The change of magnetic flux as a function of applied tensive stress has been investigated under geomagnetic field for a cuboid specimen of 0.45% wt C steel. A hole was drilled in the center of the specimen to generate stress concentration and the stress concentration of the specimen was theoretic calculated. The magnetic flux near the surface was measured using a reluctance effect sensor with sensitivity of 5 2 10 Gs − × in directions parallel and perpendicular to tensile direction. To each specimen magnetic field distributions of 9 stress cycles, amplitude form 0kN to 120kN, were measured. The results showed a reversible dependence of this field on tensile after the first few stress cycles. Correlation coefficients of these data also show this trend. During the cycles, domain motion and rotation occurred in response to tensile stress. This change included reversible and irreversible process. After several tensile cycles at same stress amplitude, all irreversible components were overcome and the change of magnetic field became mostly reversible. Comparing with the previous work, the reversible magnetic field versus tensile stress shows clearer and more valuable relationship between stress and field.


Previous research has assessed the potential of solar energy against possible demand; however, the sustainability issues associated with the use of large-scale photovoltaic deployment in urban areas have not been jointly established. In this paper, the impact of photovoltaic energy in the total urban energy mix is estimated using a series of indicators that consider the economic, environmental and social dimensions. These indicators have been previously applied at the country level; the main contribution of this research is applying them at the urban level to the city of Cuenca, Ecuador. Cuenca is close to the equatorial line and at a high altitude, enabling this area to reach the maximum self-supply index because of the high irradiation levels and reduced demand. The solar potential was estimated using a simple methodology that applies several indexes that were proven reliable in a local context considering this particular sun path. The results demonstrate that the solar potential can meet the electric power demand of this city, and only the indicator related to employment is positive and substantially affected. The indicators related to the price of energy, emissions and fossil fuel dependency do not change significantly, unless a fuel-to-electricity transport system conversions take place.


This paper concerns measurements on an electromagnetic six Degrees-of-Freedom (DoF) anti-vibration system that has been realized recently. The heart of this system is a fully passive permanent-magnet device which acts as a contactless magnetic spring. As such, the gravity force of a floating rigid metrology frame (730 kg) is compensated by the passive interaction between the permanent magnets in this device. The low position dependency of this force, or stiffness, is an important system property for floor vibration isolation. This 6-DoF system is stabilized by closed-loop controlled Lorentz actuators based on position feedback. The static force and torque of this system have been obtained experimentally to validate the modeling and design of the device. The results indicate a temperature sensitivity of 1.70/00/K which corresponds to -12.1 N/K compared to the vertical force of 7.2 kN. The passive force and torque produced by the gravity compensator have linear relation with translational and rotational displacements. The predicted low stiffness property of this system is validated by the stiffness matrix derived from static measurements. The total power consumption is position dependent and remains within a range of 0.3~6 W.


Quantum discord is a measure of quantum correlation beyond entanglement. Computing quantum discord for simple quantum states is a basic problem. An analytical formula of quantum discord for two-qubit $X$ states is first claimed in [Ali, Rau, and Alber, Phys. Rev. A 81, 042105 (2010)], but later found to be not always correct. I observe numerically that the formula is valid with worst-case absolute error 0.0021. For symmetric two-qubit $X$ states, I give a counterexample to the analytical formula derived in [F. F. Fanchini et al., Phys. Rev. A 81, 052107 (2010)], but observe that the formula is valid with worst-case absolute error 0.0006. The formula has been used in many research papers. The results in all these works are approximately correct, even if they may not be exactly correct.


Lung branching morphogenesis has been widely studied in the field of developmental biology. Lung airway trees consist of relatively regular-sized distal branches, but how this regular branched pattern is formed is not well understood. In the present study, we undertake a detailed mathematical analysis of the model proposed in (Hartmann & Miura (2006), which numerically captures branching morphogenesis of the simplest possible experimental system in vitro. We investigate analytically the stability of 1D travelling waves with respect to periodic perturbations in two dimensions. This linear stability analysis leads to the so-called dispersion relations, predicting that a certain representative length dominates in this model. As the analytical analysis is restricted to travelling waves, we generalize the linear analysis to any 1D solution by numerical simulations. Both results predict how the representative lengths will change by experimentally changing specific parameters. Finally, we discuss the importance of the analytical results from a biological point of view and propose an experimental scheme for a quantitative comparison between experiments and theory.


Abstract This paper compares SPS-requirements of the USA and of the EU from the perspective of the processing establishment, and analyzes the consequences of differences for national as well as firm policies. Differences in safety requirements may impede the competitiveness of the food industry. Backward, forward and location-specific requirements are described to see whether the US- and EU SPS-requirements are comparable. The paper shows that the systems are quite similar, although individual standards can defer. Such differences influence not only the compliance costs, but also prospected mending costs. Only the first category has been stressed by science and practice. It is shown that opposite effects of the two cost categories when safety levels increase, can lead to different interpretations by firms versus national authorities. It is concluded that differences in SPSs can be bridged by means of effective dispute settlement within the WTO. To assess the gravity of such disputes an economic analysis of the before-mentioned cost categories should be combined with a analysis of consumer perceptions. Differences in consumer perception (as is the case with hormone-use in the production of meat) can be addressed by means of improved compliance efforts, or by means of compensation. Economically, both could lead to the same economic equilibrium, as national as well as firms could desire the same safety levels.' Key words International trade, food safety, administrative burdens, competitiveness, food policy


Engineering a small diameter vascular graft with mechanical and biological properties comparable to living tissues remains challenging. Often, current devices lead to thrombosis and unsatisfactory long-term patency as a result of poor blood compatibility and a mismatch between the mechanical properties of the living tissue and the implanted biomaterial. Addressing all these requirements is essential to produce scaffolds able to survive throughout the life of the patient. For this purpose, we fabricated a novel three-layered vascular graft by combining electrospinning and braiding. Mirroring the structure of human blood vessels, the proposed device is composed of three layers: the intima, the media, and the adventitia. The intima and media layers were obtained by sequentially electrospinning silk fibroin (SF) and poly(L-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone), with ratios selected to match the mechanical properties of the native tissue. For the outer layer, the adventitia, SF yarns were braided on top of the electrospun tubes to create a structure able to withstand high pressures. Compliance, Young's modulus and deformability of the obtained scaffold were similar to that of human blood vessels. Additionally, cytocompatibility of the two layers, media and intima, was assessed in vitro by analysing cell metabolic activity and proliferation of endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells, respectively. Furthermore, heparin functionalization of the scaffolds led to improved anticoagulant properties upon incubation in whole blood. The obtained results indicate a potential application of the herewith designed three-layered construct as a vascular graft for small diameter blood vessel engineering.


,2020 ABSTRACT : In our previous study, the mitigating effect of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) on the intensity of end-gas auto-ignition was observed. In this paper, the mechanism of the effect was investigated through chemical analysis and combustion experiments using a rapid compression and expansion machine (RCEM). Comprehensive GC×GC with time of flight mass spectroscopy (GCxGC-TOFMS) was performed, and the generation of alkyl-hydroperoxide (ROOH) was successfully confirmed for the first time, based on accurate mass analysis. To study the mechanism of the mitigation effect, the influence of ozone was assessed using different fuel-air mixtures, such as primary reference fuel (PRF90) and surrogate gasoline (S5R). The addition of ozone showed the same mitigation effect in the case of PRF90, but a lesser effect in the case of S5R. A characteristic blue light was also observed when ozone was mixed in the end gas prior to auto-ignition. Since ozone is known to promote low temperature oxidation (LTO) reactions, the effect of DBD application likely involves the same mechanism. The difference in effect with the different fuels may be explained in terms of an ozonolysis reaction, because S5R contains olefins and PRF90 does not. Since applying DBD to the fuel-air mixture did not show a difference in effect, between S5R and PRF90, the DBD mitigation phenomena is not induced by ozone, but a plausible candidate is the ROOH. To investigate the precursor phenomena to the blue light emission, planer laser induced fluorescence measurement (PLIF) for formaldehyde (HCHO) was employed in the combustion experiment. Without DBD application, the HCHO distribution in the end gas exhibited gradual homogenization before auto-ignition; whereas, with applied DBD, the characteristic blue flame appeared in the inhomogeneous distribution of HCHO in the end-gas region. This result may support the hypothesis that the mitigating effect is caused by the promotion, by DBD-induced ROOH, of inhomogeneous progress in the end-gas chemical


Cardiovascular diseases are increasingly common in many countries. Cardiovascular risk (CVR) patients can continue their daily activities, but they must be monitored continuously in order to detect and respond to cardiovascular emergencies in the shortest possible time. Monitoring provides information to the medical personnel, which helps them make a diagnosis and decide upon a tailored treatment. This paper proposes a decision support system composed of three levels, which generates alarms when abnormal conditions occur in patients with CVR who are not hospitalized. The proposed system uses fuzzy methods of supervised and unsupervised classification to integrate qualitative representations of six physiological variables (heart rate, pulse strength, heart rate variability, temperature, movement and oxygen saturation). The first level determines whether the state is normal or alarm. The second level determines the degree of membership to sets of normal situations as well as to six possible groups of cardiovascular disease (Chest Pain, Syncope, Dyspnea, Metabolic Alterations Impacting Cardiovascular System or Miscellaneous). Finally, the third level determines specific membership to a selected group of cardiovascular emergencies. The proposed system proves to be useful for detecting abnormal patient events within the variables measured, and indicates degrees of membership to different emergency conditions in order to support the decision-making process of emergency responders.


According to the situation of randomness and fuzziness existing in the actual project, this paper proposed a reliability-credibility model based on fuzzy theory, possibility theory and credibility theory. At firstly, a reliability-possibility distribution curve was constructed by the traditional stress-strength interference model, then, a reliability distribution function was established based on this. This model built a bridge between credibility and reliability in handling randomness and fuzziness. The research results show that the model can hand the situation of random information and fuzzy information coexistence well, and the acceptable level of reliability and the most credible reliability value can be reflected directly in the reliability-credibility distribution curve. Compared with other methods, it obtains more reliability information, accords with the actual engineering situation and guides reliability engineering design much better.


Milner (1984) introduced a process semantics for regular expressions as process graphs. Unlike for the language semantics, where every regular (that is, DFA-accepted) language is the interpretation of some regular expression, there are finite process graphs that are not bisimilar to the process interpretation of any regular expression. For reasoning about graphs that are expressible by regular expressions modulo bisimilarity it is desirable to have structural representations of process graphs in the image of the interpretation. For '1-free' regular expressions, their process interpretations satisfy the structural property LEE (loop existence and elimination). But this is not in general the case for all regular expressions, as we show by examples. Yet as a remedy, we describe the possibility to recover the property LEE for a close variant of the process interpretation. For this purpose we refine the process semantics of regular expressions to yield process graphs with 1-transitions, similar to silent moves for finite-state automata.


Appropriate surgical strategies for management of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMNs) of the pancreas are a matter of debate. Preoperative and intraoperative evaluation of malignant potential of IPMN and of patient's comorbidities is of paramount importance to balance potential complications of surgery with tumors' risk of being or becoming malignant; the decision about the extent of pancreatic resection and the eventual total pancreatectomy needs to be determined on individual basis. The analysis of frozen-section margin of pancreas during operation is mandatory. The goal should be the complete resection of IPMN reaching negative margin, although there is still no agreed definition of "negative margin." Of note, the presence of deepithelization is often wrongly interpreted as absence of neoplasia. Management of resection margin status and stratification of surveillance of the remnant pancreas, based on characteristics of primary tumour, are of crucial importance in the management of IPMNs in order to decrease the risk of tumor recurrence after resection. Although risk of local and distant recurrence for invasive IPMNs is increased even in case of total pancreatectomy, also local recurrence after complete resection of noninvasive IPMNs is not negligible. Therefore, a long-term/life-time follow-up monitoring is of paramount importance to detect eventual recurrences.


Abstract. The aim of this work is to investigate how the spatial variability of soil properties and soil erodibility ($K$ factor) were affected by the changes in land use allowed by irrigation with water from a reservoir in a semiarid area. To this end, three areas representative of different land uses (agroforestry grassland, lucerne crop and olive orchard) were studied within a 900 ha farm. The interrelationships between variables were analyzed by multivariate techniques and extrapolated using geostatistics. The results confirmed differences between land uses for all properties analyzed, which was explained mainly by the existence of diverse management practices (tillage, fertilization and irrigation), vegetation cover and local soil characteristics. Soil organic matter, clay and nitrogen content decreased significantly, while the K factor increased with intensive cultivation. The HJ-Biplot methodology was used to represent the variation of soil erodibility properties grouped in land uses. Native grassland was the least correlated with the other land uses. The K factor demonstrated high correlation mainly with very fine sand and silt. The maps produced with geostatistics were crucial to understand the current spatial variability in the Alqueva region. Facing the intensification of land-use conversion, a sustainable management is needed to introduce protective measures to control soil erosion.


Objectives: The long-term effects of amino acid–based formula (AAF) in the treatment of cow's milk allergy (CMA) are largely unexplored. The present study comparatively evaluates body growth and protein metabolism in CMA children treated with AAF or with extensively hydrolyzed whey formula (eHWF), and healthy controls. Methods: A 12-month multicenter randomized control trial was conducted in outpatients with CMA (age 5–12 m) randomized in 2 groups, treated with AAF (group 1) and eHWF (group 2), and compared with healthy controls (group 3) fed with follow-on (if age <12 months) or growing-up formula (if age >12 months). At enrolment (T0), after 3 (T3), 6 (T6), and 12 months (T12) a clinical evaluation was performed. At T0 and T3, in subjects with CMA serum levels of albumin, urea, total protein, retinol-binding protein, and insulin-like growth factor 1 were measured. Results: Twenty-one subjects in group 1 (61.9% boys, age 6.5 ± 1.5 months), 19 in group 2 (57.9% boys, age 7 ± 1.7 months) and 25 subjects in group 3 (48% boys, age 5.5 ± 0.5 months) completed the study. At T0, the weight z score was similar in group 1 (−0.74) and 2 (−0.76), with differences compared to group 3 (−0.17, P < 0.05). At T12, the weight z score value was similar between the 3 groups without significant differences. There were no significant changes in protein metabolism in children in groups 1 and 2. Conclusion: Long-term treatment with AAF is safe and allows adequate body growth in children with CMA.


This paper presents Electrical Failure Analysis (EFA) and Physical Failure Analysis (PFA) on a random time zero (t0) gate oxide defect within an IBM processor manufactured with a 14nm SOI (Silicon On Insulator) FinFET technology. The natures of the Functional Fail, the gate oxide defect, and the transistor characteristics are included.
 The impact of this gate oxide defect to product yield and performance, plus the extent to which it extends across the product chip, which includes passing circuits, is covered. Since chips, which may contain this defect, could be present within the entire product lifecycle, the reliability aspects of the defect at the transistor level were investigated.
 Among the various reliability stresses available for transistors, Constant Voltage Stress (CVS) Bias Temperature Instability (BTI) was chosen. CVS BTI stressing was able to be performed on both the NFETs and PFETs within the Inverter of the failing circuit, plus other identical reference circuits.
 The BTI stress nanoprobing is covered. This includes an overview of BTI stressing, confirming the nanoprobing system and electrical stress/test programs are adequate for BTI stressing, BTI stress methodologies for Inverters, plus the BTI stress results.
 The transistor level BTI stress results are discussed and compared to other published BTI literature. Finally, the reliability aspects of this gate oxide defect are discussed.


Fe3O4@P(DVB/MAA)/Pd composite microspheres were synthesized with a combination of coating and loading processes using Fe3O4 nanoparticles as a core. A series of characterizations revealed that a combination of Fe3O4 coated with a thin polymer shell and deposited Pd nanoparticles was successful. The saturation magnetization of Fe3O4@P(DVB/MAA)/Pd was 55.2 emu g−1 and the Pd content was 21.3%. Degradation activity studies confirmed that the as-obtained microspheres showed excellent degradation behavior towards RhB. The degradation efficiency of the Fe3O4@P(DVB/MAA)/Pd microspheres for rhodamine B (RhB) can reach 99.6% within 90 s. The regenerated catalyst still showed a catalytic degradation percentage of 98% after being used fifteen times. Meanwhile, the obtained catalyst also displayed degradation ability for other organic dyes. Using Fe3O4@P(DVB/MAA)/Pd microspheres is a very promising approach for the remediation of wastewater containing organic dyes due to the fast degradation rate, high degradation efficiency and excellent reusability.


We have investigated the influence of in-situ H2 etching on the surface morphology of the 4H-SiC substrate prior to homoepitaxial growth. In this study, we varied the types of gas atmosphere during in-situ H2 etching; namely, hydrogen (H2) alone, hydrogen-propane (H2+C3H8), and hydrogen-silane (H2+SiH4). We found that in-situ H2 etching using H2 + SiH4 significantly improved the surface morphology of 4H-SiC substrate just after in-situ H2 etching. By adding SiH4, formation of bunched step structure during in-situ H2 etching could be significantly suppressed. In addition, H2 etching using H2 + SiH4 was able to remove scratches by etching a thinner layer than that using H2 alone. We also discussed the in-situ H2 etching mechanism under the additional SiH4 condition.


Fixed-clamped flexures are one common component of compliant mechanisms which remain difficult to design due to their unique force- and stress-deflection profiles. In this work, an analytical stress-deflection model for fixed-clamped flexures is proposed that utilizes a modified pseudo-rigid-body model. Proof of concept mechanical testing and finite element analysis demonstrate that the model can predict forces and stresses within 3.5% for a range of steel flexure topologies. Special analysis is carried out on the characteristic radius factor, a parameter to which model accuracy is particularly sensitive. For slender flexures or large deflection scenarios, a dynamic characteristic radius factor is required to capture the resulting nonlinear axial strain. By evaluating the effects of loading, geometry, and material properties, an analytical equation that can predict an optimal value is proposed. When integrated into our model, this equation for an appropriate characteristic radius factor can predict the optimal parameter value within 0.45 +/- 0.47%, resulting in average model error of 3.45 +/- 2.09% across a large range of flexure thicknesses and deflections. The distinct combination of axial and bending stresses experienced in fixed-clamped flexures has made mechanisms which use these members challenging to design. This work provides a model that designers, engineers, and researchers can draw from to understand stress profiles present in these flexible members.


Patient Safety in the Operating Room updates the reader on improvements in patient safety in the new millennium. This excellent monograph even includes a reference as to when the first operating theaters were built at St. Thomas Hospital in 1751 (page 96). In the 1960s, halogenated inhalation agents replaced explosive ether and cyclopropane. In the 1980s, pulse oximetry and capnography became mandatory for all patients and the American Society of Anesthesiologists Closed Claims Projects attributed dramatic reductions in the incidence of undiagnosed esophageal intubation and cerebral anoxia to the monitoring of these two physiologic variables. However, at the close of the 20th century, other causes of harm seemed intractable. For example, drug errors continued to occur at a rate of 1/133 anesthetics. The story covered in this monograph begins in the 21st-century operating room with computer-equipped barcode readers that can scan drug labels directly into the electronic medical record. This basic innovation, available at checkout counters worldwide, coupled with pharmacy-prepared, ready to use syringes stamped with electronically printed labels, should help eliminate many drug errors. Even electronic infusion pumps are now incorporating scanners to prevent improper programming of drug infusion rates. The chapter devoted to central-line placement concludes that technology should replace blind-insertion techniques. Ultrasonography should target the internal jugular vein and guide wire placement. Should video endoscopes routinely be used to verify placement of endotracheal tubes above the carina? Checklists, protocols, and algorithms now abound for managing the difficult airway, cardiac arrest, and transfusion reaction. The list has grown as the utility of having a comprehensive set of instructions to use as a guide for infrequent challenges and has proven invaluable. The electronic medical record can be programmed to display these lists, which can then be available for both documentation and prevention of omission of a critical drug or laboratory test, for example, tryptase level when anaphylaxis is suspected. Not only do critical events need checklists but also routine handoffs in the operating room and intensive care unit need to be documented in the electronic medical record. The chapter on checklists includes one for verifying a properly functioning anesthesia machine (page 184). Dr. Spiess bemoans that it is "not documented in a rigid manner the way that aviation documents preflight checklist completion." The electronic medical record should be able to fill this void. One can take the approach that all errors are amenable to technological fixes. The chapter "Decision Making, Situation Awareness, and Communication Skills in the Operating Room" is the most intriguing of the whole volume. The psychology of decision making under uncertainty is covered. It reviews the Nobel prize–winning work of Kahneman and Twersky in economic theory and applies it to critical medical decision making. In summary, we are either intuitive or analytical. The former uses previous experience to categorize situations and is prone to cognitive biases (examples listed on pages 115–117). The latter, analytical, lends itself to computer programming. It has its basis in Babbage's 19th-century mechanical computer. In the 20th century, Turing and the staff at Bletchley Park used the first electronic computer, Colossus, to decipher German military codes. We are all aware of IBM's Big Blue and Watson's ability to defeat chess and Jeopardy champions. Patient Safety in the Operating Room concentrates on areas where anesthesiologists work, but we all know patient safety begins long before the patient enters the operating room. There is an expression: "it takes a whole village to raise a child." Similarly, the entire hospital staff must be actively involved to enable the patient to be safely discharged from the medical center. The medical technician, who must identify the patient, draw and label the blood with the correct code, is as active a participant in this whole process as is the surgeon and anesthesiologist. Even the "pit crew" that scrubs the operating room floor and disposes of the waste during room turnover must follow proper protocol. I would like to see a sequel to this monograph that would include the topics of fire prevention, electrical, laser, and radiation safety in both interventional radiology and the magnetic resonance imaging suite. Perhaps, it could include patient transport safety in ambulances and helicopters. More mundane checklists to include making sure the operating room table and gurney are locked before patient transfer would be helpful.


Hysterical "epidemics" of "epilepsy" are well known in Eastern and Western cultures. A unique situation in the United States in the 19th and 20th centuries was the American religious movement, the setting in which "the jerks" occurred. Descriptions of various types of "jerks," including dancing, barking, laughing exercise, running exercise, and singing exercise are described.


The diet of Risso's dolphin in the Mediterranean is described based on 15 animals stranded between 40°25'N 00°32'W and 37°35'N 00°45'E from April 1987 to January 2003. The prey were mainly oceanic cephalopods. Pelagic octopods, especially A. argo, were the most abundant (mean = 41.28%; SD±34.32). Species belonging to the families Ommastrephidae, Histioteuthidae and Onychoteuthidae were also frequent components of its diet. The bathymetric distribution of cephalopods shows that Risso's dolphin preferentially feeds on the middle slope (600 to 800 m depth) in the Mediterranean.


In cultured hippocampal neurons, transient receptor potential 5 (TRPC5) channels are translocated and inserted into plasma membranes of hippocampal neurons to generate nonselective cation (NSC) currents. We investigated whether TRPC5 channel translocation also contributes to the generation of NSC currents underlying the afterdepolarizations and plateau potentials (PPs) in hippocampal pyramidal cells that are induced by muscarinic receptor activation. Using a biotinylation assay to quantify the change in surface membrane proteins in acute hippocampal slices, we found that muscarinic stimulation significantly enhanced the levels of TRPC5 protein on the membrane surface but not those of TRPC1 or TRPC4 channels. We then investigated the pharmacological sensitivity of the cation current observed during muscarinic stimulation to determine if a component could be due to TRPC5 channels. The TRPC channel antagonists 2‐APB and SKF96365 strongly depressed the generation of PPs, the underlying tail currents (Itail) and the associated dendritic Ca2+ influx induced by muscarinic receptor activation in pyramidal neurons. High intracellular concentrations of ATP, which specifically inhibit TRPC5 channels, depressed Itail. In addition, pretreatment with the calmodulin (CaM) inhibitor W‐7, which depresses recombinant TRPC5 currents, inhibited both the cation current (Itail) and the surface insertion of TRPC5 channels. Finally, the phosphatidylinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K) inhibitor wortmannin, which blocks translocation of TRPC5 channels in cell culture, also inhibited both the Itail and the surface insertion of TRPC5 channels. Therefore, we conclude that insertion of TRPC5 channels contributes to the generation of the prolonged afterdepolarizations following muscarinic stimulation. This altered plasma membrane expression of TRPC5 channels in pyramidal neurons may play an important role in the generation of prolonged neuronal depolarization and bursting during the epileptiform seizure discharges of epilepsy. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.


The controlled storage and release of hydrogen are still pivotal issues for upcoming hydrogen economy due to the imminent depletion of energy from traditional sources. The synthesis of water oxidation electrocatalysts which are low-cost, earth-abundant and highly efficient is an important prerequisite for the release of hydrogen from water under mild conditions for practical applications. In this article, we have designed and investigated a 3D hybrid Co3O4@Ni3S2/NF composite via successive hydrothermal and calcination methods for the first time, in which Ni3S2 nanosheets coated on Co3O4 nanoneedle arrays with unique hierarchically porous morphology were directly grown on nickel foam. Due to the positive synergistic effect of the 1D Co3O4 nanoneedles and the 2D Ni3S2 nanosheets, the hybrid Co3O4@Ni3S2/NF composite can be considered to be an efficient oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalyst with an overpotential of 260 mV at a current density of 20 mA cm−2 in 1.0 M KOH. The combination of Co3O4 and in situ formed α-Ni(OH)2 on the surface of Ni3S2 nanosheets during the OER resulted in dramatic electrocatalyst performance and excellent stability, providing a novel approach for the design of an effective and efficient OER electrode.


Optimal immune responses furnish long-lasting (durable) antibodies protective across dynamically mutating viral variants (broad). To assess robustness of mRNA vaccine-induced immunity, we compared antibody durability and breadth after SARS-CoV-2 infection and vaccination. While vaccination delivered robust initial virus-specific antibodies with some cross-variant coverage, pre-variant SARS-CoV-2 infection-induced antibodies, while modest in magnitude, showed highly stable long-term antibody dynamics. Vaccination after infection induced maximal antibody magnitudes with enhanced longitudinal stability while infection-naïve vaccinee antibodies fell with time to post-infection-alone levels. The composition of antibody neutralizing activity to variant relative to original virus also differed between groups, with infection-induced antibodies demonstrating greater relative breadth. Differential antibody durability trajectories favored COVID-19-recovered subjects with dual memory B cell features of greater early antibody somatic mutation and cross-coronavirus reactivity. By illuminating an infection-mediated antibody breadth advantage and an anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody durability-enhancing function conferred by recalled immunity, these findings may serve as guides for ongoing vaccine strategy improvement.


Stainless steel is a material which has good quality where it is always used by some products now; equipments or other industry. Stainless steel in the world as J201, J202, JSL AUS (J1), J304Cu and J4, all kinds of it has structure with condition supported by high temperature. Stainless with high power, with superior recognized, ability to weld or connect and endure of corrosion. (www.jindalstainless.com).
One of the continuous manners is welding process at this time. Welding is an important carrying out job in production technology. Welding is a process of connecting between two parts of metal or by using heat energy.
In welding construction always used good power and preserve metal or main metal. But then because of welding process, the power and preserve of metal can change because of condition or the way and procedure of welding, (Wiryo Sumarto and Okumura, 2000).


Abstract The identification of a suitable distribution model is a prerequisite for the parametric estimation of reference intervals and other statistical laboratory tasks. Classification of normal vs. lognormal distributions from healthy populations is easy, but from mixed populations, containing unknown proportions of abnormal results, it is challenging. We demonstrate that Bowley's skewness coefficient differentiates between normal and lognormal distributions. This classifier is robust and easy to calculate from the quartiles Q1–Q3 according to the formula (Q1 − 2 · Q2 + Q3)/(Q3 − Q1). We validate our algorithm with a more complex procedure, which optimizes the exponent λ of a power transformation. As a practical application, we show that Bowley's skewness coefficient is suited selecting the adequate distribution model for the estimation of reference limits according to a recent International Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (IFCC) recommendation, especially if the data is right-skewed.


Objective: To assess the practices of Rotavirus surveillance, identifying the positive aspects and the difficulties found through the evaluation model from the Enhanced Surveillance of Rotavirus Diarrheal Diseases. Methods: This is an evaluative and qualitative research performed in two different Brazilian states between March and November 2010. Participated in the evaluation 14 subjects in total (from central, state and municipal level), which were submitted to tape-recorded interviews using semi-structured questionnaires, along with conduction of document analysis and direct observation of routine service within their respective units. This information allowed to feed a judgment matrix, thus highlighting the various aspects comprising the system operation. Results: Positive aspects were observed (the sensitivity to capture cases, the system acceptability by the technicians involved, the proper physical structure and the training and updating of technicians), and operational difficulties when conducting surveillance activities (the shortage of human and financial resources and the low opportunity of the information system). Conclusion: The results suggest the low effectiveness of the monitoring system adopted, indicating that the sentinel type of surveillance may not be the most appropriate for the health system in the studied states.


This paper addresses the need to integrate formal assertions into the modeling, implementation, and testing of statechart based designs. The paper describes an iterative process for the development and verification of statechart prototype models augmented with statechart assertions using the StateRover tool. The novel aspects of the proposed process include (1) writing formal specifications using statechart assertions, (2) JUnit-based simulation and validation of statechart assertions, (3) JUnit-based simulation and testing of statechart prototype models augmented with statechart assertions, (4) automatic, JUnit-based, white-box testing of statechart prototypes augmented with statechart assertions, and (5) spiral adjustment of model and specification using the test results. We demonstrate the proposed process with a prototype of a safety-critical computer assisted resuscitation algorithm (CARA) software for a casualty intravenous fluid infusion pump


Background. The majority of liver transplant centers require a 6-month abstinence period before listing candidates for liver transplantation with alcoholic cirrhosis and a persistent sobriety thereafter. We attempted to identify risk factors for failure to comply with these requirements. Methods. Ninety-nine consecutive patients with alcoholic cirrhosis were referred for liver transplant evaluation between September 1996 and May 1998. The mean age was 49 years, 74% were male, and 54% were hepatitis C virus positive. To be listed, patients had to meet the following requirements. All patients received extensive psychosocial evaluations and were frequently monitored with random urine and blood alcohol tests; patients found positive were excluded or removed from the liver transplant waiting list. Detailed patient information was entered into a computerized database, and 36 discreet variables were analyzed in relation to success (patient listed and remained on the list) or failure (not listed or removed from the list based on noncompliance). Results. Forty-nine patients were successfully listed. Nineteen received a transplant, with a 95% 1-year patient and graft survival rate and 21% alcohol relapse rate after transplantation. Twenty-two patients had either medical contraindication and/or died before transplant listing. Twenty-four patients were never listed and four were removed from the list due to recurrent alcoholism, for a total of 28 failures. Our statistical analysis identified five significant risk factors for failure: (I) living arrangement (alone/family versus community/friend), P =0.006; (II) history of suicide ideation, P =0.03; (III) history of previous alcohol-related hospitalization, P =0.01; (IV) lack of previous alcoholic rehabilitation before transplant evaluation, P =0.001; and (V) failure to accept further alcoholic rehabilitation before orthotopic liver transplantation, P =0.01. Conclusions. Our experience confirms that transplantation can be extremely successful in properly selected patients with alcoholic cirrhosis. We identified several predictive psychosocial factors of early alcoholic recidivism in transplant candidates.


Steel box girder systems are being used more frequently for curved bridges because of their torsional stiffness and aesthetic appearance. These systems typically consist of U-shaped girders placed side-by-side with a composite concrete deck acting as the top flange. A critical design stage for these girders occurs during casting of the bridge deck, when the non-composite steel section must support the entire construction load, including the wet concrete. During this period, the top flanges are in compression and are susceptible to lateral-torsional buckling. Lateral bracing, typically in the form of a horizontal truss system, is installed to prevent the flanges from buckling and to increase the torsional stiffness of the girders. There is currently no existing codified design method for the lateral bracing of U-shaped girders. This research report describes the analytical and experimental tests conducted on steel U-shaped girders with top-flange lateral bracing. The scope of the study focused on X-type top lateral truss systems. A series of pilot tests were also conducted to evaluate the performance of girders with metal deck panels used as a top lateral bracing system. Results include girder buckling loads, buckled shapes, brace forces, and girder torsional stiffnesses. Deficiencies in current code specifications are also discussed.


Introduction Adolescent participation in reproductive health clinical trials requires balancing adolescent autonomy and parental involvement. Previous work indicated that adolescents and parents viewed parental involvement as having two aspects, learning information (e.g., test results, risk behaviours) and involvement in the process (e.g. accompanying them to the appointment). Methods Adolescents (ages 14 to 17 years) and their parents were enrolled in a longitudinal study assessing willingness to participate in a hypothetical microbicide clinical trial. They were asked at baseline and at one year follow-up to respond yes/no to 9 items regarding parental involvement. At baseline, one item "asking details about the study" was subsequently dropped from analyses. Results The adolescents (n=254) were 69% Hispanic, 65% female, and had a mean age at baseline of 15.5 years. Factor analysis for follow-up data indicated a different factor structure. In order to understand the change, adolescent and parent data were factor analysed separately. The adolescents' factor structure indicated that all of the items loaded on one factor, with the exception of the two items regarding getting permission from parents to participate in studies. The factor structure for those that were under 18 remained different from the factor structure at baseline, implying that being a legal adult was not the cause of the change. For the parents, the factors remained fairly similar to the baseline factor structure. Conclusion The findings suggest that although the structure of parental attitudes about involvement in research may be stable over a year's time; adolescents may over time view parental permission as a separate concept from the general role of parents in research. This view was not related to adolescents obtaining legal status to self-consent. Understanding of why/how attitudes about parental involvement change or stay stable over time may help investigators manage expectations.
Support:
 National Institutes of Health (R01HD067287); National Centre for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health (UL1 TR000040, UL1 TR000457)


Partial order reduction is a state space pruning approach that has been originally introduced in computer aided verification. Recently, various partial order reduction techniques have also been proposed for planning. Despite very similar underlying ideas, the relevant literature from computer aided verification has hardly been analyzed in the planning area so far, and it is unclear how these techniques are formally related. We provide an analysis of existing partial order reduction techniques and their relationships. We show that recently proposed approaches in planning are instances of general partial order reduction approaches from computer aided verification. Our analysis reveals a hierarchy of dominance relationships and shows that there is still room for improvement for partial order reduction techniques in planning. Overall, we provide a first step towards a better understanding and a unifying theory of partial order reduction techniques from different areas.


Rigoletto is disabled and vengeful; his daughter, whom he imprisons, falls victim to the sexually predatory Duke, whose aria 'la donna e' mobile' is possibly both the most misogynist and the most famous arias in the history of opera. With its romantic music, productions of this opera have easily become 'pictorial'.

I see myself as a designer whose work visualises the central themes of the piece. The costumes I designed for the Opera Holland Park production, which sited its hedonistic court in a contemporary Holland Park, with its themes of sexual exploitation, discrimination and social division, were initially problematic in the eyes of the producers. However, far from alienating the Holland Park audience, this production was so well received that the run was extended.

The research process included defining the archetypal Rigoletto's jester's outfit – his trade uniform - through trawling the Royal Opera House and the Theatre Museum archives for historical representations, while also studying football terraces for his civilian clothes. Rigoletto's costumes make it clear that his 'worn' deformity is a social and professional construct. The research for Gilda's costume included looking at precious porcelain dolls and ways in which they are dressed, as she is both her father's fantasy and his possession. The Duke's costume was found in research undertaken with Savile Row tailors, looking for current commissions from probable 'Dukes of Mantua', particularly if they and their court may be currently living in Holland Park.

The costumes were produced in collaboration with Angels Costumier. Two of Gilda's costumes were used as part of the SBTD Collaborators' Exhibition, UK Design for Performance, 2003 – 2007, alongside photographs of the production, while images of Rigoletto and his on-stage transformation were included in the catalogue of the Exhibition.


Introduction. Being an essential part of teaching and learning, feedback in close connection with evaluation is the focus of many researchers. Their interest lies mainly in automated systems, learners' and teachers' perceptions of writing feedback and feedback on feedback, new forms of feedback and their efficacy for motivation and writing performance. The review aims to identify the prevailing directions of research in the field.
Methods. The review is based on 194 documents extracted from the Scopus database. The ultimate results of the search for "writing feedback" were limited to a field filter (social sciences, arts & humanities), a language filter (English), a document type (article, review, book chapter, conference paper) as well to manual screening in accordance with the inclusion criteria and relevance to the theme.
Results and Discussion. Seven directions of research were identified: automated and non-automated evaluation; feedback on writing: general issues; automated feedback; peer review and teacher feedback on writing; perceptions and emotions relating to writing feedback; feedback on scholarly writing; evaluation and improvement in Chinese calligraphy. The reviewed documents proved the prominence of the topic and greater interest in new computer-mediated forms of feedback on writing.
Conclusion. The results of the review may serve as a guidance for researchers at large and potential JLE authors focused on teaching and learning writing. The limitations of the review are linked to the scope and methods applied.


A PBL laboratory-based module for first year undergraduate chemistry has been developed and successfully implemented. Its aim was to develop the students' practical and transferable skills, as well as their content knowledge and scientific understanding, and also to address the concern expressed in the literature over the effectiveness of the traditional laboratory courses to achieve these aims. The PBL module also encouraged students to prepare for their laboratory session in an active and collaborative manner through pre-lab exercises. By combining elements of group work, discussion, hands-on activities and alternative assessment methods, the students were provided with an environment conducive to meaningful, deep learning. We describe how the PBL module was developed by adapting the experience for the students rather than changing the experiments. Specific examples from analytical, physical and organic chemistry are given with a focus on the pre-laboratory exercises, associated group work, and the assessment methods, as well as on the actual practical work. [Chem. Educ. Res. Pract., 2007, 8 (3), 347-361.]


Amnesic Shellfish Poisoning (ASP), Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP) and Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) toxins were determined in a total of 705 mussel (Venus gallina, Venus verrucosa, Cardium edule) samples, obtained from the Western Coastline of the Black Sea and commercial shellfish processing companies in Istanbul between August 2005 and October 2007. The ASP toxins were determined by High Pressure Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), PSP and DSP toxins were analysed by mouse bioassays.The presence of PSP and DSP toxins could not be detected in any of the samples during the analysis period. For ASP, an average level of 1.94 ± 1.1 μg/g mussel meat was determined in 10 (1.42%) of 705 samples during the sampling period. As a result, the levels of ASP, PSP and DSP toxins in the samples analysed were found to be in accordance with the limits set in Regulation (EC) No. 853/2004. It was concluded that the levels of toxin in the mussel samples were no problem for human consumption, because ASP was at fairly low levels in the samples obtained in the spring period when algal growth is increased, while PSP and DSP toxins could not be detected in any of the samples. These results provide a basis for effective monitoring and control of these toxins in Turkey.


The paper provides a critical summary of recent developments in banking and finance and discusses risk management strategies for banks and for banking supervision. Special attention is paid to systemic risks which arise because the nexus of interbank contracts is so complex that counterparty credit risks and their correlations with underlying risks are transparent neither to banks nor to bank supervisors. Another section discusses "excessive risk taking" by banks and provides a critical analysis of the attempt to control banks by capital adequacy regulation.


The aim of the present study was to examine the use of gestures in the narrative productions of preschool children. Both the developmental patterns of gestures and verbal production and the relationships between them were analysed. The participants included 45 preschool children, aged 38 to 71 months. The narrative competence of each child was assessed individually using a new storybook narrative task (the Narrative Competence Task ). Each child's performance was videotaped to assess both verbal and gestural productions. The results showed that the syntactic complexity and lexical variety in the children's narratives increased with increasing age, whereas the number of gestures significantly decreased. Moreover, the number of gestures was positively associated with the proportion of utterances without verbs and negatively correlated with the proportion of complex utterances. Therefore, we could hypothesise that gestures can be used as a support in narrative construction by those children who are less proficient in syntactic skills.


The authors consider the user of modern functional languages, which support user-defined data types, polymorphic types and functions, pattern matching, and several kinds of modularity, as well as two important features not found in most conventional languages: lazy evaluation and higher order functions. Coroutines, modularity, and parallelism are discussed. The authors describe how a functional language provides these modern features and how to exploit its advantages. The examples are written in Miranda, the most widely used modern functional language, but the techniques can be used in almost any modern functional language. They use quadtrees because they illustrate these features and techniques nicely.<<ETX>>


Trypillya culture site near the village of Vilkhovets of Zvenyhorod Region of Cherkasy Oblast is one of the largest sites of the Kosenivka group from the end of CI — beginning of the CII stages of the Trypillia culture. It is occupied the area ca. 180 hectares. Large-scale magnetic survey on part of this territory and archaeological excavation were carried out here in the ninetees of the 20th century. The results of these researches and materials from the storage are published in the paper.
The remains of burned two-storied dwelling were discovered in 1992. All the finds came from the remains of the house and the pit covered by it. Painted pottery from both objects is typical for the Kosenivka group. The so-called «kitchenware» was non-numerous. The fragments of striped smoothing over the neck of the pots indicate the earlier position within the Kosenivka group. Of particular interest are the remains of «kitchen» pots decorated in the style of Moliukhiv Buhor group which is associated by researchers with the Dereivka culture.
The previously published C14 dates look like «younger» which may be reasoned by the peculiarities of the geology of this area, rich in natural radioactive substances. The Vilkhovets settlement can be dated before 3500 BC by comparson to the later Kosenivka settlements and sites of Dereivka culture.
Vilkhovets may be the earliest settlement of Kosenivka group located at its eastern borders. This situation led to contacts with Moliukhiv Buhor group of Dereivka culture which is reflected by the decoration of Vilkhovets «kitchen ware» from one hand and by finds of painted pottery at Molukhiv Bugor (located at 140 km to East) from other hand. Consequently, Vilkhovets is an important site from several points of view: the development of the latest group of the Trypillia proto-cities and contacts of Trypillia people with steppe population in ca. middle 4th Millenium BC.


Voluntary sustainability standards (VSS) aim to encourage ethical behaviors of organizations, yet studies show that many VSS adopters do not live up to these promises. Existing literature typically attributes the reason for this ineffectiveness to either policy–practice decoupling, owing to a lack of adhering to VSS requirements, or means–ends decoupling, owing to a lack of adapting to the local context. However, little is known about how the contradictory needs of adherence and adaptation evolve throughout VSS implementation. Building on the knowledge transfer literature, we develop a dynamic conceptual framework that distinguishes two phases of VSS implementation. Specifically, we theorize how tensions emerge in the transition between phases since the first phase primarily calls for adherence, whereas the second calls for adaptation. Applying this framework, we develop propositions to illustrate how these tensions relate to different VSS characteristics: stringency, enforcement, and scope. The article concludes with implications and future research directions for VSS scholarship.


The article considers legal incompleteness and contradictions of physician examiners and physician consultants status, who are almost always involved in forensic medical examinations in "medical cases". Negative consequences of total medical documentation photocopying are demonstrated that provided to the commission of experts in an inappropriate form (illegible handwriting, abbreviations, incomprehensible shortenings, surzhyk, signatures without a name indication, etc.). Authors emphasizes selective use of standards and protocols for the provision of medical care on "medical cases" by commission of experts. Revealed "problem fields" provoke corruption and "falsely understood service interests" among medical employees involved as forensic medical examiners, physician examiners, physician consultants and physicians who are brought to legal responsibility for professional offenses committed by them. It negatively affects performing and conclusions of commission forensic medical examinations on "medical cases". The reason for "problem locations" is incomplete medico-legal study of process subjects' status of commission forensic medical examinations that means rights, duties and responsibilities of these entities are unclear. For prevention of negative elements and actions while forensic medical examination regarding "medical cases" next activities are proposed: rights, duties and responsibilities of physician examiners and physician consultants should be brought into line with the current legislation of Ukraine; commission forensic medical examinations for "medical cases" should be carried out exclusively according to the requirements of standards and protocols for provision of medical assistance with elements implementation of a "blind examination" of victims; to increase exactingness (accuracy and timing of registration) to compiling medical and forensic medical documentation; improve the legal and normative documentation that regulates forensic medical activities; discuss the issue of establishing a state agency for forensic examinations under the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine with subordination of all departmental expert services.


The Sapir–Whorf hypothesis, the theory that language influences thought to the extent that people who speak different languages perceive the world differently, is discussed in the context of current calls to maintain and promote global linguistic diversity. Cross-cultural psychological research is examined to assess the extent to which the hypothesis can be shown to be true. In the 1970s, research on colour perception appeared to provide evidence against the hypothesis. More recent studies have shown that there are in fact significant and reliable differences across languages in how colour is perceived, classified, and remembered. Research at higher levels of language is also assessed. Language appears to exert considerable influence over how people categorise, evaluate, and remember the world, especially in languages where nouns belong to different semantic categories. Particular ways of thinking may also be more difficult in some languages than others. This may only mean that it is more cognitively taxing to arrive at the same notion or it can mean that an idea is highly unlikely to be expressed in a particular language. These differences may even transcend languages and cultures. It is concluded that, given the available evidence, it is vital to allow alternative perspectives of the world to be available by maintaining and promoting global linguistic diversity.


ABSTRACT Aim: Germline sequence variation and somatic alterations in genes associated with drug processing can determine therapeutic response in cancer patients, and next-generation sequencing (NGS) of these genes generates individualized pharmacogenetic data. Methods: Targeted Illumina NGS of over 200 genes (including known druggable targets, cancer pathogenesis and drug response genes) was performed for matched germline and tumor DNA from patients representing many common cancer types. Aligned sequence data was used for genotype variant calling in both germline and tumor DNA and for mutation and copy number identification within tumors. Genetic ancestry was determined from germline genotypes. Somatic alterations within genes relevant to the pharmacology of anticancer agents were examined in breast and colorectal cancers, two frequent types in the study. Results: The 208 patients sequenced were mainly Caucasian (78%) and African American (16%). The most common cancer types included gastrointestinal (19%), genitourinary (18%), and breast (13%). A total of 38 pharmacogenetic variants in 18 genes, including cytochrome P450 genes, were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium in Caucasian and African American populations. Observed genotype concordance of these variants in matched germline and tumor DNA was greater than 95% at all surveyed loci across all cancer types and greater than 90% at all loci in breast and colorectal cancers. Analysis of 16 genes associated with anticancer agents in breast and colorectal cancers identified somatic mutations in almost 50% of patients with these cancers, including predicted amino acid changes in ABCB1, DPYD, and CYP2C8. Aberrant tumor DNA copy numbers were sporadically observed in most of these genes, although recurrent deletions of DPYD and SULT1A1 were present in both tumor types. Conclusions: NGS of pharmacogenes from an individual's non-malignant and tumor tissue provides a comprehensive catalog of germline variants and both known and novel somatic alterations. The integration of genetic data from germline and tumor may aid in elucidating the pharmacology underlying therapeutic effect. Ongoing analysis of the effect of these molecular alterations on drug response will be presented at the meeting. Disclosure: All authors have declared no conflicts of interest.


What determines whether someone complies with a social norm? The social identity approach offers a mechanism for norm compliance: a person who feels similar to a group identifies more with that group and, in turn, complies with the group's norms. We used an economics experiment to test this mechanism. We manipulated the similarity between an individual and a social group by exogenously changing their similarity in moral values. Moral values were identified using a survey developed in conjunction with moral foundations theory. In one treatment, the subject and social group's moral values were similar, and in another, they were dissimilar. Subsequently, we measured group identification and behavior. To measure behavior, we used a modified rule-following task in which the social group expressed a normative expectation that subjects follow "the rule". We found that moral similarity increased group identification, and group identification increased rule compliance. We show that this behavior change was due to increased group norm sensitivity rather than changes in the group norms. We advance the study of social identity by establishing a causal pathway between group identification and behavior change.


Summary The variable results of experiments on anosmic Cornell pigeons, compared with the consistent effect of olfactory deprivation observed in pigeons in Italy, has sometimes been explained by supposing that pigeons in the two countries belong to different genetic strains. This hypothesis was tested by performing experiments with the progeny of Cornell pigeons transported to Italy as eggs and placed in the nests of Italian foster parents. The homing behaviour of the American birds raised in Italy was compared with that of Italian pigeons hatched and raised in the same loft. The results of the experiments show that both the American and the Italian pigeons are severely affected by olfactory deprivation in releases at unfamiliar sites, in contrast to the homeward-oriented control groups of both strains. We conclude that there is no major genetic difference in homing mechanism between Cornell and Italian pigeons. The results of experiments performed in Italy and in the USA have shown that different rearing and training procedures do not induce the development of maps based on different cues. Therefore, the reported differences between the results obtained in the USA and those obtained in Italy may be due to regional differences in the availability of navigational cues.


Study Design
A prospective longitudinal cohort study.

Purpose
To evaluate the efficacy of two different techniques of transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) with contrast and without contrast in treating lumbar radiculopathy.

Overview of Literature
Epidural injections are one of the most frequently used nonsurgical treatment options for managing lumbar radiculopathy. This study aims to simplify the TFESI technique, which is effective and requires less effort to replicate.

Methods
We collected data on 118 patients who underwent TFESI without contrast versus TFESI with contrast for lumbar radiculopathy. The pain was evaluated using a Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) for pain at 5 minutes, 2 hours, 2 weeks, and 2 months. The functional status was assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score. The operation time and fluoroscopic dosage were also measured using this score.

Results
Two groups of patients with radiculopathy were studied, comprising of 56 patients in the non-contrast group (NC group) and 62 patients in the contrast group (C group). There was a significant decrease in pain, as evaluated by NRS, in the C group compared to the NC group at 5 minutes post-procedure (3.39±1.54 vs. 3.86±0.72, with a p-value of 0.039). There was no significant difference in NRS scores at 2 hours, 2 weeks, and 2 months, as well as in ODI scores. The operation time and fluoroscopic dosage were lower in the group without contrast compared to the contrast group, with 12.58±3.30 minutes per level vs. 16.70±5.94 minutes per level (p <0.001) and 3.62±1.66 mGy vs. 5.32±2.74 mGy per level (p =0.014), respectively. No complications were reported in either group.

Conclusions
There is no difference in pain and functional outcome when treating lumbar radiculopathy with or without contrast using TFESI. The TFESI without contract technique has a shorter operation time and lower intra-operative fluoroscopic dosage without complications.


We study a mechanism design problem for exchange economies where each agent is initially endowed with a set of indivisible goods and side payments are not allowed. We assume each agent can withhold some endowments, as well as misreport her preference. Under this assumption, strategyproofness requires that for each agent, reporting her true preference with revealing all her endowments is a dominant strategy, and thus implies individual rationality. Our objective in this paper is to analyze the effect of such private ownership in exchange economies with multiple endowments. As fundamental results, we first show that the revelation principle holds under a natural assumption and that strategyproofness and Pareto efficiency are incompatible even under the lexicographic preference domain. We then propose a class of exchange rules, each of which has a corresponding directed graph to prescribe possible trades, and provide necessary and sufficient conditions on the graph structure so that they satisfy strategyproofness.


This thesis deals with sequential and adaptive methods for clinical trials, and how such methods can be used to achieve efficient clinical trial designs. The efficiency gains that can be achieved through non-adaptive group sequential methods are well established, while the newer adaptive methods seek to combine the best of the classical group sequential framework with an approach that gives increased flexibility. Our results show that the adaptive methods can provide some additional efficiency, as well as increased possibilities to respond to new internal and external information. Care is however needed when applying adaptive methods. While sub-optimal rules for adaptation can lead to inefficiencies, the logistical challenges can also be considerable. Efficient non-adaptive group sequential designs are often easier to implement in practice, and have for the cases we have considered been quite competitive in terms of efficiency. The four problems that are presented in this thesis are very relevant to how clinical trials are run in practice. The solutions that we present are either new approaches to problems that have not previously been solved, or methods that are more efficient than the ones currently available in the literature. Several challenging optimisation problems are solved through numerical computations. The optimal designs that are achieved can be used to benchmark new methods proposed in this thesis as well as methods available in the statistical literature. The problem that is solved in Chapter 5 can be viewed as a natural extension to the other problems. It brings together methods that we have used to the design of individual trials, to solve the more complex problem of designing a sequence of trials that are the core part of a clinical development program. The expected utility that is maximised is motivated by how the development of new medicines works in practice.


This paper analyses the involvement of the private sector in the water sector in Mexico's Federal District. In October 1993, after an international bidding process, four private firms were awarded service contracts to implement universal water metering, rehabilitate the distribution system and carry out a loss detection programme. The decision to involve the private sector was motivated by the urgent need to reform and improve water services in one of the largest cities in the world. Given the lack of information regarding the customer base, water consumption levels and network conditions, a phased approach to Private Sector Participation (PSP) was considered most appropriate.This paper provides a description of the reform strategy adopted in the Federal District. It reviews the merits and the risks associated to the use of a phased approach to Private Sector Participation, as well as the decision to use four different consortia for the service contracts (seeking to introduce some competition to improve performance). The implementation of the contracts was hampered by a number of setbacks, including the 1995 financial crisis of the country and the lack of co-ordination among the institutions involved in the sector.The political changes in the Federal District have had an impact on the implementation of the project. However, the need for this type of project in Mexico's Federal District clearly goes beyond political considerations and PSP may assist in ensuring that this is so. Finally, factors to be considered in the implementation of new schemes are contemplated.


The paper is related to the analysis and the modeling of structural interface behaviors when unilateral contact, friction and adhesion interact. Among the contact models in literature, the model developed by Raous, Cangemi, Cocou and Monerie (RCCM model) is retained. It consists to include strict unilateral contact to avoid interpenetration, initial adhesion progressively decreases when the load increases, and Coulomb's friction which is progressively activated when adhesion decreases. Because of its implicit character, the Coulomb friction law with adhesion is non-associated, and the notion of superpotential with normality rule cannot be used anymore. In the present work, to overcome this non-associated character, a specific potential adapted to coupling unilateral contact, friction and adhesion  is build and named bipotential. A numerical model is proposed and improved to solve the boundaries values problem. The algorithm is implemented in the finite element code SYMEF which has been developed at the University of Bechar (Algeria). A comparative study is made between the bipotential model and the previously developed RCCM model. The numerical results show that, this approach is robust and efficient in terms of numerical stability, precision convergence and CPU time compared to the RCCM model.


BACKGROUND
Human obesity is associated with leptin resistance, elevated serum glucose and lipids, hepatic steatosis, and cholesterol gallstone formation. These gallstones are thought to result from hypersecretion of biliary cholesterol as well as biliary stasis. Leptin-resistant Lep(db) obese mice, which are known to have elevated serum leptin, glucose, and lipids, as well as hepatic steatosis, should be an appropriate model for human gallstone formation. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that leptin-resistant mice would have increased gallbladder volume, biliary cholesterol saturation, and cholesterol crystal formation.

METHODS
Sixty lean control mice and 60 Lep(db) obese mice on a low cholesterol chow diet were studied. Gallbladder volumes were measured and bile was pooled to calculate cholesterol saturation index. Serum cholesterol, glucose, and leptin levels were determined from pooled serum. Hepatic fat vacuoles were counted. Bile from a second group of 90 lean control and 59 obese mice was observed microscopically for cholesterol crystal formation.

RESULTS
Leptin-resistant obese mice have significantly higher serum cholesterol, glucose, and leptin levels, hepatic fat vacuoles, and gallbladder volume than lean control mice. However, biliary cholesterol saturation index and cholesterol crystal formation were significantly diminished in the obese mice.

CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that leptin-resistant Lep(db) obese mice have (1) increased gallbladder volume, (2) decreased biliary cholesterol saturation despite elevated serum cholesterol and hepatic steatosis, and (3) decreased in vitro cholesterol crystal formation. We conclude that the link between obesity and gallstone formation does not require hypersecretion of biliary cholesterol.


The construction of anchored retaining walls reach every day in the field of Civil Engineering especially in public works. Their dimensioning and stability are the axes of research for geotechnical. The rule is to reduce the active forces of the slide and increase the effective normal stress on the rupture surface. So that, we anchored tied-back (constituted by steel cables) in the stable ground located under the failure surface and we apply at the top a traction force. This effort can be distributed over the ground surface by means of small plates or massive reinforced concrete. The study of the stability of anchored retaining wall was also performed by using software GEO4. Many cases can be solved using analytical solutions available in the group GEO4 program, but for our standard model solution studied analytically proved unsatisfactory so we used a numerical analysis based on the method of finite element in this program. The results obtained by numerical study were interpreted to identify the precision numerical predictions. Moreover these methods were useful and economics in the realization of reinforced slopes by tied-buck.


We have identified a DNA-binding activity with specificity for the TTAGGG repeat arrays found at mammalian telomeres. This factor, called TTAGGG repeat factor (TRF), is present in nuclear extracts of human, mouse, and monkey cells. TRF from HeLa cells was characterized in detail by electrophoretic mobility shift assays. It binds double-stranded TTAGGG repeats in linear and circular DNAs. Single-stranded repeats are not recognized. The optimal site for TRF appears to contain more than six contiguous TTAGGG repeats. Tandem arrays of TAGGG, Iw-lTAGGG, TITAGGG, TTGGGG, and ITTAGGC repeats do not bind TRF well, indicating that TRF preferentially recognizes the telomeric repeat sequence present at mammalian chromosome ends. The apparent molecular mass of this factor, based on recovery of TRF from sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels, is approximately 50 kDa. We suggest that TRF binds along the length of mammalian telomeres.


The most common bone disorder found by implant dentists is osteoporosis, which is a systemic skeletal disorder associated with aging, which is characterized by loss of bone mass, making bones fragile and more susceptible to fractures. The World Health Organization has defined osteoporosis as a bone mineral density level greater than 2.5 standard deviations below the mean of young normal women. After 60 years of age, a third of the population have this disorder, it occurs twice as often in women than in men. It is estimated that 1.3 million fractures and 133,000 all hip fractures occur every year as a result of osteoporosis. The aim of this study was to discuss aspects of the pharmacological action of Bisphosphonates (BP) and their influence on the bone tissue when associated with treatment with dental implants. There are several types of treatments which prevent or prevent the progression of osteoporosis. So, BP, such as alendronate, are inhibitors of bone resorption. Act as controlling the development of osteoporosis by increasing the process of bone density and decrease its reabsorption, often acting as supporting the process of osseointegration of dental implants.


Summary: Arcadia translates text-based descriptions of biological networks (SBML files) into standardized diagrams (SBGN PD maps). Users can view the same model from different perspectives and easily alter the layout to emulate traditional textbook representations. Availability and Implementation: Arcadia is written in C++. The source code is available (along with Mac OS and Windows binaries) under the GPL from http://arcadiapathways.sourceforge.net/ Contact: email@example.com Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.


Undoped GaAs single crystal has been grown in PBN crucibles by the pulling-down method. The temperature profile of the furnace was optimized with a narrow melting zone and a small temperature gradient at the solid-liquid interface. Quartz ampoules were used to protect the evaporation of As during the growth and the deformation of the ampoule was discussed as a function of temperature, time and pressure differential. A Ø56 mm×70 mm GaAs crystal with nearly 100 % single crystalline yield was obtained. X-ray rocking curve analysis revealed the excellent crystalline quality. The average EPD and electrical properties of the crystal were tested comparable to those of the crystal produced by the VGF method. Therefore, the pulling down method was a feasible approach for GaAs crystal production.


The Sossego iron oxide-copper-gold (IOCG) deposit is situated within the WNW-ESE-trending Canaa shear zone in the southern Copper belt, Carajas province, Brazil. The Sossego deposit consists of two major groups of orebodies (Sequeirinho-Pista-Baiano and Sossego-Curral). The Sequeirinho-Pista-Baiano orebodies are characterized by deep-emplaced magnetite-(apatite) and albite-actinolite-rich zones, whereas the Sossego-Curral orebodies have predominant potassic and chlorite alteration typical of shallow crustal levels. U-Pb (SHRIMP IIe and LA-ICPMS) geochronology on host rocks reveals Mesoarchean (3.08 Ga Xingu Complex, ca. 2.99 Ga Sequeirinho Granite and 2.97 Ga Pista felsic metavolcanic rock) and bimodal Neoarchean (ca. 2.74 Ga Sossego granophyric granite, Curral Granite and gabbronorite) units. Dating of hydrothermal monazite (U-Pb LA-MC-ICPMS) and molybdenite (Re-Os NTIMS) of the Sequeirinho-Pista orebodies rendered ages of ca. 2.71 to 2.68 Ga, while ore-related monazite of the Sossego-Curral orebodies yielded ages of ca. 1.90 to 1.88 Ga. The Neoarchean IOCG-forming events reflect coupling of ductile sinistral transpression with NNE–directed oblique shortening and Neoarchean magmatism (ca. 2.7 Ga). The shallow-emplaced Paleoproterozoic system, formed after progressive exhumation of the deep-emplaced Neoarchean IOCG deposits, coincides in age with the emplacement of 1.88 Ga A-type granites: the latter may have caused regional circulation of magmatic and externally derived fluids along crustal discontinuities, favoring copper-gold ore deposition as well as metallogenic diversity in the Carajas province (e.g., Sn, W, Au-Pd-Pt deposits).


Learning should be a priority for achieving success. To realize learning activities as a priority, it takes a high interest. One effort to increase interest in learning is through interpersonal communication and strengthening skills. Therefore, researchers try to examine the relationship of interpersonal communication and strengthening skills with student interest in learning. This research uses quantitative approach (correlation research). The population of this research were 248 students of class VII of SMP Negeri 1 Pungging, and the sample in this research were 50 students. Data collection using questionnaires, interviews, and documentation. The three instruments are used to explore data on: 1) interpersonal communication, 2) strengthening skills, 3) interest in learning. The results of this study show: 1) There is a correlation between interpersonal communication with interest in learning (2.091g 2.011); 2) There is a relationship between strengthening skills with interest in learning (3.289g 2.011); 3) There is a relationship between interpersonal com- munication and strengthening skills with interest in learning (6,787g 3,20). The benefits of this research include: 1) For schools to create an environment that can increase student learning interest, 2) For teachers to motivate in improving student learning interest, 3) For students to raise awareness about the importance of learning interest.


This study problematizes generalized patterns in Latino diet and health after reviewing obesity and food consumption patterns by race and ethnicity gleaned from the social science and health science literature comparing Mexican-origin American, European-origin American, and African-American food consumption patterns, and summarizes data from the 2009/2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The data from these surveys describes the quantity of fruit, vegetables, grains, meat, and other foods consumed. We review the literature on social determinants of diet to study whether food environments, socioeconomic status, culture, nativity, and globalization shape dietary practices.


The lethal and sublethal effects of 1-/?-D-arabinofuranosylcytosine (ara-C) were studied in Sarcoma 180 in vitro in relation to drug concentration and drug exposure duration. Drug le thality was found to be dependent on both drug concentration and drug exposure duration. These studies confirmed that radioautographic grain counts reflect relative rates of DMA synthesis in individual cells. When the radioautographic data and flow cytometry data are considered together, it is apparent that ara-C blocked cells at multiple points in the cell cycle. However, blockade was not complete; low levels of DNA syn thesis persisted, even during prolonged drug exposure. The time course of recovery of rapid DNA synthesis following ex posure to ara-C was delayed in comparison with that observed following exposure to hydroxyurea. The optimal time interval between two split 1-hr exposures to ara-C or two split 1-hr exposures to hydroxyurea coincided with the time that cells recruited into rapid cycle by the first dose were passing through mid-S and synthesizing DNA at high rates. These findings suggest that the concept of graded DNA synthesis rate-de pendent drug lethality may be preferable to the all-or-none concept of S-phase specificity. The optimum interval between split doses of ara-C was not related to intracellular levels of 1jß-o-arabinofuranosylcytosine 5'-triphosphate as a function of time after exposure to the first dose. Overall, the dependence of ara-C lethality on drug concentration, drug exposure dura tion, and the rate of cellular DNA synthesis are most consistent with the premise that the amount of ara-CTP incorporated into DNA is a major determinant of drug lethality.


This chapter lays out in which respects laboratory experiments can be useful for macroeconomics and discusses some of the methods used in such experiments.


Disposal of cull onions (Allium cepa L.) in unlined landfills in the Treasure Valley region of eastern Oregon and southwestern Idaho is a historic management practice that has been identified as potentially causing NO 3 -N contamination of regional groundwater. To investigate NO 3 -N generation and transport during a 6-yr period, monitoring wells were placed in the cull onion waste inside two landfills. The soil below each landfill was instrumented with soil-solution samplers and matric-potential sensors. Four to 6 Mg of organic N were loaded into each landfill in the form of onion waste. Little leaching of NO 3 -N was observed during the study. With the exception of a NO 3 -N pulse during loading, solution NO 3 -N concentrations within and beneath both landfills remained <1 mg L -1 . Concurrently, NH 4 -N increased to 500 mg L -1 at 0.5 m and to 7 mg L -1 at 3 m below the landfill bases. Build-up of NH 4 -N and lack of NO 3 -N in the landfills are hypothesized to result from nitrification inhibition in an anaerobic environment. Hydraulic heads showed that saturated waste resided over unsaturated soil. Formation of a hydraulically restrictive layer at the interface between the landfill contents and the underlying soil probably caused these conditions. Saturated cull-onion landfills do not appear to be a source of NO 3 -N contamination. Potential groundwater contamination from nitrification upon drying of landfill contents can be mitigated by removing and land-applying residual waste after sufficient degradation.


Reducing the toll of traffic-related injuries requires a concerted effort, calling on the resources, commitment and expertise of diverse agencies, professionals and community members.1,2 Traffic safety is affected by numerous aspects of community life such as how neighborhoods are designed, how fast cars travel and how safe people feel walking or driving to key destinations. Preventing traffic-related injury is a responsibility shared by many. As evidenced by many federal, state and local efforts, partnerships, coalitions and networks have become common ways to address the incidence of traffic crashes, fatalities and other injuries. The purpose of this paper is to describe Collaboration Math, a tool developed to help individuals and groups representing different disciplines, organizations or constituencies work together effectively. This practical tool was designed to make key differences and similarities within groups explicit, so that they are more likely to succeed in the challenging work of building and sustaining collaborations. In 2002, the Traffic Safety Center (TSC)at the University of California, Berkeley worked with Collaboration Math and this paper highlights the process for using the tool by providing specific examples from the TSC. The mission of the TSC is "to reduce traffic fatalities and injuries through multidisciplinary collaboration in education, research and outreach.†Participants of the TSC represent disciplines of public health, engineering, transportation studies and optometry and include the Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Berkeley's Schools of Public Health and Optometry, Partners for Advanced Transit and Highways (PATH), the Technology Transfer Program, Prevention Institute, and the Prevention Research Center. The California Office of Traffic Safety, through the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency is the primary funder of the TSC. Prevention Institute worked with members of the TSC to apply Collaboration Math with the goal of supporting and enhancing the group's multidisciplinary approach.


The thesis deals with the question of whether causation can play a (relevant) part in the explanation of action; it approaches it through the critical assessment of two paradigmatic theories of action, one of each side of the debate. In the first part D. Davidson's Causal Theory of Action is presented (as a development of the Causal Nomological Theory), and criticised on the grounds that it cannot provide adequate singular causal explanations of actions. The argument questions Davidson's model by challenging the way in which Davidson could justify the causal relevance of reasons. It concludes that the causal condition adds no additional explanatory force on non-causal rationalisations. In the second part, the nature of action explanations is examined through von Wright's non-causal approach. After presentation of his theory, his version of the Logical Connection Argument is considered in the light of various criticisms that have been directed against it. Although his argument is found to be inconclusive with respect to the impossibility of a Causal Theory of Action, it is argued that, the implications that follow from von Wright's discussion of it, render the causal claim irrelevant to the explanation of action. Finally von Wright's possible response to two types of criticism, is considered: The justification Vs explanation argument and the problem of congruence. The conclusion is that his theory deals in a satisfactory way with the first one, but fails to meet the challenge of the second one.


Lymphocytes from a patient with lymphocytic leukemia were found to contain cytoplasmic globules. The globules varied in size, the largest appearing identical to Russell bodies. Histochemical staining was used to demonstrate the glycoprotein composition of these bodies. Electron microscopy revealed this material to be within dilated cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum. It is proposed that these globules are abnormal accumulations of glycoprotein which represent stages in the evolution of "Russell bodies." The generic description of these cytoplasmic globules would seem to be preferable to the continued use of eponyms.


Factors leading to development of adverse reactions to antituberculous drugs in patients with nephrophthisis were studied and complex treatment regimens to prevent the reactions were developed. The use of such regimens along with chemotherapy allowed the frequency of adverse reactions to be lowered almost 2-fold in patients with limited nephrophthises and to postpone the development of adverse reactions in patients with extended tuberculosis for 1-1.5 months.


We study the asymptotic performance of the Thompson sampling algorithm in the batched multi-armed bandit setting where the time horizon <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$T$ </tex-math></inline-formula> is divided into batches, and the agent is not able to observe the rewards of her actions until the end of each batch. We show that in this batched setting, Thompson sampling achieves the same asymptotic performance as in the case where instantaneous feedback is available after each action, provided that the batch sizes increase subexponentially. This result implies that Thompson sampling can maintain its performance even if it receives delayed feedback in <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\omega (\log T)$ </tex-math></inline-formula> batches. We further propose an adaptive batching scheme that reduces the number of batches to <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$O(\log \log T)$ </tex-math></inline-formula> while maintaining the same performance. Although the batched multi-armed bandit setting has been considered in several recent works, previous results rely on tailored algorithms for the batched setting, which optimize the batch structure and prioritize exploration in the beginning of the experiment to eliminate suboptimal actions. We show that Thompson sampling, on the other hand, is able to achieve a similar asymptotic performance in the batched setting without any modifications.


BACKGROUND
Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is performed in hospitals without on-site coronary artery bypass graft surgery in the ;real world'. However, data on the in-hospital outcomes of primary PCI performed at hospitals with and without on-site cardiac surgery are still lacking in Japan.

METHODS AND RESULTS
In the present study, 2,230 AMI patients were enrolled in the AMI-Kyoto Multi-Center Risk Study between January 2000 and December 2005. Of these, 1,817 patients underwent primary PCI. Excluding patients without adequate data, we retrospectively compared clinical background, coronary risk factors, angiographic findings, acute results of primary PCI and in-hospital prognosis between patients undergoing primary PCI in hospitals without on-site cardiac surgery (without surgery group, n=792) and those in hospitals with (with surgery group, n=993). The without surgery group had higher prevalence of previous myocardial infarction, Killip class>or=3 at admission and multivessels as a culprit lesion than the with surgery group. The without surgery group was more likely to have lower frequency of stent usage and lower thrombolysis in myocardial infarction flow grade just after PCI, whereas it was more likely to have intra-aortic balloon pumping and temporary pacing during procedures. The overall in-hospital mortality did not differ between the 2 groups. On multivariate analysis, in AMI patients undergoing primary PCI, Killip class>or=3 at admission, multivessels or left main trunk (LMT) as culprit lesions, number of diseased vessels>or=2 or diseased LMT, and age were the independent predictors of the in-hospital mortality, but the presence of on-site cardiac surgery was not.

CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that in-hospital outcomes in AMI patients undergoing primary PCI at hospitals without on-site cardiac surgery are comparable to those at hospitals with on-site cardiac surgery in Japan.


Transgenic mice bearing a murine retroviral envelope transgene (Fv4) have Fv4 gp70env (SU) in their serum in amounts sufficient to block infection by ecotropic virus in vitro. Fv4 Env in serum is derived largely but not exclusively from hematopoietic cells. Tail cells from Fv4 mice and cell lines transduced with the Fv4 env transgene synthesize both components of the envelope protein (gp70 SU and p15E TM) but secrete the gp70 moiety, in the absence of retroviral particles. Blocking of the ecotropic viral receptor by secreted gp70 SU may contribute to resistance to retroviral infection in these mice.


Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive lipid mediator that has been shown to serve an important regulatory function in breast cancer progression. This study analyzes plasma S1P levels in breast cancer patients undergoing adjuvant therapy as compared to healthy control volunteers. 452 plasma S1P samples among 158 breast cancer patients, along with 20 healthy control volunteers, were analyzed. Mean S1P levels did not significantly differ between cancer patients and controls. Smoking was associated with higher S1P levels in cancer patients. Baseline S1P levels had weak inverse correlation with levels of the inflammatory mediator interleukin- (IL-) 17 and CCL-2 and positive correlation with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α). Midpoint S1P levels during adjuvant therapy were lower than baseline, with near return to baseline after completion, indicating a relationship between chemotherapy and circulating S1P. While stage of disease did not correlate with plasma S1P levels, they were lower among patients with Her2-enriched and triple-negative breast cancer as compared to luminal-type breast cancer. Plasma S1P levels are paradoxically suppressed in aggressive breast cancer and during adjuvant chemotherapy, which raises the possibility that postoperative plasma S1P levels do not reflect S1P secretion from resected breast cancer.


ABSTRACT This article reviews the intentions and assumptions underlying calls for greater regulation of nutrition and health claims in food advertising and examines the likely impact of new European regulations on health-related claims. After providing a review of the literature concerning regulatory effectiveness and on nutritional and health-related claims in advertising, we present a qualitative analysis of television advertisements aired on British television using a coding framework based on recently approved European Union regulations. There is little reason to expect health-related claims in food advertising to become clearer to consumers as a result of the regulations.


The third essay in the volume critiques the tradition of social science meta-narratives that frame modernity as an exclusively western invention, aligned with a linear model of development. The author provides a comprehensive overview of the history of modernization in Iran, examining in particular the changing role of Islam and the relationship between civil society and the state. Kamali argues that the concept of multiple modernities opens the way to generating more socially and historically specific understandings of modernities.


The IMV envelope protein D8 is an adhesion molecule and a major immunodominant antigen of vaccinia virus (VACV). Here we identified the optimal D8 ligand to be chondroitin sulfate E (CS-E). CS-E is characterized by a disaccharide moiety with two sulfated hydroxyl groups at positions 4′ and 6′ of GalNAc. To study the role of antibodies in preventing D8 adhesion to CS-E, we have used a panel of murine monoclonal antibodies, and tested their ability to compete with CS-E for D8 binding. Among four antibody specificity groups, MAbs of one group (group IV) fully abrogated CS-E binding, while MAbs of a second group (group III) displayed widely varying levels of CS-E blocking. Using EM, we identified the binding site for each antibody specificity group on D8. Recombinant D8 forms a hexameric arrangement, mediated by self-association of a small C-terminal domain of D8. We propose a model in which D8 oligomerization on the IMV would allow VACV to adhere to heterogeneous population of CS, including CS-C and potentially CS-A, while overall increasing binding efficiency to CS-E.


This article proposes a study of the letters and graphics found in the city, while at the same time opening up unusual spaces linked to the cultural arena and visual geographies for the creation of learning spaces in art education, introducing urban typography for training teachers. The letters in urban spaces can help us reinterpret the patrimonial fabric of cities. With the help of typography, visual arts educators have a powerful graphic resource with which to articulate the complex communicative network of streets. We suggest walking as an aesthetic practice; strolling around the city as a very cultural means to motivate our students. We have at our disposal in our cities a genuine museum woven together with the threads of the alphabet.