We use a low-energy effective description of gauge theory/string theory duality to argue that the Kovtun-Son-Starinets viscosity bound is generically violated in superconformal gauge theories with non-equal central charges c 6= a. We present new examples (of string theory constructions and of gauge theories) where the bound is violated in a controllable setting. We consider the comparison of results from AdS/CFT calculations to the QCD plasma in the context of this discussion.


Stem cell application is a burgeoning field of medicine that is likely to influence the future of orthopaedic surgery. Stem cells are associated with great promise and great controversy. For the orthopaedic surgeon, stem cells may change the way that orthopaedic surgery is practiced and the overall approach of the treatment of musculoskeletal disease. Stem cells may change the field of orthopaedics from a field dominated by surgical replacements and reconstructions to a field of regeneration and prevention. This review will introduce the basic concepts of stem cells pertinent to the orthopaedic surgeon and proceed with a more in depth discussion of current developments in the study of stem cells in fracture healing.


This study presents the design and performance evaluation of a latency bounded and medium access control (MAC) scheme (abbreviated to LB-MAC) for wireless sensor networks that require time-critical communication. LB-MAC provides the predictability for an end-to-sink data delivery time through the time division multiple access (TDMA) multi-channel transmission frame assignment considering the routing path of a tree network. In addition, it uses the traffic-based slot assignment mechanism at every transmission frame to achieve energy efficiency. The feasibility and effectiveness of LB-MAC is demonstrated through extensive simulation based comparisons with prior research.


This study investigates the flow structure around two identical triangles placed side by side, through experiment. Its goal is to investigate the effects of the edge length of the bluff bodies on flow structure. The flow characteristics are performed for a Reynolds number range varying from 5.000 to 10.000 under steady state conditions, and the flow was assumed to be two-dimensional. The flow characteristics around the bluff bodies were analyzed using particle image velocimetry (PIV) velocity measurement techniques, with 200 images. Water was used as the working fluid. For each case, velocity distributions along the channel height, velocity vectors and stream lines were presented to get better idea of the change of flow field. The variation in Strouhal number versus Reynolds number is presented. It was concluded for all the gap ratios that the primary recirculation zone and the secondary recirculation zone both occurred because the interaction was not strong. Asymmetrical and unstable flow structure behind the triangles was observed during the experiments. At the point at which the fluid made the first contact with the tips of the bodies, velocity became zero. The most effective parameters were found to be the flow velocity and the back track region. It was concluded that the points on which flow separations occurred moved away by an increasing Reynolds number. Because the vortex fields were symmetrical behind the smooth and the symmetrical elements, the Strouhal number was constant with the changing Reynolds number.


The loud chorus songs of the group-living lemur Indri indri are a striking feature of rainforest areas of eastern Madagascar. Despite some research on the conspicuous vocal display of the indri, two hypotheses have not been addressed: do groups differ in the acoustic properties of their songs, and is there evidence of coordinated singing between individuals within groups. We recorded and analyzed the songs of three indri groups to examine these two questions. To answer the first question, we made quantitative spectral measures on songs of the three groups and performed multivariate analyses of the acoustic features of the notes constituting the songs. Our results showed songs of the three groups differed significantly, although there was overlap between groups. To answer the second question, we classified note types and quantified their occurrence as overlapping and abutting pairs. We found non-random associations between sequential note types in all three indri groups. These associations were consistent among groups, suggesting that individuals follow consistent answering rules when contributing to choruses. Whether indris use acoustic group identifiers in management of behavioral strategies and how within-group coordinated note production might function remain unknown. We compare our results to a number of taxonomically diverse species that live in groups and broadcast chorus and duet vocal signals.


textabstractIn this article a critical reflection upon age limits applied in the law is provided, in light of the tension that exists in international children's rights law between the protection of children and the recognition of their evolving autonomy. The main research question that will be addressed is to what extent the use of (certain) age limits is justified under international children's rights law. The complexity of applying open norms and theoretically underdeveloped concepts as laid down in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, related to the development and evolving capacities of children as rights holders, will be demonstrated. The UN Committee on the Rights of the Child struggles to provide comprehensive guidance to states regarding the manner in which the dynamic legal position of children should be applied in practice. The inconsistent application of age limits that govern the involvement of children in judicial procedures provides states leeway in granting children autonomy, potentially leading to the establishment of age limits based on inappropriate – practically, politically or ideologically motivated – grounds.


Although often depicted as rigid structures, proteins are highly dynamic systems, whose motions are essential to their functions. Despite this, it is difficult to investigate protein dynamics due to the rapid timescale at which they sample their conformational space, leading most NMR-determined structures to represent only an averaged snapshot of the dynamic picture. While NMR relaxation measurements can help to determine local dynamics, it is difficult to detect translational or concerted motion, and only recently have significant advances been made to make it possible to acquire a more holistic representation of the dynamics and structural landscapes of proteins. Here, we briefly revisit our most recent progress in the theory and use of exact nuclear Overhauser enhancements (eNOEs) for the calculation of structural ensembles that describe their conformational space. New developments are primarily targeted at increasing the number and improving the quality of extracted eNOE distance restraints, such that the multi-state structure calculation can be applied to proteins of higher molecular weights. We then review the implications of the exact NOE to the protein dynamics and function of cyclophilin A and the WW domain of Pin1, and finally discuss our current research and future directions.


The upstream process of comminution is a key element in the use of renewable raw materials, which impacts the consecutive disintegration of the materials. Energy efficiency of the comminuition process is therefore of utmost importance. The key factors to increase energy efficiency are, beside the mill type and the mill operation factors, the species of the renewable resource, in terms of water contend and the mechanical properties which are the dominant factors in biomass size reduction. In this study the influence of different factors on the effective specific comminution energy (ESCE) is elucidated. For theses purpose, three types of raw wood chips as well as recycled wood of two different qualities, were comminuted with a cutting mill and a swing hammer mill. The materials were comminuted at several levels of moister contend, under varied opening sizes of the internal screen of the mills. Particle size distributions of the comminuted materials were examined with sieve analyses and dynamic image analysis. Especially, the moister content directly influences the ESCE and the particle size distribution. Moreover the type of material, due to its different mechanical properties, is of significant influence on the particle size distribution and the ESCE. Copyright © 2019 VBRI Press.


Earth observation satellite missions provide invaluable global observations of geophysical processes in play in the atmosphere and the oceans. Due to sensor technologies (e.g., infrared satellite sensors), atmospheric conditions (e.g., clouds and heavy rains), and satellite orbits (e.g., polar-orbiting satellites), satellite-derived observations often involve irregular space–time sampling patterns and large missing data rates. Given the current development of learning-based schemes for earth observation, the question naturally arises whether one might learn some representation of the underlying processes as well as solve interpolation issues directly from these observation datasets. In this article, we address these issues and introduce an end-to-end neural network learning scheme, which relies on an energy-based formulation of the interpolation problem. This scheme investigates different learning-based priors for the underlying geophysical field of interest. The end-to-end learning procedure jointly solves the reconstruction of gap-free fields and the training of the considered priors. Through different case studies, including observing system simulation experiments for sea surface geophysical fields, we demonstrate the relevance of the proposed framework compared with optimal interpolation and other state-of-the-art data-driven schemes. These experiments also support the relevance of energy-based representations learned to characterize the underlying processes.


Objective: To investigate the hepatoprotective activity of L-ornithine-L-aspartate against thioacetamide (TAA)-induced hepataopathy in rats. Materials and Methods: The hepatoprotective activity of L-ornithine-L-aspartate (OA) at a dose of 2 g/kg, p.o. for 10 days was evaluated against TAA (250 mg/kg, i.p. for 2 days) induced hepatopathy in rats. Biochemical parameters such as serum aspartate transaminase, alanine transaminase, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin and glutathione, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and protein in liver tissues were estimated to assess the liver function. Results: TAA-induced pathogenic changes in the levels of the above indices were significantly (P < 0.01) reversed by the OA treatment. OA treatment also exhibited significant restoration of the hepatic architecture and lobular structure in histological evaluation of the rat liver sections. Conclusion: Ornithine aspartate exhibited significant hepatoprotective activity against TAA-induced hepatic damage in rats.


We report the detailed properties of photo-induced travelling waves in liquid crystalline Langmuir monolayers composed of azobenzene derivatives. When the monolayer, in which the constituent rodlike molecules are coherently tilted from the layer normal, is weakly illuminated to undergo the trans-cis photo-isomerization, spatio-temporal periodic oscillations of the molecular azimuth begin over the entire excited area and propagate as a two-dimensional orientational wave. The wave formation takes place only when the film is formed at an asymmetric interface with broken up-down symmetry and when the chromophores are continuously excited near the long-wavelength edge of absorption to induce repeated photo-isomerizations between the trans and cis forms. Under proper illumination conditions, Langmuir monolayers composed of a wide variety of azobenzene derivatives have been confirmed to exhibit similar travelling waves with velocity proportional to the excitation power irrespective of the degree of amphiphilicity. The dynamics can be qualitatively explained by the modified reaction-diffusion model proposed by Reigada, Sagués and Mikhailov.


In this literary study of memoirs describing at first hand the horrors of German concentration camps, the principal question asked is: How did the survivors find the words to talk about experiences hitherto unknown, even unimaginable? Beyond being a mere analysis of discourse, Narrating the Holocaust reflects the situations in camp that triggered these responses, and shows how the professional authors adapted certain literary genres (e.g. the travel story, the Hassidic tale) to serve as models for communication, while the vast majority who were not trained as writers merely used the form of the report. A comparison between these memoirs and the more frequently discussed camp novel identifies the different narrative strategies by which the two are determined. Most of the 130 texts discussed here were published in German between l934 and the present; some famous Italian, French and Polish texts have also been included for comparison


In Maid as Muse, Aife Murray explodes the myth of the isolated genius and presents an intimate, densely realized story of joined lives between Emily Dickinson and her domestic servants. Part scholarly study, part detective story, part personal journey, Murray's book uncovers a world previously unknown: an influential world of Irish immigrant servants and an ethnically rich one of Yankee, English-immigrant, Native American, and African American maids and laborers, seamstresses and stablemen. Murray reveals how Margaret Maher and the other servants influenced the cultural outlook, fashion, artistic subject, and even poetic style of Emily Dickinson. Irish immigrant Maher becomes the lens to a larger story about artistic reciprocities and culture-making that has meaning way beyond Dickinson. This below-stairs, bottom-up portrait of the artist and her family not only injects themes of class and ethnic difference into the story but also imparts subtle details and intimacies that make the study of Emily Dickinson urgent once again. In the kitchen pantry where she spent a good portion of each day, the outside world came to Dickinson. The "invisible" kitchen was headquarters for people mostly lost from the public record-and it was her interactions with them that changed and helped define who Emily Dickinson was as a person and a poet.


The purpose of the present study was to formulate Solid Lipid Nanoparticles (SLNs) of Ganciclovir (GCV) in combination with Chitosan and Piperine for absorption enhancement effect. GCV loaded SLNs were prepared by hot homogenization method, optimized and characterized. Formulated SLNs were incorporated with absorption enhancers and characterized for invitro absorption (with chicken intestine), histopathological and invivo pharmacokinetic studies. Invitro absorption studies revealed that the permeability coefficient of the prepared formulation is more when compared to the pure drug, so the permeability is more for prepared formulation. In vivo pharmacokinetic study showed a significant increase in the Cmax, AUC, biological half-life and decrease in elimination rate constant for prepared formulation compared to pure drug. Histopathological studies also showed mild reversible damage of epithelial cells with Chitosan which indicates the safety and efficacy of the formulation. Thus, GCV loaded SLNs prepared with Chitosan can be clinically promising for enhancing the oral, intestinal absorption of the said BCS Class-III drug.


This paper presents a control methodology for high precision positioning of table drive systems. In the controller design, effects of resonant vibration modes and nonlinear friction on the positioning performance should be carefully considered. In order to compensate for the friction, it is essential to improve the disturbance suppression characteristic by expanding the bandwidth of feedback controller. Although the feedback control with a disturbance observer is one of promising approach to expand it, the vibration modes restrict the expansion due to their phase characteristics. In this paper, therefore, a robust compensator for the vibration modes is designed by a feedback scheme using a vibration signal of the modes, where a piezoelectric element is used to directly detect the signal as a strain signal corresponding to the mechanical deformation. As a result, the expansion of disturbance observer bandwidth can be achieved. The proposed approach has been verified by experiments using a prototype for industrial table positioning devices.


The article is dealing with the construction and use of the Croatian royal crown and later «Old-Croatian crown» as a type of Croatian national symbol from the second half of the 19th century to the WWII. The notion of the existence of an independent Croatian Kingdom in the early Middle Ages with its own king and royal crown contributed during the second half of the 19th century to the emergence of the idea of a Croatian royal crown from the past as the symbolic representation of a desired Croatian sovereignty in an united Croatian state. At the beginning the idea relied on the name of Croatian King Zvonimir, who ruled from 1076 to 1089. His name remained in the memory of Croatian elites as the name of a powerful and independent king. During the following decades historical research revealed that he was crowned with the crown sent to him by Pope Gregory VII, so some circles marked the Croatian royal crown as Zvonimir's crown. At that time Croatia (The Triune Kingdom of Dalmatia, Croatia and Slavonia) constituted a part of the Realm of St. Stephen. The Hungarian St. Stephen's crown served for centuries as a Croatian royal crown as well. During this period the inclusion of the Triune Kingdom in the Realm of St. Stephen was widely accepted in Croatia with St. Stephen's crown occasionally used as a Croatian symbol. However, misunderstandings led to conflict and to the break up of the union during the revolutionary year of 1848, subsequently St. Stephen's crown was no longer acknowledged as the Croatian royal crown. The union was re-established in 1868 on the basis of the Hungarian-Croatian Compromise of the same year. The latter allowed the Triune Kingdom to retain its statehood and autonomy within the Lands of the Crown of St. Stephen, but due to the dominant position it secured to Hungarian side it was always observed by the majority of Croats as a tool of Hungarian domination. The provision that the Croatian coat of arms should in official use be surmounted with St. Stephen's crown could not in these new circumstances win the hearts of the Croatian population. It is not suprising that the idea of a separate Croatian royal crown, at that time usually marked by contemporaries as Zvonimir's crown, emerged as the symbol of a desired Croatian sovereignty. During the course of time the title Zvonimir's crown was challenged by the name of the first Croatian king Tomislav, but the idea of a Croatian crown survived. At the very end of the 19th century with the publication of the image of a crowned early Medieval Croatian King from a bas- relief in Split the ground was layed for the visualization of the idea and its transformation into a symbol based on the image of a real object from the past. During the following years and decades the symbolic image of the «Old-Croatian Crown» was created. Its wide use in the public as the symbol of the past is based on the celebration of the Thousandth Anniversary of the Croatian Kingdom in 1925, during which and during the following years numerous images of that crown were created. Probably the best-known image in public is the image of the crown on a monumental equestrian statue of the first Croatian king, Tomislav, which was creationed as the result of decisions made in 1925. It is today one of the most recognizable symbols of Croatian capital of Zagreb. In 1941 the idea and image of the «Old-Croatian Crown» was resurrected as a symbol after the foundation of the Independent State of Croatia (Nezavisna Država Hrvatska in Croatian — NDH), which was to become a kingdom with an Italian prince as the king. Due to that a symbolic «Crown of Zvonimir» was created, but its first description did not have anything in common the image from the bas-relief from Split. The NDH never became a kingdom and the designated king never became a king, but that was not the only reason why the image of the crown described in the first decree was abandoned. Later the image based on the one present on the bas-relief from Split decorated the Order and Medal of the Crown of King Zvonimir. So it was present in public, but never became one of the significant symbols of the NDH. as the symbol of the past with its specific meaning as a royal insignia could not become a new national symbol. This is true for before the war among Croats who desired the establishment of the republic, as well as during the war among Croats on both belligerent sides. The following decades, including the period after the fall of communism in 1990, have witnessed the occasional use of that symbol. It is still present in public, but it is certainly not among the widely accepted national symbols — as the coat of arms and flag undoubtedly are. However, it remains a recognizable element of Croatian national identity, albeit less today than several decades ago.


BACKGROUND
The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) is a common treatment choice for non-verbal children with autism. However, little empirical evidence is available on the usefulness of PECS in treating social-communication impairments in autism.

AIMS
To test the effects of PECS on social-communicative skills in children with autism, concurrently taking into account standardized psychometric data, standardized functional assessment of adaptive behaviour, and information on social-communicative variables coded in an unstructured setting.

METHODS & PROCEDURES
Eighteen preschool children (mean age = 38.78 months) were assigned to two intervention approaches, i.e. PECS and Conventional Language Therapy (CLT). Both PECS (Phases I-IV) and CLT were delivered three times per week, in 30-min sessions, for 6 months. Outcome measures were the following: Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS) domain scores for Communication and Reciprocal Social Interaction; Language and Personal-Social subscales of the Griffiths' Mental Developmental Scales (GMDS); Communication and Social Abilities domains of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS); and several social-communicative variables coded in an unstructured setting.

OUTCOMES & RESULTS
Results demonstrated that the two groups did not differ at Time 1 (pre-treatment assessment), whereas at Time 2 (post-test) the PECS group showed a significant improvement with respect to the CLT group on the VABS social domain score and on almost all the social-communicative abilities coded in the unstructured setting (i.e. joint attention, request, initiation, cooperative play, but not eye contact).

CONCLUSIONS & IMPLICATIONS
These findings showed that PECS intervention (Phases I-IV) can improve social-communicative skills in children with autism. This improvement is especially evident in standardized measures of adaptive behaviour and measures derived from the observation of children in an unstructured setting.


: By means of the transmissive microscopic method, rearrangement of the intervertebral discs (ID) has been studied in children at early postnatal period, with special reference to changes in physiological loading on the spinal column when the infant acquires vertical position. Due to substitution of the fibroblastic cells by the cartilaginous ones with an active synthesis of glycosamineglycans and their secretion into the ground substance, hydration and turgor of the nucleus pulposus are provided. By the end of the first year, an initial stage of the collagenous fibrils formation can be observed in the nucleus pulposus. During the first months, cellular composition of the ID is essentially changed. In all parts of the disc the number of actively secreting cells is increasing. Tissue consolidation, increasing volume of the fibrous ring and turgor of the hydrated nucleus pulposus ensure increasing loading on the spinal column at the child's walking.


Recent surveys confirm early results about a deficiency or even absence of CN-strong stars on the asymptotic giant branch (AGB) of globular clusters (GCs), although with quite large cluster-to-cluster variations. In general, this is at odds with the distribution of CN band strengths among first ascent red giant branch (RGB) stars. Norris et al. proposed that the lack of CN-strong stars in some clusters is a consequence of a smaller mass of these stars that cannot evolve through the full AGB phase. In this short paper we found that the relative frequency of AGB stars can change by a factor of two between different clusters. We also find a very good correlation between the minimum mass of stars along the horizontal branch (Gratton et al. 2010, A&A, 517, A81) and the relative frequency of AGB stars, with a further dependence on metallicity. We conclude that indeed the stars with the smallest mass on the HB cannot evolve through the full AGB phase, being AGB-manque. These stars likely had large He and N content, and large O-depletion. We then argue that there should not be AGB stars with extreme O depletion, and few of them with a moderate one.


Abstract Diagnostic assays for the detection of St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) and western equine encephalomyelitis (WEE) viruses in mosquito pools and avian tissues were compared for sensitivity, accuracy and specificity. The in situ enzyme immunoassay (EIA), plaque assay on Vero cells, passage in Aedes albopictus Skuse C6/36 and C7/10 cells, antigen capture enzyme immunoassay (AC-EIA), and single and multiplex reverse transcription-polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCR) were evaluated using pools of 50 mosquitoes containing 1–2 experimentally infected individuals. RT-PCR was the most sensitive assay, with a detection limit of <0.1 plaque forming unit. AC-EIA was the fastest and most economical procedure, but was the least sensitive, detecting only 38% of positive pools. The in situ EIA included initial virus amplification on Vero cells, thereby improving assay sensitivity to detect 68% of positive pools. Passage in C6/36 and/or C7/10 cell culture revealed the presence of infectious virus in samples positive by RT-PCR, but initially negative by plaque assay on Vero cell culture, indicating that detection was related to assay sensitivity and not to the absence of intact infectious virus. Combining WEE and SLE RT-PCR assays into a multiplex assay reduced sensitivity, but still detected viral RNA at titers below plaque assay sensitivity. Plaque assay on Vero cells, mosquito cell passage, and several RT-PCR procedures were evaluated for their ability to detect WEE and SLE in white-crowned sparrow tissues during acute and chronic stages of infection. All assays detected virus during acute infection at times of high viremia; however, only RT-PCR assays were positive by day 7 when virus was not detected in sera. RT-PCR detected SLE RNA in spleen tissue from one bird 51 d after infection. Assay sensitivity also was compared using extracts of homogenized bird organs spiked with known titers of WEE and SLE. Trizol RNA extraction followed by Qiagen one-step RT-PCR was the most sensitive method, but occasionally resulted in the presence of secondary bands confounding interpretation and requiring confirmatory assays. A balanced surveillance program should combine systems that allow the detection of new agents and the sensitive monitoring of endemic agents to provide an early warning of pending health risks.


It was found that halogen methanes (CCl4, CHBr3) enhance the destruction of protein tryptophanyls and lipid peroxidation photosensitized by Zn-tetraphenylporphin and Zn-tetramethylpyridylporphyrin in isolated erythrocyte membranes. It was shown that this effect is due to photoinduced electron transport from Zn-porphyrins to halogen methanes with the formation of highly reactive halogenmethyl radicals. The hydrophilic Zn-tetramethylpyridylporphyrin is more active at the photosensition of damage to membrane proteins, whereas the hydrophobic Zn-tetraphenylporphin is more effective in lipid peroxidation.


In this commentary I set aside the potentially fruitful question of whether social scientists should be open to or reject genetic conceptions of race in research that purports to contribute to improving health and reducing health inequalities. I address instead the science underlying one such research endeavor: the Slim Initiative in Genomic Medicine for the Americas (SIGMA), which triggered the current debate. I argue that SIGMA, like similar studies, has nothing to add to current knowledge about how to prevent, treat, or decrease inequalities pertaining to common diseases such as diabetes, and that therefore there is no social value in pursuing them. I also engage conceptual problems with the notions of "genetic predisposition" and "heritability," both of which I have discussed in detail elsewhere. The basic thrust of my argument is that (1) the nonadditive and developmental nature of complex phenotypes like diabetes precludes the empirical identification of whatever may be meant by "predisposing gene variants" and (2) heritability measures are useful only for selective breeding and therefore of no relevance to research in human health. I conclude that identifying genes presumed to "predispose" individuals or populations to diabetes and other common diseases is a fruitless enterprise, whether "predisposed" populations are organized around race or any other category.


Background Transient Ischaemic Attack (TIA) is a neurologic event with symptom resolution within 24 hours. Early specialist assessment of TIA reduces risk of stroke and death. NICE (2008) recommends patients with TIA are seen in specialist clinics within 24 hours (if high risk) and seven days (if low risk). We aimed to develop a complex intervention for patients with low risk TIA presenting to the emergency ambulance service. The intervention was then to be used in the TIER feasibility trial, in line with the MRC guidance on staged development and evaluation of complex interventions. Methods We conducted three interrelated activities to produce the TIER intervention: Survey of UK Ambulance Services (n=13) to gather information about TIA pathways already in use Scoping review of literature describing prehospital care of patients with TIA Synthesis of data and definition of the intervention by specialist panel of: paramedics; ED and stroke consultants; service users; ambulance service managers. Results The panel defined the TIER intervention to include: Protocol for paramedics to assess patients presenting with TIA and identify and refer low risk patients for prompt (<7 day) specialist review at TIA clinic Patient Group Directive and information pack to allow paramedic administration of aspirin to patients left at home with referral to TIA clinic Referral process via clinical desk in ambulance control room Training package for paramedics Agreement with TIA clinic service provider to ensure rapid review of referred patients Conclusion We followed MRC guidance to develop a clinical intervention which assesses and refers low risk TIA patients requesting 999 care. We will test feasibility of implementing and evaluating this in the TIER feasibility trial. We will then develop a fully powered randomised multicentre trial, if findings indicate this is appropriate.


Cardiac cysticercosis is a rare infection and its diagnosis is usually incidental, as most patients are asymptomatic. Laboratory and imaging tests, such as echocardiogram and cardiac nuclear magnetic resonance, can also be used in the diagnostic approach. The clinical manifestations are broad and patients can present with symptoms that range from heart failure to arrhythmias. Treatment of this condition has been scarcely studied and no protocols have been well established to date. One can choose not to treat the asymptomatic cases or to use cestocides, in the case of symptomatic individuals. Patient monitoring through cardiac enzymes and electrocardiogram during treatment is recommended, as well as performing imaging tests after treatment. This chapter aims to discuss cardiac cysticercosis, divided into sessions that will cover everything from its epidemiology and clinical aspects to diagnostic methods, therapeutics and treatment monitoring, with emphasis on the most current aspects.


To explore new opportunities to promote self-regulated learning (SRL) across a variety of contexts, this study applies a novel assignment called Pink Time in seven different courses at two universities. The assignment asks students to "skip class, do anything you want, and give yourself a grade." In each case, instructors adapted Pink Time to fit the needs of their course. Altogether, 165 students completed 270 self-directed projects and self-assessments targeting five component behaviors of SRL. Findings show that: (1) students were more likely to perceive success in certain behaviors of SRL than in others; (2) students' perceptions across courses were similar for some behaviors but not others; and (3) subsequent iterations of the assignment supported higher perceived measures of some SRL behaviors but not others. Together these findings illustrate the value and flexibility of this progressive assignment as well as persistent challenges in supporting students' SRL.


KCNE β-subunits modulate KCNQ1 (Q1) voltage-gate K + channels providing the current diversity required for Q1 channels to function in a wide variety of cell types and tissues. In the present thesis, the stoichiometry of KCNE1 (E1) β-subunits in functioning Q1 channels is investigated, along with the formation of heteromeric channel complexes, complexes containing 2 different KCNE β-subunits. The chemical approaches used to answer these questions were then expanded to generate a novel labeling reagent.

To determine the stoichiometry of the Q1/E1 complex, I devised an iterative subunit counting approach that relies on a chemically releasable K + channel blocking reagent. The extracellularly applied reagent irreversibly blocks charybdotoxin (CTX) sensitive Q1 channels by chemically modifying E1 peptides that contain an N-terminal cysteine residue. Chemical release of the inhibitor and subsequent iterative applications of the reagent reported that Q1 channels partner with two KCNE β-subunits.

To determine whether heteromeric Q1-KCNE complexes form, I synthesized a similar, but non-cleavable, K + channel blocking reagent that detects specific KCNE peptides in functioning complexes by irreversible channel inhibition. Using this "KCNE sensor", heteromeric Q1/E1/E3, Q1/E1/E4 and Q1/E3/E4 complexes were shown to form, traffic to the cell surface and function. Using mathematical subtraction to visualize the irreversibly blocked current, the currents and gating kinetics of the different heteromeric
complexes were revealed and a hierarchy of KCNE subunit modulation of Q1 channels was determined: E3>E1>>E4.

Building on this technology, a chemically releasable K + channel blocking reagent was created to specifically label KCNE β-subunits with biotin. The reagent delivers biotin to CTX sensitive Q1 channels and labeling occurs through free thiols provided by either cysteine residues or thiol modified sugars. This preliminary data demonstrates a novel strategy for labeling endogenous K + channels in native cells.


Recent studies in early Xenopus and zebrafish embryos have demonstrated that posteriorizing, non-axial signals arising from outside the organizer (or shield) contribute to A/P patterning of the neural axis, in contradiction to the classical Spemann model in which such signals were proposed to be solely organizer derived. Our studies on the early expression of the transcription factors GATA-2 and 3 in both Xenopus and zebrafish nonneural ectoderm lend support to the existence of such non-axial signaling in the A/P axis. Thus we find that the earliest expression of GATA-2 and 3 is located in nonneural ectoderm and is strongly patterned in a graded manner along the A/P axis, being high anteriorly and absent from the most posterior regions. This results by early neurula stages in three broad zones: an anterior region which is positive for both GATA-2 and 3, a middle region which is positive for GATA-2 alone and a posterior region in which neither gene is expressed. These regions correspond to head, trunk and tail ectoderm and may represent the beginnings of functional segmentation of nonneural ectoderm, as suggested in the concept of the 'ectomere'. We find that A/P patterning of GATA expression in nonneural ectoderm may occur as early as late blastula/early gastrula stages. We investigate which posteriorizing signals might contribute to such distinct non axial ectodermal patterning in the A/P axis and provide evidence that both FGF and a Wnt family member contribute towards the final A/P pattern of GATA expression in nonneural ectoderm.


Peroxidase-containing cell bodies were found in the ipsilateral trigeminal ganglia after horseradish peroxidase was applied to the proximal segment of the middle cerebral artery in seven cats. Cell bodies containing the enzyme marker were located among clusters of cells that project via the first division. The existence of sensory pathways surrounding large cerebral arteries provides an important neuroanatomical explanation for the hemicranial distribution of headaches associated with certain strokes and migraine.


Micellar-like nanocontainers ca. 40 nm in diameter of an amphiphilic calix[4]arene, encapsulate hydrophilic and hydrophobic phthalocyanine and porphyrin derivatives and effectively switch on their capability to photogenerate the cytotoxic singlet oxygen, otherwise totally precluded in water medium, with high quantum efficiency (ΦΔ = 0.57 and 0.89). The photodynamic action of the supramolecular nanoassemblies is demonstrated by their remarkable inactivation under visible light irradiation of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, representative Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, respectively.


Formulaic sequence (FS) is a general term often used to refer to various types of recurrent clusters. One particular type of FSs common in different registers is lexical bundles (LBs). This study investigated whether LBs are stored and processed as a whole in the mind of language users and whether their functional discourse type has any effect on their processing. To serve these objectives, three self-paced reading experiments were set out using the DMDX computer program. The stimuli consisted of target constituents containing LBs (discourse organizers and referential bundles) and control constituents containing non-lexical bundles (NLBs). Ninety intermediate Iranian EFL learners were selected and assigned to three groups randomly. Participants were asked to read each stimulus and answer the question that followed. The stimuli were presented word-by-word, portion-by-portion, and sentence-by-sentence in three experiments. The results showed no significant difference between LBs and NLBs in all three experiments, meaning that LBs are not stored and processed as a whole in the mind of language users In addition, participants read referential bundles significantly faster than discourse organizers in the word-by-word experiment.


The Arabidopsis thaliana AtOPT3 belongs to the oligopeptide transporter (OPT) family, a relatively poorly characterized family of peptide/modified peptide transporters found in archebacteria, bacteria, fungi, and plants. A null mutation in AtOPT3 resulted in embryo lethality, indicating an essential role for AtOPT3 in embryo development. In this article, we report on the isolation and phenotypic characterization of a second AtOPT3 mutant line, opt3-2, harboring a T-DNA insertion in the 5# untranslated region of AtOPT3. The T-DNA insertion in the AtOPT3 promoter resulted in reduced but sufficient AtOPT3 expression to allow embryo formation in opt3-2 homozygous seeds. Phenotypic analyses of opt3-2 plants revealed three interesting loss-of-function phenotypes associated with iron metabolism. First, reduced AtOPT3 expression in opt3-2 plants resulted in the constitutive expression of root iron deficiency responses regardless of exogenous iron supply. Second, deregulation of root iron uptake processes in opt3-2 roots resulted in the accumulation of very high levels of iron in opt3-2 tissues. Hyperaccumulation of iron in opt3-2 resulted in the formation of brown necrotic areas in opt3-2 leaves and was more pronounced during the seed-filling stage. Third, reduced AtOPT3 expression resulted in decreased accumulation of iron in opt3-2 seeds. The reduced accumulation of iron in opt3-2 seeds is especially noteworthy considering the excessively high levels of accumulated iron in other opt3-2 tissues. AtOPT3, therefore, plays a critical role in two important aspects of iron metabolism, namely, maintenance of whole-plant iron homeostasis and iron nutrition of developing seeds.


In a search for improvements in their academic plans, most universities are focused today in the development and use of innovative educational programs. Within the different possible innovative educational techniques, Research-Based Learning (RBL) is focused on the generation of didactic experiences based on the scientific method (question formulation, search for answers and solutions, resolution of problems and analysis of results). This method allows engineers and researchers to face new problems through the search of innovation and novel solutions to the problems, out of the common standards. The inclusion of the scientific method within the academic plan of the master's degree in space systems (MUSE) of Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (UPM) is carried out through the definition of study cases. These study cases and the RBL employed methodology supports the theoretical contents of the other subjects included in the MUSE's academic plan.
In the Microgravity Institute 'Ignacio Da Riva' (IDR/UPM), different lines of research have been developed to involve students into space projects. Although these lines of research were initially related to the PhD at UPM, the increasing interest among the bachelor and master students on research and projects involving the most advanced engineering techniques, prompted the IDR/UPM academic staff to offer some specific projects to their Master student. Among them, the educational innovation RBL project PIRAMIDE was recently stablished.
The subject areas included in this project are related to several space engineering fields: (i) System engineering, where students are involved into the preliminary design (phase 0/A) of space missions by using Concurrent Engineering (CE); (ii) On-board computer design, by the selection and study of specific solutions providing novel knowledge in the field of space mission computers; (iii) Smart design methodologies applied to graphic engineering, where students focus their effort in the development of alternative design techniques for space applications, including manufacturing, assembly, and integration processes; (iv) Analysis of power systems for space applications, by studying systems currently employed in the space sector; and finally (v) Design of attitude control systems, where the students are involved in the development and implementation of a simulated attitude control system based on Arduino.The subject areas included in the educational innovation experience described here are multidisciplinary, the RBL methodology implemented being transversal to several engineering practices. These characteristics allow their application to other fields different from space engineering. The learning concept presented here leads to an increase in student's motivation by involving them in actual research projects that support the theoretical concepts, by mixing theory with practical knowledge. Throughout the research experience, students acquire and outstanding set of high value tools for their future professional life and, in addition, the use of RBL leads to an increase in the teaching quality.


Oxygen has been shown by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (X.p.s.) and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (u.p.s.) studies to be adsorbed both molecularly and dissociatively at an Ag(110) surface at 80 K. Chemisorbed chlorine inhibits the formation of the dissociative state. The interaction of water vapour with Ag(110) is influenced strongly, even at 80 K, by the presence of O2–(a). The formation of surface hydroxyls and hydrogen-bonded water clusters is discussed. Surface oxygen undergoes a chemisorptive replacement reaction with HCl(g) below 175 K.At 473 K there is strong evidence from both X.p.s. and u.p.s. for three states of oxygen; one of these is a strongly chemisorbed dioxygen species, while the other two involve dissociated oxygen one of which is sub-surface. [See also ref. (1).] The relative proportions of the dioxygen and dissociated oxygen species can be controlled by the presence of surface chlorine. Comparisons are made between the core and valence-level spectra observed with the Ag(110)–Cl + O2 system and those obtained with an industrial silver catalyst known to be active in ethylene epoxidation.


In this study, molecular dynamics simulations are carried out using a modified many-body Morse potential function in the framework of the embedded-atom method (EAM). Pressure–temperature (P–T) diagrams are determined for Rh and Sr. For the metals the bulk moduli are calculated from the pressure versus volume curves, and specific heats are calculated from the enthalpy versus temperature curves. The temperature and pressure dependence of the elastic constants and bulk moduli are also calculated for Rh and Sr. The obtained results are in good agreement with the available experimental data.


A generation of literature on local governance has established it to be largely a matter of relations between society and the local state. Existing typologies of national infrastructures for local governance, however, have neglected national variations in the shape of civil society to focus exclusively on governmental institutions. In this article we propose a new typology of national infrastructures of local governance that takes the structure of civil society into account. We test the typology as a predictor of local patterns of influence in a multilevel comparative analysis of data from the UDITE survey of over 4,000 local officials in fourteen OECD countries. The analysis demonstrates that certain types of national infrastructures consistently affect local power relations, as do the parallel infrastructures common to distinct sectors of policy. The effects from these infrastructures generally depend on synergies with the influence of local actors in civil society as well as in the local state.


Dried blood spots (DBSs) constitute a potentially valuable source of material for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) serologic and molecular testing. To facilitate molecular testing, we have adapted the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to the detection of HIV proviral DNA in DBS samples. The method is highly reproducible, with 75 microliters of whole dried blood providing sufficient DNA for duplicate testing with three primer sets. By using DBS PCR, 66 of 69 (95.6%) seropositive at-risk individuals tested positive by at least two primer sets and 85 of 85 (100%) low-risk seronegative blood donors tested negative by all three sets of primers. The frequency of HIV DNA detection in seronegative at-risk individuals was low, with only 1 of 58 (1.7%) individuals testing positive. These results show that in a clinical environment, HIV PCR analysis of DBS specimens is specific and sensitive. The method is cost effective and presents a useful alternative to the isolation of HIV from seropositive babies with an undefined infection status.


Background As the geographical distribution of malaria transmission becomes progressively clustered, identifying residual pockets of transmission is important for research and for targeting interventions. Malarial antibody-based surveillance is increasingly recognised as a valuable complement to classic methods for the detection of infection foci especially at low transmission levels. The study presents serological evidence for transmission heterogeneity among school children in The Gambia measured during the dry, non-transmission season. Methods Healthy primary school children were randomly selected from 30 schools across the country and screened for malaria infection (microscopy) and antimalarial antibodies (MSP119). Antibody distribution was modelled using 2-component finite mixture model with cut-off for positivity from pooled sera set at 2-standard deviation from the mean of the first component. Factors associated with a positive serological status were identified in a univariate model and then combined in a multilevel mixed-effects logistic regression model, simultaneously adjusting for variations between individuals and school. Results A total of 4140 children, 1897 (46%) boys, were enrolled with mean age of 10.2 years (SD 2.6, range 4–20 years). Microscopy results available for 3640 (87.9%) children showed that 1.9% (69) were positive for Plasmodium falciparum infections, most of them (97.1%, 67/69) asymptomatic. The overall seroprevalence was 12.7% (527/4140) with values for the schools ranging from 0.6% to 43.8%. Age (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.07–1.16,) and parasite carriage (OR 3.36, 95% CI 1.95–5.79) were strongly associated with seropositivity. Conclusion Serological responses to malaria parasites could identify individuals who were or had been infected, and clusters of residual transmission. Field-adapted antibody tests able to guide mass screening and treatment campaigns would be extremely useful.


We have used silkworms, larva of Bombyx mori, to investigate host-pathogen interactions. Silkworms have several advantages, such as high availability of a large number of animals and ease of injection of quantitative amounts of samples. Human pathogenic bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, or Pseudomonas aeruginosa kill silkworms. In this review, I would like to summarize our approach identifying S. aureus virulence factors by using the silkworm infection model.


This research investigated the simulation model behaviour of a traditional and combined discrete event as well as agent based simulation models when modelling human reactive and proactive behaviour in human centric complex systems. A departmental store was chosen as human centric complex case study where the operation system of a fitting room in WomensWear department was investigated. We have looked at ways to determine the efficiency of new management policies for the fitting room operation through simulating the reactive and proactive behaviour of staff towards customers. Once development of the simulation models and their verification had been done, we carried out a validation experiment in the form of a sensitivity analysis. Subsequently, we executed a statistical analysis where the mixed reactive and proactive behaviour experimental results were compared with some reactive experimental results from previously published works. Generally, this case study discovered that simple proactive individual behaviour could be modelled in both simulation models. In addition, we found the traditional discrete event model performed similar in the simulation model output compared to the combined discrete event and agent based simulation when modelling similar human behaviour.


Financial technology (FinTech) is the new business model and technology which aims to compete with traditional financial services and blockchain is one of most famous technology use of FinTech. Blockchain is a type of distributed, electronic database (ledger) which can hold any information (e.g. records, events, transactions) and can set rules on how this information is updated. The most well-known application of blockchain is bitcoin, which is a kind of cryptocurrencies. But it can also be used in many other financial and commercial applications. A prominent example is smart contracts, for instance as offered in Ethereum. A contract can execute a transfer when certain events happen, such as payment of a security deposit, while the correct execution is enforced by the consensus protocol. The purpose of this paper is to explore the research and application landscape of blockchain technology acceptance by following a more comprehensive approach to address blockchain technology adoption. This research is to propose a unified model integrating Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT) model and Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to investigate continuance intention to adopt blockchain technology.


The survey was conducted to assess urban dairy production and waste management system in Oromia Special Zone around Finfinnee, Ethiopia. The three study towns (Burayu, Sululta and Sebeta) were purposively selected due to the high potential for commercial dairy production. A total of 90 commercial dairy producers 30 from each town who at least own 10 dairy cows were randomly selected. The farmers interviewed individually using the survey questionnaire. The collected data were analyzed and the study revealed that 47.8 and 52.2% of the interviewed were female and male respectively. Next to daily laborers, household wives shared larger responsibility for feeding (21.1%), milking (28.9%) and cleaning (13.3%). The genetic composition of dairy cows in the study areas ranges from 50% exotic gene inheritances to pure (100%) exotic Holstein Friesian. Accordingly, 50, 62.5, ≥75% and pure Holstein Friesian cows account for about 24.4, 38.9, 24.4 and 11% of the herd, respectively. The major sources of feed were both formulated feed and feed that mixed at home (55.6%) and tap water (74. 4%). The average age at first calving, calving interval and days open was 2.26±.05years 20.8 ± 0.05 months and 161.76±34.80 days respectively. The major waste in the farm is manure (73.3%) and followed by feed left over (14.45%) and dust (12. 25%). High price feed, shortage of land, unavailability of dairy cow/heifer in time, feed quality, unavailability of feed in nearby area, diseases and lack of access to credit, shortage of water and inadequate training were among the major constraint of dairy production that need urgent intervention to utilize the untapped resources in the area.

 Key words: Dairy cattle, urban, production, milk, waste.


Urban planning is a vital process in determining the functionality of future cities. It is predicted that at least two thirds of the world's citizens will reside in towns and cities by the middle of this century, up from one third in the middle of the previous century. Not only is it essential to provide space for work and dwelling, but also for their well-being. Well-being is inextricably linked with the surrounding environment, and natural landscapes have a potent positive effect. For this reason, the inclusion and management of urban green infrastructure has become a topic of increasing scientific interest. Elements of this infrastructure, including green roofs and facades are of growing importance to operators in each stage of the planning, design and construction process in urban areas. Currently, there is a strong recognition that "green is good". Despite the positive recognition of urban greenery, and the concerted efforts to include more of it in cities, greater scientific attention is needed to better understand its role in the urban environment. For example, many solutions are cleverly engineered without giving sufficient consideration to the biology of the vegetation that is used. This review contends that whilst "green is good" is a positive mantra to promote the inclusion of urban greenery, there is a significant opportunity to increase the contribution of plant science to the process of urban planning through both green infrastructure, and biomimicry.


Introduction : Diagnostic delays of ovarian cancer, has been attributed to the lack of a reliable and cost-effective screening test and presumption that ovarian cancer is  symptomatic in the early stages. To investigate presenting symptoms of ovarian cancer and compare with symptoms of other abdominal-pelvic cancers Methods : We reviewed the medical records of all women with abdominal-pelvic cancers between March, 2003 and March, 2005 in Shiraz medical centers to compare, presenting symptoms of ovarian cancer and other abdominal-pelvic cancers. Results : Of 168 women with a diagnosis of abdominal-pelvic cancers, ovarian cancer was diagnosed for 22 women. (Stage I: 0, Stage II: 2, Stage III: 10, Stage IV: 7 and 3 patients without staging.) The mean age of patients with ovarian cancer was 51/6.The sensation of abdominal mass was more common in women with ovarian cancer than other abdominalpelvic cancers (P=0.00l). Constipation was documented in the patients with colon cancer more than women with ovarian cancer (P=0.012), whereas urinary symptoms were more common in patients with ovarian cancer (P=0.004).Although the women with bladder cancer complained from urinary problems more than who had ovarian cancer (P=0.00l), but defecation problems and abdominal pain were more detected in patients with ovarian cancer (p=0.05).  Conclusion : The most common cases of ovarian cancer present in the end stage that usually have poor prognosis. It can be associated to both patient and healthcare factors. This cancer is associated with many symptoms, but few symptoms are related to reproductive system. Sensation of abdominal mass, abdominal pain and urinary and defecation problems are the symptoms that can be associated with this cancer. Key words : Presenting Symptoms, Ovarian Cancer, and Abdominal-Pelvic Cancers.


Highly aligned, packed, and doped carbon nanotube (CNT) fibers with electrical conductivities approaching that of copper have recently become available. These fibers are promising for high-power electrical applications that require light-weight, high current-carrying capacity cables. However, a microscopic understanding of how doping affects the electrical conductance of such CNT fibers in a quantitative manner has been lacking. Here, we performed Raman spectroscopy measurements combined with first-principles calculations to determine the position of the average Fermi energy and to obtain the temperature of chlorosulfonic-acid-doped double-wall CNT fibers under high current. Due to the unique way in which double-wall CNT Raman spectra depend on doping, it is possible to use Raman data to determine the doping level quantitatively. The correspondence between the Fermi level shift and the carbon charge transfer is derived from a tight-binding model and validated by several calculations. For the doped fiber, we were able to associate an average Fermi energy shift of ∼-0.7 eV with a conductance increase by a factor of ∼5. Furthermore, since current induces heating, local temperature determination is possible. Through the Stokes-to-anti-Stokes intensity ratio of the G-band peaks, we estimated a temperature rise at the fiber surface of ∼135 K at a current density of 2.27 × 108 A m-2 identical to that from the G-band shift, suggesting that thermalization between CNTs is well achieved.


One of the distinguishing characteristics of a data stream system is 'a continuous query operating on dynamic data' as opposed to 'static data processed by instantaneous query' in DBMS. Due to potentially infinite size of the stream a query is evaluated after forming finite subsets of the data stream. The sliding window model is the most suitable model for processing finite subsets of a data stream where only recent data items qualify. In this paper, we propose a mathematical model to express a continuous query on sliding windows. This model expresses a window as an ordered set. Its sliding mechanism is expressed through a set of transition operations and query evaluation is expressed through a set of output operations


Coronavirus is the new virus that has not been identified in humans before which it causes the coronavirus disease called COVID-19 This disease was firstly discovered in Wuhan, China, on December 2019 and spread to the world until now The virus can easily pass from person to person which make it spreaded rapidly One of the common symptom of COVID-19 that can be easily identified is fever Since the virus outbreak, thermal screening using infrared thermometers are used at public places to check the body temperature to identify the indicated infectee among crowd This prevention still lacking because it spends a lot of time to check the body temperature from every person and the most importance is the close contact of the infectee might lead to spreading it to the person who do the screening process or from the one in charge of screening to the checked people This study proposes the design of system that has capability to detect the coronavirus automatically from the thermal image with less human interactions using smart helmet with Mounted Thermal Imaging System The thermal camera technology is integrated to the smart helmet and combined with IoT technology for monitoring of the screening process to get the real time data In addition, the proposed system is Equipped with the facial-recognition technology, it can also display the pedestrian's personal information which can automatically take pedestrians' temperatures This proposed design has a high in demands from the healthcare system and can potentially help to prevent for coronavirus spreading wider © 2020, Hampstead Psychological Associates All rights reserved


Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the quality of service of a South East Asian country's military facilities management organisation.

Design/methodology/approach – An interview survey and questionnaire survey were used to obtain a description and summary of stakeholders' expectations and the extent to which they were being satisfied by the services provided.

Findings – The method provides a useful means of identifying and prioritising varying expectations between stakeholder groups and of indicating any mismatch in expectations in the management of military facilities.

Social implications – The development and use of a method to test and improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the management of military facilities helps in providing better value for money.

Originality/value – In addition to re-affirming Parasuraman's overall dimensions of service expectation, the empirical summary of the stakeholders' expectations obtained in this way is of practical value for the service provider in developing a strategy for expectation management. For the case studied, it is also apparent that although the current processes in service delivery are well understood by all involved stakeholders, there is a need for further improvement with regards to their expectation levels. It is also one of the very few reported studies on the management of military facilities.


Waste rubber is a polymeric material containing 50% of rubber and is generally referred to as waste tyre rubber. The main purpose of this research is to study ultrasonic devulcanisation of waste rubber utilising deep eutectic solvent (DES) of ZnCl 2 :Urea by improving process parameters such as sonication time, reaction temperature and rubber: DES mass ratio by effectively cleaving cross-link sulphur bonds. DES was created and prepared by mixing ZnCl 2 with urea at 2:7 and 1:4 molar ratios respectively. Physicochemical properties of the prepared DES was measured using DSC, KFT and TGA analysis to find the freezing point, moisture content and degradation temperature, whereby their freezing point below 60°C, moisture content lower than 3.0 wt.% and 200°C degradation temperature average. Rubber to DES mass ratio was varied at 1:20, 1:30 and 1:40 and sonicated for 15 minutes inside ultrasonic water-bath. Samples were placed onto hot plate whereby heating temperature was varied at room temperature, 130°C, 150°C, and 180°C for 15 minutes. Samples were filtered, washed with distilled water and dried in oven for 24 hours. Once dried, samples were taken for analysis using TGA, EDX, FESEM, FTIR and Gel content. Under TGA analysis, most samples have an average degradation temperature of 200°C, hence justifying a successful devulcanisation. EDX analysis shows two occurrences during devulcanisation process which is bond reformation and cleavage. Furthermore, it is determined that heating temperature of 130°C is an important parameter as it is the optimum temperature for ZnCl 2 :Urea. Under FTIR analysis, it shows that disulphide bond, S-S is the only bond that is being broken while the rest still remains the same. Gel content analysis showed that samples have a lower soluble fraction after devulcanisation process. Finally, FESEM proves that at 130°C and 15 minutes is the optimum temperature and time which is illustrated by the smooth surface at that particular point.


BERN-- Long a hallmark for quality, Swiss science is now facing a number of threats. The most immediate is a "gene-protection" initiative, a proposed constitutional amendment that would ban all research involving transgenic animals, severely restrict research with transgenic plants, and forbid the patenting of genetically modified organisms. And in a report issued last year, the government's advisory Science Council cited other threats to the quality of Swiss science such as relatively flat R&D budgets in Switzerland's recession-weakened economy, "structural difficulties and financial gaps in university research," and declining research efforts by some industries. Many researchers and government experts say these threats are symptoms of a breakdown in trust between scientists and the Swiss public.


Often high dimensional data cause problems for currently used learning algorithms in terms of efficiency and effectiveness. One solution for this problem is to apply dimensionality reduction by which the original feature set could be reduced to a small number of features while gaining improved accuracy and/or efficiency of the learning algorithm. We have investigated multiple dimensionality reduction methods for nearest neighbor classification in high dimensions. In previous studies, we have demonstrated that fusion of different outputs of dimensionality reduction methods, either by combining classifiers built on reduced features, or by combining reduced features and then applying the classifier, may yield higher accuracies than when using individual reduction methods. However, none of the previous studies have investigated what dimensionality reduction methods to choose for fusion, when outputs of multiple dimensionality reduction methods are available. Therefore, we have empirically investigated different combinations of the output of four dimensionality reduction methods on 18 medicinal chemistry datasets. The empirical investigation demonstrates that fusion of nearest neighbor classifiers obtained from multiple reduction methods in all cases outperforms the use of individual dimensionality reduction methods, while fusion of different feature subsets is quite sensitive to the choice of dimensionality reduction methods.


Groups are pervasive in healthcare institutions and take on a variety of shapes. This paper uses a typology that allows us to understand the distinctive characteristics of team operations, based on interdependence and interactive dimensions. It looks at factors that influence team effectiveness in organizational settings. We review different frameworks that shed light in explaining the conditions that lead to group effectiveness. From the classical input-process-output (IPO) model to the input-mediator-output-input (IMOI) model of team effectiveness; the taxonomy of team process and emergent estates, as well as the teams understood as complex adaptive systems and also studied from the multiteam system perspective. We also report the need for more robust research designs to contribute to the field's further advancement. There is consensus among scholars demanding further conceptual frameworks, as well as powerful research designs that capture process-oriented theory and research on team effectiveness. Some future directions and recommendations are suggested.


The cultural history of Sardinian Ceramics in the XX Century is examined from three different
perspectives: its links with the main artistic movements, its relation with tourism as a massconsumption
phenomenon and its different functions and uses in Sardinian society. Art and
Anthropology are the two academic fields where Ceramic, as material and visual culture, is
discussed. The survey wants to highlight the difference between Craft and Folk Art, Pure and
Applied, High and Popular Art, as they have been established in the artistic and anthropologic
theory from the mid XIX to present.
Analyzing the most common iconographies (male and female people, domestic and wild
animals, subjects deriving from Nuragic Culture), issues about gender, economy and
authenticity are discussed.
Ceramic has been used for practical and symbolic purposes: cooking and storage of food,
decoration in Architecture and artistic medium, mean of social distinction and/or claim for
ethnic belonging and cultural identity, agent in the host/guest relationship of the tourist
encounter.
The title of the dissertation recalls the mythic demiurgic act of shaping clay, stressing the role
of ceramic in the process of cultural reproduction and the dynamics between locality and
globalization.


Abstract : The conduct of a feasibility study (FS) under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA) is accomplished in two steps. The first step, the Development and Screening of Alternatives (DSA), involves identifying and screening a broad selection of alternatives that achieve the Remedial Action Objectives (RAOs). These RAOs are listed in Table ES 1.0-1. The range of more promising alternatives retained following screening in the DSA then undergoes an in-depth evaluation during the second step of the FS, the Detailed Analysis of Alternatives (DAA). The objectives of the DAA include the following: Provide a more detailed definition of each alternative retained in the DSA, as necessary, with respect to the volumes or areas of contaminated media to be addressed, the technologies to be used, and any performance requirements associated with those technologies; Assess each alternative against the DAA evaluation criteria identified in the National Contingency Plan (NCP) and defined in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidance (EPA 1988); Perform a comparative analysis among the alternatives to evaluate the relative performance of each alternative with respect to each evaluation criterion; Select a preferred alternative for each medium group based on the comparative analysis.


We have applied the semi-empirical spectral analysis, developed by the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)-IV/Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment 2 (APOGEE2) Massive Star Team, to a large sample of new O- and B-type stars identified along the Sagittarius spiral arm, in the direction of the southern star clusters NGC3603 and NGC3576. We obtained H-band spectra for 265 point sources, using the APOGEE2-S spectrograph at the du Pont Telescope at the Las Campanas Observatory. We analyzed the associated spectral features deriving spectral types, as well as the massive star distribution along the line of sight. From a total of 265 science targets, 95 are classified as mid- to late-O-type stars (for which only 10 O-type stars are previously known in the literature), 38 are found to be early- to mid-B-type stars, and 32 are classified as either yellow or blue supergiants, completing a total of 165 massive stars.


Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop integrated evaluation indicators of home care services in the hope that the increasing group of long-term home care patients could receive quality care services. Methods: The development involves a methodological study on a development phase and a verification phase. The main survey at a verification stage was conducted by the staffs at 146 institutions who agreed to participate on this study. Results: The evaluation index for the integrated home visit care consisted of five categories and 57 indicators including Managing Institution (12), Environment and Safety (3), Right and Responsibility (7), Process of Care (31) and Results of Care (4). The criterion-related validity was verified in regard to the participation in the 2010 evaluation of long-term home-care institutions by the National Health Insurance Corporation. Conclusion: The evaluation index of the integrated home visiting care developed in this study is considered suitable to utilize as evaluating indicators in managing and evaluating the way of how institutions integrate and provide home visit care services as well as home nursing care services.


In recent years there has been much encouragement to investigate the use of classroom technologies to enhance the student learning experience especially in the STEM subjects but now extending across other subject areas as well. A typical classroom technology is electronic voting system (EVS) handsets which allow a lecturer to invite students to vote for their choice from a selection of given answers. Recently, a medium-size UK University has purchased over 9000 EVS handsets for use across the academic Schools as an innovative means for supporting formative and summative testing. Numerous training and support sessions have been provided to staff with the intention of supporting new and experienced users and increasing the take up by academics. As noted in earlier research reported at ECEL 2013, the student feedback was very positive for the use of EVS for formative activities, and less so, for its use in summative assessment. A recent review of the trends of EVS adoption at the University has been undertaken to inform decision-making and future use and support for the technology. One aspect of this review has considered the effectiveness of the strategies adopted by different academic Schools. EVS adoption and use across the University has been compared and placed within Rogers' theory of the diffusion of innovation. This paper further considers a set of six different strategies adopted for EVS use by academic Schools. They have been categorised according to several variables, including their choice of speed of uptake and the number of handsets in use. The inherent strengths and possible weaknesses of the approaches adopted are considered. Among the questions raised were, does a strategy of large-scale technology adoption over a short time period indicate a greater likelihood of long term engagement and ultimate adoption of the technology? Or, does a longer elapsed time taken for a gradual purchase and adoption of EVS technology suggest a greater inclination for the embedding of technology for enhancing learning? What other success factors should be considered alongside the training and support provided for technology adoption to enhance the likelihood of long term adoption of classroom technologies? The discussion provides a comparison of six different strategies identified across the university and the rationale behind them and then proposes a set of strategy choices which can lead to a greater likelihood of successful adoption of classroom technology.


The new beam position monitor(BPM) system of the injector at the upgrade project of the Hefei Light Source(HLS) has 19 stripline beam position monitors. Most consist of four orthogonally symmetric stripline electrodes. Differences in electronic gain and mismachining tolerance can cause changes in the beam response of the BPM electrodes. This variation will couple the two measured horizontal positions, resulting in measuring error. To alleviate this effect, a new technique to measure the relative response of the four electrodes has been developed. It is independent of the beam charge, and the related coefficient can be calculated theoretically. The effect of electrode coupling on this technique is analyzed. The calibration data is used to fit the gain for all 19 injector beam position monitors. The results show the standard deviation of the distribution of measured gains is about 5%.


We compare the available catalogs of z ≈ 6 galaxies in the Hubble Ultra-Deep Field and in the Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey with the expected properties of the sources of cosmological reionization from our previous theoretical study. Our approach is based on the mean surface brightness of the sources required for reionization and depends on relatively few undetermined parameters. We find that the observed mean surface brightness of galaxies at z ≈ 6 is sufficient for reionization, provided that the sources are composed of hot metal-free or metal-poor stars, regardless of whether reionization occurs over a short or long interval of redshift. The broad agreement between the new observations and our predictions suggests that we may have detected the sources responsible for some or even all of the reionization of hydrogen.


One of the first steps in distribution networks development planning is to forecast the loads, loads that the networks will supply. The load estimation used in electrical networks planning must consider not only the future loads, but also their geographical positions, for permitting the designer to locate and to dimension the electrical equipment. The load estimation influences various aspects of distribution system planning such as peak load demand period, transformer sizing, conductor sizing, capacitor placement, and so on. Hence, the peak load estimation is a problem of a special interest. The most efficient method in estimation of the peak load consists in utilization of the periodic energy consumption by customers who are divided into classes having different load shapes. In the first section of this work an analysis of the estimation methods for the peak load is presented. In the next sections a new method based on nonlinear fuzzy regression is described. The choice of the method depends on available data, the imposed goal and accuracy.


Snake venoms are complex mixtures of toxic and often spectacularly biologically active components. Some African vipers contain polyhistidine and polyglycine peptides, which play a crucial role in the interaction with metal ions during the inhibition of snake metalloproteases. Polyhistidine peptide fragments, known as poly-His tags, play many important functions, e.g., in metal ion transport in bacterial chaperon proteins. In this paper, we report a detailed characterization of Cu(2+), Ni(2+), and Zn(2+) complexes with the EDDHHHHHHHHHG peptide fragment (pHG) derived from the venom of the rough scale bush viper (Atheris squamigera). In order to determine the thermodynamic properties, stoichiometry, binding sites, and structures of the metal-pHG complexes, we used a combination of experimental techniques (potentiometric titrations, electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, UV-vis spectroscopy, circular dichroism spectroscopy, and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy) and extensive computational tools (molecular dynamics simulations and density functional theory calculations). The results showed that pHG has a high affinity toward metal ions. The numerous histidine residues located along this sequence are efficient metal ion chelators with high affinities toward Cu(2+), Ni(2+), and Zn(2+) ions. The formation of an α-helical structure induced by metal ion coordination and the occurrence of polymorphic binding states were observed. It is proposed that metal ions can "move along" the poly-His tag, which serves as a metal ion transport pathway. The coordination of Cu(2+), Ni(2+), and Zn(2+) ions to the histidine tag is very effective in comparison with other histidine-rich peptides. The stabilities of the metal-pHG complexes increase in the order Zn(2+) < Ni(2+)≪ Cu(2+).


Penicillinase plasmids, and some related extrachromosomal elements in Staphylococcus aureus, can specify resistance to inorganic ions, including Hg2+ and Cd2+ (Richmond & John, 1964; Novick & Roth, 1968; Peyru, Wexler & Novick, 1969). There is some tentative evidence that resistance to Hg2+ ions is due to the impermeability of the cells to the ions and not to a higher concentration of free -SH groups in resistant cells (Vaczi, Fodor, Milch & Rethy, 1962), but the biochemical basis of resistance to cadmium ions is unknown. The experiments described here show that there is a markedly decreased rate of uptake of Cd2+ ions by resistant cells when compared with strains that lack the cad-r gene.


ABSTRACT Stabilizing monetary policy in a small open economy is constrained by the open economy trilemma. In this paper, we investigate whether foreign exchange market interventions and the Central Bank's credit rationing at the official rate (CROR) may soften this constraint and improve the results of monetary policy for different monetary regimes. We construct a dynamic stochastic general equilibrium (DSGE) model appropriate for analyzing the forward-looking behavior of households facing non-zero probabilities of losing access to financial market and CROR. We have found significant credit rationing in the quarterly Russian data of 2001:Q1–2014:Q2. The probability of losing access to financial market and the probability of CROR are estimated as 22% and 66%, respectively. Using Russian data of 2001:Q1–2014:Q2 we demonstrate that CROR provoked forward-looking activity in financial market, which led to more Ruble devaluation in the crises of 2008–2009. It improved poor countercyclical performance of two Russian monetary policy rules, whereas made small effect on welfare. Welfare maximization exercises reveal a tradeoff between low-inflation and high-welfare solutions and favor of a floating exchange rate regime. We found the optimal value of the probability of CROR in both exchange rate-based and Taylor rule-based models but resulting improvement in welfare is very small.


Purpose of the research is to emphasize the role of agrarian budget in development of Serbian agrarian economy and to examine the problem of agricultural and rural development financing support. Furthermore, in this research initial reforms of economic measures have been analyzed concerning Serbian agrarian policy. The goal of this paper is to provide an insight into the role of agricultural budget in agrarian policy of Serbia.


The following study explores the possibility of coordinating and syncopating the actor training process of Kristin Linklater voice and Edith Skinner speech. Although each methodology is heavily used in many acting programs, there is very little cross over between the two disciplines and many students who excel at one of these two methods often struggles with the other. Also, the strengths of each training method address the shortfalls of the other technique. With this in mind, I hope to coordinate these two methodologies in an attempt to negate the weak aspects of each training process with the strong aspects of the other process. I believe such coordination will also assist students in learning both the Skinner speech technique and the Linklater voice technique more completely.

The project has been written particularly focused on Texas Tech University, however the same principles could be applied to any liberal arts institution where students currently pursue a degree in acting.


1 The present study examined the protective effects of icariin against the learning and memory deficits in aluminium‐treated rats and its potential mechanisms of action. 2 Qualified rats were treated with 1600 p.p.m. AlCl3 in drinking water for 8 months and the ability of spatial learning and memory was tested by the Morris water maze. In the place navigation test, aluminium administration significantly increased the mean escape latency and searching distance. In space probing test, aluminium markedly decreased the searching time and searching distance in the quadrant where the platform was originally located. All tests indicated deficits in rat spatial learning and memory induced by aluminium. Icariin treatment (60 and 120 mg/kg, by gavage for 3 months) dose‐dependently protected against the development of aluminium‐induced spatial learning and memory deficits. 3 To examine the mechanisms responsible for the protection afforded by icariin, the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in the hippocampus were assayed biochemically and the level of Aβ1−40 in the hippocampus was determined immunohistochemically. Icariin treatment significantly increased SOD activity and decreased MDA and Aβ1−40 content in the hippocampus of aluminium‐intoxicated rats. 4 In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that icariin is effective in improving the spatial learning and memory of aluminium‐intoxicated rats. The mechanisms responsible appear to be due, at least in part, to an increased anti‐oxidant capacity and decreased lipid peroxidation and Aβ1−40 levels in the rat hippocampus.


The ornamental commodity in Puerto Rico is valued for its economic contribution in the agricultural sector, its contribution to the esthetics of natural scenarios that impact the tourism sector, and for its environmental role. In the fiscal year 2001, ornamentals generated 4.8% of the total Agricultural Gross Product. In that year the production value at farm level was $34.1 million, the export value $0.5 million, and the import value $11.5 millions. Of the local production value, 1.5% was exported and 34.3% of the ornamental local market value was imported. The active trade traffic in Puerto Rico is a factor that increases the risk of the introduction of invasive species that affect the agricultural sector. It is necessary to estimate the economic impact of the established invasive species and those with high potential for introduction. The economic analysis must consider the impact on production, on market, and on the environment. The direct and indirect impact on market and non-market areas has to be estimated. The study presented in this paper pretends to gather economic data on the ornamental commodity and biological data on invasive pests and diseases to initiate the development of a comprehensive species risk management framework that incorporates the economic impact of invasive species.


Objective: This prospective study assesses the efficacy of maternal serum screening for use in prenatal diagnosis of fetal anomaly and chromosome imbalance in Japanese women. Methods: Maternal serum α-fetoprotein, human chorionic gonadotropin, and unconjugated estriol were measured in 1,055 singleton pregnant women between 14 and 20 weeks of gestation. A calculated risk for trisomy 21 of ≥1/299 or α-fetoprotein ≥2.5 multiples of the median was adopted as positive. Results: Three hundred and seventy-eight of the 1, 055 women screened (35.8%) were identified as positive. Sensitivity, false-positive rate, and positive predictive value in women aged <35 years were 60.0, 10.6, and 6.8%, respectively, and these values were 87.5, 49.3, and 4.2%, respectively, in women aged ≥35 years. The false-positive rate in women aged <35 years was significantly lower than that for women aged ≥35 years (p < 0.001). Chromosomal abnormalities were identified in 21 cases, including 10 with trisomy 21, 5 with trisomy 18, 2 with trisomy 13, and 4 with other chromosomal disorders. Seventeen of the 21 cases (81.0%) showed screen-positive results, and among these all 10 cases with trisomy 21 were detectable. Two cases with trisomy 18, 1 with trisomy 13 and 1 with isochromosome X showed extremely low human chorionic gonadotropin levels (0.4 ± 0.1 multiples of the median, mean ± SE), although they were screen negative. Of the 264 women who did not undergo amniocentesis, none had any clinical findings consistent with aneuploidy after birth. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the evaluation of each serum marker, as well as of the calculated risk, was significantly important in the prenatal detection of fetal aneuploidy.


Summary form only given, as follows. The characteristics of IT applications in the future decades are computing for the masses. What datacenters will deal with is a high number of active users, a high number of applications, a high number of parallel requests, massive amount of data, etc. This challenge is especially serious for China, since there is a huge population. The emergence of Internet-of-Thing makes the class of applications ever more and more, and the ossified computer architecture cannot be suitable for the various niche applications. To address these big issues, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) has started up the Future Information Technology (FIT) Initiative, a 10-year frontier research project for targeting applications and markets of 2020-2030. The State Key Lab on Computer Architecture (CARCH), which is located at the Institute of Computing Technology (ICT) and is the unique SKL in the area of computer architecture in China, is one of major undertakings of the FIT project. The research directions of CARCH include building billionthreads computer, elastic processor, cloud-sea computing, etc. In this talk, we will survey the motivations and basic ideas of these projects. Moreover, we will briefly introduce another foresighted research going on ICT: service-oriented future Internet architecture.


Time to pregnancy was studied as a parameter of couple fertility in a national cohort of all female members (less than 40 years) of the union of pharmacy assistants from 1979 to 1984. A total of 4 924 women were included in the study. Information on time to pregnancy and exposure was obtained by postal questionnaires in April 1985 (response rate 92%). Prolonged time to pregnancy according to occupation in production or a dispensary or in product control, bottling, and packing is presented, unexposed pharmacy assistants being used as referents. It was possible to use time to pregnancy in an occupational setting as 95% of the women were able to state their time to pregnancy and as 90% of all pregnancies were planned. No association was found between type of work or pharmacy and time to pregnancy, but pharmacy assistants exposed to antibiotics had a slightly increased risk of prolonged time to pregnancy.


Over the past three decades, molecular genetic studies have revealed some critical mutations underlying the pathogenesis of the sporadic and inherited forms of colorectal cancer (CRC). A relatively limited number of oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes—most prominently the APC, KRAS, and p53 genes—are mutated in a sizeable fraction of CRCs, and a larger collection of genes that are mutated in subsets of CRC have begun to be defined. Together with DNA-methylation and chromatin-structure changes, the mutations act to dysregulate conserved signaling networks that exert context-dependent effects on critical cell phenotypes, including the regulation of cellular metabolism, proliferation, differentiation, and survival. Much work remains to be done to fully understand the nature and significance of the individual and collective genetic and epigenetic defects in CRC. Some key concepts for the field have emerged, two of which are emphasized in this review. Specifically, the gene defects in CRC often target protein...


Bacteria of a wild strain of Francisella tularensis were less efficiently killed by human polymorphonuclear leukocytes than were bacteria of an attenuated strain. This finding was explained to some extent by a less efficient phagocytosis, but bacteria of the wild strain also seemed to be more resistant to killing after ingestion.


Cable-In-Conduit Conductors (CICCs) for the ITER Central Solenoid (CS) magnets are designed to operate in the presence of fast changing current and magnetic field during the plasma-operating scenario. For ITER, the AC loss of several types of Nb3Sn CICCs was experimentally tested, but only very limited experimental data is available for quantitative analysis of the minimum quench energy (MQE). In the SULTAN testing facility (Swiss Plasma Centre) few CS conductors were tested on MQE, but the magnetic field amplitude and ramp rate settings are far from the actual ITER operating conditions. Nevertheless, such tests are needed as a basis to calibrate and benchmark the codes that describe the quench behavior. Moreover, during the stability tests in Sultan, the temperature measurements show severe fluctuations, which can introduce a large error for the energy calculation. An interpretation is given for the temperature fluctuation and a procedure is proposed to significantly reduce the error in the pulsed energy calculation.


This study is pursued because the researchers believe that the design project is more convenient to use in a group discussion as students are expected to gain more knowledge during peer to peer discussion. Through this study, some issues in the traditional way of teaching will be resolve like the time- consuming checking of attendance, quizzes dictation, paying of test papers and the fear of students to participate in recitation The researchers used Prototyping model as procedural method for the successful development and implementation of the hardware and software. This method has five phases which include: quick plan, quick design, prototype construction, delivery and feedback and communication. This study was evaluated by the CECS Students and the assessment of the respondent regarding the software and hardware application was measured in different levels of acceptability such as Accuracy, Adaptability, Effectiveness, Efficiency, Interactive, Portability, Reliability, Security and User-friendliness. The overall acceptability of the traditional way of teaching as evaluated by the respondents is satisfactory. With regard to the evaluation of One Click: The CECS Students' Assistant Tool, the overall acceptability is excellent. Through evaluation, the researchers had determined that there is a significant difference between the levels of acceptability of the traditional way of teaching and the "One Click: The CECS Students' Assistant Tool" in terms of the given set of criteria. The recommendation of the researchers in the design project are as follows: enhance the system where the users/students can go back and answer the previous questions and add an interface where user/instructor can delete files.


This study investigates a reported decline in the proportion of male Rattus lutreolus velutinus in a trappable population during winter. A four hectare trapping grid was maintained between March 1989 and June 1990 in wet sclerophyll forest which had been burned by wildfire in 1967. The forest community displayed both structural and floristic heterogeneity. Four habitat groups were defined and capture data from 17 four-weekly trapping sessions are compared within these groups. R. l. velutinus exhibit a clear preference for areas of densest cover to one metre height and an avoidance of areas with little or no ground cover. During winter, areas of densest cover are utilized almost exclusively by females; males occupy areas with less cover at lower densities. During the breeding season, females continue to be captured in areas of densest ground cover. These areas are visited by numerous males in reproductive condition.

An ecophysiological assessment of individuals in the trappable population was undertaken using routine blood sampling and the influence of environmental and artificial stressors on some haematological and endocrinological parameters is examined. Significant differences are evident between sexes for some measured parameters but no important differences are evident between the physiological states of individuals captured in different habitat groups.

The results of this study indicate that a local population of R. l. velutinus may use habitat differentially but that individuals captured in different habitat groups do not differ in their physiological profiles or their ability to cope with environmental stressors. The intersexual difference in habitat use is discussed in relation to social spacing, resource utilization and female choice.


The rapid identification of relevant bacterial pathogens is of utmost importance in clinical settings. The aim of this study was to test a rapid identification technique for A. baumannii strains from Tehran Hospitals and to determine the antibiotic resistance profiles of the isolates. A hundred strains of Acinetobacter spp. grown from clinical specimens were identified as A. baumannii by conventional methods. Using PCR a bla OXA-51 -like gene was detected in all A. baumannii isolates but not in other species of acinetobacter. More than half of the isolates proved resistant to a variety of antibiotics by the disk diffusion technique. The rate of resistance to gentamicin, imipenem, ampicillin-sulbactam and amikacin was determined to be 45%, 53%, 62% and 62%, respectively. Moreover, most isolates (more than 90%) showed resistance to cephalosporins. This study shows that the demonstration of the bla OXA-51-like gene is a reliable and rapid way for the presumptive identification of A. baumannii and reveals that the rate of antibiotic resistance is high in Iranian A. baumannii isolates to a variety of antibiotics.