We propose a new method of feature extraction in orderto improve the effective of image retrieving by using apartial Joint Photographic Experts Group (JPEG)compressed images algorithm. Prior to that, we prune theimages database by pre-query step based on coloursimilarity, in order to eliminate image candidates. Ourfeature extraction can be carried out directly to JPEGcompressed images. We extract two features of DCTcoefficients, DC feature and AC feature, from a JPEGcompressed image. Then we compute the Euclideandistances between the query image and the images in adatabase in terms of these two features. The image querysystem will give each retrieved image a rank to define itssimilarity to the query image. Moreover, instead of fullydecompressing JPEG images, our system only needs to dopartial entropy decoding. Therefore, our proposed schemecan accelerate the effectiveness of retrieving images.According to our experimental results, our system is notonly highly effective but is also capable of performingsatisfactoril. KEY WORDS: JPEG, DC coefficient, image retrieval, compresseddomain


Given a graph G, of arbitrary size and unbounded vertex degree, denote by |G| the one-complex associated with $G$. The topological space |G| is n-arc connected (n-ac) if every set of no more than n points of |G| are contained in an arc (a homeomorphic copy of the closed unit interval).
For any graph G, we show the following are equivalent: (i) |G| in 7-ac, (ii) |G| is n-ac for all n, and (iii) G is a subdivision of one of nine graphs. A graph G has |G| 6-ac if and only if either G is one of the nine 7-ac graphs, or, after suppressing all degree-2-vertices, the graph G is 3-regular, 3-connected, and removing any 6 edges does not disconnect G into 4 or more components.
Similar combinatorial characterizations of graphs G such that |G| is n-ac for n=3, 4 and 5 are given. Together these results yield a complete classification of n-ac graphs, for all n.


Abstract Based on the conventional wide column analogy, two different three-dimensional shear wall models for open and closed sections are proposed. These approximate models are verified in comparison to not only the results available in the literature but also the ones obtained by using models containing shell elements. With the help of these new models five different groups of shear wall-frame structures with different floor plans and different heights are analyzed. The first three natural vibration periods are determined and time history analyses are performed. The results of these computations are observed to be in good agreement with those obtained by detailed models containing shell elements.


Summary

Variation in ontogeny and strength of immune defence mechanisms can be integrally related to variation in life-history strategies and determined by trade-offs during development. However, little is known about the ontogeny of immune function in wild birds, especially in altricial birds and in a comparative context across altricial species with diverse life-history strategies.
In this study, we examined the ontogeny of constitutive immunity in a group of 22 passerine species sampled in tropical Venezuela and north temperate Arizona.
Our results show activity of constitutive components of the immune defence at 1–3 days posthatching and an increase in immune activity with age. Interspecific variation in immune activity at hatching was mainly explained by extrinsic factors mediated by the mother (egg size and egg temperature), suggesting an important role of maternal effects on offspring immunity at hatching. In contrast, the increase in agglutination activity with age suggests that immune function in older nestlings reflects intrinsic development. The increase in immune activity was greater in species that hatched with lower initial levels, and was somewhat negatively related to growth rate across species.
Our results suggest slower intrinsic development of immune function may be compensated by larger maternal contributions. Slower intrinsic development of immune function, in turn, may reflect a trade-off with faster somatic growth. Our study highlights the importance of both maternal (extrinsic) and endogenous (intrinsic) contributions to variation in immune function across altricial species that may reflect an important axis of developmental strategies.


The use of evolutionary algorithms has been proposed as a powerful random search strategy to solve the join order problem. Specifically, genetic programming used in query optimization has been proposed as an alternative to the limitations of dynamic programming with large join queries. However, very little is known about the impact and behavior of the genetic operations used in this type of algorithms. In this paper, we present an analysis that helps us to understand the effect of these operations during the optimization execution. Specifically, we study five different aspects: the age of the members in the population in terms of generations, the number of query execution plans (QEP) discarded without producing new offsprings, the average QEP life time in generations, the efficiency of the genetic operations and the evolution of the best cost. All in all, our analysis allows us to understand the impact of crossovers compared to mutation operations and the dynamically changing effects of these operations


: Chronic treatment of female rats with buformin (k mg/day per rat) is shown to decrease the body weight, to increase the average life span by 9% and to reduce the incidence of spontaneous tumors. The administration of diphenylhydantoin (7.5 mg/day per rat) would not change these parameters. The treatment of rats with buformin and diphenylhydantoin was also found to prolong their reproductive period and to reinitiate regular estrous cycles in persistent estrous rats.


Motoneurons were identified in vitro by a new method using the SC1 monoclonal antibody. They constituted up to 30% of total neurons in cultures of whole spinal cord from 4.5-day chicken embryos, and survived for at least 5 days in the presence of muscle extract, but not in its absence. By contrast, other neurons and floor-plate cells survived without muscle-derived factors. Motoneurons were purified to homogeneity by 'panning' on dishes coated with SC1 antibody; they developed rapidly even in the absence of other spinal cells. Concentrations of muscle extract required for half-maximal motoneuron survival were indistinguishable in pure and mixed cultures, suggesting that muscle-derived factors act directly on motoneurons. Other purified growth factors tested, including ciliary neurotrophic factor, did not have the survival-promoting activity of muscle.


French Law allows patients to refuse medical treatments even if they are indispensable for their survival. Faced with this situation, physicians are generally reluctant to stop treatments but finally comply with the patient's will. However they must be certain that the decision is conscious and free. We present different cases: Adult and minor Jehovah witnesses, hunger strikers free or in prisons, patients refusing artificial alimentation, people committing suicide, adolescents refusing cancer chemotherapy and discuss the role of physicians and care team. According the specificities of the different situations, the following points must be checked: - accurate information about the legal status of the situation faced with, - confirmation of the patient's decision after a reasonable period, - information about the nature futile or non futile of the treatment proposed, - aptitude of the patient to understand physician's proposal and to make up his mind. - certainty of the patient's age (minor), of the persons titulars of parental authority or identity of the guardians. Precautions that must be taken by the physician include precise writings of his, diligences, consultation of the care team, recourse to the attorney or to the judge according the country laws.


Abstract Wave-induced longshore sediment transport is a major basinal process that reworks fluvial sediment supply along a delta–shoreface depositional system. However, the effects of the variable counterbalance between supply and wave reworking have not been sufficiently acknowledged in understanding paleoshoreline evolution and stratigraphic concepts such as sequence stratigraphy and autostratigraphy. With a numerical shoreline model, we quantify the relation between wave-induced longshore sediment transport and shoreline orientation under conditions of steady sea level. A case study of the Po delta–shoreface system reveals that a decrease in delta progradation rate can in part be considered as an autogenic response to steady wave conditions offshore. Long-term wave-induced transport can be quantified by the volume of sediment redistribution. As such, we propose a revised definition of accommodation space by integrating the effect of wave-induced longshore transport. Wave-induced longshore sediment transport has a significant impact on progradation of deltaic and adjacent shoreface shorelines, and needs to be considered while interpreting shallow-marine stratigraphy.


Research on human speech production is highly dependent upon information about the position and movements of the speech articulators. Dynamic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been the main tool to support this process. With this technique, image sequences can be acquired in the act of speech, which allows identifying shapes of the vocal tract in real time. However, the spatial and temporal resolution requirements are not known a priori and are expected to vary according to the speech task. Several available approaches enhance resolution by either changing the acquisition process of current devices, or by trading the acquisition devices themselves by more powerful ones. Both solutions involve additional hardware costs. In this paper, we propose an evolution of an approach to enhance spatio-temporal resolution of MRI image sequences of the vocal tract using only digital image processing techniques. On one hand, temporal resolution is increased by generating intermediate images according to the movement present in an observed sequence. On the other hand, spatial resolution is increased by applying a novel approach to super-resolution image reconstruction based on the Wiener filter. To evaluate the proposed approach, we processed a set of five simulated low resolution images in a sequence. Compared to available methods, results provide evidence of the effectiveness of the proposed method.


The intention of this paper is to open a debate on the concept of Physical Literacy. This is a term that has been used intermittently over the years but has never received serious analysis. The discussion has three parts. The first sets out, briefly, the findings of earlier research (Whitehead, 1987), which created the ground for this paper. The second proposes a context within which the concept of Physical Literacy may be defined and uses this context to discuss possible components of the concept The presentation is set in an existential and phenomenological context and therefore considers the concept of Physical Literacy from a particular philosophical perspective. The final part of the paper lists a series of questions. These challenge proposals that are made in the paper and, at this stage in the debate, need to be subject to critical consideration.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate whether reaction to survival of a suicide attempt and method of the index attempt predicted repeat suicide attempts within 6 months.

METHOD
Data came from the Suicide Assessment Form in Emergency Psychiatry (SAFE) Database Project, which contains information on all presentations to emergency psychiatric services at the 2 tertiary hospitals in Manitoba, Winnipeg, Canada (N = 7,007). During a 4-year period (2009-2012), 922 individuals presented with suicide attempts. Logistic regressions were used to examine whether a person's reaction to attempt survival and the method of attempt predicted repeat suicide attempt within 6 months.

RESULTS
Of the 922 participants, 82 (8.8%) presented with another suicide attempt within 6 months. Ambivalence about attempt survival (adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 2.84; 95% CI, 1.45-5.54; P < .01) and wishing to be dead (adjusted OR = 2.68; 95% CI, 1.17-6.17; P < .05) predicted future attempts even when adjusted for age, sex, depression, substance abuse, and method of the initial attempt. Method of the index attempt did not predict future suicide attempts in adjusted models (adjusted OR = 0.66; 95% CI, 0.35-1.25; P > .05).

CONCLUSIONS
Assessment of the patient's reaction to survival, regardless of method of attempt, is important to identify risk of repeat attempts.


Metacercariae of the genus Stictodora encysted in the head tissue of Acanthogobius flavimanus (the gobies) caught at Sachun-gun, Kyongnam Province, were identified to be Stictodora lari Yamaguti, 1939 (Trematoda: Heterophyidae), a new parasite fauna in Korea. The metacercariae were 0.39-0.43 mm by 0.32-0.35 mm in size, long elliptical, and with a thin and transparent cyst wall. Total 200 metacercariae were collected from 50 gobies. In order to obtain adult worms two kittens and a puppy were infected each with 34-100 metacercariae, and total 33 adults were recovered between the day 4 and day 8 post-infection. The S. lari adults measured 0.95-1.18 mm long and 0.26-0.32 mm wide and the eggs in uteri 0.028-0.033 mm by 0.017-0.020 mm. The most characteristic morphological feature of these flukes was the presence of a gonotyl and gonotyl spines arranged in two groups; densely crowded group of 30-40 spines and linearly-arranged one of 30-40 spines, together of which made a comma (or reversed comma) shape along the lateral margin of the gonotyl. It has been proved by this study that S. lari is distributed in southern coasts of Korea.


Purpose The purpose of this work was to quantify the impact of contrast agents on short-TE single-voxel 1H MR spectroscopy (MRS) diagnosis of recurrent brain tumors. Method Short-TE 1H MRS was performed in 49 patients with biopsy-proven brain tumors and 14 control subjects. Eight patients (nine paired exams) were examined before and after administration of Gd-DTPA (interval approximately 5–7 min). Results Tumor spectra showed increased choline/creatine ratio (Cho/Cr; p < 0.009) and Cho concentrations (p < 0.02). Receiver operator characteristic for Cho/Cr = 0.93 differentiated 100% of tumors from control in the absence or presence of contrast agent. Repeated 1H MRS varied <3%. Cho T2 was significantly longer than Cr T2 (p < 0.02). Conclusion Proton MRS with TE of 30 ms may safely be used in combined contrast-enhanced MRI/MRS protocols. Further study is required with long-TE MRS because of the prolonged T2 of Cho.


One criticism of electronic textiles and wearable technology is that instead of being integrated into the modern wardrobe, the electronic garment is perceived as the 'other', as an 'unusual' item within the wardrobe. Contemporary fashion is a field of play in which individuals constantly manage personal expressions of social belonging and transgression, at the same time as it closes down the potential for new forms as a result of increasingly fast fashion supply chains. The Electric Corset project proposes that the uptake of wearables is compromised when development is based on modern categories of dress/dressing, and proposes that designers look to obsolete and 'in-between' items of dress to rethink the foundations of wearables development. In collaboration with Nottingham Museums and Galleries Costume and Textiles Collection, we have reproduced a small selection of such items, and recast them as 'sacrificial' toiles to provide a non-precious basis for embodied experimentation. The paper describes some of the barriers to innovation in wearable technologies, and frames our approach through the twin concepts of deconstruction and reconstruction in fashion theory. It reports on our experiences of embodied responses to the toiles within the making process, and presents early findings from a pilot study using improvisation.


Bioresorbable devices are particularly useful for skull bone reconstruction. Different systems are now commercially available. The aim of this trial was to compare the clinical outcomes of bone flap fixation using a new bioresorbable system (Bonamates(superscript ®)) and a traditional titanium plate/screw system. Patients diagnosed with a head injury, brain tumor, or cerebral vascular stroke and who received a craniotomy in our hospital in 2003 and 2004 were randomly allocated to 2 treatment groups for skull flap fixation (study group A: Bonamates(superscript ®): n=4; control group B: titanium plate: n=4). Treatment outcomes and complication rates were compared between these 2 groups. In total, 8 patients (study groups A and B) were followed-up for at least 6 months after surgery. All patients in the study group A whose bone flap was fixed with bioresorbable plates/screws were reviewed postoperatively. Uneventful healing occurred during the entire follow-up period for all 4 patients (100%) in group A but for only 3 of 4 patients (75%) in group B. None of the patients developed postoperative complications (i.e., infection, soft tissue dehiscence, bone flap sink, or implant-related tissue reactions). After the operation, all patients in group B had severe artifacts on the imaging study (especially the computed tomographic scan), but none was seen in group A. For patients who received radiotherapy (1 from each group), the one fixed with the titanium plate had some dosimetry considerations and complications, but the one using Bonamates(superscript ®) fixation had none. There were no significant differences between the bioresorbable device and titanium fixation with respect to fracture healing, bone flap sink, or postoperative complications. But the fusion rate appeared to be higher in the Bonamates(superscript ®) group. If patients are going to receive radiotherapy (especially brain tumor patients), the Bonamates(superscript ®) system seems to be an ideal choice for bone flap fixation.


BACKGROUND
We retrospectively reviewed patients who were treated and followed-up for mandibular fractures within a 10-year period.

METHODS
A total of 204 patients (158 males, 46 females; mean age 22.4 years; range 5 to 72 years) were retrospectively evaluated with respect to age groups, sex, etiology, associated injuries, localization and type of the fractures, treatment methods, and early and late complications. The follow-up period ranged from four months to 10 years.

RESULTS
The most common cause of injury was traffic accidents (44.1%), followed by falling (31.8%), and violence (17.1%). The highest incidence occurred at ages 21 to 30 years. Of 283 fractures detected, the most common fracture sites were the parasymphysis (83 fractures, 29.3%) and the angulus (52 fractures, 18.4%). Forty-eight patients (24%) had associated injuries. The type of the fractures was simple in 80 patients (39.2%), and complex in 62 patients (30.4%). Treatment included open reduction with titanium mini-plates and screws in 130 patients, and intermaxillary fixation in the remaining patients. The fractures recovered without any complications in 167 patients (81.8%). No occlusion-related complications occurred in the late follow-ups. Complications were encountered in 37 patients (18.1%), being in the early (malocclusion in 5.9%, infections in 2.5%, inferior alveolar nerve injuries in 2.5%) or late (plate-screw exposition in 4.4%, ankylosis of the temporomandibular joint in 2%, and orocutaneous fistula in 1%) postoperative periods.

CONCLUSION
Rigid fixation should be the first choice of treatment in mandibular fractures.


We investigate the task of learning to interpret natural language instructions by jointly reasoning with visual observations and language inputs. Unlike current methods which start with learning from demonstrations (LfD) and then use reinforcement learning (RL) to fine-tune the model parameters, we propose a novel policy optimization algorithm which can dynamically schedule demonstration learning and RL. The proposed training paradigm provides efficient exploration and generalization beyond existing methods. Comparing to existing ensemble models, the best single model based on our proposed method tremendously decreases the execution error by 55% on a block-world environment. To further illustrate the exploration strategy of our RL algorithm, our paper includes systematic studies on the evolution of policy entropy during training.


: The research is based on the analysis of 50 cases of anesthesia during reconstructive surgeries in children. The anesthesia was based on inhalation of sevolflurane and injection of fentanyl by the bolus infusion scheme. During the different stages of anesthesia the opioid concentration in plasma was measured. Analysis of hemodynamic parameters showed no statistically significant differences in changes in performance, indicating the steady flow of anesthesia. Infusion of fentanyl provided a smooth, gradual decrease in its concentration in plasma, while analgesia remained adequate. The combination of sevoflurane in a concentration of 1.3 MAC and infusion of fentanyl to a total dose 6 mkg/kg/h was effective in provisioning stable anesthesia in the given category of patients with surgical pathology.


The contents of this document may be copied for use by staff working in the public sector but may not be copied for any other purpose without prior permission from the NHS Cancer Screening Programmes.


This paper explains why there are performance drawbacks for matrix multiplication algorithm using associative cache memory. We give an overview of cache memory organization and theoretical analysis why performance drawback appears in matrix multiplication. We also provide a method to avoid situations where this performance drawback is significant and how to achieve maximum performance. The analyzed problem appears in storage of matrix columns and inefficient usage of cache where the matrix will always map onto a small group of same cache sets and initiate a significant number of cache misses. In this case it looks like the processor is using only a small group of cache sets instead of complete number of sets in associative memory where maximum performance can be achieved.


A recently developed thermodynamic theory for the determination of the driving force of crystallization and the crystal–melt surface tension is applied to the ice–water system employing the new Thermodynamic Equation of Seawater TEOS-10. The deviations of approximative formulations of the driving force and the surface tension from the exact reference properties are quantified, showing that the proposed simplifications are applicable for low to moderate undercooling and pressure differences to the respective equilibrium state of water. The TEOS-10 based predictions of the ice crystallization rate revealed pressure-induced deceleration of ice nucleation with an increasing pressure, and acceleration of ice nucleation by pressure decrease. This result is in, at least, qualitative agreement with laboratory experiments and computer simulations. Both the temperature and pressure dependencies of the ice–water surface tension were found to be in line with the le Chatelier–Braun principle, in that the surface tension decreases upon increasing degree of metastability of water (by decreasing temperature and pressure), which favors nucleation to move the system back to a stable state. The reason for this behavior is discussed. Finally, the Kauzmann temperature of the ice–water system was found to amount TK=116K, which is far below the temperature of homogeneous freezing. The Kauzmann pressure was found to amount pK=-212MPa, suggesting favor of homogeneous freezing upon exerting a negative pressure on the liquid. In terms of thermodynamic properties entering the theory, the reason for the negative Kauzmann pressure is the higher mass density of water in comparison to ice at the melting point.


The tunneling current between independently contacted graphene sheets separated by boron nitride insulator is calculated. Both dissipative tunneling transitions, with momentum transfer due to disorder scattering, and non-dissipative regime of tunneling, which appears due to intersection of electron and hole branches of energy spectrum, are described. Dependencies of tunneling current on concentrations in top and bottom graphene layers, which are governed by the voltages applied through independent contacts and gates, are considered for the back- and double-gated structures. The current-voltage characteristics of the back-gated structure are in agreement with the recent experiment [Science 335, 947 (2012)]. For the double-gated structures, the resonant dissipative tunneling causes a ten times enhancement of response which is important for transistor applications.


On a score sheet for plastics, bioplastics have a medium score for combined mechanical performance and a high score for biodegradability with respect to counterpart petroleum-based plastics. Analysis quickly confirms that endeavours to increase the mechanical performance score for bioplastics would be far more achievable than delivering adequate biodegradability for the recalcitrant plastics, while preserving their impressive mechanical performances. Key architectural features of both bioplastics and petroleum-based plastics, namely, molecular weight (Mw) and crystallinity, which underpin mechanical performance, typically have an inversely dependent relationship with biodegradability. In the case of bioplastics, both macro and micro strategies with dual positive correlation on mechanical and biodegradability performance, are available to address this dilemma. Regarding the macro approach, processing using selected fillers, plasticisers and compatibilisers have been shown to enhance both targeted mechanical properties and biodegradability within bioplastics. Whereas, regarding the micro approach, a whole host of bio and chemical synthetic routes are uniquely available, to produce improved bioplastics. In this review, the main characteristics of bioplastics in terms of mechanical and barrier performances, as well as biodegradability, have been assessed—identifying both macro and micro routes promoting favourable bioplastics' production, processability and performance.


Pneumonia diagnostics in patients with burn trauma is an actual problem as lesion of respiratory organs in the general structure of polyorgan insufficiency makes 88,9%. Purpose: studying features of pneumonia course and informative criteria of early diagnostics in patients with burn trauma depending on age, area, depth of defeat, airways burn (AB). Methods: retrospective analysis of medical records of 749 patients and 40 autopsies in age groups from 18 to 60 and over 60 with burns of 2% to 95% of body surface. Results: in patients aged before 60 with superficial burns of more than 40% of body surface, pneumonia developed in 38,1% of cases, with deep burns of more than 20% - in 43,9%, and in the senior age group - in 53,6% of cases in case of smaller area of burns (more than 20% and 5% respectively). Physical symptoms of pneumonia were stated only in 34,5% of cases. In AB pneumonia developed more often by 1,37 times. Autopsy analysis showed that in the first days in deep burns pneumonia foci were detected in 83,3%, in 22,2% - with areas of micro-abscesses, and 46,43% cases were not diagnosed during lifetime. Conclusions: standard clinical and laboratory diagnostic criteria of pneumonia are leveled as a rule, by manifestations of burn disease. The X-ray research of the thorax in 2 projections is obligatory on day 2-3 in patients over 60 years even in a mild burn trauma without AB and in all patients in AB presence, despite absence of physical data in the lungs. Correction of antibiotic treatment should be carried out by monitoring microbic landscape of sputum, wound surface, serological diagnostics and local resistance of microflora.


Abstract
Customization and personalization of products and services has become the new standard of doing business. In order to provide highly customized products at a reasonable price flexible processes are needed. One example of how a company may supply its customers with variation is VOLVO where the C30 model can be configured to as many as 56 million unique variants. Increased variants puts great strain on the production and assembly system. The product variation creates a vast need for information to support the assembly operators working in the final assembly. As an increased number of choices are required, support by cognitive automation for assembly operators working in a mixed-model assembly environment is needed. In production, especially in an assembly context, cognitive automation aims to support decision making in order to ensure production of error-free products. Increased cognitive automation could improve the operators' work situations and decrease their workload while retaining the same physical automation. However, cognitive automation tends to be less developed than physical automation.
The objective of this Licentiate thesis is to examine how cognitive automation can best be used to support operators in mass customized assembly. Three case studies were carried out at two companies, aimed at identifying their needs concerning cognitive automation. Results of these studies showed that increased product variance caused by mass customization creates a complexity, which may impact the number of assembly errors. One cases study aimed to develop a mobile ICT tool based on a smartphone application and test its possible implementation and benefits. The use of cognitive automation such as a mobile ICT tool can reduce the error rates in complex assembly environments. Although high levels of cognitive automation exists, the actual use of such support can be low, which might be a result of support not designed for the end user. Therefore an increased level of automation does not always provide more support. By altering the carrier and content, the cognitive support can be enhanced to fit the context e.g. mobile information carriers in large assembly stations. Providing more precise cognitive automation can thus target the challenges of more parts and procedures associated with mass customization.

Keywords: Cognitive Automation, Information, Assembly Systems


A general approach to hardware recognition is proposed for VLSI/WSI fault-tolerant processor arrays. The technique, called full use of suitable spares (FUSS), uses an indicator vector, the surplus vector, to guide the replacement of faulty processors within an array. Analytical study of the general FUSS algorithm shows that there is a linear relationship between the array size and the area of interconnect required for reconfiguration to be 100% successful. In an instance of FUSS, called simple FUSS, reconfiguration is done by shifting up to or down the surplus vector's entries. The surplus vector is progressively updated after each column is reconfigured. The reconfiguration is successful when the surplus vector becomes null. Simple FUSS is discussed in detail and evaluated. Simulations show that when the number of faulty processors is equal to that of space processors, simple FUSS can achieve a probability of survival as high as 99%. >


Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) is a rate-limiting enzyme for catecholamine biosynthesis. Increased sympathetic activity is associated with an increased left ventricular (LV) mass. However, the influence of TH gene polymorphisms on LV structure and function has yet to be investigated. Here, we analyse the association of Val-81-Met and tetranucleotide TCAT repeat TH polymorphisms with LV structure and function (assessed by echocardiography) in 108 normotensive men aged < or = 35 years (mean age: 25+/-4 years) with body mass index (BMI) < or = 30 kg/m2 (mean BMI: 23+/-3 kg/m2). The distribution of genotypes was VV homozygotes (n=42), VM heterozygotes (n=49) and MM homozygotes (n=17). The Val-81-Met polymorphism showed significant linkage disequilibrium with the TCAT polymorphism (P<0.0001). No differences were seen between the subgroups with respect to age, BMI and blood pressure. Compared with the VV and VM genotypes, subjects with the MM genotype showed significantly (all P<0.05) increased LV cavity diameter (VV: 52.8+/-3.9 mm, VM: 52.9+/-3.6 mm, MM: 56.1+/-3.2 mm), global LV mass (VV: 159+/-31 g, VM: 165+/-36 g, MM: 187+/-30 g) and LV mass index (VV: 81+/-14 g/m2, VM: 84+/-17 g/m2, MM: 93+/-12 g/m2). No differences were seen between the subgroups in parameters of LV function. In addition, plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine levels were comparable in the three subgroups. The results suggest an important association between the MM genotype of Val-81-Met TH gene polymorphism and increased LV cavity dimension and mass in a young normotensive male population, indicating an important role for genetic determination of the sympathetic system in LV growth.


Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an ongoing pandemic that has spread to almost all countries worldwide. Diabetes mellitus (DM) has been shown to increase the risk of COVID-19 disease severity. In this review, we provide a summary of the impact of COIVD-19 on diabetes management and related services. We searched the literature using the following databases: PubMed, Medline, Scopus and Google Scholar. These databases were searched using the keywords: COVID-19, diabetes type 1 and type 2. Lockdown causing social isolation and psychological issues, showed an influence on poor glycemic control amongst people with diabetes. Hence, the use of telemedicine and various technologies in the management of diabetes has substantially increased. In individuals with COVID-19, the current practice is not in favor of using sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors. Furthermore, insulin is recommended for the management of diabetes in critically ill patients. The COVID-19 pandemic was associated with many changes in diabetes management and the delivery of diabetes services. J Endocrinol Metab. 2020;10(6):155-161 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jem699


The GroupMe! system provides a novel approach to social bookmarking. It enables users to create groups of arbitrary multimedia web resources and visualizes resources according to their media type. Therewith, content of a resource can be grasped immediately. Hence, GroupMe! groups form web sites -- comparable to Wikipedia pages -- that users visit in order to gather information about corresponding topics. Technically, the grouping of resources carries valuable information about web resources and their relations, and can be exploited to improve the mining of web content, e.g. for search and retrieval. GroupMe! is available via http://groupme.org.


Sterile filtrates of autolyzed anaerobic cultures of Pneumococcus contain much higher concentrations of active endocellular enzymes than do the filtrates of autolyzed aerobic cultures. These differences in the enzyme activity of the filtrates of aerobic and anaerobic cultures may be explained by a destruction of the formed enzymes by oxidation reactions analogous to the destruction previously observed during the oxidation of sterile broth extracts of unwashed pneumococcus cells. The occurrence of more complete destruction of enzyme activity in autolyzed aerobic cultures than in "oxidized" sterile cell extracts is probably due to the longer exposure to oxidation products.


More robust preclinical experimental wear simulation methods are required in order to simulate a wider range of activities, observed in different patient populations such as younger more active patients, as well as to fully meet and be capable of going well beyond the existing requirements of the relevant international standards. A new six-station electromechanically driven simulator (Simulation Solutions, UK) with five fully independently controlled axes of articulation for each station, capable of replicating deep knee bending as well as other adverse conditions, which can be operated in either force or displacement control with improved input kinematic following, has been developed to meet these requirements. This study investigated the wear of a fixed-bearing total knee replacement using this electromechanically driven fully independent knee simulator and compared it to previous data from a predominantly pneumatically controlled simulator in which each station was not fully independently controlled. In addition, the kinematic performance and the repeatability of the simulators have been investigated and compared to the international standard requirements. The wear rates from the electromechanical and pneumatic knee simulators were not significantly different, with wear rates of 2.6 ± 0.9 and 2.7 ± 0.9 mm3/million cycles (MC; mean ± 95% confidence interval, p = 0.99) and 5.4 ± 1.4 and 6.7 ± 1.5 mm3/MC (mean ± 95 confidence interval, p = 0.54) from the electromechanical and pneumatic simulators under intermediate levels (maximum 5 mm) and high levels (maximum 10 mm) of anterior–posterior displacements, respectively. However, the output kinematic profiles of the control system, which drive the motion of the simulator, followed the input kinematic profiles more closely on the electromechanical simulator than the pneumatic simulator. In addition, the electromechanical simulator was capable of following kinematic and loading input cycles within the tolerances of the international standard requirements (ISO 14243-3). The new-generation electromechanical knee simulator with fully independent control has the potential to be used for a much wider range of kinematic conditions, including high-flexion and other severe conditions, due to its improved capability and performance in comparison to the previously used pneumatic-controlled simulators.


OBJECTIVES
In this study, our aim was to evaluate the systolic cardiac parameters and related risk factors in children within 6 months after kidney transplant.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
We retrospectively evaluated 24 children who received kidney transplants. Clinical and laboratory parameters before and after transplant were recorded. Results were evaluated statistically, with a P value less than .05 considered significant.

RESULTS
Before transplant, systolic cardiac functions were within normal limits. After transplant, ejection fraction (63.35% ± 5.38% vs 66.95% ± 4.62%; P = .01) was significantly increased and left ventricular mass index (32.63 ± 17.21 g/m2.7 vs 31.29 ± 15.65 g/m2.7; P = .78) was not significantly decreased, whereas fractional shortening (52.16% ± 15.32% vs 59.8% ± 12.94%; P = .54) did not change. Systolic blood pressure, systolic blood pressure index, diastolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure index values were not statistically different before and after transplant (P > .05). The number of antihypertensive agents was significantly decreased (P = .001). Before and after transplant, cardiac geometry was normal in 15 patients (62.5%) and 17 patients (70.8%).

CONCLUSIONS
Our patients, who had stable systolic cardiac function before transplant, showed further improvements in systolic cardiac function even within 6 months after transplant. Therefore, strictly monitored and controlled blood pressure, volume, anemia, and nutrition in children before transplant may play important roles in achieving better cardiac systolic function after kidney transplant.


Zeolite molecular sieves have found extensive applications in ion-exchange, separation and catalytic processes, particularly in the chemical and petroleum industries. Currently, the state-of-the-art in synthesis of high-silica zeolites involves the use of complex organic molecules to direct the formation of zeolitic materials with novel pore structures. While efforts towards preparation of new zeolites using organic molecules as structure-directing agents continues, synthesis of calcium and other alkaline-earth zeolites has not received much attention since the inception of the systematic investigation of zeolite synthesis some 35 years ago. Of the approximate 50 natural zeolites discovered to date, over 20% have eluded synthesis and another 10% have proven exceedingly difficult to synthesize at typical hydrothermal conditions. The overwhelming majority of these zeolites are calcium-dominant. The difficulty encountered in the synthesis of these alkaline-earth zeolites is in direct contrast to their natural occurrence as alteration products of volcanic glasses. Thus, the objective of this work is developing practical methodolgies for the synthesis of alkaline-earth zeolites. Hydrothermal transformation of perlite (a natural rhyolitic glass) to calcium zeolites is investigated as a first step towards developing synthesis procedures for the preparation of calcium and other alkaline-earth zeolites from pure starting reagents. In particular, synthetic analogues of the calcium zeolites gismondine, heulandite and epistilbite are obtained as alteration products of perlite glass reacting with calcium-containing solutions. The influence of the solution phase species and their concentrations, the pH and the temperature on the distribution of the zeolite products obtained are discussed. It is observed that the crystallization of heulandite from perlite is preceded by the transient formation of a gismondine-type zeolite most similar to the synthetic zeolite P1. This information is exploited to devise methodology for the preparation of zeolite P1 from pure starting reagents and its subsequent conversion to calcium and other alkaline-earth zeolites upon treatment with solutions containing alkaline-earth cations. Thus, a novel approach for the synthesis of alkaline-earth zeolites based on the hydrothermal conversion of zeolite P1 is developed. Details of the synthesis procedures are enumerated for the preparation of alkaline-earth zeolites CIT-3 (HEU), CIT-4 (BRE), epistilbite (EPI), harmotome (PHI), and yugawaralite (YUG). Transformation of zeolite P1 to alkaline-earth zeolites is governed by factors such as the Si/Al ratio of the starting P1 material, the composition of the solution phase and the presence or absence of seed crystals. The effects of these factors on the products obtained, i.e., phase selectivity, are discussed.


We use data from the 1981 and 1991 censuses of India to examine (a) sex ratios among infants aged under 2, (b) child mortality (q5) by sex, and (c) estimated period sex ratios at birth (SRB) calculated by reverse survival methods, to see whether bias against female children persists during development and fertility decline, and whether techniques of prenatal sex determination and abortion of female foetuses are spreading in India as elsewhere in Asia. In 1981, rural and urban infancy sex ratios and estimated SRB for most states appear within the `normal' range (104-106 males/100 females). However, urban Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Jammu and Kashmir in the North / North-West zone appear masculine (108 or more). In 1991 however, these North / North-Western urban areas show starkly masculine SRB's, as do the corresponding rural areas, Delhi, UP, and urban Gujarat, Bihar, Rajasthan, MP, Maharashtra, Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. Values reach as high as 118 for urban Punjab. The sex ratios of child mortality indicate that despite mortality declines, many regions that showed female disadvantage in 1981 continued to do so in 1991, and some areas worsened. Some Southern regions that showed `normal' mortality sex ratios in 1981 now have ratios adverse to females in 1991. This increase in masculinity of period SRB's indicates that the preference for male children in India is unchanged by fertility and mortality decline and socio-economic development. Since the increased masculinity is more in urban areas, which have higher literacy rates and better coverage of vital registration and health services, it suggests that the trend is due to the spread of prenatal sex determination and selective abortion of female foetuses rather than female under-registration or infanticide. The trend coexists with the excess female child mortality and female infanticide persisting in many parts of the country, for which we summarize evidence. In the aggregate, parents in India thus do not appear to be substituting prenatal for post-natal sex selection techniques.


The cardiovasculature is an emerging niche for polyimide microdevices, yet the biocompatibility of polyimides with human endothelial cells has not been reported in the literature. In this study, we have evaluated an experimental polyimide-based pressure sensor for biological safety to determine its suitability for intravascular operation by using an in vitro model of human endothelium, following ISO 10993-5 protocols for extract tests and direct contact tests. First, SV-HCEC cells were incubated with extracts derived from common microfabrication polyimides utilized in the transducer (PMDA-ODA, BPDA-PPD, and a proprietary thermoplastic adhesive), and then labeled with selective probes to evaluate the effect of the polyimides on mitochondria and cell viability. Flow cytometry analysis showed that incubation of SV-HCECs with polyimide extracts resulted in no significant change in mitochondrial membrane potential (detected by JC-1) or apoptotic (annexin V) and necrotic (propidium iodide) cell death, when compared to incubation with extracts of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and untreated cells used as negative controls. Second, primary human endothelial cells were incubated in direct contact with the completed sensor and then labeled with selective probes for live-dead analysis (calcein-AM, ethidium homodimer-1). Endothelial cells showed no loss of viability when compared to negative controls. Combined, the studies show no significant change in early markers of stress or more strict markers of viability in endothelial cells treated with the polyimides tested. We conclude that these common microfabrication polyimides and the derived sensor are not cytotoxic to human endothelial cells, the primary cell type that cardiovascular sensors will contact in vivo.


The present study discovers the effect of practice arrangement and the influence of self-regulated learning on learning from instructional video. There was a control condition in which the students watched a video and practiced in an alternating sequence. In the experimental condition the students watched all videos before they practiced. The students of two classes from academic high schools in Germany (mean age 14.8 years) were randomly assigned to one of the conditions. Prior knowledge was measured with a performance test. Motivation and self-regulated learning were measured using a questionnaire. Training, an immediate and a delayed post-test examined the learning achievements of the students. The data showed that the training was successful. On the delayed post-test the experimental condition performed better than the control condition. For the other sessions no difference was found. The relationship between self-regulated learning and learning from video was not significant. Nevertheless, self-regulated learning was positively related with learning from video in the control condition. In the experimental condition there was a negative relationship. Due to limitations of the generalizability of the results replication studies are needed. Moreover, more research on the relation between practice arrangement and self-regulated learning regarding learning from instructional video is proposed.


Despite considerable progress in hydrological modeling, challenges remain in the interpretation and accurate transfer of hydrological information across watersheds and scales. In the conterminous United States (CONUS), these limitations are related to spatial inconsistencies and constraints in hydrological model structures, including a lack of spatially explicit process components (streams, reservoirs, and watershed development) and restricted estimation of model parameters across watersheds. Collectively, such limitations can impede identification of the causes of streamflow variations across the diversity of watershed sizes and land uses in the CONUS and contribute to model imprecision and spatial inconsistencies in prediction uncertainties. We addressed these concerns with a new approach, the first hybrid (statistical‐mechanistic) SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regression On Watershed attributes) model of long‐term mean annual streamflow, applied across diverse environmental settings of the CONUS. The hybrid model coupled previous catchment‐scale (1 km) water balance predictions of "natural" unit area runoff, which are inclusive of major water cycling processes, with additional explanatory variables (e.g., soils, vegetation, land use, topography, water losses in streams, and reservoirs) that account for the effects of natural and cultural water supply and demand processes that operate over large spatial scales and explain streamflow variability across CONUS river basins. Accounting for these statistically unique effects, including a nonlinear surface area‐dependent scaling of water loss in river networks, significantly improved the accuracy of mean streamflow predictions in CONUS basins. Our hybrid modeling approach provides new methods for transferring hydrological information to ungauged locations in river networks, especially those in larger and more culturally diverse CONUS watersheds.


This qualitative research aimed to describe the dynamic of marital conflict and conflict resolution in early stage ofmarriage. There are four participants (two couples) who are in theirfirst year of marriage. The results showed that marital conflict in early stage of marriage developed in several areas : relation with family of origin, financial management, work, daily habits, love and sexual expression, social and recreational activity, and relation with friends. Conflict resolution type that effective in solving problems in all areas is collaboration type. Factors that causing marital conflict are personality characteristic, difference in value and way of life, discrepancy between expectancy and reality, and inadequate communication skills. Effect of marital conflict is related to the conflict resolution type. Conflict resolution type with solution that satisfied both parties will improve the quality ofmarriage, and vice versa.   Keywords : marital conflict, conflict resolution, early stage of marriage


This research proposal falls within the context of research on machine translation (Mathieu, 2008) and translation techniques ( Vinay& Darbelnet, 1958) used by these translation software. It concentrates on the translation of specialized texts, in this case the legal translation from French to English using the translation software. Its objectives are: to identify translation techniques used by translation software, identify main challenges faced by translators while using the translation software and compare the quality of translation done by different software, in this case (Power translator and Babylon 9). Data collection methods (observation forms and tables), will enable us identify the translation techniques used by the translation software with the aim of proposing critical reflexions in this field. Choosing a translator is the most difficult and yet most important aspect in the translation process. The translator must be experienced and has to fulfil the needs of his clients. Sometimes documents to be translated can be too many or even too long; therefore machine translation becomes a major remedy to facilitate translation. In fact, time deadlines for translation are important factors to be considered. Thus, the study attempts to propose some translation solutions to those who are interested in machine translation by identifying the translation techniques used by the mentioned software.


NASA will host an agencywide event Tuesday, Nov. 1, highlighting innovation by NASA employees. NASA Deputy Administrator Dava Newman will discuss the importance of encouraging collaboration across the agency, and this keynote presentation will air live on NASA Television and the agency's website at noon EDT.


We report a 74-year-old woman with elevated vitamin D levels and hypercalcaemia seemingly caused by long term use of maintenance dose vitamin D, in the form of Adcal-D3 chewable tablets. Using the tablet after a right hip fracture lead to an asymptomatic but significant raise in Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 as well as an abnormal bone profile; withholding treatment normalised the patient's biochemistry four weeks later. We discuss here the potential for vitamin D supplementation in the older person to cause biochemical abnormalities. Introduction Vitamin D is a prohormone that plays a significant role in calcium haemostasis and regulation of bone mineral density. It also participates in biological processes such as cell differentiation and modulation of the immune system. Vitamin D deficiency is a common occurrence in the elderly population (defined as aged 65 years and older) with a prevalence of around 15% [1] This has led to greater awareness and a rise in the usage of vitamin D [2,3]. The extensive use of both medical prescriptions and over the counter preparations may influence the incidence of Vitamin D Toxicity (VDT) as well as cases of hypervitaminosis D [4,5]. The clinical signs of significantly elevated vitamin D are often caused by the subsequent hypercalcaemia that ensues. Symptoms can include: weakness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting and constipation. Case Report A 74-year-old woman was admitted to a rehabilitation ward after a fall; this resulted in a fracture to the right hip which was managed with intramedullary nail. Her past medical history is: Factor XI deficiency, atrial fibrillation, migraine, peptic ulcer, and pseudo-gout. She was diagnosed with osteoporosis in 2013. The patient's serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 was low at 19 nmol/L (Vitamin deficiency defined as <25 nmol/L). High dose vitamin D treatment was commenced and after which time, Adcal-D3 chewable tablets was prescribed as maintenance, 1 tablet twice a day. Post discharge from hospital during her admission to an intermediate care unit a set of abnormal bloods were noted on bone profile, as shown in the following table (Figure 1). Corrected Serum Calcium 2.99 mmol/L [2.20-2.60 mmol/L] Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 195 nmol/L [<140 nmol/L] Phosphate 2.20 mmol/L [0.181.5 mmol/L] Parathyroid Hormone 1.0 pmol/L [1.6-6.9 pmol/L] Figure 1: A table demonstrating the abnormal biochemistry of the patient. Other biochemical parameters including: serum angiotensin converting enzyme, myeloma screen (serum and urine electrophoresis), full blood count, liver function, renal, C-reactive protein, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and thyroid function were found to be normal. The patient did not report any symptoms typical of hypercalcaemia such as weakness, fatigue, nausea, vomiting or constipation and clinical examination was unremarkable. Dietetic Citation: Chua P, Abdulrazzaq W, Baoku Y, Chua E (2019) Elevated Vitamin D Levels and Hypercalcaemia on Maintenance Dose of Calcium and Vitamin D. Int J Geriatr Gerontol 3: 121. DOI: 10.29011/2577-0748.100021 2 Volume 3; Issue 01 Int J GeriatrGerontol, an open access journal ISSN: 2577-0748 review confirmed that the patient had been consuming a healthy diet; the patient also denied taking any over the counter vitamin supplements. Primary care records showed that she has not had any high dose vitamin D since 2013 except maintenance dose on Adcal D3. Her serum calcium was first noted to be slightly elevated three months before her fracture. Adcal-D3 was stopped and four weeks after cessation the patient's serum calcium, phosphate, vitamin D and parathyroid hormone level normalised. Since withholding calcium and vitamin D, her calcium and vitamin D level has remained within the normal range over the last two years and her general health remains good. It is likely that her elevated vitamin D and hyercalcaemia was due to long term use of Adcal-D3. Discussion Excess supplementation of vitamin D is a leading cause elevated levels of vitamin D and vitamin D toxicity. Vitamin D toxicity is an extreme form of hypervitaminosis D, the level at which risk is clinically significant defined at >250nmol/L [6]. The main causes of vitamin D toxicity were due to ingestion through supplementation or fortification. One of the most common reasons was due to formulation or compounding error in the manufacture of supplementation. As [7] noted in their case report, a laboratory error in dilution lead to a patient taking capsules at a strength 2000-fold higher than was prescribed [7]. Though an extreme case, this type of error in calculation and manufacture is not isolated occurring in both the fortification of foodstuffs like milk [8] as well as errors in production of medication [9]. Inappropriate prescription of vitamin D supplements has also been implicated for some cases of raised vitamin D [10]. Evidence suggests that dosage <10,000 IU per day does not cause VDT, however, very high dose formulations (>60,000 IU) are popular and have been given in error on several occasions which has led to VDT [11]. The common factor in these cases is that patients have been exposed to toxic or at least high doses of vitamin D before the manifestation of hypervitaminosis D. The body's homeostatic mechanisms are normally robust enough to regulate levels otherwise. Indeed, this is the reason why VDT is rare from dietary intake alone or sun exposure as homeostatic mechanisms regulate the amount of vitamin D produced in skin from sun light or absorption from diet [12]. It is most unusual to develop hypercalcaemia and elevated vitamin D levels on maintenance dosing of calcium and vitamin D (Adcal tablets contain 500mg of calcium and 400iu of cholecalciderol). However, endogenous production of 1,25dihydroxyvitamin D3, the hormonally active metabolite of vitamin D, can occur in patients with lymphoma, chronic granulomatous diseases such as sarcoidosis and in Wegener's granulomatosis [13]. Oestrogen replacement therapy can also potentially raise vitamin D levels via activation of the vitamin D receptor. The long term consequences of untreated vitamin D toxicity include renal stones, ectopic soft tissue calcification and cardiac arrhythmias. We are not aware of any reports on an elevated vitamin D and hypercalcaemia whilst on maintenance dose of calcium and vitamin D. Although this patient had no signs and symptoms of VDT, a vitamin D level of vitamin D of >140 nmol/L may be associated increase mortality [14]. This case is notable for the very low level of vitamin D taken in order to address abnormal biochemistry and an elevated vitamin D level (400iu), the safe dose being <10,000iu per day. We feel it is important to highlight this because calcium and vitamin D is very commonly prescribed for the older person in falls clinics, often in conjunction with a bisphosphonate for osteoporosis or post fracture. Although not specific for elevated vitamin D, a mildly elevated serum calcium level should trigger the clinician to complete a vitamin D assay in addition to searching for other causes of hypercalcaemia.


Zhejiang and Sichuan are regarded as two genuine producing areas of Ophiopogonis radix in China. To study the difference in the quality of Ophiopogonis radix from these two places, the contents of three reported bioactive saponins, that is, ophiopogonins B, D, and D′, in tubers and fibrous roots of Ophiopogon japonicus from Cixi city of Zhejiang and Santai county of Sichuan were quantified using HPLC-ELSD method and compared. Ophiopogonin B and ophiopogonin D′ content in tubers of HMD were higher than those in radix of CMD, whereas ophiopogonin D in HMD was about twice lower than that of CMD. Three ophiopogonins were all detected in fibrous roots of both HMD and CMD. Their averaged content in fibrous roots of CMD was about twice higher than that in tubers of CMD. Ophiopogonin D in fibrous roots of CMD was about five times higher than that of HMD. Our biochemical assay revealed that fibrous roots and tubers of CMD can be of an important saponin source, especially for ophiopogonin D.


This paper investigates the relationship between office buildings and their tenants. More specifically, we ask the question, whether the tenants of certified green office buildings differ in terms of credit-worthiness from the tenants of non-certified buildings. For the empirical analysis, we use data for Vienna, Austria. With this study, we want to relate two areas, which according to our knowledge are completely separated both in the theoretical discussion and in the current practice of the real estate and finance industry. This is quite surprising taking into account the central role of finance in real estate economics. Nevertheless, establishing a link between characteristics of buildings (certification as Green building) and of building tenants (credit rating) is potentially very important. Tenants with better credit ratings offer a lower risk of rent default and therefore higher property value when viewed from an income approach perspective. For the empirical analysis, we use data on buildings from public sources and OGNI (Austrian Green Building Council). Data on credit ratings come from Creditreform AG.


Comparative analyzing pre-cutting seam in size between 0.5 m and 0.8 m in the top of bridge arch, and vice-arch column blasting range between 1.6 m and 0.8 m , numerical simulations on typical highway double curved arch bridge structure blasting demolition process are carried out adopting common node separate reinforced concrete model. Simulation result indicates that, common node separate model can reflect mechanical properties difference of concrete and reinforcement through analysis on their loading process. Adopting 0.5 m in size of pre-cutting seam is sufficient to ensure the superposition and complete collapse of the bridge. The vice-arch blasting range by 1.6 m can make the bridge more complete disintegration, and it can also decrease the whole collapse time and the height of muck pile.


Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL

Background: Head and Neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a lethal cancer with clinical, pathological, phenotypical and biological heterogeneity. Cancer initiating cells (CICs) exhibit self-renewal and promote tumor progression capacity. We have also identified the subpopulation of head and neck cancer initiating cells (HN-CICs), and observed the upregulation of Glucose Transporter 3(Glut3) in HN-CICs by differential systemic analyses. However, the role of Glut3 in HN-CICs metabolism alternation remains unclear. Herein we determined the critical role of Glut3, a novel CICs marker, in the maintenance of stemness characteristics and tumorigenic phenotype of HN-CICs. Methods: Stable overexpression and knockdown of Glut3 expression in HNSCCs and HN-CICs was achieved by lentiviral-mediated system. Consequently, we elucidated the stemness properties and tumorigenicity of HNSCCs and HN-CICs with Glut3 down-regulation. Consequently, we investigated the role of Glut3 in metabolism regulation of cancer initiation cells. Results: Lentiviral knockdown of Glut3 significantly reduced the self-renewal ability and cancer initiation cell marker Grp78 expression in HN-CICs. Additionally, down-regulation of Glut3 enhanced the differentiation capability but inversely diminished "stemness" gene expression of HN-CICs. Of note, knockdown of Glut3 lessened tumorigenicity of HN-CICs both in vitro. Conclusion: We showed that Glut3 contributes to the maintenance of stemness and tumorigenicity of HN-CICs. In addition, the expression of Glut3 was involved in HN-CICs metabolism. Overall, silencing Glut3 might be a potential therapeutic target for HNSCC by eliminating CICs.

Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3338. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3338


The use of machine learning in artistic music generation leads to controversial discussions of the quality of art, for which objective quantification is nonsensical. We therefore consider a music-generating algorithm as a counterpart to a human musician, in a setting where reciprocal improvisation is to lead to new experiences, both for the musician and the audience. To obtain this behaviour, we resort to the framework of recurrent Variational Auto-Encoders (VAE) and learn to generate music, seeded by a human musician. In the learned model, we generate novel musical sequences by interpolation in latent space. Standard VAEs however do not guarantee any form of smoothness in their latent representation. This translates into abrupt changes in the generated music sequences. To overcome these limitations, we regularise the decoder and endow the latent space with a flat Riemannian manifold, i.e., a manifold that is isometric to the Euclidean space. As a result, linearly interpolating in the latent space yields realistic and smooth musical changes that fit the type of machine–musician interactions we aim for. We provide empirical evidence for our method via a set of experiments on music datasets and we deploy our model for an interactive jam session with a professional drummer. The live performance provides qualitative evidence that the latent representation can be intuitively interpreted and exploited by the drummer to drive the interplay. Beyond the musical application, our approach showcases an instance of human-centred design of machine-learning models, driven by interpretability and the interaction with the end user.


This essay argues that literacy actors compose agency through the embodied practice of literacies in combination with self-aware feedback loops. The argument brings together recent conversations on agency, embodiment, and cognition in composition studies, neuroscience, and the humanities to develop the concept of discursive readiness potential. Discursive readiness potential refers to one's embodied agency and accounts for the range of possible actions available to an actor on the basis of her or his past experiences. Furthermore, discursive readiness potential points to one's capacity to navigate a field of potential literate practices into one actualized action. As such, the essay supports a renewed call for research on agency and embodied cognition in composition studies by outlining discursive readiness potential as a flexible process model for understanding how agents act in emergent discursive situations.


[Abstract]:

This thesis investigates the prediction distributions of future response(s), conditional on a set of realized responses for some linear models having
student-t error distributions by the Bayesian approach under the uniform priors. The models considered in the thesis are the multiple regression model
with multivariate-t errors and the multivariate simple as well as multiple re-gression models with matrix-T errors. For the multiple regression model, results reveal that the prediction distribution of a single future response and
a set of future responses are a univariate and multivariate Student-t distributions respectively with appropriate location, scale and shape parameters.
The shape parameter of these prediction distributions depend on the size of the realized responses vector and the dimension of the regression parameters' vector, but do not depend on the degrees of freedom of the error distribu-
tion. In the multivariate case, the distribution of a future responses matrix from the future model, conditional on observed responses matrix from the realized model for both the multivariate simple and multiple regression mod-
els is matrix-T distribution with appropriate location matrix, scale factors and shape parameter. The results for both of these models indicate that prediction distributions depend on the realized responses only through the sample regression matrix and the sample residual sum of squares and products matrix. The prediction distribution also depends on the design matrices
of the realized as well as future models. The shape parameter of the prediction distribution of the future responses matrix depends on size of the realized sample and the number of regression parameters of the multivariate
model. Furthermore, the prediction distributions are derived by the Bayesian method as multivariate-t and matrix-T are identical to those obtained under normal errors' distribution by the di®erent statistical methods such as the classical, structural distribution and structural relations of the model approaches. This indicates not only the inference robustness with respect to
departures from normal error to Student-t error distributions, but also indicates that the Bayesian approach with a uniform prior is competitive with
other statistical methods in the derivation of prediction distribution.


The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is classified into six different genotypes and their distribution is different throughout the world. Epidemiologic studies are important to determine several characteristics of the virus, as well as the disease. This study analysed the prevalence of HCV and its genotypes among patients from a leading hospital in Ceara, which is located in Northeast Brazil. A total of 119 anti-HCV-seropositive patients, each having previously completed a questionnaire about risk behaviours related to HCV infection were tested for HCV infection using a qualitative HCV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay and genotyping by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). The detection was based on amplifying of the non-coding 5' region. Of the 119 patients, 95 showed positive results in the qualitative HCV test. History of surgery was the most reported risk factor, followed by the use of drugs, having tattoos, undergoing haemodialysis and occupational exposure. Genotype 1 was the most prevalent (46.9%), followed by genotype 3 (34.4%) and 2 (8.3%). The genotype distribution was similar for all of the various risk behaviours.


Theoretical simulations of systems that represent heterogeneous catalysts constitute one of the main tools in the research for new catalytic materials. Theory plays a role in the three stages of the development ladder: characterisation, understanding and prediction. Due to the complexity of the computational methods, there is a strong need to integrate different models and cover the relevant scales in heterogeneous catalysis. This requirement constitutes an important drawback as scientists need training in several aspects of the problem including chemical, physical and engineering views of the modelling while keeping the experimental and industrial interests and needs in perspective. Here we present some of the latest developments in the field of theoretical simulations at the microscopic level while illustrating suitable examples that show how theory can shed light on several aspects of characterisation, activity, selectivity and long-term stability.


SUMMARY: The survival of Escherichia coli K12 HfrC sprayed from distilled water into a nitrogen atmosphere as a function of aerosol age and of storage relative humidity (RH) is demonstrated. The survival pattern was typically that of E. coli, i.e. marked instability in a region at high RH and better stability at low RH. The results of changing the RH from the storage RH to 100% or 30% are described. Comparison of survival in nitrogen with that in air showed air to be slightly toxic, the toxic component being oxygen or a trace of some contaminant in it. Glycerol and raffinose were slightly protective as additives at high RH; at low RH glycerol was toxic, but raffinose was highly protective. It was discovered that E. coli K12 HfrC carried a temperate phage and that this phage was not activated by the processes involved in aerosol experiments. The synthesis of phages T3 and μ2 by E. coli K12 HfrC, collected from the aerosol, was examined. Phage production and viability were similar, and hence it is concluded that in a nitrogen atmosphere loss of viability was not caused by DNA inactivation, DNA synthesis inhibition or inhibition of cell-wall division, but by failure of RNA synthesis, protein synthesis or energy production.


Abstract Objective To compare financial and perioperative outcomes between endoscopic and open surgical approaches in the surgical management of sinonasal malignancies. Design Retrospective chart review. Setting Tertiary care hospital. Participants Patients undergoing surgical resection of a sinonasal malignancy from January 2000 to December 2014. Main Outcome Measures In-hospital costs, complications, and length of stay (LOS). Results Of 106 patients, 91 received open surgery (19 free flap and 72 non-free flap) and 15 were treated with purely endoscopic approaches. Free flaps had a significantly higher average cost, operative time, and LOS compared to both non-free flap (p < 0.001, < 0.001, and < 0.01) and endoscopic (p = 0.01, 0.04, and < 0.01) groups. There were no significant differences in average costs between endoscopic and non-free flap groups ($19,157 vs. $14,806, p = 0.20) or LOS (5.7 vs. 6.4 days, p = 0.72). Compared with the non-free flap group, the endoscopic group had a longer average operative time (8.3 vs. 5.5 hours, p < 0.01) and higher rates of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak (13 vs. 0%, p = 0.01) and intensive care unit (ICU) admission (80 vs. 36%, p < 0.01). Surgical approach (open vs. endoscopic) was not a significant predictor of any financial or perioperative outcome on multivariable analysis. Conclusion Hospital costs are comparable between endoscopic and open approaches when no free tissue reconstruction is required. Longer operative times, higher CSF leak rates, and our institutional protocol necessitating ICU admission for endoscopic cases may account for the failure to demonstrate cost savings with endoscopic surgery.


I present a model of pore pressure for argillaceous sediment that integrates the well-known undercompaction mechanism with the lesser-known chemical diagenesis mechanism. The model is based on a generalized compaction model, first-order chemical rate theory and Arrhenius rate equation, and a simple thermal-history model. The parameters of this model (activation energy, E, and the pre-exponential factor, A) are obtained from published X-ray diffraction data. I also present models for bulk density and velocity of sediment that are guided by rock-physics principles. I also discuss the relation between the current model and the Bowers model, which noted the importance of the thermal mechanisms in the context of pore-pressure prediction.


ABSTRACT For genotyping Candida albicans isolates, two PCR-based methods have recently emerged: multilocus sequence typing (MLST), based on the sequence of selected genes, and microsatellite length polymorphism (MLP), based on the length of PCR products containing variable numbers of short DNA repeats. To compare the two methods in their abilities to differentiate and group C. albicans isolates, we selected 50 independent isolates collected at the National Reference Center for Mycoses and Antifungals. MLST typing was performed using sequencing of seven loci as described at http://test1.mlst.net . The MLP method consisted of a single multiplex PCR testing three different loci. Dendrograms were constructed by the unweighted pair group cluster method with Euclidean metric for both methods. The correlation between the distance matrices was performed with a Mantel test tested with 1,000 random permutations. The sensitivity and specificity of the MLP typing system were determined after allocating MLST groups for the greater number of isolates of each distinct MLP group. The discriminatory power index was >0.99, and the distances between the isolates were highly correlated with both systems. The Mantel coefficient and the Pearson product-moment correlation coefficient were 35,699 and 0.32, respectively (P ≤ 1.2 × 10−6). Using MLP, the average specificity and sensitivity of clustering compared to MLST were 83% and 73%, respectively, when the singletons were excluded. The two methods are similarly discriminatory and can be interchangeable depending on the objectives. MLP is less expensive and faster than MLST. However, MLST is currently more accurate and additional standardization is needed for MLP.


Service robots operating in indoor environments should recognize dynamic changes from sensors, such as RGB-depth (RGB-D) cameras, and recall the past context. Therefore, we propose a context query-processing framework, comprising spatio-temporal robotic context query language (ST-RCQL) and a spatio-temporal robotic context query-processing system (ST-RCQP), for service robots. We designed them based on spatio-temporal context ontology. ST-RCQL can query not only the current context knowledge, but also the past. In addition, ST-RCQL includes a variety of time operators and time constants; thus, queries can be written very efficiently. The ST-RCQP is a query-processing system equipped with a perception handler, working memory, and backward reasoner for real-time query-processing. Moreover, ST-RCQP accelerates query-processing speed by building a spatio-temporal index in the working memory, where percepts are stored. Through various qualitative and quantitative experiments, we demonstrate the high efficiency and performance of the proposed context query-processing framework.


Patterning vast numbers of micro lenses on a surface increases technical importance to improve characteristics of optical parts such as liquid crystal displays. A cutting method using a diamond tool is examined to make a molding die by which array patterns of many micro lenses are molded. Realizing the cutting procedure, the developed machining system employs a cutting unit actuated by PZT and a synchronous control system of the cutting unit with a NC controller. The present paper investigates machining of micro lenses on the order of 2 kHz, using a piezo-actuated micro cutting unit. Experiments using this unit revealed that it is possible to machine a large number of micro lenses on a molding roll die for plastic film with high precision.


: The USAID Iraq Marshlands Restoration Program (IMRP) promoted the application of two promising initiatives tested from 2004 to 2006: (1) the introduction of alfalfa and maize fodder to feed and improve the nutrition of buffalo and (2) the creation of a veterinary service to increase livestock production and health. The livestock sector in the marshlands has seen dramatic improvement since IMRP ended in 2006. These changes are across the board in the absolute number of livestock (from 66,700 heads in 2006 to 111,525 heads in 2017) and in their increasing diversity (buffalo were 74.33% of all livestock in 2006 but decreased to 70.33% in 2017). Buffalo, specifically, had greater birth weight (40 kg in 2006 and 45.6 kg in 2017), greater daily growth rates (0.3 kg in 2006 and 1-1.25 kg in 2017), higher daily milk yields (8.81 kg/day in 2006 and 9.69 kg/day in 2017), and longer lactation periods (150 days in 2006 and 238 days in 2017). There have been accompanying advances in the closely related meat and dairy markets. Live weight and market prices for buffalo and cattle have increased three-to four-fold. Rising daily milk yields also sparked the creation of cottage industries to produce dairy products using higher fat buffalo milk. These changes all point to an increasingly healthy and dynamic livestock sector in the marshlands. However, other anticipated changes in the marshlands did not meet expectations. In 2006, IMRP predicted a strong shift away from the historical dominance of buffalo ownership to a more diversified pattern of ownership that included the relatively newly introduced cattle and a rapid increase in sheep holdings, making the latter the dominate animal. Instead, buffaloes have continued to be the vastly most numerous animals owned in the marshlands. In 2017, they ranged from 65 to 75% of all livestock holdings. Greater access to reflooded marshes by buffalo herders and increased financial earnings realized from meat and dairy production may help to explain the continued reliance on buffalo ownership. IMRP's introduction of a veterinary service dedicated to working in the marshlands villages was far less successful but highly regarded by Marsh Arabs, being the first time that the services were offered in the marshes.


Understanding flow and heat transfer in porous media is a matter of prime concern for micro devices. In this work, slip flow and heat transfer of gaseous fluid through the confined porous media is numerically simulated using a multiple-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann method. The method is employed using an effective curved boundary treatment based on non-equilibrium extrapolation and counter-extrapolation methods. Nusselt number prediction for varying porosity, Knudsen and Reynolds number are studied. Based on the obtained numerical results, it is proved that the current technique can be used to effectively model slip flow and heat transfer at pore-scale.


A molecular dynamics model of the diamond abrasive polishing the single crystal silicon is established. Crystal surfaces of the single crystal silicon in the Y-direction are (010), (011), and (111) surfaces, respectively. The effects of crystallographic orientations on polishing the non-continuous single crystal silicon surfaces are discussed from the aspects of surface morphology, displacement, polishing force, and phase transformation. The simulation results show that the Si(010) surface accumulates chips more easily than Si(011) and Si(111) surfaces. Si(010) and Si(011) workpieces are deformed in the entire pore walls on the entry areas of pores, while the Si(111) workpiece is a local large deformation on entry areas of the pores. Comparing the recovery value of the displacement in different workpieces, it can be seen that the elastic deformation of the A side in the Si(011) workpiece is larger than that of the A side in other workpieces. Pores cause the tangential force and normal force to fluctuate. The fluctuation range of the tangential force is small, and the fluctuation range of the normal force is large. Crystallographic orientations mainly affect the position where the tangential force reaches the maximum and minimum values and the magnitude of the decrease in the tangential force near the pores. The position of the normal force reaching the maximum and minimum values near the pores is basically the same, and different crystallographic orientations have no obvious effect on the drop of the normal force, except for a slight fluctuation in the value. The high-pressure phase transformation is the main way to change the crystal structure. The Si(111) surface is the cleavage surface of single crystal silicon, and the total number of main phase transformation atoms on the Si(111) surface is the largest among the three types of workpieces. In addition, the phase transformation in Si(010) and Si(011) workpieces extends to the bottom of pores, and the Si(111) workpiece does not extend to the bottom of pores.


This thesis reviews the literature on the development of infant sleep to establish whether relevant criteria for planning primary preventive intervention of infant sleep disturbance (ISD), derived from Mrazek and Haggerty's (1994) criteria for evaluating prevention interventions, have been met. It concludes that the methodological and conceptual limitations of this literature have prevented the two most critical criteria from being met. These are, when preventive intervention should occur, and what specific infant and parent factors should be targeted. In order to address these criteria a prospective longitudinal repeated measures design was employed. Parents of 75 normally developing infants, 52 from the age of 1 month, and 23 from the age of 2 months completed sleep diaries for six consecutive days, each month until the infant had reached 12 months of age. All night, infra-red, time-lapse video recording (TLVR) was also obtained for the purpose of reliability. There were two separate studies. The first challenged traditional definitions of sleeping through and demonstrated an 8 hour criterion to be behaviourally meaningful and developmentally realistic. It then investigated the norms for this developmental task. The results indicated the optimal time for prevention to be within the first 2 months. By six months two discrete group of infants were identified, one group with emerging sleep disturbance and the other demonstrating settled sleep. Stability in infants' relative sleep scores was demonstrated across the first 12 months although many parents intervened. The second study tested the predictions from a developmental model (France & Blampied, 1999) which suggested the proximal parent and infant risk factors that precede and predict lSD. At 1 month a discriminant function analysis identified 3 variables that correctly classified 90.4% of the infants into either a group of infants with emerging sleep disturbance or a group without sleep disturbance at 6 months of age. Two of these 3 variables also predicted group membership at 12 months. This research has filled some critical gaps in the research base by identifying parent and infant factors to be targeted, and the optimal time for prevention. It empirically supports and extends the developmental model, thereby providing a framework for planning primary prevention of ISD. Several directions for future research are presented.


Advances in the treatment and early detection of ovarian cancer have led to gains in 5-year survival rates, with 52% of women diagnosed between 1992 and 1997 surviving 5 years or longer, compared with 41% of women diagnosed between 1983 and 1985. Although approximately 10%-15% of patients achieve and maintain complete responses to therapy, the remaining patients have persistent disease or eventually relapse. These patients will generally undergo a series of treatments, each associated with progressively shorter treatment-free intervals. Nevertheless, median survival of patients with recurrent ovarian cancer ranges from 12-24 months, demonstrating the chronic natural history of the disease. Advances in the treatment of ovarian cancer over the past decade have led to these improvements and have prompted oncologists to now view the management of patients with ovarian cancer as an ongoing, long-term challenge. This shift in approach has raised important new questions regarding patient management, including the need to define trigger points for initiating or changing treatment (e.g., sequential increases in serum cancer antigen 125 levels, appearance of symptoms, or cumulative toxicities), anticipation of impending treatment decision points, recognition that the overtreatment of patients early in the disease process may adversely affect future treatment opportunities, and a renewed emphasis on patient education and participation in decision-making. This review will discuss these important patient management issues and will conclude with case studies illustrating two distinct treatment strategies (planning and sequencing) for the long-term management of patients with ovarian cancer.


Contrary to twentieth-century criticism that cast them as misguided dabblers, English virtuosi in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries were erudite individuals with solid grounding in the classics, deep appreciation for the arts, and sincere curiosity about the natural world. Reestablishing their broad historical significance, "The English Virtuoso" situates this polymathic group at the rich intersection of the period's art, medicine, and antiquarianism.At the heart of this profoundly interdisciplinary study lies the Royal Society of London for the Improvement of Natural Knowledge, which from its founding in 1660 served as the major professional organization for London's leading physicians, many of them prominent virtuosi. Craig Ashley Hanson reveals that a vital art audience emerged from the Royal Society - whose members assembled many of the period's most important nonaristocratic collections - a century before most accounts date the establishment of an institutional base for the arts in England. Unearthing the fascinating stories of an impressive cast of characters, Hanson establishes a new foundation for understanding both the relationship between British art and science and the artistic accomplishments of the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.


Despite many challenges, building industry stakeholders of the early 21st century could be viewed by future generations as pioneers for sustainable development and construction. That is, this industrial chapter may be remembered as one in which the demand for heat and power in buildings and associated carbon emissions ceased to be on an upward trajectory. In addition to the concept of a low carbon, low energy built environment, this period may also be acknowledged as one in which the comfort, health and wellbeing of building occupants is fully included. This honourable legacy is arguably within reach due to clearly-stated national and international policies on climate change, energy consumption, safety and end-user comfort. Post-occupancy evaluation (POE) is an important mechanism for the construction industry to objectively measure building performance against policy targets. A function of POE is to capture the value of 'in-use' demand in comparison with theoretical performance. The information gathered can be collated to underline performance outcomes in building energy usage, carbon emissions, wider environmental impacts and end-user satisfaction, thus providing (1) a benchmark for building operation and (2) a route map for future developments and initiatives. This paper draws upon a case study to explore the value of POE of a BREEAM Excellent building. Opened in 2011, the five year occupancy timescale will disclose key performance data. Findings from the POE study will be drawn upon to investigate potential performance gaps that may exist between BREEAM model predictions and actual results for three key parameters: 1) energy (electricity and gas), 2) water (supply and waste) and 3) social performance (comfort, health and wellbeing). Whilst the design of low carbon, low energy buildings is commendable, recording and interpreting actual building performance is a fundamental step in the continuous improvement of sustainable construction outcomes.


The delegation of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan to the 1919 Paris Peace Conference fought for the international recognition of its country and for admission to the League of Nations. The analysis of mostly unpublished archival documents from the personal archives of head of delegation Əlimərdan Ələkbər oğlu sheds new light on the history of Azerbaijani diplomacy. Topçubaşov could rely above all on the tools of influence of public opinion, such as books, publications and magazines which were written in large numbers in Paris. The adoption, in Azerbaijani political communication, of languages and contents adapted to the Wilsonian culture was meant to justify the aspiration to self-determination, as other anti-colonial non-European elites attempted to do during the Paris Peace Conference.


the study of their attitudes provides unique insight into the nature of prejudice. The current study found that in an Australian context, Asian participants displayed significantly less implicit prejudice and significantly greater explicit prejudice than their Anglo counterparts. This finding provided further evidence of the dissociation of explicit and implicit attitudes, specifically in regard to their predication. In addition, the attenuation of the implicit prejudice of both the Anglo majority and Asian minority group members was investigated. Brief exposure to positive out-group exemplars was found to attenuate the implicit bias of Asian but not Anglo participants, suggesting that this technique may be contingent upon more fundamental prejudice-reducing measures and providing further support that the undermining of implicit biases requires long-term, effortful processes.


The properties of guiding modes of a slab waveguide composed of impedance-matched epsiv (permittivity) negative and mu (permeability) negative media were investigated. This special type of waveguide supports only a single mode having polarization degeneracy: transverse-electric (TE)- and transverse-magnetic (TM)-polarized light waves always have the same propagation wavevectors. However, the overall power flow directions of these degenerate TE and TM modes are always opposite to each other.


Background: Therapeutic music has been shown to provide significant physical and mental health benefits to patients, yet limited information is available on the impact of live classical music in the intensive care unit (ICU) setting. Objective: The purpose of this initiative was to implement and evaluate a therapeutic music program in the ICU. Methods: A descriptive survey methodology was used to obtain information from volunteer musicians and clinical nurses. Researchers used a 12-item anonymous web-based survey to collect information on the therapeutic music program's acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility. The survey also included questions addressing potential barriers to and facilitators of implementing therapeutic music in the ICU. Results: A total of 15 nursing staff and 6 volunteer musicians completed the online survey. Of the 15 nurse respondents (9 clinical nursing staff, 3 advanced practice, 3 other), a majority (n=10, 66.7%) identified that therapeutic music was acceptable in the ICU. Similarly, a majority (n=11, 73.3%) indicated that therapeutic music was appropriate and feasible. Of the volunteer musicians, all (n=6, 100%) identified several factors that helped to facilitate the program including having an upright piano with large casters (wheels) for enhanced mobility to play music. Most (n=5, 83.3%) identified having a patient and family-centered care environment and supportive ICU staff, and four (66.7%) identified private ICU rooms and trained musicians as useful. Several barriers were also identified, including severity of patient illness and infection prevention concerns (n=5, 83.3%), space limitations in the ICU and patient privacy concerns (n=2, 33.35%), and patients being asleep (n=1, 16.75%). Conclusions: The results of this initiative indicated that therapeutic music in the ICU was rated as acceptable, appropriate, and feasible. Volunteer musicians reported the ability to provide live music in the ICU to be a beneficial and enjoyable experience. The program has been transitioned to a virtual format using a large iPad on wheels due to COVID-19-related visitation restrictions.


We develop the theory of CW(A)-complexes, which generalizes the classical theory of CW-complexes, keeping the geometric intuition of J.H.C. Whitehead's original theory. We obtain this way generalizations of classical results, such as Whitehead Theorem, which allow a deeper insight in the homotopy properties of these spaces.


ABSTRACT The transmembrane domains (TMDs) of integral membrane proteins do not merely function as membrane anchors but play active roles in many important biological processes. The downregulation of the CD4 coreceptor by the Vpu protein of HIV-1 is a prime example of a process that is dependent on specific properties of TMDs. Here we report the identification of Trp22 in the Vpu TMD and Gly415 in the CD4 TMD as critical determinants of Vpu-induced targeting of CD4 to endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-associated degradation (ERAD). The two residues participate in different aspects of ERAD targeting. Vpu Trp22 is required to prevent assembly of Vpu into an inactive, oligomeric form and to promote CD4 polyubiquitination and subsequent recruitment of the VCP-UFD1L-NPL4 dislocase complex. In the presence of a Vpu Trp22 mutant, CD4 remains integrally associated with the ER membrane, suggesting that dislocation from the ER into the cytosol is impaired. CD4 Gly415, on the other hand, contributes to CD4-Vpu interactions. We also identify two residues, Val20 and Ser23, in the Vpu TMD that mediate retention of Vpu and, by extension, CD4 in the ER. These findings highlight the exploitation of several TMD-mediated mechanisms by HIV-1 Vpu in order to downregulate CD4 and thus promote viral pathogenesis.


The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ) adapted to the Greek language. The sample consisted of 586 male and female volleyball players of elite and regional level status. Data were analysed from three time points of a competitive season. For each time point, seven competing first-order and second-order factor structures were subjected to confirmatory factor analyses. The results revealed that the Greek GEQ demonstrated high internal reliability coefficients, good convergent validity and, for most of the competing models, acceptable fit indices. However, very high factor correlations rendered problematic the discriminant validity of the questionnaire. Multisample analyses examining the invariance of the seven models across competitive level and gender revealed that the models were largely invariant. Further psychometric testing is needed to examine whether the Greek GEQ relates to conceptually important personal and team correlates of group cohesion.


The compressive strength, modulus and stress-strain behaviour of rapid-hardening sulfoaluminate cement concrete were evaluated as functions of the temperature increase. The compressive strength decreased from 51.3 to 31.1 MPa (around a 39 % reduction) as the temperature increased from 20 °C to 300 °C while the specimens burst at 400 °C before being removed from the furnace. A significant change in the stress-strain behaviour was noticed with an increasing temperature. For the control specimens (20 °C), linear elastic behaviour was followed by plastic deformation before reaching the peak stress prior to failure, but for higher temperatures, the modulus of elasticity was up to 85 % lower and was characterised by a gradually decreasing slope until failure. The micro-structural changes detected by SEM, DTG/TG and XRD were consistent with this pattern. The degree of cracking at the interfacial transition zone and crack-width growth detected by SEM followed a clear trend with the increasing temperature. The transformation of the primary hydration products (e.g., ettringite and Al(OH)3) as detected by XRD and DTG/TG provides a useful explanation of the strength reduction with the increasing temperature up to 300 °C. The vapour pressure evolvement within the specimens at elevated temperatures correlates well with the reduced strength and modulus of elasticity, with a very intense effect at 400 °C.