Background Little information is available concerning the relationship between compliance with hypertensive care and poor quality of sleep among Chinese adults in rural areas. This study aimed to evaluate the association between the compliance with hypertensive care and sleep quality for hypertension of adults in a mountainous area in People's Republic of China. Methods A total of 551 hypertensive patients (30–96 years of age) living in a remote mountainous area were recruited. Poor sleep quality was assessed using the standard Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and compliance with care was measured based on the Compliance of Hypertensive Patients Scale (CHPS). Hypertension was defined as blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg or treated with antihypertensive medication. The associations between sleep quality and compliance variables were examined using Pearson's correlation. Multiple linear regressions were established to verify significant variables associated with respondents' compliance with care and poor sleep quality. Results The average age of the sample was 67.15 years (SD=10.20), and 56.44% of the participants were female. The mean CHPS total score was 41.97 (SD=5.91), and the PSQI total score was 7.91 on average (SD=4.10). Correlation analysis revealed that patients with higher intention, healthier lifestyle, positive attitude and total compliance were more likely to have an increased risk of poor sleep quality. According to the results of multiple linear regression analyses, hypertension compliance was significantly associated with being female, married, non-rural residence and years of hypertension, while poor sleep quality had a significant association with living in rural areas, having concomitant disease and poor hypertension compliance. Conclusions There is a significant association between hypertension compliance and poor sleep quality. Future intervention programs should focus on improving compliance behavior as a modifiable background factor for sleep quality.


Five species of Cyathodium occur in the Neotropics. The species grow in shaded habitats that range from unstable river banks to cement pots and road ditches. Cyathodium species are r-selected species. Two species are dioicous and three are monoicous. Vegetative reproduction by tubers is restricted to dioicous species that also produce abundant sporophytes. All monoicous species produce abundant sporophytes. Sporeling patterns of C. cavernarum and C. foetidissimum grown under culture conditions include an initial filamentous phase followed by the apical development of thalli. Cyathodium spruceanum produces a multiseriate bud-like protonema from which the thallus develops. Twelve gametophytic and two sporophytic characters were selected to discriminate between species in vegetative and fertile states. Nucleotide sequence variation in the nuclear ribosomal DNA region, ITS1-5.8S rRNA-ITS2 was analyzed for four species. Each species is genetically and morphologically distinctive. The largest genetic differences were found between C foetidissimum and C spruceanum. Sequences for C. bischlerianum failed and were not included in the analysis. Samples of C cavernarum and C spruceanum from nearby geographical areas were shown to be genetically more closely related than to those of geographical distant areas.


This research examined the impact of employment vulnerability on wages and subjective well-being in Kyrgyzstan with special reference to gender-based differences. Analyses were based on panel data for 2010-2013 and 2016 from the "Life in Kyrgyzstan" household survey. A panel data fixed-effects model with Instrumental Variable within the Lewbel (2012) method was applied to estimate an earnings equation. Results of estimations of both earnings and of subjective well-being indicated increased employment vulnerability. Employment in vulnerable jobs was not compensated at a higher rate. Analysis of subjective well-being by quintile groups of earnings showed that, for both men and women, women's employment vulnerability was most evident in groups with the lowest earnings. Women experienced this negative effect more severely. Given these empirical findings, government labour-market policy should not focus on increasing employment alone but should also address the issue of vulnerability of employment, improvement of working conditions, and expanding the employment of women.


This paper describes the use of cultural services in small Polish towns against other towns and cities taking into account the cultural sector represented by museums, cultural centers, cinemas and libraries. The study was based on CSO data urban centers with less than 20 thousand inhabitants. It was found that some changes in the availability and use of facilities providing cultural services in small towns are consistent to those seen in larger cities.

http://ws.stat.gov.pl/WS/2013/11/WS_11_2013__3_Stefania ŚRODA-MURAWSKA — Usługi kulturalne w małych miastach.pdf


The type of principles which cognitive engineers need to design better work environments are principles which explain interactivity and distributed cognition: how human agents interact with themselves and others, their work spaces, and the resources and constraints that populate those spaces. A first step in developing these principles is to clarify the fundamental concepts of environment, coordination, and behavioural function. Using simple examples, I review changes the distributed perspective forces on these basic notions.


Genetic background influences the outcome of Leishmania major infection. C57BL/6 mice mount a Th1 response and resolve infection. In contrast, BALB/c mice mount a Th2 response and develop chronic lesions. This susceptible phenotype is seen even though BALB/c mice generate IFN-γ-producing T cells at proportions similar to C57BL/6 mice in their lymph nodes (LN) early after infection. We had previously shown that chemokine receptor CXCR3 mediates immunity against L. major by recruiting IFN-γ-producing T cells to the lesions of C57BL/6 mice. Therefore, we hypothesized that IFN-γ-secreting T cells in BALB/c mice are unable to confer protection because they may be defective in up-regulating CXCR3. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed kinetics of CXCR3-expressing T cells in the LN and lesions of BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice during L. major infection. Additionally, we compared the ability of T cells from BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice to up-regulate CXCR3 upon activation. We found that resolution of L. major infection in C57BL/6 mice was associated with an increase in the proportion of CXCR3+ T cells in regional LN and lesions, whereas disease progression in BALB/c mice was associated with a decrease in these populations. Anti-CD3/CD28-activated T cells from naive BALB/c but not C57BL/6 mice were defective in up-regulating CXCR3. Impaired induction of CXCR3 on BALB/c T cells was not due to lack of IFN-γ and was mediated partially by IL-10 but not IL-4 or IL-13. We propose that defective CXCR3 up-regulation on T cells in BALB/c mice may contribute to L. major susceptibility.


The electronic properties of organic field effect transistors limit the efficiency of integrated circuits build on basis of printed organic semiconductors. In order to control the mobility of high efficient semiconductors, like rubrene, tetracene, tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ), copper phthalocyanine and many others, single-crystal field-effect transistors have been prepared on surfaces of single crystals and characteristics have been measured. The highest mobility has been measured on rubrene single crystals. The mobility of as-grown crystals measured by air-gap field effect transistor is in the range of 10 cm2/Vs but falls below 1 cm2/Vs during reduction. It was observed that the measured mobility depends on the dielectric used for field effect transistors.


This paper proposes a novel genetic quantum algorithm (GQA) to solve geometric constraint problems. Instead of binary, numeric or symbolic representation, we introduce qubit chromosome representation. GQA is based on qubit and superposition of states and is used in the process of geometric constraint solving in order to get the solution sequence. As GQA has diversity caused by the qubit representation, there is no need to use the genetic operator. Qubit chromosome can be updated by proper quantum gate in the circulation. The experiment indicates GQA can solve the geometric constraint problem effectively.


In this paper I discuss a form of metaphorical creativity that involves the introduction of 'unrealistic' scenarios for rhetorical purposes in expository and argumentative texts. I primarily account for the nature and function of this form of creativity in terms of Fauconnier and Turner's (2002) notion of Blending, with some references to Conceptual Metaphor theory (Lakoff and Johnson 1980, 1999). I show that a proper account of the textual extracts I analyse needs to include the role of genre in the construction and interpretation of texts, and allow for differences in meaning construction between writers and readers, and between different groups of readers.


Faceted summarization provides briefings of a document from different perspectives. Readers can quickly comprehend the main points of a long document with the help of a structured outline. However, little research has been conducted on this subject, partially due to the lack of large-scale faceted summarization datasets. In this study, we present FacetSum, a faceted summarization benchmark built on Emerald journal articles, covering a diverse range of domains. Different from traditional document-summary pairs, FacetSum provides multiple summaries, each targeted at specific sections of a long document, including the purpose, method, findings, and value. Analyses and empirical results on our dataset reveal the importance of bringing structure into summaries. We believe FacetSum will spur further advances in summarization research and foster the development of NLP systems that can leverage the structured information in both long texts and summaries.


To the Editors: In their article, Hensley-Judge et al. (2013) hypothesize that, in a study of patients with mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) undergoing radiosurgery (RS), the extent of postoperative visual field defects (VFDs) would either correlate with the Gy dose administered by RS or with improved patient outcome (postoperative seizure freedom). The study did not reveal a significant difference in the extent of VFDs postoperatively between patients receiving low (20 Gy) and high (24 Gy) dose radiation. However, on the basis of the findings from neuroimaging studies in patients receiving conventional anterior temporal lobe resection or selective amygdalohippocampectomy, this is of no surprise. Numerous studies have shown a significant correlation between postoperative optic radiation (OR) damage and resulting visual field defect, the largest study of which was conducted by Chen et al. (2009). This correlation is tentatively supported by the data generated by Hensley-Judge et al., with the finding that more severe postoperative VFDs were found in patients rendered seizure-free. This phenomenon is assumed a consequence of wider resection margins causing further damage to the OR, but remains untested. Therefore, the extent of postoperative VFDs is more likely a consequence of the overlap of the RS target with the OR, regardless of the Gy dose induced. In our opinion, the investigators have missed an opportunity to examine the integrity of the OR, comparing preoperative and postoperative diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and tractography (also known as fiber tracking), in order to measure the injury inflicted by RS. Recent studies have shown the feasibility of conducting DTI measures in patients undergoing RS for glioma (Chang et al., 2013) and RS callosotomy for symptomatic generalized epilepsy (Moreno-Jim enez et al., 2012). It would be interesting to investigate the overlap between the RS target area and the estimated location of the OR, and how this relates to the extent of postoperative VFDs. Of even further interest would be if using DTI methods would allow precise targeting in RS to avoid damage to the OR and thus prevent VFDs in patients undergoing MTS treatment. In conclusion, we suggest that the postoperative VFD consequences are anatomically dependent rather than dose dependent for both RS and conventional resection methods of treating MTS. Further evidence is required to make conclusions about the relationship between the integrity of the OR and postoperative VFDs in patients undergoing RS for the treatment of MTS. A potential finding that RS may cause less damage to the optic radiation than conventional resection may give merit to its potential as a conventional alternative intervention in MTS.


Abstract:  A case with graft loss during pregnancy associated with thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is reported. The patient was a 27‐yr‐old female who had end‐stage renal disease because of immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy at age 18. She received a kidney transplant at age 20 from her mother. Immunosuppressive therapy consisted of cyclosporine A (CyA), azathioprine (AZ), and prednisolone (PSL). The amount of serum creatinine (SCr) was 0.72 mg/dL at discharge one month after transplantation. Urinary occult blood and protein appeared five and 14 months after transplantation, respectively. SCr was gradually elevated. When she was 27‐yr old, she became pregnant. The amount of SCr was 1.74 mg/dL. The dose of CyA was 150 mg/d, AZ was 50 mg/d, and PSL was 5 mg/d. At 18 wk of gestation, severe hypertension and edema occurred and she was hospitalized. SCr was elevated to 3.26 mg/dL and severe hemolytic anemia with thrombocytopenia was recognized. On the third day after hospitalization, she underwent an abortion. Renal biopsy was performed on the seventh hospitalized day. Fibromyxomatous intimal thickening including foam cells, extensive hyaline changes, and fibrin thrombi were observed in the interlobular arteries or arterioles. Recurrent IgA nephropathy with extensive crescent formation was also diagnosed. Severe chronic tubulointerstitial damage was observed and tubulitis was mild. After the biopsy, she underwent plasma exchange and methyl‐prednisolone pulse therapy. Thrombocytopenia improved one month after the abortion. However, the graft function was lost and maintenance hemodialysis was started on the 46th day after termination of the pregnancy. In this case, it is suggested that pregnancy triggered TMA resulting in graft loss. Moreover, acute exacerbation of recurrent IgA nephropathy, pre‐existing CyA arteriopathy, and severe chronic tubulointerstitial damage also caused the deterioration of graft function as well as TMA.


The spreading of financial distress in capital markets and the resulting systemic risk strongly depend on the detailed structure of financial interconnections. Yet, while financial institutions have to disclose their aggregated balance sheet data, the information on single positions is often unavailable due to privacy issues. The resulting challenge is that of using the aggregate information to statistically reconstruct financial networks and correctly predict their higher-order properties. However, standard approaches generate unrealistically dense networks, which severely underestimate systemic risk. Moreover, reconstruction techniques are generally cast for networks of bilateral exposures between financial institutions (such as the interbank market), whereas, the network of their investment portfolios (i.e., the stock market) has received much less attention. Here we develop an improved reconstruction method, based on statistical mechanics concepts and tailored for bipartite market networks. Technically, our approach consists in the preliminary estimation of connection probabilities by maximum-entropy inference driven by entities capitalizations and link density, followed by a density-corrected gravity model to assign position weights. Our method is successfully tested on NASDAQ, NYSE and AMEX filing data, by correctly reproducing the network topology and providing reliable estimates of systemic risk over the market.


PURPOSE
Drug use during pregnancy is a critical global challenge, capable of severe impacts on neonatal development. However, the consumption of cannabis and synthetic cannabinoids is on the rise in pregnant women. Obstetric complications with increased risks of miscarriage, fetal growth restriction, and brain development impairment, have been associated with perinatal cannabis exposure, but data on synthetic cannabinoid use during pregnancy is limited.

METHODS
We reviewed studies that investigated the risks associated with cannabis and synthetic cannabinoid use and those that reported the concentrations of cannabinoids and synthetic cannabinoids in maternal (breast milk) and neonatal (placenta, umbilical cord, meconium, and hair) matrices during human pregnancy. A MEDLINE and EMBASE literature search to identify all relevant articles published in English from January 1998 to April 2019 was performed.

RESULTS
Cannabis use during pregnancy is associated with increased risks of adverse obstetrical outcomes, although neurobehavioral effects are still unclear. Analyses of cannabinoids in meconium are well documented, but further research on other unconventional matrices is needed. Adverse effects due to perinatal synthetic cannabinoid exposure are still unknown and analytical data are scarce.

CONCLUSION
Awareness of the hazards of drug use during pregnancy should be improved to encourage health care providers to urge pregnant women to abstain from cannabis and if cannabis-dependent, seek treatment. Moreover, substances used throughout pregnancy should be monitored as a deterrent to cannabis use, and potential cannabis-dependent women should be identified, so as to limit cannabis-fetal exposure during gestation, and provided appropriate treatment.


In The Citizen-Patient in Revolutionary and Imperial Paris, Dora B. Weiner examines the experiences of the sick and handicapped indigent men, women, and children in Paris during the French Revolution and Empire. Weiner argues that significant groups of Revolutionary physicians and reformers interpreted equality to include every citizen's right to health care. These reformers faced political, religious, and professional opposition, and daunting problems of funding. And they needed the participation of the poor as "citizen-patients," patients with both rights and duties, who acted as responsible partners in the pursuit and maintenance of public and personal health. Weiner surveys the 20,000 patients institutionalized in twenty Paris hospitals and hospices and explains how the Revolution changed the status and work of nurses, pharmacists, midwives, and students, as well as doctors. Clinical teaching, professional specialization, and approaches to public health were all affected. Weiner emphasizes health care for children, deaf and blind people, and mentally ill patients and underscores the role of women as administrators and dispensers of hospital care.


INTRODUCTION
journal selection for publication purposes is one of the concerns of biomedi-cal researchers. They apply various criteria for choosing appropriate journal. Here, we have tried to collect main criteria biomedical researchers use to select a journal to submit their works.

METHODS
we collected these criteria through focus group conversations with researchers during our careers, feedbacks from participants of our scientific writing work-shops and non-systematic review of some related literature.

RESULTS
we have presented a summative and informative guidance in the selection of journals for biomedical paper submission and publication.

CONCLUSION
Categorized criteria as a mnemonic tool for au-thors may help the authors in journal selection process.


BACKGROUND
The objective of this multicentre randomized, controlled clinical trial was to compare the efficacy of a levonorgestrel-releasing intrauterine system (LNG-IUS) and a depot-GnRH-analogue in the control of endometriosis-related pain over a period of six months.

METHODS
Eighty-two women, 18 to 40 years of age (mean 30 years), with endometriosis, dysmenorrhoea and/or CPP, were randomized using a computer-generated system of sealed envelopes into either LNG-IUS (n = 39) or GnRH analogue (n = 43) treatment groups at three university centres. Daily scores of endometriosis-associated CPP were evaluated using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), daily bleeding score was calculated from bleeding calendars, and improvement in quality of life was evaluated using the Psychological General Well-Being Index Questionnaire (PGWBI). The pain score diary was based on the VAS in which women recorded the occurrence and intensity of pain on a daily basis. A monthly score was calculated from the result of the sum of the daily scores divided by the number of days in each observation period.

RESULTS
CPP decreased significantly from the first month throughout the six months of therapy with both forms of treatment and there was no difference between the groups (P > 0.999). In both treatment groups, women with stage III and IV endometriosis showed a more rapid improvement in the VAS pain score than women with stage I and II of the disease (P < 0.002). LNG-IUS users had a higher bleeding score than GnRH-analogue users at all time points of observation with 34% and 71% of patients in the LNG-IUS and GnRH-analogue groups, respectively, reporting no bleeding during the first treatment month, and 70% and 98% reporting no bleeding during the sixth month. No difference was observed between groups with reference to improvement in quality of life.

CONCLUSIONS
Both, the LNG-IUS and the GnRH-analogue were effective in the treatment of CPP-associated endometriosis, although no differences were observed between the two treatments. Among the additional advantages of the LNG-IUS is the fact that it does not provoke hypoestrogenism and that it requires only one medical intervention for its introduction every 5 years. This device could therefore become the treatment of choice for CPP-associated endometriosis in women who do not wish to conceive.


The fabrication, characterization and functionalization of periodically patterned nanoporous gold layers is presented. The material shows plasmonic properties in the near infrared range, with excitation and propagation of surface plasmon polaritons. Functionalization shows a marked enhancement in the optical response in comparison with evaporated gold gratings, due to a great increase of the active surface. Due to its superior response, nanoporous gold patterns appear promising for the realization of compact plasmonic platforms for sensing purposes.


During the last decades, Ingvar Johansson has made a formidable contribution to the development of philosophy in general and perhaps especially to the development of metaphysics. This volume consists of original papers written by 50 philosophers from all over the world in honour of Ingvar Johansson to celebrate his 70th birthday. The papers cover traditional issues in metaphysics and the philosophy of mind, applied ethics and applied metaphysics, the nature of human rights, the philosophy of economics and sports. Some of the papers study the philosophy of Ingvar Johansson.All of them studies subjects which he has shown an interest in. The variety of subjects covered, testifies to the extraordinary wide range of issues his thought has had a bearing on. (Less)


Quasi-three-level lasers in neodymium-doped crystals such asNd:YAG, Nd:YLF and Nd:YVO4have received a great deal of interest becausethey allow generation of blue light by frequency doubling. Forsolid-state blue laser sources, there exist numerousapplications as in high-density optical data storage, colourdisplays, submarine communication and biologicalapplications. Efficient lasing on quasi-three-level transitions at 900-950nm in Nd-doped crystals is considerably more difficult toachieve than on the stronger four-level transitions at 1-1.1µm. The problems with these quasi-three-level transitionsare a significant reabsorption loss at room temperature and avery small stimulated emission cross section. This requires atight focusing of the pump light, which is achieved byend-pumping with high-intensity diode lasers. n this thesis, progress in diode-pumped solid-state lasersfor generation of blue light by frequency doubling has beenmade. Nd:YAG lasers at the 946 nm transition have been builtand a maximum power of 7.0 W was obtained. By inserting a thinquartz etalon in the laser cavity, the938.5 nm laser linecould be selected. An output power of 3.9 W was obtained. By using nonlinear crystals, frequency-doubling of laserlight at both 946 nm and 938.5 nm by second harmonic generation(SHG) was achieved. SHG of the 946 nm transition gives bluelight at 473 nm. Efficient generation of blue light has beenachieved in periodically poled KTP, both in single-passextra-cavity and intracavity configurations. More than 0.5 Wwas obtained at 473 nm by intracavity doubling. Intracavity SHGof the 938.5 nm transition gave slightly more than 200 mW at469 nm. The influence of energy-transfer upconversion (ETU) is adetrimental effect in Nd-doped lasers. An analytical model hasbeen developed for continuous wave quasi-three-level lasersincluding the influence of ETU. The results of the generaloutput modelling are applied to a laser with Gaussian beams,and rigorous numerical calculations have been done to study theinfluence of ETU on threshold, output power, spatialdistribution of population-inversion density and fractionalthermal loading. The model is applied to a laser operating at946 nm in Nd:YAG, where thermal lensing and the dependency oflaser-beam size are investigated in particular. A simple modelfor the degradation of laser beam quality from a transversallyvarying saturated gain is also proposed, which is in very goodagreement with measurements of the laser in a plane-planecavity.


ABSTRACT An unusual sediment accumulation in the glaciogene Permian near Bacchus Marsh, Victoria is interpreted as representing the development and infilling of a subglacial channel. This polymictic conglomerate has a thickness of more than 50 m and rests within glacial and periglacial Permian strata. Clasts are as large as 5 m in diameter and can be related to adjacent strata from which they were derived. The stratigraphy within the polymictic conglomerate indicates four phases in the development of the feature: 1) dominantly vertical erosion (about 45 m) with the bottom 15 m filled in with clasts derived from units which form the channel walls, 2) widening and infilling of the lower half of the channel, 3) widening and infilling of the upper half of the channel with large boulders jamming th top of the gulley, and 4) finally the completion of the infilling with a sandy ablation till accumulating over the adjacent land surface. This deep, steep-walled channel was cut very rapidly by discharging glacial meltwater.


Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV's) provide an important means for collecting detailed scientific information from the ocean depths. The hull resistance of an AUV is an important factor in determining the power requirements and range of the vehicle. This paper describes a design method that uses Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to determine the hull resistance of an AUV under development. The CFD results reveal the distribution of the hydrodynamic values (velocity, pressure, etc.) of an AUV with a ducted propeller. This paper also discusses the optimization of the AUV hull profile to reduce the total resistance. This paper demonstrates that shape optimization in a conceptual design is possible by using a commercial CFD package. Optimum design work to minimize the drag force of an AUV was carried out, for a given object function and constraints.


The aim of this research was to quantitatively analyze the potential ability of life cycle assessment (LCA) in combination with green building rating systems (GBRS), such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), to reduce a building's environmental impacts, considering variations in climate, renewables, energy sources and economic aspects.
First, international variations in the energy use and associated environmental life cycle impacts were investigated. A reference Building Information Model (BIM) office building was developed and placed in 400 locations with changes to meet energy standards. LCA was then performed on all the buildings' energy consumption. The results varied considerably between the U.S. (394 ton CO2 eq) and international (911 ton CO2 eq) locations. Since GBRS are expanding internationally, energy source considerations for buildings should be considered with a particular suggestion of targeted goals reductions versus aggregated certifications.
Second, the BIM and LCA models were extended to include on-site renewable energy (wind and solar) and located in 25 locations around the world. An LCA and LCCA were performed to consider different energy sources including renewables and associated prices at each site. Environmental impacts and economics varied dramatically. The requirements of renewable energy generation in existing GBRS need to be developed and changed to be a percentage of what is actually available on-site, instead of a fixed percentage of the building's energy.
Third, a comparative analysis was conducted for three whole-building LCA tools available today. The software tools vary in key aspects such as intended users, design stage, and time. One of the most important challenges is a comparison with a baseline. The results indicate that given the same building, the LCA results varied by about 10% in the pre-occupancy impact to 17% in the operational impact. This reinforces the need to not only refine LCA methods for GBRS, but also work towards robust data sets for building systems and products. At a minimum, GBRS should include LCA uncertainty analysis into their systems.


Targeted therapy is a new therapeutic method consisting in the inhibition of specific molecular pathways. In modern therapy, the key role is played by monoclonal antibodies, included in the group of biological agents. The success of molecularly targeted therapy is to define the proper "molecular target", selecting the right drug active against a specific "target" and selecting a group of patients who benefit from treatment. Introduction of targeted therapy resulted in improved results of the treatment of many serious and chronic diseases. In general, targeted molecular therapies have good toxicity profiles, but some patients are exquisitely sensitive to these drugs and can develop particular and severe toxicities. Patient selection and proper monitoring significantly decrease the risk of life-threatening adverse events. Data concerning late side effects are still unavailable because of the short follow-up of molecularly targeted therapy. Currently in the U.S. and Europe there are approximately 31 registered therapeutic monoclonal antibodies, while 160 are subjected to clinical trials. This paper presents an overview of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies currently used in therapy and the present state of knowledge about them.


The cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 is a model experimental organism for proteomic research because its entire genomic sequence is available and cyanobacteria have high adaptive potential towards a variety of environmental stresses. Heat shock characteristically induces expression of the heat shock proteins (Hsps) and photosynthetic organisms have demonstrated the ability to acclimatise their photosynthetic apparatus to milder elevated temperatures. In this study the proteomic methodology of two dimension gel electrophoresis and peptide mass fingerprinting mass spectrometry (PMF MS) was developed for the analysis of Synechocystis proteins. High resolution was attained with the application of narrow acidic pH range 'zoom' gels and of 192 individual soluble protein spots analysed via MALDI ToF, 105 were identified. A 2-D difference gel electrophoresis (2D DIGE) based proteomic approach has been applied to characterise the heat shock response in the soluble protein fraction and determine protein factors involved in the thermal acclimation of the thylakoid membrane and its associated photosynthetic machinery in Synechocystis. These analyses together with PMF MS for protein identification characterised 176 and 108 heat shock and heat acclimation responsive protein spots, respectively. In both analyses, molecular chaperones displayed the highest heat elevated level, demonstrating a dual role in stabilisation and refolding of both soluble and membrane-bound proteins. Other proteins identified in the heat shock response included those involved in photosynthesis, carbon fixation, translation, amino acid biosynthesis and several hypothetical proteins. Proteins involved in heat acclimation of the thylakoid membrane included constituents of photosynthesis, respiration, hopene biosynthesis and several hypothetical proteins. Furthermore, a candidate heat sensor involved in the regulation of heat shock gene expression has been characterised through analysis of the heat shock response in a histidine kinase knock out mutant strain of Synechocystis, namely Мік34, which displays increased thermal tolerance. The gene product of hik34 has a possible dual role in both the suppression of hsp gene expression under normal growth temperature and enhancement under heat shock.


Idiopathic Light Chain disease (ILCD) is a systemic disease characterized by a deposit in different organs of light chain monoclonal immunoglobulins, produced by an abnormal clone of B cells. It is usually found in the course ofa plasma cell dyscrasia and in other lymphoproliferative alterations; however it may occur in absence of any hematologic disease and is denominated as idiopathic. We report a 51-year-old mole admitted to the hospital due to anasarca. Laboratory evaluation showed a serum creatinine of 1.4 mg/dl, a serum albumin of1.6 g/dl, a serum cholesterol of 687 mg/dl and a proteinuria of 5.3 g/day Light chains with a predominance of a monoclonal component were identified in urinary proteins by electrophoresis and kappa chains were identified by immunofixation. A renal biopsy showed a diffuse nodular glomerulopathy with a 35% tubular atrophy and interstitial sclerosis. Electrón microscopy confirmed light chain deposition. The bone marrow biopsy showed a myeloid hyperplasia. The patient was initially treated with methylprednisolone and plasmapheresis with a reduction in serum creatinine and disappearance of urinary kappa component. Albuminuria persisted and a malnutrition-inflammatory complex syndrome was diagnosed. Hemodialysis with ultrafiltration was started along with cyclophosphamide. The patient received hemodialysis for six months and continued with methylprednisolone.


Various concentrations of Pindolol eye drops (0.17%, 0.35%, 0.5%, 0.72%, 1.0%), a beta-blocking agent with an intrinsic sympathomimetic activity, were investigated with regard to their pressure-lowering effect in open-angle glaucoma. It was found that all of these concentrations reduce intraocular pressure, but that only the 1% solution has a significantly stronger effect after 24 hours. It is therefore preferable to use this relatively high concentration, especially as it is not accompanied by a bronchopulmonary risk.


ABSTRACT Reflecting worldwide trends, as the prison population in Australia and New Zealand has risen over the past decade, the number of inpatient beds available for the involuntary treatment of mentally ill prisoners transferred from correctional custody has not increased commensurately. In this context, there have been calls to allow involuntary treatment of serious mental illness in prisons. This narrative review considers the extent of unmet psychiatric need within prisons in Australia and New Zealand and considers whether there is any evidence base for involuntary treatment of serious mental illness in prisons. The review concludes that the involuntary treatment of serious mental illness in custodial settings is likely to compromise clinical care, carries a significant risk of serious harms, encourages inappropriate management of prisoners and breaches human rights conventions. The authors found no evidence of improved clinical outcomes or any other benefits directly or indirectly linked to involuntary treatment of serious mental illness in correctional settings. Finally, the review describes the Prison Mental Health Service in the Australian jurisdiction of Queensland and suggests that this represents a 'best practice' model for the management of mentally ill prisoners.


Most microbes on our planet remain uncultured and poorly studied. Recent efforts to catalog their genetic diversity have revealed that a significant fraction of the observed microbial genes are functional and evolutionary untraceable, lacking homologs in reference databases. Despite their potential biological value, these apparently unrelated orphan genes from uncultivated taxa have been routinely discarded in metagenomics surveys. Here, we analyzed a global multi-habitat dataset covering 151,697 medium and high-quality metagenome assembled genomes (MAGs), 5,969 single-amplified genomes (SAGs), and 19,642 reference genomes, and identified 413,335 highly curated novel protein families under strong purifying selection out of previously considered orphan genes. These new protein families, representing a three-fold increase over the total number of prokaryotic orthologous groups described to date, spread out across the prokaryote phylogeny, can span multiple habitats, and are notably overrepresented in recently discovered taxa. By genomic context analysis, we pinpointed thousands of unknown protein families to phylogenetically conserved operons linked to energy production, xenobiotic metabolism and microbial resistance. Most remarkably, we found 980 previously neglected protein families that can accurately distinguish entire uncultivated phyla, classes, and orders, likely representing synapomorphic traits that fostered their divergence. The systematic curation and evolutionary analysis of the unique genetic repertoire of uncultivated taxa opens new avenues for understanding the biology and ecological roles of poorly explored lineages at a global scale.


The first phase selection and the phase formation sequence between metal and silicon (Si) couples are indispensably significant to microelectronics. With increasing scaling of device dimension to nano regime, established thermodynamic models in bulk and thin film fail to apply in one dimensional (1-D) nanostructures. Herein, we use a kinetic competition model to explain the phase formation sequence of 1-D nickel (Ni) silicides: multiple Ni silicides coexist at the initial stage and then the fastest one wins out as the first phase in a following growth competition. With kinetic parameters extracted from in-situ transmission electron microscope (TEM) observations, we quantitatively explain the unique size dependant first phase formation and the phase formation sequence changes in 1-D structures. We can further control the first phase by selectively enhancing or suppressing the growth rate of silicides through template structure modifications. Growth rate diffusion limited phases can be greatly enhanced in a porous Si nanowire (NW) template due to short diffusion paths. On the other hand, a thick aluminum oxide (Al2O3) shell around the NW is applied to impede the growth of large volume diffusion limited phases including Ni31Si12, theta-Ni2Si and delta-Ni2Si. Moreover, a thin platinum (Pt) interlayer between Si and Ni is used to suppress the nucleation of NiSi2. Together, with the thick shell and Pt interlayer, we can suppress all competing silicides and render slow growing NiSi to form as the first phase. The resistivity of Pt doped NiSi (denoted as Ni(Pt)Si) NW are found compatible to pure NiSi from a two terminal and four terminal measurement. Controlled formation of Ni31Si12, theta-Ni2Si, delta-Ni2Si, NiSi or NiSi2 as the first phase has also been achieved. To examine the kinetic competition model, 1-D cobalt (Co) and palladium (Pd) silicide formations are also studied and analyzed kinetically. A thick shell is found effective to suppress the Pd silicide NW broken at the interface.


Nowadays Army Health System of Ukraine sees the formation of its quite new staff--organizational structure. Taking it into account, we would perform the reformation process of medical provision system of the army of Ukraine more effectively if we considered its experience of formation and functioning of medical provision system of military contingents of past wars and that of armed conflicts. Thus, the importance of history studying of past processes is that it allows using positive experience and avoiding negative one during the process of optimization.


Results Hyperoxia induced severe lung damage as evidenced by cell infiltration, edema and fibrosis which were reduced significantly by CDP-choline treatment. Radial alveolar count and lamellar body protein expression were significantly recovered, while number of TUNEL-positive cells and active Caspase-3 expression were decreased by CDP-choline administration. Tissue proinflammatory cytokine (IL-1b, IL-6 and TNF-α ) levels as well as tissue MDA content and MPO activities were reduced, whereas GSH-Px and SOD activities were preserved in hyperoxia + CDP-choline group. Conclusions Our data show for the first time that parenteral CDP-choline administration prevents hyperoxic lung injury in a neonatal rat model of BPD. It may therefore be suggested that CDP-choline can be used as an effective therapeutic agent for prevention of BPD in case it exhibits similar effects in humans


This paper discusses key factors contributing to the "success" of interactive multimedia development tools in non ICT professional contexts. We define "success" in terms of acceptability and large scale usage by entities and institutions who may need to build interactive multimedia artifacts but do not have technical competences "in-house" and must cope with very limited financial resources. Schools or museums, for example, may want to exploit interactive multimedia for communication or educational purposes, but are bound to many resource-related constraints. In this perspective, we argue that simplicity, low-cost, and ultra short "time-to-market" are key requirements for interactive multimedia development tools to be accepted and widely adopted by non ICT professionals. To support his claim, we illustrate an exemplary tool that meets these requirements and was developed at our lab within the Policultura Project. The tool was successfully used by cultural heritage experts in Italian small museums and by over 1300 students of 55 schools in Italy, and brought important educational and social benefits to all stakeholders involved.


OBJECTIVE: To study the incidence of koilonychia in the residents of high altitude. METHODS: Nails of all the patients attending the Medical Outpatient Department (MOPD) of a multispeciality medical camp at Kaza in Himalayas (height 12,500 feet above sea level) were looked for the presence of koilonychia and were included for the study. Those residing below 10,000 feet were excluded from the study. A detailed history was taken and a thorough physical examination was made in each. Routine laboratory investigations were undertaken. Serum ferritin levels were estimated in seven. RESULTS: Koilonychia was present in 6.99% of the patients (67 out of the 986). There were 29 males and 37 females within the age range of 37 to 78 years. Sixty four were high landers since generations and three were high landers from 2nd generation onward. All were right handed. Koilonychia was in the nails of both upper and lower limbs in 14, in the nails of upper limbs in 49 and in the nails of lower limbs in 18. In the upper limbs it was in all the fingers in 42, in thumb, index and middle fingers of right hand in 12 and of left hand in nine. In the lower limbs it was bilateral in the first three toes in nine. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was in 29, ulcer like dyspepsia in 24, osteoarthritis of knee in 17, hypertension in 14, pulmonary tuberculosis in eight, anxiety neurosis in five, pneumoconiosis in two and squamous cell carcinoma of lung in one. The haemoglobin in all was normal and serum ferritin level of the seven patients estimated was also normal. CONCLUSIONS: Koilonychia at high altitude is present in 6.99%. It is due to retardation of nail plate growth and is more common in upper limbs.


Gyorgy Ligeti is perhaps best known for his micropolyphonic textural music of the 1960s such as Atmospheres and Lux Aeterna, and it was during this period that he demonstrated that it was possible to compose music through purely textural means. His focus on the readily audible aspects of music rather than abstract inaudible structures might explain why his music was generally more approachable than that of many of his contemporaries. Ligeti is concerned in these works with the audible textural surface of his music, but also the timbral aspects which are equally significant. He has stated in an interview with Josef Hausler in 1968 that in relation to Atmospheres the formal transformations of sections are dependent on the changing tone-colours, he also says that 'Atmospheres is a composition in tone-colours par excellence' – he is suggesting that the structure is being controlled by the change of timbres. The exploration of timbre is a significant compositional feature in Ligeti's music throughout his oeuvre and can be related to his early admiration of the music of Bartok and Webern. In this paper I will explore how Ligeti uses timbre as a structural component through timbral analysis of movements from his Ten Pieces for Wind Quintet (1968) and the much later Hamburg Concerto (1999 rev 2002). I aim to show that Ligeti structured some of his works through timbral means, and that this aspect of his music is as significant as his textural innovations. What makes much of Ligeti'' music so distinctive is the subtle use of specific and memorable timbres, and how these timbres gradually evolve over time.


Background Evidence that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from bone marrow, fat and umbilical cord can be used to treat refractory SLE and SLE nephritis is growing. MSCs were originally described as cells from bone marrow that have the capacity to differentiate into bone, cartilage and fat. More recently it has been recognised that all MSCs are peri-cytes and that their greatest potential is because they are pleiotropic and can both sense and repair their environment. We hypothesised that MSCs can reduce neutrophil activation in SLE by inhibiting neutrophil netting thus reducing induction of T-helper follicular cells that promote the development of long-living plasmablasts that can secrete autoantibodies. Materials and methods We studied neutrophils derived from healthy donors and patients with SLE. Neutrophils were isolated using MACSxpress™ Neutrophil Isolation Kit (Miltenyi) and onto coverslips in 24-well plates and incubated for 1–2 hours with conditioned medium derived from MSCs or control medium. Netting was induced by culture ex vivo with 20 nM PMA for 2 hours. Coverslips were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde and NETs were quantified using anti-human antibody directed against neutrophil elastase colocalizing with extracellular DNA using Hoechst 33342. Results To date we have optimised the conditions of our assay. Studies are ongoing to determine the effect of MSCs and/or their products on neutrophil netting. Figure 1: seen below are netting neutrophils induced as described above. Assays are underway to determine the effect of MSCs on SLE netting neutrophils ex vivo. Conclusion The possibility that MSCs and/or their products could act both on innate and adaptive immune responses in SLE is appealing. Demonstration of the effect of MSCs on neutrophils is critical in understanding the potential therapeutic role of MSCs in SLE and SLE related organ damage. Abstract II-18 Figure 1 Neutrophil Elastase colocalized with extracellular DNA. Control neutrophils were isolated from peripheral blood and stimulated with 10nM PMA for 2 hr at 370C. Cells were fixed and stained for detection of neutrophil Elastase (green) and DNA was labeled with Hoechst 33342 (blue). Acknowledgements This work has been supported by the Lupus Foundation of America and by the by the Clinical and Translational Science Collaborative of Cleveland, UL1TR000439 from the National Centre for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) component of the National Institutes of Health and NIH roadmap for Medical Research. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.


Environmental tobacco smoke, a mixture of cigarette sidestream smoke (85%) and mainstream smoke (15%), 1 originates from the smoldering end of a cigarette between puffs as well as exhaled tobacco smoke. It is responsible for involuntary or passive smoking by nonsmokers. 2 Over the last 15 years, epidemiology and experimental studies have consistently shown that environmental tobacco smoke increases the risk of developing acute cardiovascular disease, acute myocardial infarction, sudden death, and stroke. 3,4 Environmental tobacco smoke also produces chronic effects with atherosclerosis at epicardial coronary arteries, the aorta, the carotid cerebral arteries, and large arteries, in the peripheral circulation. 5,6 These adverse effects are due to the effects of cigarette smoke on lipids, greater platelet aggregation, endothelial cell damage, and oxidant injury. 7-11 This review will discuss the recent evidence linking mainstream and environmental tobacco smoke with cardiovascular disease, possible mechanisms by which environmental tobacco smoke causes cardiovascular disease, and the prospect for treatment using antioxidants.


A complex sequence of Oligocene-age volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks form a major volcanic center in the Picacho area of the southeasternmost Chocolate Mountains, Imperial County, California. Basal-volcanic rocks consist of lava flows and flow breccia of trachybasalt, pyroxene rhyodacite, and pyroxene dacite (32 m.y. old). These volcanic rocks locally overlie fanglomerate and rest unconformably on pre-Cenozoic basement rocks. They are intruded and overlain by rhyodacitic to rhyolitic plug domes, lava flows, volcaniclastic deposits, and locally thick unwelded and welded rhyolite ignimbrite. South and southeast of a prominent arcuate fault zone in the central part of the area, the rhyolite ignimbrite (26 m.y. old) forms a major ash-flow sheet. In the southwestern part of the Picacho area the rhyolite ignimbrite interfingers with and is overlain by dacite flows and laharic breccia derived from a probable cone complex, the deeply eroded center of which is marked by a dacite plug that forms the southern half of Picacho Peak. The rhyolite ignimbrite and the dacite of Picacho Peak are overlapped by lava flows and breccia of pyroxene andesite (25 m.y. old) that locally rest on pre-Cenozoic basement rocks. The rhyolite ignimbrite has a minimum volume of 40 km 3 and is not associated with a collapse cauldron or major subsidence features. The volcanic rocks of the Picacho area form a slightly bimodal volcanic suite consisting chiefly of silicic volcanic rocks with subordinate andesite. The lavas have an alkali-lime index of 61, show no iron enrichment, and define a slightly potassic volcanic suite. Late Miocene augite-olivine basalt contains normative hypersthene but is most similar in major-element abundances to transitional alkali-olivine basalt of the Basin and Range province. Normal separation faults in the Picacho area trend northwest and north parallel to major linear mountain ranges in the region. The areal distribution of the 26-m.y.-old rhyolite ignimbrite and the local presence of megabreccia and fanglomerate flanking probable paleohighs suggest that the ignimbrite was erupted over irregular topography controlled by northwest- and north-trending probable basin-range faults. These relations date the inception of faulting in south-easternmost California at pre-26 and probably pre-32 m.y. ago. A transition to basaltic volcanism in the area is dated at 13 m.y. ago and is significantly later than the previously cited date of transition to fundamentally basaltic volcanism in the southwestern United States.


It has been suggested a possible role of oxidative stress, neuromelanin, mitochondrial dysfunction, calcium-binding protein deficiency, nitric oxide, trophic factors deficiency, and cytokines, in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. Based on these mechanisms it might be established neuroprotective therapies but, up to date, the results reported are inconsistent. Many experimental data suggest the usefulness of some restorative therapy, such as neural grafts, genic therapies, etc. This article reviews the current knowledge on the possible neuroprotective and restorative treatments in Parkinson's disease.


Fire is an important factor in the evolution and ecology of Mediterranean plant species. The fire frequency has increased in the 20st century. Pines are the most important tree species in the area. Pinus halepensis is the only natural pine in parts of the east Mediterranean basin, such as Israel and Jordan. This pine tree is a monoecious, wind-pollinated tree. Pinus halepensis regenerates in absence of fire as well as after fire, because it is a partially serotinous species. This study aims to explore the reproductive cycle of P. halepensis in relation to fire. Reproductive processes such as seed and pollen production, cone abortion, level of serotiny and germination are examined. These reproductive processes are related to inherent plant factors such as size, as well as to influences from the environment, especially the presence or absence of fire. When combining these reproductive processes in a simple descriptive model, it shows that regeneration of P. halepensis increases with an increase in tree size, without fire as well as after fire. Increase in tree size increases cone production, reduces cone abortion and decreases the level of serotiny. Small trees produce few cones which are mainly serotinous. Big trees produce many cones, of which some are serotinous and are added to the serotinous cones from previous years, increasing the regeneration ability after fire. The increasing proportion of non-serotinous cones in large trees, combined with the improved pollen dispersal distances with the increased height, increase the regeneration in absence of fire. The two life-strategies co-occur in the same individual and the trees shift their relative contribution to these strategies depending on their size. Although most regeneration in absence of fire results from seeds from non-serotinous cones and most post-fire regeneration from seeds from serotinous cones, they can also contribute to the other regeneration process. Serotinous cones do open after several years without fire, and seeds non-serotinous cones contribute to post-fire regeneration if they were still closed at the time of fire. This study shows, however, that seeds from serotinous cones germinate slightly better in the post-fire environment than seeds from non-serotinous cones. We conclude that the dual life strategy complementary rather that competitive. This size dependent dual life strategy optimizes fitness gain under an infrequent fire regime.


The present research aimed to analyze biometric characteristics of Campomanesia xanthocarpa and its fruits and its fruit yield. This study was developed in araucaria forest at Irati National Forest, Parana state. To perform this analysis, 31 individuals were selected and the total height and commercial height, diameter breast height (DBH), crown diameter, crown length, crown proportion, crown formal, salience index, range index and slenderness rate were measured. From the fruits, variables as length, width, weight and number of seeds per fruit were measured. The fruit yield was estimated by means of the fruit number per branch and the average fruit weight per tree. The species presented total height, DBH and crown diameter of 14.2 m, 32.09 cm and 9.5 m, respectively. The crown diameter is 30 times greater than DBH, and 49.71% from total height is occupied by its crown. The fruits presented 22.01 mm, 19.74 mm, 6.64 g and eight units for width, length, weight and seeds/fruit, respectively. The yield was 1.273 fruits, with 8.64 kg.tree-1. The species presents slow growth, with slender crown and resistance to weathering. Its fruits had great potential for selection for commercialization.


Ventilation and perfusion lung scans were performed preoperatively and postoperatively in 169 patients and classified blindly according to preset criteria. Perfusion lung scan abnormalities were present in 25 (15%) of the preoperative scans and 42 (25%) of the postoperative scans; 16 (38%) of the 42 abnormal postoperative scans were identical to the preoperative scans. Perfusion defects indicating a "high probability" of pulmonary embolism (lobar or segmental defects) were present in 5 preoperative scans and 10 postoperative scans; the 10 postoperative scans were classified as showing "definite" (5), "possible" (1) or "no" (4) pulmonary embolism on the basis of the preoperative scan and the ventilation scan; none of the 10 patients had clinical evidence of pulmonary embolism. Venous thrombosis was present in 12 patients, including 4 of the patients whose lung scans showed definite pulmonary embolism. Thus, postoperative perfusion lung scan defects are potentially misleading even when large.


This is a review of, The Destruction of Young Lawyers: Beyond One L. by Douglas Litowitz (Akron: University of Akron Press, 2006). While the book may be a credible (if tiresome) account of Mr. Litowitz's own unhappiness as a law student and large firm new associate, and evidence of the fact there are unhappy lawyers in the world, it overpromotes itself on two counts. Although it is written by a law professor and published by a university press, and makes broad and universal claims about evils in the legal profession, it is largely a slapdash pastiche of hyperbole and anecdote. Nor is it a balanced view of the profession. Rather, it is one man's attempt to transpose his own journey through hopelessness and despair into a universal truth under the patina of scholarship.


We report fluorescence measurements of three quantum dots (QDs) of different sizes functionalised with the same pH responsive naphthalimide dye. QD size strongly influences energy transfer between dye and dot. Using QDs with an emission maximum of 570 nm gives rise to an interesting transfer of energy from dye to dot, while QDs with an emission maximum at 670 nm give unexpected enhancement of the dye emission. Titrations of QDs with the dye provide a means to establish the loading and hence an approximation of the surface dye density, which varies in proportion to QD size. Quenching effects are observed beyond the loading limit, and may indicate non-specific interactions between the excess dye and the nanoparticle. Attachment of the dye to the QD core is achieved by a thiol/disulfide exchange process that has been interrogated with Raman spectroscopy. The stability of these QD-dye conjugates over time and across a physiological pH range has been investigated to provide an assessment of their performance and robustness.


The age of Augustus, commonly dated to 30 B.C.–A.D. 14, was a pivotal period in world history. A time of tremendous change in Rome, Italy, and throughout theMediterranean world, many key developments were under way when Augustus took charge, and a recurring theme is the role that he played in shaping their direction. The Cambridge Companion to the Age of Augustus captures the dynamic and richness of this era by examining important aspects of political and social history, religion, literature, and art and architecture. The sixteen essays, written by distinguished specialists from the United States and Europe, explore the multifaceted character of the period and the interconnections among social, religious, political, literary, and artistic developments. Introducing the reader to many of the central issues of the Age of Augustus, the essays also break new ground and will stimulate further research and discussion.


Using data from representative population surveys in 17 countries, we find that the lower rate of female business ownership is primarily due to women's lower propensity to start businesses rather than to differences in survival rates across genders. We show that women are less confident in their entrepreneurial skills, have different social networks and exhibit higher fear of failure than men. After controlling for endogeneity, we find that these variables explain a substantial part of the gender gap in entrepreneurial activity. Although, of course, their relative importance varies significantly across countries, these factors appear to have a universal effect.


Recently, chaos theory has appeared as the core of many applications in cryptography, information hiding and forensics. One of these chaotic maps is the logistic map. Usually, the secret key (initial condition and control parameter), must be greater than 214 bytes to avoid any cryptographic attack. However, remembering such a long key proves impractical. An ID-based random number generator is used to generate TRNG or PRNG. In this work, I propose an FPTRNG to be used as the secret key for the logistic map. To address the design need, a symmetric logistic-map-based cryptographic system is implemented using confusion and diffusion. The design is tested with image data types. The experiment analyses the following parameters: key space, key sensitivity, sensitivity, autocorrelation, histograms, information entropy, randomness and execution speed. The results show the effectiveness of the proposed technique for secure image data and applicability to multimedia security.


This study investigated the growth, yield and water use efficiency of wheat in five soil textures obtained by amendment. This was done by executing field experiments that consisted of five soil treatments with 3 replications. The treatments were: (i) T1: loamy sand, (ii) T2: sandy loam, (iii) T3: loam 1, (iv) T4: loam 2 and (v) T5: silt loam (used as amendment). Wheat was cultivated with four irrigations and recommended dose of fertilizers. Increased porosity and pore size distribution in the finer-textured soils improved soil structure with a consequent improvement in soil physico-chemical properties. The saturated hydraulic conductivity decreased significantly, while field capacity and water retention increased considerably as the textured of the soil become finer. The improved water and organic matter contents in treatments T2 – T5 stimulated growth of wheat and caused significant (p = 0.05) increase in leaf area index, plant height, number of total and effective tillers per plant, spike length, number of spikelets per spike, number of grains per spike, grain yield, and biological yield compared to T1. The roots grew and branched profusely in the soil of high moisture and organic matter content; the largest root biomass was in the upper 20 cm of soil depth in all the treatments. The enhanced vegetative growth in terms of plant height and number of tillers per plant helped increasing straw yield, which together with yield attributing characters, improved the biological yield in the finer textured soils. Treatments T2 – T4 produced 1.2 to 2.8 times higher grain and biological yields compared to T1. The irrigation requirement and total water used in a treatment increased as the texture of a soil became coarser. Treatment T2 saved 1 to 13.6% and T3– T5 saved 29.4 to 57.5% irrigation water compared to T1. T1 provided the lowest water use efficiency, which increased gradually as the texture became finer. All treatments except T1 maintained improved water regime.


Modern drug therapy failed to reduce the number of unfavourable outcomes in acute pneumonia. Therefore study of the host responsiveness which plays a crucial role in the course and outcome of pneumonia is showing promise. Disturbed homeostasis, endogenous intoxication, bacteremia and, as a consequence, secondary immunodeficiency make it necessary to look for new treatment methods. The authors suggest the use of plasmapheresis in combined therapy of acute pneumonia running its course in association with pronounced intoxication because of deranged immunity. In emergency cases, the use of intermittent plasmapheresis that requires minimal time for preparation and unsophisticated equipment appears the most acceptable.


The authors examined the suitability using a flue gas desulfurization grout (FGDG) for the attenuation and abatement of acidic mine drainage (AMD). The FGDG used was a mixture of fly ash (FA) and filter cake (FC) with a FA/FC ratio of 1:1 to improve handling. Five percent of lime (CaO) was added to improve strength development and allow the use of this FGDG as a hydrologic seal for underground mines. Acidic mine drainage solutions collect from wells located within mine voids were reacted with samples of FGDG for up to 168 d, to evaluate the potential for grout dissolution subsequent to subterranean implacement. Shortly upon reaction with AMD, FGDG released a number of ions into solution (As, B, Ca, K, Na, Se, SO{sub 4}), a concomitant with a rapid increase in solution pH (8.5), causing decreases in the solubility of most cations (Al, Fe, Mn, Zn). Significant increases in dissolved As and B concentrations were noted. Both elements were present in solution at levels below respective regulatory limits for drinking water. Of the original quantities of As and B present in FGDG, 1.3 and 45.6%, respectively, were released to solution over a 168-d reaction period. Concomitant with changes in solutionmore » composition, reaction of FGDG with AMD resulted in a loss of ettringite and hannebachgite and a growth of gypsum. Additional changes in mineralogy were observed as FGDG equilibrated with AMD solutions. From these reactions, the long-term stability of FGDG in underground acidic mine environments is questionable and warrants study in situ.« less


Recent mutations of the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)1B and 5-HT1D receptor subtypes suggest that a threonine in the seventh transmembrane helix may be responsible for the selectivity of these receptors. A molecular dynamics simulation of a three-dimensional model of the 5-HT1D receptor interacting with a selective agonist, sumatriptan, shows that, although Thr342 in helix 7 does not have a direct interaction with sumatriptan, it contributes to the selectivity of this receptor through an indirect mechanism. The hydrogen bond between O gamma-H of Thr342 and the backbone C = O of Phe338 stabilizes a bent conformation of the helix that is formed due to the interaction between sumatriptan and Asp339 at one end and Tyr346 at the other end. The indirect mechanism may explain the small change in the affinity for the selective agonist sumatriptan of the receptor in which Thr342 was mutated to asparagine.


Summary and Conclusions
All of the agouties exposed to the cercariae of S. mansoni became infected, with eggs demonstrable in the feces 65–72 days after exposure. The majority of worms were located in intrahepatic portal veins. Adult worms were also found in the mesenteric veins but very few were close to the intestinal wall, possibly accounting for the scant, irregular passage of eggs in the feces. The agouti, which occurs in many areas of tropical America where S. mansoni is endemic, supports the sexual cycle of this parasite and therefore might enter into the epidemiology of this disease. The following conclusions may be drawn:
1.
The agouti is suceptible to schistosomiasis mansoni.
2.
The agouti is suitable for laboratory studies with S. mansoni which do not require that eggs be passed in the feces.


Material heterogeneities, such as pores, inclusion or manufacturing defects can have a detrimental impact
on the performance of structural components, such as beams, plates and shells. These heterogeneities are
typically defined on a much finer scale than that of the structural component, meaning that fully resolving
the substructure in numerical analyses is computationally expensive. A method known as FE2 is therefore
considered. As the name suggests, it links at least two finite element (FE) analyses, one defining the macroscale,
the other the subscale, in a nested solution procedure. Of particular interest however, are the prolongation
(macro-subscale) and homogenisation (subscale-macroscale) techniques used to link a macroscale beam to a
statistical volume element (SVE), used to characterise the subscale.
Multiple prolongation and homogenisation methods are presented. Although capturing an accurate elongation
and bending response is straightforward, the same cannot be said for the shear response. The standard use of
Dirichlet, Neumann, and periodic boundary conditions is insufficient. As the length of a statistical volume
element (SVE) increases, there is a deterioration in geometric behaviour. More specifically, the SVE begins to
bend in an unphysically manner, leading to overly soft results.
Variationally Consistent Homogenisation (VCH), provides a systematic way to formulate the macroscale and
subscale problem, as well as the link between them. Through the introduction of VCH, an additional volumetric
constraints, which imposes an internal rotation, is formulated. The additional constraint provides a drastic
improvement. The degradation in shear behaviour is no longer apparent and an accurate shear response is
captured. It is important to note however, that this is not an ideal solution, as adding the volumetric constraint
perturbs the physicality of the subscale problem.
Keywords: Beams, heterogeneities, homogenisation, prolongation


The paper introduces a combination of adaptive neural network systems and statistical method for integrating speech and face image information for person identification. The method allows for the development of models of persons and their on-going adjustment based on new speech and face images. The method is illustrated with a modeling and classification of different persons, when speech and face images are presented in an incremental way. In this model, there are two subnetworks, one for face image and one for speaker recognition. A higher-level layer is applied to make a final decision. In the speaker recognition subnetwork, a text-dependant model is built using evolving connectionist systems (ECOS) [N. Kasabov, 2002]. In the face image recognition subnetwork, composite profile technique is applied for face image feature extraction and zero instruction set computing (ZISC) [ZISC Manual, 2000] technology is used to build the neural network. In the higher-level conceptual subsystem, final recognition decision is made using statistical method. The experiments show that ECOS and ZISC are appropriate techniques for the creation of evolving models for the task of speaker and face recognition individually. It is also shown that the integration of the speech and image information using statistical method improves the person identification rate.


We describe a spot test for detecting deficiency of uroporphyrinogen I synthase (EC 220.127.116.11), which is charac-teristic of intermittent acute porphyria. The specimens used for enzyme assay are 6.5-mm filter paper discs sat-urated with dried blood (less than 15 jzl) that was collected by direct application from a fingerstick or from venipuncture, with or without anticoagulant. The enzyme in such specimens is stable for at least nine days at -20 or 2 #{176}Corfor two days at room temperature. The discs are incubated with porphobilinogen (0.11 mmol/liter) in tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane HCI buffer, pH 8.2, in the dark at 37 #{176}Cfor3.5 h. Trichioroacetic acid is added and, after centrifugation, the supemate is examined visually with a long-wavelength ultraviolet lamp. Samples from normal and porphyric subjects are readily differentiated, both by color and intensity of the resulting porphyrin fluorescence. Anemia is a potential source of falsely positive tests, but one may accurately determine the concentration of hemoglobin in the whole blood on the filter paper discs. Moreover, the fluorescence of normal but anemic samples clearly differs qualitatively from that of porphyric specimens. Another source of falsely positive tests, variation in enzyme activity creating an overlap zone of normal and porphyric results, has not been a confounding problem. The method thus seems to offer promise for screening populations for this disorder.


Abstract This study examines the influence of households' socio-economic characteristics on household demand for electricity, petrol, diesel, kerosene, firewood, domestic gas, and transport in commercial vehicles. Primary data obtained in a cross-section survey of 90 households selected across six communities in Ijebu-Division of Ogun State, Nigeria was used in estimating a system of energy demand equations and elasticities. The study reveals that an average household in the sample had about five members, headed by a 52 year old male that had about nine years of formal education. The mean monthly household consumption expenditure was 15,458.63, of which about 25% was expended on the seven commodities. While the influence of education and household size on household energy use were insignificant; income (budget size), household ownership of electrical/electronic appliances and automobiles, as well as age of household heads exercised significant influence on the relative shares of some/all of the seven energy commodities in household budgets in the study area. The income effects were positive for all the energy commodities, except firewood. Demand for petrol, diesel and domestic gas were income elastic. Thus, the study concludes that improvement in income would cause increase in demand for electricity and petroleum products in the study area, but worsening real income would place greater demand on biomass fuel.


In this study, discrete wavelet transform (DWT) has been implemented using convolution method with purpose of feature extraction of extra systole heart disorder in heart sound database towards classification. Dual down sampling has been applied for DWT method and reflectance has been applied to avoid boundary effect. Approximation and detail coefficients that obtained using DWT implementation has been compared with coefficients that obtained using MATLAB program using regression analysis. As result of the regression, the mean error squared (RMSE) has been found ideally as 0.00002515 and the R-squared value of 1.


Revisiting Lacan's discussion of the puzzle of the prisoner's dilemma provides a means of elaborating a theory of the trans-subjective. An illustration of this dilemma provides the basis for two important arguments. Firstly, that we need to grasp a logical succession of modes of subjectivity: from subjectivity to inter-subjectivity, and from inter-subjectivity to a form of trans-subjective social logic. The trans-subjective, thus conceptualized, enables forms of social objectivity that transcend the level of (inter)subjectivity, and which play a crucial role in consolidating given societal groupings. The paper advances, secondly, that various declarative and symbolic activities are important non-psychological bases—trans-subjective foundations—for psychological identifications of an inter-subjective sort. These assertions link interesting to recent developments in the contemporary social psychology of interobjectivity, which likewise emphasize a type of objectivity that plays an indispensible part in co-ordinating human relations and understanding.


Introduction: This paper describes an assessment of noise caused by railway traffic in a large high-loaded railway track in Northwest Slovakia. Materials and Methods: The measurements of noise levels generated by trains passing through residential neighborhoods were taken. Noise maps were also calculated showing noise pollution generated by the train traffic. In addition, the annoyance level and sleep disturbance of residents affected by railway noise were evaluated by a validated questionnaire on a pilot sample of 107 respondents living near the important railway track. Results: The measurements indicated that the noise levels generated by the passage of the train were extremely high especially at night, clearly exceeding the nighttime limits of equivalent sound pressure level established by the Decree of the Slovak Ministry of Health (No.549/2007) (LAeq = 55 dB). Measurements at one point during the night exceeded the limit values of up to 17.4 dB. The residents reported feeling affected by the noise generated by passing trains, which caused irritability, headache, poor concentration, and insomnia. In addition, 19.64% of the residents claimed that nocturnal noise pollution was the most distressing. The results of bivariate analysis showed a higher risk of annoyance especially for railway noise [ORMH = 7.80 (4.02–15.14)] and the noise from industry [ORMH = 3.08 (1.72–5.50)] in the exposed location. Discussion: The effects of railway traffic on annoyance/sleep and psychosocial well-being were evaluated in a few studies. In accordance with our results the railway noise mostly disturbs sleep and rest of the respondents. Conclusion: The pilot survey showed the importance of sleep and rest disturbance by railway noise and the possibilities of getting worse health condition in the future. Noise abatement measures and strategies should, therefore, be implemented in an effective and manageable way increasing the environmental advantages of rail transport.


Monumental shifts in education, in situations of leading global changes in the local culture, trigger profound repercussions on teachers. In view of reconstructionism, this article enquires into the evolving nuances of administrative reforms, unfolding the cultural links and reciprocal influences between teacher equity and educational administration. On the premise that reforms are triggers of administrative development, it positions teacher equity—a flexible individualization in a networked relationship—both as an enabling platform and as a cultural tool, to maintain a system in action. It argues that impacting change is envisaged as an arduous initiative when competing interests thrive within the system. To maintain administrative coherence and teaching force productivity, people's perspectives and responses to change are coherent for the advancement and benefit of the entire system. Developing learning capacities such as adaptation and reconstruction form the critical core of an equity-driven culture. Such is a reiterated call for reciprocal change, a catalytic stimulus generative of equitable pathways that, more often than not, remain unscathed and oblivious to culturally diverse groups. As scholars and experts in administration and development studies grapple with complicated notions about policy reforms and pragmatic practices, this exposition rouses resilience in the discipline, as implicated in the pretext of greater autonomy and accountability. Essentially, it dispels scholarly revulsions and nuances, while newer investigative tools and culturally responsive reforms are underway to be explored and articulated, respectively.


Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty and total knee arthroplasty are reliable treatment options for osteoarthritis. In order to improve survivorship rates, variables that are intraoperatively controlled by the orthopedic surgeon are being evaluated. These variables include lower leg alignment, soft tissue balance, joint line maintenance, and tibial and femoral component alignment, size, and fixation methods. Since tighter control of these factors is associated with improved outcomes of knee arthroplasty, several computer-assisted surgery systems have been developed. These systems differ in the number and type of variables they control. Robotic-assisted systems control these aforementioned variables and, in addition, aim to improve the surgical precision of the procedure. Robotic-assisted systems are active, semi-active, or passive, depending on how independently the systems perform maneuvers. Reviewing the robotic-assisted knee arthroplasty systems, it becomes clear that these systems can accurately and reliably control the aforementioned variables. Moreover, these systems are more accurate and reliable in controlling these variables when compared to the current gold standard of conventional manual surgery. At present, few studies have assessed the survivorship and functional outcomes of robotic-assisted surgery, and no sufficiently powered studies were identified that compared survivorship or functional outcomes between robotic-assisted and conventional knee arthroplasty. Although preliminary outcomes of robotic-assisted surgery look promising, more studies are necessary to assess if the increased accuracy and reliability in controlling the surgical variables leads to better outcomes of robotic-assisted knee arthroplasty.


Objectives The aim of the study was to evaluate the essential and nonessential blood tests ordered on the internal medicine clinical teaching units (CTUs) at Kingston General Hospital. Our aim was to establish a baseline performance measure identifying appropriate use of laboratory tests that could be used to inform improvement over time. Methods For an 8-week period, 14 CTU attending physicians at Kingston General Hospital were surveyed. They were asked for each of their patients, "What blood tests do you consider to be essential for tomorrow morning to maintain appropriate care for this patient?" The following day, blood tests that were ordered were compared with the "essential" list previously given by the attending physicians. Results Of 291 processed blood tests, 148 (51%) had not been considered essential by attending physicians; of the 203 tests considered essential, 60 (30%) were not ordered. Total agreement between "essential" and processed tests was poor (κ = 0.51; confidence interval, 0.45–0.56). Conclusions Inadequate use of blood tests for CTU patients is common. Quality improvement initiatives should aim to address the lack of observed consensus between attending physicians' views and the ordered tests and to streamline decision-making and the ordering/communication processes. Clinical standards and guidelines regarding ordering of laboratory tests should be clearly defined.


In this study, an in vitro rumen gas production technique was utilized to evaluate fish-meal coated with different types and levels of fats for total gas production, Metabolizable energy (ME) and organic matter digestibility (OMD) contents. Approximately 200 mg of sample was weighed and inserted in glass syringes, then mixed with the inoculum and artificial saliva, incubated at 39 °C in a ventilated oven and gas production (GP) was recorded after zero to 96 h of incubation. There were differences among different fat coated fish-meals and uncoated fish-meal (FM) in total GP at 12, 24, and 48 h of incubation, and the treatments differed (P<0.01) in rate of, and potential, gas production. The result of the present study showed that experimental fats which mixed by fish-meal, reduced in vitro digestibility of organic matter and GP during the time of incubation. In compare to hydrogenated palm oil (HP), coating fish-meal with hydrogenated tallow (HT) resulted in significant reduced GP (P<0.01). Furthermore the values of b and a+b reduced significantly since fish-meal coated with both types of fat in comparison to uncoated fish-meal (P<0.01). It seems that one of the possible strategies to reduce total GP from dairy cows is coating some portions of dietary concentrate with supplemental fats in the form of hydrogenated fats like HT or HP.


Lossless variable-length source coding with unequal cost function is considered for general sources. In this problem, the codeword cost instead of codeword length is important. The infimum of average codeword cost has already been determined for general sources. We consider the overflow probability of codeword cost and determine the infimum of achievable overflow threshold. Our analysis is on the basis of information-spectrum methods and hence valid through the general source.


Film scholar Edward Dimendberg spoke to Annette Michelson in July 2014 for a series of interviews sponsored by the Getty Research Institute. In their conversation, which is published for the first time here, Michelson discusses her first encounters with North American avant-garde film, the early days of Anthology Film Archives, and such figures as Jonas Mekas, P. Adams Sitney, Peter Kubelka, Yvonne Rainer, Hollis Frampton, Michael Snow, Stan Brakhage, Hans Richter, Harry Smith, Jack Smith, Marcel Duchamp, Joyce Wieland, Agnès Varda, Richard Serra, and Marguerite Duras, among others.


Isatin (1H-indole-2,3-dione) is a chemical found in various medicinal plant species and responsible for a broad spectrum of pharmacological and biological properties that may be beneficial to human health, as an anticonvulsant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and anticancer agent. The aim of the present study was to determine in vitro the cytotoxic, mutagenic, and apoptotic effects of isatin on CHO-K1 and HeLa cells using the MTT viability assay (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide), micronucleus (MN) test, apoptosis index, and nuclear division index (NDI). The 5 isatin concentrations evaluated in the mutagenicity and apoptosis tests were 0.5, 1, 5, 10, and 50 μM, selected through a preliminary MTT assay. Positive (doxorubicin, DXR) and negative (phosphate buffered saline, PBS) control groups were also included in the analysis. Isatin did not exert a mutagenic effect on CHO-K1 after 3 and 24 h of treatment or on HeLa cells after 24 h. However, 10 and 50 μM concentrations inhibited cell proliferation and promoted apoptosis in both CHO-K1 and HeLa cells. Data indicate that the cytotoxic, apoptotic, and antiproliferative effects of isatin were concentration independent and cell line independent. The authors thank Profa Dra Eiko Nakagawa Itano for the use the spectrophotometer and the Conselho Nacional para o Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico for master's scholarships to P. M. Cândido-Bacani and grants to T. R. Calvo, W. Vilegas, E. A. Varanda and I. M. S. Cólus. The Conselho Nacional para o Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico provided funding for this study.


As we progress towards a world where robots play an integral role in society, a critical problem that remains to be solved is the pickup team challenge; that is, dynamically formed heterogeneous robot teams executing coordinated tasks where little information is known a priori about the tasks, the robots, and the environments in which they would operate. Successful solutions to forming pickup teams would enable researchers to experiment with larger numbers of robots and enable industry to efficiently and cost-effectively integrate new robot technology with existing legacy teams. In this paper, we define the challenge of pickup teams and propose the treasure hunt domain for evaluating the performance of pickup teams. Additionally, we describe a basic implementation of a pickup team that can search and discover treasure in a previously unknown environment. We build on prior approaches in market-based task allocation and plays for synchronized task execution, to allocate roles amongst robots in the pickup team, and to execute synchronized team actions to accomplish the treasure hunt task


Advanced bladder cancer remains particularly frequent in our practice. Aim: To evaluate the proportion of advanced bladder cancer at diagnosis and to describe the characterisitics at diagnosis. Materials and methods: We conducted a descriptive and retrospective study assessing 97 cases of advanced bladder cancer over a period of 10 years (January 2002 to January 2012) at the department of Urology of H?pital Principal de Dakar and H?pital General de Grand Yoff. We included the records of all patients with a pathologic confirmation of locally advanced bladder cancer (T3, T4) and/or a visceral or lymph node metastasis. Results: Mean age was 47 years (Range: 25 - 80 years). The cohort comprised 69 men and 28 women with a sex ratio of 2.46. The reasons for referral were a hematuria (60.82%), pelvic mass (19.2%), irritative urinary symptoms (8.2%). Reported medical histories were: urinary schistosomiasis (13 patients), tobaccoo(10 patients), recurrent cystitis (8 patients). Indications of local extention were: inguinal lymph nodes (6 patients), tumoral hepatomegaly (5 patients), bone pain (15 patients). A cystoscopy was performed in 64.95% of patients in a mean time of 2.5 months. A Trans Urethral Resection of Bladder Tumour (TURBT) was performed in 77 patients with a mean time from referral of 4 months. Pathologic examination showed squamous cell carcinoma (42%), urothelial carcinoma (28%) and adenocarcinoma (9%). Thoraco-abdomino pelvic CT scan showed a loco regional extension in 18 patients, extension to the peri vesical fat in 3 patients and metastasis in 25 patients. Conclusion: Delayed diagnosis of bladder cancer is still common in Africa with a high mortality rate. A better management requires an improvement of the equipment in the hospital with an emphasis on the access to endoscopy allowing for an early diagnosis.


Laboratory assessment of pancreatic function is unpleasant for the patient and time-consuming for the investigator since it requires duodenal intubation and measurement of maximal pancreatic enzyme output by means of perfusion techniques. Non-invasive indirect tests such as bentiromide test, pancreolauryl test and faecal fat measurement have been introduced in clinical practice but their results depend on the collaboration of the patient in collecting urine or stool. Moreover, faecal fat reflects fat malabsorption but it is neither sensitive nor specific to evaluate exocrine pancreatic function. With the aim to determine whether steatorrhea is due to pancreatic insufficiency, several 14C- (or 13C) breath tests have been developed in which triolein, trioctanoin, tripalmitin, and cholesteryl-octanoate are used as marker substances. In 1989, G. Vantrappen and its group in Leuven developed a breath test in which a new substrate was used: the [1,3-distearyl, 2[carboxyl-13C]octanoyl glycerol] or 13C-"mixed"-triglyceride (MT). The "mixed triglyceride breath test" (MTBT) was shown to be an excellent test of exocrine pancreatic insufficiency when compared with the maximal lipase output after CCK-pancreozymin stimulation. Aim of this paper is to review the methodology of the MTBT and its actual and future applications in clinical practice.


This paper reports on our progress and findings in building a Web annotation system for non-immersive 3D virtual environments. Over the last two years, we developed and tested two systems for collaborating designers to comment on virtual 3D models. Our first system, Redliner [12] lets design team members browse and leave text annotations on surfaces in three-dimensional models. Experience with Redliner, including two user evaluations in different settings, led us to develop Space Pen [13], a second annotation system with improved interaction capabilities. It goes beyond the post-it note metaphor, allowing users to draw in and on the virtual environment.


This study investigates the climatology of the wet and dry conditions in the pre‐summer monsoon season of the Philippines that are less emphasized in previous works. Wet cases (Type W), which account for about 23% of the total pre‐summer monsoon days from 1979 to 2015, are identified from April 1 to the monsoon onset defined by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). The differences between the Type W and dry cases (Type D) are presented. The synoptic conditions associated with the Type W and Type D cases are sub‐divided into two sub‐types based on the wind conditions, the (a) westerly winds at 925 hPa (WINDS 925hPa) intrusion over Luzon Island (120°–122.5°E, 12.5°–22°N) (Type WW and Type DW), and (b) enhanced easterly WINDS 925hPa (Type WE and Type DE). The Type WE (Type WW) cases account for about 63.9% (36.1%) of the total Type W cases, while the Type DE (Type DW) cases account for about 88.1% (11.9%) of the total Type D cases. A subset of Type WE cases (Type WEDef), which features an eastward propagating cold front to the north of Luzon Island and an intensifying anticyclone to its west originating from the east of the Tibetan Plateau and their differences are also examined. These two opposing circulations interact with the subtropical high over the northern Pacific and the easterlies over Luzon Island, and form a deformation zone. The confluence region of this deformation zone, where the cold front interacts with the warm and humid air brought by the easterly WINDS 925hPa, lies over Luzon Island and contributes to the convective activities during the pre‐summer monsoon over this region. This is the first attempt to clarify and document the role of deformation zones as another synoptic‐scale convective system during the pre‐summer monsoon season of the country.


Two different types of methods for acquiring MR data more quickly have been explored here. The first set of methods uses half the normal number of measurements and is capable of shortening acquisition times by a factor of two. The second type of method uses measurements from multiple echoes to synthesize a 'conventional' spin-warp raw data set. This second method is capable of shortening data acquisition times by factors of four to eight. Three types of 'half the data' methods have been tested. The first uses the central half of the phase encoding steps, and reconstructs on the usual 256 x 256 matrix using a sinc interpolation; with this first method, signal to noise ratio is improved, but spatial resolution in the phase encoding direction is reduced. The second method uses all the upper (or lower) half of the normal phase encoding steps, places them in an otherwise empty 256 x 256 matrix, reconstructs, makes a phase correction, takes the real part. This 'half Fourier' method uses the phase information to retain full resolution with only half the data (really 53%) but at the cost of a reduction of signal to noise ratio. for the third method, every second phase encoding measurement is taken, along with eight extras in the center of the data space, empty data lines are filled by cubic interpolation, and a FFT recontruction is done. For this method, spatial resolution and signal to noise ratio are maintained, but two 'ghost' images (low amplitude-occur because of the inherent undersampling of this method. The 'multiple echo' method for faster data acquisition makes use of a sequence that acquires different phase encoding steps in the data from different echoes. the best strategy is to take the central (low frequency) measurements from the lowest numbered echoes, and the higher frequency measurements from the later echoes. The practical details of this method include correcting position, phase, and amplitude of measurements from different echoes. It is also important to use data acquisition sequences that are very well adjusted refered to stimulated echoes and eddy currents. The result is that data can be acquired four to eight times faster than normal for spin-warp imaging, almost full resolution is retained, and signal to noise ratio is reduced somewhat.


The 5-HT1A receptor is implicated in depression and anxiety. This receptor couples to Gi proteins to inhibit adenylyl cyclase (AC) activity but can stimulate AC in tissues (e.g. hippocampus) that express ACII. The role of ACII in receptor-mediated stimulation of cAMP formation was examined in HEK-293 cells transfected with the 5-HT1A receptor, which mediated inhibition of basal and Gs-induced cAMP formation in the absence of ACII. In cells cotransfected with 5-HT1A receptor and ACII plasmids, 5-HT1A agonists induced a 1.5-fold increase in cAMP level. Cotransfection of 5-HT1A receptor, ACII, and Gαi2, but not Gαi1, Gαi3, or Gαo, resulted in an agonist-independent 6-fold increase in the basal cAMP level, suggesting that Gi2 preferentially coupled the receptor to ACII. The 5-HT1B receptor also constitutively activated ACII. Constitutive activity of the 5-HT1A receptor was blocked by pertussis toxin and the Gβγ antagonist, βCT, suggesting an important role for Gβγ-mediated activation of ACII. The Thr-149 → Ala mutation in the second intracellular domain of the 5-HT1A receptor disrupted Gβγ-selective activation of ACII. Spontaneous 5-HT1A receptor activity was partially attenuated by 5-HT1A receptor partial agonists with anxiolytic activity (e.g. buspirone and flesinoxan) but was not altered by full agonists or antagonists. Thus, anxiolytic activity may involve inhibition of spontaneous 5-HT1A receptor activity.


Background Previous studies have reported diffuse destabilization of atherosclerotic plaques in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Methods and Results We used intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) to assess 78 coronary arteries (38 infarct‐related arteries [IRAs] with culprit and nonculprit lesions and 40 non‐IRAs) from 38 consecutive AMI patients. IVUS analysis included qualitative and quantitative measurements of reference and lesion external elastic membrane (EEM), lumen, and plaque plus media (P&M) area. Positive remodeling was defined as lesion/mean reference EEM>1.0. Culprit lesions were identified by a combination of ECG, wall motion abnormalities (ventriculogram or echocardiogram), scintigraphic perfusion defects, and coronary angiogram. Culprit lesions contained more thrombus (23.7% versus 3.4% in nonculprit IRA plaques and 3.1% in non‐IRA plaques; P<0.0011). Culprit lesions were predominantly hypoechoic (63.2% versus 37.9% of nonculprit IRA plaques and 28.1% of non‐IRA plaques; P=0.0022). Culprit lesions were longer (17.5±10.1, 9.8±4.0, and 10.3±5.7 mm, respectively; P<0.0001), had larger EEM area (15.0±6.0, 11.5±5.7, and 12.6±5.6 mm2, respectively; P±0.0353) and P&M area (13.0±6.0, 7.5±3.7, 9.3±4.3 mm2, respectively; P<0.0001), smaller lumens (2.0±0.9,4.1±3.1, and 3.4±2.5mm2, respectively; P=0.0009), and more positive remodeling (79.4%, 59.0%, and 50.8%, respectively; P=0.0155). The frequency of plaque rupture/dissection was greater in culprit, nonculprit IRA, and non‐IRA plaques in AMI patients than in a control group of chronic stable angina patients with multivessel IVUS imaging. Conclusions Culprit plaques have more markers of instability (thrombus, positive remodeling, and large plaque mass); however, these markers of instability are not typically found elsewhere. This suggests that the vascular event in AMI patients is determined by local pre‐event lesion morphologies. (Circulation. 2003;107:2889‐2893.)