One of the great challenges facing society is to convert theglobal energy system to a sustainable process. Currently, 80%of the world´s energy is supplied through the combustionof fossil fuels. Not only are the fossil resources limited, theutilisation also increases the level of greenhouse gases in theatmosphere. The convertion to a sustainable energy system isproblematic since the technology needed to exploit mostnon-fossil energy sources is not yet fully developed, e.g.solar energy. Biofuel is an available renewable energy sourcewhich is already widely used in many countries. If an effectiveswitch-over from fossil fuels to biofuels is to be realised,biofuels must be viewed as a limited resource. Consequently, itis important that the handling, upgrading and utilisationprocesses involving biofuels are efficient so that itspotential can be fully exploited. This thesis considers efficient biofuel utilisation andupgrading within the sawmill industry. The goal has been toanalyse not only the technical opportunities for energy savingsin the sawmill industry, but also to analyse the costeffectiveness and environmental impact of studied measures. Theheat demand of the sawmill industry is almost completelycovered by its own by-products; primarily bark, sawdust andwood chips. The increased demand and improved economic value ofwoody biofuels on the market is thus an incentive for thesawmill industry to place more focus on energy issues. Thesawmill industry also has a more or less constant heat loadover the year, which is a beneficial factor for integrationwith district heating networks, biofuel upgrading plants andcombined heat and power plants. The conclusion of the study is that a variety of energyproducts such as heat, unrefined biofuel, pellets andelectricity can be efficiently produced in the sawmill industryand sold for profit to external customers. The payback periodsfor the proposed investments are moderate and both theemissions of volatile organic compounds and global CO2 aredecreased. Should the proposed measures be fully implemented atSwedish sawmills, about 2.8 TWh of biofuel could be savedannually, 0.5 TWh of waste heat could be sold as districtheating and 0.8 TWh of green electricity could be produced.Language: English Keywords:Sawmill industry, energy efficiency, heatrecovery, integration, biofuel, upgrading, district heating,fuel pellets, CHP, VOC, CO2


Numerical computations using finite difference method and unified strength theory are reported to analyze the slope stability problem. The Factor of safety of plane strain and axisymmetric slopes was calculated by strength reducing method, and the influences of intermediate principal stress on slope stability problem was analyzed. The associative and non-associative flow rule was taking into account in plane strain slope problem analysis. The intermediate principal stress has equivalent influences on slope stability problem under associative and non-associative flow rule. The Factor of safety of plane strain slope is lower than the axisymmetric situation. The influence of intermediate principal stress on slope stability under plane strain condition is heavier than axisymmetry.


Epilepsy affects 50 million people worldwide. Women may be afflicted with catamenial epilepsy, a form of epilepsy related to the menstrual cycle. In catamenial epilepsy, seizures are clustered around the monthly cycle. Despite the availability of several standard and newer antiepileptic drugs, there is no specific and effective therapy for catamenial epilepsy. Moreover, the exact pathophysiology of catamenial seizures remains unclear. It is well known that progesterone possess anticonvulsive properties. The level of this hormone drops near the end of the cycle, leaving women more vulnerable to catamenial epilepsy. Recent studies have shown how progesterone protects women against seizures. Progesterone plays two roles in the brain. First, it binds to progesterone receptors in the brain, which help regulate the reproductive functions. Second, progesterone gets metabolized to allopregnanol-one in the brain called a neurosteroid. We found that allopregnanolone plays a crucial role in seizure protection. The withdrawal from this neurosteroid, which occurs during the menstrual cycle, could provoke seizures. Consequently, we suggest that neurosteroid replacement could be a novel therapeutic approach for catamenial epilepsy.


A novel assessment of recent changes in air-sea freshwater fluxes has been conducted using a surface temperature-salinity framework applied to four atmospheric reanalyses. Viewed in the T-S space of the ocean surface, the complex pattern of the longitude-latitude space mean global Precipitation minus Evaporation (PME) reduces to three distinct regions. The analysis is conducted for the period 1979-2007 for which there is most evidence for a broadening of the (atmospheric) tropical belt. All four of the reanalyses display an increase in strength of the water cycle. The range of increase is between 2%-30% over the period analysed, with an average of 14%. Considering the average across the reanalyses, the water cycle changes are dominated by changes in tropical as opposed to mid-high latitude precipitation. The increases in the water cycle strength, are consistent in sign, but larger than in a 1% greenhouse gas run of the HadGEM3 climate model. In the model a shift of the precipitation/evaporation cells to higher temperatures is more evident, due to the much stronger global warming signal. The observed changes in freshwater fluxes appear to be reflected in changes in the T-S distribution of the Global Ocean. Specifically, across the diverse range of atmospheric reanalyses considered here, there was an acceleration of the hydrological cycle during 1979-2007 which led to a broadening of the ocean's salinity distribution. Finally, although the reanalyses indicate that the warm temperature tropical precipitation dominated water cycle change, ocean observations suggest that ocean processes redistributed the freshening to lower ocean temperatures.


Spatial goals are becoming more frequent aspects of forest management plans as regulatory and organizational policies change in response to fi sheries and wildlife concerns. The combination of green-up constraints (harvesting restrictions that prevent the cutting of adjacent units for a specifi ed period of time) and habitat requirements for red-cockaded woodpeckers (RCW) in the southeastern U.S. suggests that spatially feasible forest plans be developed to guide management activities. We examined two modeling approaches aimed at developing management plans that had both harvest volume goals, RCW habitat, and green-up constraints. The fi rst was a two-stage method that in one stage used linear programming to assign volume goals, and in a second stage used a tabu search – genetic algorithm heuristic technique to minimize the deviations from the volume goals while maximizing the present net revenue and addressing the RCW and green-up constraints. The second approach was a one-stage procedure where the entire management plan was developed with the tabu search – genetic algorithm heuristic technique, thus it did not use the guidance for timber volume levels provided by the LP solution. The goal was to test two modeling approaches to solving a realistic spatial harvest scheduling problem. One is where to volume goals are calculated prior to developing the spatially feasible forest plan, while the other approach simultaneously addresses the volume goals while developing the spatially feasible forest plan. The resulting forest plan from the two-stage approach was superior to that produced from the one-stage approach in terms of net present value. The main point from this analysis is that heuristic techniques may benefi t from guidance provided by relaxed LP solutions in their effort to develop effi cient forest management plans, particularly when both commodity production and complex spatial wildlife habitat goals are considered. Differences in the production of forest products were apparent between the two modeling approaches, which could have a signifi cant effect on the selection of wood processing equipment and facilities.


The project: Finding Solutions: Teaching the Problem-Solving Process explains an integrated approach to teaching personal problem-solving through social skill lessons, language arts activities and classroom management strategies. The researcher developed a rationale, lesson plans, and methodology based on an in-depth review of the literature. The researcher drew on her experience as a classroom teacher to develop an approach that attempts to meet the needs of all learners and to suit her teaching style. She used the problem-solving steps from the Second Step violence prevention program (Committee for Children, 1992) as a framework to build the unit that she implemented in her Grade 3 classroom. The lessons were also linked to the learning outcomes found in British Columbia's Integrated Resource Package for Personal Planning (1995). The rating scale for Grades K to 3: Solving Problems in Peaceful Ways from the B. C. Performance Standards: Social Responsibility draft document was used (Ministry of Education, 2000). The study concluded that the blend of interactive and independent activities was effective in strengthening the students' personal problem-solving abilities. The students also demonstrated an increased willingness to solve their own problems. Appendices include the bibliography of children's literature, the student self-evaluation questionnaire, and lesson worksheets that were used in implementing and assessing the unit.


The factors associated with lobe division were studied in thalli of the lichen Parmelia conspersa (Ehrh. ex Ach.)Ach. Lobe division was studied in sequences of adjacent lobes using spatial pattern analysis. In five large thalli, lobe division within the thallus margin was randomly distributed. Correlations between the degree of lobe division, the radial growth of the lobe and lobe morphology were studied in six thalli. Lobe division was positively correlated with either lobe width or area in four thalli. Correlations were observed with radial growth or morphology of the adjacent lobes in two thalli. Dividing and non-dividing lobes were removed from large thalli and glued to pieces of slate with their tips either at the same level or in front of neighbouring lobes. Dividing lobes divided more rapidly when their tips were glued in front of their neighbours. The levels of ribitol, arabitol and mannitol were measured within a 2 mm region of the tip in dividing and non-dividing lobes on four occasions in 1994. Carbohydrate levels were significantly increased in dividing compared with non-dividing lobes. In addition, the mean size of the algal cells was greater in non-dividing compared with dividing lobes especially at the lobe base. However, the percentage of zoosporangia and aplanosporangia did not vary significantly in dividing and non-dividing lobes. These results suggest that: 1) the pattern of lobe division within the thallus margin may be random, 2) lobe division may be determined by lobe size and the location of the lobe tip relative to the neighbouring lobes and 3) there may be an increase in the productivity of lobes associated with lobe division.


Irrigation accounts for the largest consumption of water in many areas of the world, including Alberta. As water supplies dwindle under the threat of climate change, several environmental lobby groups have argued that less water should be available for irrigation with the hope that more water would then be available for environmental objectives. The agricultural industry may be able to counteract these criticisms if its water use efficiency could be increased and substantiated. This requires selection of an appropriate criterion to use for measuring improvement in water use efficiency (WUE). In this study, two aspects of WUE are examined: Technical and Economic. Estimation is based on data for two river sub-basins where irrigation is practised in Alberta, using data over a five-year period, 2004-2008. The Oldman river sub-basin covers a larger area, and the amount of water diverted reflects it. Water use technical efficiency for this sub-basin was also higher than that for the Bow river sub-basin. Similar results were obtained for water use economic efficiency. On average, in the Oldman river sub-basin, one dam 3 (1000 cubic meters) of irrigation water generates 4.4 tonnes of production, as against only 2.7 tonnes for the Bow river sub-basin. In terms of economic efficiency, water applied contributes on average, $171 per dam 3 for the Oldman versus only $115 for the Bow river sub-basin. Final assessment of these measures suggests that the physical efficiency measures suffer from the limitation of ignoring the human aspect of efficiency improvement. Thus, improving the technical efficiency may not necessarily lead to improvement in human well-being, which is one of the major objectives of


Market vis-a-vis command and control approaches have been widely adopted in natural resource and environmental management since the 1980s. Adoption of markets in managing irrigation water resources is also emerging. It has been argued that markets are ineffective in managing the demand for irrigation water due to very low price elasticity. Most studies have been based on mathematical models simulating water markets and not on observed prices and quantities in real water markets since such data are rarely available. In Oman, perhaps in response to the extreme scarcity of water, elaborate water demand management institutions emulating markets have evolved and have been used for centuries. Water entitlements are leased based on prices through a community auction. The traded quantities of water and related prices have been recorded. This study uses this unique data set to estimate the elasticity of irrigation water. A log function on quantity and price of irrigation water is used with dummy variables on time and type of irrigation system. The price elasticity varies from -0.10 to -0.28, depending on the specifications of the econometric model. These estimates are higher than most estimates reported in past studies, indicating the efficacy of the indigenous market-based irrigation water management institution adopted in Oman.


" Spectrum " is one of the school tabloid released by SMAN I Bangil that contain about information which happen inside the school, whether knowledge of education, and many kinds of activities inside the school, for instant student activities inside or outside the school, teachers and school employess as well as. There are a lot enough massages in this spectrum likes education, human interest to entertaintment, for instant short story, profile, youth tips,etc. every one is wrapped up by using exciting words can be told that compared spectrum is a different school tabloid with the other school ones because the news get impressed full of education for the school youth, spectrum is also creativities movement light for its student, every student can freely express their idea, aspiration to be performed in the tabloid. Each edition is made different in its news, the reason is not making the reader feel boring and get interested to read it. Therefore the observer interested to dig it out more deeply about any massage which being informed in Spectrum tabloid. Based to its background, so the problem formula is any massage that contained in the school spectrum tabloid of 13 th edition, March 2007. This observer use quantitave approach with observe method that used in the analyze contain the intention to get objective calculation, and systematic to the fact of the massage. Its technical data gathering is documentation that is by reading the contain of the massage of the spectrum tabloid, and then inserting data as same as the category that has been made into coding page with analysis unit that is frequency determination appear to each news related with the category. Each news related with the category while each measurement that used was a CM colomn from every news that related to the category with the environment, allmassage that exist in the spectrum tabloid and the observer analysed the massage. The examination result showed that highest is the massage of human interest with 70 times appearances with percentase of 46,7%, second row followed by the education category with 38 times appearances with percentage of 25,3%, third row placed by healthy category, with 23 times appearances with percentage of 15,3%, in the last row is the massage of entertainment category with 19 times appearances with percentage 12,7%. That is way can be concluded that from total 150 appearanes, the highest one dominate is the massage with human interest, the observer hopes in the next edition can be found massage with category more than four categories, and also get fully education information massage. So spectrum can be told as youth positive tabloid which full education. Keyword : Pesan; Majalah sekolah spektrum Link terkait : http://skripsi.umm.ac.id/files/disk1/301/jiptummpp-gdl-s1-2009-parveenkar-15021-Pendahul-n.pdf


Journal of Diarrhoeal Diseases Research, vol I No. I (quarterly) pp 75 US $25; US $15 (developing countries) Bangladesh: International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research 1983 This is a new journal published by the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh. There is an impressive list of internationally-known names on the editorial and advisory board. It is an unusual journal in that it is directed towards research into a fairly narrow (though very important) spectrum of diseases. The annual subscription is not expensive by today's standard and there is a reduced subscription rate for personal subscriptions in developing countries. This is particularly important, for a high proportion of the readership is expected to be working in, or training for work in, the developing countries. This journal could become essential reading for those concerned with the problems of diarrhoeal diseases. The editors will need, however, to build up the number of committed authors who will prefer to publish in this journal rather than elsewhere, but at the same time maintain a high scientific standard of published papers. There is an annotated bibliography of Asian literature on diarrhoeal diseases which adds considerably to the usefulness of the journal. This journal deserves support and should be taken by libraries in the developed as well as developing countries, for there is no doubt that diarrhoeal diseases are still a major health problem.


The expanding interest in book history over recent years has heralded the coming together of an interdisciplinary research community drawing scholars from a variety of literary, historical and cultural studies. Moreover, with a growing body of literature, the field is becoming increasingly visible on a wider scale, not least through the existence of the Society for the History of Authorship, Readership and Publishing (SHARP), with its newly founded journal Book History. Within the history of science, however, there remains not a little scepticism concerning the practical value of such an approach. It is often dismissed as an intellectual fad or as an enterprise which is illuminating but ultimately peripheral, rather than being valued as an approach which can offer major new insights within the field. This is no doubt in part because much of the most innovative work in history of science over recent years has been carried out by historians anxious to get away from an earlier overemphasis on printed sources. Eager to correct a profoundly unsocial history of ideas, usually rooted in texts, historians have looked increasingly to both the practices and the material culture of science. In such a context, a renewed focus on the history of books sometimes seems like a retrograde step, especially given the common misidentification of 'books' with 'texts'. On the contrary, however, it is just such a twin emphasis on practices and material culture which also characterizes the new book history. Indeed, to the question 'what is book history for?' we might answer that its object is to reintroduce social actors, engaged in a variety of practices with respect to material objects, into a history in which books have too often been understood merely as disembodied texts, the meaning of which is defined by singular, uniquely creative authors, and is transparent to readers.


Objective: To examine the potential impact of elderly age on response to participation in a structured, multidisciplinary quality-of-life (QOL) intervention for patients with advanced cancer undergoing radiation therapy. Methods: Study design was a randomized stratified, two group, controlled clinical trial in the setting of a tertiary care comprehensive cancer center. Subjects with newly diagnosed cancer and an estimated 5-year survival rate of 0%–50% who required radiation therapy were recruited and randomly assigned to either an intervention group or a standard care group. The intervention consisted of eight 90-min sessions designed to address the five QOL domains of cognitive, physical, emotional, spiritual, and social functioning. QOL was measured using Spitzer uniscale and linear analogue self-assessment (LASA) at baseline and weeks 4, 8, and 27. Results: Of the 103 study participants, 33 were geriatric (65 years or older), of which 16 (mean age 72.4 years) received the intervention and 17 (mean age 71.4 years) were assigned to the standard medical care. The geriatric participants who completed the intervention had higher QOL scores at baseline, at week 4 and at week 8, compared to the control participants. Significance of results: Our results demonstrate that geriatric patients with advanced cancer undergoing radiation therapy will benefit from participation in a structured multidisciplinary QOL intervention. Therefore, geriatric individuals should not be excluded from participating in a cancer QOL intervention, and, in fact, elderly age may be an indicator of strong response to a QOL intervention. Future research should further explore this finding.


PURPOSE
To evaluate the feature of our tissue-equivalent Thermoluminescense and Photoluminescense films for dose distribution measurements of photon and electron, and proton beams.

METHODS
Thermal and light fading, repeatability, and dose linearity (dose proportionality) were evaluated for our tissue-equivalent Thermoluminescense (TLD) and Photo-Stimulated luminescense (PSLD) films, which has 18 × 40 cm2 dimension and 0.09 mm thickness. These effects were examined at room temperature and under fluorescent light after irradiation by 6 MV photon. Three-dimensional dose distributions for photon, electron, and proton beams were also measured. Before the measurements of dose distributions, the irradiation was done to calibrate the response of each film. The readout was performed by 180 oC for TLD and blue LED lights for PSLD films, and generated light was detected with a CCD camera which has 1024 × 1024 pixels (FLIML 1001E-2, Finger Lakes Instrument).

RESULTS
After the irradiation, the fading of signals was 1-5% in one hour. It was observed that the variation for 10 sequent dose measurements at 200 cGy using 6 MV photons was less than 5%. Dose profiles for photon and electrons were obtained as smooth curve after the calibration. For photon measurements, PDDs with the TLD films well reproduced the results with ionization chamber, except for the surface region. The measured dose with TLD at surface is around 15%, which is lower more than 30% comparing to the dose with ionization chamber. Although obtained electron PDDs with TLD showed good agreement with that of ionization chamber, PDDs with PSLD showed slightly deviations from the chamber due to the contamination of high Z material.

CONCLUSION
The characteristics of TLD and PSLD films were evaluated in order to make precise measurements. It is shown that they have the potential to measure the 3D dose distribution including low dose at surface. This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 23791450.


The rise of social media services has changed the ways in which users can communicate and consume content online. Whilst online social networks allow for fast and convenient delivery of knowledge, users are prone to information overload when too much information is presented for them to read and process.

Automatic text summarisation is a tool to help mitigate information overload. In automatic text summarisation, short summaries are generated algorithmically from extended text, such as news articles or scientific papers. This thesis addresses the challenges in applying text summarisation to the Twitter social network. It also goes beyond text, exploiting additional information that is unique to social networks to create summaries which are personal to an intended reader.

Unlike previous work in tweet summarisation, the experiments here address the home timelines of readers, which contain the incoming posts from authors to whom they have explicitly subscribed.

A novel contribution is made in this work the form of a large gold standard ($19,350$ tweets), the majority of which will be shared with the research community. The gold standard is a collection of timelines that have been subjectively annotated by the readers to whom they belong, allowing fair evaluation of summaries which are not limited to tweets of general interest, but which are specific to the reader.

Where the home timeline is used by professional users for social media analysis, automatic text summarisation can be applied to give results which beat all baselines. In the general case, where no limitation is placed on the types of readers, personalisation features which exploit the relationship between author and reader and the reader's own previous posts, were shown to outperform both automatic text summarisation and all baselines.


This assessment presents a synthesis of analysis to contribute to the definition of a lower carbon and greener growth path for Romania to 2050. The objective of Romania's green growth path is to implement mitigation actions and undertake needed adaptation while preserving growth and employment. Romania has maintained a steady growth in output while containing the growth of its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. From now to 2050, real incomes in Romania are expected to continue to grow, and its carbon emissions are expected to continue declining. Romania can meet the targets of the green scenario with only modest costs to growth and employment, European Union (EU) emissions trading for energy-intensive sectors sets a uniform price for GHG allowances, which generates an efficient allocation across countries of mitigation actions in those sectors. The difficulty of meeting the tighter targets for mitigation set out in the green and super green scenarios will be eased significantly by improvements in energy efficiency. Proactive measures to promote smart urban development in Bucharest and other urban areas, including more compact city design, transport-oriented development that changes modal-split, upgrades to a more efficient vehicle stock, and policies promoting building efficiency upgrades, can deliver sizable reductions in annual energy spending and emission levels.


President George W. Bush set the bold vision and charter for NASA to take the next steps in the exploration of our solar system in his announcement on 14 January 2004. This exploration initiative provides unique opportunities for the space community to work closely with NASA to accomplish tasks that have been planned since the Apollo era. In order for the NASA exploration initiative to be successful in today's environment, it must be reliable, affordable, and sustainable within a realistic schedule. Trade studies indicate that a two stage, solid / liquid configuration using available heritage propulsion components is the most effective solution to meet NASA's schedule for crew access to space and the International Space Station (ISS). Facilities and manpower are in place to process and refurbish stage components maintaining a man-rated launch vehicle infrastructure. A heavy lift vehicle configuration can be tailored to support Moon and Mars missions utilizing existing components. Lift capability can be expanded with five segment RSRM derivative boosters and an extended external tank. Shuttle derived launch vehicles provide the most reliable and effective solution to meet NASA's exploration vision schedule. Principle Engineer, System Studies, P.O. Box 707, M/S 230 Brigham City, Utah 84302


Natriuretic peptides (NP), including atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), induce potent natriuresis and vasodilation and thereby generate hypotension in vivo. Despite intensive efforts, clinical application of NP as an antihypertensive agent is limited because of their short biological half-life and poor bioavailability. Recently, we have developed a strategy that facilitates slow release of peptides from PEG-peptide inactive conjugates, based on reversible pegylation. Peptides prepared by this approach undergo slow, spontaneous chemical hydrolysis at physiological conditions, releasing the native active peptide/protein drug from the inactive conjugates over prolonged periods. A PEG chain of 30 kDa was linked covalently to the alpha-amino side chain of the hormone via a MAL-Fmoc-NHS spacer, yielding PEG 30-Fmoc-ANP, a prodrug that releases the native hormone upon incubation at physiological conditions. Bolus administration of native ANP to Wistar rats receiving adrenaline yields a short, transitory effect in lowering blood pressure (BP), reaching a maximum at 2 min, and then returning to control values after 12 to 25 min. In contrast, administration of PEG 30-Fmoc-ANP lowered BP following a lag period of 50 min, and maintained low BP for a period exceeding 60 min. Saline or PEG 30-Fmoc-Alanine were not effective in lowering BP in Wistar rats. These results show that the novel compound, PEG 30-Fmoc-ANP, is a reversible pegylated prodrug derivative that facilitates a prolonged BP lowering effect in rats and may be considered as a candidate for development into an antihypertensive drug.


This legislative guide promotes an enabling legal environment for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). It is based on the premise that it is in the interests of States and of MSMEs that such businesses operate in the formal economy. The guide also reflects the idea that entrepreneurs that have not yet commenced a business may be persuaded to do so in the formal economy if the requirements for formally starting their business are not considered overly burdensome, It includes best practices from various parts of the world and 58 recommendations aiming at assisting States in streamlining their business registration procedures.


Abstract. The current paper reviews the experimental setup of the CarboEurope Experimental Strategy (CERES) campaigns with the aim of providing an overview of the instrumentation used, the data-set and associated modelling. It then assesses progress in the field of regional observation and modelling of carbon fluxes, bringing the papers of this special issue into a somewhat broader context of analysis. Instrumental progress has been obtained in the field of remotely monitoring from tall towers and the experimental planning. Flux measurements from aircraft are now capable, within some constraints, to provide regular regional observations of fluxes of CO2, latent and sensible heat. Considerable effort still needs to be put into calibrating the surface schemes of models, as they have direct impact on the input of energy, moisture and carbon fluxes in the boundary layer. Overall, the mesoscale models appear to be capable of simulating the large scale dynamics of the region, but in the fine detail, like the precise horizontal and vertical CO2 field differences between the models still exist. These errors translate directly into transport uncertainty, when the forward simulations are used in inverse mode. Quantification of this uncertainty, including that of inadequate boundary layer height modelling, still remains a major challenge for state of the art mesoscale models. Progress in inverse models has been slow, but has shown that it is possible to estimate some of the errors involved, and that using the combination of observations. Overall, the capability to produce regional, high-resolution estimates of carbon exchange, exist in potential, but the routine application will require considerable effort, both in the experimental as in the modelling domain.


This study examines design aspects that shape human/machine collaboration between wearers of smart hearing aids and their networked aids. The Starkey Halo hearing aid and the TruLink iPhone app that facilitates real-time adjustments by the wearer offer a case study in designing for this sort of collaboration and for the wearer's rhetorical management of disability disclosure in social contexts. Through close textual analysis of the company's promotional materials for patient and professional audiences as well as interface analysis and autoethnography, I examine the ways that close integration between the wearer, onboard algorithms and hardware, and geolocative telemetry shape everyday interactions in multiple hearing situations. Reliance on ubiquitous, familiar hardware such as smart phones and intuitive interface design can drive patient comfort and adoption rates of these complex technologies that influence cognitive health, social connectedness, and crucial information access.


The Yellow River (Huang He) is the second largest of China's rivers, with a catchment area of 795,000km² and a stream length of nearly 5,500 km. The river flows through the cradle of the Chinese civilization, originating in Tibet in western China and passing through nine provinces to the Bohai Sea on the east. The Basin consists of three reaches with distinctive climatic, hydrologic, topographic, soil, and water and land use characteristics. The upper reach extends from desert areas in Qinghai Province to Yinchuan near the Ningxia-Inner Mongolia border, the middle reach downstream through the Loess Plateau into Henan Province, and the lower reach from Zhengzhou through the Yellow River Estuary in Shandong Province. Erosion of the Loess Plateau has aggraded the lower reach of river, and construction of levees for flood control in the lower reach has caused the riverbed to become 'suspended,' rising 10-15 meters above the surrounding densely-populated floodplains draining into the Huai and Hai Rivers on either side. The Yellow River Basin is characterized by the most severe combination of flood, erosion and sedimentation, water scarcity and water pollution problems occurring anywhere in the world. Coordinated and integrated management of the Basin's water resources is vital to China's economic prosperity and protection of life, property, environmental quality and cultural heritage. The capacity for integrated river basin management (IRBM) is greatly diminished, however, by weaknesses and gaps in the current legal, policy and institutional frameworks for participatory planning. From 2003 – 2004, the author led a team of international and domestic water resources, legal, institutional, and environmental experts assisting the Asian Development Bank, State implementing agencies and a National Steering Committee (NSC) in the analysis of opportunities for IRBM and preparation of a draft Yellow River Law (ADB TA3708-PRC, 2004). The implementing agencies were the China Ministry of Water Resources (MWR) and the Yellow River Conservancy Commission (YRCC). The National Steering Committee (NSC) consisted of these and other State agencies including the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), the State Planning Commission, Ministries of Agriculture, Forestry and Land Administration, and representatives of the provincial governments and their administrative departments engaged in management of water and environmental resources. While the draft Law is designed principally to address the unique problems of the Yellow River Basin, it is widely viewed as a prototype for the Yangtze and other river basin laws, and as a major advance in efforts to reform …


The abstract provide a concise, complete and unambiguous summary of the work done and the results obtained. The title and the abstract pertinent, and easy to understand to a wide and diversified audience.


Syncretism is a surprising yet widespread and poorly understood phenomenon in natural language. Given a regular distinction such as present versus past, as in English help/helped, work/worked, laugh/laughed, we might not expect to find instances like bid, which can be present or past (we now bid five pounds, though yesterday we bid ten pounds). The form bid, is said to be an instance of syncretism, a single form fulfilling two or more different functions. Thus syncretism is found even in English, whose inflectional morphology (system of different word-forms) is simple in comparison with many languages. The database encodes information on inflectional syncretism in 30 genetically and geographically diverse languages, representing such morphosyntactic features as case, person, number and gender, in all the inflectional classes where they are relevant.


The bulbocavernosus reflex (BCR) has been used during the initial evaluation of a spinal cord injury patient as a metric to determine prognosis and whether the patient is in "spinal shock". This reflex has been less utilized over the last decade and therefore, a review was performed to assess the value of BCR in patient prognosis. The North American Clinical Trials Network (NACTN) for Spinal Cord Injury is a consortium of tertiary medical centers that includes a prospective SCI registry. The NACTN registry data was analyzed to evaluate the prognostic implication of the BCR during the initial evaluation of a spinal cord injury patient. SCI patients were divided into those with an intact or absent BCR during their initial evaluation. Associations of participants' descriptors and neurological status on follow up were performed followed by associations with the presence of a BCR. 769 registry patients with recorded BCRs were included in the study. The median age was 49 years (32-61 years), majority were male (n=566, 77%), and white (n=519, 73%). Among included patients, high blood pressure was the most common comorbidity (n=230, 31%). Cervical spinal cord injury was the most common (n=470, 76%) with fall (n=320, 43%) being the most frequent mechanism of injury. BCR was present in 311 patients (40.4%), while 458 (59.6%) had a negative BCR within 7 days of injury or before surgery. At 6 months post-injury, 230 patients (29.9%) followed up, of which, 145 had a positive BCR while 85 had a negative BCR, respectively. The presence/absence of BCR was significantly different in patients with cervical (p=0.0015) or thoracic SCI (p=0.0089), or conus medullaris syndrome (p=0.0035), and in those who were AIS grade A (p=0.0313). No significant relationship was observed between BCR results and demographics, AIS grade conversion, motor score changes (p=0.1669), and changes in pin prick (p=0.3795) and light touch scores (p=0.8178). In addition, cohorts were not different in surgery decision (p=0.7762) and injury to surgery time (p=0.0681). In our review of the NACTN spinal cord registry, the BCR did not provide prognostic utility in the acute evaluation of spinal cord injury patients. Therefore, it should not be used as a reliable marker for predicting neurological outcomes post-injury.


Hemodynamic factors have profound influences on blood vessels. To test the hypothesis that hemodynamic conditions modify the pattern of remodeling in response to injury, monocrotaline (MCT) injury in Sprague-Dawley rats was followed 1 week later by left pneumonectomy to increase blood flow to the right lung. Right pulmonary artery remodeling in these MCT plus pneumonectomy animals was compared with animals receiving MCT or pneumonectomy alone. Neointimal changes developed in more than 90% of all right lung intra-acinar vessels 5 weeks after MCT injury (4 weeks after pneumonectomy). Neointimal lesions did not develop in untreated animals or in animals receiving MCT or pneumonectomy only. Animals with a neointimal pattern of remodeling developed severe right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) whereas animals with a medial hypertrophy pattern of remodeling (MCT only) developed moderate RVH compared with control animals. Neointimal lesions and RVH were similar whether injury preceded pneumonectomy or vice versa. To exclude the possibility that neointimal lesions resulted from injury plus post-pneumonectomy compensatory lung growth, rather than injury plus increased flow, a left subclavian-pulmonary artery anastomosis was substituted for pneumonectomy. Neointimal lesions and severe RVH developed in these animals but were not seen in animals receiving either MCT or anastomosis only. These studies demonstrate an important role for hemodynamics in determining the pattern of pulmonary vascular remodeling after injury.


Boltzmann machines are undirected graphical models with two-state stochastic variables, in which the logarithms of the clique potentials are quadratic functions of the node states. They have been widely studied in the neural computing literature, although their practical applicability has been limited by the difficulty of finding an effective learning algorithm. One well-established approach, known as mean field theory, represents the stochastic distribution using a factorized approximation. However, the corresponding learning algorithm often fails to find a good solution. We conjecture that this is due to the implicit uni-modality of the mean field approximation which is therefore unable to capture multi-modality in the true distribution. In this paper we use variational methods to approximate the stochastic distribution using multi-modal mixtures of factorized distributions. We present results for both inference and learning to demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach.


Differentiating between Web services that share similar functionalities is becoming a major challenge into the discovery of Web services. In this paper we propose a framework for enabling the efficient discovery of Web services using Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) best known for their generalization capabilities. The core of this framework is applying a novel neural network model to Web services to determine suitable Web services based on the notion of the Quality of Web Service (QWS). The main concept of QWS is to assess a Web service's behaviour and ability to deliver the requested functionality. Through the aggregation of QWS for Web services, the neural network is capable of identifying those services that belong to a variety of class objects. The overall performance of the proposed method shows a 95% success rate for discovering Web services of interest. To test the robustness and effectiveness of the neural network algorithm, some of the QWS features were excluded from the training set and results showed a significant impact in the overall performance of the system. Hence, discovering Web services through a wide selection of quality attributes can considerably be influenced with the selection of QWS features used to provide an overall assessment of Web services.


Laws that provided pensions for Union army veterans were putatively color-blind, but whites and African Americans experienced the pension system differently. Black veterans were less likely to apply for pensions during the program's early years. Yet, no matter when they applied, they encountered two stages of bias, first from examining physicians and then, far more systematically, from Pension Bureau reviewers. The evidence suggests that pension income reduced mortality among African-American veterans, underscoring the tangible results of justice denied.


Thiophene-based semiconductors are often hole conductors that have been converted to electron-transporting materials by incorporation of electron-withdrawing groups at terminal positions, such as fluorinated substituents. This conversion of an otherwise p-type material to n-type material is often attributed to the lowering of the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy level due to the increased electron affinity in the molecule. Yet, it is not clear if lowering of LUMO energy level is a sufficient condition for yielding n-type material. Herein, we report small-molecule semiconductors based on cyclopentadithiophene (CPD), which can be orthogonally functionalized at two different positions, which allows us to tune the frontier orbital energy levels. We find that simply lowering the LUMO energy level, without inclusion of fluoro groups, does not result in conversion of the otherwise p-type material to n-type material, whereas incorporation of fluorinated substituents does. This indicates that char...


ABSTRACT Background: Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with increased viral respiratory infections and early-onset sepsis in neonates. Newborns are more susceptible to infections as both innate and adaptive immune systems are not entirely developed. Neonatal sepsis is a frequent and important cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality worldwide. The aim of the study is to determine the association of vitamin D deficiency with early onset of sepsis among term neonates. Methods: This study was conducted at Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Ziauddin Hospital Karachi. A total of 100 neonates, with early onset sepsis (n=50) and with no sepsis (n=50as controls) were included. Blood was drawn for CBC, CRP and Vitamin D levels with levels 1 was considered as significant. Results: There were 64% male and 36% female among neonates with sepsis and 54% male and 46%female among controls. Mean time of onset of infection was 2.08±0.82 days among cases. The mean serum vitamin D level was 10.56±5.83 ng/mL and 22.18±4.44 ng/mL among cases and controls respectively. Vitamin D deficiency was observed among 88% patients with early sepsis and among 20% non-sepsiscontrols and association was found significant with an odds ratio of 29.33. Conclusion: Vitamin D level in neonates with early sepsis was significantly lower than non-sepsis patients. Hence, it may be a risk factor for early onset of sepsis in term neonates.


ColE1-like plasmids are small, mobilizable plasmids that can be found across at least four orders of Gammaproteobacteria and are strongly associated with antimicrobial resistance genes. Plasmid pB1000 carries the gene blaROB-1, conferring high-level resistance to penicillins and cefaclor. pB1000 has been described in various species of the family Pasteurellaceae, for example, in Haemophilus influenzae, which can cause diseases such as otitis media, meningitis, and pneumonia. ABSTRACT Plasmids facilitate the vertical and horizontal spread of antimicrobial resistance genes between bacteria. The host range and adaptation of plasmids to new hosts determine their impact on the spread of resistance. In this work, we explore the mechanisms driving plasmid adaptation to novel hosts in experimental evolution. Using the small multicopy plasmid pB1000, usually found in Pasteurellaceae, we studied its adaptation to a host from a different bacterial family, Escherichia coli. We observed two different mechanisms of adaptation. One mechanism is single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the origin of replication (oriV) of the plasmid, which increase the copy number in E. coli cells, elevating the stability, and resistance profile. The second mechanism consists of two insertion sequences (ISs), IS1 and IS10, which decrease the fitness cost of the plasmid by disrupting an uncharacterized gene on pB1000 that is harmful to E. coli. Both mechanisms increase the stability of pB1000 independently, but only their combination allows long-term maintenance. Crucially, we show that the mechanisms have a different impact on the host range of the plasmid. SNPs in oriV prevent the replication in the original host, resulting in a shift of the host range. In contrast, the introduction of ISs either shifts or expands the host range, depending on the IS. While IS1 leads to expansion, IS10 cannot be reintroduced into the original host. This study gives new insights into the relevance of ISs in plasmid-host adaptation to understand the success in spreading resistance. IMPORTANCE ColE1-like plasmids are small, mobilizable plasmids that can be found across at least four orders of Gammaproteobacteria and are strongly associated with antimicrobial resistance genes. Plasmid pB1000 carries the gene blaROB-1, conferring high-level resistance to penicillins and cefaclor. pB1000 has been described in various species of the family Pasteurellaceae, for example, in Haemophilus influenzae, which can cause diseases such as otitis media, meningitis, and pneumonia. To understand the resistance spread through horizontal transfer, it is essential to study the mechanisms of plasmid adaptation to novel hosts. In this work we identify that a gene from pB1000, which encodes a peptide that is toxic for E. coli, and the low plasmid copy number (PCN) of pB1000 in E. coli cells are essential targets in the described plasmid-host adaptation and therefore limit the spread of pB1000-encoded blaROB-1. Furthermore, we show how the interplay of two adaptation mechanisms leads to successful plasmid maintenance in a different bacterial family.


PURPOSE
We describe the results of the dissemination of an efficacious, home-based exercise program called Strong for Life as it was implemented in a nationwide, volunteer caregiving program called Faith in Action, including training of volunteers who implemented the program, recruitment of older adult participants, exercise adherence, and attitudes and perceptions of program staff and participants.

DESIGN AND METHODS
Frail, homebound older adults (N = 105) were recruited from 10 Faith in Action sites to participate in the Strong for Life exercise program. Volunteer trainers (n = 103) were trained by physical therapists to assist the older adults with the program. Surveys were conducted with older adults, volunteer trainers, and Faith in Action sites at baseline and after the older adults had been engaged in the program for 4 months.

RESULTS
Satisfaction with program components was very high: At follow-up, 100% of volunteers and 98.6% of older adults rated the program positively. Participants reported engaging in exercise on average 2.2 times per week, with 53% of the participants exercising at least 2 to 4 times per week. Participants also had significant improvements in the Short Form-20 social functioning scale. There were no serious adverse events reported.

IMPLICATIONS
Dissemination of the Strong for Life program in a community setting using trained lay volunteers was feasible, acceptable, and safe. Existing volunteer caregiving organizations such as Faith in Action offer a feasible and safe means of disseminating late-life exercise programs to the frail older population.


In elementary school, foreign language learning (dominantly English) is common in German-speaking countries and has a strong focus on verbal communication during the early years. It is, however, controversially discussed whether or not written skills should be taught as well, when exactly they should be introduced, and what method of teaching is most adequate. Empirical findings from psycholinguistic studies are important in order to develop evidence-based methods of best practice. In the current review we focus on word recoding skills and discuss research investigating the impact of early contact on written English and findings on the interference of the native language orthography. We also present evidence on recoding strategies among English native speakers as well as among German learners of English, and their experience-based developmental changes. The main conclusion based on this review is that the teaching of English orthography to German learners should follow a systematic approach based on the particular orthographic structure of words.


Abstract This article is concerned with the relation between values and actions. Theoretical approaches to this issue are considered that are based upon cognitive-developmental theory and social learning theory. The preferred theoretical approach is by way of expectancy-value theory with the addition of the key assumption that a person's values, once engaged, induce valences (or positive and negative subjective values) on actions and their possible outcomes and future consequences. Actions are assumed to occur in relation to these induced valences and the person's expectations about the likelihood of achieving the outcomes and future consequences. Three recent studies are described that apply this general approach in three different contexts: assisting a social movement organisation, seeking employment, and selecting an academic course. Future directions for research are suggested that include more detailed conceptual and empirical analyses of expectations, valences and their combination, and the incorpor...


In this study, real-time pulse counting was performed using palm images obtained from a standard webcam. The signals obtained from the real-time palm images taken from the webcam were subjected to various signal processing operations and the number of heartbeats per minute was counted. First, skin color was determined from palm images, and the change of the mean value of the green channel area related to the skin color was examined with respect to time. The number of heartbeats per minute was calculated from the obtained signals by counting the number of peaks of the signal in a certain time interval and determining the dominant frequency component of the signal by frequency analysis. The results were compared with those of the pulse oximeters available in the market and the photoplethysmogram measurement programs available on smartphones. The study also examined the effect of the number of frames per second taken from the camera on the heartbeats measurements.


The Cu-Ni-Si-Mg alloy was treated by aging after varying cold deformation. The effect of cold deformation, aging temperature and aging time on the microstructure and properties of the alloy were investigated. The results indicate that the alloy produce a larger number of slip bands and dislocations after cold deformation, it can accelerate the precipitation of phase during aging, improve the microhardness and electrical conductivity. The microhardness and electrical conductivity of the alloy with 80% deformation aging at 723 K for 1h are 242HV and 35.53%IACS, respectively. The volume fraction of the precipitated phase was calculated by measuring the electrical conductivity of the alloy with 80% deformation aging at 773 K, then both the equations of phase transformation and the electrical conductivity equation were obtained.


In scanned probe microscopy, it is necessary to know the tip's geometry in order to correct image distortions due to its finite size. Heretofore, methods have focused upon determining the tip shape by erosion of a 'tip characterizer' of known geometry from its image. Three dimensional knowledge of the characterizer with uncertainties small at the size scale of the tip is a prerequisite for this method. The necessary accuracy is often difficult to meet in practice, particularly for characterizers with relief on the order of a micrometer such as are required to measure tips for use with microlithographic specimens A recently proposed alternative, blind reconstruction, permits estimation of the tip shape even with an unknown tip characterizer. The method relies upon the fact that tips which are too blunt are inconsistent with observed image features. For each pixel on a measured image, one may determine a corresponding outer bound on the tip shape. The actual tip must be consistent with the bounds determined for all image points. For well-chosen characterizers, blind reconstruction provides a good estimate of the tip geometry. Although this method eliminates the need for separate calibration of the tip characterizer, it is more computationally intensive than reconstruction by erosion. Blind reconstruction is reviewed, and a strategy for decreasing the computation time is discussed. A factor of three or more may be saved for typical images in an exact calculation, while an additional factor of ten or more may be saved by restoring to approximate methods.


PURPOSE
To compare raltitrexed (Tomudex; Zeneca Pharmaceuticals Ltd, Macclesfield, United Kingdom) a direct, specific thymidylate synthase (TS) inhibitor with fluorouracil (5-FU) plus high-dose leucovorin (LV) as first-line treatment for advanced colorectal cancer (ACC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS
A total of 495 patients were randomized to raltitrexed (3 mg/m2) once every 3 weeks or 5-FU (400 mg/m2) plus LV (200 mg/m2) daily for 5 days every 4 weeks.

RESULTS
The randomized groups were well balanced demographically. With a minimum 17-month follow-up, median survival was comparable between groups (10.9 months raltitrexed v 12.3 months 5-FU/LV; hazards ratio, 1.15; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.93 to 1.42; P=.197), although time to progression was statistically significantly shorter in the raltitrexed group. Overall objective responses were comparable (19% raltitrexed v 18% 5-FU/LV), with more than 50% of patients in each group having stable disease. Significantly less World Health Organization (WHO) grade 3 and 4 stomatitis (2% v 16%, P < .001) and a reduced incidence of leukopenia (6% v 13%) and diarrhea (10% v 19%) occurred in the raltitrexed group (particularly at cycle 1 ). This resulted in fewer dose reductions at cycle 2 (4% raltitrexed v 28% 5-FU/LV) and early quality-of-life (QoL) benefits for raltitrexed patients. Reversible, clinically insignificant increases in transaminases were reported in 13% of raltitrexed patients. Palliative benefits of weight gain, improved performance status, and reduced disease-related symptoms were evident in both groups.

CONCLUSION
Raltitrexed is confirmed as an effective option in the first-line palliative management of ACC, with comparable efficacy to and tolerability advantages (in terms of reduced incidence of stomatitis, diarrhea, and leukopenia) over 5-FU/LV. Raltitrexed has the added convenience of an every 3 weeks dosing schedule.


In California, EnergyPro is a state-approved energy simulation tool specifically to demonstrate performance compliance for new construction projects. This tool follows the Title 24 Alternative Calculation Method (ACM) Manual to determine the time dependent valuation of energy of standard and proposed buildings. EnergyPro also has been widely adopted by the Investor Owned Utilities (IOUs) to simulate energy savings of new construction projects under the Savings By Design (SBD) program. The SBD program uses Title 24 and Title 20 or industry standard practice as its reference to determine energy savings. The differences between these two EnergyPro applications have contributed significant inconsistencies to the implementation and evaluation of the SBD program. At present, there is no document available to guide energy savings simulations for the SBD program. This void has led to confusion and discrepancies among program implementers and applicants. This paper clarifies the differences between the compliance and non-compliance applications as well as their impacts on energy savings simulations. Additionally this paper proposes a SBD simulation to estimate the energy savings of the SBD program. This method generates standard and proposed DOE2.1E input files by combining the input files created by EnergyPro and it runs both SBD input files with the DOE2.1E engine in the command prompt. A new construction example project is used to illustrate the application of the proposed SBD run. While these discussions focus on the California SBD program, they can provide useful insights for managers of new construction programs in other jurisdictions.


Nonlinear-optical-loop-mirror-based wavelength conversion is studied in details. A set of two-phase-shifted Bragg gratings are introduced into the coverter, serving as a narrow band-pass filter to remove new frequencies generated by walk-off and to compensate the dispersion. Numerical simulations are performed to validate our method. The results show that the converted pulses after the filter are reshaped and, sometimes, even compressed.


Abstract Sarcomas are mesenchymal malignant tumors with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Hippo pathway is a recently discovered pathway normally involved in organ development and wound healing. Hippo signaling is often altered in solid tumors. The molecular elements of Hippo signaling include MST1/2 and LATS1/2 kinases which phosphorylate and regulate the activity of YAP and TAZ co-transcriptional activators. Hippo pathway cross-talks with several molecular pathways with known oncogenic function. In sarcomas Hippo signaling plays a pivotal role in tumorigenesis, evolution and resistance in chemotherapy regimens. Targeting Hippo pathway could potentially improve prognosis and outcome of sarcoma patients.


Aim: The study aimed to investigate and compare the predictive capacity of a systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) to determine a hemodynamically significant coronary artery stenosis assessed by fractional flow reserve (FFR). Patients & methods: A total of 207 chronic coronary syndrome patients with FFR measurement were enrolled in the study. NLR, PLR and SII levels were calculated. Results: The cut-off value of the SII (620) was associated with 78.4% sensitivity and 64.0% specificity to predict a hemodynamically significant stenosis. SII level independently predicted FFR ≤0.80. Conclusion: SII is an independent predictor of functionally significant coronary stenosis detected by FFR in chronic coronary syndrome patients. SII levels can predict hemodynamically severe obstruction better than NLR and PLR.


One of the most popular flow-routing approaches to the extraction of channel networks from DEMs is the D8 approach. Several algorithms based on this method have been developed so far, but none provides a satisfactory solution to the problem of parallel lines. In this study, a new algorithm named DRainage Axis Way (DRAW) is developed. It has seven core routines, and three of them are similar to the Profile Recognition and Polygon Breaking Algorithm (PPA). It is a segment based computation system, but it uses flow accumulation data as well. It works on hydrologically corrected DEMs. In DRAW, the flow accumulation threshold value is determined automatically with respect to the occurrence of parallel lines depending on terrain forms. For experimental testing, two hydrologically corrected 5 m DEMs were used. Four sets of channel networks were extracted from the DEMs by using PPA, D8 with two different stream thresholds, and DRAW. For comparison, an existing channel network on a map with a scale of 1:5,000 was utilized as a ground-truth.


ABSTRACT Although Chlamydia pneumoniae is an important human pathogen, the antigens eliciting a specific humoral immune response remain elusive. We scrutinized several recombinant chlamydial surface proteins for species-specific recognition by a panel of human sera previously tested for the presence of anti-C. pneumoniae and anti-C. trachomatis antibodies by microimmunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The 15-kDa cysteine-rich protein (CrpA), porin-b (PorB), 9-kDa outer membrane protein (OMP3), 60-kDa outer membrane protein (OMP2), and four fragments of the major outer membrane protein (MOMP) representing each variable domain (VD) were overexpressed in Escherichia coli, affinity purified, and employed for Western blot analysis. None of the sera tested contained antibodies recognizing PorB and OMP3 of C. pneumoniae. Sera from C. pneumoniae-immune patients cross-reacted with OMP2 of C. trachomatis, and sera from C. trachomatis-immune patients cross-reacted with CrpA of C. pneumoniae, indicating that some of chlamydial surface molecules share antigenic epitopes. In contrast, the VD2, as well as the VD3, regions of the MOMP of C. pneumoniae were only recognized by C. pneumoniae-positive sera, suggesting the existence of species-specific epitopes. The identification of such epitopes of cell surface molecules provides new insights into C. pneumoniae-specific immune responses and may be of value for the improvement of C. pneumoniae-specific diagnostic assay systems based on defined recombinant antigens.


An ethnobotanical survey was conducted among traditional healers and herbalists in eastern Kinshasa (Democratic Republic of the Congo) to identify medicinal plant species traditionally used to treat diabetes mellitus. Fifty traditional healers and herbalists selected through the snowball sampling method were interviewed about plant species used in indigenous medicine to treat diabetes mellitus in Kinshasa city. Cited plant taxa were collected and identified at the Herbarium of the Faculty of Science & Technology, University of Kinshasa. Their ecological status was determined. Most respondents were male (58%), with a sex ratio 1.38. According to the marital status of respondents, single persons represent 42%, followed by married (32%), divorced (20%), and widowed (06%), respectively. Out of 50 persons interviewed, the most represented age group comprises individuals of ˃50 years. Most informants have a secondary school educational background (46%). In Kinshasa city, medicinal plants for treating diabetes mellitus are divided into 19 families, 25 genera, and 27 species. The culture/crop and forest plant species represent the most (37.04% each). The ecological and phytogeographical spectra revealed a predominance of trees (33.33%), microphanerophytes (48.15%), mesophytes (85.19%), sarcochores (66.67%), and pantropical species (40.74%). 68% of the population of Tshangu district in Kinshasa city uses Traditional Medicine, against 32% who are interested in modern medicine. 63% of them believe that medicinal plants can cure diabetes, 31.5% believe that plants improve their health, and 15% of the population surveyed believe that medicinal plants have side effects. The leaves are the most used part (40.74%), followed by the roots (25.93), fruits (18.52%), grains (7.41%), flowers, and stems (3.7% each). Promoting ex-situ conservation of some of these useful medicinal plants through in vitro cell culture will permit the preservation of these phyto-resources. Keywords: Indigenous knowledge, medicinal plants, ex-situ conservation, metabolic diseases, diabetes mellitus.


This paper explores the relationship between new digital technologies, internationalisation activity and its impact on High Growth Enterprises (HGEs), using the EIB Group Survey of Investment and Investment Finance and ORBIS data for 27 EU Member States and the United Kingdom. After controlling for sample selection bias, our results suggest that being a HGE is positively associated with the probability that a firm conducts international activities, particularly FDI. Conversely, the internationalisation process seems to trigger strong subsequent firm-growth for FDI. Furthermore, we show evidence on the positive association between firms that are internationalised and those adopting new digital technologies. The adoption of new digital technologies is indirectly related to the status of being a HGE via internationalisation activity in the current period. Our results highlight the complex influence of exporting and FDI on the capacity to become a HGE and the role of new digital technologies in this process. JEL CODES: F14, L21, 031


: The control of C. parvum suspension presents special problems. The intended application of this preparation is in a therapeutic area where clinicians are accustomed to using defined chemical entities the biological activity of which are usually predictable according to weight of active principle administered, the route and number of doses. But the essential character of C. parvum is that of a vaccine in which the character of the active principle or principles is not clearly identified and can vary according to certain conditions. The control of the preparation therefore depends on the nature and relevance of tests for biological activity. These problems are exacerbated by uncertainty as to which of several possible mechanisms of antitumour activity might prove relevant in clinical practice. Experience with these problems as they have affected the quality control of large numbers of batches of C. parvum suspension prepared for clinical trial, will be discussed.


Background/Hypotheses As risk factors for nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), most studies highlight the importance of internalising disorders, while only a few researches show the connection between externalising disorders and NSSI. Although some papers have introduced the idea that increasing prevalence rates of NSSI are connected to the broader use of the internet, associations between NSSI and pathological internet use (PIU) are understudied. According to our hypothesis, there is a connection between PIU and NSSI, but this is mediated by psychopathological factors from both internalising and externalising dimensions. Methods In line with the dimensional approach of psychiatric disorders, participants (N = 363) were recruited from both clinical (N = 202 psychiatric inpatient) and nonclinical (N = 161 adolescents from secondary schools) settings. Measurements: Demographic Questionnaire; Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ); Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory (DSHI); Young Diagnostic Questionnaire for Internet Addiction (YDQ), Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview Kid (M.I.N.I. Kid). Results There was high NSSI frequency (39.9%–71% of them were girls) in our sample. NSSI was significantly more frequent among those who showed threshold symptoms on SDQ than in the subthreshold group [H(3) = 53.293, p <.001]. In the NSSI frequency, there was also a significant difference between 'normal' internet users and both 'maladaptive' and 'pathological' internet users [H(2) = 10.039, p <.05 p = .007]. According to the mediator models, the relationship between PIU and NSSI is not a direct association; it is mediated by all examined psychopathological factors (M.I.N.I. kid diagnoses) except for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), alcohol abuse and dependence, and adjustment disorder. Conclusions We found a high frequency of NSSI. According to our results, PIU in itself is not a risk factor for NSSI but might become a risk factor in the presence of comorbid psychiatric disorders. All of these findings draw the attention of clinicians to the importance of careful screening of comorbid disorders with PIU.


The coronavirus spike protein S is responsible for important biological activities including virus neutralization by antibody, cell attachment, and cell fusion. Recently, we have elucidated the amino acid sequence of an S determinant common in murine coronaviruses (W. Luytjes, D. Geerts, W. Posthumus, R. Meloen, and W. Spaan, J. Virol. 63:1408-1412, 1989). A monoclonal antibody directed to this determinant (MAb 5B19.2) protected mice against acute fatal infection. In this study, BALB/c mice were immunized with a synthetic peptide of 13 amino acids corresponding to the binding site of MAb 5B19.2, which was either extended with an amino acid sequence of influenza virus hemagglutinin or conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin. Both immunogens induced S-specific antibodies in mice, but only the hemagglutinin-peptide construct protected them against lethal challenge. In contrast to mouse hepatitis virus type 4 (MHV-4), MHV-A59 was not neutralized in vitro by MAb 5B19.2. Neither MHV-A59 nor MHV-4 was neutralized in vitro by antibodies comprising by the synthetic peptides. Our results demonstrated that antibodies elicited with a synthetic peptide comprising a B-cell epitope and a T-helper cell determinant can protect mice against an acute fetal mouse hepatitis virus infection.


One of the congenital defects which usually is manifest in the earliest hours of life is the posterolateral diaphragmatic hernia through the foramen of Bochdalek (persisttent pleuroperitoneal canal). Cyanosis and dyspnea may be present during the immediate postnatal period, and the presence of either should make one aware of the possible existence of a diaphragmatic defect with displacement of abdominal viscera into the pleural cavity. Once feedings are attempted emesis may become prominent and the other symptoms are exaggerated. Occasionally with diaphragmatic defects no symptoms are present and the lesion goes unrecognized for many months or years. In rare instances incarceration or strangulation of stomach or intestine occurs in posterolateral hernias and the patient presents an acute problem in diagnosis and management. The present case is that of a 6-week-old boy with apparently normal postnatal development who suddenly had incarceration of his stomach through a posterolateral diaphragmatic defect with acute


This paper is a study of the link between the phenomenological theme of embodiment and the hermeneutical theme of making (participatory) sense of each other. Using autism as a case in point, I investigate the relation between breakdowns of the latter and neurological diversity. Is trying to explain psychopathologies like autism in this sense not just a way of understanding the human condition as such? In arguing for an emphatic 'Yes!' to this question, I elaborate a case for an empathic neurogradualism. This means that instead of emphasizing the gap between 'neurocultures' we come to an understanding of neurodiversity which informs mutual and self-understanding across such cultures. In this view the phenomenology of desynchronization and the cognitive science underlying views on neurodiversity mutually inform each other and neurodiversity becomes a source of inspiration rather than a matter of categorical separation.


Social exclusion has garnered much attention from researchers across the social sciences, especially among social psychologists. However, given the fact that social relationships and consumption are two of the central activities in daily life, there is surprisingly little research on the impact of social connection threats within the realm of consumer behavior. This study examines the effect of social exclusion on proenvironmental behavior and green consumption. More precisely, the objectives of this study are threefold. The first objective is to examine whether the findings in social psychology literature on how excluded individuals respond to exclusion when they are exposed to proenvironmental consumption behavior. The second objective of this research is to find the underlying mechanism and to rule out some of the possible explanations (e.g., mood) for this effect. The final objective of this study is to establish some of the boundary conditions (individual differences and situational factors) for the proposed effect. The hypotheses of this study were developed based on two main theoretical bases borrowed from social psychology literature: empathy-altruism hypothesis (Batson 1991) and social reconnection hypothesis (Maner et al. 2007). Overall, it was proposed that while social exclusion decreases individuals' inclination to engage in proenvironmental activities, socially excluded people are motivated to use green consumption behaviors to establish new social bonds with others. These propositions were tested and supported across four experiments. Across these experiments, the findings demonstrated that social exclusion causes people to express lower tendency to engage in proenvironmental behaviors. The findings also consistently suggest that mood does not explain why social rejection leads to negative environmental outcomes. Additionally, social exclusion appears to cause a temporary absence of empathic concern toward others, which leads to less green behavior with altruistic motivation. Further, the role of emotional empathy as a boundary condition was tested in this study and the findings indicate that experiencing social exclusion does not negatively impact proenvironmental behavior in highly empathetic individuals. Finally, this investigation showed that when a proenvironmental behavior is perceived as an opportunity to reconnect and positive social feedback is expected from peers, socially excluded participants favor products that signal to their peers that they too are concerned about environmental issues. In addition to its contributions to consumer research and marketing, this work provides several practical implications. For instance, as established in this study, green products by default are not perceived by excluded individuals as tools that facilitate social reconnection. However, when such products are positioned properly, such individuals tend to capitalize on the social acceptability of their behavior to help them fulfill their threatened need for affiliation. The implication here is that marketers should attempt to customize their promotional strategies accordingly and direct the consumer's attention to this covert benefit of green products.


Gestures and speech converge during spoken language production. Although the temporal relationship of gestures and speech is thought to depend upon factors such as prosodic stress and word onset, the effects of controlled alterations in the speech signal upon the degree of synchrony between manual gestures and speech is uncertain. Thus, the precise nature of the interactive mechanism of speech-gesture production, or lack thereof, is not agreed upon or even frequently postulated. In Experiment 1, syllable position and contrastive stress were manipulated during sentence production to investigate the synchronization of speech and pointing gestures. An additional aim of Experiment 2 was to investigate the temporal relationship of speech and pointing gestures when speech is perturbed with delayed auditory feedback (DAF). Comparisons between the time of gesture apex and vowel midpoint (GA-VM) for each of the conditions were made for both Experiment 1 and Experiment 2. Additional comparisons of the interval between gesture launch midpoint to vowel midpoint (GLM-VM), total gesture time, gesture launch time, and gesture return time were made for Experiment 2. The results for the first experiment indicated that gestures were more synchronized with first position syllables and neutral syllables as measured GA-VM intervals. The first position syllable effect was also found in the second experiment. However, the results from Experiment 2 supported an effect of contrastive pitch effect. GLM-VM was shorter for first position targets and accented syllables. In addition, gesture launch times and total gesture times were longer for contrastive pitch accented syllables, especially when in the second position of words. Contrary to the predictions, significantly longer GA-VM and GLM-VM intervals were observed when individuals responded under provided delayed auditory feedback (DAF). Vowel and sentence durations increased both with (DAF) and when a contrastive accented syllable was produced. Vowels were longest for accented, second position syllables. These findings provide evidence that the timing of gesture is adjusted based upon manipulations of the speech stream. A potential mechanism of entrainment of the speech and gesture system is offered as an explanation for the observed effects.


In this section, we continue our occasional series assessing critical editions and other primarysource texts of potential use to students, general readers, and professional scholars alike. In this installment, we focus on recently published papers by Revolutionaryera public intellectuals John Adams, John Jay, James Madison, and George Washington. From the insufficiency of the Articles of Confederation to the valuation of horses, and from the intricacies of the Jay Treaty to the perceived threat of the Barbary States, these papers address concerns of continuing and even renewed relevance to contemporary scholarship, each in a characteristically distinct voice. The authors in question often wrote to (and occasionally about) each other, which makes the opportunity to discuss the volumes as a whole particularly compelling.


We consider the branched Josephson junction created by planar superconductors connected to each other through the Y-junction insulator. Assuming that the structure interacts with the external constant magnetic field, we study static sine-Gordon solitons in such system by modeling them in terms of the stationary sine-Gordon equation on metric graph. Exact analytical solutions of the problem are obtained and their stability is analyzed.


top procedure, the composite graft carried more load than the normal ACL, but the ACL repair part of the composite carried equal to or less load than the normal ACL under the anterior directed load. The augmented knees did not reproduce normal joint motions and tended to become overcorrected with the tibia in a posterior and externally rotated position as compared to the normal knee state. The load sharing between the LAD and ACL repair varied with augmentation procedure and flexion angle, but varied little between the specimens. When the LAD was taken over the top it carried 77% of the load in extension, decreasing through the flexion range to approximately 25% in 90° of flexion. The load sharing profile for the augmentation through the condyle showed a more even distribution through the flexion range of approximately 50%. Discussion and Significance of Results. The high forces in the repaired ACL in the unloaded and loaded knee state in all flexion angles may lead to a gradual stretching of the repair and thus to a decrease in knee joint stability with time. With augmentation the forces in the ACL repair decreased and this could protect the ligament while growth and remodeling takes place.


Abstract This article elaborates on the emerging concept of social impact bonds (SIB) by investigating the configuration of a SIB in a new empirical setting – Scandinavia. The analysis is based on a single case study of a SIB-development project in Denmark, which constitutes the first attempt to build a social impact bond in the country. The article investigates four elements of the SIB-model: 1) the configuration of roles and responsibilities, 2) service provision, 3) payment structure, and 4) evaluation. The findings show the existence of blurred boundaries between organisational stakeholders within the investigated SIB-programme, indicating a dynamic configuration of roles and responsibilities. Furthermore, both service provision and data collection procedures were conducted in close collaboration with the involved public authorities, implying an interdependent relationship between public authorities and external partners. Thus, the empirical findings indicate a divergence from traditional concepts of social impact bonds – specifically concerning their design and development. Empirical evidence has been collected through interviews, statistical data, and internal documents.


Context: Religious fasting has a variable metabolic impact health. Studies on Orthodox Christian fasting in diabetic patients are very scarce, and studies on health effects of Christian fasting in Egypt are lacking. Objective: The objective of the study is to evaluate the effect of fasting among Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Christians with and without Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Settings and Design: A prospective study was conducted in Sohag San George Church and involved 49 Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Christians with Type 2 DM and 48 non-diabetic persons during the period of Great Lent 2013. Subjects and Methods: Both diabetic and non-diabetic groups were subjected to clinical evaluation, anthropometric measurements and laboratory investigations before and after fasting. Statistical Analysis Used: Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS (11.0) for Windows and P < 0.05 considered as statistically significant. Results: Among the diabetic group, there was a significant reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure after fasting with P = 0.0001 and 0.047, respectively. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were reduced significantly after fasting with P = 0.0005 and 0.001, respectively. Significant reduction in glycosylated haemoglobin after fasting was also detected. No significant change lipid profile was detected. Among non-diabetic group, significant decrease in BMI, waist circumference and high-density lipoprotein level was detected after fasting. There were no significant changes in blood pressure, triglycerides, cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels. Conclusion: Fasting among Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Christians has positive impacts on health among patients with Type 2 DM. It also showed some beneficial effects among fasting non-diabetic individuals.


The proposed device tends to render the lateral stabilization of airplanes easier and more efficacious. The proposed solution is to mount the ailerons independently, in such a manner that they can turn freely, under the action of the relative wind, about an axis located in front of the extreme position of the center of the lift.


The pre-Columbian culture of the Mississippi woodlands has received surprisingly little attention from historians. Studying this culture, which was in many respects highly advanced, opens an entirely new perspective on what we are used to thinking of as "American" history. This essay by a distinguished historian and teacher is aimed at world history classes and other classes that cover the Americas before the arrival of the Europeans.


A screening-training program to teach Schiötz tonometry to internal medicine residents was completed. A large number of previously undiagnosed glaucoma cases were detected. Most of the residents had never before performed tonometry. None had previously screened patients in their clinics. Following training, most of the physicians believed themselves to be competent to perform tonometry, although many had not fully mastered the instrument technically. They believed that glaucoma screening should be done by general internists. Although the residents indicated plans to screen their patients for glaucoma, few continued to do so. General internists may be willing to learn to perform tonometry. However, earlier training and more effective role modelling are probably necessary to effect routine screening for glaucoma.


Nasonia vitripennis is a small parasitic hymenopteran with a 50-year history of genetic work including linkage mapping with mutant and molecular markers. For the first time we are now able to anchor linkage groups to specific chromosomes. Two linkage maps based on a hybrid cross (N. vitripennis × N. longicornis) were constructed using STS, RAPD and microsatellite markers, where 17 of the linked STS markers were developed from single microdissected banded chromosomes. Based on these microdissections we anchored all linkage groups to the five chromosomes of N. vitripennis. We also verified the chromosomal specificity of the microdissection through in situ hybridization and linkage analyses. This information and technique will allow us in the future to locate genes or QTL detected in different mapping populations efficiently and fast on homologous chromosomes or even chromosomal regions. To test this approach we asked whether QTL responsible for the wing size in two different hybrid crosses (N. vitripennis × N. longicornis and N. vitripennis × N.giraulti) map to the same location. One QTL with a major effect was found to map to the centromere region of chromosome 3 in both crosses. This could indicate that indeed the same gene/s is involved in the reduction of wing in N. vitripennis and N. longicornis.


The turmoil in Turkey's domestic politics has been exacerbating at an unforeseen pace since the Gezi protests in 2013. What made this protest period particularly remarkable was the multiplicity and diversity of youth discourses, that crossed the borders of a single issue-based opposition. The Gezi period and its aftermath in this sense can be understood as a tipping point in contemporary Turkish politics. Hence, in an attempt to understand the converging and diverging viewpoints of the young people who were the protagonists of the Gezi protests, this study utilizes Q-methodology and deciphers diverging and converging narratives of urban, secular, educated young people, who are said to have constituted the main body of protestors. Following the analysis of the primary data, the author observes three emerging discourses dominant among 21 young people (aged 20–30). The results hint at shared viewpoints on the Gezi protests as an "apolitical movement", a "violent movement" and a "Jacobin movement". The author argues that this divergence points at the exacerbating social polarization among youth groups in Turkey, which reached dangerous heights after the putsch on 15 July 2016.


Wagner et al. recently characterized the rate region for the quadratic Gaussian two-terminal source coding problem. They also show that the Berger-Tung sum-rate bound is tight in the symmetric case, where all sources are positively symmetric and all target distortions are equal. This work studies the sum-rate loss of quadratic Gaussian direct multiterminal source coding. We first give the minimum sum-rate for joint encoding of Gaussian sources in the symmetric case, we than show that the supremum of the sum-rate loss due to distributed encoding in this case is 1/2 log2 5/4 = 0.161 b/s when L = 2 and increases in the order of radic(L)/2 log2 e b/s as the number of terminals L goes to infinity. The supremum sum-rate loss of 0.161 b/s in the symmetric case equals to that in general quadratic Gaussian two-terminal source coding without the symmetric assumption. It is conjectured that this equality holds for any number of terminals.


Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) has evolved through various stages in both technology as well as the pedagogical use of technology (Warschauer & Healey, 1998). Studies show that the CALL trend has facilitated students in their English language writing with useful tools such as computer based activities and word processing. Students are able to produce higher quality essays in a student-centered nature and less-intimidating manner (Braine, 1997). It is also noted that this has indirectly allowed students to engage in exploratory learning with a large amount of language data. This study investigated the effectiveness of computer-based writing in the computer lab and in-class pen and paper writing. Participants included 114 Senior One students in a writing class at a Chinese Independent High School in Klang, Selangor, West Malaysia. The 114 participants individually engaged in the in-class writing task (pen and paper) and one computer-based writing task using Google Docs in the computer lab. Both writing tasks were on similar descriptive writings. A pre-writing questionnaire was given to see how students perceive using Google Docs in writing lessons and a post-writing questionnaire to check if Google Docs inspires them to write more. In order to investigate further, student interviews were conducted. The findings revealed that majority of the students have a positive attitude towards the use of Google Docs as one of the tools in learning writing as they found it very reliable. The analysis of writing samples showed that 74 students out of 109 (5 absentees) have shown improvement in their writing with the use of Google Docs. The findings revealed that students are aware of the importance of computers as one of the important tools in education for the 21 century. Nevertheless, some students felt it should be done in moderation as too much of technology can sometimes make the teaching and learning process mundane.


At the wake of the millennium and the rise of the internet, legislative action was taken to shelter internet service providers (ISPs) from various forms of legal action. In the turmoil of chartering new and unregulated territory, such a safe harbor was deemed necessary to protect up-starting businesses. Today, these internet actors e.g. Google, Amazon and eBay have grown strong and powerful. Thus, intellectual property holders have started to challenge this privilege in court. Increasingly, owners of famous marks seek liability and damages for direct and indirect trademark infringement in courts around the globe. I focus on liability for ISPs, when a third party sells counterfeit merchandise on the service provider's site. Courts have reacted differently. Three theoretical approaches have emerged. One, e.g. some courts in France, imposes full liability for willful trademark infringement, if the sale of counterfeit goods is shown. Another, e.g. the German Federal Supreme Court, approaches the question as one of interference with property rights. If ISPs knowingly allow continued sale of counterfeit merchandise they can be found liable for damages. Yet another, e.g. in the United States, approaches the question from the perspective of what the ISP can reasonably be required to do in order to prevent the sale of counterfeit goods on their site. This article compares the approaches above and considers what possible other considerations are relevant in determining ISP liability. It argues that trademark law today, is ill-equipped to handle questions of secondary liability or contributory infringement and concludes that the safe harbor for ISPs, as tailored in the European E-Commerce Directive, should be given a broad reading and the prohibition against imposing a general duty to monitor or actively seek facts in Article 15 remain absolute until the defects are remedied. In response to trademark owners' legitimate concerns, it further argues that trademark owners should pool their resources, akin to that of Copyright Collective Societies, and form an agency, which, by cooperating with – instead of forcing – ISPs, could more efficiently and legitimately weed out infringing uses on the internet.


This paper presents an evaluation of digital compression effects on content-based multimedia retrieval using color and texture attributes. Subjective evaluation tests that are applied on digital image and video databases using different compression and visual feature extraction techniques have been performed and reported. Simulations show that a satisfactory retrieval performance can be obtained from the compressed databases with 10% compression quality (i.e. 97.6% compression ratio in JPEG). Image retrieval based on HSV color histogram performs better than retrieval based on YUV color histogram in the uncompressed domain, and the other way around in the compressed domain. In general, video retrieval based on color histogram in MPEG-4 compressed databases performs better compared to H.263+ compressed databases. However, retrieval performance from H.263+ compressed databases at lower bit rates is more stable, where it drastically decreases in MPEG-4 compressed databases below 128 Kb/s. Retrieval based on texture features produces more robust performance than retrieval based on color. Subjective tests show that 25% compression quality achieves high compression ratio without loosing significant retrieval performance. The results are particularly relevant to applications in which a mobile device is involved in a multimedia retrieval system.


The aim of this study is to determine the effects of Atorvastatin treatment, an inhibitor of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase, in periodontal disease. Male Wistar albino rats were randomly divided into five groups of ten rats each: (1) non-ligated treatment (NL), (2) ligature only (L), (3) ligature plus 1 mg/kg Atorvastatin daily for 10 days, (4) ligature plus 5 mg/kg Atorvastatin daily for 10 days, and (5) ligature plus 10 mg/kg Atorvastatin daily for 10 days. Following the treatment course, the periodontal tissue of the animals was analyzed by Measurement of alveolar bone loss, Histopathology and immunohistochemistry to determine of the expression of COX-2, MMP-2, MMP9, and RANKL/RANK/OPG. ELISA assay was used to quantitate the levels of IL-1β, IL-10, TNF-α, myeloperoxidase, malondialdehyde, and glutathione. The periodontal group treated with 10 mg/kg of Atorvastatin (3.9±0.9 mm; p<0.05) showed reverse the alveolar bone loss caused Experimental Periodontal Disease compared to (L) (7.02±0.17 mm). The periodontal group treated with 10 mg/kg of Atorvastatin showed a significant reduction in MPO and MDA (p<0.05) compared to ligature only group (L). Similarly in this group, the levels of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and TNF-α were significantly decreased (p<0.05). Furthermore, MMP-2, MMP-9, RANKL/RANK, and COX-2 were all downregulated by Atorvastatin treatment, while OPG expression was increased. The findings support a role of Atorvastatin for reducing the bone loss, inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and expression of extracellular matrix proteins, while reducing RANK/RANKL and increase OPG in periodontal disease.


In the light of heavy metal contents such as Pb and Zn in municipal sewage sludge exceeding the allowed maximum value of discharge wastes in China, new solidification technology was taken to solidify sewage sludge; its effect and safety were studied as well. The experiment results showed that the 28 days compressive strength of sewage sludge concretion were more than 40 MPa by this solidification method and a relative excellent advantage of road performance properties such as residual Marshall values and rutting resistance for asphalt mixture prepared with sewage sludge concretion. Meanwhile, its solidified heavy metal infusion met the requirements of the national standard, in other words, heavy metal ions receiving an effective bound and stable solidification.