A novel approach to antigen-specific immunotherapy is to take advantage of dendritic cells (DCs) as "nature's adjuvant" and to actively immunize cancer patients with a sample of their own DCs charged with tumor antigens. DC vaccination is, however, still in an early stage, and most potentially important variables (e.g. type and maturational stage of DCs, type of antigen and loading method, schedule etc.) have yet to be addressed. Despite this need for establishing an optimized DC vaccine even in some of the initial exploratory clinical trials, vaccination with DCs loaded with tumor antigens in the form of peptides has induced a) tumor-specific killer and helper T cells ("proof of concept"), and b) occasional regression of metastases even in far-advanced cancer patients. This was reported for DCs directly isolated from blood as well as for DCs generated ex vivo from either CD34+ or CD14+ precursors (reviewed in [1][1], [2][2], [3][3]). Most of the studies including informative ones in volunteers have been performed by using DCs generated from CD14+ monocytes (so-called Monocyte-derived DCs or Mo-DCs), which are now considered as a gold standard. These Mo-DCs can be reproducibly generated within a few days in large numbers (300-800 million mature DCs per apheresis) from precursors in blood without any need for pretreating the patients with cytokines like GM-CSF or Flt3-L. Importantly, it is possible to obtain populations of immature Mo-DCs by exposing monocytes to GM-CSF + IL-4, which can then be transformed into homogenously mature Mo-DCs by various stimuli such as TLR ligands (e.g. microbial products such as LPS or poly I:C), inflammatory cytokines like TNF-alpha, monocyte-conditioned medium or its mimic (IL-1beta + TNF-alpha + IL-6 + PGE2), or CD40L. The use of mature Mo-DCs is likely critical to induce strong immunity as it has become clear that antigen delivered on immature or incompletely matured Mo-DCs can even induce tolerance. Interestingly, it has recently also become evident that in the case of the Mo-DCs the choice of maturation stimulus is probably critical for success. Specifically, PGE2 has to be part of the maturation stimulus in order to obtain CCR7-expressing Mo-DCs that migrate in response to CCL19 and CCL21 that guide DCs into lymphoid organs. Using such DCs loaded with tumor peptides we have demonstrated their migratory capacity in vivo , the induction of tumor-specific cytotoxic and helper T cells, and the presence of tumor-antigen specific T cells in situ in regressing metastases. Interestingly, immunizing to Mage-3A1 peptide by DCs has been shown to result in polyclonal T-cell responses while other vaccination strategies appear to yield only monoclonal ones. Currently, we are exploring in two-armed trials whether mature Mo-DCs exposed to CD40L and/or an unspecific helper protein ([4][4]) influence the quantity or quality of induced T-cell responses.

Recently, new approaches to charge DCs with antigens have become evident which promote the DC vaccination approach. The observation that DCs can take up naked RNA, express antigens encoded by the RNA and induce antigen-specific T cells in vitro as well as in vivo in patients has given an enormous additional momentum to the use of DCs as vectors for antigen delivery and cancer vaccination as this approach now allows one to administer to DCs both defined antigens, including universal ones such as telomerase or survivin as well as the total antigenic repertoire of a given tumor (as total tumor or PCR amplified RNA). We have optimized protocols for the electroporation of RNA into both immature and mature Mo-DCs, and worked out an intracellular staining method that allows a reliable validation of the resulting DC vaccine. A clinical trial in melanoma patients employing mature Mo-DCs transfected with RNA encoding for MelanA, Mage-3 and survivin is ongoing.

The use of dying tumor cells, notably antibody-coated ones, is yet another loading technique. Other preclinical research has shown that the delivery of defined antigens as antigen-antibody complexes to DCs enhances cross presentation and allows for the potent induction of both CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses. Several recent results suggest that DCs might even be useful to directly trigger NK cells, and to mobilize the additional power of the innate immune system to attack tumor cells. Upon loading with alphaGalactosylCeramide DCs can also induce IFN-gamma producing NKT cells. It appears, therefore, rational and timely to optimize the use of DCs as vectors for the delivery of antigens to vaccinate against cancer.

This abstract was published in Cancer Immunity , a [Cancer Research Institute][5] journal that ceased publication in 2013 and is now provided online in association with Cancer Immunology Research .

 [1]: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=Pubmed&list_uids=12633662&dopt=Abstract
 [2]: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=Pubmed&list_uids=11745430&dopt=Abstract
 [3]: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=Pubmed&list_uids=11509176&dopt=Abstract
 [4]: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=Pubmed&list_uids=12690179&dopt=Abstract
 [5]: http://cancerresearch.org/


Mucormycosis is one of the most invasive mycosis and has caused global concern in public health. Cutaneous mucormycosis caused by Mucor irregularis (formerly Rhizomucor variabilis) is an emerging disease in China. To survive in the human body, M. irregularis must overcome the hypoxic (low oxygen) host microenvironment. However, the exact molecular mechanism of its pathogenicity and adaptation to low oxygen stress environment is relatively unexplored. In this study, we used Illumina HiSeq technology (RNA-Seq) to determine and compare the transcriptome profile of M. irregularis CBS103.93 under normal growth condition and hypoxic stress. Our analyses demonstrated a series of genes involved in TCA, glyoxylate cycle, pentose phosphate pathway, and GABA shunt were down-regulated under hypoxic condition, while certain genes in the lipid/fatty acid metabolism and endocytosis were up-regulated, indicating that lipid metabolism was more active under hypoxia. Comparing the data with other important human pathogenic fungi such as Aspergillus spp., we found that the gene expression pattern and metabolism in responses to hypoxia in M. irregularis were unique and different. We proposed that these metabolic changes can represent a species-specific hypoxic adaptation in M. irregularis, and we hypothesized that M. irregularis could use the intra-lipid pool and lipid secreted in the infection region, as an extracellular nutrient source to support its hypoxic growth. Characterizing the significant differential gene expression in this species could be beneficial to uncover their role in hypoxia adaptation and fungalpathogenesis and further facilitate the development of novel targets in disease diagnosis and treatment against mucormycosis.


From the Publisher:
Did you know that...

* In 2001 a gambling Web site was hacked so that in a few hours 140 gamblers won a total of $1.9 million?
* The Love Bug virus cost $8.7 billion globally in lost productivity and clean-up costs?
* Numerous corporations have suffered severe reputational and financial consequences due to false information about them being e-mailed to thousands of recipients?
* Major websites are being rendered inaccessible by denial of service attacks?
* In 1986 there was only one recorded computer virus; now there are over 50,000 and that number is still growing?
* A Texas professor began to receive death threats because someone had "stolen" his e-mail address and sent 20,000 racist messages from it?
* Innumerable corporate and national networks have been hacked into, including Microsoft, NASA, and the Korean Atomic Research Institute?
* Thousands of innocent individuals have had their identities "stolen" online and used fraudulently?

Digital crime has grown quickly as business has become more reliant on digital media. "Hacker attacks" and Internet viruses proliferate. Yet many businesses remain unaware of just what the risks are. Here is an investigation into all these risk areas accompanied by a non-technical evaluation of the overall problem. Lilley illustrates his account with real life examples of electronic crime and also delivers specific, practical advice on how to identify and prevent it.

Risks discussed include: organized digital crime; cyber laundering; fraudulent Internet Web sites; hacking and cracking; viruses; website defacement; unauthorized disclosure of confidential information; the fraudulent aspects of electronic cash; identity theft; information warfare; denial of service attacks where systems are inaccessible to legitimate users; invasion of digital privacy.


Resisting Democratic Transition Through Terrorism: Case Study of Post-Saddam Hussein Iraq by Kellie S. Rourke MPA, Troy University, 2004 BS, Austin Peay State University, 1998 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Public Policy and Administration Walden University March 2017 Abstract Democracy building operations in foreign nations in Iraq and Afghanistan have been met with resistance and at great cost in terms of dollars and lives. Reducing these costs requires understanding why individuals choose to resist the transition to democracy, yet current research in the field does not address the issues of a previously nonviolentDemocracy building operations in foreign nations in Iraq and Afghanistan have been met with resistance and at great cost in terms of dollars and lives. Reducing these costs requires understanding why individuals choose to resist the transition to democracy, yet current research in the field does not address the issues of a previously nonviolent population turning to terrorism to resist transition to democracy. The purpose of this single case study was to use rational choice theory and Crenshaw's 3 levels of causation to understand what factors influenced members of the Sunni sect to resist democratic transition following the 2003 invasion of U.S. forces. Data for this study consisted of secondary data, including transcripts of interviews with 15 Sunni Iraqis who once supported or showed neutrality for a democratic government but then resisted transition through terrorism. Data were deductively coded according to Crenshaw's 3 levels of causation and then subjected to thematic analysis. Findings revealed that the primary factor that led individuals to support terrorism against the transitioning government was political, in that Sunni participants felt that after the democratic transition, the government excluded them from participation in the development of the new government to include constitutional development and elections. Findings also showed that religion, specifically being Sunni, impacted the decision to resort to resistance through terrorism. The study concluded with recommendations to the U.S. government and military forces that highlight planning and execution considerations to address during similar democracy building operations for success in the future. Resisting Democratic Transition Through Terrorism: Case Study of Post-Saddam Hussein Iraq by Kellie S. Rourke MPA, Troy University, 2004 BS, Austin Peay State University, 1998 Dissertation Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Public Policy and Administration Walden University March 2017


Land cover (LC) mapping is essential for monitoring the environment and understanding the effects of human activities on it. Recent studies demonstrated successful applications of specific deep learning models to small-scale LC mapping tasks (e.g., wetland mapping). However, it is not readily clear which of the existing state-of-the-art models for natural images are the best candidates to be taken for the particular remote sensing task and data. In this article, we answer that question for mapping the fundamental LC classes using the satellite imaging radar data. We took ESA Sentinel-1 C-band SAR images acquired during the whole summer season of 2018 in Finland, which are representative of the land cover in the country. CORINE LC map was used as a reference, and the models were trained to distinguish between the five major CORINE-based classes. We selected seven among the state-of-the-art semantic segmentation models so that they cover a diverse set of approaches: U-Net, DeepLabV3+, PSPNet, BiSeNet, SegNet, FC-DenseNet, and FRRN-B, and further fine-tuned them. Upon evaluation and benchmarking, all the models demonstrated solid performance with overall accuracy between 87.9% and 93.1%, with good to a very good agreement (Kappa statistic between 0.75 and 0.86). The two best models were fully convolutional DenseNets (FC-DenseNet) and SegNet (encoder-decoder-skip), with the latter having a much shorter inference time. Overall, our results indicate that the semantic segmentation models are suitable for efficient wide-area mapping using satellite SAR imagery and provide baseline accuracy against which the newly proposed models should be evaluated.


Modern state-of-the-art planners operate by generating a grounded transition system prior to performing search for a solution to a given planning task. Some tasks involve a significant number of objects or entail managing predicates and action schemas with a significant number of arguments. Hence, this instantiation procedure can exhaust all available memory and therefore prevent a planner from performing search to find a solution. This thesis explores this limitation by presenting a benchmark set of problems based on Organic Chemistry Synthesis that was submitted to the latest International Planning Competition (IPC-2018). This benchmark was constructed to gauge the performance of the competing planners given that instantiation is an issue. Furthermore, a novel algorithm, the Regression-Based Heuristic Planner (RBHP), is developed with the aim of averting this issue. RBHP was inspired by the retro-synthetic approach commonly used to solve organic synthesis problems efficiently. RBHP solves planning tasks by applying domain independent heuristics, computed by regression, and performing best-first search. In contrast to most modern planners, RBHP computes heuristics backwards by applying the goal-directed regression operator. However, the best-first search proceeds forward similar to other planners. The proposed planner is evaluated on a set of planning tasks included in previous International Planning Competitions (IPC) against a subset of the top scoring state-of-the-art planners submitted to the IPC-2018.


The sensory qualities of the juice of 'Aliza', a new pomelo × mandarin hybrid developed by the Israeli citrus breeding program, ARO, The Volcani Center, were analyzed and compared with orange and red grapefruit juices, whom are the most consumed citrus juices worldwide. The conducted sensory analysis of fresh 'Aliza', orange and red-grapefruit juices included flavor-description tests, consumer-acceptance tests, preference tests and evaluations by an electronic tongue (e-tongue) and an electronic nose (e-nose). The flavor of 'Aliza' juice is characterized by high sweetness, moderate sourness and bitterness, and strong citrusy and tropical fruity aromas. 'Aliza' juice is bitterer than orange juice and has less of a citrusy odor, but a stronger tropical odor. It is less sour and bitter than grapefruit juice and has a stronger tropical aroma. 'Aliza' fruit have a very high juice content, and its juice achieved the highest consumer-acceptability score among all of the examined citrus juices and was most preferred by the majority of all tasters. Objective taste-profile evaluations by the e-tongue revealed significant differences in sourness, bitterness and umami tastes among 'Aliza', orange and grapefruit juices. We conclude that 'Aliza' juice is different from orange juice and grapefruit juice and is highly preferred by consumers, and thus 'Aliza' fruit may be used for the development of a new preferred citrus beverage.


Crushing of aggregates at quarries produces large amounts of waste by-product materials that, if not utilized, pile up or end up in landfills. Current research at the Illinois Center for Transportation has focused on the sustainable applications of by-product materials in transportation infrastructure. Samples of quarry by-products (QB) were collected from several stone quarries in the State of Illinois and characterized for their engineering properties. Due to their low strengths and potential high fines contents, stabilization of QB was necessary for pavement use. Accordingly, the QB samples were stabilized with both 2% Type I portland cement and 10% class 'C' fly ash and tested for the 7-day unconfined compressive strengths. Initially, the unstabilized and stabilized QB specimens from two different crushing stages were tested for their unconfined compressive strengths. Then, the QB samples were sieved, size separated, and the gradations were engineered to match certain gradation curves that are power exponents of the ratio of the sieve size to the maximum particle size. This paper presents findings for the different QB gradations established as a factorial based on the Fuller curve for optimum packing and maximum density. For both stabilizers, the effects of gradation on the unconfined compressive strengths of QB were evaluated. Gradations that produce optimum packing and higher compressive strength are recommended to be utilized in pavement construction to achieve optimal field performance.


A guide to major print and electronic IGO information prepared by Sherry Smugler, Nich Worby and Sam-chin Li, University of Toronto Libraries.


Numerical physics has gained a lot of importance in the last decade, its efficiency being motivated and sustained by the growth of computational power. This paper presents a concept that is to be developed in the next few years: OpenPh. OpenPh is a numerical physics library that makes use of the advantages of both open source software and MATLAB programming. Its aim is to deliver the instruments for providing numerical and graphical solutions for various physics problems. It has a modular structure, allowing the user to add new modules to the existing ones and to create its own modules according to its needs, being virtually unlimited extendable. The modules of OpenPh are implemented using MATLAB engine because it is the best solution used in engineering and science, providing a wide range of optimized methods to accomplish even the toughest jobs. Current version of OpenPh includes two modules, the first one providing tools for quantum physics and the second one for mechanics. The quantum physics module deals with the photoelectric effect, the radioactive decay of carbon-11, and the Schr\"odinger equation - particle in a box. The classical mechanics module includes the study of the uniform circular motion, the forced damped harmonic oscillations and the vibration of a fixed-fixed string.


This empirical research investigates whether investment decisions of cryptocurrency investors in Pakistan are influenced by a set of cognitive biases, as propagated by the theories in behavioural finance. To fill a dearth in the existing literature, this study evaluates the psychological and social sources of the cognitive biases that in turn affect investment decisions in cryptocurrency, therefore, this research essentially examines the mediating role of cognitive biases (Herding, Overconfidence, Representativeness, and Self-serving biases) between the linkages of socio-psychological factors (Money Anxiety, Social Interactions, Stress and Internal Locus of Control) and investment decisions in cryptocurrencies. Sample size of 313 respondents has been used, employing snowball sampling method, to analyze the data using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling. The results reveal that herding bias, overconfidence bias and representativeness bias partially mediate the relationship between money anxiety, social interactions, stress and investment decisions in cryptocurrencies whereas self-serving bias fails to exert any mediation effect between internal locus of control and investment decisions. The results reveal that money anxiety causes herding bias which, in turn, affects the investment decisions in cryptocurrency positively; Stress leads to representativeness bias which, in turn, undermines investment decisions in cryptocurrency and social interactions generate overconfidence bias which, in turn, affects the investment decisions negatively.


This study was designed to assess the effect of time on the repeatability of the LorAn pressure distribution measurement system, and evaluate the variability of plantar pressure and postural balance, during barefoot standing in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects, for future diabetic foot clinical evaluation. Fourteen subjects were evaluated (8 females, 6 males, 8 non-diabetics and 6 diabetics, age range 30–70 years) and had no musculoskeletal symptoms. Four variables were measured with the platform in the barefoot standing position. Ten measurements were taken using two different techniques for feet and posture positioning, during three sessions, once a week. The MANOVA test confirmed that the platform measurements are reproducible for variables body baricenter (x) and foot baricenter (x) through time, being the coefficients of variation, with a 99% confidence interval, lower than 1.6% for body baricenter (x), and lower than 2.06% for foot baricenter (x), for all studied conditions. For the remaining variables, the results were not stabilized through time, which makes necessary to standardize the measurement protocol that guarantees the repeatability in all variables.


We investigate the association of foreign share ownership with firm-level disclosure and corporate governance structures in Zimbabwe, a developing country in Southern Africa. Our motivation for the study derives from the literature, which suggests that foreign investors: (1) generally have a preference for companies in which they are well informed and where their investments are more likely to be protected, and (2) avoid companies in developing countries because of weak corporate governance structures and low disclosure. Using data drawn from companies listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange, we examine the effect of disclosure and corporate governance on foreign share ownership. We find that disclosure, proportion of non-executive directors, institutional share ownership and audit committee independence are all positively and significantly associated with foreign share ownership. Our results also demonstrate that market capitalization, return on equity and liquidity ratios are significantly associated with foreign share ownership. These results are consistent with the notion that foreign investors have a preference for companies with effective corporate governance structures, companies with less information asymmetry, as well as companies with healthy cash positions. The results have implications for policy-makers in developing countries in their endeavour to improve liquidity on stock markets through the participation of foreign investors. The results are also useful to managers in developing countries who are keen to increase the market value of their company, thereby reducing their cost of capital.


An adaptive time-optimal position controller for a direct-drive DC motor with a design based on the model reference adaptive approach is presented. The high-acceleration torque of DC motors with permanent magnets permits direct coupling of the load to the motor axis, avoiding the use of a transmission with its inherent disadvantages (such as backlash and friction). However, direct coupling induces a large sensitivity to load variations, so the desired response and the reference model in the adaptive controller are adjusted to the motor capabilities. This is achieved by estimating the load inertia by means of a least-squares method and adjusting the reference model accordingly. The controller is tested on a direct-drive motor, and the results are compared with those obtained with a fixed proportional-integral-derivative controller.<<ETX>>


This study investigates the impact of self-help initiatives on rural development in Ibesikpo community of Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. Self help initiatives were defined in terms of provision of employment, education and health-care. A sample size of 369 rural dwellers was drawn and data were analyzed using simple regression analysis. The paper shows that community self-help employment programmes, community self-help education programme and community self help health-care programmes have significant influence on rural development. The paper concludes that self-help initiatives are tools which can be employed by rural communities to partly remedy their state of underdevelopment. Keywords : Self-help, employment, education, health-care, rural development


A passive switched-capacitor /spl Sigma//spl Delta/ ADC consisting of only switches, capacitors and a comparator, is implemented in a 0.13/spl mu/m digital CMOS process. This high-speed low-voltage architecture is used in a zero-IF GSM transceiver and has a measured peak SNDR of 67dB over a bandwidth of 100kHz with a SFDR of 75dB and a dynamic range of 72dB. The ADC consumes 1mA from a 1.5V power supply at a clock rate of 104MHz.


A practical book which, through case study, exercises and engages the reader in a close examination of their own personal assumptions, practices and experiences of school life. The book takes a good look at the assumptions that prevail in different schools and circumstances and shows how the desire to improve will often need to be met by an equal desire to change and expand horizons. The initiatives suggested show how change can be handled to minimise fears and reservations.


To the Editor. —The article by Dr Hammond and colleagues, 1 reporting high measured levels of nicotine in occupational settings without smoking restrictions, even exceeding those from some household studies, underscores concerns about the health risks associated with workplace exposure to ETS. To the degree that nicotine serves as a marker of ETS, these data are consistent with the finding that point estimates for the relative risks associated with workplace sources of exposure were somewhat higher than those associated with adult exposures from a spouse or other household members in our study of ETS and lung cancer among women who were lifetime never-smokers. 2 The evidence offered by Hammond et al regarding the potentially high historical levels of exposure to important constituents of ETS among nonsmoking workers in various settings without smoking restrictions prompted us to examine more closely the effect of workplace ETS exposure on risk of lung cancer


J.T.M., aged eighty years and two months. was seized with acute abdominal pain about 5 p.m, He was operated on at 8.30 p.rn. with the tentative diagnosis of perforated peptic ulcer. At operation a perforation was found on the anterior surface of the duodenum,half an inch beyond the pylorus. This was oversewnwith catgut and a stab drain was placed in the pelvis. The patient made an uninterruptedrecovery, and is alive and well twenty months after the operation.


The viscosity of a suspension is related to the properties of the suspending liquid and the suspended particles by measuring the viscosity of suspensions made up of closely sized materials such as glass spheres, plastic Zeolite spheres, blasting sand, and salt cubes in a wide range of concentrations in liquids of varying properties made up of castor oil, tetrabromoethane and carbon tetrachloride, or corn syrup and water. The measurements were made under carefully controlled conditions by means of a Brookfield viscometer, and the reproducibility of results was demonstrated by repetitive runs.

Equations are derived to describe the viscosities of these various suspensions in terms of the viscosity and density of the suspending liquid and of the shape, size distribution, density, and concentration of solid particles. The range of concentration covered is from infinite dilution to near infinite viscosity.

The results obtained can best be explained by postulating nonuniform distribution of particles in a suspension in a network of tetrahedral and simple cubical packings.


. We propose in this paper a Polak–Ribi`ere–Polyak conjugate gradient type method for solving bicriteria optimization problems by avoiding scalarization techniques. Two particular advantages in this contribution are to be noted. First, the suggested descent direction common to both criteria may be directly computed by a given formula without solving any intermediate sub-problem. Second, the descent property proves not only sufficient but also independent of the line search. The global convergence of the resulting algorithm towards (Pareto) critical points is guaranteed under standard hypotheses, while simply using appropriate Armijo-like stepsizes. Finally, numerical experiments including comparisons with another method of the same type are reported.


Herein we present the first example of a three-component dicarbofunctionalization of olefins under reductive conditions. Our strategy takes advantage of nickel catalysis to add aryl and alkyl groups across the double bond with remarkable selectivity. The reaction shows broad functional group compatibility and more importantly, it proves to be general in terms of the alkenes that can be functionalized compared to previous dicarbofunctionalization methods. Initial control experiments reveal different activation modes for both electrophiles and the involvement of alkyl radicals throughout the reaction.


In this thesis a vacuum microdiode is simulated where each electron in the system is regarded as point charge and observed through the system from Cathode to Anode. A space charge limited emission process is simulated. Low voltage sufficies to create large electric field across the vacuum diode since the gap spacing is kept in the micrometer region. A Fourir analysis on the emission and absorption process is presented. A simulation with the same parameters as earlier research [11] is presented as well as expanding the simulation parameters and mapping the response to different combinations of input parameters. Finally two variations of the initial experiment where initial kinetic energy is introduced corresponding to the operating temperature of the diode. Nafn Ritgerdar Pálmar Jónsson Júní 2012 Útdráttur Íslenskur útdráttur. Íslenskur útdráttur


Growing needs in terms of latency, throughput and flexibility are driving the architectures of tomorrow's Radio
Access Networks towards more centralized configurations that rely on cloud-computing paradigms. In these new
architectures, digital signals are processed on a large variety of hardware units (e.g., CPUs, Field Programmable
Gate Arrays, Graphical Processing Units). Optimizing model compilers that target these architectures must rely on
efficient analysis techniques to optimally generate software for signal-processing applications.
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In this paper, we present a blocking combination of the iterative and worklist algorithms to perform static
data-flow analysis on functional views denoted with UML Activity and SysML Block diagrams. We demonstrate the
effectiveness of the blocking mechanism with reaching definition analysis of UML/SysML models for a 5G channel decoder
(receiver side) and a Software Defined Radio system. We show that significant reductions in the number of
unnecessary visits of the models' control-flow graphs are achieved, with respect to a non-blocking combination of
the iterative and worklist algorithms.


The experimental application of LQ Singular Optimal surface design methodology through a MATLAB Toolbox to an overhead crane is presented. Based on the properties of a given performance index, it is possible to apply all the cases of Higher-Order Sliding Mode Controllers, from conventional Sliding Mode Controller up to Higher-Order Sliding Mode Controller of order n, for a specified system. Moreover, it is illustrated how the MATLAB Toolbox can be a helpful tool to select a better performance option. The experimental results confirm the advantages of the proposed control design methodology.


This study aims to explore the explanatory and predictive relations between Rapid Automatized Naming (RAN) and Reading and Comprehension Skills in a structural model and to examine the mediatory status of reading skills in a possible relationship. The participants of the research were 177 primary school second-grade students (98 girls and 79 boys) attending a state primary school in a city center of the Western Black Sea Region of Turkey. The structural equation modeling was utilized as latent variables were tested in the study, and it allowed for identifying the error in the variables. As the analysis results showed, it is argued that RAN has a directly predictive effect on the reading skill and the reading skill strongly predicts the comprehension skill. It was also seen that the reading skill had a fully mediatory role in the relationship between RAN and comprehension. It can be argued according to the results that students with better RAN performance have better reading skills and students with good reading skills achieve better reading comprehension.


Lymphocyte depletion has been shown to control costimulation blockade‐resistant rejection but, in some settings, to exacerbate antibody‐mediated rejection (AMR). We have used alemtuzumab, which depletes T and B cells, combined with belatacept and rapamycin and previously reported control of both costimulation blockade‐resistant rejection and AMR. To evaluate this regimen's effect on B cell signatures, we investigated 40 patients undergoing this therapy. B cell counts and phenotypes were interrogated using flow cytometry, and serum was analyzed for total IgG, IgM, and donor‐specific alloantibody (DSA). Alemtuzumab induction produced pan‐lymphocyte depletion; B cells repopulated faster and more completely than T cells. Reconstituting B cells were predominantly naïve, and memory B cells were significantly reduced (P = .001) post repopulation. Two B cell populations with potential immunomodulatory effects—regulatory (CD38hiCD24hiIgMhiCD20hi) and transitional B cells (CD19+CD27−IgD+CD38hi)—were enriched posttransplant (P = .001). Total serum IgG decreased from baseline (P = .016) while IgM levels remained stable. Five patients developed DSAs within 36 months posttransplant, but none developed AMR. Baseline IgG levels in these patients were significantly higher than those in patients without DSAs. These findings suggest that belatacept and rapamycin together limit homeostatic B cell activation following B cell depletion and may lessen the risk of AMR. This regimen warrants prospective, comparative study. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00565773.


Although several therapeutical strategies have been developed against the main components involved in the regulation of blood pressure (BP), an optimum control in some hypertensive patients is still flawed, suggesting that mechanisms still unidentified, sustain the increase of BP. Interestingly, an emerging area of investigation revealed that adaptive immunity is a central player of hypertension, since mice devoid of T lymphocytes were protected from AngII-induced hypertension. However, how hypertensive stimuli, like AngII, can afford this, still represents a fascinating enigma, challenging the search for molecular players, capable to bridge vascular responses to immune cells and probably orchestrating the still unveiled role of immune system in hypertension.
 Here we demonstrate an unprecedented splenic immune pathway driven by Placental Growth Factor (PlGF), an "angiogenic cytokine" acting as a bridge between the cardiovascular and immune system during onset of hypertension. We found that the typical hypertensive response induced by chronic AngII infusion, was completely prevented in mice with genetic deletion of PlGF, as well as the typical end organ damage induced by hypertension and immune cells infiltration in target organs. To determine whether the involvement of PlGF in immune system activation and T cells infiltration during AngII-induced hypertension had a causal role or was merely a consequence of the failure in BP raise, we analyzed both vessels and kidney, early after AngII infusion, i.e. before BP increase. Strikingly, PlGF absence protected from early infiltration of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells. More interesting, we unveil that the spleen is indispensable in the genesis of hypertension by releasing PlGF, that orchestrates the T cell response, necessary for blood pressure raising. In particular, we show that splenic PlGF acts as a negative checkpoint of a tissue protein of inflammation (Timp3), a repressor of T cell costimulation axis, thus allowing T cell activation and egression from spleen. Basically, this breakthrough in a key immune pathway determining blood pressure elevation, holds a great translational promise for patients with refractory disease and multiple complications.


The COVID‐19 pandemic and consequent lockdown represent risk factors for the mental health of pregnant women. We explored the impact of COVID‐19 restriction policies on psychological health, analysing the predictive role of social support on maternal wellbeing. A total of 212 pregnant women recruited from two public hospitals in Italy were divided into two groups: (a) a pre‐COVID‐19 group composed of 141 expectant women (mean age = 34.6; SD = 4.3) at their third trimester before the national lockdown period; (b) a COVID‐19 group composed of 71 pregnant women (mean age = 33.3; SD = 4.5) at their third trimester during the COVID‐19 national lockdown. Participants completed two self‐report questionnaires: the Profile of Mood States and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support. Moreover, the COVID‐19 group was asked to respond to an open question concerning worries about their pregnancies and COVID‐19. Results showed that pregnant women during COVID‐19 presented higher anxiety, depression and hostility, and lower vigour, than the pre‐COVID‐19 group. The main concerns were related to the effect of hospital restriction policies on childbirth and fears of contracting COVID‐19. Perceived partner social support represented a protective factor only for the pre‐COVID‐19 women. Limitations, strengths, and theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.


Human control of a robotic swarm entails selecting a few influential leaders who can steer the collective efficiently and robustly. However, a clear measure of influence with respect to leader position is not adequately studied. Studies with animal systems have shown that leaders who exert strong couplings may be located in front, where they provide energy benefits, or in the middle, where they can be seen by a larger section of the group. In this paper, we systematically vary number of leaders and leader positions in simulated robotic swarms of two different sizes, and assess their effect on steering effectiveness and energy expenditure. In particular, we analyze the effect of placing leaders in the front, middle, and periphery, on the time to converge and lateral acceleration of a swarm of robotic agents as it performs a single turn to reach the desired goal direction. Our results show that swarms with leaders in the middle and periphery take less time to converge than swarms with leaders in the front, while the lateral acceleration between the three placement strategies is not different. We also find that the time to converge towards the goal direction reduces with the increase in percentage of leaders in the swarm, although this value decays slowly beyond the percentage of leaders at 30%. As the swarm size is increased, we find that the leaders in the periphery become less effective in reducing the time to converge. Finally, closer analysis of leader placement and coverage reveals that front leaders within the swarm tend to expand their coverage and move towards the center as the maneuver is performed. Results from this study are expected to inform leader placement strategies towards more effective human swarm interaction systems.


Objectives: Due to recent spread of minimally invasive surgery, the demand for minimally invasive cardiac surgery (MICS) is increasing. We investigate the usefulness of minimally invasive aortic valve replacement (MICS-AVR) which was performed in our hospital. Methods: Of 63 consecutive patients undergone an isolated aortic valve replacement (AVR), 16 patients underwent MICS-AVR with partial lower sternotomy (M group) and 47 patients underwent AVR with median full sternotomy (C group). We compared the two groups in a retrospective study. Results: No significant difference was found in the surgical and perioperative-related factors between the two groups. However, the average of aortic cross-clamping time was longer, and intensive and high care unit stay was shorter in the M group. A tendency to decrease blood transfusion was observed in the M group. There was no hospital death in all patients. The mean follow-up period was 29 ± 15 months. There was no significant difference between the two groups in the survival rate, and the 5-year survival rates were 88.9% in the M group and 85.9% in the C group. Conclusion: It was suggested that the MICS-AVR could be safe and useful procedure in AVR.


Problem. The effectiveness of pre-therapy information techniques on clients' satisfaction at termination of therapy, increased accuracy of clients' knowledge and expectations, reduction of anxiety, and total symptom reduction remains unclear. No single pre-therapy information preparatory technique has demonstrated positive universal effects. This research was an attempt to determine the effectiveness of a pre-therapy information audiotape on client satisfaction, accurate knowledge/expectations, reduction of anxiety, and symptom reduction. Method. The population included 52 voluntary clients who were utilizing the Andrews University Counseling and Testing Center. The clients in the experimental group listened to the pre-therapy information audiotape and were then asked to complete the Psychotherapy Questionnaire, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and the Client Checklist (CC-Pre). The clients in the control group were asked to complete the same measures as the experimental group, but did not listen to the pre-therapy information audiotape. At the termination of therapy, both client groups were asked to complete the Client Self-Rating Scale, Client Satisfaction Questionnaire (CS), and the Psychotherapy Questionnaire. The therapists rated the clients in both groups using the Revised Therapist Outcome Questionnaire, Therapist Global Rating Scale, and the Outpatient Rating Scale. The basic research design was an experimental pretest-posttest design. The t-Test for Independent Samples and Pearson's r statistical procedures were used to analyze the data. Results. The pre-therapy information audiotape did not demonstrate a significant effect on client satisfaction as measured by the Client Satisfaction Questionnaire or on client anxiety levels as measured by the State-TraitAnxiety Inventory. The pre-therapy information audiotape did demonstrate a significant effect on clients' accurate knowledge and expectations on the initial administration of the Psychotherapy Questionnaire (PQ-Pre) and on client symptom reduction levels as measured by the Client Checklist (CC-Pre and CC-Post). Conclusions. It was concluded that the administration of a pre-therapy information audiotape would be a successful tool in helping to increase the client's accurate knowledge and expectations regarding thetherapeutic process and in helping clients to achieve overall symptom reduction. The administration of the pre-therapy information audiotape was not found to affect clients' satisfaction with services or reduction of anxiety.


Background Imatinib was the first BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) available for chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) treatment. Newer drugs, with a faster and better response, were subsequently developed. Purpose To analyse the effectiveness and safety of imatinib in CML patients. Material and methods Retrospective, observational study. Patients who picked up imatinib in our hospital (June 2011–June 2014), including those who were subsequently changed to second generation (2G)–TKI, were included. Variables included demographics (sex, age) and clinical data (time since diagnosis, reason for termination, 2G–TKI received). Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were compiled in relation to safety. In terms of effectiveness, we considered complete haematological and cytogenetic response and major molecular response (CHR, CCR, MMR) in patients who continued with imatinib at the time of the data compilation. Data was compiled through the electronic prescription programme and medical records. Results We analysed 48 patients. 45.8% (n = 22) were male, with a mean age of 58.7 (9–82). Mean time since diagnosis was 8.2 years (3–13). 31 patients continued with imatinib when data were collected. The 17 remaining changed to 2G–TKIs (10 to nilotinib, 7 to dasatinib). Reasons for termination were: intolerance (n = 9); failure and intolerance (n = 5), loss of response (n = 1), and inclusion in a clinical trial (n = 2). Notified ADRs in our 48 patients were: skin rash-pruritus (4), musculoskeletal pain-myalgia (8), oedema (11, 8 palpebral), gastrointestinal problems (3), haematological reactions (2), other (5). Effectiveness in patients who continued with imatinib was: 27 patients presented CHR, CCR, MMR; 1 had just died, 3 had no data available. Conclusion A considerable proportion of our patients continue with imatinib, and currently present a MMR. The main reason for termination was intolerance. All the notified ADRs were included as frequent or very frequent in the Summary of Product Characteristics. Even with the development of newer drugs, imatinib demonstrated a good profile among our patients and continues to be a good alternative for CML treatment. References and/or Acknowledgements No conflict of interest.


Advanced biomedical research has established that cancer is a multifactorial disorder which is highly heterogeneous in nature and responds differently to different treatment modalities, due to which constant monitoring of therapy response is becoming extremely important. To accomplish this, different theranostic formulations have been evaluated. However, most of them are found to suffer from several limitations extending from poor resolution, radiation damage, to high costs. In order to develop a better theranostic modality, we have designed and synthesized a novel platinum(ii)-based 'aggregation induced emission' (AIE) molecule (named BMPP-Pt) which showed strong intra-cellular fluorescence and also simultaneously exhibited potent cytotoxic activity. Due to this dual functionality, we wanted to explore the possibility of using this compound as a single molecule based theranostic modality. This compound was characterized using elemental analysis, NMR and IR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry and single crystal X-ray structure determination. BMPP-Pt was found to exhibit a high AIE property with emission maxima at 497 nm. For more efficient cancer cell targeting, BMPP-Pt was encapsulated into mesoporous silica nanoparticles (Pt-MSNPs) and the MSNPs were further surface modified with an anti-EpCAM aptamer (Pt-MSNP-E). Pt-MSNPs exhibited higher intracellular fluorescence compared to free BMPP-Pt, though both of them induced a similar degree of cell death via the apoptosis pathway, possibly via cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase. Anti-EpCAM aptamer modification was found to increase both cytotoxicity and intracellular fluorescence compared to unmodified MSNPs. Our study showed that EpCAM functionalized BMPP-Pt loaded MSNPs can efficiently internalize and induce apoptosis of cancer cells as well as show strong intracellular fluorescence. This study provides clues towards the development of a potential single compound based theranostic modality in future.


"Basing the research on fields such as Feminism, Masculinities, Gothic Literature or Myth, this dissertation provides a gendered view of the construction of teen-age identity in the fiction of Stephen King. In this analysis of the teen-age characters in some of his narratives patriarchy, power and the rise of feminism in the 1970s play a fundamental role. Carrie (1974) expresses an amalgamation of feminist anxieties about gender and power, while Christine (1983), by showing how patriarchy works for men and boys, puts the concept of male power in a quandary. On the other hand, ""The Body"" (1982) provides a mythological context to the origins of the crisis of masculinity Americans seem to suffer since the arrival of feminist and gendered movements. The Talisman (1984) reveals how this crisis was socially constructed and imaginatively battled during the Reagan Era. Finally, It (1986) gives a fairy talesque happy ending to the question. However, this conclusion hides a poignant moral message about America and its future. "


Poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PEO-b-PCL) block copolymers self-assemble into micelles in aqueous solution. We have examined whether these micelles can internalize into P19 cells in vitro. Fluorescently labeled PEO(45)-b-PCL(23) block copolymer was prepared by conjugating a tetramethylrhodamine molecule to the end of the hydrophobic PCL block. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) studies yielded 24 +/- 2 and 25 +/- 2 nm, respectively, for the diameters of the micelles. The studies also showed that chemical labeling did not effect the morphology or size. When the rhodamine-labeled PEO(45)-b-PCL(23) block copolymer micelles were tested in vitro, time-, concentration-, and pH-dependence of the internalization process suggested that internalization proceeded by endocytosis. The results from these studies provide the first direct evidence for the internalization of PEO(45)-b-PCL(23) micelles. Future studies will utilize multiple labeling of these micelles, allowing questions to be addressed related to the fate of internalized micelles as drug carriers, the destination of the incorporated drugs or fluorescent probes released from micelles, and the identification of the subcellular localization of the whole drug-carrier system within cells, both in vitro and in vivo.


Abstract Despite the frequently reported association of characteristics of assessment policies with academic performance, the mechanisms through which these policies affect performance are largely unknown. Therefore, the current research investigated performance, motivation and self-regulation for two groups of students following the same statistics course, but under two assessment policies: education and child studies (ECS) students studied under an assessment policy with relatively higher stakes, a higher performance standard and a lower resit standard, compared with Psychology students. Results show similar initial performance, but more use of resits and higher final performance (post-resit) under the ECS policy compared with the psychology policy. In terms of motivation and self-regulation, under the ECS policy significantly higher minimum grade goals, performance self-efficacy, task value, time and study environment management, and test anxiety were observed, but there were no significant differences in aimed grade goals, academic self-efficacy and effort regulation. The relations of motivational and self-regulatory factors with academic performance were similar between both assessment policies. Thus, educators should be keenly aware of how characteristics of assessment policies are related to students' motivation, self-regulation and academic performance.


It is well established that the invertebra te community in cropland under conservation-t illage (consT) is often enriched relat ive to the community under conventional-ti llage (CT) systems. The question posed in this research is whether consT contributes to the maintenance of regional biodiversity and to the conservation of prairie-inhabiting species in agriculturally dominated landscapes that contain prairie remnants. During 2002, we sampled the grounddwelling beetle fauna of remnant Palouse prairie and surrounding cropland (under CT and consT) in the Palouse region of northwestern Idaho and southeastern Washington. Biological diversity of the representative taxaCurculionidae (weevils), Tenebrionidae (darkling beetles) and Scarabaeidae (scarab beetles)-is significantly higher in the prairie than in agricultural fields, while divers ity of these groups in fields under consT is intermediate to that found in the prairie and fields under CT. Faunal similarity (Bray-Curtis Index) is greater between consT and prairie than between CT and prairie. Together, these results indicate that ConsT potentially improves conservation and the preservation of prairie species in agriculturally dominated landscapes.


Acute intestinal obstruction occurs when the forward flow of intestinal contents is interrupted or impaired by a mechanical cause. It is most commonly induced by intra-abdominal adhesions, malignancy, and herniation. The clinical presentation generally includes nausea, emesis, colicky abdominal pain, and cessation of passage of flatus and stool, although the severity of these clinical symptoms varies based on the acuity and anatomic level of obstruction. Abdominal distension, tympany to percussion, and high-pitched bowel sounds are classic findings. Laboratory evaluation should include a complete blood count, metabolic panel, and serum lactate level. Imaging with abdominal radiography or computed tomography can confirm the diagnosis and assist in decision making for therapeutic planning. Management of uncomplicated obstructions includes intravenous fluid resuscitation with correction of metabolic derangements, nasogastric decompression, and bowel rest. Patients with fever and leukocytosis should receive antibiotic coverage against gram-negative organisms and anaerobes. Evidence of vascular compromise or perforation, or failure to resolve with adequate nonoperative management is an indication for surgical intervention.


mY/AIDS has become a major global catastrophe. There are 2.5 million children under 15 years of age who are living with mY/AIDs. In Kenya, there are 90,000 children who are HlV positive. The probability of an HlV positive mother transmitting the virus during pregnancy is 5-8%, 10-20% during labour and delivery, and 10-15% during breastfeeding. To prevent HlV transmission to infants through breastfeeding, UNlCEFIUNAIDSIWHO have formulated guidelines on infant feeding for mv positive mothers. Current infant feeding guidelines provide for major breastfeeding options such as exclusive and continued breastfeeding, modified breastfeeding, replacement feeding, and breastfeeding by an HlV negative woman. HfV positive mothers find themselves in a great dilemma in choosing of a feeding method since in most African settings breastfeeding is the norm. Accurate information on nutritional adequacy and risks of the several feeding options is still incomplete. The Mothers are counseled but the growth of the infants is not measured against the mode of feeding. It is on this basis that this study sought to determine the feeding practices by HlV positive mothers and nutritional status of the infants and the relationship between the two. The study targeted infants 0-12 months born to HfV positive mothers attending Homa-Bay prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT) Clinic» Purposive sampling was used to select mothers who are HfV positive and have undergone nutrition counselling on infant feeding options and have infants aged 0-12 months. Mothers attending clinic between April and July 2005 who knew their HlV status and were willing to participate in the study were interviewed. The entire population of 100 was included in the study. An interview schedule was used to gather data. Anthropometrical indices were used to determine the nutritional status of infants. Data were analyzed using the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS). Anthropometrical indices were analyzed using Epi-info. Chi Square was used to determine relationships between feeding practices and nutritional status of infants born to mv positive mother. The results showed that knowledge of transmission through breastfeeding does not change women's preference for breastfeeding. About 89% of the respondents had breastfed their infants. Mixed feeding was the most common (79 %) followed by exclusive breastfeeding (16%) early cessation (3%) and commercial; infant formula and home-prepared milk had 1% respectively. No mother opted for wet nursing and heat-expressed milk. The nutrition status of the infants was generally poor. Only 24.9% fell within the normal reference range, stunting prevalence rate was 21.5 %, wasting 17% and stunting and wasting was 31 %. There was a significant difference (p values) on nutritional status between those who breastfed and those on alternative feeding. The chi-square results (X=7.44; df=J; p=O.05) indicated that there was a significant difference between feeding practice and nutritional status of infants. The contingency coefficient showed that 27% of the observed variations in nutritional status could be attributed to breastfeeding. In conclusion, the results indicate that despite many programmes designed to reduce MTCT of'HfV, the feeding practices of mothers have not changed. The findings of this study reaffirm the need for a concerted effort and strategic campaigns on exclusive breastfeeding as a most effective form of intervention in resource poor settings. The study is useful in counseling of HfV positive mothers on infant feeding options. The researcher recommends that replacement feeding be made more available or at reduced costs in rural setting and HlV positive women should receive information on infant feeding prior to conception to allow sufficient time for reflection on the feeding options.


ABSTRACT Dissipation of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARG) during composting of cattle manure generated through fortification versus administration of antimicrobials in feed was compared. Manure was collected from cattle fed diets containing (kg−1) dry matter (DM): (1) 44 mg chlortetracycline (CTC), (2) a mixture of 44 mg each of chlortetracycline and sulfamethazine (CTCSMZ), (3) 11 mg tylosin (TYL) or (4) Control, no antimicrobials. Manures were composted for 30 d with a single mixing after 16 d to generate the second heating cycle. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) was used to measure 16S rDNA and tetracycline (tet), erythromycin (erm) and sulfamethazine (sul) genes. Temperature peaks ranged from 48 to 68°C across treatments in the first composting cycle, but except for the control, did not exceed 55°C in the second cycle. Copy numbers of 16S rDNA decreased (P < 0.05) during composting, but were not altered by antimcrobials. Except tet(L), all ARG decreased by 0.1–1.6 log10 g DM−1 in the first cycle, but some genes (tet[B], tet[L], erm[F], erm[X]) increased (P < 0.05) by 1.0–3.1 log10 g DM−1 in the second. During composting, levels of tet(M) and tet(W) in CTC, erm(A), erm(B) and erm(X) in TYL, and sul(1) in CTCSMZ remained higher (P < 0.05) in fed than fortified treatments. The dissipation of ARG during composting of manure fortified with antimicrobials differs from manure generated by cattle that are administered antimicrobials in feed, and does not always align with the dissipation of antimicrobial residues.


ABSTRACT Bardawil lagoon surface, bottom and interstitial waters from two cores were analysed for Na, K, Ca, Mg, Cl, SO4 and HCO3. Lagoon surface and bottom waters are shown to be formed through evaporation of normal sea water to concentrations, from sea water salinities to three times sea water salinities. In the interstitial waters from cores penetrating about 60 cms of clayey sediments, the following changes were observed: the chlorinity increased with depth and was nearly doubled in the bottom 20 cms as compared to the top 20 cms of the cores. This string gradient is explained by evaporative sabkha formation in the near past at the site of the Bardawil lagoon, and the subsequent mixing of the highly concentrated brine with less saline lagoon waters. Ca/Cl and SO4/Cl are decreased in the interstitial waters and explained by gypsum and CaCO3, precipitation and/or by the fact that a sabkha containing highly saline brines occupied the place of the lagoon in the near past. Mg/Cl ratios are higher in interstitial waters. This is explained by ion exchange reactions between the montmorillonite in the sediments and the brines. K/Cl ratios are also higher and explained by dissolution of K-feldspars.


In cognitive radio networks, an adversary transmits signals whose characteristics emulate those of primary users, in order to prevent secondary users from transmitting. Such an attack is called primary user emulation (PUE) attack. There are two main types of primary users in white space: TV towers and wireless microphones. Existing work on PUE attack detection focused on the first category. However, for the latter category, primary users are mobile and their transmission power is low. These unique properties of wireless microphones introduce great challenges and existing methods are not applicable. In this paper, we propose a novel method to detect the PUE attack of mobile primary users. We exploit the correlations between RF signals and acoustic information to verify the existence of wireless microphones. The effectiveness of our approach is validated through extensive real-world experiments. It shows that our method achieves both false positive rate and false negative rate lower than 0.1.


We examined biological affinities between the migrant groups of fishermen in Puri and their parental counterparts using 3 sets of variables: genetic markers, anthropometric measurements, and quantitative dermatoglyphics. Results of both univariate and multivariate analyses suggest a significant migration effect, diversifying migrants from their parental populations, although the distance configurations based on each set of variables resemble each other. The migration effect is particularly remarkable for the anthropometric measurements. The plot of group centroids based on the discriminant analysis of the 7 populations depicts a clear segregation of migrants from the parental populations. Because of relatively large effective population sizes and short history of these populations in Puri, the role of genetic drift can be safely ruled out. However, a founder effect is a plausible reason for the observed differentiation of the migrants from their parental groups, especially given that certain rare variants that were not observed in the parental populations appear in the migrants. That the founders were a select group of fishermen with respect to body dimensions, not a random group, can be inferred from the occupational differences among the migrant groups, which in turn suggests phenotypic plasticity in the observed differentiation. Regression of mean phenotypic variance and heterozygosity on the distance from the centroid suggests a strong possibility of external gene flow into the migrant populations in Puri.


As apple orchards have transitioned to high-density plantings, proper training systems are required to manage increased leaf area. Leaf area index (LAI) is defined as the ratio between leaf area to ground area (m2/m2) and can infer orchard health, light relationships and productivity. New technologies enable rapid assessments of LAI and light interception (LI) in the orchard. In this study, LAI, LI, and productivity were assessed across two training systems (Spindle and V), two rootstocks (Geneva 41® (G41) and Malling 9—Nic29 (Nic29)) and two pruning techniques ("click" and bending) in 2016 and 2017. The objective of this study was to determine a management strategy for "WA38" to meet optimal levels for LAI (1.2–2.0) and light interception (65–75%). Higher light interception was measured in V compared to Spindle and in G41 compared to Nic29 in both years. Minimal differences in LAI and light interception were detected across pruning techniques. In "WA38" the "click" technique maintained more consistent yields than bending. In both years, the Spindle-Nic29-"click" combination maintained optimal thresholds for LAI (1.93 and 1.48), light interception (66% and 68%) and consistent yields. This sequence helps mitigate "blind wood" and alternate bearing, while optimizing leaf area and light in "WA38".


Abstract Background and Aims Adalimumab has been shown to be more effective than placebo in healing fistulae in adults with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease. The efficacy and safety of adalimumab in healing fistulae in children/adolescents with Crohn's disease from the 52-week IMAgINE 1 clinical trial, and its open-label extension IMAgINE 2, are reported. Methods Children/adolescents with perianal fistulae at baseline of IMAgINE 1 were assessed for fistula closure and improvement during IMAgINE 1 [Weeks 0–52] and from Week 0 of IMAgINE 2 [Week 52 of IMAgINE 1] through to Week 240 of IMAgINE 2 using non-responder imputation. Results A total of 36 children/adolescents had fistulae at baseline of IMAgINE 1 and were included in the analysis. Fistula closure and improvement were observed in 44.4% and 52.8%, respectively, at Week 12. Rates of closure and improvement were maintained throughout the analysis period to Week 292. No new safety signals were identified. Conclusions In children/adolescents with moderately to severely active, fistulizing Crohn's disease, adalimumab induced perianal fistula closure and improvement within 12 weeks of treatment, with rates that were sustained for more than 5 years. The safety profile of adalimumab in patients with fistulae at baseline was similar to that of the overall population in IMAgINE 1/2. ClinicalTrials.gov identifiers: IMAgINE 1 (NCT00409682); IMAgINE 2 (NCT00686374).


If we wish to break the continual cycle of patching and replacing our core monoculture systems to defend against attacker evasion tactics, we must redesign the way systems are deployed so that the attacker can no longer glean the information about one system that allows attacking any other like system. Hence, a new poly-culture architecture that provides complete uniqueness for each distinct device would thwart many remote attacks (except perhaps for insider attacks). We believe a new security paradigm based on perpetual mutation and diversity, driven by symbiotic defensive mutualism can fundamentally change the 'cat and mouse' dynamic which has impeded the development of truly effective security mechanism to date. We propose this new 'clean slate design' principle and conjecture that this defensive strategy can also be applied to legacy systems widely deployed today. Fundamentally, the technique diversifies the defensive system of the protected host system thwarting attacks against defenses commonly executed by modern malware.


The twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, is an important pest of ivy geranium and other ornamental plants. As a part of our long-term goal to develop an integrated crop management program for ivy geraniums, the focus of this study was to produce a reliable sampling method for T. urticae on this bedding plant. Within-plant mite distribution data from a greenhouse experiment were used to identify the young-fully-opened leaf as the sampling unit. We found that 53% of the mites on a plant are on the young-fully-opened leaves. On average 22, 37, and 41% of the leaves belonged to the young, young-fully-opened, and old leaf categories, respectively. We then developed a presence-absence sampling method for T. urticae in ivy geranium using generic Taylor's coefficients for this pest. We found the optimal binomial sample sizes for estimating populations of T. urticae at densities of between 0 and 3 mites/leaf to be quite large; therefore, we recommend the use of numerical sampling within this range of T. urticae densities. We also suggest that population estimates of T. urticae on ivy geranium be done based on mite density/unit area of greenhouse space, both for conventional greenhouse pest management, and for determining how many phytoseid predators to release when using biological control.


Fifteen patients with Stage IV lung cancer both untreated and previously treated were enrolled into a high‐dose chemotherapy program with multiple alkylating agents and autologous bone marrow reinfusion. Eight patients received cyclophosphamide at 7.5 gm/m2 over 3 days with thiotepa escalated from levels of 1.8 mg/kg to 6.0 mg/kg over 3 days. Seven patients received the above dose of cyclophosphamide plus thiotepa at 675 mg/m2 and oral melphalan escalated from levels of 0.75 mg/kg to 2.5 mg/kg over 3 days. Both regimens are part of larger Phase I‐II clinical studies. The median time to recovery of more than 500 granulocytes and more than 50,000 platelets per microliter was 16 and 27 days, respectively. Two patients died as a consequence of severe, overwhelming infections during their period of aplasia. Of the 13 evaluable patients, no patients achieved a complete response and seven patients (47%) obtained a partial response. The median duration of response was 12 weeks. Other nonhematologic toxicities included nausea/vomiting, diarrhea, mucositis, skin rash, hemorrhagic cystitis, and cardiomyopathy. Since there are substantial toxicities associated with high‐dose chemotherapy and responses of such brief duration, further investigation with these drug combinations is not warranted.


We show that a modulated Gaussian beam undergoes negative refraction at the interface between a positive and negative refractive index material. While the refraction of the beam is clearly negative, the modulation interference fronts are not normal to the group velocity, and thus exhibit a sideways motion relative to the beam—an effect due to the inherent frequency dispersion associated with the negative index medium. In particular, the interference fronts appear to bend in a manner suggesting positive refraction, such that for a plane wave, the true direction of the energy flow associated with the refracted beam is not obvious.


This study investigates associations of an adverse psychosocial work environment with musculoskeletal pain among German police officers in special forces. Analyses are based on a survey of 480 officers in special police forces (mainly special assignments and mobile units). An adverse psychosocial work environment is measured by the effort-reward imbalance model that identifies "high effort/low reward" working conditions. Musculoskeletal pain is assessed by means of a validated questionnaire (12 months and 7 days prevalence). Analyses confirm that police work is a stressful occupation. Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicates a twofold risk for neck, back and hip pain among police officers defined by an imbalance of high effort and low reward at work after adjustment for age, gender, socio-economic status, and physical work load.


The inclusion of "Pseudomonas maltophilia" Hugh 1981 in the genus Xanthomonas as Xanthomonas maltophilia (Hugh 1981) Swings et al. 1983 is questioned in view of the significant differences between these two taxa. This reclassification is not acceptable if practical means of differentiation in this genus are considered. The proposed alteration of the description of the genus Xanthomonas is also questionable because of the implications for everyday phytobacteriology. In view of the natural similarities, as well as the profound differences, between X. maltophilia and the genus Xanthomonas, we propose that a new genus should be created for X. maltophilia, which could be placed together with the genus Xanthomonas in a separate natural group.


Background While many comparisons of the bone health of pre- and post-menopausal women, and studies of the effect of hormone therapy (HT) use on bone, suggest that oestrogen status is a key determinant of the rate of bone loss in post-menopausal women, studies have shown only a limited effect of timing of menopause on bone health. The MRC National Survey of Health and Development (NSHD), a British cohort born in 1946, has the advantage of a large sample of the same age, pQCT as well as DXA-derived bone measurements, a full HT history, and follow-up into early old age. Methods Up to 866 women from the NSHD who repeatedly provided information about the menopausal transition from age 43 and had a bone scan at the 60–64 year clinic examination were included in analyses. DXA derived measurements were areal bone mineral density (aBMD) for lumbar spine and total hip. The pQCT scans at the distal 4% site provided measures of trabecular and total volumetric BMD (vBMD) and distal cross-sectional area (CSA), and at the 50% site provided CSA of the diaphysis and the medullary cavity (medullary CSA) and cortical vBMD; polar strength strain index (SSI) (mm3), an estimate of bone strength, was extracted. Regression models with outcomes transformed using natural logarithms were fitted so that the coefficients give the percentage difference for each bone parameter between women with natural or surgical menopause, or for a ten year difference in timing of natural menopause or hysterectomy. Models were adjusted for current height and weight, indicators of HT use, and other behavioural and socioeconomic factors. Results Women who had a later natural menopause had higher spine aBMD (8.9% difference, confidence intervals (CI)5.2%,12.6%), hip aBMD (6.4%, CI 0.3%,9.5%), trabecular vBMD, (9.4%, CI 0.3%,16.3%), and total vBMD (6.8%, CI 0.1%,12.2%) than women with an age of menopause ten years earlier, even after adjusting for potential confounders. In contrast, timing of hysterectomy had no clear association with bone health. Women who had a hysterectomy had greater hip and spine aBMD, total and trabecular vBMD, and polar SSI than women who had a natural menopause: however, these differences were mainly accounted for by body size and HT use. Conclusion These findings indicate that the association between the timing of natural menopause and bone mineral density persists into early old age.


The formation of rogue oceanic waves may be the result of different causes. Various factors (winds, currents, dispersive focussing, depth, nonlinear focussing and instability) make this subject intriguing, and yet its understanding is quite relevant to practical issues. Here, we deal only with the nonlinear character of this dynamics, which has been recognised as the main ingredient to rogue wave formation. In this perspective, the formation of rogue waves requires a non-vanishing and unstable background such as a nonlinear regular wave train with attractive self-interaction. The simplest, best known model of such dynamics is the universal nonlinear Schrödinger equation. This has proven to serve as a good approximation in various contexts and over a broad range of experimental settings. This model aims to give the slow evolution of the envelope of one monochromatic wave due to nonlinearity. Here, we naturally consider the same problem for the envelopes of two weakly resonant monochromatic waves. As for the nonlinear Schrödinger equation, which is integrable, we adopt an integrable model to describe the interaction of two waves. This is the system of two coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equations (Manakov model) with self- and cross-interactions that may be both defocussing and focussing. We first discuss the linear stability properties of the background by computing the spectrum for all values of the parameters such as coupling constants and amplitudes. In particular, we relate the instability bands to properties of the spectrum and compute the gain function (or growth rate). We also relate to the stability spectrum the value of the spectral variable, which corresponds to a rogue wave solution. In contrast with the nonlinear Schrödinger equation, different types of single rogue wave exist that correspond to different values of the spectral variable even in the same spectrum. For these critical values, which are completely classified, we give the corresponding explicit expression of the rogue wave solution that follows from the well known Darboux–Dressing transformation method. Although not all systems of two coupled nonlinear Schrödinger equations that have been derived in water wave dynamics are integrable, our investigation contributes to the understanding of new effects due to wave coupling, at least for model equations that, even if not integrable, are close enough to the model considered here. For instance, our findings lead to investigate rogue waves generated by instabilities due to self- and cross-interactions of defocusing type. An illustrative selection of two coupled rogue waves solutions is displayed.


Objective: The present study was performed in 2015 to determine the effect of summer school education affects the perspective of talented students on research.
Methods: This study was performed semi-experimentally using the summer school training method on Thirty-six Talented students from the Zabol University of Medical Sciences in 2015. The data collection tool was a standard questionnaire used to survey student perspectives on research.
Results: Scores on perspectives on research changed from mean ± SD of 40.10 ± 1.30 pre-intervention to 60.30 ± 1.80 post-intervention (p=0.001). The mean and SD for female students was 65.02 ± 2.23, which was higher than mean and SD of males students was 50.32 ± 3.14. (p=0.01). These findings indicate that summer school affected perspectives on research in this student sample (p=0.001).
Conclusion: Establishing summer school for students may develop students' perspectives on and willingness to learn about research. Studentship is the best time during which they can learn research skills. Holding such workshops can play an important role in the evolution of the health system.


Titin is a giant elastic protein in vertebrate striated muscles with an unprecedented molecular mass of 3–4 megadaltons. Single molecules of titin extend from the Z-line to the M-line. Here, we define the molecular layout of titin within the Z-line; the most NH2-terminal 30 kD of titin is located at the periphery of the Z-line at the border of the adjacent sarcomere, whereas the subsequent 60 kD of titin spans the entire width of the Z-line. In vitro binding studies reveal that mammalian titins have at least four potential binding sites for α-actinin within their Z-line spanning region. Titin filaments may specify Z-line width and internal structure by varying the length of their NH2-terminal overlap and number of α-actinin binding sites that serve to cross-link the titin and thin filaments. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the NH2-terminal titin Ig repeats Z1 and Z2 in the periphery of the Z-line bind to a novel 19-kD protein, referred to as titin-cap. Using dominant-negative approaches in cardiac myocytes, both the titin Z1-Z2 domains and titin-cap are shown to be required for the structural integrity of sarcomeres, suggesting that their interaction is critical in titin filament–regulated sarcomeric assembly.


This thesis project aims to improve operational engineering processes in the automation industry. The engineering operations at FlexLink are responsible for designing customized conveyor solutions according to customer specifications. FlexLink is expecting significant growth during the next five years and is in need of increased capacity. During the past they have experienced difficulties in growing without investing corresponding resources. In other words, they could only grow at a linear rate. Therefore, FlexLink desires to increase the productivity of their operations in order to achieve larger output with the same amount of input, thus allowing exponential growth.

Several improvement projects were initiated within the global Lean Six Sigma (LSS) program deployed at the company, with the purpose of facilitating the future growth plans. This thesis was one of the initiated LSS projects and had its focus on investigating smaller engineering projects where the outcome is a simple conveyor system design. In addition to the overall capacity and productivity problem, FlexLink had received indications that they are too expensive in the category of smaller conveyor systems and thus less competitive in this area. The company desired to reduce the amount of manual engineering work in the engineering projects as much as possible by automating process steps, as a means to become more competitive in delivering simple conveyor solutions.

The thesis project was performed according to the DMAIC framework known from Six Sigma, in combination with the corporate group guidelines for LSS projects. The process of small engineering projects was investigated in order to both identify waste in the process and explore the possibility of automating process steps. The result was identification of over 6000 engineering hours/year of waste in the process, as well as concrete improvement recommendations with 1.5 MSEK in annual savings by automating process steps into the already existing IT tools. Furthermore, a new productivity KPI was introduced in order to monitor and measure the performance of future improvement projects. The KPI was tested on historical data, which showed that FlexLink had indeed not been able to increase productivity during the past two years.


The neglected coastal edge of the port landscape has left behind unreceptive scars on the city's urban fabric. These prominent locations are pivotal links between coastal towns and the sea; they are currently in very poor condition.¹ This thesis explores a site with these characteristics, Nelson, nestled between the Southern Alps at the top of New Zealand's South Island. The compact and intimate geography of the Nelson region is surrounded by the ocean; with the city growing central to its port. Due to the once thriving local exports and industrial trade the port hastily expanded, the inevitable decline of the industrial era has resulted in a landscape of disregard which has distanced the city from the water. These neglected waterfront locations now taint the pristine image of the Nelson Haven.  This thesis examines how a carefully considered architectural design can reintegrate this pivotal location back into the city's urban fabric while reinforcing the relationship between the people of Nelson and the water. This design-led research utilises the sport of rowing with its link to the water as the catalyst to reconnect the people of Nelson to the waterfront and the water itself.  This design-led thesis employs the ideologies of atmospheric experiences to materialise the importance of water to sense of place. This is achieved by exploiting the atmospheric experiences of material, space and time through an architectural dialogue with the water's duality. The Nelson Haven experiences vast tidal movements which forms the foundations for the experience observed at the interface of architecture and water. This thesis further argues that this framework of architectural experience has the potential to serve as a catalyst project to rejuvenate and reintegrate the city of Nelson with its prime waterfront location.  ¹ "Rutherford & Trafalgar Parks & Maitai Walkway" Nelson City Council. accessed July 15, 2015. http://nelson.govt.nz/assets/Leisure/Downloads/R-and-T-parks-redevelopment.pdf.


The tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) gene family for the small subunit of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RBCS) has been investigated to determine the role of promoter regions and DNA-protein interactions in the differential organ-specific transcription of individual genes. Transgenic plants expressing RBCS-promoter-[beta]-glucuronidase fusion genes have confirmed that promoter fragments ranging from 0.6 to 3.0 kb of the RBCS1, RBCS2, and RBCS3A genes were sufficient to confer the temporal, organ-specific, and differential expression pattern observed for the endogenous genes. The individual temporal and organ-specific [beta]-glucuronidase enzyme activities closely reflect the qualitative and quantitative transcription activities of the respective RBCS genes, including the strongly reduced activity of RBCS3A (L.A. Wanner, W. Gruissem [1991] Plant Cell 3: 1289–1303). In particular, tissue-specific activity of all three promoters is similar in developing fruit, with high activity in the locular tissue and extremely reduced activity in the pericarp. This specific pattern of gene activity was further substantiated by in situ analysis of RBCS mRNA levels. Together, the data suggest an interesting correlation between RBCS gene activity and sink strength in different fruit tissues. DNA-protein interaction studies have revealed a novel fruit-specific DNA-binding protein called FBF that specifically interacts with a sequence element directly upstream of the G-box in the RBCS3A promoter. FBF binding thus correlates with the reduced activity of this promoter in developing tomato fruit, rendering it a candidate for a fruit-specific negative regulator of transcription in tomato.


Polarization fatigue, i.e., the loss of polarization of ferroelectric capacitors upon field cycling, has been widely discussed as an interface related effect. However, mechanism(s) behind the development of fatigue have not been fully identified. Here, we study the fatigue mechanisms in Pt/PbZr0.52Ti0.48O3/SrRuO3 (Pt/PZT/SRO) capacitors in which all layers are fabricated by pulsed laser deposition without breaking the vacuum. With scanning transmission electron microscopy, we observed that in the fatigued capacitor, the Pt/PZT interface becomes structurally degraded, forming a 5 nm–10 nm thick non-ferroelectric layer of crystalline ZrO2 and diffused Pt grains. We then found that the fatigued capacitors can regain the full initial polarization switching if the externally applied field is increased to at least 10 times the switching field of the pristine capacitor. These findings suggest that polarization fatigue is driven by a two-step mechanism. First, the transient depolarization field that repeatedly appears during the domain switching under field cycling causes decomposition of the metal/ferroelectric interface, resulting in a non-ferroelectric degraded layer. Second, this interfacial non-ferroelectric layer screens the external applied field causing an increase in the coercive field beyond the usually applied maximum field and consequently suppresses the polarization switching in the cycled capacitor. Our work clearly confirms the key role of the electrode/ferroelectric interface in the endurance of ferroelectric-based devices.


The United Nations (UN) Global Compact (GC) was launched in 2000 to encourage businesses worldwide to adopt sustainable and responsible management. It now has over 12,000 participants https://www.unglobalcompact.org/ParticipantsAndStakeholders/index.html . In 2007, the UN launched the Principles of Responsible Management Education (PRME) to inspire responsible management education and research. Over 500 business schools and management-related academic institutions are signatories to PRME http://www.unprme.org/participants/ . However, many practising managers were not exposed to these principles when they went through university. To ensure that managers pay more than lip service to the Global Compact principles, such as being opposed to child labour and corruption, managers need time to think through the principles and how to apply them in their contexts. There is an opportunity for coaches, mentors and others involved in leadership development to enable managers to genuinely engage with the principles of responsible management and commit to implementing responsible management practices. This paper makes the case for coaching to be a part of such an initiative, exploring the literature related to coaching for change and reporting on a small pilot study of the views of coordinators of graduate coaching programs as to whether coaching could make a useful contribution. The paper concludes that academics and practitioners could and should collaborate to develop knowledge, resources, models, skills and methods to coach their clients to engage with and implement the UN Global Compact principles, and to validate the effectiveness of this coaching approach through empirical research


1. A given reduction in the dissolved oxygen concentration of the water from the air-saturation value to a lower level increases the toxicity to rainbow trout of zinc, lead and copper salts, and of a mixture of monohydric phenols, to about the same extent. 2. The effect of a reduced oxygen concentration on the toxicity of ammonia solutions is greater than that found for the other four poisons; the extra increase can be accounted for by a theoretical calculation of the difference between the pH value of the bulk of the solution and that at the gill surface. 3. An hypothesis is presented to account for the effect of low oxygen concentrations on the toxicity of poisons to fish. It assumes that a given toxic effect is produced by a specified concentration of poison at the gill surface, and suggests that this concentration is governed not only by the concentration of poison in the bulk of the solution but also by the velocity of respiratory flow.


The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of two different training programs regarding reading skills in 14 reading disabled Swedish children in grade two. Method: The children's results from two different decoding measures plus identification by teachers as having reading difficulties were used to select the participants. Seven of the children used Omega-IS, which entails computerized top-down, orthographic training and no additional homework, and seven children used non-computerized Reading Recovery inspired training with some components of phonological training included plus 20 homework occasions. For both programs the training sessions were conducted individually (one-to-one teaching) and lasted between 15 and 45 minutes. Results: Both groups improved significantly in all tests assessing word and non-word decoding as a result of the intervention. No significant differences were yielded between the intervention programs. Conclusion: The conclusion is that one-to-one teaching has a positive impact regardless whether a top-down or a reading instructional strategy with phonological components is implemented. Due to the result of the Omega-IS group it might also be possible to reduce homework for reading disabled children if reading is well tutored in school.


This thesis problematises the symbolic centrality of 'memory' in American intellectual culture. It critically examines the claim of cultural studies' work to have transformed memory and, with it, the understanding of subjectivity from a space internal to the individual, to a process emerging in the space of social interactions. I suggest that much current work in cultural studies is constituted through the appropriation of 'the
psychological', as this domain has been established in the social sciences, despite cultural studies' explicit denunciations of such social scientific legacies. I claim that this appropriation, in fact, continues the process of domestication of psychoanalytic concepts of subjectivity, a process initiated in the domain of the American social sciences in the immediate post war years. To support this claim, I consider the earlier (1950s-1960s)
investments of cognitive psychologists, sociologists and psychoanalysts in 'memory' as a retrospective construction of a past experience according to present contingencies. I
focus on how these disciplines have conceptualised the forces shaping what is remembered, and how such conceptualisations reveal particular assumptions about social relations, about temporality and about the limits between self and other. To this end, I explore the links between the methodologies employed in work on the psychology of memory, child development and the sociology of communication, and the models of subjectivity that have been produced in these fields. In addition, I turn to the more recent employment of 'social memory' as a key term in American cultural history (1980s-1990s). Starting with the claim that social memory studies have taken the place
of work on social reproduction, I explore the interdisciplinary exchanges that have informed this substitution. In particular, I claim that sociological, anthropological and psychological understandings of memory have effected a reshaping of the terrain of the psyche away from the psychoanalytic conceptualisation of the unconscious and use the work of psychoanalyst and philosopher Jean Laplanche to illuminate the political and
epistemological stakes of such a reshaping.


To investigate the genetic effect of gestational diabetes mellitus GDM by study expression of IRS1 gene was measured in women with GDM is characterized by high level of blood glucose, especially during 3 rd trimester of the pregnancy period. The blood samples taken from one hundred twenty: 60 healthy pregnant and 60 pregnant with GDM in 3 rd trimester of pregnancy, levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG) and HbA1c% was used to diagnose GDM. In addition to lipid profile (cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL, LDL, and VLDL). Molecular study was consisted of RNA extraction and qRTPCR for IRS1gene expression determination. The fasting blood glucose mg/dl and HbA1c% level was highly significantly increase (P<0.01) between patients and control (healthy women) in 3 rd trimester stage in addition lipid profile )serum cholesterol, serum triglyceride, LDL and VLDL( (mg/dl) but level of HDL (mg/dl) were decreased highly significantly (P<0.01) between patients and control. The result were showed significant increasing of IRS1 expression gene in control (1.00 ± 0.00) while decrease in patients (0.147 ± 0.02). It concluded that the low expression of IRS1 gene was connected with gestational diabetes mellitus comparison in control Iraqi women in third trimester of pregnancy.


Conventional 3D dose calculations for stereotactic radiosurgery involve integration of individual static beams comprising a set of arcs. For iterative optimization of multiple isocentre treatment, which requires repetitive dose calculations at a large number of sample points, the conventional method is too slow. To overcome this problem spherically symmetric dose distributions are assumed. The authors describe a spherical dose model derived from a parametrized convolution of the collimator width and a dose spread kernel. The method is fast and easy to implement requiring just a single empirically derived value. Furthermore, the model is differentiable with respect to the parameters to be optimized. This property is useful when the optimization strategies rely on gradient information.


Recent research has highlighted the relevance of intellectual humility to politics. Among a U.S. sample (N = 852), we examined self-reported sociopolitical intellectual humility (SIH), a nonthreatening awareness of the fallibility of one's views about topics central to society and politics. SIH was associated with being less likely to dislike/avoid political discussion, and with more political tolerance, less social dominance orientation, and more values and behavioral intentions focused on social equality, even when controlling political orientation and other relevant factors. SIH was also associated with more positive and less negative views of an individual expressing a political viewpoint. Further, SIH moderated the extent to which initial agreement with a political statement resulted in opinion change on the basis of hearing another person's arguments on the topic. These findings may point to ways SIH is relevant to people's attitudes toward others in society.


Introduction. The relevance of the study of cross-cultural marriages in Russia and Iran is due to the fact that Russia and Iran are characterized by both attention to the observance of cultural needs and the desire for innovative development. These contradictory manifestations are also manifested in family and marriage relations. There is a shortage of empirical studies that reflect the range of opinions of various social strata in Russia and Iran, allowing a comparative analysis of attitudes towards cross-cultural marriages to determine the prospects for state policy to support the institution of marriage in a cross-cultural environment. The purpose of the public research is to analyze the relationship with cross-cultural marriages in Russia and Iran against the background of the proposed family model.

Materials and Methods. Sociological research is carried out by the method of a quantitative survey. 153 people were interviewed in total, urban residents of Russia and Iran aged 18 to 60 who are in cross-cultural marriages or an interethnic, interfaith environment. To analyze the results, descriptive statistics methods, frequency distributions, and a tabular data visualization method were used.

Results. The survey results have revealed the presence of different ideas about the desired model of family and marriage both in Iran and Russia (both traditional and modern). The study has revealed a friendly attitude towards interethnic marriages in both countries (primarily for urban residents). In many ways, the success of cross-cultural marriages is determined by the attitude of relatives and the local community towards them.

Discussion and Conclusion. The results obtained can be used to develop strategies for the development of socio-cultural interaction between Russia and Iran. It is essential to consider the study's conclusions when supporting cross-cultural families in the process of adaptation and acquaintance with the norms, traditions, and customs of a new culture spouse. It is necessary to conduct a study on a more representative sample to assess the differentiation and determinants of people's opinions in interethnic marriages living in Iran and Russia.


In this paper, we consider a class of reflected stochastic differential equations (abbr. SDEs) and we are particularly interested in some integral functionals of the solutions to the equations. We explicitly derive the Laplace transforms of those integral functionals, which are subsequently applied for the financial arguments. Here we consider a regulated market, in which the price dynamics is driven by a reflected SDE. We will calculate the conditional default probability under such price dynamics, and meanwhile we also give the pricing on some digital options. Finally, for practical purpose, an illustration for the numerical inversion of the Laplace transforms is presented in the Appendix.