Introduction Acute Alcoholic Hepatitis (AAH) is the most florid form of alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) with a mortality rate in the first 28 days of over 30%. These patients are particularly prone to developing infections with a high risk of developing multiple organ failure including hepatic encephalopathy, renal failure and circulatory collapse. The vascular endothelium becomes activated in severe sepsis allowing the influx of inflammatory cells from the circulation. Angiopoeitin (ANG) 1 and 2 are key to endothelial cell (EC) activation. On activation by stimuli such as pro-inflammatory cytokines, ECs release Wiebel-Palade bodies liberating ANG 2. ANG 2 competitively inhibits ANG 1, renders the endothelium responsive to further cytokine stimulation and disrupts cell-cell adhesion increasing vascular permeability. In sepsis plasma levels of ANG 1 and 2 have been implicated as potential prognostic biomarkers. Considering that patients with severe AAH and ALD have evidence of a systemic pro-inflammatory milieu this study measured plasma levels of ANG 1 and ANG 2 as surrogate biomarkers of EC dysfunction. Methods Thirty patients with severe AAH (Maddrey's discriminant factor >32) and a history of alcohol excess (≥80 g/day for males; ≥60 g/day for females) were studied at presentation prior to any therapy being prescribed and compared to healthy controls (HC) (n = 7). Twenty one patients with ALD (Child Pugh C) were also studied. Exclusion criteria included alcohol abstinence >6 weeks, other causes of liver disease, malignancy, concomitant use of immunosuppression ≤6 months and AST > 500 IU/L. Plasma levels of ANG 1 and ANG 2 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results Plasma levels of ANG 2 were found to be significantly higher in the AAH group compared to HC (p < 0.0001) and in the AAH group compared to ALD (p < 0.05). The ANG 2:1 ratio was also significantly higher in the AAH group compared to HC (p < 0.001), and in the AAH group compared to ALD (p < 0.05). ANG 2 and ANG 2:1 ratio trended towards being higher in culture positive AAH patients (p = 0.065). In this study there was no statistically significant difference in any marker level between non-surviving (at 1 month) and surviving AAH patients. Conclusion Plasma levels of ANG 2, a soluble biomarker of endothelial activation, and the ANG 2:1 ratio are increased in AAH and could predict the subsequent development of organ failure. Disclosure of Interest None Declared


The Arctic Ocean is changing dramatically due to the rapid sea ice decrease. The reduction in ice thickness and cover leads to an increase in the amount of light penetrating through the ice. Thus changes in primary production are expected. Nevertheless, our knowledge about how other limiting factors such as nutrients might affect budgets and ratios of sea ice algae and phytoplankton productivity is still limited, especially in the central basins.
This study presents recent results from the Central Arctic Ocean collected during late summer and early autumn 2011 and 2012. Primary productivity was measured using the 14C method in the water column, the sea ice and in the melt ponds through a wide variety of ice types and water masses. Additionally PI curves and nutrient enrichment experiments were performed at selected stations in order to infer primary productivity´s limiting factors at the end of the season.
Aggregates of sea ice algae found in melt ponds and directly under the ice showed hardly any photoinhibition and presented the highest productivity on small scales . Nevertheless their contribution to the total primary production remains difficult to assess due to their patchiness. Regarding the different ice types, multi-year ice contained more algal biomass than first year ice at the end of the summer, but due to its much larger spatial extent and higher light transmission throughout the season, first year ice is likely to provide a higher proportion of overall sea ice algal productivity in a changing Arctic. The ice-covered water column had in general very low NPP rates probably due to both light and nutrient limitation, and the depth of the mixed layer in the Eurasian basins was limited to 15 m in 2012. Therefore in a summerly ice free Arctic Ocean, the proportional contribution of sea ice and sub ice algae compared to phytoplankton in highly stratified, nitrate limited surface waters is still difficult to predict, and will depend on nutrient transport and mixing processes.


Influenza A virus H1N1 is the causative agent of the recent 2009 Swine flu or Swine influenza. The virus shows high rate of antibiotic resistance due to rapid mutation which leads to the production of new viral strains and hence, new vaccines are made to treat the new H1N1 variants. Neuraminidase plays an important biological role in this viral infection. It has been found that it has a major function at the final stage of infection when it cleaves sialic acid from cell surface and progeny virions facilitating virus release from the infected cells.The recent sequence of influenza A virus, A/California/04/2009(H1N1) for the protein, neuraminidase was selected for the study. Homology modelling was used to model the threedimensional structure of the neuraminidase protein using Modeller 9v6, Swiss Model and GENO3D. Energy minimization was performed by GROMACS and functional motifs were identified by the ProFunc server. CASTp server was used to determine the potential ligand binding sites. These ligand binding sites identified can thus provide an insight to design potential inhibitors in future.


The author's research group has been conducting research on applications of various meteorological Grid Point Value (GPV) data offered by the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) to the field of wind power generation. In particular, the group's research has been focusing on the following areas: 1) the use of GPV data from the JMA Meso-Scale Model (MSM-S; horizontal resolution: 5 km) and the JMA Local Forecast Model (LFM-S; horizontal resolution: 2 km), and 2) examinations of the prediction accuracy of local wind assessment with the use of these data. In both the MSM-S and the LFM-S, grid points are fixed at 10 m above the sea (ground) surface. The purpose of the present study is to establish a method in which the values of the MSM-S and LFM-S wind speed data from the 10 m height are used as the reference wind speed and are, using a power law, vertically extrapolated to 80 to 90 m heights, typical hub-heights of offshore wind turbines. For this purpose, the present study examined time-averaged vertical profiles of wind speed over the ocean based on the MSM-S data and in-situ data in the Hibikinada area, Kitakyushu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. As a result, it was revealed that a strong wind shear existed close to the sea surface, between the 10 and 30 m heights. In order to address the above-mentioned wind shear, a two-step vertical extrapolation method was proposed in the present study. In this method, two values of N, specifically for low and high altitudes (below and above approximately 30 m, respectively), were calculated and used. The data were created for the five years between 2012 and 2016. Similarly to previous analyses, the analysis of the created data set indicated that the potential of offshore wind power generation in the Hibikinada area, Kitakyushu City is quite high.


This prospective randomized study investigated the effects of two different cardioplegia techniques on myocardial heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) mRNA levels. Patients undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) were divided into two equal groups. All patients received the same anaesthesia. Myocardial preservation was achieved by delivering intermittent antegrade isothermic blood cardioplegia in one group and antegrade plus continuous retrograde isothermic blood cardioplegia in the other. Biopsies for measurement of HSP70 mRNA levels were taken from the right atria before surgical manipulation of the heart, and later from the same place following CPB. HSP70 mRNA levels were evaluated using quantitative real-time reverse transcription—polymerase chain reaction. Crossing-point values for HSP70 and β-actin were used to evaluate up-regulation. There was a significant increase in HSP70 mRNA levels in response to CPB in both groups, but no significant between-group difference in HSP70 up-regulation. Further investigation is required to evaluate the correlation between the level of HSP induction and the degree of myocardial protection in more heterogeneous groups of patients.


PURPOSE
Despite widespread popular use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies, a rigorous evidence base about their efficacy for cancer-related pain is lacking. This is a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating CAM therapies for cancer-related pain.

METHODS
RCTs using CAM interventions for cancer-related pain were abstracted using Medline, EMBASE, CINAHL, AMED, and Cochrane database.

RESULTS
Eighteen trials were identified (eight poor, three intermediate, and seven high quality based on Jadad score), with a total of 1,499 patients. Median sample size was 53 patients, and median intervention duration was 45 days. All studies were from single institutions, four had sample size justification, and none reported any adverse effects. Seven trials reported significant benefit for the following CAM therapies: acupuncture (n = 1), support groups (n = 2), hypnosis (n = 1), relaxation/imagery (n = 2), and herbal supplement/HESA-A (n = 1, but study was of low quality without control data). Seven studies reported immediate postintervention or short-term benefit of the following CAM interventions: acupuncture (n = 2), music (n = 1), herbal supplement/Ai-Tong-Ping (n = 1), massage (n = 1), and healing touch (n = 2). Four studies reported no benefit of CAM interventions (music, n = 2; massage, n = 2) in reducing cancer pain compared with a control arm.

CONCLUSION
There is paucity of multi-institutional RCTs evaluating CAM interventions for cancer pain with adequate power, duration, and sham control. Hypnosis, imagery, support groups, acupuncture, and healing touch seem promising, particularly in the short term, but none can be recommended because of a paucity of rigorous trials. Future research should focus on methodologically strong RCTs to determine potential efficacy of these CAM interventions.


Art and filmmaking practices are shared across linguistic and diverse social contexts, reflecting a variety of epistemological views; of diverse ways of knowing about the world. There are points of connection and dissonance when one works with a cultural group that shares little of the language and cultural practice that an individual identifies as their own. This paper explores the experiences of four artists working in the Northern Territory of Australia. It highlights individual responses to adjust and adapt to artistic contexts outside their established perceptual norms as they work with Indigenous groups. From these reflections come strategies to build effective collaborative art projects that develop a deeper, sustainable form of trans-cultural communication, where one way of doing and being does not seek to overwhelm or dominate the other. Visual expressions are shown as one way to break through difficult histories and current problems, extending empathetic discussion about what it means to know about art and the places it is created in. This notion will be illustrated by art-works created in this context. The underpinning idea is that a shift in epistemology works two ways when art practice is open to respect and change. The voices here are from people who have learned from interactions with Australian indigenous people.


How do armed groups use violence to create social ties? What are the conditions under which such violence takes place? In this article, I describe how armed groups use one type of atrocity, wartime rape, to create social bonds between fighters through a process of combatant socialization. As a form of stigmatizing, public, and sexualized violence, gang rape is an effective method to communicate norms of masculinity, virility, brutality, and loyalty between fighters. Drawing on literature about socialization processes, I derive a set of hypotheses about individual-level factors that may influence vulnerability to violent socialization, including age, previous socialization experiences, and physical security. I analyze the support for these hypotheses using newly available survey data from former fighters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The results show the broad applicability of considering group violence as a form of social control within armed groups, suggest some of the limits of violent socialization, and have implications for both theory and policy.


In pastures subjected to stockpiling, the tiller population goes through an intense process of self-thinning, hindering the recruitment of new tillers in the subsequent season. We evaluated different pasture management strategies in late winter in an attempt to modify tiller recruitment during spring. Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu was maintained at 4 different levels (heights) of stockpiled pasture at the end of winter: short (15.1 cm), medium (23.2 cm), tall (31.4 cm) and tall/mown (31.3 cm, mown to 8 cm). In October (early spring), the short and tall/mown pastures had a tiller appearance rate (TAR) and a population stability index (PSI) superior (P<0.05) to that of the tall pasture. During the remainder of the growing season, these characteristics (TAR and PSI) were similar for all pastures. Tiller survival rate (TSR) was also highest (P<0.05) in short pasture in early spring. TAR values were highest in early spring and these tillers persisted throughout the growing season. When stockpiling Marandu palisadegrass pasture during spring it is important to have it short at the end of winter to ensure early and intense tillering in spring. If pasture is tall at the end of winter mowing at this time before spelling is advantageous.


Normally, there is little reflux of pancreatic juice into the stomach. If reflux does occur, pancreatic amylase along with the swallowed salivary amylase is quickly inactivated by the normal acidity of the stomach. Consequently, digestion of starch, dependent on amylase activity, does not occur in the stomach. Only peptic digestion of protein goes on in this acid media. In the achlorhydric stomach, amylase activity may be significantly greater, especially when the pyloric sphincter mechanism has been destroyed or bypassed. In this situation, pancreatic or salivary amylase may act prematurely with rapid breakdown of the large starch molecule into many smaller carbohydrate molecules and consequent rise in osmolarity. Moore1has stressed the importance of the stomach as an "osmotic shield" in the prevention of dumping. In the partially resected stomach this shield is lost, for its important function as a food reservoir is vitally impaired and the "installment emptying" characteristic


: Currently, there is an increase in the number of patients with infections of the skin and soft tissue. There is a question of closing tissue defects after the elimination period of acute inflammation. Application auto skin grafting free split-skin graft does not always lead to a positive outcome of primary closure of the defect and to the appearance of one more wound skin. The technique that avoids these drawbacks is proposed.


Mobile and wireless technologies (MWTs), such as wireless laptop computers, personal digital assistants (PDA), mobile phones, smart phones, etc., have been widely used in our lives. Government agencies are using MWTs to enhance their managerial effectiveness and provide convenient service to citizens. Based on fairness theory, this study develops a typology of the characteristics of MWTs in m-Government systems: transparency-related MWTs characteristics, information accuracy-related MWTs characteristics and voice-related MWTs characteristics, and examine how the three categories of MWTs characteristics affect user satisfaction in mobile government systems.


Graph search is an important research area in both mathematics and computer science with many practical applications such as eliminating a malicious software in a computer network. The graph search problem can be intuitively described as follows: given a set of searchers and a fugitive in a graph, the searchers and fugitive move from vertices to vertices in the graph alternatively and the searchers try to capture the fugitive which tries to escape from the searchers. A major optimization problem in graph search is to find the minimum number of searchers (called search number) to capture the fugitive. There are several well known graph models: node-search, edgesearch, mixed-search and exclusive search. In this thesis, we propose a new search model which is an extension of the exclusive search. We prove the extended exclusive search number for trees. We give the search numbers for the well known graph search models and the extended exclusive search on trees of rings. We also propose heuristic search algorithms for power law graphs based on these models.


A homogeneous batch of dew retted hackled flax was divided into two portions. One was untreated and the other was steamed for 45 minutes at 125 degrees C in three pressure/vacuum cycles in an autoclave. Dust was collected when the two flaxes were separately processed by industrial doubler and stapler machines. From untreated flax 7.2 g of dust was collected per kilogram of flax after two processing operations. From the steamed flax 4.4 g of flax was obtained per kilogram after four operations. A method was devised to disperse the dust in a room to produce dust levels similar to those encountered in a dusty mill (4.5-5.7 mg/m3). Twelve normal volunteers from the managerial staff of the linen industry of Northern Ireland inhaled the dust over six hour periods. With the untreated flax decreases were obtained in mean forced expiratory measurements of 7.6% in FEV1 and 4.5% in FVC (p less than 0.01). A double blind crossover comparison of similar levels of untreated and steamed flax dusts showed 30% less impairment of the forced expirations with steamed than with untreated flax (p less than 0.05). If these responses reflect the long term airway effects of flax dust then the steaming of flax may help in reducing byssinosis.


The effects of the electrical field stimulation (6 Hz 5 v 2ms) on noradrenaline (NA) release during cardiac ischemia and reperfusion were studied in isolated perfused rat hearts. Endogenous NA was measured by high pressure liquid chromatography. Reproducible release during two subsequent stimulations (S1, S2) in all preparations showed that electrical field stimulation is a sufficient method for inducing exocytotic NA release. Ischemic periods of 10 min reduced markedly NA overflow from rat hearts (S2/S1 = 0.34, P < 0.01), while during the subsequent reperfusion period this suppression was abolished. These results indicate that excessive accumulation of NA is prevented by the endogenous inhibitor during early ischemia, a protective mechanism in early myocardial ischemia.


Each year a large number of approach and landing accidents occur worldwide. Safety statistics of commercial airline operators show that on average there is almost one occurrence every week. Each year there is also a number of approach and landing accidents that resulted in third party damage and injuries on the ground. To operators it is therefore interesting to know how big their risk is and what possible actions could be taken to reduce this risk. The paper defines analytical tool intended to provide a sound, technically justifiable and consistent approach to analyzing the risk posed by an aircraft crash into a facility of importance during the approach and landing phase. This analytical approach is applicable to passenger terminals, Air Traffic Control (ATC) control towers, all facilities containing dangerous goods, etc. Presented methodology takes into consideration items determined to be important to understanding the risk from aircraft crash into certain facilities: number of aircraft operations/flights; crash probabilities; aircraft characteristics; facility characteristics; crash impact and facility damage. The simple case for airport with one runway was chosen. The result gives two risk roses (contours) for each threshold where each of them determines different risk zones on airport vicinity.

 Key words: Safety management system, risk, aircraft, landing.


There is much speculation regarding a "race for dominance" among financial centers in Asia, arising from the anticipated financial opening up of China. This frame of reference is, to an extent, a predilection that results from a traditional understanding of financial centers as possessing historical, geographic, and scale economy advantages. This paper, however, suggests that there is an alternative prism through which the evolution of financial centers in Asia needs to be viewed. It underscores the importance of "complementarity" rather than "dominance" to better serve regional and global financial stability. We posit that such complementarity is vital, through network analysis of the roles of Hong Kong SAR and Singapore as the current leading financial centers in the region. This analysis suggests that a competition for dominance can result in de-stabilizing levels of interconnectivity that render the global "network" as a whole more susceptible to rapid propagation of shocks. We then examine the regulatory and policy challenges that may be encountered in furthering such complementary coexistence.


This paper has been inspired by the reading of the book by Varaldo, Scarra and Remondino dedicated to the collaborative relationships between large companies and technological startups. The benefits of collaborative innovation strategies are undeniable. Large companies can access to breakthrough innovation and acquire new knowledge and skills that are not possessed, and explore emerging and high-risk areas of technology. For small businesses, collaborating with a large company may mean having financial resources that are essential to sustain a growth strategy, as well as managerial capabilities that are fundamental to strengthening the organisational structure. In recent years, there has been a proliferation of ways in which big business can cooperate with small science-based startups, for instance Corporate Venture Capital and Corporate Venture Accelerator. Nevertheless, it is not easy to turn an initially asymmetric relationship into a more balanced win-win situation. Startups and big companies have different organizational culture: management styles, market approaches, strategic goals could be very different, sometimes divergent. How to integrate entrepreneurship and organizational capabilities? How to exploit a competitive advantage without losing an explorative orientation? Open innovation could be the right answer to these questions. The analysis of Varaldo and his colleagues is also useful to reflect on the role that small startups and open innovation processes can play for the Southern Italy's catching-up. Nowadays, some indicators leave room for optimism, such as entrepreneurial turmoil in Universities, the quality of academic research, the large number of young well-educated talents, the presence of a small group of medium-sized high-tech companies. Nevertheless, weaknesses and delays in the Mezzogiorno's innovation ecosystem cannot be overlooked.


While the teachers in higher education are provided with academic rights and freedom, they are expected to maintain certain standards of responsible professional conduct and growth; otherwise, academic mission established for the progress of society will be at stake. They have to necessarily understand their role of enhancing learning among the students, extending their knowledge of the subject constantly, conducting research in their field to promote utilitarian purpose of education and finally getting awarded for all their service and research in due means. Also, the role of college teachers has changed from mere teaching to curriculum designing, research, publication, e-content writing, conducting online classes, collaborative research, exchange programme, extension activity, add-on/certificate course designing, arranging internship, etc. They have to necessarily come out of their comfort zone; many college teachers find it really challenging to accomplish this change in role expectations while some cross those impediments and emerge achievers. The plight of women college teachers is more challenging and particular due to their gender and the discrimination based on that. The present research proposes to study the challenges and impediments faced by women college teachers in Madurai district from women's perspective. About 40 women teachers from a Government, a Government-Aided and a Self-financing Arts and Science Colleges are selected for the study and the findings through administering of questionnaire are analysed in this paper.


Efficient model validation and verification techniques are strong in the analysis of systems describing static structures, for example, UML class diagrams and OCL invariants. However, general UML and OCL models can involve dynamic aspects in form of OCL preand postconditions for operations. This paper describes the automatic transformation of a UML and OCL model with invariants and preand postconditions into an equivalent model with only invariants. We call the first model (with preand postconditions) the application model and the second model (with invariants only) the filmstrip model, because a sequence of system states in the application model becomes a single system state in the filmstrip model. This single system state can be thought of as being a filmstrip presenting snapshots from the application model with different logical time stamps. Preand postconditions from the application model become invariants in the filmstrip model. Providing a proper context, the text of the preand postconditions can be used in the filmstrip model nearly unchanged. The filmstrip model can be employed for automatically constructing dynamic test scenarios and for checking temporal properties.


Aim. To estimate the cost-effectiveness of dapagliflozin across the range of ejection fraction in patients with heart failure (HF) in Russian Federation.
Materials and methods. Cost-effectiveness model was developed for estimate the use of dapagliflozin as part of standard therapy in patients with HF regardless of ejection fraction is unknown. The calculation of costs was carried out in a mathematical model adapted to the conditions of Russian healthcare system by using Russian costs inputs and patient population characteristics.
Results. In the model, dapagliflozin therapy yielded a mean of 0.209 additional life-years compared with standard of care in 10 years horizon. The incremental cost of 1 additional life-year was 665,715 RUB, which does not exceed the threshold of willingness to pay 2,235,202 RUB.
Conclusion. Thus, the intensification of chronic HF therapy with dapagliflozin is cost effective. The use of dapagliflozin in a cohort of 1000 target patients over 10 years will avoid 146 hospitalizations and 39 emergency visits due to HF, as well as prevent 32 deaths from cardiovascular diseases.


Study Design. A biomechanical study using human cadaveric lumbar spinal motion segments and three different posterior stabilization devices. Objective. To compare the range of motion, disc height, and foraminal area of a spinal motion segment intact, injured, and fixed with each of three posterior lumbar motion preservation devices. Summary of Background Data. Motion-sparing lumbar posterior dynamic stabilization devices are gaining increasing popularity, particularly for the treatment of degenerative disc disease. Methods. The PercuDyn, the X-Stop, and the Isobar posterior stabilization devices were compared using an in vitro cadaveric model. First, pure moments of ±8 Nm were applied in all three planes, then a follower load of 700 N was applied, and finally, sagittal bending tests were repeated. All tests were conducted using an 8-df servohydraulic load frame. Experiments were performed intact, with a simulated injury, and then with each of the three devices for a total of four specimens per device. Foraminal area and disc height (posterolateral and anterior surface) were measured under neutral and peak torques in all three planes and range of motion was recorded for all experimental conditions. Results. Overall, the injury model successfully increased range of motion and decreased disc height and foraminal area. Once treated with one of the three implants, the PercuDyn was most effective at preventing hyperextension, decreasing extension with a follower load by a mean of 52% compared to injured conditions (P = 0.07). The X-Stop stabilized the posterior column, increasing foraminal area under all conditions, particularly extension with a follower load, by 27% compared to injured conditions (P = 0.01). The Isobar, the only device to stabilize the anterior column, increased anterior disc height under flexion with a follower load by 22% (P = 0.03). Conclusion. All three devices functioned as intended by their respective manufacturers, but each appeared to excel in different areas; therefore, each should be used for unique clinical applications.


Regulation of the expression of hepatic 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase by the major end product of the biosynthetic pathway, cholesterol, and by various hormones is critical to maintaining constant serum and tissue cholesterol levels in the face of an ever-changing external environment. The ability to downregulate this enzyme provides a means to buffer the body against the serum cholesterol-raising action of dietary cholesterol. The higher the basal expression of hepatic HMG-CoA reductase, the greater the "cholesterol buffering capacity" and the greater the resistance to dietary cholesterol. This review focuses on the mechanisms of feedback and hormonal regulation of HMG-CoA reductase in intact animals rather than in cultured cells and presents the evidence that leads to the proposal that regulation of hepatic HMG-CoA reductase acts as a cholesterol buffer. Recent studies with animals have shown that feedback regulation of hepatic HMG-CoA reductase occurs at the level of translation in addition to transcription. The translational efficiency of HMG-CoA reductase mRNA is diminished through the action of dietary cholesterol. Oxylanosterols appear to be involved in this translational regulation. Feedback regulation by dietary cholesterol does not appear to involve changes in the state of phosphorylation of hepatic HMG-CoA reductase or in the rate of degradation of this enzyme. Several hormones act to alter the expression of hepatic HMG-CoA reductase in animals. These include insulin, glucagon, glucocorticoids, thyroid hormone and estrogen. Insulin stimulates HMG-CoA reductase activity likely by increasing the rate of transcription, whereas glucagon acts by opposing this effect. Hepatic HMG-CoA reductase activity undergoes a significant diurnal variation due to changes in the level of immunoreactive protein primarily mediated by changes in insulin and glucagon levels. Thyroid hormone increases hepatic HMG-CoA reductase levels by acting to increase both transcription and stability of the mRNA. Glucocorticoids act to decrease hepatic HMG-CoA reductase expression by destabilizing reductase mRNA. Estrogen acts to increase hepatic HMG-CoA reductase activity primarily by stabilizing the mRNA. Deficiencies in those hormones that act to increase hepatic HMG-CoA reductase gene expression lead to elevations in serum cholesterol levels. High basal expression of hepatic HMG-CoA reductase, whether due to genetic or hormonal factors, appears to result in greater cholesterol buffering capacity and thus increased resistance to dietary cholesterol.


The 1989 "megamergers" (creating Ernst & Young and Deloitte & Touche), as well as recent merger activity within the accounting profession, have attracted widespread attention from regulators. Given the magnitude of such mergers, and the regulatory interest generated by them, it becomes increasingly important to understand the impact that such mergers have within the public accounting market. This study is a descriptive exploratory investigation into the effects of the 1989 mergers. Data for the firms involved in the mergers were compared to data for competitor firms not involved in the mergers (direct rivals) to help to control for the effect of market forces. The post‐merger period was characterized by a slight decline in market share for the merged firms compared to their direct rivals, a decline in audit price for both groups, and a decrease in factor costs for the merged firms relative to their direct rivals. The results of data analysis are consistent with the premise that 1989 megamergers predominan...


Navier–Stokes simulation is performed on a canard guided spinning projectile for different attack angles and circumferential position angles of canard over the Mach number range of 1.8–2.2. The computational Magnus moment coefficients of test case are validated with available experimental data of a Secant-Ogive-Cylinder-Boattail (SOCBT) configuration at Mach 3, demonstrating that the method can provide an accurate and viable approach for this problem. The aim of the present study is to provide a detailed understanding of the effects of canard with different circumferential position angles on longitudinal aerodynamic coefficients at three supersonic speeds and various angles of attack. And the results show that normal force coefficients and pitch moment coefficients vary periodically with the circumferential position angles of canard.


Due to the increased occurrence of cavitation erosion in hydrodynamic systems operating in an ocean environment, there is a need to study the role of corrosion on the process of cavitation erosion. Previously, for noncorrosive systems, correlation of experimental data with the theory of erosion resulted in a time-scale modeling law of erosion. The changes in this scaling law due to corrosion were then investigated. A high-frequency, 20 kHz, piezoelectric vibratory apparatus was employed to generate erosion time history data for HY-130, HY-80, SAE 1020 steels, and Al 5086 H117 at several different erosion intensities in sea and distilled water. Results indicated that the relative erosion rate curves for materials susceptible to corrosion were different, and that the changes due to corrosivity increased with increasing erosion intensities. By coupling changes in corrosivity with maximum erosion rate increases, and times to the maximum rates, it is possible to make prototype performance predictions for either seawater or distilled water conditions. Qualitative relationships were found between the relative erosion rates and galvanic potentials of tested materials. A mechanism was proposed to account for the corrosive influence on erosion based on hydrogen-generated micropit destruction of a material surface that accelerates cavitation erosion.


It is not a hidden fact that, in today's wireless and cellular networks, businesses and end users have clearly become dependent on mobility and the freedom of being always online. Smart phones, tablets and other devices are expected to be connected all the time and the applications on these devices are required to run smoothly. That is, for a mobile network to even be considered to have the minimum requirements from its users today, network problems like dropped calls, choppy videos and slow downloads should be out of the question. However, with the fast growth rate of wireless communication devices competing for spectrum, the mobile access networks that we have today will soon reach their maximum capacy. To address these high expectations, mobile network operators are employing new strategies in densely populated areas and commercial buildings where spectrum scarcity is highest. 3GPP has been working on LTE Advanced (Long Term Evolution Advanced) in order to improve the spectral efficiency by employing Heterogeneous Networks (HetNets). HetNets improve the business model for mobile network operators and users by introducing network topologies which are less costly and are able to increase the capacity and coverage provided by the traditional macro cell mobile networks. HetNets are comprised of macro cells and low cost low power base stations like picocells, femtocells, relays and other small cells along with WiFi-APs and distributed antenna systems (DAS). With HetNets a significant network capacity gain and uniform broadband experience can be provided to the users anywhere and at low cost, since the spectrum can be re-used across the multiple tiers in the network. However, HetNet deployments come with a lot of challenges and advanced interference control and management techniques are required to get the highest possible benefit from these networks. The enhanced Inter Cell Interference Coordination (eICIC) technique has been studied previously to address the interference problem that these small cells experience from macro cells. This thesis will concentrate on the performance improvement achieved when eICIC mechanisms are introduced to a simple HetNet. The eICIC approach as described in 3GPP's Release 10 involves two mechanisms, which this thesis also tries to take into consideration. These are the CRE (Cell Range Expansion) acheived through cell bias adjustments and ABS (Almost Blank Subframe) ratio. A discussion about the importance eICIC in SON Serlf Organizing Networks will also be done.


Based on research conducted among EU border enforcement officials, this article embarks on a discussion about complicity and critical analysis within border and migration studies. The study of borders and migration in the context of the EU is a highly politicized issue, and several scholars have pointed out that critical research easily comes to serve into a "knowledge loop" (Hess, 2010), or play part in the proliferation of a "migration business" (Andersson, 2014). In this article, I will argue that in order to not reproduce the vocabulary or object-making of that which we study, we need to study processes of scale-making (Tsing, 2000) and emphasise the multiplicity of borders (Andersen & Sandberg, 2012). In the article, I therefore present three strategies for critical analysis: First, I suggest critically assessing the locations of fieldwork, and the ways in which these either mirror or distort dominant narratives about the borders of Europe. Secondly, I probe into the differences and similarities between the interlocutors' and researchers' objects of inquiry. Finally, I discuss the purpose of 'being there', in the field, in relation to ethnographic knowledge production. I ask whether we might leave behind the idea of ethnography as evidence or revelations, and rather focus on ethnography as additions. In conclusion, I argue that instead of critical distance, we as scholars should nurture the capacity of critical complicity.


A multivariable control strategy based on model predictive control techniques for the control of variable-speed variable-pitch wind turbines is proposed. The proposed control strategy is described for the whole operating region of the wind turbine, i.e., both partial and full load regimes. Pitch angle and generator torque are controlled simultaneously to maximize energy capture, mitigate drive train transient loads, and smooth the power generated while reducing the pitch actuator activity. This has the effect of improving the efficiency and the power quality of the electrical power generated, and increasing the life expectancy of the installation. Furthermore, safe and acceptable operation of the system is guaranteed by incorporating most of the constraints on the physical variables of the wind energy conversion system (WECS) in the controller design. In order to cope with nonlinearities in the WECS and continuous variations in the operating point, a multiple model predictive controller is suggested which provides acceptable performance throughout the whole operating region.


The presence of pharmaceutical waste in the environment is an emerging concern. The challenges of achieving high levels of scientific certainty concerning its impacts has motivated jurisdictions to adopt medications return programs (MRPs) to safely manage the public's post-consumer pharmaceuticals (i.e. unused/expired drugs). There are several variables for governments to consider when implementing MRPs, particularly when based on extended producer responsibility (EPR). This comparative policy analysis examined regulatory MRPs in British Columbia and Ontario as cases to compare and evaluate. It developed 12 criteria for an optimal MRP consistent with EPR practices, including key performance measures, and applied them to evaluate the British Columbia and Ontario programs. It then explored Ontario's revised MRP, launched in 2013, to determine if the positive and negative indicators from British Columbia's long-standing program have been incorporated, and analyzed if policy lesson-drawing or policy convergence occurred in practice.


Selective deposition and preferential alignment of two-dimensional (2D) nanoparticles on complex and flexible three-dimensional (3D) substrates can tune material properties and enrich structural versatility for broad applications in wearable health monitoring, soft robotics, and human-machine interfaces. However, achieving precise and scalable control of the morphology of layer-structured nanomaterials is challenging, especially constructing hierarchical architectures consistent from nanoscale alignment to microscale patterning to complex macroscale landscapes. This work demonstrated a scalable and straightforward hybrid 3D printing method for orientational alignment and positional patterning of 2D MXene nanoparticles. This process involved (i) surface topology design via microcontinuous liquid interface production (μCLIP) and (ii) directed assembly of MXene flakes via capillarity-driven direct ink writing (DIW). With well-managed surface patterning geometry and printing ink quality control, the surface microchannels constrained MXene suspensions and leveraged microforces to facilitate preferential alignment of MXene sheets via layer-by-layer additive depositions. The printed devices displayed multifunctional properties, i.e., anisotropic conductivity and piezoresistive sensing with a wide sensing range, high sensitivity, fast response time, and mechanical durability. Our fabrication technique shows enormous potential for rapid, digital, scalable, and low-cost manufacturing of hierarchical structures, especially for micropatterning and aligning 2D nanoparticles not easily accessible through conventional processing methods.


The parton densities of the proton are of fundamental importance not only for our description of hadronic and nuclear structure, but also for reliable predictions for new heavy particle searches at colliders. At the large partonic momentum fractions required for the production of these particles, the parton distribution functions, in particular the one of the gluon, are unfortunately still badly constrained. In this paper, we investigate the possibility to improve on their determination with new data coming from electroweak vector boson production at large transverse momenta at the LHC with center-of-mass energies of 7, 8 or 14 TeV. We demonstrate that this process is dominated by quark-gluon scattering, that theoretical predictions can be reliably made on the basis of next-to-leading order perturbation theory and its resummation, and that these data should thus be used in global fits. We also point out that the non-perturbative parameters determined from Tevatron run-1 Z-boson data at low p_T describe very well the new LHC data at \sqrt{s}=7 TeV.


We investigate the stellar kinematics of the bulge and disk components in 826 galaxies with a wide range of morphology from the Sydney-AAO Multi-object Integral-field spectroscopy (SAMI) Galaxy Survey. The spatially-resolved rotation velocity (V) and velocity dispersion (σ) of bulge and disk components have been simultaneously estimated using the penalized pixel fitting (pPXF) method with photometrically defined weights for the two components. We introduce a new subroutine of pPXF for dealing with degeneracy in the solutions. We show that the V and σ distributions in each galaxy can be reconstructed using the kinematics and weights of the bulge and disk components. The combination of two distinct components provides a consistent description of the major kinematic features of galaxies over a wide range of morphological types. We present Tully-Fisher and Faber-Jackson relations showing that the galaxy stellar mass scales with both V and σ for both components of all galaxy types. We find a tight Faber-Jackson relation even for the disk component. We show that the bulge and disk components are kinematically distinct: (1) the two components show scaling relations with similar slopes, but different intercepts; (2) the spin parameter λR indicates bulges are pressure-dominated systems and disks are supported by rotation; (3) the bulge and disk components have, respectively, low and high values in intrinsic ellipticity. Our findings suggest that the relative contributions of the two components explain, at least to first order, the complex kinematic behaviour of galaxies.


Measuring poverty has occupied a lot of space in the development discourse. Over the years a number of approaches have been offered to capture the experience of what it means to be poor. However, latterly such approaches often ignore core assets. Indeed, the comparative impact of livestock vs. other core assets such as land and education on poverty has not been well explored. Therefore, the authors created an 'asset impact model' to examine changes to both tangible and intangible assets at the household level, with a particular focus on gender and ethnicity among communities residing in the Bolivian Altiplano. The simple model illustrates that for indigenous women, a 20 per cent increase in the livestock herd has the same impact on household income as increasing the education levels by 20 per cent and household land ownership by 5 per cent. The study illustrates the potential role of a productive, tangible asset, i.e. livestock, on poverty reduction in the short term. The policy implications of supporting...


We present a method of tuning surface chemistry and nerve cell behavior by photo-cross-linking methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) monoacrylate (mPEGA) with hydrophobic, semicrystalline poly(ε-caprolactone) diacrylate (PCLDA) at various weight compositions of mPEGA (ø(m)) from 2 to 30%. Improved surface wettability is achieved with corresponding decreases in friction, water contact angle, and capability of adsorbing proteins from cell culture media because of repulsive PEG chains tethered in the network. The responses of rat Schwann cell precursor line (SpL201), rat pheochromocytoma (PC12), and E14 mouse neural progenitor cells (NPCs) to the modified surfaces are evaluated. Nonmonotonic or parabolic dependence of cell attachment, spreading, proliferation, and differentiation on ø(m) is identified for these cell types with maximal values at ø(m) of 5-7%. In addition, NPCs demonstrate enhanced neuronal differentiated lineages on the mPEGA/PCLDA network at ø(m) of 5% with intermediate wettability and surface energy. This approach lays the foundation for fabricating heterogeneous nerve conduits with a compositional gradient along the wall thickness, which are able to promote nerve cell functions within the conduit while inhibiting cell attachment on the outer wall to prevent potential fibrous tissue formation following implantation.


While the impact of environmental forcing on recruitment variability in marine populations remains largely elusive, studies spanning large spatial areas and many stocks are able to identify patterns common to different regions and species. In this study, we investigate the effects of the environment on the residuals of a Ricker stock– recruitment (SR) model, used as a proxy of prerecruits' survival, of 18 assessed stocks in the Baltic and North Seas. A probabilistic principal components (PCs) analysis permits the identification of groups of stocks with shared variability in the prerecruits' survival, most notably a group of pelagics in the Baltic Sea and a group composed of gadoids and herring in the North Sea. The first two PCs generally grouped the stocks according to their localizations: the North Sea, the Kattegat– Western Baltic, and the Baltic Sea. This suggests the importance of the local environmental variability on the recruitment strength. Hence, the prerecruits' survival variability is studied according to geographically disaggregated and potentially impacting abiotic or biotic variables. Time series (1990 – 2009) of nine environmental variables consistent with the spawning locations and season for each stock were extracted from a physical– biogeochemical model to evaluate their ability to explain the survival of prerecruits. Environmental variables explained .70% of the survival variability for eight stocks. The variables water current, salinity, temperature, and biomass of other fish stocks are regularly significant in the models. This study shows the importance of the local environment on the dynamics of SR. The results provide evidence of the necessity of including environmental variables in stock assessment for a realistic and efficient management of fisheries.


It only takes a cursory look at a beating heart to realise that the heart contracts with a twisting motion. This has been commented on over several centuries.1 This twisting motion pulls the mitral and tricuspid valve down towards the apex in systole and involves the coordinated action of longitudinal, circumferential and radial orientated fibres.2 3 Immediately after aortic valve closure as the myocytes begin to relax untwisting starts using the energy stored during systole within ventricular and atrial myocytes and the interstitium. This energy creates the negative pressure gradient that produces ventricular suction that is a vital process in the normal heart as it allows rapid filling at low pressures.4 5 After the left ventricular (LV) pressure has fallen the atrioventricular (AV) plane springs back to its equilibrium position moving around the column of blood passing through the mitral valve thus aiding filling of the ventricle. By this simple mechanism blood that was in the left atrium finds itself in the ventricle.6 Thus the longitudinal movement of the mitral and tricuspid annulus—akin to a pumping action—is a major component of normal function in both left and right ventricles. The importance of this was confirmed in a recent study using magnetic resonance imaging which quantified the percentage of the stroke volume due to longitudinal AV plane displacement (AVPD) in normal subjects, elite athletes and patients with dilated cardiomyopathy and an ejection fraction <30%.7 It was found that although stroke volume was higher in the athletes and lower in the patients with cardiomyopathy (as would be expected), the percentage of the stroke volume explained …


Spinal anesthesia with bupivacaine is routinely administered for lower limb and perianal surgery. The ensuing nerve blockage is sufficient to provide adequate motor blockage, which facilitates the surgeon's work and also provides effective pain relief during the initial postoperative period. In order to maximize post-operative analgesia, a number of adjutants have been added to local spinal anesthetics. Intrathecal supplements for post-operative pain relief are intriguing as they eliminate the need for intravenous and intramuscular analgesics and their associated complications. The objective of this study is to compare the intensity and duration of post-operative pain relief using intrathecal ketamine and midazolam with bupivacaine in patients undergoing lower limb and perianal surgery. This prospective, open label, parallel assignment, randomized, single-center trial, included eighty patients, who admitted for lower limb and perianal surgeries to the M.S. Ramaiah Medical College and Hospital, University- affiliated tertiary care center in Bangalore, India, were studied for 6 months. ASA (American Society of Anesthesiology) grade I and II patients between the ages of 20 and 60 years were included in this study. The onsets of action, intra-operative vital signs, postoperative vital signs, pain assessment by visual analogue scale, and post- operative analgesia time were recorded. A significantly higher VAS score were seen in group I (Ketamine). Postoperative analgesia was supplemented in all patients in group I at a mean duration of 482 ± 68.22 minutes and in group II at a mean duration of 645 61.28 minutes. The difference in mean post-operative supplemental analgesic time between the 2 groups was very highly significant (p < 0.001). Intrathecal midazolam with bupivacaine provides very good and prolonged post-operative analgesia compare to intrathecal ketamine with bupivacaine.


The effect of various air flow parameters on the plasma regimes of nanosecond repetitively pulsed (NRP) discharges is investigated at atmospheric pressure. The two electrodes are in a pin-annular configuration, transverse to the mean flow. The voltage pulses have amplitudes up to 15 kV, a duration of 10 ns and a repetition frequency ranging from 15 to 30 kHz. The NRP corona to NRP spark (C-S) regime transition and the NRP spark to NRP corona (S-C) regime transition are investigated for different steady and harmonically oscillating flows. First, the strong effect of a transverse flow on the C-S and S-C transitions, as reported in previous studies, is verified. Second, it is shown that the azimuthal flow imparted by a swirler does not affect the regime transition voltages. Finally, the influence of low frequency harmonic oscillations of the air flow, generated by a loudspeaker, is studied. A strong effect of frequency and amplitude of the incoming flow modulation on the NRP plasma regime is observed. Results are interpreted based on the cumulative effect of the NRP discharges and an analysis of the residence times of fluid particles in the inter-electrode region.


Abstract An instance of Stratified Comprehension is called strictly impredicative iff, under minimal stratification, the type of x is 0. Using the technology of forcing, we prove that the fragment of NF based on strictly impredicative Stratified Comprehension is consistent. A crucial part in this proof, namely showing genericity of a certain symmetric filter, is due to Robert Solovay. As a bonus, our interpretation also satisfies some instances of Stratified Comprehension which are not strictly impredicative. For example, it verifies existence of Frege natural numbers. Apparently, this is a new subsystem of NF shown to be consistent. The consistency question for the whole theory NF remains open (since 1937).


The purpose of this paper is to highlight current U.S. Supreme Court precedents regarding public employee speech on matters of public concern, and how those precedents are being applied by lower federal courts to public school administrators. Surveying the current legal landscape reveals a heightened vulnerability for school administrators engaging in speech on matters of public importance. Due to the complexity of the school administrator's job, the vast scope of their responsibilities, and the uniqueness of their position (which often entails being a spokesperson of sort for the school district), the speech of public school administrators, even on matters of public concern, often lacks the legal protection many assume exists for such speech. This paper is intended to raise awareness for both practitioners and those who train them with the hope that a better understanding of recent litigation in this area will help inform one's practice and preparation.


Soybean flakes were extracted using supercritical carbon dioxide at 48.3 MPa and 80 ℃, which is a higher temperature than previously reported. Several operational parameters were explored to determine their effect on extractions. Flakes, as typically used in this industry, provided the best extraction performance. Particle size distributions were created through grinding. Reducing average particle diameters smaller than 0.069 mm had no appreciable effect on increasing extraction efficiencies. Exploration of flow rate indicated that a residence time of less than 60 s for the supercritical carbon dioxide would be sufficient for complete extractions. A solvent mass to load mass ratio of 10:1 was found to be sufficient for extraction of oils from soybean flakes. Increasing moisture in the soybeans led to decreasing extraction efficiency of oils. Finally, soybean hulls had no effect on extraction efficiency. Thus, the de-hulling procedure can be removed from the extraction process without decreasing extraction efficiency.


Using microdata on the 1995 cohort of Italian high school graduates, this paper studies the relationship between the type of high school attended (general versus technical; private versus public) and indicators of subsequent performance. Simultaneity issues that potentially bias this type of exercise are tackled by instrumental variables. Results indicate that the type of high school attended greatly depends upon the family of origin and prior school performance. General high schools are found to increase the probability of transition to university and to improve performance once at university. On the other hand, private high schools appear to be associated with lower academic performance. Technical schools improve the quality of the school-to-work transition, both in terms of participation and employment probabilities.


Traditional Chinese housing, like vernacular housing everywhere, is under threat. Because such housing is considered wasteful in its use of land or energy, it is often demolished for more intensive and supposedly more energy-efficient housing, despite the resulting loss of embodied energy and urban amenity. Although the conservation movement has helped to preserve some traditional housing, the need for old buildings to meet modern standards of comfort and environmental performance remains a potential economic deterrent to conservation. For this reason, a team from the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) undertook in 2009-10 the first stage of a research project to study the environmental performance of traditional Chinese housing in Xiao He Zhi Jie, Hangzhou. The UTS team of Dr Grace Ding, Dr Janet Ge and Peter Phillips was assisted by staff and students from Zhejiang University and local members of ICOMOS China, and by a research grant from the Australia-China Council. Temperature and humidity monitors were installed in six local houses, and in a modern unit in a nearby multi-storey building as a control. Readings were made every hour and the data collected every fortnight for a full year. This paper reports on the project and its initial findings, including the surprisingly small difference in environmental performance between traditional and conventional odern construction.


Species delimitation of closely related corals is often challenging due to high intraspecies morphological variation and phenotypic plasticity with a lack of characteristic features and scarcity of relevant molecular markers. Goniopora spp. are one such coralline group, and the species status of Goniopora lobata and Goniopora djiboutiensis, an Indian and Pacific Ocean hermatypic coral species complex, has been questioned on the basis of previous molecular and morphological analyses. To further examine the species boundaries between G. lobata and G. djiboutiensis in Japan, specimens collected from areas spanning from Ryukyu Island to temperate Japanese regions were morphologically identified based on traditional morphological descriptions. Then, the genetic structure of the G. lobata and G. djiboutiensis species complex was examined using six newly developed microsatellite markers. The majority of the collected specimens had intermediate morphologies, and a STRUCTURE analysis using the LOCPRIOR model based on typical G. lobata and G. djiboutiensis morphology indicated that there were no genetic differences between these morphologies. On the other hand, STRUCTURE analysis based on oceanographic regions revealed that there was a genetic break between the temperate and subtropical regions. This weak genetic break corresponded with the Kuroshio-associated barrier, which prevents larval transport between subtropical and temperate regions. This study confirms that the current morphological identification criteria for G. lobata and G. djiboutiensis do not match the existing genetic boundaries and thus the two should be regarded as a species complex. This study also highlighted the robustness of using a multi-locus population genetic approach, including a geographic context, to confirm the species boundaries of closely related species.


OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of overweight and to describe some indicative anthropometric variables of body fat distribution in a population of Japanese migrants living in Brazil. METHODS: The sample consisted of 647 first- (n= 237) and second-generation (n= 410) Japanese-Brazilians of both genders, aged > 35 years, who had their anthropometric measures, blood pressure, lipid profile, and oral glucose tolerance test defined. Overweight and obesity were defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 25.0-29.9 and > 30.0 kg/m2, respectively; the diagnosis of abdominal adiposity was based on waist circumference values > 94 cm in men and > 80 cm in women. Chi-square statistics and Student t test were used for data analysis. RESULTS: Forty percent of the participants showed some degree of overweight (BMI > 25 kg/m2) and the prevalence rates of abdominal adiposity were 21.5% in men and 66.7% in women. Second-generation Japanese-Brazilian men, younger than 60 years, had an android profile of fat distribution; women were more obese than men and had both android and gynaecoid patterns, which were assessed by skin fold thickness. CONCLUSION: Japanese immigrants in Brazil - who originally did not present the obese phenotype - have followed the worldwide trend of progressive weight gain toward the development of obesity. In particular, such situation has been accompanied by an increase in abdominal adiposity, possibly indicating visceral fat accumulation, triggering metabolic disorders. Our findings suggest that Japanese descendants may present predisposition to abdominal obesity, which is triggered when they are exposed to an unfavorable environment.


In an attempt to enhance the trustworthiness of contractors and reduce corruption, the Chinese government has launched a construction contractor credit scoring (CCCS) scheme in Beijing to evaluate the compliance and integrity of contractors registered in the construction market. The contribution of this paper to the body of knowledge is to analyze how the incorporation of CCCS may affect general contractors' present and future competitiveness through a case study in China. This paper analyzes the procurement of 158 building projects tendered in Beijing involving 2,071 local general contractors active in the market. The results show that (1) the contractors' CCCS scores are important for being awarded large and mega project contracts; (2) CCCS scores have a generally positive effect on future corporate financial income; and (3) contrary to expectations, the policy does not increase the CCCS of companies. Finally, the changing trend in contractors' CCCS scores is observed to be highly correlated with their initial values (the scores of higher CCCS scoring companies increase faster on average than that of other companies). The final remarks address ways to better implement CCCS schemes in the future and avoid the potential risks involved in their use.


ABSTRACT A hybrid system coupling ion exchange and ultrafiltration (UF) was employed to separate lithium from lithium-spiked geothermal water. The effect of process parameters such as adsorbent type, adsorbent dosage, permeate flow rate, and replacement speeds of fresh and saturated adsorbents have been evaluated to determine the efficiency of the hybrid system. According to the results obtained using λ-MnO2 derived from spinel-type lithium manganese dioxide, the optimal operating conditions to separate lithium from geothermal water were found with powdery λ-MnO2 with an adsorbent concentration of 1.5 g adsorbent/L solution, replacement rates of fresh and saturated adsorbents of 6.0 mL/min, and a permeate flow rate of 5.0 mL/min. The ion exchange–UF hybrid system providing an advantage to work with very fine particles easily can be considered as a favorable process for the separation of lithium from geothermal water.


In semi‐arid areas, multiple equilibrium states of an ecosystem (e.g., grassland and desert) are found to coexist, and the transition from grassland to desert is often abrupt at the boundary. A simple ecosystem model is developed to provide the biophysical explanation of this phenomenon. The model has three variables: living biomass, wilted biomass, and soil wetness. The moisture index, which is the ratio of the annual precipitation to potential evaporation, is the only external climate driving force, and the key mechanism is the vegetation‐soil interaction. It is found that the maintenance of a grassland requires a minimum moisture index, and the abrupt transition occurs when the moisture index is around this critical value. These results are robust within a wide range for most model parameters, suggesting that the model may be applicable to other temperate grasslands. The characteristics of the wilted biomass also strongly influence the ecosystem's dynamics.


ABSTRACT This article argues that in a society transformed by an increasing bureaucratic nexus of migration, artistic responses to political crises are particularly effective when working with institutions. To probe the prevalent discourse on the efficacy of performance art, the article interrogates Grandhotel Cosmopolis through a lens of institutional aesthetics. Dwelling at the intersection between performance and institutions, this intervention combines refugee accommodation with a tourist hotel and artist studios. Ultimately, the article outlines the role of commitment in the intervention, which stands exemplary for emerging art practices that permeate the boundaries of institutional policy, performance art and social fields.


A 12 year old dog was submitted for a routine pregnancy examination. The information received from the owner was that the animal had been mated 45 days previously. During abdominal palpation, a hard, round mobile structure was detected. Extension of the tumour from the right ovary into the abdomen was determined by ultrasonography. Hemogram, blood biochemistry, estradiol and serum progesterone analyzes were performed before surgery. An ovariohysterectomy was performed and 1.6 L of ascites fluid aspirated. A tumour in the right ovary weighing 1.3 kg was detected. Histopathological examination revealed ovarian papillary cystadenoma. One month after the operation, the animal showed good general condition, however, five months after the operation, the state of health deteriorated. Euthanasia followed this, because the metastases were detected in the repeated laparotomy operation. As a result, Increased serum E2 and E2/P4 ratio (3.15), and sonographically detectable abdominal mass and ascites could be useful for the dectection of the ovarian tumour in bitch. In case of rapidly growing papillary adenomas, frequent post-operative controls should be recommendable.


This paper proposes a method to verify the singer identity of a given song. The query song is modeled as a GMM learned on the features extracted from sustained sung notes of the song. Each note is described by the shape its spectral envelope and by the temporal variations in frequency and amplitude of its fundamental frequency. The singer identity is verified with two approaches: the model of the query song is compared to a singer-based GMM or compared to the GMM of another song performed by the same singer. The comparison is done using a dissimilarity measurement given by the Kullback Leibler divergence. When the two types of features are combined, the proposed approach verifies the singer identity of a given a cappella song with an error rate lower than 8% when the whole song is considered and an error rate lower than 10% when a short excerpt of the song (i.e. 15 consecutive sustained notes) is considered.


This paper presents an approach that uses implicitly defined optical surfaces for designing imaging and illumination systems. In the standard aspheric optical surface, consisting of a conic with an even- order polynomial, the surface sagitta (sag), z, is defined explicitly as a function of the coordinates x and y. This standard aspheric surface is deemed useful for describing surfaces with small departures from a conic surface. However, optical surfaces with large departures from a conic are sometimes useful for current applications, such as null certification, conformal domes and windows, luminaires, and condenser design. The approach in this paper, which uses implicitly defined surfaces to describe highly aspheric surfaces, can be more general and easier to use for some situations. The sag z of an implicit surface is not defined directly, as it is in an explicit surface. Instead, it is defined indirectly in a more general form, as a function of x, y, and z. Because implicit functions have a more general form than explicit functions, they can better describe a variety of surfaces that cannot be easily described using the standard explicit aspheric surface. We show some examples of current interest.


The carpal tunnel was investigated by high-resolution computed tomographic (CT) scanning of two cadavers, two healthy persons, and 20 patients with carpal tunnel syndrome to outline normal and pathologic anatomy. The following changes leading to median nerve compression in the carpal canal were demonstrated by CT: (1) thickening of the transverse carpal ligament with resultant decrease in the volume of the carpal tunnel, thus leading to compression of its contents; (2) synovial sheath "hypertrophy" of the flexor tendons, in which compression of the nerve seems to be caused by an increase in volume of the tissues within the carpal canal due to the thickened synovium around the flexor tendon; and (3) recurrent fibrosis after surgery.


Abstract Many aspects of cellular function or physiology can be used to indicate the level of damage resulting from the application of potentially deleterious agents such as drugs, solvents or even light. The dose required to reach a specific biological endpoint will necessarily depend on the characteristics of the damage induced by the agent. By using multiple biological probes, it is possible to get a more complete description of the type of damage induced. Photodamage was induced in rat basophilic leukemia cells by either 254-nm UVC light exposure or rose bengal photosensitization. Damage was measured by three quantitative assays employing fluorescent probes: calcein, to measure nonspecific esterase activity, propidium iodide (PI), to measure loss of plasma membrane integrity, rhodamine 123 (R123) to measure mitochondrial depolarization, and the incorporation of 5′-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), to measure the progress of cell replication. BrdU incorporation was found to be the most sensitive indicator for both forms of photodamage. For UVC photodamage, the BrdU assay was 330 times more sensitive than the other two assays. For rose bengal photosensitization, the BrdU assay was 48 or 62 times more sensitive than either the R123 or calcein/PI assays, respectively.


Key Works: 5-azacytidine, Hypomethylation, Embryogenesis, Mouse Summary: DNA methylation is an epigenetical mechanism that plays crucial roles in cellular differentiation and tissue development in embryogenesis. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of a demethylating agent, 5-azacytidine, on testicular development during embryonal life in mouse. Ten pregnant mice were administered 5-azacytidine (5-azaC) (i.p 2 mg/kg of agent dissolved in 0.1mg/ml PBS) during 8th (Group 1), 11th (Group 2), 14th (Group 3) and 18th (Group 4) days of pregnancy periods and male siblings of these animals were obtained (experimental groups) whereas the control group animals received no treatment and siblings of this group were also obtained. Testicular tissues from all groups were taken 20 days after birth and examined at the light and electron microscopical levels. All pregnancies were terminated in Group 1 animals, therefore no observations could be done in this group. While Group 2 and 3 siblings showed distinctive kongenital abnormalities such as; anancephaly, growth failure, cleft palate, extremity abnormalities, supernumerary ribs and whirled shaped-tails, no such abnormalities were observed in Group 4 when compared to the control group. Microscopical examination of testicular tissues in groups 2 and 3 demonstrated cellular disintegration of spermatocytes in seminiferous tubules. In addition, cytoplasmic vacuoles and thickening of the basement membrane were also evident in both groups 2 and 3. Apoptotic-like cells were seen especially in group 2 and rarely in group 3. There were no structural alterations in group 4 animals, except a decreased number of spermatocytes in seminiferous tubules when compared to the control group, possibly indicating the completion of embryogenesis in this group. In conclusion, it could be suggested that the demethylating agent 5-azacytidine may trigger an unknown gene reactivation during early embryogenesis possibly affecting the cell and tissue differentiation in developing mammalian embryos.


The HCI community has worked to expand and improve our consideration of the societal implications of our work and our corresponding responsibilities. Despite this increased engagement, HCI continues to lack an explicitly articulated politic, which we argue re-inscribes and amplifies systemic oppression. In this paper, we set out an explicit political vision of an HCI grounded in emancipatory autonomy-an anarchist HCI, aimed at dismantling all oppressive systems by mandating suspicion of and a reckoning with imbalanced distributions of power. We outline some of the principles and accountability mechanisms that constitute an anarchist HCI. We offer a potential framework for radically reorienting the field towards creating prefigurative counterpower-systems and spaces that exemplify the world we wish to see, as we go about building the revolution in increment.


The progress of modern science and technology has become human being easy to reach whatever they need and they want. Nevertheless, in other hand, those progresses with their ideology, life style, effect and etc. in fact have caused the human being faraway from their surroundings, family, and even their self. Therefore, modern men try to look for the solution of this condition, one of that is religion.However, the chosen to religion is not based on pure consciousness, but only as way to escape; hence the result is not permanent. The solutions offered by religious, such as Islamic psychotherapy, also have not touched the basic problem of humanity yet, that is the consciousness, and consequently the problem solving is not maximal.Islamic psychotherapy presented in this article, which is based on principles of epistemology of hikmah muta`aliyah, is hoped be able to be Islamic psychotherapy alternative that fix the lacking. The result is not only the temporal satisfaction of soul, but a peace of life which is permanent, and also intellectual satisfaction, without ignoring the role of syari'ah. Keywords: Problem of modern men, Islamic psychotherapy, and hikmah muta`aliyah.


The strain in the bulk of material was evaluated using high energy white X-rays from a synchrotron radiation source of SPring-8 in Japan. An austenitic stainless steel (JIS-SUS304L) was used for a specimen. The specimen of 5 mm thickness was subjected to the bending. The internal strain of it could be measured using white X-rays which range of energy from 60 keV to 125 keV. The measurement of the internal strain with a high accuracy was accomplished using the strain data from several lattice planes of γ-Fe simultaneously. Furthermore, the measurement error of strain could be decreased by using the diffracted beam with high energy, high peak count and the similar profile with the Gaussian distribution. The results showed that the high energy white X-rays is effective for the internal strain measurement in the depth of the order of millimeter.


Without having the common high specific marker, the tumours of the nervous system are, however, characterized by regular quantitative and structural changes of chromosomes. In this review molecular and genetic aspects of chromosome translocations typical for the main types of the nervous system, their role in activation of protooncogenes and their conversion to oncogenes, which is able to cause tumor transformation, are considered. Additionally, the role of chromosome translocation in the inactivation of suppressor genes is discussed.


Professor of Neuropsychiatry and Director of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, UCL, London. Ray Dolan is Mary Kinross Professor of Neuropsychiatry and Director of the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, at UCL. Prof Dolan's research addresses the neurobiology of emotion and decision making, how emotion impacts on cognition and its aberrant expression in disease. He has published over 500 peer reviewed papers is among the most cited scientist in the world in the field of Neuroscience and Behaviour. He has received numerous awards including the Alexander von Humboldt Research Award (2004), the Minerva Foundation Golden Brain Award (2006), the International Max Planck Research Award (2007) and the Zülch Prize (2013). Between 2010–2014 he has been Visiting Einstein Fellow to the Humboldt University, Berlin. He was elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci) in 2000, Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS) in 2010 and an External Member of the Max Planck Society (MPS) in 2012. He recently established the first Centre for Computational Psychiatry at UCL, a joint venture with the Max Planck Society (MPS). Computational psychiatry encapsulates a set of approaches to the study of psychiatric conditions that are rooted in computer science. Two broad approaches can be identified. The first of these is an atheoretical and with an emphasis that is data driven. This usually involves the application of machine learning (ML) methods in an attempt to refine disease classification, predict treatment response and improve treatment outcomes. This approach can be applied to a wide class of data, including the analysis of brain imaging data. The second approach is theoretical and grounded within developments that derive from theoretical neuroscience. My focus in this talk will be entirely on the latter where I will provide examples of its utility in deepening our understanding of (i) adaptive learning and risk behaviour (ii) providing a quantitative basis for measuring and predicting subjective states (iii) providing neurobiologically inspired models that can be used to inform mechanistic interpretations of large scale data. These examples will serve to highlight how in computational psychiatry can open new avenues of investigation that provide mechanistic insights into disease processes with implications for classification and treatment. Computational psychiatry also enables an easier dialogue between advances in neuroscience and the challenges of providing a biologically informed understating of psychopathology.


The data quality dimension completeness quantifies the extent to which information on a real-world application is represented in a database.
The intensional completeness measure density can be considered at different levels of granularity.
With respect to attribute values, current density metrics are undefined for values which represent partial information.
Thus, for data models using such concepts these metrics are not suitable and a representative measuring of completeness is not possible.
In order to correct this flaw, we redefine the metrics of density at the attribute value level w.r.t. partial information which can be represented by classical subsets of the corresponding attribute domains. Since these redefinitions enable a more accurate and more exact quality measuring of data values, quality based activities and decisions can be more effective in the future.


A bolus treatment (e.g., 25 mg) of prostaglandin F2alpha (PGF) in the study of luteolysis in cattle results in dubious interpretations. Therefore, in experiment 1 of the present study, a 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF (PGFM) pulse was simulated by incremental intrauterine (IU) infusion of PGF for 2.7 h on Day 14 postovulation. Concentrations of PGFM during the first hour of infusion and at the maximum were not different between simulated (n = 7) and spontaneous (n = 7) pulses. In experiment 2, four groups (n = 6 per group) were treated at Minute 0 (beginning of infusion) as follows: saline (infused IU), PGF (infused IU), acyline/saline, and acyline/PGF. Two hours before Minute 0, each heifer was given flunixin meglumine to inhibit endogenous PGF secretion, and heifers in the acyline/saline and acyline/PGF groups were given acyline to inhibit luteinizing hormone (LH). Plasma progesterone concentrations were similar among groups during Minutes 0 to 60, with no indication of an initial transient progesterone increase in the two PGF groups. Progesterone began to decrease in the PGF groups at Minute 60 and to rebound at Minute 135 after the PGFM peak at Minute 120. The rebound was complete in association with an increase in LH in the PGF group, but it was not complete when LH was inhibited in the acyline/PGF group. Luteal blood flow increased during PGF infusion in the two PGF groups and remained elevated for approximately 2 h after the PGFM peak in the PGF group but not in the acyline/PGF group. Novel findings were that an initial transient increase in progesterone did not occur with the simulated PGFM pulse and that LH stimulated a progesterone rebound and maintained the elevated luteal blood flow after the PGFM peak. An initial transient increase in progesterone does not occur during a simulated prostaglandin pulse; luteinizing hormone is involved in the progesterone rebound and the elevated luteal blood flow after the prostaglandin peak.


Abstract Green Turtle eggs were collected at random from 5 different nests from the Ras Al-Hadd Reserve in Oman. They were incubated 16hr after oviposition at constant temperatures set at 30–31°C for female producers and at 26–27° for male producers. Standard histological procedure of the gonads was performed for sex determination. Despite the constant temperatures set in the incubators, there were differences among the incubated eggs. This is similar to the natural condition, where an asynchronous pattern of emergence is common. Pipping occurs when the eggshell has a slit and hatching is when the head and one flipper are outside the eggshell. Emergence occurs when the hatchling is completely free from the extraembryonic membranes and eggshell. There was no correlation between the pipping-hatching and hatching-emergence intervals in the female, but in males the two intervals were significantly correlated (P<0.01). Hatchling weights were: 28.22 g (±0.83) for females and 25.74 g (±0.58) for males. In both sexes, hatchling weight did not influence the duration of the two intervals. The duration between pipping emergence was significantly (P<0.01) longer in females than in males. Natural and incubator observations showed that the hatchlings remained in the nest after emergence for at least 48hr until the umbilical swelling had subsided before attempting their emergence escape. While the hatchlings remain inside the eggshell after pipping attached to chorioallontoic/amniotic membranes, they are occasionally vulnerable to injury by nesting turtles, micro-organisms or early-emerged hatchlings inside the nest.


Persistent polar pollutants (P3) are difficult to degrade in standard waste water treatment plants. As a result, they end up in the effluent and are emitted to the surface water. In some areas, this problem is aggravated through "closed loop recycling", causing concentrations of P3 in surface water to build up over time. This could cause violation of (future) EU regulations. In the P-THREE project, various alternative waste water treatment techniques are investigated regarding their effectiveness in eliminating these substances, especially membrane bioreactor treatment and advanced oxidation processes, MBR and AOP. The integrated systems analysis which is the subject of this paper assesses these techniques in a broader systems context: (1) the life-cycle of the P3, (2) the life cycle of the WWTPs, and (3) the WWTP life cycle costs.


In the present review the authors analyzed the effectiveness of treatment of intraepithelial neoplasia I-II-III of the cervix (CIN), vulva (VIN) and vagina (VaIN) using photodynamic therapy (PDT). PDT is a method based on exposure to light after preliminary introduction of a photosensitizer into the body with the formation of singlet oxygen, which has a cytotoxic effect. The results of research on the use of PDT with various photosensitizers in the complex of therapeutic measures in patients with CIN, VIN, VaIN are presented. These data on the effectiveness and safety of PDT, ease of use allow this medical technology to be attributed to one of the most promising areas in the treatment of pathological intraepithelial changes of the cervix, vulva and vagina. The presented information allows focusing the attention on the PDT method and informing doctors and researchers about the broad prospects for applying this treatment method in clinical practice.


Gut-derived hormones have been suggested to play a role in bone homeostasis following food intake, although the associations are highly complex and not fully understood. In a randomized, two-day cross-over study on 14 healthy individuals, we performed postprandial time-course studies to examine the associations of the bone remodeling markers carboxyl-terminal collagen type I crosslinks (CTX) and procollagen type 1 N-terminal propeptide (P1NP) with the gut hormones glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), and peptide YY (PYY) using two different meal types—a standardized mixed meal (498 kcal) or a granola bar (260 kcal). Plasma concentrations of total GIP, total GLP-1, total PYY, CTX, and P1NP were measured up to 240 min after meal intake, and the incremental area under the curve (iAUC) for each marker was calculated. The iAUC of CTX and P1NP were used to assess associations with the iAUC of GIP, GLP-1, and PYY in linear mixed effect models adjusted for meal type. CTX was positively associated with GIP and GLP-1, and it was inversely associated with PYY (all p < 0.001). No associations of P1NP with GIP or GLP-1 and PYY were found. In conclusion, the postprandial responses of the gut hormones GIP, GLP-1, and PYY are associated with the bone resorption marker CTX, supporting a link between gut hormones and bone homeostasis following food intake.


We run a series of controlled field experiments on eBay where buyers are re-warded for providing feedback. Our results provide little support for the hypothesis of buyer's rational economic behavior: the likelihood of feedback barely increases as we increase feedback rebate values; also, the speed of feedback, bid levels and the number of bids are all insensitive to rebate values. By contrast, we find evidence consistent with reciprocal buyer behavior. Lower trans-action quality leads to a higher probability of negative feedback as well as a speeding up of such negative feedback. However, when transaction quality is low (as measured by slow shipping), offering a rebate significantly decreases the likelihood of negative feedback. All in all, our results are consistent with the hypothesis that buyers reciprocate the seller's "good deeds" (feedback rebate, high transaction quality) with more frequent and more favorable feedback. As a result, sellers can "buy" feedback, but such feedback is likely to be biased.


Despite tremendous advances in neuroscience research, it is still unclear how neuronal representations of sensory information give rise to the contents of our perception. One of the first and also the most compelling pieces of evidence for direct involvement of cortical signals in perception comes from electrical stimulation experiments addressing the middle temporal (MT) area and the medial superior temporal (MST) area: two neighboring extrastriate cortical areas of the monkey brain housing direction-sensitive neurons. Here we have combined fMRI with electrical stimulation in a patient undergoing awake brain surgery, to separately probe the functional significance of the human homologs, i.e., area hMT and hMST, on motion perception. Both the stimulation of hMT and hMST made it impossible for the patient to perceive the global visual motion of moving random dot patterns. Although visual motion blindness was predominantly observed in the contralateral visual field, stimulation of hMST also affected the ipsilateral hemifield. These results suggest that early visual cortex up to the stage of MT is not sufficient for the perception of global visual motion. Rather, visual motion information must be mediated to higher-tier cortical areas, including hMST, to gain access to conscious perception.


Akt is a pro‐survival kinase frequently activated in human cancers and is associated with more aggressive tumors that resist therapy. Here, we connect Akt pathway activation to reduced sensitivity to chemotherapy via Akt phosphorylation of Bax at residue S184, one of the pro‐apoptotic Bcl‐2 family proteins required for cells to undergo apoptosis. We show that phosphorylation by Akt converts the pro‐apoptotic protein Bax into an anti‐apoptotic protein. Mechanistically, we show that phosphorylation (i) enables Bax binding to pro‐apoptotic BH3 proteins in solution, and (ii) prevents Bax inserting into mitochondria. Together, these alterations promote resistance to apoptotic stimuli by sequestering pro‐apoptotic activator BH3 proteins. Bax phosphorylation correlates with cellular resistance to BH3 mimetics in primary ovarian cancer cells. Further, analysis of the TCGA database reveals that 98% of cancer patients with increased BAX levels also have an upregulated Akt pathway, compared to 47% of patients with unchanged or decreased BAX levels. These results suggest that in patients, increased phosphorylated anti‐apoptotic Bax promotes resistance of cancer cells to inherent and drug‐induced apoptosis.


The recovery of 2013 that followed the United Kingdom's Great Recession featured a rapid fall in unemployment but stagnant wage growth. Did the wage Phillips curve break down? These dynamics have two main candidate explanations: declining labor frictions, meaning lower unemployment without increasing wage growth; or a demand recovery accompanied by weak productivity, meaning unemployment fell but equilibrium wage growth remained low. This paper investigates using an estimated New Keynesian model featuring unemployment. The data favor a mix of explanations, but with the balance of evidence favoring the second. A demand recovery reduced unemployment, but wages are likely to have remained weak mainly because of poor productivity.


The diurnal polarization variation of the Earth, treated as an exoplanet with an unresolved disk but resolvable from its host star, is presented in three wavelength bands centered at 490 nm, 670 nm and 865 nm respectively according to French satellite-borne PARASOL data. We aim to estimate disk-integrated polarization of the Earth with a phase angle of 55°. It is shown that: (1) the linear polarization signal and its variation are ascribed to the combination of surface feature distribution and atmospheric conditions acting as a variable polarimetric modulator; and (2) the polarimetric wavelength dependence is strong due to the atmospheric wavelength sensitivity. During the period when the PARASOL data were acquired, the cloud coverage ranged from 44.0% to 57.7%, and the polarimetric diurnal variation amplitude was within 1.8% in the 490 nm band, 1.3% in the 670 nm band and 1.5% in the 865 nm band.


The analysis of the semantics of temporal data and queries plays a central role in the area of temporal relational databases. Although many different models and algebra have been proposed, almost all of them are based on a point-based (snapshot) semantics of the association of time to tuples/attributes. On the other hand, in the areas of linguistics, philosophy, and recently, artificial intelligence, a very debated issue concerns the use of an interval-based vs. a point-based semantics. We consider a slight adaptation of TSQL2's "consensus" algebra and model, discuss its semantics, and show some critical aspects arisen by the adoption of a point-based semantics.


This paper describes an intermediate point in the development of an electronic edition of a unique and complex early modern book. At this stage, we the authors have done extensive research on the book itself and have also begun thinking about appropriate ways of rendering information about the book electronically. This essay describes the book, a gospel harmony or 'concordance' made for King Charles I in the mid-1630s by the Ferrars of Little Gidding, England, particularly in light of its construction and intended functions. It goes on to explore the appropriateness of electronic forms for describing the book, ending by postulating possible tools for delivery. In particular, it describes the complexity of the Little Gidding concordance, which rearranges and combines the text of the four canonical gospels into a single narrative of 150 chapters. We have found, somewhat paradoxically, that XML provides a natural-feeling platform for gathering data about this document (contrasted with a word processor), but that the document's complexity makes it a difficult fit with TEI markup. We note that since the biblical text is already marked up, and that the Ferrars have added another layer of markup, the real difficulty as well as the promise of this project is in using digital markup to further enable the complex and powerful reading machine that is the Little Gidding concordance.


BRIAN CONNOR, On behalfof the staff members of the Armidale and New EnglandHospital. alleviate acne vulgaris, is not fully correct, bearing in mind the substantialrole that zinc plays in normal formation of skin collagen and keratin, and theepidermaldefects which occur in zinc-deficient experimentalanimalswhich are all reversed on repletion. A logical therapy for acne vulgaris is becomingapparent. It is as follows: (i) ashort course, if necessary, of tetracycline to c ntrol infection; and (ii)administrationof zinc sulphate(approximately100 mg/day) at night (and not with cereal food) which is continuedintermittently during the period of high zinc demand. No tetracycline should beadministeredduring this phase. In view of mineral interaction,a higher daily dose of zinc sulphate would be inadvisable. In teenagers, 100 mg of zinc sulphate is approximately equivalent to their dailyrequirement of zinc. It seems logical to combine the zinc with vitamin C which also has a role in maturationof skin collagen. 3 UrungaPlace, J. C. FITZHERBERT. Wollongong,N.S.W. 2500.


Nasopharyngeal sarcomatoid carcinoma (SaCa) is extremely rare, and concurrent chemoradiation is the standard treatment for squamous cell-based nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). This case report gives the first explanation of a nasopharyngeal SaCa patient treated with volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) with simultaneous integrated boost (SIB), which is an excellent treatment modality that leads to complete response for locally advanced NPC. A 70-year-old male presented with nasal obstruction, epistaxis, and right neck node enlargements. Examination revealed an extensive tumor of nasopharyngeal tumor extending into the nasal cavity and right parapharyngeal space with bilateral lymphadenopathy on positron emission tomography (PET)–computed tomography images of focal hypermetabolic bone lesion in C4 body (stage T3N2M1). An excisional biopsy of nasopharyngeal wall mass showed a SaCa. He received concurrent chemoradiation which was VMAT and systemic chemotherapy (cisplatin 60 mg). A dose of 70 Gy was delivered to the planning target volume (PTV70) (gross tumor volume plus margin 3–5 mm) and PTV59.4(a wider margin around high-risk clinical target volume, including the clivus and neck nodes) all given in 33 fractions. Radiological examination such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and PET images at the completion of external beam therapy revealed questionable residual disease. Follow-up MRI scans 4 weeks after radiotherapy revealed a complete tumor response. VMAT with SIB can be an effective treatment option for SaCa of the advanced nasopharynx.


This paper examines the extent to which motherhood affects women's career accomplishments and wages in Italy and the UK. Using the EU-SILC 2009 data, a decomposition of the motherhood wage gap is implemented after accounting for double selection in labor market participation and motherhood. We find evidence of a negative correlation between labor market and fertility decisions. The results show that motherhood has no adverse effects on women's career path in Italy, and that job segregation explains most of the motherhood wage gap in the UK. Empirical findings suggest that the timing of motherhood and job continuity affect significantly the female wage profile.