Results of a high-resolution infrared study of the spectroscopy of monodeuterated methyl fluoride, CH(2)DF, are reported for the first time. Spectra ranging from 500 to 3300 cm(-1) have been obtained and cover all the fundamental bands at resolutions down to 0.005 cm(-1). The two lowest energy fundamentals, the nu(5) and nu(6) bands, have been analyzed in detail. Since the molecule has C(s) symmetry, in principle both these bands are AB hybrids, since they belong to the irreducible representation A'. However, it was found that both are almost pure A-type bands. A total of 597 A-type lines of the nu(5) band and 619 A-type lines of the nu(6) band have been assigned. Vibrational and rotational spectroscopic constants have been determined by least-squares fitting to the data. An improved band center for nu(7) is also reported. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.


Conceptual Metaphor Theory (CMT) states that certain metaphor classes develop due to universal embodied human experiences and that these metaphor classes then influence cognitive processes and behaviour. In this paper, we investigated if movements made during learning affected memory. The hypothesis was that a movement that was congruent with the metaphor class up is good/down is bad would assist learning of valenced words and result in better recognition or recall, while incongruent movements would hinder learning and lead to poorer recognition and recall. Using an online survey, undergraduates were asked to learn nonsense words and their valenced meaning in English. They were then asked to make a movement – depending on the word's valence – that was either congruent, incongruent or neutral to the metaphor class up is good/down is bad before being tested on recognition or recall accuracy. An Analysis of Variance was carried out. Participants were less accurate in recognition when they made a movement that was incongruent with the metaphor class up is good/down is bad than when they made a congruent or neutral movement. When recalling valenced meanings, the movement made by participants did not have any impact on recall accuracy. We concluded CMT may not be as robust as previous research has indicated.
Keywords: conceptual metaphor theory, memory, movement, recognition, recall


Mx proteins belong to the dynamin superfamily of high molecular weight GTPases and interfere with multiplication of a wide variety of viruses. Earlier studies show that nuclear mouse Mx1 and human MxA designed to be localized in the nucleus inhibit the transcription step of the influenza virus genome. Here we set a transient influenza virus transcription system using luciferase as a reporter gene and cells expressing the three RNA polymerase subunits, PB1, PB2 and PA, and NP. We used this reporter assay system and nuclear-localized MxA proteins to get clues for elucidating the anti-influenza virus activity of MxA. Nuclear-localized VP16-MxA and MxA-TAg NLS strongly interfered with the influenza virus transcription. Over-expression of PB2 led to a slight resumption of the transcription inhibition by nuclear MxA, whereas over-expression of PB1 and PA did not affect the MxA activity. Of interest is that the inhibitory activity of the nuclear MxA was markedly neutralized by over-expression of NP. An NP devoid of its C-terminal region, but containing the N-terminal RNA binding domain, also neutralized the VP16-MxA activity in a dose-dependent manner, whereas an NP lacking the N-terminal region did not affect the VP16-MxA activity. Further, not only VP16-MxA but also the wild-type MxA was found to interact with NP in influenza virus-infected cells. This indicates that the nuclear MxA suppresses the influenza virus transcription by interacting with not only PB2 but also NP.


In this paper, a new method is proposed to detect the pose of an object with two cameras. First, the intrinsic parameters of the cameras are self-calibrated with two pairs of parallel lines that are orthogonal. Then, the poses of the cameras relative to the parallel lines are deduced, and the rotational transformation between the two cameras is calculated. With the intrinsic parameters and the relative pose of the two cameras, a method is proposed to obtain the poses of a line, plane, and rigid object. Furthermore, a new visual-control method is developed using a pose detection rather than a three-dimensional reconstruction. Experiments are conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method


Abstract Prolonged systematic application of mineral fertilisers contributes to increasing the yielding capacity of agricultural crops. However, it can lead to significant changes in the composition, properties and formation of agricultural soil regimes. The findings of the research have shown that the application of mineral fertilisers leads to the change of radioactive nuclides content in the soil. The research was conducted under conditions of a long-term stationary field experiment (Uman, Ukraine), using different rates of mineral fertilisers N45P45K45, N90P90K90 and N135P135K135. Soil samples (podzolized chernozem) were selected from the depths of 0 – 20, 20 – 40 and 40 – 60 cm. Specific activity of radionuclides was determined by the spectrometric analysis. Using experimental results we have demonstrated that under a long-term application (50 years) different rates of mineral fertilisers effect the specific activity of radioactive isotopes in the soil (226Ra, 232Th, 40K, 137Cs, 90Sr). The specific activity of radionuclides in a podzolized chernozem and in winter wheat grain was established. Winter wheat plants accumulated 232Th at the highest levels, but the use of fertilisers reduced it in a larger mass of the crop. The absorption of radioactive nuclides by winter wheat grain grown after peas and silage corn depending on fertilisation changed similar to growing it after clover as a previous crop. According to the data of specific activity of radioactive nuclides in the soil and winter wheat grain, the coefficient of their biological absorption was calculated.


A unified formulation of the optimization of monopulse antenna performance indices for a specijied sidelobe envelope function and/or specified nulls of the pattern is presented. The performance indices considered are beam efficiency, gain factor, and angular sensitivity factor of rectangular and circular apertures. The unconstrained optimization of beam efficiency result in an integral equation, the solutions of which are prolate spheroidal wave functions for rectangular aperture and hyperspheroidal wave functions for circular aperture. These functions reduce, respectively, to Legendre and Zernike polynomials in the case of gain factor and angular sensitivity factor. The double orthogonality properties of these eigenfunctions are used for constrained optimization. The results obtained by this technique for the near-in sidelobes con- strained at a uniform level are shown to be in agreement with the earlier works. The method is applicable for other aperture surfaces such as elliptical, ellipsoidal, and spherical.


Previous maximum likelihood methods to analyze quantitative data on two inbred parental strains, their F1 and backcross generations are extended in three directions: (1) a method is suggested to transform the data to better satisfy the assumptions of normality and homoscedasticity; (2) the likelihoods are modified to allow for litter correlations and heteroscedasticity and (3) allowance is made for the incorporation of F2 data. The problem of making a choice among a set of simple genetic hypotheses is further discussed.


In this paper, I study the equilibrium pricing of asset shares in the presence of dynamic private information. The market consists of a risk-neutral informed agent who observes the firm value, noise traders and competitive market makers who set share prices using the total order flow as a noisy signal of the insider's information. I provide a characterization of all optimal strategies and prove the existence of both Markovian and non-Markovian equilibria by deriving closed-form solutions for the optimal order process of the informed trader and the optimal pricing rule of the market maker. The consideration of non-Markovian equilibrium is relevant since the market maker might decide to re-weight past information after receiving a new signal. Also, I show that (1) there is a unique Markovian equilibrium price process that allows the insider to trade undetected and (2) the presence of an insider increases the market's informational efficiency, in particular, for times close to dividend payment.


Tracking apertures which are on axis, off axis, and annular with respect to the pointer optics are considered in terms of their effectiveness in canceling atmospheric turbulence-induced wave-front tilt errors. The off-axis tracker is found to be the least effective, whereras the annular configuration is least sensitive to the wind profile and slewing conditions. The key to minimizing the centroid wander in the focal plane is the proper setting of the low-pass cutoff frequency of the tracking servo. That setting is based on wind velocity, slew rate, and aperture diameters. A too-high setting of the cutoff frequency can actually degrade tracker performance when the tracking aperture is small.


Abstract In this study, we investigate the physicochemical characteristics of dried bracken ( Pteridium aquilinum Kuhn) harvested in Namhae. The moisture, ash, crude protein and crude lipid content was 10.79±0.31%, 6.16±0.04%, 33.20±0.40% and 2.45±0.27%, respectively. The total mineral (Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na, Mn) content was 36720.1±495.7 mg/kg, with K being the highest at 31890.0±503.8 mg/kg. The total free amino acid content was 704.41 mg/100 g, the amount of methionine, citrulline and sarcosine being higher than the others. T he water and 50% ethanol extracts from the dried bracken were evaluated for the total poly phenolic compound content, antioxidant activity and xanthine oxidase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. The total polyphenol content in the 50% ethanol extract (1574.86±18.31 mg/100 g) was higher than in the water extract (1240.24±16.32 mg/100 g). The DPPH and ABT radical scavenging activity was increased according to the concentration of bracken extract, and the activity in the 50% ethanol extract was higher than in the water extract. In addition, the xanthine oxidase and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity was also higher in the 50% ethanol extract than in the water extract. In conclusion, bracken has great antioxidative and antidiabetic effects and can be used as a preventive agent for oxidation and diabetes.Key words: bracken, free amino acid, antioxidant activity, α-glucosidase


Understanding of the information processing in some sensory systems is hampered for several reasons. First, some of these systems may depend on several receptor types with different characteristics, and the crucial features of natural stimuli encoded by the receptors are rarely known with certainty. Second, the functional output of sensory processing is often not well defined. The human tooth is endowed with several types of sensory receptors. Among these, the mechanoreceptors located in the periodontal ligaments have been implicated in force encoding during chewing and biting. Individual receptors cannot, however, code unambiguously either the direction or the magnitude of the applied forces. Neuronal responses recorded in single human nerve fibers from periodontal receptors were fed to multi-layered feed-forward networks. The networks were trained with error back-propagation to identify specific features of the force stimuli that evoked the receptor responses. It was demonstrated that population responses in periodontal receptors contain information about both the point of attack and the direction of applied forces. It is concluded that networks may provide a powerful tool to investigate the information content in responses from biological receptor populations. As such, specific hypotheses with respect to information processing may be tested using neural networks also in sensory systems less well understood than, for instance, the visual system.


Nickel-based catalysts have been good candidates for steam reforming of methane, but their stability has been restricted due to the agglomeration among particles at high temperature. In the present work, a new type of Ni@SiO2 yolk-shell nanoreactor framework comprising Ni cores inside hollow silica shells has been prepared through direct silica coating and subsequent selective etching of the metal cores. This nanoreactor framework is remarkably stable at high temperatures up to 973 K, because the silica hollow shells around the nickel cores essentially block particle sintering. The Ni@SiO2 nanoreactor structure is employed as a model catalyst for the steam methane reforming reaction. The catalysts exhibit a continuous conversion rate of methane and hydrogen, and significantly enhanced stability at high temperatures, leading to high recyclability without loss of catalytic activity. These reaction properties are superior to Ni/MCF catalysts, and comparable with state-of-the-art commercial catalysts. This catalyst design can be generalized for other bifunctional systems, such as Co@SiO2 and Fe@SiO2.


The goal of computer tailored health communications (CTHC) is to elicit healthy behavior changes by sending motivational messages personalized to individual patients. One prominent weakness of many existing CTHC systems is that they are based on expert-written rules and thus have no ability to learn from their users over time. One solution to this problem is to develop CTHC systems based on the principles of collaborative filtering, but this approach has not been widely studied. In this paper, we present a case study evaluating nine rating prediction methods for use in the Patient Experience Recommender System for Persuasive Communication Tailoring, a system developed for use in a clinical trial of CTHC-based smoking cessation support interventions.


Thank you very much for reading black madonnas feminism religion and politics in italy. As you may know, people have search hundreds times for their favorite books like this black madonnas feminism religion and politics in italy, but end up in harmful downloads. Rather than enjoying a good book with a cup of coffee in the afternoon, instead they juggled with some infectious bugs inside their desktop computer.


In present days there are still more open question in nutriciology. It is underlined that among unsolved there are both especially scientific and practical(tactics of nutritional support at the different pathology, organization of nutritional support at home and other).


The problem of the spreading of a granular mass released at the top of a rough inclined plane was investigated. The evolution of the avalanche was measured experimentally from the initiation up to the deposit using a Moiré image-processing technique. The results are quantitatively compared with the prediction of an hydrodynamic model based on depth-averaged equations. In the model, the interaction between the flowing layer and the rough bottom is described by a non-trivial friction force whose expression is derived from measurements on steady uniform flows. We show that the spreading of the mass is quantitatively predicted by the model when the mass is released on a plane free of particles. When an avalanche is triggered on an initially static layer, the model fails in quantitatively predicting the propagation but qualitatively captures the evolution.


The mechanisms by which Ca 2+ -independent phospholipase A 2 (iPLA 2 ) mediates cell growth in p53-positive LNCaP and p53-negative PC-3 prostate cancer cell lines were studied. Exposure of cells to the iPLA 2 selective inhibitor bromoenol lactone (BEL; 0-20 µ M) induced concentration- and time-dependent decreases in cell growth based on 3-(4, dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide staining and cell number. Decreased cell growth was not caused by cell death as BEL exposure did not alter nuclear morphology or increase annexin V (apoptotic cell marker) or propidium iodide (necrotic cell marker) staining after 48 h. Decreased growth correlated to a G1/G0-arrest in LNCaP cells and a G2/M arrest in PC-3 cells. In LNCaP cells G1 arrest was preceded by time- (0-48 h) and concentration- (0 to 10 µ M) dependent increases in the expression of the tumor suppresser protein p53 and the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21. Increases in p53 expression preceded increases in p21 expression by 8 h. LNCaP cells BEL treatment decreased the expression of the p53 antagonist Mdm2, while increasing Akt phosphorylation. BEL treatment also increased Akt phosphorylation in PC3 cells, but Mdm2 was not detected. The ability of BEL to increase Akt-phosphorylation was inhibited by the phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitor LY294002. BEL treatment also decreased agonist-induced activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor. These data suggest that inhibition of iPLA 2 decreases prostate cancer cell growth by p53-dependent- and -independent mechanisms. Further, alterations in Mdm2 and EGFR activation following BEL exposure suggest novel roles for iPLA 2 in prostate cancer cell signaling.


This master's thesis describes a way to represent vehicles when tracking them through an image sequence. Vehicles are described with a state containing their position, velocity, size, etc.. The thesis highlights the properties of homographies due to their suitability for estimation of projective transformations. The idea is to approximatively represent vehicles with planes based on feature points found on the vehicles. The purpose with this approach is to estimate the displacement of a vehicle by estimating the transformation of these planes. Thus, when avehicle is observed from behind, one plane approximates features found on the back and one plane approximates features found on the side, if the side of the vehicle is visible. The projective transformations of the planes are obtained by measuring the displacement of feature points.The approach presented in this thesis builds on the prerequisites that a camera placed on a vehicle provides an image of its field of view. It does not cover how to find vehicles in an image and thus it requires that the patch which contains the vehicle is provided.Even though this thesis covers large parts of image processing functionalities, the focus is on how to represent vehicles and how to design an appropriate filter for improving estimates of vehicle displacement. Due to noisy features points, approximation of planes, and estimated homographies, the obtained measurements are likely to be noisy. This requires a filter that can handle corrupt measurements and still use those that are not.An unscented Kalman filter, UKF, is utilized in this implementation. The UKF is an approximate solution to nonlinear filtering problems and is here used to update the vehicle's states by using measurements obtained from homographies. The choice of the unscented Kalman filter was made because of its ease of implementation and its potentially good performance.The result is not a finished implementation for tracking of vehicles, but rather a first attempt for this approach. The result is not better than the existing approach, which might depend on one or several factors such as poorly estimated homographies, unreliable feature points and bad performance of the UKF.


The work process in some aluminum cast aluminum craft shows a series of work that has the risk of injury. UKM Aluminum Correct Handicraft Correct in Bantul, Yogyakarta, untouched in the manufacture of household appliance such as wok as its output. SMEs are divided into several work processes, namely smelting, printing, pengikiran, lathe, brand attachment, and packing. From the results of preliminary observations, the problems encountered in the production process are with potential ergonomic hazard (ergonomic hazard). The posture and work area (less) are less ergonomic as well. The purpose of this study is the prevention of ergonomic hazards, especially with the analysis of work postures that can cause the risk of injury. The results of the work posture category on SME aluminum casting on operators 1 and 2 enter the acceleration category level 3 which requires immediate examination, while operator 3 enters in action level 2 (continued). Terms of repair work system on aluminum cast aluminum that is by changing the work station from work station stands to work station sitting stand at work station finishing and also add chair and table at work of thinking. Also note the stretching and periodic rest.


The advantages and disadvantages of traditional gearbox fault diagnosis method based on autocorrelation, spectrum-zoom, Hilbert demodulation and cepstrum analysis are respectively analyzed. Then a gearbox fault diagnosis method is presented, which integrates autocorrelation, spectrum-zoom, Hilbert demodulation and cepstrum analysis. Finally, vibration data of the pitting gear is measured by using QPZZ-II rotating-machinery fault simulating system. The result shows that the improved method proposed in this paper is effective for the fault diagnosis of the pitting gear.This template explains and demonstrates how to prepare your camera-ready paper for Trans Tech Publications.. The best is to read these instructions and follow the outline of this text. Please make the page settings of your word processor to A4 format (21 x 29,7 cm or 8 x 11 inches); with the margins: bottom 1.5 cm (0.59 in) and top 2.5 cm (0.98 in), right/left margins must be 2 cm (0.78 in). We shall be able to publish your paper in electronic form on our web page http://www.scientific.net, if the paper format and the margins are correct. Your manuscript will be reduced by approximately 20% by the publisher. Please keep this in mind when designing your figures and tables etc.


The presented paper describes a method of text preprocessing improving the performance of sequential data mining applied in the task of gene interaction extraction from biomedical texts. The need of text preprocessing rises primarily from the fact, that the language encoded by any general word sequence is mostly not sequential. The method involves a number of heuristic language transformations, all together converting sentences into forms with higher degree of sequentiality. The core idea of enhancing sentence sequentiality results from the observation that the components constituting the semantical and grammatical content of sentences are not equally relevant for extracting a highly specific type of information. Experiments employing a simple sequential algorithm confirmed the usability of the proposed text preprocessing in the gene interaction extraction task. Furthermore, limitations identified during the result analysis may be regarded as guidelines for further work exploring the capabilities of the sequential data mining applied on linguistically preprocessed texts.


In the paper the probabilistic assessment of diagnostic efficiency of bodyplethysmography indexes in patients with bronchial asthma instead of the prevailing method of comparison of mean-value is carried out. It is shown, that the estimation of diagnostic efficiency of body-plethysmography indexes by probabilistic methods in patients with bronchial asthma has advantages in comparison with a traditional estimation of mean-value as allows to determine the information density of each size from a position of probability and to improve functional diagnostics of this disease.


To the Editor.— A 5-cm square of thin, porous polyethylene sheet can be cut to size, a thin strip of adhesive attached to the inner edge, and applied to the upper lip just below the nostrils. This hypoallergic material can be obtained in any department store at the notion counter. It is approximately 3 mm thick, and will filter out particles 1/60,000 cm or larger. A new one can be used as often as desired, as the cost is about 1 cent per filter. It can be used at all times and in all places that the patient feels it helps, and is comfortable even during sleep. The valvular action allows free expiration, and a snug fit moves into place on inspiration. It can also be used over the stoma of laryngectomies and after tracheotomy. The material is commonly called "art foam." The photographs show its application.


Antidiabetic properties of vanadium are known more than 100 years, however the researches of specific therapeutic usage of vanadium were conducted only in the last two decades. Along with, the organic vanadium compounds are more harmless in comparison with inorganic vanadium salts. Thus, the development of method of obtaining the organic source of vanadium with high bioavailability is prospective field. Aim of the work was to obtain and provide the physical-chemical characterization of vanadium complex with enzymatic hydrolysate of soy protein isolate (SPI), obtained by one-stage enzymatic hydrolysis.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
The complex was obtained at room temperature: 10% water solution of SPI was mixed with 25% solution of vanadium salt (VOSO4×хH2O) in ratio 10:1 (in dry matter). The reaction was kept during 1 h at constant mixing with pH kept at 7.0- 7.1 with 1.0 M NaOH. The concentration of vanadium was determined in dry product by means of inductively coupled plasma mass-spectrometry. The chromatograms of SPI and V-SPI were obtained by means of size-exclusion high-pressure liquid chromatography, and then were integrated by weight method in the range of free till full column volume.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
The obtained complex of vanadium with SPI enzymatic hydrolysate (V-SPI) was water-soluble and contained 15.8 mg of vanadium per gram of product dry weight. Analysis of the molecular weight distribution of the peptide fractions of the original SPI enzymatic hydrolysate and the V-SPI complex showed that more than 87% of the vanadium complex was in peptide fractions with molecular weights more than 4.1 kD, including more than 75% of vanadium contained in fractions with molecular weights from 14.6 to 4.1 kD.

CONCLUSION
The experimental evaluation in vivo will be the next stage of this research. The complex bioavailability and its effects on carbohydrate and lipid metabolism of Wistar rats with obesity will be evaluated.


Parents everywhere know that a college education for their children is key to a prosperous future. At a recent Summit on Higher Education,* journalist Fareed Zakaria, the keynote speaker, recalled a conversation with the prime minister of a large developing nation who stated (only half in jest) that his strategy for accessible higher education was to provide broadband wireless network capability to every corner of his country and tell students to take advantage of free online offerings from U.S. universities—the massive open online courses (MOOCs). Mitch Daniels, president of Purdue University, responded to the topic of online learning with the question: "How can universities articulate the value proposition that will motivate students to move in for four years?" In his words, how can universities pass the "pajama test"? Will MOOCs exist as a parallel track alongside residential university experiences, creating new opportunities and new markets? Or are they a disruptive technology that will replace conventional universities, sending them the way of the record player or typewriter?


The workflow-oriented dissemination of electronic patient data is a central goal of IT deployment in hospitals. Against this background, the present study examines two research questions: (1.) Are there differences in the availability of electronic patient data (AEPD) between different clinical workflows and data types and (2.) which structural and organizational factors determine AEPD? Based on a Germany wide hospital survey, AEPD was assessed along six clinical workflows. While AEPD was lowest for ward rounds, discharge showed the highest AEPD with pre- and post-surgery processes ranging in between. With regard to the data types analyzed, patient demographics and observation findings obtained the highest AEPD scores. Electrophysiological results, checklists and warnings were less common electronically and received lower AEPD scores. Multiple linear regression analysis resulted in a significant model that explained 34.4% of the variance of AEPD. Large hospitals and those with a professional information management, a high health IT related innovation culture and a nursing informatics officer possess higher AEPD scores and thus have better clinical information logistics mechanisms at their command.


Symbiosis with ectomycorrhizal (ECM) fungi can be important for regeneration success. In a context of increasing regeneration failures in the coastal forest of maritime pine in Southwest France, we tried to identity whether differences in ECM communities could partly explain the variation of regeneration success and how they are influenced by forest practices and stand characteristics. In particular, we focused on the effects of harvesting methods (comparing mature forest with seed-tree regeneration and clear-cuts) and topography (bottom-, mid-, and top positions). Five field trials (two in regeneration failure areas and three in successful areas) were used to sample 450 one-year-old seedlings. Assessments of ECM of seedling nutrient concentrations and of seedling growth based on exploration types were made. ECM root colonisation was similar in all harvesting treatments, suggesting that enough inoculum remained alive after logging. Harvesting-induced effects modifying soil properties and light availability respectively impacted ECM composition and seedling growth. Topography-induced variations in water and nutrient availability led to changes in ECM composition, but had little impact on seedling growth. Contact, short-distance, and long-distance exploration types improved the nutritional status of seedlings (Ca, K, and N), showing that mycorrhization could play an important role in seedling vitality. However, neither ECM root colonisation nor exploration types could be related to regeneration failures.


Observations of Cepheids in the Large Magellanic Cloud, made over last several decades, allow us to search for evolutionary period changes. None of the Cepheid from our sample of 378 stars stopped pulsating. Also none of them showed a large period change which could indicate mode switching. However for Cepheids with log P > 0.9 we found significant period changes, positive as well as negative. A comparison between the observed period changes and theoretical predictions shows moderate agreement with some models (Bono et al. 2000), and a very large disagreement with others (ABHA-Alibert, Baraffe, Hauschildt, Allard 1999). The large differences between the models are likely caused by the very high sensitivity of stellar evolution during core helium burning phase to even small changes in the input physics, as discovered by Lauterborn, Refsdal and Weigert (1971).


Many existing studies analyzing log data from online learning platforms model events such as accessing a webpage or problem solving as simple binary states. In this study, we combine quality information inferred from the duration of each event with the conventional binary states, distinguishing abnormally brief events from normal or extra-long events. The new event records, obtained from students' interaction with 10 online learning modules, can be seen as a special form of language, with each "word" describing a student's state of interaction with one learning module, and each "sentence" capturing the interaction with the entire sequence. We used second order Markov chains to learn the patterns of this new "language," with each chain using the interaction states on two given modules to indicate the interaction states on the following two modules. By visualizing the Markov chains that lead to interaction states associated with either disengagement or high levels of engagement, we observed that: 1) disengagement occurs more frequently towards the end of the module sequence; 2) interaction states associated with the highest level of learning effort rarely leads to disengaged states; and 3) states containing brief learning events frequently lead to disengaged states. One advantage of the current approach is that it can be applied to log data with relatively small numbers of events, which is common for many online learning systems in college level STEM disciplines. Combining quality information with event logs is a simple attempt at incorporating students' internal condition into learning analytics.


In this review TIVA and combined general anaesthesia are not opposed to each other, but considered as having common physiological, clinical, pharmacological, technological and methodological features. This approach will help to borrow useful qualities of each anaesthesia method.


In this paper, the main new point is the use of a non-contact combinational system with a capacitive sensor and eddy current sensors to acquire measurement signals and the use of LabVIEW software platform for real time data processing of plastic film thickness. Using a combinational measurement system to replace a traditional micrometer, the thickness of plastic film can be measured intelligently, real time, and in non-contact mode with high precision. The whole system consists of a test unit, a data acquisition unit, a motor driving unit, and a data processing unit. The test unit does measurement by means of capacitive sensor and eddy current sensors. The system is operated on the LabVIEW software platform for automatic control of the whole process. The measurement process is faster. The test results from the combinational measurement system are compared with the results from a micrometer. It shows that this measurement system has higher precision and better repeatability, reliability and feasibility.


Researchers have argued that financial distress costs and corporate tax shields can induce value-maximizing corporations to hedge their operating cash flows. We demonstrate that, for a fixed level of debt in the capital structure, the presence of personal income taxation and corporate non-debt tax shields may cause hedging to lower the value of the firm. When the hedging decision is evaluated at the optimal capital structure, hedging increases firm value.


One of the interactive methods of learning used for development of entrepreneurship is now the simulated enterprise.
The purpose of a simulated enterprises is to train students in the activity of a instructive-educational development to integrate successfully in the labour market.
The most commonly encountered phenomenon in our country is occupation by young graduates with higher education some jobs in fields different from what they have studied or lower positions.
The cause of this phenomenon more often encountered is lack of practical knowledge about the profession and about the mechanisms of functioning of a company.
To be effective, companies need people ready prepared, a comprehensive package of knowledge, skills, competencies, and this cannot be achieved just by following University courses, without an internship in a real economic environment or even to simulate one.
This learning method consists in simulating the economic processes that takes place in a real enterprise as well as its relationships with other firms and institutions.
The effect obtained at the end of this endeavor is materialized in developing the skills and competencies required to meet the demands of employers.
The general objective of the training through the simulated enterprise is development entrepreneurship by providing knowledge and information about the mechanisms of a market economy.
The advantages offered by this type of activity to the people involved, consist of familiarity with specific activities of a firm, business language improvement and, last but not least, the development of skills and abilities necessary for an enterprising competitive.
Summarizing, we can say that a simulate enterprise is a tool for practical training of students, that uses procedures and means which are identical with those of a real enterprise.


Neer first popularised the use of primary hemiarthroplasty to treat complex proximal humerus fractures, especially when the humeral head is nonviable or not reconstructable with internal fixations, and with younger patients. A 16-year-old boy had a motor vehicle accident and sustained a closed right proximal humerus fracture dislocation without neurovascular injury. Intraoperatively, due to difficulty retrieving the humeral head which dislocated and positioned behind the clavicle, hemiarthroplasty was done to avoid injuring the brachial plexus, vessels and lung. Mr Y, a 34-year-old man similarly sustained closed left proximal humerus fracture dislocation with an irretrievable head. He too underwent hemiarthroplasty. Both patients were followed up for a year with no pain and fairly good range of movement and muscle power. In complex proximal humerus fractures, there is still debate regarding primary hemiarthroplasty. There are risks of secondary displacement of fracture fragments and head necrosis after internal fixation. Neer and Cofield reported over 90% patients had relief of pain and 66% patients had free range of movement post hemiarthroplasty. Other authors described primary malposition and subsequent migration or deficient osseous integration as a complication after prosthesis. In a thirteen-year observational cohort study of 163 patients with hemiarthroplasty, the overall rate of prosthetic survival was 96.9% at one year, 95.3% at five years, and 93.9% at ten years. Of the factors that were assessed, the age is most important due to factors such as degenerative changes in the rotator cuff, osteoporosis, and motivation to achieve a good range of motion. Successful treatment of acute proximal humerus fractures with prosthetic replacement is challenging to orthopaedic surgeons as it requires proper patient evaluation, good surgical technique, especially in soft-tissue tensioning and stability, and meticulous rehabilitation. In young patients with good bone quality and irretrievable head, hemiarthroplasty is a choice.


Kulp and Kool discuss the potential for dispute resolution schemes in a sharing economy, one they argue involves a more efficient use of resources. The sharing economy is at the nexus of fast-paced technology that connects people to previously inaccessible resources to increase local consumption. Kulp and Kool argue that such sharing economies maximize the benefits of ownership by leveraging goods and services into a resource generator allowing increased access to goods and services at a lower-than-market rate. This unique market structure requires a distinct set of laws to address the unique relationships involved, and this Article explores how attorneys can best assist in managing conflicts in a sharing economy.


In the last 15 years, maternal mortality rates have been significantly reduced in Peru. In 1996, this rate was as high as 31.6 per 100,000 women while in 2009 it was reduced to 8.5 per 100,000 women. These improvements, although significant, were neither enough Peru is still well behind developed countries rates? nor solved inequality problems across different groups and areas, especially for poor women living in the Selva region and in rural areas. Strategies to reduce economic, accessibility and cultural barriers are necessary to increase institutional deliveries? rate, and thus reduce maternal mortality. Although information on maternal mortality is scarce, we rely on the strong correlation between this variable and institutional delivery in Peru to analyze the factors contributing to maternal mortality. Internationally, institutional delivery has been found as good predictor of maternal mortality by several authors.


[eng] Gamma-ray binaries are systems that comprise a compact object orbiting a companion star and display the maximum of the non-thermal Spectral Energy Distribution (SED) in gamma rays. Currently we know five gamma-ray binaries. All of them host an early type star and a compact object of unknown nature, either a black hole or a neutron star, except for one of them where radio pulsations have been detected. The optical emission received from gamma-ray binaries is produced by the optical star and its environment. If the optical star is a Be star, then it presents a circumstellar decretion disk, being its size traced by the Equivalent Width of the Halpha line (EW). Numerical simulations of gamma-ray binaries hosting a Be star suggest that the circumstellar decretion disk is perturbed/disrupted during the periastron passage of the compact object by the tidal forces and/or the putative pulsar wind. The circumstellar disk contribution to the optical photometry is a significant fraction of the total optical emission. The observed optical photometric flux from it will be proportional to the projected area of the optically emitting disk. Therefore, any orbital variability in the optical light curves can be associated to changes in the circumstellar disk. We conducted long-term optical photometric and EW observations of the gamma-ray binary LS I +61 303, aimed to unveil the optical superorbital variability seen at other wavelengths. We obtained the following results from the observations: 1) The optical photometry and EW present a superorbital variability of the orbital phase of the maximum, as seen in radio and X-rays, providing an evidence of the coupling between the thermal and non-thermal emission processes in LS I +61 303. 2) The optical observations present a superorbital variability of the flux compatible with the 1667 d superorbital period. 3) This superorbital variability is attenuated or missing in some orbital phases. 4) Orbital variability in a multi-wavelength context presents lags that can be naturally interpreted considering different emitting regions. 5) The observations seem to be only compatible with an extended and (quasi)-coplanar circumstellar disk. 6) The observations are compatible with a density wave scenario, and with a very restrictive precessing-disk model. Gamma-ray binaries hosting a massive star and a young non-accreting pulsar present strong interaction between the relativistic pulsar wind, and the wind of the stellar companion, resulting in efficient particle acceleration and in the production of non-thermal radiation, from radio to gamma rays. The study of the dynamical interaction between the winds can be conducted through numerical simulations, allowing a qualitative analysis of the radiative output of the system. Furthermore, the two-wind interaction region might suffer the impact of an inhomogeneous stellar wind (hereafter clumps), making its dynamics and hence its radiative output more complex. We conducted RHD simulations of the interaction of relativistic winds from young pulsars with inhomogeneous stellar winds aimed to provide a plausible framework for the high-energy variability observed in gamma-ray binaries. We obtained the following results from the numerical simulations: 1) The two-wind interaction structure is very unstable and sensitive to the tiniest perturbations, which lead to quick Rayleigh-Taylor (RT) and in particular Kelvin-Helmholtz (KH) instability growth. 2) The arrival of clumps can have a very strong impact on the whole interaction structure, which is expected to strongly affect the non-thermal radiation as well. 3) The clumps trigger violent RT/KH instabilities leading to quick changes of the shocked pulsar-wind region. 4) Clumps generate quick and global variations in the shocked pulsar wind. This can lead to strong short time-scale flux variability in the non-thermal radiation of gamma-ray binaries.


Celiac disease (CD) may be considered as a systemic immune-mediated disorder that is triggered by dietary gluten in genetically susceptible subjects. CD children and adolescents show typical intestinal symptoms such as diarrhea, loss of weight and abdominal distension, or extraintestinal signs, the so-called nonclassical CD, such as short stature and delayed puberty. An endocrinological investigation including an evaluation of growth hormone (GH) secretion should be performed in CD subjects who show no catch-up growth after at least 1 year on a strict gluten-free diet (GFD) in the presence of a seronegativity of anti-transglutaminase and/or antiendomysial antibodies. When the diagnosis of GH deficiency is formulated, a substitutive therapy with GH must be promptly started to obtain a complete catch-up growth. The long-term effects of GH therapy in CD children who follow a strict GFD are comparable to those found in children with idiopathic GHD. A widely documented association has been observed between CD and type I diabetes mellitus and/or Hashimoto thyroiditis and/ or Addison's disease. During follow-up, pediatricians should check antibody serology, thyroid and adrenal function and glucose-metabolic profile in order to verify the com - pliance with both diet and GH treatment. Adherence to a strict gluten-free diet pro-motes regular linear growth and may prevent CD complications as well as the onset of other autoimmune diseases.


We develop nested automatic differentiation (AD) algorithms for exact inference and learning in integer latent variable models. Recently, Winner, Sujono, and Sheldon showed how to reduce marginalization in a class of integer latent variable models to evaluating a probability generating function which contains many levels of nested high-order derivatives. We contribute faster and more stable AD algorithms for this challenging problem and a novel algorithm to compute exact gradients for learning. These contributions lead to significantly faster and more accurate learning algorithms, and are the first AD algorithms whose running time is polynomial in the number of levels of nesting.


Today's youth are different from any previous generation. Once-held perspectives on why adolescents behave a certain way have changed, and sometimes practitioners who work closely with youth cannot provide clear explanations for why youth do what they do. Even the family dynamic is greatly different than it was even a generation ago. One thing is clear for many of today's youth—they are faced with challenges and benefits that were not even considered a decade ago. Subscribe to JPRA to continue reading.


The objective of this studywas to enhance the dissolution of Ketoconazolean imidazole antifungal agent- by solid dispersions consisting of the drug, a polymeric carrier, and a surfactant. Binary and ternary solid dispersions of Ketoconazolewere preparedwith polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP 40000) or PEG 6000 and a non-ionic surfactant (Brij 35) using coevaporation technique. Preliminarily, themicellar solubilization ofKetoconazolewas studied in aqueous solutions of 0.1 to1%of nonionic surfactants at 37 i'°C. It was found that Brij 35 exhibited a higher solubilizing capacity on the drug than Tween 80 and Myrj-52 and the drug exhibited a higher distribution coefficient between Brij 35 micelles. A higher dissolution rate of Ketoconazole was obtained when the drug was present in the form of solid dispersion. In addition, increasing the polymer concentration in the binary systems was accompanied by an increase in the drug dissolution rate in terms of dissolution efficiency (DE30) and relative dissolution rate (RDR30) after 30 minutes. The addition of Brij 35 to the carrier matrix led to a vast improvement of the dissolution characteristics. The powder x-ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry of binaryKetoconazole-PVP (1:1 and 1: 5) and Ternary Ketoconazole-PVP-Brij (1:1:0.5) solid dispersions indicated absence of drug crystalline form.


In this experiment (N = 94), one group of undergraduate students enrolled in introductory statistics used traditional concrete manipulatives for learning statistics, while the other group of undergraduate students enrolled in the same course used online virtual manipulatives for learning the same content. After one semester, undergraduate students were compared on their course average scores derived from midterm and final exams as well as homework and recitation. There were no significant differences between the two groups. Although course average scores significantly and positively predicted GPA among these undergraduate students (as a whole) one year later, there were no significant differences between the two groups in GPA. Concrete and virtual manipulatives as different instructional methods share similar short-term and long-term learning benefits.


It is well known that cardiac autonomic neuropathy increases morbidity and mortality and is associated with prognosis of cardiovascular events in diabetes. Indeed, autonomic imbalance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system regulation of cardiovascular function is markedly associated with mortality among patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes [1].

The published evidence supports a common pathogenesis for IHD, hypertension, and diabetes based on a sympathetic homeostatic shift, and the usefulness of prevention based on improving the risk/prevention balance by using standard pharmaceutical and lifestyle preventative measures [2].

In addition, autonomic nervous system has been indicated as an important element in the bidirectional communication between the brain and the immune system, allowing the central control of immune status and inflammation [3].

This special issue includes 9 papers on autonomic mechanisms, inflammation, and interventions being one of them a review. In fact, J. Petrofsky et al. examine the influence of autonomic dysfunction associated with aging and type 2 diabetes on daily life activities concentrating on how autonomic impairment alters normal daily activities. Impairments include the response of the blood vessels to heat, sweating, heat transfer, whole body heating, orthostatic intolerance, balance, and gait. In addition, the effects of ageing were examined.

In the submitted research papers, D. Senador et al. demonstrate that the effects of high-fructose diet in producing cardiovascular and metabolic pathologies depend on the timing of fructose intake, while G. Garruti and colleagues in a clinical study examine the links between metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction. The authors suggest that metabolic syndrome not only increases the cardiovascular risk of relatively young subjects with T2D but is also associated with impaired cardiovascular autonomic function. In a very interesting research paper, D. C. Lieb et al. concluded that cardiac autonomic imbalance and adipose tissue-derived inflammation in newly diagnosed and established type 2 diabetes are interrelated.

In the following papers, F. G. Shiraishi et al. have shown that in patients with diabetes and chronic kidney disease, aerobic capacity was associated with inflammatory state independently of diabetes presence. On the other hand, L. Jorge and colleagues demonstrate that a single bout of dynamics aerobic exercise was able to improve hemodynamic and autonomic function as expressed by baroreflex sensitivity control of heart rate in experimental diabetes. In other interventional research paper, P. Fiorino et al. examined cardiac autonomic modulation and metabolic response in streptozotocin diabetic rats treated with green tea. The authors concluded that the green tea reduced hyperglycemia and prevented renal injury and autonomic dysfunction in experimental diabetes.

Finally, S. N. Xue et al. have shown that MMP9 deters the healing of diabetic foot ulcers by inhibiting the biological behaviors of skin fibroblasts, while M. Zhang et al. have suggested that LYR motif containing 1 gene may be an important mediator in the development of obesity-related insulin resistance since the expression of LYRM1 mRNA is affected by a variety of factors that are related to insulin sensitivity.

The purpose of the present special issue was to discuss the role of autonomic nervous system not only in cardiovascular control but also in other pathophysiological mechanisms associated with inflammation and tissue damage, believing that sympathetic and parasympathetic balance may influence the risk and prevention equilibrium in diabetes. In conclusion, restoration of autonomic balance must be the aim of the prevention programs including therapeutic lifestyle changes and other pharmacologic approaches.

M. C. Irigoyen

Dulce Elena Casarini

Mariana Morris

Nicola Montano


Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) have emerged as a powerful and flexible framework for representation learning on irregular data. As they generalize the operations of classical CNNs on grids to arbitrary topologies, GNNs also bring much of the implementation challenges of their Euclidean counterparts. Model size, memory footprint, and energy consumption are common concerns for many real-world applications. Network binarization allocates a single bit to parameters and activations, thus dramatically reducing the memory requirements (up to 32x compared to single-precision floating-point numbers) and maximizing the benefits of fast SIMD instructions on modern hardware for measurable speedups. However, in spite of the large body of work on binarization for classical CNNs, this area remains largely unexplored in geometric deep learning. In this paper, we present and evaluate different strategies for the binarization of graph neural networks. We show that through careful design of the models, and control of the training process, binary graph neural networks can be trained at only a moderate cost in accuracy on challenging benchmarks. In particular, we present the first dynamic graph neural network in Hamming space, able to leverage efficient k-NN search on binary vectors to speed-up the construction of the dynamic graph. We further verify that the binary models offer significant savings on embedded devices. Our code is publicly available on Github1.


Liposomes can facilitate the incorporation of both hydrophilic and hydrophobic molecules into nutraceutical products through a constructive impact on their stability, drug delivery and bioavailability. Liposomal products are mostly available in a liquid/suspension form, because phospholipids are stabilized by a water-in-oil emulsion as a vehicle-like compartment for encapsulation. Although, they have low stability due to the randomness of bilayer folding of phospholipids in the presence of water typically leading to non-uniform formation in both shape and size. In this study, a powder form of the phospholipid vehicle was formulated with a nanofiber fabrication via nanofiber weaving (NFW) technology by high pressure homogenization and removal of water through a spray drying process. We designed and developed a liposomal curcumin powder (LCP) based on NFW technology to enhance the bioavailability of curcumin and improve the stability of LCP. The encapsulation efficiency, loading capacity, in vitro release and DPPH activity revealed that LCP could be a promising drug delivery system for curcumin due to the use of NFW technology.


Annexin A11 mutations, implicated in ALS, prevent binding to calcyclin and induce the formation of cytoplasmic inclusions. Annexing another protein in ALS pathogenesis Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) causes progressive paralysis due to motor neuron degeneration. Smith et al. performed exome sequencing of 751 familial ALS cases and discovered six missense mutations in the ANXA11 gene in 13 individuals, which were absent or vanishingly rare in ~70,000 healthy controls. Abundant annexin 11 protein inclusions were detected in spinal motor neurons and hippocampal axons in a patient with the p.D40G mutation. Annexin 11 is known to play a role in vesicular trafficking between the Golgi and endoplasmic reticulum. Functional studies in transfected cells revealed abnormal binding of mutant annexin 11 to calcyclin, which implicates defective intracellular protein trafficking in ALS pathogenesis. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disorder. We screened 751 familial ALS patient whole-exome sequences and identified six mutations including p.D40G in the ANXA11 gene in 13 individuals. The p.D40G mutation was absent from 70,000 control whole-exome sequences. This mutation segregated with disease in two kindreds and was present in another two unrelated cases (P = 0.0102), and all mutation carriers shared a common founder haplotype. Annexin A11–positive protein aggregates were abundant in spinal cord motor neurons and hippocampal neuronal axons in an ALS patient carrying the p.D40G mutation. Transfected human embryonic kidney cells expressing ANXA11 with the p.D40G mutation and other N-terminal mutations showed altered binding to calcyclin, and the p.R235Q mutant protein formed insoluble aggregates. We conclude that mutations in ANXA11 are associated with ALS and implicate defective intracellular protein trafficking in disease pathogenesis.


Abstract Herbicides used as harvest aids are applied at crop maturity to desiccate weed and crop foliage. Weeds present in the harvested crop can increase moisture content and foreign material, reducing grade and market price. Weeds can also delay the harvest operation and reduce harvest efficiency. Glyphosate can be used to desiccate weeds in glyphosate-resistant crops without concern for crop injury. Carfentrazone and pyraflufen-ethyl used as harvest aids can be effective in desiccating broadleaf weeds in corn and soybean. Paraquat, although effective on grass and broadleaf weeds when applied late season, can cause significant crop injury if applied too early. With expanded production of early maturing soybean cultivars in the mid-South (Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri bootheel, and west Tennessee), presence of green stems, green pods, or green leaf retention, or combinations of these at harvest has increased. Interest in harvest aids has shifted to use as a crop desiccant. Paraquat also is an effective soybean desiccant, but application timing differs for indeterminate and determinate cultivars. Paraquat applied after soybean seed reached physiological maturity reduced number of green stems, pods, and retained green leaves present, allowing harvest to proceed 1 to 2 wk earlier than nontreated soybean. Seed moisture, foreign material, and seed damage also were reduced when paraquat was applied. Nomenclature: Corn, Zea mays L.; soybean, Glycine max (L.) Merr.


Marine animals equipped with biological and physical electronic sensors have produced long-term data streams on key marine environmental variables, hydrography, animal behavior and ecology. These data are an essential component of the Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS). The Animal Borne Ocean Sensors (AniBOS) network aims to coordinate the long-term collection and delivery of marine data streams, providing a complementary capability to other GOOS networks that monitor Essential Ocean Variables (EOVs), essential climate variables (ECVs) and essential biodiversity variables (EBVs). AniBOS augments observations of temperature and salinity within the upper ocean, in areas that are under-sampled, providing information that is urgently needed for an improved understanding of climate and ocean variability and for forecasting. Additionally, measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence and dissolved oxygen concentrations are emerging. The observations AniBOS provides are used widely across the research, modeling and operational oceanographic communities. High latitude, shallow coastal shelves and tropical seas have historically been sampled poorly with traditional observing platforms for many reasons including sea ice presence, limited satellite coverage and logistical costs. Animal-borne sensors are helping to fill that gap by collecting and transmitting in near real time an average of 500 temperature-salinity-depth profiles per animal annually and, when instruments are recovered (∼30% of instruments deployed annually, n = 103 ± 34), up to 1,000 profiles per month in these regions. Increased observations from under-sampled regions greatly improve the accuracy and confidence in estimates of ocean state and improve studies of climate variability by delivering data that refine climate prediction estimates at regional and global scales. The GOOS Observations Coordination Group (OCG) reviews, advises on and coordinates activities across the global ocean observing networks to strengthen the effective implementation of the system. AniBOS was formally recognized in 2020 as a GOOS network. This improves our ability to observe the ocean's structure and animals that live in them more comprehensively, concomitantly improving our understanding of global ocean and climate processes for societal benefit consistent with the UN Sustainability Goals 13 and 14: Climate and Life below Water. Working within the GOOS OCG framework ensures that AniBOS is an essential component of an integrated Global Ocean Observing System.


a long half life (low dose phenobarbitone) over a marker with a short half life (low dose isoniazid) in detecting incomplete compliance has been shown.2 The development of suitable pharmacological markers has probably been adversely affected in the past by recommendations that such substances should have a short half life or be "noncumulative."34 The drawbacks of this advice are now recognised. Though such techniques are currently primarily used in research, indicators with a long half life should be included in descriptions of methods of assessing compliaince, particularly if markers with a short half life are mentioned.


Isoelectric focussing of crude extracts of equine pituitaries was used to obtain fractions containing FSH and LH. By comparison with FSH, LH was distributed over a similar but wider pH range indicating more marked polymorphism as determined from their isoelectric point (pI). Molecules with more sialic acid showed lower pI consistent with the concept that sialic acid is the major factor in determining pI and polymorphism in FSH and LH. Appropriate fractions were labelled with 125I, purified further and used in kinetic studies. FSH and LH molecules of similar pI had similar kinetics; however, LH molecules of high pI disappeared from plasma more rapidly. This is attributed to the role of sialic acid in preventing hormone degradation by non-target tissues, thus increasing the half-life and therefore the biological potency of the hormone. Since the form in which gonadotrophins circulate is not known, data are presented using 2 forms of LH and one of FSH. While this provides information from which most kinetic parameters may be determined, meaningful production rates cannot be calculated until the circulating form is identified. Other experiments on gonadotrophin kinetics are reviewed critically in the light of these findings.


[Introduction] Mud volcano activity at the Kumano Basin Edge Fault Zone (KBEFZ) was suggested almost 10 years ago, based on the 3D seismic observation of the Nankai Trough seismogenic zone experiment (NanTroSEIZE). The KBEFZ is a tectonic feature along the seaward edge of the Kumano forearc basin (Moore et al., 2009; Martin et al., 2010). The KBEFZ has steep ridges and valleys and is continuous from Tenryu-submarine valley to the east and off-Muroto area to the west. Our acoustic observation using R/V Yokosuka and AUV-Urashima (JAMSTEC) in June 2015 confirmed its mud volcano activity at the southwestern part of the Kumano Basin, the top of the KBEFZ. [Observed results] Cruising speed and altitude of the AUV-Urashima during our cruise was 2.0~2.5 knots and 100 m, respectively. Three kinds of acoustic observation equipment mounted on the AUV are multi-beam echo sounder (MBES, 400 kHz, Seabat7125), sidescan sonar (SSS, 120 kHz, EdgeTech2200), and sub-bottom profiler (SBP, 1~6 kHz charp, EdgeTech2200). A pH sensor was installed on the tail of the AUV. R/V Yokosuka obtains bathymetry data in parallel with backscattering strength of the seafloor using hull-mounted MBES (KongsbergEM122, 12 kHz) with ~7 knots. Bathymetry data obtained by AUV indicates that there is a small seamount at a location of the suggested mud volcano, whose size is ~500 m-diameter and ~80 m-relative height from surrounding seafloor. The seamount has a caldera-like concave feature on its western flank. The SSS indicates a swell in the concave feature and mega-ripple marks on the swell. The pH sensor indicates a negative anomaly just above the concave feature. The SBP indicates an acoustically transparent body below the seamount that drags sub-seafloor sediment layers upward. There results indicate that the seamount is mud volcano (MV). On seafloor, immediately northwest to the seamount, MBES indicates a fault scarp and SSS indicates a region of high backscattering strength, suggesting some hard materials on the fault scarp and upper side of the seafloor. At the ~5.5 km southwestern part of the seamount (MV), we discover that there are acoustically-observed chimney-like features with a few meters of height. The shipboard MBES observation indicates that the seamount (MV) is settled at the southeastern part of the uplifted bathymetric feature, diameter is ~12 km, at the southwestern Kumano Basin. The uplift seems cut by linear features trending oblique to the KBEFZ (N30E~N40E near the uplift). A N10E trending linear feature cutting uplift seems continuous from the northern fault to the seamount (MV), with changing its trend (N30E at the seamount (MV) and N10E for westward). Backscattering strength (shipboard MBES) indicates scaly-like characteristic facies covering the area of the seamount (MV) and acoustically-observed chimney-like features, over at least 3 km by 7 km area. [Interpretation and future work] The N10E trending linear feature is a part of normal fault (Moore et al., 2013). Based on our observation -some hard materials on the fault scarp and upper seafloor near the seamount (MV) (AUV SSS), the N10E trending feature may play a role of fluid transportation from deep within the underlying accretionary prism. The seamount (MV) is a part of scaly-like facies (shipboard MBES) which is a wedge-shaped part between two obliquely trending KBEFZ and N10E trending features, and a part of uplift of southwestern Kumano Basin. Two-dimensional seismic observation (CDEX Technical Report., 2005) indicates acoustic transparent body below sediment layers at the uplifted SGL40-P01 Japan Geoscience Union Meeting 2016


BACKGROUND
Hyperhomocysteinemia occurs in approximately 60-70% of renal transplant recipients and is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events, mortality and kidney allograft loss. In normal subjects N-acetylcysteine (NAC) given either orally or intravenously markedly reduces plasma total homocysteine (tHcy) level. In cardiac transplant recipients it was reported, that oral treatment with NAC does not affect Hcy levels. We have therefore, investigated the effect of intravenous NAC on plasma tHcy levels in renal transplant recipients.

MATERIAL/METHODS
Eleven renal transplant recipients who had normal plasma levels of vitamin B12 and folic acid, were treated with intravenous NAC or placebo in a crossover manner.

RESULTS
Intravenous administration of NAC significantly reduced plasma tHcy (p=0.0008). Decrease in tHcy was related to its initial concentration.

CONCLUSIONS
Intravenous NAC profoundly reduces tHcy level in renal transplant recipients. Further research is needed to establish the effect of orally administered NAC on plasma homocysteine concentration in this clinical condition.


: A review is presented of the possibilities of using Xenopus oocytes for molecular-biological studies. Combination of biochemical, electrophysiological, and molecular-genetic methods applied to a single oocyte provides exceptional conditions for getting information about the biogenesis, structure function relationships, and modulation of plasma membrane proteins. These investigations are provided for by the oocyte ability to efficiently transcribe and translate foreign genetic information, to correctly process nascent polypeptides to target them to the proper subcellular compartment, and to couple them to the oocyte signaling pathways.


Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess the cost-effectiveness, -utility, and -benefit of a new organizational return-to-work intervention to improve COoperation between Sick-listed employees and their Supervisors (COSS). Methods: A field study with 6 months follow-up comparing COSS with common practice randomized participants aged 18 to 60, working at least 12 hours/week and absent for at least 2 weeks. Outcomes were initial return-to-work, quality-adjusted life years, and productivity gains. Results: After 6 months, COSS generated less costs when compared with common practice. Participants in the COSS group returned to work earlier, improvement in quality-adjusted life years were uncertain. Net benefits of COSS versus common practice yielded a productivity gain of &OV0556;395.89. Conclusions: Implementing COSS for sick-listed employees has potentials to reduce costs and improve productivity, and potentially quality of life. Longitudinal research might detect whether COSS also has the potential reaching sustainable return-to-work.


A lubrication theory has been developed for the electro-osmotic flow of non-uniform buffers in narrow rectilinear channels. The analysis applies to systems in which the transverse dimensions of the channel are large compared with the Debye screening length of the electrolyte. In contrast with related theories of electrokinetic lubrication, here the streamwise variations of the velocity field stem from, and are nonlinearly coupled to, spatiotemporal variations in the electrolyte composition. Spatially non-uniform buffers are commonly employed in electrophoretic separation and transport schemes, including iso-electric focusing (IEF), isotachophoresis (ITP), field-amplified sample stacking (FASS), and high-ionic-strength electro-osmotic pumping. The fluid dynamics of these systems is controlled by a complex nonlinear coupling to the ion transport, driven by an applied electric field. Electrical conductivity gradients, attendent to the buffer non-uniformities, result in a variable electro-osmotic slip velocity and, in electric fields approaching 1 kV cm−1, Maxwell stresses drive the electrohydrodynamic circulation. Explicit semi-analytic expressions are derived for the fluid velocity, stream function, and electric field. The resulting approximations are found to be in good agreement with full numerical solutions for a prototype buffer, over a range of conditions typical of microfluidic systems. The approximations greatly simplify the computational analysis, reduce computation times by a factor 4–5, and, for the first time, provide general insight on the dominant fluid physics of two-dimensional electrically driven transport.


An inexpensive drive circuit to operate a moving magnet type linear motor compressor up to 100 W power is described. It is a Pulse-Width Modulated (PWM-based) circuit with provisions to adjust the frequency, modulation index of the sine wave, frequency of the carrier wave, etc. It is a simple circuit without any need for software development, as discrete electronic components are used in the circuit, and no microcontroller is used. Power MOSFETs are used in the H bridge circuit for driving the linear motor with opto-coupler isolation to eliminate any EMI interference from the motor to the gate circuit. The required logic states are generated using a toggle circuit and the PWM wave form is generated using off-the-shelf operational amplifiers. The circuit is designed to operate with D.C. power supplies of 5V and +12V. Hence, it can be conveniently operated from the power supply of a Pentium IV computer. This way, the need for developing a specialized D.C. power supply for the electronics is avoided. The developed circuit is capable of providing up to 100 watts of power to drive a single compressor. With suitable modifications, it can be adapted to operate dual opposing compressors of each 100 W. The circuit design, schematic, working principle of the circuit, and the performance are discussed.


This paper develops an intelligent braking system (IBS) to navigate escaping motions of wheeled robots with variable center of gravity. The piecewise mapping in geometric space instead of the traditionally pointwise coordinate transformation in algebraic space is developed for quasi-nonholonomic systems in the topological point of view. The escaping dynamics of wheeled robots, not only onto the constrained space but also onto the unconstrained space, occurs when the vehicle escapes from the constraint manifold during braking or cornering. Traditionally, such slippage phenomenon is usually ignored because of strong nonlinear features. The proposed IBS consists of a traditional controller designed for the "rigid" subsystem and an IBS controller designed for the "softened" subsystem. This paper is primarily focused on modeling, analysis and control issues of intelligent braking problems for moving robots with variable center of gravity. Finally, computer simulations of wheeled robots are carefully made under the assumption of Coulomb's viscous friction to justify the advantages of the proposed IBS algorithm.


The international linkages between banks play a crucial role in today's global economy. Existing models explain these links on the basis of portfolio theory, in which banks diversify lending. These models have found only limited empirical support and do not speak to many relevant dimensions of the data. For example, they do not address heterogeneity in the degree to which banking sectors fund their foreign operations locally in foreign markets. This paper proposes an alternative theory to explain banking across borders that is based on elements of international trade theory. In the model, banking across borders arises because countries differ in their relative factor endowments and in the efficiency of their banking sectors. Based on these differences, the pattern of foreign bank asset and liability holdings emerges endogenously. This parsimonious model provides a rationale for different dimensions of heterogeneity in foreign bank activities and clarifies the interpretation of international banking data. Its predictions are consistent with observed patterns in the data.


Atrial fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter (AFL) are arrhythmias that commonly occur following cardiac surgery. The precipitating events are not always obvious, although predisposing factors including age have been defined. Postoperative AF and AFL add significantly to both the cost and morbidity of cardiac surgery. This guideline report, which was created under the auspices of the American College of Chest Physicians (ACCP), critically reviews evidence-based literature defining optimal treatment and prophylaxis for postoperative AF. Specific issues addressed include the following: (1) controlling the ventricular response rate in the patient with postoperative AF and AFL; (2) preventing thromboembolism in the setting of AF and AFL including the appropriate role of anticoagulation therapy; (3) pharmacologic approaches to converting AF or AFL to normal sinus rhythm, and maintaining normal sinus rhythm postoperatively; and (4) pharmacologic and surgical prophylaxis against postoperative AF and AFL. The resulting clinical practice guidelines represent the best-supported treatments, based on a rational scientific approach formulated from randomized clinical trials and systematic reviews. The panel convened by the Health and Sciences Policy Committee of the ACCP reviewed the currently available evidence to provide a basis for making specific recommendations for patient care.


Background: Mobile apps have become a critical channel for retailers to interact with their customers and digitalize shopping behaviors in the customer journeys. In the transition of digital transformation, convenience stores have launched mobile apps to interact with and particularly collecting data from their customers. It is critical to investigate customer experiences in using mobile apps because it paves the way for successful digital transformation. This paper aims to investigate the customer experiences of convenience stores' mobile apps from the online reviews. Method: This study proposed a mobile apps quality model as the theoretical framework to empirically test the online reviews of mobile apps. Large volumes of online reviews generated by customers provide important strategic values for business and service design for mobile apps. This paper collected 40,521 online reviews of two leading convenience stores in Taiwan and analyzed with text analysis and qualitative analysis. Results: Applying text analysis and qualitative analysis, this paper identified the critical quality attributes of mobile apps in the convenience stores that need to be improved. In addition, software quality is the major concern that 7-11 Open Point needs to improve, followed by service quality and information quality respectively. Software quality is also the major concern that FamilyMart app needs to improve the customer experiences, followed by service quality and information quality. Moreover, customer dissatisfaction primarily resulted from problems in software quality and information quality. Instead, convenience, ease of use, and practicability of mobile apps lead to customer satisfaction. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that software quality, information quality, and service quality are critical dimensions in affecting customer experiences in using mobile apps. Although different mobile apps may have different priorities of quality attributes that are needed to be improved, these improvements of mobile apps help to enhance customer experiences and accelerate digital transformation of the convenience stores.


This paper proposes a novel dynamic joint rate and power control procedure for downlink data transmission in a multicell variable spreading factor wideband code-division multiple-access (WCDMA) system where the different users have similar quality-of-service requirements in terms of the signal-to-interference ratio (SIR). Two variations of the dynamic joint rate and power allocation procedure, namely, Algorithm-1 and Algorithm-2, are presented. The performances of these two schemes are compared to the performance of the optimal dynamic link adaptation for which the rate and power allocation is found by an exhaustive search. The optimality criterion is the maximization of the total radio link level capacity (or sum-rate capacity) in terms of the average number of radio link level frame transmitted per adaptation interval under constrained SIR and power limit in the base station transmitter. The proposed schemes have linear time complexity as compared to the exponential time complexity of the optimal scheme and achieve better radio link level throughput fairness compared to the optimal link adaptation scheme with a moderate loss in total throughput. Performance evaluation is carried out under random and directional micromobility models with uncorrelated and correlated long-term fading, respectively, in a cellular WCDMA environment for both the homogeneous (or uniform) and the nonhomogeneous (or nonuniform) traffic load scenarios.


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A cationic molybdenum complex weakens the N–H bond of ammonia and generates H2 Although ammonia (NH3) is made on a vast scale for use in fertilizers, its use as a chemical feedstock or as an energy carrier is much more limited. Many reactions that occur easily with its substitution products (amines) are sluggish for NH3, in part because of the difficulty of activating the N-H bond. For fuel cells, NH3 is attractive because it does not generate greenhouse gases, as do methanol and methane (1), and is more easily stored than hydrogen (H2). Amine-containing organic molecules are used in pharmaceutical and materials applications, and accessing these structures directly from ammonia could limit the generation of by-products during their synthesis (2). Bringing NH3 up to speed for these applications will require both the development of catalysts that can activate the strong N–H bond of ammonia and a fundamental understanding of the N–H bond cleavage step. On page 730 of this issue, Bezdek et al. (3) report a molybdenum complex capable of weakening the N–H bond of NH3 and releasing a H atom to generate H2 under mild conditions.


In the interest of studying the prevention of chronic peritoneal dialysis infections, serial studies of the bacterial epidemiology in peritonitis and of antibiotic prophylaxis, respectively, were carried out. For 18 months, prospective evaluation of catheter exist site cultures, performed at the time patients developed acute peritonitis, showed that Staphylococcus aureus peritonitis was associated with concordant S. aureus at the exist site in 85% of cases, significantly more frequent than that for other organisms (P less than 0.02). Furthermore, active inflammation along with concordant culture results at the exit site characterized more than 60% of S. aureus peritonitis cases, also significantly more than that for other organisms (P less than 0.01). Over the ensuing 2 yr, patients beginning chronic peritoneal dialysis with a new percutaneously placed catheter were prospectively entered into a randomized, controlled trial of long-term antibiotic prophylaxis with trimethoprim-sulfamethoxasole. Patients receiving prophylaxis tended to have fewer episodes of peritonitis; however, the lower rate of peritonitis reached statistical significance only comparing patients who were S. aureus carriers at entry into the study to patients who were not S. aureus carriers. In particular, the prophylaxis trial seemed to reduce the specific incidence of S. aureus peritonitis overall, with S. aureus appearing in only 2 of 28 total peritonitis episodes among treated patients as compared with 11 of 37 total episodes among non-treated patients (P less than 0.01). Further analysis of the time to first peritonitis suggests that the effect of prophylaxis was most prominent during the first 3 months of therapy (P less than 0.02) rather than later in the course of treatment.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


Species distribution models (SDMs) are a tool for predicting the eventual geographical range of an emerging pathogen. Most SDMs, however, rely on an assumption of equilibrium with the environment, which an emerging pathogen, by definition, has not reached. To determine if some SDM approaches work better than others for modelling the spread of emerging, non-equilibrium pathogens, we studied time-sensitive predictive performance of SDMs for Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis, a devastating infectious fungus of amphibians, using multiple methods trained on time-incremented subsets of the available data. We split our data into timeline-based training and testing sets, and evaluated models on each set using standard performance criteria, including AUC, kappa, false negative rate and the Boyce index. Of eight models examined, we found that boosted regression trees and random forests performed best, closely followed by MaxEnt. As expected, predictive performance generally improved with the length of time series used for model training. These results provide information on how quickly the potential extent of an emerging disease may be determined, and identify which modelling frameworks are likely to provide useful information during the early phases of pathogen expansion.


While packet scheduling for wired links is a maturing area, scheduling of wireless links is less mature. A fundamental difference between wired and wireless links is that wireless media can exhibit substantial rates of link errors, resulting in significant and unpredictable loss of link capacity. This capacity loss results in a special challenge for wireless schedulers. For example, a weighted fair queue (WFQ) scheduler assumes an error free link and specifies how flows should share the link capacity. However, this specification is not sufficient to determine the correct outcome when link capacity is sharply reduced, because flows that have been allocated the same weights may differ greatly in their ability to tolerate throughput loss. In this paper, we first describe the wireless scheduling challenge in terms of an effort-outcome disconnection. Next we propose a novel notion of fairness for wireless links, effort-limited fairness (ELF), which extends WFQ via dynamic weight adjustments. ELF guarantees that all flows experiencing an error rate below a per flow threshold receive their expected service, defined as a specified rate for reserved flows or a specified share of best-effort capacity for best effort flows. After motivating and defining ELF, we present a practical approximation algorithm, which we evaluate through both trace-driven simulation and measurement of a prototype wireless radio network based on the WaveLAN physical layer.


We have computed optical images of the female breast based on analysis of tomographic data obtained from simulated time-independent optical measurements of anatomically accurate maps derived from segmented 3D magnetic resonance (MR) images. Images were segmented according to the measured MR contrast levels for fat and parenchymal tissue from T1 weighted acquisitions. Computed images were obtained from analysis of solutions to the forward problem for breasts containing 'added pathologies', representing tumors, to breasts lacking these inclusions. Both breast size and its optical properties have been examined in tissue. In each case, two small simulated tumors were 'added' to the background issue. Values of absorption and scattering coefficients of the tumors have been examined that are both greater and less than the surrounding tissue. Detector responses and the required imaging operators were computed by numerically solving the diffusion equation for inhomogeneous media. Detectors were distributed uniformly, in a circular fashion, around the breast in a plane positioned parallel and half-way between the chest wall and the nipple. A total of 20 sources were used, and for each 20 detectors. Reconstructed images were obtained by solving a linear perturbation equation derived from transport theory. Three algorithms were tested to solve the perturbation equation and include, the methods of conjugate gradient decent (CGD), projection onto convex sets (POCS), and simultaneous algebraic reconstruction technique (SART). Results obtained showed that in each case, high quality reconstructions were obtained. The computed images correctly resolved and identified the spatial position of the two tumors. Additional studies showed that computed images were stable to large systematic errors in the imaging operators and to added noise. Further, examination of the computed detector readings indicate that images of tissue up to approximately 10 cm in thickness should be possible. The results reported are the first to demonstrate that high quality images of small added inclusions can be obtained from anatomically accurate models of thick tissues having arbitrary boundaries based on the analysis of diffusely sscattered light.


In this paper, we present a novel technique that allows for the coupled computation and visualization of salient flow structures at interactive frame rates. Our approach is built upon a hierarchical representation of the Finite-time Lyapunov Exponent (FTLE) field, which is adaptively sampled and rendered to meet the need of the current visual setting. The performance of our method allows the user to explore large and complex data sets across scales and to inspect their features at arbitrary resolution. The paper discusses an efficient implementation of this strategy on graphics hardware and provides results for an analytical flow and several CFD simulation data sets.


A vegetative key, descriptions, and illustrations for the identification of 199 native and naturalized grasses that occur in Mali are presented. In addition, we provide a modern classification, glossary of terms, and indexes to scientific and common names. The key is based on vegetative characters to allow identification of specimens that do not have flowering structures (inflorescences and spikelets). Two new combinations are made, Urochloa orthostachys and  Urochloa stigmatisata , and we lectotypify Panicum orthostachys .  Smithsonian Contributions to Botany , Number 108 , x + 146 pages, 208 figures, 2018.


Aims: Strong epidemiological evidence indicates that physical activity is highly beneficial for health. To follow physical activity trends and correctly target interventions, feasible, reliable and valid assessment methods are needed. This paper examines Swedish women's understanding and interpretations of the concepts of physical activity and exercise, as well as different intensity modifiers used in the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Methods: Four focus group discussions were conducted with 27 women in total aged 35 to 69 (median = 52). Responses and accompanying discussion were analysed according to the principles for qualitative content analysis including both manifest and latent content in the text. Findings: Understanding of physical activity and exercise depends on differences in people's experiences. The women felt physical activity and exercise were different concepts, but ultimately agreed that physical activity and exercise were terms along a continuum of movement experiences, from informal to formal settings. The interpretations of the intensity modifiers ``moderate'' and ``vigorous'' were close to the formal definitions in IPAQ. However the Swedish terms ``mattligt anstraöngande'' (moderate intensity) and ''mycket anstraöngande'' (vigorous intensity) are the best possible terms and should be used in IPAQ. Conclusions: There are different interpretations of the meaning of the key concepts in IPAQ that must be considered. The use of a qualitative approach when developing physical activity questionnaires can lead to more feasible, reliable and valid assessment methods as well as a clearer message for health-enhancing physical activity recommendations.


The PowerPC 405LP system-on-a-chip (SoC) processor, which was developed for high-content, battery-powered application space, provides dynamic voltage-scaling and onthe-fly frequency-scaling capabilities that allow the system and applications to adapt to changes in their performance demands and power constraints during operation. The 405LP operates over a voltage supply range of 1.95 to 0.9 V with a range of power efficiencies of 1.0 to 3.9 MIPS/mW when executing the Dhrystone benchmark. Operating system and application software support allow the applications to take full advantage of the energy-efficiency capabilities of the SoC. This paper describes the organization of the SoC design, details the capabilities provided in the design to match the performance and power consumption with the need of the application, describes how these capabilities are employed, and presents measured results for the PowerPC 405LP processor.


WANG, QIQI. An Investigation of Aerosol Filtration via Fibrous Filters. (Under the direction of Hooman Vahedi Tafreshi and Behnam Pourdeyhimi.) The most common method of removing particles from a gas stream is via fibrous filters. However, most of the previous studies have been limited to systems consisting of rows of fibers (often in two-dimensional geometries) perpendicular to the flow direction. The current work is aiming to develop an understanding of the role of filter's microstructure and manufacturing process. In the first part of this study, pressure drop and nanoparticle collection efficiency of lightweight spun-bonded media are simulated by solving the Navier-Stokes equations inside three-dimensional geometries resembling the microstructure of such media. These pressure drop and collection efficiencies showed a perfect agreement with experimental data. In the second part of this work, the influences of fiber length and compaction ratio of filter media on the pressure drop are discussed. Simulation data of staple fiber media have shown good agreement with Davies' empirical equation. Such an agreement indicates that, within the range of dimensions considered, the fiber length has no significant influence on the materials' through-plane permeability as long as the SVF remains constant. Our simulation results for nonwovens with different compaction ratios, together with our experimental data, indicate that pressure drop of the porous media increases with increasing the compaction ratio or temperature of the calender rolls. In the third part of this work, we presented our approach for modeling permeability of fibrous filters with bimodal fiber size distributions (referred to as bimodal filters in this context). The three-dimensional microstructures resembling bimodal filter media with random in-plane fiber orientation distribution were generated to compute their permeability constants. These results were compared with the previous analytical and numerical models as well as our experimental data. Here we concluded that there exists an area-weighted equivalent average diameter for each bimodal filter that can be used in the existing expressions for calculating the permeability of unimodal filters. The last part of this thesis is dedicated to studying the permeability woven fabrics. Concerned with the accuracy of the homogeneous anisotropic lumped model of Gebart (1992) for predicting the permeability of multifilament fabrics, we devised a series of numerical simulations conducted in full three-dimensional geometry of idealized multifilament woven fabrics wherein the filaments were packed in Hexagonal arrangements. While a relatively good agreement was obtained, our results indicate that Gebart's model underestimates the permeability of multifilament fabrics at high yarn's solid volume fractions. We also simulated the pressure drop of monofilament woven fabrics under tension where we observed a logarithmic relationship between the discharge coefficient and the Reynolds number of the flow. An Investigation of Aerosol Filtration via Fibrous Filters


The first of its kind, "100 Clear Grammar Tests" contains 100 photocopiable tests, written to test students' comprehension of the most essential beginning and intermediate ESL grammar points. The tests are arranged by topic in a sequence that matches the one found in the "Clear Grammar" series but can also be used with other grammar series on the market.The tests contain a wide array of question types, including matching, multiple choice, error location and correction, completion, connecting sentence parts, rearranging word order, grammatical identification, and true/false."Clear Grammar" is a three-book grammar series for students at the beginning and intermediate levels. The "Clear Grammar" series teaches basic grammatical concepts, provides ample speaking and writing practice in grammatical structures, and serves as a grammar reference that is written with language and terms that students can understand without teacher assistance.


have found 22 reported cases of cytogenetically recognis- able, non-homologous, non-Robertsonian dicentric autosomes. 1–19 We present four new cases of non-homologous, non-Robertsonian dicentric autosomes with centromeres distinguishable by standard cytogenetic tech-niques; two were inherited from asymptomatic carriers and two occurred de novo in children with deletion 18p syndrome phenotype. Metaphase chromosomes were obtained from peripheral blood or amniocytes harvested according to standard pro- tocols. GTG banding was performed on all cases. C banding using Ba(OH) 2 was used. Fluorescence in situ hybridi- sation (FISH) of alpha satellite sequences was performed on metaphase chromosomes according to the protocols provided by ONCOR. FISH with a 16q subtelomeric sequence was performed according to the protocol provided by AL Technology.


STUDY DESIGN
Prospective randomized placebo controlled double blind trial.

OBJECTIVE
To examine the effect of ESP block after minimally invasive posterior stabilization for vertebral fractures on opioid consumption, pain, blood loss, disability level, and wound healing complications.

METHODOLOGY
Patients indicated for minimal invasive posterior stabilisation were included to the study. Our primary outcome was the opioid consumption and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) measured during the first 48 hours. Secondary outcomes used to measure the short-term outcome included Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Patient Reported Outcome Spine Trauma (PROST).

RESULTS
In total, 60 patients were included with a 93.3% follow-up. Average morphine consumption during the PACU (Post Anaesthesia Care Unit) period was 5.357 mg in ESP group and 8.607 mg in placebo group (P = .004). Average VAS during first 24 hour was 3.944 in ESP group and 5.193 in placebo group (P = .046). Blood loss was 14.8 g per screw in ESP group and 15.4 g in placebo group (P = .387). The day2 PROST value was 33.9 in ESP group and 28.8 in placebo group (P = .008) and after 4 weeks 55.2 in ESP group and 49.9 in placebo group (P = .036). No significant differences in ODI were detected.

CONCLUSION
The use of ESP block in minimally invasive spinal surgery for posterior fracture stabilization leads to a significant reduction of opioid consumption during PACU stay by 37.7%. Reduction of opioid consumption was accompanied with lower pain (VAS). We found positive effect of the ESP block on short term outcome scores, but no effect on perioperative blood loss and wound healing.