Abstract  The Sambosan accretionary complex of southwest Japan was formed during the uppermost Jurassic to lowermost Cretaceous and consists of basaltic rocks, carbonates and siliceous rocks. The Sambosan oceanic rocks were grouped into four stratigraphic successions: (i) Middle Upper Triassic basaltic rock; (ii) Upper Triassic shallow‐water limestone; (iii) limestone breccia; and (iv) Middle Middle Triassic to lower Upper Jurassic siliceous rock successions. The basaltic rocks have a geochemical affinity with oceanic island basalt of a normal hotspot origin. The shallow‐water limestone, limestone breccia, and siliceous rock successions are interpreted to be sediments on the seamount‐top, upper seamount‐flank and surrounding ocean floor, respectively. Deposition of the radiolarian chert of the siliceous rock succession took place on the ocean floor in Late Anisian and continued until Middle Jurassic. Oceanic island basalt was erupted to form a seamount by an intraplate volcanism in Late Carnian. Late Triassic shallow‐water carbonate sedimentation occurred at the top of this seamount. Accumulation of the radiolarian chert was temporally replaced by Late Carnian to Early Norian deep‐water pelagic carbonate sedimentation. Biotic association and lithologic properties of the pelagic carbonates suggest that an enormous production and accumulation of calcareous planktonic biotas occurred in an open‐ocean realm of the Panthalassa Ocean in Late Carnian through Early Norian. Upper Norian ribbon chert of the siliceous rock succession contains thin beds of limestone breccia displaced from the shallow‐water buildup resting upon the seamount. The shallow‐water limestone and siliceous rock successions are nearly coeval with one another and are laterally linked by displaced carbonates in the siliceous rock succession.


This article about social workers in the public social services in Brazil explores professional social work practice through the subjective standpoint of the social workers. Inspired by institutional ethnography, this approach explicates how understandings of social work are interpreted and implemented in various contexts. The findings show that the formalization of the relationship with the employer through contracts of employment implicate that the disciplinary normative definitions of social work succumb to institutional regulations, which are not necessarily discipline specific. In addition, the temporary character of the contracts of employment makes the social workers align their practice to institutional frameworks and demands, as they are personally interested in renewal of the contracts and the maintenance of their professional careers. With this approach, disciplinary, political, ideological, legal and moral definitions of social work are not viewed as the essences of social work, but rather as contextual processes that are locally activated in different contexts. At the same time, it underscores social work as a political profession which should naturally include interventions on political, juridical, economic and organizational levels. Consequently, professional social work is not one thing, nor only one profession, but rather professional practices adapted to a variation of contexts. This perspective is significant to help detect areas of intervention for social change.


The book will cover the introduction to the Topic and can be used as a very useful study material for those who want to learn the topic in brief via a short and complete book. Thought-provoking and accessible in approach, this updated and expanded second edition of the * provides a user-friendly introduction to the subject, Taking a clear structural framework, it guides the reader through the subject's core elements. A flowing writing style combines with the use of illustrations and diagrams throughout the text to ensure the reader understands even the most complex of concepts.


The radio frequency (RF) susceptibility characteristics of two commercial Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers were evaluated. A first-order analysis was performed to predict the receiver susceptibility thresholds based on the receiver sensitivity and processing gain. The receiver susceptibility thresholds in the post-acquisition mode were then measured for various interference signal frequencies and modulations. Both receivers exhibited very low susceptibility thresholds to in-band continuous wave (CW) signals. In addition, both receivers could be overdriven with an out-of-band signal. In this state the receivers indicated acceptable figures of merit despite loss of satellite signal lock.<<ETX>>


This paper reports copper-catalyzed direct functionalization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with polyamines. Notably, and contrary to previous reports on direct amination of carbon nanotubes, the yield of this catalytic procedure is independent of the degree of defects on the MWCNT graphenic surface, which results in the efficient functionalization of both very defective and highly regular MWCNTs. This methodology allows us to obtain very high degrees of surface functionalization (much higher than those previously reported) under mild conditions (refluxing toluene). Hybrid materials containing up to 30.9 wt% hyperbranched polyethyleneimine (HBPEI, Mn = 1800) were prepared following this procedure. The most efficient catalysts are Cu(I) salts, in particular the iodide, while Cu(II) and Ni(II) salts result in poorer functionalization degrees. The method proposed is useful to functionalize MWCNTs with polyamines of diverse molecular weight: from ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine or tris(2-aminoethyl)amine to HBPEIs of Mn = 600, 1800 and 10 000. The structural analysis of the amine-functionalized products (hybrids) supports the covalent grafting of amine nitrogen to the MWCNT walls. The characteristics of these hybrids open many possibilities for potential uses as supports for a wide range of catalytic metal/metal oxide nanoparticles. Moreover, they show improved dispersibility in water, their electronic behavior exhibits a semiconductor character and they also present a good ability to trap carbon dioxide.


Introduction: Facemasks carrying a gelatine sampling matrix have been used to sample exhalations from TB patients. The aim here was to further develop this approach by evaluating molecular detection, quantitation and capture of signals in healthy volunteers and in HIV-uninfected patients with suspected Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP).Methods: DNA isolation was optimised with NaOH or collagenase to dissolve gelatine followed by bead beating. Assays for selected marker and degradative proteins were established as were six 16SrDNA-directed qPCRs with different phylogenetic specificities. Mask samples were taken from healthy volunteers over 15, 30 and 60 minutes with four different respiratory efforts. Pathogen detection was tested in patients with suspected PJP (MtLSU target) and a subset of samples were subjected to microbiome profiling.Results: In healthy volunteers, capture of exhaled bacteria appeared maximal at 15 minutes while accumulation continued up to 60 for proteins. Reading-out loud produced most SP-A, albumin and α-amylase. P. jirovecii was detected in 7/20 patients diagnosed and 3/19 patients suspected but not diagnosed with PJP. The median captured signal was 8.59 x 104 (IQR= 3.01 x 105 – 1.81 x 104) MtLSU copies/mask. Blood β-D-Glucan results correlated with the mask results (Spearman r=0.65; p<0.0001) while other relevant clinical indices did not. Microbiome results provided further evidence for different microbial outputs between individuals and with different respiratory efforts and samples. However, the sampling system provided a high background 16S signal.Conclusion: The mask approach has been significantly improved towards sampling material exhaled from the upper and lower respiratory tracts with evidence that different breathing activities produce different yields. Sampling in suspected PJP adds diagnostic likelihood in cases with positive β-D-Glucan results and reinforces evidence that P. jirovecii is an airborne infection. Microbiome studies revealed several differences, but conclusions were limited by high background signals. Mask sampling is promising non-invasive investigative and diagnostic tool.


Beverage Container Reuse and Recycling Act - Prohibits the sale of carbonated beverages in beverage containers by retailers and distributors unless such containers carry a refund value of not less than five cents. Requires that retailers and distributors pay the amount of the affixed refund value of brands of beverages bought and sold by such retailers or distributors. Prohibits States from imposing any tax on the collection or return of refund values established by this Act. Prohibits distributors and retailers from selling beverages in metal beverage containers with detachable openings. Imposes penalties of up to $1,000 and/or 60 days imprisonment for violation of the provisions of this Act. Directs the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency to monitor the rate of reuse and recycling as a result of this Act. Stipulates that the labeling of refund values shall be required within three years of the date of enactment of this Act. Stipulates that the prohibition on detachable metal openings shall take effect one year after the date of enactment of this Act.


In this study, we aimed to clarify the expression and biological functions of TRPV6 in human pancreatic cancer (PC) tissue and pancreatic cancer (PC) cell lines. TRPV6 was up-regulated in the primary cancer tissues from pancreatic cancer (PC) patients. TRPV6 may regulate multiple proteins related to apoptosis, cell cycle and metastasis pathways. Silencing TRPV6 significantly inhibited invasion, proliferation and migration and induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. TRPV6 plays a promising role of an oncogene in pancreatic carcinogenesis and represents the new potential biomarker for PC.


This project won first place in the 2017 Signature Course Information Literacy Award. The award recognizes exemplary student work that achieves the learning outcomes of the Signature Course information literacy requirement, that students will be able to create and execute a research strategy, critically evaluate information, and use citations. This paper was self-nominated for the award by Naoko Ward and Larisa Liberty, with support from Dr. Laura Gonzalez. It was submitted in her Fall 2016 Signature Course, "UGS 303 Scientific Inquiry: Innovation." This project was chosen because of Naoko and Larissa's skilled use of outside sources to inform a laboratory experiment. Their literature review cited credible sources which they synthesized beautifully. As Dr. Gonzalez said, "I was amazed about their grasp of the topic and how well they used the literature to support their background information, methods and discussion."


The descriptive study was carried out find the effectiveness postoperative care. Simple random
 sampling was used, 30 male and female subjects with cataract patient admitted in Balaji hospital
 Hospital, Chennai-45. Data was analyzed with descriptive statistical method. The findings of the study
 shows that there is 40% had inadequate knowledge, 53.4% moderate knowledge and 6.6% had
 adequate knowledge regarding cataract patient. The living bodies have been characterized with a
 number of automated processes, which make them self-sustainable in the natural environment. Among
 these many processes is that of reproduction, adjustment with external environment, and instinct to
 live, which are gifted by nature to living beings. The research findings show that adult population had
 inadequate knowledge about cataract patient.


BACKGROUND
Clozapine is an antipsychotic agent used when patients experience excessive extrapyramidal side effects from other antipsychotic agents or for therapy resistant schizophrenia. However, clozapine is also known for its serious adverse effects e.g. granulocytopenia and agranulocytosis.

CASE DESCRIPTION
A 40-year-old male with known schizophrenia, presented with severe diarrhea and eosinophilia in the peripheral blood examination result, arising 2 weeks after starting clozapine. Histopathological examination demonstrated an eosinophilic colitis. After the patient discontinued clozapine, the symptoms disappeared completely.

CONCLUSION
Eosinophilic colitis is a rare adverse effect of clozapine. It is only possible to diagnose this using endoscopy and biopsy, so that the complaint is often not recognised. The exact pathophysiology underlying this eosinophilic colitis is not known.


The core level photoemission and near edge X-ray photoabsorption spectra of guanine in the gas phase have been measured and the results interpreted with the aid of high level ab initio calculations. Tautomers are clearly identified spectroscopically, and their relative free energies and Boltzmann populations at the temperature of the experiment (600 K) have been calculated and compared with the experimental results and with previous calculations. We obtain good agreement between experiment and the Boltzmann weighted theoretical photoemission spectra, which allows a quantitative determination of the ratio of oxo to hydroxy tautomer populations. For the photoabsorption spectra, good agreement is found for the C 1s and O 1s spectra but only fair agreement for the N 1s edge.


The in-situ coal is converted to the synthetic gas in the process of underground coal gasification (UCG). In order to increase the rate of in-situ coal combustion in the UCG process, the contact surfaces between the steam, heat, and coal fractures should be raised. Therefore, the number of secondary cracks should be increased by raising the heat and existing steam pressure during the process. This paper emphasises on the secondary crack growth mechanism of the pre-existing cracks in the coal samples under different loading conditions. Different geometric specifications such as the length of the pre-existing cracks (coal cleats) and their inclinations are considered. The numerical modeling results elucidate that the first crack growths are the wing cracks (also called the primary or tensile cracks) formed due to unbonding the tensile bonds between the particles in the assembly. Ultimately, these cracks may lead to the cleat coalescences. On the other hand, the secondary or shear cracks in the form of co-planar and oblique cracks may also be produced during the process of crack growth in the assembly. These cracks are formed due to the shear forces induced between the particles as the initial cleat length is increased and exceed the dimension of coal blocks. The cavity growth rate increases as the secondary cracks grow faster in the coal blocks. In order to achieve the optimum conditions, it is also observed that the best inclination angle of the initial coal cleat changes between 30 to 45 degrees with respect to the horizon for the coal samples with the elasto-brittle behavior.


This study aims to identify the influence of individual factors and organizationalfactors to political behavior and the work outcomes of employees in the banking sector in fivemajor cities in Java (Jakarta, Bandung, Semarang, Yogyakarta and Surabaya). The study alsoidentifies the influence of political behavior directly to the work outcomes. This study adoptsthe theory of Stephen P. Robbins that summarizes the 6 indicators of individual factors, 9indicators of organization factors, 9 indicators of political behavior, and 12 indicators of thework outcomes. Data collection was conducted by distributing questionnaires via e-mail.Respondents who had captured a number of 180, spread across five cities which are Jakarta(100 respondents), Bandung (20 respondents), Semarang (20 respondents), Yogyakarta (20respondents), and Surabaya (20 respondents). The relationship between variables in this studywere analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). This study showed regression weightof individual factors to political behavior with regression coefficient of 0,230; organizationalfactors to political behavior with regression coefficient of 0,251; individual factors to thework outcomes with regression coefficient of 0,204; organizational factors to the work outcomeswith regression coefficient of 0,173; political behavior to the work outcomes with regressioncoefficient of 0,295. From these results known to have significant positive influence variablesof individual and organization factors to political behavior and work outcomes. Politicalbehavior is also evident in a direct and significant positive effect to work outcomes. Keywords : individual factors, organizational factors, political behavior, the workoutcomes.


The XRS/EBIT is a 32 channel microcalorimeter spectrometer operating at the electron beam ion trap (EBIT) facility at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. The system contains a flight candidate detector array from the XRS instrument for the Astro-E2 mission. The detector array in the XRS/EBIT is functionally identical to the flight array integrated into the XRS instrument and benefits from the enormous amount of calibration data from the XRS program. Since the XRSEBIT was upgraded with the new detector array in October 2003, the system has been used for a number of experiments including a survey of the K shell emission from He-like and H-like O, Ne, Ar, Fe, Ni and Kr as well as for L shell emission to measure the 3C/3D line ratio in Ni. Here we present some basic operational parameters of the instrument as well as direct excitation and simulated maxwellian spectra of He-like and E-like Fe. We show that the XRS instrument can resolve the Lyal and Lya2 lines from each other as well as from the dielectronic recombination satellites in thermal H-like Fe. We also show exactly how well the XRS instrument on Astro-E2 will resolve the thermal He-like triplet in collisionally excited Fe. This work was funded under NASA's Research Opportunities in Space Science program.


Abstract. The penultimate deglaciation (PDG, ~ 138–128 thousand years before present, hereafter ka) is the transition from the penultimate glacial maximum to the Last Interglacial (LIG, ~ 129–116 ka). The LIG stands out as one of the warmest interglacials of the last 800 ka, with high-latitude temperature warmer than today and global sea level likely higher by at least 6 meters. Considering the transient nature of the Earth system, the LIG climate and ice-sheets evolution were certainly influenced by the changes occurring during the penultimate deglaciation. It is thus important to investigate, with coupled Atmosphere-Ocean General Circulation Models (AOGCMs), the climate and environmental response to the large changes in boundary conditions (i.e. orbital configuration, atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations, ice-sheet geometry, and associated meltwater fluxes) occurring during the penultimate deglaciation. A deglaciation working group has recently been set up as part of the Paleoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project (PMIP) phase 4, with a protocol to perform transient simulations of the last deglaciation (19–11 ka; although the protocol covers 26–0 ka). Similar to the last deglaciation, the disintegration of continental ice-sheets during the penultimate deglaciation led to significant changes in the oceanic circulation during Heinrich Stadial 11 (~ 136–129 ka). However, the two deglaciations bear significant differences in magnitude and temporal evolution of climate and environmental changes. Here, as part of the PAGES-PMIP working group on Quaternary Interglacials, we propose a protocol to perform transient simulations of the penultimate deglaciation under the auspices of PMIP4. This design includes time-varying changes in orbital forcing, greenhouse gas concentrations, continental ice-sheets as well as freshwater input from the disintegration of continental ice-sheets. This experiment is designed for AOGCMs to assess the coupled response of the climate system to all forcings. Additional sensitivity experiments are proposed to evaluate the response to each forcing. Finally, a selection of paleo records representing different parts of the climate system is presented, providing an appropriate benchmark for upcoming model-data comparisons across the penultimate deglaciation.


The age-related neuronal changes in mnemonic centres were studied in 37 human and 36 rats (Wistar) brains. The age of the brains (without cerebral alterations) was uniformly distributed along the lifespan (16-86 years in humans and 1-36 months in rats). The results showed parallel changes in humans and rats. The neuronal loss oscillated between 3 and 64%, mean 32%. Neuronal death was a continuous process, although there were differences according the centres, for instance, the higher loss was found in the first half of life in the cortex entorhinalis and hippocampus (rat), and the contrary happened in the dorsolateral and basomedial nucleus of amygdala. In other centres, e.g., mamilla body, basal nucleus of Meynert etc. the loss was quite uniform. The modification in nuclear size showed 3 different phases: there was an initial period in which the nuclear area decreased, a second period with an increase and, in the last period, there was a stabilization in humans and a conspicuous decrease in rats. The nuclear enlargement is interpreted as result of the loss of redundance in nervous centres and the stabilization or atrophy as a consequence of loss of the neuronal plasticity.


: Twenty-three patients were examined and operated on for aneurysms of anastomoses which formed after reconstructive operations on the thoracic aorta for its coarctation (15), kinking of the arch of the aorta (4), traumatic aneurysms (2), nonspecific aortoarteritis (1) and dissecting aneurysm (1). The involved segment had to be repaired with a prosthesis in all operations carried out for the second time. In 30% of patients the course was complicated (aortopulmonary fistulas, false aneurysm with dissection of the descending thoracic aorta). Mortality was 57% in a complicated course and 6.3% in uncomplicated cases. The results of the operation were good in 18 patients.


Data analysts apply machine learning and statistical methods to timestamped event sequences to tackle various problems but face unique challenges when interpreting the results. Especially in event sequence prediction, it is difficult to convey uncertainty and possible alternative paths or outcomes. In this work, informed by interviews with five machine learning practitioners, we iteratively designed a novel visualization for exploring event sequence predictions of multiple records where users are able to review the most probable predictions and possible alternatives alongside uncertainty information. Through a controlled study with 18 participants, we found that users are more confident in making decisions when alternative predictions are displayed and they consider the alternatives more when deciding between two options with similar top predictions.


The programmability of modern graphics processing units (GPUs) provide great flexibility for creating a wide range of advanced effects for interactive graphics. Developing such effects requires writing not only shader code to be executed by the GPU but also supporting code in the application where the effect is to be used. This support code creates dependencies between effects and the applications that use them, making it harder to evolve applications and to reuse effects. Existing effect frameworks, such as DirectX Effects and CgFX, can only provide partial encapsulation because they consider effects as passive data structures. In this paper we present an effect framework written in an ordinary scripting language where effects are active entities. This makes it possible to completely encapsulate both shaders and support code thereby minimizing the dependencies to the application. (Less)


Perfusion plays a key role in tumor proliferation and therapeutic response. Tumor heterogeneity necessitates use of the highest spatial resolution to monitor metabolic correlates of blood flow changes. This is best achieved with 1H NMR spectroscopy, which permits noninvasive acquisition of high resolution spectroscopic images (SI) of subcutaneous tumors in a relatively short scan time (e.g., 12‐25 μl voxels with signal‐to‐noise ratio 7:1 in 30 min at 4.7 T). This study seeks to identify 1H spectroscopic indices of tumor blood flow. Proton SI of subcutaneous murine RIF‐1 tumors were recorded (a) before and after administration of nicotinamide (1 g/kg) to increase blood flow, and (b) before and after hydralazine (10 mg/kg) to decrease flow. Nicotinamide produced a significant decrease in the total choline peak amplitudes, which subsequent high resolution NMR spectroscopy of tumor extracts revealed to be due to decreases in phosphocholine and glycerophosphocholine. The deamidation of nicotinamide to nicotinic acid, which is known to have hypolipidemic effects and to stimulate the formation of prostaglandins, may have sufficiently altered lipid metabolism to affect the in vivo concentration of the NMR‐visible choline‐containing compounds. The main effect of hydralazine was a significant increase of lactate, which is consistent with a reduction of tumor blood flow.


Various agent-based programming languages and frameworks have been proposed to support the development of autonomous agents and multi-agent systems. They have provided a valuable contribution to the identification and operationalisation of agent concepts and abstractions by proposing specific programming constructs. Unfortunately, these contributions have not yet been widely adopted by industry. In this paper, we follow the argument that multi-agent programming technology can find its way to industry by providing a methodology that guides the development of autonomous agents and multi-agent systems in standard programming technology. The proposed methodology explains how some characteristic concepts and abstractions related to autonomous agents and multi-agent systems can be implemented in object-oriented technology. This is done by initiating a Java library of object-oriented design patterns for some characteristic but established programming constructs that have been developed in some agent-based programming languages.


Igarra has notable large deposit of calc-gneiss and marble that has generated a polyglot of mining activities in the Akoko area of Edo State, Southwest Nigeria. Geochemical and physical analysis has been used to appraise the economic potentials and areas of application of these carbonate rocks. Forty five (45) samples were subjected to geochemical and physical analyses. Geochemical data indicate characteristically low values of SiO2 (1.8 – 4.83wt %), Al2O3 (0.16 – 0.67wt %) and MgO (1.10 -5.33wt %) and relatively medium to high CaO (46.51 – 53.06wt %) and loss on ignition (LOI) (40.59 -44.26wt %) in the Igarra marble. This results in markedly low dolomite MgCO3 (2.30-11.14wt %) and corresponding relatively high calcite (85 – 45 – 94.68wt %). Physical tests show that the marble has high compressive and tensile strength which are expressions of their hardness and durability potentials when used in monuments, sculpturing or fittings. The marble and calcgneiss are raw materials for a number of products such as paper and animal feed production, toothpaste, drugs, flooring tiles, and ceramic wares. However, the marble from Igarra is has low values of CaO (53.06wt %) and SiO2 and high contents of LOI (>43wt %) .These characteristics do not permit the use of the marble for paint making or cement production unless blended to meet up with the world best standards.


Industrial engineering represents a significant tool how to eliminate waste in both manufacturing and other areas of the enterprise. This helps reduce costs, increase production capacities and other characteristics, which can lead to better competitiveness and production performance. Focusing on the implementation of methods that have a significant impact on these indicators should be part of the choice of industrial engineering methods at all. Finding industrial engineering methods that have significant impact on overall business performance is the main purpose of this paper. Another objective was to determine whether the impact of industrial engineering methods applies to all industries in the Czech Republic or whether it applies only to selected industries. The data needed to achieve the objectives was obtained through an online questionnaire survey, the survey focused on a wide range of manufacturing companies (N=235) from different industries, different sizes and ages in the Czech Republic. For comparing the overall business performance among individual respondents, a basic ROE indicator was selected. To measure this indicator from the impact of the tax, investment and credit policy, a modified ROE indicator (calculated first with EBITDA and then with EBIT) was used. The results show that the use of industrial engineering methods in manufacturing plants in the Czech Republic is limited to a few selected methods. Similarly, only a few industrial engineering methods are typically used in high performance firms and can therefore be said to be involved in increasing performance. Presented research also shows that this influence of methods does not apply to individual industrial engineering methods globally in all the sectors studied, but only in some of them. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.ee.29.2.19871


Quaternary megafloods (106 m3/s) sourced from valley blocking glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau have long been implicated in the evolution of Yarlung-Tsangpo Gorge on the Yarlung-Siang River. However, past estimates of megaflood erosion in this region have relied on back of the envelope estimates of peak discharge and shear stress. This makes it difficult to fully understand how megafloods shape the landscape. Here, we use 2D numerical simulations of megaflood hydraulics over 3D topography to examine the legacy of these massive floods on this confined, sinuous mountain river. First, to assess erosional potential in the Gorge, we calculate flood power and compare it to measurements of annual stream power. We find that the simulated megaflood produces peak flood power up to three orders of magnitude higher than the stream power of the annual river. Compared to stream power, flood power in the Gorge is disproportionately higher than it is downstream of the Gorge. Additionally, in the Gorge, a larger proportion of the inundated valley experiences high flood power and shear stress for long periods of time (5-10 hrs) compared to the valley downstream of the Gorge. These results support previous hypotheses that megafloods can erode more material (both alluvium and bedrock) than the annual monsoon—potentially enough to “reset” the mountain valley by removing most of the sediment and fractured bedrock in the system. However, we hypothesize that this erosional effect is felt primarily in the Gorge region. In contrast to the erosive power in the Gorge, there is an order of magnitude decrease in average peak flood power downstream of the Gorge. We hypothesize that megafloods are predominantly depositional in this downstream domain. Here, we observe few locations that experience sustained (>5 hrs) high (>10 kPa) shear stress and those locations are often isolated and vary through time. At locations that do experience these higher shear stresses, megafloods could move and deposit large (>3 m) boulders, which subsequent annual flows or smaller historical outburst floods would be incapable of moving. These large boulders could then armor the bed and prevent erosion, which could have lasting consequences for the modern river. Most of the shear stress and flood power of the simulated megaflood outside of the modern channel boundaries are much lower, capable of moving gravel to sand sized sediment at most. This is particularly true where we observe significant amounts (>10 km) of megaflood backflow up tributaries. Instead of resetting the system, we predict our megaflood will overwhelm this downstream flood domain with the deposition of coarse- and fine-grained sediment. For the Yarlung-Siang River to incise into the bedrock in a post-megaflood landscape, it must first make its way through these megaflood deposits. Together, our results suggest that the legacy of a megaflood in the region is both erosional and depositional. We predict wide-spread megaflood erosion in the Gorge, potentially enough to reset the system, but would expect exceptional deposition downstream of it, possibly enough to overwhelm this downstream domain.


The hospital closure programme in England and Wales has encouraged planners, purchasers and providers to focus on the individual elements which comprise an appropriate living environment for people who were formerly accommodated in institutions. Service users who require intensive staffing arrangements are often among the last to leave hospital. The care packages arranged for them in community settings are likely to be expensive, and may cost more than care within a hospital. Researchers at the Personal Social Services Research Unit at the University of Kent at Canterbury (PSSRU) were asked by Professor David Felce and colleagues at the Welsh Centre for Learning Disabilities (WCLD) to undertake a costs study as part of their evaluation of service packages received by people with the most profound learning disabilities and severe challenging behaviour in Wales. Our remit was to provide a research instrument designed to collect information about client income, accommodation and day care arrangements and all other care package components;to calculate unit costs for the various specialist accommodation facilities, hospital services, day care arrangements, and all other services used by study members; to calculate the costs of each individual care package to undertake some descriptive analyses across the whole sample on service receipt patterns and costs.


Pneumatic yarn splicing is a well‐established technique for joining two yarn ends together by means of a blast of compressed air in a device known as a splicing chamber. Earlier research done in 2007 by Webb and colleagues optimised external splicer parameters, such as air pressure and duration, for maximum splice strength, using experimental data only. Indirect observations such as air pressure offer no insight into the theory behind the splicing process. Observing the splice formation with the naked eye is difficult because of the short duration and sealed environment of the splicing process. This paper reports on the application of visualisation and simulation techniques to the theoretical study of the splice formation.


This review has discussed several nonoperative approaches designed to restore or maintain coronary artery patency in patients with coronary artery disease. Information obtained during the last decade concerning the use of thrombolytic, anticoagulant, and antiplatelet drugs and the development of the technique of PTCA have dramatically changed the clinical management of patients with coronary artery disease. It is likely that the application of these therapies will continue to evolve during the next several years as new pathophysiological insights are obtained and large ongoing or planned clinical trials testing current hypotheses are completed.


The problem of substantiation of operational efficiency of vibratory separators
designed on the basis of vibratory hopper feeders with electromagnetic vibrations exciters and with
conic working bowls is considered in the article. The complex of factors influencing the accuracy
and productiveness of separation of coins and disk-shaped products on two or more fractions is
overviewed. New models of structures for the effective solution of separation problems are
proposed. The design of a highly-efficient and high-performance separator with independent
oscillations disturbance is described. The results of experimental investigations of vibratory
transportation in elliptical modes of vibrations and of the study of separation efficiency are
presented. The recommendations that developers and researchers of such devices may use are given.


OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study is to compare quality of life and success rates of repeat midurethral slings (RMUS) using retropubic (RP) and transobturator (TO) routes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
Multicenter retrospective cohort with prospective follow-up of patients undergoing RMUS from 2003 to 2016. Prospective Urinary Distress Inventory (UDI-6) and Patient Global Impression of Improvement (PGI-I) were collected by phone. Primary outcome was success of repeat sling by approach (RP vs TO), defined as responses of no to UDI-6 number 3 and very much better or much better on PGI-I.

RESULTS
A total of 122 patients prospectively completed UDI-6. Average ± SD time to failure after initial sling was 51.6 ± 56.1 months; mean follow-up after repeat sling was 30.7 months. Route of initial sling was RP 30.3%, TO 49.2%, and minisling 16.4%. Of the patients, 55.8% met our success definition following RMUS. About 71.3% were very much better or much better on PGI-I, and 30.3% reported stress urinary incontinence (SUI) on UDI-6. Of the RMUS, 73.8% were RP versus 26.2% TO.There was no difference in success between repeat RP and TO routes (53.3% versus 63.3%, P = 0.34), nor for individual components: PGI-I response of very much better or much better (68.9% vs 78.1%), UDI-6 total score (25.9 vs 22.7, P = 0.29), or SUI on UDI-6 number 3 (32.2% vs 25.0%, P = 0.45), although the predetermined sample size was not met. No predictors of success or failure of RMUS were identified.

CONCLUSIONS
Majority of patients are very much better or much better after RMUS, although 30% still report bothersome SUI. No difference in success was observed between RP and TO RMUS.


Previous research has demonstrated that nostalgia for the past can have positive consequences for individuals' psychological well-being and their perceived ability to cope with challenges in the present (Wildschut, Sedikides, Arndt, & Routledge, 2006). We propose that this effect is limited to circumstances in which individuals have maintained identity continuity between the past and the present. Support for this moderation hypothesis is obtained in a longitudinal survey (Study 1) and two experiments (Studies 2 and 3) among students entering university. Whereas previously observed positive effects of nostalgia were confirmed when identity continuity had been maintained, feeling nostalgic about the past in the context of lower identity continuity had negative consequences for well-being (Studies 1 and 3), perceived ability to cope with challenges (Studies 1 and 2), and interest in new opportunities (Studies 2 and 3) rather than focusing on familiar experiences (Study 3). Taken together, results indicate that the extent to which individuals view the present as linked to the past has important implications for the outcome of their nostalgia.


Do those who feel left behind express more distrust of politics? Or does political trust serve as palliative as the poor become more trusting? We argue the relationship between resources and political trust depends on the degree of economic inequality. On the one hand, the interest-based view of power resource theory suggests a positive relationship further amplified by inequality. System justification theory, on the other hand, suggests a greater need for cognitive dissonance reduction in unequal countries, resulting in rationalization of the deprived situation by expressing more political trust. We test both claims with comprehensive analyses of WVS data from a diverse sample of countries. Results provide clear support of system justification: In unequal countries income is negatively associated with political trust, while in equal countries, the relationship is reverse. This finding has important implications for our understanding of the palliative function of political trust and for successfully combatting inequality.


In this thesis the potential of electrokinetic chromatography (EKC) – mass spectrometry (MS) has been evaluated, including its applicability to the impurity profiling of drugs. Over the past years, capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) and EKC have gained acceptance as separation techniques next to liquid chromatography (LC) in pharmaceutical analysis, in particular for chiral analysis and the impurity profiling of drug substances and products. The unique separation principles of CZE and EKC provide different or 'orthogonal' selectivities when compared to LC which ensures an important position of CE-based techniques in the field of separation technologies. This thesis demonstrates that direct coupling of EKC to MS is feasible without adapting the separation system. Identification or confirmation of separated compounds by MS is achieved, and with respect to UV detection low detection limits have been obtained. The surfactant sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) that is often used in micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC), was found to be a notorious suppressor of the ionization efficiency. Nevertheless, coupling of MEKC to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) appears to be possible despite surfactants entering the ion source. Impurities in drugs below 0.1% (m/m) could be detected and identified. Drawbacks of ESI-MS can be circumvented using atmospheric pressure photoionization (APPI), which shows high potential for implementation in EKC–MS. Due to the gas phase ionization process, no adverse effects of the non-volatile buffer salts and SDS on the analyte ionization efficiency are observed. Non-aqueous EKC is an attractive solution for impurity profiling when the solubility of the main compound or (some of) the impurities is limited. Addition of anionic or cationic cyclodextrins (CDs) to the background electrolyte (BGE) can strongly enhance the separation of drug mixtures of basic and acidic drugs, respectively, including enantiomers. Due to the low electroosmotic flow (EOF), no CDs enter the ion source during analysis. However, the non-volatile counter-ions of the anionic and cationic CDs migrate into the ion source and affect the analyte ionization efficiency. Nevertheless, excellent detection limits (<100 ng/ml) can be obtained. The studies in this thesis show that when ESI is used, the ionization suppression by non-volatile salts and pseudo-stationary phases (PSPs) can be significant, but often not as serious as one would expect from LC–MS studies. The reason that EKC–MS systems still function relatively well in the presence of high concentrations of BGEs and PSPs, most likely is the relatively small volumetric flow from the CE capillary entering the ion source. Not so long ago, the direct coupling of EKC and MS was regarded as being not feasible. As shown in this thesis, developments in interfacing and ionization techniques offer good perspectives for improvements in EKC–MS. Based on this work, it can be stated that EKC and MS are not so incompatible after all, which might trigger the break-through of EKC and EKC–MS as powerful alternatives for pharmaceutical analysis.


The antiviral activities and metabolic fates of E-5-(2-bromovinyl)-2'-deoxyuridine (BrVdUrd) and 1-beta-D-arabinofuranosyl-E-5-(2-bromovinyl)uracil (BrVaraUra) were compared in a dThd kinase-deficient human fibroblast cell line, infected with parental strains of herpes simplex virus, and other strains expressing no viral dThd kinase activity. Metabolic experiments were performed at concentrations well above the ID50 for each compound because radiolabeled agents were not available. BrVaraUra and its nucleotides qualitatively displayed chromatographic and anabolic characteristics which closely paralleled those of BrVdUrd and its nucleotides. Monophosphorylation of both drugs was dependent upon the presence of viral dThd kinase activity except in the case of one dThd kinase-negative type 1 mutant (SC16R5C1) which retained BrVdUrd/BrVaraUra kinase activity. Intracellular uptake of either parent compound was absent during mock-infection and minimal in the cases of infection with mutants unable to phosphorylate the parent compound. Parental type 1 strains were able to induce diphosphorylation and triphosphorylation of both compounds to a similar, dose-dependent degree. Extracts of type 2-infected cells contained greater quantities of BrVdUrd and its monophosphate compared with BrVaraUra and its monophosphate, after identical drug exposure and infection conditions. As previously observed for BrVdUrd, diphosphorylated and triphosphorylated nucleotides of BrVaraUra were not detected after type 2 infection. BrVdUrd and BrVaraUra metabolic breakdown pathways differed, however, as evidenced by the formation of E-5-(2-bromovinyl)uracil (BrVUra). Unlike BrVdUrd, BrVaraUra formed no BrVUra in infected cells, suggesting that replacement of 2'-deoxyribose with arabinose makes the compound biologically more stable, presumably because of resistance to enzymatic breakdown by pyrimidine nucleoside phosphorylases. In this dThd kinase-negative cell line, BrVdUrd and BrVaraUra displayed qualitatively similar susceptibility profiles in that activities were type 1 selective and dThd kinase dependent. Antiviral activities against dThd kinase-positive type 1 strains were similar with both compounds. These data would suggest that BrVdUrd and BrVaraUra have identical type-specific dThd-dTMP kinase-dependent mechanisms of cellular uptake and phosphorylation, but that the latter is not subjected to phosphorolysis and resultant formation of an inactive metabolite. Furthermore, the absence of presence of phosphorolysis of the parent nucleoside does not apparently adversely affect in vitro antiviral activity.


In order to save time and money, more and more printing organizations are investing in on-line customer portals to allow uploading content and giving formal approvals based on soft proofs before the final production process (plate making and printing) can be initiated. The approvals are typically made on soft proofs of pages whereas, obviously, the images used for plate making are so-called imposed flats (a combination of pages rotated in such a way that the printed matter can be obtained after folding and cutting). The main goal of a soft proof of a page is to simulate accurately on a display device how the page will be finally printed. The quality expectations of a soft proof are very high since a formal approval implies contractual obligations from the printing organization. This quality, however, can be influenced by many parameters. By definition, soft proofs will be displayed on a monitor (being a light emitting device), whereas a print on paper can only be seen as the reflection of a light source. As a consequence, monitors can be described by an additive color model whereas printers or presses will be modeled by a subtractive color model. Other differences relate to how the image is generated: presses can only output binary information (ink or no ink) and continuous tones are simulated by using screening techniques whereas, on a monitor, a multi-level signal can generate different shades of a specific color. The differences described above are addressed by many color management systems available on the market today. An upcoming requirement in this area is that people do not only expect the color management software to behave well but also expect this software to validate its behavior. Another range of problems with soft proofs relates to the rendering (converting vector-based page data into bitmaps) and separation process. These can be divided in two classes: spatial issues (related to resolution differences, high-frequency patterns, aliasing problems etc.) and issues related to object layering (overprint and transparency issues). Also when optimizations are carried out for plate reuse across versioned products, many things can go wrong. In this paper, we will categorize the different potential problems occurring with soft proofs and examine in detail how these problems can be avoided. It will turn out that this can only be realized if one knows the details on how the printing plates will be generated in prepress production.


Multi-path fading, one of the key factors that deteriorate quality of service (QOS) in Underwater Acoustic Networks (UANs), is investigated under different underwater scenarios in this paper. To improve the Bit Error Rate (BER) performance, the techniques of cooperative diversities are applied. Considering realistic physical model and cooperative diversity techniques, two asynchronous forwarding schemes, namely Underwater Amplify-and-Forward (UAF) and Underwater Decode-and-Forward (UDF), are proposed and analyzed. The results show that both UDF and UAF have better performance than direct transmission. Furthermore, an adaptive and hybrid forwarding scheme is proposed based on UAF and UDF.


Fibre has been shown to exert a number of benefits on gastrointestinal (GI) health, yet its intake is low. Addition of novel fibres to food products may increase fibre intake and improve gut health. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the influence of three novel fibres on GI outcomes in healthy human subjects. A total of twenty healthy participants (ten men and ten women) with normal BMI (23 (sem 2) kg/m2) participated in the present randomised, double-blind, cross-over study with five treatment periods. Participants consumed a maltodextrin control or 20–25 g/d fibre from soluble maize fibre (SCF) or resistant starch (RS), alone or in combination with pullulan (SCF+P and RS+P). The treatment periods were 7 d with a 3-week washout between the periods. Stool samples were collected on day 7 of each period, and GI tolerance was assessed via a questionnaire on days 1 and 6. There were no treatment differences in stool weight or consistency. SCF significantly reduced stool pH and increased total SCFA production compared with RS and control. RS+P significantly increased the percentage of butyrate compared with all the other treatments. Overall, GI symptoms were minimal. SCF+P led to the highest GI score on day 1, while RS+P had the highest score on day 6. Both SCF treatments caused a significant shift in the gut microbial community. These functional fibres are generally well tolerated, have minimal effects on laxation and may lead to beneficial changes in SCFA production in healthy adults.


The article reviews the important results of the geophysical research in the Slovak Western Carpathians. As the Slovak Western Carpathians has been a target of intensive detailed gravimetric measurements for the last 20 years, an emphasis is given to the interpretation of gravity field. Analysis of the Bouguer gravity anomalies comes from density modelling in local isostatic equilibrium and 2 1/2 D forward density modelling. The results of density modelling together with other geophysical data were used for geological and geophysical interpretation of the lithospheric structure and its tectonics in the Slovak Western Carpathians. Rheology of the lithosphere based on extrapolation of failure criteria, lithology and temperature models is presented. Finally, the obtained results are discussed.


CONTEXT
Metastatic and locally advanced disease is unfortunately a common clinical occurrence in patients affected by pancreatic cancer. The most frequent sites of metastasis are the liver and the peritoneal lining. The falciform and round ligaments are routinely resected and sent for pathology, but no metastases have ever been reported.

OBJECTIVE
In this study, we assess whether the falciform and round ligaments are possible sites for metastases and if routine pathology examination of these structures is justified.

DESIGN
Retrospective, single institution study.

PATIENTS
The charts of all patients who underwent pancreatic resection from June 2005 through January 2011 were reviewed retrospectively. Data on age, gender, type of operation performed, preoperative CA 19-9 levels, vascular and perineural invasion, tumor differentiation and pathological staging were retrieved from the hospital electronic data base. Only patients with malignant lesions of the pancreas were included in the study.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Presence of pancreatic metastasis in the falciform and round ligaments.

RESULTS
Fifty-seven patients were included in the study. Forty patients had undergone pancreaticoduodenectomies, 10 subtotal pancreatectomies, 2 total pancreatectomies, and 1 distal pancreatectomy. Four patients had exploratory laparotomy but exploration revealed stage III or IV disease, thus the planned resection was not carried out. The falciform and round ligaments were all negative for metastasis in all patients.

DISCUSSION
Metastatic progression of pancreatic cancer is poorly understood. Theoretically, metastases to the falciform and round ligaments could occur by either contiguous, hematogenic or lymphatic spread. In our study, none of the patients had metastases to the falciform and round ligaments, regardless of the pathological staging.

CONCLUSION
We concluded that routine pathological examination of the falciform and round ligaments is not justified if the surgeon elects to remove the structures for ease of exploration and retraction during surgery. This may lighten the workload and reduce costs in a busy pathology laboratory.


Techniques for assessing the freshwater diatom Didymosphenia geminata in the laboratory under controlled conditions are described. Two methods for harvesting free, unattached cells from mats, and two methods for assessing cells were developed. Free cells were harvested from mats up to 28 days old using either a static method or a shaking method. Harvested cells were then assessed using two multi-well formats: a multiple- followed by a single-cell method. The multiple-cell method was found to be a rapid screening tool for fine-tuning parameter ranges to be assessed in the single-cell assay. The single-cell method, through careful monitoring, allowed quantitative assessment of cell processes. Attachment to a substratum was observed to be critical for survival and the division of free D. geminata cells. Although cells attached readily in the multiple-cell method, the inclusion of a hydrophobic substratum was essential for attachment to occur reliably when using the single-cell method. The improvement of the single-cell method through inclusion of a hydrophobic substratum was investigated, and results with and without the substratum were compared. A temperature of 18°C was found to be more suitable than 12°C for conducting the assay and the optimal pH range for the assay was found to be 7.6 to 8.2.


Nonlinear system identification is a main topic of modern identification. This paper presents a new parameter estimation method of MISO (multiple inputs, single output) Hammerstein model by using improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO). The basic idea of the method is that the model identification problem is converted into optimization of nonlinear function over parameter space. And the swarm intelligence method is used to search the parameter space concurrently and efficiently in order to find the optimal estimation of the model parameter. The basic algorithms of IPSO and the parameter control are discussed. Simulation results demonstrate effectiveness of the suggested method. The advantages of IPSO are easy to implement, few parameters to adjust, small population size, quick convergence ability and so on. Especially in high noise disturbance condition, the results of IPSO are also satisfactory.


Experimental psycholinguistics investigates the cognitive processes underlying our ability to comprehend and produce language using empirical tools similar to those used in experimental psychology. In so doing, it adopts the strategy of cognitive decomposition (see also Massaro & Shlesinger, this volume). It first studies the component language processes in isolation, and only later are these processes investigated in the larger context of other component processes. In the present paper, we attempt to illustrate how the complex cognitive skill of simultaneous translation can fruitfully be examined from this psycholinguistic perspective, despite the scepticism from some of the SI community towards such an experimental enterprise. Inversely, we will also show that studies of the processes underlying simultaneous translation promise to provide us with important insights in psycholinguistics.


White matter (WM) disintegration is common in the older population and is associated with vascular cognitive impairment (VCI). This study explored the effects of environmental enrichment (EE) on pathological sequelae in a mouse model of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion induced by bilateral common carotid artery stenosis (BCAS). Male C57BL/6 J mice underwent BCAS or sham surgery. One-week after surgery, mice were exposed to three different degrees of EE; either standard housing conditions (std), limited 3 h exposure to EE per day (3 h) or full-time exposure to EE (full) for 12 weeks. At 13 weeks after surgery, cognitive testing was performed using a three-dimensional 9-arm radial maze. At 16 weeks after surgery, nesting ability was assessed in each mouse immediately before euthanasia. Brains retrieved after perfusion fixation were examined for WM pathology. BCAS caused WM changes, as demonstrated by corpus callosum atrophy and greater WM disintegrity. BCAS also caused impaired nesting ability and cognitive function. These pathological changes and working memory deficits were attenuated, more so by limited rather than full-time exposure to EE regime. Our results suggest that limited exposure to EE delays the onset of WM degeneration. Therefore, the implementation of even limited EE may be beneficial for patients diagnosed with VCI.


This paper will explore Rita Dove's poetry as a symbolic transition from the protocols that defined African-American writing in the seventies to a postethnic questioning of prescriptive racial identifications. Taking as a theoretical framework the critical works of Gilroy, Hollinger and Steffens, the paper will analyze Dove's first collection of poems, The Yellow House on the Corner, as exemplifying a postmodern reformulation of questions of ethnic identity, cultural insiderism and the complex nature of racial memory. Positing that Dove's travels through Europe provide for a cultural and linguistic sensibility that is liminal in its repudiation of cultural ethnocentrism, it will argue that her writing foreshadows a postethnic decentering of race through "voluntary affiliations" (Hollinger). The paper will analyze how her experiences in and of Europe have lent her work a metaphoric inclusiveness that causes Kamionowski to term her a "cultural traveller", yet remain grounded in black aesthetics enough for Helen Vendler to call her a "proponent of Blackness". Foregrounding history as a personal, transcultural space where frames of memory are juxtaposed to reveal the constructed nature of racially informed identities and affiliations, the poems create what Steffens terms "artistic enspacement" (28), exhibiting a "post-black" sensibility that revisits race, memory and history as racialized psycho-spatial domains, celebrating the fluid nature of identity construction as a journey that must deconstruct race through a transatlantic crossing over into the domain of the white to reclaim its share in history. The paper will examine how Dove uses history, myth and language in her poems to effect this transatlantic crossing.


Advances in technology coupled with the availability of low‐cost sensors have resulted in the continuous generation of large time series from several sources. In order to visually explore and compare these time series at different scales, analysts need to execute online analytical processing (OLAP) queries that include constraints and group‐by's at multiple temporal hierarchies. Effective visual analysis requires these queries to be interactive. However, while existing OLAP cube‐based structures can support interactive query rates, the exponential memory requirement to materialize the data cube is often unsuitable for large data sets. Moreover, none of the recent space‐efficient cube data structures allow for updates. Thus, the cube must be re‐computed whenever there is new data, making them impractical in a streaming scenario. We propose Time Lattice, a memory‐efficient data structure that makes use of the implicit temporal hierarchy to enable interactive OLAP queries over large time series. Time Lattice is a subset of a fully materialized cube and is designed to handle fast updates and streaming data. We perform an experimental evaluation which shows that the space efficiency of the data structure does not hamper its performance when compared to the state of the art. In collaboration with signal processing and acoustics research scientists, we use the Time Lattice data structure to design the Noise Profiler, a web‐based visualization framework that supports the analysis of noise from cities. We demonstrate the utility of Noise Profiler through a set of case studies.


Background Participant compliance in community injury surveillance studies can be challenging. Novel collection methods such as short message service text (SMS) and online surveys may help compliance by participants. Objective To examine injury epidemiology in community Australian Rules players as well as to investigate novel methods for data collection in community populations. Design Prospective epidemiological study using SMS technology and online surveys to record training loads and new injuries. Setting Community Australian Rules football, South East Queensland, Australia. Participants 175 community male footballers, age 16–35 years. Intervention Automated SMS and online survey of new injuries and weekly training load over the playing season (20 weeks). Main Outcome Measurements injury incidence, location of injury, type of injury or illness, mechanism of injury, field position, initial perceived severity, place of referral, participant SMS compliance. Results 202 registered injuries over 20 weeks, trauma (58.7%), overuse (24.4%), illness (9.0%). Top 5 injuries- thigh (12.2%), ankle (11.2%), head (10.6%), shoulder (10.1%), knee (10.1%) are comparable to elite studies. Most common mechanisms- contact with player (27.2%), running (18.5%), and landing from jumping (10.3%). There was no significant playing position injury finding. Severity of injury- mild (<2 weeks, 80.1%), moderate (3–6 weeks, 10.9%), severe (>6 weeks, 9.0%). Two thirds of all injuries presented for medical attention, almost half to physiotherapy followed by doctor/ or emergency department (30.1%). There was a SMS compliance rate of approximately 80%, adjusted for season duration of different community leagues. Conclusion Injury rates in this community study were comparable to findings in elite studies for injury location and mechanisms. This study confirms the high burden of community ARF injuries on the medical system in Australia. Compliance to injury surveillance in the community was considerably better than previous sports trainer lead studies. SMS technology and online survey self-report have been shown to be an effective way of collecting injury data in a community setting. Accurate community studies can help shape government funding in areas of need.


Despite numerous studies on educational disparities in U.S. adult health, explanations for the disparities and their growth over time remain incomplete. The authors argue that this knowledge gap partly reflects an individualist paradigm in U.S. studies of educational disparities in health. These studies have focused largely on proximal explanations (e.g., individual behaviors) to the neglect of contextual explanations (e.g., economic policies). The authors draw on contextual theories of health disparities to illustrate how U.S. states, as institutional actors, shape the importance of education for health. Using two nationally representative data sets and seven health measures for adults aged 45 to 89 years, the authors show that the size of the educational gradient in health varies markedly across states. The size varies because of variation in the health of lower educated adults. The authors use state excise taxes on cigarettes to illustrate one way states shape educational disparities in health. These findings underscore the necessity of contextualizing these disparities.


This paper studies the influence of the non-tradable share reform in the cross-section of stock returns in China. Prior research has generally neglected this important development in the Chinese stock market. We find that the firm-specific illiquidity measures that reflect direct transaction costs, price impact and difficulties in trading immediacy, exhibit a positive and significant relationship with stock returns. These effects are particularly pronounced after the non-tradable share reform. Furthermore, in the post-reform era portfolios with high illiquidity (i.e. high relative bid-ask spread, high Amihud illiquidity, low Amivest liquidity ratio) significantly outperform portfolios with low illiquidity, controlling for size and book-to-market effects.


In the global era, communication between one and the other country is very important. To make it easy we should master the international language where most of people in this world use it. Sometimes, people get difficulty in speaking the foreign language. This makes them get difficulty to say their smart ideas, opinions, agreements, disagreements or whatever they want. A lot of people in Indonesia are not able to speak English fluently because commonly English is only taught in schools or courses. Consequently, not all people are able to speak English well. People who can study in schools or courses sometimes also get difficulties in English speaking because of many factors. One of them is their Intelligence Quotient or IQ. It is believed that students with high IQ are able to speak English better than students with low IQ. The purpose of the study is to see whether there is any positive correlation between students'IQ and their speaking ability in the third year of SMU Widya Dharma Turen-Malang 2002-2003 or not. To get the data, the researcher gave the students a speaking test on September 17,2002. The number of the population is 365 students and that of the sample is 40 students. The data were collected by using two kinds of instrument, that is the IQ score obtained from IQ documentation and speaking score obtained from speaking test. The r-table of this study at level of significance (P) 0.05 and degrees of freedom (df) at 40 was .264, and r-value was.508. Based on the computation above, the r-value is greater than r-table (r- value=.508>r-table=.264); therefore, Ho is rejected. The result of the research read as: "There is a positive correlation between students' IQ and their speaking ability in the third year of SMU Widya Dharma Turen-Malang 2002-2003".


Low-frequency analyses are reported for four years of 3-day-mean satellite microwave and infrared data representative of temperatures in the stratosphere. In data representative of 30-150 mb temperatures, oscillations with 40-50 day periods are observed as a tropical dipole pattern in the Indonesia/central Pacific. In addition, the first evidence is presented for such oscillations in the southeast Pacific. Furthermore, significant 40-50 day oscillations are observed in the middle and upper stratosphere, centered near 60S latitude.


Study Objectives: To examine the relationship between residents' self-reported sleep hours, work hours, and other empirical correlates. Design: Using the American Medical Association's Graduate Medical Education database, a national, random sample of PGY (postgraduate year) 1 and PGY2 residents in the 1998-1999 training year was surveyed by mail. Measurements and Results: Residents completed a 5-page survey with 44 questions requiring 144 separate responses about their residency experience. Completed surveys were received from 3,604 of 5,616 residents contacted, a 64.2% response rate. Although work hours and sleep hours were significantly correlated (r = -.39), this relationship was less robust than is generally assumed. Total average sleep hours varied across specialties but also within specialties. Just over 20% of all residents reported sleeping an average of 5 hours or less per night, with 66% averaging 6 hours or less per night. Residents averaging 5 or fewer hours of sleep per night were more likely to report serious accidents or injuries, conflict with other professional staff, use of alcohol, use of medications to stay awake, noticeable weight change, working in an "impaired condition," and having made significant medical errors. Conclusions: Reduced sleep hours were significantly related to a number of work-related, learning, and personal health variables. Capping residents' work hours is unlikely to fully address the sleep deficits and resulting impairments reported by residents. results of a national survey first- and SLEEP 2004;27(2):217-23.


This paper uses a novel dataset from multiple ISPs to characterize important trends in broadband traffic growth, develop a better understanding of usage-related costs, and consider the implications of this growth for both network operators (e.g. subscription plans and traffic management policies) and policy makers (e.g. interconnection policies and market structure). We begin by carefully considering the components of overall traffic growth. These include growth from additional users and devices attached to the network as well as growth from the changing behaviors of users and devices. Teasing apart these different types of growth is particularly important as markets for new subscribers saturate. Second we consider temporal properties of traffic at various time-scales which informs the tradeoffs inherent in alternative ways for defining peak traffic periods. These peak periods are important as they are primary drivers of network provisioning and service design decisions, and thus factor into cost estimation, investment planning, and policy analyses. Further, since no standard exists for defining "peak traffic periods," the term is often employed overly causally in both technical and policy discussions. While a variety of definitions are all reasonable, understanding the differences is worthwhile. We next explore the connection between traffic, traffic during peak periods, and costs to the network providers of carrying traffic. We consider the economic, business, and policy tradeoffs for how these costs are shared. Central to this paper is a unique pool of data that a set of broadband access providers have shared with our research group. The data-set that informs this report is a large set of anonymous per-subscriber byte counts over different time intervals. Some data sets allow us to look at behavior at a 15 minute granularity. (The only per-subscriber information received was the equivalent of interface byte counters associated with anonymized subscriber identifiers so that we could track individual subscribers over multiple months. No personally identifiable information of any nature was received from providers.) This data allows us to ask and answer some key, and sometimes contentious questions, about traffic on broadband networks, such as: What is the distribution of usage across the subscriber population? What is the distribution of usage during peak periods across the subscriber population? What do daily traffic patterns look like? What is the long-term behavior of subscribers that occasionally appear in the tails of the usage distribution? How good are various heuristics (such as total traffic over a month) at approximating contributions to peak time periods? How much is per-subscriber traffic growing yearly? This rich data set provides more detailed insights than studies that are based only on long-term usage data or on aggregates of many users. Because we have per-subscriber traffic we can reconstruct the actual aggregate and peak traffic, whereas if all we had were the peak and aggregate traffic statistics (or worse only one or the other), we could only make inferences about per subscriber behavior that would depend on a number of strong simplifying assumptions. Our analysis of fat-tailed user behavior highlights just how misleading such inferences might be.


Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is an immune-mediated disease of the central nervous system (CNS) which causes demyelination and damage to the neuronal axons. MS is a significant health problem in New Zealand, affecting 1 in 1400 people. One of the major cell types involved in MS and its animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), are the proinflammatory subsets of T helper (Th) cells. However, many other cell types are also involved, including macrophages (MΦ) and microglia (MG). MΦ and MG are considered to be important drivers of inflammation during MS; however there is also evidence that indicates these cells can also play a protective role. In the periphery, MΦ can be induced into several activation states. One of these activation states, type II activation, is a regulatory phenotype, producing increased IL-10 and decreased IL-12 compared to classical activation. In vitro type II activation is induced by ligating FcγR with immune complexes (IC) with concurrent stimulation with lipopolysaccharide. Previous research has shown that type II activated MΦ and type II-inducing treatments are protective in EAE.  MΦ activation state affects the way the Th response develops, with classically activated MΦ promoting a Th1 response and type II MΦ promoting a Th2 response. In the current study, the role of MΦ in T cell biasing is investigated further. Type II activated MΦ altered the Th1/Th2 dichotomy away from a Th1 response and towards a Th2 response, as demonstrated by decreased production of IFN-γ and increased levels of CD124. Also, in a novel finding, type II activated MΦ also increased the production of IL-17A from T cells. This study also aimed to elucidate the pathways involved in biasing of the T cell response by classical and type II MΦ by blocking or enhancing specific pathways. It was found that, while the level of IFN-γ (the prototypical Th1 cytokine) was largely dependent on the levels of IL-10 and IL-12, IL-17A and CD124 expression appeared to be independent of these two cytokines. Type II MΦ have decreased expression of CD40 and PD-L1, it was found that these pathways are not strongly involved in T cell biasing by type II MΦ.  While it is acknowledged that MG can be pathogenic and protective, the direct effect type II activating treatments have on MG is unknown. In order to investigate whether MG can also be type II activated, MG were isolated from the CNS of adult mice their phenotype under different activating condition was assessed. Under type II activating conditions MG produced less IL-12 and more IL-10, suggesting type II activation is occurring. In addition, in MG:T cell co-cultures, T cells cultured with classical or type II activated MG have similar, but not identical, profiles to T cells cultured with MΦ. Type II activated MΦ induced increases in CD124 and IL-17A from T cells, however, all MG activation states induced similar levels of IFN-γ.  To determine the effect of type II activating treatments in vivo bone marrow chimeric mice were created using mice congenic for CD45, which allow MG to be distinguished from invading cells. Treatment of mice with the IC before and during EAE results in decrease the incidence and severity of disease. IC treatments altered both the peripheral and the CNS immune environments. Despite inducing protection, IC treatments induced an increase in IL-17A in the peripheral immune system. In the brain, a population of resident cells that are CD45(int)CD11b positive, and are likely to be CNS associated MΦexpress decreased levels of MHC class II, suggesting a decreased ability to interact with T cells. Furthermore, parenchymal MG from the brains of IC treated animals have different levels of Iba1 compared to those from untreated animals, suggesting differential activation. Overall the data suggests that IC treatment induces a change in the activation state of CNS resident immune cells, that is likely to be protective in EAE.


Background The American Heart Association recommends use of physiologic feedback when available to optimize chest compression delivery. We compared hemodynamic parameters during cardiopulmonary resuscitation in which either end‐tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO 2) or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) levels were used to guide chest compression delivery after asphyxial cardiac arrest. Methods and Results One‐ to 2‐week‐old swine underwent a 17‐minute asphyxial‐fibrillatory cardiac arrest followed by alternating 2‐minute periods of ETCO 2‐guided and DBP‐guided chest compressions during 10 minutes of basic life support and 10 minutes of advanced life support. Ten animals underwent resuscitation. We found significant changes to ETCO 2 and DBP levels within 30 s of switching chest compression delivery methods. The overall mean ETCO 2 level was greater during ETCO 2‐guided cardiopulmonary resuscitation (26.4±5.6 versus 22.5±5.2 mm Hg; P=0.003), whereas the overall mean DBP was greater during DBP‐guided cardiopulmonary resuscitation (13.9±2.3 versus 9.4±2.6 mm Hg; P=0.003). ETCO 2‐guided chest compressions resulted in a faster compression rate (149±3 versus 120±5 compressions/min; P=0.0001) and a higher intracranial pressure (21.7±2.3 versus 16.0±1.1 mm Hg; P=0.002). DBP‐guided chest compressions were associated with a higher myocardial perfusion pressure (6.0±2.8 versus 2.4±3.2; P=0.02) and cerebral perfusion pressure (9.0±3.0 versus 5.5±4.3; P=0.047). Conclusions Using the ETCO 2 or DBP level to optimize chest compression delivery results in physiologic changes that are method‐specific and occur within 30 s. Additional studies are needed to develop protocols for the use of these potentially conflicting physiologic targets to improve outcomes of prolonged cardiopulmonary resuscitation.


Background
Gall bladder carcinoma (GBC) is a multi-factorial disease, involving multiple genetic alterations. The present pilot study aims to explore some of the molecular pathways, by studying immunohistochemical (IHC) expression of biomarkers (HER2/neu, KRAS, and VEGF) in GBC with their correlation with various clinicopathological parameters.

Aim of the Study
To study the expression of prognostic biomarkers (HER2/neu, KRAS and VEGF-A) in GBC and their correlation with clinico-morphological parameters. Materials and.

Methods
This prospective study was conducted over a period of 2 years. The study group included tissue of GBC (29) reported as malignant on histopathology and cholecystitis as a control group (29) for histopathological evaluation and IHC expression of above markers.

Results
HER2/neu was expressed in 27.5% cases, and KRAS in 51.6%; however, both showed no association with tumor type, stage and grade. No association was found in KRAS expression and dysplasia. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor - A (VEGF-A) was expressed in 86.1% cases, of which strong positivity was seen in 48.27%; it showed significant association with tumor stage (P value-0.027, Fishers' exact test), hence possibly suggesting its role in tumor progression; though no association was found in VEGF expression with tumor type and grade. No significant association was seen with vascular and tumor invasion also.

Conclusion
The results suggest that the VEGF-A expression may be used as a potential prognostic biomarker in GBC.


This paper presents the development toward a dancing robot that can listen to and dance along with musical performances. One of the key components of this robot is the ability to modify its dance motions with varying tempos, without exceeding motor limitations, in the same way that human dancers modify their motions. In this paper, we first observe human performances with varying musical tempos of the same musical piece, and then analyze human modification strategies. The analysis is conducted in terms of three body components: lower, middle, and upper bodies. We assume that these body components have different purposes and different modification strategies, respectively, for the performance of a dance. For all of the motions of these three components, we have found that certain fixed postures, which we call keyposes, tend to be preserved. Thus, this paper presents a method to create motions for robots at a certain music tempo, from human motion at an original music tempo, by using these keyposes. We have implemented these algorithms as an automatic process and validated their effectiveness by using a physical humanoid robot HRP-2. This robot succeeded in performing the Aizu-bandaisan dance, one of the Japanese traditional folk dances, 1.2 and 1.5 times faster than the tempo originally learned, while maintaining its physical constraints. Although we are not achieving a dancing robot which autonomously interacts with varying music tempos, we think that our method has a vital role in the dancing-to-music capability.


The global economy crisis has made software development a prohibitively expensive undertaking, thus forces developers to look for a viable alternative, namely the Open
Source Software (OSS). In addition to low acquisition cost, free access to OSS source codes and components provides a more flexible, highly customizable development process. In the realm of software development, the emerging Open Source Software Development (OSSD) brings in altogether a new concept of software engineering that revolutionizes the software process and working culture. In this regard, some
researchers have raised critical questions pertaining to the appropriate life-cycle that underpins an OSS model, the optimal methodology to support the OSSD, and the essential toolkits to support the OSS methodology. Currently, there is a lack of knowledge concerning a development model for Knowledge Management System (KMS), and the architecture to support a collaborative OSSD that can facilitate knowledge sharing among practitioners. Thus, the researcher undertook a study to investigate the current practice and to identify the relevant system components that lead to a sound and viable KMS framework for knowledge sharing in the OSS development. The formulation of the framework was realized through a critical review of the current and major methodologies in software development; however, the development of a system prototype, which was based on the prototype approach, only focused on the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC). A survey was conducted on selected OSS
developers in Malaysia for the following purposes: to measure their awareness of OSS and KM, to elicit feedback on the proposed framework that could support a collaborative software development, and to validate the proposed framework's components. Data gathered were analyzed using the Rasch Model and the internal reliability statistical procedure in SPSS that revealed a highly reliable instrument, which was based on Cronbach Alpha's reliability coefficient of 0.97. The findings also
indicated that an overwhelming majority of the respondents agreed that OSS tools for software development were urgently needed. They also concurred that using and
managing these tools had to be carefully appraised for a particular knowledge domain,which could expedite the software development process. Overall, this study provides
useful insights regarding the formulation of a viable KMS prototype underpinned soundly by theoretical and methodological judgments that fosters a collaborative
software development environment. Lessons learned can also help create a new KM society that strives on the principles to work in a more supportive and responsible fashion.


Abies concolor was introduced to Europe in the 19th century and commonly planted as an ornamental tree. In 2018, after several very warm and dry vegetation seasons, which has likely caused abiotic stress in the trees, a sudden dieback of A. concolor was observed in the city of Aranđelovac in Serbia. The external symptoms were the rapid discoloration of needles in a larger part of the crown and eventually the dieback of the trees. The aim of this study was to identify the possible agents of damage by analysing the fungal communities associated with symptomatic needles using high-throughput sequencing as no symptoms of damage were seen on the branches or stems. Symptomatic needles were collected from the lower branches of five standing trees. Half of the needles were surface sterilised and the remaining were left unsterilised. DNA was extracted, amplified using ITS2 rDNA as a marker and sequenced. Quality filtering showed the presence of 6 191 high quality reads, which, following a clustering analysis, was found to represent 79 non-singletons fungal taxa. The most common fungi in both surface sterilised and unsterilised needles were the pathogens Cytospora friesii (59.7%) and Sydowia polyspora (20.6%). The results demonstrated that C. friesii and S. polyspora can cause a rapid decline of A. concolor trees subjected to abiotic stress.


n Module 6 we saw how multiple regression models for continuous responses can be generalised to handle binary responses, and in Module 7 these models were further extended for the analysis of binary data with a two-level hierarchical structure. This module considers standard (single-level) and multilevel models for ordinal categorical response variables, where the numeric codes assigned to categories imply some ordering. We begin with a cription of two approaches for the analysis of single-level ordinal data:

the cumulative logit model which is appropriate for variables such as Likert scale items, where respondents are asked to indicate their strength of agreement with a statement from 'strongly agree' to 'strongly disagree', and educational tests where marks are available as grades rather than percentage scores; and
the continuation ratio model for ordinal responses that can be viewed as the result of a series of sequential decisions or actions (e.g. highest level of educational qualifications).
We then show how the cumulative logit model can be extended for the analysis of data with a two-level hierarchical structure.


Predicting the product a customer would like to buy is an increasingly important field of study and there are several different recommender system models that are used to make recommendations for users. Deep learning has shown effective results in a variety of predictive tasks but there haven't been much research concerning its usage in recommender systems. This thesis studies the effectiveness of using a long short term memory implementation (LSTM) of a recurrent neural network (RNN) as a recommender system by comparing it to one of the most common recommender system implementations, the matrix factorization method. A radio playlist dataset is used to train both the LSTM and the matrix factorization models with the intent of generating accurate predictions. We were unable to create a LSTM model with good performance and due to that we are unable to make any significant conclusions regarding whether or not LSTM networks outperform matrix factorization models.


This paper presents the mechanism of the machine and the numerical result of attractive force in the Electro- Permanent Magnet Lifter (EPML) and an improved niching Genetic Algorithm (GA) applying the concept of auto-tuning and detecting traces. Population size and both (right and left) niche radii of each peak in an asymmetrical objective function can be determined automatically. The validity of the proposed method is verified by simulation results.


This study describes the major forms of year-round education, evaluates their potential costs and educational benefits (including effects on student academic achievement, learning retention, socialization, and employability), and assesses such programs' feasibility as to legal requirements and effects on school personnel and the larger community. Year-round education (YRE) or year-round schools or schooling (YRS) often connote two different alternations to the traditional school calendar: (1) increasing classroom time by extending the school year or the school day; and (2) rearranging the traditional 180-day school calendar to provide more frequent and shorter vacation periods. Research indicates that substantial increases of classroom time would result in some improvements in academic achievement, but would be very costly. Single-track YRE programs (all students in school or vacationing at the same time) now account for 46 percent of all YRE programs. The normal 3-month summer break may hinder learning retention, particularly for disadvantaged youth. Multitrack YRE programs offer potential capital savings due to more efficient facilities use; single-track YRE programs can be more expensive than 9-month calendar schools. A telephone survey of 1,003 Texans indicates weak commitment to YRE, but favorable disposition toward trying it. Another informal survey showed that 41 Texas school districts were operating some form of YRE (mostly single-track programs) and that teacher response is positive. Recommendations for further implementation of year-round programs in Texas are provided. Appendices contain descriptions of YRE plans, informal survey results, and Texas YRE districts information. (Contains 56 references.) (MLH) ************************************************************** ***** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** COST EFFECTIVENESS OF ALTERNATIVE YEAR SCHOOLING


With the rapid development of urban areas, the areas which may be used for new buildings are becoming smaller and smaller. Cities are divided into different areas based on the activities in these areas, a process called functional zoning. Depending on the functional zone, different kinds of buildings may be built. This thesis consists of two parts. The first part discusses segmentation of functional zones and image pre-processing such as morphological closing. The other part is about finding suitable building areas in Google maps. The thesis also presents an algorithm, implemented in Matlab, which provides a simple and efficient way of finding suitable building areas using Google maps. Keyword: functional zoning, image processing, MATLAB, digital Google maps


The present study assessed the effects of lycopene on kidney antioxidant enzymes activities and functions in streptozotocin-induced diabetic Wistar rats.Diabetes was induced in animals by single intra-peritoneal injection of streptozotocin. Thereafter the animals were randomly assigned into the following groups: Group I and II (Normal control + olive oil and Diabetic control + olive oil)while Group III to VI were treated with (10, 20 and 40 mg/kg of lycopene and 2 mg/kg glibenclamide) respectively. Alltreatments were givenonce daily orally for four weeks. Results obtained showed that blood glucose was significantly (P < 0.05) reduced. MDAconcentration was reduced in kidney tissue, with increased activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase) in diabetic animals administered with lycopene when compared with diabetic control group.There was significant (P < 0.05) increase in the level of serum sodium ion and reduction in serum urea level in diabetic rats treated with lycopene when compared with the diabetic control group. Histological findings showed improved renal architecture as reflected by reduced glomerular and tubular necrosisin all treated groups when compared with control group. It can be concluded that lycopene protects against diabetes-induced kidney damage through elevation of endogenous antioxidant enzymes and improved renal dysfunction in diabetic animals.


In order to investigate the effects of testing frequency on the fatigue crack growth rate of 6061-T6 aluminum alloy in hydrogen gas environment, fatigue crack growth tests were carried out on specimens with small artificial holes in 0.18 MPa hydrogen gas or in 0.18 MPa nitrogen gas. It takes long time to test at low testing frequency, so in this study an accelerated test method was proposed and fatigue tests were carried out using this method. The fatigue crack growth rate in hydrogen gas environment accelerates compared with in nitrogen gas environment. The crack growth rate at lower testing frequency tends to higher.


Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a progressive neurological disorder. It is characterized by the selective degeneration of central and peripheral motor neurons, leading to muscle wasting and weakness, and subsequent paralysis. Patients die on average 3 to 5 years after disease onset, mostly due to respiratory failure. Progress in understanding the genetic background of ALS has recently begun to improve our understanding of pathogenic changes underlying the disease. However, both at the preclinical and clinical levels, many questions remain to be addressed. In this thesis, we expand the knowledge on ALS pathogenesis by combining different approaches from genetics, genomics and functional biology. First, we used gene expression profiling to study ALS pathogenesis in the SOD1-G93A mouse model of ALS. We show that blood gene expression profiles can be used to distinguish transgenic from wild-type mice by studying overlap and differences in gene expression of different tissues in this mouse model. Also, we used gene expression profiling to study the effect of the only currently available drug for ALS, riluzole, in SOD1-G93A mice. Several pathways were identified as influenced by riluzole treatment, including ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, RNA-protein interaction and mitochondrial function. Changed RNA-protein interaction has recently emerged as important pathogenic mechanism in ALS. Therefore, we next investigated the occurrence of rare variants in previously ALS-associated genomic regions on human chromosome 9 and 19 and found that rare variants in the coding parts of these regions were not associated with ALS. We have confirmed the presence of FUS variants in a cohort of Dutch ALS patients, at equal frequencies as has been described in other studies. We then focused on further studying cellular mechanisms associated with FUS-caused ALS. ALS-linked mutations in FUS often lead to cytosolic mislocalization of the protein. We therefore performed a protein-interaction screen and determined numerous FUS-interacting proteins, including SMN and FMRP. Both SMN and FMRP are involved in neurological disease (SMA and FXS, respectively) and, in addition, genetic variation in SMN has been shown to be associated with ALS. Genetic variation in FMRP, however, is not associated with ALS, as described in this thesis. Subsequently, we showed that both SMN and FMRP are sequestered into FUS-associated cytosolic protein aggregates in primary neuron models. The sequestration of these proteins into cytosolic protein aggregates leads to their depletion from the axon, the endogenous expression site of the proteins. This impairs their normal function, as both SMN and FMRP have specific axonal functions. Depletion of SMN by ALS-mutant FUS aggregates leads to morphological defects, particularly at the growth cone, in primary cortical neurons. When the effect of protein sequestration of FMRP was studied in a zebrafish model of FUS, we observed a decrease in integrity of the neuromuscular junction. Importantly, each defect could be rescued by restoring expression of SMN and FMRP, respectively. These findings illustrate how protein aggregation in ALS leads to sequestration of proteins, depleting them from endogenous sites of expression and thereby leading to defects in axonal connectivity. Approaches to decrease protein aggregation toxicity and tackle connectivity defects are promising therapeutic strategies for ALS.


Abstract Marbles as ornamental stones as well as in their natural environments show complex weathering phenomena. The physical weathering of marbles due to thermal treatment is often discussed as the initial stage of deterioration. Eighteen different well-known marble types were selected to quantify experimentally the effect of heating and cooling within the temperature range of 20°C to 85°C while three different ramps at 40°C, 60°C and 85°C were performed. The marbles differ in composition from calcitic to dolomitic as well as in their fabrics. The average grain size varies from 50 μm up to 3 mm, while the grain boundary geometry differs from a granoblastic foam structure to those with weakly inequigranular-amoeboid structure. The lattice preferred orientations are also highly different in c-axis and a-axis distributions. With respect to the heating and cooling cycles three distinct groups of marbles can be distinguished: Type I is characterized by an isotropic thermal expansion (α) and large isotropic residual strain (permanent length changes); Type II exhibits an anisotopic α and no or small isotropic residual strains; while Type III shows an anisotropic α and anisotropic residual strain. Most samples show deteriorations due to thermal treatment, which cannot be uniformly explained without taking into account the rock fabrics. The magnitude and directional dependence of the thermal expansion is mainly controlled by the lattice and shape preferred orientation. The composition, grain size, grain boundary geometry and pre-existing microcracks modify in a more complex way the progressive loss of cohesion due to dilatancy caused by the anisotropic thermal expansion.