Adsorption of the mycotoxin ochratoxin A by activated charcoal, various bentonites (acid, alkaline, neutral), and hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate was tested in vitro as well as in feeding experiments with pigs. In vitro tests showed that the 1% addition of activated charcoal leads to complete adsorption of ochratoxin A from aqueous solutions. This effect was not influenced by pH-values ranging from 3-8. In contrast, adsorption by bentonite and hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate occurred primarily in the acid range (pH 3-4). Dietary addition of hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (1%) and acid bentonite (1%, 10%) to ochratoxin A-contaminated feed (1.0 mg/kg) had no effect on the blood or tissue levels of the toxin in pigs. The addition of 1% activated charcoal caused a slight decrease of ochratoxin A in the blood, whereas a tenfold dosage resulted in a 50% to 80% reduction of ochratoxin A levels in both blood and tissue. Reduction of ochratoxin A absorption via the dietary administration of activated charcoal (5%) was confirmed in a 16 week feeding experiment. However, this experiment also showed the serum level of vitamin E to be lower than in the controls receiving adsorbent-free feed.


Purpose: This study attempts to link four groups of contextual factors to vice principals' desire for principalship using regression analysis. Relevant items representing context are grouped under professional, school, demographic, and motivational factors. The findings aim to provide greater understanding of the desire, or lack thereof, of vice principals to become principals. Research Design: A questionnaire was sent to all secondary school vice principals in Hong Kong. Respondents were asked to indicate on a 4-point Likert-type scale their degree of involvement in a set of professional work dimensions and to rate their agreement with motivational items to describe their needs. They were also asked to provide information about their school and demographic background. Of the 803 questionnaires distributed, 331 were returned, giving a response rate of 41.2%. Findings: A number of professional, demographic, and motivational factors appeared to link to vice principals' desire for principal positions. These included involvement in professional development in school, a personal desire to keep learning, the applicants' age, and their predisposition to disregard relational factors. Conclusions: Vice principals who have a stronger desire for personal growth and who are more actively involved in professional development opportunities in their schools have a greater desire to become principals. On the other hand, vice principals who value harmonious working relationships are less inclined to apply for principalships. Further professional development is necessary to increase both the quality and the quantity of principal aspirants. This should recognize the power of ingrained beliefs and norms and be built around human resource issues.


The regulation of blood glucose levels involves a finely tuned relationship between insulin sensitivity, hepatic glucose output, and production of insulin. The cardiometabolic syndrome includes in its definition criteria a disturbance of normal glucose tolerance and implies development of both insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction. There is now abundant evidence pointing toward a central role of dysregulation of the β-cell function and mass in the development of impaired glucose tolerance. Mechanisms implicated in β-cell dysfunction include genetic abnormalities, prenatal and early postnatal insults, and environmental events along with obesity, dyslipidemia-lipotoxicity, glucotoxicity, oxidative stress, chronic low-grade inflammation, amyloid deposition, and activation of the local renin—angiotensin system. Novel therapeutic characteristics of known medications such as metformin, thiazolidinediones, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin receptor blockers, and novel medications such as exendin-4 promise encouraging possibilities to battle against the cardiometabolic syndrome and the future development of cardiovascular disease.


We use the central server model to extend Buzen''s results on balance and bottlenecks. We develop two measures which appear to be useful for evaluating and improving computer system performance. The first measure, called the balance index, is useful for balancing requests to the peripheral processors. The second quantity, called the sensitivity index, indicates which processing rates have the most effect on overall system performance. We define the capacity of a central server model as the maximum throughput as we vary the peripheral processor probabilities. We show that the reciprocal of the CPU utilization is a convex function of the peripheral processor probabilities and that a necessary and sufficient condition for the peripheral processor probabilities to achieve capacity is that the balance indexes are equal for all peripheral processors. We give a method to calculate capacity using classical optimization techniques. Finally, we consider the problem of balancing the processing rates of the processors. Two conditions for "balance" are derived. The first condition maximizes our uncertainty about the next state of the system. This condition has several desirable properties concerning throughput, utilizations, overlap, and resistance to changes in job mix. The second condition is based on obtaining the most throughput for a given cost.


Abstract The jugular bulb is a venous structure linking the sigmoid sinus with the internal jugular vein. Jugular diverticulum is a rare condition characterized by extraluminal outpouching from the jugular bulb. As the patients may be totally asymptomatic, but sensorineural symptoms such as sensorineural hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo can also occur. Diagnosis of these patients can be made by some radiologic methods such as high-resolution computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, or a novel radiologic technique flat panel computed tomography. In this paper we report a 22-year-old female patient with jugular diverticulum presenting with tinnitus complaint.


Water is one of the critical resources in the agenda of promoting sustainability. Yet, among all the observed natural and anthropogenic adversities, waterrelated disasters appear as the most recurrent which hinder sustainable socio-economic development goals. Climate change, urban expansion, deforestation and increase in population are thought to be the main factors of water-related disasters. Considering those factors, understanding the hydrologic balance of watersheds and the impact that nature and humanity impose on regional ecosystem becomes one of the important research priorities. This paper reviews the applications of stable isotopes in hydrological studies for catchment management. Advancements in isotope research (origin, flow paths, residence times and water budget), has led to new frontiers in palaeoclimatology and palaeohydrology studies. Future applications hold promise to recognise the patterns of modern and ancient isotopic signatures within ecosystems and provide useful information in understanding potential natural hazards, thus complementing sustainable watershed management.


Abstract Life insurance is a type of insurance that protects individuals or their relatives who are left behind after death or permanent injury. Although it is quite different from the diversity in the world, life insurance in Turkey, which also allows accumulation with providing death benefit, contribute to the tendency of people to save money. One of the reasons for slower development in life insurances in Turkey compared to the countries in the world stems from the education in the field of insurance. Indicators such as insufficient number of institutes and experts in the field and low ratio of insurance literacy are the outcomes of this inadequate education system. Hence, lack of education is directly connected with the level of students' knowledge. The aim of this study, in which a cross-tabulated survey is used, is to measure the undergraduates' knowledge level of basics of life insurance at the department of Insurance and Risk Management in Dumlupinar University. Results show that students who are taking education at the Dumlupinar University at the department of Insurance and Risk Management, have very low knowledge about basic life insurance. This study is important in determining the knowledge level of the students who will be in the insurance sector in the future and who will have an individual relationship with the customers.


Maritime transport routes, or corridors, imply specific courses of movement for people and goods (freight) on maritime routes and bring multiple benefits to the area through which they pass. The action and influence frame of a single route in the international transport flow is defined by an increasingly pronounced international competition at the regional and/or global transport market. Considering that the competitiveness of a transport route represents the fundamental factor of its valorization in the transport services market, the question of what defines and conditions the competitiveness mentioned above should be considered. This paper analyzes the competitiveness of the Northern Sea Route as a shorter maritime route between Asia and Europe. Under the new climate conditions in which, over the past few years in September, the Northern Sea Route course is completely ice-free, the indicated route represents a sort of competition to the alternative route through the Suez Canal. Taking into account that the competitiveness of a transport route is conditioned by market determination as well as by the quantity of freight flow through the transport route, the main research aim of this paper is to analyze the current and potential transport supply and demand as well as the Northern Sea Route's competitive environment in order to assess, in this regard its valorization and affirmation possibilities.


This paper draws from empirical research on Internet users to identify the elements that accompany/define a cybersecurity mindset, and the factors likely to support its acquisition. Based on a survey of online workers, we found a pattern of beliefs in the efficacy of personal safer computing efforts, such as using firewalls, protective software and strong passwords, to be closely related to what sources of information users rely on for support on cybersecurity. Survey questions tapped the degree users viewed various sources as providing comprehensive information about cybersecurity, including information from the media, the workplace, school, or specialized web sites. They also responded to whether they relied on family and friends for help. Surprisingly, those relying primarily on family and friends for support on cybersecurity tended to have the lowest protection-habit levels. In contrast, those who relied more on web-based information as part of their support network had the highest levels of protection habits. At first glance, this pattern suggests that having information that is timely and actionable, such as from the web can help build self-efficacy and motivate users to adhere to good practices. More broadly, it might suggest that the nature of cybersecurity's cat and mouse games defies simple habits, and requires an habitual focus on the changing face of cybersecurity threats and defenses. Therefore, the best cybersecurity mindset is to continually track change, which leads users to more dynamic sources, such as the Web versus the more static conventional wisdom from family and friends. Further research is required to determine how policymakers, practitioners, and educators can foster a mindset of tracking dynamic cybersecurity practices rather than relying on more static advice from families and friends. This might lead to an approach to developing a cybersecurity mindset among individual Internet users.


In this thesis we have given an introduction to isogeometric finite element analysis on linear elasticity problems in 2D using non uniform rational B-splines (NURBS) as basis functions. We have studied the theory of B-splines and have derived the equations needed to perform linear elasticity stress analysis. An isogeometric finite element solver has been programmed in MATLAB. We have also analyzed the effect degenerated mappings have on the derivatives of the basis functions. We started by looking at a quadrilateral collapsing to a triangle, considering different parameterizations and their impact on the derivatives. We found that the derivatives were no longer in H^1 and that our basis was not a proper basis for finite element analysis. Our solution to this problem is to form a new set of basis functions by summing the basis functions at the singular points. Further we have applied this approach on a circular surface and an infinite plate with a circular hole.


The Workers´ Educational Association WEA of Finland (TSL) was founded on the first of September 1919 in Helsinki. The real founding father was professor Vaino Voionmaa, a member of parliament. The first secretary for the organization was found a couple of weeks later in Turku: chief editor of a local labour newspaper, Hjalmar Eklund (1880–1937). Eklund became a student in 1899, and he graduated as a Master of Arts in 1903. Later in his life, he studied mathematics and philosophy in Gottingen and Leipzig. He worked as a school teacher of mathematics and natural sciences, and he was active in a social democratic youth club in Turku. During the Civil War in 1918, Eklund took part in the Red government of Finland. As a consequence, he was sentenced to prison after the war. In the late autumn of 1918, he was released conditionally. He was not allowed to continue as a teacher. When Eklund was asked to become the first secretary of the TSL he first hesitated, but then he took up the post. He supervised the small office with an eager, friendly and hearty attitude. Besides his post in the TSL, he was also known as one of the most important figures in Finland in mathematical logic. He resigned in October 1926 from the TSL and moved back to Turku where he worked as a mathematician for an insurance company.


A model of pleurisy was established with an intrapleural injection of carrageenan (Car, 10 mg.kg-1) in rats to explore the anti-inflammatory action of tetrandrine (Tet) and its mechanism. After the injection of Car, the exudate, protein and neutrophils appeared in the pleural cavity of rats at 2 h, then increased progressively, and reached a peak level at 12 h and remained high up to 48 h. The phospholipase A2(PLA2) activity of neutrophils (Neu-PLA2) and of the acellular component (ACC-PLA2) in the pleural exudate intensified at 2 h, rose to maximal intensity at 8 h, and started to decline at 48 h. The changes of the amount of exudate, protein content and neutrophil count, and parameters indicating the inflammatory response, were closely related to that of the PLA2 activity (r = 0.749-0.928, P < 0.05 or 0.01). By ig gavage of Tet (10-80 mg.kg-1) to rats at 30 min before and 4 h after the injection of Car, the inflammatory parameters were reduced and the PLA2 activity was inhibited, dose-dependently. The reductions of the inflammatory parameters were significantly associated with the inhibition of the PLA2 activity (r = 0.928-0.993, P < 0.05 or 0.01). These results indicate that Tet has a fine anti-inflammatory action and its mechanism may involve the inhibition on the activation and release of PLA2 of inflammatory cells.


Knowledge management, now a distinct domain of research and practice, has roots in many disciplines. As a
result, a wide variety of philosophies, theories, and definitions of knowledge management are used in the
literature, and in practice. This has led to many models and methodologies being used in developing knowledge
management systems, but without sufficient cross-pollination of ideas from the various influences and adopted
philosophies. We argue that this has led to significant gaps in the understanding of what is needed for knowledge
management systems and to divergent and inadequate models and methodologies. These problems are
hindering both research and practice. Fieldwork in knowledge management systems development for
organisations has been supplemented by an in-depth analysis of the literature, which has revealed particular
gaps in knowledge management systems research. The notions that should underpin knowledge management
systems development are confused and incomplete. This paper summarises the most salient of these and
challenges several of the published notions of knowledge, knowledge management, and models of knowledge
management. In particular we challenge the apparently accepted dichotomies and propose how different facets
can be considered within a matrix of KM models.


The mechanical behaviour of single lap adhesive joints was characterized, using two commercial acrylic adhesives. For this purpose the surfaces were cleaned and abraded using fine grit abrasives. The effect of temperature and moisture in the mechanical strength was, also, evaluated. For this characterization, mechanical tests were carried out according procedure and geometry foreseen by ASTM D3163-01 [1] and ASTM D4501-01 [2] standards. The results show that it is possible to get good strengths without great surface preparation. The temperature and moisture effect observed don't seem to be relevant for the mechanical behaviour.


On etiology and therapy of tuberculosis in the Netherlands (1900-1910) During the first decennium of this century there was a discussion on the etiology of tuberculosis in the columns of the leading Dutch medical journal Nederlandsch Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde. On the one hand there was a movement in favour of the heredity of tuberculosis, on the other hand the contagiousness of the tubercle bacillus was stressed by the supporters of the bacteriological dogma. Robert Koch's lecture on the difference between the human and the bovine tubercle bacillus held on the international tuberculosis congress in London in 1901 stirred the Dutch controversies. Koch doubted the contagiousness of bovine tuberculosis for men, while many Dutch physicians had experienced cases in which the opposite was shown. Moreover Dutch investigations could not show the differences between both types of tubercle bacilli and Koch's authority did get a blow. To obtain more information on the heredity of tuberculosis the Dutch Medical Association held an inquiry among its members on the prevalence of tuberculosis in married couples and their families. However, very few data were compiled so no conclusion was possible. After the death in 1906 of the professor in hygienics, A.P. Fokker (1840-1906), a fervent opponent of Koch's doctrines, the contagiousness of tuberculosis became more and more accepted. The social implications of a bacteriological approach caused some hesitation among medical doctors and in the implementation of a tuberculosis programme. Raising the economic level and improvement of the conditions of living was thought to be as important in the battle against tuberculosis. Different theories about the factors causing tuberculosis were based on the mortality figures. The influence of the soil, the race, the economic standard of living, housing, air, food or infection could all be demonstrated by using mortality figures. No rational therapy for tuberculosis was available. Rest in a special healthy climate in a sanatorium seemed to be beneficial. To prove the success of the sanatoria the physicians showed figures of patients discharged. However, results of different therapies were often based on very small groups of patients and in some cases these results were not even quantified. There was no convincing evidence on the beneficial effects of the mountain health-resorts compared with the resorts in the Netherlands. Nor did statistics prove the value of the serum-therapy. Nevertheless far-reaching conclusions were drawn on such a small basis.


In this paper, UV spectrophotometry was used to test the chromium content of bast fiber of ramie and diphenylcarbazide (DPC) was used as color reagent. The optimal technology was: dropping volume of phosphoric acid 0.4~0.6 mL, DPC content 2.0~4.0 mL and coloration time 5-10 minutes. The results showed that complexes were formed from Cr (VI) ions and DPC under phosphoric acid condition. There was a maximum positive absorption peak at the 540nm. Cr (VI) concentration (in the range of 0.004~1.000 mgL-1) and the absorbance (A) of complex obeyed the Lambert-Beer law.


Western Sydney is a region of great diversity and complexity: a patchwork of cultures, language, ethnicity, personal histories, religion, education, income and status. Taking a chronological developmental approach, this paper examines the development of western Sydney, particularly in the postwar period, in an attempt to reveal some of the more oblique foundations contributing to the contemporary character of 'Western Sydney' as both a spatial and social signifier of the 'other' Sydney.


Abstract :
In 1993 , Moncrief and Popovich described an innovative way of implanting a modified peritoneal catheter , by burying subcutaneously the proximal segment , after a classic laparotomy procedure . They thought that, covering the catheter during  the healing phase, would prevent the constitution of an intra-luminal bacterial biofilm, and, therefore, prevent secondary infectious complications, when performing dialysis. If it did not meet the infectious advantage , it appears that this technique of early implantation of the catheter , allows the onset of the treatment with a watertight and painless abdominal wall , with immediately using maximum volumes of dialysate .  We describe the technique as it was adapted to our center and practiced for more than  twenty years , reporting the results of a study in Chambery between 2006 and 2010 . Finally , we discuss the results published in the  literature .


Sixty-one medically treated patients had coronary and left ventricular angiography and 24-hour electrocardiographic monitoring 10-24 days after myocardial infarction, and then had serial 24-hour electrocardiographic monitoring during the 13 +/- 11 months after myocardial infarction. Complex ventricular arrhythmias (2 or more sequential ventricular premature depolarizations (VPDs), multiform VPDs, bigeminy) during follow-up were associated with a high mortality rate and occurred most commonly in the setting of three-vessel coronary disease, proximal left anterior descending coronary disease and low left ventricular ejection fraction. By contrast, patients without complex VPDs in either the late hospital or posthospital phase of myocardial infarction had no mortality during the year following myocardial infarction; furthermore, these patients had a higher incidence of single-vessel coronary disease and less left ventricular dysfunction. These results emphasize the adverse prognostic significance of complex ventricular arrhythmias in the year after myocardial infarction and their association with extensive coronary artery disease and left ventricular damage.


In this work, we study the problem of reconstructing a sparse signal from a limited number of its linear projections when the following knowledge is available. (1) We are given partial, and partly erroneous, knowledge of the signal's support, denoted by T . (2) We are also given an erroneous estimate of the signal values on T . Alternatively, in recursive reconstruction applications, like real-time dynamic MRI, one can use the support estimate and the signal value estimate from the previous time instant. We presented algorithms by modifying Compressive Sensing (CS) using the partly erroneous support and also the erroneous signal estimate for both noiseless and noisy measurements. The idea of our proposed solution is to solve a convex relaxation of the following problem: find the signal that is sparsest outside the set T , while being "close enough" to signal estimate on T and satisfying the data constraint. We obtain sufficient conditions for exact reconstruction using modified-CS and regularized modified-BP. These are much weaker than those needed for CS when the size of the unknown part of the support is small compared to the support size. We also propose solutions modified-BPDN and regularized modified-BPDN for noisy measurements using the similar idea. We obtain the computable and tighter bounds without any sufficient conditions for the reconstruction error. Simulation comparisons for both sparse and compressible signals are shown. In this work, we also study the application of CS based approaches for blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) contrast functional MR imaging (fMRI). In particular, we show, via exhaustive experiments on actual MR scanner data for brain fMRI, that our recently proposed approach for recursive reconstruction of sparse signal sequences, modifiedCS-residual, outperforms other existing CS based approaches.


Social media is one technological discovery in the last decade which has affected all aspects of human lives. Social media has invaded in and is affecting all aspect of social system (be it political system, economical system, culture, or education system). This can be attributed due to user friendliness and ease of access of these social media technologies. According to a recent survey report there were approximately 216.5 million social network users in India by the end of 2016 and this statistic has been estimated to reach 358.2 million in the year 2021 (statista.com).  The effect of social media is also evident in the education system. Teachers and learners across the globe use these technologies to connect with others and share content on these platforms.  Researchers around the world are interested in exploring the promises and potentialities that these social media technologies can bring in the education system.  The objective of this paper is to discuss different attributes of social media tools that can prove to be beneficial in the education system. In the present paper, the benefits or promises of using social media enabled learning within the education system were also discussed.


In some areas with high intensity and near the epicenter, the buildings, especially nuclear power station, lifeline, long-span structures, information and other important buildings, are of obvious vertical earthquake component by the effect of macroseism. So the research on three dimensional shock insulation including vertical earthquake component should be conducted. The horizontal isolation which is widely used for vertical seismic isolation effect is not obvious and its application in practice is limited highly. Considering its defects mentioned, this paper studies the SMA-disc spring three-dimensional composite bearing from the perspectives of mechanical parameters, performance, structure and working principle and applies it to the typical spatial reticulated structure. By comparison, it can get a conclusion that SMA-disc spring three-dimensional composite bearing has better three-dimensional isolation effect.


This research investigates the implementation of Community Based Learning (CBL) integrated with English lesson at Pondok Pesantren Al - Hikmah 02 Brebes. Its purpose is to prove that there is the CBE practices found in the learning activity. The study focuses on the integration between the concept of CBE and English learning. The theory of CBE/CBL and language acquisition is used to analyze the problem of the research. The data of this research were taken from the analysis of teaching and learning process which is integrated with the activity outside the classroom. The aims are for getting the whole concepts of community-based education on Pondok Pesantren Al-Hikmah 02. Data was taken from oral and literal activity. The result shows that implementation of Community Based Education in Pondok Pesantren Al-Hikmah 02 Brebes emerges through several aspects: 1) School Management; 2) Curriculum Design; 3) English Teaching and Learning, especially through classroom and outdoor activities; 4) Building Humanism in education, and Forming good character through CBE Learning. The implementation of CBE/CBL concept can increase student's competence in English.


Three types of calcium phosphate ceramics, i.e. tricalcium phosphate, biphasic calcium phosphate and near stoichiometric hydroxyapatite, were prepared by sintering at 1200oC for 2 h in air with moisture protection. Their dissolution processes were investigated by taking microstructural observations after immersion in distilled water for 3 or 7 days. It was found that the surface dissolution of the ceramics was initiated at grain boundaries and generated many separated grains. In case of the materials with high porosity, the residual pores on the surface appeared to be a primary defect site where the dissolution starts although the soluble compound was existed on the matrix.


Sign languages exist in unique sociolinguistic circumstances: they are young minority languages with few native signers and an interrupted pattern of intergenerational transmission. As a consequence, it is often difficult for even native signers to be certain as to what is and is not an acceptable construction in their language. This has led to a pressing need to test the claims made by many existing descriptions and analyses of sign languages because they have often been based on limited datasets from a small number of signers.
 To resolve these problems, sign linguists are increasingly turning to corpora. A modern linguistic corpus (e.g. the British National Corpus of English) is understood to refer to a large collection of spoken, written or signed language data (with associated metadata) that is in machine-readable form, is maximally representative (as far as is possible) of the language and its users, and can be consulted to study the type and frequency of constructions in a language. The need for corpora is driven by the assumption that processing of large amounts of annotated texts can reveal patterns of language use and structure not available to everyday user intuitions or even to expert detailed analysis. In addition to benefits for linguists, there are also potential benefits to local communities through the creation of corpora. Corpora provide an important means of recording endangered languages as they are used today for posterity; this includes sign languages (Johnston, 2004; Nonaka, 2004; Author, 2010). Additionally, further empirical research on linguistic structure and the documentation of words/signs used in the language (e.g., via a corpus-based dictionary) will inform and improve teaching materials which will, in turn, lead to the improvements in the training of teachers and interpreters, and in the education of children in the local community. In this presentation, we will describe some of the major corpora that now exist or are being developed for sign languages - including the British Sign Language Corpus and the Auslan (Australian Sign Language) Corpus - and other language documentation efforts with sign languages. In doing so, we will show how, at a fundamental level, the aims and methodologies of linguistic corpora need not be very different from traditional language documentation efforts. We will also explore the benefits of corpora for local communities, particularly in language teaching and learning, and the implications of this not just for sign languages but for spoken/written languages as well.
 Johnston, Trevor. 2004. W(h)ither the deaf community? Population, genetics and the future of Australian Sign Language. American Annals of the Deaf 148.5, 358-75.
 Nonaka, Angela. 2004. Sign languages - the forgotten endangered languages: lessons on the importance of remembering. Language in Society 33.5, 737-67.


Introduction Several epidemiological studies have demonstrated that carotenoid relate inversely to cardiovascular disease incidence. However few studies have been conducted on the relationship between circulating antioxidant vitamins and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP), a biomarker of cardiac function and heart failure, in the general population. The aim of this study was to investigate whether circulating antioxidant vitamins were independently related to NT-pro-BNP in a general Japanese population. Methods Subjects were 1056 inhabitants (390 men and 666 women, mean age: 60.3±10.5 years) of Japan, who attended health check-up examinations from 2003 to 2004. Serum levels of carotenoids, retinol and tocopherols were separately determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. Serum NT-proBNP levels were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Results Geometric mean of serum NT-proBNP was significantly higher in women than in men (53.1 vs 39.1 pg/ml, p<0.001). Partial correlation analysis, adjusting for age, smoking habits, drinking habits, serum triglyceride levels, haemoglobin A1c, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, and estimated glomerular filtration rate, revealed a significant association between serum NT-proBNP levels and serum levels of retinol (r=−0.157, p<0.001), canthaxanthin (r=−0.142, p<0.001), lycopene (r=−0.106, p=0.007), α-carotene (r=−0.103, p=0.009), and β-carotene (r=−0.086, p=0.028) in women. In men, serum levels of antioxidant vitamins were not significantly related with serum NT-proBNP levels. Conclusion Serum levels of retinol and several carotenoids were inversely associated with serum NT-proBNP levels even after adjustment for possible confounding factors in Japanese women, whereas no significant association was observed in Japanese men.


There is an increasing demand in designing heterogeneous networks, where various low-power wireless radios such as ZigBee and Bluetooth devices coexist, while sensing devices may generate traffic with different intervals. In this work, we devise an architecture of a cross layer controller, encompassing a software defined radio at the data plane to manage radio access, and a software defined networking at the control plane to manage data flow, while considering the application requirements. The overall architecture aims at simplifying system management and network re-configuration, while providing better network performance.


Recognizing that banking accounting risks are a field of uncertainty, regulatory bodies in the accounting field have taken their views on the obligation to present the main assumptions of valuation. This information is designed to allow users of financial statements to assess whether companies are prudent or not in establishing their values.Over the past decades, banking services have expanded considerably. Newly emerging financial services institutions have become competitors to commercial banks.Institutional investors, with various investments, often promising higher returns on bank deposits and providing greater flexibility, attracted a growing pool of savings and offered alternatives to those seeking funds.


This study used Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)/Operational Line- scan System (OLS) satellite images to classify and analyze the spatial and temporal variability of nighttime fishing vessel lights in the Sea of Japan. OLS images can detect the powerful lights used to attract squid. We examined DMSP/OLS nighttime visible images from 1994 to 1999. Fishing areas of the Japanese common squid Todarodes pacificus were defined as the bright areas created by 2-level slicing methods on DMSP/OLS images. T. pacificus fishing areas were mainly found along the east coast of Korea, between Cheju and Tsushima Islands, around the Yamato Rise, along the coast of Honshu, and in northern areas of the Sea of Japan. Using image classification and separability analy- sis, we divided the Sea of Japan into 7 areas based on different temporal variability in squid fishing area characteristics. The classification takes the potential northern and southern squid migration pat- terns into account. One of the potential northern migration patterns formed along Honshu Island to the north; another appeared along the east coast of Korea, northward through Yamato Rise. Southern migration patterns were almost the reverse of northern migration patterns. These 7 classified areas also correspond to the oceanographic characteristics of the Sea of Japan, i.e. a polar front at latitude 40°N, the inflow of the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC), and warm eddies. The use of remotely- sensed data demonstrated in this study offers a powerful and innovative way in which to determine the migration and ecology of the Japanese common squid.


Promoting the central rise of China is one of the important development strategies for our country. It is also the objective needs for East-West Fusion and North-South butt joint, and for promoting regional economic development. This article used linear regression and other econometric methods, regarded the average gross domestic product (GDP) of the Six central provinces (Henan, Shanxi, Hunan, Hubei, Anhui and Jiangxi) as the explained variable to represent the average development level of economy, identified the average value of freight turnover in the six central provinces as explanatory variable to represent the average development level of the logistics industry in the six central provinces; and quantitative analyzed the relationship between the average GDP and the average value of freight turnover of the six central provinces with Eviews software, moreover, put some relevant recommendations for the future rapid development of economy in the Six central provinces.


the present work was aimed to investigate the endemicity of Cryptosporidium parvum (The coccidian intestinal protozoan of man and other grazing animals)in some districts of Nineveh province, then evaluating the histopathological effects of the isolated parasite in inoculated mice. A total of 200 child those attended healthcare centers and diagnosed clinically to have persistent and chronic diarrhea were chose for the study. There ages were ranged from ≤1 to ≥5 years old. Their families were practicing livestock grazing. The study were performed between October 2020 and March 2021, in 5 districts : AlHamdania, Bartelah, Basheqah, Fadhliah and Kokgali; respectively. Blood and stool sample were taken from each patient. Depending on direct and immunodiagnostic methods, the highest infection percentage was recorded in Kokgali district (48.1%), and the lowest was recorded in Bartelah district (27.2%). The percentage of positive cases were varied according to the performed diagnostic method: ELISA technique for stool samples (40%), ELISA technique for blood samples (36%), Zeil Neelsen stain (35% ) and flotation method (30%). Infection percentage in males (44.7%)was higher than females (35.7%). Considering age groups, 3-5 years group was more likely to get cryptosporediasis infection(56% of the positive cases). Inoculation of the parasite in lab mice showed obvious histopathological changes, especially in the epithelial brush bordered cells of intestine. دللمجا ، ةيساسلأا ةيبترلا ةيلك ثابحأ ةلمج 17 ( ددعلا ، 4 ةنسل ،) 2021 College of Basic Education Researchers Journal. ISSN: 7452-1992 Vol. (17), No.(4), (2021) 1024


Eigenvalue placement in a stable subregion of the s-plane is investigated for multivariable linear dynamic systems. A theorem that relates the bounds of a semi-annular region to the LQ performance index weighting matrices is used to develop a design procedure to relocate the eigenvalues. An example is included to demonstrate the successful implementation of the new method.


For many seriously ill patients, hospice and palliative care offers a more dignified and comfortable alternative to spending your final months in the impersonal environment of a hospital, far from family, friends, pets, and all that you know and love. Palliative medicine helps you manage pain while hospice provides special care to improve the quality of life for both you as the patient and your family. Seeking hospice and palliative care isn't about giving up hope or hastening death, but rather a way to get the most appropriate and best quality care in the last phase of your life.


Personal Communications Services (PCS) require low-power radio technologies. One such transceiver architecture employing frequency-hopped spread-spectrum techniques is pre- sented. System features such as antenna diversity with equal-gain combining and sequential hop combining are incorporated into the transceiver design to achieve robust wireless digital data transmission over fading channels. A direct-conversion architec- ture from radio frequency (RF) to baseband reduces the overall power consumption by eliminating intermediate frequency (IF) components. High-rate frequency hopping with frequency-shift keying (FSK) modulation is implemented using a direct digital frequency synthesis technique. A multiplierless correlation FSK detector, suitable for direct-conversion receivers, has been de- signed for quadrature noncoherent detection. Robust acquisition algorithms based on energy detection and pattern matching and tracking architectures using digital phase-locked loops are also described for system synchronization. The proposed transceiver is well-suited for low-power PCS applications and other portable wireless communications.


3 Abstract: The recent demand for higher data rate services from wireless network users is overwhelming. Social media influx as well as the proliferation of broadband enabled smart-phones, tablet computers and other newly improved wireless devices has erupted a new trend in wireless network traffic need where average capacity and speed is no longer appreciable. In order to cope with this trend in traffic requirement, wireless network operators are considering a gradual rollover of an existing third generation (3G) network to a fourth generation (4G) network with orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) based technologies such as Fourth Generation Long Term Evolution (4G LTE) and Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX). This paper is devoted to the performance evaluation of Adaptive Modulation and Coding (AMC) in downlink of an orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) network, considering Partial Usage of Sub-channels (PUSC). By using MATLAB Simulink and Origin 61, the performance of Bit Error Rate (BER) and Spectral Efficiency in two channel environments, i.e. non-fading and fading channels were examined. Results suggest better performance for AMC over individual MCS in all channel environments. Moreover, non-fading Addictive White Gaussian Noise (AWGN) channels significantly perform better than fading (Rayleigh and Rician) channels. In Rician channel environment, however, flat fading Rician channels perform better than frequency selective Rician channel which interestingly records a degraded performance against Rayleigh channels. Keywords: third generation (3G), fourth generation (4G), Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Bit Error Rate (BER), Adaptive Modulation and Coding (AMC), Partial Usage of Sub-channels (PUSC), Rayleigh channels and Rician channels


Infertility is a medico social problem in Nigeria and it accounts for 40 percent of our outpatient gynaecological consultations; therefore the need to evaluate the two common presumptive methods of ovulation (serum progesterone and endometrial history) is indicated. An endometrial biopsy and three blood samples taken between M-4 and M-11 (4 and 11 days to the next menstruation) for progesterone determination in the luteal phase of the cycles of 50 infertile Nigerian women were analyzed. The methods were compared for confirmation of ovulation and evaluation of luteal functions. Total luteal phase progesterone value of 11.3 nmol/1 or greater was consistent with ovulation (secretory endometrium) in 90% of the cycles. 41 cycles yielded sufficient information to compare the two methods for evaluation of luteal function. The total progesterone value of 15 nmol/1 or greater was consistent with in-phase biopsies. Twenty eight (68.3%) of the cycles showed evidence of In-Phase (IP,) biopsies while thirteen (32.7%) showed out of phase (00P) biopsies suggestive of abnormal luteal function. The mean progesterone levels of patients with IP biopsies were significantly higher than those with 00P biopsies (P < 0.0001). Compared to studies by other workers using single midluteal progesterone assay, it seems multiple progesterone assay does not confer added advantage in confirming ovulation or in evaluation of luteal function. It is suggested that simultaneous measurements of serum progesterone levels with endometrial biopsies should be used to document ovulation and luteal function in infertile Nigerian women in view of the scarcity of ultrasonographic machines and emerging new technologies in our practice.


Birth is a particularly vulnerable time for acquiring brain injury. Unfortunately, very few treatments are available for those affected. Here we explore the effectiveness of prenatal intervention in an animal model of early brain damage. We used a complex housing paradigm as a form of prenatal enrichment. Six nulliparous dams and one male rat were placed in complex housing (condomom group) for 12 h per day until the dams' delivered their pups. At parturition the dams were left in their home (standard) cages with their pups. Four dams were housed in standard cages (cagemom group) throughout pregnancy and with their pups until weaning. At postnatal day 3 (P3) infants of both groups received frontal cortex removals or sham surgery. Behavioral testing began on P60 and included the Morris water task and a skilled reaching task. Brains were processed for Golgi analyses. Complex housing of the mother had a significant effect on the behavior of their pups. Control animals from the condomom group outperformed those of the cagemom group in the water task. Condomom animals with lesions performed better than their cagemom cohorts in both the water task and in skilled reaching. Condomom animals showed an increase in cortical thickness at anterior planes and thalamic area at both anterior and posterior regions. Golgi analyses revealed an increase in spine density. These results suggest that prenatal enrichment alters brain organization in manner that is prophylactic for perinatal brain injury. This result could have significant implications for the prenatal management of infants expected to be at risk for difficult birth.


purpose: this paper aims to compare and rank the allocative efficiency of information resources in rural areas by taking 13 rural areas in jiangsu province, china as the research sample. design/methodology/approach: we designed input and output indicators for allocation of rural information resources and conducted the quantitative evaluation of allocative efficiency of rural information resources based on cross-efficiency model in combination with the classical ccr model in data envelopment analysis (dea). findings: cross-efficiency dea model can be used for our research with the objective to evaluate quantitatively and objectively whether the allocation of information resources in various rural areas is reasonable and whether the output is commensurate with the input. research limitations: we have to give up using some indicators because of limited data availability. there is a need to further improve the cross-efficiency dea model because it cannot identify the specific factors influencing the efficiency of decision-making units (dmus). practical implications: the evaluation results will help us understand the present allocative efficiency levels of information resources in various rural areas so as to provide a decision making basis for formulation of the policies aimed at promoting the circulation of information resources in rural areas. originality/value: little or no research has been published about the allocative efficiency of rural information resources. the value of this research lies in its focus on studying rural informatization from the perspective of allocative efficiency of rural information resources and in the application of cross-efficiency dea model to evaluate allocative efficiency of rural information resources as well.


The term "middle Miocene Caribbean province" is used for a faunal province that embraced both western Atlantic and eastern Pacific waters. The percentage of endemic species in 13 local faunas in that province is tabulated. In general the largest faunas have the highest percentage of endemic species, but notable exceptions to that generalization are apparent. Many examples of discontinuous distribution of species and genera, which are not relicts, support the conclusion that much of the endemisim is apparent rather than real.


ABSTRACT Background: This study examines the changes in segmental and global cervical sagittal parameters after single-level anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) in patients with cervical radiculopathy or myelopathy. We also investigate whether these changes have any relation with postoperative pain and functional outcome of the patients. Methods: Sixty patients (37 females and 23 males) with a mean age of 45.9 ± 9.5 years who were candidates of single-level ACDF due to cervical myelopathy or radiculopathy participated in the study. At baseline, 1 month, and 6 months after ACDF, outcomes of the study including sagittal balance parameters, pain intensity, and Neck Disability Index (NDI) were measured among the patients. Intensity of pain and neck disability were measured using the visual analog scale (VAS) and validated version of NDI, respectively. Using a standard lateral cervical radiography, the Cobb angle for occiput–C2, C1–C2, and C2–C7 as well as operation-level angle (OA; Cobb's angle at the level of discopathy), the thoracic inlet angle, and C7 and T1 slope angles were measured. Results: The intensity of pain and neck disability of patients improved significantly during the follow up of the study comparing with baseline measurements (P < .001). There was a significant correlation between the increase of C2–C7 angle, C1–C2 angle, and OA and improvement in neck pain and NDI at 1- and 6-month follow ups. Conclusions: We found that changes at C2–C7 angle, C1–C2 angle, and OA have positive significant correlation with clinical outcome including pain improvement and decrease of disability in patients who undergo ACDF. Level of Evidence: 3. Clinical Relevance: The results of this study might be beneficial in selection of cervical cages with appropriate size during ACDF surgery, as our findinds showed that larger cages could lead to better functional outcome in patients.


The vector method is applied to study the kinematic performance of the double wishbone independent front suspension.The model of the right front suspension is established in this paper, on this basis, the local motion reference frames of the upper and lower arms are established by using the coordinate transformation method. Therefore, the space relations between of the arms can be transformed into the plane motion of their respectively local reference frame by this method. Furthermore, the variable law of the wheel alignment parameters with the swing angle φ of the lower arm, is obtained through establishing the constrain equations of the key points.


Farm transfer between generations of the same family has long been considered a highly significant aspect of rural ideology in Australia with major ramifications for farm management decision making. However, the importance attached to family farm succession has been increasingly questioned in current literature. Results from a study in rural culture in New South Wales support the contention that succession is declining in importance, highlighting instead that the wellbeing and education of younger family members is being placed ahead of expectations that children will automatically take over their parents' property and remain in farming. Implications of this trend for farm management are flagged and directions for further research explored.


This paper examines the causality between remittances (REMs) and financial sector development (FD) in MENA countries. We seek to fill a gap in the extant literature by exploring the inward REMs-financial development nexus across the MENA region via the bootstrap rolling Granger non-causality approach. To identify the changes in the interplay among variables, we apply a series of time-varying rolling window tests based on annual-frequency data from 1980 to 2015. Our findings reveal that any shock (demand, supply, or policy-induced) will have permanent long-run effects on selected indicators. The analysis also point out episodes of directional predictability from FD to REM inflows. However, the results evidenced significant windows of directional predictability from inward REMs to financial development.


Although we are sympathetic to Reynolds and Slocum's concerns, their editorial errs on several points. The authors cite deference to regulatory (presumably Food and Drug Administration) approval as a constraint. The FDA has long recognized broad physician discretion in using FDAapproved drugs or devices for indications as physicians see fit and has mechanisms for the use of unapproved drugs or devices. That physicians do not venture beyond approved indications may reflect reticence in the face of insurers or peers who misunderstand evidence-based medicine (EBM) by equating EBM with randomized control trials (RCTs). EBM recognizes many levels of evidence. The current version of EBM as equivalent to RCTs fails to understand the epistemic basis underlying statistical approaches in RCTs, as their very structure renders them highly problematic as sole guides to therapy. The alternative of undisciplined or unsubstantiated treatments is unappealing as well; however, Reynolds and Slocum similarly err in proposing that physicians choose treatments according to first principles of physiological mechanisms. Although this would be ideal, first principles are rarely known and when known, most often are derived post hoc. Historically, ''rational therapy'' rarely has been the case, particularly for truly innovative therapies. Take the authors' example of deep brain stimulation (DBS). Its first reported use in movement disorders was in 1980, long before there was any cogent rationale other than that stimulation prior to ablation seemed helpful. Theories of pathophysiology developed in the ensuing years and used as a rational basis for DBS were devised post hoc. Today, there is no clear understanding of how DBS works; certainly there is little evidence to support ''rewiring.'' At best, the history of innovations is one of lucky (in retrospect) intuitive leaps (guesses), guided by prior understanding. As Reynolds and Slocum rightly point out, current interpretations of EBM often lead to radical skepticism and nihilism, particularly in rare disorders, but the alternatives they offer are little better because they are based on a misreading of history and a lack of epistemic analyses. There is ''structure'' to innovation, as evidenced by the fact that certain individuals have made unique and important contributions more consistently than either chance or sociopolitical status can explain. There is a reasonable supposition that these individuals were on the ''right track.'' How they happened onto the right track should be carefully understood and systemized, perhaps through proper philosophical analysis, and applied to facilitate new discoveries.


Objectives: Individual self-esteem has been linked to a wide variety of personal and social issues including work, life and relationship satisfaction, educational achievement, physical and mental health, and antisocial and criminal behaviour. However, significant controversy over the essential nature and function of self-esteem exists. In particular, 'top down' theories of self-esteem suggest that it causally affects self-perceptions and behaviour, whilst 'bottom up' perspectives argue that it is a result of these. Most studies of self-esteem, including those in relation to physical attractiveness, have adopted correlational designs, and so there is a pressing need for more experimental research in this area.

Design: Three experimental studies examined causal relationships between self-perceptions of physical attractiveness and self-esteem in women.

Methods: Studies 1 and 2 recruited a total of 265 women to take part in online experiments in which they were exposed to either highly attractive or unattractive images of others and then completed various measures of self-esteem. Study 3 exposed 76 women to a laboratory based sub-conscious priming manipulation of self-esteem before measuring their self-esteem and self-perceived attractiveness.

Results: Studies 1 and 2 found no significant differences between experimental groups on any measures of self-esteem. Results from Study 3 showed significant effects of self-esteem primes on subsequent self-esteem and self-perceptions of attractiveness.

Conclusions: The results support a 'top down' interpretation of the relationship between self-perceived attractiveness and self-esteem. This has implications regarding possible effects of the media on body image and eating disorders, together with wider issues surrounding self-esteem causes, effects and interventions.


Tuberculosis (TB), caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, remains a leading cause of death from an infectious agent, resulting in more than a million deaths per year. Despite vaccines and chemotherapies, patients often harbor persister M. tuberculosis cells that resist immune assault and chemotherapeutic treatments, resulting in a latent TB infection (LTBI). In this issue of the JCI, Sharan et al. used an aerosol-based macaque model to show that weekly treatments with isoniazid and rifapentine for 3 months reduced active M. tuberculosis infection and LTBI. Lung tissue from treated animals showed fewer granulomas when compared with the untreated control animals. These findings suggest that it is possible to eliminate persister M. tuberculosis cells, thereby eliminating LTBI. If similar elimination routinely occurs in patients undergoing the isoniazid and rifapentine treatment, the hidden reservoir of M. tuberculosis associated with LTBI would be greatly reduced, allowing us to imagine, and eventually achieve, a world without TB.


In her February 19, 1826, codicil to her will, Sally Anderson revised her wish for Hull Anderson to pay only $100 to her estate instead of the previous amount of $200. She also revoked the clause in her will that loaned her Negro slave, Andrew, to Eli Hoyt, lending both Andrew and her Negro woman slave, Tracey, instead to her friends Betsey Lowrey and her sister Peggy Taylor. This codicil was signed, sealed and published by Sally Anderson in the presence of James Avent and Elizabeth Ross.


A preoperative barium esophagogram and esophageal manometry in an adult patient with an H-type congenital tracheoesophageal fistula revealed the typical esophageal motor abnormalities previously described following operative repair of esophageal atresia in infants. The upper esophageal sphincter contracted normally, the lower esophageal sphincter relaxation was weak and incomplete, and there was no active peristaltic wave within the esophagus. These findings support the theory that the abnormal esophageal motor function reported after repair of congenital tracheoesophageal fistula and esophageal atresia is on a congenital basis and is not directly attributable to operative trauma or denervation.


The Indoor Positioning and Indoor Navigation (IPIN) conference holds an annual competition in which indoor localization systems from different research groups worldwide are evaluated empirically. The objective of this competition is to establish a systematic evaluation methodology with rigorous metrics both for real-time (on-site) and post-processing (off-site) situations, in a realistic environment unfamiliar to the prototype developers. For the IPIN 2018 conference, this competition was held on September 22nd, 2018, in Atlantis, a large shopping mall in Nantes (France). Four competition tracks (two on-site and two off-site) were designed. They consisted of several 1 km routes traversing several floors of the mall. Along these paths, 180 points were topographically surveyed with a 10 cm accuracy, to serve as ground truth landmarks, combining theodolite measurements, differential global navigation satellite system (GNSS) and 3D scanner systems. 34 teams effectively competed. The accuracy score corresponds to the third quartile (75th percentile) of an error metric that combines the horizontal positioning error and the floor detection. The best results for the on-site tracks showed an accuracy score of 11.70 m (Track 1) and 5.50 m (Track 2), while the best results for the off-site tracks showed an accuracy score of 0.90 m (Track 3) and 1.30 m (Track 4). These results showed that it is possible to obtain high accuracy indoor positioning solutions in large, realistic environments using wearable light-weight sensors without deploying any beacon. This paper describes the organization work of the tracks, analyzes the methodology used to quantify the results, reviews the lessons learned from the competition and discusses its future.


present. Points in the technique of tuboplasty for sterility are also helpful, though few British gynaecologists would accept such a potentially dangerous technique involving resection of the colon in the manufacture of an artificial vagina. The final sections of the book are of lesser value. They consist of random thoughts on the management of many problems in both obstetrics and gynaecology and there is no doubt that many clinicians would find much in them with which to disagree strongly. The whole book is graphically written and the illustrations, both photographs and line drawings, are superb, a credit to author and publisher alike.


Eosinophils and their products are important in the pathophysiology of allergic inflammation in mucosal tissues. Secretory component bound to IgA mediates transepithelial transport of IgA and confers increased stability on the resultant secretory IgA; however, the effect of secretory component on the biologic activity of IgA is unknown. Here, we report that secretory IgA and secretory component preferentially activate human eosinophils. When eosinophils were stimulated with immobilized secretory IgA, degranulation and superoxide production were two- to threefold greater than when stimulated with serum IgA. In contrast, neutrophils responded similarly to secretory IgA and serum IgA. Flow cytometric analysis showed that eosinophils bound to purified secretory component. The binding of 125I-labeled secretory component was inhibited by unlabeled secretory component or secretory IgA but not by serum IgA. Superoxide production by eosinophils stimulated with cytokines or IgG was enhanced synergistically by immobilized secretory component; secretory component showed no effect on neutrophil activation. Finally, anti-CD18 mAb abolished eosinophil superoxide production stimulated with secretory IgA or secretory component but not with serum IgA, suggesting a crucial role for beta2 integrins in eosinophil interactions with secretory IgA or secretory component. Thus, secretory component plays important roles in activating eosinophil functions but not neutrophil functions. This preferential interaction between secretory component and eosinophils may provide a novel mechanism to regulate mucosal tissue inflammation.


The mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthase is located in the inner membrane and consists of at least 16 subunit types in animals, one of which is subunit e, the function of which is not clearly defined. A highly homologous protein is located in the nucleus and named progesterone receptor binding protein (RBF), to designate its role in this organelle. In addition, the expression level of subunit e in mammalian cells fluctuates greatly and is induced by certain carcinogens and elevated in liver cancers. Because these previous observations suggested to us that subunit e may play multifunctional regulatory roles, we employed a bioinformatic approach to test this view. First, from sequence alignment studies, secondary structure analyses, and basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) searches, we concluded that mitochondrial subunit e and the homologous nuclear protein RBF are most likely the same protein. Second, we examined the known sequence and structure of one of the most common multifunctional cell regulatory proteins, the 14‐3‐3 protein, involved in phosphopeptide binding, and deduced that it has an apparent binding motif (—KX6R––—RY—). Third, from careful examination of the conserved residues within all subunit e sequences in the database, we discovered that this protein has a comparable binding motif (—RY––—KX6R—). Finally, in a BLAST search for additional homologs of subunit e, we found a human brain protein, KIAA1578, the C‐terminal 30 amino acids of which are identical to those of human subunit e. This protein also contains a potential phosphopeptide binding motif. In summary, these studies provide support for the view that subunit e is a multifunctional cell regulator involved in cell signaling, and implicate the involvement of the KIAA1578 protein in cell signaling as well. These studies suggest also that, while functioning as a subunit of mitochondrial ATP synthases, subunit e may help regulate these complexes by binding to phosphopeptides within one or more of the other subunit types. Proteins 2003;51:155–161. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


Widespread deployment of photovoltaic (PV) and wind energy systems, with their associated variability, will require the addition of local energy storage in order to level out the power delivered to the utility. The fast power ramp rates experienced by PV and wind, however, require rapid response times and tight integration with co-located energy storage systems. This paper presents a novel three-port 750kW AC-link power converter which ties together a renewable generation source, an energy storage system, and a grid connection. The system enables sub-millisecond response times to power transients, energy capture during grid low-voltage ride-through conditions, direct voltage transformation using a 50kHz high-frequency nanocrystalline transformer, and 3MW/m3 power density. A prototype system developed for Naval applications that uses 6kV silicon carbide GTOs provides an example of the technology's capabilities.


Nine new isolates of human T-cell leukemia-lymphoma virus (HTLV) were obtained from cells of seven patients with malignancies of mature T cells and from two clinically normal relatives of a T-cell leukemia patient. These people were from the United States, Israel, the West Indies, and Japan. The virus was detected in the fresh T cells and was isolated from the established T-cell lines. Each isolate is closely related to the first HTLV isolate, and all the new HTLV isolates were transmitted into normal human T cells obtained from the umbilical cord blood of newborns.


Among dissimilarities between probability distributions, the Kernel Stein Discrepancy (KSD) has received much interest recently. We investigate the properties of its Wasserstein gradient flow to approximate a target probability distribution $\pi$ on $\mathbb{R}^d$, known up to a normalization constant. This leads to a straightforwardly implementable, deterministic score-based method to sample from $\pi$, named KSD Descent, which uses a set of particles to approximate $\pi$. Remarkably, owing to a tractable loss function, KSD Descent can leverage robust parameter-free optimization schemes such as L-BFGS; this contrasts with other popular particle-based schemes such as the Stein Variational Gradient Descent algorithm. We study the convergence properties of KSD Descent and demonstrate its practical relevance. However, we also highlight failure cases by showing that the algorithm can get stuck in spurious local minima.


A challenge for mining large-scale streaming data overlooked by most existing studies on online learning is the skewdistribution of examples over different classes. Many previous works have considered cost-sensitive approaches in an online setting for streaming data, where fixed costs are assigned to different classes, or ad-hoc costs are adapted based on the distribution of data received so far. However, it is not necessary for them to achieve optimal performance in terms of the measures suited for imbalanced data, such as Fmeasure, area under ROC curve (AUROC), area under precision and recall curve (AUPRC). This work proposes a general framework for online learning with imbalanced streaming data, where examples are coming sequentially and models are updated accordingly on-the-fly. By simultaneously learning multiple classifiers with different cost vectors, the proposed method can be adopted for different target measures for imbalanced data, including F-measure, AUROC and AUPRC. Moreover, we present a rigorous theoretical justification of the proposed framework for the F-measure maximization. Our empirical studies demonstrate the competitive if not better performance of the proposed method compared to previous cost-sensitive and resampling based online learning algorithms and those that are designed for optimizing certain measures.


Abstract. One of the quickest means of tsunami evacuation is transfer to higher ground soon after strong and long ground shaking. Ground shaking itself is a good initiator of the evacuation from disastrous tsunami. Longer period seismic waves are considered to be more correlated with the earthquake magnitude. We investigated the possible application of this to tsunami hazard alarm using single-site ground motion observation. Information from the mass media is sometimes unavailable due to power failure soon after a large earthquake. Even when an official alarm is available, multiple information sources of tsunami alert would help people become aware of the coming risk of a tsunami. Thus, a device that indicates risk of a tsunami without requiring other data would be helpful to those who should evacuate. Since the sensitivity of a low-cost MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) accelerometer is sufficient for this purpose, tsunami alarm equipment for home use may be easily realized. Amplitude of long-period (20 s cutoff) displacement was proposed as the threshold for the alarm based on empirical relationships among magnitude, tsunami height, hypocentral distance, and peak ground displacement of seismic waves. Application of this method to recent major earthquakes indicated that such equipment could effectively alert people to the possibility of tsunami.


Matrilysin 1 [matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP7)] is one of the most important metalloproteinases expressed in human tissues. This enzyme is generally not expressed by normal differentiated epithelial colon cells, but has been shown to be up-regulated in human colon adenomas and adenocarcinomas. Little is known about the role of MMP7 in cell invasion and its involvement in proteolytic processes. By searching the ligands of MMP7 in the colonic carcinoma cells HT29, we identified laminin-5/laminin-332 (LN5) as a specific target for MMP7 enzymatic activity. LN5, composed of alpha3, beta3, and gamma2 chains, is an important component of epithelial basement membranes where it induces firm adhesion and hemidesmosome formation. In this study, we show that LN5 and MMP7 are coexpressed in HT29 cells as well as in HT29 xenograft tumors and human colorectal adenocarcinomas. We provide evidence that human LN5 is a ligand for MMP7 and that a specific cleavage occurs in its beta3 chain, giving rise to a carboxyl-terminal beta3 chain fragment of 90 kDa. We have identified the MMP7 cleavage site at position Ala(515)-Ile(516) in the beta3 chain. Videomicroscopic analysis of HT29 cells plated on LN5 substrates reveals that the MMP7-processed LN5 significantly enhances cell motility. Moreover, the delayed migration of HT29 cells obtained after specific inhibition of MMP7 reinforces the hypothesis supporting its involvement in cell migration. Altogether, our results show that MMP7 is likely to play a crucial role in the regulation of carcinoma cell migration by targeting specific proteolytic processing of the LN5 beta3 chain.


The research reported in this thesis examined social anxiety in people with visible skin conditions to identify potential targets for intervention. Mindfulness refers to the tendency to pay attention to the present and cultivates a non-judgmental attitude towards experiences. Disengaging from negative patterns of thinking by paying attention to the present, could target rumination which maintains social anxiety.
The findings of Study 1, an interpretative phenomenological analysis (N=10) indicated that social anxiety in people living with visible skin conditions arises as a result of an interaction between negative self-appraisals, fear of negative evaluation and previous reactions of others. Targeting this evaluative process using mindfulness techniques could be beneficial in reducing social anxiety; therefore, Study 2 examined the relationship between mindfulness and psychosocial distress in people with visible skin conditions (N=120). Mindfulness explained 41% of the variance in social anxiety, after controlling for subjective severity. These findings suggest that increasing mindfulness, particularly awareness, and non-judgment of inner experience could reduce social anxiety.
To examine the potential of mindfulness interventions to reduce social anxiety, a systematic review was conducted. Findings highlighted that mindfulness is effective in reducing social anxiety. Potential mechanisms for the effects of mindfulness include reduced reactivity to negative self-referential information and increased attentional control. Study 3 tested the effectiveness of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) for social anxiety in people with visible skin conditions. A multiple baseline single case series was used to examine individual change profiles over time. Reliable and/or clinically significant reductions in social anxiety and at least one other area of psychosocial distress were reported by treatment completers (N = 7). The findings suggest that MBCT is a promising intervention for social anxiety in dermatology patients, and further research is warranted. Feasibility studies may provide important information regarding recruitment and attrition when considering randomised control trials.


Atypical mycobacteria are increasingly afflicting pulmonary and extra pulmonary systems. Disease caused by these organisms are less common compared with tuberculosis caused by human strain of mycobacteria, but there has been a significant increase in pulmonary and extra pulmonary infections due to atypical mycobacteria especially in retroviral disease in the last two decades. 75 HIV positive patients who had pulmonary and/or extrapulmonary manifestations suggestive of Tuberculosis were included in our study. Of these, 48 (64%) were males and 27(36%)were females. Majority of these patients were in economically productive and sexually active age group of 31-50 years. Of the 75 samples, 25 were culture positive for Acid Fast Bacilli whereas 50 samples showed no growth on culture at end of 8 weeks. Of the 25 who had positive cultures, 15 showed growth for Mycobacterium TB and 10 showed growth for Atypical mycobacteria. Of the 25 patients who were Culture positive, 16 i.e 64% had Sputum smears by Z-N stain positive for AFB, which was statistically significant. It was observed that Atypical mycobacterial infection was more common in CD4 count < 100 cells/cu mm. Infection with Mycobacterium TB was more common in CD4 count between 101-200 cells/cu mm.


We propose a Bayesian approach to estimating parameters in multiclass functional models. Unordered multinomial probit, ordered multinomial probit and multinomial logistic models are considered. We use finite random series priors based on a suitable basis such as B-splines in these three multinomial models, and classify the functional data using the Bayes rule. We average over models based on the marginal likelihood estimated from Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) output. Posterior contraction rates for the three multinomial models are computed. We also consider Bayesian linear and quadratic discriminant analyses on the multivariate data obtained by applying a functional principal component technique on the original functional data. A simulation study is conducted to compare these methods on different types of data. We also apply these methods to a phoneme dataset.


The Bentall procedures using biological valved conduit is expanding owing to the increasing incidence of aortic valve disease in the aging population and usage for young generation. The long-term durability of the biological valve including the risks of structural valve deterioration(SVD) is the major concern of the bio-Bentall procedure. Bio-Bentall in our hospital are reviewed and literature review are added. Our surgical results of long-term survival in bio-Bentall patients is acceptable compare to other study and freedom from SVD and reoperation is better than other results. There was no experience of SVD complication so far. Modification using double sewing ring technique is useful to put larger valve, keep better hemostasis, easy to do reoperation for further SVD and expect for future valve in valve situation.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the relationships between shy-inhibited temperament in childhood and anxiety problems in early adolescence using a prospective, longitudinal data set from a large community sample.

METHOD
Relationships between shyness ratings on age-appropriate temperament scales and anxiety problems were analyzed, looking both forward and backward in time from infancy to adolescence.

RESULTS
Forty-two percent of children rated as shy on 6 or more occasions over 8 surveys in childhood had anxiety problems in adolescence, compared with 11% who were never shy. Persistence of shyness and its presence in middle childhood increased risk for anxiety. A highly reactive temperament added to shyness did not increase the risk for anxiety. Few children with an anxiety diagnosis in early adolescence had a history of shyness.

CONCLUSIONS
Prediction from childhood shyness to adolescent anxiety disorder is modest but clinically meaningful in a community sample. However, most shy children did not develop an anxiety disorder and most adolescents with anxiety disorders had not been especially shy.


We have partially purified an 18‐kDa cytoplasmic protein from 3T3‐L1 cells, which dephosphorylates pNPP and the phosphorylated adipocyte lipid binding protein (ALBP), and have identified it by virtue of kinetic and immunological criteria as an acid phosphatase (EC 18.104.22.168). The cytoplasmic acid phosphatase was inactivated by phenylarsine oxide (PAO) (Kinact = 10 μM), and the inactivation could be reversed by the dithiol, 2,3‐dimercaptopropanol (Kreact = 23 μM), but not the monothiol, 2‐mercaptoethanol. Cloning of the human adipocyte acid phosphatase revealed that two isoforms exist, termed HAAPα and HAAPβ (human adipocyte acid phosphatase), which are distinguished by a 34‐amino acid isoform‐specific domain. Sequence analysis shows HAAPα and HAAPβ share 74% and 90% identity with the bovine liver acid phosphatase, respectively, and 99% identity with both isoenzymes of the human red cell acid phosphatase but no sequence similarity to the protein tyrosine phosphatases (EC 126.96.36.199). HAAPβ has been cloned into Escherichia coli, expressed, and purified as a glutathione S‐transferase fusion protein. Recombinant HAAPβ was shown to dephosphorylate pNPP and phosphoALBP and to be inactivated by PAO and inhibited by vanadate (Ki = 17 μM). These results describe the adipocyte acid phosphatase as a cytoplasmic enzyme containing conformationally vicinal cysteine residues with properties that suggest it may dephosphorylate tyrosyl phosphorylated cellular proteins.


Purpose. Interrogative suggestibility, as measured by the Gudjonsson Suggestibility Scales (GSS), is an independent form of suggestibility arising in the forensic/legal context. So far, an unresolved issue that may have different implications when measuring suggestibility is to what extent the scales measure internalization of suggested materials or just compliance with the interrogator.

Methods. Internalization of suggested materials and compliance were here measured using a source identification task. In Experiment 1, participants were administered the GSS2 and immediately afterwards asked to perform the source identification task on the items presented in the scale. In Experiment 2, half of the participants were administered the source identification task immediately and half after a 24-hr delay.

Results. In both experiments a higher proportion of compliant responses were found. Participants internalized more suggested information after questioning (Yield 1) and made more compliant responses after negative feedback (Shift). In Experiment 2, participants in the delayed condition internalized less material than those in the immediate condition.

Conclusions: Different processes appear to underlie Yield 1 and Shift scores in the GSS2. The former may include both internalization of suggested materials and compliance, while the second appears to be mostly due to compliance with the interrogator. When administering the GSS2 in a forensic/legal context as vulnerability predictor for making false confessions, or proneness to develop false memories through the internalization of suggested material, including a source identification task may provide additional information on the type of coping style and memory characteristics of the examinee.


Abstract Problem, research strategy, and findings: Cities across the United States must have reliable and consistent water supplies to support public health, promote economic growth, and protect the environment. The way we build and design cities influences water consumption patterns; however, the most significant factors of the built environment and their associations with water use are not well explored. In this study we seek to reveal the ways in which characteristics of the built environment influence urban water use. We analyze spatially detailed data sets of water use and the built environment in four different cities in the western United States. Our findings indicate the built environment in these cities has a substantial influence on single-family residential water use. Specifically, we find that vegetated land cover, housing density, and lot size are influential determinants of water use. However, we did find variation in the strength and significance of these variables between the cities, and there remains a need for city-specific analyses. Takeaway for practice: The results indicate even small changes to design and permitting for single-family residential properties can produce substantial cumulative water savings for cities. Based on our findings, we propose planning and design strategies such as form-based codes, zoning, and municipal ordinances to help growing cities reduce their water use. We present estimates of the water conservation impacts these strategies might achieve and provide specific examples of planning documents, municipal ordinances, and land use plans some cities are already using to reduce their water use. Overall, our study provides empirical evidence to further support integrating land use planning and water management.


The Islamic boarding school education is one of factors to establish the quality of Indonesian. Now, this education doesn?t have capable for the generation, however, to answer the challenges and the capability which can be expected and needed for society. Moreover, the impression about the boarding school is out of date for the society. It is proven that minimizing they lack of interested to send their children to Islamic boarding school. This research expected to show about the condition and development in the environment of Islamic boarding school clearly, which include to this research: 1) how does the Daruttauhid Boarding School of Malang develop the traditional function 2) what are the support and inhibiting factors for the development of traditional function The research purposes are 1) the models of development traditional function at Daruttauhid. 2) the support and inhibiting factors for the development traditional function in Daruttauhid. The writer used the qualitative method for the research. The primary data is the object research and the secondary data is the documentation data of Islamic boarding school and also the supporting book for the writer. The result of this research shows that Daruttauhid has different method in developing the traditional function inside it. The method include to: 1) the job for senior student in the important sectors, for example canteen and daily management as security, religious and health (informal education). 2) More learn about the Koran. 3) Speech presentation by four languages. 4) Delegation of authority to Central East to continue the higher study. 5) Be volunteer to teach there and environment. 6) To stir up every Islamic culture activity, such us wearing long flowing robe for daily activity and other activity as Cikalong self defense, Hadrah or Dufuf Marawis. The supporting factors for the develop traditional function are 1) the Islamic student would like to get other sections, because of the teacher guide them and they confident to do the entire job. 2) The teacher has authority to teach the Koran. 3) The student enthusiasm ton know many culture and language by mother tongue speaking. 4) The relation between Central East and Daruttauhid of Malang and the scholarship for continuing study. 5) The sincerity of the teacher to get many advantages and Kiai blesses, the student ho get the scholarship must being the volunteer teacher. 6) Haul, wearing long flowing robe, hadarah are the tradition for build this boarding school. Furthermore, the inhibiting factors for the development traditional function are 1) they has some sections where just for the senior student placed for management. 2) The student lack of concentration for every recitation of the Koran because of two curriculums. 3) Many Islamic students come from other city which needs many time to teach them for public speaking. 4) Sometimes the human resource of Islamic student which send the student to Central East lack of standard. 5) The minimizing fund to stir up every activity as Haul and Hadrah. Keyword : Peningkatan, Fungsi Tradisional, Pesantren Related Link : http://skripsi.umm.ac.id/files/disk1/268/jiptummpp-gdl-s1-2008-akhwanali0-13396-PEDAHULU-N.pdf


We reveal how patterns of growth in response to environmental cues can produce curvature in biological structures by setting up mechanical stresses that cause elastic buckling.. Nereocystis luetkeana are nearshore kelp with wide ruffled blades that minimize self-shading in slow flow, but narrow flat blades that reduce hydrodynamic drag in rapid flow. Previously we showed blade ruffling is a plastic trait associated with a transverse gradient in longitudinal growth. Here we consider expansion and displacement of tissue elements due to growth in blades and find that growth patterns are altered by tensile stress due to hydrodynamic drag, but not by shading or nutrients. When longitudinal stress in a blade is low in slow flow, blade edges grow faster than midline in young tissue near the blade base. Tissue elements are displaced distally by expansion of younger proximal tissue. Strain energy caused by the transverse gradient in longitudinal growth is released by elastic buckling once the blade grows wide enough, producing ruffles distal to the region where the growth inhomogeneity started. If a blade experiences higher stress in rapid flow, edges and midline grow at the same rate, so the blade becomes flat as these new tissue elements are displaced distally.


ABSTRACT This article studies non-professional subtitling (NPS) within a holistic framework combining Chesterman's propositions of functional quality and expectancy norms. NPS communities emerged due to discomfort among users regarding translated audiovisual products. The assessment of the production and reception conditions of NPS through a review of studies reveals that quality is relevant on both sides. On the production side, non-professional subtitlers have defined procedures aiming at ensuring the quality of the subtitles. On the reception side, users have developed a conscious approach to select the subtitles they want to use. For users, access and speed in the release of the subtitles are key when choosing subtitles. Results indicate that NPS fulfills the users' expectations because the communities are geared towards producing subtitles that address the users' needs. This article calls for further exploration of NPS settings to expand the notions of quality and translation under the current conditions.


For the diagnosis of superficial mycoses, the clinical aspects and cultivation of fungi for further identification are usually considered. Identification, however, is time consuming and at least 4 weeks are needed for a positive laboratory report. In Brazil, the use of Wood's light is not a routine screen test, especially in Veterinary Medicine. Thus, the present paper has the aim to evaluate the availability, the sensitivity and the specificity of the Wood's light in detecting fungal diseases because not all dermatomycoses are readily detected by this method. The fluorescence results were compared to those of fungi cultures of hair specimens from animals suspected of dermatophytes or yeast infections. The culture media used were the Sabouraud and the Mycose I Agar. From February 1989 to April 1990 the Dermatology Service of the University Veterinary Teaching Hospital attended 282 animals presenting lesions very suggestive of fungal diseases. From these, 162 (57.4%) were dogs and the remaining 120 (42.5%) were cats, of both sexes and of various ages and breeds. After performing dermatologie examination, the lesions were submitted to the Wood's light (250 nm) and fluorescence was observed in 70 (24.5%) cases. After the inoculation and in vitro cultivation of clinical specimens from either fluorescent and non-fluorescent lesions, positive fungal growth was found in 109 cases, 103 of these identified as dermatophytes or pathogenic yeast. The clear fluorescence was found only in Microsporum canis infection. The results of fluorescence and fungal growth were in accordance in 64.5% of the cases. The efficiency of the Wood's light in dogs and cats, compared to the mycological examination was respectively: sensitivity - 39.1% and 73.8%; specificity - 89.2% and 80.7%; possibility of diagnosis - 82.0% and 78.0%; predictable value of positive test - 37.5% and 67.3%; and predictable value of negative test - 89.8% and 85.1%. Epidemiologic aspects of dermalophytoses and yeast infections and fungi species isolated in cultures are furthermore discussed.


This paper computes the uncertainties associated with the power system state variables obtained with the help of phasor measurement units (PMUs). An integer-quadratic-programming-based method is used to determine the minimum number and the optimal locations of the PMUs to ensure complete topological observability of the system. Three approaches are used to estimate the uncertainties in the state variables: the use of the classical uncertainty propagation theory, the Monte Carlo method, and the random fuzzy variables (RFVs). The methods are applied on a test system, and the results are presented. The choice of method depends on the application; suggestions are offered based on the conclusions of the work in this paper.


Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) query the entire genome in a hypothesis-free, unbiased manner. Since they have the potential for identifying novel genetic variants, they have become a very popular approach to the investigation of complex diseases. Nonetheless, since the success of the GWAS approach varies widely, the identification of genetic variants for complex diseases remains a difficult problem. We developed a novel bioinformatics approach to identify the nominal genetic variants associated with complex diseases. To test the feasibility of our approach, we developed a web-based aggregation tool to organize the genes, genetic variations and pathways involved in preterm birth. We used semantic data mining to extract all published articles related to preterm birth. All articles were reviewed by a team of curators. Genes identified from public databases and archives of expression arrays were aggregated with genes curated from the literature. Pathway analysis was used to impute genes from pathways identified in the curations. The curated articles and collected genetic information form a unique resource for investigators interested in preterm birth. The Database for Preterm Birth exemplifies an approach that is generalizable to other disorders for which there is evidence of significant genetic contributions. Database URL: http://ptbdb.cs.brown.edu/dbPTBv1.php


With the expansion of economic globalization, international exchanges have become the common phenomenon.
Language is the carrier of culture and a necessary condition for cross-cultural communication. Translation is
the expression of one language in another language, and the output of this language includes the thinking rules,
habits and transfer of ideas of the source language. English translation is an important method to improve
English application ability and promote cultural exchange. Any misunderstanding and misuse of the translation
will undoubtedly cause negative effects. This paper is intended to explore some effective translation strategies
and techniques for translating Chinese cultural words. In this regard, translators need to have an in-depth and
comprehensive understanding and mastery of the Chinese and Western cultures. In the process of translation,
they should fully follow the principles of appropriateness and use scientific and reasonable translation methods
to accurately express the true meaning to the audience, so as to strengthen the Chinese and Western cultures.
Keywords: Chinese cultural words; differences and similarities;intercultural communication; translation
strategies


The continuous wavelet transform enables one to look at the evolution in the time frequency joint representation plane. This advantage makes it very suitable for the detection of singularity generated by localized defects in mechanical system. This gives a desirable ability to detect the singularity characteristic of a signal precisely. In this study, the impulse response wavelet time frequency joint representation is used in conjunction to detect and diagnose the bearing fault. The impulse response wavelet time frequency joint representation is found to show distinctive signatures in the presence of bearing inner race or outer race damage. The experimental results show that the impulse response wavelet time frequency representation can extract the transients from strong noise signals and can effectively diagnose bearing fault.


Multiple coordinated visualizations enable users to rapidly explore complex information. However, users often need unforeseen combinations of coordinated visualizations that are appropriate for their data. Snap-Together Visualization enables data users to rapidly and dynamically mix and match visualizations and coordinations to construct custom exploration interfaces without programming. Snap's conceptual model is based on the relational database model. Users load relations into visualizations then coordinate them based on the relational joins between them. Users can create different types of coordinations such as: brushing, drill down, overview and detail view, and synchronized scrolling. Visualization developers can make their independent visualizations snap-able with a simple API.
Evaluation of Snap revealed benefits, cognitive issues, and usability concerns. Data savvy users were very capable and thrilled to rapidly construct powerful coordinated visualizations. A snapped overview and detail-view coordination improved user performance by 30-80%, depending on task.


The physiology and pathology of the skin are influenced by daily oscillations driven by a master clock located in the brain, and peripheral clocks in individual cells. The pathogenesis of psoriasis is circadian‐rhythmic, with flares of disease and symptoms such as itch typically being worse in the evening/night‐time. Patients with psoriasis have changes in circadian oscillations of blood pressure and heart rate, supporting wider circadian disruption. In addition, shift work, a circadian misalignment challenge, is associated with psoriasis. These features may be due to underlying circadian control of key effector elements known to be relevant in psoriasis such as cell cycle, proliferation, apoptosis and inflammation. Indeed, peripheral clock pathology may lead to hyperproliferation of keratinocytes in the basal layers, insufficient apoptosis of differentiating keratinocytes in psoriatic epidermis, dysregulation of skin‐resident and migratory immune cells and modulation of angiogenesis through circadian oscillation of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF‐A) in epidermal keratinocytes. Chronotherapeutic effects of topical steroids and topical vitamin D analogues have been reported, suggesting that knowledge of circadian phase may improve the efficacy, and therapeutic index of treatments for psoriasis. In this viewpoint essay, we review the current literature on circadian disruption in psoriasis. We explore the hypothesis that psoriasis is circadian‐driven. We also suggest that investigation of the circadian components specific to psoriasis and that the in vitro investigation of circadian regulation of psoriasis will contribute to the development of a novel chronotherapeutic treatment strategy for personalised psoriasis management. We also propose that circadian oscillations of VEGF‐A offer an opportunity to enhance the efficacy and tolerability of a novel anti‐VEGF‐A therapeutic approach, through the timed delivery of anti‐VEGF‐A drugs.


Our patient population was largely positive for ER, but only 40% received hormonal therapy. Despite this, only 4% of patients experienced a breast cancer–related event. Not performing a sentinel node biopsy may avoid potential morbidity and should be reevaluated for patients 70 years of age or older with clinically negative nodes. Patients were unlikely to have treatment recommendations changed based on a sentinel node biopsy, and adjuvant therapy was less likely to be administered, regardless of nodal status. Patients in this subgroup were more likely to die of causes other than breast cancer, and not performing a sentinel node biopsy did not affect survival.