By the Langmuir-Blodgett(LB) technique, the zinc ion containing multilayer was prepared by transferring the zinc acetate, spread on the surface of subphase of ultrapure water and stearic acid-chloroform mixtures, onto a hydrophilic silicon wafer or glass plate. Then the multilayer was converted into ZnO ultrathin films after pre-heating and annealing. The optimized parameters for monolayer formation, such as concentration of subphase, barrier speed and spreading volume, were determined by the measurement of the surface pressure-surface area (Π-A) isotherms. The expended areas after deposition with zinc ions inferred the interaction of stearic acid with zinc ion during the formation of monolayer at air-water interface. The optimized parameters for multilayer deposition, such as surface pressure and lifting speed were determined by the measurement of the transfer coefficient. The X-ray diffraction(XRD) was used to investigate the crystal structures of ZnO nanoparticles and ultrathin film. The surface morphologies of the LB multilayer and ultrathin film were observed by the atomic force microscopy (AFM). A uniform and flat surface of ZnO ultrathin film within nanometer ranges(<35nm) were obtained.


Abstract Synthetic dual-Doppler (SDD) is a single-Doppler analysis technique that combines measurements from two different times, provided the viewing angle changes significantly. In this study, the viability of the SDD technique is investigated through comparisons with dual-Doppler analyses. Three case studies are used for the comparisons: a mature gust front, a supercell thunderstorm, and a developing squall line. An attempt to internally establish the efficacy of SDD analyses is made by examining the temporal correlation of the single-Doppler reflectivity fields and by comparing wind fields derived from similar synthetic analyses. Results indicate that the SDD technique may be practical for the estimation of mean velocity fields of certain quasi-steady phenomena. The similarity of the SDD and conventional dual-Doppler results were found to be sensitive to the time between the two volume scans used in the SDD analyses, the angle subtended by the event, and the radii of influence of the Cressman weightin...


BACKGROUND
It has generally been assumed that spinal manipulation has the biomechanical effect of increasing spinal range of motion. Past research has shown that there are likely no lasting changes to passive range of motion, and it is unclear whether there is an increase in active range of motion after manipulation.

OBJECTIVE
To study changes in active cervical range of motion after spinal manipulation of the cervical spine.

DESIGN
A double-blind randomized controlled trial at the outpatient clinic Phillip Chiropractic Research Centre, RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia.

METHODS
One hundred five patients with cervicogenic headache were randomized into 2 groups. After a baseline observation period, Group 2 received manipulation (toggle recoil) to the cervical spine, whereas Group 1 received sham manipulation. In the next trial phase, Group 1 received manipulation, whereas Group 2 received no treatment. This was followed by the final trial phase, in which Group 2 received sham manipulation and Group 1 received no treatment. After each trial phase, active range of cervical motion was measured with a strap-on head goniometer by 2 blinded examiners.

RESULTS
After receiving spinal manipulation, active range of motion in the cervical spine increased significantly (P < .0006) in Group 2 compared with Group 1, and this difference between the treatment groups disappeared after the third trial phase in which Group 1 also received manipulation, as expected.

CONCLUSION
Spinal manipulation of the cervical spine increases active range of motion.


Fetal hemorrhages were observed when late term pregnant female mice were exposed to a lithotripter field with peak positive pressures as low as 1 MPa. On the 18th day of gestation, the abdomens of pregnant mice were exposed to 200 pulses from a piezoelectric lithotripter delivered at a rate of ∼ 1 Hz. Hemorrhages occurred in the exposed fetuses most often near bony and cartilagenous tissues—head, limbs, and ribs—while soft tissues such as the liver, intestine, and stomach were relatively free of hemorrhage. Thresholds for these effects were < 1 MPa.


We demonstrate the use of a program that generates conjectures about positions of the combinatorial game Chomp—explanations of why certain moves are bad. These could be used in the design of a Chomp-playing program that gives reasons for its moves. We prove one of these Chomp conjectures—demonstrating that our conjecturing program can produce genuine Chomp knowledge.
The conjectures are generated by a general purpose conjecturing program that was previously and successfully used to generate mathematical conjectures. Our program is initialized with Chomp invariants and example game boards—the conjectures take the form of invariant-relation statements interpreted to be true for all board positions of a certain kind. The conjectures describe a theory of Chomp positions.
The program uses limited, natural input and suggests how theories generated on-the-fly might be used in a variety of situations where decisions—based on reasons—are required.


This paper presents an approach to provide stochastic bounds for a large class of optimisation problems on graphs when the parameters (i.e. costs, weights or delays) for links are random variables. We consider the class of problems which are based on convex operators and whose complexity is polynomial, when the parameters are deterministic. Here, the parameters (for instance the delay of a link) are discrete random variables. Such an assumption drastically changes the complexity of the problem (typically, the problems turn out unfortunately to be NP-complete). We propose to give stochastic bounds (both upper and lower bounds) based on convex order. First, we prove how we can simplify a discrete distribution to obtain bounding distributions which are easier to deal with, leading to a tradeoff between the computation complexity and the accuracy of the bounds. Second, we design a polynomial time algorithm to compute an upper bound. The approach is illustrated by the computation of the execution time of a task graph.


BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
Heat shock protein 47 (Hsp47), a collagen-specific molecular chaperone, is involved in the processing and/or secretion of procollagen. Heat shock protein 47 is consistently and dramatically upregulated in a variety of fibrotic diseases. The aim of this study was to compare Hsp47 expression in normal gingival tissues and cyclosporine A-induced gingival overgrowth specimens and further explore the potential mechanisms that may lead to induction of Hsp47 expression.

MATERIAL AND METHODS
Fifteen cyclosporine A-induced gingival overgrowth specimens and five normal gingival tissues were examined by immunohistochemistry. Western blot was used to investigate the effects of cyclosporine A on the expression of Hsp47 in human gingival fibroblasts. In addition, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha) and mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor U0126 were added to seek the possible regulatory mechanisms of Hsp47 expression.

RESULTS
A significantly higher percentage of cells positively stained for Hsp47 was noted in the cyclosporine A-induced gingival overgrowth group than in the normal gingival group (p < 0.05). Expression of Hsp47 was observed mainly in the cytoplasm of fibroblasts, endothelial cells, epithelial cells and inflammatory cells. Expression of Hsp47 was significantly higher in cyclosporine A-induced gingival overgrowth specimens with higher levels of inflammatory infiltrates (p < 0.05). Cyclosporine A upregulated Hsp47 expression in human gingival fibroblasts in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05). The addition of A. actinomycetemcomitans or interleukin-1 alpha significantly increased Hsp47 expression compared with cyclosporine A alone (p < 0.05). The MEK inhibitor U0126 was found to inhibit cyclosporine A-induced Hsp47 expression (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION
Expression of Hsp47 is significantly upregulated in cyclosporine A-induced gingival overgrowth specimens, and Hsp47 expression induced by cyclosporine A in fibroblasts may be mediated by the MEK signal transduction pathway. The expression of Hsp47 could be significantly enhanced by A. actinomycetemcomitans and interleukin-1 alpha.


This paper is an enquiry into the logical, metaphysical, and physical possibility of time travel understood in the sense of the existence of closed worldlines that can be traced out by physical objects. We argue that none of the purported paradoxes rule out time travel either on grounds of logic or metaphysics. More relevantly, modern spacetime theories such as general relativity seem to permit models that feature closed worldlines. We discuss, in the context of Godel's infamous argument for the ideality of time based on his eponymous spacetime, what this apparent physical possibility of time travel means. Furthermore, we review the recent literature on so-called time machines, i.e., of devices that produce closed worldlines where none would have existed otherwise. Finally, we investigate what the implications of the quantum behaviour of matter for the possibility of time travel might be and explicate in what sense time travel might be possible according to leading contenders for full quantum theories of gravity such as string theory and loop quantum gravity.


The decission "to speak", that is, to begin an utterance in an informal interactive situation, conveys information about decissions of the speaker, but also about those of other participants, especially when the outcome of that act--whether in fact the subject was allowed to "ocupy the channel", etc.--is analyzed. This variable seems to be of relevance for the study of the development of what has been named in the literature on communication the "definition of the relationship". In this paper, the decission to speak is explored both descriptively as well as through the dicussion of the result of a research project on interactional processes.


This study evaluated the mechanism of valvular area expansion during single- and double-balloon valvuloplasty in fibrotic and calcific mitral valves. Special interest was focused on the morphological features of the valves treated. Mitral valves that appeared unsuitable for commissurotomy were excised in toto at the time of mitral valve replacement in 15 patients. The excised valves were mounted in a fluid-filled chamber with a window for photographic evaluation. The chamber was perfused continuously to ensure maximal valvular opening. The valve was photographed, and the orifice area was measured before and after balloon expansion. In addition, the specimens were examined macroscopically and radiographically with regard to calcium content and degree and localization of fibrosis. These data were correlated with splitting of commissures and with rupture of leaflets. Nine valves were fibrotic, and six were calcific. Dilatation was performed first with a single-balloon catheter (diameter, 2 cm) and then with a double-balloon catheter (diameter, 2 and 1.5 cm). After dilatation with one balloon, the average mitral valve area increased from 0.79 to 1.09 cm2, and with two balloons, average area increased to 1.59 cm2. The single-balloon technique caused commissural splitting in nine valves, stretching in three, partial leaflet rupture in one, and no change in two. After the double-balloon technique, commissural splitting occurred in 12 valves and three leaflets were ruptured where severe fibrosis and calcification were mainly located within the commissures. As a rule, after dilatation with the single-balloon technique, the remaining stenosis was still severe, and after dilatation with the double-balloon technique, the remaining stenosis was moderate.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)


The so-called "gig-economy" has been growing exponentially in numbers and importance in recent years but its impact on labour rights has been largely overlooked. Forms of work in the "gig-economy" include "crowdwork", and "work-on-demand via apps", under which the demand and supply of working activities is matched online or via mobile apps. These forms of work can provide a good match of job opportunities and allow flexible working schedules. However, they can also pave the way to a severe commodification of work. This paper discusses the implications of this commodification and advocates the full recognition of activities in the gig-economy as "work".


We develop a fast approximation algorithm called rounded dynamic programming (RDP) for stochastic network design problems on directed trees. The underlying model describes phenomena that spread away from the root of a tree, for example, the spread of influence in a hierarchical organization or fish in a river network. Actions can be taken to intervene in the network—for some cost—to increase the probability of propagation along an edge. Our algorithm selects a set of actions to maximize the overall spread in the network under a limited budget. We prove that the algorithm is a fully polynomial-time approximation scheme (FPTAS), that is, it finds (1−ε)-optimal solutions in time polynomial in the input size and 1/ε. We apply the algorithm to the problem of allocating funds efficiently to remove barriers in a river network so fish can reach greater portions of their native range. Our experiments show that the algorithm is able to produce near-optimal solutions much faster than an existing technique.


Discussion surrounding the inclusion of mobile devices in K-12 classrooms has escalated since the early 2000s, and the literature base dedicated to mobile devices, mobile-learning, and e-learning has likewise grown. The majority of the research related to mobile devices and their inclusion in educational settings has largely revolved around efficacy and mobile-learning management systems. Additionally, several largescale surveys have been conducted to assess the perceptions of students, teachers, parents, and administrators concerning mobile devices in educational settings. Despite these efforts, relatively little is known about students' perceptions of how they would use mobile devices, if given the chance, and the realities surrounding their actual use when given the opportunity. This research surveyed 458 middle-school students regarding their perceptions of how they would use mobile devices, if given the opportunity, during school. Students were allowed to use mobile devices during a two-week engineering design unit and asked to report their actual use of mobile devices. Several gaps between perceptions of how mobile devices would be used and the actual use by students emerged. Students did not use mobile-devices as often as they planned and student use, or lack thereof, displayed a potential disconnect between ways mobile devices are being marketed for use in K-12 classrooms and the ways mobile devices will actually be used by students.


This research positions itself as an historical and cultural event taking place at a particular time and in a particular form for reasons which span the political, philosophical and personal. Its subject matter is the claim of some home educating parents that their children learn to read without being taught. Rather than treating such children as exceptions to an established educational norm, this thesis rethinks learning to read through parent's understandings of literacy learning based on meanings assigned to key concepts such as 'child', 'teaching' and 'reading' and on the rhizomatic structure which relates these concepts to each other and to political, ideological and epistemological understandings. This alternative perspective creates a space; physical, temporal and theoretical, in which different interpretations of learning, such as those invited by complexity theory, become open to consideration. In doing this the technological view that reading is achieved through a series of enabling inputs conducted in a particular socio-cultural environment is challenged on both philosophical and empirical grounds. However, this exploration is in turn, directed and restricted by the epistemological assumptions underpinning the PhD as the objectification of intellectual excellence. This thesis considers these restrictions and the contribution research can make given them.


Objective. To examine the health behavior changes and mental-health and job-related outcomes of school-based employees over 2 years while participating in a worksite wellness program. Method. All participants in this analysis (n = 1,873) were employees of a large public school district in the western United States and voluntarily enrolled in a comprehensive wellness program. Exercise level, fruit and vegetable consumption, restful sleep, smoking, alcohol consumption, self-rated health, mental health-related outcomes (stress, depression, life-satisfaction, and loneliness), and job-related outcomes (job performance, absenteeism, job-related satisfaction) are reported. Results. There was an increase in days and minutes/week exercised, fruit/vegetable consumption, days per week of restful sleep, and a decrease in alcohol consumption (ps < .037) over 2 years. Among those who reported smoking, the number of days smoked increased after 1 year but then dropped below baseline levels at year 2 (p < .0001). Several mental health-related outcomes improved (ps < .033); however, job performance was slightly lower (↓ 2%), and the other job-related outcomes were unchanged. Conclusion. School employees may benefit from a comprehensive worksite wellness program, particularly to improve health behaviors. However, mental health and job-related outcome results were mixed over 2 years.


: We present a case of bilateral avascular necrosis at the hips of a HIV-positive male, without other predisposing antecedents. The only relevant analytic data was the positivity of anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL AB). We discuss the possibility that both in this case as in those previously described, HIV may have played a main role in the development of osteonecrosis.


In this work, data are presented about spatial use and behaviour of Iberian brown frog (Rana iberica) during and after the breeding season in Pontevedra (north-western Spain). Field data were collected between November 2008 and February 2010 at a human-altered stream. The results suggest that there was a change in habitat use between the breeding and the non-breeding seasons. Rana iberica individuals concentrated in the upper part of the stream during the breeding season (November-March), moving to lower parts of the stream during late spring and summer. The estimated monthly frog abundance was inversely correlated to the recorded mean daily minimum temperatures.


This article critically reviews a range of theoretical approaches to cross-national employment research in terms of universal, culturalist and intermediary perspectives. These approaches have difficulty accounting for change and the co- existence of similarity and diversity, as well as being 'gender blind'. Debates on the welfare state or women's employment have shown more interest in gender although this tends to become an optional variable in the cross-national comparison, or where there have been attempts to make it more central, the meaning of cross-national differences becomes blurred and confused. It is argued that an employment-systems approach, coupled with the gender order perspective, can provide a useful framework of analysis which enables us to identify how comparable pressures for change have generated specific interest coalitions; these coalitions resolve conflicts by agreeing on a particular gender compromise.


Most of the innovation adoption framework in an organization ends at the adoption stage. For an innovation to be acculturated by the organization, there should be an on-going effort of assimilation to further create the impact and value of the innovation usage. Being the most important organization entity in Open Government Data (OGD) innovation, continuous adoption of OGD in public sector is crucial. OGD innovation must be incorporated into the public sectors to fully secure the benefits. Therefore, the aim of this article is to examines the important issues and challenges of OGD adoption in public sectors and identified factors that could contribute to post-adoption stage. Drawing from Technology-Organization-Environment framework and unified framework of post-adoption activities, this paper also intended to find gaps in OGD implementation in public sector to design and propose solutions.


In coastal wetlands, invasive plants often act as ecosystem engineers altering flow, light and sediments which, in turn, can affect benthic animal communities. However, the degree of influence of the engineer will vary significantly as it grows, matures and senesces, and surprisingly little is known about how the influence of an ecosystem engineer varies with ontogeny. We address this issue on the tidal flats of San Francisco Bay where hybrid Spartina (foliosa · alterniflora) invaded 30 years ago. The invasion has altered the physico-chemical properties of the sediment habitat, which we predicted should cause changes in macrofaunal community structure and function. Through mensurative and manipulative approaches we investigated the influence of different growth stages of hybrid Spartina on macrobenthos and the underlying mechanisms. Cross-elevation sampling transects were established covering 5 zones (or stages) of the invasion, running from the tidal flat (pre-invasion) to an unvegetated dieback zone. Additionally, we experimentally removed aboveground plant structure in the mature (inner) marsh to mimic the 'unvegetated areas'. Our results revealed four distinct faunal assemblages, which reflected Spartina-induced changes in the corresponding habitat properties along an elevation gradient: a pre-invaded tidal flat, a leading edge of immature invasion, a center of mature invasion, and a senescing dieback area. These stages of hybrid Spartina invasion were accompanied by a substantial reduction in macrofaunal species richness and an increase in dominance, as well as a strong shift in feeding modes, from surface microalgal feeders to subsurface detritus/ Spartina feeders (mainly tubificid oligochaetes and capitellid polychaetes). Knowledge of the varying influence of plant invaders on the sediment ecosystem during different phases of invasion is critical for management of coastal wetlands.


Gullfaks is one of the major hydrocarbon producing fields in the Norwegian continental shelf. This field has a quite complex geology which makes routine seismic interpretation a challenging task for understanding the reservoir properties such as lithology and fluid content. Post-stack seismic inversion has proven to be a reliable tool for detailed understanding of the reservoir especially for lithological identification. In this study, post-stack seismic inversion method was used on acoustic and elastic impedance models to build an inverted impedance model. For this purpose, three horizons were interpreted from the reservoir zone to determine geological inputs for the model. Check shot survey was used to build synthetic traces which were then tied to the real seismic data. Two initial impedance models were then build i.e. acoustic initial impedance model and elastic initial model at zero degree angles. Four different inversion algorithms were applied to invert the initial models and their results were compared. The inverted models showed high vertical resolution with high signal to noise ratio, giving an excellent visualization of the reservoir zone.


Breast cancer is now the most common cancer both in developed and developing countries. It is also the leading cause of cancer-related deaths among females in economically developing countries. Additionally, breast cancer among African women is quite aggressive and progressive in nature, and often occurs earlier in life. This, coupled with the fact that African women make up one of the fastest growing immigrant population in the United States and immigrants have been shown to have lower rates of mammogram uptake, warrants scientific inquiry about how to effectively promote awareness and support breast cancer early detection and prevention practices in this population. Using Intervention Mapping (IM), a systematic approach to intervention development, recommendations for a program to promote breast health among African immigrant women in the United States will be presented. Final program recommendations are grounded in current scientific literature on breast health promotion strategies, qualitative formative research through semi-structured interviews with women, and theoretical considerations. The resultant program is a comprehensive, multilevel, evidence-based, culturally-appropriate and theory-driven educational curriculum for African immigrant women. Performance objectives (e.g., "obtain an annual mammogram") will be specified, and behavioral determinants (e.g. knowledge, attitude and self-efficacy) will be discussed as part of a detailed matrix of change objectives for African immigrant women and community leaders. Innovative approaches, theoretical methods and practical strategies, in addition to program materials and activities, will also be described. Citation Format: Ebun O. Odeneye. Breast health promotion among African immigrant women: Intervention recommendations. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2013 Oct 27-30; National Harbor, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2013;6(11 Suppl): Abstract nr B18.


This essay on the German poet Stefan George and his poetry book The Star of the Covenant (1914) is part of a broader study of literary models of an ethics of the self in the context of governmental practices. For George and his circle of followers, the particular lines of this context can be seen to emerge in a fusion of sociology and aestheticism at the fin de siècle, a fusion which George, who in his eighth book of poetry takes on the role of a lawgiving authority, tries to transmute in order to regain an ethical and a governmental function for literature. A critical reading of The Star of the Covenant, however, will have to examine whether George's attempt to achieve a return to ethics also implies a return to the self.


Evolving the database that is at the core of an Information System represents a difficult maintenance problem that has only been studied in the framework of traditional information systems. However, the problem is likely to be even more severe in web information systems, where open-source software is often developed through the contributions and collaboration of many groups and individuals. Therefore, in this paper, we present an indepth analysis of the evolution history of the Wikipedia database and its schema; Wikipedia is the best-known example of a large family of web information systems built using the open-source software MediaWiki. Our study is based on: (i) a set of Schema Modification Operators that provide a simple conceptual representation for complex schema changes, and (ii) simple software tools to automate the analysis. This framework allowed us to dissect and analyze the 4.5 years of Wikipedia history, which was short in time, but intense in terms of growth and evolution. Beyond confirming the initial hunch about the severity of the problem, our analysis suggests the need for developing better methods and tools to support graceful schema evolution. Therefore, we briefly discuss documentation and automation support systems for database evolution, and suggest that the Wikipedia case study can provide the kernel of a benchmark for testing and improving such systems.


Ratios of cholestanol, campesterol, and sitosterol to cholesterol in serum are known to reflect cholesterol absorption efficiency. Here, a possible link between these ratios and biliary secretion rates of cholesterol was investigated. Biliary lipid secretion rates and serum sterols were determined in 13 patients with gallstones. Seven were treated with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) (1,000 mg/d). Serum cholesterol and non-cholesterol sterols were also measured in a cross over study in 20 healthy volunteers, who received either placebo or UDCA (750 mg/d). Biliary cholesterol secretion was significantly lower, whereas the non-cholesterol sterols and their ratio to cholesterol were higher in patients with gallstones treated with UDCA. A highly significant negative linear correlation between the ratios of non-cholesterol sterols to cholesterol and biliary cholesterol secretion was observed. In volunteers, administration of UDCA for 4 weeks was followed by a significant increase in non-cholesterol sterols and their ratios. Even 4 weeks after discontinuing UDCA administration, campesterol and sitosterol were still significantly higher than pretreatment levels, which was also true for the campesterol-cholesterol ratio after 8 weeks. The results suggest that the ratios of cholestanol, campesterol, and sitosterol to cholesterol can be used as indicators of changes in biliary cholesterol secretion rates.


Dimensional models of personality have typically sought to explore personality structure principally from a descriptive perspective, and as such make for effective personality taxonomies. Fortunately, personality research is currently in transition, with researchers looking towards more complex, scientifically derived theories of personality in an attempt to learn about the biological and cognitive mechanisms underlying surface level personality dimensions. The purpose of the current research program was to test numerous structural models of the relationship between two bio-cognitive models of personality and indices of workplace behaviour. It was argued that Cloninger, Svrakic and Przybeck's (1993) scales of personality can be modelled according to an approach/avoidance framework, and that character dimensions mediate temperament in the prediction of important workplace behaviours. It was also argued that Jackson's (2005) scales of personality can be modelled according to an approach framework, and that Goal Orientation mediates Sensation Seeking in the prediction of important workplace behaviours.

Chapter 1 begins with a brief introduction to the study of personality from the trait perspective. This is followed by a brief overview of well known biological models of personality (e.g., Eysenck, 1967; Gray, 1982, 1987), leading to a more in depth discussion of both Cloninger et al.'s (1993) and Jackson's (2005) models of personality. Cloninger et al.'s (1993) model is comprehensively reviewed and critiqued, based on clinical, genetic, psychometric and neurological research. A complex, structural model of Cloninger's et al.'s (1993) scales of personality is then proposed. It is argued that Cloninger et al.'s dimensions can be modelled along an approach and avoidance theme, and that character mediates temperament in the prediction of important workplace behaviours. The introduction concludes with an overview of Jackson's (2005) model, and key similarities between Jackson's model and the proposed structural model of Cloninger et al.'s dimensions are highlighted. The introduction focuses on justifying the proposed mediation between temperament and character in the prediction of workplace variables.

Chapter's 2, 3 and 4 provide empirical tests of the key hypotheses outlined in the introduction. In chapter 2, an initial, basic test of Cloninger et al.'s model was conducted, whereby the model was compared to the Big Five (Costa & McCrae, 1985) in its ability to predict leadership emergence. It was found that a substantial portion of the variance in leadership emergence was trait based, and that that the multilevel model incorporating Cloninger et al.'s (1993) dimensions provided the best fit. The purpose of chapter 3 was to assess the proposed structural model of Cloninger et al.'s (1993) personality dimensions, and to assess the utility of the model in the prediction of workplace outcomes. The results of the two studies presented in this chapter were generally consistent with the proposed structure of Cloninger et al.'s dimensions. Cloninger et al.'s model was also found to significantly predict several workplace outcomes.

In chapter 4, an alternative model of temperament and character was explored. Jackson's (2005) model suggests that Goal Orientation mediates Sensation Seeking in the prediction of functional behaviours (i.e. an approach pathway). In this chapter, two central components of the model were tested across two studies. Regression analyses in both studies generally supported the proposed model and were consistent with the theme that character mediates temperament in the prediction of workplace variables.

A number of conclusions are made from this research. Firstly, it is argued that biological models of personality, particularly Cloninger et al.'s and Jackson's have utility in the area of Organisational Psychology. It is argued that models of personality which recognise the differential influence of temperament and character are likely to lead to a number of accurate and interesting implications. Specifically, it is suggested that dimensions of character are more open to training and intervention than are temperament dimensions.


THE children's magazine was practically dead a few years ago, in fact during the war there was scarcely one worth buying, and there was a real need for something in this class. While books will always have first place, educationists and all interested in children's reading will agree that good periodical literature is a useful adjunct. On account of its regular appearance it encourages the habit of continuous reading among children who are sometimes lured away by out‐door activities in the summer, and by cinema clubs and other distractions in the winter. A good magazine, too, introduces children to a variety of subjects and types of story, thus widening their reading interests before their minds become set. It may be a vehicle for presenting current affairs in a form more suitable than in the daily papers, as has been the policy of The Children's Newspaper for nearly thirty years. A recent issue covered a variety of news calculated to interest boys and girls—a boy's journey by canoe across South America, the erection of a statue to Robin Hood (who probably comes first amongst boyhood's heroes), science news, a report on the United Nations meeting at Lake Success and an editorial on the subject, an explanation of inflation, wages and prices, a photograph of a model of the new House of Commons, articles on Jeremy Bentham, astronomy, the new constitution of Malaya, as well as other features, jokes, and snippets of information. This is good value and would doubtless enliven a current affairs lesson at school, but, as a magazine for general reading and entertainment, it is rather too serious. It is the kind of periodical that parents and well‐meaning friends think their children ought to read, but do they really read it from cover to cover, or do they only pick out the lighter bits ? As a news‐sheet of information it is excellent, but the production and layout would need to be more attractive to make it a favourite.


Synchronous and asynchronous operation of software systems are defined. It is argued that certifying the correct operation of a system in the synchronous mode is significantly simpler than in the asynchronous mode. A series of compile-time and run-time restrictions for systems constructed in Concuirent Pascal are presented which assure equivalent operation in the synchronous and asynchronous modes.


PURPOSE OF REVIEW
The aim of this article is to review recent findings on the pathophysiology of idiopathic changes in intracranial pressure. The review will focus on idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) and spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH).

RECENT FINDINGS
Substantial evidence indicates that IIH is associated with delayed absorption of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Stenoses of the transverse sinus are common in IIH, but their clinical significance has not been entirely clarified. Despite the observed efficacy of endovascular treatment in some IIH patients, a correlation between the extent of observed stenoses and the clinical course of the disease could not be demonstrated. The underlying cause of SIH is a spontaneous CSF leakage into the epidural space. Conservative treatment and the epidural blood patch remain the treatment of choice for this rare syndrome.

SUMMARY
Recent clinical evidence indicates that IIH is probably a result of CSF outflow abnormality rather than of CSF production. Further research is needed to elucidate the causes of elevated intracranial pressure and the mechanism leading to visual loss. Prospective randomized clinical trials are needed to clarify a possible therapeutic potential of endovascular treatment. Research efforts on SIH should focus further on associated connective tissue disorders predisposing to CSF leaks.


Direct Air Capture (DAC) is an important solution to curb global warming and enable a circular economy. As fossil fuels dwindle, carbon for commodities such as plastic, cement, steel and liquid fuel, will need to come from somewhere. With the low cost of industrial CO2 (roughly $80 a ton) as well as the low value of most carbon credits, making DAC-produced CO2 competitive at scale is almost impossible. But what if we could scale DAC processes in markets that make sense now, building on learnings as we go while making industries less carbon intensive? The first such application is air quality and energy efficiency in indoor spaces. DAC technology can stabilize CO2 and water levels inside indoor environments to enhance the recirculation rate of internal air, thereby saving significant energy for the HVAC. Another application is the use of small-scale DAC units—providing CO2 at the scale of kilos a day rather than tons, taking advantage of the high CO2 price at that scale as well as B2C markets that otherwise rely on bottled CO2. The approach is called Decentralised DAC or DDAC (analogous to decentralised solar). DAC processes need to be developed but to scale our learnings and drive down costs, we must fund R&D and introduce a significant carbon tax. Finally, interesting new developments such as electro-swing and humidity-swing carbon capture, have the potential to drastically decrease the energy footprint of DAC (its main cost driver), paving the way to making DAC affordable.


ABSTRACT Despite the importance of indigenous people in the Arctic, there is no accurate estimate of their size and distribution. We defined indigenous people as those groups represented by the "permanent participants" of the Arctic Council. The census in Canada, Russia and the United States records status as an indigenous person. In Greenland, a proxy measure is place of birth supplemented by other information. For the Nordic countries we utilized a variety of sources including registered voters' lists of the various Sami parliaments and research studies that established Sami cohorts. Overall, we estimated that there were about 1.13 million indigenous people in the northern regions of the 8 Member States of the Arctic Council. There were 8,100 Aleuts in Alaska and the Russian North; 32,400 Athabaskans in Alaska and northern Canada; 145,900 Inuit in Alaska, northern Canada and Greenland; 76,300 Sami in northern Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russia; and 866,400 people in northern Russia belonging to other indigenous groups. Different degrees and types of methodological problems are associated with estimates from different regions. Our study highlights the complexity and difficulty of the task and the considerable gaps in knowledge. We hope to spur discussion of this important issue which could ultimately affect strategies to improve the health of circumpolar peoples.


Importance Together with the forehead reconstruction, feminization of the nose is one of the most common procedures in facial feminization surgery. Rhinoplasty surgical techniques, which provide correct support and stability in the midterm to long term, are essential for obtaining a predictable result. Objective To report on the technical and clinical considerations of rhinoplasty and related procedures to feminize the nose, harmonize the nose in relation to the other modified structures (mainly the forehead and maxillomandibular complex), and achieve an aesthetic result beyond gender differences. Design, Setting, and Participants Case series study of feminization rhinoplasties, in combination with lip-lift techniques, forehead reconstruction, and other procedures, were performed at a private practice between January 11, 2010, and May 29, 2015, in 200 consecutive male-to-female transgender patients. The mean (SD) medical follow-up for patients was 32 (18.84) months (range, 12-77 months). Frontonasal angles were objectively measured. Postoperative and long-term patient satisfaction were assessed. Main Outcomes and Measures Clinical analysis and evaluation using the 5-point Nose Feminization Scale, with 1 indicating very masculine or nose is worse and 5 indicating very feminine or exceptional result. Results In these 200 patients, the mean (SD) age was 40.2 (12.2) years (range, 18-70 years). The mean (SE) frontonasal angle changed from 133.64° (0.63°) to 149.08° (0.57°) (difference in means, −15.44; 95% CI, −17.12 to −13.76; P < .001). Most patients considered their nose to appear more feminine after the surgery, and the degree of satisfaction after the rhinoplasty was 4 (much better) of 5 points on the Nose Feminization Scale. During the evaluation of feminization rhinoplasties, special attention was given to how the nose relates to other features essential to the identification of facial gender: the forehead and maxillomandibular complex. Emphasis was placed on the midterm to long-term stability of the results by reinforcing the internal structure. Conclusions and Relevance In this case series of feminization rhinoplasties in combination with lip-lift techniques and forehead reconstruction, frontonasal angles were changed, and patient satisfaction with outcomes was high. The main goal of rhinoplasty in facial feminization surgery is to obtain feminine nasal features and the harmonization of the nose with the rest of the face. Lip-lifts and frontonasal recontouring can complement rhinoplasties associated with facial feminization surgery. Level of Evidence 4.


The standard international tax model is extended to allow for heterogeneous firms when agglomeration forces are important thus allowing us to study the relocation effects of taxes that vary according to firm size. We show that allowing for heterogeneity permits a given tax scheme to have an endogenously different effect on the location decision of small and big firms, with the biggest firms being endogenously more likely to relocate in reaction to high taxes. We show that a reform which flattens the tax-firm-size profile can raise tax revenue without inducing any relocation.


This paper deals with investigating experimentally the effects of PWHT on the weld quality such as strength, toughness, hardness and micro-structure of the welded joints in friction welding of torsion bar material SUP9A bar to bar. The results obtained are summarized as follows; 1) It was certified that the condition of the post-weld heat treatment(PWHT) for the friction welded joints was very satisfactory because both strength and toughness of the joints were improved as almost same as those of the base metal or better by the PWHT. 2) The peak of hardness distribution of the friction welded joints can be eliminated by PWHT, resulting in being almost equalized at the weld interface, the HAZ(heat affected zone) and the base metal. 3) The micro-structure of the base meta., HAZ and weld interface(WI) of friction welded joints welded at the optimum welding condition consists of the same sorbite structure obtained by PWHT and fined sorbite at WI, resulting in increasing toughness as well as strength, and no micro structural defect has been found at the friction welded zone.


Introduction: Spirometry, the standard method to diagnose COPD, has poor sensitivity for early emphysema. This may delay diagnosis and lead to a poorer prognosis. Nanoparticles are deposited in the lungs by diffusion only, which makes their deposition depend on time and diffusion distance in distal airspaces. Aim: To determine whether emphysema can be identified and graded according to nanoparticle deposition after a single inhalation. Emphysema patients are expected to have reduced deposition relative to controls, due to a larger diffusion distance in enlarged distal airspaces. Further, we expect a correlation between disease severity and nanoparticle deposition. Methods: 22 patients with COPD and 15 normal subjects underwent Airspace Dimension Test (ADT) and spirometry after bronchodilation. ADT is performed as a single, maximal inhalation of nanoaerosol. Particle concentration is measured in the inhaled aerosol and an alveolar sample exhaled after a standardised breath-hold. The difference in particle concentration reflects deposition. CT was performed in the patient group. The images were reconstructed and processed with syngo.via Pulmo3D software to perform CT densitometric analysis. Low attenuation regions were quantified as the 15th percentile point (PD15). Results: All COPD patients fulfilled the GOLD criteria, while all healthy subjects had normal spirometry. There was highly significant difference in deposition of nanoparticles between the two groups (p Conclusion: The ADT can identify emphysema in patients with COPD. The results show a correlation to the extent of emphysema as measured by CT densitometry.


Both arytenoid subluxation and recurrent laryngeal nerve paralysis (RLNP) may result from injury to the larynx, and they may be difficult to distinguish clinically. A patient with arytenoid subluxation who was initially believed to have RLNP was treated with medialization laryngoplasty 1 year after the injury. Preoperative magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography effectively demonstrated the cricoarytenoid subluxation, which was confirmed by intraoperative electromyography (EMG) showing normal electrical activity in the thyroarytenoid muscle. Photographs from preoperative fiberoptic laryngoscopy are presented to identify the appearance of arytenoid subluxation. Computed tomographic findings and photographs from laryngoscopy of two patients with RLNP documented by intraoperative EMG evaluation are presented to help distinguish the clinical appearance of this disorder from arytenoid subluxation. An integrated approach to the diagnosis and treatment of arytenoid subluxation is presented.


This paper is focused on the strategies to motivating technical staff in Nigeria. Nigeria is an emerging economy with various challenges imposed by globalisation and climatic change agents. Strategies adopted and their efficacy in motivating technical staff are expected to result in better appreciating and handling of environmental/climatic changes, satisfaction and improved productivity of the staff. The study investigated the peculiar characteristics of technical staff, the effects of monetary rewards on the technical staff, the effects of 'private practice' and non-provision of work on technical staff. A sample of 110 technical staff was selected. The findings indicate that junior technical staff (artisans and foremen) preferred monetary rewards, while senior technical staff (technical officer cadre) preferred non-monetary rewards. More of the technical staff preferred provision of work and 'private practice' as motivational strategies/tools. It is concluded that a technical staff who is provided with work and who is allowed 'private practice' is more likely to be committed to his/her job and would avoid strike. It is recommended that technical staff should be given time of their own to engage in 'private practice' and should always be provided with job to avoid loss of skill.

 Key words: Emerging economy, monetary reward, private practice, climatic change.


Misinformation often continues to influence people's cognition even after corrected (the 'continued influence effect of misinformation', the CIEM). This study investigated the role of information relevance in the CIEM by questionnaire survey and experimental study. The results showed that information with higher relevance to the individuals had a larger CIEM, indicating a role of information relevance in the CIEM. Personal involvement might explain the effects of information relevance on the CIEM. This study provides insightful clues for reducing the CIEM in different types of misinformation and misinformation with varying relevance.


Expansions of trinucleotide repeats in DNA, a novel source of mutations associated with human disease, may arise by DNA replication slippage initiated by hairpin folding of primer or template strands containing such repeats. To evaluate the stability of single-strand folding by repeating triplets of DNA bases, thermal melting profiles of (CAG)10, (CTG)10, (GAC)10 and (GTC)10 strands are determined at low and physiological salt concentrations, and measurements of melting temperature and enthalpy change are made in each case. Comparisons are made to strands with three times as many repeats, (CAG)30 and (CTG)30. Evidence is presented for stable intrastrand folding by the CAG/CTG class of triplet repeats. Relative to the GAC/GTC class not associated with disease, the order of folding stability is found to be CTG > GAC approximately = CAG > GTC for 10 repeats. Surprisingly, the folds formed by 30 repeats of CTG or CAG have no higher melting temperature and are only 40% more stable in free energy than those formed by 10 repeats. This finding suggests that triplet expansions with higher repeat number may result from the formation of more folded structures with similar stability rather than fewer but longer folds of greater stability.


International comity is one of the principal foundations of U.S. foreign relations law. The doctrines of American law that mediate the relationship between the U.S. legal system and those of other nations are nearly all manifestations of international comity — from the conflict of laws to the presumption against extraterritoriality; from the recognition of foreign judgments to doctrines limiting adjudicative jurisdiction in international cases; and from a foreign government's privilege of bringing suit in the U.S. courts to the doctrines of foreign sovereign immunity. Yet international comity remains poorly understood. This article provides the first comprehensive account of international comity in American law. It has three goals: (1) to offer a better definition of international comity and an analytic framework for thinking about its manifestations in American law; (2) to explain the relationship between international comity and international law; and (3) to challenge two widespread myths — that international comity doctrines must take the form of standards rather than rules and that international comity determinations should be left to the executive branch.


Arterial myomedial cell cultures were grown from thoracic aortas of normal rabbits. The effect of normolipemic serum from young nonobese male juvenile diabetics on the production of procollagen type I, type III, and fibronectin was studied on nearly confluent primary cultures not treated with trypsin and incubated in the presence of [U-14C]-proline. The macromolecules were isolated from the incubation medium by ammonium sulfate precipitation, fractioned by DEAEcellulose chromatography and SDS urea-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and quantitated by liquid scintillation counting. Media containing diabetic serum enhanced the production of procollagen type I (P < 0.05). There was no effect on the elaboration of procollagen type III. Diabetic serum, however, stimulated the production of fibronectin (P < 0.005). There was no relationship between the glucose level and the amount of either procollagen type I or fibronectin. Growth medium supplemented with normal serum and extra glucose did not change the production of procollagen type III or fibronectin but decreased the elaboration of procollagen type I (P < 0.05). Addition of insulin (100 μU/ml) resulted in a significant decrease in procollagen type I, type III, and fibronectin elaboration (P < 0.05, P < 0.02). When ketones (0.2 mM) were added together with normal serum, no changes in the procollagens and fibronectin were observed. Supplementation of normal serum with human growth hormone (1 ng/ml) resulted in a significant increase in the production of procollagen type I (P < 0.02) and fibronectin (P < 0.01). The present results demonstrate that the factor(s) in normolipemic diabetic human serum enhancing theproduction of procollagen type I and fibronectin by arterial myomedial cell cultures cannot be imputed to glucose, insulin, or ketones, but leaves growth hormone as one possible factor The data may be relevant for the understanding of the development of human diabetic macroangiopathy.


Strategies for drug discovery and repositioning are an urgent need with respect to COVID-19. We developed "REDIAL-2020", a suite of machine learning models for estimating small molecule activity from molecular structure, for a range of SARS-CoV-2 related assays. Each classifier is based on three distinct types of descriptors (fingerprint, physicochemical, and pharmacophore) for parallel model development. These models were trained using high throughput screening data from the NCATS COVID19 portal (https://opendata.ncats.nih.gov/covid19/index.html), with multiple categorical machine learning algorithms. The "best models" are combined in an ensemble consensus predictor that outperforms single models where external validation is available. This suite of machine learning models is available through the DrugCentral web portal (http://drugcentral.org/Redial). Acceptable input formats are: drug name, PubChem CID, or SMILES; the output is an estimate of anti-SARS-CoV-2 activities. The web application reports estimated activity across three areas (viral entry, viral replication, and live virus infectivity) spanning six independent models, followed by a similarity search that displays the most similar molecules to the query among experimentally determined data. The ML models have 60% to 74% external predictivity, based on three separate datasets. Complementing the NCATS COVID19 portal, REDIAL-2020 can serve as a rapid online tool for identifying active molecules for COVID-19 treatment. The source code and specific models are available through Github (https://github.com/sirimullalab/redial-2020), or via Docker Hub (https://hub.docker.com/r/sirimullalab/redial-2020) for users preferring a containerized version.


Canned fish products are of increasing popularity in Australia; however current Australian nutrient databases do not include data on the percentage fish in these products. The objective of this study was to develop and validate a database of the percentage fish and seafood contained in common canned fish and seafood products, for use in clinical trials. Six major supermarkets in the Illawarra region, NSW were audited for canned seafood products, and a database of reported percentage fish and seafood was developed. Mean + SD of each type of product was then determined. To validate the database, a representative sample of canned tuna products were weighed according to Codex Alimentarius methods. The weighed percentage fish was compared to reported percentage via independent sample t-test and Mann-Whitney test. Percentage fish data was collected for n = 214 canned fish products. The mean percentage fish in tuna products was 60.4% + 11.3% (n = 144), 72.0% + 14.7% in salmon products (n = 31) and 70.9% + 9.3% in sardine products (n = 23). There was no significant difference between the reported and weighed percentage fish. This database highlighted the substantial proportion of additional ingredients found in canned fish products. Given the popularity of such products, future studies measuring fish consumption should use a similar database to accurately measure fish intake.


A variety of metaphors inspired by contemporary developments and issues in physics are identified as potentially helpful to theory and experiments directed at the mental lexicon. The developments are very much in respect to systems regarded as complex from the perspective of established physical explanation. The issues are primarily those associated with the context dependencies of properties and functions broadly evident in natural systems at both macroscopic and microscopic scales. Ideally, the metaphors may bring new questions, methods, principles, and formalisms to bear on the investigation of the mental lexicon. Minimally, they should enhance appreciation for the scientific challenges posed by the mental lexicon's diverse structures and functions.


Chlorine is one of the most abundant elements on the surface of the earth. Until recently, it was widely believed that all chlorinated organic compounds were xenobiotic, that chlorine does not participate in biological processes and that it is present in the environment only as chloride. However, over the years, research has revealed that chlorine takes part in a complex biogeochemical cycle, that it is one of the major elements of soil organic matter and that the amount of naturally formed organic chlorine present in the environment can be counted in tons per km(2). Interestingly enough, some of the pieces of the chlorine puzzle have actually been known for decades, but the information has been scattered among a number of different disciplines with little or no exchange of information. The lack of communication appears to be due to the fact that the points of departure in the various fields have not corresponded; a number of paradoxes are actually revealed when the known pieces of the chlorine puzzle are fit together. It appears as if a number of generally agreed statements or tacit understandings have guided perceptions, and that these have obstructed the understanding of the chlorine-cycle as a whole. The present review enlightens four paradoxes that spring up when some persistent tacit understandings are viewed in the light of recent work as well as earlier findings in other areas. The paradoxes illuminated in this paper are that it is generally agreed that: (1) chlorinated organic compounds are xenobiotic even though more than 1,000 naturally produced chlorinated compounds have been identified; (2) only a few, rather specialised, organisms are able to convert chloride to organic chlorine even though it appears as if the ability among organisms to transform chloride to organic chlorine is more the rule than the exception; (3) all chlorinated organic compounds are persistent and toxic even though the vast majority of naturally produced organic chlorine is neither persistent nor toxic; (4) chlorine is mainly found in its ionic form in the environment even though organic chlorine is as abundant or even more abundant than chloride in soil. Furthermore, the contours of the terrestrial chlorine cycle are outlined and put in a concrete form by constructing a rough chlorine budget over a small forested catchment. Finally, possible ecological roles of the turnover of chlorine are discussed.


Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the oxide layer, surface roughness, and bond strength with porcelain of cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) and titanium (Ti) substructures produced using casting, milling and selective laser sintering techniques. Methodology: A total of 180 disc-shaped metal samples with a diameter of 1 cm and a thickness of 3 mm were produced. The samples were divided into six groups (n=15) according to the technique used to produce the metal substructures—casting, milling, and SLS—and the chemical composition of the metal substructure—Co-Cr and Ti. Then roughness averages (Ra) of the sample surfaced were calculated with a contact-type profilometer. Nondestructive energy-dispersive X-ray was performed to ensure that the layer displayed in contrast was the oxide layer, and the average oxide layer thickness was calculated from scanning electron microscope images. Metal-porcelain complexes were subjected to shear bond strength test and failure types were noted. Two-way multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to compare oxide layer thickness, surface roughness, and shear bond strength according to the metal and production technique, and Tukey's honestly significant difference (HSD) test was used for multiple comparisons of the main effects. Results: Two-way MANOVA revealed that the metal and technique used in the substructure production had significant effects on surface roughness, oxide layer thickness and shear bond strength (p < 0.001). Ti groups exhibited thicker oxide layer formation than Co-Cr groups. Low surface roughness values were observed in the milling groups. The highest shear bond strength value (53.8 MPa) was observed in the Co-Cr group produced by casting, while the lowest value (32.2 MPa) was obtained in the Ti group produced by casting. Conclusion: It should be kept in mind that there is no ideal production technique and that the effects of the production technique differ depending on the metal used.


The world faces twin challenges: delivering a decent standard of living for everyone, while living within our environmental limits. These two concerns are brought together in Oxfam's Doughnut model, which visualizes a space between planetary boundaries and a social floor where it is environmentally safe and socially just for humanity to exist.
Here, The UK Doughnut: A framework for environmental sustainability and social justice suggests areas of life that might constitute a social floor below which no-one in the UK should fall, and begins the process of identifying which environmental boundaries might be useful for incorporation into a national UK analysis. The report provides a snapshot of the UK's status by assessing its current position against the suggested set of domains and indicators.


The dynamic data-driven applications system (DDDAS) paradigm uses the controlled measurement data to update models. When big data streams are available, signal processing can be used for situation awareness. However, many times, the physical world prevents sensor measurements availability which provides an opportunity to use heterogeneous sensor information; but methods are needed for data normalization, sampling alignment, and data mining. In this paper, we highlight a joint nonlinear manifold learning approach to that incorporates advances in machine learning, data fusion, and model-based simulation propagators. The context of the situation monitoring includes a multiple moving targets, a video sensor, and distributed signal sensors. The challenge is to determine the moving emitter amongst a cluttered scene during an experiment with large data streams. Resolving the signature triangulation of the emitter with that of the video sensor is both a nonlinear tracking problem as well as data learning issue. The paper presents the joint nonlinear manifold learning approach that is theoretically developed such sensor models could not only be the tracking scenario; but that of structure health monitoring as well as internet of things (IoT) examples. The theoretical analysis, heterogeneous data set, machine learning, and results are presented to showcase the importance of real-time DDDAS modeling updates of kinematic models.


To examine directly the interaction of circulating proteins (CP) with the glycocalyx of pulmonary endothelium and its effect on endothelial permeability, two types of experiments were carried out. In the first, rats were exchange transfused with graded amounts of FC-43 fluorocarbon emulsion (FCE) resulting in CP concentrations of 25, 10, and 4 mg/ml, respectively. In the second, rats were exchange transfused with FCE to remove 99.9% of CP. The rats were then exchange transfused with 1 ml FCE containing 60 mg/ml of rat serum protein and killed 3.5, 7.5, and 15 min after the administration of protein. In all animals the distribution of albumin and immunoglobulin G (IgG) was visualized by immunocytochemistry, and endothelial permeability to native ferritin was measured by morphometry. In the depletion experiments increased endothelial permeability to ferritin coincided with loss of adsorbed albumin and IgG from the glycocalyx. Conversely, the presence of administered serum proteins in the glycocalyx and in a few luminal vesicles was associated with an endothelial permeability to ferritin indistinguishable from that of controls. These observations suggest that the adsorption of CP to the endothelial glycocalyx renders the underlying endothelium less permeable to ferritin.


A problem of continuing interest in feedback control is handling conflicting time-domain performance specifications. Semiconductor manufacturing is one of the applications of particular interest in this context with the demanding feature sizes (on the order of a few tens of nanometers) to be produced on a wafer while still requiring high throughput (greater than 100 wafers per hour). In this brief, we propose a multiscale control design method based on a reduced-order model-following scheme for the dynamic systems with such conflicting time-domain performance requirements. This method uses a dynamic reference model to make the plant output track the model output as closely as possible without increasing the overall order of the control system. Optimal proportional-integral (PI) control is used, which is essentially a modification of the conventional optimal control. A detailed analytical proof is given to show that this control scheme effectively overcomes the limitations of the conventional optimal control techniques and provides consistent performances at nano- as well as macroscale positioning with fast rise and settling times. Benefits and limitations of the proposed control scheme are described and stability and performance analyses are discussed. A six-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) extended-range magnetically levitated (maglev) nanopositioning stage, which is open-loop unstable, is used as a test bed to demonstrate the developed control strategy. Step responses under a variety of conditions are obtained to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. This method exhibits significantly better and robust performances in terms of transient as well as steady-state behavior compared with conventional optimal-control schemes. Furthermore, it can be applied to a general class of higher-order linear time-invariant (LTI) systems with or without open-loop instability.


Railway wheels and axles belong to the most critical components in railway vehicles. The service conditions of railway vehicles became more severe in recent years due to the increase of speed. Therefore, a more precise evaluation of railway wheel life and safety has been requested. Wheel/rail contact fatigue and thermal cracks due to braking are two major mechanisms of the railway wheel failure. One of the main sources of the contact zone failure is the residual stress. The residual stress on wheel is formed during the manufacturing process which includes a heat treatment, and then, is changed in the process of braking which results in wheel/rail contact stress and thermal stress. In this paper, an evaluation procedure for the contact fatigue life of railway wheel including residual stress is proposed. Also, the cyclic stress history for fatigue analysis is simulated by applying finite element analysis for the moving contact load. As a result, a fatigue life estimation methodology is proposed for railway wheels which includes the effects of residual stresses due to heat treatment, braking and repeated contact load, respectively.


Ideas and events of prehistoric Anatollan domestic architecture are em-ployed to construct a paradigm (Kubler, 1962; Kuhn, 1970) that, in thispaper, is used to explain the current condition of contemporary architec-ture (Harlan, 1989). The paper begins by describing the paradigm which isbased on patterns of alternating uniformity and diversity in domestic ar-chItectural space within and between the settlements of prehistoric Anatolia(Decker and Schaar, 1984; Schaar, 1987). Uniformity and diversity(WoIfflin, 1950; Frankl, 1968) are terms used to describe periodic spa-tial manifestations in the context of achitectural history.The current condition of contemporary architecture is characterized by avariety of design ideas, resulting In diverse spatial manifestations (Jencks,1977). The questions addressed by this paper are whether the prevailingvariety of design ideas is still part of Modern, whether it is a transitionstage between Modern and a new period, or whether it is already the begin-ning of a new period that is characteristically diverse.The paper addresses these questions by describing the condition of contem-porary arcitecuture as a phenomenon within a larger contex of architecturalhistory. The paradigm of prehistoric Anatolian domestic architecture iscorrelated with the alternating manifestations of uniformity and diversityreprsented by architecture of the Renaissance, Mannerist, Baroque, Nine-teenth-century eclecticism, and Modern period to show that an active ap-plication of precedents (Tafuri, 1980) can be used to explain how the cur-rent condition of contemporary architecture relates to its larger contex inhistory.


An independent evaluation of the National Partnership Agreement on Early Childhood Education is being undertaken in 2010-2014 to assess its effectiveness in achieving universal access outcomes. This evaluation annual report shows progress to 31 December 2009 and includes a literature review, evaluation framework and an exploration of challenges, including data. It should be noted that significant caveats exist around the data used in the report and that it should be read in conjunction with the footnotes provided. It is neither possible nor appropriate to compare data as there is currently no national consistency around its collection.


Predictive QSAR models for the search of new adenosine A2A receptor antagonists were developed by using OCHEM platform. The predictive ability of the regression models has coefficient of determination q2 = 0.65−0.71 with cross‐validation and independent test set. The inhibition activities of novel fused 7‐deazaxanthine compounds were predicted by the developed QSAR models. A preparative method for the synthesis of pyrimido[5′,4′:4,5]pyrrolo[1,2‐a][1,4]diazepine derivatives was developed, and 11 new adenosine A2A receptor antagonists were obtained. Preliminary investigations into the toxicology of fused 7‐deazaxanthine compounds toward commonly used model organism to assess toxicity invertebrate cladoceran D. magna were also described.


The paper presents the results of a 2AFC offline wordidentification experiment by [1], reanalyzed to investigate how F0 discontinuities due to voiceless fricatives and voiceless stops affect cues to word segmentation in accentual-phraseinitial rises (APRs) of French relative to a reference condition with liquid and nasal consonants. Although preliminary due to the small sample size, we found initial evidence that voiceless consonants degrade F0 cues to word segmentation relative to liquids and nasals. In addition, this degradation seems to be stronger for voiceless stops than for voiceless fricatives, as listeners in the latter condition were more sensitive to (resynthesized) changes in the residual rise fragments. This evidence is consistent with the intonational model of [2], which predicts that listeners can to some degree restore frication-filled gaps but not silent gaps in F0, by using pitch impressions created by the fricative noise. Our results call for follow-up studies that use French APRs as a testing ground for this intonational model and also examine the precise nature of intonational cues to word segmentation.


Regulation of phospholipase C (PLC) by receptors is mediated either through protein tyrosine phosphorylation or by activation of GTP-binding proteins (Gp). For the latter, pertussis toxin (PT)-sensitive and -insensitive pathways have been described, indicating PLC regulation by at least two types of G-proteins. The identity of PLC isoenzymes which are regulated by either type of Gp remains to be determined. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone stimulates a PLC in GH3 cells via a PT-insensitive Gp. Reconstitution methods for the assay of the GH3-cell Gp were developed. Previously, the membrane PLC was found to be reversibly extracted from membranes by high salt and to be activated by guanosine 5'-[gamma-thio]triphosphate (GTP[S]) only when membrane-associated, suggesting that Gp was retained in salt-extracted membranes. In the present work, Gp was cholate-solubilized from PLC-deficient membranes and incorporated into phospholipid vesicles, which were found to confer GTP[S]- and AlF4(-)-stimulated activity on a solubilized membrane PLC. The reconstitution provided a direct assay for the GH3-cell Gp which was shown to be distinct from Gi, Go and Gs proteins by immunodepletion studies. Incorporation of G-protein beta-gamma subunits into phospholipid vesicles with Gp inhibited GTP[S]-stimulated activity in the reconstitution. The results indicated that Gp is a heterotrimeric G-protein with the properties expected for the PT-insensitive GH3-cell Gp protein. PLC-beta 1 was fully purified and shown to be regulated by Gp in the reconstitution. In contrast, PT-sensitive G-proteins failed to affect the activity of PLC-beta 1. The results indicate (1) that a PT-insensitive Gp regulates PLC-beta 1 and (2) that PT-sensitive and -insensitive pathways of PLC regulation employ different PLC isoenzymes as well as different G-proteins.


We investigate the objectives of agricultural bank managers and their impacts on bank efficiency. If managers are non-neutral toward risk, then banks may appear inefficient when they are not. We find non-neutrality toward risk and efficiency gains due to firm size, loan shares, asset shares, and share of market deposits.


This essay studies the unfolding of Levinas' concept of transcendence from 1935 to his 1984 talk entitled "Transcendence and Intelligibility." I discuss how Levinas frames transcendence in light of enjoyment, shame, and nausea in his youthful project of a counter-ontology to Heidegger's Being and Time . In Levinas' essay, transcendence is the human urge to get out of being. I show the ways in which Levinas' early ontology is conditioned by historical circumstances, but I argue that its primary aim is formal and phenomenological; it adumbrates formal structures of human existence. Levinas' 1940s ontology accentuates the dualism in being, between what amount to a light and a dark principle. This shift in emphasis ushers in a new focus for transcendence, which is now both sensuous and temporal, thanks to the promise of fecundity. Totality and Infinity (1961) pursues a similar onto-logic, while shifting the locus of transcendence to a non-sexuate other. The final great work, Otherwise than Being or beyond Essence (1974) offers a hermeneutic phenomenology of transcendence-in-immanence. It rethinks Husserl's focus on the transcendence of intentionality and its condition of possibility in the passive synthesis of complex temporality. If the 1974 strategy 'burrows beneath' the classical phenomenological syntheses, it also incorporates unsuspected influences from French psychology and phenomenology. This allows Levinas to develop a philosophical conception of transcendence that is neither Husserl's intentionality nor Heidegger's temporal ecstases, in what amounts to an original contribution to a phenomenology both hermeneutic and descriptive.


Description The cardiac atrioventricular (AV) valve is a highly specialized anatomical structure that prevents regurgitation of blood flow between the cardiac chambers. As such, correct valve development is required for appropriate hemodynamics of circulation. The AV valve develops in a discrete region of the heart, the AV canal (AVC). The long-term goal of my research is to understand the molecular mechanisms that regulate the specification and differentiation of the AVC and make it distinct from the adjacent cardiac chambers. Currently, my work focuses on the role of the transmembrane protein Tmem2, an important player in restricting the boundaries of the AVC. With support from an AHA postdoctoral fellowship, I have shown that Tmem2 confines AVC differentiation by limiting Wnt signaling. Here, I propose to build upon this work by delving deeper into the mechanism through which Tmem2 influences Wnt signaling and by establishing which domains of Tmem2 are required for its function. In this one-year proposal, I aim to (1) test whether Tmem2 restricts Wnt signaling by modulating the extracellular matrix, and (2) determine which domains of Tmem2 are required for restriction of AVC differentiation. Together, these studies will provide new insights regarding poorly understood mechanisms underlying AV valve development and will help us to understand how these processes could be disrupted by congenital heart defects.


Abstract Scientific drawing and writing are critical to the development of observational and recording skills in biology. However, it is unclear how the process of drawing and writing contribute to the learning of plant taxonomy. In the present study, 41 adult botanical novices studied a suite of UK native plant species using two methods: labelled drawing and descriptive writing. Tests of species identification and recognition of morphological characteristics indicated that both methods were equally effective at improving species identification. However, drawing captured significantly more morphological information about all study species than writing and was preferred by participants. The quality of drawn and written work was also evaluated and educational implications arising from these are discussed.


METEOR is an online tool dedicated to the generation of instrumental responses for seismological stations. This tool builds the complete response of the acquisition chain, while keeping the number of fields to be filled in very reduced. METEOR queries a very rich response databank, designed for the management of the French broadband seismological network (RESIF) and for many research projects involving velocimetric and accelerometric sensors over the last 20 yr. This tool is not intended to allow the management of metadata of an entire network, but to quickly build the instrumental responses of temporary stations. Information about the measuring instruments and their settings can be entered directly in the field, or later, back in the office. Instrument responses can be produced in the International Federation of Digital Seismograph Networks Station Extended Markup Language format (FDSN StationXML) and the metadata-only form of the Standard for Exchange of Earthquake Data (dataless SEED). METEOR is publicly available (see Data and Resources).


TRAIL has been shown to target tumor cells but not healthy cells in vitro. In addition, clinical studies have revealed that recombinant human TRAIL is well tolerated in patients. Taken together, the safety of treatment and targeted apoptosis in human bodies render TRAIL a promising anti-tumor therapeutic. Besides inducing this apoptotic signaling pathway, TRAIL can activate non-canonical kinase pathways through the same death receptors. In this thesis, we unraveled molecular mechanisms controlling TRAIL sensitivity in tumor cells using DR4- and DR5- specific TRAIL variants (Chapter 2 and 3). Moreover, we used combined treatment with epigenetic drugs to overcome TRAIL resistance in tumor cells (Chapter 5 and 6). In Chapter 2 , we generated FUT3 or FUT6 overexpressed cell lines to investigate their sensitivities to TRAIL. Our data show that DR5-sensitivity is completely restored in FUT3 or FUT6 overexpressed cells. In Chapter 3, we firstly showed that conditioned medium (CM) derived from cancer cells inhibits TRAIL-mediated cell death. In addition, we observed only DR5 but not DR4 in CM. In Chapter 4. We summarized strategies for combination therapy to improve TRAIL sensitivity by interfering with aberrant histone modifications using inhibitors. In Chapter 5, we found that RGFP966, a HDAC3-specific inhibitor, or PCI34051, a HDAC8-specific inhibitor, largely improve TRAIL sensitivity in combination with agonistic receptor-specific. TRAIL variants. In Chapter 6, we showed that the A485-TRAIL combination synergistically increases cell death and decreases the volume of 3D spheroids of EGFR-TKI resistant cells.


Analyses three of the most widely used message passing environments for parallel systems, namely Occam/TDS for Transputer based systems, Vertex-Vortex for nCUBE, and Express, which is an architecture-independent message passing system. The aim of our analysis is to contrast the features provided by the different systems, and from among them to select the most suitable one with respect to some criteria, i.e. program portability, efficiency and flexibility of the message passing system. Program portability should ensure that we will be able to use tomorrow, on new parallel architectures, today's parallel software, thus preserving our investment. Efficiency of the application is a must for parallel software. With flexibility, we intend that the message passing system is able to accommodate different parallel programming paradigms (such as pipelined, data parallel) in a natural way. The use of a general-purpose message passing system, like those considered, is also contrasted with the use of an application-oriented high-level notation.<<ETX>>


In the Cucurbitaceae, the tendrils, coiling organs used for climbing and mechanical support, are part of an axillary bud complex (ABC). Although the morphological nature of tendrils and the branching pattern of the ABC in the Cucurbitaceae have been much studied, their homology remains unresolved, with hypothesized candidates being the leaf, flower, stem, or stem-leaf combination. We used Echinocystis lobata as a model to study the early ontogeny of the ABC with epi-illumination microscopy and serial resin sections. The ABC produces four structures (proximal to distal, relative to the subtending leaf) as the result of two successive subdivisions: an inflorescence of staminate flowers, a solitary pistillate flower, a lateral bud, and a tendril. The first separates the tendril primordium from the continuation of the ABC, and the second separates the staminate inflorescence and the ABC. The pistillate flower apparently forms between the staminate inflorescence and the lateral bud. Because there is no subtending leaf during these subdivisions and the first lateral appendages in the resulting primordia arise in the same plane, we conclude that the tendril and other organs formed by the ABC are lateral branches of equal morphological value. This study is the basis for continuing comparative and functional morphological studies.


Despite the well-known health benefits of physical activity, a large proportion of the population does not meet the guidelines. Hence, effective and widely accessible interventions to increase levels of physical activity are needed. Over the recent years, the number of health and fitness apps has grown rapidly, and they might form part of the solution to the widespread physical inactivity. However, it remains unclear to which extent they make use of the possibilities of mobile technology and form real e-coaching systems. This study aims to investigate the current landscape of smartphone apps that promote physical activity for healthy adults. Therefore, we present a framework to rate the extent to which such apps incorporate technological features, and we show that the physical activity promotion apps included in the review implemented an average of approximately eight techniques and functions. The features that were implemented most often were user input, textual/numerical overviews of the user's behavior and progress, sharing achievements or workouts in social networks, and general advice on physical activity. The features that were present least often were adaptation, integration with external sources, and encouragement through gamification, some form of punishment or the possibility to contact an expert. Overall, the results indicate that apps can be improved substantially in terms of their utilization of the possibilities that current mobile technology offers.


Background: Studies have shown that exposure to oil paints and chemicals can lead to physiological disorders. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of inhalation of oil paint vapors on the serum levels of male steroid hormones. Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 15 adult male Wistar rats, weighing 200 to 225 g, were randomly allocated into three groups (n=5 for each group) including a control group (no treatment) and two experimental groups (which received paint vapor for 1 h and 8 hs per day). After 10 weeks, blood samples were taken from rats' hearts. Serum levels of hormones were measured using the radio immunoassay method. Data were analyzed using ANOVA and a least significant difference follow-up test. Results: Serum levels of DHEAS, LH, and FSH were increased significantly in the groups with 1 h and 8 h exposure to paint vapor compared to the control group (P<0.001); however, the increase in the FSH level in the group with 1 h exposure to paint vapor was more than the group with 8 h exposure (P<0.001). Moreover, the testosterone hormone level was decreased in the 1 h and 8 h exposure groups compared to the control group (P<0.05); however, this decrease in the 1 h exposure group was lower than the 8 h exposure group (P<0.05). Conclusion: The findings of the present study show that exposure to oil paint vapor in different time periods leads to an increase or a decrease in the serum levels of male steroid hormones.


Introduction Issues contributing to poor patient compliance for splint wear include poor aesthetics, fit and performance. This paper describes a novel digitised splinting process using 3D printing in an attempt to overcome these issues. The output of the investigation was the creation of a specialised computer-aided design software workflow to support 3D printing, developed specifically for splinting practitioners in the UK, to enable them to design splints themselves for each individual patient. Method A small-scale feasibility study was done, based on the current splinting process. A thorough literature review and physical engagement in current splinting practice was performed, highlighting key requirements for successful splint fabrication. Key requirements were then replicated in a virtual software environment. Opportunities for integrating new, novel features were explored. The key requirements were then refined into a specialised software workflow to replicate the splinting process. The specialised software was then evaluated by 10 practitioners. User trials of the software were performed, followed by semi-structured interviews. Audio recordings were transcribed and then coded to establish similar trends of opinions, and areas for future research. No patients or vulnerable participants were involved in the study. Results All participants were able to use and navigate around the software prototype with relative ease. Strengths included potential simplicity in modelling more complex splints, but several areas for future research are identified, including cost analysis and materials development. Discussion The digitised splinting process shows promise for the benefit of both practitioners and their patients, provided that future research and investment can overcome current limitations.


OBJECTIVE
Baseline clinical and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) data from a phase 2, multi-site, international, randomized, controlled trial were analyzed to: (1) characterize the health status of patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS), (2) explore cross-sectional relationships between HRQoL and clinical measures, and (3) evaluate differences in HRQoL scores for subsequent validation as minimally important differences (MID).

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION
www.clinicaltrials.gov, NCT00207727.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
Baseline clinical and HRQoL data were selected and analyzed. HRQoL questionnaires included the Short Form-36 (SF-36), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), a Patient Assessment of multiple sclerosis (MS) Impact (PAMSI), and MS-specific symptom scales for Bladder and Bowel Control, Cognition, and Sexual Satisfaction. Standard summary statistics described the population while Pearson and Spearman correlations evaluated the baseline association between HRQoL and clinical measures. Cross-sectional estimates of MID in HRQoL scores were derived using several clinical anchors, the PAMSI, and two tests: Tukey multiple comparisons and adjacent mean difference.

RESULTS
Patients (n = 249) had a mean age of 39.0 (Standard deviation, SD = 10.5), 70% were female, 63% resided in Europe, and 96% were Caucasian. Baseline median Expanded Disability Severity Scale (EDSS) was 2.5 (range = 0.0-6.5); median disease duration was 1.9 years (range = 0.1-33.6). The worst baseline mean (normalized) SF-36 scores were for General Health (39.9), Role Physical (40.4), Physical Functioning (41.0), and Vitality (42.7). The worst MS symptom mean scores were for Cognition (6.3) and FSS (4.4). Fatigue scores indicated substantial burden and were consistent with SF-36 Vitality results. Baseline HRQoL scores (SF-36, FSS, MS symptom scales) correlated most with EDSS, Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite (MSFC), age and disease duration. Lesion count and pre-baseline relapse rate had no meaningful association with HRQoL or other clinical measures. The MID for several HRQoL measures are proposed for confirmation in longitudinal patient datasets.

CONCLUSION
Clinical and HRQoL assessments documented health impairments in physical functioning, fatigue, and cognition among these RRMS patients with relatively short disease duration. HRQoL data varied with clinical measures and contributed new information regarding disease burden. The association between clinical and HRQoL measures was limited to cross-sectional analysis and requires confirmation in longitudinal datasets. These findings reflect an ambulatory, early-stage RRMS population that was mostly European in location or descent. The PAMSI also requires further validation as a measure of patient health status.


We consider the problem of finding a trelfis for a linear block code that minimizes one or more measures of trellis complexity for a fixed permutation of the code. We examine constraints on trellises, including relationships between the minimal trellis of a code and that of the dual code. We identify the primitive structures that can appear in a minimal trellis and relate this to those for the minimal trellis of the dual code.


To solve the problem of measurement original uncertainty, we present a proposed parallel updating approach for tracking a maneuvering target in cluttered environment using multiple sensors. A parallel updating method is followed where the raw sensor measurements are passed to a central processor and fed directly to the target tracker. A past approach using parallel sensor processing has ignored certain data association probabilities. Simulation results show that compared with an existing IMMPDAF algorithm with parallel sensor approach, the IMMPDAF algorithm with proposed parallel updating approach solves the problem of measurements' origins and achieves significant improvement in the accuracy of track estimation.


This study contributes to the literature by offering insights over the relationship between job satisfaction and work stress with employees' motivation among travel agencies in India. The paper aims to determine the impact of job satisfaction and work stress on employees' motivation level with a specific focus on the moderating impact of employees' expertise and marital status in the context of travel agencies in Southern India. A survey was conducted over employees of travel agencies in Southern India by adopting scales from the extant studies, and data were analyzed using structural equation modeling through Smart PLS. The outcome of the study reveals that job satisfaction has a strong significant effect on employees' motivation, unlike work stress and employees' expertise has a partial significant moderating effect on the relationship between work stress and motivation. The study stressed much about the combined effects of the mediators. The present study has tested the new composite scale to measure the overall motivational level, unlike the previous studies. The survey was conducted between November 2019 and December 2019 and entails 164 respondents, the majority of the subjects are millennials between 18 and 35 years, with 43.3% having master's degree, all were found to be pre-qualified for the investigation.


Slovenian legislation defines complementary health insurance as an activity of the public interest, which represents an inseparable and essential element of healthcare system and as such pursues objectives identical to those of compulsory health insurance – financial security of population against high healthcare expenses and appropriate and fair access to efficient and quality healthcare. EU Member States often introduce different regulatory measures to safeguard the public interest in the field of economic activities. These measures often contravene the Union acquis (the rules on the functioning of the internal market and competition law), which is in principle unacceptable. This article aims to define Slovenian complementary health insurance as a service of general economic interest, which opens up new prospects for the Member States' adoption of the regulatory measures that are not compliant with the rules on the functioning of the internal market and EU competition law.


Abstract. In this paper a Petri net based model of the process of oxidative stress in atherosclerosis is presented and analyzed. Model expressed in the language of Petri net theory have, on one hand, an intuitive graphical representation, and on the other hand their formal properties can be analyzed using rigorous mathematical methods. Moreover, the behavior of a net can be simulated what supports the process of model development and an interpretation of the results of the analysis. Both the analysis and the simulation can be supported by many freely available software tools. In the case of biological systems an analysis the t-invariants is especially important since they correspond to some elementary biological subprocesses. In this paper the results of such an analysis are presented. In particular, minimal t-invariants, MCT-sets and t-clusters are calculated, their biological meaning is determined and some biological conclusions are drawn.


Aerosol and intranasal methods of influenza vaccination were studied on volunteers. Aerosol vaccination induced intensive S-IgA-producing reaction and increase of the specific antibody titres in the saliva and nasal secretions. Intranasal vaccination led to increase of influenza antibodies in the washings from the nasopharynx. The presence of a wide spectrum of antiviral and antibacterial normal secretory antibodies was revealed in the fluids under study. Along with stimulation of specific secretory antibodies, the methods of influenza vaccination under study led to increase of the titre of antibodies nonspecific of the vaccine used.


Background
Retinal ischemia reperfusion injury (RIRI) is a common pathological process of many retinal vascular diseases with comprehensive pathogenesis mechanism.Researches showed that apoptosis of retinal cells and nerve fiber loss is the finally common pathway of RIRI, and Janus kinase signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) pathway is a newly discovered signal transcript channel in recent years, which is involved in varieties of pathological processes.However, whether JAK-STAT pathway is associated with RIRI is still unelucidated.

Objective
This study was to investigate the time course of activation of JAK-STAT signal pathway and its significance during RIRI.

Methods
Forty clear adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into RIRI 6-hour, 12-hour, 24-hour and 48-hour groups.RIRI models were induced in lateral eyes of the rats by perfusing normal saline solution into the anterior chamber to elevate intraocular pressure (IOP) to 110 mmHg for 60 minutes and then allowing reperfusion, and the fellow eyes of the rats served as normal control group.The rats were sacrificed and the eyeballs were enucleated at 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours after reperfusion.The expressions of JAK2 and STAT3 protein (absorbance) in the retinas were located and detected by immunohistochemistry, and the relative expression levels of JAK2 and STAT3 mRNA in the retinas were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR.The use and care of the rats followed the ARVO Statement.

Results
Immunohistochemistry showed that JAK2 and STAT3 were faintly expressed in inner nuclear layer and retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) in the normal control group and strongly expressed in various RIRI groups.Significant differences were found in the expression intensities of JAK2 and STAT3 protein among the five groups (F=88.735, 96.625, both at P<0.01). Compared with the normal control group, the expression intensities of JAK2 and STAT3 were enhanced in RIRI groups, with the peak values in RIRI 12-hour group (JAK2: t=4.308, 5.559, 5.315, 4.726; all at P<0.01.STAT3: t=5.047, 7.843, 6.281, 4.887; all at P<0.01). The thickening of inner retinal layer, loosening of retinal tissue, vacuolus degeneration of cells and decrease of RGCs were seen in the RIRI eyes.The relative expressing levels of the JAK2 mRNA and STAT3 mRNA in the retinas were significantly different among the groups (F=111.239, 129.539; both at P<0.01), and the relative expressing levels of JAK2 mRNA and STAT3 mRNA in the retinas were significantly increased in RIRI 6-hour, 12-hour, 24-hour and 48-hour groups in comparison with the normal control group (JAK2 mRNA: t=3.504, 5.102, 4.679, 4.213; all at P<0.01.STAT3 mRNA: t=6.541, 8.787, 5.693, 5.898; all at P<0.01).

Conclusions
The retinal morphology appears to be abnormal and RGCs are evidently decreased in rat eyes with RIRI, and the expressions of JAK2 and STAT3 in the retinas are simultaneously up-regulated, indicating that JAK-STAT signal pathway is involved during the RIRI process.

Key words:
Retina; Ischemia reperfusion injury; Signal transduction pathway; Retinal ganglion cells; Janus kinase signal transducer and activator of transcription; Rats, Sprague-Dawley