patients for HBV. This need for data is reflected in the American Society of Clinical Oncology's Provisional Clinical Opinion, which states that the evidence is insufficient to determine the net benefits and harms of routine screening for HBV infection in persons who are about to receive cytotoxic or immunosuppressive therapy (16). The American Society of Clinical Oncology recommends HBV screening for patients with increased risk for chronic HBV infection or if highly immunosuppressive therapy is planned and states that antiviral therapy may be considered in patients with chronic infection.

The American College of Rheumatology recommends screening for HBV in high-risk patients receiving leflunomide or methotrexate therapy (17). "High risk" is defined by risk behavior or occupation but does not include birth in endemic areas, and there is no recommendation for HBV screening before starting biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy. A survey of rheumatologists in the United States found that 42% reported routinely screening for HBV before beginning nonbiologic DMARD therapy and 69% screened patients for HBV before beginning biologic DMARD therapy (18).

Because 7% of the rheumatologists surveyed had witnessed HBV reactivation with biologic DMARDs, the next iteration of the American College of Rheumatology guidelines provides an opportunity to strengthen recommendations about HBV screening. The AASLD's position, supported by the CDC's guidelines, is that the potential benefit of HBV screening and prophylactic antiviral therapy in infected persons warrants a stronger recommendation.

Although screening patients at high risk for HBV infection would be a more cost-effective strategy than universal screening, targeted screening is difficult to implement and can miss infected patients who do not recognize or report risk factors. One study of pregnant women in the United States found that fewer than 60% of those who tested positive for HBsAg had a positive response to any of the questions on risks for HBV (19). These findings led to the current policy of universal prenatal screening. The Institute of Medicine committee estimated that only 35% of persons with chronic HBV infection in the United States have been diagnosed (15).

Compelling data indicate that reactivation of HBV in patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy can cause severe hepatitis and even death. Screening for HBV and a once-daily oral antiviral medication can prevent this complication. Because an estimated 800 000 to 1.4 million Americans have chronic HBV infection (15), the problem of HBV reactivation deserves serious consideration. We agree with the American Society of Clinical Oncology that more robust data are needed and that studies should be conducted to determine the incidence and predictive factors for HBV reactivation and optimal duration of prophylactic antiviral therapy. These studies should be done not only in patients receiving cancer chemotherapy but also in those receiving other immunosuppressive therapies or biologic agents.

Because the prevalence of anti-HBc (4.7%) in the United States is higher than that of HBsAg (0.27%) (20), these data are particularly important for HBsAg-negative/anti–HBc-positive patients, in whom false-positive test results can occasionally occur and screening and management are more controversial. Collaboration of multidisciplinary medical specialists and public health experts can facilitate these studies. To begin this process, the AASLD and CDC are partnering to establish a registry of cases of reactivated hepatitis B. Both organizations look forward to collaborating with primary care physicians, oncologists, gastroenterologists, rheumatologists, dermatologists, and other spe cialists to conduct prospective studies that will provide more definitive data.


As an efficient supplement for terrestrial communications, e.g., fifth-generation communication networks, satellite communication has been proved as a promising choice to realize seamless coverage, due to its inherent superiority over common wireless communication systems, like large-scale coverage area and flexibility of deployment. In this article, a satellite-terrestrial transmission (STT) system including a satellite transmitter (S) and a group of terrestrial receivers (D) is focused on. Considering the randomness of D and employing stochastic geometry, the outage performance and diversity gain of three hybrid automatic repeat request (HARQ) schemes, generalized slotted ALOHA (GSA), repetition time diversity (RTD) and general incremental redundancy (IR), are respectively studied. In detail, the exact closed-form analytical expression for the outage probability (OP) is derived for the GSA scheme, while the approximated expression for the OP of RTD scheme is presented and a useful expression for the OP of IR scheme is derived. Furthermore, the diversity gains of the three considered HARQ schemes are respectively investigated in STT scenarios. Finally, some numerical results are provided to validate the proposed analysis models.


Lawyers and law school clinics have become myopic in their approach to civil domestic violence lawyering. This article argues that domestic violence lawyering should expand beyond its current focus on family law to move domestic violence law and practice forward. Drawing on theoretical frameworks from criminal law and feminist legal theory, this article proposes a lawyering model that expands individual representation across a wide spectrum of case types while also challenging systems that enable battering or do not support victims in their efforts to secure safety. Holistic representation in family law, public benefits, immigration, housing, mortgage foreclosure, tort, and financial matters, among other substantive areas, better serves domestic violence victims and reveals systemic problems facing victims. By taking a dual approach – broad holistic representation of individual victims combined with law reform efforts directed at systemic issues revealed through broad direct representation – lawyers and law school clinics can move domestic violence advocacy forward.


Purpose of reviewMost patients with acute myeloid leukemia treated with chemotherapy relapse. It is increasingly recognized that the cause of chemoresistance and relapse resides within the leukemia stem cell population. Successful eradication of leukemia stem cells would require a comprehensive profile of both the acquired molecular lesions and intrinsic features of leukemia stem cells. This review describes recent work identifying molecular markers that may lead to development of novel therapeutics, ultimately aiming to eradicate leukemia stem cells in acute myeloid leukemia. Recent findingsIn recent years, novel specific cell surface antigens have allowed identification of leukemia stem cells and permitted their distinction from normal hematopoietic stem cells. Novel concepts of leukemia stem cells and niche interaction have elucidated the mechanisms that control leukemia stem cell survival and chemoresistance. Recent detection of genetic aberrations affecting regulators of HOX gene expression and chromatin modifying enzymes, such as CDX2 and hDOT1L, respectively, elucidates new key players in stem cell self-renewal and leukemic transformation. SummaryThe discovery of novel markers and survival pathways for leukemia stem cells has increased our potential to specifically target and eliminate the leukemic stem cell compartment, which is likely to improve clinical outcomes in acute myeloid leukemia.


Resources from the F. D. Bluford Library and the best of online instructional resources and digital collections to celebrate the Centennial of World War I.


OBJECTIVE
The effects of melatonin on antioxidant status were examined in pinealectomized rats using enzymatic, histological and immunohistochemical techniques. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of melatonin on hippocampal apoptosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Male Wistar rats (n=21) were divided into 3 groups: Group I and group II were designated as control (sham-pinealectomy) and pinealectomized rats, respectively. Rats in group III were pinealectomized and injected daily with melatonin (1 mg/kg) for 3 months beginning at day 7 after surgery. At the end of experimental period, all rats were killed by decapitation. The brains of the rats were removed and the hippocampus tissue was obtained from all brain specimens. The right hippocampal specimens of all rats were used for determination of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. The left hippocampus tissue specimens of all animals were used for immunohistochemical and histological evaluation.

RESULTS
The levels of SOD and GSH-Px were significantly decreased, and MDA levels were significantly increased in pinealectomized rats compared to the controls. In the histological and immunohistochemical evaluation of this group, increase of pyknotic cells, vacuolar degeneration and apoptosis were observed. However, increased SOD and GSH-Px enzyme activities, and decreased MDA levels were detected in the rats administered melatonin after pinealectomy. Furthermore, histological and apoptotic changes in hippocampus caused by pinealectomy were lost in the rats treated with melatonin.

CONCLUSIONS
The results of our study revealed that pinealectomy-induced oxidative damage and morphological changes in the hippocampal tissue were suppressed by melatonin.


We introduce a comprehensive biomechanical model of the human upper body. Our model confronts the combined challenge of modeling and controlling more or less all of the relevant articular bones and muscles, as well as simulating the physics-based deformations of the soft tissues. Its dynamic skeleton comprises 68 bones with 147 jointed degrees of freedom, including those of each vertebra and most of the ribs. To be properly actuated and controlled, the skeletal submodel requires comparable attention to detail with respect to muscle modeling. We incorporate 814 muscles, each of which is modeled as a piecewise uniaxial Hill-type force actuator. To simulate biomechanically-realistic flesh deformations, we also develop a coupled finite element model with the appropriate constitutive behavior, in which are embedded the detailed 3D anatomical geometries of the hard and soft tissues. Finally, we develop an associated physics-based animation controller that computes the muscle activation signals necessary to drive the elaborate musculoskeletal system in accordance with a sequence of target poses specified by an animator.


AIM
Gravidic cholestasis is a syndrome that is usually manifested during the third trimester of pregnancy and regresses in puerperium. It is characterized by the onset of itch, with or without associated jaundice and alterations of hepatic functional parameters. Its incidence varies according to geographical area.

METHODS
A retrospective analysis was made regarding the frequency of this pathology in pregnant patients attending the Gynecology and Obstetrics Clinic of Trieste from 1-1-1980 to 31-7-1997. The epidemiological and clinical characteristics were studied relating to the course of pregnancy and neonatal outcome. Patients were identified on the basis of diagnosis on admittance and anamnestic and laboratory data, generalised itch and increased transaminase, biliary salts and alkaline phosphatase. Patients suffering form active-phase viral hepatitis were excluded, as were those in whom symptoms appeared after the start of alpha methyldopa administration.

RESULTS
The frequency of gravidic cholestasis in this series was 0.36%. No significant differences were recorded in terms of age, parity and weight increase in these patients compared to the general population of pregnant women. Birth was spontaneous in 66% and by cesarean section in 34%. The frequency of premature births was 12%. The Apgar score at 5 min was satisfactory in all neonates.

CONCLUSIONS
Careful monitoring of pregnancy associated with suitable obstetric care enabled a zero rate neonatal and maternal mortality to be achieved.


Abstract.
 Sauropodomorpha included the largest known terrestrial vertebrates and was the first dinosaur clade to achieve a global distribution. This success is associated with their early adoption of herbivory, and sauropod gigantism has been hypothesized to be a specialization for bulk feeding and obligate high-fiber herbivory. Here, we apply a combination of biomechanical character analysis and comparative phylogenetic methods with the aim of quantifying the evolutionary mechanics of the sauropodomorph feeding apparatus. We test for the role of convergence to common feeding function and divergence toward functional optima across sauropodomorph evolution, quantify the rate of evolution for functional characters, and test for coincident evolutionary rate shifts in craniodental functional characters and body mass. Results identify a functional shift toward increased cranial robustness, increased bite force, and the onset of static occlusion at the base of the Sauropoda, consistent with a shift toward bulk feeding. Trends toward similarity in functional characters are observed in Diplodocoidea and Titanosauriformes. However, diplodocids and titanosaurs retain significant craniodental functional differences, and evidence for convergent adoption of a common "adaptive zone" between them is weak. Modeling of craniodental character and body-mass evolution demonstrates that these functional shifts were not correlated with evolutionary rate shifts. Instead, a significant correlation between body mass and characters related to bite force and cranial robustness suggests a correlated-progression evolutionary mode, with positive-feedback loops between body mass and dietary specializations fueling sauropod gigantism.


This study investigates the impact of corporate governance code revisions on corporate social performance, and its' moderating effect on the relationship between corporate social performance and firm value. This study applies the two-stage Heckman sample selection bias approach to tackle endogeneity issues. The sample includes public listed firms from 35 countries that have released their national codes of corporate governance from 2007-2014. Prior to the analysis, we read through the national codes of corporate governance, and find that a majority of the recently revised codes provide new recommendations related to corporate social responsibility. Based on the regression results, we find that progressive corporate governance code revisions are positively related to corporate social performance. In addition, the progressive revisions positively moderate the relationship between corporate social performance and firm value, which is shown in those firms having above-median positive correlation between their corporate governance score and the code revisions. The overall results are robust to industry-adjusted measure of corporate social performance. Furthermore, we find that firm age is important in explaining the moderating effect of corporate governance code revisions.


One hundred and seven Gram-negative bacteria, including 65 Bacteroides species, 28 fusobacteria and 14 veillonellae were isolated from 17 oral infections treated in two dental surgeries in Palmerston North. These bacteria, plus 37 isolates belonging to the B. fragilis group received from Palmerston North hospital, were surveyed for their antibiotic sensitivity levels, and their plasmid DNA content. The hospital isolates of the B. fragilis group were found to have sensitivity levels comparable with those of B. fragilis group isolates reported in the literature recently. The oral isolates were more sensitive to penicillin, cefoxitin, and tetracycline than isolates of the same species reported in the literature. Half the hospital isolates had plasmids, which were all between 8.5 and 2.7 kilobases (kb) in size except for one 60, and one 43 kb plasmid. Comparatively few of the oral anaerobes had plasmids. One Fusobacterium russii isolate had four plasmids, and five Bacteroides isolates had one plasmid each. These five Bacteroides isolates came from two specimens, R5 and R6. Restriction enzyme analysis of all plasmids revealed that the three 5.6 kb plasmids from sample R5 may be related to a group of 5.8 kb plasmids harboured by four of the hospital isolates. Two different species of Bacteroides isolated from sample R5 harboured the 5.6 kb plasmid, and two species of the B. fragilis group bacteria harboured the 5.8 kb plasmid. Plasmid DNA isolated from two tetracycline resistant hospital isolates was used to transform restriction negative E. coli to a low level of tetracycline resistance.


The Laplacian operator can be defined, not only as a differential operator, but also through its averaging properties. Such a definition lends geometric significance to the operator: a large Laplacian at a point reflects a "nonconformist" (i.e., different from average) character for the function there. This point of view is used to motivate the wave equation for a drumhead.


The paper presents the results of a theoretical analysis of two development models of didactogeny in schoolchildren. The first model shows how «mania» structure of the development of didactogeny emerges in schoolchildren, which is pathological and characterizes most teacher-student conflicts accompanied by didactogenic disorders. The second model describes an adaptive circle of development of didactogeny in schoolchildren. As it is formed, there is a realization that a student has didactogeny, followed by a resolution of this problem. The applied aspect of the problem under study is that it can be implemented in psycho-pedagogical training programs on minimizing didactogeny in schoolchildren.


There is an increasing consensus that a considerable proportion of undergraduate clinical medical education could be shifted into community settings, primarily general practice. This would help to solve many of the difficulties facing hospital teaching of medical students, and enable the aims of the Education Committee of the General Medical Council to be reached more fully. Against this background, it was decided to introduce a compulsory four week attachment in general practice, at the University of Glasgow, for the first time, starting in April 1992, for students undergoing their final clinical rotation. The aims of this thesis are: firstly, to describe the organisation of the attachments, the tutors and practices involved, the course objectives and tasks, the effect of the attachments on student attitudes, and its effect on patient attitudes; secondly, to examine in detail an experiment in problem based learning and an audit project which were used as teaching methods during the attachment and; finally, to evaluate all aspects of the attachments in order to produce recommendations, to improve the future learning opportunities for students. The methods used to complete this research were: detailed postal questionnaires applied to the general practitioner tutors, before and after the attachments, and face-to-face discussions with large groups of tutors; detailed questionnaires applied to the students, at the start and at the end of the attachments, and tape recorded interviews with 25% of the class and; simple questionnaires applied to patients three months before the attachments, immediately before a consultation and immediately after a consultation, where a student was present. 111 [90%] of the tutors, who had expressed an interest in the attachments, replied to an initial questionnaire, before the attachment, and 72 [72%] of those, who taught the course, replied to a follow-up questionnaire, after the attachment. Two hundred students [97.1% of the class] completed an initial student questionnaire, at the start of the attachment, and 190 [92.2%] completed the follow-up questionnaire, at the end. Evaluative questionnaires about the attachment, the problem based learning and the audit project were completed by 89.3%, 65% and 85.6%, respectively, of the students who took part. 25% of the class contributed to semi-structured, tape recorded interviews. 681 patients completed a questionnaire three months before the attachments started. 469 patients completed a questionnaire immediately before a consultation with their general practitioner, where a student would be present, and 759 patients completed a questionnaire immediately after a consultation, where a student was present. It was found that there is a large pool of enthusiastic tutors willing to teach medical students in the community. However, it is recommended that these tutors receive adequate support to enable high standards of clinical teaching to be maintained. The objectives for the attachment were found to be appropriate and it was recommended that the possibility of producing common general objectives, for undergraduate teaching in general practice, should be explored by United Kingdom medical schools. The tasks of the attachment were found to be useful and relevant, and it was possible to produce a profile of the content of an ideal attachment according to student opinion. The attachment promoted a positive attitude among students, towards general practice, and acted as a positive vocational opportunity. However, it is recommended that this cohort of students should be followed up to discover if their stated preference for general practice, as a career, is maintained. Patient opinion was generally favourable towards the presence of medical students in the consulting room. It was therefore recommended that educators in medical schools could be reassured about the case-mix seen in general practice, and general practitioner tutors reassured about the acceptability to patients, of students in the consulting room. The problem based learning group work was a qualified success, according to student opinion. It was therefore recommended that this method of learning should be refined for further use in this course, and its use promoted in United Kingdom medical schools. The audit project increased students' self-reported knowledge about audit but it was recommended that, in order to produce a more Interesting and useful learning experience, the students should be given more ownership of the project in the future. It is further recommended that teaching about audit should be promoted in the general practice setting, in the United Kingdom. The advantages and shortcomings of the methods, which were used to assess the students, are discussed and it is recommended that a more objective measure, such as a modified essay question or an observer structured clinical examination, should be included in the future assessment of students undergoing this attachment. The evaluative information given by the students about their attachment provided evidence that the majority of them enjoyed it very much. They found it useful for learning about general medicine, psychiatry and communication skills, and many of them were impressed by the standard of teaching received. However, they wanted to conduct more personal consultations and practical procedures, and they also suggested improvements to the Department course. Information from this research can be used to shape a course which is responsive to the requirements of Glasgow medical students, the University of Glasgow and the recommendations of the General Medical Council, and to support the shift of more undergraduate medical education into the setting of general practice, in the United Kingdom.


We investigate the determinants of industry researchers' interactions with universities in different localities, distinguishing between local and international universities. We analyze the extent to which local and international interactions are enabled by different types of individual personal networks (education, career based), and by their access to different business networks through their employer companies (local vs. domestic or international multinational company networks). We control for selection bias and numerous other individual and firm-level factors identified in the literature as important determinants of interaction with universities. Our findings suggest that industry researchers' personal networks play a greater role in promoting interactions with local universities (i.e. in the same region, and other regions in the same country) while researcher employment in a multinational is especially important for establishing interaction with universities abroad.


Air exchange between a specific garment and the environment could occur 1) through the fabric with the environment, 2) through garment apertures with the environment, and 3) between local body parts' microclimates. The first mechanism is related to the fabric properties and the flow characteristics around the human body. The second mechanism is induced by buoyancy and pressure alteration due to external wind. The third mechanism named inter-segmental ventilation occurs between different clothing sections caused by position of apertures, relative wind, fabric permeability and microclimate size of connected clothed segments. The objective of this work is to develop a simplified accurate model that solves coupled momentum, mass and heat balances including buoyancy for the connected clothed upper human body to predict inter-segmental ventilation and assess its impact on the air flow characteristics in the microclimate layer and on local ventilation rates. This model is coupled to the bioheat model to predict the effect of the inter-segmental ventilation on the heat losses from the body and on bringing the thermal comfort. The model is validated by performing an improved experimental method on a thermal manikin using the tracer gas method at different wind speeds for permeable clothing.Copyright © 2015 by ASME


A Cross-Sectional Study to Examine the Effects of the Nurse Work Environment on Outcomes of Very Low Birth Weight Infants Elizabeth S. Schierholz Eileen T. Lake Importance: Extensive variation in rates of mortality, and morbidity, including severe intraventricular hemorrhage, exists across NICUs. The neonatal nurse is essential to the care of very low birth weight infants in these units. Extensive evidence in the adult population supports the association of the nurse work environment, nurse qualifications and nurse staffing with patient outcomes. The relationship of these elements, at the NICU unit level, with the outcomes of in-hospital mortality, intraventricular hemorrhage and length of stay for very low birth weight infants, has not been previously evaluated. Objectives: To examine the relationships among the nurse work environment, nurse qualifications and nurse staffing, within the neonatal intensive care units and VLBW outcomes. Design, Setting and Patients: This cross-sectional secondary analysis linked data from the RN survey from the Multi-State Nursing Care and Patient Safety Study 2005-2008 to administrative state discharge data of VLBW infants with birth weights 500-1499 grams in California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Florida. The nurse work environment, nurse education, certification and patient-to-nurse ratios were aggregated to the hospital level from RN survey responses. Risk-adjusted odds ratios and incident rate ratios were determined by logistic regression and negative binomial regression. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary study outcomes were in-hospital mortality, severe intraventricular hemorrhage and length of stay. Results: There were 17,771 VLBW infants in 170 NICUs. Mortality was 10.8%, severe intraventricular hemorrhage was 5.2% and length of stay 46 days, all varied by category of the work environment. The range of work environment scores across the NICUS was 1.93-3.79. Based on these scores NICUs were categorized as having poor, average and best work environments; 44 NICUs were categorized as best and 36 NICUs were categorized as poor. Patient-to-nurse ratios varied by work environment category. Proportions of BSN educated and nurses with specialty certification did not vary across work environments. In NICUs with poor vs. better environments mortality was 11% vs. 9.8%. In poor compared to better environments sIVH was 6.4% vs. 4.5%. Average length of stay in poor vs. better environments was 53 days and 36 days respectively. In regression models, controlling for patient and hospital characteristics (race, sex, insurance, NICU volume and hospital teaching status), each one unit (1 SD) increase in the work environment score was associated with a 4% lower odds of death (OR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.88-1.05, p=0.36), 23% lower odds of severe IVH (OR 0.88 95% CI 0.79-0.99, p= 0.043) and 4% shorter length of stay (OR 0.96, 95% CI 0.93-0.995, p=0.026). NICUs with the best work environments and higher proportions of BSN educated nurses were associated with lower odds of death (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.89-0.99, p=0.045) and shorter lengths of stay (IRR 0.97, CI 0.94-0.99 p= 0.01) for very low birth weight infants. Conclusions: These results indicate that outcomes of VLBW infants vary by the nurse work environment category. VLBW infants cared for in better work environments have significantly lower risk-adjusted rates of severe IVH and shorter lengths of stay. Improving the nurse work environment and increasing the proportion of BSN educated nurses are actionable interventions to improve nursing quality and reduce poor outcomes for very low birth weight infants in neonatal intensive care units.


One of the most common symptoms that people associate with cancer is the formation of a lump in soft tissue. This is a sign of abnormal tissue stiffness and can be derived from changes in the extracellular matrix (ECM). This physical property is known to be a consequence and promoter of tumour development. The abnormally high tumour stiffness is typically derived from increased crosslinking of the ECM. The aim of this project was to ascertain how the increased tissue stiffness, that is found within and around the tumour affects the endothelial cells that make up the vasculature. To do this I generated hydrogels representing an ECM stiffness of normal tissue and a tumour like ECM stiffness. Using high resolution mass spectrometry combined with stable isotope labelling of amino acids in cell culture (SILAC), I analysed the global proteome of primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) cultured at each ECM stiffness. I found that many proteins involved in cell adhesion were upregulated, including N-Cadherin and CCN1. I demonstrated that stiffness induced CCN1 mediates both β-catenin activity and N-Cadherin expression. For the first time I show that CCN1, which is known as a secreted protein, can mediate these effects without exiting the cell, demonstrating an intracellular role for CCN1 in HUVECs. N-Cadherin is known to play a key role in trans-endothelial migration of cancer cells through the blood vessels, and I found that CCN1 induces cancer cell adhesion to HUVECs via N-Cadherin. This suggests that CCN1 can increase cancer cell metastasis by aiding the exit of cancer cells from the primary tumour and entry at distant sites. To test this hypothesis in vivo, we used a C57BL/6 Ccn1 loxP/loxP syngeneic melanoma model. To knock out Ccn1, a soluble form of Cre was utilised, which can be up taken into cells and has been shown previously to specifically target cells of the vasculature. Our results show that knocking out Ccn1 in the ECs decreased the number of circulating tumour cells and subsequent metastases, showing that Ccn1 loss in the vasculature can decrease cancer cell intravasation. Our work provides evidence of an unprecedented mechanism through which CCN1 in the stromal cells promotes invasion of cancer cells, which compliments the findings that CCN1 can induce invasion in the cancer cells. We provide further evidence that targeting CCN1 therapeutically in the clinic may decrease the spread of cancer from the perspective of the endothelial cells.


Network coding has been shown to be a very promising technique for increasing the throughput in wireless ad hoc networks. In this paper, we set to define simple extensions for distributed medium access control (MAC) protocols that optimize the transmission of network-coded packets independently of the actual network coding algorithm. The main characteristic of the proposed protocol is that it improves the efficiency of coding decisions and allows verifying the decodability of packets before they are transmitted. The aforementioned goals are achieved first by adopting minor extensions to the channel access scheme, and second by introducing a new algorithm that manages intelligently the data packets that are stored at the MAC queue of each network node. The later algorithm improves the knowledge of a node regarding the available correct coding opportunities by the use of opportunistic acknowledgments, and by maintaining virtual buffers for the overheard data packets. For the proposed protocol, we also develop an analytical performance model that is used for evaluating its performance in conjunction with simulations. Extensive simulations are presented for several ad hoc network topologies that test all the features of the proposed protocol. Significant throughput improvement can be observed when our protocol is compared with network coding schemes that do not exploit the full potential of opportunistic listening.


This article considers the ways in which pedagogy is formally represented in trans masculine porn, specifically in three films that stage scenes of learning: Linda/Les and Annie: A Female-to-Male Transsexual Love Story, Phineas Slipped, and Sex Education. Focusing on pedagogical scenes that dramatize failure, the article asks, Why, in trans porn, do we see extrageneric claims to educate? What kinds of pedagogical fantasies do trans porn, and porn-adjacent film, render about bodies and pleasures? The author offers a close reading of these films as rooted not in pornographic fantasy but in the fantasies of pedagogy. By directly incorporating pedagogy into the formal content of trans masculine porn films, these films distance themselves from the pedagogical functions of porn—porn as encounter, porn as learning about trans "difference"—and instead point to fantasies of efficacious pedagogy. The author suggests that these films do more than educate viewers on transgender; rather, they portray the pedagogical encounter itself as one way in which performers work through their own fantasies of successful pedagogy.


An analog signal processing integrated circuit for microcantilever array has been designed for pressure measurement in biomedical applications. The chip consists of analog multiplexer, instrumentation amplifier, sample-and-hold circuit, on-chip voltage and current references, successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter (ADC) and digital control unit. Root sum square (RSS) error from the overall pressure measurement system including microcantilever array and the application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) is only ±1.79 KPa within the measurement range of 0-300 KPa. The 8-bit ADC attains 45.4 dB signal-to-noise-and-distortion ratio (SNDR) and 56.4 dB spurious-free dynamic range (SFDR), while operating at 772 KHz. The integrated circuit has been fabricated using 0.35-¿m 2-poly 4-metal CMOS process technology. The chip occupies an area of 1.54 mm2 and consumes 17.8 mW of power with a single 3.3 V supply.


ABSTRACT
 Almond leaf scorch (ALS) disease is caused by the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa and transmitted by xylem-feeding insects. Reports of increased incidence of ALS-diseased trees in California prompted surveys in three almond [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb]-growing regions, from June 2003 to September 2005, to determine insect vector species composition and abundance. For comparison, sampling in and near vineyards in the San Joaquin Valley, California, also was completed. Sampling in or near almond orchards collected >42,000 Cicadomorpha of which 4.8% were xylem feeders, including 1,912 grass sharpshooter, Draeculacephala minerva Ball; five Xyphon fulgida Nottingham; and a single spittlebug, Philaenus spumarius L. The most abundant vector was D. minerva. Season-long sampling indicated that D. minerva was a year-round resident in and/or near almonds in the Sacramento Valley, but not in the San Joaquin Valley. Similarly, D. minerva was rare in vineyards in the San Joaquin Valley, but was abundant in irrigated pastures near vineyards. D. minerva was most frequently collected along orchard margins, and peak densities were observed in summer, the period of time when bacterial titers are reported to increase in infected trees. Screening of D. minerva for presence of X. fastidiosa found that 1.1% of insects collected near almond orchards and 4.5% of insects collected from pastures tested positive. The X. fastidiosa subspecies and genotype detected in insects collected from orchards matched those collected from ALS-diseased almond trees in the same orchard. Of the few X. fulgida and P. spumarius collected, none tested positive for X. fastidiosa. Results are discussed with respect to X. fastidiosa vector control and detection methods.


Information retrieval and visualization can be combined in dynamic query systems that allow users unparalleled access to information for decision making. In this paper, we report on the development and evaluation of a dynamic query system (YMap) that displays information on a chloropleth map using double thumb sliders to select ranges of query variables. The YMap prototype is a Java-Applet that supports panning and zooming. Several usability studies were conducted on early prototypes that resulted in the current version. Applications of YMap for decision making tasks are discussed.


Moringa oleifera Lam. (Moringaceae) is a multi-purpose economic plant whose commercial demand is on the
increase in Africa. To meet this demand, it is significant to step up collections and diversity studies adaptable to higher
productivity and utilization. The present study focuses on recently collected landraces/accessions of six populations of M.
oleifera from different eco-geographical locations within Nigeria. A total of 70 accessions were evaluated for genetic
intraspecific diversity using 20 SSR markers. Among the 20 SSR markers screened, 10 primer pairs (forward and reverse) were
selected based on clear amplification products and reproducible scorable bands. Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA),
Principal Coordinates Analysis (PCoA) and cluster analysis (CA) were used to evaluate the genetic intraspecific diversity. A
total number of 74 alleles with a range of 4 to 15 were detected among the 70 accessions. On the average, 7.4 alleles per locus
were amplified in each accession. Allele frequency varied from 0.214 to 0.671 with a mean of 0.477; gene diversity from 0.487
to 0.885 with a mean of 0.669 while the average PIC value was 0.633. The observed and expected heterozygosity varied from
0.00 to 0.50 with a mean of 0.972 and from 0.00 to 0.250 with a mean of 0.567, respectively. AMOVA shows that 8 % of the
genetic diversity was attributed to differences among the populations while 92 % of the variation (significant at p = 0.001) was
due to differences within populations. Allelic patterns across the six populations aligned with the AMOVA result. The results of
PCoA and CA identified high intraspecific similarities with few exceptions. Similarity coefficients (SC) of CA ranged from 0.53
to 1.00 and delineated the 70 accessions into seven groups. All accessions are distinguishable from each other at SC 1.00
except (soN066 and taN085) and (anN045 and anN047). The genetic relationships highlighted are significant for conservation,
cultivation and genetic improvement of M. oleifera in view of the species socio-economic relevance to the people of Nigeria
and Africa in general


Occupational vitiligo is an acquired depigmenting disorder of the skin that can be caused by certain chemical skin exposures in the workplace in genetically susceptible people. The association between vitiligo and occupational chemical exposures was first described in 1939 in leatherworkers in relation to exposure to mono-benzyl ether of hydroquinone in rubber gloves. Since then an increasingly long list of chemical agents, and in particular the phenol / catechol derivatives, have been associated with the development of vitiligo. Our understanding of the complex interplay of genetic and environmental risk factors has been improved through the recent discovery of NALP1 and certain other genes implicated in conferring susceptibility to vitiligo and other autoimmune and autoinflammatory conditions. This article looks at a sentinel case of occupational vitiligo instigated by contact with Australian blackwood (Acacia melanoxylon) dust in a cabinet maker, with good resolution of lesions following his removal from exposure and treatment.


Agents at the beginning of a dynamic coordination process (1) are uncertain about actions of their fellow players and (2) anticipate receiving strategically relevant information later on in the process. In such environments, the (ir)reversibility of early actions plays an important role in the choice among them. We characterize the strategic effects of the reversibility option on the coordination outcome. Such an option can either enhance or hamper efficient coordination, and we determine the direction of the effect based only on simple features of the coordination problem. The analysis is based on a generalization of the Laplacian property known from static global games: players at the beginning of a dynamic game act as if they were entirely uninformed about aggregate play of fellow players in each stage of the coordination process. JEL classification: C7, D8.


studies are said to have appeared in I956, and there are four mistakes in the German title of this single work), and third, and most irritating, the text and references do not always agree (there are differences in dates and names, and some references do not appear at all). These are all minor points, but as they are indicative of careless compilation and proof reading they undermine one's confidence in the book. The book is well illustrated, many of the photomicrographs being in colour, but several of the figures are duplicated. This book will be of interest to those working on arterial disease, but one feels that the author should either have expanded his review chapters and made them more critical, or compressed them into a coherent whole and made the main body of his work relate to his own personal field of vessel wall tissue culture.


1. In chloralose‐urethane‐anaesthetized dogs a manometric assembly was inserted via a gastrostomy to monitor pyloric pressure with a sleeve sensor. Antral and duodenal contractions were monitored with both manometric side holes and serosal strain gauges. 2. Subserosal silver wire electrodes were placed in the antrum 5 cm orad and the duodenum 3 cm aborad to the pylorus to facilitate field stimulation of intramural nerves. 3. The pylorus exerted spontaneous tone (10.8 +/‐ 4.8 mmHg) with phasic contractions occurring at a rate varying from 1‐5 min‐1 and, at times, with a superimposed higher frequency up to 15 min‐1. Atropine (30 micrograms kg‐1 I.V. and 10 micrograms I.A.) reduced and tetrodotoxin (50‐100 micrograms I.A.) enhanced the phasic activity significantly. 4. Bilateral cervical vagal section had no consistent influence on pyloric motility. 5. Stimulation of the distal ends of the cervical vagal nerves at low frequencies (0.2‐0.5 Hz, 1‐3 ms, 20 V) induced phasic pyloric contractions, which were abolished by atropine or hexamethonium (10 mg kg‐1 I.V. and 1 mg I.A.). Higher frequencies (greater than 0.7 Hz) of stimulation inhibited both phasic and tonic contractions and this inhibition was unaffected by atropine, hexamethonium, phentolamine (1.5 mg kg‐1 I.V. and 100 micrograms I.A.) or propranolol (1 mg kg‐1 I.V. and 100 micrograms I.A.). All neural responses were blocked by tetrodotoxin (50‐100 micrograms I.A.). 6. Duodenal field stimulation (0.2‐5 Hz, 0.5 ms, 40 V) induced strong phasic and tonic contractions in the pylorus. This excitation was blocked by atropine, hexamethonium, tetrodotoxin (50‐100 micrograms I.A.) or duodenal transection orad to the stimulating electrodes. 7. Antral field stimulation (0.5‐1 Hz, 0.5 ms, 40 V) completely abolished phasic activity in the pylorus and reduced tonic activity, regardless of whether the contractile activity was spontaneous or induced by neural stimulation. This inhibitory action was unaffected by atropine, hexamethonium or propranolol but was blocked by tetrodotoxin and antral transection aborad to the stimulating electrodes. Phentolamine attenuated the inhibitory effect of antral field stimulation on pyloric motility. 8. It is concluded that the distal canine pylorus exhibits myogenic tone and phasic activity which is modulated by extrinsic and intrinsic nerve pathways. Vagal nerves contain fibres, activated by different stimulus parameters which can either excite or inhibit pyloric activity. Activation of antral nerves inhibits pyloric activity, with both non‐adrenergic, non‐cholinergic and phentolamine‐sensitive pathways contributing to this inhibitory response.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)


In this paper, we revisit the recently established theoretical guarantees for the convergence of the Langevin Monte Carlo algorithm of sampling from a smooth and (strongly) log-concave density. We improve the existing results when the convergence is measured in the Wasserstein distance and provide further insights on the very tight relations between, on the one hand, the Langevin Monte Carlo for sampling and, on the other hand, the gradient descent for optimization. Finally, we also establish guarantees for the convergence of a version of the Langevin Monte Carlo algorithm that is based on noisy evaluations of the gradient.


This paper provides a literature review on youth employment challenges in rural Africa. The rapidly changing demographic structure across the continent is expected to have important economic and social consequences, especially for employment. So far, despite sustained economic growth, African countries have not been successful in absorbing the fast-growing labor force, especially in the context of labor markets characterized by high levels of informality, underemployment and working poverty. As a consequence of life-cycle effects, relative to the measure of accumulated life experience; and generational effects, relative to the measure of the conditions prevailing during an individual's formative years, young people are exposed to several constraints in the labor market, including access to resources such as skills and innovation, finance and land. These challenges call for a comprehensive policy framework with complementary supply-side and demand-side interventions. Interventions that target girls and women can have particularly strong effects on their labor market outcomes. Food systems are increasingly recognized as potential catalyst for employment creation, given their future prospects and labor-intensive nature. Farming and self-employment in the agri-food sector are the dominant categories of youth employment in rural areas of Africa, and the latter is growing especially fast, even though it remains much lower than farming in absolute terms. Despite common perceptions, food system jobs play a significant role in youth's aspirations. Close to 25% of young Africans want to work in the food and agriculture sector, and the share is higher in some countries, close to 40% in Kenya, Liberia, Malawi and Tanzania. Accordingly, the average age of African farmers is not rising – it is also much lower than previously claimed, at 34 years of age and not 60. However, youth aspirations remain conditional on several factors that can make food system jobs attractive, including technology, investment, market opportunities, and decent earnings. Policies should prioritize interventions that will raise labor productivity in food system, along with the broader labor-market interventions.


The quasicontinuum method is a coarse-graining technique for reducing the complexity of atomistic simulations in a static and quasistatic setting. In this paper we give an a-priori error analysis for the quasicontinuum method in one dimension. We consider atomistic models with Lennard-Jones type long range interactions and a practical QC formulation.

First, we prove the existence, the local uniqueness and the stability with respect to discrete W1,∞-norm of elastic and fractured atomistic solutions. We then used a fixed point technique to prove the existence of quasicontinuum approximation which satisfies an optimal a-priori error bound.

The first-named author acknowledges the financial support received from the European research project HPRN-CT-2002-00284: New Materials, Adaptive Systems and their Nonlinearities. Modelling, Control and Numerical Simulation, and the kind hospitality of Carlo Lovadina (University of Pavia).


Producers in the semiarid Canadian prairies frequently summerfallow (F) to conserve water, control weeds, and to maximize soil N reserves; however, this practice often results in soil degradation. A crop rotation experiment was initiated in 1987 on a medium textured, Orthic Brown Chernozem at Swift Current, to determine the most ideal cropping frequency for this region and whether a fixed rotation such as fallow-wheatwheat (F-W-W) would be more effective than flexible rotations in which fallowing is decided each spring based on criteria such as available soil water (if water), or the need to control perennial weed infestations (if weeds). The study also compares the production of traditional Canada Western Red Spring (CWRS) wheat class with the newer higheryielding (Hy), Canada Prairie Spring (CPS) wheat class. The rotations included F-W-W, F-W-W-W, F-Hy-Hy, Continuous wheat (Cont W), Cont W (if weeds), and Cont W (if water). Over the study period (1987-1998), weather conditions were generally favourable and yields were above average for this region. Canada Prairie Spring wheat outyielded CWRS by 35% when grown on fallow and by 15% when grown on stubble; however, straw yields of the two wheat classes were similar on fallow and CPS was 7% less than CWRS on stubble. Harvest index (HI) averaged 45% for CPS and 40% for CWRS wheat. Grain N concentration averaged 25.5 g kg for CWRS and 22.5 g kg for CPS; straw N concentration averaged 4.0 g kg for CWRS and 4.6 g kg for CPS. Nitrogen yield for grain from CPS was 13% greater than from CWRS when grown on fallow, but class had no effect when wheat was grown on stubble. Nitrogen yield of straw was generally not affected by wheat class. Nitrogen yield of the above-ground plant parts generally mimicked grain N yield responses. Nitrogen harvest index (NHI) averaged 80% for both wheat classes, whether grown on fallow or stubble. On a rotation basis, F-W-W-W and Cont W (if weeds) produced 9% more grain than F-W-W, while Cont W (if water) produced 24% more grain, and Cont W and F-Hy-Hy produced 29% more grain than FW-W. Nitrogen production in the grain, straw and above-ground plant material was lowest in F-W-W, highest in Cont W, and intermediate for other rotations.


Abstract Calsporin® is the trade name for a feed additive based on Bacillus subtilis DSM 15544. It is currently authorised for use in chickens for fattening, weaned piglets, chickens reared for laying, turkeys, minor avian species and other ornamental and game birds, and ornamental fish. This opinion concerns the renewal of the authorisation of Calsporin® as a zootechnical additive for chickens for fattening. In 2006 and 2007, the EFSA Panel on Additives and Products or Substances used in Animal Feed (FEEDAP) adopted two opinions on the safety and efficacy of Calsporin® when used in chickens for fattening, and the active agent was further characterised in an opinion from 2015. The applicant has provided data demonstrating that the additive currently in the market complies with the conditions of authorisation. Furthermore, according to the information provided in the technical dossier, no new evidence has been identified that would make the FEEDAP Panel reconsider the previous conclusions on the safety of the additive. The FEEDAP Panel confirms its previous conclusion that Calsporin® is safe for the target species, consumers of products from animals fed the additive, users and the environment.


Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) is a broad multidimensional concept that typically encompasses
self-reported measures of physical and mental health. HRQOL encompasses several domains to include functional ability,psychological state, social function, and an individual's perception of his or her health. Objective: Evaluate quality of life among university students and Compare differences of quality of life domains across males and females. Methods: Across-sectional study design was conducted among randomly selected 286 Saudi students from both sexes. From December 2011 to March 2012 among students at community college, applied medical sciences college and education college, king Khalid University. Two tools were used for data collection named interview questionnaire sheet covered socio demographic data and "MOS-SF 36 (version 1.0). Results: 57% of study sample aged 21-24 years, 65.4% were female students, and 90.6%
were single, lowered mean scores in most of eight health domains among study sample. There is a significant difference between study sample sex, type of education and their eight heath domains. Conclusions: The study findings reflect poorer health related quality of life among study sample; female students had lower scores than male. More studies are recommended to explore factors affecting quality of life of university students especially in the medical field, and counseling
programs that help them relieve stress and strains which impact in improve their physical and mental health.


An emergency control algorithm for possible incorporation as one of the major functions of an Energy Control Center is developed. The algorithm considers the effect of governor and AGC loop settings and determines the post contingency state and checks for any overloading condition. In the event of such overloading a Linear Programming procedure evaluates an alternate safe target state.


The use of model-based technologies has made it imperative for the development of a feedback control system to deal with many different tasks such as: plant modeling in all its variety; model reduction to achieve a complexity or level of abstraction suitable for the design task at hand; synthesis of control laws that vary from discrete event reactive control to continuous model predictive control, their analyses, and testing; design of the implementation; modeling of the computational platform and its operating system; analysis of the implementation effects; software synthesis for different platforms to facilitate rapid prototyping, hardware-in-the-loop simulation, etc. Throughout these tasks, different formalisms are used that are very domain specific (e.g., tailored to electrical circuits, multibody systems, reactive control algorithms, communication protocols) and that often need to be coupled, integrated, and transformed (e.g., a block diagram control law in the continuous domain has to be discretized and then implemented in software). Significant improvements in many aspects (performance, cost, development time) of the development process can therefore be achieved by: 1) relating and integrating these different formalisms; 2) automatic derivation of different levels of modeling abstractions; and 3) rigorous and tailored design of the different formalisms by capturing the domain (or meta) knowledge. The emerging field of computer automated multiparadigm modeling (CAMPaM), presented in this paper in the context of control system design, aims to develop a domain-independent formal framework that leverages and unifies different activities in each of these three dimensions.


The critically endangered Christmas orchid Masdevallia tovarensis is endemic to cloud forest within the state of Aragua (Colonia Tovar) northern Venezuela. Its propagation has been little studied, particularly regarding in vitro cultivation techniques. In an attempt to asymbiotically and sexually micropropagate this autochthonous species, seeds were used from indehiscent capsules obtained from nurseries in the vicinity of areas where this orchid naturally occurs. The effect of Murashige and Skoog nutrition medium, and different concentrations of thidiazuron, benzyladenine (BA) and naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) on seed germination were evaluated. In vitro asymbiotic germination was characterized by initial swelling of seeds, increase of embryo size and formation of protocorm-like bodies (PLBs), similar to those naturally generated during symbiotic germination. After three months, the PLBs started to sprout leaves and roots to form seedlings. In all treatments, the formation of PLBs was observed, although in higher number when using the combination BA (2.0 mg/l) + NAA (1.5 mg/l). A protocol was obtained that will enable mass propagation by means of asymbiotic germination of seeds in vitro.


Al2O3 coated polyhedral Fe nanocapsules were prepared by arc-discharging a Fe-Al(8at%Al) alloy. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and network analyzer were employed to investigate the microstructures, compositions and electromagnetic properties (2-18GHz). The reflection loss R(dB) of the nanocapsules reaches to -50.5dB at 7.9GHz with a 3mm thickness, and EM absorption properties(RL<-20dB) in the 5.2~16.1GHz range with thickness range of 1.67-4.7mm. The excellent Microwave-absorption properties of as-prepared nanocapsules are ascribed to shape anisotropy and core/shell structure.


Given both the importance of the type of government of the democratic Ligurian Republic and the long duration of the Imperial administration of the Genovesato (1805-1814), the texts produced in those contexts offer a particularly fertile terrain for investigation of the «lexicon of the revolutionaries», and, more generally, of the lexis introduced in the period between the end of the eighteenth century and the beginning of the nineteenth century. The publication of this paper is a useful contribution (albeit partial and provisional, as are all endeavours of this nature) to the collective task of establishing the period in which Italian lexical items and expressions entered the language and became more widespread. However, it also shows that although certain lines of investigation might seem to have been dealt with exhaustively, they still provide important material for the study of historical linguistics.


SiO2/SnO2 core–shell nanofibers were synthesized using TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers as templates. The gas sensing properties of the synthesized SiO2/SnO2 core–shell nanofibers were evaluated under dry and humid conditions and compared to practical SnO2 nanoparticles produced by a hydrothermal method. The sensor responses were analyzed by monitoring the electric resistance changes upon the introduction of H2 or CO analytes. Surprisingly, the SiO2/SnO2 nanofibers showed a prominent sensor response at a higher temperature at which the adsorbed oxygen on the SnO2 nanoparticles desorbs under dry conditions. Unexpectedly, the SiO2/SnO2 nanofibers are available in humid atmosphere since they are less influenced by H2O poisoning compared to the SnO2 nanoparticles. Such an intriguing phenomenon could be interpreted in terms of the lower susceptibility of the major adsorbed oxygen species toward water vapor.


: Cervical abscesses secondary to hemithyroidectomy are an uncommon complication. We report the clinical case of a 37 years-old male, diagnosed and operated for nodular goiter, who suffered a paratracheal purulent collection three weeks later. He was reoperated by drainage of the neck abscess and antibiotic hospitalary treatment during 8 days. In a control CT showed an improvement despite the presence of a seroma on the surgical wound. Cervical exploration was normal two weeks later. Thyroid surgery is catalogued as clean and does requires antibiotic therapy. This must only be kept for cases of surgical wound infection or local abscess and both of them are rare in the literature.


Klaus Fuchs was one of the most infamous spies of the Cold War, whose espionage feats altered the nature of the early postwar period. Drawing on newly released archival documents and witness testimony, this article considers the events surrounding his arrest and conviction. These sources reveal that even before Fuchs was arrested, he was used as a pawn.Because of his supreme importance to the British nuclear weapons program, some British of ficials initially believed that he should remain in his position, despite his admission of guilt. Until the matter was resolved, Fuchs was used unwittingly as a wedge between the British and U.S. intelligence services.Moreover, when the United States criticized British security standards, the Fuchs case was used by MI5 to cajole and mislead Parliament and the public.


Niobium is an element of high affinity towards carbon and forms a very stable carbide. Therefore it is well suited as a carbide-forming alloying element in the production of tool steels and hard metal alloys. This paper first deals with the metallurgical fundamentals, such as the influence of niobium on the solidification behaviour of high speed steels, segregation of the MC-carbides during solidification, effect of the solidification rate on the precipitation of monocarbides, solubility of niobium in austenite, effect on secondary hardness, M2C decomposition and methods for the achievement of higher niobium-contents in high-speed steels. In a second part selected examples of use are referred to in the categories of high speed steels, hot working tool steels, cold working tool steels and steels for plastic moulds. A short summary of niobium in cemented carbide completes the paper.


Acidogenic prepartum diets with negative dietary cation-anion difference (DCAD) induce compensated metabolic acidosis, which stimulates calcium (Ca) mobilization before calving and decreases clinical and subclinical hypocalcemia postpartum. This strategy is often combined with limiting dietary Ca concentrations, which historically has been used to mobilize Ca prepartum to prepare cows for lactation. Supplemental dietary Ca in combination with a negative DCAD formulation that does not reverse the effect of compensated metabolic acidosis may be beneficial. Our objective was to determine the effects of prepartum dietary strategies on dry matter intake (DMI), milk production, peripartal Ca status, and health during the transition period in multiparous Holstein cows (n = 81). Treatments during the last 28 d before calving were: (1) positive DCAD diet, +6 mEq/100 g of DM, target urine pH >7.5, low dietary Ca (0.40% DM; CON); (2) negative DCAD diet, -24 mEq/100 g of DM, target urine pH 5.5 to 6.0, low dietary Ca (0.40% DM; ND); or (3) negative DCAD diet, -24 mEq/100 g of DM, target urine pH 5.5 to 6.0, high dietary Ca (2.0% DM; NDCA). Preplanned treatment contrasts were: (1) CON versus (ND and NDCA), and (2) ND versus NDCA. Individual DMI were recorded daily. Cows were milked 3 times daily, with individual DMI and milk yield summarized by week. Whole blood sampled at calving and 24 h, 48 h, and 4 d after calving was analyzed for ionized Ca concentration, and serum was analyzed for total Ca. Prepartum urine pH for cows fed ND or NDCA averaged 5.7, whereas cows fed CON remained >7.5. During the 3 wk before calving, cows fed CON had greater DMI than cows fed ND or NDCA, with NDCA greater than ND. Postpartum DMI (% of body weight) tended to be less for cows fed CON than for those fed ND or NDCA prepartum. Thresholds for subclinical hypocalcemia were ionized Ca <1.0 mM at 24 h, and total Ca ≤2.125 mM at 48 h after calving. On average, blood Ca for cows fed CON indicated subclinical hypocalcemia, whereas blood Ca for cows fed ND or NDCA was greater than subclinical hypocalcemia thresholds for both ionized Ca and total Ca. No milk production differences were detected. Cows fed CON had an elevated adverse health score (calculated by assigning numerical values to recorded health events) and tended to have an elevated somatic cell count during the fresh period compared with cows fed ND or NDCA. Overall, an acidogenic diet prepartum without or with high Ca improved postpartum Ca status and health. Supplementation of additional Ca to the acidogenic diet had little effect.


Programmed cell death or apoptosis is an active physiological process that permits the removal of unwanted or damaged cells from the body through an intrinsic cell-suicide program. Apoptosis is characterized by condensation of the nucleus and cytoplasm without loss of membrane integrity. The occurrence of apoptosis in the vasculature and myocardium has recently been described. Inappropriate loss of myocardial cells is suggested to contribute to conduction defects and ventricular remodelling after injury. The molecular mechanisms that regulate programmed cell death in cardiac muscle cells are poorly defined. However, recent evidence has suggested that specific genes can either provoke or prevent apoptosis. In this regard, the tumour suppressor protein p53 has been proposed to mediate apoptosis, while the Bcl-2 protein prevents it. Prevention of apoptosis in the heart is potentially of significant therapeutic value given the limited capacity of the heart to repair itself after injury. This study determined that the expression of p53 in ventricular myocytes is sufficient to trigger apoptosis. Moreover, p53 results in a significant increase in the expression of the death-promoting protein Bax. Importantly, the antiapoptotic factor Bcl-2 is sufficient to prevent p53-mediated apoptosis and p53-dependent transcription of Bax in ventricular myocytes. The data substantiate a role for p53 and Bcl-2 as crucial regulators of apoptosis in the heart.


The increased circuit complexity of field programmable gate array (FPGA) poses a major challenge in the testing of FPGAs. One of the test challenges is to detect the delay faults in high-speed circuits. Built-in-self-test (BIST) Technique is an ease solution compared with expensive automatic test equipment. In this work, a BIST structure is proposed to detect the delay faults in the various resources of the FPGA such as multiplier, digital signal processing (DSP) block, look-up tables etc. and interconnects of FPGA. The authors have also proposed a full-diagnosable BISTer structure that improves the testing efficiency of the logic BIST. The proposed BISTer structure can diagnose the faulty configurable logic block (CLB), when all the CLBs in the 2 × 3 BIST are faulty. The proposed scheme has been simulated in Xilinx Vertex FPGA, using ISE tool, Jbits3.0 API and XHWI (Xilinx HardWare Interface) and MATLAB7.0. The result shows significant improvement compared with earlier BIST methods.


This study investigated interpersonal relatedness in patients with schizophrenia on Rorschach Ink Blot Test. A sample of 30 patients with schizophrenia, diagnosed on the basis of ICD10 diagnostic criteria were selected using purposive sampling technique from outpatient and inpatient departments of the Post Graduate Institute of Behavioural and Medical Sciences, Raipur (C.G.). A control group of 30 persons from general population were screened out using GHQ-5 and taken as per the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients with schizophrenia and control group were assessed on socio-demographic data sheet and Rorschach Ink Blot Test. Result of the present study shows that patients with schizophrenia had poor interpersonal relatedness as compared to the control group as assessed on Rorschach Ink Blot Test.


Physical agitation applied as periodic seismic stress (shaking) reduced stem elongation, leaf expansion, and biomass accumulation by vegetative soybeans. Level of photon flux (PPF) influenced the type and extent of plant response to mechanical stress. Plant parts responded differently as PPF varied between 135 and 592 micromoles m-2 s-1. Stem length was significantly reduced by seismic stress at 135 micromoles m-2 s-1 but this effect was insignificant at higher PPFs. Reduced stem length resulted from an inhibition of internode elongation. Stem diameter was unaffected by stress at the PPFs tested. In contrast to effects on stem elongation, leaf area was insensitive to stress treatments at 135 micromoles m-2 s-1 but was progressively inhibited by stress as PPF increased. Statistically significant reductions in shoot f. wt and d. wt by seismic stress occurred only at 295 micromoles m-2 s-1. Root biomass accumulation was not affected by seismic stress at any PPF used in this study.


Chemoprevention must target early molecular events involved in malignant transformation. The sequence of events leading from a normally functioning interphase cell to an uncontrolled tumor cell is only partially understood, impeding systematic design of chemopreventive agents. The respective roles of mutagenic and epigenetic mechanisms have not been definitively established. Also, traditional models do not appear to incorporate cellular response to events leading to carcinogenesis. A perspective on system response offered by complexity science elucidates the roles of feedback and control in maintaining functional stability during carcinogenesis. Carcinogenesis is seen as a process of epigenetic redifferentiation resulting in a cell behaving like an archetypal karyocyte free of growth restraints (phylogenetic reversion). Genes that evolved during the development of multicellular organisms, restraining uncontrolled growth and regulating intercell communication may be systematically silenced during carcinogenesis. The formation of heterochromatin, which results in epigenetic silencing by hypermethylation in CpG-dense islands, finds expression in the nuclear chromatin pattern. Karyometry is an integrating biomarker of chromatin pattern information that accommodates the possibility of multiple, differently ordered pathways and provides exquisite sensitivity, allowing detection of very early transformation events. Its use can monitor the impact of chemopreventive agents on the earliest events in progression to cancer.


The Euroversity Network project (2011-2014) has built a Good Practice Framework (GPF) that functions as a heuristic for course and activity designers wishing to develop courses and other materials for use in a range of virtual worlds. This framework has been tested with a number of courses during the running of the project and the aim is that it will be useful for new designers as a starting point for their own ideas development. The GPF is still open for adjustment and negotiation and this paper shows how two new case studies that were not the direct focus of the project, minority languages and elder learners, help to expose some of the framework's weaknesses, but also many of its strengths. These case studies illustrate that a tool like the GPF can provide an effective mediating function for a variety of courses and other activity in virtual worlds.


We present results of case studies of quasi‐periodic (QP) ELF/VLF hiss emissions detected onboard the DEMETER satellite. Three events with simultaneous periodic modulation in VLF wave intensity and energetic electron precipitation are found. In each event we observe exact coincidence of one or two busts of VLF wave intensity with energetic electron precipitation peaks. To our knowledge, such observations made onboard satellites have not been reported earlier. All events are observed at fairly quiet geomagnetic conditions (Kp <3). The dynamic spectrum of the VLF waves in these QP events was characterized by a regular frequency increase in each burst, and the repetition period was less than or about 20 s. These features allow us to suggest that the observed events belong to the QP2‐class, i.e., events which are not associated with geomagnetic pulsations. We also analyze energetic electron data from NOAA‐17 spacecraft which has helio‐synchronous circular orbit similar to DEMETER spacecraft and measured in the same region of the magnetosphere within 30 min for the analyzed events. NOAA‐17 data confirm that the QP emissions were detected by DEMETER in the region of isotropization of energetic electrons, which is typically associated with the development of the cyclotron instability. Modulation of electron flux with a period close to the QP emission period is observed in two events. Based on the observed correlation between bursts of wave intensity and energetic particle flux, we estimate the location and spatial extent of the source region for QP emissions.


A microwave inverse scattering problem including a method for shape reconstruction of three-dimensional electrically large conducting patches with simple geometries using genetic algorithm is presented. Unknown shape reconstruction algorithm starts from the knowledge of the simulated radar cross-section (RCS) data through back-scattering far-field computation using physical optics approximation. The forward problem involves the computation of the multiple-frequency and multiple-direction RCS of three-dimensional large conducting patches modeled by nonuniform rational B-spline (NURBS) surfaces. The control points of NURBS are the geometrical parameters, which are optimized for the shape reconstruction procedure. The extended stationary phase method and critical cases, which occur in physical optics computations in the forward problem, are also discussed. Noise effect and the influence of increment in the number of control points of a NURBS over the inversion algorithm are investigated as well. Numerical results are presented to verify the operation of the proposed algorithm


The entrapment of peripheral nerves is associated with chronic neuroinflammation and neuropathic pain, and perineural injection therapy with glucose is emerging as an effective treatment for peripheral entrapment neuropathy. However, the mechanism underlying the pharmacological effect of glucose on nerves remains unclear. One of the hypothesized mechanisms is that glucose reduces neurogenic inflammation. Therefore, we investigated the effects of high glucose concentrations on cytokine-induced neuroinflammation in vitro. Human SH-SY5Y neuronal cells were challenged with 10 ng/mL TNF-α for 16 h and subsequently treated with different glucose concentrations (0–25 mM) for 24 h. Cell viability was evaluated using the diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, and proinflammatory cytokine levels were assessed using ELISA and quantitative PCR. In addition, mRNA levels of NF-κB and cyclooxygenase-2 were analyzed using quantitative PCR. Exposure to 10 ng/mL TNF-α resulted in decreased viability of SH-SY5Y cells and significant upregulation of IL-6, IL-1β, NF-κB, and cyclooxygenase-2. Subsequent exposure to high glucose levels (25 mM) markedly reduced the upregulation of IL-6, IL-1β, cyclooxygenase-2, and NF-κB, and restored the functional metabolism of SH-SY5Y cells, compared with that of the normal glucose control. Our findings suggest that high glucose concentrations can mitigate TNF-α-induced NF-κB activation, upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines, and metabolic dysfunction.


Aconitine (ACO), a highly toxic diterpenoid alkaloid, is recognized to have effects on cardiac voltage-gated Na(+) channels. However, it remains unknown whether it has any effects on K(+) currents. The effects of ACO on ion currents in differentiated clonal cardiac (H9c2) cells and in cultured neonatal rat ventricular myocytes were investigated in this study. In H9c2 cells, ACO suppressed ultrarapid-delayed rectifier K(+) current (I(Kur)) in a time- and concentration-dependent fashion. The IC(50) value for ACO-induced inhibition of I(Kur) was 1.4 microM. ACO could accelerate the inactivation of I(Kur) with no change in the activation time constant of this current. Steady-state inactivation curve of I(Kur) during exposure to ACO could be demonstrated. Recovery from block by ACO was fitted by a single-exponential function. The inhibition of I(Kur) by ACO could still be observed in H9c2 cells preincubated with ruthenium red (30 microM). Intracellular dialysis with ACO (30 microM) had no effects on I(Kur). I(Kur) elicited by simulated action potential (AP) waveforms was sensitive to block by ACO. Single-cell Ca(2+) imaging revealed that ACO (10 microM) alone did not affect intracellular Ca(2+) in H9c2 cells. In cultured neonatal rat ventricular myocytes, ACO also blocked I(Kur) and prolonged AP along with appearance of early afterdepolarizations. Multielectrode recordings on neonatal rat ventricular tissues also suggested that ACO-induced electrocardiographic changes could be associated with inhibition of I(Kur). This study provides the evidence that ACO can produce a depressant action on I(Kur) in cardiac myocytes.


In order to obtain ultra-smooth and damage free substrate surfaces for MgO single-crystal substrate with high polishing efficiency, an experimental investigation based on systemically designed polishing experiments are presented and discussed. Considering the structural characteristics and chemical properties of the MgO single crystal, the experiments use a polishing slurry containing SiO2 abrasives so that the process is performed under a combination of mechanical and chemical actions. The effects of the polishing process parameters, such as polishing pressure, rotational speed of polishing plate, and the flow rate and concentration of the polishing slurry, on the surface roughness and material removal rate (MRR) are analyzed. Finally, a recommendation is made for selecting the appropriate polishing parameters for MgO single crystal substrate, based on which a surface roughness of 0.3nm can be achieved on the MgO substrate in 20min of polishing time.


Substantial evidence has been generated demonstrating that the immune system is important for controlling tumour development. This includes colorectal cancer (CRC).
Current dogma states that patients capable of mounting anti-tumour immune responses have increased survival. As a result, therapies to enhance antitumour
immune responses are an attractive treatment strategy for cancer patients. However, the long-term effect of generating such responses is not fully understood. Our laboratory has previously shown that an IFN-γ response
towards the tumour antigen Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is associated with tumour recurrence in CRC patients. In contrast, a 5T4 IFN-γ response provided a protective advantage. In this thesis, reasons to explain this observation were explored.
Firstly, anti-CEA IL-17A and dual IFN-γ/IL-17A responses were investigated to determine if high frequencies of IL-17A could potentially outweigh a beneficial IFN-γ response. Infiltration of CD4+ T cell subsets into tumours from CEA
responding and non-responding patients was also examined. Results revealed that CEA specific IL-17A responses were not up-regulated in CRC patients compared to healthy donors, nor were they increased compared to IL-17A 5T4
specific responses. IL-17A+ CD4+ T cell infiltration was also not increased within patients harbouring a CEA T cell response. However, infiltration of other T
helper subsets was reduced. These data imply that IL-17A release is not responsible for early tumour recurrence. Results also suggest that tumours developing within CEA responding patients may be less immunogenic and hence more aggressive.
Investigations were also made to assess if a blood CEA T cell response was associated with increased intestinal permeability. Data obtained via Using chamber experiments suggests that a high magnitude CEA response is associated with reduced gut integrity in the right side of the colon. Further experiments are required, but it is possible that increased permeability could allow translocation of microbial products, leading to an inflammatory environment that could aid tumour development. It's hoped that such findings will help to explain the potential long-term effects of generating anti-tumour immune responses. This knowledge would be beneficial when selecting targets for immunotherapy.


This important study examines the dynamics of the remarkable economic transformation of South Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, and Hong Kong, which has been based in large measure on the production of manufactured goods for export. The competitive edge of these countries has in turn been rooted in the mobilization of a low-cost, disciplined, and productive workforce. This study seeks therefore to explain how East Asian governments and employers have attempted to manage this workforce. It also explores the extent to which workers are able to challenge management decisions and insert working-class agendas into public policy. "Beneath the Miracle" moves beyond current explanations for the weakness of East Asian labor movements which emphasize Confucianist culture, material welfare gains, and political repression. It shows that the organizational capacity of workers has been more fundamentally undercut first by the nature of emergent East Asian employment systems, and second by the sequencing of developmental change, with political controls preceding rapid industrialization and preempting political and union organization of the growing industrial workforce. Deyo undertakes an incisive cross-national comparison of employment systems and explores anomalous situations, such as that in Hong Kong, where labor is politically weak even under minimal state controls, and that in South Korea, where labor is in a stronger position despite far stricter regulation. "Beneath the Miracle" offers a fresh and compelling comparative analysis of Asian labor movements which could lead to a reassessment of many other developmental issues in East Asia. In his probing examination, Deyo provides an important and exciting contribution to the literature in this field.


The calculation and application of alloy design for DM6S and DM8B high carbon alloy steels with ultra-fine caebides were introduced in this paper. On the basis of carbides transformation orderliness in Cr-W-Mo-V high carbon alloy steel at different temperature, the structure and composition of the phases and its transformation orderliness in the steels at different temperature were estimated by phase-equilibrium thermodynamic calculation for Fe-Cr-W-Mo-V-Si-Mn-Ni-C system. The rational heat treatment technics were concluded on the basis of the matrix composition at different austenitizing temperature, and the hardness of quenching and secondary hardening was doped out. The yield strength and the toughness can be forecasted on the basis of average cohesive-energy of martensit matrix by the calculation at electronic and atomic scale. The practice of two new steels DM6S and DM8B shows that the prospective objective can be obtained by theoretic design adding a small quantity of technical tests.


In Norway, many areas can be classified as rural on climatic, geographic or demographic grounds. The rural context means that nurses and patients face circumstances and situations that are different, or do not occur in urban areas. The aim of this study was to identify existing research literature to ascertain what is known about nursing in rural areas of Norway. Scoping review, following Arksey and O`Malley`s methodological framework was used. A total of 111 articles were identified from searching five databases, twenty articles were included. This study gives an overview of rural descriptions and also provides a geographic presentation of areas categorized as rural in existing Norwegian nursing research. Only eight of the twenty articles described the rural context. The lack of descriptions makes it difficult to compare and conclude on causal relationships in the field. Increased awareness and more research into challenges that confront patients and nurses in rural settings in Norway is needed.


Abstract Companies aspire to fulfil consumers' needs, wants and desires by offering products and services. Due to globalization and digitization, the world became a small village by facilitating the obtainability of products/services across the globe. Furthermore, the online purchasing via social platforms mirrors the traditional purchasing process. Gamification, game techniques and elements have been employed in the different domain for engaging and motivating consumers, students, end-users in numerous countries and cultures. Gamification is considered the appliance of game techniques and game elements in the non-game environment. It's been adjusted in different models founded as a need to explore and explain variables, phenomena and theories. Game mechanics as one of the game elements are applied in different disciplines to achieve better performance, fruitful collaboration, active and enthusiastic participation, creating enjoyable, pleasurable and entertaining environment. Aesthetics are described as the sensory part that game evoke within the player. To identify the differences within consumers who purchase via social media when game mechanics and aesthetics are applied, the chi-square test for independence has been employed. The results estimate that the association between products and services as variables is not statistically significant and the relationship between them is weak or moderated. The findings of this research are useful for private companies and other interested stakeholders.


1998. An evaluation of the causes of Urban Poverty in A cross section Analysis. In this study, I analyze and evaluate the determinants of poverty rate differentials among 77 urban centers in the United States, as described by Isabel Sawhill (1988). The regression results show that demographic changes, education, welfare programs, unemployment rates, per capita income and income inequality are the most important factors that have a strong statistical link to urban poverty rates. Based on my analysis, the crime rate is not a statistically significant determinant of the rate of poverty among American families.


Abstract Fast and accurate electromagnetic torque calculation of unconventional Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machines (PMSMs) is very important in order to reduce design effort. Dual winding PMSMs (DWPMSMs) can be categorized as unconventional and commonly available fast design software that usually lacks predicting machine performance. In this study, an analytical modeling approach has been proposed to calculate electromagnetic torque of DWPMSMs, which has motor and generator windings in a single stator core. Conformal mapping is used for the calculation of flux levels at various locations in the machine. Radial and tangential components of flux densities due to magnet and winding are determined analytically. Instantaneous value of electromagnetic torque due to generator or motor windings is calculated by integrating the Maxwell stress tensor in the middle of the air gap. Accuracy of the proposed analytical solution is confirmed with finite element analysis results. For further validation, an experimental setup with a 24-slot 22-pole DWPMSM is used. Experimental results have close agreement with analytical results obtained by conformal transform-based modeling.


ISO 38500 is an international standard for IT governance. The guidelines of ISO 38500 can also be applied at the IT security functional level in order to guide the governance of IT security. This paper proposes the use of a strategic information security management (ISM) framework to implement guidelines of ISO 38500. This approach provides several strategic advantages to the organization by 1) aligning IT security initiatives to business strategy; 2) providing a mechanism for establishing and tracking security metrics; and 3) enhancing the overall maturity of business, IT and IT security processes. The framework also leverages tools such as COBIT, the Balanced Scorecard and SSE-CMM in order to implement IT security governance and continuous improvement practices. Using extant literature, this paper identifies certain challenges and solutions with respect to the governance of IT security. For practitioners, it highlights relevant links between principles of ISO 38500 and IT governance, provides an over-arching contextual framework to drive IT security governance, and demonstrates mitigation solutions for IT security governance challenges. For academics, the paper makes theoretical contributions, by relating IT security governance to business strategy and proposing that firms develop dynamic governance capabilities (Pavlou and El Sawy, 2010) or organizational learning ladders (Ciborra and Andreu, 2010).


CRISPR diagnostics have recently emerged as powerful diagnostic tools for the rapid detection of infections. The ultimate goal is to develop these diagnostics for the point of care, where patients quickly receive and easily interpret results. Although they are in their infancy, the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated innovation of CRISPR diagnostics and led to an explosion of improvements to these systems. Challenges that have impeded the implementation at the point of care have been addressed, and CRISPR diagnostics have been dramatically simplified. Here we outline recent developments and advancements in CRISPR diagnostics that have pushed these technologies to the point of care.


Myomectomy is been considered a treatment of choice for women with uterine leiomyomas who desire a safe pregnancy or wish to maintain their fertility. Depending on the uterine location and size of the leiomyomas, the surgical procedure may be conducted by hysteroscopy, laparotomy or laparoscopy/robotics. In some situations, laparoscopic myomectomy may be a challenging procedure especially because of the potential risk of bleeding. In this paper, the authors describe in detail the surgical steps of the temporary occlusion of the uterine artery in the beginning of the laparoscopic myomectomy in order to minimize the intraoperative blood loss.


A method for the complete removal of twins from single crystals of superconducting YBa_2Cu_3O_7− x is described. The process depends on ferroelastic behavior found to exist in the phase, and should be generally applicable to the layered perovskite-type phases containing accommodation twins resulting from a tetragonal-to-orthorhombic transformation on cooling. The twin-free, superconducting single crystals will enable investigation of a–b anisotropy of properties as well as crystal structure determination without complication by the presence of microtwins.


Bacteria-free suspensions of larvae of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (Stimpson) were prepared without the use of antibiotics. Net rates of removal of 18 amino acids, each supplied at 125 nanomoles per liter, and the appearance of ammonia were measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. Taurine and acidic and basic amino acids were not taken up. Removal of neutral amino acids from the medium occurred at rates adequate to contribute to the carbon and nitrogen balance of the larvae at ecologically relevant substrate concentrations.


Maximization of the production protein hydrolysates was studied by subjecting various cereals for hydolysis by immbilized papain at varying reaction conditions. The degree of hydrolysis was determined by the trichloroacetic acid (TCA) assay method. The optimum conditions for maximizing the production of protein hydrolysate are 2% concentrated solution of sodium alginate, an incubation time of 24 hours, five grams of alginate beads, 30 mL of enzyme loading volume and usage of beads up to 7 cycles. Among the different substrates, the enzyme exhibited the highest activity on the red gram. For the maximum production of protein hydrolysates, the concentration of red gram was optimized to 2%, at pH 5, the time of incubation 60 minutes R. P. M. 120 and the temperature 500C.


In the northern part of the Mexican state of Veracruz, the Teenek Indians believe that a certain illness afflicts only members of their own indigenous group. This assertion raises the question of the relation between emic ideas on affliction and ethnic identity. Examining the Teenek nosology and particularly the divination methods that the Teenek use to locate the origin of their particular misfortune, allows us not only to understand their etiology but also to analyze its symbolic structure. Through the myth of origin, this structure relates the concepts of disease prevalent in this group to their regional conflictual multiethnic context. Thus, Teenek pathology reveals not just a theory of causation but also expresses intra- and interethnic social tensions and gives insights into the question of an ethnotheoretical model of ethnicity.