Marianne Angermann was a German biochemist who emigrated to  New Zealand in 1948 when her husband, the German-Jewish physician Franz David Bielschowsky, took up a position in Dunedin as director of research for the British Empire Cancer Research Fund (today, the New Zealand Cancer Society). This publication focuses on copies of her letters from 1936 which are held in the Hocken Collections at the University of Otago. The letters were written to her parents in Germany (Langenberg and Berlin) from Spain where Marianne had moved to take up a position at the Instituto de investigaciones medicas (Institute of Medical Research) at the invitation of Professor Carlos Jimenez Diaz. Her colleagues were drawn from the elite of Spanish scientific researchers and included future Nobel laureate Severo Ochoa de Albornoz. Angermann describes daily life in Madrid and makes references to the country's political tensions as the nation headed towards the Spanish Civil War (1936 - 1939). She also discusses the work undertaken to establish Jimenez Diaz's institute based at the medical faculty on the new Madrid University campus (the Ciudad Universitaria). In November 1936 this facility would become the site of bitter fighting between Republicans and Franco's Nationalist forces. The introduction provides biographical information on Marianne Angermann: her upbringing in the Rhineland, her father's position as mayor of Langenberg, the political turmoil of the 1920s (inflation, French occupation of the Rhineland), her study at the universities of Greifswald and Freiburg, the difficulties faced by women in the field of chemistry, and the fates of her Jewish colleagues and friends when the Nazis seized power in 1933. Keywords: Angermann, Bielschowsky, medical, research, Dunedin, Jews, migration, New Zealand, National Socialism, anti-Semitism, Spain, Spanish Civil War, Madrid, university, Carlos Jimenez Diaz, Germany, Instituto de investigaciones medicas, Spanish Republic, Nationalists


Abstract. The Integrated Marine Observing System (IMOS, www.imos.org.au ), an AUD $150 m 7-year project (2007–2013), is a distributed set of equipment and data-information services which, among many applications, collectively contribute to meeting the needs of marine climate research in Australia. The observing system provides data in the open oceans around Australia out to a few thousand kilometres as well as the coastal oceans through 11 facilities which effectively observe and measure the 4-dimensional ocean variability, and the physical and biological response of coastal and shelf seas around Australia. Through a national science rationale IMOS is organized as five regional nodes (Western Australia – WAIMOS, South Australian – SAIMOS, Tasmania – TASIMOS, New SouthWales – NSWIMOS and Queensland – QIMOS) surrounded by an oceanic node (Blue Water and Climate). Operationally IMOS is organized as 11 facilities (Argo Australia, Ships of Opportunity, Southern Ocean Automated Time Series Observations, Australian National Facility for Ocean Gliders, Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Facility, Australian National Mooring Network, Australian Coastal Ocean Radar Network, Australian Acoustic Tagging and Monitoring System, Facility for Automated Intelligent Monitoring of Marine Systems, eMarine Information Infrastructure and Satellite Remote Sensing) delivering data. IMOS data is freely available to the public. The data, a combination of near real-time and delayed mode, are made available to researchers through the electronic Marine Information Infrastructure (eMII). eMII utilises the Australian Academic Research Network (AARNET) to support a distributed database on OPeNDAP/THREDDS servers hosted by regional computing centres. IMOS instruments are described through the OGC Specification SensorML and where-ever possible data is in CF compliant netCDF format. Metadata, conforming to standard ISO 19115, is automatically harvested from the netCDF files and the metadata records catalogued in the OGC GeoNetwork Metadata Entry and Search Tool (MEST). Data discovery, access and download occur via web services through the IMOS Ocean Portal ( http://imos.aodn.org.au ) and tools for the display and integration of near real-time data are in development.


Background: In the UK and in Sweden, cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) has been recommended for schizophrenia. The two recent meta-analyses examined results soon after treatment and not at follow-up. Aim: To determine the effectiveness of CBT in people with schizophrenia, both after treatment and at follow-up, and to compare it with treatment as usual (TAU) and other psychological treatments. Methods: The search was carried in the databases CENTRAL (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials), PsycINFO and PubMed (Medline). Inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with low risk of bias. Two reviewers, working independently, extracted data. The results were analyzed using risk ratio (RR), risk difference (RD), mean difference (MD), or standardized mean difference (SMD). Outcome measures were symptoms, use of medication, relapse and clinically important improvement. Results: When CBT was compared with other psychological treatments at follow-up, there was strong evidence (with small treatment effect) that intervention has an effect with positive symptoms (P = 0.02), negative symptoms (P = 0.03) and general symptoms (P = 0.003). After treatment, there was a trend in favor of CBT, but not statistically significantly so. Conclusion: It appears that the effect of CBT is delayed; it could be seen a few months after the treatment had terminated. Therapies for patients with schizophrenia that were 20 sessions long or more had better outcomes than those that were shorter.


Neuromodulation of the primary visual cortex using anodal transcranial direct current stimulation (a-tDCS) can alter visual perception and enhance neuroplasticity. However, the mechanisms that underpin these effects are currently unknown. When applied to the motor cortex, a-tDCS reduces the concentration of the inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA), an effect that has been linked to increased neuroplasticity. The aim of this study was to assess whether a-tDCS also reduces GABA-mediated inhibition when applied to the human visual cortex. Changes in visual cortex inhibition were measured using the mixed percept duration in binocular rivalry. Binocular rivalry mixed percept duration has recently been advocated as a direct and sensitive measure of visual cortex inhibition whereby GABA agonists decrease mixed percept durations and agonists of the excitatory neurotransmitter acetylcholine increase them. Our hypothesis was that visual cortex a-tDCS would increase mixed percept duration by reducing GABA-mediated inhibition and increasing cortical excitation. In addition, we measured the effect of continuous theta-burst transcranial magnetic stimulation (cTBS) of the visual cortex on binocular rivalry dynamics. When applied to the motor or visual cortex, cTBS increases GABA concentration and we therefore hypothesized that visual cortex cTBS would decrease the mixed percept duration. Binocular rivalry dynamics were recorded before and after active and sham a-tDCS (N=15) or cTBS (N=15). Contrary to our hypotheses, a-tDCS had no effect, whereas cTBS significantly increased mixed percepts during rivalry. These results suggest that the neurochemical mechanisms of a-tDCS may differ between the motor and visual cortices.


In rats previously treated with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor, the administration of 5-hydroxytryptophan results in increases in concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine in kidney, brain, and adrenal glands. When the peripheral L-aromatic amino acid decarboxylase inhibitor, L-α-methyl-α-hydrazino-β-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)propionic acid (HMD) is administered prior to 5-hydroxytryptophan, the concentration of 5-hydroxytryptamine in kidneys does not rise, that of the brain increases slightly, and that of the adrenal rises markedly. This indicates that although the adrenal gland is a peripheral organ, it does not respond in the typical manner to the antidecarboxylase action of HMD. These results suggest that HMD does not gain free access into the adrenal medulla and that a possible "blood-adrenal barrier" may exist to this compound.


Abstract A 2-yr experiment assessed the potential for using soil degree days (DD) to predict cumulative weed emergence. Emerged weeds, by species, were monitored every 2 wk in undisturbed plots. Soil DD were calculated at each location using a base temperature of 9 C. Weed emergence was fit with logistic regression for common ragweed, common lambsquarters, velvetleaf, giant foxtail, yellow foxtail, large crabgrass, smooth pigweed, and eastern black nightshade. Coefficients of determination for the logistic models fit to the field data ranged between 0.90 and 0.95 for the eight weed species. Common ragweed and common lambsquarters were among the earliest species to emerge, reaching 10% emergence before 150 DD. Velvetleaf, giant foxtail, and yellow foxtail were next, completing 10% emergence by 180 DD. The last weeds to emerge were large crabgrass, smooth pigweed, and eastern black nightshade, which emerged after 280 DD. The developed models were verified by predicting cumulative weed emergence in adjacent plots. The coefficients of determination for the model verification plots ranged from 0.66 to 0.99 and averaged 0.90 across all eight weed species. These results suggest that soil DD are good predictors for weed emergence. Forecasting weed emergence will help growers make better crop and weed management decisions. Nomenclature: Common lambsquarters, Chenopodium album L. CHEAL; common ragweed, Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. AMBEL; eastern black nightshade, Solanum ptycanthum Dun. SOLPT; giant foxtail, Setaria faberi Herrm. SETFA; large crabgrass, Digitaria sanguinalis (L.) Scop. DIGSA; smooth pigweed, Amaranthus hybridus L. AMACH; velvetleaf, Abutilon theophrasti Medikus ABUTH; yellow foxtail, Setaria glauca (L.) Beauv. SETLU.


The rejection of manuscripts is quite a common phenomenon, and multiple reasons have been identified, which in combination provides enough evidence to the editorial board / reviewers' to reach to their decision. The rejection letters generally serve two purposes, namely it proves that you have actually written up your work; and at the same time can be a source of good constructive criticism so that manuscripts can be significantly improved prior to submission to another journal. The authors should realize that they have received free suggestions from a qualified reviewer so that quality of the manuscript can be improved before it achieves publishable value. In conclusion, performing research and getting it accepted and published in a quality journal is not a walk in the park. However, in the research arena, manuscript rejection is a fact and thus authors need to be positive, persevere with their ideas, and continue their writing


Remodeling imbalance in the elderly femoral neck can result in thin cortices and porosity predisposing to hip fracture. Hip osteoarthritis protects against intracapsular hip fracture. By secreting sclerostin, osteocytes may inhibit Wnt signaling and reduce bone formation by osteoblasts. We hypothesised that differences in osteocytic sclerostin expression might account for differences in osteonal bone‐formation activity between controls and subjects with hip fracture or hip osteoarthritis. Using specific antibody staining, we determined the osteocytic expression of sclerostin within osteons of the femoral neck cortex in bone removed from subjects undergoing surgery for hip osteoarthritis (hOA: 5 males, 5 females, 49 to 92 years of age) or hip fracture fixation (FNF: 5 males, 5 females, 73 to 87 years of age) and controls (C: 5 males, 6 females, 61 to 90 years of age). Sclerostin expression and distances of each osteocyte to the canal surface and cement line were assessed for all osteonal osteocytes in 636 unremodeled osteons chosen from fields (∼0.5 mm in diameter) with at least one canal staining for alkaline phosphatase (ALP), a marker of bone formation. In adjacent sections, ALP staining was used to classify basic multicellular unit (BMUs) as quiescent or actively forming bone (ALP+). The areal densities of scl− and scl+ osteocytes (number of cells per unit area) in the BMU were inversely correlated and were strong determinants of ALP status in the BMU. In controls and hip fracture patients only, sclerostin‐negative osteocytes were closer to osteonal surfaces than positively stained cells. Osteon maturity (progress to closure) was strongly associated with the proportion of osteonal osteocytes expressing sclerostin, and sclerostin expression was the chief determinant of ALP status. hOA patients had 18% fewer osteocytes per unit bone area than controls, fewer osteocytes expressed sclerostin on average than in controls, but wide variation was seen between subjects. Thus, in most hOA patients, there was increased osteonal ALP staining and reduced sclerostin staining of osteocytes. In FNF patients, newly forming osteons were similar in this respect to hOA osteons, but with closure, there was a much sharper reduction in ALP staining that was only partly accounted for by the increased proportions of osteonal osteocytes staining positive for sclerostin. There was no evidence for a greater effect on ALP expression by osteocytes near the osteonal canal. In line with data from blocking antibody experiments, osteonal sclerostin appears to be a strong determinant of whether osteoblasts actively produce bone. In hOA, reduced sclerostin expression likely mediates increased osteoblastic activity in the intracapsular cortex. In FNF, full osteonal closure is postponed, with increased porosity, in part because the proportion of osteocytes expressing sclerostin increases sharply with osteonal maturation. © 2010 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research


Aims: The presence of thin-cap fibroatheromas (TCFA) is associated with high risk of acute coronary syndrome, hence their early detection may identify high-risk patients. In the present study we investigated the ability of a combined imaging catheter with near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) plus intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) to detect TCFA in patients with stable coronary artery disease. Methods and results: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and combined NIRS-IVUS assessment were performed on identical coronary segments. IVUS analysis provided per-segment minimal cross-sectional area (CSA), plaque length (PL), plaque burden (PB), plaque volume (PV), and remodelling index (RI). OCT was used as the gold-standard reference to define TCFA (fibrous cap thickness <65 μm). Plaque lipid content was estimated by NIRS (lipid core burden index [LCBI]). OCT-defined TCFA was present in 18 of 76 segments. IVUS revealed that OCT-defined TCFA were positively remodelled lesions with greater PB and PV, smaller CSA, and longer PL, while NIRS revealed greater LCBI per 2 mm segment (LCBI2 mm) (all p<0.001). Greatest accuracy for OCT-defined TCFA detection was achieved using LCBI2 mm >315 with RI >1.046 as a combined criterion value. Conclusions: OCT-defined TCFA are characterised by positive vessel remodelling, high plaque burden and greater lipid core burden as assessed by dual NIRS-IVUS imaging.


Capillolejeunea (Lejeuneaceae), known only from the East African Islands, is resurrected. It is characterized by and easily separated from Drepanolejeunea by the unbroken basal vitta of 3−5(−9) ocelli in leaf lobes, absence of scattered ocelli in leaf lobes, outer lateral margin of the upright underleaf lobes with a tooth, and single, unicellular tooth of the leaf lobule. The Madagascarian Drepanolejeunea geisslerae is transferred to Capillolejeunea . Capillolejeunea is the only liverwort genus endemic to Africa. A key to known species of Capillolejeunea is provided.


Transdermal analysis of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) is an established technique that is used to assess renal function in mouse and rat models of acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease. The measurement system consists of a miniaturized fluorescence detector that is directly attached to the skin on the back of conscious, freely moving animals, and measures the excretion kinetics of the exogenous GFR tracer, fluorescein-isothiocyanate (FITC) conjugated sinistrin (an inulin analog). This system has been described in detail in rats. However, because of their smaller size, measurement of transcutaneous GFR in mice presents additional technical challenges. In this paper we therefore provide the first detailed practical guide to the use of transdermal GFR monitors in mice based on the combined experience of three different investigators who have been performing this assay in mice over a number of years.


Abiotic and biotic factors determine success or failure of individual organisms, populations and species. The early life stages are often the most vulnerable to heavy mortality due to environmental conditions. The deer ked (Lipoptena cervi Linnaeus, 1758) is an invasive insect ectoparasite of cervids that spends an important period of the life cycle outside host as immobile pupa. During winter, dark-coloured pupae drop off the host onto the snow, where they are exposed to environmental temperature variation and predation as long as the new snowfall provides shelter against these mortality factors. The other possible option is to passively sink into the snow, which is aided by morphology of pupae. Here, we experimentally studied passive snow sinking capacity of pupae of L. cervi. We show that pupae have a notable passive snow sinking capacity, which is the most likely explained by pupal morphology enabling solar energy absorption and pupal weight. The present results can be used when planning future studies and when evaluating possible predation risk and overall survival of this invasive ectoparasite species in changing environmental conditions.


Paleontological investigation of the Oligocene beds in the Tertiary Aurillac basin (France) provides evidence that at the type locality--Puy de Vaurs--the marly limestones are in the upper Stampian, the gravelly shale being attributed to the lower Stampian, a conclusion confirmed by the stratigraphy of neighboring regions in the Saint-Flour basin and Limagne. The tuffs at Pont-de-Gail--southern flank of Cantal--which contain an upper Miocene mammalian fauna, probably correspond to the first eruptive phase of the volcano. A long period of continental alteration followed, succeeded by a second eruptive phase. This was followed by quartzose sedimentation and andesitic intrusion. A new foraminifera species, Caecilianella aurillacensis, is described from the upper Stampian at Puy de Vaurs.


This investigation proposes a possibility to synthesise a true 3D sound field over loudspeakers. A new approach concerning the distance coding is presented. We tried to combine the benefits both using the Wave Field Synthesis (WFS) approach and Higher Order Ambisonics (HOA). Therefore the proposed system can be divided into two main parts. Firstly the determination of the driving functions of the sound sources using the WFS approach. Secondly the coding for transmission or storage whereby the scheme is based on the Ambisonics approach using higher orders. The paper is organised in three sections. The first section gives a brief introduction about the WFS and the HOA approaches. In the second section the derivation of the driving functions is presented and the coding scheme of the derived source signals is explained. Finally the paper is concluded and further possible research directions are identified.


The role of natural selection in the evolution of adaptive phenotypes has undergone constant probing by evolutionary biologists, employing both theoretical and empirical approaches. As Darwin noted, natural selection can act together with other processes, including random changes in the frequencies of phenotypic differences that are not under strong selection, and changes in the environment, which may reflect evolutionary changes in the organisms themselves. As understanding of genetics developed after 1900, the new genetic discoveries were incorporated into evolutionary biology. The resulting general principles were summarized by Julian Huxley in his 1942 book Evolution: the modern synthesis. Here, we examine how recent advances in genetics, developmental biology and molecular biology, including epigenetics, relate to today's understanding of the evolution of adaptations. We illustrate how careful genetic studies have repeatedly shown that apparently puzzling results in a wide diversity of organisms involve processes that are consistent with neo-Darwinism. They do not support important roles in adaptation for processes such as directed mutation or the inheritance of acquired characters, and therefore no radical revision of our understanding of the mechanism of adaptive evolution is needed.


ABSTRACT Preeclampsia is characterized by hypertension and proteinuria, which is associated with kidney injury. Glycocalyx (GCX) degradation mediated endothelial injury can result in proteinuria and kidney damage. alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) connects nervous and immune systems to respond to stress or injury. We aimed to explore the protective effect and mechanism of intraspinal analgesia on maternal kidney injury in preeclampsia. Endotoxin-induced preeclampsia rats treated with ropivacaine via intraspinal administration. Renal histopathological examination was performed, cell apoptosis in the kidney, the levels of Glycocalyx markers of Syndecan-1 and heparin sulfate (HS) in maternal serum, Syndecan-1 along with α7nAChR in the kidney were measured. Our results showed that kidney injury was obviously in preeclampsia rats with proteinuria, endothelial damage, higher apoptosis rate, increasing levels of Syndecan-1 and HS in serum, upregulated Syndecan-1 expression but downregulated α7nAChR expression in kidney. Preeclampsia rats treated with intraspinal injected ropivacaine attenuated preeclampsia-induced kidney injury as Syndecan-1 and HS were decreased in serum, Syndecan-1 expression was suppressed as well as α7nAChR was activated in the kidney. Our results suggested that Ropivacaine administered through the spinal canal may protect preeclampsia-induced renal injury by decreasing GCX and α7nAChR activation. Graphical Abstract


Abstract The increased resistance to disease observed after monensin treatment could reflect a reduction of inflammation and oxidative stress. We hypothesised that if monensin supplementation was given before calving, it would help in controlling inflammation, reduce the susceptibility to disease and increase the performance. Fourteen pregnant heifers (PR) and 24 multiparous cows (ML) were randomly assigned to a treated group (Mon) or a control group (Ctr). The Mon group received 32.4 g of monensin in a controlled-release capsule 21 days before calving (expected release rate, 335 mg/d for 95 days). Their health status, rumination activity, and plasma parameters were monitored from –28 to 56 days from calving. The milk yield (MY), milk composition, and cheese-making properties were also monitored. Rumen samples were collected at 30 days from calving to assess the volatile fatty acids composition and investigate immunological parameters. After calving, the Mon group had fewer clinical diseases, an increased rumination time, and a higher MY. Monensin reduced the infiltration of both T and B cells in rumen fluid. In ML, the Mon group had lower levels of β-hydroxybutyrate in the early postpartum period and a lower level of total reactive oxygen species. Of PR, the Mon group had a tendency for lower levels of nonesterified fatty acids, higher levels of ceruloplasmin after the first month of lactation, a tendency for lower levels of paraoxonase, higher levels of γ-glutamyl transferase and higher levels of total reactive oxygen species. Monensin treatment decreased the cheese-making properties in the milk of PR. Highlights Monensin improved the performance of all the animals and decreased the disease incidence in all of them. Monensin heightened the inflammatory and oxidative stress status and reduced the cheese-making properties in pregnant heifers. Although different effects were seen in cows with different parity, dairy cows generally beneficed of monensin administration.


A new transformer integrated with additional resonant inductor is proposed in this paper. By winding on outer side of transformer, the proposed transformer can implement the additional resonant inductor without extra magnetic component. As a result, it can reduce cost and core loss due to the additional resonant inductor. In addition, it can adopt primary clamping diodes to reduce the voltage ringing of secondary rectifiers, although the additional resonant inductor and the transformer are integrated physically. Experimental result of 1200 W (12 V, 100 A) prototype shows that the phase-shift full-bridge converter incorporated with proposed transformer can achieve high efficiency and low cost.


The unaccented syllables of Runic Frisian (sixth-ninth century) have been studied on several occasions (e.g. by Nielsen and Nedoma), but such studies have failed to offer a comprehensive analysis and reconstruction of the phonological system as a whole. Building upon the insights gained in earlier studies, all unstressed vowels are investigated here in a coherent treatment. The article analyses groups of words that may shed light on the development of various unstressed Proto-Germanic vowels in Runic Frisian, where individual interpretations can enhance the understanding of other items in the group. It is hypothesised that Runic Frisian had four unstressed vowels /i, ae, a, u/ just as the nearly contemporaneous Old Saxon and early Old English. However, Runic Frisian additionally possessed a /ə/ < Proto-Germanic *-a-, rendered as -u, e.g. in ka[m]bu 'comb' < Proto-Germanic *kambaz. This relatively late attestation of Proto-Germanic unstressed *-a- is supported by recent runic findings from Pre-Old High German. Together with the lacking apocope of ‑u < Proto-Germanic *-ō after heavy syllables, a revision of the chronological order of the Auslautgesetze will be required.


U.s. outsourcing arrangement does not formally exist in Law 13/2003 on employment, the interpretation of the provisions of Article 64-66 jo. Article 59 of Law 13/2003, jo. Decision of the Constitutional Court No. Jo. 27/PUU-IX/2011 has become a "social conflict." Hence devising a regulatory mechanism for the practice of outsourcing is urgent to resolve the current labor problems in Indonesia. Using normative legal research methods, this paper finds that the absence of a precise definition of outsourcing leads to two different formulations of the notion contrary to the elements of a work contract. Article 1 of Law No. 15 defines a typical work relationship as a relationship between employers and workers/laborers under a labor agreement that complies with the cumulative elements of work, wage and order. Inconsistency between this definition and the legal effects of outsourcing impacts the already weak position of workers, which may be argued to be a modern form of slavery, in the outsourcing relationship. This paper recommends that reforms in outsourcing should address ambiguities in the identification of legal persons and the formulation of their rights and obligations in order to clarify the who shall be legally responsible for the protection and implementation of workers ' rights in an outsourcing arrangement. Keywords : legal protection, outsourcing


We argue it is better to program in a natural language such as English, instead of a programming language like Java. A natural language interface for programming should result in greater readability, as well as making possible a more intuitive way of writing code. In contrast to previous controlled language systems, we allow unrestricted syntax, using wide-coverage syntactic and semantic methods to extract information from the user's instructions. We also look at how people actually give programming instructions in English, collecting and annotating a corpus of such statements. We identify differences between sentences in this corpus and in typical newspaper text, and the effect they have on how we process the natural language input. Finally, we demonstrate a prototype system, that is capable of translating some English instructions into executable code.


This paper considers the implementation of Tomlinson-Harashima (TH) precoding for multiuser MIMO systems based on quantized channel state information (CSI) at the transmitter side. Compared with the results in [1], our scheme applies to more general system setting where the number of users in the system can be less than or equal to the number of transmit antennas. We also study the achievable average sum rate of the proposed quantized CSI-based TH precoding scheme. The expressions of the upper bounds on both the average sum rate of the systems with quantized CSI and the mean loss in average sum rate due to CSI quantization are derived. We also present some numerical results. The results show that the nonlinear TH precoding can achieve much better performance than that of linear zero-forcing precoding for both perfect CSI and quantized CSI cases. In addition, our derived upper bound on the mean rate loss for TH precoding converges to the true rate loss faster than that of zero-forcing precoding obtained in [2] as the number of feedback bits becomes large. Both the analytical and numerical results show that nonlinear precoding suffers from imperfect CSI more than linear precoding does.


The effects of starch fillers on the physical and mechanical properties of starch/natural rubber blends were investigated with reference to carbon black filled natural rubber. Starch was extracted from three plant crops namely, amora, potato and yam and applied as fillers in natural rubber formulations. Starch/natural rubber (NR) blends were prepared by directly mixing and co-coagulating rubber latex and gelatinized starch by a coagulating agent via latex compounding method. There was improvement in tensile strength and elongation at break especially at 30 phr filler loading for all the starch/natural rubber blends in comparison with the carbon black filled natural rubber. Although the carbon black filled natural rubber at 30 phr gave the highest tensile strength (87.6 Mpa), it however produced a moderately low elongation at break of 6807 compared with amora starch filled NR (10007), potato starch filled NR (6654) and yam starch filled NR (12440) respectively. Carbon black filled natural rubber produced the highest value in hardness (66-68) compared with the starch filled rubber samples at 30 phr filler loading. It was further observed that filler loading restricted swelling in toluene solvent probably as a result of filler – rubber interaction and adhesion and this phenomenon increased with filler loading from 10 phr to 30 phr in the starch/natural rubber blend and also in the reference sample. However filler loading from 10 phr to 30 phr in all the samples increased the degree of crosslink density (Vc mol cm-3).


PURPOSE
Some phase II studies have suggested that the combination of interferons (IFNs) with dacarbazine (DTIC) in the treatment of malignant melanoma (MM) increases the antitumor activity of DTIC alone. In an attempt to confirm this hypothesis, a randomized study was performed with the further intent of observing whether low doses of recombinant interferon alfa-2a (rIFN alpha 2a) could be as effective as intermediate doses.

PATIENTS AND METHODS
Two hundred sixty-six patients were randomized onto three different treatment arms: DTIC 800 mg/m2 intravenously (IV) days 1 and 21; DTIC plus rIFN alpha 2a 9 mIU intramuscularly (IM) daily; and DTIC plus rIFN alpha 2a 3 mIU IM three times per week. Major prognostic factors were well balanced among the three arms. Chemotherapy was administered for a maximum of eight cycles. After 6 months of therapy, rIFN alpha 2a was continued until disease progression at 3 mIU three times per week in responding patients who had received the combined treatment.

RESULTS
The percentage of objective responses did not differ among the three groups (20%, 28%, and 23%, respectively), although a significant prolongation of response duration was observed when rIFN alpha 2a was added to DTIC (2.6 v 8.4 v 5.5 months, respectively). However, this improvement in response duration did not translate into an amelioration of overall survival. The addition of rIFN alpha 2a led to the onset of flu-like syndrome, but in no case was it necessary to withdraw the treatment program and no toxic deaths or life-threatening toxicities were reported.

CONCLUSION
In this study, rIFN alpha 2a significantly prolonged response duration, whereas no effects on response rate and survival were observed; rIFN alpha 2a 3 mIU appeared to be equally effective and better tolerated than 9 mIU.


Somatic hypermutation (SHM) of immunoglobulin (Ig) genes is a major mechanism for amplifying the antibody repertoire of vertebrates. SHM results in high frequencies of point mutations in the variable region of Ig genes, the region encoding the antigen-binding domain of antibodies. The constant region is spared, ensuring conservation of the biological functions of antibodies. We briefly review the biology of SHM and its molecular hallmarks. We discuss what is known and what remains to be investigated of the molecular process that creates the mutations, including the properties, normal and aberrant functions of the activation induced deoxy-cytidine deaminase, AID, the enzyme that initiates SHM.

Keywords:

immunoglobulin genes;
antibodies;
activation-induced cytidine deaminase;
hypermutation


Recent efforts to clear invasive plants from the fynbos of South Africa forces managers to think about how N2‐fixing invasives have altered ecosystem processes and the implications of these changes for community development. This study investigated the changes in nitrogen (N) cycling regimes in fynbos with the invasion of Acacia saligna, the effects of clear‐cutting acacia stands on soil microclimate and N cycling, and how altered N resources affected the growth of a weedy grass species. Litterfall, litter quality, soil nutrient pools, and ion exchange resin (IER)‐available soil N were measured in uninvaded fynbos, intact acacia, and cleared acacia stands. In addition, a bioassay experiment was used to ascertain whether the changes in soil nutrient availability associated with acacia would enhance the success of a weedy grass species. Acacia plots had greater amounts of litterfall, which had higher concentrations of N. This led to larger quantities of organic matter, total N, and IER‐available N in the soil. Clearing acacia stands caused changes in soil moisture and temperature, but did not result in differences in IER‐available N. The alteration of N availability by acacias was shown to increase growth rates of the weedy grass Ehrharta calycina, suggesting that secondary invasions by nitrophilous weedy species may occur after clearing N2‐fixing alien species in the fynbos. It is suggested that managers use controlled burns, the addition of mulch, and the addition of fynbos seed after clearing to lower the levels of available N in the soil and initiate the return of native vegetation.


There is a need to provide effective treatment for drug-abusing offenders, as evidenced by the explicitly supported relationship between drug use and crime (Anglin & Perrochet, 1998; Tonry & Wilson, 1990; McBride & McCoy, 1993). Drug policy in the United States has viewed drug abuse as a public safety concern or a public health concern (Marlowe, 2002). In 1989, the Miami Drug Court in Dade County, Florida developed a drug court system that is currently used nationwide. The model embodies a very strong behavioral orientation with clear expectations, as well as graduated sanctions and rewards for successive infractions and accomplishments. The use of positive reinforcement is a major component of contingency management (CM). CM is an evidence-based practice that promotes behavior change through systematic reinforcement of desired behaviors with rewards and punishment, or withholding of reinforcement for undesired behaviors (Higgins & Petry, 1999). This survey-based, mixed methods study assessed (1) the frequency of the use of positive reinforcement, currently or in the past, (2) stakeholders' beliefs about the use of positive reinforcement in their programs, (3) the forms of positive reinforcement currently being used, and (4) the ways in which they implement positive reinforcement into their programs. Thirty-nine drug court coordinators from pre-trial/pre-sentencing drug courts in the United States of America participated in the survey. Of the 39 drug court coordinators who participated in this study, 37 reported that they use positive reinforcement/rewards in their drug court. Incentivizing productive behaviors is a key element that is listed under the NADCP's adult drug court best practice standards. Incentives and rewards are critical elements of drug courts; these must be included in order to meet the acceptable standards of competencies as set forth by their association (NADCP, 2018).


Superoxide dismutase has been identified and peroxidatic activity demonstrated in Mycobacterium leprae. The superoxide dismutase, shown indirectly to be a manganese-containing enzyme, was present at low activity in the cell-free extract. Peroxidatic activity was detected in a haemoprotein on polyacrylamide gels, but quantitative assay was not possible. Catalase, although present in a cell-free extract, appeared to be a host-derived enzyme, thus emphasizing the importance of establishing the authenticity of enzyme activities in host-derived M. leprae. The implications for the growth of M. leprae in vivo and its non-cultivability are discussed in the light of these findings.


abstract:Ancient Daśapura was the site of an internally complex Śaiva religious community. The Aulikara rulers used Śaivism as a political idiom to celebrate military might and royal power. Their ministers, the Naigamas, promoted an irenic vision that praised Śiva as a source of protection and prosperity. Attention to those expressions of Śaivism enable us to contextualize one of Daśapura's most famous, yet enigmatic, works of art: an ithyphallic male figure depicted with a double phallus (ca. sixth c. ce). To date, the sculpture has remained impossible to place within the greater artistic landscape of the region. This study proposes a resolution by showing that the icon was conceived as part of a triad of sculptures that included Śiva's wife, Pārvatī, and their son, Skanda. The images of Śiva and Skanda are displayed at the Bhopal Museum, and while their similarities have been noted in previous studies, they have not been viewed as part of a set. The reason for this is their separation from an unpublished Pārvatī that currently is displayed in the Mandasor Archaeological Museum and identified as a yakṣī. When viewed as part of a triad, the double-phallus figure is transformed from an iconographic puzzle into an innovative visual strategy to reconcile what might seem opposing facets of a divine persona—that is, the ascetic and the family man. By presenting these icons as a "family portrait," this study recontextualizes important works of art from early India and initiates broader considerations of the political and religious ideologies that inspired their production.


Duck erythrocytes were incubated in hypotonic media at tonicities which do not produce hemolysis. The cells' response can be divided into two phases: an initial rapid phase of osmotic swelling and a second more prolonged phase (volume regulatory phase) in which the cells shrink until they approach their initial isotonic volume. Shrinkage associated with the volume regulatory phase is the consequence of a nearly isosmotic loss of KCI and water from the cell. The potassium loss results from a transient increase in K efflux. There is also a small reduction in Na permeability. Changes in cell size during the volume regulatory phase are not altered by 10 - 4 M ouabain although this concentration of ouabain does change the cellular cation content. The over-all response of duck erythrocytes is considered as an example of "isosmotic intracellular regulation," a term used to describe a form of volume regulation common to euryhaline invertebrates which is achieved by adjusting the number of effective intracellular osmotic particles. The volume regulatory phase is discussed as the product of a membrane mechanism which is sensitive to some parameter associ- ated with cell volume and is capable of regulating the loss of potassium from the cell. This mechanism is able to regulate cell size when the Na-K exchange, ouabain-inhibitable pump mechanism is blocked.


Identifying protein calcium-binding sites is an important problem in proteomics. To this end, we construct a graph containing only oxygen information to represent protein partial structures. In this graph, each vertex represents an oxygen atom. Edges are given to any two vertex-atoms based on a simple distance threshold between contact atoms. Applying a clique-finding algorithm to a set of graphs representing a group of calcium-binding proteins, we obtain several hundred oxygen clique-clusters with size four possibly around calcium-binding sites. We then use geometric and chemic properties of four co-spherical vertices to exclude some clique-clusters. We finally use support vector machines (SVM) to do binary classification with vertex-atom coordinates as the input variables for distinguishing calcium-binding clique-clusters and non calcium-binding clique-clusters. The results show the site selectivity reaches 80% with 91% site sensitivity. This new protein graph mining and geometric classification model can be used for rapid and automated annotation of protein function-calcium binding


In the current era of accelerating climate change, rising sea levels, and increasingly extreme weather, coastal industrial disasters pose a large and growing risk to society. The private sector and public officials are both failing to adequately respond to this risk, and the familiar regulatory tools in this context, such as design mandates and adaptation subsidies, have significant drawbacks. This paper proposes a novel policy framework to prevent coastal industrial disasters. I argue that financial assurance requirements (FAMs), such as insurance mandates, can induce coastal industry to adapt to the coastal impacts of climate change and can ensure that the public will be fully compensated for any disasters that nonetheless occur. FAMs can mobilize the considerable expertise of third-party financial assurance providers and provide efficient incentives for private adaptation. Moreover, they are relatively simple to implement, making them especially suitable for state, regional, and municipal policymakers facing locally concentrated climate impacts, tight resources, and federal gridlock. FAMs are a promising remedy for a significant and increasingly urgent danger.


Along with economic globalization, world culture presents diversity features. Martial arts as representative of Chinese traditional sports culture, it gradually goes out of the country to the world. In Chinese martial arts communication process, construction of martial arts culture international communication innovation presentation platform is very necessary. The paper utilizes analytic hierarchy process, takes universities martial arts educators and overseas students that just come to China as investigation objects, and establishes models according to investigation results. From the perspectives of communicators' satisfaction degree, communication contents rationality, audience' satisfaction degree and communication efficiency the four aspects, carry out comparative analysis of martial arts kinds of program, martial arts sports event, martial arts film and comprehensive martial arts forum the four creative demo platform, analysis result shows martial arts film is best martial arts culture international communication creative demo platform.


This study uses current and historical physico-chemical data collected from City Lake Spring at Cookeville in Tennessee, which drains Mississippian limestone aquifer systems, to determine effects of seasonal changes and human activity on the karst groundwater quality and karstification. Seasonal effects on the water quality and karstification is evaluated by comparing data collected during the summer of 2017 and winter 2015. Human and hydrogeological influences of water quality are evaluated by comparing data collected in 2015-2016 and historical data in 2009. Principles of aqueous chemistry and statistical methods are used in analyzing and interpreting these data. The physical parameters measured are temperature, pH, electrical conductivity, and oxidation-reduction potential; and the chemical parameters are calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride, sulfate, phosphorous, sodium, dissolved organic carbon, nitrate, bromide, and alkalinity. This study could help determine if human activity (urban development, waste disposal, run-off water with fertilizer, road salt, etc.) are affecting the ground water quality. In addition, this research will give a better understanding of the local hydrogeology, karstification, and tracing of urban contamination.


: In 54 new cases of tuberculosis, VC, FVC, FEV1, FEV1/VC%, PEF, MEF25, MEF50, MEF75, PaO2, PaCO2 were measured before, during, and after a short-term intensive controlled chemotherapy. Lung function improved in 57.4% of patients and deteriorated in 22.2%. There was a combination of better and worse lung function in 7.4%. The direction of functional changes depended on the form of tuberculosis, the extent of a tuberculous process, the duration and efficiency of chemotherapy.


The design of steel structures in civil engineering is dealt with by Eurocode3 paying special attention to brittle failure and fracture toughness of the steels typifiedfor these structures. This work examines the cleavage fracture of an S460N steel type froma combined view, theoretical and experimental, regarding the effect of temperature and platethicknesses on fracture toughness. The experimental results are explained on the basis ofthe weakest link model and the master curve, but in addition to this, it is inferred from thetensile behaviour of the steel that the effect of temperature on fracture toughness is transmittedby yield strength. This conclusion is corroborated by the experimental results.


A 21-year-old male presented with visual disturbance followed by severe headache. Computed tomography showed right thalamic hemorrhage entering the right lateral ventricle. Cerebral angiography revealed bilateral symmetrical arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) fed by the len ticulostriate, anterior choroidal, and lateral posterior choroidal arteries and draining into the vein of Galen. Partial removal of the right AVM induced bleeding on the left side, probably due to postoperative hemodynamic changes. Bilateral symmetrical cerebral AVMs are extremely rare, but pro vide serious problems for surgical intervention in the deep cerebrum.


Social norms, beliefs, and attitudes around modern contraception (MC) use can influence the decision to take up a method, but susceptibility to these factors varies between individuals. The effect of psychosocial readiness to use MC at the individual level is not established for women in Ethiopia. Data from 349 women were used for validity and reliability testing of a 12-item MC psychosocial readiness scale. A rating-scale Rasch model tested for unidimensionality, rating scale functioning, and construct and content validity. Multiple linear regression assessed the effect of respondent characteristics on MC psychosocial readiness scores. The psychometric properties of the univariate MC psychosocial readiness scale were satisfactory after the stepwise removal of two items. Prior MC use, socioeconomic status, geographic zone, and education were significantly associated with increased endorsement of MC psychosocial readiness. The 10-item scale measures the extent of endorsement of MC psychosocial readiness for childbearing women in Tigray, Ethiopia. Further research should qualitatively explore the identified influence of education on MC psychosocial readiness.


We investigated changes in behavior, physiology and selected brain regions during the development of vernal migration and reproduction phenotypes in migratory redheaded buntings. We monitored 24 h activity–rest pattern and measured food intake, fat deposition, and body mass of buntings exposed for 12 weeks to short (SP, 8L :16D) and long (LP, 13L:11D) photoperiods at 22 ± 2 °C temperature. Under LP, not SP, buntings exhibited a photostimulated spring migration phenotype (hyperphagia, fat deposition and body mass gain). However, there were sex differences in the development of vernal migration, as shown by faster and earlier induction of Zugunruhe (nocturnal migratory restlessness) in males than in females. In the next experiment, increasing photoperiods over 12 weeks following the vernal equinox induced behavioural and physiological changes associated with vernal migration phenotypes in both male and female buntings, but in a sex-dependent manner. In a subsequent experiment over 8 weeks corresponding to the spring migration period we found an increased expression of CART, not NPY, in INc, and decreased expression of GnRH-I in POA in the brain by week 6 of the observation under increasing photoperiods. There was also an increased expression of doublecortin (a marker of neuronal incorporation) in the olfactory bulb and song control nuclei (Area X and HVC, higher vocal centre) in male birds. These results demonstrate changes in the brain peptides and neuronal recruitment along with changes in the behaviour and physiology, and give insights into the concurrent photoperiodic induction of the seasonal response at multiple levels in migratory songbirds.


Social networking is the use of dedicated websites and applications to interact with other users sharing interests, activities, backgrounds or real life events. The use of social media has been predominantly reported among young adults, accounting for about 93% of all users. Social networking websites such as Facebook, Twitter and Skype are member based Internet communities that permit users to share views, perceptions and ideologies. Social media influences youth development, most especially among the millennials who invest approximately seven hours per day with media. More so, the social media shapes the millennials perception, ideology and principles. Bearing this in mind, this tool can serve as an effective tool for bringing both social awareness among youths and the society at large. Therefore, this study sought to determine how Facebook can be used as an effective social awareness tool among millennials. The current study focused on Facebook as it has the highest number of subscribers globally, and also due to its wide acceptance among South African Millennials in tertiary intuitions. Questionnaires were distributed to a total of 400 undergraduate students. These included 150 students from the Durban University of Technology, 125 from the Mangosuthu University of Technology; and 125 from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The study revealed that millennials are digital natives and their lives are basically lived through the internet and technology. Based on the findings the majority of millennials spend between at least two to well over six hours every day on social media. This proves that Facebook as a social network can be used to reach out and provide much needed information to millennials.


We propose new routing scheme, Cooperative Diversity-based Routing (CDR) which utilizes the cooperative space diversity for power saving and performance enhancement of wireless ad-hoc networks. The improved performance is compared with Multi-hop Relay Routing (NRR) by analytical methods. When the required outage probability is at the destination node in ad-hoc networks with 7 nodes, we noticed that each node can save power consumption by 15.5 dB in average, by using our proposed CDR compared to MRR.


It has been long maintained that the system of barrier walls and fortlets in the Julian Alps dates to the early 4th century and that it was a fortification line used to defend Italy during times of civil war. Reviewing the historical, archaeological and topographic evidence, it is here argued that its military importance has been much exaggerated; one role may well have been to regulate traffic and perhaps to exact taxes from the civilians using the imperial road system, or crossing from Illyricum into Italy. Its date cannot be yet established for certain but the most likely context is the very end of the 4th century AD, not long before the system was abandoned at some point during the first decade of the 5th century. Contrary to received wisdom, it was incapable of repulsing any major force coming from the East, whether they were Goths or Romans. Regulation and taxation, however, do not require the erection of barrier walls. There must have been additional reasons for their construction even though the walls were unable to deal with anything more than a low intensity threat. What the percieived danger was, it is impossible to determin for certain,except that there were a series of problems facing the Western Empire c. 390-400 which could warrant the construction of a 'frontier' in the Julian Alps; an influx of refugees from Illyricum, Gothic war bands from Thrace, raiding parties from across the Danube and the endemic danger posed by local bandits. Any one of these, or more likely a combination of several factors, precipitated the decision to regulate, but not seriously to defend the routes which led west from Illyricum and into the Italian peninsular.


Constrained Ranking and Selection (R&S) aims to select the best system according to a primary performance measure, while also satisfying constraints on secondary performance measures. Several procedures have been proposed for constrained R&S, but these procedures seek to minimize the number of samples required to choose the best constrained system without taking into account the setup costs incurred when switching between systems. We introduce a new procedure that minimizes the number of such switches, while still making a valid selection of the best constrained system. Analytical and experimental results show that the procedure is valid for independent systems and efficient in terms of total cost (incorporating both switching and sampling costs). We also inspect the use of the Common Random Numbers (CRN) approach to improve the efficiency of our new procedure. When implementing CRN, we see a significant decrease in the samples needed to identify the best constrained system, but this is sometimes achieved at the expense of a valid Probability of Correct Selection (PCS) due to the comparison of systems with an unequal number of samples. We propose four variance estimate modifications and show that their use within our new procedure provides good PCS under CRN at the cost of some additional observations.


This study was carried out for 7 months at fish Laboratory of Animal Production Department, National Research Center, Dokki, Egypt. The experiment aimed to investigate the effect of two commercial probiotics (Premalac and Biogen) each at 1,2 and 3 g/Kg diet on growth performance and immune response of Nile tilapia fingerlings. Premalac is a dried fermented product of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Aspergillus oryzae extract, Bifedobacterium bifedum, Streptococcus faecium, Torula yeast, Skim milk, Vegetable oil and CaCo3. Biogen is a dried natural product composed of Allicin, high unit hydrolytic enzymes, Bacillus subtilis and Ginseng extract. A total of 420 fingerlings with a uniform size and weight (1 gram) were used of which 60 fingerlings represent the control group. The rest (360 fingerlings) distributed randomly into two blocks (probiotics), each block included three treatments (probiotic levels). Each treatment in addition to the control one were represented in three replicates (aquaria) in which 20 fingerlings were kept in each aquarium. The best results of growth and feed utilization of tilapia were obtained by fish diet supplemented with Biogen followed by those having Premalac, each at 2g/Kg diet. However, fish fed on Biogen-supplemented diets exhibited significantly higher values of nutrients digestibility. On the other hand, fingerlings fed either Premalac or Biogen at 2g/Kg had significantly higher total leucocytes count than the control which indicating highs immune response of tilapia fingerlings. In conclusion, it is suggested that the tested probiotics preparations are suitable for mixing with tilapia diets to improve their performance and immunity. (Nature and Science. 2010;8(5):39-45). (ISSN: 1545-0740).


There is a need for understanding the entrepreneurship and business models in the emerging economies, especially the fast-expanding ones, from a different perspective as compared to the developed economies. The consistent gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate, significant socioeconomic potential, untapped needs of the population, and economic growth potential in the fast-expanding emerging economies like the BRIC nations (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) have changed the paradigm for investment, thereby creating a new economic development reality and focus for the global companies. However, achieving success in these emerging markets has its own unique mix of challenges. This requires a transformative and innovative mind-set toward conceptualization of a working business model that can fit into the reality of the socioeconomic and cultural challenges of these emerging markets. Further, the business model changes and alignment in these emerging markets require closer analysis and understanding of the global trends as well as ability to leverage the emerging technologies and linkages. The objective of this article is to explore the magnitude of opportunities and emerging business models transforming the socioeconomic landscape in fast-expanding emerging markets. In doing so, the article attempts to provide an overview of the emerging business model typologies and patterns that will enable the global companies to make better-informed decisions and build their presence in the fast-expanding emerging markets. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.


. The implementation of a robust H ∞ Control, which is numerically efficient for uncertain nonlinear dynamics, on longitudinal and lateral autopilots is realised for a quarter scale Piper J3-Cub model accepted as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) under the condition of sensor noise and disturbance effects. The stability and control coefficients of the UAV are evaluated through XFLR5 software, which utilises a vortex lattice method at a pre-defined flight condition. After that, the longitudinal trim point is computed, and the linearization process is performed at this trim point. The " 𝜇 -Synthesis"-based robust H ∞ control algorithm for roll, pitch and yaw displacement autopilots are developed for both longitudinal and lateral linearised nonlinear dynamics. Controller performances, closed-loop frequency responses, nominal and perturbed system responses are obtained under the conditions of disturbance and sensor noise. The simulation results indicate that the proposed control scheme achieves robust performance and guarantees stability under exogenous disturbance and measurement noise effects and model uncertainty.


Cellular senescence appears now as an important mechanism that could prevent proliferation of potential tumorigenic cells. Senescence is characterized by permanent cell cycle arrest and loss of proliferative capacity, despite continued viability and metabolic activity. Senescent cells secrete a complex mixture extracellular proteins and soluble factors, known as the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SAPS). The senescence secretome exerts diverse effects on the microenviroment and neighboring cells. Components of the senescence secretome reinforce or implement cell cycle arrest and contribute to tumor suppression by signaling and recruiting the immune system. Among these factors, IL-6 was implicated in implementing cell cycle arrest, characteristic of senescence. A limited number of studies suggested a role for PKC in senescence, with opposite effects of different isoforms. Here our aim was to demonstrate that the epithelial specific isoform, PKCeta, plays a role in promoting senescence. Previous studies from our laboratory and other showed a role for PKCeta in the protection from cell death. We suggest that PKCeta expression in epithelial cells could shift the balance between apoptosis and senescence towards senescence thus protecting against cell death. In the present study we have also utilized a polymorphic variant of PKCeta. This polymorphic variation, the nonsynonymous SNP, changing 374V to 374I (V374I), was previously identified as a risk factor for cerebral infarction and rheumatoid arthritis in two independent genetic screens of the Japanese population. As the SNP V374I is located in the functional domain of the kinase- the ATP binding site- we have initially characterized the effect of this polymorphic change on the kinase activity of the protein. Our results show that 374I significantly enhanced the kinase activity of the protein and its phosphorylation on external protein substrates. Overexpression of PKCeta 374V and 374I in the breast adenocarcinoma MCF-7 cells enhanced the secretion of IL-6 and TNFα by LPS, with 374I having a greater effect. Oxidative stress was previously shown to induce senescence phenotype in MCF-7 cells. Oxidative stress resulted also in increased IL-6 secretion by 374I, although the 374V (WT) showed also elevated levels compared to the control treated cells. The role of PKCeta in IL-6 secretion and β-galactosidase staining was also demonstrated using PKCeta knocked-down cells by sh-RNA. Thus, our results reveal that PKCeta itself (WT) is involved in IL-6 secretion, with 374I having a more profound effect. NFkB was shown to be a master regulator of SASP by influencing the expression of NFkB target genes. Notably, our previously published studies reported a role for PKCeta as an upstream regulator of NFkB and its function in cell cycle control. One of the hallmarks of cells undergoing senescence is the involvement of the p16 INK4A -Rb and p53 pathways, with p21 CIP1 induction also evident. Since our previous studies showed a role for PKCeta in cell cycle regulation at the G1/S transition its effects were also determined. Upon oxidative stress, we show increased expression of p21 CIP1 and p16 INK4A , under conditions in which senescence is induced. Furthermore, cell expressing 374I exhibited higher levels of p21 CIP1 and p16 INK4A compared to 374V (WT). Taken together, our present studies reveal a role for PKCeta in establishing the senescence phenotype. There is now considerable interest in therapies that will harness senescence to control tumor promotion. Revealing the molecular regulators of senescence will improve our ability to develop new therapeutic strategies for clearing tumor cells. Citation Format: Udi Zurgil, Assaf Ben Ari, Etta Livneh. Premature senescence is enhanced by PKCeta and its polymorphic variant V374I. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Third AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Basic Cancer Research; Sep 18-22, 2013; National Harbor, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(19 Suppl):Abstract nr B36.


Abstract Gonocytes are primitive germ cells that reside in the seminiferous tubules of neonatal testes and give rise to spermatogonia, thereby initiating spermatogenesis. Due to a lack of specific markers, the isolation and culture of these cells has proven to be difficult in the pig. In the present study, we show that a lectin, Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA), which has specific affinity for primordial germ cells (PCGs) in the genital ridge, binds specifically to gonocytes in neonatal pig testes. The specific affinity of DBA for germ cells was progressively lost with age. This suggests that DBA binds strongly to primitive germ cells, such as gonocytes, weakly to primitive spermatogonia, and not at all to spermatogonia. The presence of alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity in the germ cells of neonatal pig testis confirmed the existence of primitive germ cells. Gonocytes from neonatal pig testis were purified, and a cell population that consisted of approximately 70% gonocytes was obtained, as indicated by the DBA binding assay. Purified gonocytes were cultured in DMEM/F12 supplemented with 10% FBS in the absence of any specific growth factors for 7 days. The cells remained viable and proliferated actively in culture. Initially, the gonocytes grew as focal colonies that transformed to three-dimensional colonies by 7 days of culture. Cultured germ cells expressed SSEA-1, a marker for embryonic stem (ES) cells, and were negative for the expression of somatic cell markers. These results should help to establish a male germ cell line that could be used for studying spermatogenesis in vitro and for genetic modification of pigs.


In the employer-sponsored insurance market that covers most Americans; many workers are "underinsured." The evidence shows onerous out-of-pocket payments causing them to forgo needed care, miss work, and fall into bankruptcies and foreclosures. Nonetheless, many higher-paid workers are "overinsured": the evidence shows that in this domain, surplus insurance stimulates spending and price inflation without improving health. Employers can solve these problems together by scaling cost-sharing to wages. This reform would make insurance better protect against risk and guarantee access to care, while maintaining or even reducing insurance premiums. Yet, there are legal obstacles to scaled cost-sharing. The group-based nature of employer health insurance, reinforced by federal law, makes it difficult for scaling to be achieved through individual choices. The Affordable Care Act's (ACA) "essential coverage" mandate also caps cost-sharing even for wealthy workers that need no such cap. Additionally, there is a tax distortion in favor of highly paid workers purchasing healthcare through insurance rather than out-of-pocket. These problems are all surmountable. In particular, the ACA has expanded the applicability of an unenforced employee-benefits rule that prohibits "discrimination" in favor of highly compensated workers. A novel analysis shows that this statute gives the Internal Revenue Service the authority to require scaling and to thereby eliminate the current inequities and inefficiencies caused by the tax distortion. The promise is smarter insurance for over 150 million Americans.


: The gain or sensitivity of reflexes originating in cardiac sensory receptors with vagal afferent pathways is highly dynamic. This modulation is usually attributed to central nervous system or efferent mechanisms. This paper briefly reviews evidence that modulation of reflexes originating in the heart can also occur at the sensory or afferent level. Five examples are cited: calcium antagonists, cardiac glycosides, arginine vasopressin, atrial natriuretic peptides, and changes in dietary sodium. These examples emphasize the role of ionic and humoral factors in regulation of cardiac vagal afferent function. This concept of sensory modulation of cardiac vagal afferents has implications for cardiovascular pharmacology and for pathophysiological states such as heart failure and hypertension.


RETICULAR diaphragmatic hernia has been described as a congenital and acquired condition in cows (Singh and others 1996, Saini and others 2001, Saini and others 2007, Athar and others 2010, Bellavance and others 2010) and buffaloes (Saini and others 2000, Mohindroo and others 2007, Athar and others 2010). In this condition, most commonly the reticulum becomes herniated into the thoracic cavity via a tear in the diaphragm. A tentative diagnosis of reticular diaphragmatic hernia can be made on the basis of clinical signs and auscultation findings (Radostits and others 2007), and can be confirmed by plain and contrast radiography of the cranioventral abdominal region (Kumar and others 1980, Misk and Semieka 2001). Recently, ultrasonography has been reported as a non-invasive imaging modality to diagnose reticular diaphragmatic hernia in bovine animals based on the visibility of reticular wall and its motility at the fourth and fifth intercostal spaces (ICS) from the right side (Mohindroo and others 2007, Saini and others 2007, Athar and others 2010). Cows and buffaloes constitute the majority of domesticated bovine animals worldwide, and these animals have a similar external morphology. There is a lack of literature on ultrasonographic studies of the topographic location of the reticulum of healthy cows and buffaloes in advanced stages of pregnancy.

This short communication describes a study of the reliability of detecting the reticular wall and its motility ultrasonographically at the fifth ICS in non-pregnant and pregnant cows and buffaloes to diagnose reticular diaphragmatic hernia. As well as highlighting the differences in topographic location of the reticulum in healthy cows and buffaloes, this report also describes the most reliable diagnostic indicator of reticular diaphragmatic hernia in bovids.

The study was conducted on 74 animals (18 cows and 56 buffaloes). Out of these, 20 …


A large part of the utilities in the Netherlands is located below the surface. The main advantage of locating
these utilities below the ground level is it limits the nuisance for above ground objects and persons.
Disadvantage is it can be difficult to locate the exact location of these utilities. As a result of the high density
of the subsurface utilities excavation works often result in damages to these utilities.
One of the possibilities of locating underground infrastructure is the use of ground penetrating radar. GPR
is a noninvasive method that uses electromagnetic waves for mapping subsurface utilities, which results in
information about the underground infrastructure without the need for excavation works.
However GPR is currently in the middle of its development, still facing a lot of challenges on the area of
implementation. In literature little information is found on field surveys with a note that most literature is
of an older age. The question rises if present literature describes a representative image of the current state
of the art of GPR. An increasingly occurring phenomena is companies and individuals who independently
perform GPR measurements. They are given a training in the use of the GPR after which they perform the
measurements themselves. Result of performing independent measurements after basic training is it creates
room for arbitrariness in the process. This arbitrariness and unmeant variance in measurements is the result
of missing guidelines and can lead to inaccurate results. As a result of this ground penetrating radar is often
viewed as an 'unprofessional' method.
After a recent incident with excavation damage Liander, Netherlands largest utility owner, started in
association with the University of Twente a project on professionalizing the use of ground penetrating radar.
Part of this professionalizing is creating manuals to standardize GPR measurements. The goal of this
research is creating a protocol in the form of a manual to standardize GPR measurements.
For reaching this goal two manuals where developed. Manual A which gives information on the ground
penetrating radar itself, its components and how to use the radar and Manual B, which gives an structured
outline for performing an independent measurement with the radar.
The information captured in these manuals is gathered through a literature study, experts on the area of
ground penetrating radar and personal experience from performing independent measurements. First two
concept manuals where drafted which thereafter where improved by revision by experts and a field-test
performed by the author. The accumulated feedback is reviewed and processed for two final manuals.
The literature review, added with knowledge of experts and personal experience lead to the conclusion that
the current state of the art of the literature on ground penetrating radar is outdated. It does not give a
representative image of the technology anymore. Most of the constraints identified in the literature are not
a problem anymore, and the settings are not of an issue for the users as they were kept in the standard
settings for this research. The company developing the radar, GT Frontline, has optimized the settings for
its purpose. As a result some constraints found in the literature review are outdated with the state of the art
GPRs. An overview of outdated constraints of the GPR is given in Chapter 11.


In a growing number of domains, such as ambient-assisted living (AAL) and e-health, the provisioning of end-to-end services to the users depends on the proper interoperation of multiple products from different vendors, forming a digital ecosystem. To ensure interoperability and the integrity of the ecosystem, it is important that candidate products are independently tested and certified against applicable interoperability requirements. Based on the experience acquired in the AAL4ALL project, we propose in this paper a model-based approach to systematize, automate and increase the assurance of such testing and certification activities. The approach encompasses the construction of several models: a feature model, an interface model, a product model, and unit and integration test models. The abstract syntax and consistency rules of these models are specified by means of metamodels written in UML and Alloy and automatically checked with Alloy Analyzer. Using the model finding capabilities of Alloy Analyzer, integration tests can be automatically generated from the remaining models, through the composition and instantiation of unit tests. Examples of concrete models from the AAL4ALL project are also presented.


Single crystals of oxalic acid dihydrate are difficult to grow from pure water solution, but good single crystals of the material may be obtained by growth from mixtures of acetone and water. The solvent markedly affects the crystal habit. Crystals grown in mixtures of acetone and water develop the prismatic habit, while those grown in water alone develop the tabular or equant habit. The forms {001}, {110}, and {101} predominate in all cases. Single crystals of anhydrous oxalic acid may also be grown from solution in glacial acetic acid, although specimens more than 2 centimeters in length are difficult to produce.


Object tracking is a typical application of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), which
refers to the process of locating a moving object (or multiple objects) over time using
a sensor network. Object tracking in WSNs can be a time consuming and resource
hungry process due to factors, such as the amount of data generated or limited resources
available to the sensor network.
The traditional centralised approaches where a number of sensors transmit all information
to a base station or a sink node, increase computation burden. More recently static
or dynamic clustering approaches have been explored. Both clustering approaches suffer
from certain problems, such as, large clusters, redundant data collection and excessive
energy consumption. In addition, most existing object tracking algorithms mainly
focus on tracking an object instead of predicting the destination of an object.
To address the limitations of existing approaches, this thesis presents a novel framework
for efficient object tracking using sensor networks. It consists of a Hierarchical Hybrid
Clustering Mechanism (HHCM) with a Prediction-based Algorithm for Destinationestimation
(PAD). The proposed framework can track the destination of the object
without prior information of the objects movement, while providing significant reduction
in energy consumption. The costs of computation and communication are also
reduced by collecting the most relevant information and discarding irrelevant information
at the initial stages of communication. The contributions of this thesis are:
Firstly, a novel Prediction-based Algorithm for Destination-estimation (PAD) has
been presented, that predicts the final destination of the object and the path that
particular object will take to that destination. The principles of origin destination
(OD) estimation have been adopted to create a set of trajectories that a particular
object could follow. These paths are made up of a number of mini-clusters, formed
for tracking the object, combined together. PAD also contains a Multi-level Recovery
Mechanism (MRM) that recovers tracking if the object is lost. MRM minimises the
number of nodes involved in the recovery process by initiating the process at local level
and then expanding to add more nodes till the object is recovered.
Secondly, a network architecture called Hierarchical Hybrid Clustering Mechanism
(HHCM) has been developed, that forms dynamic mini-clusters within and across static
clusters to reduce the number of nodes involved in the tracking process and to distribute
the initial computational tasks amoung a larger number of mini-cluster heads.
Lastly, building upon the HHCM to create a novel multi-hierarchy aggregation and
next-step prediction mechanism to gather the most relevant data about the movement
of the tracked object and its next-step location, a Kalman-filter based approach for
prediction of next state of an object in order to increase accuracy has been proposed.
In addition, a dynamic sampling mechanism has been devised to collect the most
relevant data.
Extensive simulations were carried out and results were compared with the existing
approaches to prove that HHCM and PAD make significant improvements in energy
conservation. To the best of my knowledge the framework developed in unique and
novel, which can predicts the destination of the moving object without any prior historic
knowledge of the moving object.


We propose a model to study at the first time the spatiotemporal dynamics of the coupling between biocrust and vegetation cover on sand dunes; previous studies modeled the temporal dynamics of vegetation-biocrust-sand system while other focused only on the spatiotemporal dynamics of vegetation on sand dunes, excluding the effect of biocrust. The model consists of two coupled partial nonlinear differential equations and includes diffusion and advection terms for modeling the dispersal of vegetation and biocrust and the effect of wind on them. In the absence of spatial variability, the model exhibits self-sustained relaxation oscillations and regimes of bistability-the first state is dominated by biocrust and the second by vegetation. We concentrate on the one-dimensional dynamics of the model and show that the front that connects these two states propagates mainly due to the wind advection. In the oscillatory regime the front propagation is complex and very interesting compared to the non-spatial relaxation oscillations. For low wind DP (drift potential) values, a series of spatially oscillatory domains develops as the front advances downwind. These domains form due to the oscillations of the spatially homogeneous states away from the front. However, for higher DP values, the dynamics is much more complex, becoming very sensitive to the initial conditions and exhibiting an irregular spatial pattern as small domains are created and annihilated during the front advance. The irregular spatiotemporal dynamics reported here seems to be unique, at least in the context of vegetation dynamics and possibly also in context of other dynamical systems.


This paper describes safety at work as an issue to be addressed in terms of legislation, with due statistical knowledge of the phenomenon. Through the application of multiple indicators while investigating the rate of homogeneity and non-homogeneity of available data, especially at international level, the concept at study can be analyzed using specific scientific methods. The Total Frequency Rate of accidents could be influenced by a country's industrial structure. The standardization of  industrial structures into NACE divisions or sub-divisions (and not only on an aggregate activity level), has proved very useful as an integral part of the statistical infrastructure used within the European statistical system for producing comparable statistics. Looking at the distribution of the Total Frequency Rates (TFR) of accidents in different world regions, the picture is quite different, as the phenomenon is by no means evenly spread across the globe. Fatalities are proportionately much higher in some regions than in others. Carrying out a country-by-country analysis would in no doubt reveal greater variations. Occupational accidents and work-related diseases in some European countries are twice as high as in some others.We show that the shadow economy has an important impact in outlining an "effective frequency rate of accidents". In Italy, the impact of an excessive economy and the influence of organized crime in the South, which could alter the basis for reporting work-related accidents and occupational safety performance indicators, has led to the consideration of the actual rate of accidents in Italy slightly higher than the European average.


The problem investigated, in this study, was the difficulty in implementing COBIT's Systems Security, an Information Technology governance program, at South Louisiana Community College (SLCC). The goal of the researcher was to examine the managerial aspects of introducing COBIT's fifth Delivery and Support process (DS5), successes, and the needs of a medium sized institution of higher education. The DS5 process pertains to ensuring network security. The researcher used COBIT's critical success factors, key goal indicators, key performance indicators, maturity models, audit guidelines, and diagnostic tools. In order for the researcher to develop an overall security plan that covered the building of awareness, established clear policies and standards, identified a cost-effective and sustainable implementation, and defined monitoring and enforcement processes, potential risk was balanced with the investment in resources. The plan was also made to align with the needs of all functional areas and the willingness of each functional area to tolerate the constraints the plan introduced. Prior research and theoretical literature has contributed much to the study of IT governance programs and much had been learned. The available literature surrounds six topics pertaining to IT governance including IT management, auditing, alignment, network security, IT governance, and COBIT. An exploratory case-study design was used by the researcher to answer the research questions. The general analytical strategy that was used by the researcher to answer the research questions was the development of a descriptive framework for organizing the case-study. Despite the myriad of literature on COBIT, there existed very little rigorous research. The researcher addressed this shortage and introduced the unexplored challenges of medium sized institutions of higher learning. The researcher also provided guidance to practitioners for implementing IT governance programs to medium sized institutions of higher education.
The researcher presented conclusions from the data collected to answer the research questions. The COBIT DS5 CSFs matched the environment at SLCC with a few exceptions. The four main exceptions were listed. SLCC has accepted most of the CSFs with modifications. Seventeen positive and negative management issues surfaced during the study. The nine positive issues either enhanced the support of the CSF or facilitated enhancements to the original plan. Eight negative issues prompted change. The leadership at SLCC was willing to commit to the program, but many were not sure how they could help. Ten methods for demonstrating support were listed. SLCC used six strategies to ensure compliance. Twenty-three management needs emerged at SLCC. A list was provided that summarized these needs, quantified how often they surfaced, and explained each of them. Eight leadership needs with the potential to hinder the COBIT initiative were also listed. In addition, 16 changes during the COBIT DS5 initiative were documented. Several conclusions, practitioner implications, academic implications, and suggestions for future research were presented.


The PTPN11 (protein-tyrosine phosphatase, non-receptor type 11) gene encodes SHP2, a cytoplasmic PTP that is essential for vertebrate development. Mutations in PTPN11 are associated with Noonan and LEOPARD syndrome. Human patients with these autosomal dominant disorders display various symptoms, including short stature, craniofacial defects and heart abnormalities. We have used the zebrafish as a model to investigate the role of Shp2 in embryonic development. The zebrafish genome encodes two ptpn11 genes, ptpn11a and ptpn11b. Here, we report that ptpn11a is expressed constitutively and ptpn11b expression is strongly upregulated during development. In addition, the products of both ptpn11 genes, Shp2a and Shp2b, are functional. Target-selected inactivation of ptpn11a and ptpn11b revealed that double homozygous mutants are embryonic lethal at 5–6 days post fertilization (dpf). Ptpn11a-/-ptpn11b-/- embryos showed pleiotropic defects from 4 dpf onwards, including reduced body axis extension and craniofacial defects, which was accompanied by low levels of phosphorylated Erk at 5 dpf. Interestingly, defects in homozygous ptpn11a-/- mutants overlapped with defects in the double mutants albeit they were milder, whereas ptpn11b-/- single mutants did not show detectable developmental defects and were viable and fertile. Ptpn11a-/-ptpn11b-/- mutants were rescued by expression of exogenous ptpn11a and ptpn11b alike, indicating functional redundance of Shp2a and Shp2b. The ptpn11 mutants provide a good basis for further unravelling of the function of Shp2 in vertebrate development.


The growth rate of the United States' agricultural exports to its trading partners was predicted using some measures of each country's past macroeconomic conditions. The model which applies a five-year lag basis predicted better than that which utilizes a ten-year lag. Results show that the significant determinants of the growth rate of U.S. agricultural exports include the importing countries' GDP growth rate, agricultural self-sufficiency, population density, and distance from the United States.


This paper investigates the effect of 401(k) eligibility on saving. To address the possibility that eligibility correlates across individuals with their unobserved tastes for saving, I examine a change in eligibility: some individuals are initially ineligible for their 401(k) but become eligible when they have worked at their firm long enough. I find that eligibility raises 401(k) balances. Other financial assets and net worth respond insignificantly to eligibility, but the confidence intervals do not rule out substantial responses. In response to eligibility, IRA assets increase, consistent with a "crowd-in" hypothesis, and accumulation of cars decreases.(JEL D14, E21, J26)


Vibration-based structural health monitoring (SHM) seeks to detect, quantify, locate, and prognosticate damage by processing vibration signals measured while the structure is operational. The basic premise of vibration-based SHM is that damage will affect the stiffness, mass or energy dissipation properties of the structure and in turn alter its measured dynamic characteristics. In order to make SHM a practical technology it is necessary to perform damage assessment using only a minimum number of permanently installed sensors. Deducing damage at unmeasured regions of the structural domain requires solving an inverse problem that is underdetermined and(or) ill-conditioned. In addition, the effects of local damage on global vibration response may be overshadowed by the effects of modelling error, environmental changes, sensor noise, and unmeasured excitation. These theoretical and practical challenges render the damage identification inverse problem ill-posed, and in some cases unsolvable with conventional inverse methods. This dissertation proposes and tests a novel interpretation of the damage identification inverse problem. Since damage is inherently local and strictly reduces stiffness and(or) mass, the underdetermined inverse problem can be made uniquely solvable by either imposing sparsity or non-negativity on the solution space. The goal of this research is to leverage this concept in order to prove that damage identification can be performed in practical applications using significantly less measurements than conventional inverse methods require. This dissertation investigates two sparsity inducing methods, l1-norm optimization and the non-negative least squares, in their application to identifying damage from eigenvalues, a minimal sensor-based feature that results in an underdetermined inverse problem. This work presents necessary conditions for solution uniqueness and a method to quantify the bounds on the nonunique solution space. The proposed methods are investigated using a wide range of numerical simulations and validated using a four-story lab-scale frame and a full-scale 17 m long aluminum truss. The findings of this study suggest that leveraging the attributes of both l1-norm optimization and non-negative constrained least squares can provide significant improvement over their standalone applications and over other existing methods of damage detection.


Adult animals and humans are known to increase renal blood flow and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in response to an acute protein load or amino acid infusion; however, the ontogeny of this phenomenon is not known. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that, despite normally high baseline amino acid levels in the fetus, increases in plasma amino acids stimulate increases in GFR before birth. Eight chronically instrumented fetal sheep (126 +/- 1 days gestation) were infused with a mixture of amino acids (0.15 and 0.30 mmol . kg-1 . min-1 i.v.). Plasma alpha-amino nitrogen levels increased significantly from 7.1 +/- 0.3 to 13.0 +/- 0.9 and 25.5 +/- 2.1 mg/dl, respectively, in response to the two doses, and GFR increased significantly from 3.2 +/- 0.4 to 4.0 +/- 0.5 and 4.6 +/- 0.5 ml/min, respectively. Arterial pressure did not change. Renal amino acid reabsorption was significantly increased at all time points during the amino acid infusion, reaching a value nearly five times that of control by the last clearance period. Na+ reabsorption was also increased throughout the infusion. Na+, K+, and Cl- excretions increased significantly only at the very last time point. These data indicate that the mechanism or mechanisms responsible for amino acid-induced hyperfiltration are present and functional even before birth in the sheep. Because maternal eating patterns and protein intake are known to change maternal plasma amino acid levels and amino acids are actively transported across the placenta, our findings suggest that both acute and chronic changes in maternal protein intake may alter fetal renal function.


Hydrogen permeability based on mixed hydride ion electron conduction was demonstrated for hafnium nitride HfNx (film thickness of 100–500 nm, x = 0.8 and 1.0) nanocrystalline membranes. Nanocrystalline films with a (100) orientation and crystallite sizes of a few tens of nanometers were prepared on porous alumina supports by radio frequency (RF) reactive sputtering. Combined spectroscopic, permeability, and microbalance analysis suggests that the nanocrystalline matrices were readily hydrogenated by the formation of Hf–H terminal groups on the internal grain surfaces at ambient temperature and thus efficient hydrogen permeation took place due to an enhanced diffusion of hydridic defects through the grain boundaries; this was further aided by the Hf–H bond exchange process. Hence, membranes with an average crystallite size of 11 nm yielded a hydrogen flux of 6 × 10−7 mol cm−2 s−1 at 25 °C at an applied hydrogen partial pressure of 50 kPa; this value is higher than those exhibited by the current state-of-the-art Pd membranes. These findings establish a new concept for Pd alternatives based on the pronounced hydric conductivity of transition metal nitride nanomaterials.


Southwestern Sicily is an area of infrequent seismic activity; however, some studies carried out in the archaeological Selinunte site suggest that, between the fourth century BC and the early Middle Ages, probably at least two earthquakes strucked this area with enough energy to damage and cause the collapse and kinematics of much of the architecture of Selinunte. Take into account that, in 2008, a noninvasive archaeological prospection and traditional data gathering methods along the Acropolis north fortifications were carried out. Following these first studies, after about 10 years, a new geophysical campaign was carried out. This second campaign benefited from the application of modern technologies for the acquisition and processing of the point cloud data on the northern part of the Acropolis, like terrestrial laser scanning and unmanned aerial vehicle photogrammetry. In this paper, we present the application of these techniques and a strategy for their integration for the 3D modelling of buildings and cultural heritages. We show how the integration of data acquired independently by these two techniques is an added value able to overcome the intrinsic limits of the individual techniques. The application to Selinunte's Acropolis allowed it to highlight and measure with high accuracy fractures, dislocation, inclinations of walls, depressions of some areas and other interesting observations, which may be important starting points for future investigations.


The current paper presents a novel texture-based method for detecting texts in images. A support vector machine (SVM) is used to analyze the textural properties of texts. No external texture feature extraction module is used, but rather the intensities of the raw pixels that make up the textural pattern are fed directly to the SVM, which works well even in high-dimensional spaces. Next, text regions are identified by applying a continuously adaptive mean shift algorithm (CAMSHIFT) to the results of the texture analysis. The combination of CAMSHIFT and SVMs produces both robust and efficient text detection, as time-consuming texture analyses for less relevant pixels are restricted, leaving only a small part of the input image to be texture-analyzed.


Resting lymphocyte survival is dependent upon the expression of Bcl-2, yet the factors responsible for maintaining lymphocyte Bcl-2 protein expression in vivo are largely unknown. Natural killer (NK) cells are bone marrow-derived lymphocytes that constitutively express the beta and common gamma(c) subunits of the IL-2 receptor (R) as a heterodimer with intermediate affinity for IL-2. IL-15 also binds to IL-2Rbeta gamma(c) and is much more abundant in normal tissues than IL-2. Mice that lack the IL-2 gene have NK cells, whereas mice and humans that lack IL-2R gamma(c) do not have NK cells. Further, treatment of mice with an antibody directed against IL-2Rbeta results in a loss of the NK cell compartment. These data suggest that a cytokine other than IL-2, which binds to IL-2Rbeta gamma(c), is important for NK cell development and survival in vivo. In the current report, we show that the recently described IL-15R(alpha) subunit cooperates with IL-2Rbeta gamma(c) to transduce an intracellular signal at picomolar concentrations of IL-15. We demonstrate that resting human NK cells express IL-15R(alpha) mRNA and further, that picomolar amounts of IL-15 can sustain NK cell survival for up to 8 d in the absence of serum. NK cell survival was not sustained by other monocyte-derived factors (i.e., TNF-alpha, IL-1beta, IL-10, IL-12) nor by cytokines known to use gamma(c) for signaling (i.e., IL-4, IL-7, IL-9, IL- 13). One mechanism by which IL-15 promotes NK cell survival may involve the maintenance of Bcl-2 protein expression. Considering these functional properties of IL-15 and the fact that it is produced by bone marrow stromal cells and activated monocytes, we propose that IL-15 may function as an NK cell survival factor in vivo.


The RTDS Simulator is a fully digital, real time power system simulator widely used in the industry. The system provides continuous real time electromagnetic transient simulations based on the Dommel algorithm. The simulator hardware and software have both undergone many improvements since the simulator was first introduced in the early 1990's. The improvements have increased the performance of the simulator and widened its scope of application. In particular, electric power utilities have used the system for closed-loop testing and training on controllers for HVDC, SVC and generators, closed-loop protective relay testing, and large scale real time simulation. The paper describes the simulator design and its utility applications in greater detail.


The Gopakumar-Vafa conjecture predicts that the Gromov-Witten invariants of a Calabi-Yau 3-fold can be canonically expressed in terms of integer invariants called BPS numbers. Using the methods of symplectic Gromov-Witten theory, we prove that the Gopakumar-Vafa formula holds for any symplectic Calabi-Yau 6-manifold, and hence for Calabi-Yau 3-folds. The results extend to all symplectic 6-manifolds and to the genus zero GW invariants of semipositive manifolds.